Grand Rapids Business Journal 05.03.21

UFP INDUSTRIES puts workers on path to success.

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MAY 3, 2021 VOL. 39, NO. 9

The Business Newspaper of Metro Grand Rapids, Holland, Muskegon & West Michigan

Facility designs bearings for Mars Rover

THIS WEEK

TEACHER FINDS HER OWN WAY

An unfulfilling student teacher experience pushed Jennie Kueppers to explore management. Page 11

Muskegon plant has been putting components designed and/or made in West Michigan into space since the 1980s.

Rachel Watson

rwatson@grbj.com

Retail rebound?

Real estate advisers are ‘cautiously optimistic,’ but office sector remains in limbo.

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What’s next NextCycle public-private effort is intended to spark ‘recycling and recovery’ economy with $97M investment.

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GROWTH INDUSTRY Company lands 80% BIPOC participation in inaugural cannabis accelerator program.

Page 14

THE LIST

The area’s top commercial real estate brokers Page 8

The Mars Rover Perseverance 3 contains crucial parts designed and engineered in Muskegon. Courtesy NASA

A global company many years ago began designing in Muskegon special application bearings for missions in space, and its work can be found today on the Perseverance Mars Rover that’s currently collecting samples on the red planet.

SKF USA — which is part of Göteborg, Sweden-based SKF Group — is based in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, and has its North American Technical Center in Plymouth, as well as a design and production facility in Muskegon and a manufacturing plant in Sumter, South Carolina. The latter two it obtained when the company acquired Kaydon in 2013.

The Muskegon plant, which

opened in 1941 to serve the war effort, designs and/or manufactures ball bearings and roller bearings for the aerospace, defense, industrial machinery and heavy equipment markets.

Isidoro Mazzitelli, director of product development and engineering, Americas, at SKF USA in Plymouth, recently spoke to the Business Journal about the company’s work in the aerospace industry and the bearings on the Mars Rover in particular.

Each time the Perseverance collects or handles rock and regolith samples in the Jezero Crater during its multiple-year mission on the surface of the red planet — the mission was launched in July 2020 and the rover landed on Mars on Feb. 18 — key components from SKF will facilitate those activities, Mazzitelli said.

Enabling the Mars Rover’s core operations in the harsh environment are the Kaydon RealiSlim thin-section ball bearings, designed and engineered by SKF at the company’s global thin-secCONTINUED ON PAGE 6

MSU’s growth to net Kent County $339M annually Partners publish study on the future economic impact of the four buildings that comprise MSU’s Medical Mile presence.

Rachel Watson

rwatson@grbj.com

Michigan State University College of Human Medicine officials recently published a study outlining the future economic impact of the four buildings that comprise MSU’s Grand Rapids presence on the Medical Mile.

The buildings include the

Secchia Center, the MSU Grand Rapids Research Center, and two buildings under construction: the Doug Meijer Medical Innovation Building and Perrigo Company’s North American corporate headquarters, which in the report was dubbed “Building 4.”

In May 2019, MSU announced the university’s first public-private partnership with Health Innovation Partners, a real estate development joint venture between Rockford Construction in Grand Rapids, Walsh Construction/Walsh Investors in Chicago, Murphy Development Group in Chicago and MSU. A 75-year ground lease was signed for the development of the Doug Meijer Medical Innovation building and 600-car parking structure at

MSU Grand Rapids Innovation support of 2,017 jobs and an inPark in downtown Grand Rap- crease in yearly earnings of $142 ids. The fourth building’s tenant, million. This does not include the impact of conPerrigo Company, was announced “The innovation center struction, which is outlined in a in October 2020. is already attracting research summaAfter conentrepreneurs who ry below. struction on the The study, auPerrigo North look to capitalize on American head- existing opportunities, thored by Christian Glupker and quarters building — which began create new companies Paul Isely from April 14 — is com- and innovate at scale.” the Seidman College of Business pleted in 2022, at Grand Valley the annual direct Dr. Norman State Universieconomic activBeauchamp Jr. ty, was discussed ity related to the at the Economfour buildings anchored by the MSU Secchia ic Club of Grand Rapids’ April Center is estimated to be $203 12 virtual presentation, “A Bold million, with an annual economCONTINUED ON PAGE 6 ic impact of $339 million, annual

GRBJ.COM Vol. 39, No. 9 $2.00 a copy. $59 a year © Entire contents copyright 2021 by Gemini Media. All rights reserved.

Inside Track ...... 11 Guest Columns.. 18 Pentagon pressure Change-Ups ..... 24

DEVELOPERS eye U.S. 131 commerce center.

Calendar .......... 24 Public Record ... 25 Street Talk ...... 26

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ALWAYS OPEN FOR MICHIGAN BUSINESSES. As we move through 2021, Michigan businesses will continue to adapt. And the Michigan Economic Development Corporation will be here, helping to connect businesses to new resources, meet new partners and access the additional capital they need from the start. If your business needs support to reach its new potential, the MEDC is available to help in any way we can.

Find customized business assistance at michiganbusiness.org/pure-partnership

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

MAY 3, 2021

3

UFP Industries puts workers on path to success

The company’s UFP Business School leadership training program has graduated 17 people to date.

Rachel Watson

rwatson@grbj.com

B:14.75"

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The talent shortage is real, and one local company is working to solve it with a training program that turns employees into leaders.

UFP Industries, a Grand Rapids-based holding company whose subsidiaries supply wood, wood composite and other products to the retail, construction and industrial markets, in 2016 quietly launched the UFP Business School, which this summer will be graduating its fourth cohort of students.

The program offers internal and external applicants who have a high school diploma or GED the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in business administration in just two years, blending on-the-job and classroom experience taught by instructors who are UFP employees and executives. The program is free to students and funded in part by sponsors and the rest

by UFP. Ann Baker, a UFP employee since 2019, became dean of the program in October. She came to UFP Industries after an 11-year career as a school counselor in Pennsylvania. The districts she worked for offered career and technical centers for their high school students, so Baker found herself counseling young people

who were developing a passion for the skilled trades and industrial careers rather than going on to earn traditional four-year degrees.

She and her husband relocated to Grand Rapids after her retirement from secondary education, and she said while she couldn’t have foreseen the direction her career would take, UFP Industries and the opportunity to steer the UFP Business School ended up being an exciting twist of fate.

She said back in 2016, UFP CEO Matt Missad was looking for a way to invest in his people at a new level.

“He started realizing that this was a (way) to really be able to give opportunities to people that might not always have them,” Baker said. “And by having this be a full scholarship, which also includes a company laptop, books and your education, it really is something that’s making a change for a lot of individuals.”

UFP Business School — which runs year-round except for breaks and holidays — launches a new two-year cohort every year, and while it started out small, with just three employees graduating in the first three cohorts, this year saw a big jump in enrollment, with 14 students set to graduate in August and a new cohort ready to launch in September.

The program includes a total of 30 business classes covering topics such as math, communications, employment law, risk management, leadership and entrepreneurship. The spring term includes a six-week paid internship at UFP plants across North America, where students learn the operations management side of

Participants in UFP Business School blend on-the-job training with classroom instruction to earn the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in business administration in two years. Courtesy UPF Industries

the business.

Classroom learning happens through a mix of virtual and in-person, depending on where the students are located, and the company flies the out-of-state students to Grand Rapids for graduation and networking each summer.

So far, the program has enrolled students working at UFP locations in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, California, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin and Mexico.

Students who are located in Grand Rapids where UFP’s headquarters are based have the oppor-

tunity to spend a term in any of the corporate departments, such as human resources, credit or product development, then they can do their six-week internship at any plant in North America.

Baker said the opportunity for students to learn from current employees and apply the education immediately is priceless.

“You are learning directly from people who live what they teach,” she said. “Who better to learn entrepreneurship from than our CEO Matt Missad? Who better to learn employment law from than Ingrid Shane, our director of employ-

ment practices? Risk management is actually taught by one of our lawyers, Joe Celello. … Everyone that takes on these classes has that every day, real-world application that they can come with those examples and really be able to give it back to our current students. And then, the best part is our current students can take that information and go back and improve their roles at their plants that they’re at, so it’s instantaneous.”

While Baker said there is no set-in-stone expectation that stuCONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Advisers cautiously optimistic for retail Office sector remains in ‘waitand-see’ limbo.

Ehren Wynder

ewynder@grbj.com

The area in question is along U.S. 131 near where the Gun Lake Tribe is investing in an off-ramp extension next to Gun Lake Casino. Courtesy Brian Silvernail

Developers eye U.S. 131 commerce center Group is asking city of Wayland to annex parcels near Gun Lake Casino.

Ehren Wynder

ewynder@grbj.com

A group of property owners in Hopkins Township are attempting to have approximately 500 acres of land along U.S. 131 annexed to the city of Wayland to allow development for a new West Michigan

Commerce Center.

Brian Silvernail, realtor associate at Show Grand Rapids Real Estate, said he is representing 13 property owners who signed a petition to have their property annexed from Hopkins Township to allow for necessary sewer and water infrastructure, as well as for 12th Street, an existing service drive along U.S. 131, to be repaved.

“Many just want the road to be improved and so they are willing to pay more taxes to the city to get a paved road between Wayland 135th and 129th at Bradley,” Silvernail said.

Silvernail said he and the property owners have been turned down by Hopkins Township on getting pieces of the property rezoned since 2002. In January 2020, Silvernail instead submitted an application to the state to annex the properties to the city of Wayland, which he said would be more receptive to rezoning.

According to the annexation request, the Gun Lake Tribe acquired approximately 1,000 acres of land in the immediate area over the decades, mostly in Wayland CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Multiple commercial real estate markets in Michigan are showing signs of recovery as activity picks up across the state, according to Colliers West Michigan’s 2021 Q1 market trend reports analyzing trends in West Michigan’s retail, industrial and office sectors.

“A new year offered a fresh start for many people, and a light at the end of the pandemic tunnel,” said Jon Potvin, managing director at Colliers West Michigan. “This extended to commercial real estate markets around Michigan, which saw heightened activity beginning in 2021. We are feeling more optimistic about the future and seeing signs that markets are recovering.”

The retail sector, which was hit extremely hard by shutdowns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, is showing some signs of recovery and causing cautious optimism among advisers and retailers.

Improved economic activity spurred by more people being vaccinated and feeling safer to venture out, in-person learning on college campuses and other returns to “normal” have driven consumer spending and a growing optimism that will help entertainment, retail, bars and restaurants.

Advisers saw tenants active in many segments, from grocery to home goods and furniture to home improvement. There has been more activity with medical-related tenants, fitness and restaurants with and without drive-thru service, and a vacancy rate of 5.10% overall.

The vacancy rate has decreased since last quarter but may creep back up due to landlords trying to recoup rent they previously abated. Rental rates remained steady at $14.31 per square foot, and advisers noted high-quality spaces in good locations are getting leased.

“Retailers are beginning to feel cautiously optimistic about the coming months as we’re seeing signs of a rebound,” said Earl Clements, senior vice president at Colliers. “Retailers and restauCONTINUED ON PAGE 16

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MAY 3, 2021

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

EGLE and partners collaborate on NextCycle Michigan Public-private effort is intended to spark ‘recycling and recovery’ economy with $97M investment, including $4.9M in grants.

Rachel Watson

rwatson@grbj.com

Leaders of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) and several public and private stakeholders convened in April to unveil a collaborative effort to spark a “recycling and recovery” economy in the state.

In a virtual presentation April 19, EGLE joined with the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, bipartisan lawmakers and Meijer to announce NextCycle Michigan, an initiative designed to spark an economic recovery through recycling activities.

EGLE said that as part of NextCycle Michigan, already in 2020 and 2021, $97 million has been committed to recycling projects through partners that, in addition to Meijer, include Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, GFL Environmental in Southfield, Carton Council of North America, Goodwill Industries, Keurig Dr Pepper, Foodservice Packaging Institute, U.S. Business Council for Sustainable Development, Emterra Envi-

ronmental on the east side, Washtenaw County, Great Lakes Tissue in Cheboygan and more than 30 Michigan companies, organizations and nonprofits.

Liesl Clark, director of EGLE, described NextCyle Michigan and the Renew Michigan grants as “the largest push in state history to promote recycling activities that divert materials from Michigan landfills, boost local economies and support Gov. (Gretchen) Whitmer’s climate change priorities through reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.”

She noted Public Thread in Grand Rapids is an example of a company whose activities this initiative is designed to support.

“Public Thread is a community-based upcycling company working to divert scrap and surplus textiles from our landfills, create living wage jobs and support a growing creative economy.

By creating something new out of waste materials, Public Thread is keeping thousands of pounds of textiles from the landfill, including grain bags, fabrics, banners and billboards. Public Thread designers transformed these rescued materials into expertly crafted products for the mindful consumer. The NextCycle Michigan initiative is designed to promote more companies like Public Thread that are prosperous, green and growing,” Clark said.

Another example is Emterra, which in April opened a new $9 million recycling sorting facility built through a collaboration with

Schupan Recycling, based in Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, got a $250,000 grant for equipment that empties packaging, allowing for additional containers to be recycled. Courtesy Schupan Recycling

the cities of Lansing and East Lansing. The facility uses robotics to process recyclables from more than 676,000 households across 12 counties in and around the Capital area, increasing access to recycling throughout the region and creating new jobs in Lansing. The materials from the Emterra facility then go to businesses like Great Lakes Tissue in Cheboygan, which turns old cartons into the toilet paper sold in grocery stores across the state, including at Meijer.

To highlight NextCycle Michigan’s launch, EGLE announced a record-setting total of more than $4.9 million in Renew Michigan grants to recipients in 45 communities statewide that will support the initiative.

“The funding is part of EGLE’s strategy to support recycling infrastructure, improve the quality of recyclable materials and promote market development using the Renew Michigan Fund, which was created in 2019 to bolster the state’s recycling efforts,” Clark said.

The NextCycle Michigan partnership will help fund infrastructure investment to promote the development of markets for recycled materials and recycled products, including manufacturing, said Liz Browne, EGLE’s materials management division director.

Browne said Michigan is among the first states in the U.S. to introduce a partnership like this that leverages state dollars

with private investment to fund shovel-ready projects, technology installation and innovation grants.

“Our aim is to spark the state’s ‘recycling and recovery’ economy,” she said. “At EGLE, we know that recycling is one of the most important things you can do every day to make a positive difference for our environment and climate.

But what many Michiganders often don’t realize is that recycling has become an essential tool in supporting our state’s local economies, businesses big and small, and major employers in the manufacturing sector.”

