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Nonprofit funders seek impact, leverage, sustainability in grant-making

By
Shari Cohen
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The Eastern Market Partnership has received several grants from Hudson-Webber Foundation. image Courtesy Hudson-Webber Foundation
The Eastern Market Partnership has received several grants from Hudson-Webber Foundation. image Courtesy Hudson-Webber Foundation

As government budgets in some cultural and service areas are cut due to competing priorities and reduced tax revenue, nonprofit organizations increasingly rely on private-sector gifts. Foundations are a major component of this philanthropic “pie,” funding demonstration projects, new programs, capital needs and, occasionally, operational costs of nonprofit organizations.

Nonprofit organizations rely on a range of funding sources to finance their operations and some struggle to maintain financial stability. Their income sources include fees for services provided, individual donations, special event revenue, government contracts and grants, corporate gifts and foundation grants.

But foundations are becoming more targeted in what they want to fund and their expectations of how nonprofits should make their case. Partnerships, impact, leverage and sustainability are the buzzwords among foundations and other donors.

“Donors — whether foundations, individuals or government agencies — are expecting more metrics and outcomes. They want to know what good comes from the so-called outputs (units of service) that they are paying for,” says Perry Ohren, CEO of Jewish Family Services of Metro Detroit, a non-sectarian human services agency. He adds that traditional sources of funding, such as United Way, are diminishing as more funders seek to support a specific goal.

“It’s important that nonprofits know their landscapes. They need to do their research,” says Katie Brisson, vice president/programs at the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan. Partnerships among nonprofits “make sense to create systems change beyond one organization,” she points out.

“The trend that I’m seeing is an increased focus on listening intently to donors, who want to see evidence of impact,” says Diana Sieger, president of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation.

While each foundation is different, Brisson says, they usually share the goal that grants should enable nonprofits to leverage more resources and that their financial support is sustainable.

“We want to work on issues that the community finds important, because the foundation funding will go away. We want to know how the grant will help them gain other grants — federal or corporate grants,” she explains.

Partnerships expand impact
In order to achieve greater positive impact in their service areas, some foundations are establishing multi-faceted nonprofit partnerships to work on big projects or complex societal needs. This helps reduce redundant efforts and expands impact more efficiently.

One example is the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan’s New Economy Initiative. This effort to help entrepreneurs in southeast Michigan started in 2007. Since then, NEI has directly aided 4,400 companies, including the startup of more than 1,600 companies and the creation of 17,490 jobs.

NEI’s goal is to develop infrastructure for inclusive economic development in southeast Michigan with support from 12 local and national foundations. NEI Director Pamela Lewis states in an NEI impact report that more than 50 funded programs are helping entrepreneurs across the region and the program is now a national model for economic development.

In western Michigan, Sieger says the Grand Rapids Community Foundation “emphasizes overcoming inequities in our community — especially racial and social. We look at issues through an equity lens. How can we work with people on the edge — not to them, but with them,” she explains.

Their Community Leadership Initiatives take on complex issues — looking at what is happening locally, based on “good data,” seeking to learn “how pervasive is the problem?” Sieger says.

One example of their broad-based efforts is counteracting homelessness. “We did a great deal of banding together to look at the homelessness problem by bringing together financial resources and policy makers at all government levels. We have a better handle on the problem, but haven’t made a dent in it,” Sieger says.

While many foundations may be expecting more impact from their grantees, some are also trying to improve the application and reporting process.

“We’re constantly challenging ourselves on that. We are constantly looking at ways to be more efficient — do we need this level of information? Does it help grantees?” explains Michael Shaw, program director at the Hudson-Webber Foundation, based in Detroit.

Brisson says foundations are being more thoughtful in their nonprofit capacity building — trying not to duplicate services. “We might use the same trainer,” she says.

Most foundations rely on their grantees to report the results of their grants, usually including financial and narrative reports. Brisson said that their recipients generally follow standard evaluation measures, with the exception of two major programs: the New Economy Initiative and the GreenWays project, providing bike paths and recreational areas connecting seven southeastern Michigan counties. Evaluators were hired for these projects.

Grant policies vary
Foundations may grant funds more than once to the same organization. Hudson-Webber Foundation has “anchor institutions” and the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan also may work with the same organization repeatedly, sometimes helping build its own endowments, but “we help organizations at key moments in time, not year after year,” Brisson says.

Foundations typically have key mission areas, although these can be quite broad, such as education or “improving quality of life.” These may be reviewed periodically, but don’t change often.

“Every year we do a strategic plan for the next three years. We look at changes in the landscape and every four years we look at each area,” says Shaw. Hudson-Webber considers whether there are gaps in others’ philanthropies. “We all are long in some areas. Hudson-Webber focuses on economic and community development and place, and is deeply committed to Detroit,” he adds.

Board requirements changing
As foundations focus more on strategic giving, nonprofit organizations are increasingly taking a more strategic approach to their boards of trustees. While the one trend isn’t necessarily responsible for the other, the two are connected.

Traditionally, nonprofit organization boards consisted mainly of a small group of business and civic leaders — often white, middle-aged or older males. Many viewed their role as lending their name to a good cause, attending an annual organizational fundraiser and perhaps donating additional funds.

Now, according to board and nonprofit consultants, nonprofit organizations are thinking more carefully about the skills and connections their boards need to advance the organization.

