MANISTEE - Southern Exposure Renewable Energy has developed the Windspire, with vertical rotors that catches wind energy and drive a high efficiency generator to produce electric power. A built-in smart inverter converts this power into a regulated form that is readily connectable with the electric grid. To learn more about this urban friendlier wind-power generator listen to this GreenTech edition of News Maker interview recorded at the Michigan Energy Fair.
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MANISTEE - Holdfast Technologies constructs energy efficient buildings that build an eco sandwich with insulating foam on the outside and concrete on the inside. Learn how they do it in this special GreenTech edition of News Maker interview recorded at the Michigan Energy Fair.
MANISTEE - Corn has a lot of potential uses from food, to animal feed to motor vehicle fuel, in the form of Ethanol. But there’s a lot of misinformation out there as well with some critics contending corn can’t be used to feed people and propel cars. Jody Pollok-Newsom, the executive director of the Michigan Corn Marketing Program, sets the record straight in this special GreenTech edition of News Maker Interview.
HIGHLAND - The LaFontaine Buick Pontiac GMC in Highland is one of the first auto dealers in Michigan, and the first GM dealer nationwide, to qualify for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. The dealership has taken a variety of steps to reduce with its ground breaking new facility to limit energy consumption, including a geothermal heating and cooling system that uses groundwater to maintain indoor temperatures and solar panels that help run lighting systems. Susan Docherty, General Manager of Buick Pontiac GMC, talks about GM’s green efforts in this News Maker Interview.
LANSING - In Michigan, where House seats tend to be in very safe Democrat or Republican districts, winning the primary almost assures candidates they’ll win the general election, so says political analyst Brendan Ringlever of BL Government Affairs. Listen to what’s likely to happen in the primary on Aug. 5 in this special BL Government Affairs edition of News Maker Interview.
TROY - Bob Montgomery, Executive Director of Information Technology, Oakland Community College, is the July 2008 Mentor of the Month. To hear more about the program, and what Montgomery gets from it, listen to this special edition of News Maker Interview on the ConnecTech channel.
DETROIT - Tony Scott, the former chief technology officer for General Motors, who now works as the chief information officer for Microsoft, talks about the five fundamentals all CIOs need to know. Scott was a keynote speaker at the Midwest Technology Leaders Conference.
DETROIT - Tim Cox, CIO at OnStar, talks about the technology at use for this General Motors in vehicle telematics prodict, and the new wrinkles that will be rolled out in September. Cox was a keynote speaker at the recent Midwest Technology Leaders Conference.
DETROIT - Phil Bertolini, CIO for Oakland County, was one of three recipients of the Corporate Commitment To Michigan Award, at the Michigan Technology Leaders Conference. In this News Maker Interview, Bertolini talks about all the technology and Internet communications tools the state’s second largest county is using to make it easier for residents to access government services.
MANISTEE - Tom Stanton, who heads up the Michigan Public Service Commission’s Renewable Energy Program, talks about the 30 percent federal tax credit that is available through Dec. 31 for anyone who buys energy saving products for their homes. Hear all about it in this GreenTech edition of Newsmaker Interview.
MANISTEEE - Another bright alternative energy idea from the Michigan Energy Fair - Bright Idea Energy Solutions of Chicago offers a different twist on generating wind energy, using a vertical cone shaped blade rather than propellers. To learn more about this product, listen to this GreenTech edition of Newsmaker interview.
MANISTEE - Joan’s Company has an innovative green friendly solution to keeping your house warmer in those very cold Michigan winters - solar window warmers. Joan also has other energy efficient and very low cost ways to keep your toes warm as well. Lean all about it in this special GreenTech edition of News Maker Interview.
MANISTEE - An Ann Arbor architectural firm is designing the first green-certified restaurant in the United States, complete with LED lighting, eco friendly heating and cooling and much more. Best of all, it’s located in Michigan, in Rochester. To learn more, listen to this GreenTech edition of News Maker Interview.
