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Enterprise Group News & Events

Who should pay for economic development in Jackson County?

Friday, February 3, 2012
By Tarryl Jackson
Jackson Citizen Patriot

Most agree it is time to put our money where our mouth is when it comes to growing jobs and businesses in Jackson County. But who should have to pay and how much is a little more gray.

As local governments become more strapped for cash, there seems to be a growing undercurrent that it is time for the private sector to do more to fund The Enterprise Group of Jackson, the countys lead economic development agency.

At the same time, The Enterprise Groups board of directors is exploring ways to create a more consistent financial model so the organization can focus on its No. 1 mission: To create a viable economy in Jackson.

Though the organization is definitely at a crossroads, Enterprise Group officials are quick to point out that they are addressing the issue now before funding becomes an issue.

‘We are not in dire financial trouble,’ said Hendrik Schuur, The Enterprise Groups board chairman.

‘I tend to think the glass is half full. The support is out there in the community.’

Does the existing funding model work?

Established in 1997, the Enterprise Group was tasked to lead business recruitment and retention in Jackson County. Its roughly $1.2 million annual budget (it varies from year to year) taps a variety of sources, including private business, local governments, foundations and a hefty $500,000 each year from the Jackson Area Manufacturers Association and the Academy for Manufacturing Careers. Those funds are derived primarily from JAMA membership dues and revenue from manufacturing classes.

The city of Jackson and Jackson County generally give the Enterprise Group $100,000 each, and the EG also earns roughly another $125,000 from local governments contracting specific jobs with the agency.

The remaining $375,000 comes from private contributions, as well as revenues from state and federal contracts.

‘That is a pretty broad stream of revenue that comes in,’ Schuur said. ‘We do not have our eggs in one basket.’

What is governments obligation locally?

Local politicians do not deny they have an important role in this communitys economic development. But lately, there have been hints that what that support looks like could change.

A few months ago, Jackson City Councilman Dan Greer suggested a contract with the EG might not be necessary next fiscal year. After all, the city recently recruited and hired City Manager Larry Shaffer and Community Development Director Patrick Burtch, both of whom have an impressive background in economic development.

Shaffer, however, was quick to note that the Enterprise Group is still an important player in keeping Jacksons job and business growth on track.

What he would like to see is more of a financial commitment from those in the private sector. Though, he acknowledged they have had a rough go with the economy in recent years.

Blackman Township Supervisor Dan Hawkins and Summit Township Supervisor Jim Dunn agreed the private sector could do more.

‘I would like to see a formula where more private company commitment is being made so that the local government is not relied so much upon,’ Hawkins said.

Still, Hawkins admits the $42,500 his township paid to the Enterprise Group was worth it.

The Blackman Township Board, the City Council and the Jackson County Board of Commissioners reviews funding requests from the EG annually. All spoke favorably of the organization, none could make future promises about funding.

‘I do not see a reason why it would not be (approved next year,) said Hawkins. ‘But nothing is for sure.’

The private sector: Can they? Will they?

Ask local business leaders — both large and small — several agree the Enterprise Group needs more support from the private sector.

‘It shows the community that the businesses are behind the effort,’ said Allen Hooper, director of economic development for Consumers Energy. ‘I think Jackson is kind of short when it comes to private sector involvement. Our private sector commitment does not match what some other communities are doing.’

Others, particularly those who have benefited from the Enterprise Groups help, feel even more strongly. Still, it is difficult for a startup to offer up large portions of cash.

Full Spectrum Solutions built a 72,000-square-foot headquarters at 2021 Wellworth Ave. with much help from the Enterprise Group.

‘We can certainly help them more as a company, said owner Michael Nevins. ‘We would like to see the entrepreneurial spirit improve in the area.’

Ric Walton of The Walton Agency said both governmental entities and private companies should step up.

‘We all live here and we talk about the quality of life,’ he said.

Selling the importance of the Enterprise Group

Many do not seem to understand the full scope of Enterprise Groups efforts.

‘There is a lot of scrutiny and pessimism about government expenditure of money,’ Hawkins said. ‘It is a tough time not just to be The Enterprise Group. It is a tough time to be in government.’

The EGs Amy Torres said the Enterprise Group cant talk details, mostly at the request of the companies, she said.

‘I can only talk about it generically because companies do not want their business out there,’ Torres said. ‘It is hard to measure what we do.’

So what is the magic funding formula?

While there is no magic bullet, there are several good funding models out there. Whether those models are successful depends in large part on the characteristics of the community, said John Avery, executive director of the Michigan Economic Developers Association.

The groups can be funded solely by government money, private contributions or a combination of both. The key, Avery said, is consistency.

‘There is no right or wrong way,’ he said.

Jacksons manufacturing history on display at Ella Sharp Museum this month

Friday, February 3, 2012
By Tarryl Jackson
Jackson Citizen Patriot

Jacksons manufacturing history will be explored through a new exhibit at the Ella Sharp Museum of Art and History.

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Jackson Area Manufacturers Association, the exhibit — ‘The World Takes What Jackson Makes: The History of the Jackson Area Manufacturers Association’ — will highlight the 13 original companies that started the organization.

The exhibit will also also explore Jacksons manufacturing traditions and show what companies are doing in the community.

The exhibit will be on display from Feb. 14 to April 14.

There will be a VIP opening reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13.

To make a reservation or for more information, call Cari Wolfe at 787-2320 or email cariw@ellasharp.org.

The Enterprise Group of Jackson is searching for new leader

Friday, February 3, 2012
By Tarryl Jackson
Jackson Citizen Patriot

The Enterprise Group, Jackson Countys economic development agency, is searching for a new president and CEO.

Scott Fleming, who led the organization since 2008, stepped down in October.

He is the executive director at the DeSoto Economic Development Corp. in Texas.

‘We are looking for a seasoned professional that can hit the ground running,’ said Hendrik Schuur, board chairman of The Enterprise Group.

Until a new executive director is selected, the following people make up the interim executive team: Amy Torres, vice president of economic development at The Enterprise Group; Connie King, the agencys vice president of finance, human resources and accounting; and Bill Rayl, executive director at the Jackson Area Manufacturers Association.

The board has also worked extensively on what they think the role of the CEO should be, Schuur said.

‘Our vision of the CEO is to have him lead his team, to bring in jobs,’ Schuur said. ‘Our job is to support him. I think by early spring, we’ll have an announcement to make.’

Summit Township Supervisor Jim Dunn said the area has come a long way in the past few years in economic development with the leadership of Scott Fleming.

‘I think it was a great loss to the community when he left, but that is water under the bridge,’ he said.

‘The leadership of that group is critical. I think they have done a wonderful job here.’

Economic Development leaders applaud MACI expansion in Jackson County that could help grow jobs

By Tarrly Jackson
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Jackson Citizen Patriot

The Enterprise Group of Jackson, the countys lead economic-development agency, is pleased by Michigan Automotive Compressor, Inc.s possible building expansion.

Jackson Countys largest manufacturing employer looking at possibly expanding its 800,000-square-foot building and is in the process of applying for permits. (Related story: MACI’s possible expansion could mean more jobs for Jackson area)

The proposal is to add 3 1/2 bays — about 201,600 square feet total — extending directly west from the current building at 2400 N. Dearing Road to house production equipment and warehouse space.

Amy Torres, director of economic development for The Enterprise Group of Jackson, said MACI has brought hundreds of jobs and established a solid manufacturing base in the Jackson area. MACI opened its plant in 1990.

‘The establishment of the Parma-Sandstone LDFA (Local Development Finance Authority) and the assistance it provided convinced MACI to choose the Jackson community, after having considered 17 sites in six states,’ Torres said in an email.

‘The continuing significant investments MACI has made in their plant, machinery and creation of jobs in Jackson is the reason that using incentives such as Local Development Finance Authorities, tax abatements and the MEGA grant they were awarded in November, 2010 are so important to our community.’

Although company officials do not yet have an estimate, more jobs are expected to be available if the expansion happens, Norey said.

MACI, which produces automotive air-conditioning compressors primarily for Chrysler and General Motors, is looking at expanding because it anticipates more ongoing business from its customers.

Officials do not know yet how much the expansion would cost but it could be ‘millions of dollars,’ spokeswoman Cheryl Norey said.

It is not guaranteed that the expansion will happen. MACIs parent companies, Toyota Industries Corporation and DENSO Corp., are expected to make a decision concerning the possible expansion by March.

JAMA Exhibit at Ella Sharp Museum

Visit the Ella Sharp Museum between February 14 - April 14, 2012 to see “The World Takes What Jackson Makes: The History of the Jackson Area Manufacturers Association.”

MACI studying possibility of building expansion

Press Release courtesy of MACI
Wednesday, February 1, 2012

MACI officials announced today that they are studying the potential for a building expansion and are in the process of applying for permits.  This activity is not a guarantee that the new building process will go forward.

Plans submitted for permitting purposes show a 3.5 bay expansion extending directly west of the current building, which is located in the Parma-Sandstone Industrial Park at I-94 and Dearing Road.  The 3.5 bays, about 201,600 square feet, would house both production equipment and warehouse space.  If the expansion were to occur, the total square footage of the company would be 988,500. 

MACI is a joint venture between two global corporations, Toyota Industries Corporation, www.toyota-industries.com, or TICO, and DENSO Corporation, www.globaldenso.com.  The parent companies are expected to make a decision concerning the possible building expansion by March, 2012.

MACI is currently adding $130 million in new equipment in order to build a newly-developed, variable-displacement compressor.  The potential new building expansion would be a separate investment.

Maintenance, production engineering and production positions are available.  Inquiries for production jobs should be made to Anchor Staffing at 517-622-7508.  For salaried professions or skilled trades positions, contact 517-622-7502.

Michigan Automotive Compressor, Inc., MACI, is the largest manufacturing employer in Jackson County with 645 associates.  Established in 1989, the company manufactures automotive air-conditioning compressor units for North American automotive manufacturers.  Customers include GM, Chrysler, Ford, Toyota, and Honda, as well as Freightliner and John Deere.

Jobless rate increases in county

Friday, January 27, 2012
By Tarryl Jackson
Jackson Citizen Patriot

Jackson Countys unemployment rate is back up to 8.6 percent.

The jobless rate in December represents a increase from 7.8 percent in November and 8.4 percent in October, the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget said today.

The unemployment rate stood at 10.9 percent in December 2010.

Todays report showed 6,200 Jackson County residents collected unemployment benefits in December. That compares to 5,600 who were receiving unemployment in November and 7,900 in December 2010.

Amy L. Torres, director of economic development at The Enterprise Group of Jackson, said the agency is working with local government on a number of attraction and expansion projects. ‘If all come to fruition, they will have a positive impact on our employment levels in Jackson.’ Torres said in an email. ‘Even though the rate wavered a bit this month, I continue to be optimistic it will begin to decline again in the next couple of months.’

MACI to invest $1M to reduce emissions

Wednesday, January 25, 2012
By Tarryl Jackson
Jackson Citizen Patriot

A new $1 million facility upgrade at Michigan Automotive Compressor, Inc., will allow the manufacturer to be more environmentally friendly, spokeswoman Cheryl Norey said.

The company, 2400 N. Dearing Road, announced today it has purchased a regenerative thermal oxidizer, a 99-percent efficient unit that burns volatile organic compounds that come off adhesives, Norey said.

The new processes and the oxidizer represent a 500-percent decrease in emissions over previous production lines.

‘It burns so efficiently and it reduces our emissions into the environment,’ Norey said. ‘That is a priority to the company.’

The purchase serves new hub lines being installed as part of a $130 million expansion.

In November 2010, MACI announced its plans to invest about $72 million during the next two years to retool virtually all of its production lines. The company has since adjusted that figure to $130 million because of added equipment to the plan and the Japanese yen exchange rate, Norey said.

The company makes a fixed-type compressor, and the new lines will allow it to also make a variable-type compressor that customers are requesting because they are lighter and more efficient.

‘The type of compressor we will be making is the compressor of the future,’ Norey said.

Editorial: Gov. Rick Snyder delivers modest State of the State address that still holds promise

Thursday, January 19, 2012
Jackson Citizen Patriot Staff

Gov. Rick Snyder started his second State of the State address Wednesday night riding high, with news that state unemployment is at its lowest level in more than three years. By the end of it, the governor appeared diminished. Critics quickly dismissed it as thin gruel, lacking in (depending on ones viewpoint) specifics, ambition or compassion.

Any shortcomings in the governors speech, however, reflect deeper issues that might curtail his agenda for the next year. Democrats — angered by Republicans legislative agenda and persistence last year — simply are not going to cooperate on substantive matters. Members of Snyders party, meanwhile, now have their own pet causes to advance in an election year. A ‘right-to-work’ law, anyone?

Snyder, the man in the middle, deserves praise for Wednesdays speech not because it set the bar low, but because he focused on what will serve state residents best. If he accomplishes the goals he laid out in 2012, he will be remembered for getting a heck of a lot done.

The governor turned the speech into a continuation of work that began last year. The states business tax code has been turned on its head; now, Snyder is focusing on regulatory reform. He picked an obscure but telling example: the existence of 28 state requirements for outhouses, ‘including a requirement that the seat not be left up.’

Snyder focused on Michigans road system, emphasizing the need to somehow generate $1.4 billion for needed repairs. Roads are a quality-of-life issue for residents, and they factor into business recruitment.

And he put his weight behind common-sense ideas: addressing Michigans childhood-obesity epidemic; improving public safety in cities; and new laws that would require more campaign-finance disclosure and slow the flow on state employees who leave for private companies that pursue government contracts.

One knock on this agenda is that the details still are hazy. Snyder does not submit his budget until Feb. 9, and he will deliver his policy speech on public safety in March. While Republican lawmakers offered support for the governor, they conceded they were not sure what specific issues will become priorities.

To the governors credit, one issue he intends to promote is a new bridge from Detroit to Ontario. Snyder pushed this bridge last year, but saw it die in a Senate committee. Maybe he will have better luck politically with the spectacle of Ambassador Bridge mogul Matty Moroun going to jail, or maybe his arguments will simply win out, but the construction of a second cross-border bridge would be a monumental achievement.

Snyder is by no means damaged goods, not with an improving economy and a year of great accomplishment, but the next few months could prove frustrating politically. He was right to focus Wednesday on ideas that ought to have solid support and continue the drumbeat of government reform.

As the governor put it, ‘It is not about big government or small government. It is about good government. Government doing the right things for the right reasons.’

Introducing the ‘Why Michigan?’ video series

Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Courtesy of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation

Founders Brewery says it chose Michigan for its ‘delicious water.’ ePrize chose Michigan for its cost structure and quality of life. In a new series of web videos launching today, you will hear directly from business leaders who have opted to locate and grow their companies in Pure Michigan.

This ongoing video series will profile Michigan-based businesses, their people and their growth. From the states new tax structure to access to talent to proximity to leading universities to the Pure Michigan quality of life, the reasons business leaders are choosing to grow in Michigan are many.

Through these videos, you will hear directly from individuals making decisions about where to headquarter or grow their business in Michigan.

Let us know what you think of our video series or share your own ‘Why Michigan?’ story by joining the conversation on the Michigan Advantage Facebook page, subscribing to the Michigan Advantage YouTube channel, following Michigan Advantage on Twitter and subscribing to the Michigan Advantage blog. We will be using these channels to share new videos in the series.

www.MichiganAdvantage.org

MIS, MEDC Announce Pure Michigan 400 Partnership

Courtesy of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Wednesday, January 11, 2012

With the success of 2011, two of Michigans best-known brands – Michigan International Speedway and Pure Michigan – are again teaming up to host the Pure Michigan 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at MIS on Sunday, August 19.

The three-year partnership was announced today at the North American International Auto Show with two of NASCARs most popular and successful drivers, Ryan Newman and Sam Hornish Jr.

The three-year partnership between MIS and Pure Michigan is a continuation of what started in 2011, and the first time a states branding agency sponsored NASCARs premier stock car series. The inaugural Pure Michigan 400 in 2011 received overwhelmingly positive feedback from fans and tourists alike.

‘As we began expanding the Pure Michigan brand beyond travel in 2011, our public and private partners quickly found the power of Pure Michigan to help all of us market Michigan and grow our economy,’ said MEDC President and CEO Michael A. Finney. ‘Pure Michigan tells the story of the people, places and treasures that are uniquely Michigan and MIS is part of that story.’

Another example of a new Pure Michigan partnership announced earlier today: a collaboration with the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Holland, Mich.-based Hudsonville Creamery & Ice Cream Co. to develop a Pure Michigan ice cream flavor and take it across Michigan this summer in a Pure Michigan RV that will share the flavor and help DNR promote its parks and recreation programs including its Recreation 101 program and the Recreation Passport.

‘The Pure Michigan 400 has proven to be an effective way to bring the Pure Michigan message to 75 million NASCAR fans nationwide,’ said George Zimmermann, Vice President for Travel Michigan at MEDC. ‘We encourage NASCAR fans from all over the U.S. to join us in Michigan for great racing at an outstanding track this summer.’

One of Pure Michigans main goals is to attract visitors and investments to Michigan. The title sponsorship of the Pure Michigan 400 in 2011 introduced the Pure Michigan branding message to 75 million NASCAR fans nationwide. This followed the $11.5 million Pure Michigan national cable television advertising buy on the air from March 14, 2011, through early July.

‘The key to the success of our partnership in 2011 was Pure Michigan and MIS had, and still has to this day, similar goals: We both want people to come to this state and see all the wonderful things it has to offer – beautiful landscapes, fun activities year-round and awesome NASCAR racing,’ said MIS President Roger Curtis. ‘That has always been our brand and that message resonated with all our guests that MIS IS Michigan. We just fit.’

Former NFL referee Art Holst entertains hundreds at manufacturers association annual dinner

By Tarryl Jackson
Jackson Citizen Patriot
Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Many in a crowd of 350 people laughed as former National Football League referee Art Holst recounted numerous run-ins with coaches and players in his 15-year career.

One run-in with a football player resulted in Holst being knocked unconscious for at least two minutes in a 1975 Buffalo-New Orleans game. When he got back to his feet, he joked that was the first time he was applauded by a crowd.

Holst was the keynote speaker Monday night at the 75th annual Jackson Area Manufacturers Association meeting at the Country Club of Jackson.

He talked about being up for the challenge of change, fitting discipline into excellence and being loyal to ones company. He said companies are doing things that they never would have dreamed of many years ago.

‘Your business has been changed by this recession,’ Holst said. ‘You are more diversified than you have ever been.’

Along with his work in the NFL, Holst was also a top salesman in the building materials industry for 10 years. He was administrator of the Forest Park Foundation for 12 years and an infantry captain in World War II, where he had to learn how to educate, train and motivate troops to react to challenging times.

He is also author of ‘Sunday Zebras.’

‘That is pretty amazing for a guy who is over 80 years old,’ said Bill Rayl, executive director of JAMA.

Several awards were also given out at the meeting, including Ronnie Johncox of Technique Inc. in Jackson as Manufacturer of the Year and the late Carl Linenfelser of Brooklyn Products with the Heritage Hall of Fame Award.

Officials also noted some of JAMAs accomplishments in 2011, including adding 24 new members and having more than 150 active apprentices in the Academy for Manufacturing Careers.

Editorial: More encouraging news on the jobs front in Jackson County

Wednesday, January 4, 2012
By Tarryl Jackson
Jackson Citizen Patriot

Jackson Countys economy likely is not improving as fast as its jobless rate is falling, but it looks like 2011 ended on a strong note when it comes to folks looking for work.

State officials reported Tuesday that the countys unemployment rate was 7.8 percent in November, three percentage points better than a year ago. And as reporter Tarryl Jackson noted, the county rate stood below the state and national averages.

Perhaps as revealing as numbers are personal observations from business owners and economic development officials. The head of the Jackson Area Manufacturers Association, for one, said in Wednesdays story that companies are hiring.

A state government labor analyst said people also are re-entering the work force after sitting on the sidelines. Unemployment rates, of course, can be artificially low when people do not apply for work. But as he said, ‘They actually dared to go out and look for jobs.’

Companies have spent the last two years rebuilding their balance sheets after the recession. Our hope for 2012 is that they will be able to put more people to work.

If the November jobs numbers are an indication, that process has started.

Unique program aims to connect employers, trained workforce

Sunday, December 18, 2011
By Tarryl Jackson
Jackson Citizen Patriot

Organizers of a new job recruiting program hope to have more than a dozen unemployed but newly trained welders in new manufacturing jobs by Christmas.

This year, South Central Michigan Works and the Academy for Manufacturing Careers have teamed up to host ‘reverse job fairs,’ where employers come to check out work samples by new academy students and see how they would fit into the employers work environment.

Employers can give advice on what changes students can make to their work for them to be considered for employment, and students can highlight their newly acquired training for employers in a more personalized setting.

