Michigan economic development news and feature stories

Sunday, 28 May 2017 19:00

With Hackett, Ford hopes for another visionary CEO

Veteran Steelcase executive Jim Hackett, left, was tapped to lead Dearborn-based Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman Bill Ford, right, who’s known Hackett for years, said the pair “always clicked in terms of thinking about the future.”

When Jim Hackett retired from the corner office at Steelcase Inc. in 2014, he told MiBiz the “narrative is still being written” about what he planned to do in the next phase of his professional life.

Published in Manufacturing

GR weighs more parking against long-term mobility trends

These days, a limited supply of spaces can make parking tricky in the central business district of Grand Rapids during the work day. But despite that parking crunch, city planners say that building costly parking structures may not be the best option, particularly in light of new mobility choices that are expected to come on the market.

GRAND RAPIDS — Facing a future in which the role of the traditional automobile is changing, officials in Grand Rapids continue to evaluate long-term mobility investments, particularly when it comes to parking.

Published in Design Build

Impending sales plateau forces automakers to focus on mobility options

Automakers are investing heavily into personal mobility solutions as consumers’ appetites shift regarding vehicle ownership. In the case of General Motors, the Detroit automaker invested in $500 million in Lyft and last month unveiled Maven, its own car-sharing program that it’s piloting in Ann Arbor.

The movement of people back to urban areas and the onslaught of new transportation options has forced traditional automotive manufacturers to take notice and plan for the future.

Published in Manufacturing