metromode - In The News

Michigan group looks for cutting edge investments

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Some high-profile names got together to figure out Michigan's next step in investment. Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Roger Penske, and a handful of others, met to announce InvestMichigan's first two investments as well as the direction to take for the state's investment future.

Excerpt:

"Michigan is at a tipping point, economically," Granholm told me as the meeting broke up. "We need to move in a direction, growing these green, cutting-edge technology companies right here, where we're leading the nation."

Charles Rothstein of Beringea, a Farmington Hills venture capital firm and one of three program managers for InvestMichigan, said the Penske-led council is impressive.

"We're not just giving firms a pile of money. We're giving them smart money and connected money," he said, referring to people like Penske, Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert, Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveris and Charter One regional bank president Sandra Pierce, who are available to offer advice in many industries and provide connections to tap key talent.

Read the entire article here.

Get TiVo, order a pizza

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The future, here it comes. Michigan-based Dominos pizza and TiVo have hooked up to offer a unique option. You can now, if you have a TiVo, order a pizza right from the darn thing. You can pick it up or have it delivered and, if delivered, track it like a UPS package.

Man, what's next? Flying cars?

Excerpt:

TiVo subscribers can order pizza through several advertising entry points on the TiVo user interface including Gold Star Sponsorship, Program Placement, Interactive Tags in live TV spots, and through Music, Photos, Products, & More by clicking on "Order Your Dominos Pizza Now."

TiVo subscribers can set-up a user name and password on Dominos.com so that each time they use their TiVo remote to place an order, they can log-in with a simple account number. Alternatively, TiVo subscribers can enter their delivery address, build their pizza order right from the television set by selecting type of crust, toppings, and sauces, and get the pizza delivered by their local Domino's Pizza.

Read the entire article here.

Dearborn's Arab-American National Museum wins national art award

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Dearborn's Arab-American National Museum was honored for a digital photography program for middle schoolers.

Excerpt:

A free digital photography program for middle school students offered by the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn has been honored by the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities.

The SURA Arts Academy is one of 15 programs nationally that received the committee's Coming up Taller award Friday in Washington. First lady Laura Bush, the committee's honorary chairwoman, presented the award.

Read the entire article here.

Freep finds the best burgers in town

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Whether you like Dearborn's Miller's Bar or Royal Oak's Red Coat Tavern, you favorite burger joint is bound to show up somewhere on the Freep's list of best burgers in town. Not into red meat? Don't worry, check out No. 24. Ferndale's Flytrap has a salmon burger just waiting for consumption.

Excerpt:

When we asked readers this fall to point us toward Detroit's best hamburgers, hundreds of you sent recommendations. We read every one, picked the places that sounded best and then hit the streets in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties to taste them. Six weeks and innumerable antacids later, here are our favorites.

Read the entire article here.

Bicyclists asking Royal Oak for a little help

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Bicyclists are organizing and asking Royal Oak to put together some non-motorized friendly goals to increase the safety of riders. Signage and bike paths along roads are key to improving the well-being of these bicyclists.

Excerpt:

The group wants Royal Oak to create a non-motorized transportation plan that will set goals to increase safety for bikers and walkers by adding bike lanes and signage to roads that remind everyone streets are meant to be shared by cars, bicyclists and pedestrians.

"The situation is bad here. We have to plan change carefully. Cyclists are riding on the sidewalk; they are getting struck crossing driveways or at corners," said Regan, a Royal Oak resident. "We want that to change. Motorists need to know that they are legally entitled to be there."

At the meeting, commissioners appointed Regan and two other cyclists to a task force to write up some recommendations. A meeting between the task force and City Manager Tom Hoover is being planned, Regan said.

Read the entire article here.

Michigan's future economy is in alternative energy, experts say

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

When an expert says something, you gotta listen. And, so, experts are saying that Michigan's economic future is in alternative energy, energy efficiency measures, and climate-change solutions. Not only will these points help bring Michigan out of it's flickering economy but they'll also help the world.

