As July melts into August, I want to share with you several recent events that signal good news for our economy, for our citizens, and for you. Excellence made headlines in July, and your good work promises to bring more good results in August.

Here is a sample of state government excellence coming together to help improve the economy of Michigan:

• Internet giant Google chose Michigan as the location for the new headquarters of AdWords - their latest internet project. The company has begun hiring for 1,000 new good-paying, cutting-edge jobs in Washtenaw County - the kind of jobs that will keep more of our young people here at home in Michigan after they graduate from college.

• American Litho, a leading producer of newspaper image plates headquartered in Grand Rapids, is doubling their size from just three years ago, after being bought by Konica-Minolta last year. During my recent trip to Japan, I sat down with Konica-Minolta executives to finalize the terms of the expansion.

• Faurecia, a global auto supplier based in France, is also expanding their commitment to Michigan. After choosing to locate their North American headquarters in Oakland County, Faurecia announced they would expand their Sterling Heights plant and build a new plant in Fraser.

• We announced the selection of 23 projects for the 2006 Cool Cities Grants and Program. The Cool Cities designations are part of my economic plan to revitalize Michigan's cities by retaining and attracting jobs and people to grow Michigan's economy. The 2006 Cool Cities designees estimate the program will assist in the creation of 456 full-time and 11 part-time jobs.

• BioPort Corporation, the nation's only FDA-approved manufacturer of the anthrax vaccine in the United States, just started construction on their $75 million 50,000 sq. ft., state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Lansing. The expansion was made possible by a single business tax credit offered by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). BioPort was considering expanding in Maryland but chose to stay and grow with us in Michigan, and we are so glad they did! As a leader in the biodefense industry, the company will serve as a critical anchor in our efforts to diversify our economy into homeland security and defense through our 21st Century Jobs Fund.

• ePrize, in Pleasant Ridge, is expanding its operations with the help of the Charter One Job Creation Loan Program. The state of Michigan has teamed up with Charter One to offer below-market-rate loans to companies that commit to creating jobs or expanding in Michigan. ePrize, the world's largest international, interactive promotion agency, will create 450 new, full-time jobs over the next three years; great news for our eager Michigan workers!

These are big successes - the stuff of news headlines. Yet seldom do news reports tell the stories of the countless hours logged by state government employees to turn the stories into reality. For a long time, we have been thinking about, talking about, and working towards diversification of our economy and a new view of Michigan. And we are now beginning to see results.

All of us contribute to these successes. When a corrections officer prepares a prisoner to succeed, our economy will get a good worker and the costs of recidivism will decrease. When Management and Budget buys "Michigan First," we keep jobs here. When DHS workers help a foster care placement succeed, they improve a child, a classroom, a neighborhood. When DNR protects our state's natural beauty for all to enjoy, who wouldn't want to live here?

As you know Excellence, Integrity, Teamwork and Inclusion are the four core values we share as state employees. If we take these values seriously, they will lead us to great results and guide us in the way we achieve those results. I think the good news of the past few weeks is a sign of excellence in action.

I applaud you and thank you for your determination, creativity, vision, and hard work. I applaud your excellence.

Sincerely,

Jennifer M. Granholm
Governor

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