“These seven top performing communities demonstrate that they understand what small businesses need to be successful by communicating with them and providing connections to broader resources and insight on trends,” said Tim Davis, director of iLabs.

UM-Dearborn’s iLabs eCities research recognizes 45 Michigan communities developing a positive entrepreneurial climate.

“Businesses are the engines of growth and development in today’s economy with government establishing the rules and environment to make this happen. A collaborative and constructive dialogue between business and government is the only way we can balance the needs of businesses and society at large to provide for a peaceful and harmonious coexistence,” said Pavan V. Muzumdar, managing director, Pieris Capital, LLC and one of the entrepreneurial reviewers for the study.

In addition, 37 other communities across the State that performed well in eCities 2011 have been identified as five and four star communities.

The eCities research surveyed more than 100 communities in the State of Michigan who are home to 36% of Michigan residents and 44% of its college graduates. These communities also had more than $1 billion in commercial construction last year and more than half of them share services with other communities.

“We are pleased to have participation from so many communities throughout the state in eCities 2011,” said Davis. “The focus of this project is assisting local communities by identifying best practices and methods that they can implement which will aid with job growth strategies, economic diversification, and development of entrepreneurs.”

The communities were honored at a ceremony at UM-Dearborn on Wednesday, Nov. 16, with Martin Dober, senior vice president of entrepreneurship & innovation, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, providing the keynote address at the event.

The annual eCities research project, which began in 2007, uses data supplied by the participants as well as other public records to assemble a six-factor, 32-item index of entrepreneurial activity, looking at such factors as clustering, incentives, growth, policies, community and education. The study focuses on entrepreneurship because of its importance to expansion and diversification of Michigan’s regional economies and the impact small businesses have on job creation. To date, 138 communities across Michigan have participated in the study.

Five-Star Communities

* denotes top performer

• Charter Township of Meridian
• City of Ann Arbor
• City of Auburn Hills *
• City of Dearborn
• City of Farmington
• City of Grand Haven
• City of Kalamazoo
• City of Kentwood
• City of Litchfield
• City of Marshall
• City of Midland
• City of Rochester Hills *
• City of Southfield
• City of Sterling Heights
• City of Sturgis
• City of Tecumseh
• City of Troy
• City of Wixom *
• Scio Township
• Village of Jonesville
• Village of Quincy

Four-Star Communities

* denotes top performer

• Alpine Township
• Cascade Charter Township
• Charter Township of Comstock
• Charter Township of Northville
• Charter Township of Waterford
• City of Alpena
• City of Coldwater
• City of East Lansing
• City of Frankenmuth *
• City of Grandville
• City of Grand Rapids *
• City of Holland
• City of Madison Heights
• City of Marquette
• City of Northville
• City of Novi *
• City of Plymouth
• City of Portage
• City of Romulus
• City of Sault Ste. Marie
• Superior Charter Township
• Thomas Township
• Village of Oxford

About University of Michigan-Dearborn

Founded in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres of land and $6.5 million from the Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Dearborn is a metropolitan university serving southeastern Michigan, committed to excellence rooted in strong academics, innovative research and programming and civic engagement. The University has nearly 8,900 students pursuing more than 100 bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, business and education. A top-ranked university with a faculty devoted to teaching, and students committed to achievement, UM-Dearborn has been shaped by its history of partnering with local leaders and communities, and is committed to finding solutions for the challenges that face the region.

Interviews are being held today – Wednesday, October 5, 2011 from 9 a.m. – 12 noon.

Lobby of Innovative Teleservices in Allen Park

According to Jack Juncaj, president of Innovative Teleservices, the company has tripled its revenues during the past two years.

“We’ve established a track record of providing excellent customer service,” said Juncaj, who founded the company in 2008 and has more than 25 years in the teleservices industry. “We have the work; now we plan to hire dedicated people in the Detroit area.”

The company, which offers an extensive training program, is seeking people who are dependable and have good phone skills as well as basic computer knowledge. Telemarketing experience is helpful but not required.

In addition to earning a base salary for full-time work, employees are eligible for overtime, a variety of incentives and bonuses. Work hours are from noon to 9 p.m. on Monday through Friday.  Saturday work is also available.

Innovative Teleservices Inc. -  1000 Republic Drive, Suite 500 - Allen Park, MI

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• Innovative is Creating 150 Jobs Near Dearborn

According to Jack Juncaj, president of Innovative Teleservices which conducts outbound fundraising campaigns for several national charities, the company has tripled its revenues during the past two years.

