L. Brooks Patterson to Receive an Honorary Degree at Kettering University Dec. 9

FLINT, Mich.--L. Brooks Patterson, the Oakland County executive who helped launch Automation Alley, will present the Commencement address and receive an honorary degree at Kettering University in Flint on Saturday, Dec. 9.

Patterson, who is one of the state’s leading promoters of building a new economy in Southeast Michigan based on 21st Century technologies, will speak during graduation ceremonies at 11:30 a.m. in the University’s Recreation Center. He will be awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.

As the executive for Oakland County, Patterson is an international ambassador for the developing talent and technologies of the 21st Century. During the 13 years of his administration, Oakland County government has earned respect from Wall Street for its solid tax base and sound financial policies by attaining and maintaining a coveted AAA bond rating, which only 34 of the nation’s 3,200 counties have received.

Patterson helped found Automation Alley in 1998. It is southeast Michigan’s premier high-tech consortium, which now boasts a membership roster of more than 600 companies. Automation Alley’s new technology center opened its doors in 2004 and hosts, among other things, an International Business Center where foreign corporations can utilize two completely outfitted offices for two weeks without cost.

Kettering will honor almost 300 undergraduate and graduate students during graduation ceremonies, which will be presided over by Kettering University President Stan Liberty. For more information on Kettering’s Commencement, visit: www.kettering.edu

Located in Flint, Michigan, Kettering University (formerly General Motors Institute) is one of the country’s premier co-op institutions and provides 2,300 students with career-based education in engineering, applied sciences, mathematics, and business management. Founded in 1919, the University also offers graduate programs in engineering and manufacturing management. Kettering University is ranked among the nation’s finest specialty schools by U.S. News and World Report.