Stephen Ross is stepping down as chairman of his New York City-based development giant, Related Cos.
Ross, the billionaire developer who is a Detroit native and University of Michigan graduate, told the Wall Street Journal he is now concentrating his e orts in West Palm Beach, Fla., with a new company called Related Ross, and turning over the reins of Related Cos. to CEO Je rey Blau, also a University of Michigan graduate.
President Bruce Beal and Chief Operating O ce Kenneth Wong will remain at Related.
Ross, 84, has become increasingly involved in Detroit development in the last ve years, and intends to remain that way, according to a person familiar with the matter who said Ross’ involvement with the District Detroit will continue through a joint-venture between Related Cos. and Related Ross.
He is not involved in Ann Arbor, where Related Cos. a liate Related Midwest last month received
Ann Arbor Housing Commission approval to build a new mixed-income high-rise on the former Ann Arbor YMCA site, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Together, Ross and the Ilitch family have proposed more than $1.5 billion in new and redeveloped buildings in the District Detroit area. So far, the only one that’s started construction is the University of Michigan Center for Innovation, a $250 million project being led by the university.
Ross
nounced a series of 10 projects costing about $1.53 billion and, as envisioned, bringing 1.25 million square feet of ofce space, 695 residential units (with some affordable at rates as low as 50% of the Area Median Income), 467 hotel rooms and about 146,000 square feet of commercial/retail space.
Of those 10, an o ce building at 2200 Woodward Ave. was to be the rst, but the companies pivoted to focusing on residential rst earlier this year.
Olympia and Related an-
Olympia and Related sought
and received various approvals on close to $800 million in publicnancing, the majority of which comes from a $615 million or so transformational brown eld package largely through various state tax captures. e developers say the projects couldn’t be built without the taxpayer funding.
e Wall Street Journal said Ross, through Related Ross, has in the last several years acquired some 3 million square feet of commercial space in West Palm Beach, where he has become the largest commercial landlord downtown.
Aaron Elstein of Crain’s New York Business contributed to this report.
TESTING 8 FIGURES
Pair of Oakland County houses aim well above $10M threshold
A pair of mansions have hit the market — one traditional, one eclectic, both on lakes with lots of land. With asking price tags of $15 million and $12 million, they’re testing just how much people are willing to pay for a home in metro Detroit. Take a look inside them on pages 16 and 17
Stephen
Here’s the economic impact the NFL Draft brought to city
By Jay Davis
Local o cials who worked to organize the 2024 NFL Draft previously said the economic impact on the area would be big. Now they have released nal estimates.
Along with shattering attendance records, the 2024 NFL Draft brought an economic impact of $213.6 million, according to a report released on July 11 by Visit Detroit and the Detroit Sports Commission. at gure includes $161.3 million in new spending in the region created by the Draft itself.
Around $106.4 million of that $161.3 million will be retained long term within the region as new income for households, business owners and tax revenue, according to the report. e $106.4 million also represents gross impact on local income. e overall tax impact from visitor spending during the draft is around $12.3 million, the report states. e Detroit Sports Commission’s Living Legacy Initiative helped distribute $1.5 million in grants to local nonpro t organizations during the draft.
e study was developed by Dr. Patrick Rishe, director of the Sports Business Program at Washington University in St. Louis. Rishe analyzed spending levels by both visiting fans and locals, and the
NFL. e study highlighted bene ts to local minority businesses and dened the local regional economy as the Detroit region of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties.
e report comes after o cials in May released preliminary data on the event.
Visit Detroit President and CEO Claude Molinari in a statement said the three-day draft will continue to have long-term, positive impacts on the area.
“ at spending went into the pockets of Detroit businesses and will help strengthen our community for years to come,” said Molinari, who co-chaired the Detroit
Local Organizing Committee for the draft. “I am also proud that more than 50 million people watched Detroit shine on national television, which will be critical for Michigan’s long-term population and economic growth.”
Minority-owned businesses bene ted greatly from that spending, organizers said.
e NFL’s total spend on local minority-owned businesses was about $12.1 million. e Michigan Black Business Alliance, Detroit Economic Growth Corp., Visit Detroit and the Detroit Sports Commission worked to helped local Blackowned businesses earn 34 con-
tracts, nearly 40% of all local contracts, to work directly with the NFL.
Black-owned businesses selected for contracts included 15 concession stands, three sta ng companies, three caterers, two bartenders and one food truck.
Other MBBA-member awarded contracts went to local entrepreneurs working in photography, transportation, decor, laundry and the arts. MBBA members hired more than 500 sta ers to meet demand during the draft, leading to about $1.2 million in income generated during draft week.
Alexis Wiley, founder of PR and advocacy rm Moment Strategies and co-chair of the local organizing committee, in a statement said the results show a strong commitment to prioritizing opportunities for minority-led businesses.
“Our valuable partnerships with the city of Detroit, local minority business organizations, and entities such as the Michigan Black Business Alliance, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, the Detroit Lions, and local ethnic chambers of commerce have signi cantly bene ted local minority businesses,” Wiley said. “ ese collaborations have also helped many of these businesses become certied and prepared to secure contracts for future major local events.”
e report highlighted some pre-
viously released numbers: More than 30% of all draft attendees traveled more than 100 miles to attend the April event. Fans from all 50 U.S. states and more than 20 countries took in the draft, including one fan from Australia who traveled more than 11,000 miles to get to Detroit.
Hotel occupancy during the draft reached a high of 92% on April 25 — the rst day of the event. e hotel occupancy was 85% on April 26, 84% on April 24 and 74% on April 27, the last day of the event.
Detroit Sports Commission Executive Director Dave Beachnau said in a statement that the ndings rea rm the decision by local organizations to push to host the 2024 NFL Draft.
“ is achievement represents the ful llment of our mission to generate economic impact for the region,” Beachnau said, “and to promote the area as a premier destination for leisure travel and sporting events.”
Rocky Lala’s pro le in a July 15 special section on Notable Commercial Real Estate Leaders incorrectly listed his title and relationship with an organization. Lala is partner and principal for Method Development and a founding member of the Milwaukee Junction North End Business Association. Correction
Along with shattering an attendance record, the 2024 NFL Draft generated more than $213 million for the local economy. CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS
In uencers changing city’s marketing game
Elizabeth Schanz
What is considered word-ofmouth advertising and “seeing is believing” takes a di erent form in the digital age.
In Detroit, real people posting real experiences on social media are shaping narratives of how the city is viewed — often for the better — and raising the pro le of small businesses that otherwise would y under the radar. And it’s a strategy that the city’s visitor’s bureau is investing in to grow a positive perception of the city.
In uencers — individuals who have the power to shape the perspectives of their audiences — can be an asset to marketing
campaigns for product promotion and creating a particular image.
“ e future of businesses is in in uencer marketing,” said Amber Lewis, a Detroit in uencer and founder and chief creative o cer of Social N e City, her online brand and media agency.
VC rms seeing more cash, but fewer deals
Detroit venture capital rms have completed 14 deals in the second quarter this year, bringing the total value of capital invested to $121 million to date in 2024, according to data from PitchBook, a Washington-based data platform.
While the number of sales decreased between the rst and second quarters from 20 to 14, the amount of capital invested increased by $50 million during that time frame.
Ann Arbor venture capital rms also executed fewer deals in the second quarter, though the valuation continued to increase, from $34 million to $48 million across the quarters, though the deal count dropped from 11 to six.
Across Michigan, the state saw
$152.7 million in capital investments over 32 deals in Q2 — marking a similar trend of decreasing deals but ballooning investment dollars.
Chris Rizik, founder and CEO of Renaissance Venture Capital, a fund of venture capital funds, said a few deals can skew the data in the region, but nationally, the venture capital deals and investment dollars are declining.
“Companies are being forced to be more capital e cient, so they’re raising smaller rounds. Valuations continue to be challenged compared to where they were,” Rizik said. “ ey stabilized; I think we hit bottom probably in the fourth quarter last year, and since then, it stabilized.
See VC FIRMS on Page 17
RiverWalk’s last leg takes a step forward
Sherri Welch
Approximately 62.6% of the world’s population, or 5.07 billion people, were reported as social media users.
“The future of business is in in uencer marketing.”
Amber Lewis, a Detroit in uencer
Global in uencer marketing spending climbed 21.5% in 2022 to $29 billion with an increase of 17% to $34 billion by the end of 2023, Ad Age reported in September.
In total, spending on the social media advertising market is expected to reach $219.8 billion in 2024, according to Statista.
In a 2024 global survey, 22.4% of marketing agencies and brands said they invested 10%20% of their marketing budget into in uencer marketing. Another 26% designated 40% to this type of digital marketing activity, Statista reported.
See INFLUENCERS on Page
e Detroit Riverfront Conservancy’s plan to complete the last piece of the 5.5-mile Detroit RiverWalk has taken a step forward after more than a decade of negotiations.
e Moroun family’s Detroit International Bridge Co. has agreed to shift from its earlier plans for a concrete-crushing site on the west riverfront.
Negotiations continue, however, over the need to move an industrial operation operated by CSX and to gain rights to use parts of the property in order to extend the RiverWalk, the conservancy said.
e cancellation of the plant was rst reported by e Detroit News.
Led by Chairman Matt Cullen, the conservancy has been negotiating with property owners and stakeholders to gain control of
property along the three-quartermile span west of the developing Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park, between Rosa Parks Boulevard and Riverside Park near the Ambassador Bridge.
e Bridge Co., which owns the Ambassador Bridge, and CSX are the last remaining owners of properties along that stretch, following the Bridge Co.’s purchase of property interests from Pennsylvania Railroad and Norfolk Southern Corp., the conservancy said.
