GRBJ - The Newsmakers of the Year - 2019

5 2 FINALISTS

16 W IN N ER S

1 N EWSM A K ER O F THE Y E A R

JA N UA RY 2 9, 2 02 0

CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS YEAR’S NEWSMAKERS!

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A year in review

T

HE BUSINESS JOURNAL no longer publishes “year in review” stories. We’re much more progressive now; we do “look-aheads.”

If you missed the Dec. 30 print edition, visit grbj. com and catch up through the archived editions feature on the home page. There are some pretty interesting stories looking at this year and the new decade from the perspectives of a variety of industries.

Sometimes, however, I miss the old year-in-review issues. They offered an overview of the year that was and did so all in one place (usually in one really, really long story!).

Then I realized this is our year in review. This Newsmaker of the Year supplement, which celebrates the people who made news in 2019, gives insight into the people, places and events that make our West Michigan business community hum.

For the purposes of this annual celebration, the news is separated into 16 categories, ranging from Arts and Entertainment to Technology. The fact that there are three (or in some cases more) finalists in each category is a testament to West Michigan’s staying power.

There are no public nominations for Newsmaker of the Year. The editorial staff sits down together at the end of the preceding year and decides on the most newsworthy people and events that impacted West Michigan over the past 12 months. Then we vote. Sometimes, we take multiple votes. It all leads to a “winner” in each of the 16 categories, plus an overall Newsmaker of the Year, all of which will be revealed on Jan. 29 at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park during our annual networking breakfast.

The Newsmaker breakfast celebrates all that is right with West Michigan. It brings together the top people from various industries to recognize the successes each of them has contributed.

What makes Newsmaker special, however, is the mix of finalists. Giant corporations like Stryker and Kellogg are represented, but so are the smaller outfits that carried a big punch in 2019.

Hannah Berry, of Lions & Rabbits, can’t match the billions Stryker spent on key acquisitions, but the Rad American Women project she created with Kim VanDriels and her work promoting the arts and events within the Creston neighborhood and business district makes her a worthy finalist in the Arts and Entertainment category.

Likewise, a couple of guys from Kent City saw a problem with waste in the powder-coating industry and decided to fix it themselves. Dwayne Behrens and Brian Spicer created Innovakote, in the process earning themselves spots as finalists in the Sustainability category.

The point is West Michigan cannot thrive without its large manufacturers, health systems, banks and institutions of higher learning, but sometimes it’s the smaller organizations that act as the glue.

All are represented in the Newsmaker of the Year program.

Tim Gortsema Editor Grand Rapids Business Journal

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2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 3

6 arts & entertainment

14 health care

23 sports

7 beverages

16 law

24 startups

8 economic development

18 manufacturing

25 sustainability

10 education

19 nonprofits/philanthropy

26 technology

12 finance

20 real estate/construction

13 food

22 retail

J.D. Loeks Celebration Cinema Hannah Berry Lions & Rabbits Beth Beaman The Playhouse at White Lake

Jason and Kris Spaulding Brewery Vivant/Broad Leaf Local Beer Jon O’Connor and Kyle Van Strien Long Road Distillers Brett VanderKamp New Holland Brewing/New Holland Spirits

Richard Winn AHC+Hospitality Brian Picardat Gerald R. Ford International Airport Doug DeKock and Chuck Geenen Geenen DeKock Properties

Richard Pappas Davenport University Bill Pink Grand Rapids Community College Edward Montgomery Western Michigan University

Krista Flynn Chemical Bank Kelly Potes ChoiceOne Bank Eric Foster Rende Progress Capital

Mike McDonald Dr. John’s Healthy Sweets Steve Cahillane Kellogg Company Dr. Andrew Maternowski and Dr. Monica Randles Nutcase Vegan Meats

Robert Casalou Trinity Health Michigan/Mercy Health Dr. Peter Hahn Metro Health-University of Michigan Health Mark Eastburg Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services

Richard Hillary Miller Johnson Mental Health Practice James McGrath Western Michigan University Cooley Law School Ryan Leestma Information Systems Intelligence

John Kennedy IV Autocam Medical Murray Kessler Perrigo Kevin Lobo Stryker Corporation

Bridget Clark Whitney Kids’ Food Basket Jeremy DeRoo LINC UP Timothy Hileman Special Olympics Michigan

Tim Schowalter Pioneer Construction Mike VanGessel Rockford Construction John Wheeler Wheeler Development Group

Scott Wierda CWD Real Estate Investment Brooke Lavender The Donut Conspiracy Cecily McCabe Woodland Mall

4 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR

Adam Stio Battle Creek Rumble Bees Steve Jbara Grand Rapids Drive Mike McCall Muskegon Lumberjacks

Amanda Chocko SURGE Jorge Gonzalez Start Garden Scott Hill Varnum MiSpringboard

Mike VanGessel Rockford Construction Brian Spicer and Dwayne Behrens Innovakote Rich Wolowski Gordon Food Service

Mike Cotter Feyen Zylstra Jake Blough Service Express Garry VonMyhr Tech Defenders

category: arts & entertainment

J.D. Loeks

Hannah Berry

Beth Beaman

DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS saw its entertainment scene change in 2019.

Ionia Avenue became the home of the new Studio Park, which includes the Studio C Listening Room and a movie theater.

Both venues opened in the fall and are part of an ongoing $160 million project that is owned by Olsen Loeks Development LLC. The Listening Room is an intimate 200-person seat concert venue that features local, regional and national artists.

Celebration Cinema Studio Park has made a 45,000-square-foot imprint in the city. The cinema is a nine-screen movie theater with heated, reclining seats and a 10th screen outside, which could be used to broadcast high-profile events, such as the World Cup or Olympic events.

Back in 2016, Studio C President J.D. Loeks said putting this project downtown will help strengthen the city’s urban core.

“The other thing to understand from our perspective is we know we make more money out in the suburbs. We go downtown Grand Rapids because this is our hometown and we believe a strong community needs a strong urban core. When you’re in it for community development reasons in the first place, you might as well do it right.”

Theatre One features a 90-foot widescreen, the largest in West Michigan, and can accommodate up to 300 customers.

“The idea of Studio Park started as a much smaller project and snowballed into what it is today. Our ultimate goal was to create an experience for people in the heart of downtown,” Loeks said.

HANNAH BERRY USED her artistic talents to impact the city in 2019.

Berry, owner of Lions & Rabbits art gallery, boutique and event space, turned the city into an outdoor art museum when she worked with Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. to create the Rad American Women walking tour that showcased painted portraits by female artists of influential women on mechanical boxes throughout downtown.

The project was inspired by The New York Times bestseller “Rad American Women A-Z,” a book by Kate Schatz that illustrates historical women, one for each letter of the alphabet. There are 27 painted boxes, one for each letter and a 27th box to introduce the project.

“For me, it’s meaningful to give the purpose to these artists, igniting their souls for their true passion,” Berry said. “I just think people getting to see these women paint these other women is so powerful.”

Berry also organized Creston. After Dark., an annual street fair and festival with a variety of activities in the Creston neighborhood.

“Both have created economic development and sustainability for local artists, engaged the community in a meaningful way, been a teaching tool, focused on accessibility and inclusion, and have pushed people to have to work together on a higher level at a faster, more collaborative pace,” Berry said.

Lions & Rabbits represents more than 115 local artists and offers an array of workshops. Last fall, Lions & Rabbits took over all adult education for Kent District Library.

“We are just continuing to pollinate creativity. It’s so beautiful,” Berry said.

THE PLAYHOUSE AT White Lake, a 103-year-old theater in Whitehall, still is hosting performances after the community answered the call.

Led by Beth Beaman, managing director of the theater, a community nonprofit, residents and the city were able to re-open the historic theater that was marred by code violations and a crumbling infrastructure.

The 10,000-square-foot theater’s heating system was barely working, the venue lacked accessibility and backstage space was inadequate.

“Within five years of us starting this project, we would have been closing,” Beaman said. “There were just too many things wrong that needed to be fixed.

“It was built to be a community theater.

It was never fancy. It was a nice-looking but basic building,” adding there has not been much maintenance over the last 100 years.

The community raised nearly $4 million for the renovation so that it may remain a fixture in the community for another 100 years.

After nearly two years of construction, the theater re-opened in 2019. There is now a 7,000-square-foot expansion of its backstage space, a new inner lobby, accessible seating, accessible bathrooms, two 20-station dressing rooms, a green room, a manager’s office, a loading dock, paved parking lot and an outside snowmelt system.

The renovated theater has 367 seats, including about 60 seats in a completely rebuilt balcony. It has a new audiovisual and hearing loop system, rigging, curtains, new HVAC, plumbing and electrical.

