We Are Proud of Detroit
An Open Letter from Detroit’s Business Leaders
Detroit is the consummate American success story, a story of determination, transformation, and resilience. As leaders rooted in Detroit and focused on its success, we are proud to stand alongside all Detroiters and help write this new narrative. We believe deeply in this city, region, and state and — most importantly — its people.
It’s been 10 years since Detroit emerged from the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history—an event from which many thought we would never recover. Instead of letting adversity divide us, our community is more united than ever before. Our tenacity and what we’ve accomplished together is more than admirable — it’s a model for America.
Detroit’s comeback isn’t just visible in its skyline or the energy buzzing through its neighborhoods. Over the past decade, we’ve seen home values rise, employment opportunities expand, crime reduce, and the population grow. Detroiters have breathed new life into historic structures, strengthened neighborhoods, and rebuilt homes. Scores of small businesses and entrepreneurs across the city are thriving thanks to accessible grant funding. Tens of thousands of Detroiters have found new jobs and career opportunities, building brighter futures for their families.
This success can’t be attributed to any one group or individual, it’s been forged in churches, block clubs, boardrooms, and living rooms — alongside dedicated philanthropists, business and community leaders, and public servants. Working together, we’ve attracted billions of dollars to support job creation, expanded affordable housing, created world-renowned parks and greenways, and brought hundreds of thousands of visitors to events like the recent NFL Draft.
Our innovation ecosystem has attracted billions of dollars in new investments and is drawing top talent and entrepreneurs from Detroit and nationwide. With the same determination and creativity that put the world on wheels, hundreds of startup companies and thousands of people are forging the future of global mobility and solving problems for the world.
We are not blind to Detroit’s challenges, and there is still much to be done to ensure that opportunities are accessible to everyone in every corner of our city.
We are excited about Detroit’s future and the work ahead to continue our progress. The city’s greatest strength has always been its people who, despite the odds, never give up.
Detroit is on the move. The business community, representing thousands of companies and hundreds of thousands of employees, is proud to call this great city our home.
Sandy K. Baruah, President and CEO, Detroit Regional Chamber
Dave Blaszkiewicz, President and CEO, Invest Detroit
Charity Dean, President and CEO, Michigan Black Business Alliance
Jeff Donofrio, President and CEO, Business Leaders For Michigan
Steve Grigorian, President and CEO, Detroit Economic Club
Kevin D. Johnson, President and CEO, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation
Maureen Donohue Krauss, President and CEO, Detroit Regional Partnership
Eric B. Larson, CEO, Downtown Detroit Partnership
Dave Meador, Executive Director, Detroit Regional CEO Group
Claude Molinari, President and CEO, Visit Detroit
Glenn Stevens, Jr., Executive Director, MichAuto
