Rochester : Innovation & Job News

• Detroit Diesel, a heavy-duty diesel engine manufacturer, plans to invest $194 million to expand its Redford Township operations. That investment will preserve 1,900 jobs at the facility. Making this possible is a state tax credit valued at $56.8 million over 11 years and a smaller tax abatement from Redford Township
• Fisher & Company, an automotive seat component supplier, chose to invest $14.8 million in its St. Clair Shores and Sterling Heights facilities. A $778,358 state tax abatement over seven years is expected to save 189 jobs and help spur the creation of up to 138 more. Both automotive suppliers chose their Metro Detroit facilities over competing sites in Mexico.

• WABCO North America, a tier-one supplier to the commercial vehicle industry, plans to invest $6.2 million to create a new division in Rochester Hills, a move that will create up to 274 new jobs. It received a state tax credit of $1 million over five years and the city of Rochester Hills is also considering a tax credit.
• Troy-based Witzenmann, a manufacturer of flexible metallic components, expects to invest $13.1 million to expand its Troy presence. The project is expected to create 75 direct jobs thanks to a 10-year tax credit worth $325,354.

• National Logistics Management, a Landstar subsidiary specializing in supply-chain logistics technology, plans to invest $12.5 million in its Southfield facilities. The company expects to retain 122 jobs and create another 163 thanks to a $2.7 million state tax credit over five years.
• Dearborn-based Nexcess.net, a web-hosting firm, will create 42 jobs over the next six years by investing $4.2 million to convert a building in Southfield into a data center for Web hosting and software development. It received a state tax credit valued at $202,081 to entice it to choose Michigan over Indiana and Illinois.
• SPX Corporation, a Warren-based infrastructure tech firm, will spend the next five years investing $402,000 to create 34 new jobs. The firm will provide support to automotive companies launching plug-in electric vehicles. The MEDC gave it a $377,672 state tax credit and the city of Warren is considering a $10,000 abatement.
• Ann Arbor-based NanoBio, a biopharmaceutical company specializing in vaccines, plans to invest $1.4 million in its expansion plans that will create 32 new jobs. It received a state tax credit of $434,378 over five years and the city of Ann Arbor is considering a tax abatement of $800,000 over that same period.
• Grand River, an e-commerce company based in Ann Arbor, plans to create 48 new jobs through a $1 million investment in its facilities over the next five years. It had been considering a competing site in Wisconsin when a $361,376 state tax credit help convince it to stay in Michigan.

• Town & County in Rochester Hills (248-651-2476);
• One Hour Martinizing of Royal Oak (248-398-0664);
• Huntington Cleaners in Oak Park (with pick-ups and deliveries as far away as Detroit);
• Ann Arbor's Iris Cleaners; and
• One Hour Martinizing of Birmingham (248-645-1040).

Rochester Hills’ Compact Power, Inc., has gotten a $12.9 million contract from the Advanced Battery Consortium – members are General Motors, Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler – to take lithium-ion battery development to the next stage - and they're going to need some new employees to do it. 

“Everybody’s kind of realizing (hybrid vehicle) technology is coming to market in a big way in next three to five years,” says Chris Groesbeck, an account manager at Compact. “The reason it hasn’t happened sooner is advanced batteries weren’t quite ready to make that happen.”

A battery, he says, needs to hold a lot of energy in a small space, and it needs to be lightweight. Advanced lithium-ion batteries, Groesbeck says, “cram a lot of energy and power into a smaller and lighter space.”

Creation of such batteries for use in hybrid vehicles could be a boon for Michigan.

“It’s a big deal for the auto industry, and a big deal for Michigan,” Groesbeck says. “There’s a number of large companies that will potentially supply these advanced batteries, and right here in Michigan you have one of them.”

The battery Compact Power is developing won’t be brought to market, but will serve to refine the battery concepts in development for future commercialization.

To complete the development, Groesbeck says, Compact Power will double in size over the next year, from 40 to 80 employees.

Source: Chris Groesbeck, Compact Power
Writer: Nancy Kaffer

By now, it’s common knowledge that a daily dose of baby aspirin can increase cardiovascular health. But there may be another application for this commonplace medication – and a Rochester Hills research firm has gotten a $100,000 contract from the National Institute of Health to refine the applications of the medicine.

Taking aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen on a daily basis, says Denis Callewaert, president and chief executive officer of Oxford Biomedical, can cut the risk of colorectal cancer in half. Anti-inflammatories have also proven useful in reducing the risk of breast cancer, he says.

But anti-inflammatories carry risks of their own – about 16,000 people died last year from gastrointestinal bleeding associated with the use of medications like aspirin and ibuprofen, he says.

And that’s where Oxford Biomedical comes in.

Nutritional supplements aimed at reducing cancer risks and anti-inflammatory sales comprise a billion-dollar yearly industry, Callewaert – “But we have no way to know whether we need it or how well it’s working. How do you know if you’re taking enough or too much? The goal of our contract is to develop a blood test that could be used to determine the effects on people. The premise is the level of this stuff in your blood is going to relate to how your body is positioned to ward off cancer.”

The first phase of the contract is a feasibility study, he says, with the ultimate goal of developing a prototype test,

Source: Denis Callewaert, Oxford Biomedical
Writer: Nancy Kaffer

"That's something we're looking at as a city," says Vincent Nathan, director of the Detroit Department of Environmental Affairs.

The Kresge Foundation, for its part in the private sector, launched its Green Buildings Initiative in 2003 and has since awarded 101 planning grants totaling $6.2 million to nonprofits to design sustainable buildings. Funds totaling about $7.2 million are committed to 42 nonprofit organizations that will be awarded when they become LEED certified, says Kresge spokeswoman Cynthia Shaw. Affirmations received such money for design and construction of the Ferndale site.