The theater now is a year-round venue and has an annual summer festival. The space hosts community theater performances, education programs, concerts, dance shows, meetings and more.

Celebration Cinema

Lions & Rabbits

6 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR

The Playhouse at White Lake

category: beverages

Jason and Kris Spaulding

Jon O’Connor and Kyle Van Strien

Brett VanderKamp

JASON AND KRIS SPAULDING, the owners of Uptown-based Brewery Vivant, made a bold move in 2019 by opening a second brewery in Kentwood’s busy 28th Street corridor, but the venture went even more out of the box when the two decided it would be more than just a satellite location for the Cherry Street brewery.

Brewery Vivant’s “weird cousin,” dubbed Broad Leaf Local Beer, came to Kentwood as an opportunity for the makers of traditional French and Belgian ales to branch out and be more experimental in the brewing process.

The name Broad Leaf is intended to evoke a more natural feel, Kris Spaulding said, and the interior inspires a connection to nature among the sea of major retail and restaurant brands.

“Where we’re located, we’re with a lot of big-box retailers and chain restaurants,” Spaulding said. “We want to be the opposite of that, have a more communal, homey feel.”

The Spauldings also have taken the opportunity to partner with local companies on unique releases. Recently, Broad Leaf teamed up with Grand Rapids-based Koeze Company to make a beer version of Koeze’s Cream-Nut Peanut Butter Cluster candy.

“Koeze is well known for their highquality products. It seemed like a natural fit for our brands to work together,” Jason Spaulding said.

Brewery Vivant also partnered with Long Road Distillers in September to release Vivant Big Red Coq Malt Whisky, distilled from the same mash as Brewery Vivant’s Big Red Coq Red IPA.

JON O’CONNOR and Kyle Van Strien are not content to rest on their laurels. Besides racking up awards at national and international competitions, the founders of Long Road Distillers in Grand Rapids’ West Side continued to expand the craft distillery’s presence across West Michigan.

Long Road started out 2019 with all the strength of previous years. The distillery racked up two new awards for Amaro Pazzo, the company’s take on a traditional coffee liqueur, at the 13th annual Judging of Craft Spirits, presented by the American Distilling Institute, in Denver.

The distillery also was named the Michigan Gin Distillery of the Year among 600 entries from 29 countries at the 10th annual New York International Spirits Competition.

“We’re honored to claim this title,” O’Connor said. “We take a great deal of pride in crafting our portfolio of gins; it’s one of our favorite spirits to produce and share with others.”

Long Road Distillers opened a new distillery tasting room in Grand Haven over the summer. The lakeshore location at 18 Washington Ave. is the company’s second off-site tasting room apart from its headquarters, production facility and cocktail bar on the West Side of Grand Rapids. The first off-site retail location in Boyne City opened in winter 2018.

“Our team is excited to finally join the Grand Haven community,” Van Strien said.

“We’ve been working on a location here for nearly two years, and it’s certainly been a long road. We can’t wait to share what we’ve been able to build.”

BRETT VANDERKAMP may be better known for the brewery side of the New Holland operation and its legendary flagship Dragon’s Milk bourbon barrel stout.

However, New Holland Spirits has made quiet, but no less ferocious expansions in 2019.

The Holland-based brewery and distillery made its first big move by opening a satellite tasting room in Saugatuck over the summer, serving some of New Holland’s most popular cocktails, as well as wine, hard cider and some spirits and cocktails on draft.

“We are very excited to bring our own artistic expressions of craft spirits to Saugatuck’s vibrant art community,” said VanderKamp, president of New Holland.

“Our storefront at 201 Culver St. is easily accessible by car or by boat, and we will provide guests with a wide variety of bottles to go, handcrafted cocktails and a selection of wine and cider.”

The distillery also rolled out new releases just in time for summer. Lake Life Vodka became available in 750-milliliter bottles in May, and Rum Punch, made with New Holland’s Freshwater Rum, became available for the first time in four-packs of cans in June.

During the fall season, New Holland Spirits added California and Oklahoma to its distribution portfolio, making its spirits available in 24 states.

New Holland Spirits also took home two silver medals at the 13th annual Judging of Craft Spirits, presented by the American Distilling Institute in Denver.

The distillery won silver for its Beer Barrel Bourbon and Knickerbocker American Gin.

Brewery Vivant/ Broad Leaf Local Beer

Long Road Distillers

New Holland Brewing/ New Holland Spirits

2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 7

category: economic development

Richard Winn

Brian Picardat

Doug DeKock and Chuck Geenen

AHC+HOSPITALITY President Richard Winn had a vision of creating a defined Hotel District in downtown Grand Rapids, as many other cities have. In 2019, that vision came true.

Led by AHC, the Hotel District’s three square blocks are defined by the number of hotels, restaurants and other amenities, meant to heighten visitors’ experiences and cement the area as a destination.

“That’s what starts the snowball effect of people helping to grow a city,” Winn said.

AHC completed several projects within that district in 2019.

The 130-room, seven-story AC Hotel Grand Rapids Downtown, along with a Spanish restaurant, opened in a 127-yearold former warehouse in June. AHC is the management company for the 160-room, 12-story Hyatt Place Grand Rapids/Downtown hotel that opened in September.

AHC opened the speakeasy-inspired balcony bar IDC inside the Amway Grand Plaza, rebranded the restaurant inside JW Marriott Grand Rapids and renovated the Marriott’s International Ballroom.

AHC also is working on a $40 million project to renovate the Amway Grand’s glass tower and its restaurant, Cygnus 27.

Winn said staying with the same company in the same city for over 20 years is unusual in the hospitality industry, but the activity in the region has kept him fully engaged.

“There’s never a dull moment in my career,” Winn said. “In this kind of environment, you can become part of that growth, part of that participation and really feel like you can make a difference.

“There has been no reason to want to leave. That’s the bottom line.”

BRIAN PICARDAT accomplished a lot during his time as interim president and CEO of Gerald R. Ford International Airport. Picardat added the duties to his role as CFO for nearly a year.

During that time, the Ford airport had its best year, exceeding 3 million passengers in December 2019.

Allegiant Travel Company announced it would establish a $42.8 million base at the airport that houses two planes, allowing the airline to more easily add nonstop flights departing from Grand Rapids.

“I can tell you that having a base really opens up the world of possibilities and that there will be more routes announced,” said Hilarie Grey, Allegiant’s director of corporate communications. “We may be able to get out to some other cities that we wouldn’t have thought of for Grand Rapids before.”

In 2019, the airport added five new nonstop flights. Four of those flights are through Allegiant.

The Ford airport now has more than 30 nonstop flights. Most other airports of a similar size have about 17, Picardat said.

“So, we’re very fortunate, and it has a lot to say about this community,” Picardat said.

In March 2019, Avflight said it would invest $6 million-$7 million to establish space as a fixed-base operator at the airport.

Last summer, the airport announced plans for a $90 million expansion project that will add eight new gates and amenities, such as restaurants and stores, to Concourse A, to be completed in 2022. This is the first of three construction phases called Project Elevate.

CHUCK GEENEN and Doug DeKock, owners of Geenen DeKock Properties, have transformed the Eighth Street block in downtown Holland.

The longtime business partners in 2019 finished developments that include apartments, an 11-screen, 500-seat Sperry’s Moviehouse, a HopCat and the specialty bakery Cakabakery, as well as a 380-space parking deck. Next door, they renovated the old Holland Sentinel building and rented the bottom floor to the new Seventy-Six restaurant.

Next to that is mixed-use housing and a retail building they finished in 2018.

“When we moved into downtown 20 years ago, we really saw the excitement of downtown Holland, and we wanted to be part of what was already started and just contribute in addition to what was already here,” Geenen said.

The last two buildings of the five-building development are coming in the next couple of years.

Geenen said the goal was to eliminate a few uncharacteristic buildings and fill open space with continuous storefronts, using different façade styles that honor the rest of the architecture downtown.

The development is part of an overall plan that Geenen calls the “march to the waterfront” — extending downtown all the way to Lake Macatawa. The development connects downtown to the recently renovated Holland Civic Center, meaning there is only a quarter-mile to go before this vision is realized.

Geenen said GDK is open to continued downtown development, as long as the demand remains. For now, the demand is strong.

“It’s a very healthy community where people want to live,” Geenen said.

AHC+Hospitality

Gerald R. Ford International Airport

8 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR

Geenen DeKock Properties

Congratulations John on your nomination as a 2019 Newsmaker

John Kennedy IV, General Manager, Autocam Medical

autocam-medical.com

Your vision and leadership is guiding and supporting the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Laboratory at WMU in developing the skilled workforce of the future. Thanks to you for helping keep West Michigan at the forefront of engineering and manufacturing technology and innovation.

