Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Live across the Great Lake State. You're connected to Michigan's
most engaging and influential radio and television program, Michigan's Big
Show starring Michael Patrick Shields, presented by Blue Cross, Blue
Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
I'm producer and creative director Tony Cuthberts.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Now in the shadow of the Capitol Dome and Lansing.
He's heard from the beaches of Lake Michigan to the
halls of power and behind closed doors. Here's Michigan's Michael
Patrick Shields.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
The reason you're so popular and so influential is that
you're serving others by making them better known and more influential.
And you don't bait them, and you don't Billy Limland,
and you help them to put their best foot forward.
And that's a great thing. Michael Patrick Shields is on
the air, Good Morning world.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
Well that's the voice of Governor Romney years ago andusiness
leaders for Michigan. Not terribly interested in looking back, not
terribly interested in finger pointing, because when you're a leader,
that's how you operate. We're going forward. Where do we
go from here? Even Barbara Bush said to me, so
(01:16):
what now? What and Business Leaders for Michigan is united
by the goal to make Michigan a top ten state
for jobs and talent and a thriving economy. One of
the ways that we are going to do that is innovation. Innovation,
perhaps inspired by our political leaders, perhaps by the current
governor and the next governor for sure. And those candidates
(01:38):
all come through this program, and we're blessed to have them,
and they come through and they sell their story to
us about why they should be the next person to
go to Lansing. We have Jeff Donofrio and they visit
him too, believe me, the president and CEO of the
Business Leaders for Michigan, and they also visit the members
of his organization, the leaders of Michigan's largest companies and universities,
(02:01):
and they have put out a study. Curious to hear
what this study says about where we go from here
with the next governor. Thank you, mister Donofrio for being here.
Speaker 5 (02:13):
Hey, thanks for having me. Michael Patrick.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
You released a plan your organization and how the winner
of the next election can boost the state's economy. And
doesn't matter I guess who the winner is. The ideas
that you present will they be palatable to either a
Republican or a Democrat.
Speaker 5 (02:35):
Well, these are really non controversial ideas, right, these are
It's a plan for Michigan in a new era. We
know that the pace of change is accelerating, and a
gap between those who will be successful, who have the
tools to be successful, and those who are going to
struggle is widening. What we see in the past because
(02:56):
we do a little bit of that look back, Michael Patrick,
But I I agree with the Barbara Brush approach. So
what now what? But you know, we've been really last
in income growth for the last twenty five years. On average,
we've seen high wage professional service jobs grow about thirty
five percent in the US, but be very flat here
in Michigan. And that statistic that really shocks people is that, well, Mississippi,
(03:20):
a state that has always been seen as a laggard
in education, went from forty ninth to ninth in fourth
grade reading. We fell from sixteenth to forty fourth over
that same period of times. So this plan really has
three levers that can change our trajectory, that can help
us grow faster, that can help us build better incomes
and a better quality of life for families. It's transforming education.
(03:42):
It's making Michigan the easiest place to build and grow,
and it's activating our full economic potential with a really
well functioning economic development system.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Let's start with education, because that one seems to be
like a war zone most of the time when you
start moving people's cheese around. And we even had a
fourth grade reading law in place that got dispensed of
when a new administration came in. You mentioned fourth grade
as the Bellweather I think that was obviously very telling
and very embarrassing that Michigan went backward and another state
(04:14):
in the South went, you know, put it in drive.
Speaker 5 (04:19):
Well, you know, it's not surprise I think that we've
sold out on education when we have a system that
was designed in the nineteenth century, worked pretty well in
the twentieth century, but it's really not suited to where
we are today and that we've struggled, as you just said,
to pick a strategy and stick with it. You know,
there are science base based strategies, tactics and a curriculum
(04:42):
that can help us and have helped other states be
able to improve academic success. And those outcomes matter, right,
they matter for our kids. They helped, you know, drive
incomes higher. They help people be able to have new opportunities.
They help our economy because you know, this is the
future of our workforce. It's the next entrepreneur. So you
(05:04):
know what we say is you've got to have that
every child can read by third grade. You've got to
tackle chronic absenteeism, which is we're one of the highest
states for that. You need to set a high standard
for a high school diploma because if you don't know
what you're trying to achieve, you're not gonna be able
to build the system back towards reaching it. And then finally,
you need to have a seamless connection between high school
(05:25):
and post secondary, that college, that apprenticeship, you know, the
career that someone is trying to build, and we really
believe that there's you know, we've got such a fractured governance,
and you're right, it is a battlefield that you know,
the governor needs to step into this, especially the next governor,
and take this on for a full four eight years
however long they're in office, to push this forward.
