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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>The article posted below was published late last
November or earlier this month.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Hilfinger joins Michigan Economic Development
Corporation as chief operating officer<BR>Steve Arwood named LARA acting
director<BR>LANSING, Mich. - Gov. Rick Snyder today announced chief regulatory
officer and director<BR>of the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory
Affairs (LARA) Steve Hilfinger<BR>is leaving his post to become chief operating
officer at the Michigan Economic Development<BR>Corporation (MEDC) effective
Dec. 10, 2012.<BR>Hilfinger will oversee several internal administrative
functions and help drive best<BR>practices and operational effectiveness to
support business growth and the creation<BR>of more and better jobs throughout
Michigan. He will continue to play a key role<BR>in the state’s Economic Growth
Executive Group.<BR>“Steve is a highly talented and experienced professional
whose strong leadership<BR>has been instrumental in our efforts to reinvent
Michigan,” said Snyder. “His extensive<BR>knowledge of the business and
regulatory environment will be great additions to the<BR>MEDC team as we
continue to transform our state into an innovative,
customer-friendly<BR>business environment that works better for everyone.”<BR>As
chief regulatory officer at LARA, Hilfinger had principal oversight of
licensing<BR>and regulatory functions of the state of Michigan, including:
Licensing and Regulatory,<BR>Office of Regulatory Reinvention, Michigan
Administrative Hearing System, and Employment<BR>Security and Workplace
Safety.<BR>Previously, he focused a 23-year legal career on corporate and
securities law matters,<BR>including mergers and acquisitions, corporate
restructurings, private equity and<BR>venture capital transactions, debt and
equity finance transactions, business formation<BR>and corporate governance, and
general corporate and contract counseling. A partner<BR>at Foley and Lardner LLP
in Detroit, his practice included representation of automotive<BR>suppliers and
other manufacturers, medical device makers, private equity and
venture<BR>capital funds, financial institutions, and other publicly and
privately held businesses.<BR>Hilfinger obtained his B.B.A. degree
(concentration in accounting) with high distinction<BR>from the University of
Michigan in 1984, where he received Phi Beta Kappa honors.<BR>Following
graduation, he was awarded the William A. Paton Award for achieving
the<BR>highest score on the Michigan CPA examination. He graduated magna cum
laude with<BR>a law degree from Northwestern University in 1987, where he served
as editor-in-chief<BR>of the Northwestern University Law Review from 1986 to
1987. He is admitted to practice<BR>law in Michigan and Illinois and is a member
of the Business, Health Care and Administrative<BR>Law Sections of the State Bar
of Michigan.<BR>LARA Deputy Director Steve Arwood will assume the duties of
acting director until<BR>a permanent director has been appointed. He also will
continue to serve as director<BR>of the Unemployment Insurance Agency.<BR>Lake
Superior Community Partnership<BR>501 S. Front Street<BR>Marquette, MI
49855<BR>(906) 226-6591<BR>AEDO_white<BR></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>