40 Under Forty - 2016 - Grand Rapids Business Journal

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Inspiring confidence.

Empowering change.

A shared purpose.

KPMG LLP congratulates this year’s 40 Under Forty honorees.

Thank you for your leadership and commitment to making a difference in our community. kpmg.com

© 2016 KPMG LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership and the U.S. member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity.

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CONGRATULATIONS 40 UNDER FORTY HONOREES Service. Expertise. Simplicity. It’s more than just a tagline. For us, it’s a philosophy.

We went into business to make running your business a little easier. And our mission is simple – we help you reach your business goals.

West Michigan’s largest independently owned accounting & business consulting rm.

Congratulations to Meahgan and all of this year’s 40 Under Forty honorees!

Meahgan Pear

Chief Marketing Officer

Service. Expertise. Simplicity.® Copyright © Beene Garter LLP. An independent firm associated with Moore Stephens International Limited.

56 Grandville Ave. SW Suite 100 Grand Rapids, MI 49503 616.235.5200 • BeeneGarter.com

PUBLISHER John H. Zwarensteyn: jzwarensteyn@geminipub.com EDITOR Carole Valade: cvalade@grbj.com MANAGING EDITOR Tim Gortsema: tgortsema@grbj.com COPY EDITOR Tom Mitsos: tmitsos@grbj.com ONLINE EDITOR Chris Ehrlich: cehrlich@grbj.com STAFF REPORTERS Charlsie Dewey: cdewey@grbj.com Pat Evans: pevans@grbj.com Jesse O’Brien: jobrien@grbj.com STATE LEGISLATIVE REPORTER Capital News Service: freedma5@msu.edu CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jeffrey Gitomer, Paul A. Hense, Brian Long, Bill Rohn, Bill Roth, Ardon Schambers NEW MEDIA, DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGER Scott Sommerfeld: ssommerfeld@geminipub.com ART COORDINATOR Kelly J. Nugent: knugent@geminipub.com DESIGNERS/PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS Melissa Brooks: mbrooks@geminipub.com Kristen Van Oostenbrugge: kristenv@geminipub.com Robin Vargo: rvargo@geminipub.com CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Buck, Jim Gebben, Johnny Quirin GENERAL SALES MANAGER Randy D. Prichard: rprichard@geminipub.com ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Jenn Maksimowski: jmaksimowski@geminipub.com ADVERTISING SALES CONSULTANTS Jennifer Collins: jcollins@geminipub.com Craig R. Rich: crich@geminipub.com Ben Dakoske: bdakoske@geminipub.com Bri Rodriguez: brodriguez@geminipub.com ADVER. SALES ASSISTANT/ COORDINATOR Karla Jeltema: kjeltema@geminipub.com CIRCULATION & MARKETING MANAGER Scott T. Miller: smiller@geminipub.com MARKETING & EVENTS COORDINATOR Madison Mabin: mmabin@geminipub.com CIRCULATION & MARKETING ASSISTANT Katrina Peshka: kpeshka@geminipub.com FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION MANAGER Pamela Brocato, CPA: pbrocato@geminipub.com ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Tina Gillman: tgillman@geminipub.com RECEPTION/CLERICAL SERVICES General Inquiries: info@grbj.com Addie Donley: recept@geminipub.com

‘It’s not about “me” anymore’

T

HE GREATER GRAND RAPIDS community did not disappoint when the Business Journal opened nominations for the 40 Under Forty class of 2016.

A record 317 nominations were received from Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon and Newaygo counties. It was equally impressive to read and research the nominee information. The judges — who were from outside the West Michigan area — were equally impressed with the 249 finalists, each reviewed for business and career goals and achievements; business expertise and leadership; and community participation and leadership.

The veteran judge in the GRBJ process noted immediately: “I sense a big change here. The Business Journal 40 Under Forty is on the cusp of a generational change. This group, this year, is much more focused on service, not necessarily leadership; it’s a younger group that is much more inclusive, and there is not as much focus on achievement as service orientation. It’s not about ‘me’ anymore.” Judges also noted the class of 2016 was more independent, creative and more likely to be “social entrepreneurs.”

The 2016 judges included: • Lou Glazer of Ann Arbor is president and co-founder of Michigan Future Inc., a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization providing research and new ideas on how Michigan can succeed as a world class community in a knowledge-driven economy.

Its work is funded by Michigan foundations.

• Chris Rizik is chief executive officer of the Renaissance Venture Capital Fund, a co-founder, partner and board chair of nanotechnology holding company Ardesta LLC and previously was a managing director of Avalon Technology fund. He also is the founder and publisher of SoulTracks.com. Rizik chairs the executive committee of Detroit’s TechTown, the investment committee of the First Step Fund, the steering committee of the New Economy Initiative, the National Advisory Board of the University of Michigan Office of Technology Transfer and is past chair of NextEnergy. He was named to the 40 under 40 list in Detroit in 1999 and was Crain’s Detroit Newsmaker of the Year for 2009.

• Bob Thomas is the senior director of operations for the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and executive director of the Michigan Chamber Foundation.

He serves as national chair of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management Board of Trustees, Michigan Society for Association Executives, Michigan’s Tourism Strategic Plan Advisory Committee and Michigan’s Small Business Development Centers Advisory Board.

The Business Journal urges community members to nominate in 2017, including those who may have been nominated in this highly competitive year.

— Carole Valade Editor, Grand Rapids Business Journal

TO ORDER REPRINTS Karla Jeltema: kjeltema@geminipub.com, (616) 459-4545

RESEARCH BY

AUDITED BY

2016 40 UNDER FORTY | Grand Rapids Business Journal 5

Ruis returns for 40 Under Forty encore

S

HE’S AN ENTREPRENEUR, a pioneer of the Wealthy Street neighborhood business district and a purveyor of some of the classiest fare in

U.S. Attorney Patrick Miles; Lambert, Edwards & Associates President Jeff Lambert; and CWD Real Estate Investment Managing Partner Sam Cummings.

Ruis and the Business Journal 40 Under Forty class town.

And now, Amy Ruis, founder of Art of the Table and will be honored at an event from 5-8 p.m. Oct. 25 at Aperitivo, was named this year’s distinguished alumnus the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, 30 N. Division Ave. for the Grand Rapids Business Journal’s annual 40 downtown.

This year, the Business Under Forty recognition of Journal received a recordyoung business and business “There are so many setting 317 nominations for community leaders. young people out there right applicants — almost doubling Ruis has been a multiple any previous year. nominee and winner in previous now that are so deserving of this “There are so many young 40 Under Forty classes and award. I’m four years out of the people out there right now Business Journal Top Womenthat are so deserving of this Owned Businesses awards running for 40 Under Forty, and award. I’m four years out of programs. She is “floored every I don’t think there were this the running for 40 Under time” she’s nominated, but this Forty, and I don’t think there honor is especially rewarding, many people in the running were this many people in Ruis said. back then.” Amy Ruis the running back then,” Ruis “I was quite stunned,” she said. “Grand Rapids Business said of getting the call from Business Journal Editor Carole Valade. “I had no idea. I Journal will soon have to honor 400 under 40.

“It’s really exciting where Grand Rapids can go, was flattered and kind of taken back. seeing as there are so many leaders that are so young. I “It’s quite an honor.”

Previous 40 Under Forty alumni of the year include can’t believe 317 people were nominated. It’s really cool to watch that change as it’s happened in Grand Rapids.”

Since 2002, the Business Journal has hosted an event, recognizing more than 300 young professionals who have achieved personal success and made significant civic contributions to the region. The Business Journal has provided a 40 Under Forty award since 1997.

Ruis received her B.A. in elementary education at Calvin College. She launched her career in 1992 as a manager and buyer at Haymarket Square, where she stayed five years before becoming a buyer at J Mollema & Son. Four years later, she opened Art of the Table, a specialty food, beverage and tabletop retail store.

