Grand Rapids Business Journal 08.23.21 by Grand Rapids Business Journal

GRABB to renovate property into Black-business development center. PAGE 3

AUGUST 23, 2021 VOL. 39, NO. 17

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

THIS WEEK

FINDING A BETTER WAY

Richard Laing’s early entry into broadband networks allowed him to evolve with the industry. Page 11

Dematic sees tremendous growth during pandemic Rise of e-commerce, grocery delivery has company’s automated intralogistics systems in higher demand. Rachel Watson

rwatson@grbj.com

Filling gaps Roundtable expects economy to remain strong, return to in-person work to rise as in-person K-12 resumes. PAGE 3

New normal? Biggest question in region’s real estate market is whether more employees work in the home or office. PAGE 3

CREATIVITY SPARK Conveyer solutions manufacturer relocates to larger plant to pave the way for increased production. Page 9

THE LISTS

The area’s top colleges and universities Page 6 The area’s top advertising agencies Page 8

Dematic has been riding a wave of unprecedented growth during the past 18 months, largely thanks to a surge in demand for automation in the e-commerce and grocery sectors during the pandemic. The provider of integrated automated technology, software and services — a subsidiary of Frankfurt, Germany-based KION Group — has its world headquarters in Atlanta and its North American headquarters in Grand Rapids. Mike Larsson, Dematic Americas executive vice president and CEO, and Jenny Ferrell, vice president of human resources, said at a time when companies in many industries were struggling and downsizing workers, Dematic grew about 34% globally last year, adding 250 employees in Grand Rapids alone and about 800

Dematic designs, builds and implements automated system solutions for warehouses and distribution centers. Courtesy Dematic

across North America. It now has about 1,200 employees in Grand Rapids and 10,000 worldwide, and the company is on track to grow another 20% this year. The $3 billion company designs, builds, implements and supports

automated system solutions for warehouses, distribution centers and production facilities. In the digital age, this includes providing real-time data analytics and dashboards to give insight into every aspect of a company’s operation, to

help optimize production, distribution, labor, order fulfillment and all other functions. Dematic has 60 engineering centers in 25 countries and manuCONTINUED ON PAGE 21

Survey: College cost remains top concern Report also reveals anxiety over public health, the economy as students look to the fall. Rachel Watson

rwatson@grbj.com

The continued rising costs of college have students and parents alike concerned and wary heading into the fall. In its fourth annual Student Lending Survey, which surveyed current college students and high school juniors and seniors, Citizens found most of current high school (69%) and college students (70%)

said concerns around college affordability had an impact on their plans post-high school and for fall 2021 college enrollment. On behalf of Citizens Financial Group, Comperemedia, a Mintel Company, conducted the online survey of 2,019 respondents, with 1,061 parents of current or prospective college students and 958 students, which included 433 prospective college students (aged 16-18) and 525 current college students. The survey was developed in 2020 to generate insights that focus on the effects of COVID-19 on college planning. This repeat of last year’s survey was the second wave of research, which focuses on the impact of COVID-19 for those who are applying to college soon

or who are starting college under the current conditions, by talking to both students and parents. This research also focuses on the impact that COVID-19 had on college students this past term, and how that has affected their decisions regarding continued enrollment. The research showed concerns around public health and safety still exist, though they are significantly down from 2020. Less than 4 in 10 (37%) of prospective college students said concerns about public health and safety had a high impact on their posthigh school plans, and 36% of college students rated such concerns as having a high impact on their fall 2021 plans. This is down from most high school and college students rating public health as a top

Inside Track....... 11 Guest Columns...20 Essential skills Change-Ups...... 24

DAVENPORT nursing students using holographic software.

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

PAGE 4

concern in the 2020 survey, at 55% and 53%, respectively. “Our annual survey has consistently shown that young adults are worried about their future and the cost of college,” said Christine Roberts, head of student lending at Citizens. “We are seeing families embracing discussions around the cost of colRoberts lege earlier, and it remains critical for financial institutions to continue to support their customers as they navigate these CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

HERE TO HELP MICHIGAN BUSINESSES THRIVE. No matter what stage your business is in, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation is here to help you succeed. By connecting you to the resources your business needs, granting access to necessary capital and introducing you to the right partners, the MEDC helps your business reach new potential. Find out how we can help propel your business forward with customized support at michiganbusiness.org/pure-partnership

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

AUGUST 23, 2021

GRABB to renovate property into Black-business development center Obsolete Eastern Avenue facility will be turned into business incubator, retail space. Ehren Wynder

Rachel Watson

rwatson@grbj.com

T:14.5"

B:14.75"

S:13.62"

kets are faring better than others. “In general, if you’re talking about shopping, those types of retailers are not hit as bad for employees versus food service,” Ansara said. “We’re getting into critical holiday hiring season, which typically starts in September-October. From my understanding, they’re still pretty good. Food service and hospitality is where the challenges are. You see a minimum amount of people sign up for hundreds of jobs.” To date, the federal government has given out over $4.55 trillion in total budgetary resources to aid in helping individuals and families through the pandemic. According to Advantage, with child care costs soaring and minimum wage still lagging, many people won’t put themselves in a worse financial situation by taking a low-wage retail job. In April, 2.7% of all workers quit their jobs voluntarily, the highest rate since the Bureau of Labor Statistics started recording the statistic. Retailers learned some new tricks during the pandemic shut-

Business Leaders for Michigan has released the latest survey of its board, showing the majority of CEOs at Michigan’s largest employers expect the state and national economies to fare well in the next six months, although talent shortages remain a concern. The statewide group’s latest quarterly forecast revealed 89% of CEOs representing Michigan’s largest employers anticipated the U.S. economy will maintain or grow over the next six to 12 months, with 85% saying the same of Michigan’s economic picture. Employment expectations remained robust quarter-over-quarter, with 99% of executives surveyed planning to maintain or expand their Michigan workforce. Yet, more than three-quarters of Michigan’s largest employers said they anticipate a shortage of available talent in the next six to 12 months, even after extended federal unemployment benefits end in Donofrio September. States around the country are experiencing similar talent shortages, and 78% of Michigan business leaders surveyed expect to have trouble filling positions. “With talent shortages threatening our recovery and future competitiveness, Michigan can’t afford not to make big investments expanding the talent pipeline,” said Jeff Donofrio, president and CEO of Business Leaders for Michigan. “(Gov. Gretchen Whitmer) and the legislature have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to leverage large investments of federal funding and state surpluses to give us the tools to close the talent gap now and in the future. “American Rescue Plan dollars can greatly expand opportunities for Michigan workers seeking to finish their college degree or start a new technical or skills program. We can also double down on increasing the number of Michiganders that complete training programs, choose to stay after graduation and move back to Michigan from out of state.” The survey also showed the post-pandemic workforce is taking shape more steadily, as 46% of Michigan’s largest companies have their workforce back this summer for some level of in-person work. In addition, 40% are looking at a return to in-person

CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

The property at 2012 Eastern Ave. SE is vacant and in need of both interior and exterior work. Photo by Ehren Wynder

GRABB expects to invest $500,000 in the rehabilitation project, $450,000 of which includes hard construction costs. Once complete, the project is anticipated to result in the creation of four full-time equivalent jobs with average wages of $20 per hour. The proposed exemption will assist GRABB in transforming a vacant and unusable property into “District 2012,” a commercial building that will serve as a center of entrepreneurship, innovation and business development for Black-owned businesses. The organization also is working toward the following subcontractor participation goals in connection with the project for Micro-Local Business Enterprises (MLBEs), Women-Owned Business Enterprises (WBE), and

Minority-Owned Business Enterprises (MBE) in construction: 70% MBE, 2% WBE and 3% MLBE. Additionally, the applicant plans to utilize 90% MLBE subcontractors for professional service expenses in support of the project. These levels of participation would amount to 76.5%, or approximately $382,500, of the overall project costs. The project meets multiple objectives of the city’s strategic plan and equitable economic development and mobility strategic plan, including: Supporting the creation, retention and growth of business, specifically minority and locally owned businesses. Increasing the number and diversity of developers, property owners, and businesses participating in economic development programs.

Creating employment opportunities in the Neighborhoods of Focus (NOF). Prioritization of MBE, WBE and MLBE subcontractors for projects supported by city incentives. Grand Rapids Economic Development Director Jeremiah Gracia previously told the Business Journal developers are encouraged to have a certain percentage WBE, MBE and MLBE participation through contractors, service providers and the like. While the EDD puts the expectation on the contractor — and the business — to on-board WBE, MBE and MLBE subcontractors, legally, the office can’t enforce a certain percentage of participation in these areas for any incentives to be availCONTINUED ON PAGE 15

Real estate markets adjusting to ‘new normal’ Biggest hurdle will be whether more employees work in the home or office. Ehren Wynder

ewynder@grbj.com

Advantage Commercial Real Estate recently released its mid-year market trend reports for 2021, showing industrial real estate is stepping up to meet consumer demands, even in the face of high construction costs. Meanwhile, retail and office companies in West Michigan still are adjusting, but some post-pandemic changes may be here to stay. Advantage counted dozens of industrial projects that are currently under construction this year. Companies showed continued interest in West Michigan because of its location, business-friendly incentives, skilled workforce and overall modest cost of living. “We have less than 3% inventory vacancy in West Michigan

Business group eyes talent gaps Roundtable expects economy to remain strong, return to in-person work to rise as in-person K-12 resumes.

ewynder@grbj.com

Grand Rapids Area Black Businesses is investing half a million dollars to flip a building on Eastern Avenue SE into a center for entrepreneurship and development for Black-owned businesses. The Grand Rapids City Commission held a public hearing to consider an application from GRABB for an obsolete property rehabilitation exemption certificate, as well as the establishment of an obsolete property rehabilitation district for the project, located at 2012 Eastern Ave. SE. GRABB owns the property and plans to rehabilitate the obsolete building for commercial use. The single-story, 4,410-squarefoot structure was originally constructed in 1950 and is currently vacant. The city assessor inspected the building on May 27 and determined it meets the definition of “functionally obsolete,” as defined by Public Act 146 of 2000, and will require significant investment and rehabilitation prior to future use. The plan for rehabilitation includes renovation of both the interior and exterior to accommodate a retail space and a business incubator. The incubator space will include affordable co-working and meeting space and will offer important resources for businesses and entrepreneurs in the community.

in the warehousing space,” said Mark Ansara, managing principal at Advantage. “Once it’s built, it’s leased. If you’re in the market looking from 10,000-100,000 square feet, you’re going to be hard-pressed to find it.” The average days on market for industrial lease space dropped 15% from Q1 to Q2 this year. The number of total leases signed rose 54% in the first half of this year, compared to the same time last year. In addition, the number of sale transactions more than doubled; all while the amount of available vacant space continued to dwindle to under 3%. The reason for this surge of industrial activity is the demand for goods, according to Advantage. Although the demand for goods did not really change during COVID-19, the way those goods got to consumers did. Online shopping became pervasive as people stayed home, increasing 39% from a year ago across the U.S. To fulfill these online orders in a timely manner, new distribution networks had to be planned. “Construction costs are extremely high, and lead times are

extended. However, the demand is so high in our market that new construction is still happening,” said Advantage Director of Research Jeff Hainer. “Land is getting scooped up at a quicker rate. That type of property is so valuable that people know the only solution to satisfy the demand is to create supply. They’re willing to pay more for land and are willing to pay the higher construction costs and labor costs to get it done.” Lead times and construction costs are now the biggest challenges industrial users and developers are facing. Advantage reported continued difficulty both domestically and internationally with lumber and steel production output, as well as supply chain issues and international tariffs. These factors have contributed to the major delays and inflated prices. Increased government investment on infrastructure projects also has exacerbated this, the report said. From the retail perspective, the biggest constraining factor on the market in the first half of 2021 was the lack of employees willing to fill open positions. But some submar-

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

AUGUST 23, 2021

ATTEMPTING THE LARGEST

RETRIEVER GATHERING IN MICHIGAN Davenport students can don the HoloLens goggles and see the various body systems on their digital patient. Courtesy Davenport University

Davenport nursing students using holographic software

SEPT. 11

RETRIEVER FEVER

11:00AM - 2:00PM |

G R A N D R AV I N E S D O G PA R K

The cutting-edge technology makes the ‘patient come to life.’ Danielle Nelson

dnelson@grbj.com

WE’R E B U I LT FO R S T R E N G T H

Richard Jaggers Chief Financial Officer, Alberici

A strong business stands the test of time. Alberici is one such business that credits its success to rock-solid reliability, timely execution, and attention to detail. Those same values are what drew the construction company to Commerce Bank. The contractor relies on Commerce for everything from credit to treasury and investment management and, more recently, an electronic payment system. It’s a financial relationship made stronger over time.

WF907588 August Deadlines - Publisher Direct - Print.indd 3

8/3/2021 10:01:46 AM

Davenport University’s nursing program is offering its students a new perspective in practicing how to treat COVID-19 patients. Professors in the nursing program have implemented holographic software into its curriculum to enhance students’ visual understanding and provide a different mode of practicing how to provide holistic treatment to COVID-19 patients. Amy Stahley, interim dean for the College of Health Professions at Davenport, said 30 students began using the software last winter. Students wear three-dimensional holographic goggles that allow them to see their patient’s body systems. “There are two components,” she said. “One is the actual goggles, which are HoloLens. Then there is a program that is loaded onto the goggles. When (students) put the HoloLens on, they can make this life-size patient appear and it comes to life, and we can manipulate the program to highlight the symptoms of (COVID-19). We can make the patients do anything we want them to do in the program because there is a professor in the background who is running the program and dictates what the students see.” When students have the HoloLens on, Stahley describes it as if the student is entering a patient’s room because there are hospital monitors displayed and the patient is wearing a hospital gown in their bed. The professor can allow for a family member to be in the room so students can interact and practice their soft skills. Although the treatment of COVID-19 was the first thing Davenport nursing students began using the holographic software for, Stahley said they received the HoloLens before the pandemic as part of the university’s Vision 2025 mission, which includes

“delivering the highest quality education for students.” Stahley said Davenport obtained the HoloLens through a grant after she and the former dean of the College of Health Professions, Karen Daley, went to a conference a few years ago. “We had looked at these HoloLens where students could see their patients and peel back layers of their skin through these holographic lenses, and (using) the programming you could see body systems, anatomy and their physiology, and the instructor can manipulate the computer software as to what the students can and cannot see. The students could tilt the goggles all over the place and we thought, ‘Oh, my God, this is fantastic,’ because they do use it in engineering, medical school and gamers use them all the time, so we thought, ‘We have to have those.’” “We have other simulators, which are big human beings in all shapes and sizes and colors,” she said. “They are hooked up to computers. We can have those simulators speak to us and change colors. We can put fluids into them, which is all great. We call them high-fidelity simulations. We have those on all of the campuses, which is excellent. It is a really wonderful tool. It is utilized in med schools and nursing programs all over the (country), if they can afford them, but (HoloLens) gives us an element other than a mannequin, although it interacts with you, it is not 3D. It is not like you can open them up through your eyes and look into the internal organs. With the (holographic software), you can actually visualize it, go around the backside of it. It is not just looking down at the front of it.” The HoloLens will be used by students to focus on other scenarios for different sicknesses and treatment methods that aren’t pre-loaded on the software. Stahley said they will be working in tandem with Davenport’s technology department to create those scenarios. “It just brings another element to student learning,” she said. “It gives them another safe place to practice before they go out to the clinical area.”

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GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

AUGUST 23, 2021

THE LIST

Top Area Colleges and Universities (RANKED BY 2020 WEST MICHIGAN ENROLLMENT) 2020 2019 W. Mich. enrollment

Selected trustee

President

Year established in W. Mich.

