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What’s On Your Radar Screen?

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“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.” Those words, uttered by an Air Force lieutenant, literally changed the course of history. The lieutenant was the command officer in charge of the brand-new radar station on Oahu, Hawaii, on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941. The technology of radar was new and somewhat untrusted, and the officer assumed that the large blip on the screen was an expected incoming flight of B-17 bombers, rather than what we all know now that it was.

I hear similar words uttered all the time – by salespeople, by sales managers, and even executives – who, when confronted with change, say, “It’s nothing, don’t worry about it, it’ll go away, it’s not right,” or other words that justify doing business the way they’ve always done it. Too often, like the officer on Oahu, they ignore changes that will have a great impact on their business and their lives.

“We’ve always done it this way” are words that almost always are indicators of a company, a sales force, or a salesperson who is falling behind. What I want to do with this article is to be your personal radar screen, and help provide some warning (whether it’s early or not depends on your situation) of changes that may be coming your way.

What new buying channels are available to your customers today? Yes, this is a leading question, because for nearly everyone reading this article, the Internet has become not only an available buying channel, but a preferred one. For many salespeople, the “milk route” model of selling was the way to go. I did it, too, back in the mid-90s when I was selling industrial components. You’d simply visit your customers, they’d have the week’s order ready, and you’d go on to the next one. Now, many of those same salespeople are showing up and the customer has already ordered – and they don’t know what to do. If that’s you, it’s time to change your paradigm – stop being an order taker and become a relationship manager.

How do your customers access information today? Again, the obvious answer is “the Internet.” I write for a lot of trade magazines, and I find that I get as much feedback now from people who are reading the trade association’s website as are reading the paper magazine. Whatever you want to read – whatever how-to – you can access it on the Net.

For instance, last week I wrote about my dad’s passing. One of the things he left to me was his old Snap-On toolbox, which is unfortunately not in great shape. However, in ten minutes on the Internet I found three websites and numerous videos on YouTube dedicated to restoring these old boxes. I didn’t even know that was a “thing,” but now it’s next on my project list.

There’s a deeper level, however, than just the Internet. Do your customers use social media? The obvious answer is “yes,” but maybe the obvious answer isn’t right. I often speak before groups of business owners large and small, and when the topic of social media comes up, I always ask, “Raise your hand if you consulted Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn before making a major purchase in the last year.” Very few hands go up.

HOWEVER – those same people, when asked, “Raise your hand if you consulted those sites to learn how to do something that was important to you,” nearly all raise their hands. The conclusion – how-to articles draw attention on social media; straight selling does not.

How do your customers’ customers learn about them? No, I didn’t stutter. Take it to the next level. You can benefit your customers immeasurably by helping them grow, and you can also learn critical information by understanding what your customers’ customers say. Are your customers in a “reviewable” industry? If you’re selling to virtually any service industry (restaurants, hotels, dry cleaners, etc.), then yes, they are. Do you know and understand how the reviews work, how your customers are searchable on the sites, and where they rank? If not, why not?

To stay relevant in today’s world, you’re going to have to find other ways of building a relationship with your customers than simply transactions of product for money. Being a partner in helping them build their business, and understanding the various ways and means that they build their business, is one great way.

Is your profession, or industry, viable? I was speaking to a friend of mine a few days ago, and she was telling me about a great vacation she took about ten years ago. She had gone through a travel agent to book it. If there’s any part of sales that’s been devastated by new technology, it’s the travel agent business. Yep, once upon a time, we’d call our travel agent, tell him or her where we wanted to go and when, and the tickets would magically appear. Now, in the time that it took me to write this paragraph, you can (and most people do) do it themselves.

Sure, there are travel agents left – but they are few and far between, and their customers use them mostly for trips that require a lot of planning (my wife and I used one a few years ago when we took a week’s vacation to Hawaii). Sometimes you need to take a step back, give your business a strong look-see, and ask yourself about its viability.

It’s easy to look at new technologies, methods, and changes in the ways of doing business with suspicion. I do it too; I’m often a skeptic. At the same time, understanding where the validity lies, and what the technology does, is essential to keeping current and staying relevant in a profession such as ours, where changes are now measured by the years.

I read a profile on the lieutenant that gave the “don’t worry about it” command at Pearl Harbor. He lived well into his eighties, and as you can imagine, that command haunted him for the rest of his life. I’m not repeating his name here because there’s no need to add to his regret. But, trust me – if you ignore what’s happening on your own radar screen, it may haunt you.

Detroit Lions’ Whitehead Tells Students How Education Drives His Success

Tahir Whitehead has impressive professional accomplishments: Playing for the National Football League and serving as a Detroit Lions linebacker.

But it’s personal accomplishments – having a family, supporting his sons and earning a college degree – that bring a smile to his face, Whitehead told a group of about 50 ninth-grade students at Detroit’s East English Village Preparatory Academy.

IMG_3405Whitehead is touring Metro Detroit schools and talking to students in six communities (typically in grades three and up) about the importance of education, setting personal goals and having a healthy approach to life as part of a partnership with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

The Detroit Lions linebacker – who takes his wife and son to most of his appearances – talks to students about what he calls a “Culture of Success.” That means building a strong foundation with healthy habits, such as 60 minutes of exercise daily. That means choosing the right friends, not letting the “crabs in a bucket” pull you down. That means finding support everywhere you can, whether it is from coaches like Whitehead had, tutors, mentors, school staff or other adults in the community.

The idea to have Whitehead talk to students emerged as MDDHS and its Community School coordinators as well as the Pathways to Potential success coaches wanted a speaker who could both inspire and relate to students, organizers said. Studies show ninth-grade performance is a good indicator of whether a student will ultimately graduate from school and how they’ll do beyond that point.

Whitehead donates his personal time to this cause, one that is near and dear to his own situation. In his casual conversation with the students, Whitehead admits he made some mistakes in high school and he had to work doubly hard to fix them to create a bright future.

For example, he told the Class of 2019 that he was one of five children who were raised by a supportive and hard-working single mom. He had a lot on his plate, Whitehead said, including athletics, education and supporting his siblings as best as he could. “Family is all you have,” Whitehead said, so he wanted to be close to his family.

IMG_3408Yet, like most young men, he decided to take the easy path in high school. His grade point average dropped from a modest 2.3 in his freshman year to 1.4 in his junior year. Whitehead knew he wasn’t fulfilling his potential and he needed a change. He wanted to go to college desperately and to continue in his athletic career. So that meant studying hard.

“I wanted more for myself,” Whitehead told the students, who tried to look cool but were listening intently. “I had to make some tough decisions. … If you let those crabs in the bucket pull you down, that’s where they stay and that’s where you stay.”

So he transferred to another high school, got his GPA up to 3.66 for his senior year and turned to his high-school coach for guidance. “He kept me steady in the boat,” Whitehead said. “He told me, ‘Take care of your business on a daily basis and everything else is going to fall into place.’”

So while his time in the National Football League is precious to him, Whitehead said he has his head on straight. Attending Temple University, earning his degree in Criminal Justice and taking care of his children and siblings remain his greatest work.

“What I learned in that classroom at Temple – that’s mind. That degree can never be taken away from me,” Whitehead said. “Every day, you have to push forward. When you wake up every day, you have to understand that it’s your job to take advantage of that day.”

So while the average “Not For Long” or NFL career is about two years, Whitehead said he knows making his life well rounded is just as impressive as his football days.

“When I’m on that field, I concentrate my effort. I give it my all; I leave it all out on the field. That’s because I don’t want to live with any regrets,” Whitehead said.

Detroit Entrepreneur and Photographer Partner to Create ‘The Art and Craft of Tea’

Marvin Shaouni Photography
Marvin Shaouni Photography
Marvin Shaouni Photography

“Water is the mother of tea, a teapot its father, and fire the teacher.” — Chinese Proverb

Joe Uhl is devoted to his family, his friends and…his tea. And rightly so as the proprietor and creator of Joseph Wesley Black Tea, a business that celebrates tea, its origins and its consumption.

To highlight the history of tea and foster further understanding of this beautiful beverage, Uhl and friend Marvin Marvin Shaouni of Marvin Shaouni Photography have created a visually stunning book about the subject, “The Art and Craft of Tea.” Once you get over Shaouni’s glorious pictures, you will appreciate Uhl’s knowledge, vivid writing and tasteful recipes found in this newly published text.

As one of the most consumed beverages in the world, a cup of tea is a common shared experience across cultures and traditions. Companies and consumers alike are reawakening to the benefits of high-quality, unprocessed, natural beverages, and tea is a perfect obsession for anyone interested in artisan food and healthy eating.

Marvin Shaouni Photography
Marvin Shaouni Photography

In “The Art and Craft of Tea,” Uhl brings to the story of tea its due reverence, making its history, traditions, and possibilities accessible to all. If you want to go beyond reading and enter your kitchen, Joseph offers recipes for creating your own tea blends using natural ingredients.

Attorney, entrepreneur and tea aficionado Uhl is the founder of a line of carefully crafted, single-origin, estate-grown teas, Joseph Wesley Black Tea. Featuring seven uniquely handcrafted teas, Joseph Wesley Black Tea teas are grown by some of the world’s most noted growers in the most renowned tea-producing regions in the world.

For over 25 years, Uhl has searched to find the world’s greatest tea growers and producers. Through this search he connected with luminaries who provided him with a deep knowledge and understandings about tea. In returning to Detroit in 2001 he found it difficult to readjust. So, he became an attorney at a large law firm.

It was not long, however, that he found himself feeling like another ‘grey suit.’ He did not relate to the work; its purpose was not his. Noticing the person he became through the eyes of his first daughter he realized a change was needed and resigned from the league of gray suits, packed his bags and returned to Asia.

Marvin Shaouni Photography
Marvin Shaouni Photography

He reached out to his former mentors and began deconstructing the myths the western world carries about tea; about its flatness in culture, the tendency towards garish blends, and about how the discourse of craft and terroir is lost. In so doing, he realized there was an opportunity to tell a different story and to tell that story from the most unlikely places, his hometown Detroit. In moving back to Detroit, he started Joseph Wesley Black Tea and began sharing his love and passion for the world’s best tea.

His line of teas, Joseph Wesley Black Tea, is served and sold at a variety of places including Selden Standard, Sister Pie, Pure Detroit, Germack, Astro Coffee, Fresh Farms Market, Cliff Bells, Trinosophes and Avalon Bakery.

“The Art and Craft of Tea” is published by Quarry Books. The 160-page book ($24.99) is vailable online and where books are sold, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble as well as Pages bookstore in Detroit.  Uhl will talk about his book and tea at Pages Saturday, Dec. 12, for those interested in learning more and buying a signed copy.

Apply Now: Legoland is Looking for its Next Master Model Builder

Job openings are a dime a dozen; if you are looking for a new gig, there are plenty of them out there. But, once in a while, a special posting comes up that demands to be shared, discussed and applied for, immediately, if only for bragging rights.

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Michigan has just opened up the most exciting job on the market: the Master Model Builder. Applications for this coveted full-time, salaried role are open now through midnight on Monday, Jan. 4, 2016.

