GLBM January 2019

JANUARY 2019

GREATER LANSING NEWSMAKERS

Highlighting 2018 and Changes to Come in the New Year IN THIS ISSUE • Gretchen Whitmer, governor-elect for the state of Michigan, shares her plans of action to hit the ground running in 2019 • Lansing Eastside Gateway means new selling options for retail entrepreneurs • What's the Secret to a Lasting Lansing Restaurant?

CHEVROLET

2 01 9 MAKE EVERY MILE COUNT. Visit Lansing’s largest Chevy dealer, Shaheen Chevrolet, for details.

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JANUARY 2019 ON THE COVER Gretchen Whitmer, governor-elect for the state of Michigan, shares her plans of action to hit the ground running in 2019....................................................... 12 Lansing Eastside Gateway means new selling options for retail entrepreneurs.......................................... 8 What's the Secret to a Lasting Lansing Restaurant?...... 26

JANUARY 2019

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NEWS

MSU Blockchain Class is a Pioneer ................................................................................ 6 What's the Secret to a Lasting Lansing Restaurant .................................................... 10

FEATURES Rules of the Road ............................................................................................................... 16 Behind the Scenes ............................................................................................................. 20

GREATER LANSING NEWSMAKERS

Highlighting 2018 and Changes to Come in the New Year

A Year in Review ................................................................................................................. 24 Business Calendar .............................................................................................................. 28 Notable News....................................................................................................................... 30

IN THIS ISSUE • Gretchen Whitmer, governor-elect for the state of Michigan, shares her plans of action to hit the ground running in 2019 • Lansing Eastside Gateway means new selling options for retail entrepreneurs • What's the Secret to a Lasting Lansing Restaurant?

Cover photography by Mary Gajda

Greater Lansing Business Monthly | Volume 32, Issue 1 group

Greater Lansing Business Monthly is published monthly by M3 Group at 221 West Saginaw Street, Lansing, MI 48933. Periodicals postage paid at Lansing, Michigan USPO. USPS number 020w807.

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Postmaster: Send address changes to The Greater Lansing Business Monthly, 221 West Saginaw Street, Lansing, MI 48933. Send additional subscription requests and address changes to The Greater Lansing Business Monthly, Inc., 221 West Saginaw Street, Lansing, MI 48933. Copyright © 2016 The Greater Lansing Business Monthly, Inc. All rights reserved.

Editorial Office: 221 West Saginaw Street, Lansing, MI 48933 lansingbusinessnews.com 2

G R E AT E R L A N S I N G B U S I N E S S M O N T H LY

JANUARY 2019

Start the New Year Strong.

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Happy Holidays from our family to yours!

Contact Tom Hamp (517) 599‐2782 www.advicoach.com/thamp La

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COMMENTARY

Publisher: Tiffany Dowling, tiffany@m3group.biz Sales Manager: Jennifer Hodges, jhodges@m3group.biz Editor: Kelly Mazurkiewicz, kelly@m3group.biz Asst. Editor: Mary Gajda, mary@m3group.biz Media Manager: Jill Bailey Account Managers: Megan Fleming Liz Reno-Hayes Zack Krieger Adam Smith Communications Director: Ami Iceman-Haueter Art Director: Mark Warner Publication Designer: Cody Fell Graphic Designers: Jeanette Wummel Quandrel Ollie Heather Thielking Communications Specialists: Alicia Finch Christopher Nagy Rich Adams Adam Lansdell Photographer: Mary Gajda Videographer: Michael Cagney GLBM Editorial Board: April Clobes — President and CEO, MSU Federal Credit Union Calvin Jones — Government Relations Director, Lansing Board of Water & Light Lisa Parker — Director of Alumni Career and Business Services, Michigan State University Alumni Association

GETTING FORWARDFOCUSED FOR 2019 As we approached the end of the year, there were noticeably two camps of people. Those who had a great year and were hoping the trend would continue into 2019 and those who wanted to wipe the memory of the last 12 months from their minds. I didn’t talk to very many who were in the middle.

The past year was a good one in the books for me, but as we were reaching goals and setting new processes, I wondered if I had stretched far enough or worked hard enough to really get where we could have been. So this year as my organization launches a new project management system and changes some of the reporting structures, we plan to hit the ground running to make sure we are prepared for what is sure to be a (projected) bumpy 2019.

Although I don’t put my head in the sand when it comes to a forecasted economic recession, I do like to stay positive, get focused and prepare for the storm (or, as I would like to think, rain delay). Like any company, we’ve set plans in place to attract business, deliver service, offer value and be a creative partner to companies in our region and beyond. Understanding the landscape and setting plans in place to avoid the potholes is important and not always easy.

Speaking of potholes, this month we welcomed the new governor of Michigan who said she would “Fix the Damn Roads.” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took office and will be asked to do what seemed impossible over the last administration – fill the potholes. Undoubtedly, she will work to meet this need; but let’s be clear, it won’t be easy for her administration either. I know that the governor will work tirelessly to fulfill her promise.

There are other areas to look forward to in the coming year. Have you heard? We are getting an urban market in downtown Lansing. Gillespie Group announced last year that the 600 block of Michigan Avenue would be turned into a mixed-use structure that included a new hotel and an urban market inspired by Meijer. There will also be apartments for lease. This project was much needed and I’m personally grateful that I will have a market within walking distance of my condo downtown. There are other projects getting unveiled as well. This is a huge win for the Lansing region.

Whatever your plans are, I hope 2019 is successful. Happy New Year!

Deb Muchmore Consulting — Owner, Deb Muchmore Consulting Tom Ruis — Vice President, Fifth Third Bank Doug Klein — Executive Director, Mason Area Chamber of Commerce

Tiffany Dowling | Publisher

Mark Hooper — Partner, Andrews Hooper Pavlik Diontrae Hayes — Supervisor, Charter Township of Lansing

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MSU BLOCKCHAIN CLASS IS A PIONEER

BY SARAH SPOHN Creating a college course is a lengthy process but creating and teaching one on a subject matter that’s growing and evolving by the minute is another challenge. That’s exactly what Michigan State University (MSU) Director of Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Neil Kane is doing, along with fellow MSU professors.

MGMT 491 is a management class focusing on the foundations of blockchain and applications of the digital cryptography database.

The class was first offered in fall 2018, labeling MSU as a leading force. The Eli Broad College of Business became the first in Michigan to offer a course on the cutting-edge technology, blockchain. Blockchain is the ledgering system behind bitcoin, a rapidly growing digital currency.

According to Kane, the class is set up with multiple guest teachers, lecturers and even classmates teaching fellow students. Kane referred to MSU School of Law professors Carla Reyes and Daniel Barnhizer as instrumental in helping put together the blockchain course.

“About a year ago, when the price of bitcoin was going through the roof, all anybody could talk about was cryptocurrency,” Kane said.

“As a result, in the winter of last year, nine or so months ago, a lot of universities started developing courses in blockchain as a result of student interest and the very real possibility that this new technology was going to have a very profound effect on business, banking, economics and so forth.”

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After reading a New York Times article on the upcoming college course, Kane brought it up to MSU faculty. “I wanted to see MSU do something progressive, forward-thinking and state of the art,” Kane said, “and I knew that our entrepreneurship students would have an interest in it.”

to work with them, because that’s their future clients,” Reyes said of the wide-ranging student body. “That is the work they will undertake for the rest of their lives; translating legal concepts to folks who don’t know the law. It’s a really unique opportunity for law students in particular.”’

Faculty developed the course in just four months, compared to the years it usually takes to develop a university course. In an attempt to break molds and models of the past, Kane believes part of what makes this course special is how it’s run.

The class includes lessons and interactive sessions on entrepreneurship, law, computer science, economics, accounting and supplychain management – displaying applications in various professions. Real-world cases are shown by guest presenting companies, including IBM, JPMorgan, and AJ Boggs. Clarke Anderson, CEO of AJ Boggs and Co., an East Lansing computer software developer, has attended most of the course.

The course technically falls under the MSU entrepreneurship program, but it is an interdisciplinary class, with applications stretching across varying majors, minors and uses.

“We have to recognize that a topic like blockchain encompasses a lot of different domains, and for that reason, it can be challenging within existing university structures to develop a course in it,” Kane said. “So, my goal was not only to develop a course in blockchain, but also to address this other hypothesis that was ‘could we do a course that has lectures from seven different backgrounds, and other students from different studies?’ The answer was yes.”

Reyes also teaches in the course, which includes law students as well as undergrad and graduate students from all areas of study.

