Southwest Michigan First

Aubrey Norg is a Chamber Associate at Southwest Michigan First, where she works with Chamber members and local businesses and manages events. Her role involves supporting local businesses, connecting with community leaders, and organizing learning opportunities for members.

Carla Sones is interim CEO of Southwest Michigan First, where she oversees regional economic development spanning business retention and attraction, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and community development across a seven-county region. She is also president of Consultant Connect, a consulting platform linking economic developers with corporate site selection consultants, which she grew from a $250,000 startup to over $2.7 million in revenue. She holds a Bachelor of Science in community health education from Western Michigan University and a DEI in the Workplace Certificate from the University of South Florida, and is a Gallup-Certified CliftonStrengths Coach.

Clarence Lloyd serves as Vice President and Chamber Director at Southwest Michigan First, where he leads the Southwest Michigan First Chamber and works to support area small businesses through educational sessions, networking, and regional resource connections. He holds a B.A. in Broadcast Communications/Business from Western Michigan University and an M.S. in Management and Leadership from Western Governors University.

Cole Mallery is an associate on the economic development team at Southwest Michigan First, where he works with businesses and community stakeholders across Southwest Michigan to support economic growth. His work includes building strategic relationships, connecting organizations with resources and incentive programs, and supporting business expansion and retention efforts. He holds a B.A. in Business Management from Adrian College.

Eric Ringwelski is a Senior Associate in Marketing and Communications at Southwest Michigan First, where he works on digital content, events, and campaigns focused on regional economic development. He leads production of the firm's weekly newsletter, FIRST & 42, and creates short-form video content. He holds a B.S. in Advertising & Public Relations from Grand Valley State University.

Heather Burnett is Senior Director of Human Resources at Southwest Michigan First, where she handles human resources, accounting, and team engagement activities. She holds a B.S. in Community Health from Western Michigan University and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace certifications from the University of South Florida. She is a member of the Kalamazoo Human Resources Management Association.

Jeff Coney is a Director on the economic development team at Southwest Michigan First, where he works to support businesses and strengthen communities across the region. He focuses on building relationships, securing programs and incentives to help organizations grow, and promoting the region to attract new opportunities. He holds degrees from Glen Oaks Community College, Spring Arbor University, and Indiana University of South Bend, and served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Sergeant.

Jenny Boerman is a senior associate for The Chamber at Southwest Michigan First, where she works on building relationships with members and supporting their engagement. She holds a B.A. in Tourism with a minor in Business from Western Michigan University.

Jill Bland is Executive Vice President of Economic Development at Southwest Michigan First, where she works with community, education, and business leaders to support regional economic growth and connect the workforce pipeline to employers. A third-generation Southwest Michigan resident, she was part of the team involved in redeveloping a GM plant into Midlink Business Park and the life science talent retention effort following Pharmacia's acquisition by Pfizer. She holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Western Michigan University, is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD), and has completed executive management and economic development certificates.

Justine Laux is Senior Director of Accounting at Southwest Michigan First, where she coordinates and analyzes the team's financials, including expense reports, time sheets, reimbursements, and financial reporting to the Board of Directors and Audit and Finance Committee. She holds a B.A. in Interpersonal Communication and an M.S. in Accountancy from Western Michigan University, along with a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion certificate from the University of South Florida and a Certified Meeting Planner credential.

Kaiden Gustafson is a Marketing and Communications intern at Southwest Michigan First, where the role centers on creating visuals and materials such as event assets, social media content, and printed materials. Gustafson is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts at Western Michigan University.

Kimberly Viers manages the marketing and communications team at Southwest Michigan First, where she develops and executes marketing strategies and maintains consistent branding and messaging to support the organization's economic development mission. She holds a BBA in Marketing from Western Michigan University.

Molly Dixon is a Project Manager for Consulting and Special Projects at Southwest Michigan First, working with the Consultant Connect team to support economic development clients across the United States by organizing events that highlight their communities. She holds a B.A. in Spanish from Western Michigan University and is pursuing an M.B.A. at the same institution.

Nick Riashi is Senior Director of Investor Engagement at Southwest Michigan First, where he works in business development, building client relationships across the organization's divisions. He supports the consulting division Consultant Connect by growing relationships with economic developers across North America, and locally focuses on supporting Chamber members and small business growth. He holds a B.A. in Sales and Marketing from Western Michigan University and a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace certificate from the University of South Florida.

Nikki Hackworth is an Events Coordinator in operations at Southwest Michigan First, where she plans and manages community events with a hospitality-focused approach. She holds an A.S. from Jackson College and serves as a board member of the Southwest Michigan Miracle League.

Rachael Tiesenga is Director of Workforce and Leadership Development at Southwest Michigan First, where she leads programs including Leadership Greater Kalamazoo, First Up (for early-career professionals), and internship programming. She holds a B.S. in Biopsychology, Cognition and Neuroscience from the University of Michigan and a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace certificate from the University of South Florida, and is a Certified Gallup Clifton Strengths Coach.

Riley Lukomski is Senior Director of Economic Development at Southwest Michigan First, where the role focuses on marketing the region's economic development assets to attract businesses, connecting existing businesses and stakeholders to resources and networks, and communicating community outcomes through data. Lukomski holds a B.S. in Economics and a B.S. in Statistics from Western Michigan University.

Stephanie Van is an Associate for Consulting and Special Projects at Southwest Michigan First, supporting the organization's Consultant Connect division that connects economic developers with location consultants. Her responsibilities include relationship management, client communications, contract execution, and event and logistics support. She holds a B.A. in Advertising and Public Relations from Grand Valley State University.

Twayne Howard is the Chief Financial Officer at Southwest Michigan First, where he leads the accounting and finance functions and helps set and execute the organization's strategic priorities alongside leadership. He also oversees internal operations, including human resources, information technology, facilities, and organizational infrastructure. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Science in Administration with a concentration in Leadership, both from Central Michigan University.