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Unemployment Improved Amid Shrinking Labor Market

Brad Kadrich
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Unemployment Improved Amid Shrinking Labor Market

While Labor Department statistics show the U.S. economy lost 23,000 jobs in July, the unemployment rate still dropped slightly to 4.1 percent.

The slight drop is due in part to there being fewer workers in the labor market, according to a report in the Washington Post, which it said was impacted by an aging population.

As baby boomers retire they pull down the share of adults either working or looking for work. But that doesn’t explain the full drop this year in the labor force participation rate, the Post reported. 

The share of workers in their “prime working years”, ages 25 to 54, fell sharply between May and June, and only partially recovered in July, leaving economists to fear that young and middle-aged people are abandoning job searches. 

“This is one of the very, very few times where you see the number of jobs shrink but the unemployment rate falls,” Stephen Moore, a conservative economist, told the Post. The explanation, he said, is fewer people looking for jobs. “That’s a big economic story: Where are the workers?”

WaPo reported that men in particular have been seeing a sharp decline in the workforce, with participation at an all-time low outside of the peak of the pandemic, at 66.8 percent in July, with both older men and the youngest men in the workforce driving the decline. That’s concerning for both social and economic reasons, Moore said. “That is not a good trend.”

“We’re just not seeing males working as much, and I don’t have a good explanation for why that is,” he said.

Economists said the labor market decline is a potential warning sign. “We like to see the unemployment rate go down typically, right?” Alexander Bick, an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, told the Post. But that’s because it normally indicates employment is going up.

Ford Brings Universal EV Production System On Line

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Ford Brings Universal EV Production System On Line

Normally, Ford’s 3-million-square-foot Louisville Assembly Plant is defined by the steady drum of thousands of people assembling vehicles. But one year ago, Ford announced the plant would be completely transformed — going from a gas-powered vehicle facility to a fully electric vehicle plant — to assemble the new midsize electric truck, the Ford Fathom.

So, in late 2025, the massive space went silent for a $2 billion overhaul.

Over the course of several weeks, crews physically unbolted and hauled out heavy machinery and dragged thousands of tons of steel out the doors. By February 2026, only the empty shell of LAP remained.

“If you stood in the middle of the factory floor, you could see all four walls,” said Brian McGauley, LAP manager.

And the purpose of the gutting? To install the completely new Universal EV Production System, which will deliver the Ford Fathom midsize electric truck at scale next year. Since this past winter, Ford’s work in LAP has moved at breakneck speed, radically simplifying the assembly process that takes center stage in Louisville. As the vision turns to reality on the plant floor, teams are on track to begin Fathom prototype builds with production qualified parts in the first quarter of 2027. Customer vehicles will follow later in the year.

Reinventing LAP to build a fresh foundation for the Ford Fathom required the ingenuity and commitment of employees unpacking the entire vehicle development and assembly process.

Ford’s total $5 billion investment, which will create 4,000 new jobs in LAP and BlueOval Battery Park Michigan, helped fund all-new equipment purpose-built for the UEV Production System.

The UEV Production System transforms the traditional assembly line into an “assembly tree,” which enables operators to build key vehicle sections in parallel before they’re assembled together.

One sub-assembly is for the front of the vehicle, another for the rear, and the third for the structural battery, seats, consoles, and carpeting.

The scale of this project is massive. During demolition, crews removed nearly 25,000 gross tons of scrap metal from the site, sending it off in 2,618 truckloads to be recycled.

They poured 230,000 square feet of concrete for the new state-of-the-art assembly equipment to stand on in final assembly.

And they utilized nearly 700 miles of welding wire to stabilize the new overhead truss system in final assembly.

LAP nearly tripled its Wi-Fi coverage density — from 385 to 1,080 access points — to enable constant, high-bandwidth, low-latency connectivity, something a standard facility network can’t provide.

Ford’s UEV Production System inside LAP now features 17,000 feet of conveyor in final assembly, enough to equal 12 Empire State Buildings when stacked end to end.

LAP will have the fastest network in Ford, with the most access points out of any Ford plant globally — meaning more on-the-spot quality checks along the assembly tree to deliver efficiency.

LAP employees have spent months training at Michigan-based New Model Product Development Center (NMPDC) on the new assembly method, ahead of the Ford Fathom launch in 2027.

Ford remains on schedule to begin rolling out the Fathom midsize electric trucks in 2027, with prototype builds assembled with production parts beginning in the first quarter of the year.

Family Issue Convinces CEO to Dedicate Career to Health Care

Brad Kadrich
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Family Issue Convinces CEO to Dedicate Career to Health Care

Lily Vittayarukskul was on a fast track to a career in aerospace before a family crisis changed the trajectory of her life.

After working with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a teenager, the future co-founder and CEO of Waterlily walked away from her dream of becoming an aerospace engineer when her aunt’s terminal cancer diagnosis exposed how financially and emotionally devastating long-term care can be for families.

“I wanted to become one of the youngest aerospace engineers,” she said. “(But) I experienced something more meaningful to me than trying to become my ambitious sort of personal path, which is my family’s path.”

That experience pushed Vittayarukskul to turn her technical skills toward health care, data science and AI — and eventually to build a company aimed at helping families better understand, plan for and afford care as they age.

Her aunt was diagnosed with terminal stage colon cancer, which forced the family to experience a long-term care event when her aunt “became so incredibly frail from chemotherapy she couldn’t take care of herself. I experienced firsthand how devastating it is to navigate this event.”

Caring for her aunt and having to navigate a health care system that didn’t always cooperate led Vittayarukskul to pivot her path from a technical background from aerospace into the healthcare industry.