“For my discipline as a lawyer – and there are several law students in the class – it’s good

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KANE

NEWS

AJ Boggs and Co. has an interest in blockchain and was invited to judge the student presentations at the end of the class. The company is currently working on blockchain software regarding payments using open ledgers, which increase efficiency, innovative financial transactions, health care agencies and other sectors.

“Even though bitcoin has gone down 70 percent or more this year, the blockchain technology that bitcoin was built upon has been adopted across the industry,” Anderson said.

According to a Barron’s article, the research firm Gartner stated “blockchain will generate $5 billion in business value in 2018 and grow to over $3.1 trillion in 2030. That’s more than Britain’s entire annual economic output today.”

Other futurists are predicting a big impact via blockchain too, according to Anderson. While it will likely change and adapt in a moment’s notice, Anderson said, “It’s just like a lot of other software technologies that can be really powerful, like social media and software technologies. Understanding the market and risks, students learn a lot of things about other technologies that are constantly coming out in this industry.”

Blockchain technology’s ability to create a distributive ledger to methodically store information is being used with trading, in real estate to avoid middle-man transaction fees and even in managing health records.

“There are dozens and dozens of potential applications where the blockchain and this underlying computer architecture can not only solve problems,” Kane said, “But take a lot of costs out of the traditional method.”

Sarah Spohn received her degree in journalism from Lansing Community College. She’s a concert junkie; living and breathing in both the local and national music scene. She is proud to call Lansing her home, finding a new reason every day to be smitten with the mitten.

Lansing-area marketing professional Devin Pringle received his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan and believes this class would benefit all finance or economics majors, preparing them for a fast-paced Fortune 500 companies.

“I think blockchain is a new technology and students learning about it today will have a leg up on old-timers like me,” Smith said.

“Computer industry titans Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were both born in 1955, and today’s bitcoin industry titans were born about 20 years ago. MSU’s blockchain course gives these students a shot being giants in an emerging industry.”

Neil Kane speaks to class

THANK YOU LANSING C E L E B R AT I N G 2 0 Y E A R S O F DEVELOPING COMMUNITY Specializing in Private-Public Partnerships

BOJIGROUP.COM La

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LANSING EASTSIDE G AT E W AY Means New Selling Options for Retail Entrepreneurs

BY TEECE ARONIN Yvonne LeFave thinks about small business in big ways. Thanks to her, vendors with products have a whole new way to get in front of buyers.

Lansing Eastside Gateway, or the “Gateway” for short, is also called LEG because LeFave likes puns and said the concept gives entrepreneurs a “leg up.” She has lived in Lansing since 1988, most of that time on the east side and is proud to call that part of Lansing home.

The Gateway isn’t LeFave’s first out-of-thebox Lansing business venture. She started a delivery service a few years back called Go Green Trikes that uses heavy-duty electric-assist tricycles. When Go Green Trikes outgrew its original commercial garage space, LeFave started searching out alternatives.

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“I'd been looking for two years, and when this space came on the market, I knew it was the one even though it was much larger than I needed,” LeFave said. “When I began to think of ways to use the extra space, I decided the best use would be to share it with others. The rest came in a flash of insight, complete with a name. I closed on the space in August, renovated for about six weeks, and the Gateway officially opened on Oct. 16, 2018. We now have 25 vendors with others coming almost daily.”

LeFave said Lansing Eastside Gateway is unique.

“If any one of my vendors were to try and create a retail space on their own, they’d have some huge financial hurdles to overcome: cost for their space, enough inventory to fill a typical retail area, staffing, office supplies, point-of-sale

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equipment and more. That can all be daunting and stops most from ever starting. Through the Gateway, startup costs are greatly reduced.

Renting a shelf is only $30 a month, and stocking one shelf versus a whole storefront is much more manageable.”

In addition to renting a shelf, options include renting a wall grid section or a section of floor space. To date, vendors have sold a variety of products this way, including books, original art, handcrafted soap, fused glass, ceramics, leather goods and local honey.

The space is run cooperatively with vendors asked to help staff the storefront for five hours a month or pay an additional $50 to help cover staffing costs. There is a common sales desk

and a store manager. Vendors receive daily sales reports so they know when to bring in more stock. There are also two 50-foot semis and a 20-foot shipping container on-site, available for rent as inventory space. Unlike many retail “incubators,” this one is open to virtually anyone expressing interest.

LeFave. “Another thing I hear from vendors is that the creative process can be isolating and lonely work. Coming here, meeting other vendors with shared interests and/or interacting with them in our closed vendor Facebook group has helped quell some of those feelings and has brought a new level of excitement to their endeavors.”

“If you could pursue your dream of owning a retail presence for just a dollar a day while keeping your day job or being able to support your dream in other ways, wouldn’t you?” asked

Lansing Eastside Gateway is at 615 E. Kalamazoo St. Hours are 2-7 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Like them on Facebook or email them at lansingeastsidegateway@gmail.com.

Lansing's mayor Andy Schor at the Lansing Eastside Gateway ribbon cutting

Teece Aronin is a blogger and columnist. Teece writes a humor/ health and wellness column for the Oakland Press and was the featured writer for October at TrueHumor.com. Her artwork is available at the Redbubble.com store, phylliswalter, and Teece seriously considers any request for workshops, coaching and speaking engagements. Read her blog at ChippedDemitasse.BlogSpot.com, contact her at paronin1@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter @taronin.

Yvonne LeFave

Taking care of business means taking care of the people who make it run.

Local. Personal. Flexible.

Physicians Health Plan Everything you want a health plan to be. phpmichigan.com/employers

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BY ALLISON SPOONER The owners of Saddleback BBQ in Old Town – and now Okemos – know how hard it can be to open to open a restaurant in Lansing. In fact, when Travis Stoliker and Matt Gillett opened Saddleback in REO Town in June 2015, they weren’t sure it would work out.

“There was a little bit of doubt,” said Gillett.

But armed with great food and great service, Saddleback found a loyal family and enough success to open another location.

Brewing, Lee’s Coney and Grill, Pzaco in Dimondale and Klavon's in Mason opening over the last year and into this year.

Given the instability of the restaurant market in Lansing over the years, how can these places and other Lansing staples work to find and hold onto success over the coming years? Gillett and Stoliker point to people as one of their most important assets.

“We’ve got a great staff,” said Stoliker. “They are really loyal, and they care about the brand and the culture. We give a great experience on the service side.”

Short agreed, “Every single restaurant on the planet makes money with two things: food and drink. The things that are going to differentiate you? The people that sell your food and drink for you.”

Aaron Matthews and Sam Short – the cofounders of Zoobie’s, Creole, Punk Taco and the newest Punk Taco/Zoobie’s hybrid – have also found ways to make restaurants in an uncertain Lansing market successful. Besides their own ventures, they run Potent Potables, a consulting company that helps restaurants get started. Short said while they can’t mention names, they’ve helped open “a few breweries, bars and restaurants in Lansing that you would recognize.”

The trepidation Gillett and Stoliker felt was probably warranted given the high turnover of restaurants in Lansing. For every restaurant that is successful, there are many that fail, and the restaurant scene in Lansing can sometimes seem like a revolving door. Despite the ever-changing scene, it seems like Lansing is in the midst of a restaurant boom, with places like Arcadia 10

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Matt Gillett (Left) and Travis Stoliker

JANUARY 2019

NEWS

Short said they’ve invested heavily in their staff at all their locations, making sure they have 401(k)s and benefits – things that many other places just don’t do.

“If you’re not worried about your bottom line ... you’re not going to be in business very long,” added Stoliker. “If you’re just a great chef, then it’s just a hobby ... not a business.”

“Everyone has a favorite bartender, and our crew in Lansing is fabulous,” he said.

They spend a lot of time looking at the numbers and they’ve also invested in the technology that many markets are utilizing, like the ability to place your own order at a kiosk and get alcohol to go.

The second ingredient for a successful restaurant, which is probably tied for first, is the food.

Stoliker and Gillett attribute their restaurant’s successes with not only quality people but extremely high-quality food.

“We cook in a way we call blue collar,” said Stoliker. “Someone comes in at 10 p.m. to start the smoker overnight. ... It's a very time-intensive process, and we think putting in that time and care means the customers will love the product.”

Short said the food at Zoobie’s, Punk Taco and Creole is great because “we're foodies. We make our own mozzarella, our own tortillas. ... No one else does that. We do it because we love it. We’re a scratch kitchen.”

But according to Gillett, great food that the owners love isn’t enough to keep a restaurant going.

