Crain's Detroit Business, Aug. 17, 2020 issue by Crain's Detroit Business

NEWSPAPER

PAGES 9-25

THE CONVERSATION

NONPROFITS After-school providers offer virtual learning ‘pods.’

OU President Ora Pescovitz on return to campus, planning past pandemic. PAGE 32

PAGE 3

CRAINSDETROIT.COM I AUGUST 17, 2020

SNAIL MAIL TURNS SLUGGISH SHIPPING

Slow business mail delivery wrapped up in U.S. Postal Service politics BY CHAD LIVENGOOD AND DUSTIN WALSH

Daniel Haberman, the owner of a commercial mail receiving agency in Troy, breathes a sigh of relief these days when envelopes and boxes actually arrive for his more than 100 business clients who pay him to collect their mail. There are some days he gets no mail at all. “It’s inconceivable,” said Haberman, owner of Byte & Mortar on Crooks Road. Before the pandemic, Haberman said the Postal Service’s track record had been “amazing, almost no mistakes.” Now, Haberman said he’s lucky to see a carrier more than three times a week.

Some businesses are reporting a rise in late mail deliveries and days with no mail. | LARRY PEPLIN FOR CRAIN’S

See MAIL on Page 30

REAL ESTATE

HEALTH CARE

Coworking spaces hold out hope for people sick of WFH

COVID-19 patients have lingering effects

BY NICK MANES

BY JAY GREENE

Beatrice Wolnerman celebrated the grand opening of her new coworking space, Bea’s Detroit on Winder Street in Eastern Market, during the first week of March. Less than two weeks later, she shut the doors as state mandates took hold as the coronavirus pandemic spiraled out of control. Bea’s is back up and running now, and small businesses that rent a desk or a private office are welcome to return. But the traffic remains light, Wolnerman said. It’s mostly the ground level cafe and small events such as weddings that have gone forward that are paying the bulk of the bills at the almost entirely

new building, save for an old wall. Wo l n e r m a n , who owns the building and is paying a mortgage, has had to offer some concessions to struggling tenants, she said. Wolnerman “It’s definitely a little stressful,” said Wolnerman, a 2020 Crain’s 20 in their 20s honoree. “I mean, we still believe that there is a place for coworking in this world. Luckily we do have a lot of private offices that really do give people ... their own space.” See COWORKING on Page 31

Frontline doctors see post-recovery heart, lung, kidney problems

COVID-19 long haulers and post-viral COVID-19 syndrome are new phrases used to describe people who contracted COVID-19 and thought they had recovered, only to develop a range of lingering health problems. Michigan doctors tell Crain’s that some patients discharged from hospitals after COVID-19 have developed heart and kidney problems, suffered lung damage and neurological issues such as blood clots and joint pain. Doctors say these problems are likely associated with having contracted the COVID-19 disease.

“WE HAVE HAD ABOUT 10 PATIENTS WITH (COVID-19) DIAGNOSIS IN MARCH, APRIL AND MAY. THEY STILL HAVE SHORTNESS OF BREATH AND OTHER THINGS.” — Heather Abraham, M.D.

Heather Abraham, M.D., an assistant professor of internal medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine, opened a COVID-19 continuing care clinic in late July at the University Health Center at DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital. Abraham, who also is a member of University Physician Group, a

WSU-affiliated faculty practice group, has been treating 10 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 and are having lingering health problems. “It is tricky. We are in the process of working patients up. We have had about 10 patients with (COVID-19) diagnosis in March, April and May. They still have shortness of breath and other things” such as fatigue and symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress disorder, Abraham said. “Mostly people had asthma, COPD, heart failure, stroke” and are complaining they are not well. See DOCTORS on Page 29

NEED TO KNOW

WFH UPDATE

THE WEEK IN REVIEW, WITH AN EYE ON WHAT’S NEXT ` MOBILITY CORRIDOR PLANNED FOR MICHIGAN AVE. THE NEWS: The state of Michigan has picked a firm linked to Google parent Alphabet Inc. to study and eventually build an autonomous vehicle corridor between Detroit and Ann Arbor. The state announced the project Thursday afternoon in front of Michigan Central Station, which Dearborn-based Ford Motor Co. is renovating in Corktown for $350 million. Cavnue, a subsidiary of New York City-based Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners LLC, was chosen by the state through a bidding process to lead the effort. WHY IT MATTERS: It’s an idea that’s gotten traction the past couple of years, with Ford and its executive chairman, Bill Ford Jr., who spoke at Thursday’s event, centering plans for their Detroit campus around the concept of mobility. Ford has said he sees Michigan Avenue from the train station in Corktown to Dearborn, Willow Run and Ann Arbor as becoming a through-line for transportation innovation across the region.

` CASINO CLOSURES CAME AT A BIG COST THE NEWS: Revenue at Detroit’s three casinos plummeted, dropping 65 percent, or $555.2 million, through July from the same period last year, due to government-mandated clos-

ings for months. MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino Hotel and Greektown Casino-Hotel reopened Aug. 5 after being forced to close in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Together, the three locations brought in $299.2 million in revenue for 2020, compared to $854.4 million in revenue this time last year.

WHY IT MATTERS: The revenue decline also puts a large dent in tax collections. The city of Detroit is down $66.1 million in casino taxes compared with last year, and the state of Michigan down $45 million.

` ART VAN SUCCESSOR GEARS UP TO REOPEN STORES THE NEWS: Loves Furniture is hiring 1,000 team members across Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, including store and corporate positions, many of which will be located in Michigan as it gets ready to open stores it bought from Art Van Furniture out of bankruptcy in early March. Metro Detroit’s first locations are set to open in late August.

Hackett: Remote work likely ’til 2021

WHY IT MATTERS: The private equity-owned company created by Dallas-based US Realty Acquisitions LLC is aiming to take back the slice of furniture business left vacant after Art Van went belly-up due to heavy debt and sales declines.

` Ford Motor Co. has pushed back its return-to-work plans twice, most recently giving some salaried employees the option of working remotely until at least the end of this year. Outgoing CEO Jim Hackett thinks that policy is likely to continue beyond what the automaker has announced. “It’s my bet it will be extended beyond that,” Hackett told reporters last week on the sidelines of an event promoting the new Bronco SUV. “If you come this far to manage this and just say ‘Well I’m tired of this’ and change the profile and the risk, why did we do all the safety planning to begin with?” Hackett, who will retire effective Oct. 1, said the automaker is shifting what he calls “we spaces,” or common office areas, to be more mindful of social distancing should workers elect to return to Ford facilities. Ford resumed production at North American manufacturing facilities in mid-May.

` BEAUMONT-FARMINGTON HILLS RESTRICTS VISITORS THE NEWS: Beaumont Health said Wednesday that it is restricting visitors to its Farmington Hills campus after a recent rise in COVID-19 cases at the hospital. No visitors will be allowed in rooms of patients with pending or positive COVID-19 tests except for end-of-life or other extreme circumstances, the health system said, with some exceptions. WHY IT MATTERS: The hospital said it saw an uptick in cases among visitors, staff and patients, and took the action. Case counts in Michigan rose last week but are still far below their peak in April.

Outgoing Ford CEO Jim Hackett

` HOUSING INDUSTRY CONTINUES REBOUND THE NEWS: The metro Detroit housing market posted its second straight positive-growth month, a sign that the typical spring home-buying season was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Farmington Hills-based Realtcomp Ltd. II says that in July, closed home and condominium

sales in the multiple-listing service rose 2.1 percent to 9,301 from 9,112 in July 2019, and pending sales rose 16.7 percent to 10,361 from 8,876, a sign of future sales activity.

FULL BUILDING

OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THE PRESTIGIOUS FARMINGTON HILLS CORPORATE CAMPUS

36455 CORPORATE DRIVE | FARMINGTON HILLS, MI

153,909 SF WITH OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND IN THE SISTER BUILDING IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT

BUILDING & MONUMENT SIGNAGE AVAILABLE CLASS A STATE OF THE ART MODERN BUILDING FURNITURE AVAILABLE* FULL SERVICE CAFETERIA 2 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 17, 2020

CONTACT DENNIS KATEFF 248-644-7600 DKATEFF@KOJAIAN.COM KOJAIAN.COM

WHY IT MATTERS: An increase in the sales count is a big positive for an industry that has also seen prices rise throughout the pandemic, largely because of a lack of homes on the market.

REDEVELOPMENT

MANUFACTURING

Why Amazon needs state fairgrounds site: location BY KIRK PINHO

For Amazon.com Inc., the real estate was key. The Seattle-based e-commerce juggernaut is expected to be the occupant of a massive 3.8 millionsquare-foot warehouse center to be built for $400 million on 78 acres of the former Michigan state fairgrounds site in Detroit at Woodward Avenue and Eight Mile Road. If completed, it would be the company’s largest in the region, anchoring a key chunk of real estate that has perplexed developers for years. Although Amazon (NYSE: AMZN) has an outpost at the Tri-County Commerce Center in Hazel Park just a couple miles away, nothing Burton with the scale and location in the immediate area could come close to matching the vacant fairgrounds property. The co-developers, Detroit-based Sterling Group and Dallas-based Hillwood Enterprises LP, declined to comment and have not responded to a request for one, respectively. They are not seeking city tax incentives, officials said last week. Peter Burton, principal of Bingham Farms-based developer Burton-Katzman LLC, said the state fairgrounds site is a solid fit for Amazon because of its access to freeways and other major thoroughfares like Eight Mile and Woodward. There are few sites in the region with that size and kind of freeway access. “I get it, from a logistical standpoint,” Burton said. Amazon takes about 140,000 square feet at the Tri-County Commerce Park (the former Hazel Park Raceway) and 575,000 square feet at Liberty Park Commerce Center, the former site of the Liberty Park recreation complex, both developed by New York City-based Ashley Capital. See AMAZON on Page 30

Skilled worker Veronica Williams is currently employed at the Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center. | ISAIC

MADE-TO-ORDER MODEL Detroit’s fashion business takes aim at sustainability BY MALIQUE MORRIS

Lori McColl, CEO of Whim, a digital consultancy and innovation lab in Capitol Park.

The coronavirus pandemic is forcing Brenna Lane to critically examine the way she has been approaching her business. As the owner of Detroit Denim, a Rivertown-based apparel brand she started in 2010 with her husband, Eric Yelsma, Lane is reimagining how garments are produced and sold. “The pandemic gave us some time to slow down, and that gave us some clarity of vision,” she said. “The industry, as it was, is not something we want to be a part of going forward.” Following Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s lockdown mandate that be-

gan on March 24, Detroit Denim shifted to making protective equipment for local hospitals in place of custom jeans. It also celebrated its 10-year anniversary, a quiet, sad and reflective one, Lane added. She said during that time she realized that scaling her business closer to the size of bigger brands with large outputs was no longer a goalpost. Her new focus is on decreasing how much Detroit Denim produces by investing more time in the company’s existing made-to-order model. “Majority of our waste comes from overproduction and overconsumption,” Lane said. “We will be pivoting this fall to entirely made-

to-order. No standing inventory to waste away or end up in a landfill.” Lane, 35, is in good company with other Michigan-based manufacturers and designers who are invested in recalibrating garment production in a post-pandemic world. Many of them believe Detroit can be a leader in a resurgent domestic apparel manufacturing that eliminates the negative impact clothing has on the people who make it and on our environment. “There is a trend to bring manufacturing in this space back to the US,” said Lori McColl, CEO of Whim, a digital consultancy and innovation lab in Capitol Park. See FASHION on Page 26

NONPROFITS

After-school providers step up with ‘pods’ to support virtual students BY SHERRI WELCH

After-school providers are launching “pods” of their own to support students opting into fulltime virtual schooling in the coming year. Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan and Downtown Boxing Gym will open their brick-andmortar sites for extended hours in September to students who apply to spend their “school day” at one of the after-school program providers’ sites. And Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan said it’s exploring the idea with Boys & Girls

Summer program in session at Downtown Boxing Gym | DOWNTOWN BOXING GYM

Clubs of Southeastern Michigan. The nonprofits will stand in for parents, providing technical and academic supports and meals throughout the day and early evening. They’ll also provide recreational activities and much-needed socialization, something students have been missing during the pandemic. “Really what we are solving for is we’re trying to give parents an option who aren’t necessarily comfortable sending their kids to a large setting,” said Shawn Wilson, president and CEO of BGCSM. “Parents are a little nervous about sending their kids into larger envi-

ronments with hundreds or even thousands of kids, and some kids struggle in a distant learning environment, so this is a great option for them.” In Detroit, as few as 25 percent of Detroit Public Schools Community District’s nearly 50,000 students are expected to return to classrooms next months, the district said last week . Downtown Boxing Gym plans to raise the dollars needed to offer its location and student supports for the full 2020-21 academic year, Executive Director Jessica Hauser said. See PODS on Page 27 AUGUST 17, 2020 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 3

REAL ESTATE INSIDER

We are here to make your project easier. With engineering, architectural, infrastructure, and environmental services in-house and 14 RIĹ´ FHV IRU ORFDO DWWHQWLRQ )LVKEHFN LV \RXU all-in-one solutions provider.

According to Apartment List.com, August is the fourth straight month about one-third couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t or didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t meet their housing obligations during the COVID-19 pandemic. | DAWN RIFFENBURG/CRAINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DETROIT BUSINESS

Many remain behind on rent, mortgage payments, report finds A new report says 32 percent nationwide didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make their housing payments in full or on time this month. According to Kirk Apartment List. PINHO com, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the fourth straight month about one-third couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t or didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t meet their housing obligations during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected more than 5 million Americans. Apartment List says 11 percent of respondents made a partial payment while 22 percent didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make any payment, although those are generally made whole with late payments. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not including those with previously existing housing debts; the website says more than 20 percent owe more than $1,000 to their landlord or mortgage company. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Given that we have witnessed consistently elevated rates of non-payment for months, it is un-

800.456.3824 fishbeck.com

surprising that 32 percent of Americans entered August with outstanding housing debt from prior months,â&#x20AC;? Apartment List said in its report. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is creating a deep sense of housing insecurity for those struggling to keep up financially. Among those with unpaid housing bills, 66 percent of renters and 65 percent of homeowners are worried about facing an eviction or foreclosure within the next six months.â&#x20AC;? And for apartments specifically, the National Multifamily Housing Council says that 79.3 percent had made full or partial payments on rent on 11.4 million apartments nationwide by Aug. 6. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1.9 percentage points below Aug. 6, 2019, when 81.2 percent had paid. Michiganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eviction ban expired July 15, and the state has instituted its $50 million Eviction Diversion Program to make landlords and others whole after months of missed rent payments. The lump-sum funding through the federal CARES Act is paid out through the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity provided that landlords commit to keep-

ing tenants in their homes and forgiving late fees and some of the past-due balances. The Michigan State Housing Development Authority said late last month that $40 million of the fund had been distributed to 38 housing assessment and resource agencies and the Michigan State Bar Foundation. The Michigan Supreme Court estimated last month that there could be a backlog of some 75,000 eviction cases due to the moratorium. With a $50 million fund, that would be $667 per case, which is less than the monthly cost of an average studio in the region. According to CoStar Group Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based real estate information service, there are about 216,000 apartments in Metro Detroit with an average studio apartment asking rent being $771. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s $864 for a one-bedroom, $1,098 for a two-bedroom and $1,503 for a three-bedroom, according to CoStar. Contact: kpinho@crain.com; (313) 446-0412; @kirkpinhoCDB

LAW

Dykema names Wolfe next chairman, CEO BY DUSTIN WALSH

Former Michigan Attorney General

A fighter for Michigan, and now a fighter for you! Commercial & Business Litigation Administrative Law Employment Litigation 17430 Laurel Park Dr. North, Suite 120E, Livonia, MI 48152

Antitrust Regulatory Counseling Insurance Law

(734) 591-4002 | info@mikecoxlaw.com

Mike Cox â&#x20AC;˘ Donald Hutchinson â&#x20AC;˘ Melissa Raycraft â&#x20AC;˘ Jackie Cook

4 | CRAINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 17, 2020

Detroit law firm Dykema Gossett PLLC named Thursday longtime government policy attorney Len Wolfe as its new chairman and CEO. Wolfe, 53, replaces Peter Kellett in the position effective Jan. 1, 2021. Kellett has served as the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top executive since 2012. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Len takes this position at an incredibly challenging moment and he is more than up to the challenge,â&#x20AC;? Kellett, 62, said in a press release. â&#x20AC;&#x153;His record as an outstanding lawyer and as an invaluable contributor to Dykemaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success has more than prepared him to lead our continued efforts to provide innovative solutions for our clients, particularly as they now face legal problems unheard of in a preCOVID-19 world.â&#x20AC;? The pandemic immediately sank legal matters as businesses and

Wolfe

courts shuttered in March and April. An May analysis by cloud-based company Clio found legal work dropped 40 percent in March and April compared to prepan-

demic levels. As part of Wolfeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s promotion, he will move from Dykemaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lansing office to its Chicago office. The firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Detroit headquarters will not relocate. Wolfe joined Dykema in 1993 as an associate attorney, becoming partner in 2002. He led the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regulated industries department and its government policy and practice group for nine years before joining the executive board in 2014. He also currently serves as the boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s liaison to the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diversity and in-

clusion committee. Wolfeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work includes being appointed special assistant attorney general to help lead the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s privatization of the State Accident Fund of Michigan, which the state sold in 1995 to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan; he was on the legal team that helped create the Michigan Economic Development Corp.; and he defended the constitutionality of the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original charter school law. He has served on several nonprofit boards and political appointments, including serving on the board of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, appointed as a member of the State Ethics Board by former Gov. John Engler and served as the chair of the Michigan chapter of the Republican Lawyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Association. Contact: dwalsh@crain.com; (313) 446-6042; @dustinpwalsh

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP FORUM

SPONSORED CONTENT

TALENT ATTRACTION & RETENTION LOCKTON COMPANIES

FROM BUST TO BOOM: TALENT ATTRACTION AND RETENTION IN THE ERA OF COVID-19 Six months ago, business leaders were struggling to find enough talent to support their recordsetting business growth. Then almost overnight, COVID-19 caused a seismic shift. In a matter of days, many organizations shifted their focus away from talent acquisition, instead implementing hiring freezes, furloughs and layoffs.

Kelly Reed, Ph.D. leads the Talent & Culture consulting practice and Institute at Lockton. She helps organizations improve their talent, culture and business outcomes with data-driven insights, solutions, and optimization services.

unexpected – or what some call the new era of the “never normal.”

Many organizations are now faced with figuring out which employees to retain and how to keep them engaged while these employees are facing very real concerns for their health, work-family arrangements and financial security. Fortunately, HR leaders have access to data that can help them determine who — and how — to hire and retain.

HOW TO ENGAGE THOSE YOU RETAINED Although engagement has always been key to retention, it’s even more important in the virtual workplace. Now that we know virtual work “works” from a productivity standpoint, how do we ensure it works from a culture and engagement standpoint? Consider swapping out annual employee surveys for timelier, briefer pulse surveys conducted during “moments that matter.” Streamline and condense once-lengthy talent processes like onboarding and performance reviews.

HOW TO MAKE TALENT DECISIONS To make rapid talent decisions, consider operational workforce data and employee engagement data, including 360 feedback on leaders. If your organization conducts most of its work digitally, you can learn about relationships and productivity thanks to “digital exhaust” mapping software. These tools provide ongoing streams of data that highlight centers of productivity, burn-out risk, ineffective management and protected-class exclusion risk.

Create new strategies for taking the essence of your culture and adapting it for a virtual environment. Replace office perks by sending care packages to employees at home. Recreate break room encounters with randomly paired virtual coffee breaks. Create virtual social hours via video chat and invite families. Offer flexible work policies and practices, especially during the back-to-school transition. Look for ways to form new routines that ensure your culture stays strong and employees remain connected.

In addition, observational data is crucial. Most likely the past few months have been telling, showing you who rose to the occasion and who didn’t, who proactively communicated and who didn’t, and who handled the pressure and who didn’t. These behaviors are a good predictor of success in the ongoing environment of the

FOR MORE INFORMATION With the global pandemic, the business landscape has been permanently altered. Employers who continue to adapt and streamline in real time are the most likely to succeed. For more information on strategies for adapting your own talent attraction and retention practices, visit Lockton.com.