Degrees offered

Special programs

Grand Valley State University 1 Campus Drive Allendale 49401 p (616) 331-5000 gvsu.edu

Philomena V. Mantella

1960

23,350 24,033

Public

96 undergraduate, 46 graduate degree programs, including doctoral degrees in nursing practice and physical therapy, occupational therapy; more than 200 areas of study

Muskegon Innovation Hub, Annis Water Resources Institute, Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies, Johnson Center for Philanthropy, Van Andel Global Trade Center, DeVos Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Koeze Business Ethics Initiative, seven colleges

Western Michigan University 1903 W. Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo 49008 p (269) 387-2000 f 387-2096 wmich.edu

Edward Montgomery

1903

20,490 21,470

Public

141 bachelor's degrees, 77 master's degrees, 35 doctoral degrees and graduate and professional education at six Michigan regional locations, including Grand Rapids

Aviation, blindness and low vision studies, Center for Principled Leadership and Business Strategy, collegiate honors programs, food and consumer package goods marketing, jazz studies, Richmond Institute for Design and Innovation and more

Grand Rapids Community College 143 Bostwick Ave. NE Grand Rapids 49503 p (616) 234-4000 grcc.edu

Bill Pink

1914

12,153 13,326

Public

Associate, certificate, apprentice and job training programs; 2+2, 3+1, and many other transfer options with the Michigan Transfer Agreement

Applied technology, automotive, biological sciences, business, computer information systems, criminal justice, culinary, dental, education, English, exercise science, language and thought, arts and sciences and more

Davenport University 6191 Kraft Ave. SE Grand Rapids 49512 p (800) 686-1600 davenport.edu

Richard Pappas

1866

3,500 6,522

Private

Bachelor's and master's degrees in business, technology, health and urban education

Business, technology, health professions and urban education, with many programs offered online; graduate and undergraduate degrees

Muskegon Community College 221 S. Quarterline Road Muskegon 49442 p (231) 773-9131 muskegoncc.edu

Dale Nesbary

1926

3,456 3,999

Public

37 associate in applied science degrees, 15 associate in science and arts degrees, one associate in science degree and 32 certificate programs

MCC developed 10 new transfer degrees to prepare students for the most in-demand majors at four-year institutions. These include: art, biology, business, communications, criminal justice, exercise science and more

Calvin University 3201 Burton St. SE Grand Rapids 49546 p (616) 526-6000 calvin.edu

Michael Le Roy

1876

3,307 3,570

Private

Bachelor's degrees in accounting, biological and Pre-professional programs in dentistry, law, physical sciences, computer science, medicine, physician's assistant, pharmacy, physical engineering, environmental studies, special therapy; programs in data science, film and media education, therapeutic recreation and nearly 75 studies, graphic design, international relations, other fields; master's degrees in education, ministry studies, neuroscience, public health and speech pathology, accounting and more urban studies

Hope College 141 E. 12th St. Holland 49423 p (616) 395-7000 hope.edu

Matthew Scogin

1866

3,060 3,057

Private

Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of The Center for Leadership guides students to Science, Bachelor of Science in nursing discern their calling, develop their gifts and grow as servant leaders through meaningful coursework, practical experiences and mentoring

Ferris State University - Big Rapids 1201 S. State St. Big Rapids 49307 p (231) 592-2000 f 591-2127 ferris.edu

David Eisler

1884

2,796 3,275

Public

More than 190 degree programs, including Degree programs and certificates include associate, bachelor's and advanced degrees in architecture and sustainability, automotive business, education, health care and technology equipment, forensic biology, molecular diagnostics, music and entertainment business, plastics and rubber engineering technology and more

Aquinas College 1700 E. Fulton St. Grand Rapids 49506 p (616) 632-8900 f 732-4489 aquinas.edu

Kevin Quinn

1886

1,665 1,775

Private

60+ majors in associate, bachelor's and Special programs include the Osher Lifelong master's degree programs, as well as continuing Learning Institute for adults 50 and older, education classes for adult learners, veterans certificate and consulting services through the Center for Sustainability, annual Contemporary Writers Series, Women's Studies Center, Catholic Studies Program, Service-Learning Program

Kalamazoo College 1200 Academy St. Kalamazoo 49006 p (269) 337-7000 f 337-7305 kzoo.edu

Jorge Gonzalez

1833

1,451 1,491

Private

Undergraduate: 30 majors, 22 minors, 13 concentrations, five special programs and experiential opportunities

Cornerstone University 1001 East Beltline Ave. NE Grand Rapids 49525 p (616) 949-5300 f 222-1528 cornerstone.edu

Gerson Moreno-Riaño

1941

1,099 1,169

Private

Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, DND Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in nursing, Bachelor of Science-Engineering, Doctor of Education, Master of Arts, Master of Business Admin., Master of Divinity, Master Religious Education, Master of Science, Master of Theology and others

Baker College 1903 Marquette Ave. Muskegon 49442 p (855) 487-7888 f 766-2051 baker.edu

Aaron Maike PhD

1911

713 820

Private

Undergraduate and graduate degrees in business, nursing, occupational therapy and health science, information technology, social science, education

Five-year, 4+1 BBA/MBA degree programs, onlinelive: Real-time, online higher education delivered in a virtual classroom setting with faculty and peers

Michigan State University College of Human Medicine 15 Michigan St. NE Grand Rapids 49503 p (616) 233-1678 humanmedicine.msu.edu

Samuel L. Stanley Jr., MD

1969

398 407

Public

MD, MD-Ph.D, M.D.-MBA, MPH

DND

The Culinary Institute of Michigan 336 W. Clay Ave. Muskegon 49440 p (855) 487-7888 f 777-6630 baker.edu/cim

Aaron Maike PhD

1911

60 72

Private

Associate of Applied Science in baking and pastry, culinary arts, food and beverage management

DND

Central Michigan University - Grand Rapids 1633 East Beltline Ave. NE Grand Rapids 49525 p (616) 361-4160 f 361-4170 cmich.edu/grandrapids

Robert Davies

1995

DND DND

Public

Bachelor's, master's, certificates at undergraduate and graduate levels, doctoral degrees

Master of Science in administration, Master of Arts in counseling

Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University (KCAD) 17 Fountain St. NW Grand Rapids 49503 p (616) 451-2787 f 831-9689 kcad.edu

Tara McCrackin

1928

DND DND

Public

B.S., BFA, MArch, M.A. in design, M.A. or High school dual enrollment program at more than certificate in visual and critical studies, MFA in 14 statewide locations, international Wege Prize drawing, painting, photography and student design competition printmaking; certificate in design and innovation management (at KCAD via Ferris State University's MBA program)

Public or private

56 study abroad programs in 29 countries on six continents, career internships and research externships, community- and classroom-based service learning and social justice leadership programs and more

The Grand Rapids Business Journal list of top area colleges and universities, ranked by 2020 West Michigan enrollment, is the most comprehensive available. The list is based on responses to Business Journal surveys. "West Michigan" is defined as Allegan, Kent, Ottawa and Muskegon counties but was extended to surrounding counties to showcase more schools. The Business Journal surveyed 34 schools; 16 responded and 16 are listed. To be considered for future lists, email dnelson@grbj.com. DND = Did not disclose

Grand Rapids Community College trustees selected Salvador Lopez to be on its board. He will replace Kathy Crosby when he is officially sworn in in September.

Health center opens

Grand Valley State University recently opened the Daniel and Pamella DeVos Center for Interprofessional Health on its Health Campus in downtown Grand Rapids.

Vice president for students

Kalamazoo College named J. Malcolm Smith its new vice president for student development and dean of students. He succeeds Sarah Westfall, who retired after 14½ years at Kalamazoo College.

Largest gift

The Western Michigan University Foundation received the Empowering Futures Gift of $550 million. It is the largest gift for a public institution of higher education in U.S. history.

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COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

AUGUST 23, 2021

THE LIST

Top Area Advertising Agencies (RANKED BY 2020 WEST MICHIGAN NET ADVERTISING BILLINGS) Top W. Mich. executive(s)

2020 2019 W. Mich. net advertising billings Services offered

Translation partnership Selected accounts

Primary markets served

HAVEN | a creative hub 212 S. Harbor Drive, Suite 200 Grand Haven 49417 p (616) 776-1111 havenforcreative.com

Bill McKendry Jason Vanderground

$10.25M $8.35M

Branding, marketing, messaging and campaign management utilizing a national network of strategic and creative resources

Legrand North America, illumiNations bible, Bible League International, Fuller Youth Institute, Compass College of Cinematic Arts, Irwin Seating

Consumer products, building products, furniture, public seating, higher education, faith-based ministries and nonprofits

RCP Marketing 940 Monroe Ave. NW Grand Rapids 49503 p (231) 759-3160 f 755-5569 rcpmarketing.com

Amy Atkinson Jane Savidge Michael Davis

$10M $13M

Marketing strategy, digital and traditional advertising, design, video, web development, social media, large format digital printing

Preferred Automotive Collection, Thetford, Nordic Hot Tubs, Burnips Equipment, Smile Dental Partners, SpeedyQ Markets, Kagome, Betten Automotive Group, Behler Young, Family Farm and Home

Foodservice, automotive, HVAC, education, heavy equipment, health care, manufacturing, retail

ddm marketing & communications 100 Grandville Ave. SW, Suite 600 Grand Rapids 49503 p (616) 454-0505 f 454-1134 teamddm.com

Jordan Buning

$7.34M $8.85M

MarComm/MarTech strategy, design, University of Michigan Health - West, web development, media planning Stryker, Innovative Ergonomic Solutions, and buying, content development Stiles Machinery, Priority Health, Virtus Investment Partners, Truist

MTI Communications 3690 Jefferson Ave. SE Grand Rapids 49548 p (616) 224-8336 f 224-8462 mti-communications.com

Mike Murphy Brett Youker

$5.36M $5.74M

Full-service marketing/advertising Perrigo Company, Cross Country Mortgage, All consumer markets consulting for digital, broadcast, LexisNexis, Miller Johnson, Bench and Field print, promotional premiums, package Pet Foods design and brand support

Reagan Marketing + Design LLC 912 Wealthy St. SE Grand Rapids 49506 p (616) 459-4064 reaganmarketing.com

Mary Reagan Shapton

$3.9M $3M

Internal/external communications, advertising, branding, content marketing, digital strategy, web development, strategic planning, video/animation, product launch

DND

Health care, education, contract furniture, nonprofit, manufacturing

Blue Flame Thinking 801 Broadway Ave. NW, Suite 300 Grand Rapids 49504 p (616) 957-2000 f 957-3514 blueflamethinking.com

Joshua Stauffer

$2.87M DND

B2B and direct marketing, digital marketing, sustainable transformation, web development, content marketing, social, SEO, PPC

Ameren Missouri, Pentair Water, Spartan Motors, Hapman, Founders Brewing Co., Principal Financial

B2B, B2C, manufacturing, financial, engineering, energy and technology

Full Circle Marketing & Design 600 Seventh St. NW Grand Rapids 49504 p (616) 301-3400 thinkfullcircle.com

Steve Harney

$2.75M $2.62M

Marketing strategy, branding, DND advertising, traditional print, packaging design, web and interactive, photography video, media buying

Office furniture, education, consumer products, health care, industrial, financial and retail

Olympus Group Michigan Division 1685 Viewpond Drive SE Grand Rapids 49508 p (616) 455-2424 f 455-5505 olympusgrp.com

LEAD Marketing Agency 2311 East Beltline SE Grand Rapids 49546 p (616) 551-3488 leadmarketingagency.com

Health care, financial services, global manufacturing

Lori Niederstadt

$2.73M $2.6M

OOH advertising, POP materials, grand format, dye sublimation printing

McDonald's Corp., Keurig Dr. Pepper, Disney, Kohl's, Royal Caribbean, TaylorMade

Quick-service restaurants, retail, trade show and entertainment industry

Tom Sullivan Matt Tiedgen

$2.58M $4.1M

Full creative services, marketing and advertising strategy and account management; web development; social media, digital and traditional media planning and buying

AHC+Hospitality, Fernelius Auto Group, Grand Rapids Griffins, Kent Companies, Spectrum Health, West Michigan Community Bank

Business to consumer and business to business in all markets and industries

Highland Group 645 Cherry St. SE, Suite 200 Grand Rapids 49503 p (616) 528-8936 wearehg.com

Scott Crowley Jennifer Crowley

$2.42M $2.69M

Research and strategic planning, graphic design and art direction, web services and development

DND

Technology, banking, health care, A&D, pharma, sports and other consumer-based industries

Stevens Advertising 190 Monroe Ave. NW Grand Rapids 49503 p (616) 942-2801 f 942-2804 stevensinc.com

Allen Crater Mike Muller

$2.3M $3.3M

Marketing communications, brand development, media planning and placement, digital marketing, graphic design

Tourette Association of America, YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids, Crystal Mountain Resort, Fusion Education Group, Cruise the Great Lakes, South Haven CVB

All markets and industries

Paul Miles Advertising & Productions Inc. 1345 Monroe Ave. NW, Suite 257 Grand Rapids 49505 p (616) 459-6692 f 459-5522 paulmilesadvertising.com

Paul Miles

$1.7M $2M

Creative, media buying and planning, advertising in television, radio, outdoor, print, digital and social media

ShowSpan, Hall's Sport Center, Montell Construction, Used Car Motor Mall, Northgate Appliance, Sleep Doctor Mattress Stores

Retail sales, events and consumer shows

Avalanche Creative 975 Cherry St. SE, Suite 5 Grand Rapids 49506 p 616-965-6743 avalanchegr.com

Lance Beaudry Rayanne Beaudry

$450,000 DND

SEO and content marketing.

DND

Manufacturing, health care, SaaS, architecture, engineering, construction, home services

FineLine Creative Inc. 14998 Cleveland St., Suite E Spring Lake 49456 p (231) 798-9778 f 798-9959 4fineline.com

Laura Holmes Yvonne McKessy

$450,000 $475,000

Branding, design, web development, social media, online advertising, analytics, PPC ads, strategic planning, events

Common Sense Dental, Retirement Living Management, Waypoint Property Management, Ensign Equipment, AgeWell Services, AutoScheduler.ai

Small business specialist, nonprofit organizations, manufacturing, B2B sector, retail

HAVEN | a creative hub partnered with illumiNations to roll out the “I Want to Know” campaign. It gives people the opportunity to sponsor the translation of one or more Bible verses into one of the 3,800 languages.

Monthly newsletter

ddm marketing & communications launched its first monthly newsletter this year. It details marketing, advertising and communications trends.

One of three

Blue Flame Thinking has been named one of three top B2B marketing companies in Michigan by Clutch Marketing, a B2B review and rating platform focusing on the IT, marketing, creatives and business industries.

Top agencies

Clutch named LKF Marketing to its 2021 Top Advertising & Marketing Agencies in Michigan list.

ListStore

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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.

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

THE LIST

AUGUST 23, 2021

Sparks Belting celebrates 75 years, new location Conveyer solutions manufacturer relocates to larger plant to pave the way for increased production. Rachel Watson

rwatson@grbj.com

Sparks Belting, a local manufacturer, fabricator and distributor of small- and large-scale conveying solutions, is celebrating 75 years in business and its recent move to a new corporate office and national manufacturing center. The Grand Rapids company — which has been part of Grand Haven-based JSJ Corporation since 1982 —consolidated its operations from two smaller plants in Spring Lake and Grand Rapids into a 105,000-square-foot national manufacturing plant at 5005 Kraft Ave. SE in Cascade Township that will allow the company to increase production and expand its workforce by about 15 to 25 employees over the next 12 to 24 months to meet increased customer demand. Sparks currently has 160 employees across 10 locations in the U.S. and Mexico, with about half of those located at the new Grand Rapids headquarters. Production at the new plant began in May, and Sparks Belting held an open house there on Aug. 6

in recognition of its 75th anniversary and expansion. “While many organizations are still feeling the impact of the pandemic to their business, we are fortunate to have been able to bounce back better than ever during this momentous year for our company,” said Mitch Mittlestadt, president of Sparks Belting for the past four years. He said he is thankful that Sparks had already gone through some maturing pains and buttoned things down a few years prior to COVID-19, which made it lean enough to withstand tough times. Although sales decreased by double-digits overnight, and Sparks had to furlough employees, there were no layoffs, and the company is back to the sales numbers it had two years ago. He also believes the team grew closer and communication improved, as management prioritized putting people and safety first. That’s not to say it is past all challenges, as like all other manufacturers, Sparks has seen supply chain slowdowns and the talent shortage impact its ability to fulfill orders. But Mittlestadt said he believes Sparks will weather these setbacks. “We’ve been able to navigate changing market conditions over many decades by adapting to the needs of our customers, (and) this innovative mindset is what will launch us into our next 75 years,” he said.