Ruis also is co-owner of Aperitivo, a Grand Rapids wine bar and retailer that offers imported and domestic cheeses, charcuterie, wine, beer and cider. Aperitivo opened in 2013 in the Downtown Market, 435 Ionia Ave. SW. Art of the Table, 606 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids, is known for its craft beverages, specialty foods and home and host products. Many city leaders and developers have noted the store’s role in rejuvenating Wealthy Street.

“It added to the catalyst that was already happening.

I think that those businesses that opened around the same time as we did provided a really nice cluster of businesses that were shaping the street,” she said.

“I’m daily (surprised) by the joy of how many people The Business Journal honored Amy Ruis as one of have opened since then and the options we have in our 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan in 2008, a member of the neighborhood. I think Art of the Table was on the early 40 Under Forty Class of 2010 and a Top Women-Owned cusp of that.”

Businesses finalist in 2011, ’13 and ’15.

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Not just another showtime!

celebrationcinema.com/midnights

Congratulations to the 40 Under 40 Recipients! “ Look at you. So young and successful.�

- The Island, 2005

Luis Avila, 35

John Behrens, 31

Attorney Varnum

President, CEO, Co-founder/Regional Controller Farmhaus Cider/Steelcase

Luis Avila tackles cutting-edge legal issues as a Varnum attorney with a roster of clients spanning the country.

He also spends countless hours focused on pro-bono work, which includes representing immigrants and entrepreneurs who don’t have the resources for legal assistance.

Avila joined the Grand Rapids community 11 years ago and said this year he achieved two accomplishments for which he is “most proud.”

He was elected president of the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors in January.

He is the youngest person to be elected president of the organization.

In the role, Avila is focused on increasing membership, community partners and programming and has overseen the implementation of the first Hispanic Business Pitch Competition and the first Latino Career Fair hosted by the organization.

In 2017, he will oversee the launch of a Hispanic Business Incubator.

“I am extremely motivated by the privilege of leading the Hispanic business community in West Michigan,” Avila said.

He is a member of the State of Michigan Board of Medicine, an appointment made by Gov. Rick Snyder.

He also was chosen as a Michigan Rising Star this year

by Super Lawyers, an honor that includes peer nomination and third-party feedback.

Avila is an adjunct professor at Grand Valley State University, where he teaches a business law class to undergraduates interested in starting their own businesses.

He sits on the Labor and Employment Section of the State Bar of Michigan and is a member of the Committee on Development of Labor Law and Practice and Procedure under the National Labor Relations Board.

Though he said he’s always had an entrepreneurial mindset, it wasn’t until 2014 when John Behrens took the leap and became an entrepreneur.

As the CEO, president and co-founder of Farmhaus Cider, Behrens is on a mission to not only create excellent cider, but also to “restore a family heirloom property, bring pride and recognition to the American farmer and homesteader, to provide employment to wonderful people and to create a community space for all to enjoy.”

“The dream is to make a difference,” Behrens said.

Though it still is building its reputation in the cider industry, the company won first place at the largest cider festival in the country.

Behrens called the honor a “major accomplishment.”

Another accomplishment is gaining statewide distribution for Farmhaus Cider. It is available in over 100 locations in Michigan.

Oh, and this isn’t even his day job.

Behrens also works full time at Steelcase as regional controller.

He said he is equally proud of his professional career.

Behrens was one of only 10 percent of candidates to pass all four parts of the CPA exam on his first try.

CPA firm BDO hired him soon after. Behrens said the firm gave him his first career break by offering him a job in the midst of the recession.

“Layoffs were happening every day and finding a job in accounting was rarer than finding an accountant with a sense of humor,” he said.

With two jobs keeping him busy, Behrens said he focuses on giving back through donations.

He said Farmhaus Cider has given thousands of dollars to communities in Michigan and Illinois.

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Max Benedict, 33

Rhiannon Nicole Bosse, 30

Max Benedict is changing the skyline of Grand Rapids.

Recent projects he worked on include the new Downtown Hampton Inn & Suites, Lumberyard Lofts and the Midtown Village project at Michigan Street and College Avenue.

He currently is involved with the Diamond Place development, a mixed-use, mixed-income project Grand Rapids City Commissioner Ruth Kelly said is helping the city “move toward its goal to provide housing for various income groups.”

Kelly also credited Benedict with achieving tax increment financing zone approval for infrastructure improvements along the Michigan Street Corridor.

He also is a co-owner of the Garage Bar & Grill downtown.

Benedict’s community involvement includes chairing the Michigan Street Corridor Improvement Authority, clerk and interim president of the Michigan Street Corridor Association, co-chairing Goodwill Industries’ Leadership Goodwill and acting as vice president and president-elect of the Thornapple Association.

In his role with Leadership Goodwill, Benedict has been involved in multiple successful fundraising events and actively promotes brand awareness for the organization.

Benedict also is a former member of the Kentwood Zoning Board of Appeals.

He is a recurring guest lecturer at Michigan State University’s School of Hospitality and a cultural ambassador for the Thrive Refugee Support Program.

When Rhiannon Nicole Bosse couldn’t land a job after graduating from college despite two honors degrees and having racked up experience from 10 unpaid internships within her field, she decided to create her own opportunity.

“I decided if no one else would give me the opportunity, I would give it to myself,” Bosse said.

In 2010, at 24 years old, she launched her own wedding planning business.

Six years later, Hey Gorgeous Events has planned and executed weddings across the United States and Canada, as well as Tuscany, Italy.

Just this year, Bosse and HGE were named a top wedding planner and company worldwide by Vogue magazine, included in the hard cover coffee table book, “Outdoor Weddings,” and will be included in a feature story in BRIDES magazine this fall.

Bosse expanded the business to include floral design in 2013, a “leap of faith” that has paid off in strengthening her business.

Also in 2013, Bosse began offering a four-day, high-end workshop for business women in the wedding planning industry that has been well received.

“We have welcomed women from all over the United States, Canada and Brazil to the four workshops we’ve hosted,” Bosse said.

The company has garnered attention from several national publications, as well.

A native of Ontario, Canada, Bosse has called Grand Rapids home for six years.

In that time, she co-founded Warmth Warriors, a group of women who hand out blankets, mittens, socks and other cold-weather necessities to the homeless and others in need in West Michigan.

Principal Third Coast Development

Owner and Artistic Director Hey Gorgeous Events

2016 40 UNDER FORTY | Grand Rapids Business Journal 9

Sara R.H. Brooks, 35

Adjunct faculty/Academic Services Project Manager Grand Rapids Community College /Grand Rapids Urban League Sara Brooks took a risk when she left a full-time, salaried position to become an adjunct faculty member at Grand Rapids Community College and for a part-time job with the Grand Rapids Urban League.

She said the risk paid off.

“I love the work that I do,” Brooks said.

She said she now is able to teach and fulfill her passion for education, as well as participate in a hands-on role within the community.

She said both jobs provide tangible benefits in people’s lives every day.

Brooks has been involved in door-to-door voter registration efforts, organized voter forums, created numerous presentations on a wide range of topics for students and adults, created scholarship programs, curated a jobs and community announcements listserv and mentored young adults.

As an educator, Brooks created and implemented a curriculum for eighth-grade students focused on postsecondary education options and career exploration.

She also facilitated county-wide diversity training for ninth-graders.

She teaches parents how to advocate for their children through the Grand Rapids Public Schools Parent University.

She also teaches adults to be better teachers through a Masters of Urban Education class that is part of a GRUL/ Davenport University partnership.

Brooks is committed to helping formerly incarcerated persons move on with their lives through education.

She previously has served as the point person for reentering students at GRCC and has been a participant in the Grand Rapids Re-entry Roundtable.

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Anthony Chang, 39 Founder/CEO Rethink Imaging

Anthony Chang wants to make Grand Rapids a “hub” for molecular imaging technology.

His background includes several years spent at the Van Andel Research Institute, where he has served as director of the preclinical imaging facility and head of laboratory translational imaging.

In those roles, he designed and built a modern molecular imaging facility and research team from “ground zero.”

“This allows us to be one of the model preclinical imaging facilities in the world,” he said.

