Regions

Ionia County

An agricultural hub with a strong manufacturing presence, welcoming communities and easy access to Michigan's largest cities

Strategically located between Grand Rapids and Michigan’s capital city of Lansing, Ionia County is home to nearly 65,000 Michiganders. The community enjoys a healthy balance of manufacturing expertise, agricultural strength, natural beauty and tight-knit communities.

Logistically, Ionia County is poised for easy access to the entirety of the West Michigan region due to I-96 and M-66, which bisect the county. Its communities are home to a wide variety of international manufacturers, homegrown industrial firms, main street businesses, and entrepreneurs that leverage its advantageous location.

With its rich history of multi-general farming, Ionia County is an agricultural hub for the Greater Grand Rapids region. Industry leaders such as Cargill, Herbruck's Poultry Ranch and Twin City Foods are leaders in this sector. Additionally, industrial cornerstones like Ventra, THK Rhythm Automotive, Extruded Aluminum Corp and ADAC Automotive anchor an ever-diversifying local manufacturing base that includes innovative firms like Automated Process Equipment Corporation, Jordan Manufacturing and Devereaux Sawmill.

Ionia County Economic Profile

Find a detailed economic profile of Ionia County including population growth rates, top industries, top occupations, educational attainment and more.

View the Economic Profile

View the Latest Annual Report

Ionia County Economic Alliance (ICEA)

Dedicated to the retention and expansion of the primary business sectors in Ionia County, the Ionia County Economic Alliance (ICEA) formed a strategic partnership with The Right Place, Inc. in 2011. This decade-long partnership has significantly impacted the economic prosperity of the county, resulting in millions of capital investment dollars generated and hundreds of new and retained jobs for the community.

ICEA Board of Directors

Officers

Precia Garland, Chair
City of Ionia

Ethan Ebenstein, Vice Chair
Ionia County Intermediate School District

Amber Rood, Secretary
The Daily News

Dan Mitchell, Treasurer
Mercantile Bank

Dave Bee
West Michigan Regional Planning Commission

Jenny Dinehart
Independent Bank

Terry Frewen
Ionia County Commissioners

Amy Herbruck
Herbruck's Poultry Ranch

Steve Holt
ICEA Board Member

Patrick Jordan
Ionia County Administrator

Linda Reetz
Sparrow Hospital

John Stoppels
City of Belding

Jessica Tramontana
Consumers Energy

S. Tutt Gorman
City of Portland

Rose Willson
Union Bank

ICEA 2011-2020 Economic Development Success

A cumulative total of economic development success metrics since the formation of the ICEA and The Right Place partnership.

Initiative
Metric Total
Initiative
Company Assists
Metric Total
986
Initiative
Capital Investment
Metric Total
$187,491,355
Initiative
New & Retained Jobs
Metric Total
858
Initiative
Projects
Metric Total
16

Upcoming Ionia County Events

Ionia County Developer Day 2024

Ionia County Developer Day 2024

Save the date for Ionia County's Developer Day on July 25. More info coming soon!

July 25, 2024
12:00AM–12:00AMLocation TBD
MIpitch 2024

MIpitch 2024

Save the date for the Fourth Annual MIpitch on September 19! More info coming soon.

September 19, 2024
12:00AM–12:00AMLocation TBD

Contact us today

Ryan Square

Ryan Wilson

Executive Director, Ionia County Economic Alliance

Ryan provides leadership in the development and implementation of economic development initiatives focused on People, Place, and Prosperity and in alignment with both local needs and regional strategies.

Full Bio