Tue, May 7, 2024 • 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM EDT
Jody brings to the table three decades of technology expertise to help integrate Artificial Intelligence into small to mid-sized businesses, demystifying this cutting-edge technology to deliver engaging, insightful, and accessible presentations tailored for business owners across any sector.
May 16, 2024 – The Henry, Autograph Collection
The MichBusiness Women Thrive Conference is a day of celebration, informative panel discussions, facilitated networking opportunities, and knowledge-sharing. It is advised by a distinguished board of businesswomen and community leaders.
John Ryder pictured in the Medal of Honor gallery at the Michigan Military and Space Heroes Museum.
John Ryder pictured in the Medal of Honor gallery at the Michigan Military and Space Heroes Museum.
Recently, Corp! magazine spent “10 Minutes With” John Ryder, executive director of Michigan’s Military and Space Heroes Museum. The nonprofit was founded in 1976 by Stan Bozich, a Navy vet and Royal Oak firefighter. Originally located in Royal Oak, this hidden gem of a museum made its home in Frankenmuth in 1980, based on the city’s reputation as a top tourist attraction in the state.
Corp!: What is the museum about? John Ryder: It’s about honoring, respecting and remembering those service men and women from Michigan. We are trying to capture as many of their individual stories as we can. Instead of telling about the objects of war, weapons, military machines or the events and places, we focus on the individuals and how all those things come together in telling the individual’s story. We use the artifacts that we have to help tell the personal stories instead of just telling the stories of the artifacts.
Corp!: How do you get materials for the exhibits? JR: We have over 700 stories now. When I started here in June 2014, we had probably compiled about 450 stories. We get two to three stories per week that come in on average. The families or the veterans themselves bring their materials in and inquire whether we would do a story about them. Most times, the answer is yes.
Opening a foot locker that hasn’t been opened in 50 years, sitting there and going through the things that families want us to have to help tell the story about their family member is humbling.
Another way we get stories is when we talk to vets or their families when they visit the museum. We also meet them out in the community and may talk to them about their story before it comes to the museum. A lot of times things will just show up.
Corp!: What gets you excited to come to work every day? JR: Getting to meet the veterans and being able to tell their stories. Today we had a veteran who stopped in and we have his story here. We grabbed his box and talked about his story with him so we can share it better with other individuals. I really love history and I love learning. That’s true of all our employees here.
Corp!: What is the museum’s most recent success story? JR: In honor of the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, we put out our stories from Pearl Harbor, Wake Island and the early Philippine conflicts.
Corp!: What is the most visited part of the collection? JR: The Medal of Honor gallery. It’s the nation’s largest collection of named Medals of Honor (30 total). More than the Smithsonian Institute.
Corp!: What do you hear most often from first time visitors? JR: I look through our comment book every day when I come in and what I see are things like: outstanding, amazing, great. Our building looks small from the outside, but people will spend about one-and-a-half to two hours when they get here.
Corp!: What advice would you give someone who wants to show appreciation to our veterans?
JR: The biggest thing is to thank them for their service. And just listen – the veterans want to share their story if you want to learn.
Corp!: Being in Frankenmuth, what is your favorite restaurant? JR: The one that serves chicken!
Corp!: What is the last book you read? JR: “Killing the Rising Sun” by Bill O’Reilly.
Editor’s note: The Museum is hosting a Spirit of Michigan event on April 29, 2017 where it will honor museum founder Stan Bozich and our nation’s most recent Medal of Honor recipient, retired Lt. Col. Charles Kettles from Ypsilanti. Kettles was awarded the medal by President Obama on July 18, 2016 nearly 50 years after his heroic acts in Vietnam. Contact the museum at (989) 652-8005 for more info.
It’s not unusual for careers to get off to wobbly starts as young people, hampered by limited experience and contacts, find it difficult to achieve a firm footing.
That’s one reason they should make it a goal to find mentors who could help guide them through the rough patches.
Lauren Davenport
“One of the biggest benefits of having a mentor is that person’s success can act as a catalyst for your belief in yourself,” says Lauren Davenport, CEO and founder of The Symphony Agency, a marketing and technology firm. “It’s also a way to expand your network because a mentor can introduce you to people who could help you with your career and who you otherwise might not meet.”
Davenport founded the company after discovering that businesses were struggling to understand how to implement marketing and technology to reach their full potential in the digital age. Her entrepreneurial drive grew the organization from a boutique consulting business into a multi-million dollar agency.
While mentors can be a great asset for young people in their career advancement, don’t expect the mentor to materialize out of nowhere and then do all the heavy lifting, Davenport says. Much of the onus is on the mentee to seek the relationship, cultivate it and make the most of it.
She says a few ways to do that include:
• Don’t be afraid to reach out. A simple LinkedIn search can help you find people who are currently in your dream job. Somehow, they managed to get the very thing you want. How did they pull that off? Send them a short message and tell them your aspirations. Ask if they can spare 30 minutes for you to visit their office and “pick their brains” about how they achieved success.
• Do your homework. After you went to all the trouble to set up that meeting, you don’t want to show up unprepared. Learn all you can about this potential mentor with a Google search. Write down any questions you want to ask. For the meeting, dress like you already have a job with the person’s company and be 10 minutes early, Davenport says.
• Join a networking organization. If reaching out to an individual isn’t in your comfort zone, seek a networking organization that focuses on career growth. Sign up for a MeetUp group taught by someone you admire. “Take notes as the person speaks,” Davenport says. “After the event, you’re also going to need to muster up the courage to introduce yourself. To find a good mentor, in most cases you really are going to need to take the first step.”
• Pay attention to the mentor’s advice. You may not follow through on every suggestion, but you do need to listen to what they have to say. After all, the wisdom and experience they can provide is the whole point of having a mentor. Davenport recalls early in her career joining a networking group and trying to pitch her company to the members without success. She mentioned to her mentor her inability to generate any business. “She told me if I wanted to be taken seriously as a business woman I needed to change my wardrobe,” Davenport says. “I put away the summer dresses I typically wore and bought some tailored jackets and other clothes that helped present a business-professional look.” Soon after, business picked up.
From scrubbing floors and fitness equipment to managing the day-to-day operations of big-box clubs, Dean Mitchell has held pretty much every job in his career as a health and wellness expert. Now, he’s added a new title: author.
The owner of one of Downtown Northville’s successful fitness businesses, Mitchell Fitness Solutions in downtown Northville, recently released his first book, “The Woman Missing in the Mirror.”
With more than 15 years in the fitness industry, Mitchell has trained women all over the country. He outlines those tools in his book to will help guide women looking to achieve their health and fitness goals. “The Woman Missing in the Mirror” began as a means to bridge the gap between a woman’s true physical potential and her ability to actually achieve it.
In a deliberate attempt to not offer “just another fitness book” filled with fancy words and concepts that only a highly-educated fitness professional would be able to apply, Mitchell’s wanted to provide the reader with the precise tools needed for her success. He highlights a key ingredient that he feels is overlooked in virtually every program offered today: His “Make It Work with What You’ve Got” motto, which addresses the idea that you don’t need to dramatically alter your life to achieve the look you want.
The book is also filled with stories of the women he has worked with and the challenges they’ve faced along their journeys, along with how they were able to overcome them. In the book, Mitchell also shares his own deeply personal story outlining a dark past filled with turmoil and tragedies It is through these stories that he is able to illustrate how one can apply his principles to their own life and the challenges, regardless of how difficult they might seem.
Mitchell will be hosting a book signing at Browndog Treats, Drinks & Eats in Downtown Northville from 6-9 p.m. on April 27.
Having a business in Downtown Northville “has been one of the greatest business decisions we’ve made to date because of the people who surround it,” Mitchell said.
“The community goes out of their way to ensure they are supporting the local businesses first whenever possible,” Mitchell added. “We have been blessed to not only watch our business flourish but have also developed some personal relationships that will surely last a lifetime. There is nowhere else we would rather be.”
Companies of all sizes are focusing on workplace wellness, investing in a variety of approaches to provide a positive, healthy environment for its employees and to encourage healthy lifestyles among all of their workers.
BNP Media recently began working with MeditationWorks — a mobile stress solutions truck — as a way to promote positivity and quality of life in and out of the office for employees.
“Mindful meditation has become increasingly important to us in this hectic, smart phone-driven world. Meditation helps the mind to concentrate better, which in turn leads to more success and improve quality of life for our employees,” BNP Media co-CEOs Mitch, Taggart and Harper Henderson said in a statement. “We want to invest in their physical, emotional and mental health, and meditation is one tool for people who live in stressful environments such as work. By putting the mental health of our team members first, it has increased both creativity and focus.”
Sarah Zagacki, Senior Art Director at BNP Media, added: “MeditationWorks is a healthy way to take a break during work. Seeing colleagues make the effort is helpful for the work environment and we are all calmer in stressful situations.”
In March 2016, Jake Leider launched MeditationWorks, the first and only mobile stress solutions company. For BNP Media employees, MeditationWorks provides effective 15-minute meditation sessions to “stressed-out” people everywhere in a beautifully appointed, dedicated space — a rolling relaxation room. In this mobile unit, groups up to 15 people can practice a brief, concentrated, and creative meditation session and be on their way in just 15 minutes.
Founded in 1926, BNP Media is a fourth-generation, family-run business headquartered in Troy, Michigan with regional offices around the country. BNP Media is one of the country’s leading business-to-business media companies serving industry professionals across 50+ industries through magazines, custom media, e-newsletters, websites, conferences, events, continuing education and market research.
When you walk into Detroit’s Build Institute, one of the first faces that greets you is April Boyle, the executive director and all-around cheerleader for the small-business accelerator.
For the past five years, Boyle and her capable staff have helped hundreds of people get their start in Detroit. Now, the well-respected idea activator is celebrating its five-year anniversary and 1,000th graduate.
Over the years, Boyle said Build has been able to provide Detroit’s small business owners, most of whom are women and minorities, with classes that have helped them grow and sustain their business. In fact, Build has helped over 350 businesses, which have created and retained over 500 jobs within the city.
With support from the New Economy Initiative and Rock Venture, Build strives to be a nurturing organization that advances the culture and sustainability of community entrepreneurship.
The Build Institute celebrated its anniversary side-by-side with graduates of its program, sharing the economic impact of Detroit’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and the contributions small businesses have made to Detroit’s economy since its inception in 2012.
Through the democratization of entrepreneurship, Boyle said Build has been able to provide access to crucial classes that help graduates continue on the path of creating, or continuing their business. This level of access is particularly important considering that 71 percent of graduates are women; 45 percent are African American; and 85 percent are low to moderate income.
In addition, Build has graduated over 1,000 entrepreneurs from across Detroit, Michigan and throughout the Midwest, helping graduates expand and sustain their businesses and supporting economic growth in the region. In fact, 75 percent of Build graduates project profits for 2017.
“We have to continue to build an ecosystem that supports entrepreneurs, and provides them with resources to help them work cooperatively together for the greater good of Detroit’s small business community,” April Boyle, executive director, Build Institute, said in a statement.
“Sixty percent of small business owners across the nation have difficulty understanding and managing government regulations and laws that hinder the success of small businesses. We’re here to change that, specifically in Detroit,” said Boyle.
Build has been able to help Detroiters start, build and grow their businesses, while simultaneously growing alongside them as an organization. According to a study by the University of Michigan, 99 percent of Build graduates say they are more confident about business knowledge and development after going through Build classes, and 65 percent say they have collaborated with other Build alumni post-graduation.
“Being a Build graduate is a lasting experience and we often continue to support each other long after graduating from the courses,” Lana Rodriguez, owner of Mama’s Coo’s Boutique in Corktown, said in a statement. “In this way, Build has built its own entrepreneurial support system.”
Class registration for Build’s spring classes begin the week of April 10 and goes through June 5.
With its attendance rising and seeing a need for more exhibition space, the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park today announced it is adding more than 80,000 square feet of new space to the venerable Grand Rapids landmark, the result of a $115-million capital campaign.
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park named its capital campaign, “Welcoming the World: Honoring a Legacy of Love,” in honor of founders Fred and Lena Meijer. The expansion project, which starts late 2017 and will take an estimated four years to complete, will include a new Welcome Center, Covenant Learning Center and Transportation Center, as well as other enhancements.
Officials cited “tremendous growth in guest attendance, membership, art collections, dedicated garden spaces, and educational programs” when announcing the expansion.
Meijer Gardens has gone from 207,000 guests in fiscal year 1999 to 750,000 guests in fiscal year 2016, a 262 percent increase. With the new additions, Meijer Gardens projects its annual guest attendance could rise to between 1.2 to 1.5 million people.
As a result, the facilities need more room to grow and offer experiences to the public, said President and CEO David Hooker. “This premiere botanic and sculpture experience has served so many people and it has the potential to welcome so many more.”
Hooker said the focus “from the beginning has been to provide an exceptional experience for our members and guests, and we’re thrilled that we have the opportunity to build on our success with this new endeavor.”
“At its very essence, Meijer Gardens is a place of joy – and a legacy of love shared by Fred and Lena Meijer, the Meijer family, and thousands of team members, volunteers and donors who have created a special place. The name of our capital campaign reflects the love that Fred and Lena had for each other, for this community, and for sculpture and gardens. We strongly believe the growth of Meijer Gardens will continue and that the organization will thrive for generations to come,” Hooker added.
The project will include:
A new 60,000-square-foot LEED certified Welcome Center
A new 20,000-square-foot LEED certified Covenant Learning Center
The new Peter C. and Emajean Cook Transportation Center
Expanded and upgraded Frederik Meijer Gardens Amphitheater
A new Sculpture Garden Entry Plaza
A reimagined and expanded BISSELL, Inc. Scenic Corridor
A new Outdoor Picnic Pavilion
A new Padnos Families Rooftop Sculpture Garden
Expanded and accessible parking and urban gardens
Meijer Garden officials cited a 2016 economic impact study, conducted by Grand Valley State University, that estimated visitors to the facilities “support or contribute more than $75 million to the Kent County economy each year.” With the new buildings and spaces, Meijer Gardens can host additional events, add room for guests, boost its horticulture exhibits and have more sculpture exhibits with the extra galleries.
For the project, Meijer Gardens officials selected Tod Williams Billie Tsien, a New York firm of architects perhaps best known for its work on the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia and as the designer of the new Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.
“We are deeply honored to be have been selected by Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park for this special project,” Tod Williams said in a statement. “From our very first visit, we were struck by the incredible quality of the sculpture collection and its sensitive installation throughout the grounds, as well as by their magnificent Japanese Garden. We saw that the place and the people here are unique.”
Officials said an estimated $102 million has been raised so far for the capital campaign.