“We’ve established a great track record of providing excellent customer service,” said Juncaj, who founded the company in 2008 and has more than 25 years in the teleservices industry. “We have the work; now we plan to hire dedicated people in the Detroit area.”

The company, which offers an extensive training program, is seeking people who are dependable and have good phone skills as well as basic computer knowledge. Telemarketing experience is helpful but not required.

In addition to earning a base salary for full-time work, employees are eligible for overtime, a variety of incentives and bonuses. Work hours are from noon to 9 p.m. on Monday through Friday. Saturday work is also available.

During the next 30 to 60 days, Juncaj said the company will also hire five more people for its management team in Allen Park.

Qualified candidates are encouraged to attend the September 8th hiring event. For more information, visit www.innovativeteleservicesinc.com or call 313-237-7227.

The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition offers Michigan based innovators and entrepreneurs over $1 Million in prize money. The 2011 competition begins on June 6, 2011. The Competition Finals and Gala Awards Celebration will be held the evening of November 17, 2011 at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

Cash winnings, plus in-kind awards of services, staffing and software valued at more than $1 million will be awarded to top entrepreneurial businesses that make a commitment to locate and grow in Michigan.  The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition includes a competition for college students with innovative business ideas.

The second annual Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition will be held on November 16-17 at the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti Marriott at Eagle Crest.

The Competition Finals and Gala Awards Celebration will be held the evening of November 17 at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich.

The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition provides a catalyst to emerging businesses in Michigan. It attracts national attention from venture capitalists, start-ups and media to Michigan as a destination for innovation and an ideal place to launch and grow a new business.  The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition provides critical start-up funding to emerging businesses in key areas of opportunity for entrepreneurial growth and success, including alternative energy, IT, advanced manufacturing, life science, medical devices and advanced transportation.

A $500,000 award was given to Armune Bioscience at the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Awards Ceremony, Dec 11, 2010

About Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition

The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition is an international business competition offering more than $1 million in cash awards, plus in-kind awards of services, staffing and software. In addition to the prizes from the competition, entrepreneurs will have access to Michigan’s robust entrepreneurial ecosystem, which includes wet labs, incubators, and access to talent from the world’s leading research universities.  The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition is a collaborative effort of the Business Accelerator Network for Southeast Michigan, the New Economy Initiative of Southeast Michigan and Accelerate Michigan.  For more information, visit www.acceleratemichigan.org.

Applications open Monday June 6, 2011
Company Deadline: August 10, 2011
Student Deadline: September 21, 2011

Competition: November 16 & 17, Eagle Crest Conference Center
Gala Awards & Dinner: November 17, Henry Ford Museum

Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition is an international business plan competition which highlights Michigan as a robust and vibrant venue for innovation and business opportunity. The competition fuels innovation-based business growth by uncovering the best and brightest new business concepts from local and global entrepreneurs, exposing those opportunities to potential investment capital and fostering their growth within Michigan.

The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition targets mid-to-late-stage business start-ups with potential to generate an immediate impact on Michigan’s economy, as well as student concepts with longer-term business viability.

With more than $1 million in cash winnings, plus in-kind awards of services, staffing and software, the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition is the world’s largest business plan competition.

UofM iLabs Innovation Index Q3 2010

“There were some strong factors and some weak factors in this report but it was certainly encouraging to see signs of the job growth Michigan’s economy needs,” according to Lee Redding, associate professor of business economics and director of the Innovation Index at the College of Business.

The Innovation Index tracks economic innovation in Michigan based on calculations of employment of “innovation workers,” trends in venture capital, trademark applications, incorporation activity, small business loans and gross job creation. In the most recent quarter, two indicators rose while four declined. The Index is modestly below its year-ago level and well below its pre-credit crunch numbers.

Positive indicators in the third quarter 2010 Innovation Index were gross job creation,which increased due to jobs added by new and expanding companies and employment of innovation workers, which showed a increase in the percentage of workers employed in science and engineering.

Negative indicators included incorporations and LLC filings, which continued a drop from earlier quarters;  Small  Business Administration loans, which experienced a drop in the third quarter linked to the expiration of stimulus provisions; venture capital funding in Michigan, fell from a very high number reported for the second quarter and trademark applications,  which fell after two quarters of increases and are now slightly below the year-earlier total.