He has developed multiple breakthrough technologies in the medical molecular imaging field during his career.

Chang also served as a mentor to numerous high school, college and graduate students.

He even had the honor of seeing one of his mentees become the first Grand Valley State University graduate accepted by Harvard Medical School.

After bringing a new field of molecular imaging to Grand Rapids through his work at VAI, Chang founded his own company, Rethink Imaging, in 2016 to further expand molecular imaging technology in the region.

“I am committed to the future of Grand Rapids with the vision of making it the go-to place for the future of molecular imaging of the world,” he said.

As a minority and an immigrant, Chang said he is bringing a “unique perspective” to the Grand Rapids community. He moved to the United States from Taiwan to study medical physics.

Chang was a member of the Van Andel Institute Undergraduate and Internship Program Committee, the Van Andel Institute Graduate School Admissions Committee and the Van Andel Radiation Safety Committee.

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Justin Clark, M.D., 39

Trevor Corlett, 38

As one of only two fellowship-trained cerebrovascular neurosurgeons in West Michigan, Dr. Justin Clark is elevating the level of care to patients in Grand Rapids.

Patients who would have had to go to Ann Arbor or Detroit now are able to have life-saving surgeries locally.

Clark is a University of Michigan School of Medicine graduate who went on to do his residency training at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, which has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the No. 2 neurosurgery residency program in the United States. He was one of only four residents selected out of more than 350 applicants.

While at BNI, Clark created a laboratory, initiated five institutional review board-approved studies and secured $200,000 in research grant funding.

He also was accepted into the institute’s Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery fellowship. He not only studied under Dr. Luis Tumialan but also helped him develop a new “low-dose” radiation protocol for minimally invasive spine surgery.

Having spent most of his life in Grand Rapids, which is where he was raised, Clark was eager to bring his talents back to the community.

In addition to his practice, Clark serves as a teaching professor at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in Grand Rapids and is involved in multiple Grand Rapids-based projects to improve systematic response to trauma situations.

A final interesting fact; prior to his medical career, Clark was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche during the 1996 NHL draft and played one year of professional hockey.

Trevor Corlett is putting Grand Rapids on the map as a place with exceptional coffee.

After two failed business ventures, Corlett co-founded Madcap Coffee Company with Ryan Knapp, and the pair have seen huge success with the business.

Madcap was part of downtown Grand Rapids’ resurgence; filling in a vacant storefront and encouraging other businesses to join them in making downtown a place to hang out, not just work.

“I had the pleasure of watching as all of the empty storefronts and sidewalks downtown slowly began to fill,” Corlett said.

He said his company not only has contributed to downtown Grand Rapids’ resurgence but also to building a successful craft coffee industry in the state.

Madcap is committed to running a sustainable, community-minded business.

Everything from the honey used in the coffee shop to its zero waste practices to the relationships it has fostered with farmers internationally was “carefully and ethically” chosen.

Corlett has won or placed in the top three in several barista championship competitions across the country as part of his dedication to his craft.

He also is involved in several professional craft coffee organizations, including the Barista Guild of America and the Specialty Coffee Association of America.

In Grand Rapids, he has supported community events, such as TEDxGrandRapids and others, with coffee service.

Naomi Sorrell, Madcap Coffee barista, said Corlett’s contributions to Grand Rapids have been “economic, cultural and social.”

Attending Neurosurgeon Great Lakes Neurological Associates

12 Grand Rapids Business Journal | 40 UNDER FORTY 2016

CEO Madcap Coffee Company

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2016 40 UNDER FORTY | Grand Rapids Business Journal 13

David Darling, 38

Founder and CEO/Managing Member Spoonlickers/U.S. Forming Technologies David Darling founded one of Grand Rapids’ most-loved businesses.

In 2013, he opened Spoonlickers, a frozen yogurt shop, that has earned the popular vote “Best of Grand Rapids” three consecutive years and now has three locations in the area.

The same year he opened Spoonlickers, Darling also launched his other business, U.S. Forming Technologies, an advanced stamping company that achieved more than $1 million in sales its first year in business and has come to be recognized as the “gold standard” in the industry.

Darling said his Native American ancestry provides him with a unique perspective, and he wants to give his tribe something to be proud of with his success.

Darling has been making a name for himself in Grand Rapids since he was in his mid-20s and took over as vice president and chief operating officer at Autodie LLC, a 400-person manufacturing organization servicing Chrysler Corp.

While at Autodie, Darling secured a $25 million capital investment, which allowed the company to completely overhaul and modernize its operations to better compete in the industry.

“It was the single biggest non-new model investment Chrysler had ever made in any of its plants,” Darling said.

He said securing that investment is his proudest achievement.

Darling is a devoted member of the Greek Orthodox Church and spends June through August working on the Yassou! Grand Rapids Greek Festival, a successful event he co-founded.

“It has become one of the defining events in Grand Rapids,” Darling said.

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James Feltch, 40

Divisional President of Healthcare and Advanced Technologies/COO CSM Group/Compliance One Group James Feltch’s personal motto is “grateful for opportunity, motivated by possibility,” and he said he tries to create and inspire others through a positive culture and team and family atmosphere to accomplish goals “others would fear.”

Feltch is president of the Healthcare and Advanced Technologies Division of CSM Group and COO of Compliance One Group.

During his career, Feltch has managed over $250 million worth of projects for CSM Group and over $500 million worth of projects total.

He has worked with clients, including Intel Corp., Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Stryker Instruments, Bronson Healthcare Group and many more.

As a founding partner of Compliance One Group, Feltch sought to bring health care compliance into a market considered one of the “most stringent” in terms of regulations.

The company is devoted to serving the needs of the hospital physical environment and the safety of education facilities.

Compliance One Group is getting results. Post project surveys have shown clients, such as Spectrum Health, Boston Children’s Hospital, McLaren Health Care and others, have seen an increase in regulatory compliance and have been able to provide a safer environment for patients.

Feltch is a member of the American Hospital Association and the American Society of Healthcare Engineering.

He takes leadership training seriously and has been a part of Southwest Michigan First’s “First 50” mentor/ mentee program for the past five years.

He also has a deep faith, noting his greatest influence is Jesus Christ.

Well Done Well Deserved Congratulations Rick and Josh for being 2016 40 under Forty honorees. Spectrum Health is proud to have people like you who are dedicated to the health and well-being of our communities.

Rick Jensen, Senior Communications Specialist Josh Meringa, Nurse Educator

careers.spectrumhealth.org

ŠSpectrum Health 09.2016

Matt Fennema, 34

Paul Ferrier, 36

Vice President Kent Companies Inc.

Co-founder, Chief Strategy Officer Mindscape

Matt Fennema’s relationship with his father began when he was 5 years old.

It’s not the traditional father-son story — Fennema’s biological father was killed in a construction accident when Fennema was 3 months old — but Fennema’s stepfather, Roger VanderLaan, had a big impact on his life.

“My father has supported me throughout my life with his time, energy and resources in everything from sports to college and my career,” Fennema said. “It’s an honor to follow in my father’s footsteps in the concrete business. I continue to learn from him even today.”

At the beginning of the Great Recession, Fennema was working at a civil engineering firm, and as work was drying up, he received a call from Kent Companies CEO Jeff VanderLaan.

“He made the call to invite me back to the family business, and that was a true pivot point in my career,” Fennema said.

Since joining the family business in 2008, Fennema has been most proud of his ability to put family and his Kent Companies team at the forefront of his mind.

While with Kent Companies — which has nearly 900 employees nationwide — the company has been among the top 20 concrete subcontractors in revenue nationwide, according to ENR Magazine and has been among the Best & Brightest Companies to Work For multiple times in West Michigan and the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

“The concrete industry is tough, and often unforgiving, but it adds strength, beauty and performance to the landmarks that make us proud to call West Michigan home,” Fennema said.

A long road traveled took another turn in 2014 for Paul Ferrier and Mindscape.

From 2001-07, Mindscape was headquartered in Muskegon before making the jump to Grand Rapids in 2007 and selling an interest to Hanon McKendry in 2008. The internet marketing service split from Hanon McKendry in 2014 and settled on the West Side of Grand Rapids.