‘We hope the employers take away some candidates that they want to hire,’ said Annette Norris, program manager of the Academy for Manufacturing Careers. ‘We hope to get them all employed and back into the workforce. It is kind of a win-win for all of us.’

This month, the two groups held a job fair focused on metal inert gas (MIG) and tungsten inert gas (TIG) welders at the Jackson Area Career Center.

There were two to three students at each table with their welding projects and resumes ready for recruiters.

The employers interview each student for 10 to 15 minutes. If employers are interested, they can call students back for an interview and have them do a specific weld for them.

‘It gives them a chance to look at their welds and the type of job they are doing in the classroom,’ Norris said.

She also said there is a huge demand for welders right now. Next, the two groups plan to have a job fair focused on computer numerical control workers.

For Roy Kuney, the welding training was a refresher course.

The 44-year-old from Adrian said he was in the welding industry for several years until 1998. He started doing cabinetry after that, but was laid off about three years ago from Merillat in Adrian.

Kuney said he could not pass up the opportunity offered by the Academy for Manufacturing Careers.

‘It intrigued me, and I was really excited about it,’ he said. ‘I knew I was good at it. It was more interesting than pushing buttons.’

Steve Morrison, business solutions manager for South Central Michigan Works in Jackson, said the students have worked toward an advanced welding certificate.

The need for MIG and TIG welding training is coming up repeatedly by area manufacturers, he said.

‘This whole thing was put together with input from employers,’ said Steve Morrison, business solutions manager for South Central Michigan Works in Jackson. ‘It is spreading around the state that we are doing this.’

After the job fair, students get an additional 15 hours of instruction to improve or correct their welds based on the employers feedback.

‘We learned a little bit more every day,’ said Hillsdale resident Steve Beach, 37.

He said he has some experience with MIG welding but has never done TIG welding before.

‘It was hard at first, but I started to pick up on it,’ Beach said. ‘I am looking for a career in something that can take years down the road. Welding seems like it is always there.’

Christie Shalosky, owner of Hornet Manufacturing in Hudson, said it is great that this program is available to potential workers and employers.

‘There is a lot of talent in the room,’ Shalosky said at a recent job fair. ‘It is nice to be able to see what they have done and where they want to go with it.’

Armory Arts Village-Project developer is still seeking financing

Friday, December 16, 2011
By Keith Roberts
Jackson Citizen Patriot

The second phase of Armory Arts Village might be overdue, but it is not done yet.

A year ago, the Jackson City Council approved a payment in lieu of taxes for the proposed $7 million project. However, the developer, Excel Realty Group, has been unable to get financing.

Joe Brazier, development manager for Excel, said the company has been trying to obtain low income tax credits from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and will try again in February.

‘We are confident this time we will get the credits,’ Brazier said.

Tax credits for low income housing are still available, unlike tax credits for historic housing, which were eliminated after Gov. Rick Snyder took office last year. But Brazier said the competition for the credits is more keen ‘because it is harder to get traditional financing for apartments with lower rents.’

The second phase of Armory Arts Village would include about 50 affordable apartments for people 55 and older, an art gallery, retail shops and an outdoor common area with a stage.

Jackson City Councilman Daniel Greer, whose ward includes Armory Arts Village, said the second phase would make the development more of a travel destination.

Greer said he had his wedding reception in the villages Grand Gallery in September and his guests, some of whom were from out of state, enjoyed seeing the art and touring the old prison.

‘I think the potential is there,’ Greer said.

Amy Torres, vice president of economic development for the Enterprise Group of Jackson, remains optimistic about the future of Armory Arts Village.

‘The grand vision is still being pursued,’ Torres said. ‘It just takes a long time to get that vision implemented.’

The Grand River ArtsWalk opened last year after the former Acme Industries complex was demolished, and Torres said that helped draw more visitors to Armory Arts Village.

Torres said she expects to learn in a few months whether the Acme Industries site can be turned into a parking lot or redeveloped, which could draw even more visitors.

Editorial: No doubt, county made the right call about Riverwalk Plaza Hotel

Friday, December 16, 2011
Jackson Citizen Patriot

Jackson County commissioners made a big splash Tuesday with a surprising amount of money they had left in the checking account. By ponying up $950,000 (on top of another $800,000 they had set aside), they virtually guaranteed the vacant Riverwalk Plaza Hotel will be gone from downtown Jackson by this time next year.

This is what happens when you have a competently run government, and one that is being overseen by folks who know what they are doing. At a time when most municipalities are looking to scrounge a few pennies from the couch cushions, the county ended up with a major amount of money — and is doing something meaningful with it.

Local residents should be under no illusions about this old hotel. It serves no purpose, and no developer wants to touch it. The hotel has been empty for most of the last 25 years, and curiosities in its construction leave it nearly useless to anyone who would like to work with the building itself.

This is not like the Hayes Hotel up the street, which still has prospects for redevelopment. The Riverwalk Plaza is a lost cause, and it needs to come down.

County commissioners made sure that will happen, giving this plot of downtown land a fresh future. The Enterprise Group has offered an appealing plan to turn the site into a park that offers access to the Grand River, a mix of recreation and green space that could make downtown even more attractive.

Some have suggested the county could have found other uses for its surplus money. One commissioner, Carl Rice Jr., wanted to put some of it toward the Cascades. Some county employees, no doubt, would like a cut of the jackpot since their hard work helped create it. Anyone could write a holiday wish list easily.

What commissioners did, though, was hold firm to their convictions. County Commissioner David Elwell put it this way: ‘It does not make sense to me to divide our energy right now and potentially underfund our effort to deconstruct the Riverwalk Hotel.’

He is right. The county saw an opportunity and grabbed it. Hopefully, officials will find themselves with more surpluses in coming years and can offer help to other cash-starved causes.

In the meantime, they just pledged to make a significant improvement to the community. Good riddance to the Riverwalk Plaza Hotel.

Michigan jobless rate falls to a 3-year low

Thursday, December 15, 2011
By Jennie L. Phipps
The Associated Press/Jackson Citizen Patriot

Michigans seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in November fell by eight-tenths of a percentage point to 9.8 percent, according to data released today by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget (DTMB).

This is the first time the state unemployment rate was below 10 percent since November 2008. The unemployment rate has declined a full percentage point since August. By comparison, the national unemployment rate fell to 8.6 percent in November. The November 2010 jobless rate was 11.4 percent.

Total employment rose by 21,000 over the month as the number of unemployed seeking work fell by 39,000. The net result was a 19,000 reduction in the states workforce.

Michigans labor force continues to shrink, falling 88,000 or 1.9 percent since April as increasing numbers of unemployed stopped looking for work.

Compared to October, seasonally adjusted Michigan payroll jobs were little changed in November, edging upward by 1,000 to 3,930,000.

Since November 2010, payroll jobs in Michigan increased by 59,000 or 1.5 percent.  Over the year, job gains have been concentrated in four of Michigans 11 major sectors.  Professional and business services (+24,000), manufacturing (+21,000), education and health services (+13,000), and trade, transportation and utilities (+9,000).

Veronica ‘Roni’ Weaver, prominent executive at the Enterprise Group of Jackson, resigning

Monday, December 12, 2011
By Tarrly Jackson
Jackson Citizen Patriot

A top executive at The Enterprise Group of Jackson is leaving her post.

The economic-development group announced that Veronica ‘Roni’ Weaver, director of Jacksons Small Business & Technology Development Center, is resigning after almost 15 years.

Weaver is starting her own catering business, with a focus on healthy lunches for preschool and elementary school students, according to the groups newsletter.

‘Ronis dedication to her clients, combined with her thorough knowledge of the Jackson area and her expertise in marketing and the hospitality industries, made her an important resource for our region,’ the newsletter said. ‘While we are pleased and excited for Roni, she will be sorely missed.’

Jackson County officials may set aside money to demolish former Riverwalk Plaza Hotel in 2012

Sunday, December 11, 2011
By Holly Klaft
Jackson Citizen Patriot

The long-empty Riverwalk Plaza Hotel might be headed for demolition in 2012 following years of planning by local officials to raze the blighted structure.

Jackson County commissioners Tuesday will decide whether to commit most of an anticipated $1 million budget surplus toward leveling the downtown hotel, located at One Jackson Square along the Grand River.

If commissioners agree to put $950,000 toward the project, enough funding could be available to remove the building before the end of next year, officials said. Demolition is projected to cost $1.8 million.

The anticipated surplus comes, in part, after personnel and other costs came in below budget.

County board Chairman Steve Shotwell said economic development is a top priority and removing the vacant hotel is considered an important goal.

‘That was a No. 1 thing we could have an impact on,’ Shotwell said.

Officials once considered redeveloping the hotel, which first opened in 1976 as a Sheraton Inn and closed in 1988. It reopened again in 2000 as the Riverwalk Plaza Hotel, but went into bankruptcy less than three years later and was foreclosed in 2008.

When redevelopment no longer appeared viable, officials began looking toward demolition. That had to wait until funding was available to take the structure down and a plan was in place for future use of the land.

Officials have discussed transforming the property into a riverfront park.

‘We are not going to take it down and have it be an open piece of dirt,’ Shotwell said. ‘We are not going to wait around at all. It is not going to be something that is going to lay there.’

But demolition must be executed carefully because of the buildings proximity to the Grand River and a parking structure used by Allegiance Health employees. Asbestos and other materials must also be removed mentioned Amy Torres, Vice President of The Enterprise Group of Jackson.

Shotwell said the building will likely be disassembled in pieces, rather than knocked down.

‘It is not just an easy take-down,’ he said.

Commissioners also will decide Tuesday whether to put $50,000 of the remaining surplus toward mechanical work at the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.

The heating, ventilation and air conditioning system at the office has reached the end of its usable lifespan and must be replaced, according to a county memo.

The Stage is Set

The three issues that will dominate labor negotiations in 2015

By Michael Wayland
MLive.com
Sunday, December 4, 2011

It was an unusual year for contract negotiations between the Detroit Three and United Auto Workers union.

The 2011 bargaining was the first for post-bankrupt General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC, and there was a nontraditional sense of camaraderie between the sides.

‘Overall, we think they held the line on costs; got some money in members pockets, which is good for the members, good for the Michigan economy; and gave the companies the potential to grow employment over the term of the agreement,’ said Kristin Dziczek, director of the labor group for the Center for Automotive Research, at a conference hosted by the Ann Arbor-based organization Tuesday in Livonia.

The Center for Automotive Research predicts Ford Motor Co., GM and Chrysler will hire 30,000 hourly and salaried employees in the U.S. by 2015, and suppliers will need to add up to 150,000 people to handle increased demand.

Total employment in the U.S. auto industry is expected to grow by 28 percent—590,000 to 756,000 in the next four years. The Detroit Three currently employee about 171,742 – 102,009 in Michigan; through 2015, the companies are expected to employee 201,000 in the U.S. – 135,000 in the Great Lake State.

Sean McAlinden, senior economist for the Center for Automotive Research, said the UAW will gain about 10,000 new members through 2015.

McAlindens estimates are lower than what the UAW four-year contracts promised to workers because he excluded existing workers who are relocating to new plants and expected membership losses due to retirement.

They will be hiring almost 15,000 people, but by net, it will only go up 10,000 people,’ he said.

In 1987, the UAW had more than 1 million members, but has substantially declined to about 110,000 members at GM, Ford and Chrysler.

According to McAlinden, the automakers and UAW walked away from the bargaining table with some of what they wanted, but the contracts weren’t ‘ground-breaking.’

‘I think the companies came in very close in achieving their goals,’ he said.

In the recent contract talks (details left), GM, Ford and Chrysler agreed to increase the entry-level wage from about $14 per hour to about $19.28 per hour over the course of the four-year labor contract.

Analysts predict total labor costs, including benefits and wages, in 2015 to rise by $2-$4 per worker. Ford is expected to have the highest at $61, followed by GM at $60 and Chrysler at $54.

So, what can we expect in 2015?

According to Art Schwartz, president of Labor and Economics Associates and a former veteran GM labor negotiator, there are three main issues that will dominate the talks in four years.

1. Two-tier wage system – Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne already wanted to toss out the two-tier wage system this but, but was met with heavy resistance.

‘I think the key issue in 2015 will be the future of the two-tier system,’ Schwartz said.

Schwartz expects the veteran vs. entry-level wages system to be the major issue in 2015. ‘They (UAW officials) are going to want to keep an entry-level cap because that means there is a bridge to tier-one from tier-two, and they (Detroit Three) are going to want to raise the entry-level wage to reduce the gap.’

The entry-level wage was adopted in 2007 due to financial turmoil surrounding GM, Ford and Chrysler.

2. Health care contribution - Schwartz said the Detroit Three didnt push for increases in employee health care contributions in 2011, but it is expected to be the major issue in 2015.

‘That is the biggest single active benefit cost to the Detroit Three,’ he said. This is a go-to-war issue for the UAW because they believe they have already paid for it.’

Schwartz added that there are a lot of variables, such as nationalized health care, that could change the discussions.

UAW members today only contribute 8 percent compared to the U.S. average of 30-35 percent.

3. Wage and cost-of-living increases – 2015 will mark 14 years without a pay increase for the first-tier workers and eight years since cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increases were suspended.

‘Management has never liked COLA—it is automatic regardless of profitability and the thing management especially dislikes about COLA is it compounds and adds to the wage rate over time because every contract gets folded in,’ Schwartz said. ‘All the reasons the management dislikes it, is why the UAW likes it.’

Schwartz said COLA has been a part of UAW contracts since the 1950s.

Analysts also predict social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to play a major role in discussing all of the issues in 2015.

This year, UAW members stormed to social media to discuss, argue and communicate.

‘It changed a lot this year,’ Dziczek said. ‘Through these methods, members could really speak directly to their leadership and the bargainers during bargaining.’

City officials working together to energize city

Sunday, December 4, 2011
By Keith Roberts
Jackson Citizen Patriot

Larry Shaffer and Community Development Director Patrick Burtch both interviewed for Jackson city manager.

Shaffer got the job, Burtch did not.

But for the past six months they have worked side by side, Shaffer as city manager and Burtch picking up the title of deputy city manager.

Such a relationship could be awkward for some and toxic for others. But Shaffer and Burtch said they appreciate and respect each other and consider themselves teammates and friends.

‘It is yin and yang. It is Batman and Robin,’ said Shaffer, 63, who has 17 years of municipal management experience. ‘There is no rivalry.’

Burtch, 48, said he and Shaffer work well together because he was manager of Dundee for 22 years before coming to Jackson.

‘I understand because I have been in that same position,’ Burtch said. ‘We are both city managers by trade.’

The City Council hired Shaffer after two unsuccessful city manager searches. Councilman Andrew Frounfelker said the city is fortunate to have two capable managers with complementary leadership styles.

‘Larry tries to be very diplomatic, and Pat is a little more aggressive. Larry smoothes things over, and Pat lays it out direct and to the point,’ Frounfelker said. ‘Essentially, they were competitors and now they are working together. I think it’s what we need.’

Under Jacksons form of government, the city manager administers the citys operations, reports to the City Council and implements its policies. The city charter also requires the city manager to have a deputy to act as city manager in his absence and provide assistance as needed.

Shaffer said in day to day practice that means he focuses on the big picture — what is in the best interests of the city as a whole — while Burtch focuses on the details.

‘I love Pats energy. He pushes all of us forward,’ Shaffer said. ‘I am constantly pulling back … more deliberate. It is kind of a push-pull issue.’

Their approach can best be seen in the way they handled the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, a proposal to rebuild the community by demolishing vacant homes.

In recent years, Mayor Karen Dunigan, a Realtor, and council members could not help but notice something was wrong with the housing market when the city would buy a vacant home for $15,000, put more than $100,000 into it — as it did with one on Detroit Street — and be lucky to get back a quarter of its investment.

The Census Bureau reported that housing vacancies in the city rose 110 percent from 1,031 in 2000 to 2,163 in 2010 and real estate records showed that home values have fallen 32 percent since 2007.

So Shaffer and Burtch went to work. Shaffer sought the input of department heads and Burtch got employees to buy in — many volunteering to work evenings and weekends to inspect and assess about 500 vacant homes.

When they presented the proposal to council in October, they received a unanimous vote to pursue it, unlike some proposals that have been tabled because of unanswered questions or unresolved concerns.

Shaffer and Burtch said the proposal would not have gone far without the support of the department heads and employees, who received commendations in their personnel files.

‘Without actively engaging and involving your team, you cant do anything,’ Burtch said.

Building Inspector Brian Taylor said the employees were interested in Shaffer and Burtchs new approach to the housing problem — demolition instead of rehabilitation — and eager to be part of the effort.

“It boosted morale,” Taylor said. “It got people excited to come to work.”

Councilman Carl Breeding, who is often the lone dissenting vote on the council, said it is too soon to judge Shaffer and Burtch.

Breeding said the council was well aware of the housing problem before they were hired and their proposal amounts to ‘grandstanding.’

‘I am not sold,’ Breeding said.

New Mayor Martin Griffin, who is also a Realtor, said it will take a while for the proposal to come to fruition because the city does not have the money to get title to the homes.

But Griffin said he is confident in Shaffer and Burtchs leadership and their ability to move the city forward.

‘It is a good combination and good things will come of it,’ Griffin said. ‘It wont happen overnight and it wont happen in a year, but things will change.’

Shaffer and Burtch are still getting community input on the proposal but expect to bring it back to the council for final approval soon.

They said the Neighborhood Stabilization Program will be their primary focus in the short term but they will be looking for other ways to revitalize the community in the long term.

‘This is just the beginning,’ Burtch said.

Is Jackson Countys economy doing better than the nations?

Friday, December 2, 2011
By Brian Wheeler
Jackson Citizen Patriot

For the last decade, it has been a matter of fact that Michigans economy, and Jacksons, have been faring far worse than the national picture. We were mired in a one-state recession.

But what if, for a change, the opposite was true? What if Jackson County residents are in better shape, in terms of jobs, than folks around the nation?

The thought crossed my mind this morning with news that the nations unemployment rate dropped to 8.6 percent last month. Which is, well, fine — except that Jackson Countys jobless rate fell to 8.4 percent in October, as we learned this week.

I know, I know. The unemployment rate is a notoriously poor way to measure the state of the economy. Both locally and nationally, the rate has fallen in part because people have stopped looking for work. When that happens, they simply are not counted as ‘unemployed,’ though they certainly are not working.

However, the unemployment numbers offer some value and encouragement. Jackson County gained about 300 jobs from September to October, while the national economy gained 120,000 from October to November.

Rather than debate the meaning of unemployment rates, I propose we accept they offer insight into the state of the economy in a broad way. With these latest numbers, Jackson County and Michigan are at least holding their own with the national economy.

That is better than a one-state recession. 

Pure Michigan creators teaming up with Jackson County Convention and Visitors Bureau

Friday, December 2, 2011
By Holly Klaft
Jackson Citizen Patriot

The popular Pure Michigan advertising campaign, which features idyllic scenes of the states beauty, will soon turn its attention on Jackson in an effort to help draw tourists to the area.

The Jackson County Convention and Visitors Bureau is teaming up with Pure Michigan creators on a $150,000 advertising ‘Pure Jackson’ campaign that will showcase what the community has to offer.

‘Jackson is more than the prison,’ said Jackson County Commissioner Cliff Herl. ‘I am glad we are going to start advertising.’

Representatives from Travel Michigan and the creators of Pure Michigan will visit Jackson in January to determine what should be included in the commercials, said Mindy Bradish-Orta, executive director of the Jackson County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Stops on a tour through Jackson could include the Armory Arts complex, Cascades Falls Park, the Dahlem Environmental Education Center and Ella Sharp Park and the Museum of Art and History, she said. The bureau also plans to highlight the areas golf courses, festivals and events and local wineries, she said.

The state tourism group and the county Convention and Visitors Bureau are splitting the cost of the advertising push, Bradish-Orta said.

Local leaders had to show Jackson had the ability to attract tourists for at least three nights and four days outside of race weekends at Michigan International Speedway in order to garner help with the campaign, she said.

Area hotels also agreed to increase an assessment that is tacked on room prices to help fund local efforts to draw tourists. The assessment, which helps support local convention and visitors bureaus, was increased from 2 to 5 percent.

That alone raised the Jackson County bureaus budget from $200,000 to $500,000 annually.

‘The hotels get the big picture,’ Bradish-Orta said. ‘The larger impact we can have by pooling all that is significant.’ She said local hotel prices will remain competitive with those in surrounding communities, such as Lansing and Ann Arbor, which typically carry higher rates.

Bradish-Orta said she was not sure when the commercials would air, but officials are aiming for a summer debut.

Officials also may seek input from residents on what they think should be featured in the advertisements.

‘It is vital that we have real community input because we want it to be authentic,’ Bradish-Orta said.

Pure Michigan also has created advertisements for Holland, St. Ignace, Flint, Traverse City, Big Rapids, Ludington, Muskegon, Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids.

