2 0 1 8 ANNUAL REPORT Executive Committee Dear Friends — Robert Kreipke, Ford Historian Emeritus, Chairman Welcome to the MotorCities National Heritage Area Partnership 2018 Michael O’Callaghan, Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, Annual Report. This past year was a very special one for us, as we Vice Chairman celebrated our 20th anniversary with a variety of events and activities. Ted O’Dell, Hackett Auto Museum, Treasurer Once again, we would like to thank our growing number of supporters, Nancy Thompson, Woodward Stewardship Community, Secretary whether you’re a partner, member, sponsor or volunteer, for everything David Elsila, Michigan Labor History Society you’ve done in the year just past to help us promote and preserve John Neilson, The Henry Ford Michigan’s rich automotive and labor history. As a result of your Don Nicholson, Don Nicholson Enterprises OUR LEADERSHIP efforts, MotorCities continues to make an impact throughout all Shawn Pomaville-Size, MotorCities National Heritage Area 16 counties of the National Heritage Area. This report documents a year of both celebration and Board of Directors accomplishments, like the following: Scott Bentley, River Raisin National Battlefield David Cartwright, Wayne County Parks • Launching our brand new, visually exciting, adaptive designed John Clor, Ford Motor Company website at MotorCities.org; Nancy Darga, Ford Piquette Avenue Plant • Celebrating our 20 years with an Anniversary Reunion & Gala at John Dau, DTE Energy Russell Doré, Doré Productions the Packard Proving Grounds; Sandra Engle, United Auto Workers • Awarding grants to do important repairs at key attractions like the Nancy Finegood, Michigan Historic Preservation Network Ford Piquette Plant in Detroit and the R.E. Olds Transportation Margaret Hehr, Lansing Stewardship Museum in Lansing; Community Mark Heppner, Historic Ford Estates • Bringing together corporate, nonprofit and public sector partners Fred Hoffman, University of in Michigan with encouragement from the Midwest Region of the Michigan – Dearborn David Lorenz, Travel Michigan National Park Service to sign a Pollinator Pledge and create Bill Nickels, Ypsilanti Stewardship Community pollinator-friendly habitats; Jeff Romig, Fisher Lake HR • Producing an updated 2018 Passport Guide and a new Motor- Glenn Shagena, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Chris Shires, Gilmore Car Museum Cities brochure for distribution across Michigan to out-of-state travelers and hometown tourists alike. Leadership Council In 2019, we look forward to the production and installation of our Congressman Deborah I. Dingell, U.S. House of Representatives, Chair MotorCities highway signs, the culmination of a multi-year effort. Rod Alberts, Detroit Auto Dealers Association Shovels should also be active at the Fort Street Bridge Interpretive Larry Alexander, Detroit Metro Park, as that project begins to come to fruition. MotorCities is also Convention & Visitors Bureau hosting the Spring Meeting of the Alliance of National Heritage Areas Senator Steve Bieda, Michigan State Senate in April, an opportunity to showcase our region’s automotive history Robert Bury, Historic Ford Estates and partnerships with days focusing on Detroit, Dearborn and Flint. William R. Chapin, Automotive Hall of Fame Matthew P. Cullen, Rock Ventures, LLC We’ve spent the last year remembering and revisiting two decades William C. Ford, Jr., Ford Motor Company Steven K. Hamp, Hamp Advisors of outstanding outcomes, and now it’s time to take that positive Margery Krevsky, Productions Plus momentum and keep moving forward. We need your support as Faye Nelson, W. K. Kellogg Foundation we continue preserving and promoting our unique automotive and labor heritage! Staff Shawn Pomaville-Size, Executive Director Brian Yopp, Director of Programs & Operations Bob Sadler, Communications Manager Tiffany McFarland, Office Administrator & Event Coordinator Robert Kreipke Shawn Pomaville-Size Chairman, Board of Directors Executive Director MotorCities National Heritage Area 2 (BELOW) From left to right: Former Automotive Hall ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION of Fame President Bill Chapin, MotorCities Executive Director Shawn Pomaville-Size, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell and Congressman Paul Mitchell. 