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Let them eat cake—and other great orientation practices

When it comes to employee orientation, Chicago-area information-technology consulting firm MotherG says the answer is simple: Let them eat cake.

Lots of cake.

What does that mean in terms of getting new hires in the loop quickly and efficiently? For MotherG, it means giving every new hire their own cake —and a song.

Wait. Now they’re singing as well? Yes, that all comes on the first day for every new hire, explained JoAnn Larsen, controller for the Itasca Ill.-based company. But when you hear about the company’s overall vision for welcoming new hires, Larsen says all of these sweets along with a singalong make perfect sense.

First of all, it is tough to find and hire people within the IT space, Larsen said. That is why the company works hard to make sure newcomers are welcomed both in terms of their physical space within the business and their welcoming culture.

“When we hire somebody—we’ve made the offer and they’ve accepted—we immediately send out a message to the entire team. We ask them to write an email to introduce themselves and to say hello to the new person,” Larsen said. “Not everybody does it, but a fair amount will take the time to say hello. That’s our first welcome.”

Imagine that full inbox of emails from new co-workers, all introducing themselves and what they do at the company. That’s pretty welcoming.

The next step starts on the first day of that new hire’s job.

“On the day that they’re going to start, we have their desk set up, so when they come in they feel like they’re moved in, not moving in,” said Larsen. That includes making sure their new desk has everything they could ever want, from a phone to notepads to a computer completely set up and ready to work.

Oh, and they get a coffee mug as well. That way, they’re not wandering around the office wondering where to find a mug to use that day. Larsen says it’s the little things that tend to mean the most to newcomers. New employees also get some company swag (in their size) so they have a shirt, a hat or a fleece that makes them feel all cozy and welcome.

JoAnn Larsen

Next, the first day is a short one. New hires typically work from 10 a.m. to about 3 p.m. on that first day, Larsen said. That way, they’re not feeling lost at the start of the day, like when everyone else is getting coffee. They are walked around the office and reintroduced to everyone they met during the interview process. Their manager will take them to lunch. Finally, they’re encouraged to leave early, around 3 p.m., so they can go home and decompress.

But one special thing happens before 3 p.m. – they get to eat cake. That first-day cake is made by an employee’s wife who specializes in making cakes that are out of the ordinary, one example being pistachio flavored with pink icing. Larsen said they used to get store-bought cakes, but people reported gaining too much weight so they made the switch.

This is where the singing comes in. The folks at MotherG use a variation of the classic but slightly altered “Happy Birthday” song. In this case, it’s “Happy First Day.”

Even more interesting is that the person who was most recently hired is the one to begin the refrain, with familiarity being the best way to get in the swing of things to start the song – that way, they are getting the new hire ready in a way that is familiar to them.

Even the office next to MotherG comes in to help. Everyone joins in the song. Larsen says it’s quite a moment.

Employees also get cake on their birthdays. And their work anniversaries. And, of course, every time someone starts at the company. That’s a lot of cake.

Larsen said the company makes up for all of the calories with a special custom vending machine, which features healthy items like fruit, yogurt and granola bars. Again, it’s the little things.

Oh, and on your work anniversary, everyone gets a gift certificate and for big dates they also get a dinner out on the company dime as well as a gift if it’s appropriate. On Larsen’s 30th anniversary with the company, she received a gift certificate, a dinner with her co-workers and a Tiffany necklace. It left quite an impression – and she hopes it made her other co-workers feel good as well.

“I love working here. It’s a great culture,” Larsen said. “You treat your employees well and they’ll stick with you.”

Q&A: How to bring new, happy employees on board

One of the best parts of Susan Gardner’s job as the National Director of Human Resources for Basware is handing out 5, 10 and 20-year awards to longtime employees of the global company that specializes in networked source-to-pay solutions, e-invoicing and innovative financing services.

But before an employee can get to that point, they need to have a strong start from the moment they first walk in the door, Gardner believes. The experienced human-resources expert says that onboarding a new hire is a key moment in that person’s life, both personally and professionally. So she likes to take time to make sure that experience is a good one.

Basware, which is based in Charlotte, N.C., is a larger company, and that makes Gardner take extra care with new colleagues, ensuring they feel like a part of the team and a part of the larger family at the international business.

Corp! magazine talked to Gardner about how she and Basware approaches the process of bringing a new hire into the company.

Q: Why do you do the work you do?
A: Our goal as a company is to create an inclusive, diverse and positive work environment. That is part of the reason why we were recognized with the following awards: “Great Place to Work”, “Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation”, and “Best Places to Work” for multiple consecutive years. 