The AMP Lab at WMU features a state-of-the-art Machine Tool Laboratory.

category: education

Richard Pappas

Bill Pink

Edward Montgomery

DAVENPORT UNIVERSITY President Richard Pappas has made multiple changes to address the state’s talent shortage through education programs.

Through the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Davenport partnered with several companies, including TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants, DTE Energy, Mercantile Bank and Emergent Holdings, to offer scholarships to their employees.

“With Michigan’s growing economy, our state is facing an insatiable demand for strong talent within our expanding workforce,” Pappas said. “With this program, we’ll be able to empower employers to tackle this issue head-on by leveraging one of their most invaluable resources — their employees.”

Cyber defense was added to Davenport’s list of degrees with an employment guarantee, offering three semesters of tuition-free instruction to alumni who don’t find a job within six months of graduating.

“We have an obligation in higher education that the investment our students make in their education is rewarded with a successful career,” Pappas said.

Through a $4 million federal grant, Davenport will award scholarships to 28 cybersecurity students, who are then guaranteed a full-time cybersecurity role at a government entity.

Davenport also created new pathways that allow veterans to use their military training and experience toward degrees in business, technology or health professions.

Davenport’s athletic department saw significant change, as well.

Starting last fall, Davenport became an active member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division II, allowing its teams and athletes to compete in postseason championships and receive honors.

BILL PINK, president of Grand Rapids Community College, has made a notable effort in helping establish programs that can directly help students find jobs.

GRCC established multiple programs for specific fields, including supply chain, welding, retail management, safety training for commercial vehicle operators and blackjack dealing.

The new Connections to College and Careers program is meant to help Grand Rapids Public Schools students interested in attending GRCC boost their academics and participate in hands-on activities and visits to local employers.

GRCC was one of 80 colleges selected to train 150 apprentices over the next three years as part of the Expanding Community College Apprenticeship Initiative.

“Our economy is changing rapidly, and we need to have an educated, highly skilled workforce,” Pink said. “This program allows students to start thinking about careers and focuses on the importance of post-secondary education to gain the skills and credentials for those rewarding jobs.”

Beginning last fall, GRCC students can earn an associate degree and then transfer to complete a B.S. in sports management at GVSU. Another partnership gives students who transfer to MSU a clearer pathway toward earning a medical degree.

Through a partnership with the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, all GRCC staff have access to classes at the Institute for Healing Racism.

In 2019, GRCC completed an $8M renovation to the Ford Fieldhouse, which included three new classrooms, two additional basketball courts with portable basketball hoops, upgrades and new equipment in the fitness center and more.

WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY President Edward Montgomery and staff made accomplishments last year that go beyond education to address the bigger picture of business and economic development.

Following the success of WMU’s Business Technology and Research Park, construction is underway for a second, the 55acre BTR2. The first park is now home to about 40 companies that provide more than 850 jobs and have provided hundreds of internships for WMU students.

Among plans for the newly established land, Ascension Borgess plans to build a 38,000-square-foot cancer center.

In January 2019, WMU opened the Sanford Center for Financial Planning and Wellness at the Haworth College of Business, meant to improve financial literacy in the greater Kalamazoo community and recruit more professionals to the personal financial planning field with the goal of one day becoming a national model.

The Haworth College of Business also launched the Center for Principled Leadership and Business Strategy, with $6.5 million from business leaders, designed to integrate WMU and the West Michigan business community in a way that creates value for all stakeholders — students, the university, the business community and alumni.

The program includes new degrees, large-scale consulting projects, executive mentorship for students, and training and capital access for students to acquire and operate West Michigan companies.

“Their philanthropy enables Western Michigan University to help students and business leaders harness their passions and beliefs to change the way we think about profit and purpose through new and exciting education, research and outreach activities,” Montgomery said.

Davenport University

Grand Rapids Community College

10 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR

Western Michigan University

WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY THOMAS M. COOLEY LAW SCHOOL

Congratulations, President & Dean James McGrath

Western Michigan University Cooley Law School proudly recognizes President, Dean and Professor James McGrath as a 2019 Grand Rapids Business Journal Newsmaker of the Year finalist in the Law category.

WMU-Cooley Law School is a national leader in practice preparation with a focus on professionalism and ethics. We embrace President McGrath’s new modern legal education methods as we ALL RISE to continue our commitment to inclusion and diversity.

category: finance

Krista Flynn

Kelly Potes

Eric Foster

CHEMICAL BANK became a Midwest powerhouse in 2019.

The Detroit-based bank’s parent company, Chemical Financial Corporation, and TCF Financial Corporation (formerly based in Wayzata, Minnesota) closed a merger of equals Aug. 1, becoming TCF Financial Corporation headquartered in Detroit.

The merger created a Midwest bank with $46 billion in total assets, more than 500 banking centers in nine states, and a specialty lending and leasing business in all 50 states.

The Chemical Bank brand will continue in the market until mid-2020 when its banking centers will be re-branded as TCF Bank.

TCF Bank hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Dec. 10 for its new regional corporate office and banking center in downtown Grand Rapids, at 150 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 900, which now houses the corporate functions of Chemical Bank’s current downtown Grand Rapids team.

Regional President Krista Flynn is based out of the office and will continue to lead the West Michigan region for TCF Bank.

Flynn told the Business Journal last February that the branding change makes good sense.

“TCF’s brand is more nationally recognized, particularly outside of Michigan. It made sense as we continue to be a broader bank that we have the more nationally recognized name, and as they had more facilities outside of Michigan in the larger cities … it’s more economical to continue on with the brand that had a broader presence,” she said.

“TCF is just as committed to their communities as we are to ours, which is nice from a cultural standpoint.”

SPARTA-BASED CHOICEONE Financial Services doubled in size this year to become a $1.3 billion asset bank holding company through a merger of equals with Lapeerbased County Bank Corp., parent of Lakestone Bank & Trust.

The two entities, combined under the name ChoiceOne Financial Services, now represent the 12th largest bank holding company in Michigan based on asset size, according to ChoiceOne Bank when the merger was approved in September. The deal closed Oct. 1.

Kelly Potes, president and CEO of ChoiceOne Financial Services, said the two main benefits local customers have received from the deal are bigger loan sizes and the addition of trust services.

“We’ll do loans of any size; there’s nothing too small,” he told the Business Journal when the merger was announced in March. “(And) we’ll be able to offer trust services in the Grand Rapids area (and) in our current marketplace. That will be a big addition for us.”

He added ChoiceOne, which is known for its fintech partnerships and services as well as its Spanish-language resources for the migrant agricultural community in Sparta, will continue to add to those services and also will benefit from Lakestone’s strengths in lending to the medical industry.

Potes said the banks are stronger together with alike cultures but no overlap in geographical footprint.

ChoiceOne grew its West Michigan footprint in 2018 by opening offices in downtown Grand Rapids and Rockford.

The combined bank now has 29 offices in southeastern and West Michigan.

RENDE PROGRESS CAPITAL began executing on its mission as West Michigan’s first racial equity-focused lender in late 2018 and kept up the pace making loans throughout 2019.

Former W.K. Kellogg Foundation fellows Eric Foster and Cuong “CQ” Huynh launched Rende in June 2018.

Their mission for the firm — which is seeking status as a community development financial institution (CDFI) — is to increase access to loans for minority entrepreneurs who have been denied funding from traditional lenders due to “bias and other market factors” and/or been victims of predatory lending schemes engaged in because of barriers to receiving conventional loans.

By December 2018, Rende had issued its first loan to Richard Flowers, owner of Grand Rapids-based Reliable Medical Transport, through a partnership with Marquette-based CDFI Northern Initiatives.

In 2019, Rende made loans to Grand Rapids-area business owners, including Clara Guevara, of Maily’s Dominican Salon; Angelina Morales and Jesus “Chuy” Morales, of Radio La Mejor GR; and Care Monique Allen, of True 2 Size Shoes, as well as partnering with the newly formed Michigan State University Federal Credit Union Desk Drawer Fund “to enhance RPC’s business technical assistance and inclusive lending services within Kent County.”

Rende looks for client referrals from sources including Grand Rapids Area Black Businesses and the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

The latter nonprofit directed three Latino-owned businesses to Rende through its Transformando West Michigan business training program in 2019, and the two organizations are committed to continuing the partnership.

Chemical Bank

ChoiceOne Bank

12 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR

Rende Progress Capital

COURTESY SARA COZOLINO PHOTOGRAPHY

category: food

Mike McDonald

Dr. John’s Healthy Sweets A MANUFACTURER OF sugar-free treats found its sweet spot in 2019.

Dr. John’s Healthy Sweets in June opened its new 22,000-square-foot corporate headquarters at 5320 West River Drive NE in Comstock Park. It houses production, packaging, storage, sales and distribution for the company.

