Crain's Detroit Business Aug. 23, 2021, issue by Crain's Detroit Business

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CRAINSDETROIT.COM I AUGUST 23, 2021

Survey: Biz execs support mandates

Louie Attisha of Harbortown Market: “A lot of competition came to the area after we bought Harbortown and they didn’t do anything to us.”

PHOTOS BY NIC ANTAYA/SPECIAL TO CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS

But few require vaccines at own firms BY DUSTIN WALSH

Independent Detroit grocers say service will carry the day as Meijer enters market

Steve Jacobs is banking on personal service and neighborhood loyalty to prevail when national competition comes calling next month. Jacobs, manager of Lafayette Foods, a fixture in Detroit’s Lafayette Park neighborhood for 11 years, will be just down the street when grocery giant Meijer Inc. opens Rivertown Market, a small-format store at 1475 E. Jefferson Ave., in late September. The new neighbor will be uncomfortably close. Lafayette Foods is barely two blocks north. It doesn’t sit well with Jacobs that the city, in his view, rolled out the red carpet to land Rivertown with tax credits and other incentives while independent grocers didn’t receive the same treatment. But he believes there will be room for both. “It is what it is. The thing is, the city wasn’t there to help us,” Jacobs said. “We had to jump through hoops just to get this business open with permits and different procedures. We’ve been blessed by this community, though. Our customer base is very loyal. We’re here to provide great service and we’ll continue to do so.”

Carol Galle is at a crossroads. Several clients of her event planning business Special D Events are requesting only vaccinated staff plan and work their corporate occasions. But not all of her nine employees are vaccinated. “We’re struggling with this issue right now,” of survey said Galle, presirespondents say dent and CEO of their employers the company. “We are requiring the are receiving these vaccine. requests and I don’t want to control my employees’ lives but we’ve got a business to run.” Galle supports employer-led COVID-19 vaccine mandates but hasn’t yet done so for her employees. She joins the majority of local leaders surveyed by Crain’s this month, with more than half supporting mandates. Yet fewer than onefifth of their businesses have actually mandated the COVID-19 vaccine for employees.

| BY KIRK PINHO AND JAY DAVIS

See GROCERS on Page 30

See SURVEY on Page 27

19%

WHAT’S IN STORE?

Southeast Michigan mortgage firms adjust as growth slows BY NICK MANES

More than halfway through the year, amid rising interest rates and a red-hot housing market hampering inventory, Southeast Michigan’s largest mortgage lenders are faring better than some industry insiders expected.

During this earnings season, “the theme has been ‘better than feared,’” mortgage industry analyst Henry Coffey wrote in a pair of investor memos last week, referring to Pontiac-based United Wholesale Mortgage Corp. (NYSE: UWMC) and Rocket Companies Inc. (NYSE: RKT) in Detroit.

KEEPING CONNECTED ` How Rocket Companies makes money. PAGE 31 The two behemoth mortgage companies — which between them have hired thousands of workers in

at least the last 18 months — now seem to be settling into a period of slower growth, with lower margins and perhaps less hiring. In an interview with Crain’s last week, Coffey noted that the cyclical nature of the mortgage sector is rearing its head. “2020 was the best mortgage

market this country has ever seen both from a volume point of view and from a margin point of view,” Coffey said, noting that 2021 is still shaping up to be perhaps the second or third best year for the sector. See MORTGAGE on Page 31

NEED TO KNOW

RETAIL

THE WEEK IN REVIEW, WITH AN EYE ON WHAT’S NEXT of Michigan included a $155,000 severance and a confidentiality clause, which Republicans criticized.

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` INSURERS TO CHARGE FOR COVID-19 TREATMENT ON OCT. 1

` MDHHS IMPOSES INDOOR MASK POLICY FOR EMPLOYEES THE NEWS: The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is reimposing an indoor mask-wearing requirement for all of its employees, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status. Starting Monday, all MDHHS employees and contractors will be required to wear a facial mask when inside common areas of state office buildings or in a state-owned vehicle with other passengers. WHY IT MATTERS: The new mask mandate for MDHHS employees comes as the department faces growing questions about why it’s not using its authority to impose a mask mandate for Michigan elementary schools, where the state’s largest population of unvaccinated people — children under age 12 — are heading in the coming weeks.

` CMU CHANGES COURSE ON VACCINES AND TESTING THE NEWS: Central Michigan Universi-

THE NEWS: Michigan’s large health insurers — including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, HAP and Priority Health — are sunsetting their programs that waived all costs to patients treated for COVID-19. The waiving of cost-sharing for patients expires on Sept. 30 for the three insurers.

ty has altered its back-to-school plan ahead of the fall semester and is now requiring COVID-19 vaccinations or weekly testing for all students, staff and faculty. The rise of the delta variant across the state is the cause for the reversal, CMU President Bob Davies said in a news release.

WHY IT MATTERS: With the current COVID-19 surge not expected to peak until mid-October, treatments for the deadly coronavirus are set to cost much more for those infected.

WHY IT MATTERS: CMU becomes the 10th Michigan university or college to enact some kind of vaccination mandate for the fall semester.

THE NEWS: Homes in metro Detroit are selling faster than ever, as prices continue to rise and the number of houses on the market further shrinks. Data from Realcomp II Limited, a multiple listing service, shows homes in southern Michigan are selling at their fastest pace since tracking began in 2003. Throughout the service’s coverage area, homes are going just three weeks between listing and an accepted offer.

` BIDEN TAPS ROBERT GORDON FOR FEDERAL POST THE NEWS: Former Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon has been nominated by President Joe Biden for a key federal health post. The White House last week announced his nomination for assistant secretary for financial resources at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. WHY IT MATTERS: The former director’s separation agreement with the state

` METRO DETROIT HOMES SELLING AT RECORD-FAST PACE

Shinola teams with Crate & Barrel on new furniture line ` Shinola Detroit LLC is branching out with its first retail line of furniture under a new collaboration with housewares seller Crate & Barrel. The deal with the Northbrook, Ill.-based retail chain falls in line with Shinola’s plan to grow the branding side of its business and signals a move deeper into the home goods category by a company known for making watches and leather accessories. The new luxury furniture line launches Wednesday, the companies announced. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “Expanding into the home category was always part of our strategy, it is a natural progression for us — based upon our success with turntables and clocks as well as in the hospitality space with the Shinola Hotel,” Shinola CEO Shannon Washburn said in the release. The products will be on display and for sale in a new showroom set up in an 1,800-square-foot space — dubbed Shinola Home — at the company’s retail store in Midtown. They will also be on sale at select Crate & Barrel stores and on its website, the company said. Crate & Barrel operates one Michigan location at Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi. Shinola announced in May a partnership with American Airlines featuring Shinola-designed amenity kits for passengers on London-bound flights. Washburn told Crain’s then that the deal was intended to be one of many branding deals to come. The Shinola for Crate & Barrel Collection includes the Hotel Collection, inspired by the Shinola Hotel in downtown Detroit. |

WHY IT MATTERS: The quick sales pace has helped lead to low inventory — there’s just a 1.6-month supply of available homes, when a balanced market would have a six-month supply. Still, the speed of sales and the low number of options are driving up prices.

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COVID-19

HOUSING

What we know and don’t know about delta Experts weigh in on variant facts, fiction

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BY DUSTIN WALSH

A PUSH FOR COMPLIANCE

Some Detroit coronavirus relief money withheld from landlords BY ARIELLE KASS

In an effort to ensure more Detroit rental properties are safe and habitable, the city since earlier this summer has been withholding some rental relief money from landlords until they become compliant with city code. Detroit requires that landlords register their rental properties and that those properties have a certificate of compliance, which among other things ensures homes are free of lead paint and have working heat, plumbing and electricity. The city has long been lax about enforcing the requirement, but in recent years began targeting landlords by ZIP code to ascertain they

have the proper clearances on their properties, ticketing them if they do not. The latest approach requires landlords to have a certificate of compliance in order to receive a full payout of COVID Emergency Rental Assistance in the city. The money is given to landlords for back rent — and up to three months of rent going forward — to compensate them for tenants who are behind because of ill effects from the coronavirus pandemic. Under the program, 80 percent of CERA funds are released to landlords immediately, while 20 percent are held in escrow until a landlord makes any needed repairs on a property and receives a certificate

of compliance. Julie Schneider, the director of Detroit’s Housing and Revitalization Department, said because it can take time for repairs to be made and inspectors to come out to properties, it’s too soon to know whether the new requirement is successful in getting more landlords to follow the rules. But she said the city has received far less pushback than she expected, and early feedback is encouraging. “The program isn’t to penalize anyone,” she said. “The goal is to keep as many people stably housed as possible.” See MONEY on Page 29

“THE GOAL IS TO KEEP AS MANY PEOPLE STABLY HOUSED AS POSSIBLE.” — Julie Schneider, director, Detroit’s Housing and Revitalization Department

DEVELOPMENT

Global urban transformation headquarters planned Center on former jail site in Detroit would target inequity, improve economic development BY ARIELLE KASS

Detroit will be the new headquarters of a global center dedicated to transforming cities in a time of increasing inequity. Jeff Merritt, head of urban transformation for the World Economic Forum, said Detroit was chosen in part because of its storied history, including its culture and community. “It’s not a one-note city,” he said. “In its DNA is creativity and innovation and entrepreneurship.”

The World Economic Forum is planning a headquarters for its Global Centre for Urban Transformation in partnership with Bedrock real estate comMerritt pany. The urban transformation center will be part of the plan for an innovation center at the site on Gratiot Avenue that was once planned for a new Wayne

County jail and later billionaire developer Stephen Ross’ Detroit Center for Innovation project with the University of Michigan. Both projects have or will move to other sites. Merritt said his relationship with Bedrock CEO Kofi Bonner was another reason Detroit was chosen for the space. It will initially be housed in one of Bedrock’s downtown properties. The center already has dozens of employees across a number of countries and Merritt said he did not know how many jobs might be cre-

ated in Detroit. He said the purpose of the project is in many ways to improve economic development and other city functions, with the help of private business. “This work, you have to be on the ground, you have to be in communities,” he said. “This is about real-world implementation. ... What can you do in a community that can help mitigate some of the impact of these global issues and pave a future that works for people?” See CENTER on Page 29

The COVID-19 pandemic has always been filled with difficult questions and assumptions. The data is never perfect and the numerous headlines are confusing. With the rise of the delta variant of the coronavirus across most of the U.S., we’ve entered a messier phase of this 17-month nightmare. Much of the media coverage focuses on new cases and outbreaks, even among the vaccinated. Vaccine naysayers often draw incomplete results using data they don’t always understand. Politicians, parents and school boards are battling over whether masks should be mandated in schools. Meanwhile, hospitals in the southern part of the country are overrun — Florida has nearly twice has many people hospitalized with COVID-19 than in any previous surge. Breakthrough infections. VAERS. Science. Everyone is limping along, looking for answers. Crain’s turned to three local infectious disease experts to discuss the confusion and what is known and not known about the current surge. ` Known: Vaccines reduce hospitalization and death In Michigan through July, fewer than 0.16 percent of those vaccinated had experienced a breakthrough coronavirus infection and fewer than 0.01 percent of those vaccinated have been hospitalized with COVID, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation study. Petrie Throughout the summer, fewer than 5 percent of those hospitalized with COVID across the entire U.S. are fully vaccinated, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Joshua Petrie, a research assistant professor in the department of epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, noted that infections are rising among the vaccinated, but those cases appear to be less problematic. “(Vaccines) are very effective in reducing these severe outcomes,” Petrie told Crain’s. “Even currently where we are seeing signs that mild infections may be increasing among the vaccinated, the vaccines are still highly effective at reducing severe outcomes. A study was just published, that the University of Michigan contributed to, reporting that the vaccines reduced risk of hospitalization by 86 percent.” ` Unknown: The number of people infected with COVID-19. Some reports state more than 100 million people in the U.S. have been infected with the coronavirus. But we really have no solid idea, particularly with nearly 170 million vaccinated in the country. See DELTA on Page 28 AUGUST 23, 2021 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 3

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With $17.2B bet, two rival Detroit casinos will share same landlord A $17.2 billion real estate deal has implications — even if just on paper — for Detroit’s casinos. New York Citybased Vici Properties Inc. (NYSE: Kirk VICI), already PINHO owner of the real estate for Greektown Casino-Hotel, is buying Summerlin South, Nev.-based MGM Growth Properties LLC (NYSE: MGP), which owns MGM Grand Detroit’s real estate, meaning that two of the city’s three casinos will have the same landlord. Vici Properties is the real estate arm of Caesars Entertainment Corp., while MGM Growth Properties is the real estate spinoff of MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM). The deal is supposed to close in the first half of 2022, also putting control of much of the Las Vegas Strip under one company. To your average gambler at either Detroit casino, there will be virtually no change, said Matt Cullen, chairman of Jack Entertainment LLC, which is a tenant of Vici’s in Cleveland and who helped orchestrate the $1 billion sale of Greektown Casino-Hotel to Vici and Wyomissing, Pa.-based Penn National Gaming Inc. That May 2019 deal included approximately $700 million cash from Vici for the land and real estate assets and approximately $300 million from Penn National Gaming for the operating assets, Crain’s reported at the time. “I would expect it to be invisible to folks in Detroit,” Cullen said. “It’s much more like a permanent mortgage on your house. You operate the house, you maintain it, you pay the taxes. They just collect the rent, or the mortgage payment.” The deal includes Vici taking on $5.7 billion in MGM Growth Properties debt; it amounts to $43 per Class A MGM Growth Properties share, a 15.9 percent premium on the Aug. 3 closing price, according to a news release earlier this month. MGM Resorts International also gets $43 per share for the majority of MGM Growth Properties operating part-

nership units totaling about $4.4 billion and retains 12 million operating partnership units in a new partnership with Vici. Class B shares of MGM Growth Properties will no longer exist. Once the deal closes, Vici enters into a 25-year master lease with MGM Resorts with annual rent of $860 million and then three 10-year renewal options. The first 10 years of the master lease will see 2 percent annual rent increases, with increases of the greater of 2 percent per year or the consumer price index, not greater than 3 percent. Vici says the deal adds 15 properties at a 30 to 40 percent discount to replacement costs to its portfolio and diversifies its tenant base and its rent roll. It includes 33,000 hotel rooms, 3.6 million square feet of meeting and convention space and food, beverage and entertainment venues.

“IT’S MUCH MORE LIKE A PERMANENT MORTGAGE ON YOUR HOUSE. YOU OPERATE THE HOUSE, YOU MAINTAIN IT, YOU PAY THE TAXES. THEY JUST COLLECT THE RENT, OR THE MORTGAGE PAYMENT.” Matt Cullen, chairman of Jack Entertainment LLC

“Through this transformative strategic acquisition, we are merging (MGM Growth Properties’) best-inclass portfolio into Vici’s best-inclass management and governance platform, creating the premier gaming, entertainment and leisure REIT in America,” Ed Pitoniak, CEO of Vici Properties, said in a press release.

Jeffersonian Houze gets new management The ongoing saga at the Jeffersonian Houze apartment tower on the Detroit riverfront continues, but now under new management: Southfield-based Hayman Co. The company is now listed as property manager, although the shift away from Joe Barbat’s Houze Living LLC is not yet reflected in federal

court documents I reviewed last week. “We look forward to working with the receiver and providing high quality property management for one of Detroit’s most well known and iconic property landmarks,” Andrew Hayman, president of the company, said in a texted statement. In June, Ronald Glass of B. Riley Financial Inc. was appointed to oversee the troubled complex, which sits at 9000 E. Jefferson Ave. and has 410 apartments and a parking deck. Glass’ appointment came nearly four months after a Wayne County Circuit Court case prompted concern from lender Fannie Mae, which requested a receivership in late April after what it described as several loan default events. The appointment also threatens Barbat’s and co-owner Arie Leibovitz’s tenure as the building’s owners. I messaged representatives for both men seeking comment last week. Together, Barbat and Leibovitz, through River Houze LLC’s ownership structure, own the building 5050 after paying $30.2 million for it and planning $10.2 million in renovations. Ambler, Pa.-based Berkadia Commercial Lending LLC originated a $35.919 million, 15-year Fannie Mae loan at 3.84 percent to River Houze. In a February complaint in Wayne County Circuit Court, Leibovitz alleged mismanagement, self-dealing — which is not a crime but a breach of fiduciary trust — and accounting and financial reporting failures by Barbat over the course of the last three-plus years after buying it in late 2017. That case was settled earlier this year, although terms of the business “divorce” settlement have not been disclosed. Hayman Co. has 10,000 apartments under ownership and management in seven states, with about 4,500 in Southeast Michigan, Andrew Hayman told me earlier this month. The company also has substantial office, industrial and retail space totaling about 3 million square feet. Contact: kpinho@crain.com; (313) 446-0412; @kirkpinhoCDB

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COMMENTARY

NIC ANTAYA FOR CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS

Plastics pollution starts in every country ditch, city curb

EDITORIAL

Crain’s survey shows employers back vaccines. Time to put it into policy

ost employers support COVID vaccine mandates in the workplace, according to a new Crain’s Detroit Business survey. And the vast majority are vaccinated themselves. For now, though, they appear unwilling to require employees to roll up their sleeves, even as the delta variant threatens fall return-towork plans in Michigan and across the country. More than half of 166 business owners and executives surveyed by Crain’s via email this week — 54.7 percent — said they agree that a COVID-19 vaccination should be required to work in a physical office. Of those, a full 38 percent said they “strongly” agree. But only 19 percent said vaccines are mandated at their own workplace. That’s a disconnect with an easy answer: Put belief into policy. To be sure, the legal and practical hurdles to requiring vaccines are daunting at a time when some employers are scrambling just UNCERTAINTY to keep positions AND INDECISION filled. But uncertainty ALSO ARE COSTLY and indecision also — NOT JUST TO are costly — not just to businesses’ bottom BUSINESSES’ lines, but potentially BOTTOM LINES, the health of their BUT POTENTIALLY workforce. Incentive programs THE HEALTH OF haven’t worked. Weekly COVID testing THEIR is certainly better than no policy, but the delWORKFORCE. ta surge has proven so insidious, it’s akin to closing the barn door too late. It’s time for employers to make the difficult choice to require employees to vaccinate unless they are medically unable to do so. It’s becoming clear that’s the only way to return to “normal” work. Many employers are

delaying return-to-office plans that were announced amid much optimism last spring. Masking is back. Do we really want to do this all again? Employers’ anecdotal responses to Crain’s survey revealed the frustration. Asked how their companies have been impacted by the delta surge, they struck a common theme: delays, mask policies, more working from home. Among the answers: ` “Waiting for infections to come down significantly before initiating a hybrid return to the office.” ` “Re-instatement of mask policy. Decrease in already low number of people coming into office. Delay in more people coming back office.” ` “Reconsidering mask and vax policy.” ` “More cautious and increased influence to WFH.” ` “I do not appreciate having to cater to anti-vax employees. We had to adopt a policy for anti-vax employees and it has caused a divide among employees.” Health systems, universities and now some human services organizations are moving to mandates, including Wayne Metro, a Detroit-based community nonprofit that is also offering financial incentives if most employees opt in. That’s a potentially life-saving decision for an organization that provides safety net services to vulnerable people. A vaccine mandate is as crucial as any other workforce safety requirement to protect employee well-being — if not more so. And it’s not just workers’ lives at stake. The health of business depends on it, too.