Lego 2The Master Model Builder is a hands-on role that is responsible for building, designing and maintaining creative LEGO models and for working with the thousands of families and children expected to visit the attraction.

Here’s the challenging part – and it ultimately will separate the newbies from the experts. Applicants will compete against each other in an exciting two-day Brick Factor competition, set for Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 9 to 10, 2016, at Great Lakes Crossing Outlets in Auburn Hills.

During the two-day Brick Factor event, participants will display their skill by taking part in creative challenges and building original LEGO brick models in timed rounds of judged competition. The first day of Brick Factor will consist of two rounds of competition, with eliminations taking place during each round. The day’s top competitors will participate in formal interviews and the final building round on Sunday, after which one will be crowned the LEGOLAND Discovery Center Michigan Master Model Builder.

Lego 1“The Master Model Builder is one of the most exciting and creative jobs on the market today,” said Hayley Anderson, general manager for LEGOLAND Discovery Center Michigan. “We are looking for a high-energy and inventive individual who understands the colorful world of LEGO to welcome to our team.”

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Michigan will be a 32,000-square-foot indoor attraction featuring millions of LEGO bricks and themed exhibits including a 4D cinema, two interactive rides, large soft play areas and much more. It is slated to open in Auburn Hills-based Great Lakes Crossing Outlets in Spring 2016. Families with young children can enjoy a world of creativity, color and building fun in the ultimate indoor LEGO playground. With features including global and local landmarks made from over 1 million LEGO bricks in the MINILAND attraction to fun and exciting LEGO themed rides including Kingdom Quest, and Merlin’s Apprentice.

Those interested in this creative role can apply through the Merlin Entertainments Career website. Follow this link http://bit.ly/1qgdWTy to select Michigan – Auburn Hills – United States from the drop down menu, and click on the Master Model Builder Job # 4468 for the LEGOLAND Discovery Center Michigan attraction.

Want to Be the Ultimate Host? Think about What Your Glassware Says About You

When you’re holding an important business dinner, running a restaurant or hosting people in your home, it’s the little niceties that matter the most. People really do notice if you use cloth napkins, whether you have the correct silverware in the right places and more.

One thing you may not have thought about is the kind of glasses you use to serve your beverages. It’s a small item in an otherwise larger event or activity, but it truly means a lot. At least that is lesson learned from Georg Riedel, the Austrian glassmaker and businessman.

The humorous and elegant Riedel is the 10th generation owner of Riedel, a glass manufacturer established in 1756. The company is best known for its varietal-specific glassware. That’s a fancy way of saying certain glasses enhance the liquid inside, whether it is wine, soda or something else.

IMG_3286Riedel was in town recently to lead one of Riedel’s famous comparative glassware tastings. The first used the new Riedel Veritas Series – the house’s lightest and thinnest collection of varietal-specific glasses yet – to demonstrate the relationship between the shape of the glass and the perception and enjoyment of wine. For his tasting in Madison Heights, Mich., Riedel used the Vinum XL collection – Riedel’s largest bowl shape glasses.

The experience was eye opening; who knew that glass shape played such a huge role in a person’s enjoyment of a beverage? It wasn’t just the wine that was positively affected by using the right glass shape. It also held true for soda pop. Riedel and his associates explained that Coca Cola came to Riedel to create a cola glass that would allow the pop’s flavor to shine through the effervescence.

For example, pop inside a plain plastic cup overflows with bubbles from the effervescence. Those same bubbles, left uncontrolled, then fill your mouth when you drank the beverage. You lost any flavor potentially within the drink because of it. But the Riedel glass has a smaller mouth and a tapered shape, allowing the bubbles to be contained. The glass also controls how the liquid enters your mouth and palate, eliminating the overwhelming amount of effervescence. As a result, you can taste the subtle nuances of the pop – and yes, there are other flavors hiding in there that the pop maker wants you to taste.

It also happens with wine. For example, Riedel had the class pour a small sample of Cabernet in a Pinot Noir glass. The Pinot glass is ideal for a thin-skinned grape wine, making the vino seem even more delicate and delicious. But a Cabernet in that flower-shaped glass felt lost, and the tannins left a bitter taste in your mouth. Now, the Cabernet in the right glass – a mighty and large vessel that opened widely at the top – made the Cabernet seem silky and full of flavor.

The lesson of the class, Riedel emphasized, is that if you are serving a glass to customers or friends, you need to know the proper shape for the right beverage. And it is worth your time and effort to find the right one. For instance, a restaurant charging $5 for a glass of wine that’s in the wrong glass shape will find the wine doesn’t taste as good to the consumer. And the food that is paired with it won’t seem as tasty or worth the money as it might with the right beverage served alongside. He might be trying to sell more glasses, but the man had a good point.

So next time you’re throwing a party or restocking your glassware, ponder how you could buy differently and how it will affect people’s perception of your offerings. It might surprise you how much the little things add up as a result.

Living the Dream of Retaking Time

TBS-BookCover Edward G. Brown, a culture change and time management consultant who helped turn the late Don Ho into Hawaii’s iconic great performer, seems to have flipped the idea of “no time for that” on its head.

Now the author of “The Time Bandit Solution: Recovering Stolen Time You Never Knew You Had,” Brown, who heads Cohen Brown Management Group, found himself bombarded with too many to count “got a minute?” interruptions.

When that happened, he writes in the book’s preface, when he “absolutely, positively had to get something done, but was prevented from doing it by the press of multiple and varied duties,” he would essentially make a pact with himself and those around him to “subtract” himself from the rest of the world until that task was done.

“I wrote this self-book to save my own life,” Brown writes in a preface to the book, the central theme being “do not disturb, I’m at work.”

It is, in fact, a work that dives deeper than what might be found on the typical self-help shelf of a bookstore.

In “Time Bandit,” Brown eloquently outlines a solution to the distractions that those around us (ourselves included) create every day.

At the risk of having someone “skim” through what amounts to a rather hefty 250-page volume—made cleverly more readable with a peppering of illustrations, tables and pull quotes—Brown’s model boils down to a compelling argument related to boundaries, both personal and with those you work with and with whom you must negotiate in order for his solution to an age-old problem to work at a sustainable level.

Brown uses the first few pages to make his case—as if that was necessary to his argument taking hold.

Certainly, he makes an unassailable case. “Interruptions treat that treasured, finite resource (time) like the cheapest of commodities,” writes Brown. He also acknowledges that we tend to be “full-fledged creatures of a culture of interruptions, thriving on controlled chaos and multi-tasking.”

The solution, writes Brown, comes down to not only acknowledging the enemy (interruptions) but taking action in a systematic, defensible way.

Brown calls the solution “Focal Locking,” something he admits he had to “define, codify, and practice, practice, practice” as diligently as any new skill.

“I learned how to make my precious Time Locking sessions productive, peaceful, and sometimes even joyous,” Brown writes.

Brown and his colleagues created a course for businesses, especially timely during the global financial crisis in which “not enough time” made those time management lessons valuable from a consulting standpoint.

The author walks us through the process in a way that halfway through the read has you realize the enduring value of “Time Bandits”—it truly is the kind of book you will want to not only read more than once but keep on a shelf of essential reference works.

This might be a good time to highlight the book’s excellent use of graphics, thanks to Stan Hulen of Hulen Graphics and Design with illustrations by Ray Harris  and David Legaspi.

‘Interruption Culture’
Once the problem is set forth, Brown takes the time (pun intended) to outline the top five time-loss factors: interruptions, restarts, momentum loss, do-overs, and distress manifestations. The list is helpful in itself but made more so with Brown’s included exercise involving what is basically an inventory of the kind of time-loss factors the reader is most likely to experience.

Brown continues in making his case by elucidating what he calls the “Interruption Culture,” a phenomenon that is both insidious and downright pervasive.

“When I heard that term [Interruption Culture], I recognized it for the oxymoron it is,” writes Brown. “What could be less cultured than imposing the impulse of the moment on otherwise engaged adults?”

The author continues his case for meaningful time management change by helping the reader visualize a series of victims, the idea being that among the examples used, the reader will see the real impact of a life without the kind of solution Brown offers.
If you’re not sold by now on how destructive the problem can be (or is) on your workplace wellness, the chapter on “Tommy Wants-to-Please” is likely to seal the deal.

PrintThankfully, Brown begins to weave in the thread of a solution, beginning with his revealing outline of a strategy he’s used successfully throughout most of his career.
He calls it “Quiet Time,” a five-step process that Brown says virtually anyone can learn.

“I’ve been told by others that my whole concept about Quiet Time being an achievable skill is an idealized ‘blue sky’ dream. But they are mistaken,” Brown asserts.

‘Time Lock’
He also helps the reader identify situations where the Quiet Time strategy is most applicable, in itself a very useful part of the book.

It’s here that Brown outlines the “Time Lock” part of the book, drawing on his experiences and effectively showing the reader how the strategy (using a series of “rules” he outlines with great clarity) will work for virtually anyone.

A key tool in the Time Lock regimen is a negotiated “mutual” agreement that takes place if the strategy is to be truly successful.

“By negotiating with your colleagues and your counterparts . . . you and they will be spared many interruptions and you will also be spared the difficulty or inconvenience that someone else’s Time Lock might otherwise cause you,” writes Brown.

Brown then acknowledges—and outlines—another key element in the strategy to take back time lost: the ability to “propose” a time locking arrangement.

Simply saying that you’re in “Time Lock” won’t do it. “Your clients will leave and I wouldn’t blame them!” Brown writes.

A winning strategy, he suggests, would go something like the one he credits in part to a conversation he had with Steve Antebi of Maple Capital Management. Or more to the point, with Antebi’s assistant, who was able to explain in a way that impressed Brown (to the point where the example is in the book) in its strategic “win-win” and gently effective manner.

“It was just a matter of polite, direct, and clear communication in combination with a logical justification for the Time Lock,” writes Brown. “In other words, because they were so smooth, I never even objected. They overcame all the objections I would otherwise have voiced most strenuously.”

Brown outlines a series of scenarios—for situations involving call-in clients, walk-in clients, colleagues, and managers—designed to make it as easy as possible to win with the “Time Lock” strategy.

Yet Brown is realistic enough to allow for what some might consider to be the ultimate objection:

“If your manager doesn’t want to honor your Time Lock, then unless you’re independently wealthy, I suggest you simply say, ‘Of course, how can I help?'”

At the same time, Brown offers an entire chapter on overcoming objections, detailed and comprehensive evidence (based in large part on his career as a serial entrepreneur) that the concept does, in fact, work.

He also includes another chapter on what sales professionals will recognize as “scripts,” detailed examples that can be, if not memorized, at least practiced to the point where they become familiar enough to make substantial progress in the effort to take back your time.

Brown wraps up “Time Bandits” with a chapter on technique—”How to Say It.”
“Knowing what to say is the skill of communication,” he writes. “Knowing how to say what to say is the art.”

There is, however, one “final” series of points—not the last chapter but close at least from the perspective of the key lessons to be absorbed: what Brown calls “the most invidious, pervasive, dangerous, stubborn and inflexible of all the Time Bandits.”
He’s referring to the reader—you—and the key learning point is how important it is to exercise “Focal Locking” in going forward.