By turning waste materials into new products made in Michigan, EGLE and its partners plan to achieve the state’s goals of saving resources, protecting the climate and contributing to the prosperity of Michigan-based companies.

“We believe NextCycle Michigan marks the greatest accomplishment in recycling since our state achieved its first-in-the-nation status by introducing the bottle bill law in 1976,” Browne said.

Michigan Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Rich Studley thanked EGLE for doing more than ever with plastics, metal, paper and all forms of recyclable materials. Together with its partners, EGLE is planning to use public and private investment in Michigan’s recycling system to put materials once destined for the landfill back into use in manufacturing.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 25

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

MAY 3, 2021

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Nonprofit makes history, charts course for the future Family Network of Wyoming enters new era with two African American women at the helm.

Rachel Watson

rwatson@grbj.com

For the first time in its 17-year history, Family Network of Wyoming has two female leaders of color, and half of its board members are women.

The nonprofit located at 1029 44th St. SW in Wyoming has a mission “to provide dignity and love like Jesus, bringing people together to build stronger, healthier communities” with a goal of “fostering a caring, kind and inclusive environment” to ensure that its clients “leave feeling dignified and respected.”

Family Network offers a food pantry; mobile food trucks; nocost lending of durable medical equipment such as crutches, walkers, wheelchairs, bathroom aids and shower chairs; a Christmas Store; and additional events, resources and services to about 11,000 people per year.

The food it gives away is sourced from corporate partnerships with Costco, SpartanNash, Trader Joe’s, Aldi and Feeding America West Michigan, and all of the food is first inspected to meet high quality and freshness standards before being put on its shelves.

“The food that we provide is food that we would put on our own table — not food we would cast aside,” Family Network’s website says.

Raycheen Sims, co-pastor at Grand Rapids First in Wyoming and formerly the nonprofit’s program coordinator, was appointed as Family Network’s co-executive director after the retirement of Dale Echavarria in late 2019, and she recently stepped into the role of full-time executive director after her co-leader, Karrie Brown, moved on.

Last year, Shontea Jenkins, a manufacturing supervisor at Praxis Packaging and former employee of the Grand Rapids African American Health Institute, joined the board of directors, and in February, she was elected board president.

This marks the first time not only that the nonprofit has had two women in its top leadership positions, but two African Americans, as well.

Jenkins said she is connected to Family Network both as an attendee of Grand Rapids First, where Sims is a pastor, and as a former client of Family Network.

“I know both sides of the fence.

I know where there’s need, and then I know how to help those that are in need,” she said. “I’m very humbled by that, because with the Family Network of Wyoming, I was shown dignity and respect when I was on the client side.”

When Gary Lemke founded Family Network of Wyoming in 2004, and for many years after, the nonprofit’s leadership and board was comprised of all men and primarily affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church. Today, the

board has four men and four women members, as well as a female program assistant on staff, and it is supported by and networks with congregations such as Kentwood Community Church, Grand Rapids First, Grace Reformed Church, Wesley Park United Methodist Church, Beverly Reformed Church, Calvary Christian Reformed Church and St. John Vianney Catholic Church.

Jenkins said she has been excited to hear feedback from longtime volunteers such as board vice chair and the owner of Hanenburg Builders, Dave Hanenburg, who

recently told her after a board retreat that it feels fitting that the nonprofit is moving “in a better direction instead of (keeping) it old school.” Jenkins agrees, saying the nonprofit is now actively leaning into its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion internally and externally in the communities it serves.

“That’s a lot to be said, because it’s like we’re covering a whole gamut, and culturally wise, just a whole new hemisphere of folks. It is an exciting time,” she said. “Very CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Family Network of Wyoming offers a food pantry; mobile food trucks; no-cost lending of durable medical equipment; a Christmas Store; and additional events, resources and services to about 11,000 people per year. Courtesy Family Network of Wyoming

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MAY 3, 2021

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

MSU’s growth to net Kent County $339M annually important way to contribute is by creating a platform for all parts of the health ecosystem to come together to find new ways to solve the health challenges that face our communities, our nation and the world,” Beauchamp said.

“The innovation center is already attracting entrepreneurs who look to capitalize on existing opportunities, create new companies and innovate at scale.”

Aron Sousa, interim dean at the MSU College of Human Medicine, added: “When we expanded our medical school and opened the Secchia Center in 2010, we set our sights on creating a medical education and research hub along the Medical Mile. As I reflect on this work, I am grateful to all those who have contributed to make this possible, including our philanthropic community, Health Innovation Partners and our Medical Mile partners Spectrum Health, Van Andel Institute, Mercy Health Saint Mary’s and Grand Valley State University. I am optimistic that the next phase will include discovery of new therapeutics and technologies to improve human health as we continue to train the next generations of physicians, many of whom practice in the region following their residency.”

BAMF Health is one example of a company based in Grand Rapids that is harnessing innovation to save lives. BAMF — which stands for Bold Advanced Medical Future — is dedicated to building a nationwide infrastructure to make a novel molecular imaging and molecular targeted radiation therapy available and affordable to all patients, Chang said. The startup has a technology that allows it to see tumors that no other current tools can catch, and it has already used that technology to treat late-stage prostate cancer patients and put them in complete remission.

BAMF harnesses AI to streamline diagnosis and treatment from several weeks or months to

a same-day process.

Its new location on Medical Mile, which is projected to open on Feb. 22, 2022, will be the most advanced radiopharmacy, molecular imaging clinic and theranostic (therapeutic diagnostics) clinic in the world, Chang said.

He expects to create between 150 and 200 advanced-degree positions in the next two years and open several other radiopharmacy/theranostics clinics across the U.S. and the world to transform oncology, neurology and cardiac treatment for patients with terminal illnesses. The Grand Rapids center will be the flagship location.

Chang said the reason he came to Grand Rapids 10 years ago and started his business here is because of the vision behind Medical Mile.

“My heart of being a scientist is trying to develop technology which might impact health care for patients and make it accessible to patients,” he said. “It’s not just publishing papers and getting promoted to become a professor. This infrastructure over here allowed us to do research and also have a great chance to translate it into a clinical (application) way faster than any other place in the nation, and that had me very, very excited. In the past 10 years, with the continued growth of our medical community, we bring a lot of international/ global talent to our community with the building of a world-class facility in Grand Rapids. We have every single component that we need over here, and there’s no reason we cannot be top of the world in specific fields.”

MSU contracted with the Grand Valley State University Seidman College of Business to perform an analysis of the four Medical Mile buildings’ impact on Kent County’s economy. Below is a summary of the research.

Medical Mile presence Four buildings comprise MSU’s

Catalytic effect Another effect of the Grand Rap-

Conclusion As a result of the research complex that began with the Secchia Center, there has been a significant economic effect on the surrounding community. Building on the nearly $300 million spent on new construction, the research will soon directly support more than 1,100 jobs, which will then support another 900 jobs across the community. The scientific innovation underway also is elevating the stature of research being done across the Medical Mile, leading to better chances at getting grants and recruiting top researchers not only for MSU, but also for the other research centers in Grand Rapids, according to MSU.

Facility designs bearings for Mars Rover

an option,” Mazzitelli said. He added space bearings must be a small fraction of the weight of standard bearing assemblies while also being large — about two meters in diameter in some cases — as well as reducing friction and enduring extremely low temperatures of more than 200 degrees below zero.

Kaydon bearing solutions often are customized from baseline models for specific customers and commonly used in applications that require a balance between strength, weight, size, functionality and reliability — including robotic surgical equipment, automated precision manufacturing, detailed painting, aircraft systems, airport security scanners and medical CT imagers.

In addition to the latest mission, SKF has a decades-long history as a supplier to global space programs, dating to NASA’s Apollo 11 mission in 1969.

The Muskegon facility’s special application bearings have been in

space since the 1980s and were featured on the following missions, Mazzitelli said: •Previous MARS Rovers (2004 and 2012), Curiosity, Spirit and Opportunity (several bearings, steering actuators and other parts, designed in Muskegon and manufactured in Sumter) •Space shuttles including the Columbia (1981) and the International Space Station (ISS). The robotic manipulator arm is equipped with bearings designed and manufactured in Muskegon, which were used to build the ISS. •Hubble Space Telescope •Various satellites and space exploration probes “Our company’s bearings, seals and other products have helped enable a wide range of spacecraft and missions for more than 40 years,” said John Schmidt, president, SKF USA. “Our parts have flown on the previous space missions, dozens of commercial and government satellites, space-borne telescopes, a

wide range of rocket launch vehicles and in astronauts’ spacesuits.

When conditions become critical and applications demanding, engineering knowledge is the only way to success.”

Mazzitelli said SKF is always looking for more engineers to join its design team.

“There are not so many people in the world who are able to make these types of bearings,” he said.

While experience in aerospace engineering is a plus, he said it’s not required, as all new hires will go through the SKF training academy and will learn on the job. He said most of all, he values diversity, fresh eyes, passion, creativity/futuristic thinking, and a willingness to learn and grow.

He added it is an exciting time to enter the aerospace field, as like other manufacturing environments, it is harnessing the robotics, automation, design and connectivity of Industry 4.0 to meet customer expectations.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Vision for the Future in Health Transformation.” Guest speakers included Dr. Norman Beauchamp Jr., executive vice president for health sciences at MSU, and Dr. Anthony Chang, founder and CEO of BAMF Health, a Grand Rapids-based AI medicine startup that will move into the Doug Meijer Medical Innovation Building when it is finished.

Beauchamp said the collaboration and partnerships that led to Medical Mile can be traced back nearly two decades to conversations between Grand Action and the MSU board of trustees.

“If you go back to 2005, a very bold vision came forth between West Michigan and Michigan State University. It was to create a medical school campus that had its headquarters here in Grand Rapids. It was in so doing to establish Michigan State as an integral part of the community with a physical presence and an identity. It was to connect together to create a research cluster focused on improving health, and it was also to really help us establish the medical school as one of the keystones for establishing Grand Rapids and West Michigan as a center for life sciences commercialization. And the results over the last decade have been remarkable.”

The report described the catalytic effect the MSU Grand Rapids Research Center has on the scientific ecosystem in the West Michigan region. It complements research efforts of Van Andel Institute and Spectrum Health and is a magnet for recruiting top researchers who are attracted to innovation, collaboration and new funding opportunities. Research spinoffs also are anticipated to generate new businesses by taking advantage of the scientific innovation.

“We were invited to West Michigan to be a partner in an amazing community. We see an

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

tion bearing engineering center in Muskegon and produced at its manufacturing hub in Sumter, South Carolina.

These components contribute to the survival of the rover’s main robotic arm, sample collecting turret, tool bit carousel and sample handling assembly during a months-long trip through space — and its function as intended on the Mars surface. SKF also supplied critical bearings for the mission’s launch vehicle, which carried the rover and its lander into space.

SKF bearings are playing an integral role in the process of sample collection on Mars. When the rover starts to collect samples on the

surface, the robotic arm maneuvers into place and the tool bit carousel whirrs into action, deploying tools to drill or abrade material, which are then collected by the sample collecting turret, aka “the hand,” and transferred to the sample handling assembly for processing onboard the rover, and eventually a potential return to Earth for analysis via a future Mars mission.

“The bearings we designed and built to help the rover perform its core science activities were based on several models of Kaydon thin-section ball bearings customized by our engineers to minimize weight and save space while retaining maximum functionality and reliability for a mission where repair or replacement is simply not

BAMF Health is one of the businesses that already has set up shop in MSU’s downtown Grand Rapids campus. BAMF works with imaging and targeted radiation therapy at the molecular level.

Courtesy Michigan State University

Grand Rapids presence on the Medical Mile (construction 2008-2022): •MSU College of Human Medicine Secchia Center •MSU Grand Rapids Research Center •Doug Meijer Medical Innovation Building •Perrigo Company PLC North American Corporate Headquarters

Construction activity The construction of all four buildings totals $295.1 million and will generate $352 million in economic activity, with 1,991 construction jobs created. ​ nnual economic impact A Based on the data provided and the estimates made, direct economic activity is estimated to increase gross sales (output) in Kent County by $339 million and increase local earnings by $142 million. The operational spending will support 2,017 local jobs.

ids Research Center is that it becomes an asset to the research ecosystem in the West Michigan region.

•Complements research efforts of Van AndeI Institute and Spectrum Health •Positive impact on recruiting physicians and researchers to the community

Moving forward together

in Grand Rapids

Over the past year, we’ve all been challenged in one way or another by this health crisis — physically, emotionally, financially. And while questions remain about what lies ahead, we know one thing for certain: The only way to move forward is together. To that end, Bank of America remains fully committed to supporting the health and economic recovery of our clients, communities and teammates.

We know that small businesses, so critical to our local economy, have been greatly impacted. Through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), to date we’ve delivered 478,731* PPP loans — totaling nearly $34.5 billion* in funding — to help our clients continue to operate and pay their employees. Importantly, more than 99% of those loans went to companies with fewer than 100 employees.

Partnering with local nonprofits, we’ve distributed more than 27 million masks for vulnerable populations as part of our ongoing efforts to address health-related disparities accelerated by the coronavirus.

We’ve offered new and expanded benefits to help our employees balance family and work, including over 3.7 million days of back-up child and adult care. That’s an investment of more than $370 million in child and adult care reimbursement.

I’m so proud of the way our community has come together to help those who need it most. And I’m certain that Grand Rapids has the power to be stronger than ever as a result.

Helping Grand Rapids move forward: • Delivered PPP funding to over 7,666 of our small business clients in Michigan for more than $675 million in relief • Distributed 10,000 masks through our local partners including: – Hispanic Center of West Michigan • Expanded benefits for our employees to include additional child and adult care services plus virtual medical and behavioral health consultations at no cost

Renee Tabben President, Bank of America Grand Rapids

Go to bankofamerica.com/community to learn more about the work we are doing with our incredible partners.

