Strategic Staffing Solutions Inc. President and CEO Cynthia Pasky is launching her own campaign — for Detroit voters to write in Michael Duggan for mayor on this year's ballot.

Duggan, former CEO of the, dropped out of the race Wednesday, saying he would not appeal a Tuesday decision by the Michigan Court of Appeals that declared him ineligible to appear on the Aug. 6 primary ballot for Detroit mayor.

At issue was his filing of nominating petitions two weeks before he'd been a registered Detroit voter for a year as is required by the city charter.

"As a personal voter, I'm going to write Mike Duggan's name in," Pasky told the morning crowd gathered at thefor the's Pancakes & Politics panel presentation.

Duggan was working his campaign hard, at "120 percent" she said, adding that he met more people in Detroit than most mayors.

"I think he could make it through the primary," given his recent lead in the polls, said Pasky, chair of theand co-chair of the urban strategies committee of theboard.

"If enough people write him in, by law they have to put him on the ballot."

For his part, Duggan said Wednesday that he has no plans to try for a write-in campaign in the mayoral election. "I'm not going to be writing my own name in the ballot, and I'm not encouraging anyone else to do it," he said during a media event.

Duggan's ouster from the Detroit mayoral race elicited comments from other panelists at Pancakes & Politics, as well, all centered around the need for public engagement and collaboration in Detroit.

"Unfortunately, right now with Mike Duggan's situation, it's really a difficult situation for the (Detroit) mayoral race," said Nancy Schlichting, president and CEO of

"You want government that works, a partnership (with) public-private collaboration ... it doesn't matter who is the mayor, we're going to work with them."

When Detroit Mayor Dave Bing took office, he invited health care leaders into his office and asked how he could help them, Schlichting said. "Clearly, that is the tone we need to have in city government," she said.

Collaboration between the state and city of Detroit is important, said Bud Denker, senior vice president of. and chairman of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix.

He said he'd remain neutral on backing any of the remaining candidates in the Detroit mayoral race. As long as the next mayor "has an open mind, we'll be successful," Denker said. "If not, it will be challenging."

William Pickard, CEO of the, said he believes in competition but wishes Duggan could have remained in the race.

He sees public safety as the most pressing issue in Detroit. The candidate with the strongest position on public safety "will get my vote," he said.

The current mayoral race aside, there's a pressing need to groom more public servants for the future, Pickard said.

"My generation... grew up in this community and found a lot of opportunities," he said.

"Unfortunately, we did not participate in the political process to help the best of our community become public servants."

The city and region have a lot of strong companies and nonprofits that should try to help spur more people to become public servants, he said.

"I think a lot of us need to get ... into the game of public servants and not politics."

Responding to a question about whether she'd consider a political run herself, Schlichting said she's had an interest in public policy since age 18.

"I have always viewed myself as contributor to the world we live in. I have chosen to do that as a health care leader," she said.

"But you never say never."

Said Pasky in response to the same question: "I have a good day job."