Dr. John Bruinsma, a dentist, and his wife Debra Bruinsma, a hygienist, founded the business in 1995 and are now part owners. Mike McDonald is majority owner, president and CEO. The company makes lollipops, hard candies, caramels and taffy using natural, sugar-free sweeteners called xylitol and erythritol.

Dr. John’s purchased the building in October 2018 from Moonlight Industries and invested $2.3 million into the project, including the purchase of the property, renovations, machinery and equipment, furniture, fixtures, computers and IT. “We started by putting a quarter of a million dollars of food-grade paint in the whole facility,” McDonald said. “Then, we stripped the floors and ground them and polished them and made them food grade.”

Andrew Stegehuis, vice president of operations, said the renovations included almost everything in the facility, besides the roof.

“We took out a lot of concrete walls.

We redid the office space, which was very, very old, so we just updated it and added a conference room. As far as the back of the facility, we re-polished all the floors, added drains, made sure it was up to the ADA standards (and) added a security system.”

Dr. John’s has added a second lollipop production line with room for six more production lines.

Dr. Andrew Maternowski and Dr. Monica Randles

Steve Cahillane

Kellogg Company

Nutcase Vegan Meats

KELLOGG DEMONSTRATED in 2019 through new offerings and partnerships early results from the refocusing of its brand portfolio and restructuring of its North America business.

The Battle Creek-based food maker in July sold its Keebler and Famous Amos cookie brands, as well as its fruit snack, pie crust and ice cream businesses, to Alba, Italy-based Ferrero International for $1.3 billion, a divestiture that resulted in the elimination of 150 jobs effective Dec. 31, 2020, 66 of them in Battle Creek.

Kellogg also announced in February 2019 it was cutting 79 jobs — 67 of which were in Battle Creek — as part of its Kellogg North American restructuring plan.

The moves, though “not an easy decision,” represent “yet another action we have taken to reshape and focus our portfolio, which will lead to reduced complexity, more targeted investment and better growth,” said Steve Cahillane, chair and CEO of Kellogg.

The changes have been followed by a flurry of new products, including MorningStar Farms committing to 100% vegan offerings by 2021 and rolling out the meat alternative lines Incogmeato and BBQ Chik’n Nuggets; new products and flavors released by Pop-Tarts, Cheez-It, NutriGrain and Pringles; the debut of frozen waffle brand Off the Grid; a partnership with Precept Wine to create the House Wine + Cheez-It box; and branding partnerships with companies such as Disney.

Kellogg also expanded its online food drive with Amazon for local food pantries this year and supported several nonprofits such as United Way, Toys for Tots and No Kid Hungry.

A 4-YEAR-OLD plant-based meat alternative food startup, Nutcase Vegan Meats, made a big move this year.

The business, which produces organic vegan meats that are free of dairy, gluten, soy, corn and GMOs, moved in May from the Grand Rapids Downtown Market incubator kitchen at 435 Ionia Ave. SW to the 9,800-square-foot former Spartan Central Kitchen facility at 463 44th St. SE in Wyoming.

Nutcase’s husband-and-wife co-founders Dr. Andrew Maternowski and Dr. Monica Randles — he is an internal medicine specialist at Spectrum Health, and she is a pediatrician at Cherry Health — purchased the building for an undisclosed sum from Scott Wierda, of Grand Rapids’ Jade Pig Ventures.

They worked with contractors Seaman’s Mechanical and Kalsbeek Plumbing in Grand Rapids to upgrade the facility for their needs.

Along with about five employees, the couple is now producing thousands of pounds per day of vegan chorizo, hot and sweet Italian sausage, breakfast sausage, nutty burgers and a 1-pound precooked “nutty loaf,” similar to a meatloaf, from the facility.

Moving into the new space extended Nutcase’s production capacity from just 600 pounds per day at the market kitchen to up to 20,000 pounds per day, as needed.

Nutcase products are sold on its website, nutcasevegan.com, as well as in dozens of grocery stores in the Midwest and at restaurants in Michigan, New York and Wisconsin. All of the packaging Nutcase uses is BPA-free and 100% recyclable.

The couple currently is working on a vegan jerky and other meat alternatives.

2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 13

category: health care

Robert Casalou

Dr. Peter Hahn

Mark Eastburg

MERCY HEALTH, led by Regional President and CEO Robert Casalou, completed several projects last year that increased its presence in West Michigan.

Last summer, the health system opened a $5.6 million outpatient facility in Ada. The 19,500-square-foot facility offers a variety of primary care and specialty services, including internal medicine, pediatrics, pelvic medicine and urogynecology, laboratory services, X-ray and ultrasound.

In an effort to provide greater access to health care services in high demand throughout the lakeshore market, Mercy Health invested $2 million to open a facility for urgent care and workplace health.

A collaboration between Mercy Health, Metro Health-University of Michigan Health and Michigan Health, the newly established Cancer Network of West Michigan creates a continuity of cancer care service across all three systems.

In response to the ongoing opioid epidemic, Mercy Health hired Dr. Sandra Dettmann to lead a new medication-assisted treatment program for individuals with drug dependency and alcoholism. The medical portion is part of a larger program of recovery, including 12-step meetings, individual therapy and group therapy.

The L.C. Walker Arena in downtown Muskegon is now known as the Mercy Health Arena, following a commitment by the health system of $100,000 per year for 15 years. The sponsorship will continue ongoing arena renovations and sustain improvements already made.

Mercy Health also partially opened its new $291 million facility, which is underway in Muskegon and should be completed this year.

SINCE THE MERGER that created Metro Health-University of Michigan Health, the health system has been working to build up and strengthen its services, and 2019 was no different.

The year after Dr. Peter Hahn was hired as the CEO, Metro Health hired several executive administrative roles, including a new chief medical officer, foundation director, vice president of primary care, chief operating officer and its first vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Multiple new doctors have added several new programs and lines of care, including in women’s health, rheumatology, oncology and radiology.

Last year was the first for Metro Health’s expanded cardiac rehab program that includes a focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The program was expanded into a 5,000-square-foot space complete with varied exercise equipment and a kitchen with weekly classes on healthy cooking.

Metro Health also opened its 17th physician office in Grandville in 2019, offering family care, women’s care and nonsurgical cosmetic treatments.

A collaboration between Mercy Health, Metro Health and Michigan Medicine, the newly established Cancer Network of West Michigan creates a continuity of cancer care service across all three systems.

“Any patient who enters any one of our facilities can have confidence his or her doctor has access to the full array of expertise, latest research and newest treatments available,” Hahn said.

Metro Health recently implemented a new artificial intelligence product, ProFound AI, that significantly improves breast cancer detection, reducing false positives and unnecessary patient callbacks for additional testing.

ON APRIL 15, Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services opened the first psychiatric urgent care center in the area.

It was designed to provide same-day assessment and treatment for adults experiencing acute psychiatric symptoms who cannot wait for routine outpatient intervention. Otherwise, patients may have to wait for months to be seen or may otherwise turn to an area emergency department — whether because patients feel that is their only option or because issues advance to the point of needing medical help.

In its first six months, the center served nearly 3,000 patients from 52 of Michigan’s 83 counties, 13 other states and Canada.

Some of these patients were visitors, but staff has seen patients who have driven hours to access the services.

Mark Eastburg, president and CEO of Pine Rest, said staff was unsure what to expect, but the outcome was no surprise.

“If you or a loved one is suffering from a psychiatric disorder, you’ll think nothing of getting in the car and driving for four hours if it means relief for that, versus maybe waiting for five months,” Eastburg said.

While there are not yet hard statistics on the financial benefit to health care in the region, Pine Rest has found 80% of the patients assessed have avoided higher, more expensive levels of care.

This frees up resources for patients with medical emergencies.

As the option of the center continues being shared, Eastburg said he thinks that also helps decrease stigma around needing psychiatric help.

Trinity Health Michigan/ Mercy Health

Metro Health-University of Michigan Health

14 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR

Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services

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2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 15

category: law

Richard Hillary

James McGrath

Ryan Leestma

MILLER JOHNSON is addressing an issue that has taken center stage in recent years.

The Grand Rapids-based law firm in 2019 created a practice that focuses on mental health law. The practice is designed to work with clients who are licensed professionals and mental and behavioral health providers such as social workers, psychiatrists, psychologists and others to assist with myriad legal issues they face.

The practice is equipped with nine attorneys who have been a staple at the firm between two and 28 years. They assist their clients with matters such as drafting physician and mental health profession employment contracts, counseling on mandatory reporting obligations and interactions with law enforcement, analyzing confidentiality requirements imposed by HIPAA and the Michigan Mental Health Code, developing effective risk management strategies, advising providers and participants in matters before Michigan’s mental health courts, restraint and seclusion requirements, mental health care financing, and merger/divestiture transactions involving mental and behavioral health providers, among other things.