President Mitch Mittlestadt hosted an open house celebration earlier this month at Sparks Belting’s new headquarters. Courtesy Sparks Belting

Sparks is known for its customized belting solutions, often serving small customers with one belt at a time, Mittlestadt said. However, the company’s move to the larger facility and investment in new equipment will allow Sparks to increase its high-volume production capabilities, serving more large, multinational companies in its core markets of logistics and distribution, building products, food processing and general manufacturing. “We have reinvented the way we look at client relationships, transitioning to a more part-

ner-centric position,” Mittlestadt said. “Not only are we a product provider, but we also come alongside our clients with service, technology and technical application expertise.” Although Mittlestadt said Sparks is not able to disclose many of its specific customers’ names, the company produces conveyor belts and motorized pulleys for Dematic — one of its largest customers that also is based in Grand Rapids. Sparks also serves food processing companies that make

snacks, candy, bread, rolls, cookies and more; as well as heavy duty steel plants; recycling facilities; consumer self-care products providers; paper goods producers; roofing and insulation makers; the meat and fishing industries; and many more. “We’re the behind-the-scenes people who make the conveyor belt, but everything has to touch the conveyor belt on its journey to the marketplace,” Mittlestadt said. “Think of salmon. They’re caught in the ocean. They’ve got conveyor belts in the bottom of these boats, these ships, (on which) they process all the fish. It goes through conveyor belts. It goes into packaging, and when they get back to shore, all of that’s packaged on ice and ready to be shipped to the supermarkets.” He added Sparks provides engineering solutions for tricky problems by listening to the customer with an open mind and curiosity about their challenges. Some plants need belts that are only 1-inch-by-1-foot, while others have ordered conveyors that are 10 feet wide, 250 feet long and 800 pounds and take two or three weeks to make. For one of its large, wellknown food processing customers, Sparks created a new line of belting from a custom material that can withstand the high temCONTINUED ON PAGE 22

Top Area Advertising Agencies (RANKED BY 2020 WEST MICHIGAN NET ADVERTISING BILLINGS) Top W. Mich. executive(s)

ADvay Media Group 528 Bridge St. SW Suite 4 Grand Rapids 49504 p (616 )222-4140 f 649-3718 advaymedia.com

2020 2019 W. Mich. net advertising billings Services offered

Selected accounts

Primary markets served

Leigh Engelbrecht

DND DND

Advertising analytics, media buying, customer tracking, business optimization

Currently serves over 600 independent Grocery and retail channel grocery and hardware retailers across North America (USA and Canada)

Pete Van Regenmorter

DND DND

Advertising/marketing campaign creation, copywriting and design in print, video, TV, outdoor and many other media

DND

DVS 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 489 Grand Rapids 49053 p (616) 975-9911 f 975-9696 dvs.com

Paul La Vigne

DND DND

Full-service marketing and advertising Sunset Senior Communities, Life EMS, agency providing strategy, creative, Digital Tool and Die, Foremost, Bissell digital solutions for SMBs

B2B and B2C with strong experience in corporate, manufacturing, services, technology and non-profit

Extra Credit Projects Inc. 1250 Taylor Ave. NE Grand Rapids 49505 p (616) 454-2955 extracreditprojects.com

Rob Jackson

DND DND

Advertising, design, branding, web, digital, TV/video, nontraditional, media strategy/planning/buying

Michigan State University, Gerald R. Ford International Airport, Earth Day Network, Out of Home Advertising Association of America, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, Guiding Light.

Health care, financial, education, public service, association marketing, media

PMSI Marketing Group 625 Kenmoor SE, Suite 301 Grand Rapids 49546 p (616) 485-3373 pmsimarketinggroup.com

Kristine Kletke Ken Lenneman Kelsey Christine Martin Cervantes

DND DND

Brand strategy and development, marketing, communications, PR, websites, digital media, media relations, social media, business development, reputation mgt.

Hospitals, physician groups, senior services, Health care, senior services, construction companies restaurants, breweries, construction, banking

STUDIO3TWENTY DND Spring Lake 49456 p (616) 308-6812 studio3twenty.com

Andrea Snyder Matt Snyder

DND DND

Graphic design, website development IT Resource, Ivy Rehab, Northern Physical and maintenance, marketing Therapy, Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, consulting, website design Mission 86 (Mission 86 represents Jolly Pumpkin Cafe & Brewery, North Peak Brewing Co., Grizzly Peak Brewing Co.)

Health care, restaurant and hospitality, nonprofit, information technology, accounting, legal services, design firms

The Image Shoppe P.O. Box 6093 Grand Rapids 49516 p (616) 330-1003 theimageshoppe.com

Karen Tracey Troy Best Rob McCarty

DND DND

Brand strategy and development, rebranding, graphic design, strategic marketing, web development, social and digital marketing, SEO, SEM

Real estate development, restaurants, retail, government, B2B

Captivation Capital Advertising 186 S. River Ave. Holland 49423 p (616) 355-2530 captivationcapital.com

Essence Restaurant Group, The Mill at Vicksburg, Kent County, Coachhouse Accents, HŌM Flats, 3Fifteen Cannabis, Forty Acres Enterprises, GRNoir

Furniture, CPG, business services, health care, education, agricultural, HVAC products, trucking equipment, construction, financial services

The Grand Rapids Business Journal's list of top area advertising agencies, ranked by 2020 West Michigan net advertising billings, 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 113 companies; 21 returned surveys and 21 are listed. To be considered for future lists, email dnelson@grbj.com. DND = did not disclose

Ranked companies

Olympus Group was ranked No. 139 on the 2020 Printing Impressions 350 List. Printing Impressions 350 ranks printing companies in the U.S. and Canada.

Most awards

Extra Credit Projects won nine awards at the 2021 AAF West Michigan American Advertising Awards. It was the most awards of any agency.

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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.

AUGUST 23, 2021

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

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INSIDE TRACK

Stellar founder finds a better way

AUGUST 23, 2021

A chance meeting at a bar propelled Richard Laing into the world of internet service providers. Courtesy Stellar Broadband

Richard Laing’s early entry into broadband networks allowed him to evolve with the industry. Ehren Wynder

ewynder@grbj.com

he founder and president of Stellar Broadband, recently rebranded from SpartanNet, has been in the industry long enough to remember when less than two megabits was considered broadband internet. Now, Richard Laing is delivering up to 10 Gigs for residents and businesses in West Michigan, East Lansing and beyond. A former small-town Hoosier from Henryville, Indiana, Laing went to Indiana University for two years before he transitioned to the University of Dayton. “(I was) a young kid who didn’t really know his way,” Laing said. “I had an opportunity to do an accelerated journeyman program to build plastic-injection molds.” Despite spending two years in the program, Laing hated his first mold-building job. “It was not really what I was expecting it to be, but I was technical,” Laing said. “I was technical enough that I, kind of, gravitated to that aspect of it more than the metal shavings and lube and that side of it.” Around 1998, Laing was bartending to make ends meet when he met some employees from an internet service provider called Darwin Networks in Louisville, Kentucky. The start-up company was doing progressive work at a time when dial-up internet was still the standard. “These guys were doing 1.54 MB to a community of 1,200 apartments, and that was fast bandwidth,” Laing said. “That was what they considered ‘broadband’ in 1998, and to me that was pretty progressive.” Darwin Networks provided internet service for commercial, hospitality and multifamily clients, as well as IT support. Laing was one of the first people to be hired for the company’s operations center, where he was responsible for dealing with the apartment portfolio. At the time, virtually the entire internet was running on Cisco

hardware, and through Darwin Networks, Laing got to participate in pioneering new networks for apartment complexes all throughout the U.S. running out of a small network operations center in Louisville. “I went to school to do mechanical, but I shifted into networking almost right away,” Laing said. “I found that to be much more appealing, and I spent the first six months of my career in networking just studying as hard as I could. I learned the Cisco systems language. I was lucky enough to be working in an environment that was pretty vibrant in regard to the technology.” Darwin Networks did not survive the dot-com bubble burst of 2000-2001, however, suddenly leaving all of its apartment clients without an ISP. “I think (Darwin) just got over their ski tips,” Laing said. “They couldn’t deploy. They had a bunch of money. Their return on investment wasn’t doing well. They just got too big.” Laing said he was one of the last employees to walk out of Darwin Networks, mostly because he was the originator of all of the company’s apartment networks, but because of that, he ended up developing the first plug-and-play network, which he said is now the standard in internet service. After Darwin folded, Laing partnered with other industry professionals to create another internet service provider called Noment, which acquired some bankruptcy assets from Darwin to keep the internet running for all of its former apartment clients. Laing also built a new network operations center in New Albany, Indiana. As Noment continued to expand, servicing approximately 12,000 units across the U.S., the company ended up merging with another company to create Fusion Broadband, based in Champaign, Illinois. Laing didn’t really want to move to Champaign. His largest customer working at Noment was DTN Management Company in

RICHARD LAING Company: Stellar Broadband Position: Co-founder and president Age: 42 Birthplace: Henryville, Indiana Residence: Laingsburg Family: Wife and twin children Business/Community Involvement: Broadband taskforce for Bath and Victor townships, member of AT&T’s National Advisory Council, DIRECTV Dealer of the Year 2019 National Award for the first in-building deployment of 10GPON and Wi-Fi Biggest Career Break: When I connected with a group of college friends to move from mechanical engineering to IT and support 6,000 multifamily and student housing communities from a company that decided to get out of the business.

East Lansing, and he felt inspired by what the company was doing. He had engineered the company’s network from the beginning and had gotten to know the owner of the company well. DTN at the time was working to build a private network within the East Lansing municipality by putting up its own fiber and attaching it to Michigan State University, essentially creating the university network and expanding it out to the residential market. “I thought that was a pretty neat thing to do,” Laing said. “So, I ended up exiting out of Noment/ Fusion Net and came to East Lansing to stand up SpartanNet.” SpartanNet in the beginning was exclusively an extension of the MSU network, thereby only available to MSU students, even though there were non-students living in apartments on campus who needed internet. The company ended up closing its relationship with the university to set up its own network, which could service anyone. SpartanNet initially serviced about 1,400 apartments and was exclusive to DTN communities in East Lansing. As the chief builder of SpartanNet’s network, Laing said it was easy to upgrade the network from 100 MB — the standard in 2002 — to 1 GB internet service in 2004. “Nobody else was really delivering full-gigabit ethernet at the time,” Laing said. Over time, SpartanNet continued to expand its network by

partnering with the major real estate developers in East Lansing and other national groups that were building apartments in the area, while also adding services to its portfolio. “So I’m delivering internet services, and I’m building a building management network within the community, but they were like, ‘I need security systems. Can you build that here?’ So, we started building IP security networks. ‘I need an entry and access control network,’ so we would build an entry and access control network,” Laing said. “The need for all of that just, kind of, expanded to the need of the community.” SpartanNet also expanded its services to include DirecTV. Although it’s gradually becoming eclipsed by online streaming, 10 years ago, cable television was a big deal, Laing said, and SpartanNet wanted to complement its gigabit internet service with the TV service that had the most HD channels at the time. “The first time I did this, we converted 1,400 apartments’ worth of television to DirecTV in three months,” Laing said. “Then we had all these students coming into our space to get set up with DirecTV, and it was horrible ... I’d never worked so hard in my life.” Laing immediately started developing software to automate the installation process. If a customer were to order DirecTV through SpartanNet, the company would automatically turn it on, set up billing and send them direct mes-

sages regarding their new service. Because of the volume of activations SpartanNet was doing, and because Laing had built his own automation software, he was noticed by DirecTV at the corporate level. The company invited Laing to participate in its national advisory council, where he would meet with leaders to discuss and refine the process. “We have since influenced that to the point where they have created a better product under the DirecTV umbrella to actually sell to these apartment communities,” Laing said. “Even though people are still streaming, I think they are looking for the ease. They want it to be convenient and simple … so we were able to craft this better way of distributing that for student housing under the DirecTV label.” About five years ago, the company started building a network in Grand Rapids to offer those same types of services. The company data center has been located in Grand Rapids for over four years, and the company has since expanded throughout West Michigan. Now a resident of Laingsburg, a town he picked out deliberately, Laing said he feels like he’s come full circle. “I found this town. I married a local Laingsburg native, and interestingly enough, this town feels just like Henryville, Indiana,” Laing said, laughing. “It was a much better choice for me than to be in Champaign, Illinois.”

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

AUGUST 23, 2021

Nonprofit introduces students to ‘other’ aspects of theater There is far more to producing a show than what’s seen on stage. Danielle Nelson

dnelson@grbj.com

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Two Grand Rapids theater enthusiasts want to ensure that children of color are exposed to all the career opportunities that allow a production to come alive on stage. Darius Colquitt and Emily Cipriano recently founded a nonprofit theatrical organization called #BAMTalent. BAM stands for Black Arts Matter. “Instead of teaching about acting and different techniques and processes when it comes to performance, we’ll teach students what it means to be on the back end of theatrical professionalism,” Colquitt, CEO and producing artistic director for #BAMTalent, said. “They will be learning about lighting, Colquitt sound design, set design, costuming, directing, stage management, all the other jobs that it takes in order for theater to run.” Colquitt said their approach in theater education is to focus on providing those opportunities to people of color because there are not a lot of minorities working within the industry in West Michigan. He has held a number of positions in theater ranging from writer and director to stage manager and producer. Colquitt said there is a high unemployment rate among professional performers in theater. “If you are a unionized actor or performer, there is a 97% unemployment rate,” he said. “As a nonunion actor, if you are not affiliated, it is typically even more difficult to find work. There will not always be an acting job, but someone will need a lighting designer, a sound designer, a stage manager, someone to run crew and someone to create the costumes. All of these

things will be important. Not only are they important to theater arts, but in teaching kids these skills, it will be a life skill that they can take somewhere else, beyond West Michigan. We are trying to expand their possibilities as opposed to limiting them or focusing them in one direction where they may or may not be successful.” Colquitt said they are looking to start the program in early 2022. They will launch an Indiegogo campaign, which is a crowdfunding website, in the fall to raise $20,000. He said the funds will go toward staging their first production. Students will take part in producing the show as they shadow and work with various professionals. Cipriano is the development director for #BAMTalent. She worked with Colquitt during their time together at Ebony Road Players in Grand Rapids. She said the students wanted to be more involved with the arts. “There is a common misconception that people think the arts kids want to do is ‘Annie’ or things that they see on TV, but kids can handle so much more,” she said. “All of the kids that Darius and I taught at Ebony Road Players were so passionate about the arts. There was one young Cipriano lady who said she wanted to be the president of Ebony Road Players to keep the company alive forever. Kids need the arts, and we need the kids.” She and Colquitt are passionate about teaching students of color about all aspects of a production. However, Cipriano said she knows that representation in plays and musicals also needs to change. “We have so many people in our world and our arts do not reflect that right now,” she said. “We are telling the same stories. We are telling white stories. We’ve branched out into different classes at least. We have stories about poor white people and affluent white people, but what we are missing is everyone else.”

BLM eyes talent gaps CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

work post-Labor Day for at least part of the week, as in-person classroom instruction brings greater flexibility for parents. With the delta variant causing concern, large employers are focused on ensuring their workforce is protected, with 70% saying they’re still requiring unvaccinated individuals to wear masks in the workplace, even as requirements have been eliminated.

Business Leaders for Michigan, the state’s business roundtable, is dedicated to making Michigan a top 10 state for jobs, personal income and a healthy economy. The organization is composed of the chairs and the executive leaders of Michigan’s largest companies and universities. Its members drive nearly 40% of the state’s economy, generate over $1 trillion in annual revenue and serve nearly half of all Michigan public university students.

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

AUGUST 23, 2021

Survey: College cost remains top concern CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

cation is important, but that educa- match schools, as well as you can tion about education is important put in schools that you’re particas well,” Robertson said. ularly interested in, and then we In addition, the Citizens Made take that data and we like, ‘AmaReady for College hub is an online zon it.’ ‘Families like you have reresource to help families navigate ceived packages like this,’ so that the fear and anxiety that have en- your net price is known as you are tered the college search process. looking at different schools to apIt includes articles, how-to videos, ply to,” Robertson said. calculators and more. “And then we add on top of that “Families can go in and say, this — which I think is phenomenal — is our family’s financial profile, to say, someone who graduated this is my child’s academic profile, from this school with this major this is the type of school he wants, makes this much as a starting salathe major, their extracurricular ry on average, so that you can have T:7.9585" activities, etc., and we bring back the entire conversation as a family

to say, if you choose school A over school B, it means that this is how much those payments are, and this is how much you’re projected to make, so that you’re really having a total conversation before you even start applying to school. … I think that helps parents and students make better decisions.” Citizens said it offers borrowing options for credit-qualified students, graduates and their families, including the Citizens Parent Loan, Citizens Student Loan and the Citizens Student Loan with Multi-Year Approval.

