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Kentwood marks 50 years as city. Page 3

FEBRUARY 27, 2017 VOL. 35, NO. 9

New tool provides synopsis of region

THIS WEEK

ATTORNEY ANSWERS THE SECOND CALL

Anita Hitchcock is happy with her job as Grand Rapids city attorney after passing on the position the first time around.

Page 8.

West Michigan Regional Dashboard highlights 34 metrics in social, economic and environmental categories.

FOREST HILLS NORTHERN student Jennah Haminger, left, instructor Scott Kemperman and student Brittany Seekell participate in the Gone Boarding class. Courtesy Forest Hills Public Schools

Credit balance Michigan joins 16 other states in allowing Domestic Asset Protection Trusts, which shield funds from creditors, reduce estate tax liability.

PAGE 3

Job match GR tech firm’s Career Calculator is showing promising results in other states.

PAGE 3

Comforts of home Grand Rapids-based seating maker uses automotive technology to make lightweight chair.

PAGE 5

Student boarders ride growth wave In addition to original design-andbuild aspect, Forest Hills’ Gone Boarding class expands to include marketing, digital media.

Pat Evans

Grand Rapids Business Journal

An action sports program at Forest Hills Public Schools has grown exponentially in two years and is

Literacy program cultivates ‘hidden talent’ in employees. Page 13

THE LISTS

The area’s top staffing firms.

Page 12 The area’s top corporate training service providers.

Page 14

Last month, Curtis and a group of students arrived back in Grand Rapids following a trip to California, where they met with a variety of action sports companies, such as Red Bull, Vans and Hurley.

Gone Boarding has grown well beyond its original intention of providing students with an alternative elective. The class allows students to design and build a skate, snow or surfboard and use them in block class settings for their physical education credits.

The base of design-and-build and the ability to use their creations in various settings, such as Continued on page 4 8

Project examines barriers for women of color Kellogg Foundation fellows conclude year of qualitative study on race, gender and leadership.

Language translation

attracting new professional partnerships.

When the Business Journal profiled Gone Boarding two years ago, the cross-curriculum physical education and industrial arts program had 20 students at Forest Hills Eastern High School and a fledgling partnership with Vermont-based snowboard manufacturer Burton.

Now, the program has expanded to Forest Hills’ other two high schools with more than 100 students and could be on its way to growing beyond the school district, according to Bill Curtis, one of the program’s founders and original physical education teacher.

Rachel Watson

Grand Rapids Business Journal

Shannon Cohen and Pat Sosa VerDuin want women of color in the West Michigan business community to been seen and heard.

Cohen, who is African American, and VerDuin, who is Mexican American, met and struck up a friendship as recipients of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Community Leadership Network fellowships three years ago.

As their kinship grew, the pair found common ground in noticing a lack of information about barriers to leadership for women of color.

One day, VerDuin emailed Cohen a link to a news report about equity issues along the lakeshore.

The photo that accompanied the article depicted no women or people of color.

“That was the match that lit this project,” Cohen Cohen said.

The pair launched a research project and survey called “Invisible Walls, Ceilings and Floors: Championing the Voices and Inclusion of Wom-

CONTENTS Vol. 35, No. 9

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© Entire contents copyright 2017

by Gemini Publications.

All rights reserved.

en of Color in West Michigan.”

They will present their findings at two upcoming forums at Grand Valley State University: • Noon-1:30 p.m. March 2 at the Kirkhof Center, Grand River Room, on GVSU’s Allendale campus • 6-7:30 p.m. March 16 at the DeVos Center, Loosemore Auditorium, on GVSU’s Pew Grand Rapids Campus Calvin College’s social research department helped Cohen and VerDuin design the survey; their Kellogg fellowships and a small grant and in-kind donations from GVSU funded the work.

They distributed the assessment to affinity groups throughout Kent and Ottawa counties — such as the West Michigan Asian AmerContinued on page 2 8

Inside Track ........... 8

Change-Ups..........16

Comment.............. 10 Educated work force

Calendar ................16

Letters .................... 11 Recent changes at Davenport University not reflected in story

Area Economy......17 Retailers confident Street Talk .............18

Jesse O’Brien

Grand Rapids Business Journal

Collaboration between the West Michigan Regional Prosperity Alliance and The Right Place Inc. yielded a new tool that aggregates data to create a snapshot of the region.

The organizations unveiled the West Michigan Regional Dashboard on Feb. 17, providing the general public with access to a one-stop shop for a variety of statistics on 34 metrics deemed important by the project’s advisory committee. Those indicators are separated into three categories — social, economic and environmental — and contain data from average annual wage and high school graduation rates to amount of annual venture capital and number of closed beach days.

“This is a tool that can be used for economic development; it’s a tool that can be used for community planning.

This is just one of those tools in the toolbox that I think will make a big difference in taking the collaboration to the next level.”

Lt. Gov. Brian Calley

“We didn’t just look for indicators that The Right Place or chambers of commerce can use to promote,” WMRPA chair John Weiss said. “Because there’s data here that isn’t always necessarily positive, but it’s data we need to get as a region to track and understand.

“You can show Michigan as the comeback state and show what West Michigan has done to help us become the comeback state, but that’s not going to lead you to sanitary sewer issues or how many Continued on page 4 8

$2.00 a copy; $59 a year

2 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL FEBRUARY 27, 2017

‘Invisible Walls’ examines leadership for women of color 7 Continued from page 1 ican Association, Anishinaabe Circle, Lakeshore Latinas, Black Women Connect, Greater Grand Rapids Racial Equity Network, Grand Rapids Black Chamber of Commerce and Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, to name a few — in order to reach as many women as possible from a wide variety of backgrounds.

Questions probed issues such as being the first or only woman or person of color in a leadership position company-wide, barriers to entry, risks faced, myths and truths, the hiring process and the problems with current methods of talent recruitment and retention.

The survey garnered 120 responses; 50.8 percent came from

the nonprofit sector, 25 percent from for-profit, 10.8 percent from government, 12.5 percent from “other,” and 0.8 percent did not identify their sector.

VerDuin said a broken narrative contributes to exclusion and inequity.

“One of our goals (in this study) was to change the narrative,” she said, noting that often leadership positions come available at companies that want to increase diversity, but they don’t end up hiring women of color.

“They say, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could get a person of color?’ and no one would apply. They would say, ‘Maybe there’s just no one who wants to apply.’

“We did not believe that, so we decided to reach out to Kent and

Ottawa County residents through a survey and find out what is the lived narrative.”

VerDuin and Cohen discovered the survey respondents were overwhelmingly qualified for the positions they sought.

Eighty percent of the women who participated had some level of college education, 40 percent had a bachelor’s degree and 57 percent had a master’s or doctorate.

VerDuin and Cohen said survey respondents reported a lack of opportunity despite their education.

“When you ask these women what was a factor in their hiring, 33 percent said it was access to the job posting,” Cohen said.

“Often, employers use very homogenous networks and aren’t

connecting with communities of color.”

Instead of using websites that are publicly accessible or direct marketing to affinity groups, Cohen said many employers rely on word-of-mouth using their existing employees. If those employees are Caucasian, it perpetuates more homogenous hiring.

Cohen and VerDuin said survey respondents indicated organizations that profess to be dedicated to inclusion need to back it up with action.

In the survey, “We put women in the position of saying, ‘What are the solutions?’ and so many women are saying organizations need to have a line item in their budget for equity and inclusion in recruitment,” Cohen said.

Why? Because diversity builds a stronger workforce, Cohen said.

“The truth that emerged is that a woman of color’s unique identity contributes to a competitive advantage,” she said. “Women thrive once they can tap into their super powers as leaders.”

VerDuin said organizations must assess their “readiness” to make change.

“How do they identify themselves? What’s their vision? What’s their mission? What do they want their employee base to look like?” she said. “It’s not about going out and hiring the ‘token’ person of color — it’s about constantly being scrutinized internally. It is about the organization itself, not just about hiring a person.”

Citing her own experience in Grand Rapids, Cohen said although Grand Rapids is making strides, systemic racism still is a problem.

“For every win I’ve had, there have been so many spaces where I’ve encountered invisible walls,” she said.

“It’s barriers to the full engagement of women as color in senior leadership spaces in our community.

“This work for me is about adding to the quantitative data, gaps and racial disparities we know exist. When we look at Kent and Ottawa, specifically, the numeric disparities are highly visible. When we only see numbers, we never hear voices and never see faces.

“We need to be able to sit in the awkwardness of why we were listed at 51st of 52 cities economically for African Americans a couple years ago.”

“For every win I’ve had, there have been so many spaces where I’ve encountered invisible walls. It’s barriers to the full engagement of women as color in senior leadership spaces in our community.”

Shannon Cohen

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VerDuin said survey respondents were eager to have a conversation about creating change — 80 out of the 120 respondents said they would be willing to have a face-to-face conversation about the study, despite the personal risk in sharing — and many of them already are working toward change.

“When you ask the women why they pursued a leadership position, 75 percent said they want to make a difference in their community,” VerDuin said.

VerDuin and Cohen said they hope the study is “transformative” for the community — that businesses will see the economic argument for equity and inclusion — and helpful for women of color.

“One of the things some of the women indicated would be beneficial is the opportunity to be mentored by women who look like them,” VerDuin said. “These women want someone who has lived leadership.”

To that end, they will continue their work in a few ways.

“We’re sharing the research with the forum, but we’re also launching a website called Sisters Who Lead, and academics and leaders will be able to download the 40-page report,” Cohen said.

“We want this data to become a critical informing tool of how (businesses) do attraction, promotion and recruitment.”

VerDuin and Cohen’s presentations at GVSU will include a Q&A session.

Virtual reality could expose auto suppliers to new claims of false advertising, Page 10 FEBRUARY 27, 2017 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 3

Kentwood kicks off anniversary celebrations Trust law

keeps assets from creditors

City to hold ceremonial meeting, two-day street festival to celebrate 50th anniversary of being incorporated.

Michigan joins 16 other states in allowing Domestic Asset Protection Trusts, which reduce estate tax liability.

Jesse O’Brien

Grand Rapids Business Journal

The Kentwood City Commission held its first meeting in the halls of Bowen Elementary School on Feb. 27, 1967. On Feb. 27, 2017, the city is coming full circle.

“If you look at the economic condition of Kentwood, we’re that much stronger because of the freedom America brings in allowing people to fulfill their dreams of owning their own businesses.”

Stephen Kepley

The commission is holding a ceremonial meeting at the school to commemorate the city’s 50th anniversary of being incorporated, the kickoff event to a year of celebrating the city’s history. In the halfcentury of Kentwood’s existence, the city has jumped from 6,000 residents to more than 50,000, and Mayor Stephen Kepley said the city is now about 85 percent built out.

But as stark as the city’s population growth has been, it’s the change in Kentwood’s racial make-

Rachel Watson

Grand Rapids Business Journal

“We’re not saying whether a degree is right or wrong,” Gritton said. “We can give the best information we can find about needs and the economic return. Part of this is the benefit of big data and our ability to tap into the sets of data and do things we couldn’t do 10 years ago.”

Students at a career-oriented high school in Jefferson County recently explored myths surrounding various career paths us-

the amount of schooling and time devotion.”

English said the school system has bought into the tool as a way to show how students can pursue their passions, with or without a college degree.

“There’s been a change in mindset about what college really means,” she said. “It’s about the best path for the student, and that

For wealthy individuals and those in high-risk professions, asset protection and estate tax avoidance in Michigan just got a bit easier.

Gov. Rick Snyder signed the Qualified Dispositions in Trusts Act, which took effect Feb. 5, making Michigan the 17th state that permits Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs), a form of irrevocable trust that can provide extra protection for potentially at-risk assets.

According to Nick Reister — chair of the trust and estates practice group at Grand Rapidsbased law firm Smith, Haughey, Rice & Roegge — physicians, business owners and executives are the most likely Reister to benefit from DAPTs. Individuals in those professions are considered at higher risk for creditor exposure.

Reister said as long as the DAPT is set up properly, the person creating the trust will be able to protect his or her assets from creditors after a two-year period, starting with the date the assets are transferred to the trust.

He noted the waiting period ensures a settlor cannot evade what is due to creditors if the settlor already owes a debt and is being sued for payment.

“The benefit of this style of trust changes the rules for a creditor proving that a transfer is fraudulent,” Reister said. “Historically, if a creditor was trying to collect on a judgment, they could use presumptions, even coincidences to prove that a transfer (of assets) was intended to defraud a creditor.

“This firms up what the creditor has to prove. As long as the settlor abides by the rules and funds this trust according to the rules set up in the act, and if … those assets stay in a trust more than two years, the creditor has fewer options for accessing those funds, and they have to prove an actual intent to defraud the creditor.”

According to an article by statewide law firm Dykema, before this act, a person had to transfer assets to a trust in an out-of-state jurisdiction, such as Delaware, Alaska or Nevada, but now they can be transferred to trusts set up by residents of Michigan.

One type of DAPT the act creates is called a Hybrid DAPT. A

Continued on page 4 8

Continued on page 6 8

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KENTWOOD’S FIRST MAYOR, Peter Lamberts, with shovel, and city officials participated in several groundbreaking ceremonies in Kentwood’s early days. Courtesy City of Kentwood

up that really sets the city apart, Kepley said. The city comprises 60.7 percent white residents and boasts the state’s most diverse public high school in East Kentwood High School, prompting Kepley to call the city “the UN of Michigan.”