“Boards are slowly becoming more comfortable with being strategic, thinking about what they need and trying to match up skills and people,” says Rick Kress, who led several nonprofit organizations in Michigan before beginning a nonprofit and board consulting practice 20 years ago. He says organizations are looking at gaps in their boards in terms of age, diversity and professional backgrounds and then thinking about individuals who could fill that gap. The next step is considering “who could best recruit that person?” says Kress. “There is intense competition for board members. Expectations are changing.”

Gary Dembs, president of Nonprofit Personnel Network, has been helping some organizations recruit board members. He says that many nonprofits are in a transition phase, due to a high level of recent CEO turnover that has led to shifts in board membership. “Newer CEOs and executive committees are taking their time to figure out who they need and what their contacts are. They are professionalizing their nomination process.

“Nonprofits are looking at diverse revenue sources — social enterprises — so there is more of an entrepreneurial model,” he explains. “They are moving away from grants and multiple events versus partnerships.”

Kress concurs that funders are seeking partnerships with their grantees with the goal of improving outcomes.

The DeVos family foundations support an array of nonprofit organizations throughout Michigan and beyond, including the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids. Courtesy Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation

Diversity is a goal
As a result of this shift in relationships between the funding organization and grant recipient, there is a new focus on board composition and the role of board members. Dembs says that nonprofits need board members with more finance and business knowledge.

Also, board members need more training, because they’re not just fundraising. Dembs says that some nonprofit organizations are using a buddy system to facilitate the board orientation process, assigning a current trustee to meet with a new board member before the first board meeting.

Board diversity — in terms of age, race and gender and other criteria — is mentioned more often in nonprofit circles than in the past. “Organizations seek diversity. It’s important to their image. They are trying to get to the next generation, maybe including a board member’s son or daughter on the board,” says Kress. The goal is that younger board members will bring in younger donors.

At the Hudson-Webber Foundation in Detroit, many board members are part of the Hudson-Webber family. Shaw says that many are civic and business leaders with strong backgrounds in specific content areas, as well as “a good knowledge of what is happening in the city. Ninety-five percent of our work is here,” he says.

Rental company expands with acquisition, new headquarters, growing team

By
Karen Dybis
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Whether it is a Hollywood awards show, celebrity wedding or local gala, people are stepping up their party game with luxury linens, beautiful lighting displays, comfortable seating areas and so much more – and one West Michigan company is stepping up as well to take advantage of the trend.

Alpine Events, formerly Alpine Rent-All, recently acquired Holland-based The Rental Company while also expanding its headquarters and team in Grand Rapids. As a result, the local rental company has been busy over the past six months with rebranding, establishing a new 88,000-square-feet headquarters, expanding services and growing its staff to become the experts in party planning.

Alpine Events, which had a presence in Grand Rapids for over 30 years, was purchased three-and-a-half years ago by Carey Bisonet. Bisonet, who serves as president, acquired the company with the goal of expanding to better meet the needs of existing and new clientele, while also increasing the brand’s footprint geographically and into new markets.

“We saw this as a real opportunity to grow,” Bisonet said. “Now, we have the resources to be a ‘one-stop shop’ for people and businesses, giving our clients quality and experience.”

For example, clients in the past have had to go to multiple companies to get everything they wanted within the rental and party space. They may have had to check out a specialty from one vendor while quoting high-end china from another as well as soft seating options from a third or fourth, Bisonet explained.

But having everything for a huge event or special occasion under one roof, so to speak, is both cost-effective and easier for clients, Bisonet said. Plus, this acquisiton also gave Alpine Events a respected and experienced group of employee experts, who can work with clients to make sure they have the party they have dreamed about in real life.

But it took some behind-the-scenes work to make it happen. Acquiring The Rental Company made it clear that Alpine Events needed a larger headquarters to ensure all staff members could work under one roof. The company now has two physical locations at 3457 Roger B Chaffee Memorial Boulevard SE in Grand Rapids and 430 W. 17th Street in Holland, TRC’s former location.

Growing reputation
The Rental Company has been present on the Lakeshore for over 20 years and is well known for their experienced event staff, robust and high-quality inventory of linens, tents, table settings and more. The purchase of TRC allows Alpine Events to integrate new, experienced team members into their existing staff and offer a ‘one-stop-shop’ for event planning rental services to all of West Michigan.

“I wanted The Rental Company to continue to grow,” Robyn Allison, former owner of The Rental Company, said in a statement. “I appreciate the aggressive approach to growth and their younger ownership and management team. I am excited to see them succeed in this fast-paced industry.”

Bisonet also said he now has brought in new linen presses to bring the cleaning process in house, making it faster for Alpine Events to turn around products in a timely fashion. Now, a client can come into its showroom and see everything they want in one setting – they can set out linens, tables, chairs, place settings and more to get the look a client wants.

“We also can make custom boxwood walls, custom stamps as well as custom furniture,” Bisonet said. “If a client has an idea, we can make it happen.”

New branding
Prior to the acquisition of The Rental Company and Alpine Events’ new headquarters, Bisonet reached out to the integrated communications firm 8THIRTYFOUR to overhaul the company brand, messaging, collateral and more.

“We’ve been very strategic about our growth, and we’ve done well hitting our goals so far. Our combined team has set even higher expectations moving forward,” said Bisonet. Our new brand needed to embrace the event community while also continuing to serve our existing loyal customers.”