Q: What does the onboarding process look like at Basware?
A: One of the first things we do when we bring someone on board is build out dedicated plan for first week, month and two months on the job to have a good roadmap to follow. We also make sure they get to meet with everyone important for them to be successful in their work life early on in their journey. That way, they have a structure in place so they know where to go for answers.

Q: How else do you offer support to a new hire?
A: We have each new employee receive a designated buddy from day one – that way, they know they have someone to support them in their journey. We also make sure someone, like their buddy or their direct supervisor, takes them to lunch on their first day. We truly believe it is that important to give them a good start.

Q: What other things do you do to make sure someone feels welcome?
A: We have a variety of things, such as our website, where new hires can find self-paced e-learning. We also make sure the human touch is involved as well – we start right away with giving them a welcome bag with branded items, notebooks, pens and anything else we can think of. We want to make them feel like a part of the organization from the first day.

Q: Why is supporting a new hire so important to you and to Basware?
A: You hear a lot about something called ghosting these days among human-resource professionals. Basically, it means a new hire might show up for one or two days of work – maybe even a whole week – and then they disappear. They are like a ghost. We wanted to do as much as we could to avoid that situation. We created these programs to address that issue and to give our new hires the best start that we can. It’s a very planned approach. … When we were a smaller company (before Basware acquired us), we had to find no- or low-cost ways to build our business. That meant coming up with creative ways to build our culture. Now, we’re able to support these initiatives on a deeper level, but we always come back to the idea that we have to do the best that we can to make sure we’re building a great culture.

Detroit native stars in Toyota Super Bowl ad

Toyota returns to the 2019 Super Bowl with a spotlight on two game-changers – the all-new 2019 RAV4 Hybrid and powerhouse female football player Antoinette “Toni” Harris, a native Detroiter and 2014 graduate of Redford Union High School.

Detroit’s cultural institutions come together to hear proposals for plaza, community spaces

All eyes from the architecture world were on Detroit recently when three groups tasked with the assignment to create a “cultural campus” focused around the Detroit Institute of Arts came together at the art museum to share what they had created.

The goal is to create a museum district, taking the 12 cultural institutions around the DIA and in the Midtown neighborhood and turn them into an united area where residents, visitors and groups can equally enjoy and educate themselves.

Three groups made up of local activists, urban architects and landscape designers from around the world showed off their suggested designs before a panel of local judges, including Detroit city officials, and a crowd of about 200 people.

The DIA Plaza project will take area groups – including the Detroit Public Library, Detroit Historical Museum, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History, Wayne State University, Scarab Club and others – and a develop a world-class cultural heart for Midtown and Detroit, officials said.

“Connecting the city’s artists and scholars with some of the world’s best landscape and architecture firms, the competition reimagines Midtown as a civic commons at once monumental and accessible, cosmopolitan and distinctly Detroit. It shows how a participatory and multilateral design process can forge a consensus for change among institutions, funders, and neighbors,” said Jonathan Massey, competition juror and University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning dean.

Cultural heart

The DIA and its partners, including development organization Midtown Detroit Inc., started this process of building a “heart” for the cultural and educational district in spring 2018. The two also hosted a student competition, led by communications and urban-planning students from around Michigan. The winning team from Wayne State University created a vision of a large cultural campus that removed one of the DIA’s existing parking structures and created an open campus with food trucks, a performance stage and additional signage.

Mikyoung Kim DesignTEN x TEN and Agence Ter presented designs for the DIA Plaza that will reimagine the Cultural District in Detroit.  The DIA and its local partners will select a winner from the three presentations by spring, officials said. Insiders say the final decision should come before the end of April.

The initial 44 submissions to the competition RFQ from more than 10 countries and 22 cities were narrowed down to eight firms, each of which presented their ideas to a panel of jurors at a public event at the DIA in June 2018. Each of the three design teams presenting as finalists in the competition include Detroit-area firms as partners.

The three design teams and their partners are: Agence Ter, Paris, France, with team partners Akoaki, Detroit; Harley Etienne, University of Michigan; rootoftwo, metro Detroit; and Transsolar | KlimaEngineering, Germany; Mikyoung Kim Design, Boston, with team partners James Carpenter Design Associates, New York; CDAD, Detroit; Wkshps, New York; Quinn Evans, Detroit; Giffels Webster, Detroit; Tillett Lighting, New York; Cuseum, Boston; Transsolar | KlimaEngineering, Germany; and Schlaich Bergermann & Partners, New York; and TEN x TEN, Minneapolis, with team partners MASS Design Group, Boston; D MET, Detroit; Atelier Ten, New York; Local Projects, New York; HR&A Advisors, New York; Dr. Craig Wilkins, University of Michigan; and Wade Trim, Detroit.