hroughout St. Clair Shores, the city’s storm drain sewers have a message painted on the curb that they drain straight into Lake St. Clair. At the end of that 12-foot-wide drain at the foot of Martin Road and Jefferson Avenue (11 1/2 Mile), the contents from the streets of St. Clair Shores and Roseville are downright disgusting: a stew of grass clippings, twigs, mulch and all different forms of floating plastic materials. “My God, we found so much junk in there it about makes you ill,” said Candice Miller, the former congresswoman turned Macomb County public works commissioner. “And it just goes directly out into Lake St. Clair. Plastic bottles. Every kind of junk you can imagine.” The 11 1/2 Mile drain is one of a dozen outfalls in Macomb County where much of the storm water in the eastern side of the county drains into Lake St. Clair, carrying with it whatever debris slips through the catch basins of multiple municipalities. “We don’t have to keep living this way,” said Miller, a lifelong Great Lakes boating enthusiast who lives in Harrison Township. Through a new pilot project, Miller’s office is trying to capture the floating trash at the 11 1/2 Mile drain using a floating boom and netting system designed by Warren-based Doetsch Environmental Services Inc. The goal is to assess whether the netting system can successfully capture plastic trash and then add similar netting systems to the other 11 storm drain outfalls in the county that lead to Lake St. Clair. “We’re going to see how much are we going to capture, how much is it going to cost,” Miller said in an interview. “I don’t have unlimited staff to be going down there maintaining this all of the time. But we want to try and see what we can do.” “We’re obviously interested in water quality in the lakes. Trying to do better,” Miller added. Miller’s project caught my attention after Crain’s Detroit Business and Crain’s Chicago Business published a joint report on the emerging issue of microplastics polluting the Great Lakes. That reporting by veteran environmental journalist Eric Freedman revealed alarming scientific research showing how microscopic plastic fibers are getting into the bodies of Great Lakes fish and wildlife — and into the drinking water supplies of cities along the shores of each of the lakes. The source of this

MORE ON WJR ` Crain’s Executive Editor Kelley Root and Managing Editor Michael Lee talk about the week’s stories every Monday morning at 6:15 a.m. Mondays on WJR 760 AM’s Paul W. Smith Show.

Write us: Crain’s welcomes responses from readers. Letters should be as brief as possible and may be edited for length or clarity. Send letters to Crain’s Detroit Business, 1155 Gratiot Ave, Detroit, MI 48207, or email crainsdetroit@crain.com. Please include your complete name, city from which you are writing and a phone number for fact-checking purposes. 6 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 23, 2021

Chad

LIVENGOOD

pollution is the estimated 22 million pounds of plastic waste ending up in the Great Lakes each year. The handful of scientists researching Great Lakes plastic pollution have lake current modeling that shows how trash flows out of Milwaukee and Chicago and works its way up the Lake Michigan beaches of St. Joseph, Grand Haven, Muskegon, Ludington and beyond. On Lake Erie, the modeling shows how trash comes flowing right out of the Detroit River and picks up more waste from Toledo’s Maumee River. That floating waste literally bounces along the Ohio shores of Lake Erie as it makes its way to the Niagara River that connects to Lake Ontario. Microplastics come from every plastic item we all use: single-use cups, food containers, drink bottles, grocery bags, all different forms of packaging. When a grocery bag goes down a storm drain at 11 Mile and Little Mack in St. Clair Shores, it can be torn into hundreds of tiny pieces as it travels toward that outfall drain at 11 1/2 Mile. From there, those tiny pieces float out into Lake St. Clair. Fish and birds mistake tiny particles of plastic for food. Micro-organisms latch onto these plastic particles in the water, causing them to sink and get into the sediment, scientists say. The damage to the health of the lakes from microplastics is still unknown, in large part because there’s not a lot of research looking specifically at plastics pollution in the Great Lakes. That’s one area where policymakers could take action from the Crain’s Forum report. While there’s a lot of emphasis on picking up litter on beaches along Lakes Michigan and Huron, there’s not a lot of focus on the storm drains that send water from our streets — and the litter in those streets — straight into the lakes and the numerous rivers of the Great Lakes Basin. See PLASTICS on Page 7 Plastic trash and debris collected at the 11 1/2 Mile Drain in St. Clair Shores. The drain carries stormwater and litter from thousands of acres of residential and commercial property in St. Clair Shores and Roseville, according to the Macomb County Public Works Office. | MACOMB COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS OFFICE

Sound off: Crain’s considers longer opinion pieces from guest writers on issues of interest to business readers. Email ideas to Managing Editor Michael Lee at malee@crain.com.

OTHER VOICES

Why Lansing schools are requiring vaccine or daily COVID tests BY GABRIELLE LAWRENCE

hroughout the COVID pandemic, leadership at the Lansing School District has been crystal clear on one important issue — our primary goal is to proGabrielle tect the health Lawrence is and safety of staff president of the and students and Lansing School their families. District’s Board We took this reof Education and an estate sponsibility so seplanning riously that as attorney at COVID-19 infecLoomis, Ewert, tion rates rose Parsley, Davis & and the country Gotting PC in was gripped with Lansing. panic, Lansing schools remained calm and did the only reasonable thing; remaining entirely virtual for the entire 2020-2021 school year. Lansing was one of the few districts in the state to make this decision, and while we are mindful that no major decision like this ever satisfies everyone, I was heartened that the vast majority of feedback from our community was positive. The Lansing School District plans include a return to in-person learning on Aug. 30, with a districtwide mask mandate for all staff and students while inside school buildings. As the delta variant infection rates skyrocket including among children and with the start of the school year looming, the Lansing School District Board of Education unanimously passed a mandate that all district staff either show proof of vaccination before the school year begins or undergo a rapid antigen test every day. Vaccines are scientifically proven to be safe and effective. Vaccines have been readily available in our community for months. The Lansing School District has

Our staff is thankful that we are doheld vaccination clinics in school buildings and will continue to do so in ing what we’ve always promised to do order to ensure that students, staff, and are acting in the best interest of and family members have free, imme- maintaining health and safety. It is a very seridiate access to ous concern to the vaccine. OUR COMMUNITY the district that Our community response to the RESPONSE TO THE VACCINE the vaccine is not yet approved for vaccine mandate children under has been incredi- MANDATE HAS BEEN the age of 12, and bly positive. INCREDIBLY POSITIVE. we have thouParents are thankful that through a combination sands of students who fall into that of staff being vaccinated, everyone category. The Lansing School District and our wearing masks and improved sanitization protocols being implemented Board of Education and administradistrictwide, we are taking quick and tors have a duty to keep kids safe. We have an obligation to ensure that decisive action to keep kids safe.

when students walk into their classroom, they aren’t spending the entire day with an adult who is going to infect them with COVID. I am an attorney at a law firm in downtown Lansing and a mother to a 3-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter. During my hours not dedicated to the school board, my law firm offered a stipend to employees who showed proof of vaccination. If an employee didn’t choose to become vaccinated, the direction was clear — keep your mask on all the time. Most people keep their masks on anyway, and I remove mine only when I am alone in my office.

I have tremendous anxiety that I might possibility in some way infect my own children with COVID. The thought is enough to take my own breath away. My husband and I choose to send our son to day care three days a week, where he keeps his mask on all day. I pick him up and watch him run and play on the outdoor playground with his friends, everyone wearing a mask and completely unbothered by it. We keep our baby at home, where I desperately try to control the environment because it is my most important duty and responsibility as her mother to keep her safe.

PLASTICS

From Page 6

The volume of litter on our city streets and in our rural ditches eventually leads to somewhere. And too often that somewhere is our rivers and lakes. As Freedman reported, the challenge of reducing microplastics pollution in the Great Lakes “will be costly, time-consuming, scientifically challenging and sometimes politically contentious.” Miller’s effort to keep plastic bottles and debris out of Lake St. Clair is just one small step toward stopping the flow of trash into the drinking water source for 40 million people in the U.S. and Canada. If Miller’s pilot project proves successful in keeping any trash out of the lake, Michigan’s elected leaders should scrounge up the money and personnel to put trash nets on all 12 outfall drains along Lake St. Clair — and then move downriver to Wayne and Monroe counties. To use Miller’s words, we all should be trying to do better when it comes to preserving these Great Lakes.

High five on working for a cool company. For the sixth time in as many years, Greenleaf Trust has been named a “Cool Place to Work” by Crain’s Detroit Business. Is it because of our superb benefits package, collegial teamwork, and offices in Michigan’s most dynamic cities? Or is it, instead, because of our emphasis on continuous personal and professional growth, and a corporate culture that puts our clients’ interests ahead of our own? The all encompassing answer is, ‘Yes!’ To see if a cool career is in your future, visit greenleaftrust.com/careers.

34977 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, MI 48009 248.530.6200 greenleaftrust.com

Contact: clivengood@crain.com; (313) 446-1654; @ChadLivengood AUGUST 23, 2021 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 7

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THE EVOLUTION OF ‘COOL’

ur idea of a “cool” place to work has changed since 2020 — maybe forever. Sure, the companies on this list still share many of the time-honored traits that make people love coming to work. They have casual Fridays (or an altogether casual dress code), shuffleboard, happy hours (both virtual and IRL), on-site yoga. And they offer more substantive benefits, such as profit sharing, paid sabbaticals, fully paid health care and robust paid leave for new parents. But this year’s top 100 companies also reflect some new priorities — above all, flexibility. That might look like giving employees freedom to set their own hours or compress their schedules (as 80 percent of this year’s winning companies do), roping off time during the work week without meetings, or making remote work a permanent option (remote work options come standard at 88 percent of these Cool Places). Some companies ramped up their well-being initiatives and found creative ways to support workers juggling virtual schooling or new caregiving responsibilities during the pandemic. Many companies said there was no “going back to normal” on these new ways of working. These are permanent shifts. Any employer, human resources manager or company culture-carrier will find this report rich in information and ideas for creating a great workplace experience. And if you’re looking for your next opportunity? The companies on this list plan to hire more than 1,500 people in the second half of this year. 8 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 23, 2021

About our 2021 Cool Places to Work For the ninth year, Best Companies Group of Harrisburg, Pa., produced the ranking of Cool Places to Work in Michigan for Crain’s. Any Michigan company with at least 15 employees could participate. First, the employer provided detailed information on its benefits and policies; next, its employees answered questions about workplace culture, company leadership and other aspects of work in a confidential, 77-question survey. The survey was taken March 26-April 23. The survey, which sought to determine, among other things, whether employees understand the long-term strategy of the company and whether they feel they have opportunities to advance within its ranks, accounted for 75 percent of the final ranking, while the combined scores determined the top companies and the final rankings. Companies paid for the survey; not all companies that applied were chosen as a cool workplace. Some companies have offices outside Michigan; for those companies, even non-Michigan employees were surveyed in order to provide a comprehensive view of overall company policies and culture. Other than total U.S.-based

employee counts, all data is Michigan-specific. The total number of paid time off days per company includes vacation, sick/personal days, discretionary paid time off and paid holidays. Our editorial team produced a snapshot profile of every company in the ranking. The data in the profiles was current as of May. Some companies sponsored more complete coverage of their businesses. That custom content is clearly marked in this section as “sponsored” and was produced by Crain’s Content Studio, the marketing storytelling division of Crain’s Detroit Business. Chris Lewis wrote the company profiles from information provided by each company. For questions about this report, email Amy Bragg at abragg@crain.com. Nominations for Cool Places to Work 2022 will open Jan. 1. To learn more or to register for next year's program, visit coolplacestoworkmi. com. For more stories about this year's Cool Places, information on how to apply for next year's program, and a replay of our winners' event, visit crainsdetroit.com/cool.

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1. Oswald Companies Cleveland Oswaldcompanies.com Robert Klonk, Chairman and CEO (Based in Cleveland)

` Offers shortened work hours on Fridays during the summer

4. Greenleaf Trust Kalamazoo

Catherine Kosin, Senior Vice President and Market Leader, Michigan (Based in Bloomfield Hills)

Greenleaftrust.com

Broker: Insurance (Property and Casualty, Personal Client Management, Life), Employee Benefits and Retirement Planning Services

Financial Services

Ranking in 2020: 17

Male/female executive ratio: 59/41

U.S.-based employees: 397

Voluntary turnover: 2 percent

Michigan-based employees: 31

Paid time off after one year: 24 days

Male/female executive ratio: 60/40

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Voluntary turnover: 13 percent Paid time off after one year: 30 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 3-5 Why Oswald Companies is cool: ` 100 percent employee owned ` Prorates full-time benefits for 30-hour-a-week employees ` Subsidizes the costs of tutoring for employees’ children who are learning remotely during the 2020-2021 school year

2. Manquen Vance & RDS Services LLC Troy Manquenvance.com Mark Manquen, President and Founder Health care – Insurance/Services Ranking in 2020: 55 Michigan-based employees: 22 Male/female executive ratio: 43/57 Voluntary turnover: 5 percent Paid time off after one year: 26 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 3 Why Manquen Vance & RDS Services is cool: ` Payroll bonuses are provided twice a year, based on performance

Michael Odar, President Ranking in 2020: 5 Michigan-based employees: 145

Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes

` Pays 100 percent of employees’ and dependents’ health, dental and vision insurance premiums ` Employees receive $150 quarterly for gym equipment, athletic shoes or gym memberships ` Pays full salary for 12 weeks for maternity and paternity leave

5. Arrow Strategies LLC Southfield Arrowstrategies.com Jeff Styers, President and CEO Staffing

APPLY TODAY www.icatlogisticsdtw.com/careers

Ranking in 2020: 62 Michigan-based employees: 42 Male/female executive ratio: 50/50 Voluntary turnover: 1 percent Paid time off after one year: Unlimited Paid time off for community service: Yes

A DEEP NEWS DIVE WITH A

SATURDAY VIBE

Month XX, 2021

Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 6

GTS Congratulates Member Driven Technologies on being named a Cool Place to Work

Why Arrow Strategies is cool: ` Casual dress policy every day ` Onsite game room ` Yoga Monday and Meditation Friday offered every week

` Pays for employees’ continuing education credits

6. Wilshire Benefits Group

` Profit-sharing bonuses are also offered

Wilshirebenefits.com

Troy David Sokol, President

Detroit

Male/female executive ratio: 50/50

Facultydiversity.org

Voluntary turnover: 8 percent

Robin Mohapatra, CEO

prota in

Paid time off after one year: 28 days

Education Ranking in 2020: 4

Paid time off for community service: Yes

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Michigan-based employees: 17

Telecommuting options: Yes

Male/female executive ratio: 12/88

Flex time options: Yes

Voluntary turnover: 0 percent

Jobs to fill this year: 3

Paid time off after one year: 45 days

Why Wilshire Benefits Group is cool:

Paid time off for community service: No

` Tuition reimbursement

Telecommuting options: Yes

` During the summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day), employees leave at 3 p.m. on Fridays

2022 r for kmi. Cool next ners'

Competitive Pay Full Benefits + Perks 401k + Profit Sharing Travel & Wellness Stipend and More

Why Greenleaf Trust is cool:

Health care – Insurance/Services

rom For gg at

THE INDUSTRY’S BEST

Jobs to fill this year: 9

3. National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity

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Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 6 Why National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity is cool: ` Employees can take up to 6 hours of personal time per week

Ranking in 2020: 33 Michigan-based employees: 23

` Casual dress code, aside from meetings

With GTS you can be confident you’re getting the best-fit technology at the most competitive rates

Work From Home

Security/ Access Control

Connectivity IoT & Mobility

Call/Contact Center

Expense Management

UCaaS, Hosted PBX & Voice

Colo & Cloud Services

SD-WAN

Telco Aggregators

Cybersecurity Software-as-a-Service

Global Telecom Solutions // 313.371.9440 info@gtsdirect.com // www.gtsdirect.com // 1501 6th Street • Detroit, MI

Celebraating

years

` Provides an annual offsite in San Diego AUGUST 23, 2021 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 9

2021 COOL PLACES TO WORK 7. X by 2

Voluntary turnover: 2 percent

Jobs to fill this year: 5

Farmington Hills

Paid time off after one year: 23

Xby2.com

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Why Marsh & McLennan Agency is cool:

David Packer, President

Telecommuting options: Yes

IT Consulting

Flex time options: Yes

Ranking in 2020: 52

Jobs to fill this year: 150

Michigan-based employees: 48

Why Atwell is cool:

Male/female executive ratio: 67/33

` Employees can earn up to $5,000 for candidate referrals

Voluntary turnover: 1 percent Paid time off after one year: 25 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 9 Why X by 2 is cool: ` Each employee has a senior adviser who actively mentors him or her ` Up to $500 is provided annually for employees’ professional wardrobes ` Offers pet benefits, pharmacy discounts and Teladoc options

` During the summer, staff are encouraged to leave the office by 1 p.m. on Fridays ` CEO has breakfast (virtually or in person) with three to four employees monthly

` Employees are reimbursed up to $300 annually for fitness-related expenses ` Employees earn PNC Bank Perk discounts, along with discounts on tickets and vehicles

9. Marsh & McLennan Agency | Michigan Health & Benefits Team

` Spontaneous “Sunshine Days” or “early log off” office closures end workdays early

10. Allied Photo Chemical Inc. Macomb Alliedphotochemical.com Dan Sweetwood, President and CEO Manufacturing Michigan-based employees: 17

Troy

Male/female executive ratio: 100/0

Mma-mi.com

Voluntary turnover: 0 percent

Rebecca McLaughlan, President and CEO, Health and Benefits

Paid time off after one year: 22 days

Health care – Insurance/Services

Telecommuting options: Yes

Ranking in 2020: 13

Paid time off for community service: Yes Flex time options: Yes

8. Atwell LLC

U.S.-based employees: 141

Southfield

Michigan-based employees: 140

Atwell-group.com

Male/female executive ratio: 15/85

Brian Wenzel, President and CEO

Voluntary turnover: 7 percent

Engineering

Paid time off after one year: 29 days

U.S.-based employees: 600

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Michigan-based employees: 133

Telecommuting options: Yes

Male/female executive ratio: 82/18

Flex time options: Yes

Jobs to fill this year: 1 Why Allied PhotoChemical is cool: ` Pays 100 percent of employees’ and dependents’ health, dental and vision insurance premiums ` Employees are given time off between Christmas and New Year’s Day annually ` Frequent company-covered lunches include employees’ birthdays

11. Armor Protective Packaging

Male/female executive ratio: 33/67 Voluntary turnover: 4 percent

Why

Howell

Paid time off after one year: Unlimited

Armorvci.com

Paid time off for community service: Yes

` Off vete

John Holden, Robin McConnell and David Yancho, Co-owners

Telecommuting options: Yes

Manufacturing

Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 3

Michigan-based employees: 34 Male/female executive ratio: 66/34

Why Apex Digital Solutions is cool:

Paid time off after one year: 17 days

` In-building recreation room

Paid time off for community service: Yes

` Donates to a local nonprofit for every ticket goal that’s met and every customer survey response received

Chic

13. Slalom LLC

Tom in Ro

Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 3-4 Why Armor Protective Packaging is cool:

Seattle

10 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 23, 2021

Shanghai, China

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` Employees receive 24 hours of PTO annually to serve and volunteer

Slalom.com

` A profit-sharing program gives 30 percent of net profits back to employees

David Rouls, General Manager (Based in Detroit)

` The company contributes 3 percent to employee 401(k)s - regardless of whether employees contribute themselves

Consulting

Mal

Ranking in 2020: 11

Volu

U.S.-based employees: 9,000

Paid

12. Apex Digital Solutions

Michigan-based employees: 175

Paid

Southfield

Male/female executive ratio: 65/35

Tele

Apexdigital.com

Voluntary turnover: 13 percent

Flex

Jason Lambiris, CEO

Paid time off after one year: 24 days

Jobs

Technology

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Why

Ranking in 2020: 6

Telecommuting options: Yes

Michigan-based employees: 20

Flex time options: Yes

` “W show com

Brad Jackson, CEO (Based in Seattle)

onemagnify.com

Charlotte, NC

` Ful (16 w adop

` Paid sabbaticals, volunteer days, and maternity and paternity leave

From where we work to how we work, a lot has changed this year. But what hasn’t changed is our culture, camaraderie and commitment to keeping clients moving forward. We’d like to thank our entire team for making us a 2021 Cool Place to Work and proving that office culture isn’t confined to four walls.