DELTA DENTAL

A POSITIVE WORK CULTURE REQUIRES EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND INCLUSION Millions of workers are unemployed as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Surprisingly, this painful reality does not translate to a talent surplus for all. That’s because many displaced workers come from service industries and not IT, health care or other high-skill, high-demand professions.

Earl Major, Vice President of Human Resources, joined Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana in 2020. Major comes with more than 20 years of experience in HR leadership, employee development and change management.

Those of us who faced fierce competition for specialized talent before the pandemic will still face a formidable challenge after. We have learned a lot about the power of our people during these last five months. At Delta Dental, we were reminded that when everything else is unstable and uncertain, our people are what we must count on. What made the difference during this crisis and will continue to drive business success are our commitments to engagement and inclusion. ENGAGEMENT Engaged employees are more satisfied with their jobs; disengaged employees are more likely to pursue career opportunities elsewhere. If we have learned anything from the remote work mode that many of us have been in since March, it’s that keeping employees at the center of the company’s value proposition and communicating frequently, transparently and enthusiastically are essential to success no matter where we do our work.

Companies that do this well provide opportunities for employees to be seen, heard, known and involved. They have robust and intentional talent management strategies. They allow employees to co-create their career development plans in partnership with their leader, ensure employees have access to mentors and coaches, and provide tailored onboarding experiences that make clear the path to promotion and career growth opportunities. INCLUSION There was once a time when diversity was the end goal—bringing in people from different backgrounds and experiences. Employers have realized that it’s not enough to just hire different kinds of people. If people don’t feel like they are a part of the bigger picture, that they are heard and that they can be their genuine self at work, they will not stay on the job. Employee engagement and inclusion are key elements of a positive work culture. Company culture is a well-known magnet for talent. It doesn’t replace salary, benefits and opportunities. It buttresses them. Now, perhaps more than ever, becoming a destination workplace for the best and the brightest requires that we capture and maintain the urgency most of us felt during the height of the pandemic crisis and channel it into the quest for talent. AUGUST 17, 2020 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 5

COMMENTARY

BLOOMBERG

Can Whitmer parlay her VP ‘audition’ into further success?

EDITORIAL

‘Fixing’ what’s (not) broken Businesses trying to keep up with the latest COVID-19 mandates out of Lansing could be forgiven for being baffled by an oddly broad new directive last week. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order Aug. 7 that dramatically expanded the list of symptoms employees could cite to qualify for a two-week leave of absence. Previously, workers qualified for COVID-related job protection if they experienced “fever, atypical cough, or atypical shortness of breath.” The new direction expands that list to include “fever, sore throat, a new uncontrolled cough that causes difficulty breathing, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, new onset of a severe headache and new loss of taste of smell.” The unexpected mandate drew the ire of small-business who say it’s “THIS COULD BE groups unworkable because it treats all qualifying ONE OF THE symptoms as WORST COVID-related, even if they are tied to anEXECUTIVE other illness. ORDERS FROM A “This could be one SMALL BUSINESS of the worst executive orders from a small PERSPECTIVE business perspective that we’ve seen,” said THAT WE’VE Rob Fowler, CEO of SEEN.” the Small Business Association of Michi— Rob Fowler, gan. CEO, Small Business Association of Michigan Under the order, those in “close contact” with someone who is COVID-positive or shows disease symptoms are required to stay home for 14 days or until they get a negative COVID test. The previous directive defined close contact as “being within approximately six feet of an individual for a prolonged period of time.” The new order broadens that to “being within six feet of an individual for fifteen minutes.”

That shorter time frame likely increases the number of eligible workers who could stay home to quarantine without getting reprimanded at work. Businesses who violate the order face sanctions. Nobody should want people coming to work sick, particularly during a pandemic. The job protections are in place for a reason. It’s important for employers to work with employees who are displaying symptoms of the disease, but this is an unworkably broad mandate that’s too ripe for abuse. If every bad headache triggers a long quarantine, we might as well shut the economy back down entirely, because businesses aren’t going to be able to operate. Employers have no way of knowing whether employees are using a simple sore throat, for example, as an excuse to stay home, and it could even be viewed as retaliatory if they ask for some sort of proof. It’s not clear who pressed for the changes, or why. Whitmer wrote in the order that the new regulations are intended to reflect updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control. But they appeared to catch even members of her own administration off guard. The Small Business Association of Michigan told its members last week that it is advising members not to update HR policy while they work with Whitmer’s office to change the regulations. She should listen to those concerns. The business community is an important partner in the fight against COVID-19. The previous regulations weren’t broken — it’s time to fix the fix.

Last weekend’s political intrigue about Gov. Gretchen Whitmer taking a secret trip to coastal Delaware to meet with Joe Biden didn’t result in the second-year governor becoming Biden’s running mate. But it will likely elevate Whitmer’s standing in national politics, especially if the Nov. 3 general election turns into a landslide for Biden and Democrats in Congress. The leak to the Associated Press about Whitmer’s quick trip Aug. 2 on a chartered plane to see Biden on his home turf ensured a few days of national news headlines. Those headlines may prove to be the consolation prize that Whitmer was the presumptive runner-up to California Sen. Kamala Harris, who was always seen as the favorite among women leaders of color to be Biden’s running mate because of her resume as a senator and former attorney general in the country’s most populous state. “That gives (Whitmer) a leg up in 2022, allows her to raise more money and makes it more difficult for a Republican to beat her,” said pollster Richard Czuba, president of the Lansing-based Glengariff Group Inc. “If you can have a really good standing nationally, that pays dividends to you back home.” Czuba knows from experience. He worked for former Republican Gov. John Engler in 1996 when GOP presidential nominee Bob Dole considered the second-term Michigan governor to be his running mate. Dole ultimately chose former congressman Jack Kemp, but Engler cemented his standing as a national voice in the GOP after the ’96 veepstakes. Engler handily won a third term in 1998 over trial attorney Geoffrey Fieger and later became one of the top business lobbyists in Washington after leaving office in 2002. “It clearly helped elevate him to a national leader position,” Czuba said of Engler being in the running for the VP nod. Biden’s choice of Harris ended what Michigan Republicans have dubbed Whitmer’s “audition” to move into Biden’s old Washington, D.C., digs at the U.S. Naval Observatory.

LIVENGOOD

That so-called audition on cable television, in glowing magazine profiles and weekly news conferences has proved to be ever frustrating for Republicans, who have watched Whitmer’s approval ratings rise above 60 percent in public opinion polls. Czuba, a longtime Michigan pollster, said Whitmer’s approval ratings are as high as he can remember any Michigan governor ever achieving in good economic times, let alone in a period when 1 million workers are unemployed. Whitmer’s approval rating in statewide polls has remained strong even as she continues to hand down coronavirus edicts that her detractors believe are rooted in political science. One logical reason why a strong majority of Michiganians approve of Whitmer’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic is they’ve watched southern states like Georgia, Florida and Texas (run by Republican governors) that didn’t have nearly as strict of stay-athome orders as Michigan’s descend in uncontrolled coronavirus outbreaks this summer. The other logical reason is President Donald Trump’s teflon is starting to peel off as a growing body of evidence emerges that America’s response to the pandemic has been botched while the economies and public health of other countries have recovered faster. Michigan looks increasingly difficult for Trump to pull off another upset, especially with Harris joining Biden on the ticket to help excite Black voters who stayed home in 2016. See WHITMER on Page 7

MORE ON WJR ` Listen to Crain’s Group Publisher Mary Kramer 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.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer holds up a face mask promoting voting at a July 28 press conference in Lansing ahead of the Aug. 3 primary. | MICHIGAN GOVERNOR’S OFFICE

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 17, 2020

Chad

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.

WHITMER

From Page 6

Early on, Whitmer used her socalled audition to sound the alarm about the Trump administration’s uneven and undisciplined response to pandemic. She rarely attacked Trump by name, even after he unwittingly raised her profile by referring to her as “the woman from Michigan” — a slogan that’s since been emblazoned on countless T-shirts featuring Whitmer’s likeness. Whitmer kept coming back to the same talking points that the White House lacked a national strategy after effectively telling governors they were on their own to procure personal protection equipment and coronavirus testing supplies. She pinned Trump down on dangerously low supplies of PPE while metro Detroit hospitals were becoming overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients in late March. And Michigan Republicans struggled to counter Whitmer because the White House messaging was consistently inconsistent. With the veepstakes over, the table is now set for two consequential events this fall that will foreshadow Whitmer’s strength or weakness headed into the second half of her term. The first is digging out of a $3 billion budget hole for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 that was caused by a steep drop in tax revenue after Whitmer shut down vast swaths of the economy in the spring in a bid to save lives. The second is control of the Michigan House of Representatives in the Nov. 3 election. Whitmer’s budget-balancing plan to date has been to essentially wait for Trump and the Congress to print more money and send relief to the states. Republicans will publicly deny it, but they too are waiting for a rescue from Washington. Very few Republicans in Lansing are actually looking forward to slashing hundreds of dollars per student in state aid for K-12 schools and public universities, laying off thousands of state workers or throwing tens of thousands of low-income adults off Medicaid. In the absence of raising taxes or tossing out tax breaks for special interests, those are just some of the untenable choices to balance a general fund budget that hasn’t grown with inflation since Engler left office 18 years ago. Democrats are within striking distance of winning back the state House after a decade of GOP control. They need to pick up four seats and defend their 52 seats. A three-seat pickup would result in a 55-55 split and shared power. For Whitmer, the stakes couldn’t be higher. She would benefit immensely to have control of one chamber of the Legislature going into her 2022 re-election, forcing Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey to negotiate in good faith. Their sour governing relationship has only gotten worse during the pandemic. How Whitmer moves forward with consequential governing decisions and a battle for control of the House in the coming weeks will test whether months of “auditioning” paid off or if it just earned her a Sunday evening with Biden on a beach in Delaware.

NONPROFITS

Build Institute founder to step down at end of year BY ANNALISE FRANK

The founder and executive director of Detroit entrepreneurship academy Build Institute is heading out. April Boyle started Build in 2011, first as part of a former downtown Detroit resource center called D:hive. She grew it over the years into an independent nonprofit. It’s housed at the Corner, a mixed-use development at the old Tiger Stadium site in Corktown. Boyle told the organization’s board around two weeks ago she planned to step down, according to Delphia Simmons, board co-

chair and the chief impact and learning officer for a separate nonprofit, the Coalition for Te mp o ra r y Shelter. Boyle will remain on until Boyle the end of the year, the nonprofit said. A search for a new leader is under way. “Like many people, recent events such as the coronavirus pandemic and racial injustices have made me very introspective,”

Boyle said in the release. “As an entrepreneur at my core, I’m ready to begin my next chapter and hand over the reins of Build Institute to new leadership.” Simmons told Crain’s board members were “shocked.” She said there were no complaints against Boyle, and the board did not recommend or push for her ouster. “This was really April saying, ‘O.K., I’ve been doing this for 10 years now,’ and I think she’s a person who has always been aware, just from viewing other organizations and nonprofits, of this thing

(called) founder’s syndrome,” Simmons said. Founder’s syndrome is a phenomenon where those who started an organization remain on too long, instead of letting go when it’s time. But Simmons said Boyle has done a “phenomenal” job getting the nonprofit to where it is now and is leaving on a “high note.” “The new location, the pop-up space, the community space, that took a lot of work,” she said. Contact: afrank@crain.com; (313) 446-0416; @annalise_frank

New solutions that bring the flexibility employees need.

*VUÄ KLUJL JVTLZ ^P[O L]LY` JHYK ®

We’re here for your business with great solutions at a great value. Our improved plans give flexibility to employees and affordability to you where it’s needed most. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has the award-winning member satisfaction* you want with the innovative options you need. Learn about how our improved plans can benefit your business today at bcbsm.com/employers. *Ranked #1 in Member Satisfaction among Commercial Health Plans in Michigan. For J.D. Power 2020 award information, visit jdpower.com/awards. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Contact: clivengood@crain.com; (313) 446-1654; @ChadLivengood AUGUST 17, 2020 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 7

ANNOUNCING

THE NEW AND IMPROVED Formerly known as Crain’s Enhanced Membership

Our newly enhanced data offering now provides the following high-level business intelligence services to fill your lead-generation and market research needs: Customized executive contact lists and company data sets. For the first time, Data Members can create and export their own custom lists from across the entire Crain’s database, filtering by executive title, industry, company size and much more.

More executive contacts than ever before. Our upgrade includes hundreds of executive and company contacts — a 35% increase in the past year!

Must-read Crain’s lists with enhanced display options. Data Members can still download all of Crain’s annual industry lists in Excel format, including Private Companies, Public Companies, Law Firms, Accounting Firms and more. But now those lists can also be sorted and displayed in ways that best suit your research needs.

Enhanced intel. All Data Memberships now include:

• Print and digital access to unmatched reporting from the Crain’s newsroom, including the latest news and full article archives. • Email alerts highlighting each new Crain’s list as it’s published.

• The Book (formerly known as The Book of Lists)

annual print-only compendium of Crain’s exclusive industry lists and special features that keeps a full snapshot of your market’s business data close at hand.

CHECK IT OUT AT

CRAINSDETROIT.COM/DATA PLEASE NOTE: If you are currently a Crain’s Detroit Enhanced Member, you will automatically become a Crain’s Data Member and begin receiving all enhanced features and benefits a no additional charge. Should you have any questions or concerns we’d love to hear from you. Contact us at 877-824-9374 or customerservice@crainsdetroit.com.

THE

ES PAG : T IS

10-

ILLUSTRATION BY SAPUNKELE

AT H T S E I N A 100 COMP KE A M Y S A B S S E JO E Y LO IR P E EM TH IN Y P P A H M E TH

AUGUST 17, 2020 | CRAINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DETROIT BUSINESS | 9

Congratulations TO THE

Honorees! WE’RE PROUD TO CALL YOU CLIENTS, FRIENDS AND FELLOW WINNERS!

wilshirebenefits.com | (248) 244-6089

About our 2020 Cool Places to Work awards For the eighth 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, 80-question survey. The survey was taken May 1-15. The survey, which sought to determine, among other things, whether employees understand the long-term strategy of the company and whether they feel they are being groomed for future leadership posi-

tions, 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, at a time when many companies were under work-from-home orders. 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 Dawn Riffenburg at driffenburg@crain.com. Nominations for Cool Places to Work 2021 will open Jan. 1.

Small employer category (15-49 U.S. employees) 1 AIREA Inc.

10 LIFT

22 Spire Integrated Systems

2 HRPro/BenePro

11 Peabody Insurance Agency

23 Manquen Vance & RDS Services LLC

3 National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity

12 Twisthink

24 Agree Realty Corporation

13 Blue Chip Talent

25 AccumTech

4 Apex Digital Solutions

14 Wilshire Benefits Group

26 SSDM

5 Contract Professionals Inc.

15 Brogan & Partners

27 Arrow Strategies LLC

6 Southwest Michigan First

16 VESTA Modular

28 E7 Solutions

7 Center for Financial Planning Inc.

17 Argent Tape and Label Inc.

29 Telemus

8 Censys

18 WambaTech Inc.

30 Lormax Stern

9 Capital Mortgage Funding Powered by Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation

19 Lighthouse MI

31 MPRO

20 CredentialCheck

32 Phoenix Innovate

21 X by 2

C U LT U R E . C O M M U N I T Y. CLIENT SERVICE. The building blocks for our team to thrive. ,)) ,/ 1&+$ 1, * (" !&ƛ"/"+ " &+ ,2/ community and for our clients is something we celebrate every day and that’s pretty cool.

WE ARE HONORED to be recognized as a Crain’s 2020 Cool Places to Work winner.

Medium employer category (50-249 U.S. employees) 1 HealthRise

16 Member Driven Technologies

31 Novara Tesija & Catenacci PLLC

2 Greenleaf Trust

17 Cornerstone Community Financial Credit Union

32 Farbman Group

4 Marsh & McLennan Agency | Michigan Health & Benefits Team

18 imageOne

34 Cinnaire

19 Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss P.C.

5 Clark Construction

20 Midland Tool & Supply

35 Oakland Community Health Network

6 Roncelli Inc.

21 Automotive Credit Corporation

36 24G

7 TowerPinkster

22 Gateway Financial Solutions

37 Lowry Solutions

8 Kapnick Insurance Group

23 ACS

38 Interior Environments

9 Signature Associates

24 Miller Vein

39 PEA Group

10 KLA Laboratories Inc.

25 GSTV

40 O'Brien Construction Co. Inc.

11 Three C's Landscaping Inc

26 RPT Realty Inc.

41 Coretek Services

12 Walker-Miller Energy Services

27 Gongos Inc.

42 Open Dealer Exchange LLC

13 DP+

28 Materialise

43 Trion Solutions Inc.

14 The Senior Alliance

29 Community Housing Network

44 RedViking

15 DeMaria Construction

30 MRPR CPAs & Advisors

3 Northwestern Mutual - Troy

33 Etkin

Large employer category (250 or more U.S. employees)

' ƛ") 4ǽ ,* SOUTHFIELD DETROIT NAPLES

10 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 17, 2020

1 Worldwide Express

9 OHM Advisors

17 Plunkett Cooney PC

2 Stout

10 Renewal by Andersen

18 SME

3 Slalom

11 HNTB Michigan Inc.

19 United Shore

4 OST

12 NFP

20 Applied Imaging

5 Oswald Companies

13 Sun Communities Inc.

21 Shift Digital

6 Rightpoint

14 Altimetrik Corp.

22 Burns & McDonnell

7 Lineage Logistics

15 Total Quality Logistics

23 EDSI

8 Warner Norcross + Judd

16 Dewpoint

24 OneMagnify

BY C CRA

1. A

Sou Aire Vinn  Co Ran Mic Mal Volu Paid Paid serv Tele Flex Job Why F E his F me

2. H

Sou Hea Dav  He Ran Mic Mal Volu Paid Paid serv Tele Flex Job Why O E act A off eve

3. H

Roya Hrpr Krist  Hu Bene Ran Mic Mal Volu Paid Paid serv Tele Flex Job Why A sum M ma C em the

any proime nder

more usiearponain’s orytroit

any ded ons Riffm. s to

LLC

7. Worldwide Express

BY CHRIS LEWIS | SPECIAL TO CRAIN'S DETROIT BUSINESS

1. AIREA Inc. Southfield Aireainc.com Vinnie Johnson, Chairman and Owner  Commercial Interiors Ranking in 2019: 2 Michigan-based employees: 26 Male/female employee ratio: 38/62 Voluntary turnover: 0 percent Paid time off after one year: 28 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 0 Why AIREA is cool:  Fully stocked bar and cafe  Each week, one employee can bring his/her dog to work on Friday  Free monthly in-office yoga and meditation class

2. HealthRise Southfield Healthrise.com David Farbman, CEO  Health care–Insurance/Services Ranking in 2019: 4 Michigan-based employees: 56 Male/female employee ratio: 56/44 Voluntary turnover: 4 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: 7 Why HealthRise is cool:  Open door policy  Employees are paid for wellness activities, via a monthly stipend  Annual, companywide retreats; fun, offsite events and quarterly volunteer events

3. HRPro/BenePro Royal Oak Hrpro.com Kristopher Powell, President and CEO  Human Resources and Employee Benefit Consulting and Administration Ranking in 2019: 8 Michigan-based employees: 29 Male/female employee ratio: 9/91 Voluntary turnover: 3 percent Paid time off after one year: 38 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 2 Why HRPro/BenePro is cool:  Alternating Fridays off during the summer  Massage therapists provide chair massages during busy times  CEO sends random limericks to employees on Fridays, permitting them to go home early

4. National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity Detroit Facultydiversity.org Robin Mohapatra, CEO  Education Michigan-based employees: 15 Male/female employee ratio: 20/80 Voluntary turnover: 0 percent Paid time off after one year: 49 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 4 Why National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity is cool:  Employees may have up to 3 hours per day of out of office time  Annual, free winter offsite in a warm climate  Employees can work from home two days a week; all monthly home Internet costs are paid

5. Greenleaf Trust Kalamazoo Greenleaftrust.com Michael F. Odar, President  Financial Services Ranking in 2019: 6 Michigan-based employees: 137 Male/female employee ratio: 42/58 Voluntary turnover: 3 percent Paid time off after one year: 24 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 10 Why Greenleaf Trust is cool:  Pays 100 percent of employees’ and dependents’ health, dental and vision insurance premiums  Ice cream truck and frozen yogurt surprise visits on hot summer days  Hosts a variety of fun national holidays, including National Leave Work Early Day