“Our attorneys fully understand the complex legal and ethical framework imposed on mental health providers and the tension between the Mental Health Code and other areas of the law,” said Richard Hillary, mental health practice chair. “We aim to be a trusted resource to providers in complying with regulations as they serve and treat their clients.”

The attorneys have experience in a variety of other practices at the firm: health care providers; health care professional licensing, regulatory compliance and accreditation; employment health care; elder law; private client; criminal; fraud and embezzlement; and privacy and cybersecurity.

WESTERN MICHIGAN University Cooley Law School is easing the burden of student debt.

The law school announced in 2019 that it will be reducing student tuition by 21%.

Cooley President and Dean James McGrath and the board of directors voted to reduce the tuition rate from its current rate of $1,750 per credit hour to $1,375 per credit hour beginning fall 2020.

The school has nearly 1,200 students and more than 140 of them are in West Michigan.

“We realize that a significant part of providing access to legal education is cost,” McGrath said. “To put it simply, we became too expensive. If we truly have an access mission, we want to make sure that we’re not pricing ourselves out of the market.”

According to McGrath, law school enrollment has suffered nationally since 2008, which he thinks is related to tuition cost and a lack of new job opportunities in the legal sphere.

He said much of the legal paperwork and other tasks now can be completed online, and some of the junior-level legal work is outsourced overseas.

“I think we need to pivot,” he said. “We want to be able to react in a way that would best serve Cooley for the long term.”

By lowering tuition costs, McGrath said it will help make the school more competitive.

“We do believe it’s just too high, and the board has in mind that it wants to be in the bottom 25% of tuition for all private law schools,” he said. “This will get us there pretty quickly.”

THE LAST FEW years have been tumultuous for Ryan Leestma, former owner of Information Systems Intelligence (ISI), but 2019 marked the end of his legal battle.

He received a winning verdict that forced Muskegon County to compensate him and his now-closed IT firm for breach of contract.

Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Joyce Draganchuk ordered Muskegon County to pay $3.25 million in damages after more than a three-year legal tussle.

She ruled Leestma and ISI were entitled to $2.08 million in lost profit damages, $345,216 in additional contract damages for the county’s failure to pay for increased staffing during the contract period, $500,000 in lost profits from equipment and software sales to the county, 12% contract interest plus judgment interest on the entire judgment and attorney’s fees after fighting false allegations.

After the IT firm, through Leestma, secured two contracts with the county to fix its IT system, ISI bid for a third time in 2013 and was chosen for a five-year managed service agreement to provide ongoing support to Muskegon County.

However, two years into the contract, Muskegon County stopped paying ISI, forcing the firm to file a breach of contract lawsuit in 2016, which resulted in ISI closing.

“I would rather have kept the company I had built and preserved my reputation than going through the most harrowing and terrible experience of my entire life,” Leestma said. “While the court rulings are vindication and the money is helpful, I would much rather have the last four years of my life back.”

Miller Johnson Mental Health Practice

Western Michigan University Cooley Law School

16 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR

Information Systems Intelligence

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2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 17

category: manufacturing

John Kennedy IV

Murray Kessler

Kevin Lobo

THE ADVANCED Manufacturing Partnership Lab at Western Michigan University (AMP Lab @ WMU) ramped up training in advanced machining and robotics in 2019, thanks to a partnership among several local colleges and manufacturers led by Kentwood’s Autocam Medical.

John Kennedy IV — general manager at Autocam Medical and project lead for the makerspace and lab at 200 Ionia Ave. SW in downtown Grand Rapids, which opened in 2018 — took the Business Journal on a tour of the $3 million facility in September to show off several large machines that had just been installed in the makerspace.

The equipment includes a five-axis mill — which is used to make metal orthopedic devices such as ankle replacements, shoulder implants and hip sockets — as well as a Swiss lathe, which makes long and slender round components for various uses.

Autocam also brought in a 3D metal printer that can print partially done objects that are then finished by another machine.

All three pieces of equipment are being used for medical device prototyping for Autocam Medical’s customers, as well as for collaborating with WMU for engineering research and helping engineering students develop their ideas.

Autocam Medical in June graduated 13 CNC machinist apprentices who were trained in the AMP Lab as part of the partnership between Grand Rapids Community College and Autocam. The latter covered the costs of training for the students, who are Autocam employees.

The lab also offers courses for GRCC and WMU students through the partnership.

DUBLIN-BASED PERRIGO — which has its North American headquarters in Allegan — acquired Grand Rapids-based oral care products maker Ranir for $750 million in the third quarter of 2019.

Perrigo — a manufacturer of private label, over-the-counter and generic prescription pharmaceuticals, as well as health and wellness products — described the Ranir acquisition as an “attractive opportunity both strategically and financially” to expand its footprint in the oral care category.

“The addition of Ranir to the Perrigo family illustrates a key component of our new strategy, accelerating growth by pursuing adjacent self-care categories,” Perrigo President and CEO Murray Kessler said in May. Rich Sorota, Ranir’s president and CEO who continues in the role post-acquisition, said Ranir was working over the past several years on a growth plan to advance its mission.

“As part of this plan, we are taking the next step in our transformation while remaining fully committed to our heritage and values,” Sorota said in May. In addition to expanding locally through the acquisition of Ranir, Perrigo also continued its Allegan-area philanthropy in 2019 through The Perrigo Company Charitable Foundation, donating $130,000 to fund the development of Kids’ Food Basket’s expansion into Allegan County; fully funding for a year various programs of the Saugatuck Center for the Arts; granting $40,000 to Meals on Wheels Western Michigan to purchase a food delivery truck to serve 300 families in Allegan County; and donating a building appraised at $320,000 to Safe Harbor Children’s Advocacy Center in Allegan so the nonprofit can expand.

KALAMAZOO-BASED Stryker Corporation had another busy year of acquisitions in 2019.

The maker of medical devices and equipment acquired Caesarea, Israel-based OrthoSpace Ltd. in an all-cash transaction for an upfront payment of $110 million and future milestone payments of up to an additional $110 million in March.

In September, Stryker acquired Mobius Imaging and its sister company, Cardan Robotics, for a total of $500 million.

And Stryker in November acquired Tennessee-based Wright Medical Group for a total enterprise value of about $5.4 billion.

Stryker Chair and CEO Kevin Lobo said the latter acquisition will provide Stryker “significant opportunities to advance innovation, improve outcomes and reach more patients.”

The number of acquisitions Stryker announced in 2019 ties the four it reported in 2018, but with higher valuations — about $6.1 billion in 2019 vs. about $1.8 billion in 2018.

The investments added to Stryker’s trauma and extremities; biologics; orthopedics and spine; and surgical portfolios by extending its capabilities in areas such as sports medicine, advanced pre-operative planning, imaging and robotics technologies.

In August, Stryker re-aligned its commercial leadership to “accelerate … globalization and collaboration opportunities.”

Spencer Stiles now serves as group president of orthopedics and spine and oversees Stryker’s joint replacement, spine and trauma and extremities divisions; and J. Andrew Pierce, group president of medsurg and neurotechnology, oversees Stryker’s instruments, medical, endoscopy, sustainability and neurotechnology businesses.

Autocam Medical

Perrigo

18 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR

Stryker Corporation

category: nonprofits/philanthropy

Bridget Clark Whitney

Jeremy DeRoo

Timothy Hileman

FOLLOWING A $7.5 million capital campaign, Kids’ Food Basket completed and moved into its new headquarters in Grand Rapids.

One-third of the 15-acre property contains the two-story, 27,000-square-foot building that includes a warehouse, corporate office, greenhouses and workshop/ classroom space.

The facility allows the nonprofit to deliver 15,000 Sack Supper meals each day to children in Kent County, along with accommodating additional volunteer opportunities in longer sessions. The nonprofit had run out of space at its previous 10,000-square-foot rented headquarters.

The remaining two-thirds of the property is being used as farmland to grow fruits and vegetables for the Sack Supper program.

“We’re deeply committed to growing nourishing food for our community, as well as educating our children and community on the fundamentals of growing healthy food right here in the city,” said Bridget Clark Whitney, founding CEO of Kids’ Food Basket.

“The same is to be said for the building we operate in. ... Our new facility speaks to the way we view this evolved model and is critical for both economic growth and food equity.”

Orion Construction and many local subcontractors contributed to the capital campaign in a show of support for Kids’ Food Basket’s mission.

Following a $130,000 donation from the Perrigo Company Charitable Foundation, Kids’ Food Basket expanded its program into Allegan County, giving the nonprofit a chance to learn how to adapt the program for rural communities and determine which schools most need the services.

