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DETROIT BUSINESS MAIN 01-07-08 A 9 CDB 1/4/2008 1:41 PM Page 1 January 7, 2008 CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS Page 9 MARY KRAMER: News drives Newsmaker picks, resolutions One of the liveliest staff meet- plans we have for read- you read are headlines cal business news on your PDA or business in this state at the break- ings we have during the year is the ers in 2008. about foreclosures and computer by 3 p.m. weekdays, visit fast. The quarterly series is pro- annual balloting for Newsmaker of 1. We resolve to con- layoffs, that has to affect www.crainsdetroit.com/getemail duced in partnership with Detroit the Year. tinue to report the good, your outlook. to do so now!) Renaissance Inc. and Detroit Our pick as top Newsmaker for the bad and the down- 2. We’re finding new 3. We’re beefing up small busi- Downtown Partnership. For ticket 2007 will be revealed Jan. 14. right ugly on the local ways to report our sto- ness coverage, in print and online. information, go to www.crainsde- This week, we unveil the 10 peo- business scene. We ries. Look for more au- SmallTalk is our new e-newsletter troit.com/breakfast. ple responsible for the most news won’t sugar-coat the bad dio and video on our for small business owners and 5. We’re adding a feature in Sep- last year — good or bad — as judged news, but at the same Web site in 2008. Alan managers, sponsored by Comerica tember: Southeast Michigan’s by Crain’s editors and reporters. time, we will uncover Baker, general manager Bank. It is free, and you can regis- “Most Admired Companies.” Stay Executive Editor Cindy Goodak- the bright spots in the of the crainsdetroit. ter at the same address as above. tuned for details. er coordinates this process every region’s economy. com site, will bring 18 4. We’re starting a new breakfast That should keep us busy. year, and it starts with each staff There are a lot of compa- years of television re- series: Crain’s Business Over Mary Kramer is publisher of member submitting 10 names and nies that are growing. porting, production and Breakfast. The first event, Feb. 7, is Crain's Detroit Business. Her weekly rationales for their inclusion. One of them, Richard Golden’s eye- Web experience to our site. tied to our resolution of beefing up take on the latest business news airs Cindy tallies those picks on a wear company, is profiled on Page 1 (Here’s a resolution for you: If small business coverage. The Small at 6:50 a.m. Mondays on the Paul W. master list of more than 40 names. this week. you haven’t signed up for our free Business Association of Michigan Smith show on WJR AM 760. E-mail Then our news staff convenes for This balance is important. If all daily e-newsletter with the latest lo- will present its scorecard for small her at [email protected]. the traditional BLOG ON debate on the merits of the Read more from nominees. Beat Mary Kramer in her new blog at reporters gen- www.crainsdetroit erally defend .com/kramer. their personal picks and try to influence the final votes of their colleagues. It’s a lively conversa- tion, one that might have caused a few executive ears to burn red. As you might guess, there are some repeaters on the Top 10 list from prior years. People who make a lot of news in one year gen- erally don’t disappear the follow- ing year. Roger Penske and Dan Gilbert are two of those. But sometimes people appear for a single event. Such is the case with Ralph Babb Jr., chairman of Comerica Inc., who orchestrated the bank’s decision to move its headquarters to Texas. Or Graham Beal, who shepherded the breath- taking reinvention of the Detroit Institute of Arts last year. Or Ron Gettelfinger, for the landmark auto talks in 2007. On balance, we have more “good news” on the Top 10 list than one might imagine, given the region’s economic troubles. The top Newsmaker will be hon- ored on Feb. 14 with a luncheon at the Hyatt in Dearborn. For tickets, go to www.crainsdetroit.com/ newsmaker. Our resolutions By now, most of us have proba- bly made — and maybe broken — a resolution for the new year. Publications can have resolu- tions, too. Here are some of the NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR 40 UNDER 40 Crain’s is seeking nominations for the 2008 class of “40 under 40.” This is arguably our most sought- after awards program, recognizing young achievers based on factors such as financial impact, and civic and community leadership. These are the up-and-comers who are changing the Detroit area. Winners will be