I have made it my own personal goal over the last year to travel as much a possible. In the last two years I've explored local hot spots in Michigan as well as spent time in kayaking Pictured Rocks in Michigan's U.P., hiking Hocking Hills in Ohio, swimming with manatees in Florida's Crystal River, dog sledding in the Rocky Mountains, catching an outdoor Red Wings hockey game in Denver, and discovering an awesome national park called Pointe Peelee in Canada. And, currently, I am planning a trip to Iceland for later this year.

As my career heats up, I find myself appreciating time away more and more. And with each trip I find myself getting more out of the experience for my career.

1. Becoming a Self-Starter
If you have the ability, try taking a solo trip... even if it is as simple as a cross-state road trip. This gives you the ability to discover a place at your own pace without having to worry about someone rushing you along. You get to plan the trip and do whatever you want, when you want. This helps teach you to be a self­-starter and are able to accomplish tasks on your own.

2. Using Team Work (To Make the Dream Work)
But we all know, traveling is much better when you have someone to share with with. You know you have a good friend when you can travel alongside someone for an extended period of time and only get into a fight once. Traveling with another person or a group of people helps you to be able to work with another personality on a project as well as practice your teamwork abilities and conflict resolution skills.

3. Becoming Flexible
I personally love to have a specific itinerary planned out before going on a trip. But sometimes it makes the trip better to just have an idea of what you want to do then let the experience lead the way. Flexibility is important in both travel and in your career. Not everything will go according to plan, and that is OK.

4. Making Connections with People
While traveling you'll meet all kinds of people, from all walks of life, that you wouldn't have met otherwise. These types of people wouldn't necessarily have fallen into your typical circle and befriending them may be a challenge. Being able to make a positive connection with someone unlike yourself if a trait that will help you the rest of your life.

5. Ignoring Stereotypes
Whether your traveling stateside or internationally, you're bound to find yourself confronted by stereotypes at every turn. You've heard it: "French people hate Americans." But in fact, they don't. And my native state of Michigan says a lot of bad stuff about Ohio (we're college football rivals) but hiking after hiking in Hocking Hills, I was blown away by this state's beauty. Don’t let others bring you down or persuade your view on anyone or anything. Make your own conclusions.

6. Learning to Adjust
Similar to being flexible with those you are traveling with, it is also important to be flexible with adjusting to your surrounding. Paying attention to cultural customs and community norms. It is not for you to make them bend to your preference but for you to adjust to the their culture.

7. Trying Something New
Make sure to try something new where ever your travels take you. Bonus points to traveling to new places! By intentionally putting yourself outside of your comfort zone you will be ready and able to adapt to uncomfortable situations during your career with ease.

8. Disconnecting is Good for the Brain
And finally, traveling does wonders for your brainpower. The best thing about truly immersing yourself in your trip is that you don’t have to be constantly in touch. You're not chained to your laptop or tethered to your phone. When you disconnect, you reconnect with your brain, this can bring the creative juices flowing again, if you’ve been run dry. Traveling and disconnecting is the key to avoiding burnout.

Have you learned other valuable life lessons during your travels? Perhaps some wise notions that will help you throughout your career? Share them in the comments below!

As we celebrate International Women's Day today (March 8) as a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, I am reminded how important my work with the Girl Scouts is and the impact that I am leaving on their lives.

Data shows:

• Over 80% of Girl Scouts say that Scouting has helped them to feel more confident in taking the lead
• 94% of Girl Scouts say they feel like they can play a part in addressing issues important to them
• 3 out of 4 girls say that because of Girl Scouts they have become a leader in more activities with their friends, classmates, and their communities
• 71% of Girl Scout alumni consider themselves competent and capable, compared to only 55% of non-alumni who feel the same

WAGGGS reaches 10 million girls and young women in 146 countries across five regions. Together, the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts are the largest voluntary movement dedicated to girls and young women in the world. Their mission is to enable girls and young women to develop their fullest potential as responsible citizens of the world, and their vision is for all girls and young women to be valued and to take action to change the world. And they've been transforming lives around the world for more than 100 years.

