Celebrating Advancing Macomb's WorkSummer Soirée

The Summer Soirée is an annual tradition for Advancing Macomb that celebrates our successes and helps support our future work as we solve community challenges and enrich the lives of Macomb County residents.

Advancing Macomb Event

Summer Soirée - Looking Ahead

The Summer Soirée is an annual tradition for Advancing Macomb that celebrates our successes and helps support our future work as we solve community challenges and enrich the lives of Macomb County residents. Each year we highlight Advancing Macomb’s key partnerships and recent projects.

Check back in the spring for details on our 9th annual Summer Soirée in June 2025.

Past Summer Soirée Events

2024 Summer Soirée

On a warm summer evening in northern Macomb County, nearly 150 business, civic and nonprofit leaders from throughout the county gathered to network and celebrate Advancing Macomb’s recent accomplishments and its renewed vision and commitment to the future. Attendees were also introduced to the new executive director, Phil Gilchrist.

The Summer Soirée, an annual tradition for Advancing Macomb, was held for the first time at Youngblood Vineyard in Ray, Mich.

Advancing Macomb’s Executive Director Phil Gilchrist and Program Manager Angela Lenda

Ian McCain, economic development manager for the City of Eastpointe, opened the event and noted the support Advancing Macomb provides to communities throughout Macomb County. Recently, Advancing Macomb partnered with the City of Eastpointe to host a Show Me the Money Day at the Eastpointe Library to promote financial education.

Phil Gilchrist made a significant announcement during his remarks: the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation has committed $600,000 over the next three years to Advancing Macomb to establish a nonprofit incubator to provide small, new and emerging Macomb County nonprofits with the practical skills and knowledge needed for effective operations. The grant will also allow Advancing Macomb to invest in its internal infrastructure to ensure long-term sustainability.

Read more: Eighth Annual Summer Soirée Celebrates Advancing Macomb’s Renewed Vision

2023 Summer Soirée

Over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, business, civic and nonprofit leaders gathered to network and celebrate Advancing Macomb’s recent accomplishments at the 7th annual Summer Soirée. The event was hosted by board member Jodi Switalski and took place at the Switalski Law offices in downtown Mount Clemens.

Brian Pilarski, board chair of Advancing Macomb kicked off the event by announcing the grant for $118,000 from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation for operational capacity building. The funding will support Advancing Macomb’s mission of convening resources to solve community challenges and enrich the lives of Macomb County residents.

Pilarski also highlighted several other recent accomplishments, including:

  • Launching the inaugural Community Engagement Summit at Macomb Community College as part of a broader initiative to strengthen Macomb County communities. This kick-off event aimed to inspire investment in emotionally engaging citizen-led projects that enhance the county and region’s quality of life and economic vitality. Plans are in the works for Advancing Macomb leadership to work with Macomb County cities and townships to bring community-building ideas to life.
  • Celebrating a successful first year of Breaking Barriers to Play, a program that levels the playing field and makes recreation accessible and affordable to youth and families in underserved communities in Macomb County.
  • Growing the Advancing Macomb Nonprofit Roundtable, a monthly forum that enables nonprofit leaders to seek and provide feedback, brainstorm solutions, learn new strategies and identify collaboration areas. The Nonprofit Roundtable has grown from 20 to 80 organizations strong and continues to expand.

Read more: Local Leaders Gather for Advancing Macomb’s 7th Annual Summer Soirée

2022 Summer Soirée

Business, government and nonprofit leaders gathered at Jimmy John’s Field on Tuesday, June 14, 2022 for Advancing Macomb’s sixth annual Summer Soirée event. Titled “Field of Dreams,” the evening featured networking, a strolling dinner and an opportunity to learn about Advancing Macomb’s bold vision for the future. This is the first year the event was held at Jimmy John’s Field – a move that symbolizes the recent growth and progress of Advancing Macomb.

After cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, guests moved to the field for a brief presentation. Advancing Macomb board member Maria Silamianos welcomed guests on behalf of Trion Solutions, the presenting sponsor. John Blanchard, Advancing Macomb’s co-vice chair, thanked attendees and emphasized there has never been a better time to invest in Macomb County. Diane Banks, executive director of Advancing Macomb, closed the presentation with a call to action for guests based on recent research findings,

“Underinvestment in Macomb County is starving its nonprofit ecosystem,” said Banks. “Without sufficient philanthropic investments to aid existing nonprofits and attract new ones, our communities will suffer in key areas, such as education and public and societal benefit, including community development and improvement, volunteerism, philanthropy and civil rights.

We need to increase philanthropic investments in Macomb County to aid existing nonprofits and attract new ones — our communities will only grow stronger as a result.”

Read more: Community Leaders Gather at Jimmy John’s Field for Advancing Macomb’s Sixth Annual Summer Soirée

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