“The new facilities will be an amazing expression of our mission never before imagined,” Hooker said in a statement. “We’re thrilled with the success of the campaign but mostly, we are deeply moved by the community’s generosity toward Meijer Gardens.”
Currently host to a landmark exhibition of works by Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park serves more than 700,000 visitors annually. Meijer Gardens was recently ranked in the top 100 most-visited art museums worldwide by Art Newspaper, a leading publication in global art news. The 158-acre main campus features Michigan’s largest tropical conservatory; one of the largest interactive children’s gardens in the country; arid and Victorian gardens with bronze sculptures by Degas and Rodin; a carnivorous plant house; outdoor gardens; and a 1,900-seat outdoor amphitheater that plays host to an eclectic mix of world-renowned musicians every summer.
The internationally acclaimed Sculpture Park features a permanent collection that includes works by Oldenburg, Moore, Hepworth, Serra, Bourgeois, Ai Weiwei and Plensa, among others. Indoor galleries host changing sculpture exhibitions with exhibitions by Ai Weiwei, Picasso, Degas, Mark di Suvero, Jonathan Borofsky, Alexander Calder and Jim Dine. In June 2015, the eight–acre Richard & Helen DeVos Japanese Garden at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park opened. Created by renowned designer Hoichi Kurisu, the garden features sculptures by Sir Anish Kapoor, Jenny Holzer and Giuseppe Penone, among others.
If you know who Alexa is and you’ve asked her to turn up the heat or play you some music, then chances are you are already familiar with home-voice assistants. This unique use of technology has grown rapidly, and the market has plenty of room to expand both in term of unit sales and the e-commerce opportunities.
Home-voice assistants are products such as the Amazon Echo or the Google Home that are described as Internet-connected smart speakers. They come with a digital assistant – named Alexa, in the case of Amazon’s product – who help connect the user to anything from web search engines, music players and products such as Google’s Nest, an internet-connected thermostat for home or work.
Think of a home-voice assistant like Siri on your Apple iPhone or Cortana on your Windows-based laptop. These products allow anyone to turn their house or business into a smart hub. And the options of what you can do with these products and services continues to interest consumers, who keep snapping them up.
While the market was small in 2014, with Amazon Echo starting as a special product offered only through the e-retailer’s Prime service, the market response was so great that Amazon began offering it to all its customers in June 2015, with “sister” products (the Dot and Tap), hitting the market a few months later (September 2015 and March 2016).
In 2017, Voice Labs, a consulting firm, is predicting some 24.5 million appliances will be shipped.
It’s these kind of predictions that seem to indicate a near endless demand within the market, at least for the right companies who smartly jump on this bandwagon. So says Tom Caporaso, an expert in online retail, shopping trends, logistics and e-commerce.
Caporaso is the CEO of Clarus Commerce, an e-commerce service provider that owns FreeShipping.com and ShopSmarter and which has provided customizable e-commerce and subscription services since 2001.
“Home-voice assistants like Amazon Echo and Google Home are very much in their e-commerce infancy,” says Caporaso, citing one survey that says most Echo adopters limit their “help” to the playing of songs, control of smart lights and the setting of timers.
“Another study found that the devices aren’t giving people reliable shopping information yet, partly because there’s still a divide between the way people talk and the way Alexa or Siri interpret those words,” he adds. “That will improve over time, of course. As it does, these devices could prove to be a boon to certain types of merchants, once they learn and adapt their SEO efforts to the conversational search technology.”
As always, giving people local options to research, buy and occasionally return products that they purchase via home-voice assistants will ultimately win the day, Caporaso said.
Two-thirds of owners aged 18-49 use voice search devices to research products and make purchases, a point that Caporaso says makes the technology a powerful tool for influencing consumer behavior, one that will grow further as bugs in the technology are ironed out and more options become available on the market.
“Local stores can benefit if they sell products that address immediate and/or distinctive needs,” predicts Caporaso, citing commands such as “Alexa, where can I buy a snow blower?” or “Alexa, is there a nearby shop that sells or rents tuxes for toddlers?”
Caporaso also says retailers that sell popular, brand-name items should also do well. “Consumers are more likely to order products sight unseen if they’re already loyal to or at least familiar with them.”
Retailers will need to work with Amazon, Google and other device manufacturers to make sure the relationship is sound and seamless, Caporaso added.
Depending on their zip codes, “Home” users can place orders only at the 50 or so stores that participate with Google Express, notes Caporaso. Similarly, Alexa only searches for products through Amazon, so if a local store isn’t on the Amazon marketplace, Echo users won’t hear about it.
“The good news for participating retailers is that after buying an Amazon Echo, users increased their purchase frequency on Amazon.com by 6 percent, and their spending went up 10 percent,” Caporaso said.
Other household names known as technology innovators are expected to enter the market soon. One of those is Apple, which has said it plans to bring Siri, its iOS assistant that has already found its way onto the latest Macintosh operating system, even further, perhaps to vehicles and the home appliance ecosystem.
Samsung Electronics is also planning to integrate Viv, technology it acquired late last year, into its appliances and phones. Viv was authored by former Apple employees who were responsible for creating Siri.
In order to maximize the influence of this new channel between retailers and their consumers, Caporaso believes brands should seek to redesign their digital marketing/advertising efforts to better align with the limitations and opportunities presented with voice search.
Building on the strength of the California Closets brand, the California-based company known for its custom-storage solutions will open a new manufacturing facility in Cascade Charter Township on Michigan’s West side.
The project will create an estimated 61 jobs and create an investment of more than $5.7 million in the new facility, located at 4930 Kraft Avenue SE south of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, officials said.
The facility comes in part through a collaboration between The Right Place Inc. and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). The MEDC approved a $335,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant for the project. In addition, West Michigan Works! offered workforce development support totaling $48,000 to support the company’s recruiting and on-the-job training investments.
The Right Place has offered support to the project in the form of staff time and resources. The Right Place assembled a cross-functional team, working with the MEDC and West Michigan Works! to build the business case and incentive package that ultimately attracted California Closets to West Michigan.
“Attracting a major consumer brand like California Closets is a big win for West Michigan,” said Thad Rieder, Senior Business Development Manager, The Right Place, Inc., and project lead. “We competed against several alternative sites in other states, including Illinois, Georgia, North Carolina, and Indiana.”
The Right Place, Inc., is a regional nonprofit economic development organization founded in 1985 and supported through investments from the private and public sector. Its mission is to promote economic growth in the areas of quality employment, productivity, and technology in West Michigan by developing jobs through leading business retention, expansion and attraction efforts.
Snagging this manufacturing facility is a boon for both the company itself and the region. The financially successful California Closets is the most recognized brand of its type in the world, represented by its franchisees in showrooms and through strategic alliances with major North American retailers. Its advertising images are seen in national magazines, on television and through its popular website.
In 2015, the company opened a manufacturing facility in Phoenix, Arizona to support demand for its products in the Western United Sates. The new facility planned in Cascade Township will supply the eastern portions of the country.
Eric Wolff, President-Fulfillment for Berkley-based California Closets, said West Michigan made itself attractive to the retailer and manufacturer for a variety of reasons.
“The location offers proximity to our customers and supply base, but more importantly a strong talent base in manufacturing and design,” Wolff said in a statement. “The West Michigan area has been a leader in forward thinking and furniture-related industries, which fits our direction and future.”
Founded in 1978, California Closets produces custom storage options for all areas of the home. The company is expanding furniture manufacturing operations to the Eastern U.S. to supply its distribution locations there. Today, the company has more than 120 showrooms and 700-plus designers across North America.
The company, which is a subsidiary of FirstService Corp. of Canada, has said it expects to grow to 300 showrooms and 1,600 designers in the next five years, through a combination of company stores and franchises.
FirstService Corp. acquired California Closets in 1998. It has grown the business significantly since then, and California Closets has been a consistent contributor to the publicly traded parent company’s overall financial success, financial documents show.
FirstService Corporation is a North American leader in the property services sector serving its customers through two industry leading platforms: FirstService Residential – North America’s largest manager of residential communities; and FirstService Brands – one of North America’s largest providers of essential property services delivered through individually branded franchise systems and company-owned operations.
FirstService Brands is the leading North American brand in the category of property services, which it delivers through its extensive franchise networks. FirstService Brands includes Paul Davis Restoration, CertaPro Painters, California Closets, College Pro Painters, Pillar To Post Home Inspection, Floor Coverings International, BrandPoint Services and TLS.
FirstService generates more than $1.4 billion in annual revenues and has more than 17,000 employees across North America. The common shares of FirstService trade on the NASDAQ and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “FSV.”
Daniela at her most recent show receiving the first place ribbon.
Daniela Rodriguez, MD PLC, is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon in St Clair Shores, MI. As a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), she’s great at what she does, but that’s not her only talent.
Daniela is a decorated horse jumper and has been since her early childhood. She trains at the Bayside Equestrian Center. Her last show was at the World Equestrian Center (WEC), in Ohio, where she earned a first place ribbon.
Bringing your employees together to socialize and bond as a company is a great idea. Adding a way to raise funds for a great cause is even better.
For the 12th consecutive year, Grand Rapids-based technology firm Open Systems Technologies commemorated the opening day of NCAA Basketball’s March Madness tournament with a party for 1,000 of its closest friends at its 3-floor West Side headquarters.
But, for the second year, the party added a fundraising component that will benefit Grand Rapids Public Schools. Throughout the event, participants could bid on sports memorabilia with proceeds benefiting GRPS’ GR8 Sports, Great Kids program.
The program raises money to ensure that the ability to pay for school sports programming doesn’t prohibit anyone from signing up. Last year’s silent auction raised $2,000 for the program.
Open Systems Technologies describes itself as a “technology, design and digital transformation” company. It was founded in January 1997; its CEO is Meredith Bronk. In fiscal year 2016, OST had revenues of $150 million and 255 employees.
GRPS strives to develop exceptional, well-rounded student-athletes by fostering an athletics program that supports: academic achievement, overall improved school performance, athletic skill development, strengthened positive coach relationships and community service.
Through a formal partnership with GRPS, SAF implemented the GR8 Sports, Great Kids program to ensure access to K-8 sports to all students regardless of ability to pay. Most school districts don’t provide elementary programs at all and require that students “pay to play” at any level.
Did you know there is scientific research that shows laughter–even if induced or “fake”–can increase blood flow, burn calories, and release endorphins for physical, mental and emotional health? Laughter can also engage the right side of the brain, enabling creativity and problem solving to flow!
Laughter Yoga sessions are one of the many activities Ability To Engage leads through its workshops for clients. Ability To Engage helps companies with consumer research, brand strategy and innovative concepts.
Industry recognition for your business is essential to both public perception of your goods and services as well as internal satisfaction of a job well done.
That is why Samaritas is celebrating an award given to one of its subsidiaries on behalf of its home-care division.
Home Care Assistance of West Michigan, a part of Samaritas serving Grand Rapids and surrounding areas, received the 2017 Best of Home Care—Provider of Choice Award from Home Care Pulse, an independent satisfaction research firm for home care.
The Provider of Choice Award is given to top-ranking home care providers, based on client satisfaction scores gathered by Home Care Pulse. Home Care Assistance is now ranked among a select few home care providers across the country that provide outstanding care.
“We want to congratulate Home Care Assistance on receiving the Best of Home Care Provider of Choice Award,” Aaron Marcum, CEO and founder of Home Care Pulse said in a statement. “Since this award is based on client feedback, it demonstrates HCA’s dedication to providing the highest quality of care with a focus on client satisfaction.”
Best of Home Care Provider of Choice award-winning providers contract with Home Care Pulse to gather feedback from clients through monthly phone interviews with clients. Home Care Assistance earned the 2017 Best of Home Care Provider Choice award in recognition for outstanding performance in caregiver work ethic, caregiver ability and professionalism, confidence in office staff and communication between provider and client.
Lesa Hardiman
“We are pleased to be recognized as a quality leader in home care,” said Lesa Hardiman, Director of Home Care Assistance through Samaritas. “Our goal is to provide each client with the ultimate home care experience. This award evaluates several areas of our business. Careful thought goes into these areas to select high performing agencies. We are in the business of caring for people – clients and caregivers – and recognize that our employees are our most valuable asset. It’s satisfying to know that our efforts in making Home Care Assistance a great place to work do not go unnoticed by our staff and clients. We feel honored to be able to provide high quality care to our community.”
“I am so proud of our talented HCA team, which provides necessary, focused, consistent support for our clients,” Mary Muliett, Samaritas Vice President, Home & Community, said in a statement. “We specialize in providing reliable care at home for a variety of circumstances, and our clients know they can trust the care they get from HCA as a subsidiary of Samaritas, one of Michigan’s largest faith-based nonprofits.”
Mary Muliett
Samaritas, one of the state’s largest faith-based nonprofits, has been sending ripples of positive change into Michigan communities since 1934. Prior to April 2016, Samaritas operated as Lutheran Social Services of Michigan.
Samaritas serves others in need without regard to religion, race, sexual orientation, or ethnicity and provides resettlement for New Americans, adoption and foster care, and at-home services and residential communities for seniors and persons with disabilities, through assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care. Estate-quality and affordable living residential communities also are available for independent seniors and property management services for third-party affordable living communities.
Does your business have authority in the online marketplace? If you’re not sure, the answer is, No. What does authority have to do with social media in 2017? Everything. If you want to increase your brand awareness, drive more traffic to your website, and increase sales, then social authority must play a role in the new year. Here is what you need to know.
Let’s start with the big topic: video. Every year for the past eight, internet and social media experts have stated that video will be more important in the coming year. Every year, they are correct. This year is no different. The entertainment, education, and storytelling value of video is powerful, and the appetite of the growing internet population is not slowing. When you share quality video (or any other excellent content), you develop more authority.
If you want to build authority online, then entertain with your story, education or comedy. Over the past year, social media platforms such as Facebook, Pinterest, Skype, WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube have updated their video options. One of the most popular options is live video. Live video is real life. You or the people in your company share events in real-time. It’s authentic and this is what people want. A real connection. Human connections build trust, which leads to authority. Video is giving more companies the opportunity to show their personality – the realness of their people, and behind the scenes. Businesses can target a specific audience and educate prospects as to why they are the right solution, more strategically than ever before. In 2017 you must have a video plan as part of your social media strategy.
It’s Not All Video
The written word is still important. Blogging still needs to play a role in the development of your online authority. As long as your blog comments are turned on and people can interact with your posts, your blog is social media. Blogging remains important for search engine optimization (SEO). Google still drives a lot of traffic and search can’t be ignored. To break through the online noise in 2017, you must focus on long-form content. Quality blog posts longer than 2,000 words, with good imagery and supporting video earn top rankings in Google. Just as important, these long-form posts tend to be more shareable in social media.
