In this episode of frankly…
Dan is joined by Franco CEO Tina Kozak to recap the 2026 Detroit Regional Chamber Mackinac Policy Conference and discuss the key conversations driving Michigan’s future. Together they broke down the conference – what worked, what’s worth watching and what it all means for the state of Michigan.
From a new conference format to candid conversations about Michigan’s challenges, here are the key takeaways from their conversation.
The Conference Made Room to Talk
The Chamber took a risk this year and scaled back main stage programming to give attendees more unstructured time to connect. And it paid off! Breakout sessions in smaller, topic-focused rooms were packed with people who chose to be there – which means they were engaged, not just present. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and it’s hard to imagine the format going backward.
This mattered especially because the theme, A Quest for Common Ground, only works if people are actually in conversation. You can’t find common ground from a theater seat.
Facing Reality Is the Starting Point
The strongest thread running through this year’s conference wasn’t a policy proposal or a panel. It was a mindset: acknowledge the problem before you try to solve it. Michigan is lagging across too many metrics. The leaders who resonated most this year were the ones willing to say that out loud – and then talk about what comes next.
Conference chair Bob Riney put it well: solving any problem starts with culture. And right now, Michigan’s biggest cultural challenge is learning to collaborate at a scale that actually moves the needle.
Relationships Are Still the Silver Bullet
Tina spoke with young leaders at the conference and one of her favorite things to share is that while Chamber programs like Leadership Detroit and YALP provide valuable content, the relationships are the return. When you get to know people across industries and backgrounds (really know them, not just exchange business cards) you’re more likely to understand their perspective, work with them and have the ability to find common ground. Transformation starts with trust.
That’s not soft thinking. Harvard calls it the silver bullet for economic competitiveness. It’s cross-functional collaboration, and you can’t build it without first building trust.
Come Prepared. Then Leave Room for Surprises.
Franco had 12 clients at Mackinac this year, which meant a lot of prep conversations. The pattern among the attendees who got the most out of it is consistent: know why you’re going, set intentional meetings, connect your message to the moment and then leave room for the unplanned conversations that often turn out to be the best ones.
The follow-up matters just as much as the prep. Three days on the island generates a lot of commitments. Block the time to honor them before the week gets away from you.
What’s Worth Watching the Rest of the Year
A few issues generated real energy at Mackinac and are worth keeping an eye on heading into fall. Michigan’s gubernatorial race remains in flux and will shape a lot of what’s possible at the state level. University governance, specifically how Michigan elects boards of regents, came into sharp focus mid-conference. And data center development is a full-on conversation right now, with communities across the state weighing significant opportunity against legitimate concerns. The organizations that listen well and communicate transparently will have a real advantage here.
On the city side, Detroit Mayor Sheffield made her Mackinac debut and delivered. She came with a clear platform, the right team around her and an obvious understanding of what the business community needs to hear.
If You’ve Been on the Fence About Going
First-timers at this year’s conference were unanimous: it was worth it. But that’s not a surprise. When you show up prepared, with a goal and a plan, it’s almost impossible to leave empty-handed. The conversations find you. And the relationships built on that island have a way of paying dividends long after the ferry ride home.
Let us know what you took away from this week’s conversation, and, as always, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe!
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The transcript below is AI-generated and may contain minor inaccuracies. Tune in to the episode audio to hear the full conversation!
Transcript
Dan
Hello and welcome to frankly. We’re recording this the week after the Mackinac Policy Conference here in Michigan, which Tina is just getting back from and wanted to take some time to kind of recap the event, some of the highlights, and some thoughts and ideas for people who are potentially thinking about getting involved or going up there in future years. It’s such a big event central to our business and policy community here in Detroit, but across the state. So I want to get Tina’s thoughts on what went well this year, kind of some of the themes from this year’s conference, and just share some overall recaps here. So Tina, welcome back. I know you’ve been on a few times before, but looking forward to talking with you here.
Tina
Hi, thanks for having me back. And frankly, it’s always a highlight.
Dan
Anytime. So speaking of highlights, what are some of the things that stood out to you at this year’s conference up on Mackinac.