IP Law Firm Brooks Kushman announces new Executive Committee

Brooks Kushman, a nationally ranked intellectual property law firm, is proud to announce the transition to a newly appointed Executive Committee to serve as the firm’s governing leadership. Mark Cantor will continue his role as Chairman of the Board and General Counsel of the firm.

Training is Life: ET2 Cooper’s Story

This is the story of how a young woman from Michigan would become a plank owner of a warship, an electrician, and a teacher of sailors.

Electronics Technician 2nd Class Chelsea Cooper was born and raised in Allen Park, Michigan, a stone’s throw from Detroit. Going to college, Cooper was originally studying to be a civil engineer but found that path unfulfilling and sought out something greater. 

“I didn’t want my mom paying for classes I wasn’t fully focused on,” said Cooper. “My stepbrother and stepsister were in the Navy and that sounded interesting, so I joined the Navy to pay for my own college.” 


 


123Net increases wireless internet footprint to support mobility in Romulus

123Net, Michigan’s largest private provider of Fixed Wireless, has added their newest Point of Presence (PoP) site in Romulus, north of Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Businesses in Romulus, Wayne, and Westland can now benefit from dedicated, symmetrical Internet.

Gooden joins Plunkett Cooney’s transportation group

Plunkett Cooney has increased the depth of its Transportation Law Practice Group with the addition of attorney D’Antae D. Gooden. A member of the firm’s Bloomfield Hills office, Gooden focuses his litigation practice in the areas of third-party motor vehicle negligence and no fault law.

How to master entrepreneurship — with your spouse

Working with a team of any size can be challenging – but imagine going home with your “work wife” or “work husband.” That’s exactly what Chad and Jami Buchanan do every day.

When husband-and-wife duo started on their first business together in 2016, Detroit Barbers Barbershop + Brand in Ferndale, they proved that their relationship worked both at home and at work.

The Buchanans have gone on to expand Detroit Barbers Barbershop + Brand in Ferndale and open and expand a second location in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood. Last year they added a coffee shop to the mix, Lucky Detroit Coffee & Espresso is located above their Corktown barbershop. And shortly after that, they embarked on a renovation project that led to their first Detroit property rental – a stunning townhouse just next door to the Corktown shops.

Now, the couple has a few words of advice on how to approach business ownership with a spouse.

Have a common vision: The Buchanans opened their barber shop after noticing how successful old-school barber shops with quality services were in other places – like San Francisco. Jami Buchanan grew up in a family of stylists. Her mother, Loretta “Chickie” Przekop, is well-established stylist here in Michigan. She was a major proponent behind the idea that became Detroit Barbers.

The Buchanans agreed. They saw a need, designed their shops and hired a skilled barber team to fill it. Both Chad and Jami Buchanan shared a vision of how the business would grow, what the shops would look and feel like and how they would be managed.

Define your expertise: Part of the reason the Buchanans enjoy working together comes from their complementary skills. Their strengths work together.

Jami Buchanan manages finances, payroll and other details. She also designed the interiors of each business. Chad Buchanan handles day-to-day details, website and social media promotion and manages the big picture business ideas by helping bring them to fruition.

“We come up with ideas and he puts them into action,” said Jami Buchanan. “I remember saying ‘We need to add a coffee shop.’ Before I knew it, we had all the equipment ordered!”

Trust and confidence: When couples embark on a new business, they start a new relationship as entrepreneurs. Like all business partnerships, that takes trust.

“You have to have 100 percent trust and confidence in that person,” said Jami Buchanan. “I don’t think it works for everyone. There are ups and downs. You have to power through it.”

Armaly Sponge is now top distributor of natural sponges with acquisition

You may not know it, but one of the most commonly used products in the average U.S. household is made in Walled Lake, Michigan. That is the Brillo brand, which includes its sponges and cleaning pads.

Its parent company, Armaly Brands, has a long history of innovation in sponge technology, including the introduction of Armaly ProPlus polyester sponges and Brillo Estracell More Sanitary sponges in the 1960s, and one of America’s favorite car wash sponges, AutoShow brand in the 1990s. In 2010, Armaly acquired the Brillo brand and in 2016 acquired the traditional cleaning brands SnoBol, Cameo and Parsons.

The company is growing again. Armaly Sponge Company – home of the Armaly ProPlus brand America’s Best Soft Tools, a key brand in professional and do-it-yourself surface preparation, finish and cleaning – announced recently it has acquired Acme Sponge Company.

