Speeches

Aernnova Engineering Announcement

 

Sep. 18, 2007

At the University of Michigan, we are incredibly excited about Aernnova’s decision to establish an aerospace engineering center in our community.

In working with Ann Arbor SPARK and the MEDC, we immediately recognized the benefit of this international firm to our region.

We also knew we had much to offer Aernnova, from collaborations with our highly ranked College of Engineering, to qualified graduates from throughout our university.

Students in our aerospace engineering program like to wear a t-shirt that says, “As a matter of fact, I am a rocket scientist.”

But you don’t need an engineering degree to appreciate the power of Michigan’s research universities to propel our state’s economy.

Attracting companies like Aernnova specifically demonstrates how the University Research Corridor can – and does – make our state a leader in attracting and supporting innovative and entrepreneurial firms.

We’re seeing it with Michigan State and its work to bring together the Swedish firm Chemrec and the Upper Peninsula’s New Page Corporation to establish a biofuel plant in Escanaba.

We’re seeing it with Wayne State and the spectacular rebirth of a Detroit neighborhood through its entrepreneurial TechTown initiative.

And we’re seeing it with the University of Michigan and the location in Ann Arbor of high-tech firms like Google, Barracuda Networks, and today, Aernnova.

It is a pleasure to welcome Aernnova and its employees to Ann Arbor, to the University Research Corridor, and to the state of Michigan.

Thank you.