What sounds better than helping yourself and helping the world? Nothin', that's what.

Excerpt:

Michigan's economy could be substantially buoyed by 60,000 or more "green jobs" in response to renewable energy production, increased energy-efficiency measures and other climate-change solutions, according to Michigan and national experts from such organizations as the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and the Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan.

The experts cautioned business leaders, policy makers and the news media to take with a grain of salt the expected denial of global warming science and "economic alarmism" likely to be central themes at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce event to be held Tuesday in Detroit. For more information on what is wrong with such fear mongering, go to http://www.CO2MediaGuide.org.

Read the entire article here.

Ann Arbor ranked among the best places to raise rugrats

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Ann Arbor racked up another superlative - this time for raising kids in America. Business Week went out and pulled together a number of the best cities in the nation to raise children and Ann Arbor was one of them.

Excerpt:

We knocked out towns with populations of fewer than 50,000 and median household incomes of less than $40,000 or more than $100,000. And we ended up with a list that included some well-known places such as Phoenix, Columbus, Ohio, and Ann Arbor, Mich. But we also found some hidden gems such as Euless, Tex., smack in between Dallas and Fort Worth, which according to Sports Illustrated has the nation's top-ranked high school football team, and Murfreesboro, Tenn., a college town outside Nashville.

Read the entire article here.

Rail between Dearborn, airport closer as stops determined

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Inch by inch that commuter rail is getting closer to realization. And, here's another inch. Rail stops have been sketched out on the commuter rail line connecting Dearborn and the airport.

Excerpt:

Six miles from the new North Terminal, a planned station on county-owned land at Michigan and Henry Ruff would connect commuters to their flights via an airport shuttle. The station would be one of five along the line that would share track with Amtrak and freight trains and include stops in Ypsilanti and at the New Center in Detroit.

Carmine Palombo, director of transportation for the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, said the train line is a key component of the ambitious plans for a mass transit system that could complement and add to the region's economy.

"The site gives us a lot of accessibility and with getting to and from the airport, it gives us good travel time," Palombo said.

Read the entire article here.

SE Michigan IT security conference says watch your home computers

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

You gotta watch your home computers. That's the advice Gordon Mitchell told a couple of hundred IT professionals at the Secure World Detroit conference in Dearborn. It's at home where the biggest threats lie. What is the triple threat of a security breach? File sharing, games, and pornography.

Excerpt:

The threats to data security are most severe at home, a Seattle security expert told the Secure World Detroit conference at the Ford Conference and Events Center in Dearborn Wednesday.

Gordon Mitchell, president of Future Focus Inc., told the audience of a couple of hundred IT security professionals how to "become a counterspy in three easy lessons."

Mitchell said good counterspies must figure out what information is valuable, think about who could be a spy, think likea spy would and protect the information.

Companies and institutions are constantly surrounded by people who are spying on them, Michell said. The strategies can range from the sophisticated to the simple -- like the biotech client that actually had an employee listening to board meetings by using a drinking glass up against a wall.

Read the entire article here.

Bikes racks turned into city art

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Who says a bike rack has to be just a bike rack. It can be a snake, a dragon, a bunch of metal that some call art. Bike racks across the nation are becoming civil works of art. USA Today looks at these and visits Mount Clemens, checking out their bike/art racks.

Hey, they should call 'em bart racks. Hmm, maybe not.

Excerpt:

Cyclists can chain their bikes to a dollar sign on New York City's Wall Street, a pair of giant toothbrushes in Portland, Ore., and sea creatures in Louisville and Mount Clemens Mich.

Bicycle racks that combine the utility of security with the aesthetics of art are popping up across the USA.

"It creates a better environment for people who live here and visit here, and it gives people a place to park their bikes," says Lacy LaBorde of the Downtown Austin Alliance.

Read the entire article here.