“I studied genetics and data science and AI at Berkeley, and I led product and engineering at multiple early-stage businesses in the healthcare industry before realizing that no one was actually helping educate the family on this topic in a way that is going to make it more financially affordable and make it clear to them,” she said. “How do we make this event more financially affordable so that families have more optionality when they age?

Vittayarukskul sat down with Corp! Magazine to talk about how they managed that pivot and a variety of other issues.

Corp! Magazine: Talk about Waterlily. What does the company do?
Lily Vittayarukskul: Waterlily is a first-mover AI predictions company where we predict for an individual what their future unique aging trajectory is going to look like so that we could actually guide them on how to build out a care plan and a financing plan that is sustainable for aging because we are inevitably living longer, but we have not necessarily built up better financial models or systems to be able to take care of ourselves as we all end up living longer. And we don’t have the right government support systems in place to also support us automatically in that, as well. And so our platform is used by both families and enterprises to help them better understand what this risk is going to look like and how to better manage that risk.

Corp!: And how do you do that? How do you game that out far in advance?
Vittayarukskul: That’s a great question. So we have over half a billion data points of families that we’ve been following for several decades on their aging trajectory, when they needed care, how their family members stepped in, where did they get the care, how much did it cost so that we could build out the first-ever individualized predictive algorithms to help a family uniquely understand not just based on averages and people that don’t look like them, but based on families that look most like them, what did they already go through so that it’s a more educated guest on what to prepare for.

And so, the way in which we give families and end-users access to these predictions and the planning is by starting with a three- to five-minute intake form where we simply ask about their basic sociodemographic information, medical information and financial information. And with that, we look at the families that look most like them simply put, and then we predict what their likelihood of having a long-term care event looks like, the age such an event begin at, the length of that care and even how many care hours would fall on family members versus professionals and what the cost is and how do we help you solve for that cost as efficiently as possible.

Corp!: That sounds incredibly complicated.
Vittayarukskul: We take a very complex, hairy topic and we make it incredibly simple to follow. So, you start with the initial intake form, you get some education about what your unique needs are going to look like and then we guide you through your options chronologically. So, when you have light care needs, we just show you two options. You want to age at the home, or you want to go into professional settings. It’s all very sort of linear including financially. We just ask about your assets, like what were you already thinking about using to pay for this event? And then we show you.

Corp!: How hard was that to make the pivot you had to make?
Vittayarukskul: I’ve always been a voracious learner. It felt natural to me. I think that I put my mind to whatever makes the most sense. And so, for me, I was always interested in how the world worked. And at first the biggest way you can think about the way the world work is like, what does the world exist inside a universe, for example. But then what I realized mattered a lot more was the relationships in this world and my particular relationship with my family and how important it is to maintain it and how necessary they are, how necessary they’ve always been to me. And so how do I become more dedicated to understanding how the world works, how we better support each other. I think that’s how you create a better world instead. And so, it felt natural to me to make that pivot and I felt more compelled because I felt that pain more and I felt that pain and that pain was greater than my inherent curiosity about how the universe worked.

Corp!: Is the financial part of it something a lot of people don’t understand or at least don’t think about at the beginning?
Vittayarukskul: I would argue that when someone’s about to retire, I see folks anywhere between mid 50s to late 60s that are really anxious about this topic. And this is decades before they even have this event and they’re anxious because they don’t have the language to talk about this topic. I think they’ve always seen online hundreds of articles that try to talk about long-term care and how scary it is and how much it’s going to cost, but then they don’t know how to prepare for that. There’s been no kind of guardrails for them to understand, well, if it’s so scary, how do I make it less scary? And how do I make it less scary in terms of how will my family members get involved? How much is financially going to cost me? And I think those are two conversations that should happen together. And so that’s exactly what Waterlily did.

It’s not just talking about a single number of what it’s going to cost, but how do we educate you on what your needs are going to look like, how that affects cost and what it’s going to cost and whatever your care goals are, how do we make sure that you afford that cost as well as we possibly can?

Corp!: To get started, you had to raise a lot of money. How did you find investors and how did you convince them predicting these costs decades into the future was a viable business model? How tough was it to convince people?
Vittayarukskul: I will say we’ve raised peanuts relative to how much Anthropic has raised, to what OpenAI has raised. So, in the world of business, I think that there’s been incredible entrepreneurs that have raised incredible amounts of money for their venture, but relative to our space, we have raised pretty sizable amounts.

Corp!: You said Barclay “may have been impressed” by how you view the world. How do you view the world?
Vittayarukskul: The world is malleable if you understand the rules and the best way to change what the world looks like is by having clear conviction about what a better world would look like and having sufficient skill sets to be able to do so. It’s not just, “I have a very lofty vision and mission.” It’s really important to have a vision and mission because people gravitate toward that.

Corp!: You were in college at 14. What was that like and what did having to navigate college at that age teach you?
Vittayarukskul: It was terrifying. I did it for financial reasons because if you go to college before you’re 18, there’s a lot more financial resources available. I knew very early on that I was going to have to pay for my own college in some shape or form. The way I looked at it is education was a part of the American dream to be able to achieve opportunities, economic opportunities that your parents didn’t otherwise have. So, the faster in which I could try to unlock those economic opportunities for myself and for my family, I wanted to do that and it was really terrifying. I found it terrifying just because I’ve always been socially sort of the outcast in many situations and it was another situation in which I was an outcast.

Corp!: What have you learned from your approach to life? You’ve tackled some big things. What has it all taught you?
Vittayarukskul: I feel like what I’ve learned so far is your world and reality is whatever you make it to be. I think that me as an individual, I feel a lot of agency and I feel a lot of control responsibility I think for myself. And I think that that’s been a very unique perspective that’s been informed by experiences I had to survive through in order to come to this place where I wanted to learn how to thrive. I wanted to learn to have more control over my emotions, over my situation and whatnot. And so at least I learned is the world is whatever you want to make it to be. And if it’s not going as expected, what am I missing? Wha knowledge am I missing? What skillsets am I missing so that I have a more accurate and effective view at affecting the world? I imagine there’s more to that.

