On Oct. 3, MichAuto Executive Director Glenn Stevens Jr. and Detroit Regional Chamber Strategic Advisor Terry Rhadigan filled in as the guest hosts of WJR 760 AM’s “Focus With Paul W. Smith” show, speaking with Michigan’s top leaders on the importance of manufacturing, high-tech talent, and the future of automotive.
Hear what the guests had to say below.
Lisa Lunsford is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of GS3 and serves as the MichAuto Board Chair, and is known for her leadership and commitment to the industry. As a tier-1 automotive supplier, GS3 is dedicated to providing students with experiential learning opportunities. During GS3’s recent Manufacturing Day, 48 kids learned to program machines, gaining essential skills that highlight how software and AI are transforming the industry, bridging the gap between the technology kids know and the automotive industry they’re entering, ensuring they have the tools to be successful in the future.
In the context of today’s manufacturing landscape, Lunsford emphasized the value of the phrase “building is belief.” GS3 is committed to this philosophy by establishing clear guideposts to enhance collaboration and cultivate a skilled workforce, while staying focused on its mission of employment and acknowledging the gap between its original aspirations and current realities.
“We need the kids who can come out and do something with their hands. We need that workforce that can build things. We need to get back to that. It’s imperative for the automotive industry or any industry to have people who can build. I think we stopped focusing on it and we lost a whole generation who did things with their hands.”
Robin Milavec is the President, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Strategy Officer at Nexteer Automotive. As the second-largest employer in Saginaw County, Nexteer is a pivotal leader in steering column and driveline systems. With a remarkable legacy of over 119 years, Milavec shares the compelling journey of the company, illustrating its transformation from a General Motors facility to Delphi Automotive and finally to its current success as Nexteer Automotive.
As a way to give back to the local community and support the industry’s talent pipeline, Nexteer hosts an annual Benefit Golf Outing, that brings together supplier from around the world. As a result of the golf outing, Nexteer has raised over $250,000 since 2014 and has given out 25 scholarships in this year alone. Through these efforts, Nexteer not only strengthens community ties but also empowers the next generation of talent, ensuring a brighter future for the industry.
“And more and more, we’re moving into a virtual world where we’re bringing these virtual tools to help us with the more rapid validation of our products. We also are proud to have a test track on this campus where we can install our latest technology directly into vehicles and evaluate those vehicles on site on our test track. That’s complemented by a prototype factory that we have on site.”
Sen. John Damoose (R-Harbor Springs) said the timing of the state budget passing made the interview particularly relevant. Damoose stated that it turned out better than he had anticipated, stating that many different groups came together and put something together that would work. However, his biggest concern is the increase in corporate income taxes, along with the fact that we are already doing enough to push businesses out of Michigan without needing any additional actions.
On a positive note, the increase in funding related to the Pure Michigan campaign was strong, considering its recent history of shying away from its original purpose: to attract visitors to Michigan and encourage them to stay. As a result of Pure Michigan and Detroit’s resurgence, the narrative surrounding Michigan is shifting, with people now saying, “Heck yeah, I’m from Michigan,” instead of “Heck yeah, I’m from Michigan but…”
“We need to diversify. That’s great. And some of that happens naturally, but you don’t do it at the expense of your core industry. And I say this all the time in speeches, that Michigan, the world doesn’t need another Silicon Valley. And if they do need another Silicon Valley, they have it in Austin, Texas. The world doesn’t need another Hollywood, but if they do, they have one in Vancouver, Canada, or Atlanta, Georgia. The world needs Michigan to be Michigan. And we used to know exactly what that meant.”
Mark Hackel is the Macomb County Executive and has the unique opportunity to have his finger on the pulse of Macomb, which has the third-largest population in the state. Celebrating Manufacturing Day, Hackel announced that 2,100 students participated across Macomb, showcasing the exciting career pathways available to them. With a remarkable 51,000 job openings in Macomb, events like this are crucial for empowering students and providing them with real-world experiences, ensuring that the next generation is well-prepared to enter promising careers.
When it comes to the budget, Hackel has a particular focus on road funding, an issue that has remained unresolved for decades. However, with recent increases in local road funding, there is finally an opportunity to make significant progress.
Looking ahead, Macomb County plans on prioritizing forward-thinking initiatives, particularly in areas such as cybersecurity, the impact of artificial intelligence, and mental health. These focus areas will be crucial for fostering a resilient community in the years to come.