It's parade time in Royal Oak

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Everyone loves a parade and magic and the holidays, right? Well, what happens when you combine all three? No, your joints won't lock up with excitement. So, the answer? Go on down to Royal Oak on Nov. 22 and check see for yourself. That's the day the city is having their Downtown Royal Oak Holiday Magic Parade.

Excerpt:

This year's parade offers something for the entire family. The fun begins at 9 am with special parade day sales in participating downtown stores. The parade runs from 10 am – 11 am, with the route starting on Washington at Lincoln and heading up to Fourth Street. Plus, there is free parking downtown from 10 am to 2 pm.

There will be floats, marching bands, and a variety of other performers from over 50 different area groups. And, to top off the event, Santa will be arriving from the North Pole for one of his first stop in metro Detroit to kick off the holidays. Kids will have the opportunity to visit Santa at Stagecrafters at the Baldwin Theater from 11 am to 1 pm.

To volunteer or for more information contact Stephanie McIntyre, Downtown Manger for the Royal Oak DDA, at 248-246-3286 or visit www.downtownroyaloak.org.

Ann Arbor's 'Greenbelt' gets bigger

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Ann Arbor's greenbelt program just got considerably bigger. This program is designed as a preservation initiative to hold onto the green land around Ann Arbor. The city has purchased two plots, adding nearly 400 acres to its greenbelt land.

Excerpt:

The combined 336-acre deal preserves farmland proximate to other protected open space.

It also fulfills a a long-held wish, said Mayor John Hieftje, who remembers using the Whitmore Lake Road property as an example when he promoted the idea of a greenbelt program in 2003.

"It's a wonderful opportunity to preserve agriculture around Ann Arbor for a very long time to come," he said.

Read the entire article here.

Smart cars hit milestone with 20,000 sales in 10 months

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

It's good to have goals. Otherwise, you'll get lazy. And, once you make those goals, you should set new ones. So, now, it's time for Bloomfield Hills-based Smart Car USA distributor to set a new goal since they've reached their last one - to sell 20,000 Smart Cars in 10 months.

If you don't know already, Smart Cars are those tiny little baby autos you see out on the road.

Excerpt:

“Hitting this landmark just 10 months following sales launch proves that the Smart Fortwo is changing the landscape of America’s highways,” said Dave Schembri, president of Smart USA. “More U.S. consumers are discovering that the Fortwo is the right car at the right time, offering a high level of fuel efficiency, comfort, agility, safety and ecology.”

The Smart Fortwo is the most fuel efficient, non-hybrid vehicle in the United States according to the 2009 EPA Fuel Economy Guide, achieving an average of 41 miles per gallon on the highway.

The Fortwo is also certified by the EPA as a “Smartway” vehicle, which indicates good environmental performance, placing it among the “greenest” vehicles on the market.

Read the entire article here.

'Cools Cities' initiative now incorporates internships

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Having a cool career in a cool city here in Michigan starts with a cool internship. And that's what the Cool Cities Internship Program supplies. The initiative has incorporated an internship and fellowship program to help retain Michigan's college grads.

This program's so cool Michigan should just call it the Fonzie Initiative.

Excerpt:

"The Cool Cities Internship Program is just one more way to bring creativity and new ideas from our young people into our communities and neighborhoods throughout the state," Gov. Jennifer Granholm said. "By attracting these young and knowledgeable workers into our cities and giving them the opportunity to unleash their imaginations will help us keep them in Michigan while improving our economic diversity."

Since 2003, the Cool Cities program has worked to revitalize neighborhoods, build community identity and retain knowledge workers. Plans are under way to further manifest the cultural ethos of the Cool Cities with a mix of internships, fellowships, workshops, and networking and collaboration opportunities for young people.

Read the entire article here.

Stick around Michigan for your winter ski trip

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Ah, no need to go out of state if you want to hit the slopes. Stay here in Michigan. With lower gas prices and the expected cold and snowy winter, Michigan ski resorts are gearing up for one hot (but still cold) season, which will greatly add to the state's tourism industry.

