Change Ups: Grant strengthens food standards

Change Ups: Grant strengthens food standards

A Michigan Department of Health and Human Services $1.76 million grant that totals $440,000 a year for the next four years will be divided among six local organizations. The funds will put into action public health strategies that include strengthening food standards in local hospitals, YMCA branches and health department locations, and increasing access to fresh produce in vulnerable neighborhoods by expanding services of the YMCA Veggie Van and Healthy Corner Stores Initiative.

ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING

GMB Architecture + Engineering announced the retirement of Harm Perdok after 31 years with the firm, serving as president for the past 11 years. David Bolt, a 16-year veteran of the firm who previously served as vice president of architecture, succeeds Perdok as president.

TowerPinkster announced the promotion of Jason Novotny to senior principal and to serve on its board of directors.

ARTS

Creative Many Michigan, formerly ArtServe Michigan, announced Grand Rapids’ Ken Krayer was elected to the board of directors.

Grand Rapids Art Museum has appointed D. Neil Bremer chief operating officer.

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts announced the cash prize winners of its 64th Annual Kalamazoo Institute of Arts Fair. 2015 Grand Prize Winners were: $1,000 First Place, Peter Czuk (Wood); $600 Second Place, Ed Brownlee (Ceramics); and $300 Third Place, Bill McCamish (Jewelry). In addition, $150 prizes for best artwork by medium were awarded.

AWARDS

Baker College of Muskegon Rotaract Club has earned a Presidential Citation from Rotary International for the second consecutive year. The club donated $8,400 and logged more than 1,000 volunteer hours during the 2014-2015 academic year in support of various service projects and the Rotary clubs of Muskegon and Montague-Whitehall.

Women Connect, a partnership with Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women and Varnum LLP, announced the honorees of Women Connect 2015: Alicia Cieslak, Gordon Food Service; Cassandra Hayes, Amway Corp.; Michelle Jones, Varnum LLP; Stephanie Naito, Meijer; Judy Torres, Progressive AE; and Shana Welch, Mercy Health.

BANKING

West Michigan Community Bank has added Jim Bishop, senior vice president, lakeshore market manager; and Mike Eling, assistant vice president of commercial banking, Andrew Rugg, vice president of commercial banking, and Chad Overbeek, vice president of commercial banking, all for the Holland area.

BUSINESS SERVICES

The Job Post, a company recently established by Guiding Light Mission, has hired Christina Felan as vice president.

West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has launched MedioDía — Infórmate y Actívate, a series of business educational workshops intended to provide a wide-range of business development resources for Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs.

Scott Guernsey has joined the consulting team of P3HR Consulting & Services LLC.

CONSTRUCTION

C.D. Barnes Construction has hired Darcy Laidler, part-time office assistant.

Sobie Company Inc. announced Tony Vermaas has joined the company as chief financial officer.

EDUCATION

Aquinas College theology chair professor Robert Marko was named a 2015-2016 Fulbright U.S. Scholar for the fall semester at the Ukrainian Catholic University in L'viv, Ukraine.

ENTERTAINMENT

Hot Capicola Records has added label coordinator and media specialist Ben Davey.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

The Great Lakes Business Center & The Centennial Group announced regional managing director Sal Durso and managing director David Norris achieved the Management Achievement Round Table level of distinction at a national meeting hosted by Principal Financial Group.

FOUNDATIONS

Warner Norcross & Judd LLP partner Charles N. Ash Jr. has been named to the Grand Rapids Student Advancement Foundation board of directors’ executive committee.

GRANTS

Grand Valley State University’s Kaufman Interfaith Institute received a $50,000 grant from the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, which will enable it to expand its 2015 Year of Interfaith Service initiative.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded Grand Rapids Urban League a $15,348 grant and Home Repair Services of Kent County a $15,476 grantto help Michigan families and individuals with housing needs and to prevent foreclosures.

HEALTH

Spectrum Health Innovations has signed a licensing agreement with Min-Bio LLC of Lowell to manufacture the Angel Ortho Basin named after Spectrum Health surgical technician and designer Angel Dominguez.

HUMAN SERVICES

Jana Broughton has been named executive director of Covenant Village of the Great Lakes, a faith-based, not-for-profit continuing care retirement community operated by Covenant Retirement Communities.

INSURANCE

Lighthouse Group in Holland announced a partnership with Safe Title, which has six locations in Holland, Grand Haven, Muskegon, Manistee, Grandville and Grand Rapids. Lighthouse now has more than 20 Michigan locations and 100 title colleagues.

LEGAL

Attorney John C. Stuive has returned to Mika Meyers Beckett & Jones PLC’s Grand Rapids office as a staff attorney and will specialize in civil litigation.

Rhoades McKee announced Jonathan Siebers has joined the firm’s business and real estate teams.

MANUFACTURING

AGA MARVEL in Greenville received a 2015 ADEX Platinum award for its Marvel Beer Dispenser and a Gold Award for its Professional Beverage Center. Both awards are for design excellence.

MEDIA

WOOD TV 8 has hired Evan Dean as a reporter for “24 Hour News 8.” He previously worked in Cadillac where he anchored WWTV’s morning newscast, “Michigan This Morning.”

WZZM 13 won six regional Emmy’s from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Michigan Chapter in Detroit: Brent Ashcroft and photojournalist Bridgette Pacholka, Feature News Report Light Feature; Sarah Sell and photojournalist Andy Sugden, Education and Schools; Brent Ashcroft and Andy Sugden, Human Interest/News Feature; John Hogan and Andy Sugden, Societal Concerns; Andy Sugden, Editor; and former employee Stacia Kalinowski, Video Journalist.

NONPROFITS

Family Promise of Grand Rapids has expanded its Partners in Housing program with its partner affiliate in Orlando, Fla., due to a partnership with Foremost Insurance. PIH places homeless families in refurbished manufactured homes.

World Mission in Grandville announced Kris Dotinga has joined its staff as director of development.

REAL ESTATE

Bradley Co. announced the additions of Evan Riggle, associate director of multi-housing advisory investment group; Jeff Korte, director of asset services/property management; and Mitchell Patzer, associate.