LANSING – Michigan Economic Development Corporation CEO Michael Finney Friday filled out his staff by hiring Amy Cell from Ann Arbor SPARK to lead his talent and entrepreneurial education efforts and Oakland County Deputy Executive Douglas Smith to coordinate his strategic partnerships.
Cell, vice president of talent enhancement & entrepreneurial education for Ann Arbor SPARK, will report for duty in Lansing on Jan. 31. Smith starts his new job on February 7.
?We are reinventing MEDC to support Governor Snyder as he works to reinvent our state,? Finney said. ?Amy and Doug are leaders in their respective fields and their expertise will be a tremendous asset not only to MEDC, but also to the Michigan businesses, communities and workers we serve.
?And, I?m excited about the new role Martin has agreed to,? Finney said. ?He has provided strong leadership within MEDC, and I look forward utilizing his abilities in new ways.?
Cell will direct MEDC talent programs to support attraction and retention, economic gardening and entrepreneurship. At SPARK since August of 2006, her responsibilities included creation and management of all talent enhancement programs, direction of all entrepreneur education programs and oversight of the SPARK East incubator. Among her entrepreneurial education programs: one-day Starting Your Own Business, Michigan Energy Forum, Entrepreneur Education 1.0 and 2.0 series, Expert Resource Board, Power Lunch and SPARK East speaker series.
Cell is a Certified Public Accountant and holds Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Business Administration degrees from University of Michigan.
Smith will be charged with working with MEDC?s statewide network of local and regional economic development partners and integrating economic gardening, international trade and entrepreneur efforts.
As Oakland County deputy executive since July of 2009, he ran the county?s efforts in industry diversification and commercialization of technology through the Emerging Sectors program, Medical Main Street and the Business Roundtable. As head of the economic development and community affairs division, his responsibilities included community and home improvement, planning and economic development services, and workforce development, marketing and communications and the film office.
This marks a return to state government for Smith. He was an aide to Gov. William Milliken on education, finance and taxation, on the State Board of Education for five years, director of policy and legislation for the Michigan Department of Commerce and Michigan Business Ombudsman. He holds a bachelor?s degree in Economics and Government from Lawrence University and a master?s degree from the University of Michigan in Public Policy, specializing in international economics.
Dober will lead a new team focused on delivering programs that encourage entrepreneurship and innovation across business sectors. The team involves the consolidation of two MEDC departments, capital and entrepreneurial services and new markets. As vice president of new markets, he focused on federal funding opportunities for Michigan in alternative energy and defense.
Prior to joining MEDC, Dober held business development roles with several technology companies including iRobot, and he served as a consultant to technology companies through the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center. His career also includes experience in mergers & acquisitions at Delphi, finance at Chrysler, and manufacturing engineering at the Budd Co. He received an MBA from the Harvard Business School and a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Kettering University (formerly GMI).
For more information on the MEDC?s initiatives and programs, click on MichiganAdvantage.Com
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