September 11, 2017
Lawmakers want to shoot down Chinese lanterns
LANSING — Americans celebrate holidays by sending things up. But popular Chinese sky lanterns can kill livestock, strangle wildlife and cause fires, experts say. Sky lanterns are made of paper, cloth and string. They use wires or bamboo for support. So-called fuel cells made of cardboard and wax allow them to float when lit. They […]
SBA loan activity on upward trajectory in Michigan
Huntington Bank is seeing a rising tide of confidence from borrowers interested in Small Business Administration loans. According to data provided by the U.S. SBA’s Michigan District Office in Detroit, Huntington Bank again was the top SBA lender in Michigan during a 10-month period from Oct. 1, 2016, through July 31, 2017. During that time, […]
Travis Pest Control keeps work all in the family
For the past six decades, not even the smallest nuisance has escaped the Travis family’s notice. Army veteran and boxer James Travis Sr. founded Travis Pest Control in 1955 after leaving the military in 1952 and moving to West Michigan from his post at Fort Riley in Junction City, Kansas. James Travis Sr. attended Grand […]
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Change Ups: GRCC receives special project award
Grand Rapids Community College’s ESL/CNC Precision Machining program received the 2017 Special Project Award from the Michigan Association of Continuing Education and Training. The program combines English as a Second Language coursework with technical skills training. GRCC teamed up with the Hispanic Center of West Michigan and the Literacy Center of West Michigan to develop […]
Construction employment rebounds in a big way
National construction employment rebounded in August, adding 28,000 net new jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to a report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It was the best month for job gains in construction since February, according to a data analysis by Associated Builders and Contractors. Construction employment declined by 3,000 net […]
Public Record
MORTGAGES Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds BURKHOLDER, Patrick et al, Northern Mortgage Services, Condo-Squire Estates, $366,314 HAROLD, Desmond A. et al, Independent Bank, Condo-Ridge Water Estates II, $216,000 RODGERS, Michael F. et al, Mercantile Bank Of Michigan, Providence Lake No. 6, Lot 117, $425,000 HOFFMAN, Ashley et al, Macatawa Bank, Planters […]
Street Talk: Leaders, lend an ear
When it comes to the topic of leadership, there may not be a better in-state expert than Tom Izzo. The Upper Peninsula’s favorite son took time last week to deliver the breakfast keynote at the Great Lakes ACG Capital Connection, where he talked about some of the lessons he’s learned in his 40-year coaching career. […]
Area’s big job growth talent needs must be met with successes in diversity hiring
The Business Journal finds interesting contrasts — and possible solutions — in two reports, one focused on Talent 2025’s study of employment and skill needs, and the other a review of Start Garden’s outreach to minority communities. Talent 2025’s study, based on detailed research and many employer focus groups across categories, shows West Michigan job […]
Are jobs in skilled/professional trades attractive enough?
Conventional wisdom is one of the main culprits in the so-called skill shortage is that all Michigan kids are being pushed to get a four-year degree. I am quite skeptical that is accurate. (See the New York Times article entitled “College is the Goal. Will these three teenagers get there?” about college counseling at a […]
Logistics company trucks in, retains talent
Fifth Wheel Freight puts the “party” in “third-party logistics company.” During lunch on a recent Thursday, employees played table tennis in the office and a barber provided free haircuts on-site. On other days, nail technicians give manicures to the staff. Situated in a posh suite on the third floor of the historic Waters Center in […]
Internet provider turns to the ‘dark’ side
Dark Fiber may sound like a plot element in a science fiction story, but it’s very real and becoming a preferred method of internet connectivity for businesses in Michigan. The term “dark fiber” refers to the unused fiber strands inside a cable that typically aren’t connected to a telecommunication company. These fibers are instead leased […]
F&V reaches growth milestone
Fleis and VandenBrink will celebrate its 25th anniversary in January, and odds are good the company will look quite different in the next 25 years. Larry Fleis, along with friend and business partner Steve VandenBrink, started the multi-discipline engineering and architectural firm in Grand Rapids in 1993. “Considering that our company started with just Steve […]
Region’s growth outpacing state’s
A consortium of workforce developers, education and business leaders have published a report on the talent outlook in West Michigan, and all signs point toward continued growth. The 2017 West Michigan Talent Assessment and Outlook, published by regional talent development organization Talent 2025, shows from 2015 to 2016, 25,359 new private payroll jobs were added […]
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Mel Trotter program helps taxpayers save
About 15 years ago, Mel Trotter Ministries began its public inebriate shelter program. The shelter, launched in 2002, is the result of years of discussions between city leaders, medical professionals and law enforcement regarding how to best handle the problems caused by public inebriation, specifically among the city’s homeless population. At the time, there were […]
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Guiding Light’s services translate to jobs
(As seen on WZZM TV 13) Guiding Light is celebrating that its “three-legged stool” of rescue, recovery and re-engagement is translating into jobs and spending in the region. In the past 12 months, the Grand Rapids nonprofit had a $13.5-million economic impact on the community, as it put 614 individuals back to work, mostly into […]
Public relations partners launch joint business venture
As medical marijuana cardholders and advocates for adult recreational use of cannabis, Roberta King and Dottie Rhodes felt it was high time for a new career challenge. On Aug. 24, the pair — who have more than 50 years of combined experience in public relations, strategy, branding, marketing and design — opened Canna Communication, a […]
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Consumers launches renewable energy program
Big businesses in West Michigan now are able to take part in a program that will allow them to support and benefit from the development of renewable energy. Late in August, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) approved a pilot program that Consumers Energy Co. will offer to its large business customers. The Voluntary Large […]
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Inside Track: Life’s in focus for movie theater exec
While working at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Eric Kuiper was most intrigued by the parts of church that involve storytelling. “The great comic book writer Grant Morrison said, ‘We live in the stories we tell ourselves,’” Kuiper said. “What is a church if not a storytelling community? “It came into focus for me […]
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A clear shift toward inclusion
In 2015, Forbes magazine published an article that sent shockwaves through the startup ecosystem in Grand Rapids. Titled “The Cities Where African-Americans Are Doing The Best Economically,” the article did not highlight Grand Rapids’ excellence in that arena. Instead, Grand Rapids ranked 51st out of 52 cities examined, ahead of only Milwaukee. According to the […]