While each own portions of the property, the two companies have joint operating rights across the three-quarter-mile span.
“ e conservancy is pleased to learn that Detroit International Bridge Company is now looking at an alternate site for its concrete plant,” Director of Communications Marc Pasco said.
Anna Fifelski
The ultimate vision for the RiverWalk is to extend from the Belle Isle bridge to the Ambassador Bridge (pictured). | DETROIT RIVERFRONT CONSERVANCY
Amber Lewis is founder and chief creative of cer of Social N The City, an online brand and media agency. CYRUS TETTEH
Partial RenCen demolition under consideration
Consideration is being given to tearing down a portion of the Renaissance Center.
A source familiar with the matter said no decision has been made on whether to tear down any of the General Motors Co.owned hotel and o ce towers that de ne the Detroit skyline, but did say that conversations have long been held about the possibility given the fragile state of the o ce market and the sheer cost to redevelop them into other uses.
e Detroit Free Press reported recently that o cials with GM and Dan Gilbert’s Bedrock LLC are leaning toward tearing down some of the complex. Sources would not con rm that to Crain’s.
GM, Bedrock, city, county and state o cials have been engaged in discussions for months about the future of the iconic complex built in the 1970s. GM owns the ve largest buildings — four 39-story o ce towers anking a 73-story hotel tower that’s the state’s tallest building — and the two smaller o ce towers to the east that were built in the 1980s have separate ownership.
It's not known which towers, or how many of the ve, are being considered for demolition.
“ e Mayor has made it clear from the beginning that all options for the Renaissance Center site will be actively explored," said John Roach, director of media relations for the city, in a statement.
"We are not going to have a situation as we had with the Hudson Building or Michigan Central where critical sites sat empty for 40 years because this communi-
ty’s leaders would not make realistic decisions. All options are being explored and no decision has been made. We will comment when the process is complete.” Emails were sent to spokespeople for GM and Bedrock seeking comment.
It’s the latest wrinkle in the ongoing behind-the-scenes discussions.
In mid April, GM and Bedrock announced the Detroit-based automaker would be moving its longtime RenCen headquarters to Gilbert’s $1.4 billion Hudson’s Detroit development. Executives and o cials said at the time that they would embark on a roughly yearlong study to determine what to do with the ve towers that GM owns.
In April, when the GM/Hudson's Detroit deal was announced, CEO Mary Barra, in response to reporters’ questions about potentially selling the RenCen, said the automaker is “working to decide what the right outcome is for the building.”
“We are embarking on taking the next year to work together with the mayor, Wayne County and Bedrock to imagine what it can be,” Barra said in April.
Construction of the complex was announced in 1971, as the city was still reeling from the July 1967 uprising that resulted in 43 dead, thousands of arrests and hundreds of buildings destroyed.
Built on a gigantic swath of Detroit riverfront land, it is essentially cut o from the rest of downtown by a 10-lane boulevard and surrounded by little else comparable on that side of Je erson Avenue.
GM says it has pumped $1 bil-
“We
e complex has su ered over the years as the COVID-19 pandemic sent o ce workers home in an e ort to combat the virus’s spread, and as downtown’s center of gravity shifted north of Je erson Avenue.
Crain’s has reported that a purchase option exists between General Motors a liate Riverfront Holdings Inc. and Bedrock a liate Resurgence Realty LLC. e purchase option contemplates the sale of the main GM-owned complex, as well as nearly 20 acres of surface parking that Gilbert has long coveted as a waterfront development site. Just because the option has been crafted doesn’t mean that a sale will happen.
are not going to have a situation as we had with the Hudson Building or Michigan Central where critical sites sat empty for 40 years because this community’s leaders would not make realistic decisions.”
John Roach, director of media relations for the city
In addition to partial demolition, discussions also revolve around repurposing some of the buildings into other uses, such as residential space.
lion into improving the RenCen and the Detroit RiverWalk over the years since it took ownership in the mid-1990s with its $73 million acquisition. Although the improvements, including the wildly popular RiverWalk, have changed that to an extent, the location still has taken its toll.
Kirk Pinho
The Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit | DEAN STORM/CRAIN COMMUNICATIONS
UM’s hospital falls off national list but remains best in state
By Dustin Walsh
University of Michigan’s agship hospital has fallen from controversial national rankings amid its rapid expansion plans.
For the rst time in nine years, the Ann Arbor hospital fell from the 2024-25 U.S. News & World Report national “Honor Roll” rankings, released July 16, that evaluate the nation’s best hospitals based on 4,500 metrics.
e hospital, however, remains Michigan’s top-ranked hospital — but this year it shares that distinction with Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital in Royal Oak.
No Michigan hospitals were among the U.S. News’ national Honor Roll list, where California had ve hospitals on the list and Illinois had two.
UM Health-Ann Arbor, however, did achieve national rankings in 12 specialties, beating out Corewell Beaumont’s Royal Oak hospital that had nine specialties ranked. UM ranked highest at eighth in the country for its ear, nose and throat and its urology departments. Corewell Beaumont’s obstetrics and gynecology department ranked 10th in the nation.
“ e recognitions we received across specialties in this year’s U.S. News & World Report rankings di-
U.S. News and World Report ranks best hospitals in Michigan for 2024-25
Number of nationally ranked adult specialties
1. University of Michigan Health-Ann Arbor
1. Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital, Royal Oak
3. Corewell Health Grand Rapids Hospitals-Blodgett and Butterworth
4. Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit
5. Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital
6. Munson Medical Center, Traverse City
7. Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital, Ypsilanti
8. Corewell Health Dearborn Hospital
8. Corewell Health Beaumont Grosse Pointe Hospital
10. Ascension Genesys Hospital, Grand Blanc
10. Ascension Providence Hospital-South eld
12. Henry Ford West Bloom eld Hospital
12. Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo
14. Trinity Health Oakland Hospital, Pontiac
15. Henry Ford Macomb Hospitals, Clinton Township
16. Ascension St. John Hospital, Detroit
17. Trinity Health Muskegon
Source: U.S. News and World Report
rectly re ect the incredible care and quality we provide every day, for every patient. However, this year’s Honor Roll rankings were negatively in uenced by data collected at the height of our response to COVID-19,” said Mary Masson, senior director of public relations for Michigan Medicine, in a state-
ment to Crain’s. “We remain proud of the care our teams provided on the frontlines of the pandemic, despite facing incredible challenges every day serving the sickest patients in Michigan. We have rigorous processes in place to ensure we provide excellent care to our patients every day and strive to be
the leading, high-quality provider our patients expect and deserve.”
But hospital administrators across the state have been calling into question the authority and importance of rankings from U.S. News & World Report and competitor Newsweek.
Last November, Marschall Runge, retiring CEO of Michigan Medicine and dean of the university’s medical school, told Crain’s that these rankings should be met with a skeptical eye.
“Like it or not, the public sees rankings as authoritative measures of the work we do in our classrooms and hospitals. e simple number rankings provide — ‘they’re third, they’re 11th’ — can seem especially useful in trying to navigate what everyone admits is an often complex and confusing system,” Runge wrote. “Unfortunately, that complexity can lead to serious problems in o ering simple answers — while raising the larger question of whether it is better to try to measure every possible variable or just focus on the few that really matter.”
ere are more than a dozen health care industry rankings, theoretically designed to hold systems accountable and inform patients on where best to receive care. But are there too many? Can a tertiary care, academic hospital
INVITE DECISION MAKERS
really be compared to a rural community hospital in Northern Michigan? Do they even improve patient care?
It’s complicated.
“We all (in the industry) feel we have an overwhelming amount of groups that are evaluating us and providing commentary and measurement of our performance,” Dr. Justin Klamerus, chief clinical ocer for Grand Blanc-based health system McLaren Health Care, told Crain’s in November. “It de nitely has the potential to confuse our families. We also recognize that the things that are measured are very important to our organizations. But they are all using similar data, they are just ltered and sorted di erently and presented with their own twist. It can be really di cult for anyone to assess the value.”
For UM, the rankings have been unkind in the last few months.
In May, the Ann Arbor health system dropped in patient safety ratings by Washington D.C. national patient advocacy group e Leapfrog Group.
e semi-annual report card by Leapfrog gave the Ann Arbor health system a “B” for patient safety using a criterion of 30 metrics in preventable medical errors, accidents, injuries and infections.
Detroit’s creative culture vital for innovation
There’s something happening at Newlab on Saturdays that’s worth paying attention to.
A tech meetup called Black Tech Saturdays has been drawing big crowds — at times in excess of 1,000 people. is matters because it’s a sign of Detroit’s creative culture intersecting with entrepreneurs and makers, often young professionals, who are bringing energy and innovative ideas to bear in the city.
Newlab is the tech startup space at Michigan Central that is designed to foster creativity and collaboration as new businesses are developed. Husband-and-wife duo Johnnie and Alexa Turnage launched Black Tech Saturdays there in March 2023 and, as Crain’s Detroit Business reporter Anna Fifelski reported, the gatherings quickly became a hit.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves visited Newlab earlier this year and praised the Turnages for creating “pathways for entrepreneurs who haven’t had that in the past.”
As Detroit, and Michigan, struggle with population growth and seek to attract and retain talent, nurturing the creative culture is important.
“ e key factor driving economic competitiveness today is talent — the capacity to develop, retain and attract talent of every description, from the digital cloud to the production oor.”
COMMENTARY
ose were the words of urbanist Richard Florida and his team that delivered a report on Michigan last year titled, “Michigan’s Great In ection: A Strategy for the Age of Technology and Talent.” Florida has long asserted the importance a creative class plays in the economic revitalization of cities. Detroit has been a wellspring of cultural creativity for generations, from music to fashion to art. But its economic vitality was rooted in heavy industry, notably automobiles.
