2016
MEDF
ANNUAL
REPORT
Fred Shell
MEDF Co-Chair & President
LETTER FROM FRED SHELL
Success.
It’s often hard to define when it comes to economic development, but due to a strong partnership
with companies across Michigan, 2015 was a very successful year for our state.
I thank you all for your continued support.
In 2015, Michigan led the nation in new automotive manufacturing jobs – more than 440,000
private sector jobs have been created since 2010 – and, more significantly, Michigan has the
second most improved credit rating nationally, according to Bloomberg News.
But none of this would be possible without your company’s commitment and investment in
Michigan. The Foundation is dedicated to increasing opportunities for Michigan businesses and
their partners, and we’ll continue to support the success of business in our great state through
investment missions, industry events, market blitzes and international trade efforts.
At the MEDF, we don’t just help business. We connect passionate people to the right resources,
allowing them to do amazing things that make Michigan so successful. Thank you for all your
passion. Here’s to another tremendous year.
Sincerely,
Fred Shell
President MEDF
Mission
To promote economic development efforts in Michigan that create private
investment and increase jobs and wages. Support events that enhance business
retention and attraction efforts. Increase national and international awareness
of Michigan’s positive business climate including tax policy, regulatory reform
business development incentives and other measures.
Objectives
• Market Michigan’s business climate nationally and internationally
• Attract and maintain high-skilled and high-paying jobs to Michigan
• Attract highly-skilled workforce to Michigan’s business
• Support economic development activities
• Support Michigan tourism efforts
• Maintain low unemployment levels
MEDF MISSION & OBJECTIVES
Governor Rick Snyder
Chairman (ex-officio)
C/O Steve Arwood
Michigan Economic
Development Corporation
Assistant: Amiee Evans
Ms. Christine Estereicher
Assistant Treasurer Sr. Manager
State Relations
Fiat Chrysler Automobile US LLC
CIMS 485-13-95
Assistant: Angelica Labadie
Mr. Frederick E. Shell
Co-Chairman and President
Vice President, Corporate
and Government Affairs
DTE Energy Company
Assistant: Margo Sauner
Ms. Brooke L. Beebe
Director,
State Government Affairs
The Dow Chemical Company
Mr. Steve Kurmas
Treasurer,
President & COO
DTE Energy Distribution
Assistant: Karen Vucinaj
Ms. Dana Debel
Director of Government Affairs
Delta Air Lines
Mr. Bart Diag
President and CEO
Baker College
2016 MEDF BOARD OF DIRECTORS & OFFICERS
Mr. Dennis Marvin
Community Engagement Manager
Consumers Energy
Ms. Tricia Keith
Vice President
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Assistant: Raquel Parlow
Mr. Jim Murray
President,
AT&T Michigan
Assistant: Ann Pollard
Mr. D. Jeffrey Noel
Corporate Vice President,
Communications and Public Affairs
Whirlpool Corporation
Assistant: Bonnie Lewis
Mr. Brian O’Connell
Regional Director,
State Government Relations
General Motors Corporation
Mr. Brad Simmons
Director,
Government & Stakeholder
Relations
Ford Motor Company
Assistant: Sue Olsen
Ms. Donna Zalewski
Director,
Local Government &
Community Affairs
ITC Holdings
Non-Voting Member
Ms. Jennifer LeFevre
Secretary
LeFevre Consulting
stage for driving statewide dialogue among top business
leaders, government officials, innovative entrepreneurs
and community advocates from all corners of the state.
North American International Auto Show January
The MEDC used this opportunity to build deeper
relationships with key automotive executives, which will
lead to future investment and job growth within Michigan.
We also worked with the governor’s team to capture
the governor’s involvement at this event by providing
professional photos of his annual floor walk. We added this
year inviting key site selectors to the Charity Preview and
used this hosting opportunity to educate them on the
advantages of Michigan for their clients’ business needs.
