A look back on this week’s economic development headlines, announcements, and other share-worthy news from the Ann Arbor region.
Ecosystem Headlines
- Ann Arbor SPARK has partnered with Michigan Works! and others on Washtenaw County’s SummerWorks program to help provide a talent pipeline to companies in our backyard, and give students from Ypsilanti and other areas awareness of careers here.
- Unemployment is Low, but Washtenaw County’s Workforce Still Faces Many Challenges: “The county’s unemployment rate in December was 2.2 percent, the lowest it’s been since 2000. However, Rich Chang, CEO of Ann Arbor-based NewFoundry, cites statistics compiled by the United Way of Washtenaw County that show that nearly a third of county households meet the definition of ‘Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed,’ often abbreviated as ALICE.”
- Ann Arbor SPARK’s director of research Alex West was on the Economic Development Secrets podcast.
- Ann Arbor SPARK has a new series highlighting basic information on incentives to help guide companies when it could be a fit. The first in the series is about Michigan’s property tax abatement program.
Mobility News
- The American Center for Mobility announced the groundbreaking of a new event center at its Willow Run site with a targeted goal of June 2020 for completion.
- Share your downtown transportation experience with SPARK! We’re looking at transit stories downtown as we explore a potential autonomous shuttle pilot in Ann Arbor. We’re gathering this information from a handful of companies that have a significant presence around downtown Ann Arbor.
Upcoming Events
- March 19: 2020 Washtenaw Economic Outlook luncheon
- April 15: Southeast Michigan PACE Summit
State Headlines
- Mark Burton named to be interim head of MEDC, following Jeff Mason’s retirement, as the MEDC’s board conducts a two-month nationwide search for a new leader.