May 1, 2024 • 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM EDT
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Blue Cross wants to ensure group customers have the information they need to promote available mental health resources to their members.
May 16, 2024 – The Henry, Autograph Collection
The MichBusiness Women Thrive Conference is a day of celebration, informative panel discussions, facilitated networking opportunities, and knowledge-sharing. It is advised by a distinguished board of businesswomen and community leaders.
Working long hours at home or in an office can be a pain in the neck – literally. And that is where Dr. Anthony Paternoster comes in.
After many years of schooling and years of practice honing his craft, Paternoster recently opened a practice at the Troy Neuropathy Center in Troy, MI.
Paternoster provides all the services one would typically receive at a chiropractic office, and because of his advanced education and training, he works with medical neurologists, neurosurgeons, spine surgeons, podiatrists, and vascular surgeons for patients suffering with complex conditions of the spine and brain.
His work has taught him one thing for sure: People don’t do enough to ensure their body is taken care of while they’re using their minds at work.
“My advice for individuals whose job involves sitting or standing on their feet all day is to walk around a little bit to increase the circulation to their legs and take plenty of breaks,” Paternoster said. “Stretching is very important and will help reduce stress on the back and legs.”
Also, people need to understand that keeping themselves in shape will help them at home and at work.
“Exercise is another great way to lower stress levels and stay healthy. Also, instead of sitting in an office chair, try sitting on an exercise ball in order to minimize stress to your low back and entire spine,” Paternoster added.
One of the main health problems affecting the patients Paternoster sees is people with peripheral neuropathy. Some of the signs and symptoms for peripheral neuropathy are loss of temperature sensation, weakness in the arms, hands, legs or feet, burning pain, pins and needles, numbness, loss of vibration sensation and restless legs. Neuropathy can be caused by diabetes, chemotherapy or injuries.
“I had a patient who had trouble walking due to low back pain radiating down the right leg and down into the right foot,” Paternoster said. “After several chiropractic treatments the pain subsided and nearly diminished. The patient then developed weakness in the right leg and couldn’t take a full step when walking. I applied muscle resistance physiotherapy to the patient’s right leg to increase strength. After a couple of weeks the strength returned and the patient was able to walk normally again.”
Paternoster studied at Wayne State University and earned a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Psychology focusing on cognitive learning and neuroscience in the pre-medicine curriculum. He also attended the Carl S. Cleveland School of Chiropractic of USC in Los Angeles, California to obtain his Doctor of Chiropractic degree. He completed his post-graduate studies at the Carrick Institute of Graduate Clinical Studies of Neuroscience to become a Board Eligible Chiropratic Neurologist. He continued his post-graduate education by doing a Clinical Functional Neurology Residency with Dr. Michael Husmillo at Optimum Chiropractic Neurology Center.
CEO Veronika Scott, left, works with Star Lloyd on production. It takes 3.5 hours to make a coat.
Anyone already familiar with the work done by Veronika Scott and The Empowerment Plan, a 501(c) 3 non-profit she launched in 2012 after seeing firsthand the plight of Detroit’s homeless, will surely feel an affinity with all the organization is doing.
CEO Veronika Scott, left, works with Star Lloyd on production. It takes 3.5 hours to make a coat.
An obvious big part of the ongoing initiative is to design and make coats that can be turned into a kind of “sleeping bag” as well as storage for those who receive them.
As those who look even a bit deeper will discover, the Empowerment Plan is really about jobs—and along with the basic economic benefit, the dignity that comes from working.
But it’s a big job and the organization could use some help. It’s making it easy for a growing number of “friends” to come together to do just that through its “Kicking Off the Cold” fundraiser, the third year it has done so.
The Nov. 12 event will be held at the Chase building in downtown Detroit and tickets are $40 ($125 for a VIP version). Get ready to socialize, network and, above all else, contribute to the kind of ongoing initiative that’s bound to have a human impact for generations to come.
Detroit’s revitalization comes as a result of many partnerships between public entities like the city and private enterprises. So when you see a public-private relationship blossom like it will at RecoveryPark, you have to sit up and take notice.
On Oct. 26, Mayor Mike Duggan, local representatives including Councilwoman Mary Sheffield and RecoveryPark CEO Gary Wozniak announced the city will work with the non-profit organization to turn a 22-block area on the city’s lower east side into a center where urban agriculture will thrive.
The project, which covers a total of 60 acres, includes a 35-acre parcel of city-owned land that RecoveryPark will use as part of its huge expansion. The new RecoveryPark urban-ag enterprise is bordered by I-94 on the north, Chene Street to the east, St. Aubin Street to the West and Forest Avenue to the South.
“(RecoveryPark) will transform property and transform lives,” Mayor Mike Duggan told the small crowd of media, neighbors, city leaders and Wozniak’s mom. “This is the kind of partnership we will see more of in Detroit.”
With Monday’s public-private partnership announcement, things will move quickly, Wozniak said. Starting this January, RecoveryPark will take a selection of people with barriers to employment such as incarcerations or addiction recovery and begin training them to work at this project. They will become farmers for the most part, working for the for-profit RecoveryPark Farms, which creates specialty product for area restaurants such as The Root, Stockyard Detroit and Republic. By March or April, you’ll start to see “hoop houses” or greenhouses going up to grow produce. Big, luscious salad greens. Meaty striped carrots. Amazing radishes. Delicate edible flowers. All going to the already established 15 high-end restaurant clients that Wozniak sells to as a wholesaler. More hoop houses will join each year.
All in all, it is a $15 million project that will take five years to build. Wozniak says he has about $1 million of that funding in place; he and the RecoveryPark board are in talks with partners and others to secure the rest. The final project is expected to employ 128 individuals within three years; 60 percent of whom will be Detroit residents and part of RecoveryPark’s mission to hire ex-offenders, veterans and recovering addicts.
Also on the table is the revitalization of a nearby office space for RecoveryPark’s headquarters, moving from Waterford to Detroit. But even more exciting is the possibility of stabilizing and then perhaps using the old Chene-Ferry Market – an amazing farmers’ market structure that now sits empty – into a going enterprise again. That will come after the first year at best. But seeing this struggling structure tugged at the heart of everyone on site for the press conference Monday; getting a piece of Detroit’s history up and running again would be a massive improvement and serve as a beacon for people of all kinds to visit this neighborhood.
Wozniak told the crowd he felt more excited than a kid on his first trip to Boblo at the Monday event. As a former addict himself, Wozniak is dedicated to showing the world that someone who had a problem isn’t a problem. They’re Everyman – they’re us. They get just as excited when they see their plants blossom and thrive as everyone else. And that is why RecoveryPark is such an important asset to Detroit – then and now. Then, it was just a simple dream two friends dreamed up in a Detroit basement; a way to use vacant land to create jobs. Now, it is the city’s chance to change both the Mt. Elliott/Chene neighborhood and show how jobs can be created within Detroit.
“I’m a recovering addict. I’m a returning citizen. This is my chance to give back,” Wozniak said. “You should see the way a guy (working for RecoveryPark Farms) jumps up and down with excitement when they see their tomato plants growing. You should see their self-worth skyrocket. … Tomatoes don’t care if you can read or write. They don’t care if you’ve been in prison. It’s about growth.”
If you love beer, then you certainly know Michigan has become a craft-beer heaven. But did you know one Farmington Hills brewery is going to take it one step further and bringing you rare brews to taste?
Tonight (Friday), Craft Breww City is offering a taste of the rare Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA (Indian pale ale). The restaurant/brewery, located at 27843 Orchard Lake Road, will provide servings on a first come first serve basis and will be distributed in half pints due to the limited quantity.
Since its release in 2003, Dogfish 120 Minute IPA is a highly sought after beer and has been available in very limited quantities. Clocking in at 15-20% ABV (alcohol by volume) and 120 IBUs (international bitterness units), it’s easy to see why people call this beer “The Holy Grail” for beer lovers.
“We’ve heard a lot of hype behind this rare beer and thought it would be great to bring this type of beer to a craft beer restaurant like Craft Breww City,” said General Manager Curtis Nordeen. “Having a Taste test with a beer like 120 minute IPA helps beer lovers become more aquatinted with different beers and keeps them wondering what else is out there.”
This 120 Minute IPA is boiled for a full two hours while being continuously hopped with high-alpha American hops, then dry hopped daily in the fermenter for a month, and aged for another month on whole leaf hops.
This beer has a lot more flavor, complexity and hopiness than any normal beer. Dogfish 120 minute IPA is available in single serve bottles but is made for two people to share. This beer is only brewed a few times a year and is available to wholesale partners in 23 states across the U.S.A.
Detroit is a far different city than it used to be just five years ago. Today, Detroit is becoming a landmark location for discussions about design, architecture, urban renewal and public-private partnerships. And that is why W. David Tarver is working diligently to get word out about its impressive changes.
Tarver is the founder and president of the Urban Entrepreneurship Initiative and chief event organizer. The Urban Entrepreneurship Symposium 2015 will be held in Detroit Oct. 23, at the College for Creative Studies. Urban entrepreneurship refers to for-profit business innovation that produces needed products and services for urban communities, or makes a significant number of jobs available to urban residents.
Tarver has brought together an all-star list of speakers for the one-day event. Miguel McKelvey, co-founder and chief creative officer of New York-based company WeWork, which provides workspace, community and services around the world, will be the keynote speaker at the event.
Michigan State University President Lou Anna K. Simon and University of Detroit Mercy President Antoine Garibaldi, along with University of Michigan Vice President of Government Relations Cynthia Wilbanks and Wayne State University Vice President of Economic Development Ned Staebler, will discuss a university’s role in driving and assisting urban innovation and business
“This symposium will focus on the concrete skills, methods, and processes needed to formulate businesses that respond specifically to the needs of urban communities,” Tarver said. “By doing so we hope to unleash the considerable creative energy that will allow the Detroit community to ‘shock the world’ with a new generation of innovation and economic vitality.”
Staebler, who is also president and CEO of TechTown Detroit, will serve as program host during the luncheon session, exploring with Simon, Garibaldi and Wilbanks what their universities are doing to advance urban quality of life, where their efforts have succeeded or fallen short, and how each respective university nurtures and supports the type of innovation needed to enhance urban communities. The luncheon program is scheduled from 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Tarver, a technology entrepreneur, is a Michigan native and author of “Proving Ground: A Memoir.” He created the event and Initiative to create programming and resources that encourage, facilitate and enable the development of for-profit businesses that explicitly and intentionally address the needs of urban communities.
“The addition of the authoritative voices of Michigan’s leading universities reflects the growing interest in urban entrepreneurship and the important role higher education plays not only in educating our future business and community leaders but in harnessing and directing the intellectual resources that our universities possess,” Tarver said.
The inaugural Urban Entrepreneurship Symposium was held last year on the campus of the University of Michigan to a capacity crowd of nearly 300 attendees. The event is moving to Detroit this year to attract an even broader audience of business innovators, academics, students and community and government leaders
Through expert panels and targeted business breakout sessions, symposium attendees will receive information and tools to assist in creating scalable, profit-making businesses that address important urban community needs. A complete agenda is available at www.urbanei.org.
If, as Napoleon famously proclaimed, an army marches on its stomach, then it’s safe to say that Michigan’s economy is significantly fueled by the agriculture industry.
Agriculture is the state’s second- or third-largest industry (depending on which measurement is used), contributing more than $100 billion annually to the Michigan economy, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The sector employs 923,000 workers, accounting for about 22 percent of the state’s overall employment. Agriculture also produces a number of points of pride for the state of Michigan:
The sector adds to the positive side of the state’s trade ledger, with one in every three rows of Michigan field crops exported, according to the statistics provided by the Michigan Farm Bureau. The total value of Michigan agricultural exports is $1.75 billion, with Canada, Mexico and Japan as the top three export destinations.
Michigan produces more than 200 commodities, making it the state with the second most diverse agriculture industry in the nation just behind California.
Michigan ranks No. 1 nationally in the production of dry black and cranberry beans, begonias, blueberries, tart cherries, pickling cucumbers, Easter lilies, geraniums, low-fat ice cream mix, impatiens, petunias and squash.
Nick Becharas, president of Becharas Brothers Coffee, delivered the keynote speech.
This year’s winners of Corp! magazine’s Food & Agriculture Awards can take pride in contributing to those lofty statistics. They were recognized during an Oct. 15 ceremony at the VisTaTech Center on the campus of Schoolcraft College in Livonia. Keynote speaker Nick Becharas, president of Highland Park-based Becharas Brothers Coffee, told about his experiences in taking a family business to 100 years and through four generations.
A note about our Food and Agriculture Awards criteria: In addition to honoring food producers and processors, Corp! also recognizes creativity and success within the food-related retail sector, including restaurants and other storefront operations. Corp! considers them a vital part of the web that literally injects flavor into the lives of Michigan residents.
Furthermore, the awards honor three categories of winners:
Industry Leaders, for leading food, beverage, restaurant and agriculture companies located in Michigan that are having a positive effect on the state economy through growth/expansion, sales, production, market share or employment. Overall winner: BarFly Ventures.
Industry Champions, for companies and organizations in Michigan that promote, support or advocate for the food, beverage, restaurant and agriculture industry through activities such as marketing, public relations, research, certifications, training, legislative activity and the like. Overall winner: Michigan Harvest Gathering.
Industry Innovators, for companies and organizations in Michigan that offer services and/or products in the food, beverage, restaurant and agriculture industry. Overall winner: Door to Door Organics Inc.
Here are synopses of the 2015 Food & Agriculture Awards winners:
Battle Creek Farmers Market Association
INDUSTRY CHAMPION Battle Creek Farmers Market Association
Battle Creek, Mich. www.battlecreekfarmersmarket.com
The Battle Creek Farmers Market Association, formed in the 1980s, is a nonprofit organization serving as host to the Battle Creek Farmers Market in downtown Battle Creek and the Bellevue Farmers Market in downtown Bellevue. Battle Creek vendors and customers this year were treated to a brand-new Festival Market Square after spending last market season in a nearby parking lot while the square was under construction. The new facility houses some 36 vendors under cover, meaning no rain to deal with and no need for vendors to worry about having product in the sun. Also, a new stage made it possible for the return of live music, the organization’s website states.
BUILD Institute
INDUSTRY CHAMPION BUILD Institute
Detroit Buildinstitute.org
Build was started in January 2012 as a program of D:hive, a welcome center and resource hub in downtown Detroit. The classes, called Build Basics, help people turn their business ideas into reality by providing them with the necessary tools, resources and support network. To date, more than 600 aspiring and experienced entrepreneurs have graduated from the classes, many of whom have gone on to start successful businesses in the city. One Build program, Build Bazaar, is a rotating pop-up marketplace celebrating emerging entrepreneurs, including makers of artisanal candles and soap, fresh-baked goods and handmade wares.
Detroit Kitchen Connect
INDUSTRY CHAMPION
Detroit Kitchen Connect
Detroit www.detroitkitchenconnect.com
One of the biggest obstacles to starting a food business in Detroit is the high cost of setting up a commercial kitchen, according to Detroit Kitchen Connect, which aims to help entrepreneurs overcome that obstacle. Detroit Kitchen Connect aims to increase entrepreneurial success by providing a supportive, diverse, inclusive community along with access to commercial, licensed kitchen facilities and equipment in a reduced-risk environment, its website states.
Farm to Factory
INDUSTRY CHAMPION Farm to Factory
Utica, Mich. www.farmtofactory.org
Farm to Factory is a new program bringing farmers’ market fresh fruits and vegetables to customers at work. The service will deliver loaded produce bags to businesses once a week, month or year, or just for special occasions, depending on customer preferences. The program can also help employers fulfill Affordable Care Act requirements for workplace wellness programs, according to Farm to Factory’s website.
Food Bank Council of Michigan/Michigan Harvest Gathering
INDUSTRY CHAMPION Food Bank Council of Michigan/Michigan Harvest Gathering
Lansing, Mich. www.fbcmich.org The Food Bank Council of Michigan (FBCM) was founded in 1984 through the cooperative efforts of the state’s regional food banks. The purpose of FBCM was to implement a unified strategy to address and alleviate hunger statewide by increasing emergency food resources and advocating on behalf of the hunger relief network. At the time, many cities in Michigan faced unprecedented unemployment rates, and communities suffered as a result. Michigan food banks stepped in to provide emergency support for families and individuals without enough food.
Over the past 31 years, FBCM and Michigan’s food banks have been agile and determined while facing high levels of food insecurity. The network has developed innovative strategies to respond to the specific needs of each community, sourcing large amounts of food at reduced costs and developing innovative programs and partnerships to increase food security for Michigan residents. At present, 16 percent of Michigan residents are considered food insecure, and 21 percent of all children. One well-known FBCM program is Michigan Harvest Gathering, an annual statewide campaign that raises food and funds for Michigan’s emergency food response.
Michigan Asparagus
INDUSTRY CHAMPION Michigan Asparagus
DeWitt, Mich. www.michiganasparagus.org
The Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board (MAAB) promotes the production and consumption of Michigan asparagus nationwide. The organization is dedicated to sharing the virtues of asparagus, while also assisting with agricultural research and the development of asparagus farming. The MAAB is funded by Michigan asparagus growers. The Michigan Asparagus website touts the benefits of the produce, stating it has excellent flavor and a long shelf life. It is a nutrient-dense, low-calorie vegetable with no fat, no cholesterol and very little sodium. About 120 Michigan farmers produce about 20 million pounds of Michigan asparagus during the state’s six- to seven-week harvest, which begins in early May.
Michigan Brewers Guild
INDUSTRY CHAMPION Michigan Brewers Guild
Lansing, Mich. www.mibeer.com
The Michigan Brewers Guild website proudly proclaims that, in terms of overall number of breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs, Michigan ranks No. 5 in the nation – thus supporting its claim as “The Great Beer State.” Founded in 1997, the Michigan Brewers Guild exists to unify the community of brewers, to increase the sale of Michigan craft beer, to contribute culturally and economically throughout the state, and to monitor and ensure a healthy brewing industry. By working collaboratively with proponents of craft beer, it strives to achieve a 10 percent share of all beer sold in Michigan by producing world-class events, increasing public awareness, educating consumers and encouraging responsible consumption.
Michigan State Horticultural Society
INDUSTRY CHAMPION Michigan State Horticultural Society
Hartford, Mich. www.mihortsociety.org
Organized in 1870, the Michigan State Horticultural Society (MSHS) is an educational organization with a mission “to encourage among the people a greater love for choice fruit products, to awaken a larger interest in Michigan’s horticultural possibilities, and to offer practical suggestions along modern cultural and marketing methods,” its website states. The organization, which has 1,250 members who are actively engaged in horticultural pursuits, The Society co-hosts the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market Expo along with the Michigan Vegetable Council each December.
