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Windemuller

Petoskey Plastics

By Craig Manning warehouse team into two shifts to allow Short’s also recently announced that it for better social distancing. As for the had acquired the full beer brand portfolio

Which Northern Michigan businesses rest of the industry, there’s a new trend of of Arcadia Brewing Company. Founded are best positioned to thrive in the aftermath diversification throughout the e- supply in 1996 in Battle Creek, Arcadia was one of COVID-19? While the pandemic has been chain that could make a big difference of Michigan’s first craft breweries and was devastating for many industries, it has also going forward. known for beers like Whitsun, a wheat beer created opportunities elsewhere. Northern “What we’ve been hearing is that a lot of brewed with coriander, orange peel, and Express flagged six local businesses that are e-commerce sellers are looking to expand honey; or Jaw-Jacker, a seasonal pumpkin poised for growth going forward because of the number of manufacturers beer. Short’s has begun smart business pivots or simply being in the right industry at the right time. that they’re using, or the locations they’re sourcing Ninety percent of bringing Arcadia’s beers back to the market, starting this eFulfillment Service — which stores from,” Bulger explains. all Americans have month with Whitsun — a and ships products for hundreds of online businesses — has had a gigantic 2020, according to COO Steve Bulger. He says “Nobody wants to get caught not being able to restock their inventory again.” said that COVID was causing financial strategy Newman-Bale says is motivated by the pandemic. “There’s been a trend the company went from processing about 20,000 orders a week in the first two months of the year to handling more than 44,000 per Diversification is also part of the strategy for Short’s Brewing Company. stress and that paying for healthcare in craft beer [during the pandemic] of people going back to brands that they week at the peak of the pandemic. As stayAccording to CEO Scott was among their top know,” he says. “We know at-home restrictions have lifted and retail stores have reopened, those volumes have tapered slightly, but are still 50 percent above Newman-Bale, the Bellairebased craft brewery has been able to weather the concerns. As a result, we are more certain that a lot of people have good memories of Whitsun, so the deal made a lot of sense.” eFulfillment’s year-over-year average. The uptick in business hasn’t been without challenges. To keep up with increased order pandemic due in large part to a beer delivery service that it launched in March, now about the HealthBridge thesis A different kind of pivot is underway at Windemuller, a contractor volume, eFulfillment had to hire 20 new staff both in northern Michigan than ever before. that provides electrical and in the middle of the pandemic. The business and in Metro Detroit. communications services. In — and the rest of the e-commerce industry Between the popularity response to COVID-19, the with it — also faced difficulties restocking of the delivery service, solid curbside sales at business is offering what it calls “elevated inventory as demand spiked, and factories the Short’s pub during the shutdown, and a skin-temperature-monitoring solutions” to around the world halted operations. “stronger than anticipated” bounce-back for help businesses screen employee or visitor

Bulger is hopeful that, having navigated restaurant and bar accounts, Newman-Bale temperatures. the first wave of COVID-19 successful, says revenue figures for Short’s for 2020 are While temperature screenings have eFulfillment Service, and the e-commerce in good shape. become somewhat common at businesses industry as a whole, will be well-prepared Short’s is now looking at ways to keep since the pandemic started, those efforts thus in the event of a second wave. The company beer delivery around for customers who far have been mostly manual. Windemuller’s has focused on perfecting its safety want it without cutting out key supply chain system utilizes thermal cameras that can protocols, splitting its nearly 100-person partners like distributors and retail stores. automate these temperature scans and 10 • aug 03, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

reduce exposure risk for the workers taking temperatures. The camera systems can also enforce masking policies, by detecting whether or not someone is wearing a face mask.

“We’ve had a pretty robust response so far, as far as interest goes,” Technology Manager Homer Campbell says. He adds that manufacturers, hospitals, doctor offices, colleges, and schools have been particularly drawn to the technology.