As the auto industry transitions to one where innovations in technology and focuses on mobility take center stage, De-
troit has a great opportunity to harness creativity with practical applications. e creative culture fostered at Newlab, and with events like Black Tech Saturdays, is vital for the innovations necessary to stay competitive in the future economy. It’s not only a creative space, but it’s a makers’ space, which is a logical progression for a city with Detroit’s DNA.
While progress is being made, more needs to be done.
Detroit, and Michigan’s, shortcomings in education and public transportation come to mind.
We must nurture the next generation of
critical and creative minds who will lead the way in the economies of the future — and keep them here. To keep them here, we must improve transit to make the urban core more desirable for young professionals.
Detroit is making strides when it comes to placemaking, which is critical at a time when many educated workers can choose where they live. e development of the riverfront and the Joe Louis Greenway are key steps toward making the city a more walkable, inviting, place. Even an idea as out of the box as putting a park on top of portions of I-75 through downtown show that elements of civic leadership understand the importance of making the city more attractive to residents.
ese are all building blocks toward developing the vibrancy of the city in an economy where places that leverage knowledge and creativity are rewarded with wealth creation.
Newlab is also a building block. Time will tell whether it is able to keep growing and realize its potential to become a true economic engine. For Black Tech Saturdays, that may be too much to ask of what is essentially a voluntary startup community. But it’s an exciting moment, one worth watching, and it will be interesting to see if the creative culture that has been established there can continue to develop, grow and nd a home in Detroit.
Coverage at the intersection of politics and business
As I write this, the Republican National Convention is on the TV, just as it’ll be tuned to the Democratic National Convention next month.
While I lead newsrooms of business publications, politics permeate many aspects of our lives, like it or not. As a journalist, it’s my job to pay attention to the world around me.
e truth is, I enjoy this stu . Not as a partisan, but as a spectator and as an informed, independent citizen.
I consider myself fortunate to have grown up in a household with parents who were engaged in the civic process.
Ciokajlo is executive editor of Crain’s Detroit Business and Crain’s Grand Rapids Business.
I have a memory as a child of hanging signs with my mom in advance of a National Organization for Women march in Jackson. I also remember my dad going to the Republican National Convention in Detroit in 1980 when Ronald Reagan was rst nominated. Ten years later, he and I drove to our polling place together to vote in a local school board election, my rst time casting a ballot.
In today’s hyper-partisan times, I know it may sound quaint to talk about engaging in politics with an independent approach.
But that’s how I was raised, both at home and in 30 years of covering local news professionally.
At Crain’s Detroit Business, we absolutely take an independent approach to covering politics. We also take a more focused lens than most other local news outlets, striving to bring you the political information that we believe will help you as a business leader. is means, for starters, focusing on policies and politics that have a direct e ect on businesses in Southeast Michigan and across the state. Our veteran Lansing reporter, David Eggert, keeps a close eye on legislation and follows the budget process, along with the other reporters at the state capital, but with a sharp eye on issues most relevant to business. Unemployment bene ts, the prevailing wage law, and the state’s approach to tax incentives and economic development are just a few of the topics Eggert has reported on in recent weeks.
As a news organization focused on the region and state, we are compelled to keep you informed on the issues that a ect you and your business. is could also include adjacent issues such as education. As many in the business community well un-
derstand, Michigan’s success at educating its next generation is inextricably tied to our ability to grow the state’s economy. We do periodically report on pure political stories, when the race or the issue reaches a threshold that it will clearly be of interest to business leaders. e contest to replace U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow is a good example of that, as Eggert has kept close tabs on the candidates vying for the seat. As we move into the fall with that race, you can expect more reporting on the leading candidates’ positions, particularly as they relate to business and eco-
nomic issues.
What you won’t nd is a lot of reporting on national “culture war” issues that swirl in much of today’s political rhetoric, but largely only serve to re up partisans. In short, we focus our reporting on pragmatic issues over ideological ones. Plenty of other outlets o er reporting and commentary on ideological issues, which is ne. We’ll stay focused on the practical policies, and politics, that intersect with business to keep you informed and, we hope, help you make decisions as you navigate today’s economy.
Mickey
Attendees of a June 29 Black Tech Saturdays event at Newlab at Michigan Central gather on the building’s staircase. | QUINN BANKS
The new age of cancer care
is Theranostics
Innovative med-tech startup is changing the face of cancer care
By BAMF Health
What do you think of when you hear the word “radioactive”? Some might think of nuclear power. Others may think of particles and science. Maybe your mind dri s to the catchy poprock song from 2012 that references the apocalypse.
e apocalypse aside, radioactivity isn’t all bad. In fact, an emerging eld of medicine is harnessing radioactivity to nd and treat previously undetectable and untreatable diseases. Yes, patients are injected with radioactive drugs, but the side e ects are minimal. What’s more, the drugs have the potential to save lives. e eld is called eranostics.
What is Theranostics?
eranostics uses radiopharmaceuticals to detect and destroy cancer and other diseases. It’s been around since the 1940s but has gained signi cant traction in recent years.
is precision medicine approach leverages unique markers found in or around disease cells.
Radiopharmaceutical imaging agents attach to those speci c markers and emit signals that are picked up by PET scans, revealing the disease’s location. erapeutic agents attach to the markers and deliver focused radiation that kills disease at the molecular level. FDA-approved therapies are currently being used to treat metastatic prostate cancer and neuroendocrine cancer.
One of the only comprehensive eranostics centers in the world dedicated to this type of medicine is called BAMF Health.
BAMF Health leads the way in Theranostics
BAMF, which stands for Bold Advanced Medical Future, was founded in 2018 by Dr. Anthony Chang and started treating patients in July 2022. It is the rst facility
in the world built speci cally for eranostics.
“I le academia in 2016 to start this risky venture because I knew eranostics had the potential to save a lot of lives, but it was only being done at such a small scale,” Dr. Chang explained. “I couldn’t accept that patients were dying while the technology to diagnose and treat them was in our hands. I founded BAMF Health to make these life-saving treatments accessible and a ordable—now.”
Dr. Chang recruited some of the most experienced eranostics experts from around the globe to join his mission. Dr. Harshad Kulkarni, BAMF Health’s Chief Medical Advisor, has nearly 20 years of Nuclear Medicine
Bringing radiopharmaceutical imaging and therapy to all
Right now, patient access to radiopharmaceutical imaging and therapy is limited. Some hospital systems, academic medical centers, and independent o ces o er these services, but at a limited scale. Leaders at BAMF Health believe their model must be replicated to image and treat the number of people across the country who are—and will be—eligible.
“We’ve cracked the code on scaling eranostics,” reported Dr. Chang. “Our team established an economical and e cient way to put a radiopharmacy, Molecular Imaging Clinic, Molecular erapy Clinic,
eranostics uses radiopharmaceuticals to detect and destroy cancer and other diseases. It’s been around since the 1940s but has gained signi cant traction in recent years.
and eranostic Oncology experience and has overseen more than 10,000 radiopharmaceutical therapies and eranostic procedures.
“ ese non-invasive technologies o er a signi cant opportunity to advance diagnostics and treatments for cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and cardiac diseases,” said Dr. Kulkarni. “ is approach may also have extended applications for PTSD, depression, endometriosis, pain, and more.”
and Clinical Trials Platform all in one facility. Now it’s our goal to deploy this platform across the country so every patient has access to these lifesaving therapies.”
A tidal wave of treatment options is coming
Hundreds of radiopharmaceutical therapies are in development for a multitude of diseases. eranostic centers must not only be able to provide current treatments but also
have the capacity to o er treatments to the hundreds of others that will follow.
“Big pharma companies like Novartis and Lilly are investing billions of dollars into developing radiopharmaceuticals and acquiring companies that do the same,” Dr. Chang explained. “As more and more drugs funnel into the pipeline, pharmaceutical companies will need ways to rapidly get them to market. at’s where we come in.”
BAMF Health is partnering with dozens of pharmaceutical companies to launch clinical trials for these novel drugs. While clinical trials can take months to launch and years to complete, BAMF Health launches trials in weeks and maintains the highest degrees of quality and safety.
“ e faster we complete clinical trials, the more FDA-approved options patients will have,” said Dr. Chang. “Many patients in our clinical trials have run out of options. ese treatments can potentially extend their lives and signi cantly improve their quality of life, giving them more time with the ones they love.”
The new age of cancer care has arrived
For decades, researchers and scientists have said eranostics is the future of medicine. Many of those same people are still saying that today. But eranostics is happening right now.
Maybe the song had it right a er all. Welcome to the new age, to the new age—of cancer care.
BAMF Health is located in the Doug Meijer Medical Innovation Building in Grand Rapids.
Anthony Chang, PhD, BAMF Health Founder and CEO
10 rooftop patios in Detroit and beyond
Summer is prime time to take your dining and drinking experiences to a higher level with plenty of rooftop options in Detroit and surrounding communities. This season, there are plenty of new spots to try and some established favorites for great views and vibes. Call or check the venue’s website to con rm hours of operation and if reservations are available.This list is not meant to be comprehensive. Also, check out our recommendations for outdoor patios and waterfront dining.
Detroit
Bookies Bar & Grille
2208 Cass Ave., Detroit
Bookies is most popular for its rooftop, a great spot on game days to pre-game, watch the game and enjoy a post-game libation and burger. The menu includes mile-high nachos, atbreads and wraps. The current daily special offers a bucket of Coronas for $20.
Cielo Rooftop
600 W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit
Cielo opened to the public in April atop the Cambria Hotel on the west side of downtown. The expansive rooftop venue can seat 300 guests with a table-seating patio and a lounge area with high-top tables and comfortable outdoor furniture. Cielo offers menus for brunch and evening dining as well as bottle service. Its food menu features halal options like za’atar-spiced chicken wings, a breakfast burrito with beef bacon, garlic fried chicken and pomegranate ribs.