Acme Sponge Company, located in Tarpon Springs, Florida, is a distributor of natural sponges globally and in the United States, and traces its roots back four generations to sea sponge merchants and divers in Greece. However, Acme Sponge Company is not just a sponge company.

Over the past 70 years, it has grown into a diverse multinational company, offering a wide variety of high quality products, including natural sponges, synthetic sponges, natural loofahs and loofah products, bath and body brushes, and assorted cleaning products and accessories.

Officials say the acquisition will increase Armaly Sponge Company’s market share in the natural sponge segment and provide new distribution opportunities and logistical efficiencies with retailers. This transaction also provides an additional global growth platform for other Armaly branded products while maintaining best in class quality, value and standards.

“We are excited to combine our unique assets and expertise with that of Armaly Sponge Company to create an even stronger company with the same family values upon which both companies were founded and have thrived,” said Jim Cantonis, president of Acme Sponge Company.

Headquartered in Walled Lake, Michigan, family-owned and operated for 110 years, and founded in 1908 in the Bahamas as a worldwide producer of natural sponges, Armaly has grown and changed with technology and the times to maintain its reputation and position as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of consumer and professional sponge and cleaning products.

Cantonis said the company believes this acquisition will grow the company in a sustainable way.

“We helped strengthen our global platform to provide natural sea sponges at a great value,” he said. “Additionally, we now have the capabilities to provide new products for personal care and household cleaning which help maximize our shipping efficiencies for our retail partners.”

For the next 12 months and beyond, he said the newly expanded company is looking to add more products and maybe other businesses to its mix.

“Our growth strategy for 2019 and beyond is to deliver meaningful value to our consumers through acquisitions, new products, unique applications and better education,” he said. “We are continuing to invest in our innovation pipeline to deliver meaningfully unique items for Armaly ProPlus and Brillo branded products.”

It’s been a busy time for Armaly, but the management staff likes it that way because it is an industry that always looks to improve upon its success.

“Our industry is similar to others as brands and products drive to differentiate while reducing costs,” Cantonis said. “We continue to explore and maximize our system and products to meet and exceed industry expectations. We provide retailers and consumers quality solutions with the right tool for the job at a great value.”

MEDC tagged with award for Michigan Central Station redevelopment project

Ford will renovate Michigan Central Station into a magnet for high-tech talent and a regional destination with retail, restaurants, residential living, modern work spaces and more. Conceptual rendering shown.
Conceptual rendering of Michigan Central Station.

Business Facilities magazine has included the Michigan Central Station Ford Detroit Redevelopment Project in its 2018 Economic Development Deal of the Year list.

Business Facilities gave its Bronze Award to the $738-million initiative to transform the iconic building into the centerpiece of the automaker’s new 1.2 million-square-feet Corktown campus and mobility hub.

“For too many years, the crumbling facade of this majestic station was a symbol of Detroit’s fiscal collapse,” noted Jack Rogers, editor-in-chief of Business Facilities. “Now it will become the crown jewel of Detroit’s turbocharged recovery. Motown is back and it’s hitting on all cylinders. Bravo, Detroit!”

Business Facilities, based in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, calls itself a full-service media brand specializing in the site selection marketplace.

As part of its Deal of the Year competition, another Michigan project, Consumers Energy’s Spartan Michigan dairy processing facility, earned an Honorable Mention.

The Gold Award for Economic Development Deal of the Year was jointly presented to Empire State Development and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership for their dual winning bid in Amazon’s HQ2 project.

Michigan-based SHEFIT named a top ‘Entrepreneurial Company’ in America

Creating products that women want to wear is tough enough. But making a sports bra that women love to wear is an even greater task. But Michigan-based SHEFIT, a Shark Tank contestant, has been up to the challenge.

Recently, the sports apparel company earned a spot on the prestigious Entrepreneur 360 list, setting itself up as one of the best privately held companies in the nation based on its impact, innovation, growth leadership and value. This is the first year SHEFIT has been named to the list.

Ranked #133, SHEFIT’s inclusion on the list comes at a time when the demand for supportive sports bras is increasing. According to a recent study, the average bra size has jumped from a 34B 20 years ago to a 34DD in 2013.

Some of the company’s 2018 highlights include:
• Being featured on the Inc. 500 list
• Being featured on the Entrepreneur 360 list
• Receiving a 2018 Healthy Fitness Award by SELF for the Best High Impact Sports Bra
• It expanded its team and warehouse facilities
• It launched a successful product: the Ultimate Flex Sports Bra

Founder Sara Moylan started her company with a simple mission: to provide unconditional and total support through its revolutionary athletic apparel. The company also seeks to focus on its philanthropic activities including ongoing donations of its sports bras to women’s shelters and other nonprofit organizations.

