Consortium paves way for minority businesses.
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JULY 11, 2022 VOL. 39, NO. 14
The Business Newspaper of Metro Grand Rapids, Holland, Muskegon & West Michigan
THIS WEEK
JOSE BUILDS A BEAUTIFUL LIFE
Business development director for Michigan Women Forward has blazed her own path since coming to the U.S. Page 12
Young CEO pursues accessible aviation Alex Taylor, 21, sets goal of creating the world’s largest humanitarian air force. Kayleigh Fongers kfongers@grbj.com
Senior housing GR Housing Commission hopes to have more residential space available for low-income seniors this fall. PAGE 5
Speed dating LABR app quickly matches unskilled workers with employers in need. PAGE 10
A 21-year-old entrepreneur from West Michigan has secured a fellowship for his work in founding a humanitarian aerospace company. Alex Taylor is one of 23 individuals — and the only recipient from Michigan — to have received this year’s Thiel Fellowship, a two-year program created by PayPal cofounder and billionaire Peter Thiel. As a Thiel fellow, Taylor will
receive a $100,000 grant for his company Orb Aerospace. Orb Aerospace, founded by Taylor in 2017 when he was a junior in high school, is an aircraft company reinventing aviation with the goal of becoming the world’s most acces-
sible option for the industry. “We’re doing for aviation what the internet did for information,” Taylor said. Specifically, Orb Aerospace is in the process of building an aerospace network without the
need for infrastructure. Instead, aerial vehicles referred to as orbs will be able to travel between different nodes in various locations, relying on air as the only means CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
Kellogg separation fits with larger trend
APPROVED BEHAVIOR UHS, Trinity Health partner on new behavioral health hospital in Byron Center. Page 21
Food industry expert points to other large public company spinoffs as precedents.
THE LISTS
Rachel Watson
The area’s top senior residential communities. Page 4 The area’s top health care education programs. Page 6 The area’s top IT services and networking companies. Page 8
Orb Aerospace produces craft that are fully electric, quiet and sustainable for communities and ecosystems around the world. Courtesy Orb Aerospace
rwatson@grbj.com
The news last month that Kellogg Company would be splitting into three separate entities didn’t come as a surprise to a food industry expert at Western Michigan University. The Battle Creek-based breakfast and snack food maker announced on June 21 it would be splitting into three companies — temporarily dubbed Global
Snacking Co., North America Cereal Co. and Plant Co. until permanent names are chosen — with the latter two headquartered in Battle Creek and the former based in Chicago with a Battle Creek presence. A Kellogg spokesperson told the Business Journal the transactions will not result in any office moves or closures, and Kellogg’s intent is for its current real estate footprint to remain the same. The company as of now does not plan to close any plants, and Kellogg doesn't anticipate any plant job losses because of the changes. The company said the decision was not made as “a cost savings exercise,” but rather it is intended to ensure and facilitate the suc-
cess of the three companies and create growth opportunities. “These businesses all have significant standalone potential, and an enhanced focus will enable Cahillane them to better direct their resources toward their distinct strategic priorities,” said Steve Cahillane, Kellogg Company chair and CEO, who, going forward, will serve as chair and CEO of Global Snacking Co. “In turn, each business is expected to create more value for all stakeholders, and each
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Inside Track ...... 12 Guest Columns.. 16 Talent wars
MEDC OKs support for $500 million statewide projects.
Change-Ups ..... 30 Calendar ........... 31 Public Record ... 32 Street Talk ...... 34
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is well-positioned to build a new era of innovation and growth.” Kellogg — which started out as a pioneer in the cereal industry — said about 80% of net sales in 2021 came from global snacking, international cereal and noodles, and North America frozen breakfast products, all of which will be folded into Global Snacking Co. going forward. The other 20% of sales in 2021 was from its cereal and plantbased businesses. Bob Samples is executive-in-residence at Western Michigan University’s food and consumer package goods marketing program and worked at CONTINUED ON PAGE 28