Encore February 2026

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From the Editor

February is a funny month. It's really the height of winter here in Southwest Michigan, but its arrival tells us we're rounding the corner to spring. So, in keeping with that sunny outlook, this month's issue features stories that look forward to warmer days.

Our cover story is about the phenomenon that is pickleball. Encore explored pickleball's emergence as a sport in the area in its January 2018 issue (also as a cover story), but this time writer Robert M. Weir takes a deep look at how this simple game with rules borrowed and blended from tennis, badminton and ping-pong has become a force beyond the court — from its economic impact on and growth in our area to its physical and mental health benefits to the way municipal governments are responding to its surging popularity.

In this month's Back Story profile, we touch on another sport that brings to mind spring: baseball. Jordan Bradley interviewed Shaun Willis, a principal in Willis Law, who discusses his firm's evolution into sports agency, representing professional baseball players and coaches.

Another firm that is investing in human capital, as well as businesses, is Sleeping Giant Capital, the focus of our Enterprise feature. Started with the intent of fostering the succession of local family businesses, Sleeping Giant not only invests money into these entities but provides training and empowerment of future CEOs to run them. Sleeping Giant's efforts are ensuring that these businesses don't disappear from our community.

As for things that have disappeared, we get a look back from historian Lynn Houghton at schools that have come and gone from our community. Her glimpses into the past are always enlightening and provide appreciation for how Kalamazoo has evolved over the years.

So, as the snow flies outside, read this month's issue and think spring.

Katie Houston Jordan Bradley

If Encore readers are anything like Jordan, they had no idea there was a sports agency with Southwest Michigan roots. Jordan spoke with Shaun Willis, of Willis Law and Willis Sports Agents, for this month's Back Story profile. “Kalamazoo always seems to find a way to surprise me,” Jordan says, “and Shaun’s journey from pursuing a career as a commercial pilot to a jack-of-all-trades attorney is definitely one example.” Jordan is an intern-turnedfreelance-contributor to Encore. When she’s not doing freelance work, you can find her on a walk with her dog or at a yoga studio.

Katie wrote this month's Enterprise story about Sleeping Giant Capital, a Kalamazoo firm committed to fostering succession planning and leadership for familyowned businesses. "The company’s place-based investment model seems to be a win-win-winwin proposition — for businesses, entrepreneurs, students and entire communities," Katie says. "It’s a unique but straightforward and logical approach.” Katie is a writer and communications consultant specializing in nonprofit marketing.

marie lee

Contributing Editor katie houston

Art Director alexis stubelt

Robert M. Weir

Robert, an avid pickleball player himself, authored this month's cover feature on pickleball's continued growth as a local and national cultural phenomenon. “I play pickleball. I love pickleball. It’s great exercise for my body and my mind. It improves my coordination and agility. And it’s fun," he says. "But the people are the main reason I play. I’ve connected with a group who have become friends on and off the court, and they are part of this issue’s article on pickleball. To write it, I met and interviewed more than a dozen folks who love this game and are advocates for it. I am grateful to all in our growing pickleball community who contributed to this article and have enriched my life.”

Photographers brian k. powers

Contributing Writers jordan bradley, katie houston, marie lee , robert m weir

Copy Editors

margaret deritter katie houston

Advertising Sales janis clark kimberly juwong

Distribution ron kilian robert zedeck

Office Coordinator

kelly burcroff

Proofreader hope smith

Encore Magazine is published 12 times yearly. Copyright 2026, Encore Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Editorial, circulation and advertising correspondence should be sent to:

www.encorekalamazoo.com 117 W. Cedar St. Suite A, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Telephone: (269) 383–4433

Email: Publisher@encorekalamazoo.com

The staff at Encore welcomes written comments from readers, and articles and poems for submission with no obligation to print or return them. To learn more about us or to comment, visit encorekalamazoo.com. Encore subscription rates: one year $36, two years $70. Current single issue and newsstand $4, $10 by mail. Back issues $6, $12 by mail. Advertising rates on request. Closing date for space is 28 days prior to publication date. Final date for print–ready copy is 21 days prior to publication date.

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by those interviewed and published here do not reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Encore Magazine or the official policies, owners or employees of Encore Publications

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First Things

Something Artsy

Two events for art lovers

February features weekend attractions for fans of hot glass and of hot deals on original art.

The Blue Heat Glass Art Gala & Auction will give glass lovers a chance to bid on glass art creations in live and silent auctions, watch glassblowing demonstrations, dine on hors d'oeuvres, sip cocktails and listen to live music.

This fundraiser for Glass Art Kalamazoo is set for 7–10 p.m. Feb. 21 at the organization's studio in Suite 100 of the Park Trades Center. Early-bird tickets, through Feb. 7, are $70. After that, tickets are $80. They can be purchased at glassartkalamazoo. org/event/blue-heat-2026.

The annual Garage Sale Art Fair, scheduled for 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Kalamazoo County Expo Center, features artists selling overstocks, seconds and supplies. If you're looking for good deals on original art, this is an event for you. Admission is $5, cash only. Find information at theguild.org/fair/ garagesaleartfair.

Something to Love

Many options for celebrating Valentine’s weekend

Something Jazzy Wynton Marsalis returns to Kalamazoo

A regular guest artist in Kalamazoo, Wynton Marsalis returns on Feb. 1 for a performance with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

This big-band evening is set for 7 p.m. at Chenery Auditorium, which was built in 1924, during America’s Jazz Age.

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra tours the world with a vast repertoire, playing works by legends such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie and Benny Goodman and new music by the group’s own composers and arrangers.

Tickets for the local concert are $25 to $65 and available at jazz.org/the-orchestra/jlco-on-tour.

Something Moving Enjoy and support dance students

Western Michigan University dance students will perform works by WMU Dance Department faculty member and guest choreographer Peter Chu at their annual Winter Gala Dance Concert

The performances are set for 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 and 14 and 2 p.m. Feb. 14 and 15 at WMU's Gilmore Theatre Complex. Tickets are $22, or $19 for seniors and $7 for students, and are available at wmich.edu/dance/events/winter-gala-2025.

At 6 p.m. Feb. 14, you can support the students at a Toast for the Talent fundraiser put on by WMU's Partners in Dance. Information on giving levels and tickets is available at wmich.edu/dance/partners.

Also in February will be a student-produced concert by the student organization Ebony Vision, showcasing choreography and dance by students of color. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Feb 27 and 28 and 2 p.m. Feb. 28 and March 1 in Dance Studio B of the Dalton Center. Tickets are $15, or $7 for students, and available at wmich. edu/dance/events/ebony-vision.

Valentine’s Day is on a Saturday this year, which means you and yours can celebrate all weekend with everyone you love, or at least those you like a lot. There are plenty of local events to choose from.

Downtown’s Crawlspace Comedy Theatre, now with bar service, will stage a Galentine’s Day Improv Comedy Show on Feb. 13, followed by We Need a Hero: An Improvised Valentine’s Adventure on Feb. 14. Both shows are at 7:30 p.m. at Crawlspace, 315 W. Michigan Ave. Tickets are $2 to $15 and available at the door or crawlspacecomedy. com.

The Kalamazoo Mall will sport chainsaws and other tools for Ice in the Zoo, with displays and demonstrations of the wintry art of ice sculpture, from noon to 4 p.m. Feb. 14. More information is available at tinyurl.com/iceinzoo.

You can sing and skate your heart out at the Millennium Park Ice Rink’s Valentine’s Day Skate, which will feature love songs and ballads to guide your glides. This all-ages event is set for 5–8 p.m. Feb. 14.

The Chinese American Association of Greater Kalamazoo celebrates culture and love with a Feb. 14 gala called Love Meets Tradition: The Lunar New Year & Valentine’s Day Celebration. It's planned for 6 p.m. at Chenery Auditorium, and there will be special gift boxes for attendees. Tickets are $16 to $52 and available at Pacific Rim Foods, 229 W. Kilgore Road, or at cagk.org.

Music lovers can shake off the midwinter blues at a Winter Blues Series concert on Feb. 15 at Shakespeare's Pub. Chris Canas plays from 2-4 p.m., followed by Detroit Blu from 4-6 p.m. A donation of $8 is suggested.

Something Historical Black history lessons available this month

There’s plenty to learn about the essential contributions of Black Americans every month of the year, but this month there are many local events highlighting Black history.

You can enjoy the poetry and storytelling of Tasleem Jamila Firdausee, author of From Mississippi Clay to African Skies, at 6 p.m. Feb. 2 at the Eastwood Branch of the Kalamazoo Public Library.

Sewing cryptic messages into the fabric of handmade quilts was a creative way of communicating during the Underground Railroad era. You can learn more about this at The Hidden Messages in Quilts, set for 6 p.m. Feb. 4 at Portage District Library. Registration is required by calling 329-4544 or visiting portagelibrary.info.

Author Candacy Taylor will discuss her nonfiction work about traveling while Black, Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America, at 6 p.m. Feb. 6 at the Air Zoo.

The Kalamazoo Abraham Lincoln Institute's annual Lincoln Day event will feature Jonathan White, author of Unlikely Collaborators: Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, and the Promise of America. The event, which includes a silent auction and dessert, runs from 6–8 p.m. Feb. 7 at The Desenberg, 251 E. Michigan Ave., Suite 108. Admission is free, but registration is required at kalamazoolincolninstitute.org.

Maurice Imhoff discusses his book The1st Michigan Colored Regiment: Free Men Who Fought Slavery at 6 p.m. Feb. 9 at the Eastwood Branch of the Kalamazoo Public Library.