6. Apex Digital Solutions Southfield Apexdigital.com Jason Lambiris, CEO  Technology Ranking in 2019: 17 Michigan-based employees: 16 Male/female employee ratio: 68/32 Voluntary turnover: 8 percent Paid time off after one year: Unlimited Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 4 Why Apex Digital Solutions is cool:  Paid sabbaticals and volunteer days  Philanthropy days allow employees to build bikes for underprivileged kids  Humor and downtime are encouraged by playing board games, attending local comedy shows and enjoying a recreation room

Dallas Wwex.com Tom Madine, CEO (Based in Dallas) Mike McCarthy, Vice President of Sales (Based in Southfield)  Transportation U.S.-based employees: 1,407 Michigan-based employees: 46 Male/female employee ratio: 52/48 Voluntary turnover: 0 percent Paid time off after one year: 23 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Why Worldwide Express is cool:  CEO-hosted, quarterly town halls about current affairs and the future of the company  Open door policy  Paid sabbaticals

8. Contract Professionals Inc. Waterford Cpijobs.com Steven E. York, CEO and Founder  Staffing Ranking in 2019: 15 U.S.-based employees: 23 Michigan-based employees: 19 Male/female employee ratio: 58/42 Voluntary turnover: 0 percent Paid time off after one year: 37 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 160 Why CPI is cool:  Time off vouchers given out randomly to boost morale  Pays for a night out for each employee and a guest  Yoga and meditation room

9. Southwest Michigan First Kalamazoo Southwestmichiganfirst.com Ron Kitchens, CEO and Senior Partner  Nonprofit Economic Development Ranking in 2019: 13 Michigan-based employees: 26 Male/female employee ratio: 15/85 Voluntary turnover: 11 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 Southwest Michigan First is cool:  Half-day Fridays during the summer  50 percent off employees’ gym or health club memberships  All employees have keys to every office, a company credit card and access to the company’s files AUGUST 17, 2020 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 11

10. Stout

11. Slalom LLC

Royal Oak Stout.com Cory Thompson, Office Managing Director ` Financial Services Ranking in 2019: 41 U.S.-based employees: 503 Michigan-based employees: 86 Male/female employee ratio: 65/35 Voluntary turnover: 2 percent Paid time off after one year: 29 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 5 Why Stout is cool: ` One-month sabbatical after 7 years at the firm ` Discretionary time off for salaried employees ` Leadership development program for employees of all levels

Seattle Slalom.com Brad Jackson, CEO (Based in Seattle) David Rouls, General Manager (Based in Detroit) ` Consulting Ranking in 2019: 9 U.S.-based employees: 8,000 Michigan-based employees: 162 Male/female employee ratio: 65/35 Voluntary turnover: 13 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: 30 Why Slalom is cool: ` Creates fellowship opportunities for veterans ` 40 hours per year of additional PTO for employees who foster children into their homes ` Extensive PTO for new birth moms (16 weeks) and new dads (8 weeks)

12. Northwestern Mutual — Troy Troy Troy.nm.com Brad Seitzinger, Managing Partner ` Financial Services Ranking in 2019: 23 U.S.-based employees: 240 Michigan-based employees: 239 Male/female employee ratio: 58/42 Voluntary turnover: 2 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: 22 Why Northwestern Mutual – Troy is cool: ` Employees receive a paid day off annually to volunteer for a charity ` Visiting therapy dogs ` Pingpong Fridays

13. Marsh & McLennan Agency | Michigan Health & Benefits Team Troy Mma-mi.com Rebecca McLaughlan, President and CEO, Health and Benefits ` Health care – Insurance/Services Ranking in 2019: 16 Michigan-based employees: 134 Male/female employee ratio: 31/69 Voluntary turnover: 12 percent Paid time off after one year: 29 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 2 Why Marsh & McLennan Agency is cool: ` Jeans every day ` During the summer, staff are encouraged to leave the office by 1 p.m. on Fridays ` All employees have nameplates tailored to them, including photos they’ve chosen, along with some personal characteristics

14. OST Grand Rapids Ostusa.com Meredith Bronk, President and CEO ` Technology Consulting U.S.-based employees: 261 Michigan-based employees: 213 Male/female employee ratio: 70/30 Voluntary turnover: 13 percent Paid time off after one year: 31 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 30 Why OST is cool: ` Career and leadership development programs prepare employees for long-term roles ` Onboarding process supports new employees throughout their entire first years ` Wellness reimbursement can be used in various ways, including gym memberships

No. 29 KLA Laboratories, Inc. treats employees like family

“It’s a little folklore. As soon as he bought the company, my dad said he did not want to have to punch a time clock when he got in there,” said O’Bryan. “And he didn’t think anybody should have to do that, so he got rid of it.” That company culture of trust and treating employees like family has been central to the culture of KLA Laboratories since its founding in 1929. Although the family-owned company’s products and services have evolved with the rapid technological changes of the last 90 years, the sense of valuing and trusting employees as people has not. “We didn’t evolve to become a cool company. We started as a cool company,” said O’Bryan. “And that’s the culture we have maintained, and that’s what keeps people here. We have many people who retired after working here 40-plus years, and we have millennials working here now who I believe will retire from the company.” Flexibility is a big part of respecting and trusting employees at KLA Laboratories.

“We’re about autonomy—the freedom to do your job and do it well.”

“Employees have different needs,” said Executive Director of Human Resources Andrew Mitchell. “We’ve just always been very accommodating when it comes to things like compressing your schedule or flexing a little bit to balance work and family needs—it’s never been an issue.” And having that flexibility already built into company culture made the transition to pandemic work-at-home life easier for KLA Laboratories than it might have been for other companies. “It’s been much, much easier than I ever anticipated,” said Mitchell. “Of course we all want to get back to the office and see each other and work with each other again, but we do a lot to make sure we’re staying in touch.” Staying engaged with employees is a top priority for O’Bryan, who started working in the shipping department at KLA Laboratories, and he’s careful to make sure staff see that he is connected and in touch with the day-to-day operations of the company. “I spend a lot of time talking to a lot of people at every level of the company to make sure that they know that I’m engaged,”

12 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 17, 2020

Sou Cen Timo Part ` Fin Ran Mic Mal Volu Paid Paid serv Tele Flex Why is co `S tou fow `“ em sum ` In me ed

16.

SPONSORED CONTENT

The first thing KLA Laboratories President and CEO Matthew O’Bryan’s father did when he took over KLA Laboratories in 1958 was to eliminate the time clock.

15. Pla

Lans Clar Cha ` Co Mic Mal Volu Paid Unli Paid serv Tele Flex Why `C pro rel `P `L em ba

17.

said O’Bryan. “That kind of connection is super important to maintain—I really try to get across to everybody that I want them to feel ownership in the company.” That human-level connection is critical to maintaining the culture of trust and flexibility that KLA prides itself on. It enables the company to avoid a rigid bureaucracy, Mitchell adds. “We’re less about creating strict policies or rules, and more about just understanding,” he said. “We’re about autonomy— the freedom to do your job and do it well.” SPONSORED BY POWERED BY

Clev Osw Rob (Bas Cath and field ` Bro Casu Reti Ran U.S. Mic Mal Volu Paid Paid serv Tele Flex Job Why `1 `N me po `S fin we

nt ays

ment

ew e

15. Center for Financial Planning Inc. Southfield Centerfinplan.com Timothy Wyman, CFP, JD, Managing Partner  Financial Services Ranking in 2019: 10 Michigan-based employees: 30 Male/female employee ratio: 30/70 Voluntary turnover: 0 percent Paid time off after one year: 28 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Why Center for Financial Planning is cool:  Social events like pingpong tournaments, happy hours, curling, fowling and Topgolf  “Tenny Tuesdays” encourage employees to walk outside during the summer  Individualized professional development plans and financial support for education

16. Clark Construction Lansing Clarkcc.com Charles Clark, CEO  Construction Michigan-based employees: 191 Male/female employee ratio: 78/22 Voluntary turnover: 3 percent Paid time off after one year: Unlimited Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Why Clark Construction is cool:  Corporate Headspace app account provides free meditation and stress relief  Paid sabbaticals  Living Our Values initiative enables employees to volunteer and give back to their communities

17. Oswald Companies Cleveland Oswaldcompanies.com Robert J. Klonk, Chairman and CEO (Based in Cleveland) Catherine Kosin, Senior Vice President and Market Leader (Based in Bloomfield Hills)  Broker: Insurance (Property and Casualty, Life), Employee Benefits and Retirement Planning Services Ranking in 2019: 1 U.S.-based employees: 406 Michigan-based employees: 25 Male/female employee ratio: 32/68 Voluntary turnover: 4 percent Paid time off after one year: 27 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 4 Why Oswald Companies is cool:  100 percent employee-owned  New formal professional development program trains aspiring high potentials  Stress-relieving benefits like free financial planning and regular wellness challenges

18. Censys

21. TowerPinkster

Ann Arbor Censys.io David Corcoran, CEO  Technology U.S.-based employees: 49 Michigan-based employees: 43 Male/female employee ratio: 71/29 Voluntary turnover: 18 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: 32 Why Censys is cool:  Unlimited book budgets for all employees  Virtual social events like trivia and Family Feud at least three times a week  After 3-month full-pay parental leave, employees are offered a one-month transition period (32 hours/week), upon returning to work

Kalamazoo Towerpinkster.com Bjorn Green, President and CEO  Architecture Ranking in 2019: 19 U.S.-based employees: 147 Michigan-based employees: 146 Male/female employee ratio: 66/34 Voluntary turnover: 6 percent Paid time off after one year: 16 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 5 Why TowerPinkster is cool:  Employees who work overtime hours can use the time for additional days off  Employees receive profit sharing each year  Offers gifts to employees who have the most community service hours and the most wellness points

19. Roncelli Inc.

22. Lineage Logistics

Sterling Heights Roncelli-inc.com Thomas Wickersham, President and CEO  Construction Michigan-based employees: 90 Male/female employee ratio: 74/26 Voluntary turnover: 3 percent 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: 3 Why Roncelli is cool:  Flexible summer hours  Employees have access to company-owned construction equipment for personal use  If employees are identified as high potential, they can discuss 3-, 5- and 10-year career goals with their supervisors and formalize professional development plans

Novi Lineagelogistics.com Greg Lehmkuhl, President and CEO  Supply Chain and Logistics U.S.-based employees: 10,139 Michigan-based employees: 141 Male/female employee ratio: 66/34 Voluntary turnover: 3 percent Paid time off after one year: 25 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 20 Why Lineage Logistics is cool:  Year-round partnership with area food banks includes fundraising, food drives and volunteer opportunities  Happy hours hosted in office cafe with games like darts, pingpong and shuffleboard  Recognition program includes the CEO Award, valued at nearly $20,000

20. Rightpoint

23. Warner Norcross + Judd

Chicago Rightpoint.com Ross Freedman, Co-founder and CEO (Based in Chicago) Tom Keuten, Vice President (Based in Royal Oak)  Information Technology and Marketing Services Ranking in 2019: 7 U.S.-based employees: 700 Michigan-based employees: 48 Male/female employee ratio: 60/40 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: 5 Why Rightpoint is cool:  Innovation Tuesdays: Open sessions where teams can brainstorm and collaborate  Daily pingpong games  Beers and Beats: Friday after work music jam session where everyone’s encouraged to bring their own instruments and enjoy a beverage

Grand Rapids Wnj.com Doug Dozeman, Managing Partner  Legal Ranking in 2019: 22 Michigan-based employees: 403 Male/female employee ratio: 38/62 Voluntary turnover: 4 percent Paid time off after one year: 26 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 12 Why Warner Norcross + Judd is cool:  Up to 16 hours of PTO for volunteering or professional development opportunities  Family getaways to the Great Wolf Lodge  Sponsors high potential employees to participate in leadership programs through organizations like Inforum

POWER UP UP YOUR CAREER

Master’s degrees, graduate certificates, and degree completion ❙ Architecture and Design ❙ Arts and Sciences ❙ Business and Information Technology ❙ Engineering

SOUTHFIELD, MICHIGAN

Possible is everything

ltu.edu/powerup | ltu.edu/applyfree AUGUST 17, 2020 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 13

24. Kapnick Insurance Group

32. OHM Advisors

Adrian Kapnick.com Jim Kapnick, CEO  Insurance: Property and Casualty, and Employee Benefits Broker Ranking in 2019: 42 Michigan-based employees: 171 Male/female employee ratio: 26/74 Voluntary turnover: 11 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: 5 Why Kapnick Insurance Group is cool:  After large sales are completed, employees putt for prizes like gift cards, Jeans Days and additional PTO  Offers employees work from home arrangements to take care of their personal needs  Twice a month, companywide meetings include owners’ goals and success stories; employees can also ask questions

Livonia Ohm-advisors.com John Hiltz, President  Architecture, Engineering and Planning Ranking in 2019: 20 U.S.-based employees: 467 Michigan-based employees: 335 Male/female employee ratio: 69/31 Voluntary turnover: 1 percent 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: 40 Why OHM Advisors is cool:  Flexible work schedules for work-life balance  Onsite massages once a month  Provides employees financial advisers at no extra cost

25. Capital Mortgage Funding Powered by Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. Southfield Capitalmortgagefunding.com Harry Glanz, President and Co-founder  Mortgage Banking Ranking in 2019: 58 Michigan-based employees: 45 Male/female employee ratio: 49/51 Voluntary turnover: 2 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: 7 Why Capital Mortgage Funding is cool:  Monthly meetings with the CEO  Company outings like barbecues and bowling  Offers paid day off for veterans on Veterans Day

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE COOL PLACES WINNERS.

d n u o r na e e b e s r v ’ a e e y W 5 3 r o f 3! st a e and cool for at l

Proud recipient of Cool Places to Work 2020. Creating the workplace for tomorrow. www.mpro.org 14 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 17, 2020

26. LIFT

29. KLA Laboratories Inc.

Detroit Lift.technology Nigel Francis, Executive Director and CEO  Defense Michigan-based employees: 22 Male/female employee ratio: 75/25 Voluntary turnover: 1 percent Paid time off after one year: 38 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 5 Why LIFT is cool:  Early dismissals  Flexibility offered to employees for all personal and work situations  Out of the office lunches for all employees

Dearborn Klalabs.com Matthew O’Bryan, President and CEO  Telecommunications U.S.-based employees: 175 Michigan-based employees: 126 Male/female employee ratio: 88/12 Voluntary turnover: 5 percent Paid time off after one year: 15 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 20 Why KLA Laboratories is cool:  Pays 100 percent of employees’ and dependents’ health, dental and vision insurance premiums  Flexible work schedules  Employee appreciation days include Detroit Tigers games

27. Signature Associates Southfield Signatureassociates.com Steve Gordon, President  Real Estate Ranking in 2019: 24 U.S.-based employees: 139 Michigan-based employees: 113 Male/female employee ratio: 55/45 Voluntary turnover: 3 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 Why Signature Associates is cool:  Four to six bonus/profit sharing distributions  14 to 16 holidays off per year  Employees receive PTO for volunteering, via Signature Team Cares, a community service volunteer group

30. Twisthink Holland Twisthink.com Robert Niemiec, Managing Partner  Technology Ranking in 2019: 61 Michigan-based employees: 37 Male/female employee ratio: 70/30 Voluntary turnover: 0 percent Paid time off after one year: 27 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 5 Why Twisthink is cool:  During the summer, employees can leave the office at noon on Fridays  Flexible working hours accommodate employees’ personal lives  Each employee is allocated 100 hours per year for professional development

28. Peabody Insurance Agency

31. Blue Chip Talent

Fenton Peabodyinc.com Jim Peabody, President  Insurance (Non-health care) Michigan-based employees: 23 Male/female employee ratio: 13/87 Voluntary turnover: 16 percent Paid time off after one year: 23 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 2 Why Peabody Insurance Agency is cool:  An athletic trainer visits the office each week  Employees attend Dale Carnegie and Toastmasters seminars free of charge  Friday happy hours

Bloomfield Hills Bctalent.com Nicole Pawczuk, CEO  Staffing Ranking in 2019: 47 Michigan-based employees: 30 Male/female employee ratio: 53/47 Voluntary turnover: 9 percent Paid time off after one year: 20 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: No Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 8 Why Blue Chip Talent is cool:  The company’s office features a foosball table, a pingpong table and a shuffleboard If employees reach their weekly goals, they can leave at 3:30 p.m. on Fridays  All-expenses-paid company trip to a tropical location (Las Vegas, Cancun, Punta Cana, etc.)

33. Wilshire Benefits Group Troy Wilshirebenefits.com David Sokol, President  Insurance (Non-health care) Ranking in 2019: 11 Michigan-based employees: 20 Male/female employee ratio: 39/61 Voluntary turnover: 4 percent Paid time off after one year: 27 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 3 Why Wilshire Benefits Group is cool:  Tuition reimbursement  Monthly meetings with the CEO  Abbreviated summer hours

34. Renewal by Andersen Cottage Grove, Minn. Renewalbyandersen.com Troy Barrow, Vice President (Based in Cottage Grove, Minn.) Brandon Attard, General Manager (Based in Livonia)  Construction Ranking in 2019: 72 U.S.-based employees: 2,132 Michigan-based employees: 72 Male/female employee ratio: 75/25 Voluntary turnover: 8 percent Paid time off after one year: 23 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: No Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 10 Why Renewal by Andersen is cool:  Involvement with local charities like Gleaners and Howell Nature Center  Discounts on gym memberships, Verizon Wireless and other companies  Snack wars: Employees bring in snacks geared toward a chosen theme; the best-voted snack wins a gift card

W r

G w b a re s

“ h

H st y y r a H

A sh a re o

Th c d c b im

H in o c m p

SPONSORED CONTENT

No. 2

Clockwise, from top: HealthRise team members go river rafting on the Salt River during the company retreat in Arizona, September 2018. Employees volunteer with Wish Upon a Teen at Children’s Hospital of Michigan. CEO David Farbman holds a monthly all-team meeting with staff. HealthRise team members have ready access to a fully-equipped, onsite gym where meetings are often held.

Where ideas, hard work are rewarded and doors are open Growing up in Connecticut, Ian Sullivan dreamed of one day working in New York City. So, after four years at Southfieldbased HealthRise — his first job, post-college — he accepted a position at a Manhattan consulting company. But he quickly realized his error in assuming all company cultures were the same. Three months later, he returned to HealthRise. “I was missing the companionship and experience. I didn’t have that at my job in New York,” said Sullivan. HealthRise empowers team members to capitalize on their strengths and take on projects that interest them. “No matter your age or experience, if you can deliver on your projects, you’ll be rewarded. I have been able to climb the ladder rather quickly,” said Sullivan, a young millennial who serves as Director of Hospital Site Operations at Trinity Health for HealthRise. Ashley Adams said during her four-year tenure at HealthRise she has held a variety of roles, gained a breadth of experience and felt valued. She pointed to the company’s continued rewarding of its employees with raises and bonuses since the onset of COVID-19, despite reduced client fees. The core business at HealthRise is revenue cycle and IT consulting that aids hospitals with patient experience, patient data, clarity on co-pays and the billing process, coding, claims and collections. The company’s core tenets include building meaningful and valuable relationships, continuous improvement and excellence. HealthRise’s “cool” perks include competitive wages, strong insurance benefits and perks such as gym memberships. It also offers professional and personal educational opportunities, community service events and employee retreats. The management structure is relatively flat and the open-door policy goes far beyond the norm. POWERED BY

At most companies, certain voices are heard more than others, Sullivan said. But at HealthRise, he said, team members can share their brilliant ideas because everyone’s willing to listen. “In the beginning, we set up levels of employees,” said Ryan McKindles, Co-founder, General Counsel and Vice President of Finance at HealthRise. “I remember thinking that we’re all on the same team. There has to be some accountability, but we don’t need to harp on hierarchy.” When asked her title at HealthRise, Adams laughed. “It’s not something we really reference. Here the idea is more important than the title of the person who brings forth the idea,” said Adams, who is Vice President of Patient Billing Services at Trinity Health for HealthRise.

success, he said. And the diverse staff of analytical thinkers, strong communicators and hard workers carry HealthRise’s positive culture with them to the hospitals they serve. “That helps them with their budgets. It helps them increase their net margins. And it gives them the tools and workarounds they need to be more successful,” he said. McKindles said he never got a sense of community on his job before HealthRise and credited Farbman for cultivating the feeling of family amongst staff members. So how does a company create a cohesive community when its team members travel frequently and are spread nationwide? “We ask a lot of our people. There are easier places to work. But one of the things we have found that helps is doing an annual retreat,” Farbman said.

