ROSCOMMON – The Sawmill Rural Business Center has been awarded a nearly $30,000 contract with the Village of Roscommon Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to begin offering business support services to businesses in the DDA district. The funding will enable Sawmill to offer a full suite of services to the DDA and businesses in the district.
‘We’re living our motto: Believe. Create. Execute.’ Diane Love-Suvada, Sawmill Co-founder and CEO.
The Sawmill has tailored ‘big city’ ideas of business incubation/co-working and resource pooling to the unique challenges/opportunities of rural Roscommon. The person behind this movement is a 2000 graduate of Roscommon Area Public Schools,
Greg Gaylor III. While serving as a member of the Navy’ Elite Bomb Squad, Greg was exposed to many high-risk economic improvement projects in War torn regions such as Afghanistan. In February of 2016, Gaylor completed an intensive entrepreneur’ course designed specifically to economically empower disabled Veterans.
Assisted by Kirtland Community College’ Erine Adams, Sawmill hired Diane Love-Suvada as executive director last August. Love-Suvada previously served as director of events and community engagement at TechTown Detroit, Detroit’ business innovation hub. Under Love-Suvada’ leadership and with a $5,000 NEMCOG RPI mini grant awarded to the Roscommon DDA for the business incubator project, Sawmill was incorporated as a nonprofit last fall.
The Sawmill will be located in the Roscommon Village Hall. A grand opening event is slated for later this spring.
‘We are very excited at Village Hall about the revitalization of our downtown business district. I believe location of the offices and training/meeting area in Village Hall of the newly established Sawmill Rural Business Center is an important step in the revitalization process,’ said Village Manager John Rosczyk,
Gaylor is optimistic about the project.
‘Roscommon is taking charge of its economic outlook! We are sending up the entrepreneur bat signal!’ he said.
The $29,940 contract, effective January 9, will cover the expenses of Love-Suvada.
Sawmill is expected to offer;
- 3-month Strategic Business Planning Engagements with two DDA-targeted businesses to support economic development within the DDA boundaries. Each engagement will offer a SWOT analysis, 20 hours of consultation time, and a two-month post-engagement review to ensure client success.
- 30-day business support engagement services to three businesses within the district.
- Empty buildings opportunities.
- Work with local municipalities and community organizations on high priority economic development projects as directed by the DDA
- Continue regular Sawmill activities as stated in Sawmill Strategic Plan; starting a co-working space, hosting networking events, business workshops and events, regular business consultations, fundraising and partner development.
Effective Jan. 27 the Sawmill Board of Directors includes, Gaylor, III-Chairman; Adams-Vice Chair; and Kate Otwell-Secretary. The board is still seeking a treasurer.
A strategic advisory council will include: John Rosczyk, Daniel Scow, Dr. Thomas Quinn,
David Patterson, Catherine Erickson, Sally Voorheis, Kimberly Young, Rosalie Myers and Casey Adams
For more information, contact Love-Suvada at 734-904-7729 or diane@sawmillbusinesscenter.org or visit sawmillbusinesscenter.org.
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Au Sable Media Group, LLC, is a veteran-owned company that owns and operates the Roscommon County Voice, Crawford County Voice, Michigan Boomers and Voice of the Au Sable.
Our focus is on the positive people and events that make Northern Michigan a great place to live, vacation, work and play.
We have been commercial printers and publishers since 2010, specializing in brochures, rack cards, magazines and other newspapers and publications. A new addition to our stable of marketing products are various promotional items such as shirts, hats, mugs, water bottles and much more.
Through our publications and website at UpNorthVoice.com, we cover the following communities: Roscommon, Houghton Lake, St. Helen, Higgins Lake, Grayling, Frederic, Gaylord, Lewiston, Johannesburg, Atlanta, Hillman, Fairview, Comins, McKinley, Mio, Rose City, West Branch, Hale, Glennie, Sand Lake, Harrisville, Tawas City, East Tawas, Oscoda, Au Sable AuGres, Standish, Omer, Sterling, Gladwin, Beaverton, Kalkaska, South Boardman, Fife Lake, Mancelona, Alden, Traverse City, and Waters.
Our staff regularly covers the following school districts: Roscommon, Houghton Lake, St. Helen, Grayling, Mio and Fairview.
We can also be found on Facebook at Roscommon County Voice, Voice of the Au Sable, Michigan Boomers and Crawford County Voice.
For information on promoting your business in any of our products please contact Tracy Constance at 989-275-1170 (tracy@ausablemedia.com) or Walt Smith at 989-390-5359 (waltsmith1955@gmail.com).
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