Wilmington, DE

` 40 emp

Voluntary turnover: 7 percent

Detroit, MI

Jobs

Cologne, Germany

Chennai, India

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Mich

Jobs to fill this year: 40

` Offer monthly $75 work-from-home allowance

Why Slalom is cool:

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: Yes

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` Offers fellowship opportunities for veterans

` Offers stress-relieving seminars

16. Capital Mortgage Funding Powered by Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation Southfield

Why Vision Computer Solutions is cool:

Michigan-based employees: 29 Male/female executive ratio: 50/50

` Pingpong table and game room

Voluntary turnover: 3 percent

` 40 hours per year of additional PTO for employees who foster children

15. Member Driven Technologies

Capitalmortgagefunding.com

` Fully paid time off for new birth moms (16 weeks), new dads (eight weeks) and adoptive parents (eight weeks)

Farmington Hills

Mortgage Banking

Mdtmi.com

Ranking in 2020: 25

Larry Nichols, President and CEO

Michigan-based employees: 49

14. Rightpoint, a Genpact company

Financial Services

Male/female executive ratio: 100/0

Ranking in 2020: 42

Voluntary turnover: 2 percent

Chicago

U.S.-based employees: 146

Paid time off after one year: 17 days

Rightpoint.com

Michigan-based employees: 124

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Ross Freedman, CEO and Co-founder (Based in Chicago)

Male/female executive ratio: 87/13

Telecommuting options: Yes

Tom Keuten, Senior Vice President (Based in Royal Oak)

Voluntary turnover: 0 percent

Flex time options: Yes

Paid time off after one year: 30 days

Jobs to fill this year: 7

Technology

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Ranking in 2020: 20

Telecommuting options: Yes

Why Capital Mortgage Funding is cool:

18. Vision Computer Solutions

U.S.-based employees: 517

Flex time options: Yes

` Monthly meetings with the CEO

Northville

Michigan-based employees: 54

Jobs to fill this year: 2

Vcsolutions.com

Male/female executive ratio: 50/50

Why Member Driven Technologies is cool:

` Company outings like barbecues and bowling ` Offers veterans a paid day off on Veterans Day

Technology

Voluntary turnover: 0 percent Paid time off after one year: Unlimited Paid time off for community service: Yes

Harry Glanz, President and Co-founder

` Pays 100 percent of employees’ and dependents’ health and dental insurance premiums `Promotes from within and offers employees opportunities for advancement

Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes

` Provides employees 3 hours of time off per month for personal appointments

` Employees receive a variety of holidays off

Paid time off after one year: 28 days Paid time off for community service: Yes

` Profit-sharing opportunities available

Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes

19. Kapnick Insurance Group

Jobs to fill this year: 1

Adrian

Why Center for Financial Planning is cool:

Kapnick.com

` To improve their fitness, employees are encouraged to walk outside during the summer

Jim Kapnick, CEO

` Individualized professional development plans and financial support for education

Ranking in 2020: 24

` Café with a pingpong table

Male/female executive ratio: 100/0

Insurance: Property and Casualty, and Employee Benefits Broker Michigan-based employees: 181 Voluntary turnover: 8 percent Paid time off after one year: 26 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes

David Marino, President

Jobs to fill this year: 10

Michigan-based employees: 20

Why Kapnick Insurance Group is cool:

17. Center for Financial Planning

Male/female executive ratio: 75/25

Southfield

Paid time off after one year: 10 days

` After large sales are completed, employees putt (on an indoor putting green, located in the Ann Arbor office) for prizes like gift cards and jeans days

Centerfinplan.com

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Voluntary turnover: 10 percent

Jobs to fill this year: 150 globally

: Yes

Why Rightpoint is cool:

Timothy Wyman, Managing Partner

Telecommuting options: Yes

` “Workshare Wednesdays”: Project teams showcase their work to the entire company

Financial Services

Flex time options: No

Ranking in 2020: 15

Jobs to fill this year: 3

` Offers fully paid maternity leave for up to six weeks, and paid paternal/adoptive/ foster placement leave for up to two weeks ` Provides a fully funded life insurance policy for all employees, along with their spouses and dependent children

We’ll never lose our cool.

Law firms aren’t typically considered cool places to work. We’ve changed that perception. From our viewpoint, a great workplace isn’t only about the physical environment. Sure, our offices in Michigan, New York City, and Washington, D.C., are comfortable and inspire collaboration, but you won’t see any foosball tables, bean bags, or kombucha on tap. Our culture is more than that. Nope, we’re cool because of our people, a diverse group of the brightest minds reflecting Baby Boomers and Gen Z alike. Our legacy may date back to 1854, but we are future-focused with an eye on growth. And we’re even cooler because of clients that range from the titans of industry to new economy disruptors. Trust the law firm that stays cool under pressure as times change and will always value its people and clients above everything else. Trust. Always. PROUD TO BE NAMED TO

Justin G. Klimko | 313-225-7000 | recruiting@butzel.com Ann Arbor • Bloomfield Hills • Detroit • Lansing • New York • Washington D.C. • Alliance Offices Worldwide AUGUST 23, 2021 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 11

2021 COOL PLACES TO WORK 20. Northwestern Mutual Troy

Why MassMutual Great Lakes is cool:

Troy

` Leadership coaches for group and one-on-one coaching

Troy.nm.com Dominic Mirabella, Managing Partner Financial Services Ranking in 2020: 12 U.S.-based employees: 251 Michigan-based employees: 250 Male/female executive ratio: 60/40 Voluntary turnover: 2 percent Paid time off after one year: 30 days

Tech

Why Northwestern Mutual - Troy is cool:

U.S.-based employees: 298

Ran

Michigan-based employees: 22

Mich

` Offers various opportunities to fundraise for pediatric oncology charities

Male/female executive ratio: 67/33

Mal

Voluntary turnover: 15 percent

Volu

Paid time off after one year: 26 days

Paid

` Provides employees paid days off for birthdays and charity volunteering

Paid time off for community service: No

Paid

Telecommuting options: Yes

Flex

Flex time options: No

Jobs

Jobs to fill this year: 3

Why

Why Altimetrik Corp. is cool:

` Em

` HR connects with employees on a regular basis to check in on their health and welfare

` Th a.m. whe

Michigan-based employees: 20 Male/female executive ratio: 50/50 Voluntary turnover: 5 percent Paid time off after one year: 19 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes

` Company-paid happy hours

Why Phil Klein Insurance Group is cool: ` Sporting event tickets for employees ` Monthly meetings with the CEO and paid sabbaticals

12 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 23, 2021

yourchildrensfoundation.org/caring-for-kids

` Learning and upskilling opportunities for all employees through Playground, a proprietary ecosystem

24. Century 21 Curran & Oberski Northville C21curranoberski.com Adam Oberski, Broker/Owner Real Estate U.S.-based employees: 24 Michigan-based employees: 22 Male/female executive ratio: 10/90 Voluntary turnover: 5 percent Paid time off after one year: 21 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: No Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 1-2 Why Century 21 Curran & Oberski is cool: ` Family owned ` Random lunch/dinner gatherings, including food trucks

Southfield

` Management team travels two to four times annually – all expenses paid – to different growth conferences

Manuel Amezcua, Firm President and CEO

For more information and to listen to past shows visit:

` Access to the Altimetrik Collider community, a collaborative hub for software engineers

22. MassMutual Great Lakes Greatlakes.massmutual.com

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Farm

` Popcorn Thursdays

Insurance (Nonhealth care)

LARRY BURNS President and CEO The Children’s Foundation

` Sch

Altimetrik.com

Ranking in 2020: 66

LISTEN TO WJR AM LIVE

TOM RICH Cancer Control Strategic Partnerships Manager American Cancer Society

Southfield

Jobs to fill this year: 19

Jobs to fill this year: 2-4

MARK RALKO Founder, Executive Director Inclusively Fit

` Vir view

Patri

Tune in to WJR 760 AM for Caring for Kids, a monthly radio program highlighting issues and efforts locally, regionally and nationally, that impact the health and wellness of children.

IDA BENSON Director, Development & Communications Covenant House

23. Altimetrik Corp.

Accu

Philip Klein, CEO

HOST

` On

Technology

Flex time options: No

SPECIAL GUESTS

Why

Flex time options: Yes

West Bloomfield

Advocating for the health & wellness of children and families

Jobs

Telecommuting options: Yes

Pkig.com

Tuesday, August 24 at 7 p.m.

Flex

Raj Vattikuti, Executive Chairman (based in Southfield)

21. Phil Klein Insurance Group

GET A HEALTHIER OUTLOOK ON CHILDHOOD

Tele

26.

THE AVERAGE RATIO OF MEN TO WOMEN ON THE EXECUTIVE TEAMS OF OUR COOL PLACES TO WORK IS 65 /34.

Listing opportunities: Debora Stein at dstein@crain.com

` One to two times per year, it devotes an entire month to wellness initiatives that support employees’ mental and physical well-being

Paid No

Rajkumar Sundaresan, CEO (based in Santa Clara, Calif.)

Paid time off for community service: Yes

RECOGNIZE INDUSTRY ACHIEVERS IN CRAIN’S

` Monthly virtual happy hours

Paid

Financial Services

25. OHM Advisors

Michigan-based employees: 24

Livonia

Male/female executive ratio: 50/50

Ohm-advisors.com

Voluntary turnover: 8 percent

Jon Kramer, President

Paid time off after one year: 30 days

Architecture, Engineering and Planning

Paid time off for community service: No

Ranking in 2020: 32

Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 4-5

U.S.-based employees: 486 Michigan-based employees: 346 Male/female executive ratio: 100/0 Voluntary turnover: 1 percent

Tele

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ays

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alth

Paid time off after one year: 24 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 45 Why OHM Advisors is cool:

98% OF COOL PLACES TO WORK SPONSOR OR SUPPORT COMMUNITY SERVICE INITIATIVES.

` Onsite massages once a month ` Virtual well-being webinars can be viewed by employees at any time ` Scheduled meditation breaks

26. AccumTech

Casonhomeloans.com

Technology

Kristi Cason, President

Ranking in 2020: 60

Financial Services

Voluntary turnover: 7 percent Paid time off after one year: Unlimited Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 11 Why AccumTech is cool:

U.S.-based employees: 143 Michigan-based employees: 89 Male/female executive ratio: 75/25 Voluntary turnover: 22 percent Paid time off after one year: 17 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes

Jobs to fill this year: 5

U.S.-based employees: 51

Why Clark Construction is cool:

Michigan-based employees: 50

` Progressive maternity and paternity policy

Voluntary turnover: 15 percent

Robert Niemiec, Managing Partner

Paid time off after one year: 31 days

Consulting

Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes

Male/female executive ratio: 78/22 Voluntary turnover: 0 percent

Patrick Coleman, President

Consulting

Twisthink.com

Michigan-based employees: 37

Accumtech.com

Flex time options: Yes

Male/female executive ratio: 33/67

` Wellable Wellness Program educates team members on mental and physical well-being

Fenton

Julie Metty Bennett, CEO

Holland

Ranking in 2020: 30

27. Cason Home Loans

Male/female executive ratio: 71/29

28. Twisthink

these hours)

Farmington Hills

Michigan-based employees: 28

` Regular hot breakfasts and potluck lunches for all staff members

Paid time off after one year: 22-37 days, depending on employees’ experience levels Paid time off for community service: Yes

Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 2 Why Public Sector Consultants is cool: ` Paid professional development opportunities

Why Twisthink is cool:

Clarkcc.com

` During the summer, employees can leave the office at noon on Fridays

Sam Clark, President and CEO

` Leaders emphasize professional development

Ranking in 2020: 16

` The company’s core hours are from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (employees can work when and where they want to outside of

` Family-oriented environment

Lansing

` Unlimited cross-training opportunities for internal career advancement

Publicsectorconsultants.com

Greg McNeilly, COO Investment Management

Voluntary turnover: 4 percent

Lansing

29. Public Sector Consultants

Windquest.com

Male/female executive ratio: 75/25

Jobs to fill this year: 5

Why Cason Home Loans is cool:

Grand Rapids

` Offers vision and legal benefits

30. Clark Construction Co.

` Employees have every other Friday off

31. Windquest

Michigan-based employees: 21

Flex time options: Yes

Jobs to fill this year: 15-20

` Provides several wellness apps to promote mental and physical health

` Family environment

Telecommuting options: Yes

` Motivates team members to participate in various races to promote healthy lifestyles

` Paid sabbaticals

Construction U.S.-based employees: 200 Michigan-based employees: 199 Male/female executive ratio: 70/30 Voluntary turnover: 2 percent Paid time off after one year: Unlimited

Paid time off after one year: 20 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 3 Why Windquest is cool: ` Shuffleboard in break room for games and tournaments ` “Winterquest” event offers employees 12 days of gifts and activities ` Spot bonuses range from $500 to $5,000 after taxes

Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes

ities nd, a

ays

ice:

four to

Celebrating four consecutive years as a Cool Place to Work! Congrats to our Employee-Owners for managing risk and keeping it cool. An employee-owned company

Discover your opportunity: OswaldCompanies.com/Careers

855.4OSWALD |

Risk & Insurance Leadership Since 1893

AUGUST 23, 2021 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 13

2021 COOL PLACES TO WORK 32. Stout

14% OF COOL PLACES TO WORK PAY 100% OF PREMIUMS FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES’ MEDICAL COVERAGE AND 61% PAY 75% OR MORE.

Chicago Stout.com Craige Stout, CEO (based in Dallas) Cory Thompson, Office Managing Director (based in Royal Oak) Financial Services

Cinnaire.com

Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 4

Mark McDaniel, President and CEO

Male/female executive ratio: 60/40

Doug Dozeman, Managing Partner

Voluntary turnover: 6 percent

Legal

Paid time off after one year: Unlimited

Ranking in 2020: 23

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Michigan-based employees: 383

Telecommuting options: No

35. CredentialCheck

Male/female executive ratio: 57/43

Flex time options: No

` Casual attire is permitted

Troy

Voluntary turnover: 6 percent

Jobs to fill this year: 12

` In-house chef and training center

Credentialcheck.com

Paid time off after one year: 27 days

Why Cinnaire Corporation is cool:

` Employees receive personalized birthday presents

Steven Smith, Chairman

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Employment Background Screening and Drug Testing Services

Telecommuting options: Yes

` Company-paid cell/wireless services and gym/health club dues

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes

Why Lowry Solutions is cool: ` Onsite fitness facility with locker rooms and a pingpong table ` Spot gift card awards recognize employees’ contributions for going above and beyond ` “Jeans for Charity Friday”: Provides employees a break from day-to-day business dress, while also recognizing and supporting local charities

Jobs to fill this year: 2 Why Entech Staffing Solutions is cool:

34. Lowry Solutions Inc.

Ranking in 2020: 50

33. Entech Staffing Solutions

Brighton

Michigan-based employees: 40

Troy

Lowrysolutions.com

Male/female executive ratio: 40/60

Entechstaffingsolutions.com

Michael Lowry, President and CEO

Voluntary turnover: 15 percent

Kathy Camara and Amy Gross, CEO and President

Technology

Paid time off after one year: 23 days Paid time off for community service: Yes

Staffing

Ranking in 2020: 90 U.S.-based employees: 84

Telecommuting options: Yes

Michigan-based employees: 54

Flex time options: Yes

Michigan-based employees: 42

Lansing

Wnj.com

Paid time off after one year: 22 days

` Gaming area with a pingpong table and a foosball table

` Employer-sponsored eldercare assistance for employees with aging family members

Telecommuting options: Yes

Michigan-based employees: 75

Paid time off after one year: 23 days

` Monthly birthday and anniversary celebrations with treats

37. Cinnaire Corp.

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Grand Rapids

Voluntary turnover: 8 percent

` Bagel Mondays

` Twice daily paid “Brain Breaks” to step away from work and do whatever is necessary

U.S.-based employees: 112

Voluntary turnover: 5 percent

Why Stout is cool:

Why CredentialCheck is cool:

Paid time off after one year: 24 days

36. Warner Norcross + Judd

Male/female executive ratio: 0/100

Male/female executive ratio: 79/21

Flex time options: Yes

Voluntary turnover: 7 percent

health screenings and stress relief techniques

Nonprofit

U.S.-based employees: 484

Telecommuting options: Yes

Jobs to fill this year: 3

` A daily “Happy or Not” feedback platform enables employees to share their thoughts and ideas with leadership

Ranking in 2020: 10 Michigan-based employees: 84

Male/female executive ratio: 83/17

Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 6 Why Warner Norcross + Judd is cool: ` Working Parent Resource Group helps support working parents ` Engagement Committee, known as the “FunCom,” continues the company’s commitment to fun, pride and profit – in that order ` Wellness programs include monthly health education, nutrition advice, onsite

Ranking in 2020: 82

` Employee-developed and funded donation program to local, nonprofit organizations ` Staff engagement committee enables employees to express and implement their ideas

14% OF COOL PLACES TO WORK OFFER PAID SABBATICALS.