“As a business owner, a lot has been experienced, a lot has been learned and I am grateful for every second of it,” said Ferrier, who co-founded Mindscape. “I am very proud of the work my team and I do on a daily basis. The results we produce for our clients are what I get excited about and why I love coming to work every day.”

No longer connected to Hanon McKendry, Ferrier credits his time with Bill McKendry and Bob Blanchard as an important part of his career.

Ferrier was a 40 Under Forty honoree in 2009 and also has been recognized as part of the 2013 class of Leadership Advantage and received the Leadership and Innovator Award from Lawrence Tech University in 2012.

He also serves on the marketing committee of the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce and volunteers with Friends of Grand Rapids Park.

“Paul’s habit of asking the question, ‘What if?’ leads to out-of-the-box ideas and web-marketing solutions that generate millions of dollars annually for local, regional and national clients,” said Amanda Brand, training and consulting services coordinator at Mindscape.

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40 Under Forty Award Recipient

2007 aIumnus Chris Sain as one of the

2016 40 under 40 Business Leaders.

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9/22/16 10:22 AM

“ WHO HAS BEEN A POSITIVE LEADER IN OUR COMMUNITY?” DTE Energy congratulates Scotty Kehoe on being named one of Grand Rapids Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty. His professional achievement and hard work within the community makes him a role model we all try to emulate. DTE is proud that he is a part of our team, and looks forward to his many future accomplishments.

Congratulations, Scotty.

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Jason Franklin, 36

Michael Gilpin, 37

In 2010, Jason Franklin received a phone call.

On the other end was a representative of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation letting him know the work he was doing as the chair of Bolder Giving influenced Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett to launch the Giving Pledge, which organized billionaire families to commit a majority of their wealth to charity.

As the Giving Pledge grew, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation wanted to help Bolder Giving reach a wider audience, so Franklin began as Bolder Giving’s first fulltime executive director.

He held that position for five years prior to moving to Grand Rapids in 2015, when he became the first W.K. Kellogg Community Philanthropy Chair at the Johnson Center.

“I hope the experiences and networks I have built around the country and internationally can help strengthen the amazing local work already underway in Grand Rapids,” Franklin said.

Franklin was recognized as one of the inaugural members of the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s 40 under 40 in January. He also was named one of New York City’s Top 20 Philanthropists Under 40 by the New York Observer in 2015, as well as one of the 40 under 40 LGBTQ leaders by Advocate Magazine in 2012.

“His knowledge base of philanthropy is as wide as it is deep, making (him) a sought-after thought leader when discussion of serious philanthropic issues arise,” said Stephanie Adams, Johnson Center marketing and communications manager.

Michael Gilpin helped his business become one of the fastest growing FastSigns locations in the United States.

This year, the franchise will bring in nearly $3 million in sales and has grown from four employees to 17 in its 10 years of operation. Gilpin’s franchise was the top franchise in the FastSigns system in 2010 and won the International Franchise Association Franchise of the Year in 2011.

The Grand Rapids FastSigns is the No. 6 grossing franchise in the nation.

“Michael is dedicated to his family, his employees, his customers and community,” FastSign Sales Team Leader Melissa Kinstner said. “Somehow, it seems like he gives 100 percent of his attention to each and every one of them.”

Without taking a risk when his wife was seven months pregnant to move back to Grand Rapids from Pennsylvania, the whole ride might never have happened.

“My biggest break was probably the combination of having the courage to take the risk and having a supportive wife who was willing to leave the known for the unknown,” Gilpin said.

He said Grand Rapids is in need of leaders who put others ahead of themselves, quoting Harry Truman: “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.”

“If we can have a community of leaders that think like this, the opportunity for Grand Rapids is endless,” he said.

“I am doing my best to lead by example in this category.”

W.K. Kellogg Community Philanthropy Chair Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy

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President and CEO FastSigns of Grand Rapids

Angel Gonzalez, 37

Mike Goorhouse, 30

Owner and President Artesian Group

President and CEO Community Foundation of the Holland Zeeland Area

A lot of obstacles have been thrown at Angel Gonzalez.

Lies, hatred, jealousy and racism have confronted Gonzalez, but nothing has stopped his journey toward establishing his own business. He said the adversity he faced in Grand Rapids was worse than what he faced growing up in Chicago, but he battled through it and gives credit to his determination to see things beyond perception.

“When you’re fighting for something greater than yourself, expect that everything will try to deflate you or destroy you,” Gonzalez said. “Knowing that adversity comes with the territory and is just a matter of how you decide to handle it, that will lead you to not being successful or being successful.”

He doesn’t want the youth following in his footsteps to give up just because they don’t have money or come from a different background.

“Have passion, integrity, faith,” he said.

His “break” came in 2003, when Dr. Luis Tomatis, director of medical affairs for the Richard DeVos family, approached him about new housing in the Belknap Lookout neighborhood. That meeting inspired him. Now, several large residential projects are underway in the area that Gonzalez mostly helped build or put together.

“I am really proud of the Belknap Brownstone project,” he said. “It represents years of hard work with the community. I got to build the project I wanted without sacrificing architectural character or quality. I am proud of the physical building, but I am most thankful for the personal friendships that me and my wife made with the new families that now occupy those homes.”

Mike Goorhouse lives and breathes philanthropy.

Goorhouse runs a $56-million foundation that gifts $4 million in grants each year to help make Holland and Zeeland better as the president and CEO of Community Foundation of the Holland Zeeland Area.

In September, the foundation launched a campaign to increase its endowment from $15 million to $20 million through $5 million in “today” gifts and gain 100 commitments in tomorrow gifts. Within nine months, Goorhouse and his staff raised $4.5 million in today gifts and 62 estate gift commitments, which represents nearly $18 million in the coming years.

“He’s one of a kind, extraordinary leader,” Holland Young Professionals President Nicole Paquette said.

“Every year, I think that he can’t possibly do any more than he’s already doing, but he continues to find ways to be more impactful.”

Goorhouse received the first Young Philanthropist of the Year Award from the Community Foundation of Holland Zeeland Area in 2009 and was named one of the top 30 Civic Leaders Under 30 by the National Conference on Citizenship in 2011.

He helped grow income by 600 percent at the Michigan Chapter of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy and serves on the board of the $12 million initiative of Project Clarity to help clarify the Lake Macatawa watershed.

“I take part and lead strategic and high-level conversations on community issues and priorities,” Goorhouse said. “I am a young leader already making significant contributions to the success of our community.”

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Mike Harris, 37

Elissa Hillary, 33

Co-founder, co-owner, vice president Worksighted

Executive Director Local First and Local First Educational Foundation

At 22, Mike Harris helped launch a company in a basement on a shoestring budget.

Fifteen years later, the company hasn’t had any single three-year period with a growth rate under 100 percent; it employs nearly 60 people, with revenues expected to reach more than $10 million in 2016.

Worksighted has made the Inc. 5000 list five years in a row. The company also was named one of 50 Michigan companies to watch in 2012, while Harris was named the 2011 Small Business Person of the Year in Holland.

Harris, however, is most proud of Worksighted making the 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For five years in a row, beginning in 2012.

“Growing a company that is built on a great workplace is essential to building a company that has staying power,” Harris said. “I love the idea that we are building an organization that can influence our community for the better long into the future.”

For the first 14 years of Worksighted, Harris was the company’s head of engineering, before moving to head of sales and marketing to help grow the company and brand with aggressive growth goals to 2025 and beyond.

Harris also serves as a corporate fundraiser for Children’s Tumor Foundation and NF Inc. “I have worked to build an organization that not only strives to attract and retain top tech talent to West Michigan but also gives back to our community,” Harris said.

Local is important to Grand Rapids, and Elissa Hillary is a big part of why.

Since Hillary began her stint as executive director of Local First West Michigan, membership has grown from 150 businesses and nonprofits to more than 800, which has taken the annual budget from $75,000 to $750,000.

