Tuesday Afternoon, August 3

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Confirmed Speakers:

To view Speaker presentations, click on Speaker name.

If not listed, the presentation is not available at this time.

Co-Chairs:

Jay Baron, President, Center for Automotive Research and Director, Manufacturing Systems Group and Laurie Felax, Vice President, Harbor and Associates

David Hollister (1) (2), Director, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth

Dennis Cuneo, Senior Vice President, Toyota Motor North America

Don Runkle, Vice Chairman, Delphi Corporation

Mark Finucane, Principal, Ernst & Young LLP and Leader, Medical Center Practice

Jerry Elson, Vice President and General Manager, Vehicle Operations, General Motors Corporation

How to keep manufacturing in North America competitive with the rest of the world, has been discussed a great deal recently. Are low wages in developing countries the dominant factor responsible for the exportation of manufacturing jobs or are we losing our competitive edge? Last year, Michigan’s Governor Granholm delivered her address in Traverse City on why “Manufacturing Matters.” Since that time she has convened a manufacturing summit, delivered numerous speeches on manufacturing to local and international businessmen, and lectured to Washington on the importance of manufacturing to the U.S. economy.

While manufacturers have a leader in Governor Granholm, the solution for manufacturing competitiveness will be multi-faceted, involving government support and industry action. The purpose for the Manufacturing Competitiveness Forum (in Traverse City) was to identify strategies for manufacturers to develop and sustain world-class competitiveness. Political and industrial leaders were invited to spearhead this exciting discussion on competitiveness and the impact on manufacturing jobs. Questions that manufacturers have been asking were posed:

What customer-supplier relationships are conducive to world-class performance? What role does innovation and the development of advanced manufacturing technologies play in building competitiveness? How should manufacturers focus their resources to improve competitiveness in this world economy? What should the international business model look like for local manufacturers?

Speakers provided introductory remarks that address these and other related questions. This session’s interactive format encouraged dialogue and audience participation permitting attendees to raise specific concerns with the political and industry leaders.

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