That thinking extends to conversations with CEO and Co-founder David Farbman, she said. “If you ask David to do something, he will do it as if he reports to you because he created a culture where we all support one another. A company is really only as good as its leader. David is the type of leader who goes to others for input.”

Every retreat is different: A couple of years ago, HealthRise took staff to the Phoenician, a luxury resort in Arizona. Last year, they enjoyed glamping on Farbman family grounds. Whether events include spa time or foraging for mushrooms, there are always team building competitions.

Farbman does that, he said, because it isn’t good to make decisions in a vacuum: “Democracy works when you have people committed to excellence.”

“We’ll break off into groups to come up with the coolest ideas. Whoever wins gets the money to implement the idea. These are fun, fast-paced focused efforts,” Sullivan said.

HealthRise, which has about 100 employees around the country, saw its biggest growth last year and is expecting revenue in the low $20-million range this year. Farbman credits his team for the company’s success.

Adams’ favorite part about the retreats is the opportunity to spend time with and learn more about the HealthRise team.

Employees like Adams, who are honest about their cultural assessments of the business, are integral to the company’s SPONSORED BY

“David opened up his home to us,” she said. “We got to see where he and his kids go fishing. He shared all these memories. To me that feels so vulnerable and genuine. It makes you appreciate the company even more.”

35. Brogan & Partners

38. DP+

Birmingham Brogan.com Ellyn Davidson, CEO ` Advertising/PR/Marketing Michigan-based employees: 30 Male/female employee ratio: 7/93 Voluntary turnover: 0 percent Paid time off after one year: 36 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 2-3 Why Brogan & Partners is cool: ` Each employee can work from home on Fridays after 5 years of employment ` All employees can bring their dogs to work ` Pays $2,000 toward student loans each year for every employee — up to a lifetime total of $10,000

Farmington Hills Dpplus.com Mark Petrosky, CEO ` Advertising/PR/Marketing Ranking in 2019: 60 Michigan-based employees: 92 Male/female employee ratio: 41/59 Voluntary turnover: 13 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: 5 Why DP+ is cool: ` Free financial planning services ` Monthly skills workshops to enhance employees’ creativity, skills, morale and bonding ` Offers nine different medical plans

36. Three C’s Landscaping Inc. Fraser Threecslandscaping.com Benjamin Chargot, Director Clem Chargot, Director Brandon Dwyer, Director Phil Dwyer, Director ` Services – Landscaping/Construction Michigan-based employees: 74 Male/female employee ratio: 84/16 Voluntary turnover: 10 percent Paid time off after one year: 10 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 20 Why Three C’s Landscaping is cool: ` Employee discounts on all landscaping materials and services ` Free company uniforms, hoodies and jackets ` Company performance-based bonuses

37. Walker-Miller Energy Services Detroit Wmenergy.com Carla Walker-Miller, Founder and CEO ` Energy Efficiency U.S.-based employees: 110 Michigan-based employees: 88 Male/female employee ratio: 57/43 Voluntary turnover: 6 percent 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: 8 Why Walker-Miller Energy Services is cool: ` Summer hours promote work-life balance ` Free workout classes twice a week at the office ` Family-like atmosphere with open and accessible leadership

39. The Senior Alliance Wayne Thesenioralliance.org Tamera Kiger, CEO ` Nonprofit – Health and Human Services Ranking in 2019: 97 Michigan-based employees: 84 Male/female employee ratio: 13/87 Voluntary turnover: 16 percent Paid time off after one year: 39 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 4 Why The Senior Alliance is cool: ` Pays 100 percent of employees’ and dependents’ health, dental and vision insurance premiums ` Employees receive paid breaks to walk the company’s 33-acre campus ` Monthly chair massages

40. VESTA Modular Southfield Vestamodular.com Daniel McMurtrie, CEO ` Construction Michigan-based employees: 48 Male/female employee ratio: 75/25 Voluntary turnover: 4 percent Paid time off after one year: 18 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 2 Why VESTA Modular is cool: ` Pays 100 percent of employees’ and dependents’ health, dental and vision insurance premiums ` Team bonding events like Topgolf ` Pet friendly

41. DeMaria Construction Novi Demariabuild.com Joe DeMaria Jr., CEO ` Construction Michigan-based employees: 108 Male/female employee ratio: 77/23 Voluntary turnover: 2 percent Paid time off after one year: 29 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 10 Why DeMaria Construction is cool: ` Open door policy `“DeMaria In Action” Charity Program: Employees are encouraged to participate in monthly charitable events ` Employees can submit ideas on how to improve the company

16 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 17, 2020

42. Member Driven Technologies Farmington Hills Mdtmi.com Larry Nichols, President and CEO ` Financial Services Ranking in 2019: 21 U.S.-based employees: 148 Michigan-based employees: 125 Male/female employee ratio: 54/46 Voluntary turnover: 3 percent Paid time off after one year: 29 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 8 Why Member Driven Technologies is cool: ` Pays 100 percent of employees’ and dependents’ health and dental insurance premiums ` PTO for volunteer efforts ` Onsite quiet room, featuring calm music and deluxe zero gravity massage chairs

Does being able to wear jeans make people love where they work? Or it more substantive perks like profit sharing, paid sabbaticals and flexible time options? Does it matter if your company welcomes your pet, or gives you the opportunity to further your education?

43. Cornerstone Community Financial Credit Union Auburn Hills Ccfinancial.com Heidi Kassab, President and CEO ` Banking Ranking in 2019: 98 U.S.-based employees: 81 Michigan-based employees: 80 Male/female employee ratio: 25/75 Voluntary turnover: 21 percent Paid time off after one year: 18 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 10 Why Cornerstone Community Financial Credit Union is cool: ` Quarterly free massage days ` Employees can wear jeans every day ` Student loan repayment assistance

44. Argent Tape and Label Inc. Plymouth Argent-label.com Lynn Perenic, President and CEO ` Manufacturing Michigan-based employees: 23 Male/female employee ratio: 42/58 Voluntary turnover: 0 percent Paid time off after one year: 27 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: No Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 2 Why Argent Tape and Label is cool: ` Equal profit sharing among employees ` Opportunities for continuous learning and professional skill development `When an employee’s child earns all A’s during any given marking period, the company issues the child a $75 check

45. imageOne

46. WambaTech Inc.

Oak Park Imageoneway.com Rob Dube, Co-CEO ` Technology Ranking in 2019: 45 Michigan-based employees: 62 Male/female employee ratio: 62/38 Voluntary turnover: 6 percent Paid time off after one year: 23 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 0 Why imageOne is cool: `Employees receive a paid day annually to contribute to their community ` Weekly trivia contests with prizes, team lunches and Nerf basketball hoop challenges ` iO University: Series of personal and professional development courses focused on topics like financial literacy, meditation and printer technology

Royal Oak Wambatech.com Nathaniel Plane, CEO ` Technology Ranking in 2019: 67 Michigan-based employees: 24 Male/female employee ratio: 62/38 Voluntary turnover: 4 percent Paid time off after one year: 37 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 5 Why Wambatech is cool: ` Pays 100 percent of employees’ and dependents’ health and dental insurance premiums ` Half-day Fridays from Memorial Day to Labor Day ` Annual paid vacations for employees and their “plus ones”

47. &W

Sou Jaffe Jeff ` Le Mic Mal Volu Paid Paid serv Tele Flex Why is co ` In `W pro he ` In life an

ays

and

Day

These things and more are offered by the companies surveyed for our annual Cool Places to Work awards, and are the things employees told us they value. There are also game rooms, snacks and beverages and wellness programs. Many of these 100 Michigan companies offer flexible hours to accommodate personal and family obligations, telecommuting options and bonus or incentive programs. Massages seem to be a common theme. Voluntary turnover is low for most of the companies where morale is high. Want to join their ranks? The companies on this list plan to hire more than 4,000 employees in the second half of this year.

Southfield Jaffelaw.com Jeff Weiss, CEO ` Legal Michigan-based employees: 194 Male/female employee ratio: 40/60 Voluntary turnover: 4 percent Paid time off after one year: 29 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Why Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, P.C. is cool: ` In-office massages ` Workshop events tailored to professional development, personal health and wellness ` Insurance options include voluntary life, critical illness, hospital indemnity and identity theft

52. X by 2

Pontiac Lighthousemi.org Ryan Hertz, President and CEO ` Nonprofit – Health and Human Services Michigan employees: 47 Male/female employee ratio: 73/27 Voluntary turnover: 6 percent Paid time off after one year: 37 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 2-3 Why Lighthouse MI is cool: ` Staff retreats to learn more about each department ` Biweekly Zoom happy hours ` Monthly ice breakers with all employees

Farmington Hills Xby2.com David Packer, President ` Consulting Ranking in 2019: 38 Michigan-based employees: 42 Male/female employee ratio: 83/17 Voluntary turnover: 11 percent Paid time off after one year: 25 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: No Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 6 Why X by 2 is cool: ` The first $200 spent on professional dress clothes is reimbursed 100 percent ` 50 percent of wellness-related expenses are reimbursed ` Provides employees free food for every meal as they work

50. CredentialCheck Troy Credentialcheck.com Steven Smith, Chairman ` Employment Background Screening and Drug Testing Services Michigan-based employees: 45 Male/female employee ratio: 25/75 Voluntary turnover: 25 percent Paid time off after one year: 23 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 1 Why CredentialCheck is cool: `Leaders often meet with team members one-on-one to discuss company initiatives, along with individual developmental opportunities `Year-end bonus payouts have increased by 254 percent over the past 2 years ` Milestone anniversary gifts like domestic and international trips/ cruises for the entire family, including limo to/from airport ILLUSTRATION BY SAPUNKELE

47. Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, P.C.

49. Lighthouse MI

48. Midland Tool & Supply Oak Park Midlandtool.com Brian Boychuk, President ` Distribution Ranking in 2019: 55 U.S.-based employees: 71 Michigan-based employees: 59 Male/female employee ratio: 83/17 Voluntary turnover: 6 percent Paid time off after one year: 20 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 3 Why Midland Tool & Supply is cool: ` Pays 100 percent of employees’ and dependents’ health and dental insurance premiums ` Family-friendly atmosphere ` Regularly catered lunches for team building

51. Automotive Credit Corp. Southfield Automotivecredit.com James Blasius, CEO ` Financial Services Ranking in 2019: 85 U.S.-based employees: 160 Michigan-based employees: 107 Male/female employee ratio: 36/64 Voluntary turnover: 4 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: 20 Why Automotive Credit Corporation is cool: ` Onsite flu clinic, CPR training and 24-hour access to telehealth services ` Each employee receives one day annually to participate in a community service event ` Leadership training program enables newer employees to develop their leadership skills in preparation for new management positions

53. Spire Integrated Systems Troy Spireintegrated.com Navot Shoresh, President ` Technology Michigan-based employees: 26 Male/female employee ratio: 89/11 Voluntary turnover: 8 percent Paid time off after one year: 21 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 2 Why Spire Integrated Systems is cool: ` Tropical Smoothie gift cards for birthdays ` Monthly, offsite team lunches encourage camaraderie ` At the end of the year, one employee is given two airline tickets for being the most improved

54. Gateway Financial Solutions Saginaw Gatewayfinancial.org Kristin Karwat, CEO ` Financial Services Ranking in 2019: 30 Michigan-based employees: 217 Male/female employee ratio: 29/71 Voluntary turnover: 18 percent Paid time off after one year: 12 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 10 Why Gateway Financial Solutions is cool: ` Employees have casual dress codes and wear jeans on Fridays ` Top performing executives and department leaders receive all expenses paid vacations ` Program known as Teledoc enables employees to call and talk to doctors free of charge — without a deductible

55. Manquen Vance & RDS Services LLC Troy Manquenvance.com Mark Manquen, President and Founder ` Health care – Insurance/Services Ranking in 2019: 3 U.S.-based employees: 24 Michigan-based employees: 22 Male/female employee ratio: 48/52 Voluntary turnover: 4 percent Paid time off after one year: 31 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 4 Why Manquen Vance & RDS Services is cool: ` Payroll bonuses twice a year, based on performance ` Every Friday, employees can wear jeans, casual clothes and athletic shoes ` During the summer, employees can leave work early on two Fridays every month

56. Agree Realty Corp. Bloomfield Hills Agreerealty.com Joey Agree, President and CEO ` Real Estate Michigan-based employees: 44 Male/female employee ratio: 60/40 Voluntary turnover: 5 percent Paid time off after one year: 23 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: No Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 4 Why Agree Realty Corporation is cool: ` Lunch is brought in for the entire company three times a week ` Has an onsite Wellness Center, and sponsors free group fitness classes for employees ` Seasonal fun events hosted by the company’s Culture Committee

57. ACS Middleton, Wis. Acscm.com Scott Hoselton, President (Based in Middleton, Wis.) Chris Arnold, Managing Director, ACS Michigan (Based in Troy) ` Engineering U.S.-based employees: 100 Michigan-based employees: 19 Male/female employee ratio: 89/11 Voluntary turnover: 4 percent Paid time off after one year: 24 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 3 Why ACS is cool: ` Half-day Fridays in the summer ` Employees can attend financial wellness seminars and receive consultations with Certified Financial Planners for free ` Each month, employees are nominated by coworkers and awarded $100 gift certificates for outstanding effort or achievement; nominees can also win an annual grand prize of a trip for two

AUGUST 17, 2020 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 17

Hey Metro Detroit!

We’re honored to announce that we’ve been included in

58.

DESIGN / BUILD & MAINTENANCE

32124 UTICA ROAD • FRASER, 48026very• cool 586.415.4850 We’d like to take a minute and say thank you MI to some people who’ve been a part of www.threecslandscaping.com building this special company over the years: a big THANK YOU to our team, who make three c’s a great place to work every day with smiles and enthusiasm. Another big THANK YOU to our clients, who have over the years allowed us to do what we love day in and day out.

A finally a huge THANK YOU to Clem and Herb, recently retired, who’s dedication, hard work, and open hearts for over 45 years created our unique company culture that continues to inspire new generations of green industry professionals.

Clem and Herb, 2004

And We’re Hiring!

We are busier than ever! If you would like to join our team please contact our office today! W W W

.THREECSLANDSCAPING. Proudly Serving the Metro Detroit Area since 1972 E-MAIL

18 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 17, 2020

services@threecslandscaping.com PHONE 586.415.4850

C O M

Farm Mille Dr. J ` He Ran Mic Mal Volu Paid Paid serv Tele Flex Job Why `P he pre `C mo `E em an em

59.

Detr Hntb Rob (Bas Eric (Bas ` En U.S. Mic Mal Volu Paid Paid serv Tele Flex Job Why `C me mo ` In pin `M em pe eff

60.

Livo Accu Patr ` He Ran Mic Mal Volu Paid Paid serv Tele Flex Job Why `A de en `M ho tea sig me `C en to rec

58. Miller Vein

61. SSDM

Farmington Hills Millervein.com Dr. Jeffrey H. Miller, President ` Health care â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Provider Ranking in 2019: 89 Michigan-based employees: 55 Male/female employee ratio: 30/70 Voluntary turnover: 5 percent 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: 4 Why Miller Vein is cool: ` Pays 100 percent of employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; health, dental and vision insurance premiums ` Company paid uniforms, and money for continuing education ` Every year the office closes so that employees can volunteer at a school and help kids receive new clothes; employees are paid for the full day

Troy Ssdm.co Nicholas Skislak, CEO ` Advertising/PR/Marketing Michigan-based employees: 18 Male/female employee ratio: 27/73 Voluntary turnover: 10 percent 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: 2 Why SSDM is cool: ` The Zen Den: A cozy, intimate room thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perfect for meditation ` Employees are nominated by their peers for chips that can be used for PTO and gift cards ` Adopted Detroitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ralph Bunche Academy, which employees regularly visit to read to children and donate books; they also provide clothing at Christmastime

59. HNTB Michigan Inc.

62. Arrow Strategies LLC

Detroit Hntb.com Robert Slimp, Chairman and CEO (Based in Atlanta) Eric Morris, P.E., Michigan Office Leader (Based in Lansing) ` Engineering U.S.-based employees: 4,926 Michigan-based employees: 135 Male/female employee ratio: 62/38 Voluntary turnover: 12 percent Paid time off after one year: 31 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 15 Why HNTB Michigan is cool: ` Corporate discounts for gym memberships, Ford vehicles and mobile services ` In-office contests like mini golf, pingpong and cornhole tournaments ` Monthly local newsletter recognizes employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; birthdays, anniversaries, personal achievements and volunteer efforts

Southfield Arrowstrategies.com Jeff Styers, President and CEO ` Staffing Ranking in 2019: 62 Michigan-based employees: 32 Male/female employee ratio: 47/53 Voluntary turnover: 26 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: 5 Why Arrow Strategies is cool: ` Casual dress policy ` Onsite game room ` Free onsite massages every Friday

60. AccumTech Livonia Accumtech.com Patrick Coleman, President ` Health care â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Insurance/Services Ranking in 2019: 66 Michigan-based employees: 23 Male/female employee ratio: 87/13 Voluntary turnover: 12 percent Paid time off after one year: 28 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 6 Why AccumTech is cool: ` Advanced monthly leadership development training program thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s engaging, interactive and fun ` Monthly team events, games and holiday celebrations that engage all team members, along with their significant others and family members ` Cheers for Peers: TINYpulse engagement tool enables employees to send shoutouts to each other for recognition purposes

63. NFP New York City Nfp.com Doug Hammond, CEO (Based in New York City) ` Daniel A. Cornwell, Managing Director (Based in Royal Oak) Insurance (Non-health care) Ranking in 2019: 26 U.S.-based employees: 5,000 Michigan-based employees: 49 Male/female employee ratio: 43/57 Voluntary turnover: 10 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: 2 Why NFP is cool: ` Monthly onsite masseuse and semi-monthly onsite happy hours ` Personal and professional development opportunities through a learning portal, live webinars and professional memberships ` Weekly 30-minute walking group provides employees an opportunity to exercise together

,F@EFD>K "BIB?O>QBP 2J>II !RPFKBPP

:( 5( +,5,1* :( 5( +,5,1* (032:(5,1* 3(23/(

&20081,7,(6

0,1,080

(15,&+,1*

CRAINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DETROIT BUSINESS

,1)2#:0(1(5*< &20

:0(1(5*< &20

@crainsdetroit

No. 48 Midland Tool & Supply stays cool by staying connected Midland Tool & Supply prides itself on being a place where employees feel welcome and unified. That sense of togetherness was disrupted when the pandemic hit, so leadership adapted quickly, creating a plan for people who had never worked from home to do just that. Staff moved equipmentâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;even their office chairsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;home, and shared photos of their at-home workspaces so they could visualize what it means to be working separately, together. Throughout the pandemic, the company has organized car parades to help employees celebrate milestones like birthdays as a group. A monthly newsletter helps employees stay connected with each other and updated on company news, and lets the company connect employees to COVID-19 resources in the community. The company has taken advantage of opportunities to learn valuable lessons about its operations amid SPONSORED BY

CRAINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DETROIT BUSINESS

SPONSORED CONTENT

the pandemic. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s given us a chance to reflect on much of what we do, why we do it and how we can realize some efficiencies,â&#x20AC;? said Marketing Manager Rachel Dresser. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been able to improve cross-department communications and our overall workflow.â&#x20AC;? Moving forward, the team is working on ways to continue and adapt the in-person gatherings that have been central to its culture of togetherness â&#x20AC;&#x201D; potlucks and summer barbecues where President Brian Boychuk serves as grill master, holiday parties, company volunteering opportunities and employee recognition events â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to a new socially distant reality. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bringing people together builds a sense of trust and is essential to our company identity,â&#x20AC;? said Dresser. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We value family and togetherness.â&#x20AC;? POWERED BY

AUGUST 17, 2020 | CRAINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DETROIT BUSINESS | 19

64. Sun Communities Inc.

65. GSTV

66. Altimetrik Corp.

67. Total Quality Logistics

Southfield Suncommunities.com Gary Shiffman, CEO ` Real Estate U.S.-based employees: 2,804 Michigan-based employees: 697 Male/female employee ratio: 42/58 Voluntary turnover: 20 percent Paid time off after one year: 30 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 185 Why Sun Communities is cool: ` Offers group fitness classes, personal training and massages ` Onsite, full-service Starbucks cafe has free and heavily discounted beverages and food served by baristas ` Tuition reimbursement program provides employees $1,000 for gaining certificates, $4,000 a year for undergraduate courses and $5,000 a year for graduate courses

Detroit Gstv.com Sean McCaffrey, CEO (Based in New York City) Jon Peach, CFO (Based in Detroit) ` Advertising/PR/Marketing U.S.-based employees: 109 Michigan-based employees: 75 Male/female employee ratio: 50/50 Voluntary turnover: 9 percent Paid time off after one year: 40 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 12 Why GSTV is cool: ` Pups at Work: Scheduled play dates, and dog treats are kept in the office ` Evaluates compensation for all employees every six to 12 months ` Leadership Lunch Club enables employees to have more personal relationships with senior leaders

Southfield Altimetrik.com Raj Vattikuti, CEO ` Technology U.S.-based employees: 296 Michigan-based employees: 30 Male/female employee ratio: 50/50 Voluntary turnover: 11 percent Paid time off after one year: 26 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 2 Why Altimetrik Corp. is cool: ` Massage sessions for all employees ` Annual Strategic Day: Corporate office employees come together to network and discuss various initiatives ` Learning and upskilling opportunities for all employees through a proprietary ecosystem, Playground

Cincinnati Tql.com Ken Oaks, CEO (Based in Cincinnati) Kyle Hoogewind, Group Sales Manager (Based in Grand Rapids) ` Transportation Ranking in 2019: 77 U.S.-based employees: 5,000 Michigan-based employees: 96 Male/female employee ratio: 92/8 Paid time off after one year: 25 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 40 Why Total Quality Logistics is cool: ` Snooze or Cruise passes enable

chosen employees to either arrive at work one hour late or leave one hour early ` Employees obtain an additional eight hours off for volunteer work, in addition to their personal days ` TQL Kids Club: Free program for employees’ dependent children, aged 2 to 10; members receive a TQL name badge and lanyard like their parents, along with other gifts

For a company that’s all over the place, we’re pretty together. You would think creating a “cool” work environment during these times would be an unbelievable challenge. But when you have a workforce that is as dedicated and forwardthinking as we do, it’s not surprising everyone stepped up and proved that being apart can

actually bring us closer. Which not only makes us proud, but also very cool. So, thank you, Crain’s for the “Cool Place to Work” award from all of our 500+ remote offices.

