December 29, 2025
Moving Michigan Males Forward: Why Young Men Are Falling Behind—And How Employers Can Help Lead the Solution
By Kevin Stotts, President, TalentFirstAcross Michigan and the nation, young men are experiencing declining...
3/4
Illuminate. Evaluate. Advocate.
TalentFirst is a catalyst working to ensure an ongoing supply of world-class talent for West Michigan. Composed of over 100 CEOs from the region, TalentFirst illuminates gaps, evaluates leading practices, and advocates for the implementation of those leading practices to make West Michigan a top 20% employment region.
Unmatched Collaboration for Regional Impact
TalentFirst serves 13 counties in West Michigan, engaging the industries, businesses, and nonprofit and educational institutions of each county. We chose this region — Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola and Ottawa counties — because it provides the talent pool from which local employers employ 83.6 percent of their workforce. We convene stakeholders from across sectors and facilitate efficient and effective collaboration.
Our Members
TalentFirst’s membership represents an array of the region’s business, educational, and civic leaders — a group as diverse as the region we serve. Together, they are a powerful force for meeting the talent demand of today and tomorrow.
Our Insights
- December 29, 2025
By Kevin Stotts, President, TalentFirst Across Michigan and the nation, young men are experiencing declining outcomes in education and workforce participation. They graduate high school...
- December 10, 2025
Inside TalentFirst’s 2025 Adopt-a-Classroom Library Program Michigan is in an early literacy crisis. Only 38.9% of third graders read at grade level, putting thousands of...
- December 10, 2025
Grand Rapids, MI – December 10, 2025 — TalentFirst today announced seven West Michigan elementary schools selected to receive new classroom libraries through its Adopt-A-Classroom...