GLBM August 2017 by M3 Group Publications

AUGUST 2017

TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION Jamey Fitzpatrick, CEO of Michigan Virtual, and how cyber schools blend online and traditional learning IN THIS ISSUE • TRUMP’S PROPOSED 2018 BUDGET & THE LANSING SCHOOL DISTRICT • LOCAL BUSINESSES OFFER TACTICS AGAINST RANSOMWARE • PREPARING GREATER LANSING STUDENTS FOR 21ST CENTURY CAREERS

AUGUST 2017

ON THE COVER Trump's proposed 2018 budget & the Lansing School District............................................................... 8 Local businesses offer tactics against ransomware............10 Technology in education...................................................................14 Preparing greater Lansing students for 21st century careers..........................................................................33

NEWS LEAP’s Under The Bridge project breathes new life into Michigan Avenue........................................................ 6 What’s causing teacher shortages in the US?........................12

AUGUST 2017

14 FEATURE

Commentary.................................................................................................................................................. 4 Visual Breakdown..................................................................................................................................... 18

TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION

Vibrant downtowns................................................................................................................................. 20 A unique Spartan returns for MSU Homecoming.................................................................... 22 Creating a strong community of learners..................................................................................... 26

Jamey Fitzpatrick, CEO of Michigan Virtual, and how cyber schools blend online and traditional learning

Economy........................................................................................................................................................ 28

IN THIS ISSUE

Behind the Scenes.................................................................................................................................... 34

• TRUMP’S PROPOSED 2018 BUDGET & THE LANSING SCHOOL DISTRICT • LOCAL BUSINESSES OFFER TACTICS AGAINST RANSOMWARE • PREPARING GREATER LANSING STUDENTS FOR 21ST CENTURY CAREERS

Greater Lansing at a Glance................................................................................................................ 36 Business Calendar.................................................................................................................................... 38 Notable News............................................................................................................................................. 40

Cover photography by Erika Hodges

Greater Lansing Business Monthly | Volume 30, Issue 8

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Greater Lansing Business Monthly is published monthly by M3 Group at 614 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933. Periodicals postage paid at Lansing, Michigan USPO. USPS number 020w807.

Subscriptions: Subscriptions are available at $22 per year for postage and handling or $38 for two years. Call (517) 203-0123 or visit lansingbusinessnews.com to subscribe. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Greater Lansing Business Monthly, 614 Seymour Ave., Lansing, MI 48933. Send additional subscription requests and address changes to The Greater Lansing Business Monthly, Inc., 614 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933. Copyright © 2016 The Greater Lansing Business Monthly, Inc. All rights reserved. Editorial Office: 614 Seymour Street, Lansing, MI 48933 lansingbusinessnews.com 2

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COMMENTARY

TO EDUCATE OR NOT TO EDUCATE Publisher: Tiffany Dowling tiffany@m3group.biz Sales Manager: Jennifer Hodges jhodges@m3group.biz Editor: Kelly Mazurkiewicz kelly@m3group.biz Media Manager: Jill Bailey Account Managers: Austin Ashley Megan Fleming Manny Garcia Communications Director: Ami Iceman-Haueter Art Director: Mark Warner Publication Designer: Nikki Nicolaou Graphic Designers: Angela Carlone Kerry Hidlay Heather Thielking Photographer: Erika Hodges Web Manager: Skylar Kohagen Event Calendar Manager: Jaime Hardesty

GLBM Editorial Board: April Clobes — President and CEO, MSU Federal Credit Union Calvin Jones — Government Relations Director, Lansing Board of Water & Light Lisa Parker — Director of Alumni Career and Business Services, Michigan State University Alumni Association Deb Muchmore — Partner, Kandler Reed Khoury & Muchmore Tom Ruis — Vice President, Fifth Third Bank Doug Klein — Executive Director, Mason Area Chamber of Commerce

THAT IS THE QUESTION Many business owners, human resources executives and CEOs probably wonder whether investing in their employees’ growth is the fiscally right choice. After all, you could help them be more marketable. I don’t expect you to be too altruistic, doing what’s well for the universe only because it’s the right thing to do — even though it might be. It’s more so a matter of maintaining a level of ability within your own organization. If you don’t help your team stay on top of the latest trends, then guess what? Your own people fall behind, and your company soon follows suit, falling behind the competitors. Here are areas to consider when evaluating the potential investment: 1. Will this type of education help the company in the short-term? Evaluate the return on your investment. It may not take very long for the latest information to pay dividends. 2. If you grant educational opportunities inside the company, how does this look to other members on the team? It isn’t a difficult equation. Sometimes, a loss as a leader that provides for others can give employees a very favorable opinion of the company, ultimately boosting morale. 3. Where’s the cross-training and leadership opportunities? It’s not prudent to advance only one person in these ways. Take the opportunity to ask the learner to share new knowledge with groups, giving additional information to more members of the team. 4. You can get creative. There are many associations and small groups that give valuable insight into industries. It’s about knowing the resources are available, which they are. So, do the research. 5. Consider different technologies to communicate. It’s a lot less expensive to provide opportunities through webinars; while it lacks face-to-face connection, online channels allow an organization to educate more people and keep appropriate settings, such as a conference room. Working through the pros and cons of employee education may be difficult, but I encourage you to fall on the side of learning. It’s important to allow your team members an opportunity to request areas of education that are important to them. Hopefully, their initiative sustains a focus on the task at hand and the readiness to take on new challenges. There are many reasons to provide educational opportunities — most importantly, it’s good business. Always be learning,

Mark Hooper — Partner, Andrews Hopper Pavlik Diontrae Hayes — Supervisor Charter Township of Lansing Tiffany Dowling | Publisher

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A BRIGHT LIGHT BETWEEN TWO CITIES LEAP’s Under The Bridge project breathes new life into Michigan Avenue BY ADAM LANSDELL

The joy of visiting any major city comes from embracing the unique culture and experiences that come from a bit of exploration. What embodies any destination isn’t necessarily the tallest building in the skyline, but rather the small details that aesthetically weave together concrete and community. As Lansing continues to become more than just a big city with a small-town feel, the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) is penciling in further 6

details of its own with the help of a newly completed crowdfunded project. Thanks to the result of a successful campaign, roughly $107,000 is being used to transform the Michigan Avenue Bridge of US-127. Creatively bridging the gap between East Lansing and downtown Lansing sits the newly completed, Under the Bridge project. Construction launched this past spring in partnership with

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Lansing-based artist, Brian Whitfield. Whitfield was commissioned to create four murals on the sloped pavement underneath the overpass. In addition to the added artistic touch, the Lansing Board of Water & Light (BWL) has added to the new look by installing 24 decorative LED lights that will illuminate the bridge. “I am honored to have been commissioned for a truly transformative project in my own

NEWS

backyard,” said Whitfield. “There has been a lot of interest from passing motorists, bicyclists and people on foot. People seem genuinely excited about what they are seeing.” The murals were strategically designed to create a literal representation of the connections between Lansing and East Lansing by visually celebrating the rich history, prosperous future and present strengths of the regional community. Accented by the BWL’s contribution, the addition won’t go unnoticed by residents, visitors and commuters. “The BWL is committed to our community, and this project will make the underpass a more desirable corridor, especially for those walking,” said Dick Peffley, general manager of the BWL. “Under the Bridge is a great project that allows us to put our values into action to engage with our community and contribute to the future prosperity of the region.” Making travel between downtown Lansing and East Lansing more convenient and safe has long been an objective of local leaders. In an effort to make the downtown area more attractive and accessible for MSU students and professionals with business extending to both areas, the new project will be a welcomed addition for those looking for new opportunities to commute. Efforts to accomplish similar goals, such as the Bus Rapid Transit, are more intensive and still hanging in the balance. Officials undertaking this project are enthusiastic that this new

opportunity will be an enticing change for the area and its residents.

relationships, better health and ultimately decrease the area’s environmental impact.

“Under the Bridge is a fantastic example of successful placemaking. Through a wellexecuted, artistic and functional installation, this project will be instrumental in uniting the Michigan Avenue corridor and showcasing the global vibe of the region,” said Bob Trezise, president and CEO of LEAP. “There is so much economic development activity occurring along this stretch of the corridor, and this highly visible addition will truly bridge two of our greatest regional assets, the State Capitol and Michigan State University of East Lansing.”

According to a 2016 study by Active Living research, lack of physical activity is a major risk factor in over 5 million — or 9 percent — of premature deaths worldwide. In economic terms, the burden from lack of physical activity is estimated to be $117 billion, anywhere from 9–11 percent of total health care costs in the U.S. By providing residents with safe spaces to commute, the area’s contribution to these large-scale statistics might be alleviated. As cities across the country start to embrace this trend, the impact could become significant in years to come.

Local developers are working hard to transform the area where residents can traverse storefronts and commute on foot. Unsurprisingly, those developing this area also provided funding for the project. Notable contributors include the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the BWL, Arts Council of Greater Lansing, RISE Development LLC, Sparrow Foundation, Michigan State University, Indian Trails, Feldman Automotive, LAFCU, Lansing Charter Township, City of Lansing, AF Group, Harvest Creative Services and the Gillespie Company.

With so many organizations working to breathe new life into the area between East Lansing and downtown Lansing, it’s an exciting time for residents of each. What once was a desolate strip of consistently rotating business and faltering staples is finally finding its footing again. Cohesion and fluidity is emerging in the area and, before you know it, the striking differences in culture between our sister cities may vanish.

Safety and walkability isn’t just a benefit to residential safety; it’s a huge selling point for prospective businesses that could potentially make a big impact on the local economy. Creating walkable neighborhoods is a formidable way to encourage stronger community

Adam Lansdell is an alumnus of Grand Valley State University, and currently a Communication Specialist with M3 Group of Lansing. With a passion for all things creative it comes as no surprise that he’s also a musician, movie buff and graphic designer. Adam spends his down time biking, and spending too much of his personal income on concert tickets or vinyl records.