Read the entire article here.

The numbers sparked an epiphany for [Wayne County executive L. Brooks] Patterson, who said he realized "I don't even know (Beaumont President and CEO) Ken Matzick."

That's no longer the case. At a time when health-care employment is blossoming - more than 9,700 health-care jobs have come to Oakland County since second-quarter 2002 - Patterson has partnered with Matzick to expand the local economy.

"They saw an opportunity to attract new business" by working with Beaumont, Matzick said.

Matzick was eager to cooperate. Last year, he sent Beaumont staff along with county officials on a trip to Sweden to lure biotech business. And Patterson on June 19 shared a stage with Matzick to celebrate yet another expansion by Beaumont.

Read the entire article here.

United Way of Southeast Michigan is forming a leadership development organization, Leadership Next, in an effort to connect with and empower the area's future leaders. Chairperson of the group, Matt Clayson, a Detroit resident and legal coordinator for Pleasant Ridge's ePrize says the goal of Leadership Next is "to get together group of civic minded younger leaders to talk about true regional collaborations." Clayson also hopes to address the region's brain drain of young people. We want "to give tangible opportunities to be connected to community initiatives and to social services, to give opportunities for volunteer involvement."

Clayson explains that another intent of the organization is to "build trust with the current generation of leaders and to learn from them – opening up a dialogue with them." 

Leadership Next is currently cultivating a roster for its leadership team and is holding a public launch on July 20 at 6 p.m. at McNarney's Public House, just east of the Renaissance Center in Detroit. Clayson says, "It's an opportunity for people who want to be involved or want to learn more." A keynote speech will be given by General Motors vice president Troy Clark, who will talk about leadership from the perspective of his generation. 

Clayson is motivated to attract and retain talent in Southeast Michigan. "People ask, 'Why should I stay in Detroit, stay in Southeast Michigan?'" he observes. He answers, "You can become involved here and have your voice heard. You can make a difference without the same type of social connections that you would need in a Chicago or a New York."

Clayson will be working to people the group's leadership team with a diverse mix of people, including city and suburban residents, representatives of stakeholder non-profit organizations and corporations and "a wide variety of cultures and races."

Source: Matt Clayson, Leadership Next
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Michigan House Democrats released a legislative proposal intended to both stimulate the use of renewable energy sources in Michigan and grow the alternative energy industry.

NextEnergy's Mark Beyer says the most significant component of the proposal is the establishment of Renewable Portfolio Standards for the state requiring 10% of Michigan's energy production to come from renewable sources like solar, wind, hydroelectric and biomass by 2015 and 25% by 2025. A NextEnergy report about RPS that was submitted to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality explored the effects of such a program on the state's economy and found it to be extraordinarily beneficial.

Beyer explains, "It would put people to work and decrease the cost of inputting energy. RPS is an attractive lure to [alternative energy companies] from out-of-state and out-of-the nation."

Beyer points out that 23 states and the District of Columbia already have RPS in place and one, Pennsylvania, has already attracted investment from a Spanish wind turbine manufacturer. "This is despite our manufacturing prowess! But RPS is very symbolic. It shows that we are dedicated to this industry. We won't be taken seriously by big international wind turbine manufacturers until we have RPS in place."

Other aspects of the plan, which is still being finalized, include alternative energy renaissance tax relief zones, the tightening up of energy conservation codes, sales tax exemption for the purchase of energy efficient home appliances, tax credits for solar power equipment purchase and an statewide reduction of 1% of energy consumption annually. The plan also will look to encourage worker training in renewable energy technologies at the state's community colleges.

Although alternative energy may not yet be fully on the radar of the mainstream, Beyer sees that day coming quickly. "It's showing up in more headlines, more stories," he says. "One day, the $5 gallon of gas will be on the cover of Time magazine."

Beyers is optimistic about the ultimate passage of the bill, saying "It's a bi-partisan issue."

Source: Mark Beyer, NextEnergy
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

A lot of water is wasted in your bathroom. Sorry if that makes you feel guilty, but it's true. A third of your home's water usage is literally flushed down your toilet.

There's a simple way to change that: installing a high-efficiency toilet  that uses less water per flush or, better yet, a dual-flush toilet that has two buttons: one for a number 1 flush and another that flushes more water for number 2.

If you have an older toilet and are not currently in the market for an upgrade, you can always consider what my family called the "cottage method." Basically, if it's yellow, let it mellow.

Now, for the shower. If you're super hardcore, you can take Navy showers, which basically means you get yourself wet, turn the water off while you lather and then rinse off. My hat is off to anyone that actually does this.

Or you can just install a high-efficiency shower head. They cost about $20 and can save you five times that in one year of usage.

Lastly, as if I need to tell you this: don't run the water while you brush your teeth.

Please.

Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Imagine a blue light on your dashboard that identifies a still-out-of-earshot ambulance. Or a red one that flashes when a bicycle is nearing an upcoming intersection. This is Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) and, it is not only possible, but is about to become a reality in Metro Detroit.

VII uses wireless and satellite technologies to enable vehicles to communicate with each other and the road itself in order to reduce congestion and crashes.
The United States Department of Transportation recently awarded the Michigan Department of Transportation $70 million for its Metro Detroit VII initiative. 

The bulk of the funding, $45 million, will be used to develop and construct a test bed facility in Novi. The remainder will go to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute to develop an in-vehicle driver-vehicle interface. 

