July 22, 2013
Global risk management survey identifies top 10 risks
What is the top risk perceived by companies today? According to Aon’s 2013 Global Risk Management Survey, which was conducted during the fourth quarter of 2012, the No. 1 risk identified by companies across the globe is economic slowdown/slow recovery. The risk management services and human resource consulting and outsourcing firm released its report recently, […]
Renewable energy opportunities to be explored July 30
On the 100th anniversary of the birth of President Gerald R. Ford comes word of a timely event July 30 at the Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids. The Gerald R. Ford Lecture Series presentation that evening will be “Business Opportunities in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency,” an especially appropriate topic in light of the […]
Local IT firm to construct DGRI’s new virtual network
Fusion IT LLC will build the communications infrastructure for Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. in its new ground-floor office at 29 Pearl St. NW. Fusion IT, 263 Church St. SW, was founded in 2007 by Kyle Wentworth and is a Microsoft Gold Level Partner. The firm offers networking and PC services, system development and design, datacenter […]
Cooperative effort between city and county on the table
Grand Rapids city commissioners have already agreed to allow the city assessor’s office to enter into a new one-year service agreement with Kent County’s Bureau of Equalization. County commissioners will likely follow suit on Thursday. City Assessor Scott Engerson called the agreement an expansion of the collaborative relationship Grand Rapids has with Kent County when […]
Help! My main contact left the company and I’m panicked!
Here is a letter about a common problem. Uncommon answer to follow. Dear Jeffrey, I sell copiers in NYC, and this year I finished as the No. 1 rep in the nation. I truly believe that would not have been possible had it not been for your “Little Red Book of Selling.” I do have […]
Technology is changing how we work, and maybe who we are
There is no doubt that technological evolution has transformed how we do work. We have become all-day networks, able to act or respond immediately to many different situations. An executive who used to wait days to make a decision can now collect data from a cloud, crunch numbers on a smartphone, and solicit the opinions […]
Public Record
MORTGAGES Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds RICHARD, Reginald et al, Bank Of America, Condo-Ada Moorings North, $253,400 PAPKE, Melissa et al, Independent Bank, Condo-Whitewood Farms, $244,000 WAITE, Scott T. et al, JP Morgan Chase Bank, Cascade Twp., 3-6-10, $417,000 VASANTHAN, Malar et al, Huntington National Bank, The Orchards No. 4, Lot […]
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Change Ups: Bank earns diversity lender award
The U.S. Small Business Administration presented The Bank of Holland with the No. 1 Michigan SBA Diversity Lender of the Year Award for demonstrating a commitment in providing guidance and capital to Michigan businesses owned by veterans, women and minorities. ADVERTISING & MARKETING J.W. Messner Inc. announced it has been selected as the advertising agency-of-record […]
Street Talk: So, two mayors walk into a bar …
Stop us if you’ve heard this one. And, if you’re from West Michigan, you surely have. With all the hoopla surrounding the BeerCity USA competition/title, it’s almost impossible to ignore the travel and tourism — not to mention economic — benefits of the craft beer industry throughout the area. So how is West Michigan celebrating […]
Privacy in the Prism Age
Edward Snowden’s revelations about the National Security Agency and its Prism program have sparked more questions than answers and renewed a debate about the line between privacy and national security. Since the first reports were published last month in The Washington Post and The Guardian, statements have been made and then revised, both from government […]
County likely to spend more on upgrades next year
The Kent County Finance Committee agreed last week to spend a bit more on capital improvements next year, largely because a panel chose to dedicate 0.25 mills from the operating millage to the budget instead of the 0.2 mills assigned this year. As it stands now, next year’s budget will fund 23 projects at a […]
City moves forward with major street project
Grand Rapids city commissioners have paved the way for a major resurfacing of Monroe Avenue from Ann to Park streets by recently agreeing to accept five warranty deeds and continuing to work with another property owner on a sixth. The city needs the documents for public right-of-way purposes and sidewalk and utility easements. The five […]
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City green lights Rockford Construction’s housing project
Rockford Construction Co. has received approval from the city to go ahead with a new residential development on the west side of Grand Rapids, not far from downtown. City and planning commissioners recently approved a zoning change for a $2.4 million project the building and development firm wants to construct on the southwest corner of […]
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New Huff’s Crossing development is nearly completed
(As seen on WZZM TV 13) A significant residential development is going up on the northeast side of Grand Rapids and the $2.1 million project is nearing completion. JDE & Associates LLC, a Grand Rapids firm headed by James Eerdmans, is building Huff’s Crossing on Knapp Street NE between Ball and Dean Lake avenues. The […]
Stronger dollar means less foreign demand for Michigan goods
Following the great recession, foreign demand for made-in-USA goods contributed a lot to Michigan's economic development by cushioning anemic domestic demand and unusually high unemployment rates. The drivers of foreign demand were robust growth in the emerging economies of Asia and Latin America, as well as a weak dollar. With a low value of the […]
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Holland BPW decides on new power plant location
The Holland Board of Public Works and the Holland City Council decided unanimously last week to purchase an industrial parcel at Fairbanks Avenue and Fifth Street for $1.6 million, for a planned 114-megawatt generating plant fueled by natural gas. Located at the east end of Holland, the parcel is 9.7 acres zoned for commercial/industrial. The […]
Advisory boards: legal tips and potential traps
An advisory board for your family-owned company can be a great asset. But setting one up carelessly can create confusion, destroy confidence and expose board members to personal liability. Let’s examine how to set up an advisory board correctly to avoid those problems for you, your company and your newly appointed advisory board members (ABMs […]
More than $100 million being invested in 15 brownfields
The Grand Rapids Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and the City Commission have approved 15 brownfield projects since the start of 2011 — projects worth about $126 million in private investment. Of the 15, three have been completed. Offsite Lake Drive LLC finished its renovation of 1415 Lake Drive SE last year. Charter Development also opened its […]
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Documentary stars Michigan’s revival
The narrative of Michigan’s economic comeback will be told in an upcoming documentary. “Exported From Michigan” is a soon-to-be-completed, 90-minute documentary that explores how Michigan’s economy has changed since the recession, highlighting issues such as entrepreneurial growth, urban farming, micro-brewing, alternative energy and art renewal. The film is a labor of love for Jon Vander […]
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Inside Track: Stanitzek never lost his taste for the family business
For some, working in the family business isn’t necessarily a lifelong career choice. While some choose to stay with the family firm forever and others flee at the first opportunity, Frank Stanitzek chose to leave and then come back — three times. After several stints away from the company that his grandfather, also named Frank, […]
Are there reservations about using hotel taxes for clinics?
The number of hotel reservations made in the area and how responsive Lansing is will determine which method Kent County will use to finance its consolidation of two health clinics. Kent County Assistant Administrator Wayman Britt told members of the county’s Executive Committee late last week that he was close to finalizing a merger of […]
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GR Press furnishings on auction block
An online auction will be held Tuesday and Wednesday to liquidate all the furnishings, décor and equipment remaining in the former Grand Rapids Press building in downtown Grand Rapids. Doug Watkoski of btmindustrial.com, which is handling the liquidation for MLive/Grand Rapids Press, said there are about 1,200 lots of items to be auctioned. Michigan State […]
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Familiar designer and builder of custom homes is back
After a brief sabbatical, Joel Peterson has returned to building customized homes. Sixteen years ago, Peterson was a founding partner of Insignia Homes, a firm known for its custom work across western and northern Michigan. Earlier this year, he sold his Insignia shares to his partners and started a new real estate brokerage company called […]