“Elissa is an amazing leader that has truly impacted the West Michigan business scene, and she continues to raise the bar for the work that she does,” Brewery Vivant owner Kris Spaulding said. “She has built a strong staff that continues to grow, as the organization makes a deeper impact on the community through their focus on helping businesses become more sustainable, develop inclusiveness and diversity strategies and grow their reach and network.”

Hillary also was named to the Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty in 2010 and 2012. She currently serves on the Downtown Development Authority, W.K. Kellogg Foundation Family Security Council Steering Committee and West Michigan Strategic Alliance.

Hillary has presented at Guam’s Women in Business Conference, B Corp Champions Retreat, National Main Street Conference, Illinois’ Main Street Conference and the Michigan Downtown Conference. She was one of the first 10 fellows in a program by North America’s Business Alliance for Local Living Economics — which hosted its 2012 conference in Grand Rapids — and is one of four directors to lead a BALLE Regional Hub. “These opportunities have allowed me to bring the best practices to West Michigan and to share West Michigan’s core values and expertise on the national stage,” Hillary said.

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Impact.

Grand Valley State University and the Grand Valley State University Alumni Association congratulate our alumni who make up a large part of Grand Rapids Business Journal’s “40 Under Forty” business leaders list. Like West Michigan itself, their positive impact is far reaching. That’s the Laker Effect.

John Behrens, ‘09 Mike Goorhouse, ‘11 Rick Jensen,‘05 Lucy Joswick, ‘03 Joshua Meringa, ‘05, ‘09 & ‘16 Meahgan Pear, ‘07 Adam Russo, ‘10 Stacy Stout, ‘04 & ‘12 Kyle Van Strien, ‘12 Garry VonMyhr, ‘10

gvsu.edu

2016 40 UNDER FORTY | Grand Rapids Business Journal 21

Joseph Infante, 36

Rick Jensen, 35

Partner Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone

Senior Media Relations Specialist Spectrum Health

Joseph Infante likes a good beer.

His award-winning homebrewing hobby spilled over into his legal career, when he proposed starting an alcoholic beverages practice at Miller Canfield.

At the time, the craft beverage industries were just getting started, so Infante has become a national voice in the practice, and he recently co-founded the Craft Beverage Lawyers Guild to provide legal services to beverage suppliers nationwide.

“There were no other firms in Michigan with such a specialty and only a few law firms across the country with dedicated practices,” Infante said. “The firm supported the idea, and after years of hard work, the practice has blossomed over the past several years.”

Infante still is a business litigation attorney, for which he was named a Michigan Super Lawyer — less than 5 percent of attorneys receive the designation — the past three years, was named a Leading Lawyer in Michigan in 2016 and was admitted to the United States Patent Bar. He’s heavily involved as a member of Hospice of West Michigan Collaborative Board and is a co-chair with his wife, Nicole, of Barley, BBQ & Beats festival for Hospice of West Michigan, which raised nearly $250,000 in its first year, with a second year in planning for 2017.

“Joe is a leader not only in the firm, but also in the Grand Rapids community and in one of its most important business sectors: the rapidly growing craft beverage industry,” said Trent Taylor, Miller Canfield Grand Rapids resident director.

Rick Jensen frequently thinks back to an expression his grandpa often used.

“Good, better, best. Never let it rest, until the good gets better and the better gets best.”

He followed the quote throughout his career as a public relations professional, starting with Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park to his current gig with Spectrum Health.

In college, Jensen said he struggled to determine a career path, but it seems he found the right fit.

He won four Public Relations Society of America PRoof Awards with Spectrum and 15 with Davenport University and was named President of West Michigan PRSA Board of Directors in 2015.

“He has built a very recognizable brand for himself and is always there to help solve a problem when needed,” said Sasha Wolff, marketing manager at Collective Idea. “He works hard to make connections with people and organizations and does his best to put a smile on the face of those he comes in contact with every day.”

This year, Jensen helped secure coverage of Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital with The Associated Press, People Magazine, Readers Digest, The Today Show and Wall Street Journal.

While he’s proud of his professional career, his shining moment was volunteering to help Family Promise of Grand Rapids win a Toyota pickup truck in 2012.

“It felt great to contribute my professional skills and expertise to an organization in need,” Jensen said. “The experience was truly rich and rewarding, and I met some amazing people along the way.”

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Lucy Dyer Joswick, 36

Scotty Kehoe, 35

Chief Program Officer Family Futures

Regional Relations Manager DTE Energy

Lucy Dyer Joswick found her inspiration from her former Girl Scout Leader and mentor, Erica Curry VanEe. And each day, she tries to pay forward the lessons she has learned in her career.

Dyer Joswick began her career after college as a program director for Girl Scouts of Michigan Trails, managing programming for thousands of Girl Scouts. Now the chief program officer at Family Futures, she continues to make a difference in the lives of tens of thousands of children and their families.

A graduate of Grand Valley State University with a master’s degree in Human Ecology and Family Studies from Michigan State University, Joswick developed and implemented “Effectively Serving Sexual Minority Youth,” getting the message into the youth development community and making it the norm.

In addition to her work, Dyer Joswick is involved in efforts to improve racial and sexual equality, working as a lead facilitator for the Grand Rapids Price Center for the last year and a half and serving as facilitator and curriculum developer of the Institute for Healing Racism for the past nine years.

Dyer Joswick also is a member of the Expanded Learning Opportunities Network Quality Committee, Progressive Women’s Alliance, Multiracial Association of Professionals, BL2END, OutPro and serves on the Sexual Assault Prevention Action Team and Young Nonprofit Professionals National Equity/Inclusion Committee.

“I live and breathe volunteering,” Dyer Joswick said.

Dyer Joswick also is the chair of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Grand Rapids, chair of the Youth Development Network and chair of Community Health Improvement Plan: Violence Prevention.

Scotty Kehoe is an example of hard work paying off.

Fresh out of college, he was hired at DTE Energy as a field helper, the “lowest possible position as a company employee,” as he put it. But waking up every morning and going to work, Kehoe has worked his way up the ladder to become the youngest member of DTE Energy’s regional relations team.

In his role, Kehoe is DTE’s lead West Michigan representative for economic development, foundation giving, media relations and volunteerism. He oversees the second largest region in the state and works closely with local economic development organizations, such as Lakeshore Advantage and The Right Place, to further DTE Energy’s mission of becoming an agent of growth in the region. In recent years, Kehoe helped develop an initiative to provide first responders with further training to deal with natural gas-related incidents.

“I’ve never been too proud to roll up my sleeves and get my hands dirty with the team,” Kehoe said.

A West Michigan native and graduate of Ferris State University, Kehoe also sits on the board of Muskegon Area First, is the associate director of Michigan Damage Prevention Board and is a member of the WyomingKentwood Chamber Government Matters Committee.

He also is a member of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation’s CEO group, serves on the Kids’ Food Basket Capital Campaign Cabinet and is the assistant director of Grace Community Church Gatekeepers.

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Ryan Knapp, 31

Michael Lomonaco, 36

Co-Founder and Director of Coffee Madcap Coffee

Director of Marketing and Communications Open Systems Technologies

Eight years ago, Ryan Knapp and his business partner, Trevor Corlett, made a bet on the city of Grand Rapids.

Despite the vacant storefronts that dotted Monroe Center, the pair bet the downtown storefront they leased would be the perfect place to bring a specialty coffee experience to the city. They were right.

Knapp’s passion turned into a thriving industry that has grown, due in no small part to Madcap Coffee’s contributions, exponentially in Grand Rapids. As Madcap’s co-founder and director of coffee, Knapp spends a third of his year traveling to different countries to sample and purchase the coffee Madcap uses.

Knapp has won a slew of awards for his expertise, taking first place in the North Central Regional Barista Competition in 2011 and ’12, and third place in 2011 in the United States Regional Barista Competition. He was a Coffee Good Food Award Winner in 2011, ’14 and ’15.