Finally, David Anthony Taylor shares his experiences preserving African American history and genealogy in a presentation titled The Black Pearls of Genealogy at 6 p.m. Feb. 12 at Comstock Township Library.

Something Outdoorsy Enjoy Michigan’s chilly season

Don’t let the weather keep you indoors this month — there are birds to watch, hikes to take (even after dark!) and, to really keep you warm, three running events.

The Kalamazoo Nature Center hosts a Winter Adaptation Walk at 2 p.m. Feb. 7 and a Discover KNC Guided Hike on the Prairie Pathway trail at 2 p.m. Feb. 28. Registration for each event is required by calling 381-1574 or visiting naturecenter.org.

The Kellogg Bird Sanctuary invites you to celebrate winter birding on a free guided bird hike at 11 a.m. Feb. 14 and to help collect data as you count birds for science at the Great Backyard Bird Count from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Feb. 15. For more information, go to birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu.

Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery hosts two events on Feb. 7: a free Beginning Birding Walk at 9 a.m. and an evening one-mile Lantern Lit Walk at 6 p.m., followed by hot cocoa and a bonfire. More information is at michigan.gov/dnr/places/v-centers/wolf-lake.

The Portage Winter Blast Half Marathon, 10K and 5K events let you warm up through your own exertion. The events begin at 8 a.m. Feb. 22 at Loy Norrix High School. Register at tinyurl.com/winterblastrun.

Tasleem Jamila Firdausee

Five Faves Kalamazoo-area schools that have come and gone

BY LYNN HOUGHTON

Often called “the education city” today, Kalamazoo has created learning spaces in our community almost since the village of Bronson was founded in 1831 — renamed Kalamazoo in 1836. Since then, there have been schools small and large housed in everything from simple one-room wooden buildings to multi-story brick structures seen for miles. Many still stand, but for those that closed, their histories exist now in documents and photographs. Here are five of my favorite former schools.

The Kalamazoo Branch

By the time Michigan became a state in 1837, plans for a statewide education system were in place, which included establishing branches that would prepare male students for the University of Michigan, train teachers, provide agricultural education for farmers and education for women. Eight communities were chosen for these branches, including Kalamazoo, which opened a school in 1838 in this wooden building on the east side of what is now Bronson Park. Eventually the state withdrew support for the branches, and the local school merged with the Kalamazoo Literary Institute, which had opened as the Michigan and Huron Institute in 1833. Renamed Kalamazoo College in 1855, the building continued to be used until 1856, when it was moved to another site and continued to serve as a school.

Gregory’s College

Due to the growth of industry during the early 19th century, commercial colleges opened in the United States to meet the demand for trained office workers. Uriah Gregory opened his first school in Michigan in 1850. Eight years later a large group of Kalamazoo businessmen encouraged him to come to the village, which he did, opening Gregory’s College. The college offered classes on bookkeeping, commercial law, calculations and penmanship. This Italianate structure, which was located on what is now West Michigan Avenue east of Michikal Street, housed the college beginning in 1860. It is not known how long this institution operated. Gregory left a few years later to open another school in Jackson. The college he started was the first but not the last business college in the community.

Michigan Female Seminary

In 1857 the Kalamazoo Gazette published an announcement that the village would be the location of the Michigan Female Seminary, to be established by the Presbyterian Synod of Michigan, offering a private secondary education for girls ages 15 and above. Chosen for the brick structure were 32 acres on the east side of the Kalamazoo River, atop a hill south of Gull Road and east of Riverview Drive. The school opened in 1867 with 54 students. Along with classes, the girls had domestic duties and regular exercise. Closing in 1907 due to low enrollment, the building remained until the mid-1930s, when it was sold to St. Mary Roman Catholic Church, which took down the structure and used the materials to build its first church on the same site, completed in 1938.

Barbour Hall

Arriving in 1889, the Sisters of St. Joseph came to take charge of the newly created Borgess Hospital. Eight years later, they opened an elementary boarding school for girls called Nazareth Academy along Gull Road, in northeastern Kalamazoo on the future site of Nazareth College. Soon after, in 1902, they opened a similar boarding school for boys ages 6 to 12, called Barbour Hall after the mother of a principal donor. The original two-story brick structure gained two additions over the years. By the 1940s, it was a junior military academy with uniforms, drills and arms. Enrollment declined, and the school closed in 1979, with the building coming down in 1980.

Fresh Air School

Health concerns about students led many school districts, including Kalamazoo, to open a “fresh air school” for individuals with symptoms of tuberculosis, a highly contagious and sometimes deadly disease. The school opened in 1913 in a house on East Lovell Street, later moving to this house on Pine Street. Fifteen children attended, receiving instruction, food, and monitoring by a nurse. The local Anti-Tuberculosis Society provided food and clothing while what would become the Kalamazoo Public Schools handled the curriculum. The school's windows were open no matter the season, with students wearing heavy clothing in cold weather. The school remained in operation until the mid-1920s, when Harding Elementary School opened on the site. Pretty Lake Camp, established in 1916 in Mattawan, was also a result of the Fresh Air Movement.

About the Author

Lynn Houghton is the regional history curator at the Western Michigan University Archives and Regional History Collections, located in the Zhang Legacy Collections Center. There, she works with researchers and students of all ages. She is the co-author of Kalamazoo Lost & Found, a book on Kalamazoo history and architecture, and has written a number of Five Faves features for Encore. She also participated in the PBS series 10 That Changed America, about the history of architecture and urban planning, and has led a series of walking tours in Kalamazoo and other parts of Kalamazoo County. She has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in history from WMU and a master’s in library and information science from Wayne State University.

Keeping Businesses Locally Owned Sleeping Giant Capital supports succession, entrepreneurs

BY KATIE HOUSTON

It’s an investment company. It’s a learning lab. It’s an executive training incubator.

Kalamazoo’s Sleeping Giant Capital weaves all those things together to preserve local ownership of family businesses and the employees and communities they benefit. It does so through a public-private partnership with Western Michigan University’s Haworth College of Business.

According to Bridge Michigan, more than half of Michigan business owners are 55 or older. Fifty percent of those owners are local employers and taxpayers operating without a succession plan. That situation can mean getting bought by private equity firms, which can move decisions and profits out of the region, taking with them civic involvement and philanthropy.

“This is a once-in-a-century event that will impact places for decades to come. It's sometimes referred to as the ‘silver tsunami,’ but it really should be called a ‘silver tide,’ because we know it’s coming. It’s predictable,” says Doug Lepisto, who, with Derrick McIver, cofounded Sleeping Giant Capital in 2021.

Both men also share the helm at the Center for Principled Leadership at the Haworth College of Business, where they integrate student learning and executive education to work on projects for the firm's portfolio companies.

'For the long term'

“We're buying companies in West Michigan and holding them for the long term. We’re identifying, training and backing aspiring owner-

Below: Sleeping Giant Capital co-founder Doug Lepisto and Kelly Conway, CEO of Rep-Lite and Pondera Advisors.

operators from our region to be CEOs of those businesses,” says Lepisto. “This ensures businesses remain anchored in the community rather than being flipped and moved by private equity. It’s pretty attractive to families to sell to people who will take care of employees and maintain the business's local presence.”

Sleeping Giant has supported five CEOs and acquired six businesses that employ roughly 300 employees and represent holdings of nearly $100 million. By connecting private investment capital, aspiring owner-operators and student talent, the model creates financial returns for investors, new pathways for entrepreneurship, and immersive experiential learning for students. Businesses needing succession plans, aspiring CEOs, place-based capital and a university are ingredients that can be found in many places, but Sleeping Giant’s pioneering approach has proven to be a model that capitalizes on unique intersections in Southwest Michigan.

One success story is Portland Products, acquired by Sleeping Giant Capital in 2024 and now run by West Michigan residents Ben Greve and Rick Slater, who worked through Sleeping Giant for training and financial backing. Founded in 1947, the mechanical assemblies manufacturer was the site Sleeping Giant chose to announce a new investment fund in September. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer attended the announcement event and praised the place-based investing model.

“Innovative businesses, committed educators, hard-working students, bold entrepreneurs ... this really tells the story of what’s possible when we work together, when we put the best ideas on the table and all throw our backs behind making them a reality,” Whitmer said.

Cultivating CEOs

One rising CEO who’s throwing her whole self into this effort is Kelly Conway, who, after working in corporate America for 30 years, discovered Sleeping Giant Capital and a new direction for her career.

Get ready to discover a world of creativity, curiosity, and new ideas as you connect with local artists and community at Art Hop 2026!

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Left to right: WMU President Russ Kavalhuna; WMU business student Frank Hummel; Dr. Doug Lepisto, Sleeping Giant Capital Co-Founder; Rick Slater, Portland Products co-CEO and President of Sales; Gov. Gretchen Whitmer; Ben Greve, Portland Products co-CEO and President of Operations; and Ellen Worobec, WMU business student. (Courtesy photo).

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer walks with Dr. Doug Lepisto during a visit to Portland Products. (Courtesy photo).

“I was looking for a new post as a chief human resources officer, but I realized I was more excited to talk about building and growing something,” she says. “I went from making seven figures to no figures overnight.”

Conway started her adventure in 2024 after joining Sleeping Giant as a “CEO in residence” to figure out her path forward.

“I wanted to buy a mid-cap human capital consulting firm but found out there was no such firm to buy. So I decided to purchase three firms and put them together in a new platform. I have two, and I'm looking for a third acquisition that will complete this for me. I feel like I have the peanut butter and the jelly, but I still need the bread.”