profiled in the Sept. 29 issue, and Crain’s will celebrate their achievements at an October event. To be eligible, nominees must be under age 40 as of Sept. 29, 2008. For sponsorship opportunities, call (313) 446-6052. Visit www.crainsdetroit.com/nominate for the online form. Nominations must be received by April 7. DETROIT BUSINESS MAIN 01-07-08 A 10 CDB 1/4/2008 11:19 AM Page 1 Page 10 CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS January 7, 2008 LETTERS CONTINUED ■ From Page 8 will automatically escalate those acerbated by weather, truck calls directly to an agent. weights have the most impact on As for your ringer issue, if your road and bridge condition. system is newer, hit the down side Take a small blemish on a road of the volume button on the phone and have extremely heavy trucks while the handset is in the cradle. travel it frequently, then it be- On older sets, your system admin- comes a cavity. Or think of extra- istrator can program a ringer-off heavy trucks, maybe two, travel- button in about 10 seconds. ing on an overpass. Truck Jason Clements operators should be the ones to Senior account executive Matrix Technologies chip in the most for our road re- Tampa, Fla. pairs based on weights. Louis Kasman Life without voice mail President Editor: Marketing/Management Associates L.L.C. Thank you for Keith Crain’s Ann Arbor Dec. 10 column, “Technology is Electric choice a failure simply against me,” on the in- creasingly frustrating replace- Editor: ment of customer service and actu- In Lansing, recent talk about en- al humans on the phone by ergy and so-called “electric machines and inane music-on- choice,” we don’t hear much about hold. residential customers. Technology is both a blessing Ask your neighbor: “Who did and a curse; it all depends on how you choose for your electric sup- one uses it. plier?” The answer will be, “Huh?” You will be pleased to know that Public Act 141, the law that cre- at least one professional services ated “electric choice,” was never firm still answers the phone with a designed to directly benefit resi- real live human being, no phone dential customers. It was a trickle- tree coming in and no voice mail down deregulation experiment. by design — and does it 24-7-365. The idea was that the savings We do and always will. would trickle down from big ener- My partner and associates kid gy-using customers to the rest of me about being a gadget nut, and us. It didn’t work. In every state our IT budget reflects that; but I where deregulation has been tried, will always insist that we make it it has failed. easy to reach our firm and our That’s why responsible Lansing team. lawmakers, including House Ener- It amazes me as a communica- gy and Technology Committee tion professional how often num- Chairman Frank Accavitti Jr. (D- ber-crunchers hurt the revenue line in the loss of customers with Eastpointe), have introduced legis- the false economy on the expense lation that includes fixing PA 141 line by driving customers crazy (“House energy hearings near,” and away from the business. Any Dec. 3, and “Energy debate will savings your phone supplier real- continue after the holidays,” Dec. ized by cutting back on services 17). If adopted, the legislation will was more than lost in the damage ensure more stable rates, energy to their reputation by being ex- efficiency programs and more in- posed in Crain’s Detroit Business. vestments in renewable energy Lots of luck on hold. You’re sources. more likely to win the Power Ball Unfortunately, deregulation Lottery than to get a response from supporters, such as the Michigan some phone trees and systems. AARP, are resorting to scare tac- Leland Bassett tics and misinformation to sway Chairman & CEO public opinion. Bassett & Bassett Inc. Detroit The truth is not fixing PA 141 is the surest way to expose cus- It’s our money, not yours tomers to higher rates and price Editor: volatility. Memo to the state of Michigan: If anyone doubts that deregula- Do you remember the gover- tion hasn’t worked, just look nor’s battle cry, “In five years you around. will be blown away”? I’m getting In Maryland, Baltimore Gas & that feeling with the new MBT and Electric received a 50 percent rate other increases (“Push is on for increase that the Maryland Public road funding,” and Opinion: Service Commission attributed to “Clear priorities are needed in higher costs associated with a Lansing,” Dec. 10). Lansing, stop spending (it’s not market-based deregulated system. your money) and start cost-cut- In Illinois, Commonwealth Edi- ting.