Detroit, MI

20 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 17, 2020

Wilmington, DE

Charlotte, NC

Shanghai, China

Cologne, Germany

Chennai, India

68.

New

at our

, in

ged

68. RPT Realty Inc. New York City Rptrealty.com Brian Harper, CEO (Based in New York City) Deanna Cain, Head of Human Resources (Based in Southfield) ` Real Estate

U.S.-based employees: 108 Michigan-based employees: 60 Male/female employee ratio: 40/60 Voluntary turnover: 12 percent Paid time off after one year: 29 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 4-5 Why RPT Realty is cool: ` Open, modern offices boast natural light and encourage collaboration ` Wellness program focuses on the whole being: physical, mental, financial and work-life Every Friday, employees attend themed happy hours, via Microsoft Teams

69. Dewpoint

70. E7 Solutions

71. Gongos Inc.

Lansing Dewpoint.com Kenneth Theis, President and CEO ` Technology Ranking in 2019: 54 U.S.-based employees: 254 Michigan-based employees: 242 Male/female employee ratio: 67/33 Voluntary turnover: 9 percent Paid time off after one year: 29 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 50 Why Dewpoint is cool: ` Professional development opportunities include job shadowing and mentoring ` Each employee receives $150 annually to designate to a charity of their choice ` Dew Drop Ins: All employees are invited to the corporate office to enjoy networking, drinks, food and prizes

Troy E7solutions.com Edmond Delude, CEO ` Technology Michigan-based employees: 32 Male/female employee ratio: 60/40 Voluntary turnover: 2 percent Paid time off after one year: 29 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 5 Why E7 Solutions is cool: ` Quarterly team events at Topgolf and Detroit Tigers games, as well as on cruises ` All employees enroll in online courses, test for new certifications and deliver “Lunch and Learns” ` Employees can work from home or in the office, as long as they’re available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Royal Oak Gongos.com Camille Nicita, President and CEO ` Consumer Insights and Consultancy Michigan-based employees: 142 Male/female employee ratio: 34/66 Voluntary turnover: 8 percent Paid time off after one year: 33 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 5 Why Gongos is cool: ` Employees can telework once a week ` Holistic wellness initiatives include meditation sessions and exercise classes ` Customized, weekslong onboarding approach features an allocated mentor, a custom training program and ongoing holistic development and cross-training promotion

WE BUILD ON A FOUNDATION OF TRUST

WE ARE BUILDING THE BEST PLACE TO WORK FIND OUT MORE AT WWW.CLARKCC.COM

THANK YOU TO OUR EMPLOYEES WE’RE A COOL COMPANY BECAUSE OF YOU! COMPETENT | RELIABLE | SINCERE | CARE

Mask up Michigan! Photo taken at our annual meeting in 2019. AUGUST 17, 2020 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 21

72. Materialise Leuven, Belgium Materialise.com/en Fried Vancraen, CEO (based in Leuven, Belgium) Bryan Crutchfield, vice president and general manager (based in Plymouth) ` Technology Michigan-based employees: 90 Male/female employee ratio: 53/47 Voluntary turnover: 3 percent 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: 2 Why Materialise is cool: ` Free fitness events, including yoga, rock climbing and laser tag ` Team trips include Cedar Point and Team USA hockey games ` Onsite pingpong table, basketball hoop and gaming systems

73. Plunkett Cooney PC Bloomfield Hills Plunkettcooney.com Thomas P. Vincent, President and CEO ` Legal Ranking in 2019: 82 U.S.-based employees: 276 Michigan-based employees: 251 Male/female employee ratio: 34/66 Voluntary turnover: 9 percent Paid time off after one year: 30 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: No Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 4 Why Plunkett Cooney is cool: ` Onsite massages ` Activities like food trucks, after hours parties, prize hunts and ice cream socials create engagement and inclusion ` Well-being program offers monthly challenges, social events, education sessions and surprise activities

74. Community Housing Network Troy Communityhousingnetwork.org Mark Craig, President ` Nonprofit – Health and Human Services Ranking in 2019: 52 Michigan-based employees: 91 Male/female employee ratio: 15/85 Voluntary turnover: 8 percent Paid time off after one year: 40 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 10 Why Community Housing Network is cool: `Offices are closed on the days that local school districts are closed for snow ` Annual team building retreat ` Onsite gym, along with yoga and other fitness classes

75. MRPR CPAs & Advisors Southfield Mrpr.com Angie Mastroionni, Managing Principal ` Accounting Ranking in 2019: 71 U.S.-based employees: 54 Michigan-based employees: 49 Male/female employee ratio: 47/53 Voluntary turnover: 12 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: 5-8 Why MRPR CPAs & Advisors is cool: ` Flexible dress policy includes option to wear jeans any day of the week ` Stress management conversations and chair massages `Team building workshops include group challenges that promote team-based collaboration and resolution

76. Novara Tesija & Catenacci PLLC Troy Ntclaw.com Michael A. Novara, CEO and Managing Partner ` Legal Michigan-based employees: 69 Male/female employee ratio: 39/61 Voluntary turnover: 2 percent 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: 10 Why Novara Tesija & Catenacci is cool: ` Pays 100 percent of employees’ and dependents’ health, dental and vision insurance premiums ` Free snack bar and ice cream, along with a flavored water machine ` Unrestricted game room and golf simulator usage for staff members

77.

Plym Sme Mar ` En Ran U.S. Mic Mal Volu Paid Paid serv Tele Flex Job Why `P de pre `E `T pro en pro

78.

Cold is the new cool. Working at Lineage Logistics is more than a job — it’s an opportunity to do work that matters. Join our team and help us feed the world.

lineagelogistics.com/careers

22 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 17, 2020

Pon Unit Mat ` Fin Ran Mic Mal Volu Paid Paid serv Tele Flex Job Why ` In Th `B san `O me

79.

Sou Farb And And Sou ` Re Ran U.S. Mic Mal Volu Paid Unli Paid serv Tele Flex Job Why `O `H `P thr

ing

s e:

ool: and sion

ong

lf s

80. Etkin

77. SME Plymouth Sme-usa.com Mark Kramer, PE, CEO ` Engineering/Consulting Ranking in 2019: 73 U.S.-based employees: 303 Michigan-based employees: 243 Male/female employee ratio: 77/23 Voluntary turnover: 7 percent Paid time off after one year: 25 days Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 15 Why SME is cool: ` Pays 100 percent of employees’ and dependents’ health insurance premiums ` Employee-owned and family run ` Two-day-long companywide professional development conference includes a community service project

78. United Shore Pontiac Unitedshore.com Mat Ishbia, President and CEO ` Financial Services Ranking in 2019: 99 Michigan-based employees: 6,500 Male/female employee ratio: 53/47 Voluntary turnover: 15 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: 3,000 Why United Shore is cool: ` In-house DJ and dance party every Thursday ` Bicycle path, arcade and outdoor sand volleyball court ` Onsite massage therapist and meditation room

79. Farbman Group Southfield Farbman.com Andy Farbman, CEO (Based in Chicago) Andy Gutman, President (Based in Southfield) ` Real Estate Ranking in 2019: 69 U.S.-based employees: 103 Michigan-based employees: 100 Male/female employee ratio: 56/44 Voluntary turnover: 12 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: 1 Why Farbman Group is cool: ` Onsite chair massages ` Half-day Fridays during the summer ` Personal and professional growth through Farbman University

Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 4 Why Etkin is cool: ` Four-week paid sabbaticals every 5 years ` Half-day Fridays during the summer ` Employee development opportunities, based on their goals, as well as the company’s future expectations

Royal Oak Etkinllc.com Curtis Burstein, CEO ` Real Estate Ranking in 2019: 49 Michigan employees: 52 Male/female employee ratio: 61/39 Voluntary turnover: 5 percent Paid time off after one year: 28 days Paid time off for community service: Yes

81. Applied Imaging

Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 25 Why Applied Imaging is cool: ` Pingpong table ` Wellness program includes a Biggest Loser contest every January ` Leadership development program features training events geared toward leadership qualities like storytelling, conflict management and effective communication

Grand Rapids Appliedimaging.com John Lowery, President and CEO ` Office Technology U.S.-based employees: 423 Michigan-based employees: 413 Male/female employee ratio: 80/20 Voluntary turnover: 7 percent Paid time off after one year: 18 days Paid time off for community service: Yes

C O N F I D E N C E S T E M S

F R O M

R E C O G N I Z E D T H E

V E R Y

Y O U R

C L I E N T S .

S O ,

W O R K .

O N

D O I N G

Y O U

T H E

T A K E N

F O R

T H I N G

H O N O R E D O F

B E I N G

T O T O P

B E

C A R E T H E

F E A T U R E D

1 0 0

W H E N

C O O L

Y O U R

O F ,

Y O U

F O R

W E ’ R E A S

P L A C E S

E M P L O Y E E S C A N

A C T I V I T I E S

S U C C E S S

O F F E R

T O

A R E

C O N C E N T R A T E

T H A T

Y O U R

O N E

C R E A T E

C O M P A N Y .

Your Vision. Made Perfectly Clear.

relyontrion.com H R A d m i n i s t r a t i o n | P a y r o l l & Ta x e s | W o r k e r s ’ C o m p e n s a t i o n Benefits Administration | Regulatory Compliance

AUGUST 17, 2020 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 23

Advertising Section

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

To place your listing, visit www.crainsdetroit.com/ people-on-the-move or, for more information, contact Debora Stein at 917.226.5470 / dstein@crain.com ARCHITECTURE

CONSTRUCTION

Quinn Evans

Aristeo Construction

Jennifer Henriksen, AIA, has been promoted to principal in the Ann Arbor office of Quinn Evans. Henriksen is an architect and project manager with a portfolio of historic preservation and adaptive use projects throughout Michigan. Her projects have included the restoration of the historic Garden Theater venue in Detroit, the modernization of the Croswell Opera House in Adrian, the renovation of the City Opera House in Traverse City, and directing preservation efforts for Detroit’s Central Station.

Lars Luedeman, CFA, CCIFP, has been named Chief Financial Officer at Aristeo Construction. With 25 years of experience in construction finance, investment banking, and advising the automotive and steel industries, Luedeman will be responsible for Aristeo’s financial operations. Luedeman has a Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting and Finance from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. He most recently served as Executive Vice President, CFO, and Treasurer at Barton Malow.

AUTOMOTIVE

Ziebart International Corporation Brian Jackman has recently been named Ziebart International Corporation’s new Vice President and Treasurer. Jackman most recently served as Ziebart’s Director of Corporate Finance, where he was instrumental in streamlining the accounting department. In his new role, Jackman’s responsibilities will include all aspects of corporate financial functions, including financial and tax reporting, cash management, liaison to independent auditors, banks and investment institutions, and corporate assets.

NONPROFIT

Detroit Future City Detroit Future City names Ashley Williams Clark as the director of its Center for Equity, Engagement and Research (The Center), marking an important step in its year-long planning effort that launched in January. She will work to advance the planning phase objectives, which are to establish a common definition of economic equity, create an equity indicator dashboard and engage civic and community leaders, and NEW HIRE? residents around the effort.

PROMOTION? BOARD APPOINTMENT?

WHAT’S COMPANY’S YOUR NEXT MOVE? Create your own headlines with Companies on the Move

Crain’s People on the Move showcases industry achievers and their companies to the Detroit business community.

NEW GIG?

Contact: Preserve your career change for Debora years to Stein come. at

• Plaques • Crystal keepsakes • Frames • Other Promotional Items

24 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 17, 2020

C O N TAC T

PRODUCTS

dstein@crain.com

Laura Picariello Reprints Sales Manager lpicariello@crain.com (732) 723-0569

82. Cinnaire

85. Lormax Stern

Lansing Cinnaire.com Mark McDaniel, President and CEO  Nonprofit Ranking in 2019: 64 U.S.-based employees: 106 Michigan-based employees: 74 Male/female employee ratio: 49/51 Voluntary turnover: 8 percent Paid time off after one year: Unlimited Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 6 Why Cinnaire is cool:  Weekly organic fruit deliveries to each office  Open door policy and quarterly lunches with the CEO  The Break Room: Internal all organization message board for morale boosting and team engagement features gratitude lists, pictures and team challenges

Bloomfield Hills Lormaxstern.com Daniel Stern, Partner  Real Estate Ranking in 2019: 39 Michigan-based employees: 37 Male/female employee ratio: 47/53 Voluntary turnover: 1 percent 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: 2 Why Lormax Stern is cool:  Dog friendly  The office closes at 3 p.m. every Friday  Ice cream cart

83. Telemus Southfield Telemus.com Gary Ran, Chairman and CEO  Financial Services U.S.-based employees: 45 Michigan-based employees: 35 Male/female employee ratio: 54/46 Voluntary turnover: 9 percent Paid time off after one year: 29 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 2 Why Telemus is cool:  Employee-led community enrichment committee offers employees fun and unique ways to give back to the community  Recently renovated offices feature stand-up/sit-down desks, collaborative meeting and work spaces, improved sound and lighting, and a modern environment  “Wine down” events in which local wine store owners educate employees about unique wines and drinking techniques

84. Oakland Community Health Network Troy Oaklandchn.org Anya Eliassen, Interim CEO  Government Michigan-based employees: 187 Male/female employee ratio: 15/85 Voluntary turnover: 14 percent Paid time off after one year: 29 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: No Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 15 Why Oakland Community Health Network is cool:  Monthly themed staff meetings w ith interactive activities  Social events like pancake breakfasts and ice cream socials provide proceeds to individuals in the community  Onsite wellness/fitness center with exercise equipment, as well as lunchtime and evening classes

86. MPRO Farmington Hills Mpro.org Leland Babitch, MD, President and CEO  Nonprofit – Health and Human Services Ranking in 2019: 75 Michigan-based employees: 44 Male/female employee ratio: 16/84 Voluntary turnover: 6 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: 4 Why MPRO is cool:  Lunch time exercises like barre and yoga  “Fill your cup”: Each week an employee is awarded a cup which he/ she fills with goodies  Managers have one-on-one meetings with employees biweekly to discuss future goals

87. 24G Troy 24g.com Scott Wiemels, CEO  Technology U.S.-based employees: 107 Michigan-based employees: 102 Male/female employee ratio: 59/41 Voluntary turnover: 12 percent Paid time off after one year: Unlimited (after 60 days of employment) Paid time off for community service: No Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 5 Why 24G is cool:  Onsite bar and bowling alley available to employees and their families  Dog friendly  Annual Summer Olympics for all employees

90. 88. Shift Digital Birmingham Shiftdigital.com Steve St. Andre, CEO  Technology Ranking in 2019: 80 U.S.-based employees: 578 Michigan-based employees: 534 Male/female employee ratio: 50/50 Voluntary turnover: 15 percent Paid time off after one year: 25 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 50 Why Shift Digital is cool:  Free gym membership and offsite fitness classes  Company events like kickball and offsite cornhole tournaments  Frequent happy hour beer and wine carts in the office

89. Burns & McDonnell Kansas City, Mo. Burnsmcd.com Ray Kowalik, Chairman and CEO (Based in Kansas City) Ben Nabozny, Department Manager (Based in Detroit)  Architecture, Engineering and Construction Ranking in 2019: 93 U.S.-based employees: 6,663 Michigan-based employees: 23 Male/female employee ratio: 79/21 Voluntary turnover: 5 percent 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: 3 Why Burns & McDonnell is cool:  The company’s training team offers 2,500 internal classes annually  100 percent employee-owned  Its foundation matches employees’ donations in support of their favorite charities

Brig Low Mich  Tec Ran U.S. Mic Mal Volu Paid Paid serv Tele Flex Job Why S fac pin A em dre J em bu an

91.

