Automation Alley 2011 Annual Report

Automation Alley

2011 annual repor t

Where technology builds oppor tunity

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2011 Automation Alley Annual Report

(our mission)

Automation Alley exists to grow the innovation cluster of Southeast Michigan. We believe in a bright technology future for our state that is innovation-led and driven by exporting.

We create business development opportunities and results for our members and stakeholders who share our values.

By helping our members achieve success, Automation Alley increases the quality of life in Michigan.

(our vision)

Southeast Michigan will be globally acknowledged as the leading technology and innovation region in the United States by 2020.

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Message from the Executive Director and Board President

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Board of Directors

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Regional Partnerships

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Foundation Members

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Automation Alley by the Numbers

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Committee Activity

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Share Your Story Campaign

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Automation Alley’s 2011 Technology Industry Report

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Advocacy

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Entrepreneurship & Business Growth

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Workforce Development

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Defense Activity

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International Business

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X-OLOGY Magazine

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Annual Awards Gala

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Automation Alley Management & Staff

Inside

this report

Message from the Executive Director & Board President

G Ken Rogers

Executive Director

rowth is at the heart of what we do at Automation Alley, and no year better demonstrates that than 2011. In a time when the message of Southeast Michigan seemed to zero in on rebuilding what had fallen, the Automation Alley community of staff, members and partners focused on the message of expanding opportunity and connectivity.

Recognizing emerging sector strength, international market potential and an engineering workforce that rivals any other in the nation, we set our sights on moving Southeast Michigan forward. And the results have been remarkable.

Scott Goemmel

President, Board of Directors

In the global arena, we continued to build on our existing foundation of international business activity, not just with programs and services, but also with an expansion at our Troy headquarters to create a business hub for companies at home and abroad. Within the first eight months of opening the Automation Alley International Business Center, we attracted six companies to Southeast Michigan, which have created more than 300 jobs for the region.

Local businesses continue to find value in our export services and trade missions. And as they seek those opportunities, we are excited to meet the demand with a robust schedule of trade missions in 2012.

Our commitment to growing our regional assets fueled partnerships to benefit small businesses.

We joined Stage 2 Innovations in an effort to fund second-stage ventures through its $100 million investment fund. We continued to work with our

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2011 Automation Alley Annual Report

partners in the Business Accelerator Network for Southeast Michigan — the network behind the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition — to support small businesses with funding, consulting and other resources to ensure growth. And we invested in three new ventures through Automation Alley’s pre-seed fund.

Defense activity expanded to meet industry demand with the continuation of the Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS) program and Sustainment Engineering Risk Assessments (SERA). Through these efforts, Automation Alley is fulfilling a critical need for the reverse engineering of Army replacement parts, as well as assisting TACOM and TARDEC with risk visualization and mitigation.

As we continue to build on this growth in 2012, we thank you for your commitment to our mission to expand the innovation cluster of Southeast Michigan as we embrace a bright technology future for our region. On behalf of the entire staff at Automation Alley, we thank you for your ongoing support and look forward to continued partnership.

2011

Board of Directors Automation Alley would like to thank and recognize members of its board of directors for their service and dedication to the success of the innovation economy in Southeast Michigan.

President Scott Goemmel, All Covered Vice President Donald Schenk, General Dynamics Land Systems Secretary Christine Estereicher, Chrysler Group LLC Treasurer Adam Wilburn, RCM Technologies, Inc. Assistant Treasurer James Safran, Beaumont Health System Immediate Past President Brian McGinnity, HIROTEC AMERICA Executive Director Ken Rogers, Automation Alley

Board Members John Almstadt, Oakland County Workforce Development Board John Blanchard, General Motors Donald Clayton, Clayton & McKervey, P.C. Todd Fenton, Wayne County Gary Gavin, Blue Cross Blue Shield Patrick Gleason, Genessee County Matthew Gibb, Oakland County Karen Mitchell, DTE Energy Bob Nichols, Kettering University Mark Symonds, Plex Systems, Inc. Tracie Tillinger, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation Lewis Walker, Lawrence Technological University Peter Webster, Dickinson Wright PLLC Ex-officio Stephen Cassin, Macomb County Jerry Rush, Meritor, Inc.

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Regional Partnerships A

utomation Alley represents eight counties in Southeast Michigan, and in serving the businesses, educational institutions and government entities in that region, we rely on strategic partnerships with local municipality-based economic development groups.

Automation Alley values the support of its regional partners in positioning Southeast Michigan as the leading technology and innovation region in the U.S. Together with these partners, we are building a bright technology future.

