20110321-NEWS--0001-NAT-CCI-CD_-- 3/18/2011 5:26 PM Page 1 ® www.crainsdetroit.com Vol. 27, No. 12 MARCH 21 – 27, 2011 $2 a copy; $59 a year ©Entire contents copyright 2011 by Crain Communications Inc. All rights reserved Page 3 Response to Japan disaster Quicken case not starts with money Robot Town? Interest high for plan to create robotics research center in Detroit by 2014 end of OT battle BY CHAD HALCOM been coordinating discussions on CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS the concept in recent months with local industry and research National controversy rages on Is Motown soon to become Ro- leaders and with the U.S. Army bot Town? Tank-Automotive Research, Develop- BY DANIEL DUGGAN While he said he was pleased to That’s the working title of a ment and Engineering Center in CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS see Quicken’s victory, it won’t proposed robot- Warren, among others. change Ross’ policy just yet. A courtroom victory by Quicken ics research con- “The exploratory discussions “We’ll be waiting for some con- MASCOT? Loans Inc. defending a policy not to sortium, labora- right now are supposed to be sensus on this as it goes forward, pay overtime tory/test center RoboCop: helping to find some leadership and we’ll be watching the appeal to loan offi- and possible local Statue could roles for people or companies. closely,” said Ross. Amping up e-records: have a place, OT AT QUICKEN cers is yet tourist attraction There are members of the Detroit Page 29 another twist Henry Ford spends $100M under discussion business community that seem New policy: Federal guidelines prompt in a national Lawsuits, rulings and fights among industry ideally suited to this and have change — for now, controversy leaders in Southeast Michigan. It real interest,” said Jim Overholt, Battle lines were drawn over Page 27 of loan offi- could become reality by late 2014. the senior research scientist for loan officer compensation after the Inside cer compen- Management at TechTown, the robotics at TARDEC who con- Department of Labor issued an sation. Wayne State University technology ceived the idea of Robot Town opinion in March 2010 stating that The Detroit-based mortgage com- ‘Imported from Detroit’: park and business incubator, has last fall. officers should be paid overtime. pany prevailed after it was sued by “It doesn’t have to be leader- The Washington, D.C.-based 350 former employ- Are you allowed to say that? ship all from one industry. It Mortgage Bankers ees who said they could involve people in intelli- Association then Page 25 should have been gent communications, the auto- filed a lawsuit paid overtime after We’ll be waiting motive industry, city planners — against the depart- being forced “ anyone who has the sense of that ment and Secre- to work more for some Crain’s List vision.” tary of Labor Hil- than 40 hours consensus da Solis on Jan. 12 See Robot Town, Page 29 per week. in U.S. District Largest general contractors, The 2004 on this ... Court in Washing- Page 15 case has been ton, asking to REVVING UP FOR ROBOTS watched and we’ll be have the opinion Ⅲ Researcher Jim Overholt sees closely in the overturned. The possible redevelopment of a industry, es- watching case is pending. This Just In building or campus into a testing pecially be- Further compli- and research center. cause it the appeal cating the matter Report: More than 200 firms Ⅲ Robots would control some comes at the nexus is the Minneapo- operations, such as directing of two other events: closely. lis-based law firm in state wind, solar industries visitors or even urban farming. A U.S. Department of ” that took Quicken Ⅲ A preliminary version could be in A report to be released Labor opinion from Tim Ross, Ross Mortgage Inc. to court on the place by October 2014, in time for Tuesday finds that there are last year confirm- overtime issue: the Intelligent Transportation ing overtime requirements for Nichols Kaster Attorneys at Law, nearly 200 businesses — in- Systems World Congress at Cobo loan officers and an upcoming Fed- which has made a name for itself on cluding about 50 in Southeast Center. eral Reserve Board deadline to the topic. The firm has 65 pending Michigan — and 10,000 jobs in Ⅲ Proposed locations include change the compensation struc- overtime cases listed on the web- the solar and wind industries Midtown near TechTown, in Michigan, according to re- downtown, the waterfront or near ture for loan officers. site it created for the niche: search developed by Chicago- Detroit Metropolitan Airport and “Coast to coast, if there is a www.overtimecases.com. based Environmental Law & Poli- Willow Run Airport. lender that didn’t pay overtime in Don Nichols, a partner with cy Center. the past, they’re incorporating