Shirilla Named Director, Research & Business Information

Ann Arbor SPARK Promotes Donna Shirilla to Director, Research and Business Information
August 28, 2006

Ann Arbor SPARK, the driving force in establishing the Ann Arbor region as a destination for business expansion, retention, and location, today announced that Donna Shirilla has been named director, research and business information. In this new role, Shirilla will manage all demographic, site availability, incentives and fact-based information necessary to support Ann Arbor SPARK’s business attraction and retention efforts throughout Washtenaw County.

Shirilla is an economic development expert on the Ann Arbor region, having served as director, existing business services, for the Washtenaw Development Council since 1998. Shirilla’s unparalleled expertise is rooted in her experience serving in a variety of roles within the Washtenaw Development Council for more than a decade. The Washtenaw Development Council and SPARK merged recently, creating Ann Arbor SPARK.

“Donna’s role represents the backbone of Ann Arbor SPARK,” said Michael Finney, Ann Arbor SPARK president and CEO. “Ann Arbor SPARK’s success in attracting new business is dependent on the ability to provide site selectors with quick information regarding the region: Available sites, available talent, even arts, culture and recreation information. Donna’s job is to maintain this type of current and timely information to enable Ann Arbor SPARK to capitalize on business opportunities.”

Shirilla earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a masters of science degree in urban planning from Eastern Michigan University. She holds certificates in real estate redevelopment and reuse, economic development finance, marketing, and planning from the International Economic Development Council.

An active supporter of the local community, Shirilla serves as a board member of the Washtenaw County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and a member of Eastern Michigan University College of Technology’s Board of Directors. Shirilla has also held positions on the BioConnections steering committee and the Michigan Universities Commercialization Initiative incubator planning team.

ABOUT ANN ARBOR SPARK
Representing all communities in Washtenaw County, Ann Arbor SPARK, a non-profit organization, is the driving force in establishing the Ann Arbor region as a destination for business expansion, retention, and location by identifying and meeting the needs of business at every stage, from startups to large organizations. Ann Arbor SPARK collaborates with business, academic, government, and community investor partners including the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, the Herbert and Grace Dow Foundation, Pfizer, Washtenaw County, the City of Ann Arbor, the Bank of Ann Arbor and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. For more information, please call (734) 761-9317.