MDOT and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation have already invested $9 million into VII infrastructure and development. Why the push? The Center for Automotive Research estimates that VII and associated vehicle electronics will create more than 20,000 jobs in the coming years. Michigan is currently on the forefront of this technology, and the state hopes to keep it that way.

Source: MDOT
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Engineering biology, or bioengineering, is an emerging interdisciplinary field based on the increasing symbiosis among the biological sciences and engineering disciplines.

Read the entire article here.

A Michigan Insurance Coalition-commissioned study, "Insuring the Future: The Economic Importance of the Insurance Industry in Michigan," shows big growth in the coming decade for the Michigan insurance industry.

Pittsburgh-based GSP Consulting looked at the evolution of the industry in terms of the state's changing economy and predicted a 10% growth in direct jobs by 2014, adding 6,000 jobs. They are also calculating 10,000 additional spin-off jobs and nearly $125 million in tax revenue.

In a statement, MIC President James Miller says, "Most people don't realize the impact Michigan's insurance industry has on the overall state economy. The purpose of this study is to show that, despite Michigan's lagging economy, there are bright spots where industries are growing and creating jobs, and insurance is one of those bright spots."

The study also found that 40% of insurance industry employees enjoyed wages between $40,000 and $60,000. 

MIC prepared the report to demonstrate its growth potential as lawmakers consider replacements for the Single Business Tax. 

Source: Michigan Insurance Coalition
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh 

Walking the aisles of a supermarket can be a mystifying experience. Claims jump out at you –- Organic! All-natural! Locally-grown! -- making shopping a confusing proposition for anyone looking beyond Wonder bread and Kraft mac 'n' cheese. So what do those labels really mean?

Organic might be the simplest, just because the US Department of Agriculture does regulate the use of the term. Government-certified organic products may label their food package with a "USDA Organic" label and actually use the word "organic" on the front. There are several levels of organic standards:

"100% Organic" means that, yes, the product is 100% organic.

"Organic" means that the food is 95-100% organic. A listing of ingredients in the product that are organic -- for example, "Made with organic almonds and oats" – means that at least 70% of the total food product is organic. If the organic ingredients are listed on the side or rear panel, that just means that yes, those almonds and oats are organic, but the sum total of organic ingredients is less than 70%.
 
Government certification means that the food is grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic or sludge-derived fertilizers, bioengineering or radiation. Meat and dairy products that are organic have been given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Water and soil conservation efforts are also taken into account by certifiers who visit the farm. 

A label claiming "all-natural" can be misleading. While it is typically true that said product does not contain any ingredient not occurring in nature, the process that make use of a particular ingredient might be far from natural.

A perfect example is with fructose corn syrup -- currently the whipping boy in the national obesity epidemic. High fructose corn syrup is natural -- it is derived from whole grain corn. But the corn is refined, the sugars extracted and thus concentrated. Technically all natural, but realistically, food borne in a laboratory.

Locally grown food can be tougher –- and arguably, "greener" than organic food grown thousands of miles away. While many smaller grocers make an effort to stock their shelves with locally-grown and produced foods, sometimes the print is fine and seeking it out takes time. One great way to learn about the origin of your food is to build relationships with the farmers at your local farmers market. You can generally tell what is locally in-season by a preponderance of one or several crops at many of the vendors' tables. Hint: mangoes are not local.

When you really start to get into food labeling and origin, it will add some time to your shopping trip. But what it really adds to is your quality of life. Knowing what you are eating makes eating itself a more special occasion -- which in turn, leads to a healthier relationship with food than has been common for many decades in the US.

Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

The perfect expanse of lawn is embedded in the psyche of the American dream. Unfortunately, the dream is becoming a nightmare – water usage might not seem like a huge concern here in the Great Lakes state, but all those golf courses in Arizona will continue to get their water from somewhere. 

And pesticides and fertilizers are also serious problems. The Canadian Cancer Society has called for an outright ban on pesticides, noting that 19 of the 30 most commonly used pesticides have been linked with cancer. 

Ann Arbor has recently banned the use of phosphorus in lawn fertilizers in an effort to reduce the level of phosphorus in the Huron River. Part of the problem is that many generic fertilizers include phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium, the Big 3 of lawn nutrients. But the reality is that most Michigan soil has plenty of phosphorus, so it is totally unnecessary to add more. Check the numbers on the bag of fertilizer before you buy it – even if you don't live in Ann Arbor, it's best to avoid phosphorus.

Simple advice for anyone with a lawn: Mow long and leave the grass clippings in place. If you must water, do so in the early morning or after dusk. If you must fertilize, use organic – there's tons of options on the shelves. 

If your lawn develops a pest problem, a good on-line resource for non-toxic advice can be found at the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides.  Or, if you want to hire someone to do the dirty work for you, Local-Motion has compiled a list of local companies that use organic fertilizer and natural pest control methods here.

Most importantly, relax. Your lawn, like your life, is never going to be perfect. And that is totally fine.

Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

The 2007 Energy Conference and Exhibition will take place May 15 at the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi.

Hosted by The Engineering Society of Detroit and DTE Energy, the one-day conference and exposition will cover the latest innovations in alternative energy sources and energy efficiency. One of the largest energy conferences and expositions held in metropolitan Detroit, the 2007 event is expected to have 100 exhibitors and attract 1,500 attendees.

Targeted for energy issues affecting facility management and planning, speakers include executives from automotive manufacturers and suppliers, health care, banking, the state department of environmental control, energy distribution and sustainable development. More at www.esd.org.
 