Michigan Turkey Producers
INDUSTRY CHAMPION Michigan Turkey Producers
Grand Rapids, Mich. www.miturkey.com
In December of 1998, Sara Lee ceased turkey slaughter operations at the Bil Mar Plant in Zeeland, leaving many Michigan farmers without a way to bring their birds to market. After pursuing a few short-term contracts, 15 of these growers banned together and formed the Michigan Turkey Producers Co-Op as a way to continue processing theirs birds locally. With the help of a few outside investors, they purchased an old potato processing plant in Wyoming and began renovations on what would be the newest turkey processing plant to be built in the United States in more than 10 years, the Michigan Turkey Producers website states. Today years later, ready-to-eat products have become the bread and butter of the operation’s business. It packages not only under its Golden Legacy brand, but also under more than 60 national and local brands, and it distributes products both nationally and internationally.
Michigan Vegetable Council
INDUSTRY CHAMPION Michigan Vegetable Council
Erie, Mich. www.michiganvegetablecouncil.org
In 2014, the Michigan Vegetable Council commemorated 50 years of service to the industry. Its founders’ intent was to bring together individual growers, along with commodity associations, processors, shippers and other trade people interested, in promoting the welfare of the state’s vegetable industry. In December 2001, the Michigan State Horticultural Society and the Michigan Vegetable Council combined shows, initiating the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO. It has become the largest show of its kind in the country. In addition to co-sponsoring the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO, the Michigan Vegetable Council serves the vegetable industry in a number of ways. For example, according to its website, the council funds research and education beneficial to vegetable growers.
Motown Soup
INDUSTRY CHAMPION Motown Soup
Utica, Mich. www.motownsoup.com Motown Soup is nonprofit consisting of volunteers who produce soup and food mixes in Trinity United Lutheran Church of Utica’s state Department of Agriculture-licensed kitchen. All profits are donated to soup kitchens, homeless shelters, food banks and free clinics. Since 2014, Motown Soup has directly given back more than $465,000 to the community, its website states.
The Starting Block Inc.
INDUSTRY CHAMPION The Starting Block Inc.
Hart, Mich. www.startingblock.biz
The Starting Block is West Michigan’s regional kitchen incubator and entrepreneurial center. A nonprofit committed to incubating and supporting the entrepreneurial spirit, The Starting Block provides Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development-licensed commercial kitchen facilities and equipment for starting or “incubating” new and expanding food businesses, along with assistance in getting started making food products for sale. For businesses just starting out, or companies outgrowing their current facilities, The Starting Block allows clients to grow their food production business without the initial investment in costly facilities and equipment. “In 2015, The Starting Block has been able to expand operations for startup entrepreneurs to go to the next level by purchasing an automated fill line, enabling producers of sauces, salsas and jams to automatically fill their jars, thanks to an MDARD grant,” said Jane Dosemagen interim director. “The Starting Block was also able to purchase a vat pasteurizer with this grant, allowing the production of cheeses and yogurts. Currently, The Starting Block is working on its future sustainability through pursuing grants, building partnerships, planning entrepreneurial education and beginning a vocational certificate training program in food processing technologies.”
So far, in 2015, nine new clients have been licensed by MDARD for making new products at The Starting Block, and two clients have “graduated” to their own kitchen facilities, bringing the organization’s total number of graduates to 24. These “graduates” include clients who began making their product at The Starting Block and then moved on to build their own kitchen where they make their product or now use a copacker to produce it.
“The Michigan economy has encouraged people interested in the local food movement to purchase locally made food products,” Dosemagen said. “In this economically distressed area of Michigan, it makes sense to encourage and help develop small, local food businesses.”
In five years, The Starting Block would like to be busy with kitchen clients 24/7; it is currently less than halfway there, Dosemagen said. “We need to spread the word about this kitchen incubator, which has the experienced staff to help clients get started with labeling, packaging, batching up their product and continuing to help as they grow,” she said.
ViMax Media
INDUSTRY CHAMPION ViMax Media
Southfield www.vimaxmedia.com ViMax Media is a fully integrated agency focused solely on custom food marketing. Its client roster includes many of the country’s top food retailers, food wholesalers and food service companies. It provides targeted custom “foodie” content, such as recipe development, food photography, trending food and wellness editorial and how-to videos, and its programs are delivered through omni-channel programs, including print, digital and social media platforms. Services include complete creative assistance from conception and design consultation, through project management and execution.
CEO Jeff Scheiber said 2015 is shaping up to be a successful year for ViMax Media. “We redefined our product line and doubled our sales efforts, which has proved to be effective,” he said. “To stay successful going forward, we must continue to adapt to an industry that is constantly changing and evolving, but there is much business to be had in the food category and we are confident that this niche is where we want to be.”
Adding clients such as C&S Wholesale Grocers, Giant Eagle and Price Chopper Supermarkets in the past year solidified the company’s position as a primary provider of customized branded content within the food industry, he said.
“With digital content becoming continuously more prevalent within the food industry, we have also taken the necessary steps to expand our digital offerings, especially in the social arena,” he said. “Pinterest pins, Facebook-friendly recipe videos, stop-motion Instagram videos and targeted email campaigns are some of the newer products in our omni-channel programs that are experiencing growth.”
Door to Door Organics
INDUSTRY INNOVATOR Door to Door Organics
Livonia, Mich. michigan.doortodoororganics.com Door to Door Organics is a leading online grocer that is changing the way people shop and eat by empowering them to make easy, healthy food choices for their families while supporting their local communities. The company delivers boxes brimming with farm-fresh organic produce and curated natural, local artisan groceries to homes, schools and offices — at no charge for delivery.
“In 2015 we expanded our Michigan delivery area to include several metropolitan areas outside of Metro Detroit, including Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Muskegon and Port Huron,” said CEO Chad Arnold. “Our Grand Rapids delivery area continues to expand, as does our reach in Ohio, in and around Toledo and Bowling Green.”
Door to Door Organics builds a presence in the local communities it delivers in through event sponsorship and attendance as well as partnership development with similarly mission-driven organizations, he said. It also develops relationships with local farmers and artisan grocery producers.
“Michigan consumers are a savvy, health-conscious bunch,” Arnold said. “They’re actively seeking out ways to increase their intake of nutritious, healthy fare, and this has been instrumental in Door to Door Organics’ growth. Initiatives that support local organic farming and grocery production will increase access to Good Food while pumping more money into the local economy.”
Great Lakes Culinary Center
INDUSTRY INNOVATOR Great Lakes Culinary Center
Southfield, Mich. www.glculinarycenter.com
The Great Lakes Culinary Center was created “to build culinary dreams and fuel food passions,” its website states. The center is a state-of-the-art test kitchen and events venue in that offers food-service professionals — and the Detroit community — the opportunity to test the latest kitchen equipment, attend cooking classes and demonstrations, and host private events in a modern space.
Great North Foods
INDUSTRY INNOVATOR Great North Foods
Alpena, Mich. www.greatnorthfoods.com
Great North Foods is an independent, family-owned wholesale grocery serving more than 700 retail grocery and convenience stores throughout Michigan, northern Indiana and northern Wisconsin. Since 1930, the company, founded as Alpena Wholesale Grocer Company, has provided its customers with products from a wide range of well-known suppliers, in addition to a full suite of services and programs to help their businesses grow and prosper, the Great North Foods website states.
National Food Group Inc.
INDUSTRY INNOVATOR National Food Group Inc.
Novi, Mich. www.nationalfoodgroup.com National Food Group Inc.’s industry expertise centers on wholesale food service to institutional feeders. It specializes in developing food-service solutions for correctional facilities, K-12 schools, colleges and universities, health care providers, food service operations and casinos and entertainment. Customers include many government agencies at the local, state and federal levels. Its work for private organizations includes health care companies, corporations, casinos, convenience stores, food distributors, camps and others who are responsible for providing large-volume food operations. Since its founding 25 years ago in Bud Zecman’s basement, National Food Group has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing privately owned companies in the United States, the company’s website states.
Riggio Distribution Co.
INDUSTRY INNOVATOR Riggio Distribution Co.
Detroit
www.riggiodistribution.com
Since 1948, Riggio Distribution Co. has been a full-service, fresh produce distributor and wholesaler in the Detroit market, operating out of multiple locations. Today, as an anchor tenant at the Detroit Produce Terminal, Riggio Distribution services customers in the food service and retail industry. Its full line of fresh fruits and vegetables are shipped and received seven days a week to both corporate and independent customers of all sizes. Riggio Distribution owns and operates a state-of-the-art, fresh-cut and repacking facility, which allows it to offer customers precut fruits and vegetables, along with custom packing options, the company’s website states.
United Dairy Industry of Michigan
INDUSTRY INNOVATOR United Dairy Industry of Michigan
Okemos, Mich.
www.milkmeansmore.org
The United Dairy Industry of Michigan is the umbrella organization for the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council of Michigan, nonprofit organizations that provide dairy product promotion and nutrition education service of behalf of funding members. Its goals, according to its website, are to promote Michigan’s locally produced dairy products and reconnect consumers with the people behind their food.
Whole Foods Market
INDUSTRY INNOVATOR Whole Foods Market
Detroit www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/detroit
Whole Foods Market operates six stores in Michigan, including the newest one in Midtown Detroit. They are part of the world’s largest natural and organic grocery store chain. The company’s website states that each new store opening allows it to help more local artisans to build their own businesses. The Detroit store, for example, offers local products including Avalon baked goods, McClure’s pickles, Good People Popcorn, Garden Fresh salsa and chips along with a selection of seasonal Michigan produce.
B. Nektar Meadery
INDUSTRY LEADER B. Nektar Meadery
Ferndale, Mich. www.bnektar.com
B. Nektar Meadery, which makes mead, ciders, and beers that extend beyond the traditional styles, was founded in 2006 by Brad and Kerri Dahlhofer, with the help of friend Paul Zimmerman. Brad has been an avid homebrewer since 1998, making beers, meads, ciders and wine for his own enjoyment. When the Dahlhofers got married in 2005, he made a mead to toast with at their wedding and received great reviews from guests. Jokingly, he said that he’d someday open a meadery. Zimmerman, a fellow homebrewer, soon began making meads along with Brad in the Dahlhofers’ basement. Their meads quickly began winning awards at homebrewing competitions, according to the company’s website.
In the summer of 2006, Kerri Dahlhofer was laid off from her job. While sipping a glass of vanilla cinnamon mead made by her husband, she thought, “Why not try to sell this?” It was then that the three decided to take their mead making to the next level. In the spring of 2008, Brad Dahlhofer too fell victim to layoffs, and the three worked night and day to prepare for their opening. After nearly two years since its inception, B. Nektar finally opened its doors on Aug. 2, 2008 (National Mead Day).
BarFly Ventures
INDUSTRY LEADER BarFly Ventures
Grand Rapids, Mich. www.barflyventures.com BarFly Ventures is the parent company of HopCat, Stella’s Lounge, Grand Rapids Brewing Co. and McFadden’s of Grand Rapids. BarFly was founded by Mark Sellers in 2008 after the opening of HopCat in Grand Rapids. In addition to its four locations in Grand Rapids, BarFly owns and operates six additional HopCat outlets in Ann Arbor, Detroit, East Lansing, Indianapolis, Madison, Wisconsin, and Lexington, Kentucky. The company proclaims on its website that BarFly isn’t your typical restaurant/bar company. It recycles and composts up to 90 percent of the waste it generates, and it provides health insurance to all full-time employees. Sellers moved back to his hometown of Grand Rapids from Chicago in 2007 following a successful career in finance at GE Capital, Morningstar and his hedge fund, Sellers Capital.
Blake’s Hard Cider
INDUSTRY LEADER Blake’s Hard Cider
Armada, Mich. www.blakeshardcider.com
To capitalize on the growing popularity of hard cider, Blake’s Hard Cider was created as an offshoot of the 69-year-old Blake’s Orchards Inc. in October 2013. Today, Blake’s Hard Cider offers 19 varieties of hard cider made from the 42 apple varieties grown on the property, its website states. Blake’s cider house always has 12 hard cider varieties on tap and rotates flavors seasonally. Blake’s also makes and serves various flavors of wine.
Blight Farms Inc.
INDUSTRY LEADER Blight Farms Inc.
Albion, Mich. www.blightfarms.com
Since its establishment in 1965, Blight Farms, a family-owned and -operated crop and livestock farm in Albion, has been committed to employing agricultural practices that ensure that natural resources can be utilized for agriculture by future generations. It raises beef and pork to feed local communities, as well as those abroad.
“There are two major factors that affect all of agriculture: the weather and the global market,” said Afton Blight, a third-generation member of the family farming team. “This year’s weather in our part of the state has been decent throughout the growing season. As is expected, the global market for our commodities and those that affect our business have seen some valleys and hills but nothing too drastic one direction or the other.”
In recent years, the family has faced defending its industry and correcting misunderstandings from consumers using or consuming its products. “Many times people do not see the big picture and rely on uninformed sources for their information,” Afton Blight said. “Through social media we are able to explain our methodology to people and allow them to ask us questions. Ultimately, talking to farmers about what they do and why is one of the best sources for information about what really happens on a farm.”
The majority of Blight Farms’ livestock are marketed to companies outside of Michigan. “In the past couple of months construction has started on a pork processing plant in southern Michigan, which is great news,” Afton Blight said. “Not only will that cut down on the amount of time our hogs are in transit, but it also adds jobs to the area.”
The Blights are committed to keep changing with the times. “Our farm practices are based on research and practicality, and as we transition our business to the next generation, their ability to keep farming this same land is in the forefront of our minds,” Afton Blight said. “The goal is to always keep improving on our improvements, producing more using less resources, and staying educated and involved in our industry.”
Calder Dairy
INDUSTRY LEADER Calder Dairy
Carleton, Mich. www.calderdairy.com
Calder Dairy was established in 1946 with the vision to deliver farm-fresh dairy products to local homes. Even in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, that vision has not changed, the family-owned dairy’s website states. The dairy still uses milk from its own cows to make dairy products, uses recyclable glass bottles and provides doorstep delivery. The dairy has made at least one concession to modernity, however. In recent years, it has had to replace its fleet of Divco Trucks with more modern delivery trucks, unmistakable with their big Holstein black markings and bold “Calder” logo.
Canton Brew Works
INDUSTRY LEADER Canton Brew Works
Canton, Mich. www.cantonbrewworks.com
Canton Brew Works is the Detroit suburban community’s first brewpub, having opened earlier this year. The establishment, which is open Thursday through Monday, doesn’t serve food, but patrons are allowed to bring food or order takeout, according to the Canton Brew Works website. The brewpub also offers a $100 lifetime membership in its Mug Club, which provides beer discounts and other perks.
Cherry Central Cooperative Inc.
INDUSTRY LEADER Cherry Central Cooperative Inc.
Traverse City, Mich. www.cherrycentral.com
Founded in 1973, when five independent cherry growers came together to market and sell their tarts and sweets, Cherry Central Cooperative soon expanded operations. Fruit-growing sources and processing capabilities grew to include apples, blueberries, cranberries, strawberries and other sweet crops. Consumer demand for additional products gave rise to the inclusion of pomegranates arils and asparagus. Cherry Central’s product line is continually adapting to meet clients’ needs, the cooperative’s website states.
Today, Cherry Central member cooperatives represent hundreds of farmers and numerous preferred processors in fruit-growing regions in the United States, Canada and around the globe. Cherry Central transforms fruit and asparagus into an array of products for the retail trade as well as for wholesale markets, including ingredients, food service, private label and co-pack opportunities. It leverages its operation with ownership of two Michigan companies: Kalamazoo-based Dunkley International, a machinery manufacturer that specializes in fruit processing equipment, and Oceana Foods of Shelby, a fruit drying facility.
The Common Grill
INDUSTRY LEADER The Common Grill
Chelsea, Mich. www.commongrill.com
In 1990, chef Craig Common was approached by Bob Daniels of Chelsea Lumber Company, who hoped to open a restaurant where playgoers to the Purple Rose — the professional theater founded by Bob’s son, actor Jeff Daniels — could enjoy a meal. Common, who at the time was overseeing 16 restaurants in Michigan, Ohio and Florida as corporate chef for C.A. Muer Corp., jumped at the chance to venture out on his own, and on July 26, 1991, The Common Grill opened its doors. Expanding on the early success of the restaurant, Common decided in 1993 to increase the space to 148 seats, the restaurant’s website states. The establishment continuously draws praise, including being named one of Detroit’s top 10 restaurants in the Zagat’s 2011 America’s Top Restaurants guide.
Continental Dairy Facilities LLC
INDUSTRY LEADER Continental Dairy Facilities LLC
Coopersville, Mich. www.continentaldfllc.com
Continental Dairy Facilities processes raw milk from West Michigan farms and produces several products, including nonfat dried milk, which is shipped globally. The company sold its products domestically and in Mexico in 2012 and then increased exports by 706 percent in 2013, reaching new markets in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. In 2013, 5 percent of all U.S. milk powder products were exported by Continental Dairy, according to a press release issued when the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development selected Continental Dairy Facilities LLC as the “2014 Michigan Agriculture Exporter of the Year.” Earlier this year, Continental undertook an $8.8 million expansion to add four new off-loading bays to its facility and a new testing building where incoming milk trucks have milk tested before the trucks enter the off-loading bays, according to MLive.com.
Cooper Street Cookies
INDUSTRY LEADER Cooper Street Cookies
Birmingham, Mich. cooperstreetcookies.com
The Surnow family launched Cooper Street Cookies in 2011, and in just a few years, Elaine (the matriarch) and her two sons, Sam and Max, have grown the business into an eight-flavor product line with distribution all over the country. The production team consists of JVS, a group of young adults with special needs. The company also takes pride in the fact that it makes all of its cookies without the use of dairy, nuts or trans fats, and instead uses only all-natural ingredients with a minimal sprinkling of sugar for taste. The result is a selection of low-calorie cookies, produced not with cheats such as fake sugar and artificial coloring, but with natural ingredients including dried fruit, oats and straight-from-the-source extracts, Cooper Street Cookies’ website states.
Dokk’s Firehouse Dogs
INDUSTRY LEADER Dokk’s Firehouse Dogs
Macatawa, Mich. dokksdogs.com
When Tom VanDokkumburg retired from the Holland Fire Department after 32 years, he fulfilled his dream of owning and operating a hot dog cart. Through time he created several condiments to complement his “dogs.” Today, his relish and mustard is stocked by markets in northern Indiana and western and northwestern Michigan, according to the Dokk’s Firehouse Dogs website.