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2011 Automation Alley Annual Report

working throughout southeast Michigan

Foundation Members Automation Alley thanks its Foundation Members for their continuous support in establishing Southeast Michigan as the leading technology and innovation region in the United States.

All Covered

Kettering University

Altair Engineering, Inc.

Lakeside Software, Inc.

AT&T

Lawrence Technological University

Automotive Design & Production

Macomb Community College

Baker College

Macomb County Government

Blue Cross Blue Shield

Macomb Daily

Bluewolf

Meritor, Inc.

Butzel Long

Michigan Economic Development Corporation

Central Michigan University

Michigan Works! JobLink Service Center

Chrysler Group LLC

Microsoft

City of Troy LDFA

Oakland Community College

Crain’s Detroit Business

Oakland County

Delphi Corporation

Oakland County Workforce Development Board

Detroit Economic Growth Corporation

Oakland Press

Detroit Regional Chamber

Oakland Schools

Dickinson Wright PLLC

Oakland University

DTE Energy

Plante Moran

Ford Motor Company

Rave Computer

General Motors

Rehmann Robson

Genesee County Government

Salesforce.com

GlobalAutoIndustry.com

SMART

Goodwill Industries

SMZ Advertising

Greater Media Detroit

The Resource Network, Inc.

Grid4 Communications

Troy Michigan Works!

HP Enterprise Services

U.S. Army TARDEC/NAC

ITC Holdings, Corp.

Walsh College

Keaton Publishing Group

Wayne County

Kelly Services, Inc.

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Automation Alley By the Numbers A

utomation Alley is driven in large part by its member companies and organizations, which represent eight counties and a variety of industries in Southeast Michigan. Welcoming 282 new member companies in 2011, we also celebrated a three percent increase in our member retention rate. The creation of our Member Experience team provided additional opportunities for each member to connect directly with Automation Alley resources throughout the year.

Membership Breakdown Technology/Manufacturing 62%

282

new members joined in 2011

2010-2011 Revenues (excluding seed funds)

Government 5%

Education 6%

Association/Nonprofit 9%

Professional Services 18%

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Grants 35% Government Contracts 29% Membership Dues 22% Contributed Services 10% Events 4%

Committee Activity

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ear after year, members list networking as one of the most valuable benefits of their Automation Alley membership, and much of that networking begins with our member-driven committees. Focusing on specific sectors and support areas, these working committees allow active members to share their knowledge and expertise while developing valuable events and programs for Automation Alley.

Committee participation grew substantially in 2011 with the addition of the Finance Committee (est. February 2011) and the Manufacturing Committee (est. November 2011).

Business Growth Committee

2,549 Total number of Automation Alley event attendees in 2011

Mission: To provide insight, information and resources that help emerging and small- to mid-sized businesses with marketing, sales, leadership, public relations and HR/operations.

Chair: Andree Dolan, The TM Group Vice-Chair: John Zinn, Summit Funding Group Automation Alley Staff Liaisons: Jennifer Chinn, Eriola Grabocka Highlights: oo Planned and hosted IMPACT 2012, Automation Alley’s second annual trade show and conference for local businesses oo Debuted a new series of networking events designed to facilitate business connections in a relaxed and fun environment oo Launched the Social Media Lunch ‘n’ Learn series, which included eight individual events targeting specific social media tools for business

and government which identifies and promotes best practices in education and the workplace. The committee provides information and other resources for employers and creates a forum for cooperation and collaboration among member organizations.

Chair: Don Morandini, Macomb County Planning & Economic Development Vice-Chairs: Doug Warner, Workforce Development Agency, State of Michigan; Tim Calkins, The Working Habitat Group LLC; Casandra Ulbrich, Macomb Community College Automation Alley Staff Liaison: Alysia Green Highlights: oo Planned and hosted the Voice of Business: IT symposium, part one in a series of forums devoted to connecting industry with educators and workforce development professionals with realtime information

Education and Workforce Committee

Finance Committee

Mission: To support initiatives designed to help develop, attract, and retain an outstanding technical workforce in Southeast Michigan. It is a collaborative effort between education, business,

Mission: To identify financial needs of small businesses and provide innovative financial solutions to further development and growth. Focusing on second stage and mature businesses, the committee strives to respond with focused,

aggressive initiatives and provide quality programs to help businesses successfully achieve their financial goals.

Co-Chairs: Bob Anderson, Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC; Rita Miller, PNC Financial Services Group Automation Alley Staff Liaison: Kelly Kozlowski Highlights: oo Developed the Finance Advisory Solutions program to assist secondstage businesses in identifying funding opportunities and strategies for future growth

Technology Committee Mission: To provide an environment for member organizations to explore the use of new and existing technologies. The committee develops resources and events that support Automation Alley’s mission of fostering collaboration between technology companies and promoting economic growth in Southeast Michigan.