Detroit Regional Chamber and Charter One Bank announced plans to host a creative forum designed to cultivate an entrepreneurial and innovative environment in the Detroit Region.  This interactive event will feature successful entrepreneurs and innovators in the region as well as showcase best practices.  The event will further the critical dialogue on this issue started at the Chamber's Mackinac Policy Conference last year.

The "Creating a Region for Entrepreneurs and Innovators" forum is May 15, 9-11:30 a.m. at The Parade Company in Detroit.  Admission is free. Individuals can register at www.detroitchamber.com.

The agenda includes:

• A keynote address by Josh Linkner, founder and CEO of ePrize, the world's largest international, interactive promotions agency headquartered in Pleasant Ridge.
• Facilitated group activities to inspire participants to become entrepreneurial and innovation stewards.

"The Detroit Region's economic transformation hinges on our ability to diversify the local economy by expanding our entrepreneurship and innovative capacities," said Richard E. Blouse Jr., president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber.
 
"Charter One cares deeply about the growth and vibrancy of our region," said Sandra E. Pierce, president and CEO of Charter One Bank, Michigan. "We are committed to supporting an environment that fosters economic vitality and strengthens the communities where we live and work."

Source:
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Until, that is, an executive who recently moved to Michigan from California piped up. He said he loved the area's dedicated, technically competent work force, with its strong work ethic. He liked not having to worry about project deadlines every time somebody said "surf's up." But he said he was glad he decided to move to Michigan before he met the other executives in that room -- otherwise he might not have come.

Read the entire article here.

"It’s too diluted right now," Croce said of the state's new economic development program. "It must be deliberate and focused. Pick one or two things." His overall assessment of Michigan’s investment in alternative energy: "Fair."

I’m with Croce. I’d like to see more vision and focus from state leaders and spending programs, especially when it comes to wind and solar power. But I’m afraid that political choices will tend to rule the public awards and subsidies. And, if we throw Michigan taxpayer dollars into such politically popular red herrings as corn ethanol or clean coal, what will we have to show for it in twenty years? My hunch is "not much."

Read the entire article here.

The United Nations Environmental Program estimates 20 to 50 million tons of e-waste is generated annually --85 percent of which ends up in landfills. Aren't Michigan's landfills big enough? 

As part of its ongoing partnership with Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit  and Dell Computers Reconnect Michigan, Wayne County is hosting a drop-off on May 12 in Canton for computers and other electronics that would otherwise be headed to the landfill.

The partnership means that some equipment dropped off will be repaired or retrofitted and put back into use—creating jobs in the process. What cannot be reused will be safely recycled, keeping pollutants such as lead, cadmium, chromium and mercury out of the waste stream. 

Mary Vangieson, who is the resource recovery coordinator with Wayne County's Department of Environment, estimates that 8,200 pounds of e-waste was collected at Wayne County's first such event, which was held last month in Riverview. 

Drop-off is free for any resident of Wayne County and will be accepted from 8 a.m. – noon at the Canton Township DPW. For more information, call 313.964.3900 x314.

To inquire about drop-off on other days, particularly from businesses, contact Goodwill directly at 313.964.3909.

Source: Mary Vangieson, Wayne County
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Governor Granholm announced that Rochester Hills Hi-Lex Research and Development Center would recieved an  Economic Development Job Training (EDJT) grant of $120, 000 to train 115 employees and five new hires in advanced manufacturing applications. Oakland Community College will provide the training.

Hi-Lex is a leading supplier of electromechanical devices and control cables. They supply their products to automakers and companies that manufacture recreational vehicles (boats, motorcycles, ATV's, golf carts). Their US parent company is TSK of America, which is owned by Hi-Lex Corporation, a global company based in Takarazuka City, Japan.

Established in 1978 in Battle Creek, Michigan the company expanded quickly and built a plant in Litchfield, Michigan and Queretaro, Mexico. In 2006 they expanded and relocated their technical center from Troy to Rochester Hills, investing $4 million in an 80,000-square-foot warehouse facility.

The training grant will be provided through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Source: MEDC and Hi-Lex

Harold Decker, Miller Canfield principal, said Michigan is still a good investment for life sciences companies.

"I'm very interested in the recrudescence of this state," said Decker. "I want to see it grow and prosper as I knew it as a child. And I think that because of some of the resources that we have here in the state of Michigan that we're ideally suited to do that."

At last week's Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress, the 35,000 engineers in attendance focused on the conference theme of "Engineering for Global Sustainable Mobility—It’s Up To Us."

Mike Milliken's Worldchanging.com column, The Week in Sustainable Mobility, delves into the focus the brains of the automotive industry is putting on fuel efficiency and emissions reduction.

Excerpt:

"To say that the industry is aware of the need to address the two issues of greenhouse gas emissions and energy availability is an understatement. Presentation after presentation (and there were 1,500 technical papers presented) defined the framework for the research and development projects underway in terms of those two overriding factors. In a series of higher-level symposia hosted by powertrain engineering companies AVL and FEV, top engineering executives began their discussions of trends and possible outcomes practically with the same set of slides: climate change and energy availability."

Read the entire article here.

Two local entrepreneurs, Gene Gizzarelli and Mike Fisher, have launched a website, NeedHelpers.com, to connect local small businesses to potential clients. Gizzarelli explains their motivation: "We wanted to develop a site to address the economy, and what's happening in this state. With big business going under and causing a lot unemployment, more and more people are starting up their own operations as entrepreneurs and they need an avenue to help to expand their businesses."