It is important to remember that your company doesn’t own the social media platforms. In 2016 Blab.im, Vine and Mercat all left the social media scene, after having been there for short stays. If you spent your time and effort building an audience on any of these platforms, you’re out of luck. This is why it’s still important to drive people to your web properties, with offers for more content in exchange for sharing their email addresses. Email marketing is still a powerful marketing tool in 2017.
Pay to Play
In 2017 it will be hard to grow your social media community without incredibly good content. Average, boring corporate stuff will not gain the likes and shares you hope to earn. Based on my experiments, Facebook serves posts from business pages to only about 1-2 percent of the page’s followers, although there is hope. I’ve recently posted content which organically reached 100 percent of the page’s “Likes.” So, it is possible to reach a large audience through your brand page. However, it takes a lot of interaction and engagement from the community to make it go viral.
In most cases, if you have an important piece of content, you will have to pay to reach your target audience. This trend will continue in the coming years on all social media platforms. Fortunately, the social media platforms regularly update and improve their targeting ability and you can receive a solid return on your investment.
My recommendation is to first post your content organically, monitor how your community responds, and then pay to boost–or advertise–your work. The reason is that your community will let you know if your content is worthy of promotion. If all you hear are crickets after you post, spending money will not make people like your blog, photo, illustration or video more. If you notice higher-than-average engagement, then spend the money to reach a larger audience.
Where to Be in 2017
The best approach to social media in 2017 is to reevaluate what you are doing now on social media. Are you posting quality content consistently on all your channels? Review what is working and what is not.
Where is your audience? This question is more important than the popularity of the platform. If your audience is on Google + or reddit, then you need to be there. If your product is visual, try to look for your community on Instagram or Pinterest. Sometimes you need to create your own special community. In this case, you can create a community group on Facebook or LinkedIn. Maybe the best solution is to host a specialty topic forum on your website. New platforms, such as bebo.com, help you host community communication with multiple media options, such as text and video.
Facebook remains the big monster social media platform – it is still relevant in 2017. You may hear that younger people are moving away from Facebook. This may be the case for interacting with friends on a daily basis. However, Facebook is still the default social media platform. This is where you connect with family and old friends. Grandma is happy on Facebook and is not switching to Snapchat, so the millennials need to check in if they want to stay connected. If you want to reach a large audience, especially through advertising, Facebook is the best social place to spend your money in 2017.
Will Twitter still be around at the end of 2017? Most likely. When asked to name social media platforms, Twitter is often the second site mentioned, after Facebook. However, the platform has stalled. Twitter is a media stream and the place you go for news and the latest information. It’s not the same simple 140-character platform of 10 years ago. It continues to add more features, and this will not change in 2017. If you want to develop yourself as an expert, Twitter is still a good place to find your audience.
Periscope, owned by Twitter, is an excellent platform for Live Video sharing. After taking down rival Mercat, Facebook Live remains its strongest competition. However, Instagram and others are making their moves, too. Periscope works well to develop community and content you can repurpose or share on other platforms. Live Introductions, behind the scenes and question and answer sessions are popular on the platform.
As the value of video continues to increase, so does the value of YouTube. This social platform is an engaged community and is the second-largest search engine behind Google, its owner. Despite the increase in competition from other social media platforms, its powerful search engine is where people go to be entertained and educated. Although I’ve been on YouTube since 2006, I’m just now taking it more seriously and posting daily content. I recommend you create a channel and post often too.
Like YouTube, Pinterest is where people go for inspiration and information. Are you looking for a new idea for a craft project, new recipe or ideas for your next party? Pinterest is the place. If your company has solutions for people with such interests, you must post to Pinterest.
If your goal is to share your story and build a younger community, then Snapchat is the place to be in 2017. As far as straight-up advertising, this platform has a way to go compared with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube. Still, it’s a growing community and creative brands can find some value.
If your story is best told in audio form, then consider starting a podcast. The resurgence of the podcast will continue in 2017. If you don’t want to go through the production process of podcast development, then consider a platform such as anchor.fm. It’s an interactive audio-only community. You can start your show with a story or information and your listeners can add to the conversation or ask questions.
The coming year will produce new social media opportunities, most likely related to video and specialized niches. It is important to test the new platforms as they launch. Sign up, share a little information, listen, monitor, and increase participation if interest grows for your content and brand.
Now and in the coming years, your brand’s social authority will continue to play a role in business growth. Social media is not an afterthought; it is not a place to post stuff or boring content because you were told to be there. In 2017, social media is an important place to develop your brand authority, find your fans, guide your audience, and share your story. Isn’t that what marketing is all about?
Volunteering – whether it is tutoring, serving at a soup kitchen or gardening at a community center – is a gratifying experience that can also lead to better health.
According to a Harvard Medical School study, people who regularly volunteer are rewarded with better physical and mental health. Another study conducted by Johns Hopkins University found that volunteering actually increased participant’s brain functioning because volunteer activities often require both physical and mental focus.
As an employer, you want to keep your employees engaged and healthy to create a more productive environment. According to Kandi Lannen, director of wellness for Priority Health, volunteering as a workplace can lead to increased engagement, employee bonding and increase overall employee wellness.
Here are the what, where and whys to create a corporate volunteer program:
What: Volunteering as a workplace can also be an essential component to your company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) program. Volunteer programs can help raise your company’s visibility in the community, helping to improve and maintain your company’s reputation. A Pulse Survey found that 40 percent of a company’s reputation is determined by volunteering and other corporate social responsibility activities.
Additional benefits a workplace volunteer program can provide include employee development, an increase in teamwork, improved communication and building brand awareness. Employee retention also improves through these powerful activities.
Where: Volunteer options are plentiful and varied. For any cause that is close to your employees’ hearts or that they are passionate about, there is most likely an opportunity to dedicate your company’s time. To search for opportunities, check local organizations such as churches and community centers as they often have volunteer opportunities posted on community bulletin boards and online. You can also use resources such as volunteermatch.org to help connect you with any opportunities that sync up to your employees’ interests and are in your area. Or, try calling nonprofit organizations in your area that interests employees.
Why: Volunteering as a workplace not only increases employee engagement, it helps create bonds among your employees. Lannen said companies that promote volunteerism enjoy greater employee satisfaction, higher morale, and greater productivity and profitability. Look at ways to volunteer as a company today to reap benefits for your employees and increase your overall company reputation.
How to Start: If you haven’t organized a company volunteer event before, now is the time to get started. To begin, take an employee survey or have employees make a list of causes or volunteer work they are passionate and excited about. This will increase your employee engagement. Keeping the volunteer events varied will also keep employees engaged and interested in participating.
You can have the best ideas in the world, but they are no use to you or your company if you can’t express your thoughts clearly and persuasively.
For over 15,000 years, humankind has had a close bond with “man’s best friend,” the dog. During this time, dogs have developed an amazing ability to engage with humans. Dogs are great models for four fundamental skills it takes to communicate effectively, according to Garry McDaniel and Sharon Massen.
McDaniel and Massen are professors at Franklin University, authors of The Dog’s Guide to Your Happiness: Seven Secrets for a Better Life from Man’s Best Friend, and speak on what individuals and organizations can learn from dogs about leadership, team building, and customer service.
“Whether it is through verbal or non-verbal communication, life is ultimately about relationships with your friends, family, coworkers, clients, and customers,” McDaniel said. “All the talent and good intentions in the world means very little if you are not able to communicate effectively with others.”
Here are four tips from Panda the dog on how to better communicate with one another:
Pay Attention! “When my dog, Panda, meets another dog, they both focus on each other. They are not looking around, staring at squirrels, or sniffing a tree. If your workplace is like most, when you are trying to convey an important message to someone else, they are typing at their PC, texting, or reading something while paying lip service to what you are trying to say. As a result, they don’t get the full message, mistakes or misunderstandings ensue, relationships are damaged, and productivity suffers. So lesson one from Panda is: stop what you are doing and pay attention to whoever is talking to you.”
Listen Actively! One reason humans like dogs so much is they listen even though they don’t understand what we are saying and they don’t provide advice or opinions. You can count on your dog to sit and listen with rapt attention as your pour out your feelings, sorrows, ideas, or dreams. How many of your friends or co-workers are as thrilled to listen to what you have to say? Dogs “listen” actively by paying very close attention to body posture, vocalizations and eye contact. Good communicators in the workplace not only pay attention, but also observe the congruence between what is being said and how it is being said- body language, vocal tone and volume, and facial expressions. Panda’s second tip is to listen not just to the content of the message, but to how the message is being conveyed.
Respond! Dogs communicate well by focusing, listening actively, and by responding appropriately. For example, after Panda and his new buddy have determined that they are both friendly, they go through some typical doggy “pleasantries” and get to the business of playing. They do this by assuming a “play bow” position that indicates to their companion that everything from this point on is for fun! If Panda misread the interaction, the other dog will not return the play bow gesture and Panda would know another strategy for interaction is needed. It is one thing to pay attention and listen actively; it is another thing to ensure one has understood the message correctly by how you respond. Good communicators reply in a manner that helps the other party know that the message was received accurately. Panda’s third tip for good communication is to ensure what you think you heard is actually what the other person said by repeating, summing up, or re-stating the message until the other person acknowledges you understood the message correctly.
Be Positive! Anyone who has a dog knows you can say the most endearing things to a dog in a harsh, angry voice, and the dog will slink away and hide. The new science of positive psychology recognizes that while personal or organizational problems must be addressed, doing so from a positive framework is far more effective than belittling, berating, and criticizing. Thus, Panda’s final tip for great communication is to frame your communication in positive terms; give more positive feedback than negative and seek to determine what is working right instead of constantly zeroing in what others are doing wrong. Give life to others instead of sucking all of the energy, creativity, and enthusiasm from the room.
Recruiting Millennials takes a mix of style and savvy – employers who know the kind of young people they want on the job are smart to go where they are. And the City Year Career Day event by Comcast is a great example of how to do it.
Recently, Comcast recently hosted a Career Day for City Year Detroit corps members, bringing the current class of 71 to its Plymouth regional headquarters for workshops, panels and one-on-one mentoring.
The event, which included Comcast executives, employees and human resource experts, serves to help City Year Detroit both recruit and prepare its corps members for the future, said Craig D’Agostini, vice president of External Affairs for Comcast’s Heartland Region.
“There’s no better organization that exemplifies youth leadership development and community volunteerism than City Year,” said D’Agostini, who said Comcast recruits from this group of committed young people on a regular basis.
The Career Day is one part of the long-term relationship between Comcast and City Year. This partnership began in Detroit in 2001. Since then, more than 25 other City Year locations have done events with Comcast. The relationship is year around, D’Agostini said, but the Career Day is a special one-day event everyone looks forward to annually.
Comcast works with City Year corps members to help them work through resume revisions, learn more about leadership from a panel discussion and boost their networking skills. The resume instruction included tips on how to make their resumes sing for future employers.
The panel discussion included Comcast executives as well as members of the Detroit Young Professionals group, D’Agostini said. The panel talked about their best career advice, success strategies and more.
There also was a breakout session on interviewing tips, which included one-on-one time with Comcast human-resource experts, D’Agostini said. Comcast wisely uses this time to talk to students about coming to work with Comcast, he noted, especially because the skill sets they acquire through City Year is a great match for Comcast careers.
Over the past 15 years, Comcast has donated more than $1 million in cash grants to City Year Detroit. Since 1999, City Year has worked in Detroit’s most disadvantaged schools. Recently, it deployed 71 highly skilled corps members to serve in eight middle and high schools.
Founded in Boston in 1988, City Year is an education-focused, nonprofit organization that partners with public schools and teachers to help keep students in school and on track to succeed. This year, City Year’s 3,000 young leaders, who are 18 to 24 years old, will serve in 292 schools.
Barbara Gregorio belts out "Wind Beneath My Wings" to a crowd of her fellow Team Members at Silverton Casino.
The Silverton Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada hosted a Team Member Talent Show on Wednesday, March 8th. The show gives team members a chance show off their hidden talents among comedians, artists and singers.
Barbara Gregorio belts out “Wind Beneath My Wings” to a crowd of her fellow Team Members at Silverton Casino.
Winner of the Silverton Casino Team Member Talent Show, Artis Grant, put the crowd in awe and proves he is better suited for “The Voice”.
The image of a device-obsessed, conversation-averse millennial can make some in the over-35 crowd wax indignant. That 20-something colleague with eyes cast down, fingers cradling phone, thumbs whirling across its screen can make older workers lament what seems to be a dying art: good, old-fashioned talking.
But older generations are losing the moral high ground, if they were ever up there at all. Parents and grandparents are texting, posting, surfing and tweeting. The Pew Research Center estimates that 85 percent of American adults are online. Smartphone ownership is over 80 percent for people ages 30-49 and at nearly 60 percent for people ages 50-64. If these older adults had access to Tumblr and Snapchat in their own youth, it is hard to imagine them behaving any differently than today’s millennials.
In spite of themselves, older generations are following young people into a new era of communications, one with new habits heavily reliant on typing instead of talking. Today, many people text before calling; email instead of meeting; and ignore voicemail altogether. But technology may not be the only reason people of all ages seem to be talking less.
There is evidence that suggests that employees have long-struggled with the art of conversation.
Mobile phones and computers provide a long-sought-after cover from the awkwardness of conversing. Long before the buzz and ding of app notifications began interrupting meetings, human behavior and business culture were stifling conversation.
Impressions still matter
Whether the issue is an annoying co-worker, a suggestion to improve a business process, or a question about the current project, people tend to consider how their words will be judged by others. Overcoming the near-innate impulse to avoid embarrassment or social consequences is so challenging that doing so has been described by some people as courageous.
To avoid looking “ignorant, incompetent, intrusive, or negative,” people stay silent, said Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson in her 2014 TEDx talk, referring to a practice known as “impression management.” Most people have been honing this skill since they were children, so, by adulthood, it is “all but second nature,” said Edmondson.
Impression management can be detrimental to organizational success, said Edmondson. Distracted by the fear of how they might be perceived, team members do not bring their entire skillset to bear on the business challenge in front of them.
The result leaves conversation strangled before it is spoken and innovation defused before it is sparked.
“The need to ask questions, seek help, and tolerate mistakes in the face of uncertainty–while team members and other colleagues watch–is probably more prevalent in companies today than in the days in which earlier team studies were conducted,” wrote Edmondson in her study, titled “Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams.”
Jennifer Akoma, vice president, human resources, Airfoil.
Jennifer Akoma, vice president of human resources for Airfoil, a public relations and marketing company based in Royal Oak, says the agency exists to help its clients communicate their messages. But at the same time, internal staff may be reluctant to speak-up about their concerns.