Chair: Al Carpinelli, Logic Solutions, Inc. Vice-Chair: Nan Poulios, Walsh College Automation Alley Staff Liaison: Lisa Lasser Highlights: oo Planned and hosted A Day in the Clouds, an event to discuss key topics related to cloud computing for businesses oo Formed a new product development team for Automation Alley’s IMPACT 2012 trade show event

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SMART buses featuring individual company stories

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stories published on automationalley.com

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Share Your Story Campaign “At Automation Alley, we can tell our story by numbers, by companies, by milestones. But at the end of the day, what really matters to us is that we’re helping to grow Southeast Michigan as a hub for innovation.

That has been the driving focus since we opened in 1999, and today, we’re excited to look back on more than a decade of businesses built and markets discovered.

Because in 12 years, we’ve created quite a story.

And our guess is, your company has too.”

That’s how the Share Your Story campaign started — with an invitation to companies in the region to share their own stories of success. And after six months of collecting stories, we have proof of a region on the rise. We spent much of 2011 spreading that good news through newspaper ads, radio commercials and SMART bus ads featuring the companies we are privileged to serve.

radio commercials aired, promoting individual companies

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“We have reached thousands of people, at no cost, through Automation Alley’s Press Release System.”

“Automation Alley has provided us with the opportunity to build strong business relationships.”

“Automation Alley helped us take our first steps in China, which is now our largest market”

Bettyanne Molitor, President, Autumn Land Company Hosted Telecommunications

Al Carpinelli, Business Development Manager, Logic Solutions

Kyle Schwulst, Founder and CEO, ElectroJet, Inc.

2011 Automation Alley Annual Report

“Technology innovation is the foundation of the new American economy, and Southeast Michigan is already a key building block. From where we stand, the future looks bright for our region and our state.”

— Ken Rogers, Executive Director, Automation Alley

Automation Alley’s 2011 Technology Industry Report T

he technology industry report is becoming an annual tradition for Automation Alley.

As we work to support and promote the technology economy in Southeast Michigan, the report findings serve as industry pulse points that help guide our efforts.

Automation Alley’s 2011 Technology Industry Report provides indisputable evidence that Southeast Michigan is on track to become the leading technology innovation region in the nation.

Compiled by the Anderson Economic Group of East Lansing, the report was intended to research the size and scope of the technology sector in Southeast Michigan and to benchmark the region against technology sectors across the Midwest and the nation. The facts and figures contained in the report are based on actual jobs with actual employees.

Automation Alley’s Key Findings for Southeast Michigan oo

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Strongest concentration of technology sector employment in the Midwest Leader among Midwest regions in architecture and engineering jobs Home to more than a quarter of a million people employed by technology businesses The national leader in automotive industry jobs, with 9.3 percent of the nation’s automotive jobs and nearly 500 advanced automotive establishments Home to 7,519 technology-industry establishments

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Local dignitaries, government officials and media witnessed history in the making as Altair ProductDesign, a division of Altair Engineering Inc., unveiled the LCO140H, the world’s first series hydraulic hybrid transit bus at a special event in September.

Automation Alley’s investment in the BUSolutions project began with a $100,000 investment in 2005.

Advocacy

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s Michigan’s largest technology business association, Automation Alley is the voice of the technology economy at the local, state and federal levels. Automation Alley — through its ongoing advocacy and government relations work — represents nearly 1,000 technology-driven members from across the region.

Automation Alley works with a variety of government officials and agencies, representatives from academia, economic developers and business leaders to emphasize the importance and impact of the technology industry to the region, including its ability to provide quality, high-paying jobs and its contribution to the quality of life.

Rochelle Black of Oakland University and State Representative Mark Ouimet (R-52, Scio Twp.)

Representing local economic development in action, Automation Alley successfully advocated for more than $5 million in federal grants to fund the BUSolutions prototype developed by Altair Engineering in partnership with the Detroit Department of Transportation, SMART, the U.S. Department of Transportation, The Federal Transit Administration and other program partners and sponsors. Officially debuting in September 2011, the world’s first series hydraulic hybrid transit bus – the LCO-140H – promises to bring public transportation to the cutting edge of 21st century technology while also bringing sustained economic opportunity to Southeast Michigan.

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Lending its powerful voice to the chorus of others in the Michigan business community, the Automation Alley Board of Directors approved a resolution in support of the New International Trade Crossing (NITC) project proposed to more efficiently connect Detroit to Windsor, Ontario via a new bridge crossing.