The next University of Michigan-Dearborn Innovation Index report, due out in earlyJune, will contain a detailed report of fourth quarter activity with a preliminary indication for the first quarter of 2011.

“In looking at this data indicators currently appear mixed creating a likelihood of theIndex holding near its current level in the fourth quarter,” said Redding. Redding collaborates on the project with economist Anne-Louise Statt.

The Ford Focus was the official car of the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES).  Last year, the Ford Taurus took the award.  This year Mullaly was promoting Ford Sync and MyFord Touch along with an announcement about the new all electric Focus. Mulally attended CES as a keynote speaker for the past several years.  ”What’s really neat about the Consumer Electronics Show is we get to show how we are integrating the consumer electronics developments with the car”, said Mulally.

In an interview with TechCrunch, Mulally said: “What’s really incredible and exciting is the integration of the digital world with the development of automobiles… One of the leaders here called Ford the car application. The car app of choice.”

Edison2′s Very Light Cars — employing breakthrough combinations of light weight and low aerodynamic drag — won the grueling X PRIZE Mainstream Class, in which cars were required to seat 4 passengers, go at least 200 miles on a tank or charge, and meet stringent performance, handling and emissions standards, all while achieving over 100 MPGe.

Edison2 Very Light Car - Winner of the $5 Million X-Prize (photo courtesy of Edison2)

Edison2′s founder and CEO Oliver Kuttner was clearly thrilled at the prospect, “Henry Ford Museum has one of the most prestigious collections of historically important automobiles and we’re very proud to be included,” said Kuttner. “The original Edison labs provided philosophical inspiration to our work and led to our name, and here we are, with our winning car becoming a neighbor of the lab.”

“We are delighted to have this incredibly innovative vehicle be part of Henry Ford Museum which celebrates America’s ideas and innovations,” said Patricia Mooradian, president of The Henry Ford.

“Our mission at The Henry Ford is to present the stories of innovation, ingenuity and resourcefulness that completely changed the way we live and use those stories to inspire future generations to make a difference and create a better future. Edison2 represents creative thinking and that can-do attitude that is at the core of our country’s beginning.”

“This is a perfect fit for our future exhibition that will tell the story of the impact the automobile had on our lives and the innovations that emerged with its creation. The exhibit will be the world’s largest, most interactive automotive experience that focuses on the process of innovation and the perfect place to feature the Edison2 as a ground-breaking design that connects the past to the present and the future,” said Christian Overland, vice-president of Collections and Experience Design at The Henry Ford.

The announcement by The Henry Ford coincides with preparations for the North American International Auto Show, which begins with media days on Monday, January 10, 2011. Edison2′s winning car will be exhibited alongside the E-Tracer, winner of the Alternative Tandem class at the X Prize Foundation’s booth.

“We at the X PRIZE Foundation are thrilled that the Edison2 vehicle will be on display at Henry Ford Museum. The achievement of over 100 MPGe by the Edison2 vehicles during the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE was a historic moment for the automotive community, and deserves to be recognized in a museum of the caliber of The Henry Ford,” stated Cristin Dorgelo Lindsay, Vice President of Prize Operations for the X PRIZE Foundation.

Kuttner, a Charlottesville, Virginia entrepreneur and lifelong auto enthusiast, founded Edison2 LLC in 2007. He assembled a top-tier team of racing and aerospace engineers, designers and mechanics for the X Prize competition. Although Edison2 personnel have numerous victories at Le Mans, Sebring and Daytona, Chief of Design Ron Mathis sees this accomplishment as special. “I see my 30 years in racing as preparation for this — building a car for the future. Our winning car going to The Henry Ford is validation of the approach we have chosen: cars which simply take very little energy to move.”

Dearborn was honored as a four-star community through the program known as eCities for its efforts to promote investment in the community and for its support of businesses pursuing innovative endeavors.

The eCities research surveyed more than 100 communities in the State of Michigan that are home to 128, 242 entrepreneurs, earning $3.4 billion in annual income. These communities also had $1.2 billion in commercial development last year. They account for nearly half the state’s commercial property.

Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr. said the four-star designation reflects Dearborn’s commitment to fostering a vibrant and diversified economy.