The battle, writes Brown, is not going to be an easy one:

“We are now bombarded by interruptions that would test the most focused, single-minded person.”

Yet the battle can be won. You may find yourself needing to read “Time Bandits” more than once. But it’s worth the read. Keep it handy.

Now excuse me for a moment while I get started.

“The Time Bandit Solution: Recovering Stolen Time You Never Knew You Had,” by Edward G. Brown. Published by Cohen Brown Picture Company. ISBN 978-0-9899151-1-3.

Embracing and Advancing the Digital Enabled Enterprise

By now it should be clear to all IT executives that every enterprise – from manufacturing to logistics to health care – is encountering a major market transition where digital and the use of digital technology will be the cornerstone of their future. The changes are dramatic and the net effect has been to raise customer expectations for every aspect of every business – from researching and comparing products and services to placing orders and making payments to receiving goods and ongoing services. Internally and externally there is a demand for better customer experience (CX), including increased usability and simplicity of processes and technologies.

What does all of this mean? How did we get here? And what challenges does this bring to IT organizations as they support their businesses and drive new revenue streams?

The Digital Enterprise
I define the Digital Enabled Enterprise as an organization that embraces technology and services to improve the customer experience, and in doing so, often changes the nature of the organization itself. It doesn’t matter the type of business, where it’s located, or in many cases, how large the organization is; the focus on CX is pervasive and all consuming. To achieve an improved level of customer experience – which includes a superior level of customer engagement and satisfaction – requires continually testing and deploying new service models and technologies. These include four key technologies and solution areas that comprise the next generation platform of IT: Cloud, Analytics, Mobile and Social (CAMS).

When we look across a broad spectrum of industries, what we’re seeing is the myriad of ways that CXOs of every stripe are fully embracing the digital world and digital technologies to build the Digital Enabled Enterprise.

From a maturity curve, this is happening very quickly and in a big way – not just in some departments, but across whole enterprises. The start of this digital explosion has often been around big data as organizations have begun unlocking the value in data they have always collected and using it in new and unique ways. Now organizations are beginning to prioritize how they develop and deploy IT, from new services to infrastructure to new applications, in order to more readily benefit from the value of their data.

Digital Enterprises are not only learning how to leverage data-as-an-asset, but they are beginning to take advantage of the Internet of Things (IoT), which integrates enterprises in real time with the world in which we live. This causes dramatic changes in the ways companies respond to customers.

To do this, enterprises have also begun to transform their IT organizations. It’s a process that includes changing the organizational structure to more closely align IT and line-of-business (LOB) roles and fundamental operations underpinning everything the organization does.

The Shift
In an earlier article, I discussed the changing nature of the IT organization as it answered the call to change the relationship with its in-house, line-of-business customers who are demanding an enterprise IT experience that parallels the same type of user experience they enjoy in their daily, non-work lives. I identified this as a shift from providing a Technology Defined Enterprise that focuses on delivering specific technologies like computing, storage and networking, to providing a Services Defined Enterprise that focuses on delivering services and capabilities – often acting as the in-house brokers for outside cloud services.

Look at the core of the organization from the CIO perspective: as a broker of services, he or she is in a position to provide a variety of new and exciting enterprise capabilities to meet the dynamic needs of the in-house and outside customers. To do this successfully, CIOs must be constantly looking outside their own enterprises across multiple industries for innovation. They must look for ways to take existing information – from any source and in any format – and integrate that throughout their organizations to address the needs of a variety of stakeholders.

The Future of Health Care
Health care IT is an example of many of these trends toward improved CX, simplicity and third platform IT solutions. Traditionally, health care organizations have looked within their own four walls to address patient needs and obtain a positive outcome for patient care. As health care organizations embrace their roles as Digital Enterprises, we are beginning to see new models such as telehealth which promise to dramatically change the shape of health care and patient care.

Where patients traditionally visit their doctors’ offices to obtain a diagnosis and begin the process of being entered into the health care system, now through the use of telehealth technologies and services, patients can be diagnosed and provided services from a different city, state or country. Businesses are beginning to promote telehealth to their employees to both provide a better experience for employee health and wellness, as well as a way to lower health care costs.

Along with the promise, of course, come some challenges and complexities. Health care organizations need to balance digital remote access to patient care with accessibility, security, privacy and regulatory issues.

Other industries face similar trajectories. To begin, CIOs need to look outside, beyond boundaries of their own organizations for inspiration and innovation. They must focus on customer experience, simplicity and intuitiveness of the technology solutions they deliver inside and outside the organization. Doing this will often require enterprise IT architecture skills over traditional core of IT skills. CIOs will need to look across internal and external capabilities that can be woven together to provide a fabric to grow their Digital Enterprises. As with many things, CIOs must find a balance between the possible and the practical.

Communication is Key to Successful Succession

Recently, MichBusiness, a social media community that celebrates and promotes Michigan business successes, honored Vistage Michigan with its Best of MichBusiness award for “Successful Succession.”

My father, Richard Beadle, founded Vistage Michigan 40 years ago and my mother was CEO for seven of those years. I was named president Jan. 1, 2015.
Like many family businesses, a solid succession plan is important not only for the family involved, but for the entire organization. In our case, that included Vistage members, Vistage chairs, the board and staff.

As every family is different, so are its succession plans. Understanding the family dynamic and open communication are the building blocks to begin the process of changeover and will oil the gears to make the transition easy for all involved.
In the case of Vistage Michigan, there were some steps we took to ensure a smooth transition that any family-owned business can heed:

1. Start a discussion. Successful succession usually begins with a discussion with the board (if there is one), to encourage owners and founders to think about the future. This starts the dialogue and gets the wheels turning.

2. Identify the successor. This seems like a no-brainer, but not every family member will want, or be able, to takeover leadership responsibilities. Examining family members’ competencies to determine who will be qualified to step in as leader is an important initial step.

3. Identify the succession. Once the new leader is identified, it should be determined whether the succession will involve leadership only or ownership as well and the timeline for either/or to transpire. If ownership is not going to be transferred to a new family leader, compensation should be discussed and agreed upon.

4. Don’t rush transition. I was on the board at Vistage Michigan prior to taking the presidency while I worked elsewhere. This was an important part of our transition so I could learn about the company. My parents committed to staying within the company and working with me to transfer leadership in my first year.

5. Specify roles. When a new leader enters, it doesn’t mean that someone is leaving. My parent’s roles at Vistage Michigan were, and are, very clear. My parents were not stepping out, I was stepping in. It is very important to specify what roles and responsibilities will be for the previous leaders, if any.

6. Continuity. Probably the most important piece of why the transition at Vistage Michigan was successful was the seamless continuation of the vision and values my parents designed for the company. I completely embraced that vision as I came on board and it gave my leadership a direction. That is not to say that a new leader cannot or should not put their stamp on the company or make modifications. How things are done may change, but “why” things are done needs to stay intact.

7. Forge relationships. Once I came on board, it was important for me to build relationships with employees, chairs and members that were my own, separate from my parents.

8. Don’t underestimate the emotional aspect. The whole concept of letting go and taking over brings up a lot of emotions. For many people, their self worth is invested in ownership in the company they have built. It is as important to put time into the emotional piece of succession, as it is the business piece of it.

Ensuring a smooth transition requires really good communication. In our situation, the biggest challenge for me was to ensure my parents didn’t feel they had to step out, for me to step into a leadership role. It took trust and communication to make that clear because people hear succession and automatically think that someone is leaving and that doesn’t always have to be the case. It’s important to communicate to everyone in the organization the definition of the roles and the continuation of the vision going forward.

Singer, Teacher, Conductor – This is One Inspired Career Path

Alice McAllister Tillman

For Alice McAllister Tillman, performing with Detroit’s famous Brazeal Dennard Chorale is a culmination of all of her life’s experiences.

ChoraleSince she started with the Chorale in high school, singing became a way to express herself, to share who she is and how music makes her feel. It is a teaching moment,  for herself and for her appreciative audience.

Fast forward a few years, and Tillman still finds inspiration in this iconic Detroit chorale. The award-winning Brazeal Dennard Chorale is now under her direction; she is the newly christened conductor for this visionary group of singers who are performing their annual holiday concert Dec. 6 at Marygrove College for the first time.

This is the 44th annual Holiday Concert for the 40-plus member group, which will honor this festive time with a concert including carols, classical works and sacred Negro spirituals, music that the Chorale as sought to preserve along with the mission of its legendary founder.

Brazeal Dennard
Brazeal Dennard

Named after its legendary founder, the late Brazeal Dennard, the Brazeal Dennard Chorale’s mission is to “remember, discover, preserve, and share the Negro spiritual as a part of the artistic community, and to rediscover and perform significant choral works by African American composers.” The Chorale, whose members represent all walks of life, won gold and silver medals at the 2012 World Choir Games.

For Tillman, Chorale Executive Director Yvonne Turner and the other Chorale members, this concert is more than a single performance. It is one of many that link together over the decades, holding all those who have sung with this spectacular group together. It is bond that ties them together musically, serving as spiritual food throughout their lives.

As such, Tillman feels a certain weight with her new position as conductor. Female conductors are rare in classical music as well as in chorale. Tillman, who is a former teacher and mother of four, knew Dennard during her years at Northwestern High School and she believes in his mission with a passion that still burns hot.

Alice McAllister Tillman
Alice McAllister Tillman

There, Dennard produced award-winning choirs as director of the Fine Arts department. Tillman, a noted soprano, loved his magical teaching methods, his fascination with music of all kinds as well as his discipline toward his art.

“It was there that my love for classical music and ensemble singing began,” said Tillman, who also may sing during the Holiday Concert. “Being a part of The Brazeal Dennard Chorale and helping to fulfill the mission of the organization is an awesome responsibility.”

General admission tickets for the 4 p.m. Holiday Concert performance are $25. Concert tickets can be purchased in advance by contacting the Chorale office at 313-331-0378 or online at www.BrazealDennard.com. Tickets also can be purchased the afternoon of the concert at the entrance of the Marygrove College Sacred Heart Chapel. Marygrove College is located at 8425 West McNichols (off Wyoming) in northwest Detroit.

Steal This Idea: Add #GivingTuesday to Your Company’s Holiday Festivities

The holidays are about family, togetherness and … giving gifts. But there’s another way to approach it – there’s a little day called #GivingTuesday.

Giving Tuesday is December 1, kicking off Giving Season – the 5 weeks when up to 40 percent of all donations are made each year ($358 billion total in 2014). Some 68% of Americans say impact is more important than understanding what a charity does.

Mattress 1So how do you make your donation count? You find something you deeply care about and pick a “family” or company charity. That is what Brighton-based US-Mattress has done with the Michigan Humane Society.

Over the course of 2015, US-Mattress, the first online mattress retailer that offers a large selection of brand name mattress sets, has contributed more than $50,000 to the Michigan Humane Society through various charitable initiatives, including the retailer’s Black Friday offer that donated five percent of all in-store proceeds from the biggest shopping day of the year.

“Our entire team at US-Mattress is committed to building communities and giving back—at the holidays and throughout the entire year,” said President Joe Nashif. “While our business was founded online, we are a local company with a growing presence in Southeast Michigan. We believe in doing our part to raise awareness and support for the Michigan Humane Society, an organization that is doing incredible work saving lives and making a difference to hundreds of animals every single day. We are proud to partner with this outstanding organization and know that our efforts help make our community a better place.”

