The Wolverines are not only not slowing down — they’re opening a cool new resource center, called the U-M Business Engagement Center (BEC), later this week.

Described by the University as a one-stop shop “for businesses seeking student talent, university expertise, professional development for employees and research partnerships”, the new center will share 17,000-square-feet of office space with the recently relocated U-M Office of Technology Transfer (OTT). The two offices will work together to build relationships between U-M and business and community partners, as well as help revitalize and diversify the state’s ailing economy.

The BEC is funded jointly by the U-M Office of the Vice President for Research and the Office of University Development. Daryl Weinert, the center’s interim executive director, says the BEC will probably be emulated by other U.S. universities:

“At pretty much every university around the country, corporate relations is handled exclusively by the Office of Development,” he said. “With research and development working jointly on the Business Engagement Center, we’ve created a new model that is unique in the country,” he said. “We’ll be able to form win-win partnerships on many fronts that benefit both the companies and the University.”

The Business Engagement Center and the Office of Technology Transfer will celebrate their new location at an invitation-only open house May 15. For more information on the BEC, click here.

Funded by $130,000 in grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Rural Business Enterprise Grant program, the SBAM “Economic Gardening Pilot Project”, a team of business development experts will work with small business entrepreneurs in the three counties over the next 12 months, helping them assess growth potential and market research needs, secure market research on a deeply discounted basis by partnering with libraries, and assisting the entrepreneurs to use the research results to substantially grow their companies.

Project director Mark H. Clevey, vice president for entrepreneurial development at SBAM, says that the organization wants to expand the effort after the pilot phase and extend it to communities all across the state:

“Small business entrepreneurship is Michigan’s hope for a better future,” he says. “Michigan simply must become a world class expert in the creation and expansion of growth-oriented small businesses in high economic multiplier industry sectors. A business-as-usual approach to small business development is no longer viable. Michigan needs economic development that both fosters the start-up of growth-oriented entrepreneurs and accelerates the expansion and growth of existing firms.”

In addition to the local partners and their community library systems, SBAM is getting help from the Michigan State University Extension, Growing Local Economics, Inc.; Shepherd Advisors, Inc., Michigan Library Association, Michigan Library Consortium, and the Library of Michigan.

This shift towards a creative economy will not happen overnight, but bills like the ones Governor Granholm signed last week will help get us there faster.

The four-bill package, which was sponsored by Senator Tony Stamas (R-Midland), Senator Jud Gilbert (R-Algonac), Senator Hansen Clarke (D-Detroit), and Senator Tupac Hunter (D-Detroit), reform the state’s major business incentive to allow more flexibility in meeting interstate and international competition for business investment. In other words, a company that is retaining or creating a minimum of 50 jobs can qualify for a MEGA Michigan Business Tax credit, a move that paves the way for small, high-tech businesses in creative class industries like architectural design, music and film production services and digital media companies. Businesses meeting the criteria of the new bills, which went into effect immediately, will be eligible for the MEGA allowances, which work as credits against the Michigan Business Tax. The new law also removes a requirement that a company prove it had received competing, lower-cost offers from other states or countries to be eligible for the incentives.

It’s called “Entrepreneurial Improv: The Battle of the Elevator Pitch”, and takes place next week, right after the Michigan Growth Capital Symposium.

An offbeat, slightly outrageous event that highlights how successful entrepreneurs need to think on their feet, the elevator pitch battle is a great way to relax and have fun with Michigan’s venture community. The event is sponsored by New Enterprise Forum (NEF), a not-for-profit organization founded in 1986 to help entrepreneurs in Michigan prosper and grow.

During the program, NEF will put four entrepreneurs in front of a judging panel and give them an imaginary company to pitch, with little time to prepare. This year’s pitch competitors include:

Roger Newton, Co-Discoverer of Lipitor and Founder of Esperion; Ron Reed, who raised $18M for Fullscope and is now a VC at Seneca Partners; Rich Sheridan, Master Orator and CEO of Menlo Innovations; and Dick Beedon, Winner and Defending Champion of last year’s NEF Elevator Pitch Battle and Founder/Managing Director of MacBeedon Partners. The judging panel for the event will include Pete Farner of TGap Ventures, Mina Sooch of Apjohn Ventures, and Michael Cole of the Bank of Ann Arbor & Ann Arbor Angels.

Registration and networking begin at 5:00 p.m. The program starts at 5:45 p.m. There is no cost for NEF members. The cost is $20 for non-members and $5 for students.

According to the site:

CBCampus.com and Apartments.com crunched some numbers and compiled a list of the best cities for recent college grads. They factored in entry-level job openings, rental prices for a 1 bedroom apartment, and a plenty of fellow young 20somethings.

Philadelphia ranked first, followed by Boston, New York, Phoenix, Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth. Los Angeles and Houston came in seventh and eighth, and Detroit and Atlanta rounded out the list.