DuRussels’ Potato Farm
INDUSTRY LEADER DuRussels’ Potato Farm
Manchester, Mich. www.durusselfarms.com
The DuRussel family has farmed in Michigan for more than 125 years. In 1873 Jules DuRussel and his brother Constantine left Switzerland to settle in Detroit. Jules and his son Charles farmed there until the 1920s when they were urbanized out of the area and Charles and son Raymond moved to Utica. There they grew rhubarb and potatoes on 300 acres. Raymond sold the business to his sons Howard (Bud) and Donald. The area was again urbanized, and the DuRussels moved to Manchester in 1969. By 1976 the farm had grown to more than 1,100 acres and was now incorporated as DuRussels’ Potato Farms Inc. In August 2014, Dale and Dee Warner bought DuRussel Farms in hope of continuing the long-lasting tradition.
Since the Warners’ purchase, many improvements have been under way, according to their website. For example, several outdated housing units were removed to make room for updating existing houses for the expanding migrant workforce. A high-quality ventilation system was installed in both the vegetable and potato processing warehouses, and new farming techniques were implemented to reduce the risks of pests and disease.
Fusilier Family Farms
INDUSTRY LEADER Fusilier Family Farms
Manchester, Mich. www.fusilierfamilyfarms.com
The fifth and sixth generations of Fusiliers are farming 200 acres at the edge of the Irish Hills. The majority of the farm is devoted to growing a large array of fresh, high-quality produce that is marketed directly through farmers markets, a “Share the Farm” Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program and area public schools, which also use the partnership as an opportunity to educate students about how food is grown. Through the CSA program, members receive a basket of fresh, all-natural produce weekly from June through October. A small amount of the farm’s acreage is planted for commercial corn and soybean production, according to the company’s website.
Grand Rapids Coffee Roasters
INDUSTRY LEADER Grand Rapids Coffee Roasters
Grand Rapids, Mich. www.grandrapidscoffee.com
In business since 2007, Grand Rapids Coffee Roasters began in a 100-plus-year-old building that once housed Johnson Furniture Co. The micro-roaster states on its website that it strives to produce both a great cup of coffee and an entertaining field trip to customers who visit its roastery. It is open to the public on Saturdays and encourages people to visit for free brewed coffee samples and a demonstration of the coffee roasting process. Its offerings include 23 Select Single Origin coffees, 24 Premium Specialty Blends, three Espresso Blends and a variety of gourmet flavored coffees.
Just Delicious Scones
INDUSTRY LEADER Just Delicious Scones
Roseville, Mich. www.justdeliciousscones-mi.com Just Delicious Scones is a bakery of specialized pastries and also a tearoom serving brunch, lunch and special events. In addition, it is a wholesale supplier to Nino Salvaggio Markets, Westborn Markets, Busch’s Markets, Hollywood Markets, Village Market in Grosse Pointe and St. Clair Shores, and several other stores in metro Detroit.
Owner Jennifer Stockwell-Colombo said 2015 has been a good year, with overall sales up 70 percent from 2014.
“Our tearoom sales have grown exponentially and our wholesale customers have maintained a steady business,” she said. “This year we also entered into a contract to buy our building and an adjacent building instead of leasing. We are working diligently this year to stabilize our workforce and right-size our staff.”
Going forward, Stockwell-Colombo aims to expand the wholesale business and utilize more automated equipment to increase production capacity.
KBD Inc.
INDUSTRY LEADER KBD Inc.
Detroit
KBD is a Detroit meat wholesaler. A Manta.com profile indicates that it was established in 1962 and employs about 50 people, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development lists the company as a wholesaler of fresh and frozen beef and frozen pork.
Lipari Foods Inc.
INDUSTRY LEADER Lipari Foods Inc.
Warren, Mich. www.liparifoods.com
While distributing food brands is Lipari Foods’ specialty, it also offers services such as assisting with sales and profit increases, promotional planning, menu development and costing, merchandising and schematic assistance, reduction in food costs (ingredients and supplies) and shrink control, the company’s website states. In 1971, Jim’s son Thom started working at Lipari Foods. Over the past 15 years, growth has come in many forms: acquisitions of distribution businesses, partnerships with several wholesale warehouses, and product expansion into packaging, seafood, and confections. In 2006 Lipari Foods built its current facility to customize space and technology and accommodate anticipated future growth.
Michigan Sugar Co.
INDUSTRY LEADER Michigan Sugar Co.
Bay City, Mich. www.michigansugar.com
Since its founding, more than a century ago, when six independent sugar beet companies merged, Michigan Sugar Co. has perfected the process of turning one of the region’s largest cash crops — the sugar beet — into pure sugar. Today, Michigan Sugar Co. is the third-largest beet sugar processor in the United States, producing an annual average of more than 1 billion pounds of sugar. It sells products in wholesale and retail quantities under the Pioneer Sugar and Big Chief Sugar brands. The company has seven production and storage facilities throughout Michigan and Ohio, including a Caro factory built in 1889 that is the oldest operating factory in the country, according to the company’s website.
Nikki’s Ginger Tea
INDUSTRY LEADER Nikki’s Ginger Tea
Detroit www.nikkisgingertea.com
Nikki’s Ginger Tea, owned by Monique Sasser, makes a line of ginger-based teas that are sold in a variety of retail outlets. This fall, according to the company’s Facebook page, it moved production to a facility operated by Hopeful Harvest Foods Inc.
Northern United Brewing Company/Null Taphouse
INDUSTRY LEADER Northern United Brewing Company/Null Taphouse
Dexter www.nubco.net Northern United Brewing Co. celebrated its first full year of operation in 2015. “There were failures and triumphs, but we continue to improve every day,” said CEO Jon Carlson.
Its greatest step forward was the $1.2 million expansion the company completed during the past year, he said. The brewery nearly doubled its brewing capacity in just more than eight months, and its sales are up 52 percent in the state from 2014.
The company also unveiled a tasting room and taphouse in Dexter aptly named Northern United Liquid Libations, or null for short. It features 30 taps, spirits, and wines all made in Michigan.
“Michiganders love to support local business and we love to support Michiganders,” Carlson said. “Through a sense of community on each side, we have grown to distribute some of our beers in 40 states and nine countries. Innovation of our craft is what pushes us forward. With more legislative support for smaller breweries in the state (increased self-distribution rights), we would only grow larger and offer more employment opportunities.”
Northville Winery & Brewing Co.
INDUSTRY LEADER Northville Winery & Brewing Co.
Northville, Mich. www.thenorthvillewinery.com
The Northville Winery originated at Parmenter’s Northville Cider Mill in 1982. Owners Rob and Carina Nelson started making their own wine almost 10 years ago and have been expanding ever since, including adding a microbrewery in 2014. A year-round tasting room opened in June 2012. All grapes and apples are brought in from the west side of Michigan, and the winery then does all the pressing in the cider mill and fermenting and bottling in the winery building, its website states. Every bottle is filled and labeled by hand. The winery produces several alcoholic wines, hard cider flavors and most recently beer. A small distillery is coming soon.
Nurish Brands/FEEL Natural Energy
INDUSTRY LEADER Nurish Brands/FEEL Natural Energy
Royal Oak www.feelenergy.com
Nurish Brands, maker of FEEL Natural Energy, an all-natural, low-calorie energy drink, is enjoying a growth spurt.
“In 2015 we have begun our expansion outside of our home Michigan market,” said CEO Brian Turner. “We hired Howard Dembs as director of sales and marketing and also have retained two national firms to represent us to distributors and brokers.”
In the past year, Nurish has obtained distribution of more than 120 accounts.
“What has really helped us is the growing recognition that while consumers continue to want a beverage that provides added energy, they are leery of traditional energy drinks that contain artificial ingredients and stimulants,” Turner said. The company is aiming to become a $10 million brand with distribution in various channels across the United States within five years, Turner said.
Original Murdick’s Fudge
INDUSTRY LEADER Original Murdick’s Fudge
Mackinac Island www.originalmurdicksfudge.com
In 1887, Mackinac Island’s first candy shop opened as Murdick’s Candy Kitchen, using Sara Murdick’s confectionery skills and recipes. In 1969, Bob Benser Sr. bought a different version of the business. Today, the Benser family still follows Sara Murdick’s recipe and the old-fashioned fudge-making techniques that have been passed down through the generations. Original Murdick’s Fudge has expanded to other locations on Mackinac Island as well as in Mackinaw City and St. Ignace, in addition to three stores and a bakery in Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.
Owens Family Foods LLC/ Scotty O’Hotty
INDUSTRY LEADER Owens Family Foods LLC/ Scotty O’Hotty
Dearborn, Mich. www.scottyohotty.com
Scott and Suzi Owens, the husband-and-wife team behind Owens Family Foods LLC, are bringing kudos to Michigan.
The company’s line of Scotty O’Hotty naturally spicy sauces has garnered more than 30 national awards since 2013. It offers five low-sodium sauces, from mild to wild: Roasted Pepper, Beer-Bacon Chipotle, Premium Habanero, The Ghost Sauce and Reaper de Muerte. They are sold at gourmet markets and major retail chains in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and Wisconsin, as well as through the company’s website.
“We are almost through our fourth year in business,” Scott Owens said. “Looking back, we have amazed ourselves as to all of the success we have achieved in such a relatively short period of time. Our overall revenues continue to grow each quarter, which has allowed us to focus on our company full time.”
The holiday gift season is traditionally the busiest quarter, and each year the Owens Family Foods donates a portion of proceeds to a charity. This year, the beneficiary is Scarlet’s Smile, a 501(c)(3) foundation named for Scarlet Goszczynski, a girl who suffers from spinal muscular atrophy, the leading cause of genetic death in children.
The couple started their business out of their own garden in the wake of the 2008 economic downturn. “We are proud to use Michigan companies as sources for our manufacturing and packaging needs,” Scott Owens said. “The one issue that we have run into time and time again is the ability to find the local companies that match our needs. Every product in the food industry has different wants and needs, and the challenge is finding the right fit.”
The couple’s goal in the next five years time is to have Scotty O’Hotty brand products on store shelves nationwide. They also hope to hire an additional 15 employees. To help accomplish that, the business plans to expand its product line within the next year.
“We have several new gourmet food products that we plan to release potentially tripling our current revenue,” Scott Owens said. “We are gearing up to do some large advertising and marketing in the near future to help us reach our goal.”
Paramount Coffee Co.
INDUSTRY LEADER Paramount Coffee Co.
Lansing www.paramountcoffee.com
One of the Midwest’s largest coffee rosters, Paramount Coffee Co. has been roasting coffee for private label, retail and direct-to-consumer markets for 80 years. In 2014, the company undertook an expansion project that involved increasing its manufacturing space near downtown Lansing from 80,000 to 100,000 square feet and establishing distribution and shipping operations in a separate 58,000-square-foot building on the city’s outskirts. Also in 2014, the company earned Level 2 certification from the Safe Quality Food Institute, establishing that the coffee roaster had effectively implemented rigorous food safety control systems.
Passport Pizza LLC
INDUSTRY LEADER Passport Pizza LLC
Clinton Township, Mich. passportpizza.com Passport Pizza, which has 14 locations throughout Southeast Michigan, is in its second generation of family ownership. The company started as Pizza One, later becoming Pizza N More and then Passport Pizza. Some employees have been with the company for 30 years and have now been joined by their family members, according to the Passport Pizza website.
Pierino Frozen Foods
INDUSTRY LEADER Pierino Frozen Foods
Southfield, Mich. pierinofrozenfoods.com
Pierino Frozen Foods has come a long way from the late nights in a small home kitchen in Melvindale, where Italian immigrant Pierino Guglielmetti and wife Ida made ravioli that they sold to Detroit-area restaurants and specialty stores. Today Pierino makes its home in a technologically advanced 30,000-square-foot preparation, packaging and shipping facility, where it produces multiple lines of frozen, precooked and dried pasta specialties. Advanced automated cooking and cutting systems, a flash-freezing facility, inspection facilities, packaging and shipment departments are all under one roof. The company’s website states Pierino is still growing and expanding, adding new products and production capabilities to serve a diverse customer base.
Randazzo Fresh Market
INDUSTRY LEADER Randazzo Fresh Market
Macomb, Mich. randazzofreshmarket.com
Ever since it opened its first store on Detroit’s East Side in the summer of 1972, the Randazzo Fresh Market family has worked to provide customers with fresh, quality produce, baked goods, prepared foods, meats, deli, seafood and groceries, the company’s website states. Today, there are three Randazzo Fresh Markets in Macomb County.
Rochester Mills Beer Co.
INDUSTRY LEADER Rochester Mills Beer Co.
Rochester, Mich. www.beercos.com
The Rochester Mills Beer Co. opened its doors in 1998 and began brewing a wide selection of handcrafted lagers and ales for the residents of Rochester and the emerging craft beer enthusiasts in the surrounding communities. The brewpub is on Water Street, two blocks east of downtown Rochester’s Main Street in the historic Western Knitting Mill.
Preserving the original character of the building, the brewpub features original hardwood floors, columns, beams and exposed brick walls. In 2012 the company expanded operations and opened a production brewery in Auburn Hills to take the beers beyond the brewpub, the Rochester Mills website states. Today you can find the beers of Rochester Mills on draft and packaged in 16-ounce cans across Michigan and beyond.
Shoreline Foods LLC
INDUSTRY LEADER Shoreline Foods LLC
Traverse City, Mich. www.shorelinefruit.com
During the late 1960s, at casual Michigan State University Farm House Fraternity gatherings, two sets of brothers — Bob and Don Gregory and Dean, Gene and Norm Veliquette — made plans for the orchards that would one day launch Shoreline Fruit’s cooperative of growers. What began as a few acres of leased orchards has grown to become the largest tart cherry operation in North America, Shoreline Fruit’s website states. The Shoreline Fruit cooperative of growers has 6,000 acres of orchards and typically harvests more than 25 million pounds of Montmorency tart cherries each year. Its growers are among the first cherry farms in Northern Michigan to earn USDA Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification.
Sunrise Acres Egg Farms
INDUSTRY LEADER Sunrise Acres Egg Farms
Hudsonville, Mich. sunriseacresmi.com
Sunrise Acres, an egg farm located in Hudsonville, was started by Marvin and June Patmos with 100 chickens in 1949. His two sons, Dick and Bill, took over day-to-day operations in the 1980s, and today the third generation, Bill’s sons, is learning the family farm business, Sunrise Acres’ website states. The operation says it is proud to support local farmers by buying their grain and always going “Michigan First!” for all of its supplies and needs. Sunrise Acres also participates in the United Egg Producers Animal Welfare Program.
Thai Feast LLC
INDUSTRY LEADER Thai Feast LLC
Dearborn, Mich. thaifeast.com/ Thai Feast was created in 2011 by the matriarch of Bangkok 96 Restaurant, which had been serving Thai cuisine in Michigan since 1996. What started as frozen gluten-free frozen line led to shelf-stable instant vegan broth powders in a variety of Asian flavors for the retail and food service industries.
“The sales of our frozen line continue to grow, but with a small team and attention needed in launching new shelf-stable broth and sauce mixes, energy and timing can be overwhelming at times,” said CEO Genevieve Vang. “Networking with others have opened up opportunities and created good business relationships that led to important resources to make our new products better.”
The ebbs and flows of Michigan’s economy have had little impact on the business, Vang said.
“In terms of what needs to be done to make our state a more favorable climate for agriculture and the food industry, we all need to take small, eco-friendly actions in our everyday operations,” she said. “Hopefully, it will encourage good practice that is worth repeating when we go home.”
Vang would ultimately like to see Thai Feast ingredients used in cafeterias of large institutions such as universities, hospitals and corporations. “Maybe a Thai Feast fast casual restaurant will also exist to provide consumers more healthier Asian food options,” she said.
Voogt Farms
INDUSTRY LEADER Voogt Farms
Marne, Mich. www.voogtfarms.com
The Voogt family says it is serious about the business of raising superior registered Angus seedstock and maintaining a family farm. The beef cattle farm, begun in 1967, is situated on 170 acres of hay ground and pasture, with an additional 125 acres of hay ground and a heifer development pasture rented, the farm’s website states. The farm is truly a family operation. Gary and Shirley Voogt, along with daughter Michele, live at the farm headquarters. Son Zachary his wife, Wendy, and their three children live on a second home on the farm. Daughter Kelly and her husband, Marc Jacobsen, and their sons own five acres adjacent to the farm and hope to build in the future. Voogt Farms is also home to 100 mother cows plus the calves and yearling bulls and heifers.
Win Schuler Foods Inc.
INDUSTRY LEADER Win Schuler Foods Inc.
Southfield, Mich. www.winschulers.com
The heritage of Win Schuler’s products began almost a century ago, in 1909, in the southwest Michigan town of Marshall, where Albert Schuler Sr. opened a small cigar store on Main Street. Eventually, according to the company’s website, Albert’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to purchase a hotel and restaurant he named Schuler’s. In 1934 Albert turned the management of the hotel over to his sons Winston and Albert Jr. Win eventually bought out his brother and started to put his own personality into the restaurant that he renamed “Win Schuler’s.” Win realized that while patrons were waiting to be seated they were building up ravenous appetites. So, as a gesture of hospitality, he rewarded for their patience with a complimentary crock of Schuler’s “Bar Scheeze,” a healthy portion of meatballs in barbecue sauce and a warm loaf of fresh bread.
As it turns out, the Bar Scheeze and meatballs became a bigger phenomenon than Win had anticipated. People were continually asking if there was any way they could buy some of the delicious Bar Scheeze to take home. So Win decided to give the people what they wanted and to sell crocks of Bar Scheeze, which is why you can still find the taste that kept people coming back to Win Schuler’s restaurants right in your grocery store. Over time the package has been redesigned. Even the name is a little different: what was once known as “Bar Scheeze” is now known as “Win Schuler’s Original Cheese Spread.”
An Olympic gold medalist I’ll call John was an amazing endurance athlete, but as a person, he was extremely shy and somewhat socially phobic. He always performed at his best in the most challenging and stressful of competitions but was painfully inept in interviews and social settings. John is a great example of how we all have different competency levels in different aspects of our lives.
For you to be motivated and to create the environment for others to be motivated and successful, can you match competency and skill for yourself, those you care about and—if you lead others—for them? When people are engaged in tasks that don’t challenge them, they’re likely to be bored and not highly productive. Conversely, when people take on challenges that are significantly more difficult than their competency (skill level), they might find themselves frustrated, even angry — and reach emotional burnout.
