Jeffrey t. Lambert, 40
Title: President and Managing Partner Company: Lambert, Edwards & Associates
Scott erickson, 23 Title: Owner/Partner Company: Status Creative
It’s clear Scott Erickson doesn’t need to ride on someone else’s coattails to achieve his entrepreneurial ambitions. He credits Grand Rapids for providing the fertile ground young go-getters demand to achieve their dreams. “Grand Rapids is where I found myself,” said Erickson. “There’s no telling where I’ll end up, but it’s sure to be a fun ride.” So far, that ride has already taken Erickson to work as executive producer and producer of The Grand Rapids Lip Dub Video. The film was a rejoinder to the now-infamous Newsweek article that listed Grand Rapids as No. 10 in a top-10 list of dying U.S. cities. Erickson’s lip dub eventually was featured on ABC World News and won high praise from movie critic Roger Ebert, who declared it the “best music video ever made.” He counts Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter as an important influence in his life. “He’s a man who grew up in the slums of Brooklyn, and created an empire through his art — his words and his music,” said Erickson. Erickson gives of his time as a founding member of the Juice Ball Initiative, creating and producing Juice Ball events to benefit Kids’ Food Basket, and serves on the advisory committee of the Michigan Film Festival. He is a social media advocate for Until Love Is Equal, a grassroots organization based in West Michigan, which is dedicated to protecting personal liberties and civil rights regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Erickson’s community involvement also extends to roles with Rock the Rapids, a music festival that draws nationally known artists.
Starting a business from humble beginnings doesn’t deter Jeffrey Lambert. He co-founded the public relations and investor relations firm, Lambert, Edwards & Associates, in his basement in 1998. Today, LE&A counts itself as a top-five Midwest agency with more than 100 clients in 20 states and five countries. The company’s 12-year track record includes four acquisitions, including Detroit-based John Bailey & Associates in 2009. The combined firm has five practice groups: automotive, consumer, financial communications, health care and technology, and public affairs. It now has offices in Grand Rapids, Lansing and Detroit. LE&A’s track record has prompted Lambert to pass along his public relations expertise. He has addressed the PR Firm Management Summit in New York, the Michigan PR Society conference, the Brandt and Zabrusky lecture series at Michigan State University and the Michigan Bar Business Law Institute.
He was a Midwest finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2007, was recognized as one of Michigan’s 50 Companies to Watch in 2010, was named among PR Week’s 40 Under 40 national leaders in 2010, and as PR Practitioner of the Year by the West Michigan Public Relations Society. Lambert’s community involvement includes serving on the executive committee and as marketing chair for Junior Achievement, executive committee and regional board for the YMCA, board member of the Economic Club of Grand Rapids and alumni board for the Michigan State College of Communication Arts and Sciences. He’s also a member of the Young Presidents Organization.
Lorissa Keller MacAllister, 39 Title: President and Founder Company: Enviah
Lorissa Keller MacAllister launched her career as a medical social worker. The health care field should be grateful for her career choice. Since then, her architectural consulting firm has created master plans, strategic plans operational assessments, programs, plans, and sustainable operations integration for the health care field. Her projects range from small remodels to multimillion-dollar new acute care facilities. MacAllister’s expansive array of projects include lead consultant to develop new services and growth of existing services for North Ottawa Community Hospital, lead designer and developer of a tool that tracks improvements of physician practices, and lead designer of a national toolkit for the tier one campaign to create healthier hospitals. From 2003-2010, she was health care strategic business unit leader for Progressive AE, building a health care practice in a regional, full-service architectural firm that employed 120 people. The most notable project was a $34 million, multi-story addition to Spectrum Health Hospitals’ patient unit, ICU and surgery facilities. As a knowledge leader in her field, MacAllister serves on many boards and speaks and publishes regularly on leading edge health-care design both nationally and within her community. She serves as board president for Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center, and works with the Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Symphony boards. MacAllister also is the 249th point of light in President George H.W. Bush’s Thousand Points of Light program.
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