Fortunately, U-M has embraced the digital age whole-heartedly, and I was able to listen in to a replay of the event courtesy of U-M on iTunes U.

Launched in mid-April, Michigan on iTunes U offers anyone in the world the opportunity to download and listen or watch video and/or audio casts of hundreds of university events.

From Saturday Morning Physics lectures, to U-M TechCasts that feature the latest in technology transfer, to news releases recorded in English and Spanish, the site is intended to feature public content from all U-M departments and units. It is organized by topic and includes categories like arts, business and the environment, as well as broader topics like features, courses and series, and news and notes. U-M students can access course materials and podcasts, as well.

Visitors can find lists of audio and video content on the site, and select desired content by downloading the segments to their computers or iPods. The big difference? The content is free.

Visit U-M on iTunes U to check it out for yourself.

1. LinkedIn - This is THE social networking site for business and careers. The beauty of LinkedIn is how it takes the old adage of “it’s all about who you know” and organizes your classmates and former colleagues into an easily accessible network. It’s these connections that can quickly offer insight into job openings and compatible companies while helping you get your foot in the door of your dream job. On top of that, LinkedIn provides you a list of job openings in your industry and city based on your profile.

2. MediaBistro - MediaBistro is one of my favs and a sure-fire way to find interesting jobs, projects and advice on working in media. The site is dedicated to building resources and community for professional and freelance editors, writers, producers, graphic designers, book publishers, and others in industries including magazines, television, film, radio, newspapers, book publishing, online media, advertising, PR, and design. Another site for creatives and tech jobs is Krop. Despite the number of creative shops around here, I was surprised to find that Campbell-Ewald is the only company from Michigan with a current posting. (Attention Michigan’s Creative Industry: Let’s show them what we’ve got!)

3. Idealist - If you’re looking to make a difference in the world, this is the site for you. Beyond job postings in the nonprofit field, Idealist.org allows you to create and join groups to find little pockets of friends that share your passions and experience, subscribe to blogs and RSS feeds on the info you want, and also find volunteer opportunities, organizations, events and even more great job sites in the philanthropic world. Getting local, check out Michigan Nonprofit Association’s site too.

4. SimplyHired - This is more purely a job search engine that pulls from all over the Internet. Social networking isn’t necessarily the driving force here, but it does provide networking tools within most companies that turn up in your search results using LinkedIn, Vault and Spoke. Beyond that, it offers some really useful city-specific info like strongest local industries, popular jobs, trends and the area’s financial landscape.

5. CraigsList - Never underestimate the power of CraigsList. No, it’s not the latest media darling of the social networking world, but it continues to do a phenomenal job of connecting jobs and job-seekers in the industry and city you want.

6. Facebook / Jobster - Savvy Jobster hooked up their app with Facebook to serve thousands of college students looking for jobs. Upon further search, I found more than 26,000 members on the “Career Center” Group. Then searching in Facebook’s Groups, I found more than 500 groups in the “Employment and Work” category with 6,499 members for example showing up in “The Official Public Relations Facebook Group” posting job openings and profiling job seekers.

7. Yahoo Groups - I would’ve overlooked this, but the wonderful Courtney Chapin from Career Services at Michigan State suggested it. I did a search for Michigan jobs and found 402 members in the Michigan Film & Production Group sharing tips, techniques, job leads and portfolios. I noticed a steep increase in discussion in January and March with the passage of the new film incentive package. There’s all sorts of unique groups. Find yours here.

8. Kickstart - A rival to Facebook’s college crowd and LinkedIn’s concept, Yahoo launched their brand of professional social networking in 2007. Targeting students, recent grads and alumni, Kickstart connects candidates with alum for leads on dream job, mentorship and advice.

9. Doostang / NotchUp - These sites have a private-club air to them boasting the best and brightest job candidates around. NotchUp even pays you to get interviewed! Joining these networks is by invitation-only, which left me desperately trying to figure out my way in. Then it occurred to me that an MBA would probably help.

10. SkillsTm - This site wants to take the idea that “it’s all about who you know” and turn it on its head. Instead, a junior at Duke University just launched SkillsTM, a social networking site connecting candidates with jobs based on skills and experience, not personal connections. The site is brand new, so no listings from Michigan yet. Beside its app and five members on Facebook, I’m not sure what kind of credibility this has yet, but I’m liking the the concept.

Have you had success using social networks for job hunting? Leave a comment and let us know!

Soon, the area will become home to yet another monumental development: the Secchia Center, which will serve as the west Michigan home of Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine. Groundbreaking for the state-of-the-art facility took place last week.

“From the outside, the design fits the plans and visions of the region,” said MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon. “But it will also be signature in terms of what is inside too, with state-of-the-art instructional technologies and a community, health and education partnership that is truly unique to medical education.”