Conway’s budding human-capital advisory platform now includes Rep-Lite, which sources contract medical talent, and Pondera Advisors, a training and coaching company. The latter was not for sale when she approached the owner, who sold it to her at a lower price “because they wanted it to go to

somebody they knew and to a long-term hold fund,” she says. The company attracted her in part because of its proprietary personality assessment tool.

“It’s called the Pondera Virtual Advisor, and when I saw it, I thought it was a game changer. I would say Myers-Briggs (the popular personality typing tool) is like a Honda, and this is a Porsche,” she says. Conway spends two to three days per week at her Grand Rapids office and two at the Sleeping Giant office in downtown Kalamazoo.

“I make sure at least one of those days (at Sleeping Giant) is when the students are here,” she says, adding that she hired one student last summer as an intern and plans to hire another this year. Principled leadership

Lepisto says that Conway is just the kind of leader he and McIver were seeking.

“We want to work with people of high character," he says. "That means integrity, transparency, commitment, selflessness, someone with great energy to lift up others,

the person who makes the right call when there's a difficult decision to be made. Kelly is somebody who exemplifies all of that. She is very honest and self-aware, and because of that, she builds a lot of trust.”

The idea of principled leadership also underlies Lepisto's and McIver’s work for WMU — their teaching in the classroom and at Sleeping Giant Capital. Most of their students are working on a bachelor’s degree in leadership and business strategy.

“They spend half the semester on campus and half the semester here at Sleeping Giant working on a portfolio company as an analyst,” says Lepisto. “They work on researching growth opportunities, exploring new markets or geographies or business models. As that portfolio grows, we hope that that program becomes a talent pipeline into those companies.”

The typical candidate for Sleeping Giant’s CEO incubator is an experienced, mid-career manager with an entrepreneurial spirit who may be tiring of working within a large corporate structure, says Lepisto. One way to explore such an interest would be Sleeping Giant’s Acquire program, an eightweek program of one-on-one meetings with McIver that has led to several CEOs coming into the company’s fold. Tuition is $5,000. Roughly 50 individuals have been through the program, including MBA students from

The company plans to pursue at least two acquisitions per year, 80 percent of them in West Michigan — the place closest to the heart of Sleeping Giant’s principals and CEO

“Southwest Michigan is fabulous. I love it,” Conway says. “I would not raise my family anywhere else.”

This story is part of the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative’s coverage of equitable community development. The SWMJC is a group of 12 regional organizations dedicated to strengthening local journalism. To learn more, visit swmichjournalism.com.

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2024 Gilmore Artist - Alexandre Kantorow

BY ROBERT M. WEIR

From humble beginnings in 1965 as a backyard game for children on Bainbridge Island, Washington, pickleball has become the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. and other countries. The number of dedicated pickleball courts in the U.S. is expected to exceed 20,000 this year, as pickleball stripes are being added to tennis and basketball courts across the country.

An estimated 20 million Americans will play pickleball this year, about double the number from 2022. Once a niche sport for retirees, the average age of a pickleballer is 35 and dropping, an indication of the sport’s growing appeal to younger players.

Fans of the sport attribute its popularity to multiple factors — its physicality, its accessibility and affordability, and the camaraderie and community it creates.

“Pickleball is my priority, and it goes on my calendar first," says Carole Maijka, 78, of Portage, who plays roughly five hours per week at the Portage location of the YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo. "The mental and physical challenge is incredibly fun, and the games move so quickly. I love how friendly the pickleball community is and find the social aspect of playing as important to me as the physical game. I have a whole new circle of wonderful friends who I can't wait to see each week.”

More places to play

The Kalamazoo area has been swept up in the pickleball trend, as local municipalities and commercial enterprises add more and more courts. Currently, the region has 66 outdoor courts and 62 indoor courts, with 39 of those in commercial establishments.

In 2005, the Portage Y became the area's first place for pickleball when it painted lines on its three basketball courts, creating seven pickleball courts. “We have a pool, a fitness room, a cardio room, a free-weight room and basketball, and now we have pickleball and pickleball instruction,” says Don Seibert, the Portage Y’s director of youth sports and family programs.

In 2019, the Courthouse Athletic Center of Kalamazoo, at 7365 S. Sprinkle Road, heeded the call for more places to play pickleball.

“We striped one court, then two, then four in an area also used for basketball and volleyball,” says Project Manager Ed Person.

The Pickle House in Richland, a member-supported private club, became the area’s first permanent indoor facility devoted exclusively to pickleball in 2016.

"Except for air conditioning and a ball machine, we don’t have any amenities," says member Karon Jackson.

A Growing Force

Beyond the Court

Pickleball is a platform for fun, fitness and friendship

Martin Robbins and BrieLynn Sturm take the court at the Friendly Pickle.

"We just play. I mean, this place is meant for pickleball. That’s the point. I don’t know any place like it.”

The number of commercial courts has also grown. Last year saw two new facilities open: Friendly Pickle, on West D Avenue, and the Latitude 42 Pickleball Complex at West Hills Athletic Club in Oshtemo Township. The former offers eight indoor courts and four outdoor courts, and the latter 13 indoor courts and one outdoor court.

Robyn and Keith Goodrich are the franchisees of PickleRage, soon to open in the former D&W grocery store on Romence Road in Portage. They are bringing 10 new courts to a building that sat empty for nearly seven years. Of its 46,000 square feet, 38,000 will house the courts, with the remaining used for locker rooms and skill drilling areas with room for complementary businesses like massage services or a smoothie bar.

"Michigan is a hotbed for pickleball,” says Robyn, and she’s right. With more than 40,000 active players, Michigan ranks seventh in the country for states where the game is most popular, with the metropolitan areas of Grand Rapids, Metro Detroit, Kalamazoo/ Portage and Troy/Ann Arbor being the hot spots.

Top, from left: BrieLynn Sturm, Karon Jackson, Andrew Mitchell and Martin Robbins relax after a game. Below left: A foursome enjoys a game at West Hills Athletic Club. Below right: A court at Pickle House, which was the area's first indoor facility exclusively for pickleball.

Ruth and Michael Stoddard — she the owner of Latitude 42 Brewing Company and he a former partner in BASIC, a human resources outsourcing company — are principal sponsors of the Latitude 42 Pickleball Complex at West Hills Athletic Club. Prior to its opening, pickleball players at West Hills played on tennis courts painted with extra pickleball stripes.

“We were battling it out with tennis," says Greg Cowles, head pickleball professional there, "but now we have room to grow and do pickleball programs, tournaments and corporate events. We can put 54 people on courts and not have wait lists.”

West Hills General Manager Betsy Sell adds that the new facility allows for expansion of pickleball at the collegiate and professional level. “For years we have hosted the men’s and women’s tennis teams at Western Michigan University. Everything in our pickleball complex was designed to accommodate our goal of collegiate play and professional tournaments,” she says. Expanding outdoor courts

The city of Portage jumped on the pickleball bandwagon in 2017 by building its first outdoor courts at Lakeview Park, then added courts at Lexington Green Park in 2018. The city has since built 12 courts at Ramona Park, enough to host tournaments, and incorporated two indoor courts into a multipurpose room at the Portage Zhang Senior Center. Tennis courts at Haverhill, Lakeview and Oakland Drive parks have been painted with pickleball lines to encourage play.

In 2017, the city of Kalamazoo transformed a tennis court at Frays Park in the Westwood neighborhood into two pickleball courts. “The game immediately took off. The residents loved it," says Patrick McVerry, Kalamazoo's director of parks and recreation.

Since then, the city has converted a tennis court in Crane Park into two pickleball courts and added a pickleball court at the Henderson Tot Lot and this year plans to convert tennis courts at Spring Valley Park into eight pickleball courts and possibly convert one court in La Crone Park. Twenty courts have been constructed or converted from tennis courts in Parchment and the townships of Kalamazoo, Oshtemo, Richland and Texas.

Why people love the sport

Pickleball is played by two or four people on a court roughly half the size of a tennis court. The net is just 34 inches tall, and a pickleball is lightweight and perforated, like a wiffle ball. A pair of paddles and a couple of balls can be had for $20 or less.

“Pickleball is a great game because anybody can pick it up and play at any stage of life,” says Ben Ipema, who opened Friendly Pickle. Children as young as 6 and a 92-yearold man have played at the facility, he says.

“Pickleball is a great equalizer," agrees Kristy Visser, Friendly Pickle's general manager. "It crosses age, gender and economic boundaries. Being athletic does help, but that’s not the only aspect. As long as you can get to the ball, you have an opportunity to get the ball over the net, and then it’s up to the opponents to return the ball and try to defeat you.”

Visser tells of a mom who brought her son and his friend, ages 10 and 12, to Friendly Pickle and how they “joined right in with the adults” and of grandparents on the court

with their grandchildren. “It’s wonderful to be able to bring those generations together,” she says.

The camaraderie engendered by the sport has led commercial facilities to offer corporate team building. When playing pickleball, “you no longer have the bossand-worker kind of relationship," says Ipema. "You’re peers when you’re on the court. And that’s a great way to get to know each other on a personal level.”

Mark Anderson, 66, of Scotts, gave up golf for pickleball after retiring in 2021. "The community is very welcoming and helpful to newbies,” says Anderson. “At most courts you can drop in to put your paddle in a rack and get in line. You play with strangers as courts finish their game, so you can go by yourself. It is the perfect level of exercise for most people, and much less expensive than golf. Pickleball is by far the most social sport I have ever played and the perfect sport for couples to do together.”

Sometimes the sense of community created by pickleball extends off the court.

Seibert, of the Portage Y, taught a class of retirees, after which they invited him and his wife over to their house for drinks and food. “Then they said to me, ‘Don’t you have a pool?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ And they said, ‘We should come to your house.’ So, a week later, they came to our house, and we had a good time.”

