Innovation Valley was in the driver’s seat in front of just under 1,000 automotive industry officials and executives at the recent Center for Automotive Research Management Briefing in Traverse City, Michigan.
Doug Lawyer, the Chamber’s vice president for economic development and current Chairman of the Tennessee Economic Partnership attended the annual conference. Lawyer stressed Tennessee’s prominent position in the industry and had the opportunity to share some of the opportunities available for automotive component companies in Tennessee.
“It is the best opportunity to network and meet automotive professionals each year,” Lawyer said. “I had the chance to speak with several individuals about Tennessee and what we have available from a facility and workforce standpoint.”
Lawyer said the National Transportation Research Center, carbon fiber research, and East Tennessee’s automotive history were all hot topics in his conversations.
“There are more than 900 automotive suppliers in Tennessee, and, of course, we have the three large manufacturing facilities in Nissan, General Motors, and Volkswagen,” he said.
Tennessee’s governor was also a part of the conference for the first time in its history. At a reception for about 100 automotive executives, Gov. Bill Haslam spoke of Tennessee’s business-friendly attitude and told the Pilot’s story.
Haslam is one of just a handful of governors not representing Michigan that have been invited to speak at the C.A.R. management briefing.
“The Tennessee Economic Partnership worked for more than a year to get a Tennessee representative in front of an audience at the briefing,” Lawyer said. “It’s the Michigan governor’s home-turf so it isn’t an easy thing to get a someone from another state. Governor Haslam was terrific and the Tennessee-specific reception as very well received by everyone at the conference.”
