MARQUETTE — The Lake Superior Community Partnership on Wednesday hosted its Annual Dinner in Northern Michigan University’s Great Lakes Room. This event is the LSCP’s largest fundraiser of the year, with proceeds going to support the LSCP and its mission of strengthening economic development in Marquette County.

This year was a construction theme to honor all of the development in Marquette County over the past few years. The suggested attire was construction casual; jeans, neon vests, hard hats, etc.

At the dinner they also celebrated this year’s Distinguished Service Award winners. The individual recipient for 2019 is Tony Retaskie, executive director of the Upper Peninsula Construction Council. Retaskie is extremely involved in education and training in the U.P., and he works to develop opportunities for young people to be exposed to the skilled trades, a press release states. He has assisted in developing programs like the Skills Challenge and Hands on Trades Career Fair at the Marquette County Fairgrounds

This year’s business DSA recipient is Champion Inc. The business has served the region for almost 100 years. It has expanded to three divisions, Champion Concrete, Champion Charter and Gundlach Champion. A few of their notable projects in the Marquette area include Thomas Theatre, Hampton Inn and the Humboldt Mill.