Detroit Businesses Discuss Whether The Region Can Be Competitive, Attract Talent

Stephen Henderson speaks with people representing Detroit’s health care, energy, and development industries.

City of Detroit skyline and Hart Plaza.

Dodge Fountain at Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit.

Laura Weber Davis/WDET

The future of Michigan’s economy may rest on our ability to attract and retain talent, create long-term and well-paying jobs that fit well in the 21st Century market, and make the state an attractive place for outside investment.

All of those things have far reaching implications for businesses in Michigan — and many companies must play key roles in creating those conditions.

Joan Isabella/WDET

Detroit Today host Stephen Henderson speaks with people representing three different industries in Michigan, but who are all hoping for the same thing — a stable and growing economy.

Marc Corriveau is vice president of government affairs for Henry Ford Health System. He’s also a former state legislator. Mary Zatina is senior vice president of government relations for Beaumont Health. They talk about the state of the health care sector in Southeast Michigan, as well as a number of proposed policy changes that could affect health providers.

Gerry Anderson is the CEO of DTE Energy. He talks about his company’s push for better regional transit in Metro Detroit — a subject that might not fall directly under an energy CEO’s purview, but one Anderson says is critical to the region his company serves.

Finally, Dietrich Knoer, president and CEO of The Platform development firm in Detroit, joins the program to talk about his company’s vision for real estate in the city. The Platform has made a name for itself in the city recently for having a different — more equitable, neighborhood-focused — model for development. Knoer also discusses the day he and his business partner won the famed Fisher Building at auction for just over $12 million.

Click on the audio player above to hear the full conversation.


WDET’s Mackinac Policy Conference coverage is sponsored by The Henry Ford.

Author

  • Detroit Today
    Dynamic and diverse voices. News, politics, community and the issues that define our region. Hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Stephen Henderson, Detroit Today brings you fresh and perceptive views weekdays at 9 am and 7 pm.