*PPP data as of 04/04/2021 Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Credit Opportunity Lender. © 2021 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

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GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

MAY 3, 2021

THE LIST

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New adviser

Total No. of commercial listings Sample of current listings offered

1

NAI Wisinski of West Michigan 100 Grandville Ave. SW, Suite 100 Grand Rapids 49503 p (616) 776-0100 f 776-0101 naiwwm.com

Dave Smies Doug Taatjes Tom Kilgore Kurt Kunst Mary Anne Wisinski-Rosely Rod Alderink Bill Tyson Jason Makowski Brad Bruinsma Chris Prins

2011

25 9

23

458

Office building for sale: 1179 East Paris Ave. SE; office building for sale: 300 E. Beltline Ave. NE; industrial building for sale: 1500 Buchanan SE; Downtown retail for sale: 60 Monroe Center NW

2

DAR Commercial Real Estate 5500 Northland Drive NE Grand Rapids 49525 p (616) 361-2307 f 361-2307 darcommercial.com

Darrel Herweyer Dave Denton

1996

4 1

3

320

Lease: 285 Dodge St. NE, Comstock Park; Lease: 5020 East Beltline Ave. NE

3

Northstar Commercial LLC 660 Cascade W. Pkwy. SE, Suite 110 Grand Rapids 49546 p (616) 247-9600 f 247-9601 northstarcommercial.net

Steve Millman Steve Wilson

2009

12 2

10

285

3767 28th St. SE; 1705 S Beacon Blvd., Grand Haven; 4515 14 Mile Road NE, Rockford

4

Colliers International West Michigan 333 Bridge St. NW, Suite 1200 Grand Rapids 49504 p (616) 774-3500 f 242-0630 colliers.com/en-us/westmichigan

Jon Potvin Katy Teklinski

1995

14 7

14

251

99 Monroe Ave. NW; 333 Bridge St. NW; 3260 Eagle Park Drive NE; 151 Central Ave.; 3114 84th Ave. and 800 Riley; 218 N River Ave.; 6901 Portage Road

5

Bradley Company 220 Lyon St., Suite 400 Grand Rapids 49503 p (616) 254-0005 bradleyco.com

Brad Toothaker Jeff Tucker

2013

15 4

14

141

Exhibitor's Building, Waters Building, Boardwalk Building, American Seating Office Park, Palace Building, Watermark Center, People's Building, Western Michigan University-Beltline Campus

6

Ben M. Muller Realty Co. Inc. 1971 East Beltline Ave. NE, Suite 240 Grand Rapids 49525 p (616) 456-7114 f 456-6025 mullerrealty.com

Mark Muller

1958

5 0

4

48

DND

7

SVN / Silveri Company 2959 Lucerne Drive, SE, Suite 110 Grand Rapids 49546 p (616) 949-6168 f 949-7929 svn.com

Glenn Turek

1989

6 DND

5

42

DND

8

MOXIE 5020 East Beltline Ave. NE, Suite 201F Grand Rapids 49525 p (616) 890-7794 workwithmoxie.com

Eric Finnigan Trevor Petroelje Max Grover

2021

5 DND

5

40

DND

9

Medendorp Real Estate Group 3024 Glade St. Muskegon 49444 p (231) 206-3367 f 332-5912 beachtownforsale.com

David Medendorp

1987

3 3

3

37

1631 W Sherman Blvd., Muskegon - 775,000 retail; 493 W Norton Ave., Muskegon - 545,000 office; 453 W Norton Ave., Muskegon 169,900 office; 1877 Peck St., Muskegon - office retail; 2545 Getty St., Muskegon - hard commercial corner; 2648 Getty St., Norton Shores 250,000 multi-family six unit, 2045 S Getty St., Muskegon - 275,000 retail; 2654 S Getty St., Muskegon - 59,900 retail

10

KW Commercial Grand Rapids East 1555 Arboretum Drive SE, Suite 101 Grand Rapids 49546 p (616) 575-1800 f 575-1801 kellerwilliamsgreast.com

Judy Brasseur Jason Carpenter Jessica Tucker

2000

8 5

6

30

746 Wealthy St., SE; 62 Lamoreaux Drive NE, Comstock Park

11

SHOW Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Real Estate 43 100th St. SW Byron Center 49315 p (616) 862-1736 grandrapidsproperties.com

Brian Silvernail Kim Hain

1998

3 0

3

25

Byron Logistics Park - East 131 - up to 300,000 SF build-to-suit leases; city of Wayland S. Annexation of nearly 500 acres of land from Hopkins Township to the city of Wayland 170+- acres available, Tanger 84th St. SW commercial sites in front and just west of Tanger entrance including sales to Culvers, Seven’s Paints and Performance Oil Change

12

Dodgson Realty Co. 4265 28th St. SE Grand Rapids 49512 p (616) 458-1588 f 235-3423 dodgsonrealty.com

Steve Dodgson

1971

1 0

1

18

Commercial real estate brokerage - leasing and sales

13

Pure Real Estate Brokerage 32 Market Ave. SW, Suite 500 Grand Rapids 49503 p (616) 780-0768 purerealestatebrokerage.com

Ray Kisor, SIOR Devin Manino

2016

3 4

2

13

Sale: The BOB and 20 Monroe Live at 20 Monroe Ave. NW.

Steve Chaben, CCIM Michael Cagen, CCIM John Mundell, SIOR, CPM

2006

2 0

DND

5

560 Fifth St. NW and 665 Seward Ave. NW

Randy Bronkema

2010

1 DND

1

2

Lease: 2900 Northridge Drive NW; Lease: 4323 Patterson Ave. SE

Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services, Inc. 156 Campau Circle NW Grand Rapids 49503 p (248) 415-2600 f 415-2610 marcusmillichap.com 15

Independence Realty - COMMERCIAL 3265 Canal Ave. SW Grandville 49418 p (616) 450-9092 randybronkema.com

Kyle Grooters has joined Bradley Company as an adviser in the brokerage department. Prior to joining Bradley, he worked with Robert Grooters Development Co.

Experienced brokers Chris Prins and Jon Geenen have joined the brokerage team at DAR Commercial Real Estate. They have experience in sales and leasing.

Rebranding subsidiary Colliers rebranded its subsidiary, Maser Consulting, to Colliers Engineering & Design to align with its global brand and platform.

Admired company JLL has been named to Fortune magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies list.

It was recognized for its social responsibility, global competitiveness and quality of management.

ListStore

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Download this list now at GRBJ.com in Excel or PDF format.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

The Book of Lists and other lists are also available.

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

THE LIST

MAY 3, 2021

9

Commercial real estate could look different post-pandemic Some options, such as drive-thrus, outdoor seating and flex office workers, will have staying power.

Danielle Nelson

dnelson@grbj.com

The deadly pandemic has left commercial real estate at a crossroads as companies, businesses and individuals decipher how to safely return to a new normal or how to permanently revolutionize the way they will operate.

Subsectors in the commercial real estate industry that absorbed the initial brunt of the pandemic are returning to a volatile economic market. Some restaurants and retailers permanently closed their doors, while others are revamping the way they provide and deliver goods and food to consumers.

Most landlords and tenants have managed to reopen their doors for business, in part, because of financial assistance from the government such as the Paycheck Protection Program loan.

“Landlords received assistance so they haven’t really felt the stress over the last 12 months, not like they would if they did not receive the government assistance,” said Jeffrey Tucker, senior managing director brokerage and principal for Bradley Company.

The Exhibitors Building in downtown Grand Rapids has eight restaurants, hotel space, meeting space and recreational facilities. Courtesy The Image Shoppe

“We haven’t seen a lot of vacancies and the vacancies that were available are starting to fill in on the (Class) A centers because of continued growth. That was not what we were thinking we were going to see last May. We thought we were going to see some real stress. Businesses were closing, (other) places weren’t open for business and parking lots were empty, but we really didn’t see a lot of it.

With those funds, businesses like restaurants that had to close in-person dining and had to resort to offering curbside pick-up service last year have been forced to become creative for the longterm, according to Bill Bussey, associate broker for Bradley Company.

“There were a lot of restaurants that didn’t have drive-thru but the ones that have figured out a way to add it have done that,” he

said. “A lot of places like Biggby, for example, are coming up with drive-thrus only and sometimes both — drive-thru and indoor dining. They have manufactured buildings that they can put in a parking lot and it can have one or two drive-thrus, a double drive-thru only and have some tables outside, but you cannot go inside.”

Tucker said other businesses that have mastered the efficien-

cy of drive-thrus are Chick-fil-A and pharmacies, including those at places like Meijer and Walgreens because there is less human-to-human contact. In addition to less contact, the addition of drive-thru proved to be beneficial to businesses and landlords during the pandemic.

“From a landlord’s perspective, if they have a strip mall and CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Top Area Commercial Real Estate Brokers (RANKED BY TOTAL NUMBER OF COMMERCIAL LISTINGS) CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 Michigan Commercial Space Advisors 161 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100 Grand Rapids 49503 p (616) 233-8019 michigancommercialspaceadvisors.com Colburn Hundley Inc. 80 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 410 Grand Rapids 49503 p (616) 437-7812 f 742-5207 colburnhundley.com

Year Brokerage owner(s) established in or manager(s) W. Mich.

Number of W. Mich licensed agents/ staff

No. of licensed agents with 6+ transactions

Total No. of commercial listings Sample of current listings offered

Chris Atwater

2008

1 DND

1

0

Exclusively representing buyers and tenants, never owners (so never any listings, only clients and transactions).

Jeffrey Hundley Sr.

1989

3 3

3

DND

Roaring Twenties Plaza Retail Center; Lease: 2,000 - 10,000 squarefeet 4545-4605 28th St. SE

CORE Realty Holdings Management Inc. 4503 Broadmoor Ave. SE Grand Rapids 49512 p (616) 554-1109 f 554-4963 crhmi.com

Nels Billsten

2013

2 DND

DND

DND

DND

Dave Kwekel Development LLC 7660 Clyde Park Ave. SW Byron Center 49315 p (616) 583-1200 f 583-1201 dkwekel.com

Dave Kwekel

2007

1 1

1

DND

DND

Bob Horn

2016

4 DND

2

DND

DND

RE/MAX of Grand Rapids Commercial Division Rachael Veldkamp 5651 Byron Center Ave. SW Drew Born Wyoming 49519 Nate Coffman p (616) 261-3100 f 261-1387 John Pols creremax.com Stephen Basinski

2018

4 0

1

DND

DND

Realvesco Properties 4180 44th St. SE Grand Rapids 49512 p (616) 698-7600 f 698-1875 realvesco.com

1981

2 DND

2

DND

625 Kenmoor; 630 Kenmoor SE; 770 Kenmoor SE; 4362 Cascade Road SE; 4300 Cascade Road SE; 3800 Lake Michigan Drive SE; 3650 Broadmoor SE,; 3940 Broadmoor SE

JLL 15 Ionia Ave. SW Grand Rapids 49503 p (616) 649-3522 us.jll.com

Thomas Koster

The Grand Rapids Business Journal list of top area commercial real estate brokers, ranked by the total number of commercial listings, is the most comprehensive available. The list is based on responses to Business Journal surveys. The Business Journal defines "West Michigan" as Allegan, Kent, Ottawa and Muskegon counties. The Business Journal surveyed 103 companies; 22 returned surveys and 22 are listed. To be considered for future lists, email dnelson@grbj.com. DND = Did not disclose

Office grows RE/MAX has added Ruth Lange to its Standale office.

Hall of fame Midwest Real Estate News inducted Steven Miscavish into its Midwest Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame. He serves as chief financial officer with Affordable Housing Advisors of Marcus & Millichap.

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Download this list now at GRBJ.com in Excel or PDF format.

The Book of Lists and other lists are also available.

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GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

INSIDE TRACK

MAY 3, 2021

11

Teacher finds her own way of educating students An unfulfilling student teacher experience pushed Jennie Kueppers to explore management.

Danielle Nelson

dnelson@grbj.com

At

31 years old, Jennie Kueppers has quickly climbed the ladder to lead one of the premier tutoring programs in the country.

She took on the role of executive director for Sylvan Learning of West Michigan in 2019. Sylvan Learning is an educational franchise that has “750 points of presence in the world.”

Kueppers leads eight centers in the region and located in Grand Rapids, Grandville, Rockford, Muskegon, Holland, Portage, Battle Creek and Traverse City.

Currently, Kueppers is overseeing 327 students and about 80 certified teachers who provide tutoring services to K-12 students and veterans. The teachers tutor students in subject areas such as math, reading and writing, and they assist with homework assignments and prepare students for the SAT and ACT standardized tests.

Kueppers’ leadership skills during the pandemic last year earned her the recognition of being named one of the Top 12 directors in the country by Sylvan Learning.

The Michigan native always had the gift of teaching, whether it was teaching her older brother how to tie his shoes or reading the book Go, Dog. Go! in front of her kindergarten classmates.

Kueppers said she always knew she wanted to be an elementary school teacher and that was reaffirmed when she got to third grade.

“My third grade teacher, Mrs. Shaw, was the one who really helped me to see that I wanted to be in education because she was a red-head and left-handed just like me, and for a third-grader that was a pretty big deal — someone who was a red-head like you and has that stubborn attitude

like you and helped you learn how to write with your left hand properly,” she said. “The biggest thing also with Mrs. Shaw was she didn’t have my brother. She was the only teacher who didn’t have my brother so I could set my own standards instead of following in my brother’s footsteps.”

She took that desire and passion of elementary school teaching with her to pursue an elementary education degree at Spring Arbor University. However, her student teaching experience during her senior year at college changed her perspective on the career and redefined her goals and expectations of how to educate children.

While she was a student teacher, Kueppers said she realized she didn’t like the “politics” of teaching.

“You can’t build the relationships in the classroom as easily when you are working with 30 to 40 students at a time,” she said.

“You can’t hit as many students where they are at, and that is the expectation our teachers have today. It is being able to hit every single individual student’s needs, while still managing the classroom and hitting the standards.

It is not fair to our teachers that that is what they have to do when what they are taught is to help all the students, and that is why you see a lot of people aren’t going into education anymore because they cannot help our students the way that our students need to be helped.

“I did my student teaching at a private school and I still didn’t have the ability to (help every single student.) I did not have a positive student teaching experience. I did my student teaching at an elementary school in the Lansing area and it wasn’t what I expected it to be. I wasn’t put in a place to actually learn how to fully be a teacher, but what I got out of it is that there are also many other opportunities to still impact students. To still impact

JENNIE KUEPPERS Birthplace: Lansing Residence: Grand Rapids Age: 31 Community Involvement: Counselor at Christian athletic camp and member of the women’s ministry at Cross Community Church of the Nazarene.

Biggest Career Break: “Going from regional director to executive director.

It took me out of my comfort zone. I was used to having someone above me saying, ‘Yes, you are heading in the right direction or think about trying it this way.’ Now, I am making every decision. I have support. My corporate team is phenomenal. I absolutely love them. They’ve helped me with this entire transition during COVID, but if it wasn’t for me taking that leap of faith and diving in, I wouldn’t be on the CEO Advisory Council. I wouldn’t be where I am professionally today.”

Jennie Kueppers assumed the executive director role for Sylvan Learning of West Michigan while still in her 20s. Courtesy Christi Dupre, Island photos

the kids and families around me the way that I dreamed of doing.”