I|O Godfrey
1401 Michigan Ave., Detroit
On top of the Godfrey Hotel in Corktown, I|O (short for “inside outside”) creates a “chic urban escape” with retractable walls and glass ceilings, offering panoramic views of the Detroit skyline. I|O features cocktails, sophisticated food options and regular live entertainment. The food menu includes items such as charcuterie and cheese boards, oysters and lamb sliders.
Kamper’s Rooftop Lounge
1265 Washington Blvd., Detroit
Kamper’s opened in October atop the newly renovated Book Tower building, where its 14th- oor perch offers an expansive view. The venue aims to create an atmosphere similar to the spirit of Barcelona’s charming cafes w≠ith 86 seats where customers can enjoy the extensive cocktail and wine list. The food menu highlights tapas such as pulpo (octopus), potato and romesco sauce; and pintxos including chistorra con huevos with chorizo, quail egg and blistered shishito.
| Elizabeth Schanz
By
The Monarch Club
33 John R St., Detroit
The Monarch Club space features three outdoor terraces at the penthouse of the Metropolitan Building. It cultivates an atmosphere drawing inspiration from the mid-century rooftop bars and restaurants of downtown Detroit including the Savoyard, Recess and Top of the Flame. Cocktails, wine and beer are available along with warm and cold plates and dessert. The Monarch Club’s dress code forbids cut-off shorts, ip- ops and tank tops (for men).
The Rooftop at Gilly’s
1550 Woodward Ave., Detroit
Gilly’s Clubhouse is an upscale sports bar with a rooftop that opened in April. The rooftop terrace overlooks Detroit’s skyline while creating the feel of a hacienda venue. Its menu features Mexican street food, an extensive tequila list and cocktails. The bar was a passion project of Nick Gilbert, the late son of real estate mogul Dan Gilbert and his wife, Jennifer. Nick, whose nickname was Gilly, died last year at 26.
Kamper’s is a new 86-seat rooftop patio at the Book Tower building in downtown Detroit. | MATTHEW WILLIAMS
Gilly’s Clubhouse & Rooftop in downtown Detroit, the vision of the late Nick Gilbert, opened in April. | GILLY’S CLUBHOUSE & ROOFTOP
Cielo’s rooftop venue can seat 300 guests with a table-seating patio and a lounge area with high-top tables. | CIELO
The Monarch Club offers sweeping views of downtown Detroit. THE MONARCH CLUB
Bookies Bar & Grille’s patio is a popular place to watch sports on at-screen TVs. | BOOKIES
I|O Godfrey has retractable walls and glass ceilings. | HAYDEN STINEBAUGH
Wayne County Flyleaf
92 Kercheval Ave., Grosse Pointe Farms
Flyleaf is a bookshop, bistro and bar wrapped into one that opened last August. Its thirdoor rooftop space boasts comfortable outdoor seats, replaces and a bar. The 3,500-square-foot rooftop space is a nice place to gather with friends over drinks or curl up with a book and a cup of tea. Enjoy quiche, deviled eggs, lobster rolls, truf e popcorn and more, plus a variety of “literary” cocktails, wine, beer, coffee and tea. Flyleaf opens at 8 a.m. Tuesday-Saturday and becomes 18-and-older-only at 4 p.m. for bar service. Cocktail hour specials are available 3-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday.
Macomb County
Mike’s on the Water
24530 Jefferson Ave., St. Clair Shores
For an elevated view of Lake St. Clair, visit Mike’s on the Water’s rooftop deck. The restaurant features signature lobster rolls and a nautical-themed bar tying together the waterfront atmosphere.
Oakland County
We’ve Got Brunch
7389 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloom eld
We’ve Got Brunch’s rooftop is open for casual dine-in and rooftop brunch day parties with bottle service. The menu features unique takes on classic breakfast and lunch options including “The Trifecta” grits topped with fried salmon, cat sh, grilled shrimp and Louisiana Cajun cream sauce.
Pinky’s Rooftop
100 S. Main St., Royal Oak
Perched on the second level of a busy corner in downtown Royal Oak, Pinky’s is a delight in — you guessed it — pink decor. The inside/outside venue is lled with plants and owers, too, and is a favorite spot for girls’ nights and celebrations. The food menu runs the gamut of shareables, sliders and salads, to weekend brunch and a dessert dubbed Beauty School Dropout, a 3-foot-tall cotton candy wig meant to share with your BFFs. Drinks are creative and fun, with names including Thank U, Next and Tastes Like Jesus.
The recently opened rooftop at We’ve Got Brunch creates a fun and comfortable dining experience. | WE’VE GOT BRUNCH
Pinky’s in downtown Royal Oak offers a variety of fun a≠≠nd pink drinks.
| PINKY’S VIA FACEBOOK
Mike’s customers can enjoy the views of Lake St. Clair. MIKE’S ON THE WATER
Flyleaf offers a cozy atmosphere for customers to enjoy food and drinks. | JUSTIN MACONOCHIE
City seeks developer for neighborhood center in Corktown
By Sherri Welch
e city of Detroit is seeking a developer to team up with youth and community development nonpro t Heritage Works on an economic empowerment center planned for Corktown.
e center, which will be built on the former 16th Street site of Owen Elementary, is one of several neighborhood-bene t projects on tap as part of a larger plan announced in 2021 and supported with a $30 million Choice Neighborhoods Implementation grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. When the school was operating, “it was an anchor for the neighborhood, and we want (the new center) to become an anchor in sort of a di erent way and provide amenities for the housing there,” said Rebecca Labov, chief development and investment o cer for housing and revitalization for the city of Detroit.
e majority of the Choice Neighborhoods grant, which is aimed at preventing gentri cation in the wake of Michigan Central’s redevelopment, is supporting the development of mixed-income housing throughout historic and north Corktown. But $4.5 million will support the neighborhood projects with partners Heritage Works, Star sh Family Services and IFF, a federally certi ed Com-
munity Development Financial Institution, Labov said.
An Early Childhood Education Center operated by Star sh Family Services and led by IFF is in the pre-development stage currently, she said. Other neighborhood projects on tap include: a green stormwater project, streetscaping and placemaking along corridors and the new 10th Street Greenway to connect Michigan Avenue down to the developing Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park.
Heritage Works, which pro-
JOIN THE TEAM HELPING BUILD SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN’S FUTURE WORKFORCE!
MiCareerQuest Southeast is Metro Detroit’s largest career exploration event for high schools, drawing 7,000+ students and teachers. More than 120 employers participate each year, with 1,000 working professionals engaging tomorrow’s workforce. Interactive, hands-on activities show students the skills needed to succeed in today’s most in-demand, high-paying careers.
There is no cost to exhibit. Join us in one or more career quadrants: Heath Sciences
Advanced Manufacturing Construction Technology
A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available. Don’t wait, join us today!
Get Involved! Contact: Brooklyn Frontiera MiCareerQuestSE@OakGov.com (248) 452-2260
See what makes this event special!
motes youth and community development through cultural traditions, arts and education, will lead programs at the new, 8,000- to 12,000-square-foot economic empowerment center slated for the former school site in North Corktown.
“Heritage Works is excited to be developing the NoCo Culture Hub, which will be a mixed-used development that blends cultural, commercial and community uses to meet the economic, physical, and social needs of the Corktown com-
munity,” Executive Director Rhonda Greene said in a statement.
Labov said the new center will house the nonpro t’s arts and education programs as well as a retail tenant to meet commercial requirements of the Choice Neighborhoods grant and provide a possible avenue for the nonpro t’s youth employment programs.
“ at’s part of what they want to o er with this space, to help youth sort of develop the skills to be employable and manage nances and things of that nature in addi-
tion to the arts and cultural programming,” Labov said.
In terms of a developer, the city is “looking for a partner who will share (Heritage Works’) vision and support them in being owners or co-owners with the developer because that’s a goal and important to Heritage Works,” Labov said. Responses to the request for quali cations from developers for the new neighborhood center are due July 26.
‘Left Field’ housing project
Housing development has led the Detroit Choice Neighborhoods project, with half of 120 mixed-income apartments set to come online late this summer as part of the $42 million “Left Field” housing project, developed by American Community Developers on property formerly home to Tiger Stadium, along the Fisher Service Drive and Cochrane Street.
Construction on a second housing development, Preserve on Ash, is set to break ground late this month, bringing 69 mixed-income townhomes of a total 160 planned. e Community Builders is the developer on the project.
“As you get closer to the freeway and to Michigan Avenue, you’re starting to see more projects come in market rate and middle income …but we want to ensure that there’s a ordable rental here,” Labov said.
Michigan to create $60M innovation fund
By Anna Fifelski
A new $60 million innovation fund to help launch Michigan-based startups got the support of the Michigan Legislature last month, as it was included in the $82.5 billion state budget lawmakers passed for the 2025 scal year.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who has yet to put her seal of approval on the budget, had called for the $60 million fund for startups in her 2024 State of the State address. While the $60 million met most lawmakers’ expectations, three House representatives are sponsoring a pending bill package that would allocate $105 million for such a startup fund.
Biosciences Research and Commercialization Center of Western Michigan University.
Reps. Jason Hoskins (D-Farmington), Alabas Farhat (D-Dearborn) and Greg VanWoerkom (R-Norton Shores) visited Newlab at Michigan Central in April to discuss the three-bill package, which is backed by more than 25 partners across the state of Michigan, including Michigan Central, Michigan Technological University, Detroit-based venture capital rm Renaissance Venture Capital and more.
