Mike Michalski, President MCS Strategies

Mr. Michalski is President of MCS Strategies, LLC. His firm provides economic development and business consulting services to both public and private sector clients.

Originally from Buffalo, NY, Michalski received his BA in Economics from Hobart College in Geneva, New York and completed extensive graduate work at both Hunter College in New York City and St. Bonaventure University in Olean, New York.

During his career, Mike has led economic development organizations in five states. He specialized in developing innovative strategies for revitalizing an area’s economic performance. As a result, Michalski earned a national reputation for promoting area wide and regional development programs. These efforts resulted in significant job and investment gains as well as a reduction in duplication of effort. Michalski reenergized area development through the assembly of comprehensive financial packages and the attraction of both developers and tenants to mixed use residential, commercial, and industrial projects. Every community had similar characteristics - a struggling organizational structure, depressed economy, and lack of regional cooperation. In each case he was the catalyst in reorganizing and regenerating each community’s momentum. From unique retention programs to successful relocations and expansions, Mike has been on the frontline of cutting edge economic development projects.

Mike has been actively promoting his profession. He presented and moderated local, regional, and national conferences for groups such as the National Association of Foreign Trade Zones, the International City Management Association and HUD. He attended the U.S. Air Force Airway College and served as a visiting professor at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan and Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

In 1994, Mike established MCS Strategies, LLC, a site location and business resource firm. MCS is called upon to integrate the client’s initial request, project staff, and project parameters into a comprehensive, customized set of recommendations and solutions. Key clients include automotive OEM, chemical, specialty apparel, industrial, and transportation equipment facilities. MCS undertakes specialized projects including U.S. Foreign Trade Zone applications and activations, assembling financial resources, resolving supply chain issues, and conducting marketing and planning studies.

Michalski has held voluntary leadership positions in numerous state, local, regional, and national organizations. He has made time for service with youth, church, and not-for-profit charitable groups. In particular, he has served the American Heart Association (AHA) first on the local level as a Division Chairman, then as Treasurer of the Michigan Affiliate, and Chairman of the Midwest Affiliate. He led the merger of the Midwest and Northland Affiliates creating the #1 affiliate nationally in terms of dollars raised and program impact in fighting heart disease and stroke. In June 2006, Mike was elected to the Pacific Mountain Affiliate of the AHA. As a result of Michalski’s experience, he has conducted board member training and strategic planning sessions for many public and private sector groups across the nation.