Last week, Congressman Fred Upton, representing Michigan’s 6th Congressional District and PPAI’s 2018 Legislator of the Year, joined the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Cornerstone Alliance, a nonprofit economic development organization supporting Southwest Michigan, in recognizing businesses in the region that have stepped up in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the companies celebrated at the event was distributor CE Competitive Edge (PPAI 103776, D6), based in Stevensville, Michigan, for its role in sourcing masks, shields, hand sanitizer and isolation gowns.
“We are honored and humbled to receive the special recognition,” says Mary Jo Tomasini, MAS+, CEO of CE Competitive Edge. “We thank Congressman Upton for this special honor while recognizing that there were hundreds of promotional product distributors across the country that also stepped to the plate to provide PPE to help keep their customers in business and safe.”
CE Competitive Edge was one of more than a dozen businesses recognized at the event, held at Dwight Pete Mitchell City Center Park in downtown Benton Harbor. Rob Cleveland, president and CEO of Berrien County’s lead economic development agency at Cornerstone Alliance, applauded the assembled businesses and noted that they were responsible for getting Berrien County workers and residents back to work safely, and quickly, and that they played a critical role in getting the economy back up and running.
“I’ve been wearing a mask since Halloween,” Rep. Upton said at the event. “I appreciate everyone who is doing what they’re doing, but let’s face it, life is a lot different these last couple of months. As we struggle to get through this, we’ve all made major adjustments. We know that every business is struggling with this as well. … It was so important to see our district step up. It’s like World War II with the private sector stepping up to get the work done necessary for life to continue. … We have an enormous struggle ahead, there’s no question about that, but the certainty is we’re gonna get it done.”