While the $60 million fund is only a small portion of the $105 million counterproposal, VanWoerkom told Crain’s that he views the $60 million fund as the rst step in the process of getting more money toward the Michigan Innovation Fund.
“We knew that the governor
was interested in the $60 million, and that’s the number that eventually came out of the Democrat budget,” VanWoerkom said. “I think there’s still some advocacy or the ability to use further dollars, but right now, what we want to see is the Legislature passed the enacting bills so that these funds can actually use those dollars, and then we can see how those dollars are used and whether it’s justifiable to use additional dollars for these programs.”
e $105 million fund would be provided to ve established Michigan-based nonpro t early-stage evergreen funds, which would then invest the funding in startups. e coalition includes Ann Arbor Spark, Detroit-based ID Ventures (the venture capital program of Invest Detroit), the Michigan State University Research Foundation, University of Michigan Accelerate Blue Fund and the
Past requests from the venture capital community signal a $60 million fund may leave much to be desired.
Last year, four nonpro t venture capital rms developed a proposal urging state lawmakers to approve a one-time $126 million appropriation.
“We believe Michigan has as much or more potential than other states to be a leader in creating and growing innovative technology startups, but to do so the state needs to be creative at generating more opportunities for entrepreneurs, leverage the state’s research universities, and invest more public funding in its startup ecosystem,” Steve Haakenson, executive director of Biosciences Research and Commercialization Center, told Crain’s Grand Rapids in 2023.
The former Owen Elementary site at 3106 16th St. in Detroit. The school closed in 2006 and was later demolished. | GOOGLE STREETVIEW
An innovation fund got the support of the Michigan Legislature last month. | DALE G. YOUNG
PHYSICIAN GROUPS CRAIN’S LIST
1
Company Phone; website
BEAUMONTACO 1 South eld48033 947-522-0037; beaumont-aco.org
THE PHYSICIAN ALLIANCELLC St. Clair Shores48081 586-498-3555; thephysicianalliance.org
4
WalterLorang executive director and COO
BelalAbdallah, MD chief executive of cer
MichaelMadden president and CEO
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN FACULTY GROUP PRACTICE Ann Arbor48109 800-211-8181; medicine.umich.edu/medschool/patient-care/u-m-medical-group TimothyJohnson senior associate dean for clinical affairs
5 HENRY FORD PHYSICIAN NETWORK Detroit48202 313-874-1466; henryford.com/hfpn
6 UNITED PHYSICIANSINC. Bingham Farms48025 248-593-0100; updoctors.com
ThislistofphysicianorganizationsencompassesphysicianhospitalorganizationsandindependentpracticeassociationsandisanapproximatecompilationofthelargestsuchgroupsinWayne,Oakland, Macomb,WashtenawandLivingstoncounties.IPA=Independentpracticeassociation.PHO=Physicianhospitalorganization.ACO=Accountablecareorganization.CIN=Clinicallyintegratednetwork.It isnotacompletelistingbutthemostcomprehensiveavailable.Unlessotherwisenoted,informationwasprovidedbytheorganizations.NA=notavailable. e. Crain'sestimate. 1. BeaumontCarePartners becameapartofBeaumontAccountableCareOrganization,effectiveApril1,2022. 2. CCAHealthMichiganwaslaunchedfollowingamajoritystakeacquisitionofRelianceHealthcarebyCommonwealth Care Alliance in March 2022. The ACO was rebranded in November 2022 as CCA Health ACO. Want the full Excel version of this list — and every list? Become a Data Member: CrainsDetroit.com/data
MarschallRunge CEO, Michigan Medicine; dean, UM Medical School, executive VP for Medical Affairs, University of Michigan 2
CarolSchmidt SVP, Ascension, and ministry market
CindyElliott president, Trinity Health Michigan Medical Groups
ShannonStriebich president and CEO, Michigan market
7 DETROIT MEDICAL CENTER Detroit48201 313-745-5146; dmc.org BrittanyLavis CEO
Midland48640 989-839-3000;
vice president and COO
MarkEastburg president and CEO
ResearchedbySonyaD.Hill:shill@crain.com|ThislistingisanapproximatecompilationoftheleadinghospitalcompaniesbasedinMichigan.Netpatientrevenuelistedisoperatingrevenue,excluding baddebt.Totalrevenueisnetpatientrevenue,investmentincome,non-operatingorotherrevenue.Uncompensatedcareischaritycareplusbaddebtatcosts.Thesearemedicalservicesforwhichno paymentisreceivedorexpected.Itisnotacompletelistingbutthemostcomprehensiveavailable.Unlessotherwisenoted,informationwasprovidedbythecompaniesdirectlyorfromstateandfederal lings.CompanieswithheadquarterselsewherearelistedwiththeaddressandtopexecutiveoftheirmainMichiganof ce.NA=notavailable. e. Crain'sestimate. 1. BeaumontHealthandSpectrum HealthmergedasanintegratedhealthsystemwiththetemporarynameBHSHHealthonFeb.1,2022.RebrandedasCorewellHealthinOctober2022. 2. RungewillstepdownJune30,2025.Hewill remainwiththeuniversityasaprofessorinthemedicalschool. 3. FromModernHealthcare. 4. SparrowHealthSystembecameUniversityofMichiganHealth-Sparrow,effectiveApril1,aspartofSparrow joiningtheMichiganMedicineclinicalnetwork. 5. ManagesGardenCityHospitalandLakeHuronMedicalCenter. 6. MetroHealth-UniversityofMichiganHealthannounceditisrebrandingtoUniversity of Michigan Health-West in June 2021. 7. Named the new president in September after Peter Hahn resigned. Want the full Excel version of this list — and every list? Become a Data Member: CrainsDetroit.com/data
INFLUENCERS
From Page 3
Consumers more receptive to local in uencers
e power of local in uencers is making a di erence for small businesses in metro Detroit.
Scent Science Candle Bar, a small business in Auburn Hills with three employees, has seen the impact of in uencers and social media marketing. Owner Kiana Hughes has integrated inuencer marketing into her advertising strategy since the business
opened its rst brick-and-mortar location last year in June. Hughes has partnered with two in uencers since Scent Science Candle Bar opened. In both of these partnerships, the in uencers created a single, approximately 45-second to minute-long, video that was posted on their platforms. e video they created followed the in uencer’s experience at the location, showing what customers could do at the business.
Last year, following the grand opening, Chris Kyle, the in uencer behind the social media account Enjoy Motor City (which currently has 51,300 Instagram
followers and 54,500 TikTok followers), created a single content video for the business. Hughes offered a 10% discount if they found Scent Science through Enjoy Motor City. e content cost around $500, Hughes said.
“It’s a decent amount of money, but I know that I will get my money back,” Hughes said. “I can denitely see a change and shift in bookings right away (after an inuencer post). I go by my metrics, I check my increased social media engagement, my website tra c … like I still get people coming in from Chris Kyle’s post right now and it’s a year later.”
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
To place your listing, visit crainsdetroit.com/people-on-the-move or, for more information, contact Debora Stein at 917.226.5470 / dstein@crain.com
ACCOUNTING
Moran
EDUCATION
Western Governors University
In May of this year, Hughes partnered with Detroit Finds 313 (a platform run by in uencer Nkem Bernard) to create similar content for $350. Following the post, Scent Science Candle Bar saw around a 30% to 40% increase in business in the month following the post.
To make her presence known her marketing tactic relies heavily on social media, Hughes said. Since starting Scent Science in 2019, she has posted on the business’s social media every day and never pays to promote her posts.
Hughes said the business’s marketing strategy is split “50/50” between independently posting on the business’s platforms and engagement from in uencers.
In uencers can be especially useful for businesses that may not have the time or knowledge to build up their own social media accounts, Hughes said. However, small businesses should be aware of the power in uencers can have.
troit in uencers in rotation, Smith said. Visit Detroit asks in uencers to attend certain events, create content for Visit Detroit members or pitch ideas they feel represent the city.
“In uencers are very e ective, but they’re only e ective if they have that trust with their community,” Smith said. “ … the most effective content on our social media channels are local Detroiters telling their story about the city.”
Visit Detroit pays for the in uencers’ content and gives proper credit, mentioning the creators’ account in a caption, for example, which Smith said is important to prevent creators’ work from being devalued or “white labeled” behind the brand.
David Pesci assumed the role of Plante Moran’s Flint of ce managing partner on July 1, 2024, where he’ll focus on developing and growing the Flint team. He’ll also continue to lead the commercial practice in the Flint of ce, where he provides manufacturing and service companies with assurance and consulting services. Pesci succeeds Plante Moran Partner Kimber Smail, who will take on the role of South eld of ce managing partner.
Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute
Karmanos Cancer Institute welcomes
Wasif Saif, M.D., MBBS, the new leader of the Phase I Clinical Trials Multidisciplinary Team and co-leader of the Gastrointestinal and Neuroendocrine Oncology Multidisciplinary Team. Dr. Saif is a world-renowned hematologist and oncologist who specializes in GI cancers, experimental therapeutics, and pharmacogenetics. He has an extensive background in translational research and developing and managing clinical trials. He also leads the Clinical Trials Of ce.
Kyle Utter will work with university leadership to support operational strategy and grow enrollment in WGU’s schools of business, technology, education and nursing across Michigan. He will be responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with partner organizations and community leaders to advance WGU’s reputation as the nation’s premier fully online, competency-based university. Utter has worked for WGU since 2013, most recently serving as Sr. Regional Manager of Strategic Partnerships.
NONPROFITS
The Community House
Jeanine Katona has been promoted to CAO/SVP of The Community House Association in Birmingham, formerly SVP of Human Resources. She is pivotal to the organization’s success, working seamlessly with all departments to manage administrative functions, including human resources, bene ts, accounting, and insurance. With an unwavering commitment to the organization and community, she works tirelessly to support the people around her. Her experience and leadership continue to advance the organization.