Monument honoring Jackson area Medal of Honor recipients unveiled

Tuesday, November 22, 2011
By Keith Roberts
Jackson Citizen Patriot

This morning, the late James Bondsteel officially took his place as one of Jacksons hallowed heroes.

A monument to Bondsteel, a Vietnam War veteran who received the Medal of Honor, and three Medal of Honor recipients who served in the Civil War, Frederick Lyon, Edwin Savacool and William Withington, was unveiled on the newly named Bondsteel Drive.

Blackman Township Supervisor Dan Hawkins, an Army veteran, told a crowd of about 75 the monument honors four soldiers ‘who did the right thing ... with no thought of the consequences to themselves.’

Bondsteel received the medal for ‘conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.’

Bondsteel, a platoon sergeant in the Army, went to the aid of a unit that had come under heavy enemy fire on May 24, 1969. Despite receiving shrapnel wounds from a grenade that exploded in his face, he destroyed 10 bunkers, killed two enemy commanders and aided a wounded officer whose life was threatened.

David Welihan, director of the Jackson County Department of Veterans Affairs, said the Medal of Honor is the highest medal for valor in combat and is ‘bestowed only to the bravest of the brave.’

‘We might never know what compels a man to risk his life trying to save others,’ Welihan said. ‘All we know for certain is that we call them hero and we are proud of what they have done.’

After the monument was unveiled, a flag flying above it was lowered, folded and presented to Bondsteels wife, Elaine Bondsteel, of Hillsdale.

Elaine Bondsteel said she was proud of her husband, pleased with the turnout and grateful that Jackson, where Bondsteel was born, is recognizing him because to the best of her knowledge, Hillsdale, where he grew up, has not.

The Bondsteels daughter, Rachel Bondsteel Ashley, of Albion and her family, also attended the ceremony, as did Dan Bisher of Hillsdale, a childhood friend of James Bondsteel.

Bisher, who served as a combat correspondent in the Marines during the Vietnam War and is writing a magazine article about Bondsteel, said what he did in Vietnam was ‘truly beyond belief.’

America’s Best Places to Raise Kids, 2011

By Venessa Wong
Bloomberg Business Week
November, 16, 2011

More than half the population of Blacksburg, Va., is Virginia Tech students, so it may be easy to mistake this town of 41,383 as just another college town. Yet this small community, between the Blue Ridge and Alleghany Mountains, also has the makings of a great place to raise children. Excellent schools draw many families to Blacksburg, which also has such amenities as a community center with sports, fitness, educational, and social activities; an indoor pool; and even a nine-hole, 54-acre municipal golf course.

‘There is very little crime. There are kids programs, green space, trails. It is a nice place to live and a nice place to raise kids. Everyone knows everyone. The weather is nice. The cost of living is not that high,’ says Becky MacKenzie, a 34-year-old mother of three and a resident of Blacksburg since 2003

Excellent schools, combined with an affordable cost of living, relatively low crime, and plentiful amenities lifted Blacksburg to first place in Businessweek.coms sixth nationwide ranking of best places in each state in the U.S. to raise kids.

Criteria We Use:
With help from Bloomberg Rankings, Businessweek.com evaluated 4,169 places with a crime index less than 10 percent above the national average, populations between 1,000 and 50,000 people, and median family income within 20 percent of the state median, using data from real estate information firm Onboard Informatics.

We evaluated educational factors (such as school scores, the number of public and private schools, and colleges), economic factors (including median family income, expenses, job growth, and unemployment), crime, amenities (such as child day-care centers, zoos, aquariums, museums, theaters, recreation centers, green space), air quality, and ethnic diversity. School performance, expenditures, and income were given the most weight.

After Blacksburg, Arlington, Neb., ranked second, and Morton Grove, Ill., placed third in the country. Businessweek.com also selected a top place in each state.

Here is Americas five best places to raise kids:

No. 5 - Spring Arbor, MI
Nearby city: Jackson, Mich.
Population: 2,049
Median family income: $68,635
Avg. school math score: 95.67 (State avg.: 83.74)
Avg. school reading score: 94.97 (State avg.: 83.75)

Spring Arbor returns to the ranking for the second year in a row. Home to one of the largest evangelical Christian universities in Michigan, Spring Arbor was settled in the 1830s by people with strong religious convictions. The city is less than an hours drive from Ann Arbor, one hour from Battle Creek, and less than 20 minutes from Jackson, the local county seat. Major employers in the area include Spring Arbor University, as well as the Michigan Department of Corrections and the Michigan International Speedway, both in Jackson.

No. 4 - St. Henry, OH
Nearby city: Dayton
Population: 2,264
Median family income: $67,802
Avg. school math score: 95.69 (State avg.: 79.08)
Avg. school reading score: 94.97 (State avg.: 84.12)

A small town in western Ohio centered on the gothic revivalist St. Henrys Catholic Church, St. Henry is great for kids. That is even more the case if your kids want to be athletes. The excellent local school system, St. Henry Consolidated Local Schools, with about 1,000 students enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade, has sports teams that have notched numerous state championships. Three athletes from the school have gone on to play in the National Football League and one has gone on to Major League Baseball.

No. 3 - Morton Grove, IL
Nearby city: Chicago
Median family income: $83,601
Population: 23,464
Avg. school math score: 93.25 (State avg.: 86.19)
Avg. school reading score: 88.83 (State avg.: 79.96)

Morton Grove, a suburb about 15 miles from Chicago, is part of a park district that comprises 14 parks totaling more than 70 acres, two outdoor pools, a museum, four field houses, a 50,000-square-foot community center, and an outdoor ice rink, according to Morton Grove Park District. The village is home to several high-performing schools, including Hynes Elementary School, Park View Elementary School, Golf Middle School, and Melzer School, according to greatschools.org.

No. 2 - Arlington, NE
Nearby city: Omaha
Population: 1,174
Median family income: $70,881
Avg. school math score: 98.69 (State avg.: 93.01)
Avg. school reading score: 99.67 (State avg.: 94.55)

The No. 2 best place to raise your kids in the U.S. A small, rural community 30 miles northwest of Omaha, Arlington is a classic Midwest farming town that hosts the annual Washington County Fair, with rabbit showmanship, mud volleyball, and other fun for the kids. Arlington public schools are top-notch, serving 600 students in an elementary, middle, and high school.

No. 1 - Blacksburg, VA
Nearby city: Roanoke
Population: 41,383
Median family income: $83,670
Avg. school math score: 90.17 (State avg.: 88.11)
Avg. school reading score: 93.42 (State avg.: 88.85)

Nestled between the Alleghany Mountains and the Blue Ridge, Blacksburg is an upscale college town that is home to Virginia Tech. The area is known for education and lays claim to seven great public schools for the younger students.

TAC Manufacturing to invest nearly $10 million, hire 24 new employees

By Keith Roberts
Jackson Citizen Patriot
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

The Blackman Township Board is pleased to be a partner in TAC Manufacturings success. TAC has purchased $9.6 million in equipment to produce car components for Toyota, Nissan and Ford and is planning to hire 24 employees within two years.

Monday, the board approved a 12-year, 50 percent industrial facilities tax exemption on the investment. Assessor Evelyn Markowski said the exemption would save the company about $520,000 in taxes over 12 years.

Board members said they appreciated TACs commitment to the community.

‘I think it shows we are still growing in Jackson even though the economy is slowing down,’ Treasurer Sherry Brockie said.

Trustee David Sercombe said TAC has been good to the township, helping it buy a fire truck a few years ago, so the township should reciprocate.

‘Twenty-four new jobs is great,’ Sercombe said. ‘Maybe that will attract more jobs down the road for them, too.’

TAC was started in 1992 and manufactures automotive steering wheels, shift levels, ignition and door locks and component parts.

Scott Sturgis, senior manager of human resources and general affairs for TAC, said the company has increased production, brought back work that was being done in Japan and Canada and boosted its employment level.

‘We have been here for 20 years,’ Sturgis said. ‘It has been a good ride so far.’

Sturgis said the company has hired 100 employees since June and with its two suppliers and temporary employees it now has about 800 employees under its roof at 4111 County Farm Road, which is in the townships SmartZone.

Also Monday, the board voted to rescind Clerk Mike Thomas resignation. Thomas, who has been on the board 19 years, announced last month he planned to resign for health reasons Dec. 26 but he has changed his mind.

Manufacturing making a recovery in Jackson after years of decline

Sunday, October 30, 2011
Jackson Citizen Patriot
By Tarryl Jackson

Manufacturing—once the backbone of Jackson Countys economy—has been making a recovery this year after shedding almost 3,000 jobs locally from 2005 to 2010.

While the automotive sector is a major factor in the rebound, firms like Midbrook, RTD Manufacturing and American Tooling Center are expanding to making products for the medical, military and alternative energy fields.

That means more manufacturers are hiring, said Annette Norris, director of the Jackson Area Manufacturers Associations Academy for Manufacturing Careers. She said that was rare a year ago.

‘There is such a demand for skilled workers,’ Norris said. ‘I do think things are turning around for manufacturing.’

During the past year, the number of manufacturing jobs in Jackson County rose by 200, the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget reported. The 7,800 manufacturing jobs in September represented 14 percent of the countys 54,100 non-farm payroll jobs.

‘Jackson has a good work force and a work force that knows manufacturing,’ said Cheryl Norey, spokeswoman for Michigan Automotive Compressor Inc., 2400 N. Dearing Road.

MACI is investing $75 million to retool virtually all of its production lines during the next two years. The company announced this year it will add 79 full-time jobs.

The company, which produces automotive air-conditioning compressors primarily for Chrysler and General Motors, has hired about 20 people and plans to hire 30 more by the end of the year.

MACI has 613 employees and more than 100 temporary workers.

Company officials pointed to new product lines and higher demand for some of MACIs compressors as reasons for the hiring, as sales have increased in the North American auto market.

‘For most manufacturers, the auto industry is changing quickly,’ Norey said. ‘We have seen the auto industry turn around. We think it is going to be fairly steady at the level that it is now.’

The return to stability is a major change for local manufacturers, who suffered during the recent recession. In 2005, there was a monthly average of 10,300 manufacturing jobs in Jackson County.

By 2010, that was down to 7,400.

The trend was much the same statewide, as Michigans manufacturers cut their work force by 200,000 employees from 2005 to 2010.

MACI and others are not adding enough jobs to reverse local job losses, but they are putting more people to work:

Great Lakes Industry Inc., 1927 Wildwood Ave., announced in April that it expects to hire 40 people in the next five years. It is adding machinery to expand its manufacturing capability and increase the size and precision of the gears it makes. The company employs 70.

In April 2010, Tenneco announced an expansion plan that includes an increase in jobs at its Grass Lake engineering facility, which employed 350 at the time.

In September 2010, TAC Manufacturing, 4111 County Farm Road, announced plans to add at least 20 jobs. The company employs about 600, including about 100 temporary workers.

Phil Sponsler, president of Orbitform Group at 1600 Executive Drive, said his company is growing and adding jobs as well.

Since March 2010, the manufacturer has added 17 jobs and plans to add several more toward the end of the year, going into next year.

The company employs 60.

‘We do remain cautious, but we are optimistic about 2012,’ Sponsler said.

‘Even in the hard times, we were taking chances and risks to try new things.’

One new thing is expanding into the retail market. In May, the company bought Interlochen-based Pit Products and its sister company, Garage Pals.

Both companies are now making aluminum cabinets, garage doors and cabinets under Orbitforms roof.

Orbitform is updating its product line and also has done more marketing through its website and through its applications lab, where companies can test out Orbitform machinery with their products and building processes.

In the past six years, Orbitform has invested $2 million in tooling, software, equipment and education for staff to be more competitive in the marketplace.

‘We just have a great team and we can take risks,’ Sponsler said. ‘We are a heavily engineering and skilled work force.’

Detroits Cobo Center has received an energy-efficent lighting facelift from a Jackson Company

Jackson Citizen Patriot
Monday, October 24, 2011

With the help of federal SmartBuilding funds, approximately 3,000 inefficient 400-watt metal halide lights were replaced with energy-saving 250-watt EverLast variable-dimming induction high bay light fixtures manufactured by Jackson-based Full Spectrum Solutions, Inc.

‘We were ready to spend the money needed to achieve the quality of light we were looking for,’ said Al Vasquez, the centers engineering services director. ‘We were impressed with the quality of light and overall performance of the EverLast fixtures. We also sampled a number of LED fixtures from various manufacturers and found the light to be too ‘glarey.’ Stacked up against competing fixtures, EverLast lights graded better in terms of performance and price.’

The lighting upgrade was funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and is part of the centers $21 million energy-saving construction program, which will also include roofing and insulation upgrades. The new lights are expected to save the convention center $340,000 annually. Together these projects will save approximately $900,000 a year, or approximately 12.5 percent of the centers energy bill and related maintenance.

‘We needed lights that would drastically reduce our energy and maintenance costs, but they also needed to work with our existing Johnson Controls system,’ Vasquez said. ‘By installing variable dimming high bays, our facility engineers are able to achieve the desired foot-candles for a given event by programming the lights to show low, show high, and maximum mode depending on the event.’

EverLast induction light fixtures are 50 to 70 percent more energy-efficient than metal halides and last up to 100,000 hours, making them virtually maintenance free for up to 15 years.

‘When you consider the size and ceiling height of the 700,000 square foot building, not having to replace lamps nearly as often is a huge benefit for both economic and safety reasons,’ Vasquez said. ‘EverLast really rose to the occasion in many ways and everyone is very pleased with both the product and service.’

For additional product information, visit www.everlastlight.com, call (888) 383-7578, or email info@everlastlight.com.

Jobless rate below 10% in county

Friday, October 28, 2011
Jackson Citizen Patriot
By Tarryl Jackson

Jackson County’s unemployment rate is down to 9.5 percent.

The jobless rate in September represents a decrease from 10.3 percent in August and 11 percent in July, the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget said today.

The unemployment rate stood at 11.6 percent in September 2010.

Todays report showed 6,800 Jackson County residents collected unemployment benefits in September. That compares to 7,400 who were receiving unemployment in August and 8,500 in September 2010.

Hot Rod U was launched

The Jackson Area Manufacturers Associations (JAMA) Academy for Manufacturing Careers (AMC) is proud to announce the overwhelming success of our new HOT ROD U Program.  In August of 2011, as part of the JAMA/AMC education pipeline which includes the popular I Can Make It Camp (ICMIC) & Machining U Program, the Hot Rod U Camp was launched.

Click here to read entire Hot Rod U Press Release

MIOSHA Workshop on December 8th

Job Safety Analysis Made Easy
Half day workshop on Thursday, December 8, 2011
MIOSHA Workshop Flyer

Economic Gardening with Business Connect

Through new economic gardening initiatives, Michigan’s businesses have new ways to buy and sell, raise capital, and connect with each other. Pure Michigan Business Connect is providing a solid foundation for economic growth to take place. The new $3 billion public-private initiative strengthens Michigan’s economic gardening philosophy through an alliance of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Michigan companies and other Michigan organizations. Read the MEDC full Press Release detailing the economic growth strategy.

For years, growing Michigan startup and second stage companies have struggled with the challenges of finding the right talent and access to capital, notes Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, who personally helped nurture growing companies in his years as a venture capitalist and business executive. Pure Michigan Connect matches people with resources, strengthening relationships to fuel economic growth.

For additional information log onto Economic Gardening with Business Connect

Adaptability is key to Eaton Corps success, company official says as Eaton hits the 100-year mark

Friday, October 21, 2011
By Zeke Jennings
Jackson Citizen Patriot

Today is the 100-year anniversary for the Eaton Corp., and the company marked the occasion with a worldwide celebration.

That celebration included a catered luncheon for the 600-plus employees at Eatons aerospace plant on S. East Avenue.

‘A very small number of companies have been around for 100 years,’ said Andy Weeks, vice president and general manager of Eatons aerospace fluid conveyance division. ‘Even fewer, at their 100-year mark, are hitting the kind of stride that Eatons hitting.’

‘In my view, we are more vibrant now than any time during our past.’

Eaton Corp.
History: Incorporated as a gear-and-axle company by Joseph Eaton and Viggo Torbenson in Bloomfield, N.J. on Oct. 21, 1911. Headquarters moved to Cleveland in 1915.
Current divisions: Aerospace, automotive, electrical, hydraulics and truck.
Employees: Approximately 73,000 worldwide, including more than 600 at Jackson aerospace plant located at 300 S. East Ave.
Revenue: $13.7 billion in 2010.

Although Eaton began as a gear-and-axle company during the automotive boom of the early 20th century, it has grown into a major player in the aerospace, electrical and hydraulics fields, while still maintaining its presence in the automotive field.

Both Weeks and plant manager Grant Bauserman said ethics and the ability to change with the times are at the core of Eatons success.

‘What we are celebrating is Eatons spirit of innovation, entrepreneurship and performance, which is driven by integrity and an unwavering commitment to ethics,’ Bauserman said. ‘Integrity and ethics are things that endure over time and has perhaps been lacking in some of the high-profile corporate issues that we have seen over the last several years.’

Jackson Mayor Karen Dunigan attended the luncheon and made a brief statement. She told the Eaton employees they should be proud and thanked them for their ‘dedication and commitment to our community.’

Although Eatons history is long, its presence in Jackson is relatively young in comparison. The company purchased Aeroquip-Vickers company in 1999, which had a history in Jackson that dated back to 1940.

United Auto Workers Local 475 representative Donnie Huffman said Eatons stability has helped save jobs during some tough economic times.

‘In September of 2009, we entered into contract negotiations during one of the worst economic environments that many of us have ever seen,’ he said. ‘While unions with other companies were facing layoffs, concessions and plant closings, we were negotiating wage increases, benefits and overtime scheduling thanks to Eatons business model and the collaborative efforts of company and union.’

Parts made at the Jackson plant are key in both commercial and military aviation, Weeks said. That includes supplying parts for cutting edge aircraft, like the F-35 fighter jet and the Boeing 787 commercial airplane.

MEDC chief cultivating development

Saturday, October 22, 2011
By Melissa Anders
The Lansing State Journal
Take 5 with Michael Finney

As often as Michael Finney talks about gardening, you might think he had a real green thumb.

But he is not talking about growing vegetables - he is more interested in nurturing jobs.

Finney took over as president and CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. in January. Since then, he has focused on assisting Michigan businesses in diversifying and expanding in the state.

‘We are calling this new approach to economic development that we are out there pushing, we are calling it economic gardening,’ he said.

The new approach includes several changes made under Gov. Rick Snyder, including replacing the Michigan Business Tax with a Corporate Income Tax applicable to large corporations that issue public or private stock. He also eliminated several tax credit programs, instead promoting $175 million in funds for economic development programs and incentives.

‘It is time to move away from these ever-increasing tax credits that state after state, community after community are piling on top of every deal that shows up, and go toward something that perhaps can have a real impact with business and help companies start to make this transformation,’ he said.

What is Lansings potential for economic growth?
Lansing is a great manufacturing town. I think that many of the suppliers that still exist here have the potential to go through this business transformation process. We are trying to get connected to as many companies as we can and look for opportunities ...’

What is your response to those upset about elimination of several tax incentives?
We are actively trying to identify businesses, individuals, companies that have projects to do and we are trying to work those into the new program.
There really is not a reason to be upset. What we should do is sit down and talk about how the new incentive programs can work to be just as much of an advantage for a business as the old tax credits were.

How is the state helping companies diversify?
There are a number of orgs in this state who really have a strong pulse on where other manufacturing opportunities are. ... We are going to rely on those organizations and our own team to work with companies that have self-identified and want to look at transforming themselves into other industry sectors.

How do you bring people back to Michigan?
We have done now maybe a dozen-plus outbound trips, recruiting people to come back to Michigan. We have been to Palo Alto (Calif.) at least three times now, Austin, Texas; Boston; Washington, D.C; Chicago; Cincinnati; and I am probably missing a few.
We are connecting with hundreds of Michigan (alumni) who want to come back to the state. It started with (University of Michigan) but we have extended it now to all the state universities.
It’s been amazing ... we have got some 30-plus companies that have been actively participating with us when we do these outbound trips, and they go with jobs in hand.

What is the MEDC doing to help growth in nonprofit sector?
The nonprofit sector had really never been a significant target of the MEDCs activities because for the most part all of our programs centered around providing tax credits. And we all know the not-for-profit does not exactly have a tax liability, therefor tax credits do not really work as an incentive to grow a business.
With our new programs, particularly with the new $125 million that we have to provide incentives, we could in fact incentivize a project that is a significant not-for-profit project.

More Space Needed

By Holly Klaft
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Jackson Citizen Patriot

Area lacks lots of adequate size to attract manufacturers

From as long as a few decades ago to as short as a few years ago, Jackson manufacturing centers were booming with business.

The former Acme Industries complex and TRW Automotive plant are prime examples.

What is left today are a pair of demolished lots.

But local economic development leaders hope new businesses might someday fill the gap left by the departure of major manufacturers, such as TRW.