I think what I feel particularly compelled by is it’s incredibly rewarding to always serve something larger than yourself I think for anyone. I think every single person is always trying to want to be… There’s a minority, of course, but vast majority of people want to be doing something that is bigger than themselves, be a part of something that is bigger than themselves.

Corp!: Do you think you’re doing that?
Vittayarukskul: I think so. I think at this point I started the company in January 2022. We spent the first two years building out something that didn’t fundamentally exist in terms of the first individualized predictive algorithms. We built patents forums, so like patent pending, went out to market in March of 24 and we’re now on track to serve hundreds of thousands of policyholders and families by the end of this year.

Wayne State Doctor Building Her Own Legacy

Brad Kadrich
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Wayne State Doctor Building Her Own Legacy

Parents who are successful in any business often will encourage their children to follow in their footprints and join the “family business.”

Sonia Hassan’s mother and father are both doctors, so it wouldn’t be odd for them to encourage her to become a doctor herself. But Hassan said no such encouragement or pressure came from her parents, who were simply supportive of her choices.

But Hassan (and two of her brothers) walked in their footsteps anyway.

Hassan, a maternal fetal medicine specialist, is associate vice president and founder of Wayne State University’s Office of Women’s Health.

“I’d met several really great mentors … first and foremost my parents,” said Hassan, who did her undergraduate work at the University of Michigan and went to medical school at Wayne State. “They really showed the value of work and what impact you can do in taking care of people and being a doctor. They never told us to go into it at all, but were excited that I went into it.”

Hassan did a residency and fellowship at Hutzel Hospital in downtown Detroit, where they cared for a lot of high-risk pregnancies. She loved that training because “I really got the exciting chance to take care of two patients at one time and also take care of the most high-risk people that you could have.”

When she finished her training there, she had an opportunity to get a grant from NIH that was a women’s health research scholar’s program. She did that for three years during which she received funding to do research as well as clinical care, and her research career was born.

She was set to head off to Chicago to “do other things,” she said, when her mentor, who headed up a branch of the NIH, offered her the chance to start the clinical research center for NIH housed at Wayne State University.

“It was an incredible offer to really be supported, have the funding that you need and start a clinic and a research operation that could also help clinical care in the city of Detroit,” said Hassan, who grew up in nearby Grand Blanc. “And so, we established a clinic within Wayne State University that was funded by NIH that was really about giving the highest possible prenatal care with all the latest and greatest science that we knew at NIH and the research we were doing and getting it to the patients in the clinic. We were able to provide that to over 8,000 women in the city at our clinic that was housed at DMC and Wayne State University together. It really was a great experience.”

Hassan, who was honored among “Women in Leadership” at the 2026 Women Thrive Conference hosted by MichBusiness and its partners Corp! Magazine, the Best and Brightest Programs and the National Association for Business Resources, sat down with Corp! Magazine to talk about her career, the state of health care and other issues.

Corp! Magazine: You made great strides in both medical care and research. Talk about some of the things you’ve been able to do.
Dr. Sonia Hassan: We had to take care of these moms and do great things. But then at the same time we did research. And so, we made a lot of discoveries in how to prevent preeclampsia, how to prevent preterm birth and how to do a number of things.

One big study that we did that I was really fortunate to head up with our team was a trial that looked at reducing preterm birth. We led this trial as the coordinating center. It was a global study of 44 centers in which we discovered that you could reduce preterm birth by 45% and also improve the baby’s outcomes, reduce the risk of NICU — neonatal intensive care unit — admission and really was the first big trial in the US that showed that.

Corp!: Talk about the actual work. Is it basically research? Is any of it hands-on? Do you practice still?
Hassan: So, when I took on the NIH-funded position a few years ago, I stopped practicing because we really just had so much administrative burden and things that we had to run through. So now what I do is I run the office of women’s health at Wayne State University.

And what we do is very much focused on getting the tests and treatments that patients need to around the state. We run a large maternal infant health network across the state of Michigan. So we are the coordinating center, but we partner with the clinical providers across the state of which there are now 20 partners. Our goal is to change clinical practice for prenatal care in the state, improving it.

Corp!: What got you started on this journey? Why are obstetrics and gynecology so important to you?
Hassan: It was uniquely important because of the ability really to reach two patients at one time. You have the mom that you are clearly caring for, but at the same time, everything you can do for mom affects that baby. And you can have some really wonderful and happy endings. Certainly in the high-risk field, there’s a lot that can go wrong. But I think the idea of seeing that what you do can make an impact right away was very important to me. And taking care of these vulnerable patients that we have. Our moms and then our babies, who are the most vulnerable population that we have. So it’s really been a pleasure.

Corp!: Some of your work has been for the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Institute. You’ve hit been some big-time assignments.
Hassan: So that role was when I began working with NIH, that’s the branch of NIH that focuses on maternal and child health. My job was to head up the contract at Wayne State. It was a $165 million contract from NIH to Wayne State. And our job was to hire the people to execute all the studies that we are talking about. So, everybody was a Wayne State employee that we were doing this, but we ran it on behalf of NIH.

Corp!: Your work now is focused on reducing maternal and infant mortality. What are the challenges there?
Hassan: The biggest challenges involve people changing what they’re doing now. People don’t like change, but there are things that we know work in medicine and I think it’s in all fields of medicine, but if we talk about an example like insulin works, everybody knows insulin works. Antibiotics work, they reduce infection. We know those things. But at the time when those were implemented or started, it took like five, 10 years at least to get to people, which seems crazy in for treatments we know work very well. We have the same things in obstetrics. So we have something called aspirin, for example, that reduces the frequency of preeclampsia by 45%. Not everybody gets it. I mean, that seems like a no-brainer.