LINC UP COMPLETED a $9.4 million affordable housing building in Garfield Park that proved to be in high demand.

More than 500 applicants attended the pre-leasing open house in the summer before it opened.

The Garfield Park Lofts building replaced a church that was demolished in December after standing vacant in the Garfield Park neighborhood since 2014. The threestory, 36-unit building was the first multifamily construction project in the neighborhood in more than 30 years.

The day the project was finished, LINC UP broke ground across the street on a new $6.5 million, 26-unit building.

“The need for affordable housing in Grand Rapids is so great that we cannot wait one day before starting our next development,” LINC UP Executive Director Jeremy DeRoo said the day of the groundbreaking.

There was a focus on using the project as an economic catalyst through the hiring of local subcontractors, suppliers and laborers.

The two projects will result in more than $4.5 million going to local and minority companies.

“Due to the spirit of collaboration we have seen and the pursuit to create a positive economic impact in this community, we are able to bring a great opportunity to the Garfield Park neighborhood,” DeRoo said.

“This project speaks to the continuation of the original intent of the church that brought this community together for more than a century. This will be more than just apartments; it will be a place to create healthy, productive and fulfilling lives for our residents.”

SPECIAL OLYMPICS Michigan purchased a former high school building in the area to create the organization’s largest facility worldwide.

Last fall, Special Olympics Michigan purchased the former South Christian High School campus in Byron Township to establish the Special Olympics Michigan Unified Sports & Inclusion Center.

The new center will serve as a training facility for the organization’s four regions and 36 areas throughout the state.

“The purchase of this facility makes perfect sense for Special Olympics Michigan,” said Timothy Hileman, president and CEO of Special Olympics Michigan. “Not only will it help to foster the very integration and inclusion we seek to bring our athletes in West Michigan, but it will also allow us the opportunity to serve athletes throughout the entire state of Michigan.”

Particular emphasis will be placed on unified sports and health and wellness programs, including nutrition and preventive care. The development of these programs then will be modeled and shared more broadly throughout the state.

The 127,000-square-foot building, which includes two gyms and a 735-seat auditorium, was built in 1953 and renovated in 1991.

It’s situated on 17 acres that includes three sports fields.

The campus will provide space for yearround programming, including league play, health and wellness services, youth athlete programming, training, development and more.

Special Olympics Michigan does not own any other buildings or sports facilities.

Funds have been budgeted annually for competition and practice space and time.

Kids’ Food Basket

LINC UP

Special Olympics Michigan

2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 19

category: real estate/construction

Tim Schowalter

Mike VanGessel

John Wheeler

TIM SCHOWALTER has been personally involved with construction administration for projects exceeding $500 million throughout his tenure as president of Pioneer Construction.

Pioneer’s most outstanding project for 2019 was the $53 million, 205,000-squarefoot 601 Bond apartment complex in Grand Rapids’ Monroe North neighborhood.

Construction began in July 2017 for the project led by Time Equities out of New York. As general contractor, Pioneer spent almost two years building the 16-story, 202unit apartment complex, complete with a Skyview Club and rooftop deck, fitness center and lounge, 220 parking spaces in a five-level parking deck and 4,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. Partners on 601 Bond cut the ribbon in June 2019.

“When a special project comes along that has a big price tag and is a high risk for the client, they want to deal with somebody who is financially secure and has the bonding capability to bond a project anywhere from $50 million to $100 million,” Schowalter said. “Only so many contractors in the area are able to do that.”

Pioneer also had a hand in Studio Park, the $160 million downtown mixed-use project led by Olsen Loeks Development.

The project features a nine-screen Studio C movie theater, which was built by Pioneer and opened in September.

The construction firm partnered with Suburban Inns on the Embassy Suites by Hilton in the Monroe North neighborhood, which opened in April.

Pioneer also provided general contracting services for the 125,000-kilowatt solar array on top of St. James Apartments, completed in December.

AS CEO OF Rockford Construction, Mike VanGessel said he believes in joining forces with other business leaders to benefit the West Michigan community.

Rockford Construction and Consumers Energy, partners on the Circuit West downtown sustainability project, established a network of nearly 1,800 solar panels on top of the Bridge Street Market/Hendrik building and the adjacent West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology building last January.

Circuit West is a 13-block district dedicated to testing, implementing and showcasing new technologies in sustainable and renewable energy.

Rockford Construction also served as construction manager for an $8 million renovation of Grand Rapids Community College’s Ford Fieldhouse, which was completed last January.

The facility received three new classrooms, two additional basketball courts and portable basketball hoops, upgrades and new equipment in the fitness center, increased seating and technology in the team locker rooms, an updated athletic training room and murals and trophy showcases in the Paganelli Foyer.

Rounding out 2019, Rockford Construction, in partnership with other local developers and stakeholders, broke ground in November on the Doug Meijer Medical Innovation Building, the next phase of the university’s Grand Rapids Innovation Park, located on the northeast corner of Michigan Street and Monroe Avenue.

“This project is another demonstration of what can be achieved in West Michigan when we work together to benefit the community,” VanGessel said. “The expansion of this important facility will further strengthen the region and serve as a magnet for world-class talent.”

JOHN WHEELER, CEO of Wheeler Development Group, is constantly bringing new residential and commercial buildings online and showed the same enthusiasm for development in 2019 as in years past.

Wheeler Development Group, previously known as Orion Real Estate Solutions, made waves downtown with the completion of both the Warner Tower and Hyatt Place Hotel. The 114,312-squarefoot, 160-room Hyatt Place opened in September, and later in the fall, the adjacent Warner Tower made ready for its new tenants, Warner Norcross + Judd LLP, Chemical Bank and Van Wyk Risk Solutions.

Wheeler Development also completed a major affordable housing project in partnership with LINC UP and Dwelling Place. The developers last fall finished the 45,000-square-foot, 36-unit Garfield Park Lofts development, at 100 Burton St. SE. The firm also completed The Knoll Townhomes of Ada, at 1040 Spaulding Ave. SE. in June. The $15 million townhouse community features 16 four-plex and sixplex buildings and a variety of floor plans.

Changing gears prior to the new decade, Wheeler and his business partners announced in December the rebranding of ORES to Wheeler Development Group.

“We’ve established a multigenerational all-star team of individuals that have been intimately involved with our portfolio and have collectively developed more than $1 billion in real estate over the last four decades,” Wheeler said.

With Wheeler’s co-founder Gary Postma’s departure and his sons, Ryan Wheeler and Jason Wheeler, taking more significant roles in ORES, the group decided it was time to set a succession plan in place with a strong family emphasis.

Pioneer Construction

Rockford Construction

20 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR

Wheeler Development Group

We strive to provide creative solutions for all of your real estate needs. As a company we are grateful for a new year to create new relationships with clients and area businesses.

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2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 21

category: retail

Scott Wierda

Brooke Lavender

Cecily McCabe

BRETON VILLAGE quietly thrived throughout 2019, bringing many wellknown brands to West Michigan for the first time.

Over the past year, CWD Real Estate Investment has anchored a fresh haul of retail and lifestyle brands — including newcomers to West Michigan — to the shopping center on the corner of Breton Road and Burton Street.

Waxology, a brow, body waxing and tanning studio formerly in East Grand Rapids, re-opened its doors at Breton Village in southeast Grand Rapids this past fall. The studio doubled the size of its previous space, taking advantage of fairly recent remodeling and expansion of the shopping center.

“Waxology is an excellent complement to our strong list of unique tenants, and the services they provide are a perfect match to the local community,” said Scott Wierda, principal and managing partner at CWD. The studio also was joined by Madewell, which opened its first West Michigan location at Breton Village in October. The store features signature denim, which includes classic styles, plus its fall/winter collection, shoes and accessories.

Wixom-based Boyne Country Sports also opened its seventh store this past fall.

According to the company, it went through an “extensive and thorough review” of the Grand Rapids area before choosing Breton Village.

Over the summer, new fitness franchise Club Pilates opened in Breton Village, offering members full-body workouts that “improve” posture, balance, flexibility and strength. Following a Breton Village trend, it was the first Club Pilates to open in West Michigan.

BROOKE LAVENDER is conspiring to create the best doughnuts in West Michigan, and based on her current trajectory, it seems nobody can stop her.

The owner of The Donut Conspiracy, based in Grand Rapids, set a lofty goal for 2019. In April, Lavender announced plans to open two other locations in Grandville and Cascade Township.

“I just love the idea of creating the ultimate doughnut experience, offering fun and crazy gourmet flavors and the area’s best cup of coffee in a relaxing environment,” Lavender said.

In May, the business brought its specialty doughnut experience to a former Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt shop in Grandville, offering “handcrafted” classic doughnuts and “signature” flavors, including maple bacon long johns, peanut butter cup, Fruity Pebbles and more — all made fresh daily.

