The Michigan Opportunity

S6 Ep.8 - Mary Buchzeiger, CEO, Lucerne International

Manufacturing without borders: What it takes to lead a global manufacturing company while navigating supply chains, innovation and international marketsOn this episode we sit down with Lucerne International CEO, Mary Buchzeiger, getting an inside look at how this certified Women Business Enterprise (WBE) company is connecting advanced manufacturing with partners and customers around the world. Mary offers a candid conversation on international trade, reshoring, foreign trade zones and more. Hear how this Michigan company is thriving in the global marketplace while staying rooted locally.

S6 Ep.7 - Steven Wilson, Executive Director, Economic Growth Institute, University of Michigan

From research to real-world results: how the University of Michigan - Economic Growth Institute powers business innovationThe University of Michigan - Economic Growth Institute (EGI) leverages U-M’s research, technologies, and expertise to help small and medium-sized businesses innovate and grow, drive regional economic development, and translate applied research into real-world impact. In this episode we talk with Executive Director, Steven Wilson about how EGI provides strategic support, funding, research analysis, and hands-on collaboration with companies and communities to build long-term economic vitality across Michigan and beyond. Steve also talks about how EGI is working with the MEDC and the Office of Defense and Aerospace Innovation and shares his deep Michigan roots. 

S6 Ep. 6 - Matt Elliot, Founder and CEO, Blue Lake Ideas

From $35B in Sustainable Capital to The Power of &™: Matt Elliott on Driving Durable Growth and Community ImpactMatt Elliott, Founder and CEO of Blue Lake Ideas, is a nationally recognized business and sustainability leader who advises executives and boards on navigating complexity and driving durable growth through his The Power of &™ leadership framework. In this episode Matt discusses his background as President of Bank of America Michigan and Sustainability Executive for Business and Global Commercial Banking. Diving into how he led teams across nine states and deployed more than $35 billion in sustainable capital. Additionally, Matt is a former Chair of the Detroit Regional Chamber and board leader with Business Leaders for Michigan, the Michigan Israel Business Accelerator, and the Detroit Economic Club.

S6 Ep.5 - Lori Lancaster, Vice Chairwoman, Emotiv Mobility and Tony Tomczak, Strategic Energy Lead, Emotiv Mobility

Powering the Next Generation of Mobility in Michigan On this episode of The Michigan Opportunity Podcast, we highlight Emotiv Mobility, a Michigan-based leader in supply chain integration, assembly, and advanced logistics. Vice Chairwoman, Lori Lancaster and Strategic Energy Lead, Tony Tomczak, discuss how Emotiv Mobility integrates logistics, engineered systems, manufacturing, and value-added assembly to power the next generation of mobility and energy infrastructure. Lori talks about how Emotiv looks at Michigan’s automotive roots and finds ways to move them into parallel industries including aerospace, energy and more. While Tony shares with us his project on developing oil-fill distribution transformers. 

S6 Ep.4 - Ryan Smith, Global Marketing Director, Dow Mobility Science

Dow is driving the future of sustainable mobility in Midland, MichiganAs the Global Marketing and Strategy Director for Dow Mobility Science™, Ryan Smith is at the forefront of the automotive industry's rapid transition toward electrification and sustainability. He leads global go-to-market strategies that align Dow’s deep material science expertise with the needs of the growing EV market. In this episode he discusses how Dow materials work with autonomous vehicles, vehicle electrification process, and more. Ryan also hosts the insightful video series “The Road Ahead”, and oversees major global investments for Dow including the first European MobilityScience™ Innovation Studio in Italy.