NONPROFITS
Grace
“I think rst you have to make sure that your brand is ready for an in uencer to come in because when you bring in this tra c, you have to be ready to meet the demand,” Hughes said. e local voices of in uencers move the needle: consumers are more receptive to people who “feel more like them” and are in their community rather than those with massive followings like music mogul Jay-Z or the Kardashians, said Marcus Collins a clinical assistant professor of marketing at the University of Michigan.
Jennifer Everhart has been promoted to Chief Impact Of cer, overseeing the strategic and operational goals for Cinnaire’s community impact efforts. She brings 25+ years to this new role, including serving as Cinnaire’s EVP and Chief Underwriter and an inaugural member of Cinnaire’s DEI+B steering committee. Donsia Strong Hill has been promoted to Executive Vice President of Equitable Engagement & Impact Strategies, charged with leading Cinnaire’s efforts to analyze new business opportunities and drive strategies to deepen community connection and advance impact. She joined Cinnaire in 2020 as SVP, Corporate Capital Strategies, raising capital among nancial institution partners, aligning funding with strategy and meeting CRA metrics.
In uencer-driven advertising and marketing can create context and credibility beyond what traditional media can a ord, Collins said. An in uencer’s niche and ability to reach people in that category is a factor businesses need to consider when choosing to work with in uencers and gauge their return on investment potential, Collins said.
Although social media has led to a heightened display of in uencer culture and careers, in uencers existed before the internet.
In uencers are individuals who can shift others’ a ects, behaviors, cognitions and desires, also known as “ABCDs,” Collins said.
Pay varies based on the types of content produced and can range from $1,000 to $10,000 per assignment. Paid content could include, for example, an in uencer riding the People Mover and creating content on the experience, Smith said. An in uencer putting “their own spin on a major event,” like the NFL Draft, could be paid around $5,000.
Visit Detroit declined to disclose its total marketing and advertising budget and rates for in uencer partnerships. Smith said that approximately 50% of Visit Detroit’s budget is allocated to creating original content with local Detroit creators.
Visit Detroit gauges its ROI on in uencer partnerships based on how many people saw their original content and engagement including likes, comments and shares. Its model of using in uencers can be a template for other cities to follow, Smith said.
A career in in uencing
Lewis, 32, is one of Visit Detroit’s main ambassadors and the chief energy o cer. She creates content highlighting the Detroit brand, local events, businesses and creators. Beyond this partnership, her career and work encompass the power of social media and online image in marketing.
Centers of Hope
Grace Centers of Hope, a faith-based nonpro t in Pontiac helping individuals recover from addiction, abuse and homelessness, welcomes Darin Weiss as Chief Operating Of cer. With many years of experience in the substance abuse eld, he looks forward to continuing and expanding the organization’s highly successful programs and services. In his new role, Weiss oversees daily operations, nances and facilities. He also serves as a pastor at Grace Gospel Fellowship, GCH’s parent organization.
“Who will help get those things (ABCDs) to shift? Because the cacophony of all the many ways by which we go to market, but also leveraging the in uence of people will help us do that,” he said. “But ultimately, if people don’t move, then it doesn’t matter.”
The ‘best storytellers are the people who live here’
Visit Detroit uses the voices of a variety of in uencers to promote the city.
“In Detroit, every single one of these in uencers, they respond to the comments, they are in the lives of the people who follow them, and they’ve generated a lot of trust … and people do move,” said Stan Smith, senior director of marketing for Visit Detroit.
Smith joined Visit Detroit seven years ago and in the last four years has honed the organization’s strategy into tapping into local talent because the “best storytellers are the people who live here.”
Visit Detroit has about 30 De-
Originally from Detroit, Lewis said she began her in uencer journey before it was called in uencer marketing. While pursuing her advertising degree at Michigan State University, she developed her social media career while being a part of brand partnerships, including as a brand ambassador for Kotex in 2013 and working for Pure Michigan doing social media, events and internal communications.
In 2016, she started posting what she was doing around Detroit on Instagram. Initially starting with 3,000 followers, Lewis now has 14,400 followers under the Instagram handle @socialnthecity. e demographics of her audience across her platforms is 86% women, 49% are 25- to 34-year-olds and 33% are in Detroit.
Social N e City is Lewis’ brand, business and full-time job. Using Instagram, she promotes her partnerships to her audiences. Her brand is deeply intertwined with the impact social media can have on promoting businesses. “I’m not only an in uencer, there’s a back-end side to my busi-
Cinnaire
Hill
Everhart
FINANCIAL SERVICES HEALTHCARE
Plante
ness where I do event strategy and production, campaign and content production,” Lewis said.
Currently, Lewis acts as a jackof-all-trades with only an assistant on her permanent team and she consults with lawyers, accountants, videographers and photographers as needed. Lewis plans to expand the team to event operations manager and brand designer this month.
Social N the City o ers services for marketing campaigns, including strategies, events and social media creative content. e cost for services typically starts around “four gures” for corporate groups and then a sliding scale for local businesses or community initiatives, Lewis said. Lewis declined to disclose her income. However, she compared what she makes from her brand to what she would make in “corporate America.”
For Lewis and many in uencers, it’s not just about advertising or marketing for a business, but being a business themselves. Inuencers are not a new concept; rather, they are a more relatable and entertaining version of what celebrities and socialites have done in past markets, Lewis explained.
“Now you can have the girl next
door who has a platform and an audience and a voice. I think it’s empowering in that way,” Lewis said.
Building a base
On Instagram, the square grid of posts on an account called Detroit Find 313 makes a collage of life in Detroit. e cover images are of tantalizing food from local restaurants, iconic experiences like helicopter tours of the city and montages of events like the Ford Fireworks.
e social media account encapsulates the essence of Detroit through the eyes of — or, more accurately, the edited experiences of — Bernard, the in uencer who runs Detroit Finds 313. Bernard, a resident of Clinton Township, is a full-time nurse and a part-time in uencer running the Detroit Finds 313 account. She began her journey as a Detroit in uencer about two years ago. She started to post content she felt other areas weren’t targeting in Detroit like unique, fun events and places.
In her rst year, Bernard gained 60,000 followers on Instagram. Now, Detroit Finds 313 has 90,000 followers on Instagram, 35,000
nected people to Detroit’s businesses, history, communities and more through private tours, lists of local businesses, programming and speakers. As a Detroit native, Pierce wanted to create rstperson experiences to change the negative prevailing narrative about the city.
“I guess I would consider myself an in uencer. It’s not something I really used as a title or a label before,” Pierce said. “ ... the entire concept (of City Institute) was, like, come with me. Let me show you. Let me introduce you. Let me open your eyes to something that you might not have experienced before.”
Pierce does not work alone. City Institute has three full-time and 20 part-time employees.
One of City Institute’s signature methods of engagement is its tours for the public and corporate tours. Individual tours can be shaped to cater to a speci c topic like a small-business scavenger hunt. e packages range in cost depending on the type and length of the experience, from about $20 a person to about $75.
followers on TikTok and 16,000 followers on Facebook under the username “Detroit Finds.”
Bernard said that last year her platforms and content were completely self-funded to help build up her following and niche. She started charging businesses for her posts in January.
Bernard charges $350 to lm, edit and post one promotional video on a social media platform. e videos are often less than 30 seconds, which Bernard attributes to what is most e ective for viewers’ attention spans, but the length depends on what content a company wants to include. Short-form videos, under a minute long, capture 66% of customers’ attention, Forbes reported.
Many of the companies with which Detroit Finds partners reach out to her, Bernard said. Some recent partnerships include Visit Detroit and Bedrock for the NFL Draft. Additionally, this year she went to and posted about the Bridgerton Tea Party at the Taylor Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Detroit Cycle Boat, a Tikithemed cycle boat and the Scent Science Candle Bar.
With streaming TV on the rise, social media posts and advertising are more relevant than TV advertisements and businesses should invest their resources into in uencer marketing, she said.
“So I feel like a lot of businesses really utilize in uencers because one viral video can really take your business to the top,” Bernard said.
Beyond social platforms
Jeanette Pierce, president of the City Institute, has been focused on promoting the city for about 20 years. Although the in uencer term did not have the internet connotation when Pierce began her career that it does now, Pierce had a multifaceted approach to in uencing people’s perceptions of Detroit.
Since 2005, City Institute — previously the Detroit Experience Factory — has personally con-
zation’s work and the city in an authentic way based on trust, Pierce said.
“I think going forward, that is the biggest value that is available for the future, too, is building that trust and making sure that the people who are in uencers … are actually getting to get their authentic information out there,” Pierce said.
Evolving industry
Across the board, social media experts, users, businesses and online personalities say in uencers are here to stay. Although the industry may evolve as people’s expectations evolve, authenticity in advertising is key, UM’s Collins said.
While City Institute’s work takes a larger, hands-on approach, it has a signi cant social media presence: 22,000 followers on Facebook, 12,000 on Instagram and 18,300 on X, formerly known as Twitter. Pierce declined to disclose annual revenue for the business.
Looking into the future, the City Institute aims to focus on reaching people and promoting the organi-
As social media marketing continues to change with the looming presence and implementation of AI technology, including TikTok’s AI-generated, human-like avatars, the impact those tools may have on in uencers’ careers is yet to be seen. Locally, Visit Detroit said it will not use AI for its content. Additionally, the future of social media marketing depends on how talents and brands connect and create the authenticity necessary for in uence, Collins emphasized.
“ ey have to nd more innovative ways to feel like people are in it with the brand, not just getting a check … I think back in the day, a post was enough. Now you’ve got to do more,” Collins said.