The Alpine Events staff has also expanded with the integration of TRC’s team of eighteen and two additional team members, Patrick Andress, Director of Sales, and Emily Riley, Director of Events and Marketing.

Andress has been in the event industry for 37 years, specifically managing event rental sales since 2011. He has orchestrated hundreds of small and large events for his clients, including annual corporate events of up to 20,000 people.

Riley formerly managed a venue space, and prior to that, worked for a full-service event planner. Her experience allows her to see an event from every angle and gives Alpine Events clients the peace of mind that all of the details, especially the ones they don’t think about, are taken care of.

Want a clean downtown? Invest in people — and a shiny new trash truck

By
Karen Dybis
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Detroit’s downtown has a new and powerful tool in its efforts to keep the area clean and safe for both residents and visitors, and it comes in the form of something you may not expect – a trash-compactor truck.

But this truck doesn’t only symbolizes the partnerships that make downtown Detroit such a force right now, officials say. It also shows the short- and long-term commitments these partners are making to setting a new standard for the city and its public spaces.

In January, the Downtown Detroit Partnership through its Downtown Detroit Business Improvement Zone unveiled the trash-compactor truck in a special event. The truck, which was purchased by the BIZ, or Business Improvement Zone, is the latest effort by these groups to beautify and maintain the city’s core.

Innovative program
Detroit is the first city in the country where property owners who pay a self-imposed tax to support the BIZ have supported this kind of investment in a trash truck, explained Eric B. Larson, Chief Executive Officer of the Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP).

Larson said this purchase highlights how hard the BIZ is working through its board and members to create a welcoming downtown and to be responsive to the additional clean-up needs that accompany the many events, programs and venues that are now active in that core zone.

“This (trash truck) is the newest addition to what is a system that is defining the standards and blasting a new path – and its the first we know of in any system around the country,” Larson said. “This allows us to continue to partner with the city of Detroit and our waste partners. It makes our collection process more efficient because we are able to reduce the cost and time (of gathering trash).”

Plus, keeping the dumpsters and trash receptacles emptied keeps the city looking great, especially during big events like the Detroit Tigers’ opening day or large events such as the Jazz festival.

Some background: In April 2014, downtown Detroit property owners approved the Downtown BIZ Plan, which establishes a formula for BIZ assessment calculations, rules for governing the election of board members and the scope of projects the BIZ will undertake. The BIZ charges the BIZ Board of Directors, a volunteer group of downtown leaders, with the responsibility of creating a budget that aligns with the BIZ service delivery goals and needs. The BIZ plan is valid for 10 years.

The DDP, which has been around for nearly a century, serves its members, residents and visitors through projects such as a clean downtown, park programming and many other services, Larson explained. The BIZ idea came about as Detroit hosted the 2006 Super Bowl and creating a beautiful downtown through clean and safe streets became a key initiative to that effort and for the city’s long-term residents.

Clean team
Since then, the Downtown Detroit BIZ Ambassadors remove an incredible 800 tons of trash throughout the city’s core on an annual basis, which provides a concrete rationale for adding the truck and a new employee to make sure this important investment is deployed effectively and with heart, Larson said.

That is where the BIZ’s new Ambassador Operations Manager, Eugene Carter, comes in, Larson said. Carter, who wanted to take on more responsibility within the city’s revitalization, brings to the BIZ extensive operations and environmental services experience in the city of Detroit, Larson said. He also brings a desire to help the BIZ Ambassadors learn new skills and become the best they can be, Larson added.

BIZ Ambassadors, more than 90% of whom are Detroit residents, help keep downtown clean and beautiful and assist pedestrians who need directions, restaurant recommendations and more. A third of the Ambassador workforce represent youth, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities and returning citizens from prison or related experiences.

“This is a team that’s become as much a family as anything,” Larson said. “It has shaped people’s lives and continues to give them not only hope but new skills.”

NGC expands its gift card development team, opens new technology office in Holland, Michigan

By
Guest Submission
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NGC is bringing on nine new software engineers and opening a technology and development hub in Holland, Mich. This will help meet the growing demand for NGC’s gift card technology solutions from its wide range of corporate customers, merchants, and reward/loyalty agencies.

Clark Hill announces Michigan promotions for 2020

By
Guest Submission
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Clark Hill announced the promotion of ten attorneys to membership in the firm, and promoted 21 associates to senior attorney. Eleven are based in the firm’s Michigan offices, including new members Jordan Bullinger, Vickie Coe, Scott Garbo, Loukas Kalliantasis, Rebecca Mancini and Brian Shekell.

How one businesswoman took her idea for a national holiday – and created it

By
Karen Dybis
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You might know Detroiter and small-business advocate Jennyfer Crawford because of her highly attended All Things Detroit shopping events. But did you also know she used her marketing skills to create an All Things Detroit Day?

Most people see these unique holidays on calendars and social media. There are special events for National Cheesecake Day or National Thank a Mail Carrier Day. Sometimes, they’re silly. Sometimes, they’re serious and ask people to take a moment in their day to remember a particular event or person. Whatever the reason, the National Day Archives asks for a day to honor that person, place, event or what have you.