Tina
This year’s conference, I think the biggest thing that stood out was the new format. I think the Chamber did a really good job delivering some innovation this year in a new format. The conference is about relationships. they did a great job reducing the number of speakers and hours that were programmed kind of in the main theater to just make a little bit more space for people to connect outside of the theater without missing something really critical. And I think it was especially important this year because this theme, the quest for common ground, is about connecting. And talking with each other and trying to understand each other better. So I think that time for connection was really important. Well received. I heard a lot of positive feedback on the format. So I would not be surprised if we don’t see a similar format in the future.
Dan
Yeah, I feel like it can get so hard to build your schedule when there’s so many options and so many sessions that are like must see on your agenda where you also need to work in that time because that is at least half of the purpose of going up there is to get in touch with all these people who you might not see day-to-day being able to get in those same rooms.
Tina
Right. And the chamber has always been so good about programming these great national speakers and really interesting speakers. And then you feel bad if you don’t if you’re not in there and it doesn’t look great either for the chamber to bring speakers in and then to have a room that’s half empty because people want to talk to their neighbors and their community members. So I just think this was great. There were a lot of breakout sessions that were not in the main theater, that were in smaller rooms, more appropriate for kind of breakout topics. And those were really well attended. So I think if you were on one of those breakout panels, It was great to have a full audience and you knew people who were there cared about your topic. Like they chose to be there. And I was in a lot of those breakouts and all of them were very well attended and very engaged.
Dan
Yeah, that’s such a good point because there, I mean, policy conference is so big of an umbrella. Like there is economic development, there’s workforce, there’s housing, there’s dot, dot, dot, everything, that goes under policy. It’s hard to It’s hard to have so many different people with different interests all surrounding one singular topic unless it is something giant like Whitmer or something like.
Tina
That. Yes, exactly. So the main theater was really reserved for more of like the national thought leadership and they had some great speakers this year from a national standpoint, from all sides, all parties and backgrounds. Very inspiring, really set the tone for that common ground theme. So I just think everything kind of flowed from that. A couple other highlights for me. I was Very much looking forward to hearing from Mike Duggan a couple of days after he made the decision and the announcement not to continue with the governor candidacy. And I really appreciated that he came up there and that he talked to the business community, many people who had supported him. And I just thought he was great. And one thing he said, he kind of talked about, he said his whole life has been about facing reality as it is, not as we wish it was. And I think that also really set the tone for this conference and for where we’re at in the state. Like we all want better than where we’re ranked in all of these metrics right now that has everyone talking about the house on fire. And that was a big piece of this conference. But I just think that that this is the reality, like facing the reality. And it’s not the reality that anyone wants, but this is where we’re at.
Dan
Yeah, you have to admit that there’s something, there’s an issue before you can go back and solve that.
Tina
Exactly, And this year, more than ever, I felt like the collective feeling is that everyone who was at that conference was there to move the state of Michigan forward? Was there like the underlying desire was we’ve got to do better and how do we work together to do that? So I just think this was a really great opportunity this year.
Dan
Yeah, and that quest for common ground, so the main conference theme, I guess, Where did you see that most prominently or how did you, thinking as a communications leader, what did you take away from that perspective of getting everybody on that same page or trying to find that common ground in today’s world?
Tina
Yeah, I think it resonates on a lot of different levels. the obvious one is just the political environment and there’s so much division. But when you look at where we’re at as a state and that back to acknowledging the problem and sort of the harsh realities where Michigan’s lagging, we are not going to fix it working against each other. We have to come together. And I really liked what Bob Riney, the chair of this year’s conference, started out saying, he said, we have a problem and the solution to a problem always starts with culture. And I was like, yes, like you’re speaking my language. I just, that couldn’t be any more true. And the culture of collaboration, of long-term vision, shared vision, working together for kind of this common future for Michigan, it feels like it’s missing right now. And there are a lot of organizations that do great work and a lot of organizations that work together. We don’t lack organizations that work together in an ecosystem, maybe for one issue or one component, but we, the collective we, kind of on all sides, aren’t working together enough to be competitive. And I did the Harvard Yelp program a couple of years ago, which the chamber sponsors and supports. And that is about economic competitiveness. And the silver bullet is collaboration. It’s cross-functional collaboration. Like you can’t do it alone. So just it was a really good starting point.
