Posted on Thu, Oct 28, 2010 : 10:52 a.m.
Ann Arbor SPARK hires new leader for business acceleration activities
By Nathan Bomey
Startup veteran Bill Mayer will lead business acceleration efforts for economic development group Ann Arbor SPARK, officials announced today.
Mayer, a University of Michigan graduate and SPARK consultant since 2007, will lead the group's initiatives designed to help local businesses grow.
Bill Mayer, Ann Arbor SPARK's business accelerator director
SPARK manages three business incubators and provides various services to entrepreneurs, startup companies and existing businesses in the Ann Arbor region.
Contact AnnArbor.com's Nathan Bomey at (734) 623-2587 or nathanbomey@annarbor.com. You can also follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's newsletters.
Comments
A2liveandwork
Tue, Nov 2, 2010 : 8:16 p.m.
@ron: You state all this positive feedback, but of course COMPANIES are going to praise them....are the taxpayers? How many NEW jobs have those companies brought in or how many has SPARK helped not leave? And look up salaries of other economic development corporations in other counties across the State, and not just cite two samples amongst the 83 counties. I think a good number to determine is how much money has been spent by taxpayers in this city and county to bring in or save jobs on a per employee basis. I have no idea what that number could be, but we should know it to have some checks and balances.
ronburgandy
Fri, Oct 29, 2010 : 11:28 p.m.
@Steve Hendel; Great story. Compelling, and Rich. The Ann Arbor Chronicle reported these Spark client testimonials at a recent Washtenaw Board of Director's meeting in an article dated October 29, 2010: http://annarborchronicle.com/2010/10/07/washtenaw-faces-20m-deficit-in-2012-13/. "John Harding, founder of Current Motor Company, said his firm has taken advantage of several SPARK programs and services, including its entrepreneur boot camp and microloan program. They are tenants in the SPARK East incubator as well, he said, and now employ six people. His hope is to grow their business in Washtenaw County." "Mitch Rohde, co-founder of Quantum Signal, said that when the company was founded in 1999 as a University of Michigan spin-off, there was little help for businesses like theirs. And when they started interacting with SPARK three years ago, he said he was initially skeptical that the group could help. But he said hes been nothing but impressed with SPARK, noting that theyve helped Quantum secure a state MEGA tax credit and negotiate a good deal on a new headquarters in the historic Union School in Saline. SPARK is also helping them create a new spinoff company, which he said is on the hush hush at this point. He said his firm has directly benefited and created new jobs because of SPARK." You can also view testimonial footage of Spark clients from the Ann Arbor City Council working session on April 12, 2010. http://a2gov.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx The Chronicle included these client testimonials in their coverage of the meeting: SPARKs activities related to job retention include talent recruitment for companies that are looking to expand. Finney gave ForeSee Results as an example of a company that recently indicated they were looking to hire 10 additional staff. If a company that is looking to grow cannot recruit the staff in the Ann Arbor area that it needs for that growth, theres a risk that the company could try to achieve that growth in a different region of the county. Finney had invited representatives of a few companies to speak on behalf of the positive effect of SPARKs efforts. Among them was Elliott Forsyth, senior vice president of human resources and business services for ProQuest. He explained that in 2006 ProQuest had been financially stressed and that Cambridge Information Group had acquired the company, expressing some interest in moving operations elsewhere. Forsyth credited SPARKs efforts at coordinating support from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and the city of Ann Arbor to encourage ProQuest to stay. Additional testimonials are available from the Board of Commissioners meeting when a number of Spark clients gave testimony as to their impact: http://video.ewashtenaw.org/boc/showtime.pl?2009-10-07-BOC=video. Each page of Spark's website features a client testimonial: http://www.annarborusa.org and in their annual reports: http://www.annarborusa.org/about-us/marketing-materials-pdf-library You're right, they can't do it alone, they list their partners in economic development here on their website: http://www.annarborusa.org/about-us/support/economic-development-partners...and that's whats happening in your world tonight.
