Over the past five years, Washtenaw County has led innovative efforts to build a thriving local
economy from the ground up through collaborations, partnerships, and research. Beginning in 2007,
the County and Eastern Michigan University (EMU) established an informal leadership partnership
called the Eastern Leaders Group (ELG). Made up of public, education, non-profit, and for-profit
leaders in the eastern part of Washtenaw County, this organization was formed to address the
pressing economic and quality of life needs of residents in the eastern portion of the County.