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difficult family conversations.” Roberts said she believes the increasing number of families reevaluating what options make most fiscal sense — rather than emotional sense — for their students is a positive sign. “What we’re finding is that a) more families are having conversations around how to pay for school, which I think is fantastic, b) that families are looking to make stronger financial decisions about where to send their child to school, which is also fantastic, but c) the amount of angst is still pretty high,” Roberts said. “We had hoped that the angst would come down a bit this year. Families are still nervous about what school will look like this year, college-wise, for their kids and what that means for them from an education perspective. … We really thought that that would sort of taper down a bit more this year, but it has not.” More than half (56%) of those who previously spent a semester in college expected to see their overall cost of attendance increase this fall. When factoring in tuition, room and board, meal plans, travel costs to and from campus, and on-campus events and activities, families expected to pay $8,700 more on average in the fall of 2021 compared with prior semesters. In the face of these rising costs, students and families are looking for additional tools to help stay on budget. Nearly 2 in 3 respondents (65%) ranked having no overdraft fees as one of their top three features in a potential student checking account. Nearly half (43%) of all families had discussions regarding paying for college in the wake of COVID-19, up from 40% in 2020. Exactly half of respondents said they had conversations in the first two years of high school or earlier, with 20% saying they had those discussions in eighth grade or prior. Families who were financially impacted by COVID-19 were far more likely to have discussed paying for college in recent months, with 58% saying COVID-19 prompted recent conversations. Only 6% of respondents said they never had family discussions about the cost of college education. More than 4 in 10 (43%) of prospective college students said concerns about mental health had a high impact on their post-high school plans, potentially exacerbated by high wait-list outcomes for incoming freshman and concerns over the job market. Current college students also are feeling the mental health impacts of the pandemic, as 42% said concerns about mental health had a high impact on their enrollment decision. Nearly one-third (31%) of incoming fall 2021 freshman were put on a wait list for one or more of their top choice schools, while nearly 4 in 10 (37%) of prospective high school students said concerns about the job market had a high impact on their post-high school plans. A majority (55%) of students now enrolled in a college or university said a specific degree program they were interested in was a “must have” when choosing where to enroll, slightly more important than affordability (54%) as a “must have.”

Citizens launched a program with EverFi last fall called College Bound Citizens, which offers five modules of financial literacy training on concepts such as return on investment in higher education, net versus true cost of a college education, understanding financial aid and loans, and more. “Right now, we are in over 500 high schools around the country, adding another 200 in the next few months, with curriculum for families to really understand their options and to be looking at the cost of college. We truly feel that edu-

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AUGUST 23, 2021

Real estate markets adjusting to ‘new normal’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

down. Many were forced to pivot to online ordering and either contactless curbside pick-up, drivethrough or delivery. Some restaurants with extra capacity in their kitchens have started essentially time-sharing their facilities to other delivery-only concepts. Even with the ability to serve a dining room full of customers, many are choosing to keep the pandemic-era models they created and keep those dining rooms closed, largely due to staffing. Examples of these “ghost kitchens” in Grand Rapids are Blacklist Bagels, 9th Street Steaks, Pronto Pasta, Li Grand Zombi and the recently announced Mitten Pizza Co. opening in Rockford — none of which have a physical dining room, only a rented kitchen. Many retailers in West Michigan, both local and national, continue to push forward with plans for new openings. Chick-fil-A is building a new store on the southeast corner of Lake Michigan Drive and Wilson Avenue NW in Standale, which plans to open in September. Dollar General’s new DGX concept opened its first local location downtown at 111 Lyon St. NW. A 34,000-square-foot Total Wine and More opened in July on 28th Street SE. AutoZone is building a new 38,000-square-foot “mega hub” store in Wyoming that will open in August. The main question surrounding the current office market is, “what will be the new normal?” Unsurprisingly, most white-collar employees adjusted quickly to the pandemic. Utilization of technolo-

gy accelerated, and most had workers quickly established at their inhome offices. Employees found the flexibility of remote work allowed them to better manage a work/life balance, and many actually found their productivity increased — and employers agreed. “There are so many variables right now, but what we’ve seen is every company is a little different,” Hainer said. “Across the board, it’s pretty safe to say the traditional office use and setting has changed. People who have figured out how to work from home have continued to

do that. Some employers want their workers back, but they also want to keep them happy. If the work gets done they’re willing to accommodate that, because there’s such a talent shortage now — particularly in retail, but also in the office world.” In West Michigan, the average lease size decreased by 23% in 2020 compared to 2019, showing that tenants were not as willing to commit to large amounts of space while there was so much uncertainty during the shutdown. Traditional offices are not obsolete, though. People who used to

work remotely are itching to come back, because they miss that social interaction, Hainer said. “People don’t want to be stuck in their house all the time, but they have families and are still figuring out the new world we’re living in,” Hainer said. “Throughout the latter half of this year, I think we’ll see the office market find its place. Activity is up. People are coming back to the office.” Spectrum Health is a prime example of what the new normal will likely resemble. The health system is the largest employer in Grand

Rapids, with more than 25,000 employees throughout the area and some 1,500 in office-related positions downtown. While uncertainty is still prevalent, Spectrum is in the process of consolidating its leases from across the city into a new Center for Transformation being built on North Monroe Avenue. The development will house 1,200 employees and is expected to save more than $15 million in annual rent. In addition, Spectrum has committed to offering flexible work options for these employees.

A PROUD LEGACY. A BOLD FUTURE. METRO HEALTH – UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH IS BECOMING

GRABB to renovate property CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

able. It is, however, highly encouraged, because the EDD will report those levels of participation in its evaluation and public presentation. The project is permitted in the current zone district and aligns with the Southtown Business Area Specific Plan (BASP) future land use map, which labels the property as located in a Traditional Business Area (TBA). Additionally, the property is included in the Seymour Square priority investment area in the BASP. GRABB also received approval from the Southtown Corridor Improvement Authority (CIA) for a $45,000 reimbursement grant through the Third Ward Business Retention Incentive Program on Sep. 16, 2020. The project recently received support from the Garfield Park Neighborhoods Association, the Alger Heights Business Association and board members of the Southtown CIA. It was presented to the Economic Development Project Team at its meeting on July 13. GRABB did not immediately respond to requests for an interview at press time.

Upholding our legacy of innovation, we deliver progressive service to our patients that best serves our community. As part of one of the nation’s top-rated health systems, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health is becoming University of Michigan Health-West. metrohealth.net

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

AUGUST 23, 2021

Mom launches gentle clothing line for children Crann Apparel makes sustainable T-shirts and underwear designed for kids with sensitive skin. Rachel Watson

rwatson@grbj.com

When her son began screaming and refusing to get dressed each morning before kindergarten, a Grand Rapids mom took a hard look at the clothes he was wearing and decided she could do better. Karly Hiser is founder of Crann Apparel, a new children’s clothing line sold at crannapparel.com. Crann Apparel offers gentle and sustainable children’s T-shirts and boxer briefs on its website, ranging in size from extra-small through extra-large, with colors and names inspired by Michigan’s natural beauty. A full clothing line will be available later this year, including boys’ and girls’ jogger pants, sweatshirts and more T-shirt colors. “Getting dressed in the morning was the biggest struggle because my kids’ clothing was irritating their skin,” Hiser said. “When I couldn’t find materials that would be good for their skin and good for the environment, I set out to create it myself.” While researching solutions, Hiser discovered polyester is made of plastic and a major fac- 1 MTM_2021_SOH_GRBJ_Ad.pdf

tor in sweating and skin irritation. She discovered gentle, plant-based alternatives such as TENCEL lyocell, organic cotton and hemp are perfect for children with eczema and other skin sensitivities. Busting out her grandmother’s 1957 sewing machine, she began playing around with different fabrics and patterns and made some soft and itch-free underwear for her son. Then, she added on T-shirts. “My son has been very involved in the whole process,” she said. “He told us, ‘I just want to be dressed head to toe with super comfortable clothes.’” Before long, her friends and neighbors were requesting she make clothing for their children, too, and Hiser knew she was onto something. “This just started out as a labor of love for my own children and close friends,” Hiser said. “As the demand grew, I knew there was an opportunity to help more families with better clothing options, so I went all in.” Throughout her research journey, Hiser also learned more about fast fashion and decided to create a children’s line with not only comfort, but sustainability and ethical labor at the forefront. TENSOL lyocell, for example, is harvested from eucalyptus trees in an area of Austria where the forests are sustainably managed. Hiser incorporated Crann Apparel in October 2019 and then, like the rest of AM the world, experi8/11/21 11:52

Crann Apparel currently offers only T-shirts and underwear, but plans to offer a full clothing line later this year. Courtesy Crann Apparel

enced supply chain issues during the pandemic that slowed everything down. “It’s been quite a journey, especially to launch with manufacturing during a pandemic,” she said. Crann Apparel used a cut-andsew manufacturing partner in Lansing for the first line of cloth-

ing and is using a manufacturer in India for the extended line coming out this fall so that she can offer more competitive pricing. Crann’s manufacturing partners adhere to the World Fair Trade Organization’s (WFTO) 10 principles of fair trade, which include fair payment, good working conditions, commit-

ment to nondiscrimination and respect for the environment. Hiser said the manufacturers she uses also operate in a closedloop system in which the chemicals to process the raw materials are reused for multiple cycles to reduce waste. The brand also ships every customer order in a reusable poly mailer made of 100% recycled material. Plus, Crann Apparel donates 1% of all sales to 1% for the Planet, a global nonprofit dedicated to funding environmental organizations that protect natural resources. Crann Apparel has received feedback from mothers of children with eczema and sensory issues that the clothing has helped them, and the T-shirts so far are the best-selling item in the store. Hiser still works as a pediatric nurse practitioner at Spectrum Health on top of running her business. She said she could see herself eventually hiring employees and expanding Crann Apparel to include adult clothing, but for now, the business will continue to focus on children’s apparel. “We would love to scale someday,” she said. “Right now, we’re direct-to-consumer, so (the products are) available on our website. If you sign up for our mailing list, it’s 20% off your first order, and then you’ll be the first to know about new launches in the future.” More information is at crannapparel.com.

Mel Trotter Ministries presents C

Thursday, September 30, 2021 • 6:30 p.m. Featuring Paula Jauch

CMY

Join us for a night to remember at our annual Season of Hope event on Thursday, September 30, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. The evening will include current updates from Mel Trotter Ministries and be highlighted with stories about survival, resilience, and hope. Local award-winning author and speaker, Paula Jauch, will share her journey from trauma survivor to helping others heal from their own trauma and brokenness. You will also hear several of our guests share their stories of endurance and healing, and see each of these experiences are connected through the hope that often comes after a season of despair. We celebrate that hope! Sponsorship opportunities available. Register for sponsorship and tickets at meltrotter.org/seasonofhope.

Paula Jauch is an international speaker, award-winning and best-selling author, and podcaster. She has a heart for the hurting. The words she shares are written from a place of brokenness and healing. She addresses these topics in her book Cross Addicted: Breaking Free from Family Trauma and Addiction. She offers a hopeful path to recovery for those who are hurting and traumatized. Her passion and heart’s desire are to see lives healed and restored to their true identity.

AUGUST 23, 2021

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

Agricultural economy rebounding Report shows impact of COVID-19 on row crops, livestock, dairy, vegetables and fruit. Danielle Nelson

dnelson@grbj.com

While milk prices have rebounded, the cost to produce dairy products remains high. Courtesy MMPA

After being rocked by the deadly pandemic, Michigan’s agricultural economy is rebounding. The recent Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Michigan Agricultural Production Sectors report detailed the impact of the pandemic

on row crops, livestock, tree fruits, vegetables and dairy. It was authored by Steven R. Miller, director for the College of Economic Analysis of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University; Trey Malone, assistant professor for the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University; and K. Aleks Schaefer, assistant professor for the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University.

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According to the report, dairy and vegetable production were the hardest hit, experiencing 25.2% and 27.3% declines, respectively, in estimated economic output for Michigan’s agricultural supply chain. Those declines represented losses of $464,342,000 for dairy and $108,790,000 for vegetables. Overall, the impact on the agricultural economic output for the Michigan supply chain was a decline of 18.6%, or $1,035,893,000. “That was a snapshot,” Malone said. “Since then, we have seen prices rebound pretty nicely for a lot of industries.” Joe Diglio, president and CEO of the Michigan Milk Producers Association, said although milk prices are higher this year, it does not mean the dairy producers are making money because the input cost also has increased. “Margins on the farm have been eroded because of the higher cost to produce than they saw in the previous year,” he said. “We have seen increases in prices for dairy products, but it is not enough to offset production costs at the farm level.” Diglio said there is a misconception that milk producers are earning more in revenue. The input costs that dairy farmers have to incur for things such as animal feed, equipment, labor and machinery repairs have prevented farmers from pocketing the money they earn. Nevertheless, general businesses have opened their doors, which is a welcome sight and step in the right direction for dairy producers who dealt with many businesses in the foodservice industry closing. Diglio said about 40% to 50% of milk produced is used in dairy products such as cheese, which is used heavily in restaurants. “Retail was good, but that didn’t offset the displacement of the major market in general,” he said. “There were also challenges in getting products exported. We started seeing logistical challenges throughout the supply chain, trying to get products moved from one location to another and, unfortunately, labor became a huge challenge, and it continues to be a challenge.” Like dairy, the price for soybeans, corn and other row crops have increased. According to the MSU economic impact report, there was a 14.8%, or $325,317,000, decline in estimated economic output for the Michigan agricultural supply chain for row crops. Michigan Soybean Association’s Steve Koeman is the owner of Koeman Farms, a 2,600-acre farm where he grows corn and soybeans, among other things. He said one of the reasons corn prices have increased is because people are driving more this year. “Corn is used for ethanol,” he said. “Most of the gasoline we use has 10% ethanol in it, so ethanol surely got affected last year when no one was driving. The use went way down, and the corn used for ethanol went way down for a while. We have certainly rebounded from that. The amount of corn that we are using for ethanol is back where it was before the pandemic. Over a third of the U.S. corn crop gets used for ethanol, so that is a big percentage of our corn that gets turned into ethanol.” Dan Keenan is a farmer who CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

AUGUST 23, 2021

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GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

AUGUST 23, 2021

COMMENT & OPINION

GUEST COLUMN Lou Glazer

Students must build foundation of ‘essential’ skills

C Rising, a business-led metro Kansas City regional prosperity organization, recently published a terrific report defining what are essential skills all students need for career success. The KC Rising essential skills are: • Communication — The ability to adapt within various channels, to connect effectively with clients, co-workers, supervisors and other collaborators. • Collaboration — Cohesive teamwork that recognizes and leverages the skills and knowledge of colleagues across a range of disciplines. • Critical Thinking — Problem-solving that synthesizes information, anticipates new challenges and opportunities, and builds strategies toward workplace effectiveness. • Interpersonal Skills — Treating others with empathy and respect, building trusting relationships, and creating a sense of belonging and shared purpose. • Proactivity — Taking the initiative to seek out and act on opportunities to learn, innovate and add value to an organization. • Executive Function — The self-accountability needed to work independently, manage tasks and resources to meet deadlines, and deal with ambiguity. KC Rising’s report redefines the skills gap. The organization defines the skills gap as the absence, in far too many students, of these essential skills. It’s not a too-small supply of students who know how to weld, code or do accounting. The report states: “An elusive ‘skills gap’ is mentioned in almost every conversation about our nation’s workforce — but what exactly is this gap, and what can we do about it? “First, let’s define the skills in question. Technical skills are based on foundational knowledge or expertise in a subject. Then, there are the uniquely human skills, often referred to as ‘soft skills.’ This second set of skills has many names — power skills, future skills, timeless skills, or essential skills. In the