The Donut Conspiracy opened its third location in Cascade Township in November, also offering a full coffee bar serving Schuil Coffee.

“We started with 25 doughnut flavors and now offer over 75 flavors, and we’re excited to continue growing with our new locations,” Lavender said. “We look forward to serving even more families and residents while sharing our passion for creative doughnuts.”

The Donut Conspiracy first opened its doors in 2017. Aside from fresh, specialty doughnuts, the company offers monthly themed days with specialty doughnuts inspired by pop culture icons, such as Harry Potter, Dr. Seuss or famous superheroes.

Each Donut Conspiracy location features vintage décor related to historic conspiracy theories and employs about 20 people.

WOODLAND MALL this past year has been a case study in the evolution of retail from big box stores to smaller profile, boutique-style shopping experiences, and mall owner PREIT has shown it knows how to keep brick and mortar retail alive in a changing climate.

Cecily McCabe took over as Woodland Mall’s marketing director in 2018. Amidst a massive transformation for the shopping center near the corner of 28th Street and East Beltline Avenue, she has been at the forefront of promoting a new experience for shoppers.

“Over the past two years, we have invested $100 million in order to continue to create a premium shopping experience in the changing retail environment,” McCabe said.

The crowning jewel of the overhaul was the 290,000-square-foot west wing that took the place of the demolished Sears. Anchor retailer Von Maur, which opened in October, covers 90,000 square feet of the new section and became the first Von Maur in West Michigan.

Von Maur also was joined by Black Rock Bar & Grill, Urban Outfitters, Tricho Salon and paddleboard retailer Paddle North in the west wing. All are new additions to Woodland Mall.

The California-based restaurant chain The Cheesecake Factory also opened its first West Michigan location in Woodland Mall in November, offering an extensive menu with generous food portions, a bakery with over 30 varieties of the titular cheesecake and a bar with a full cocktail menu.

Over the past year, Woodland Mall also has had several retailers relocate and/or expand, including Apple, Chico’s, Hollister, J.Jill, LUSH, Shoe Dept. and Sleeping Tiger Imports.

CWD Real Estate Investment

The Donut Conspiracy

22 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR

Woodland Mall

category: sports

Adam Stio

Steve Jbara

Mike McCall

BATTLE CREEK has a professional hockey franchise to call its own.

The Battle Creek Rumble Bees opened its first season in the Federal Prospects Hockey League in October. The team plays their home games at The Rink Battle Creek, located in the Cereal City’s downtown area.

The Rumble Bees became the 10th team to enter the league and the second team in Michigan. The other Michigan team plays in Port Huron. The Federal Prospects Hockey League was founded in 2009 with teams in eight states.

Adam Stio, general manager of the Rumble Bees, said during the announcement of the new team that it is not just a hockey team in Battle Creek.

“We are actually going to be a brand new small business in a market that is helping to support local businesses, small businesses get going, and help local and young entrepreneurs to really get going,” he said.

“That is one of the things we want to concentrate on. All of the things that we are going to do here in Battle Creek are going to support local businesses.”

Stio vowed the team would get involved with the community by hosting different events and going to different places, whether it is a food and beverage establishment, a school or a library, among other places in the community to talk about nutrition, exercise or school bullying and other subjects of interest.

“We are available, and we want to get involved with the community,” he said.

SSJ GROUP LLC, owners of the G League professional basketball team Grand Rapids Drive, made an emphatic decision in 2019 to continue to play for the city after the basketball team was given the option to either relocate to Detroit or risk losing its NBA affiliation with the Detroit Pistons.

Last year, the Pistons announced plans to bring their G League team to Detroit and play in a new arena at Wayne State University, which is less than 2 miles from both Little Caesars Arena and the Henry Ford Detroit Pistons Performance Center.

The SSJ Group is made up of almost 30 investors led by Steve Jbara, president and founder of the Grand Rapids Drive.

He said 98% of the investors are from West Michigan and about 75% are Grand Rapids natives.

“We like it here in West Michigan, and there are only so many franchises,” he said.

“If we relocated or we did something else, there would really be no chance of getting (a team) back.

“So, we are going to (stay) here. The team is community built, we got investment from the community and people leaned in, really, when this team and this league had no credibility. The history of basketball in Grand Rapids wasn’t that strong. So, people really leaned in, and we were able to keep going.”

The Drive have the option of running as an independent team at the end of their contract with the Pistons, which expires after the 2020-21 season, or they could become affiliated with another NBA team.

THE MUSKEGON Lumberjacks were named the United States Hockey League Organization of the Year for their work on and off the ice in 2019.

The organization remodeled the cityowned Mercy Health Arena, where they play their home games. According to Mike McCall, Muskegon Lumberjacks president, the arena got new flooring; new walls; new seating areas; new suites and executive suites; a club area, which includes all-inclusive food and beverages; and a pavilion area that is geared toward singles and has 14 big-screen TVs that can be tuned to other sporting events.

“The commitment that the city made to completely remodel the arena has really made a difference,” McCall said. “It gave a lift to the marketplace. Our attendance was up about 20% last year and that is a big jump for one year, and it really brought new fans into the arena because our goal is to create something for everybody.”

McCall said the organization also made its presence felt in the community through the Muskegon Lumberjacks Charitable Foundation, which focuses on helping youth through education, recreational and social programs. The foundation established the Jacks Reading Caravan, where players visit classrooms. More than 40 schools have participated.

“The players go into (the classrooms) and read with the kids, and we offer prizes and incentives for them, in conjunction with teachers, using books that they use during the school year,” McCall said. “We also give them prizes to come to a game.

That has been a great program.”

Battle Creek Rumble Bees

Muskegon Lumberjacks

Grand Rapids Drive

2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 23

category: startups

Amanda Chocko

Jorge Gonzalez

Scott Hill

LAKESHORE ADVANTAGE graduated its first cohort from its startup program in 2019.

SURGE, Lakeshore Advantage’s 12week entrepreneur startup program, had nine startups involved in its first BoostCamp cohort.

The program was developed by Amanda Chocko, who is the director of SURGE. BoostCamp, based on a curriculum developed at Stanford University, is meant to help founders rapidly develop and test ideas by focusing on customer and marketplace feedback, using data to establish a repeatable business model.

“Customer development is a framework that helps entrepreneurs through a process of actually going out and gaining insights from their customers so they’re actually building products and services that people want and will pay for,” Chocko said.

“And this really helps to eliminate the risk and give them a better chance of success.”

In the last decade, this process has been adopted by universities, accelerators, incubators and startup communities around the world, she said.

Participants of the program talked and engaged with stakeholders and customers.

The groups contacted more than 570 customers during the training period.

During early market research, Chocko said businesses may learn information that allows them to keep their idea but propels them to take it in a different direction, which is called a pivot.

SURGE will be an annual program. The program was launched in response to feedback from Lakeshore Advantage clients who were looking for ways their startups could be supported, according to Emily Staley, Lakeshore Advantage’s vice president of marketing and communications.

THE SECOND ANNUAL Start Garden 100 Ideas competition saw a 24% increase in submissions.

In 2019, there were 772 ideas submitted by competitors via a 100-second video recording with the hopes of winning $20,000.

There were 621 ideas submitted for the inaugural competition in 2018.

In addition to the increase in submissions, more women competed than men.

Last year, 51% of the competitors were women and 48% were men. In 2018, 44% of the competitors were women and 56% were men.

The ethnicity of the participants also changed in 2019. Thirty-six of the participants were Caucasian, 45 were African American, 14 were Latino and five were registered as other. In 2018, 47 of the participants were Caucasian.

However, the industries the competitors represented were relatively the same.

Twenty-six of the entrepreneurial ideas were tech-related, 29 of the ideas were products, 24 of the ideas were related to the service industry, 11 of the ideas represented the food industry, four of the ideas were retail and six represented social impact initiatives.

The ideas in 2018 featured 28 tech companies, 27 physical products, 18 new service providers, 15 food entrepreneurs, seven social impact initiatives and five retail concepts.

“There is definitely a huge entrepreneurial spirit here in Grand Rapids,” said Jorge Gonzalez, Start Garden co-director.

“The ideas that came in (2018), in my own words, were not as sophisticated as the ones that came in (2019). I think (2019) was more competitive. I think people realized that this is real money and people are winning $20,000.”

VARNUM’S MISPRINGBOARD continually exceeded its own expectations, and in 2019, it was more evident than ever.

The program provided more than 500 startups and second-stage businesses across the state with free legal services. With a need for its services, the law firm invested an additional $1 million into the program for the third time since it was created in 2011.

Business and corporate attorneys at Varnum closely work with private investors, angel funders and business incubators to select the startups that could best use the free legal services.