To better influence students on a personal level, Kueppers decided to pursue a master’s degree in reading while she was working at Sylvan Learning in Lansing as a part-time teacher.

“When I first started at Sylvan, I taught three students at a time, each student doing their own thing, which helped us get to one-on-one instruction so the students could understand what they were learning. And then we guided them into independent practice, mastering the specific skill they needed,” she said. “All the lessons that they had were all tailored to what that student specifically needed help with. So, when I was working with a second-grader on phonetics skills, we would talk about vowel digraphs of ‘O, A,’ we would walk through that together to make sure that she understood it and then taking that same lesson and doing it independently. While I am still there for them to ask me questions, we want to get to the point where that student is independent and has mastered that skill before we move on to the next concept because we are not in the classroom with that student. We want to make sure that what they are learning is being transitioned into the classroom specifically.”

In April 2014, Kueppers said she was randomly looking online for director positions and found out that a director position was open at the Traverse City Sylvan Learning, which was a different franchise.

With just about two years

of teaching experience to rely on, Kueppers took a chance and applied for the position. The next day she had a phone interview and a week later the job was hers.

During her time in Traverse City, Kueppers said she was able to make the franchise profitable for the first time in a long time by building relationships with parents, which in turn drew more students to the different reading, math, writing, study skills, homework support and college prep programs.

There were about 40 students who were enrolled at the Traverse City location. While she was able to grow the franchise, Kueppers said she was able to grow personally, as well. She began understanding the business aspect of the franchise.

But after a series of illnesses and injuries that her grandmother suffered, Kueppers decided to move closer to her by applying for a director position for Sylvan Learning’s Kalamazoo/Battle Creek center. The area has a large location and a satellite facility, which Kueppers was responsible for.

Similar to Traverse City, Kueppers said she had to build relationships with parents in order to get more students enrolled.

“I was able to meet the needs of the students and what the parents were expecting to see,” she said. “It was all because I was able to be more relational and meet the students where they were at. Have empathy and understand that ‘Yes, it is frustrating when your child is not understanding certain things,’ but

we can help you in showing them how we can.”

At one point, Kueppers said she served 160 students — but not all at the same time. Some students came two hours per week while others would come in eight hours per week.

Kueppers was promoted in 2018 to the regional manager position in Grand Rapids and a year later to her current executive director role. Although she had the academic skills and a little business experience, Kueppers said she wanted to become more educated about the position so she worked on getting her master’s degree in business with a focus on executive leadership.

In her role as executive director, she oversees sales, human resources, labor, budgets and staffing — including training and hiring directors and franchisees, among other things.

When the pandemic started, Kueppers said they were quickly able to transition to online learning with their students and still provide effective programs for them. Now, Kueppers said she is focusing on something else.

“From the executive director side, I think that there is a big push, that ‘Yes, we made it through COVID,’ we adapted to what we needed to adapt to, but at the same time our focus is helping my directors become more relational with our parents, our students and our communities. We are not focused on the bottom line, per se, we are focused on supporting our communities, whether it is through a food drive or donating to our local community.”

12

MAY 3, 2021

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

UFP Industries puts workers on path to success CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

dents who go through the program will stay on for a certain length of time at UFP Industries, most of the students do stay because they become “part of the family.”

“One of the things that we’re really doing is we’re giving them this opportunity to have them succeed and succeed in a company they already know, and we’re really helping them achieve that balance, too,” she said. “Some of our students in the program have family, they have a life, they are working full time,

and our program, because we offer it during the workday … they’re not losing that life balance. They get to go to their kids’ games. They’re not just sitting in a classroom; they’re really able to prioritize and still be able to do our program, to work a full-time job and still maintain the relationships with their friends, family and outside-of-work life.”

Baker said students can be coming from any background at UFP or externally — whether they drive trucks, build trusses, operate a saw, or have some management experience already — and the pro-

gram helps those with “grit and determination” succeed at whatever future goals they may have.

One student, Molly Johnson, is a native of Chicago who went through the program in Grand Rapids; graduated in 2019; moved to a UFP location in Saginaw, Texas; and became a sales trainee, then an inside sales coordinator, and now she is working toward becoming an account manager.

Jordan Smith, who is from the Grand Rapids area, started in the inaugural class in 2016 straight out of high school, graduated in 2018,

and has lived and worked at UFP locations in Wisconsin and Oregon as a field specialist and a customer service rep and now is a product champion in Wisconsin.

A current student is enrolled in North Carolina, and in addition to her day job and her training classes, she is a competitive meat smoker on the side and recently sent Baker a photo of a prize-winning smoked pig.

Another current student, a U.S. Navy veteran who lives in Virginia, works at a recently acquired UFP location, where he is enrolled in

the business school. In light of how hard it can be to transition to civilian life after a military career, he told Baker recently, “I’m not sure what would have happened if I didn’t find this company. One day, I want to make a difference to UFP.” Baker said UFP is excited to see what its business school alumni will continue to do with their education.

“Our ultimate goal is to always have our students graduate from our program armed with that education and experience that they need to move their career forward. We’re investing in people because that’s our greatest asset, is our people. And I can say that our hardworking students, we’re just really hoping that they take that education and knowledge and experience and that they’re able to really propel to the next higher level, whatever that is for them,” she said.

More information about the program is at ufpbusinessschool. com.

Nonprofit charts course for the future CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

Take Heart, Michigan.

When “Financial security from generation to generation” is your wealth management firm’s tagline, you tend to take a long-term view of market performance. You also tend to be optimistic, given that historical market data overwhelmingly favors that mindset—even in the midst of a pandemic.

A profound sense of gratitude helps. Gratitude to the pharmaceutical firms who have produced vaccines in record time; to the many who are visibly fighting the virus day and night at risk to their health; and to the equal number of good people who, beyond the spotlight, are providing products, services and hope to so many. As author Mary Anne Radmacher once said, “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes it’s the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’”

With you, and in good measure thanks to you, we will prevail.

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exciting.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Family Network of Wyoming quickly pivoted to drive-up service to protect its 40-plus volunteers (as did most other food pantries), and suddenly, it was experiencing double the demand, with about 80 cars in line during its open hours of 2:30-5 p.m. Mondays and 1:306 p.m. Wednesdays. Sims also increased the frequency for a family to be eligible to pick up food from once a month to twice a month, and that will continue until the need tapers off.

Sims said her vision that she’s currently working on for the organization is to help the community be healthier and increase clients’ economic stability so that they do not need to depend on a food pantry to get by. She said this will take the form of volunteer-led cooking, budgeting and computer classes, post-pandemic, as well as recipe booklets and other resources, tips and services.

Jenkins said she believes local churches are starting to do better reasserting themselves in meeting the needs of the community — Grand Rapids First, for instance, recently struck up a partnership with CityServe Michigan to connect people with housing, furniture/household products and other assistance — but until more grassroots change happens, nonprofits like Family Network of Wyoming will keep pursuing the social justice they believe the Bible calls them to.

“We want to make sure the hungry (are) fed. We want to make sure that those that are naked are clothed and those that need shelter have a roof,” she said.

You know where you’re going; we’ll help you get there.

Financial decisions carry great responsibility.

Grow, sustain and share your wealth more confidently with the holistic financial guidance of Plante Moran Wealth Management with you every step of the way. plantemoran.com/WealthManagement

14

MAY 3, 2021

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

Cannabis as a growth industry Company lands 80% BIPOC participation in inaugural accelerator program.

Ehren Wynder

ewynder@grbj.com

There are now more cannabis workers than police officers in Michigan.

According to Leafly’s 2021 Jobs Report, there are a total of 18,078 cannabis jobs in Michigan, with 9,216 of those added in 2020.

That is compared to 16,220 police officers in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2020 occupational employment estimates.

While Michigan doubled its legal cannabis workforce in a single year, diversity in the emerging industry still is lacking. To combat this, Grand Rapids-based cannabis company Fluresh – known for enduring efforts to embed equity in cannabis business – opened applications for its inaugural incubator program in December 2020, with eligibility open to any individual who is a legal resident of Michigan and 21 years of age or older as of Jan. 1, 2021.

The inaugural 2021 class of the Fluresh Accelerator program was selected to include a diverse group, with more than 80% of the

selected participants being Black, indigenous or people of color (BIPOC).

The Fluresh Accelerator collaborates with community partners, educators and governmental agencies to create an end-to-end curriculum that will develop the next leaders in the industry.

The curriculum includes focus areas including state and local licensure; entrepreneurship; finance, cultivation and processing; retail operations; environmental sustainability; marketing and more, all aimed to give participants the arsenal to grow their own cannabis businesses upon completion of the program.

The first session took place on Feb. 26 as an introduction to the Fluresh team and an overarching orientation of what to expect throughout the program’s curriculum, where the participants first met each other to kick off their journey together in the accelerator.

“Everyone sees the parts of our company that are finished, but we took our participants through the parts that weren’t finished,” said Denavvia Mojet, corporate impact strategist and legal compliance manager for Fluresh.

“We brought in the owners of the construction company that does work for us to talk to them – our head of cultivation, our CEO, our attorney – they got to meet all those folks and ask questions and take notes right out the gate.”

Upcoming sessions will continue through fall 2021.

In total, four businesses and three entrepreneurs made up the first cohort. Mojet said the participants were selected for the amount of impact the incubator could provide based on what they were asking. Participants included emerging businesses, entrepreneurs hoping to start their business and professionals looking simply to acquire knowledge of the cannabis industry for their own career paths.

“It was a really hard decision in the applications process,” Mojet said. “Our original plan was to pick five, but I think this is better, because we want to keep it small.

We want to keep it intimate … it works because some of them are in groups that have similar endeavors.”

The inaugural Fluresh Accelerator participants were: GanjaGirl MI Morgan Underwood and Mary Sherman are female caregivers and cultivators for GanjaGirl MI who are interested in creating a business that serves those disproportionately affected by the war on drugs. They are Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MMRA) social-equity certified and taking strides to launch their cannabis business cultivating reliable products, equitable opportunities and promoting cannabis as a way of life.

The first members of the Fluresh Accelerator program collaborated with community partners, educators and governmental agencies. Courtesy Fluresh

Wormies Vermicompost Wormies Vermicompost is a Latino-owned company committed to the sustainable future of local Michigan communities. Fluresh Accelerator participants Luis Chen and Chandler Michalsk are interested in ingraining their business in the cannabis community to see how they can provide enriched soil mixes, utilizing their composting processes, to provide sustainable solutions for cannabis growers.

Aqume Enterprises Ciarra Adkins, owner of Aqume Enterprises, is a Michigan attorney and consultant (Aqume Law/ Aqume Consulting) and is interested in growing her knowledge of the cannabis industry to better serve the communities she works

in, having first-hand experience in witnessing the devastating, generational effects of the war on drugs. Adkins’ work in the community also extends to her position as an equity analyst for the city of Grand Rapids, a member of the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency Racial Equity Workgroup and as a municipal worker.

Creative Carvings Creative Carvings is a locally run business known for its vegetable and fruit carving bouquets.

Fluresh Accelerator participants Jessica Austin and Domonric Gray are interested in gaining valuable industry knowledge on how it can infuse cannabis into its fruit and vegetable CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

At the beginning of the area businesses, it dream started grow wit that

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

MAY 3, 2021

15

Coalition works to bring recess back to schools Rockford Construction CEO among those interested in keeping kids happy and healthy.

Danielle Nelson

dnelson@grbj.com

A new coalition is raising awareness around the lack of recess and is advocating for the increase in physical activity, play and recess for all students in Michigan.

The Coalition for Michigan Schoolchildren’s Right to Play was convened by Playworks Michigan, a nonprofit affiliate working to keep kids active and healthy through play and recess.

The coalition is made up of 20 members, including Dennis Archer, Jr., Paul Liabenow and Mike VanGessel.

Liabenow, executive director of the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association, said the coalition is designed to support policies and guidance for adequate recess time for students, particularly in elementary schools.

“Over time, with changes in policies, guidance and funding, we’ve seen a reduction in the number of minutes for recess or play time. So we are attempting to work at, eventually, seeing leg-

islation passed, but at minimum policy and guidance from our Department of Education and community to support a minimum of recess time for students to have each day,” he said. “Also, guidance in not holding back recess time as punishment or penalty for adverse behavior.”

The state of Michigan does not require elementary schools to provide daily recess and it does not require a minimum weekly amount of physical activity time for elementary, middle school/junior high or high school students.

“I’ve always been focused on supporting the community, and education is one of the most valuable resources we have,” said VanGessel, CEO of Rockford Construction in Grand Rapids. “After a year of hybrid and online instruction, getting back to school should be about the human interaction we all crave. What most people don’t realize is that recess is not required in schools and in many cases has been completely eliminated. Play, through recess, is important because it makes school a fun place and allows students to feel comfortable and open themselves up to learning new things.”

According to a Michigan recess survey conducted by Corona Insights, more than 80% of Michigan residents were unaware of the lack of recess requirement in public elementary schools.

Ninety-three percent of Michi-

Students take a break from class to play with friends during recess. Photo by iStock

gan residents who completed the survey said they were very likely or somewhat likely to support requiring public elementary schools in Michigan to have recess. The response they gave for supporting recess requirement was based on an array of reasons: a break to refocus; movement and exercise; socialization and expending energy; and to just have fun.

Archer, CEO of Ignition Media Group and president of Archer Corporate Services, said he did not know there was a lack of recess time.

“I was very naïve and floored to come to find out that some

students were not afforded the opportunity for gym and recess at school,” he said. “I think I was in the majority of thinkers that believe there is always gym and recess. I knew that due to budget cuts or lower income or financially pressured school districts, art and music programs and sports were getting cut, but I thought erroneously for gym (classes). You just open the door for gym and give the kids a kickball or a basketball for 30 minutes and that is gym, or open the door and let the kids go play out on the playground and you blow the whistle and they come back.”

Archer said his perspective changed after he visited an elementary school in Detroit with Angela Rogensues, former executive director of Playworks Michigan.

Playworks Michigan provides onsite coaching, training, consulting and digital services. The organization partners with elementary schools, districts and after-school programs to integrate physical activity and social-emotional learning and skill-building during recess.