FUELED BY COLLABORATION We’re looking for passionate professionals eager to contribute. At AccumTech, we believe in a place where ideas flow freely, and teamwork is our way of life. Are you interested in joining our team? Visit accumtech.com and apply today!

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2021 COOL PLACES TO WORK 38. Gateway Financial Solutions

Male/female executive ratio: 46/54

` Onsite yoga classes

Carla Walker-Miller, Founder and CEO

Flex time options: Yes

Voluntary turnover: 10 percent

Jobs to fill this year: 5

Paid time off after one year: Unlimited

` Employees can use Ford Field’s track for walking meetings

Energy Efficiency

Saginaw

Ranking in 2020: 37

Why BizStream is cool:

U.S.-based employees: 121

` Pays 100 percent of employees’ and dependents’ health and dental insurance premiums

Gatewayfinancial.org

Paid time off for community service: No

Kristin Karwat, CEO

Telecommuting options: Yes

Financial Services

` Happy hours and “Office Olympics”

Michigan-based employees: 93

Flex time options: Yes

41. The Senior Alliance

Ranking in 2020: 54

Jobs to fill this year: 20

Wayne

Voluntary turnover: 12 percent

Michigan-based employees: 190

Thesenioralliance.org

Paid time off after one year: 27 days

Male/female executive ratio: 19/81

Why Jeff Glover and Associates is cool:

Tamera Kiger, CEO

Voluntary turnover: 13 percent

` Family oriented

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Nonprofit – Health and Human Services Ranking in 2020: 39

Telecommuting options: Yes

Paid time off after one year: 28 days

` Training is always provided to help employees learn and grow ` Team-building opportunities like contests, kayaking and sports events

Male/female executive ratio: 33/67

Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes

Voluntary turnover: 8 percent

Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 7-10

40. Dynatrace

Why Gateway Financial Solutions is cool:

Waltham, Mass.

` PTO for birthdays ` Ice cream treats and catered parties for end-of-the-month celebrations ` “Employee of the Month” recognition includes a $50 gift card, lunch with a team leader, picture on the “Wall of Fame” and a certificate

39. Jeff Glover and Associates Plymouth Jeffgloverassociates.com Jeff Glover, Owner Real Estate U.S.-based employees: 59 Michigan-based employees: 58

Michigan-based employees: 94

Dynatrace.com

Paid time off after one year: 39 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes

John Van Siclen, CEO (Based in Waltham)

Flex time options: Yes

Andrew Hittle, Chief Customer Officer (Based in Detroit)

Jobs to fill this year: 5 Why The Senior Alliance is cool:

Technology

` Pays 100 percent of employees’ and dependents’ health, dental and vision insurance premiums

Male/female executive ratio: 17/83

` Every two years, each employee is given $200 to spend on his/her choice of workspace upgrades ` The company also pays for employees’ gym memberships

Flex time options: Yes

44. Butzel Long PC

Why Walker-Miller Energy Services is cool:

Detroit Butzel.com

` All team members receive PTO for their birthdays

Justin G. Klimko, President and CEO

` Offers monthly emotional health and well-being workshops

Legal U.S.-based employees: 230

` Team members are recognized and rewarded for training hours, leading to a culture of continuous learning

Michigan-based employees: 208 Male/female executive ratio: 50/50 Voluntary turnover: 7 percent

43. BizStream

Paid time off after one year: 24 days

Allendale

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Bizstream.com

Telecommuting options: No

` Employees can order wellness items and have them shipped directly to their homes

Mark Schmidt, Founder

Flex time options: No

Technology

Jobs to fill this year: 30

` An employee-led committee plans service projects for other nonprofits/ agencies

Michigan-based employees: 22

Why Butzel Long is cool:

Male/female executive ratio: 90/10

` Provides profit-sharing opportunities

Flex time options: Yes

42. Walker-Miller Energy Services

Voluntary turnover: 3 percent

` New attorneys are matched with a mentor within the firm

Jobs to fill this year: 50 (in Detroit)

Detroit

Paid time off for community service: No

Why Dynatrace is cool:

Wmenergy.com

Telecommuting options: Yes

U.S.-based employees: 998 Michigan-based employees: 368 Male/female executive ratio: 91/9 Voluntary turnover: 1 percent Paid time off after one year: 26 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes

Paid time off after one year: 33 days

BUILDING TRUST FOR

` Recently upgraded its technology offerings and is currently updating its offices

YEARS 1946 - 2021

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WE BUILD ON A FOUNDATION OF TRUST

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Alumni

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Detroit Hybrid Sessions Wednesdays September 29 - November 10 Friday November 19

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2021 COOL PLACES TO WORK 45. Stuart Mechanical Auburn Hills Stuart-mechanical.com Ray Barnowske, COO HVAC Michigan-based employees: 26 Male/female executive ratio: 100/0 Voluntary turnover: 7 percent Paid time off after one year: 26 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: No Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 1 Why Stuart Mechanical is cool: ` Happy hours ` Weekly group meditation, via the Calm app ` Wellness program focuses on four wellness pillars: health, wealth, mind and body

46. Contract Professionals Inc. Waterford Cpijobs.com Steven York, Founder and CEO Staffing Ranking in 2020: 8 U.S.-based employees: 22

Why Contract Professionals Inc. is cool: ` Offers employees random surprise days off

Male/female executive ratio: 28/72 Voluntary turnover: 7 percent

benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ` Sponsors scholarships and has paid internships with local colleges, often leading to full-time positions afterwards

` $100/month meal vouchers are given to each employee

Paid time off after one year: 18 days

` Provides employees tickets to professional sporting events

Telecommuting options: Yes

50. Morrey’s Contracting

Flex time options: No

Detroit

Jobs to fill this year: 2

Morreyscontracting.com

Why Peabody Insurance Agency is cool:

Chris Gould, Vice President

` The company buys everyone hoodies, workbags and jackets

Michigan-based employees: 21

47. Carlson, Gaskey & Olds PC Birmingham Cgolaw.com Theodore Olds III, CEO Legal Michigan-based employees: 46 Male/female executive ratio: 82/18

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Construction

` Ma mas

` Em off d

` Th on ra go h

56. Oak

Voluntary turnover: 50 percent

Auburn Hills

` Pays for fitness memberships, yoga, new walking shoes and training programs

Paid time off after one year: 15 days

Ccfinancial.com

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Heidi Kassab, CEO

Telecommuting options: No

Financial Services

Flex time options: No

Ranking in 2020: 43

Jobs to fill this year: 4

U.S.-based employees: 76

Why Morrey’s Contracting is cool:

Michigan-based employees: 69

` Wellness program enables employees to focus on their health, wealth, minds and bodies

Male/female executive ratio: 50/50

Paid Yes

Voluntary turnover: 19 percent

Tele

Paid time off after one year: 19 days

Flex

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Jobs

Telecommuting options: Yes

Why

Flex time options: Yes

51. Blue Chip Talent

` Ha

Jobs to fill this year: 15

Bloomfield Hills

Why Cornerstone Community Financial Credit Union is cool:

` Zo learn

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Dearborn

Telecommuting options: Yes

Klalabs.com

Flex time options: Yes

Matthew O’Bryan, President and CEO

Jobs to fill this year: 1

Telecommunications

Why Carlson, Gaskey & Olds is cool:

Ranking in 2020: 29

` Employer-paid parking in a garage directly across the street from the office

U.S.-based employees: 175 Michigan-based employees: 135

` Weekly fresh fruit delivery ` Provides gym subsidies and financial planning

Male/female executive ratio: 75/25 Voluntary turnover: 2 percent Paid time off after one year: 17 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes

Voluntary turnover: 15 percent

48. Peabody Insurance Agency

Paid time off after one year: 13 days

Fenton

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Peabodyinc.com

Telecommuting options: Yes

Grace Peabody, President

Flex time options: Yes

Insurance (Nonhealth care)

` Pays 100 percent of employees’ and dependents’ health, dental and vision insurance premiums

Jobs to fill this year: 150

Ranking in 2020: 28

` Hosts an annual golf outing that

Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 30 Why KLA Laboratories is cool:

Bctalent.com Nicole Pawczuk, CEO Staffing Ranking in 2020: 31 Michigan-based employees: 36 Male/female executive ratio: 86/14

` Free, 15-minute massages for all employees every quarter ` “Me Time” program (8 hours of PTO are offered to each full-time employee quarterly) ` 4 hours of “Birthday Time” are given to employees each year

Paid time off after one year: 20 days

54. DeMaria Construction

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Novi

Telecommuting options: Yes

Demariabuild.com

Flex time options: Yes

Joe DeMaria Jr., CEO

Jobs to fill this year: 12

Construction

Why Blue Chip Talent is cool:

Ranking in 2020: 41

` All day long, Pandora music stations are played over the company’s office speakers

Michigan-based employees: 82

` Offsite events centered around competition and team building

Voluntary turnover: 1 percent

` Shuffleboard, foosball and pingpong tables are located in the office

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Farmington Hills Mpro.org

Male/female executive ratio: 100/0 Paid time off after one year: 24 days Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 6 (or more) ` Family-owned business with a family environment

Health care – Insurance/Services

` Open door policy

Ranking in 2020: 86

` Employer-sponsored short-term disability program for all employees

Male/female executive ratio: 60/40

55. HRPro/BenePro

Voluntary turnover: 13 percent

Royal Oak

Paid time off after one year: Unlimited

Hrpro.com; Benepro.com

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Kristopher Powell, President and CEO

Telecommuting options: Yes

Human Resources and Employee Benefit Consulting and Administration

Jobs to fill this year: 6 Why MPRO is cool: ` Fun, stress-relieving events planned by Employee Activities Committee

Tech

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Michigan-based employees: 43

Flex time options: Yes

Rob

Why DeMaria Construction is cool:

Leland Babitch, CEO and President

U.S.-based employees: 46

Imag

Engi

Voluntary turnover: 12 percent

52. MPRO

18 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 23, 2021

Why

Male/female executive ratio: 100/0

49. KLA Laboratories Inc.

` Bagels every Friday and “Bring Your Dog to Work” days

14% OF COOL PLACES TO WORK OFFER GAMES (INCLUDING PINGPONG SHUFFLEBOARD, ARCADEGAMES, PUTT-PUTT) AT WORK.

` Random ice cream days and team lunches at least once a week

Paid time off after one year: 19 days

` State-of-the-art equipment for employees, including ergonomic chairs and computers

Jobs

53. Cornerstone Community Financial Credit Union

Voluntary turnover: 0 percent

Michigan-based employees: 15 Male/female executive ratio: 90/10

Michigan-based employees: 26

Ranking in 2020: 3 Michigan-based employees: 33 Male/female executive ratio: 25/75 Voluntary turnover: 7 percent

` Annual recognition awards, which are chosen by employees

Paid time off after one year: 29 days

` Employee achievements celebrated at weekly all-staff meetings

Telecommuting options: Yes

Paid time off for community service: Yes Flex time options: Yes

Ran

Mich

Mal

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Paid Yes

Tele

Flex

Jobs

Why

` Pay depe insu

` Re educ

Jobs to fill this year: 2 Why HRPro/BenePro is cool: ` Massage therapists provide chair massages during busy times ` Employees have alternating Fridays off during the summer ` The CEO sends limericks to employees on random Fridays, enabling them to go home early

` Annual trips for employees and their “plus ones”

59. Brickworks Property Restoration Clinton Township Brickworksmi.com Jeremiah Campbell, Owner and CEO Construction

56. imageOne

Michigan-based employees: 44

Oak Park

Male/female executive ratio: 66/34

Imageoneway.com

Voluntary turnover: 8 percent

Rob Dube, Co-CEO and Co-founder

Paid time off after one year: 3 days

Technology

Paid time off for community service: No

Ranking in 2020: 45 Michigan-based employees: 54 Male/female executive ratio: 75/25 Voluntary turnover: 2 percent

Telecommuting options: No Flex time options: No Why Brickworks Property Restoration is cool:

Paid time off for community service: Yes

` Individual developmental programs

Telecommuting options: Yes

` Mindset program (for personal and professional growth opportunities)

Flex time options: No

: Yes

` Monthly wellness challenges

Jobs to fill this year: 4

are

: Yes

We are proud to be awarded Crain’s Cool Places to Work for the 6th YEAR IN A ROW!

Jobs to fill this year: 15

Paid time off after one year: 23 days

Why imageOne is cool:

60. Materialise USA

` Happy hours

Plymouth

` Zoom socials enable employees to learn about their colleagues’ passions

Materialise.com/en

` Weekly movie trivia challenges

We knew our employees are some of the coolest people on the planet - now it’s official!

Fried Vancraen, CEO (Based in Leuven, Belgium, the company’s world headquarters)

We help organizations take better care of their people Employee Benefits HR and Benefit Administration HR Consulting

THE PEOPLE PROS hrpro.com | benepro.com 248-543-2644

Rochester Hills

Bryan Crutchfield, Vice President and General Manager (Based in Plymouth, the company’s U.S. headquarters)

Sda-eng.com

Technology

Steve Benedettini, President and CFO

Ranking in 2020: 72

Engineering

Michigan-based employees: 80

SPONSORSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE

U.S.-based employees: 104

Male/female executive ratio: 44/56

Email Lisa Rudy at lrudy.com to learn more.

Michigan-based employees: 102

Voluntary turnover: 8 percent

Male/female executive ratio: 80/20

Paid time off after one year: 24 days

Voluntary turnover: 10 percent

Paid time off for community service: Yes

57. Spalding DeDecker

Paid time off after one year: 24 days Paid time off for community service: Yes

Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes

Telecommuting options: Yes

Jobs to fill this year: 4

Flex time options: Yes

Why Materialise USA is cool:

Jobs to fill this year: 10

` Onsite pingpong table, basketball hoop and gaming systems

Why Spalding DeDecker is cool: ` Company-paid industry certifications ` Paid bereavement days ` Volunteer opportunities in and out of the office

58. WambaTech Inc. Royal Oak Wambatech.com Nathaniel Plane, CEO Technology Ranking in 2020: 46 Michigan-based employees: 21 Male/female executive ratio: 50/50 Voluntary turnover: 12 percent Paid time off after one year: 35 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 6 Why WambaTech is cool: ` Pays 100 percent of employees’ and dependents’ health, dental and vision insurance premiums ` Reimbursement for industry-related education and training opportunities

TITLE SPONSOR

` Online workout classes and encouragement from leadership to be physically active ` Social media platform enables employees to socialize with colleagues from different teams in fun, casual ways

61. Key Management Group Troy Keymanagementgrp.com Anthony Whitbeck, CEO Financial Services Michigan-based employees: 20 Male/female executive ratio: 80/20 Voluntary turnover: 0 percent Paid time off after one year: 24 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 3 Why Key Management Group is cool: ` Spontaneous extended lunch hours ` Happy Hour bingo games on Fridays ` “Key Player” award presented quarterly, based on team recommendations AUGUST 23, 2021 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 19

2021 COOL PLACES TO WORK 62. Work Skills Corp.

Hntb.com

E7so

Brighton

Robert Slimp, Chairman and CEO (Based in Atlanta)

Edm

Wskills.com Tina Jackson, President and CEO

Eric Morris, Michigan Office Leader (Based in Lansing)

Nonprofit – Health and Human Services

Engineering

Michigan-based employees: 80

Ranking in 2020: 59

Male/female executive ratio: 25/75

U.S.-based employees: 4,866

Voluntary turnover: 10 percent

Michigan-based employees: 145

Paid time off after one year: 30 days

Male/female executive ratio: 89/11

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Voluntary turnover: 10 percent

Telecommuting options: Yes

Paid time off after one year: 31 days

WITH JAY DAVIS

crainsdetroit.com/small-business-spotlight

Volu

Paid

Paid No

Tele

Flex

Telecommuting options: Yes

Why

Why Work Skills is cool:

Flex time options: Yes

` A Success Coach provides social work and counseling to employees and their families

Jobs to fill this year: 13

` Me occu fun e

` Open communication throughout the organization

` Corporate discounts for gym memberships, Ford vehicles and mobile services

Why HNTB Michigan is cool:

` Provides a range of internal trainings for professional and personal growth ` Tuition reimbursement program offers up to $10,000 per calendar year for eligible expenses

Jobs

` Bireco

` Ga

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66. ICAT Logistics DTW

Andy Gutman, President

Taylor

Real Estate

Icatlogistics.com

Ranking in 2020: 79

Daniel Cser, Agency Owner

U.S.-based employees: 112

Logistics and Supply Chain

Michigan-based employees: 100

Michigan-based employees: 17

Male/female executive ratio: 100/0

Male/female executive ratio: 67/33

Voluntary turnover: 8 percent

Paid Yes

Voluntary turnover: 0 percent

Paid time off after one year: Unlimited

Tele

Paid time off after one year: 22 days

Flex

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Jobs

Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 2 Why Farbman Group is cool: ` Onsite chair massages ` “Paws at Work”: Dogs visit the office periodically to help improve employees’ well-being ` Farbman University, an internal training program

64. Sachse Construction

Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 10 Why ICAT Logistics DTW is cool: ` Supports continuing education ` Provides travel stipends ` Employees receive bonuses for referrals

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67. Miller Vein Farmington Hills Millervein.com

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Detroit

Dr. Jeffrey Miller, President

Dan in Ro

Sachseconstruction.com

Health care – Provider

Insur

Todd Sachse, CEO

Ranking in 2020: 58

Ran

Construction

Michigan-based employees: 60

U.S.