GUEST COLUMN Dave Kahle

Dealing with a difficult customer

KC region, the term ‘essential skills’ has been adopted because these are the skills that are increasingly important — in fact, necessary, in the next economy. “Already, essential skills are a differentiator in hiring, promotion and retention of employees. Workers with a high competency in essential skills are in increasing demand. Essential skills empower transitions and open opportunity, and are key to unlocking economic mobility. In the 21st century economy, jobs follow skills. “… Essential skills serve as the roots that feed and nourish the development of durable, semi-durable and technical skills. An emphasis on the development of essential skills is important to the success of students as they transition into careers. These essential skills are the foundation of agility in an increasingly volatile world.” KC Rising defines perishable, semi-durable and durable skills this way: • Perishable: Technology skills, especially those related to specific vendors, platforms, or programming languages that are updated frequently. • Semi-durable: Field-specific technologies, processes, or tools that frame a base knowledge. These are replaced as the field grows, expands and evolves. • Durable: A base layer of mindsets and dispositions. Not just a “way of thinking,” but tangible, teachable and measurable skills. Exactly right! The foundation skills for all students — irrespective of what career they decide to pursue after graduation — are the KC Rising essential skills. The icing on the cake skills are the technical/occupation-specific skills. As future of work expert Heather McGowan describes it, essential skills are the operating system, perishable and semi-durable skill are the apps. The report includes the results of focus groups with metro KC

difficult customer — someone who is angry or upset — can be one of the most challenging and rewarding encounters for most companies. If your people handle the situation well, you often will gain a longterm customer. Mishandle it, and you’ll watch the situation dissolve into lost business and upset people. What guidelines can you provide your employees to help them cope with angry or difficult customers? Respect: It can be difficult to respect a person who may be yelling, swearing or behaving like a two-year-old. I’m not suggesting you respect the behavior, only that you respect the person. Keep in mind that 99 times out of 100 you are not the object of the customer’s anger. You are like a small tree in the path of a swirling tornado. But unlike the small tree, you have the power to withstand the wind. What is the source of your power? Unlike the customer, you are not angry, you are in control, and your only problem at the moment is helping him with his problem. If you step out of this positioning and start reacting to the customer in an emo-

young professionals. They recognized that they left school with an essential skills skill gap. “Young professionals report a skills gap in all six essential skills. The gap ranges from 18% for critical thinking to 33% for communication. Consistent with the job posting and employer data, young professionals report they are underprepared when they enter the workforce,” the report stated. “The essential skills gap is largest for communication, executive function and proactivity. Even though the vast majority of young professionals identified communication, executive function and proactivity as important or very important to the job, only 3 of 5 said they were prepared. The gap is largest for communication, a skill that employers have consis-

tently reported as critical and difficult to find in new hires. Young professionals call communication and executive function the ‘foundational’ skills that enable the other essential skills to flourish. Without them, it is difficult to cultivate the other skills.” It is far past time that Michigan policymakers and educators understand that the foundation skills we need to build in all students are the KC Rising essential skills. That those skills, not the content-specific skills that are measured by standardized tests or occupation specific skills taught in CTE programs, are the skills all students need for career success in the economy of today and tomorrow. Lou Glazer is president of Michigan Future Inc.

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tional way, you’ll lose control, you’ll lose your power and the situation will be likely to escalate into a loselose for everyone. So, begin with a mindset that says, “No matter what, I will respect the customer.” Listen: You don’t try and cut him off, you don’t urge him to calm down. Not just yet. You listen and you listen carefully. And as you listen, you begin to piece together his story. If someone is angry or upset, it is because that person feels injured in some way. Your job is to let the customer vent and to listen attentively in order to understand the source of that frustration. When you do that, you send a powerful unspoken message. You let the customer know by your listening and attentiveness that you care about him and his situation. Often, as the customer comes

to realize that you really do care and that you are going to attempt to help him resolve the problem, the customer will calm down on his own and begin to interact with you in a positive way. While these aren’t the only ways to deal with a difficult customer, these two strategies of respecting and listening to the customer will go a long way toward enabling your employees to deal effectively with one of the most challenging situations they’ll face. Dave Kahle is an author, consultant and speaker who has presented in 47 states and 11 countries, improved the performance of thousands of B2B salespeople and authored 13 books. Receive his insights on a regular basis here: https://www.davekahle.com/ subscribe-daves-e-zines/.

Grand Rapids Business Journal (ISSN 10454055) is published biweekly, with an extra issue in December, by Gemini Media, 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 331, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Telephone (616) 459-4545; Fax 459-4800. General e-mail: bjinfo@grbj.com. Periodical postage paid at Grand Rapids, Michigan. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Grand Rapids Business Journal, 1965 E Avis Dr, Madison Heights, MI 48071. Copyright ©2021 by Gemini Media. All rights reserved. Grand Rapids Business Journal is mailed biweekly to executives, managers and professionals throughout Metro Grand Rapids and West Michigan. The subscription rates in continental U.S. are: $59 per year; $79 - 2 years; $99 - 3 years. Rates for Canada and U.S. possessions are $84 per year. Subscription rates include the annual Book of Lists and additional special publications. Please inquire for overseas rates. Subscriptions are not retroactive; single issue and newsstand $2, by mail $3; back issues $4 when available, by mail $5. Advertising rates and specifications at www.grbj.com or by request. Grand Rapids Business Journal does not accept unsolicited contributions.

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GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

AUGUST 23, 2021

GUEST COLUMN Devin S. Schindler and Jeffrey S. Segal

Beware the DOJ’s post-COVID-19 enforcement priorities

ealth care providers beware: the Department of Justice has launched new enforcement efforts to prosecute individuals and entities that took advantage of the COVID-19 crisis for personal gain, promising to prosecute anyone who engages in such fraud “to the fullest extent of the law.”

The DOJ believes some providers, either with criminal intent or through negligence, have been violating their provider agreements by charging recipients for all or some of the cost of the vaccine. More than 500 individuals already have been charged with COVID-19-related fraud, with many more charges likely on the way. Critically, the DOJ is leveraging its vast databases to look for suspicious billing trends. This means that honest providers who happen to have unusual billing patterns —

regardless of the cause — easily can get caught up in the DOJ’s expansive dragnet. As always, the challenge is to distinguish between honest mistakes and true criminal intent. What should providers, who were faced with any number of new rules designed to facilitate a rapid response to the pandemic, do to ensure they remain on the right side of that line? 5 areas ripe for review Although the enforcement trends still are developing, the DOJ appears to be focusing on several areas that are potentially rife for abuse: • Charging for vaccinations: Providers participating in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 vaccination program are required to enter into a provider agreement in which they agree not to charge for administering vaccinations. In return, the provider receives separate reimbursement. The DOJ believes some providers, either with criminal intent or through negligence, have been violating their provider agreements by charging recipients for all or some of the cost of the vaccine. A well-meaning provider could eas-

ily make the mistake of entering a normal charge for an office visit for an individual receiving the vaccination, thereby impermissibly billing the patient for the service. Providers who do so face suspension or termination from the CDC’s COVID-19 Vaccination Program and potential criminal and civil penalties. • Using COVID-19 testing to provide medically unnecessary testing: Multiple providers have been accused of taking saliva and blood samples from patients seeking COVID-19 testing and then using those samples to provide unnecessary genetic, allergy and respiratory-pathogen testing. Particularly problematic is the practice of bundling COVID-19 testing with allergy testing. A patient presenting with respiratory distress logically could receive both forms of testing, and there is nothing wrong, per se, with a provider ordering multiple tests. The key is medical necessity. Providers must diligently document support for medical necessity regarding additional tests for a patient presenting with COVID-19 symptoms. Failure to provide separate documentation justifying the additional test-

ing can expose a provider to enforcement actions. • Abusing the relaxed telemedicine rules: The relaxation of the telemedicine rules provides fertile ground for fraud. The absence of a physical encounter makes it easier for fraudsters to bill for nonexistent or medically unnecessary “sham” encounters with patients. Providers again need to be careful to properly document all telemedicine encounters; just as if they were providing “in-person” treatment. • Misusing COVID-19 emergency override codes: The Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency in the entire United States on Jan. 31, 2020, which allowed the agency to issue blanket “override codes” on a number of actions that previously required pre-approval. For example, one of these override codes allowed providers to immediately prescribe medications or change dosing schedules in a way that would formerly require pre-approval. The DOJ is concerned providers may be misusing these codes to provide services and medication in a medically unnecessary fashion without the usual oversight.

• Failing to follow correct screening procedure for employees in care facilities. In a recent enforcement action, the DOJ clawed back $214,200 in Medicaid funds received by a long-term care facility that was racked by COVID-19. The facility allegedly failed to screen its employees properly, which is somewhat unusual because the improper actions were not tied directly to any particular reimbursement claims paid to the facility. This is a particular issue for nursing homes and long-term care facilities, which should remain vigilant in screening employees for the disease. The DOJ’s “historic” effort to combat COVID-19-related fraud is just beginning. The relaxed rules borne of the need to provide a rapid response to the disease also created opportunity for the criminally minded and new landmines for well-meaning but overwhelmed providers. Devin Schindler and Jeff Segal are attorneys at Warner Norcross + Judd LLP who regularly handle health care and other legal matters. They can be reached at (616) 752-2000 or via email at dschindler@wnj.com or jsegal@wnj.com.

Dematic sees tremendous growth during pandemic CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

facturing facilities in North America, Europe, China and Australia, and the company has installed and serviced systems for customers including Walmart, Meijer, Adidas, Patagonia, Nordstrom, Rubbermaid, The Container Store, Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola and Nestle, among many others. Larsson said within the past year, Dematic’s growth has largely been driven by e-commerce, followed by grocery and general merchandising. The Business Journal on Aug. 9 took a tour of Dematic’s design and development lab at its Grand Rapids campus to witness the company’s newest product offerings and beta tests. Larsson said Dematic will be renovating the facility over a two-year period starting next year to reflect the shift in Dematic’s business mod-

el away from convey-and-sort mechatronics toward robotics, AutoStore order picking and real-time digital solutions. One of the most exciting developments under testing at the tech center in Grand Rapids — and which recently debuted at the Meijer store in Rochester Hills — is a smaller-scale automated system for order picking that can fit into the back area of grocery stores for order fulfillment, allowing the stores to fill online orders faster, more efficiently and more profitably than they could from distribution centers located elsewhere. The multi-shuttle part of the system — somewhat like a vending machine that stretches floor to ceiling — stores common items based on customer data, and the operator stands at a workstation at ground level picking the items detailed in the order that

DEMATIC FACT SHEET • $3 billion global intralogistics provider • Member of the KION Group, based in Frankfurt, Germany • North America headquarters in Grand Rapids • Global headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia • 60 engineering centers in 25 countries • Manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe, China and Australia • More than 10,000 employees worldwide; about 1,200 in Grand Rapids • Over 6,000 systems installed — all sizes and levels of complexity, from lower-cost manual options to fully-automated systems • Well-known customers include or have included Walmart, Meijer, Adidas, Patagonia, Nordstrom, Rubbermaid, The Container Store, Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola and Nestle, among many others

are available in the machine and bagging them up. Less common items are then added in manually by sending someone into the store to retrieve them. The order is then finished for curbside or home delivery all within the store and not from a distribution center or by Shipt or Instacart fulfillment. Larsson said the advantage of using automation to keep fulfillment in-house is that it allows the grocers to retain customer data — something it does not have access to when workers from third-party delivery services are fulfilling orders. Another advantage is that the automated system helps during the present talent shortage, when fewer third-party shoppers are available. Larsson said it wouldn’t necessarily make sense for all grocery stores to incur the expense of installing this automated pick system for order fulfillment. “There’s a magic number of orders per day you would have to justify the automation,” he said. “Grocers are looking for a certain number of cents per pick, and if you have a store that’s very small and you don’t get that (number) of picks per day, you’re going to struggle to get the ROI Larsson out of the automation.” Larger stores, or stores that are close to other sister stores — as in the case of the Meijer in Rochester Hills — can get a better return on investment from their in-store automated system if they are fulfilling orders for a large number of customers per day for

“I would say that our attractive incentives and benefits package, along with coming to a company that is in this tremendous growth mode that we don’t see an end to, and that great career story that you could have coming to Dematic, (is what draws people here).” Jenny Ferrell curbside or home delivery — or if they know they soon will be experiencing rapid growth in online ordering. Larsson said he does not view the automation systems Dematic installs as job killers — if anything, he said they increase customers’ growth potential and therefore are likely to provide more employment opportunities. He said Dematic sees it as a positive when automation systems can replace “dirty, dull or dangerous” jobs that tend to have high burnout rates. The jobs it creates — for operators, engineers, IT, etc. — tend to be higher-wage, higher-skill positions, which he views as a positive. Ferrell, Dematic’s VP of HR, said the highest-demand jobs at Dematic currently are for engineers, software developers, installation and service technicians, electricians, and other skilled trades workers. Although Dematic’s hiring boom happened during a historic talent shortage, she said the company’s brand, growth story, global

presence and significance on the world stage is what made hiring possible last year — that and the fact that many other companies with these types of roles were layFerrell ing off workers last year. She said Dematic has high longterm retention rates, with employees that have had 40-year careers there, moving from technicians all the way up through the ranks to executive roles, or others that have moved from finance to HR to project management, gaining well-rounded experience and trying out different types of careers. “I would say that our attractive incentives and benefits package, along with coming to a company that is in this tremendous growth mode that we don’t see an end to and that great career story that you could have coming to Dematic … (is what draws people),” she said. Larsson said when you look at some of the world’s largest e-commerce players and how much their need for automation systems has grown over the years, it’s hard to even wrap your mind around it, thinking about how much the world buys online now. One e-commerce giant he cited has installed the equivalent of nine times the size of Central Park’s square footage in distribution center space during the past 10 years and shows no signs of stopping. For a company like Dematic, this means the growth potential can feel unlimited. More information about Dematic is at dematic.com.

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

AUGUST 23, 2021

Sparks Belting celebrates 75 years, new location CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

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peratures of ovens as cookies pass through them during the baking process. Its previous belts were breaking, leading to a lot of down time and additional cost. “(We) saved them time, saved them money, it was a better product, and it lasted longer,” Mittlestadt said. “When we show up to our customers, those are the types of things we’re trying to solve. We don’t just want to sell them a product. We want to sell them a solution that helps them take cost out of their production process.”

“You wouldn’t think conveyor belting would be that exciting, but at times it really is. If you love the show, ‘How Things Are Made,’ that’s literally what we deal with every single day. We learn how things are made and then we provide value back to our customers.” Mitch Mittlestadt

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In another case, Mittlestadt visited a tortilla manufacturing plant in New York that was in a tall building — three stories high — but it was small and narrow, so its conveyor systems had to be vertical rather than horizontal. Sparks was able to provide two belts that were installed back-to-back that gripped the tortillas and zipped them up two stories and across the length of the plant to

be packaged and shipped. “Every single day, we’re dealing with very different applications. You wouldn’t think conveyor belting would be that exciting, but at times it really is,” he said. “If you love the show, ‘How Things Are Made,’ that’s literally what we deal with every single day. We learn how things are made and then we provide value back to our customers on, ‘Hey, we think we can help you make that better, faster, less expensive, make it last longer, or anything else that we can do to help.’ … When customers call us or we go visit the plant, because we’ve been around so long, we are really good at diagnosing the issue or the challenges and coming up with innovative solutions.” As part of its expansion, the company is investing in key markets throughout the U.S. and Mexico and shifting inventory and services to areas of higher customer demand. “Sparks Belting truly exemplifies what it means to be a JSJ business,” said Nelson Jacobson, CEO of JSJ Corporation. “For 75 years, Sparks has demonstrated a commitment to excellence, a passion for innovation and client service, and an adherence to the JSJ values: earn trust, learn by doing, work together, steward our legacy. The fact that the team at Sparks not only weathered the COVID-19 pandemic but continued to drive the business forward and set a standard of excellence for the industry is a testament to their skill, creativity and drive.” Mittlestadt added: “We take ‘steward our legacy’ very seriously. Being around 75 years, it’s critical that all of us learn from the past, then let that help build our future. … We want to leave the company, the community and the world in a better place than where we found it.”

