A10 (*) Observer & Eccentric | Sunday, <strong>May</strong>'<strong>11</strong>,<strong>2008</strong> V • "I '! •* p- -PL \ \
Page All Sunday, <strong>May</strong> 1U008 (WReGc) The Observer S Eccentric Newspapers Www.hometowniife.com Michigan success story could be duplicated with ingenuity It was a huge economic development announcement a couple of weeks ago. Thirty-three hundred new, good-paying jobs, coupled with $330 million in investment, including renovation of 500,000 square feet in downtown buildings. That is expected to create a ripple effect that will be followed by as many as 3,000 more new jobs in related industries. Was this happening in Texas Massachusetts Silicon Valley Nope, it's going on in Phil Power Kalamazoo and Mattawan, a small town southwest of there. And it looks like it may be the Michigan economy's biggest leap forward in years. MPI Research, a privately held and very rapidly growing company in the pre-toxicology life sciences business, is headquartered in Mattawan. And it has decided to expand enormously right here in Michigan, instead of China or Pennsylvania. The net result, after several years, is expected to entirely make up all the jobs lost when Pfizer decided a decade ago to close its research and manufacturing operations in Kalamazoo. It's a big announcement, but the real significance comes in the back story. According to William Johnston, the chairman of Southwest Michigan First, the local economic development outfit and a key local mover and shaker, the key events had to do with how the community rallied after Pfizer shocked the town. "We didn't whine, we didn't cry," Johnson said. "We just sat down, thought hard about our assets and how to bring them together. Basically, we applied local Capital to a storehouse of good ideas." This story should stand as a textbook case about how Michigan communities need to work together to bring us back from our current time of troubles. Consider what went into this Michigan success story: • Southwest Michigan First was organized as a privately funded economic development agency. It set up the $50 million Southwest Michigan Life Sciences Fund, which offers seed funding to companies in the life sciences — but only if they agree to locate in Kalamazoo. • Pfizer agreed to contribute two downtown buildings to the city of Kalamazoo. The city leased the buildings to MPI on favorable terms. Once MPI generates 400 new jobs, their title passes to MPI. • State government, too often criticized for inertia or worse, stepped up. The state Legislature approved a new tax-free Renaissance Zone for downtown Kalamazoo. The Michigan Economic Development Corp. pitched in tax breaks and incentives. The Department of Transportation agreed to spend $500 million to improve an qff-ramp on 1-94 to accommodate increased traffic. Gov. Jennifer Granholm sat with MPI Chairman William Parfet, pitched the project, shook hands and sealed the deal. Something like this could have never happened in the business climate of the "old" Michigan, whose culture featured conflict over collaboration, assignment of blame over working together, reliance on one or two giant companies over entrepreneurial risk, and deep pessimism or disbelief that things can actually get better. Southwest Michigan First's Johnson told me that work leading up to the announcement has been going on locally for years: "We realized that we had a legacy of skilled and talented people here going back to the days of the Upjohn Co. And we realized we had to have an entire community-wide effort. There was a danger of too much concentration on one company and one industry. "So we worked with Western Michigan University's new research and technology park, Parkview Campus, and set up an'^nnovation Center, an incubator for life science companies." Ron Kitchens, the deceptively intense but superficially low-key head of Southwest Michigan First, says Kalamazoo's progress isn't confined to the MPI deal. "We've had ll new companies here in the last seven months," he says, "including an automobile supplier firm and Kaiser Aluminum. We're building a diversified economic base." l But it might be that the most satisfied of all is Bill Parfet, the high-energy, low-profile head of MPI. The land that the old Pfizer buildings are on was originally bought by his greatgrandfather, Dr. John Upjohn. The patriarch built the Upjohn Co. into a giant corporation, and his father managed it for years. Now his own company is going back to the old family farm to make yet another contribution to his community. Parfet won't talk about it, but his heart has got to be swelling