Nkem Bernard runs the Instagram account Detroit
In uencers Amber Lewis (left) and Randi Rossario (right) at the Visit Detroit x Social N The City Vibes and Drives NFL Draft Activation. BRIX ROOM
This home has an ice cream parlor and Eminem video credit
Nick Manes
A self-proclaimed fan of “architectural artifacts,” a walk around Ron Lipson’s waterfront home shows that to be undoubtedly true.
Designed by noted metro Detroit architect Lou DesRosiers, the 15,000-square-foot contemporary lakefront home dates back to 2000, with the design in uenced by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright.
But while the Orchard Lake home listed at $12 million may be contemporary in style, Lipson said the interior design accoutrements, such as an working elevator car from the original Hudson’s department store to a 1940s ice cream parlor in the lower level, are also in line with his interests.
“My attitude is, I’ll put in anything I want,” Lipson said of design choices such as an old elevator in a new house. “It doesn’t have to t (a certain time period).”
Lipson, an inventor by trade who started a supply business for the Detroit 3 automakers, listed the ve-bedroom house late last month as he and his wife seek to downsize. e home, sitting on more than two acres with 163 feet of shoreline on Cass Lake, is colisted with Je Barker, an associate broker with Max Broock Realtors in Birmingham, and his son, Matt.
“An architectural masterpiece, designed by renowned Architect Lou DesRosiers, seamlessly blend-
ing a contemporary design with magni cent nishes and timeless elegance,” reads the listing. “Craftsmanship and quality that would rival the nest real estate in the country.”
e elevator in the home traverses each oor — from the lowest level featuring the 1940s-era ice cream parlor, a theater and gym — up to the rooftop patio with a repit and overlooking Cass Lake. A “wood three-level oating spiral staircase” traverses the same route through the home.
Lipson said the elevator — one of 56 — was salvaged when the downtown Detroit Hudson’s building was demolished in 1998, around the same time that he began designing the home with DesRosiers. A J.L. Hudson Co. brass sign that appears next to the elevator car on the main oor was bought at auction at the DuMouchelles auction house in downtown Detroit.
Lipson also installed two separate pools, one outside and one fully enclosed indoors. e desire for two separate pools makes for a rarity among DesRosiers’ clients, the architect told Hometown Life when Lipson’s home was featured on HGTV in 2018.
Additionally, Lipson’s home was used to shoot part of the music video for rapper Eminem’s “Like Toy Soldiers” music video in 2004.
With its $12 million asking price, the Lipson home stands near the
Century-old mansion prices at top of market
By Nick Manes
A century-old lakefront mansion in Bloom eld Township, up for sale for the rst time in three decades, could shatter price records for metro Detroit.
e 15,600-square-foot home on more than 7.5 acres fronting Turtle Lake o of Square Lake Road has been owned by Tom and Vicki Celani, who raised their now-grown children there, since the early 2000s. Now, the empty nesters feel the time has come to downsize and have listed the “East Coast-style estate” for $14.9 million, per the listing.
With a near $15 million asking price, the home stands at the top of the market in metro Detroit, something fully acknowledged by its owners.
“It’s going to take a special person,” Vicki Celani said of the prospective buyer pool during a recent tour of the property. “We know that. But I’m not willing to
top of the market at present in metro Detroit, which has been seeing steadily increasing prices over the last several years, despite still being one of the most a ordable major metro areas in the nation.
e asking price for the home
just give it away, either.” ere are few comparable listings — or “comps” in real estate slang — to the Celani property.
Last month, Brandywine Construction LLC listed plans for an unbuilt home on a 1-acre plot in Birmingham at $12 million, should a buyer emerge. Multiple listing service gures for the last year show six homes sold at more than $5 million, with another house developed and built by Brandywine Construction as the highest, selling late last year for $6.85 million.
A Bloom eld Hills home sold in April 2023 for just more than $10 million. at home, built in 1932, measures more than 10,000 square feet and sits on more than 2 acres.
Vicki Celani said she’s long received compliments on the home over the quarter-century of ownership, but one compliment has been most common: It feels like a home.
“It’s a very, very traditional house,” Vicki Celani said. “And I
stems from a handful of factors, namely that “it’s a very unique property that o ers a whole lifestyle,” according to co-listing agent Je Barker.
“ e quality of the construction, the concrete roof, you couldn’t even build this type of home (anymore) on this lot for that asking price,” Barker added.
think that people are coming around to traditional homes again. ey’re not so keen on having these huge spaces and big, open rooms.”
Tom and Vicki Celani own the Celani Family Vineyards winery in Napa, Calif., and Tom Celani has long worn multiple hats in businesses in metro Detroit and around the country. Last year, the
couple sold a La Quinta, Calif., winter home they owned for $8.35 million, deciding to spend the cold months in Florida to be closer to family.
Fittingly, the couple’s Michigan home is equipped with a dine-in, temperature-controlled wine cellar, with one side of the room reserved for American wines, the other for European wines.
To that end, a nearby 2.6 acre empty lot also facing Cass Lake, just hit the market this month with an asking price of $3.7 million. Ultimately, for Lipson, the decision to sell comes down to a fairly
Beyond the wine cellar — which includes its own catering kitchen — the home serves as an “entertainer’s dream,” Vicki Celani said. e couple has hosted parties with 500 attendees in the past, and a lake house in the backyard — which once held an Olympic-size swimming pool awash in Pewabic tile — hosted a 300-person family wedding.
Owner Ron Lipson installed a home theater, a 1940s-era ice cream parlor, a working elevator from the original Hudson’s store downtown and an indoor swimming pool. | PHOTOS BY WAYUP MEDIA
The Celani family’s Bloom eld Township home contains a dine-in, temperature-controlled wine cellar. PHOTOS BY WAYUP MEDIA
At the top is the backyard lake house, and below is the main kitchen of the home.
simple choice.
“ is was a labor of love,” Lipson said of the decision to build the home a quarter century ago and continue living in it. “ is was an emotional thing that we built and did. And the logic was like, it’s time to get out of here.”
e backyard area still has ample room for a new buyer to install a pool or pickleball court should they so choose, she added.
e six-bedroom home also includes a roughly 2,500-squarefoot primary suite with his and hers bathrooms, a sitting area, bedroom and an o ce.
e home bears “the signature of a bygone era and the utmost luxury of today’s living standards,” the listing reads. “Inside, feel the embrace and warmth of the expansive formal living spaces. e library/entertaining room features a large sunken wet bar, adorned with tiger maple wood walls with new French doors allowing the sunlight to pour in.”
Ashley Crain with Crain Homes in Birmingham has the listing. (Crain is married to KC Crain, president and CEO of Crain’s Detroit parent company, Crain Communications Inc.)
Having owned the home for decades and raised a family there, Vicki Celani said opting to try to sell the house is bittersweet.
“We’re really hoping that whoever buys this house loves it for what it is,” she said. “It’s an amazing home, our children were raised here. It’s an amazing property.”
Troy accounting rm furthers expansion
Mark Sanchez
Troy-based accounting rm Rehmann LLC is acquiring a West Michigan company.
Rehmann’s acquisition of Walker, Fluke & Sheldon PLC takes e ect Aug. 1. Founded in 1976, Walker, Fluke & Sheldon’s o ces in Hastings, Ionia and Richland will operate under the Rehmann name and the sta of 22 people will continue with the rm.
“We are incredibly excited to be joining the Rehmann family and look forward to the new opportunities it will provide for our associates and clients,” Kathy Sheldon, managing partner at Walker, Fluke & Sheldon, said in a state-
RIVERWALK
From Page 3
“We’ve been working with the Morouns and other stakeholders with property interests for more than 10 years and remain hopeful that we will be able to lock down this last critical piece for completing our bridge-to-bridge vision.”
e Bridge Co. did not respond to requests for comment by press time, but told e Detroit News it is working to carve out public space on the properties and supports the bridge-to-bridge vision for the RiverWalk.
e conservancy is seeking control of 65 feet in from the waters’ edge along the three-quartermile span to accommodate the RiverWalk and biking path.
What shape any deals could take isn’t yet clear, but the conservancy has relied on property easements provided almost exclusively at no cost by owners to build out the East RiverWalk in front of the GM Renaissance Center and Stroh River Place, among other areas.
e completed East RiverWalk,
VC FIRMS
From Page 3
So early stage, company valuations are holding steady, maybe even going up slightly, but we’re still down from the peak by a fair bit.”
So far in 2024, only one venture capital rm in Michigan has fundraised, collecting $40 million. Based on the PitchBook data, that rm is located in the Detroit-Warren-Livonia metropolitan statistical area. e annualized run rate of VC fundraising has dropped, according to the PitchBook report, due to the decreasing volume of exits across the country.
Arti cial intelligence has accounted for more than 40% of new private U.S. “unicorns” in the rst half this year, and over 60% of the increase in total venture-
ment. “Rehmann shares all our core values, and we are con dent this business combination will allow all parties to ourish.”
Terms of the deal were undisclosed.
rough the combination, Walker, Fluke & Sheldon gains further expertise in areas such as technology and cyber-consulting, human resources and CFO advisory services.
“WFS is known regionally as a great community partner in West Michigan and shares Rehmann’s values of fostering meaningful relationships with clients,” Rehmann CEO Stacie Kwaiser said in a statement. “ e collective WFS associate team will be a great addition to the rm and will help us
continue to maximize client potential in that region.”