Agricultural economy rebounding from pandemic CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

grows soybeans, corn, and sugar and black beets on his 1,500-acre farm. Keenan, a member of the Michigan Corn Growers Association, said corn prices also are on the rise due to exports to China. “China’s appetite for corn, especially, has added to that,” he said. “Historically, we export soybeans to China. They made a decision that they were going to import their soybeans and be self-sufficient in growing their corn, but for whatever reason they don’t have the amount of corn they need. Nationally, we don’t export a ton of corn to China. But over the last six to eight months we have, more than we ever had, so that has led to the strongest prices we’ve seen in probably a decade. “The other aspect is input cost. When we see the market like this we take advantage of the high crop prices, and we were lucky enough to get our inputs purchased for this year’s crop at reasonable prices.” However, Keenan said there is

an issue with the availability of parts for equipment and shipping costs have increased, and he has had to wait longer to receive the parts. “We ordered some components for our fertilizer system on our planter this spring,” he said. “The gentleman who manufactures them is out of central Illinois and he couldn’t guarantee that they would make it to us in a timely fashion, so we actually drove down and met him in Illinois to pick them up and guarantee we would have them. That was something that we never had to deal with.” Nevertheless, prices for dairy and row crops have rebounded this year after a very poor 2020. “The one thing that the pandemic taught me about agriculture is how resilient the system can actually be,” Malone said. “This has been a crazy shock to everyone, yet you can still find most of the products you want on the grocery shelves. A year later, a lot of prices have come back to a place where we would have expected them to be prior to the pandemic.”

Presents

Join Jon Gordon as he hosts this monthly webcast featuring America’s top business minds and thought leaders. http://businessforumusa.com/grandrapids

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Raising Cane’s founder and CEO Todd Graves, named one of Glassdoor’s top CEOs, an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and star of the new Discovery series Restaurant Recovery

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AUGUST 23, 2021

House selected as bank’s branch manager Grand River Bank recently hired Jane House as branch manager of its newest full-service regional banking center located at 50 Crahen Ave. NE in Grand Rapids. House brings 20 years of banking experience as branch manager from other West Michigan banking institutions. She oversees and helps provide financial solutions for both retail and commercial customers through the products and services that Grand River Bank offers. Founded by 23 West Michigan business and professional leaders and hundreds of local investors, Grand River Bank provides full-scope banking solutions for businesses and individuals across West Michigan.

ADVERTISING & MARKETING

King Media is the recent recipient of six digital awards, bringing its new total to 46 national and international awards in the last six years from AVA Digital Awards, an international competition recognizing creative professionals responsible for the planning, concept, direction, design and production of digital communication.

AWARDS

Union High School students Suada Mohamed and Jessica Garcia-Lopez received the Women’s City Club Impact Award for 2021.

BANKING

Lake Michigan Credit Union opened a full-service branch at 16916 Robbins Road in Grand Haven.

BUSINESS SERVICES

Ann Tillman and Shelly Wermund, of Competitive Edge in Stevensville have earned the certification of MAS (Master Advertising Specialist) administered by Promotional Products Association International (PPAI; ppai. org), the largest international not-forprofit association for more than 15,000 members of the $24-plus billion promotional products industry. Kalamazoo-based Workforce Strategies Inc. has been named one of

AUG 24 Rivertown Ridge Annual Car Show. 6-8 p.m., 355 Copper River Ave. SW, Wyoming. Cost: free. Registration/ information: (616) 552-9292. AUG 25 The Music Center Big Bash Party and Fundraiser. Music, food and performance by JCI Jazz Orchestra. 5:30-9:30 p.m. Registration/information: (269) 963-1911, ext. 2586 or yourmusiccenter.org. AUG 25 The Right Place/Feyen Zylstra/ The Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center – West In-Person Workshop. Topic is Guiding Small and Midsized Manufacturers By Creating Sustainable Change By Learning About Industry 4.0 Technologies. 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Feyen Zylstra Industrial Tech Center, 3085 Walkent Drive, Walker. Cost: $150/person. Registration/ Information: feyenzylstra.com/industry4-0-workshop. AUG 26 AMDG Architects In-Person Speaker Series. Topic is The Responsibility of Leaders To Enable Employees To Be The Best They Can Be, by Mike Jandernoa, founder/chairman, 42 North Partners. 12:30-1:30 p.m., AMDG Architects, 25 Commerce SW, Suite 300. Cost: free. Registration/information: bit.ly/AugustSpeaker. AUG 26 Grand Rapids Young Professionals In-Person Unwind Networking Event. 5:30-7:30 p.m., Eastern Kille Distillery, 700 Ottawa Ave. NW. Registration/ information: bit.ly/AugustUnwind.

“West Michigan’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For,” for the sixth consecutive year.

CONSTRUCTION

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Midwest Capital Advisors hired Sarah Hunt as associate financial planner.

GOVERNMENT

Kent County selected Teresa Branson as its first chief inclusion officer. Previously she was deputy administrative health officer for the Kent County Health Department. The city of Grand Rapids announced the appointment of John Gorney to public works director. The County Road Association of Michigan board of directors has elected Larry Brown, Allegan County Road Commission commissioner, as its 20212022 vice president.

GRANTS

The Gerber Foundation has awarded Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital a $350,000 grant to allow researchers to study the use of two genetic tools: rapid whole genome sequencing and RNA-sequencing.

EV Construction announced the promotion of Tracey Dowker to accounts payable specialist, and the additions of Amy Hecksel as accounting assistant, Eric Frey as field manager, Justin Harrisstep as warehouse assistant and Tyler Howard in the sitework division.

Lakeshore Advantage received a $92,787 grant to increase manufacturers’ Industry 4.0 technology adoption readiness. Lakeshore Advantage applied for the grant, in partnership with The Right Place, Greater Muskegon Economic Development and Michigan Manufacturing Technical Center-West (The Center-West). The partnership will allow for the Industry 4.0 readiness initiative to be extended to Ottawa, Allegan, Muskegon, and Kent counties’ employers. The partners are providing $21,400 of in-kind match to this project.

EDUCATION

HEALTH

Allen Ewin Homes of Portage received a 2021 Guildmaster Award from GuildQuality for demonstrating exceptional customer service within the residential construction industry.

CHANGE-UPS & CALENDAR

been recognized with this honor since 2010. They were named among the top performing hospitals in the Major Teaching Peer Group. This is the sixth consecutive award for Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital, which was named in the Small Community Peer Group.

co-chairs of the law firm’s labor and employment practice group.

Spectrum Health has announced Bill Hoefer as its market leader for the system’s southwest region covering Allegan and Ottawa counties. Hoefer also is president of Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital, a 57-bed acute care hospital.

Veteran labor and employment attorney Carl Ver Beek is the recipient of the Justice Foundation of West Michigan’s Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes a member of the Grand Rapids Bar Association for special contributions in service and support to the mission of GRBA and JFWM, the community at large, and the practice of law in West Michigan.

HOSPITALITY

The Experience Grand Rapids board of directors has elected new officers to lead the organization for the next two years: Floyd Wilson Jr., Pinnacle Construction Group Inc., board chair; and Jenifer Cutter, AHC + Hospitality, vice chair; and Rick Baker, Grand Rapids Chamber, secretary and treasurer. The 33-member board also elected three new members who were ratified by the full membership of the organization: Kyle Holst, Hampton Inn and Suites Downtown Grand Rapids; Grant Hirst, Embassy Suites Downtown Grand Rapids; and Suresh Patel, GR Hospitality Inc.

INSURANCE

Scott Colville Crop Insurance in Spring Lake is a new insurance brand dedicated to helping farmers get the best returns for their hard work. The Colville family has been insuring crops, livestock and dairy for small to medium-sized farms in the Midwest for more than 50 years. Scott’s father, Jim, built the business on personal service starting in 1967.

Mika Meyers attorney Elizabeth K. Bransdorfer was recently selected to serve as a trustee of the Grand Rapids Bar Association Board and the Justice Foundation of West Michigan.

LOGISTICS

ORBCOMM Inc. has been selected by Zeeland-based Grassmid Transport Inc. to provide its integrated in-cab and asset tracking solutions to monitor its fleet of trucks, dry vans and refrigerated trailers.

NONPROFITS

Guiding Light has been awarded for the fourth consecutive year a Platinum Seal of Transparency by GuideStar, the world’s largest source of information on U.S. nonprofits. Read and Write Kalamazoo hired Kandace Lavender as its executive director.

REAL ESTATE

LEGAL

Strongsville, Ohio-based Union Home Mortgage announced the hiring of Paula Sawitski as an area sales and growth manager for the Michigan region. Sawitski is responsible for building a team of new mortgage originators statewide.

Tony Schmid joined Choice Schools Associates as the director of operations, leading the schools’ health, safety, compliance and facilities operations.

Spectrum Health Butterworth, Blodgett and Zeeland Community hospitals have been named to the Fortune/IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals list. It’s the eighth time Spectrum Health Butterworth and Blodgett hospitals have

Ford J.H. Turrell, a partner with the law firm Warner Norcross + Judd LLP, has been honored by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as one of its Up and Coming Lawyers for 2021. Amanda M. Fielder and Jonathan P. Kok have been named

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.

AUG 27 Grand Rapids Public Schools Crosstown Throwdown & City-Wide Alumni Reunion. Celebrating 150th anniversary. 4-6 p.m. Registration/information: grpsf.org/news-events/150th-anniversary.html.

AUG 31 Dorothy A. Johnson Center For Philanthropy Webinar. Topic is Beyond Burnout: Redefining Self-Care in the Nonprofit Sector. 1-2:30 p.m. Cost: $60, free/GVSU students, staff, faculty. RSVP by Aug. 31 to bit.ly/3i8RZrW.

Registration/information: danvosconstruc tion.com/golf-for-life.

AUG 27 Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce Chamber Classic. 7:30 a.m. tee time, Stonegate Golf Club, 4100 Sweeter Road, Twin Lake. Registration/ information: muskegon.org/eventsprograms/chamber-events.

AUG 31 Family Business Alliance workshop. Topic is Transition to Transformation: Exploring Capital Structures. 3-5:30 p.m. Free. Members only. Cascade Hills Country Club, 3725 Cascade Road SE, Grand Rapids. Information/registration: fbagr.org.

Grand Rapids Public Schools’ City High Middle School was ranked the top high school in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area, the No. 2 high school in the state of Michigan, and No. 31 in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report. City High Middle also ranked No. 1 (tie) in the Graduation Rate category with a 100% grad rate.

AUG 27-28 Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce 16th Annual 28th Metro Cruise. Classic cars, food vendors, bands, kids area. Aug. 27, 4-10 p.m. (Rogers Plaza), Aug. 28, 9.a.m.-9 p.m., (Rogers Plaza), Aug. 28 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (Woodland Mall). Cost: free. Registration/ information: bob@southkent.org. AUG 30 Builders Exchange of Michigan 65th Annual Golf Outing. Registration/ networking, 8:30 a.m., shotgun start, 10 a.m., dinner, 4 p.m., Saskatoon Golf Club, 9038 92nd St. SE, Alto. Registration/ information: (616) 949-8650, Courtney@grbx.com, or home.grbx.com/ event/65th-annual-golf-outing. AUG 30 Seaman’s Mechanical/Versiti Blood Center of Michigan Blood Drive. Goal: receive 60 pints of donated blood to commemorate Seaman’s 60th anniversary. 6 a.m.-2 p.m., 2510 Oak Industrial Drive NE. Registration/ information: (616) 458-1544 or email Kristin@seamansac.com.

Kalamazoo-based Ascension Borgess Hospital received an “A” grade earlier this year from Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, a national distinction recognizing Ascension Borgess Hospital’s achievements protecting patients from errors, injuries, accidents and infections.

AUG 31 West Michigan Woman Brilliance Awards honoring local business leaders. JW Marriott Grand Rapids. Tickets: $95 and available at https://westmichiganwoman.com/tickets-brilliance-awards AUG 31 Wyoming Business Leaders Meeting. 8-9 a.m., Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW, Wyoming. Registration/ information: (616) 261-4500 or d.kuba@ instantcashmi.com. SEP 9 Family Business Alliance event. Topic is The Leader in All of Us, featuring Medal of Honor recipient and author Clint Romesha. 3:30-6 p.m. Open to public. Cost: $100. Downtown Market, 435 Ionia Ave. SW, Grand Rapids. Registration/information: fbagr.org. SEP 10 Pregnancy Resource Center Golf For Life. 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Thornapple Pointe Golf Course, 7211 48th St. SE. Cost: $200/single golfer, $550/foursome.

Clark Hill PLC’s recent rebranding — the first since a series of mergers beginning in 2010 — includes a new tagline (Simply Smarter), a new logo — an entwined modern C and H, and multi-functional new website.

SEP 11 Finish The Mission Veteran Relief Fund Freedom Cruise. Start time, 10 a.m., Sparta High School, 475 W. Spartan Drive, Sparta. Rain date, Sept. 12. Cost: free. Registration/information: finishthemissiongr.org/freedom-cruise. SEP 11-18 West Michigan Environmental Action Council Mayors’ Grand River Cleanup. Sign-up as individuals or small groups. Registration/information: bit.ly/2021GrandRiverCleanup. SEP 13 Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce Government Matters Zoom Meeting with Elected Officials. 8-9 a.m. Cost: free. Registration/ information: (616) 531-5990 or michelle@southkent.org. SEP 14 Grand Rapids Opportunities For Women Zoom Webinar. Topic is Interactive Marketing 101, by Yelena Wells, vice president of business development, Elite One Media. 6-9 p.m. Zoom link sent by 2 p.m. day of event. Cost: free. Registration/information: growbusiness.org. SEP 14 Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce Workshop. Topic is How to Positively Disrupt And Upshift Your Mindset and Business, by best-selling author Tony Rubleski. 8:15-10 a.m. Cost: $10/members, $15/nonmembers. Registration/information: bob@southkent.org

SEP 15-18 Michigan Inventors Coalition Invent & Entrepreneur Talk. Numerous speakers. Cost: $5. Event is virtual. Begins 5 p.m. Wednesday and ends 1 p.m. Saturday. Information/registration: michiganinven torscoalition.org. SEP 16 North Kent Connect Rocking the Park Fundraiser. Entertainment includes host Sparta funny man Jeff “Spanky” Amlotte, hometown band Gunnar and the Grizzly Boys and The Calendar Clergy. Beneficiaries are families in northern Kent County with basic needs to empower them to financial independence. Doors open 5 p.m., Rogers Park, Sparta. Cost: $20/person. Registration/ information: bit.ly/2021RockThePark. SEP 17-18 Kohler Expo Fall Bridal Show. DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. Registration/information: kohlerexpo.com.