The $90 million, seven-story, 180,000-square-foot facility will include teaching laboratories, classrooms, offices and student areas. It will be located in downtown Grand Rapids, at the base of Michigan Street hill at Division Avenue, across from the Van Andel Institute and Spectrum Health.

This fall, MSU College of Human Medicine second-year students will begin studies in a leased facility in Grand Rapids. The college plans to enroll its inaugural class of 100 first-year students in GR in 2010, when the new facility opens. Once the program is at full capacity, enrollment in Grand Rapids will be approximately 400 students.

Along with providing education to the next generation of physicians, the college’s presence in Grand Rapids will focus much of its attention on biomedical research. Working with its partners, MSU faculty and students will conduct research in five cluster areas, which include cancer, obesity, cardiovascular disease, arthritis and neurobiology.

The original university-based venture fair, this nationally attended two-day event offers the opportunity to build relationships with an unparalleled business network of distinguished private equity industry leaders, leading university research faculty, and entrepreneurial business professionals.

During MGCS, life sciences, technology, energy and service companies from Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin will comprise the thirty “Best of the Midwest” emerging and growth business ventures slated to present over two days. Participating presenting companies include XG Sciences, an East Lansing-based business focused on a new type of nanoparticle made of graphite which holds significant promise in the battery, fuel cell, printable electronics and bio sensor arenas, and FlexSys, an Ann Arbor company focused on bringing a superior blade for the wind turbine to market.

One of the longest running programs of its kind, this year’s Syposium is expected to bring together 450 attendees including investors from across the country, executives of early stage and emerging growth companies and related stakeholders.

MGCS is hosted by the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and its Center for Venture Capital and Private Equity Finance of the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies.

Tickets to the event are $395 through May 7 or $495 afterward. The student rate is $75.

For more information, visit MCGS on the Web.

Raytheon Polar Services Company (RPSC), based in Centennial, CO, is currently hiring contractors to work on the world’s southernmost continent!

Why work with Raytheon Polar Services in the Antarctic? Because this challenging and exciting environment provides employees with a foundation of work-related experiences in the areas of construction, engineering, heavy machine operators and mechanics, as well as many other opportunities in science support and marine science.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to work in a fascinating environment, and acquire a skills set that is second to none. Raytheon Polar Services Company is currently seeking employees who would be interested in signing on for four to 12 month contracts and will be recruiting the Detroit area this week.

Interested candidates can find out more on Friday, April 25, 2008 from 9:00 a.m. - 4 p.m. by visiting our booth at the NAACP Career Expo. The Expo will be held at the Cobo Conference Center, 1 Washington Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48226.

As the primary support contractor for the National Science Foundation’s U.S. Antarctic Program or USAP, Raytheon Polar Services seeks candidates who are looking for adventure in one of the least traveled parts of the world. The USAP supports scientific research in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. The USAP carries forward the Nation’s goal of supporting the Antarctic Treaty, fostering cooperative research with other nations, protecting the Antarctic environment, and conserving living resources.

Not only will candidates have the opportunity to see a part of the world that many will never see, but they will enjoy developing their skills in a challenging environment while assisting the USAP in its quest for conservation and protecting the environment in the Antarctic.

To learn more about Raytheon Polar Services, please visit http://www.rpsc.raytheon.com/. If you are interested in setting up an interview with RPSC, please let me know and I can set up a day and time.

Submission from Liz Owens.

Each year hundreds of award-winning projects are created in Lansing for clients from all over the world, including international auto companies, restaurants, the music industry, manufacturing and more.

Companies like BIGGBY Coffee, Audi, Comcast, bd’s Mongolian Grill, Whirlpool, Harley Davidson and many more come to Lansing when looking for creative partners. In fact, Lansing agencies consistently compete for, and win, bids for jobs against larger agencies in larger cities.

With competitive wages, a desirable cost of living and a growing Lansing area that features countless activities and amenities-sports teams, parks, galleries, shopping, loft living, historic neighborhoods, museums, restaurants-it’s easy to see why top creative professionals choose to live and do business here, resulting in a wonderfully supportive and active creative community with the skills and experience to produce some of the best work in the nation.

“We’re very excited about opening up our places for everybody to learn what we have to offer,” said Camron Gnass, president and creative director of Vision Creative. “We all have a lot to show off, and want to invite the community to see what we do.”

The Studio Crawl is open to the general business public, educators and students. It will feature Lansing-based photography studios, video production studios, commercial print shops, design agencies and advertising agencies, including Ahptic Film & Digital, Blohm Creative, BRD Printing, Ciesa Design, Gennara Photography, Harvest Music & Sound, Message Makers, Pace & Partners, Perspective2 Studio, Such FilmVideoPost, Tria Design and Vision Creative.

Participation costs $5, which includes a passbook with maps, details and a ticket to win a 8GB iPod Touch. The tour is self-guided so crawlers can start where they want and then visit as few or as many places as they wish. Afterward, crawlers are invited to a networking event for socialization, drinks, appetizers and the drawing of the iPod.