Trade/Investment Trips: Chile/Colombia (May), Canada
(June), China (August), Japan/Germany (September),
India (October) and Israel/Turkey (November)
The governor and leadership from the MEDC participated
in trade/investment missions to Canada, Chile, China,
Colombia, Germany, India, Israel, Japan and Turkey to
strengthen relationships with governments and industry
groups. They also held meetings with companies already
invested in Michigan, those courting future investment, and
to support Michigan companies, local economic developers
and universities that are currently operating or have overseas
business interests. The trips were successful in laying the
foundation for future investment in Michigan.
Sponsorship of The Detroit Regional Chamber’s 2015
Mackinac Policy Conference – May
The Detroit Regional Chamber’s 2015 Mackinac Policy
Conference continued its tradition as Michigan’s center
2015 REPORT ON EVENTS
Travel Michigan
As part of its PR and marketing efforts for FY 2015, Travel
Michigan hosted a Travel Massive event in New York City
on August 18. More than 75 travel industry enthusiasts
(including influential travel writers and bloggers) attended
the event held at Shinola’s Tribeca store, and more than
600,000 impressions were generated from social media
engagement from the event. Local partners from Traverse
City, Ann Arbor, Detroit and Grand Rapids also attended.
While Michigan beer and wine were donated by Founder’s
Brewing Co. and the Michigan Wine and Grape Industry
Council, support from the Foundation allowed us to also
offer a Vernors specialty cocktail to attendees.
Michigan Consular Corps
Michigan’s Consular Corps were invited to attend a
private reception with the governor and administration
officials at the governor’s Lansing residence. This annual
reception honors the Consuls and provided an opportunity
to thank them for their service to Michigan citizens and the
international business community. This year, select members
were also invited to attend the governor’s Inauguration
Ceremony and invited as the governor’s guests to his State
of the State address. This group continues to serve as one
of the top promoters of the Michigan message overseas.
International Delegation Hosting
During 2015, we hosted several international delegation
visits to Michigan. The size, length of stay and involvement
of the MEDC varied from delegation to delegation. The
typical hosting services provided to these groups are
meals, transportation, hotel accommodations, coordination
of the visit, meeting planning and facilitated introductions
within Michigan. We normally partner with the local
economic development groups to host these delegations.
We also had the honor this year to host their Majesties
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima during their
first official visit to the U.S.
Pure Michigan 400 – August (Southwest Michigan)
Michigan International Speedway (MIS) and Pure Michigan
teamed up to host the Pure Michigan 400 NASCAR Sprint
Cup race at MIS in August. The partnership brought the
Pure Michigan message to millions nationwide who watched
the Pure Michigan 400 on ESPN and to tens of thousands
who came to MIS on race days. One of the Pure Michigan
campaign’s main goals is to attract more visitors and
investments to Michigan.
Site Consultant Outreach
In 2015, the MEDC continued our focus developing relationships with the site consultant industry and promoting opportunities in Michigan. Our strategy included industry events
and sponsorships, FAM tours, key market marketing blitzes
and partner education opportunities. Through these efforts,
we have seen the number of opportunities for new jobs and
investment sourced through the site consultant industries
continue to increase.
Industry Events
We attended the International Asset Management Council’s
Spring and Fall Forums, CoreNet Global Summit, TrustBelt
Conference and Consultant Connect’s annual event. These
events provide access to large numbers of consultants and
site decision influencers as well as corporate real estate
executives. We also sponsored ITRA’s (International Tenant
Representative Association) conference in Detroit. This event
hosted 43 consultants from around the globe.
FAM Tours
The MEDC, in partnership with our local and utility partners,
hosted four familiarization tours for consultants in 2015. Locally
lead events were supported in Regions 5 and 9, and the MEDC
hosted consultants in Region 2 at Bay Harbor. In partnership
with the Detroit Regional Chamber, we hosted consultants
in region 10 for the North American International Auto Show
and Gala. These events are one of the best ways for us to
share the Pure Michigan story.