MANISTEE - Standale Lumber has created an insulated log to make a more energy efficient log home. The yet unnamed product, dubbed the Buzz Log at the Michigan Energy Fair, is just one of many ways Standale Lumber can help homeowners and businesses use less energy to heat and cool their buildings. Get all the details in this News Maker Interview.
MANISTEE - Mary Bigelow, an exhibitor at the Michigan Energy Fair, also will help businesses and homeowners figure out what alternative energy methods, products and services are right for them. She’s also the coordinator of a monthly mixer for the green tech players in the greater Grand Rapids area. To learn more, listen to the News Maker Interview.
MANISTEE - Jennifer Alverado, executive director of the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association, talks about recent legislation passed by the Michigan Senate to establish a renewable energy portfolio. The Senate version would mandate just 7 percent of the state’s electrical grid come from renewable energy, while the House version would mandate 10 percent. A conference committee will iron out the differences.
MANISTEE - Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association Executive Director Jennifer Alverado discusses what her organization is and does and how it lobbies for more renewable energy standards in the Michigan Legislature. GLREA just wrapped up its annual Energy Fair at the Manistee County Fairgrounds.
LANSING - Michigan Sen. Patty Birkholz (R-Saugatuck Twp.) talks about where the negotiations stand on the Great Lakes Compact, which would preserve water resources in the Great Lakes region. The package, which will end up at 12 bills including all of the House bills and all but one of the Senate bills, maintains much of the permitting and water use thresholds that had passed the Senate, but also provides for public input into the permitting process. Listen to Birkholz in this BL Government Affairs edition of News Maker Interview.
DETROIT - Thomas Peck, chief information officer for the MGM/Mirage corporation, talks about how he manages technology innovation at the largest resort and gaming company in the world. Peck was one of the speakers at the Midwest Technology Leaders conference at the Detroit MGM Grand Hotel.
MANISTEE - Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm will speak June 27 at the Michigan Energy Fair at the Manistee County Fairgrounds. Allan O’Shea, fair co-chairman, talks about Granholm’s appearance and also about the incredible interest in alternative energy technologies this year - driven by high energy prices. O’Shea’s alternative energy construction business has seen demand triple this year.
LANSING - Michigan on Monday released its four-year IT strategic plan, which will spend more than $400 million to continue consolidating the state’s Information Technology infrastructure. Michigan Chief Information Officer Ken Theis details what he has in store for the state in this News Maker Interview. Theis replaced former CIO Terri Takai who was recruited in January to become CIO in California.
GRAND RAPIDS - American manufacturers want change, and they want the three candidates for US president to not only hear them, but also deal with their demands, said David Brousell, editor and chief of Managing Automation magazine. Brousell will detail on Wednesday during PowerPlex the results of a survey of 2000 manufacturers his magazine conducted. Brousell is the keynote speaker during Plexus Systems user conference at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Grand Rapids. Listen to what he’ll tell the audience in this News Maker interview.
YPSILANTI - The task for four accomplished and veteran investors and entrepreneurs, come up with a business plan for a self sustaining, green-friendly, island community in less than 10 minutes. Yes, the second annual Battle of the Elevator Pitches at the New Enterprise Forum had a Gilligan’s Isle flavor to it and in the end Ann Arbor’s Biggest Gilligan won, Dick Beedon, CEO of Mac Beedon Group, won, for the second time in a row. Beedon bested Ron Reed of Seneca Partners, Roger Newton, Co-Discoverer of Lipitor and Founder of Esperion, and Rich Sheridan, CEO of Menlo Innovations. A tongue-in-cheek News Maker Interview captured the spirit of this event.
LANSING - New legislation developing a Michigan Renewable Portfolio Standard has been captured by the state’s major utilities and will result in less green-powered energy for more money, argues Barry Cargill, Executive Director of the Customer Choice Coalition. Cargill also said the Michigan Democratic Party delegation, eager to retain and expand unionized jobs, has fallen under the spell cast by DTE and Consumer’s Energy. The state’s Republicans, on the other hand, remain proponents of competition and will likely mitigate some of the Democrats bad legislation. Listen to this special BL Government Affairs edition of Newsmaker Interview now.
