August 29, 2016
Chemical deal set to close this week
The biggest acquisition in Chemical Financial Corp.’s history is expected to close Wednesday, making the Midland-based bank the largest bank headquartered in Michigan. The $1.4 billion acquisition of Troy-based Talmer Bancorp Inc. gives Chemical Financial roughly $16 billion in assets, a foothold in the southeast Michigan and northeast Ohio markets and about 246 total locations […]
Search for new talent turns digital
Nestled in the upper left corner of the banner of michigansmartcoast.com is a simple call to action — “Discover Your Place.” The new website by Michigan Smart Coast, a brand managed by Zeeland-based economic development organization Lakeshore Advantage, is designed to encourage visitors their place is right here in West Michigan. Launched on Aug. 19 […]
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GM partners with local merchandiser
(As seen on WZZM TV 13) General Motors now has a new location in Grand Rapids: your shirt. GM recently announced a new partnership with local merchandiser The Mitten State, a Grand Rapids-based business that creates Michigan-inspired apparel and other products. Out of this partnership has come an exclusive new line of T-shirts inspired by […]
Grant boosts GVSU professor’s honeybee study
Honeybees are dying, and researchers still don’t know why. But with a third of the food people eat dependent on honeybees, it’s imperative they find out. Research is being done at institutions across the country, including Grand Valley State University, to determine the cause of the decline. Jonathan Engelsma, a professor of computing at GVSU […]
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Federal grant will be used to restore Muskegon Lake wetlands
The restoration of Muskegon Lake is worth millions. Michigan’s U.S. senators, Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow, announced the Great Lakes Commission was awarded a $7.9 million grant from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a multi-year plan to restore and preserve the Great Lakes. The money will be used for the restoration of Muskegon Lake, a […]
Attorneys float carbon tax questions
When the United States signed the Paris Agreement on April 22, it joined 176 states and the European Union in making a commitment to hold the increase of planetary warming to 2 degrees Celsius or less. If and once the agreement is ratified, the U.S. will need to find a way to reduce its carbon […]
Resurgent auto sector responsible for steady growth
Job growth in Michigan was steady after allowing for the occasional bump, as occurred in May. In that month, state employment dipped by 20,400 jobs, contributing to a weak month for overall U.S. job growth. Like the U.S. numbers, Michigan job growth bounced back in June and July. For the 12 months ending in July, […]
Public Record
MORTGAGES Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds VERLIN, Michelle et al, AmeriFirst Financial Corp., Bailey's Grove No. 20, Lot 543, $285,950 GOOD, Nicholas B. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Condo-West Village Site, $350,000 SCHAAFSMA, Daniel H. et al, Guaranteed Rate, Cannon Twp., 4-8-10, $260,000 HEREDIA, Jason M. et al, Ditech Financial, […]
Street Talk: Talent drain’s strain
It seems like it has become a regular feature to highlight the juxtaposition of Grand Rapids being one of the fastest growing cities in the nation with the dearth of talent in the region. A recent survey by Express Employment Professionals of Grand Rapids puts numbers to that perception and reveals employers still are having […]
What do you do when workplace ‘change’ happens?
For most people, “change” is a mixture of what was, what used to be, what I’m being faced with now, what I believe the future holds and what I have to change to face that future. In short, how does this change affect me, my family, my lifestyle and my position? That’s a hell of […]
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Change Ups: Heritage Pointe draws medical service providers
First Companies recently finished construction of the Heritage Pointe complex, 2144 E. Paris Ave., a 42,792-square-foot Class A medical office building that is more than 75 percent leased to medical service providers. The medical corridor along East Paris continues to attract doctors and medical businesses because of its visibility and access for patients, according to […]
Young people face immense financial challenges
August is the month when back-to-school sales seem to be everywhere and when the excitement of returning to school intensifies. I know the excitement and nervous energy in my household increases, as the first day of school approaches. In the past year, I have joined the board of one of the private high schools in […]
Open forums on policing have economic benefits
We don’t want to do Detroit again, one participant said, when 50 years later, the city still hasn’t fully recovered. In the last few weeks, the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School’s Grand Rapids campus has hosted four open forums on police/community relations, each with different sponsors and for different audiences. Participants found the forums […]
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Credit union’s rebranding plays on state’s outdoor activities
After 80 years in business, Option 1 Credit Union wanted to better prepare for its future. Earlier this summer, Option 1 rebranded to Adventure Credit Union, a move that includes a full image overhaul within its existing and new branches, said Jerri Schmidt, vice president of marketing at Adventure. The credit union worked with Grand […]
Forum strength rests on strong voices
The bi-annual West Michigan Policy Forum reservation line is open, even as the agenda still is taking shape for the Sept. 26 event, which currently gives emphasis to the GOP national agenda and presidential candidates. The strength of previous forums, all previously held over several days, has been the agenda items for immediate state legislative […]
Beer shopping? Just the facts, please
With a new wave of breweries opening in West Michigan — and across the nation — beer distributors have placed an added emphasis on facts, as available tap handles and shelf space continue to shrink. With more than 60 craft-specific brands and another 40 domestic and import brands, Alliance Beverage Distribution has seen its sales […]
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Tech firm sees window of opportunity
A technology firm is looking to make commercial and residential buildings more sustainable by developing a window system that will keep hot and cold air from escaping. Half of the heating and cooling loss experienced by buildings is through windows. John Slagter, president of Mackinac Technology Co. in Grand Rapids, said his firm hopes to […]
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Craft culture pops for soda distributor
The craft culture in Grand Rapids is so strong it has convinced a soda distribution company to make its own soda. Following more than 45 years of distributing draft systems and fountain syrups, BBC Distributing saw an opportunity with an ownership change five years ago. First, the company began working with clients on providing a […]
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Bosnian brothers build on heritage
Growing up in Bosnia, Rudy Kadiric remembers handing nails to his father as they built a pole barn. Today, Kadiric and his brother, Muhamed, are continuing the family’s carpentry heritage in Grand Rapids. The brothers run Titan Interiors, a company they started from Muhamed Kadiric’s basement on Forest Hill Avenue SE, before growing to now […]
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Inside Track: NAI Wisinski general manager banks on his relationships
Every business story essentially boils down to two great forces: money and people. For Brad Bruinsma, the general manager of NAI Wisinski of West Michigan, his story is no exception. A man who has made his career by being an expert on both subjects, Bruinsma spent approximately 14 years in banking before finally turning to […]
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Diaper company on top of explosive growth
For those who have ever changed a diaper, prepare for the tale of a West Michigan company to cheer for. Smart Bottoms, an Ada-based specialty cloth diaper company, has been on a growth spurt that has seen its business explode in recent years. Smart Bottoms, which manufactures organic cloth diapers and accessories, is sold in […]