“Dearborn has a history of promoting economic development, and in these challenging times, we know it is even more important to continue to pursue entrepreneurs and commercial investments. We appreciate this distinguished recognition of our efforts,” O’Reilly said.

“We are pleased to have participation from so many communities throughout the state in eCities 2010,” said Tim Davis, director of iLabs. “The focus of this project is assisting local communities by identifying best practices and methods that they can implement which will aid with job growth strategies, economic diversification, and development of entrepreneurship.”

Dearborn and 55 other communities were honored at a ceremony at UM-D on Oct. 19.

The annual eCities research project uses date supplied by the participants, as well as other public records, to assemble a six-factor, 30-item index to encourage entrepreneurial activity. The factors are clustering, incentives, growth, policies, community and education.

The study focuses on entrepreneurships because of its importance to expansion and diversification of Michigan’s regional economies and the impact small businesses have on job creation.

Snyder is CEO, Chairman of the Board and co-founder of Ardesta LLC, a high tech venture capital firm located in Ann Arbor—also the home of his campaign headquarters. He previously served as CEO and chairman of Gateway, Inc. In July 2009, Snyder announced his campaign for governor of Michigan as a Republican in the 2010 election.

Rick Snyder - Innovator and Candidate for Governor

“We are excited to host Rick Snyder and anxious to hear his 10-point reinvention plan for Michigan,” said Chamber President Jennifer Knott Giering. “It’s important that we offer our membership access to high level key opinion leaders.”

Snyder’s 10-point plan to reinvent Michigan includes: creating more and better jobs; reformation of Michigan’s tax system; fixing broken government; restoration of cities and control of urban sprawl.

“We will celebrate success if and only if we accomplish these goals,” said Snyder at a recent town hall meeting in Grand Rapids. “The voting public must demand more from the governor and government. We will accomplish these goals!”

Dearborn Free Press readers may recall reading about Snyder’s participation in the Midwest Conference on Entrepreneurship that was held in Dearborn last fall.

The Chamber’s Business Builders Breakfast in October is one of four such events planned for the year. Previous speakers included Ford Motor Company’s Alan Mulally and Detroit Mayor Dave Bing. Individual tickets are available ($30 for members; $35 for non-members) as well as corporate tables ($400) by going to www.dearbornchamber.org.

The Dearborn Chamber of Commerce works to promote the best interests of nearly 600 member businesses by helping them connect with prospective customers, promote products and services, succeed in business through increasing sales and saving money, and to be a leader in the Dearborn community.

Congressman John Dingell

Chamber to Honor Ford Motor Company and Congressman John Dingell at annual Business Recognition Award Luncheon

The Dearborn Chamber of Commerce offers effective networking, business appreciation and a high profile expo at its Business Recognition Award Luncheon & Expo, April 23, 2010. Presenting sponsor is Ford Land and the event location is the Ritz Carlton, Dearborn, from 10:00am-2:00pm. This year the Chamber will honor Ford Motor Company with the Legacy Award. Ford Motor Company is a true example of a solid community partner representing both the individuals and organizations in Dearborn.

“The Ford success story is one that no one tires of hearing at this time of economic rebuilding and regrowth,” says Dearborn Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board Jim Thorpe. Congressman John Dingell, will receive the Excellence in Leadership Award. “John Dingell has been serving on Capitol Hill in the House of Representatives since taking his father’s seat in 1955,” adds Thorpe. “In February 2009, he became the longest serving member in the history of the United States House of Representatives.”

The Business Expo and the Business Recognition Luncheon connect and showcase organizations in the Dearborn community. New this year are two breakout sessions offered from 10 – 10:45 am by Comcast and DMC Harper Hospital and are free to expo attendees. The luncheon will highlight businesses which are celebrating milestone anniversaries, from 5 years to 200 years. The expo will feature companies promoting their products and services to more than 300 business owners, community leaders and corporate professionals.

The luncheon will also honor a forward-thinking unique business model that breaks traditional molds with its Innovative Spirit Award.   Nominees this year are The Henry Ford OnInnovation Program, Hype Athletics and Sabeel Media.

The cost to attend the event is $50 for Chamber members and $65 for non-members; $500 for table of 10 with signage. Space is limited. Register online at www.dearbornchamber.org.

The Dearborn Chamber of Commerce promotes the best interests of nearly 600 member organizations by enhancing leadership opportunities, connection with prospective customers, endorsement of products and services, increasing sales and saving money.