Marketing Blitzes
The MEDC hosted two market blitzes in 2015. These events
were held at Shinola in New York City and the World of
Whirlpool in Chicago. During each of these events, the
MEDC, eight local partners and three of our utility partners
met with key consultants to share the Pure Michigan story.
After a roundtable discussion and one-on-one meetings,
we hosted the consultants at a reception with Governor
Snyder and other Michigan business leaders. We also met
with consultants in New York, Chicago, Atlanta and Dallas.
Partner Education
We sponsored two educational events for our partners in
2015. The “Secrets of Site Selection” provided a full day
of economic development education for 30 of our partners,
focused on the process site consultants go through to site
projects for their clients, taught by site consultants. We also
sponsored 10 local partners to attend Consultant Connect’s
annual event in Greenville, South Carolina.
Global Business Development Summit – (India) October
The MEDC Global Business Development Team partnered
with the MEDC Export and Pure Michigan Business Connect
(PMBC) teams to organize and execute the first Global
Business Development Summit. A strategic decision was
made to approach Indian firms with turnkey services for
traditional FDI as well as U.S. market entry or growth through
joint venture partnerships, the primary avenue taken by
Indian firms entering global markets. PMBC’s ability to offer
custom JV partner searches is game-changing for the overall
Indian investment strategy by bringing a product to Indian
firms that responds exactly to their needs. This approach
absolutely sets Michigan apart from other regional U.S.
and global competitors.
from India as a result of the Lt. Governor’s trip there in
October 2015.
North American International Auto Show –
January 2016 (Detroit)
Taking advantage of the international attention this premier
automotive event draws, MEDC intends to host a reception
that will showcase Michigan talent and innovation. We also
will be hosting a large delegation from China (CCPIT) and are
sponsoring the 2016 Annual China-U.S. Automotive Forum.
Trade/Investment Missions to Canada, China, Germany,
Israel, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru and Qatar
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has
identified significant business opportunities in Canada,
China, Germany, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Netherlands,
Peru and Qatar. The MEDC proposes that the Governor
and Lt. Governor conduct trade/investment missions to
Mexico and Peru to further strengthen relationships with
companies already invested in Michigan, those courting
future investment and to support Michigan companies,
local economic developers and universities that are currently
operating or have overseas business interests. The trips were
successful in laying the foundation for future investment in
Michigan.
International Delegation Hosting
During 2016, we plan to have Governor Snyder extend
invitations to key officials and business leaders to visit
Michigan. We see this as an opportunity to continue to
promote Michigan on the international front. We expect
to host 15 delegations in FY 2016. In FY 2015, six key delegations came to us from China. We expect to see this
number increase as we continue to build relations in that
market. We also expect to see an increase in delegation
2016 PROPOSED EVENTS
Travel Michigan
Travel Michigan plans to hold two Travel Massive events,
as well as four small group media familiarization tours in
the current fiscal year, similar to what was done in FY 2015.
Contributor Reception – TBD
The Governor will host a reception to honor current
contributors to the MEDF. He will highlight his economic
plan for Michigan and provide supporters of the MEDF
with an opportunity to network.
Consular Corps Reception – TBD
(Governor’s Residence, Lansing)
Michigan’s Consular Corps will be invited to attend a
private reception with the governor and administration
officials at the governor’s Lansing residence, which will
honor the Consuls and provide an opportunity to thank
them for their service to Michigan citizens and the international
business community. This year we seek to expand the
event to a greater audience, reaching not only Michigan
Corps members but focusing on the Chicago Consuls and
Ambassadors who cover Michigan.
Site Consultant Outreach Activities
Our 2016 strategy will continue to focus on firms whose core
business is to provide site location services. Robert Wilson is
assigned exclusively to this industry and focuses on
cultivating relationships and educating site selectors
on Michigan’s assets. In FY 16, this will be accomplished
by continuing to participate in key events and hosting
familiarization tours and market blitzes. Given MEDC’s
budget reduction, collaboration and coordination with
our local partners will be critical.