Mattress 2US-Mattress has been a corporate sponsor for the Michigan Humane Society for more than seven years, and has donated more than $300,000 to the animal charity. Not only does the retailer contribute on a corporate level, but regularly hosts events such as pet adoption days and photo contests, and features individual dogs and cats available for adoption on its website—even donating a new pet bed for each animal going to a new home.

“Our partnership is rooted in US-Mattress’ commitment to positively impacting the communities it serves, an effort that has resulted in direct financing support of our mission, vision and programs of protecting animals in need,” said Michael Robbins, vice president of the Michigan Humane Society. “The best word I have to describe our partnership is “lifesaving.” On behalf of the animals who depend on the Michigan Humane Society, we are extremely grateful to US-Mattress and look forward to our continued partnership.”

The Michigan Humane Society is one of the largest animal welfare organizations in the country and the largest in Michigan caring for more than 100,000 animals each year since 1877. The nonprofit organization operates solely on the generosity of individuals and companies.

US-Mattress matches all gifts made to the Humane Society through their website, everyday throughout the year. For more information about US-Mattress’ work with the Michigan Humane Society or to donate or adopt a pet through the website, visit www.us-mattress.com/michigan-humane-society.

Finding a Solution to a Buggy Problem Created a Business for This Entrepreneur

Lice logoIt’s an itchy subject: Concerns over the spread of so-called “Super Lice” and the challenges treating this school-time pest has boosted the number and size of area lice-control companies across Metro Detroit.

Worries that drug-resistant lice are becoming more common across Southeast Michigan and nationwide have parents, school officials and children’s caregivers seeking help combatting the troublesome insect. Businesses such as the Lice Nanny, Rapunzel’s Lice Boutique, the Lice Sisters and others say they are seeing an uptick in customer interest.

PamLice Nanny owner Pam Rose said she recently added another five “Lice Nannies” to build her South Lyon business. Rose said her Nannies go across Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, consoling families who have lice infestations and reassuring them that they’re not alone.

“As parents, we’re used to controlling things. We want to protect our children. This bug sends people into a whirlwind. They don’t know what to do,” Rose said. “I just trained five new people Sunday; I want Lice Nannies everywhere.”

Rose has been doing this job for the past six years; but she sees it more as her mission to help families fix the problem and move on with their lives.

“It was my husband who told me he thought this could be a business,” Rose said. “He said I was a people person. I love people and I’m great with kids. … I knew if I got into this, I had to know everything about it. I know this bug personally. I tell people the truth and get their families back to normal living.”

That is part of the reason her husband is a partner in the business. And despite offers, they decided to go it solo and stay true to their mission to help people at a reasonable price.

“I’m not really threatened by any of those (national) companies. I don’t care if a clinic open up next to me. I know my clients trust me and my lice nannies and they’ll be coming back,” Rose said.

Head lice are tiny parasites that use human blood as a food source; they tend to gravitate to hair as their homes. Lice can live about 30 days and are difficult to remove, adding to the irritation that comes with an infestation.

Lice concerns tend to climb in October when children are back in school, according to industry experts. The Centers for Disease Control keep limited records on lice infestations, mostly because lice doesn’t carry or transmit disease, Roberts said. Still, the CDC estimates an annual 6 to 12 million infestations occur nationwide in children between the ages of 3 to 11.

Recent research that claims lice have become resistant to both over-the-counter medicines as well as prescription treatments has given rise to this idea of “Super Lice.” Companies that offer professional services say their treatments, which vary from topical to chemical to heat or dehydration techniques, are about 99 percent effective in most cases.

Eventually, Rose does want to grow the Lice Nanny business even more because people of all walks of life need this service.

“I want lice nannies everywhere. I keep it so it’s a homey atmosphere; I want people to think of us as children’s nannies,” Rose said. “We’re like Grandma – she helps you without hurting you.”

Hungry for Some Thanksgiving Turkey with Friends? This Tavern is Open to All

As the nation approaches the holiday season, you’ll read all about shopping habits, consumer buying, food shopping and a plethora of other ways that we’re supporting one another financially.

Bar 1But there are plenty of other stories out there if you look for them that show how businesses are taking care of their neighbors. An example of that is Lincoln Park bar McCaffery’s, which is hosting its seventh annual free Thanksgiving Dinner for those celebrating alone.

McCaffery’s Pub knows that not everyone has a big feast waiting for them at home, and they may not have family in the area. That is why the bar created its annual dinner for those in the community who want to enjoy a dinner with friends who are like family.

The dinner feature six full turkeys with all of the trimmings of a traditional Thanksgiving feast including pie for dessert.

“I have been volunteering to cook the turkeys for the past 5 years,” says volunteer organizer Tom Handrinos. “A lot of the regulars that come in here do not have anywhere to go on this special holiday and I think it’s wonderful that McCaffery’s does this.

“It’s like a big family dinner and everyone is welcome.”

Thanksgiving Dinner starts at 1 p.m. and goes until the food is gone. The bar expects more than 100 guests to attend based on how many people came in previous years. McCaffery’s Bar is located at 4210 Fort Street in Lincoln Park.

Iconic Snack Food Company Raises Funds for Breast Cancer Research

You might know Better Made Snack Foods as the creator of one of Michigan’s most delicious treats – its thin, crispy potato chips and potato sticks.

But did you also know that the Detroit-based company also donates regularly to breast-cancer research efforts?

Better MadeFor the seventh consecutive year, Better Made Snack Foods has shown its commitment to finding a cure for cancer by donating partial proceeds of sales of their Family and Value Size packages of delicious Potato Chips and 99 cent pork rinds sold in October to the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer.

This year’s amount raised was $21,730, bringing Better Made’s seven-year donation total to $122,993. Funds raised are used to do further cancer research.

“We applaud Karmanos for its cancer research and are always more than happy to be a part of the funding solution,” says Mike Esseltine, vice president of sales for Better Made Snack Foods.

“Our fundraising efforts continue to be a huge success each year, and we receive a lot of support from major supermarkets and independent stores throughout Michigan which supports our effort,” Esseltine said. “The spirit and heart of many people throughout Michigan always shows up in the results of this program.”

Founded in 1930 in Detroit as Cross and Peters, Better Made continues to develop and provide a wide variety of high quality award-winning snack foods, including assorted regular and flavored potato chips and potato sticks, gourmet popcorn, pretzels, beef jerky, tortilla chips, pork rinds, wearables and more. The family-owned company uses locally grown potatoes and trans fat-free cottonseed oil.

Feeling Stressed? This Executive Uses Music as His Therapy

They say that music soothes the savage beast, calming anyone who hears its melody. For busy entrepreneurs, that could mean a dose of Adele or Jill Scott could be just what you need to slow down and enjoy the ride.

Caring 1That’s certainly true for Nathan J. Mazur, who plays music with friends to defuse some of the stress that comes with being a serial business owner. Mazur, who was born in Detroit, discovered a love for business and problem solving as a teen that lead him to become a first-time entrepreneur at the age of 18.

Mazur soon achieved success in real estate and the printing industry in his 20’s. Along the way, Mazur discovered his true passion – the senior health care industry, and it has been his primary focus for more than 20 years now.

He owns and operates multiple assisted living homes and facilities throughout Southeastern Michigan. From this, he has developed a keen insight for helping families to decide what decision is the best decision for a loved one who can no longer care for themselves.

“Once I started in this business, I quickly fell in love with it. In fact, I would say I fell head over heels in love. For the first time ever, I found something that combined my love of people and my love of entrepreneurship all in one,” Mazur says.

To that end, he’s recently established Caring Completely, LLC, a subscription-based consulting service that utilizes his experience – and that of medical and care professionals – to assist seniors and their loved ones to discover the best answers to the questions necessary to making the best care choices for senior care.

Caring 3Whether it is home care, or assisted living, Nathan believes that most seniors function and live better outside of a nursing home environment, and he spends most of his time these days working directly with families to help them determine the safest way to accomplish that.

“Caring Completely works with families directly and helps them decide what to do when their loved one needs some help. Whether that decision is for in-home care, assisted living, nursing home care, or other options, we work with consumers and families to ensure 100% confidence in the decisions made for healthcare, once a final decision has been made. Our consulting services are available before, during, and after the decision-making process.”

Mazur and his staff of 25 have conducted in-depth research on the most-asked questions involved with senior healthcare decisions. Among them: 1) What are proper home-staffing ratios; 2) Determining a family or consumer’s access to management; 3) The cost of care and expectation of rate increases; 4) The stability of staff; and, 5) Pricing structure/ options/ inclusion of services.

Caring Completely is a subscription-based service. The company’s service starts as low as $99.00 per month for access to a range of experienced medical and insurance professionals. Questions, answers and discussions regarding all-things senior care can be conducted via phone, website, email or personal home visits.

Get Ready for Retail’s Shopping Trifecta – Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday

Shopping 3Get ready, get set, SHOP! In a calendar mashup, three of the fourth quarter’s biggest shopping days are running together: Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday.

As a result, the deals are huge and the promotions are many. There are shopping opportunity aplenty across Metro Detroit as retailers of all sizes prepare for crowds from the moment their doors open through next week.

Whether you’re a traditional store, online retailer, restaurant or something else, chances are you’ll see a big uptick in business starting soon. For example, Midtown’s Jolly Pumpkin is stocking lots of its signature goods to ensure its hungry crowds can enjoy a bite and pick up a gift at the same time.

Gift givers can stop by the Detroit restaurant to choose from an assortment of Jolly Pumpkin-branded apparel, glassware, trinkets and more. It carries a variety of t-shirts, sweatshirts and thermal tops, donning the Jolly Pumpkin Pizzeria and Brewery name with the Detroit skyline behind it. And, if Fido and Fluffy are Jolly Pumpkin fans too, pick up a Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales pet collar or bandana suitable for both canine and feline fans alike.

“The Jolly Pumpkin brand has built an incredibly loyal following,” said Shelby Oberstaedt, general manager of Jolly Pumpkin Pizzeria and Brewery. “Fans love the beer and aren’t afraid to show it. We have a variety of gifts sure to be on any sour ale fan’s wish list – and of course, don’t forget the beer! Noel de Calabaza is now available on tap and in bottles.”

Shopping 2There are ups and downs to this year’s shopping bonanza, however. Because Black Friday has become Black Thursday and Black Wednesday (you get the point), there are a percentage of consumers who are turned off by the many sales going on around this store-made holiday.

“In recent years, consumers have come to question the value of deals in-store on this specific day. We are seeing three trends as a result of that sentiment: More consumers will shop online on Black Friday, a growing number of early-bird holiday shoppers are hunting for deals as early as October, and in-store shoppers utilizing mobile technology, like the RetailMeNot app, will seek out maximum value from their trip to the mall,” said Marissa Tarleton, chief marketing officer North America for online coupon site RetailMeNot Inc.