In short, when it comes down to it, speaking up in front of one person or 100 is still public speaking and few people enjoy that experience, she says.
In an effort to create a workplace where staff feel comfortable speaking directly and openly, Airfoil’s leadership team has an open-door policy and regularly meets one-on-one with staff, says Akoma. In response to employee feedback, the company has offered coaching on how to have “difficult conversations” and a program called Creative Labs to allow staff “an hour a month to get together and do a fun activity that encourages communication, problem solving, creativity and leadership,” says Akoma.
Despite these efforts, and an unwritten policy to resolve conflict in person, staff are taking longer to move disputes from email volleys to in-person dialogues. Some staff simply withhold issues until they can speak anonymously, she adds.
Even within organizations like Airfoil that value communication and engagement, these challenges are not unique. Collaboration consultant James Tyer was hired by one company to work with a tightly-knit team suffering from low morale. He had each team member create their own timeline of critical moments, the team’s highs and lows from the perspective of individual members. After about two hours, it became clear that each team member was grappling with the same difficult customer. However, until then, none of them wanted to openly discuss it for fear of hurting each other’s feelings.
Success or failure depends on key conversations
In his TED Talk on the importance of conversation in business, John O’Leary underscored the importance communication plays. “The quality of our conversations influences the quality of our decisions, and the quality of our decisions dictates the quality of our outcomes,” he said.
The co-author of “If We Can Put a Man on the Moon” with William D. Eggers, O’Leary sought to analyze how large government projects get accomplished. One of their key findings was that critical conversations determine the success or failure of such projects. Despite this cornerstone role, businesses, he writes, do not take conversations very seriously. That failure often means the difference between employees speaking up or keeping quiet.
For workers to feel safe enough to risk disagreeing, pushing an issue, or offering an alternative perspective without fear of social consequences or professional retribution, they need “psychological safety,” a term coined by Harvard’s Edmondson. In other words, workers need trust.
Julia Rozovsky, People Analytics manager at Google, led a research team at the firm to evaluate what makes some teams effective and others less so. They found that psychological safety was the most important asset of effective teams. “Individuals on teams with higher psychological safety are less likely to leave Google, they’re more likely to harness the power of diverse ideas from their teammates, they bring in more revenue, and they’re rated as effective twice as often by executives,” wrote Rozovsky in “re:Work,” a website (rework.withgoogle.com) that serves as “a curated platform of practices, research, and ideas from Google and others.”
For Comcast’s Jordan Beauchamp, the psychological safety he feels with his co-workers grew out of personal and professional experiences. He and his fellow technicians collaborate on job problems, sharing best practices learned through success and failure. In between work chatter and meetings, they exchange personal snippets, thoughts on last night’s football game, a child’s upcoming birthday, and “some of the personal stuff that we need to get off our chests,” he says.
At work, those conversations are “left unfinished,” so they follow up with each other outside of work. The conversations and shared experiences nurture the sense of “brotherhood” that he has with his co-workers, he says. This mixture of personal and professional communication builds trust between employees, which in turn, stimulates more conversations.
Company values can drive quality communication
Building trust may seem like something that happens by accident between people who just “click,” rather than something an organization could deliberately grow. But experts like Edmondson suggest the key to developing trust is in the company’s values.
Edmondson advises leadership to model the values of learning, fallibility, interdependence, and curiosity. “Frame the work as a learning problem, not an execution problem,” she says. “Recognize, make explicit, that there is enormous uncertainty ahead and enormous interdependence.”
Leadership should make it clear that they do not have all the answers and that they could miss critical information if staff do not speak up. “Ask a lot of questions. That actually creates a necessity for voice,” Edmondson adds.
Her advice may seem simple enough, but changing organizational culture can be daunting. Peter John McFarlane, a senior manager in the Analytics & Information Management practice at Deloitte in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, recommends starting small, with a few people. Get those people working as a team, and use them to seed other teams, and so on, slowly branching out. McFarlane contends that teams with psychological safety can be “manufactured.” While working at a previous employer, Habanero Consulting Group, and earning his master’s in leadership studies, McFarlane tested this idea.
In 2013, he and James Tyer (the collaboration consultant mentioned earlier) worked with several Habanero employees, dividing them into three teams. McFarlane and Tyer, whose practice is Togetherwise, used a series of exercises and trainings to teach the teams the importance of norms and to guide them through a series of trust building exercises. Then, the teams were tasked with a real-world work challenge and judged on their performance.
The project lasted about nine weeks and led to several conclusions, one of the most critical being the value of getting to know fellow teammates.
In one exercise, McFarlane and Tyer had the volunteers pair off. In those groups of two, they were tasked with sharing something about themselves. After returning to the larger group, the pairs introduced each other by sharing what they had just been told. Those people who made themselves vulnerable, sharing something truly personal, fared better. “It just takes one person, then they fall like dominoes,” says McFarlane.
Jordan Beauchamp works remotely every day. To stay connected and engaged, he and his co-workers chat via messaging and video conferencing apps.
Establishing that trust was not a one-time exercise, though. It was something that had to be continually nurtured through team norms, the behaviors that help teams live their values, McFarlane says. So, a norm could be “arrive to meetings on time,” and the value associated with that norm could be accountability or respect. The norms provide a common set of expected behaviors within which the team operates, he says.
Being “open and transparent” at work would seem to run contrary to typical business culture, says McFarlane. “It puts you out there.” But, the benefits are worth the risk, he adds. “Once you trust, you can have conversations with conflict.”
Can technology be trusted?
Remote work is gaining in popularity and, with it, workers are using digital communication platforms to meet, collaborate, and talk. While Facebook and LinkedIn may be effective networking and collaboration platforms, they, along with texting and email, can also serve as impression management tools for the digital age.
James Tyer, collaboration consultant.
Many people use social media and texting to present their “perfect selves,” strategizing each word in a message and posting only their proudest achievements and most flattering photos. “Human relationships are rich; they’re messy and demanding. We have learned the habit of cleaning them up with technology,” wrote New York Times contributor Sherry Turkle, author of “Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age” and “Alone Together,” both about ways technology is changing communication habits.
Can colleagues genuinely bond when a screen is between them? Beauchamp, the Comcast technician who feels he is part of a brotherhood, spends a good portion of his day high atop a ladder and driving to job sites. Texting, email, and apps like Slack and FaceTime are his line to his co-workers. And while he values his group’s weekly in-person meetings, if they were wiped off the calendar tomorrow, he could live without them. But his digital communication channels are imperative, he says.
At TeamSnap, where 75 percent of the workforce is remote, they have managed to create trust among co-workers – even though the full staff meet in-person only twice a year – says CEO/founder Dave Dupont. Employees use apps like Slack and Zoom, as well as email, but also hold regular meetings via video conferencing. Still, Dupont says it’s not the technology that determines the strength of the team, but the people. TeamSnap’s leadership has “a strong sense of the characteristics of good fit with the company,” Dupont said.
In discussing his research, McFarlane makes the point that team building must be “deliberate.” The people leading the project must “believe” in the process. Team members must be selected thoughtfully; they should be the “change makers” within the organization, he adds.
At Airfoil, Akoma may be one of those change makers. Dedicated to getting “Airfoilers” to speak-up, she is meeting them in their comfort zones—an anonymous survey or an email chain. But, from their safe spaces, staff are also able to change the communication habits in their workplace. On one of the annual employee surveys, an Airfoiler requested more team bonding opportunities and interactions between senior and junior staff, the very kind of interactions that help create psychological safety.
In response, Akoma and Airfoil’s leadership began hosting a pet-friendly Halloween party and a Thanksgiving meal where staff shared why they are grateful for each other, says Akoma, the kind of call and response that supports the development of trust. The survey gives employees a safe platform for talking. When they do, Airfoil responds with action. Perhaps pets and gratitude can carry the conversation from there.
Leadership means doing a lot more than making hiring decisions, signing paychecks, and taking care of your team and your company. True leaders motivate others to take action.
When you think of leaders in your community, who comes to mind? Public officials? Civic group presidents? Pastors? These are fine choices, but many entrepreneurs don’t realize how their business acumen and leadership skills in the corporate world can be used to enhance the communities in which they live.
If you don’t already consider yourself a leader with the community, then think about this: You have the potential to be one. If you’ve ever wanted to be more civic minded, and become a leader in the private sector as well, take some time to think about these ideas.
Find a cause you’re passionate about Believe it or not, you have the power to influence other decision-makers in your community. When an issue that’s important to you arises, write letters to politicians respectfully expressing your thoughts and ideas. Attend town hall meetings, and tell your city council why you care. Get to know these people, and make your voice heard in a kind and thoughtful manner.
Make it a family service outing True servant leaders put others first. Is there a ministry or a nonprofit whose mission you identify with? Find one you really believe in, and give it your all. Invest your time, energy and resources into it, and you’ll have the power to make a real difference.
On top of that, make it a family affair. Giving back to the community while sharing the experience with your family can be a bonding and learning experience your kids will remember the rest of their lives.
Make things personal There’s something special about a handwritten note in today’s culture of email and text messages — especially one that’s unexpected. If you know someone who has a tough job or just needs a reminder that they’re awesome, let them know! You’re guaranteed to become a source of inspiration in their lives. People who do things like this gain influence and respect.
Surprise people whose job it is to serve others People who work stressful jobs serving others often don’t receive the appreciation they deserve. Let them know their work matters! Bring treats to the nurses’ station at your local hospital or to the teachers’ lounge at your neighborhood school. Drop off some pizza or sandwiches at the police department or fire station. Then, watch their faces light up when you remind them they’re respected!
So are you ready now to make a difference in your community? Leadership opportunities don’t happen just at work; they’re are all around you. All you have to do is choose one and start making a difference!
It was the auto industry that imprinted Michigan on the nation’s economic map.
The agricultural sector, meanwhile, continues to give the state something else to boast about.
Case in point: Earlier this year, National Geographic magazine named Detroit the top unexpected food destination in North America.
“Wait, Detroit? Yes,” wrote National Geographic writer Nancy Gupton. “The city better known as a center for automakers and manufacturing is revving its culinary motors.”
But for longtime Michiganders, a bustling restaurant scene and other agricultural activity is hardly a secret.
The vast food and agriculture industry, ranging from farmers who grow food to businesses that process it and serve it to consumers, is the second-largest economic sector in the state.
According to statistics compiled by the Michigan Farm Bureau, Michigan produces more than 300 commodities, making our farm economy the second most diverse in the nation behind California.
In total, the agriculture industry contributes more than $100 billion annually to the state’s economy and employs more than 130,000.
To celebrate all that and more, Corp! magazine honors the companies that continue to make this industry a source of pride and economic growth with its annual Food and Agriculture Awards.
This year, 80 winners were feted during the Michigan Celebrates Food and Agriculture Gala held March 2 at the Greektown Hotel.
A note about our Food and Agriculture Awards criteria: In addition to honoring food producers and processors, Corp! also recognizes creativity and success within the food-related retail sector, including restaurants and other storefront operations. We consider them a vital part of the network that literally injects flavor into the lives of Michigan residents. We honor organizations in four categories: Agriculture, Industry Champions, Industry Innovators and Industry Leaders.
Here are the synopses of your 2017 Food and Agriculture Awards winners:
Agriculture
Armada Grain Co.
Armada www.armadagrain.com Armada Grain Co. is a manufacturer of animal feed and pet food, specifically birdseed, dog and cat food, and caged bird diets. In 2016, commodity prices were favorable for sales and Armada Grain added production equipment to aid in growth, said President Lance Hollweg. “The future looks bright,” he says. “We continue to make improvements to manufacture more efficiently and improve quality.”
Cherry Central
Traverse City www.cherrycentral.com Cherry Central is the industry leader in red tart cherries, apples and blueberries and is also a major supplier of cranberries, strawberries, pomegranate arils and asparagus grown on farms across the United States, Canada and worldwide. It works closely with member cooperatives to grow, harvest and process fruit and vegetables, then supplies major manufacturers with dried, frozen, canned and custom products. Founded in 1973 by five independent cherry growers who came together to market and sell their tarts and sweets, Cherry Central Cooperative soon expanded operations. Today, Cherry Central member cooperatives represent hundreds of farmers and numerous preferred processors in renowned fruit-growing regions around the globe, according to its website. Cherry Central transforms fruit and asparagus into an array of products for the retail trade as well as for wholesale markets, including ingredients, foodservice, private label and co-pack opportunities, leveraging its operation with ownership of two Michigan companies: Kalamazoo-based Dunkley International, a machinery manufacturer that specializes in innovative fruit processing equipment, and Oceana Foods of Shelby, a fruit drying facility.
Everbest Organics
Munger www.everbestorganics.com Last year was one of significant growth for Everbest Organics, a vertically integrated processor of organic dry edible beans and soybeans, owned and operated by the family of James and DeAnn Sattelberg. “We have expanded our grower supply base to 16 states plus Canada and are currently supplying organic products to over 35 domestic and international customers,” James Sattelberg says. Everbest Organics continues to invest in both its people and its facility. “We currently have 21 employees with critical expertise in plant operations, production control, maintenance, quality, inventory control, logistics, finance, continuous improvement, food safety, crop scouting, grower support, seed sales, marketing and, of course, customer service,” Sattelberg says. Capital investments include state-of-the-art electronic color and shape sorting, climate-controlled raw and finished product storage, high-capacity ferrous and dirt removal system, dust control and, most recently, implementation of an enterprise resource planning system. Everbest Organics has a positive outlook for 2017, says Sattelberg. “We will continue to work hard to satisfy both our growers and customers in what may be a challenging market.”
Green Spirit Farms
New Buffalo www.greenspiritfarms.com Green Spirit Farms, which performs vertical indoor farming, says its mission is to provide local communities with high-quality, fresh, pesticide-free, non-GMO, sustainably grown produce at a fair price. It grows its vegetables year-round, which, according to the Green Spirit Farms website, reduces the carbon footprint associated with traditional food supply while increasing ecosystem performance. The approach eliminates unforeseen and uncontrollable severe weather events (such as drought, flood and early frost) that negatively impact yields of specialty vegetable crops, resulting in more stable production and predictable harvest schedules. The approach also increases the amount of food that is consumed locally while providing maximum food transparency and a secure local food supply year-round.
Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch Inc.
Saranac www.herbrucks.com For decades, the Herbruck family of Michigan has been supplying farm-fresh eggs to major retailers and food service outlets. Today’s business was founded by Harry and Marilyn Herbruck in Ionia County in 1958, and its roots stretch back to the late 1920s. It was then that Harry Herbruck Sr. began an egg delivery company in another part of the state, the company’s website states. Today, Herbruck’s Poultry Ranch is run by Harry Jr.’s four sons, with their sister as a fellow shareholder. Five members of the fourth generation also work in the business. The company’s flock has grown from 3,000 laying hens in the 1950s to 6 million today. As a fully integrated business, Herbruck’s owns and carefully manages all facets of egg production and processing. Herbruck’s also supports hundreds of independent family farms by purchasing their grain as feed, both organic and conventional. It also partners with more than 25 small farms that produce organic and cage-free eggs.
