News Release
University alumnus L. Brooks Patterson returns to Livernois
Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, BA '61, JD '67, spoke to University of Detroit Mercy students Nov. 19 in the College of Engineering and Science on the McNichols Campus.
Patterson gave the presentation, "Oakland County's Economic and Technological Development," to the University community, and answered questions about many of the innovative programs he has launched.
"The University prides itself on teaching tomorrow's leaders," said Hriday Prasad, director of UDM's master's degree programs in Product Development (MPD) and Engineering Management (MEM). "We want great things for our students... and it's always exciting bringing back people that have made a difference in our community, people like L. Brooks Patterson." Prasad is an active member of Oakland County's Workforce and Education Committee, Business Roundtable and Automation Alley, southeast Michigan's premier high-tech consortium which Patterson founded in 1998.
Serving his fourth term as Oakland County Executive, Patterson presides over an $822 million annual budget and a county workforce of more than 4,500 employees. During the 13 years of the Patterson administration, Oakland County government has earned respect from Wall Street for its solid tax base and sound financial policies by attaining and maintaining a coveted AAA bond rating, which only 34 of the nations 3,200 counties have received.
Some of the programs that he initiated are: Emerging Sectors, an initiative focused on identifying the top ten emerging and promising business sectors for the new economy of the 21st century, Wireless Oakland, a program designed to blanket the county with free wireless Internet access to Oakland County's 1.2 million residents and 320,000 daily visitors and Count Your Steps, a pedometer walking program for 30,000 third and fourth graders to eliminate childhood obesity.
Along with building Oakland County into one of America's most affluent and progressive counties, Patterson has earned numerous awards and honors including: the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law Alumnus of the Year Award, the State of Israel Eleanor Roosevelt Humanities Award and the March of Dimes Humanitarian of the Year Award.
Patterson's lecture is free and open to the public, however, guests are asked to RSVP in advance by calling 313-993-1128 or mpd@udmercy.edu. For more information about the MPD and MEM programs, please contact Hriday Prasad at 313-993-3378.
Release date: November 08, 2007
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