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TRUMP ADMINISTRATION 2018 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET Trump’s proposed budget promises change to Lansing School District BY KALYNNE MCINTYRE

With a presidential election comes new administration, and the Trump administration has wasted no time in proposing drastic changes to many existing governmental departments — especially education. The 2018 fiscal budget proposes a 13.5 percent budget decrease for the Department of Education, dropping from $68.2 billion in 2017 to $59 Billion in 2018. The smaller budget would come from slashing more than 20 programs like teacher training, after-school programs and class-size reduction initiatives. The proposed 2018 budget, if approved, would also reshape financial aid programs that help students pay for college. 8

These proposed budget cuts are the biggest to the Department of Education since 1983, when President Ronald Reagan proposed to cut 35.7 percent of funding — ultimately, Congress did not approve his proposed fiscal budget and decided to increase the budget for the Department of Education altogether. While the new budget still needs to be reviewed and approved before any changes are made, what President Trump is currently proposing could have a serious impact on the Lansing School District. Currently, the administration plans to devote $1 billion to boost Title I aid and simultaneously promote Schools of Choice. Originally, Title

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I was designed to provide financial assistance to financially challenged students to help them succeed in school. In the past, the funds would be given to local educational agencies and then allocated from there to the public schools with the highest percentage of children from low-income families. However, under the new budget, the Furthering Options for Children to Unlock Success (FOCUS) grants would instead be distributed according to open enrollment policies and weighted student-funding formulas. The new proposed budget also cuts the formula-based funding increase of more than $550 million dollars that Congress had already approved earlier in 2017.

NEWS

The newly allocated funds would be allowed to “follow” the student to whichever school they choose to enroll in, no matter what school district they live in. While the new budget is clearly designed to benefit districts that opt into school choice, this is an option that Lansing has continued to struggle with. According to state data, more than 3,000 students currently live within the Lansing School District, yet opt to attend school elsewhere. Areas like Waverly, Holt, Okemos and Haslett have seen significant growth in their districts because of this. On average, the Lansing School District lost 460 students per year for the past 10 years, dropping their enrollment from 16,000 students in 2004 to just under 11,700 in 2014. The decrease has been attributed to School of Choice, as well as a rise in charter schools, both of which the new Trump education budget seeks to support. School of Choice also creates a whole host of issues for surrounding districts. With swelling class sizes, teachers have less time and attention to devote to individual students. They also struggle to accommodate the sheer number of students in buildings.

pay off. This budget cut would hit the Lansing School District particularly hard; according to a report via City Data, 41.6 percent of children in Lansing live below the poverty line, compared to the state of Michigan’s 22 percent. Essentially, with the new proposed cuts to both the PSLF program and subsidized student loans, Lansing high school grads could have a much harder time affording any sort of public service career, let alone a degree.

While the 2018 fiscal budget has yet to be approved, there will certainly be repercussions felt in the Lansing School District once the new fiscal year begins. Kalynne McIntyre is a blogger and marketer, currently living in Washington, D.C. She specializes in creative storytelling and digital marketing. More of her work can be found at kalynne.mcintyre.com.

Similarly, Charter schools would get a helping hand from Trump in the new budget, upping their funding from $342 million to $500 million in federal aid. However, grants for plenty of other important education aspects would see dramatic cuts: special education funding, which is also on a formula-based distribution, would be cut by roughly $112 million; Title II, designed to further teacher development and support class-size reduction, would be eliminated entirely. Perhaps, the biggest proposed cut is in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The program was created to encourage people to work in the public sector, following careers such as teachers, doctors, social workers, etc. and help them bear the burden of their student debt. After making 120 consecutive payments — 10 years’ worth of payments — those enrolled, will have the remainder of their debt forgiven. Without this, many students would be unable to afford their degrees as their wages often pale in comparison to their student debt. Subsidized student loans are also on the chopping block. While not a true forgiveness program, subsidized loans are often extremely helpful for low-income students because the government pays the interest on the loan while the student is in school or the loan is in deferment. Without that option, many students would be forced to take out unsubsidized student loans, which begin accruing interest immediately after being taken out, causing them to rack up far more debt than they can afford to

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LOCAL BUSINESSES OFFER TACTICS AGAINST

RANSOMWARE BY ANDREW DOMINO

WannaCry, the computer malware that affected some 150 nations in May, has mostly been contained. But the threat it poses to computer systems everywhere is something business owners of every size need to remember, computer experts say. Though it’s often referred to as a computer virus, malware includes not only actual viruses but other types of programs that copy themselves inside a computer, editing or deleting files already on that machine, and then are transferring to other computers through the 10

Internet. WannaCry is ransomware: malware that encrypts a computer so none of its programs can be accessed without paying the WannaCry instigators several thousand dollars. The price from the recent attack doubled after three days. Ransomware struck several high-profile victims, mainly in Asia and Europe, including the National Health Service in the United Kingdom and a phone company in Spain. The ransom itself was requested in Bitcoins, an electronic form of money that isn’t officially recognized as legal currency but can be estimated anywhere from

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$1,000 to $2,000 or more per Bitcoin due to extreme fluctuations in value. If the ransom isn’t paid, all the data on the computer will simply become unavailable or severely damaged. Dan Williamson, owner of PC Perfect, a computer repair shop in Lansing, said part of his daily routine is to check a mailing list sent by us-cert.gov, a Department of Homeland Security branch specializing in computer crime. It lists exploits and vulnerabilities in software, identifying computer code that can be improved upon to prevent intruders, seiged by

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“HACKERS WILL GO FOR AN EASY TARGET. SMALL BUSINESSES DON’T HAVE A LOT OF CUSTOMERS, BUT THEY STILL HAVE CREDIT CARD INFORMATION.” Don Cornish, chief information security officer at Dewpoint in Lansing vandals. Computer companies like Microsoft regularly issue new versions of software with the vulnerabilities removed. Williamson called it a “cat-and-mouse game,” since malware creators are looking for exploits as quickly as companies are revising software to shut them down.

recipes. Clicking on those images could lead to a legitimate site, but it could also increase exposure to malware. The better option isn’t to click on an image; instead, look for something directly by entering a word or phrase in a search engine such as Google.

There’s no guarantee that a computer hit with ransomware will be unlocked and available for use again, even after paying a ransom. So, the best solution is to block malware before it ever gets into a computer, and that requires a twopronged approach.

Employees aren’t likely to be spending a lot of time on recipe websites, but they may be somewhere else that manages account information or similar content. In a 2015 report, technology company Cisco found that in North, Central and South America, the aviation industry is five times as likely to be the target of malware as other industries like telecommunications and utilities. The increase in likelihood is because of the access to personal, customer information and other details on products shipped by air.

The first step is to consistently install patches — updates and improvements to new versions of operating software that Microsoft, Apple and other companies provide to users. It may be hard to tell what’s a legitimate update and what is potentially malware, but users can head to the company’s own website to download updates, which will usually install automatically. Microsoft offers Patch Tuesdays, the second and occasionally fourth Tuesday of each month when a new set of updates for Windows-based software is released, downloaded and installed into a user’s computer. “If you can patch in a reasonable time frame — one to two weeks at most — you’re cutting off one of the main ways for malware to get in,” said Don Cornish, chief information security officer at Dewpoint in Lansing. The second step is to use computers wisely. Williamson suggested only clicking on websites that are appropriate for business and asking a computer professional about any suspicious content that appears on the screen. In many cases, malware creators disguise their programs as friendly messages, ones that computer users would never think of as dangerous. “Recipe websites are a big one, where I see viruses appear,” Williamson said. The recipe and ingredient list are only one part of what’s on the screen on a food-related website; the rest is advertising or what appear to be links to other

“Hackers will go for an easy target,” Cornish said. “Small businesses don’t have a lot of customers, but they still have credit card information.” Cornish also said Dewpoint consults with as many as six companies on their security. One business had a user who clicked on a link that triggered malware, moving from that user’s computer into the online space where all the company’s files were stored. Dewpoint was able to remove the malware and save the files, but Cornish said it was an example of how damage to one computer can spread to many others in a matter of moments. Williamson said there’s no official set of guidelines for preventing viruses or ransomware, but he does have several recommendations, starting with having multiple backups. Convenient backup locations are both online on trustworthy, third-party websites. It also doesn’t hurt to save another version on a hard drive specifically devoted to backups. Both backups can be set to save additional information every day, even immediately after saving a file. If a computer is damaged by malware, the essential information will be available to download from the third-party site or the hard drive.

Cornish suggested practicing the recovery of data, so that staff know where to find the online and “hard copy” backups, and how to reinstall them along with the latest software. “If you are compromised, it’s almost impossible to guarantee everything is back to normal,” he said. “It’s usually better to start from scratch.” Symantec, the company behind Norton antivirus software, recommends several methods of staying protected from malware attacks: Use reputable antivirus software and a firewall. A computer professional can help identify the best software for your system. Back up often. Save your documents, images and other data to an online backup service and a separate drive, so less will be lost if you do have to restart. Enable your pop-up blocker. Check your Internet browser’s settings to make sure pop-up ads are prevented from appearing. Exercise caution. If you’re unsure of a link or website you’re about to click on, ask a computer professional or use other protected computers to research the link. Disconnect from the Internet. As soon as a ransomware threat appears on your screen, turn off your computer so data can’t be transmitted to criminals, and you can contain the malware. Alert authorities. The FBI is the lead agency investigating online crimes, including ransomware. Andrew Domino writes about finance, culture and hobbies for publications in Lansing, across the U.S. and online. He was surprised to learn how often software is patched and resolves to back up his own computer more regularly. Andrew is also a freelance writer and blogger, bridging the gap between “nerds” and the rest of the world. You can see more of his writing at www.dominowriting.com. L

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EDUCATION IN CRISIS

What’s causing teacher shortages in the US? BY TERESA FRITH

Education is a vital tool to help ensure a bright future for not only the state of Michigan, but that of the entire U.S.. But without an adequate number of teachers, educating our children in the future is seriously at risk. According to research at the Learning Policy Institute (LPI) based in Palo Alto, Calif., the U.S. is now amid a critical teacher shortage — such has not been seen since the 1990s. While there are deficits in every state, it’s worse in some states than others. The primary areas of highest concern are special education, math, science, English language and bilingual education. LPI’s numbers show that from 2011 to 2016, while hiring of public school teachers in the U.S. went up 45 percent, enrollment dropped 35 percent between 2009 and 2014 for students enrolling in teacher preparation programs. Michigan hasn’t escaped this crisis: Enrollment at two of Michigan’s top ranked schools of education, Michigan State University and University of Michigan, have fallen by 35 and 45 percent, respectively. Reports in recent years show that in Detroit and Flint schools, class sizes have risen to 45 12

students or higher due to less teachers being available. Statistics show that vacancies in these districts and some rural areas have stayed unfilled for months at a time. This not only includes full-time teaching positions, but it also reflects shortages in substitute teachers as well, with Flint schools facing averages of 20 sub requests going unfilled daily. So, what is causing these shortages? According to Mary Lesage, a teacher from the Maple Valley School District in Vermontville, Mich., there are several reasons. “I have been teaching for 34 years,” said Lesage. “Part of the reason are things such as less people getting into the field and Baby Boomers starting to retire. There are also more demands being placed on teachers, and we are working longer hours with more government regulations.” She also listed several other factors that many other teachers echo, such as less respect and support, less parental involvement, being forced to teach toward the test (e.g. state testing), more paperwork versus actual teaching time and today’s socioeconomic standards.