Dan
Yeah. And speaking of that, so you’ve been through a lot of the chamber, or a couple of the chamber’s programs at least, speaking of Yelp, and then Leadership Detroit, you’re involved in a lot of what the chamber does here in Detroit. I guess this time around, you got to speak to some of the chamber’s young leaders up at Mackinac about kind of leadership topics. Talk about that and maybe like why it’s important for young leaders to get involved early, but also to kind of join in some of these conversations about collaboration and things like that.
Tina
Yeah, for me, goes back to the conference is about relationships. And I think these programs like Leadership Detroit and the Future Leaders, Yelp, this is an absolute silver bullet for your network. You and I have both done these programs. The content is great. They have great speakers, the content’s great, but the value in all of these is in the relationships. Right? You have a cohort for life.
Dan
Yeah, and I think that’s the one thing that I always took away as like the biggest thing from Leadership Detroit was for events like this, whether it’s Mackinac, whether it’s Detroit Policy Conference, whether it’s, any of these events around town or around the state, like you can walk into the room and nine times out of 10 you spot somebody who like is familiar to you at least, which I don’t know, for me is a huge thing because it gives you some kind of like comfort walking in and being able to say, oh, hi, I know you, not just kind of going in cold like that.
Tina
And that’s, you know, this stuff is all connected, right? Because I think if we know each other and it’s beyond kind of the high level polite networking exchange of the business card that happens at events around town, but when we really get to know each other and develop relationships, I think we’re more willing to understand someone’s point of view, someone’s position. When you’re in a cohort with 10 people around a table for a couple of months, you really get to know them. And you might start out and you might see someone and you might kind of see the surface. It’s like, I probably don’t have anything in common with this person. And maybe I know their politics is pro this or anti this or whatever. But then when you get to know them, you find that there’s a ton of common ground. And that’s I think how we kind of get over those humps and come together and collaborate it’s just about knowing each other better, so these are the programs that help us begin that when we’re younger in our careers.
Dan
So switching gears a little bit, but when you think back to some of the leaders, companies, politicians that you feel like had a good conference at Mackinac, how did you see those types of people or those companies make the most out of the conference? What are some things that you saw go really well?
Tina
We always have clients up there every year and many of them look to us to help prep, right? You and I have done a lot of this and a lot of prepping clients. This year we had what I think must be a record. We have 12 clients up there this year. So we were counseling like crazy right up until the last minute. And what I think really works is know your goals. First off, why are you going? Why are you investing in this? the time, the money, the travel. It’s not easy. So you better know your goals if you’re going and have a plan, set appointments, but leave some flexibility in your schedule to kind of follow the opportunity. And that’s why I think that this format works so well is a lot of times we get up there and I mean, if you don’t have a plan, you’re going to wish you hadn’t spent the money. You’re going to come home and you’re not going to know what But with a plan and with some, knowing your goals and setting some meetings ahead of time, making sure that your messages really clearly, how does that connect to the theme of what’s going to be discussed? But then leaving that time for those spontaneous introductions that come up, I think that’s really important. So it’s that balance of coming in prepared and then also leaving some time for spontaneity is really important.
Dan
Yeah, and I think also on the backside of the conference, also what are some of the things that you like to do afterwards, after something like this? Just to kind of keep your head in that space and keep thinking about what comes next.