Short said they didn’t open Punk Taco just because they love tacos. “We talked to a lot of people in our city and others. You can’t shirk that stuff.” He added that he thinks many places fail because they don’t really know what they are getting into. He advised people thinking about opening a restaurant to invite 30 of their friends over for two weeks straight and cook for them.

When it comes to staying alive in the Lansing market, Short, Gillett and Stoliker agreed it’s about realizing how diverse the market is.

Between the students, government workers, GM workers and families, Lansing’s makeup is diverse. While Short urged owners to realize that not everyone will be your customer, having a concept that is appealing across the board is helpful. That’s what Stoliker and Gillett love about barbecue.

Great restaurants will be opening across the area in the next few years, and while a few are bound to close, great food, a smart business sense, awesome partners and great people will send those places cruising toward a long stay in Lansing.

Allison Spooner is a writer, storyteller, copywriter, marketing content creator and communicator.

She uses her communication and creative writing skills to articulate the stories and messages that businesses can't express themselves. She has been telling the stories of businesses across the state of Michigan for 10 years. You can find both her professional and her creative writing on her website, allisonspoonerwriter.com and follow her musings on Twitter @allyspoon.

Decadent donut dessert at Zoobie's

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2018-19

N EW S M AK E R S

BY STEFANIE POHL

Greater Lansing is flowing with industry leaders and unique organizations striving to affect change through innovation and positivity in our community. Here are conversations with a few of these newsmakers as they reflect on what 2018 meant to them, as well as 2019 change agents who are blazing new paths. ***Responses have been edited for content and clarity

WHAT DO YOU HOPE IS GAINED

BY THE NATIONAL ATTENTION TO YOU AND THE SISTER SURVIVORS IN THIS CASE?

AQUILINA

ROSEMARIE AQUILINA Ingham County Circuit Court judge

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FROM YOUR EXPERIENCES IN 2018?

It only takes one voice to create change, and there’s an incredible power in listening and believing.

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE RECOGNIZED BY GLAMOUR MAGAZINE AND THE SURVIVORS DURING THE ESPYS? I’m beyond humbled to be recognized by the sister survivors. Their courage, strength and resilience inspire me every day. It’s also an incredible honor to be acknowledged by Glamour and to be in company with the other inspirational women they have recognized throughout the years. From the beginning, the media helped put a spotlight on this case, and now they are continuing the conversation to help create much-needed transparency and change.

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I hope people choose to listen and believe instead of ignore and shut down. If there’s anything that we can take away from this case, it’s the destruction that can happen when voices are ignored. This case should have been solved long before I took the bench. But unfortunately, the girls were ignored for years and the number of victims multiplied. I hope people remember that inaction is an action, and inaction has consequences. I also hope that victims are inspired to come forward and that they keep talking until they’re heard and believed. Their voices matter.

My courtroom is a place for justice and healing – for both sides – and I hope we start to see other judges adopt this same mantra.

AFTER A LONG DAY IN COURT, HOW DO YOU LIKE TO UNWIND? On my drive home I love listening to books on Audible to relax me from my day. I also love spending time with my family, writing, oil painting, making boot spurs/bracelets for my collection of cowboy boots and cooking. When I’m really stressed and need to clear my head, I have cooking bake-offs with myself, which my family loves and laughs at.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT THE LANSING AREA? Lansing is a large family of people who care about their community and each other, helping out when there is a need. There are tremendous opportunities for education, entertainment, the arts, good food and family activities. I have always felt at home in Lansing. I am very proud to raise my family here and to serve the public as a circuit court judge.

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BEEKMAN

BILL BEEKMAN

Michigan State University athletic director

WHAT WERE YOUR 2018 HIGHLIGHTS, PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY? 2018 was a fairly tumultuous year in the life of the university. From my perspective, I think one of my accomplishments personally and professionally was having the ability to help the university to try and heal and to continue to grow. When President (Lou Anna) Simon resigned, the board asked me to fill in briefly before President (John) Engler was selected, so I served briefly as the acting president. And then coming over and helping out in athletics and becoming the permanent athletic director, I think I’ve been able to have a role in helping the university heal and grow, something very important for our community. I see the AD role as someone who is in the back of the room encouraging others to shine. Our collective success is really what I’m most concerned about. We’ve had some big accomplishments this year. We made the Final Four in men’s soccer for the first time

in about 50 years. It was reported in December that in the Academic All-Big Ten list, we had 30 football players make honors. A full 25 percent of our roster made Academic All-Big Ten.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE COMING YEAR? It’ll be my first full year as athletic director, so I think I’ll have gotten through a fair bit of the learning curve and be able to dive into different things. A couple of projects that we’re really excited about include putting lights up at the baseball and softball stadiums, so in the spring we’ll be able to play night games. If you have lights, you can also host Big Ten championships and NCAA regional events. In late 2019, we’ll also be starting a significant exterior renovation of Munn Ice Arena. That building that was built in the early ’70s will be getting a bit of a facelift, and we’ll have some enhancements that will really make coach (Danton) Cole able to sell our program and bring in top-notch recruits.

I’m also excited about some other behind-thescenes projects that will help guide us over the next decade.

DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT DAY ON MSU’S CAMPUS. Probably it’s a day in the summer, because I’m a summer guy. I’m a guy that likes warm weather.

It would be a day where I have an opportunity to observe some of our teams that are more active in the late spring, maybe catching part of a softball or baseball game. My family and I have had a tradition of taking a walk on campus in the evening, maybe stopping at the Dairy Store and getting some ice cream. I’ve got a sweet tooth. So that would be a good day on campus: Watching our programs be successful and spending a little time with my family.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU ENJOY THE MOST ABOUT THE LANSING AREA? If I’m not on campus, I enjoy hanging out at one of the local bookstores. I love to read. Whether it’s Curious Books in East Lansing or one of the bookstores in the malls, my kids and my wife and I spend a lot of time over the summer reading and visiting the stores. It’s fun to roam around and see what they have. If I haven’t gotten enough of a sports fix on campus, I’m always good for a Lugnuts game. I love Minor League Baseball.

My youngest son and I often travel around the Midwest in the summer and catch some minor league games.

HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND YOUR DOWNTIME? Probably the No. 1 thing I enjoy doing is spending time with my wife and my three kids. In the summer, we love to travel; so as much as I love Lansing, we like to do road trips in the summer as a family. I visited all 48 state capitol buildings, and maybe 100 of the national parks and historic sites.

My kids will tell you that I dragged them to the World’s Largest Ball of Twine in Kansas. I love to take a good old-fashioned road trip and see what there is to see.

The urban market will be designed and run by Grand Rapids-based Meijer, which recently launched a similar urban market concept in downtown Grand Rapids. For those eager to imagine what Lansing’s “Capital City Market” will be like, a visit to Meijer’s popular Bridge Street Market in Grand Rapids is a good indication.

In addition to the market, the 600 Block will feature a new hotel from Concord Hospitality Enterprises. The hotel is planned to have 120-125 guest rooms, which will help meet the growing demand for accommodations for business and leisure travel. Some of the amenities in consideration include a cafe, bar/lounge and meeting spaces. In addition, the residential portion of the development project will feature a mix of 36 one- and two-bedroom units, with leasing options available in spring 2020.

Construction on the 600 Block project is anticipated to begin in the spring, with the development expected to open in late 2020 or early 2021. As they say, good things come to those who wait. The people of Lansing have been waiting a long time for this type of project, but the 600 Block will undoubtedly be worth it.

600 BLOCK RENDERING

GILLESPIE GROUP 600 Block

Something new is coming to the Stadium District in downtown Lansing, thanks to a developer familiar with reshaping and revitalizing the area.

In August, the Gillespie Group unveiled plans for their 600 Block project, located at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Larch Street across from Cooley Law School Stadium.

The four-story, mixed-use concept, totaling 150,590 square feet, will feature a nationally branded hotel, residential apartments and a much-anticipated urban market as its centerpiece.

Residents and visitors of downtown Lansing have dreamed about a grocery store for years and the new 37,000-square-foot “Capital City Market” is certainly beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. The market will occupy much of the project’s frontage along Michigan Avenue.

For the Gillespie Group, the urban market will help change Lansing’s reputation as a food desert, providing residents with easily accessible and fresh food downtown. The market is expected to be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week, giving the early birds, night owls and everyone in between an opportunity to visit. According to Lansing Mayor Andy Schor, a Capital City market and grocery store has been his priority from when he was in the Legislature and now as mayor.