Together Girl Scouts and International Women's Day aim to empower girls and young women to stand up and speak out on issues affecting them, and they support girls to be leaders and make positive choices.

And to-date, Girl Scouting has an impressive track record:

• 2/3 of U.S. Congresswomen were once Girl Scouts
• At least 80% of women business owners were Girl Scouts
• Nearly every female astronaut who has flow into space was a Girl Scout

With leadership is at the core of Girl Scouting, leaders like myself aim to provide girls with dynamic and flexible training in life skills, leadership and citizenship all to develop the world's future female leaders.


How to Celebrate International Women's Day the Girl Scout Way:

1. Buy Cookies! Did you know the Girl Scout Cookies program is the largest girl-led business in the world? And that it teaches and builds some of the most important business skills the girls will use their entire lives? Through Cookie sales the girls practice goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics. Even our girls, 2nd and 3rd graders, learned and practiced daily "elevator speeches" and perfected their sales pitches to be used individually and during our troop cookie booths. We worked on our math skills by totaling orders, making change, and keeping an inventory of what cookies we had in stock. We also mastered customer service by making sure every girl was courteous, polite, helpful and knowledgeable about the product. This is how the next generations of entrepreneurs and leaders is created! Click here to find where to buy Girl Scout Cookies near you. Or if we know each other personally and you're in the area, let me know and my troop would be happy to sell you some cookies!

2. Make a Donation - If you're interested in being a part of International Women's Day's support of Girl Scouting and the entire WAGGGS community, consider making a donation. Your support helps deliver high quality programs and campaigns that provide girls and young women dynamic, flexible and training in life skills, leadership and citizenship. Click here to donate through International Women's Day. For more information on the partnership, click here.

Last week my Girl Scout troop said "see you later" to each other as we concluded our first season of Scouting. As the girls left with all their badges and certificates, I was very proud of what we accomplished this year.

I am asked a lot why I decided to be a Girl Scout Leader and a lot of it had to do with feeling like I needed to use my good to empower young girls to be strong and to accomplishing something great.

My Journey

In my very short career I've worked my way from the world's largest privately-owned global companies to one of the leaders in the world's oldest and largest consumer industry. I've managed to do this all while running two of my own businesses and finding time to give back to the community. And in my last performance appraisal, I was regarded as "wise and professional beyond her years." But it wasn't until I was awarded, by the Michigan Business and Professionals Association, with the One Person Wonder award that I began thinking about how I got this far in only my early twenties.

About a year or so ago I was catching wind about the Girl Scout organization losing members and losing adult support for the programs. Girl Scouting was also losing funding because of the dwindling memberships. They were closing camps and ending initiatives.

I was a Girl Scout for about 10 years. It's not something I was never embarrassed about but sadly I never highlighted it or talked about my experiences. I remember all the great times I had in Scouts and I began thinking that maybe it was the key to my accomplishments—or at least responsible for my drive and determination.

Girl Scouting Works

Girl Scouting has long been known for its extraordinary effects on girls—both during and beyond troop involvement. In fact, 3 of every 4 girls say that because of Girl Scouts they have become a leader in more activities with their friends, classmates, and their communities.

The statistics prove that Girl Scouting has a lasting effect on women throughout their lives. When women were polled about how they felt about their professional accomplishments, 71% of Girl Scout alumni consider themselves competent and capable, compared to only 55% of non-alumni who feel the same. Also, Girl Scout alumni report higher incomes than those women never involved in Scouting.

And the accomplishments of Girl Scout alumni as individuals are astounding. In fact, 2/3 of U.S. Congresswomen were once Girl Scouts, at least 80% of women business owners were Girl Scouts, and nearly every female astronaut who has flow into space was a Girl Scout.