No RSVP is necessary. Participants can begin their tours at any of the businesses involved they wish. All materials provided with the $5 fee will be available at all of the locations.

The Mid-Michigan Creative Alliance works to educate and promote camaraderie throughout the local creative community. MMCA has a national affiliation through the American Advertising Federation (AAF). The AAF educates its members on the latest trends in advertising, marketing and government issues. To learn more about MMCA, please visit www.mi-alliance.com.

Submission from Camron Gnass.

ITC is the largest independent electricity transmission company in the country. The company noticed that there is a lack of students choosing power engineering as a career, and Michigan Tech is one of the few universities in the country that offers an energy conversion and power systems program to engineering students. That’s why ITC has supported the growth of students entering the Senior Design Program and has donated a total of $42,750 in the past three years.

“We are involved in this partnership because we want to ensure that the future pipeline of qualified workers in the power/utility industry remains full,” said Neil Doshi, design engineer at ITC and former Michigan Tech student. “We are committed to supporting academics in the power engineering industry and have had great success so far working with graduating seniors from Michigan Tech.”

The Senior Design Program partnership began in the 2005 fall semester at Michigan Tech. It consists of Michigan Tech seniors working with ITC engineers on two 14-week semester engineering projects as part of their curriculum. The students are required to meet established deadlines and report to ITC’s engineers with feedback on projects, challenges and milestones accomplished. Recently, ITC’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition team and the relay engineering team have been working with students on a senior design project.

ITC also supports Michigan Tech’s Power Energy Research Center (PERC) and has donated $30,000 to the center over a period of three years. Additionally, ITC pays the salaries of senior undergraduate students in this program to support graduate students with their work at Michigan Tech. ITC has purchased four relay test units for a total of $100,000 and donated them to help students learn the industry.

As a result of ITC pairing up with Michigan Tech, eight students have been hired in the engineering group at ITC and one has been hired in the system planning group.

Saginaw native Kevin Thompson, 24, was hired straight out of the Senior Design Program as an associate engineer in the relay design group at ITC. Thompson says the most significant benefit of ITC partnering with Michigan Tech students is that students are given “real” projects an engineer would work on.

“While working with ITC, we dealt with the real challenges of understanding, designing and applying what we learned,” said Thompson. “It was such a benefit to work with ITC’s engineers because they set an example and showed us how to think as engineers. The design project prepared us to transition from the academic environment to the real world. We handled the same types of issues that engineers in the power industry face on a daily basis. I can’t stress enough how much this prepared me for the job I ultimately obtained at ITC.”

Wade Ausloos is a senior at Michigan Tech and is also the project manager of the team of students that’s working with ITC. Ausloos agrees with Thompson that working with ITC’s engineers is preparing him for the “real world.”

“I’ve gained experience working on engineering problems that can’t be simulated in the classroom,” said Ausloos. “This experience has taught our team how to think outside-the-box and challenged us to come up with our own ideas on how to solve the design objectives outlined by ITC’s engineers.”

Jon E. Jipping, executive vice president and chief operating officer at ITC and Michigan Tech graduate, is the ITC executive who initiated the relationship, and he expects to see success from this partnership for many years to come.

“We couldn’t be happier with the results of this partnership, and it’s especially gratifying to see the students’ progression during the course of their work with ITC engineers,” said Jipping. “Our ultimate goal is for more students to pursue a career in the power engineering industry, and ITC will continue to support academics to ensure this goal is met.”

As Nev explained in this recent post, the lucrative legislation package includes a number of incentives, including:

-A 40% refundable tax credit (42% in core cities) against Michigan Business Tax (MBT) liability for qualified film or digital media pre-production, production, and postproduction costs incurred in Michigan;

-A 50% refundable MBT tax credit for expenditures incurred by an eligible production company to provide on-the-job training for Michigan residents in advanced below-the-line crew positions on qualified productions;

-A 25% tax credit against MBT tax liability for film/digital media infrastructure investment of $250,000 or more.

Complete details of all incentives are detailed on MichiganFilmProduction.com.

It’s only been a week, but the new incentives seem to already be doing their magic; according to the Governor’s weekly radio address:

“Each year, the Michigan Film Office averages six scripts from companies interested in filming in Michigan. Today, we’re reviewing nearly 80 scripts from companies interested in doing business in Michigan.”

Yeah, I’d say 80 in one day compared to 6 in an entire year is quite a difference. I also like the fact that if the incentives do work and producers select Michigan for upcoming films and TV shows, they will bring high-quality jobs to Michigan residents — and fast. Also in her April 11 radio address, Granholm noted that the film industry is the second largest high-tech, high-paying, non-polluting industry in the world and generates over $50 billion in direct domestic economic activity each year. It can give Michigan’s economy an immediate shot in the arm while it takes years to reap the benefits of other economic development incentives.