WHITMER

GRETCHEN WHITMER Governor-elect for the state of Michigan

AS GOVERNOR-ELECT, YOU HAVE SAID THAT YOU WILL BE READY TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING IN JANUARY. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY ISSUES YOU WOULD LIKE TO TACKLE WHEN YOU FIRST ENTER OFFICE? We put a strong foundation in place during the transition so that I was able to hit the ground running on Jan. 1. We are rolling up our sleeves to tackle the dinner table issues that matter most to Michiganders, including affordable health care, improving education and access to skills training, cleaning up our drinking water, and fixing our roads.

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WHAT OR WHO INSPIRED YOU TO PURSUE A LIFE OF PUBLIC SERVICE? At the age of 29, I became a member of the sandwich generation, meaning I was taking care of my mom at the end of her life and my first daughter at the beginning of hers. That experience didn’t change my values, but it eliminated my patience for anyone who wants to politicize issues instead of actually solving problems. I put that into practice when I negotiated with Republicans to expand health care access to more than 680,000 Michiganders and raise the minimum wage.

As governor, I’m ready to work with anyone who wants to get things done for the people of our state.

WHEN YOU GET BRIEF MOMENTS OF DOWNTIME, WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE WAYS TO UNWIND?

PUN INTENDED, HOW DO YOU SEE THE NEW SOCCER TEAM IGNITING DOWNTOWN LANSING?

Spending time with my family is what I cherish most. On the campaign trail, I FaceTimed with my girls during dinner time more often than I was able to sit across the table from them. My oldest daughter said she’s glad that the campaign is over and even though the work will be harder, I’ll actually be home more in the evenings. That’s something I am grateful for too.

The most obvious thing is that it’s another 20 dates where there’s going to be professional sports being played down there. If you go back to our original vision back in the ’90s when we built the ballpark, the whole objective was to redevelop downtown Lansing. You do that by inviting people downtown and giving them good reasons to come. We play our 70 baseball games, we do concerts and other events. Starting next year, we’ll have more events to invite people downtown and keep the expansion rolling.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU ENJOY THE MOST ABOUT THE LANSING AREA?

YOU ARE THE SECOND FEMALE GOVERNOR TO BE ELECTED IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AND THE MOTHER OF TWO DAUGHTERS. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE A ROLE MODEL TO YOUNG GIRLS AND WOMEN IN MICHIGAN? When I took my oath of office as Senate Democratic leader in 2010 with my daughters at my side, I looked around the room and realized there were more men named John in the Senate than women. We need more women in office for young girls to look up to. I’m proud to have been part of a wave of women that ran for office in 2018 and look forward to serving Michigan alongside Attorney General-elect Dana Nessel, Secretary of State-elect Jocelyn Benson, Sen. Debbie Stabenow and all those women in public office across the state.

YOU ARE A PROUD MICHIGANDER. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT OUR STATE AND THE LANSING AREA, YOUR HOMETOWN, IN PARTICULAR? Many of my favorite memories growing up in Michigan revolve around water, whether it was the time I spent swimming in the Thornapple River, fishing for perch off the dock in Onekama or climbing the dunes on Lake Michigan. Here in Lansing, I enjoy watching football on the banks of the Red Cedar, walking the trails at Lake Lansing Park or walking at lunch with my husband from his dentist office downtown to Old Town and back.

One of the nice things about having lived in mid-Michigan prior to being elected governor is our commute has always been short and my kids won’t have to move schools. We will go from living in the neighborhood of my youth to the neighborhood of my husband’s. Three generations of my family are here in town and that’s what’s most important to me: family.

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LANSING IGNITE OWNER TOM DICKSON (RIGHT) WITH USL LEAGUE ONE SENIOR VP STEVEN SHORT

TOM DICKSON Lansing Ignite

WHAT WAS YOUR HIGHLIGHT OF 2018?

I would say our new soccer team is by far the most exciting thing we’ve done. We brought Minor League Baseball to Lansing back in 1996 and it’s still doing really well. We decided to expand our sports business a bit and get into the world of soccer. We were excited to make the announcement in October, and we’re looking forward to playing two professional teams in the ballpark starting next year.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE COMING YEAR? I think it’s important that we don’t ever consider putting baseball on anything other than the front burner as well. Minor League Baseball is really what has made the ballpark what it is and helped redevelop downtown Lansing. In no way is soccer designed to put baseball on the back burner, so it’s important we keep that business humming along.

That business is getting better and better. We’re really excited about both of them. Obviously, soccer is new, but baseball has done a lot for the community, too.

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It’s my second home. I live in Chicago full time, but I spend a lot of time in Lansing and in many ways feel like it’s my home as well. I’ve always loved the place. I like the people, and I’ve had a great relationship with the fans and the business community. I really feel like I’m part of the community even though I don’t technically live there.

HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND YOUR DOWNTIME? Anybody who knows me really well knows that my passion, other than sports, is sailing. I am a passionate sailor. I race sailboats. I have a boat in Chicago, and we do the race from Chicago to Mackinac every year. I’ve been doing that for many years. When I’m not working, I’m generally on my sailboat. My boat’s name is Qarlock; we inherited the name when we bought the boat. But my previous boat was named Lugnuts.

HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR HOT DOGS? My favorite hot dogs at the ballpark are the footlong sausages that we make on the cart. I like them with onions and a lot of mustard and relish. That’s the way I like them.

to Hawk Island Park to go snowboarding, or the Wharton Center for a show, or to come downtown for dinner. We have a lot of amenities like a large city, but in a small-town feel. It only takes you 10 minutes to get there. It is convenience here: a lower cost of living and a great place to raise a family. There are all of these attractive parts of Lansing that are what made me want to stay here when I moved here for a job.

HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND YOUR DOWNTIME?

KEITH

SCOTT KEITH

CEO of the Lansing Entertainment and Public Facilities Authority

WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2018?

I love the lakes and the freshwater here. That’s again a positive of Lansing. You can really be within a two-hour drive to some great destinations, whether it’s the wintertime or the summertime. You could be at a ski resort or a lake within two hours.

In my downtime, I love getting outside and using the activities available. I actually enjoy working outside and gardening. I love the fact that we have four seasons, and I try to take advantage of being outside for each one of those seasons. I think that’s a positive of not only Lansing, but Michigan.

Taking over the Groesbeck Golf Course and exceeding all of our goals that we set for out there was certainly a huge accomplishment.

Another year of Common Ground was a huge accomplishment. The convention center exceeding 25,000 room nights directly attributable for the first time in history was a pretty big goal of ours that we accomplished.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT THE LANSING AREA? We are a big small town. I will borrow a phrase from Bob Trezise: When I use the term Lansing, I really do refer to the region. I think we have so many great amenities here, whether it’s going

“The University Corporate Research Park property is unique because it is situated at the crossroads of south Lansing and Michigan State University,” Medrano said. “It’s not often that a development of this magnitude can have such a positive impact on so many municipalities and organizations.

McLaren’s investment will be a tremendous benefit to the city of Lansing, Lansing Township, the city of East Lansing, the MSU Foundation, MSU and the entire region.”

McLaren’s biggest medical partnership is with MSU, and the new project will expand the academic partnership on health care with the university. Expected to open in 2021, the new hospital will feature 240 beds, a cancer center, an ambulatory care center and other facilities to support educational opportunities and medical research on the 52-acre campus.

In a statement, CEO of McLaren Greater Lansing Tom Mee said: “We intend to redesign the traditional hospital and ambulatory-care settings to build the safest, most efficient health care campus in the world.”

MSU sees the new facility as an opportunity to advance medical research and recruit top physicians and researchers to the region.

Some of the initiatives within the collaboration between McLaren and MSU also include cooperation on clinical trials through MSU’s Institutional Review Board and support for teambased learning philosophies in the design and workflow of the facilities.

FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR, WHAT CAN THE PEOPLE OF LANSING EXPECT IN THE WORLD OF ENTERTAINMENT? I think the Lansing Ignite coming to town is a big deal. That is going to change the way we look at the stadium - you have the Lugnuts and now the Ignite. There’s going to be a multipurpose feel to the stadium. We’re going to continue to grow our convention business I think, particularly with the announcement of another downtown hotel from Gillespie. That is a year or two away, but it starts to make the needle move a bit in terms of attracting business. Convention seasons typically are booking two or three years out anyway, so it really works to our favor. With the elimination of the City Market, although negative in the press, I think the potential redevelopment of it into something else is exciting. I think it’ll add to the value of the entertainment district here.

Health Care, said the site is an ideal location.

MCLAREN RENDERING

EXPANDING PARTNERSHIP

Redesigning health care MSU-McLaren Health Care hospital project It’s a project 10 years in the making, and one that will transform health care in our community for decades to come. The Greater Lansing area is set to become the home of a brand-new, state-of-theart hospital and health care campus, thanks to an expanded partnership between Michigan State University (MSU) and McLaren Health Care Corp.

