We would like to take an opportunity to share with the residents of Northeastern Michigan an exciting opportunity to get involved with something we believe is important to all of us: the betterment of our economy, our communities, and our beautiful state of Michigan.

Just eight years ago, Michigan’s business climate ranked 50th in the nation. Dead last.

Since then, we have made tremendous strides as a state–improving that business climate ranking to 25th, adding a half-million new jobs, growing personal incomes, and our population once more.

While we celebrate this progress, we need to recognize that Michigan still has many challenges. Michigan is on the path toward a comeback, but we cannot become complacent. Some of our rankings are downright troubling:

Only 23 percent of our state’s high school students graduate from high school prepared for a career or college.

Michigan ranks 46th for fourth-grade reading proficiency and 37th for eight-grade math proficiency.

Only 12 states rank worse than Michigan for percentage of urban roads in poor condition.

While we’ve improved, Michigan is still in the bottom half of the country in these key measures. Today, we are sharing information from Business Leaders for Michigan (BLM). BLM has developed the Plan for a Stronger Michigan, a comprehensive strategy for making Michigan a “Top Ten” state for jobs, personal income, and a healthy economy.

You can learn more at planforastrongermichigan.com. If you believe, as we do, that it’s a great roadmap to a stronger future, share it with your family and friends. Encourage your elected officials to support the strategies it suggests.

Michigan can be a “Top Ten” state again if we all work together.

BRAD WOODS, plant manager, and AMY PETERSON, human resources manager

Oscoda facility,

Cooper Standard Automotive