We would like to begin with our sincere wish for a happy and prosperous 2010.    As we start this New Year, we would like to thank you for our relationship and for your patronage and support throughout our 10-year history as a firm, the anniversary of which was January 3, 2010.  Without the support and loyalty of our clients and friends, and the very meaningful contributions of those who have been members of our team at Safford & Baker over the years, we certainly would have had no reason to celebrate.

Promoting Entrepreneurship and Technology Companies in Michigan

As a firm, we continue our focus and commitment to helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses successfully in these challenging times and to promoting entrepreneurship in Michigan generally.  We believe that if our economy it is to turn in a positive direction, it will largely be because of the efforts of small and medium sized businesses to grow and in particular to develop and adopt valuable technologies that will provide substantial benefits to their customers.  Among the specific actions that we took to further this goal are these:

• We have launched two new product offerings specifically designed for start-up technology companies.
• We were one of the sponsors of TechNow 09 (now FutureMidwest).  This was the first such event in Royal Oak, and was the Premiere digital networking event in the greater Metro-Detroit area last year.
• Randy became legal counsel to Silk Route Global, LLC, which has founded a substantial technology-company incubator in Troy. Randy and Matt also assisted Harmonie Park Music, a local music studio, in the release of its new album entitled “Christmas in Detroit 3”.
• Matt co-founded Detroit Startup Drinks with Tim Aten from Futuramic Media.  Detroit Startup Drinks held four events last year and now boasts 125 members and growing.
• We became corporate members of Automation Alley, where Randy is a member of the Technology Committee.
• Don has become involved nationally with the Association of University Technology Managers and the National Council for Entrepreneurial Tech Transfer Universities.  He coached four teams through two cycles of the Great Lakes Entrepreneur Quest competition, and acted as a judge for Dr. David Brophy’s business plan competition at the University of Michigan Business School.

Helping Our Clients and Our “3-Introduction  Commitment”

As we have reflected back over the very difficult economic conditions around us, we remain even more committed to our clients’ prosperity and growth.  We have very often found ourselves wondering what more we could do to be of help, in addition to providing high-quality legal services.  The challenge of the times, we believe, requires our very best creativity and ingenuity to see what more can be done.

After much scratching of heads, we have concluded that the most beneficial “additional help” we can give our clients is to formalize our habit of introducing them to others in our circle of clients and friends who might be able to provide opportunities for business collaboration – for example, as customers, service providers or more extensive networking.

As a matter of practice, we are in the habit of making such introductions for our clients on a routine basis (NOTE added by Don and Matt – Randy is a black-belt at this!)  But, so that our clients will know that we are serious about this commitment, we have decided to extend to each ongoing client what we will now call our “3-Introduction Commitment”:

Our 3-Introduction Commitment is:

• At the request of each ongoing client, we will use our best efforts to make at least three introductions to others who we know that might be helpful to the client’s business.  Examples would include possible career helps, customers, service providers, knowledge resources, financing resources where appropriate, and networking organizations.
• We request that our clients and friends in turn be willing to meet with the clients that we are introducing, knowing that we will be trying to make introductions that are beneficial to both parties.
• After the three introductions have been made, you can ask again!

We are hoping that this “formalization” of what we are already doing will help our clients become more of a mutually assisting network and that all will benefit in the process.

Other Notables

We are pleased to report several other important items:

• Randy has continued to serve on the boards of City Year Detroit, Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings, and the Motor City Brass Band where he is still playing Bb tuba.
• Matt Bower has served as Chair of the Arts, Communications, Entertainment, and Sports (A.C.E.S.) Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan this past year, producing twelve meetings and seminars, including events with the Hilberry Theatre, Ringside Creative, Ann Arbor Film Festival, CBS Radio, and the Whitney.  Matt continues to lecture on intellectual property issues and this past year presented for VSA Arts of Michigan, the Ann Arbor Film Festival, and the Michigan Makes Movies Expo.  Matt was recently named an “Up & Coming Lawyer for 2009″ by Michigan Lawyer’s Weekly.
• Don has developed a series of articles on Developing a Capital Fundraising Plan, which will be presented by Webcast from Automation Alley on February 9.  A copy of the Articles are available to our clients and friends and will soon be published on our website.  www.saffordbaker.com

Community Support

As we are all well aware, in these times of economic downturn, there are a great many people and beneficial organizations who are experiencing great need. In tribute to our clients and friends, and in recognition of that need, at the end of 2009,we donated funds to three charities that we believe are helping our area in a significant way. The recipients are Live to Give Foundation, the Michigan Youth Arts Association and S.A.Y. Detroit.

The S.A.Y. Detroit donation is the fruit of our relationship with Harmonie Park Music, whom we met and helped this year in their new album entitled “Christmas in Detroit 3”, a three-disc recording of Detroit music talent.  The net proceeds are being donated to S.A.Y. Detroit.  Mitch Albom started S.A.Y. Detroit in 2006, as a way of combating homelessness in Detroit.  Since then, the charity has raised close to $1 million, all of it distributed or ear-marked to make life easier and more productive for the city’s most needy.

The Michigan Youth Arts Association (MYAA) is a statewide association of student arts education organizations.  Programming consists of the Michigan Youth Arts Festival, statewide arts education awards, advocacy, leadership roundtables, and funding programs for youth, schools and arts education professionals throughout Michigan.

Live to Give Foundation is a network of young social entrepreneurs changing the world in a personal way. L2G is a charity organization that consists of 9 Michigan residents all in their 20’s who have created a network of social entrepreneurs who are trying to create a better tomorrow for people and communities all over Michigan.

Conclusion

We’d like again to thank each of you for your support, and express our commitment to your continued success and prosperity.  We hope that you will take seriously our 3-Introduction Commitment and full advantage of our community of clients and friends, to our mutual benefit.  Please accept our sincere best wishes for a prosperous 2010.

Very truly yours,

The Safford & Baker Team