He has served as a member for the Specialty Coffee Association of America for nine years, where he also volunteers as a lead instructor. For four years, he has been a judge for the Cup of Excellence, helping decide the top scoring coffees from across the country. Previously, he volunteered with the Barista Guild of America and Roasters Guild of America.

He also is a former committee member for Local First Sustainable Business Education Committee, where he worked to compile monthly educational events promoting sustainability across West Michigan.

Michael Lomonaco joined Open System Technologies in 2011 as the company’s first marketing leader. In the years since, the IT firm has tripled in size, thanks in part to Lomonaco’s passion and leadership.

In addition to his role with OST, in which he leads the company’s marketing strategy, Lomonaco is heavily involved in the business community as a whole. He serves on The Channel Company’s XChange Advisory Board, is a founding board member of The Right Place’s Technology Council and a committee member of the Grand Rapids Chamber Business Matters board.

He also is on the Make-A-Wish of Michigan board of directors, the vice chair of the city of Grand Rapids Corridor Improvement Authority and serves on the John Ball Zoological Gardens board of directors, where he helped with the launch of the 20-year master planning process, reorganization of staff and board strategic plan and launch of a county-wide millage campaign.

A graduate of Michigan State University, Lomonaco previously is a two-time Grand Rapids Business Journal 40 Under Forty honoree, in 2013 and 2015.

In the words of OST CEO Meredith Bronk, Lomonaco’s passion for the city, local business development, diversity and inclusion “is evident in everything he does.”

“Whether through his professional engagements, his work with the zoo, the parks or the West Side, Mike embraces his responsibility to positively impact West Michigan for the benefit of future organizations,” Bronk said.

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Raj A. Malviya, 36

Joshua Meringa, 36

Attorney Miller Johnson

Nurse Educator and Academic Liaison/City Council Member Spectrum Health/City of Grandville

Throughout his childhood, Raj A. Malviya’s father laid the foundation of his life using just three bricks — education, hard work and making it on your own.

The lessons stuck, and Malviya kept those three virtues in mind throughout his youth and deep into his career as an equity partner at Miller Johnson.

In his time with Miller Johnson, Malviya developed a successful estate and succession planning practice for international planning, his interest in the area resulting from his cultural background and ties to India. His efforts in international tax and estate planning have been widely recognized, meriting a trip to The White House in 2009 as part of a welcoming party for former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“Having a diverse background has allowed me to approach the practice of law with diverse thinking and solutions,” he said. “In other words, I apply my global mindset and background to the practice of law in Grand Rapids, which is becoming increasingly international.”

Malviya is the founder and board president of the South Asian Bar Association of Michigan, serves as a fellow on the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity and as the Real Property Trust and Estate Section Fellow for the American Bar Association.

He is a committee member on the Spectrum Health Community Council, a committee member for the Porter Hills Professional Advisory Committee and an advisory member for the Grand Rapids Community Foundation.

He also provides representation on refugee cases to Bethany Christian Services and is on the Grand Rapids Advisory Council for United Way.

As a community leader, Joshua Meringa likes to borrow the mission of his employer, Spectrum Health: “Improve the health of the community we serve.”

In addition to his job as a nurse educator and academic liaison for Spectrum Health, where he is a member of a team that has been recognized by the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program, Meringa, a city council member for the city of Grandville, has worked tirelessly to abide

by Spectrum Health’s mission. Since being elected as the city’s youngest city council member in 2007, Meringa has overseen the implementation of several important projects that have transformed the city, including the Chicago Drive/downtown Grandville cityscape renovation and the renovation and expansion of the city’s clean water plant. From 2013-15, he also served as mayor pro tem.

Meringa is the chairman of the Michigan Board of Nursing, reappointed by Gov. Rick Snyder this year, and a member of the board’s rules committee and chair of the allegations committee. He also is a committee member and reviewer for the Wisconsin Nurses Association Continuing Education Approval Committee. He is a city council representative and member of the Grandville Business Relations Committee and current acting chair of the Grandville Parks and Recreation Board.

A graduate of Calvin College, Meringa was accepted this past year into the inaugural class of the Executive Masters in Business Administration program through Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University.

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2016 40 UNDER FORTY | Grand Rapids Business Journal 27 9/26/16 11:13 AM

Mike Mraz, 35

Meahgan Pear, 31

As managing partner of real estate development for Rockford Construction, Mike Mraz has had a big hand in the redevelopment of Grand Rapids’ downtown.

In recent years, Mraz and Rockford have completed a number of development projects that have brought new life to the city — The Morton, Blue 35, MoDiv, Fulton Place and the recently opened New Holland Brewing downtown location. Additionally, Rockford currently is working on a mixed-use development near its West Side headquarters, which could include a Meijer grocery store.

“I am proud to work with a great team of professionals in developing the downtown area to its full potential,” he said.

Mraz began his career at Rockford following his graduation from Cornell University and quickly advanced through the company. He is in his first year serving on the board of directors. He also is the current board chair for the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, his eighth year serving on the board.

Since joining Rockford, Mraz said, “I have been able to develop and invest in Grand Rapids and work with a number of entrepreneurs to start their own businesses.”

Mraz holds board memberships on Broadway Grand Rapids and the Metro Health Foundation, where he also is an allocations committee member. Previously, he was the board chair for March of Dimes and served on the building committee for the Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding.

Mraz previously was named a 40 Under Forty business leader six times, in 2009 and 2011-15.

Since she was a little girl, Meahgan Pear had a passion to leave a mark on the world. She started with Grand Rapids.

As a marketing director for one of the region’s largest CPA firms, Pear orchestrated an entire rebrand of the firm, leading to her recent promotion to Beene Garter’s chief marketing officer.

Pear assists with magazine production for the Association for Accounting Marketing as a contributing editor and also is in her first year as a member and strategic advisor for the Grand Valley State University Writing Department Corporate Advisory Board. She also serves as vice president of programming and secretary for the American Marketing Association of West Michigan.

As a member of the Michigan Abolitionist Project, where previously she was the board president, Pear has developed key marketing strategies to increase awareness and visibility of human trafficking. She also is a pastoral council officer and social justice committee member at the Cathedral of St. Andrew and co-chair and certified trainer for the Kent County Human Trafficking Task Force. Additionally, Pear has spoken publicly on multiple occasions to bring higher visibility and educate the community on human trafficking.

Pear said she finds inspiration from her mother, a breast cancer survivor who fought to retain a sense of normalcy throughout her battle with cancer.

“Through her actions alone, she taught me the importance of truly seeing people, to see them for who they were, to respect and love them no matter what and to find and listen to their stories,” Pear said. “She has and continues to be the driving force for my love of giving back.”

Managing Partner, Real Estate Development Rockford Construction

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Chief Marketing Officer Beene Garter LLP

Adam Russo, 31 Owner COM 616

When Adam Russo branched off on his own a little more than two years ago, starting his own public relations firm, COM 616, he made a calculated risk. It paid off.

From the first year to the second, COM 616 saw 100 percent growth, and Russo has worked to serve as an inspiration and example to the next generation of minority business owners. Watching his parents work long and odd hours to support his family, Russo learned the importance of a strong work ethic and became the first in the family to graduate from college, receiving his bachelor’s in advertising and public relations from Grand Valley State University in 2010.

Russo also credits a six-month semester abroad in Sydney, Australia, for opening his eyes to how big, yet small and connected, the world is, furthering his desire to establish and develop connections with the community around him.

Russo is the incoming president for the West Michigan Public Relations Society of America, where he has been on the board for four years. He also previously served on the Goodwill Young Leaders board for a year.

Russo is a member for the Kent County Prevention Coalition and volunteers as a foster puppy raiser for PAWS With a Cause, a Grand Rapids Public Schools student mentor and GVSU community outreach week volunteer.

“I want to show the next generation, especially minorities and those who may be living in low-income areas, that by working hard and building a strong network, all things are possible in West Michigan,” Russo said.

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Chris Sain Jr., 33

CEO/Founder and Coordinator of Student Success and Retention Grand C.I.T.Y. Sports Inc. and GRCC Chris Sain Jr. wants to ensure everyone has the same opportunities to succeed, starting with the city’s underprivileged youth.

