• What are Michigan’s strengths/weaknesses?
• What developments have come from sharing the benchmarking results so far?
• What has been the response from Lansing to the results?
• What is Detroit Renaissance’s 2009 work plan?
• What is Detroit Renaissance doing to implement the strategies?

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Richard Russell
President & CEO
Amerisure Mutual Insurance Company

Mr. Russell received a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of South Carolina (1972).

Mr. Russell's insurance career includes technical and managerial positions with the American Mutual Fire Insurance Company (beginning in 1973), including Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (1986); election to the Board of Directors (1986); and President and Chief Executive Officer (1987).

With the 1991 conversion from a mutual company to a stock company, then known as Unisun Insurance Company, Mr. Russell continued to serve as its President and Chief Executive Officer until August 1997.

Mr. Russell was elected Executive Vice President - Amerisure Companies (May 1995); President, COO & Director (November 1995); and CEO (May 1996).

He currently is a member of the Board of Directors of the Detroit Regional Chamber, Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Manufacturing Association and Detroit Renaissance. He also is currently a member of the Board of Governors of the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI).

Hans-Werner Kaas
Senior Partner & Director
McKinsey & Company – Detroit Office

Hans-Werner Kaas is a Director (senior partner) in the Detroit Office of McKinsey & Company, which is part of the Midwest Office complex. He joined McKinsey & Company in 1991 as a Business Analyst in the Duesseldorf office. He is the Detroit office location manager and co-leader of the North American Automotive/Industrial & Assembly practice. Before transferring to the Detroit Office, Hans-Werner also worked in the Vienna, Frankfurt, and the Cleveland Offices of McKinsey & Company.

During his career at McKinsey, Hans-Werner has played a key role in opening McKinsey's Detroit office and building its North American Automotive & Assembly Practice, which serves many of the leading global players in the automotive and machinery industries.

He has also helped building the firm's presence and client service in the operations area in North America, in particular by leading its Product Development Practice and its Global Operations Strategy Initiative.

His knowledge development and research interest is centered around large-scale performance transformations and global operations. He has co-authored papers and books on the topics of product development transformation, quality management, integrated cost reduction, profitable growth in the automotive supply industry, and optimization of the cooperation between automotive manufacturers and suppliers.

Prior to joining McKinsey, Hans-Werner Kaas worked as an investment analyst at Imperical Chemical Industries in Durban/South Africa and as strategic planning analyst at Daimler-Benz AG/Stutgart. Hans-Werner Kaas holds a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engi¬neering and Business Administration from the Technical University of Kaiserslautern/Germany. He received a scholarship of the Foundation of the German People (1986-1991).

Before he started his university studies he served in the German Air Force on the staff of the wing commander of Jet Fighter Wing 33.

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R2R 022409.mp3