2006 Performance Based Budget - Laserfiche WebLink

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Now that we've made our commitment to the future, let's visit the past fnr a little. It's great to be here tonight in the new Studebaker National Museum, This is the culmination of years of work and of forging valuable partnerships. I am especially pleased that we have been. able to reinvigorate the alliance with the Studebaker Drivers Club to support the museum. Their buy-in is essential to the long-term viability of this facility. We look forward to hosting their national meet in 2007. The Museum Board and staff should be commended for creating a new vision for the museum. South Bend Heritage Foundation and especially Joe Fragomeni, Sr. deserve special credit for bringing parties together to get this done on time and on budget. Our Economic Development and Engineering staffplayed critical roles in making this a reality. But I aan mast excited about the new partnership with the Center for History. 3oining these museums together will make them both better, strengthen their staffs, lead to mare creative, complementary displays and increase attendance. This was absolutely the right thing to do. Why was it important to build this facility? Why remember a corporation that left so many families high and dry when it closed? First, if you know someone who owns a Studebaker, you know not just a fan but a fanatic. Second, even though the company closed its South Bend operations, there was much to be proud of in the community's response. Third, despite those tough times, there is much to celebrate in the history of the Studebaker Corporation and its relationship with South Bend. Finally, we are fulfilling a commitment made decades ago to provide a suitable place to display the collection. There were some bumps and detours along the way, but South Bend keeps its premises. This is one of several long term agenda items that we have been checking off the list. 'There are lessons to be learned frnm Studebaker. It was the only company to make the transition from manufacturing wagons to manufacturing automobiles. It was knows far creative design and technology. It was ahome -grown company with a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a highly skilled workforce that believed in the value of work. It gave back to the community, supporting cultural affairs and community organizations, Many local families had ties to Studebaker for multiple generations. The people who worked there were able to provide fnr their A-15