“I think when you talk about folks moving from other parts of the country, they dream the American dream,” Kepley said. “And in Kentwood, they’re able to do it.

“If you look at the economic condition of Kentwood, we’re that much stronger because of the freedom America brings in allowing people to fulfill their dreams of owning their own businesses.”

The city will honor its diversity

at its celebration events throughout the year, including music, art, food and entertainment from across the wide spectrum of citizens who call the city home. The city’s half-centennial celebration’s marquee event will be “Celebrate Kentwood,” a two-day street festival on the weekend of Aug. 11-12, featuring a farmers market, arts and crafts fair, music, and food from local restaurants.

“We tried really hard to capture the essence of the diversity of Kentwood in these events,” said City Treasurer Laurie Sheldon, who heads the committee on planning events for the year. “I think that’s an integral part of our city’s growth, it’s what makes us unique and spe-

cial. The culture of all these different people makes us who we are.”

The city also is hosting a breakfast for businesses that have been in the city for all of its 50 years.

Among those included is Woodland Shopping Center, which officially opened in 1968 but was under construction in 1967 and played a large role in the city’s incorporation.

When the mall was being built, an effort by the city of Grand Rapids to annex the property pushed for a vote to incorporate what was then Paris Township. The vote passed, and Kentwood was born. “(It’s) pretty amazing that 50 Continued on page 6 8

Website helps students determine career The Career Calculator, developed by a Grand Rapids-based firm, is in its first year of testing at school district in Kentucky.

Students in Kentucky are using software from a Grand Rapids developer to determine what career their future might hold.

Grand Rapids-based web development firm C2 Group won a bid from Louisville, Kentuckybased KentuckianaWorks to help Louisville-area students make informed decisions on their future.

The Career Calculator website is in its first year of testing at Jefferson County Public Schools, but the city of Louisville was awarded the 2016 National Education Pathways with a Purpose Award and a $100,000 grant.

The process started when Louisville Mayor Greg Fisher challenged KentuckianaWorks to create a better system for tracking

what’s happening in the labor market, said Michael Gritton, the executive director at the workforce development agency.

Like West Michigan, Louisville currently has a skilled labor shortage.

“Louisville has enough leadership and is saying this talent gap is solvable through data,” said Michael Kunzler, C2 Group managing partner. “They looked and said the labor data is just data, how do we apply that in a meaningful way?

Our job was to make it as effective as possible to use and sustain.”

At the time Fisher took office in Louisville, KentuckianaWorks had a program promoting college degrees, but by looking at U.S. Census Bureau data, the organizations realized it wouldn’t be enough.

The mayor said he didn’t just want any degree, but the right degrees.

Gritton said Louisville still has many first-generation college students, so part of The Career Calculator’s function is to reduce friction in the employment marketplace as a result of students pursuing a misinformed path.

KentuckianaWorks set out to put together job information, requirements and needs. Gritton compared The Career Calculator

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Pat Evans

Grand Rapids Business Journal

to the real estate website Zillow, which shows potential homebuyers a constant flow of home sale data.

The website will need constant updating with current information, as it uses a variety of everchanging data sets from sources, such as the U.S. Census Bureau and area colleges.

ing The Career Calculator, said Jessika English, a counselor in the Jefferson County Public School system.

“They were able to compare and contrast and see there are some technical careers that make as much money as a doctor,” English said. “With that, they could see different aspects that play into

“There’s been a change in mindset about what college really means. It’s about the best path for the student, and that could mean any post secondary. It could be technical school or a two-year or four-year degree.”

Jessika English

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4 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL FEBRUARY 27, 2017

Forest Hills student boarders ride growth wave 7 Continued from page 1 snowboards at Cannonsburg, still is there, but the program also has expanded to include math, science, art, business and communications instruction.

Curtis is no longer teaching the class, instead focusing on fostering business partnerships and expanding the program into other school districts.

“There’s so much that goes into it, it’s really hard to boil it down into a quick pitch,” Curtis said.

“Thankfully, we can capture a lot of it with video and let them get a feel for it. It’s gotten good traction, and I will say this: I have not been to a school where I make a presentation and they don’t think it’s relevant for students.”

In California, Curtis allowed the students to present to the companies they visited to show what the program is all about to executives. At Red Bull, the students learned almost nothing about energy drinks and instead about the

company’s dedication to the action sport lifestyle and their range of departments, such as digital media, music production, video games and a high-performance athletic training facility.

“Never once did we really see the behind the scenes of making energy drinks, it was the marketing and media aspect of the company,” Curtis said.

“They’re all about action sports; that’s what they do.”

At Vans, the students met with Steve Van Doren, the company’s vice president of events and promotions. Van Doren also is the son of one of Vans founders and worked at the original retail store more than 50 years ago.

This spring, Van Doren will make a trip with other Vans representatives to Grand Rapids to host a party for the Gone Boarding class and present a $10,000 check for the program to hold a creative competition for the students.

Hurley is flying Curtis and two class participants who have shaped

surfboards to the company’s Next in the Water surf show in May. “They’re trying to innovate for the next generation of people in the water, and they understood the vibe of what we’re doing,” Curtis said. “This is all the business stuff we didn’t anticipate exposing the students to.”

Bennett Wolff took the lead on several presentations in California, as Curtis knew the Forest Hills Eastern senior has his eyes on a business career. Wolff said he was eager to take Gone Boarding as a senior ever since he saw its creation when he was in middle school.

While Wolff seems to be in good position for a future career in action sports marketing, he has yet to decide on what college he’ll attend in the fall. He did keep business cards from his meetings in California, however.

“It was an awesome opportunity, because I hear about these companies and wear their products, and we got to see and tour these

operations and meet the owners,” Wolff said. “I got to present what our class is all about and talk about how it really relates to what they’re doing and the lifestyle they push and how we push it.”

“It’s gotten good traction, and I will say this: I have not been to a school where I make a presentation and they don’t think it’s relevant for students.”

Bill Curtis

Curtis said several former Gone Boarding students have decided to go into industrial design.

Another former student at Grand Valley State University is pursuing a videography degree while also operating his own videography company.

Yet another former student is in the art and design program at the University of Michigan thanks to her portfolio from Gone Boarding.

“She wants to use her artistic ability to start her own surfboard brand, functional art is what she calls it,” Curtis said. “When she was applying to U-of-M, she had her surfboard and three skateboards, and they told her the portfolio got her in because they just don’t see that from high school students.”

Wolff, as well as plenty of other students, has had his potential career path widened because of Gone Boarding.

“When I was going to these companies and talking to their CEOs and department heads, they opened the door to the fact you can really push what you love to do to be your career,” Wolff said. “I was able to talk to the Hurley chief of marketing, and she really talked to me about how she is marketing a lifestyle and enjoys everything she does.”

New tool provides synopsis of West Michigan region 7 Continued from page 1 beach closing days you have.”

The information included in the dashboard is contained to the borders of the West Michigan Prosperity Region, which comprises 13 counties and 432 government units, the second-largest prosperity region in the state by size (the Upper Peninsula) and population (Detroit Metro). The dashboard

is the first of its kind among the state’s 10 prosperity regions.

Users can click on any of the data points listed on the dashboard and drill down even further, sorting numbers by county and tracking trends up to five years. The dashboard also lists the source for the information — all of which are publically available — should the user want to go even further.

Each metric will be regularly

updated as new numbers become available, most of which occur on an annual basis, and The Right Place has committed to maintaining the dashboard for at least five years.

The dashboard, accessible at wmdashboard.org and available to embed on websites, primarily was created as a tool for decisionmaking organizations based in the West Michigan Prosperity Region.

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more importantly, we’ve agreed to maintain this in the future. There are not many organizations around the region that can do that, but we have the ability, our board endorsed this and it’s an important statement, as well.”

Chapla said the bulk of expenditures come from the creation of the dashboard, and now that it has launched, the organization’s primary contribution will be the dedication of person power over the next five years.

Weiss, Chapla and Riley presented the dashboard at a press conference Feb. 17, along with Lt. Gov. Brian Calley.

“This region has really embraced the notion of collaboration, but what I love about this step that they’re taking with the dashboard is that it’s a statement of values and what’s important to them but also a statement of accountability,” Calley said following the event.

“They want their citizens to be a part of this discussion, and they’re also doing it in a way that allows for all types of entities to be creative and use this information for their own plan.

“This is a tool that can be used for economic development; it’s a tool that can be used for community planning. This is just one of those tools in the toolbox that I think will make a big difference in taking the collaboration to the next level but also will put their long-term planning into a framework that is measurable.”

Website helps students determine career path 7 Continued from page 3

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However, it also will be useful to anyone who wants to put the region in perspective, including potential future residents of West Michigan, and the organizations will not be limiting its use to anyone.

“It is, to some degree, a laissezfaire approach to the marketplace,” said Rick Chapla, Right Place vice president of strategic initiatives.

“We’re providing the information, and we’ll see where it goes.”

The dashboard was first conceived about a year-and-a-half ago, with The Right Place’s business intelligence and research manager, David Riley, taking the lead on building the project. The project team spent thousands of hours working with local organizations to determine what metrics were important to include, compiling the data and building a platform that was easy to use.

Ultimately, the 34 indicators represented in the dashboard had to meet four criteria: the data had to be backed up by authoritative sources; the indicator had to have been deemed meaningful; information had to be available on a county level; and the information had to be actionable.

The WMRPA budgeted $50,000 for the project, with The Right Place picking up the remainder of the tab.

“It’s our contribution to the alliance, as well,” Chapla said. “The $50,000, we’ve spent a lot more than that on the creation, and

could mean any post secondary. It could be technical school or a twoyear or four-year degree. It really helps the students begin to think about what life will be like.”

Kunzler said his firm’s job was to take a multitude of information sets and fuse them together into one piece of software with a pleasant user experience.

C2 Group’s involvement in the process was approximately six months, and all parties involved are interested in expanding the

program across the country.

C2 Group is working with several other workforce agencies to develop similar tools.

Gritton sees a benefit for others in his line of work.

“A lot of people are interested to see if they can build something similar, so we want to help build it for others that fit into their marketplaces,” Gritton said. “Ours has a core function that works for us, but it can work for boards across the country of providing better information to make decisions on what’s happening.”

FEBRUARY 27, 2017 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 5

Comfort Research launches ‘innovative’ seating option Grand Rapids-based seating maker uses automotive technology to make lightweight chair.

Charlsie Dewey

Grand Rapids Business Journal

A Grand Rapids seating maker is eager for you to take a seat.

Comfort Research, which manufactures affordable seating options, is celebrating the debut of its newest product platform, Orahh, a new technology developed and patented by the company.

Matt Jung, co-founder of Comfort Research, said he’s excited about the new platform, which he described as “different from anything that’s been done before.”

Jung said the Orahh platform uses molded expanded polystyrene (EPS), which is used in the automotive and construction industries but not widely in the consumer products industry.

He said EPS is a conventional material for making beanbag chairs and similar furniture, but it is usually a loose fill, known as beans, that goes into the product.

Comfort Research asked the question, “What if we took the concept of Styrofoam cup and Styrofoam cooler and exploded out the technology?” which he said meant molding EPS into a furniture frame.

“That is the platform we’ve really created, using EPS and other expanded plastics to create consumer product pieces,” Jung said.

He said the technology has the potential to be a game-changer for

COMFORT RESEARCH’S NEW platform makes use of molded expanded polystyrene to create furniture that is sturdy but still lightweight. Courtesy Comfort Research

the affordable furniture industry, because of the speed at which it can be manufactured and the limitless design potential.

“It’s not about the chair, nor is it about any given shape, per se. It’s the fact that we’re using a technology from the automotive industry and applying it in an innovative, new way to the furniture industry for the first time,” he said.

“In doing so, we believe we’ll open entirely new possibilities for furniture buyers, designers

and consumers.”

Jung said Comfort Research debuted its first line of Orahh products in January, which includes an armed rocking chair and modular outdoor sofa pieces — an armless chair, corner chair and an ottoman.

He said the modular sofa pieces can be used in numerous configurations to achieve a number of seating options.

Jung also said though its first Orahh line is for outdoor seating,

it also could be used indoors, and the company plans to make additional furniture products using the platform.

“Because there are no extra parts, no wood, screws or metal, it can go indoors, as well,” he said.

“And the average piece weighs about 15 pounds, making it very mobile.”

Orahh products will be available this spring under Comfort Research’s existing Big Joe and Lux

by Big Joe brands, which sell at

Where your heart can beat the odds.

retailers including Meijer, Target, Walmart, Costco, Sam’s Club and Amazon.

Jung said in addition to Orahh, Comfort Research also has its Fuf and UltimaX beans platforms, and the company will continue using all three of the platforms in support of its different products.

“Orahh makes up about 5 percent (of our business), and it’s growing rapidly — 80 percent is beanbags and the remaining is our Fuf products,” Jung said.

Comfort Research launched in 1997. The company was conceived in 1996, while Jung and co-founder Chip George were attending Hope College and started experimenting with how to create a better beanbag chair.

The Fuf platform, which uses shredded foam, was born out of that effort and quickly gained prominence in dorm rooms across the country.

Twenty years later, Comfort Research still operates its headquarters in Grand Rapids, where the majority of its 250 employees are housed.

It also has a facility in Lewisburg, Tennessee, and is opening another facility just outside Salt Lake City, Utah.

Jung said Comfort Research has been working to expand capacity and reduce freight costs by opening the additional facilities.