We have tests that can tell a mom if she is at-risk for preterm birth and a treatment that can reduce this risk we reduce risk by 45%, too. But not all women are offered that test either. So now we are focused on getting these tests and treatments that work to moms to prevent bad health outcomes. There are many barriers in health care. One of those is transportation. The patient may not have access for many different reasons. Insurance might be an issue. The healthcare system or the institution may not be offering the test as they should. So there’s a number of barriers, and we’re trying to overcome those obstacles.

Corp!: Health care leaders are calling for health care costs to be reigned in. Do those kinds of costs restrain your work at all?
Hassan: For the things we’re talking about — the treatments and tests that we’re talking about and are implementing — there is clear evidence that they are cost-saving. If we were implementing these things in the way that we’re talking about, there would be an overall cost savings for the health system. And so, some of the conversation over the next year will be how do we make it sustainable and how do we work with payers and other people to get us there.

Corp!: How important is it to have a collaborative effort between academic institutions, civic and business professionals?
Hassan: It has been very, very critical for this network that we have formed to get everyone in the room to talk about this problem, but also more importantly, all the CEOs of the major health systems and universities across the state of Michigan stood up on a stage together and committed we’re going to do this together and reduce maternal and infant mortality. And so, it’s very unique as a state to have that.

Corp!: How has doing this work and leading this team shaped your leadership style, and how does your leadership style fit the work you’re doing?
Hassan: It’s a great question. It’s really shaped this particular work and the network and all of those things that relate to implementing in the community. My leadership style is very much about finding that person that fits for that job. So everybody has a skill, every person has a skill that they can do better than the other person, but it maybe not be the same. And so, identifying those individuals that can work best at their particular role has been really important for our collaborative because there’s such teamwork that’s involved.

Corp!: Where do you see the future of the work you’re doing?
Hassan: We are going to continue to expand. I mean, we’re looking to now go to rural areas of the state. So we’ve really focused on the main health systems and our clinic providers and we are partnering with a lot of them to address the rural access issues around the state. So we’re going to expand further across the state. There are parts of Michigan that are lacking a lot of services.

Detroit Casinos Report $112.57M in July Revenue

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Detroit Casinos Report $112.57M in July Revenue

DETROIT — Detroit’s three commercial casinos reported $112.57 million in aggregate revenue (AGR) for July 2026.

According to a release posted to the Michigan Gaming Control Board website, table games and slots generated $111.64 million, while retail sports betting produced $929,704 in qualified adjusted gross receipts (QAGR).

Market shares (July 2026) were:

  • MGM, 47%
  • MotorCity, 31%
  • Hollywood Casino at Greektown, 22%

Table Games and Slot Revenue
July 2026 table games and slot revenue increased 5.3% compared with July 2025 and 9.6% from June 2026. For the period January 1 through July 31, revenue was up by 1.9% year-over-year.

Casino-level results compared with July 2025 were:

  • MGM: up 3.3% to $52.5 million
  • MotorCity: up 8.7% to $34.32 million
  • Hollywood Casino at Greektown: up 5.2% to $24.82 million

The casinos paid $9.0 million in state gaming taxes in July, compared with $8.6 million in July 2025. They also reported submitting $13.3 million in wagering taxes and development agreement payments to the City of Detroit.

Retail Sports Betting Revenue
Detroit casinos reported $5.88 million in total retail sports betting handle for July. Total gross receipts were $939,620. QAGR decreased 9.9% from July 2025 but increased 11.2% from June 2026.

July QAGR by casino:

  • MGM: $360,265
  • MotorCity: $461,165
  • Hollywood Casino at Greektown: $108,274

The casinos paid $35,143 in state taxes and submitted $42,952 in wagering taxes to the City of Detroit based on July retail sports betting activity.

Fantasy Contests
For June 2026, fantasy contest operators reported $494,799 in adjusted revenues and paid $41,563 in taxes.

Brightworks Offers ‘No-Fear Guide to Social Video’ at Workshop

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Brightworks Offers ‘No-Fear Guide to Social Video’ at Workshop

BrightWorks Coworking will host “A No-Fear Guide to Social Video,” a free, hands-on workshop designed to help small business owners, entrepreneurs, business professionals of all kinds as well as aspiring content creators capture stronger social media videos with greater confidence.

The workshop will take place from 4 to 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24, at BrightWorks Coworking in Ann Arbor’s 777 Building.

Good social content begins with knowing what to shoot, how to shoot it and when to give yourself permission to try again. The workshop will walk participants through a practical process for capturing people, places and products using a smartphone, with an emphasis on creating video specifically for social media.

The session will be led by Jessi Greenlee, marketing consultant with That’s Good Marketing and Shriti Chowdhury, marketing and brand strategist with Oxford Companies.

Participants will learn:
• How to film people, places and objects more effectively
• When footage can be improved and when it is better to reshoot
• Ways to incorporate movement and visual variety into videos
• Which video accessories and tools are useful and which may be unnecessary
• How to push past discomfort and become more confident on either side of the camera

The workshop is open to the public and free to attend, but advance registration is requested. Participants are encouraged to bring their smartphones for the hands-on exercises.

To register, visit:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-no-fear-guide-to-social-video-tickets-1994596236035

LAFCU Opens Enrollment For Free Financial Education Program

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LAFCU Opens Enrollment For Free Financial Education Program

LANSING, Mich. — LAFCU is accepting enrollment for its free Pathway to Financial Transformation program, an eight-month virtual financial education course designed to help adults and young adults strengthen their financial knowledge, improve money management skills and build a roadmap for long-term financial success.