DETROIT - AT&T will spend $46 million this year in Michigan to upgrade its network and expand its G3 capabilities in the lower half of the lower peninsula. ATT. Brian Durcharme who runs ATT’s Michigan and Indiana operations talks in this News Maker Interview about the new video and audio capabilities that will be available for ATT customers this year.
GRAND RAPIDS – The Iserv Company Thursday introduced its all-new telephone service for West Michigan business and residential customers: Iserv Digital Voice, providing an alternative to AT&T, Comcast and Charter. Victor Shepherd, Iserv CEO, talks about his new service and the rapid growth of his company in this News Maker Interview.
LANSING - The Michigan Community College Association is in talks with Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s Administration to develop a couple of very innovative programs that would help the state train more tech savvy workers, including nurses, and new hires for existing or newly recruited technology companies in Michigan. Mike Hansen, President of the Michigan Community College Association, outlines those efforts in this special BL Government Affairs edition of News Maker Interview.
KALAMAZOO - Only a few more spaces are left for Great Lakes Entrepreneurs Quest’s FastTrac TechVenture six-week intensive business plan contest hosted by Southwest Michigan First in Kalamazoo. Diane Durance, Executive Director of GLEQ, discusses this innovative program that can help your technology or life sciences start up attract investors in this special GLEQ edition of News Maker Interview.
LANSING - Gov. Jennifer Granholm presented the broad brush strokes of her proposed 2008-2009 budget during her State of the State address in January. Last week, she provided the fine print for the Michigan legislature. BL Government Affairs’ Brendan Ringlever takes a close look at her legislative priorities in this special edition of News Maker Interview.
LANSING - There’s a movement afoot in Lansing to blend all the state’s business and sales taxes into one super Fair Tax that would not only hit folks paying taxes now, but also people in the underground economy - including cash only deals from criminals and illegal aliens - plus tourist that visit the state. Brendan Ringlever of BL Government Affairs outlines what the Michigan Fair Tax is all about in this special edition of News Maker Interview.
LANSING - Brendan Ringlever of BL Government Affairs’ Lansing office analyzes Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s State of the State Address Tuesday night. Granholm usurped some common Republican themes by pushing for jobs for every worker, no new taxes or fees, and one-stop shopping for businesses looking to relocate or expand in Michigan. To find out more, listen to this special BL Government Affairs edition of News Maker Interview.
TROY - What would happen if a Chemical tanker overturned in your community making it impossible for your employees to get to work? Or if that much talked about flu pandemic kept millions of Michigan workers from getting to the workplace? On Feb. 12 at noon, the ConnecTech network will host a live webinar that will discuss those various scenarios and how your business can prepare for them. On the panel will be Cisco Systems’ Steve Gutschow. To get a preview of Steve’s talk, listen to this special ConnecTech Channel edition of News Maker interview.
TROY - What if a Pandemic flu strikes Michigan, infecting millions of people, including a huge percentage of your work force. What can you do? Patriot Services Vice President Scott Hiipakka will outline how at least you can prepare for this possibility in a live webinar Feb. 12 at noon at ConnecTech.Org. To get a preview of Hiipakka’s comments, listen to this special ConnecTech edition of News Maker Interview.
ANN ARBOR - Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest in January announced its Phase 1 winners in both the New Business and Emerging Company categories during the ACE 2008 expo. To find out which companies won, and how your start up can sign up for the Phase II stage of the business-plan writing contest, which starts Feb. 1, listen to this News Maker interview.
ANN ARBOR - Ron Suarez, founder of LoudFeed, a digital music promotions company for independent record labels, is headed to Cannes, France, this week for the world’s largest independent music convention. Suarez, also founder of MediaRica.Com, the podcast partner of MITechNews.Com, hopes to ink some contracts in Europe with record labels that will propel his company to the next level.
