Crain’s Grand Rapids recognizes Julie Burrell, TaRita Johnson, and Andria Romkema

The progress The Right Place makes in accelerating our region’s economy would not be possible without our leadership team, who consistently raises the bar for ambition and excellence. Three members of our leadership team, Julie Burrell, TaRita Johnson, and Andria Romkema, were recently recognized by Crain’s Grand Rapids Business for their exemplary leadership. Julie Burrell and Andria Romkema were recognized as 40 Under 40 honorees, and TaRita Johnson was recognized as a Notable Black Leader. 

Julie Burrell

Julie is Newaygo County’s Senior Economic Development Director at The Right Place. Her work revolves around rural communities and positioning them as ideal places for people to live and work. 

In the Crain’s article recognizing her as a 40 Under 40 nominee, Julie mentions that her goal is to ensure that “our region thrives, people have living wages at local companies, and students have ample opportunities to learn about careers and make connections with local employers.”

One of Julie’s most notable achievements in recent years was working closely with site selectors to secure Gerber’s investment of $36 million at its Fremont facility. Since then, Gerber has made additional investments and added over 100 jobs, further positioning the region’s agribusiness industry for continued growth. Her leadership in Newaygo County has transformed the region, and we are so lucky to have her on our team.

TaRita Johnson

TaRita is our Senior Vice President of Talent and Diversity. She focuses on assisting companies with enhancing their recruitment and retention efforts through cultural competence, diversity, equity, & inclusion, emotional intelligence, and leadership development. 

In TaRita’s nomination on Crain’s Grand Rapids Business, it is noted that “her ‘wins’ are evident by how she is actively recruited to be part of multiple boards and events, connecting with underrepresented populations to increase exposure to the tech industry.” 

TaRita serves on committees and boards for West Michigan Works!, STEM Greenhouse, Michigan Colleges Alliance, The Source, West Michigan Tech Talent Council, Global Detroit, Truth’s Table Foundation, and Hello West Michigan. She is also a founding member of Rockstar Women. TaRita’s collaborative leadership has strengthened West Michigan’s talent pipeline, creating lasting opportunities for the region’s emerging talent to thrive. We appreciate the positive impact she has made on both our community and the future of our region’s workforce.

Andria Romkema

Andria is our Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications. In addition to her role, Andria has taken on the leadership of HR at The Right Place, driving comprehensive updates to the organization’s policies, procedures, employee handbook, and benefits. Her efforts have created a more inclusive and supportive work environment, which has led to The Right Place being recognized as a Best and Brightest Company to Work For in West Michigan.

One of Andria’s biggest accomplishments is the launch of Tech Week GR, which just wrapped up its third consecutive year consisting of 70+ events and 16,000+ attendees.  Andria explains that “Tech Week is the professional accomplishment [she’s] most proud of” in her Crain’s article, sharing that it was “exciting to take an inkling of an idea and build it into a community-wide event that 13,000 people attended.”

Andria’s work is the driving force behind The Right Place’s ability to drive a thriving and successful region. We appreciate the transformative impact she continues to make on our region’s tech sector and beyond.