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“I love being with the kids,” stressed Lesage. “But teachers today are facing a lot more challenges, and that makes it hard to do our job.” Other reasons cited in some teacher surveys listed issues such as not being allowed to be flexible, inadequate classroom resources and evaluations based on student test scores. In fact, a survey in 2014 by the National Education Association showed about 50 percent of teachers all over the U.S. have thought of quitting because of standardized testing issues. An online poll done by Education Week also reported that responders said they wouldn’t recommend becoming a teacher by an almost 5-to-1 margin, an indicator of the stress that educators are under. Another reason for that stress in the teaching profession is low pay. Michigan teachers are listed as receiving above U.S. average pay with average annual salaries of about $62,000 in 2016 — versus the national average of around $56,000 — according to teachingdegree.org and depending on their area of specialty. The average pay is calculated by dividing the total cost of salaries by the number of full-time equivalent teachers.

NEWS

From 2011 to 2016 hiring of public school teachers in the U.S. WENT UP

but enrollment in teacher preparation programs DROPPED from 2009 to 2014

45% 35%

50%

OF TEACHERS HAVE THOUGHT OF QUITTING because of standardized testing issues

Sources: Learning Policy Institute; National Education Association

So, how can this teacher shortage be solved? Michigan officials have researched the problems with past and pending teacher shortages for several years and according to former State Superintendent Mike Flanagan, who served Michigan from 2005 to 2015, the state has ways to address the shortage. In 2014, he recommended several workable solutions, such as letting retired teachers and certified teachers who are no longer teaching have a way to get back into it, as well as letting people with a bachelor’s degree apply to take alternate routes to becoming a teacher.

One way Flanagan aims to increase the supply of teachers in the state is by encouraging people from outside of the teaching profession to enter the field. Individuals with a bachelor’s degree can apply for alternative programs and apply for a variety of permit options. Interested applicants can see the entire listing of options on the Michigan Department of Education’s website. Other options allowed include the Troops to Teachers Program, which allows former military members to become certified as teachers. The bottom line is that not having enough qualified educators nationwide is hurting the future of our

nation and the current deficit must be addressed and remedied as soon as possible. Our teachers need to have not only the time and tools to do their job, but our respect and trust; if not, we face potential drops in overall literacy, which is something that must be avoided to keep our country strong. Teresa Frith is a Navy veteran now residing in Nashville, Mich. She's been writing and editing as a freelancer since retiring from the Navy in 2011, where she was a military journalist. She holds a BA in English from Western Illinois University. Her hobbies include reading, writing and working to help stray and feral cats.

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Jamey Fitzpatrick, president and CEO of Michigan Virtual.

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CYBER COVER

SCHOOLS A blend of online and traditional classes BY ANDREW DOMINO

Technology is changing the way students learn, but high-tech education professionals say they’re not planning to replace traditional classrooms anytime soon. Parents, teachers and school staff members know how often students use technology for learning in evolving ways, like using their personal tablets for research or a school-owned desktop computer to write a report. However, some students do all their learning by computer, and most students don’t have a more personal option.

Students enrolled in LifeTech each work at home on an iPad, given to them by the school. They have about 220 students enrolled, mostly from the Lansing and Adrian areas. A lot of their students are home-schooled, while others are disabled or live far away from any school building. Michigan Virtual (MV) is another “cyber school,” though it’s more tied to school systems

Courtesy photo

“There’s a place for kids to meet with teachers, but do they have to meet physically or via Skype?” asked Matthew Anderson, chief brand officer of LifeTech Academy, a public charter “cyber school” based in Lansing.

LifeTech Academy, serving grades 7-12, is a free public charter cyber school educating youth based on their personal interests in a blended learning environment by providing hands-on learning opportunities with strategic partners. To learn more, visit LifeTechAcademy.org.

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COVER

LifeTech Academy students

Courtesy photos

than LifeTech. MV classes are often in a school building, but the class itself is online: perhaps the student is sitting in the school library with a computer while their friends are in classrooms. Michigan Virtual offers over 200 classes, from accounting to world religions and all at middle and high school levels. Most participating students don’t have certain classes available to them through their primary school district or their schedules mean they can’t take a required class like English or math when it’s offered. MV has about 91,000 students throughout the state that have taken one or more of their classes. The courses are self-taught in a sense; students must log on to their electronic classroom, read 16

directions and work all on their own. Teachers, renamed mentors or learning facilitators, are available via text, email or videoconferencing to answer questions and keep students on track, by making sure they’re attending classes. Joe Friedhoff, vice president of MV, said a student can put an MV class on a college transcript. There’s plenty of electronic learning available outside of formal classes, too. A Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is exactly what the name describes: classes available to anyone — even defined as subscribers to a website — that go into more detail than a typical YouTube video. Sites like Udacity offer computer programming and basic science courses,

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while others, such as Khan Academy, feature kindergarten through 12th grade-level classes in math and science. Cyber schools bridge the gap between MOOCs and traditional classrooms, proponents say. An online education series can offer training in a discipline, but it usually isn’t an accredited school that “meets acceptable levels of quality,” as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. MV classes are seen by colleges as more legitimate than MOOCs. There’s also the issue of personal relationships: a YouTube video is easy to watch, but students can’t directly ask questions of the instructor

COVER

in the video. But teachers are an email or text away to answer questions in a cyber school, similar enough to a traditional classroom to be efficient. Jamey Fitzpatrick, president and CEO of MV, called it “high touch” education. “We have teachers who say they develop deeper relationships online,” Fitzpatrick said, adding that students who are uncomfortable speaking in class are sometimes better at communicating in other ways. Neither MOOCs nor cyber schools are trying to replace traditional classes, but instead show that a relationship is one of partnership. They’re offering additional training, as well as courses that better fit students’ schedules to provide something a student couldn’t get ordinarily. Anderson said this thinking gives LifeTech the flexibility to customize its education into something that more aligns with student interest. He gave an example of a student interested in space travel that learns geometry related to planetary orbits, instead of simply busywork for math problems.

programs are in place, the next step is to encourage more people to utilize them. Claiming a “low-level awareness” of cyber schools — parents simply don’t know the options out there for their children. Parents who teach at home often only find online programs once they feel there is nothing else to teach. “Parents recognize they’re not professional educators,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s also for students disengaged from the system. They’re spending extra hours on bus rides, because they’re going to a school where their zip code says they have to go.” Anderson said there’s a separate conversation starting in education in regard to the nature

of what’s taught. Even if teachers are still necessary in a virtual classroom, what they are teaching could change, from basic facts to teaching students how to learn. “If we can just ask Siri, ‘Who won the Civil War?’ how much do you need to know about the Civil War?” Anderson said. LifeTech has professional relationships with more than a dozen businesses in the Lansing area and beyond, like the Greater Michigan Construction Academy and M3 Group — parent publisher of Greater Lansing Business Monthly — where students can talk with professionals in relevant industries. It’s more of an emphasis on learning skills than memorizing facts.

CT NE I O

CON

The goal of MV has always been to help students who can’t get what they need in a traditional classroom. Now that successful

Neither MOOCs nor cyber schools are trying to replace traditional classes, but instead show that a relationship is one of partnership. They’re offering additional training, as well as courses that better fit students’ schedules to provide something a student couldn’t get ordinarily.

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n o i t a Educ today VISUAL BREAKDOWN

Education platforms continue to evolve to meet the needs of today’s students and educators, but at what cost? This month we take a look at current education trends, costs for students and the status of online learning opportunities. The cost of a college degree isn’t going down any time soon

According to a 2015 study, nearly

68%

of students who graduated from a 4-year college or institution

have student loan debt Americans owe nearly

$1.4 TRILLION IN LOANS

spread amongst nearly 44 million borrowers While student loans are initially financed as 10-year plans, data suggests that most graduates will repay in

20 YEARS

Michigan colleges, in-state student debt averages

$30,045 Michigan currently has the

12TH HIGHEST student loan debt average in the country

The average student loan debt is

$37,172 $ $351

A student’s monthly loan payment is

Education opportunities are becoming more flexible thanks to online education

1 IN 4 LEARNERS

are currently enrolled in online courses, either entirely or as an added supplement to traditional learning models

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AUGUST 2017

VISUAL BREAKDOWN

The cost of an undergraduate degree online is roughly,

$21,000 (2/3 the cost of attending in person)

THE TOP 5 ONLINE EDUCATION PROVIDERS

28%

based on enrollment

University of Phoenix 250k

Miami Dade College 161k

Liberty University 91k

Lone Star Community College 90k

of higher education learners are enrolled in an online course

Arizona State University 70k

Online Learning isn’t just for students; it’s changing the landscape of professional development too

Over the past 20 years the number of available corporate e-learning tools has increased by

ROUGHLY

77%

900%

of U.S. companies

OFFER ACCESS TO ONLINE LEARNING PROGRAMS

and training modules to their employees to fuel professional development

The addition of eLearning access by companies equates to a

42% increase in revenue Compiled by Adam Lansdell | Graphics by Nikki Nicolaou Sources: U.S. News & World Report, National Center for Education Statistics, Institute for College Access and Success, Affordable College Online L

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Photo by Erika Hodges

FEATURE

VIBRANT DOWNTOWNS A must-have for any thriving city An interview with Bob Trezise, president and CEO of LEAP BY KALYNNE MCINTYRE

What really makes a downtown area, downtown? According to most official definitions, a “downtown area” is defined as a central or core business and commercial area of a city or town. This is the area that is often the “heart” of a city, pumping with businesses, people, food and retailers. Essentially, the downtown is what keeps a city alive. While the necessity of a downtown seems obvious, many cities in North America have struggled with keeping their downtowns bright and lively due to population flights to suburban areas, resulting in what’s loosely referred to as “urban decay.” Caused by a variety of things — including transportation and economic policy changes — urban decay has become more and more associated with cities in the U.S. since the 1970s and 80s. However, with recent political and social climate changes, vibrant downtowns are becoming more and more important to communities to ensure economic survival. A downtown is considered “vibrant” when measured against several criteria: walkability, popular nightlife and culture-like historic districts and farmers markets, a rising population, diversity and strong economic opportunities — to name a few. This month, Bob Trezise (BT), president and CEO of the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) sat down with Greater Lansing Business Monthly (GLBM) to discuss what downtown areas truly bring to the table, and how the Capital City is working hard to make our downtown more vibrant than ever. GLBM: How do you think having, or not having, a vibrant downtown affects a community? BT: I believe the lack of a vibrant downtown signifies to residents, visitors, businesses and new investors alike that the region is not as prosperous as it should be, and that the region has less of a hopeful future on its horizon. Tall matters. Density, walkability, bustle, excitement, innovation, youth, art — these are all elements

to the severe decline in Cooley Law School enrollment and a few other factors. In the meantime, the Stadium District riverfront area and Michigan Avenue have taken off hugely and are thriving like never before. I predict that, adding several new hotels to the downtown/ Washington Square area, along with more apartment buildings, will elevate downtown Lansing to a whole new level over the next two years. It is also imperative that Grand Avenue and Capital Avenue be changed to two-ways, from one-way as well. GLBM: Ideally, what does a lively downtown look like to you?