In December 2017, McLaren Health Care announced plans to build a $450 million hospital, replacing McLaren Greater Lansing and McLaren Orthopedic Hospital. The campus will be developed at the MSU Foundation’s University Corporate Research Park, located between Collins Road and U.S. 127, adjacent to MSU. Daniel Medrano, vice president of facility management for McLaren

In an effort to redesign health care, as well as making the voices of the Lansing community heard, McLaren Health Care is encouraging individuals to give feedback and share their thoughts on the new project through the McLaren website. Some of the feedback already shared by the community include questions about parking, accessibility to the campus for those without a vehicle and the inclusion of a mental health facility.

As technology and health care continue to evolve and improve how we live, all eyes in the medical community will be on Greater Lansing in the coming years.

Stefanie Pohl earned a B.A. in English and creative writing from Michigan State University and an M.A. in writing and publishing from DePaul University. She is currently a freelance writer raising her two young daughters with her Spartan sweetheart.

Find her musings about motherhood and more on her blog, mostefinitely.com. Stefanie has been spelling out her name since 1985.

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VISUAL BREAKDOWN

RULES OF THE ROAD

Photo provided by Uber

Staying Safe while Ride-sharing on Business

BY NICK MCCORMACK In 2011, SideCar – a peer-to-peer ride-sharing company and the first of its kind – was launched.

In subsequent years, this new business model exploded, and today one would be hard-pressed to find a city where it’s impossible to quickly arrange a ride in a stranger’s car.

The initial boom produced dozens of zippy-named startups, but in 2018 the ride-share menu has narrowed to just two mainstream services: Uber and Lyft. In recent years, the two ride-hailing giants have carved out a lucrative market in business-related travel. According to Certify, in the first quarter of 2018 alone Uber and Lyft took in over 70 percent of all ground transportation revenue from business travelers.

It’s easy to get caught up in the ride-sharing renaissance, but recent events have forced American travelers to take a critical eye to the future of these companies. Last year Uber faced backlash after an investigation yielded a staggering 103 U.S. company drivers had been accused of sexual assault in the last four years. The company responded swiftly, developing and releasing an in-app “panic button.” If a rider feels in danger, he or she can swipe up on the safety center icon on the app’s homepage and immediately connect with nearby emergency dispatchers.

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This new feature is all well and good on Uber’s part, but what can business travelers proactively do to ensure personal safety while braving the questionable world of shared rides? Deputy Chief Steve Gonzalez of the East Lansing Police Department said the ride-sharing community in the city is a relatively safe and reliable means of transportation, but alternative forms of transportation should be sought for those who feel uncomfortable.

However, considering that ride-sharing might be the only transportation available to some travelers, Gonzalez suggested that riders use a few simple safety measures before and during a ride.

“Ride with another person you know and let friends and/ or family know where you’re going and when you’ll be returning,” he said.

“If available, keep a cellphone in hand while riding.

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If a situation ever becomes dangerous, don’t hesitate to call 911.”

The safest thing a rider can do is practice complete avoidance of any potential danger; however, it is equally important to be wellversed in reacting to danger at hand. Master John Faett of Victory Martial Arts in Okemos suggested at minimum a rudimentary understanding of self-defense if faced with physical danger on a ride.

Feature COVER

“Basically, what we teach is ‘I’m not going to go with you,’ ” said Faett. “(If already inside a vehicle,) the first thing you should do is attempt an escape. After that, yes there is danger in attacking the driver of a vehicle, but it’s better to get in an accident than to be taken somewhere else.”

At Victory, Faett teaches Krav Maga, a form of martial arts used by Israeli commandos with the goal of being as effective as possible with as little training as possible. Faett went on to detail basic targeting for close-quarters combat.

“Self-defense is violent and dirty, and you need to respond to violent attacks in kind. In close proximity we aim for the eyes, the throat, the nose, the ears, the knee, the shin, the groin, etc.,” he said. “Scratch your assailant, throw elbows and knees. Even bite if you have to.”

Regardless of the unique circumstances surrounding any dangerous ride-sharing encounter, Faett stressed the importance of taking action.

• If possible, ride with a person you know.

• Let friends and family know where you are

“The truth is if someone confronts you violently, most of the time they assume you’ll do nothing,” he said. “Most people instinctively freeze. If you can respond with some sort of action, the attacker will mitigate the risk and may simply give up.”

• Try to avoid entering a suspicious vehicle at

Traveling for business can be daunting, even before one considers the possible dangers lurking between points A and B. In a perfect world, a mobile professional would be free to reap the benefits of ride-sharing without the fear of worst-case scenarios.

However, that is not the world we live in, and proper precautions should be taken when stepping into a stranger’s vehicle:

going and when you should be back.

• If possible, keep a phone on your person.

• If the situation warrants getting the authorities involved, don’t hesitate to call 911. all costs.

• If already in a dangerous situation on the road, attempt an escape.

• Worst-case scenario: Put up a fight. Know

where to hit and fight dirty. Doing nothing will only work to your detriment.

Nick McCormack is a fourth-year advertising management major at Michigan State University and an intern at M3 Group. Rather than fetching coffee, he picks up projects here and there spanning the gamut of M3’s many services. Off the clock, Nick explores photography, hiking and lifting.

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Aiming High Since 1962.

Lansing’s Commercial Real Estate Experts 517 351-2200 / martincommercial.com 18

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BY KERRY HART | PHOTO BY MARY GAJDA

TONY WILLIS

Helping Lansing Grow One Business at a Time 20

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Behind the Scenes

Tony Willis is changing the face of business in the Greater Lansing area through the work he does at the Lansing Economic Area Partnership, or as it is more commonly referred to, LEAP. Willis fulfills two roles at the company as his passion for business spans into more than one area. He serves as the director of the New Economy Team, where he oversees all programming that is geared to support entrepreneurship within his region. Some of his reach has extended to the Youth Startup Initiative, Hatching Pitch Competitions, Entrepreneur Assistance Fun, Lansing Regional SmartZone and educational seminars/ boot camps.

Willis also serves as the president of PROTO Accelerator, which is a startup accelerator company. He leads the development of products and investing while still managing to work with the corporate partners. Having grown up in East Lansing and a Michigan State University graduate, Willis feels a connection to this area and is motivated to help it grow.

WHAT DO YOU FEEL ATTRACTED YOU MOST TO LEAP AS AN ORGANIZATION? The mission of LEAP, along with the agility of the organization, is what I found most attractive. Our mission is to support the economic development of the region, and we do this through a number of ways. These include financing, managing, connection and everything in between. LEAP isn’t afraid to test out new ideas in order to support the region’s growth.

Insurance, accounting, long-term planning – these are the things that could be overlooked but are so very important to address. I am in the role of asking people how much time really goes into this and making them face the harsh truth if they are not spending as much time on that as they should. People might think things just don’t work out for them, but if they are being honest with how much time they are spending on their business, they will see that there are important pieces that have been ignored. If they do feel they spend a lot of time on business, then where do they need to focus?

DOES ANY PARTICULAR STARTUP STORY RESONATE WITH YOU RIGHT NOW? There are a few, as I have seen many exciting success stories in my time with LEAP. Matt Gillett had decades of restaurant management under his belt but wanted to tread his own path.

Three years ago, he had the idea to bring really good barbecue to the Lansing area. He had done his research and felt Lansing was missing a competitive barbeque scene. Sure, there was one place available, but he wanted to bring more to the people of Lansing. At the Hatching Competition, which helps entrepreneurs bring their business ideas to light, he pitched his idea of getting a smoker on a trailer and using that to serve meals after football events, both for

high school and college games. People could take it home, preorder, but all in a familyfriendly type place. Everything would be ready to go, excellent and super convenient for the customer.

He pitched his idea; discussed problems, solutions; and did a great job. He didn’t win that night, but he still pursued his idea and went back to the next event. LEAP remembered him and then hired him to cater an event. Matt met Travis Stoliker at that event, who just happened to be looking for a new venture. They hit it off and became partners.

They have a successful business now for over three years and have even expanded into Okemos. Now he has maybe 20 employees or so it, and it all started with an idea.

Joe Johnson with Fade Nutrition also comes to mind. His idea was actually so good he was on “Shark Tank” back in November 2018 and got himself a deal. He saw a need within the fitness industry to have a more convenient and effective protein shaker bottle for pre/postworkout nutrition. After exploring his idea and doing a ton of research, he actually completely pivoted his idea from a shaker bottle to a K-Cup option. Offering single serving packages of protein for the healthy minded on the go.

IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE INVOLVED IN THE GROWTH OF NEW BUSINESSES FROM SOUP TO NUTS. IS THERE ANY PART OF THE PROCESS THAT TENDS TO BE A BIT OF A CHALLENGE FOR NEW ENTREPRENEURS? It takes a lot of time and they need to plan to achieve from their effort. A lot of people have great ideas and they want to work on their idea, but what are they really doing day to day? So many of these people quit their day job to see where it goes, then wonder what the hold up is with their forward progress.

It is my job to ask them how much time are they really spending on their idea? It needs to be treated like a real job, eight hours a day.

This includes studying the development of the marketplace, understanding competitors, talking to customers and surely getting their business basics in order.

Tony and Ashlee Willis

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Behind the Scenes

What is most exciting is how innovative the K-Cups are for their time. The delivery system is by far the most impressive piece; however, the cups themselves are so green they are actually consumable. Joe, now confident in his new, more developed idea, moved forward and LEAP invested. He eventually saw so much success he was able to buy them out of their investment with three times the original investment. When Joe went on “Shark Tank,” the sharks were so impressed with his work he actually got a deal from Mark Cuban and Alexander Rodriguez.

ARE THERE ANY EXCITING PROJECTS YOU HAVE COMING UP THAT WILL BENEFIT LANSING BUSINESS IN PARTICULAR? PROTO Insurtech is our newest project that LEAP is working on. We are working with insurance carriers in the region to focus on attracting and developing insurance technology startups. The insurance industry has become a nexus where innovation and new technologies are poised to flourish. With Lansing being an insurance mecca, we see this as a great opportunity to further support and grow one of our large economic drivers.

WHAT MADE YOUR INITIAL INTEREST IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND HELPING OTHER ENTREPRENEURS GET THEIR START SPARK? My interest in entrepreneurship started at home at a young age. My grandmother was a teacher for hearing-impaired students and then retired. She wanted to focus on her business, which sold health care products. She raised me and my cousins together, so when she was out there selling, we would join her. She showed us how to work a convention, how to be a part of product growth and how to always be selling. She also had two other business ventures, a clothing consignment shop and she made butter rolls. She eventually ran out of space in her own kitchen and found that us kids were eating almost a third of what she was producing. The butter rolls were just so good!

She was able to find other space to cook in and was able to market her product to restaurants, which ended up being big business for her. I remember as a kid charting her progress for her and being so interested in how businesses start and develop from that experience.

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G R E AT E R L A N S I N G B U S I N E S S M O N T H LY

WHAT MAKES YOU MOST EXCITED TO CO-HOST THE UPCOMING GLBM ENTREPRENEURIAL AWARDS?

It is such an honor to have been asked to cohost this event. This event is a great place to hear stories of inspiration, to get to know folks in the area and what inspires them. Anybody can be an entrepreneur. It might not happen right away or the way you thought it would, but opportunity is abundant. People deal with doubt and drought, but people will find ways to continue on and move forward. Hearing those stories are the best takeaways for this event; I am really looking forward to it.

Providing Legal Strategies and Solutions for the Success of Businesses and Individuals.

Grand Rapids Office: 100 Grandville Ave., SW Suite. 202 Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (517) 482-2400

I’m excited to see continued growth of the region as a whole and the further development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. I see our region further expanding into agriculture technology, health care innovation and consumer goods. Michigan is very biodiverse area, No. 2 behind California in planting and farming. There is so much potential here.

Focusing on the efficiency of harvesting and planting here in Michigan will teach us a lot about resiliency in horticulture. Michigan State University has one of six cyclotrons that exist on the planet. They have received a grant to focus on how speeding up particles can create rare elements in the universe to enhance medical properties and study how particles can react at the speed of light. This will bring so much to the area in terms of science, defense, military and all the consumerism these new people will bring to our area. It is an exciting time for business in Lansing.

I always find the GLBM Entrepreneurial Awards to be such a great event. It acknowledges local entrepreneurs and smallbusiness owners who are making an impact on the community. It is a great event to network at, meet new entrepreneurs, and learn about their ideas and businesses. I also like to keep up on what the business climate is in our region, and this awards event is a great place to do that.

For Over 65 Years

Eastwood Office: 2400 Lake Lansing Rd. Suite E Lansing, MI 48912 (517) 485-0400

WHAT ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT FOR LANSING BUSINESS IN 2019?

Downtown Office: 124 W. Allegan St. Suite 700 Lansing, MI 48933 (517) 482-2400

JANUARY 2019

Kerry Hart is a couple and family therapist with a private practice in East Lansing. The only thing she loves more than saving relationships is writing about them. See more of her musings at kerryhartcounseling.com

Good for Business MSUFCU offers flexible and customized term loans and lines of credit to fit your business needs: • Commercial real estate • Vehicle and equipment loans • Visa Credit Cards • SBA loans Contact MSUFCU today. msufcu.org/business • 517-333-2424 option 5

• Buying • Refinancing • Working capital

All loans are subject to credit approval.

Federally insured by NCUA. La

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January 17

The South Korean Ministry of North Korea and South Korea will march together under the the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Photo by: Gage Skidmore

January 1

Andy Schor is inaugurated as the new mayor of Lansing.

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January 24 Dr. Larry Nassar is sentenced to 40-175 years in Michigan state prison for seven of 22 counts of sexual assault to minors.

Many of the accusers were children, who were told to not

February 25

April 9

Bernie Sanders speaks at the Lansing Center to lead a rally against the Republican-backed tax plan. The gathering was part of the 100-day Repeal the Trump Tax tour organized by Not One Penny.

The Wharton Center announces the schedule for the coming year, which includes the immensely popular Broadway hit “Hamilton.�

March 27

Kent County, Michigan, special prosecutor Bill Forsyth charges William Strampel, the former dean of the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan in East Lansing with misconduct sexual conduct and two counts of willful neglect of duty in scandal. (Detroit Free Press)

May 4

A Magnitude 6.9 earthquake hits Hawaii, the strongest in over 40 years, amid ongoing

April 16

(LA Times) Hawaiian volcano Leilani Estates subdivision, spurring a mandatory

The annual Pulitzer Prizes, which celebrate U.S. journalism, are awarded. The New York Times wins the most with three. Pieces on Donald Trump and the #MeToo movement feature prominently. (The Guardian) La

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June 9 Stakes and becomes the second horse in four years to win the U.S. Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.

(The New York Times)

May 19 The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle takes place at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. They are

July 2 and their soccer coach alive in Tham Luang Nang Non cave in

Duchess of Sussex. (BBC)

being trapped for 10 days.

(CNN); they would all be evacuated to safety by July 10.

November 6

Gretchen Whitmer is elected governor of Michigan, becoming the second woman to hold that post. Voters also give the marijuana and reforms that will make it easier to vote in future House and Senate.

November 12 Marvel Comics editor and comic book writer Stan Lee dies at the age of 95. (The New York Times) (The Guardian)

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August 26

July 3 straws and utensils in all bars and restaurants.

tribute to who they deem a war hero. (BBC)

August 8 Gretchen Whitmer and Bill

September 23

Tiger Woods wins the PGA Tour's season-ending Tour wins the season-long FedEx Cup points race and its associated $10 million bonus. (ESPN)

October 1 A bill signed into law by Gov. Rick Snyder in March to eliminate driver responsibility forgives nearly $650 million owed by nearly 350,000

August 29 Gillespie Group President Pat Gillespie announces a development on the 600 block of Michigan Avenue that will bring an urban grocery store, hotel and apartments to downtown Lansing.

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BUSINESS CALENDAR

JANUARY 2019 JANUARY 5

IMAGINE IT 2019 Are you ready to live the life you have imagined?

Are you seeking to get from where you are to where you want to be in your life? Join an empowering environment with purpose-driven like-minded individuals. Come learn from an esteemed panel of speakers from Lansing, Detroit and Flint about why vision, clarity, goalsetting and intention is the perfect combination for your life journey and success. Visit Eventbrite for more information on this event.Visit this event on Eventbrite.com for more information.

JANUARY 8 BIG DATA AND HADOOP CLASSROOM TRAINING IN LANSING

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Trainerkart’s Big Data Hadoop Developer/ Admin Certification course is designed to prepare you for your next assignment in the world of Big Data. Hadoop is the market leader among Big Data technologies and it is an important skill for every professional in this field. This Big Data course also prepares you for the Cloudera CCA175 certification with simulation exams and real-life projects on CloudLabs. The Cloudera certification is the most sought-after Big Data certification in the industry. After completing the Trainerkart Hadoop training, you will be exam-ready for the Cloudera certification and job-ready for your next Big Data assignment. Visit Eventbrite for more information on this event.