Empowering Girls to Lead

After reading up on staggering statistics of Girl Scouting success and hearing of the organization's struggles, I knew I had to do something. So I called the Girl Scout Council and started a troop of Brownies, 2nd and 3rd graders.

I know nothing about teaching children, and I don't pretend to, so I enlisted the help of my my cousin Abby, an elementary school teacher and fellow former Girl Scout, to co-lead the troop.

Together we built a curriculum that was fun but also provided them with valuable life skills, confidence, and knowledge that follows in line with the Girl Scouting values of discovery, making connections, and taking action. These three values make up the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.


Through a program centered around the Girl Scout Leadership Experience—a collection of activities and experiences including earning badges, selling cookies, exciting trips, exploring the outdoors, and making a difference—our young girls are able to get a jump start on leadership qualities.

To add to this complexity, Girl Scouting isn't just about "what girls do" but "how" they do them. And Girl Scouting focuses and stresses that troop programs need to be "Girl Led," meaning girls play an active part in figuring out the what, where, when, how, and why of their activities. In partnership with the leaders, girls lead the planning and decision-making as much as possible. This ensures that girls are engaged in their learning and experience leadership opportunities as they prepare to become active participants in their local and global communities.

Through Girl Scouting, they're able to develop and grow their critical thinking, team building, conflict resolution, and acceptance skills from a young age that take them far beyond the skill sets of their peers.

Our Journey, Together

Our troop, which consisted of nine 2nd and 3rd graders, prided ourselves on the overall qualities of being a Brownie:

Our troop was in session for about nine months this season and within those nine months we saw dramatic changes in our girls that are in line with the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Girls gain practical life skills.
A lot of people think Girl Scout Cookies Sales are just a fundraiser but it's so much more! Did you know the Girl Scout Cookies program is the largest girl-led business in the world? And that it teaches and builds some of the most important business skills the girls will use their entire lives? Through Cookie sales the girls practice goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics. Even our girls, 2nd and 3rd graders, learned and practiced daily "elevator speeches" and perfected their sales pitches to be used individually and during our troop cookie booths. We worked on our math skills by totaling orders, making change, and keeping an inventory of what cookies we had in stock. We also mastered customer service by making sure every girl was courteous, polite, helpful and knowledgeable about the product.



Girls seek challenges in the world.
During one of our meetings, we asked our girls where their favorite foods come from and the majority of the troop answered with "the grocery store." After that we took the next several weeks to focus on where our food comes from and how it is prepared. We visited a dairy farm to see how milk, cheeses, and ice cream is made and to learn to milk a cow. We used a juicer to make our own fresh and all-natural juices from apples and oranges. And we visited a local pizza place to learn about what goes into making everyone's favorite food! All of this was a lesson to show that fresh foods, straight from the source is always a better and healthier option. To help the girls get closer to their food source, our troop started a community garden plot to grow our own vegetables.


Girls advance diversity in a multicultural world.
Our troop was made of up girls from all types of backgrounds including family structure type, economical status, special needs, and ethnicity. The girls are all very open about who they are and where they come from and none of them saw each other any differently because to them we are all Girl Scouts.


Girls feel connected to their communities.
Our first show of support for our local community and the Girl Scouting sisterhood was though a public display during the local Christmas Parade. They walked alongside our banner and waved to the community, proudly representing Girl Scouts. To become even more involved in the community, the girls joined the local community garden where they have a plot of land to grow their own vegetables so they can continue learning about where our food comes from and how it is prepared.


Girls advocate for themselves and/or others.
Amidst all the fun and exciting activities, we suffered the loss of one of our Scout's parents. Despite everything she was going through, the one place she wanted to be was at Girl Scouts. The sisterhood and support the girls provided is amazing!

An Honor to Lead

Now that our first scouting season has come to an end, I couldn't be more pleased with what we've accomplished. And it doesn't help that we are getting a lot of great feedback from our parents too.