Male/female executive ratio: 50/50

Mich

Voluntary turnover: 0 percent

Mal

Paid time off after one year: 18 days

Volu

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Paid Unlim

Telecommuting options: Yes

Paid Yes

Michigan-based employees: 134 Male/female executive ratio: 100/0 Voluntary turnover: 17 percent Paid time off after one year: Unlimited Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: No Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 10 Why Sachse Construction is cool: ` Offers career development plans ` 4-week sabbatical after 10 years of service ` Gym subsidies and weekly fresh fruit delivery

65. HNTB Michigan Inc. Detroit 20 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 23, 2021

Mal

Jobs to fill this year: 10

Southfield

NEWS AND RESOURCES TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES THRIVE

Mich

Flex time options: Yes

63. Farbman Group

SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Ran

Paid time off for community service: No

` WSC Emergency Relief Fund provides financial relief to employees who are facing economic hardships

CRAIN’S

Tech

Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 4 Why Miller Vein is cool: ` Pays 100 percent of employees’ health, dental and vision insurance premiums ` Everyone receives a Miller Vein jacket after their first 90 days; all employees’ uniforms are free, too ` Every office is closed for a paid week off between Christmas and New Year

68. E7 Solutions Troy

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71. Dewpoint Inc. Lansing

74. Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss. PC

Edmond Delude, CEO Technology

Dewpoint.com

Southfield

Ranking in 2020: 70

Bob Bartholomew, President and CEO

Jaffelaw.com

Michigan-based employees: 29

Technology

Jeffrey Weiss, CEO

Male/female executive ratio: 60/40

Ranking in 2020: 69

Legal

Voluntary turnover: 3 percent

U.S.-based employees: 197

Paid time off after one year: 27 days

Michigan-based employees: 192

Paid time off for community service: No

Male/female executive ratio: 75/25

Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes

Paid time off after one year: 29 days

Voluntary turnover: 8 percent Paid time off after one year: 29 days Paid time off for community service: Yes

Telecommuting options: Yes

` Meetings, known as “Adventures,” occur at least monthly and promote a fun environment

Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 10

Why Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss is cool:

` Bi-weekly “coffee chat” meetings recognize and spotlight employees

Why Dewpoint is cool:

` Provided employees a $500 stipend to help with home technology needs while working from home

69. DP+

` Offers professional development opportunities, including job shadowing and mentoring

Farmington Hills Dpplus.com Mark Petrosky, CEO

` The company’s luxury bus can be used for team-building and personal family events

Advertising/PR/Marketing Ranking in 2020: 38

72. MRPR CPAs & Advisors

Michigan-based employees: 88

Southfield

Male/female executive ratio: 84/16

Mrpr.com

Voluntary turnover: 9 percent

Angie Mastroionni, Managing Principal

Paid time off after one year: 27 days

Accounting

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Ranking in 2020: 75

Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No

vice:

Jobs to fill this year: 15 Why DP+ is cool: ` Offers employees free financial planning services ` Monthly skills workshops to develop creativity, skills, and employee morale and bonding ` Open door policy

Michigan-based employees: 50 Male/female executive ratio: 56/44 Voluntary turnover: 4 percent Paid time off after one year: 35 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 5 Why MRPR CPAs & Advisors is cool: ` Year-round team-building events

70. NFP New York City Nfp.com Doug Hammond, Chairman and CEO (Based in New York City)

` Employees receive extra time off around the holidays and after tax season ` Formal feedback program encourages continuous feedback, learning and development

Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes

` The annual Staff Appreciation luncheon (virtual) offers a fun way to stay connected with interactive games, prizes and a Grub Hub gift card ` For the kickoffs to summer and Thanksgiving, employees received ice cream and pie gift cards

Michigan-based employees: 81 Male/female executive ratio: 100/0 Voluntary turnover: 2 percent Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 3 Why Roncelli is cool: ` Spontaneous “close up early” days to celebrate team successes ` Employees have access to company-owned construction equipment for personal usage ` Recognition programs show appreciation for all team members

Bloomfield Hills

Ranking in 2020: 63

Automotivecredit.com

Austinbenefits.com

U.S.-based employees: 4,500

James Blasius, CEO

Dean Austin, CEO

Michigan-based employees: 56

Financial Services

Health care – Insurance/Services

Ranking in 2020: 51

Michigan-based employees: 21

U.S.-based employees: 209

Male/female executive ratio: 67/33

vice:

Paid time off after one year: Unlimited

Michigan-based employees: 115

Voluntary turnover: 3 percent

Male/female executive ratio: 86/14

Paid time off after one year: 26 days

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Voluntary turnover: 4 percent

Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: No

Flex time options: Yes

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Jobs to fill this year: 2

Telecommuting options: Yes

Jobs to fill this year: 5

Why NFP is cool:

Flex time options: Yes

Why Austin Benefits Group is cool:

` Weekly, 30-minute walking group encourages employees to exercise together

Jobs to fill this year: 15

` Monthly meetings with the CEO

Why Automotive Credit is cool:

` Virtual well-being master class and monthly well-being tips and webinars

` Family owned

` Team members receive “Employee of the Month” recognition

` Leadership training helps employees develop skills to advance within the company

248-351-3000 | JAFFELAW.COM

SOUTHFIELD | DETROIT

Paid time off after one year: 20 days

Insurance (Nonhealth care)

` Personal and professional development opportunities, via a learning portal, live webinars and professional memberships

Culture. Community. Client Service.

Ranking in 2020: 19

76. Austin Benefits Group

` Organizes onsite flu clinics, CPR training and 24-hour access to telehealth services

their advisors, advocates, and attorneys since 1968.

Construction

Voluntary turnover: 10 percent

ek ar

businesses, and families that have trusted Jaffe Law as

Thomas Wickersham, President

ays

ket es’

But we're even more proud to serve the Detroit leaders,

Roncelli-inc.com

Southfield

Telecommuting options: Yes

Cool Places to Work list for the second year in a row.

Sterling Heights

73. Automotive Credit Corp.

Paid time off after one year: 24 days

Our whole team is delighted to be named to Crain's

75. Roncelli Inc.

Dan Cornwell, Managing Director (Based in Royal Oak)

Male/female executive ratio: 70/30

1 COOL FIRM

Male/female executive ratio: 75/25

Why E7 Solutions is cool:

` On each employee’s behalf, $150 annually is contributed to whichever nonprofit he/she chooses

20+ PRACTICE GROUPS

Michigan-based employees: 177

Paid time off for community service: Yes

` Game nights throughout the year

50+ YEARS

Ranking in 2020: 47

Jobs to fill this year: 5

ays

Voluntary turnover: 17 percent

100+ ATTORNEYS

Flex time options: No

` Employer-sponsored Employee Assistance Program provides employees counseling for various issues, along with assistance for specific conditions

SEEKING INNOVATIVE, IMPACTFUL LEADERS MAKING SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THEIR INDUSTRY AND COMMUNITY.

NOMINATION DEADLINE:

SEPT. 10

crainsdetroit.com/nominate AUGUST 23, 2021 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 21

2021 COOL PLACES TO WORK 77. SME

Identitypr.com

Renewalbyandersen.com

Technology

Plymouth

Mark Winter, President and Founding Partner

Troy Barrow, President of RBA (Based in Cottage Grove, Minn.)

Ranking in 2020: 53

Advertising/PR/Marketing

Amy Pilarski, General Manager (Based in Wixom)

Sme-usa.com Mark Kramer, CEO Engineering Ranking in 2020: 77 U.S.-based employees: 296 Michigan-based employees: 243 Male/female executive ratio: 90/10 Voluntary turnover: 5 percent Paid time off after one year: 27 days Paid time off for community service: Yes

U.S.-based employees: 36 Michigan-based employees: 26 Male/female executive ratio: 33/67 Voluntary turnover: 6 percent Paid time off after one year: 32 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 5

Telecommuting options: Yes

Why Identity is cool:

Flex time options: Yes

` Provides employees opportunities for career and leadership development

Jobs to fill this year: 20 Why SME is cool: ` Pays 100 percent of employees’ and dependents’ health insurance premiums ` Monthly town hall meetings, held by the CEO, update everyone on various topics ` Employees can donate their PTO to their colleagues during their times of need

78. EDSI Dearborn Edsisolutions.com Kevin Schnieders, CEO Consulting

` Personalized mentorship is offered to employees too ` “Surprise and delight” moments for employees include a cappuccino cart, chair massages and a gourmet doughnut bar

81. Michigan Community VNA Bingham Farms Vna.org Vicki Welty, CEO Health care – Provider Michigan-based employees: 59 Male/female executive ratio: 10/90 Voluntary turnover: 3 percent

Construction Ranking in 2020: 34 U.S.-based employees: 2,201 Michigan-based employees: 88 Male/female executive ratio: 67/33 Voluntary turnover: 8 percent

Michigan-based employees: 28 Male/female executive ratio: 80/20

89. Total Quality Logistics

Voluntary turnover: 7 percent

Cincinnati

Paid time off after one year: 21 days

Tql.com

Paid time off for community service: No

Ken Oaks, CEO (Based in Cincinnati)

Telecommuting options: Yes

Kyle Hoogewind, Group Sales Manager (Based in Grand Rapids)

Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 3

Paid time off after one year: 18 days

Why Spire Integrated Systems is cool:

Paid time off for community service: Yes

` Provides employees ample opportunities for job promotion and career growth

Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 15 Why Renewal by Andersen is cool: ` Virtual happy hours include trivia and other games ` Employees earn travel and merchandise awards for exceeding performance goals ` Generous referral program for current employees

84. AutoPets Auburn Hills Autopets.com Brad Baxter, CEO Consumer Goods U.S.-based employees: 232

` Provides gym membership subsidies and weekly fresh fruit delivery

` “Happyify” mental health program, an online app offering stress relief and meditation ` At the end of the year, one employee is given two airline tickets for being the “most improved”

` Em on F

92. gag

Pont

Uwm

Transportation

Mat

Ranking in 2020: 67

Fina

U.S.-based employees: 5,000 Michigan-based employees: 115 Male/female executive ratio: 90/10 Paid time off after one year: 25 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 60

71% OF COOL PLACES TO WORK OFFER PAID MATERNITY LEAVE FOR THE BIRTH OF A CHILD. 51% OFFER PAID PATERNTY LEAVE FOR THE BIRTH OF A CHILD.

` Fre (cate

Why Total Quality Logistics is cool: ` All offices have pingpong tables; some also have putting greens and basketball courts ` “Beer Drops”: CEO leads companywide toasts to celebrate milestones and records ` Reimburses employees who adopt new pets

90. Community Housing Network

Ran

U.S.

Mich

Mal

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Paid

Paid Yes

Tele

Flex

Jobs

Why cool

` Sta

`On hair

` Em oppo from

Troy

93.

87. PEA Group

Communityhousingnetwork.org

Novi

Troy

Mark Craig, President

Redl

Paid time off after one year: 23 days

Peainc.com

Nonprofit – Health and Human Services

Davi

Paid time off for community service: Yes

James Butler, President

Ranking in 2020: 74

Tech

Telecommuting options: Yes

Engineering

Michigan-based employees: 124

Mich

Flex time options: Yes

Ranking in 2020: 92

Male/female executive ratio: 25/75

Mal

` Regular meetings with the CEO with company updates

Jobs to fill this year: 50

U.S.-based employees: 144

Voluntary turnover: 4 percent

Volu

Why AutoPets is cool:

Michigan-based employees: 135

Paid time off after one year: 40 days

Paid

` Employees can design their own schedules around the needs of their families

` In-office gym

Male/female executive ratio: 78/22

Paid time off for community service: No

` Pet friendly

Voluntary turnover: 4 percent

Telecommuting options: Yes

Paid Yes

` Employees can adjust their schedules based on their current life needs

` Pizza Fridays once a month

` Employees can work hybrid schedules – when and where they prefer

Paid time off after one year: 24 days

Flex time options: Yes

` The company’s Leadership Academy is committed to employees’ continuous learning

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Jobs to fill this year: 10

82. RPT Realty Inc.

Telecommuting options: Yes

Why Community Housing Network is cool:

` Meditation space for individual or guided meditation

Rptrealty.com

Ranking in 2020: 96 U.S.-based employees: 900 Michigan-based employees: 69 Male/female executive ratio: 64/36 Voluntary turnover: 10 percent Paid time off after one year: 34 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 6 Why EDSI is cool:

79. Autobooks Inc.

Paid time off after one year: 24 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 5 Why Michigan Community VNA is cool:

New York City Brian Harper, CEO (Based in New York City)

Michigan-based employees: 82 Male/female executive ratio: 100/0 Voluntary turnover: 1 percent

85. OneMagnify Detroit Onemagnify.com Mark Petroff, CEO Advertising/PR/Marketing

Detroit

Deanna Cain, Head of Human Resources (Based in Southfield)

Autobooks.co

Real Estate

Michigan-based employees: 331

Steve Robert, Founder and CEO

Ranking in 2020: 68

Male/female executive ratio: 70/30

Technology

U.S.-based employees: 122

Voluntary turnover: 9 percent

U.S.-based employees: 77

Michigan-based employees: 68

Paid time off after one year: 17 days

Michigan-based employees: 66

Male/female executive ratio: 43/57

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Male/female executive ratio: 89/11

Voluntary turnover: 5 percent

Telecommuting options: Yes

Voluntary turnover: 11 percent

Paid time off after one year: 30 days

Flex time options: No

Paid time off after one year: 29 days

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Jobs to fill this year: 30

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Telecommuting options: Yes

Why OneMagnify is cool:

Telecommuting options: Yes

Flex time options: No

Flex time options: Yes

Jobs to fill this year: 10

Jobs to fill this year: 15

Why RPT Realty is cool:

` Peer-to-peer recognition system enables employees to honor each other’s work

Why Autobooks is cool:

` Offers a leadership development program, led by an executive leadership coach

` Casual dress code ` Supports employees’ career development aspirations ` Wellness webinars are offered by the company’s medical and financial partners

Ranking in 2020: 97

80. Identity

83. Renewal by Andersen

Bingham Farms

Bayport, Minn.

22 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 23, 2021

Jobs to fill this year: 20 Why PEA Group is cool: ` Weekly “Lunch n’ Learns” help employees develop new skills ` Social Committee plans fun, team-focused activities during work hours ` Fitness and gym membership fee reimbursement (up to $480 per year)

88. Zolman Restoration Walled Lake Zolmanrestoration.com Jeff Katkowsky, President Emergency Restoration Services Michigan-based employees: 29 Male/female executive ratio: 67/33 Voluntary turnover: 22 percent

` Wellness workshops

Paid time off after one year: 26 days

` Celebrations and companywide events ensure a fun culture

Paid time off for community service: Yes

` Monthly virtual happy hours ` Employees are recognized and rewarded for their achievements in wellness, earning up to $450 in gift cards

Flex time options: Yes

86. Spire Integrated Systems Inc. Troy Spireintegrated.com Navot Shoresh, President

Telecommuting options: No Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 3 Why Zolman Restoration is cool: ` Paid sabbaticals ` Weekly group meditation using the Calm app

Tele

Flex

Jobs

Why

` Half-day Fridays during the summer

` Re

` Fun Committee provides employees fun events and activities, including themed lunches

` Pro and

` Hosts a themed, annual retreat for all employees

91. Midland Tool & Supply | Superior Tool Rental & Repair Oak Park Midlandtool.com Brian Boychuk, President

` Ha featu

94.

Kans

Burn

Ray K in Ka

Distribution

Ben (Bas

Ranking in 2020: 48

Engi

U.S.-based employees: 79

Ran

Michigan-based employees: 61

U.S.

Male/female executive ratio: 100/0

Mich

Voluntary turnover: 16 percent

Mal

Paid time off after one year: 20 days

Volu

Paid time off for community service: No

Paid

Telecommuting options: Yes

Paid

Flex time options: Yes

Tele

Jobs to fill this year: 5

Flex

Why Midland Tool & Supply | Superior Tool Rental & Repair is cool:

Jobs

` Pays 100 percent of employees’ and dependents’ health and dental insurance premiums

` Th 2,50

Why

: Yes

me all

new

` Frequent extended lunch hours (catered or potluck) ` Employees can bring their dogs to work on Fridays

Small employer category (15-49 US employees)

National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity

Arrow Strategies, LLC

Wilshire Benefits Group

X by 2

Allied PhotoChemical, Inc.

Voluntary turnover: 0 percent

Armor Protective Packaging

Paid time off after one year: 26 days

Apex Digital Solutions

Capital Mortgage Funding Powered by Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation

Center for Financial Planning

Daniel Stern, Partner and President

Insurance – Health care and Risk Management

Ranking in 2020: 85

Mat Ishbia, President and CEO Financial Services Ranking in 2020: 78 U.S.-based employees: 8,745 Michigan-based employees: 8,740 Male/female executive ratio: 62/38 Voluntary turnover: 14 percent Paid time off after one year: 22 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: No Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 1,500-2,000 Why United Wholesale Mortgage is cool: ` State-of-the-art fitness center `Onsite doctor’s office, massage therapist, hair salon and convenience store ` Employees have ongoing training opportunities, leading to promotions from within

93. Red Level Novi Redlevelgroup.com David King, President and CEO Technology Michigan-based employees: 44 Male/female executive ratio: 75/25 Voluntary turnover: 7 percent

Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 7 Why Red Level is cool: ` Referral bonuses

s fun ed

` Provides employees various training and education opportunities

` Happy hours, via Microsoft Teams, feature card games and trivia

94. Burns & McDonnell

U.S.-based employees: 3,707 Michigan-based employees: 185 Male/female executive ratio: 60/40 Voluntary turnover: 2 percent

Ray Kowalik, Chairman and CEO (Based in Kansas City) Ben Nabozny, Department Manager (Based in Detroit) Engineering, Architecture and Construction Ranking in 2020: 89 U.S.-based employees: 7,600 Michigan-based employees: 28 Male/female executive ratio: 91/9

Voluntary turnover: 5 percent

: No

Paid time off after one year: 23 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: No Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 1,000-1,300 Why Burns & McDonnell is cool: ` The company’s training team offers 2,500 internal classes annually

Lormaxstern.com Real Estate Michigan-based employees: 35 Male/female executive ratio: 100/0

Paid time off after one year: 22 days Paid time off for community service: Yes

Telecommuting options: Yes

Flex time options: Yes

Jobs to fill this year: 2

Jobs to fill this year: 5

Why Lormax Stern Development Company is cool:

Why Gallagher is cool:

` Dog friendly

` Employees have every other Friday off during July and August

` Employees leave the office at 3 p.m. every Friday

Greenleaf Trust

145

` “Blue Jeans for Charity” supports 15 Michigan-based charitable organizations annually

` Performance bonuses are often awarded to employees

Marsh & McLennan Agency | Michigan Health & Benefits Team

141

` An active social committee sponsors activities like Detroit Tigers game days

Member Driven Technologies

146

99. Lucia Landscaping

Kapnick Insurance Group

181

Cason Home Loans

143

Public Sector Consultants

Roseville

Medium employer category (50-249 US employees) Rank

Company

Number of employees

96. NTH Consultants, Ltd.

Lucialandscaping.com

Northville

Ted Lucia, President and CEO

Nthconsultants.com

Services

Kevin Hoppe, Chairman and CEO

Michigan-based employees: 57

Clark Construction Company

Engineering

Male/female executive ratio: 58/42

Lowry Solutions, Inc.