The pair, who also own an IT company, hit upon the idea after asking themselves, "How do we expand our business in a cost-effective way?" Noting that many small businesses don't have the resources to hire sales staff or run print, radio or television ads, they launched NeedHelpers.com to help service-providers such as lawyers, doctors, electricians, landscapers and plumbers establish a web presence. 

NeedHelpers.com charges an annual fee to list service providers, but is free for anyone on the hunt for one. Gizzarelli points out that other similar sites charge users an annual fee to find service providers or are industry-specific such as Lawyers.com. The site also allows users to rate services they receive in order to help guide future browsers.

NeedHelpers.com went live the last week in March and Gizzarelli says, "It is growing on a day-to-day basis. We've gotten a really good response." The site is being advertised on billboards and buses. "We're spending money to advertise so our service providers don't need to."

Source: Gene Gizzarelli, NeedHelpers.com

Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

The Detroit Regional Chamber and Detroit Renaissance have formed a panel of business executives to develop a set of recommendations for improving and growing Southeast Michigan's medical education and research capabilities as well as boosting collaboration between the region's medical institutions.

Chaired by former United States Congressman and Michigan State Senator Joe Schwarz, M.D. the panel will:

• Identify steps to increase graduate medical education to meet the region's needs for more doctors across specialty areas
• Identify short and long-term recommendations for substantially growing the region's medical education and research cluster
• Develop models for increasing collaboration throughout the region among healthcare providers, systems and education and research facilities to ensure access to quality care to all citizens of the region and the growth of the region's medical community.

"Business leaders are concerned that there continues to be inadequate collaboration among the region's medical institutions which could threaten access to quality care and the ability to maximize the growth potential of this industry, said Detroit Regional Chamber President and CEO Richard E. Blouse, Jr. "Dr. Schwarz brings a knowledge of the industry and a history of collaboration that will move the dialogue forward."

Dr. Schwarz recently served on a Congressional Panel tasked with investigating care at Walter Reed Hospital and is acknowledged as one of Michigan's most experienced leaders in health care policy.

Other panel members include:

Randolph Agley, Chairman and CEO of The Talon Group
Jon Barfield, Chairman and President of The Bartech Group
Alfred Glancy, Chairman, Unico Investment Company
Richard M. Gabrys, Retired Vice Chairman of Deloitte and Dean of the School of Business Administration of Wayne State University
Daniel J. Loepp, President and CEO of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan
Florine Mark, President & CEO of the WW Group
Leslie Murphy, Group Managing Partner of Plante Moran
Cynthia J. Pasky, President, CEO & Founder of Strategic Staffing Solutions
Daniel F. Ponder, CEO of Franco Public Relations Group
Richard Russell, CEO of Amerisure Insurance Company.
 
"The business community believes medical education and research can play a major role in driving economic growth in the region and that a long-term strategy is needed to achieve this goal, said Detroit Renaissance President Doug Rothwell.  

The panel is expected to complete their work by August.

Source: Detroit Renaissance

"I believe that Michigan is on the verge of becoming an entrepreneurial state," Alami says. "We have some ways to go - but with our wealth of great talent, what we really need is a change of attitude at the state and local levels."

Read the entire article here.

Ypsilanti-based Clean Energy Coalition (CEC), along with the energy offices from Ann Arbor and the State of Michigan, are holding a contest from which 28 Michigan residents will win up to $10,000 in energy improvements to their homes.

One grand prize winner will win $10,000 in energy-related home improvements as well as access to the Environmental Protection Agency's Home Energy Rating System (HERS)  and the Energy Star program. This will assist the homeowner in maximizing the impact of their improvements.

Four first prize winners will receive energy analyses of their homes along with specific recommendations on how to lower their utility costs, and 23 second prize winners will receive $25 Home Depot gift cards.

In the contest announcement, CEC Executive Director Sean Reed said, “Our goal with this contest is to show how a one-time investment in energy efficiency improvements can save homeowner’s money every month for as long as they own their home. Given the fact that the cost of energy has been increasing most every year, it doesn’t take too long for this to add up to big savings.”

To enter, go to www.cec-mi.org/contest, where you will be asked to enter your utility usage over the last 12 months, by May 11.

Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Does your workplace have groovy couches, an endless supply of soft drinks and hi-tech nap rooms?

Or maybe your boss is a saint disguised as a senior project manager.

Crain's Detroit Business is looking for the coolest places to work in Southeast Michigan. Teamed up with Southfield-based American Society of Employers, the business publication is looking or employers that have created work environments that attract and retain quality workers, especially younger workers.

The competition is dubbed "Cool Places to Work."

Anyone may nominate a company or nonprofit organization for the competition. Online nomination forms can be found at www.crainsdetroit.com, under the "Forms and Surveys" headline in the left hand column on the home page.

The deadline for nominations is May 1. Winning companies will be recognized in the Sept. 3 issue of Crain's.

Only companies located in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston and Washtenaw counties are eligible.

For more information contact Shawn Selby, Crain's Business Lives editor at sselby@crain.com or visit www.crainsdetroit.com

The Detroit Regional Economic Partnership, part of the Detroit Regional Chamber, recently teamed up with Oakland County to visit India in order to attract new businesses to Southeast Michigan.

Headed by Partnership Executive Director John Carroll, the ten-person delegation included representatives from the Detroit Regional Economic Partnership, Oakland County, Global Services Resources, LLC, Acro Service Corp. and Stonebridge Business Partners, a company that now has offices in two cities in India, Pune and Delhi, following the 2006 trip. 

The late March/early April visit was an aimed at building build on the success of the Partnership's 2006 mission to India. The group spoke with newspapers, held cocktail parties, hosted seminars and spoke to companies and people on a one-on-one basis through four cities.

