In Case You Missed It: MICHauto by the Bay
August 5, 2021
After a one-year hiatus, MICHauto by the Bay returned to the Hotel Indigo rooftop in Traverse City on Aug. 3 for a memorable evening. Held during the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) Management Briefing Seminars, over 100 people attended the networking event that served to promote MICHauto’s industry branding campaign, Discover Auto: You Drive the Future.
Among the many suppliers, educational institutions, service providers, non-profits, and economic development office attendees were two co-chairs of the Michigan Legislative Automotive Caucus, Rep. Joe Tate (D-Detroit) and Senator Wayne Schmidt (R-Traverse City). Conversation topics revolved around mobility and talent, as well as the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic that stalled face-to-face gatherings for more than a year.
“It was really great to be out in public seeing our friends, colleagues, and partners face-to-face again. Our MICHauto team is so appreciative of our sponsors and everyone that attended. We really enjoyed reconnecting,” said Carolyn Sauer, senior director of MICHauto.
Jenny Orletski-Dehne, coordinator of MICHauto, spoke briefly about the importance of the recently launched industry branding campaign featuring young professionals. “This campaign is getting a lot of attention on Instagram from 13-20 year-olds. Young professionals sharing their personal stories and experiences to drive the message that our industry is growing, global, inclusive, and high-tech is relatable for this audience.”
Launched in June, the Discover Auto: You Drive the Future campaign seeks to change the perception students have that the automotive industry is not very innovative or exciting. Hearing passionate, youthful voices talk about a day in their life paints a truer picture of what automotive and mobility look like today. To share the message, check out the toolkit and follow along on our social channels.
A special thank you to our incredible sponsors at Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), Lacks Enterprises, Inc., Detroit Manufacturing Systems (DMS), and Continental Structural Plastics, a Teijin Group Company.