Several manufacturers in the region have also changed course to do their part in fighting the pandemic. One of those companies, Petoskey Plastics, made the jump back in March to start manufacturing non-surgical isolation gowns for healthcare workers and patients. While Petoskey Plastics has traditionally done a bit of work in the medical sector — manufacturing biohazard medical bags for hospitals, laboratories, dental offices, veterinary offices, and other healthcare settings — the company does most of its business in other industry segments, including automotive, retail, and construction.

When COVID-19 hit, those market segments started to dry up — particularly automotive. Petoskey Plastics makes a significant percentage of its revenue by manufacturing vehicle protection products for auto service providers and automotive OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), but with COVID-19 shutting down auto factories across the country in March and April, much of that revenue segment vanished overnight.

Faced with having to shut down key operations and lay off hundreds of staff members, Petoskey Plastics changed course and repurposed some of the production lines making automotive products to start making hospital gowns. The pivot — which ultimately landed Petoskey Plastics contracts with dozens of hospitals, including neighbor McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital, in Petoskey, saved the company from having to furlough employees and even allowed for the payout of worker-appreciation bonuses. Going forward, Petoskey Plastics is making hospital gowns a permanent part of its manufacturing portfolio.

While many businesses have pivoted to better serve the needs created by the pandemic, HealthBridge Financial has been “right in the middle” of the crisis since the beginning, according to COO Amy Chambers. HealthBridge is a Grand Rapidsbased startup with a Traverse City office. The company’s platform offers a financial security safety net for members of highdeductible health insurance plans offered by their employers. Organizations can offer HealthBridge alongside their existing health plans as a way of helping plan members with potentially unaffordable deductible payments. When a member makes a claim, HealthBridge covers deductibles, copays, and other expenses, consolidating them into one monthly installment plan, much like a credit card would work.

HealthBridge launched its service on a pilot basis last year and is now expanding its reach.

“There is a national conversation going on right now about healthcare reform, affordability, and access,” Chamber says. “COVID was one part healthcare crisis, but it was also one part financial crisis. Ninety percent of all Americans have said that COVID was causing financial stress and that paying for healthcare was among their top concerns. As a result, we are more certain now about the HealthBridge thesis than ever before. Guaranteed access to financial resources is going to be critical if we want insured individuals to access the right care at the right time.”

Retailers have been right in the thick of the pandemic too, serving the needs of customers directly — and interfacing with the general public at a time when

Harbor Retail store design

doing so might put any and all parties at risk. Harbor Retail, which is based in Grand Haven but operates a second manufacturing facility in Charlevoix, has been helping retail businesses build new safety protocols into their store designs. The company specializes in retail design, working with brands like Best Buy, Target, and Nordstrom to cultivate their store experiences, integrate technology, design custom fixtures for displays, and more. During COVID, they’ve pivoted to manufacturing plexiglass shields, sanitation wipe stations, and other retail solutions that can “encourage confidence from customers and clients post-crisis, to spur positive economic activity.” Harbor Retail is also now offering modular pop-up room systems aimed at disaster response and recovery.

No matter the work, career fulfillment is about the enjoyment, the challenge, and the satisfaction of a job done well. That’s why Brian Kozminski, Scott Koontz, Russell Ferrill, and Leslie Latham Schutte love what they do.

What do they do? Their jobs couldn’t be more different, depending on the individual. Sometimes on the season. Maybe even the country. By Ross Boissoneau

Photo courtesy of Kim Mettler, Michigan Barefoot Memories

Brian Kozminski Scott “Guppy” Koontz Winter Rafting Guide Master Groomer

Brian Kozminski has done a lot of Those who like to hit the slopes owe different things, but it’s his job as a winter Scott “Guppy” Koontz a round of thanks. river raft guide for Jordan Valley Outfitters The longtime groomer at Nub’s Nob in that he enjoys the most. Kozminski — Harbor Springs not only brought back the “Koz” to his friends — is a fly-fishing guide resort’s long-missing halfpipe in 2018 but and sales rep for fishing rod manufacturer managed to do it while already working 12- Temple Fork Outfitters, so he’s got summer hour nights keeping the resort’s 50+ ski hills covered. But it’s when the mercury drops in super condition. that he’s really in his element. No matter. Guppy said what he likes