Voluntary turnover: 14 percent

U.S.-based employees: 104 Michigan-based employees: 103

Paid time off after one year: 16 days

Cinnaire Corporation

112

Male/female executive ratio: 80/20

Paid time off for community service: No

Gateway Financial Solutions

190

Voluntary turnover: 14 percent

Telecommuting options: Yes

Paid time off after one year: 24 days

Flex time options: No

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Jobs to fill this year: 30-40 (for snow removal)

Telecommuting options: Yes

Why Lucia Landscaping is cool:

Flex time options: Yes

` Year-round work, which is rare for a landscaping company

Jobs to fill this year: 5 Why NTH Consultants is cool: ` Collaborative career planning and professional development opportunities ` Volunteer opportunities for the community and environment ` Hosts webinars for employees’ emotional, financial and physical health

Kansas City, Mo. Burnsmcd.com

98. Lormax Stern Development Company

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Telecommuting options: Yes

Number of employees 22

Lenny Brucato, Area President (Based in Bloomfield Hills)

Uwm.com

Company Manquen Vance & RDS Services

Bloomfield Hills

Ajg.com

Rank

J. Patrick Gallagher Jr., Chairman, President and CEO (Based in Rolling Meadows)

Paid time off for community service: Yes

nce

` Free/discount tickets for sporting, arts and local events

Pontiac

: No

rior

95. Gallagher

TOP 10 COMPANIES

Rolling Meadows, Ill.

Paid time off after one year: 25 days

air

` Paid sabbaticals

` Onsite bowling center and recreation room with pool, foosball and pingpong

92. United Wholesale Mortgage

k is

` 100 percent employee owned

97. Michigan First Credit Union Lathrup Village Michiganfirst.com Michael Poulos, President and CEO Financial Services U.S.-based employees: 439 Michigan-based employees: 438 Male/female executive ratio: 44/56

Number of employees

Oswald Companies

397

Slalom LLC

9000

` Company-sponsored social events include an ice cream social and doughnuts on Friday

Rightpoint, a Genpact company

517

Northwestern Mutual - Troy

251

100. Schechter

Altimetrik Corp.

298

OHM Advisors

486

Stout

484

Warner Norcross + Judd

383

Dynatrace

998

Birmingham Schechterwealth.com Marc Schechter, Senior Managing Director Financial Services U.S.-based employees: 71

Michigan-based employees: 60 Male/female executive ratio: 86/14 Voluntary turnover: 3 percent Paid time off after one year: 26 days

Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes

` 24-hour, state-of-the-art fitness center

Company

600

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Why Michigan First Credit Union is cool:

Rank

Atwell, LLC

Paid time off after one year: 29 days

Jobs to fill this year: 60-70

Large employer category (250 or more US employees)

Paid time off for community service: Yes

Flex time options: Yes

200

` Team center with a pingpong table, cornhole boards and a basketball net

Voluntary turnover: 21 percent

Telecommuting options: No

Jobs to fill this year: 7 Why Schechter is cool: ` Employees enjoy a luxury vacation in a Mexican villa ` Virtual happy hours ` Generous bonuses and spot bonuses

GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK PHOTO

AUGUST 23, 2021 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 23

9 P H O R A P

CRAIN’S THOUGHT LEADERSHIP FORUM MACKINAC POLICY CONFERENCE EDITION

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EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT: ONE KEY ITEM YOU MAY BE MISSING According to the Achievers Report, 33% of employees think leadership is “just okay” at acting based on their feedback, and 19% think leadership is “horrible” at this. With all the options to consider, it’s possible you and your team may experience some decision paralysis. But at some point, you need to decide and take action.

“Good enough is no longer good enough.” There is a high probability that most employees are thinking this but not sharing this thought with the C-Suite. According to The Microsoft Work Trend Index, business leaders are faring better than their employees in the hybrid workplace. It is critical that leaders recognize the challenges their teams face in the new world of hybrid work and lead with an empathetic mindset. According to the Achievers Work Index 2021 Engagement and Retention Report, 71% more people are disengaged in 2021 than in 2020. Data suggests that a major contributor to this is poor hybrid work experiences. Before, if meeting or collaboration technologies weren’t available or working, it may not have been a big deal. Now, attendees need to not only participate in meetings, but facilitate, present, and work on any device from anywhere. With hybrid work now the norm, the bar has been raised. It is key that you prioritize digital experiences and include highquality and immersive options to bring teams together in a productive

Jason Lambiris is the CEO at Apex Digital Solutions and founded the organization in 1998. He often consults with business leaders about their organization’s transformation journey. and engaging way. It is even more important to understand the need for these improvements runs deeper than you may be considering. For example, several people in every organization likely struggle with visual or auditory impairments or language barriers, or need assistance dealing with disruptions and noisy backgrounds. Many organizations don’t realize they may already own capabilities in platforms like Microsoft Teams to overcome these challenges with HD audio devices, live captioning and live translation, to name a few.

The amount of digital transformation that would have happened in a matter of years has happened in just months. Accepting this, try for better, not perfect. We’re all on a journey of trying new things and learning lessons. Communicating this to your employees will not only let them know you’re taking action, but it will foster a culture of trust in your organization. The future of work has arrived, and your team is looking to you to make the changes necessary for positive hybrid work experiences. The clock is ticking. Contact hybridwork@apexdigital.com to talk about how to make it happen.

AUGUST 23, 2021 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 25

NONPROFITS

New fund to put over $5M in grants behind grassroots efforts First round awarded to support redevelopment, change in Detroit, Hamtramck, Highland Park BY SHERRI WELCH

The Georgia Street Community Collective began as an effort to clean up a vacant lot in east Detroit 13 years ago. A large community garden now blooms on the lot, providing fresh produce for seniors who struggle to pay for medication and food, mentoring opportunities for youth and a space for the community, with its tables, BBQ grills and open grassy areas. Founder Mark Covington and his mother began collecting coats, preparing holiday meals and giving away turkeys and all the sides, hosting holiday cookie-making events and stuffing backpacks with school supplies for children in the neighborhood near Gratiot and Harper, right across from Detroit’s iconic Better Made Chips factory. They also acquired a nearby building and turned it into a community meeting space with a kitchen for event preparation, a computer lab and a library for afterschool tutoring. Covington and his mother have funded the support they’ve rounded up for the community through donations. In 2019, the collective’s revenue totaled just over $89,000, with support for its community center from an anonymous donor in Arizona who heard about their work. But on average, the nonprofit raised an average of just over $49,000 the four years prior. In-kind donations to support the events show up on the porch of the

Covington

Ryan

community center to help make them happen, Covington said. But it’s a struggle every year to raise the money to keep those programs and services going. Though he had reported compensation of $3,603 in 2019, he and his mother, who work year-round to plan and administer the programs, have never taken a salary. Grassroots groups like the Georgia Street Collective that are in touch with the needs in their communities haven’t traditionally had access to foundation support. But a new fund has taken shape to ensure those groups and even community leaders without a formal 501 (c)3 charity structure can access philanthropic dollars. The Detroit Residents First Fund is looking to make $10 million available to grassroots groups and leaders. Backed by four foundations so far, the fund has raised $5.4 million in support for the three-year initiative so far toward a $10 million goal. Funders include: the Ford Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Founda-

Scott

Piszker

tion, Skillman Foundation and Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency which is serving as the fiduciary for the fund and providing leadership development and capacity building for grantees, along with Community Development Advocates of Detroit. There has been a lack of funding for groups led by people of color, but especially for small community-based organizations started by residents, said Kevin Ryan, Detroit program officer for the New York-based Ford Foundation. There are multiple reasons for that, he said. “You really have to get out to the community and really understand the people in the neighborhoods to understand what the issues are. Oftentimes, speaking for larger organizations, it can be challenging to have people get out and talk to people.” There’s also an assumption in philanthropy that larger organizations have more capacity and are more effective, he said. “And that’s not true.” Too often, the expertise of residents is overlooked, said Sarida Scott, pro-

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

gram officer for Kellogg. “They are right there, and they are also doing the work.” “DRFF is really leading what we hope will be perpetuated. (We’re) hoping this will be a model for others, she said. Georgia Street Community Collective is one of 15 neighborhood groups funded in the $1.4 million, pilot round of the Detroit Residents First Fund, a so-called “participatory grantmaking” approach that puts funding in the hands of local leaders who are in touch with needs in their communities. Other groups funded in the first round include 360 Detroit, Avalon Village, Chadsey Condon Community Organization and the North End Woodward Community Coalition. The fund plans to put out another call for proposals on its website this fall. In addition to the grants, the grassroots groups will receive leadership development training and capacity building support. Grants can be used to provide operational and programmatic support, direct services such as summer camps and beautification and advocacy for things like reforms around post-incarceration programs and digital access for low-income neighborhoods. “We’re trying to look to residents to set the agenda rather than philanthropy setting it,” Ryan said. For the Georgia Street Community Collective, the three-year commitment for $26,700 annually from the new fund

will not only help sustain programs but expand them, Covington said. With the DRFF grant, the nonprofit will be able to triple the number of turkeys and backpacks it gives away this year to 250 of each, he said. It will host its first health fair on Sept. 11, in connection with the backpack giveaway. The funding has also enabled it to purchase two 40-foot-long shipping containers that will give residents yearround access to a clothing and coats. Soup and chili offered every other Saturday will now be available every Saturday, Covington said, to warm people up. And Covington and his mother will also be able to take a stipend for their year-round efforts. In addition to reinforcing and sustaining programs like those offered through the Georgia Street Community Collective, DRFF will direct resources to communities that have not had the resources to address challenges residents face, Ryan said. To receive a grant, the recipient typically has to be a 501(c)3 charity and have some semblance of an organizational structure, said Wayne Metro CEO Louis Piszker. “With DRFF you do not. You have to be an advocate, a community leader, a change agent in your neighborhood. And you’re passionate about the neighborhood you live in. That is what makes you eligible for funding. Contact: swelch@crain.com; (313) 446-1694; @SherriWelch

Advertising Section 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

AUTOMOTIVE

EDUCATION

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FINANCIAL SERVICES

INSURANCE

Ricardo North America

Detroit Cristo Rey High School

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Adrian Schaffer, former sr. exec at Danfoss/UQM, Linamar Corp. and Motorola, has been appointed President at Ricardo North America. With 30 years of marketing and business development experience, Schaffer’s career spans conventional powertrain and manufacturing to connectivity and electrification serving a cross vertical, global customer base. At Ricardo, Schaffer will drive sales and execution, translating Ricardo’s global expertise into the advancement of clean mobility solutions.

Christopher Lynch recently became the President of Detroit Cristo Rey High School (DCHRS). The school, located in southwest Detroit, is one of 38 schools in the national Cristo Rey Network (CRN). Its mission is to provide economically-challenged students with a Catholic, college-preparatory education and four years of a Corporate Work Study Program internship at one of its 80+ partners. Chris has over 30 years of experience in the automotive and telecommunications industries with Continental Automotive, Ford Motor Company, and Motorola. His career has taken him frequently to Europe and, due to his Spanish fluency, throughout Latin America. Chris received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Thunderbird in Arizona.

Christie Evey, J.D., LL.M., CEPA, advises affluent families and business owners on complex estate planning and business succession matters, as well as works alongside KeyBank’s local team of experts to deliver tailored insights on investment management, lending, trust services and insurance strategies. Prior to joining KeyBank, Evey served as a senior wealth strategist for Hawthorn, focused on ultra-high net worth families. She is a licensed attorney in the state of Michigan and a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®).

Rachel Spiewak has joined FocusCFO as Principal and will serve as a Fractional CFO for FocusCFO clients. She is a strategic accounting and finance executive with a broad range of skills and experience working with small and mid-market, privately held organizations, advising business owners across several industries. When asked about her new role, she said, “I value the emphasis that FocusCFO places on continuing education, and collaboration across the entire team, to best serve our clients.”

Lynn Orlowski, Client Executive, has joined Oswald Companies’ Michigan team. With 25 years of insurance experience, Orlowski has serviced a variety of accounts spanning industries such as manufacturing, nonprofits, transportation, municipalities, hospitality, and food service. She has a focus on overall client strategy with a passion for employee communication. Orlowski holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Western Michigan University and is licensed in Life, Health and Accident Insurance.

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26 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 23, 2021

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The survey — which received responses from 166 business leaders, a majority of which were businesses with fewer than 100 employees — shows the difficult position Michigan executives are in as they weigh a return to work and return to normal business operations as the pandemic worsens. Of those surveyed, 54.2 percent said they strongly agree or agree that a COVID-19 vaccination should be required to work in a physical office. Roughly 33.7 percent strongly disagree or disagree that a vaccine should be required, with another 12.1 percent neutral on the topic. But the latest surge, this time driven by the more contagious delta variant, isn’t causing leaders to necessarily change their work plans for now. Of those surveyed, 68 percent said the delta variant has not altered their company’s return-to-work schedule. The employers are split on where employees are located, with 44.6 percent saying employees are working most or all of the time in the office, 28.3 percent saying they have a hybrid work model and 21.7 percent are working remotely most or all of the time. For those executives who have changed work schedules due to the delta variant, the precautions vary. “We are returning to social distancing and other common sense precautions to keep staff safe,” one respondent said. “Waiting for infections to come down significantly before initiating a hybrid return to the office,” another said. Others are delaying their return to the office plans until the current surge subsides. Some are reinstating health screening upon entry into the office. Others are significantly reducing how many employees can be in the office on any given day. Of the respondents who said employees are working most or all of the time in the office, many operate companies in industries where remote work isn’t possible such as construction, restaurants or health care. The respondents are also split on requiring mask wearing for employees, with 48.8 percent not requiring it, 27.1 percent requiring for all employees and 24.1 percent requiring for unvaccinated employees. Federal, state and local officials have doubled down in recent weeks on the effectiveness of mask wearing and are urging even the vaccinated to wear a mask indoors. Dr. Rudolph Valentini, group chief medical director for Detroit Medical Center, urges employees to mask indoors as the delta variant ramps up its attack across Michigan. The DMC has a masking policy but does not require the vaccine for employees. “Our hospitalizations remain surprisingly low and quite manageable compared to what we’re seeing in other parts of the U.S., but we do have about half of our population that is not vaccinated,” Valentini said. “(The delta variant) has fangs. It’s a different beast. Vaccine hesitancy has been our Achilles heel and we need to do everything we can to keep pace with this virus.” As of Aug. 16, Michigan had a positivity test rate of 7.7 percent, up from 7 percent from the week prior, and a case rate of 102 per million residents, up from 77.2 per million a week earlier. Hospitalizations were up 23 percent and intensive care patients with COVID-19 were up 15 percent over the week prior. On Aug. 16, there were 823 residents hospitalized with COVID-19, the highest since the end of the spring

To place your listing, contact Suzanne Janik at 313-446-0455 / sjanik@crain.com or, for more information, visit our website at: www.crainsdetroit.com/classifieds

REAL ESTATE Susan Grant administers the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to Dr. Rajiv John at Beaumont Service Center in Southfield on Dec. 15, 2020. Beaumont announced in July it would require the vaccine for all employees. | NIC ANTAYA FOR CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS

SURVEY FINDINGS

FOR SALE

Unique property located on the Detroit River For Sale

Which of the following describes how most of your organization’s employees are working now: Working remotely most or all of the time 21.7% A hybrid of remote and in-person work 28.3%

120 Broadway Street, Windsor

Work in the office most or all of the time 44.6%

Adjacent to the new Gordie Howe International Bridge & Plaza • Land component 14 acres • Water lot 1.36 acres • Total site area 15.36 acres • Full Seaway water depth for bulk shipments. •

Other 5.4% Is your company requiring indoor masking of employees? Yes, all employees 27.1%

Chris Kirwin*** AACI, SIOR +1 519 438 4300 ext 201 chris.kirwin@colliers.com

Yes, unvaccinated employees 24.1%

• •

Bid Date of 5pm September 15th, 2021. Seller reserves the right to accept an earlier offer.

Christy Tan** +1 519 438 4300 ext 300 christy.tan@colliers.com

***Broker of Record **Broker *Sales Representative

Is your company mandating COVID testing for unvaccinated employees? Yes 18.2% No 81.8%

Has the increase in the delta COVID-19 variant impacted your company’s return-to-work plans? Yes 31.9% No 68.1%

How much to you agree or disagree with the following statement: COVID-19 vaccination should be required for employees returning to work in a physical office unless they are medically unable to do so (e.g. allergic to vaccine ingredient, immunocompromised). Strongly agree

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Principal Architect; Novi, MI; ID: PA-HCS-M-02; 1 Pos;

Discuss client new feat & product dev plan Creat architec new feature. Rev source code. Work with dev team trans SW archi to dsgn. Investig comp SW issue, using client network/simulators & client HW prototypes. Build prototypes prod compo & validate tech dsgn & p’mance. Implem supp for vendor/OEM spec network modem lay using QUALCOMM QMI & DIAG I’faces & protocols, MEDIATEK diag I’faces & protocols, SAMSUNG Exinos diagn I’faces & protocol. Dev & imple model for QOS KPI, 4G/5G NW data. R&D & POC creat for new feat & 3GPP req. Perform/Battery optimiz for Android Apps. Depl SW rele. Supp outsourced proj. Supp off-shore team. Req: Bachelor’s Deg (or Foreign Equival) in Comp, Electr, Info Sys or rel & 6 Yrs exp in IT. Alt: Master’s Deg (or Foreign Equival) in Comp, Electr, Info Sys or rel & 4 Yrs exp in IT. Exp: Android Studio, Source Insight, Eclipse, Jubula, QFTest, Agile (Scrum/XP/FDD), Waterfall. Apply: Send CV’s to Harman Connected Services C/O Mahesh G M (Job ID - PA-HCS-M02) 2002, 156th Ave, NE Ste 200, Bellevue, WA 98007. POSITION AVAILABLE

Application Development Manager (Accenture LLP; Detroit, MI):

38.0% Agree

Manage project execution to ensure adherence to budget, schedule, and scope. Must have willingness and ability to travel domestically approximately 80% of the time to meet client needs. Multiple Positions Available. For complete job description, list of requirements, and to apply, go to: www.accenture.com/ us-en/careers (Job# R00037255). Equal Opportunity Employer – Minorities / Women/Vets/Disabled.

16.3% Neutral 12.1% Disagree 10.8% Stongly disagree 22.9%

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SOURCE: CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS SURVEY

surge in early June. In all, 57.7 percent of Michigan residents 12 years and older have been fully vaccinated. Galle moved her company fully remote in April 2020, getting out of the company’s lease in Ferndale. Special D Events will likely remain that way, even after the pandemic, she said. For now, Galle is planning to increase her relationships with contractors who are willing and able to prove

vaccination status of their employees. “We used to have months to plan events, now we’re being asked to plan 1,500 person events in seven days,” Galle said. “Under those tight deadlines I am going to have to develop stronger relationships, especially if a client is requesting my contractors only supply vaccinated workers.”