“I watched these Playworks CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

WHY ADVANTAGE

e year, our team of experienced commercial real estate advisors teamed up to create Advantage Commercial Real Estate. As we serve t is important for the community to understand the “why” behind all that we have done, all that we are doing, and all that is to come. Our d from a desire to be locally owned and operated, to better serve our clients throughout West Michigan. With advisors as owners, we can th your business and completely tailor our services to meet your unique needs. We have experts in every commercial real estate specialty t are strategic, tenacious, and determined to see you and your business achieve success. We are grateful for the outpouring of support we have received from the West Michigan community for our new endeavor. We cannot thank you enough for inspiring us, choosing us, and trusting our team of experts to get the job done.

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MAY 3, 2021

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

CD Barnes Construction BUILDING A REPUTATION OF SAFETY

Advisers cautiously optimistic for retail CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

CD Barnes Construction just marked our 23rd consecutive year of having zero lost work days due to injuries or illness. This is a rare and unmatched record in the construction industry. “At CD Barnes Construction, we are proud of our commitment to safety. This 23-year safety record hasn’t happened by accident, but as a result of due diligence,” shares the company’s Safety Director.

Over the years the construction industry has taken a new approach when it comes to safety policies and procedures. Previous generations deemed construction safety as: time-consuming, suggested, bare minimum, and inconvenient. Fast forward to today and you’ll find the dreaded safety attitude of the past replaced by a more effective behavioral based outlook.

Sometimes referred to as BBS, Behavioral Based Safety programs aid in creating an environment where all team members are held accountable

for providing, maintaining, and promoting positive safety behaviors. In turn, the BBS reduces the opportunity for at-risk behavior to occur.

At CD Barnes Construction, safety is our number one priority and is a fundamental part of our corporate culture. The goal of our safety program is to provide our employees, customers, contractors, and visitors with a safe and healthy environment in which to work and visit. Accordingly, our team members evaluate the safety procedures of all tasks from groundbreaking to occupancy. We teach, enforce, discipline, and reward safety behavior in order to maintain our exceptional safety record.

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rants worked hard to adapt during COVID-19, and they continue to do so leading to processes and practices that will likely stick around post-pandemic.”

Advisers are telling clients not to wait and to buy or lease when a space becomes available. The demand has increased since the start of the pandemic when many retailers and restaurants were severely struggling due to stay-home orders and capacity limits. The market is opening back up and is only going to accelerate through the spring and summer, according to Colliers.

Multiple deals were made in the first quarter of 2021, including a new Chick-fil-A on the west side of Grand Rapids. Loretta’s Deep Dish pizza opened in downtown Grand Rapids, and Grand Rapids’ only Black-owned wine and jazz bar, GRNoir, opened its doors in February.

Wahlburgers announced it also will be coming to downtown soon, and the longtime owners of Cottage Bar and One Trick Pony sold their restaurants to local investors.

Activity in the industrial sector remained strong as new businesses enter multiple markets, making industrial a continued bright spot for the commercial real estate industry throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Across Michigan, demand far outpaces supply, with vacancy rates at 1.68%. The cost of construction can be a hindrance, so some companies are entertaining leases as an alternative.

Opportunities to purchase or lease large quantities of industrial space in West Michigan are becoming more rare, with some transactions happening off-market. Finding quality space is often a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Interest rates continue to remain low at 2.204.60%.

“Industrial supply continues to lag behind demand, and there’s been almost no speculative building,” said Julie O’Brien, vice president at Colliers. “We have businesses that want to grow but are remaining cautious in the current market. We will continue to see the vacancy rate decrease, meaning more competition for those growing companies, like e-commerce.”

It also has been difficult to find experienced talent despite an unemployment rate of nearly 6%. In multiple Michigan markets, advisers are seeing consistent activity after the initial hesitation spurred by the pandemic.

Moderate activity came from subleases, because of how businesses have adapted to changing space needs due to the pandemic, requiring fewer employees at a single location.

Both manufacturing and warehousing facilities are in demand, as are true flex-space options that offer the combined option of warehouse and manufacturing components along with an additional finished space for office or retail.

Buyers and tenants are looking for spaces at all square footage levels,

according to Colliers.

In Q1, Pinnacle Construction broke ground on a 15,750-squarefoot industrial building in Walker that will be anchored by German Auto Service. In St. Johns, an investor acquired a 250,000-squarefoot manufacturing facility. In Holland Township, Harbor Steel & Supply Corp. is investing $2.4 million into expanding its founding location, the fifth expansion for the company at its local facilities.

In the office sector, small deals have been completed throughout Q1, but uncertainty remains about what office work will look like post-pandemic, and the timeline for getting workers back to offices remains unclear. In Q1, according to Colliers, very few tenants entered Michigan office markets, though buyer activity is strong, and more space is becoming available.

Advisers are operating in “waitand-see” mode with an office vacancy rate at nearly 9.59%, a number that is expected to increase.

Rental rates dipped slightly at $16.84 per square foot, while sales costs are predicted to rise.

“Retailers are beginning to feel cautiously optimistic about the coming months as we’re seeing signs of a rebound. Retailers and restaurants worked hard to adapt during COVID-19, and they continue to do so leading to processes and practices that will likely stick around post-pandemic.”

Earl Clements “The office sector has certainly been a challenge throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but we are optimistic that the administration of vaccines and the listing of restrictions on in-person working will impact office attendance,” said Scott Morgan, senior vice president at Colliers. “While it’s uncertain whether big moves will be made in the office sector this year, we know companies will be looking for new and different spaces moving forward to accommodate social distancing.”

There was some activity in the office sector in Q1.

Spectrum Health acquired the 171,895-square-foot Brass Works Building at 648 Monroe Ave. NW for $24.7 million, while also developing a separate building into 80,000-100,000 square feet of office space. This acquisition also solidifies the uptick in demand for medical office space since the pandemic hit last March.

Also in West Michigan, VRA (Vitreo-Retinal Associates) signed a 10-year lease for an 8,700-squarefoot new building to be constructed at 1060 N. 19th Street in Kalamazoo. The building located at 920 Cherry St. SE in Grand Rapids sold in April.

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GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

MAY 3, 2021

COMMENT & OPINION

GUEST COLUMN Michael Tuffelmire

Pentagon’s demands hinder COVID-19 response

T

he past year has been incredibly difficult for our country.

Millions have faced personal battles with COVID-19, to which hundreds of thousands of Americans have lost their lives. On top of that, millions of Americans have lost their jobs and livelihoods, left wondering about how they are going to financially support themselves and their families.

Locally, COVID-19 has had devastating effects. Over 654,000 Michiganders have contracted the virus, to which 16,601 have fallen victim. At the end of 2020, over 4.3 million Michiganders were without jobs.

I’ve seen military conflict firsthand, and though it implies a trauma of a different sort, the past year’s battles with COVID-19 have inflicted ordinary Americans with trauma all the same.

We’re in an ongoing crisis, yet the federal government has floundered in its response, further hindered by the Pentagon’s need to center itself amid this travesty. Given the scope of the issue at hand and the national security threats at play, there is certainly a role for the Defense Department to play — but that role currently needs revising. In tackling COVID-19, it is essential that our lawmakers and the federal government alike bring accountability to the Department of Defense.

At present, COVID-19 should be our federal government’s main priority. We are incapable of effectively resolving all other issues that plague our nation until we deal with this virus. As protectors of national security and bolsterers of the executive branch and legislature, the Pentagon should share in these priorities — yet in September of last year, they were caught funneling taxpayer money meant for masks and swabs to their contractors, who made jet engine parts and body armor instead.

There is no justification for the reckless squandering of taxpayer dollars amid one of the greatest tragedies the American people will have to endure. In order to institute the reform necessary at the Pentagon, the federal government must implement increased transparency and oversight measures in government spending, especially as it relates to emergency funds.

This reckless spending brings to light another issue: the inherently problematic relationship between the Pentagon and its private contractors. For years, the Pentagon has maintained a revolving door between itself and private industry. An independent government watchdog, the Project On Government Oversight, found that since 2008, 42 senior defense officials have gone on to work for the na-

tion’s largest defense contractor, Lockheed Martin, within two years of leaving their public service post.

This ever-revolving door lays the foundation for a multitude of conflicts of interest. There is no

GUEST COLUMN

over which movie should win Best Picture at the Oscars. Over the past 15 years, I have read or heard a lot of bold statements about the demise of local news outlets and the PR industry in general, many of which have turned out to be wrong.

The main reason is that smart PR and journalism practitioners find a way to blend successful past practices with emerging new opportunities. History provides the proof.

The first colonial newspaper Publick Occurrences (yes, it was spelled Publick back then) was published in 1690, more than 330 years ago. Not long after, some of our Founding Fathers began placing stories in colonial newspapers with the goal of influencing public opinion about what they felt was unfair treatment by King George. Later, The Federalist Papers, celebrated in the Broadway play Hamilton, were drafted by framers and then published in New York state newspapers with the intent of building public support for how our new Republic should be governed. One could argue that approach was the single most impactful PR strategy in our nation’s history.

Three centuries later, corporate, industry, labor and nonprofit leaders still seek placement of their message in long-established and trusted media outlets. Why? Because while they understand the value of digital platform distribution, established media outlets still have brand acceptance, influence and credibility that many people trust.

It’s true that the number of practicing journalists and local news outlets have declined in recent years. Some might call it right-sizing for an industry depen-

dent on the placement of advertising dollars. Those that remain or have recently started operating are innovating in ways that pay the bills and keep their editorial work relevant to key audiences. Daily publications are making themselves top-of-mind by sending push alerts non-stop; weekly publications are now posting daily digital briefs; some publications have been selling sponsored content sections for years, and nonprofit content providers (which are becoming more common) are finding new public and philanthropic financial support. All of these steps improve operating capital.

In broadcasting, a recent trend is greater reliance on Streaming Video On-Demand (SVOD) and the expansion of OTT (Over the Top) media services. It’s programming delivered only via the internet. Adam Symson, president and CEO of media giant E.W. Scripps, talked about those platforms and the confluence of media channels recently in a March interview in Variety. “We don’t think the world is going to be either pay TV or OTT or over the air,” he said. “We really think the world is going to be a combination of all three.” Symson has great experience in digital and broadcast content development and has an elite understanding of how the old and new platforms can actually complement one another.

Tim Dye

End of times?

It’s debatable

A

couple of months ago, PRWeek published a column

by Ian Bruce of Forrester Research titled, Why Traditional PR is Dying. He stated, “Conventional PR — or at least media relations — may become a thing of the past, a relic.” He pointed to the decline in the number of local news outlets, and a growing lack of trust in the news media to support his point.

Not surprisingly, the PRWeek column was quickly challenged in a LinkedIn post titled, PR is not dead.

It is more important than ever, from Mark McClennan, the former chair of the Public Relations Society of America. He countered that media relations is just one aspect of PR and that “... public relations is about influencing, engaging and building a relationship with key stakeholders across numerous platforms in order to shape and frame the public perception of an organization.”

As a longtime broadcast news manager who now works in public relations, I couldn’t help but scrunch my nose as I read these columns. Here’s my two cents on this topic.

My assessment is that Mr. Bruce and Mr. McClennan each made valid points and brought present day insight to this ongoing debate. But let’s face it, this debate isn’t new.

It’s more like the annual squabble

room within national security decision-making for the influence of former employers, clients or acquaintances.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

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Likewise, PR is redefining its game by focusing on integrated media strategies that combine digital and traditional tactics, including the placement of sponsored (paid) media content. Staff-depleted media outlets are more willing today to accept story ideas and even content largely produced by PR practitioners. When that content gets published or broadcast it is then often shared to an even broader audience via social media under the masthead of a trusted, established media outlet. A confluence of old and new — integrated in a way that provides value to all parties.

As much as I hated it, the recent messaging stunt by Volkswagen is an example of how companies are leveraging traditional and digital media, along with PR tactics, to achieve a goal. VW’s quasi-April Fool’s Day joke (it was sent out on March 29) about its name changing to “Voltswagen” was pushed out by the company to trusted news media outlets and then those stories were distributed globally via digital platforms. This effectively integrated traditional and new media resources to carry out a devilish plan to promote its fleet of electric vehicles.

The point is that PR and journalism industries are both organic. It’s not a pivot as Mr. Bruce might call it, but rather an evolution continuCONTINUED ON PAGE 23

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GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

MAY 3, 2021

GUEST COLUMN Michael Toth

Four (tempting) behaviors to avoid when saving for retirement

To

err is human, but you can sidestep some of the most common mistakes people make in saving for retirement by avoiding these four oh-sotempting behaviors.

Procrastinating Even though you know you will get older and eventually retire, a little part of you still believes you might not. Nobel Prize-winning economist Richard Thaler, the founding father of behavioral economics, has spent much of his career exploring why so many Americans have difficulty saving for retirement. One thing he found is that people would rather enjoy what their money can do for them today rather than in the future.

Being too loss averse We don’t like to lose money, so the notion of less money in our paycheck today to serve our needs in the future is a tough pill to swallow. The problem with loss aversion is that we keep delaying that uncomfortable feeling of a smaller paycheck. If you delay too much, you lose out on the compounding effect. For example, if you decide to save $5,000 a year beginning at the age of 35, by the time you’re 65 — assuming a 4.5% rate of return — you’ll have 43% less savings than if you had started saving at age 25. That adds up to $240,000.

Not practicing discipline When deciding how to invest, too often investors try to time the market rather than follow a disciplined investment approach.

Trying to get in the market “at the right time” sounds smart, but in reality, it often leads to inaction, because that right moment never seems to come. The idea of timing the market only reinforces the first two mistakes (procrastination and being too loss averse). Here’s an example of a disciplined savings strategy: You could start by putting $5,000 away, and then add 5% each year. It might sound boring, but in the end, it will add up to much more than a “timed” strategy that never quite launches.

Tinkering with your portfolio You want to take a more active role in your investments? That’s good, except if you have a tendency to overmanage. This often happens with retirees, who find themselves with more free time than ever before and take a keen interest in chasing performance.

In the research paper “Trading is hazardous to your wealth,” authors Brad Barber and Terrance Odean found that, on average, households turned over 75% of their equity portfolios annually and underperformed by 1.5% each year. The biggest cause of this is mistiming when to buy and sell a particular fund. People often are

We don’t like to lose money, so the notion of less money in our paycheck today to serve our needs in the future is a tough pill to swallow.

The problem with loss aversion is that we keep delaying that uncomfortable feeling of a smaller paycheck. driven by the desire to own more of that “hot” stock in rising markets when others are buying, or by “fear” in falling markets when others are selling. In a diversified portfolio, you’ll always be tempted to adjust the portfolio exposure in favor of the best-performing asset classes. The problem is, acting on that temptation may be costing you.

