December 27, 2016
Contractors should heed pricing volatility during bid process
Construction input prices experienced their most rapid monthly decline since February 2016 in November, falling 0.5 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Despite the month-over-month fall, input prices still are up by 0.5 percent on a yearly basis for the second consecutive month. Nonresidential input prices fell 0.7 percent for the month […]
Public Record
MORTGAGES Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds ADA BIBLE CHURCH, Huntington National Bank, Kentwood, 1-6-11, $800,000 SHEFFER, Samuel Arden et al, Northpointe Bank, Rockford Hills Village No. 2, Lot 30, $242,400 JANOWIAK, Brad et al, Northpointe Bank, Lowell Twp., 18-6-9, $226,600 WYMA, Nicholas et al, Churchill Mortgage Corp., Estelle's Add., Lot 173, […]
A goal is a dream with a plan — and other ridiculous fairy tales
My mother never went to Europe. She talked about it, dreamed about it — even opened a travel agency at age 55. She never got there. She died 15 years later, never achieving the goal. Oh, she achieved plenty of other goals, but not that one. I went to Europe for the first time at […]
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Change Ups: Hadley receives Daimler Masters of Quality Award
Hadley was honored by Daimler Trucks North America with the Masters of Quality Supplier Award 2015 for quality excellence. Hadley supplies air horns, mechanical and electronic height control systems, and mirror systems to the Daimler Truck North America, Freightliner brand. Only 64 of the more than 1,000 currently supplying to Daimler received the 2015 Masters […]
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Google search leads to revolutionary product
A simple Google search could be responsible for bringing the development of a revolutionary medical training device to West Michigan. About two years ago, Giorgio Bozzini, head of the Department of Urology at Humanitas Mater Domini in Milan, Italy, and a world-renowned urologist, began developing the PCNL Boz Kidney Trainer, a portable training product that […]
GVSU climate survey reveals comfort, disparity levels on campus
It’s been a long five years since Grand Valley State University last took its temperature. As it turns out, the campus is pretty healthy overall — with some room for improvement. Last month, the university released the extended report of its 2015 myGVSU campus climate survey, and the results are mixed but encouraging, survey organizers […]
Street Talk: Nightmares on Main Street
What keeps employers awake at night? According to Employer Associations of America’s 2017 National Business Trends Survey, there are plenty of reasons for nocturnal nightmares. Despite strong optimism, employers continue to face economic challenges relating to talent recruitment. Sixty-two percent of employers reported recruiting is becoming more difficult, with half of those indicating dissatisfaction with […]
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Inside Track: From rocket scientist to number cruncher
For many, financial planning can be as confounding as rocket science. Steve Starnes, a senior financial advisor at Grand Wealth Management, has qualifications in both. When Starnes began his academic career at the University of Michigan, he started out studying political science before switching to a path in engineering. However, during the course of his […]
Trump, death and taxes: 2017 and beyond
As some readers may have noticed, we recently had a national election. As a result, on Jan. 20, the United States will have, for the first time in many years, a federal government with a single party controlling both the executive and legislative branches. The expectation is the recent history of gridlock, with the legislative […]
City calls foul on sustainable energy facility
An energy project that was supposed to make a local city a leader in sustainable energy has turned foul. After several months of promises from the facility operator to rectify the situation, the Lowell City Council voted to terminate its contracts with Lowell Energy AD (LEAD). LEAD is the company behind the $6-million anaerobic digester […]
Why and how we give
The giving season in the last months of the year is a time when nonprofits can increase transactional gifts that may lead to relational opportunities throughout the next year. As a sector, it is important to understand how and why people give. We value individual and collective action in the United States. Giving feeds the […]
West Michigan faces talent crunch in IT
Grand Rapids is running into a talent crunch when it comes to hiring in technology-related jobs in all industries. Holland-based Paragon Recruiting released its Winter and Spring 2017 Technology Employment Forecast this month and found 52 percent of respondents listed a need for IT personnel. The forecast is performed twice a year by surveying a […]
‘Eds and meds’ is old think, creative talent is key
Grand Rapids Business Journal is reporting on how the local manufacturing sector is growing, and as Cedric Duclos, president and CEO of Hutchinson North America on Fuller Avenue notes in one story, his industry is transforming (evolved) with “smart plant” concepts in what has become a transformational point in terms of manufacturing technology — or […]
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Sports commission expects to bring 80 events in 2017
(As seen on WZZM TV 13) With 2017 rapidly approaching, West Michigan Sports Commission president Mike Guswiler made a confident claim: “It’s going to be a good year.” The WMSC celebrates its 10th year of operations in the coming year, and in that time, the commission estimates a cumulative economic impact of about $240 million […]
Brewery is separating from crowd
With a desire to continue growing in a crowded beer industry, Brett VanderKamp wanted to ensure New Holland Brewing Co. ownership remained independent. Breweries across the country — and globe — are receiving an influx of cash from private equity firms or being acquired by global brewing giants, such as AB InBev, makers of Budweiser, […]
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More robots joining workforce in 2017
The message from manufacturers throughout this past year has been clear: The future of manufacturing will include more technology, greater automation and an increased use of collaborative robots. There are roughly 35,000 robots already being sold on an annual basis. These robots are becoming cheaper to buy and operate each year, and their abilities to […]
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Coffee shop fills Local First’s former space
Coffee, wine and cheese are at the heart of many social gatherings. So, what better way to build a welcoming space than to combine the three? So says Mallory Squibb, co-owner of Wealthy Street Business District’s newest addition, Squibb Coffee Bar. The coffee shop, located in the former Local First office at 955 Wealthy St. […]
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Firm continues Eastown investment
As downtown residential projects receive a lot of attention, a surge in near-neighborhood apartment buildings also is taking place. At 1515 Wealthy St. SE, Paramount Property Group Principal Chad Koster quietly built a three-story, 12,000-square-foot mixed use building in a parking lot next to a building he’s owned since 2005. With 12 apartment units and […]