“Taking out miles is more efficient in freight costs,” he said.

He said with Orahh, he thinks the company has the opportunity to grow to 10 times its current size.

“Because of the different capabilities and opportunities we have with this platform we’ve invented,” he said.

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Snyder signs trust law that keeps assets from creditors 7 Continued from page 3 newsletter from estate planner Steve Leimberg, of Leimberg & LeClair Inc., notes this version is “a third-party irrevocable trust generally set up for the benefit of the settlor’s spouse and descendants in which the settlor isn’t a beneficiary, but which gives the settlor the power to appoint a trust protector who has the power to add and remove beneficiaries, including the power to add or remove the settlor.”

Reister said he expects clients mainly will use this tool to control their estate for future use without fear of losing funds.

“You’ll see trusts people set up and put a few million in and it will be their safety net, their nest egg

they put away without losing control of it,” he said. “In the past, if people wanted to pass something on to their kids, they would set this up and have limited ability to control it. Now, people will set up these trusts and have more control, and there’s a higher likelihood that it will pass out of their creditor’s control, so it can go on to the family or charity.”

Another type of DAPT is the Two-Grantor Hybrid DAPT, which is the same as the Hybrid DAPT except the assets in the trust are communal property between the settlors, generally spouses who want to pass on assets to their descendants.

The final type of DAPT, the Completed Gift Hybrid DAPT, according to Leimberg is “more of an

estate tax avoidance trust” rather than a way to protect the settlor’s assets from creditors.

According to Leimberg, the gift hybrid is “a third-party irrevocable trust just like any other trust to be designed to move assets out of the settlor’s estate for gift and estate tax purposes. The ability to appoint a trust protector who can add and remove the settlor as a discretionary beneficiary creates a back-door emergency ability to get assets back.”

This back-door capability might be necessary should estate tax laws change, Reister said.

The estate tax “has fluctuated a ton in the last 20 years. There’s a rumor it’s going to be repealed or changed in the coming years, but even if it goes away, it’s likely to

come back (with a new administration),” Reister said. “One of our challenges is helping clients plan with some flexibility. These DAPTs allow that flexibility.”

In 2016, the estate and gift tax exemption was set at $5.45 million per individual, up from $5.43 million in 2015. That means an individual can leave $5.45 million to heirs and pay no federal estate or gift tax, and a married couple may shield $10.9 million from federal estate and gift taxes.

Reister said those considering setting up any of these types of DAPTs should be aware the Qualified Dispositions in Trusts Act is a complex piece of legislation, and it takes a proactive approach to make it work.

“This statute is eight pages long,

and it’s complex, so it’s not something that should be done alone,” he said. “It’s not something you can put on a shelf and forget.”

Because the DAPT doesn’t protect assets already being sued, it’s more of a planning tool, Reister added.

“Readers have to be proactive instead of reactive,” he said.

Kentwood kicks off anniversary celebrations 7 Continued from page 3

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years later, Woodland Mall is still a driving force for the city with so many changes to come in the near future,” Sheldon said.

As the city plans for the future, Kepley said he is looking forward to strengthening the city’s sense of community by seeking opportunities to centralize activities. These efforts are being realized, as Kentwood’s summer concert series, introduced last year, already has outgrown its venue.

50-YEAR BUSINESSES IN KENTWOOD The city has invited 23 local businesses to attend a breakfast celebrating their longevity.

They include: • Advantage Label & Packaging • Animal Hospital of Kentwood • Born Clinic PC • Casa Villa Motel • Christian Schools International • Consumers Energy • DTE Energy • Henry A. Fox Sales • JCPenney • Kamminga and Roedvoets Inc. • Kentwood Plumbing and Heating • Kentwood Fun Spot • Knoll Inc. • Penning Plumbing • Plastic Mold Technology • Sears Roebuck & Co. • Siegel Jewelers • Spencer Gifts • Tubergen Cutting Tools Inc. • Turner Industries • Velting Contractors • Woodland Shopping Center • Zales Jewelry

Kepley praised the efforts of Kentwood’s parks and recreation department and said the city has hired a consultant to help explore the possibilities of further bringing about a sense of place making in Kentwood.

“We want to not just be a welcoming community, but to be one that has a sense of belonging,” he said. “You can welcome someone to your house, but I like them to belong here.”

And as Sheldon sees it, all the factors that make Kentwood special on its 50th anniversary will only continue to strengthen the city’s sense of community on its 51st and beyond.

“It’s exciting, not all communities make it successfully through these milestones,” she said. “But now we’ve done it, and we’re growing stronger than ever and unifying as a city.”

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Anita Hitchcock is happy with job as Grand Rapids city attorney after passing on the position first time around.

With second opportunity, attorney answers the call Charlsie Dewey

Grand Rapids Business Journal

S

even months in, Anita Hitchcock couldn’t be happier with her new role as Grand Rapids city attorney.

Hitchcock, who “prays about everything,” said when the city attorney job opened, she decided not to apply for it.

“The availability came up, and there were people who encouraged me to do it, and I thought about it and prayed about it and I never came to the place of ‘I’m doing this,’” she said.

But, as luck or fate or maybe divine intervention would have it, the position was reopened not long after it first closed.

Hitchcock said when she was talking to a friend about the strange turn of events, her friend asked her why she thought the position reopened, and Hitchcock, without even thinking about it, said, “They reopened it for me.”

She said in that moment, she knew she received a response to her prayers.

“I believe we all have certain gifts and callings and assignments in life. I believe it was what I was called to be, hence why I love it so

much,” Hitchcock said.

She said the city commission process was exciting and nerveracking. In July, she was appointed city attorney.

“I was in shock,” she said.

Hitchcock said her roles over the past 15 years have given her the variety of skills necessary for her new job.

The city of Grand Rapids first hired Hitchcock in 2002, as an assistant city attorney, and since 2015, she has served as director of criminal enforcement.

Though she wanted to practice law since she was a teenager, Hitchcock’s path to her current position took some twists and turns.

First, she noted she originally wanted to be a defense attorney.

“I graduated early from (Ottawa Hills) high school and went to the University of Michigan, and I wanted to be a criminal attorney,” she said.

While working on her undergraduate degree, Hitchcock got married and had her daughter. She said she ended up dropping out of college.

Later, she enrolled at Aquinas College and received her undergraduate degree, but she still didn’t

ANITA HITCHCOCK Company/Organization: City of Grand Rapids Position: City Attorney Age: That’s a secret. I’ll say over 50.

Birthplace: Marks, Mississippi Residence: Gaines Township Family: Daughter, Jamila, and Son, Akil Community Involvement: Grand Rapids Bar Association Board of Trustees, vice president of Floyd Skinner Bar Association, United Methodist Community House board member Biggest Break: Being appointed city attorney

know what she wanted to do.

“I tried marketing, computer programming and all these different things,” she said.

A college counselor suggested law school, and Hitchcock said it surprised her, because she’d never mentioned her original intention of becoming a lawyer.

Hitchcock received her law de-

Inside Track FEBRUARY 27, 2017 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 9

gree from Thomas L. Cooley Law School in Lansing.

At that point, she said she planned to go into estate planning and tax law, but the reality of being a law school graduate with bills to pay meant she didn’t have the luxury of holding out for a specific job.

“A hiring partner at Miller Johnson said, ‘You should go to the prosecutor’s office and get some experience,’ so I did that,” Hitchcock said.

“The (Kent County) prosecutor’s office and the city attorney’s office were hiring at the same time, and I sent résumés to both — the city made the wiser decision.”

“I believe we all have certain gifts and callings and assignments in life. I believe it was what I was called to be, hence why I love it so much.”

Hitchcock said prosecutors often are viewed in a negative light, and she was determined to change that perception.

“People ask, ‘How can you do prosecution?’ I can do it because I can make a big difference in people’s lives. People view prosecutors in the negative. It depends on your philosophy.”

She added, “People who break the law aren’t necessarily bad people; some of them just made a bad decision. There are consequences to breaking the law, but some people are good people, and they just make a bad choice.”

Hitchcock said realizing the positive impact she could have as a prosecutor helped her shift her perspective from wanting to be a defense attorney, and she em-

braced her burgeoning career as an assistant city attorney.

“The way to make the biggest difference is to be part of the systems and be in the decision-making positions,” she said.

She also noted there is a big difference between a city attorney and an attorney at a law firm.

“Other lawyers know who their client is,” she said, explaining as a city attorney, the job entails balancing the best interests of the citizens, the city at large and the city as an organization.

“It’s a balancing act of what is best for everyone,” she said.

Hitchcock said when she handles a case, it’s not about getting a conviction, it’s about getting the right outcome.

“I pray about everything, and at the end of the day, it’s whatever the right thing was, that is what I want,” she said.

Hitchcock said all those years of litigation are helping her in her new role.

“It is so different than what I used to do, but what I used to do helps me in this, because litigation is a unique skill, thinking fast on your feet and taking a lot of information in at once and assimilating it so everyone can understand it,” she said.

“You gain people skills, and there is no other area of law in our profession where you are in court as much as that one, so it prepared me for this, to have that ease of working with a vast array of people.”

Hitchcock also had a hand in training the next generation of attorneys. From 2009-13, she taught and supervised law students in the Public Sector Law Clinic at Thomas L. Cooley Law School in Grand Rapids.

The clinic provides legal services to government agencies.

Hitchcock broke down her new role as having three overarching pieces: working with the city

commission and city departments, managing a law firm and managing a team of people.

She said one of the things she is most proud of is the team building she has done since becoming city attorney.

She created civil litigation, municipal affairs and criminal litigation teams within the department, each with its own director.

“I believe in a team concept style of management,” she said.

She also said she believes in work-life balance and people should enjoy their job.

“I enjoy mine and want them to enjoy theirs, too,” she said.

She said when she eventually leaves the city attorney’s office, she will consider it a success if she left it better than it was before her.

“If I can say it’s better, then that is good for me,” she said.

Hitchcock said becoming city attorney has made life richer.

“You are at a higher scale of being able to make a difference,” she said. “I love working for government, and I love being a public servant. It makes life rich, and this is a greater level of that.

“I don’t mind staying late, and I love coming to work. That is a blessing.”

Hitchcock said the biggest challenge is that her to-do list never shrinks.

“I am a list person,” she said.

“As a list person, you want everything off your list, but the list never ends. As a matter of fact, those 10 things you thought you’d get done, not going to happen.

“My list now says if you can get these two things done today, that would be great.”

Hitchcock said she is glad she never gave up on her dream of becoming a lawyer.

“It was just a dream deferred,” she said of the twists and turns of her earlier years.

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Comment & Opinion 10 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL FEBRUARY 27, 2017

EDITORIAL

Educated workforce trumps low tax rates

T The Business Journal does not believe the lowest tax rates in the nation are more important than an educated workforce providing increased per capita income and economic vitality.

GUEST COLUMN Brian D. Wassom

Virtual reality could expose auto suppliers to new claims of false advertising

he Michigan House of Representatives late last week did not approve an income tax cut that would have lowered the 4.25 percent tax to 4.05 percent by 2019 and then to 3.9 percent by 2021. It is legislation that has been backed by several business groups, including the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce and Business Leaders for Michigan. The Business Journal agrees with Gov. Rick Snyder, however, who opposed the cut, noting tax reductions already approved, largely benefiting the business community, and with real concern about mounting budget pressure, most especially for increased road spending to repair and replace Michigan’s rotting bridge, road and highway system.

The Business Journal remains as concerned about education attainment and funding, and notes a new study by Business Leaders for Michigan, “Building a New Michigan Plan.” While the esteemed BLM panel of the state’s top business owners and executives continue to believe “the cost of doing business in Michigan” is a liability for its corporate tax climate (Michigan now ranks at No. 11 for corporate tax climate among 50 states), the Business Journal notes other aspects of the in-depth study are far more troubling.

• Per capita income edged up only slightly, ranking Michigan as No. 31 among all states. Per capita GDP is 35th.

• The number of critical degrees and certificates declined, giving Michigan a rank of 28th.

• Fourth grade reading proficiency continues to decline, now ranking Michigan at 46th.

• Overall educational attainment measured Michigan at 29th. The Grand Rapids region continues to lag other regions of the state in the percentage of residents with an associate degree or higher, falling behind the Lansing region, Ann Arbor region and Detroit. In fact, the West Michigan region ties with every region from Berrien County to northern Michigan: the entire western part of the state.

The Business Journal does not believe the lowest tax rates in the nation are more important than an educated workforce providing increased per capita income and economic vitality. The continued clamor surrounding recruitment issues in every business sector grows more worrisome, impacting the ability of business owners and executives to find skilled workers — let alone West Michigan’s or Michigan’s ability to attract new employers. The economic development impact will stymie growth and prosperity.

Automotive suppliers and manufacturers around the world are getting on the virtual and augmented reality bandwagon.

The CEO of Jaguar Land Rover North America revealed the company sees a major role for virtual reality experiences in its dealerships. Wearing a head-mounted display, such as Google Cardboard, customers would be able to experience various vehicle interiors and color combinations in three dimensions without needing to see a physical vehicle. Joe Richards, director of research and market intelligence for Cox Automotive, reportedly has called virtual reality a “sleeping giant that could significantly improve car shopping and dealer experiences.”

Augmented reality — which superimposes virtual imagery onto real-world environments as popularized by the Pokémon Go craze — also is a hotbed for advertising innovation. For years, Cadillac and many other automotive brands have offered mobile AR apps that create interactive, 3-D digital models of their vehicles.