DETROIT - Ford Motor Company’s hybrid fuel-powered fleet is increasing rapidly, riding a wave of consumer demand for GreenTech and environmentally friendly cars and trucks. Nancy Gioia, Ford’s Director of Sustainable Mobility and Hybrid Programs, talks about Ford’s future alternative energy plans in this special edition of News Maker interview from the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
DETROIT - E85 Ethanol fuel, the latest green friendly derivative, is growing in popularity although major issues, such as getting gas stations to carry it, remain. Still within a half dozen years, about half the cars and trucks on American roads will be burning this alternative energy fuel that boosts performance and cuts green house gas emissions, predicts Mary Beth Stanek, Director of Environmental, Energy & Safety Policy for General Motor’s Public Policy Center. This special GreenTech interview was done at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
TROY – Ken Rogers discusses a new report released Monday by Automation Alley says information technology professionals in southeast Michigan earned a 5.1 percent average wage increase from 2004 to 2005, despite the region losing some 6.1 percent of overall technology jobs – suggesting Southeast Michigan has been attracting or generating a fair amount of high-paying tech jobs.
LANSING - Dan Wholihan, founder of the Republican Michigander political blog, talks about how sites like his will reshape the political landscape in the 2008 elections. Wholihan will participate on a ConnecTech panel Jan. 8 with other political bloggers.
TROY - Rick Pluta, the Lansing bureau chief for Michigan Public Radio, will moderate a ConnecTech webinar Jan. 8 on how new Internet communication tools will change the way politicians campaign in the 2008 elections.
TROY - Michelle Zellen, the communications and events director for Automation Alley, talks about the technology marketing and networking group that represents the 10-counties of Southeast Michigan. Zellen also discusses what Automation Alley can do to help technology businesses in this special edition of News Maker Interview, and the second installment on the new Automation Alley podcast channel.
LANSING - Ken Theis, who will become Michigan chief information officer on Jan. 1, talks about continuing the legacy of his former boss, Teri Takai, who will become California’s CIO in January. Theis outlines his agenda for 2008 and beyond in this special edition of News Maker Interview.
LANSING - A new Michigan energy plan is developing in the House, which could result in a bill by the end of the year. What the house is trying to do is keep alternative energy providers in the mix and not return the state to the monopoly control of Consumers’ Energy and DTE Energy. Terry Harvill Vice President, Regional Regulatory and Government Affairs for Ohio and Michigan, for Constellation Energy, the largest alternative energy supplier in the state, talks about what’s at stake in this News Maker Interview.
LANSING - Teri Takai, Michigan chief information officer, will leave her post on Jan. 1 to take the same job in California. Takai in this News Maker Interview talks about her five years in the Granholm Administration, what is left undone, and what challenges await her successor, the state deputy CIO Ken Theis, who will be on the show next week.
TROY - ConnecTech replaced the GLIMA Network throughout Michigan in December. Danielle DeLonge, the former GLIMA Network Manager, now heads up the ConnecTech chapters statewide. In this special edition of News Maker Interview, DeLonge talks about why the change was made and what new features it offers to former GLIMA members.
LANSING - Over the weekend, the Michigan legislature passed changes to the former Single Business Tax, now called the Michigan Business Tax, that included a surcharge to make up for a $700 million budget shortfall. If all of this remains confusing, we’ve got Brendan Ringlever from BL Government Affair’s Lansing office to explain it all to you.
HOWELL - Skip Simms, a senior executive with Ann Arbor SPARK, and the director of the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund, said it’s a great time to be an entrepreneur in Michigan. Over the past half dozen years, more than a dozen Venture Capital companies have sprung up in the state, along with a half dozen angel capital investing groups and a myriad of start up incubators. All of these groups make it far easier now than at the turn of the century to start a life sciences, technology, homeland security and web-related services company in Michigan.
HOWELL - Marine Gen. Bradley Lott, the newly appointed Director of the Michigan Defense Contract Coordination Center, administered by the Michigan Economic Development Corp., thinks Michigan can again become the Arsenal of Democracy - like it was during World War II - by harnessing the expertise developed in the state’s dominant auto industry to build military hardware. It’s Lott’s task to bring federal contracts to Michigan and he thinks a new Marine Corps. vehicle now under review could become the first of many new manufacturing deals Michigan could attract.