You have until Friday, April 18 to sign up for this season’s contest, which awards several financial prizes ranging from $5,000 - $25,000 to the highest-scoring individuals and companies from across the state. It’s important to note that business plan submissions do not need to be ready by this date; you just need to sign up.

In this special Michigan Technology News podcast, GLEQ Executive Director Diane Durance explains that companies that register as a new business idea must turn their executive summaries in by May 15, while businesses that are competing as a new company must submit their business plans by May 15.

An eight-year-old non-profit based out of Ann Arbor, GLEQ encourages and educates entrepreneurs on the creation, start up and early growth stages of high-growth businesses in the state of Michigan by providing entrepreneurs pursuing high-growth opportunities to expert advice, a statewide network of community resources, high quality education, management talent and capital at various stages of development.

For complete details of the competition, including eligibility and prizes, visit GLEQ on the Web.

The GRAM received Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program in March, making it the first newly built green museum in the world. And to match its world-class building, the GRAM has now delivered a world-class exhibition with Rapid Exposure: Warhol in Series, featuring works by America’s most famous Pop artist, Andy Warhol.

This exhibition features some of Warhol’s best-known works–the Campbell Soup Cans, the purple cow wallpaper, the Marilyn Monroes. But the real reward is Warhol’s more serious paintings. If you have fallen for the caricature of Warhol as an innocent, aloof, and clueless naif, (a caricature that Warhol willfully sought to portray during his lifetime), then this exhibition will reveal a depth of content and feeling that may surprise you.

You’ll see representatives from Warhol’s Death and Disaster paintings, with images of the Sing Sing electric chair, a man in free fall after jumping from atop a skyscraper, a deadly car crash, and a human skull. You’ll see a series of Warhol’s Chairman Mao paintings, and four paintings of endangered species nearby four paintings of the last of the world’s reigning queens. You’ll see a rare political piece, a glib painting in pastels of Richard Nixon from 1972 titled “Vote McGovern.”

But most startling of all are Warhol’s representations of the assassination of John F. Kennedy. On the day that I visited, the room that houses these paintings was undoubtedly the most quiet in the entire building. There is a wall of sixteen Jackie Kennedys, some taken from images on the morning of November 22, 1963, some from the funeral procession on the streets of Washington, DC; all of them sorrowful. There is also the heartbreaking Jackie II (1966): an uncharacteristically unbusy painting depicting two identical, parallel images of the president’s widow looking off in the distance, soaked in a mournful lavender background. And there is the complete portfolio of paintings titled Flash–November 22, 1963. A collection of fourteen silkscreen prints, the set concludes with an image of Kennedy in complete blackness but for an outline of his face and shirt collar, highlighted by the same lavender used in Jackie II.

The Kennedy paintings are a breathtaking reminder of the power art can have in our lives, as well as proof of the special experience that the GRAM can offer the residents of Michigan. Hopefully, Rapid Exposure is only the first of many important and prestigious exhibitions that will be visiting this state-of-the-art museum in the future.

Rapid Exposure: Warhol in Series runs through June 15, 2008.

I went browsing for some CCS blogs and found Sketch A Day. A comic book artist and CCS freshman, Amy Blue posts one sketch each day for both practice and passion. So far, Amy’s held to her schedule. Follow along to watch the artist’s development, and check out her finished pieces at Deviant Art.

Scheduled for April 14 - 25, the 2008 MCVJF offers students from 25+ Michigan colleges and universities the opportunity to battle it out for a slew of full- and part-time jobs, as well as internships and summer positions. Just like at regular job fairs, students will have the opportunity to interview with companies — the only difference is, these interviews will be conducted via chat. How’s that for 21st century living?

The deadline for students to upload a resume is April 16. Visit MCVJF on the Web for more information.

The biggest news on the Volt’s development thus far is that engineers have come up with an algorithm for testing the durability of the batteries that can simulate 10 years of use — 150,000 miles — in just over two years of testing. Tests using the new algorithm are now going on around the clock in Detroit and Germany.

Testing of the E-Flex system will soon be taken to the streets via test mules — which will start this summer using the bodies of the previous-generation Malibu — which will give engineers an accurate idea of how the system will perform in the sometimes less-than-ideal conditions of the real world.

Keep an eye out for the older Mailbu’s on the streets of Detroit this summer — maybe you’ll be able to hear a difference. They just might have the heart of a Volt under the hood. GM is still committed to the Volt’s late 2010 launch date. In fact, Automotive News says that managers have been given a blank check for the project.

“The Volt is the No. 1 priority project we have at GM. There are no resource shortfalls,” Weber told Automotive News. “Whatever it takes, we will do. We are working with incredible speed.” Expect the price tag to be over $30,000.

Via PSFK.

