January 28, 2019
County plots park expansion
(As seen on WZZM TV 13) Kent County plans to expand the number of regional parks over the next five years. According to the recently approved five-year Kent County Parks Master Plan, which is required by the state to apply for grants, officials would like to expand currently owned parks to create designated regional parks. […]
Representations and warranties insurance use on the rise
West Michigan’s uptick in mergers and acquisitions has buyers and sellers gravitating toward a particular type of insurance. Ryan Isaacs, regional executive vice president of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., said representations and warranties (R&W) insurance has grown in popularity as an increasing number of businesses in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, life science, […]
Street Talk: Living near downtown
The fledgling property management firm spun out of Orion Real Estate Solutions, PURE Real Estate Management, has entered 2019 with considerable momentum due to the neighborhood apartment interest in downtown Grand Rapids. The firm is owned by Michael Maier, owner of Cusp Group, and Ryan Wheeler, VP of Orion Real Estate Solutions, a division of […]
Public Record
BANKRUPTCY 18-05125 – VERA, Margarita, 1501 Hidden Valley SE, Sean L. Campbell (Ch. 7) 18-05126 – MORALES, Maria G., 3092 Harvest SW, Grandville, Greg J. Ekdahl (Ch. 13) 18-05144 – MCINTOSH, Kara L., 914 VanBuren NW, David C. Andersen (Ch. 13) 18-05166 – TALBERT, Walriner M. 3245 Marshall SE, Bernard Schaefer (Ch. 7) 18-05169 – […]
Four ways to promote well-being resolutions in the workplace
With the drop of the ball to commemorate a brand new calendar year comes a rise in resolutions to improve our lives. Many of us make New Year’s resolutions that are very personal. Others make resolutions that are family-, career-, fun- or travel-based. It may seem as though your employees’ resolutions are out of your […]
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Change Ups: Pine Rest to investigate ECT therapy for Alzheimer’s patients
Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services is one of five organizations chosen to investigate the use of electroconvulsive therapy to treat severe agitation and aggression in people with Alzheimer’s disease. The study was made possible by a five-year award that is expected to total $11.8 million from the National Institute on Aging. Dr. Louis Nykamp, […]
The power is in the process
In today’s political world, many are a bit surprised at how little gets done. Others are exasperated at the divisiveness, the name-calling and even the lying of politicians. And still others are content that their party is in power and will do the right thing. What is interesting is that this landscape of politics hasn’t […]
Letter: Boating is big business
Editor: From the Great Lakes to our more than 11,000 inland waterways, boating has long been a cherished pastime for many families across Michigan. Yet, while many are familiar with the personal benefits you experience during a day on the water, the important economic contributions of boating are lesser known. According to recent research, the […]
Risk specialists blunt about marijuana impacts
The Family Business Alliance recently held a workshop to address the “burning questions” employers have about the effects of marijuana legalization on their businesses. The West Michigan-based resource organization held the event, “The Impact of Marijuana Legislation on Family Businesses,” Jan. 23 at Rhoades McKee law firm in downtown Grand Rapids. Ian Northon, a management-side […]
WMSFPI receives $2M grant for incubator
The West Michigan Shoreline Food Processing Initiative soon will become a reality. The initiative, which was created in 2017 to promote the expansion of the food processing industry in West Michigan, received a $2-million grant from the state to build an incubator space to support startup businesses and businesses that have experienced longevity in the […]
Talent tops employers’ concerns
The top concerns for area employers in 2019 are availability of skilled labor and cost of health care. According to the annual survey of more than 600 Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce members, 37.7 percent and 35 percent, respectively, noted these as the business community’s most pressing issues. Three-fourths of the respondents represent small or […]
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Business Journal publishes ‘Newsmakers of the Year’
The Business Journal’s January 28th issue features a special supplement — “The Newsmakers of the Year” — which can also be viewed online. The publication’s annual Newsmakers breakfast will be held from 7:30-9:30 a.m. on Jan. 30 at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Tickets are available online.
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Inside Track: Kutt is the confidence maven
Elise Kutt moved to Grand Rapids in 2013 knowing the photography market was saturated and she would have to offer something more than camera skills. Kutt, a Howell native, had just wrapped up a four-year stint in Chicago, where she earned a BFA in photography from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and […]
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Lakeshore Advantage sees uptick in investment
Lakeshore Advantage supported 27 business expansion projects in Allegan and Ottawa counties last year. The Zeeland-based economic development organization’s work in 2018 represents $235 million in private investment and the creation of more than 750 jobs. In 2017, Lakeshore Advantage assisted with 18 expansion projects that leveraged over $90 million and created 650 new jobs. […]
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Recovery campus aims for spring groundbreaking
After almost a yearlong road to recovery from opioid addiction and helping others get back on their feet, Tyler Trowbridge and Dirt City Sanctuary are about to break ground on a new recovery and housing campus. Dirt City Sanctuary was founded on the premise of promoting “recovery through community,” said Trowbridge, who is now a […]
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Ortho products company goes global
When Ron Schutt was getting braces several years ago, he had no way of knowing his orthodontist would one day become his business partner. Schutt, former vice president of consumer health care marketing at Perrigo, was a patient of Dr. Eric Hannapel’s at his Caledonia practice. Meanwhile, Hannapel was working on a side project with […]
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Lutron acquires energy-saving product
TwistHDM, the product development arm of Holland-based tech consultant Twisthink, recently hit a milestone when Lutron Electronics acquired its first product, Limelight, an internet of things lighting system that Twisthink’s team of engineers, designers and strategists had been developing for over a decade. Limelight is used in outdoor and industrial applications to maximize energy savings, […]