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Contact: dwalsh@crain.com; (313) 446-6042; @dustinpwalsh AUGUST MAY 23, 24, 2021 2021 || CRAIN’S CRAIN’S DETROIT DETROIT BUSINESS BUSINESS || 27 27

CYDNI ELLEDGE FOR CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS

From

Nurse Kelsey Hodge treating a COVID-19 patient at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak last spring.

DELTA

From Page 3

Many of those vaccinated won’t even know they have the virus and therefore never get a test. “The disease is diagnosed only when the infection causes symptoms such as fever and cough; a significant proportion of people who become infected never develop symptoms,” said Dr. Teena Chopra, chief of infectious diseases at Wayne State University School of Medicine. “Therefore, it is difficult to accurately quantitate how many people have been affected by the virus. Although vaccines provide a strong defense against severe illness caused by COVID-19, none fully protects against the infection, meaning many vaccinated people are still at risk of catching the virus and of transmitting it to other people.” The CDC estimates about 28 percent of the Michigan population, or more than 2.8 million people, have been infected with the coronavirus.

`Unknown: Whether Michigan will see a massive surge like in the South The delta variant is here, but it’s not plaguing Michigan hospitals ... yet. “I think this reflects a combination of our recent local ‘surge’ in April, May and June, where we had a lot of cases ... which brings with it a lot of innate immunity post-infection and our overall higher vaccination rate than those states experiencing widespread community transmission,” said Dr. Phillip Levy, assistant professor of emergency medicine, vice president of research and head of Wayne State University’s COVID-19 response team. “In Michigan we have many communities where vaccination rates are 75 percent or greater which gives me a sense of optimism that, even if we see outbreaks in the future, the impact will be lessened and people will not suffer significant consequences.” Petrie, however, believes Michigan could see outbreaks like in the South when K-12 schools reopen this month and next as many are not requiring mask wearing. “Michigan may be lagging behind some

“THE DISEASE IS DIAGNOSED ONLY WHEN THE INFECTION CAUSES SYMPTOMS SUCH AS FEVER AND COUGH; A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF PEOPLE WHO BECOME INFECTED NEVER DEVELOP SYMPTOMS.” — Dr. Teena Chopra, chief of infectious diseases at Wayne State University School of Medicine 28 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 23, 2021

of the southern states because we have relatively higher vaccination and school has not started yet,” Petrie said. “However, Michigan is certainly at risk of seeing high case numbers like in those southern states, particularly as schools reopen in the fall.” However, recorded deaths should be lower, Levy said. “While we continue to see deaths across the U.S. from COVID-19, the case fatality rate is lower overall with this phase of the pandemic,” Levy said. “That is largely because the highest risk groups are very highly vaccinated. So I do not think we will see the dramatic spike in deaths that we witnessed in April 2020 here. We will continue to see people die from COVID-19, virtually all of them occurring amongst the unvaccinated.” `Known: Children under 12 will be authorized for the vaccine All three experts emphasized the importance of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the COVID vaccines for children under 12 years old, who are not yet eligible to receive a vaccine. The agency is expected to authorize a vaccine for them in the next few months, but a specific date is not yet known. “There has been urgency to get trials done, which are needed to show safety. There is cautious optimism for EUA (emergency use authorization) of the Pfizer vaccine for ages 5-11 in the next few weeks,” Levy said. Moderna is also running large pediatric trials to study the effectiveness and safety

“CONFUSION ABOUNDS, BUT PEOPLE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE HAVE NEVER FACED A PANDEMIC LIKE THIS BEFORE AND THE SCIENCE IS ACCUMULATING AS WE GO.” — Dr. Phillip Levy, assistant professor of emergency medicine, vice president of research and head of Wayne State University’s COVID-19 response team

of using its COVID-19 vaccine for children under 12. Johnson & Johnson reportedly plans to begin a study of its vaccine in children as young as 12 years old in the fall. “I hope that once this (EUA) occurs, parents will see the importance of getting their children vaccinated. The path to eradication of SARS-CoV2 is much easier if this group gets vaccinated.” Chopra said the hold-up is the FDA’s asking of four to six months of safety data for children instead of two months’ worth for adults. Nearly all reactions and injuries from vaccines, not just the COVID-19 vaccine, occur within the first 45 days of administering. `Unknown: Will we need boosters forever? The Biden administration authorized a third vaccine booster shot, available to all Americans starting Sept. 20. Early research seems to indicate the vaccines’ effectiveness begins to wane after six months, but there’s not enough longterm data on whether boosters will be permanent.

“Confusion abounds, but people need to keep in mind that we have never faced a pandemic like this before and the science is accumulating as we go,” Levy said. “Boosters will do two things: They will ‘recharge’ antibody production, thus bringing a period of immediate protection against infection, which will help reduce transmission, and strengthen your cellular (T cell) immune response, helping to ensure that once the antibodies go away you retain robust immunity to the virus.” Petrie said mutations are also a factor. “Although the unvaccinated are still much more likely to be infected, we are seeing that infections among the vaccinated do seem to be increasing,” Petrie said. “This may be because either the virus changes enough to escape immunity from the vaccine or because that immunity decreases over time. Both of these factors may be at play. Boosters could help to keep immunity high, particularly in the highestrisk groups.” Contact: dwalsh@crain.com; (313) 446-6042; @dustinpwalsh

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CYDNI ELLEDGE FOR CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS

From Page 3

The number of properties with certificates of compliance nearly doubled from 2019 to 2021, with 5,271 rentals obtaining the certification as of Aug. 6, according to information from the city’s Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department, or BSEED. At the same time, the total number of registered properties has fallen and is just 9,058. It’s hard to know how many rental properties are unregistered in the city, but Alexa Eisenberg, a researcher for Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan, estimated using census data that there are more than 87,000 total rental structures. In 2018, BSEED’s director told Crain’s Detroit Business the city had about 60,000 rental properties, but only about 800 were compliant. Ted Phillips, the executive director of the United Community Housing Coalition, said landlords have been given three months to make needed repairs, and the city is understanding of worker shortages and other pandemic-related issues that may cause work to take longer. He said some landlords have expressed frustration that the decades-old law is being enforced now, when many are experiencing their own hardships caused by the pandemic. But Phillips said others understand the need to make improvements. “If they’re getting a rental subsidy, why shouldn’t landlords be minimally required to follow the law?” he asked. “We realize we need to move funds to people. We also need to improve our housing.” Schneider acknowledged that sometimes properties are “in really inappropriate condition.” “Detroit’s housing stock is older,” she said. “We want to make sure it is being maintained.” Kevin Callahan, a real estate attorney at Callahan Law PC, said he agrees that landlords should be compliant. At the end of the day, he said, the plan is “not completely horrible.” But he doesn’t like the fact that the city is using federal funds meant to relieve them to push landlords to follow the rules. “The way the city is doing this in a pandemic is a little bit disgusting,” Callahan said. “They’re taking advantage during a hard time.” Callahan said most of his clients are now eligible for CERA money and many are affected by the decision to withhold some funds. He considered challenging the city’s authority, but decided against it. Among his concerns is the fact that the 20 percent

Detroit requires that landlords register their rental properties and that those properties have a certificate of compliance, which among other things ensures homes are free of lead paint and have working heat, plumbing and electricity. | NIC ANTAYA FOR CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS

that is being withheld will be released to tenants if landlords don’t become compliant. He also said he worries that the plan is short-sighted, and will drive up prices as landlords spend more than the money that’s being held in escrow to conduct lead abatement or make other repairs. Eisenberg, the University of Michigan researcher, has her own concerns. She said it’s often the case that policies that sound good on paper can in reality hurt the most at-risk people. It’s possible the requirement could lead to more extrajudicial evictions, she said, or landlords simply deciding to abandon their properties. “It’s using the most vulnerable tenants as a stick to enforce code compliance,” Eisenberg said. “At the end of the day, you’re withholding funds tenants need to pay their rent and increasing the length of precarity.” It’s imperative that the city improve its housing stock, Eisenberg

cates of compliance. He said some have grumbled about the new requirement, but none wanted to reject the federal aid out of spite. They understand they should have been in compliance earlier, and he “IT’S USING THE MOST VULNERABLE understands TENANTS AS A STICK TO ENFORCE CODE why the city is choosing to be COMPLIANCE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, stricter about YOU’RE WITHHOLDING FUNDS TENANTS the requireNEED TO PAY THEIR RENT AND INCREASING ments now. But Bejjani THE LENGTH OF PRECARITY.” said clients did worry that — Alexa Eisenberg, researcher, Poverty Solutions, University of Michigan contractors could be hard so slowly, and the need being so im- to find and that some tenants, citing mense,” she said. “I can see the po- the coronavirus, don’t want to let tential good, but I’m a little over- workers into their homes. He also whelmed by the potential said he was concerned that the city would be slow to inspect properties downsides.” Elie Bejjani, a landlord attorney at once work was done, further delayBejjani Law PLLC, said many of his ing the distribution of funds. BSEED is hiring 63 new people, inclients in the city don’t have certifi-

cluding 20 building inspectors and 20 housing inspectors, to keep up with demand, said Georgette Johnson, a spokesperson for the department. “We’ll have plenty to handle whatever comes down the pike,” she said. “They don’t have anything to worry about there.” The program is still problematic for Eric Wizenberg, the principal of Reserve Management Co. and Suite Properties. He said many landlords haven’t been able to make nonemergency repairs and withholding the money while they go through the process is “making a hardship harder.” “A property owner needs every single dollar they can get right now,” he said. “A lot of landlords intend to do the right thing. It just seems like it would be foolish not to partner with us. It’s frustrating.”

The center will launch in October with a series of events and announcements. Local leaders are supportive. In a statement, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the state has led the way in using public-private collaboration to creatively solve issues and “Detroit is the perfect place to leverage that approach to improving urban living worldwide.” Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said in a statement that the center’s mission aligns with the city’s efforts to partner for innovation. “The World Economic Forum could have chosen any city in the world to locate its global Centre for Urban Transformation, and we are proud they chose Detroit,” he said. Other leaders also expressed support for the project and interest

in collaborating in statements. Merritt said as inequity increases, governments are more vulnerable to a reliance on tax dollars that can fluctuate during calamities like the coronavirus pandemic. Partnering with business, he said, can help stabilize cities so there aren’t future needs to cut services when tax collections are down. The center will be successful, he said, if solutions are beneficial to all city residents — including those most at risk to gentrification or other forms of displacement. “There’s a lot of resources out there in the world,” he said. “There are a lot of reasons why we should be hopeful here.”

said — she just isn’t convinced this method improves tenant stability, as well. “It strikes me as problematic, with the rollout (of CERA funding) going

CENTER

From Page 3

Merritt, a University of Michigan graduate based in San Francisco, said he does not yet know if he will relocate to Detroit. He said the work will apply to cities globally, but that Detroit will be a “test bed” as questions are raised about the best ways to provide city services, design urban environments and create more economic opportunities with the help of private business. “We have to rethink the role of government,” said Merritt, the former director of innovation for New York City. “There are innovations happening in Detroit and we want to scale that, help scale those globally.”

An urban transformation center is planned for the Gratiot site that once held the partially completed Wayne County jail. The site has since been cleared. | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS

Contact: arielle.kass@crain.com; (313) 446-6774; @ArielleKassCDB

AUGUST 23, 2021 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 29

GROCERS

From Page 1

Lafayette Foods is among a handful of independent Detroit grocery stores immediately surrounding Rivertown Market that will face a new challenge years in the making: a national chain just down the street. Lafayette, at 1565 East Lafayette St., is registered to Steve Atisha. Others nearby include Family Fair Food Center Inc. at 700 Chene St., which is registered to Eli Thomas and Suhel Kizi; Harbortown Market at 3472 E. Jefferson Ave., registered to Nadir Kizi; and Indian Village Marketplace at 8415 E. Jefferson Ave., registered to Salim Altisha. They have been operating for years, in some instances decades, competing with one another for shoppers traversing Jefferson or Lafayette or any of the other main arteries in Detroit’s lower east side neighborhoods. Rivertown Market, which is expected to employ about 70 and has been anticipated for nearly four years after it was first announced, brings a whole new actor to the stage, one with a family fortune valued at $13.5 billion backing it. Roundly, the independent grocers say customer service is what will set them apart from the Meijer Inc.-owned behemoth.

Meijer has set a goal of offering 2,000 local products on Rivertown Market’s shelves. | PHOTOS BY NIC ANTAYA/SPECIAL TO CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS

Different pressures But Wade Hanson, principal in the advisory practice group for Technomic, a Chicago-based food service consulting owned by Chicago-based Winsight LLC, said the bigger competitor may expose shortcomings in the business operations for any of the four markets. For instance, if checkout time — few small grocers offer a cashierless payment option in their stores — lags, that may prove to be an impetus for the independents to do something about it. In today’s COVID-19-influenced shopping environment, the ability to quickly exit a store with minimal staff interaction can be a factor in shoppers’ store selection, Hanson said. Online ordering, availability of grocery pickup and the availability of both value and premium brand options could all be brought to the forefront as the stores compete for local market share. “Of course, these independent grocers can survive, but there will be different pressures,” he said. “If there are any weaknesses in those businesses already, their financial challenge will be significant. The customers are going to try out the small-format store and that will impact traffic (for independent stores) in the near term.” But it’s unlikely, Hanson said, that solely the opening of a new grocer will be the beginning of the end for any of the four markets, as people tend to shop different stores for different things. “Most people shop five or six different places for their food or beverage needs,” Hanson said. “A smaller format store — 30,000 square feet or 40,000 square feet — is not going to have all of what any one individual needs. In turn, those independent grocers nearby are able to pick up the needs of a lot of the local population.” Meijer says its store will feature a 4,700-square-foot produce department plus extensive alcohol offerings, fresh and prepared foods, meat and deli items, plus basic cleaning, health and beauty products. The Rivertown Market — which was originally to be built along with more than 200 apartments but those were

Like Rivertown Market, Harbortown Market offers a large selection of prepared foods and alcohol, plus the standard assortment of grocery items.

scrapped, downsizing to just the grocery store due to financing issues — clocks in at about 43,000 square feet plus parking. Ed Weglarz, president and CEO of the West Bloomfield Township-based Midwest Independent Retailers Association, which has membership in Michigan, Ohio and Chicago, said Rivertown Market is likely to face the same challenges facing other retailers: staffing and supply chain issues, in particular. And while customers may flock to the new store for awhile, they will eventually base their shopping decisions on customer service and convenience, Weglarz said. “While more competition definitely dilutes the market and can cause a problem, it’s still competitive and I think the local independent store can

30 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 23, 2021

still compete with a Meijer,” Weglarz said. He also noted that slim-margin independent grocers tend to have higher prices but they generally aren’t attracting value shoppers, but instead those who place a premium on experience and ease. “As a retailer, you try to keep those customers and offer them something they can’t get somewhere else, and that’s the personal service,” Weglarz said.

Eating into market share Independent grocers’ sales represented $253.6 billion of 2020’s $772 billion in grocery sales, according to a John Dunham & Associates study commissioned by the National Grocers Association, a trade industry group

store employs 18 staffers, believes they’ll see a major difference in customer service. “Then they’ll come back to a family chain, where they’re taken care of,” said Jacobs, whose store implemented curbside pickup during the pandemic to better serve customers. “We’ve had to go against other bigger brands, and we’re still here. I think the longer Meijer sticks around, the better our business will be, because I think our customer service is better.” Louie Attisha, a shareholder and operating manager of Harbortown Market, said his store employs close to 30 people. He isn’t worried about the incoming grocer either. “We welcome competition,” he said. “A lot of competition came to the area after we bought Harbortown (in 2012) and they didn’t do anything to us.” Like Rivertown Market, Harbortown offers a large selection of prepared foods and alcohol, plus the standard assortment of grocery items. Attisha acknowledged that prices can be more expensive at Harbortown in some categories but said in others, they are less pricey. But he said the market’s customer service will, after a short while, bring its longtime customers back. “Two weeks, no more than that, will people go there before they miss our service,” Attisha said. “We are already offering everything we have to offer — we don’t have to step up our game.”

based in Washington, D.C. That represents 33 percent of grocery sales, up from $131 billion, or 25 percent of $524 billion in grocery sales in 2012, the study says. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, grocery sales increased 3.2 percent to $693 billion in 2019 from $671.3 billion in 2018, before the COVID-19 Rivertown Market sets pandemic pushed more people into local product goal eating at home due to restaurant closures instituted as efforts to slow the Frank Guglielmi, senior director of spread of the virus. corporate communications for Meijer, From January through May, total in a statement said each time the brand grocery sales were some $320.2 billion, opens a new store, it strives to enrich down from $321.3 billion, or 0.3 per- the community through area sponsorcent, the same period last year, accord- ships, donations and hiring efforts. ing to Census data. The Rivertown Market, Guglielmi The John Dunham & Associates said, will fill a need by offering a unique study for the NGA says there are nearly shopping experience and vast assort700 independent grocers in Michigan ment of fresh and prepared foods from that generated some $4 billion in sales Meijer and national brands, and locally last year. made artisan items. Jim Dudlicek, director of communiIn establishing the Rivertown Marcations and external affairs for the Na- ket, Meijer has set a goal of opening tional Grocers Association, said in a with 2,000 local products on its shelves. statement that “independent commuDennis Archer Jr., the lead developnity grocers are generally flourishing.” er on Rivertown Market, said there “They offer a level of service rarely needs to be an “amended mentality for seen in large chain and big-box stores,” what the expectations should be for the the statement continues. “Fresh de- city of Detroit.” partments with unique selections, like “The resident of Detroit should have produce, bakery and a full-service just as many shopping options as Troy, butcher shop, are points of differentia- Grosse Pointe, Northville — pick a subtion leveraged by many independent urb where there are smaller and larger grocers. These smaller retailers typical- grocery providers,” said Archer Jr., who ly have deep ties to the community and is also CEO of Ignition Media Group have earned the trust of consumers. Shop“THE RESIDENT OF DETROIT SHOULD pers are increasingly concerned about HAVE JUST AS MANY SHOPPING OPTIONS where their food is coming from, in par- AS TROY, GROSSE POINTE, NORTHVILLE.” ticular during the — Dennis Archer Jr., Rivertown Market lead developer pandemic. Smaller independent retailers, with an empha- and founder and president of Archer sis on local products and close rela- Corporate Services. tionships with local and regional supArcher Jr., who also worked on the pliers, are inspiring more confidence Meijer store at Grand River and in consumers. Additionally, more in- McNichols on the city’s northwest side, dependent grocers have been invest- said people should try different grocers ing in e-commerce to provide even and find the ones who suit their needs. better service to their communities.” “The last thing we want to do is to cause someone a business challenge,” Archer Jr. said. “We think we are imIndependent competitors proving the overall quality of the neighstress personal service borhood by adding another choice, Jacobs, of Lafayette Foods, declined thus making it more attractive to live to share revenue figures, but said he and thus bringing more people living doesn’t believe the new competition there.” will hurt Lafayette Foods’ bottom line. He acknowledged Rivertown Mar- Contact: kpinho@crain.com; ket’s newness will attract customers, (313) 446-0412; @kirkpinhoCDB including those who would normally Contact: jason.davis@crain.com shop at Lafayette Foods. Jacobs, whose (313) 446-1612; @JayDavis_1981