Automation Alley’s interests in economic development intersect seamlessly with the increased efficiency of trade expected to be facilitated by the NITC project.

Additionally, Automation Alley’s Executive Director, Ken Rogers, represents Southeast Michigan in the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Information and Communications Technologies, Services, and Electronic Commerce (ITAC8).

Sustained advisory efforts of this 16-member national group influenced the successful passage of free trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama. These trade agreements will benefit Michigan’s technology industry, encouraging increased economic growth and job creation as the result of a broadened trade market.

“… the MEDC will become an advocate of open source economic development. This means we’ll leverage successful programs and practices to benefit all regions of the state.

For example, since Oakland County’s Automation Alley is best in class for international trade, we will engage them to maximize the potential to other regions.”

Michigan State of the State Address Governor Rick Snyder, speaking of economic development in Michigan

Collaboration Success Continuing its role as one of the four partners in the Business Accelerator Network for Southeast Michigan (BANSEM), Automation Alley contributed to a variety of business development and entrepreneurship support initiatives provided by the network, including the annual Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition (AMIC). AMIC catalyzes business growth and regional economic development through prizes valued at more than $1 million distributed among top student and company innovators in a variety of categories.

Awardees at the 2011 Competition Include: oo oo oo oo oo oo oo

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Grand Prize: DeNovo Sciences $150,000 Prize: Fusion Coolant Systems People’s Choice Award: Shoulder Innovations, LLC AARP Encore Award: NextGen Metabolomics, Inc. Ford Advanced Transportation Award: ENRG Power Systems LLC DTE Energy Alternative Energy Award: Grid Logic General Dynamics Land Systems Defense and Homeland Security Award: H3D, LLC Comcast Information Technology Award: i3D Technologies, Inc. Life Sciences Award: OcuSciences, Inc. Products and Services Award: LLamasoft, Inc. Medical Devices Award: Advanced Cooling Therapy, LLC Dow Corning Advanced Materials Award: InfiChem Polymers, LLC Masco Next Gen Manufacturing Award: ePack, Inc.

Student Awardees Include: oo oo oo oo

JP Morgan Chase Student Grand Prize Winner: Are You a Human First Runner-up: Fashion Forward Maternity Second Runner-up: Quick Hitch People’s Choice Award: Design Innovations for Infants & Women Everywhere

Committee Action As the voice of technology business in Southeast Michigan, Automation Alley relies on its relationships with member companies to inform advocacy efforts. Automation Alley’s Government Affairs Committee plays an integral role in that effort by bringing together representatives from Automation Alley Foundation Level member companies to influence economic development and high-tech public policy decision making in Lansing and in Washington.

Committee Chair: Rochelle Black, Oakland University

Guest speakers welcomed by the Automation Alley Government Affairs Committee in 2011 include: oo

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State Representative Mark Ouimet (R52, Scio Township) U.S. Congressman Gary Peters (D-MI 9) Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner, John P. McCulloch Southeastern Michigan Council of Governments National Electrical Contractors Association – Southeast Michigan Chapter Michigan Jobs and Energy Coalition

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Investment Update Cielo MedSolutions — one of 32 companies in Automation Alley’s investment portfolio — was acquired

by The Advisory Board Company in Washington, D.C. in February 2011.

The Advisory Board Company provides best practices research and analysis, business intelligence and software tools, and installation support and management and advisory services to approximately 2,985 organizations, including hospitals, health systems, pharmaceutical and biotech companies, health care insurers, medical device companies, colleges, universities, and other educational institutions.

Cielo MedSolutions provided health care software and Web applications focused on clinical quality management. The company’s flagship product, Cielo ClinicTM, is a Webbased software-as-a-service (SaaS) application that uniquely integrates a patient registry, clinical decision support, e-prescribing, population management and care management functionality to let ambulatory care providers proactively improve, document and report on clinical care.

As part of the acquisition, The Advisory Board Company invested heavily in the Cielo MedSolutions Ann Arbor office, where the team continutes to grow.

Representatives from the Blackstone LaunchPad at Walsh College, Blackstone Charitable Foundation, Automation Alley and the New Economy Initiative are pictured onsite at Walsh College.

Entrepreneurship & Business Growth Automation Alley Pre-Seed Fund Automation Alley serves as a resource hub for entrepreneurs in Southeast Michigan. In addition to the array of consulting services and business assistance resources available at Automation Alley, the organization’s pre-seed fund provides capital to technology-driven companies poised for growth. To date, Automation Alley has invested a total of $6.35 million in 32 innovative companies.