If you are shopping, here are the Better Business Bureau’s best retail tips:
In-Store
•    Make sure to really evaluate the deals; not all of them are great ones.
•    Research for the right product; check the user reviews before purchasing items.
•    Use those price-match guarantees.
•    When in the store, keep your wallet safe and pay attention to your surroundings.

Online (whether on a big or small screen)
•    Don’t click on a link from an e-mail or social media site for a store or coupon.
•    When online shopping, confirm that the web address for the payment page starts with “https”.
•    Read the privacy policy of websites you’re purchasing items from.
•    Pay with a credit card to provide an extra layer of liability coverage.
•    Know your rights about shipping, returns, refunds, and warranties.
•    Check with BBB to verify that an online company is trustworthy.

Looking to Add Some Seasonal Flavors to Your Kitchen? Try This Recipe

RestaurantSapori Italian Restaurant knows that there is nothing more delicious on a fall night – especially with snow in the forecast – than a warm dish waiting for you at home.

That is where this savory Fagottini comes into play. So the Washington restaurant and its Executive Chef and Co-Founder Salvatore Monteleone created a Harvest Season menu, and this lovely dish is featured prominently on it.

Monteleone has earned a reputation in just over a year for seeking out the best local produce from area farms and creating inspired dishes with an Italian flare. He and his staff make regular trips to local farmer’s markets and the ingredients they find there inform what makes it onto his ever-changing Chef Selections menus or seasonal menus at Sapori.

Items like the Chargrilled Quail and Octopus Salad are the sort of choices that bring regulars right back into the restaurant, while appetizers like Zucchini Flowers, handpicked from local farms, are a perfect example of special touches that make surprise both newcomers and regulars alike. He and co-owner Brian Maiorana hope the whole family can enjoy these dishes together.

FagottiniButternut Squash and Pistachio Fagottini

½ onion
½ medium size butternut squash pureed
1 pinch of nutmeg
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of pepper
2 cups Arborio Rice
Fresh Fagottini pasta
1 handful of blanched pistachio
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Saute  the onion and squash until they are completely cooked. Remove from the pan and puree the squash and onion. Add a pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper and hand mix in the fresh ricotta cheese. Mix the ingredients together until you have a smooth consistency. Lay out your pasta, fill the pasta with a generous portion of the squash risotto filling and tie the pasta closed with a blanched chive. In a separate pan combine blanched pistachios and heavy whipping cream. Simmer to allow the ingredients to merge. Puree the sauce and pour over the cooked pasta. Garnish with crushed pistachio and enjoy.

It’s Not the Money – It’s How Much!

Leon Danco (of blessed memory) is considered the grandfather of family business consulting. He leaves behind his “twelve commandments” for family business owners and number five is:

Thou shalt institute an orthodox accounting system and make available the data therefrom to thy managers, advisers and directors.

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder
My grandfather had a desk drawer for receivables and another for payables. At any given time if the payable drawer was empty and there was money in the bank, then he knew he was making money. That would constitute the simplest form of cash accounting, but probably more accurately reflects cash flow. Since then we’ve come a long way and we still have a ways to go.

Not so long ago we saw large companies go from triple A ratings to bankruptcy in little more than a heart beat…remember Enron, WorldCom, Lehman Brothers, and the old General Motors Corp. If we learned anything it was that financial accounting is as much of an art form as it was an accurate statement of financial health.

Accounting for how much money was made in order to pay taxes, make distributions or reinvestments is the ultimate goal. The yearend Income Statement line Net Profit (before taxes) becomes the definitive report card. However, if that is an art form, then beauty is in the eyes of the beholder!

Computers make accounting more meaningful
The computer age has brought vast new dimensions to accounting. It has allowed faster results and increased reporting. It has made sharing data easier and putting the data in useful timely reports as simple as pushing a button. Computers have both simplified and complicated the accounting function.

The accounting function of a business should measure more than profit and equity once a year. It should provide a service for management to help determine how money was made and how equity can be increased. Building an accounting system to aid management in good decision making – and therefore good governance – is essential today. Regularly created financial statements reviewed by the management team will build more sustainable profit.

Danco’s commandment motioned “…make available the data therefrom to thy managers, advisers and directors.” Transparency! Family businesses tend to hold the financial information very close to the breast. My experience has been that if you don’t share the real data, then assumptions prevail based on observations and incomplete information. Those assumptions are hardly ever correct, but if you believe that perception is reality, then they become reality. Being transparent is critical. If you hide information, it is natural for others to wonder why.

Accounting’s rightful place
Accounting provides a critical ongoing function for the business to “do what it does” – whether it’s making something or providing a service. Accounting pays the bills and cuts the payroll. Accounting keeps the lights on! Yet, so often the accounting department is minimized, the CFO is housed outside the E-suite, and the department employees are the lowest paid. In many family firms the first key outside employee is the comptroller – probably because the position isn’t seen as critical as other roles filled by family. If your firm fits that model, I suggest that you rethink what’s really important. Who watches over the money is more than critical, it is decisive.

During the accounting period, the staff makes things happen just like the production folks. Their work culminates in the financial statements. Every piece of paper accounting handles winds up on the Income Statement or Balance Sheet somehow. Financial Statements provide a historical view of performance. They are vetted by a CPA, used for taxes, required by lenders and measure all critical components of the entity.

Managing your business
However, Financial Statements are historical information. They measure things that happened over a period of time, or provide a snapshot in time of a position. Strategic managers find a way to “read the tea leaves” and use the historical data to predict the future so that they can react in a timely fashion.

Focusing on trends can be a key. Watching gross profit percentage, focus on contribution margins or tracking meaningful ratios can all add to current decision making. Accurate cost accounting can let you know where you are really making money, and where things aren’t going so well. Having line percentages, years side-by-side, and/or several months at a glance can show you issues like a CSI finding blood with UV light. Getting that kind of data in a timely, easy to use format can make the difference between a good year or explaining why the bleeding began.

Here are some things you might look at:

  1. Realize that management accounting is very different than tax accounting, and if your company isn’t really doing management accounting, start tomorrow.
  2.  Ask your CPA if he can compare your yearend statements with some kind of industry standard to see how you stack up.
  3. Think about data that would help you make better decisions and pursue finding it.
  4. Share key information with your managers, advisers and directors.
  5. Treat your accounting department with the respect it deserves and expect good accounting to help you make more money.

If you don’t have the staff and/or talent in house, there are outside CFO services ready to help.

Cohesion, Competitiveness Cited as Areas for Michigan to Improve

Doug Rothwell
Doug Rothwell
Doug Rothwell

DETROIT— Michigan’s economic future is threatened by a lack of cohesion behind a common strategy for growing the economy and prioritizing investments in areas that will improve the state’s overall competitiveness, according to panelists at the CEO summit hosted by Business Leaders for Michigan (BLM) Nov. 12 in Detroit.

Areas that would improve the state’s competitiveness included education and training beyond high school, innovation and assets, and economic development An audience of 500 senior leaders from the fields of business, policy, education and advocacy gathered at the Westin Book Cadillac for updates and discussion related to Michigan’s economic growth.

“Thanks to major policy changes since 2009, Michigan’s economy has experienced a surge of growth that has outpaced nearly all other U.S. states,” said Doug Rothwell, president and CEO of Business Leaders for Michigan. “However, our progress in absolute terms is still very low compared to our peers.”

BLM’s 2015 benchmarking report shows Michigan has succeeded in stabilizing the economy, lowering key business costs, and becoming more competitive.

“While we’ve gotten back on the road to prosperity, other states have been investing in their economic assets too—making it even more difficult for Michigan to catch up,” Rothwell said. “While Michigan has reduced business costs considerably, we need to do much more to excite the interest of site selectors and talented younger workers.”

Rothwell said the following benchmarking data showed a state that still needs to improve:

  •  Michigan’s employment, per capita income and per capita GDP have all grown faster than “Top Ten” states but, in absolute terms, Michigan is still below average – with rankings of 46th in annual unemployment, 36th in per capital personal income and 34th in per capita GDP.
  • While per capita personal income in Michigan continues to grow faster than most states, the absolute level is still $11,000 below the “Top Ten” average.
    • While Michigan’s population has experienced positive growth for the third consecutive year, and ranks 10th in the nation, “Top Ten” states grew seven times faster on average.
  • Michigan is the 10th oldest state, with a median age of 39.6, three years older than the “Top Ten” states.
  •  Michigan attracts fewer students from out of state than all but four other states.
  • Michigan has improved its cost competitiveness, but lags on many measures demonstrating the value of locating here.

Rothwell listed measures lagging, including:

  •  Michigan’s educational attainment levels rank 31st in the nation.
  • Only 22 percent of Michigan high school students are career and college ready— almost 13 percentage points behind the average of “Top Ten” states.
  •  Michigan’s production of technical degrees and certificates is 12 percent lower than “Top Ten” states and “Top Ten” states are enrolling secondary school students in career and technical education courses at more than twice the rate of Michigan.
  •  Michigan continues to show innovative strength, ranking 6th in university R & D and 12th in terms of patents per capita, but lags in entrepreneurial activity.
  •  “Top Ten” states spend more than twice as much as Michigan on economic development.

Experts from across the U.S. provided insights into what makes states more competitive, while local business leaders shared their strategies for maintaining a leading edge.

Panelist Barry Broome, CEO of the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, stressed the importance of immigrants in the workforce. He cited that 40-60 percent of the workforce in the greater Phoenix area is non-documented.

“Immigrants are an economic powerhouse,” he said. “When you become an immigrant state, you know you will have made it back.”

Broome urged Michigan leaders to “stay positive and not be satisfied with ‘good enough.’” Full information on the CEO Summit is available at www.businessleadersformichigan.com.

Sustainability Stars: Green Makes Sense For Businesses, Clients

Each year, evidence mounts that “sustainability” is far more than a buzzword designed to polish a corporation’s image.

Business analysts now say that it’s clear that sustainability can also profoundly affect a company’s competitiveness.

BBSustain4cBroadly speaking, the rise of new world powers such as China has intensified competition for natural resources, making conservation an economic imperative.

As Walbridge, one of our 2015 Best and Brightest Sustainable Companies in Michigan, puts it on its website, “Building green makes sense. It’s better for the planet and it saves our clients money in the long run.”

Indeed, the sheer variety of this year’s award winners is further proof that that philosophy is being widely embraced.

In addition to Walbridge, the Best and Brightest list includes other building-related companies as Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber Inc., a Grand Rapids-based professional civil engineering, environmental consulting, architectural/engineering and construction management firm, and Duro-Last Inc. of Saginaw, the world’s largest manufacturer of prefabricated roofing systems.

Also featured are lodging facilities such as the CityFlatsHotel chain, car dealers including George Matick Chevrolet and health care organizations such as Beaumont Health System. The Best and Brightest Sustainable Companies celebrates organizations that inspire and are dedicated to producing green technology that impacts the industry and the environment. These companies are considered leaders in sustainability in the workplace. Companies throughout the state of Michigan are nominated and evaluated in the categories of education, communication, strategic planning, innovation, community leadership, building and grounds, and financial performance.

The winners were honored Nov. 19 at the VisTaTech Center in Livonia.
Here are synopses of your 2015 Best and Brightest Sustainable Companies:

Acoustics by Design Inc.

