Elsa Pontbriand

Elsa Pontbriand is the founder of CWRK Collective, a coworking business in Downtown Iron Mountain. She is also a co-founder of Mountain Media House, a media and communication company. After living in Wisconsin, Washington, D.C., and Chicago for many years, she returned to the U.P. and found an entrepreneur-friendly community with a demand for marketing, communication and media services.

Going Northbound: Filmmakers Investing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Iron Mountain natives Seth and Nathan Anderson developed the web series Northbound in their hometown with producer Jason Hagen, adapting from their original film concept due to Michigan’s film incentives and digital industry shifts. The series, which premiered in 2015, has highlighted local talent and production, contributing to efforts like the Multimedia Jobs Act to boost Michigan’s creative economy.

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New Organization Aims to Build Thriving Talent and Leadership in the UP

The Dickinson Area Economic Development Alliance (DAEDA) recently launched a new personal development and networking organization called LINK U.P. that aims to help build talent and leadership in the Upper Peninsula.

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International Ski Federation Ski Jump Continental Cup Tournament Coming to Giant Pine Mountain March 3-5

The Pine Mountain Ski Jump is the largest in the United States that is explicitly used for ski jumping and not ski flying. Dubbed one of the U.P.’s biggest tailgate events, the 2023 FIS Ski Jumping Continental Cup tournament will take place March 3-5, with more than 40 jumpers from eight countries competing.

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Intern Programs Give Students a Preview of Living and Working in the Dickinson Area

Each summer, the Dickinson Area Economic Development Alliance partners with local employers to host an intern social for young adults that are temporarily calling the Dickinson area home while getting real-world working experience.

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Slagle Family Farm: Change Keeps Things Fresh on the Farm

Elsa Pontbriant recently spent some time getting to know Jennifer and Jason Slagle of the Slagle Family Farm, located in Felch, Michigan, in the northern part of Dickinson County. Slagle’s Farm is a diverse operation that has developed over a number of years and adapted to meet the needs of their customers.

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A Place Where Everyone Belongs: Imagination Factory Children’s Museum and Community Center

Iron Mountain’s recently-completed Imagination Factory Children’s Museum provides a place where kids can have fun, learn, meet new friends, and take time to enjoy family, as well as providing a valuable community center where community and youth clubs can meet and grow.

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Building a Community of Women-Owned Businesses in Dickinson County

Elsa Faust Pontbriand, who owns the CWRK Collective coworking space in Iron Mountain, shares her story of how she’s been able to contribute to the ecosystem of women-owned businesses in Dickinson County.

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Norway Michigan: A Classic Community

What’s going on in Norway? In this piece we feature an interview with Norway City Manager Ray Anderson, and highlight the news and current happenings of interest in this classic Upper Peninsula community.

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