New Investments in 2011 Include: Gravikor Serving military and security markets worldwide, Gravikor leverages more than a dozen patented technologies in the development and implementation of spaceframe and structural weight reduction solutions.

Reveal Design Automation Meeting a critical industry need related to chip technology, Reveal Design Automation is commercializing a formal verification software tool with speeds 10 to 100 times faster than existing offerings that could save chip designers millions of dollars while shaving months off of the time to market.

Tangent Medical Technologies, Inc. A spinout from the University of Michigan’s Medical Innovation Center (MIC), Tangent Medical Technologies, Inc. was created to address health and safety shortcomings of peripheral intravenous (PIV) fluid/medication delivery systems.

Tangent’s patent-pending Novacath™ represents the next generation of peripheral intravenous catheters.

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Blackstone LaunchPad The Blackstone LaunchPad (BLP) program was established in Michigan in 2010 by the Blackstone Charitable Foundation, in partnership with the New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan, the University of Miami, Wayne State University, Walsh College and Automation Alley, in an effort to foster entrepreneurship in the region through higher education.

Originally developed by the University of Miami in 2008, the program helps aspiring entrepreneurs in the Wayne State University and Walsh College communities transform untested ideas into vital businesses that lead to economic revitalization and job creation by providing practical skills, technical expertise and professional networks. BLP is the first program of its kind in the United States.

LEFT: Wayne State University students in the Blackstone LaunchPad program.

TOP RIGHT: Tom LaSorda of Stage 2 Innovations and Ken Rogers of Automation Alley hosted a press conference to announce the Stage 2 Innovations $100 million fund for second-stage businesses.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Student entrepreneur Charlie Cavell (left) and Senior Program Administrator for Blackstone LaunchPad at Wayne State University Aubrey Agee (right) pose with guest speaker Darian Heyman (center) at an event for student entrepreneurs.

As a partner in the BLP program, Automation Alley works with volunteers to provide hands-on coaching for Walsh and WSU students as they start their own companies. The BLP venture coach component of the program launched in June 2011 with more than 20 coaches participating. Coaches met with students on a regular basis to discuss topics ranging from market validation to business development strategy to funding. Ten ventures presented to coaches in 2011, and the roster continues to grow as companies find success in working with coaches and BLP staff.

Stage 2 Innovations Automation Alley formally partnered with Stage 2 Innovations in May 2011 to introduce a $100 million fund established to accelerate the large-scale commercialization of proven, innovative technologies in the global market. The fund’s goal is to empower and support the commercialization of innovation-based, patentable technology, and, if required, provide hands-on business strategy and operational support.

Stage 2 Innovations and Automation Alley continue to work together to serve entrepreneurs in Southeast Michigan.

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Students from Automation Alley’s IT Career Pathways program celebrate completion of the nine-month CISCO Certified Network Associate (CCNA) training.

Workforce Development IT Career Pathways Program The Automation Alley Information Technology Career Pathways (ITCP) program provides eligible youth and dislocated workers with information technology training and industry recognized certifications as well as career readiness training and employment assistance.

ITCP began with a pilot program serving nine trainees and has grown to serve 59 active students.

To date, 26 ITCP participants have gained employment, with 71 percent being employed full time. Starting salaries range from $9,750 to $86,000 annually, averaging jobs created by $41,000 annually.

Automation Alley

1,468

The program has seen success in terms of job retention as well. Five of the six students who entered employment in the first quarter of 2011 have maintained their jobs for the full three quarters post-placement. The ITCP program is made possible by a $428,000 grant funded by the US Department of Labor-Education and Training Administration and is an equal opportunity program.

Workforce Development Automation Alley’s workforce development activities have focused on identifying key areas of growth in Southeast Michigan’s economy and the workforce development needs

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ITCP began with a pilot program serving nine trainees and has grown to serve 59 active students. To date, 26 ITCP participants have gained employment, with 71 percent being employed full time.

Starting salaries range from $9,750 to $86,000 annually, averaging $41,000 annually. of each area. Identified areas include information technology; modeling, simulation and visualization; robotics/automation and manufacturing.

In September, Automation Alley presented The Voice of Business: IT, a half-day symposium focusing on addressing the workforce development needs of the local IT industry.

Hosted by Lawrence Technological University, the event was attended by 78 education, workforce development and IT industry representatives from the region. The event featured an IT industry panel with representatives from seven local businesses discussing qualities and skill sets their companies seek in an IT employee candidate. Industries represented on the panel included health care, manufacturing, software development, computer and IT services, staffing and corporate training.

