• Oakland County’s Business Retention & Growth team received Gold and Silver Excellence awards from the International Economic Development Council, recognizing innovative strategies to support businesses and strengthen the region’s economy. 
• The county will host two Tech Collaboration events in September – the Edu2B Business Networking event at Walsh College in Troy on Sept. 18 and the K2B “Empowered by Design” event at OneStream in Birmingham on Sept. 25 - to connect businesses with higher education and industry leaders.  

Pontiac, Mich. – Oakland County is building on international recognition for its economic development efforts by hosting two major Tech Collaboration events in September, designed to strengthen connections between businesses, higher education institutions and the region’s technology leaders. 

The county’s Business Retention & Growth (BRG) team was recently honored with two Excellence in Economic Development awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). The team received Gold in Business Retention & Expansion and Silver in Innovation in Economic Development for communities of more than 500,000 residents. The awards spotlight Oakland County’s innovative approach to fostering collaboration across industries, academia and government.

“These awards are a reflection of the extraordinary partnerships we’ve built here,” said Oakland County Executive David Coulter. “Our Tech Collaboration events are a perfect example of how we’re connecting tech businesses and resources in ways that strengthen our economy.”

The IEDC’s annual Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize economic development programs and partnerships. Oakland County’s BRG team, led by Greg Doyle, consists of Glen Sartori, Kathleen Stillman, Mike Woods, Stephanie Potter and Chelsea Schutz.

"These awards are due to the hard work of our Business Retention and Growth team and Oakland County’s commitment to innovative economic development strategies that benefit our business community," Doyle said.

The BRG’s strategy focuses on strengthening the tech ecosystem through a community of key companies all working together to grow the industry in Oakland County. It was developed from work that engaged hundreds of tech businesses and dozens of economic development partners.

Here are upcoming Oakland County Tech Collaboration events:

Edu2B Tech Collaboration – Business Networking

Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025 | 9–11:30 a.m.

Walsh College Barry Center at 3838 Livernois Road in Troy 

This session will connect business leaders with local universities and colleges, with a focus on industries critical to Oakland County’s future: IT/computer services, robotics integration, and engineering/R&D. The morning includes presentations on university resources, a Q&A panel, and dedicated networking time. 

K2B Tech Collaboration – Empowered by Design: AI, Security and Career Excellence 

Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025 | 2:30–6:30 p.m.

OneStream Headquarters at 191 North Chester St. in Birmingham

Featuring welcoming remarks by Coulter and OneStream CEO Tom Shea, this program includes breakout sessions on AI innovations, tech career building and security-by-design practices, followed by a networking reception.

For questions about these events, contact Doyle at doyleg@oakgov.com or call 248-858-2087.  

The Oakland County Tech Collaboration program is anchored by five keystone companies - FANUC America, HTC Global Services, JR Automation, OneStream and RGBSI - who serve as leaders in advancing Oakland County’s technology ecosystem. 

For more information about Oakland County Tech Collaboration, click here. Learn more about the IEDC at www.iedconline.org.