We spend a lot of time covering the local business community, including what makes this region a good place to do business.

But we’ve seen several recent signs that people outside of this area recognize that, too.

Here are five examples:

1. Ann Marie Sastry, CEO of Sakti3, is featured on the November cover of Inc. Magazine, illustrating “The Innovation Machine.”

2. Current Motor Co. of Scio Township got a shout-out from The Wall Street Journal in a story chronicling the trend of American innovators tweaking existing technologies.

3. Ann Arbor made the list of the top 15 cities for people who hate driving and long commutes, published last week by U.S. News and Report.

4. University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman was ranked number 3 on Time Magazine’s list of the top 10 best college presidents in the U.S.

5. Michelle Crumm, co-founder of Adaptive Materials Inc., was among the finalists recently for Entrepreneur Magazine’s Entrepreneur of 2009. Voting is closed and winners should be announced this month.