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The bottom line of Jeff Specht's job description is to help West Michigan businesses become as globally competitive as possible in their industries by doing something very non-competitive--developing technology together and sharing it.
Specht became technology manager for The Right Place Program's Research & Technology Council last month. He is bringing more than 17 years of experience in the aerospace and electronics manufacturing fields to the table as he sits down with representatives of area companies to get a sense of their technology needs.
Specht also is meeting with members of the academic community--specifically Ferris State University, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Valley State University, Michigan State University and Western Michigan University--whose institutions have been involved for some time in Right Place users groups made up of business and education participants.
Last year, Specht recounted, the Research & Technology Institute of West Michigan became part of Right Place, and the R& board of directors appointed the Research & Technology Council as its working group, along the lines of the Manufacturers Council that has operated through Right Place since 1989.
Organizationally, Specht reports to Right Place President Birgit M. Klohs, "but most of my direction will come from the Tech Council, of which Birgit is a member," he said.
A native of Florida, who earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and a master's in systems management at schools in the Sunshine State, Specht also knows this part of the country well, having logged the last seven years in management positions at Robertshaw Controls in Holland and Smiths Industries Aerospace in Grand Rapids. "The culture here in western Michigan...