JANUARY 14 ENTREPRENEURSHIP NIGHT Learn more about the entrepreneurship and innovation minor and the E&I Experiences

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Option Program at Michigan State University as well as the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Before and after the presentation, you will have the opportunity to network with students and faculty. Free pizza and pop will be provided.

Visit Eventbrite for more information on this event.

JANUARY 16 STUDENT WORKSHOP: FINANCIAL MODELING Spartan Innovations has developed a workshop series to help entrepreneurs follow the road to success. This workshop will cover the basics of financial statement structures and walk through best practices in establishing realistic financial projections for strong business plans and metrics. Visit Eventbrite for more information on this event.

JANUARY 23 INNOVATE STATE WITH DAVE ZILKO Dave Zilko has been a food entrepreneur for over 25 years – most prominently at metro Detroit-based Garden-Fresh Gourmet, where from 2002-2015 Zilko served as vice chairman, primarily responsible for strategy and sales.

He succeeded in taking the company from $4.6 million in annual revenue to just over $110 million prior to engineering a sale to the Campbell Soup Co. for close to a quarter-billion dollars. From his Garden-Fresh experience, Zilko wrote the book “Irrational Persistence; Seven Secrets That Turned a Bankrupt Startup into a $231,000,000 Business.” Zilko currently serves as CEO of FUEL Leadership, an emerging video-centric digital media property that operates in the professional development space, targeting aspiring millennial professionals. Zilko is on the executive board of Forgotten Harvest, the largest food rescue operation in the United States; serves on the advisory board of Jimmy Buffett’s charitable trust Singing for Change; and was appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder to the Grow Michigan board, which provides mezzanine

financing to emerging companies. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Michigan State University and an MBA in marketing from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Free pizza and pop will be provided. Visit Eventbrite for more information on this event.

JANUARY 24 EIGHTH ANNUAL MEET THE JUDGES RECEPTION Michigan Supreme Court justices, Michigan Court of Appeals judges, federal judges, local judges, administrative law judges, tribal judges and local referees have been invited to attend the eighth annual Meet the Judges reception.

The reception will take place at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. On-site registrations on the day of the event are: member $45, nonmember $65, students $25. Names must be received 24 hours prior to the event or they will be treated as an on-site registrant and late fees will apply. This special event is one of Cooley Law School’s most popular and will provide members of the legal community an opportunity to network with respected judges. Hors d’oeuvres will be served and a bar with two beverage tickets will be

provided. Capacity is limited. Visit Eventbrite for more information on this event.

JANUARY 11-12 THE STEWARDSHIP NETWORK CONFERENCE 2019 The Stewardship Network’s Conference brings together landowners, researchers, nonprofit organizations, the private sector, tribal representatives, different levels of government, students and academics for two days of informative presentations, discussions, workshops and networking opportunities that focus on the science, practice and art of ecological stewardship. The conference will take place at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center. Visit this event on Eventbrite.com for more information.

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912 West St. Joseph, Lansing, MI 48915

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ZIMMERMAN JOINS MICHIGAN CHAMBER

Zimmerman

FEIGHNER ANNOUNCES NEW LOCATION

The firm recently received zoning approval from the Shiawassee County board of commissioners to move forward on the development, which will include retail and eventually some production, while still maintaining the Charlotte site as it's main headquarters.

The Michigan Chamber of Commerce announced that John Zimmerman has joined the statewide business organization as a marketing and communications executive.

Zimmerman comes to the chamber with over 25 years of experience in strategic marketing and communications, reputation management, public relations, and crisis communications. He most recently served as senior vice president and regional marketing director for Fifth Third Bank West Michigan. For more than a decade, Zimmerman was the company spokesman for Meijer Inc. “We are very pleased to welcome John to the Michigan chamber’s marketing communications team,” said chamber President and CEO Rich Studley. “John’s extensive strategic communications experience in both the public and private sectors makes him an exceptionally 2018 Ad_GLBM_January_1.pdf 1 12/14/2018 4:50:16 PM strong addition to our staff.”

Feighner Boat Lifts & Docks announced it is opening a second location in Shiawassee County. The company, which is headquartered at 2264 Lansing Road in Charlotte, recently acquired 20 acres along Interstate 69 in Woodhull Township (between the Laingsburg and Perry exits) and will soon begin construction on a new facility that will open in 2019.

“We are excited to move eastward into Shiawassee County, which will provide us more visibility and allow us to serve more customers in Michigan,” said company President Scott Feighner.

“This is a wonderful family-run company that has been in operation for decades, demonstrating they know how to do things to the right way. They are definitely a welcome addition to our local business community and … will be very successful in Shiawassee County,” said Justin Horvath, president and CEO of the Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership, which provided project assistance.

MSU ALUMNI HONOR WORLD-CHANGING SPARTANS The Michigan State University Alumni Association recognized 11 of its top-achieving alumni and donors worldwide at the annual Grand Awards Gala at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center.

“It was a privilege to honor this group from the many deserving members of the Spartan Nation, not only for their outstanding achievements, but for the far-reaching impacts they have on

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G R E AT E R L A N S I N G B U S I N E S S M O N T H LY

JANUARY 2019

REDESIGNING HEALTH CARE

Located near the intersection of Forest and Collins Roads, our new hospital will be easy to access with improved roads, bus routes, and bike paths.

This $450 million replacement hospital project is the largest capital investment McLaren Health Care has ever made.

The new health care campus will include a 240-bed acute care hospital, cancer center, and medical services building.

An estimated 2,500 construction jobs will be created in the development of the health care campus.

Also, an additional 80 employees will be added to our current workforce of more than 2,000 employees.

McLaren and MSU have entered into a Strategic Collaboration Agreement to explore additional partnerships to jointly deliver health care services and further medical education.

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the lives of others and our world,” said Bob Thomas, interim associate vice president for alumni relations. “The 2018 Alumni Grand Award recipients exemplify how Spartans put their innate talents, entrepreneurial spirit and worldclass education to work for a better tomorrow.”

Philanthropist Award recipients include those individuals, families, associations, corporations or foundations that have generously demonstrated ongoing financial support and leadership to MSU. The recipient this year was Dr. John Reed Koza.

Distinguished Alumni Award recipients include alumni who have differentiated themselves by achieving the highest level of professional accomplishment. They included Dr. Roger N Beachy, Patricia Geoghegan, Dr. David Patrick Kelly, Gloria Santos and Manoj Kumar Saxena.

Alumni Service Award recipients include alumni who have demonstrated service to MSU and/ or commendable public service on a local, state, national or international level. They were Marc Sherwood Conlin and Elizabeth Anne “Betty” Shanahan.

DELHI HONORED FOR ENERGY SAVINGS THOUGH CONTRACTS

Young Alumni Award recipients include alumni under age 40 who have distinguished themselves through a high level of professional accomplishment. They were Jennifer Heemstra and Shannon L. Wilson.

Honorary Alumni Award recipients include those non-alumni candidates who have made an outstanding impact on behalf of MSU. The recipient this year was Sandra Elaine Pierce.

Delhi Township award presentation

in the presentation of the awards at the 2018 Leadership in Energy Efficiency event, hosted in Lansing by the Energy Services CoalitionMichigan chapter.

“The winners announced invested more than $39 million in building system upgrades and are saving $3.5 million per year in energy costs over the lifespan of the improvements,” Cusack said. “They are shining examples of what can be accomplished through performance contracts when facing tight budgets.”

The 2018 Leadership in Energy Efficiency Award was given to Delta Township for the township’s $4.6 million project that renovated an aging heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system; processed equipment; building envelopes; control systems; and lighting within its facilities as well as upgraded to LED streetlights. The changes are expected to save the township $113,455 annually in energy costs.

Building projects in Delhi Township, Ypsilanti, Livonia, Romulus and St. Clair Shores have been recognized for leadership in reducing building energy waste through performance contracts.

Anne Armstrong Cusack, executive director of the Michigan Agency for Energy, assisted

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G R E AT E R L A N S I N G B U S I N E S S M O N T H LY

JANUARY 2019

RIVERWALK EXTENSION CELEBRATED

in an anonymous survey administered by the Detroit Free Press covering seven areas, including organizational health factors that measure how well employees are working together toward a common cause. These include alignment, effectiveness, connection, manager evaluation, employee engagement, organization’s leader and overall benefits.

