June 5, 2017
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Change Ups: Wolverine earns historic preservation award
For the second year in a row, Grand Rapids-based Wolverine Building Group earned the Michigan Governor’s Historic Preservation Award for rehabilitating a historic structure in downtown Jackson, originally built in 1865. The building was renovated into apartments in 1929, keeping the People’s National Bank on the first floor. Wolverine restored the 34,400-square-foot building’s historical detail, […]
Construction unemployment rates improve in 22 states
April not seasonally adjusted construction unemployment rates were down in 22 states and unchanged in two (Arkansas and California) on a year-over-year basis, according to analysis released by Associated Builders and Contractors. However, the national NSA construction unemployment rate of 6.3 percent was up 0.3 percent from April 2016, according to data from the U.S. […]
Street Talk: We are not alone
West Michigan no longer is the only East Coast location for the Switch data center empire. The company, which has two massive sites in Nevada, chose the Steelcase Pyramid for its largest East Coast data center. Now, it’s popping up all over the world, with sites in Italy and Thailand, and has announced it is […]
Before making the proposal, you’d better make the sale
“Sounds good. Send me a proposal.” How many times have you heard that? Too many. So you run back to your office, put together a proposal, send it to the prospect and start the follow-up process (and the prayer vigil). Or do you? Reality: Make the sale before the proposal is written. Your proposal should […]
Public Record
MORTGAGES Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds ROERSMA & WURN BUILDERS INC., Lake Michigan Credit Union, Condo-Arrowcrest, $288,750 SCHMIDT, Andrew R. by POA et al, Old National Bank, Vinkemulder's Sub., Lot 93, $424,100 RUSSO, Richard K. Sr. Trust et al, Isabella Bank, Condo-Revado Hills, $692,800 ARNOLD, Andrea et al, Lake Michigan Credit […]
Survey: Michigan restaurant growth slowing
The Michigan restaurants business is growing — but slower than last year. A survey of Michigan restaurants found restaurants sales grew 2.6 percent statewide in the first quarter of 2017, down from 2016’s 3.6 percent growth. Following a demand for more state-specific information, the Michigan Restaurant Association (MRA) partnered with market research firm Cleveland Research […]
Partnership makes CNA certification affordable
(As seen on WZZM TV 13) Trudy Brenner didn’t know if she’d ever have the opportunity to work as a health care provider again. Brenner’s Certified Nursing Assistant certification had lapsed, and the cost of being recertified was prohibitive, especially for someone who had been homeless and just recently graduated Mel Trotter Ministries’ rehabilitation program. […]
Medical marijuana industry still hazy
The state is trying to clear the air with new regulations surrounding medical marijuana. Although Michigan legalized the drug as a form of medicinal treatment by enacting the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act (MMMA) in 2008, questions have lingered regarding exactly who is authorized to grow and consume — and how much. In September, Michigan passed […]
Legislation would give more leeway to vacation rentals
Michigan homeowners who have found themselves on the wrong end of a neighbor’s complaint because of using their home as a vacation rental might breathe a little easier next season. As online listing services — such as Airbnb, Vacation Rentals by Owner and HomeAway — become ever more popular, legislators in the Michigan House and […]
What does neuroscience have to do with family business?
One mid-November night, I was driving down a country road with my 15-year-old son. I was distracted by intractable problems going on within my family. Suddenly, I saw a stop sign whizzing by me, and I realized there was no way I could stop in time. We hit a car going 40 miles per hour. […]
Massive opportunities for small businesses in government contracting
When most people think about companies that sell goods and services to the federal government, they probably think big: aircraft from Boeing or tanks from General Dynamics. Yet, all of these multibillion-dollar contractors rely on thousands of small businesses to provide them with components or services for their operations. The federal government also directly contracts […]
City tightens parking noose, ignores business retention
The ever-widening gap between the city of Grand Rapids and its constituent business community is increasing by the day, as is loss of businesses (and city income tax and property revenues and service fees and licenses). The city Mobile GR department is blindfolded by its bureaucracy and city objectives, neither of which provide incentive for […]
Small businesses shift to HR suites
A local HR firm is starting to see more area small businesses make the switch from in-house payroll to third-party administration. Jim Bolek, vice president of payroll for Portage-based Basic, which also has an office in Wyoming, said the company’s West Michigan payroll services revenue increased from $1.25 million in 2015 to $1.65 million in […]
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Sneaker retailer partners with area schools
Giving high school students a chance to participate in business is special to the leaders at Mr. Alan’s. The Redford-based sneaker retailer was founded in 1974 but recently went through a significant brand revolution, said Kris Holowicki, marketing director. “It’s evolved tremendously,” he said. “It’s not a rebranding, but from a customer experience perspective, there’s […]
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A footwear exec walks into a bar…
After retiring from footwear, Ted Gedra felt the next natural step would be beer. Gedra, retired group president at Wolverine Footwear Group, opened Ludington Bay Brewery earlier this month, with more than a month’s worth of beer already brewed. He had worked at Wolverine for more than 30 years, and when he hung up his […]
Built on passion, Unist reaches 60 years
Chuck Boelkins said celebrating his company’s 60th anniversary this year feels “kind of surreal.” Boelkins is the owner and president of Unist, which makes lubrication equipment for the metal cutting, metal forming and metal stamping industries. He bought the company from his father, Wally Boelkins, in 2008. His father purchased the company in 1968; the […]
Parking changes frustrate MNBA firms
A premature rollout of new parking regulations has left Monroe North business owners with a pinching headache. Last month, signage along Ottawa and Bond avenues was installed transitioning what had previously been free two-hour on-street parking into paid parking zones through the Parkmobile app. However, a miscommunication between the city and the company contracted to […]
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Inside Track: Bridging the opportunity gap
Via his work in Mexico, Spain and now West Michigan, Guillermo Cisneros has come to understand a key truth: People need help to grow and succeed. As the new executive director of the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, hired in March, Cisneros is uniting his trio of passions — accounting, business administration and human […]