In high-performance and sport psychology, challenge, competency and motivation levels are all interrelated, as represented in the graph below. This is a graph I developed to combine the research of Clark Hull on drive (motivation) and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
on flow (flow state is the mind and body state when you are at your best).
The amount of motivation you have varies in part due to the relationship between competency and challenge levels. Motivation is usually high when both your skill and challenge levels are similar, unless both are low. When both competency and challenge are low, most people are not motivated.
What combination of competency and challenge level results in the highest motivation? The combination of high levels of competency and challenge. High performers typically seek out tough challenges and thrive when engaged in them.
Matching competency with challenge levels to find the right mix that creates high motivation is a bit like the process Goldilocks went through in the fairy tale “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”. To jog your fairy tale memory, here is the beginning of the story.
Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Goldilocks. She went for a walk in the forest. Pretty soon, she came upon a house. She knocked and, when no one answered, she walked right in. At the table in the kitchen, there were three bowls of porridge. Goldilocks was hungry. She tasted the porridge from the first bowl.
“This porridge is too hot!” she exclaimed. So, she tasted the porridge from the second bowl.
“This porridge is too cold,” she said. So, she tasted the last bowl of porridge.
“Ahhh, this porridge is just right,” she said happily, and she ate it all up.
Like Goldilocks finding the right temperature of porridge, you – and those you lead – will benefit by identifying the ideal level of challenge … when it’s not too high, or too low, when it’s just right! When you do, the reward high levels of motivation and enhanced joy, self-esteem and confidence.
In technology, more companies today are experimenting with and getting results from nontraditional approaches to the hiring process. As one of those companies, we thought it would be helpful to share our experiences to provide insight into our unique hiring process and the successes we’ve had as a result of turning traditional hiring on its head. What follows is an overview of our process, including how and why it has evolved the way it has, the results we have seen, and the benefits we’ve experienced that others who adopt a similar strategy can hopefully enjoy.
Collaboration and cohesion
To design our Detroit Labs hiring process, we started by working backward from what we wanted the end result to be and what kind of people we wanted on our team. Then we implemented a process designed specifically to get that result.
As a development company working with the newest technologies, we require highly productive, highly collaborative teams made up of team members that are able to evolve and grow with the latest software and hardware releases. Because of this, we reasoned that it makes the most sense to involve the entire team in the recruiting, interview, and hiring process. By asking for insights from the larger team, we gather quality feedback from a diverse group with a wide range of perspectives, experiences, likes, and dislikes. Aggregating this information gives us a much more detailed and well-rounded picture of an applicant’s assets, personality, and potential contribution.
This strategy works. We constantly discover positive (and negative) attributes of a candidate that would never have been uncovered by keyword scanning software and a shallow and selective pool of hiring managers. Our team members see things that I would otherwise miss. And because the process is inclusive, teams are never surprised by an unexpected and unknown addition to the team—an extremely important aspect of building a trust-based work culture.
The process
When we first interact with a candidate, we specifically ask them not to submit a resume. Instead, we ask potential hires to fill out a Getting to Know You (GTKY) document. This questionnaire includes a customized set of questions based on the role the candidate is applying for. The GTKY functions as our initial screener, and includes all of the information we really want to know before moving forward with a candidate. It provides much better insight than a boilerplate resume submission, gets right to the most relevant and important information, and also serves as a deterrent for candidates that are not passionate about applying specifically to Detroit Labs. We avoid resume bombs, and the contract works both ways: If an individual spends the time to fill out and submit a GTKY, we’ll spend the time to thoughtfully review the submission and respond to that candidate. This can be the beginning of a positive and hopefully productive relationship.
Once the GTKY is returned, our team members have a chance to provide feedback for each applicant. We discuss how a candidate might fit with our organization, we share personal observations, and everyone reviewing ultimately provides their +1, 0, or -1 rating for the applicant. In our world, +1s go to candidates you are excited and enthusiastic about working with, -1s are no’s, and 0’s are no’s as well. In other words, mediocrity is not OK. We want candidates who excite people, create interest and who can wow us. We want the +1s.
And that is just the first screening. If a candidate collects enough +1s and no more than a couple of -1s, we’ll invite them in for a first interview. This is our chance to sit down and begin to get a better sense of how the applicant will contribute to and improve Detroit Labs. It’s also the time for the applicant to figure out if Detroit Labs is right for them. We try to utilize team members who perform a wide range of roles for the first interview, not just those that do the same job as the candidate. This diversity of perspectives is important to us: not only do we want a wide range of opinions, but we believe that what a designer says about a potential project manager in the first interview is just as important as what a developer might say about another developer.
The second interview is our practical or technical interview. No one is offered a job at Detroit Labs without first demonstrating some aspect of the actual skills necessary. Tech interviews are common enough in development roles, but every role does them at Detroit Labs. These practical interviews can be quite elaborate, and may include everything from walk-throughs to more in-depth role-playing. Our Project Manager candidates might run mock project-planning meetings, our Design candidates might redo a screen or experience in an app, and our Sales candidates might run through a cold-call.
If all goes well in all of our interviews, then an offer to join the team is extended. And by that point, both sides of the interview relationship have had ample time to get to know each other.
Higher potential
This hiring process is time-consuming and difficult. It asks a lot of the candidates, as well as our own team members. We do this because our hiring process is attempting to hire for potential, not current ability. In an industry like ours, the tasks we complete day-to-day change very quickly. To build a team that will thrive for the long term, we have to be far more focused on a candidate’s creativity, problem-solving abilities, raw intelligence, and persistence in the face of change than simply their current skillset. The best predictor of success is a track record of success, but for most candidates we have to look deeper.
The results of that focus on people and potential are remarkable. We have programmers who had never touched mobile app development applying to us and being enormously successful once they are in our environment. We have individuals working as designers who had never designed a product before. We have law school grads that decided to work in business development. Our hiring philosophy is grounded in the belief that our company will be far stronger in the long run when we hire extraordinary people, not extraordinary resumes, and that the additional work necessary to select these extraordinary people is well worth the investment of time and resources.
We look for creators. Not just coders, but people with diverse interests who have the capacity, motivation, and drive to bring something to life. We love candidates who write music, create art, or who have passions and pursuits outside of the workplace that inspire them to make something out of nothing. We find that candidates who can create in one artistic field are typically pretty good in others—like app development.
Ultimately, we structure our hiring this way because we believe that the most important ingredient for professional success is who you have on your team. That’s not lip service– we believe it. We are deeply invested in that idea. And, our team’s participation in hiring makes them more invested in each other’s success. There is an ingrained sense of cohesion and collaboration that helps create and sustain strong professional relationships.
It is probably not a coincidence that our turnover rate is exceptionally low. Less than 10 full-time team members have left our company since we were founded in early 2011. No hiring process is perfect, but we are confident that our nontraditional approach has helped us to find and hire truly exceptional people, and has paid lasting dividends for our organization.
Denise Siess doesn’t scare easily – and that’s a good thing, considering her chosen profession. Let’s just say that she works with some real deadbeats.
Her work – the Realm of Darkness Haunted House in Pontiac – is well known as one of America’s best and one of Michigan’s scariest haunted houses. But what is not well known is the woman behind the ghosts and ghouls.
No one could guess that in 1976 a few white sheets and a bit of clothesline would take Siess on a journey that would last more than 30 years. It actually became the inspiration for what would soon become her full-time job.
As the director for the Warren-Centerline Special Education Program – a program geared toward mentally and physically challenged children and adults – Siess covered 16 parishes in and around Warren and divided her time between 60 adults and children with various special needs. Her first Haunt sprung from a small Halloween party for her special needs students at St. Mark’s Catholic Church and consisted of white sheets hung over clothesline stretched across two classrooms to form eight separate spooky areas.
“The teachers and I spent countless hours decorating for that first event,” recalled Siess. “It wasn’t much, but it sparked something inside of me. The response was so overwhelmingly positive, we decided to make it a little bigger each year and opened the Haunt to the public as a fundraiser for my kids.”
Donations in those early years were modest, but as Siess’ attention to the gory details continued to grow, so did the Haunted House’s attendance. It soon gave birth to several new attractions, locations and supporters over the years. The success of the haunted attractions brought in enough funding to provide an opportunity for Seiss to travel her special-needs children to places they never would have seen otherwise, including Disney World, Universal Studios and Niagara Falls.
After 24 years of Haunting for a non-profit group, Siess left the limits of low budgets and temporary church housing to pursue her passion in a permanent home. But she never strayed far from her charitable roots, dedicating several nights each season to raising thousands of dollars in annual funding for non-profit organizations like the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
In 2000, Siess began renovating an abandoned Farmer Jack grocery store in Pontiac with her husband Brian and a small crew of family and friends to create “The Realm of Darkness.” The Realm opened its doors for the first time to the public in 2001. Attendance at the attraction was at an all-time low that year. Discouraged, but not disheartened, Siess never gave up on her dream.
Today, Siess’ vision has grown from plain white sheets to elaborate Hollywood horror sets, complete with 15-foot animated demons, life-like zombies, film-quality theatrical make-up and sophisticated special effects guaranteed to rattle even the bravest of souls at The Realm of Darkness.
“Who’d have ever thought that tiny seed planted in a classroom in 1976 would have blossomed into this phenomenal, mind-boggling garden of horror,” said Siess. “It’s taken me on a wondrous journey, and it’s still in the making.”
Some people call them “adventure farms”; others say it is a mix of agriculture and entertainment under the new term “agri-tainment.” Whatever you call it, a visit to today’s apple orchard is much different than it was in days of old.
For example, Westview Orchards near Romeo in Macomb Township, Mich. has multiple playgrounds, a petting farm, a winery, several food areas as well as the traditional u-pick orchards for apples, pumpkins and more. It is a way to spend the day outside with family and friends as well as prepare your home for the fall season.
Michigan stands out with such places, especially with the state’s impressive apple crop. Having these u-pick locations both benefits the farmer and the public, who learns more about modern farming and the families associated with it.
Michigan is known as the “variety state,” said Katrina Schumacher, co-owner of Westview Orchards in Washington Township, one of Macomb’s many “u-pick” orchards featuring a winery and an “adventure farm” that blends agriculture and entertainment.
“There’s something about Michigan – apple trees just love it here,” Schumacher said. “We are said to have the ideal micro-climate for these trees and for growing fruit. It’s a mixture of our soil and our rolling hills that produce healthier trees and better quality apples. … People with a certain palate can tell where their apples came from; our customers appreciate what comes out of our orchard.”
Diane Smith of Michigan’s Apple Committee backs that up. Michigan is the third largest apple-producing state in the nation, harvesting an estimated 24 million bushels of apples in 2014. Michigan has 9.2 million apple trees in commercial production, covering 36,500 acres on 850 family-run farms within the state.
About half of all Michigan apples are sold ready to eat; the remaining 50 percent are processed into other products. But thanks to science, research and controlled storage, Michigan apples are available nearly year around (August through June), Smith noted.
October is prime picking time, and Schumacher said she sees hundreds of families and many a home chef come through Westview’s orchard. She’s a fan of many of Westview’s varieties, especially the Gala (“It’s wonderful, so nice and firm and sweet,” Schumacher said), Jonathan (“An old-fashioned apple; it has a spicy, zippy taste”) and a newer Spy variety called the Fortune (“It is denser with a thicker, tarter skin. It is excellent for cooking and eating”).
The Apple Council launched a social-media campaign this fall called “Show Me Your Apples” in part to highlight the many ways people can enjoy this tempting fruit, Smith added.
“Apples are so versatile. But it’s easy to get hung up on only thinking about them in desserts. They can be used in so many ways,” Smith said. “Put them in salads when you want some crunch instead of the same old vegetables. Many people wouldn’t think of putting them in soup, but they blend perfectly. … This is a great time to find new ways to incorporate them into your diet.”
Wellness increases productivity, whether it’s for an organization or business. The Best and Brightest in Wellness awards provide companies, schools and churches with the opportunity to gain recognition and showcase their best practices. The program highlights those that promote a culture of wellness, and those that plan, implement and evaluate efforts in employee wellness.
These programs help their employees, businesses and communities thrive. Winners in Michigan’s 2015 Best and Brightest Companies in Wellness competition gathered Oct. 8 at The Henry in Dearborn to celebrate their accomplishments. Eight Elite Winners stood out for their employee programs geared to wellness:
Philanthropic-Peckham Inc.
Lansing-based Peckham Inc. has truly embraced workplace wellness. Here are some examples of how they are promoting a healthy workplace: Free fruit is provided every day at work, and employees can dine at an onsite café with fresh grilled selections and a salad bar. They practice stretching and ergonomics, plus they have an onsite Fitness Center with a classroom. Peckham has focused on stress reduction by providing workplace massages, a room for meditation, prayer and yoga, and by being a dog friendly workplace as their focus is on mental and emotional wellbeing. Peckham is a nonprofit vocational rehabilitation organization that serves people with disabilities and other barriers to employment.
Faith Based – Fellowship Chapel
Fellowship Chapel has put together an impressive wellness program. A regular schedule of physical fitness programs are offered throughout the week and include aerobics, yoga, chair yoga, Tai Chi, Zumba and walking. Every fourth Sunday, their Health Ministry provides blood pressure and blood sugar screening. In addition, this Detroit-based organization has a “no vending” machine policy in place, and has put a focus on healthy eating such as offering organic and vegetarian foods. When Fellowship Chapel members meet their wellness goals, they are publicly acknowledged by the pastor and congregation alike.
School Category – Keith Elementary
Keith Elementary in West Bloomfield, Mich., has a focus on helping their students be the best they can be. It all starts with their commitment to help students succeed by offering nutritious meals at an affordable price. A complete lunch includes an entrée, fruit, vegetable and milk … plus students and staff have the option of visiting a salad bar which is loaded with fresh food options. In the fall and spring, the Physical Education team and a group of parents run the Mileage Club, which encourages children to use the onsite track during recess. Kids can run, walk, skip or hop … and when they complete 5 miles, they earn a reward. The school staff also participates in a Holiday against Weight Gain contest and the American Heart Association Fitness Challenge in order to promote weight loss and physical fitness. Wellness Provider to Individual – Fraser Eye Care
Fraser Eye Care’s mission statement is “customer service is our greatest goal.” They recently closed their offices for an educational program conducted by the Ritz Carlton Leadership Team, which was attended by their entire staff. Fraser Eye Care, with centers in Fraser and Port Huron, invited area family medical doctors and other eye care providers and their staff to join them for this program. They now use the motto “we are ladies and gentlemen taking care of ladies and gentlemen.” In addition, Fraser Eye Care corresponds with other health care professionals regarding visits from any patient with diabetes or glaucoma, as these conditions relate to other aspects of wellness. The full service ophthalmology centers specialize in advanced medical and surgical treatment of eye conditions including glaucoma, cataracts and retinal conditions, as well as laser vision correction.
Wellness Provider to Corporations – Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC
Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC prides itself on providing world-class resources with a local touch. Their wellness services cover the spectrum of benchmarking the region’s benefits trends, educating human resources and business leaders as well as their employees about their wellness options. They provide a health management consultant on site to assist clients with their wellness strategies, and offer proactive support for HR internal programs and development of strategic planning and compliance awareness. In 2015, they hosted a seminar titled “The Future of Employee Health Management” as part of an educational series, educating nearly 400 HR and business leaders about the growing interest in the “next level” of wellness. Marsh & McLennan Agency in Troy, Mich., provides innovative and individually tailored cost reduction strategies and tactics in all of the functional elements of group benefit plans. Small Business Elite – Southwest Michigan First
Southwest Michigan First uses a number of tools to help their team maintain health. Their approach to wellness is holistic and includes physical, spiritual and financial personal health. For example, they have a new health care benefit for employees called, Consult A Doctor, that allows staff to consult with a doctor via phone or Internet o get a prescription or simply ask for health advice for themselves and their families. And when it comes to personal fitness, many Southwest Michigan First team members use FitBit and heart rate monitors, along with apps on their tablets and phones. Wellness coaches, accessible during or after work, are another onsite resource offered to all employees. Kalamazoo-based Southwest Michigan First is an organization of privately funded economic development advisers who act as the catalyst for economic success in Southwest Michigan. Medium Size Business Elite – Consumers Credit Union
Consumers Credit Union provides weekly educational resources on a website dedicated to all things wellness. Annually they provide vaccinations onsite and their EAP holds seminars on smoking cessation, counseling and debt management. They partner with several local organizations to allow employees to attend wellness events offsite during work hours. They include their employees and their spouse in incentive opportunities. They offer employees a $100 cash incentive to do four activities, which include:
• Taking 3 coaching sessions
• Getting a flu shot
• Completing an HRA
• Attending three educational programs
• Completing two race/walk/bike events
• Stop smoking or
• Join a wellness program such as Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig.
Headquartered in Kalamazoo, Consumers Credit Union has more than $500 million in assets and has averaged 18 percent annual growth for 27 consecutive years. Large Business Elite – McKinley Inc.
McKinley Inc. truly values the health of each of their employees… and it starts at the top. Their CEO is the champion behind their Healthy Living Program. McKinley has a blog named the Grapevine; it includes valuable information about weight loss, nutrition and exercise. They use a number of methods to help employees reach their best health … like the Healthy Habits Challenges. These challenges help team members adopt healthy habits such as eating breakfast, drinking 64 ounces of water daily, reducing daily sugar intake, getting enough sleep, and fitting activity into their daily routine. McKinley has chair massages available to their team members at the corporate office and at three of their properties available to team members and residents. Founded in 1968 and headquartered in Ann Arbor, McKinley is a leading owner and manager of multifamily and commercial real estate.
Michigan’s 2015 Best and Brightest Companies in Wellness:
Advomas
Advomas Troy, Mich. www.advomas.com
Advomas sees the transformation of health care as an opportunity to chart a better path by helping providers secure the highest possible payer source for their uncompensated care costs. With decades of experience and a highly trained field force, Advomas works to provide the most comprehensive patient eligibility and enrollment services necessary to ensure clients maximize revenue and optimize cash flow.
Aijalon Baptist Church
Aijalon Baptist Church Detroit www.facebook.com/pages/Aijalon-Baptist-Church
Aijalon Baptist Church has been implemeting wellness programs to its congregation for more than five continuous years.
