Ed Garner, President & CEO

Direct Dial: 231-724-3172 or click here to send an email.

Ed Garner is President/CEO of Muskegon Area First, a private, non-profit corporation serving all of Muskegon County. Prior to Muskegon Area First Ed Garner was the Economic Development Vice President of the Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Ferrysburg Chamber of Commerce. Previously he served as Executive Director for the Kent Area MicroBusiness Loan Services, an economic development group providing training and loans to small businesses, Muskegon Economic Growth Alliance, Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center (SBTDC), FMB Lumberman’s Bank (now Huntington Bank), and Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Garner is currently the Board President of the Urban League of Greater Muskegon and the Board Treasurer for the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District. He previously served on the boards of the Muskegon Heights Public School District and Neighborhood Investment Corporation. During his career, Ed has been recognized for having the best Satellite SBTDC Center in 1999 and the Jaycees Distinguished Service Award in 1998. Garner has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Western Michigan University and Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering from Michigan State University. Garner is a City of Muskegon resident and is married to Tonette Brown Garner, who works for Muskegon Community College, and has a daughter named Shalyn.

Eugenia Brown, Business Development Manager
Direct Dial: 231.724.3179 or click here to send an email.

Gina joined MAF in June 2004 after working 12 years in the banking industry. Gina last worked for Huntington Bank as a Banking Office Manager where she was responsible for growing and retaining business and consumer portfolio of clients. Gina currently works as a Business Development Specialist where she primarily works with the Muskegon Manufacturers Council to assist in meeting the needs of the manufacturing community as well as manage the financial operations of the organization. Gina serves on the Advisory Board for Age Well Services, Muskegon Heights Math & Science Academy, Lakeshore 504 and serves as a member of the Muskegon Chamber of Commerce’s Diversity Committee. Gina has a BS in Public Administration and a Masters in Business Administration.

Karen K. Benson, Business Development Manager
Direct Dial: 231.724.3181 or click here to send an email.

Karen K. Benson joined MAF in July 2009. Prior to joining Muskegon Area First, Karen was the Vice President of Business Development for Grand Haven Bank (now Michigan Commerce Bank) for seven years and the Economic Development Director and Small Business Development Director for the Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Ferrysburg, Chamber of Commerce for 16 years. Benson has been an active Rotary Club member for over 20 years. She currently serves on the Women’s Health Services Advisory Council for North Ottawa Community Hospital and is a past NOCH Board Member. During her career, Karen has been recognized as Counterpart’s “Woman of the Year”, has received the Jaycee’s “Distinguished Service Award”, and has been nominated twice for the Lakeshore Athena Award. She has actively served on the “Making a Difference” fundraising event for the Center for Women in Transition for the last four years. Benson has a Bachelor’s Degree in Merchandising Management from Michigan State University and also attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio as part of her undergraduate studies, specializing in Business and Marketing. Karen has lived in West Michigan since 1985, is married to Steve and they are the proud parents of triplets.

Pamela Poort, Procurement Technical Assistance Center Director

Direct Dial: 231-722-7700 or click here to send an email.

Pamela Vanderlaan-Poort has been the Program Director of the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) for 20 years, and the PTAC joined Muskegon Area First on October 1, 2004. The PTAC provides government contracting assistance to all business types in a 12-county service area that includes: Gratiot, Ionia, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, and Ottawa. Click to visit the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) of Michigan website for additional information on the resources and assistance provided by the PTAC.

Shelia Polacco, Procurement Technical Assistance Center Procurement Counselor

Direct Dial: 231-796-4844 or click here to send an email

Shelia Polacco joined MAF on October 1, 2004 as part of the Procurement Technical Assistance Center staff. Shelia's experience is in government contracting, solicitations, military specifications, and procurement price histories, bid preparation. Shelia has been with the PTAC for nine years and has nineteen years of previous government contracting assistance with a large defense contractor.

Andrew Haan, Main Street Manager

Direct Dial: 231-724-3180 or click here to send an email

Andrew is Muskegon Area First’s newest team member, joining in July 2010. Andrew serves as Main Street Manager, coordinating with local stakeholders to implement downtown revitalization efforts in Muskegon using an established, four-point strategy based on organization, economic restructuring, design and promotion. These efforts will promote the development of a sustainable, dense, walkable, vibrant downtown wherein successful, retail, cultural, recreational and service sectors thrive. Andrew received a B.A. in Public History from Western Michigan University and an M.S. in Historic Preservation with a specialization in downtown revitalization from Eastern Michigan University.Click to visit the Muskegon Main Street website.

Monica Holmes, Accounting/Administrative Specialist

Direct Dial: 231-724-3171 or click here to send an email

Monica joined MAF in 2006 and performs a variety of duties related to the production of MAF publications, data requests, and bookkeeping functions.