Just think, one day, one of these girls could be the next industry leader, Nobel Peace Prize winner, President, or groundbreaking scientist. They could change the world. The possibilities are endless. These girls are our future. So to be a part of this organization and to work with these girls, is an honor and a privilege.

To learn more about Troop 7169 and to watch them grow and learn, follow us on Facebook.

There has never been a truer statement.

Life is short. Work somewhere awesome. 

You will spend the majority of your waking moments at work so you should be doing something you love, in a place you love, surrounded by people you respect that you can mutually support and grow alongside.

Thankfully I have had the privileged of starting off my career at an awesome place. I was given a chance right out of college to do something that I had only done in theory in the classroom. I was given a place to learn, grow, and expand. I was mentored and pushed to do new things. I was able to work alongside some of the brightest minds I have met to date. I was introduced to people and new ideas that have changed my world. I was allowed to take my ideas and make them a reality. I was able to mentor students and share my passion. I was able to have my work viewed globally. It was here that I gained the confidence I have today. It is safe to say that I have been lucky enough to work somewhere awesome.

With that being said, I am sad to announce that I am leaving the company that has done so much for me over the last three and a half years.

This company gave me my first job, during a dismal economy. They took a risk on someone fresh out of college with no real corporate experience. I will always be eternally grateful for this. During my time here I have grown immensely, both professionally and personally. My time here has opened my eyes to the automotive industry, where I am sure my career will remain. I will forever be thankful for every person who has taken the time to mentor me and help me get to this point.

I am able to recognize that there is so much  I do not know but need to know to reach my goals and I must do what is necessary to forge my path. As I enter the next stage of my career, I aim to seek out new skills and increase my level of experience in all aspects of the industry so I can become a more well-rounded communications professional. I will continually challenge myself to do more, learn more, and grow.

I have no idea where the future is going to take me. I only hope I will be able to continue to work with awesome people in awesome places. Because life is short.

There is one trend in social media that has me utterly confused... using nicknames, omitting last names, or even using made up names on social media profiles.

His goal: to make you uncomfortable because being uncomfortable makes you learn.

Carlos Dominguez is a Senior Vice President at Cisco and a technology evangelist who motivates audiences worldwide through his unique perspective on how technology is changing how we communicate, collaborate, and especially how we work. During his keynote at Ragan's Social Media for PR and Corporate Communications Conference in Disney World, Carlos gave a humorous, highly-animated presentation full of deep insight into how the right technologies and the right culture can create winning organizations. He draws from more than 20 years in the industry and a career spent in communications, he revealed how technology is changing the rules of business and explored strategies to avoid getting left behind. Carlos addressed many questions about collaboration including what motivates people to collaborate, how to establish rewards for collaborating, to how find the right experts both inside and outside your company, and how to keep people coming together both online and in person. Most importantly, he discussed what we, as a society, need to do to adapt to living in an "internet of everything" world--meaning a world that relies heavily on the internet for every aspect.

In order to live in this world, you need to do two things:

This morning at Ragan Communication's 2nd Annual Social Media for PR and Corporate Communications Conference at Disney World, Thomas Smith, Social Media Director at Disney Parks, spoke about how they use social media to create magical experiences.

Last week I was lucky enough to attend the PR Detroit kickoff event, PR|D Symposium - Renewing Detroit: the Role of Public Relations which was held at Wayne State University.

PR Detroit is a newly formed group of Metro Detroit-based public relations professionals and companies working together to communicate positive messages for Detroit. Our mission is to facilitate positive news and information about the city with a vision of changing the national conversation to encourage positive change and growth in Detroit.

The symposium was intended for southeast Michigan public relations professionals to explore the challenges and opportunities for communicating positive message about Detroit within the context of the municipal bankruptcy. The symposium included a call to action and engaged the PR community to develop creative strategies for constructive, positive communication.

The entire event was packed full of powerful and influential speakers who are passionate about Detroit and here are some of my highlights and takeaways.