Crawford, who has made her name promoting small businesses and Michigan entrepreneurs, thought about what she could do. She had heard of these holidays, and she wanted to make her work and that of her clients stand out. Plus, she wanted a way for the public to notice the products and services that Michigan companies had come up with for us all collectively to enjoy.

That is why Crawford reached out to the National Day Archives and started working on creating her own day. The result is pretty cool – the group officially proclaimed April 5, 2020, as All Things Detroit Day.

So how did she do it? Some Googling and website research – in other words, if you want a national day in honor of your business, cause or interest, you likely can do it just like Crawford did.

How she did it
Her story starts back in November, when one of her events was slower than usual, perhaps because of the extra cold weather. Crawford said she thought about it, and she wondered what she could do that might be different for the next event. Her mind wandered to Small Business Saturday, and how that garners so much support for small-business owners around the area, state and nation.

Soon enough, she was in front of her computer, where she went to the Internet for some inspiration and next steps. Crawford said she wanted something that honored Detroit, its entrepreneurs and its larger-than-life personality as a metro area. So creating a national holiday for All Things Detroit made sense. With a few keyboard clicks, the day was set.

“We are all small business owners working to accomplish our dreams,” she said. “It’s helping small business owners find those loyal supporters, customers for life, that makes a difference and helps them succeed.”

Spring events
It’s the perfect date for such a proclamation – All Things Detroit returns April 5 and Nov. 1, 2020. All Things Detroit is held in Sheds 3, 4 and 5 at 2934 Russell Street in Eastern Market in Detroit. All Things Detroit draws more than 12,000 shoppers to Eastern Market each time it is held. And more than 250 businesses participate each time.

In addition to All Things Detroit, Crawford is the curator behind the new small business marketplace at the Detroit Spring Home & Garden Show March 21-22 at TCF Center. Each summer she works with DTE Energy and the Downtown Detroit Partnership to organize The Night Market at Beacon Park, Market Thursdays at Beacon Park and Market Fridays at Cadillac Square.

Crawford has taken high-profile roles, working with the NAACP National Convention in Detroit in 2019 and as director of MarketPlace for TEDxDetroit the same year.

“I love curating and creating events here in Detroit because I feel I have found the secret formula that helps to connect people in the community,” Crawford said. “When crowds come out to experience an event I have organized, they are supporting small business owners. I like to think I am offering something different, helping others discover their next favorite product.”

Vicksburg Mill project featured at national conference

By
Guest Submission
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The Mill at Vicksburg operations director Jackie Koney presented at Brownfields 2019 national training conference in Los Angeles on Dec. 12. Koney was invited to present as part of the conference’s “Community Engagement and Environmental Justice” section. The $80m development is under construction.

Greenleaf Trust announces new hire

By
Guest Submission
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Alysha Ridderman joins the Greenleaf Trust team as a project manager, executing projects supporting all areas of the firm. She has over ten years of process improvement experience in a fast-paced and rapidly changing industry and is an alumni of Western Michigan University.

Oxford Financial Group managing director named president of ACG Western Michigan board

By
Guest Submission
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Oxford Financial Group managing director Jason Brinks has been named president of the ACG Western Michigan board of directors for 2020. Joining Brinks on the executive committee are Eric Fischer, BDO (vice president) and Heather Hoezee, Crowe LLP (Treasurer & Secretary).

The Community House hosts annual Bates Street Society dinner and awards

By
Karen Dybis
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William D. Seklar, President and CEO of The Community House and The Community House Foundation

A news publisher. A photographer who tells stories through her own unique lens. Doctors and healthcare professionals who are coming up with best-in-class wellness programs and services. Business people who are changing the way companies work and give.

William D. Seklar, President and CEO of The Community House and The Community House Foundation

All of these personalities and more will be in the spotlight for the fifth annual Bates Street Society Dinner Feb. 8 at The Community House in Birmingham. Known for its events that center on the personal, professional, recreational and philanthropic, The Community House is hosting the event alongside its Foundation Board of Directions.

PNC Wealth Management is the presenting sponsor of this year’s event, which inducts into the Bates Street Society individuals who make significant charitable contributions to support the work and mission of The Community House, organizers said. The Bates Street Society Dinner also recognizes The Community House’s annual Pillars of Vibrancy honorees for their work and contributions in the areas of education, culture, wellness, business and philanthropy.

The 2020 Pillars of Vibrancy honorees include:

• Brian Berman, M.D. – Chairman, Department of Pediatrics, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine and Pediatrician-in-Chief for Beaumont Children’s
• Margaret Cooney Casey – Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer, Beaumont Health System
• Mary Kramer – Group Publisher, Crain’s Detroit Business
• Hannan Lis – Principal, The WW Group, Inc.
• Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, M.D. – President, Oakland University
• Keith Pomeroy – Founder and Chairman, Pomeroy Investments
• Christine Provost – Philanthropist
• David Provost – Executive Chairman, TCF Bank
• Linda Solomon – Photojournalist and Author

The Community House Foundation is also introducing a new award for 2020 – the President’s Community Leadership Award. The award is presented to those who exemplify dedication, integrity and honorable service to their community. Recipients of this award are outstanding local leaders who epitomize the best spirit of community participation through their extraordinary initiative, impact of work, and inspiration of others. Honorees are recognized for their investment in the organizations, people and future of their community. This award is chosen and presented annually by the President and CEO of The Community House and The Community House Foundation.

