A united region: the Partnership is spreading the word.

Keeping business in this corner of the world also keeps our largest corps of suppliers close at hand and ready for reference. Those of you who aren't but would like to be our suppliers should take note." Jeffrey R. Engel, executive director of North American Vehicle Procurement Operations for Ford Motor Co., spoke those words at the Detroit Regional Economic Partnership's 2003 annual breakfast during the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) World Congress.

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Hear that everyone? Listen up! If you want to be in business with the automakers, you need to have a presence in Regional Detroit. That's just one of the messages that the Partnership sends as it travels the world to promote Southeast Michigan--the digital drive--as the place to do business.

Beginning on page 18, you will learn more about the Partnership, who we are and what we're doing. It boils down to this: the regional concept is working. It began in 1997, and since then we have succeeded in bringing billions of dollars of investment to the 10-county region, resulting in thousands of jobs.

Now into our second five-year phase, we're expanding into more small business services, focusing on new technologies and industries and maintaining our presence at trade shows around the world. Economic development is relationship building, and a great many of our public- and private-sector partners--large and small--have benefited from these relationships.

The competition out there is growing. More regional partnerships, more branding initiatives, more multi-state economic development efforts are popping up everywhere, particularly in the Midwest. In order to compete we must remain a competitive region. The Partnership will continue its efforts to attract business, expand business and increase the region's tax base. We have a lot to offer business in this region and someone has to spread that message.

Here's what Engel went on to say:

"All the advantages that Henry Ford saw in 1917 are still here today, together with the infrastructure advantages of an interstate highway hub and multiple air terminals, plus--and I cannot stress this enough--a supplier community that is literally second to none, anywhere in the world."

We couldn't agree more.

If you'd like to invest in the Detroit Regional Economic Partnership, call Marnita Hamilton at [phone] or e-mail: [e-mail].

RICHARD E. BLOUSE JR., CCE 

President and CEO 

Detroit Regional Chamber