The Welcome
The PD|D Symposium's opening speech was given by Matt Segar, Dean of the College of Fine, Performing, and Communication Arts at Wayne State University; Bill Nowling, Spokesperson for the Office of the Emergency Manager of the City of Detroit; and Alexis Wiley, Director of Community Engagement and Spokesperson for the City of Detroit.

It only takes you a few seconds to find a world class photo of blight. That is a huge problem. #PRdSymposium #Detroit
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) March 24, 2014

"Everybody is honestly working 24/7 to change the way we do business" @AlexisWileyNews #PRDetroit #Detroit
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) March 24, 2014

RT @AlexisWileyNews: "When you look at the city, it's like looking at the hope, pride and aspirations of those who built it. " #PRDetroit
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) March 24, 2014

Challenges and Opportunities to Communicating Detroit's Story
This section was given by Peter Kageyama, author of For the Love of Cities.

We are in a relationship with our places. @pkageyama #PRdetroit #detroit
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) March 24, 2014

Not enough of us love our places...we need to be the ones who step up to show that. @pkageyama #PRDetroit”
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) March 24, 2014

How to build a loveable city: it has to be functional, safe, comfortable, convivial, and lastly, FUN!… http://t.co/u65HMbiM7w
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) March 24, 2014

Those who go out there & break the rules are the ones that unjam the system. If you can't be a risk taker, support those who can #PRDetroit
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) March 24, 2014

We need more places to play to grow our relationship with the city, such as public art. #PRDetroit
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) March 24, 2014

A good tip to cities: If children are happy, parents are happy. #PRDetroit
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) March 24, 2014

City rituals and traditions keep people engaged and committed to their relationship with their city. #PRDetroit
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) March 24, 2014

Just like with the Marche du Nain Rouge where for 300 years, on the Sunday after the Vernal Equinox, Detroiters have celebrated liberation from the Nain Rouge, the fiendish embodiment of all that holds us back. Revelers dressed in costume converge at or near Cass Park and hope for better things for Detroit’s future, celebrating whatever is good and working in the city: happiness, success and freedom from the antagonism of the Nain in the new year.

Instead of trying to irradiate negative behavior, try and turn it into something positive. #PRDetroit Like the commissioned graffiti!
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) March 24, 2014

A perfect example of turning something negative into something positive can be seen while enjoying a nice bike ride down the Dequindre Cut Greenway, an urban recreational path, officially opened to the public in May of 2009. The 1.35-mile greenway, developed through a public, nonprofit and private partnership, offers a pedestrian link between the Riverfront, Eastern Market and many of the residential neighborhoods in between. Formerly a Grand Trunk Railroad line, the Dequindre Cut is a below-street level path for bicyclist and pedistrians. This greenway is well-known for its urban artwork and graffiti, often times commissioned by famous graffiti artists.

You can also see more commissioned graffiti on a well-traveled section of Woodward between downtown and Midtown on the front facade of the Detroit Museum of Contemporary Art.

We need to be open to solutions that don't looked like any other solutions we've dealt with before. @pkageyama #PRDetroit
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) March 24, 2014

We also need to be open to solutions from people who are not the traditional solution finders. #PRDetroit
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) March 24, 2014

Panel Discussion: Current Efforts and Activities
Moderated by Marge Sorge, Executive Director of the Detroit Regional News Hub, this panel consisted of Ken Cockrel Jr., Director of Detroit Future City; Mary Kramer, Publisher of Crain's Detroit Business, Dave Lorenz, Manager of Industry Relations and International Marketing for Travel Michigan; and Paula Silver, formerly of Quicken Loans and Opportunity Detroit public relations.

