Quentin Messer has been the CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation for the past six months.
He was an outsider that had held Michigan in high regards.
“I was from a southern state, we competed against Michigan, we always wanted to have it in Louisiana what Michigan had, Michigan had one of the most robust industries and supply chains and value chains known to humankind,” said Messer.
But as a person tasked with competing with Michigan, he knew she was starting to slip.
“And we knew that Michigan had not always been as aggressive to keep up with the market as we were in the south,” said Messer.
This became very evident when Ford chose Tennessee instead of Michigan for an $11 billion investment.
“Ford Motor Company was making decisions, they were being courted by a number and weren’t actually looking because of our reputation in terms of him not having the tools now we do,” said Messer.
The tools are two funds created this week that will develop sites for businesses, and then facilitate their builds.
Hopefully attracting mega sites for the big three, but promises of helping small communities attract businesses and jobs.
“People want to be up north and we feel that if you can give people the job opportunities that they can feel like, yeah tangibly I can do that, I can have a full-time life, I don’t just have to come here during the summers, I can do this and we’re beginning to see that.”
Messer says the last few months have gone a long way to prepare Michigan to compete. Now 2022 will be all about cashing in on those wins.
“We’re not done, we’re not being close to done, and we understand that if economic development matters, it matters because people matter,” said Messer.
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