Hop Head Farms LLC
Hickory Corners www.hopheadfarms.com Hop Head Farms LLC is a grower, processor and marketer of high-quality aroma and traditional hop varieties. In addition to Michigan-grown hops, it imports aroma and traditional hops from Germany, Czech Republic and Slovenia. Hop Head Farms was established in 2011 to supply the Midwest craft beer community with high-quality Michigan hops. Starting in Hickory Corners, Hop Head Farms quickly realized the need to expand acreage in order to meet demand from the growing craft beer industry across the U.S. In 2014, Hop Head Farms partnered with Ceres Partners to increase acreage and expand production. Ceres Partners is a South Bend, Indiana-based agricultural investment firm that manages several funds, including Ceres Farms and Ceres Food & Agriculture Opportunity Fund. Hop Head Farms currently has over 500 acres in production and development and an extensive network of European hop growers. In order to meet demand from the over 300 brewers that it serves, in the summer of 2016 it added a second processing facility in Berrien County in order to double production capacity, the company’s website states.
Jake’s Country Meats
Cassopolis www.jakescountrymeats.com Nate and Lou Ann Robinson have been farming in Cass County for over 40 years. Nate is the sixth generation to farm the same land and is part of a lineage dedicated to agriculture and preserving it for future generations. In order to maintain a sustainable farm, the Robinson family created Jake’s Country Meats to bring food products straight to the consumer, its website states. In an effort to connect people to their food, Jake’s provides many different types of products, including pork, poultry, and beef from its own farm, sustainably sourced wild-caught Great Lakes fish, Michigan whitetail venison and pure Michigan maple syrup.
Michigan Cranberry Co.
Marlette www.michigancranberry.us
Michigan Cranberry Co. started as an idea in Wally Huggett’s mind in 1980. In the middle of his sod fields in Michigan’s Thumb, he started experimenting with growing cranberries commercially. But the peat base soil in that location had been farmed for many years and the pH proved too high for viable cranberry growth. Still wanting to try his hand at cranberry farming, Huggett searched throughout Michigan for the exact type of land in which to start a commercial cranberry farm. An abandoned peat mining operation in Cheboygan County came to his attention, and in 1991 Michigan Cranberry Co. was formed. The first beds were planted in 1993, and a respectable harvest was achieved in 1998. The company is now harvesting over 3 million pounds of cranberries on 150 acres of cranberry beds. It is the largest cranberry marsh in Michigan, accounting for three-fourths of the state’s crop, the company’s website states. The majority of its cranberries are sold directly to processors and wholesale packers. Through brokers, it has exported cranberries to Asia, Australia Eastern and Western Europe and Canada.
Peterson Farms Inc.
Shelby www.petersonfarmsinc.com Peterson Farms touts itself as the largest privately owned fruit processor in Michigan. “We are a family-owned and operated group of companies dedicated to providing the highest-quality products to ensure 100 percent customer satisfaction,” its website states. Peterson Farms Fresh Inc. is a state-of-the-art fresh-cut facility that focuses on the production of apples, while Peterson Farms Inc. is a marketer of frozen fruits. Annually, it markets over 150 million finished pounds of frozen fruits in addition to 7 million gallons of single-strength apple juice and juice concentrates. Frozen commodities it processes are apples, tart cherries, sweet cherries, cultivated blueberries, cling peaches and Damson plums.
Shoreline Fruit
Traverse City www.shorelinefruit.com During the late 1960s, at casual Michigan State University Farm House Fraternity gatherings, two sets of brothers — Bob and Don Gregory and Dean, Gene and Norm Veliquette — made plans for the orchards that would one day launch Shoreline Fruit’s cooperative of growers. What began as a few acres of leased orchards has grown to become what is today the largest tart cherry operation in North America, according to the Shoreline Fruit website. The Shoreline Fruit cooperative of growers has 6,000 acres of orchards and typically harvests more than 25 million pounds of Montmorency tart cherries each year. Its growers are among the first cherry farms in northern Michigan to earn USDA Good Agricultural Practices certification.
Siegers Seed Company
Holland www.siegers.com Siegers Seed Company was founded in 1912 in Chicago by Nanne Sluis, a Dutch immigrant and the great-grandfather of current owner and president Rick Siegers. Since its beginning, the company has been committed to helping growers achieve success by bringing them the right varieties at the right time to meet specific market needs. “At Siegers Seed Company, we specialize in fresh market vegetable varieties,” the company’s website states. “Whether you ship your produce or sell it locally, we have trial data and experience with the varieties that work in your region and meet your market demands.” The company serves commercial growers in the Midwestern, Northeastern, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, as well as in Canada. Every year, the company’s seed consultants evaluate hundreds of trials all over the Eastern United States and Canada to determine the viability of new products. “If there’s a variety out there that might meet your needs, then we put it through our three-phase trial program in your region before we introduce it,” the company maintains. “This rigorous product development system ensures that when you have questions, we have trustworthy answers.”
Summit Tree Sales
Lawrence www.summittreesales.com Summit Tree Sales calls itself the commercial grower’s one-stop source for fruit trees. It takes the time and labor out of the fruit tree ordering process by working with the nurseries throughout the country to help growers obtain the trees they need. The company’s services are free because it works on a commission basis with the nurseries, meaning customers’ costs are the same as ordering directly from a nursery.
The Farmer’s Hand
Detroit www.thefarmershand.com Founded by Rohani Foulkes and Kiki Louya, The Farmer’s Hand is a woman-owned artisanal pantry, market and kitchen that specializes in all-local, Michigan-made food, beverage and specialty giftware products. “Our partners are small-to-medium-sized businesses with honest, wholesome growth and processing practices, and we are committed to strengthening their relationships with the communities we serve,” Foulkes says. Located in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood, The Farmer’s Hand is part grocery, part café and part year-round farmers’ market that sources from its community. “We also provide an accessible, convenient and unique venue for local growers and producers to sell their products at a fair price, retain their identity, earn a living wage and connect with our customers in an authentic and meaningful way,” Louya says. “We are proud to be Detroit’s first neighborhood platform dedicated to the sale of 100 percent locally grown and produced goods.” After opening its doors to the public in 2016, learning how to increase capacity to meet demand has proved a challenge. But it’s one Foulkes and Louya vow to meet head-on. “We are excited for another year of growth and a full season of Michigan agriculture to enjoy,” says Foulkes.
Sandra Slager
Walters Seed Company
Holland www.walters-seed.com Since its founding in 1958, functioning as a small, family-operated perennial plant farm in Holland, Walters Seed Company has been recognized as a leader in the production of seed packets and seed starting kits used as promotional gifts to accompany perennial plant purchases. Since 2012 its retail line has developed an upscale look, and it is now carried in big-box stores as well as independent garden centers and gift shops. “Retail sales have grown during 2016, and we constantly add to our product line by creating new, innovative products,” says President Sandra Slager, daughter of founder Henry Walters. A pollinator Bee Garden gift set and Peel & Plant seeded stickers will hit the marketplace soon. Gardening in general has taken a turn from traditional gardens to patio gardening in containers and indoor gardening, Slager says. People are also more conscious of healthy, organic foods and tend to have a more active lifestyle. As such, the company’s line of Urban Gardening certified organic vegetables continues to grow from year to year. “Traditional seed packet companies tend to thrive during an economic downturn when many people will grow a garden to offset their food budget,” Slager says. “This has been the case for us as well in the last several years, but strong continued sales mean that new gardeners are becoming more adept at the process and continue to enjoy this activity even though the economy is improving.”
Walther Farms
Three Rivers www.waltherfarms.com Walther Farms is a third-generation family-owned business dating to the 1940s. Over the years, the company has expanded from a few vegetable acres of backyard hobby farming to what has now become over 12,000 acres of commercial and seed potatoes grown throughout the United States for the potato chip and fresh produce markets. Commercial operations are located in Michigan, Indiana, Nebraska, Colorado, Georgia and South Carolina. Seed operations are conducted in northern Michigan. Walther Farms was started by Leonard Walther Sr. and his wife, Regina, otherwise known as Grandma and Grandpa, in 1946 in Clio, the company’s website states. Grandpa worked at the Buick engine plant in nearby Flint. The farm eventually shifted to potato production and has been supplying potato chip processors for more than 40 years. Starting in the early 2000s, the farm began growing potatoes for the table stock market, and it has steadily increased annual production in this segment year after year.
Zeeland Farm Services Inc.
Zeeland www.zfsinc.com Zeeland Farm Services, Inc. is a family-owned and operated business with 65 years of service to the agricultural and transportation industries. It was founded in 1950 by Robert (Bob) G. Meeuwsen as Meeuwsen Produce and Grain. In 1977, it was reorganized as Zeeland Farm Services Inc. to provide customers with a wider variety of agricultural services. Bob sold the company to sons Cliff, Arlen and Robb in 1992. More than 200 employees, including 12 Meeuwsen family members, work at ZFS. “We endeavor to provide the best possible customer service and offer quality products and services at competitive prices,” the company’s website states. Among its offerings are grain, ingredients and elevator divisions, grain hauling, commercial and bulk commodities, and soybean processing.
Industry Champions
365 Retail Markets
Troy
365 Retail Markets’ proprietary 365 MicroMarket is a 24/7 unmanned self-checkout market that offers fresh food and beverage alternatives to vending in the workplace. A MicroMarket is a compact, self-service shop in a controlled location (such as an office) in place of a café or traditional vending. This system includes open shelving and coolers for products, with an electronic-checkout kiosk. Although a MicroMarket has the setup and feel of a small convenience store, it is autonomous like a vending machine. “In addition to MicroMarkets, 365 has expanded our vending and foodservice product offerings and introduced the 365 Inside device with 365Pay App to upgrade existing vending machines,” says CEO Joe Hessling. Last year was a busy one for 365, with more than 5,000 devices shipped and international expansion to Canada, Italy and the United Kingdom, among other accomplishments. “Our strategic focus is to boost business for vending and foodservice operators, by enabling them to better accommodate the expectations of today’s consumers with our expansive range of mobile and self-service payment technologies,” Hessling says. “We have also developed a variety of content and training for the benefit of our operators.” Looking forward, 365 will expand its Connected Campus model in 2017. This concept links all of an operator’s 365 new and existing devices with one global market account. Providing one platform that manages the purchase history, inventory and other data for all of an operator’s vending and foodservice locations will increase process efficiency, improve end-user service and bolster bottom lines, Hessling says.
Phillip Knight
Food Bank Council of Michigan
Lansing www.fbcmich.org The Food Bank Council of Michigan’s mission is to create a food-secure state through advocacy and collaboration with Michigan’s unified food bank network, which serves all 83 Michigan counties. “Hunger is a stubborn problem that affects every critical area of Michigan life,” says Phillip Knight, the council’s executive director. “Education outcomes for children, health care for seniors and retention rates for businesses are impacted by food insecurity.” The council contends this social problem is solvable and is developing innovative solutions to create food security and remove the toxic stress of hunger from the state. A recent example of innovation: implementation of a data mapping project with Professor Stephen Borders at Grand Valley State University that has significantly modernized the distribution of emergency food across the state. At the same time, FBCM is creating statewide opportunities within the health care industry to reduce hospital readmissions rates; creation of a mobile grocery that provide $1.40 in value for every $1 spent; and a food rescue process and partnership with food processors to collect individually quick frozen foods for distribution across Michigan. “The economy has improved and we find food security is increasing except among our senior citizen population and we will move to address this with partnerships that serve our seniors,” Knight says. “As good as our unemployment rates are there is still a large number of workers who do not make a living wage for their families and end up with a bit more month than money. We are committed to helping them with a hand up when they need us.”
FoodLab Detroit
Detroit www.foodlabdetroit.com FoodLab Detroit is a community of food entrepreneurs committed to making the possibility of good food in Detroit a sustainable reality. “We design, build and maintain systems to grow a diverse ecosystem of triple-bottom-line food businesses as part of a good food movement that is accountable to all Detroiters,” the organization’s website states. To help fulfill its mission, it stages a variety of programs and workshops.
Hop Growers of Michigan
Lansing www.hopgrowersofmichigan.com Hop Growers of Michigan is a statewide nonprofit association of commercial hop growers. It also provides membership to those who are serious about becoming a grower and those associated with the production and distribution of hops or beer in Michigan. Its mission, according to its website, is to make a positive difference in Michigan’s hop industry by providing educational opportunities and research for better hop production and processing, as well as advocating for and promoting the use of Michigan-grown hops.
International Food Protection Training Institute
Battle Creek www.ifpti.org Serving food protection professionals in the United States and the rest of the world, the International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI) improves public health through competency-based learning solutions — while cultivating strong leadership in the global food protection community. IFPTI builds competency-based solutions for public and private sector food protection professionals. “This translates to custom-designed learning organized around curriculum frameworks aligned with specific workforce competencies,” the organization’s website states. “Simply put, for any food protection or safety challenges anywhere in the world, IFPTI has the expertise, leadership and systems in place to help solve them.” Augmented by close collaboration with industry, academia, federal, state and international governments, and other organizations, IFPTI is the model for creating and fostering partnerships committed to addressing food protection and public health needs worldwide.
Michigan Agritourism Association
Traverse City www.michiganfarmfun.com Michigan Agritourism is a nonprofit association that supports the agritourism industry through promotion, education, advocacy, problem resolution and networking. Its goal is to keep family farms sustainable, support local economic growth, and provide rich and unique experiences for visitors to make lasting memories. “Since the foundation of our state, family farms have served as the backbone of our communities,” the organization’s website states. “Our land and its natural resources define Michigan, and the members of the Michigan Agritourism Association are committed to being good stewards of this wonderful gift.”
Michigan Craft Distillers Association
Traverse City www.micraftspirits.com The Michigan Craft Distillers Association was formed in October 2014 as a nonprofit organization charged with marketing individual member businesses, their products and events, as well as to serve as a voice when it comes to legislative issues that affect the overall beverage industry. “Our organization continued to grow in 2016, representing more than two dozen craft distilleries (with nearly 40 tasting room locations) around Michigan,” says Dianna Stampfler, executive director. “We are also working to keep an eye out for new distillery operations that are in various stages of planning so that we might welcome them to our trade organization.” Also last year, members rallied around various legislative issues that would reduce certain taxes and therefore provide more financial resources for them to expand their businesses in terms of production, employment and as a contributor to the state’s overall agricultural and tourism industries, Stampfler says. “We’re seeing a continued growth in the industry in terms of new distilleries in planning and those who are opening after years of hard work,” she says. “Promotion and legislation will remain key activities, along with finding partners around the state to host quality educational events to enhance the craft cocktail experience. We’re also seeing a growing interest from retailers, restaurants, bars and communities looking to build on the spirit industry as a vital contributor to the hospitality industry. We’re excited about how this will continue to grow statewide.”
