Dearborn's Biggest Business Stories of 2010

From economic turnarounds to long-awaited completed projects, major renovations to big events, 2010 was a busy year for Dearborn's business sector. The biggest business stories of the year, said Dearborn Chamber of Commerce President Jennifer Giering, ranged from the largest corporations to some interesting partnerships, as well as big news from the education world.

1. Ford Motor Company

"The leading spotlighted story is, of course, one that made headlines around the globe: Ford Motor Company's news of a successful turnaround announced in 2010," said Giering.

Dearborn's largest employer was the first of the Detroit Big Three to post a return to black ink on the bottom line. The news sent ripples through the city's entire white-collar world.

"Ford Motor Company President and CEO Alan Mulally, addressed the business community on April 23 during the Dearborn Chamber's Annual Business Recognition Award Luncheon & Expo–the day after Ford's announcement about their return to profitability," Giering shared. "This was great news for our community."

A collective whisper of hope could be heard throughout Dearborn as so many businesses and driveways in the city are impacted by Ford Motor Company. Ford continued to post gains each quarter in 2010–including adding local jobs, such as 250 workers in the Dearborn Truck Plant in second quarter.

2. Dearborn Town Center

Much later in the year, residents celebrated , which is the Midwest Medical Center.

"Completion of the re-development of the former Montgomery Ward building ... is significant across Dearborn," said Giering, "and indicates forward momentum in our community"

According to officials at Oakwood Healthcare, the Dearborn Town Center is a unique undertaking between REDICO (developers), Oakwood and Midwest Health and was nearly three years in the making. Completed in December of 2010 and celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Dec. 15, the actual grand opening took place on Jan. 3.

This 168,000 square foot medical facility is accompanied by a 530-space, five-story public parking structure and is part of a larger plan that includes at least two additional development phases of retail space and a senior living facility.  Midwest Medical Center provides 24/7 walk-in urgent care, state-of-the-art imaging technologies, an on-site laboratory, operating rooms, multi-specialty medical care and occupational medicine.

Officials remarked that this building is ideally located, easily accessible for employees and staff and is a beautiful new facility in the heart of east Dearborn.

"The new center is good for the district," commented Michael Bewick, executive director of the . "Patients and employees will newly discover places to shop and dine in our community."  

Indicating that this is already happening, he reported that " is now serving lunch, when previously they didn't open until 4 p.m." 

3. Henry Ford Community College

The education sector did big things in 2010 as well, Giering said: "Enrollment in Dearborn-based institutions of higher education is on the rise as people strive to find new skills and credentials for personal and professional development."

A whole population of students and staff come to Dearborn daily on that mission. Though stories can be told in multiple pockets, Giering noted that one of the larger ones was 's main campus renovations, as well as the opening of their School of Nursing, located next to the HFCC on Schaefer Road in a former UAW/Ford Family Center.

"The main campus capital investment project is well into completion and provides more parking for the increase in student body, which is a common challenge for colleges," explained HFCC Director of Communications Gary Erwin. "It also includes an involved beautification plan with soft spots to repose and study, (and) walking paths and landscaping still underway that help provide a greenbelt college campus experience."

Said Erwin of the nursing school: "The new nursing center expands our program and is a state-of-the-art experiential facility which includes a simulation laboratory." Henry Ford Community College is known for their nursing program and this investment helps to confirm that status into the future.

4. Les Stanford Chevrolet Cadillac

As far as car dealerships go, put Dearborn on the map as an epicenter for Corvette enthusiasts across the state with the first inaugural Motor City Corvette Concours in September of 2010.

The event, hosted by Les Stanford, was a joint effort with eight Corvette Clubs throughout Michigan and featured many "best of" show cars. A highly coveted prize, the Duntov Cup was awarded to one winner, chosen from hand-selected qualifying entrants. The cup resides in the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky.

Giering said of the event that it "brought people to Dearborn to see the show cars, hear live outdoor entertainment and enjoy dining from local restaurants that participated in the new festival atmosphere Brady and Garrison."

This event is now on the short list for Corvette fans and promises an even larger audience in 2011 and upcoming years. A boost for Dearborn, the Concours brought visitors here who stayed in hotels, ate in restaurants, shopped nearby and hopefully enjoyed their experience enough to return.

5. Festival of Trees

After a five-year tour in other communities, the Festival of Trees took place this year anew in the in November. The event drew many visitors to the center, as well as raised funds for the Children's Hospital of Michigan.

"When a board member and I toured the center as our prospective site for 2010, we knew immediately we were home," said Festival Director Theresa Diefenbach. "The facility is beautiful, it has great amenities and is centrally located."

It proved to be a successful decision for festival organizers and the community, growing the event in 2010. According to Diefenbach,"More than 600 people attended the Black Tie opening party and more than 7500 attendees toured the festival during the eight-day display," which opened the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Diefenbach attributes the overwhelming response  this year to the new location and many partnerships including support from the community, the Dearborn Chamber, city government and business sponsors–including a major donor, , whose Dearborn store featured a Festival gift shop.

Diefenbach added, "We hope to call the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center our new festival home for the future."

These five business stories represent important progress for Dearborn in several ways, Giering said.

"The common thread ... is that they helped widen the net for Dearborn's business community, inviting our own residents to conduct business here, but also bringing new customers and visitors to our city."