Altair Engineering
Altair Engineering Troy, Mich. www.altair.com
Altair empowers client innovation and decision-making through technology that optimizes the analysis, management and visualization of business and engineering information. Founded in 1985, Altair’s corporate culture thrives on seeking out business and technology firsts to radically change the way organizations design products and make decisions. They are focused on the development and broad application of simulation technology to synthesize and optimize designs, processes and decisions. Altair has regional operations throughout 22 countries and a staff of more than 2,000.
Altarum Institute
Altarum Institute Ann Arbor, Mich. www.altarum.org Altarum Institute is a nonprofit health systems research and consulting organization. Altarum integrates independent research and client-centered consulting to create comprehensive, systems-based solutions that improve health. Altarum is widely recognized for providing its clients with research and solutions that are technically robust, pragmatic, and carefully aligned with the cultural norms of the populations being served.
Aristeo Construction Co.
Aristeo Construction Co. Livonia, Mich. www.aristeo.com
Aristeo is a full-service general contractor offering a full array of self-perform, general/specialty contracting, construction management, and design-build services to companies thought the United States. They continue to meet the changing needs of customers by developing a flexible organizational structure that enables them to grow within a highly competitive construction market. Aristeo assumes ownership and accountability on every commitment, every time. These simple words have guided their company for 38 years.
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Bingham Farms, Mich. www.ajg.com
Founded in 1927, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (Gallagher) started out as a one-man operation and has grown into a global leader.. As an industry-leading provider of health and wellness benefits brokerage, consulting and administrative services for more than 50 years, they are well positioned to develop and administer programs that support a marketplace advantage for clients. Although they recently passed $2 billion in revenue, they are still very much a family company and maintain a small-business feel.
Austin Benefits Group
Austin Benefits Group
Bloomfield Hills, Mich. www.austinbenefits.com
Austin Benefits Group (formerly Austin Financial Group) is Michigan’s premier full-service employee benefits agency. They specialize in custom employee benefit packages, health insurance, Obamacare compliance and corporate wellness programs.
Awaken Yoga Studio
Awaken Yoga Studio
Detroit
Awaken Yoga Studio was founded in 2006 in northeast Ohio.. It started as a mobile business to do home visits for clients with various therapeutic needs, and group classes at various locations. It then transformed into a private yoga business and Yoga School.
Baudville
Baudville
Grand Rapids, Mich. www.baudville.com
Baudville, the place for daily recognition, continues to be the leading innovator in day-to-day recognition solutions. Baudville’s day-to-day recognition solutions appeal to today’s increasingly diverse workforce with contemporary designs and relevant messaging, motivating and engaging workplaces worldwide. Baudville has been declared one of the best companies to work for in its area and strives to create the ultimate work experience for its employees.
BDO USA LLP
BDO USA LLP
Troy, Mich. www.bdo.com
BDO is the brand name for BDO USA LLP, a U.S. professional services firm providing assurance, tax, financial advisory and consulting services to a wide range of publicly traded and privately held companies. For more than 100 years, BDO has provided quality service through the active involvement of experienced and committed professionals.
Beaumont Health System
Beaumont Health System
Troy, Mich. www.beaumont.edu Beaumont Health System is a three-hospital regional health system with 1,778 licensed beds, more than 20,200 employees and 3,100 physicians, including 553 employed physicians in the Beaumont Medical Group and more than 2,500 private-practice physicians. In addition to its hospitals in Royal Oak, Troy and Grosse Pointe, Beaumont has 54 community-based sites of care including medical centers in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties, family practice and internal medicine practices, five nursing centers, home care services and hospice. The Beaumont Research Institute has 924 open research studies including 270 clinical trials with more than 7,800 participants. Beaumont is the exclusive clinical teaching site for the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine.
Bell’s Brewery Inc.
Bell’s Brewery Inc.
Galesburg, Mich. www.bellsbeer.com Bell’s Brewery Inc. began in 1985 with a quest for better beer and a 15 gallon soup kettle. Since then, they’ve grown into a regional craft brewery that employs more than 400 people over a 22-state area, in addition to Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. The dedication to brewing flavorful, unfiltered, quality craft beers that started in 1985 is still with them today. Bell’s brews more than 20 beers for distribution as well as many other small batch beers that are served at their pub in Kalamazoo, the Eccentric Café. Their ongoing goal is to brew thoughtfully, creatively and artistically.
Bennett Elementary – Detroit Public Schools
Bennett Elementary – Detroit Public Schools
Detroit www.detroitk12.org
Bennett Elementary, a neighborhood PreK-5 school in a residential neighborhood in vibrant Southwest Detroit, offers a rigorous elementary curriculum that infuses 21st century technology in all core subjects. Their highly dedicated staff prepares its students extensively for the next level of learning beyond elementary school. Bennett has consistently met and exceeded AYP each year since 2001.
BizStream
BizStream
Allendale, Mich. www.bizstream.com
BizStream is Grand Rapids’ and West Michigan’s developer of software, websites, Kentico content management system and custom integrations of systems. BizStream is an energetic group of innovators, obsessed with providing elegant solutions for real-world business problems. They pledge that their team will increase client productivity, simplify systems, and give peace of mind.
Butzel Long
Butzel Long
Detroit www.butzel.com
Founded in 1854, Butzel Long has played a prominent role in the development and growth of several major industries. Business leaders have turned to them for innovative, highly-effective legal counsel for more than 160 years. They strive to be on the cutting edge of technology, manufacturing, e-commerce, biotechnology, intellectual property, and cross-border operations and transactions. The law firm is named for Leo Butzel, who joined in 1896, and Thomas Long, who joined in 1909.
Cambridge Consulting Group
Cambridge Consulting Group
Troy, Mich. www.cambridge-cg.com
Cambridge Consulting Group works with clients in developing, implementing and managing workplace wellness initiatives aimed at improving employee health and containing health care costs. They assist clients in understanding their plan and population and designing a wellness strategy that is aligned with their situation. More and more companies are focusing their wellness programs on Quality of Life, rather than ROI. Improving QOL drives engagement in workplace wellness by shifting focus from numbers to people. Their Wellness Connection team helps design and implement effective and coordinated “total wellness” strategies based on each client’s needs.
Center for Financial Planning
Center for Financial Planning
Southfield, Mich. www.CenterFinPlan.com
The Center provides highly personalized wealth management services concentrated in Comprehensive Financial Planning and Investment management.
Chapel Hill Ministry
Chapel Hill Ministry
Taylor, Mich. www.chapelhillpc.org
Chapel Hill Missionary Baptist Church began in September 1924 when Rev. Father Hill and 24 Christian believers banned together and organized New Hope Missionary Baptist Church. In honor of the first pastor, Pastor Father Hill, the church name was changed to Chapel Hill Missionary Baptist Church.
Consumers Credit Union
Consumers Credit Union
Kalamazoo, Mich. www.consumerscu.org
Headquartered in Kalamazoo, Consumers Credit Union has more than $500 million in assets and has averaged 18 percent annual growth for 27 consecutive years. Locally owned since 1951, they serve more than 55,000 individuals and businesses through 14 offices and more than 200 free ATM locations in Kalamazoo, Portage, Coldwater, Holland, Lawton, and South Haven, plus 30,000 free Co-op Network ATMs nationwide. A full-service financial institution, they are dedicated to providing personal, professional service designed to support all financial needs through great rates, versatile products, and technology-based enhancements.
Crown Motors
Crown Motors
Holland, Mich. www.crownmotors.com
Crown Motors is devoted to helping and serving customers to the best of their ability. Whether it’s browsing inventory, getting a quote, scheduling service or applying for financing, they are there to serve.
Danboise Mechanical
Danboise Mechanical
Farmington Hills, Mich. www.danboisemechanical.com
Danboise is a group of individuals who have committed themselves to building the most trusted and professional Mechanical Contractor throughout Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. They have been in business for almost 90 years, and have accomplished that by adapting to, embracing, and implementing, new industry technology for the benefit of their customers. They provide heating, cooling, plumbing and mechanical service and installation to some of the largest companies in the country; including AT&T, Bank Of America, Johnson Controls and Jones Lang LaSalle. And they perform that work, for all of their customers, safely, with professionalism and a dedication to exceeding expectations.
Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy
Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy
Flint, Mich. www.diplomat.is
Diplomat serves patients and physicians in all 50 states as the nation’s largest independent specialty pharmacy. Headquartered in Flint, the company focuses on medication management programs for people with complex chronic diseases, including oncology, immunology, hepatitis, multiple sclerosis, HIV, specialized infusion therapy and many other serious or long-term conditions. Diplomat opened its doors in 1975 as a neighborhood pharmacy with one essential tenet: “Take good care of patients, and the rest falls into place.”
Easter Seals Michigan
Easter Seals Michigan
Waterford, Mich. www.essmichigan.org
Since 1920, Easter Seals Michigan has been proudly serving individuals with disabilities or special needs, and their families, so they can successfully live, learn, work and play in their communities. As the needs of the community have evolved over the years, so has its approach to meeting those needs. At the core of Easter Seals Michigan is a common passion for caring, shared by its 400 staff members and hundreds of volunteers, and by those who support its mission. This heart-felt commitment to helping people with disabilities and their families is what we are all about.
Eaton Corp.
Eaton Corp.
Galesburg, Mich. www.eaton.com
Eaton is a global technology leader in power management solutions. They make power operate more efficiently, reliably, safely and sustainably. The Galesburg, Mich., location is Eaton’s Vehicle Group headquarters. Eaton has approximately 102,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 175 countries.
Elite Body Training Studio
Elite Body Training Studio
Shelby Township, Mich.
Elite Body Training Studio’s focus on personal training is that of individualized attention with a mission to provide professional and courteous service in a comfortable, clean and motivating atmosphere. They guide their diverse clientele in reaching health and fitness goals.
Experi-Metal Inc.
Experi-Metal Inc.
Sterling Heights, Mich. www.experi-metal.com
Experi-Metal Inc. is committed to providing the highest quality products delivered on time with the goal of continuous improvement. They believe in maintaining standards to ensure complete customer satisfaction from program inception through the evaluation of measurables after completion. They are proactive in suggesting creative engineering, cost and time saving ideas and solutions.
Express Employment Professionals
Express Employment Professionals
Grand Rapids, Mich. www.expresspros.com
Express Employment Professionals is a leading staffing provider in the U.S., Canada and South Africa. Every day, they help job seekers find work and help businesses find qualified employees. Founded in 1983, Express today employs 400,000 people across nearly 700 franchise locations worldwide. Their long-term goal is at the heart of our company’s vision — to help as many people as possible find good jobs by helping as many clients as possible find good people. The Grand Rapids office was founded in 1996 and is proud to serve their community.
Family Victory Fellowship Church
Family Victory Fellowship Church
Southfield, Mich. www.familyvictory.org
Family Victory Fellowship Church mission is building, strengthening and restoring families.
Farbman Group
Farbman Group
Southfield, Mich. www.farbman.com
Farbman Group is a leading full-service real estate organization with the ability to handle all facets of real estate transactions. From its inception in 1976, Farbman Group grew by solving the real estate problems of its diverse client base. Today, Farbman Group manages in excess of 25 million square feet of office, retail, multi-family, and industrial space nationally, and is recognized as a leading commercial management and brokerage firm by a wide variety of individual and institutional clientele.
Fellowship Chapel
Fellowship Chapel
Detroit www.fellowshipchapel.org
Fellowship Chapel is an institution dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ, seeking to bring people to a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ for the saving of souls and the development and enhancement of a total life that is spiritually, physically, economically, socially and mentally whole.
First National Bank of Michigan
First National Bank of Michigan
Kalamazoo www.fnbmichigan.com
First National Bank of Michigan understands that time and money are valuable. That’s why they believe in putting customers first. From the smallest transactions to life changing moments, they are there to help. What’s different about First National Bank of Michigan? They take the time to know customers in order to work together and find the best solutions.
Flowery Mount Baptist
Flowery Mount Baptist
Detroit
Fraser Eye Care
Fraser Eye Care
Fraser, Mich. www.frasereye.com
At Fraser Eye Care and the Eye Care Center of Port Huron, the mission is to provide quality health care and education to their patients and community. The full service ophthalmology centers specialize in advanced medical and surgical treatment of eye conditions including glaucoma, cataracts and retinal conditions, as well as laser vision correction.
Grand Haven Board of Light & Power
Grand Haven Board of Light & Power
Grand Haven, Mich. www.ghblp.org
The Grand Haven Board of Light & Power is one of more than 2,000 community-owned electric utilities serving homes and businesses across the United States. They are locally-controlled by a five-member board of directors elected by Grand Haven residents with approximately 13,500 customers in the greater Grand Haven area.
Grand Rapids Label Co.
Grand Rapids Label Co.
Grand Rapids, Mich. www.grlabel.com
Grand Rapids Label draws its roots from the late 19th century, when the family business helped pioneer the printing industry in Grand Rapids as Seymour & Muir, and in 1901 became Grand Rapids Label. As the decades passed, they produced everything from books of Scottish poetry and Pennsylvania Railroad schedules to posters promoting Harry Houdini. Through this rich diversity of work and experience, the history of the company and the progress of the nation became forever entwined. They take great pride in this heritage, and in a reputation reflecting more than 125 years of satisfied customers.
Hastings Mutual Insurance Co.
Hastings Mutual Insurance Co.
Hastings, Mich. www.hastingsmutual.com
Hastings Mutual Insurance Co. is an innovative, award-winning property casualty insurance company that focuses on the strength of its employees, the community they live in, and the customers they serve. For well over 100 years, Hastings Mutual has built an outstanding reputation based on quality customer service and needed insurance products, backed by sound company finances.
Herman Miller
Herman Miller
Zeeland, Mich. www.hermanmiller.com
At Herman Miller, they design and develop furniture and related services and technologies that improve the user environment, whether it’s an office, hospital, school, an entire building, or the world at large. In business for more than 100 years, they continue working hard to design and build a better world around you.
Historic Little Rock Baptist Church
Historic Little Rock Baptist Church
Detroit www.historiclittlerockbc.org
Historic Little Rock Baptist Church offers a wide range of services and an extensive outreach program inspired by their Senior Pastor, the Rev. Jim Holley Ph.D. They are following Rev. Holley’s vision for the Kingdom Agenda to edify, employ, and empower the people spiritually and economically.
Historic Motor City Baptist Church
Historic Motor City Baptist Church
Detroit www.motorcitychurch.org
With God’s help and gifts, The Historic Motor City MBC will proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to the community and invite all people into loving fellowship. They will come to know Christ through worship, prayer, study, service and outreach.
Holy Cross Missionary Baptist Church
Holy Cross Missionary Baptist Church
Detroit www.hcmbchurch.org
Holy Cross Missionary Baptist Church. Holy Cross Missionary Baptist Church is a medium-sized church in Detroit
Hylant
Hylant
Troy, Mich. www.hylant.com
Hylant is committed to delivering exceptional long-term results by understanding their clients’ business and designing personalized risk management and insurance programs that help them meet their desired objectives. They offer complete risk management services, employee benefits consultation, wellness strategies, loss control, health care management and a wide array of insurance solutions for businesses and individuals. A multi-year winner of Best Places to Work Insurance, Hylant is a full-service insurance brokerage with 14 offices in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Florida and Tennessee with more than 600 professionals on staff. As one of the largest privately owned insurance brokerages in the nation, Hylant professionals have the flexibility to make long-term decisions that reflect clients’ needs, not shareholders’ demands.
JARC
JARC
Farmington Hills www.jarc.org
JARC is a non-sectarian, non-profit organization founded in 1969 by a group of parents concerned about the future of their children with developmental disabilities. Today, JARC is known as a prototype for innovative, high-quality community-based residential and support programs, serving nearly 200 adults in its group homes and various supported independent living arrangements. In 1998, JARC discovered a need in the community for support services for families who have a child with any disability still at home. Through the establishment of the Harris Children and Family Division, JARC is able to provide these services to several hundred families.
Jefferson Elementary
Jefferson Elementary
Redford www.southredford.net
The Jefferson School Community is dedicated to the belief that all students can learn. They are committed to providing an atmosphere for learning that meets the changing needs of students.
Kadesh Missionary
Kadesh Missionary
Detroit www.kadeshbaptistchurch.org
The Mission of Kadesh Baptist Church is to be a Holy Place where the complete Word of God is taught to all people. It is their earnest desire to be a church that exalts Christ and provides people with as many opportunities for spiritual growth as possible.
Keith Elementary School
Keith Elementary School
West Bloomfield www.wlcsd.org
The purpose of Keith Elementary is to advance the learning of all students.
KIRCO
KIRCO
Troy, Mich. www.kirco.com
KIRCO creates better communities through the development, construction, and management of real estate. They believe the road to true success depends on quality experience and relentless tenacity to navigate the development journey and maintain focus, as well as possessing the rare skills to inspire commitment and ownership at every touch point.
Lacks Enterprises Inc.
Lacks Enterprises Inc.
Grand Rapids, Mich. www.lacksenterprises.com
As the 4th largest privately held employer in West Michigan, Lacks Enterprises Inc. has been the model of excellence, specializing in Plastic Mold Injection, Chrome Plating, and Spinelle Painting for the automotive and appliance industries for more than 50 years. With the fourth generation of the founding family now advancing into leadership, Lacks Enterprises continues to promote a team-based culture where employees truly feel a bond in their efforts to satisfy customers. Lacks Enterprises boasts a diverse, engaged and highly skilled workforce of nearly 2,800 employees throughout 26 different locations.
Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC
Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC
Troy www.mma-mi.com
The Michigan health and benefits office of Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC (formerly McGraw Wentworth) is focused solely on helping mid-sized organizations (100 to 10,000 workers) design, implement and manage a group benefit program that: Meets organizational objectives; Satisfies the needs of team members; Controls cost effectively; Complies with governing regulations. Marsh & McLennan Agency provides innovative and individually tailored cost reduction strategies and tactics in all of the functional elements of group benefit plans, including: Health Care Cost Reduction; Proprietary Benchmarking Tools for all Group Benefits; Utilization Analysis and Financial Analysis; Health & Productivity Improvement Programs; Health & Welfare Regulatory Compliance Consulting; Best-in-Class Employee Communication; Voluntary Group Benefits Design & Implementation; Group Benefit Billing and Claim Problem Solving. In short, the Michigan office of MMA provides clients with national and global resources while maintaining a local touch.
Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School
Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School
Detroit www.detroitk12.org
Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School is a unique comprehensive high school which offers three examination programs within the school: Mathematics, Science and Technology (MSAT), Center for International Studies and Commerce (CISC) and College Preparatory Liberal Arts (CPLA). King is also the first high school designed and certified as a green energy building. MLK offers advanced placement classes in English, Spanish, history, psychology and mathematics. Dual enrollment programs are also available to the students who need and welcome the challenge of taking college courses while in high school. Students also have internship opportunities via several community, business and university partnerships.
