West Michigan Global Initiative

The WMGI helped coordinate the visit of Henne Schuwer, Ambassador of the Kingdom to the Netherlands and Louis Piet, Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Michigan State Capitol. Photo with Michigan Lt. Governor Brian Calley, Senator Arlan Meekhof, Representative Rob VerHeulen, Representative Winnie Brinks, several Michigan Department Directors along with WMGI Board Members.

A great day for WMGI and for Michigan. During their visit to Grand Rapids, Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima expressed gratitude for the WMGI's efforts to enhance the relationships between West Michigan and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Royal couple taking home tales of West Michigan's Dutch pride "I'll tell them how amazing it is that so many people, so many generations away from the country of The Netherlands, that you can recognize so much in their ways."

We're a little biased, but Go Orange!

2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™: Netherlands-Argentina - Overview - FIFA.com 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™: Netherlands-Argentina

The Global Initiative was proud to be part of a group welcoming Dutch Ambassador Rudolf Bekink to Holland during Tulip Time. Here's WMGI Corporate Development Chair Brendan Ringlever (right) with Ambassador Bekink (center) and Bing Goei, Director of Michigan's Office of New Americans, at Haworth's World Headquarters.

Governor Snyder's Tulip Time promo video. Watch/listen to his comments at 57 seconds to 1:33. Exactly the mission if the WMGI!

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10152383352022482&id=814202481

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10152383352022482&id=814202481

We are honored to welcome Dutch Ambassador to the United States Rudolf Beknik to West Michigan for this year's Tulip Time Festival. For ticket info, check out: www.tuliptime.com/luncheon

Gov. Rick Snyder to be joined by Netherlands ambassador for Tulip Time luncheon Event to feature new reception and Pure Michigan television commercial.

Haworth CEO and West Michigan Global Initiative Advisory Committee member Franco Bianchi was the keynote speaker at The Economic Club of Grand Rapids yesterday, providing some global insight into the innovations taking place inside his company. He also provided a sneak peek at Blue35GR, an innovative new work environment Haworth is launching with Rockford Construction.

Haworth's Franco Bianchi looks beyond furniture for his company's future "I try to run the smallest big company I can," said Bianchi, an Italian who was hired to lead Haworth in 2005.

"Overwinning!" (that's "victory" in Dutch) Keeping the Dutch consulate open in Chicago maintains a vital connection between the Netherlands and the business community in Michigan and throughout the Midwest. We are grateful to the Dutch government as well as WMGI supporters like Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, who rallied to support keeping the only Midwest Dutch consulate in place.

Midwest Dutch consulate stays open The Midwest Dutch consulate won’t be closing after all.

Congratulations to Elsa Prince Broekhuizen, who was honored for her philanthropy during Wednesday's Dutch American Heritage Day festivities in Holland.

Dutch-American Heritage Day honors Elsa Prince Broekhuizen At the annual dinner, she spoke of her gratitude for her Dutch immigrant parents who taught her a "great love" of Holland, Mich.

Happy Dutch American Heritage Day! Here's a bit from from the .S. Embassy to The Netherlands about this special day: "

"On November 16, 1776, a small American warship, the ANDREW DORIA, sailed into the harbor of the tiny Dutch island of St. Eustatius in the West Indies. Only 4 months before, the United States had declared its independence from Great Britain. The American crew was delighted when the governor of the island, Johannes de Graaf, ordered that his fort's cannons be fired in a friendly salute. The first ever given by a foreign power to the flag of the United States, it was a risky and courageous act. Indeed, angered by Dutch trading and contraband with the rebellious colonies, the British seized the island a few years later. De Graaf's welcoming salute was also a sign of respect, and today it continues to symbolize the deep ties of friendship that exist between the United States and the Netherlands."

Friendship Days | Embassy of the United States The Hague, Netherlands Every year there are two events where the Dutch-American Community in the Netherlands celebrate the bilateral relations between the Netherlands and the United States.

We are proud of our Dutch heritage in West Michigan and thrilled to see the landmark 250-year-old windmill in Holland being restored to its former glory.

'It was in really bad shape,' says Dutch windmill expert as Holland's 'De Zwaan' repairs near... "They didn't understand the windmill. It looks like a building, but it is a machine," said Gerard Kleyn, a Dutch windmill expert who consulted on the $750,000 rebuilding project.

We're already hard at work preparing for a visit in 2014. Leaders like Alticor's Jim Weaver will help drive our success.

Plans underway for Dutch delegation visit to West Michigan in 2014 Jim Weaver: “Our Dutch hosts set a very high bar for us."