Recent innovations in smart eyewear, however, are poised to make such experiences more immersive. Volvo, for example, has demonstrated an app for the Microsoft HoloLens — a cutting-edge piece of wearable AR hardware — that delivers an entire holographic showroom to users wherever they are.

These cases showcase the power of virtual and augmented media for communicating information to potential buyers. With that great power, however, comes the great

responsibility of ensuring the digital representations of a product faithfully convey the product’s actual features. If VR/AR demonstrations materially mislead or misinform the consumer about a product’s features, the advertiser could find itself liable for false advertising.

Whenever there is the potential that images might be argued to be confusing to customers, it is always a good idea to run that content by trained lawyers before publishing it.

The primary legal authority creating the right to sue for such actions is the Lanham Act, which also regulates the use of trademarks. False advertising claims may be filed by a regulatory agency or by a private party whose interests may be negatively affected by the challenged activity.

It’s easy to imagine how a plaintiff could characterize automotive VR or AR content as false advertising. The simplest way for potentially misleading advertising to occur in these media is by mistake.

Virtual and augmented reality tools still are an emerging technology. Even the most cutting-edge AR and VR devices, such as the HoloLens, remain in the developmental stage and are prohibitively

MI VIEW WEST Garth Kriewall

Michigan journalist, kriewall@hotmail.com

Our studies show there is indeed a parking issue in downtown Grand Rapids. However, our analysis shows it only affects one segment of the transportation market — those who drive motorized vehicles with at least four wheels.

expensive for most consumers.

More accessible devices, such as the wearable mounts that enable VR experiences on mobile phones, deliver impressive, but less-precise, experiences. As sophisticated as these devices are, they have inherent limitations on how realistic they make virtual images appear.

Consequently, some overambitious AR or VR content creators may try to convey more data than they can effectively render, resulting in imprecise output. That, in turn, might end up conveying information that is false and has a material impact on a consumer.

In one recent case, for example, a company was found to have misrepresented the size of its product by packaging it in an overly large container. Under certain circumstances, a consumer might argue an augmented or virtual image represented an automotive product as unrealistically — and misleadingly — small or large in a way that affected their purchasing decision.

An advertiser also might take unfortunate shortcuts during the complex task of creating virtual imagery for advertisements. For example, in 2012, British regulators banned L’Oréal from running ads containing two photos of Julia Roberts and Christy Turlington.

L’Oréal’s marketers digitally en-

hanced both photos to the point it could not prove to the regulators’ satisfaction the advertised makeup products could produce results like the ones shown.

The difficulty of precise 3-D rendering — not to mention the same commercial and societal pressures that led to these photo alterations — could likewise result in augmented ads that are similarly unrealistic.

In the automotive realm, for example, a digital artist may leave out or oversimplify important features when rendering a product, in ways that mislead consumers into believing things about the product that are not accurate.

By definition, digitally enhancing physical reality is a fundamental element of what VR and AR do. These types of situations are ones that marketers easily could get themselves into if they are not careful. Whenever there is the potential that images might be argued to be confusing to customers, it is always a good idea to run that content by trained lawyers before publishing it.

LETTERS POLICY: The Business Journal welcomes letters to the editor and guest commentary. Letters and columns must include the writer’s name, address and telephone number. Guest columns do not necessarily reflect the philosophy

of the Business Journal. Letters and columns may be edited for reasons of space or clarity. Please submit to: The Editor, Grand Rapids Business Journal, 549 Ottawa Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 or email bjletters@grbj.com.

Brian D. Wassom is a litigator at Warner Norcross & Judd LLP who focuses his practice on matters of creative expression, commercial identity and privacy. He can be reached at bwassom@wnj.com.

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FEBRUARY 27, 2017 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 11

Recent changes at Davenport University not reflected in story LETTER Editor: The Feb. 17 article “What will you be making at 34?” created a very inaccurate portrait of Davenport University, one of the few institutions of higher education in the state of Michigan with the specific, stated mission of preparing students for well-paying careers.

This was an article that would have benefitted greatly from fact-checking beforehand, which would have helped prevent classifying Davenport as a for-profit institution, which has not been the case since 1954.

The larger issue, however, is that the article seeks to predict future earnings potential of students based on historical data of past students. While this may not be a problem for many colleges that have changed very little over the past few decades in terms of the degrees they offer or the students they serve, for Davenport, the article does not provide an accurate picture of who we are today.

The difference between Davenport in 2000 and today cannot be overstated. In the early 2000s, Davenport was merging three separate open-enrollment colleges with commuter campuses, mostly offering associate degrees. Today, we are a single university with admissions standards in place, mostly offering four-year and graduate degrees tied to job market trends.

Nearly all of our associate degree programs have been discontinued since 2010. Also, in 2005, Davenport opened its first residential campus, which has significantly changed our student body.

Through quality initiatives we launched in 2010, we have seen tremendous progress in student outcomes, including a 116-percent increase in our graduation rate and satisfaction rates for students and graduates at all-time highs. In 2014, Davenport was one of the first colleges in the nation to offer an employment guarantee, assuring qualified students they will land a job in their chosen field within six months of graduating.

Our own survey of 2014-15 Davenport graduates shows 59 percent were earning more than $40,000 just six months after they graduated. When counseling students, our Career Services staff use a salary calculator provided by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, as well as the resources of O-Net to help determine projected salaries.

Davenport students have a clear idea about their income potential in the career field they have chosen. Obviously, the income expectations for today’s students earning four-year degrees in networking security, nursing, accounting and international business are higher than what two-year degree earners from an open enrollment institution could expect in the early 2000s.

As the study showed (but the article did not), compared to most private and area public universities, Davenport actually has a strong record of enrolling low-income students. About 40 percent of all DU graduates are of the first

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generation in their families’ histories to earn college degrees, with 44 percent of all DU undergraduate students qualifying for federal Pell Grants due to financial need. For Davenport, it is a point

of pride, as we are helping change the trajectories for these families.

While the study highlights the need for all Michigan universities to do more to help students from low-income quintiles into higher-

income quintiles, it is not reflective of the Davenport University we know today, which is helping its students to “Get Where the World is Going” in well-paying, in-demand careers in business,

technology, health and urban education sectors.

Richard J. Pappas, Ed.D. President Davenport University

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL is pleased to announce that Rhonda Kallman will be in Grand Rapids on March 15, 2017, as the keynote speaker for the biennial Top Women Owned Businesses awards luncheon event.

A

S THE FOUNDING PARTNER and Executive Vice President of Boston Beer Co., brewer of Samuel Adams, for 15 years, Rhonda Kallman helped build the most successful craft beer company in the world — one with a $3 billion market cap. One of Draft Magazine’s “Top 10 Innovators” in the beer industry, Kallman helped build Boston Beer’s innovative infrastructure and create the most-admired and best-trained sales force in the industry. With $200+ million in annual revenues, Kallman utilized unique go-to-market strategies that capitalized on the power of sales, promotion and marketing. With a well coordinated and integrated message, Samuel Adams Boston Lager quickly became regarded as “The Best Beer in America.” Throughout her time with the Boston Beer Company, Kallman was committed to recruiting and promoting women within the company, shattering the proverbial glass ceiling that was once standard in the industry. She now serves as Founder/CEO of the Boston Harbor Distillery and is also a sought-after speaker on the topics of women in business, leading a team, sales/marketing, and overcoming adversity. She is known within the beverage industry as “The Queen of Beer.”

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2

Year Established In W. Mich.

2016 2015 W. Mich.

Revenue

No. Of W. Mich.

No. Of W. Locations/ Mich.

Recruiting Placements In Staff 2016 Specialization & Services Offered

Hiring Employee Benefits

Jill Momber Cathy Monton

1958

$94.97M $129.8M

7 68

DND

Contract and direct hire, office, contact center, professional, accounting, health care support, sales/marketing, industrial

Medical, dental, vision, disability, 401(K), life insurance, holiday pay, direct deposit/paycard, referral programs, training

iMPact Business Group 3225 N. Evergreen Drive NE, Suite 302 Grand Rapids 49525 p (616) 254-8586 f 254-8592 impactbusinessgroup.com

Matthew Peal Michael Trewhella

2004

$24M $22M

1 21

DND

Finance, accounting, information technology, engineering, operations, supply chain, health information technology

Medical, flex spending plans, vacation and holiday pay, paid time off, 401(K), direct deposit, dental

3

Workforce Employment Specialists 102 Walnut Ave., Suite A Holland 49423 p (616) 396-3700 f (888) 353-0886 teamworkforce.com

Ruben Juarez Craig Chamberlain

2011

$16.5M $12.5M

3 16

3,800

Temporary and professional placement of manufacturing, industrial and executive positions

Holiday, vacation and perfect attendance pay, direct deposit, pay card

4

The EV Group 86 E. Sixth St. Holland 49423 p (616) 392-2383 theevgroup.com

Daniel Rogers

1987

$6.5M $5M

1 3

DND

Professional services staffing: construction, project and operations management, continuous improvement, HR and engineering within various industries

Health, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, holiday and vacation pay, 401(K) matching, flex spending and award-winning culture

5

Technical Professional Services Inc. 211 W. Superior St. Wayland 49348 p (269) 792-1379 f 792-1383 tpsincorporated.com

6

7

Talent shortage

Arnaldo Rodriguez Peter VanGessel

1983

$4M $4M

2 7

217

Engineering, technical, health care and IT field contract staffing support; temporary and direct placements

DND

The Judson Group 1 Ionia Ave. SW Grand Rapids 49503 p (616) 336-8484 f 988-0872 judson-group.com

Hunter Judson

2002

$3.11M $2.44M

1 14

90

Wealth management, financial services, banking, industry research, IT, contract and permanent placements

Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(K), FSA, PTO, parking, direct deposit

Mixed Staffing & Recruiting 85 Campau Ave. NW, Suite R304 Grand Rapids 49503 p (616) 647-5721 f 719-2221 mixedmi.com

Sara Knoester

2012

$1.78M $1.22M

1 6

475

Recruiting/screening candidates, interviews, payroll, personality/ skills assessments, reference checks, background checks and drug tests

Health, direct deposit, SOLE pay cards, hire-in bonus

Disher Inc. 201 W. Washington Ave. Zeeland 49464 p (616) 748-6915 f 748-6914 disher.com

Jeff Disher Keri McCarthy Dayna Beal Bob Soeters Fred Pettinga Kim Blackburn Brent Heeres

2000

DND DND

1 1

DND

Talent attraction, retention and branding

DND

Elwood Staffing (Formerly Beacon Services) 4595 Broadmoor Ave. SE, Suite 190 Grand Rapids 49512 p (616) 698-7979 f 698-0838 elwoodstaffing.com

Laurie Maresco

1981

DND DND

5 24

DND

Clerical, legal, medical, IT, professional, light industrial, direct hire, HR outsourcing

Medical, dental, vision, holiday pay

Janis Petrini

1996

DND DND

2 25

DND

Staffing and recruiting for light industrial, administrative, advanced manufacturing and professional positions; leadership training and HR services

Health, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, holiday, vacation, 401(K), direct deposit, scholarships

Imperial Design Companies 1958 Wilson Ave. SW Grand Rapids 49534 p (616) 791-1900 f 791-0742 imperialdesign.com

Rex Baker Tom Mathews

1980

DND $14M

2 5

DND

Engineering and skilled trades, direct and contract placements

Medical, dental, vacation and holiday pay, 401(K), disability

Professional Outlook Inc. 25 E. Eighth St. Holland 49423 p (616) 796-2280 f 796-6639 professionaloutlook.com

Bethany York

1991

DND DND

1 6

DND

Direct-hire placement and contract staffing services for chemical/electrical/mechanical engineering, environmental engineering, safety engineering and human resources

DND

Becky Guthrie, CSP

1994

DND DND

1 24

DND

Information technology, direct hire, temporary-to-hire, clerical, industrial, engineering, HR, accounting, call center, skilled trades

Health insurance, direct deposit, global cash card, vacation pay, 401(K)

Express Employment Professionals 1760 44th St. SW, Suite 10 Grand Rapids 49519 p (616) 281-0611 f 281-1737 expresspros.com/grandrapidsmi

Williamson Employment Services Inc. 3940 Broadmoor Ave. SE, Suite 101 Kentwood 49512 p (616) 575-5627 f 575-5628 williamsonemployment.com

Statewide, 20 percent of employers who answered a quarterly survey from Manpower Inc. planned to add workers in the first quarter of 2017.

The Grand Rapids Business Journal list of top area staffing firms, ranked by 2016 West Michigan revenue, is the most comprehensive available. The list is based on responses to Business Journal surveys. The Business Journal defines "West Michigan" as Allegan, Kent, Ottawa and Muskegon counties. The Business Journal surveyed 96 agencies; 13 returned surveys and 13 are listed. To be considered for future lists, email rwatson@grbj.com. DND = Did not disclose

Last year, iMPact Business Group noted it was beginning to suffer from the same talent crunch as the employers it serves.

In a blender

The Judson Group predicts that in 2017, the “blended” workforce of freelancers, contractors and full-time staff working alongside each other will continue to grow.

Woman-owned

Mixed Staffing & Recruiting, owned

by Sara Knoester, is a finalist in the $1.5 million to $3.99 million revenue category for the Business Journal’s 2017 Top Women Owned Businesses awards.

ListStore @ GRBJ.com

Download this list now at GRBJ.com in Excel or PDF format.