BOB TREZISE

to a healthy region that are mostly demonstrated, lived and reflected by a downtown. Lansing is no stranger to a struggling downtown, however. In the past few years, many new businesses have come and gone, including The Beer Grotto, The Black Rose, Eden Rock and many more. GLBM: You beat us to the punch. We know that Lansing has put a lot of work into building up the downtown area, yet there are still several open storefronts. What do you think the Capital City can do to try to fix this? BT: Actually, 12 years ago, I would say that downtown Lansing’s first floor had not just a vacancy rate of over 50 percent, but many buildings were literally empty. Certainly, second floor residential was almost entirely vacant. Today, not only is the second floor residential nearly 100 percent full, but the first floor residential is maybe 80 percent or so occupied, and with mostly an upgrade to the restaurants from before. However, I think Washington Square is at a bit of a crossroad, right now, due

BT: Diverse, creative people and tall buildings, all living and working together. Placemaking equals keeping and attracting talent, [which] equals keeping and attracting business to the downtown and surrounding area. Placemaking equals talent, equals business. Diverse people living in the downtown, in large numbers, is the first key. GLBM: So now that we know the idea, let’s get down to brass tacks. What specifically is Lansing doing to help build an attractive downtown for businesses and residents? BT: We have aggressively used incentives to help businesses, people and developers choose to work and live in downtown and redevelop buildings and spaces, in a financially viable way — versus easy, cheaper greenfield locations. Simply put, we believe that for our region to compete globally for business and talent, we need to regionally provide as many choices as possible to match the many needs and wants of people and business. One time not so long ago, our urban downtowns were not a viable choice. Now, they are. They don’t have an advantage; the incentives have simply raised the downtown to be an equal, viable, environmentally-friendly choice for businesses and people to live, work and play. The region is better for this. [Ultimately], we’re better if we have as many choices as possible for business and talent, especially in our downtown area. L

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FEATURE

embrace and amplify the Spartan brand. In the past, the brand has found success with themes that encourage its students to take hold of their wildest aspirations, such as 2014’s theme: Spartans Make Headlines. This year, MSUAA is taking its cue from one of its most successful alumni in recent years to create the theme, Uniquely Spartan. MSU and its students constantly celebrate the individuality of its members and disciplines, so the selection of a theme centered on uniqueness comes as no surprise. To culminate the defining attributes of Unique Spartans, the association landed on hallmarks that also embody the morals and traits of alumnus Tyler Oakley. A 2011 graduate of MSU’s College of Communication Arts and Sciences, Oakley is one of the largest independent creators on YouTube. With nearly 8 million subscribers on his channel and over 23 million followers across his social media platforms, he has established himself as one of the most influential LGBTQ+ vloggers, an A-Lister in today’s digital age. Using Oakley’s values as a centerpiece for developing the concept, the MSUAA uses such terms as genuine, tenacious, diverse, open, collaborative, bold and world changing to embody this year’s perspective for homecoming. Oakley has placed these characteristics on display daily to his global following and through other endeavors, including the publishing of the New York Times bestseller “BINGE,” releasing the documentary “SNERVOUS” and hosting “The Tyler Oakley Show” on Ellen DeGeneres’ online platform, Ellentube.

A UNIQUE SPARTAN RETURNS FOR MSU

HOMECOMING Alumnus and YouTube celebrity, Tyler Oakley, named 2017 grand marshal BY ADAM LANSDELL

Each year, the Michigan State University Alumni Association (MSUAA) seeks out the perfect theme for its annual homecoming 22

festivities. Themes work to help showcase the strengths, trends and stories told by each college within the university and encourage all to

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In addition to these achievements, Oakley also served as a consultant to former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama on using digital platforms to connect with youth, having raised over $1 million for The Trevor Project: a nonprofit organization founded in 1998 focused on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and other queer youth. Today, Oakley is included in Forbes’ 2017 “30under30” list and The Hollywood Reporter’s “Top 25 Digital Stars.” Oakley’s commitment to social issues and his undeniable success as an entrepreneur are what make him a shining example and the perfect choice as this year’s grand marshal. By acknowledging his contributions MSUAA hopes to encourage the next generation of unique Spartans to start telling their own stories. Spartans such as Oakley show that, truly, anything is possible through the power of MSU and the courage to embrace one’s self.

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FEATURE

CREATING A STRONG COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS BY OMAR SOFRADZIJA

At first glance, Michigan’s largest teachers’ union and the business community may seem like an odd pairing. But according to union officials, each wants the same thing for the Great Lakes State: whip-smart students who grow into a well-educated workforce.

leadership by injecting new ideas for advocating public education. The union has partnered with the business community in some past efforts. Late last year, the MEA joined the Small Business Association of Michigan and the Business Leaders for Michigan in hosting a legislative retreat. MEA believes that any opportunity to form a partnership should be taken.

“By and large, the business community is supportive of strong public schools because they know that this is where their workforce is coming from,” said Doug Pratt, director of public affairs for the Michigan Education Association (MEA), an East Lansing-based union that represents about 140,000 education professionals statewide. “We hear time and time again that what employers are looking for are well-educated problem-solvers, critical thinkers. You’re always learning in the workforce, so teaching students how to be lifelong learners, how to have critical thinking skills and how to develop problem-solving skills is essential.” Some business groups would agree. “To move the needle in a positive direction requires strong supportive partnerships and communication between business and education,” said Victoria Meadows, the marketing, communications, and talent director for the Lansing Economic Area Partnership, in a prepared statement. According to Pratt, education isn’t the only critical piece for creating a strong workforce, having a robust public education system is a key selling point to lure workers from all industries in mid-Michigan. “Part of retaining good talent in general is creating a good public education system,” Pratt said. “Talk to realtors, and one of the key selling points a community has — Haslett, Okemos, East Lansing — is the quality of its education system and how that impacts market value and things like that. This comes back to having good people working with kids.” Union leaders and others differ over how to create such a strong community of learners. Union officials insist that, as professionals, they know the best way to reach that outcome. “Our members are the experts on the front lines. They’re the ones who know what works and 26

Some members of greater Lansing’s business community say they welcome the new leadership at the MEA and the opportunities it represents. According to Meadows’ statement, “Herbart’s push to increase collaboration and partnership between education and business is directly in line with the conversations taking place right now between educators, businesses and other stakeholders in this region.” DOUG PRATT

what doesn’t in terms of educating people and students. They have the professional training, the educational background and the on-the-job training,” Pratt said. “This isn’t a business. We’re not talking about widgets … we’re talking about kids. And too often, that gets lost in the shuffle of standardized tests … that’s not what educators want to be doing. They want to be teaching. They didn’t get into this profession to get rich. They got into this profession because they love that light bulb moment when a kid gets it, and that light bulb moment is what businesses need.”

“LEAP has been an integral partner in the Teach, Talent, Thrive (T3) initiative,” led by Capital Area Michigan Works!, “which aims to do just that,” she said. “Through T3, representatives from pre-K-12, higher education, business, community and public sector partners are working together to identify and develop long-term strategic practices that ensure regional workers are prepared to meet the needs of regional employers. Relationships between the MEA’s 1,400 locals and the communities they represent can have a significant impact on partnerships with the business community, which can help the economy.

Pratt believes that businesses can thrive if they provide their employees with the same light bulb moments that students receive and, with proper training, the business community can grow into a stronger, well-educated workforce. By working together, both sides will ultimately reap the benefits.

“Having voices of local businesses out there actively and vocally supporting public education and the educators who serve students every day would be invaluable,” Pratt said. “That’s where a lot of relationships happen; at the grassroots level, between those local leaders and the local businesses, the small businesses, local employers,” Pratt said.

The MEA will be undergoing a leadership change on September 1 when Paula Herbart of Macomb County takes over as union president, replacing six-year leader Steven Cook, who is retiring. This change can be viewed as an opportunity for the business community to engage state-level leadership and local

Businesses can help improve public education by participating in teacher and school appreciation events, offering educator discounts, speaking up about the importance of the education system and talking about what they get from public education and what they need from it with legislators and school boards.

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ECONOMY

DEMAND & SUPPLY BY MORDECHAI E. KREININ, UNIVERSITY DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR (EMERITUS), MSU

In my previous column, I discussed the importance of supply – or sellers – side of a competitive market. This month, I’ll continue the discussion by highlighting the other side of the equation – demand – and its effects on supply. EQUILIBRIUM We next combine the supply and demand columns by pulling together Table 1 of demand and supply schedules of milk per year:

SHIFTS IN DEMAND Suppose there was an increase in demand for milk because consumers replaced drinking soda with milk for health reasons. At a price of $2 per gallon, excess demand will be created, as the market shifts toward Table 2. Note that the demand schedule shifts upward in its entirety while the supply schedule remains the same, except the quantity supplied changes, moving along the same schedule.