The self-funded company officially launched in 2015 by Moylan, a wife, mother, former collegiate athlete and professional International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness competitor. After years of frustration from lack of support from traditional sports bras, Moylan decided she was going to invent a sports bra that offers the best support a sports bra should offer. She created the first SHEFIT prototype using a maternity bra and hot glue gun.

Corp! magazine recently asked Moylan about the growing company. Here is some of the interview.

Q: Was it a goal to hit the Entrepreneur 360 List and why?

A: It’s always been a goal to be on the Entrepreneur 360 List. The coveted list is a compilation of the nation’s top businesses based on impact, innovation, growth, leadership and business valuation. To be an Entrepreneur 360 recipient proves that we’re running our business well, and we’re on track for future success. Thousands of companies apply to be a recipient, and being chosen two consecutive years shows that we can compete with the largest companies. In 2017, we ranked #293 on the Entrepreneur 360 List, and in 2018, we ranked #133. Our goal is to continue to rank higher and higher on the Entrepreneur 360 List for years to come.

Q: Why did you want to be on Shark Tank and what was the best and worst parts of the experience?

A: Shark Tank reached out to my husband, Bob Moylan, and me to see if we were interested in potentially being featured on the show. Until this point, we were running so fast trying to bring SHEFIT to fruition that we were taken back by the show’s outreach. We both knew that if we wanted to prove our product and impress millions of viewers, we needed to take a deep-dive into every single aspect of our business. This was one of the best parts of the Shark Tank experience because it forced us to lay a substantial foundation for the longevity of our business. Another positive about the process was being able to speak with the Sharks to gain mentorship and hear their entrepreneurial insight; even if the Sharks didn’t invest in our product, we knew that being able to speak with them would be a dream come true. The advice we took from the Sharks, and the groundwork we laid during the deep-dive process before the show, are things that we still remember today.

Being on Shark Tank allowed for millions of people to see our product in a matter of minutes. The amount of reach and product awareness we instantly received was priceless and almost unheard of. We would not have been able to reach as many customers in such a short amount of time if it wasn’t for the airing on Shark Tank. Shark Tank really defines the next generation of entrepreneurs and proved that almost anyone can start a business. Being a part of the Shark Tank revolution (not to mention the airing at the height of the show’s popularity) was a whirlwind experience that we’re very grateful for. At the same time, appearing on the show also caused immense stress.

My husband and I had about a year to prepare for our pitch to the Sharks, and this was a very emotional time. Within the year, my husband and I read every book written by the Sharks and read every article about the Sharks’ insight and the show’s cadence. We also rewatched the show’s first six seasons and wrote down every single question that the Sharks asked participants. Altogether, there were over 60 questions that we prepared to be asked during our pitch. January 2019 marks three years since our episode aired on Shark Tank, and the entire experience has impacted who we are as a company to this day.

Q: What’s new for 2019?

A: The question is, ‘what’s not new?’ In 2018, we experienced nearly three times the amount of growth we experienced in previous years, all while remaining profitable and self-funded. Our team dynamic is ever-changing in order to keep up with our growth, and we will continue this momentum in 2019. This year we’re working on four new ‘staple’ products that every woman needs, but doesn’t currently have. These items will be combined with our patented, innovative technology, as well as new innovations that aren’t currently offered in the retail industry. Our product development and technology team listens to our customers’ feedback, and takes this into consideration when developing products. We develop solutions to consumers’ pain points because we believe women shouldn’t have to settle for support, comfort, and overall liberation.

First year partnership with hunters, food banks deemed a success, say organizers

When the Food Bank Council of Michigan teamed up with the state’s Department of Natural Resources and Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger, the expectation was that they would be able to add meat from about 20 deer to food pantries.

In fact, when the numbers were counted, they beat that goal, with a total of 25 deer donated at Jay’s Sporting Goods in Clare, Mich.

Kath Clark, director of Food Programs at the Food Bank Council of Michigan, which is based in Lansing, said working with Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger was one aspect of the project that ensured success.

So was teaming up with Carson Village Market in Carson City, Mich., where some 1,116 pounds of venison were processed for distribution to the Food Bank Council’s network of regional food banks for distribution to Michiganders in need.

Clark also credits Keith Creagh, then director of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, for his advoacy.

“This was something he had been wanting to do for some time,” said Clark.

Creagh called the initiative “a great example of people coming together around natural resources to lend a hand and help others. Thanks to all those who worked so hard to make this event a success.”

Clark says plans are underway to repeat the initiative this fall during the deer hunting season.

“We’ve all committed to doing this,” she said. “We’ll make some changes, based on what we learned this year. Having never done it before, we didn’t know how many hunters would show up, but we’re very pleased with the outcome.”

Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger raises money year-round to pay for the processing of the donated deer. For more information, a list of processors and to make monetary donations, visit www.sportsmenagainsthunger.org.

Big debt for students sparks search for even bigger solution

The headlines are everywhere: Outstanding U.S. student loans hit an unprecedented $1.5 trillion, the Federal Reserve reports. The middle class feels the cost of a college education is out of their collective reach. Surveys show Americans have lost their faith in higher education.

Colleges and universities nationwide are grappling with how to regain public trust, boost enrollment and maintain the standards the largely nonprofit sector previously enjoyed, when getting an advanced degree was considered a step toward the American dream and lifelong success.

Added to this challenge is the growing belief that today’s students, particularly Generation Z and its following cohorts, may not need college after all. Rising interest in vocational training and entrepreneurship is sparked by examples of people who did not graduate from a four-year university, including Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook and auto magnate Elon Musk.

That reality has some students and parents questioning whether college is a must.

Some companies back off on degree requirement
Moreover, well-known companies such as Google, Costco Wholesale and Penguin Random House have said they will not require all job applicants to have a degree. To date, as many as 14 percent of employees on some Google teams said they have never attended college.

Other firms, including KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers, are looking beyond degrees, because data shows they’re not predictive of career success or ability to perform in a job, according to Danny Iny, author of “Leveraged Learning: How the Disruption of Education Helps Lifelong Learners and Experts with Something to Teach,” published in October.

“These progressive companies aren’t the norm yet,” said Iny. “However, they are clear indicators of where the market is moving in a few years and a snapshot of how the landscape will look when today’s students start graduating. All in all, the cost/benefit ratio of a college education no longer makes sense for most students and parents need to stop pushing their kids into a system that isn’t working for them.”

As a result, many colleges and universities are looking at their return on investment—ROI—to see whether they can convince an increasingly skeptical nation that higher education is worth the time, cost and effort. By thinking more like a business— investing in marketing, trying more public-private partnerships, developing relationships with governments and companies to develop the future workforce —colleges and universities say they are responding directly to the needs of their communities, their students and, in turn, society as a whole, ensuring long-term success for their graduates and the rest of the nation.

This current crisis comes after colleges and universities enjoyed more than five decades of expansion after World War II. Enrollment grew rapidly as technology burst onto the scene, changing the kind of jobs that required additional education beyond high school. Higher education largely received accolades for diversifying their student bodies, making college an option for many ethnic and racial groups. They also boosted degree options to a rainbow of possibilities from cybersecurity to digital media to biometrics.

College and universities can only hope to grow, in terms of serving their purpose as educators, if they themselves are always evolving, said experts Larry Ladd and Matt Unterman, both Grant Thornton executives who helped write the consulting firm’s annual “State of Higher Education” report.

Ladd is the director and national industry specialist for the firm’s Not-for-Profit and Higher Education Practice, while Unterman is the firm’s principal of Advisory Services in the same area.

Universities as industry?
Higher education institutions may not like to think of themselves as businesses, Ladd said, but they must follow many of the same principles as the corporate world to be successful. This includes studying consumer behavior, watching trends, upgrading their facilities on a regular basis and giving people a reason to believe their products and services are an investment, rather than a waste of time or money.

While some now question the need for a university education, students like these at Grand Valley State University continue pursuing their dream of a degree.

“Colleges and universities are finding they have to focus on what other industries have looked at for some time, and that is finding out what the market and the communities they serve need,” Ladd said. “For many institutions, that means expanding beyond what is called the traditional student base and serving what was known as alternative populations, such as adults who are going back to school to earn a degree as they pursue a career. … Economically, it is quite advantageous for these institutions to go after more and different student populations, and leverage their fixed assets, such as their facilities.”

Ladd and Unterman suggest higher education organizations look at a variety of ways to adapt to today’s students and marketplace. These include horizontal growth—expanding their markets into new geographic areas; adding new programs; and expanding existing offerings, such as new schools or departments; as well as web-based education, such as Purdue University’s acquisition of online provider Kaplan University.

“Some are getting away from only offering conventional degrees, such as associate, bachelor or master’s,” Ladd said. “They’re finding opportunities to better serve and be sustainable financially through micro credentials, such as certificates or portions of a degree—so a student may get course credit toward a degree, but the classes are free- standing as a certificate or a skill set.

“There’s also the growth of what are sometimes called hybrid courses,” Ladd continues. “Think of these as a mix of land-based and online courses. You may share information online and in-person classes are then dedicated to discussion only. This is a more efficient use of everyone’s time. The student can get the information at their convenience and the faculty can focus on the application of the information and what it might mean.”