Dave Provost

Rose and Brian Bolyard are the first recipients of the President’s Community Leadership Award. The Boylards are active supporters of The Community House and exemplify the award’s criteria through their leadership and service. The Bolyards chair one of the non-profit’s signature fundraisers, The Birmingham House Tour.

“The Bates Street Society Dinner provides the leadership and staff of The Community House the opportunity to recognize key members of our community for their extraordinary work and impact. This is one day a year we pause from our own work to celebrate the talents and contributions of those individuals who exemplify our pillars with the goal of inspiring the broader community,” said William D. Seklar, president and CEO of The Community House and The Community House Foundation.

Christine Provost

Broadcaster and FOX 2 News anchor Huel Perkins will serve as master of ceremonies for the event, which includes a seated three-course dinner, wine and cocktails, live entertainment from Ben Sharkey and an inspirational awards presentation.

Beaumont Foundation-Beaumont Hospitals is the Title Sponsor of the 2020 Bates Street Society Dinner. TCF Bank is the Private VIP Champagne Reception Sponsor. Additional sponsors include Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Mills Pharmacy + Apothecary, Metalbuilt, DeRoy & Devereaux, Barbara and Tim Hertzler, Oakland University, BlueWater Equity Partners, and The Skillman Foundation.

Lambert & Co. expands national reach with addition of Phoenix team

By
Guest Submission
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Lambert, Michigan’s largest PR firm and a top-10 investor relations firm nationally, announced the acqui-hire of a team led by seasoned practitioner and executive Michelle Olson, APR. The Phoenix-based team specializes in PR, brand journalism and integrated communications.

Recruiting, onboarding keys to success for Cakebread Cellars

By
Brad Kadrich
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Since its founding in 1973, Cakebread Cellars has worked hard to gain a reputation for producing world-class wines. Oh, and the founding family also wanted to have fun in the process. No short order, but that was the idea nearly half a century ago.

Fast forward to today, and Cakebread Cellars says its success is built on quality, consistency and continuity, characteristics which apply equally to the grapes, the wines, the people and the operation of the California-based Napa Valley winery. 

One of the most important parts of that success comes in the people portion of that equation. That’s where human resources director Nicole Cummings comes in. She calls recruiting and onboarding “incredibly important” to the family-owned business.

“One of the things that we pride ourselves on and is also unique to our area is we are what I’d call a larger family owned and operated winery,” Cummings said. “In Napa Valley, a lot of wineries have become part of a bigger corporation but Cakebread prides itself on its family culture. When we’re interviewing and selecting talent, it’s more important to us that we find people that are absolutes.”

Recipe for business
What is an absolute? That’s where Cakebread has created a recipe of sorts for its business, Cummings explained.

“Do you have a passion for what you do? That’s one of four absolutes. Do you have a friendly yet professional approach to business?” Cummings said. “You’re an extension of the Cakebread family – and they are known for remarkable hospitality with a friendly yet professional approach. Everyone at the winery interacts with our guests – whether you’re a housekeeper, cellar worker or gardener. We strive to be friendly yet approachable.”

Another key absolute is integrity, Cummings said. Future hires and all employees have to be not only honest but committed to doing the right thing. In other words, you pick up trash off of the ground because you should, not because someone else might be watching.

The final one is respect.

“We all have respect for not just each other but also the facilities in which we work and the facilities they’ve built – the work they provide us,” Cummings said.

Absolutes in place
When Cakebread is bringing a new hire into the company, they seem to have an easier time with the onboarding process because those absolutes are already in place, Cummings added. But there still is a formal program to make sure everyone who joins the team gets brought into the culture and receives training to build their individual success within the organization.

One of the great things about working in a vineyard and winery is the seasonal changes – and that represents the way the job changes month to month, Cummings said. As the agricultural environment shifts, so do the daily, weekly or monthly tasks at hand.

For example, the season where they prune may feel slow, but it is an important time for the vines. It also is an important time for training and in-house education for the staff. In the spring, there’s new energy and everyone starting getting back into the swing of things with customers coming back on site.

Harvest time is the most challenging with the highest number of hires coming in, but that’s also a fun and exciting time, Cummings said.

Open, honest dialogue
“Everyone’s excited about grapes coming in and crushing those grapes,” Cummings said. “We pride ourselves on openness and communication at that time – we share what’s going on, what it is like to operate a press, see the grapes coming in and how they’re processed or what happens during fermentation.”

For businesses like Cakebread and others, hiring and bringing in new hires in the right way are key to long-term success. For example, one survey showed that 48% of businesses say their top-quality hires come from employee referrals. That is why companies such as Cakebread spend so much time setting up strong messages and culture for its employees.

The bottom line? Cakebread is about an open and honest dialogue between the business, the employees and the product.

“We’re somewhat of an open book for all employees so they know what’s going on – regardless of the cycle,” Cummings said. “We have 12 months of learning – so employees have to have that openness to learning about why we do the things we do.”

Boot-camp partners, diverse recruiting platform key to Shop Smart success

By
Karen Dybis
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Everyone wants experience when they get a new job, especially those who are new to the workforce. That is where an online deal-and-discount company is working hard to shine.