Carroll said that having a high Indian population in Detroit was an advantage, and that many in India became interested in what they were doing and offered their assistance with the trip.

"We aimed to improve upon Detroit’s image, " said Carroll, who added the company has what he calls "28 good leads," which is what he refers to as businesses interested, as well as two "prospects, " which he calls companies that could potentially be moving offices to the East Michigan area within the next year or so. Although he could not give specifics, he did mention that one company was looking to bring around thirty new engineering jobs to the area. 

"The most important part of all of this is the end result, the ultimate deals, " said Carroll, who added the Partnership, which has created nearly 8,000 new jobs in the Metro Detroit area in the last decade, will continue talks with the Indian market, as well as local groups such as the Indo American Chamber of Commerce, in the hopes of securing these deals.

Source: John Carroll, The Detroit Regional Economic Partnership

If you're at all like me, gardening is a warm-weather activity that brings you great satisfaction. I am always looking for ways to improve my vegetable garden's output, but I'm not willing to kill myself over it. I use bagged manure for fertilizer, and that's kind of the end of it.

I've been thinking it might be time to start a compost pile for a couple of reasons. First, to help my garden grow, but also as a useful waste-reducer. I will admit, though, I've always been a bit scared of the smell and of pests.

To alleviate my fears and help me get started, I spent some time talking with Leah Retherford, an Americorps member working with the Greening of Detroit in their education and urban farming programs. She maintains compost piles in her backyard and one at the lower Cass Corridor community garden for which she volunteers, and she teaches students at Our Lady of Guadalupe Middle School for Girls in Southwest Detroit about gardening and ecology. I figured, if she can teach junior high kids, she'll be able to break down (no pun intended) the compost concept to me.

What it all comes down to, Retherford says, is recycling and replenishing. "For me, it started as a way to recycle. But now it is more. If you don't build your soil, you are just depleting it. 

A basic, and the least labor-intensive, method is a passive pile. Retherford recommends first picking a good spot in your yard—she chose a rear corner. Stake in some wooden posts and wrap them in chicken wire to create a fence to keep the pile contained and relatively pest-free. Put yard waste like grass clipping, leaves and weeds into the pile along with kitchen waste like coffee grounds, peels and cuttings from vegetables and fruits and even tea bags.

Avoid meat, fish, cheese, bones and anything greasy or cooked. This draws the pests. In urban areas, Retherford advises an additional caution again pests: always covering any food product with a layer of yard waste, just to be safe.

With a passive pile, all you do is wait—and your compost will be ready in about one year. 

An active pile can be ready in six-eight weeks, but they take more thought and effort. You start it just the same as a passive one, but sprinkle water on the pile every foot or so. After a few days, the pile will begin to get hot. After it cools down in a week or two, you mix everything up, encouraging it to warm up again. When it no longer heats up after mixing, the compost is ready.

Many gardeners have turned to composting machines to do the mixing for them. Retherford says the machines make it a lot easier to do the mixing that active compost piles require. Plus, there is the added bonus of keeping the compost completely unreachable to pests.

Currently, Greening of Detroit has a limited number of Earth Machine composters available for $35, a discounted rate from the normal retail price of about $85. Anyone interested in purchasing an Earth Machine should contact Ashley Atkinson at 313.237.8736.

Rubbermaid also makes a composting machine that is typically available at Home Depot and Ace Hardware stores. Composters.com carries dozens of brands and styles of compost bins, machines and accessories.

Because there are many things one can do to improve their compost, there are tons of tricks and tips on what to add and what not to add, when to add a particular ingredient, how to best mix the pile, and so on. Detroit's Garden Resource Program offers opportunities for serious gardeners to fine-tune their composting techniques. On July 26, there is a "Cover Crops and Organic Fertilizers" course that will discuss composting and on September 27, there will be a program on advanced composting. Greening's Compost Workgroup also hosts meetings quarterly. Course schedules and descriptions are available from the GRP website.

Once she has good compost, Rutherford adds it to her garden prior to the first planting of the season. "I put a layer on top of the dirt, break it up a little bit, then just plant right into it." The only time she puts more into her garden is if she is doing a succession planting—planting a second crop after an early one is harvested—or if a crop looks "dried out."

Sounds pretty easy. I just ordered my Earth Machine.

Source: Leah Retherford, Greening of Detroit

Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Three local brothers—Sander DeVries, Tim Pfannes and Shane Pfannes—have turned their distaste for junk mail into a growing business. 41pounds.org, so named for the weight of the average amount of junk mail the average adult receives per year, offers customers a one-stop shop to stop each and every piece of junk mail and unwanted catalog from arriving in their mail box for five years—for just $41 per household.

DevRies explains that the business arose from their determination to shrink their own pile of unwanted mail growing on the dining room table. "We decided to so some research to see what we could do to stop this." It took some time and some digging, but their persistence worked.

They shared the information they gathered—who to call, mail and email to get off of every junk mailing list—with family and friends. Although people were interested in the concept, it was just too much work for the average person to tackle. DeVries remembers, "They all said, 'This is really cool.' But no one went through and did it."

Thus, in July 2006, 41pounds.org was born. Their task is to contact the junk mailers—an average of 20-25 of them—to remove their customers from their mailing lists. They will also tackle additional catalogs if asked. 
The 2,000 people who are signed up have already made an impact, DeVries points out. "That's over 2,400 trees saved, 1.4 million gallons of water saved and 920,000 pounds of carbon dioxide not released into the atmosphere."

