Established 1936 – John A. Collins, President

EMBASSY SUITES BY HILTON, GRAND RAPIDS DOWNTOWN

Big E's Sports Grille

710 Monroe Avenue NW, Grand Rapids

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2026 – 7:00 AM

Besides all the medical research facilities in the Grand Rapids area, we are privileged to have the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine located here. The Assistant Dean for External Relations is the former Mayor of Grand Rapids, Rosalynn Bliss. Rosalynn passed the torch (or gavel) proudly to her successor as her tenure as Mayor was extremely productive.

In her post as Mayor, Rosalynn most strongly advocated for a number of what she calls “transformational projects” for the city. She is still actively involved in ensuring that they come to fruition. There are many ongoing and planned developments in the area, making Grand Rapids truly a vibrant city. Rosalynn will describe these projects.

Invocation: Eric Nelson
Introduction: Paul Chardoul

Keys to a Thriving City

1. Development and maintenance of robust and adaptable infrastructure, including social, educational and medical facilities, transportation systems and essential services like water and power, are all crucial for a city’s growth and resilience.
2. Measuring the vitality and adaptability of a city’s economy, including talent pool diversity, industry mix, culture of innovation, capital inflows and civic engagement will collectively drive business growth and economic resilience.