Open to all Michigan residents regardless of LAFCU membership, the program is free and will accept registrations through Aug. 31. To enroll, visit lafcu.com/pathway.

The program includes 16 one-hour virtual classes held every other Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m., Sept. 10, 2026, through April 1, 2027, excluding holidays. Participants who successfully complete the course will be recognized during a cap-and-gown graduation ceremony in spring 2027.

Course topics include savings, budgeting, understanding and improving credit, lending, investing, first-time homebuying, and how diversity, equity and inclusion can influence financial decision-making. Sessions are led by LAFCU professionals and guest experts who provide practical guidance participants can apply to their everyday financial lives.

“Financial education has the power to change lives,” said Shelia Scott, LAFCU community financial education and business development officer and program leader. “Whether someone is working to improve their credit, save for a home, reduce debt or simply gain confidence managing their money, this program provides practical tools, encouragement and accountability to help them reach their goals.”

Graduates of previous Pathway to Financial Transformation cohorts have reported increasing their credit scores by more than 100 points, paying off significant debt, building emergency savings, opening savings accounts for their children and developing long-term financial plans. Participants have also shared how the program helped them change spending habits, make more intentional financial decisions and pass those lessons on to family members.

“As a credit union, we’re committed to helping people build stronger financial futures, regardless of where they’re starting,” said Kelli Ellsworth Etchison, LAFCU chief marketing officer and chief diversity officer. “The Pathway to Financial Transformation program equips participants with knowledge they can use for the rest of their lives, creating a ripple effect that strengthens families and communities for generations.”

Participants are expected to attend and actively participate in each class to maximize the program’s benefits and support their personal financial goals.

The Pathway to Financial Transformation program was launched in 2020 as part of LAFCU’s ongoing commitment to financial education and serving people of modest means. Since then, the program has helped hundreds of participants develop healthier financial habits and gain greater confidence in managing their finances.

Higher Hopes! Providing 1,000 Labor Day BBQ Kits For Families

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Higher Hopes! Providing 1,000 Labor Day BBQ Kits For Families

For the sixth year in a row, Higher Hopes! is providing a Labor Day BBQ feast for 1,000 familiesfighting food insecurities in Detroit. Families in Detroit Head Start programs will pick up generous food kits on Thursday, Sept. 3.

Each kit includes everything needed to feed up to sixteen people a delicious Labor Day weekend BBQ meal, including chicken legs, Famous Dave’s spices and sauce, pasta salad, baked beans, coleslaw, mac and cheese, lemonade, Jiffy cornbread mix, and pie. Michigan Humane will be handing out dog and cat food for those with pets.

“We have a fantastic feast lined up this year for our families in the Head Start and Brilliant Detroit programs,” said Bill Birndorf, founder of Higher Hopes! “This is the second biggest food event we host each year, with Thanksgiving being our first, and we’re pleased to bring it back for 2026. As incredible as the meal is, it’s our incredible volunteers that make it possible. We’re asking the community to support us by giving a couple hours of their time to help assemble and pass out the food kits. Interested people can get involved by sending an email to [email protected]”.

The Higher Hopes! mission is to inspire independence, relieve food anxiety, and encourage family meals together by providing a bounty of food in nutritious, multiple-meal food kits throughout the year. Higher Hopes!, a registered 501 (c)(3) charity, continues to fight the battle against hunger for the community’s most vulnerable children and their families. Corporate and individual contributions are the backbone of our success and are always welcome at www.higherhopesdetroit.org or at the Facebook page www.facebook.com/higherhopesdetroit.

For more information about Higher Hopes! visit www.higherhopesdetroit.org.

China-GM Sign Extension of Joint Venture Partnership

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China-GM Sign Extension of Joint Venture Partnership

BEIJING (PRNewswire) — Chinese auto giant SAIC Motor and the U.S. automaker General Motors have signed an agreement to extend their joint venture partnership by 20 years to 2047.

Building on nearly three decades of cooperation, the renewed agreement aims to accelerate SAIC-GM’s transition toward intelligent electric vehicles (EVs) and advance its global expansion.

The extension of the JV reflects both sides’ confidence in the long-term potential of China’s auto market and their future cooperation, a Chinese industry expert said, noting that China has long been one of GM’s most important overseas markets and a key growth engine. As the auto industry shifts toward electrification and intelligent mobility, China has become a leading hub for NEV innovation and competition.

The renewed partnership ushers in a new stage for SAIC-GM, a major player in China’s auto industry since the late 1990s, with the JV set to accelerate innovation, expand growth opportunities and strengthen long-term profitability.

Speaking at the signing ceremony on Wednesday, GM Senior Vice President and President of GM China John Roth said that the agreement “reflects our shared confidence in SAIC-GM and its long-term growth potential,” stressing the company’s “commitment to strong performance in the China market.”

“It is not only about continuing what we have built together. More importantly, it is about building a more competitive, resilient, and sustainable business for the future,” he said.

On a further note, Roth said that “China’s automotive market moves fast. Customer expectations are rising, technology is advancing quickly, and competition grows more intense every day. To succeed, we need to move with speed, stay focused on customers, and execute with discipline.”

Having manufactured and delivered more than 20 million vehicles and established end-to-end vehicle development capabilities early on, SAIC-GM is building on its momentum with a growing portfolio of products defined and developed locally, according to the press release that the company shared with the Global Times on Thursday.

Ford Unveils Name, Price for New Electric Truck

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Ford Unveils Name, Price for New Electric Truck

Drivers wondering about Ford’s new midsize electric truck got their answers this week,

Officials from Ford Motor revealed several key details: A starting price — $28,350 — and a name: “Fathom.”

According to a report from CNBC, Ford officials have been looking to offer an affordable option in the pricey EV truck market.

Destination and delivery charges of $1,595 will bring the price to $29,945, coming in at the $30,000 mark the automaker had long promised in touting its upcoming electric vehicles, the network reported.