One thing that Shop Smart LLC (dba Brad’s Deals) does for those fresh recruits is to build its pipeline of junior-level talent is partner with training boot camps, like FlatIron, Tech Girlz and General Assembly. In addition, the company has relationships with Noirefy, an award-winning diversity recruiting platform that hosts events Shop Smart LLC has been proud to sponsor and participate in as an organization.

“We host job shadows day-in-the-life tours, programming classes and provide mentorship opportunities. This increases our exposure to people getting ready to join the workforce and also positions us the place to look first for work,” said Jessica Adams, Vice President of Human Resources at Shop Smart LLC.

Why should a business work so hard to find the best talent? Because there is such an overwhelming number of job candidates (if you’re lucky) for every job. Surveys show that the average corporate job offer attracts 250 resumes. That is why Shop Smart LLC and other companies have such a big job when it comes to finding the right people for the right gig.

Headquartered in St. Thomas of the U.S. Virgin Islands with additional operating locations across the mainland United States, Shop Smart LLC is a team of nearly 100 people committed to saving shoppers time and money by connecting them with validated online deals and discounts.

Since 2001, Adams said the company has been on a mission to create the consumer advantage and provide users with an honest and transparent shopping experience, helping them to make the best choices. This commitment has saved consumers more than $200 million annually. 

Strong intern culture
Another well-received program is its paid internships. During these programs, Shop Smart LLC has hired 70 percent of its intern classes, Adams said.

“This is a great reflection of our culture and willingness to mentor and train people at all levels of experience in order to help them best succeed. We treat them as a Shop Smart LLC employee and provide real-world experiences to work on meaningful projects that ultimately benefit our business,” Adams said.

Moreover, each intern goes through the same onboarding process as a full-time hire to ensure they have a baseline knowledge and understanding of how their role will impact the business, Adams said. And because the company gives them the opportunity to prepare for the reality of a full-time job, interns have successfully gone on to work at Fortune 500 companies such as Amazon, Disney, General Mills and Morgan Stanley.

Pre-boarding effort
Another effort that Smart Shop LLC works on is creating a “comfort zone” for people going through those first days, weeks and months on the job, Adams said.

“We make it a point to reach out to our candidates starting from acceptance to when they walk into the office the first day. For example, we communicate at least three times – via email or phone – to a new hire before they start with Smart Shop,” Adams said.

This communication might include offering information on the restaurants nearest to the office so that they can choose where we go for their first day celebratory lunch or something more robust such as the orientation schedule they can expect when they arrive. Additionally, the company sends a little gift to their home to further get them excited about joining the team.

“Accepting a new job is a big decision so we do what we can to help new team members celebrate it and affirm for them that they made the right decision by joining the Shop Smart family,” Adams said.

Employee orientation
Recruiting can be very tough, so Adams said the company spends a lot of time focused on finding the right candidate to join the team. Once someone accepts an offer from Shop Smart LLC, the whole team invests its time to ensure they have a successful onboarding experience.

“It starts with hanging a personalized welcome sign on our office’s front doors that can be seen when they first arrive. They start attending our weekly all-employee meeting and get introduced to the team by playing ‘two truths and a lie.’ It’s a fun way for all in-office and remote employees to meet the new hire and learn something fun about them,” Adams said.

Group lunches are also planned for new hires that take place during the first three days of starting with Shop Smart so they feel the culture of inclusion and do not feel alienated or anxious about eating alone.

“Something new we added as part of the onboarding process is to share with the new hire ‘Why We Hired You.’ By telling a new employee why you hired them, you’re essentially building their confidence, motivating them to continue doing good work and proving that they are joining a team that values feedback,” Adams said. “We show our support and encouragement for them on day one. We want our newest Shop Smart’s team members to know exactly why we picked them.”

So far, these efforts are working as formal and informal surveys show.

“We have learned that the Shop Smart LLC interview process is 96% effective in allowing new hires to have an efficient, informative and welcoming experience. In addition, the overview of the role while interviewing, the preview of the company culture and the orientation process all rank at approximately 90%,” Adams said. “A little less quantitative, but we hear from our current employees that it’s a nice way to get some face time with a new member of our team and to immediately get to have an experience with someone new to the team. Even with a growing team, people still get the chance to have 1:1 time with a new member to the team.”

Fast-growing health site finding ways to recruit candidates

By
Karen Dybis
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You know you’ve done it – you’ve gone online to figure out why you have a fever or are feeling tired. Because of people just like you, Healthline.com has become the fastest growing health information site with more than 200 million people turning to its website every month.

But even with all of this information right there, Healthline is just like many other companies – it has to continuously work to find new hires, recruit great candidates and train those new employees with up-to-date orientation programs.

The San Francisco-based company also is the second-largest health site in the U.S. (per comScore), said Yvonne Armenta, Manager of Internal Communications. Armenta said the business is “high growth and solidly profitable,” employing about 300 people in San Francisco, New York and the United Kingdom. Its parent company, Red Ventures, is based out of Charlotte, N.C.

Founded in 2000, Red Ventures is a portfolio of growing digital businesses that bring consumers and brands together through integrated e-commerce, strategic partnerships and many proprietary brands including Healthline, Bankrate, AllConnect.com and Reviews.com. Headquartered south of Charlotte, N.C., Red Ventures has over 3,000 employees in offices across the US, as well as London and Sao Paulo.

“We are a purpose-driven organization with a vision to create a stronger, healthier world,” Armenta said.