Cowles, the West Hills professional, tells how pickleball can be therapeutic.

"I have sat courtside and listened to people with so many different issues, from loved ones passing away to dealing with sicknesses

and injuries,” he says, including a good friend who lost her husband.

"She said, ‘I can’t come back. It’s not that I don’t want to play pickleball, but I don’t want to come back to see all you guys. All we’re going to do is cry.’ I said, ‘Just let me know when you’re ready and we will take care of this.’ One day she walks in. She’s in her street clothes. She’s not there to play. She’s there to get all the emotion over with. And today she’s just back to being herself and playing pickleball like crazy.”

My Pickleball Tribe

I was fortunate to walk onto the pickleball courts at the Portage YMCA on the right day and at the right time in 2022 to be welcomed by a group of friendly folks known as Lakeview Pickleball. In the summer we play at Lakeview Park in Portage.

Our core group of about 30 are mostly of retirement age, although there’s a younger single mom and a young man, a student at Portage Middle School, who join us at Lakeview, where we can sometimes overpopulate the four courts. When waiting to get in a game, we sit in the shade of an ancient maple to tell stories and share news. We communicate on the TeamReach app, and we look out for each other. We have

prayed for and supported those with health issues. One woman is a talented artist who makes get-well cards, and we all sign them with a note of encouragement. We have celebrated one woman’s cancer cure and mourned the passing of another. The women in our tribe made quilts for them that many of us signed.

Once a month, those who are available gather for a midday meal at a local restaurant. The table may hold just eight, but we always make room for whoever comes. It is often said that pickleball brings people together both on and off the court. The Lakeview Pickleball tribe proves that this is true.

– Robert M. Weir

Lori Hannemann, Michael Brundage, CFP® & Michelle Eldridge,

Pickleball also has obvious physical benefits. “You play pickleball on a smaller court, but you’re still getting a lot of movement. It’s still good cardio,” says Siebert, of the Portage Y.

The sport is also playable by those with disabilities. People have learned to play — and even serve — with one arm. For the visually impaired, pickleballs are available with a jingling bell inside. Taylor Nichols, a national champion wheelchair pickleball player, attended Friendly Pickle's grand opening and played with people not in wheelchairs.

Economic impact

What’s good for pickleball players is also good for the economy. Friendly Pickle's Ipema has invested more than $3.5 million to purchase 5.4 acres of land and construct his 24,000-square-foot facility. The Goodriches are paying $1.3 million to revamp their PickleRage space, which they rent from the Kalamazoo-based PlazaCorp real estate development company.

Pickleball tournaments also bring dollars to the community. When the Latitude 42 Pickleball Complex hosted the Zoo City Smash in November, 258 players participated, many of whom dined in local restaurants and stayed in area hotels. The 2026 Pickleball

Fever in the Zoo, set for May 1–3, is expected to draw 300 players to the same venue. The future of pickleball

Projections for pickleball look like the upward arc of a high lob. Forty million Americans are expected to be playing the game by 2030, according to Steve Kuhn, founder of Major League Pickleball. The National Collegiate Athletic Association will recognize pickleball as a varsity sport when at least 40 colleges or universities sponsor the sport. Currently, more than 125 have club teams.

Pickleball could become an Olympic sport by 2032 if the number of players around the globe increases to minimum requirements and if rules are standardized. Hybrid entertainment and social clubs combining pickleball with food and spirits can already be found in Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids.

This forecast resonates with the Portage Y’s Seibert, who gives this advice to those who haven’t yet tried pickleball: “Play. Just go out and play the game. Have fun. Enjoy it.”

Opposite page, top: Karon Jackson and Andrew Mitchell return a lob. Bottom: The pickleball group the author belongs to has spawned friendships off the court. Above: Jackson and Mitchell tap paddles at the end of a game with Martin Robbins and BrieLynn Sturm.

TheArts

WMU School of Music Concerts

Throughout the month

Various venues

From guest artists to student recitals, Western Michigan University Gilmore School of Music has a full roster of performances this month. Unless otherwise noted, the performances are at the Dalton Center Recital Hall, and tickets are $6 to $18.

• Brassology, brass ensemble, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4

• Student Composers II, studio recital, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5

• University Jazz Orchestra & University Jazz Lab Band, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12

• Choral Showcase, tenor & bass, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14

• WMU Symphony Orchestra, 7 p.m. Feb. 15, Miller Auditorium

• Western Winds, woodwind group, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17

• Carla Trynchuk, violinist, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19

• Jihye Chang, pianist, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20

• University Bands, Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band & Concert Band, 2 p.m. Feb. 22, Miller Auditorium.

• Double Reed Day, featuring Mass Ensemble, 4 p.m. Feb. 28

To purchase tickets, visit wmich.edu/music/events.

The Great American Songbook

Kalamazoo Concert Band

Feb. 28

Enjoy favorite standards from jazz, film, the Big Band Era and Broadway with guest vocalist Jennifer Roberts. Free, 7 p.m. at Chenery Auditorium. More at kalamazooconcertband.org.

Chico Pinheiro Jazz Quartet

Crawlspace Theatre

Feb. 26

Born and raised in Brazil, guitarist, composer and arranger Chico Pinheiro has released eight albums as a leader, appearing as a sideman on countless others. Grammy® Award-nominated twice, he has collaborated with artists including Herbie Hancock, Dave Grusin, Ron Carter, Placido Domingo, and Dianne Reeves. Joining him will be Matthew Fries (piano), Carlo De Rosa (bass), and Keith Hall (drums).

Showtimes are 7 and 9 p.m. at Crawlspace Theatre, 315 W. Michigan Ave. Tickets are $10–$25 at crawlspacecomedy.com.

• Sibelius & Dugan

• Mahler’s

ThirdSymphony

Feb. 7 & Feb. 21

Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra

The KSO performs at Miller Auditorium twice this month:

• Sibelius & Dugan , with the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra joining the KSO for Sibelius’ Second Symphony, and Peter Dugan (host of NPR’s From the Top), premiering a jazz-influenced piano concerto at 7 p.m. on Feb. 7.

• For the first time in 100 years, the KSO brings the monumental Mahler’s ThirdSymphony to Kalamazoo at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 21.

Featuring 200 artists performing six exhilarating movements, it’s been called one of the top ten symphonies of all time, perhaps because of its finale — filled with profound emotion, blazing brass, and orchestral grandeur. Joining the KSO will be WMU’s Grand Chorus, Kalamazoo Children’s Chorus, and featuring mezzosoprano Deborah Nansteel.

Tickets are $5–$68 and available at kalamazoosymphony.com.

Meg Okura Trio

Feb. 22

Fontana Chamber Arts

A Grammy® Award-nominated violinist and awardwinning composer, Meg Okura has been dubbed “the queen of chamber jazz” by All About Jazz, and lauded by The New York Times. Okura has performed and recorded with many jazz greats and has contributed, to over 100 projects, including film, TV, live videos, and albums with seven albums under her name.

Showtime is 7:30 p.m. at Dalton Center Recital Hall. Tickets are $5–$35 and available at fontanamusic.org.

Ganja&Hess

Feb. 12

Dormouse Theatre

A screening of the 1973 black horror film that follows the exploits of anthropologist Dr. Hess Green, who becomes a vampire after his assistant stabs him with a cursed dagger.

Showtime is 8 p.m., with a pre-show at 7 p.m. at 1030 Portage Street. Tickets start at $5. Find more info at dormousetheatre.com.

Trynchuk

TheArts

• TheSpongeBobMusical

• Dogfight

Feb. 6–March 1

Kalamazoo Civic Theatre

The Civic Youth Theatre’s Penguin Project returns to the Civic with The SpongeBob Musical, Youth Edition , building social interaction, communication skills, assertiveness, and self-esteem for youth with disabilities. “Penguins” perform on stage with mentors as support. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6 and 2 p.m. Feb. 7, 8, 14 & 15, at the Civic Auditorium, 329 S. Park St. Tickets are $15.

In Dogfight , a young soldier learns the power of compassion when he plays a cruel joke on an unsuspecting girl on the eve of the Vietnam War.

Show times 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20, 21, 27 and 28; and 2 p.m. Feb. 22 and March 1 in the Parish Theatre, 405 S. Lovell St. Tickets are $17–$32.

Tickets for both shows are available at kazoocivic.com or by calling 343-1313.

TheMostMassive WomanWins

Feb. 26–March 1

Kalamazoo College

A clinic waiting room is the setting as four women awaiting liposuction share their experiences with weight issues and body image. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26–28 and 2 p.m. March 1 in Kalamazoo College’s Balch Playhouse, 129 Thompson Street. Tickets are $6–$27 and available at festivalplayhouse.kzoo.edu.

PickleballRomance

Feb. 7

All Ears Theatre

Local writer Robert M. Weir’s all-audio tale about pickleball players who mesh on the court and off will be performed at 6 p.m. at Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition, 315 W. Michigan Ave. Admission is free.

TheArts

is published in partnership and funding provided by

VISUAL ARTS LITERATURE

FutureNow: VirtualSneakersto Cutting-EdgeKicks

Feb. 7–June 7

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

An exhibition featuring footwear designs that push the boundaries of what footwear can be opens this month. Designers include fashion icons Rick Owens, Stella McCartney and Yohji Yamamoto. Highlights include the self-lacing Nike MAG, 3D-printed shoes and sneakers made from mushroom leather and reclaimed ocean plastics. Find hours and admission cost at kiarts.org.