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

Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds SWAN PROPERTY HOLDING LLC, Southern Michigan Bank & Trust, Bowne Twp., $10,705,000 STEFFES, Gregg M. et al, Edgewater Bank, Oakfield Twp., $465,000 ABRAHAM, Andrea D., Northern Trust Co., East Grand Rapids, $1,494,400 PRESERVE AT WOODFIELD LLC, Walker & Dunlop LLC, Gaines Twp., $19,200,000 UNDERRITTER, Steven et al, Caliber Home Loans, Plainfield Twp., $441,250 MALLE, Kathleen F., Huntington National Bank, Cannon Twp., $752,000 GR ALPINE CENTER LLC, First State Bank of Middlebury, Alpine Twp., $3,900,000 HOLKEBOER, Brad et al, Consumers Credit Union, Gaines Twp., $364,800 BOULDER CREEK HEALTH PARK LLC, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Parcel: 411014451004, $7,550,626 LOHR, Kimberly A., Independent Bank, Cascade Twp., $450,500 NABULSI, Gena et al, Consumers Credit Union, Parcel: 411427404006, $500,000 SEVEN45STOCKING LP, Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust, Parcel: 411323428021, $2,413,000 COWLES, Todd C. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Plainfield Twp., $548,250 MILLER, Nicholas R., Lake Michigan Credit Union, Spencer Twp., $548,250 DENLOF, Austin, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cannon Twp., $392,603 SCHULTZ, Gary J. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cannon Twp., $520,000 TOLE, Olvi, Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group, Parcel: 411430204021, $351,675 LITTRELL, Scott et al, Old National Bank, Cannon Twp., $548,250 HOLLINSHEAD, Zachary, Neighborhood Loans, East Grand Rapids, $460,000 KWAST, Michael L. et al, Grand River Bank, Cannon Twp., $572,200 BICYCLE FACTORY LLC, Mercantile Bank, Parcel: 411325384001, $1,812,297 DENDULK, Timothy C. et al, Grand River Bank, Parcel: 411435151006, $1,236,000 DIETSCH, Adam et al, Neighborhood Loans, East Grand Rapids, $495,000 GOLE DENTAL PROPERTIES LLC, Mark E. Day, Cascade Twp., $550,000 WYOMING REALTY PROPCO LLC, Huntington National Bank, Wyoming, $105,016,500 KROHN, Charles W. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Wyoming, $380,000 BARNES, David S. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Algoma Twp., $402,794 BAEHR, Chad W. et al, MiMutual Mortgage, Cascade Twp., $424,242 HUFFMAN TRUST, Lake Michigan Credit Union, East Grand Rapids, $500,000 SHERMAN, Mark A. Meijer Credit Union, Algoma Twp., $700,000 SALL, Jordan, Independent Bank, Cannon Twp., $681,000 ROSS, Kyle C. et al, Mercantile Bank, Parcel: 411427301001, $392,000 JACOBY, Mark E. et al, Ruoff Mortgage Co., East Grand Rapids, $412,000 BEHNKE, Bradley P. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Algoma Twp., $509,835 BRZEZINSKI, Matthew M. et al, Mortgage 1, Ada Twp., $408,000 MILLER, Deshonique, Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, Caledonia, $362,598 WINDRAM, Luke et al, FirstBank, Parcel: 411322302031, $400,000 COWLES, Todd C. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Plainfield Twp., $387,500 T BOSGRAAF HOMES LLC, Mercantile Bank, Parcel: 411933415002, $886,657 SIRICO, Robert, Huntington National Bank, Cascade Twp., $412,500 SUSNAK, Joseph J. et al, Old National Bank, Vergennes Twp., $499,620 KAKATY, Jay et al, Mercantile Bank, Byron Twp., $429,000 SMITH, Bradley et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cannon Twp., $400,000 OSTIPOW, Courtney J. et al, Quicken Loans, Ada Twp., $344,310 OTTO, Laura J., Neighborhood Loans, Courtland Twp., $383,900 TAMARACK PARTNERS LLC, Horizon Bank, Parcel: 411324201013, $544,000 TIMMER, Lauren et al, United Bank, Ada Twp., $519,700 NEMETH, Kevin et al, Mercantile Bank, Cascade Twp., $548,250 BAD CREEK LLC, Lake Michigan Credit Union, East Grand Rapids, $436,500 RUTABOBA, Etienne et al, Independent Bank, Wyoming, $389,500 MCCLAIN, Andrew W. et al, Finance of America Mortgage, Gaines Twp., $380,000 WILLIAMS, Edward P. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cascade Twp., $395,200 MCGEE, Lindsay et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Byron Twp., $410,130 GFT CASCADE LLC, Mercantile Bank, Cascade Twp., $2,000,000 LIVINGSTON, Amanda, Finance of America Mortgage, Nelson Twp., $368,177 MIDTOWN MICHIGAN STREET PROPERTIES LLC, Independent Bank, Parcel: 411419480041, $3,000,000 HURLEY, Jeremy D., Lake Michigan Credit Union, Gaines Twp., $400,750

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL ANDERSON, Jason et al, Grand River Bank, East Grand Rapids, $549,000 TIMMER, Seth D. et al, TCF National Bank, Gaines Twp., $1,158,000 MILLS, Michael S. et al, Mortgage 1, Lowell, $357,000 CANNON, Jennifer, Northpointe Bank, Cascade Twp., $464,000 BENFORD, James D. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cascade Twp., $360,00 CORTRIGHT, Michael et al, United Bank, Cannon Twp., $471,000 CROOK, Nancy J., Neighborhood Loans, Ada Twp., $389,500 TERHAAR, Micah et al, Old National Bank, Byron Twp., $523,800 BAKER, Jennifer, Ark-La-Tex Financial Services, Byron Twp., $349,000 MARTIN, Todd et al, Wintrust Mortgage, Parcel: 411413226011, $1,136,000 BARBOUR, Jeremy et al, Northern Mortgage Services, Byron Twp., $385,000 FALLEN, David et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Parcel: 411324453152, $355,000 DURWOOD, Benjamin F., North American Savings Bank, Parcel: 411430327019, $385,000 RED DOOR REALTY GROUP LLC, Lynk Investments, East Grand Rapids, $424,683 SMITH, Holly, Quicken Loans, Parcel: 411411326040, $357,000 HARPER, Andrew et al, Veterans United Home Loans, Parcel: 411424101013, $570,000 HAHN, Peter, Huntington National Bank, Caledonia, $663,000 REDDY TRUST, JPMorgan Chase Bank, Parcel: 411411402043, $750,000 HATFIELD, David M. et al, Mercantile Bank, East Grand Rapids, $412,500 CUSTOM GRAND RAPIDS MULTIFAMILY LLC, Parkway Bank & Trust, Walker, $27,500,000 TWIETMEYER, Scott A. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Caledonia, $427,000 INTERRA HOMES LLC, West Michigan Community Bank, Algoma Twp., $435,911 LANNON, Kevin et al, Mortgage 1, Parcel: 411810180002, $573,600 SPAANS, Jason, Churchill Mortgage Corp., Parcel: 411416351008, $353,470 ROBELL, Nicholas et al, Huntington National Bank, Ada Twp., $694,000 WEISS, Kirk et al, Finance of America Mortgage, Vergennes Twp., $436,905 HAZRA, Shimul et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Byron Twp., $365,200 JOSEPH, Timothy A. et al, Grand River Bank, Byron Twp., $548,390 BIG SKY PROPERTIES LLC, Horizon Bank, Walker, $600,000 PERONE, Michael V. et al, Mercantile Bank, East Grand Rapids, $840,000 HENRY, Androni J., Old National Bank, Byron Twp., $550,000 FABER LAND CO. LLC, Koopman Trust, Caledonia, $500,000 RUSSELL, Margaret et al, Independent Bank, Parcel: 411425352003, $548,250 PYLMAN, Christopher et al, Hometown Lenders, Byron Twp., $465,500 PETERSON, Jeffrey et al, Grand River Bank, Byron Twp., $1,003,200 CROSS, Chester Jr. et al, Fifth Third Bank, Byron Twp., $490,000 MOLIN, Chase et al, Churchill Mortgage Corp., Sparta, $425,000 GIFFEL, Steven et al, Union Home Mortgage Corp., Plainfield Twp., $427,500 TYRRELL, Terrence et al, Neighborhood Loans, Parcel: 411809205013, $432,000 PAPARELLA, Matthew et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Walker, $425,447 GARCIA, Kevin M. et al, PNC Bank, Parcel: 411403452020, $364,000 KREGER, Mike et al, Quicken Loans, Cannon Twp., $363,832 SOERGEL, Matthew et al, Ally Bank, Parcel: 411426252018, $372,561 AGUIRRE, Juan et al, Northern Mortgage Services, Cannon Twp., $532,000 RADECKI, Rachel et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cannon Twp., $540,000 ROCHELEAU, Mark G. et al, Guaranteed Rate, Vergennes Twp., $503,500 FELTEN, Andrew F., MSU Federal Credit Union, Parcel: 411324154003, $555,000 KULDANEK TRUST, TCF National Bank, Gaines Twp., $500,000 ERIKSON, Nicholas S. et al, Caliber Home Loans, East Grand Rapids, $548,250 LEPPINK, Douglas M. et al, Old National Bank, Cascade Twp., $350,000 GRAND CASTLE LLC, Walker & Dunlop LLC, Grandville, $56,375,000 DETTMANN, Joseph R. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, East Grand Rapids, $1,015,000 MCMAHON, Paul R. et al, Huntington National Bank, East Grand Rapids, $400,000 LAGSDIN, Andris et al, Independent Bank, Ada Twp., $838,052 HUNDERMAN, Steven et al, Macatawa Bank, Byron Twp., $500,000 HARDWICK, Gary J. et al, Mercantile Bank, Cannon Twp., $536,400 ROUBAL-HOWER, Leah Ann, Northpointe Bank, Plainfield Twp., $370,244 PYLMAN TRUST, TCF National Bank, Gaines Twp., $900,000 MOTLEY, Charles L., Premia Mortgage,

Cascade Twp., $548,000 PRADHAN, Krishna, Allen Edwin Home Builders, Caledonia, $389,946 HUFF, Andrew L. et al, Grand River Bank, Byron Twp., $358,500 BULLIS, Ronald S. et al, TCF National Bank, Cascade Twp., $548,000 RICHTER, Andrew et al, Finance of America Mortgage, Parcel: 411717398014, $450,000 SOHR, Raimund R., Lake Michigan Credit Union, Byron Twp., $434,848 VANDERHEIDE, Derek W., Wells Fargo Bank, East Grand Rapids, $548,250 ANDERSON, Brett et al, Neighborhood Loans, Byron Twp., $352,000 DODGE, Robert et al, Gold Star Mortgage, Cannon Twp., $351,920 WOLTERS, Bradley J. et al, Northern Mortgage Services, East Grand Rapids, $437,500 KNAPE, James, JPMorgan Chase Bank, Cascade Twp., $384,575 HEYNEN, Matthew J., Morgan Stanley Private Bank, Sparta, $525,000 STEINER, Derrick et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Parcel: 411413202020, $802,500 SMITH, Sara A. et al, ChoiceOne Bank, Tyrone Twp., $420,500 WHEELER, Ryan K. et al, Mercantile Bank, Parcel: 410829100034, $650,000 AVILA, Luis E. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cascade Twp., $607,500 GAGE, Colin, Independent Bank, Cascade Twp., $371,200 STUTZ, Jeffrey et al, Neighborhood Loans, Grattan Twp., $498,750 JOHNSON, Timothy T. et al, United Bank, Byron Twp., $348,000 NADERNEJAD, Navid et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cascade Twp., $1,500,000 LOUWERSE, James N. et al, Amerifirst Mortgage Corp., Parcel: 411410151004, $443,175 SANFORD, Richard et al, Carrington Mortgage Services, Byron Twp., $523,800 SNYDER, Peter J. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cascade Twp., $448,000 PURDY, Kyle et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Ada Twp., $518,320 THIELL, John et al, Veterans United Home Loans, Lowell, $356,900 KIMBALL, Matthew et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cannon Twp., $510,245 LUNDY, Kyle et al, Independent Bank, Parcel: 411425127021, $618,400 KUNAK, Thomas et al, Independent Bank, Cannon Twp., $360,000 COLE, Shirley A. et al, Veterans United Home Loans, Parcel: 410832300022, $423,007 MACGREGOR, Matthew J. et al, Intercontinental Capital Group, East Grand Rapids, $416,000 STRAHOTA, George et al, Hall Financial Group, Algoma Twp., $548,250 BROWER, Robert D. et al, Quicken Loans, Parcel: 411324453044, $500,000 SHEPARD, Richard et al, Quicken Loans, Parcel: 411434356003, $353,000 RAU, Thomas J. et al, Benchmark Mortgage, Cannon Twp., $345,600 HANSEN, Timothy J. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Courtland Twp., $429,716 GESSNER, Susan et al, Independent Bank, Plainfield Twp., $388,100 VANDENBERG, Jeremy et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cannon Twp., $382,400 BOSCO PROPERTIES LLC, VHFC LLC, Byron Twp., $350,000 BOSCO PROPERTIES LLC, VHFC LLC, Gaines Twp., $385,000 BOSCO PROPERTIES LLC, VHFC LLC, Gaines Twp., $350,000 GITTA, Sanjana et al, Allen Edwin Home Builders, Byron Twp., $477,855 DONAJOWSKI, Nick et al, Consumers Credit Union, Oakfield Twp., $471,105 BROWN, Jason et al, Fifth Third Bank, Cascade Twp., $717,250 HOOKER, Philip M. et al, Home Point Financial, Gaines Twp., $485,000 ADAMS TRUST, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Parcel: 412220100044, $420,500 HUNTER, Jennifer C., Lake Michigan Credit Union, Caledonia, $418,000 HUGHES, Michael et al, JPMorgan Chase Bank, East Grand Rapids, $820,000 HOFFMEYER, Kevin T., Macatawa Bank, Ada Twp., $796,000 REED, Joseph et al, Northpointe Bank, Byron Twp., $533,725 BABBS, Molly, Consumers Credit Union, Byron Twp., $355,500 GREGORSKI, Michael et al, Neighborhood Loans, Ada Twp., $548,250 ZIMMERMAN, Erik et al, Neighborhood Loans, Parcel: 411407301008, $353,400 SVOZIL, Craig D. et al, ChoiceOne Bank, Parcel: 411403365004, $373,500 BAYLOG, Daniel et al, Grand River Bank, Ada Twp., $416,500 GILBERT TRUST, Wells Fargo Bank, Caledonia, $458,000 BARNES, Steven, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Caledonia, $479,250 HUMPHREY, John E. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, East Grand Rapids, $470,000 SPILLER, Jared et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cannon Twp., $639,920 ALLEN, Eric, Neighborhood Loans, Byron Twp., $453,805

LEALE, Michelle et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Parcel: 411427151011, $369,700 HOWARD, Kevin J. et al, Dort Financial Credit Union, Plainfield Twp., $365,600 WIERS, Troy et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Gaines Twp., $350,000 TRINZEN, Alexander T., Compass Mortgage, Cascade Twp., $479,750 HENDERSON, Warren J. et al, Loandepot.com, Cascade Twp., $420,000 CZOLGOSZ, Thomas J. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Ada Twp., $383,500 FREIHAUT, Robert et al, Loandepot.com, Parcel: 411414327038, $373,000 THOMPSON, Matthew, Neighborhood Loans, Kentwood, $356,384 PANTER, Charles J., Private Mortgage Wholesale, Cascade Twp., $508,000 TANKASALA, Nandeesh, Allen Edwin Home Builders, Byron Twp., $393,999 MCNALLY, Brian F. et al, Ruoff Mortgage Co., Parcel: 411425480045, $548,250 WESCHE, Daniel F. et al, Neighborhood Loans, Solon Twp., $346,750 PYNNONEN, Edward J. et al, Huntington National Bank, Cascade Twp., $636,500 CALAFIORE, David A. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, East Grand Rapids, $379,000 PILCZUK, Kathryn A., Quicken Loans, Alpine Twp., $397,700 BALOGH, Daniel et al, Quicken Loans, Ada Twp., $459,000 BUSH, James P. et al, Grand River Bank, Parcel: 411424400073, $450,000 JORGENSEN, Drew J., Grand River Bank, Wyoming, $351,000 BRUSSE, Chelsea R. et al, Mercantile Bank, Cannon Twp., $404,000 KOERNER, Duane, Better Mortgage Corp., Plainfield Twp. $548,250 MOLINA-RODRIGUEZ, Luis et al, BM Real Estate Services, Wyoming, $361,000 WELCH, P.C. III et al, Fifth Third Bank, Cascade Twp., $540,000 MORENO, Rodrigo, Amerifirst Financial Corp., Parcel: 411403375064, $407,500 WILHELM, Paul A. et al, Neighborhood Loans, Kentwood, $420,375 LOGAN, Trevor M. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, East Grand Rapids, $607,500 WILKES, Kevin S. et al, Heartland Home Mortgage, Gaines Twp., $535,200 MILLER, Scott M. et al, Amerisave Mortgage Corp., Gaines Twp., $385,167 BABINSKY, Laura A., Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp., Parcel: 411428230027, $368,000 WENDTLAND, Jason D. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Courtland Twp., $494,000 JUHAS, Jeffrey et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Ada Twp., $350,000 MURPHY, Corey J. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Byron Twp., $379,663 BANKS, Courtney et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Gaines Twp., $359,500 BENNETT, Micah P., Caliber Home Loans, Algoma Twp., $430,350 DUVAL, Joshua et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Byron Twp., $428,000 TROVILLION, Derek et al, Loandepot.com, East Grand Rapids, $546,250 TEJEADA, David et al, VanDyk Mortgage Corp., Byron Twp., $359,472 BRYZGALSKI, Jake et al, Old National Bank, Parcel: 411425476046, $405,000 FORNEY, Bryan J. et al, Navy Federal Credit Union, Vergennes Twp., $541,873 TEXTER, Sally M., Neighborhood Loans, Ada Twp., $425,600 AHRENS, Adam et al, Ally Bank, Parcel: 412302304002, $576,597 VREDENBURG, Michael C. et al, Intercontinental Capital Group, Cannon Twp., $438,000 TENBRINK, Jeffrey M., Guaranteed Rate, Parcel: 411415320027, $464,000 SINGH, Parmjeet et al, Allen Edwin Home Builders, Byron Twp., $401,548 SUMNERS, Steven et al, Polaris Home Funding, Parcel: 411415401031, $396,000 JTB HOMES LLC, Macatawa Bank, Byron Twp., $365,714 CURRIE, Mitchell, Huntington National Bank, Cascade Twp., $1,423,005 SANCHEZ Juan et al, Independent Bank, Algoma Twp., $508,250 DIEDRICH, Ashley J., Independent Bank, Plainfield Twp., $352,450 JURCZAK Christopher et al, Independent Bank, Cascade Twp., $366,600 8449 100TH ST LLC, United Bank, Caledonia, $642,000 COLLECTIVE RESTORATION LLC, Mercantile Bank, Parcel: 411322227009, $361,500 COLLER, Christopher et al, Mercantile Bank, Byron Twp., $414,197 VOELKER, Andrew et al, Neighborhood Loans, Parcel: 411411202101, $370,400 ROZEK, Kevin V. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cascade Twp., $484,500 GLAMSE LLC, Old National Bank, Kentwood, $912,447 SRIRAM, Ashok, Loandepot.com, Cascade Twp., $450,000 CONANT, Susan L. et al, Huntington National Bank, Algoma Twp., $419,000 CASCADE HOSPITALITY GROUP LLC, Southern Michigan Bank & Trust, Cascade Twp., $2,352,000 DEJAGER, Benjamin J. et al, Lake Michigan

