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Newsmaker finalists did more than survive; they thrived

I was certain COVID-19 would be behind us by now and we would have a fairly typical Newsmaker cycle in 2021, but obviously that’s not the case.

2021 Newsmaker: Eion Jackson

Eion Jackson founded his original urban streetwear brand JCKS Apparel in 2019, and re-branded the company under his own name, EION JACKSON, in 2021. The intentional move was implemented to evolve from being seen as a growing brand to now being seen as a growing fashion designer.

2021 Newsmaker: Jim Dillard

In July, the Dublin-based company completed the sale of its Generic Rx Pharmaceuticals business to Altaris Capital Partners for $1.55 billion, accomplishing Perrigo’s transformation from a drug maker to a global consumer self-care company — a strategy the company announced in 2019.

2021 Newsmaker: David Marquardt

Indian Trails Golf Course in 2021 became the first golf course in the state to be recognized as a speedgolf course by Speedgolf USA.

2021 Newsmaker: John Sorensen

Long before an unprecedented rise in home-based learning caused by the pandemic, John Sorensen co-founded Student Achievement Systems (SAS) in 2017 after recognizing the difficult task educators experienced as they attempted to monitor the progress of all students during a virtual class.

2021 Newsmaker: Tracey Brame

Tracey Brame is an attorney, professor and the associate dean of experiential and practice preparation at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. 

2021 Newsmaker: Tina Freese Decker

Spectrum Health made waves in the health care industry despite another tumultuous year of battling the pandemic on the front lines.

2021 Newsmaker: Jennifer Owens

Lakeshore Advantage had a busy year supporting area companies as they grew despite pandemic setbacks.
Randy Thelen

2021 Newsmaker: Randy Thelen

The Right Place made up for lost time toward its strategic plan goals in 2021, along with a flurry of business assists and expanded offerings.

2021 Newsmaker: Richard Pappas

Davenport University expanded its offerings in 2021 with new courses, scholarships, certificates, degrees and software to enhance students’ ability to succeed.

2021 Newsmaker: Nathan Baar

HealthBar evolved tremendously in 2021 under the leadership of Nathan Baar. Growing from its 2020 roots of providing COVID-19 services to help businesses adjust to the pandemic and offering a customized school nursing program, the organization continued its expansion to provide a wide range of care options.

2021 Newsmaker: Mike Larsson

Dematic rode a wave of unprecedented growth in 2021, largely thanks to a surge in demand for automation in the e-commerce and grocery sectors during the pandemic.

2021 Newsmaker: Chad Howell

A clothing company created by college students is aiming to raise awareness about pollution in the Great Lakes.

2021 Newsmaker: Tony Sarsam

2021 brought about an enhanced shopper experience for SpartanNash customers as the Byron Center-based food distributor and grocery retailer expanded its footprint and strengthened customer service offerings for grocery and health.

2021 Newsmaker: Andi Owen

The Zeeland-based company formerly called Herman Miller became an even bigger powerhouse in the furniture manufacturing and design world in 2021 with the acquisition of Knoll.

2021 Newsmaker: Luis Chen Aguilera

Wormies, a startup composting business that specializes in vermicomposting or composting with worms, in 2021 began venturing into the cannabis industry.

2021 Newsmaker: Eric Foster

Rende Progress Capital (RPC) made headlines in 2021 for its programs, partnerships and lending.

2021 Newsmaker: Philomena Mantella

Grand Valley State University opened the Daniel and Pamella DeVos Center for Interprofessional Health in 2021. 

2021 Newsmaker: Mike Guswiler

Sports provided the momentum for 2021’s tourism comeback in West Michigan, and West Michigan Sports Commission President Mike Guswiler led the charge.

2021 Newsmaker: Renee Tabben

Bank of America was a major player in promoting economic mobility in West Michigan in 2021.