20th Anniversary Reunion Gala It was an exciting night at the MotorCities 20th Anniversary Reunion Gala event on August 22, 2018 at the historic and picturesque Packard Proving Grounds in Shelby Township. Guests enjoyed dinner, drinks, silent and live auctions, special guests including Congresswoman Debbie Dingell and Congressman Paul Mitchell, and a program paying tribute to two decades of MotorCities’ success. (Photos by Elayne Gross) (ABOVE) From left to right: MotorCities board members Margaret Hehr and Mark Heppner with Office Administrator and Events Coordinator Tiffany McFarland. (LEFT) MotorCities Communications Manager Bob Sadler served as auctioneer for the live auction. (LEFT) MotorCities board member Nancy Thompson, Mark Thomas and MotorCities Director of Programs & Operations Brian Yopp. Happy Ann iver sary! (ABOVE) MotorCities Executive Director Shawn Pomaville-Size; (LEFT) Congresswoman Debbie Dingell. Bottom row, left to right: MotorCities Executive Director Shawn Pomaville-Size, Board Member Nancy Thompson, Board Member Nancy Darga, and Inaugural Executive Director Constance Bodurow; Top row, left to right: MotorCities Director of Programs & Operations Brian Yopp, Former Board ANNUAL REPORT 2018 President Deb Locke-Daniel, Board Member Don Nicholson, State Senator Mike Kowall, and State Senator Steve Beida. 3 Thanks for everything 20 at 20 Champions you’ve accomplished As part of MotorCities 20th Anniversary, we compiled a list of for MotorCities! 20 people who have truly made the organization what it is today. More information on their contributions can be found on our website at MotorCities.org/20at20. CHAMPIONS CONGRESSMAN DEB LOCKE-DANIEL DON NICHOLSON CONGRESSWOMAN JOHN DINGELL DEBBIE DINGELL Locke-Daniel was When Nicholson first Dingell authored and Executive Director of the became aware of Motor- When the heritage area co-sponsored the Automo- (then) Ypsilanti Area Cities in 2007, he became was proposed, Dingell bile National Heritage Convention & Visitors involved immediately. worked for the GM Act in 1998 to create what Bureau and chair of the He started by attending Foundation and made is now the MotorCities MotorCities board when community meetings, certain that initial resources National Heritage Area. the original legislation taking a seat on the were available to support Dingell retired in 2014, and that founded the heritage Stewardship Council, the effort. Since then, she in 2015, he was the inaugural area was set to expire. getting elected to the has championed the cause recipient of the MotorCities She spent countless hours board of directors, and now as Chair of MotorCities’ Milestone Award, recogniz- working with the board and serves on the Executive Leadership Council, an ing all of his contributions. staff to get MotorCities Committee and as advisory committee, and reauthorized. fundraising chair. as a member of Congress since 2015. DONN WERLING JACK MILLER DAVID WHITE SANDRA CLARK Werling, former director Miller, who operated the Since the inception of As Director of the Michigan of Fair Lane, the home last Hudson dealership in MotorCities, White worked History Center, Clark added of Clara and Henry Ford, the country, founded the to make sure that the story true statewide perspective helped lead efforts to Ypsilanti Auto Heritage of Flint was not overlooked, to the MotorCities story establish the Henry Ford Museum in the Miller leading the charge to from the very beginning. Heritage Trail, which Motors building and resurrect the Flint Vehicle Her leadership was critical expanded to establishing helped keep Ypsilanti’s City arches on Saginaw for receiving the state’s MotorCities. When Werling auto story in the forefront Street assisting with the endorsement to advance retired in 2002, he was as one of the true “Motor restoration of the consideration for the honored with a MotorCities Cities” of Michigan. Durant-Dort Office heritage area. She later Cornerstone Award. Building, the birthplace served as chair of our of General Motors. Board of Directors. MotorCities National Heritage Area 4 CHAMPIONS NANCY THOMPSON NANCY DARGA CONGRESSMAN SENATOR CARL LEVIN One of the early adopters of Darga was one of the found- FRED UPTON Levin supported the estab- the Stewardship Community ing members of MotorCities MotorCities was always lishment of the National concept, Thompson has and championed its cause on meant to tell a broader Heritage Area in 1998, but been responsible for more every level, as a member of story about the region. more importantly in 2014, than 100 of MotorCities’ the Rouge Stewardship Com- It required support from when the original funding wayside exhibits, with the munity, board of directors, municipalities across the authorization for MotorCities largest concentration in and as executive director. She state. Congressman Upton was expiring, he championed Pontiac, along with other just recently retired as Ex- played a critical role in extending it. In 2016, the Oakland County communities. ecutive Director of the Ford extending the heritage retired U.S. Senator became Piquette Avenue Plant, one area west into Kalamazoo. the second recipient of the of our attraction partners. MotorCities Milestone Award. ED BAGALE CHRISTIAN OVERLAND BILL CHAPIN BOB KREIPKE Bagale was the person It feels like