DETROIT — Monday, the Detroit Regional Chamber’s MICHauto program and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced a Memorandum of Understanding between the organizations to collaborate as strategic partners in promoting and growing Michigan’s automotive cluster as a driver of economic growth and diversification in the 21st century.
“Through this partnership the MEDC and Detroit Regional Chamber are stepping up to enhance Michigan’s position as the epicenter of the auto industry,” said Chamber President and CEO Sandy K. Baruah, who serves on the MICHauto Advisory Board. “Working with the MEDC, MICHauto will sharpen statewide efforts to promote Michigan’s auto industry to capitalize on its potential to drive innovation and economic growth, [and] use our state’s world-class auto assets to spur economic diversification.”
As part of the Memorandum of Understanding, MICHauto and the MEDC will work together to share intelligence on automotive prospects and collaborate on select global business attraction efforts. MICHauto will also convene a series of roundtables to develop an automotive strategy for the state of Michigan and host an annual event for MEDC leadership and executive branch officials to meet with automotive executives.
“The MEDC continues to seek opportunities to work with key partners such as the Detroit Regional Chamber to drive economic development across the state,” said MEDC President and CEO Michael Finney, who signed the MOU along with Baruah. “As the global economy becomes more competitive, we must increase efforts to leverage Michigan’s assets to attract investment and talent. We look forward to working with MICHauto to develop a statewide strategy that embraces the automotive industry as a driver of economic growth.”
Through the partnership, the MEDC and MICHauto will partner to address key economic development issues affecting the auto industry, such as expanding Michigan’s talent advantage as well as initiatives and events to promote awareness about Michigan’s auto industry. The MEDC will also serve on the MICHauto Economic Development and Awareness committees.
MICHauto looks forward to working with other entities like Original Equipment Suppliers Association and the Center for Automotive Research to access expertise and resources to increase collaboration.
As a key economic development initiative of the Detroit Regional Chamber, MICHauto is dedicated to promoting, retaining, and growing the automotive industry in Michigan. It serves as the unified voice of Michigan’s automotive industry, convening various stakeholders and fostering collaboration on advocacy, economic development, and talent issues. To learn more, visit MICHauto.org.
For more information about the Detroit Chamber, please visit detroitchamber.com.