The problem is finding adequate space that will meet the needs of todays production facilities, officials said.

Jackson has a wealth of smaller storefronts and business spaces, but it is difficult to accommodate large manufacturers, economic development leaders said.

‘We are challenged in certain areas for real estate,’ said Scott Fleming, the outgoing president and CEO of The Enterprise Group, the countys economic-development agency. ‘We have land available, but not the building sizes we want.’

Fleming said he has received requests from companies looking for spaces with tall ceilings and more than 250,000 square feet — something Jackson County does not have.

The existing buildings in the county are outdated, with lower ceilings and less square footage, he said. Some also need extensive rehabilitation work, he said.

The county only has one available building — the former General Products Corp. site, 2400 E. South St. — that comes close, with about 207,000 square feet. Other local structures that have more than 50,000 square feet of space need upgrades, he said.

This year alone, The Enterprise Group had contact with at least five prospective businesses that were interested in spaces with more than 100,000 square feet, he said.

Issues with limited available space in existing buildings also can affect manufacturers that already operate in Jackson and are looking to expand, Fleming said.

‘We would have to build new,’ Fleming said. ‘We are losing out on some inquiries. I don not want to lose some of these opportunities for business.’

Jackson needs flexible manufacturing space with high ceilings, open architecture and floors that can support heavy machinery, said Bill Rayl, executive director of the Jackson Area Manufacturers Association.

If a structure was built to suit what many manufacturers are looking for, it might help attract business, Rayl said. The trouble is finding the financing for construction.

‘Who is going to build it on the chance that they will come?’ Rayl asked. ‘You need the client to have the building, and you need the building to have the client. If you have the building space available, it is certainly beneficial. It is an asset. Right now, we cant market that asset. We don’t have it.’

What the area lacks in existing structures for big business, it makes up for in vacant land available for development.

Businesses can secure tax credits or other incentives for development through local municipalities or by building on SmartZone sites.

In January, global chemical company Chemetall U.S. Inc. announced it would build a $25 million facility in Blackman Townships SmartZone. Construction on the 200,000-square-foot facility is expected to be completed in 2012 and the business would employ about 75 people. It received tax relief worth about $4.8 million.

Jacksons proximity to major research universities, easy access to interstates, importing and exporting network and available skilled work force can be a draw to other companies, officials said.

‘We dont have the big buildings we would like, but we have build-to-suit options,’ Fleming said.

The city does have land available for development, but it might require cleanup work or demolition of existing structures, said Jackson Community Development Director Patrick Burtch.

The city is looking into demolishing a number of blighted structures, including vacant homes and businesses, to better control the supply of real estate on the market and help bring up property values, he said.

‘We need to take a holistic approach to this,’ Burtch said. ‘We are buying into the idea that we need to look at things differently than we have in the past. Jackson has an incredible opportunity to reinvent itself.’

Company moves to larger facility

By Keith Roberts
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Jackson Citizen Patriot

GSL Technology is planning to move to a bigger facility in Blackman Township.

The company, which makes police and military equipment, now has 10 employees and has been in a 7,000-square-foot building at 2725 Cooper St. since 2007.

Owner Greg Latka said the company has outgrown the space, so it is moving to 4.25 acres in the Jackson Technology Park off County Farm Road.

‘Right now we are wall to wall,’ Latka said. ‘It is like walking though a maze trying to get to a machine.’

Latka said he hopes to break ground on the new facility this fall and add machines and employees once he has more space.

The Jackson Technology Park, in Blackman Townships SmartZone, also includes TAC Manufacturing, Maverick Industries and the Baker College Business Technology Center. Chemetall U.S. Inc. is building a facility there.

Blackman Township Supervisor Dan Hawkins said he is pleased to see the park get another tenant.

‘It is feeding the positive momentum,’ Hawkins said.

The Blackman Township Planning Commission will review the site plan for GSL Technology at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the township office, 1990 W. Parnall Road.

Note: The Enterprise Group of Jackson serves as staff to the Blackman Local Development Finance Authority and the Jackson Technology Park SmartZone(SM).

Editorial: Want job growth? Public has to pay

Friday, October 7, 2011
Jackson Citizen Patriot Editorial

After three and a half years, Jackson Countys economic-development chief is leaving for Texas. Scott Fleming should be remembered for managing The Enterprise Group effectively and being a good cheerleader for Jackson, despite the worst recession in a generation. Jackson has held its own, compared to other communities, with the promise of more jobs in the future.

What Fleming failed to accomplish — and what no one has done in The Enterprise Groups 14-year existence — is bring financial stability to the organization. As much time as Fleming spent wooing business executives from across the county, he still spent far too much going to local governments with hat in hand.

The most recent example came last month as the Jackson City Council approved a $100,000 contribution to The Enterprise Groups budget. Two council members voted against it, joining others in the community who argue against public money for the private agency.

At least the city contributes. Most townships and villages in Jackson County give nothing, or little, to support The Enterprise Group. Still, they enjoy the rewards that come when the organization helps recruit an employer such as Chemetall Inc. to Blackman Township, or makes a deal to help add jobs at Michigan Automotive Compressor Inc. in Parma.

Every governmental unit should contribute, but that will not be enough to sustain the organization long term. There needs to be a public consensus on how to support economic development in Jackson County.

Elected leaders and voters generally agree jobs are the No. 1 task for local government. Yet if you consider the number of dollars that go toward that cause, it does not come across as a priority. Even Jacksons healthy-sized $100,000 donation amounts to less than half of a percent of the citys $19 million budget.

If Jackson-area officials are serious about economic development, then it is time for a frank discussion about how to keep The Enterprise Group functioning for the long term.

Local leaders already have made good past decisions by spinning this organization away from government while putting a mix of public and private individuals on its governing board.

Now comes a more challenging structural issue. Should local governments promise certain funding levels? Ask countywide voters for a tax? Or figure out a way to lure businesses to commit to continuous giving?

There are many possibilities, and Flemings departure creates a good opportunity to discuss them. The Enterprise Group board has an important short-term decision, in finding a new leader. That, however, is not as important as putting the organization on solid financial footing for the long run.

Enterprise Group CEO Resigns After Accepting New Post

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

The Enterprise Group of Jackson today announced the resignation of Scott Fleming as president and CEO, effective October 21, 2011. Fleming has accepted a similar position at an economic development agency in Texas.

‘Although we are sad to see Scott depart, we accept his resignation with the knowledge that our community has been well served during his tenure and that he is leaving a talented, well-functioning team behind,’ said Enterprise Group Board Chair Hendrik Schuur. ‘Scotts leadership and accomplishments have been recognized around the state and country, and we are appreciative of his tireless commitment to strengthening the business community in Jackson. The Enterprise Group has come a long way in the past several years under Scott’s tenure, not only in its significant accomplishments in maintaining and attracting economic investment in the community but also in building a strong team and sharing tools to measure their success.’

‘This was indeed a difficult decision and I have appreciated the opportunity to work with the people of Jackson to enhance the communitys economic base,’ said Fleming. ‘During my tenure, my team and I were successful in bringing in over $240 million in investment and more than 1,000 jobs to Jackson County. Through all of our attraction and retention efforts, Jackson has caught the attention of state and national companies and site consultants. The community has also gained acclaim from publications such as Site Selection Magazine. I will miss all the colleagues who have helped us reach these goals and I wish the community continued success.’

Snyder finds China has strong interest in trade with Michigan

Thursday, September 29, 2011
By Paul Egan
Detroit News - Lansing Bureau

Gov. Rick Snyder is finding strong interest in China about the potential of increased trade with Michigan, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Geralyn Lasher, Snyders communications director, said in a telephone interview from Beijing that Snyder had a full day of ‘very productive’ meetings in Beijing with Chinese business representatives and government officials.

An evening reception was held for Michigan businesses with operations in China and Chinese firms with operations in Michigan, Lasher said.

‘Really there is a great deal of interest and excitement in the potential of coming to Michigan and doing things,’ Lasher said.

However, ‘it is a long road in terms of relationships.’

Snyder left Michigan Saturday on a trade mission that includes stops in Japan, China and South Korea. He is accompanied by state and local government and university officials and Michigan business representatives. He returns this Saturday.

Although a couple of economic development announcements were made during the first stop in Japan, the trip is more about strengthening ties than closing deals, Lasher said.

Snyder is the first Michigan governor to visit China since Gov. John Engler in 2000.

Michigan exports to China totaled $2.2 billion in 2010.

On Thursday, Snyder moves on to Shanghai for more business meetings, before heading to Seoul on Friday, Lasher said.

Why Gov. Rick Snyders trade trip to China is good for Michigan

The Grand Rapids Press Editorial Board
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Gov. Rick Snyders trade mission to China, Japan and South Korea this week sends an important signal to trade partners that continue to grow in possibility and importance. The governors trip underscores the states desire to do business in those countries and to build a positive relationship.

Along the way, the governor might have to repair a few relationships, too.

China in particular has been used as an all-purpose bogeyman in recent elections, nationally and in Michigan. U.S. companies that invest there have become political punching bags. Mr. Snyder himself received some of that unfair criticism during his 2010 run for governor. His Democratic opponent, Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero, pilloried the former CEO for his past participation in companies that made investments in China.

China is a large and emerging consumer market. Last year, Michigan companies exported nearly $2.2 billion in merchandise there, a dramatic growth from just $700 million five years earlier. The largest export item is automotive and other transportation equipment — businesses at the base of Michigan’s economic strength.

China is the third-largest trading partner for Michigan after Canada and Mexico, having surpassed Germany in those rankings. Companies such as General Motors have seen business explode there. West Michigan companies with a presence in China — including Amway, Herman Miller, Haworth, Steelcase, Autocam and others — certainly recognize the country as ripe ground. Those businesses and the whole state stand to benefit from warming Michigan-China relations.

That warmth is much preferable to the heated, sometimes hateful rhetoric directed at China for political purposes. Election-year demonization has damaged the state’s prospects to tap the Chinese market and lure Chinese investment to Michigan, which will be part of Mr. Snyder’s purpose abroad.

Companies that invest in China, and political leaders who support them, have been treated as pariahs and turncoats. That has led to an unhealthy disengagement. Mr. Snyders trip — the first of a Michigan governor to China since Gov. John Engler visited the country — will blunt some of those negatives and help build positive bridges.

The mission is being paid for with private funds and money from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

None of this dismisses serious issues in the U.S.-China trade relationship — intellectual property rights, illegal tariffs and currency manipulation among them. Those are matters that should be continually pursued and resolved by the federal government and international bodies such as the World Trade Organization. Trade should be fair as well as free.

Those problems, however, should not detract from the need for the U.S. and Michigan to establish a positive relationship with China and access a fast-growing market. Doing so can only serve the states economic good.

Now hiring across Michigan - jobs and talent connecting

Article courtesy of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Monday, September 26, 2011

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation Wednesday launched an intensive regional push to connect companies, jobs and talented job seekers including college students, seasoned pros and young professionals with Michigan ties.

Three of the events begin simultaneously across the region Wednesday with more in the planning stages.

‘The best teams are always seeking the best players and one of the first things businesses ask us about is whether we have the top talent they need,’ said MEDC President and CEO Michael A. Finney.

‘We have some of the hottest tech job markets in the nation, our manufacturers are growing and we have a host of other great opportunities as well as abundant talent: we have some of the best universities in the world, including more engineers than nearly any other state. We just need to connect the people and the opportunities.’

Amber Hubbard was a Michigan State University communications senior thinking she might have to leave the state to find work when she attended MEDCs first LiveWorkDetroit event and made connections leading to a job she loves in downtown Detroit. 

The regional efforts to connect people and opportunities include:

LiveWorkDetroit: Wednesday and October 21, recent and current college students and young professionals can learn the best (and often little known) reasons to live, work and play in Michigan’s largest city. The one day immersion includes important networking opportunities with business leaders who have jobs to fill now. For more on LiveWorkDetroit, visit: http://www.michiganadvantage.org/Events/LiveWorkDetroit-Fall-Kick-Off/

MichAGAIN: Targeting engineering and IT professionals with a Michigan connection, MichAGAIN Wednesday will host a networking event in Cincinnati, with Michigan employers on hand looking to hire talent for in-demand jobs. More events follow this fall. For more on MichAGAIN, visit: http://www.michagain.org/

Michigan Shifting Gears: The latest class of transitioning business professionals will graduate Wednesday from an intensive, low cost course designed to put them on the path to a new career with Michigan start ups and small businesses. For more on Michigan Shifting Gears and the next opportunities, visit: http://www.michiganadvantage.org/Michigan-Shifting-Gears-Intro/

Pure Michigan Opportunity Lakeshore: On October 28, recent college graduates and talented job seekers will network with employers from the booming new-energy manufacturing corridor along the Lake Michigan shoreline, all with jobs to fill.

While Newsweek recently ranked Michigan number one in the nation for new job growth, other reports reveal a looming talent gap nationwide is hampering business expansion, creating a growing need to connect jobs and talent.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2.7 million U.S. jobs remained unfilled in August, with employers saying they are having a hard time finding workers with the right skills. Manpower reports 46 percent of senior human resources executives say a talent gap is having a negative impact on their ability to grow, and only 27 percent felt they were able to hire the skilled workers they need.

A September 10 report in The Economist found that even with relatively high unemployment, top talent is in short supply globally. Michigan is one of the first states in the nation to make talent attraction and retention a core part of its efforts to grow the economy and spur economic development.

‘Michigan businesses are creating good jobs,’ said Amy Cell, MEDC Senior Vice President for Talent Enhancement, who oversees the states workforce development efforts. ‘We are working to find innovative ways to make sure they have a supply of top talent to fill them.’

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, a public-private partnership serving as the states marketing arm and lead agency for business, talent and jobs, focuses on helping grow Michigans economy. For more on the MEDC and its initiatives, visit: www.MichiganAdvantage.org.

Now hiring across Michigan: jobs and talent connecting

Article courtesy of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Monday, September 26, 2011

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation Wednesday launched an intensive regional push to connect companies, jobs and talented job seekers including college students, seasoned pros and young professionals with Michigan ties.

Three of the events begin simultaneously across the region Wednesday with more in the planning stages.

‘The best teams are always seeking the best players and one of the first things businesses ask us about is whether we have the top talent they need,’ said MEDC President and CEO Michael A. Finney.

‘We have some of the hottest tech job markets in the nation, our manufacturers are growing and we have a host of other great opportunities as well as abundant talent: we have some of the best universities in the world, including more engineers than nearly any other state. We just need to connect the people and the opportunities.’

Amber Hubbard was a Michigan State University communications senior thinking she might have to leave the state to find work when she attended MEDCs first LiveWorkDetroit event and made connections leading to a job she loves in downtown Detroit. 

The regional efforts to connect people and opportunities include:

LiveWorkDetroit: Wednesday and October 21, recent and current college students and young professionals can learn the best (and often little known) reasons to live, work and play in Michigan’s largest city. The one day immersion includes important networking opportunities with business leaders who have jobs to fill now. For more on LiveWorkDetroit, visit: http://www.michiganadvantage.org/Events/LiveWorkDetroit-Fall-Kick-Off/

MichAGAIN: Targeting engineering and IT professionals with a Michigan connection, MichAGAIN Wednesday will host a networking event in Cincinnati, with Michigan employers on hand looking to hire talent for in-demand jobs. More events follow this fall. For more on MichAGAIN, visit: http://www.michagain.org/

Michigan Shifting Gears: The latest class of transitioning business professionals will graduate Wednesday from an intensive, low cost course designed to put them on the path to a new career with Michigan start ups and small businesses. For more on Michigan Shifting Gears and the next opportunities, visit: http://www.michiganadvantage.org/Michigan-Shifting-Gears-Intro/

Pure Michigan Opportunity Lakeshore: On October 28, recent college graduates and talented job seekers will network with employers from the booming new-energy manufacturing corridor along the Lake Michigan shoreline, all with jobs to fill.

While Newsweek recently ranked Michigan number one in the nation for new job growth, other reports reveal a looming talent gap nationwide is hampering business expansion, creating a growing need to connect jobs and talent.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2.7 million U.S. jobs remained unfilled in August, with employers saying they are having a hard time finding workers with the right skills. Manpower reports 46 percent of senior human resources executives say a talent gap is having a negative impact on their ability to grow, and only 27 percent felt they were able to hire the skilled workers they need.

A September 10 report in The Economist found that even with relatively high unemployment, top talent is in short supply globally. Michigan is one of the first states in the nation to make talent attraction and retention a core part of its efforts to grow the economy and spur economic development.

‘Michigan businesses are creating good jobs,’ said Amy Cell, MEDC Senior Vice President for Talent Enhancement, who oversees the states workforce development efforts. ‘We are working to find innovative ways to make sure they have a supply of top talent to fill them.’

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, a public-private partnership serving as the states marketing arm and lead agency for business, talent and jobs, focuses on helping grow Michigans economy. For more on the MEDC and its initiatives, visit: www.MichiganAdvantage.org.

Countys jobless rate declines

Friday, September 23, 2011
By Tarryl Jackson
Jackson Citizen Patriot

Jackson Countys unemployment rate fell in August. It might have dropped even more if enough people were qualified for jobs that are available today.

Officials with local employment agencies say plenty of work opportunities are available in Jackson County. Some job seekers, they say, simply do not have the right skills to get these jobs and the motivation to keep them.

‘Jobs today are so much more sophisticated,’ said Joe Brandeberry, operations manager at Xcel Staffing, 2282 Springport Road, who said his firm has about 15 to 20 job openings a day. ‘There are a lot of jobs out there for qualified applicants.’

Thursday brought good news on the jobs front in Jackson County, with the local unemployment rate back down to 10.3 percent in August, the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget said.

That represents a decrease from 11 percent in July. The jobless rate stood at 12 percent in August 2010.

The department said 7,400 Jackson County residents collected unemployment benefits in August. That compares to 8,000 who were receiving unemployment in July and 8,800 in August 2010.

Jackson County gained 500 non-farm jobs in August, mostly due to a recall of 200 workers on temporary layoff in July in the automotive industry, according to a report by state labor market analyst Leonidas Murembya.

Professional and business services, private education and health care, and government each gained 100 jobs in August.

Over the past year, the private education and health care service sector added 500 jobs, and manufacturing employment rose by 400, Murembya reported.

Brandeberry said his agency receives about 200 applications a month and interviews just as many people. At least half of these applicants are placed in jobs, he said.

Many of those jobs are in the manufacturing field, he said, and technical support and information technology jobs also are starting to pick up.

Dennis Chenoweth, on-site manager for Acro Services, 4111 County Farm Road, said not only short-term positions are available.

‘These are jobs that can be turned into careers,’ said Chenoweth, whose companys clients include TAC Manufacturing and Michigan Automotive Compressor Inc. ‘The jobs are there for people that want them.’

South Central Michigan Works, which serves Jackson, Lenawee and Hillsdale counties, had 663 people come into its Jackson Service Center, 209 W. Washington Ave., in August for unemployment-related issues.

The agency offers workshops and works to adapt training to what area employers want in potential employees.

Spokeswoman Sarah Hartzler said many people need remedial work to improve their writing, reading and math skills.

‘If you havent been in school for a while, it can be a challenge,’ Hartzler said. ‘There are jobs, but individuals have not received the proper training.’

Gov. Rick Snyder prepares for get-acquainted trip to Asia

Friday, September 23, 2011
Detroit Free Press
By Tom Walsh

As the worlds economic growth axis tilts increasingly toward Asia, Gov. Rick Snyder takes off Saturday for a weeklong trip to China, Japan and South Korea, his first overseas trade mission as Michigans CEO.

While Japanese companies are much larger investors in Michigan and Korean firms have made a recent splash with electric-car battery ventures, Snyders visit to China will likely draw the most attention—largely because his predecessor, Jennifer Granholm, pointedly chose not to visit the globes fastest-growing economy during her eight years in office.

Granholm took some flak for bashing opponent Dick DeVos during her 2006 re-election campaign over his familys Amway business cutting jobs in Michigan while expanding in China. But in her new book, ‘A Governor’s Story,’ she offers no apologies for the hard-hitting campaign ads that painted DeVos as an outsourcer of jobs.

‘The ad drew blood. It offered no subtlety, no nuance, no shades of gray,’ she wrote about one ad attacking DeVos that concluded, ‘Do you suppose there is a province in China that is looking for a governor?’

To Granholms credit, she wooed and won big Michigan job-creating investments in technical centers by Toyota and Hyundai, despite grousing from the Detroit Three carmakers that she was aiding their foreign rivals.

Yet despite her oft-repeated pledge to ‘go anywhere and do anything’ to bring jobs to Michigan, Granholm couldnt bring herself to court China with a personal visit.

Snyder has no such qualms. He didnt zing Granholm personally for her no-go posture—‘I don’t want to be viewed as being negative relative to the past,’ Snyder said—but he clearly wants to step up the economic dialogue with China.

