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.
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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.
ANN ARBOR - Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest has launched a new paid training service for entrepreneurs who sign up to compete in the business-plan writing contest. It’s called Cantillon. Miche Suboski, a small business advocate who works with GLEQ.Org, provides details in this special New Maker Interview on the GLEQ channel.
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.
TROY - ConnecTech and the Troy Chamber are partnering this fall to offer awards for web excellence, but instead of giving them to web development companies, they’ll go to individuals. This year’s ConnecTech categories include individual awards for excellence in Graphic Design, Copy Writing, Application Development and Blogging. To learn more, listen to this special ConnecTech edition of News Maker Interview.
GRAND RAPIDS - The latest generation of Apple’s smart phone, called the iPhone 3G (Third generation) made its debut on Friday morning across the country at AT&T corporate stores. Bill Bendetti, director of sales for AT&T in West Michigan and Northern Indiana, talks about what this smarter, faster, and less expensive phone has to offer consumers and businesses in this edition of News Maker Interview.
ANN ARBOR - Two veteran venture capitalists, Jack Aherns from TGap Ventures, and Tom Churchwell from Midwest Venture Partners, discuss the state of Venture Capital in Michigan. Both men also are coaches for Michigan’s Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest business-plan contest. Listen to what they have to say in this special Entrepreneur’s Corner edition of News Maker Interview.
ANN ARBOR - Daixo, a new business idea category participant in the spring 2008 Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest business plan writing contest, delivers the July 2008 elevator pitch. Daixo is a web-based electronic medical record system to be custom-built initially for dermatologists who need to better manage their work flow.
MANISTEE - Eclipse Distributing, at the June Michigan Energy Fair, demonstrated a line of energy efficient, yet environmentally friendly stoves that burn pellets, wood, biodiesel and other sources of energy. To find out 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.