RT @LambertEdwards: "The opportunity to make a difference is a big draw [to a city]." - @pkageyama #PRDetroit
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) March 24, 2014

RT @evan_sotnik: Hipsters, tech, and entrepreneurs seem to be a theme in improving Detroit and selling its image. #PRDetroit
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) March 24, 2014

Downtown Grand Rapids once looked like Downtown Detroit and now it's gorgeous thanks to business leaders that invested. #PRDetroit
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) March 24, 2014

"If you don't like what people are saying about you, change the conversation." - @KenCockrelJr2, a page out of Don Draper's book #PRDetroit
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) March 24, 2014

Based on the conversations that took place, these are the new unofficial guidelines came out of the PR|D Symposium:

• Do not refer to a Detroit business, landmark, restaurant, or shop as a “hidden gem” 
• Do not describe Detroiters as “gritty” 
• Do not support “ruin porn" -- In fact for every picture of ruin porn you come across, post 5 more favorable and positive images of Detroit
• Bring out of town guests to Detroit and let them experience it for themselves
• Have elevator speeches prepared in case your encounter negative reviews during your daily life
• Think outside of the box!

This was a fantastic event with a lot of great speakers and a lot of great suggestions from attendees on what we can do to make a difference using our PR superhero powers:

• Create an online resource for educational materials and elevator speeches that we can use as PR professionals when asked to speak on behalf of Detroit and our business in the area
• Work positive messaging into business materials and advertising about Detroit
• Keep PR|D going

Now that event has come and gone, what will come out of PR|D? I'm hoping it is something big. Something great. It could be a dinner on the Ambassador Bridge, a citywide pillow fight, or more public art. At the very least, I'm hoping for a strong, singular branding campaign that melts together Detroit, its people, and the businesses that support it. More importantly, I'm hoping for a round two where steps will be taken to build a cohesive, active PR presence for the city as a team.

NOTE: The PR|D symposium was sponsored by PRSA Detroit, the Detroit Regional News Hub, and Wayne State University, with support provided by General Motors, Airfoil Public Relations, and Quicken Loans.

Final thought: You don't have to convince the world, you have to convince yourselves. @pkageyama #PRDetroit
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) March 24, 2014

I don't generally write about automotive because I'm not a "car girl," I'm simply a PR girl who fell into working in the automotive industry. But last week after attending the 2013 Michigan Automotive Summit (MAS) sponsored by MichAuto I was inspired to share my experience with as many people as possible.

This was the first of what will be a yearly, all day summit featuring high level speakers from industry, academia, and government agencies. This year's theme among speakers was a resurgence in the automotive industry in Detroit, how to get the younger generation excited about automotive, and the technological advancements in automotive's near future.

The day was filled with top notch presenters that came together to form a really big sales pitch for the automotive industry and all I kept thinking was: I want to share this with all my friends. No. I HAVE to share this with everyone.

The automotive industry is ideal for new grads. 

So many of my friends, family, and online connections who recently graduated and are still trying to figure out where they belong. When I suggest automotive, I always hear comments like "I don't know anything about cars," or just a plain "No thanks."

If you live in Metro Detroit, like me, then chances are at least one of your parents worked in the industry and at least half of your neighbors did too. The automotive industry in Detroit was huge and booming and then it wasn't anymore and then it laid off nearly its entire workforce. At the time, most of us were in college and family fiances got tough and things didn't go as planned so we swore off automotive. It turned our lives upside down in a bad way. We insisted we wouldn't fall victim like our parents.

Yes, the automotive industry did take away your parents and all these other peoples' jobs but the automotive industry is one of our country's oldest and largest manufacturing sectors in U.S. history -- always has been and always will be. And now, it's growing again! Here's some soundbites for you:

• There is a potential for growth of 100,000 jobs in Michigan for mobility technology by 2025. That's a lot of jobs! 
• Right now, 8 million private sector jobs can be traced back to the automotive industry. 
• An undisclosed Asian OEM Executive said, "We go to Michigan because that's where the engineers are." That means Detroit is still known for automotive, globally, despite everything that has happened. 
• Of the $29 billion in automotive investments made in the U.S., $21.5 billion were made here. Everyone is investing in Detroit.