If you have already completed student teaching or will have completed it by September 1, 2008, you are invited to attend the event, which is scheduled from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16 at the University’s Convocation Center.

EMU expects representatives from over 165 school districts — both in state, out of state, and out of the country — to participate in the fair.

Pre-registration, which was $10 until March 31, is now over; if you plan to attend, you will need to pay $20 at the door. Click here for a list of what to bring and here for tips on what to expect.

Dubbed the Toyota Research Institute of North America (TRI-NA), the new facility will focus on advanced research pertaining to sustainable mobility — specifically, energy and environment; safety; and mobility infrastructure.

Toyota plans to spend $100 million during the next four years on advanced research activity in North America. TRI-NA will utilize existing facility space at the Toyota Technical Center Ann Arbor campus.

The Toyota Research Institute will be directed by Dr. Noboru Kikuchi, a mechanical engineering professor at U-M. Initially, TRI-NA will employ 35 researchers and administration staff. Plans call for the addition of 20 researchers by 2010.

Jill Lajdziak is rather proud. As the general manager and top executive of General Motors’ Saturn division, she cites the recycling as an important example — but just one — of the company’s overall approach to sustainability.

“We walk the talk,” she says. “I think you build trust in the consumer’s mind when you do that, and this brand has always done that. It’s one thing to put green technology into your product,” Lajdziak says. “It’s another to also focus on the other elements that define green. I think today’s consumer wants to buy from a company that thinks about environmental friendliness a little bit more holistically.”

Among its many achievements, Saturn touts the fact that it prints all brochures and owner magazines on recycled paper. And back at the Lansing plant, said to be the cleanest manufacturing facility in the world, there’s more wildlife on the grounds than before they broke ground.

“There’s no question that we’re seeing increasing interest in hybrid technology,” Lajdziak explains. “And even if consumers don’t want to purchase a hybrid, they want to do business with a brand that has hybrids in the mix.”

Saturn responds with what it calls its “Green Line,” including two hybrid equipped models. The Saturn Vue Green Line is a hybrid offering the highway fuel economy of 32 MPG, and the Saturn Aura Green Line is a mid-sized hybrid sedan offering a similar fuel economy.

Via Experience Life Magazine.

Currently home to 30+ businesses like NextEnergy and Carbon Credit, TechOne’s fourth floor is currently being built out for two tenants: the National Institute of Health’s Perinatology Research Branch (PRB) and Henry Ford Health System. When construction is complete this summer, up to 50 scientists are expected to use the Henry Ford genetics research labs. PRB, which is already a tenant of TechOne, will use its new added space for biomaterials storage.

Along with the fourth floor, TechOne expects to build out the remainder of the first floor later this year.

Not familiar with TechTown? You should be. A unique research and technology park of entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, service providers and corporate partners, this energetic community is located in Detroit’s New Center area. Like other business incubators around the state, TechTown provides small business owners and entrepreneurs with state-of-the-art workspace, business support and community development, all under one roof. Click here for more information.

Capital Area Local First (CALF) - a collaborative effort between mid-Michigan-based business owners, non-profits and residents - hopes to put small businesses in the Lansing area back on the map by supporting local ownership and fostering a sense of community through networking and various other events.

Formed in September 2007, CALF also helps small companies in the middle of the mitten by touting the reasons consumers should shop at independent, local businesses — more money circulating in the region, new jobs, better customer service and increased local investment.

To become a member of CALF or to learn more about this supportive small business program, click here.

This is the 14th year in a row that the University’s graduate education programs have claimed the number one spot.

Also scoring well for MSU was the University’s nuclear physics program, which ranked No. 2, behind only the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. MSU’s supply chain/logistics program within the Eli Broad College of Business and the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management ranked second in the nation, as well - again, trailing only MIT. In addition, U.S News ranked MSU’s Industrial/Organizational Psychology program first in the nation.

For more on U.S. News’ Best Graduate Schools 2009, click here.

Of the 200 countrywide programs that were ranked, MTU’s Environmental Engineering, Materials Science, Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering programs made the coveted list. Their ranking order is 26, 41, 43 and 48, respectively.

MTU’s College of Engineering ranked 77th out of 198 schools evaluated, up from 84th of 191 schools last year. The University of Michigan’s College of Engineering ranked 9th overall, while Michigan State’s program ranked 59th.

“We are very proud of this important external confirmation of the growing strength of our engineering graduate programs,” said Michigan Tech President Glenn D. Mroz. “It shows that we are moving in the right direction toward making Michigan Tech a world-class technological research university.”

Sponsored by a handful of businesses and the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM), the contest is geared toward companies with fewer than 500 employees that are located in Ingham, Eaton, Clinton or Jackson counties.

Nominations must be received by May 31, 2008. The winner will be announced June 19 at the SBAM annual meeting in East Lansing. Visit transformyour.biz for more information.