Acoustics by Design Inc.
Grand Rapids, Mich.
www.acousticsbydesign.com
Acoustics by Design Inc. is a leading national and international acoustical consulting firm serving architects, engineers, building owners and facility managers across the United States, Canada and other international markets. According to its website, the company is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council — which operates the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System (LEED) — and company President Kenric Van Wyk is a LEED accredited professional. Acoustics by Design has extensive experience working with a wide variety of LEED projects.

A-Line Staffing Solutions

A-Line Staffing Solutions
Sterling Heights, Mich.
www.alinestaffing.com
A-Line Staffing Solutions is a premier staffing company that supplies professionals to the health care, insurance, pharmaceutical and information technology industries. CEO Ray Lichocki has said the firm encourages employees to work in an environmentally responsible manner, including printing only those documents that are necessary and recycling wherever possible.

Allied PhotoChemical Inc.

Allied PhotoChemical Inc.
Kimball, Mich.
www.alliedphotochemical.com
Allied PhotoChemical Inc. describes itself as a manufacturer of environmentally safe, 100 percent solid, 100 percent UV curable electronic inks, paints and coatings. Its vision statement says that Allied PhotoChemical will be a global supplier of UV curable products that are environmentally safe and that exceed customers’ expectations and needs. “Allied PhotoChemical will drive to continually promote environmentally friendly products through continuous product innovation, improvement and application; supported by a work environment that promotes honesty, integrity, loyalty and personal growth,” according to the statement.

Beaumont Health System

Beaumont Health System
Royal Oak, Mich.
www.beaumont.edu
In September 2014, Beaumont Health System joined with Botsford Health Care and Oakwood Healthcare to form Beaumont Health, a nonprofit system consisting of eight hospitals with 3,337 beds, 153 outpatient sites, 5,000 physicians and more than 33,000 employees. Beaumont is committed to reducing its overall impact on the environment and has done so in part by subscribing to all six Healthier Hospital Initiative Challenges: engage in leadership on environmental health and sustainability, serve healthier foods and beverages, reduce energy use, reduce waste and recycle, use safer chemicals, and purchase environmentally preferable products. The system has a number of programs in place to support those challenges, such as Green Team members who work every day to encourage and educate Beaumont leaders and staff on ways to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Bronson Health

Bronson Health
Kalamazoo, Mich.
www.bronsonhealth.com
The Bronson Healthcare system, which consists of more than 7,800 employees, says that its commitment to building a healthier future for all also means taking care of the environment. It focuses on four areas of environmental commitment: pollution prevention, energy conservation, green building design and sustainable food sourcing. It has introduced responsible ways to conserve energy as well as reduce, reuse and recycle materials with help from the Baldrige criteria, lean processes and evidence-based design. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) design has also been important to Bronson, which operates Kalamazoo’s first LEED-certified health care facility. Also, Bronson Methodist was the first hospital in Michigan to sign the Healthy Food in Health Care Pledge and to implement a Styrofoam recycling program.

Cascade Engineering

Cascade Engineering
Grand Rapids, Mich.
www.cascadeng.com
Cascade Engineering is a manufacturer composed of 11 strategic business units serving a wide diversity of markets, including automotive, commercial truck and bus, solid waste and recycling, furniture, material handling, renewable energy and consulting services. With a core competency in large-scale plastic injection molding, Cascade Engineering is a global company with 1,200 employees in 14 facilities throughout North America and Europe. As one of the largest certified “B” corporations in the world, Cascade Engineering is a nationally recognized proponent of sustainable business practices that emphasize the key role business can play in building financial, social and environmental capital. “We have worked diligently over the past decade to create a strategy focused on sustainability that propels our innovation and sets forth our future direction,” the company’s website states. “In fact, our company’s purpose as defined by our employees is to make a positive impact on our society, the environment and to be financially successful.”

CBS Solar

CBS Solar
Copemish, Mich.
www.cbssolar.com
CBS Solar works toward establishing solar energy as a primary source of electricity for all commercial and residential properties throughout the United States. “This is an opportunity for every community to use a clean renewable energy as their main source of electricity,” the company’s website states. “We don’t need to rely on unsustainable fossil fuels any longer. Now is the time to thrive on the planet’s abundant supply of renewable energy.” Company founder Allan O’Shea has been a driving force in renewable energy and conservation for decades. In recent years he has helped with the formation of the Michigan Energy Fair, which teaches the average homeowner about conservation, renewable energy systems and bio-fuels as well as how to make the important changes in their lives and to reduce energy costs in the 21st century.

CityFlatsHotel

CityFlatsHotel
Holland, Mich.
www.cityflatshotel.com
CityFlatsHotel says that it uses innovative design, earth-friendly values and personal service to give guests a great hospitality experience. CityFlatsHotel – Holland is the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold-certified hotel in the Midwest and CityFlatsHotel – Grand Rapids has also achieved LEED Gold certification through the U.S. Green Building Council. CityFlatsHotel – Port Huron, the newest addition, will reflect the design and aesthetic of the flagship Holland location and will be designed to achieve LEED certification. “We believe that the conservation and protection of our environment will not only ensure the longevity of the planet but will also improve quality of life,” the company’s website states. “We believe in reducing waste sent to landfills, conserving energy and water, reducing harmful greenhouse emissions, and ultimately creating a healthy and safe environment for guests and employees.”

C-Net Systems Inc.

C-Net Systems Inc.
Shelby Township, Mich.
www.cnetsys.com
Since 1998, C-Net Systems has been providing IT support services to businesses in the surrounding areas of Detroit. Privately owned and locally operated, the IT support company has served many different clients with many different computer IT needs. Highlights of C-Net Systems’ sustainable efforts include its remote IT service, reaching clients anywhere and addressing their issues without the necessity of travel. C-Net Systems offers free electronics recycling to the community, a much greener option than sending old equipment to landfills. Recycling with C-Net Systems is a safer option, as well, since the company destroys old hard drives in the process. Corporate culture at C-Net Systems offers an atmosphere that encourages sustainability and balance, with energy-efficient appliances, opportunity to work from home and “green” touches around the office from CFLs to nondisposable silverware and dishes.

Consumers Energy

Consumers Energy
Jackson
www.consumersenergy.com
Consumers Energy is one of the nation’s largest combination utilities, providing electric and natural gas service to nearly 6.6 million of Michigan’s 10 million residents, in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. Consumers Energy is also the state’s largest renewable energy provider, with about 10 percent of the power that it supplies to customers coming from renewable sources. “Today as in the past, our goal is to deliver clean, low-cost natural gas and electricity to our customers safely, reliably and affordably every day,” the company’s website states. “At the heart of this commitment is our compliance with all environmental laws and regulations. “In the future, we plan to make more investments to preserve Michigan’s environment. This includes additional investments in clean, renewable energy projects and emission control equipment for our generating plants.”

Duro-Last Inc.

Duro-Last Inc.
Saginaw, Mich.
duro-last.com
Duro-Last is the world’s largest manufacturer of prefabricated roofing systems. Its single-ply roofing prefabrication significantly reduces waste, both during the manufacturing process and installation. For instance, the roofing contractor orders the exact amount of roof membrane necessary for roof coverage, rather than a collection of raw materials. The company’s Cool Zone roofing system is green in a number of ways. It has high reflectivity and emissivity values that reduce the amount of heat transferred into a building. It is lightweight, requiring less fuel to transport to the jobsite than other roofing systems. It can also accommodate the wide variety of rooftop photovoltaic equipment available today. Plus, manufacturing a green roof requires less energy than other roofing materials, plus minimizes scrap.

Dynamic Edge Inc.

Dynamic Edge Inc.
Ann Arbor
www.dynedge.com
Dynamic Edge Inc. says that it eliminates computer headaches for small- to medium-size businesses that have outgrown their current computer support. It provides fixed IT support, custom programming and fitCloud services. CEO Bruce McCully has said the company prides itself on a core value of being “excellent communicators.” That thinking allows Dynamic Edge to be constantly aware of what is going right and what needs improvement in the area of sustainability. The company also has systems that promote communication about issues that are of key importance to employees and, by extension, its customers.

EDSI

EDSI
Dearborn
www.edsisolutions.com
Founded in 1979, EDSI (Educational Data Systems Inc.) is a national workforce development, customized training and consulting company intertwined with one common thread: helping people and companies in transition. For employees of EDSI, the sustainability message begins on their first day on the job. They are told how to save energy, paper and other office supplies, with most communication handled electronically. Indeed, the company has removed some equipment and has electronic faxing systems in place. And it doesn’t store paper. “We strive to achieve a paperless work environment by scanning and saving documents,” CEO Kevin Schnieders has said. “Most employees are very concerned about the environment and want to leave the world an even better place for their children and grandchildren. It’s rewarding to work for a company that cares about this and makes an effort every day to conserve resources, while being productive.”

ELGA Credit Union

ELGA Credit Union
Burton, Mich.
www.elgacu.com
ELGA Credit Union has branches in Genesee and Lapeer counties. The 2,400 hours of community service employees put in during the past year included participation in the Shiawassee River Cleanup as well as the Flint River Flotilla, which aims to revitalize the river as a community asset.

EverLast Lighting

EverLast Lighting
Jackson, Mich.
www.everlastlight.com
EverLast Lighting Inc. is a sister company of Full Spectrum Solutions Inc., which was founded in 1997 and has quickly become a leading manufacturer of energy-efficient lighting solutions for roadway, parking structure, facility and area lighting applications. By incorporating patented technology, EverLast Lighting LED and induction fixtures can reduce energy use by up to 70 percent and have won national awards for sustainability in utilizing SMART technology. “We are strong believers in practicing what we preach, so when we outgrew our facility in 2008, we decided to build a state-of-the-art ‘green’ facility where we could begin manufacturing a variety of energy-efficient EverLast light fixtures,” the company’s website states. The 72,000-square-foot headquarters and manufacturing facility, completed in April 2010, features geothermal heating and cooling, solar-and wind-powered hybrid parking lot lighting, recycled energy-efficient window glass, pervious concrete that absorbs rainwater and filters it back through the watershed, daylighting controls and solar tracking skylights that track the sun throughout the day to capture more of the sun’s usable light by reflecting light that would otherwise be lost when the sun is low in the horizon.

Experi-Metal Inc.

Experi-Metal Inc.
Sterling Heights, Mich.
www.experi-metal.com
Experi-Metal Inc. (EMI) is a supplier and manufacturer of prototype tooling and low-volume metal stampings, trim moldings, specialty items and subassemblies, including in the alternative energy market. “Experi-Metal Inc. understands that an energy efficient future is better for everyone and is supporting companies with these goals, in manufacturing, research and development,” the company’s website states. Specialties include components for battery boxes, solar panels and windmill structures. “In the development of future energy sources, EMI is capable of supporting the engineering prove-out of these technologies, as well as startup production,” its website states.

Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber

Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber
Grand Rapids, Mich.
www.ftch.com
Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber Inc. (FTCH) is a professional civil engineering, environmental consulting, architectural/engineering and construction management firm. Since the inception of the green building movement, FTCH professionals have pioneered as leaders. “We recognize designing for the environment is more than the application of sustainable design strategies and technologies,” the company’s website states. “It is combining these elements to create innovative and functional spaces that lift the human spirit.” FTCH has more than 40 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professionals experienced in applying sustainability principles to buildings, interiors and landscapes. The company not only designs green, it lives it. Its headquarters building in Grand Rapids was certified under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Existing Buildings rating system in 2011.