“In the winter, you see a side of the river best about his job is that, while there is nobody knows,” he said. “The snow flocking repetition in it, it’s never the same two days on the trees — it’s a different silence when in a row. “It’s always changing. The snow is the snow is falling. You’ll see otter, eagles, always in a state of change,” he said. muskrats. You’ll see deer quite often.” He started grooming in 1987 after

Kozminski sits in the stern of the raft and working other jobs at Nub’s. Over the years guides it left and right as the current pulls it he has pretty much seen — and plowed and downstream, something he said the Jordan groomed and made snow on — it all. “Wet does especially well in winter. “You’ve got versus dry — there are different degrees. to have a river that has the right amount of Slushy, pack-y, (whether) it packs really flow. The Jordan is just right,” he said. hard, doesn’t flow, wants to streak.”

Each raft can accommodate between Making things more interesting: Koontz two and eight passengers, but those folks said the snow that skiers love most is the aren’t only spectating. They also have snow groomers hate. Add the difference paddles, and Kozminski directs them when between natural snow and man-made, and how to thrust the paddles and whether changing weather conditions, and the fact to push or pull. Unlike other winter sports that groomers typically work through the like skiing and snowboarding, experience night, and yes, indeed, it’s a challenging job. isn’t really necessary for first-time riders; Oh, and there’s always Mother Nature to only a sense of adventure. (And maybe contend with. “Nature is a fickle beast,” he some extra-warm Gortex.) said with a laugh.

“If you live in Michigan, you’ve got to In the summer he remains busy with find something to do in the winter, or it’s maintenance and prep for the winter to going to be a long winter,” Kozminski said. come. Through it all, Koontz said he enjoys the work and the satisfaction of seeing the happy throngs of skiers and snowboarders sliding down the slopes. “It’s unique and cool,” he said. 12 • aug 03, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

Russell Ferrill Miniature Golf Course Installer

Russell Ferrill’s job finds him flying across the globe and often jumping on cruise ships. As senior construction manager for Adventure Golf & Sports of Traverse City, he oversees construction and installation of miniature golf courses on land — and at sea. At the end of August, he’s scheduled to go to Finland (pandemic permitting) to oversee the installation of a mini-golf course on a cruise ship being built there.

Company president Scott Lundmark said the nature of the company and the job means that staff go far and wide — or at least they did until the pandemic. “It [mini-golf] has never gone out of vogue,” he said. He should know because he grew up in the business; his father, Arne Lundmark (remember Arne’s Funland?), owns the company and still works there.

As for Ferrill, he said the modular courses the company has developed enables them to ship the courses in parts, then put the parts together and install them on land or a ship. “We always try to be innovative,” he said, whether that means welding the pieces to the deck of a ship or incorporating splash pads to make splash golf.

Leslie Latham Schutte Flight Nurse

Up, up in the air — it’s Leslie Latham Schutte. The flight nurse at North Flight said the appeal of the job, for her, is that it’s multi-faceted, from assisting people when they need the most help to working with a cohesive team of dedicated individuals. “What I absolutely love is that every day is totally different,” she said.

That’s because one day they’ll respond to an auto accident, and another they may transport a patient from one hospital to another, hundreds of miles away, for specialized treatment. The North Flight team includes flight nurses and paramedics, pilots, and maintenance crew. Each trip includes three crew — a pilot and two medical personnel.

Schutte said North Flight is one of the few such air responding organizations with both a helicopter and a plane available. Each crew works 12-hour shifts, as one of two teams on duty during the day and at night, all prepped and ready to take to the skies at a moment’s notice.

For Schutte, the best part of her day (or night) is working with the people her job brings her into contact with. “I love interacting with my team. They’re incredibly smart, outgoing people. I meet a lot of neat patients. It’s rewarding to feel we’re there to help when needed.

“Every day,” she said, “is an adventure.”