Designed for digital entrepreneurs and the founders/CEOs of Web-based companies, this organic group consists of about 55 people who meet quarterly in two locations - Ann Arbor and Birmingham - to network, share resources and support one another.

“Members are broad-ranging,” says Joe Minock, who took over as president of the group in October 2007. “There are those that are completely on their own, and those that are funded up to $1.5 million.”

Aside from the quarterly meetings, group members are kept ‘in the know’ via an electronic mailing list. Minock hopes to start a blog with a calendar for the group, too.

In the near future, Minock would also like to see Digital Edge Mi launch a “Digital Board” - a smaller subset of the organization consisting of 10-12 people. This more intimate group would hone in on the prominent issues facing Michigan’s digital business owners, and allow members to bounce ideas off one another.

Does Digital Edge Mi sound like it would be helpful to you? The group is open to entrepreneurs and CEOs of Web-based, Michigan businesses. For more information, click here.

Sure, looking for resources designed to help you open a small business can become a job in itself. But lucky for you, help abounds. This handy small business guide, courtesy of Senator Carl Levin, is an excellent example of the types of free resources that are floating around out there.

Featuring a plethora of useful small business websites covering everything from doing business in Michigan to local and national business law, this guide is one tool that potential and established entrepreneurs will definitely appreciate. Other areas of interest in the guide include small business administration, research and development, and resources for minorities.

To access the complete guide or download it in .pdf format, click here.

RTT USA has offices in Pasadena, Calif. and Royal Oak, Mich. Its parent company, Realtime Technology AG, is headquartered in Munich, Germany. It has offices in Stuttgart, Hamburg, Paris, Brussels, Milan, Shanghai and Tokyo.

Founded in 1999, the company employs more than 285 people worldwide. RTT’s clients include Adidas, Audi, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Lexus, Toyota and Volkswagen.

Since August 2007, RTT’s Royal Oak office has added 13 employees, five of which relocated to Michigan specifically for the opportunity — proving the company’s commitment to investing in Michigan’s economic future. Many of the new team members come from cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago, one of which was born and raised in Michigan, moved to San Diego and Chicago, and has now returned to be a 3D artist at RTT.

RTT currently has 25 employees at its Royal Oak office and expects to add approximately 20 employees in total in 2008.

One rapidly growing area of RTT is the 3D print and film department. To support this growth, the company is looking to hire 3D Maya Artists at its Royal Oak office.

Job Description/Requirements
- Rendering with Maya and Mental Ray
- Texturing
- Camera flights/Cinematography
- Strong skills in lighting and illumination (HDRI)
- Strong skills in 2D packages and Photoshop, After FX, Shake, etc.
- Knowledge in camera animation and environment modeling is a plus
- Background in traditional art is a definite plus
- Individuals who are team-oriented and self-motivated

Please note: character modeling and animation are not requirements.

RTT offers a stable and fun working environment with career growth opportunities in both U.S. and international offices in Europe and Asia.

Please email your cover letter, resume, portfolio and/or demo reel to the attention of Kathryn Angyal at jobs@rttusa.com. Please reference “3D Maya Artist” in the subject heading.

As the founder of Accuget.com LLC, a small Web-based business in southeast Michigan, the 26-year-old says it’s time for Michigan to stop paying so much attention to the flailing auto industry and focus its attention instead on entrepreneurs and small business owners like himself.

Flickr ID: mizjellybean

“Because we are auto-based … small businesses like mine aren’t a focus for the state,” Minock says. “And that’s unfortunate, because we have a lot to offer.”

Minock is right. With small firms accounting for 98.5% of the state’s business employers, small companies and entrepreneurs are the heart of Michigan’s economy.

Sure, the Great Lakes State has a ways to go before it’s considered a hotbed for start-ups. But that’s not to say that groups around Michigan aren’t making strides to cultivate an environment where knowledge workers and creative types like Minock can flourish.

Consider the MORE Program, for instance. Officially known as the Michigan Opportunities and Resources for Entrepreneurs Program, this fledgling organization provides resources for entrepreneurs and small business owners by encouraging them to connect with research institutions and urging students to get involved with entrepreneurism.

In March, MORE held its first annual Entrepreneurial Opportunities Day at the University of Michigan, a day-long event connecting small, Michigan-based tech businesses with students from the University’s College of Engineering. Between 70 and 75 companies participated, along with more than one thousand students eager to hook up with high tech companies offering internships and jobs across the state.

The event also included faculty-led round table discussions and a community resource fair focusing on issues facing small business owners, like financing expansions and protecting trade secrets.

Executive director Jessica Pfeiffer says MORE has a few other activities up its sleeve later this year, too, including the Entrepreneurial Internship Grant Program, which will allow student entrepreneurs to work on their own ideas and “basically do an internship for their own business instead of someone else’s.” Currently being piloted at U-M, Pfeiffer hopes to take MORE to colleges statewide.