Defense Activity

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outheast Michigan is a hub of defense-related activities and business. Automation Alley’s defense office in Sterling Heights, situated in the heart of Michigan’s Defense Corridor in close proximity to U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command (LCMC) and Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), creates opportunities for synergy with other local defense industry partners.

Automation Alley’s relationship with officials from these organizations provides opportunities for local companies to diversify into the defense sector.

In the past year, Automation Alley’s defense activities have grown to include both the Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS) program and Sustainment Engineering Risk Assessments (SERAs).

Automation Alley’s Defense Office Activities Sustainment Engineering Risk Assessments (SERAs) provide a robust database of information on repair parts for TACOM LCMC and TARDEC to visualize risks associated with each part and to mitigate those risks.

Risk indicators are determined from supplier logistics, procurement and other data. Risks are addressed by locating alternative manufacturers, conducting a supply chain investigation or industrial base trend analysis, and reverse engineering.

TOP: The Automation Alley defense team completed a SERA on a family of trucks with 18,000 discrete parts, in addition to working on the Abrams family of tanks.

MIDDLE: (from left to right) Automation Alley Director of Defense & Manufacturing Daniel Raubinger, Senator Carl Levin and Automation Alley Executive Director Ken Rogers

The Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS) program identifies manufacturers capable of producing replacement parts for the Army that are no longer in production in order to maintain the Army’s key weapon systems. The defense office has compiled extensive information on

these manufacturers, creating a tool called VisCom to visualize data and communicate with the companies.

VisCom includes information on technical competencies provided by each company, which are vital to Army operations. To date, the VisCom database includes more than 24,000 companies, with over 2,400 located in Southeast Michigan.

In 2011, the Automation Alley defense team completed a SERA on a family of trucks with 18,000 discrete parts.

Current work includes the Abrams family of tanks, which have 36,000 discrete parts. The SERA databases include more than 80 data elements for each part. While information about each part may exist in other locations, SERAs add value by consolidating the data about each part into one database.

Also in 2011, the Automation Alley defense team completed a reverse engineering project from the U.S. Army on a portable pump system used for fuel storage management in the field. The team was able to recreate the system and produce a technical data package and fully functioning prototype.

BOTTOM: Automation Alley Executive Director Ken Rogers (left) and Under Secretary of the Army Dr. Joseph Westphal 2011 Automation Alley Annual Report

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International Business Services

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utomation Alley has established itself as a leader in international business activity, setting the bar for exporting programs available to local companies and providing critical resources for international companies as they bring business operations to Southeast Michigan.

Exporting With 95 percent of the global population existing outside the United States, there has never been a better time to discover international markets. Automation Alley trade missions allow participating companies to capitalize on the high demand for American-made goods around the world while exploring opportunities for industry diversification and product innovation.

As a result of Automation Alley trade missions, local company export sales increased by $16 million in 2011. Businesses in Southeast Michigan continue to benefit from connections made in markets including China, Brazil and Central Europe as Automation Alley expands its trade mission planning.

International Business Center Grand Opening Automation Alley opened the doors to its state-of-the-art International Business Center in April, welcoming companies from Israel, Germany, Luxembourg and Canada as they explored all that Southeast Michigan has to offer for business.

A total of five companies were housed in the soft landing space in 2011, creating 365 new jobs for the region.

Companies Include: oo oo oo oo oo

Sunlogics (Canada) Elbit Systems Ltd. (Israel) e-Xstream Engineering (Luxembourg) Heck + Becker (Germany) Inphodrive (Israel)

“Promess participated in two trade missions organized by Automation Alley. We accomplished more in one week than we would have in one year.

The level of contacts, the networking programs, the cultural education all saved time and money by a factor of 10. Thanks Automation Alley for providing the contacts and skills sets to make these trips so productive.”

Larry E. Stockline, President, Promess Incorporated, Brighton, Michigan

A valuable resource for international companies with an interest in setting up operations in Southeast Michigan, the IBC also benefits local companies looking to expand their markets.

Whether it’s a virtual meeting with an overseas client in the Video Conference Room or a strategy session in the high-tech Collaboration Center, companies are able to do business more effectively and efficiently than ever before at the Automation Alley International Business Center.

The IBC was funded by a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant, sponsored by Congressman Gary Peters and U.S. Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow. The 3,200-square-foot space includes three meeting rooms with state-of-the-art technology, three private offices, an open office area and convenient access to Automation Alley’s International Business Services staff. continued on page 22 >

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“The inherent ability of Automation Alley’s staff to introduce us to buyers and end users of our company’s products enabled us to close a multi-million dollar deal with a German OEM that we had met with on Automation Alley’s mission to the EU.” Dan Kocks, President, Global Impact Group, Grand Blanc, Michigan The Automation Alley International Business Center opened in April with state-of-the-art technology offerings and soft-landing space for international companies.

