Locate at the Source
Saginaw Future Inc. 17th Annual Business Meeting
Frankenmuth, Saginaw County, MI, USA
Saginaw Future Inc. (SFI) honored 30 award companies that invested an
incredible $1.1 billion in Saginaw County and the Great Lakes Bay
Region. The Economic Excellence Awards were presented today at Saginaw
Future’s 17th Annual Business Meeting, which was attended
by over 450 business and community leaders.
Throughout the past year, SFI assisted community businesses with
expansion projects and attracted new companies that chose to Locate at the
Source of solar, medical and advanced manufacturing technology. In total,
these firms expect to create some 658 new jobs and retain 1,596 jobs for the
area.
“The huge investment and job creation in these tough economic times is a
testament to the business leadership and quality companies located in
Saginaw County and the Great Lakes Bay Region,” said Herbert Spence III,
2008 chairman of the Saginaw Future Inc. Board of Directors. “These projects
are a source of economic hope for the region.”
Three solar related projects will have a significant impact on the local
economy:
-
$1 billion
expansion by Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation, largest worldwide producer
of polycrystalline silicon
-
$3 million
investment by Dow Corning Corp. in its 27,000 sq. ft. Solar Solutions
Application Center in Freeland
-
Dow Corning will
begin manufacturing high purity monosilane, a key specialty gas used to
manufacture thin-film solar cells and liquid crystal displays, at it soon
to be built facility in Thomas Township.
Saginaw Future Inc. President JoAnn Crary stated, “In 2008, we saw key
investments in the solar industry that created a number of expansions by
support industries. Saginaw Future and the recently launched Great Lakes Bay
Economic Development Partnership have developed a targeted marketing plan to
attract new solar investment to the region.”
The SFI 17th Annual Business Meeting featured speaker was
Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation’s President and CEO Rick Doornbos (please
see the included biography). Doornbos summarized HSC’s latest expansion
project and outlined future solar opportunities for the Great Lakes Bay
Region.
In addition to solar development, more than $21 million was invested in
medical device technology projects. There was also new Saginaw County
investment in aerospace, government contracting, advanced manufacturing,
professional services and agri-business.
Click here for the Saginaw Future Inc. 2008 Annual Report.
Click for Annual Business Meeting Video
Saginaw Future Inc.
Established in 1992, Saginaw Future Inc. is a public-private partnership
of business, government, labor and education. Saginaw Future has
agreements in place to provide economic development services for the
City of Saginaw, County of Saginaw and 16 local municipalities. Over 180
private businesses, organizations and individuals, along with three
foundations, also provide contributions to the 501(c)3 economic
development organization.
Great Lakes Bay Economic Development Partnership
Saginaw Future Inc., Bay Future, Inc. and Midland Tomorrow have formed a
dynamic partnership to attract new business investment to the region. The
Great Lakes Bay Economic Development Partnership (EDP) is a marketing
collaboration that presents a unified message and will help stimulate the
region’s solar industry. The Great Lakes Bay EDP has launched a specialized
marketing campaign and Web site that targets the solar supply chain -
www.MiSolarAdvantage.com The partnership actively promotes to the world that
the Great Lakes Bay Region is a global center for the photovoltaic industry.
Rick Doornbos
Rick is the President and CEO of Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation. The
company is the world’s largest supplier of high purity polycrystalline
silicon used in the manufacture of semiconductors, memory devices, and solar
cells used in the fast growing field of renewable energy. Hemlock
Semiconductor is currently working on a large expansion project to nearly
double its production capacity to support the rapidly growing demand for
polysilicon from its customers in the semiconductor and solar industries.
Rick is an active member of Midland Reformed Church, where he just
completed serving a three year term as an elder and as a member of their
consistory board. He enjoys snow skiing, summer water sports, and spending
time with his family up north. Rick and his wife Sandy have been married for
29 years. They have three children.
Saginaw
Future Inc.