Tina
Done it a lot. And this year, I think every year I get a little bit smarter. So even coming into it, I’m going to share, this was really the first time I was so intentional coming into the conference this year. So it’s following Memorial weekend, which is a big Michigan weekend, right? It’s kind of kickoff to summer. And I know what it’s going to take to get through 3 16 hour days on Mackinac Island. and I need all the energy I can muster. So I was even really mindful on that weekend of making sure I was rested, not letting myself get depleted because I have left on Tuesday morning before already feeling unhealthy, feeling tired, maybe feeling like, am I starting to get sick? So that was kind of my trick this year going into it, pacing myself as like I talked about, having a plan, having a schedule, but leaving some time for breaks. But then after, you need a day or more dedicated to the follow-up. So this year, my hack was I kept a note in my phone I took notes on the sessions right in my phone. If I talked with somebody and I knew I wanted to follow up, I put that in my phone note. I was putting contacts in my phone notes. And then right before I got onto the ferry on Friday, I sent that note to our assistant here, Ashley. And I shot it off to her. And then when I got onto the other side and I got into the car, I called her and I said, read me that note, let’s walk through it. And let’s knock out, like if we could knock out maybe like five or six things today, we can post some emails, we look for some things, we made some lists. So before I was even home, I had already done a couple things and that was really motivating to know I had like crossed a few things off off the list. And not just to say I did it, but to follow through on the things that I told people they would see from me. And that’s really important. So again, it’s like the relationships, we’ve got to kind of go beyond the surface when we’re up there, dig a little bit deeper. I think being relentlessly curious when we’re talking to people and really trying to understand to kind of look for opportunities to support people. A little bit of the ask, not what you can do for me, but what can I do for you? But then following through on all those commitments that you make. So having that time dedicated, if I don’t have the time dedicated, I won’t do it. So even this week, throughout the week, I have blocks in my schedule for like MPC follow up. And I’m just working through my list now of things that I need to do.
Dan
Yeah, it’s so easy to forget. I mean, over the course of, like you said, 3 16 hour days, there’s so much that even the phone note thing, as simple as that sounds, is such a big help because you think you’re going to remember all these things, but then 24, 48 hours go by and things start to blend together.
Tina
In years past, I might have taken some notes on paper, I might have taken some notes on a computer, but I’m just like, you know what, I know, and this is an easy way I can share it with someone, I can update it, she can update it, you know, so to be able to share it with your team. And when I’m gone for a week, people want to know, And so I better have on Monday a report out to the rest of the team and my leadership kind of peers that like, hey, here’s what really came out of it. This was a great year. And I think every year you learn different tricks of the trade and so they get better. And that accountability becomes stronger because you get better at knowing how to prep, knowing how to follow up. But yeah.
Dan
I guess on the other side, coming out more, looking ahead, but of the, just of the topics that you heard there or of the speakers that you heard there, what are some things that you’re like that are on your radar for the rest of the year? Like what are you watching or hoping to see come out of some of these?
TIna
Yeah, well, I mean, definitely the governor’s election is a big one. So lots of discussion up there, especially in light of, you know, the platform changing, ticket changing. So really interested to see what happens there. was a lot of discussion about our three research universities here, Wayne State, Michigan State, and University of Michigan, and just these ongoing problems with leadership. We’ve seen leadership transitions in all of these big schools and we’ve got a problem with how we elect boards of regents across the state for these big universities. And that was something that was addressed and it was very ripped from the headlines because the Michigan State president stepped down while we were up there. And so the chamber, I thought, did a great job kind of pivoting spontaneously, but thoughtfully. And they addressed it in a way that said, here’s what we need to do. So I think they got a lot of people talking about that and it’ll be interesting. So that’s another thing kind of paying attention to. Data centers, major. Tons of sessions on data centers. There is so much misinformation. and misunderstanding about developing these data centers and do they need to be in Michigan? Where should they be? How should they be governed? Do we need a set of responsible policies for data center development? And this is where I get really nerdy as a communicator because this is one thing where I see how good communications could really go a long way in fixing the problem that exists, like where that misinformation is concerned. So I will continue to watch that closely and to see which communities, which developers, which end users are doing better in listening to the community. Of course, you’re not going to make everyone happy. There’s a lot of complexity here. There’s a lot of players. But I think good communication can go a long way there. I think.
Dan
The strong communication backed by the good intent and the, whether it’s technology or whether it’s community involvement, whatever that might be, but backing it up with that, with the real work also to validate those communications.
Tina
And really listening, not just checking the box to listen, but being open to what the communities need. Not all communities are created equal, not all developers are created equal, so it’s gonna be very interesting over the next probably 6 to 18 months. with the election and policies governing these and a lot of communities we know have imposed pause or moratorium. So I think in the next 6 to 18 months, we’ll see a lot of movement there.