TheIllustrated Accordion

Feb. 6–March 20

Kalamazoo Book Arts Center

The annual non-juried exhibition in the Kalamazoo Book Arts Center Gallery, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., will feature emerging and established artists from around the world and their creations of accordion form books — long papers folded into pages that can read like a book or displayed like a banner.

A reception for the artisits will be held March 6 during Art Hop.

Continuing Exhibitions

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts:

Taekyeom Lee: Designed,Printed & Fired , through March 8.

Richmond Center for Visual Arts: Home — Frostic School of Art student exhibition, through Feb. 14.

Escape Artist — Works by printmaker Sarah Smelser, through Feb. 14.

Elizabeth Kerlikowski & Mary Hatch

Feb. 17

KVCC

The poet and visual artist discuss their joint project, Falling Women (2022), in this event that begins at 10 a.m. in the Kalamazoo Valley Community College Student Commons Theater on the college's Texas Township campus. For more information, visit kvcc.edu/visitingwriters

• Hali Williams Workshop • Ekphrastic Art Event

Feb.12 & 19 & Feb. 21

Kalamazoo Poetry Festival

The Festival has two opportunities this month for people to be creative. Poet, papermaker and printmaker Hali Williams, will focus on the roles these activities can play in processing emotions related to grief, loss, and intimacy. The workshop, titled Concomitant: Reflections on Grief and Loss Through Monoprinting and Poetry, will take place in two sessions at 6 p.m. Feb. 12 and Feb. 19 in the Kalamazoo Poetry Festival space at the Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition, 315 W. Michigan Ave.

With music, poetry readings and snacks, Ekphrastic Art Event: Beyond Resilience, to be held at Move with Joy, 1103 Portage St., on Feb. 21, will provide a creative space for participants to make their own visual artwork inspired by the festival's 2025–26 theme, "Beyond Resilience." Local artist Aerick Burton will guide and facilitate the event which runs from 1–4 p.m. For more information on these events, visit kalamazoopoetryfestival.com.

Kerlikowski Hatch

Kazoo Books

2413 Parkview Ave.

269.553.6506 • kazoobooks.com

Five levels of new and used books. Antique and rare section. Check out our 'blind dates' and watch for our events on our website. Please use the entrance from the back parking lot. We are bigger on the inside.

Genesis Fitness & Wellness

205.433.9377 • genesisfitwell.com

Let our certified in–home personal trainers help you reshape your approach to achieving fitness and function. There has never been a better time to exercise in the privacy and safety of your own home.

Liberty Square Furniture

8639 Portage Road, Portage

269.329.0434 •lsfhome.com

Make your own “Sweetheart” of a deal on all in-stock furniture!

Save 10% thru 2/28/26.

Mitten Running Co.

6290 S. Westnedge Ave., Portage

269.492.3544 • mittenrunningco.com

Whether you are a seasoned runner, dog walker or just looking for quality athletic shoes, Mitten Running Co. has you covered. We offer the best name brands in running footwear, apparel, accessories and nutrition. Stop in for your free digital foot scan and our fit experts will get you dialed in for your next excursion. Located next to V&A Bootery in Portage.

Elina Organics

4205 S. Westnedge Ave.

269.384.2170 • elinaorganics.com

National award–winning, handmade organic, clinical skin care products and services, made in Kalamazoo. Voted Best Facial of Chicago by Chicago Magazine and Best Facial for Glowing Skin by CS Magazine

St. Julian Winery & Distillery

716 S. Kalamazoo St., Paw Paw 269.657.5568 • stjulian.com

Discover the craft of a 100-year old Michigan staple! From our premium spirits to award-winning dry and sweet wines, you're pouring local fruit and family-owned legacy into every glass.

The Park Club

219 W. South St.

269.381.0876 • parkclub.net

Give your sweetheart a gift of membership to a comfortably elegant dining club with superior cuisine, attentive service and reciprocal benefits. Check out our Valentine's Day and other menus by visiting the website parkclub.net.

The Pantry on Tap

7634 S. Westnedge Ave., Portage 269.978.6641 • thepantryontap.com

Add some flavor to your life! The Pantry On Tap is a gourmet food & gift store featuring olive oils, vinegars, seasonings, dips and unique gifts. Bring out your inner chef! Located near our sister store, ChocolaTea.

THEATER Plays

Primary Trust — A 38-year-old adapts when his employer closes, through Feb. 1, Farmers Alley Theatre, 221 Farmers Alley, 343-2727, farmersalleytheatre.com.

The Coast Starlight — Train passengers help a young man with secrets, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30–Feb. 1, 6–7, 12–14; 2 p.m. Feb. 8 & 15, York Theatre, WMU, 387–6222, wmich.edu/theatre.

Clue: Live on Stage — Murder mystery based on the board game, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4 & 5, Miller Auditorium, millerauditorium.com.

The Most Massive Woman Wins — Four women facing liposuction explore their body image perceptions, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26–28, 2 p.m. March 1, Balch Playhouse, Kalamazoo College, festivalplayhouse.kzoo.edu.

Musicals

The SpongeBob Musical, Youth Edition — An adventure with SpongeBob & friends presented by The Civic Youth Theatre’s Penguin Project, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6; 2 p.m. Feb. 7, 8, 14 & 15, Civic Auditorium, 329 S. Park St., 343-1313, kazoocivic.com.

Dogfight — A young soldier learns the power of compassion, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20, 21, 27 & 28; 2 p.m. Feb. 22 & March 1, Parish Theatre, 405 S. Lovell St., 343-1313, kazoocivic.com.

Good Witch/Bad Witch: The Broadway Witches — Concert featuring former Wicked stars, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27, Miller Auditorium, millerauditorium.com.

Rent: In Concert — A vocal presentation of the play's iconic music, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28, Miller Auditorium, millerauditorium.com.

Other

Pickleball Romance — All-audio tale about pickleball players who mesh off the court, 6 p.m. Feb. 7, Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition, 315 W. Michigan Ave., allearstheatre.org.

DANCE

Winter Gala Dance Concert — Presented by WMU Department of Dance, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 & 14, 2 p.m. Feb. 14 & 15, Gilmore Theatre Complex, wmich.edu/ dance/events.

Swan Lake by International Ballet Stars — A fullscale production featuring Tchaikovsky’s score, 7 p.m. Feb. 14, Miller Auditorium, millerauditorium.com.

EbonyVisionStudentDanceConcert— Showcasing students of color, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27 & 28, 2 p.m. Feb. 28 & Mar. 1, Dance Studio B, Dalton Center, WMU, wmich. edu/dance/events.

MUSIC

Bands & Solo Artists

Live Music at Zero – Live music, 6–9 p.m. Wednesdays & Fridays, Zero: Non-Alcoholic Bar, 202 S. Kalamazoo Mall, welcometozero.com.

Gun Lake Casino Shows — Concerts in two venues: 131 Sportsbar: Louder Now, Feb. 6; Risque, Feb. 7; PS Dump Your Boyfriend, Feb. 13; Hairbangers Ball, Feb.

14; Sushi Roll, Feb. 20; Hello Weekend, Feb. 21; Project 90, Feb. 27; The Spazmatics, Feb. 28; Wawyé Oasis: Justin Holt, Feb. 7; The Insiders, Feb. 13; Kyle Ray, Feb. 20; all shows at 9 p.m., 1123 129th Ave., Wayland, gunlakecasino.com.

Shelagh&Robbie – Singers/songwriters perform free concert, 2 p.m. Feb. 8, Parchment Community Library, 401 S. Riverview Drive, parchmentlibrary.org.

Bell’s Eccentric Cafe Concerts — The Lone Bellow, 8 p.m. Feb. 19; S.A.D.R. w/Overly Polite Tornadoes, Vida Eterna, Discus, & Blood at Ease, 7 p.m. Feb. 28, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., 382-2332, bellsbeer.com. Orchestra, Chamber, Jazz, Vocal & More Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis — Big band jazz, 7 p.m. Feb. 1, Chenery Auditorium, 714 S. Westnedge Ave., jazz.org/the-orchestra/jlco-on-tour/.

Brassology — Brass ensemble, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4, Dalton Center Recital Hall; pre-concert talk, 7 p.m., wmich.edu/ music/events.

Student Composers II — Studio recital, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

Chant as Early Music: A Workshop — Presented by Early Music Michigan, 3 p.m. Feb. 7, First Congregational Church, 345 W. Michigan Ave., earlymusicmichigan.org.

Sibelius & Dugan — Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra performs with Kalamazoo Junior Symphony, 7 p.m. Feb. 7, Miller Auditorium, kalamazoosymphony.com.

GLAMA Acoustic Slow Jam — Play with Great Lakes Acoustic Music Association members, all acoustic stringed instruments welcome, 5:30–7 p.m. Feb. 10, Van Deusen Room, Central Library, kpl.gov/events.

University Jazz Orchestra & University Jazz Lab Band — 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

Choral Showcase — Tenor & bass, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

Winter Blues Series, Kalamazoo Valley Blues Association — Chris Canas, 2–4 p.m., Detroit Blu Band, 4–6 p.m., Feb. 15, Shakespeare’s, 241 E. Kalamazoo Ave., $8 suggested donation.

Winter Concert — Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra, KJSO’s Preparatory Concert String Orchestra & Oliver Mar, Stulberg Competition 2025 Bronze Medalist perform, 3 p.m. Feb. 15, Chenery Auditorium, kjso.org.

WMU Symphony Orchestra — 7 p.m. Feb. 15, Miller Auditorium, wmich.edu/music/events.

Western Winds — Woodwind group, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

Carla Trynchuk — Violinist, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

Kalamazoo College’s Jazz Band — 7 p.m. Feb. 20, Dalton Theatre, Kalamazoo College, music.kzoo.edu/ events.