Keeping it connected: How Rocket Companies makes money BY NICK MANES

Rocket Companies Inc. can earn $18,000 on a single transaction if a home-buying client goes through the process entirely within its “ecosystem.” That’s according to Julie Booth, CFO of the Detroit-based parent organization for mortgage lending juggernaut Rocket Mortgage. Also within the Rocket Companies (NYSE: RKT) portfolio is listing service Rocket Homes, title company Amrock LLC, as well as a suite of other financial service companies that facilitates auto sales and does personal loans. Soon it will finance solar equipment under its new Rocket Solar arm. Speaking during a recent investor call following the release of second quarter earnings, Booth described the company’s efficiencies this way: A client buying a $300,000 home using a mortgage from Rocket gives the company a gain on sale margin of 4.5 percent, earning the company $13,500 in revenue. Then, if the home buyer is using a real estate agent within the Rocket Homes network, Rocket Companies receives a 1 percent commission fee on the sale,

MORTGAGE

The Rocket Companies Inc. banner hangs outside the New York Stock Exchange when it went public in August 2020. | THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE

generating another $3,000 in revenue. Additionally, if the buyer uses the affiliated Amrock for appraisal, closing and title work, the company generates another $1,500, leading to $18,000 total for the transaction.

earnings call earlier this month. UWM reported net income for the previous quarter of $138.7 million From Page 1 on revenue of more than $484.6 mil“Now things are heading back to lion. Mat Ishbia, its chairman, presinormal and how you manage dent and CEO, referred to the secthrough that is something that, ond quarter of 2021 as a “glimpse frankly, these companies have been into the future” where his company doing their whole lives. But they ha- stands as the “elite mortgage comven’t been doing it before in public, pany” in America. Ishbia has long said that the time and now they’re doing it in public.” of rising interest rates would be a boon to his company, as A time of change UWM is more focused on the mortgage purchase Both Rocket and UWM business than the more reported highly profitable rate-sensitive refinancing second quarters, albeit side of the industry. The with somewhat diminished refinance boom of 2020 margins from the peak of helped fuel the massive 2020. profit margins companies Meanwhile, the smaller like UWM and Rocket reHome Point Capital Inc. (NASDAQ: HMPT) based Farner ported in the later part of in Ann Arbor reported a net last year. loss of more than $73 milSuch a period was destined to come to an end, lion in the second quarter according to Ishbia. on total revenue of more “It wasn’t a matter of ‘if’ than $84.4 million. In an it would change. It was a earnings call with invesmatter of ‘when’ it would tors, Home Point CEO Wilchange,” Ishbia told lie Newman pointed to a Crain’s in an interview last variety of external factors week. “Those were all-time that impacted the lender high margins (in 2020). Evand resulted in a “pricing Ishbia eryone knew they were not dislocation” for the majorilong-lasting margins. That ty of the quarter. was a moment in time, just The emphasis now, Newlike some of the all-time man said, is on doing loans low margins we’re at are a cheaper. moment in time, and they “We have taken several get back to normal.” actions, including accelerCoffey, the Wedbush anating process and technology initiatives to reduce alyst, said that going forour origination costs,” ward there’s one key metNewman told analysts. Newman ric he’s watching to help “This is working.” gauge how these compaJay Farner, vice chairman nies are faring. and CEO of Rocket Companies, “The No. 1 issue is purchase monwhich reported total profit last quar- ey,” Coffey said. “What percentage of ter of just more than $1 billion on your volume is coming from purmore than $2.7 billion in revenue, chase money?” For UWM, almost 41 percent of its also pointed to external headwinds. Namely, inventory challenges in two $59.2 billion in overall mortgage of the primary markets in which the production came from loans to help people purchase homes. Rocket, on company plays. “Both record purchase volume the other hand, is “treating that and record auto results would have number like it were a state secret,” been even higher, if not for invento- Coffey said. Rocket, in its earnings release, rery challenges,” Farner said on an

Rocket Companies on Thursday reported total profit last quarter of just more than $1 billion on more than $2.7 billion in revenue, representing a profit margin of more than 38 percent. Closed loan volume last quarter totaled $83.7 billion.

The numbers generated within the company’s various affiliates stand as just the reason that Rocket continues seeking out new ways into the consumer finance space, said Booth, noting the fairly recent additions of auto listings, personal loans and more to the company’s portfolio. “And these (other) businesses do have a high correlation to the real estate opportunities,” Booth said. “Getting the relationship with a client at the right time to serve their needs throughout their entire home ownership journey. So these newer business areas that we’re adding really help us leverage our platform strength, especially from a marketing, a technology and client (standpoint).” Rocket Companies Vice Chairman and CEO Jay Farner told analysts that the company now considers itself as being in the “helping people save money business as much as we’re in the helping people buy homes business.” That perspective helps explain the company’s recent announcement that it would enter the solar power business by early next year. That is set to include a solar advisory aspect

for consumers looking to switch their power generation needs, while also originating the financing for a solar investment and doing the installations. Given the client discussions around saving money, Farner called it a “natural pivot” to include solar energy in those discussions. The challenge for Rocket going forward, according to industry analysts, will be maintaining such numbers, as the mortgage market is forecast to cool off, and other endeavors don’t offer such high margins. “The long-term question remains unanswered: how does the company manage around what should be a relatively severe fall-off in overall market volumes in 2022 and how does it grow purchase volumes from current levels, which we estimate will be ~18-20 (percent) of volume in 2021,” analyst Henry Coffey wrote in an investor note. “The overall revenue contribution from other products (auto sales, installment loans, Rocket Homes) is relatively small.” Contact: nmanes@crain.com; (313) 446-1626; @nickrmanes

Q2 earnings report Second-quarter earnings reports showed the region’s largest mortgage companies are faring better than some expected, despite Home Point Capital taking a hit. Net profit/loss

Revenue

Mortgage volume

$1.5 billion

$3.0 billion

$100 billion

1.0

$2.7 billion

$1 billion

2.0

0.5

$138.7 million

$59.2 billion

$484.6 million

1.0

$83.8 billion

$25.5 billion

$84.4 million

Home Point

-$73 million -0.5

Rocket

UWM

Home Point

Rocket

UWM

Rocket

UWM

Home Point

NOTE: ALL DATA POINTS ARE Q2 SOURCES: COMPANIES

ported “record” purchase volume in the second quarter, but has only disclosed the top line figure of just less than $83.8 billion in total originations. Home Point reported total origination volume of nearly $25.5 billion in the second quarter, with 35.2 percent of that volume attributed to mortgage purchase.

Hiring slowdown? Billionaire Dan Gilbert, the co-founder of what is now Rocket Mortgage and many other related companies, moved the mortgage lender from the suburbs to downtown Detroit in 2010. Since then, the company has become synonymous with the city’s central business district and occupies scores of office buildings with thousands of workers. In March 2020, as the pandemic took hold, Rocket (then known as Quicken Loans) reported having about 18,000 employees while UWM (then known as United Shore) had about 5,200, according to Crain’s reporting at the time. Today, the two companies respectively employ about 26,000 people and more than 9,000 people. For UWM, all of those employees are centralized in two campus buildings in Pontiac, with an indoor bridge connecting the two facilities. Rock-

CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS GRAPHIC

et’s employees are spread through- earlier this summer after it accelerout several office buildings in down- ated hiring last year to keep up with town Detroit, while also having demand for refinancing. offices in a handful of other cities. The company, with about 3,500 But as the mortgage industry as a employees — some 500 are based in whole comes off its peak, multiple Michigan — now has about 150 job indicators point to the mass hiring openings, according to Kristin also slowing down. Supancich, the company’s chief Ishbia acknowledged as much. people officer. The company expects “We’re going to continue to grow that number to remain steady for our business to succeed,” the UWM the next 12-18 months, but with CEO told Crain’s. “We’re not going “strategic growth,” according to to grow 3X and go from 9,000 to Supanich. 27,000 people.” “We are exactly where we wanted Ishbia said he imagines some- to be at the six-year mark of our comwhere in the range of 8,000-11,000 pany, even considering our unemployees being the appropriate planned hiring spree in 2020 because number for the company moving of the refinance boom,” Supancich forward. said in an emailed statement to A spokesperson for Rocket “WE ARE EXACTLY WHERE WE WANTED declined to provide specific TO BE AT THE SIX-YEAR MARK OF OUR numbers for its COMPANY.” hiring outlook for the coming year — Kristin Supancich, Home Point’s chief people officer or beyond. “To remain the leader in disruptive Crain’s. “We’ll continue to add great FinTech, we are always hiring the talent whether it’s here in Metro Debest and brightest — especially for troit or around the country, but we key positions in technology, product plan to hire in the practical sense of strategy, data science, marketing and making us the most efficient wholeclient service roles in our Rocket sale lending partner for mortgage Cloud Force,” the spokesperson brokers, as opposed to hiring for the wrote in an emailed statement to fun of it.” Crain’s. Home Point, on the other hand, Contact: nmanes@crain.com; laid off about 10 percent of its staff (313) 446-1626; @nickrmanes AUGUST 23, 2021 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 31

THE CONVERSATION

Manal Hussein on business, baking and staffing struggles FOR THE LOVE OF SUGAR: Co-owner Manal Hussein, a self-taught cake and pastry chef, opened her Brush Park bakery with a silent partner in 2018. She’s known for a dark chocolate cake named after an infamous scene from the book “Matilda” and a vanilla cake with pistachios and ricotta inspired by the Middle Eastern dessert Knafeh. Hussein, who has a background in marketing, grew up in Dearborn and Farmington Hills. She started baking as a business at home after college for eight years before she made the jump to a space in Detroit. | BY ANNALISE FRANK ` Can you talk about how you came to open For the Love of Sugar? I actually went to school for marketing management at Wayne State (University) and I did two internships at Quicken Loans (now Rocket Mortgage) downtown and after I graduated I had a hard time finding a job, so I did stuff on the side like substitute teaching. I did some painting, and then I also did the baking and the baking was one of those things that kind of just really stuck. And I ended up getting a job but I just didn’t really feel fulfilled and I was still doing the baking on the side and I was working the 9-5 Monday through Friday and then doing a lot of the baking and cakes until like 2 in the morning and then on the weekends. After awhile it just obviously became too much ... I was really afraid to leave my job because it was more secure. (They allowed part time) so I was doing both and eventually they ended up coming back and saying ‘We can’t do part time’ ... That was kind of my sign where it’s like, ‘OK, I need to take my leap of faith.’ Eventually, after a few years, I decided it was time to — you know it’s hard when you work from home really expanding. So I decided it’s time to be able to offer my stuff to more diverse clientèle. I remembered working at Quicken Loans ... It really stuck with me, just the whole area ... I said if I opened up a shop, it would have to be in Detroit. ` Did you grow up baking, or did you learn to bake later on? I grew up enjoying baking and cooking ... It was actually really when I met my now-husband. When we would hang out we would just watch Food Network. I really developed my passion for it watching ‘Cake Boss’ and ‘Cupcake Wars’ and all that stuff, and so of course they say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. So I would try making stuff ... I feel like that was really when it took

Detroit-based Broder & Sachse Real Estate Services Inc.). I was sort of set on being directly downtown, but they were telling me about all the things that were going to happen, all the residential area (around Brush Park) and then I was looking at another location more downtown, but I don’t know the Brush Park area, just the idea of it, being next to more residents and whatnot and kind of making a footprint ... not just around the working crowd really just made a place in my heart, I guess. ` Anything new you’re moving toward? I actually have a food truck. We’ve had it for probably the past two years at least. But we haven’t been able to put it out just because things have been so crazy, from the get-go, and just trying to keep up. Then of course COVID and now the whole staffing issue ... more recently we started doing frozen custards. We make the custard from scratch. I make some really cool fun flavors. One of them, super popular, is strawberry shortcake.

Manal Hussein, co-owner, For the Love of Sugar

off, because it wasn’t until I would post stuff on social media and people would start asking me, ‘Oh can you do this for me?’ and I was like, ‘Oh, I guess I can start, why not.’ It started organically ... ` How did you decide on that space, in The Scott at Brush Park apartment building? Remembering my internship at

Quicken Loans, I was in their marketing department and it was when they first started doing pop-up shops downtown. There wasn’t a ton of retail ... and I just, I don’t know, it was really cool to see ... the city just kind of growing. I ended up reaching out to Bedrock (LLC, the real estate arm of Dan Gilbert’s portfolio of companies) and Bedrock ended up showing me this location (owned by

` You mentioned the staffing issue. Obviously that’s been a big deal. Yeah, I could go on and on about that. It’s an extremely difficult, you know, we used to be open 9 a.m. til 9 p.m., 9 a.m.12 a.m. on the weekends. And I’ve just been trying so hard to extend back our hours but it’s been literally impossible because I can’t keep staff. We just recently extended Friday-Saturday to 8 p.m. because we’re open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Just those few extra hours, you know, we’re running out of stuff. We can’t keep up with things, even trying to hire new people and train them properly has been overwhelming. Then you have people who forget there’s this whole pandemic and staffing shortage and coming in expecting so much, and the staff that is there gets really overwhelmed.

READ ALL THE CONVERSATIONS AT CRAINSDETROIT.COM/THECONVERSATION

REPORTERS

Jason Davis, small and emerging businesses. (313) 446-1612 or Jason.davis@crain.com Annalise Frank, city of Detroit. (313) 446-0416 or afrank@crain.com Arielle Kass, residential real estate, (313) 446-6774 or arielle.kass@crain.com Nick Manes, finance and technology. (313) 446-1626 or nmanes@crain.com Kurt Nagl, manufacturing. (313) 446-0337 or knagl@crain.com Kirk Pinho, senior reporter, real estate. (313) 446-0412 or kpinho@crain.com Dustin Walsh, senior reporter, health care. (313) 446-6042 or dwalsh@crain.com Sherri Welch, senior reporter, nonprofits and philanthropy. (313) 446-1694 or swelch@crain.com MEMBERSHIPS

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RUMBLINGS

Big Boy goes from burgers to blockchain with new NFT launch FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, Southfield-based Big Boy Restaurant Group LLC has worked to revive its business by rebranding and remodeling restaurants across the country. Key to that objective has been its attempt to resonate with a younger audience, the company has said. What better way than to jump aboard the NFT blockchain bandwagon? Big Boy is scheduled to launch a release of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) on Aug. 31. The digital collectibles will be created by Everett, Wash.-based toy maker Funko Inc. and available for purchase via the Worldwide Asset Exchange, a blockchain platform for buying and selling digital tokens. It seems a bit hipster tech for an 85-year-old brand, but that’s by

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Editor-in-Chief Keith E. Crain Publisher KC Crain Group Publisher Jim Kirk, (312) 397-5503 or jkirk@crain.com Associate Publisher Lisa Rudy, (313) 446-6032 or lrudy@crain.com Executive Editor Kelley Root, (313) 446-0319 or kelley.root@crain.com Managing Editor Michael Lee, (313) 446-1630 or malee@crain.com Digital Editor for Audience Elizabeth Couch, (313) 446-0419 or elizabeth.couch@crain.com Digital Portfolio Manager Tim Simpson, (313) 446-6788 or tsimpson@crain.com Assistant Managing Editor Dawn Bradbury, (313) 446-5800 or dbradbury@crain.com News Editor Beth Reeber Valone, (313) 446-5875 or bvalone@crain.com Senior Editor Chad Livengood, (313) 446-1654 or clivengood@crain.com Special Projects Editor Amy Elliott Bragg, (313) 446-1646 or abragg@crain.com Design and Copy Editor Beth Jachman, (313) 446-0356 or bjachman@crain.com Research and Data Editor Sonya Hill, (313) 446-0402 or shill@crain.com Newsroom (313) 446-0329, FAX (313) 446-1687 TIP LINE (313) 446-6766

Big Boy will sell 20,000 packs of NFTs starting Aug. 31. | BIG BOY

design, said Patrick Blake, marketing manager for Big Boy. “Instead of always being a step behind, this is us staying current with the times — to be the very first restaurant with its own collec-

32 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 23, 2021

tion of NFTs,” Blake said. “It’s something that we’re going to be able to get out there to a younger demographic.” The popularity of NFTs has exploded in the past year, with everyone from professional athletes, such as Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo, and celebrities, including local rapper Eminem, launching their own versions. NFTs were created in 2014 with little hype, but in the past three years, around $175 million has been spent on them, according to Forbes. While NFTs have been said to be the eventual replacement of traditional trading cards, the extent of their popularity remains to be seen. In the case of the restaurant industry, they probably won’t be

the modern-day Happy Meal toy, because rarity is a key feature. NFTs are digital assets that represent real items — anything from artwork to cards and tickets, or now, the iconic Big Boy mascot. Each has a unique digital signature distinguishing it from other digital assets. NFTs are typically one of a kind or rolled out in small quantities, keeping the asset scarce, and theoretically, the value high. They are also typically bought and sold on a blockchain, which is a public ledger that records transactions. “Big Boy is such a part of American pop culture,” Blake said. “The younger audience might not be familiar, but their parents or grandparents might have a passion for it, and this is something that’ll bring them together.”

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Chairman Keith E. Crain Vice Chairman Mary Kay Crain CEO KC Crain Senior Executive Vice President Chris Crain Secretary Lexie Crain Armstrong Chief Financial Officer Robert Recchia G.D. Crain Jr. Founder (1885-1973) Mrs. G.D. Crain Jr. Chairman (1911-1996) Editorial & Business Offices 1155 Gratiot Ave., Detroit MI 48207-2732; (313) 446-6000 Cable address: TWX 248-221-5122 AUTNEW DET CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS ISSN # 0882-1992 is published weekly, except no issues on 1/4/21 nor 12/27/21, combined issues on 5/24/21 and 5/31/21 and 11/15/21 and 11/22/21, by Crain Communications Inc. at 1155 Gratiot Ave., Detroit MI 48207-2732. Periodicals postage paid at Detroit, MI and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS, Circulation Department, P.O. Box 07925, Detroit, MI 48207-9732. GST # 136760444. Printed in U.S.A. Contents copyright 2021 by Crain Communications Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial content in any manner without permission is prohibited.

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