“When we first started with Manufacturing Day, it was during a time that was somewhat challenging. I think you all remember, we were looking at the state and wondering what’s going on with manufacturing. How do we deal with this? And, back when I talked to Governor Snyder and walked into his office, realizing we never doubled down on manufacturing, but one of those highlighters that really wasn’t talked about much was defense. And, we had such a cluster of assets here and opportunities. But we were kind of letting it slip by because we took it for granted. And so, you know, I think everybody kind of really leaned into it heavy, where we’re at today is actually remarkable because of everyone’s efforts of identifying opportunities and jobs in and around the area.”
Rami Fakhoury is the Managing Director of Fakhoury Global Immigration (FGI), USA and Carmen Fakhoury is the President of FGI Services and Fakhoury Immigration Services, where they both help companies throughout the U.S. and across the world bring in talented and well-educated employees. Related to this matter, are H-1B visas, which allow STEM professionals with a four-year college degree or its equivalent to work in a professional position that requires a degree and meets the employer’s requirements, provided they have a job offer from an employer.
However, starting Sept. 21, new H-1B visa holders are required to pay an additional $100,000 fee, in addition to the existing fees. Rami Fakhoury stressed that $100,0000 is a significant amount of money, compared to what other countries require, which severely hurts smaller to midsize companies that rely heavily on foreign talent to come here for various innovative measures.
On the other hand, Carmen Fakhoury pointed out that other countries are “seizing” the opportunity. For example, Dubai is actively working to attract young talent by investing in artificial intelligence (AI). They are making efforts to bring in AI professionals and are streamlining their immigration process to facilitate this.
“Other countries are seizing this opportunity, in my opinion. There are already pathways for highly skilled talent to go to other countries such as the UK or Canada. But now these countries are really exploring even more options to leverage and seize this opportunity to attract the talent that would have come to the U.S. on an H-1B.”
“In essence, we are basically letting a lot of very skilled people, educated people, go to other destinations, and create companies, and create opportunities elsewhere that will not benefit the United States. And that’s a that’s a real shame. I think it’s going to be quite devastating in the future to our university systems, for our innovation system, to Silicon Valley, and to all the states, that are looking for talent and looking to create innovative initiatives and companies.”
Tu Le is the founder and Managing Director of Sino Auto Insights. As a Michigan native, Le began his career at General Motors before moving to China for 13 years. During this time, he founded a consultancy and gained valuable insights that led to the creation of a widely respected newsletter among analysts and journalists. Fast forward to three years ago, Le returned to Michigan with a renewed sense of purpose, hoping to convince folks in Michigan that we need to move faster and change things up to stay globally competitive.
Recently, Le attended Demo Day, where over 800 venture capitalists (VCs) from the U.S. and North America gathered at Ford Field to meet with startups. VCs were able to take the initiative by scheduling appointments with startups, allowing them to identify new ventures while startups showcased their innovations without the pressure of competition. In the end, five startups pitched, and the winner, General Orbit, received $375,000 from the Michigan State Research Foundation, the state of Michigan, and Assembly Ventures. The success of General Orbit highlights that with continued investment and support, the future of startups looks promising, paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in the industry.
“Recently, in Munich, for the Munich Auto Show, I was there 2 years ago, and I was there this year, and 2 years ago, compared to this year, 40% more Chinese companies were participating in IAA and Munich, in 2025 than in 2023. So the reality is they’re coming. I think there’s an inevitability to that. And we need to be prepared because they’re going to end up in North America sooner rather than later.”
Drew Coleman is the Senior Director of MichAuto and holds a front row seat on the talent landscape in the state, allowing him to observe both current and future developments in the state. Coleman advocates for a shift in the narrative surrounding talent development by viewing it as an interconnected supply chain rather than isolated segments. This holistic approach underscores that each stage of education and skill development is linked, reinforcing the importance of collaboration across various educational institutions and programs.
Additionally, Coleman believes that exposure to real-world experiences is crucial and should occur frequently during formative years. Having benefitted from such opportunities himself, by enabling young individuals to engage with practical applications and hands-on learning, we can ignite their curiosity and pave the way for those pivotal “light bulb” moments that inspire and motivate them toward their future careers.
To foster this mindset shift, original equipment manufacturers are actively working to connect academia with industry. By building pipelines from the ground up, these investments play a vital role in shaping a well-prepared workforce for the future.
“You have to be able to touch and feel things early to get that light bulb moment and say, wow, this is so cool. And then realized that if you do something in Detroit, you can impact the world. And you get that realization that auto is not just making things. It’s designing, developing, researching, supplying, buying, marketing, finance, accounting, legal. There’s a space everywhere in this industry for Michiganders, and we need to really try to expose young people and people that just aren’t in the industry to what that opportunity looks like.”