Michigan Crop Improvement Association
Okemos www.michcrop.com The Michigan Crop Improvement Association was incorporated in 1927 as a nonprofit education and service organization by Michigan seed growers. The purpose of the association is to foster and promote the production and use of improved seed stocks in Michigan, to serve as an official seed certification agency for the state of Michigan and to provide other related services to benefit its members and the agricultural industry. “The vision of the Michigan Crop Improvement Association is to be the official source for unbiased field and lab testing genetic purity, seed quality or trait purity,” the organization’s website states.
Michigan Urban Farming Initiative
Detroit www.miufi.org The Michigan Urban Farming Initiative is a nonprofit organization that seeks to engage members of the Michigan community in sustainable agriculture. “We believe that challenges unique to the Michigan community (e.g., vacant land, poor diet, nutritional illiteracy, and food insecurity) present a unique opportunity for community-supported agriculture,” the organization’s website states. “Using agriculture as a platform to promote education, sustainability and community — while simultaneously reducing socioeconomic disparity — we hope to empower urban communities.” The 100 percent volunteer-run operation is based in Detroit’s North End community. MUFI’s mission is to use urban agriculture as a platform to promote education, sustainability and community in an effort to empower urban communities, solve many social problems facing Detroit, and potentially develop a broader model for redevelopment for other urban communities. Its primary focus is the redevelopment of a two-square-block area in Detroit’s North End, which is being positioned as an epicenter of urban agriculture.
The Fair Food Network
Ann Arbor www.fairfoodnetwork.org Fair Food Network is founded on the belief that a vibrant local food system can create health and economic opportunity for all. A national nonprofit, it works with a diverse network of partners and pioneer solutions that support farmers, strengthen local economies and increase access to healthy food — especially in the most underserved communities. “We also serve as a network for the good food movement, bringing people together to generate ideas, share resources and promote policy change,” says Oran Hesterman, CEO. Key efforts include the healthy food incentive program Double Up Food Bucks and fair food financing through the Michigan Good Food Fund. Double Up Food Bucks, the network’s signature effort, is a national model for healthy food incentives. It doubles the value of federal nutrition benefits spent on Michigan-grown produce. “The wins are three-fold: low-income families bring home more healthy food, Michigan farmers gain more customers and make more money, and more food dollars stay in the local economy,” Hesterman says. In 2016, Fair Food Network also expanded Double Up in Flint to reach more children and families with needed nutritious foods in response to the water crisis. In the first five months, Double Up program use was more than 50 percent higher than in the same period the year before and the number of individual SNAP recipients using the program more than doubled. “A final significant project is our work on the Michigan Good Food Fund, of which we are a core partner alongside Capital Impact Partners, MSU Center for Regional Food System and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation,” Hesterman says. “This new $30 million public-private partnership loan fund provides financing and business assistance to good-food enterprises that benefit underserved communities across Michigan.”
United Dairy Industry of Michigan
Okemos www.milkmeansmore.org The United Dairy Industry of Michigan (UDIM) is the umbrella organization for the Dairy Council of Michigan and the American Dairy Association of Michigan. “We believe milk is a natural beverage that delivers nutrition, health and true local flavor,” the UDIM website states. “We are dedicated to being your credible source for information about dairy foods and Michigan dairy farming by providing science-based nutrition information to foster a healthier society.” The organization aims to raising awareness of the benefits of consuming dairy products. It accomplishes that by working with health professionals, educators, school nutrition directors, academia, industry, consumers and the media.
United Food and Commercial Workers 876
Madison Heights www.ufcw876.org The United Food & Commercial Workers Local 876 is an advocate for workers in grocery, retail, manufacturing, meat processing, nursing homes and pharmacy. Among its members are workers for Kroger, Rite Aid, Hollywood Market and Polly’s Country Market.
Industry Innovators
Big Dutchman Inc.
Holland www.bigdutchmanusa.com Big Dutchman provides a complete line of poultry and swine production equipment around the world. “We offer practical, economical and environmentally friendly solutions for the poultry and swine industries,” the company’s website states. Among its offerings: broiler, broiler breeder and turkey meat production systems; a full range of pullet rearing and egg production systems, including belt/curtain cages, alternative and enriched colony housing; as well as manure management systems, bulk feed handling, feeding, watering, environmental control equipment and associated production computer control/management systems.
Community Mills Inc.
Cassopolis www.commills.com Community Mills, which serves all of southwest Michigan, has existed in various forms since the late 1940s. Now family owned for many years, its full-service agricultural center also includes a retail store that carries products for gardeners, small animal owners, outdoor enthusiasts or casual shoppers looking for durable apparel for men, women and children. “Our extensive product lines for all types of apparel, feed and farm or home projects includes brand names recognized for quality, such as Red Wing, Wolverine, Carhartt, Kalmbach, Prince and many more,” the company’s website states. Additionally, it offers agricultural services such as custom application, soil testing and delivery of feed, fertilizer and chemicals.
Cooperative Elevator Co.
Pigeon www.coopelev.com Cooperative Elevator Co. is an agricultural cooperative situated in Michigan’s Thumb. The cooperative is owned by 1,115 farmer producers and has been in business since 1915. Based in Pigeon, it has plants in Akron, Bad Axe, Deckerville-East, Deckerville-West, Elkton Elevator, Elkton Terminal, Fairgrove, Gagetown, North Branch, Pigeon, Ruth, Sebewaing and Larimore, North Dakota. “We provide quality farm inputs to member patrons,” the operation’s website states. “These farm supplies include seed, fertilizer, crop protection and petroleum. Our services include custom applications using variable rate technology for sustainability.”
Hanson Logistics
St. Joseph www.hansonlogistics.com Hanson Logistics is the evolution of Hanson Cold Storage, founded in 1954 to support fruit and vegetable growers. Hanson Cold Storage grew to become the 13th largest refrigerated warehouse network in the country, with nine facilities in Michigan and Indiana and a total capacity of 37,000,000 cubic feet of deep-frozen, refrigerated and dry warehousing space. The company entered the 3PL market in 2004, deepening its management team with seasoned logistics professionals and adding extensive transportation services. Today, Hanson Logistics offers the security of company-owned trucks, facilities and technology with the flexibility of non-asset services when structuring supply chain solutions for a growing number of food processors, distributors and retailers.
HJV Equipment LLC
Chesaning www.hjvequip.com “Our vision is twofold and integrated: First, to become the premier specialized agricultural equipment distributor in the world; and second, to successfully train and develop our employees; enhancing their lives by providing them with a rewarding and challenging work environment,” David Vander Zaag, president of HJV Equipment LLC, states on the company’s website. Recent expansion includes acquisition of the distributorship of the Apache line of spray equipment. The company employs 70 full-time workers in five locations.
LaGrasso Bros. Produce Inc.
Detroit www.lagrasso.com LaGrasso Bros. Produce has a rich family history in the Detroit produce market. It began in 1914 with a single pushcart. In 1925, the first truck was purchased for route sales. In 1927, three fruit stands were added, and a second truck was purchased in 1935. After WWII, the second generation (three brothers) started a partnership, and then fully incorporated in 1962. Their children joined the family business. In 1980, the company was large enough to move into its current space: a 40,000-square-foot refrigerated facility that includes 13 separate rooms for temperature control. LaGrasso Bros. Produce is currently owned and operated by the third and fourth generation of LaGrasso family members, the company’s website states.
Macomb Restaurant Supply
Utica
“When you want to cook like a pro, you need to shop where the pros shop!” is the slogan of Macomb Restaurant Supply. The company carries professional cooking and baking equipment; a full line of glassware, plates, cups and silverware; Chef Revival chef clothing; and hard-to-find center pull towels for restaurant, institution, home and office uses.
Meelunie B.V.
Southfield www.meelunie.com Meelunie was founded in Holland in 1867. It began as growers and millers of Dutch wheat and potatoes. “As the world’s population grew, so did the demand for quality foods, feed and non-food ingredients for endless applications,” the company’s website states. “Over time, we have learned the best methods for managing high-quality starches, sweeteners, proteins and other ingredients becoming a key global supplier in more than 80 countries.”
North Bay Produce Inc.
Traverse City www.northbayproduce.com North Bay Produce Inc. is an international, grower-owned, year-round, fresh produce marketing and distribution cooperative, headquartered in Traverse City. The company’s 31 stockholders are located in Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and the United States. North Bay Produce markets its produce to retailers, wholesalers and food service distributors throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
Praxis Packaging Solutions
Grand Rapids www.praxispackaging.com Established in 1989, Praxis Packaging Solutions is a full-service contract packaging company specializing in secondary packaging operations for the consumer product, cosmetics, food and beverage, over-the-counter and prescription pharmaceuticals, and promotional products industry as well as primary filling and packaging of oral solid dosage tablets. It is an independently operated subsidiary of the Huizenga Group, a privately held firm that provides management services to a diverse group of companies. The current portfolio of companies provides products and services for the leading automotive, pharmaceutical, military goods, medical device, consumer goods and office furniture manufacturers.
Sherwood Food Distributors
Detroit www.sherwoodfoods.com Sherwood Food Distributors was formed in 1969 as Regal Packing Co. by Alex Karp and Earl Ishbia. In 1987 the name was changed to Sherwood Food Distributors. Since its inception, Sherwood has grown to become one of the largest independent distributors in the meat and food industry. The company currently ships 16 million pounds of food products weekly on a fleet of over 250 trucks through a network of distribution centers in Atlanta, Cleveland, Detroit, Miami and Walton, Kentucky. With headquarters in Detroit, it operates distribution centers totaling over 1 million square feet of refrigerated warehouse space with over a million cases in stock in over 50 categories. Sherwood services 5,000 customers including retailers, wholesalers, institutional accounts, food service accounts and cruise lines.
Superior Foods
Grand Rapids www.superiorfoods.co Superior Foods began over six decades ago and has evolved throughout the three generations it has been in business. Its roots are heavily grounded in the fresh seafood processing arena, but it has continued to expand and grow its production operations, including in the meat and deli production area. Superior Foods has evolved throughout the three generations it has been in business. In addition, its food service division caters to independent and local chain restaurants. The retail division of Superior Foods is focused on serving grocery stores, supermarkets and specialty stores, such as butcher stores. According to its website, Superior Foods employs over 170 people.
Sysco Corp.
Canton www.sysco.com Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, health care and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers who prepare meals away from home, its website states. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the foodservice and hospitality industries. The company operates 198 distribution facilities serving approximately 425,000 customers. For fiscal year 2016 that ended July 2, 2016, the company generated sales of more than $50 billion. Subsequent to fiscal year 2016, the company completed the acquisition of the Brakes Group, a leading European foodservice distributor with operations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Sweden, Spain, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Universal Wholesale Inc.
Southfield www.universalws.com Founded in 1986 by Joseph Sevany Zaitouna, Universal Wholesale has grown to become one of Michigan’s largest import/export wholesale distributors of dollar store products and general merchandise. It imports thousands of items in many different categories, such as hardware, groceries, baby products, party supplies, seasonal items, cosmetics and many more items. It also purchases and distributes close-out items and carries name-brand products such as Colgate-Palmolive, Tide, Nestle and Hershey’s. “We have over 10,000 different items for you to choose from,” the company’s website states. “Because of our huge buying power and efficient warehouse facility, we can offer competitive prices in Michigan and in surrounding states.”
Van Eerden Foodservice
Grand Rapids www.vaneerden.com
Van Eerden Foodservice began in 1920 when Andrew Van Eerden formed “Van Eerden Company” to distribute fresh produce to grocers and restaurants in the Greater Grand Rapids area. His dedication to finding the freshest fruits and vegetables for his loyal customers led to daily train rides to the Chicago market. “It is this commitment to freshness and customer service that has allowed Van Eerden to thrive for nearly 100 years,” the company’s website states. Now in its fourth generation of family ownership, Van Eerden Foodservice has grown into one of the nation’s top-tier foodservice distributors.
Industry Leaders
Alexander & Hornung
St. Clair Shores www.alexanderhornung.com Alexander & Hornung, now in its fourth generation of family ownership, produces fine hams, sausages, deli meats and meat snacks. It operates a 100,000-square-foot plant that is SQF Level III certified and sells goods throughout the United States and Canada. “During 2016, we faced the typical challenges for a small business,” says Bernie Polen, company president. “We saw shifts in both consumer habits and some of our traditional channels. We secured several significant new accounts, and we are finding many new opportunities for 2017.” The company also invested in several modern technologies that made work for employees easier and more productive. “We continue to grow with year over year sales up for 28 of the past 30 years, a statistic we are quite proud of,” Polen says. “We continue to grow our workforce, and while we believe in new technology, we don’t believe in replacing people with machines. Every new line or piece of equipment has yielded more jobs in our plant.” The company is embarking on several initiatives for 2017 and 2018, including a new marketing campaign, more capital improvements and several new, undisclosed product lines. “I love Michigan and wouldn’t do business anywhere else,” Polen says. “I think the programs offered by the state should be flexible enough to actually help us grow our business and grow our sales within Michigan. Probably a difficult task, if not impossible, but many states are pushing to keep their dollars at home. Everybody eats, and Michigan is a huge contributor to the nation’s food supply. We can be better. We need to work together to make us all stronger.”
Bagger Dave’s Burger Tavern Inc.
Southfield www.baggerdaves.com Bagger Dave’s Burger Tavern Inc. is a restaurant chain that was founded in 2008 by Diversified Restaurant Holdings Inc., the big Buffalo Wild Wings franchisee. Diversified spun off Bagger Dave’s late last year. The chain specializes in craft burgers, beer and also sells macaroni and cheese, chili, beer, wine, and bourbon. Bagger Dave’s has 18 locations in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, its website states.
Banza
Detroit www.eatbanza.com “Our goal is to bring a better pasta to more people,” says Brian Rudolph, co-founder of Banza, whose initial product is a pasta made from chickpeas. Banza made significant headway toward that goal in late 2016, when it launched in Target stores nationwide. That capped off a year in which Banza tripled its retail distribution and gained a presence in every state, according to a press release announcing the Target deal. The company has come a long way in a short time since it began in a home kitchen in downtown Detroit, where Brian Rudolph perfected his pasta recipe. “He wanted to challenge the food industry to innovate on behalf of people like him,” the company’s website states. By 2015, the brothers had raised $1.3 million from institutional and angel investors in a first seed round. In addition to Target, Banza pasta is found in HEB, Wegmans, Mariano’s, ShopRite and Whole Foods.