Aligning with businesses to close the much-discussed “talent gap” and develop degree programs that quickly fill the needs of rapidly growing industries, such as information technology, has been the recipe for success for other colleges and universities. For example, Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., is closely working with companies who need employees who can write well, understand the intricacies of their chosen field of study and are realistic about the workplace.

“We work closely with area employers to assess the needs of employees and provide students with knowledge and skills they need for a career, not only the short-term workforce demands,” said Maria C. Cimitile, provost and executive vice president for Academic and Student Affairs.

Classrooms have become the place for a variety of learning experiences, including earning certificates needed for a new career pursuit.

“Also, we employ data-driven decision making and knowledge of national trends to be sure we provide relevant educational opportunities for our students, with a core of our liberal education foundation,” Cimitile said. “We believe at GVSU that a quality education is most important to our mission as an institution. Regardless of delivery methods, we ensure this quality for all our students.”

Another example of higher ed working with business and the community is Davenport University, which describes itself as “a career-oriented university” serving about 7,500 students at campuses across Michigan and online. The university’s areas of focus are business, technology, health professions and urban education.

A continual revinvention
The 152-year-old institution is the second largest private, nonprofit college or university in Michigan. Yet its president, Dr. Richard J. Pappas, describes Davenport as “an up and comer” whose agility and nimbleness has given it an advantage in a highly competitive higher education marketplace.

“We understand that higher education is (generally known as) slow and methodical. One of the things we pride ourselves on is practicality,” Pappas said. “We have the ability to move quickly. When someone has a need for job, we can’t wait two years to get a program together. We do it quickly, but we do it thoroughly.”

That is why Davenport University created a position called Director of Market Intelligence, where its only mission is to find where the new jobs are coming from, Pappas said. At the request of business leaders, Davenport University added 20 new graduate degrees in the past few years, all tied to the market.

“We’re willing to create new programs that are tied to the market right now; the challenge is exciting to us,” Pappas said. “We know the market and we know how to train and prepare students for high-paying careers.”

Davenport University also is willing to try new delivery methods, helping its technologically savvy students learn in a way that is both familiar and proven, said Lisa Howze, who serves as the school’s vice president for Detroit Campuses and Strategic Partnerships. She is responsible for leading the launch and growth of the Detroit campus, while also overseeing operations of DU’s Warren Campus.

Two years ago, Davenport introduced real time virtual learning, an online classroom designed to give students a convenient option when they might not be able to find the course on a local campus. Students connect through web conferencing equipment including cameras and headsets with microphones to provide a rich, interactive “virtual” classroom in real time.

“We say we’re agile because we can be responsive to the marketplace,” Howze said. Things such as real time virtual learning “make it easy for students to consider going back to school, because time is often a concern. We want to make sure we meet exactly where they are, by offering these different options.”

Davenport University, a private, nonprofit school, is continuing a process of reinvention for itself and its students.

Traditional schools reach out to different populations
In Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan is like a lot of elite colleges enjoying long-term success because of the school’s century-old reputation and alumni who support its programs, as well as its athletic programs.

Its well-connected president, Dr. Mark S. Schlissel is the 14th president to hold the role and the first physician-scientist to lead the institution. Schlissel has been a visible part of the university within the media, business organizations and larger community.

To that end, the University of Michigan has received a record-setting number of college applications each year for the past 12 years, said spokesman Rick Fitzgerald.

“Our students and families are very conscious of the skills, knowledge and experiences needed to launch a successful career, and they arrive on our campus with particular goals in mind,” Fitzgerald said. “We are fortunate to be situated well to meet the academic and professional preparation expectations for a wide variety of careers paths.”

As a public institution, Fitzgerald said, the University of Michigan’s “dedication to academic excellence for the public good is inseparable from our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. For that reason, we have a number of innovative programs and initiatives designed to encourage interest and access from populations of students that have been historically underrepresented.”

These initiatives include the Go Blue Guarantee, a financial aid program that began in January and offers free tuition to most in-state undergraduate students from families with an annual income of up to $65,000. This straightforward promise helps to eliminate some of the confusion and uncertainty around the university’s financial aid resources.

Another program, Wolverine Pathways, is a supplemental educational program for students who live within the Detroit, Ypsilanti and Southfield school districts and who are entering seventh and 10th grades. The program is offered at no cost to students and families. Each student who successfully completes the Wolverine Pathways program applies to U-M and if admitted, is awarded a full tuition scholarship for four years.