The entrepreneurs who are chosen received up to $2,500 in free legal services from the law firm’s attorneys. Some of the legal services offered include entity formation, capital structure planning, licensing, intellectual property protection, trademark registration, state and federal tax planning and compliance, employment agreements, compensation planning and noncompetes, employee benefits and more.

MiSpringboard has provided services to a variety of industries, ranging from food processing companies to technology-based firms that concentrate on software, app development, biotech and medical research, among others.

“Many of the companies launched through our MiSpringboard program are providing cutting-edge technology or services that give them a real chance at becoming important enterprises and even impacting Michigan’s economy,” Varnum Executive Partner Scott Hill said. “Our attorneys find it exciting to work with clients using advanced technology or who are making an impact in other ways, and it’s also very gratifying to be part of Michigan’s startup community.”

SURGE

Start Garden

24 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR

Varnum MiSpringboard

category: sustainability

Mike VanGessel

Brian Spicer and Dwayne Behrens

Rich Wolowski

THE CIRCUIT WEST commercial solar power project on Grand Rapids’ West Side was unveiled in 2019.

Consumers Energy and Rockford Construction, partners on the downtown sustainability project, established a network of nearly 1,800 solar panels on top of the Bridge Street Market/Hendrik building at 405 Seward Ave. NW and the adjacent West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology building at 614 First St. NW. The solar panels are supplemented by a 500-kilowatt battery across the street. The battery will store excess power and balance the demand for energy on cloudy days.

The rooftop solar array packs enough charge to power up to 100 homes.

Circuit West — a 13-block district dedicated to testing, implementing and showcasing new technologies in sustainable and renewable energy — is part of Consumers’ integrated resource plan to move to zero coal usage by 2040, which it filed with the Michigan Public Service Commission in July 2018. The MPSC approved a modified version of the plan in June 2019.

Rockford was the construction manager for Circuit West and is the contractor for Consumers’ new $20 million headquarters that will be built in the district, at 501 Alabama St. NW. The new building will be constructed to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.

“Our vision is to provide a safe, innovative, sustainable neighborhood on the West Side that is a magnet for people and commerce,” said Mike VanGessel, CEO of Rockford Construction.

DWAYNE BEHRENS and Brian Spicer calculated 320 million pounds of powder coating overspray are sent to landfills each year, a volume they believe is unacceptable.

About two years ago, the business partners began planning a new company, Innovakote, as they looked for more ways to recycle and reuse the waste product.

Behrens and Spicer have been in the powder coating industry together for several years. Behrens is owner and president of Surplus Coatings, where Spicer is COO, and the duo also co-own MIT Powder Coatings Online Store. Both businesses are based at 2825 17 Mile Road in Kent City.

They tout Innovakote — which launched in October at their existing facility with seven employees — as the first company of its kind to manufacture powder coating from 95% recycled content.

Powder coating is a dry dust dispensed with a spray gun that adds an electrostatic charge to the particles, which are then attracted to a grounded metal part. After being sprayed, the part is cured under heat to set the coating.

Spicer and Behrens estimate they will be part of the waste solution, as they estimate 45,000 semitruckloads of powder coating will be disposed of worldwide this year.

Innovakote takes the raw materials — 95% recycled and 5% new — and puts them into an extruder, which uses heat and pressure to combine the ingredients. The product then is placed onto a cooling belt to be flattened and chilled. It then is chipped and ground into reusable powder.

GORDON FOOD SERVICE signed a partnership with Brooklyn, New York-based Square Roots in March 2019 and, by October, opened a pilot, indoor urban container farm designed to increase the sustainability of farming.

“This partnership brings together technology, agriculture, young farmers and scalability in a model that could revolutionize our food systems — and it’s wonderful to be starting in our own backyard,” said Rich Wolowski, North American president and CEO of Gordon Food Service.

The pilot urban farm, at the GFS headquarters at 1300 Gezon Parkway SW in Wyoming, is made of 10 cloud-connected growing units that used to be shipping containers.

The three-dimensional containers employ digitally controlled hydroponics and LED lighting systems and are about 320 square feet each, taking up less than 2 acres of property space on the 50-acre campus.

The units’ software captures data about the climate, temperature, water and light, which allows the farmers to track how those factors impact yield.

Through their partnership, GFS and Square Roots also are training young farmers through Square Roots’ Next-Gen Farmer Training Program.

The farm at GFS headquarters will produce more than 50,000 pounds of herbs annually that are non-GMO and pesticidefree.

GFS sold its first harvest within a few weeks of opening to foodservice customers in Michigan, northern Indiana and Ohio.

Produce also is available for purchase at Gordon Food Service’s area retail stores.

Wolowski said GFS will open three more indoor farms in 2020 — one in Canada and two in the U.S.

Rockford Construction

Innovakote

Gordon Food Service

2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 25

category: technology

Mike Cotter

Jake Blough

Garry VonMyhr

IN HIS ROLE as director of digital products for Feyen Zylstra, Mike Cotter wants to stay ahead of the curve, particularly when it comes to implementing new technologies for industrial clients.

Gearing up clients for Industry 4.0 was the primary purpose of FZ’s new industrial technology services center, which opened in the fall. The $5.3 million, 20,000-squarefoot facility houses an expanded team to help customers navigate a new industrial revolution.

FZ expanded its industrial technology services to help manufacturing clients compete in an environment where Industry 4.0 technologies like automation, connectivity and data collection are becoming more important.

“Industry 4.0 is where we stand today,” Cotter said. “Feyen Zylstra added an industrial networking team and a digital products team, just being the fact that we were at the forefront of Industry 3.0, and we wanted to keep that pace with Industry 4.0.”

The new location houses an expanded team of controls and automation engineers, industrial networking engineers and software developers.

The firm also grew its presence out of state by adding a South Carolina office in July. The 1,200-square-foot marina space is adjacent to locations where FZ has completed and maintains multiphase electrical services projects.

FZ plans to strengthen its existing partnerships in the area with Boeing, Volvo and Nexans Wire on current and future projects, broaden its reach with new business at The Jasper and WestEdge, two mixed-use highrise developments, as well as Bishop Gadsden, a retirement community 10 minutes from downtown Charleston.

SERVICE EXPRESS is a little giant in the Grand Rapids community, and Jake Blough, the tech firm’s chief technology officer, has been “on deck” to deliver the latest version of its predictive sparing system.

Service Express in March debuted its latest proprietary parts sparing system, OnDeck. With OnDeck predictive sparing, Service Express identifies and stocks the parts needed for repairs, resulting in a faster reaction to data center outages and more operating time for its customers’ data centers.

“OnDeck predictive sparing allows us to be proactive about our support instead of reacting to every data center outage,” Blough said. “Being able to predict future data center failure scenarios gives our customers confidence that we’ll have the right part available when they need it no matter what time or day that is.”

Service Express built the original version of the OnDeck program in 2007, and the company has been continually updating it as new technology and new data sets became available.

In 2019, Service Express also opened a 2,900-square-foot, $500,000 enterprise test lab at its headquarters. The lab is used to test data center parts, build and configure systems for customers, and for advanced technical training.

The company also opened its first service office in Connecticut in August. By opening the regional office, Service Express will not only be able to provide local support to the numerous accounts in the state but also increase its footprint on the East Coast and provide more seamless support to customers in neighboring states.

TECH DEFENDERS co-founder and CEO Garry VonMyhr in 2019 zeroed in on bridging the “digital divide” for students in underserved school districts.

In February, the company donated 200 Chromebooks and 25 iPads to San Juan Diego Academy in Wyoming, replacing outdated desktops and laptops and allowing every student in the school to access the online curriculum.

“We feel like students deserve technology. They should have the technology to learn and grow,” VonMyhr said. “You can imagine being a kid and not having something to go on the internet (with) versus somebody else a few miles away that has it. I don’t think that’s fair overall.”

Later in the year, Tech Defenders officially launched a giveback initiative, aimed at providing technology resources to local schools and organizations in its service areas.

The new program is designed to select one recipient organization per quarter with the assistance of an internal committee made up of its employees. The company is seeking to partner with organizations that bridge the digital divide for underserved communities or for educational purposes.

Tech Defenders also opened its new 73,000-square-foot home at 601 Maryland Ave. NE, investing $2.7 million in the expansion. The facility has five times the capacity of the company’s previous 15,000-squarefoot home at 2350 Oak Industrial Drive NE and will allow it to generate up to 115 new jobs.

VonMyhr said Tech Defenders processes about 25,000 devices per month that end up being refurbished and re-sold domestically and internationally.

Feyen Zylstra

Service Express

26 GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL 2019 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR

Tech Defenders

We Landed One of the Best!

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