41pounds.org is a national service: "We have tested the list at different houses in different areas," states DeVries, and they are finding that California residents are utilizing the service in high numbers. The brothers plan to launch a marketing campaign in late April to coincide with Earth Day, and hope to recruit more Michigan residents to the service at that time. 

41pounds.org also offers a unique fund-raising opportunity for non-profit organizations and schools: they get to keep $15 of the $41 fee for any new customer they recruit to the service. "People are sick of candy bars and wrapping paper fund-raisers. And it's easy. You just have to get people to sign up on a website and you're raising money," explains DeVries.

Local organizations already on-board include Judson Center, Roeper Schools and Bloomfield Hills Optimist Club.

The brothers also run a computer network maintenance company. DeVries says, "That was our main company and this was a side project, but it has turned into such a huge project." 41pounds.org is currently Ferndale-based and, despite its national appeal, he says the brothers have no plans to relocate. "We're gonna be here forever."

Source: Sander DeVries, 41pounds.org

Writer Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Using the plastic—and even paper—bags that stores provide is easy. But we all know it is inherently wasteful. Here are some local alternatives.

Ornj Bags by Conjoin design are actually made out of orange construction fencing, taking the whole recycling thing to the next level. Available at Pure Detroit.

IKEA is no longer providing free plastic bags, instead charging 59 cents for their reusable Big Blue Bag. You can then use them anytime you shop.  

Likewise, Trader Joe's sells its canvas bags for $2.99 and bags made from recycled plastic for 99 cents. Plus, use 'em and they'll enter you in a monthly drawing to win store prizes.

A bit higher-end, the Detroit Institute of Arts offers a black canvas bag screen-printed with The Thinker for $20. For the same price, Eastern Market mainstay R. Hirt Jr. sells a popular one that will show off your gourmet tendencies.

The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum sells a green tote with red straps for $11.99—maybe kicking the bag habit will be a lesson passed on to your kids?

If you do have a plethora at plastic bags at home, don’t throw them away. Recycle Ann Arbor and Recycle Detroit take them at their drop-off sites.  Or, if all else fails, offer them to someone with a dog, they might as well pull double doodie ...er... duty.

Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

The US Arbor Day Foundation released an update  to the US Hardiness Zone map that is a basic tool for gardeners as to what plants will thrive in their area. SE Michigan has shifted from Zone 5 to Zone 6, because as Bob Cairns, librarian for the Master Gardener Association of Wayne County explains, "average temperature has changed enough to rezone us."

As for the affect this change will have on the average gardener, Cairns expects little: traditional favorites such as geraniums, azaleas and roses are all hardy into much warmer and colder climates. But for serious gardeners, it is an opportunity to plant flowers and shrubs that would not have thrived in this area as recently as 5 or 10 years ago.

Carins, for one, looks forward to planting a crape myrtle tree in his backyard. Common in the Carolinas as a flowering tree with spectacular wintertime bark, the plant is only root hardy in Zone 5. Cairns explains that this means that the plant will survive a Michigan winter, but will die down its roots in the cold only to grow back the following spring. "We've never seen crape myrtle bark in Michigan," he says.

He also expects vegetable gardeners to enjoy a longer growing season. "They'll have more zucchini left over than they ever did before!"

The Master Gardener Association of Wayne County is a group of certified master gardeners that host regular educational events, perform volunteer gardening work and maintain a library of useful gardening resource books.

On April 18, Cairns will facilitate a course in the "Introduction to Gardening" series entitled "Get Ready for Gardening Part II."

For more information, visit the groups's website at www.mgawc.org; the calendar of events and classes is here. 

Source: Bob Cairns, MGAWC

Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

High-efficiency compact fluorescent light bulbs seem like one of those environmental choices that is a win-win. Sure, they cost more than traditional light bulbs, but they can last ten times as long and are about five times more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs. Subjectively, I prefer the light—it's a slightly warmer tone.

But, hold up. There is a downside. High-efficiency light bulbs contain mercury, and should not be disposed of with your garbage. (Um, mercury in landfills? Seriously bad news.)

Mason-based Cleanlites Recycling, Inc. can help small businesses (with average use of approximately 100 bulbs per year) safely dispose of their mercury-containing bulbs. Their Lamp Recycling Box Program is a pre-paid box that gets sent back to Cleanlites when full.

Companies and municipalities can explore other alternatives at LampRecycle.org.

For individuals, there are several options:

-Oakland County residents of SOCCRA member cities can take the bulbs to their facility by appointment.

-The Recycle Ann Arbor will accept the bulbs for $1 each.

-Residents of Washtenaw County can drop off their bulbs for free on Saturdays at the Washtenaw County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center on Zeeb Road (734.222.6865).

-IKEA has bins in their lighting department where customers can drop off their used light bulbs. This makes sense when you consider IKEA sells the bulbs…

-Other organizations offer a prepaid mail-back box option like Cleanlites' Sylvania charges $15 for a box that will hold a dozen bulbs; Bulbs.com  charges $94 for a box that holds 200.

Sources: Mike Kimmel, Cleanlites; Sarah Kubik, Recycle Detroit; LampRecycle.org; Crave.

Paul Schutt, co-founder & publisher of our own Model D and metromode, will be the keynote speaker at this Friday's 2007 Regional Redevelopment Summit.

Hosted by The Michigan Suburbs Alliance the event will be held FRIDAY, MARCH 23rd at The Fairlane Club in Dearborn (map) and is an opportunity for local leaders to learn how to craft an image that draws new investment.

Schutt will discuss how media is providing "alternative narratives" for neighborhoods, cities and metropolitan areas. Local officials, developers, realtors and others involved and interested in redevelopment are encouraged to attend.