AUGUST 23, 2021

Credit Union, $465,500 ROSE, Michael, Northern Mortgage Services, Wyoming, $419,000 642 BRAUHAUS LLC, Consumers Credit Union, Parcel: 411325103003, $729,500 BUCKLEY, Richard R. Jr. et al, Northpointe Bank, Bowne Twp., $495,191 LAW, Nicholas, Primelending, Algoma Twp., $361,000 2601 28TH STREET LLC et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Parcel: 411709451056, $960,000 FINNEY, James, Hometown Lenders, East Grand Rapids, $640,000 MCMARTIN, Devin et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cascade Twp., $531,050 VINCENT, Thomas D. et al, Private Mortgage Wholesalers, Cannon Twp., $402,400 SHIPLEY, Matthew et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cannon Twp., $625,000 COLLINS, Michael et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Plainfield Twp., $454,100 KORTE, Thomas A. et al, Benchmark Mortgage, Cascade Twp., $513,000 SWAN, Kathryn A. et al, Grand River Bank, Ada Twp., $452,000 BERGSMA, Ada, Success Mortgage Partners, Byron Twp., $423,225 ARMSTRONG, Daniel et al, Neighborhood Loans, East Grand Rapids, $437,000 GLENN TRUST, Neighborhood Loans, East Grand Rapids, $543,250 WINGO, Rachel, Primelending, Parcel: 411429405010, $388,000 MIDWEST V LLC, United Bank, Oakfield Twp., $999,999 WYMA PROPERTIES LLC, Commercial Bank, Parcel: 4114294050106, $1,850,000 ALCUMBRACK, Richard C. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Byron Twp., $545,000 PAPPENHEIER, Joshua C. et al, Quicken Loans, Parcel: 411424300020, $388,460 TEUNISSEN, Jason S. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Byron Twp., $460,000 NYHUIS, Jason J. et al, Quicken Loans, Walker, $386,000 MCINNIS, Devin et al, ChoiceOne Bank, Algoma Twp., $570,300 SAWINSKI, David P. et al, Heartland Home Mortgage, Parcel: 411427176003, $429,000 BUSSE, Larry, HUD, Kentwood, $465,000 BOLEN, Jeffrey B. Sr. et al, HUD, Parcel: 411233276038, $1,125,000 DECKER TRUST, Huntington National Bank, Plainfield Twp., $340,000 JORDAN, Brent A. et al, Mercantile Bank, Cascade Twp., $495,000 RIZZO, Megan A. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cascade Twp., $405,650 HAVUGIMANA, Jean P. et al, Top Flite Financial, Byron Twp., $362,230 EINFELD, Kevin J. et al, Independent Bank, Parcel: 411411402047, $544,600 KIEL, Brandon J. et al, Northpointe Bank, Cannon Twp., $698,834 GLC WALKER RIDGE LLC, Mercantile Bank, Walker, $10,100,610 SMILEY, Drew et al, Mercantile Bank, Cascade Twp., $350,400 HIGHLEN, Austin L. et al, Neighborhood Loans, Cannon Twp., $429,400 GOEBEL, Amy et al, Mercantile Bank, Parcel: 411427429006, $470,250 PARKER, Gregory et al, Macatawa Bank, Caledonia, $548,250 RICHARDS, Brian, Lake Michigan Credit Union, East Grand Rapids, $514,000 GARRETT, Adam T. et al, Independent Bank, Parcel: 411411477044, $525,000 DANIELS, James R. et al, VanDyk Mortgage Corp., Gaines Twp., $375,300 CADDELL, Matthew H. et al, Wells Fargo Bank, Byron Twp., $363,500 BELCHER, Larry M. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Courtland Twp., $418,600 BOERMA, Michele, Grand River Bank, Parcel: 41211411202065, $436,800 PWASON, James R. et al, Wells Fargo Bank, Plainfield Twp., $361,500 BROUGHTON, Justinian et al, Better Mortgage Corp., Ada Twp., $487,853 SMOLINSKI, Jason P. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Parcel: 411309426018, $411,300 WALKER, Abbie, Huntington National Bank, Plainfield Twp., $654,500 GISH, Jonathan J. et al, Benchmark Mortgage, Plainfield Twp., $494,276 DEVRIES, David R. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Nelson Twp., $458,500 TALBOT, Thomas et al, MSU Federal Credit Union, Ada Twp., $964,250 CHAMBERLIN, Joseph S. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Cascade Twp., $643,000 GRIBBEN, Thomas E., Lake Michigan Credit Union, East Grand Rapids, $1,100,000 VANDRUNEN, Benjamin et al, Old National Bank, East Grand Rapids, $647,000 GAYNER, Erin et al, Caliber Home Loans, Ada Twp., $380,000 BHIMANI, SN, Old National Bank, Cascade Twp., $350,000

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.

GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL

AUGUST 23, 2021

Living life on the edge Unhealthy habit.

asterseals Michigan is calling all thrill-seekers. The nonprofit that empowers individuals with behavioral, physical, social or intellectual disabilities will host its fifth annual Over the Edge fundraiser, sponsored by Amway, on Saturday, Sept. 18, at Bridgewater Place, 333 Bridge St. NW, one of the tallest buildings in Grand Rapids. Over The Edge is an urban rappelling experience organized to raise funds for nonprofit organizations. Participants who raise $1,000 will go over the edge and rappel down 18 stories and 270 feet. All event proceeds will support Easterseals Michigan programming. For those not ready or able to take the big leap, a virtual reality rappelling experience, sponsored by Flagstar Bank, will be available for a $25 donation. Using Oculus Quest VR Headset, participants can virtually experience the going over the edge, with the sound of the crowds cheering them on, without leaving of the ground. The event, which will take place during ArtPrize, will include food, music and all are invited to attend and cheer on participants. “Since 2016, the Over the Edge fundraiser has raised nearly

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$400,000 to support our work in the community,” said Easterseals Michigan President and CEO Brent Wirth. “Each individual’s experience managing mental health is different, but the experience of going over the edge is similar to what some of the people we serve face every day. This event gives people the opportunity to conquer their fears and feel what it is like to face something head-on with a sense of great accomplishment.” Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Easterseals Michigan — which is based in Auburn Hills and has locations in Grand Rapids and several other cities — never closed its doors but instead saw a 26% increase in demand for its services. The organization also hired more than 130 individuals to meet the growing needs of the community. Funds raised at Over the Edge will go to support its services. Additional event sponsors include Chick-fil-A, EOTECH, Gun Lake Casino, Founders Brewery and Varnum. People can register at overtheedgewestmi.com. Space is limited. CRAFTED SOLUTION Molina Healthcare has gifted Wedgwood Christian Services with a fully

stocked, custom Craft Corner for the use of children and teens in Wedgwood’s care. Wedgwood provides residential treatment and care to children and teens who have experienced immense trauma and have significant mental, emotional and behavioral health challenges. While in Wedgwood’s care, youths have access to donor-funded wellness and recreation services, an employment training program, voluntary chaplaincy services and educational support. Arts and crafts are often integrated into therapeutic activities and therapy sessions. The Molina Craft Corner is a dedicated space for creating stocked with a variety of art supplies. “We are very pleased to see the Molina Healthcare Craft Corner come to life,” said Kali Jackson, residential therapist at Wedgwood. “This craft corner will provide numerous kids with an opportunity to strengthen their coping skills and tap into their creative side. Opportunities like this are pertinent to kids’ success, as it provides them with a safe space to process their emotions, unwind and practice skills they can take into the community. The Molina Craft Corner is

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a space that the kids in our care can make their own while away from home and in residential treatment.” The initiative is part of Molina Healthcare’s commitment to community service and corporate social responsibility. “We are excited to provide a Craft Corner to help the children in Wedgwood’s care explore emotions, develop self-awareness and cope with stress,” said Heidi McGlinnen, associate vice president, community engagement, Molina Healthcare of Michigan. “We are proud to partner with Wedgwood Christian Services on this, as they are one of the largest social services agencies in the state of Michigan providing outstanding outpatient, as well as residential, treatment.” PSYCHOTIC BRAKE In a presentation awarded “Best Clinical Case Report” by the American Psychiatric Association at its nationwide annual meeting in May, Dr. Chad Percifield, D.O., showed the use of e-cigarettes to vape tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) places individuals at a significantly increased risk for the development of psychotic disorders. Percifield is a resident physician in Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services’ Psychiatry Residency Program, a partnership between the behavioral health organization and the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. His research poster, entitled Suicidality and Psychosis Following Vaping Related Lung Injury, highlighted the use of e-cigarettes to vape THC compounds an already-elevated risk of psychosis to an extreme degree. “Research has previously shown

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21-LEOWS-0104-BacktoWork-PRINT ADS_GR Business Journal_9-995x6-385_02

21-LEOWS-0104-BacktoWork-PRINT ADS_GR Business Journal_9-99x6-385_05

STREET TALK that individuals who consume THC are three times as likely as those who do not to develop a psychotic disorder,” Percifield stated. “Vaping solutions increase this risk more than sixfold due to the potency of the vaping solution, which on average contains 52% THC versus the 13% THC contained in the marijuana flower.” The increased risk of psychosis is especially noteworthy when considering trends in e-cigarette use among adolescents, Percifield noted. “It’s a growing problem,” Percifield said. “In 2019, 46% of high school seniors reported vaping of some kind, up from 34% in 2016. More significantly, 21% of those surveyed in 2019 stated they vape marijuana, more than doubling the figure from a similar 2017 survey. Of all those who vape, over 60% said they do it to experiment.” Percifield’s research findings note the known impact of THC consumption on development of psychosis, the high potency of THC vaping solutions and the increased use of e-cigarettes among adolescents place that population at an increasing risk of psychiatric illness. “Research shows that many adolescents vape to experiment — just to try it out. Others report they vape because it tastes good. It’s critically important, however, that we increase awareness that vaping can have long-lasting effects on both physical and mental health. Adolescents who vape, especially if vaping marijuana, are placing themselves at an exponentially increased risk of developing a psychotic disorder, and that can have a lifelong impact,” Percifield added.

07 OF 11 At one point, she was newly divorced and homeless with three young children, including an infant. She spent an entire summer homeless in Indiana. Even though she had a job and a car, after paying for daycare, she couldn’t afford rent. And even though she had three young children, she never asked for help – in fact, she “never told a soul – there was so much shame in that.” She slept behind a church before settling in at a campground in the dunes with her little ones. Having persevered through the difﬁcult divorce and been humbled by that long summer, she is determined to help others overcome their struggles, too.

FAITH, TRANSPARENCY, COMPASSION & GRATITUDE A profile of Starla McDermott For Starla McDermott, the third time really was the charm. When she saw an opportunity to join the team at Guiding Light, she was so drawn to the nonprofit she actually applied for the development coordinator position three times before being hired. “I felt called to be at Guiding Light and, five years later, I still feel this is where I am supposed to be,” McDermott said. “There is something compelling about this organization and its mission, so I persisted, even though I had been turned down twice. “I had a little fear of the unknown in joining the team but felt confident about the job I was hired to do and was committed to doing it well.” Her skills and determination to hit the ground running paid off as she was promoted to development director within just over a year – a leadership role she has held ever since. The journey to where McDermott is today has not been easy nor direct. Prior to joining the team, she had spent 17 years working in corporate sales and marketing, excelling in the work, but feeling unfulfilled. Her job brought her across the country from her hometown in Napa, California to the Midwest, where she was faced with more hardship.

“I believe you’re only given what you can handle,” McDermott said. “When I was homeless, I was blessed because it was in the summer. If it had been in winter, I’m not sure what I would have done.” She has worked through years of guilt and came out the other end to be more compassionate, humble and vulnerable – and willing to share her story, much like the men in Guiding Light’s programs.

Her honesty and empathy in relating to the struggles of the men served by Guiding Light helps her excel in sharing the men’s stories and how the nonproﬁt is helping them live life in a new way. “At the end of the day, my goal is to tell the stories that resonate with donors so we can stay sustainable and continue to do the good and necessary work that we do for those struggling with homelessness and addiction,” she said. “We’re very real about the situations these men come from and the resources and spiritual direction we enlist to help them turn their own lives around. We put faith, transparency, compassion and gratitude at the forefront of all that we do.” McDermott and the donor relations team are continually engaging with those who give their time, money, resources or advocacy to help Guiding Light achieve its mission of partnering with individuals to fulﬁll their Godgiven potential. McDermott maintains any contribution, no matter how small, makes a huge difference.

“It is so sad that some people have to suffer alone and not tell others what they’re going through,” McDermott said. “I think it’s important to realize that everybody needs help sometimes.

“We have had donors tell us they have never been called by a nonproﬁt just to say thank you, even for a $10 donation,” McDermott said. “But sharing our gratitude is central to what Guiding Light is all about, and that sentiment usually leads to a deeper conversation with our supporters.

“I kept my secret for years because there was a lot of shame in it. I didn’t want to lose custody of my kids. In the last decade, there’s been a lot of growing and understanding that homelessness happened through no fault of my own. I did the best I could.”

“We really get to know our donors, and we often hear they appreciate having someone to talk to. Some have family suffering from homelessness or addiction, and they truly have a heart for what we do. It’s those connections that make my job so fulﬁlling.”

McDermott eventually grew her savings and worked her way up in the natural products industry, becoming a territory manager responsible for marketing and sales in three states. The position brought her to Grand Rapids in 2006, where she’s lived ever since. Despite her success in the ﬁeld, she felt discontented. Fed up with the stress, nonstop travel and competitive nature of her job, she decided to quit in 2010.

What’s equally impactful for McDermott is seeing the transformations the men in Guiding Light’s programs have achieved – having gone through quite the transformation herself.

A career coach helped her unravel her new perspective on the world and discover her interest in the nonprofit sector. Feeling guided to a new life, she went back to school in 2011 to take nonprofit classes. At age 40, she took her first nonprofit job as an intern at an organization focused on building sustainable communities and protecting water resources. “I’m pretty proud of that,” McDermott said. “You’re never too old to learn something new or find a better path.” The internship kicked off her new career where she gained experience in special events, website management, fundraising and marketing – skills she uses daily in her role at Guiding Light now.

“When I see someone ﬁrst come in, it’s evident they’ve been through a lot. They’ve just detoxed, there’s no smile, you can sense the hesitation and fear, and see the darkness in their eyes,” she said. “But the difference you see even in a month is incredible. You see them smile and can feel the thankfulness rippling off them.

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Their whole demeanor changes from the dignity we have helped them rediscover.

Through the guiding light of God’s Spirit, Guiding Light partners with individuals to fulfill their God-given potential through rescue, recovery and re-engagement in the community. GIVE SECURELY ONLINE AT GuidingLightWorks.org/Give

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“Getting the opportunity to tell those stories is pretty awesome. And we know those stories wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the support our friends, board members, staff and donors. To be able to give people the opportunity and resources they need through rescue, recovery and re-engagement is a truly special honor I hold dear to my heart.”

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