The Book of Lists and other lists are also available.

FEBRUARY 27, 2017 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 13

Literacy program cultivates ‘hidden talent’ in employees Customized Workplace English classes aim to help employees with low literacy reach job security, advancement.

Rachel Watson

Grand Rapids Business Journal

The Literacy Center of West Michigan realized 16 years ago that the workforce was full of employees with untapped leadership potential: those who struggle with literacy.

It also saw a trend of worker turnover due to communication barriers and safety concerns, which hurt employers’ bottom lines.

In response, the nonprofit built a Customized Workplace English program (CWE) that harnesses the power of West Michigan colleges, universities and English educators to bring contextualized literacy training to the workplace.

Since the fee-based program was established in 2001, the Literacy Center has worked with more than 80 companies to provide customized literacy training classes, including Bethany Christian Services, Bouma Construction, Butterball, Display Pack, Kent Companies, Koeze Company, Lacks Enterprises, Plasan Carbon Composites and Ranir.

Wendy Falb, executive director, said during the Great Recession the program lagged because employers were cutting expenditures. Now, with a healthier economy, CWE is thriving.

“Employers are finding reli-

gion,” she said. “They’re finding a crunch for talent, and they’re not able to upscale good employees because of low literacy levels.”

Chad Patton, CWE program director, agreed.

“There’s hidden talent that literacy instruction can showcase,” he said.

Falb and Patton said most employees with low literacy are nonnative speakers of English. To a lesser degree, they encounter native English speakers who have not progressed beyond a ninthgrade reading level — though that is not as common, because those individuals don’t usually self-report, out of fear and shame.

Patton said he and CWE coordinator Jennifer Summers start each partnership with an employer by interviewing the human resources personnel and operations staff to find out what their needs are, and then they meet with each employee to hear what their struggles are.

The pair then administers a Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems (CASAS) test, widely used for assessing basic reading, math, listening, writing and speaking skills.

Fact-finding and curriculumbuilding comes next.

“We take pictures, as much as employers let us, of work orders, work instructions and processes and include it into the curriculum,” Patton said.

“We pull from a few different curricula to create the plan, but a lot of what we create comes from the (information) we’re getting from employers. That’s anything that comes from the place of business that we can incorporate into our curriculum.”

CWE recruits instructors who

ARACELI HERNANDEZ reads her notes so she can plot a design to be programmed into a computer numerical control machine at GRCC. The class is part of the Literacy Center’s CWE program.

Courtesy Literacy Center of West Michigan

have master’s degrees in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) for paid positions in the CWE program. But sometimes, there aren’t enough professionals with master’s degrees to meet demand.

“If we can’t find anyone with a master’s in TESOL, we have collaborations with Grand Valley, Western and Cornerstone to provide field opportunities for master’s in TESOL students,” Patton said.

He said classes are designed for 15-20 students, but sometimes, they will do classes with fewer and allow the instructors to modify their curriculum to fit the needs

of a smaller class.

At the end of February, CWE will pilot a new program called Spanish for the Workplace, primarily for the construction industry.

“We will teach Spanish to midlevel employees/managers whose first language is English, and their goal is to speak with their employees better to improve the ability to communicate on both ends,” Patton said.

Similarly, last summer, CWE launched a partnership with Grand Rapids Community College and the Hispanic Center of West Michigan to recruit and teach Spanish-speaking community

members who wanted to participate in GRCC’s machine computer numerical control (CNC) degree.

The bilingual Spanish/English class was taught by ESL instructors and machine CNC instructors at GRCC’s M-TEC Center.

Patton said that program may expand to include those pursuing a welding education.

Falb and Patton said when talking to employers about the CWE program, they emphasize the idea of return on investment.

“We’re going to see improvement in process due to literacy coaching,” Patton said. “There are times when employees make one mistake in a product, and they have to throw all of it away.

“The big return on investment is do you teach them to read so they know what product goes with what component to correct that waste, or do you say, ‘Well it’s waste, and it’s going to happen?’”

Falb said the Literacy Center held a Talent Challenge last year to educate employers about the talent gap and the ROI of teaching literacy to workers.

“Low literacy is this wall that is holding back people’s potential,” she said.

Patton cites a success story from a worker at a local automotive parts manufacturer.

“We had one learner who worked at Plasan Carbon Composites, and they have a glass wall where any of their employees are allowed to write on there an idea they have,” he said.

After going through the CWE program, “this employee now felt comfortable enough with her English skills to write on the glass wall.”

“That’s a big accomplishment,” he said.

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14 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL FEBRUARY 27, 2017

Top Area Corporate Training Service Providers (RANKED BY 2016 GROSS REVENUE EXCLUSIVELY FROM CORPORATE TRAINING)

Top Local Executive(s)

No. Of No. Of Business Corporate Training Clients Year Established In Contracts In Served In W. Mich.

2016 2016

2016 2015 Gross Revenue

Job training

Training Subject Areas

Major Clients Or Types Of Industries Served In 2016

1

SDI Consulting LLC 77 Monroe Center, Suite 600 Grand Rapids 49503 p (616) 988-4302 f 988-4477 sdiclarity.com

Jeremy Erard Jon Gauthier Jeff Hoxworth

2002

DND

DND

$3.2M $3M

eLearning, mobile learning, learning management systems, iBeacons, leadership development, sales, safety, compliance, product, leadership development

Furniture, insurance, packaging, manufacturing, consumer products, health care, hospitality, pharmaceutical, retail, information management, government

2

Grand Rapids Community College 143 Bostwick Ave. NE Grand Rapids 49503 p (616) 234-3800 grcc.edu/workforcetraining

Steven Ender

1914

201

62

$1.51M $2M

Technical manufacturing, lean, quality, leadership, safety

Manufacturing, health care, IT, construction, professional services

3

Varnum Consulting LLC 333 Bridge St. NW Grand Rapids 49504 p (616) 336-7070 f 336-7079 varnumconsulting.com

Jennifer Maxson

1983

208

66

$700,000 $660,000

Leadership development, executive coaching, sales training, presentation skills, Everything DiSC, Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team

Banking and financial services, health care, manufacturing, higher education, public sector, nonprofit, consumer products, furniture, construction, automotive

4

The Employers' Association 5570 Executive Parkway SE Grand Rapids 49512 p (616) 698-1167 f 698-6624 teagr.org

David Smith Jason Reep

1939

69

316

$460,077 $433,845

Leadership and management, human resources skills, communication, conflict management, executive and workplace culture, diversity, harassment, safety, quality

All types of West Michigan businesses

5

Dale Carnegie Training 3019 Cooks Meadow NE Grand Rapids 49525 p (616) 364-5565 swmi.dalecarnegie.com

Darlene Regula Tom Burns

1985

DND

DND

$358,000 $300,000

Leadership, communications, sales, human relations, team building, public speaking, customer service, employee engagement

Financial, technology, manufacturing, health, food service, construction, furniture

Pat Berman

1978

DND

DND

DND DND

One-on-one training in Microsoft Office programs, Quickbooks, internet and email, administrative and secretarial services

University, retail, retired, unemployed

Mary Jane Pories

1999

30

17

DND DND

Executive coaching, team/leader collaborative workshops in communication and creativity, train-the-trainer certification — all using applied improvisation

Manufacturing, engineering, sales, legal, health services, higher education

DND

2016

43

36

DND $32,960

Team building, group development, conflict management, new team bonding, stress reduction, leadership development, process improvement

Medical, industrial, education, marketing, sales, design, real estate, insurance, pharmaceutical, finance, dental, production

HPower & Associates LLC 800 E. Ellis Road No. 583 Norton Shores 49441 p (231) 683-1311 hpowerassoc.com

Denny Macha

1992

DND

19

DND DND

DiSC trainer certification and Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team facilitator accreditation, DiSCbased learning resources for corporate trainers and consultants

Health care, manufacturing, financial services, higher education, public sector, service sector

Literacy Center of West Michigan, Customized Workplace English Program 1120 Monroe Ave. NW, Suite 240 Grand Rapids 49503 p (616) 459-5151 f 245-8069 literacycenterwm.org

Wendy Falb

1986

DND

DND

DND DND

Workplace English language training, workplace literacy, accent modification, English assessment, Spanish instruction, workplace communication training

Plasan Carbon Composites, Kent Companies, Praxis Packaging, Butterball Farms, Lacks Enterprises

Management Advisory Services of W. Mich. Inc. 2828 Kraft Ave. SE, Suite 141 Grand Rapids 49512 p (616) 957-1101 MASconnect.com

Doug Blazer

1990

24

192

DND DND

Sage 50 accounting software (Peachtree Software), Sage 100 (MAS 90 and MAS 200), Sage BusinessWorks and Crystal Reports

Manufacturing, distribution, health care, retirement communities and nonprofit organizations

New Horizons Computer Learning Centers of Michigan 630 Kenmoor Ave. SE, Suite 201 Grand Rapids 49546 p (616) 574-7500 f 574-7501 nhls.com

Brian Dickey

1995

DND

DND

DND DND

Microsoft Office, information technology, Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA, Lean Six Sigma, project management

Amway, Steelcase, Herman Miller, Meijer, Spectrum Health, Haworth, Wolverine Worldwide, Pfizer, Metro Health

Not So Basic Training (NSBT) 900 Third St., Suite 123 Muskegon 49440 p (800) 577-4293 f (616) 847-2000 mynsbt.com

Mitzi Taylor

1993

DND

DND

DND DND

Leadership, customer service, employee engagement, change management, DiSC

Wolverine Worldwide, GVSU, Spectrum, Mead Johnson, SAF Holland

Quantum Services Inc. 1740 44th St. SW Wyoming 49509 p (616) 241-3122 quantum360services.com

Fred Brown

1987

DND

DND

DND DND

Leadership, teams, customer service, presentation, negotiation skills, over 100 modules, design, development and delivery

Health care, automotive, furniture, government, banking, education, oil, retail, logistics, food

Sonja Johnson

1999

32

500

DND DND

Import/export, international business, trade compliance, free trade agreements, culture, security, foreign-trade zone, global supply chain

Manufacturing, import/exporting machinery, automotive, furniture, textiles, steel, plastics, foreign-trade zones, consumer goods

Berman Consulting 1915 Landoshire Court SE Caledonia 49316 p (616) 656-8605 f 656-8605 bermanconsulting.net Fishladder Inc. 3510 Reeds Lake Blvd.

Grand Rapids 49506 p (616) 540-6595 fishladder.net Grand Rapids Treetop Adventure Park 2121 Celebration Drive NE, Suite 450 Grand Rapids 49525 p (616) 226-3993 treetopadventuregrandrapids.com

Van Andel Global Trade Center, Grand Valley State University 50 Front Ave. SW Grand Rapids 49504 p (616) 331-6811 f 331-6744 vagtc.org

The Grand Rapids Business Journal list of top area corporate training service providers, ranked by 2016 gross revenue exclusively from corporate training, is the most comprehensive available. The list is based on responses to Business Journal surveys. The Business Journal defines "West Michigan" as Allegan, Kent, Ottawa and Muskegon counties. The Business Journal surveyed 77 companies; 15 returned surveys and 15 are listed.

To be considered for future lists, email rwatson@grbj.com. DND = Did not disclose

Grand Rapids Community College in December signed an agreement with Magna Engineered Glass to use Michigan New Jobs Training Funds to support training 33 new workers at the manufacturer.

Making a difference

Jennifer Maxson, practice group leader and relationship manager at Varnum Consulting, was a 2016 ATHENA Award finalist.

Expanding services

Last month, Fishladder Inc. announced that it launched a “Train the Trainer” program designed to bring improvisation into the workplace by equipping trainers within a company to teach employees.

Treetop team building

Grand Rapids Treetop Adventure Park, a high-ropes course for corporate team building, had its inaugural season last year.

ListStore @ GRBJ.com

Download this list now at GRBJ.com in Excel or PDF format.

The Book of Lists and other lists are also available.

SDI Consulting has spent the last 15 years helping West Michigan businesses and non-prots tackle a wide range of talent related challenges.

sdiclarity.com | 616.988.4302

From operations to sales, SDI creates custom training solutions that engage your talent and drives the performance you need to achieve your goals.

• Change Management • Succession Challenges • Leadership Development

• Onboarding Programs • Curriculum Design & Development • Organizational Performance

Our experience has shown us that great training alone isn’t enough.

You also need a great platform to develop and manage talent, whether you have 5 employees or 5,000.

Because of this, we created Expectancy Learning.

Expectancy Learning is a cloud-based, mobile enabled talent management and development platform that drives strategic human capital management.

Our unique cloud based SaaS talent management platform delivers an enterprise level solution to organizations of all sizes without the large capital expense.

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Designed from a performance and organizational development mindset, Expectancy Learning delivers content on all technology platforms and provides the data, analytics, and reporting necessary to manage and develop talent.

Visit www.ExpectancyLearning.com to learn more or to request a demo.

Change-Ups & Calendar 16 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL FEBRUARY 27, 2017

ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING Benton Harborbased Wightman & Associates Inc. announced the additions of Griffin Dekker, part-time summer survey crew member based in the WAI Allegan office; and Laura Fredrickson, landscape architect based out of the Fredrickson company’s Benton Harbor and Portage offices.

ARTS

The Grand Rapids Symphony’s 2017-18 season will include a return to Carnegie Hall near the end of its 88th season in April, and for the first time, Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus will travel along with it. GRS’s first time to the world-famous concert hall was nearly 12 years ago when it capped its 75th anniversary season.