Table 1

THE MARKET FOR MILK PER YEAR Point

Price of Milk

Quantity Supplied

Quantity Demanded

(Dollars per Gallon)

(Millions of Gallons)

Point A represents excess demand of 20 million gallons (quantity demanded exceeds quantity supplied) so consumers would bid up the price in their attempt to secure a sufficient supply of milk. Conversely, at point C there is an excess supply (quantity supplied exceeds quantity demanded) of 20 million gallons, so producers will compete down the price to dispose of the excessive supply. At Point B, quantities demanded and supplied are equal and there is no incentive to change — this is market equilibrium. Equilibrium is a word borrowed from physics; it shows the point which markets strive to attain and, once reached, it is maintained because there is no incentive for further change. Point B is such a point. For readers who plotted the two schedules, it is shown by the intersection of the demand and supply curves. Point B, priced at $2 per gallon, is the price that clears the market, so it’s called the market clearing price. It is also the price that rations available supply among demanders, and therefore may be called the rationing price. It is the price that prevails in the market given these two supply and demand schedules. At the price of $2, 20 million gallons would exchange hands between the sellers and buyers. So, the total revenue of all milk sellers (price times quantity) is ($2 × 20 =) $40 million, equaling the total amount that buyers spend on milk. For readers drawing the schedules, it is the rectangular area under the point of intersection (equilibrium point) of the supply and demand curves, as it shows price times quantity. 28

Table 2

INCREASE DEMAND FOR MILK Point

Price of Milk

Quantity Supplied

Quantity Demanded

(Dollars per Gallon)

(Millions of Gallons)

Point B with a price of $2 per gallon no longer clears the market for it shows excess demand of 10 million gallons, the difference between quantity demanded and supplied. Consumers will gradually bid up the price to secure the quantity they need or want. As the price rises from $2 toward $3 per gallon, two things happen: Quantity demanded is dampened as consumers reduce the upward shift in demand, and suppliers increase the quantity supplied moving along the fixed supply schedule. Let us say that both these effects have equal strength, so that the new equilibrium of pricing is $2.50. By similar reasoning, a reduction in demand brings forth reverse results: equilibrium price, quantity and total revenue of the sellers all decline. By adding point D to Table 2, you have the following:` Table 2A

QUANTITY SUPPLIED / DEMANDED Point

Price of Milk

Quantity Supplied

Quantity Demanded

(Dollars per Gallon)

(Millions of Gallons)

$2.50

A new equilibrium is established where, at a price of $2.50 per gallon, 25 million gallons per year exchange hands. The total revenue (TR) of the milk producers is ($2.5 × 25 million =) $62.5 million. We can be sure that the TR rose because both the price and the quantity sold and bought rose. This is not the case when supply changes; see next month’s column.

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Readers who use a graph can show the result by moving upward the entire demand curve, and moving upward along the fixed supply curve, thereby reaching equilibrium point D. Both price and quantity increase. This is the outcome of any increase in demand, whatever its reason; rise in income, change in taste, rise in the price of a substitute good, anticipation of future price increase and an increase in the number of consumers. In all cases remember that the analysis has a time dimension, in our case one year. The case where supply changes is shown in next month’s column. APPENDIX: A MORE DETAILED EXPLANATION Following is the change in greater detail. To establish the new equilibrium where changes are gradual we recast Table 2 in greater detail to allow for gradual changes: Table 2A

Table 2 with gradual changes

INCREASED DEMAND FOR MILK Point

Price of Milk

Quantity Supplied

Quantity Demanded

(Dollars per Gallon)

(Millions of Gallons)

$1.50

$2.50

$3.50

The demand schedule shifts upward while the supply schedule does not change: there is only a movement along it. A new equilibrium is established at a price of $2.50, with 25 million gallons exchanging hands every year. Total revenue of the milk sellers is ($2.50 × 25 million =) $62.50 million, equals the amount that consumers spend on milk. Mordechai Kreinin is a University Distinguished Professor of Economics, emeritus at Michigan State University and past President of the International Trade and Finance Association. He is the author of about 200 articles and books about economics, including the widely used text, International Economics. He can be reached at kreinin@msu.edu or by cell phone at (517) 488-4837

Aviation Maintenance Technology Program Chosen as One of Best in Nation

DELTA, LCC PARTNERSHIP READY FOR TAKEOFF After four years refueling planes, checking in customers and moving baggage at Lansing’s Capital Region International Airport, Jayne Snider knew she wanted to pursue a career in aviation maintenance. Now, with the help of Lansing Community College and Delta Air Lines, she’s getting a big boost. Delta recently selected the LCC Aviation Technology program as one of 43 aircraft maintenance partner schools nationwide. The partnership ensures LCC has a resource for continuous improvement and graduates have broadened access for employment. “A career as an aircraft mechanic pays well, and offers me the flexibility to find a job right here in my community or to travel abroad,” Snider said.

“I chose to come to LCC’s aviation program because I wanted to train at the best facility with the best faculty. At LCC, I found top-notch faculty, facilities and my fellow classmates.” Those faculty and facilities were among more than 100 criteria used in Delta’s selection process. Delta anticipates a shortage of skilled technical workers in coming years, and decided to form partnerships with colleges to foster the next generation of aircraft maintenance technicians, said John Mazza, manager of technical operations for Delta Air Lines in Detroit.

95% of LCC aviation graduates successfully pass all FAA examinations and requirements.

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“We want to bring in the best of the best. And that is why we came here to Lansing and met with the

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including the college’s most recent acquisition, a Hawker 400A corporate jet the LCC Foundation helped purchase last year.

faculty and reviewed the facilities,” he said at a July event announcing the partnership. “It was a very stringent requirement. So, you all need to be very proud of what you’ve accomplished with this facility, with your faculty and with the students. Because just getting on the list is extremely impressive.”

The two-year program is one of the most affordable in the nation. Students choose from morning or evening class sessions and train on contemporary aircraft, including jets and helicopters.

LCC’s Aviation Technology Program began nearly 50 years ago, and now is based at the Mason Jewett Airfield. It includes an expansive hangar, classrooms, a computer lab and separate bay workstations. Students work with large and small airplanes,

The program prepares students to earn three FAAapproved certificates, allowing them to enter a career in aviation as experts in aircraft maintenance and repair. In fact, 95 percent of LCC aviation

LCC President Dr. Brent Knight speaks about the beneficial partnership with Delta Air Lines and Lansing Community College.

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graduates go on to pass all their FAA exams and requirements. Graduates who attain FAA licensure as aircraft and powerplant mechanics can earn a starting salary of up to $50,000. For LCC, its students and Delta, the partnership provides a mutually beneficial exchange of information and pipeline of talent and employment, LCC President Dr. Brent Knight said.

the automotive industry – what people really don’t know is that we have a very robust aviation and aerospace industry as well,” Breithaupt said.

“The future is bright for students and graduates of Lansing Community College, who can expect a range of job offers from airlines, manufacturers and aviation repair facilities.” For Snider, the partnership and expanded job opportunities come on the heels of a $5,000 scholarship she won from Delta this spring through the International Women in Aviation Program. She’s one of four women in LCC’s program.

“Delta is a great carrier and we’re delighted to partner with Delta,” Knight said. “It helps recruit students. It helps our students to see there is an employer out there. …Then Delta has their staff come here, and our students will get to go to their Detroit facility and see all of that. It helps to immerse us in the industry.” Beyond benefits to Delta and LCC, the partnership has big impacts for Michigan’s ongoing economic development, said Tino Breithaupt, the senior vice president of National and Global Business Development at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “While most everyone who lives in Michigan knows Michigan as the automotive state – dominating

For her though, it’s not so much about being a pioneer for her gender, but more about having access to quality educational and hands-on learning experiences to prepare for a career. She’s looking forward to finishing her degree next spring and joining the workforce. “The Aviation program at LCC can only be made better with this partnership with Delta and as a student, I look forward to the post-graduation job opportunities it offers to our student body.”

To learn more about the program, visit lcc.edu/aviation. For questions, or to receive more information, please call 517-483-1406

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Fall enrollment made easy. Walk in any Wednesday until August 30, enroll for classes and walk out an official LCC student. n Meet in-person with a representative who will assist you through

every step of the admissions, financial and registration processes. One-day, one-stop enrollment. n Advisors help you plan your education to match your career goals. n Walk out ready to begin this fall semester.

LCCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gannon Building at the Downtown Campus 411 N. Grand Ave., Lansing, MI 48933 Learn more at lcc.edu/ezEnroll or call 517-483-1999.

Lansing Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a commission member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The commission can be contacted at ncahlc.org or at 800-621-7440. Its mailing address is 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604. The main campus of LCC is located in downtown Lansing at 422 N. Washington Square and can be contacted at lcc.edu or at 517-483-1957. Lansing Community College does not discriminate against individuals in its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion or creed, national origin or ancestry, familial status, disability, pregnancy, marital status, or any other factor prohibited by law. The collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s discrimination and harassment policies are available at lcc.edu/policy.

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LEGISLATIVE CORNER

PREPARING STUDENTS FOR

21ST CENTURY CAREERS

Developing talent pipeline is key to regional success BY KRISTIN BELTZER

When we surveyed Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce members about the leading concerns facing their business, there was one issue that stood out above all others: talent. To successfully compete in the global economy, our region must develop talent that is educated and trained to handle the demand of skilled and technical jobs that is increasing in the knowledge-based economy. The only way to ensure a steady pipeline of qualified talent is to develop the minds and skills of our own children. That requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, involving schools, parents and especially the business community. The Chamber has identified education as one of our leading priorities. We have been playing a leading role in connecting our members to key initiatives that are making a significant impact on our region’s progress and ability to develop talent for the next generation. The Chamber is part of a major private sector led initiative known as Teach. Talent. Thrive (T3). The mission of T3 is to strengthen our community’s commitment to lifelong learning through the growth of STEAM education — science, technology, engineering, arts and math. A more in-depth understanding of STEAM subjects will give our students the tools to integrate and apply knowledge that will create solutions for real-world problems. Partnerships between education and the private sector are taking root in our region. The Ingham Intermediate School District (Ingham ISD) and Eaton County’s Regional Education Service Agency (Eaton RESA) have engaged with the business community to better understand regional employment needs and to place students in fields that align with their career pathways, including culinary arts, health care, manufacturing, insurance, communications and agri-sciences. The Chamber was proud to host Ingham ISD’s Fast and Furious Food Truck on a recent Friday in downtown Lansing. The students made $800, booked the truck for

several other summer visits and gained valuable business skills in the process. The private sector has made a strong effort in recent years to partner with K-12 and Intermediate School Districts. High school students are being exposed to careers in the insurance industry through partnerships between Farm Bureau Insurance and Eaton RESA. A similar partnership was created two years ago between insurance company AF Group and the Ingham ISD. The Bekum America Corporation in Williamston, Mich. has a long-established apprentice program to promote advanced manufacturing. Sparrow Health System engages with the Ingham ISD on the Capital Area Healthcare Education Partnership. Michigan State University Federal Credit Union and the Jackson National Life Insurance Company have also partnered with MSU to prepare students for careers in financial services, technology and insurance. As important as these collaborations and others will be in positioning our students and our region for future success, we also need to work together to encourage our leaders at the state level to properly address funding for schools. The Chamber has joined others to advance the role

that career and technical training must play in fulfilling tens of thousands of professional trades jobs that are needed throughout Michigan. We are making progress; Michigan now ranks 19th in the nation in the number of working people with a bachelor’s degree and 8th in the nation in number of college graduates with STEAM degrees. There’s still work to be done, as our goal should be to top the rest of the nation in all categories. The stakes are extraordinarily high. The future quality of life in our region depends on our collective ability to develop, attract and retain world-class talent for 21st century jobs. The collaborative approach we are utilizing to address our talent-needs is unmistakable evidence that we have the team — and community — to get the job done. Kristin Beltzer is the executive vice president of Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce. She is an accomplished executive with 25 years of experience, perspective and know how in Michigan regional government, community affairs, public policy and advocacy. L