(Attendees mentioning either metromode or Model-D get 75% off the ticket price.)

The half day event also includes panel discussions with Jim Townsend, executive director of Tourism Economic Development Council, Michael Finney, president and CEO of Ann Arbor Spark, Bill Milliken, Jr., president of Milliken Realty and Commercial Board of Realtors and Doug Brown, director of development at ASTI Environmental.

For speaker presentation overviews and a full agenda, visit the Suburbs Alliance website.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Tickets are $80
but metromode and Model D readers
can buy tickets for just $20! 

Register online or visit the Michigan Suburbs Alliance website to pay by check.

Questions?  Contact Melanie Piana at (248) 546-2380 or melanie@suburbsalliance.org. 

More information about the 2007 Regional Redevelopment Summit can be found at www.suburbsalliance.org/new_and_events/events.

As China emerges as an economic powerhouse the need for those who speak the language increases. Michigan Virtual High School, a division of the Michigan Virtual University, announced that they will now be offering a free semester of online instruction in Mandarin Chinese to one student from every public and private high school in the state.

These online courses were developed in collaboration with the  Confucius Institute at Michigan State University and China Central Radio and TV University.

Each high school in the state may submit the name of one student to request a scholarship by April 30. Unused scholarships will be administered to other schools. 

"This scholarship oppurtunity will help Michigan's students be better prepared to learn and work in the global community," said Kathleen Strauss, president of the Michigan State Board of Education. 

The high school courses will be offered in four levels, starting at the introductory level. The online middle school Chinese courses will include two course formats, one focusing more on Chinese language and the other on culture. These courses involve four hours of online learning and a one-hour virtual group tutoring session per week. 

For more information, click here.

Source: Michigan Virtual High School

I think the media have the power to improve it. In Oakland County, we're very busy. I just went to a press conference for a company that's getting a grant and is going to be hiring a lot of people. ... And if we could promote the good news, too, it would improve the climate.

Read the entire article here.

"I use the quote that nothing heightens a man's creativity like the thought of getting hung in the morning,'' Holman said, referring to the state's growing need to reinvent itself economically. 

"The auto industry has been a rude awakening for some of us, and now we're scrambling to get to tomorrow's culture,'' he said. "Small business, for the most part, is taking up the slack.''

Detroit-based National Logistics Management has announced the recipients of its third annual Carrier Excellence Awards.

NLM president Greg Humes describes his company as "a transportation management and solutions company" that works with more than 450 carriers—air, truck, rail and shipping—counts approximately 30,000 manufacturers and suppliers as its clients and manages shipments worth over $478 million annually.

The company not only handles day to day logistical activities but, due to the critical nature of its business, it also serves as "the emergency 911 when something goes wrong," Humes explains.

The Carrier Excellence Awards are based on cost and quality scorecards the company tallies—and shares with its clients each month.

NLM works with carriers based around the country, but several of its honorees are also local in nature. Detroit’s CTX was one of four honorees in the Overall Performance in Carrier Excellence Award. Humes says that CTX rates high in both its safety and service records. 

All five of NLM’s On-Time Performance Awards went to local companies:

Air freight carrier - AIT Worldwide (Romulus)
Truckload carrier - SMF Incorporated (Plymouth)
Small ground expediter - Anchor Bay Express (Chesterfield)
Medium ground expediter - On Time Express (Plymouth)
Large ground expediter - First Class Expediting (Rochester Hills)

Brenda Hagler of Romulus’ Stonepath Logistics was one of two individual winners of Dispatcher of the Year. Hagler was recognized for the number of shipments that she booked, the on-time performance for those shipments and Stonepath’s overall score.

Despite a local manufacturing downturn, Humes is optimistic about NLM’s growth—the company plans to diversify by expanding its primarily manufacturing base and increasing its global presence. He observes that shipment timing becomes only more critical in times of downturn, which "creates opportunities for us."

The company currently employs 308, and he expects that number to grow.

NLM will present the awards at a ceremony on March 8 in Livonia.

Source: Greg Humes, NLM

Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

Harvey Ovshinsky will step down as president of Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. but will continue to focus on IT and energy science for the company.

Excerpt:

"Ovshinsky, meanwhile, will focus on further development of the science in IT and energy that put the company on the map. He will also continue as a board member and will retain the title chief scientist and technologist. He will continue to serve as chairman of ECD's Ovonyx Inc. joint venture."

Read metromode's recent coverage of ECD's innovative flexible solar photovoltaic panels here.

Read the entire article here.

Automation Alley’s X-OLOGY magazine made its debut this month, exploring the impact and importance of the life sciences industry on Southeast Michigan’s economy.

Generating sales of $4.8 billion, the 540 life science companies that call Automation Alley home have attracted a highly skilled workforce to the region. The quarterly publication hopes to cater to this tech-savvy audience by providing an in-depth look at the companies, leaders, technologies and ideas that are transforming the Detroit region.

A mix of technology information, thought-provoking articles, revealing profiles and high-end lifestyle reporting, X-OLOGY furthers the organization’s mission to assist the growth of Southeast Michigan’s technology economy. The magazine is published in partnership with Southfield-based Renaissance Media.

 Issues can be found at Barnes & Noble locations in Northville, West Bloomfield, Rochester Hills and Detroit as well as at the National Institute of Technology, Oakland University, Oakland Community College and the Detroit Business Institute.

For more information, visit www.XOLOGY.com.

• expanding the capacity for entrepreneurialism and innovation in the region,

• identifying priorities and jointly seeking federal and state resources to advance economic development in Southeast Michigan, and
  

• partnering on policy initiatives that support economic growth in the region.