Nichols Kaster, said the Quicken The companies range from some kind of time-tracking poli- case was a loss based on rulings automobile manufacturers cy,” said Tim Ross, president of retooling to build clean ener- Royal Oak-based Ross Mortgage Inc. See Quicken, Page 27 JEFF JOHNSTON/CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS gy components to startup companies that are develop- ing energy technologies. The preliminary report found 121 solar power supply chain businesses with 6,300 Still trapped in Qatar: Can diplomacy free Beydoun? jobs and 120 wind power sup- ply chain businesses with BY NANCY KAFFER Beydoun, a metro Detroit busi- a U.S. citizen who has served as ex- nothing you can do about it,” he 4,000 jobs. More than 50 of the CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS nessman who has been trapped in ecutive director of the American said. companies supply both indus- the Persian Gulf Arab Chamber of Commerce and as a Beydoun’s story began in 2007, U.S. elected officials and busi- tries. nation for 15 board member of New Detroit, the when he accepted a job with ness leaders hope diplomacy can months. Detroit Economic Growth Corp., the Wataniya Restaurants QSC, a Qatari See This Just In, Page 2 succeed where the Qatari legal sys- On Sunday, Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Au- investment group that aimed to in- tem failed in the case of Nasser Beydoun expect- thority, the Detroit Zoological Society, troduce American restaurant ed to meet with Harper/Hutzel Hospital, the National chains to the Middle East. the U.S. ambas- Arab American Museum and as a At first all seemed well. But Bey- sador to Qatar. trustee of the Henry Ford Community doun said his relationship with And U.S. Sen. College Foundation. Wataniya soured in 2009 when he Debbie Staben- With Beydoun’s connections, it discovered that the company’s fi- ow, D-Mich., has seemed he would be the last person nances were shaky. When he Beydoun urged the Qatari who could land in this predica- brought his concerns to the compa- ambassador to the United States to ment. ny’s board, Beydoun said he was NEWSPAPER intervene on Beydoun’s behalf. “But when you get caught up Beydoun, a native of Lebanon, is with the wrong people, there’s See Trapped, Page 26 20110321-NEWS--0002-NAT-CCI-CD_-- 3/18/2011 5:40 PM Page 1 Page 2 CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS March 21, 2011 disciplinary Craniofacial and Cleft partner at Mt. Clemens commer- Jan. 23. mensurate with wages at compa- THIS JUST IN Palate Clinic. cial real estate firm Anton, Zorn & “The response was so great rable departments around the The clinic is for children born Sowerby Inc. from customers, people were — country. ■ From Page 1 with craniofacial conditions in- — Daniel Duggan quite literally — insisting the Mercado has since been indict- cluding cleft lip or palate, as well store not close,” said Ed Nakfoor, ed in the federal corruption case A similar report earlier this as for adults with facial deformi- public relations representative for involving former Mayor Kwame month found 150 companies oper- ties from various causes. Communities in Schools’ the mall. Kilpatrick. ating in Ohio. Beaumont’s other multidiscipli- founding CEO stepping down — Daniel Duggan — Nancy Kaffer The environmental policy cen- nary clinics offer cardiovascular Charlie Anderson, founding CEO ter did not release names of the and oncology care. of Detroit-based Communities in Michigan companies in its prelim- Ian Jackson, M.D., a retired plas- Council to consider raising Navistar Defense adds jobs Schools, said he plans to step inary report. tic surgeon, will assist the team as Navistar Defense is about two- down at the end of this year. pay range for water director Other findings included: educator and medical director. thirds of the way toward its goal of Anderson, 60, founded Commu- The Detroit City Council is consid- Ⅲ Michigan businesses spent Jackson and his wife, Marjorie, creating 87 new jobs in Madison nities in Schools in 1995, building ering a motion to raise the salary more than $15 billion last year on have founded the Ian Jackson Cran- Heights. on its work as a program of New of the head of the Detroit Water and research and development, more iofacial and Cleft Palate Clinic Fund to The jobs were announced last Detroit for the two previous years. Sewerage Department. than any state as a percent of gross provide treatment scholarships fall under a state tax incentives The board has launched a na- The existing pay range, $95,200 state product. and help with the education of fu- deal approved through the Michi- tional search for a new CEO; it to $156,100, “has proven inade- Ⅲ Michigan also ranks fourth in ture craniofacial specialists. gan Economic Growth Authority.