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BY SARAH SPOHN | COURTESY PHOTO

MICHELE STRASZ Executive Director of Capital Area College Access Network CAN YOU START WITH A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE CAPITAL AREA COLLEGE ACCESS NETWORK? The Capital Area College Access Network’s (CapCAN) mission is to increase the college attainment rate of students, particularly those who are low-income, first-generation and students of color from the capital area. This is accomplished through a community collaborative network made up of leaders from K-12, higher education, business, philanthropy, government and nonprofits dedicated to developing a collegegoing culture and school-based support for college readiness, participation and completion. WHAT’S YOUR DAILY SCHEDULE LIKE IN YOUR ROLE AT CAPCAN? There is no normal day for me. I spend the majority of my day interacting with partners in the community to try to promote the collegegoing culture; that can include anything from chaperoning a college visit to helping students fill out college applications to meeting with stakeholders and having community collaborative conversations. 34

THE GOAL OF CAPCAN IS TO HAVE 60 PERCENT OF CAPITAL AREA RESIDENTS EARN A POST-SECONDARY DEGREE, TECHNICAL CERTIFICATION OR VALUABLE CREDENTIAL BY 2025. WHAT STEPS IS CAPCAN TAKING TO MAKE THIS A REALITY? CapCAN supports the work of college advisors in area high schools to assist with college planning, financial aid and scholarship completion and an array of events to create a college-going culture including college tours, fairs and knowledge seminars. CapCAN serves students in Ingham County schools with high rates of low-income students eligible for free and reduced lunch with college advising and readiness services. We also recently received a grant from Our Community Foundation and matching funds from the General Motors Foundation to support young people ages 16-25 that are disconnected from both school and work. We will be providing integrated college and career advising to these young adults to support their return to, and persistence in, post-secondary education to achieve full employment.

G R E AT E R L A N S I N G B U S I N E S S M O N T H LY

AUGUST 2017

WHAT IS THE CURRENT RATE, IN CONTRAST TO THAT GOAL? According to the Stronger Nation report of the Lumina Foundation, Ingham County is at 47.8 percent towards the 60 percent goal of Americans earning a college degree, workforce certificate, industry certification or other high-quality credential beyond high school. The current national average for post-secondary attainment is 45.8 percent; in Michigan, the rate is 43.4 percent. WHAT CURRENT TRENDS IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION ARE IMPORTANT TO NOTE? The intersection of education and careers is a top priority within our community and trend for innovation between K-12 and higher education. For example, our prosperity region talent district applied to create the first regional Early Middle Technical College. The Eaton and Clinton Regional Education Service Agencies and Ingham Intermediate School District are collaborating with area businesses and higher education partners to create career and technical education programs of study that provide students with an opportunity to complete their diploma, while

BEHIND THE SCENES

simultaneously obtaining an associate’s degree or technical certificate and work-based learning experiences. The partners are aligning programs of study with high-tech, high-demand jobs in areas such as health care, business, advanced manufacturing, welding or criminal justice. The Capital Region Technical Early College provides students with the opportunity to explore a field in the classroom and the workplace. We anticipate, as this program continues, to scale more students that will have access to post-secondary education. GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL IS NO LONGER SUFFICIENT FOR STUDENTS TO TRANSITION INTO THE WORKFORCE. HOW HAS EDUCATION AND THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS CHANGED OVER THE LAST DECADE?

young person who wants to pursue higher education can find the right match and fit, whether it be a large, small, urban, rural, public or private experience, and technical or liberal arts program. We also have a very generous community, which has made college accessible and affordable through place-based scholarships from Lansing Promise, Mason Promise, Holt Promise and local private scholarships. Despite all of this, we still have many students who are not able to take advantage of these postsecondary opportunities. This is why our work at CapCAN is so critical to help first-generation students and their families understand and navigate the complex process of application, financial aid and all the systems they might encounter in higher education.

According to the 2013 report, Job Growth and Education Requirements through 2020, 70 percent of Michigan jobs in 2020 will require some level of education beyond high school. Earning a postsecondary degree or credential is critical to our economy, our society and to individuals and their families. We know that individuals with postsecondary credentials have higher earnings, lower unemployment, lower poverty rates, are healthier and more likely to be active citizens. Yet there are tremendous disparities in our community among low-income, firstgeneration and people of color to obtain a higher education. Within CapCAN, we target our work and college advising to address barriers to postsecondary education to close the gaps and create opportunity for young people. WHICH LOCAL COLLEGES AND POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION CENTERS DO YOU WORK CLOSELY WITH?

WHERE DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION WITHIN THE LOCAL LANSING AREA IS HEADED?

CapCAN is very fortunate to have a number of higher education partners serving on our board of directors including representatives from Michigan State University, Lansing Community College, Olivet College and Davenport University. Each one of our higher education partners actively supports our common agenda by participating in local outreach and engagement events, hosting campus visits for students and contributing resources and staff time to creating a vision and system of support for students. GIVEN YOUR LOCAL BASE, HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE THE LANSING COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF A CAPITAL CITY WITH MULTIPLE UNIVERSITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATIONAL GROWTH? Students in the greater Lansing area have fantastic opportunities right in their own backyard for a world-class, post-secondary education. Every

I think that we’re definitely moving in a positive direction. Partnerships between education and business, and education – K-12 and higher ed. – are all really good dialogues that are uniting us on the shared goal, the shared vision.

In terms of future opportunities, obviously we want more young people to achieve education beyond high school, whether that’s a two or four-year-degree, a credential through an apprenticeship program or technical program — we all have that shared common vision. I also see a lot of emerging opportunities to expose young people to what college is like while they’re still in high school; whether that be dual-enrollment in college classes or an early college experience … where students are extending their education for a 13th year so they can take some of their high school classes and college classes simultaneously during that year after they’ve graduated from high school. So, by the time they finish that year, they not only have their diploma, but they have also earned their associate’s degree. I think that’s the wave of the future for high school students to be exposed to — not only the college cost, but by actually earning those credits towards a degree or credential. This conversation with Michele Strasz has been edited for space and clarity.

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LANSING AT A GLANCE

GREATER LANSING AT A GLANCE Each month, Greater Lansing Business Monthly compiles statistics showing the growth of the greater Lansing area month to month. This information is not comprehensive, but rather, a snapshot of the area’s growth throughout the year. The following is a look at the advances some of Lansing’s biggest businesses have made in the past two months.

MICHIGAN RETAILERS ASSN. INDEX

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS: LABOR FORCE DATA

A monthly gauge of key retail activity in the state.

The regular report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics tracking the region's job performance.

April ‘17

March ‘17

Feb. ‘17

May '16

Sales

54.5

57.4

52.8

65.1

Inventory

54.1

61.8

Prices

53.2

48.4

52.7

47.9

Marketing/Promotion

60.1

56.8

Hiring Plans

55.5

50.7

55.3

Values above 50 generally indicate an increase in activity

May ‘17

April ‘17

March ‘17

Feb. ‘17

May '16

Civilian Labor Force (1)

(P)249.4

(p)249.3

(P)250.0

251.8

249.0(R)

Employment (1)

(P)241.0

(p)242.2

(P)240.8

240.9

237.4(R)

Unemployment (1)

(P)8.3

(p)7.1

(P)9.2

10.9

11.7(R)

Unemployment Rate (2)

(P)3.3

(p)2.9

(P)3.7

4.3

4.7(R)

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS: WAGE & SALARY

KEY STOCKS — MONTH-END CLOSE

The regular report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics tracking the region's job performance.

A report on price changes for key local stocks and others that reflect the health of the region's economy.

May ‘17

April ‘17

March ‘17

Feb. ‘17

May '16

(P)237.3

(p)236.0

(p)234.3

234.1

231.7

12-month % change

(P)2.4

(p)1.2

(p)2.1

2.1

1.67%

Mining, Logging & Construction (3)

(P)7.7

(p)7.1

(p)6.7

6.5

7.6

12-month % change

(P)1.3

(p)1.4

(p)3.1

4.8

Manufacturing (3)

(P)21.0

(p)20.5

(p)20.4

20.4

18.6

12-month % change

(P)12.9

(p)-1.4

(p)2.5

2.5

-4.12%

Trade, Transportation & Utilities (3)

(P)37.2

(p)36.7

(p)36.8

36.4

36.3

12-month % change

(P)2.5

(p)0.8

(p)2.5

1.7

3.13%

Information (3)

(P)2.9

(p)2.9

2.9

Total Nonfarm (3)

12-month % change

(P)-3.3

(p)-3.3

-3.3

Financial Activities (3)

(P)16.1

(p)15.9

15.9

15.5

12-month % change

(P)3.9

(p)3.2

(p)1.9

1.9

-0.64%

Professional & Business Services (3)

(P)22.1

(p)22.1

(p)21.9

22.1

22.8

12-month % change

(P)-3.1

(p)-3.5

(p)-2.7

-1.3

2.24%

Education & Health Services (3)

(P)32.5

(p)32.5

(p)32.6

32.5

32.1

12-month % change

(P)1.2

(p)1.9

(p)2.8

2.8

3.88%

Leisure & Hospitality (3)

(P)20.9

(p)20.7

(p)20.3

19.9

19.7

12-month % change

(P)6.1

(p)7.8

(p)9.7

8.7

0.51%

Other Services (3)

(P)10.6

(p)10.4

10.3

10.4

12-month % change

(P)1.9

(p)2.0

2.97%

Government

(P)66.3

(p)67.2

(p)66.4

67.2

65.7

12-month % change

(P)0.9

(p)1.2

(p)1.1

1.2

1.55%

(1) Number of persons, in thousands, not seasonally adjusted. (2) In percent, not seasonally adjusted. (3) Number of jobs, in thousands, not seasonally adjusted. See About the data. (P) Preliminary (R) Revised

G R E AT E R L A N S I N G B U S I N E S S M O N T H LY

June ‘17

May ‘17

April ‘17

March ‘17

June '16

Spartan Motors

8.85

8.6

8.25

8.00

6.19

General Motors

34.93

33.93

34.64

35.36

27.08

Emergent BioSolutions

33.91

31.93

29.91

29.04

28.12

Neogen

69.11

63.29

62.33

65.55

56.25

Gannett (Lansing State Journal)

8.72

7.85

8.36

8.38

12.86

Gray Broadcasting (WILX)

13.7

12.05

14.65

14.50

10.85

Media General (WLNS)*

59.8

57.2

70.15

46.68

Bank of America

24.26

22.41

23.34

23.59

13.08

UPS

110.59

105.97

107.46

107.30

104.58

Home Depot

110.59

153.51

156.1

146.83

104.58

Kroger**

23.32

29.78

29.65

29.49

36.24

Macy's Inc.