‘It has been since 2000 when Gov. Engler was there last and China has evolved a lot. There is good opportunity to export there and have them invest in our country and put jobs right here,’ Snyder said in an interview this week.

Sandy Baruah, the Detroit Regional Chamber president who will join Snyder on the trip, said Michigan has lagged behind other states whose governors have flocked to China in recent years.

‘I think we kind of had our heads in the sand from a policy perspective for too long,’ Baruah said. ‘We were trying to blame others for the challenges that we faced here in Michigan.’

‘The global marketplace is a contact sport, and we are not going to win and create jobs if we are not playing the game. This governor gets that,’ Baruah said.

The interaction of Michigan governors with China dates in the modern era to 1982 when the states first lady, Helen Milliken, led a delegation to sign a friendship pact with Sichuan Province.

Two years later, Gov. Jim Blanchard led an eight-day trade mission to Japan and China, visiting the then-new, and ultimately unsuccessful, Beijing Jeep joint venture. John Engler flew to China with Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer on Northwest Airlines inaugural Detroit-Shanghai flight and stayed for two days of meetings.

Overall, though, Chinese leaders have viewed Michigans interest in the country as sporadic and lacking follow-up, said Peter Theut, a consultant and retired head of Butzel Longs law practice in China. ‘The trick to China, as with many places, is that you have got to go back again and again and again.’

Theut gives credit to Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano and his Oakland County counterpart L. Brooks Patterson for ‘keeping the embers burning’ in Michigan-China relations. Ficano is joining the Snyder trip for what will be his seventh visit to China. Oakland County has sent its economic development officials or Automation Alley representatives to China 11 times in 15 years.

Snyder will arrive Sunday in Japan, where he will speak Monday to the annual Japan-U.S. Midwest Association event and host a series of private business meetings.

He will leave Tuesday for two days of meetings in Beijing and Shanghai, and conclude the trip with a visit to South Korea.

Travel expenses for government officials on the trip are paid by corporate donations, not tax dollars.

Dont expect Snyder to have big, new job-creating deals for Michigan teed up to announce during next weeks sprint through four Asian mega-cities. This visit, he said, is mostly about relationship-building.

‘I view it as more effective to get to all three places, rather than just do a one-off, because that would just leave us behind in terms of building ties with the other couple countries,’ he said.

True to his moving-in-dog-years mantra, Snyder added: ‘We will be keeping a brisk pace.’

Mike Finney talks about new Pure Michigan Business Connect program for second-stage businesses

Thursday, September 22, 2011
Crains Detroit Business
By Michelle Munoz

Mike Finney, president and CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corp., spoke about what the state is doing to foster growth for second-stage companies at a Crains Second Stage Workshop today that highlighted the Pure Michigan Business Connect program.

Finney said it is about more than just handing out money.

‘We have to support entrepreneurial programs and entrepreneurial activities,’ he said. ‘The thing that is most important is helping existing businesses grow.

He discussed the introduction of the Pure Michigan Business Connect Toolkit, which provides businesses with tools to connect with purchasers, consultants, capital and other types of growth support.

A pilot program is under way that includes 54 companies to test the components of the kit. The Cassopolis-based Edward Lowe Foundation is helping to run the program. Finney said the state is taking an entrepreneurial approach to try out new forms of support and figure out what, aside from money, companies need to grow.

Customized marketing research and a geographic information system will be part of the program. Participants in the program are coming from a pool of just over 100 applications. The 54 second-stage companies will be selected by an independent review board by mid-October.

Pure Michigan Business Connect comprises $3 billion of commitments from large Michigan companies. Huntington National Bank committed $2 billion to the program, which was unveiled in June. DTE Energy and Consumers Energy Co. each have marked $250 million for purchases from Michigan suppliers and vendors.

Finney also mentioned the move by Gov. Rick Snyders administration to replace brownfield tax credits, which Finney said were not useful because they stretched out over too many years. Instead, he said, the state is looking to make smaller, short-term credits that a company can use more quickly.

The MEDCs Small Business Collateral Support and Loan Participation program is one way of providing funds in the short term. The state is working with banks to provide collateral gap support for companies seeking out loans. The program runs efficiently, Finney said, because the bank does all the underwriting rather than the state.

‘We think we are on a path to really help Michigan businesses grow,’ he said.

If the pilot program goes as planned, the state plans to begin accepting new applications in 2012.

Crains Detroit Business hosted the workshop with the Small Business Association of Michigan and Pure Michigan at the Michigan State University Management Education Center in Troy.

Attendees got advice and information about connecting with purchasing agents from larger Michigan-based businesses and with the state government.

Roundtable discussions with buyers and procurement experts from around Michigan also gave business representatives the chance for one-on-one advice sessions. Representatives from the state of Michigan, Wayne State University, Hewlett-Packard Co. and other businesses were on hand.

Speakers on the panel discussion were:

Jeff Brownlee, purchasing director for state government

John Eley Jr., senior supply chain manager, DTE Energy Co.

Cynthia Kay, owner and president, Cynthia Kay and Co., a marketing and communications business based in Grand Rapids

Brian Smith, president and CEO, Institute for Supply Managements Southeast Michigan chapter

The panel discussed ways small businesses can get a foot in the door with large companies. It often starts with demonstrating value and being sure that the product or service being offered can meet quality standards, panelists said. Eley said large companies are not going to give a contract to small businesses simply because they are in Michigan.

Relationships often lead to opportunities, Kay said, so keeping in touch with contacts can prove vital.

‘One contact can change your life,’ she said. ‘Be persistent. … Become a resource.’

Price is often a commanding factor when companies choose suppliers, but Kay said it is not the only factor. Small businesses can use knowledge and skill to gain an edge over companies that might be able to offer services at a cheaper price.

‘Knowledge is critical,’ she said. ‘I would suggest that demonstrating knowledge is crucial to getting big contracts.’

Part of that knowledge, Smith suggested, is knowing who to talk to. Speaking with purchasers and discovering the needs of the company can put a supplier on top.

One mistake small businesses sometimes make, Smith said, is trying to be everything to every purchaser. Instead, he suggests marketing what the business does well and how that can help a purchasing company.

‘Dont expect a company to award you business just because you think you deserve it,’ he said. ‘Show the niche you are an expert in.’

Dennis Radosevich, senior sales account executive of Clawson-based communications services company Telegration Inc., said he gained new contacts for potential business deals at the event, as well as ideas about what he could do to help Telegration grow.

‘The panel discussion and (Finney) really made me proud,’ he said. ‘He got me excited.’

JAMA and MIOSHA present A Half-day Workshop

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GM, UAW deal would add or save 6,000 jobs

Detroit Free Press
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
BY BRENT SNAVELY, CHRISSIE THOMPSON, GREG GARDNER AND ZLATI MEYER DETROIT FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITERS

The tentative labor contract between General Motors and the UAW will add or save more than 6,000 U.S. jobs during the life of the four-year contract, people familiar with the pact told the Free Press.

Although some of the positions will be taken by laid-off or displaced GM workers, most of them are expected to be new hires. Some jobs will be added at Michigan powertrain plants in Warren, Romulus and Saginaw, although the biggest numbers of new workers likely will be added in Wentzville, Mo., and Spring Hill, Tenn.

The UAW is slated to release details today to its local leaders and the news media, but people familiar with the deal have shared some highlights with the Free Press in advance.

According to people familiar with the deal, it offers a $5,000 signing bonus; a modest pay increase—$3 an hour over four years—for lower-wage workers hired after September 2007, and a change in profit-sharing, based on North American results, not just those for the U.S.

Chrysler workers hope they will get a contract that mirrors the GM deal. But many said it may be tougher for Chrysler, whose turnaround is not yet on solid footing.

Chryslers labor contract extension is set to expire Wednesday. Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne told reporters in Italy on Monday that he and UAW President Bob King are ‘on good terms,’ despite his letter last Wednesday criticizing King for missing a bargaining meeting. ‘I expect to get a deal soon.’

Compared to GM, Chrysler workers in tougher spot
Chrysler workers told the Free Press that they would like UAW negotiators to protect their jobs, add more positions and tackle some thorny issues, such as a controversial rotating shift.

And although they would like some of the same terms reached in a tentative deal at General Motors, such as a $5,000 signing bonus and no changes in health care premiums, some acknowledged that might not be likely.

Through June, Chrysler posted a loss of $370 million compared with a profit of $5.7 billion for GM and $5 billion for Ford.

‘My concern is jobs—more jobs and job security,’ said Dedrah Commage, 47, of Clinton Township, a production assembler at Warren Truck. ‘The bigwigs need to think about the little people, those of us who build the vehicles, who get them big bonuses.’

With a tentative deal at GM, the UAW is expected to try to close a deal with Chrysler next. That would leave Ford, where an indefinite contract extension is in place, for last.

‘Even though Chrysler has shown a profit, they are still going to try to take stuff from us,’ said Lorraine Fluker, 29, of Macomb Township, who has worked for the automaker for 10 years.

Indeed, Bloomberg News reported Monday that Chrysler wants the signing bonus to be about $3,500.

‘I think that the UAW will be mindful of Chryslers different position,’ said Kristin Dziczek, director of the labor and industry group for the Center for Automotive Research.

Strike vote over shift schedule
Workers at two Chrysler engine plants in Dundee and Trenton, meanwhile, have complained about a schedule that requires them to work days one week and nights the next.

‘You really tax your system—your health—when you work on this type of scheme,’ said Matthew Parhum, 53, of Brownstown Township.

Despite a no-strike clause in the UAWs national contract with Chrysler, about 400 workers at the Dundee plant, which has a separate contract with Chrysler, held a strike authorization vote Sunday afternoon.

Tom Zimmerman, president of UAW Local 723 representing slightly more than 400 workers at Chrysler’s Dundee engine plant, said members voted 98.4% in favor of a strike authorization. Still, a walkout is unlikely, given the no-strike clause.

Zimmerman said the schedule results in ‘a perpetual state of zombiness.’

Details on the GM deal
Meanwhile, more details keep leaking out on the GM-UAW deal in advance of todays UAW news conference at 11 a.m.

The following details were given to the Free Press by people familiar with the pact:

In addition to simpler, more lucrative profit-sharing, the deal includes a bonus that workers will receive every year, regardless of whether GM North America is profitable, with a portion of the bonus tied to quality.

At the old Saturn plant in Spring Hill, Tenn., future workers are expected to build a mix of cars and crossovers that could change as demand requires, while Wentzville, Mo. is expected to add up to 2,000 jobs to build the next-generation Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon small pickups. The pact brings two products to U.S. plants that GM had planned to build outside the U.S.

Under the tentative deal, the percentage of health-care costs paid by workers wont change. The health-care improvements also include improvements to benefits for entry-level workers.

GMs stock price rose 44 cents on Monday and closed at $23.05 per share even as the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 108 points because of concern over Greeces financial problems.

‘We see the agreement as adding only modestly to costs, before the cost of the Spring Hill plant,’ Barclays Capital analyst Brian Johnson said in a research note Monday.

Small Biz can help lure young talent to state

Article courtesy of Crains Michigan Business
By Bill Wagner
Wednesday, September 14, 2011

It is important for Michigan to retain and attract young talent, especially in technical fields. Companies locate where there is a strong talent pool, and business growth is dependent on it. We need talent to migrate to Michigan. Companies will follow and put the economy on a growth track.

Small businesses dont have the resources to implement high-speed rail, shrink Detroit to its urban core, or hire by the thousands. But when we do something, we can do it quickly. From that perspective, small businesses can play an effective role in attracting and retaining the young talent thats critical to growth and prosperity.

The people who promote our state are not the target audience of their promotion efforts. They dont recognize that the young talent we are trying to recruit has different ideas about what makes a great career in a great place. The Pure Michigan campaign, in particular, focuses on the desires of an older generation. Small businesses can extend Pure Michigan, highlighting the assets that attract the younger generation: nightlife, a large community of people their age, career opportunities with many different companies, and the chance to make a real mark on the future.

The target audience values growth over security, excitement over consistency. They wont spend their career with a single company. They want to change the world and create new enterprises.

People say: ‘Go to Silicon Valley, or Route 128.’ Those regions have multiple opportunities. The strength of the overall economy minimizes the risk of any one job. If your first Silicon Valley startup fails, just join another one. Theres always more opportunity.

We must tell this audience that life in Michigan is much better than the perception. Washtenaw County has more than 100 software companies. That statistic points to a richer ecosystem than our leaders normally portray. Point out not just our own companies, but the many other opportunities for those who locate here. People can continue their education at our graduate schools. Even the exodus can be an advantage. Young people making a difference here are special: Even the governor mentions young people in almost every speech. In Silicon Valley, or on Route 128, you are just another nameless face in the crowd. Young people here have an amplified voice by choosing to be here.

Talk to people making life decisions. Go to area high schools and discuss college options. Talk to college students in your field. Ask who is staying in Michigan. Ask who is leaving. Ask why. Press the MEDC to produce a Pure Michigan campaign for young talent that is every bit as inspiring as the campaigns for our tourism industry.

If everyone does small, simple things, Michigan will become a destination for talented young people. Once it starts, it will drive further change.

Bill Wagner is CEO of Ann Arbor-based SRT Solutions, which writes software for mobile, tablets, web, desktop, and enterprise systems.

Jackson manufacturer awarded tax exemption by city council

Wednesday, September 14, 2011
By Keith Roberts
Jackson Citizen Patriot

The Jackson City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve a tax exemption for Technique Inc.

Technique, a prototype metal stamping and laser cutting company at 2427 Research Drive, is investing $406,881 in new equipment and expecting to create five jobs within two years. The tax exemption will save it a total of $22,600 over 12 years.

Technique President Ronald Johncox commended The Enterprise Group for working with him and helping his company grow.

The council also voted to hold a public hearing on a tax exemption for AccuBilt at its Sept. 27 meeting.

AccuBilt, a company that builds automated production machines, plans to nearly double the size of its plant at 2365 Research Drive. The expansion will cost $496,339 and the company expects to retain 20 jobs and create three to five jobs within two years.

Jackson City Council approves $100,000 service contract with Enterprise Group

Wednesday, September 14, 2011
By Keith Roberts
Jackson Citizen Patriot

The Enterprise Group of Jackson will get $100,000 from the city of Jackson for at least one more year.

On Tuesday night, the Jackson City Council voted 5-2 to approve the six-figure service contract with the county economic development organization.

Councilmen Carl Breeding and Andrew Frounfelker voted against the motion. Breeding said if the council is going to contract with The Enterprise Group it should have more oversight of the organization.

‘Who, if anyone, evaluates the work they do?’ Breeding said.

City Manager Larry Shaffer, who is on The Enterprise Groups board of directors, said the organization is an important partner with the city and he will provide input on the citys needs.

‘We are going to get $100,000-plus out of them,’ Shaffer said.

Frounfelker said The Enterprise Group is a partner but the city has yet to define the roles it and the city will play in development.

‘We need to get our act together,’ Frounfelker said.

The Enterprise Group was instrumental in getting Chemetall U.S. Inc. to commit to building a $25 million facility in Blackman Township and creating 75 jobs.

CEO and President Scott Fleming told the council Tuesday he is close to getting a company to come to Jackson that would create 50 to 60 jobs and make a capital investment of $7.6 million.

Councilman Daniel Greer said Shaffer and Community Development Director Patrick Burtch both have economic development experience and the city might not need to contract with The Enterprise Group next year. But Greer added that spending $100,000 and getting 50 to 60 jobs this year would be a great investment.

Michigan leads comeback: home sales soar, Quicken hiring 500

Article courtesy of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Tuesday, September 13, 2011

With metro Detroits August home sales soaring by 19.4 percent over the same time in 2010, Detroit-based Quicken Loans is hiring another 500 staffers.

Michigan, which lost more jobs than any other state during the past decade, has been a national comeback leader in recent weeks. Just this month, Newsweek and The Daily Beast ranked Michigan the state No. 1 in job growth.

Quicken will seek the new hires during a Saturday job fair. It hired 100 at a similar job fair in April.

While home prices have climbed, metro Detroit remains a national bargain: the median price of a home jumped from $70,000 to $80,000 between August 2010 and August 2011 but the S&P and Case-Schiller Home Price Index still shows metro Detroit the lowest priced of the nations top 20 markets.

Make the case for Michigan with our Why Michigan video or join the conversation about business and job opportunities at Facebook.com/MiAdvantage.

FREE Social Media & Web Marketing Seminar

The Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center, along with The Enterprise Group of Jackson and the Jackson District Library would like to invite you to a FREE Social Media & Web Marketing Seminar on September 21st at 11 am or October 26 at 6 pm. Attendees MUST pre-register at www.misbtdc.org. The Seminar will be held at the Carnegie Branch at 244 W. Michigan Avenue in downtown Jackson. Click here to view the informational flyer.

Company plans to nearly double size of Jackson plant

Monday, September 12, 2011
By Keith Roberts
Jackson Citizen Patriot

AccuBilt, a company that builds automated production machines, plans to nearly double the size of its Jackson plant.

AccuBilt President Rob Rooney said the company now has 18,000 square feet at 2365 Research Drive and is planning to add 15,000 square feet so it can build larger machines for its customers.

‘The automation business is very busy right now. Many companies out there are trying to position themselves to get the next job and be more competitive,’ Rooney said.

The expansion is estimated to cost $496,339 and as a result, the company expects to retain 20 jobs and create three to five jobs within two years.

The company is seeking an industrial facilities tax exemption on the investment. City Assessor David Taylor said it would save a total of $35,500 over 12 years if it gets the maximum exemption.

The Jackson City Council is expected to hold a public hearing on AccuBilts tax exemption at its Sept. 27 meeting.

At its meeting Tuesday, the council will hold a public hearing on a tax exemption for Technique Inc., 2427 Research Drive.

Technique, a prototype metal stamping and laser cutting company, is investing $406,881 in new equipment and planning to create five jobs within two years.

It would save a total of $22,600 over 12 years if it gets the maximum exemption. The councils City Affairs Committee is recommending it.

Enterprise Group asking City for $100,000 in funds

Saturday, September 10, 2011
By Keith Roberts
Jackson Citizen Patriot

The Jackson City Council will put a price on jobs Tuesday when it considers a $100,000 funding request from the Enterprise Group of Jackson.

Ric Walton, a member of the Enterprise Groups board of directors, said the organization plays a crucial role in the citys economic development.

‘It takes a lot of selling to bring a business here and sometimes to keep a business here,’ Walton said. ‘If we don not do it, we wont have jobs. It is that simple.’

The Enterprise Group was instrumental in getting Chemetall U.S. Inc. to commit to building a $25 million facility along I-94 in Blackman Township and creating 75 jobs.

President and CEO Scott Fleming said even though Chemetall is outside the city limits, it still benefits the city.

Fleming said his organization also does a lot of other lower-profile yet necessary things to promote development — printing brochures, talking to site consultants and helping businesses get loans — and the costs add up.

The city pays the Enterprise Group with water and sewer revenues. Fleming said Chemetalls utility bills alone are expected to be $50,000 a year.

‘We are replenishing the funds we are taking money out of,’ Fleming said.

Jackson City Manager Larry Shaffer said the city made a commitment to support the Enterprise Group this year and he is recommending the council keep it.

‘I think the Enterprise Group has done a remarkable job of late, and I look forward to them having a productive year ahead,’ Shaffer said.

Councilman Carl Breeding, who voted against funding the Enterprise Group last year, said the city would be bettering off hiring a couple of police officers or firefighters.

‘I just think it is a waste,’ Breeding said. ‘What have they done for the city?’

Councilman John Polaczyk said the city may not always fund the Enterprise Group or fund it at current levels, but it should now.

‘It is a lot of money but the Enterprise Group, particularly Scott, has done a great job promoting business,’ Polaczyk said.

Now hiring 200 in Pontiac—HP opens new delivery center

Article courtesy of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Friday, September 9, 2011

A new HP Enterprise Services applications delivery center opened in Pontiac this week with plans to hire more than 200 tech professionals and additional support personnel over the coming months.

In June, HP Enterprise Services—a subsidiary of Hewlett-Packard Company, the provider of integrated business solutions across software applications, announced its plans to invest up to $4.8 million to add up to 250 technical employees in Pontiac and create a new supply channel of resources for the companys U.S. public sector accounts.

The new hiring spree is being supported by a state tax credit approved by the Michigan Economic Growth Authority (MEGA) valued at up to $3.5 million over the next seven years. HP Enterprise Services currently has 1,976 employees in southeast Michigan.

In the less than three months since the project was approved, the facility has already opened with 12 employees in place so far and many more openings being posted. HP expects to hire industry focused and technically skilled employees. The center will also provide opportunities for HP to partner with local universities for training activities and with the state for recruiting.

The new center also brings HP into Automation Alley, Michigans largest technology business association that drives growth and economic development in Southeast Michigan through workforce as well as business development initiatives.