George Matick Chevrolet

George Matick Chevrolet
Redford, Mich.
www.matickchevy.com
Family-owned and -operated since 1967, George Matick Chevrolet ranks in the top 1 percent nationally and among the top five in Michigan for new-Chevy sales. The dealership is also one of only eight dealerships to be recognized by General Motors’ Green Dealer program. The dealership also this year received a Leader in Sustainability Award and a $20,000 grant to fund two sustainability projects – one at the dealership and another in partnership with a local community organization of its choosing – from Cox Automotive. The Leader in Sustainability Award recognizes dealerships that not only pave the way as good corporate citizens, but also demonstrate their commitment to shaping a better world through sustainable business practices. Chief among the dealership’s many initiatives this year was a $9 million LEED renovation and expansion of its 108,500-square-foot facility, which included integrated energy management systems, LED site lights, rooftop skylights and CO2 monitoring. The 13-acre dealership also installed electronic vehicle charging stations and a wireless heating and cooling system as well as implemented a campus-wide recycling effort.

Ghafari Associates LLC

Ghafari Associates LLC
Dearborn, Mich.
www.ghafari.com
Ghafari Associates is a leading architecture, engineering, consulting and construction services organization. With offices in North and South America, the Middle East and India, Ghafari serves a diverse client base across a variety of technically intensive market sectors. “Ghafari understands the complexities involved in designing functional, cost-efficient facilities that have the flexibility to accommodate evolving technological demands,” the company’s website states. “We collaborate with clients across multiple sectors to develop customized energy projects that promote energy efficiency, sustainable solutions and cost minimization while supporting future operational goals and growth objectives. Our diverse portfolio of energy sector projects ranges from energy and utility system analyses of industrial facilities to greenfield alternative energy plants.”

Herman Miller

Herman Miller
Zeeland, Mich.
www.hermanmiller.com
One of the world’s largest office furniture manufacturers, Herman Miller espouses the belief that the future quality of human life is dependent on both economic vitality and a healthy, sustainable natural environment. “We do not see these goals as mutually exclusive, but inextricably linked,” the company’s website states. “Mankind’s future depends on meeting the needs and aspirations of a growing global population, while enhancing and protecting the ecosystem on which all life depends.” In 2004, the company put into place a set of environmental goals that included a zero operational footprint and 100 percent renewable electrical energy. Today, it says it has largely achieved these goals, having reduced its footprint by 91 percent and using 100 percent of its electrical energy from renewable resources for more than three years. “Given the progress toward these goals, we believed it was time to expand our efforts in advocating for the environment,” its website states. Its new 10-year sustainability strategy, Earthright, begins with three principles: positive transparency, products as living things and becoming greener together.

Holiday Inn Grand Rapids Downtown

Holiday Inn Grand Rapids Downtown
Grand Rapids, Mich.
www.higrdt.com
Nestled in the heart of Grand Rapids, the Holiday Inn Grand Rapids Downtown proudly notes that its sustainability corporate policy is aimed at conservation, recycling, education, purchasing and community involvement. It notes that during a recent three-year period, electricity use decreased 34 percent, natural gas use fell 18 percent and water use dropped 20 percent per occupied room. It also has a recycle or waste reduction program for materials such as newspapers, deep-fryer oil and office products. Its certifications include being a Green Hotel Association member and State of Michigan ̶ Green Lodging Leader.

Humantech Inc.

Humantech Inc.
Ann Arbor, Mich.
www.humantech.com
Humantech was founded in 1979 with a focus on improving the lives of the working population. The company’s website states that its approach has changed how organizations use the science of ergonomics to improve workplace performance. The company has received a Governor’s Energy Excellence Award for the overhaul of its corporate office using LEED standards for all materials and equipment. Lighting was converted to LED bulbs, air handling units were recommissioned, and water heaters and servers used in the building were drastically reduced. The company tracks and reports its energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions on a monthly basis using the EPA Energy Star Portfolio Manager.

Integrated Architecture

Integrated Architecture
Grand Rapids
www.intarch.com
Integrated Architecture, or IA, is a full-service professional corporation offering expertise in all aspects of architecture, engineering, planning, interior and landscape design. Its architects, engineers and designers are personally and professionally committed to sustainability, utilizing a number of design tools and guidelines to inform and measure its efforts, including LEED and the Living Building Challenge. “We are designing in an era of change, and the need to rethink what we do and how we do it has never been greater,” the company’s website states. “The decisions we make each day as architects, engineers and interior designers can help sustain our fragile environment or exponentially increase its degradation. We take this responsibility very seriously, and for over a decade, have strived to create exceptional, sustainable buildings, systems and environments that support the health and welfare of each occupant while conserving natural resources and providing operational efficiencies.”

Jeff Glover & Associates Realtors

Jeff Glover & Associates Realtors
Plymouth, Mich.
jeffgloverassociates.com
Jeff Glover & Associates Realtors has won repeated awards for customer service. As a team in 2014, Jeff Glover & Associates sold 721 homes to southeastern Michigan residents. In 2015, the agency team plans to assist more than 1,000 buyers and sellers with their home needs, the company’s website states.

JW Marriott Grand Rapids

JW Marriott Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids
www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/grrjw-jw-marriott-grand-rapids
In addition to being all about luxury, the JW Marriott Grand Rapids is also committed to earth-friendly practices. From an energy consumption standpoint, the hotel is equipped with variable speed motors throughout the building and the lighting uses energy saving T-8 fluorescent bulbs in all offices and back of the house areas. The facility has a building management system that helps monitor air handlers, boilers, chillers and exterior lighting. The building itself uses free cooling in the winter months, which allows the hotel to avoid the use of chillers altogether. Another sustainable practice is the use of a system that uses minimal energy in unoccupied rooms. The hotel has an extensive recycling program, including a glass crusher recycler for nondeposit glass, an aluminum can crusher, plastic crusher, and kitchen deep-fry oil recycler. There are also recycling programs for solvents, batteries and mechanical oil and the hotel uses a weep tube irrigation system for exterior landscape areas.

LaFontaine Automotive Group

LaFontaine Automotive Group
Highland, Mich.
www.familydeal.com
Founded in 1980, the LaFontaine Automotive Group includes 22 franchises in 16 locations across Michigan and employs more than 1,000 people. The group is showing customers its environmental credentials thanks to a new “Green Dealer Recognition” program through General Motors Corp. According to the automaker, both LaFontaine Chevrolet in Dexter and LaFontaine Cadillac Buick GMC in Highland have proven track records in areas such as energy reduction, renewable energy use, water conservation efforts, recycling and community outreach. For example, the dealerships feature energy-efficient geothermal technology and recycled materials that were used in their construction. In addition, the Highland facility was General Motors’ first Gold LEED Certified dealership, and it set a new standard for how the LaFontaine Family would build future facilities, according to the company’s website.

Legal Copy Services Inc.

Legal Copy Services Inc.
Grand Rapids, Mich.
www.legalcopyservices.com
Legal Copy Services makes a direct impact on the environment by giving its clients the tools to go digital and convert records to searchable online documents. Founded in 1981 as a record procurement and production company to serve the legal community of Michigan, LCS over the years has adapted with new technology. “Online access to records and status updates has led to increased efficiency in both our office and those of our clients,” the company’s website states.

Lowry Solutions

Lowry Solutions
Brighton, Mich.
www.lowrysolutions.com
Lowry Solutions is the total solutions provider of enterprise mobility solutions and automatic identification and data capture technology for diverse application challenges in a wide range of industries. Since 1974 it has evolved alongside its customers to provide data collection solutions. The company also acknowledges the importance of sustainable business practices. “The leadership at Lowry is molding the company to incorporate corporate sustainability in all applicable business-related decisions,” the company’s website states. “By implementing these core values, Lowry believes they will not only strengthen the organization, but influence other business peers to do the same. Lowry demonstrates corporate sustainability to the environment, employees, customer base, and stakeholders by providing award-winning, sustainable technology solutions.”

Mass Transportation Authority

Mass Transportation Authority
Flint, Mich.
mtaflint.org
Like all mass-transit agencies, Genesee County’s Mass Transportation Authority helps reduce emissions by limiting the number of vehicles on the road. But the MTA is taking its environmental mission a step further with its next generation of alternative fuel vehicles unveiled this year. The organization continues to bolster its fleet with the addition of compressed natural gas commuter coaches, propane mini-buses, propane-powered service trucks and a new eighth-generation hydrogen fuel cell bus made entirely in America. The ultimate goal is to become a 100 percent alternative fueled fleet. The MTA is one of the only transit systems in the Midwest with these types of vehicles.

Metro Health Hospital

Metro Health Hospital
Wyoming, Mich.
www.metrohealth.net
Metro Health Hospital can proudly tout its award-winning environmental achievements. For example, in addition to its recognition from Corp! magazine, for six consecutive years it has received the Environmental Leadership Circle award from Practice Greenhealth, which recognizes health care facilities that exemplify environmental excellence and are setting the highest standards for environment practices in health care. It also took first place this year in the Battle of the Buildings competition staged by the U.S. Green Building Council as a way to recognize the “greenest” buildings that have worked to reduce their energy consumption.

Michigan Office Solutions

Michigan Office Solutions
Grand Rapids, Mich.
www.mos-xerox.com
Among the sustainability initiatives implemented by Michigan Office Solutions, which offers Xerox Print Technology and Document Management products, are eliminating paper waste, instituting companywide recycling policies, reducing landfill waste through recycling programs offered to customers, mapping technology that leads to fewer miles driven by technicians and continuous improvement projects aimed at eliminating waste throughout the company. “It is an honor being named a leader committed to providing and implementing cost-effective solutions to reduce waste and conserve energy while providing education to employees about environmental issues,” said company President Ralph Slider.

Neal Mast & Son Greenhouses

Neal Mast & Son Greenhouses
Grand Rapids, Mich.
www.nealmastgreenhouses.com
Neal Mast & Son Greenhouses, a wholesale grower of high-quality indoor and outdoor potted plants, is committed to doing the right thing to sustain its business, employees, community and environment. Its Sustainability Committee consists of employee volunteers from a cross section of the company. Project GREEN House was introduced in late 2009 as the umbrella over all of NMG’s internal sustainability and eco-friendly initiatives, driven by the Sustainability Committee. Engaging in sustainable practices is an ongoing process of continuous improvement and each committee chooses different areas of concentration: company and community education; reduction of hazardous and solid waste; transportation, energy conservation and CO2 reduction; and procurement from vendors also committed to a sustainable future. The company notes on its website that it has dramatically reduced its solid waste costs since 2011 by recycling more than 888 tons of materials, enough to fill 56.2 garbage trucks.