Jihye Chang — Pianist, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/events.

Crescendo Academy of Music Student Recital — 2 p.m. Feb. 21, First Congregational Church, 345 W. Michigan Ave., crescendoacademy.com.

Mahler’s Third Symphony — Collaborative concert by KSO, WMU Grand Chorus, Kalamazoo Children’s Chorus & mezzo-soprano Deborah Nansteel, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21, Miller Auditorium, kalamazoosymphony.com.

University Bands — University Wind Symphony, University Symphonic Band & University Concert Band, 2 p.m. Feb. 22, Miller Auditorium, wmich.edu/music/ events.

Academy Street Winds Concert — 4 p.m. Feb. 22, Dalton Theatre, Kalamazoo College, music.kzoo.edu/ events.

Meg Okura Trio — Grammy Award-nominated violinist & composer, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22, Dalton Center Recital Hall, 382–7774, fontanamusic.org.

Carmina Burana: Reimagined — Choral works with The Westhuizen Duo, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25, Dalton Theatre, Kalamazoo College, kalamazoochoralarts.org.

Chico Pinheiro Jazz Quartet — Featuring the Brazilian guitarist & composer, 7 & 9 p.m. Feb. 26, Crawlspace Theatre, 315 W. Michigan Ave., crawlspacecomedy.com.

Double Reed Day — Featuring Mass Ensemble, 4 p.m. Feb. 28, Dalton Center Recital Hall, wmich.edu/music/ events.

TheGreatAmericanSongbook— Kalamazoo Concert Band performs with vocalist Jennifer Roberts, 7 p.m. Feb. 28, Chenery Auditorium, 714 S. Westnedge Ave., kalamazooconcertband.org.

COMEDY

Crawlspace Comedy Theatre — Improv performances: Crawlspace Eviction, Feb. 6 & 7; Date Night Live: Interactive, Improvised, Comedy Dating Competition, Feb. 12; Galentine’s Day Improv Comedy Show, Feb. 13; We Need a Hero: An Improvised Valentine’s Adventure, Feb. 14; What Sharp Teeth & Canned Champagne, Feb. 20; Stuart MacDonald Comedy Magic, Feb. 21; Oh Hey! & TBD Improv Trio, Feb. 27; Blunder Bus & Daddy’s Boys, Feb. 28; all shows begin at 7:30 p.m., Crawlspace Theatre, 315 W. Michigan Ave., crawlspacecomedy.com.

FILM

Ganja & Hess —Screening of the 1973 horror film, 8 p.m.; pre-show 7 p.m., Feb. 12, Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage St., dormousetheatre.com.

VISUAL ARTS

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts 314 S. Park St., 349-7775, kiarts.org

Exhibitions

Taekyeom Lee: Designed, Printed & Fired — 3D printing with traditional ceramic making, through March 8.

Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks — Futuristic footwear blending fashion, new materials & technology, Feb. 7–June 7.

Events

Art Bridges Access for All — Free admission on Thursdays, 11 a.m.–8 p.m.

Gallery Gathering — Works from Charles Henry Alston’s Untitled (Couple), 5:30 p.m. Feb. 5; registration encouraged.

Through a Lens Darkly — Screening of the 2014 documentary, 6 p.m. Feb. 5; registration encouraged. Members’ Preview: FutureNow:VirtualSneakersto Cutting Edge Kicks — Members preview to celebrate the exhibition opening, 5:30 p.m. Feb. 6; registration required.

ARTbreak — Programs about art and artists: The People Could Fly, a history of Louisville, Kentucky’s Black gathering spaces, Feb. 11; The Poetry of Shoes, selected works by local artists, Feb. 25; noon; registration encouraged.

Explore & Create Night — Creative activity inspired by Taekyeom: Designed, Printed & Fired, 6 p.m. Feb. 12.

Book Discussion — Nicholas Smith’s Kicks: The Great American Story of Sneakers, 2 p.m. Feb. 18, registration encouraged.

Improvisation as Discovery — Wellspring/Cori Terry & Dancers lead a lecture-demonstration, 6 p.m. Feb. 19; registration encouraged.

Nuestro Futuro — Free event celebrating Latinx art, culture & future with live performances, food & prizes, 6–8 p.m. Feb. 26.

Richmond Center for Visual Arts Western Michigan University, 387-2436, wmich.edu/art

Home — Frostic School of Art student exhibition, through Feb. 14, Albertine Monroe-Brown Gallery.

Escape Artist — Works by printmaker Sarah Smelser, through Feb. 14, Netzorg-Kerr Gallery.

Other Venues

The Illustrated Accordion — Accordion-style books by emerging & established artists, Feb. 6–March 20, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A, 373-4938, kalbookarts.org.

LIBRARY & LITERARY EVENTS

Comstock Township Library 6130 King Highway, 345-0136, comstocklibrary.org

CTL Writers — Group writing discussion, 10 a.m. Feb. 6, 20 & 27.

Take Your Child to the Library Day — Free, fun activities for the whole family, 1–3 p.m. Feb. 7.

Ask an Attorney: Social Security — Legal answers on the basics of filing & dealing with Social Security, 5:30–7:30 p.m. Feb. 9.

Pride Book Club — Discuss Pidgeon Pagonis’ Nobody Needs to Know, 6 p.m. Feb. 11, registration required.

Journaling Club — For adults & teens, 11 a.m. Feb. 12; registration required.

The Black Pearls of Genealogy — David Anthony Taylor shares his experiences preserving African American history & genealogy, 6 p.m. Feb. 12.

Adulting 101: Meal Planning and Prep — For young adults or those wanting a refresher, 6 p.m. Feb. 25; registration required.

Euchre Tournament — Play euchre, 5:30–7:30 p.m. Feb. 25; registration required.

Shelf Assured Book Club: Black Authors — Choose a book to share, 5:30 p.m. Feb. 26; registration required.

Kalamazoo Public Library 553-7800, kpl.gov

KPL Tech Mondays — Help with computer-related issues, 3–5:30 p.m. Feb. 2, 9, 16 & 23, Alma Powell Branch, 308 W. North St.

Tasleem Jamila Firdausee — Poetry & storytelling by the author of From Mississippi Clay to African Skies, 6 p.m. Feb. 2, Eastwood Branch, 1112 Gayle Ave.

Kalamazoo Writers — Gathering for literary writers, 4 p.m. Feb. 3, Central Library, 315 S. Rose St.

No Shelf Control: A Graphic Novel Book Club — Discuss Gene Luen Yang’s Lunar New Year Love Story, 6 p.m. Feb. 3, Boardroom, Central Library.

Southwest Journalism Collaborative: What We’ve Learned About Housing — Local journalists share facts & data on the area’s housing issues, 6 p.m. Feb. 5, Central Library; registration required.

Brewin’ for a Buck: Making Quality Coffee on a Budget — Comparisons of coffees purchased at grocery stores, 11 a.m. Feb. 6, Oshtemo Branch, 7265 W. Main St. Yoga with Joy — Stretches for all ages, mats provided, 11 a.m. Feb. 6 & 20, Northside Association for Community Development, 612 N. Park St.

Albert White Bust Unveiling — In celebration of Black History Month, 4 p.m. Feb. 6, Boardroom, Central Library.

The History of the 102nd United States Colored Troops — Maurice Imhoff discusses his book, The 1st Michigan Colored Regiment: Free Men Who Fought Slavery, 6 p.m. Feb. 9, Eastwood Branch.

Page Turners Book Club — Discuss Hanif Abdurraqib’s There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 9, Oshtemo Branch.

Euchre, Anyone? — For all skill levels, 5 p.m. Feb. 12, Eastwood Branch.

Breathwork with Apral — Deep breathing exercises, 10:30 a.m. Feb. 14, Eastwood Branch.

Chinese Lunar New Year Celebration — Observing the year of the Fire Horse with WMU’s Haenicke Institute’s Asian Initiatives, 11 a.m. Feb. 14, Washington Square Branch, 1244 Portage St.

Music & Memories — Music to engage older adults & those with memory loss, 11 a.m. Feb. 16, Oshtemo Branch.

Romance Roundtable — Discuss Ali Hazelwood’s Bride, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 16, Central Library.

E-File Your Taxes with Guidance — Learn to use a free filing program with IRS volunteers, 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Feb. 17, Alma Powell Branch; 2–4 p.m. Feb. 17 & 23, Central Library; registration required.

Hygge Hangout — Activities to create coziness, contentment & well-being, 10 a.m. Feb. 18, Central Library.

#D Word Book Club — Discuss Alice Wong’s Disability Intimacy, 6 p.m. Feb. 18, Central Library.

Classics Revisited — Discuss James Baldwin’s Notes of a Native Son, 2:30 p.m. Feb. 19, Central Library.

Yoga with Apral — 5:30 p.m. Feb. 23, Eastwood Branch.

Dungeons & Dragons Game Night — Beginner to experienced levels, 5:30 p.m. Feb. 25, Washington Square Branch; registration required.

Senior Citizen Breakfast — Breakfast & conversation, 10:30–noon Feb. 27, Eastwood Branch.

Colonialism & Coffee — Presentation by Feedback Coffee, 11 a.m. Feb. 28, Washington Square Branch; registration required.

Parchment Community Library

401 S. Riverview Drive, 343-7747, parchmentlibrary.org

Chinese American Food with Xin — Xin Wang of Cravings Corners shares stories & samples; reservations required, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 2.

MyDaywithAbeLincoln— Jonathan White discusses his children’s book My Day with Abe Lincoln, 10:30 a.m. Feb. 7.

