Inside Track: Stanitzek never lost his taste for the family business

For some, working in the family business isn’t necessarily a lifelong career choice. While some choose to stay with the family firm forever and others...

YMCA breaks ground on new $30M facility in Cascade

When all is said and done, next fall West Michigan will be home to a new YMCA unlike any other in the country. Ground broke...

Inside Track: Contemplation leads to career change

Jeff Karger had several days of contemplation in San Francisco following 9/11, and it changed the course of his career. At the time, Karger was...

Inside Track: Even a spy couldn’t uncover Lister’s latest film role

Ralph Lister is about to become one of Grand Rapids’ most high-profile actors, thanks to a mysterious role in the upcoming Michigan-made blockbuster “Batman...

Inside Track: Tech business owner faces challenges head on

As Ryan Leestma drifted back into consciousness, he had no idea how lucky he was to still be alive. It was early October 2014. Leestma,...

Familiar designer and builder of custom homes is back

After a brief sabbatical, Joel Peterson has returned to building customized homes. Sixteen years ago, Peterson was a founding partner of Insignia Homes, a firm...

Van Andel Arena is a catalytic anchor

When Neil Diamond took the Van Andel Arena stage Oct. 10, 1996, everyone in Grand Rapids was there. At least, that’s how Sam Cummings remembers...

Inside Track: From a humble beginning, Curt Mulder has found success

It’s fair to say that Curt Mulder swept his way into his executive position at one of the region’s top builders. Mulder has been a...

Copyright infringement cases take a personal turn

Chris Baldwin, the University of Michigan sophomore whose utter shock and bewilderment was broadcast across the country repeatedly following Michigan State University’s defeat of...

Inside Track: More than just a copier

When John Lowery speaks about Applied Imaging, the company he founded in 1987, he brims with pride. That’s because it took several major leaps of...

Inside Track: Life’s in focus for movie theater exec

While working at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Eric Kuiper was most intrigued by the parts of church that involve storytelling. “The great comic...

Independent hardware stores thrive in niche markets

One of the largest and most important sectors in the global market, the hardware industry has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years....

Inside Track: Colvin won’t back down from a challenge

If someone gave George Colvin a simple straightforward project, he would get bored very quickly. Now a senior project superintendent for Rockford Construction, Colvin worked his way up in the company for nearly two decades by never backing down from a challenge.

New Holland shifts strategy to market rollouts

Even with its new west-side Grand Rapids taproom and brewing facility a year away, New Holland Brewing Co. still had a big year in...

Inside Track: Move to organic milk was a good idea

It’s not too unusual for a cow in David Vander Zanden’s barn to have garlic on her breath. It may help keep her healthy,...

Inside Track: VanderKamp works to create his own future

Brett VanderKamp is perhaps one of the few former political candidates who doesn’t regret losing his bid for state senate. “It’s probably the best thing...

Cedar Springs Brewing acts as catalyst

David Ringler almost started a brewery in the 1990s. It wasn’t for a lack of trying. Ringler was educated in traditional German brewing and, had...

Inside Track: Interior design career is something of an odyssey

Marissa Iacovoni’s journey to having a successful interior design career began in Grand Rapids, her home city, and then took her all over the...

Bridgewater Place on the rebound with Spectrum’s relocation

When Colliers International of West Michigan took over the marketing of Bridgewater Place in spring 2011, the city’s largest office address had about 100,000...

Morton House project is underway

Remediation work has begun on the final piece to complete the revival of Monroe Center. Rockford Construction has started engineering the pre-construction phase for the...