Preorders for the five-passenger truck will begin in early 2027, with delivery to ustomers expectedl later in the year.

The Fathom is the first vehicle to be built on Ford’s new “Universal Electric Vehicle,” or UEV, platform, which the company has said is key to bring its Model e business unit from billions of dollars in annual losses to breakeven by 2029, according to the CNBC report.

“We are confident that we have the best cost platform and are focused on the right market,” a Ford spokesperson told the network in an email. “We believe the UEV platform will be a strategic advantage — and we have the best chance to make it work.”

The Ford Fathom will be built using the company’s new assembly tree manufacturing process at its Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky.

Sysco Stops Buying Lettuce From Mexico

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Sysco Stops Buying Lettuce From Mexico

Chicago — After the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found the tainted lettuce believed to be responsible for the cyclosporiasis outbreak in the U.S. was coming from Mexico, the largest food distributor in the country stopped buying from there.

Sysco officials said the company has stopped buying iceberg lettuce from Mexico. CEO Kevin Hourican made the announcement on Tuesday.

The FDA investigation linked the outbreak to iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants and sourced from privately held Taylor Farms operations in central Mexico, according to a report from Reuters, which also pointed out that authorities are still looking for other potential sources.

“We’re not buying iceberg lettuce from them, and we’re not buying it from Mexico,” Hourican told the outlet. “To the degree that we can further diversify our procurement, that is something we’re actively working on.”

Sysco halted sales and distribution of Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce from Mexico in mid-July. Sysco did a voluntary recall at the time and then Taylor Farms notified the distributor of the official recall, Hourican said.

According to Reuters, former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said last week some large retailers and restaurants were shunning produce from other growers in central Mexico out of fear about broader contamination of the region’s farms.

“We’ve changed country and geography of origin, and we’re obviously communicating actively with our customers about the state of play here,” Hourican said.

Disney Sells Out Super Bowl Ad Time

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Disney Sells Out Super Bowl Ad Time

Los Angeles — Advertisers hoping to catch a little Super Bowl magic have apparently missed their chance.

The Walt Disney Co. said Wednesday that all commercial time for the Feb. 14 classic, set to be broadcast from Los Angeles by ESPN, has sold out its commercial time, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times.

Hugh Johnston, chief financial officer for Disney, announced the sellout on the company’s earnings call, the Times reported. In addition to ABC, the game being played on the home field of the Los Angeles Rams – who are among the favorites to reach the game — SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles will air on ESPN. The game will be streamed on the ESPN app and the NFL+ app.

ESPN, which has carried NFL games since 1987, has never produced a Super Bowl. ABC last aired the game in 2006, when the network had its own sports division, according to the Times report. No word from Disney on the price of Super Bowl ads, but published reports said the company was seeking $10 million for a 30-second spot. NBC sold several commercials at that rate last year.

Walgreens Closing Stores as Part of Turnaround Plan

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Walgreens Closing Stores as Part of Turnaround Plan

While Walgreens is closing some locations around the country, its multi-year turnaround plan may not go as deep as first thought.

Mike Snider of USA Today reported Wednesday that, while Walgreens acknowledged some store closings, there may not be as many closures as initially anticipated.

According to Snider’s report, the drugstore chain – bought by Sycamore Parters in August 2025 — has closed about a dozen locations recently, according to business news site Inc. and local media reports. Before the acquisition, Walgreens said it planned to close about 1,200 underperforming stores across the U.S. as part of a turnaround strategy, according to the report.

Sycamore Partners, which had previously acquired retailers such as Staples, Talbots and Nine West, has slowed the closures after several hundred Walgreens locations were shuttered, Inc. reported. At the time of the acquisition, Snider reported, Walgreens reported 8,500 locations in the U.S.; it currently lists about 8,000.

Walgreens now expects to close fewer than 100 stores in 2026, lower than the earlier internal plans to close as many as 700, Inc. reported.

Walgreens confirmed to USA TODAY a list of one dozen locations that have closed recently or are set to close. According to a list Walgreens provided to USA Today, closures can be expected in Washington, D.C., Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

Michigan Central Names Awenate Cobbina as Chief Executive Officer

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Michigan Central Names Awenate Cobbina as Chief Executive Officer

DETROIT — Michigan Central, a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company, named Awenate Cobbina as its new chief executive officer.

Cobbina, whose career spans large-scale economic development, sports, entertainment, public policy and venture ecosystems, will lead the 30-acre mobility-focused innovation district through its next phase of commercialization and community growth.

Cobbina has led in both the public and private sectors. Most recently, he served as chief of staff to the president and CEO of Ford Motor Company. Previously, he was president of the Shinola Hotel joint venture; CEO of Bedrock Manufacturing Company, the parent company and brand steward of Shinola and Filson; and vice president of public and business affairs for Palace Sports & Entertainment and the Detroit Pistons.

He also served as chair of the executive committee for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, where he worked to drive economic growth, business expansion and talent retention across Michigan. Early in his career, Cobbina spent nearly six years at the White House in various leadership roles, including special assistant and policy adviser to President Obama.

“Michigan Central is at a pivotal moment as it transitions from an ambitious visionary project into a fully operational hub for innovation and commercial growth,” said John Lawler, Ford vice chairman. “Awenate is uniquely qualified to lead this ecosystem into its next phase. His experience across business, economic development, public policy and venture capital – combined with his strong connection to Detroit and the state of Michigan – makes him the ideal leader to drive Michigan Central forward.”

Michigan Central’s renaissance began in 2018, when Ford Executive Chair Bill Ford spearheaded the purchase of the long-abandoned station and surrounding property, and laid out a vision to transform it into a technology, innovation and cultural hub.