So, what’s the trick to saving for retirement? Actually, there is none. Start saving for retirement today and stick with it. No gimmicks, no magic timing and no schemes that will “pay off big.”

Just old-fashioned discipline.

Michael Toth is senior vice president-wealth management for UBS in Grand Rapids.

Commercial real estate could look different post-pandemic CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

it is not a free-standing drive-thru location — if a landlord can only have two end caps to their investment, to their strip mall, and they cannot have two drive-thrus at the end — that is lost income for them,” he said. “If they can’t figure out how to navigate through the parking lot, and ingress and egress onto the main thoroughfare, that is lost income for them because the end cap with a potential drive-thru might, perhaps, otherwise be built for $22 per square foot, and if a Starbucks or McDonalds can go on the end, they could probably get $35 per square foot. It is significantly more new revenue and that same applies to pharmacies.”

Along with drive-thrus, Tucker said outside seating will be a requisite for any new restaurant.

“They might reduce some of their interior footprints, but I wouldn’t start a new restaurant if I didn’t have at least 20 to 30 outside seating (options), because whether it is COVID or the next thing, we see the value in that,” he said.

“People in Michigan love to be outside.”

While some businesses are closing, Bussey said some of those same businesses are opening and expanding in new locations where they can become more visible.

Some popular retail stores netted new locations throughout the country this year.

The businesses and the number of new locations this year, per Bussey, include: • 5 Below: 170-180 • Old Navy: 30-40

Developers eye U.S. 131 commerce center

It’s our business to help you grow yours.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

Township to the south of the city of Wayland but also to the west into Hopkins Township south of 129th. This leaves no room for the city to grow to the south.

The city also is down to only one freeway frontage parcel on its side of U.S. 131 and needs additional freeway frontage and accessible parcels that are most marketable for commercial, manufacturing, and distribution jobs in the future, Silvernail argued.

Slivernail said the application with the state was determined legally sufficient in June of the same year, and he hopes to hold a public hearing about the development plans with the city of Wayland in May or June of this year.

“What our annexation does is make that opportunity available, because there isn’t that much land or that small a piece with visibility on the freeway,” Silvernail said.

“Especially for Allegan County, the West Michigan Commerce Center will literally be at the median point of the population of West Michigan. You’re right in the middle of Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Holland

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• Aldi: 100 • Citi Trends: 30 • Dollar General: 1,500 • T.J. Maxx: 122 • American Eagle: 60 • Fabletics: 24 • Dollar Tree: 1,000 • Burlington: 75 • Target: 30-40 • Starbucks: 50 • At Home: 400 Daniel Burns, associate broker for Bradley Company and attorney for Dan Burns Law in Grand Rapids, said the pandemic has caused employers to think about how they’ll use their office space.

He said some employers are opting for open space, which was a concept employers were adapting before the pandemic. Now, however, some employers also are thinking about retracting space and have their employees work outside of the office.

Burns said employers are now maximizing the use of technology, which might become a permanent practice. While there were a lot of mergers and branch closings before the pandemic, Burns said banks and insurance companies are reevaluating the way they conduct business.

“I believe you will see banks and insurance companies reevaluate their space, really taking a long, hard numbers look at which of these groups of employees we need here, which ones are flex and which ones we are never going to bring back,” he said. “What the banks and insurance companies do will have a trickle-down effect and other companies will follow suit.”

4/5/21 1:30 PM

Lansing — everything that’s within a two-hour drive … There’s a lot of cool potential things going on there we’d like to let people know about.”

Such potential includes the possibility of a 325,000-squarefoot Blain’s Farm and Fleet, or some other type of big-box retailer, as well as smaller units for retail, office and flex space, according to tentative plans.

Another feature that makes the property an ideal location for the commerce center is the Gun Lake Tribe’s decision to invest in a $25-million offramp extension next to Gun Lake Casino, which is currently under construction.

“All of a sudden you have zoning a part of the city and utilities and an offramp, with 45 million people a year showing up at that casino,” Silvernail said. “There’s a demand for that type of property.

There just isn’t that type of property on the market right now.”

Silvernail and the property owners estimated the area could turn into an additional $75 million worth of market value real estate land and buildings in the next 2030 years

Applauding the power of intention.

L AU R A R A D L E Partner at Varnum

Grand Rapids Community Foundation knows West Michigan’s most dedicated professional advisors don’t have just one role. In their personal and professional lives, they are activators who create informed impact.

Laura sees the possibility of what can be. She has made a personal commitment to give back, including through dedications of her time and talent, at every stage of her life. And as an estate planning attorney, she supports others as they create their own legacies.

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Pentagon’s demands hinder COVID-19 response CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

But ultimately, as long as the issue of the Pentagon’s exorbitant budget remains, this door will keep spinning, further compromising the U.S.’s ability to be able to adequately respond to COVID-19. To put it into perspective, the current COVID-19 relief bill being debated in Congress carries a price of $1.9 trillion; the Pentagon’s total 2020 budget was $1.2 trillion.

What could possibly be the justification for such a large budget? It is hard to perceive how jet engine parts, body armor, submarine missile tubes, space launch facilities and golf course staffing might be helpful in fighting the pandemic in the United States. It is even more difficult to understand how those things are actively making the Unit-

ed States safer, when a multitude of both international and domestic threats still persist.

Change — real change — is demanded of the Department of Defense. Current and former service men and women like myself can lay the groundwork for reconciliation by acknowledging this need, but ultimately, Congress must do the real work to address the depth of corruption present at the Pentagon — and the solutions needed to conquer it.

The Pentagon’s power should not hinder our country’s response to COVID-19 or any other crisis.

Grand Rapids resident Michael Tuffelmire is a United States Army combat veteran (Infantry 10th Mountain Dvision) having served in both Kosovo and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

End of times? It’s debatable CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

um. The people who make the business decisions in journalism and PR are constantly adjusting to the habits and instincts of the consumers in the marketplace, just like any other business that plans to stand the test of time. They follow the money, using established practices that are enhanced by new technol-

ogies. I’m hard-pressed to see that ending anytime soon.

Tim Dye is the founder of Dye Communications. Prior to becoming a communications consultant in 2013, he spent nearly 30 years in broadcast journalism, and served in management positions at television news operations in Detroit, Grand Rapids and Flint/Saginaw.

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ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

MAY 3, 2021

23

Cannabis as a growth industry CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

creative offerings.

Alvin Hills Hills is a Grand Rapids native, community leader and recreational cultivator interested in expanding his family’s agriculture business, based in Mecosta County. His goals in cannabis are ultimately to earn a Commercial Cultivation license to grow cannabis on the family’s land. Hills also works at the city of Grand Rapids and believes that learning the industry can enhance his regulatory lens for people in the city.

Erica Tyler Tyler is a Grand Rapids native

with a passion for chemistry, compliance and community. She joined the Fluresh Accelerator to learn about the pathways to securing a testing lab and to find ways that her family’s southeast side properties can be leveraged for new cannabis opportunities.

Roberto Gonzalez Gonzalez is a longtime Grand Rapidian and cannabis aficionado who has navigated the industry, even through challenging encounters with the law, to establish himself as a respected former dispensary operator and medical qualifying clinic investor. Through the Fluresh Accelerator, Gonzalez is gaining his first look behind the veil of regulated commercial op-

erations and gaining the knowledge to reemerge in the regulated industry leveraging his wealth of knowledge and experience.

The more Fluresh learned about the participants, the more it realized the need for a network that supports similar programs in the future, Mojet said. Everyone who participates may not want to be another Fluresh when they reach success, and there are other players in the cannabis industry they can benefit from.

“Our hope is that those operators choose to value this as well, see initiatives like these as a part of, not generating more competition in the industry, but truly creating more collaboration for themselves,” Mojet said.

Coalition works to bring recess back to schools CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

employees command the children’s attention and their respect and the excitement of the young Black kids on the east side of Detroit,” Archer said. “Immediately, I thought, ‘How is the best way to help?’ I made financial contributions and agreed to co-chair one of (Playworks’) annual fundraising events and invited some of my colleagues to support. I have just been a fan all along. So, I signed up for the coalition because of the kids. The kids who don’t have a

voice to ask or demand what they deserve and what kids in better-off school district take for granted.”

Archer said some schools simply cannot afford a gym teacher.

“In well-off schools there is sometimes a gym teacher, but often times that gym teacher is a coach or fulfils another role at the school,” he said. “Many times, there is a strain on teachers in an underfunded school environment and always being asked to do more with less. For those teachers who are represented by unions — the unions have to do their jobs in

representing the well-being of their teachers and making sure that they are compensated for the work that they were hired to do and making sure that they are being compensated for the work that they are hired to do within the hours they are hired to work.

So, I think it becomes in large part a funding issue, which is why the coalition believes there should be a line-item approach at the state level, identifying budgets for the execution of gym and recess across all schools in the state of Michigan.”

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GRBJ .25 page 5.922x6.385_21.indd 4

4/21/2021 2:40:39 PM

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GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

MAY 3, 2021

AEBetancourt taps Eggleston as COO With more than a decade of experience in recruiting, business consulting, sales training and management, Brian Eggleston has joined AEBetancourt as chief operating officer. Eggleston was most recently the chief sales officer at Hub International, the world’s fifth-largest insurance broker with offices across North America. Prior to this, he served as the national organic growth consultant for MarshBerry. Eggleston holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from Michigan State University, and a Juris Doctor in Litigation from Cooley Law School. Since 2015, AEBetancourt has been assisting and guiding a diverse range of organizations ranging from Fortune 500 to small, family-owned businesses, in their specific talent-development programs.

ARTS

The Grand Rapids Public Museum announced National Endowment for the Humanities awarded GRPM a $100,000 grant for the prototyping of a web-based, mobile game that explores the history of the Grand River.

ASSOCIATIONS

Kevin Budelmann, co-founder and president of Peopledesign, completed his tenure as president of the global board of directors of IxDA, (the Interaction Design Association).

BUSINESS SERVICES

Kalamazoo-based Workforce Strategies Inc. celebrated its 20 years as a purpose-driven employment solutions provider The company offers temporary staffing solutions, permanent direct-hire placement and business development services.

Lee Sherrell joined Muskegon-based Geerpres as vice president of global sales. He will focus on company growth through Geerpres’ distribution partners in all janitorial/sanitation verticals.

Rossy Hughes, regional quality assurance manager, Bethany Christian Services in Richland, and Joshua Lunger, senior

MAY3-JUN 6 Krasl Art Center New Exhibitions. Boom Bloom, featuring Nikki Renee Anderson and Renee Robbins, in KAC’s main gallery, and The Undetectable Presence: A Selection of Sculpture, by Mike Slaski, in the artlab. Cost: free and open to public.

707 Lake Blvd., St. Joseph. Information/ registration: (269) 983-0271 or krasl.org.

MAY 5 Comprehensive Therapy Center Virtual 16th Annual Read To Me Tea. Celebrating the artistic accomplishments of West Michigan children with developmental disabilities and delays. 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Registration: therapycenter.org.

MAY 6 Advantage Benefits Group 21st Annual Webinar. Health plan insiders reveal: what’s next? 8:3010 a.m. Information/registration: bit.ly/ WhatsNextWebinar2021.

MAY 6 Family Business Alliance Peer Group Cocktails and Connection. Light appetizers and drinks provided. 4-7 p.m., Watermark Country Club, 1600 Galbraith Ave. SE. Available to peer group members only.Registration: bit.ly/3wiE5IA. MAY 7 West Michigan Clean Air Coalition Annual Clean Air Action Virtual Luncheon. Noon. Information/registration: wmcac.org.

MAY 8 Grand Rapids Public Library/Cherry Health - Westside Health Center/ EatPlayGrow Program. Focus is healthy beverages: students discover the benefits of drinking healthy beverages instead of soda and sweetened drinks. For parents and kids pre-K and younger. Class curriculum incorporates art-making, storytelling, music and movement activities

director of government affairs, Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, are graduates of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s inaugural class of the Next Generation Global Leaders Network, a yearlong program that engages a group of diverse, bipartisan young professionals in leadership, skills training and mentorship in support of their own engagement on global development and diplomacy in their communities.

The Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce will issue a new monthly publication called The West Coast Way. The publication is built specifically around the West Coast Chamber’s core values, key priorities and topics identified as the issues most valuable to members.

Windemuller announced the promotion of Curtis Moore Moore to electrical services group manager.

as preconstruction manager; Tim Favreau, firestopping; John Serra, site work division; and Brocke Fisher, general trades.

Zeeland-based ODL Inc. announced the addition of Celeste Wegener as vice president of product and brand management.

EDUCATION

Kevin Polston, superintendent of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, has been named by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer chairperson of the Student Recovery Advisory Council, which will guide the work of Michigan’s education system to recover from the traumatic impacts of COVID-19.

Kentwood Public Schools teacher Patrick McKerr was awarded a State Farm Teacher Assist $2,500 grant for his innovative teaching ideas during the COVID-19 pandemic.

FOUNDATIONS

The Kalamazoo Community Foundation recently welcomed Sharayl Moore to its team of donor relations Fernanders officers and Kallista Fernanders as finance manager in accounting. Frances Vicioso was promoted to Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Kalamazoo coordinator.

GOVERNMENT

Battle Creek city manager Rebecca Fleury was selected as the 2021 president of the Michigan Municipal Executives.

She is the third woman selected as president in the organization’s history. Fleury succeeds Ottawa County deputy administrator John Shay, who now serves as immediate past president.

Grand Rapids City Manager Mark Washington recently was appointed to the Michigan Municipal League Board of Trustees.

CHANGE-UPS & CALENDAR

2000 Oak Industrial Drive NE, Suite B.

LEISURE & RECREATION

Gun Lake Casino in Wayland recently marked its 10-year anniversary. To date, the casino offers 156,000 square feet of gaming and additional amenities, including over 2,200 slot machines, 50 table games and a sportsbook. The property also features traditional non-gaming amenities with a 225-seat café, a 300seat buffet, and multiple bars, lounges and live entertainment. By the end of the summer, the development of Gun Lake Casino’s $100 million dollar expansion will be complete, adding 72,000-square feet to the existing 156,000-square foot facility. The casino also announced it distributed over $639,000 in quarterly incentives to team members in January.

LOGISTICS

Supply Chain Solutions introduced a new brokerage division to its portfolio of logistics services and hired Brad Brigham to lead the new division.

MEDIA

Samaritas welcomed Tracy Brame, WMU-Cooley Law School, and John Vande Guchte, Strategies Wealth Advisors LLC, as new board members.

The Land Conservancy of West Michigan appointed Kim Karn as its executive director. Karn joined the Land Conservancy as its development director in October 2019.