23.24

23.5

29.22

29.64

32.01

Wal-Mart Stores

75.68

78.6

75.18

72.08

71.01

*Nexstar acquired Media Genera in January; **Adjusted for stock split

TRI-COUNTY HOUSING STATISTICS: MAY 2017 Source: Realtor.com research, June 5, 2017

Ingham

Clinton

Eaton

Homes for sale

1,605

450

670

Homes for rent

228

Median listing price

133,000

$197,000

$153,000

Price per square foot

$78

$90

$78

Median closing price

$116,000

$165,000

$139,000

-23%

-26%

-17%

Median days on market* Percent change*

*Includes only single family homes and condo-townhomes, excludes pending listings

AUGUST 2017

LANSING AT A GLANCE

EATON COUNTY WORKPLACES AND WAGES, 4TH QUARTER 2016 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages

Next Month: Ingham County

Number of Workplaces

Dec. '16 Employment

Total 4th quarter wages

Average Weekly Wages

Total, all industries

1,741

36,848

$425,123,603

892

Service providing

1,447

28,774

290,065,662

784

Goods producing

294

8,074

135,057,941

1,268

Natural resources and mining

118

1,183,991

615

Construction

180

1,297

21,464,351

1,158 1,307

Manufacturing

6,659

112,409,599

Trade, transportation, and utilities

409

12,335

113,761,609

737

659

8,939,394

1,049

Information Financial activities

171

4,267

69,070,476

1,246

Professional and business services

249

2,979

30,615,019

759

Education and health services

202

3,419

34,710,425

768

Leisure and hospitality

172

3,500

13,698,578

299

Other services

203

1,514

18,403,132

953

Unclassified

101

867,029

667

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BUSINESS CALENDAR

AUGUST 2017 AUGUST 3

AUGUST 4

ESSENTIALS IN CORRECTIONAL EXCELLENCE, MASON Corrections officers work in one of the most physically and mentally challenging areas of law enforcement. Explore increased situational awareness, conflict resolution skills to increase safety, enhanced decision making under stress and elicitation skills and deception detection. This course is delivered through guided discussion, case studies, group exercises and video review and is facilitated by some of the most credentialed instructors in the country. This seminar is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ingham County Sheriff’s Office. Registration is $129. Visit eventbrite.com for more information and registration details.

WAKE UP OLD TOWN, LANSING Wake Up Old Town is a free and informal networking opportunity for professionals from all over Lansing. Come together and share your big ideas and opportunities to help businesses and Old Town thrive. Wake Up Old Town is held at rotating locations around Old Town. This month’s meeting will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the UrbanBeat Event Center. Visit iloveoldtown.org for more information.

AUGUST 8 TECH TUESDAY AT THE TIC, EAST LANSING Tech Tuesday is a weekly meet up just for developers. Meetings are Tuesdays at 7 p.m. at the

Technology Innovation Center in East Lansing. Visit purelansing.com for more information.

AUGUST 9 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CAREER WOMEN (NACW) MONTHLY MEETING, LANSING The NACW is a nonprofit organization devoted to the enhancement of woman’s personal and professional development. Their mission is to create an enriching environment for career women to share, grow and build professional and personal relationships that enable them to reach their full potential. Lunch meetings are the second Wednesday of each month from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the UrbanBeat Event Center. Reserve your luncheon spot as a guest or member by visiting nacwonline.org/chapters/Lansing.aspx.

AUGUST 10 “Whether it’s for replication purposes, disaster recovery or business continuity, Everstream’s robust fiber-optic network and 24/7 customer support is built to meet your needs.”

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AUGUST 11

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G R E AT E R L A N S I N G B U S I N E S S M O N T H LY

WHAT MILLENNIALS HEAR: WHEN BABY BOOMERS & GEN X’ERS SPEAK, LANSING Millennials have been trained differently than Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers, so it’s important to understand how a millennial interprets or misinterprets the meaning of standard terms or phrases. Join us for this 60-minute webinar to learn more about “Millennialize Speak” in order to bridge the communication gap. This webinar is $75 for members and $95 for non-members. Visit michamber.com to find more information and registration details.

AUGUST 2017

TALENT INVESTMENT AGENCY EMPLOYER SEMINAR, LANSING The Talent Investment Agency is offering free seminars to acquaint employers with the Unemployment Insurance system in Michigan. A new format this year, there will be three one-hour sessions, with a 30-minute period for individual questions after each presentation. Each session will include general information, navigating the Michigan Web Account Manager system and questions forwarded by you – the employer. Workforce Development and Michigan Works! will present resources available across the state to employers. Employers will be provided a brief overview of services to assist in meeting their labor force needs. To submit questions prior to the event, please email employeradvisor@ michigan.gov and put “2017 Employer Seminar”

BUSINESS CALENDAR

in the subject line. Visit eventbrite.com to register and find more information.

AUGUST 16 LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT SKILLS FOR WOMEN, LANSING Become the leader you’ve always wanted to be with this dynamic, results-oriented training. Gain respect through your words and actions as well as other leadership skills. Find more information about this seminar and registration details at pryor.com.

AUGUST 16 HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE: WILL YOU KNOW IF YOU SEE IT?, LANSING Harassment can permeate a workplace quickly and unsuspectingly, resulting in costly lawsuits, bad publicity and decreased employee productivity. This half-day seminar will equip you with the information and skills you need to prevent, identify and remedy harassment in the workplace before it is too late. This seminar is $170 for members and $195 for non-members. Visit michamber.com to find more information and registration details.

AUGUST 22 BRANDING YOUR HR DEPARTMENT: WHAT DO PEOPLE SAY WHEN THEY SEE YOU COMING?, LANSING Human Resources (HR) professionals must rethink their role and that of the HR department. You may know that HR balances the demands of multiple roles including business partner, internal consultant, administrative expert and both employee and employer advocate, but what if employees simple view you as a paperpusher and those people that process benefits and fire people? It is time for you to think about your current brand with employees, leadership team members, your own employer and other HR professionals. Join us for this 60-minute webinar to learn the secrets of improving your brand and developing an action plan that you can begin using immediately. This webinar is $75 for members and $95 for non-members. Visit michamber.com to find more information and registration details.

AUGUST 23 THE HATCHING, LANSING Post. Pitch. Win. Post your business idea and gain votes. The top five ideas will pitch to a live audience. The Winning idea will receive $1,000 in seed funding. The Hatching will take place at the Lansing Brewing Company. Visit purelansing.com to find more information.

AUGUST 23-24 GREATER LANSING ENTREPRENEURIAL BOOT CAMP 2017, LANSING LEAP and Spartan Innovations are pleased to bring you the Greater Lansing Entrepreneurial Boot Camp. This event is ideal for both newlyinspired and active entrepreneurs who are seeking up-to-date training. This boot camp will prepare you to approach new venture creation in a thoughtful way, avoiding common entrepreneurial mistakes. Visit eventbrite.com for registration details and more information.

AUGUST 17-18 16-HOUR HAZWOPER OSHA TRAINING SEMINAR, LANSING Since 1995, Compliance Solutions, the nation’s largest provider of OSHA HAZWOPER Training has offered “Open Enrollment” 24-Hour HAZWOPER Training. Students attending this course will receive the 16 additional hours of safety training (including a dress-out exercise) required under OSHA 29 CFR1910.120(e)(q). Workers attending the 16Hour HAZWOPER seminar upgrade will cover health and safety procedures, and personnel protection during work operations at hazardous material sites. Visit eventbrite.com for more information and registration details.

AUGUST 17 TEAM CITY MARKET, LANSING Are you passionate about Lansing? Are you full of cool ideas that would make this city and its riverfront a more bustling shopping and entertainment hub? Join TEAM City Market for their monthly meetings! You’ll get to meet with other inspired members of the community to brainstorm over lunch every third Friday at noon. Not only that, but you’ll get to help implement these ideas that will help create the future City Market. Takeout lunch is available from Waterfront Bar & Grill. Visit lansingcitymarket.com for more information.

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NOTABLE NEWS

self-perform construction services. Larry Cowper has joined Clark Construction as director of Self-Perform Operations, and Richard Wagner will serve as director of Self-Perform Estimating. The pair will be responsible for guiding Clark’s Self-Perform Services through a wholly-owned subsidiary, Clark Contracting Services.

RECRUITMENT MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS SUPPORT GROWTH OBJECTIVES WITH NEW HIRES Recruitment Management Consultants (RMC), a premiere IT consulting and placement firm, is excited to announce the addition of two new internal staff members to its East Lansing headquarters. Joel Maurer and Rachel Girvan joined the recruiting team on June 5.

“We could not be more pleased to have Larry Cowper and Richard Wagner spearhead this exciting new venture,” said Clark Construction President, Sam Clark. “Adding Self-Perform Services to our existing Construction Management portfolio will help us better serve our customers by ensuring the highest quality work meeting challenging schedules safely.”

Maurer is working as an IT recruiter in RMC’s East Lansing office. He comes to the firm from a health care staffing company where he served four years as both a recruiter and an account manager. Originally from Bad Axe, Mich., he has also lived and worked in Colorado and Indiana. Girvan will be joining Maurer in RMC’s East Lansing office as an IT recruiter as well. She comes to the firm from Auto-Owners Insurance with a background as an underwriter. From Milford, Mich., she is a graduate of Central Michigan University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in finance. Maurer and Girvan recently completed RMC’s two week intensive, mentor-based training program which helps to establish a foundation for long-term, team-oriented professional development and world-class recruitment delivery. The addition of these new team members has increased RMC’s position to meet continually increasing demands in today’s fastpaced IT consulting & placement environment. More information can be found at rmcagency. com/our-team.