Excerpt:

The state's 32 ski areas and resorts are a huge bargain for Midwest skiers compared to trips to Aspen or Vail.

Last year, many of Michigan's ski resorts stayed open from December to March without a major winter thaw, boosting ski resort business by 15%, according to the Michigan Snowsports Industries Association (MSIA). Resorts in both northern and lower Michigan got about 75-80 inches of snow, while Marquette got more than 200 inches.

Read the entire article here.

Thirft store businesses growing as of late

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Resale and thrift stores are booming as metro Detroiters tighten the belt and watch their wallets in these dicey economic times.

Excerpt:

Resale is one of the fastest-growing segments of retail, with a growth rate of 5 percent a year during each of the past three years, according to the St. Clair Shores-based National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops. Resale is a multibillion dollar business -- exact sales figures are not available -- with more than 25,000 resale, consignment and thrift shops in the United States.

In a national survey of association members, including those in Michigan, 62.5 percent said sales have increased by an average 30 percent this year. Some 85.8 percent said their stores were seeing new customers.

Demand is growing at many Metro Detroit thrift shops, including those operated by the Grace Centers for Hope. Sales in the past year are up 10 percent to 20 percent, and the stores slashed prices on everything by 50 percent to help struggling customers.

Read the entire article here.

Grants to help Michigan go green with green trees

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Nothin' is more green than trees - unless it's fall. And, well, it's fall, but, putting semantics aside, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources have granted 22 communities in the area nearly $100,000 to green up the place by planting trees.

Excerpt:

Twenty-two communities or groups in metro Detroit were awarded $92,825 in Community Forestry Grants from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, with much of the money to be spent on tree planting.

Of the region's recipients, Novi received the most dollars -- $20,000 -- for a street tree inventory and plan project, according to the state Web site. Grants totaling $214,665 were awarded to 50 projects statewide.

Read the entire article here.

LimeWire talks to Ghostly International

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

LimeWire interviews Jeff Owens, the label manager for Ann Arbors favorite electronic music label Ghostly International.

Excerpt:

It's the season of scary, and we recently had the pleasure of interviewing Jeff Owens, the label manager for Ghostly International and Spectral Sound. Founded by Sam Valenti IV in 1999 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Ghostly is one of America's most innovative and influential independent record labels. Continue reading to find out why...

Read the entire article here.

Craigslist inventor gives some pointers to Michigan

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

You know, craigslist.org was actually invented by a dude name Craig - no joke. Craig Newmark is his name and he took his little invention and made a boatload of cash. Craigslist, if you live in a cave, is a website that took newspaper classifieds and put them on the Internet. For free.

Oh, and Craig came from Metro Detroit, too. He blew into town and offered up some advice to Michigan start-ups.

Excerpt:

Q : There are a lot of up-start technology companies here in Michigan, what kind of advice would you give to businesses that are trying to grow?

A : Basically, just listen to your customers. And then, treat people like you want to be treated, which means good customers service. Again, it's easy to say, hard to follow through, but that kind of core value is why we've been successful building this culture of trust. We say we do well as a business by doing good.

Read the entire article here.

There's presidential business in Ann Arbor but it's not what you think

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The country is embroiled in a pretty heated election race between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama. It's a historical election on both tickets with Obama being, possibly, the first black candidate elected to the office and, McCain's VP, Sarah Palin, being, possibly, the first female elected to that office.

Either way, it's time to merchandise and Ann Arbor businesses are doing just that. Their likenesses are popping up on soda, coffee, and, of course, t-shirts. And business seems to be good.

Excerpt:

Natural and organic grocer Plum Market has stocked Jones Soda Co.'s "Pure McCain Cola." But it also has sold "Obama Blend: Yes We Can Coffee," from Ann Arbor roaster Mighty Good Coffee Co.

