May 1, 2017
Strong economy fuels county’s surging property values
Kent County’s equalized property values at are at an all-time high of nearly $26 billion. The county board of commissioners adopted the state equalization value of a combined total of $25,914,411,675 in real and personal property, which is a 7.4-percent increase from the 2016 value. The nearly $26 billion is a high point following a […]
Area business leaders make case for LGBT inclusion
Inclusive businesses prosper. That was the message conveyed by area business leaders during the spring luncheon hosted by Equality Michigan and the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce recently at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Brian Walker, Herman Miller president and CEO; Rob Vallentine, global director of corporate citizenship for Dow Chemical; and Graci Harkema, […]
EV Group looks to diversify business staffing portfolio
In a time when skilled labor can be hard to come by, a West Michigan construction firm’s staffing agency subsidiary is working to grow. Holland-based staffing firm EV Group, a subsidiary of Elzinga & Volkers, hired Dan Rogers as vice president of operations and business development to direct the future of the company, which has […]
Architect mentorship sees exponential growth
Back in 1999, Tom Mathison walked into a room full of University of Michigan architecture students, ready to offer an open-ended opportunity to connect them with a mentor. He didn’t plan on much, just to present the chance to place about 15 students with a professional architect. When he was finished, approximately 100 students signed […]
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Festivals help Ludington log record tourist season
More people than ever stayed in Ludington last year, drawn by a two-day concert called Rhythm & Dunes, the Gus Macker basketball tournament, two beer festivals, the state park and municipal marina, and numerous summer and offseason events. Kathy Maclean, executive director of the Ludington Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, or Pure Ludington, said that […]
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Inside Track: Overseas work helps CSO grow
Josh Szymanski felt more in danger leaving Iraq at the height of the Iraq War than when he drove in to start his stay dredging a river near the border of Kuwait and Iraq in 2003. “By the time we left, we were in black suburbans, and it felt way more dangerous going out than […]
Diversity keeps DeWys thriving
Forty years in, and Jon DeWys is looking forward to the next 99 years. DeWys, the CEO of DeWys Manufacturing and brother of original founder, Mark, is amazed at all the products the Marne-based company makes and industries it serves, especially following its start as a fireplace insert company. A customer provides DeWys with a […]
What would Ben Franklin think of the ‘Ben Franklin close’?
The Benjamin Franklin close (also known as “the balance sheet close”) is one of the classic old-time sales tactics used to “close a sale.” Never heard of it? Shame on you — not enough sales training. The scenario is this: You’ve made your presentation, but the prospect is on the fence and won’t make up […]
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Couple’s app simplifies garage sale payouts
For years, Holly Anderson spent a weekend with girlfriends hosting a garage sale. Whenever a piece would sell, the friends would notate the sale with a sticker on a poster board and at the end of the weekend, they’d convene and calculate, several times, to ensure the tally sheet was right and the sale’s revenue […]
Michigan retailers boost springs sales forecasts
Michigan retailers’ spring sales forecasts grew even stronger after their March sales rose, according to the Michigan Retail Index, a joint project of Michigan Retailers Association and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Four of every five retailers (80 percent) expect spring sales from April to June to increase over last year. That’s up from […]
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Parents dive head first into retail eyewear startup
With their first child, Ben and Laura Harrison were sent on a wild ride. Following a normal pregnancy, Jonas was born in March 2013 with no prior indication anything was amiss. Labor lasted 30 hours and resulted in an emergency C-section, Jonas cried and the room was full of joy, at least until Ben Harrison […]
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Change Ups: Adtegrity to relocate
Adtegrity will relocate in June its staff of 40 to Grand Rapids’ West Side, occupying two floors of office space located above New Holland Brewing’s The Knickerbocker at 417 Bridge St. NW. Adtegrity will occupy all of the office space in the building above Knickerbocker, totaling 20,000 square feet. Rockford Construction developed, built and now […]
From Fortune 500 to family stores, Collective Idea covers wide range
Coming together to help a company streamline its operations is Holland software company Collective Idea’s goal. Since 2005, Collective Idea has provided custom software for companies ranging from Fortune 500 household names to the mom-and-pop operation on the corner, Collective Idea President Daniel Morrison said. He said the 31-person firm is in growth mode as […]
Public Record
MORTGAGES Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds EMRICH, Henry S. et al, Northpointe Bank, Apple Hills No. 2, Lot 35, $348,500 COOPER, Raymond Trust et al, Old National Bank, Oakfield Twp., 32-9-9, $233,000 MILLER, Michael J. et al, Independent Bank, Condo-Brookside, $334,400 S-GROW, INC, First National Bank Of Michigan, Byron Commerce Center […]
Street Talk: Metro businesses at the top
West Michigan’s entrepreneurial stock is on the rise once again. If today’s Page 1 story about the local tech hub and its comparison to Silicon Valley needs more validation, the EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalists announcement late last week further cement the region’s reputation. Of the 29 companies in the running for recognition as […]
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Teens tackle urban farming experience
