YPSILANTI, MICH. — September 19, 2018 — Continuing its support of community education and enrichment programs, Chemical Bank is proud to once again partner with Ann Arbor SPARK by sponsoring Starting Your Own Business (SYOB), a monthly program designed to educate first-time small business owners and entrepreneurs on the business fundamentals needed for success. Chemical Bank will also contribute to SYOB’s small business financial management curriculum.

Chemical Bank’s sponsorship will help SPARK provide workshop scholarships, waiving the $25 registration fee for qualified individuals.

“As a long-time supporter of SPARK, we were very familiar with how the organization drives economic growth throughout the region,” said Jim Robinson, regional bank president for southeast Michigan. “As we explored opportunities for Chemical Bank to expand its community partnerships, we focused our attention on the eastern side of Washtenaw County. Starting Your Own Business is a great resource for individuals preparing to venture out on their own. Specifically, the portion of the program dedicated to the financial side of running a profitable business is a great fit for Chemical Bank.”

Starting Your Own Business is a one-day intensive program that takes place at SPARK East Innovation Center in Ypsilanti every month. Local experts provide actionable instruction on a broad range of skills that small business owners and entrepreneurs need for success, such as product development, intellectual property management, business plan development, and marketing strategy.

“Small businesses are a valuable economic catalyst,” said Paul Krutko, Ann Arbor SPARK president and CEO. “Nearly 200 business owners have participated in the Starting Your Own Business program since inception and is one of our most accessible programs. We’ve hosted entrepreneurs of all types, from brick-and-mortar retailers to high tech developers, and we are excited to have Chemical Bank contribute to the ongoing success of the program.”

According to ZoomProspector, a site selector tool and economic data aggregator, a majority (63%) of businesses in Washtenaw County have fewer than four employees, and 95% of business have 50 or less.

Please visit AnnArborUSA.org/Events to register for upcoming Starting Your Own Business workshops. For scholarship information, please contact Ann Arbor SPARK directly.

About Chemical Bank

Chemical Financial Corporation is the largest banking company headquartered and operating branch offices in Michigan. The Corporation operates through its subsidiary bank, Chemical Bank, with 212 banking offices located primarily in Michigan, northeast Ohio and northern Indiana. At June 30, 2018, the Corporation had total assets of $20.3 billion. Chemical Financial Corporation’s common stock trades on The NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol CHFC and is one of the issuers comprising The NASDAQ Global Select Market and the S&P MidCap 400 Index.

ABOUT ANN ARBOR SPARK

Ann Arbor SPARK, a non-profit organization, is advancing the region by encouraging and supporting business acceleration, attraction and retention. The organization identifies and meets the needs of business at every stage, from start-ups to large organizations. Ann Arbor SPARK collaborates with business, academic, government, and community investor partners to achieve its mission. For more information, please call (734) 761-9317 or visit www.AnnArborUSA.org.

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Source: SPARK