AUTOMOTIVE

Betten-Baker co-owners Bryan Betten and Chris Baker purchased Grand Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Lowell from Harvey Koning, owner of the Grand Auto Family.

Betz Industries is the recipient of Grand

Rapids New Car Dealers Association’s 2017 Celebration of Innovation: Automotive Supplier of the Year Award.

AWARDS

DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen of Greater Grand Rapids owners Bill and Jayne Wolf are the recipients of the regional Contractor of the Year competition by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) for Residential Bath $25,000 to $50,000 Region 4 East Central.

BANKING

Macatawa Bank Corp. in Holland announced the appointment of Craig A. Hankinson as chief operating officer of Macatawa Bank Corp. and Macatawa Bank.

The Fred & Lena Meijer Scholarship program, for the seventh consecutive year, will give its employees and their children a chance to receive up to $10,000 to further their college education; numerous $3,000 scholarships also are awarded. Applications, due April 1, are available at grfoundation.org/meijer.

Muskegon-based Baker College’s MBA in human resource management received alignment renewal from the Society for Human Resource Management through 2022.

A voter-approved millage passed in 2016 will provide Kent County residents free admission to the Grand Rapids Public Museum for children ages 17 and under, reduce admission for adults to $5, and $3 for seniors and provide free parking with paid GRPM admission and parking validation. Millage funds will create a stable source of financial support for GRPM and the John Ball Zoo’s 1,600 animals and the 250,000 artifacts housed at JBZ and GRPM. Programs and exhibits also will be expanded at both locations.

FEB 28 City of Grand Rapids Jobs Fair. 5:307:30 p.m., Cesar E. Chavez Elementary School, 1205 Grandville Ave. SW. Information/registration: grcity.us/jobs.

FEB 28 Disability Advocates of Kent County State Budget and Health Care Training.

3-4:30 p.m., 3600 Camelot Drive SE. Cost: free. Registration: Adelyn.v@dakc.us.

FEB 28 Grand Rapids Toastmasters Club No. 404. Meets every Tue. 6:308:30 p.m., Heather Hills, 1055 Forest Hill Ave. SE. Information/registration: grand rapids.toastmastersclubs.org.

FEB 28 SCORE Webinar. “SEO For Small Businesses: What Google Wants.”

2 p.m. Information/registration: www.score. org/event/seo-small-businesses-whatgoogle-wants.

MAR 1 Association for Corporate Growth Western Michigan Women In Finance Lunch: Gender Diversity. “The Business Case for Gender Diversity: Recruiting and Retaining Women.” 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Watermark Country Club, 5500 Cascade Road SE. Cost: $40, $25/full-time student.

Information/registration: acgwm.wildapri cot.org/event-2433023.

MAR 1 FranNet of West Michigan/Michigan Small Business Development Center/ SCORE Grand Rapids Meet With Successful Franchisors. 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., GVSU Seidman College of Business, 50 Front Ave. SW, Room 1083. Cost: free, lunch included. Information/registration: frannet.com/microsites/bbetser/localevents.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Rehmann promoted Kristin (Saper) Hoogerwerf to principal in the firm’s Grand Rapids location.

GOVERNMENT

The East Grand Rapids City Commission unanimously voted to approve Diana Schad as 1st Ward Commissioner.

EDUCATION

Millage creates stable funding for GRPM, JB Zoo

FEB 27 World Affairs Council of Western Michigan Great Decisions Series.

“South China Sea: Clash of Strategies,”

by John Adams, retired U.S. Army brigadier general, former National Security Council director for nonproliferation.

1 p.m., Hope College Graves Hall, 263 College Ave., Holland, or 6 p.m. Aquinas College Performing Arts Center, 1700 Fulton St. SE. Cost: free/Hope College; $10/ Aquinas at door. Information/registration: worldmichigan.org/great-decisions-2017 or office@worldmichigan.org.

Western Michigan University’s Small Company Internship Award Program will provide matching funds to small businesses that hire WMU interns in the science, technology, engineering and math — STEM — disciplines. Funding applications for this summer are due March 1. Details: wmich.edu/business connection/hire.

MAR 1 GVSU Toastmasters Club No. 4380.

Meets every Wed. Noon-1 p.m., James H. Zumberge, Room 3062, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale. Information/registration: 4380. toastmastersclubs.org.

MAR 1 HUB International Midwest East Seminar. “HIPAA: What You Need to Know, Legal Basics, OCR Phase I and II Audits, Audit Preparedness.” 8:3011 a.m., HUB International, 625 Kenmoor Ave. SE, Suite 200. Information/registration: bit.ly/hipaahub.

MAR 1 SCORE Grand Rapids Webinar. “Grow Your Business With Email and Social Media.” 1-2 p.m. Cost: free. Information/ registration: grandrapids.score.org.

MAR 2 Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women Intro to GROW, free orientation to learn about programs. Noon1 p.m. or 6-7 p.m., 25 Sheldon Blvd. SE, Suite 210. Information/registration: (616) 458-3404 or growbusiness.org.

MAR 3 Health Forum of West Michigan Panel Discussion. “Understanding The Zika Virus.” 7:30 a.m./light breakfast-9:30 a.m., GVSU Richard M. DeVos Center, 401 W. Fulton St. Cost: free and open to public. Information/registration: (616) 331-5876 or dykstrdi@gvsu.edu.

MAR 3 MSU Institute For Public Policy and Social Research Michigan Political Leadership Program 15th annual Fundraising Breakfast. 7-10 a.m., J.W. Marriott, 235 Louis St. NW, with featured speakers Howard Dean, former Vermont governor and Ana Navarro, CNN political analyst. Information/registration: ippsr. msu.edu.

MAR 3 Michigan Women’s Foundation Entrepreneur You: A Day of Education and Resources for Women Entrepreneurs, with keynote speaker Holly Katko, author Entrepreneur You. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Davenport University, 6191 Kraft Ave. SE. Cost: $50. Information/ registration: miwf.org.

MAR 7, 14, 21 Grand Rapids Opportunities for

Hoogerwerf

Kent County was recognized

by Connect Michigan as a Certified Connected Community under the Connected Nation’s Connected Community Engagement Program for its Technology Action Plan.

HEALTH

Emmanuel Hospice announced the additions of Nicole Sharpe as director of community outreach and Katie Kirouac as director of development.

First Companies Inc. completed an 11,500-square-foot building for West Michigan Eyecare Associates at 2112 E. Paris Ave. SE. The practice offers a full range of optometry services to patients from infants to the elderly.

HUMAN SERVICES

Hospice of Michigan hired Andy Holtgrieve as senior director of marketing.

Kenowa AMBUCS, Comprehensive Therapy Center and Lake Michigan Academy hosted its fourth annual Oscars Night Benefit at Sunnybrook Country Club in Grandville, featuring the Red Carpet Walk to Meet Oscar. All proceeds funded programs within Kenowa AMBUCS, Comprehensive Therapy

Women Small Business GPS: Business Basics. 6-9 p.m., GROW, 25 Sheldon Blvd. SE, Suite 210. March 7: Strategic Planning; March 14: Choosing Your Business Structure; March 21: Successful Relationship Building. Cost $60/three classes. Intro to GROW prerequisite.

Information/registration: (616) 458-3404 or growbusiness.org.

MAR 7 ICSC West Michigan 14th annual P3 West Michigan Retail Program. 12:306 p.m., JW Marriott, 235 Louis St. NW. Information/registration: carwm.com/icsc14th-annual-west-mi-p3-retail-program.

MAR 7 SCORE Webinar. “Boost Sales and Profits With A CRM.” 1 p.m. Information/ registration: www.score.org/event/boostsales-and-profits-crm.

MAR 8 APICS Grand Rapids/APICS Grand Rapids Joint Professional Development Meeting. “First Steamship on the Great Lakes,” by historian/author John Laurence Busch. Registration/networking, 5:30 p.m.; presentation, 7 p.m. GVSU, Siedman College of Business Forum B, 50 Front St. Cost: $35/nonmembers. RSVP by noon, March 2. Information/registration: ISMGGR@aol.com or ismggr.org.

MAR 8 SCORE Grand Rapids Webinar.

“Measure Your Marketing.” 1-2 p.m.

Registration: grandrapids.score.org.

MAR 9 GVSU Van Andel Global Trade Center Symposium. 18th West Michigan Automotive Suppliers. 7:30 a.m.-noon, 401 W. Fulton St. Cost: $190/members & nonmembers. Information/registration: vagtc.org.

MAR 10 SCORE Grand Rapids Workshop.

“Overview To Planning And Starting Your Own Business.” 8:30-11:30 a.m., Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, 111 Pearl St. NW. Cost: $25. Information/ registration: grandrapids.score.org/localworkshops.

MAR 10-12 West Michigan Women’s Expo. DeVos Place, March 10-11, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; March 12, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., 303 Monroe Ave. NW. Information/registration: kohlerexpo.

Center and Lake Michigan Academy.

INSURANCE

Josh Cary joined Brouwers Agency LLC as a business insurance associate.

LEGAL

Price Heneveld LLP announced the addition of Jason L. Budd as an Of Counsel attorney.

MANUFACTURING

LG Chem Michigan Inc. will build a 100,000-square-foot addition at the company’s Holland battery cell manufacturing facility, which is expected to create as many as 150 new jobs. LGCMI plans to break ground on the new addition later this month and will occupy the space by August 2017.

Wolverine Worldwide in Rockford announced the appointment of Tom Kennedy to president of Sperry, the second largest brand within the company’s portfolio.

NONPROFITS

March of Dimes Western Michigan will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house from 3:30-7 p.m., Feb. 28 to showcase their new office location at 3001 Orchard Vista Drive, Suite 250.

PUBLIC SERVICE

Gov. Rick Snyder appointed former state legislator and lieutenant governor Dick Posthumus his chief of staff and promoted Darin Ackerman to director of legislative affairs.

REAL ESTATE

Beacon Sotheby’s International Realty in Holland announced the additions of real estate professionals Beth Foley, Josh Breuker, Wendy Ryder, Kersh Ruhl, Mary Zeppenfeld and Lauri Sisson.

both 4000K and 5000K color of light, which can be set and locked in to any angle ranging from 0 to 90 degrees to provide exterior security lighting.

Envoy expanded its office at 678 Front Ave. NW, Suite 100 to accommodate its growing content services department, which formerly operated out of a separate building. The new 8,500-squarefoot space features an expanded open office layout, 1,400-square-foot photography studio, conference rooms and a reception area.

Worksighted in Holland hired Brian Krapohl as systems engineer. Krapohl is responsible for network and systems implementation, maintenance and ongoing customer support.

Krapohl

TRANSPORTATION

Portable Truck Bed Liner launched a new product: drop-in bed liners available for full-size pick-ups in three lengths, as well as compacts. Details: portabletruckbedliner.com.

WEBSITES

Scarlett Inc. launched a website 3DPrintedParts.com.

Smart Vision Lights in Muskegon announced its release of the LM45 and LM75 Series of compact linear lights with MultiDriv and OverDriv Strobe (high-pulse operation) technologies.

TECHNOLOGY

Blue Medora expanded its SelectStar SaaS monitoring platform to support Apache Hadoop and Cassandra clusters.

EarthTronics in Muskegon introduced its new LED Direction Adjustable Wall Pack series to provide exterior, wideflood area illumination for commercial, industrial and municipal facilities. They are available in 20, 30 and 70 watts, in

CHANGE-UPS POLICY: The Business Journal welcomes submissions to the Change-Ups section. Send announcements concerning personnel changes, new businesses, changes of address etc. to Change-Ups Editor, Grand Rapids Business Journal, 549 Ottawa Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 or email bjchange ups@grbj.com.

com/events/west-michigan-womensexpo-2017.

free and open to all. Information/registration: (616) 234-3390.

MAR 11 West Michigan Nursery & Landscape Association March Garden Day, includes panelists/breakout sessions.

Grand Haven Community Center, 421 Columbus St., Grand Haven. Cost: $45/ advance, $50/door. Information/registration: wmnla.com.

MAR 16 Family Promise of Grand Rapids Fifth annual Dreams Dinner. 6 p.m., Goei Center, 818 Butterworth St. SW. Cost: $75/ person, RSVP by March 1. Information/ registration: familypromisegr.org.

MAR 13 West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum 2017 Annual Conference, to discuss business practices promoting climate and energy resiliency, social responsibility and a circular economy.

Noon-4:30 p.m., Davenport University W.A. Lettinga Campus, 6191 Kraft Ave. SE. Cost: $25/members, $35/after March 6, $30/nonmembers, $45/after March 6.

Information/registration: wmsbf.org/con ference2017.

MAR 13 World Affairs Council of Western Michigan Great Decisions Series.

“Afghanistan: Right Or Run?” by Ronald E. Neumann, former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan. 1 p.m., Hope College Graves Hall, 263 College Ave., Holland, or 6 p.m. Aquinas College Performing Arts Center, 1700 Fulton St. SE. Cost: free/Hope College; $10/Aquinas at door. Information/ registration: worldmichigan.org/great-deci sions-2017 or office@worldmichigan.org.

MAR 14 Varnum Consulting workshop, “Speak Up and Be Effective.” How to think on your feet, project confidence and manage your nerves. Information/registration: (616) 336-7070 or info@varnumconsult ing.com.