Nov Ieoffi Rand Stev  Co Ran U.S. Mic Mal Volu Paid Paid serv Tele Flex Job Why E pa P A erg

ays

wine

sed

ays

ers

es’ rite

92. PEA Group

90. Lowry Solutions Brighton Lowrysolutions.com Michael Lowry, President and CEO ` Technology June 15, 2020 Ranking in 2019: 53 U.S.-based employees: 85 Michigan-based employees: 56 Male/female employee ratio: 58/42 Voluntary turnover: 9 percent Paid time off after one year: 24 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 5 Why Lowry Solutions is cool: ` State-of-the-art onsite fitness facility with locker rooms and a pingpong table ` Annual Halloween Party for employees’ children and grandchildren ` Jeans for Charity Friday: Provides employees a break from day-to-day business dress, while also recognizing and supporting local charities

91. Interior Environments Novi Ieoffices.com Randy Balconi, CEO and Owner Steve Cojei, President and Owner ` Commercial Office Furniture Ranking in 2019: 100 U.S.-based employees: 90 Michigan-based employees: 67 Male/female employee ratio: 30/70 Voluntary turnover: 1 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: 5 Why Interior Environments is cool: ` Extended paid maternity and paternity leave ` Pet friendly ` All employees are offered an ergonomic, work-from-home setup

Troy Peainc.com James P. Butler, PE, President ` Engineering Ranking in 2019: 92 Michigan-based employees: 122 Male/female employee ratio: 75/25 Voluntary turnover: 5 percent Paid time off after one year: 27 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 22 Why PEA Group is cool: ` Weekly Lunch and Learns help employees learn new skills ` Chair massages ` Fitness and gym membership fee reimbursement (up to $480 per year)

93. O’Brien Construction Co. Inc. Troy Obriencc.com Timothy W. O’Brien, President ` Construction Ranking in 2019: 70 December 2, 2019 Michigan-based employees: 57 Male/female employee ratio: 75/25 Voluntary turnover: 6 percent Paid time off after one year: 12.5 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 6 Why O’Brien Construction Company is cool: ` Rotating Fridays off during the summer ` Award program for any referrals provided by employees ` Training opportunities through schooling or association programs

95. Phoenix Innovate

97. OneMagnify

99. Trion Solutions Inc.

Troy Phoenixinnovate.com Kirk Vercnocke, CEO ` Advertising/PR/Marketing Ranking in 2019: 76 Michigan-based employees: 43 Male/female employee ratio: 63/37 Voluntary turnover: 0 percent Paid time off after one year: 14 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 3 Why Phoenix Innovate is cool: ` Employees obtain PTO to work at their favorite nonprofit ` Employee garden where vegetables are grown to donate to food banks ` White Castle Days in which hundreds of sliders are brought in for tasty snacks

Detroit Onemagnify.com Mark Petroff, CEO ` Advertising/PR/Marketing Ranking in 2019: 84 U.S.-based employees: 428 Michigan-based employees: 326 Male/female employee ratio: 49/51 Voluntary turnover: 10 percent Paid time off after one year: 29 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: Yes Jobs to fill this year: 20 Why OneMagnify is cool: ` Cake Day: Employees come together to celebrate their birthdays each quarter; fruit is also offered as a healthier option ` Diversity Potlucks: Employees bring in dishes from their native cultures and socialize during lunch ` Poker Walks: Employees are encouraged to walk around the park in front of the office when the weather is nice; for each lap, employees collect a playing card. After five laps, the employee with the best poker hand wins $50

Troy Relyontrion.com Bonner C. Upshaw III, CEO and Co-founder ` Professional Employer Organization Ranking in 2019: 81 U.S.-based employees: 139 Michigan-based employees: 111 Male/female employee ratio: 25/75 Voluntary turnover: 3 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: 10 Why Trion Solutions is cool: ` Free 20-minute massages provided by a licensed massage therapist weekly ` Legal Shield offered to all employees (single coverage) free of charge ` Tickets at Work: Discount ticket website for various amusement parks, concerts and sporting events

96. EDSI Dearborn Edsisolutions.com Kevin Schnieders, CEO ` Consulting Ranking in 2019: 50 BUSINESS CRAIN ’S DETROIT U.S.-based employees: 800 Michigan-based employees: 63 Male/female employee ratio: 35/65 Voluntary turnover: 2 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: 5 Why EDSI is cool: ` Employees can work more hours over a two-week period to have every other Friday off ` Meditation space for individual or guided meditation ` Each employee is treated to “It’s Your Day,” in which he or she is surprised with a themed day of fun events, planned specifically for him/ her

Farmington Hills Opendealerexchange.com Stephen Luyckx, General Manager ` Technology U.S.-based employees: 143 Michigan-based employees: 119 Male/female employee ratio: 63/37 Voluntary turnover: 5 percent Paid time off after one year: 26 days Paid time community CRAINoff ’S for DETROIT BUSINESS service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 25 Why Open Dealer Exchange is cool: ` Education assistance up to $5,000 a year ` Stand-up desks for all employees ` Companywide outings that include employees’ spouses and significant others (Detroit Tigers games and Topgolf )

Plymouth Redviking.com Page 1 Randall Brodzik, President and CEO ` Engineering Michigan-based employees: 177 Male/female employee ratio: 95/5 Voluntary turnover: 2 percent Paid time off after one year: 24 days Paid time off for community service: Yes Telecommuting options: Yes Flex time options: No Jobs to fill this year: 20 Why RedViking is cool: ` Onsite game room ` Wellness competitions award employees cash prizes for healthy behaviors ` Personalized advancement paths for each employee, including job shadowing, mentoring and training

Advertising Section

94. Coretek Services Farmington Hills Coretekservices.com Ron Lisch, CEO ` Technology Ranking in 2019: 56 Michigan-based employees: 93 Male/female employee ratio: 79/21 Voluntary turnover: 3 percent 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: 25 Why Coretek Services is cool: ` Coretek Event Center offers games like darts, foosball, pingpong, pool and shuffleboard ` Happy hour at 3:30 p.m. on Fridays ` Employees (and their families) can participate in a one-day goalsetting seminar with one of the industry’s top leadership coaches

98. Open Dealer Exchange LLC

100. RedViking

CLASSIFIEDS To place your listing, contact Suzanne Janik at 313-446-0455 or email sjanik@crain.com www.crainsdetroit.com/classifieds

M ARKET REAL ARKET PLACE LACE ESTATE LABORATORY SPACE

Receivership sale of assets VISIT OUR WEBSITE: of Visiting Physicians Busi-

ness Residential Physicians

PLLC & RPA ManDelight your Clients with the Bestwww.crainsdetroit.com/classifieds of Michigan Business PPE Package Association, agement, Inc. includes account Handmade Nut, Baked Goods & receivables, 7 vehicles, outstand100 Masks – 200 Gloves Chocolate Gift Trays. ing insurance, Medicare and Med-

1 Gal Hand Sanitizer FREE Holiday cards w/your logo & message Price: $100.00 Guaranteed Christmas Delivery!

icaid claims, office equipment, office furniture, medical supplies, and intellectual property. NibblesGifts.com 248-737-8088 www.AtlasWFC.com/PPE Contact Sonya Goll at (248) 354-7906 ext. 2234 or sgoll@ Visit our store at 32550 Northwestern Hwy, Farmington Hills AUGUST 17, 2020 | CRAIN’S BUSINESS | 25 forDETROIT additional inforsbplclaw.com mation, form purchase agreement, financials of business, and Executive Director, Audience Development deadlines for offers.

& Analytics

As a forward-thinking and transformational Audience Development

FASHION

From Page 3

“The old model was not sustainable from the environmental side to the worker side.” Building off the bones of Detroit’s automotive history, the Motor City’s fashion industry is repositioning itself to be a hub for domestic garment manufacturing that is both economically and environmentally sustainable. Through collaboration, technological advancement and equitable training programs, industry insiders want to establish the city as a global force in fashion. “It’s literally recreating the automotive industry in the fashion industry in Detroit,” said Christina Liedtke, founder of women's wear and accessories brand ASTOURI, which manufactures in Flint. “This is the perfect opportunity for Detroit to ramp this up.” For the vision of Detroit as a leader in domestic apparel production to materialize, the industry will need a highly skilled workforce. “As a country, we don’t have a lot of trained sewers,” said Rebecca Grewal, director and founder of Michigan Fashion Proto, an apparel manufacturer in Lansing. “It’s a trade that sort of went away … when it was the normal thing to send things overseas.”

The coronavirus pandemic is forcing Brenna Lane to critically examine the way she has been approaching her business, Detroit Denim, a Rivertown-based apparel brand she started in 2010 with her husband, Eric Yelsma. | DETROIT DENIM

Career paths Detroit's clothing business has grown. There were 651 apparel manufacturing jobs in the city of Detroit in 2019, a 71 percent increase from 381 jobs in 2010, according to an analysis conducted by Detroit Regional Partnership, an economic development nonprofit, in August 2020. The impact the pandemic has had on employment data has not been measured yet. Continuing employment growth in the city’s fashion sector is where Jen Guarino, CEO of the Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center in Midtown, comes in. “There have been people making apparel here for some time on a small scale,” Guarino said. “We’re seeing global companies interested in setting up manufacturing here (and) we’re preparing the workforce for advanced (apparel) manufacturing.” At ISAIC equitable employment for highly skilled makers is the essential mission. The nonprofit launched an apprentice program this year, where trainees learn industrial sewing and how to use advanced equipment to make garments, most recently PPE gowns for hospitals. The program’s placement data is not yet available but will be in the future, the company said. Making PPE was an effective way to train employees during the height of the pandemic, and it will continue to be integrated in ISAIC’s apprentice program as long as the demand is there, the company told Crain’s in an email. Guarino said ISAIC, which partners with Carhartt and many local brands including Detroit Denim, has a two-year plan to create a for-profit subsidiary that is worker-owned, where employees will be stakeholders. That could be a life-changing opportunity for a skilled worker like Veronica Williams, who is currently employed at the nonprofit. While living in a temporary shelter, she learned about Empowerment Plan, a nonprofit in West Village that uses ISAIC’s training program to

York

Karamoko

teach current and formerly homeless individuals to sew coats that convert into sleeping bags. “I was able to learn about different types of sewing machines,” said Williams, 44. “How to handle different types of fabric and stitching for textiles.” Williams' involvement with ISAIC can lead to a fruitful career path in garment manufacturing, something she found interesting long before she learned how to sew. “I always had an interest (in sewing),” Williams said. “But I didn’t have any experience and I didn’t know how to get my foot in the door.”

The rise of nearshoring This worker-centric model represents the economic portion of sustainability, which focuses on providing makers with livable wages and career opportunities. Josh York uses a similar method at his brand York Project, a socially conscious streetwear brand he created in 2012. The company has a small factory in Detroit's Northwest Goldberg neighborhood, with equipment previously owned by the apparel brand Lazlo, where locals are hired and trained in garment production. “I feel like sustainability gets thrown around a lot in the garment industry,” said York, 27, who worked as a sourcing manager at Abercrombie & Fitch before starting his own brand. “My goal has always been the human side first. I’m really focused on creating jobs and keeping people employed in Detroit.” Scouting talent locally is a tactic that can help York ensure that in the future his garments, which includes T-shirts and sweatshirts from overseas that are screenprinted in his fac-

26 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 17, 2020

tory, are completely cut and sewn in the states. “The York Project brand is shifting to be all domestic made by Christmas,” York said. “Now everyone wants to make their clothes more locally. It’s a more stable way to go about business.” A stability that stretches beyond employment. Before the pandemic, offshoring — in which garments to be sold in the US are produced in usually developing countries at low cost — was in vogue. In addition to worker exploitation and poor labor conditions, most notably evidenced in the collapse of Rana Plaza in Bangladesh in 2013, the environmental cost was also racking up. Textile manufacturing is estimated to account for 20 percent of industrial water pollution globally, according to a 2019 report by Green America, a nonprofit in Washington, D.C. that focuses on environmental and ethical consumerism. Nearshoring — producing clothes domestically — is one way to address such ethical issues. Lane transitioning Detroit Denim to strictly demand-led production is another strategy. “Clothes have always been madeto-order. Clothes is one of the basic human necessities,” Lane said. “The auto industry has just-in-time manufacturing down. We have the engineering knowledge and the manufacturing model here.” She added that this tactic requires shifting consumers’ relationship to their clothing. “We live in a finite world with finite resources,” Lane said. “Why are we thinking infinitely when it comes to (apparel) manufacturing.” Prior to the pandemic lockdown, Detroit Denim was producing 12 pairs of jeans a day, in addition to custom contract work for leather products and aprons. Now, Lane wants to reduce this to 10 pairs a day, stop the subcontracting jobs, and minimize their product offerings — which included shirts, vests and skirts — to focus on jeans and jackets, she said. Guarino agrees with Lane’s approach to environmentally sustain-

able garment making. “We need to start making things more on-demand, so we’re not requiring huge production minimums,” Guarino said. “Responsive rather than reactive or speculative manufacturing. Responsive is more about knowing what the market needs and having technology to build it at a competitive price.”

Technology and automation Coming up with a technologically innovative solution to environmental waste and economic exploitation in textile manufacturing is where McColl steps in. As the CEO of Whim, a technology company, she is responsible for merging the apparel industry with the tech and data ecosystem. Her latest effort involves collaborating with local apparel brands and manufacturers to integrate automation into the garment production process. “If you think about where a lot of the automation is going … it’s focused in optimizing the process,” McColl said. “Moving from linear production … where you had minimum quantity orders to hit as a brand in order to be produced … which led to waste … to a customer-led and on-demand model.” She also harkened back to Detroit’s history with cutting-edge automotive manufacturing. “Automotive has a clear understanding of repetitive production,” McColl said. “Apparel is behind the speed of where automotive is moving.” Automation in apparel includes tools that focus on optimizing the design, prototyping and sampling process, with technology like 3D knitting and robotic cutting machines, she added. This, she said, creates an opportunity for makers in Detroit to develop competitive skills. “What we wanted to do is to ensure that you’re enabling designers to do what they do best, which is design and prototype new products,” McColl said. As for the costs of the technology, McColl said it’s a part of a larger plan

to restore domestic production. “Automation is providing an opportunity for the US to build a competitive advantage against the Asian markets,” she said. Investing in automation can standardize nearshoring in the apparel industry, starting with makers in Detroit, McColl added. “I think at least with this industry, nearshoring is a win regardless,” she said. “(Local brands and makers) are trying to compete with price points per units that have been made in China. Bringing those jobs back is a win for the workers in the US.” Roslyn Karamoko, founder and CEO of Detroit is the New Black, a retailer on Woodward Avenue, said that nearshoring garment production will offer her a chance to diversify her current product line of T-shirts and hoodies. “We’re working with ISAIC to bring that manufacturing home,” she said. “We’re really excited about that. It has given us an opportunity to expand, moving beyond basics and doing more cut and sew pieces.” Karamoko added that the interconnected system being fostered in Detroit can expand “beyond a local narrative,” to be an example for the rest of the world. It could show what local fashion manufacturing can look like “when you couple that with an existing brand,” she said. Karamoko, along with other members of the local fashion industry, attributes a collaborative spirit, which includes factories lowering production minimums and local businesses sharing resources, to why making Detroit a central destination for garment manufacturing is plausible. “It’s so important that Detroiters are included and involved in access to that opportunity,” Lane said. “It cannot be big global companies coming to town and choosing direction of the industry.” “It’s about cooperation and partnership and being happy when your company colleagues make it and when they do well,” Grewal said. “That’s kind of our attitude that we’re going to make it when we all kind of make it. When Michigan has an (apparel) industry that is recognizable.”

PODS

From Page 3

But BGCSM is committing to one semester for now, Wilson said. “We want to stay agile. If COVID numbers drop and kids are going back to school in person, there’s no need for us to operate during the day. We would naturally fall back to our after-school hours.”

Student limits BGCSM and Downtown Boxing Gym have been talking weekly, sharing their plans for the programs. Hauser said it’s been exciting to have an ally like Wilson and BGCSM to work through the plans. “We need to think outside of the box as much possible and support each other as organizations,” Wilson agreed. “That’s what I’ve appreciated about working with Downtown Boxing Gym. Those weekly calls have been amazing. It helps you know you’re not alone.” Both nonprofits have been open over the summer to some degree, so they’ve gained experience in safety protocols that so far have prevented a single case of COVID-19 at any of their sites, they said. Both will continue to limit the number of students at each site per day as they expand hours and programs to support student learning. BGCSM will host up to 50 students per day at each of seven sites in the region and require parents to reapply each week. Students will need to have a $50 membership to the club in order to apply, Wilson said, with the exception of those at BGCSM’s new Pontiac site where memberships are being subsidized. Applications open Monday on its website. Wilson said BGCSM will give priority to applicants with the greatest need, such as lack of wi-fi and/or devices, and children of essential workers. Downtown Boxing Gym is using a “teams” approach, with two groups of 75 students each alternating weeks at the gym. Hauser said 150 of its 165 young members have signed up to spend their school days there. It provides its programs at no charge. At 27,000 square feet, it can safely host 75 kids and the staff in that space at one time with needed social distancing, Hauser said. BGCSM is staffing its classrooms with existing employees and hiring academic specialists for each site to work with staff, Wilson said. BGCSM will pair two educational facilitators with every eight students who come to one of seven sites in Wayne and Oakland counties. Downtown Boxing Gym plans to triple its staff numbers with the hire of 15 part-time tutors and three additional coaches, Hauser said. “We’re not replacing teachers. Our goal is to support youth with their distance-learning requirements from their school.” The agencies will help students get online and ready for virtual video instruction. They’ll help them complete homework and work on areas where they have fallen behind, Hauser said. The nonprofits will provide breakfast, lunch and dinner and snacks to students. They’re in talks with emergency food distributors such as Forgotten Harvest and other nonprofits about securing some of the food and exploring whether federally funded meals typically served in schools could follow the students. But both BGCSM and Downtown Boxing Gym expect to have to purchase part of the

Wilson

Hauser

food they’ll serve. Beyond the educational benefits, and enabling parents to go to work, there’s a huge social benefit to hosting the kids on-site, Wilson said. While not involved in schoolwork, kids will be able to engage in outside sports and other recreational programs in person and virtually that will help provide socialization. “We have to remember kids are literally going through trauma right

now,” Wilson said. “They walked out of school one day five months ago and haven’t been back since. … There’s a real mental health issue that’s happening with kids.” Hauser echoed that thought. “That social component — the data is showing that’s one of the greatest losses our young people are facing, the ability to socialize, the ability to get those positive endorphins going by running around,” she said.

Sorting out costs As for cost, BGCSM has closed much of the $2 million revenue gap it faced in April, Wilson said, noting it has about $500,000 left to raise. It expects to be able to absorb the added costs from shifting to full-day operations to support virtual learning, given cost savings from the clubs it’s kept

closed since the pandemic began. He projects it will end the year with a $5.2 million budget — down from $6 million earlier — and $4.3 million in expenses. “There’s an urgent need we’re trying to serve for youth. We’re walking a fine line of continuing to be there but also monitoring our finances,” he said. Hauser projects Downtown Boxing Gym, which is operating on a $2.4 million budget, will see an additional $500,000 in costs tied to the virtual classrooms and support, with increased transportation, additional staffing needs and the cost to purchase food. So far, it’s received a $50,000 grant from an undisclosed funder to go toward new hires. She’s talking with nonprofits including Skillman Foundation and McGregor Fund. And Downtown Boxing Gym and BGCSM have had

joint conversations with funders to try to figure out how to offset costs, such as attracting college students in education and athletic coaching programs. “The problem is we’re not an accredited institution, so students can’t get hours by coming and teaching, but we’re trying to work through some of that … to see if there are any exceptions that can be made … this year because of COVID,” she said Despite the costs, the role out-ofschool providers can play in facilitating learning this year is a model that’s replicable and one that should be happening across the country, Hauser said. “It’s a lot easier to manage a group of 50 or 75 vs. hundreds,” she said. Contact: swelch@crain.com; (313) 446-1694; @SherriWelch

YOUR PAST PREPARED YOU FOR NOW. At Wayne State University, we believe nothing should stop you from earning your degree. So whether you’re starting school later or looking to change careers, we can guide you on your journey. With counseling, flexible scheduling and available financial aid, no one has more ways to make a world-class education more affordable, more accessible and more rewarding. Take the first step and you’ll be amazed at how far it can take you. Finish your degree Warrior Strong. Visit go.wayne.edu/degree.

WARRIOR STRONG

AUGUST 17, 2020 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 27

Some discharged patients leave with other problems

From

D the m ing dise hear dise likel

Pos

“We are seeing patients having prolonged periods of not doing well” after recovering initially from COVID-19, said Meilan Han, M.D., critical care physician at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor. | BRYAN MCCULLOUGH/MICHIGAN MEDICINE

Patient complaints include fatigue, lingering shortness of breath, more BY JAY GREENE

Surviving COVID-19 — and leaving the hospital — isn’t always the end of the journey. Crain’s interviewed several leading clinical specialists and researchers in Michigan who focus their care on patients most likely to have post-hospitalization complications from coronavirus. Meilan Han, M.D., a critical care physician and professor of pulmonary disease at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor, said discharged patients are leaving the hospital with multiple other problems. “We are seeing patients having prolonged periods of not doing well” after recovering initially from COVID-19, Han said. “We don’t have tons of data yet and the information is anecdotal, but patients complain about persistent fatigue, malaise, lingering shortness of breath.” Han said patients sometimes have blood clots form in their lungs or legs either during hospitalization or after discharge, leading to the possibility of strokes. Neurosurgeon Hazem Eltahawy, M.D., president of the Michigan Association of Neurological Surgeons, said some patients could face long-term neurological effects after a COVID-19 infection. “There could be direct damage through thrombogenic effects (blood clots in the brain or lungs),” said Eltahawy, who also is chair of neurosurgery at St. Mary Mercy Hospital in Livonia. “It has been demonstrated that one of the significant reasons why this virus is so morbid is that it creates blood clots that are widespread and presents in multiple small vessels across the brain.” Eltahawy said the clots could reduce blood flow and also create inflammatory reactions that could be severe enough to show up on imaging studies. “The consequences could certainly leave a neurological mark on the central nervous system. The brain has limited ability to regenerate as opposed to other organs,” Eltahawy said. 28 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 17, 2020

“Sometimes what is lost does not fully recover.” Aditya Pandey, M.D., an associate professor of neurological surgery at Michigan Medicine, said some post-COVID-19 patients are coming back with stroke-like symptoms and other cerebrovascular complications. Another possibility is people developing infections in the brain either caused by or associated with COVID-19. “We don’t have any statistics yet or the downstream effects, but some people feel the hyperinflammation (with COVID-19) creates a propensity to form clots in the brain, or the legs and goes to the lungs that can lead to strokes,” he said. Han said some people — after surviving COVID-19 in the intensive care unit on a ventilator — are developing what is similar to acute respiratory distress syndrome. ARDS causes inflammation to the walls of

COVID-19 patients who develop ARDS-like symptoms and lung damage should be treated as if they have acute respiratory distress syndrome. Treatment varies but usually includes oxygen, sedation, medication and fluids. “Many of those patients are known to have significant lung function abnormalities that may persist for years. The data suggests five years, but not all have it,” Han said. “We’ll just have to see whether COVID tends to follow the same pattern.”