United Church Outreach Ministry announced Liam Bailey has joined its team as donor relations specialist.

Wedgwood Christian Services appoint-

into fun, hands-on educational lessons.

Select either 10:30 a.m. or 2 p.m. at Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. NW. RSVP in advance at grpm.org.

MAY 20 Family Business Alliance Peer Group and Recruitment Social. Join FBA staff, peer group participants and other family business members for drinks and apps to learn more about what makes FBA’s Peer Group Program valuable. 4:30-6:30 p.m., JDEK at Margaux, 235 Louis St. NW. Cost: free. Information/registration: members. fbagr.org/events.

JUN 4 Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce Connected Chamber Women. 11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m., Stonewater Country Club, 7177 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Caledonia. Cost: $15/members.

Registration: Bob@southkent.org.

MAY 11 The Right Place Webinar. Topic: People, Process, Product: 3P Approach to Total Manufacturing Management. 11 a.m.noon. Cost: free, advanced registration required. Registration: rightplace.org.

MAY 12 Kellogg Bird Sanctuary Birds and Coffee Zoom Chat. A look at warblers, including the Yellow Warbler, Cerulean Warbler and American Redstart, among others.

10 a.m. Cost: free. Information/registration: bit.ly/BirdZoom.

MAY 15 Grand Rapids Public Library/Cherry Health - Westside Health Center/ EatPlayGrow Program. Focus: smart sleep, students will learn developing a healthy sleep routine is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. For parents and kids pre-K and younger. Class curriculum incorporates art-making, storytelling, music and movement activities into fun, hands-on educational lessons. Select either 10:30 a.m. or 2 p.m. at Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. NW. RSVP in advance at grpm.org.

MAY 21 Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce 3rd Friday Networking Lunch.

11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Amped Reality, 2923 28th St. SE, Kentwood. Cost: $17/members, $22/nonmembers. Information/registration: bob@southkent.org.

MAY 22 Grand Rapids Public Library/Cherry Health - Westside Health Center/ EatPlayGrow Program. Focus: energy balance, students will learn what it takes to attain a healthy weight through balancing energy in, with energy output.

For parents and kids pre-K and younger.

Class curriculum incorporates art-making, storytelling, music and movement activities into fun, hands-on educational lessons. Select either 10:30 a.m. or 2 p.m. at Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. NW. RSVP in advance at grpm.org.

MAY 25 Wyoming Business Leaders Meeting.

8-9 a.m., Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW, Wyoming. Registration: (616) 2614500 or d.kuba@instantcashmi.com.

MAY 27 The Wege Foundation 24th Annual Speaker Series Webinar. Topic: Healing Relationships With The Natural World,

by Robin Wall Kimmerer, author, educator, enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. 4-5:30 p.m. RSVP by May 26 to wegespeaker2021.eventbrite. com.

RESTAURANTS

AHC Hospitality opened MDRD, a Spanish-inspired full-service restaurant at the Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton.

TRANSPORTATION

Coldbrook Insurance Group moved to

MAY 11 The Employers’ Association Virtual Annual Meeting. Noon-1:30 p.m. Speaker: Lindsey M. Piegza, managing director, chief economist, Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. Inc. Noon1:30 p.m. Information/registration: (616) 698-1167 or teagr.org/teaimis.

Waxology opened a second location at 56 Courtland St. in Rockford, directly behind the Corner Bar.

NONPROFITS

INSURANCE

MAY 10 Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce Government Matters Zoom Meeting - with Elected Officials. 8-9 a.m.

Information/registration: (616) 531-5990 or michelle@southkent.org.

Harvest + Harmony launched a beauty line of small batch, traditionally crafted soaps and scrubs that include locally sourced ingredients. Unique touches include incorporating a mixture of dried flowers and essential oils into each bar of soap.

TECHNOLOGY

CONSTRUCTION

EV Construction hired Mike Vermeulen

RETAIL

13 ON YOUR SIDE (WZZM 13) hired Jay Plyburn as a journalist.

Dwelling Place of Grand Rapids CEO Dennis Sturtevant will retired July 30 after serving the affordable housing nonprofit for 32 years.

Plyburn

ed Dr. Lisa M. Lowery, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, to its executive board of directors. New officers include: Jacob S. Dunlop (Rhoades McKee), board chair; Thomas J. Stritzinger (Comerica Bank), vice chair; Matthew McGowan (Wells Fargo Bank), treasurer; Erin Magley (Ottawa County Circuit Court), secretary; and Jennifer Greenop (EY), board chair emeritus.

JUN 4-6 Festival of the Arts PLEIN AIR (Outdoors). Will include musicians and landscape artists within designated social zones and throughout downtown Grand Rapids. Festival-goers will be encouraged to purchase food and drinks from local restaurants and enjoy them in social zones where live art and musical performances will be taking place all weekend long. Information/registration: festivalgr.org.

JUN 7 Wedgwood Christian Services 36th Annual Charity Golf Classic. Includes 18-hole scramble, practice green, driving range, cart, two meals, door and contest prizes. Egypt Valley Country Club.

Information/registration: https://www. wedgwood.org/golf.

JUN 9 Kellogg Bird Sanctuary Birds and Coffee Zoom Chat. Examining grassland birds, including the Northern Bobwhite, Eastern Meadowlark and Bobolink.

10 a.m. Cost: free. Information/registration: bit.ly/BirdZoom.

JUN 10 Builders Exchange of Michigan Brews, Builders and Benefits. Networking opportunity. 3-5 p.m., Building Bridges Professional Services, 1530 Madison Ave. SE. Information/registration: (616) 9498650 or courtney@grbx.com.

JUN 11 Multi Chamber of Commerce Golf Outing. 8 a.m. tee time, Gleneagle Golf

Marco Valverde joined Fusion IT LLC as director of cyber security, risk and compliance management.

The Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority announced Kent County commissioner Emily Brieve has joined its board of directors for a three-year term; Birgit Klohs has been elected as board secretary.

CHANGE-UPS POLICY: The Business Journal welcomes submissions to the Change-Ups section. Send announcements concerning personnel changes, new businesses, changes of address etc. to Change-Ups Editor, Grand Rapids Business Journal, 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 331, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 or email bjchangeups@grbj.com.

Club, 6150 14th Ave., Hudsonville. Cost: $110/golfer, $400/foursome. Information/ registration: Bob@southkent.org.

JUN 14 Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce Government Matters Zoom Meeting - with Elected Officials. 8-9 a.m.

Information/registration: (616) 531-5990 or michelle@southkent.org.

MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS Information: Stephanie Bradley, (616) 233-3577 or sbradley@experiencegr. com.

MAY 5-14 International Institute of Municipal Clerks 2021 IIMC Annual Conference –addendum. Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton.

MAY 9-12 International Institute of Municipal Clerks 2021 IIMC Annual Conference.

Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection

by Hilton.

CALENDAR POLICY: The Business Journal welcomes submissions to the calendar section. Send items to Calendar Editor, Grand Rapids Business Journal, 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 331, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 or email bjcal endar@grbj.com. Submissions must be received at least three weeks prior to the event.

The Business Journal calendar posted on the publication’s website (grbj.com) includes listings for events extended beyond those printed in the weekly publication that are limited by space restrictions.

PUBLIC RECORD MORTGAGES

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

MAY 3, 2021

25

Corp., Caledonia, $394,334 SAVANI, Yashesh R., NBKC Bank, Parcel: 411424205006, $355,500 ABDAAL, Lance G., JPMorgan Chase Bank, Byron Twp., $378,537 STOVETOP COFFEE HOUSE LLC, United Federal Credit Union, Parcel: 411429304002, $360,000 CLAYBORNE, Ciera E. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Plainfield Twp., $402,000 SIMKINS, Graydon et al, Huntington National Bank, Cascade Twp., $461,500 CURTIS, Andrew, Mercantile Bank, Grattan Twp., $350,000 MILLER, Christopher B. et al, VanDyk Mortgage Corp., Parcel: 411412476004, $510,400 HARTMAN, Gabriel et al, Old National Bank, Cascade Twp., $424,000 GILBERT, Amy L. et al, Old National Bank, Cannon Twp., $445,000 O’MARA, Thomas K. et al, Independent Bank, Parcel: 411426280010, $450,000 WILDER, Robert C. et al, Old National Bank, Parcel: 411412226012, $837,445 PRIME RENOVATIONS LLC, Grand River Bank, Plainfield Twp., $864,000 BEAL, Joshua W., Wells Fargo Bank, Cascade Twp., $455,200 LAUFERSKY, Richard J. et al, Old National Bank, Algoma Twp., $403,750 KLIPA, Mitchell, Neighborhood Loans, Ada Twp., $456,000 MEAD, Gregory L., Bank of America, Cascade Twp., $921,557 WARREN, Justin et al, Northern Mortgage Services, Cascade Twp., $430,500 MEAD TRUST, PNC Bank, Cascade Twp., $363,000 LEACH, Sean W. et al, Loandepot.com, Caledonia, $455,000 CHARDOUL, Marion P., Quicken Loans, Cannon Twp., $391,000 HAVEMEIER, Kendra et al, Inlanta Mortgage, Algoma Twp., $464,000 COTTAGE GROUP INC., Lake Michigan Credit Union, Parcel: 411326279005, $640,000 STEPHEN, Jeffrey L. et al, Strong Home Mortgage, Caledonia, $510,000 ECA PROPERTIES LLC, Horizon Bank, Kentwood, $2,712,100 KAMP, Daryl et al, Macatawa Bank, Lowell Twp., $362,550 SWAN ALPHA FIRST LLC, Southern Michigan Bank & Trust, Parcel: 411419126019, $7,775,000

SHINEVAR, Michael R. et al, Macatawa Bank, Vergennes Twp., $351,000 ZUBRICKAS, Scott S. et al, Mercantile Bank, Plainfield Twp., $356,800 HILGER, Adam et al, Real Estate Mortgage Network, $488,400 KOSTELNIK, David et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Parcel: 412116402016, $540,000 LEPLEY, Daniel J. et al, Lutheran Federal Credit Union, Plainfield Twp., $499,500 EAST PARIS YARD LLC, Owen-AmesKimball Co., Gaines Twp., $562,197 FOWLER, Eric et al, Churchill Mortgage Corp., Parcel: 411430452011, $365,750 LEWIS, Michelle R., Mercantile Bank, Caledonia, $498,750 DOLL, Corey et al, Huntington National Bank, Walker, $493,050 SLAGELL, Brent W., Independent Bank, Lowell, $400,000 HENDERSON, James et al, Better Mortgage Corp., Caledonia, $383,016 LANAGHAN, Michael et al, Fifth Third Bank, East Grand Rapids, $409,000 5000 KENDRICK LLC, Macatawa Bank, Cascade Twp., $948,000 LOPEZ, Joe G. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Parcel: 411401101030, $561,300 NORTON, Karl et al, Mercantile Bank, Lowell Twp., $440,000 VALAMUDI, Venkatanagaraja S., A Best Financial Corp., Parcel: 411411402038, $522,000 WELLS, Mark W. et al, Benchmark Mortgage, Cannon Twp., $510,400 JOHNSON, Karry, Neighborhood Loans, Cannon Twp., $504,000 MACKENZIE-LYNN Trust, Old National Bank, Cannon Twp., $688,000 MANOHAR, Vinayak et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cascade Twp., $888,750 MEIER TRUST, Heartland Home Mortgage, Plainfield Twp., $367,700 SWIGER, Andrea M., Consumers Credit Union, Ada Twp., $504,000 ARNOLD, Jonathan et al, Inlanta Mortgage, Plainfield Twp., $416,800 FROST, Jeremy et al, Macatawa Bank, Parcel: 411912400047, $710,000 MEYER TRUST, Fifth Third Bank, Cascade Twp., $686,000 EDWARDS TRUST, Mercantile Bank, Lowell, $388,000 HAZEL, Jemes et al, Better Mortgage Corp., Caledonia, $367,519 GRAHAM, Bradford R. et al, United

Wholesale Mortgage, Parcel: 411413202014, $356,000 WITHAM, Paul et al, Consumers Credit Union, Parcel: 411412276017, $503,500 DOLETZKY, James et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Plainfield Twp., $408,000 FASE, James D. et al, Inlanta Mortgage, Cannon Twp., $408,000 BRAINGU PROPERTIES LLC, Arbor Financial Credit Union, Parcel: 411324251003, $858,532 GORDON, Thomas D. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Parcel: 411316377057, $411,000 HODGES, Saraha et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Parcel: 411109300002, $706,500 THEBO, Brian et al, United Wholesale Mortgage, Plainfield Twp., $448,000 BOURGOIS, Andrew et al, Neighborhood Loans, Courtland Twp., $408,000 FOSTER, Bryan, Finance of America Mortgage, Parcel: 411414201027, $510,000 STROSTER, Michael E. et al, United Bank, Parcel: 411822280011, $427,500 FREMONT PARTNERS LLC, TCF National Bank, Parcel: 411324314018, $1,140,000 KNIGHT, Chris et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cascade Twp., $503,400 BAKKER, Paul M. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Caledonia, $461,250 GOEBEL, Denise et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Plainfield Twp., $637,500 TURNQUIST, Michael A. et al, Hall Financial Group, Cascade Twp., $535,050 KOLLIG, Joseph J., USAA Federal Savings Bank, Ada Twp., $386,400 TATROS, Mark, Neighborhood Loans, Parcel: 411412276034, $506,900 PARENT, Danielle et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Byron Twp., $448,621 MASTIN, Brian C. et al, Northern Mortgage Services, Algoma Twp., $480,000 VELLANTI, Linda M., Lake Michigan Credit Union, Plainfield Twp., $456,730 DAWAKI, Mubarak A., Independent Bank, Cascade Twp., $548,250 JMK REALTY CO. LLC, Fifth Third Bank, Gaines Twp., $2,160,000 STASKIEWICZ, David A. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Gaines Twp., $372,000 DROPPERS, Jacob A. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Parcel: 411432432009, $428,500 SIMEUNOVIC, Gordana, Better Mortgage Corp., Parcel: 411426276007, $407,555 ROTHWELL TRUST, PNC Bank, Ada Twp.,

PUBLIC RECORD AVAILABLE ONLINE: For the full version of this week’s Public Record, visit the Grand Rapids Business Journal’s website at grbj.com.

EGLE and partners collaborate on NextCycle Michigan

grant funding.