A former student-athlete at Michigan State University, Sain saw one way to avoid the pitfalls of urban life was through sports. So after college, he founded Grand C.I.T.Y. Sports Inc., working to help at-risk youth through education and athletics. He continues this mission through his role as coordinator of retention at Grand Rapids Community College and his work as an after-school counselor and coordinator at Wyoming Public Schools’ T.E.A.M. 21 program.

He authored two books, “Dumb Athlete: How My Biggest Fear Became My Biggest Motivator” and “Finding Real Love in the Love & Hip Hop Era.” Sain is an executive team member of GRCC’s Strategic Leadership Team and an executive committee member of the Grand Rapids Public Schools Grade 2 Grad School, in addition to serving as chair of the Grand Rapids Initiative for Leaders.

Sain is the vice president of NAACP-Grand Rapids, where he advocated for the use of body cameras on GRPD officers. He also is an executive committee member for the mayor’s SAFE Task Force and an executive committee member for the To College, Through College initiative.

Recently, Sain has taken a prominent role in working with local law enforcement to improve relationships with the community.

Sain works to “bring about hope to a segment of people who now, more than ever, feel helpless and hopeless during a time where being an unarmed black man can result in loss of life.”

2016 40 UNDER FORTY | Grand Rapids Business Journal 31

Joel Schellhammer, 37

Daniel Schoonmaker, 37

Vice President/Global Head of Strategy-Furniture Steelcase

Executive Director West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum

As a member of the CEO’s Senior Executive Team at Steelcase, Joel Schellhammer leads the creation and execution of strategy and mergers and acquisitions across all functions and business units.

Not bad for a guy who arrived in West Michigan just a year and a half ago.

“I’m a new resident of West Michigan, but my choice to come here to Grand Rapids and to Steelcase was very intentional,” he said. “I am so passionate about this city — it has such tremendous history and is experiencing such rapid growth. What an incredible time to be here.

My hope would be that … I might be able to play a role in helping to continue the legacy of leaders in this community and what they’ve done to make this city so great.”

Schellhammer’s leadership skills aren’t all geared toward the bottom line, and he’s fine with that.

“I truly believe that when I am retired, no one will remember the time I helped create double-digit product growth or reduced costs by 15 percent,” he said. “I do think, though, that I have a chance to make a real difference in the lives of the people that I am lucky enough to work with daily. I aspire to have everyone who has worked for me to say that it was one of the best jobs they ever had, that they learned more than in any other role by being part of our team and that they had a fun time doing so.”

Schellhammer has worked in global roles all over the world and has lived in the U.K. and Japan. He is a graduate of Harvard Law and has a master’s in philosophy in Japanese Studies from the University of Cambridge.

Dan Schoonmaker doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty.

The executive director of the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum has been known to be elbowdeep in trash, but it’s all for a good reason.

“This fall, we will be launching a waste diversion campaign that will provide technical assistance to hundreds of local companies and completing a climate resiliency assessment for our local economy in partnership with the University of Michigan Climate Center, Spectrum Health, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Perrigo and Barfly Ventures,” he said.

This new initiative comes on the heels of the recently completed Michigan Municipal Solid Waste Characterization and Valuation Study, which Schoonmaker said “is helping to redefine how we talk about trash in our state and has inspired Kent County to launch a major effort to increase recycling and diversion in West Michigan, in which we are playing a key role.”

That’s pretty impressive for an organization with only two full-time employees.

Schoonmaker previously served as director of communications and member services for the West Michigan Environmental Action Council and said he is building a network of like-minded individuals who can further the region’s sustainability agenda.

People are noticing.

Haris Alibasic, director of the city’s Office of Energy and Sustainability, calls Schoonmaker an “innovative” and “accomplished” environmental educator and credits him with spearheading WMSBF’s recent growth in participation “while launching new strategic initiatives focused on waste diversion, sustainable food systems, climate resiliency, leadership and pollution prevention.”

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Jen Schottke, 34

Director of Workforce Development and External Affairs Associated Builders and Contractors Western Michigan Chapter With no viable experience, no college degree and just six months before the onslaught of the Great Recession, Jen Schottke decided to switch careers.

She left her job as a hair stylist and sales educator and went to work as the marketing director at CD Barnes Construction — then came the recession.

“I watched as the partners agonized over tough decisions to ensure the company stayed viable and healthy during some of the most difficult years any of them had ever seen,” Schottke said. “Working alongside (them) … we became lean, we each took on additional responsibilities and we celebrated ecstatically each and every project we won. Working with CD Barnes for these four years taught me resiliency, taught me how to hear the word ‘no,’ taught me the joy of earning work, taught me how incredible construction and the people working in it are and taught me that despite my educational background, I am capable of extraordinary work.”

In short, the experience positioned her perfectly for her current job in workforce development with ABC and her “sideline” as a member of the Grand Rapids Public Schools Board of Education.

“All students deserve to have an adult take an interest in their future,” she said. “In construction, we say that those who work in this industry, whether in the trades or management, are there because someone took an interest in their career pathway when they were just a student. I have the opportunity to ensure students and educators make the connections that guarantee every student can envision a career pathway for their future.”

Stacy Stout, 37

Assistant to the City Manager City of Grand Rapids Stacy Stout is the recipient of the 2016 ATHENA Young Professional Award, and that might not even be her biggest accomplishment this year.

In January, she became the first Latina in the executive office at City Hall, when she accepted the newly created position of Assistant to the City Manager. Her mission is to strategize and align the city neighborhood initiatives to maximize equitable life outcomes in the communities. Previous positions included stints with Hispanic Center of West Michigan, Grand Rapids Public Schools, W.K. Kellogg Foundation and co-founder of Latina Network of West Michigan.

“Stacy is incredible. She is driven, hard working, dedicated and has massive amounts of integrity,” said Janay Brower, president of contract cut and sew apparel business Public Thread. “She holds space for difficult conversations and challenging systems and institutions, yet gives grace for people to learn, grow and evolve.”

Stout said much of her professional life has led her to the position with the city.

“I’ve been fortunate to have several mentors and champions see my skills, passion and potential and give me support by leveraging their networks and positional power for me, give me critical feedback and help me strategize,” she said.

None of this would have happened without a gentle push from her mother, however.

“My mother, a strong and proud Tejana, told me once, ‘You are too young to work, but too old to do nothing (to help people),’ when I inquired as to why she had me volunteering so much as a child,” Stout said. “She added, ‘We might not have money, but we have the ability and responsibility to help people.’ I inherited her community spirit and servant leadership style.”

2016 40 UNDER FORTY | Grand Rapids Business Journal 33

Tami Sytsma, 37

Jackson Van Dyke, 36

Owner Sytsma Wealth Strategies

Owner/Managing Partner Harmony Brewing Co./Bear Manor

Tami Sytsma could have stayed with the family business and carved out a nice living for herself, but that’s not her style.

“Working with family offers a whole host of headaches and heartaches, but it also provides a kind of security blanket that can’t be taken for granted,” she said.

“Forgoing that security blanket is a decision that’s filled with all kinds of uncertainty, self-doubt and stress, but knowing that you’re building something on your own can give an incredible amount of fulfillment.”

So, she found an office on Wealthy Street in the Uptown neighborhood and, with the help of friends, set about renovating it.

“I knew I wanted to be a part of the revitalization of one of Grand Rapids’ neighborhoods and searched for months for the right location,” she said. “I am fortunate to have found it, and I’m grateful for the other independent business owners who are also thriving right along with me.”

Sytsma said that sense of community is important to her, which is one of the reasons she serves on the board of Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women and helped establish a microloan program geared toward GROW’s clients.

“My profession of finance is a field dominated by males,” Sytsma said. “It gives me a great sense of pride to know that I’m not only just making my own name, but doing it as a strong, independent woman who had the courage to pursue her own dreams.”

