Since taking office, I've been committed to going anywhere and doing anything to bring good-paying jobs to Michigan. And, once again that promise has me on the road - back to Germany on my fourth international jobs investment mission in the last three years.

We arrived in the country late on Sunday afternoon. I found time to fit in a quick run along the Rhine; we are staying in beautiful Dusseldorf which is located on the River Rhine on the west end of Germany. That evening, we enjoyed a traditional German dinner - spatzle, sausage, schnitzel, and kielbasa … being a meat and potatoes type of gal, German cuisine is right up my alley! I also tried the delicious white asparagus, a local favorite, which made me hungry for Michigan's great green asparagus.

We were up bright and early this morning, feeling slightly jet-lagged but excited to be back in Germany. It was 65 & sunny this morning, and we were ready to get on the road to do business. We departed from the hotel to make the hour drive to Aachen where we met with executives from FEV Motorentechnik & Co. The meeting gave me an opportunity to thank them for their continued commitment to Michigan and to encourage future investment in our great state. Last month, company leaders announced a company subsidiary, FEV Engine Technology, would invest $4.3 million to expand its North American Technical Center in Auburn Hills and create 180 new high-tech jobs with assistance offered by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

FEV's decision to invest in Michigan is creating jobs for our workers and sending a signal that Michigan is the right place in America for high-tech companies to grow and create new jobs. Their investment in Michigan is a testament to our first-rate workforce and pro-business climate. After a productive meeting with FEV it was off to a meeting with Mr. Leopold Kostal of Kostal Group in the city of Dortmund. We had a successful meeting with Mr. Kostal and his colleagues. An exciting announcement is coming soon…

After our meeting, Mr. Kostal hosted a dinner for us. We enjoyed an exquisite meal in a local restaurant that was situated on a quaint, cobblestone-street in this German town. We are now back at the hotel, getting prepared for a good night's rest, as tomorrow brings more travel, and more vital meetings where we will continue our work to bring additional jobs home for our hard-working Michiganians.