![](https://michiganfuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/shutterstock_460597297-336x224.jpg)
![Rick Haglund](https://michiganfuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/haglundheadshot-140x140.jpg)
Talent and placemaking go hand in hand in the Twin Cities
When Bart Carrigan moved from East Lansing to Minneapolis to manage his Michigan-based employer’s newly opened restaurant, he was struck by the city’s many amenities.
![](https://michiganfuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/March15-336x176.png)
![Rick Haglund](https://michiganfuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/haglundheadshot-140x140.jpg)
Education and infrastructure investments drive Twin Cities’ economy
Metro Minneapolis has built a diverse economy that is one of the wealthiest of any large metropolitan area in the country and has withstood deep
![](https://michiganfuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/shutterstock_675284071-e1527711936189.jpg)
![Rick Haglund](https://michiganfuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/haglundheadshot-140x140.jpg)
Metro Minneapolis business leaders promote an economy that works for everyone
Most, if not all, major metropolitan areas have business organizations that promote the economic well being of their regions. But the Itasca Project serving Minnesota’s
![](https://michiganfuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/shutterstock_450643825-e1527712323636.jpg)
![Rick Haglund](https://michiganfuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/haglundheadshot-140x140.jpg)
In Minneapolis, strong regional collaboration is key to success
Regional government is an elusive goal in many metropolitan areas. Look no further than metro Detroit, where several local suburban leaders are trying to kill
![](https://michiganfuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Cover-Minneapolis-Report-336x435.png)
![Lou Glazer](https://michiganfuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/lou-e1408375921110-140x140.jpg)
Our new metro Minneapolis case study
Last year we published our first-ever state policy recommendations. Our motivation for doing so is a sense of urgency that across the political spectrum we
![](https://michiganfuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/weld-336x176.png)
![Lou Glazer](https://michiganfuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/lou-e1408375921110-140x140.jpg)
What skilled trades jobs actually pay updated
Our second most read post recently is a 2016 post on what skilled trades jobs pay. I wrote the 2016 post because I was then––and am