BLiS Gourmet
Grand Rapids www.blisgourmet.com BLiS is the result of one chef’s passion to handcraft unique, sustainable, naturally sourced gourmet food ingredients that inspire chefs and discerning home cooks around the world. The BLiS Gourmet line consists of bourbon barrel-aged sauces and wild-caught domestic roes handcrafted in Grand Rapids. “As the pioneer in bourbon barrel aging, BLiS has unique access to bourbon barrels that are over 20 years old, which provide an extraordinary taste experience,” says Sarah Sherman, sales and account executive. Steve Stallard is the innovative chef behind the brand. Realizing there were ingredients missing in kitchens, BLiS began to develop chef-driven, unique ingredients to finish dishes. “We first produced flavored domestic roes and eventually began crafting bourbon barrel maple syrup, and BLiS Gourmet was born,” Sherman says. “Our line now includes vinegar, hot sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, truffle oil, spice rubs and infused sea salts.” The company enjoyed a strong 2016. “We received a Sofi award from the Specialty Food Association for our bourbon maple syrup, and we had our highest sales on record,” Sherman says. “We increased our distribution in the mountain states, which has proven to be lucrative during the busy ski season.” The company also spent time in development, which will lead to the release of some new products in 2017. “We are working on increasing our retail presence nationally,” Sherman says. “Our release of ‘blast’ steak sauce (sibling to our ‘blast’ hot sauce) in February 2017 is an example of that.”
Brooklyn Street Local LLC
Detroit www.brooklynstreetlocal.com Jason Yates and Deveri Gifford, the husband and wife behind the Brooklyn Street Local restaurant are committed to fresh, local and organically grown food. “In January 2012 Jason and I moved from our apartment in Toronto to 1266 Michigan Avenue, a former breakfast restaurant that had been closed for two years,” they state on their eatery’s website. “We set up sleeping bags on the tabletops and for two weeks we camped out at the restaurant, trying to figure out what we had gotten ourselves into!” Their vision was to open a restaurant that would feature locally sourced ingredients on the menu, use environmentally sustainable practices and support community growth. “As much as possible we offer local, seasonal, organic ingredients, many sourced from urban farms in Detroit,” the Brooklyn Street Local website states. “We are dedicated to composting, recycling, waste reduction and constantly strive to decrease our environmental footprint.”
Howdy Holmes
Chelsea Milling Co.
Chelsea www.jiffymix.com Chelsea Milling Co., the maker of prepared baking mixes for the retail, institutional and foodservices markets sold under the Jiffy and CMC brand names, has hired over 50 people in the last 20 months. “We are in addition completing work on a state-of-the-art new mixing and packaging facility, which will serve institutional and foodservice customers,” says Howdy Holmes, president and CEO. As a result, new skill sets and significant training programs will be required to operate and maintain the new facility. “There were many changes which challenged us throughout the year,” Holmes says of 2016. “We responded as necessary to serve our customers. Our employees benefit from unplanned changes because they value our customers and find a way to adjust to those changes as a team. That makes them proud and feel good.” Chelsea Milling makes the No. 1-selling brand in the United States in dry grocery and is aiming to extend that lead in 2017. “In addition, with the coming online of our new mix facility, we intend to make headway into the foodservice channel,” Holmes says.
Cool Jacks
Sylvan Lake www.cooljacks.com Josh Charlip, founder and president of Cool Jacks, says he has one goal in life: to rid the world of cardboard cookies and flavorless ice cream. Cool Jacks, which he founded in 2011, makes ice cream cookies and sandwiches and has carts and a truck that travel to various venues, as well as stores in Sylvan Lake, Southfield and Boca Raton, Florida. It has also launched into the retail market, with grocery and specialty food stores stocking its products.
Crispelli’s Bakery and Pizzeria
Berkley www.crispellis.com Crispelli’s Bakery and Pizzeria opened its doors five year ago hoping to offer something unique: affordable gourmet. “Call us crazy, but we think the idea of having only one ‘price point’ at a restaurant makes no sense,” the company’s website states. “Why shouldn’t you be able to get a high-end meal at the same place you find amazing, affordable, on-the-go thin crust pizza?” The market has answered affirmatively to that question by supporting four Crispelli’s locations throughout metro Detroit.
D&B Grocers Wholesale Inc.
Livonia www.dandbgrocers.com D&B Grocers Wholesale & Distributors’ roots in the grocery business go back to 1962, when Michael Hesano Sr. opened Hesano Market in Detroit. The family ascended to the next level in 1994, when they founded D&B Grocers in the Detroit suburb of Lincoln Park. The goal was to fill the void for an independent distributor to service independent retailers in the Detroit-area market. The family quickly found success, as D&B Grocers became a primary source for independents across Southeastern Michigan. Despite the area’s economic ups and downs, D&B Grocers continued its growth. In 2004, D&B Grocers moved to a new warehouse facility in Livonia, and it added additional square footage in 2006. D&B Grocers now serves hundreds of retailers in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois, its website states.
Detroit Seafood Market
Detroit www.thedetroitseafoodmarket.com Detroit Seafood Market, which touts itself as the city’s finest seafood restaurant, features a daily menu to highlight fresh fish and seafood. Housed in a turn-of-the-century historic building, the restaurant offers an extensive wine list, with an emphasis on American wines. The restaurant is centrally located in Paradise Valley (formally Harmonie Park) with easy access to the Opera House, Gem Theater, Music Hall, Ford Field and Comerica Park. “There simply isn’t another restaurant in all of metropolitan Detroit where guests can enjoy a more abundant offering of fresh fish and pristine seafood than they do today at the new Detroit Seafood Market,” the restaurant’s website states.
Diversified Restaurant Holdings Inc.
Southfield www.diversifiedrestaurantholdings.com Diversified Restaurant Holdings Inc. (DRH) is a leading restaurant operator and the largest franchisee of Buffalo Wild Wings (BWW). DRH has 64 BWW restaurants located in key urban and suburban markets in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Missouri. Over the last five years, the company has nearly tripled its number of restaurants through a combination of organic growth and acquisition. DRH’s strategy is to generate cash, reduce debt and leverage its strong franchise operating capabilities for future growth, its website states.
Domino’s Pizza LLC
Ann Arbor www.biz.dominos.com Founded in 1960, Domino’s is a world leader in pizza delivery, operating a network of company-owned and franchise-owned stores in the United States and international markets. Beginning with a single store, Domino’s grew to 200 outlets by 1978. By 1983 there were 1,000 Domino’s stores and 5,000 in 1989. Today, there are over 13,200 stores – including more than 5,000 outside the United States. Of those, 97 percent are owned by franchisees, the Domino’s website states.
Downtown Market Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids
The Grand Rapids Downtown Market is a $30 million mixed-use facility that brings together production, distribution, marketing and education about local foods and growing. It incorporates entrepreneur and experimentation space for both emerging and experienced food artisans and merchants including a 24-vendor Market Hall and two full-service restaurants. The market had an excellent year in 2016, welcoming its second anchor restaurant tenant, adding a second monthly summer event in the outdoor Market Shed and completing its first year of strategic planning, CEO Mimi Fritz reports. “With all the growth at the market in 2016, it became necessary to add more full- and part-time staff in nearly all of our departments,” she says. “This was a plus as we created more jobs in the community and gave ourselves the ability to do more, while also resulting in additional revenue.” In 2017, the market is focusing strategic planning on ensuring tenants’ success, to help them grow their businesses, expand their sales and increase profit margins, Fritz says. “The Michigan economy is growing, and Grand Rapids is growing at an even faster pace,” she says. “The West Michigan region is closer to full employment than it has been in more than nearly 20 years. With more people working, spending money locally, the Downtown Market and the food ecosystem has been a direct beneficiary of this growth in job creation.”
Drought
Ferndale www.droughtjuice.com DROUGHT manufactures and sells 100 percent USDA organic-certified, cold-pressed raw juice. It has four brick-and-mortar locations (Bloomfield Hills, Royal Oak, Detroit and Plymouth) with a fifth locale opening in Royal Oak this month and two more outlets slated for Ann Arbor within the year. “We have capabilities to overnight ship nationally as well as a wholesale line which was launched this year and featured throughout the Midwest in over 30 retailers via five-state distribution,” says co-founder Julie James. Last year was important for formalizing processes. “We secured USDA Organic Certification, expanded our staff to 42 employees and secured a location to expand production from 3,500 square feet to 16,000 square feet,” James says. “We faced challenges from FDA and MDA audits of our process but are proud that our diligence and transparency have allowed us to confidently move forward.” The company’s managers have worked to ensure that staff turnover is reduced by building a company culture and listening to feedback from staff. “We try to engage our customers on a level that does not feed too heavily into the fluctuations of the economy,” James says. “Specifically, we encourage the purchase of our highly healthy product to be a top priority, and our customers have responded well.” To make Michigan a more favorable climate for agriculture and the food industry, DROUGHT envisions better distribution channels throughout the state and education on organic certification for smaller farms so that certified companies can take advantage of their yields, James says.
Faygo Beverages Inc.
Detroit www.faygo.com Faygo Beverages Inc. began in 1907 when Russian immigrant bakers Ben and Perry Feigenson began transforming their frosting flavors into what is now an iconic line of sodas. In the 1920s, the Feigenson Brothers Bottling Works shortened its name to Faygo and delivered pop door-to-door in a Ford truck, according to a history of the company on the Faygo website. Through the 1930s and into the Second World War, Faygo continued to perfect its pop, adding new flavors, new bottles, the now-famous “shield” emblem, and a refined root beer formula. Today, Faygo Beverages is part of the National Beverage family of brands, which consists of sparkling waters, juices, energy drinks and carbonated soft drinks.
Fresh Food Is Fun
Kalamazoo www.freshfoodisfun.com Hether Frayer is out to encourage good nutrition by making fresh food fun. To help fulfill her mission, she transforms into the Fresh Food Fairy and visits school classrooms. During 60-minute presentations, the Fresh Food Fairy explains why fresh food is fun: It is colorful, has cool shapes, interesting textures, and yummy flavors, and it helps children grow strong and smart. The interactive, hands-on presentation involves crunching carrots as loud as possible, power crunching green beans, making veggie faces, sampling veggies and seasonal fruits, and discovering favorites! Whenever possible, the Fresh Food Fairy supports the local economy by purchasing seasonal fruits and vegetables from local farmers. Furthermore, to help fund her food education efforts, she produces Kaleamazoo Chips, chips made from kale that are sold in various specialty food stores.
Chris Sherrell
Fresh Thyme Farmers Market www.freshthyme.com Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, a Chicago-based chain that now has seven Michigan outlets, likes to say that it believes shopping for fresh and healthy food should be easy and enjoyable. “Our stores don’t follow traditional grocery store design, nor do they have tall aisles or glitzy fixtures,” says CEO Chris Sherrell. “In fact, our stores are so simple and easy to navigate that we don’t number our aisles or hand out store maps.” Last year was one of growth for Fresh Thyme. It opened 20 new stores, welcomed more than 2,000 new employees and opened a distribution center in the western suburbs of Chicago. “It’s great to see more people making healthier, natural, local and organic food choices and we’re honored to be a part of that movement throughout the Midwest,” Sherrell says. Being a young company, Fresh Thyme consistently has a plethora of major initiatives it’s undertaking. “From training initiatives to e-commerce to basic branding and advertising, we’re firing on all cylinders to accomplish our goals and initiatives in record time,” Sherrell says. “Additionally we’re opening 20 more store locations, to end the year with close to 70 stores.”
Germack Pistachio Co.
Detroit www.germack.com Germack Pistachio Co. proudly lays claim to the title of the oldest roaster of pistachio nuts in the U.S., roasting a full line of nuts, seeds and coffees in-house. It also offers a full line of dried fruits, chocolates, nostalgic candies and gourmet gifts. The company was founded by John and Frank Germack, who immigrated to the United States in 1912. The business has endured into what is now the fourth generation of Germacks.
Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company
Bloomfield Hills www.greatlakescoffee.com “At Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company, we roast all our coffees to order on custom-modified drum roasters with precise temperature controls and measurements,” the company’s LinkedIn profile states. “As a true micro-roaster, one of our strengths is our attention to detail and our ability to adjust to the needs and demands of our customers, a generally educated and awesome group of people.” The company further states that cafe culture has long centered on a sense of community. “Our coffee bar in Detroit has been designed in that tradition, and we’re pleased to have you join us. We serve our own Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company coffees, roasted locally every day; and since we know there’s more to life than coffee, we also work with like-minded breweries, wine importers, bakeries, and other purveyors.” According to its website, the company operates a roastery in Bloomfield Hills and has outlets near the Maple Theater and in Detroit’s Midtown area and Cobo Center.
Great Lakes Potato Chip Co.
Traverse City www.greatlakespotatochips.com Six years ago, Ed Girrbach and his son Chris pulled their Dodge 1500 pickup truck in line with four 53-foot semi-tractor trailers waiting to load up with a fresh harvest of Michigan potatoes. In the bed of the pickup was a single 4-by-6-foot wooden crate that would hold 1,500 pounds of potatoes — enough for about 600 bags of chips. After loading, Ed and Chris drove the 110 miles back to their small plant just outside Traverse City and begin turning these quality potatoes into handcrafted kettle chips for their new company, Great Lakes Potato Chips. As with most small businesses, sales began with support from the local retailers but grew quickly throughout the state as the Girrbachs worked the trade show circuit to expose their chips to retailers big and small around the Great Lakes region. The company gradually added equipment and additional products, and then its fourth year it experienced a major expansion of its production facilities, tripling capacity and boosting the employee count to 13. Today the company has over 30 full-time employees processing more than 80,000 pounds of potatoes per week, and 17 distributors that supply a growing list of customers in six Midwest states as well as Texas, Tennessee and Canada. Future distribution is planned for the Southeast. The company’s award-winning lineup of products includes seven permanent flavors of kettle-cooked potato chips, two flavors of tortilla chips, two flavors of salsas and a few seasonal potato chip flavors that change from time to time.
Guernsey Farms Dairy
Northville www.guernseyfarmsdairy.com “Produce exceptional products, maintain quality and provide excellent service in delivering them to customers. That’s the philosophy founder John McGuire built Guernsey on in 1940 when he wanted nothing more than to make and deliver good milk to his family and friends.” So states the Guernsey Farms Dairy website. The operation credits its founder’s philosophy with allowing Guernsey Farms Dairy to become one of the oldest family-owned dairy processors in Southeast Michigan. Guernsey maintains that every recipe starts the same way: at local farms with happy cows. “That’s why we go to such great lengths to work only with farms that treat their cows with the utmost respect and concern for their well-being,” the website states.
