April 17, 2007
April 17, 2007
LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced a partnership with CEOs and top management of eight Michigan businesses to spur the growth of great companies and good jobs throughout the state. The Next Great Companies Project (NGCP) will be chaired by First Gentleman Daniel G. Mulhern and include business leaders from Michigan companies named by Fortune Magazine as among the "100 Best Companies to Work For."
"Bringing companies together to share their winning strategies in keeping and attracting a first-class workforce provides invaluable insight into making Michigan a great place to live, learn, and earn," Granholm said. "These companies - singled out as some of the best companies to work for in the United States - are the types of companies we are working everyday to bring to Michigan to diversify and grow our economy."
Mulhern and members of the Next Great Companies Project will be driving an effort to help grow Michigan's economy by sharing their best practices and resulting bottom lines with companies across the state. The project results will be incorporated into a website providing business leaders across the state with easy access to information on ways to attract and retain employees and run a "Best Company to Work For."
"We know that great business cultures produce financial returns and job growth," Mulhern said. "These executives exemplify that, and with their help, Michigan can lead the country in establishing new great companies while helping the great companies already here continue to grow."
The companies involved in the launch of the Next Great Companies Project are Quicken Loans, Google, Plante & Moran, Bronson Healthcare, Valasis, Citizens Republic Bancorp, Cascade Engineering, and Dow Corning. The Center for Positive Organizational Scholarship in the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan will also support the effort.
Today's announcement was made during a Quicken Loans new employee orientation session held monthly by Chairman Dan Gilbert. The day-long seminar was attended by nearly 300 new hires and focused on workplace culture and the critical role it plays in driving the company's success.
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