Speaker 4 (05:47):
I think if the current governor we're on the line
with us, she would say, hey, in the current budget,
we gave more money to education than we ever have
in history. But that's not the only answer, is it.
Speaker 5 (06:00):
That's right, and this current governor said in her State
of the state earlier this year that we are now
an above average state for per pupil but we're getting
bottom ten performance and that's not acceptable. So money alone
is not going to solve this. What we have to
recognize is we don't have a plan. If we don't
know what a high school diploma needs to represent, if
(06:20):
we can't figure out what we're going to do in
third grade, money into the system is not going to
make that much of a difference. So we've got to
focus on those goals. But education is only one part
of this. If we don't make it easier to build
and grow, if we can't make it easier to put
that money to work on infrastructure, if we can't make
it easier and more affordable to build housing, if we
(06:41):
can't make it easier to start a business. And I'll
give you two examples here. There's a study out there
that says a new housing construction it's a thirty one
thousand dollars increase in costs because of the delays in permitting.
I mean, you think about housing prices right now. We
need to drive that down. Second thing is there was
a article a while ago in Detroit about the seventy
(07:03):
seven steps that takes to open up a restaurant. Michael Patrick.
You and I know because my family was in the
restaurant business. All they want to do is serve their customers.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Right.
Speaker 5 (07:11):
All they want to do is serve a pizza, is
bring somebody in and you be a pillar of their community.
They don't want to have to be an expert in bureaucracy.
So how do we get them through these systems quickly?
How do we make sure that we, you know, are
protecting health and safety, but how we unlock that potential
for michiganers.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
It's a forty page roadmap for success called Michigan in
a New Era, and it is assembled by the business
leaders for Michigan. Jeff Donofrio is the CEO, and the
members of that organization the heads of Michigan's largest companies
and universities. I suppose if those people running those businesses
and employing all those people wanting to keep their business
(07:54):
in Michigan had say one wish for business acceleration, it.
Speaker 5 (08:00):
Be I think we want folks to look at this
plan to focus on what brings us together, that we
want our kids to succeed, that we want to be
able to help entrepreneurs be entrepreneurial, help make life easier,
and then get those high wage jobs in the state,
because ultimately we want a state that's going to be
(08:20):
better in ten years than it is today.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
Streamlining bureaucracy and creating an environment where businesses not only
want to come and set up, we want them to
stay here too, and that means generation of young people,
educated and prospering can live here and have the kind
of success of those people who run those businesses, including
Jeff Donafriel. Well, thank you for this report. Is it
(08:44):
accessible to anyone who wants to see it?
Speaker 5 (08:47):
Absolutely? Go to Business Leaders from Michigan dot com and
you can download a version of the report. We're going
to be talking about it for the next year.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
Right required reading for every candidate who comes on this program.
Speaker 6 (08:58):
Thanks to you, the winning's about to take off at
fire Keepers. Don't miss the Bak Your Way Trip giveaway
on Saturday November twenty nine. Win a share of over
one hundred and seventy thousand in vacation vouchers and red
Hot credits. At two PM and four PM, three winners
each receive a vacation voucher worth up to five thousand
(09:20):
and up to twenty five hundred in Red Hot credits.
At six PM, three winners get a ten thousand dollars
voucher and five thousand in Red Hot credits. Then at
eight PM, two more winners receive a vacation voucher forth
fifteen thousand dollars and seventy five hundred in Red Hot credits.
At ten PM, it's the grand prize drawing for a
twenty thousand dollars vacation voucher plus ten thousand in Red
(09:41):
Hot credits. Earn entries daily plus earn double entries every
Wednesday now through November twenty ninth for the BAK Your
Way Trip Giveaway. The best giveaways, the biggest guaranteed prizes
only at fire Keepers. Get your vegas on at fire
Keepers Casino Hotel I ninety four to Exit one oh
four in Battle Creek. Management reserves all rights.
Speaker 7 (10:00):
Dean Transportation is looking for compassionate people to join our
team of school bus drivers and attendants. Visit Dean jobs
dot com to see all openings. Dean Transportation provides paid
training to obtain a commercial driver's license, increased starting pay,
comprehensive benefits, and flexible schedules with no weekend shifts, no
(10:20):
experience needed. Apply today at Dean jobs dot com and
train for back to school season. That's da n jobs
dot Com.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Whether they're dough boys, comments, or even gremlins, every public
school in Michigan is proud to be known for something,
and at the Michigan Lottery, we're proud to be known
for something too. Education. I'm Lottery Commissioner Susanna Shcrelli, and
one hundred percent of our profits go to support the
state School Aid Fund. Last year, the lottery contributed over
one billion dollars, So whatever hometown school you're from, we're
(10:52):
rooting for all of them. Michigan Lottery for Fun for schools.