MAR 15 Grand Rapids Business Journal’s Top Women Owned Businesses Awards Luncheon. 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, 1000 E. Beltline Ave. NE. Cost: $70/person, $700/ corporate table of 10. Information/registration: bit.ly/2017TWOB. MAR 15 Grand Rapids Community College Diversity Lecture Series. “Defending America in the Age of Mass Incarceration,” by Dawn Porter, criminal justice system reformer. 7 p.m., Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain St. NE. Cost:

MAR 16 The Right Place/Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center – West Midwest Supply Chain Management Conference. 8 a.m.-4 p.m., GVSU Eberhard Center, 301 W. Fulton St. Cost: $275/person, $225/person, three or more same company, $35/students.

Information/registration: rightplace.org/ events/supply-chain-management-conference-2017.

MAR 17 Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts Panel Talk. “Abandoned Margins: Policing the Black Female Body.” 68 p.m., UICA, 2 W. Fulton. Information/ registration: uica.org.

MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS Information: Janet Korn, (616) 2333545 or jkorn@experiencegrandrapids. org.

MAR 1-3 Michigan Council for Exceptional Children 77th Annual Statewide Education Conference. Amway Grand Plaza Hotel/Curio Collection by Hilton.

MAR 3-5 Michigan Floral Association 2017 Great Lakes Floral Expo. Amway Grand Plaza Hotel/DeVos Place.

CALENDAR POLICY: The Business Journal welcomes submissions to the calendar section. Send items to Calendar Editor, Grand Rapids Business Journal, 549 Ottawa Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 or email bjcalendar@grbj.com.

Submissions must be received at least two weeks prior to the event.

The Business Journal calendar posted on the publication’s website (grbj.com) includes listings for events extended beyond those printed in the weekly publication that are limited by space restrictions.

Area Economy & Public Record FEBRUARY 27, 2017 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 17

MICHIGAN RETAIL SALES William Strauss

Retailers express confidence despite sluggish start M ore than four of five Michigan retailers (82 percent) expect to increase 2017 sales over last year despite a slow start, according to the Michigan Retail Index, a joint project of Michigan Retailers Association and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

Only 7 percent expect their sales to decline and 11 percent see no change.

Taken together, retailers’ individual forecasts average a gain of 2.6 percent over last year. Last January, they predicted average sales growth of 2 percent for 2016.

At year’s end, they reported annual results averaging a positive 0.5 percent.

“Retailers look at 2017 and see an economy growing more rapidly with more people working and spending money,” MRA President and CEO James P. Hallan said.

He noted “retail sales also started slowly last year but then built good momentum until falling off at the end.”

National Retail Federation econ-

omists predict U.S. retail sales will rise between 3.7 percent and 4.2 percent this year, excluding auto, gasoline and restaurant. Online and other non-store sales, which are included in the economists’ forecast, are expected to climb 8 percent to 12 percent.

MORTGAGES

HOEKSMA FARMS, Greenstone Farm Credit Services, Caledonia Twp., 30-5-10, $650,000 VERBEEK, Nathan et al, Ark-La-Tex Financial Services, Condo-Sylvandale, $417,000 ROOK, Patrick et al, Guaranteed Rate, Cascade Twp., 35-6-10, $344,000 629 FAIRVIEW LLC, Trustme Leasing, Steinmann’s Assessor’s Plat No. 28, Lot 712, $925,000 TALAREK, John M. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Condo-Clark Place Residential Condominiums, $220,000 CHALFIN, Sean D. et al, Ark-La-Tex Financial Services, Rockford Highlands No. 5, Lot 167, $241,000 BAIR, Matthew et al, Huntington National Bank, Condo-The Heathers, $260,200 THOMPSON, Timothy W. et al, PNC Mortgage, Reed Add., Lot 60, $354,500 MYERS, Brian et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Condo-Woods At Carlisle Crossing, $211,471 TOMASZEWSKI, Steven et al, Adventure Credit Union, Condo-Chandler Woods, $296,000 BLANDFORD NATURE CENTER, Conservation Fund, Grand Rapids, 16-7-12, $300,000 DELISLE, Megan et al, United Federal Credit Union, Canaltown Woods II, Lot 70, $230,000 MEAD, Joseph F. et al, Northpointe Bank, Paris Park No. 1, Lot 253, $234,000 STARR, Christopher James et al, Old National Bank, Condo-Clements Mill, $267,900 TENDERO, Jennifer et al, Dart Bank, Ada Twp., 22-7-10, $320,000 ANDERSON, Eric P. et al, Grand River Bank, Ada, $490,000 4240 ROGER B LLC, United Bank Of Michigan, Kent Industrial Center No. 2, Lot 74, $887,500 CASTLE, Terry L. et al, Independent Bank, Lowell Twp., 22-6-9, $201,160 KOERNER, Duane et al, Quicken Loans, Inc, Post’s Plat Of Pine Island Lake, Lot 31, $420,000 JACKSON, Jermaine et al, Success Mortgage Partners, Meadowbrook Village No. 3, Lot 114, $207,178 FLORES-ACEVEDO, Fidel Angel et al, AmeriFirst Financial Corp., CondoScotsmoor II, $282,575 LABEAN-CRONER, William E. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Pleasant Valley Farms No. 2, Lot 34, $245,275 SCHAFER, Michael R. et al, Quicken Loans, Mullins Meadow No. 2, Lot 43, $204,800 RIZZO, Joanne T. et al, Draper & Kramer Mortgage Corp., Condo-Austinridge, $272,000 LINSLEY, Christopher S. et al, Churchill Mortgage Corp., Condo-Saddle Ridge, $255,211 AVDIC, Esad et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Oxford Place Plat No. 1, Lot 6, $211,250 SPERLING, Anna M. et al, JPMorgan Chase Bank, Paris Park No. 1, Lot 371, $265,600 BRADFORD, Michael F. et al, Guaranteed Rate, Condo-Ryan Valley Condominium, $310,000 MCL PROPERTY HOLDINGS LLC, Wells Fargo Bank, Steinmann’s Assessor’s Plat No. 48, Lot 1416, $487,500 CAMPBELL, Matthew S. et al, Heartland Home Mortgage, Albert-Realtors Hampshire Replat, Lot 77, $261,900 YOWTZ, Justin et al, Independent Bank, Condo-Nature Meadows Condominiums, $207,000 RITTENGER, Scott M. et al, Lake Michigan

Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds CISNEROS, Robert et al, Kinecta Federal Credit Union, Condo-Countryview Estates, $247,500 RODENHOUSE, Sara et al, Chemical Bank, Plainfield Twp., 18-8-11, $471,000 GEERLINGS, Tom et al, Fifth Third Bank, Byron Twp., 29-5-12, $202,000 GOSS, Steven et al, Huntington National Bank, Bella Vista Shores No. 6, Lot 263, $417,000 SVERNS, Trisha M. et al, Wells Fargo Bank, Cascade Twp., 36-6-10, $205,000 DANKOWSKI, Michael et al, Independent Bank, Courtland Twp., 21-9-10, $420,000 STEWART, Steven A. et al, United Wholesale Mortgage, Wurzburg’s Add., Lot 11, $261,000 POWSNER, Ethan M. et al, Macatawa Bank, Condo-Knapp Valley Condominiums, $242,010 NELSON, David A. et al, Allen Edwin Home Builders, South Creek North, Lot 4, $217,675 THUE, Tim et al, VanDyk Mortgage Corp., Cragmont Estates No. 2, Lot 46, $216,015 KAECHELE, Kurtis C. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Condo-Arbor Hills Site Condominiums, $251,600 SMALLEGAN, Cory et al, AmeriFirst Financial Corp., Condo-Cambridge Grove, $285,000 BURRI, Jason L. et al, Flagstar Bank, Bowne Twp., 26-5-9, $202,991 VANDERKOOI, Curtis et al, Dart Bank, CondoWatermark Club Homes, $207,000 WALTER-ROOKS, Elizabeth B. et al, Chemical Bank, Masonic Home Add., Lot 85, $232,000 SCHMID, Calli G. et al, Old National Bank, Condo-Manchester Hills Condominiums, $548,000 OKOH, Samson et al, Chemical Bank, Providence Lake No. 4, Lot 87, $275,000 WHITCOMB, Joshua D. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Alpine Twp., 28-8-12, $285,000 BYLER, Amy C. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Ada Twp., 30-7-10, $219,000 DENHARTIGH, Debra S. Trust et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Condo-Cherry View Estates, $240,000 PETERSON, Alice A. et al, Wells Fargo Bank, Paris Park No. 2, Lot 409, $214,700 HALVERSON, Jeff et al, FBC Mortgage, Carlisle Shores No. 2, Lot 41, $298,000 ZOKOE, Nathan B. et al, Fifth Third Mortgage, Del-Mar Farm No. 4, Lot 118, $326,000 AUBIN, Mark D. et al, Primary Residential Mortgage, Condo-Arbor Hills Site Condominiums, $280,000 614 FIRST STREET PARTNERS LLC, Chemical Bank, Adam’s Sub., Lot 2, $596,060 RESAU, Michael et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cascade Twp., 22-6-10, $342,000 TOLER, Kevin et al, Old National Bank, Ottawa Hills No. 1, Lot 203, $288,000 ECH LAND LLC, Macatawa Bank, Railview Ridge, Lot 2, $376,000 BEEMER, Kiley et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Grand Rapids, 15-7-11, $232,000 DEBOER, Alan H. et al, Guaranteed Rate, Condo-Cobblestone At The Ravines-South Village, $212,705 KITZMILLER, Robert J. et al, CMG Mortgage, Solon Twp., 32-10-11, $220,000 LINTNER, Aimee M. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cannon Twp., 7-8-10, $274,400 FLEMING, Justin et al, Huntington National Bank, Golfpark View Estates No. 2, Lot 55, $218,735

“Retailers look at 2017 and see an economy growing more rapidly with more people working and spending money.”

James P. Hallan

The Michigan Retail Index survey for January found 29 percent of retailers increased sales over the same month last year, while 55 percent recorded declines and 16 percent reported no change. The results create a seasonally adjusted performance index of 40.5, down

from 52.0 in December. A year ago in January, the performance index was 47.1.

The 100-point index gauges the performance of the state’s overall retail industry, based on monthly surveys conducted by MRA and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s Detroit branch. Index values above 50 generally indicate positive activity; the higher the number, the stronger the activity.

Looking forward, 69 percent of retailers expect sales during February-April to increase over the same period last year, while 3 percent project a decrease and 28 percent no change. That puts the seasonally adjusted outlook index at 79.4, up from 65.3 in December. A year ago in January, the outlook index stood at 70.5.

William Strauss is senior economist and economic advisor with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. He can be reached at (312) 322-8151.

Credit Union, Bowne Twp., 1-5-9, $206,500 DATEMA, Daniel J. et al, Allen Edwin Home Builders, South Creek North, Lot 15, $220,034 FERINGA, Jennifer et al, United Bank Of Michigan, Condo-Russell Ridge No. 2, $225,000 GURUNG, Indra B. et al, Finance Of America Mortgage, Bailey’s Grove No. 7, Lot 194, $200,355 BRAAM, Craig A. et al, Mercantile Bank Of Michigan, Condo-Canyon River, $250,000 SUNNYRIDGE ACRES LLC, Chemical Bank, Solon Twp., 17-10-11, $325,000 CYR, Jacques et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Masonic Home 2nd Add., Lot 19, $407,750 WACLAWSKI, Mary C. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Ada Twp., 29-7-10, $332,000 77 LAKESIDE LLC, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Mercer’s Lakeview Park Add., Lot 29, $578,500 MAKOWSKI, Mark A. et al, United Bank Of Michigan, Byron Twp., 2-5-12, $215,000 VANTIL, Christopher A. et al, Ark-La-Tex Financial Services, Vergennes Twp., 26-79, $206,910 CROSBY, Sara Rebecca et al, USAA Federal Savings Bank, Condo-River Isle, $483,000 WOJCIK, Robert et al, Allen Edwin Home Builders, South Creek North, Lot 6, $251,899 KIRK ANN REAL ESTATE LLC, Fifth Third Bank, Lowell, 3-6-9, $260,000 PATTERSON, Brian et al, New Executive Mortgage, Algoma Twp., 14-9-11, $256,500 BECKETT, Jeffrey A. et al, Homesite Mortgage, Condo-Copper Corner, $242,205 MOTORMAX PROPERTIES LLC, Chemical Bank, Grandville Improvement Plat, Lot 117, $500,000 BROWN RANGER LLC, United Bank Of Michigan, Gaines Twp., 31-5-11, $243,750 KING, Michael C. et al, Fifth Third Mortgage, Condo-Cobblestone Corners Weathervane Site Condominium, $310,465 CONNELL, Amber et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Condo-Sycamore Woods, $384,750 LEHMANN, Kathryn et al, Macatawa Bank, Reed Add., Lot 71, $265,200 ROUCH, Karen D. et al, Allen Edwin Home Builders, South Creek North, Lot 12, $270,412 MORRIS, Jonathan Taylor et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Condo-River Bluffs, $649,400 METRO HEALTH VILLAGE RETAIL LLC, Community Choice Credit Union, CondoMetro Health Village, $301,500 TELLING, Adrian by POA et al, AmeriFirst Financial Corp., Wurzburg’s Add., Lot 85, $272,000 JACOBS, Wendell E. III et al, Grand River Bank, Byron Twp., 31-5-12, $232,000 GILLEPALLY, Thejeswi et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Condo-Ryann Ridge, $327,600 NICKLOWITZ, Paul et al, VanDyk Mortgage Corp., Beyhill Plat No. 2, Lot 36, $251,750 RALYA, Thomas et al, Chemical Bank, Caledonia Twp., 3-5-10, $230,000 WINTER, Pascal L. et al, AmeriFirst Financial Corp., Condo-Scotsmoor II, $256,262 GORDON, Jennifer M. et al, Allen Edwin Home Builders, South Creek North, Lot 13, $227,775 CLARK, Chad J. et al, Allen Edwin Home Builders, South Creek North, Lot 19, $225,090 BEATTIE, Richard H. et al, Chemical Bank, Condo-Vistas At Rivertown Park, $207,664

Featured West Michigan Stock Mercantile Bank Corp. 12-Month Stock Activity 40 34 28 22 16 10

F 16

M 16 A 16 M 16 J 16

J 16

A 16

S 16

O 16 N 16

D 16

J 17

F 17

$.16 dividend paid in March and June. $.17 dividend paid in September. $.67 dividend paid in December.