The right choice
Getting the right hire is more and more challenging in a low unemployment environment. Surveys show that top candidates stay available for just 10 days before getting hired. So companies are investing time, money and their own talent into finding the right people and getting them on board.

Armenta said Healthline considers its culture as “imperative” to the business and its growth.

“Healthline Media and Red Ventures are very thorough in our selection process to ensure we are making the best decision on a hire and to ensure we provide an experience that allows the candidate to truly understand the role and the environment that they would be joining,” Armenta said. “We want to ensure those who we bring on to the team have a passion for our work, have the analytical or technical rigor for the role and are additive to our culture.”

To do so, its interviews consist of both behavioral-based sessions as well as cases or projects that simulate the work that the individual would do in the job.

“This gives the candidate a real example of what the work would entail and us a solid understanding of how someone would handle the work,” Armenta said. “Sounds simple, but we put a lot of thought into the delivery and preparation of these cases and projects to ensure they are realistic to our challenging yet exciting environment.”

Being a high-growth organization, Healthline has to interview many people, Armenta said.

Worth the effort
“To maintain our high standards, we have to get this right. We work with each individual hiring manager to understand the role and then create a case or project that accurately reflects the work,” Armenta said. “Throughout the year we revisit the assessments to ensure they are still aligned to our hiring goals and expectations of the roles and solicit feedback from candidates.”

When you say the word case or project to a candidate, you can basically hear their nerves start rattling, however, when we follow up with candidates to hear how the interviews went the case/project is often listed among the favorite sessions of the day,” Armenta added. “This is often because it answers the many questions candidates have around what the job entails, what type of work they would do, or an example project that they would own.”

It’s hard work, but the company finds it is always worth it.

“Candidates want to feel comfortable that they are the right fit for the job, and we are transparent about what the work entails,” Armenta said. “Doing case interviews or projects in the selection process has allowed us to meet both of those goals while also providing an in-depth assessment of someone’s skills.”

Onboarding program gets Associa employees in sync

By
Karen Dybis
-

Associa is like any growing company – it is always looking for innovative ways to welcome its new employees to the team. That is why it recently invested in the creation of an orientation program that gets everyone on board and in sync.

Why is this important? Because hiring, onboarding and training is key to engaged employees. What happens when they’re not engaged? They may seek to leave. A recent Glassdoor survey showed that 66% of millennials plan to seek new employment within the next two years – so having strong HR programs is important to retaining talent, regardless of age.

Associa is a global leader in community management, bringing more than 40 years of experience and the highest level of service to clients’ communities. The company seeks to “understand and strive to meet the unique needs of each community, including exceptional expertise and resources specific to each location,” according to Debra A. Warren, Vice President of Development for the Learning & Development Team.

“We offer management services to communities of all sizes with a customized approach designed to enrich each client’s experience. Our offerings go beyond basic community management services by including financial, maintenance, restoration, and insurance solutions,” Warren said. “We provide the most private, secure, integrated and scalable information systems, and we do so with simplicity to ensure our clients understand exactly what’s happening with their data.”

To that end, Associa serves communities of all types – single-family, condo, mixed-use, master-planned communities, luxury high-rise, active adult, resorts, golf and commercial – and it partners with builders, developers and real estate professionals. “Our community managers guide board members in how to best achieve their community’s vision, be it small or grand in scale,” Warren added.

Q: What do you do to orient new employees to the organization?
A: In June, we launched an orientation program that takes new employees through the who, what, where, when and why of Associa. Beginning with a welcome video from our founder and CEO, John Carona, employees instantly feel they are part of the family. Moving on to a comprehensive history of Associa and our industry, even employees with no experience in community management feel like experts. Continuing with an overview of all the benefits and perks Associa employees earn, new hires learn details on medical insurance, training, development opportunities, and more. Our goal is for new team members to begin building their own history with Associa from day one. Finally, the new team members are given a wide variety of tools to help them navigate the specific programs and processes unique to their role.

To continue integrating new employees into our culture, we provide them with a copy of the Associa Book. This pocket-sized book includes a thank you message from John Carona, our company’s mission, pillars, values, and Vision 2020. When an employee understands the company’s purpose, it puts them on the track to success. Regular check-ins ensure the new hires continue to feel welcomed and fully understand their roles.

Q: How did you develop this event or program? A committee? Employee surveys? 
A: All of the above. We consistently ask for ideas and suggestions on how we can make Associa an even better place to work.  In addition to leveraging our weekly internal communications, we also employ the tools below to garner innovation:

  • Employee Advocacy Board: This board is comprised of employees across the organization who gather to discuss ideas on how to improve the employee and client experience at Associa. We understand that those team members who are closest to the daily work have the best input on what we can do to improve, so we know it is crucial to always get their feedback. Suggestions by this board have led to several improvements including shorter wait times on financial reporting to clients, streamlined communications, new technology, and more.
  • Suggestion box: Employees are always encouraged to send any ideas they have to our suggestion box. The ideas are then shared with the proper teams and many of them come to fruition.
  • Townhall meetings: These quarterly meetings allow all employees to speak their mind on what’s working, what needs improvement, and get live answers to specific questions posed to members of the Home Office executive team.

Q: What is the reaction from your team members? 
A: Family Spirit is one of our core values for a reason.  Our employees genuinely want to see each other succeed and thus they take pride in helping their fellow team members get oriented to the Associa way.