Knowing your limits as always the best back
Live across the Great Lake State. You're connected to Michigan's
most engaging and influential radio and television program, Michigan's Big
Show starring Michael Patrick Shields, presented by Blue Cross, Blue
Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
I'm producer and creative director Tony Cuthberts.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Now in the shadow of the Capitol Dome and Lansing.
He's heard from the beaches of Lake Michigan to the
halls of power and behind closed doors. Here's Michigan's Michael
Patrick Shields.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
The reason you're so popular and so influential is that
you're serving others by making them better known and more influential.
And you don't bait them, and you don't Billy Limland,
and you help them to put their best foot forward.
And that's a great thing. Michael Patrick Shields is on
the air, Good Morning world.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
Well that's the voice of Governor Romney years ago andusiness
leaders for Michigan. Not terribly interested in looking back, not
terribly interested in finger pointing, because when you're a leader,
that's how you operate. We're going forward. Where do we
go from here? Even Barbara Bush said to me, so
(01:16):
what now? What and Business Leaders for Michigan is united
by the goal to make Michigan a top ten state
for jobs and talent and a thriving economy. One of
the ways that we are going to do that is innovation. Innovation,
perhaps inspired by our political leaders, perhaps by the current
governor and the next governor for sure. And those candidates
(01:38):
all come through this program, and we're blessed to have them,
and they come through and they sell their story to
us about why they should be the next person to
go to Lansing. We have Jeff Donofrio and they visit
him too, believe me, the president and CEO of the
Business Leaders for Michigan, and they also visit the members
of his organization, the leaders of Michigan's largest companies and universities,
(02:01):
and they have put out a study. Curious to hear
what this study says about where we go from here
with the next governor. Thank you, mister Donofrio for being here.
Speaker 5 (02:13):
Hey, thanks for having me. Michael Patrick.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
You released a plan your organization and how the winner
of the next election can boost the state's economy. And
doesn't matter I guess who the winner is. The ideas
that you present will they be palatable to either a
Republican or a Democrat.
Speaker 5 (02:35):
Well, these are really non controversial ideas, right, these are
It's a plan for Michigan in a new era. We
know that the pace of change is accelerating, and a
gap between those who will be successful, who have the
tools to be successful, and those who are going to
struggle is widening. What we see in the past because
(02:56):
we do a little bit of that look back, Michael Patrick,
But I I agree with the Barbara Brush approach. So
what now what? But you know, we've been really last
in income growth for the last twenty five years. On average,
we've seen high wage professional service jobs grow about thirty
five percent in the US, but be very flat here
in Michigan. And that statistic that really shocks people is that, well, Mississippi,
(03:20):
a state that has always been seen as a laggard
in education, went from forty ninth to ninth in fourth
grade reading. We fell from sixteenth to forty fourth over
that same period of times. So this plan really has
three levers that can change our trajectory, that can help
us grow faster, that can help us build better incomes
and a better quality of life for families. It's transforming education.
(03:42):
It's making Michigan the easiest place to build and grow,
and it's activating our full economic potential with a really
well functioning economic development system.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Let's start with education, because that one seems to be
like a war zone most of the time when you
start moving people's cheese around. And we even had a
fourth grade reading law in place that got dispensed of
when a new administration came in. You mentioned fourth grade
as the Bellweather I think that was obviously very telling
and very embarrassing that Michigan went backward and another state
(04:14):
in the South went, you know, put it in drive.
Speaker 5 (04:19):
Well, you know, it's not surprise I think that we've
sold out on education when we have a system that
was designed in the nineteenth century, worked pretty well in
the twentieth century, but it's really not suited to where
we are today and that we've struggled, as you just said,
to pick a strategy and stick with it. You know,
there are science base based strategies, tactics and a curriculum
(04:42):
that can help us and have helped other states be
able to improve academic success. And those outcomes matter, right,
they matter for our kids. They helped, you know, drive
incomes higher. They help people be able to have new opportunities.
They help our economy because you know, this is the
future of our workforce. It's the next entrepreneur. So you
(05:04):
know what we say is you've got to have that
every child can read by third grade. You've got to
tackle chronic absenteeism, which is we're one of the highest
states for that. You need to set a high standard
for a high school diploma because if you don't know
what you're trying to achieve, you're not gonna be able
to build the system back towards reaching it. And then finally,
you need to have a seamless connection between high school
(05:25):
and post secondary, that college, that apprenticeship, you know, the
career that someone is trying to build, and we really
believe that there's you know, we've got such a fractured governance,
and you're right, it is a battlefield that you know,
the governor needs to step into this, especially the next governor,
and take this on for a full four eight years
however long they're in office, to push this forward.