Among the grants Stevens unveiled were: •NextEnergy, Detroit: $50,000 for an assessment of electric vehicle battery recycling system needs in Michigan •Battery Solutions, Wixom: $75,000 for battery sorting technology upgrades •Schupan Recycling, based in Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids: $250,000 for equipment that empties packaging, allowing for additional containers to be recycled •Recycle Livingston (city of Howell): $282,504.80 for Howell dropoff site upgrades that will improve collection and processing capacity and worker health and safety conditions •City of Ypsilanti: $73,440 for recycling bins in downtown and public parks •City of Detroit: $20,000 for residential recycling carts, part of multiyear, ongoing EGLE support of Detroit’s recycling program •Huron-Clinton Metroparks: $48,816 for plastic bottle recycling bins in Metroparks •The Resource Recovery and Recycling Authority of Southwest Oakland County: $32,000 for Novi drop-off site upgrades •MSU Recycling (MSU Recycling and Surplus Store): $170,000 for robotic sorting equipment that will improve drop-off recycling in the region, as well as worker health and safety conditions •Vartega, Detroit: $100,000 for the production of new recycled thermoplastics products •Emterra Environmental, multiple eastern Michigan locations: $250,000 for technology to produce cleaner glass material that will be used to make beverage con-

tainers and insulation The Legislature two years ago in a bipartisan move voted to increase EGLE’s funding for recycling projects from $2 million annually to $15 million per year moving forward. The additional funds through Renew Michigan grants are being used to promote the development of recycling markets, increase access to recycling opportunities and support efforts to grow recycling at the local level, said state Sen. Wayne Schmidt, R-Traverse City.

“I was proud to be one of the members in the Michigan Legislature who voted to provide new funding to support recycling throughout our state,” Schmidt said. “Now, more than ever, Michigan residents view recycling as an essential public service, and during a time of social distancing because of COVID-19, when many nonessential employees are working remotely and commercial recycling is near an all-time low due to the coronavirus pandemic, producers see residential recycling programs as a critical part in the manufacturing supply chain so they can make their products from recycled content instead of new materials.”

The Renew Michigan grant recipients in northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula that Schmidt highlighted include: •Great Lakes Tissue: $250,000 for technology that will recycle more types of containers into paper products •GFL Environmental: $100,000 for technology needed for cart and cup recycling •The Northeast Michigan Council of Governments: $55,000 to support collaborative efforts to secure

a new recycling processing facility for the region •Emmet County: $150,000 for expansion of the food scraps collection program •Delta Solid Waste Management Authority: $600,000 for equipment needed to take advantage of the new recycling facility in Marquette that was built through a previous EGLE grant •Three Upper Peninsula townships (Ishpeming/Neguanee/ Marquette Charter): $167,791 for residential recycling carts for residents of those three townships, with materials going to the new recycling facility in Marquette •Keweenaw Bay Indian Community: $20,000 for equipment to collect paper and cardboard needed

by Michigan businesses like U.P. Paper •City of Alpena: $58,080 for recycling bins in public parks and government buildings •SEEDS: $75,000 for a study of how to optimize the organics recycling system in Northern Michigan EGLE also announced last month the next round of NextCycle Michigan Innovation Challenges and Renew Michigan recycling funding opportunities. People can visit EGLE’s website at michigan. gov/mirecycles for details about applying for recycling grants.

The NextCycle Michigan initiative and Renew Michigan grants align with EGLE’s national “Know It Before You Throw It” recycling education campaign featuring the Recycling Raccoon Squad. The aim of the campaign that began in 2019 is to increase recycling and promote best practices to reduce contaminated materials from going into recycling bins and dropoff sites.

Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds LATO, Jeremy et al, Macatawa Bank, Wyoming, $346,329 DENNIS, Zachary R. et al, Union Bank, Condo-Preserve, 400,000 SCORCI, Bret et al, Crosscountry Mortgage, Caledonia, $441,400 STEIN, Craig et al, Grand River Bank, Parcel: 411402376027, $1,036,800 ANDERS, Timothy J. et al, Crosscountry Mortgage, Parcel: 411427405012, $396,500 LARUE, Ryan P. et al, Loandepot.com, Parcel: 411821251005, $351,500 DEBLACAM, Esther, West Michigan Community Bank, Cascade Twp., $417,000 VANDERVEEN, Kurt et al, Northpointe Bank, Byron Twp., $850,000 STUTZMAN, Jerry L. Jr. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Caledonia, $510,000 MONTOYA, Rafel, United Midwest Savings Bank, Parcel: 411326205017, $1,900,000 IRWIN, Lisa et al, JTB Homes LLC, Parcel: 411425102021, $488,862 CROSBY, Scott et al, Quicken Loans, Plainfield Twp., $403,300 KORHORN, Lance C. et al, United Bank, Cascade Twp., $435,000 RUSHMAN, Jonathan M. et al, Better Mortgage Corp., Cascade Twp., $481,713 TILLEY, David R. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, East Grand Rapids, $464,000 MENTUS, Michelle M. et al, Fifth Third Bank, Caledonia, $348,000 TKB INVESTMENT PROPERTIES LLC, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Walker, $650,000 OVERBECK, James R. et al, United Wholesale Mortgage, Cascade Twp., $427,000 DINES, Rodney L. Jr. et al, Quicken Loans, Nelson Twp., $374,300 AYESH, Bodour et al, Huntington National Bank, Cascade Twp., $585,500 SULLIVEN, David K. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cascade Twp., $554,000 MEYER, George C. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Ada Twp., $749,000 MEACHUM, Matthew et al, Independent Bank, Cannon Twp., $972,000 BOOS, Brian C. et al, Flagstar Bank, Grattan Twp., $476,503 PEDDIE, Michael et al, Fifth Third Bank, Walker, $416,400 HAYWOOD, Jefferson et al, Better Mortgage

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

“I am happy to speak today in support of the NextCycle initiative because this program will increase innovation and overcome barriers that have traditionally hindered Michigan’s recycling rates in the past,” Studley said. “Our state decision-makers wisely understood that partnering with Michigan’s business community to help develop market-driven solutions was critical to improving Michigan’s waste and materials management processes. The NextCycle initiative will be an important piece of accomplishing those goals.”

By helping to build out domestic markets for recycled goods, Studley said he believes Michigan can help support key industries like automotive, construction materials and paper product manufacturing while preserving the environment for the next generation.

He plans to encourage Michigan Chamber members to engage and collaborate to help regulators understand their needs and develop solutions.

Vik Srinivasan, senior vice president for real estate and properties at Meijer, also spoke at the virtual event. He said Meijer provides recycling solutions to its customers by offering plastic film recycling and drug-takeback programs. Every year, Meijer keeps over 100,000 tons of material from the landfill through recycling. Meijer also has

food waste reduction programs in its stores and manufacturing facilities that recycle unused food into animal feed and compost.

“We’re proud to say that, since 2018, we’ve achieved more than a 95% waste diversion rate at our five food manufacturing facilities,” Srinivasan said. “But we still have a long way to go to reach our goals, which is why we’re excited to be partnering with EGLE in support of the NextCycle program.

“This program will help us find new ways to recycle some of the most challenging materials in our supply chain, which include packaged food waste from our stores and difficult-to-recycle materials in our distribution centers,” he said. “We look forward to our shared innovation not only to help us reach our sustainability goals, but also to help build the infrastructure for our successes to be replicated statewide.”

Whitmer and the state Legislature are committed to raising Michigan’s recycling rate to 30% by 2025 and ultimately reach 45% annually — Michigan’s current recycling rate is at about 18.5%, Browne said, which is among the nation’s lowest.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, who serves the state’s 11th Congressional District in southeast Michigan, shared several projects across Michigan that will boost the state’s recycling rate in 2021 with Renew Michigan

$481,000 MILLMAN, Steven A. et al, Old National Bank, East Grand Rapids, $500,000 NASH, Andrew K. et al, Better Mortgage Corp., Parcel: 411414127052, $496,645 CURTIS, Scott E. et al, Loandepot.com, Plainfield Twp., $510,400 STRAUCHEN, Andrew W. et al, Guaranteed Rate, Ada Twp., $526,800 WARNER, Brandon K. et al, Mercantile Bank, Cannon Twp., $555,200 LEE, Christopher D. et al, Fifth Third Bank, Parcel: 411412476006, $637,600 PLATTE, Raisa, TCF National Bank, Cannon Twp., $507,200 WATERSON, Robert A. et al, Freedom Mortgage Corp., Courtland Twp., $376,557 COOPER-SURMA, Blaine C. et al, Better Mortgage Corp., Ada Twp., $402,052 REED TRUST, West Shore Bank, Ada Twp., $442,000 CRP-2 LLC, Welch Trust, Lowell, $530,920 JAKARY, Jeremy et al, State Department Federal Credit Union, Courtland Twp., $599,920 COLLINS, Lee Jr. et al, Mercantile Bank, Cascade Twp., $528,000 MENDEZ, Thomas J., Lake Michigan Credit Union, Lowell, $567,000 KRAAI, Jim et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cascade Twp., $360,000 FORZLEY, Kathy M. et al, Better Mortgage Corp., Cascade Twp., $495,144 MAY, Marvin C. et al, Mercantile Bank, Plainfield Twp., $444,000 HENDERSON, Cody et al, Neighborhood Loans, Algoma Twp., $445,805 JOHNSON, Edward A. et al, Loandepot.com, Caledonia, $421,000 WEISS, Morgan, Finance of America Mortgage, Wyoming, $431,920 CONWAY, Ryan et al, Better Mortgage Corp., Parcel: 411412276020, $392,900 TITUS, Jason et al, Union Home Mortgage Corp., Caledonia, $510,000 VARADY, Kristen, United Wholesale Mortgage, Plainfield Twp., $352,000 GOEDE, Jane et al, Plus Relocation Mortgage LLC, East Grand Rapids, $457,000

26

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

MAY 3, 2021

Make life more than a job Hot stuff.

E

xpress Employment Professionals of Grand Rapids is on a mission to raise awareness throughout West Michigan about the many career opportunities currently available and the value of having a job.

In April, Express launched the “More than a Job” campaign to highlight the importance of employment and the benefits employees gain beyond just receiving a paycheck.

Light industrial manufacturing is one industry that continues to thrive in West Michigan with a diverse range of markets, including office furniture, automotive, medical devices, food processing, aerospace, defense, foundries, plastics and more. The light industrial division of Express Employment Professionals of Grand Rapids is currently serving more companies than ever before, with 382 jobs available at 102 different companies.

A market snapshot report by EMSI, a labor market data company that partners with Express, shows that manufacturing is the largest employment industry in the Grand Rapids-Kentwood MSA and is ranked well above the national average.

However, while demand for light industrial employees continues to increase in the region,

BUSINESS JOURNAL STAFF

the labor shortage continues to make it increasingly difficult for employers to attract talent. In West Michigan, the labor force participation rate has dropped more than 3% since 2019, resulting in nearly 30,000 individuals who are no longer working or looking for work.

Express Employment Professionals International CEO Bill Stoller said there’s a lot to be said for the value of hard work.

“There’s no denying that making enough to pay the bills is usually the primary motivation for seeking work,” he said. “But securing that aspect can also positively impact your mental health.

A job can elevate your self-esteem and challenge the mind, which studies have shown helps to prevent early aging.”

Wendy DeVries, who leads Express Grand Rapids’ light industrial division, said people are looking for a job where they can learn and have a plan for advancement.

“They are looking for a company that wants to invest in them,” she said. “They want to know the plan and what it takes to reach those levels. They also need companies to be flexible to what they have going on in life outside of work.”

Some of the most in-demand

light industrial jobs available at Express Employment Professionals of Grand Rapids include machine operator, warehouse worker, mechanical assembler, production worker and forklift driver.

Positions range in pay from $14 to $18 per hour and more, with companies hiring on all shifts and schedules.

Express Pros said it is excited and grateful to work with many companies that are committed to the growth and development of their employees, including client Kenona Industries.

“Kenona Industries has a unique and inviting culture and enjoys investing in its employees for future growth and opportunities,” said Karna Bronner, Kenona’s human resources manager.

More information about the “More than a Job” campaign is at expresspros.com/grandrapidsmi/more-than-a-job.aspx.

CUTTING EDGE FlannelJax’s wants to make every throw, thump, cut and chop at its axe-throwing ranges sustainable.

The axe-throwing and lumberjack games chain recently launched its FlannelJax’s Gives Back initiative. The ongoing program promises funds to plant one tree for every axe-throwing

group that visits through its new partnership with One Tree Planted.

“We believe it’s important to think about the effect our business has on the environment and we want to ensure we are doing what we can to offset our impact and preserve our planet for future generations,” said Stephen Schober, president and CEO of FlannelJax’s. “One Tree Planted’s efforts to aid the reforestation of communities in the U.S. and around the globe is inspiring, and we’re happy to help support them through this new partnership.”

One Tree Planted is a nonprofit organization with a mission to create a healthier climate, protect biodiversity and help reforestation efforts all by planting trees.

It takes one dollar to plant one tree through the organization’s four-phase process, which includes site preparation, nurturing the saplings, transporting the trees by hand and maintaining and monitoring the trees.

“It’s important to consider the use of resources in any business, and have a way to give back to nature,” said Diana Chaplin, canopy director at One Tree Planted.

“The trees we’ll plant as part of this initiative will help restore forests in the U.S. and make a lasting positive impact for biodiversity.”

The company’s goal is to support the planting of trees to across the U.S. to benefit the environment well beyond its use of tree wood.

MEAT MASTERS A Grand Rapids couple is among

STREET TALK the first three members of the inaugural Preserve the Pit Fellowship initiated by Kingsford Charcoal. Cory and Tarra Davis, owners of Daddy Pete’s BBQ since 2012, will receive a grant along with immersive training and one-on-one mentorship with industry leaders throughout 2021 to turn their business aspirations into a reality.

Kingsford launched Preserve the Pit in January and received nearly 1,000 applications during the application period. Kingsford and a network of barbecue mentors and industry leaders selected the 2021 class of fellows based on a variety of factors including their connection to barbecue, contributions to the legacy of the Black barbecue community and commitments to fueling its future.

“We are blown away by the interest in Preserve the Pit and the passion that was conveyed by applicants for strengthening the Black barbecue community,” said Shaunte Mears-Watkins, vice president of strategy and marketing for Kingsford. “The selected fellows are motivated to begin their experience as a Preserve the Pit fellow, and we’re happy to be able to support them throughout their journey.”

Kingsford said the Davises have a passion for barbecue that they share with their friends, family and community. Through the fellowship, the local couple said their goal is to build a stronger foundation for their business operations to ensure their restaurant continues to successfully operate beyond their generation.

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