A major gift from SEMCO ENERGY will establish a state-of-the-art meeting facility for local business and industry. SEMCO pledged $100,000 to St. Clair County Community College (SC4) on May 14 to help complete the Citizens First Michigan Technical Education Center (M-TECSM) project. The SEMCO gift will furnish and equip an innovative corporate meeting room in the new M-TECSM workforce training headquarters that will open this fall on the downtown Port Huron campus.
William Johnson, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of SEMCO ENERGY, expressed the company’s desire to support the college and its ongoing effort to develop educational resources for business and industry in the Blue Water area by saying, ”Sometimes in business, we joke about the number of meetings that have to be attended to carry our agendas forward. But there’s nothing humorous about the need for access to facilities capable of effectively supporting necessary business planning and other meetings. We’re happy to be a part of providing this resource to the Blue Water area.” The College greatly appreciates the corporate interaction. “Partnering with SEMCO to provide opportunities for other local business leaders is a great match,” reports Gary Dettling, Dean of College Advancement. SC4 President Christa Adams also welcomed SEMCO’s involvement in the M-TECSM project. “SEMCO ENERGY has for many years been SC4’s valued partner and friend, embracing our initiatives and pledging financial support,” President Adams said. “SEMCO’s most recent and very generous gift promotes SC4’s mission as St. Clair County’s industrial trainer of choice.”

The Citizens First M-TECSM is designed to provide customized training to meet the rapidly changing needs of local business. The 44,400 square-foot facility will house modern computer labs, a multi-media conference center, an open-entry/open-exit training lab and a child care center. The SEMCO ENERY Corporate Meeting Room will feature Internet access and serve as a professional resource for the community.

The M-TECSM project was established with a $2.5 million grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Two million dollars gifts followed, from Citizens First Savings Bank Foundation and from Port Huron philanthropist James Acheson. Many opportunities remain for businesses and individuals to participate in the college’s $6.5 million campaign to complete the M-TECSM facility. “Community support for M-TECSM is a great way to keep our local business and industry on the leading edge,” Dean Dettling added.

Citizens will have the opportunity to tour the M-TECSM during the grand opening planned for October 5, 2001. The modern SEMCO ENERGY Corporate Meeting Room will be one of the major highlights of that event.

SEMCO ENERGY, Inc., is a diversified energy and infrastructure company that distributes gas to more than 367,000 customers in Michigan and Alaska. It also owns and operates businesses involved in natural gas engineering and construction services and intrastate pipelines. In addition, it provides information technology and outsourcing services.

St. Clair County Community College currently serves approximately 10,000 students in the Blue Water area with a wide range of credit and non-credit classes. The College offers 51 Associate degree and Certificate programs and 55 seamless transfer program options. A variety of Bachelor and Master degree programs are available locally through the SC4 University Center. The College provides career development, personal and professional development, business and industrial training and community enrichment for citizens of all ages. New resources include online and fast track courses. The full-service, main campus is located in downtown Port Huron, with Thumb Area Centers located in Algonac, Bad Axe, Imlay City, Peck and Yale. St. Clair County Community College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.