Speaker 4 (05:47):
I think if the current governor we're on the line
with us, she would say, hey, in the current budget,
we gave more money to education than we ever have
in history. But that's not the only answer, is it.
Speaker 5 (06:00):
That's right, and this current governor said in her State
of the state earlier this year that we are now
an above average state for per pupil but we're getting
bottom ten performance and that's not acceptable. So money alone
is not going to solve this. What we have to
recognize is we don't have a plan. If we don't
know what a high school diploma needs to represent, if
(06:20):
we can't figure out what we're going to do in
third grade, money into the system is not going to
make that much of a difference. So we've got to
focus on those goals. But education is only one part
of this. If we don't make it easier to build
and grow, if we can't make it easier to put
that money to work on infrastructure, if we can't make
it easier and more affordable to build housing, if we
(06:41):
can't make it easier to start a business. And I'll
give you two examples here. There's a study out there
that says a new housing construction it's a thirty one
thousand dollars increase in costs because of the delays in permitting.
I mean, you think about housing prices right now. We
need to drive that down. Second thing is there was
a article a while ago in Detroit about the seventy
(07:03):
seven steps that takes to open up a restaurant. Michael Patrick.
You and I know because my family was in the
restaurant business. All they want to do is serve their customers.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Right.
Speaker 5 (07:11):
All they want to do is serve a pizza, is
bring somebody in and you be a pillar of their community.
They don't want to have to be an expert in bureaucracy.
So how do we get them through these systems quickly?
How do we make sure that we, you know, are
protecting health and safety, but how we unlock that potential
for michiganers.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
It's a forty page roadmap for success called Michigan in
a New Era, and it is assembled by the business
leaders for Michigan. Jeff Donofrio is the CEO, and the
members of that organization the heads of Michigan's largest companies
and universities. I suppose if those people running those businesses
and employing all those people wanting to keep their business
(07:54):
in Michigan had say one wish for business acceleration, it.
Speaker 5 (08:00):
Be I think we want folks to look at this
plan to focus on what brings us together, that we
want our kids to succeed, that we want to be
able to help entrepreneurs be entrepreneurial, help make life easier,
and then get those high wage jobs in the state,
because ultimately we want a state that's going to be
(08:20):
better in ten years than it is today.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
Streamlining bureaucracy and creating an environment where businesses not only
want to come and set up, we want them to
stay here too, and that means generation of young people,
educated and prospering can live here and have the kind
of success of those people who run those businesses, including
Jeff Donafriel. Well, thank you for this report. Is it
(08:44):
accessible to anyone who wants to see it?
Speaker 5 (08:47):
Absolutely? Go to Business Leaders from Michigan dot com and
you can download a version of the report. We're going
to be talking about it for the next year.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
Right required reading for every candidate who comes on this program.
Speaker 6 (08:58):
Thanks to you, the winning's about to take off at
fire Keepers. Don't miss the Bak Your Way Trip giveaway
on Saturday November twenty nine. Win a share of over
one hundred and seventy thousand in vacation vouchers and red
Hot credits. At two PM and four PM, three winners
each receive a vacation voucher worth up to five thousand
(09:20):
and up to twenty five hundred in Red Hot credits.
At six PM, three winners get a ten thousand dollars
voucher and five thousand in Red Hot credits. Then at
eight PM, two more winners receive a vacation voucher forth
fifteen thousand dollars and seventy five hundred in Red Hot credits.
At ten PM, it's the grand prize drawing for a
twenty thousand dollars vacation voucher plus ten thousand in Red
(09:41):
Hot credits. Earn entries daily plus earn double entries every
Wednesday now through November twenty ninth for the BAK Your
Way Trip Giveaway. The best giveaways, the biggest guaranteed prizes
only at fire Keepers. Get your vegas on at fire
Keepers Casino Hotel I ninety four to Exit one oh
four in Battle Creek. Management reserves all rights.
Speaker 7 (10:00):
Dean Transportation is looking for compassionate people to join our
team of school bus drivers and attendants. Visit Dean jobs
dot com to see all openings. Dean Transportation provides paid
training to obtain a commercial driver's license, increased starting pay,
comprehensive benefits, and flexible schedules with no weekend shifts, no
(10:20):
experience needed. Apply today at Dean jobs dot com and
train for back to school season. That's da n jobs
dot Com.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Whether they're dough boys, comments, or even gremlins, every public
school in Michigan is proud to be known for something,
and at the Michigan Lottery, we're proud to be known
for something too. Education. I'm Lottery Commissioner Susanna Shcrelli, and
one hundred percent of our profits go to support the
state School Aid Fund. Last year, the lottery contributed over
one billion dollars, So whatever hometown school you're from, we're
(10:52):
rooting for all of them. Michigan Lottery for Fun for schools.
Knowing your limits as always the best back
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