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< continued from page 20

Event Highlights China and Taiwan: Asia’s Engines of Economic Growth (February) Automation Alley welcomed guest speakers from the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai and the American Institute in Taiwan to discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with doing business in China and Taiwan.

Reception for Robert D.Hormats, Under Secretary of State for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs, U.S. (March) Building on its reputation as a leading voice in the global trade conversation, Automation Alley hosted a reception for the Honorable Robert D. Hormats, Under Secretary of State for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs for the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. The discussion touched on the U.S. State Department’s expanding role in promoting global trade and exports and also attracting foreign direct investment into the U.S. Building Globally Focused Strategic Plans Seminars (September) Automation Alley works hard to equip companies with the knowledge and resources they’ll need to succeed on a global trade mission. This two-part seminar series aided businesses in aligning existing business plans with international business strategies.

Innovative Ways to Optimize Your Global Supply Chain Conference (December) Working with Michigan State University’s world-renowned Department of Supply Chain Management, Automation Alley hosted this conference designed to help local companies learn more about the latest innovations in supply chain management and how to implement solutions to boost global competitiveness.

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International Business Center

3,200 sq. ft.

International Business Center added to Automation Alley Headquarters in Troy

917

local jobs created through export activity

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trade missions completed to date

365

new jobs created through business attraction in 2011

$166 M member export sales to date ($16 million in 2011 alone)

automationalley.com Analytics

280,628 site visits in 2011 (automationalley.com)

Top visiting countries India (5,241 visits) Canada (1,939 visits) China (777 visits)

LEFT: The Executive Board Room features conference table seating for 20, a Steelcase/PolyVision enoÂŽ interactive whiteboard and Polycom IP 6000 conference speakerphone system.

TOP LEFT: Automation Alley Executive Director Ken Rogers is joined by Congressman Sander Levin, Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, former Troy Mayor Louise Schilling and The Wireless Source President Bob Sullivan at the Automation Alley International Business Center grand opening in April 2011.

BOTTOM LEFT: Representatives from a Vietnamese delegation are pictured with Vice President of International Business Services at Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce Brent Case, CPIM, at the Automation Alley International Business Center.

BOTTOM RIGHT: The MichiganOntario border is the busiest U.S.Canada crossing in the country, making Southeast Michigan a hub for access to both United States and Canadian markets.

2011 Automation Alley Annual Report

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X-OLOGY Magazine

AN AUTOMATION ALLEY® PUBLICATION EXPLORING MICHIGAN’S EMERGING TECH SECTORS

WINTER 2011

INNOVATING

Information technology is big business in Michigan

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utomation Alley’s quarterly magazine provides techsavvy readers with the latest news in innovation and technology in Southeast Michigan. Mixing thoughtprovoking articles and profiles with lifestyle features, X-OLOGY keeps the technology industry conversation going. The magazine is distributed to all Automation Alley members at no charge and has a total circulation of 20,000.

+ A new breed of IT talent +

Rave Computer is back on top

+ Warming up to winter in Michigan

Winter 2011

AN AUTOMATION ALLEY® PUBLICATION ExPLORING MIChIGAN’S EMERGING TECh SECTORS

SPRING 2011 $3.99

SHOCK THERAPY

X-OLOGY launched a fresh website in 2011, xologymagazine.com, featuring easily accessible archived issues and a layout redesign to improve navigation.

Innovative firms electrify Michigan’s economy

+

Experts in electric tech

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LG Chem powers the next generation

+

Celebrating Michigan wines

2011 editions emphasized information technology, electricity-related industries, emerging technology sectors and the health care industry in Southeast Michigan.

Showcasing some of the region’s most innovative companies and key players, X-OLOGY connects readers to the pulse of what’s driving Michigan’s economy.

