dream GREEN
Saginaw Future 18th Annual Business Meeting
SAGINAW COUNTY, Great Lakes Bay Region, Mich., USA (February 19, 2010)
Saginaw Future (SF) honored 20 economic development projects that led to nearly $855 million invested in Saginaw County and the Great Lakes Bay Region. The Economic Excellence Awards were presented today at Saginaw Future’s 18th Annual Business Meeting, which was attended by over 400 business and community leaders.
Throughout the past year, SF assisted community businesses with expansion projects and attracted new companies that chose to innovate and dream GREEN. 2009 brought the Great Lakes Bay Region tremendous opportunities in clean technology, such as solar, batteries and wind energy.
We also saw impressive gains in professional and hi-tech services, advanced manufacturing and agribusiness, along with continued support for the auto industry. In total, these projects are expected to create 2,526 new jobs and retain 2,535 jobs for the area.
“We are starting to see an economic shift to more innovative products and services, along with renewable energy development in Saginaw County and the region,” said Bill Huss, 2009 chairman of the Saginaw Future Board of Directors. “The sheer number of jobs created and retained in these related industries is proof of that, along with State and national recognition.”
Four innovation and renewable energy related projects will have a significant impact on the local economy:
- Morley Companies, Inc. will initially add 650 jobs with 700 more to come. The company expanded its data collection and market research capabilities.
- GlobalWatt will locate its 500-job, $177 million solar module production facility in the City of Saginaw.
- Nexteer Automotive plans to invest $400 million in its Buena Vista Charter Township operations including job retention, information technology, manufacturing equipment and retaining the global headquarters.
- Georgia-based Suniva Inc. plans to invest $250 million in a new solar cell manufacturing facility in Saginaw County’s Thomas Township. Suniva is projecting to create 500 new jobs over the next five years subject to receiving a Department of Energy loan guarantee.
Saginaw Future President JoAnn Crary stated, “We believe that Saginaw County and the Great Lakes Bay Region have stepped forward as a leader in renewable energy and innovation. These efforts have led to multi-million dollar investments and thousands of jobs created and retained for our region.”
The SF 18th Annual Business Meeting featured speaker was Nexteer Automotive President Bob Remenar (see the included biography). Remenar summarized growth opportunities for Nexteer in Saginaw County and the Great Lakes Bay Region.
Robert J. “Bob” Remenar is the president of Nexteer Automotive, a global leader in steering and driveline systems. To continue the company’s heritage of success he is charged with guiding a dedicated and talented executive staff, supported by experienced management teams and a committed workforce.
Remenar assumed his position effective October 2009, upon Day One of Nexteer Automotive. He had served as president of the former Delphi Steering Division since 2002. During that time, Remenar was also a Delphi Corp. vice president and member of its strategy board, executive champion of its program management task team, and executive customer champion for the company’s General Motors Corp. business.
Remenar joined GM in 1985. With GM, Remenar held various executive roles in corporate financial analysis, health care cost analysis, employment cost analysis and compensation, policy development, and employee relations. At Delphi, he held several senior-level executive positions in HR, finance and business line operations prior to being named president of the global Steering business.
Established in 1992, Saginaw Future (SF) is a public-private alliance of local businesses, the County of Saginaw, City of Saginaw, 16 local municipalities and the Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce. SF’s strategic partners also include education, labor and government. Since its beginning, SF has remained dedicated to fostering quality job creation through expansion of local industry and attraction of new business projects to the community.
For more information, please contact Greg LaMarr,
Communications Manager for Saginaw Future, at 989-757-2104,
e-mail glamarr@SaginawFuture.com or go to www.SaginawFuture.com