Ford restored the station in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood over the next six years and reopened it in June 2024. Today, Michigan Central has grown into a diverse ecosystem of nearly 250 companies and startups working to shape the future of mobility and economic opportunity in Detroit. Along with the start-ups, non-profits and public-private sector tenants that make up the innovation district, the station will be home to an 180-room NoMad hotel set to open next year.

“I am honored to step into the role of CEO at Michigan Central,” Cobbina said. “What Ford, the city of Detroit and the community have built at Michigan Central is remarkable. This district is not only restoring an iconic piece of Detroit and American history, but it is actively creating the future of mobility and economic opportunity right here in Corktown. I look forward to working closely with our partners, founders and civic leaders to build on this momentum.”

Cobbina and his team will continue to build on Michigan Central’s success that was recently detailed in its annual economic impact report and included:

• Michigan Central’s ongoing operations have supported approximately $5.2 billion in cumulative economic impact to date.
• Michigan Central supported 5,820 total jobs across Michigan in 2025. This includes 1,420 direct jobs at Michigan Central, plus approximately 4,400 indirect and induced jobs across the broader economy.
• By 2028, Michigan Central is projected to reach $3.2 billion in annual economic impact and support more than 2,500 direct jobs.

Cobbina’s appointment is effective immediately. He will work closely with Mary Culler, president of Ford Philanthropy and outgoing chair of Michigan Central, on the transition. He succeeds Carolina Pluszczynski, who served as interim CEO and is retiring after 26 years at Ford Motor Company.

Over her Ford career, Pluszczynski held leadership positions across engineering, manufacturing, strategy and mobility projects. As chief operating officer and interim CEO, she guided the district’s operational debut, including the June 2024 reopening of Michigan Central Station, and built the operational base for its incubators, retail partners and community programming.

“We thank Carolina for all her contributions to Michigan Central and wish her all the best in her next chapter,” Lawler said.

Focus: HOPE Appoints Levinson as Inaugural Chief Philanthropy Officer

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Focus: HOPE Appoints Levinson as Inaugural Chief Philanthropy Officer

DETROIT – Focus: HOPE named Lydia Rae Levinson as inaugural Chief Philanthropy Officer, marking the addition of a new executive role at Focus: HOPE designed to strengthen the organization’s philanthropic strategy, deepen donor engagement and support the long-term growth of its mission. 

As CPO, Levinson will lead Focus: HOPE’s individual giving, corporate philanthropy, foundation relations, grants and marketing and communications efforts. The creation of this new role reflects Focus: HOPE’s continued investment in building sustainable resources that will expand its ability to serve metro Detroit families through early learning, workforce development and food security. 

Levinson brings more than 12 years of leadership experience in fundraising, strategic partnerships and philanthropic development throughout Detroit. Her career has focused on mobilizing resources across the public, private and nonprofit sectors to advance community priorities.

Prior to joining Focus: HOPE, Levinson served as Chief Development Officer at The Zekelman Holocaust Center, where she led a multidisciplinary team across fundraising, marketing, communications and events. Her previous roles also included Fund Development Officer and later Deputy Chief Development Officer for the City of Detroit under former mayor Mike Duggan.  

“Lydia is an accomplished leader whose career has been built on bringing together philanthropy, government, business and community organizations to create meaningful change,” said Portia Roberson, CEO of Focus: HOPE. “As Focus: HOPE continues to grow and expand, establishing this new leadership position is an important milestone and we are thrilled to welcome Lydia to the team.” 

Levinson said she is “honored” to join Focus: HOPE at “such an exciting time in the organization’s history,”

“Focus: HOPE has spent nearly 60 years creating pathways to opportunity and addressing the root causes of racism, poverty, and injustice in our community,” she said. “I look forward to building meaningful partnerships to sustain and grow this legacy.” 

Levinson holds graduate degrees in Sustainable Agriculture and Community and Regional Planning, which continue to inform her passion for food systems, equitable economic development and community investment. 

Cornerstone Community Financial Appoints Denise Miller CFO

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Cornerstone Community Financial Appoints Denise Miller CFO

Auburn Hills, Mich. –  Cornerstone Community Financial Credit Union, a community-focused credit union serving members across Michigan and Ohio, announced Denise Miller’s appointment as its Chief Financial Officer.

Miller brings more than 26 years of experience in financial services, with a strong background in financial institution audits, strategic planning, and financial leadership. Most recently, she served as CFO of Monroe Community Credit Union. Prior to that, she built an extensive public accounting career specializing in auditing credit unions and banks.

“As CCF enters its next chapter of growth, Denise brings the financial leadership, strategic vision and industry expertise necessary to drive our organization forward,” said Heidi Kassab, President and CEO of CCF. “Her collaborative leadership style and deep understanding of the credit union industry will be instrumental in strengthening our financial foundation, advancing our strategic priorities and ensuring we continue delivering on our mission of making financial success a reality through innovation.”

Miller joins CCF at a pivotal time as the credit union continues executing its long-term growth strategy, marked by the opening of its new Macomb Township member center, CCF’s fourth location in Macomb County, and the recent launch of the GenGrow Family Wallet app, which empowers families to build healthy financial habits.

As CFO, Miller will oversee the accounting, risk, audit, and compliance functions, as well as financial reporting, asset-liability management and the financial strategy that supports CCF’s continued growth while maintaining its commitment to delivering exceptional value to members.

“CCF stands out because of its purpose-driven culture and deep commitment to its members, employees and communities,” Miller said. “I’m excited to join an organization with such a strong vision and look forward to helping drive sustainable growth, strengthen our financial future and create even greater opportunities for our members.”

Miller holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Central Michigan University and an MBA from Walsh College.

