President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We are encouraged to hear that you are planning a town hall meeting on July 14 in the Detroit area. Certainly the State of Michigan has suffered its share of economic woes – your attention and perspective will be appreciated. During your visit, it will be difficult for you to get beyond the headlines, the tales of unemployment, foreclosures and factory closings.

We are writing to encourage you to look beyond the negative headlines and to see the future of Southeast Michigan which is happening today . Just 30 minutes west of Detroit Metro airport is what the Chicago Tribune coined "a true midwestern eden", a place where entrepreneurship is thriving, innovation is happening and talented professionals are staying.

The Wall Street Journal recently said "Michigan's economic future rests on making the state look more like Ann Arbor, and less like Warren, 50 miles to the northeast, where factory buildings and warehouses built on the riches of the Big Three auto makers bear signs saying they are "priced to sell."

The Detroit Free Press wrote "Forces long in the making are transforming the city and its surrounding area into a hub for start-up companies and venture capital. If trends continue, experts predict Ann Arbor could become a key economic driver for the state. Ann Arbor is the poster child for the Michigan of the future," Charles Ballard, an economics professor at Michigan State University, said this year.

Positive, good stuff is happening in Southeast Michigan:

  • Ann Arbor has been chosen as the Center of Energy Excellence – Advanced Battery R&D for the state and is leading the way for battery development and storage technology
  • Ann Arbor has diversified – there are more IT, SaaS, life science and cleantech companies in the Ann Arbor area than automotive-related businesses
  • There is a thriving entrepreneur ecosystem with active VC and angel support for start-ups
  • Google located their AdWords business in Ann Arbor to take advantage of the talent pool, helping to pave the way for companies like Barracuda Networks and NetEnrich


Anchoring Ann Arbor is the venerable University of Michigan. With over $900 million in annual research funding, the recent acquisition of a two million square-foot life science research and development center and a mission to play an active role in economic development, they are a valuable asset to the state.

Michigan has a bright future and the seeds have been sown and are starting to bear fruit. With the right planning and investment, the Michigan of the future can look a whole lot like the Ann Arbor of today.

We invite you to spend 45 minutes in Ann Arbor on July 14 and hear about the positive future of the Detroit area and of the state. If that’s not enough...you can also taste what Oprah deemed one of the best sandwiches in the country, the No. 97, Lisa C's Boisterous Brisket (hand-pulled beef in barbecue sauce on a challah bun) – from the world-famous Zingerman’s Deli.

We look forward to hosting you and introducing you to the companies and individuals that are making a difference for Michigan.

Thank you for your consideration.

Michael A. Finney
President & CEO
Michael@AnnArborUSA.org
734.660.4795

ABOUT ANN ARBOR SPARK
Ann Arbor SPARK, a non-profit organization, is the driving force in establishing the Ann Arbor region as a destination for business expansion, retention, and location by identifying and meeting the needs of business at every stage, from startups to large organizations. Ann Arbor SPARK represents all communities in the Washtenaw County. Ann Arbor SPARK collaborates with business, academic, government, and community investor partners including the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, Washtenaw Community College, Michigan Works!/ETCS, Washtenaw County, the City of Ann Arbor, the Bank of Ann Arbor and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.