Chat with John Czarnecki of MEDC
Posted by gweiss, Wed Feb 14 12:07:00 UTC 2007
Very interesting chat this morning on the MSC site with John Czarnecki of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. (Login required.) Snip:
MEDC is trying to go after "high tech companies," life science industries, renewable energy ... we have programs, like the 21st century fund, that's targeted to those kind of industries. But everyone has to understand that every state in the country are going after the same firms--those are the growth industries for the 21st century. Our biggest problem is still the cutbacks in the auto industry. We're holding our own in other sectors, but we're reading more and more about the cuts GM is making, Ford is making ... and that goes down to their suppliers. If they could have the market share they had 15 years ago we'd be in great shape. But we cannot attract enough jobs from other industries to make up for those losses.
FYI, tomorrow at 7:00 PM is a chat with Susanne Chandler, Dean of the School of Education and Human Services at UM-Flint to talk about issues in Michigan's educational system.