Michigan was chosen over competing sites due to the high quality workforce and the availability of technical resources, according to an HP spokesperson.

The HP move is part of a wave of tech job growth in Michigan. CNN Money recently referred to Detroit as the next Silicon Valley. And just this week, Inc. magazine gave more national attention to Detroits place as a hotbed of innovation.

For information on positions at the HP applications delivery center in Pontiac, visit HPs jobs website.

Editorial: Economic official says jobs are on horizon

Tuesday, September 06, 2011
Jackson Citizen Patriot

The state economy is growing. Tax revenue is up, and a ranking of the best states for job growth last week even put Michigan at the top.

Yet the publics misery is also on the rise. Unemployment, notably, is back up, hitting the 11 percent threshold again in Jackson County in July.

Michael Finney understands the disconnect but definitely looks on the sunny side of this situation. As president and CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corp., he sees employers throughout the state adding jobs. He concedes that much of that growth will take time, likely years.

Finney met with the Citizen Patriot editorial board last week. He answered questions and offered ideas to boost the states economic fortunes. Some observations:

Employers are hiring—or will be. Finney has visited most corners of the state since being hired by Gov. Rick Snyder. He ticked off several examples of businesses that are committing to put more people to work. Those include West Michigan based automotive parts maker Gentex, which will hire 1,100 over five years.

‘For the most part, everybodys trying to find a way to grow,’ Finney said.

Finneys agency is trying to find its focus. He, business leaders and local economic development leaders are re-evaluating what his organization needs to do and what should be the responsibility to local communities.

Some results: The MEDC is putting money into business incubators, setting aside $2 million for local economic-development groups, and trying to coordinate efforts with those groups so they and his agency can work seamlessly to recruit and retain employers.

Workforce training now falls under his agency, and with good reason. Places like Michigan Works, he said, do well with teaching ‘soft skills’ like writing resumes but not enough to get people to jobs that are available now. Welders, for example, are in high demand, yet not enough people are being trained for that field.

Finneys ideas on this front do not sound developed, although his aim does: ‘The workforce participation aspect of it has been sorely lacking.’

And as for worries that Michigan wont attract companies now that state tax credits are drying up? Finney is not remotely worried.

He says business owners are impressed by Michigans new tax structure, and he dismisses traditional tax credits as largely ‘smoke and mirrors.’

What matters more, he says, is the state having money to put on the table for business growth—and Michigan does. His agency hopes to spend $100 million in public dollars on loans and other assistance for job creators.

That aid can go to developers who once may have cashed in on brownfield redevelopment credits that are disappearing, or loans to small businesses, such as a bakery that will expand with a new oven. Our only knock on this approach is that it has not been well-publicized: The MEDC has cash to spend, but do business owners know it is available?

We support many of Finneys initiatives, particularly expecting more out of this states job training efforts. We would like to see him and Snyder—both veterans of Ann Arbor SPARK, Washtenaw Countys economic-development agency — put even more money into groups that promote local economic development. Organizations like The Enterprise Group in Jackson too often live hand to mouth.

It will be important that Finney follow through on his rhetoric—and even better if his predictions of job growth soon come true.

Now Hiring - Michigan utilities seek new generation of line workers

Article courtesy of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Do you know a high school graduate looking for a high-paying, physical - yet vital - job? Michigans utility industry is looking for a new generation of electrical line workers.

The talents are rare: applicants must be able to climb to the top of a 40 foot pole with 90 pounds of tools and cable strapped to their backs and be able to climb that pole in all kinds of weather while remembering a long list of safety rules.

The rewards can be significant: the job pays an average base salary of more than $55,000. With overtime, line workers routinely make in excess of $100,000 a year.

This summer, 76 men and women gathered at the DTE training center in Westland to see seasoned line workers demonstrate their craft and decide if they too were up to the challenge of a career keeping the lights on.

Michigans electric companies and utilities across the nation are facing a wave of retirements as the baby boom generation of utility workers leaves the industry. Michigan companies will need to hire or train more than 1,200 line workers by 2014 just to keep up with demand, according to Economic Modeling Specialists Inc.

That reality prompted the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s workforce development team and a collaborative partnership made up of the states electrical utilities, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and Michigan Works! Agencies to seek and win a $4.4 million grant from U.S. Department of Labor to train Michigan recruits for jobs in the electrical utility industry.

The first group of 30 trainees just completed six weeks of boot camp, putting them in the running for apprenticeships and jobs with all the electrical utilities in Michigan and beyond.

The IBEW - DTE partnership plans to recruit more than 50 trainees for boot camps later this year and next. And beginning with the winter semester, Consumers Energy, the Lansing Board of Water and Light, and Lansing Community College will join forces to prepare more than 100 workers over the next two years for jobs as line workers.

The same DOL grant will also fund training for approximately 200 workers in other in-demand utility industry jobs, including substation operation and electrical maintenance.

To learn more about opportunities to train for a job as a utility worker, contact the Southeast Michigan Community Alliance (SEMCA) or the Capital Area Michigan Works! Agency.

The Enterprise Group of Jackson and Baker College team up to create a business incubator at college

Wednesday, August 31, 2011
By Tarryl Jackson
Jackson Citizen Patriot

Growing and attracting more cyber-defense and high-technology companies is necessary for Jacksons economy to prosper, local business and education officials say.

That is why The Enterprise Group of Jackson and Baker College have partnered to create a business incubator at the college to provide space and resources for high-tech businesses that are just starting out.

‘What we are trying to do is build up high - tech jobs in the community,’ said Scott Fleming, president and CEO of The Enterprise Group. ‘We are trying to help businesses offset their costs by giving them space that is affordable and faculty and staff that can help them out with other resources they might need.’

Fleming said the intent is to get these businesses up and running so that after the initial three years, they can embark on their own and create more jobs.

Officials hope the incubator will eventually expand beyond its current space at the colleges Technology Center.

Patty Kaufmann, president of Baker Colleges Jackson campus, said she wants young entrepreneurs to have the tools they need to grow their businesses.

‘We want them to stay and develop the community in Jackson,’ she said.

Baker College and The Enterprise Group have collaborated on the project for the past few years.

They consulted with the SPARK Business Accelerator in Ann Arbor to identify the resources that new technology businesses need to grow, including flexible interactive office space, shared conference room and office equipment and educational and networking events.

The Technology Center is located near the Baker Colleges admissions office and is meant to provide training and mentoring to startups as well as foster tenant collaboration with Baker students and the Jackson community.

Baker College provides furniture and office space, while The Enterprise Group provides programming, counseling and other resources for tenants.

The incubator currently has one business, and officials hope more get on board.

Some new businesses cannot afford to invest in infrastructure because they are investing in other resources, such as technology and staff, said Martin Dober, senior vice president of entrepreneurship and innovation for the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

Dober said incubators are a good resource for those businesses.

‘It is really important for companies that are just getting started to have access to resources,’ he said.

In the upcoming fiscal year, the MEDC plans to award $5 million to $6 million in grants to qualifying incubators across the state as part of the organizations 21 Century Jobs Fund, Dober said. Grant winners will be announced by the end of the year, he said.

For more information about the incubator at the Baker College Technology Center, contact Scott Fleming at 788-4455 or sfleming@enterprisegroup.org.

*Note: The Baker College Technology Center is located within the Jackson Technology Park SmartZone/Certified Business Park, managed by the Blackman Charter Township Local Development Finance Authority and The EG

Cheesecake lovers have new Jackson-area business to satisfy sweet tooth

Monday, August 29, 2011
By Tarryl Jackson
Jackson Citizen Patriot

Those who love cheesecake can try a new Jackson-area business to satisfy their sweet tooth.

Spring Arbor University graduate Jayme Bicknell has taken her longtime passion for baking to start her own home-based business called [Jayme]cakes.

Bicknell offers specialty cheesecakes in 12 different flavors, including strawberry swirl, caramel pecan, peanut butter chocolate swirl and raspberry chocolate ganache.

Customers can also choose the ‘top you own cheesecake bar’ option, where they can pick toppings like, mini chocolate chips, strawberries, Oreo cookies and caramel.

Bicknell has made cheesecakes for several weddings, and said she is happy to meet new clients and have them try her creations for themselves.

Hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

For more information, call 937-4623 or visit www.jaymecakes.vpweb.com. 

U.S. unemployment claims rise, but Michigan ranked No. 1 for job creation

Thursday, August 25, 2011
By Jennie L Phipps
MLive.com Contributor

U.S. unemployment insurance claims rose 5,000 to 417,000 last week. In a ranking of state unemployment rates by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Michigan came in 48th with its adjusted rate of 10.9 percent. The No. 1 state with the lowest number of unemployment insurance claims was North Dakota with 3.3 percent unemployment.

The national increase was partly due to a 15 - day strike at Verizon Communications.

The bad news is that more than two years into the recovery, new unemployment claims have yet to fall consistently below the 400,000 mark - the level at which economists view the labor market as improving

Bank of America - Merrill Lynch says factors like the U.S. debt downgrade have made it likely that there will be a double dip recession.

Michael Hanson, one of the BofAs economists, said in his report, ‘While we concede the risks are rising, a recession is not baked in the cake. If the economy can avoid further shocks, we would expect a modest bounce in growth into the end of the year.’

Other economists were not so optimistic. ‘It is a 100 percent chance,’ said Peter Schiff, CEO & Chief Global Strategist of Euro Pacific Capital. ‘In fact the recession might have already started.’

Meanwhile Newsweek - The Daily Beast ranked Michigan No. 1 for job creation, giving it these scores:

Employers with expanding workforces: 32 percent
Gallup job-creation score: 14
Average annual income: $44,438
Unemployment change, 2010 to 2011: - 1.99 percent

State renames and retools economic development funds

Wednesday, August 24, 2011
By Jennie L Phipps
Contributor MLive.com

Michigan Economic Development Corp. has renamed and retooled its economic development programs to reflect the restructuring of the states business tax.

The replacement programs are called the Michigan Business Development Program and the Michigan Community Revitalization Program. They replace MEGA and Brownfield and Historic tax credit programs.

Beginning Oct. 1, the new programs will initially provide $100 million in incentives for competitive projects in the state.

‘We are creating entirely new incentive programs to attract new business investment for job creation and redevelopment of our communities that are performance based with clear benchmarks, that will offer greater flexibility and a transparent process,’ said MEDC CEO Michael Finney.

Finney said the new programs will provide faster access to money for businesses that are creating new jobs.

The Michigan Community Revitalization Program will provide grants, loans, or other economic assistance of up to $10 million to projects that will revitalize regional urban areas, act as a catalyst for additional investment in a community, reuse vacant or historic buildings, and promote mixed use and sustainable development.

The Michigan Business Development Program will provide grants, loans or other economic assistance of up to $10 million to businesses that are creating qualified new jobs and making new investments in Michigan.

Auto industry’s strength eases national economic fears

Courtesy of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Auto industry’s strength eases national economic fears

Automotive manufacturing production jumped 5.2 percent in July, the largest gain of the year, according to a Federal Reserve report released Tuesday.

The continued strength from the auto industry and suppliers helped boost overall industrial production 0.9 percent - doubling economists’ expectations for factories, mines and utilities. Factory output, which makes up about 75 percent of industrial production, increased 0.6 percent.

Tuesdays report followed the announcement that Zeeland-based Gentex Corporation, plans to expand its West Michigan facilities, creating up to 1,100 direct new jobs and investing $160 million.

Gentex begins some of the new hiring next week.

The March natural disasters in Japan disrupted automotive supply chains worldwide, the same period when oil prices jumped before falling again over the summer months. But Michigans manufacturing sector has continued to show strength.

For example, the Detroit Free Press noted General Motors saw July deliveries climb 7.6 percent over July 2010.

Manufacturing has led the nation’s economic recovery since the recession officially ended in June 2009. When the auto industry is excluded, July manufacturing numbers were up 0.3 percent after a 0.2 percent gain in the prior month.

Learn the latest business and jobs news by joining the conversation at Facebook.com/MiAdvantage.

Meijer says it will buy more produce from Midwest Farms

Tuesday, August 16, 2011
The Grand Rapids Press
By Shandra Martinez

WALKER - As the push to buy local continues to grow, Meijer Inc. announced today it will buy 5 percent more produce from Midwest Farms this year.

The Walker-based retailer estimates it has invested more $60 million into local economies across its five state footprint by partnering with area farmers since launching the program in 2009.

This years commitment representing nearly one-third of all fruits and vegetables the grocer will sell during the summer and early fall months, according to Mark Stevenson, Meijers produce director.

Meijer’s ‘Home Grown’ initiative includes sourcing more than 75 different fruits and vegetables from 85 different farms and growers throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky in which Meijer operates its nearly 200 supercenters.

We take our first shipment of local produce from farms in May and continue through September,” said Stevenson. ‘It is a program we are extremely proud of, and one that is very gratifying in terms of supporting local farmers.’

By partnering with local farms and farmers, Meijer has become the largest purchaser of locally grown apples in its five-state region, says the grocer.

Meijer sells millions of pounds of locally-grown asparagus annually, nearly three million bunch green onions from Midwest farms, and hundreds of thousands of pumpkins from area farms.

‘Unlike most other grocers, we meet and work directly with local growers on a regular basis to ensure the freshest, highest-quality product,’ said Stevenson. ‘Working with suppliers in our own backyard allows us to personally inspect items, keep close track of inventory and maintain our high quality standards.’

ABC - Michigan home to ‘most beautiful place in America.’

ABC News’ Good Morning America has named Michigan’s Sleeping Bear Dunes the Most Beautiful Place in America.

In a national contest where Good Morning America asked viewers to help them find Americas most beautiful place, this 35 mile stretch of Lake Michigan coastline received tens of thousands of votes – beating out places like Aspen, Colorado; Cape Cod, Massachusetts; Grand Tetons, Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Lanikai Beach, Oahu, Hawaii; Point Reyes, California and Sedona, Arizona.

In addition to the natural beauty of the area, Good Morning America featured several local businesses, including Hearth and Vine in Suttons Bay and Cherry Republic and Crystal River Outfitters, both in Glen Arbor.

Celebrity chef Mario Batali, also weighed in on the virtues of northern Michigan.

‘I spent my entire summer here at Lake Michigan because it is beautiful, because it has farmers, because it has great food artisans, it has great products, it has magnificent fresh water,’ Batali said in an interview with Good Morning America.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was established for its outstanding natural features, including forests, beaches, dune formations, and ancient glacial phenomena. The highest dunes spike at 400 feet above the sparkling blue waters of Lake Michigan. Each year more than 1.2 million people visit this Michigan treasure.

For more information on Sleeping Bear Dunes, click here.

Learn the latest business and jobs news by joining the conversation at Facebook.com/MiAdvantage.

Blackman Township Board approves tax break for TruForm Machine Inc.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Jackson Citizen Patriot
By Keith Roberts

TruForm Machine Inc. is expanding again to meet growing customer demand.

The Blackman Township company has purchased $1.2 million worth of new machinery and has hired 16 new full-time employees over the past six months, bringing the total to 45.

On Monday, TruForm Vice President Jim Gaetzi told the Blackman Township Board the company received some additional orders, so it decided to ramp up production.

‘For the time being business is good, so we have invested in employees and equipment,’ Gaetzi said.

The board voted 7--0 to approve a 12--year, 50 percent tax exemption on the companys $1.2 million investment. Blackman Township Assessor Evelyn Markowski said the exemption will save the company $142,241 over the 12 years.

Township Supervisor Dan Hawkins said TruForms investment is a sign of its commitment to the community and gives him hope for the economys stability.

TruForm supplies precision-machined components to companies in the aerospace, general industrial and prototype design industries.

In 2006, the company added nearly $1 million in machinery and 12 skilled jobs. In 2008, the company expanded its plant at 2510 Precision St. and added machinery and jobs despite the bleak economic outlook.

Also on Monday, the board voted 6-1 to approve a 1 percent cost-of-living increase next year for Public Safety Director Mike Jester and 10 other administrative employees. The increase will cost the township $5,097.

Hawkins said the employees have not received a raise since 2009 and the township can afford it. Trustee Paula Clingerman, who voted against the increase, said the board was ‘putting the cart before the horse’ by approving pay increases before the budget has been set.

Hawkins said he wanted to know the size of the increase before he started working on the budget. He said he expects to have preliminary budget numbers by November

Technique Inc. is asking city for second tax break

Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Jackson Citizen Patriot
By Keith Roberts

Technique Inc. is seeking its second tax break from the Jackson City Council in two years.

In September 2010 the company received a 12-year, 50 percent tax industrial facilities tax exemption on a $535,764 investment in new equipment, which was expected to create four jobs in two years and save the company about $30,000.

The company is now seeking the same exemption on a $406,881 investment in new equipment that is expected to create five jobs in two years. The company would save about $22,600.

In the application, Technique President Ronald Johncox wrote that the acquisition would help the company increase efficiency and production capacity and ‘encourage management and owners to continue to invest in Jackson and its valued residents.’

Technique, started in 1991, is a prototype metal stamping and laser cutting company at 2427 Research Drive. It also has a facility in Mooresville, N.C.

The City Council is expected to hold a hearing on the tax exemption request at its Sept. 13 meeting.

Johncox, a former professional race car driver, could not be reached for comment today.

State suspending road work for Pure Michigan 400 at MIS

Jackson Citizen Patriot
Monday, August 15, 2011
By Keith Roberts

The Michigan Department of Transportation will suspend work and reopen lanes on major state highways for the Pure Michigan 400 on Sunday at Michigan International Speedway.

Work on most state roads in counties surrounding MIS, which is located in Brooklyn in Jackson County, will be suspended starting at 7 a.m. Thursday and ending at 7 a.m. Aug. 23.

But some MDOT projects outside of Jackson County will still have restrictions in place over race weekend including:

- US-223, Lenawee County, just east of Blissfield. One lane of traffic will be maintained at two separate locations with a temporary signal for culvert work.

- I-96, Ingham County, just east of US-127. There will single-lane closures in each direction for permanent pavement stripping.

MDOT advises motorists to plan extra time when traveling along these routes and to drive with caution in work zones.

To assist motorists and race fans, MDOT is posting MIS race day travel information on the Web, including maps and information about statewide construction projects, and information about the inbound and outbound traffic patterns.

Motorists can find information online at: www.michigan.gov/mdot or www.michigan.gov/drive.

More businesses can receive MEDC loan support under broadened program

Article courtesy of Crains Detroit Business and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation

By Gary Anglebrandt
Thursday, August 11, 2011

Federal money allows expansion of auto supplier fund to more industries

New money flowing into the state from the federal Small Business Jobs Act passed last September has prompted the Michigan Economic Development Corp. to expand its Supplier Diversification Fund to industries beyond automotive.

The jobs act funneled $79 million to the MEDC, of which it is using $68 million to expand the fund to more industries. The MEDC received the first portion of that money, $26.1 million, July 11, and it has renamed the fund as the Michigan Business Growth Fund to reflect the broader reach.

The increase means the support will fall into the range of more second-stage businesses, said Paul Brown, vice president of capital services.

To qualify, a business must be a ‘base job creator,’ meaning it creates jobs upon which other businesses depend. A pharmaceutical company plant could qualify; the landscaping business servicing that factory would not, Brown said.

To drive the loan support down to smaller businesses, the fund does not participate in loans of more than $20 million, said Eric Hanna, capital markets development associate at the MEDC.

A business must not have more than 750 employees to qualify. There is no limit on revenue.

The fund began in 2009 with $26.3 million to help auto suppliers get access to capital during the credit crunch and expand their customer base. Since then, about 40 companies have received loan assistance from the fund, Hanna said.

Money from the Michigan Business Growth Fund is used to participate in small business loans in conjunction with a lending bank, covering cash flow ratio gaps and collateral value problems in order to make bankers feel less uneasy about lending to an otherwise viable business that has growth prospects.

The U.S. Treasury Department used the fund as a model for distributing Small Business Jobs Act money nationally.

The influx also has allowed the MEDC to increase the amount it can contribute to a loan to $5 million from $2.5 million, Brown said. The MEDC can support up to 49.9 percent of a loan. So if that percentage happens to come to $4 million, the MEDC cannot help.

If the business qualifies, the MEDC can provide a grace period on interest payments of up to three years, giving the company time to get established in the new market it is targeting.

Hanna, a former banker who crafted the original plan for the fund and whose staff works directly with the lending banks involved in the deals, said other examples of businesses that do not qualify are: commercial real estate firms, nonprofits, medical institutions, retail, and the offices of doctors, lawyers and other individual professionals.

Examples of those that could qualify are those involved in manufacturing, trucking and distribution, technology, call center operations and marketing.

The point, especially because the state is putting money at risk, is to get money flowing in ways that will lead to job creation, more revenue, increased sales tax collections and more purchases from in-state suppliers, Hanna said.

The federal money also came with administrative money that the MEDC has used to hire two more bankers who work on the program, bringing the total to three.

