Summer 2018 Edition
ITS Michigan Quarterly Newsletter
Greetings!

There are lots of exciting things happening in the world of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in Michigan. The Intelligent Transportation Society of Michigan (ITS Michigan) is your link to these activities. This quarterly newsletter will help you keep up to speed on what's happening in ITS in Michigan and learn about opportunities to network with others in the field.
Meet the new
ITS Michigan officers

In May, ITS Michigan elected its 2018 Officers. Here they are:

President: Debra Bezzina
Bezzina is the senior program manager for the Ann Arbor Connected-Vehicle Test Environment at The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI). Concurrently, she is the Connected Working Group lead for Mcity and the managing director of the Center for Connected and Automated Transportation. U-M created Mcity to cultivate the diverse expertise and resources required to realize the potential of emerging mobility technologies, culminating in the implementation of a working system of connected and automated vehicles.

Vice President: Steve Verkest
Verkest is Executive Vice President of Integral Blue. Integral Blue (IB) is an Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) integrator that provides professional and technical services in all aspects of ITS, from system design to comprehensive maintenance services.

Treasurer: Kiel McIntosh
McIntosh is a sales engineer at Carrier and Gable Inc.

Secretary: Victor Cardenas
Cardenas is assistant city manager at the City of Novi.
Debra Bezzina
Steve Verkest
Kiel McIntosh
Victor Cardenas         
ITS Michigan updates its logo

For the first time in more than a decade, the ITS Michigan Board of Directors has updated the organization's logo.

The new logo, at right, is intended to reflect a more current image of the agency. The previous logo, though updated slightly over the years, was originally created when the organization was chartered in 1995.

"We believe the new logo helps to capture the energy and enthusiasm of our organization and its membership," explained ITS Michigan President Debra Bezzina. "The chapter has grown and evolved over the years, and we believe the logo should reflect that evolution."
ITS America Annual Meeting featured amazing Tech Showcase
The ITS America Annual Meeting in Detroit in June was a hit on many levels: compelling speakers, incredible exhibition hall and amazing technical demonstrations. The technical demonstrations showcased some of the latest advancements in on-board and infrastructure technology.

In all, 17 companies, ranging from auto manufacturers to tier I and II suppliers, to tech companies, participated in the tech showcase.

ITS Michigan will host Sept. 6 lunch and learn on V2X tech
Reserve your spot today: ITS Michigan is hosting a lunch and learn/webinar on vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) hardware and software.

The event will be Thursday, Sept. 6, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For those who wish to participate in person, the lunch and learn will take place at Danlaw Inc., 41211 Vincenti Ct., Novi, MI 48375.

Register for the free event at: Lunch and Learn Registration.

The event is sponsored by ITS Michigan, Michael Baker International and Danlaw.
ITS Michigan Member Profile: Integral Blue
Member name: Integral Blue


Primary contacts: 
Steve Verkest , Executive Vice President (248) 918- 4589, steveverkest@integral-blue.com
Steve Crain , Executive Vice President (248) 918-4589, stevecrain@integral-blue.com

How long a member of ITS Michigan: Eight Years

Type of organization (company, individual, public sector, academic):  Limited Liability Corporation, private sector

Primary product or service:  Integral Blue (IB) is a Michigan-based Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) firm that provides professional and technical services in all aspects of ITS, from system design to comprehensive maintenance services. These expert services help the public transportation sector mitigate problems caused by traffic congestion by applying state-of-the-art technologies that enable motorists to be better informed and make safer, more coordinated and “smarter” use of transportation networks.

Reason you’re involved in the field of ITS:
IB’s mission is to provide turnkey Intelligent Transportation System services by working collaboratively with our clients to advance transportation safety, mobility and environmental sustainability. We are extremely passionate about ITS, and we constantly seek to transform the way society moves by striving to be the preeminent expert in building, integrating and maintaining Intelligent Transportation Systems.

What are your favorite benefits of ITS Michigan?
IB believes that our collaboration with the ITS community in Michigan enables us to tap into the power of working together to do great things with others that share our enthusiasm for Intelligent Transportation Systems. We feel that the ITS community in Michigan is stronger when it leverages its collective genius. We are proud to belong to ITS Michigan whose member organizations are made up of mobility organizations, research centers, educational institutions, engineering firms, integrators and government agencies. Together, ITS Michigan members continue to shape the future of transportation technologies.

What excites you most about ITS and the future of the ITS industry? 
The ITS industry has become an integral part of a larger picture that includes connected vehicles, self-driving vehicles and smart cities. Contributing to shaping the future of mobility and smart infrastructure is extremely gratifying to our organization. Technology in the field of ITS quite often moves at the speed of light. The challenge of finding solutions to our clients’ problems and responding quickly to their needs is something that we thrive on. 

Anything else you would like to add about ITS Michigan?
IB looks forward to our future as an ITS Michigan member and supporting its mission of improving the safety, security and efficiency of the state's transportation system for the traveling public through the deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems. 
A few words from
ITS Michigan President Debra Bezzina...
         As many of you know, the ITS America Annual Meeting in Detroit June 4-7 was a tremendous success. I’m proud of the role that ITS Michigan and our members played in the event.
         In fact, we are told that this was one of the most successful ITS American Annual Meetings ever. We know how to do things right in Michigan!
         I am very proud that the program for the meeting was peppered with presentations and panel discussions involving ITS Michigan members – we were very well represented. And, of course, the amazing technology showcase involved a variety of ITS Michigan members and was coordinated by the Michigan Department of Transportation’s Michelle Mueller.
         I heard rave reviews about both the meeting presenters/panel discussions and the technology showcase. Once again (just as we did for the 2014 ITS World Congress in Detroit), we showed the world why Michigan is the center of ITS research, deployment and development.
         And, to keep the momentum going, we’re now in the planning stages for the ITS Michigan Annual Meeting, which will take place in the fall. This promises to also be a great event – so, stay tuned for the details.
         We’ve also got some other great programming coming up (see story above).
         Finally, if you have an interest in participating on an ITS Michigan committee, we need you. We have technical committees, programming committees, an outreach and Website committee and more. If you have a desire to participate, we’ll help you find an appropriate spot.
         If you’re interested, please contact Belinda Beard at Belinda.F.Beard@ey.com .
Newsletter comments or content? Contact:
Craig Bryson 
(248) 645 2000 
Intelligent Transportation Society of Michigan (ITS Michigan)