I never would have seen myself working in the automotive industry. Sure my mom works in the industry, my dad is a life-long, die hard Ford guy, and I grew up at Detroit Dragway watching my him race but I wanted to be in the tech industry. Maybe a start up. I wanted to be part of a high tech world. I wanted to be a part of something that made a difference in the world. I wanted to make a difference! Sound like you're kind of career? Think about this:

• The automobile is one of the most high-tech consumer products on the market combining not only the obvious engineering but also new media digital applications including web and mobile phone connectivity and other smart technologies. 
• Michigan is the leader in automotive research and development in the U.S. with $12 billion spent last year. Michigan ranks second globally behind Japan. And we are the leader in tooling with 1 in 3 U.S. tooling centers calling Michigan home. How's that for innovation?!
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) has a goal of zero fatalities from traffic crashes and right now, thanks to the innovative people in auto, this isn't so far fetched and might be achieved in my lifetime therefor making the roads safer for me, my kids, and millions of people around the world. 
• Then there are autonomous vehicles. Cars that drive themselves. Can you even believe it? Mind blown. And Snyder says the standards for these vehicles have to be established in Michigan first... we are the Motor City, of course!

MAS is the TEDx of the automotive industry.

As a young professional working in the automotive industry nothing excited me more than listening to these influential people speak and being surrounded by such passionate individuals. And this event couldn't have been at a better time and place. Automotive is the heart of Detroit and right now automotive and Detroit are in the middle of a rebirth. We need more of these types of people and these types of events to keep the city and the industry moving forward.



Below is a review of this year's speakers and panelists:

• Rick Snyder, Governor, State of Michigan
  Automotive Michigan's Foundation - Persevering through the Great Recession, the automotive industry demonstrated unparalleled resiliency and adaptability. As a result, automotive innovation, investment and job creation are leading factors in the revitalization of Michigan’s economy. One of the fastest growing economies in the U.S., Michigan’s automotive future is bright and the state is supporting its foundational industry by developing an aggressive strategy to enhance its place as the epicenter of the growing global automotive industry.
  
• Jay Baron, President and CEO, Center for Automotive Research
  Paving the Way: Automotive Economic Growth - From tax revenue and investment to job creation and spin-off development, no state has stronger ties to the automotive industry than Michigan. With global demand for automobiles increasing, researchers are forecasting production and employment growth for the foreseeable future. Michigan is well-positioned to capitalize on this growth. Hear from a leading automotive expert on the economic impact of the automotive industry in Michigan and the opportunities that exist to expand the state’s supply chain footprint.
  
• Competitive Advantage: Research and Development
  Panel: Thomas Apostolos, President, Ricardo, Inc. - Osamu “Simon” Nagata, President and CEO, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing N.A., Inc. - Jeffrey Owens, Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President, Delphi - John Rakolta, Jr., Chairman and CEO, Walbridge
  Moderator: John McElroy, Host, “Autoline”
  Innovation has always been the backbone of the automotive industry. As the automobile continues to evolve into the most technically advanced consumer product on the market, Michigan’s automotive research and development capabilities provide the state an inherent competitive advantage. This panel discussion will highlight Michigan companies involved in cutting-edge automotive R&D and explore the advantages of undertaking such projects in Michigan.
  
• The Next Generation: Workforce of the Future
  Panel: Soha Kadry, Engineering Supervisor, Yazaki North America - Brandy Goolsby, Global Commercial Vehicle Business and Product Strategy Analyst, Ford Motor Company - Brian Hunt, Embedded Software Engineer, American Axle & Manufacturing - Sarah Verner, Restraints Design Engineer, Nissan Technical Center North America
  Moderator: Rob Luce, Program Manager, MICHauto, Detroit Regional Chamber
  Michigan’s automotive talent is second to none. Career opportunities for young professionals are endless, ranging from engineering and design to software development and marketing. Hear from a group of recent college graduates who play an integral role in the automotive industry, elaborating on what attracted them to the field and why more young professionals should consider an automotive career.