Industry Events
CoreNet Global and the International Asset Management
Council (IAMC) are well-respected industry associations.
We will continue our membership in these organizations
and participate in CoreNet’s fall summit and IAMC’s spring
forum. One-on-one site selector meetings will be scheduled
when possible.
FAM Tours
Providing on the ground exposure to Michigan’s assets
allows personal interaction with business leaders, community
officials, workforce development experts, and university and
college resources. The MEDC will host FAM (familiarization)
tours around the North American International Auto Show
and the Senior PGA Tournament.
Market Blitzes
The MEDC will host one market blitz in New York. We will also
participate in 2-3 Consultant Connect Summits which offer
a cost-effective way to interact with consultants. Historically,
our regional partners have hosted consultants in their region.
We will support a limited number of these regional FAM tours
during 2016.
International Trade
The MEDC International Trade team will lead 13 overseas
trips during the FY 2016, including travel to Europe, Asia,
Latin America and the Middle East.* These trips will focus
on connecting Michigan companies with potential distrib-
utors, buyers and/or strategic partners through organized
trade missions and participation at international trade shows.
In each case, Michigan companies are supported by the
MEDC foreign offices and/or other MEDC partners as they
assess foreign market opportunities for the sale of their
products and services. Through these trips and other export
support services, it’s estimated that the International Trade
Team will generate more than $340 million in facilitated
export sales in FY 2016.
*Germany, the United Kingdom, China, India, Mexico,
Brazil, Peru, Canada, Israel and Jordan; Dubai Air Show,
Arab Health and Hanover Messe
Corporate Contribu-on In-­‐Kind Interest Administra*on Administra*on Events Events Protocol Protocol 2016 REVENUE & EXPENDITURES
REASONS WHY MICHIGAN MEANS BUSINESS
• Michigan is ranked as a Top 10 Pro-Business State by the American
Economic Development Institute
• More than 440,000 private-sector jobs have been added since
December 2010 ranking Michigan #5 in most private job creation1
• Michigan leads the nation with more than 140,000 new automotive
manufacturing jobs since 20092
• Unemployment rate of 5.1% is on par with the nation3
• Detroit ranks #3 in the U.S. as a tech jobs “hotbed” according to the
Oregon Office of Economic Analysis
• According to Bloomberg, Michigan has the #2 most improved credit
rating nationally
• For three consecutive years, site selection has ranked Michigan
among the top seven states for major new and expanded facilities
and is first among the Great Lakes states.
• Michigan’s GDP growth outpaced the nation from 2009-2015,
with growth of 13.9% compared to 10.7%4
• Since 2010, global companies have invested $7.8 billion in capital
projects across the state, creating nearly 35,000 new jobs5
• Michigan ranks #7 nationally for total export dollars at nearly
$53.2 billion and #3 for exports to the United States’ 20 Free
Trade Agreement partners at $36.4 billion6
Bureau of Labor Statistics, December 2010-June 2015
Center for Automotive Research, November 2015
3
Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget, February 2016
4
Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2014
5
FDImarkets.com, May 2015
6
International Trade Administration, TradeStatsExpress, 2015
1
2
2015 CONTRIBUTIONS
AEP
Borg Warner
Magna Services of America, Inc.
Marathon Petroleum Company LLC
TRAM Inc.
Denso International
Meijer
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
Delta Dental Plan of Michigan
John Brown
Quicken Loans
Robert Bosch Corporation
AT&T
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Dow Chemical Foundation
ITC Holdings Corp.
EVENT SPONSORSHIPS
Detroit Regional Chamber
IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS
Delta Air Lines
McCann Detroit
Contact:
Jennifer M. LeFevre • Executive Director
517.282.1676 • jlefevre@puremedf.org
P.O. Box 13063 Lansing, MI 48901
Whirlpool
Consumers Energy Foundation
Chrysler LLC
Ford Motor Company
General Motors Foundation
DTE Energy