Q: What else do you want people to know about your best recruiting, selection and orientation practices? 
A: We ensure job candidates fit our culture by assessing key characteristics related to the role as well as our company’s core values: family spirit, customer service, integrity and accountability, loyalty and innovation and improvement.  Key characteristics that ensure a prospective employee will be a great fit are a desire to collaborate, the ability to learn and grow, the tenacity to innovate, and the aptitude to always serve well. We are in the service industry, making customer service and communication skills the keys to success. Candidates should have a positive attitude, passion for their work and pride in their workplace. Candidates don’t necessarily need industry experience, rather, they need to understand the importance of always providing exemplary customer service. Our robust learning program can teach employees the ins and outs of community management, but without the innate ability to serve well, a candidate won’t be a good fit for our team.

Eastern Michigan University graduate student selected for FOCUS Research Scholarship

By
Guest Submission
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Brittany Venglarcik of Eastern Michigan University was awarded a FOCUS Research Scholarship from the Detroit Society of Coatings Technology for her proposal focused on uncovering a mechanistic understanding of the migration of additives during the application and curing stages of automotive coating, and its implications on coating performance.

HAP names Pamela Cleveland Chief Compliance Officer

By
Guest Submission
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Health Alliance Plan has named Pamela Cleveland chief compliance officer. In this role, she is responsible for ensuring that the organization complies with all state and federal laws, regulatory requirements, policies and procedures.

Captain D’s coming to Michigan as part of Groesbeck’s revitalization

By
Karen Dybis
-

Where your business is located can be just as important as what you do, who you hire and how you market your goods or services. Having a great location and supporting the community is key to finding, as well as keeping, customers.

That is why it is interesting to observe and study the redevelopment — as well as residential growth — of cities such as Detroit, Flint and Pontiac. One “must watch” project is the work being done to revitalize Groesbeck Highway, which runs through cities including Detroit, Warren, Roseville and Mt. Clemens.

Groesbeck Highway is seeing new growth thanks to recently announced investment in restaurants, entertainment venues and other hot spots along its route. These newcomers are not only building new facilities, but they also are filling vacant spots, giving hope that this historic highway will have a fresh start in 2020.

One major newcomer to that roadway is Captain D’s, which is opening its first Michigan location along Groesbeck Highway in Clinton Township. Captain D’s describes itself as “the nation’s leading fast casual seafood restaurant” with more than 530 locations across 22 states, said Phil Russo, Vice President of Real Estate for the company based in Nashville, Tenn.

“Captain D’s has been offering its customers high-quality seafood at reasonable prices in a welcoming atmosphere for 50 years. Now, we’re looking forward to continued expansion across the Midwest with our first Michigan location slated for March,” Russo said.

New and old
The Michigan location selected for Captain D’s is exciting for a number of reasons, Russo said.

“Clinton Township’s population density, median income and median age all met or exceeded the aspired criteria for our fast casual brand,” Russo said. “The revitalization of the area further confirmed our decision to open our Clinton Township location alongside franchisee, Kirit Patel, as we aim for development across the Midwest.”

Another M-97 development that made headlines is the updated Major Magic complex. This site around 15 Mile Road and Groesbeck Highway is slated to become a family friendly gaming center that will include classic pinball and video games through Chesterfield Township-based Sparks Pinball Museum.

Sparks representative Mike Bradley said they are bringing 10 beloved pinball machines to Major Magic when it opens, which could be within the next two weeks.

“We brought classic video arcade games including Burgertime, Millipede, Donkey Kong, Punch Out, Circus Charlie and Ms Pac-Man,” Bradley said. “The games will be rotated from our collection of over 125 vintage pinball and video arcade machines.”

Huge interest
Bradley understands the excitement and enthusiasm around this project – because he and every other red-blooded kid and adult feels the same way.

“We’re excited to provide original classic machines that adults will remember playing at the original Major Magic’s and be able to share the experience with their own children. The venue is set up to be welcoming to all ages,” Bradley said.

And it is no exaggeration to say that around 4,000 people shared the Facebook post that Sparks put up on Jan. 2 about the gaming center. In its announcement, Sparks said it will provide some of the games that once were at the Major Magic’s on that site, bringing kids of all ages new cheer for this reboot.

“At a time when Chuck E Cheese has announced its plan to remove all animatronic characters from their locations, this new location will also feature the original restored animatronic band from 1982. This vintage band was saved from the last Major Magic’s location in Ohio before it was destroyed,” the Sparks post said. “Sergeant Pepperoni, Flash, Barbara Stringband, Rock the Croc and the Major himself will be performing for a new generation. We will post updates when we have an opening date.”

Mollie Decker becomes Project Architect at Kraemer Design Group

By
Guest Submission
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Kraemer Design Group has promoted Mollie Decker to Project Architect following successful completion of her architect licensure exam. Decker is contributing to the Free Press Building, Hotel Indigo Detroit and Eddystone projects in Detroit. She co-owns a sustainable clothing company, Object Apparel.

ROVA names Greg Kidd to advisory board

By
Guest Submission
-

ROVA, a revolutionary on-demand delivery platform which has officially launched in the Boston market, has named Greg Kidd, Co-Founder and CEO of globaliD Inc. to their advisory board.

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