(From left to right) Bill Burke, Lori Fuller, Michelle Rayneart

Assisting George Hayhoe are Mike Waltz, Timothy Morgan, Russ Whipple, Don Heck, Melissa Buzzard, Luisa Hayhoe, Chris Waltz, Marty Sekrenes, Younes Ishraidi, Tom Silsby, Emily Matthews, Mary Tressel, Deb Stuart, John Hayhoe, Brian Quinn, Larry Quinn, Chris Tubac, Kelli Galloway, Lauren Ross, Hannah Warvel, Elizabeth Hude, Mike Unsworth, Ken Baker, Elaine Ferris and Melanie Squires.

MACC Courtesy Photo.

The Mason Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors provided a ribbon-cutting Nov. 28 to celebrate the grand opening of the newest Hayhoe Riverwalk extension along Howell Road on the north side of Mason.

the Sparrow Foundation, on Nov. 6. The money was raised at the Coldwell Banker Hubbell BriarWood annual golf outing. Donations will be directed toward Sparrow's Regional Children’s Center to provide the latest in technology and some of the finest clinicians in the region.

MSUFCU NAMED A TOP FIVE

GOLF OUTING RAISES FUNDS FOR SPARROW

Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU) was named a Top Workplace for 2018 by the Detroit Free Press. The credit union has been named as a Top Workplace each year since 2012 and has placed in the top five workplaces in the large workplace category every year since 2014.

Coldwell Banker Hubbell BriarWood presented $8,100 to Michelle Rayneart, vice president of

To be considered for a Top Workplace recognition, MSUFCU employees participated

“At MSUFCU, our employees are passionate about working together to fulfill our mission of helping members and employees achieve their dreams,” said Silvia Dimma, MSUFCU’s chief human resources officer. “We provide an environment that fosters communication and collaboration to ensure our employees develop and are empowered. We are honored by this recognition as it underscores our commitment to our employees.”

EAST LANSING WELCOMES INCOME TAX ADMINISTRATOR The city of East Lansing has hired a new, full-time income tax administrator to help ensure that the new, voter-approved East Lansing income tax is administered accurately and to serve as a point of contact for employers, residents and employees with questions about the new tax.

East Lansing Income Tax Administrator DaMar

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517.377.1426 www.LANSING.org

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Boyd

Boyd began his new role with the city Nov. 19. Prior to his new role with East Lansing, Boyd worked for the past six years for the city of Grand Rapids, most recently as an administrative analyst in the city’s income tax department.

HGB IMPLEMENTS ELECTRONIC RECORDS SYSTEM

As part of its transition to becoming Sparrow Eaton Hospital – a Sparrow Health System affiliate – in October 2019, Hayes Green Beach Memorial Hospital and its provider practices upgraded its electronic medical record system Dec. 1. The iSparrow electronic medical records system is based on Epic systems technology, the health care industry’s highest-rated electronic records system.

“The cutting-edge technology will enhance patient safety and quality of care,” said HGB President and CEO Matthew Rush. “This is an important next step on our journey toward becoming Sparrow Eaton Hospital.”

MERIDIAN WELCOMES NEW TREASURER On Dec. 7, Meridian Township welcomed board Trustee Phil Deschaine as the newly appointed township treasurer with a swearing-in ceremony.

“I have a passion for our community, and after 30 years of private sector management experience I am very happy to step up to this position as treasurer of Meridian Township,” said Deschaine.

COMMISSION WELCOMES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The Tri-County Regional Planning Commission announced the formal appointment of Jim Snell as its new executive director, effective Dec.1.

Snell has served as Tri-County’s interim executive director since October 2017, providing strategic leadership and a new vision for the agency and its programs.

“I am eager to build on Tri-County’s great accomplishments over the past 60 years to make our region more prosperous,” said Snell.

“Collaboration is key in planning for a strong economy, a reliable transportation system, and sustainable infrastructure and natural resources, and I look forward to working with our community partners to fully utilize the resources Tri-County has to offer. Together, we can enhance the quality of life of our communities and put the Greater Lansing area on the map.”

REALTOR EARNS INTERNATIONAL DESIGNATION Peter MacIntyre with MacIntyre and Cowen RE/MAX Real Estate Professionals-Grand River has recently earned the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing’s Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist designation MacIntyre in recognition of experience, knowledge and expertise in highend residential properties.

SPARROW HEALTH SYSTEM NAMES NEW CEO Emory Wayne “E.W.” Tibbs of Virginia will join Sparrow Health System as its CEO this month, replacing Dennis Swan, who announced his pending retirement last spring.

Tibbs

“We are pleased that E.W. has agreed to lead Sparrow’s efforts to meet the evolving health needs of the communities we serve,” said Richard Bruner, chair of the Sparrow Health System board of directors.

MERCHANT, AULD HONORED AT ATHENA AWARDS

Merchant

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JANUARY 2019

Auld

CONNECTING WITH BUSINESS. STRENGTHENING OUR WORKFORCE. camw.org | 1-800-285-WORK

Capital Area Michigan Works! is a proud partner of the American Job Center network. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this piece will be made available in an alternative format upon request to Capital Area Michigan Works! Relay Center. Call 711 or 844-578- 5653 (Voice and TDD). Funding for Capital Area Michigan Works! is received in part from the U.S. Department of Labor, the State of Michigan Department of Health L a nand s i nHuman g B u s Services, i n e s s N and e w s . c o m the Talent Investment Agency. An Equal Opportunity Employer/Center.

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Suzy Merchant, head coach of the Michigan State University women’s basketball team, and Leslie Auld, owner and director of Therapy Today Counseling & Consulting, were recognized by the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce at the annual ATHENA Awards luncheon Dec. 6.

Merchant is the recipient of the 2018 ATHENA Award, which honors individuals who strive toward the highest levels of professional accomplishment, excel in their chosen field, have devoted time and energy to their community, and who pave paths for other women to follow.

“I have certainly appreciated what ATHENA is all about and am truly honored and humbled,” said Merchant.

Auld was selected as the 2019 recipient of the prestigious ATHENA PowerLink Award. As the award recipient, Auld will be connected to a panel of expert mentors who will provide consulting to her regarding business growth strategies over the next 12 months.

“The ATHENA PowerLink program has been an invaluable resource for women business owners in Greater Lansing, helping grow their business

and enhance their leadership and management skills,” said Auld. “I’m honored to join fellow women business leaders and hope to continue the legacy they have established in the community.”

MSUFCU EARNS AWARDS FROM CREDIT UNION LEAGUE Michigan State University Federal Credit Union has been honored with 2018 first-place and honorable mention awards from the Michigan Credit Union League.

The first-place award is for the Louise Herring Philosophy-in-Action Member Service Award, which recognizes credit unions demonstrating the practical application of the credit union “people helping people” philosophy for its members. The honorable mention is for the Dora Maxwell Award recognizing community service achievements by credit unions. Statelevel winners will go on to compete nationally for the CUNA 2018 National Awards. These award winners will be announced at the CUNA Governmental Affairs Conference in March in Washington, D.C.

MCINTYRE AND COWEN WELCOME NEW TEAM MEMBER

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JANUARY 2019

MacIntyre and Cowen RE/MAX Real Estate Professionals-Grand River team welcome new buyer’s agent Darien Gestring. She joins MacIntyre and Cowen with over five years of customer service experience.

JOIN GREATER LANSING BUSINESS MONTHLY as they present the 25th Annual Entrepreneurial Awards Ceremony

THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2019

Cocktail hour 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. Awards program at 6:30 p.m.

Eagle Eye Golf Club, 15500 Chandler Road, Bath Twp.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER John Latella is a master of all trades. From business law to business consulting to becoming the president of a business, Latella is a master of negotiation, leadership and customer service.

He’s been called a multi-faceted top-level executive who knows his value in a business relationship.

Latella’s resume includes former Chief of Senior Crime Unit for the Macomb Senior Crime Unit, former CEO of Garden Fresh Gourmet and current business consultant and angel investor.

Latella is now the president of McClure’s, a specialty manufacturer of artisan pickled products and bloody mary mixes located in Detroit, Mich.

CO-HOST Tony Willis is a professional resource charter and economic gardener. Over the past five years Tony has been deeply involved with economic development; specifically, when it comes to developing an entrepreneurial ecosystem for the Greater Lansing Region to foster increased company formation, seed and VC investment, resources to enhance connections between entrepreneurial support organizations, and a culture where people and ideas can move rapidly to the market.

Tony is currently the Director of New Economy at the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) and President of Lansing PROTO, the regions first startup accelerator program.

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