April 7, 2006

21st Century Jobs Fund Receives Enormous Response from Businesses

LANSING – In her weekly radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today restated her commitment to crisscross the country and work the phones to attract new jobs to Michigan. 
 
“From the 21st Century Jobs Fund to our pursuit of employers in other states and on other continents, we have an aggressive, comprehensive plan to grow our economy in Michigan,” Granholm said.  “There is nothing I won’t do and no distance I won’t travel to bring new jobs to our great state.”
 
Earlier this week, Granholm spoke with representatives from high-tech auto manufacturers during the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) conference in Detroit.  The Governor pitched Michigan as the best place to expand and create jobs to domestic and international business leaders at the conference.
 
One of the companies Granholm spoke with at SAE was Behr Industries, a company she met with during her investment mission to Germany a little over a year ago.  Behr, which recently announced it will expand its headquarters in Troy, is a great example of how the Governor’s personal contact with CEOs and business leaders can go a long way to bringing jobs to Michigan.
 
In a few days Granholm will once again be on the road, this time to Chicago, to speak with some of the world’s leading bioscience companies.  She will talk to the employers about the tools and incentives Michigan has made available to companies that would move jobs to our communities. 
 
In particular, Granholm will discuss the $2 billion 21st Century Jobs Fund, a critical component to Michigan’s effort to diversify the economy.  To date, there has been great response from businesses interested in growing and expanding in Michigan in sectors that will keep jobs here.  Next week, Granholm will be announcing the number of businesses that have submitted applications and the next steps in the decision making process.
 
“Our relentless pursuit of jobs is paying off as we continue to go anywhere and do anything to grow our economy,” Granholm said.

The Governor’s weekly radio address is released each Friday at 10:00 a.m. and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state through an affiliation with the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.  The address will also be available on the Governor’s website on Mondays as a podcast for general distribution to personal MP3 players and home computers.

Broadcasters Note: Governor Granholm’s radio address can be accessed through Sunday evening exclusively through the Members Only page of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters website. 

Publishers Note: The text of today’s address is attached.