Steve Hendel
Fri, Oct 29, 2010 : 3:40 p.m.
@ronburgandy: where is the proof that SPARK has done all this? I don't just mean that they were involved in the process to one degree or another, but also ( as you claim) that they were INSTRUMENTAL in securing all this new investment, etc. After all, SPARK is not the only entity (governmental entities included) which has a role in this process. For instance, are there any testimonials from new businesses to the effect that SPARK was central to their new or increased investment, to their obtaining loans or grants, etc?
lumberg48108
Fri, Oct 29, 2010 : 2:24 p.m.
well said ronburgandy -- Stay Classy! The fact that they have a great reputation with business owners means a lot too... and people are clamoring for assistance from them or their services! Perhaps they could be more transparant but once again, you want the best people you have to pay them top dollar!
ronburgandy
Fri, Oct 29, 2010 : 1:46 p.m.
@A2liveandwork; you must be referring to Spark's 990's, their non-profit filing to the IRS. The reason that only salaries over $100k are listed is because that is what is required by law. Spark's site shows 18 staffers and their 2008 990 shows that only 5 of them (one who is no longer on staff) were paid $100K or more. I'm not sure where you got your research regarding other similar agency salaries, but a quick search on GuideStar shows that two very similar organizations in Michigan, the Right Place in Grand Rapids and Southwest Michigan First pay their CEO's over $281K and $430K respectively. You can view the full reports at http://www2.guidestar.org/. IMHO, paying the top managment at an organization that has brought in millions of dollars of investments, recruits technology companies to the area and secured additional grant, state and federal funding to our county is well worth a salary of over $100K/year - and in line or lower than what similar organizations are paying.
A2liveandwork
Fri, Oct 29, 2010 : 8:51 a.m.
@lumberg: I am not saying that SPARK is not valuable, but I think the public should be more aware of the salaries there. When comparing their salaries with other economic development corps. around the State, they are highly overpaid. No one at SPARK that is mentioned on their tax roll makes less than $100k/year...compare this to the $50k-$60k that I've seen in other counties (and I've seen less than $60k for the CEO's position in other counties). Now does this makes sense? I understand certain people command higher salaries due to their experience and background, but I don't believe that our tax dollars are being spent wisely currently.
Scooter
Fri, Oct 29, 2010 : 6:52 a.m.
SPARK's Annual Report from 2009 is available online, via www.annarborusa.org site.
Steve Hendel
Fri, Oct 29, 2010 : 6:08 a.m.
@lumberg48108: I'd agree with your comments IF I could see some actual evidence that SPARK has been "...one of the few quasi governmental organizations that actually makes an impact." I do not consider press releases as evidence. It's said that "Success has many parents, but failure is an orphan." It's easy to claim that you were instrumental in some positive change occurring, but a bit more difficult to prove it.
lumberg48108
Thu, Oct 28, 2010 : 8:06 p.m.
@A2liveandwork SPARK is one of the few quasi governmental organizations that actually makes an impact. I believe the director makes more than $200K a year - and that is fine with me. These groups have to compete with for profit private industry to attract the top people. I also believe if the director left to become director of the state MEDC he would take a pay cut. This does not mean he is overpaid - just that high profile positions require a high salary to get top people.
A2liveandwork
Thu, Oct 28, 2010 : 12:05 p.m.
Nevermind, found it: http://dynamodata.fdncenter.org/990_pdf_archive/382/382436899/382436899_200812_990O.pdf I love the internet... This new position's salary information won't be posted until next year most likely on the IRS forms. The reason I am curious about all this is because SPARK is so tied in with our tax dollars. I'd like to see how my money is being spent, and I'm sure other readers will too. Thanks.
A2liveandwork
Thu, Oct 28, 2010 : 11:53 a.m.
Nathan, Was there a job posting for this position and can you point us to where we can view salaries at SPARK? Since it's a non-profit, they should be public. Thanks.