McKinley Inc.
McKinley Inc.
Ann Arbor www.mckinley.com
Founded in 1968 and headquartered in Ann Arbor, McKinley is a leading owner and manager of multifamily and commercial real estate. Currently ranked No. 38 in the National Multi Housing Council Top 50 list of national apartment management companies, McKinley owns and manages more than 35,000 units and 21 million square feet of commercial throughout 34 states. McKinley specializes in solving complex real estate problems for its own portfolio, as well as a select clientele of institutional investors, private equity clients and special servicers.
Meijer
Meijer
Grand Rapids www.meijer.com
You would expect a company as big as Meijer to be attuned to the importance of employee wellness, and you won’t be disappointed. The organization, led by president J.K. Symancyk, partners with their own pharmacy and dietitians to offer an array of information and wellness initiatives to their team members. “Our goal of providing simple solutions to make healthy living easier has always extended beyond our customers to our team members,” said Amanda Borths, the Wellness Specialist at Meijer. Access to a wellness portal maintained by a wellness vendor gives team members the opportunity to track their physical activity, join team challenges and win prizes. The company’s success is being noticed by external organizations like the American Heart Association, which says Meijer earns its nod as a “Fit Friendly Company.
Metro Health
Metro Health
Wyoming www.metrogr.org
An award-winning leader in community health care, Metro Health serves more than 250,000 patients annually from across West Michigan – and beyond. In addition to its 208-bed hospital, which provides a comprehensive suite of inpatient and outpatient health care services, Metro Health has a growing number of neighborhood outpatient centers and offices throughout West Michigan, as well as a community clinic for the underserved and student health clinics at Grand Valley State University and Aquinas College. With more than 500 physicians on staff, Metro Health provides a growing number of specialty health services, including cancer treatment, heart and vascular, neurology, pulmonology and others. Many are members of the Metro Health Medical Group. The hospital is committed to promoting health and wellness through the work of the Metro Health Hospital Foundation, Live Healthy community outreach classes and educational programs and more.
MSU Federal Credit Union
MSU Federal Credit Union
East Lansing www.msufcu.org
MSU Federal Credit Union is a financial institution that is dedicated to providing superior service to each member and employee, allowing them to reach financial security, their goals, and ultimately their dreams. MSUFCU is proud to offer members a wide variety of competitive and convenient products and services including deposit accounts, personal and business loans, IRAs, insurance and mortgages. It also offers service capabilities for members to access their accounts including phone, face to face, online banking, a mobile app, text messaging, e-Chats and e-Messages. MSUFCU has a wide variety of members ranging from MSU and OU students, alumni, faculty and staff and their immediate family members to various employees of select groups or associations.
Neighborhood Service Organization
Neighborhood Service Organization
Detroit www.nso-mi.org
NSO is Neighborhood Service Organization, a 501(c)3 nonprofit human services agency serving the community’s most vulnerable neighbors. NSO has been supporting the community for 60 years with innovative services. Some services are location-based, serving neighbors who come to us for help. Other services focus on outreach, traveling out into the community, reaching people wherever they are. Still other services are offered statewide through help lines and a network of professionals.
New Haven High School
New Haven High School
New Haven www.mail.nhav.misd.net
New Haven Community Schools is a learning environment in partnership with familes and the community promoting excellence in teaching and learning that encourages high academic achievement.
Oakland County
Oakland County
Waterford, Mich. www.oakgov.com
Oakland County is composed of 61 cities, townships and villages, and is part of the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan
Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan
Grand Rapids www.oamichigan.com
Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan, OAM, was born out of the merger of two successful West Michigan practices, Orthopaedic Associates of Grand Rapids and the Michigan Hand Center. The goal was never simply to become bigger. It was always to become better — to offer more expertise, more comprehensive patient care, and a network of specialists skilled enough to tackle any challenge, handle any condition. In short, OAM wanted to provide all the medical expertise and capabilities that a large entity brings, delivered with the intimacy and individualized attention found in small practices. The result is an orthopedic powerhouse treating patients from throughout the state. Comprised of eight Centers of Excellence focused on core orthopedic competencies and offering rehabilitative service and diagnostic under the umbrella of one practice, OAM is able to bring first class service to its patients.
Peckham Inc.
Peckham Inc.
Lansing www.peckham.org
Peckham is a nonprofit vocational rehabilitation organization that serves people with disabilities and other barriers to employment. Its mission is to provide a wide range of opportunities to maximize human potential for people striving for independence and self-sufficiency. Each year they serve more than 7,000 individuals with physical, cognitive, behavioral and socio-economic challenges, providing a platform to demonstrate their abilities, learn new skills, participate in work and enjoy the rewards of their success. Their social enterprises provide paid job training opportunities while also providing high quality goods and services to our customers.
Quicken Loans
Quicken Loans
Detroit www.quickenloans.com
Quicken Loans is the No. 1 online lender and the 5th largest retail home loan lender in America. With more than 30 years of experience providing world-class client service, they’ve helped more than 2 million American families finance their homes.
Ramco-Gershenson
Ramco-Gershenson
Farmington Hills www.rgpt.com
Ramco-Gershenson Inc. is a fully integrated, self-administered, publicly-traded, real estate investment trust. The company’s business is the ownership and management of multi-anchor shopping centers in strategic metropolitan markets throughout the Eastern, Midwestern and central United States.
Rehabilitation Masters
Rehabilitation Masters
Livonia www.rehabilitationmasters.com
Care and compassion on improving the quality for every life they touch. Respect and appreciation for each other. Creativity and innovation to develop effective solutions. Teamwork, honesty and integrity in working collaboratively. These attributes guide Rehabilitation Masters.
Rhonda Walker Foundation
Rhonda Walker Foundation
West Bloomfield www.rhondawalkerfoundation.org
The Rhonda Walker Foundation was founded in 2003 with a mission to empower inner city teen girls toward becoming strong confident, successful and moral future leaders. Its core program, Girls into Women, is a five-year program for teen girls starting in their 8th grade year and continuing until they graduate from high school.
Rockford Construction
Rockford Construction
Grand Rapids www.rockfordconstruction.com
Rockford Construction is Building for a Changing World, understanding how the new realities in technology, sustainability, and the global economy affect companies, clients, and buildings themselves. Since 1987, Rockford Construction’s reputation for quality, innovative thinking, and collaboration has grown, establishing them as the No.1 contractor in West Michigan, No. 197 on Engineering News-Record’s list of the Top 400 contractors in the nation, and one of the Top 100 Contractors in the Midwest. Rockford Construction’s experience leads to an understanding of how to create and maintain high performing buildings, adapt to changing business models, and effectively use space.
Roosevelt Primary – West Bloomfield Hills School District
Roosevelt Primary – West Bloomfield Hills School District
Oakland www.wbsd.org
The West Bloomfield School District educates students to be their best in and for the world. The district’s vision statement is to “develop socially responsible citizens empowered to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing global society, and who are characterized by curiosity, creativity, critical thinking and the ability to effectively communicate and collaborate.”
Schupan & Sons Inc.
Schupan & Sons Inc.
Kalamazoo, Mich. www.schupan.com
Schupan & Sons Inc. adheres to the highest environmental standards placed on the industry. They are proactive in understanding how they can best serve customers while protecting the earth. One major environmental concern is waste oils and fluids that contaminate the scrap material. Accounts that have such material are provided with non-leaking boxes. This equipment eliminates unsafe, unsightly oils and fluids. All waste oils are a threat to the environment and are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. Schupan & Sons Inc. was incorporated in 1968 as a non-ferrous industrial scrap processor, and now does business on a national and international level, with locations in four states.
Secure-24 LLC
Secure-24 LLC
Southfield www.secure-24.com
Secure-24 is an industry-leading provider of Managed Cloud Services, Application Hosting and Security and Performance Management as a Service. For more than 15 years, their dedication to providing world-class expertise and advanced technologies has helped businesses worldwide experience superior IT performance. Secure-24 excels in Managed Cloud Services for SAP, SAP HANA, Oracle, PeopleSoft, JD Edwards, Hyperion and other leading applications. Headquartered in Southfield, Secure-24 operates world-class data centers in three locations across the United States.
SEMCO Energy
SEMCO Energy
Port Huron, Mich. www.semcoenergy.com
SEMCO ENERGY Gas Co., headquartered in Port Huron, is a regulated public utility that delivers natural gas to about 296,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Michigan. Service territories include portions of the southern half of the state’s Lower Peninsula (including in and around the cities of Albion, Battle Creek, Holland, Niles, Port Huron and Three Rivers) and in the central, eastern and western parts of the state’s Upper Peninsula.
Smith Chapel AME
Smith Chapel AME
Inkster, Mich. smithchapelame.org
Smith Chapel AME Church is a Christian Church located in Inkster and is pastored by Rev. Dr. Cecelia Evelyn GreeneBarr.
Southwest Michigan First
Southwest Michigan First
Kalamazoo, Mich. www.southwestmichiganfirst.com
Southwest Michigan First is an organization of privately funded economic development advisers who act as the catalyst for economic success in Southwest Michigan. Founded in 1999 on the principle that jobs and wealth creation exponentially affect the region’s future sustainability, the organization works across all industries throughout the eight counties making up the Southwest Michigan Region.
The Tough Gym
The Tough Gym
Detroit www.detroittough.com
The Tough Gym believes in mental and physical toughness and is dedicated to helping people of all ages with personal training in Michigan. They are an open gym that also offers more than 40 classes per week with some of the top coaches in the country.
The Weight Watchers Group Inc.
The Weight Watchers Group Inc.
Farmington Hills www.welcome.weightwatchers.com
Weight Watchers’ mission is to help the residents of Michigan reach and maintain a healthy weight. At the heart of Weight Watchers, are weekly meetings that provide the coaching and tools to help people make the positive changes required to lose weight and keep it off.
Third New Hope Baptist Church
Third New Hope Baptist Church
Detroit www.thirdnewhope.com
Third New Hope Baptist Church is a faith community of believers in Jesus Christ making the worship of God, Fellowship of Believers, Discipleship and Evangelism their unstoppable mission in the world.
True Rock Church
True Rock Church
Southfield www.truerockchurch.org
True Rock Church believes that the Bible is the verbally inspired Word of God and is inerrant in the original writings.
Walbridge
Walbridge
Detroit www.walbridge.com
Walbridge is an Engineering News-Record “Top 50” construction company. Founded in 1916, Walbridge is headquartered in Detroit and has more than a dozen offices across the United States and conducts international operations in Canada, Mexico, South America and the Middle East. Walbridge serves a broad range of markets including automotive, aviation, commercial, education, industrial manufacturing, mission critical, power and energy, and water/waste water. The company self-performs concrete placement, as well as rigging, transport and installation of equipment for various industrial clients. Walbridge employs roughly 1,000 people who are committed to lean, sustainable construction practices and maintaining injury-free workplaces. Walbridge manages complex projects and offers delivery systems to fit every client’s need.
Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Detroit www.wayne.edu
Founded in 1868, Wayne State University is a nationally recognized metropolitan research institution offering more than 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 28,000 students. Wayne State’s main campus in Midtown Detroit comprises 100 buildings over 200 acres; its six extension centers offer higher education to students throughout Southeast Michigan. Wayne State is dedicated to preparing students to excel by combining the academic excellence of a major research university with the practical experience of an institution that by its history, location and diversity represents a microcosm of the world.
Yeo & Yeo CPAs and Business Consultants
Yeo & Yeo CPAs and Business Consultants
Auburn Hills www.yeoandyeo.com
Yeo & Yeo CPAs & Business Consultants, a Top 100 firm, serves businesses, not-for-profits, education and government entities from nine locations in Michigan. Individuals and businesses rely on Yeo & Yeo for tax, accounting, auditing and consulting needs. Commitment to the community with time, talent and resources is the firm’s trademark. Yeo & Yeo supports wellness for its employees by paying a large portion of health care premiums, helping to keep costs low for employees. The firm has a high percentage of participation in its wellness plan/health care premium reduction incentive. Another initiative is the firm’s Fitbit Fitness Program. Themed, monthly challenges for individuals and teams, along with prizes and friendly competition, have resulted in a high level of participation. The firm also provides free flu shots and smoking cessation strategies. The focus is to help employees make real changes in their health and lifestyle behaviors.
Clothing is an essential part of the human experience; you need to wear apparel to be acceptable in society, to stay warm and, if you think about it from a branding perspective, to tell other people about who you are and what you stand for as an individual.
That is why FashionSpeak, an annual symposium for Detroit’s growing fashion industry, is such an important event. What’s notable about this one-day conference is that it is not only beautiful to observe (The boots! The hair! The dresses! The style!) but it also is impressive with its substance. Speakers give the big-picture view of the resume you need to work in fashion today, but they also give advice, guidance and mentorship opportunities as well.
The Detroit Garment Group, Taubman, Meijer, Opportunity Detroit, Buddy’s Pizza and many other sponsors come together to create this event, aimed at all stages of fashion professionals. The Thursday get-together included everyone from Central Michigan University students to store owners to fashion designers of national note. Everyone came out to learn something and to share something of themselves in hopes of growing a larger, stronger fashion community here and beyond.
FashionSpeak is an educational conference at heart, but it also shows how much collaboration is happening around Detroit. To create this event, people had to work together for months and even years. They had to discover a common passion. They had to share a collective vision. They had to sign on with heart and head. Without a team behind her, there is no way Karen Buscemi and the Detroit Garment Group could pull off FashionSpeak. But they do with grace and charm, and it is an annual event not to miss as a result.
Bottom line: FashionSpeak, the premier event for anyone who is interested in being a designer, a buyer, a planner or a fashion marketer. There is nothing else like this experience – a sizable conference room at One Woodard in downtown Detroit filled with men and women who love fashion, clothing, accessories and the people who wear them. These are visual artists, mixing patterns, colors and shapes to create something both pleasing and interesting.
These fashion mavens also are Detroit boosters. Roslyn Karamoko of Detroit is the New Black (a store and a brand) put it well when she said that Detroiters not only want to look good in a brand, they also want to feel good in it. They want to have an emotional connection to the people and the things they choose to wear. They desire an understanding of the designer, his or her intentions and the way they work. The people who wear Detroit is the New Black label clothing seem to exude the vibe Karamoko is after even without her having to explain it, she said. There is a soul to the city and its image represents that in real ways.
Keynote speaker Kevan Hall also said that Detroit is the kind of place that seeps into your design soul. The longtime clothing designer has gained national attention for his high-end dresses and active wear – there are pictures of gorgeous actresses in his gowns spinning on the red carpet with a kind of joy that shows how wonderful they feel in his clothing. Hall said that Detroit influenced those garments – the cool of Diana Ross, the style of the Temptations, the polish of all Motown. He grew up in Detroit in the 1970s, and that sleek elegance of the city and its residence reside in his mind and his pencil, Hall said. He admires the city’s resurgence, and he feels its rebirth in his soul.
“I love it. I’m so excited about it,” said Hall, who joins noted designers including Tracy Reese and Daniel Vosovic of Project Runway fame in serving as the “inspiration” for the day, showing everyone in the audience that you can be from Detroit and take over the fashion world.
His advice to everyone? “Make an effort.” Enjoy dressing up and dressing well. He believes that you should highlight your assets and forget your flaws. Work to create a look and then strut it out. Tailor what you own to what makes you look and feel good. It’s a good reminder to anyone who cares about their images, and, to be honest, we all should care about our image.
FashionSpeak 2015 (the event is now in its third year) is the topper for a very exciting time for Detroit. That’s because Buscemi is working like a dervish to share the news about how much Detroit impacts the fashion world and how important it is that more eyes focus their attention here. Detroit has always had fashion, but somehow the word wasn’t communicated effectively or at all. Buscemi and her board at the Detroit Garment Group Guild are changing that with an industrial sewing program, a Tech Town incubator and more planned in the future. The future growth is going has the potential to be phenomenal.
On the links and you need a beverage, burger or a new set of cold weather gloves from the clubhouse? Well, a new app called Golfler has you covered. They will also help you find the distance to the cup – and how to navigate around the bottleneck from the scramble or other delay. You can also message the course managers to keep a lookout for the club you left by the 6th green. And it’s free. Install the app on your smartphone and you have it all.
Using the GPS technology already in most smartphones, the app enables clubs to pinpoint a golfer for fast delivery of orders anywhere on the course. The same technology is leveraged to allow users to measure distance to the hole for proper club selection. Golfers can message club employees to relay course issues and converse with other players through the app’s direct messaging system. Digital scorecards, live tournament leaderboards and even real-time weather updates further enhance the experience.
“With Golfler, we wanted to bring the clubhouse to the golfer – full service – wherever they are on the course, and help to speed up the game at the same time,” said Jason Pearsall, president and chief legal officer of the Detroit-based startup.
The app is already winning accolades from experts. Golfler was awarded the PGA’s 2015 Top Buyer’s Choice award at the PGA Merchandise Show in August. It was awarded second place in the Summer of Apps competition Aug. 31, with recognition as the application with the best business plan and monetization strategy.
Golfler is free to courses, as well. The app offers satellite fairway views of users to resolve and prevent pace-of-play issues. Through the on-demand ordering system, it enables course kitchens and pro shops to wirelessly accept orders and route deliveries, increasing revenue streams.
As of Sept. 20, the app was usable at the following Michigan courses, and a growing list across the U.S.
• Oceana Golf Course, Muskegon
• Inskter Valley Golf Course, Inkster
• Warren Valley Golf Course, Dearborn Heights
• Rackham Golf Course, Huntington Woods
• Chandler Park Golf Course, Detroit
• Rolling Meadows Golf Course, Whitmore Lake
• Riverwood Resort, Mt. Pleasant
• Hidden Oaks Golf Course, St. Louis
• Rouge Park Golf Course, Detroit
For more, go to www.golfler.com or just download the app. Fore!
Imagine the frustration of being tasked with a monthly quota for a sales team when it seems that just as the sales people complete training, they quit, creating the need to hire again. For some, this merry-go-round of hire/train/rehire/retrain caused by poor employee retention never ends, leaving many managers victims of sleepless nights worrying over unattainable quotas or goals.