Forgotten Harvest Picks Four New Board of Directors Members

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Forgotten Harvest Picks Four New Board of Directors Members

OAK PARK, Mich. – As metro Detroit food rescue nonprofit Forgotten Harvest works to respond to rising food insecurity, the strategic addition of four new members to its”  board of directors will help cast a wider net for support.

The nonprofit heavily relies on external contributions and collaborations to ensure greater nutritious food access for metro Detroiters experiencing the negative health impacts of food insecurity. The new board directors will stretch Forgotten Harvest’s mission to new ears and helping hands in healthcare, public schools, automotive business, and corporate law.

Forgotten Harvest’s board of directors welcomed Eric Doeh, president of Humana Medicaid Michigan; Machion Jackson, deputy superintendent of operations in Detroit Public Schools Community District; Stacy Lynett, vice president of information technology business applications with General Motors; and Jason Puscas, of counsel at Wolfson Bolton Kochis PLLC.

“Each of our new board directors joins us with their unique expertise and a great passion for creating the healthiest, strongest community possible,” Forgotten Harvest president and CEO Adrian Lewis said. “They’re already diving in with our existing board directors and our newly promoted board chairperson, Rebecca Bray of Epitec, ready and excited to relentlessly serve the Metro Detroit area.”

 Each board director will serve with Forgotten Harvest for three years.

Legal Publication Names Brownfield Among 2026 Influential Women of Law

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Legal Publication Names Brownfield Among 2026 Influential Women of Law

Plunkett Cooney partner and Trusts & Estates Practice Group Leader Laura L. Brownfield was recently named by Michigan Lawyers Weekly (MiLW) to its 2026 Class of “Influential Women of Law.”

Brownfield is among 34 attorneys who will be honored at a luncheon on Sept. 18 at The Mint at Michigan First Conference Center in Lathrup Village, Michigan, where one member of the 2026 class will also be named “Woman of the Year.” MiLW will also recognize this year’s honorees in a special section of the newspaper, which covers the state’s legal industry.

MiLW’s editorial staff selected this year’s honorees based on excellence in serving the needs of their clients, service to the profession and commitment to their communities.

Brownfield has over 30 years of experience in private practice and in-house counsel, focusing on estate planning and administration, charitable planning, as well as nonprofit law.

Brownfield’s trusts and estate practice focuses on the development of comprehensive plans for the management of her clients’ assets during their lifetimes, the protection of their assets in the event of disability, and the tax-efficient transfer of their wealth during their lifetime and upon death. She also assists individuals and families with succession planning for closely held businesses and with implementing charitable giving plans to ensure a meaningful personal legacy for her clients. In addition, Brownfield assists fiduciaries and beneficiaries in trust and estate administration matters and in the resolution of disputes arising from the administration of wills and trusts.

Former general counsel of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Brownfield leverages her in-house nonprofit expertise to help clients establish, govern and operate tax-exempt organizations. She also provides strategic counsel and practical business advice to ensure new and existing nonprofits remain in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations.

Plante Moran Living Forward Promotes Steve Przybilla to Partner

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Plante Moran Living Forward Promotes Steve Przybilla to Partner

Senior living development advisory firm Plante Moran Living Forward (PMLF), affiliate of public accounting and business advisory firm Plante Moran, is pleased to announce that Steve Przybilla has been promoted to partner.

“Steve’s dedication to excellent client service, combined with our firm culture, staff development, and outstanding leadership skills, will make him an excellent partner and will foster continued success and growth for PMLF,” said Dana Wollschlager, partner and practice leader of PMLF.

Przybilla leverages his more than 30 years of operational leadership to help clients with senior living asset repositioning projects, strategic planning, and operational consulting engagements. Throughout his career, Przybilla has led campus repositioning projects, greenfield development from planning through start-up, and operational turnarounds resulting in organizational growth. In addition to his strong operational background, Przybilla has led the construction of communities across the continuum: skilled long-term care and short-term rehabilitation, independent living, assisted living, memory care, and senior townhomes.

Przybilla is a graduate of Moorhead State University with a Bachelor of Science in education. He is Health Service Executive (HSE) certified by the National Association of Long-Term Care Administrator Boards and is licensed in multiple states as a nursing home administrator.

Plante Moran Living Forward provides unbiased, value-driven development advisory and owner’s representation services that address the evolving real estate, development, and construction needs of senior living communities. Learn more at pmlivingforward.com.

Fed Holds Steady On Interest Rates

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Fed Holds Steady On Interest Rates

As President Donald Trump continues to press the Federal Reserve to drop interest rates, the Fed’s Board of Governors this week voted to leave rates where they are, in the 3.50%-3.75% range.

Not only did the Fed not reduce the rate, three of its 12 governors actually wanted to raise rates.

The decision to hold steady, which had been widely expected, drew dissent from the presidents of the Fed’s regional banks in Cleveland, Dallas and Minneapolis.

Trump’s hand-picked Fed Chair Kevin Warsh, who took over as head of the Fed in May, has said he has “no tolerance” for inflation, which has been above the Fed’s target 2% rate for five years.

“Inflation remains elevated relative to the Committee’s 2% goal,” the Fed said in a short policy statement issued following its latest two-day meeting. It repeated verbatim all of the June 17 statement’s assessment of the economy.

According to a report from Reuters, the Fed said economic activity is “expanding at a solid pace,” noting, as it did in June, that job gains “have kept pace with the workforce, and the unemployment rate has changed little.”

In a press conference following the latest meeting, Warsh said, “we’ve begun a new chapter and we understand that the five-plus years of inflation above target cannot be cured in nine weeks, or by a single month of modest price decreases. This Fed will not waver” on driving inflation down to the 2% target.

While he declined to say what’s next for monetary policy, Warsh said “I want to stress, of course, that decisions by this committee matter a great deal, and where necessary and appropriate, we will not hesitate to act.”

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