Open City is another fantastic resource for individuals looking to start a business. The brainchild of small business owners — Canine to Five’s Liz Blondy and Claire Nelson of Bureau of Urban Living — this informal Southeast Michigan group meets the third Tuesday of each month to network, and share resources and best practices. Guest speakers, who offer advice on small business challenges like legal issues and selecting the right location, highlight the gatherings.

“In between meetings, folks can exchange tips, ideas and resources through our Yahoo Group, which has over 150 members and can be accessed through our website,” says Nelson.

On the western side of the state, InnovationWorks (IW) is working hard at speeding up invention. A seven-county alliance of educational institutions, economic development organizations, manufacturers and tech experts, IW unites entrepreneurs and small business people with the resources they need to grow their businesses.

Helping knowledge workers mine their great ideas, IW takes it a step further — by then providing the connections, training, education and events to transform ideas into reality. In February, IW announced Idea Portal, a commercialization resource uniting inventors and their ideas with investors and companies on the hunt for new business prospects.

Not to be left out, Midland’s Mid Michigan Innovation Center (MMIC) is connecting entrepreneurs and start-ups in the center of the mitten with the services, resources, facilities, education and training needed to develop their own business ventures. MMIC is best known for its regional business incubator located inside the former agricultural research center of Dow Chemical. The incubator houses a dozen small companies sharing office space and a receptionist. Wireless Internet and a cafe are also available on-site.

MMIC also maintains a virtual tenant program offering many of the services its incubator tenants receive — website listings, use of conference rooms, administrative project support — without the traditional brick and mortar location. And, if that isn’t enough, the non-profit recently expanded its portfolio of services with its new Blue Water Angels Investment Group, a 25-member consortium with more than $1 million per year to invest in small, Michigan-based companies.

Pfeiffer of the MORE Program says she cannot stress how important groups like InnovationWorks and the Mid Michigan Innovation Center are in supporting and cultivating entrepreneurial spirit in Michigan.

“All of these types of organizations are helpful because they provide a support network for entrepreneurs and small business owners,” she says. “We have a lot of talented people in the state, and anything we can do to help them create worthwhile enterprises is great.”

That’s exactly what the Michigan Business and Professional Organization aims to do with its West Michigan’s 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For list, which was announced today.

Including the likes of C2AE, Herman Miller and Kendall Electric Inc., West Michigan’s 101 Best & Brightest Companies encompasses an elite group of businesses in industries from automotive to insurance and hospitality to non-profit.

Nominated companies vying for a spot on the coveted list are evaluated by an independent research firm on a number of criteria, including communication, community initiatives, compensation and benefits, diversity and multiculturalism, employee education and development, employee engagement and commitment, recognition and retention, recruitment and selection, and work-life balance.

West Michigan’s 101 Best Companies for 2008 will be honored at an awards ceremony in Hudsonville on May 1. Ten additional awards, including a “Best of the Best” nod, will also be announced during the event.

For the complete list of this year’s winners, click here.

According to MTL, mentees will meet quarterly with their mentors, who include the likes of Phil Bertolini, Deputy County Executive and Chief Information Officer of Oakland County; Ruthanne Largent, Director of IS at MGM Grand; Joe Sawasky, Chief Information Officer and AVP at Wayne State University; and four other metro Detroit CIOs.

At the quarterly meetings, the pairs will discuss professional and personal growth opportunities, focus on and improving the mentee’s skill sets, and assist him or her in setting goals and measuring achievement.

Executive Coach Barry Demp will provide additional training to mentors and mentees to strengthen the relationships between them. Demp is a master certified coach and president of the Michigan chapter of the International Coach Federation.

(Sidenote: Thanks to TJ for giving me the heads-up that the deadline to apply for this year’s program has passed. This is a nine-month program, so expect to hear about next year’s application process later this year.)

” The progressive office furniture firm provides more Cradle-to-Cradle-certified wares than any company in any industry, and it also built the first manufacturing facility LEED-certified.”

A forum for undergrad and graduate student inventers and researchers to meet with acknowledged experts and business professionals in the renewable energy and biofuels industries, the event is designed to create relationships between universities and industry, while increasing awareness of student research being conducted at universities statewide. Proposals describing student research, inventions, and ideas are being solicited from all disciplines at universities across the state. The top five proposals will be awarded $1,000 and have the chance to make a twenty minute presentation to industry and government experts at the conference. Other submissions will be presented at the conference on poster-boards.

Topics of proposals submitted so far include, “Talking to the Front Lines: Conversations with Stakeholders in Michigan on the Impacts of the Bioeconomy” and “Ethanol Production From Sugarbeets and Sugarbeet Byproducts”.

Inventors Day will be held from 8:30 - 2 pm on Friday, April 11 at the Henry Center for Executive Development in Lansing.

For more information or to submit your proposal, visit the Inventor’s Day Webpage.