Spring 2011

People Profiles Featured in 2011

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E T TIO C C R EN SE L FOPM IA EC RK O O L W VE E D

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AN AUTOMATION ALLEY® PUBLICATION EXPLORING MICHIGAN’S EMERGING TECH SECTORS

Subra Sripada, Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative and Information Officer, Beaumont Health System

SUMMER 2011 $3.99

+ Michael Finney’s perspectives on Michigan + Summertime sensations take to the air

EMERGING

Marcy Klevorn, Director, Global IT Operations, Ford Motor Company

+ Focus: HOPE fuels student careers

TECH SECTORS

Sharon Spencer, Teacher, Waterford Mott High School

Bringing new life to Michigan’s economy

Jason Forcier, Vice President, A123 Systems

Summer 2011

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’S TIO EY C TO L SE E AL RS L T IA U N NE EC AL IO N S T I SP A A AW ML TO GA AU

AN AUTOMATION ALLEY® PUBLICATION EXPLORING MICHIGAN’S EMERGING TECH SECTORS

FALL 2011 $3.99

EXPLORING SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN’S

HEALTH

CARE INDUSTRY

MEDICAL ISSUE THE

EDUCATION

TALENT

+ Minds behind medical research + Breathing easy with Oxus America

INNOVATION

PARTNERS

TECHNOLOGY

+ Michigan’s newest medical school welcomes inaugural class

Fall 2011

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2011 Automation Alley Annual Report

Michael A. Finney, President and CEO, Michigan Economic Development Corporation Dr. Virinder K. Moudgil, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Oakland University Dr. Wei-Zen Wei, Professor, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, and Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine

10,000 copies distributed to homes

5,000

copies distributed to Southeast Michigan businesses and technical decision makers

2,500

copies distributed via street sales

2,500 copies distributed to the tech sector of Southeast Michigan

Annual Awards Gala T

he Automation Alley Annual Awards Gala has become a signature event for Southeast Michigan’s technology community. Recognizing the accomplishments, success stories and continued growth of those leading the region toward a bright technology future, the 11th annual gala featured “The Big 4” — Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel and Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson — as guest speakers.

Award winners in six categories were honored for their visionary leadership, bright ideas and regional influence as attendees enjoyed a cocktail reception, gourmet dinner, cigar table and afterglow martini bar at the opulent MGM Grand Detroit.

2011 Gala Award Winners Global Trader of the Year The Wireless Source Educational Program of the Year: Utica Community Schools Center for Science and Industry Automation Alley Member of the Year: Al Carpinelli, business development manager, Logic Solutions, Inc. Emerging Leader of the Year: Daniel Jaraczewski, president, R&E Automated Systems Entrepreneur of the Year: Paul Angott, president, Angott Medical Products, LLC Technology Company of the Year: Lakeside Software, Inc.

“This year’s gala was a snapshot of what lies ahead for this region. It’s a time of exciting technology innovations, thriving entrepreneurial spirit and unprecedented collaboration.”

— Ken Rogers, Executive Director, Automation Alley

Management and Staff Ken Rogers Executive Director Thomas Anderson, Ph.D. Senior Director, Entrepreneurism John Bedz Defense and Automotive Consultant Sharon Blumeno Senior Business Development Executive Cheryl Buscemi Manager, Member Experience and Events Jacqueline Cardella Government Affairs Staff Assistant Anthony Castillo Defense Project Leader Jennifer Chinn Events and Promotions Coordinator Maryann Daddow Director, Finance Charles DeVries Senior Director, Business Development

Karol Friedman IT Career Pathways Employment Coordinator Eriola Grabocka Supervisor, Member Experience Alysia Green Manager, Talent Development Raphael Henderson Graphics and Web Intern Faysal Houtait Government Affairs Intern Erin Jackson Government Affairs Intern Remi Kathawa International Business Services Intern Jake Keteyian Business Development and Brand Management Intern Kelly Kozlowski Business Accelerator Client Coordinator, Communications Officer

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Genna Piscopo Member Experience Representative Noel Nevshehir Director, International Business Services Daniel Raubinger Director, Defense and Manufacturing Stewart Rescoe Defense Analyst Anil Sanne Defense Project Leader John Shirk Accountant and Manager, Human Resources Erin Sommerville Communications Copywriter Anne Walter Defense Office Manager, Executive Assistant

Kim Krutsch Administrative Assistant

Thomas Whinihan Defense Project Engineer

Claudia DiMercurio Executive Office Administrator

Lisa Lasser Supervisor, International Business

Kyle Wojan Defense Project Engineer

Andrea Duncan Director, Member Services and Marketing

Claire Leigh-Monstevens Member Experience and Events Intern

* List includes all staff employed during 2011

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Terry Perkon Database Consultant

2011 Automation Alley Annual Report

John Wolf-Meyer International Business Services Apprentice

Why Join Automation Alley?

Member companies list the reasons they value their membership at Automation Alley (Companies may have listed multiple reasons)

460 312 195 184

Networking opportunities Business development assistance Meeting space Committee participation

126 83 64 40

International trade Commercial assistance Website tools

Other

Call (800) 427-5100 to learn how Automation Alley membership can connect you with these and other opportunities.

2011 Automation Alley Annual Report

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