In today’s market it takes both time and money to find and properly train employees. This is particularly true in the technology sector, where it may take up to two years before an employee becomes productive. Organizations where work flow is dependent on a team interaction, with individuals relying on each other to bring a task to fruition, may feel this pain the most. The presence of inexperienced workers means the shortfall must be made up by seasoned ones. Couple this with the fact many employees are still feeling the strain of a decade of downsizing and you have the formula for low office morale and poor productivity.
A look at the statistics regarding dissatisfied employees across the country is an eye opener. According to a June 2014 study by Career Builder, more than 2 million Americans leave their jobs monthly. Other statistics find 31 percent of employees don’t like their boss and another 28 percent admit to hiding on the job!
Why is it so many American workers feel this level of unrest?
The problem may start as early as the interview process. Loosely-made commitments regarding work conditions, income and advancement can set the stage for early employee dissatisfaction and quickly become the seeds of mistrust between employee and management.
Take for example, Mark, a specialty chef hired by a prominent restaurant chain whose kitchen operation focuses on preparing original and creative dishes. The menu items are created from scratch on site, and there is a good deal of training required for all new employees. During the interview Mark is informed that while the initial pay is low, after 60 days a performance and pay review will be given. Verbal praise for Mark is excellent during his training period. So much so that upon the two month date, Mark’s expectation is for the performance review to lead to a well-deserved pay increase. But the restaurant managers fail to schedule the review, refusing to even give a reason for their lack of response. In fact, all attempts from Mark for the promised review are stalled or ignored. By the end of the fourth month of employment, Mark has resigned. And management is confused as to how they lost a quality worker.
Bottom line, trust was broken, and most likely it was not coming back.
Do words uttered in an interview matter? Simply enough, they should. These words represent the integrity of a company. They are also factors on which perspective employees base an important decision in their life. Promises made in an interview, whether stated or implied, are key points in the foundation of what becomes a trust relationship or not.
The great poet Maya Angelou wrote, “When people show you who they are, believe them.” The perception by employees when company actions do not match a manager’s commitments leads back to that nagging question: Can this person or perhaps even this company be trusted? In the case of new employees, the distinction between a manager’s indiscretion and company culture may be impossible to discern. Not experiencing trust makes people wary and self-protective.
In his article in the Harvard Business Review, “Why is Trust So Hard to Achieve in Management” (July 5, 2012), James Heskett explores trust in the workplace. One initial point he addresses is that managers are not trained in building trust. They often do not understand the relationship between developing trust and the integrity of the company as seen through the employees’ eyes.
A second point the Heskett article brings to light is perhaps managers feel that by the nature of their position, trust should be assumed and unquestioned by the new employee. Managers may need training to understand trust is a process. It is earned on an individual basis, not commanded based on position.
Another point to consider is the variability of human personality. Some hiring managers believe what is said in the interview shouldn’t necessarily be viewed as a commitment or be a basis for an evaluation of trust. Similar to the concept of diffusion of responsibility, it is the belief that universally it’s desirable to create the ideal situation in an interview, not necessarily one based in reality.
Companies concerned with poor retention, particularly within the first year of employment, should examine how trust is or isn’t being established during interviews. It needs to be made clear to hiring managers it is a priority to begin development of trust during the interview process, not after. Most importantly it should be emphasized that statements, particularly regarding potential income, work conditions and benefits need to be concise and correct.
Information provided in an interview by a prospective hire such as work history, education and qualifications is expected to be accurate. In some organizations falsifying this information is grounds for dismissal. Employers want employees to be truthful from the start.
But in all fairness, it needs to be understood the expectation of trust is a two-way street. The light of integrity should shine also on the employer. And this needs to begin not on the first day of employment, but from the first handshake.
Some events can only be described through a first-person narrative. And my experience as a volunteer for Flower House certainly meets that description.
Flower House is a three-day event that will take place this weekend in Hamtramck. The event centers around an abandoned house that is being cover – yes, literally, covered – with flowers, floral arrangements and greenery of every variety. Dozens of Metro Detroit florists along with national representatives from floral companies, landscape businesses and beyond are giving their time, talents and flowers to this one-of-a-kind event.
The idea is the brainchild of Pot + Box floral company owner Lisa Waud, who saw a similar installation created by Dior and became inspired. It’s a dramatic example of how while you may choose a profession, it also chooses you. Waud is an artist with flowers, and she is showing how grand her vision is with this incredible installation.
As I type this, dozens of people are buzzing around the house on Dequindre, adding vines, flowers of every kind and greenery to every room of a two-story house. From the front porch to the kitchen to the bathroom to the bedrooms, flowers will be everywhere. The designs are spectacular, and if you like flowers even a bit you will astonished at the sight.
Flower House shows what can happen when you join the vision of a creative person with the muscle and might of many others. Waud’s project has receive press from everyone from The Detroit News to the Washington Post to Martha Stewart. She has donations from so many Detroit businesses for coffee, snacks and help. She has so many friends and volunteers from across the Michigan – I talked to people from Massachusetts, Kalamazoo, West Bloomfield, Florida and all points in between.
When I arrived, installation had already begun. There were flower pots hanging on the walls of the dining room, ready to be filled with blooms. The dining room chandelier had been replaced with a large wooden tree branch, strung with lights. There were floral garlands everywhere, made of delicate blooms and roses. There were branches being woven together to form a fence for the parking lot. Every part of the house – once abandoned, if you recall – were coming to life again.
A few years back, two photographers “created” what they called Ice House Detroit. They covered an abandoned house with water during one of Michigan’s winters and called it art. They took lots of pictures of the Ice House and allowed the public to gawk at it. To me, it wasn’t art; it was “ruin porn,” or taking something away from Detroit through the celebration of what was lost. I got criticized then for not seeing the artistic value of this installation, and I still stand by my belief that this wasn’t art – it was exploitation.
To me, Waud’s Flower House is art. She is creating something where there was nothing in a way that Ice House failed to do. Covering something with ice isn’t reimagining it or transforming its blight. Flower House is recreating the home with something beautiful – some of the most gorgeous flowers I’ve ever saw – but it is more than that. It is showing the potential in every small thing, whether it is the peeling paint made beautiful by contract with the delicate blossoms nearby. It is showing the usefulness of the long-decayed tub with a garland of chrysanthemums (my hands are stained orange right now because of helping with that project). It is building up, not tearing down.
Now, the house will be torn down eventually, just like Ice House. The parts that can be used will be donated to wood-reclamation companies around Detroit. There will be new life to old things. Flower House is temporary, after all, as its blooms will fade. But its memory will live on through the engagements there, the weddings there, the dinners there and the moments created there.
(FYI: You needed tickets to see Flower House inside and out; those tickets are sold out and it is unsure whether more times will be added. However, you can drive by the installation and check it out if you can get down the street — Dequindre in Hamtramck right by I-75.)
Her bags have hung on some of the nation’s most famous arms, showing up everywhere from New York Fashion Week, Teen Choice Awards and charity events around Los Angeles. Pretty good for a handbag designer from Metro Detroit.
Annette Ferber, who built her handbag collection from the ground up, will be featured along with two of her handbag designs on Extra’s Shop the Scoop at 7:20 p.m. Tuesday (tonight!). It’s another milestone for the attorney turned designer.
Company representatives are now selling directly to retailers throughout the United States. The company has four full-time employees with offices and a warehouse located in Commerce Township. The Annette Ferber Collections are positioned for growth and Ferber would like to bring more jobs to Michigan.
The youngest of three children born to successful entrepreneurs, Ferber is no stranger to startups and hard work. Her parents, emigrants from Poland, founded HoMedics in Commerce, which sells health accessories and other products in 60 countries.
Ferber’s desire to be a green consumer was the catalyst that led to the creation of her first collection of bags, and ultimately The Annette Ferber Collections.
According to Ferber, “I always tried to be green at the grocery store, and my kids were constantly stepping all over my recycled bags in the car. Or I would forget to bring them into the grocery store. I thought, ‘Why isn’t there a set of collapsible bags all in one pouch that are ready to use when you need them?’”
Determined to make her own, she sketched out a design. Ferber’s first prototype was made from paper and staples. She then purchased her first sewing machine and worked on designing and perfecting a set of expandable fabric bags that were functional, fashionable and durable.
Ferber ultimately designed a pouch that shoppers could place on their cart and would open up to additional pockets and sizes that was easy-to-use and high-quality.
Ferber, who had practiced law before becoming a stay-at-home mom, patented the design of the four-bag set that folded down into a 13” x 7” pouch. The set included a bag with compartments for breakable items, an insulated bag for refrigerated items, a large bag for regular groceries and an expandable bag for bulk items, such as paper towels.
Ferber not only took the bags to the grocery store, she literally took them to market in 2010, naming them, “Sacs of Life,” to represent lifestyle and sustainability. To keep the bags affordable, she located a manufacturer in China, where she traveled to visit open markets to select the perfect fabrics and hardware.
Ferber landed a slot to showcase the bags on the TV shopping channel QVC. “We had to demonstrate the value and many features of the Insulator four-piece set in a seven to nine-minute segment,” recalls Ferber.
“Doing demos is what sells the bags,” Ferber said. “People need to understand the value and the features of how they unfold and their different uses. We have videos that show that on our website and at retail stores.”
It was an instant hit with QVC viewers, with sales of $13,000 a minute. Based on that success, Ferber expanded her line and designed 10 to 12 innovative shopping and travel sets, as well as everyday cross-body bags. Her line of bags was chosen to premier in Costco’s highly selective Road Shows, where they sold 75-120 bags each day. This exposure to a massive customer base sparked sales and brand awareness.
After years of growing the Sacs of Life brand into a successful company that offered stylish functionality; Ferber felt it was time to fulfill a longtime dream of launching a new collection of fine leather bags. In January 2014, she regrouped as the Annette Ferber Collection, changing the name of Sacs of Life to the Sacs Collection.
Ferber’s journey as a handbag designer has taken her to a place she has always aspired to reach with the launch of an exceptional line of fine and distressed leather as well as canvas products; called the Journey Collection. Wherever possible, the designs incorporate up-cycled leather and material remnants in recognition of today’s environmental concerns.
Every year for the past seven years, TEDxDetroit has brought a bevy of speakers – all ages, all backgrounds with an emphasis on technology, education and entertainment – to Detroit for a one-day festival of ideas.
The idea is simple: Everyone (in person and online via a streaming broadcast) learns something new, gains some experience and grabs a ton of inspiration to fuel them for the next year. It’s a chance to blow people’s minds – or create explosions, like in the case of Thursday’s event at the Fox Theatre.
This year’s TEDxDetroit event felt like it had a single theme – unity. Both the speakers and the participants were all in on the city, the region and finding solutions to the state’s top issues. Everyone was a dreamer, a doer and devoted to Detroit and Michigan as a whole.
TedxDetroit, presented Oct. 8 by Walsh College, is a conference like no other. It is a locally organized effort, put together by a panel of Detroit champions who screen possible speakers to find those who are genuinely changing Detroit – or those who have the power to change the region either with what they are about to do or have the ability to do. The goal is to combine the audience with Ted speakers, videos and Lab participants who will “spark deep discussion and connection” in this group and elsewhere.
There were so many impressive moments throughout the daylong event. There was the electric Karen Buscemi, who highlights the massive movement to create a “Garment District” within Detroit, putting not only an incubator within Tech Town but a whole effort into textiles, sewing and garment manufacturing within Midtown Detroit.
Another showstopper was Mallory Brown of World Clothesline, who noted how direct, personal appeals to issues such as poverty and world hunger – both in Detroit and around the world – are creating real, actual change. She fund-raised for the city as well as cities around the world, and she is on a personal mission to see an end to social ills like hunger and despair.
There were some fun moments as well, like when Rob Mies brought out his bats and talked about his conservation efforts through Cranbrook and elsewhere. There also were somber moments, such as when Aaron Foley, the freelance writer turned author whose book, “How to Live in Detroit Without Being an Asshole,” stepped up. That title may have sparked some laughter, but Foley’s heartfelt yet tough talk about what the region needs to do to stop having the same tired conversations about New versus Old Detroit was an eye opener.
This day-long, independently organized Ted event was, as always, inspirational. Another highlight was the University of Detroit Jesuit high school student designing a “wheelchair stroller. The Q&A between Alden Kane, organizer Charlie Wollborg and user Sharina Jones was incredible – there was an outstanding, long unmet need for mothers in wheelchairs to have some way to carry their infants along with them through their daily routines. And, together, Kane and Jones came up with answer that will truly change people’s lives. Their story recently made the media rounds, but to hear them in person and see the look on their faces as they talked about this invention was outstanding and memorable.
There were other speakers that blew our collective minds as well. Just to be in the room with Cathy Olkin of NASA New Horizons was cool enough. But she outlined how she and other researchers created a way to spy on Pluto and waited NINE YEARS to get any result was motivational. If you have a project in the works and feel frustrated by its progress, think of Olkin and get back to work. Because if she can wait nine years, you can go a few more days or months on yours.
There were people like Stephen McGee of Stephen McGee Films who showed how using technology along his imagination will change the way Detroit is perceived worldwide. You cannot say “may change” or “could change” when you see McGee’s work. You cannot help but be completely convinced of him, his mission and his goals when you see the powerful images he created using drones and other forms of modern movie making. All praise to technology and imagination for helping all of us create a new vision for the city and its future.
It’s fall in Michigan, and that means several things: Cooler nights, great autumn leaves and color-changing tours as well as cozy, comfort foods.
That is where Redsmoke Barbecue in Greektown comes in. The family-owned business recently marked its fifth year of service and is introducing several new foods and drinks to its menu.
Located in the heart of Greektown Detroit, Redsmoke features slow-cooked barbecue and homemade, classic comfort foods, along with more than a dozen sides, including mac and cheese, corn bread, and collard greens. New menu items range from entrees and sides to beverages and specials.
“We’re thrilled to offer guests several new and improved foods and drinks, which have been developed and updated based on their feedback and ideas we’ve heard over the years,” says Rosalva Teftsis, general manager. “We wouldn’t be here without our guests, so these new items are truly a tribute to them.”
Each item at Redsmoke is made in-house with the highest-quality ingredients. From the homemade sauces to fresh-baked breads, made-from-scratch applesauce to house-infused vodka, everything is prepared fresh and with the utmost care.
“We are truly excited to be celebrating five years of business in Detroit and in Greektown,” says Tasso Teftsis, co-owner of Redsmoke. “To the hundreds of thousands of guests who have honored us with their patronage, we say thank you!”
Redsmoke is located in a historic 4,000 square foot building in the heart of Greektown Detroit. Built in the late 1800’s, the historic brick building was restored by brothers Michael and Tasso Teftsis in 2010. It retains its vintage appearance, but now also includes modern touches. Through October, Redsmoke will have outdoor seating available in front of the restaurant, on Monroe Street. The patio features a variety of seating, shade and foliage, and can accommodate up to 16 guests.
Some new items include:
New Entrée: Brisket Mac & Cheese: Chopped beef brisket that’s been marinated in Redsmoke’s special rub with garlic, onion and allspice, then slow smoked for 14 hours over Hickory wood, is stirred in a radiatoire pasta with creamy sharp cheddar, and topped with a crunchy Parmesan panko crust.
New Sandwich: Cowboy Reuben: Layers of hickory-smoked brisket, topped with Swiss cheese and spicy house-pickled sriracha coleslaw, and lightly drizzled with a Faygo Rock and Rye Cherry Molasses reduction, is served between two pieces of butter and herb-seasoned Texas toast. A fantastic option for lunch or dinner.
New Sides: Classic Apple Sauce: Just in time for fall harvest season, Redsmoke is bringing back its homemade applesauce. Made with Macintosh and Granny Smith apples, and seasoned with cinnamon, sugar, vanilla and nutmeg. Pairs deliciously with the Cowboy Reuben and pulled pork dishes.
To that end, here is Redsmoke’s apple sauce recipe. So. Much. Yum.
Chunky Apple Sauce Yield: Five quarts
Ingredients:
• 10 sweet apples (like Golden Delicious)
• 10 tart apples (like Macintosh)
• ¼ cup white granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups apple juice
Preparation: Rinse apples. Peel the skin on half of each variety. Core and slice apples. Place in food processor and chop on a low setting to create texture.
Place apples in a large pot along with sugar, seasonings and juice. Cook on a low setting for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After the apple sauce is cooled to room temperature, it is ready to serve or can be refrigerated for future use.
Kyle Kent helps Diane Dabira arrive at work in comfort at United Shore. Photos courtesy of United Shore
Last winter, when below-zero temps and frigid air kept people huddled indoors, Brad Pettiford was grateful for his company’s valet car service.
In harsh weather, the communications manager at United Shore’s headquarters pulls his 2013 silver Toyota Camry up to the glass-enclosed office building and before he can get out, his door is opened by a gracious valet with a generous smile. Another valet opens the building door and wishes him a good day.
“I felt like a celebrity,” says Pettiford, 28, before heading to work for the mortgage company. Pettiford had only used valet parking before on his wedding day.
But this valet service is not for C-Suite types; in fact executives are discouraged. The service is for staff, and up to 250 people use it daily. It’s free –and tipping is not allowed
“One of my least favorite things is having to scrape off the windows and let my car warm up when it’s icy and cold,” he says. “Before I leave work for the day, I call the valet and say I’m ready to go. They say, ‘Sure thing, Brad,’ and have my car warmed up and waiting for me at the curb.”
According to a study on Retaining Talent by the Society for Human Resource Management, one of the most critical issues facing organizations today is how to keep good employees. Strengthening employee engagement is one way to keep good people, the report shows. Engagement refers to people who are satisfied with their jobs, their colleagues and the amenities of their workplace.
More than that, though, a satisfied worker knows their job is important – they “take pride in the company and believe that their employer values their contributions,” the study reveals. Employees who feel “embedded” in the company, and who feel valued, are five times less likely to leave.
Laura Lawson is chief people officer at United Shore.
Valet car service is one of many ways United Shore tries to make the 1,350 people working at its Troy, Mich., headquarters feel special and valued, says Laura Lawson, chief people officer. She heads the family owned company’s Team Member Services department, which is the name Lawson gave to what used to be Human Resources.
“It’s so much bigger than HR,” says Lawson, 38. “Our people are our greatest asset. We are always looking for ways to roll out the red carpet. We focus on servicing clients with ‘wow factor’; we first have to show our people the ‘wow factor’ if we want them to show it to our customers.”
Team members say it feels like the company prioritizes “work-life balance,” says Pettiford, which explains other perks like on-site dry cleaning, a cafeteria and Starbucks on the premises, and a gym for staff to use before and after work or at lunch.