Heart, asthma issues in Detroit

Heather Abraham, M.D., an internist with University Physician Group in Detroit, said patients she has seen the past several months have a range of post-COVID-19 symptoms that include heart failure, asthma, shortness of breath and neurological issues. “It is not just patients who were admitted. Some were positive and just stayed home. One patient lost 30 pounds and was sick for a month,” Abraham said. “There is something incredibly inflammatory about COVID. Some cardiologists have recommended full cardiac — Heather Abraham, M.D. workups, echocardiograms and some patients may warrant cardiac catheterization” because of heart damage they have suffered. A new federal report from the Centers for Disease Control shows that people with heart disease and diabetes — Michael Brennan, D.O were hospitalized six times more often and the air sacs in the lungs that can make it diffi- died 12 times more often than otherwise healthy cult to breathe, limit the ability of red blood individuals infected with the coronavirus during cells to deliver oxygen and possibly lead to the first four months of the pandemic. Abraham pneumonia or asthma, Han said. said Detroit has higher rates of chronic diseases, Patients can also develop sepsis, a general including asthma, hypertension, diabetes and blood infection, because of inflammation in the heart disease, all problems that COVID-19 body. Han said most pulmonologists believe makes worse.

“IT IS NOT JUST PATIENTS WHO WERE ADMITTED. SOME WERE POSITIVE AND JUST STAYED HOME. THERE IS SOMETHING INCREDIBLY INFLAMMATORY ABOUT COVID.”

“HOPEFULLY THESE THINGS WILL BE TRANSIENT, BUT SOME PEOPLE WILL DEVELOP LIFELONG PROBLEMS. THERE ARE CASES WHERE THE VIRUS MAKES THIS WORSE.”

In Detroit, the prevalence of asthma is 29 percent higher among adults than those living in the rest of the state, according to a 2016 report from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Abraham said many patients also have social and psychiatric issues that complicate recovery. Michael Brennan, D.O., an endocrinologist in St. Clair Shores who practices at Beaumont Health hospitals, said a COVID-19 infection can make diabetes and kidney problems worse. “People are complaining about problems. They aren’t making things up. But what is the intervention we can do to fix these things?” Brennan said. “Hopefully these things will be transient, but some people will develop lifelong problems. There are cases where the virus makes this worse.” Brennan said he has treated COVID-19 patients with recurring symptoms after they have been discharged. “What we’ve seen with COVID-19 is that there’s a huge inflammatory response. This leaves people who you would call having pre-diabetes or borderline diabetes, who have insufficient insulin reserves, made worse by the inflammation process,” Brennan said. Fortunately, Brennan said he believes many younger patients who haven’t developed full onset diabetes can recover after several weeks. But it depends on age. “It’s a spectrum. If it’s a 25-year-old gentleman, or lady, most times they can get back to being normal with regard to pancreatic function, but if they’re a 78-year-old ... (they aren’t) going to be able to function at the same level as before, in most cases,” he said. Another problem that happens with COVID-19 patients is what is called a “cytokine storm” in which the body’s immune system goes into a potentially fatal overdrive and leads to multi-organ failure. “Those individuals seem to have an inflammatory response that exacerbate the diabetes,” Brennan said. “When they go home, some of those individuals do need medication for diabetes. ... Some may need insulin in addition to the glucocorticoid use. If they left the hospital on glucocorticoids, they may need some more help with diabetes management.” Contact: jgreene@crain.com; (313) 446-0325; @jaybgreene

Si this kille testi mos case died A al In and Task drom that “B trati AID COV som Th post suff deve over A Med pati still ular Of 1 serv Th have brea pap N soci COV disc Th incl mor bea ness cogn H Aug “H now and been post non cle g cal c A “I at lu out. ches brea like I cal “Th wer a po This no h fied agai thin

D ing has igan er-th ditio hyp F perc thos

CINE

perg in port and

ocial ery. st in mont can

ems. e inrenranong akes

pahave

that This -diuffiin-

many on-

t’s a they pand ... the

with kine goes s to

amtes,” e of dian to pital more

Doctors like Abraham say what worries them the most is the future health of patients recovering from COVID-19 who have existing chronic diseases. Those with diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, obesity, cancer or mental illness are likely to develop additional health problems.

Cancer patients could be affected more than others by COVID-19

Post-viral COVID-19

BY JAY GREENE

Since coronavirus swept into the U.S. earlier this year and Michigan in March, COVID-19 has killed more than 6,300 Michiganders with 84,000 testing positive. As of Aug. 12, the U.S. had the most deaths in the world at 165,000 and positive cases at 5.2 million. Worldwide, 745,000 have died with 20.4 million testing positive. Anthony Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, said post-viral COVID-19 syndrome is fast becoming a patient care problem that doctors are beginning to address. “Brain fog, fatigue and difficulty in concentrating,” said Fauci at a recent International AIDS Conference describing the new COVID-19 associated symptoms. “So this is something we really need to seriously look at.” There are no FDA-approved treatments for post-viral syndrome, but experts say patients suffering from it after a bout of COVID-19 can develop a severe illness that may take weeks to overcome. A June paper in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that 87 percent of patients in Italy who have recovered from COVID still have at least one persistent symptom, particularly fatigue and dyspnea, or labored breathing. Of 179 eligible patients, 44 percent were observed to have worsened quality of life. These so-called “coronavirus long-haulers” have symptoms that include fatigue, difficulty breathing, chest pain and joint pain, the JAMA paper said. Nationally, a growing number of patients on social media groups like Facebook’s “Long COVID Support Group” have freewheeling discussions about their lingering symptoms. They share and discuss mild problems that include continued loss of taste or smell to more serious ones such as irregular heart beats, unusual chest pressure or pain, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, memory or cognitive difficulties or recurring fevers. Here are two examples of postings in early August. “Hang in there, everyone. Even Dr. Fauci is now speaking up about post-viral symptoms and Covid long-haulers. Like many of you, I’ve been frustrated not only with my on-going post-viral symptoms, but also with my doctors nonchalant response and lack of help. This article gives me some hope that more in the medical community will start to listen and help.” Another COVID-19 patient said this: “I took a massive sudden turn for the worse at lunchtime today just hanging the washing out. I had bad heart pain and palpitations, chest pain, back pain, dizziness, I just couldn’t breathe, felt really sick, clammy and my legs felt like they were going to give way. I was so scared I called 911 who sent the paramedics out.” “They were looking for signs of sepsis but were happy I didn’t have any but advised about a possible readmission (to a COVID-19 ICU). This isn’t a place you want to be and I’ve been in no hurry to go back (after 17 weeks). I’m terrified of picking up another illness (or even Covid again) as I haven’t got the reserves to fight anything else off and do feel safer at home.”

William Cance, M.D., chief medical and scientific officer with the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, said little is still known about the long-lasting effects of how COVID-19 affects the lungs, brain, neurological, kidney and vascular systems. “It is a very enigmatic disease. We need real time data and share it across the world. (But) for cancer patients, we are learning that you are about five times more likely to die if you get COVID and are in active cancer treatment,” said Cance, a surgical oncologist. Cance Cance said he was startled but not surprised by the results of the June study in the medical journal Lancet. It also showed patients with cancer that has stabilized are twice as likely to die if they contract COVID-19. “We are seeing increased risks. We don’t know exactly why, but the diminished immune system from chemotherapy plays into it,” said Cance. “It is the perfect storm for bad outcomes for not only cancer, but for everything.” Michigan’s total cancer cases have been dropping the past decade. Among all ages, the state’s cancer rate is 12.8 percent, according to a telephone survey in 2018 for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services conducted by Michigan State University. The survey found the incidence rate of cancers increase with age. Some 25 percent of people ages 65-74 experienced cancer compared with 40 percent for those age 75 and above, MDHHS said. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Michigan in 2017 with 21,000 deaths, or 161 deaths per 100,000, compared with 152 per 100,000 nationally. Heart disease ranked the No. 1 cause of death with 25,000 deaths, or 195 per 100,000 in Michigan, compared with 165 per 100,000 nationally. But death rates for cancer and heart disease have declined in Michigan since 2009 by 16 percent for cancer and 4 percent for heart disease, according to MDHHS. Cance said a survey in April by the American Cancer Society’s Action Network found that 46 percent of 1,200 cancer patients and survivors said the COVID-19 pandemic reduced their ability to pay for treatment. Some 23 percent of respondents also feared losing their health insurance, and 79 percent reported treatment delays, up from 27 percent in a similar survey taken in March, the survey found. “For people who didn’t test positive for COVID, but who get diagnosed at a later stage, treatment costs clearly go up,” Cance said. “Treatment also becomes more complex, given the fact that the cancer was diagnosed later” than it could have been. One-fifth of all cancer patients and survivors surveyed reported concern that their cancer could be growing or returning due to their challenges in obtaining health care, the survey found. “On top of difficulty in paying for care there is the emotional impact on well-being. Social distancing and isolation is creating additional depression and sadness,” said Cance, adding that the survey found that 48 percent of cancer patients and survivors report negative effect on well-being. While the survey didn’t ask cancer patients if they contracted COVID-19, Cance said there is no doubt those people with COVID-19 most likely were negatively affected. “The focus (on treatment) is on the recovery of the lungs,” Cance said. “Cancer treatment has to take second place to the more immediate life-threatening complications. This is why people with progressive cancer had a fivefold increase in mortalities.”

DOCTORS

From Page 1

Metro Detroit health concerns Doctors are especially worried about lingering health issues of people in Detroit, which has been hit the hardest of any region in Michigan. Detroiters, on average, have higher-than-average rates of certain chronic conditions, including asthma, diabetes, hypertension and obesity. For example, the prevalence of asthma is 29 percent higher among adults in Detroit than those living in the rest of the state, according

Aditya Pandey, M.D., has seen patients return with stroke-like symptoms. | BRYAN MCCULLOUGH/MICHIGAN MEDICINE

to a 2016 report from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. People with chronic health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes were hospitalized six times more often than otherwise healthy individuals infected with the coronavirus during the first four months of the pandemic, and they died 12 times more often, according to a new report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Specialty doctors also say people who required intensive care are also at increased risk for mental health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression. Cancer patients who contracted COVID-19 also may have delayed treatment, leading to worsening conditions (see sidebar, this page). The additional costs to patients in dollars and in reduced quality of life is hard to calculate, said Edward Norton, a health economist in the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health. Besides health care costs of the acute COVID-19 treatment, Norton said people who develop longterm chronic illnesses related to COVID-19 will generate additional health care costs. “Very often when someone leaves the hospital they get additional, post-acute care. If they are elderly, they may go to a nursing home for rehabilitation,” Norton said. “COVID-19 disrupts the post acute care they normally would get and could exacerbate their current condition.”

What is a COVID-19 recovery? COVID-19 deaths, positive cases and recoveries in Michigan are tracked very closely by hospitals and the state health department. Statistics show that of the roughly 89,000 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in Michigan, 63,636 people, or about 71 percent, have recovered. But what is recovery? It is not the same for everyone. Some medical experts estimate that up to 30 percent of people who have survived a serious hospital stay from the coronavirus have lingering health issues. Symptoms can persist for several weeks to months, the experts say. Critical care doctors are finding that COVID-19 can have long-term, multi-organ effects on the bodies of patients, especially those who have underlying chronic diseases, including heart disease, kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes or obesity. Michael Brennan, D.O., an endocrinologist in St. Clair Shores affiliated with Beaumont Health, said he questions the term recovered from COVID-19. “Recovered? I don’t understand how they are qualifying for recovered. Are they able to do groceries? Do they have a headache and

fatigue, muscle aches?” Brennan said. “It is relative when it comes to one’s symptoms.”

What’s next? A big question among doctors and others in the health care industry is how many people in Michigan have post-viral COVID-19 syndrome or a related disorder associated with the disease? At Wayne State, Abraham said her goal is to find grant funding to create a comprehensive analysis of patients who have suffered postCOVID-19 symptoms. “Our goal would be to contribute to the generalized knowledge of COVID,” she said. Abraham said she hopes in September to move WSU’s COVID-19 clinic from Detroit Receiving to UPG’s new headquarters at 400 W. Mack Ave. where specialists could easier participate in the university’s continuing care COVID-19 clinic. Research also is underway at the University of Michigan and other university-based academic medical centers on the impact of COVID-19 on health, employment, quality of life and access to care. UM is conducting a survey about how COVID-19 is affecting survivors. “We know that the pandemic is much more than just an illness,” said lead investigator Nancy Fleischer, associate professor of epidemiology at the UM School of Public Health, in a statement. “It has caused a massive economic shift as well, and so we’re also asking about things that happened in terms of not just the people diagnosed with COVID-19, but also their families, and if they have experienced job loss, had problems paying rent or had a harder time feeding their families. Fleischer said the UM survey is asking survivors a number of questions, including how COVID-19 has affected their well-being and what health problems they are encountering. “We don’t know how many people and how long they will be affected. We are still in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Fleischer said. Aditya Pandey, M.D., a neurosurgeon at the University of Michigan, said doctors and hospitals are preparing for a possible second wave of COVID-19 later this fall. “We have to be prepped. Each health system needs to look at what they need. In April and May we saw a 30 percent decrease in patients coming in for stroke. We know strokes didn’t stop. They either died at home or their condition worsened and they risked becoming permanently disabled,” he said. Contact: jgreene@crain.com; (313) 446-0325; @jaybgreene

AUGUST 17, 2020 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 29

MAIL

From Page 1

“It’s more common that something that should take three days by mail is two or three weeks late — or not at all because some of the stuff just gets lost,” Haberman said. Last week, Byte & Mortar had a fiveday streak going of mail actually arriving — a marked improvement from previous weeks this summer. In recent months, there are have been four-day periods without mail, which Haberman says is “impossible” for more than 100 businesses that include mail-reliant law and accounting firms. Five months into the coronavirus pandemic and all of its sweeping changes on commerce, labor and the flow of goods, the U.S. Postal Service is the latest American institution that seems to struggling with disruption. Now it’s also become a lightning rod for President Donald Trump and his quest to quell mail-in voting in the November election.

The slow decent The USPS says it delivers roughly 181.9 million pieces of first-class mail each day but the fallout of COVID-19 and recent cost-cutting measures have crippled its ability to maintain the schedule businesses have relied on for 50 years as an independent agency. “People are really starting to doubt the reliability of the mail,” said Nicole Hudson, founder and president of Hudson Collective, a Royal Oak-based marketing and communications firm. Hudson said she has employees, contractors and vendors whose checks have taken a week longer than normal to be delivered this summer. Even the owner of her lawn service at home has been calling asking about his payment. “He’s called me multiple times and said, ‘Hey, this is kind of late’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I sent it out,’” she said. For the Livonia Chamber of Commerce, the hiccups in mail delivery led to the organization’s monthly newsletter that’s distributed to more than 1,000 members delayed by more than 30 days in May and June. Dan West, the chamber’s president and CEO, said the delays were an inconvenience but also making an already difficult challenge during a pandemic worse. “We as a chamber have to prove our value (to members),” West said. “I can’t shut you down if you don’t pay your energy bills or taxes, so I have to show

AMAZON

From Page 3

The Hazel Park property and Sterling Heights properties are what’s known as”last-mile” facilities, which are the final stops Amazon’s packages make before reaching their ultimate destination: consumers’ doorsteps. The fairgrounds building, on the other hand, is for shipping, sorting and other processing. “The reality is all the different facilities around town, they all serve different purposes,” said Luke Bonner, senior economic development adviser for Sterling Heights and CEO of Ann Arbor-based economic incentive, real estate and economic development consulting company Bonner Advisory Group LLC. “This is a pretty large facility. If you think about the size of facility vs. the amount of employees, this will be a highly roboticized plant, which leads me to believe it will be a sort-

we’re worth the membership fee. Without any events due to the pandemic, we have less to offer and our newsletters remind them of our value.” Small business is particularly reliant on the USPS. A 2019 report by the USPS Office of the Investigator General found that 70 percent of microbusinesses — any business with fewer than 10 employees — spends on average $359 per month on shipping, with more than half of them saying they ship with the Postal Service most frequently. John Taylor, chair of the marketing and supply chain management department at Wayne State University, said logistics delays, like those at the USPS, challenges profitability and competitiveness for businesses that rely on their services. “Supply chains are built around having certain lead times,” Taylor said. “When you introduce a lot of uncertainty into that system, businesses are not sure how much inventory they need to hold and reduces their flexibility to support customers and suppliers. This uncertainty is creating rigidity into the system. In a global competitive market, less-reliable transportation means you’re less competitive. Businesses relying on USPS as part of their supply chain, maybe you need to shift to something else and that’s more expensive.”

Cutting out the postman Large businesses that have successfully converted many of their customers to online billing have seen less impact. Detroit-based DTE Energy Co. and TCF Bank have not seen an increase in customer complaints about bill or statement delivery or late payments. “Customers continue to pay their bills on a timely basis,” Chris Lamphear, corporate communications manager for DTE, told Crain’s in an emailed statement. “We are closely monitoring both the timeliness of bills delivered and payments received to ensure we continue to serve our customers efficiently.” Approximately 70 percent of TCF customers receive their statements online, Randi Berris, director of corporate communications for the bank, told Crain’s in an email. Increasingly, businesses have cut the USPS out of the billing process to save on administrative costs — a move that has likely been accelerated by the pandemic, said Brian Calley, president of the Small Business Association of ing type of facility.” Susan Harvey, senior vice president in the Canton Township office of Ashley Capital, said Amazon’s parking and square footage needs mandated a site as large as the fairgrounds. “I know the fairgrounds site is going to be attractive because they need so much parking,” Harvey said. For example, the Pontiac Silverdome site — where Amazon’s 3.5 million-square-foot facility is rapidly rising — is expected to employ 1,500 and have 2,150 parking spaces. That’s one worker for every 2,333 square feet. Detroit’s would have one worker for every 3,167 square feet. What Amazon found at the fairgrounds was a city happy at the prospect of 1,200 new jobs — as controversial as those jobs have been in recent years, with concerns over worker treatment — and a large swath of land at its northern entryway developed with the third-largest company in the world planting a flag there.