Great Michigan Read Book Discussion — Discuss Curtis Chin’s Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant, 6 p.m. Feb. 9.

Pizza & Perspectives: Indie Lens Pop-Up — Watch

The Librarians, a documentary exploring the impact of book review policies, 6 p.m. Feb. 16.

Mystery Book Club — Discuss Jean-Luc Bannalec’s Murder on Brittany Shores, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 17.

Board Game Blast — Play board games, 10 a.m.–noon Feb. 27.

Portage District Library

300 Library Lane, 329-4544, portagelibrary.info

Kalamazoo County Historical Society — Monthly meeting on local history with speakers & discussion, 7 p.m. Feb. 2.

The Medieval Longsword — Historian discusses this weapon, 6 p.m. Feb. 3; registration required.

The Hidden Messages in Quilts —Presentation on hidden messages in quilts used during the Underground Railroad Era, 6 p.m. Feb. 4; registration required.

Muffins & the Market — Recent stock market trends, 9 a.m. Feb. 5 & 19.

Friends of the Library Book Sale — 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Feb. 7; members-only pre-sale, 4–5:30 p.m. Feb. 6.

Speed Gaming — Discover & play new games, 6 p.m. Feb. 10; registration required.

Molecules: Portrait of a Community — Community painting project for all ages, 3–6 p.m. Feb. 12, 19 & 26.

Yoga with Apral — 4 p.m. Feb. 12 & 26; registration required.

Documentary and Donuts — Viewing of Transition with coffee, donuts & discussion, 10 a.m. Feb. 13.

Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society — Monthly meeting, 7 p.m. Feb. 16.

Plots & Pages: A Local Writers Group — Discuss the craft of writing, 6–8 p.m. Feb. 17.

Ejë-bajowdowat: Where They “Portage” — Presentation on the Bodewewadmi peoples, 6–8 p.m. Feb. 17; registration required.

Drop-In Genealogy Help — 10 a.m.–noon Feb. 19.

International Mystery Book Club — Discuss Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile, 7 p.m. Feb. 19.

Lunar New Year Festival Celebration — Games, stories & prizes, 4 p.m. Feb. 20; registration required.

Kalamazoo Macintosh Users Group — About Macintosh computers, programs & accessories, 9 a.m. Feb. 21.

Educate & Caffeinate — The history of coffee with samples, 10:30 a.m. Feb. 21; registration required.

Light Lunch & Literature —Discuss Toni Morrison’s Sula, noon Feb. 23, light lunch served; registration required.

Kalamazoo Area Wild Ones — Discuss environmentally friendly landscaping & biodiversity, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 25.

Saturday Sound Immersion — Wind Willow Consortium members play for relaxation & well-being, 10:30 a.m. Feb. 28; registration required.

Richland Community Library 8951 Park St., 629-9085, richlandlibrary.org

Bridge Club — Noon Tuesdays.

Jackbox Game Night — Game using smart phones, for ages 16+, 6 p.m. Feb. 3 & 17.

Adult Dungeons & Dragons Bravo Team — New crusade each month, 5–8 p.m. Feb. 11 & 3–6 p.m. Feb. 18; registration required.

You’re Never Too Old To… — Adult education series: Keep Your Houseplants Alive, Feb. 12; Prepare for a Financial Disaster, Feb. 26; sessions at 11 a.m.

Art Journaling — Create using prompts: Love/Doddles/ Opposites, Feb. 14; Seasons/Patterns/Art & Writing, Feb. 28; sessions 11 a.m.

RCL Book Club — Discuss Curtis Chin’s Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant, 6 p.m. Feb. 19.

Romance Book Club — Discuss J.T. Geissinger’s Pen Pal, 6–8 p.m. Feb. 25, Ned’s on Gull Lake, 15450 M-43, Hickory Corners; registration required.

Van Buren District LibraryAntwerp Sunshine Branch 24283 Front St., Mattawan, 668-2534, vbdl.org

On a Lighter Note — Enjoy a lighthearted book, 5:30 p.m. Feb. 10.

Adult Book Club — 5:30 p.m. Feb. 18.

Read It & Reel — Compare movies & the books they were created from, 5:45 p.m. Feb. 23.

Vicksburg District Library

215 S. Michigan Ave, 649-1648, vicksburglibrary.org

Bridge Club — 9:30 a.m.–noon Tuesdays.

Book Club for Adults — Selection at circulation desk, 9:30 a.m. Feb. 5.

Scrabble Club for Adults — All skill levels welcome, 1 p.m. Feb. 10.

Writer’s Motivational Group — Set goals & report progress, 4 p.m. Feb. 12.

ENCORE EVENTS

Bad Art Night — Creating deliberate “bad” art, vote on the best of the worst, 5:30 p.m. Feb. 18.

Other Venues

Candacy Taylor — Author of Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America, will speak; book signing follows, 6–9 p.m. Feb. 6, Air Zoo, 6151 Portage Road, portagemi.gov/calendar.

Elizabeth Kerlikowske & Mary Hatch — Discussion of Falling Women (2022), with poems by Kerlikowske & visual art by Hatch, 10 a.m. Feb. 17, KVCC Student Commons Theater, Texas Township, libguides.kvcc.edu/ visitingwriters.

Ekphrastic Art Event: Beyond Resilience — Poetry readings, music, art-making & snacks, 1–4 p.m. Feb. 21, Move with Joy Studio, 1103 Portage St.; kalamazoopoetryfestival.com.

DeeSoul Carson & Saba Keramati — The poets read from their works in this virtual event, 7 p.m. Feb. 21, online, kalbookarts.org.

MUSEUMS

Gilmore Car Museum

6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Corners, 671-5089, gilmorecarmuseum.org

2026 Winter Lecture Series — Motor City Celebrity Homes, Feb. 1; “Singapore”: Michigan’s Buried Lakeshore Town, Feb. 8; The Turbine Program: Chrysler’s Greatest Experiment, Feb. 15; Jeep: The History of the World’s Most Useful Vehicle, Feb. 22; sessions begin at 2 p.m.

Pints with the Past — Beverages from brewers, distillers & vintners with music by Out of Favor Boys, 7 p.m. Feb. 14.

Kalamazoo Valley Museum

230 N. Rose St., 373-7990, kalamazoomuseum.org

Illustrated Muse(ings) — Join or observe a casual gathering of artists to sketch musicians and dancers, and sometimes both! Bring your sketchbook, tablet or just your curiosity. Free, 1:30-2:30 p.m., Feb. 20.

NATURE

Kalamazoo Nature Center

7000 N. Westnedge Ave., 381-1574, naturecenter.org

Winter Adaptation Walk — Discussing nature’s winter survival strategies, 2 p.m. Feb. 7.

Introduction to Recycling with Schupan Sustainability — What happens with your curbside recycling, 11 a.m. Feb. 12; registration required.

Ichthyology with Dr. Bloom — WMU professor discusses how fish move in our local waterways, 2 p.m. Feb. 21.

Salve Making — Learn to create balms and salves, 2 p.m. Feb. 28; registration required.

Discover KNC Guided Hike — The Prairie Pathway trail, 2 p.m. Feb. 28; registration required.

Kellogg Bird Sanctuary 12685 East C Ave., Augusta, 671-2510, birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu

Birds & Coffee Chat — Online discussion of Michigan owls, 10 a.m. Feb. 11; registration required.

Guided Bird Hike — Celebrating winter birding, 11 a.m. Feb. 14.

The Great Backyard Bird Count — Count birds for science, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Feb. 15.

Other Venues

Kalamazoo Astronomical Society General Meeting & Speaker — The Vera C. Rubin Observatory: A New Eye Opens on the Universe, presentation by Christopher Stubbs, 7 p.m. Feb. 6, Kalamazoo Math & Science Center, 600 W. Vine St., or online; kasonline.org.

Beginning Birding Walk — 9 a.m. Feb. 7; meet at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery's second parking lot, 34270 County Road 652, Mattawan, kalamazooaudubon.org.

Lantern Lit Trails — Walk a one-mile loop followed by hot cocoa & bonfire, 6 p.m. Feb. 7, Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery & Visitor Center, michigan.gov/dnr/places/vcenters/wolf-lake.

Introduction to Amateur Astronomy — 5-part lecture series: Part 3: Binocular Basics, Feb. 14; Part 4: Telescope Tutorial, Feb. 28; 1–3 p.m.; register at kasonline.org.

Online Viewing Session — Utilizing a remote telescope in Arizona, 9 p.m. Feb. 14, online (cloud date, Feb. 21); register at kasonline.org.

MISCELLANEOUS

Kalamazoo Winter Market — Produce & artisan wares, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturdays, 507 Harrison St., pfcmarkets. com/all-markets/winter-market.

Cozy Market — Various vendors, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Feb. 1, Portage Parks & Recreation Building, 7900 S. Westnedge Ave.; portagemi.gov/calendar.

KAARC Winter Auto Swap Meet — Kalamazoo Antique Auto Restorers Club event with 200 vendors, 2–6 p.m. Feb. 6, 8 a.m.–2 p.m. Feb. 7, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 2900 Lake St., kaarc.org.

Animal Interactions — Meet animal ambassadors and learn about diet & habitats, 10 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. Feb. 7 & Feb. 21; Portage Parks & Recreation Building; portagemi. gov/calendar; registration required.

Annual Lincoln Birthday Celebration — Presentation of Unlikely Collaborators: Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, and the Promise of America byJonathan White, silent auction & dessert, 6–8 p.m. Feb. 7, The Desenberg, 251 E. Michigan Ave., Suite 108, kalamazoolincolninstitute.org.