Dan
For sure.
Tina
Lastly, Mayor Sheffield was exceptional. This was her first Nackinaw policy conference as mayor. And she really owned the stage. She owned the message. I was just very motivated and inspired to hear her talking about her platform. she really is, it’s a lot of the community first, that listening to the community, what do they need? I think we’re going to see a lot of changes. talked about a couple programs that are forthcoming for business. I think she knows what she needs to do to work with the business community. She’s brought in some really smart people to kind of round out her team. I think she knows what problems need to be addressed. in what order. And so I was excited to see her up there. Obviously excited, first female mayor of the city. So that’s exciting. And she’s got, there’s a lot there. So.
Dan
Yeah, I’m excited to see what this next few years looks like and how that kind of torch passing goes from Duggan to Sheffield and what that means, you know, whether it’s changing programs, installing new things, looking at new ways to work within the communities. I think there’s, you know, great foundation, but then what do you do from there, right? What’s this next step look like? So that is going to be exciting.
Tina
Yes.
Dan
So looking ahead, what’s something you would tell somebody thinking about attending for the first time or somebody who had, you know, working on booking their first hotel for next year already? What would you tell a first time attendee, you know, whether that’s what to pack or just what to think about when you’re heading up?
Tina
Yeah, I talked to a lot of first-time attendees this year, and a lot of people said the same thing that they always thought about coming. A lot of leaders said, my board has always suggested that I come, but when it comes time to registering and making the investment, I just, I wanted to protect the financial resources of the organization, especially a lot of small businesses and nonprofits. It is an investment. And I I asked a lot of these first timers, was it worth it? And nobody told me it wasn’t worth it. And so I would say to someone who’s thinking about it, I think if you are willing to do the prep, know the goal, make the plan, make the investment, try it. And I don’t think you can go to the conference if you’re prepared and come back with nothing. It’s almost, once you’re there, in fact, I was just talking with somebody about this week, almost without trying, you run into things and you run into opportunities and into conversations that could lead to business or to collaboration. So if someone’s thinking about it, I would say, if you’re willing to make the investment in preparation, make the investment and go up there and see what it’s about.
Dan
Yeah, I think anybody can spend the money and buy the ticket and go up, but like you said, you have to have that intent. You have to know your objectives beforehand or else risk just wandering an island for a few days.
Tina
Yeah, and then wonder why, and then, and then, so I’d also say Comfortable shoes. I was really delighted to see. I mean, we’re really, we’ve come a long way since I first started going up when everyone was still wearing heels and nursing their feet at the end of the night, especially for the women.
Dan
That’s not too much walking.
Tina
Yeah, comfortable shoes, layers. This year, what I did not have and I wished I had was a water bottle and some cough drops for the car ride home.
Dan
Okay.
Tina
Because I mentioned, I got right on the phone and I was like doing all my things. I was so, I was just out of, I was out of energy and my voice heard from talking for three days. Especially, in the evenings it’s loud and you’re kind of talking loud. And at one point I said, I got to call you back. I got to stop and get a bottle of water. I can’t talk anymore.
Dan
It’s like driving home from a concert.
Tina
So all the tricks of the trade, and I’m still learning, but I definitely think it is worth the investment of time. Franco’s been going in different capacities for a number of years, supporting the chamber in different ways, and we always come back and find a great return on the investment that we’ve made. And the clients that go up keep going, I think the clients that take the time or invest in the preparation get the most out of it. So all of those things usually increase your satisfaction.
Dan
Yeah, I mean, I think that’s a good thing to bring it all back together, whether it’s for your own personal growth personal, professional growth, whether it’s for your companies, like trying to meet some goals up there, it is the fact that you have to sit down a couple of weeks, months in advance and really just chart your path, make sure that you have a plan and then make it work.
Tina
Yes.
Dan
Well, thank you so much for giving us the download and debriefing here and keep an eye out for Registration information I’m sure is already up for next year.
Tina
Yeah, and I’m sure that hotels are going fast.
Dan
Yeah, so get on it if you’re interested. Thanks for joining me today, and thank you all for listening, and we’ll catch you next time.
Tina
Bye-bye.