David Myers, co-owner of the coffee company, said Obama just happens to be the first candidate to have a perfect blend of former residences - including Hawaii, Indonesia and Kenya - to inspire a new version of coffee.

"Obama Blend" has been a top seller since it was introduced earlier this month, Myers said. He has no McCain roast, but said that shouldn't be taken as his business' endorsement for Obama.

Read the entire article here.

Plan gives arts a starring role in Washtenaw's future

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A plan was released last week in Washtenaw County to put more of an emphasis on the arts. The plan calls for pushing for arts and culture as an integral part of the K-12 education experience, as well as offering support and services to creatives (artists, writers, designers, etc.).

Excerpt:

But in order to thrive, cultural assets - like any other - need maintenance and stewardship.

That's the goal behind a master plan for cultural development in Washtenaw County that was released Wednesday night by the Ann Arbor-based Arts Alliance during a reception at Weller's Carriage House in Saline.

The 108-page plan offers a vision of what Washtenaw County could look like if the enthusiasm and creativity of its citizens is harnessed and expressed in ways that tackle the shared challenges, said Tamara Real, director of the Arts Alliance.

Read the entire article here.

Dream homes in dream neighborhoods may now be affordable

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Now would be a good time to find your dream home in your dream neighborhood. As prices drop, houses in some of the area's more desirable cities become more affordable - actually, a lot more affordable.

Excerpt:

Since the market's peak in 2005, home prices have fallen about 23.2% in metro Detroit, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller home price index. Record foreclosures in the past two years have also created a drag on home values as foreclosed properties compete head-to-head with owner listings.

So, for the first time in years, buyers can find many choices in the under-$200,000 price range in communities such as Allen Park, Westland, Dearborn, Ypsilanti, Detroit, Howell, Harrison Township, Fraser, Clinton Township, Warren, Holly, Farmington Hills, Keego Harbor, Waterford, Monroe, Royal Oak and Ferndale, according to data compiled by Realcomp in Farmington Hills.

Read the entire article here.

EMU alum's Web widget hits the big time

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

What the heck is a widget? Well, widgets do things, on the Internet, within Web pages. That's still vague, huh? OK, here's an example: You know when you go to Google and those ads pop up that reflect what you just searched? That's a widget working. It's a web application that can be personalized to do specific things. With that said, EMU alum Mo Kakwan gets a lot of looks with his Web widget that'll make you laugh.

Excerpt:

If you haven’t heard George Washington recite the preamble to the constitution or a hamster speak French, you probably don’t know about Blabberize.com.

Don’t worry, word of mouth is helping turn the Internet oddity, created by Eastern Michigan University graduate Mo Kakwan, into one of the most talked about Web widgets around.

“I wanted to make a talking picture you could send as a postcard,” said Kakwan, 25, of Ann Arbor.

Read the entire article here.

Ann Arbor's IT sector going against the grain - in a good way

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Ann Arbor's IT sector isn't hearing all that noise about job loss and economic downturns. It doesn't care about the "trends" of its industry. It's throwing it aside and doing quite well.

Excerpt:

Two weeks ago I wrote a story for the Ann Arbor Business Review concluding that five IT companies have announced plans to add more than 1,000 jobs in the next few years. Literally a week later, Californian network operations firm NetEnrich announced plans to locate an operation in Ann Arbor and add 225 jobs here.

Network security, software development and IT services firms may be keeping Ann Arbor's economy's afloat as other firms hold back on potential expansions.

Read the entire article here.

Connecting the docs

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Let's recall Pee-Wee's Playhouse with this: Connect the dots... la, la, la, la. Connect the dots. Of course it's way more sing-song when he says it and he's prancing around like Pee-Wee does. Now, changes dots with docs and envision a system that pools medical information on patients for doctors across Michigan.

Excerpt:

Doctors across Michigan will have access to a comprehensive database of medical information on patients under a deal to be announced today between the Michigan State Medical Society and the Covisint subsidiary of Detroit-based Compuware Corp. (NASDAQ: CPWR).