with pride these days. ; What is clear is that this whole episode is a perfect illustration of what will make.Michigan prosperous again — energy and vision; collaboration and inventiveness; willingness to take risk, coupled with concern for community. We have the DNA of greatness in our bones. It's up to us all to find ways to express it. Phil Power founder and president of The Center for Michigan, a centrist think tank based in Ann Arbor, The opinions expressed here are Power's and do not represent the officiai views of The Center. Reader comments are welcome at ppower@thecenterformichigan.net. OUR VIEWS Thank Mom for her love "God couldn't be everywhere so He made mothers." There's truth to this saying often found on coffee mugs, plaques and other trinkets made as Mother's Day gifts. The saying is based in part on the notion that mothers mirror God's unconditional love here on Earth. Most mothers love their children regardless of what they have done or haven't done. They look past their children's imperfections and love them, even if at certain times or certain ages, their children don't show them love in return. Mothers are the first ones to teach their children about love. They care for them as infants and meet their needs without expecting to get anything back. They continue to sacrifice their time and energy during their children's growing up years — and even after their children become adults. Until they have children of their own, few people realize how deep and wide a mother's love is. Most adults know how to love others because of the love they were first shown by their mothers. No mother is perfect — some certainly wouldn't win any Mother of the Year awards. But most do the best they know how, loving their children the best they're able. This Mother's Day, if you're blessed enough to still have your mother, take the time to thank her for her unconditional love. She won't love you any less if you don't, but it'll certainly make her day. GOVERNMENT CONNECTION Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm Send correspondence to P.O. Box 30013, Lansing, Ml 48909, or call Constituent Services at (517) 335-7858. The fax number is (517) 335-6863. State Sen. Glenn Anderson Contact him by mail at P.O. Box 30036, Lansing, Ml 48909- 7536, or call toll free at (866) 262-7306. His e-mail address isSenatorAndersonisenate.michigan.gov. """ State Rep. Andy Dillon Send e-mails to andydillon@house.mi.gov and written correspondence to his attention at 166 Capitol Building, P.O. Box 30014, Lansing, Ml 48909-7514, by fax at (517) 373- 5976, or call toll-free at (888) REP-DILLON (737-3455). His e-mail address is andydillon@house.mi.gov. State Rep. Richard LeBlanc Send e-maiis to ricliardleblanc@house.mi.gov and written correspondence to his attention at NQ697 House Office Building, P.O. Box 30014, Lansing, Ml 48909-7514, by fax at (517) 373-5962or call toll-free, at (888) 737-5325. His e-mail address is richardieblanc@house.mi.gov. State Rep. Bob Constan Send e-mails to bobconstan@house.mi.gov and written correspondence to his attention at N0695 House Office Building, P.O. Box 30014. Lansing, Ml 48909-7514, by fax at (517) 373-5967, or call (517) 373-5967, or by e-mail at bobconstan@house.mi.gov. U.S. Sen. Car! Levin . His Washington, D.C. mailing address is 269 Russell Office Building, U.S. Senate, Washington, O.C. 20510-2202. Call him at (202) 224-6221. The fax number is (202) 224-1388. He.also has offices in Patrick V. McNamara Federal Building, 477 Michigan Ave., Room 1860, in Detroit. The local phone number is (313) 226-6020, TTY (800) 851-0030 and fax at (313) 226-6948. He also has a Web site, levin. senate.gov. U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow In Washington, D.C, the address is 133 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510. Call her there at (202) 224-4822, TTY (202) 224-2066, or e-mail her at senator® stabenow.senate.gov. In Detroit, her office is at 243 W. Congress, Suite 550. Call (313) 961-4330. She also has a Web site, stabenow.senate.gov. U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter His Washington, D.C, mailing address is 1632 Longworth House Office Building, Washington D.C. 20515. Call him at (202) 225-8171 or send a fax by dialing (202) 225-2667. His district office is at 17197 N. Laurel Park Dr., Suite 161, Livonia, Ml 48152. Call him at (734) 632-0314 or send a fax at (734) 632-0373. He also has an Web site, mccotter. house.gov. 8 OUT of 10 of your friends are wearing the wrong bra size Are you" r . k i ;.HMI -tW l _ +• •- * * t Y
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