Degrees still needed for some fields
Although enrollment, especially at community colleges, tends to dip when the economy is booming, having a degree of some kind remains essential for many career paths, notes Lexi Shankster, director of student success and mobility for the Institute for Higher Education Policy.

“Successfully serving returning students—in any economy—means providing the supports they need to persist and earn their degrees,” Shankster said. “According to census data, over 35 million adults in the United States, aged 25 years or older, earned some college credit, but stopped out before completing their degrees. In Michigan, nearly a quarter of adults have earned college credit, but no degree; roughly one-tenth of those adults have earned at least two years of credit with no degree to show for their hard effort.

“Labor economists’ projections show that employers will require a postsecondary degree for at least two-thirds of all jobs by 2020, but only 40 percent of Michiganders hold an associate degree or higher,” Shankster added. “These data underscore the urgent need for campuses, states, and policymakers to improve their ability to engage stopped-out learners and support these students along the path to successful degree completion.”

Q&A: Protecting photo copyrights for pro photographers, photo & news agencies, publishers and more

Photography and the resulting photos hold huge power in telling stories, defining issues and controlling the narratives of the news cycle. That is why in 2015 Marcus Schmitt in part created COPYTRACK, a service that monitors the global online use of images, taking care of worldwide subsequent licensing and rights enforcement.

Two years later, Schmitt took the next step to found CONCENSUM, the Global Copyright Register, a service based on blockchain technology that connects the copyright of digital content with its authors to protect their assets worldwide.

The goal of COPYTRACK in particular is to help people of all levels understand how to use photos correctly and with the right context. It is an issue that seems to grow more pressing every day, and COPYTRACK is right there to assist.

Schmitt, CEO of COPYTRACK, is a serial entrepreneur and executive manager with more than 20 years of experience in founding, scaling, and management of SMEs and enterprises in an international environment in Europe, the U.S., and Asia.

Schmitt spent three years as vice president for the European Market at an international consultancy and many years as a consultant for internationalization. He operates his private investment companies, FRONT EQUITY in Europe and TOKYOMARU in Asia, and was founder and CEO of several ventures, including flightright, the leading legal platform for compensations that arise from flight delays and cancellations as well as vjsual, one of the leading animated video production companies.

Corp! magazine talked to Schmitt about COPYTRACK and related issues when it comes to using images for your personal lives on social media, on business websites and the like.

Q: Photography copyright affects everyone — bloggers, newspapers, magazines and businesses. Why should businesses care about this issue?

A: Content means value. The creation of high-end corporate and product photography is quite expensive, and in addition to brand value and competitive advantage, it is the most of the time directly linked to revenue. Therefore, it should not be a question, but a no-brainer to track the illegal use of these assets.

Q: What should you do before you use a photo?

A: First register your Copyright at www.concensum.org then track the use of your images with www.copytrack.com.

Q: What should you do if you use a photo incorrectly?

A: Get a valid license ASAP.

Q: What else do you want people to know?

A: We encourage every photographer and company that owns image copyrights, to use the free tracking at www.copytrack.com, and as soon as they discover an illegal use, they can submit the case to Copytrack without any financial or legal risk.

White Glove Workshops Expands Leadership Team

White Glove Workshops, a digital marketing company specializing in planning, managing and promoting educational seminars for professionals in multiple industries announced John Johnson as managing director of business development and Paul Gazda as director of marketing.

Julie McQueen Named President of Carbon TV

CarbonTV, the world’s leading outdoor, online OTT streaming content site, announces today the appointment of Julie McQueen to President, effective immediately. McQueen is a well known outdoor television show host, producer, writer, ambassador, spokesperson, and conservationist.

David T. Woodward elected chairman of Oakland County Board of Commissioners

He’s the first Democratic Chairman of Oakland County’s governing board in more than 40 years. As chairman, he presides over the county’s $890 million annual budget, policy making, and appointments to various boards and commissions. Oakland is Michigan’s second largest county.

 

MIS Track donated more than $1M to local organizations in 2018

Michigan International Speedway, MIS Cares and its sister company Americrown combined to donate a total of $1,022,097 in 2018 to local service groups and organizations through cash donations, in-kind donations, work programs, grants and sponsorships, as well as tickets and merchandise for raffles.

Parvathy Hariharan named Sales and Marketing Vice President for Comcast’s Heartland Region

Bridge Photos: Jim Hodson, Michael Wells, Tracy Tower, John Hurite

Comcast has promoted Parvathy Hariharan to vice president of sales and marketing for the company’s Heartland region which includes Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky. She has spent the past three years as the Heartland Region Vice President of Customer Service Strategy and Operations.

Bridge Photos: Jim Hodson, Michael Wells, Tracy Tower, John Hurite

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