Point Gainers & Losers

% Gainers & Losers

Whirlpool Corp. ................................. +3.80

Wolverine World Wide Inc. ...........+7.1%

DTE Energy Co. .................................+1.79

Independent Bank Corp. ...............+3.2%

Stryker Corp. ........................................+1.70

CMS Energy Corp. .......................... +3.0%

Wolverine World Wide Inc. ............+1.70

Community Shores Bank Corp. .. +3.0%

CMS Energy Corp. .............................+1.28

Chemical Bank Corp. ......................+2.3%

Universal Forest Products Inc. ..... -4.34

Universal Forest Products Inc. .....-4.1%

Kellogg Co. ............................................ -1.34

Kellogg Co. ........................................... -1.8%

Comerica Inc. .......................................-1.01

Flagstar Bancorp Inc. ....................... -1.4%

Perrigo Co. ..............................................-.83

Comerica Inc. ..................................... -1.4%

Flagstar Bancorp Inc. ..........................-.40

ChoiceOne Financial Services ...... -1.3%

WEIKLE, Joel S. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Condo-Thorn Edge Estates, $346,750 FOX, Steven et al, Ark-La-Tex Financial Services, Albert-Realtors Breton Road Add No. 1, Lot 38, $270,000 HURLEY, Brett A. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cannon Twp., 17-8-10, $287,850

STATE TAX LIENS

TAQUERIA EL RINCON MEXICANO LLC, $7,358.95 D&G ENTERTAINMENT INC., $22,629.83 CEDAR AUTO SERVICE INC., $6,366.55 NATIONAL SUPERMARKET LLC, $29,146.62 CHICKEN COOP OF GRAND RAPIDS #5 INC., $14,646.94 RETAIL CENTER INC., $17,784.18

BANKRUPTCY

17-00236 – ELENBAAS, Eileen R., 2655 Lincoln NW, Rebecca L. Johnson-Ellis (Ch. 7) 17-00241 – WETERFIELD, Barbara V., 1042 Kalamazoo SE, Travis T. Russell (Ch. 13) 17-00249 – HATCHEW, Daniel J., 208 N. Aspen, Sparta, Travis T. Russell (Ch. 7) 17-00259 – SCHOLTEN, Brandi J., 4228 Prairie SW, Grandville, Travis T. Russell (Ch. 7) 17-00265 – DUNIGAN, Joseph III, 818 Canterbury SW, Wyoming, Greg J. Ekdahl (Ch. 13) 17-00267 – ARISTOTLE’S ATTIC LLC, 5 15 Mile NE, Sparta, Travis T. Russell (Ch. 7) 17-00271 – ROSSELL, Timothy O., 1413 Country View Court, Sparta, Travis T. Russell (Ch. 7) 17-00278 – WILLIAMS, Robert E. & Margaret L., 4344 Buchanan SW, Sean L. Campbell (Ch. 7) 17-00284 – FUNK, Pamela S., 3350 Barrett SW, Grandville, April A. Hulst (Ch. 7) 17-00291 – WEBB, Denise A., 9326 Myers Lake, Rockford, Travis T. Russell (Ch. 7) 17-00300 – VOS, Joseph R., 2328 Collingwood

SW, Wyoming, Michael M. Malinowski (Ch. 7) 17-00304 – SPEARS, Charston D., 2080 Berwyn Court SW, Wyoming, Ryan F. Beach (Ch. 7) 17-00306 – COOPER, Christine M., 6139 Minosa SE, pro se (Ch. 7) 17-00321 – MATHEW, Amanda J., 942 Lafayette NE, Timothy L. Taylor (Ch. 7)

CO-PARTNERSHIPS FILED

Co-Partnerships filed with the Kent County Clerk FORTIFIED CONSTRUCTION, 4151 Madison Ave. SE, Wyoming, Corey Thomas James Hall, William Donald Sloan III HELLA GOOD COMPANY, 3983 Four Mile Road NW, Grand Rapids, Lacey Jane DeGraaf, Sarah Lynn Waltman M.A.G. ENTERPRISES, 816 Kensington Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, Lucille Lashee Mikel Gaskin, Derrick Lamont Gaskin RRV PLAZA PAYMENT CENTER, 821 Oakdale St. SE, Grand Rapids, Dalshawn Ramon Tyler, Kimberly Suzette Tyler

ASSUMED NAMES FILED

Assumed names filed with the Kent County Clerk A SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY, 3241 Arrowhead Arms Court SW, Grandville, James Earl Everhart AAABSOLUTE LAWN CARE AND SNOW REMOVAL, 5080 Boyd Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, Brandon Joseph Hilaski AAABSOLUTE SERVICES, 5080 Boyd Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, Brandon Joseph Hilaski

PUBLIC RECORD AVAILABLE ONLINE: For the full version of this week’s Public Record, visit the Grand Rapids Business Journal’s website at grbj.com.

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WATCH IT EVERY MONDAY AT 6 A.M. www.grbj.com | www.wzzm13.com

Street Talk 18 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL FEBRUARY 27, 2017

Who wants Wahlburgers?

tainable Business Forum, hopes tempers have cooled by spring and a more civil discourse can be achieved.

Via a Facebook post late last week, Schoonmaker opined: “Would be more amused by all these town halls blowing up if I wasn’t hosting one with Fred Upton in April.”

Cider rules. BUSINESS JOURNAL STAFF

A

ctor Mark Wahlberg was spotted hanging out in Grand Rapids last week, setting tongues wagging as to what the TV and movie celebrity was doing in town.

From photos posted on social media, we know Wahlberg took in a game of golf at Thornapple Pointe Golf Club and spent time at Meijer’s corporate headquarters in Walker.

Speculation has it that Wahlberg is eyeing West Michigan as a possible spot for expanding Wahlburgers, a restaurant chain he coowns.

Wahlberg also was in Detroit the following day. He visited Michigan’s only Wahlburgers’ location, which is in downtown Detroit’s Greektown neighborhood.

During his Detroit visit, he told reporters two new restaurant locations — in Taylor and Royal Oak — officially will be announced soon and that he plans to open “many, many more” Wahlburgers in Michigan.

So far, representatives for Wahlburgers and Meijer are remaining tight-lipped about whether West Michigan could be the home of one or more of those restaurants.

Frank Guglielmi, senior director of communications for Meijer, said there was “nothing to share,” and Mindy Valone, senior media strategist for CM Communications NYC, which handles media relations for Wahlburgers said, “We are definitely very excited about the prospect of new locations, but we don’t have any further details to share at this time.”

So at least for now, West Michi-

gan residents with a hankering for a hamburger will have to plan a road trip across the state to visit Wahlburgers.

The cure U.S. Rep. Fred Upton spent part of his recess in Grand Rapids.

The Congressman from Michigan’s 6th District was in town to receive an award from the Association of Independent Research Institutes for his work in leading the bipartisan passage of the 21st Century Cares Act, which former President Barack Obama signed into law as one of his final acts in office. The bill authorized $4.8 billion in funding for the National Institutes of Health and facilitated the development and approval of experimental treatments.

Upton was presented the award before a modest gathering at the Van Andel Institute, where he was presented with the plaque by VAI Chairman David Van Andel. Upton said during his remarks that while some believed a stronger bill could have been passed under the new administration, it was imperative to get the bill in its current form passed as soon as possible to get the ball moving. Following the presentation, he expanded on those remarks.

“We all know close friends, and we hear from lots of constituents about some life-threatening disease where there isn’t time left,” Upton said. “And so many folks, they really want an answer, they want to find a cure for all these different diseases, (which) is now going to happen with this different legislation. Streamlining the

process, expediting approval of drugs and devices, getting them to market and job creating but, more importantly, finding the answers for families that struggle.”

The bill already is experiencing some hurdles, however, as the 90-day federal hiring freeze implemented by President Donald Trump may hinder the FDA’s ability to bring in enough staff to hasten the process of drug approval.

Upton said exactly how that may play out is unclear, but his office is working diligently to get an answer.

As for the plaque itself, it may soon have some company. Upton said when Obama signed the bill into law in December of last year, he received one of the pens the former President used to do so. When Upton returns to Washington, D.C., he intends to have the pen framed and displayed in his office.

Casting call A trio of Muskegon Community College students snagged the $2,500 top prize at a recent casting competition.

MCC students Tyler Carr, Brad Cook and Lori Stone took first place at the 78th annual Wisconsin Regional Foundry Conference and Exposition casting competition, hosted by three Wisconsin chapters of the American Foundry Society on Feb. 10-12 in Milwaukee.

The group’s award-winning entry was a one-piece 3-D printed chair leg part for Media Technologies of Shelby, which makes educational furniture.

The lone community college competing, the MCC team bested entries from seven four-year colleges and universities, including Michigan Tech and Western Michigan University.

“This is huge,” said Jeff Johnston, an MCC instructor who is the college’s liaison with the West Michigan Chapter of AFS. “The chapter members are beyond thrilled with our first-place finish.”

The judges evaluated each entry on its benefits to the customer, use of the casting process, quality and workmanship, and poster and booth presentation at the competition.

Award winners Carr, Cook and Stone came up with their idea after meeting with Media Technologies last fall.

The MCC team created a one-piece aluminum casting that weighed 0.54 pounds to replace Media Technologies’ exist-

Hall pass Upton will be back in the region in April for some constituent work.

But that event might not be all glad-handing and baby kissing.

Recent town hall-style gatherings hosted by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, in Kentucky, and Sen. Chuck Grassley, in Iowa, drew plenty of questions, concerns and criticism about politicians’ ability to run the government. Even Congressman Justin Amash’s first town hall in Grand Rapids drew spirited — and pointed — debate, though the one in Hastings last week featured less ire. Kudos to Amash for not shirking his responsibility.

Dan Schoonmaker, executive director of the West Michigan Sus-

YOUR WORK MATTERS. As an employer, your best intentions to protect your employees and your business can be haunted by a seeminly endless array of laws and regulations.

Our labor and employment law attorneys are committed to helping employers and human resource professionals make sense of the issues that are most important to their business.

ing three-piece metal part that weighed 1.54 pounds. The result was a 37 percent cost reduction, as well as a decrease in production time.

The prize money will go to the West Michigan AFS Student Chapter.

Carr, Cook and Stone were quick to thank MCC instructors Joel Yates and Mark Houston for going the extra mile to make their dream a reality.

“Once you get into the chapter, you find out there’s a lot of networking in a small community and how many people are really there for you at Muskegon Community College,” Stone said. “All you have to do is ask, and they are there to help you no matter what.”

Apple of their eye Vander Mill Cider’s Paul Vander Heide threw a party last week.

It was a star-studded event of sorts for Grand Rapids, as he announced the expansion of the Sunday brunch menu at the Grand Rapids restaurant, 505 Ball Ave. NE, and a partnership to produce spirits for the company with Long Road Distillers’ Jon O’Connor and Kyle Van Strien.

The event also announced the cider maker’s 10th anniversary celebration, which will be held in June outside the Ball Avenue facility in conjunction with Brewery Vivant.

At last week’s party, movers and shakers were everywhere, including City Commissioner Joe Jones and what seemed to be the entire WOOD TV8 crew.

Local First President Elissa Hillary was in attendance, as were Experience Grand Rapids’ Janet Korn and Kate Herron.

Two of Grand Rapids more electric personalities were there as well: ice guru Randy Finch and chef Tommy Fitzgerald.

Apparently, Grand Rapids likes cider.

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Christy Vierzen

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Office: 616.929.1600

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#CFAdifference

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Ask high-net-worth investors why they work with investment managers with the CFA® designation and they’ll tell you that those letters represent a proven understanding of investment management, commitment to ethics, and always putting clients’ interests first. Which means they can be relied on to stay true to an investor’s financial goals. Because, for our charterholders and their clients, those three letters are making a real difference every day.

MY INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE IS A RESULT OF YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

THAT ALWAYS PUTS INVESTORS FIRST. Dan Rinzema, CFA Greenleaf Trust

CFAsociety.org/westmichigan

“When I began my Executive MBA at Michigan State University, I knew what all of my commitments would be. The program is all-inclusive. Books, class materials, course registration, and even meals are all taken care of. All you have to do is show up and learn.”

With classes held every other weekend for 20 months, an Executive MBA from the Broad College of Business gives you the opportunity to make business happen.

ALI SYED, MBA ’16

MANAGER, GLOBAL WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AMWAY

Learn more at: BROAD.MSU.EDU/ALI