Although sometimes businesses contact the MEDC directly, Hanna said it is more efficient for an interested business to first go to its current bank or another bank to get started. Huntington Bank and Fifth Third Bank have been the two most active banks working with the MEDC fund, Hanna said.

Hanna offered these points to help businesses — and banks — avoid some of the snags and misconceptions he regularly sees:

The MEDC does not write the loan. The lending bank does, and the MEDC participates in it by providing a percentage of the money.

The program is not an interstate competition tool meant to attract businesses away from other states.

The loan cannot be used to help a business relocate out of the state.

The loan must be used in Michigan. ‘The project needs to be here,’ Hanna said.

The loan cannot be used to bail out a troubled existing loan a bank holds. The loan must be ‘new exposure by the bank,’ Hanna said.

For more specifics on how to get loan support, visit http://www.michiganadvantage.org/Business-Loans

Consumers Energy Offers Tips and Incentives for Energy Efficiency

Want to save money on your energy and/or gas bills? Consumers Energy wants to help! In fact, they have an entire program devoted to Energy Saving Solutions and you can check it out here. The site includes sections devoted to energy saving tips in areas of lighting, heating/cooling, equipment (motors & Drives), and more. There are also links to tools and resources for evaluating your energy usage, rebate incentives from Consumers on energy efficient products from participating retailers, applications for Consumers Business Solutions Program and New Construction Program that incentivize energy efficiency, and more.

The website has a TON of useful, practical info from which even the smallest companies can benefit. (There’s also a section of the site devoted to home/residential energy efficiency that your employees might find valuable).

Want more info or help on specific incentives and whether or not you company can quality? Contact an Energy Advisor at Consumers Energy Business Solutions division by calling toll free to 877-607-0737.

Armory Arts Village Receives Major Grant

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

The Michigan Humanities Council, the state affiliate for the National Endowment for the Humanities, awarded a $15,000 ‘Michigan People and Places: Our Stories, Our Lives’ grant to Armory Arts Village.

Read entire Press Release

Academy for Manufacturing Careers holds Reverse Job Fair

Friday, June 3, 2011

The Jackson Area Manufacturers Association Academy for Manufacturing Careers would like to announce a Reverse Job Fair for employers in need of Welders. The Job Fair is Monday, June 6, 2011 at 5 pm until 7 pm and will be held at the Jackson Area Career Center on Browns Lake Road. For more information, please contact Annette Norris at 517-782-8269.

Mural will tell the history of the Armory Arts Village building

Thursday, May 26, 2011
By Baylee Pulliam
Jackson Citizen Patriot

The resident artists of Jacksons Armory Arts Village are taking a creative eye to their home’s history. The artists community, led by Art Director Jean Weir, will soon begin work on a mural to document the buildings diverse past.

Armory Arts Village, 100 Armory Court, is listed on the National Historic Registry. The mural will chronologically document the buildings history from its beginnings in the 18th century as Michigans first state prison to the 21st-century Armory Arts Village artists community.

Weir said the mural will be inspired by photographs and sketches from the Armory Arts Villages archives.

‘We are going for nostalgic Americana — (to) make people think about how much has happened here,’ Weir said.

The mural will be installed in the main entryway on 8-by-15-foot panels of masonite — and it wont come cheap.

Funding for the project will come from a $15,000 grant awarded by the Michigan Humanities Council. The grant, called ‘Michigan People, Michigan Places: Our Stories, Our Lives,’ is awarded to fund projects that help people connect with one another and the places that they live.

Organizations applying for the award must prove their projects have the support of the community. The Jackson District Library, Jackson Cultural Alliance, Michigan Theatre, Mayor Karen Dunigan and others wrote letters to the MHC showing their support.

Village resident, storyteller and tour guide Judy Gail Krasnow said the Jackson community ‘really stood by us and helped us make this happen’.

Work on the mural began May 15 and will run until early 2012. Krasnow said the Armory Arts Village plans to show its appreciation to the community with a reveal party in March or April of that year.

ADDENDUM: Judy Krasnow was instrumental in orchestrating the project. Another artist, Hector Trujillo, will handle the construction and logistics of the project. Jason Caldwell will contribute some portraits to the piece. Gerry Blanchard will serve as the story and layout consultant. Some of the artists are contributing their services free of charge.

Why Michigan?

May 11, 2011

How do you respond when asked, ‘Why Michigan?’ Why should someone start, grow or move a business here? Or for that matter, why should they want to live in—or even visit—Michigan? Read entire article, provided by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation

ARRA Funds Allocated for Advanced Lighting Demonstration Projects in Michigan

May 11, 2011

Jackson Based EverLast® Lighting Manufactures ARRA Compliant Luminaires

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced Friday that the Michigan Energy Office will make approximately $1 million available from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 funds to showcase advanced lighting technology demonstrations in communities throughout Michigan. Read entire Press Release from Full Spectrum Solutions

Ground broken at site of Chemetall facility

Thursday, May 5, 2011
Jackson Citizen Patriot
By Chris Gautz

About 75 officials and community leaders took part in a ceremonial groundbreaking this morning at the future site of Chemetall US Inc.

The $25 million facility will sit along I-94 in Blackman Township, when construction is completed next year. This mornings ceremony took place just off of County Farm Road, east of TAC Manufacturing.

Afterward, those in attendance assembled at Baker Colleges new Welcome Center, where local dignitaries spoke about the company and how thankful they were the company chose Jackson County.

The project had been shepherded quietly for about six months by Scott Fleming, President and CEO of The Enterprise Group, the countys economic-development agency.

Others involved, especially the townships LDFA board, were praised by Blackman Township Supervisor Dan Hawkins.

Hawkins said when Fleming made him aware of the project last year, he was told he had to keep it secret. He was only able to tell Betty Brockie, a member of the Blackman finance authority since it was formed in 1991.

Brockie told Hawkins then that since she couldnt say anything, she would just say her prayers.

‘I really do think your prayers made a difference,’ Hawkins said.

Company CEO Ron Felber talked this morning about the importance of manufacturing and making products in America again.

‘We make things. We create things and we are proud of that,’ Felber said.

The global chemical company expects to employ 75. Construction is expected to begin in June.

MACI raises local hiring estimates by 68%: 79 openings for 2011

Michigan Automotive Compressor, Inc. (MACI) has increased hiring projections for 2011 from 47 to 79 open positions.
Read complete Press Release

Allegiance Health receives the 100 Top Hospital Award for the 5th time

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Thomson Reuters recently announced its 100 Top Hospital Award Winners. Allegiance Health was cited for our third honor in four years, fifth-time overall.

What does this mean for your business?

Captures attention. Recognition such as the 100 Top Hospital Award attracts desirable attention not only to our health system, but to our community as a whole. It is a positive reflection on all of us, including area businesses.
Confidence. Should one of your valued employees require our services for surgery, rehabilitation or home care before returning to work, you can rest assured they will receive high quality care from Allegiance Health.
Cost reduction. High levels of patient safety translate into savings for not only Allegiance Health, but all who use our many services—including your employees.
Community pride. Having an award-winning health system in our region stimulates pride and economic growth.

MTU Detroit Diesel Installs EverLast Induction Lights to Reduce Energy Costs and Improve Lighting

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

MTU Detroit Diesel is in the process of replacing approximately 850 metal halide fixtures with 100w and 200w induction high bays from EverLast (a product of Full Spectrum Solutions), a U.S. manufacturer of induction lighting fixtures. Click here to read the entire Press Release

Congratulations to TransPharm Preclinical Solutions

Monday, March 28, 2011

TransPharm Preclinical Solutions has been recognized as one of the 2011 ‘Michigan 50 Companies to Watch,’ an awards program sponsored by the Edward Lowe Foundation and presented by Michigan Celebrates Small Business. Click here to read the entire Press Release

Movie Industry - Credits roll on hopes for major movie studio in Jackson

Sunday, March 20, 2011
By Chris Gautz
Jackson Citizen Patriot

It was dubbed Project Showtime.

And from the start—with a meeting at the Las Vegas Convention Center in May 2008—it just seemed too good to be true: a major movie studio in Jackson.

In the end, thats just what it was.

Michigans movie industry subsidy, the most generous in the nation, helped spark a California-based companys interest in a location along I-94 in Blackman Township. It wanted to build what it said would be the pre-eminent film and television production facility in the upper Midwest. Sprawled across 40 acres, it would feature eight large sound stages—enough to film several feature-length movies and television shows simultaneously. It would mean an investment of $80 million and 1,600 jobs.

Jackson stood to become a major player in the film industry. For more than two years the deal progressed behind the scenes as negotiations hinged on the deals financing.

But in the end, the deal fell apart.

And now with a push by Gov. Rick Snyder to rein in the film subsidy — and with it the state’s movie industry, the subsidys backers say — those involved in the deal are somewhat grateful the studio was never built.

Opportunity for Jackson
It was at the Global Real Estate Convention in Vegas where Scott Fleming, president and CEO of The Enterprise Group, the countys economic-development agency, met officials from the company. Officials involved in the deal have not publicly disclosed its name.The firm had connections with Ramco-Gershenson, owner of the Jackson Crossing mall, which is how Fleming was introduced to the owners.

He brought the executives to Jackson that summer, where he rented a tour bus and showed them around the community. They met with community leaders, toured Lloyd Ganton’s Ye Old Carriage Shop auto museum and drove past parks and the prison complex.

‘They liked that we had eclectic filming opportunities,’ Fleming said.

Without large-scale studios, much of the shooting for films that cash in on Michigans tax credits still takes place in Hollywood. If Jackson had a studio, then all aspects of the film could be made in the community.

The first phase of the studio was to include eight soundstages, half of them more than 20,000 square feet.

The largest stages would have been separated by soundproof walls that could be opened up for a shooting space of more than 40,000 square feet.

Fleming conducted several background checks on the firm and felt comfortable because it already had a film studio where several big-budget films had been made. It was also in talks to build several others across the country in states offering large tax incentives for the film industry.

Fleming selected state Rep. Earl Poleski, a Jackson County commissioner, and Hendrik Schuur, then a board member and now chairman of the Enterprise Group, to look into the financials of the proposal. Poleski is an accountant, and Schuur is treasury director of Allegiance Health.

‘I knew if there were any red flags at all, those two would sniff it out,’ he said.

Deal like few others
During negotiations, Fleming and company officials met with a host of bankers interested in the deal at Webers Inn in Ann Arbor.

‘We had a whole baseball team of banks,’ Fleming said. ‘We always struggled with the financing. All through 2009 we were nurturing it along.’

Deals done in Hollywood are not like typical commercial loans or deals done in Michigan.

The company wanted to locate the studio on free land from The Enterprise Group. It was seeking state and local tax incentives and the film infrastructure credit. And it didnt want to put any money up front, only a personal guarantee, Fleming said.

‘They were typical of the industry,’ Schuur said.

But not for Michigan. Some commercial loan deals require as much as half of the money up front, Fleming said.

The deal also hinged on convincing several unions to put up money from their pension funds — totaling about 20 percent of the project cost — since much of the work done on set would be by union workers.

‘(The unions) were leery about investing and getting a good rate of return,’ Fleming said.

Maureen Krauss, director of economic development and community affairs for Oakland County, went through similar headaches financing a deal for an $80 million film studio complex in Pontiac that broke ground last fall after about two years of negotiating.

‘It was an incredible amount of effort,’ she said. ‘Certainly the deals from Hollywood were a different animal.’

In the end, that deal went through when State of Michigan Employees Retirement System put up $18 million and the owners put their own money into it as well, she said.

The Pontiac studio is scheduled to open next month.

‘Blessing in disguise’?
The deal in Blackman Township fell apart last summer, when Fleming said he realized the financing was just never going to come together.

What also helped kill it was talk in Lansing at the time about getting rid of the film incentives. Last month, the governor proposed scaling back the incentives dramatically, to $25 million a year.

The uncertainty last year ‘put enough pause into the lending community that it wouldn’t go forward,’ Schuur said.

Fleming said the location where the studio was to be built will now be occupied by Chemetall U.S., Inc., a global chemical company, which announced in January it will consolidate its operations around the country and build a $25 million facility.

The company hopes to open its doors and employ 75 by September 2012.

‘I’m glad we have Chemetall over the movie studio,’ Fleming said.

Fleming said he hasn’t shut the door on talks with the California company, and its possible that if the film incentives remain in some form that a much smaller studio could be developed at Armory Arts Village.

‘Maybe it was a blessing in disguise we didn’t get it,’ Fleming said. ‘But it wasnt for a lack of trying.’

Foreign Trade Zone could help Jackson County businesses

Tuesday, March 15, 2011
By Chris Gautz
Jackson Citizen Patriot

Businesses in Jackson County involved in importing or exporting could benefit from the countys inclusion in the states largest Foreign Trade Zone.

‘That is something that will be a winning tool for us,’ said Scott Fleming, president and CEO of The Enterprise Group, the countys economic-development agency. ‘It helps us with global competition.’

Foreign Trade Zones have been around for more than 75 years. They allow U.S. firms in a designated area near a customs port-of-entry to compete in the global market by reducing or eliminating duties.

J. Scott Park | Jackson Citizen PatriotGreg Chevalier is chief operating officer at Automated Logistics Systems in Jackson.
Jackson belongs to FTZ No. 275, which was granted by the Capital Region Airport Authority in Lansing, after it was expanded to eight counties. It stretches north to Isabella County and includes counties all along the U.S. 127 corridor.

The trade zone allows for companies in other countries to send parts to the U.S. for assembly and then be able to waive or reduce the duties.

Fleming said there is still a perception internationally that a product made in the U.S. is of higher quality, so it has become more common for countries to send parts to be assembled in America.

‘We are supporters of and believe in it and think it can benefit our local manufacturers,’ said Greg Chevalier, chief operating officer and licensed customs broker for Automated Logistics Systems, 3517 Scheele Drive.

While it can mean additional business for a local manufacturer to make parts for a company in a foreign country, it can work in reverse as well. If a local firm had been buying parts from another local company, it might now be cheaper to import the parts because the duty fee will be reduced.

Chevalier acknowledged that is possible. However, he said such a move could also help reduce a business overall costs and allow it to sell its products at a more competitive rate in another country. And that could mean more work and more jobs at the local plant.

He said the designation will mean more opportunities for Automated Logistics Systems, being the only customs broker in Jackson County.

‘We specialize in international transportation,’ he said.

The company can handle all of the paperwork involved with getting products through customs and ensure all of the duties and taxes are taken care of properly, he said.

Chevalier said Automated Logistics Systems recently hired four more employees to handle new international business.

‘This is a good thing if we can get people to buy into it,’ he said.

Brent Case, vice president of international business services for the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, is the director of the trade zone and said getting the word out can be a struggle. He has been conducting seminars to increase awareness.

Case said they will work with each company to evaluate the savings opportunity. They also will make sure the products they are importing aren’t prohibited, such as steel or firearms.

It costs $1,600 to apply for membership, and the Foreign Trade Zone board can approve the request within 30 to 75 days, he said.

Doing business internationally is a growth strategy, Case said.

‘We think it might open up some possibilities,’ said Dave Heins, vice president and general manager of Miller Truck & Storage. ‘It just gives you another tool to work with.’

Learn more at seminar

A seminar scheduled for Friday is expected to explain how the Foreign Trade Zone can benefit local businesses. It starts at 9:30 a.m. at Daryl’s Downtown, 151 W. Michigan Ave. For more information, call 788-4330.

Business Magazine gives Jackson area high ranking

Jackson Citizen Patriot
By Chris Gautz
Friday, March 4, 2011

Jackson is one of the top small metro areas in the country for business expansion, according to Site Selection magazine.

The industry magazine ranked Jackson tied for eighth with Anderson, Ind., in 2010 for metro areas with a population of less than 200,000.

It noted that Jackson had eight projects in 2010 that counted toward its score.

Scott Fleming, president and CEO of The Enterprise Group, the countys economic-development agency, said this ranking will continue to put Jackson on the map as a great place for businesses looking for somewhere to locate their company.

‘Site selectors look at this magazine and they look at communities that are having some growth,’ Fleming said. ‘This will give us some more attention.’

Lake Charles, La., ranked first in the same category with 30 projects. Saginaw tied for sixth with Alexandria, La., with nine projects.

The Chicago area was the top metro with a population of more than 1 million, with 184 projects. The Detroit area finished seventh with 108 projects.

Foreign Trade Zone Seminar Series for Jackson County

Friday, March 18, 2011 at 9:30 a.m.
Daryl’s Restuarant at 151 W. Michigan Avenue, Jackson MI 49201
$25 Registration Fee - includes luncheon
Contact Debbie Kelly at 517-788-4330 or dkelly@enterprisegroup.org to register

For more information, click on this link to see entire flyer for the Seminar Series

http://portlansing.com/port-lansingftz-no-275-seminar-series-jackson-county

Riverwalk Hotel - Demolition process starts

Saturday, February 12, 2011
By Holly Klaft
Jackson Citizen Patriot

Jackson County is taking the first steps toward the eventual demolition of the long-vacant Riverwalk Plaza Hotel.

Environmental testing is under way on the building to determine how much asbestos it contains and how the material should be removed before the building is torn down.

The county Brownfield Redevelopment Authority recently committed $17,500 from its revolving loan fund for preliminary environmental work and planning, said county authority Chairman and Summit Township Supervisor Jim Dunn.

‘This is to sketch out the game plan that will be necessary to pursue getting that site taken care of,’ Dunn said.

As much as $168,000 could be used to remove asbestos, but a final cost will not be determined until officials know how much of the material is in the building, said Amy Torres, vice president of economic development for The Enterprise Group, the countys economic development agency.

Torres said the cost is not expected to reach $168,000.

A timeline for the downtown buildings demolition has not been established, officials said.

The county planned to set $300,000 aside to help cover the cost of tearing the building down. Local leaders plan to establish a riverfront park in its place.

The hotel opened in 1976 as a Sheraton Inn and closed in 1988. It reopened in 2000 as the Riverwalk Plaza Hotel but went into bankruptcy less than three years later and was foreclosed in 2008.

The city of Jackson also is preparing to remove asbestos from the former Consumers Energy building, Torres said. City leaders hope to demolish the building, 212 W. Michigan Ave.

Amtrak ridership and revenue soar on Michigan routes

January 24, 2011
Press Release courtesy of MDOT and Region II Planning Commission

Ridership and revenue soared on Michigan’s three Amtrak routes during the first quarter of fiscal year 2011, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT).Click here to read entire Press Release

Global chemical company opening $25 million facility along I-94 in Blackman Township

Tuesday, January 18, 2011
By Chris Gautz and Keith Roberts
Jackson Citizen Patriot

A global chemical company has chosen to consolidate its operations around the country and open a $25 million facility along I-94 in Blackman Township, creating 75 jobs.

Chemetall U.S. Inc., maker of chemicals applied to a wide variety of products prior to painting, is expected to receive a state tax credit and other tax relief worth $4.8 million at todays Michigan Economic Growth Authority board meeting in Lansing.

The company is planning an investment of $25 million to build and outfit a 200,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility adjacent to TAC Manufacturing, 4111 County Farm Road, in the townships SmartZone.

‘We’re creating a super plant,’ said CEO Ron Felber. ‘We’re here to stay.’

It is expected to lead to the creation of 75 jobs by next year, ranging from chemists to supervisors and plant workers. The goal is to be at full staff and have the facility open by September 2012, Felber said.

The project has been shepherded quietly for the past six months by Scott Fleming, President and CEO of The Enterprise Group, the countys economic-development agency.

‘This means a lot. It puts Jackson on the map as a contender,’ Fleming said. ‘We are ready for new development here. We are able to bring in new companies.’

Fleming said this is a big win for the community. There arent many new factories of this size being built in the state now, and Jackson beat out other states and locations in Michigan for the plant.

Blackman Township Supervisor Dan Hawkins said the companys investment will boost not just the townships economy but its morale.

‘This community needed an infusion of hope, and thats what this is,’ Hawkins said.

The Blackman Township Local Development Finance Authority is giving Chemetall 40 acres it paid $425,000 in April. The township board is also expected to give the company a 50 percent tax exemption on its real and property taxes for 12 years, which will save the company about $1.2 million.

‘In this economy, you cant afford not to look at tax incentives because it is so competitive out there,’ Hawkins said. ‘It will mean less revenues that I can generate for the township budget, but it also means more jobs.’

Betty Brockie, a member of the Blackman finance authority since it was formed in 1991, said Chemetalls announcement is the best economic news the township has had in years.

‘It is a tremendous step forward for the community because all weve had is musical buildings. … (Companies) have been leaving an empty building for another empty building,’ Brockie said.

Brockie said major selling points for the property were its location on I-94 and that the township owns it and has extended roads and utilities to it.

‘We were user-friendly,’ Brockie said.

Felber said the company looked at locations in Indiana, Kentucky and the Carolinas. Fleming said the choice came down to sites in Blackman and Milan.