First jobs for teenagers are important in helping them gain skills they need for future work, but they can be hard to come by. New City Neighbors recognized the importance of providing teens with meaningful work experiences and, in 2012, launched New City Urban Farm, a three-acre produce farm that employs up to 12 teenagers […]
Report urges lawmakers to look ahead
Grand Rapids is well situated to prosper if the agenda laid out in Michigan Future’s most recent report is followed. Michigan Future, a statewide think tank, released its first set of policy recommendations, “A Path to Good-paying Careers for all Michiganders: A 21st Century state policy agenda” last week, calling on state lawmakers to re-examine […]
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Community partners fill need for nursing assistants
Facing a shortage of certified nursing assistants, West Michigan health care leaders asked Grand Rapids Community College to start a CNA training program. GRCC, which offers many training and certification courses alongside its associate degree programs, was eager to fill the gap. But the college needed help. Holland Home, a senior care community with four […]
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Expert: Economy nears end of recession recovery phase
The former Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta president and CEO believes immigrants are good for the economy and the repatriation of overseas funds has little effect. Dennis Lockhart, who stepped down from his position in February, made the comments at the World Affairs Council luncheon on April 21 at The University Club. The discussion was […]
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Marketing firm puts spotlight on nonprofits
Telling stories is at the heart of the work Scott Allen Creative does. The firm, founded by Jeff Terpstra in 1996, has clients from an array of industries, but its core business is helping nonprofits communicate. “About 70 percent of our client base is nonprofits,” Terpstra said. Terpstra said nonprofits often start out small, offering […]
Free-market health care would save $2.3 trillion a year
The main reason Congress is having a difficult time with health care legislation is a failure to recognize the costs of our current health care system. These costs have become so great that a move to free market health care can save Americans $2.3 trillion a year. Data from the World Bank show the cost […]
The challenge and opportunity of independent business ownership
In the world of many privately owned businesses, there are at least three competing areas to manage actively. These three areas are family, ownership and management. These three distinct interests can intersect with one or both of the others. This is what can cause conflict and be difficult to manage. Management functions refer to the […]
Program sets up contractors for success
A key in building a small company is knowing the right people, and Rockford Construction has set out to help minority-, women-, disability- and veteran-owned trade contractors expand their businesses. Rockford’s Dimensions program recently wrapped up its first eight-week session, which graduated 15 companies, and left them with an opportunity to bid on 25 projects […]
Investment firm continues expansion
The first year at Vision Real Estate Investment has been a whirlwind. Launched in February 2016, the Grand Rapids-based firm now owns and manages more than a dozen entities with nearly 1 million square feet of property. Vision REI was founded by Tim Engen, the firm’s CEO, following 17 years in technology when he moonlighted […]
There’s proof of prosperity, but business leaders provide glimpse of what’s ‘next’
Grand Rapids Business Journal reporting in several sectors of the local economy provides May Day examples of upward trends fueling the metro area’s continued growth. The measures are, for the most part, lagging indicators but bolstered by current signposts of continued growth with one big underscore: how to keep it going. The Kent County Equalization […]
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International market rebrands to connect with new customers
Family-owned grocer G.B. Russo & Son changed its name to Russo’s International Market in an effort to promote its offerings to a generation unfamiliar with the Russo family history. Founded by 20-year-old Italian immigrant Giovanni Battista “G.B.” Russo in 1905, the market originally named G.B. Russo Importer specializes in fresh and prepared gourmet foods, olives, […]
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River Bank Run ready for 40th start
(As seen on WZZM TV 13) Marty Allen found a spot on the curb near the starting line of the River Bank Run and perched beside his friend and volunteer Jerry Seigersma. As they had done for years — ever since the first River Bank Run, when a strong gust of wind taught them the […]
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Reports indicate robust regional real estate market
A growing Kent County is helping fuel a healthy real estate market, according to market reports from West Michigan real estate companies. NAI Wisinski of West Michigan, Colliers International West Michigan and JLL all released their first-quarter market reports and came to similar conclusions: West Michigan is healthy. Colliers noted metro Grand Rapids is the […]
Can GR be another Silicon Valley?
Grand Rapids doesn’t need to spawn the next Elon Musk to create a bustling technology sector in West Michigan. The PayPal co-founder used funds gained from his exit to start some of the world’s most innovative companies, and while Grand Rapids entrepreneurs and technology employees might be able to use a similar strategy to start […]
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Firm looks to reinvigorate MSU business school
A Grand Rapids architect has a key role in helping Michigan State University complete its $60-million college of business expansion. With a history of more than 30 years of projects in partnership with MSU, Grand Rapids-based Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber Inc. was selected through an RFP process as the architect of record for the […]
