Thank you, Tom, and thank you for being such a true leader in the community…. Your experience and philanthropy provide us with invaluable counsel and wisdom.
And thank you, Teresa, for your leadership and passionate advocacy for Pontiac throughout the OU- Pontiac Initiative.
And, of course, thank you, Glenn, for your leadership – on campus and in the community – and for all that you do in the area of economic, community and spiritual renewal.
Thank you, Pastor Jones for your leadership in the Greater Pontiac Community Coalition. As you say, GPCC is “all about action.” Your activism has resonated and inspired so many people inside and outside of the Pontiac community.
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Welcome to Oakland University…and a special OU welcome to Mayor Griemel and Oakland County Economic Development Director Louis Starks.
It is so wonderful to see everyone in person.
It’s spring… the second day of April…and I think we’re all feeling a spirit of optimism and renewal and unity.
After two years of the pandemic, I think we can all agree that optimism and faith and unity can take us a long way….
…and can get us through some difficult times.
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In looking around the room, I am so encouraged about the future of Pontiac.
The challenge that we face is finding ways to translate our collective talents and commitment into opportunities and prosperity for the people and businesses of Pontiac.
As a community, our strength is our trust.
We must rely on each other for strength, a sense of purpose and a sense of possibility.
Our mission at OU is to be a trusted and engaged neighbor… And we are committed to working side-by-side with our neighbors in supporting better education and healthcare while working together to attract private investment and foster growth among our small business community.
In a few minutes, you’ll hear from Louis Starks, the county’s economic director, and Mayor Tim Griemel along with business and civic leaders.
I’m excited to hear their ideas for economic development…
For now, let me leave you with a few thoughts…
The future will be very different than the past.
Rapid economic and cultural change will be a given.
Efficiently adapting to change will be a necessary trait for survival.
And economically, the key to success will be brain power and creativity.
We stand at a watershed moment….a moment where innovation and collaborations will likely determine who succeeds and who fails.
In a world that is changing at a rate that seems a step ahead of our ability to comprehend it, we must maintain our strong partnership….and realize that our present and future are inseparably bound.
Optimism, faith and unity can take us a long way….
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It’s so good to see you here at Oakland University… and I wish you great success at this economic summit.