January 9, 2017
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Change Ups: Symphony receives $10,000 NEA grant
The Grand Rapids Symphony received a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for its 2017 Symphony with Soul concert. The 16th annual event will feature three-time Grammy Award-winning singer Lalah Hathaway on Feb. 18 at DeVos Performance Hall. Symphony with Soul’s goal is to welcome a broader audience into the community concert […]
Sell like you did as a kid: 100 percent closing ratio
Think back to your selling ability when you were a kid. That statement no doubt brought a big smile to your face. The toy you wanted. The place you wanted to go. The candy bar you wanted in the checkout aisle of the grocery store. The TV show you wanted to watch. The movie you […]
Public Record
MORTGAGES Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds CURTIS, Stephanie E. et al, Nationstar Mortgage, Forest Hills No. 3 Lot 138, $216,700 JOHNSON, William et al, Consumers Credit Union, Algoma Twp., 4-9-11, $248,000 SALADIN, John et al, Inlanta Mortgage, Woodruff Estates No. 4, Lot 75, $254,171 WIERINGA, Jon et al, Quicken Loans, Meyering […]
Nonresidential construction spending reaches eight-year peak
Nonresidential construction surged in November, according to analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data released by Associated Builders and Contractors. Nonresidential spending expanded to $712.4 billion on a seasonally adjusted, annualized rate in November, representing the highest level of spending in eight years. October’s figure was upwardly revised by 1 percent (from $699.7 billion to $706.5 […]
Street Talk: On the right track
A few of the last remaining major eligible Grand Rapids neighborhoods not already designated as a Corridor Improvement District took the first steps in receiving that designation. At last week’s Division Corridor Business Owners meeting, business owners from South Division Avenue, Burton Street and Grandville Avenue heard a presentation from city of Grand Rapids Economic […]
Pact fuels trade worker pipeline
With no signs of construction slowing down and a growing shortage of trade workers, Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Michigan has made a move to foster employee growth. The organization announced a partnership last week with Utah-based Graduation Alliance, an online company offering more than 50 high school diploma programs, to further ABCWM’s mission […]
Employment attorney: 2017 holds much uncertainty
Labor laws. Pro-employee versus pro-business regulations. Immigration. LGBT rights. Marijuana legislation: These are some of the major legislative issues in play as the country transitions into a new presidential administration. Employment attorneys at the Miller Canfield law firm recently gathered for a forum called “Hot Employment Topics in 2017” and discussed all of the above […]
CPA firm tackles talent and technology trends
When it comes to the future of certified public accounting, local CPA firm Crowe Horwath is looking at a changing landscape. Representatives from the Grand Rapids branch of the national public accounting, consulting and technology firm see a few trends in play: an increasingly competitive talent pool, the need for more diverse workers and the […]
Six days in court — almost as fun as a Christmas Party
I missed the office Christmas party. Doing so was one benefit of having a six-day trial 116 miles away. It wasn't just me who missed the holiday luncheon. My partners, Joe and Tim, and legal assistant, Cheri, each spent six nights in a hotel — including evening strategy sessions in a conference room — trying […]
The undeniable power of collaboration in health and education
The health sciences in Grand Rapids are a driving force in the local economy and a powerful catalyst for regional growth. Since Van Andel Institute’s (VAI) founding in 1996, more than $2 billion of investment has flowed into the city on the Grand River to help expand the Medical Mile corridor. Today, the city is […]
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Demand for electric vehicles drives job growth
(As seen on WZZM TV 13) Growing demand in the electric vehicle market has led one West Michigan company to increase its workforce by 140 employees this past year. LG Chem Michigan in Holland, which produces lithium ion batteries for the auto industry, said it isn’t done hiring, predicting it will likely add more positions […]
Recruitment efforts are aided by training, immigration initiatives
The Business Journal report on another innovative training program once again underscores the tremendous issues of recruitment for industries with increasing numbers of job openings and far too few qualified applicants. Training programs alone won’t provide the required number of employees needed in a robust economy, making Gov. Rick Snyder’s immigration initiatives ever more vital. […]
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Services company expands to meet growth
A local heating, cooling, electrical and plumbing services company has outgrown its current workforce. Service Professor, at 4770 50th St. SE in Grand Rapids near the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, currently has a workforce of 40 and is looking to hire 10-15 technicians in 2017. “We literally could use five to six employees yesterday,” […]
Metro, U-M tout ‘choice’ in market
With the finalization of Metro Health’s affiliation agreement with the University of Michigan Health System at the end of 2016, the former underwent a name change. But officials at newly christened Metro Health: University of Michigan Health don’t expect many shockwaves in terms of operational or management structure with the affiliation — simply better health […]
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Field & Fire bets on North Monroe vision
Julie Kibler and Shelby Kibler, owners of Field & Fire, are playing the long game with their newest venture, a café that opened in October at 820 Monroe Ave. NW in one of 616’s recently completed development projects. “I would say part of the reason we signed on wasn’t for what this area is now, […]
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The Mitten State looks to branch out to wider audience
When The Mitten State opened its first retail store in Eastown, ownership received some immediate feedback about its women’s fit. The employees at the store said women were shocked at the sizing, where a large wore more like a small. “The tag was not in line or near what the women were wearing,” Mitten State […]
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Inside Track: Being his own boss
Twice in Paul McGraw’s life, he believed he had his career figured out. At 39, right before the Great Recession devastated the economy, McGraw felt like he was on top of the world. The construction firm he started at 21, McGraw Construction, had grown significantly the previous 18 years, and McGraw believed he had life […]
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Former social workers turn pro organizers
Two former social workers have turned their expertise toward helping individuals de-clutter their spaces and improve their mental health. Susie Marsh spent over two decades doing case management and program administration for a mental health nonprofit before launching Susie’s Organization Solutions (SOS) in 2007. She said while there are many professional organizers, few of them […]