Galentine’s Tea — Try a variety of teas, 2 p.m. Feb. 10, Kellogg Manor House, 3700 E. Gull Lake Drive; manorhouse@kbs.msu; registration required.

Ice in the Zoo — Ice sculpture displays & demos, noon–4 p.m. Feb. 14, Kalamazoo Mall, tinyurl.com/iceinzoo.

Valentine’s Day Skate — Skate to love songs & ballads, 5–8 p.m. Feb. 14, Millennium Park Ice Rink, 280 Romence Road, portagemi.gov.

Love Meets Tradition: The Lunar New Year & Valentine’s Day Celebration — Lunar New Year Gala with special gift boxes, 6 p.m. Feb. 14, Chenery Auditorium, 714 S. Westnedge Ave., cagk.org; tickets online.

Kalamazoo Reptile & Exotic Pet Expo — Reptiles, amphibians, small mammals & other exotic pets, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Feb. 15, Kalamazoo County Expo Center South, collisonzoo.com/kalamazooreptileexpo.

Kalamazoo Record & CD Show — New & used records & CDs, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Feb. 15, Room A, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 734-604-2540.

Hometown Card Show — Presented by Southwest Michigan Collectibles, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Feb. 21, Wings Event Center, 3600 Vanrick Drive, wingseventcenter. com/events.

Winter Blast Half Marathon, 10K & 5K — 8 a.m. Feb. 22, Loy Norrix High School, 606 E. Kilgore Road; registration required, tinyurl.com/winterblastrun.

Shipshewana on the Road — Gift, food & craft show, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Feb. 21, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Feb. 22, South & Main Rooms, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, shipshewanaontheroad.com.

Blue Heat: Glass Art Gala & Auction — Celebration of glass art, auctions, food, drinks & music, 7–10 p.m. Feb. 21, Glass Art Kalamazoo, Suite 100, Park Trades Center, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., glassartkalamazoo.org.

Garage Sale Art Fair — Artists selling overstocks, seconds & supplies, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Feb. 28, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 734-662-3382, theguild.org/fair/ garagesaleartfair.

Shaun Willis (continued from page 30)

Western, I talked to some pilots that were in the commercial realm and asked, ‘What does it take to move up the ranks there?’ They said, ‘If you have an advanced degree of some sort, a master's or juris doctor, that's going to help you excel.’

"Right after college, after I'd been married, I started thinking about the demands of being a commercial pilot and being away from a future family. We were expecting our first child. Then Sept. 11 happened, and the airline industry really collapsed.”

Willis decided to go with his original plan, graduating from law school and co-founding Willis Law Attorneys & Counselors, which provides legal services in just about every area of the law — estate planning, business, construction, real estate, manufacturing, employment — through its offices in Kalamazoo, Paw Paw, Grand Rapids and Chicago. In 2017 he added another credential and career: sports agent. How did you get to where you are today?

I grew up in Paw Paw. My dad was a probate judge there for 38 and a half years. I went to Kalamazoo Christian High School, as did Michael, my brother and partner in the law firm. I went on to Western Michigan University and studied aviation flight science and met my future wife, Corrina, there. We got married after I graduated in the winter of 1999.

I decided to pursue law at Cooley Law School in Lansing. I was waiting on my bar results to start practicing law, and Michael called me to say "Well, I don't know how to tell you this, but you passed the bar." I called all my friends and Corrina and had a little celebration. I was sworn in by my dad in October 2002.

In college I had a painting company, and that was part of the way I paid for law school. When I started to apply for law jobs in the Kalamazoo area, the offers I was getting — well, I was able to make that much painting and running my crew, so I thought perhaps I could go out on my own (as an attorney).

My first year in practice I did about 40 felony cases. Michael and I were both working in Kalamazoo. Our brother Christopher was a U.S. Marine and served in Iraq in 2003 for eight months. Came back to a hero’s welcome. But in July 2003, he was heading towards the base in Battle Creek, was in a car crash and died. Mike and I at that point said, "Hey, look, if we're ever going to work together, let's do it now."

On March 2, 2004 — which was Chris’s birthday — we started Willis and Willis PLC. How did you come to represent athletes? Probably 15 years ago we had an associate by the name of Ryan Wurtzel who had the idea of being licensed as a sports agent. I said, “Let’s do it.” He got the research done but then went to work for his dad running Carleton Equipment, so we left it on the back burner.

Ten years ago Sam Gilbertson joined us as managing partner for Willis Law, and he talked about it as well. We decided that Major League Baseball was a passion for both of us and that that was where we’d like to start.

He was licensed about eight years ago, and since then we’ve helped 75 players through the Major League Baseball draft. We have several players that play or played in the MLB. We represent the largest collegiate baseball league in the world and coaches for Major League Baseball teams. Every year we attend the MLB's winter meetings and make deals with Rawlings, Under Armour, Louisville Slugger and other major brands for players.

It’s been really, really neat. Three of the players we helped get drafted have made

the major leagues. Two of them — Drew Sommers (with the Detroit Tigers) and Tristan Peters (with the Chicago White Sox) — made their MLB debuts in 2025. We also had the opportunity to help Portage’s own baseball star, Zach MacDonald, be drafted by the Tigers this past year.

About three years ago we partnered with Mike Moye, an agent distinguished as one of the toughest negotiators in baseball by Forbes. He’s got Hall of Famers, All-Stars, several first-round draft picks, and has been one of the top agents in the MLB and is a devout Christian man. He was nearing retirement and wanted to find an agency that shared his Christian values, and he found us. Moye has taken us under his wing as a mentor and a partner, and we’ve had the opportunity to help with Alex Call, who won the World Series with the (Los Angeles) Dodgers, and Thomas Hatch with his deals with the Minnesota Twins and Korean ball.

The thing is, there’s a lot of (sports) agents running around that don’t have law degrees and haven’t passed a bar to practice law, and what they’re doing is reviewing contracts — some of the biggest contracts out there — and negotiating contracts, which is what lawyers do. We stand apart, having had experience with hundreds of arbitrations, hundreds of trials, and reviewing tens of thousands of contracts. We’re more qualified to do all of the work that professional athletes need done.

From dog shows and craft shows to family fun and festivals, there’s always something happening at the

Discover can’tmiss events and unforgettable experiences all year long.

Kalamazoo County Expo Center.

— Interview by Jordan Bradley, edited for length and clarity

Shaun Willis

Pilot, then painter, now lawyer and sports agent

Shaun Willis had every intention of being a pilot, taking flying lessons while in high school and enrolling in Western Michigan University’s aviation flight science program. But he found his career taking off in a different direction. A really different direction.

“When I was a kid, I wanted to be a lawyer like my dad, but my grandfather was a pilot, and I grew up knowing a lot of pilots. When I was in high school, I would make a little bit of money and take flight lessons out at the Plainwell Airport,” the 50-year-old says. “As I was going through

(continued on page 29)

Shaun Willis, left, with Zach MacDonald at McDonald's private invite workout for the Detroit Tigers prior to being drafted by the Tigers in 2024.

Air Travel in 2026: Airfares and the Business of Getting There

By Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport Staff

As January evolves into February, Michiganders tend to look south for relief and some warmer temperatures. Whether or not Punxsutawney Phil sees his own shadow, the fact remains that Michigan still has many more days before we can put away those snow shovels.

There is still time to make those travel plans for February and March but don’t go to Valentines Day before booking that trip to see some sun. While some deals can still be found, the airline industry is evolving how it prices tickets and ties them to booking trends. These changes matter not just to frequent flyers, but to communities like Kalamazoo where air service plays a quiet but important role in everyday life.

One of the biggest shifts shaping airline pricing is how far in advance people book their trips. Increasingly, airlines are using sophisticated pricing models that respond quickly to demand rather than relying on fixed fare structures. For travelers, that means fewer universally “cheap” days to buy tickets and more emphasis on flexibility. Business travelers — who often book closer to departure — are seeing steadier pricing overall, while leisure travelers are being rewarded for planning further ahead and adjusting travel dates when possible.

This trend has particular relevance for smaller, business-oriented airports like ours. Unlike airports that have a high demand for leisure traffic, airports like Kalamazoo tend to serve a higher percentage of corporate, medical, education, and manufacturing travelers. That steady weekday demand helps stabilize service, even as airlines adjust schedules and fares based on broader national trends. In many ways, business travel acts as an anchor, supporting routes that benefit the entire community.

Seasonality also continues to shape airline decisions. Nationally, summer remains the peak for leisure travel, while fall and early winter often bring softer demand. For smaller airports, this seasonal rhythm can look different. Consider Kalamazoo — our local business travel drives October to be our busiest month, though we align with other airports with January and February being the slowest months in terms of passengers.

For passengers, this means being mindful of when and why you travel. Booking earlier for known trips (especially Christmas and Spring Break), considering midweek departures, and staying flexible with return dates can all help manage your costs. It also means recognizing that local airports offer more than convenience, they offer predictability. Fewer crowds, easier parking, and quicker curb-to-gate times can make a meaningful difference, especially for travelers balancing tight schedules.

Looking ahead to 2026, industry analysts expect airlines to continue refining routes that demonstrate consistent demand. Communities with strong business travel bases, regional employers, and institutions that rely on air connectivity are well positioned in this environment — assuming the community chooses to fly local. Each ticket booked locally sends a signal that service is valued and needed — a small decision that supports long-term connectivity.

As travel habits continue to shift, one thing remains constant: air service reflects the communities it serves. Understanding booking trends, pricing changes, and seasonality helps travelers make smarter choices — and helps ensure that regional airports like Kalamazoo remain connected to the people, places, and opportunities that matter most.

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