Economy:
The natural resources that attracted the area's
early settlers continue to form the foundation
of Schoolcraft County's diverse economy. Local,
state and federal government agencies employ the
greatest number of workers in the county, accounting
for about 23 percent of the workforce.
Service-related businesses employ just slightly
less. Retail trade is the number three employer,
providing about 20 percent of the jobs in the
county. Manufacturing, at about 10 percent, is
the fourth largest employer, followed by construction,
at about 7 percent. Rounding out the employment
base are, respectively, finance/insurance/real
estate; mining; transportation/public utilities;
agriculture/forestry/fishing/other; and wholesale
trade.
The Hiawatha National Forest, Seney National Wildlife
Refuge and several state parks provide an abundance
of outdoor recreational opportunities in the county,
and the beautiful lakes and forests are the basis
of a thriving tourism industry fueling economic
growth in businesses ranging from lodging and
restaurants to sporting goods stores and marinas.
Manistique Papers, the principal industrial employer
in the county, is the nation's largest recycler
of magazines and catalogs, producing 125,000 tons
of 100% recycled paper annually. State and national
forests also provide raw materials which are used
locally and exported for use by manufacturers
around the world.
The county is home to two industrial parks, both
of which are being developed.
The county's cable television network and fiber
optic data transmission capabilities have create
a new employment niche.
Many professionals and business owners have discovered
that by conducting their business via the Internet
and teleconferencing, the no longer need to be
based in a big city. Instead, they "telecommute"
to work anywhere in the world, while taking advantage
of Schoolcraft County's skilled labor force, reasonable
labor costs, high quality of life and low cost
of living. At the end of the day - since the information
highway doesn't have rush-hour snarls - Schoolcraft
County's newest pioneers head for the beach, volunteer
in the community, or simply relax at home. |
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Helping promote the county's business community
is he mission of the Schoolcraft County Chamber
of Commerce. Representing a cross-section of area
businesses, the chamber is led by a volunteer board,
with day-to-day operations overseen by a professional
executive director. In addition to serving as the
voice of area business in legislative and governmental
affairs the chamber is an information source for
community events and activities. It gathers and
disseminates local information, including listings
of clubs, organizations, schools, health care providers,
restaurants and lodging.
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Another area agency promoting economic
growth is the Schoolcraft County Economic Development
Corporation. The EDC is led by a volunteer board
of local members of business and government. It
is supervised by a professional staff, consisting
of a director, program manager and administrative
assistant. The non-profit EDC works to retain and
expand the county's public and private employment
base, focusing on development that improves the
area's quality of life for all residents. The EDC
is committed to attracting and retaining industry
in Schoolcraft County and can provide new and expanding
businesses with information concerning available
land, planning and zoning, local demographics and
tax incentives.
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Both the Schoolcraft county Chamber of Commerce
and the Schoolcraft County EDC are located in Manistique.
If you're looking for a community in which to expand
or locate your business, contact their offices and
discover the unique opportunities awaiting you Schoolcraft
County. |
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Although State Savings
Bank takes business very seriously, all you
see are warm smiles, efficient service and
friendly faces. We're about the business of
taking care of your banking needs.
Our dedication stems from our beginning. We
were founded by a group of Schoolcraft County
residents in 1917. Local people continue to
own the bank and fill our board of directors
as we search for ways to better serve you.
One way we're doing so is by making answers
available to you 24 hours a day. Our website,
at www.statesavingsbank.com , is equipped
with a variety of finacial calculators. which
are ready to guide you through financial decisions.
The calculators are designed to estimate outcomes
for debt consolidation, college budget planning,
retirement savings needed, percentage of income
to invest, amortization tables and much more.
Stop by State Savings Bank and discover the
personal touch of independent banking. We
are a full service bank with five area locations:
the main office in Manistique and branch offices
on Manistique's west side and in Gulliver,
Naubinway and Curtis. |
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| Manistique
Papers;
The nation's largest recycler of magazines
and catalogs, is the principal industrial
employer in the county. |
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