May 30, 2017
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Change Ups: Bekins rated No. 1
Bekins is rated No. 1 in Michigan and 45th nationally by custom electronics business trade magazine “CE Pro” in its 2017 Top 100 rankings for its work in electronics and integration. This marks the sixth straight year Bekins has ranked in the publication’s Top 100. Electronic integration enables homeowners to control and automate their home’s […]
Public Record
MORTGAGES Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds FLICKINGER, Kyle et al, Old National Bank, Washburn's Sub., Lot 14, $200,560 HAVILAND, John et al, Union Home Mortgage Corp., Bradford Hollow, Lot 2, $209,500 RUSSELL, John et al, AmeriFirst Financial Corp., Judd's Sub., Lot 39, $217,550 CAREY, Kimberly K. et al, Chemical Bank, Paris […]
The risk of 9 to 5 and the reality of before and after
Ninety-five percent of all salespeople try to fit their sales day into a normal workday. They want their day to be from 9 to 5, or maybe from 8 to 5, or maybe even from 8 to 6, but very little before that or after that. The reality is that 9 to 5 is the […]
Street Talk: Tech takes seat at board table
While recruiting CEOs remains a priority for public company boards, there are a handful of skill sets gaining prominence in the boardroom thanks to rapidly changing technology and enhanced concern over cyber security “Given the pace of change, boards are thinking about what new diverse skill sets they need in the boardroom that may not […]
Retail outlook remains positive through midsummer
Michigan retailers expect more of the same after posting positive retail sales during April, according to the Michigan Retail Index, a joint project of Michigan Retailers Association and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. More than half of retailers posted year-over-year sales increases during April and nearly three-quarters expect gains through midsummer. “Our index has […]
GRCC, Kent ISD cast college program
Amid growing concerns over skilled worker shortages, a group of partners will offer another talent pipeline for West Michigan employers. Grand Rapids Community College, Kent Intermediate School District and area manufacturers have created a program called Launch U that will allow high school students to earn college credit or a degree at Kent ISD and […]
‘Missing pieces’ in West Michigan’s economic stability
The Business Journal is reporting on the findings of a “Missing Pieces” study by Deloitte in conjunction with the Alliance for Board Diversity, measuring the gains made by women on corporate boards in Michigan. The Business Journal suggests that while 25 percent of boards surveyed added a woman to their board in the past year, […]
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Inside Track: Drive for change fuels Ley
In late 2014, Jason Ley began to think about how he wanted to die. Ley was with the Grand Rapids audio/visual company LiveSpace while his grandmother was nearing her death, and he realized he wanted more out of his life. Despite never having any specific career goals or aspirations, he said he always had a […]
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Muskegon County books record tourism
(As seen on WZZM TV 13) Tourists are keeping Muskegon County’s hospitality and tourism businesses busy. For the third year in a row, Visit Muskegon, the county’s convention and visitors bureau, reported growth. The CVB reported a 4.7 percent increase in accommodations tax collections for the county, which has collected more than $1 million in […]
WMU, Aquinas partner on engineering degree
Western Michigan University and Aquinas College this fall will join a packed field of schools forging academic partnerships. The two institutions announced this month that they have signed a partnership agreement to allow Aquinas students to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial and entrepreneurial engineering through WMU’s College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. […]
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Company fosters team building
Paul Boynton took up surfboarding while living in Florida. His then-co-worker would say, “Let’s leave work early and go have a ‘board meeting.’” The term came back to him years later as a fitting name for a paddleboard rental company. Boynton, born and raised in West Michigan, studied business and pre-law at Grand Valley State […]
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Noto’s cooks up changes with celebrity chefs
Noto’s Old World Italian Dining is closed for the next several days, as the restaurant makes some changes to its menu, kitchen and dining facility. The upgrades will support a new direction for the 30-year-old, family-owned restaurant, 6600 28th St. SE, which recently hired not one but two new chefs and said it is ready […]