Regions

Oceana County

Home to an incredible diversity of crops and a number of locally and nationally based leaders in the food processing industry

Oceana County is a rural community rich with natural resources and an ideal destination to live, work and play. Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, approximately an hour north of Grand Rapids, the area offers miles of shoreline and scenic landscape.

The cities, villages and townships of Oceana County are home to more than 26,000 Michiganders, and draw thousands of tourists annually to its well-known attractions such as the iconic Silver Lake Sand Dunes, the beach town of Pentwater and the Electric Forest Music Festival hosted in Rothbury. Outdoor recreational trails are also popular year-round for people using ORV’s, bikes and snowmobiles.

The food processing and agribusiness industries are thriving sectors of Oceana County's economic makeup. Food processors such as Arbre Farms, Gray and Company and Peterson Farms enjoy being located in a place with the second-most variety of crops in Michigan. Local farms serve as national suppliers of asparagus, apples, cherries, peaches. pears and other produce. The robust agricultural community is supported locally by Michigan State University Extension, a new Tree Fruit Research Station at the West Central Michigan Horticultural Center and The West Michigan Food Processors Association.

Oceana County Economic Profile

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

View the Economic Profile

View the Latest Annual Report

Oceana County Economic Alliance (OCEA)

The Oceana County Economic Alliance is an organization created to assist business development needs in Oceana County with a mission to create a diverse economic environment by strengthening talent, leveraging resources, and supporting the retention, expansion, attraction, and creation of Oceana County businesses.

In 2018, The Right Place and OCEA entered a multi-year strategic partnership to drive current and long-term economic growth in Oceana County. The partnership enables The Right Place to support the county's economic development efforts by providing comprehensive business retention and expansion services, along with marketing and communications assistance.

Vision: The Oceana County Economic Alliance fosters economic prosperity as the central hub for the promotion, support, and growth of Oceana County

OCEA Board of Directors

Tammy Carey - Chair
Executive Director, Oceana County Community Foundation

Eric Gustad - Vice Chair
Public Affairs Area Manager, Consumers Energy

Scott Rumsey - Treasurer
Owner, Ed's Market - Hesperia

Mishelle Comstock, Secretary
President, Shelby State Bank

Scott Beal
Silver Lake - Hart Chamber

Larry Byl
Realtor, Wickstra Realty

Joe Conkle
Walkerville Schools

Jami Cutter
Remittance Supervisor, Great Lakes Energy

Alex Hardy
Owner, Arctic Foods

Phil Morse
County Commissioner, Oceana County

Brady Selner
Administrator, Village of Shelby

Rob Splane
City of Hart

OCEA 2018-2020 Economic Development Success

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

Initiative
Metric Total
Initiative
Company Assists
Metric Total
628
Initiative
Capital Investment
Metric Total
$29,992,261
Initiative
New & Retained Jobs
Metric Total
118
Initiative
Projects
Metric Total
4

Contact us today

Curtis Burdette websize square

Curtis Burdette

Executive Director, Oceana County Economic Alliance

Curtis serves as the Economic Development Director for the Oceana County Economic Alliance. In this role, he provides business support services to companies in Oceana County.