Event Notices From May 5
Plug-In Ready West Michigan coming: Plug-in electric vehicle sales are expected to cross 1 million by 2015, according to Pike Research, a market research firm. Communities across the country are racing to make sure the necessary infrastructure, training and outreach programs, and regulations are in place to embrace this transformative green vehicle technology. Join the West Michigan Clean Cities Coalition for Plug-in Ready West Michigan and see how key players in West Michigan are helping to drive the electric vehicle technology of the future today. Several plug-in electric vehicles will be on display. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday, June 15 at the Western Michigan University Fetzer Center, 2350 Business Court, Kalamazoo. Presenters include Rob Ozar, Michigan Public Service Commission's Plug-in Electric Vehicle Preparedness Taskforce; Jeff Chamberlain, City of Kalamazoo Department of Community Planning; Mike Crawford, Michigan Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association; Seth Gerber, Consumers Energy; and
Stuart Irwin, ClipperCreek, Inc. Coffee and breakfast will be provided. Parking is free in the surface lot adjacent to the building. More at www.cec-mi.org.
Michigan Economic Developers Association Sets Meeting: The Michigan Economic Developers Association will present "Inside the Economic Development Toolbox" on Thursday, May 26 at the Lexington Hotel, 925 S. Creyts Road in Lansing. Many important state economic development agency updates and informative breakout sessions are planned. Registration opens at 8 a.m. and the program begins at 8:30 a.m. Cost of the event is $80 for MEDA members and members of the International Council of Shopping Centers and $150 for others. Register at this link. Keynoters will include Val Hoag, vice president of business development, and Mark Morante, senior vice president for policy, program administration and legislative affairs, with the Michigan Economic Development Corp., with breakout sessions on innovative uses of tax increment financing, talent enhancement, the MORE program, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority's tools for economic development, site search tools, entrepreneurial support tools, social media, SBA loan programs and more.
Last Chance to Register for Third Annual Oakland County OakGreen Summit: Time is running out to register for the 3rd annual Oakland County OakGreen Summit. The event is set for May 16 from 8 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at Oakland Schools, 2111 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford Township. Registration is $35 and includes a continental breakfast and gourmet box lunch. To register for the summit online, go to http://www.oakgov.com/oakgreen/events/summit.html. The theme for this year's summit is "Buildings & Transportation." According to the Environmental Protection Agency, buildings consume 39 percent of energy used in the United States while transportation uses 28 percent. The summit includes sessions on energy efficiency in buildings and transportation. Business owners, government officials, fleet managers and others interested in learning how to save money through efficient energy should attend the event. A highlight of the Summit is the announcement of the three local schools chosen as the top environmentally conscious schools in the county. The luncheon keynote speaker is Sean Conway, director of vehicle development, for Bright Automotive. Bright Automotive is a hybrid vehicle manufacturing and services company that specializes in green fleet vehicles. The company recently moved its headquarters from Anderson, Ind., to Rochester Hills. It is expected to create 200 jobs. Topics for the summit include: Renewables: Local Planning and Zoning Issues; Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Readiness and Green Fleet Management; Adopting/Enforcing Local Building Energy Codes in Michigan; Reducing Vehicle Miles Traveled in Southeast Michigan; and The Feasibility of Multiple-Building Geothermal Utility System. An update will also be given on the OakGreen Challenge, which Patterson issued in 2010 to local businesses and residents in an effort to have them reduce their energy consumption by 10 percent by 2012.
Mobile Monday to fly in the Cloud: Cloud technologies match the needs of mobile software development perfectly; learn why at the next meeting of Mobile Monday Detroit May 9. Register at http://Meetup.com/Mobile-Monday-Detroit for "Mobile and the Cloud - a Perfect Match." Microsoft's Patrick Foley will explain how cloud technologies match the needs of mobile software development perfectly. The cloud is cheap, reliable, secure, ubiquitous, and easy to scale. His presentation gives an overview of what "the cloud" is, who the major players are, and how mobile developers can take advantage of cloud technologies today. Also presenting will be Jim Jakary of Fiberlink Communications. His presentation will focus on the realities of enterprise remote device management using a cloud-based utility solution. He will share mobile industry trends and best practices seen while working with Fortune 1000 companies, discuss core attributes that define cloud-based services for mobility, and provide insights to help attendees see and manage smartphones, tablets, and laptops that connect to corporate systems. Further, he will contrast SaaS offerings with "hosted" mobility solutions, and talk to key IT considerations for each delivery model regarding on-premise hardware and software, maintenance, updates, network configuration, licensing and life-cycle. Also, longtime Compuware employee John Kriegel will present information about the Chevy Volt mobile application, including screen shots - then he'll take us out outside to the Plaza in front of Compuware, and demonstrate the functions of the Volt and its' mobile app in-person and answer any questions you may have. The event will be held at Compuware headquarters, One Campus Martius in Detroit, with networking at 5:30 and the program at 6. Refreshments will be served and free parking is available in Compuware's well-lit and easy-to-access parking structure. The event is free to attend, however, reservations are required. Sponsors for the event are the Mobile Technology Association of Michigan, Mobile Monday Michigan, and Compuware.
MCWT To Talk Diversity, Inclusion: On Tuesday, May 24, the Michigan Council of Women in Technology will sponsor a presentation called "Unleashing the Power of Inclusion" at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. Join leading business professionals for a networking event that promises to educate and inspire you to think differently about diversity and inclusion. Keynote speaker Steve L. Robbins, published author and consultant, will confront the way we think about the world, while helping us better understand the challenges we still face in the 21st century workplace. Drawing upon his own life journey rising out of poverty and discrimination, Dr. Robbins will share his insightful perspectives on issues of leadership, inclusion, innovation and how to achieve success in an increasingly diverse environment. Please join us for a networking reception following the keynote address. Beverages and hors d'oeuvres will be served. The event begins at 6 p.m. Mercedes-Benz Financial Services is at 36455 Corporate Drive, Farmington Hills. The event is free for MCWT members and $15 for nonmembers. More at www.mcwt.org.