As of June, Rehmann was the fourth-largest accounting rm in the state and employed 282 certi ed public accountants in Michigan, up from 256 a year ago, and had a total head count of 788 people in the state, according to research from Crain’s
Grand Rapids Business. In Michigan, Rehmann operates from o ces in Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Lansing, Ann Arbor Jackson, Detroit, Saginaw, Cheboygan, Traverse City and Troy. Across its 16 total o ces in Michigan, Ohio and Florida, Rehmann employs more than 1,000 people, according to the company.
which stretches 3.5 miles from Gabriel Richard Park near the bridge to Belle Isle, opened to the public last October after 20 years of development. e boardwalk in front of Riverfront Towers on the west riverfront and the property immediately west are still set to open this year, Pasco said, followed by
backed valuation, according to PitchBook data from March.
“Every company, every tech company, has to have an AI strategy right now. ey just have to. Pure AI deals are dominating the landscape. e biggest route, or the biggest investment rounds and the highest valuations, are in AI,” Rizik said.
Investors consider questions like how a company can use AI to boost the productivity of workers or how it could use AI to assist customers in making better decisions, enhancing types of software and more, Rizik said.
Venture capital investing in Michigan has fallen for two straight years, following a national trend of declining deals and investments.
Last year, venture capital investors put $1.05 billion into 169 deals for Michigan-based companies, the second straight year for de-
Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park in 2025.
Development of the riverfront continues amid a federal investigation into former conservancy CFO William Smith’s alleged embezzlement of $40 million from the organization.
In late June, the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation made a new
cline, according to a quarterly report by PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association.
“ e challenge is, because investing is down, the very best companies will still get funded at reasonable valuations. e challenge is going to be for companies that haven’t quite had customer traction yet. ey haven’t really shown that the product is being embraced by the market,” Rizik said. “ at’s the challenge, in order to get funded, a company is going to have to show more than it did a couple years ago. And so there’s gonna be a lot of companies that are gonna go away. ey’re just not going to be able to raise the capital. Either they’ll be swallowed up by other companies, or they’ll shut down. And it’s unfortunate because a lot of companies just won’t get the chance to
$10 million grant and a $25 million loan guarantee to a fund administered by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan to ensure work already underway on the riverfront is completed by fall 2025, while the investigation continues and negotiations with other foundations to support the e ort are nalized.
get to that point where they can show market traction. And it’s just kind of what happens every cycle.”
And with the pending passage of next year’s state budget that would include $60 million for a new fund to launch Michigan-based startups, Rizik said the state will likely
“Every company, every tech company, has to have an AI strategy right now.”
Chris Rizik, founder and CEO of Renaissance Venture Capital
see more investments in the future. e Michigan Innovation Fund is backed by more than 25 partners across the state of Michigan, including Michigan Central, Michigan Technological University, Ann Arbor-based venture capital rm Renaissance Venture Capital and more.
The westernmost stretch of the RiverWalk as envisioned has yet to be completed. DETROIT RIVERFRONT CONSERVANCY
Hastings-based Walker, Fluke & Sheldon PLC also has of ces in Ionia and Richland. | REHMANN
House budget chair dishes on how things change when state’s not rolling in spare cash
Rep. Angela Witwer helped to broker the next state budget, her second go-around shepherding the process as House budget chair. This time, the third-term Democrat and other negotiators in the Democratic-controlled Legislature and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration had relatively at revenues to spend unlike when there was a multibillion-dollar surplus and federal pandemic relief funds last year. Still, she says, they were able to address key priorities like boosting funding for local governments and law enforcement. This interview with Witwer, of Delta Township near Lansing, has been edited for length and clarity.
Was it easier to do a budget with a large surplus or one without?
It’s weird. ey each had their easier parts. e budget itself was easier I think the rst year that we did it. e second year, though, I know enough about it, that I felt like I was more e ective at negotiating some things and working closer with the Senate and the Legislature as a whole to put together the best budget we could. ... e rst time around, I think it was easier just that there was so much money that had to be spent that there wasn’t a lot of hard conversations to have.
What stands out about the new budget?
For me, the best part of the budget is the focus on locals (municipalities). We’ve seen such an increase in pricing for everything across the board, for everything from our food to our gas. at also translates over to our locals. When you have a water problem, for instance, in your little town, you have to pay for that through some form of millage or whatever. is budget put a real strong focus on making sure that our locals had the money they needed to be able to do the things that are needed in their little areas. We did both a public safety trust fund and a revenue sharing trust fund. ey both were $75 million each. Public safety is one of those things we hear about all the time. For instance, in my district, it’s a real crunch right now. Eaton County, where I live, has a real nancial strain going on, and they’re going out for a millage. If the millage doesn’t pass, then our public safety is in harm and we might not be able to have the police force that we once had. is public safety trust fund injects $75 million. It’s based on crime data. Detroit will get a lot of money o of this — new money — and help to be able to fund their police department. e same with the revenue sharing trust fund. You have the statutory revenue sharing that goes out every single year. But that’s subject to whatever we decide in the Legislature. is is $75 million dedicated to the locals. at will also be in a trust fund that will probably go through a budget implementation bill. It’s new money again to our locals to help them be able to fund the things that they haven’t been able to fund due to the lack of revenue sharing.
Was that something you personally advocated for, the local
By | David Eggert
government funding? at was probably my No. 1 thing. It was really important to speaker of the House (Joe Tate) and to me and to many of our members. ... It was really important, and it was one of the kind of lines in the sand in my negotiations that I wanted to make sure was taken care of.
K-12 groups have criticized the budget. District superintendents are pushing legislation to permanently lower what they pay to the Michigan Public School Employees’ Retirement System. (Senate Bill 911 cleared the House but is not part of the agreement, which instead provides for a temporary drop in the contribution rate.) The Michigan Education Association, the teachers union, wants a supplemental budget bill to reverse big cuts to school safety and student mental health funding. Should legislators should do something or is the budget settled? I did vote yes on on (SB 911 to permanently put (the MPSERS reduction) into statute. ... I can tell you that last year’s budget we had an unusual amount of one-time dollars. ose were one-time dollars we had to use, and there were a lot of them for safety and other things. is year, we gave $600 million of ongoing money, which is precious, to the school districts. at equates to about an average increase of $400 a student. It is still a very healthy amount of money. We have no intention, that’s why it’s on the ongoing side, of ever lowering that. It was quite a bit of money. We still did put in money for safety into ongoing dollars. Again, it wasn’t nearly as much, but it is kind of a stake in the ground to show that it’s
important to us, important enough to spend ongoing dollars on it. Our intent is to continue to increase that. Whether or not there’ll be a supplemental in the fall, it’s too early to think about that. But we could look at that again.
Would you like to see the Senate pass Senate 911 and send it to the governor?
I think there’s a couple of technical errors that need to be xed in it. rough that negotiation of what needs to be xed in that bill, I hope that it does move. Clearly I wanted it to because I did vote for it.
Why did the effort to extend and revise funding for the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve (SOAR) Fund stall?
I’m not sure. I mean, personally, I am for it. I’m quoted in many things about supporting SOAR. ere was a package that my colleagues put together that looked at more than just SOAR funding. (It would commit funding to SOAR for 10 more years, halve the annual allotment to $250 million and direct the remaining $250 million to public transportation and a ordable housing.) Business relies on people, people demand a vibrant community and vibrant communities need business. It’s kind of this three-spoked thing, and this bill package focused on a lot of that. Making sure we have vibrant communities, making sure we had transit. It was bigger than just SOAR. ... It was a lot of information in trying to get the votes. We do have a few people that are just fundamentally against SOAR. It doesn’t matter what you package it with. It has SOAR in it, and they’re not going to vote for it. is is one of those things that we have to work together across
the aisle, do real bipartisan work, and bring forth some Republicans to work with us on sustainable economic development and business attraction. ... I think you’ll see it come back up. ...We’d like to see it be able to make its way through in the fall.
Are there any changes that can be made to get a bipartisan deal?
We’ve had feedback from the other side. We’ve had feedback from a lot of members. Infrastructure’s always really important to both sides of the aisle, both local roads and water. We’ve heard a lot about that. We’ve heard about child care. Housing is an extreme need in Michigan right now. at was in this package, and we want to make sure to preserve a lot of this. ere’s a lot of di erent avenues this could take and maybe changes that it can make or it could stay the same and we could work something out with people on the other side of the aisle.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to garden and spend time with my kids. I am a pretty good golfer. If I get like a chunk of time, which I don’t very often, I like to play golf with my husband.
Where are you from originally?
Right outside of Traverse (City). I’m from Buckley, a little town with a bar in it and that’s pretty much it. I was like 5 or 6 when we moved (to Lansing.) But we never stayed here. We went home every weekend ... and stayed in downtown Traverse with my grandparents. We were that Brady Bunch family that sang songs all the way going up north.
REPORTERS
(313) 446-0329
Jay Davis, restaurants, retail and small businesses, (313) 446-1612 or jason.davis@crain.com
David Eggert, politics, policy and energy, (313) 446-1654 or david.eggert@crain.com
Anna Fifelski, banking, investment and innovation anna. felski@crain.com
Jack Grieve, audience engagement, jack.grieve@crain.com
Nick Manes, residential real estate and mortgage industry, (313) 446-1626 or nmanes@crain.com
Kurt Nagl, manufacturing, law and courts, (313) 446-0337 or knagl@crain.com
Kirk Pinho, real estate, (313) 446-0412 or kpinho@crain.com
Dustin Walsh, health care and cannabis, (313) 446-6042 or dwalsh@crain.com
Sherri Welch, nonpro ts, philanthropy and higher education, (313) 446-1694 or swelch@crain.com
ADVERTISING
Senior vice president of sales Susan Jacobs, (312) 649-5492 or susan.jacobs@crain.com
Sales director Bernie Barnes Munk, (206) 310-0313 or bernice.munk@crain.com
Michigan events director Samantha Flowers, samantha. owers@crain.com