30 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 17, 2020

Michigan and former lieutenant governor under Rick Snyder. “Banks have made it easier than ever to cut the post office out of the process of paying bills and first-class mail declines every year,” said Calley, a former community banker from Ionia County. “Changing that process might be daunting or intimidating for certain people. But the slowness of the USPS and the requirement to be remote has likely accelerated those trends.” First-class mail volumes have declined to 54.9 billion pieces of mail in 2019, down from a high of 103.7 billion in 2001. Instead, USPS has increased its package shipping volumes — up to 6.2 billion packages last year from 3.1 billion in 2010 — often acting as a lastmile carrier for competitors UPS, FedEx and Amazon. “The Postal Service has experienced a considerable increase in package volBonner said the decision to plot the facility within Detroit city limits has advantages for Amazon, which has an office location in the 150 West Jefferson building downtown but also decided not to put its so-called “second headquarters,” or HQ2, in Detroit and Windsor after a hard sell from the two cities across the Detroit River from each other. “From a corporate standpoint, putting a facility that size in Detroit is fantastic,” Bonner said. Amazon’s next targets remain to be seen, but Jeff Bezos’ company’s future growth in the region isn’t a speculation; it’s a certainty. It’s just a matter of where the next Amazon building rises out of the ground. “I’m not surprised anymore,” Harvey said of Amazon’s continuing growth in Southeast Michigan. “I’ve stopped being surprised. There’s another one, another one and another one.” Contact: kpinho@crain.com; (313) 446-0412; @kirkpinhoCDB

ume,” Elizabeth Najduch, a Detroit-based USPS spokeswoman, said in a statement to Crain’s. “In response to this, we are utilizing our available resources to match the workload created by the impacts of the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We appreciate the patience of our customers and the efforts of employees as conditions change on a day-to-day basis.” “We apologize for the inconvenience of late-arriving packages and are working to minimize the impact to our customers,” Najduch added. Package shipping appears to be returning to normal after USPS warehouses operated a significantly reduced capacity during the early days of the pandemic. Clement Brown Jr., founder of Detroit-based clothing brand and store Three Thirteen, told Crain’s package shipping via USPS has improved in recent weeks and is not causing any is-

The State Fairgrounds site in Detroit | LARRY PEPLIN FOR CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS

sues now. Same for popular Detroit Vs. Everybody, founder Tommey Walker Jr. told Crain’s.

Mixing mail and politics But just as USPS starts to recover from the pandemic shortages, it has found itself in the middle of an election-year power struggle over voting by mail that may be affecting its service to commercial and residential customers. While some businesses and customers report varying degrees of delivery delays, there have been absentee ballots that missed the deadline to be counted in the Aug. 4 primary and routine court records. The postal service’s cost-cutting directives such as halting all overtime and reported workforce shortages seem to be one of the culprits in the delays, Haberman said, who in-

Ship prob pand

CRAIN

tera wor P man sour bers Sen. sign tives D Logi Don relia wee incr the p L bloc for U den

t Vs. lker

over has lecting serntial

omvery balo be rou-

ting verortts in in-

Shippers of packages have reported that problems seen in the early months of the pandemic have eased. | LARRY PEPLIN FOR CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS

teracts on a daily basis with USPS workers in Troy. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s management of USPS has been the source of increased scrutiny by members of Congress, including Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, after DeJoy reassigned or displaced 23 postal executives on Aug. 7. DeJoy, a former executive at XPO Logistics, is an appointee of President Donald Trump, who has assailed the reliability of the Postal Service in recent weeks in a bid to raise doubts about the increased use of mail-in voting during the pandemic. Last Wednesday, Trump vowed to block $25 billion in emergency funding for USPS. The next morning, the president suggested in an interview on the

Fox Business Network that without the funding it would derail “universal mail-in voting.” “They need that money in order to make the Post Office work, so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots,” said Trump, who voted by mail in Florida’s primary earlier this month. “Now, if we don’t make a deal, that means they don’t get the money. That means they can’t have universal mail-in voting, they just can’t have it.” Michigan election officials expect record-setting use of absentee ballots by mail in November. About 64 percent or 1.6 million of the 2.5 million ballots counted in Michigan’s Aug. 3 primary were absentee ballots, shattering previous election records for voting by mail before Election Day. A week before this month’s primary, municipal clerks across Michigan concerned about the delays in mail service were urging residents to return their ballots at city halls or drop boxes. Absentee ballots not received before 8 p.m. Election Day cannot be legally counted. A smattering of clerks from Michigan’s most populous cities were reporting ballots arriving late in the mail last week. Ann Arbor’s clerk has counted more than 200 absentee ballots that have arrived late in the mail, Macomb Township received 170 late ballots and Grand Rapids got 118 ballots all bundled together one day last week, according to the Lansing newsletter Michigan Information & Research Service. And in Sterling Heights, 165 late ballots turned up — enough spoiled votes that could have changed the outcome of a Democratic primary for a Macomb County Commission seat, Crain’s reported. In Troy, city clerk Aileen Dickson told Crain’s on Thursday afternoon that her office had received 43 absentee ballots after the primary election. “But we also haven’t gotten mail in a couple of days,” said Dickson, whose office receives and sorts mail for Oakland County’s largest city. “So we’re kind of waiting for the shoe to drop, so to speak.” “We’re thinking that there’s going to be a tub of ballots that are going to come in that have been hanging out in the postal world somewhere and haven’t made it back to us yet.” Contact: clivengood@crain.com; (313) 446-1654; @ChadLivengood Contact: dwalsh@crain.com; (313) 446-6042; @dustinpwalsh

Bamboo’s Royal Oak expansion location is still moving forward, though may open later than planned. | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS

COWORKING

From Page 1

Coworking spaces operate essentially as a small part of the broader office segment within commercial real estate. But for years they’ve served as a relatively low-cost option for startup businesses to have not just a desk, a mailing address and a weekly happy hour, but also feel that they are part of a broader community of companies. “So I find that coworking spaces (are) really good to have a soft landing for a pretty low commitment, especially in regions that real estate and parking costs are so high,” said Emily Heintz, the founder and managing director of EntryPoint, an Ann Arbor-based nonprofit entrepreneurial research organization. “So between Detroit, Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor, you find a lot of times, the cost of renting an office is so high that it’s really a barrier to entry to actually starting a business and growing your team. It’s kind of a catch-22.” Ted Serbinski, a longtime Detroit-based investor who ran the Techstars Detroit accelerator program and now is managing director of the organization’s MetLife Digital Accelerator, referred to coworking spaces as “forced serendipity,” where “you can just bring people together and see what happens.”

Plans to grow The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on office spaces broadly, and coworking spaces specifically, remains largely unknown. In a CoworkingResources report published in July but based on data before the pandemic, the number of coworking spaces worldwide was projected to reach almost 20,000 this year and exceed 40,000 by 2024. It estimated that almost 5 million people would be working from coworking spaces by 2024, an increase of 158 percent compared to 2020. Amanda Lewan, co-founder and CEO of Bamboo Detroit, a tech-focused coworking space in downtown Detroit, said the effects of the spaces being shuttered for so long could be negative in the short-term, as burgeoning founders feel disconnected. But Lewan also touted some silver linings of having everyone indoors and remote. Particularly, it’s helped Bamboo bolster its event programming with more national speakers who simply address the group via Zoom, whereas they’d be unlikely to

come speak in person in Detroit. “So I think it made things more accessible for some of the startups,” Lewan said. “It’s harder because you’re not building relationships with your investors and you’re one person. But startups are flexible, so they can adjust their work habits.” In late February, just weeks before the pandemic took hold, Lewan announced that Bamboo would be expanding to a 20,000-square-foot building in downtown Royal Oak. That expansion is still set to move forward, she said, and will likely open toward the end of the year, as opposed to this fall as had been planned. A report last September from CBRE Inc. said metro Detroit had 472,000 square feet of coworking space as of the second quarter, with 44.2 percent of that being in downtown Detroit. At that time there were 16 operators with 28 locations in the region.

Coming back from the home office? While work-from-home has become part of the new normal, there are indications that a return to the office, or coworking space, is inevitable for many. A recent report from consulting firm Hamilton Place Strategies, using data from Eagle Hill Consulting, pointed to an array of statistics showing the “pitfalls” with always working from home. Among them were 50 percent of workers feeling less connected to colleagues, 45 percent feeling less productive and 36 percent feeling less positive about their career trajectory. “The office will continue to be important for many companies and workers, and the benefits of an office environment — such as training, mentorship, and collaboration — remain as essential as ever,” the Hamilton Place report says. “We have already begun to see limitations of remote work for some, with reports of more hours worked, burnout, and potential long-run losses in productivity.” New York City-based WeWork Companies Inc. stands as probably the most visible coworking-focused company, which as of March boasted 693,0000 “members” spread over 828 locations in 149 different cities around the world. The high-flying company was set for a large initial public offering last year, but those plans went up in smoke. In November, it said it would cut 2,400 jobs globally. WeWork operates two facilities in

downtown Detroit along Woodward Avenue and opened a third office building on Cass Avenue near New Center in early March. Erik Wullschleger, WeWork’s area director for the Midwest region, acknowledged that the office market has changed significantly over the last several months, but said the company is seeing significant “inbound inquiries,” particularly from larger companies seeking satellite office space for remote employees. Wullschleger declined to provide specific occupancy figures, but said that overall membership remains at a “healthy” level. The push toward larger employers working out of coworking spaces is part of WeWork’s new strategy, as laid out by the company’s new CEO Sandeep Mathrani in a recent Wall Street Journal report. “If you want to continue to grow faster, the additional demand comes from enterprise businesses,” Mathrani told the Journal. The story notes that push comes as many smaller tenants, particularly venture-backed startups, have left their spaces in WeWork facilities.

A sense of optimism Coworking spaces hold a special place for some startup founders, even if their companies have outgrown the facilities. Dug Song, the general manager and founder of Duo Security, may have sold his company to Cisco last year for $2.35 billion, but he also remembers its roots at Tech Brewery, a coworking space he helped found in 2009. “I am a big believer in the power of community to create conditions for startup success,” said Song,” adding that he’d be disappointed if the pandemic makes it harder for companies to come together in shared space. Doing so is “essential,” he said. Wolnerman echoed that sentiment and noted a sense of hope that small touches on hand at Bea’s -such as large windows at street level and a maker space of sorts in the back -- will eventually bring people back to working in the space. “I’m optimistic that people are sick of working from their home and they do need a place,” she said. “It’s a totally different mentality ... When you’re in an environment, you’re surrounded by other entrepreneurs, you’re definitely been more motivated.” Contact: nmanes@crain.com; (313) 446-1626; @nickrmanes

AUGUST 17, 2020 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | 31

THE CONVERSATION

OU President Ora Pescovitz on return to campus, planning past pandemic OAKLAND UNIVERSITY: In February, Ora Pescovitz, president of Oakland University, launched a campaign to change the formula of state funding in a way that would level the playing field among Michigan’s 15 public universities. Now, she’s appealing to lawmakers to apply that same principle when they go to slash higher education allocations to fill a huge state budget hole. A lot can happen in six months. For Pescovitz, a renowned pediatric endocrinologist turned university leader, things are changing by the hour. Bringing students safely back to campus during the COVID-19 pandemic is her primary concern. But she has not forgotten about the missions that drew her to higher ed in the first place, including community engagement and increasing the number of college graduates in Michigan. | BY KURT NAGL ` How do you plan long term during a public health crisis? I think you have to be a multitasker and at the same time learn to prioritize. I guess I have to say that that’s been the story of my life, and I think it’s a story of other good leaders. We obviously were doing other things when this COVID crisis hit. My intent is to achieve and exceed all the goals that I had for Oakland University but also for the community. ` What are those goals? I’m absolutely committed to the success of all of our students across the state of Michigan. And, for example, one of the goals, both the governor’s goal but also our goal here in Southeast Michigan, is 60 by 30. The goal is to get 60 percent (of state residents) to earn a college degree or certificate by the year 2030. We’re not on the trajectory to achieve that. This COVID crisis has actually done nothing positive to help us and it has partly derailed us. I remain very determined to ensure that we get back on track. ` What sort of work is OU doing in the community right now? Our primary engagement in the community, I would say, is in Pontiac right now. We’re in our sixth year of a major Pontiac-Oakland University initiative. It is a partnership that involves collaboration across the entire community from education to culture to politics to health care to the arts. We’re currently working with community foundations there during the height of the COVID crisis. We provided a huge amount of support to bring food, supplies, education and tutoring into the community ... You know, there are many universities engaged in Detroit. We are committed to Detroit as well, but we’re the only university in Pontiac and so we think that our ability to contribute there is probably second to none. `What else does the university have planned in Pontiac?

We’re exploring the possibility of (opening) a research building there. We’re exploring the possibility of a community work space. I would call it still, at this point, a possibility. We’re exploring it. ` How do you feel about Beaumont Health’s plans to move its school of medicine from OU’s campus to Royal Oak? Yeah, so that’s been under discussion for some time, and I think that it’s certainly a possibility and under consideration. I can’t really say much more about it because the way it was described by Beaumont was it is contingent upon the closing of the Advocate Aurora deal. `How has your background in medicine shaped the way you are steering the university through the pandemic? Well, I think it probably was helpful in that I understood the implications, I was able to consider what it meant and was able to explain it to our campus. I think it helped a lot with our reopening plan ... But it does cause me to have a lot of concern about what this virus means. We’re definitely, as a nation and as a state, not over the hump yet. And in the absence of a therapeutic or a vaccine, I have a very healthy fear of this virus. That is why I want to make sure that we take every single measure that we can to protect our students, faculty and staff as well as the broader community in which the university lives because I recognize that we do not live in a vacuum or in isolation. And so, I feel an enormous sense of responsibility to do the right thing.

of them are residential students. We are largely a commuter campus, so we’re not comparable at all to MSU and U of M. Many of the rest of the universities are not comparable to MSU and U of M either. Rochester and Auburn Hills are not college towns. We don’t have a lot of college bars. We’re not a party school. The things that bring high risk, which is the density of people, will not be happening. Most of our students are working students. That’s not to say we aren’t taking major health and safety measures that include social distancing and detailed health assessment plans. We are not requiring our students to have face-to-face instruction, nor are we requiring our faculty to teach face-to-face. We are making it entirely voluntary. Let me mention something else we’re doing because it might be considered controversial, but I’m quite proud of it. We combed the country searching for every possible way to protect our community, and I identified the Bio Button as the best possible tool to supplement all the other measures that we are using in our plan. It’s basically a state-of-the-art wearable device. It’s the size of a quarter, and you put it on your skin. It continuously

measures temperature, respiratory rate and heart rate and the data goes into the cloud. There’s an algorithm that identifies abnormalities in any of those vital signs. It is a screening tool that can identify the very early symptoms of COVID-19 infections, and it’s an outstanding tool for contact tracing. ` Everyone on campus has to wear one? We had considered making it mandatory because I think it would have been more efficacious. But in the end, we decided to make it voluntary. If everyone used it, it would be much more effective, but we’ve decided that acceptance would be much higher if it is voluntary.

Ora Pescovitz Oakland University president

ADVERTISING/MARKETING

Sales Inquiries (313) 446-6032; FAX (313) 393-0997 Director of Events and Program Content Kristin Bull, (313) 446-1608 or kbull@crain.com Senior Account Executive John Petty Senior Account Manager/Political Specialist Maria Marcantonio Advertising Sales Lindsey Apostol, Mark Polcyn, Sharon Mulroy People on the Move Manager Debora Stein, (917) 226-5470, dstein@crain.com Assistant Events Director Kacey Anderson Integrated Marketing Manager Kelsey Strachan, Kelsey.strachan@crain.com or (313) 446-1629 Insights Analyst Reginald Brown, reginald.brown@crain.com or (313) 446-1670 Senior Art Director Sylvia Kolaski Director of Media Services Joseph (Sam) Tanooki, (313) 446-0400 or sabdallah@crain.com Classified Sales and Sales Support Suzanne Janik CUSTOMER SERVICE

Single copy purchases, publication information, or membership inquiries: (877) 824-9374 or customerservice@crainsdetroit.com Reprints: Laura Picariello (732) 723-0569 or lpicariello@crain.com

RUMBLINGS

Detroit native first paralyzed gamer to sign with gaming company

er for his achievements in Fortnite, Stoutenburgh, 33, was signed after winning an early version of Rising Stars, Luminosity’s upcoming competition on the popular gaming platform Twitch.

32 | CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS | AUGUST 17, 2020

Annalise Frank, city of Detroit. (313) 446-0416 or afrank@crain.com Jay Greene, senior reporter, health care and energy. (313) 446-0325 or jgreene@crain.com Nick Manes, finance and technology. (313) 446-1626 or nmanes@crain.com Kurt Nagl, higher education, business of sports. (313) 446-0337 or knagl@crain.com Kirk Pinho, real estate. (313) 446-0412 or kpinho@crain.com Dustin Walsh, senior reporter, economy and workforce, manufacturing, cannabis. (313) 446-6042 or dwalsh@crain.com Sherri Welch, senior reporter, nonprofits and philanthropy. (313) 446-1694 or swelch@crain.com CLASSIC $169/yr. (Can/Mex: $210, International: $340), ENHANCED $399/yr. (Can/Mex: $499, International: $799), PREMIER $1,299/yr. (Can/Mex/International: $1,299). To become a member visit www.crainsdetroit.com/ membership or call (877) 824-9374 Group and Corporate Membership Sales Deb Harper, (313) 446-1623 or dharper@crain.com

`Several universities are now encouraging online classes this fall. Is it safe to bring students back to campus? Both MSU and U of M bring tens of thousands of students, many who come from out of state, to college towns. In the case of Oakland, I think it is just important to remember that we have a total of 19,000 students and less than 20 percent

Stoutenburgh

REPORTERS

MEMBERSHIPS

READ ALL THE CONVERSATIONS AT CRAINSDETROIT.COM/THECONVERSATION

A local esports competitor who had to learn how to play games in a whole new way after becoming paralyzed in an accident just made a big deal. Luminosity Gaming, a professional gaming agency based in Toronto, has signed Rocky Stoutenburgh, a gamer who lives in Southgate. Stoutenburgh, who goes by the name Rockynohands on social media and has quadriplegia, is the first paralyzed gamer to be signed to an esports organization. “All my hard work paid off,” Stoutenburgh said. “Now it’s really time to put in the work.” A two-time Guinness record hold-

crainsdetroit.com

Editor-in-Chief Keith E. Crain Publisher KC Crain Group Publisher Mary Kramer, (313) 446-0399 or mkramer@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 Group Director: Marketing & Audience Kim Waatti, (313) 446-6764 or kwaatti@crain.com Digital Portfolio Manager Tim Simpson, (313) 446-6788 or tsimpson@crain.com Creative Director David Kordalski, (216) 771-5169 or dkordalski@crain.com Assistant Managing Editor Dawn Riffenburg, (313) 446-5800 or driffenburg@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

Menashe Kestenbaum, president of Enthusiast Gaming, a digital esports organization that merged with Luminosity last August, said the company was so impressed with Stoutenburgh’s skills and demeanor it signed him immediately. Stoutenburgh’s contract pays him an undisclosed monthly salary and advice on content strategy to bolster his social media presence. He recently made a TikTok account that has garnered more than 78,000 followers within two weeks. A recent video of him playing “Call of Duty: Warzone” has amassed 1.6 million views.

Professional video gaming has become big business. One of the growing sector’s biggest stars is Tyler Blevins, a Taylor native better known by his gaming handle “Ninja,” who commands millions of dollars per year. Stoutenburgh was paralyzed from the neck down when he was 19 after he fell at a house party and dislocated his thoracic vertebrae and severed his spinal cord. He started gaming again when he began using Quadstick, a mouth- and voice-operated game controller with three holes that can be sipped or puffed into.

Crain’s Detroit Business is published by Crain Communications Inc. Chairman Keith E. Crain Vice Chairman Mary Kay Crain President 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 the third week in December, 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 2020 by Crain Communications Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial content in any manner without permission is prohibited.

CRAIN’S

THOUGHT LEADERS TAP INTO THE POWER OF VIRTUAL INFLUENCE. Crain’s Thought Leaders gives you an opportunity to showcase your expertise and address the Southeast Michigan business community about current events, trends and hot issues, from the comfort of your home office. Each Crain’s Thought Leader will have an opportunity to write a 400-word piece about their chosen topic; this piece will be published alongside a display ad in the printed issue. Thought Leader columns will also live in the content hub on CrainsDetroit.com for one year, appear in native ads online and in our e-newsletters.

SEPTEMBER 28 // IP Law OCTOBER 5 // Manufacturing OCTOBER 19 // Corporate Social Responsibility NOVEMBER 2 // Healthcare NOVEMBER 23 // Private Equity DECEMBER 14 // Economic Outlook // SELLING FAST! Close date 3 weeks prior to publication date; materials must be received 2 weeks prior to publication.

See a topic you’re interested in influencing? Contact Kristin Bull at kbull@crain.com for more information on this custom advertising opportunity

BE IN THE BOOK THAT IS ON EVERY CEO’s DESK ■ The Book reaches over 91k Southeast Michigan decision-makers ■ 96% of readers reference The Book year round ■ More than 25k copies distributed

Secure your space in this indispensable business resource today. Publishes Dec. 21 | Secure ad space by Nov. 27 Contact Lisa Rudy at lrudy@crain.com