Chemetall chose Blackman because of the quality of the work force and the wholesome feel of the community, Felber said. The employees at the former Nalco Co. in Jackson, which Chemetall acquired in 2008, also impressed management, he said.

‘The people employed here now are bright and motivated,’ he said. ‘They have a great work ethic.’

With the consolidation into the new plant, the Nalco site at 1610 Clara St. will close, along with Chemetall plants in Romulus and one in California.

Construction is expected to begin in June. O’Harrow Construction Co., 4575 Ann Arbor Road, will design and build the facility. Scott Gillett, structural engineer for O’Harrow, said it will take about 200 construction jobs to complete the work, he said.

NASA Johnson Space Center Installs Lighting from Full Spectrum Solutions

January 11, 2011
Good News courtesy of South Central Michigan Works!

When NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas needed an advanced lighting system to illuminate a parking lot that had no electricity, they selected the EverLast PV/Wind Hybrid Area Lighting System from Jackson based, Full Spectrum Solutions, Inc.

Read complete story about Full Spectrum Solutions, Inc.

Jackson’s Image

Tower could put best foot forward

Opinion
Jackson Citizen Patriot
Friday, January 7, 2011

Since he arrived in Jackson to lead local economic-development efforts three years ago, Scott Fleming has seen the need for the community to put the right foot forward. The Enterprise Group leader has pitched Jackson to potential businesses and encouraged local officials to work together.

He has worked to bring a good idea to reality, too: freshening up the Cooper Street entrance off of I-94. Now, this effort needs money. The potential $1 million question: Is there anyone who can help? The answer might just be yes.

The idea in question involves dressing up a cell phone tower on Cooper Street as a clock tower. The company that owns the existing cell tower is going along with this idea, despite initial misgivings. The Federal Aviation Administration blessed it since the cell tower is in the flight path for the Jackson County Airport. Blackman Township officials also appear supportive.

Thats a lot of persuading, but for a good cause. A clock tower would act as a beacon to travelers. Plymouth has shown the value of creating something this distinctive.

Now, former Sparton Corp. CEO David Hockenbrocht is heading up the fundraising, which will be a challenge. But maybe, just maybe, he shouldnt have to look too far.

Jackson County government finished last year with about $1.6 million more on hand than it expected. County commissioners have looked at spending some of that to demolish the former Riverwalk Plaza Hotel. That is still a priority, but so is this clock tower.

If elected officials are serious about improving this communitys image, it should be something to consider.

Enterprise Group leader says things are turning around

Tuesday, January 4, 2011
By Chris Gautz
Jackson Citizen Patriot

The new year brings new leadership to the board of The Enterprise Group.

Hendrik Schuur, the new chairman of the countys economic-development agency, said things are starting to turn around in the local economy and another dose of good news isnt too far off.

‘We look forward to sharing a major announcement with the community in mid-January,’ he said.

He couldnt share any more details, but that is often the case as The Enterprise Group and its president and CEO, Scott Fleming, are constantly shepherding projects behind the scenes.

Schuur said he sees Flemings role as central to rebuilding the economy in south-central Michigan.

‘Hes a very effective ambassador for this area,’ Schuur said.

Success for the organization is not defined by the number of large businesses that choose to locate here, which he calls ‘home runs.’ He said there will be many more ‘singles and doubles,’ and all of those help keep people employed and in their homes, visiting local stores and paying taxes.

Schuur is hopeful the entire community understands the effect The Enterprise Group has on the area. Anyone who works, lives or goes to school in Jackson has a stake in the groups success, he said.

‘Its time to pull together and focus on what is most effective,’ he said. ‘To the extent we can grow a better attitude that we control our destiny, we can shape our destiny.’

Schuurs two-year term began New Year’s Day, and he has been looking forward to getting started.

In his day job, he serves as treasury director for Allegiance Health, where he has worked for the past 12 years.

Schuur, 55, is originally from Kalamazoo and has two grown children.

He also serves on the Jackson Community Foundation board and has been on The Enterprise Group board for the past two years, where he chaired the finance and audit committee.

‘Hendrik will be a really good leader of the organization,’ said Citizen Patriot Editor/Publisher, Sandy Petykiewicz, who has chaired the board for the past two years. ‘He was very engaged as a board member, and thats why I recommended him.’

Schuur credited her leadership for guiding The Enterprise Group through the worst financial conditions the state and nation have faced since the Great Depression.

‘These are pretty brutal times that weve been through,’ he said.

Petykiewicz said the community has seen the bottom economically, and she is feeling fairly optimistic about next year.

‘I’m ending my tenure on a higher note than when I started,’ she said. ‘I see positive signs.’

Scott Fleming Elected President of the MEDA 2011 Board of Directors

Scott Fleming, CEcD, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Enterprise Group of Jackson, Inc., has been appointed President of the Michigan Economic Developers Association (MEDA) Board of Directors for 2011. Click here to read entire MEDA Press Release

Great Lakes Industry and Allied Chucker planning expansions in Jackson County

By Keith Roberts
Jackson Citizen Patriot
Friday, December 3, 2010

Two Blackman Township manufacturers are seeking tax abatements on nearly $4 million worth of new machinery and equipment.

Great Lakes Industry, 1927 Wildwood Ave., is planning to invest $2.85 million in new machinery, retain 48 jobs and add 15 jobs within the next two years. Allied Chucker and Engineering Co., 3529 Scheele Drive, is planning to invest $1.13 million, retain 21 jobs and add 12.

Amy Torres, vice president of economic development for The Enterprise Group of Jackson, which helps companies apply for tax abatement, said some companies continue to struggle but others like Great Lakes and Allied Chucker are seizing the opportunity to diversify and expand.

‘I am seeing a lot of increased activity,’ Torres said. ‘It is quite exciting.’

Great Lakes is buying metal cutting machinery to pursue new opportunities in the precision manufacturing of gears and mechanical power transmission products for the mining, industrial equipment and wind power industries.

Great Lakes President Larry Schultz said the project is under way and will extend into next year.

‘Things are looking up,’ Schultz said.

The tax abatement would save the company $154,957 over 12 years.

Allied Chucker, which machines and assembles ferrous cast and forged components for the automotive, military, marine, locomotive, construction equipment and commercial industries, is trying to meet customers demands for price reductions and meet production capacity for a customer that recently received a military contract.

The tax abatement would save the company $35,793 over 12 years.

In a press release, Allied Chucker President Patrick McCann said the tax abatements Blackman Township has given his company over the years has given it the ‘ability to secure new business and continue to diversify our markets and customers.’

The Blackman Township Board will consider the applications at its meeting at 6 p.m. Monday in the Blackman Township Office, 1990 W. Parnall Road.

Small Business Day Event on January 12, 2011

On January 12, 2011—Small Business Day in Escanaba, MI to be sponsored by Marinette Marine Corporation and hosted by Michigan Works!, Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center(SBTDC), and the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC). 

Flyer coming soon!

City Council oks $7 million expansion of Armory Arts Village

By Keith Roberts
Jackson Citizen Patriot
Wednesday, November 24, 2010

The $7 million expansion of Armory Arts Village received the blessing of Jackson City Council on Tuesday.

Council voted 5-2 on an ordinance to approve a development agreement and a payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, for the second phase of the artist community.

Scott Fleming, president of The Enterprise Group of Jackson, said the second phase, which includes 49 apartments for people 55 and older, an art gallery, retail shops and a common area, will bring more people to the development and help it reach a ‘critical mass.’

Developer Peter Jobson, president of Excel Realty Group, has said the second phase would help the development reach its full potential but it could not be done without the PILOT. Jobson did not attend the meeting Tuesday.

Under the PILOT, Excel will pay the city $13,413 per year over 35 years. Without the PILOT, Excel would have paid $58,176 in property taxes the first year.

Excel will also make a $150,000 contribution to the city as part of a development agreement. It will pay $75,000 up front and $75,000 before it gets its certificate of occupancy.

Councilmen Carl Breeding and Kenneth Gaiser voted against the ordinance.

Breeding said the $150,000 payment is an obligation, not a contribution, since Excel has to pay it to occupy the building.

‘This does not read right to me,’ Breeding said.

Gaiser said he voted against the ordinance because citizens should not have to pay taxes for additional housing the city does not need.

During citizen comments, John Wilson said Armory Arts Village was supposed to be an art colony that would be a catalyst for economic transformation but has become low income and senior housing supported by the taxpayers.

In response, Fleming said the property did not generate tax revenue when it was a prison or an armory and it does not generate revenue now because it is in a Renaissance Zone, but the residents do pay taxes and more residents means the city would get more revenue.

Now that the PILOT has been approved, Excel can seek tax credits from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority to help finance the project.

Armory Arts Village featured in slideshow of 10 of worlds most unusual apartments on MSN.com

By Keith Roberts
Jackson Citizen Patriot
Monday, November 22, 2010

Armory Arts Village is getting some worldwide recognition.

The Jackson artist community is in a slide show of 10 of the worlds most unusual apartments at MSN.coms real estate page. ( http://realestate.msn.com/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=26306669&GT1=35006 )

Amy Torres, Vice President of economic development with The Enterprise Group of Jackson, said she was thrilled to see Armory Arts Village on the same page as apartments in New York, Los Angeles, London and Vienna.

‘I think it is astounding,’Torres said. ‘We are in such huge company.’

Carol Konieczki, the citys director of community development, said Armory Arts Village is unique and she hopes the recognition makes more people see that.
‘It really puts us on the map,’ Konieczki said.

The slide show is by Scot Meyer of SwitchYard Media. The caption for Armory Arts Village says:

‘Years ago, nobody wanted to live here. This 19--acre complex was built as the Jackson State Prison in the 1880s, and a 25--foot stone wall, complete with turrets, still surrounds it.’

‘But the guards are long gone. The facility, an armory in the 1930s, has been converted into affordable apartments and work spaces for people with limited incomes, many of whom are artists, musicians, designers and other creative types.’

The Excel Realty Group of Shaker Heights, Ohio, and The Enterprise Group are partners on the project.

It was instrumental in earning Jackson a Cool City designation in 2004.

It also won the Cool Cities Neighborhood in Progress Project of the Year award in 2007 and the Michigan Municipal League’s Community Excellence Award in 2008.

It is also in a national database for artists living/working spaces.

Jackson City Council is considering a development agreement with Excel and a payment in lieu of taxes for the second phase of the development on Tuesday.

City Council Decision

Armory Arts to make its case

By Keith Roberts
Jackson Citizen Patriot
Friday, November 19, 2010

Armory Arts Village will not reach its full potential without a $7 million expansion.

That is the case developer Peter Jobson, president of the Excel Realty Group, plans to make to Jackson City Council on Tuesday.

Jobson said the second phase of the development, which includes 49 apartments for people 55 and older, an art gallery, retail shops and a common area ‘would add a new dimension of arts and culture to Jackson.’

‘I see it as a campus with multiple uses, multiple buildings and some community space in the middle,’ Jobson said. ‘I think it’s a very positive project for the city.’

Last week council voted 4-3 on the first reading of an ordinance to approve a payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, for the second phase of the development.

The ordinance will be read a second time Tuesday. If council passes it and approves a development agreement with Excel, then Jobson can seek tax credits to help finance the second phase.

Councilman Daniel Greer, whose ward includes Armory Arts Village, said the second phase would fulfill the original vision of the artist community, as not only a place where artists would live and work, but a place that would draw visitors to Jackson.

‘Arts and culture economic development is cutting edge,’ Greer said. ‘We have a unique place here.’

Judy Gail Krasnow, a resident of Armory Arts Village, said she has given about 2,000 people tours of the old prison this year and she plans to expand her itinerary to include the Michigan Theater, Under the Oaks, and Ella Sharp Museum.

‘Armory Arts Village is here, and in my opinion it has to continue,’ Krasnow said. ‘If it doesn’t, all the energy, all the money, everything that was put into it was for naught.’

Jean Weir, a resident who works with Krasnow on the tours, said the rationale for Armory Arts Village was that artists would use their creativity to benefit Jackson.

“This is a cool place,’ Weir said. ‘We need to get a lot more community support behind it.’

Chris LaRock Gorton is the owner of Fancy Schmancy Events in Art 634 and manages the gallery at Armory Arts Village. Gorton said the additional housing, retail shops and gallery in the second phase would complement the existing development and the common area would be a unique place for outdoor entertainment.

‘I can’t see why we wouldn’t want to support it as a community,’ Gorton said.

Armory Arts Village opened in December 2007 with a large art gallery, art studios and 62 apartments for people with low to moderate incomes and preference given to artists.

Jobson said he will not do the second phase without the PILOT, but if he did, Excel would pay $58,176 in property taxes the first year. Under the PILOT, Excel would pay the city $13,413 per year over 35 years. Without the second phase, the city would only get $7,075 in property taxes.

Jobson declined to comment on the development agreement. Mayor Karen Dunigan said the negotiations are going well and she expects an agreement to be reached.

‘It is a lot of back and forth and yes and no,’ Dunigan said. ‘It will all fall together.’

A City’s Distinction

Let's stop trying to escape our prison history

By Brad Flory
Jackson Citizen Patriot
Thursday, November 18, 2010

Outsiders are usually the people most fascinated by Jackson’s best-known distinction.

Like it or not, that distinction is prison tradition.

Twenty-five years ago, one newcomer was surprised to discover community boosters bristled when anyone called Jackson a prison town, even though every kid raised in Michigan since Lincoln split rails knew it was true.

‘Don’t call it Jackson Prison,’ my new co-workers warned. ‘People here hate that.’

Jackson can be prison-sensitive, I learned over time, because it fears the outside world pictures the whole city as one vast prison.

For the record, no matter what their image of a ‘prison town,’ humans love old prison stuff. Jails are a highlight of any reconstructed historic village, because that’s where parents photograph their sticky children behind bars. Medieval dungeons are popular sites in Europe. San Francisco, the original cool city, has a prison as a top tourist attraction.

A Jackson Prison Museum would make cars stream off I-94.

You might be surprised to learn something like a museum has already taken root.

Curious to see what’s going on, last week I took the $8 tour of the pre-1934 prison site that is now Armory Arts Village.

Judy Gail Krasnow, a Florida transplant who lives at Armory Arts, invented the tour. She evidently developed a strong outsider’s interest in Jackson’s prison history. She tells one fascinating story after another with the skill of a professional storyteller.

‘How do you know all this stuff?’ I asked.

State archives, the Internet and memories of living witnesses are some of her sources.

Like a fool, I babbled about what she ‘really ought to do’ to make a first-rate historic attraction. She was way ahead of me.

One prison cell, at least, will be reconstructed if Krasnow has her way. She said the Michigan Department of Corrections might contribute prison artifacts as displays.

Krasnow is stubborn and committed, so I don’t doubt she can organize forces to create a tourist attraction from Jackson’s rich prison history.

It’s a great idea, unless Jackson hates it.

Jackson has not changed so much in 25 years. Some townspeople still prefer to downplay Jackson’s prison tradition rather than draw attention to it.

To those people, here’s a thought.

Maybe the best way to prove Jackson is not one vast prison is to lure outsiders off I-94 so they can see for themselves

Michigan Automotive Compressor Inc. planning to invest $72 million in expansion over next two years

By Chris Gautz
Jackson Citizen Patriot
Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Jackson County’s largest manufacturing employer is planning the largest expansion in its 20-year history.

Michigan Automotive Compressor Inc., which began production in 1990 and produces automotive air-conditioning compressors, plans to invest about $72 million during the next two years to retool virtually all of its production lines.

The company makes a fixed-type compressor, and its customers are requesting a variable-type compressor because they are lighter and more efficient, MACI spokeswoman Cheryl Norey said.

‘We have to keep up in order not to lose business,’ MACI President Jay Ishizaki wrote in a statement. ‘As our customers are looking at newer and lighter technologies, so are we.’

MACI, 2400 N. Dearing Road, makes its parts primarily for Chrysler and General Motors inside its 800,000-square-foot facility near I-94.

The investment will be aided by a state tax credit, worth about $5 million over five years, that it is expected to receive at a Michigan Economic Growth Authority board meeting today.

No new jobs are expected to be created as a result of the investment.

The company employs 562 and relies on about 100 temporary workers each day. Norey said the company has a few job openings in engineering and on the plant floor.

Norey said MACI is waiting on final approval to make the investment from its parent company in Japan, Toyota Industries Corp., but she said it fully expects to receive that approval by the end of the month.

Next month, Norey said company officials plan to ask the village of Parma for a 12-year tax abatement.

Work will begin on the new lines early next year, with the bulk of the retooling to take place during the company’s two annual shutdowns in July and December, which usually last one to two weeks.

Scott Fleming, president and CEO of The Enterprise Group, Jackson County’s economic-development agency, said the deal took about six months to finish.

So far this year, The Enterprise Group has helped to facilitate about $106 million in capital investment—including the MACI project—in the county, Fleming said.

He said the MACI investment is a positive sign because if there is such a need for the compressors, that means just as many new vehicles are being built to put them in.

‘The automobile companies are moving ahead,’ Fleming said. ‘This is real good news.’

Armory Arts Development

Council divided on tax break

By Keith Roberts
Jackson Citizen Patriot
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

A majority of Jackson City Council supports giving a developer a tax break on the second phase of Armory Arts Village, but members questioned what the $7 million development would do for the city.

Tuesday, Jackson City Council voted 4-3 on the first reading of an ordinance to approve a payment in lieu of taxes for the development, which would include 49 senior housing units, an art gallery, retail space and common area.

Excel Realty Group President Peter Jobson did not attend the meeting, but Scott Fleming, president of The Enterprise Group of Jackson, read a letter from him that said the development would give Jackson ‘a unique place for culture and arts that will be the envy of other cities throughout the state of Michigan if we are able to go forward.’

Jobson also wrote that without the payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, there would be no development.

Councilmen Andrew Frounfelker, Carl Breeding and Kenneth Gaiser voted against the ordinance. It will be given a second reading at council’s next meeting.

The PILOT is contingent upon the negotiation of a development agreement between Excel and the city. Frounfelker said he heard a rumor that Excel was going to make a $150,000 contribution to the city as part of the agreement and asked if it were true.

City Manager Warren Renando said that figure has been used but it’s not in writing.

Breeding asked why the developer would make a contribution. ‘Could the $150,000 be considered a bribe?’ Breeding said.

Renando said it’s not uncommon for developers to make a contribution when they aren’t paying taxes.

Excel would give the city $13,413 per year over 35 years under the PILOT. Without the PILOT, the developer would pay $58,176 in property taxes the first year. Without the development, the city would only get $7,075 in property taxes.

After the meeting, Councilman Daniel Greer said he didn’t know why council members would vote against more housing, jobs and tourism.

‘To pull up stakes now and not see it through to completion—in my mind it’s a lack of vision for the future,’ Greer said.

Frounfelker said he could change his mind about the PILOT after he sees the development agreement. ‘Right now there are no details,’ Frounfelker said.

Breeding and Gaiser said they didn’t think the development would do much to boost the economy.

Fleming said he was concerned about the split vote and would have to do a better job of persuading council members of the economic benefits of the development.

City Council to discuss $7.7 million expansion of Armory Arts Village

Monday, November 8, 2010
By Keith Roberts
Jackson Citizen Patriot

Jackson City Council will consider a $7.7 million expansion of Armory Arts Village on Tuesday that would include 49 housing units for people 55 and older.

Scott Fleming, president of The Enterprise Group of Jackson, said some may question the need for senior housing in the artist community, but many of the busiest residents now are seniors and they also tend to have more disposable income than younger residents.

‘I think we’ll see more activity there,’ Fleming said.

Councilman Daniel Greer said the second phase of the development also will include an art gallery and retail space, which will help draw more visitors.

‘It will really make it a destination,’ Greer said.

Armory Arts Village opened in December 2007 with 62 units for people with low-to-moderate incomes and preference given to artists.

City Council approved the second phase in May 2009, but developer Excel Realty Group did not move forward with it. Peter Jobson, president of Excel, could not be reached for comment. Fleming said Excel had to resolve some financing and environmental issues but is now ready to go.

Excel previously was denied a Payment in Lieu of Taxes or PILOT on the second phase that would have saved the company $5.5 million over 35 years.

Excel has applied for a new PILOT and council’s City Affairs Committee is recommending approval contingent upon reaching a development agreement with the company.

Also on Tuesday, council will consider a traffic control order that could improve the flow of traffic on Brown Street.

Currently, southeast-bound traffic on Wildwood Avenue is only allowed to turn right on Daniel Road toward Westwood Mall. Council will consider a traffic control order that would allow both right and left turns from Wildwood to Daniel.

Jackson Inventors Network Meeting

Jackson Inventors Network (JIN) November 30th Meeting Announcement. Please join us at the County Commission Chambers at the County Tower Building on the 5th Floor. 120 W. Michigan Avenue, Jackson, MI 49201.

http://www.enterprisegroup.org/images/uploads/JIN_Meeting_invite.pdf

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