Nichols Paper and Supply

Nichols Paper and Supply
Norton Shores, Mich.
www.enichols.com
Founded in 1936, Nichols is one of the largest independently owned paper, packaging and sanitary supply distributors in the Great Lakes region, with eight locations in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. Its Norton Shores headquarters has once again received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold Certification for Operations and Maintenance. “Getting recertified is no easy task,” the company notes on its website. “The criteria for meeting LEED standards are constantly becoming more stringent. For example, this year we were judged against the newly created LEED Version 4.0. This last set of standards opened up a new category in environmental building certification – ‘Warehouse and Distribution Centers.’ We are proud to announce that we are the first facility to ever be awarded a Gold LEED Certification in this category.” Since its initial LEED certification in 2010, the company has reduced its energy usage by another 23 percent and more than 50 percent since its initial commitment to minimizing its environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions. It also has had 87 percent waste diversion because of its recycling and composting efforts.

Parjana Distribution

Parjana Distribution
Detroit
parjanadistribution.com
Andrew Niemczyk invented then Energy-passive Groundwater Recharge Product (EGRP) in 1997, and in 2004, he created Parjana Inc. as a means to test and further develop the EGRP. Then, after more than 13 years of research and development, in 2010, Niemczyk patented the EGRP. In 2012, he partnered with Gregory McPartlin and started Parjana Distribution to sell and distribute the EGRP. Parjana delivers innovative solutions to improve water infiltration and mitigation through the use of the EGRP, which allows water to travel and filter naturally. The company touts itself as the industry’s top source for a green solution in water management and says it offers a powerful, flexible and dynamic solution that can work along with gray or other green water management systems or independently.

Peckham Inc.

Peckham Inc.
Lansing
www.peckham.org
Peckham Inc., a nonprofit vocational rehabilitation organization, provides job training opportunities for people with significant disabilities and other barriers to employment. Peckham provides people with physical, cognitive, behavioral and socio-economic challenges a platform to demonstrate their ability, learn new skills, participate in work and enjoy the rewards of their success. In addition, the company’s Lansing manufacturing and office facility is environmentally sustainable, incorporating green and energy-efficient principles. Recyclable, reusable concepts are integrated throughout its structure, design and organizational culture. The building has achieved LEED silver certification. The building showcases how combining universal design concepts with sustainable building practices can create a cost-effective, efficient, accessible and beautiful space, Peckham’s website states.

Priority Health

Priority Health
Grand Rapids, Mich.
www.priorityhealth.com
Priority Health, part of the Spectrum Health system, serves more than half a million people with a broad portfolio of products including commercial and government health plans. The nonprofit has been dedicated to providing all people access to affordable health care for more than 20 years. It also is focused on protecting the environment and practicing fiscal responsibility through such initiatives as the installation of automated lighting and HVAC, paperless human resources processes, energy-saving kitchen equipment and an across-the-company emphasis on purchasing decisions that reflect ecological mindfulness.

Reliable Software Resources

Reliable Software Resources
Northville, Mich.
www.rsrit.com
Reliable Software Resources Inc. provides industry-specific IT solutions and is a pure-play IT project implementation and system integration company. Its project delivery solution emphasizes local accountability and a flexible mix of global resources, which the company says results in practical and actionable recommendations and right-size services that align to clients’ needs. Reliable Software’s services are offered on a project or strategic-staffing basis, across all technology platforms, operating systems and infrastructures.

RNS Packaging Corp.

RNS Packaging Corp.
Dowagiac, Mich.
www.rnspackaging.com
RNS Packaging (RNS) is the creator and sole provider of FunPak, a 100 percent biodegradable packaging product available in a variety of unique, custom shapes for the retail, gift and pet markets. FunPak is an earth-friendly, “green” packaging material that is a starch-based loose-fill. FunPak products are non-toxic and will not harm children or pets when they come into contact with the material. RNS Packaging founder and CEO Rich Daniels invented FunPak biodegradable packaging after his rescue dog, Bob, almost died from swallowing a traditional packing peanut. The company’s website states that when people are done using FunPak, they can flush it down the toilet, throw it in their garden, use it to craft with their kids or toss it in the trash. Within several hours FunPak will break down and return to the earth.

Schupan Recycling

Schupan Recycling
Kalamazoo, Mich.
www.schupan.com
Schupan Recycling is the largest independent processor of used beverage containers in the nation. Its facilities process aluminum, PET plastic and glass for Michigan’s largest grocers and wholesalers, as well as develop and maintain recycling programs for special events, universities and schools in the Midwest. If you’ve ever returned a beverage can or bottle to a grocery store to reclaim your deposit, that bottle or can has come through a Schupan facility, the company’s website states. As many as 3 billion used beverage containers are processed yearly at Schupan Recycling from Michigan customers, through the beverage container deposit system.

Spectrum Health Hospital Group

Spectrum Health Hospital Group
Grand Rapids, Mich.
www.spectrumhealth.org
Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit system of care dedicated to improving the health of families and individuals. The organization includes a medical center, regional community hospitals, a dedicated children’s hospital, a multispecialty medical group, affiliated physicians and the Priority Health health plan. Spectrum not only focuses on improving human health, but also protecting the environment and practicing fiscal responsibility. “The interconnection between human and environmental health has led Spectrum Health to view environmental stewardship much like the Hippocratic oath — to do no harm,” the organization’s website states. “We strive to reduce energy and waste, and adopt green purchasing practices.” For example, the company practices responsible disposal of waste, strives to reduce energy use in its buildings, encourages sustainability at work and home among employees and supports local food growers.

Steelcase

Steelcase
Grand Rapids, Mich.
www.steelcase.com
Office furniture giant Steelcase says that it has a clear sustainability vision: bring lasting value to its customers, employees, shareholders, partners, communities and the environment. The company aims to do this by designing products and solutions to benefit people, consulting with customers to help meet sustainability goals, collaborating with key partners to further the science and practice of sustainability, operating in a socially responsible way and increasing expectations of its supply chain partners and reporting global metrics. More specifically, as detailed in its 2014 Corporate Sustainability Report, the company has goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, VOC emissions, water use and waste by 25 percent by 2020.

Studio 5 Inc.

Studio 5 Inc.
Bloomfield, Mich.
www.studio5inc.com
For Studio 5 Inc. — a sustainable architecture, interior, graphic, landscape and set design firm — sustainable design is the backbone of its design philosophy. It aims to provide clients with environmentally friendly solutions to their projects that do not affect the clients’ vision and overall budget. The business also has a compiled a library focused on materials and products that are environmentally friendly and holds classes to educate design professionals, business owners and key personnel about the criteria of green design.

Sunblossom Solar Gifts LLC

Sunblossom Solar Gifts LLC
Manchester, Mich.
www.solarchime.com
Sunblossom Solar Gifts’ products provide chiming and movement — in an environmentally friendly manner. Artist Bonnie Greenwald’s company is a producer of unique and patented giftware utilizing light to function. No batteries, electricity or wind is required. All items are light activated. Strong direct sunlight through a window will cause chiming and spinning. Less light slows the items down. Even low evening lamplight will cause occasional activity. Beyond producing products that never require replacing or throwing away batteries, Sunblossom is kind to the environment in other ways, including “rescuing” boxes and packing materials from local businesses and landfills, the company’s website states.

TowerPinkster

TowerPinkster
Kalamazoo, Mich.
www.towerpinkster.com
As a creative solutions firm, the TowerPinkster architecture and engineering firm views it as its mission to create innovative, integrated and environmentally responsible solutions for clients and communities. “We are committed to making a difference in the world by creating sustainable facilities,” the firm’s website states. Its Kalamazoo office was the first LEED-certified architecture office in Michigan and its Grand Rapids office recently achieved LEED platinum. Additionally, more than half of the firm’s employees are LEED-accredited. “We practice what we preach,” the company’s website states. “From geothermal and solar, to using recycled materials and maximizing daylight, we can help you determine the right solutions for building. In the end, it’s about doing what’s right for the environment, and for the people within the building.”

Triangle Associates Inc.

Triangle Associates Inc.
Grand Rapids, Mich.
www.triangle-inc.com
Triangle offers a full range of professional construction management services — and always with sustainability in mind. “Triangle is focused on being good stewards to the environment and to this end we incorporate green construction practices into each and every one of our construction projects,” the company’s website states. “We believe that construction activities like waste recycling shouldn’t be a choice but rather a common practice.” The firm has 16 LEED-accredited professionals on staff and 24 LEED-certified projects completed or in progress.

Walbridge

Walbridge
Detroit
www.walbridge.com
Walbridge, one of America’s largest privately held construction firms, succinctly sums up its approach to sustainability: “Building green makes sense,” the company’s website states. “It’s better for the planet and it saves our clients money in the long run. We recognize a responsibility to minimize our impact on the environment while we do our job.” As part of its commitment to being responsible builders, the company’s project teams incorporate Walbridge’s GreenWISE program on all job sites. The company identifies 18 on-site environmental practices designed to lower a project’s impact on the environment, resulting in saving energy, recycling and creating ways to be sustainable on the job. Walbridge has worked closely with customers, designers and project teams to build 21 LEED-certified facilities through the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Program.

Webasto Roof

Webasto Roof
Livonia, Mich.
www.webasto.com
Webasto has been family-owned since its foundation in 1901 and has been a supplier to the automotive industry for more than 75 years. Today, it is split into the divisions Roof & Components and Thermo & Comfort for heating and air-conditioning systems. The company is committed to staying current with changing needs. “As the market leader for roofs and temperature management, the most important factors for success are a consistent quality management and the improvement of processes,” the Webasto website states. “The automotive industry’s most important challenges are to reduce fuel consumption and alternative vehicle concepts.” In light of shorter project life spans, a number of processes no longer run in series but in parallel, Webasto notes. “At the same time, the number of interfaces is increasing,” the company’s website states. “In order to ensure that our high quality standards are maintained at this level of complexity, we must continuously make our processes more efficient and use our resources as economically as possible.”

Take Your Buddy When You Hit the Road for Holidays

GBiPhone5HomeScreen1The fall holiday season has some of the busiest vehicle travel days of the year. And with gas prices – averaging $2.19 a gallon nationally on Nov. 13 – the lowest in nearly a decade, the choice to hit the road to visit family and friends looks even better.

The U.S. Department of Transportation tells us that the average Thanksgiving long-distance trip length is 214 miles, compared with 275 miles over the Christmas/New Year’s holiday. That’s a lot of road time. If you’re like me, you’ll want to get the most out of your tank of gas. In my case it’s stretching it as far as possible and hoping that gas station will pop up. Sometimes it doesn’t.  Those days are over. One of the many apps making it easy to know station locations – and their pump prices – on your trip is GasBuddy, www.gasbuddy.com. Handy car provider zipcar.com recommended it on their site and it looks good.

It even does price comparisons, so you can really get the most out of your wallet.

AAA reports that the low prices are a result of less demand, less costly crude and “a switch to cheaper-to-produce winter-blend gasoline.” The slight increases in price seen this fall are due to the refinery maintenance schedule at this time of year, they say. At any rate it looks good. “The market’s current oversupply is expected to keep prices relatively low, and barring any unexpected price spikes, consumers should continue to experience significant yearly savings at the pump approaching the end of the year,” AAA says.

So enjoy while it’s low – but try gasbuddy or another app to keep track of prices and stations. Happy trails.

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