Hausbeck Pickle Co.
Saginaw www.hausbeck.com Hausbeck Pickle Co. Inc. is a supplier to many well-known quick-service restaurants, including Burger King since 1980, according to its website. Formed in 1923 by Charles E. Hausbeck, the company has remained a family affair ever since, even after incorporating in 1968. Today, the pickles and peppers company is led by Charles’ grandsons Tim as president and Joe as vice president.
HopCat
Grand Rapids www.hopcat.com HopCat CEO Mark Gray calls his operation “Michigan’s home for craft beer, with an unmatched selection of craft beers from around the state and around the world along with great homemade pub food in a unique and casual environment.” In 2016, HopCat continued its growth as it expanded into Nebraska, Kentucky and Illinois and added new Michigan locations. “While such growth is a challenge, we are fortunate to have a tireless and dedicated team that shares our vision of a company that cares about its employees, its guests and its planet,” Gray says. The continued growth meant opening four new stores and millions of dollars in additional revenue. “We went from a small company with a few hundred employees a few years ago to one that has more than 1,500 people on its payroll,” Gray says. HopCat also is adding four more Midwest locations in 2017. “Michigan’s economy is healthy and that means more people feel comfortable dining out,” Gray says. “Michigan needs to continue its business-friendly approach to limiting new regulations while ensuring we are a state that is welcoming to people from all walks of life.”
House of Flavors Inc.
Ludington www.houseofflavors.com In business since 1937, House of Flavors is now Michigan’s largest ice cream manufacturer, producing 25 million pounds of product per year. Owned since the 1990s by Protein Holdings Inc., it currently makes more than 1,400 different items in its factory when accounting for brand, flavor and package size, the company’s website states.
Jayell Smoke House
Oxford
Founded in 2012 by Master Smoker David Leidlein, Jayell Smoke House BBQ was created to honor his late father by sharing his father’s love of barbecue with others. “It’s with that memory in mind that every sauce and rub is developed,” the business’s website states. “The unique flavors offered by Jayell Smoke House are a result of David’s love of experimenting with different flavor and spice combinations.” In addition to selling sauces and rubs, Jayell caters events.
LorAnn Oils Inc.
Lansing www.lorannoils.com LorAnn Oils has manufactured and distributed premium flavorings and essential oils for 55 years. Pharmacist O.K. Grettenberger, grandfather of current CEO John Grettenberger, founded LorAnn Oils in 1962 and named the company in honor of his wife, Laura, and their only daughter, Ann. Originally, LorAnn Oils bottled and distributed about eight to 10 core essential oils such as peppermint and clove and distribution was limited to pharmacies. Over the years, the business has expanded its product offerings and now sells to a wide variety of retailers, manufacturers, health practitioners and home consumers. Today, the company services over 30,000 customers in 25 countries, its website states. LorAnn is known for concentrated, professional-strength flavorings and essential oils, but the LorAnn product line encompasses a variety of candy making and baking supplies in addition to many flavoring options. Nearly all food products are certified kosher, without added sugar, and gluten-free, and are available in retail and bulk sizes.
Natural American Foods Inc.
Onsted www.naturalamericanfoods.com Natural American Foods is one of the largest processors of honey and other natural sweeteners in the United States. With headquarters in Michigan and West Coast operations in San Bernardino, California, it serves a diverse customer base across the United States. The company supplies a broad range of proprietary and custom blended honey and other natural sweeteners. Markets it serves include retail, private label and foodservice.
Natural Choice Foods
Comstock Park www.naturalchoicefoods.com
Natural Choice Foods works in the opportunity grocery business to help major food manufacturers move surplus inventory. “The result is that we are able to offer our customers 30 to 50 percent off market pricing,” says CEO Shayne Eisenga. “As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, 2016 was a year of growth for Natural Choice Foods with expansion of our retail outlet division, Daily Deals Food Outlet.” Staffing is proving a significant challenge as the company experiences 25 percent-plus growth, Eisenga says. “Sales and profits increased significantly during 2016, providing both opportunity and challenges for our employees,” he says. “Our commitment to promoting from within can be stressful for employees as they assume larger responsibilities.” Several new initiatives are in the works for 2017, including the addition of two retail outlets and breaking ground on a 75,000-square-foot distribution center to support projected growth over the next five years. “Being a value supplier, the economy has very limited impact on our business,” Eisenga says. “We have targeted major Midwest expansion. Investments in Michigan will be driven by tax and regulatory climates in comparison within the region.”
Old World Style Almonds
Beverly Hills www.oldworldalmonds.com Old World Style Almonds specializes in the preparation and sale of cinnamon roasted nuts and other gourmet snacks at entertainment and sporting venues throughout the Midwest. The snacks are prepared and packaged in the company’s Livonia warehouse, then transported to the various venues where they are sold. President Nancy Niezgocki says new contracts boosted revenues in 2016. “Our challenge has always been filling in our slow months with sales activity,” she says. Also last year, the company added an administrative assistant to help with paperwork and financials and increased its staff of special needs adults to accommodate the holiday rush. For 2017, Old World Style Almonds is planning a move to a building in Detroit, with an eye toward securing a contract with the new Little Caesar’s Arena. “Michigan’s economy has not affected our business in a detrimental manner,” Niezgocki says. “Our customers are comprised of individuals who are out for a special event and have disposable income to spend. We still attempt to keep our prices competitive while maintaining quality and covering our expenses.”
Pop Daddy Popcorn Inc.
Whitmore Lake www.popdaddypopcorn.com The Pop Daddy Popcorn line of products is sold through fundraising programs and food stores throughout the state. The company sources all of its popcorn kernels direct from two family farms, Pop Daddy’s website states. Its premium red popcorn (used in Daddy-O, Hot Daddy and Pepper Daddy) comes from the Bloomer family farm in Ann Arbor, and its premium goldenrod popcorn (used in Sugar Daddy) comes direct from Riehle Farms LLC in Sunman.
Prefer Products Brands Inc.
Warren www.preferproducts.com Prefer Products is a private label grocery company consisting of multiple brands that represent a variety of products. Its diverse portfolio offers products that range from paper and plastic products to edible oils, canned goods, beverages, dairy, specialty goods, ethnic items and more. Prefer Products Brands distributes its brands all over the world through multiple channels. “We are able to provide fast and efficient services and solutions throughout our supply chain, from our respected and certified packers to distributors and finally to the retail store and into consumers’ hands,” its website states. “As a private label company, Prefer Products Brands is able to provide high-end quality items that are equivalent or better than the national brands, and at a greater value.”
Roberts Restaurant Group
Beverly Hills www.robertsrestaurantgroup.com Roberts Restaurant Group consists of six neighborhood restaurants in Oakland County — Beverly Hills Grill, Beverly Hills; Bill’s, Bloomfield Hills; Cafe ML, Bloomfield Township; Roadside B&G, Bloomfield Township; Streetside Seafood, Birmingham; and Town Tavern, Royal Oak. The group experienced sales increases in 2016 even in the face of new competition, says proprietor William Roberts. “The restaurant industry is exploding with new restaurants, both in the suburbs and downtown,” he says. “Besides competing for customers, we are competing for quality employees. This is putting upward pressure on wages.” Full implementation of Obamacare has also affected operations. “Though we have always offered health insurance to our full-time staff, many never took us up on it,” Roberts says. “Now that it is mandatory, we are covering many more staff and at the same time health care costs are increasing dramatically. This combination is affecting the bottom line.” Still, Roberts is optimistic about 2017. “We are continuing to explore new opportunities, though we will be very judicious in an over built marketplace,” he says.
Simply Fresh Market
Brighton www.simplyfreshmarket.com Simply Fresh Market is a community-based grocery store specializing in local organic foods and that now has a full in-house kitchen that prepares private-label items such as a grass-fed organic bone broth bar and scratch-made chicken pot pies. “The largest selection of organic fruits and vegetables is the backbone of this highly educating, healthy place to shop for awesome food!” proclaims owner Anthony Gelardi. September 2016 brought the launch of a new, bigger Simply Fresh Market. “One of the challenges was hiring a staff to run the new store,” Gelardi says, noting that the market now employs more than 20 full-time workers, compared with six prior to the expansion. Sales are also up by 200 percent, he says. This year is also shaping up as a big one for Simply Fresh. “We will have our first organic apple crop from Simply Grown that we intend to prepare value-added items for our clients,” Gelardi says. “An outdoor farm-to-table cafe will be implemented on the premises.” He credits the market’s success to “the many awesome farmers of our state.” Gelardi also says he would like to create a way to educate schoolchildren about agriculture and culinary arts from an early age.
Sister Pie
Detroit www.sisterpie.com Sister Pie is a bright corner bakery in Detroit’s West Village on the east side of town. Each day it serves pies, cookies, breakfast and lunch. The menu at Sister Pie is nontraditional in flavor combinations, rustic in execution and constantly changing to honor the local agriculture of Michigan. “We strive to test the limits of our creativity while challenging and pleasing the palates of Sister Pie enthusiasts,” the bakery’s website states. “We make our pie dough by hand daily and most often communally.” As it grows and changes, so does its mission: “Sister Pie aims to celebrate the seasons through pie; to provide consistently delicious, thoughtful, and inventive food; to foster a welcoming environment for employees and customers through transparency, community engagement and education.” The bakery’s goal is to be a triple-bottom-line business that maintains a strong commitment to employees, the economy and the environment.
Traffic Jam & Snug
Detroit www.trafficjamdetroit.com The Traffic Jam and Snug, established 1965, considers itself one of Detroit’s hidden treasures. “Known throughout Midtown for our in-house bakery, microbrewery and dairy, our curiously intimate multilevel dining rooms and an eclectic menu of made-from-scratch dishes, there is simply nothing quite like The Traffic Jam,” the company’s website states. On Dec. 18, 1992, after a decade-long legal battle, the Traffic Jam became the first brewpub in the state of Michigan. Since then, it has been brewing an ever-changing selection of hand-crafted beers.
Westborn Market
Berkley www.westbornmarket.com For more than 50 years, family-owned and operated Westborn Market has been dedicated to bringing the Detroit area fine fruit and produce. “Our commitment to freshness, variety and uncompromised customer service fuels our expansion and growth,” the company’s website states. Each of the four Westborn locations offers a combination of produce, dairy, bakery, meat and flowers. They also provide an extensive list of services including party trays, fruit baskets, full floral design and delivery services.
Zingerman’s
Ann Arbor www.zingermans.com Since it opened in 1982, Zingerman’s has evolved into not only an Ann Arbor institution, but one of the country’s leading specialty food stores. “With an emphasis on education, flavor, tradition and integrity of ingredients, we’ve worked to create a living, breathing, active culinary laboratory where one can experience everything from corned beef and noodle kugel, to hand-picked Kalamata olives, to handmade croissants and pretty much everything in between,” co-founder Ari Weinzweig writes on the Zingerman’s website. The business has expanded beyond the original deli. Zingerman’s Community of Businesses is a collection of Zingerman’s ventures, each with its own food specialty, all located in the Ann Arbor area, each working to help make the shopping and eating in every aspect of Zingerman’s more flavorful and more enjoyable than ever.
From scrubbing floors and fitness equipment to managing the day-to-day operations of big-box clubs, Dean Mitchell has held pretty much every job in his career as a health and wellness expert. Now, he’s added a new title: author.
Sarah Zagacki, Senior Art Director at BNP Media, added: “MeditationWorks is a healthy way to take a break during work. Seeing colleagues make the effort is helpful for the work environment and we are all calmer in stressful situations.”
When you walk into Detroit’s Build Institute, one of the first faces that greets you is April Boyle, the executive director and all-around cheerleader for the small-business accelerator.
Through the democratization of entrepreneurship, Boyle said Build has been able to provide access to crucial classes that help graduates continue on the path of creating, or continuing their business. This level of access is particularly important considering that 71 percent of graduates are women; 45 percent are African American; and 85 percent are low to moderate income.
With its attendance rising and seeing a need for more exhibition space, the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park today announced it is adding more than 80,000 square feet of new space to the venerable Grand Rapids landmark, the result of a $115-million capital campaign.
For the project, Meijer Gardens officials selected Tod Williams Billie Tsien, a New York firm of architects perhaps best known for its work on the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia and as the designer of the new Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.
Building on the strength of the California Closets brand, the California-based company known for its custom-storage solutions will open a new manufacturing facility in Cascade Charter Township on Michigan’s West side.
The Right Place has offered support to the project in the form of staff time and resources. The Right Place assembled a cross-functional team, working with the MEDC and West Michigan Works! to build the business case and incentive package that ultimately attracted California Closets to West Michigan.
Snagging this manufacturing facility is a boon for both the company itself and the region. The financially successful California Closets is the most recognized brand of its type in the world, represented by its franchisees in showrooms and through strategic alliances with major North American retailers. Its advertising images are seen in national magazines, on television and through its popular website.
Bringing your employees together to socialize and bond as a company is a great idea. Adding a way to raise funds for a great cause is even better.
Open Systems Technologies describes itself as a “technology, design and digital transformation” company. It was founded in January 1997; its CEO is Meredith Bronk. In fiscal year 2016, OST had revenues of $150 million and 255 employees.
Industry recognition for your business is essential to both public perception of your goods and services as well as internal satisfaction of a job well done.
Volunteering – whether it is tutoring, serving at a soup kitchen or gardening at a community center – is a gratifying experience that can also lead to better health.
Here are the what, where and whys to create a corporate volunteer program:
Listen Actively! One reason humans like dogs so much is they listen even though they don’t understand what we are saying and they don’t provide advice or opinions. You can count on your dog to sit and listen with rapt attention as your pour out your feelings, sorrows, ideas, or dreams. How many of your friends or co-workers are as thrilled to listen to what you have to say? Dogs “listen” actively by paying very close attention to body posture, vocalizations and eye contact. Good communicators in the workplace not only pay attention, but also observe the congruence between what is being said and how it is being said- body language, vocal tone and volume, and facial expressions. Panda’s second tip is to listen not just to the content of the message, but to how the message is being conveyed.
Recruiting Millennials takes a mix of style and savvy – employers who know the kind of young people they want on the job are smart to go where they are. And the City Year Career Day event by Comcast is a great example of how to do it.
Company values can drive quality communication
It was the auto industry that imprinted Michigan on the nation’s economic map.
365 Retail Markets
Michigan Craft Distillers Association
The Fair Food Network
BLiS Gourmet
Downtown Market Grand Rapids
Germack Pistachio Co.
HopCat
Jayell Smoke House
Natural Choice Foods