Compuware and the society say the network is the first of its kind in the nation, a physician-led statewide effort to "connect the docs" to improve the delivery, security and efficiency of care.

"Over time, you will be in a position where you go see your primary care physician, and your physician refers you to a specialist, and they can push this information out to the specialist, so you won't have to fill out duplicate paperwork or have redundant lab tests," said David Furst, Covisint vice president for health care.

Read the entire article here.

NASA tips cap toward Michigan

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

NASA gives Michigan a nod in its next shot into space.

Excerpt:

The state of Michigan will be honored during space shuttle Endeavour's upcoming STS-126 mission to the International Space Station. Endeavour is targeted to launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 14 at 7:55 p.m. EST.

NASA is honoring all 50 states during the remaining flights of the space shuttle, which will be retired in 2010. During the STS-126 mission, Hawaii and Indiana also will be honored.

Read the entire article here.

Study identifies best entrepreneurial cities in Michigan

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Any city can be entrepreneurial, that's the whole point, right? But what cities rise to the top? Well, you're in luck. A study just released by the University of Michigan-Dearborn found exactly that.

Excerpt:

The 2008 “eCities” study (also called "the Entrepreneurial Cities Index”) found that many southeast Michigan municipalities “are hard at work attracting, cultivating, building and holding entrepreneurial firms.”

The study, conducted by iLabs, the Center for Innovation Research in the UM-Dearborn School of Management, focuses on entrepreneurship because of its importance to expansion and diversification of Michigan’s regional economies and the impact small businesses have on job creation.

This second annual UM-Dearborn study found that successful communities work with entrepreneurial businesses to determine their needs and carry out relationship marketing akin to private sector firms.

“Economic development agencies, local chambers of commerce, and state agencies all are instrumental in helping bring firms to a community,” said Timothy Davis, director of iLabs. “Successful local governments also have professional and empowered staffs who champion new businesses, leading them to solutions and acting as a conduit for networking.”

Read the entire article here.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette looks at Dearborn's Arab-American Museum

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

One-of-a-kinds always get the attention. So it's no wonder that the Arab-American Museum in Dearborn has the spotlight.

Excerpt:

Dearborn has a sizable Arab population, and the museum is touted as the first of its kind in the world.

"We thought, we really need to have an institution to help the public understand where we come from, how long we've been in the United States ... what contributions Arab Americans have made to the United States," Dr. Ameri said.

The museum's goal, she said, is to "combat many of the misconceptions and stereotypes that exist about Arab Americans."

Read the entire article here.

Everything you ever wanted to know about wind power, but didn't know who to ask

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Wind energy seems to be a key word as of late for Michigan. But what exactly is it and what happens and what do you do with it? Well, look no further. The Michigan Citizen Planner has those answers for you.

Excerpt:

With Michigan's growth in wind energy dependent on community adoption of the necessary wind siting laws, Michigan Citizen Planner is offering a "What You Need to Know about Wind Energy Siting and Policy Issues" workshop at nine locations throughout Michigan during December.

Sponsored by Michigan Farm Bureau and Michigan State University, the three-and-a-half-hour workshops will provide planning and zoning officials, local leaders, concerned citizens, farmers and landowners interested in wind the tools and resources necessary to create and implement a strategic plan for wind energy development in their communities.

Read the entire article here.

Coalition forms to push establish agenda for region's economic landscape

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Not only are communities fighting for jobs, but the state, the region, and the country. The Detroit Chamber has joined a coalition revolving around the Great Lakes region to aggressively attract and retain jobs.

Excerpt:

The Detroit Regional Chamber has joined with more than 30 other chambers of commerce in the Great Lakes region to promote a federal legislative agenda for growing the region's economy.

This coalition, pushing an aggressive business agenda for creating jobs and attracting investment in the Great Lakes area, includes more than 94,000 employers, said Richard Blouse Jr., CEO and president of the Detroit chamber.

Read the entire article here.