Jackson Van Dyke has created and successfully run three Grand Rapids businesses — Bear Manor Properties, Harmony Brewing Co. and Harmony Hall — which have added nearly 150 jobs and helped revitalize the Wealthy Street Corridor and the Stockbridge Business District.

He also is one of the founding members and current president of the Beer City Brewers Guild.

Neighborhood and community always have been important to both Bear Manor and Harmony Brewing, leading Van Dyke to pursue different volunteer opportunities. He led area breweries to team with Friends of Grand Rapids Parks and the Urban Forest Project. The result was funding in 2013 for an initiative called Brewers Grove in Riverside Park, as well as other tree-planting projects throughout the city.

Affordable housing is another one of Van Dyke’s passions, so he helped create the “0.1K Micro Run,” a fundraising effort with Habitat for Humanity of Kent County and the Greater Grand Rapids Home Builders Association to ensure decent and affordable housing is available to all.

Business and community are synonymous for Van Dyke, who realizes one can’t be successful without the other.

“With Bear Manor Properties, I took part in the revitalization of the Wealthy Street Corridor, which has had a significant impact,” he said. “Harmony Brewing Co. and Harmony Hall are both recognized as customer favorites but also leaders in the Grand Rapids beer scene and culture. We started as a small residential real estate company and have expanded into commercial real estate and own and operate two breweries employing close to 150 people.”

34 Grand Rapids Business Journal | 40 UNDER FORTY 2016

Congratulations,

Luis Avila!

A 2016 “40 Under Forty” Business Leader 

  

Contact Luis Avila at 616/336-6895 or leavila@varnumlaw.com

Labor and employment relations Immigration Employment litigation defense Community leader, mentor, role model

www.varnumlaw.com

Visit greatlakesneuro.com to learn more.

2016 40 UNDER FORTY | Grand Rapids Business Journal 35

Kyle VanStrien, 31

Garry VonMyhr, 28

When Kyle VanStrien has a good idea, he doesn’t wait for it to ferment.

“Like most good ideas, my business partner, Jon O’Connor, and I hatched the idea to start Grand Rapids’ first distillery over a bottle or two of Irish whiskey in the basement one night,” said VanStrien, co-owner and co-founder of Long Road Distillers. “Rather than writing it off as ‘crazy’ or ‘too difficult,’ we got started on the business planning and coordination the next morning.

Within two months, with the help of friends and family, we had secured financing, placed deposits on our distilling equipment and purchased a 130-year-old building on the West Side to renovate into our future home.”

Eighteen months later, Long Road opened, and the distillery has been collecting national and international awards for its products ever since.

VanStrien, who is vice chair of the Grand Rapids Planning Commission, is proud of Long Road’s contributions to revitalizing the West Leonard Business District.

“We have had (the opportunity) to positively impact the neighborhood we love with our investment of time, energy and resources in the form of a new small business that joins many longstanding businesses,” he said, listing Long Road neighbors, such as Brann’s, The Shade Shop, DeVries Jewelers, Belden Brick and Supply, Hoogerhyde Safe and Lock and Arnie’s, as well as fellow newcomers Mitten Brewing Co. and Two Scotts BBQ. “I have been active on both a neighborhood and citywide level to try and make Grand Rapids a better place to live, work and play for nearly a decade,” VanStrien said.

“We’re excited to continue highlighting the incredible resources we have available to us in West Michigan.”

Garry VonMyhr comes off looking pretty smart. A genius, some might say.

The roots of Genius Phone Repair started in 2008 at Grand Valley State University, when VonMyhr and his partners began a sideline business of repairing phones for students. The smartphone craze would blossom just a few months later.

VonMyhr said he saw an opportunity despite knowing almost nothing about technology. But he knew mail-in repairs wouldn’t work for smartphones, as customers wouldn’t want to be without them for even a few hours.

“I knew nothing about smartphones, but I love business, and I was going to drive revenue,” VonMyhr said. “I knew that soon, everyone would have smartphones, and if we could build a customer base, we’d be OK.” VonMyhr and his partners, Steve Barnes and Jordan Notenbaum, are doing much better than “OK.” In five years, a startup with $10,000 in working capital has turned into three companies with 200 employees that produce more than $40 million in annual revenue.

“A year after opening our first retail location, me and my business partners … saw a major opportunity to supply the phone repair industry with cell phone and tablet parts,” he said. “We decided to open up a new wholesale distribution business called Mobile Defenders, which would basically supply ourselves and our competitors with parts. This proved to be a wise decision, as the cell phone repair industry has grown exponentially over the last few years, and this side of our business is now about four times the size of our retail business.”

Co-owner/Co-founder Long Road Distillers

36 Grand Rapids Business Journal | 40 UNDER FORTY 2016

Co-owner/CEO Genius Phone Repair

Congratulations TO THIS YEAR’S 40 UNDER FORTY HONOREES AND our Distinguished Alumnus, Amy Ruis We look forward to following your progress in the future!

THANK YOU TO THIS YEAR’S 40 UNDER FORTY SPONSORS, WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT!

Mirka Wilderer, 38

Daniel Williams, 37

General Manager and Vice President Evoqua Water Technologies

Executive Director West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology

Mirka Wilderer’s world view has found a home in West Michigan.

The German national has spent the past two years as general manager and vice president of the Separation Technologies Division of Evoqua Water Technologies, based in Holland, engineering a turnaround of a company that is rooted in community involvement.

“When I was asked to take on the responsibility … the business had been challenged with multiple years of business decline, a loss of key talent, disengaged partners and a lack of name recognition in the market and community,” Wilderer said. “Within the first few months, I developed a growth strategy with the goal to double the size of the business in a three-to-five-year time period and return to the $100 million mark by serving the modern-day customer. The transformation our business has realized since then has been remarkable.”

Lakeshore business leaders are taking notice.

“Mirka is an incredible leader who has jumped into this community with both feet,” said Jennifer Owens, president of Lakeshore Advantage. “The new strategies that Mirka has implemented and the turnaround within Evoqua I have witnessed has been amazing.”

Jane Clark, president of Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce, agreed.

“Her diligence in the community and as a member of the chamber has set a shining example for local business owners to strive to mimic,” Clark said.

Part of that has to do with Wilderer’s global mindset.

She has completed internships in France, Switzerland and China, and her first full-time role was working on a project in The Congo. Other stops included Indonesia, Thailand, Russia, the Czech Republic, Egypt and Mexico.

Daniel Williams understands the importance of learning.

His previous work as principal with University Preparatory Academy in Detroit and opening Grand Rapids University Prep showed him the important roles leaders can play in a community, and he now is honing that experience as executive director of West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology in Grand Rapids.

“I was able to found and lead an innovative, chartermodel school within a large, public district and meet the lofty goals we set for our students,” Williams said of his service with University Prep, which earned him the title of Grand Rapids Public Schools Principal of the Year in 2015. “A largely minority, high-poverty, urban school without selective enrollment, each of our graduating classes has achieved over 90 percent high school graduation with 100 percent of those graduates accepted into some post-secondary option.

“Each (student) has a story that is unique and important. We value their stories, support them as individuals and as a collective, family-like body. The work with UPrep and, now with WMCAT, is critical, hopeful and valuable.”

One could say Williams was preparing for this role almost from birth.

“As a child of an interracial couple from vastly different backgrounds — which formed them into two vastly different people — I learned the importance of understanding how cultural perspectives, race and socioeconomic status intersect and affect opportunities and experiences,” he said. “My experiences as their young child were the earliest factors that motivated my personal and professional goals of breaking the generational cycle of poverty and working for racial equity and justice, diversity and inclusion.”

38 Grand Rapids Business Journal | 40 UNDER FORTY 2016

Congratulations Michael Gilpin on your well deserved success as a 2016 “40 Under Forty� honoree.

Grand Rapids 3582 29th Street SE, Suite 101 Grand Rapids, MI 49512

(616) 949-7446 www.fastsigns.com/467

BUILDING FOR TOMORROW’S NEEDS TODAY The world is changing. And Rockford is working to change it for the better.

CONGRATULATIONS MIKE MRAZ, a “40 Under Forty” Business Leader.