Page 22-23

As Toyota revs its North American engine in the coming year by bringing to market nine new vehicles, one of the automaker’s top global executives will guide the activity from Ann Arbor. Osamu “Simon” Nagata, newly appointed as president and CEO of Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America (TEMA), surprised many industry watchers last year when he chose the suburban college town for his office instead of northern Kentucky, where the operation has its brick-and-mortar headquarters.

Page 24

The global approach has affected the industry in many ways. Probably the most visible are the global platforms that have been developed where you have a lot of standardization of parts on the vehicle and a standardized structure of the vehicle that’s common around the world.

Page 26

The cars that GM, Ford and Chrysler are coming out with right now are so much better than they had just five years ago. It’s a difference of night and day and that has exceeded my expectations.

Pages 28-29

In September, Gov. Rick Snyder announced the creation of an Automotive Industry Office and named Nigel J. Francis as the state’s automotive adviser. With his position housed within the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Francis is charged with developing, implementing and executing a comprehensive strategic plan and road map for the automotive industry in Michigan.

Pages 30-31

An entry-level employee at Chrysler Group LLC is only seven levels removed from Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne. This is a selling point made clear when the company’s campus recruiters visit universities to tell its story to graduating engineers, IT specialists and others completing studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, known as “STEM” fields.

Pages 34-35

It has been two years since MICHauto launched under the Detroit Regional Chamber’s economic development umbrella, and since then, the program has cemented its status as the first automotive cluster organization dedicated to growing and advancing the auto industry in Michigan.

Pages 44-45

Next year the world’s leading technology thought leaders will join notable transportation businesses from around the world in Detroit to showcase the latest ideas and innovations of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). From Sept. 7-11, 2014, the Intelligent Transportation Society of America, in partnership with ERTICO (ITS Europe) and ITS Asia-Pacific, will host the 21st World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems at the Cobo Center in Detroit.

Pages 54-55

Hiring veterans is more than the right thing to do, it also makes great business sense. That was the message delivered by an impressive lineup of speakers and panelists at the 2013 Governor’s Summit on Veterans Talent, co-sponsored by the Detroit Regional Chamber and Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency at Masco Corporation headquarters on Nov. 13.