“The company is focused on making sure we have amenities and services so the rest of our lives are efficient,” Pettiford says. “They want people to feel happy working here, and so they try to reduce the stress of our lives. I don’t have to wait for 15 minutes in line at Starbucks on my way in to work and make my commute longer. I can get my coffee here on the way to my desk.”
Monis Ahsan helps co-worker Bettie Williams keep dry in the rain outside the office. United Shore’s valet service is for staff. Executives are discouraged from using it.
“It makes you feel like royalty,” she says. “You can’t help but think, ‘Wow, I feel so important.’ We want our team members to feel like they’re the most powerful people.”
The company is home to the No.1 wholesale lender in the nation, United Wholesale Mortgage. They are top ranked in number of loans closed and number of purchase loans.
United Shore emphasizes investing in their employees from the top down so staff members want to build a career there, Lawson adds.
“We want to hire to retire. We don’t want our people to leave, so we help them feel comfortable, special and that they can build an internal career path. This is just one of the ways we do it.”
Note: United Shore is celebrating being recognized as one of Metropolitan Detroit’s 2015 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For, www.101bestandbrightest.com. For more on Troy, Mich.-based United Shore, visit www.unitedshore.com.
After he injured his foot at work, Mr. Hernandez sought medical attention. Though he speaks English, Hernandez’s first language is Spanish. Realizing that Hernandez was most comfortable with Spanish, the orthopedist asked every question in both languages. However, the written discharge instructions were provided only in English. Those instructions directed Hernandez to follow up with the orthopedist within 24 hours. He did not. Eventually, Hernandez’s foot injury led to the amputation of his lower leg.
Hernandez filed a lawsuit claiming that the amputation was the result of his physician’s negligence. The physician argued that the fault was with Hernandez for not following the discharge instructions. The court ruled in favor of Hernandez, and the insurance carrier paid $46,500 in legal fees.
This case and several others are detailed in the University of California-Berkeley’s 2010 report, “The High Costs of Language Barriers in Medical Malpractice.” Those costs are steepest in the health care industry where lives can be lost. But, companies across all industries can benefit from language access planning.
Non-English speakers are a growing force of customers, employees, and business partners. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2011 American Community Survey, 21 percent of people at least 5 years of age speak a language other than English at home.
The team at Bromberg & Associates in Hamtramck, Mich. Bridging cultural and linguistic divides is core to the translantion services company, founded by CEO Jinny Bromberg, fourth from left in second row.
This percentage has consistently increased since 1890 when it was first recorded. And the bureau expects the trend to continue. If companies do not plan for language access, they risk breeching confidentiality, alienating customers, and forfeiting new business and talent markets.
Qualified interpreters
According to the UC-Berkeley report, Hernandez’s physician and medical assistant testified that they knew Spanish “well enough’” to communicate with their patients. But speaking a language is not the same as interpreting. That mistake can be damaging to both the client and the company, says certified interpreter Jinny Bromberg.
“For a long time, being bilingual was associated with being capable of being a translator,” says Bromberg, who founded Hamtramck, Mich.-based Bromberg & Associates in 1999. “But that’s not the case. Being bilingual is a mandatory requirement, but it’s just one part of it.”
Bromberg says, at a minimum, qualified language professionals should have proficiency in at least two languages, possess a thorough understanding of the code of ethics for their field, and be able to interpret consecutively and simultaneously, as well as perform sight translation.
Patricia Avery manages the interpretive services program at the Royal Oak, Mich. campus of Beaumont Health System, which contracts with Bromberg & Associates as well as other providers.
But because there is no single certifying agency for medical interpreters, Avery said her team must do their own “due diligence.” In its contracts, Beaumont requires that interpreters have formal training in health care interpretation and at least two years of health care interpreting experience, a process that is less complicated when contracting for interpreters for the deaf and hearing impaired because the state of Michigan sets the certification standard.
Interpreter certifications are most common in the legal and medical fields, said Don DePalma, founder and chief strategist of Common Sense Advisory, a market research firm headquartered in Cambridge, Mass.
Rick Woyde is managing director of Language Arts and Science in Royal Oak.
In those fields, said DePalma, federal regulations are driving the language service industry toward a common standard. In the corporate world, certifications are less common, but technical knowledge is just as critical, he said. You need someone who “speaks Corvette and Spanish,” said DePalma.
Translation technology
According to numbers provided by search giant Google just two years ago, its Google Translate online service processes some one billion translations per day for about 200 million users.
While the numbers may be higher, just how accurate the service may be is a running question.
Perhaps even more important is the question of confidentiality, says Rick Woyde, managing director of Language Arts & Science, a translation services and solution provider based in Royal Oak, Mich.
Indeed, with the Google terms of service contract stating that any data transmitted or translated via its applications falls within its domain to use as it wishes, that may be more of a statement than a question.
“Google Translate is a funnel to improve search results,” said Woyde. “Anything that we drop into Google Translate gives Google license to publish it in their search results.”
In other words, while the Google service may be fine for a letter from your grandmother, for confidential e-mails, legal contracts, and proprietary information, businesses should use a software that keeps data out of the public domain, said Woyde.
Yet, when Woyde surveyed his clients he found that many of them used Google Translate to handle smaller translation tasks not contracted out to firms like his. His response to what he felt was a growing issue is Pairaphrase, a service the firm launched in 2014 to keep a company’s sensitive translations confidential.
As Pairaphrase is used, it gets smarter, increasing its accuracy with the help of human translators, said Woyde.
This point gets to the other finding in his client research, which is that many companies are using internal bilingual staff as translators.
From a company’s perspective, internal staff may have many of the skills needed, including knowledge of the language and specific insight into the market and the industry served, especially when compared with an external supplier.
Woyde said that while having someone do the work may save money, it largely ignores the potential costs related to translation errors, employee stress, displaced workloads, and time lost on “real” jobs.
Although hiring qualified translators may not be a cost-effective solution for these companies, Pairaphrase could be, with the ability to speed translation time by up to 75 percent—meaning a job that may have taken eight hours, takes only two to three hours with Pairaphrase.
VRI: On-demand and visual
Another approach is with the use of video remote interpreting (VRI), defined as real-time, human interpreting using an Internet connection, webcam, and microphone.
Combining the on-demand feature of over the phone interpreting (OPI) with the visual cues of in-person interpretation, video remote interpreting is often cheaper than in-person interpreting.
However, without the proper technology, VRI is more expensive than OPI, according to a report from Common Sense Advisory. “What Buyers Need to Know about Interpreting Procurement” says while VRI makes up the smallest share of that market, its share is expected to increase as companies continue to integrate mobile technology into their business practices and look for ways to reduce language access costs.
Beaumont’s Avery says VRI has made a big difference since the organization began researching the technology in 2009, as part of its participation in a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation initiative.
By 2011, Beaumont had launched its VRI service, although Avery said the hospital also uses in-person and OPI for longer interactions and sensitive discussions such as those involving end of life care.
Cultural competency
Language is one piece of the larger puzzle of cultural competency, that “set of behaviors,
policies, and attitudes that form a system or agency that allows cross-cultural groups to effectively work professionally in situations,” states BusinessDictionary.com. Bridging the cultural divide can be more daunting than overcoming language barriers. Several sources pointed out how culture informs people’s views on life and death, how they look for a job, how they interact with the opposite gender, and even how they view interpreters.
Creating understanding between people of different cultures is the mission of Welcoming Michigan, a program of the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center that works with U.S. businesses, government entities, and neighborhoods to help create communities that embrace immigrants.
To this end, Welcoming Michigan assists companies with language access planning, sponsors community cross-cultural encounters, and educates business owners on the immigrant experience, said Christine Sauve and Jonathan Romero, who serve as program coordinators.
As globalization increases, organizations are restructuring to be more multicultural accessible, said Romero, who says some organizations struggle to integrate cultural competency into a business.
With a mission of transcending “linguistic and cultural barriers, bringing people and businesses closer together,” Jinny Bromberg says her company, already a provider of in-person cultural awareness training, is now developing an online library of cultural awareness trainings that will be categorized by country as well as industry.
“What we do is really connecting people on such a different level,” said Bromberg. “Culture and language are at the core of our beings, and the opportunity to help people embrace them and eliminate the cultural and linguistic divides is really exciting for me.”
Detroit’s revitalization comes as a result of many partnerships between public entities like the city and private enterprises. So when you see a public-private relationship blossom like it will at RecoveryPark, you have to sit up and take notice.
“(RecoveryPark) will transform property and transform lives,” Mayor Mike Duggan told the small crowd of media, neighbors, city leaders and Wozniak’s mom. “This is the kind of partnership we will see more of in Detroit.”
Also on the table is the revitalization of a nearby office space for RecoveryPark’s headquarters, moving from Waterford to Detroit. But even more exciting is the possibility of stabilizing and then perhaps using the old Chene-Ferry Market – an amazing farmers’ market structure that now sits empty – into a going enterprise again. That will come after the first year at best. But seeing this struggling structure tugged at the heart of everyone on site for the press conference Monday; getting a piece of Detroit’s history up and running again would be a massive improvement and serve as a beacon for people of all kinds to visit this neighborhood.
“I’m a recovering addict. I’m a returning citizen. This is my chance to give back,” Wozniak said. “You should see the way a guy (working for RecoveryPark Farms) jumps up and down with excitement when they see their tomato plants growing. You should see their self-worth skyrocket. … Tomatoes don’t care if you can read or write. They don’t care if you’ve been in prison. It’s about growth.”
If you love beer, then you certainly know Michigan has become a craft-beer heaven. But did you know one Farmington Hills brewery is going to take it one step further and bringing you rare brews to taste?
“We’ve heard a lot of hype behind this rare beer and thought it would be great to bring this type of beer to a craft beer restaurant like Craft Breww City,” said General Manager Curtis Nordeen. “Having a Taste test with a beer like 120 minute IPA helps beer lovers become more aquatinted with different beers and keeps them wondering what else is out there.”
Staebler, who is also president and CEO of TechTown Detroit, will serve as program host during the luncheon session, exploring with Simon, Garibaldi and Wilbanks what their universities are doing to advance urban quality of life, where their efforts have succeeded or fallen short, and how each respective university nurtures and supports the type of innovation needed to enhance urban communities. The luncheon program is scheduled from 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Agriculture is the state’s second- or third-largest industry (depending on which measurement is used), contributing more than $100 billion annually to the Michigan economy, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The Food Bank Council of Michigan (FBCM) was founded in 1984 through the cooperative efforts of the state’s regional food banks. The purpose of FBCM was to implement a unified strategy to address and alleviate hunger statewide by increasing emergency food resources and advocating on behalf of the hunger relief network. At the time, many cities in Michigan faced unprecedented unemployment rates, and communities suffered as a result. Michigan food banks stepped in to provide emergency support for families and individuals without enough food.
Motown Soup is nonprofit consisting of volunteers who produce soup and food mixes in Trinity United Lutheran Church of Utica’s state Department of Agriculture-licensed kitchen. All profits are donated to soup kitchens, homeless shelters, food banks and free clinics. Since 2014, Motown Soup has directly given back more than $465,000 to the community, its website states.
ViMax Media is a fully integrated agency focused solely on custom food marketing. Its client roster includes many of the country’s top food retailers, food wholesalers and food service companies. It provides targeted custom “foodie” content, such as recipe development, food photography, trending food and wellness editorial and how-to videos, and its programs are delivered through omni-channel programs, including print, digital and social media platforms. Services include complete creative assistance from conception and design consultation, through project management and execution.
Door to Door Organics is a leading online grocer that is changing the way people shop and eat by empowering them to make easy, healthy food choices for their families while supporting their local communities. The company delivers boxes brimming with farm-fresh organic produce and curated natural, local artisan groceries to homes, schools and offices — at no charge for delivery.
National Food Group Inc.’s industry expertise centers on wholesale food service to institutional feeders. It specializes in developing food-service solutions for correctional facilities, K-12 schools, colleges and universities, health care providers, food service operations and casinos and entertainment. Customers include many government agencies at the local, state and federal levels. Its work for private organizations includes health care companies, corporations, casinos, convenience stores, food distributors, camps and others who are responsible for providing large-volume food operations. Since its founding 25 years ago in Bud Zecman’s basement, National Food Group has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing privately owned companies in the United States, the company’s website states.
BarFly Ventures is the parent company of HopCat, Stella’s Lounge, Grand Rapids Brewing Co. and McFadden’s of Grand Rapids. BarFly was founded by Mark Sellers in 2008 after the opening of HopCat in Grand Rapids. In addition to its four locations in Grand Rapids, BarFly owns and operates six additional HopCat outlets in Ann Arbor, Detroit, East Lansing, Indianapolis, Madison, Wisconsin, and Lexington, Kentucky. The company proclaims on its website that BarFly isn’t your typical restaurant/bar company. It recycles and composts up to 90 percent of the waste it generates, and it provides health insurance to all full-time employees. Sellers moved back to his hometown of Grand Rapids from Chicago in 2007 following a successful career in finance at GE Capital, Morningstar and his hedge fund, Sellers Capital.
Just Delicious Scones is a bakery of specialized pastries and also a tearoom serving brunch, lunch and special events. In addition, it is a wholesale supplier to Nino Salvaggio Markets, Westborn Markets, Busch’s Markets, Hollywood Markets, Village Market in Grosse Pointe and St. Clair Shores, and several other stores in metro Detroit.
Northern United Brewing Co. celebrated its first full year of operation in 2015. “There were failures and triumphs, but we continue to improve every day,” said CEO Jon Carlson.
Passport Pizza, which has 14 locations throughout Southeast Michigan, is in its second generation of family ownership. The company started as Pizza One, later becoming Pizza N More and then Passport Pizza. Some employees have been with the company for 30 years and have now been joined by their family members, according to the Passport Pizza website.
Thai Feast was created in 2011 by the matriarch of Bangkok 96 Restaurant, which had been serving Thai cuisine in Michigan since 1996. What started as frozen gluten-free frozen line led to shelf-stable instant vegan broth powders in a variety of Asian flavors for the retail and food service industries.
For example, 
There’s something about Michigan – apple trees just love it here,” Schumacher said. “We are said to have the ideal micro-climate for these trees and for growing fruit. It’s a mixture of our soil and our rolling hills that produce healthier trees and better quality apples. … People with a certain palate can tell where their apples came from; our customers appreciate what comes out of our orchard.”
October is prime picking time, and Schumacher said she sees hundreds of families and many a home chef come through Westview’s orchard. She’s a fan of many of Westview’s varieties, especially the Gala (“It’s wonderful, so nice and firm and sweet,” Schumacher said), Jonathan (“An old-fashioned apple; it has a spicy, zippy taste”) and a newer Spy variety called the Fortune (“It is denser with a thicker, tarter skin. It is excellent for cooking and eating”).
Wellness increases productivity, whether it’s for an organization or business. The Best and Brightest in Wellness awards provide companies, schools and churches with the opportunity to gain recognition and showcase their best practices. The program highlights those that promote a culture of wellness, and those that plan, implement and evaluate efforts in employee wellness.
That is why 
Bottom line: FashionSpeak, the premier event for anyone who is interested in being a designer, a buyer, a planner or a fashion marketer. There is nothing else like this experience – a sizable conference room at One Woodard in downtown Detroit filled with men and women who love fashion, clothing, accessories and the people who wear them. These are visual artists, mixing patterns, colors and shapes to create something both pleasing and interesting.
His advice to everyone? “Make an effort.” Enjoy dressing up and dressing well. He believes that you should highlight your assets and forget your flaws. Work to create a look and then strut it out. Tailor what you own to what makes you look and feel good. It’s a good reminder to anyone who cares about their images, and, to be honest, we all should care about our image.
On the links and you need a beverage, burger or a new set of cold weather gloves from the clubhouse? Well, a new app called Golfler has you covered. They will also help you find the distance to the cup – and how to navigate around the bottleneck from the scramble or other delay. You can also message the course managers to keep a lookout for the club you left by the 6th green. And it’s free. Install the app on your smartphone and you have it all.
Flower House
Flower House shows what can happen when you join the vision of a creative person with the muscle and might of many others. Waud’s project has receive press from everyone from The Detroit News to the Washington Post to Martha Stewart. She has donations from so many Detroit businesses for coffee, snacks and help. She has so many friends and volunteers from across the Michigan – I talked to people from Massachusetts, Kalamazoo, West Bloomfield, Florida and all points in between.
A few years back, two photographers “created” what they called Ice House Detroit. They covered an abandoned house with water during one of Michigan’s winters and called it art. They took lots of pictures of the Ice House and allowed the public to gawk at it. To me, it wasn’t art; it was “ruin porn,” or taking something away from Detroit through the celebration of what was lost. I got criticized then for not seeing the artistic value of this installation, and I still stand by my belief that this wasn’t art – it was exploitation.
Now, the house will be torn down eventually, just like Ice House. The parts that can be used will be donated to wood-reclamation companies around Detroit. There will be new life to old things. Flower House is temporary, after all, as its blooms will fade. But its memory will live on through the engagements there, the weddings there, the dinners there and the moments created there.
Her bags have hung on some of the nation’s most famous arms, showing up everywhere from New York Fashion Week, Teen Choice Awards and charity events around Los Angeles. Pretty good for a handbag designer from Metro Detroit.
Determined to make her own, she sketched out a design. Ferber’s first prototype was made from paper and staples. She then purchased her first sewing machine and worked on designing and perfecting a set of expandable fabric bags that were functional, fashionable and durable.
Doing demos is what sells the bags,” Ferber said. “People need to understand the value and the features of how they unfold and their different uses. We have videos that show that on our website and at retail stores.”
This year’s 
There were some fun moments as well, like when Rob Mies brought out his bats and talked about his conservation efforts through Cranbrook and elsewhere. There also were somber moments, such as when Aaron Foley, the freelance writer turned author whose book, “How to Live in Detroit Without Being an Asshole,” stepped up. That title may have sparked some laughter, but Foley’s heartfelt yet tough talk about what the region needs to do to stop having the same tired conversations about New versus Old Detroit was an eye opener.
There were other speakers that blew our collective minds as well. Just to be in the room with Cathy Olkin of NASA New Horizons was cool enough. But she outlined how she and other researchers created a way to spy on Pluto and waited NINE YEARS to get any result was motivational. If you have a project in the works and feel frustrated by its progress, think of Olkin and get back to work. Because if she can wait nine years, you can go a few more days or months on yours.
New Entrée:
New Sandwich:
New Sides:
“Google Translate is a funnel to improve search results,” said Woyde. “Anything that we drop into Google Translate gives Google license to publish it in their search results.”
