ANN ARBOR—Local business, government, community and university leaders will join forces Monday to develop an economic action plan for responding to the closure of the Pfizer Research and Development facility.

Pfizer, the nation’s largest drug maker, announced Monday plans to close its Ann Arbor research campus by late 2008, costing the area more than 2,000 jobs. State officials note that 11 start-ups companies were begun in Kalamazoo after Pharmacia Corp. was sold in 2003 and 1,100 jobs were lost. They believe similar efforts can be launched with the Pfizer talent pool.

State and local leaders have vowed to devise strategies to encourage the creation of spin-off companies, create new jobs and find the best future use of the 2 million square foot Pfizer campus after the company closes its operations.

Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje, Ann Arbor SPARK President and CEO Michael Finney and University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman are jointly inviting participants to the meeting. SPARK is an economic development and marketing organization for the greater Ann Arbor region.

The meeting will be held at 10 a.m. at the Michigan Information Technology Center, 1000 Oakbrook Drive, Ann Arbor, behind the Howard Cooper automotive dealership off State Street north of I-94.

EDITORS: The meeting is by invitation only and closed to the public but a media availability will follow. The media availability will be held at 12:15 p.m. where meeting participants will review their discussions. Please contact Joe Serwach if you plan to attend.

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