David T. Brandon, athletic director for the University of Michigan, will be the keynote speaker at the Dearborn Chamber of Commerce’s Business Builder Breakfast, Tuesday, March 8, 7:30 am at the Hyatt Regency Dearborn. The event is sponsored by Raymond James & Associates.

David T. Brandon was named director of Intercollegiate Athletics at University of Michigan – Ann Arbor in January 2010. A U-M alumnus who played football under Bo Schembechler and later served as U-M regent, Brandon, 57, was previously chairman and chief executive officer of Ann Arbor-based Domino’s Pizza.

“We are excited to host David Brandon and look forward to learning his motivational lessons in leadership,” said Chamber President Jennifer Knott Giering. “It’s important that we offer our membership access to high level key opinion leaders and we are confident his words will be inspiring.”

After joining Dominos in 1999, Brandon led the pizza giant to becoming the largest quick-service restaurant in history. In 2009, Dominos, with 9,000 franchised and company-owned stores in the US and 65 other countries, had global retail sales over $5.5 billion.

Previously, Brandon served as chairman, president and COO of Valassis Communications, Inc. of Livonia. In his 20-year tenure, the company grew from a family-owned business of 75 employees and $30 million in sales to a publicly traded industry leader with 1,300 employees and a total enterprise value of $2 billion+.

The Chamber’s Business Builders Breakfast in March is one of four such events planned for the year. Previous speakers included Ford Motor Company’s Alan Mulally and Detroit Mayor Dave Bing. Individual tickets are available ($30 for members; $35 for non-members) as well as corporate tables ($400) by going to www.dearbornchamber.org.

The Dearborn Chamber of Commerce provides 500+ members with the opportunities and resources to engage and network with other businesses, enhancing financial growth, professional development, and the ability to contribute to a thriving community environment.

We were hoping for the best but feared the worst and unfortunately the latter occurred.

Borders filed for bankruptcy and with that decision will close its Dearborn store as soon as this Saturday, according to some media reports. The store at Ford Road and Mercury is one of four in Michigan that will close, including stores in Utica, Grosse Pointe and the Arborland mall store in Ann Arbor. Its flagship store in Ann Arbor isn’t on the list.

This decision leaves Dearborn without a big name bookstore. But it could translate to more business for Dearborn Music at Michigan and Monroe and even my favorite used book store, Rodegher’s Used Books on Michigan, just west of east of Telegraph.

Here is The Detroit News story.