LOCAL ENTREPRENEUR WINS $1,000 TO ADVANCE ESCAPADE VR JOB SHADOW APP The Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) is excited to announce the winner of the month of May’s Hatching event, Andrez Chuney, with his Escapade VR app — allowing students to job shadow and experience different career paths in virtual reality to help find their ideal career. Chuney joins 54 winners and 388 ideas submitted throughout the history of The Hatching. Celebrating its fourth anniversary in June, LEAP’s Hatching is part of a communitywide effort to support local entrepreneurs and make the Lansing region a great place to start a business. Each month, participants 40

LEAP is excited to announce the winner of the month of May’s Hatching event, Andrez Chuney, with his Escapade VR app.

submit business and product ideas through The Hatching’s online portal, where the public subsequently votes forward up to five top ideas. The owners of the top five ideas then have a chance to pitch in front of a live audience and panel of judges. Hatching winners receive $1,000 in prize money, free legal formation/operating agreement, two months of incubation space, website design and hosting, one-on-one CPA assistance and marketing research assistance, for an overall prize package of roughly $5,500. The event process and prize package are strategically aligned to help move new local business ideas from concept to reality, as well as connect competitors with other opportunities in the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem. “The Hatching is great springboard that helps aspiring entrepreneurs connect to the entire ecosystem of services that exist to help launch new ideas,” said Tony Willis, LEAP’s director of the New Economy Division.

CLARK CONSTRUCTION HIRES VETERAN CONSTRUCTION EXECUTIVES TO LEAD COMPANY EXPANSION INTO SELF-PERFORM SERVICES Clark Construction Company has announced the hiring of two veteran construction professionals who will lead the company’s expansion into

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AUGUST 2017

Cowper is an 18-year veteran of the commercial construction industry, serving as a senior project manager, project manager and project foreman. Wagner has 25-years of experience in the industry, including positions as operations manager and lead estimator. Both Cowper and Wagner are highly respected in the industry and have performed $10M/year in self-perform work. Self-perform services allow a contractor to complete certain parts of a project with its own skilled labor force and can add value for clients in that it often saves time, adds schedule flexibility and increases control. Self-perform services will also assist Clark and its clients by ensuring an adequate labor supply to complete portions of the project on-time and within budget.

DART BANK RAISES $1,059, PRESENTS 245 BOOKS TO THE CAPITAL AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY The employees of Dart Bank came together to help purchase books for the Capital Area District Libraries (CADL) Summer Reading Program. The CADL summer reading program helps encourage children and young adults to complete their 15 minutes of reading a day while they are on summer break. The libraries award accomplished readers with various prizes, such as books. Dart Bank employees did a variety of fundraisers including bake sales, raffles, soup and salad lunches and spare change collections to raise money for the books. The books were purchased wholesale, labeled from Dart Bank employees and distributed to the libraries to give as prizes. Dart Bank employees started fundraising in 2012 and purchased the first books for the 2013 CADL Summer Reading Program. Over five years, employees have raised $4,954.62 and

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purchased 1,078 books. Mason, Holt, Foster, Dansville and Grand Ledge libraries have all received books from Dart Bank employees.

DEWPOINT WELCOMES NEW EMPLOYEES TO LANSING Dewpoint, a leading provider of technology consulting and implementation solutions, is

pleased to welcome several new employees to Lansing: • Corey Philipp: Senior Developer • Karen Buckwalter: Senior Program Manager • John Varilek: Service Delivery Manager • John Cenusa: Business Analyst • Janice Redpath: Project Coordinator • Jeff Burpee: Senior Business Analyst

• • • • • • • • •

Mark McCloy: Senior Program Manager Hunter Scott: Intern Andrew Walker: Intern Josh Withee: Junior Developer John Williamson: Infrastructure Architect Caleb Yager: Project Coordinator Rob Kondoff: Senior Vice President of Sales Zachary Theis: Intern Gary Ross:Developer

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Lansing, Dewpoint has a long success record of helping to develop short or long-term strategic technology plans to maximize current resources and better position organizations across numerous industries for the future. Dewpoint supports clients in the Midwest and across the country. Additional information is available at dewpoint.com.

CBRE NAMES NEW CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OVER ITS MID-MICHIGAN AND WEST MICHIGAN REGIONS CBRE|Martin and CBRE|Grand Rapids is pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Van Devender as their new Chief Operating Officer (COO). In his new role, he will oversee CBRE’s Mid-Michigan and West Michigan regions. Van Devender is an accomplished executive focused on client service, market growth strategies, business development initiatives and talent recruitment and retention.

Growing Together.

Van Devender has an extensive background in high-level leadership roles. Most recently, he served as chief operations officer at Coldwell Banker Commercial (CBC) Alliance in New York City, overseeing business operations for six commercial real estate offices and successfully increasing market share and profitability. Van Devender has experience in transaction management across 19 countries and 45 markets. He is also a leader in recruitment, talent retention and labor management, specializing in team building and overall business administration.

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While serving as vice president for ONCOR International, Van Devender was responsible for recruiting top firms to join ONCOR, increasing business-to-business transactions through improved communication channels, relationship building and networking opportunities. In his prior role as national vice president of business development for Coldwell Banker Commercial, Van Devender negotiated ONCOR International’s sale to Realogy Corporation, significantly enhancing the company’s commercial real estate coverage on a global level.

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Is your business ready to respond to a data breach? BY TAYLOR GAST

It’s 4:00 p.m. on a Friday afternoon when I receive a call from a company’s legal director. The director tells me that a company executive was traveling when the executive received an urgent email that appeared to be from the company’s CEO, asking for a document containing sensitive information of all the organization’s employees. After forwarding the requested document, the executive realized that the email was not from the CEO’s email address, but from a similar address — now a criminal holds sensitive information. Unfortunately, this scenario and its variations are the new normal; cybercrime now represents the second-most reported economic crime. Local businesses that fall victim to cyberattacks often assumed that they were too small to be a target, or their IT security was strong enough to protect them. SHIFTING THE FOCUS FROM PREVENTION TO PREPARATION The reality is that all businesses are targets of cybercrimes, because all businesses hold some degree of sensitive employee or customer data. Businesses are also increasingly compromised by diverse types of breaches such as ransomware, which is designed to lock down company files until a ransom is paid. Whether a cyberattack involves phishing like the beginning scenario, ransomware, wire transfer fraud or one of many constantly evolving threats, businesses often feel serious and long-lasting damage. While relying solely on installing preventative measures previously seemed sensible, companies are increasingly focusing on the strength of their incident response plans. A comprehensive and

practiced plan can be the difference between a relatively inexpensive remediation and an incident so costly, time-intensive and harmful that business operations or reputation may never recover for a company. INCIDENT RESPONSE PLAN BASICS Each business’s needs and issues are unique, and the best time to prepare for a data breach is still before one occurs. We recommend that businesses considering their incident response plans start with the following basic considerations. 1 – HIRE AN ATTORNEY Although the affected company is a victim of a crime, many cyberattacks subject the company to its own liability. The company may find itself a defendant in lawsuits brought by everyone from consumers and shareholders to credit card companies. In a lawsuit, all relevant internal communications and documents are available to the other parties in discovery. However, engaging an outside attorney as soon as possible after a breach can, if properly structured, prevent undesirable disclosure of sensitive communications and work product, as well as communications with breach remediation vendors. 2 – REMEDIATION: ACT FAST The business should quickly determine the nature and scope of a cybersecurity incident to remediate it. When necessary, the company should contact an IT vendor to investigate and fix the problem. The company should also ascertain whether data was exfiltrated — copied, transferred, or retrieved from a computer or server — which is important in determining the company’s legal requirements after a breach.

3 – RANSOMWARE: SHOULD YOU PAY? Although the most common question is whether to pay the ransom, there lies no easy answer. We suggest weighing the value of the encrypted files against the possibility that the attacker refuses to decrypt them or leaves a “backdoor” open for future attacks. The business should consider whether data recovery options or insurance for cyber-based incidents might help. If the business pays the ransom, it’s also worth discussing with a tax attorney whether that ransom is deductible. 4 – BREACH NOTIFICATIONS Most states, including Michigan, have passed data breach notification laws requiring businesses that experience a data breach to notify affected individuals. State laws differ in which incidents require notification, how quickly notification must be sent and whether any other action is required, such as notifying a state agency. Often, we must consider several states’ laws when a business has customers or employees across the nation. 5 – DAMAGE CONTROL Throughout and after the remediation process, the company should consider reputational harm, both internally among employees and externally among customers and vendors. The reputational effects of a data breach are often more long-lasting than others. Taylor Gast helps businesses and business owners solve problems as a member of Foster Swift’s Business and Corporate practice group. He focuses on law relating to technology, taxation, business transactions, and employee benefits.

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“CBRE is a company I know well,” Van Devender said. “It is the clear market leader and has a well-thought-out strategy to build on its market position. I look forward to working with my new colleagues to help drive superior outcomes and growth.”

ALLEGRA DESIGN MARKETING PRINT MAIL SALES PRO RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL AWARD Kevin McSherry, sales representative at Allegra Design Marketing Print Mail in Lansing, was recently recognized with a Silver Milestone Award by the Alliance Franchise Brands network. This award is presented annually to the top sales professionals in North America and is based on providing an outstanding level of customer service and sales volume. “It comes as no surprise to us or to his clients that Kevin is among top performers,” said Brad Naghtin, owner of Allegra. “He is a true professional who is fully invested in his clients’ businesses, helping them to reach their

business goals through strategic marketing and print communications.” Allegra is a full-service marketing communications provider offering marketing consultation, copywriting and graphic design services, advanced printing technologies including full color printing, digital color signs, posters and banners, complete finishing services, mailing services, variable data capabilities, die-cutting capabilities, promotional products and print management solutions. For more information, visit ally-press.com.

INGHAM COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS NAMED A 2017 LEADER IN LGBTQ HEALTHCARE EQUALITY

The Ingham County Health Department’s Community Health Centers recently participated in the Health Care Equality Index survey conducted by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC). Of the more than 1,500 facilities included in the index, the Ingham

Community Health Centers is one of just 302 nationwide to receive the top designation. Only one other health care provider in the state of Michigan received the coveted leader status. The designation is based upon foundational elements of LGBTQ patient-centered care, LGBTQ patient services and support, employee benefits and policies and LGBTQ patient and community engagement. “We are committed to providing inclusive care to everyone in our community,” said Ingham County Health Officer Linda S. Vail. “We will continue to strive for ways to support LGBTQ patients and community members and address LGBTQ health disparities.”

FAHEY SCHULTZ BURZYCH RHODES PLC FIRM ELECTS NEW MEMBER Okemos-based law firm, Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes PLC, is proud to announce the election of Helen “Lizzie” Mills as a member of the firm. Mills becomes the seventh equity member of the 15-attorney firm.

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Mills joined the firm in 2010. Her practice focuses on municipal law and labor and employment law. Mills has gained extensive experience in collective bargaining and in grievance and interest MILLS arbitration, as well as handling administrative claims involving the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Michigan Department of Civil Rights, state and federal wage and hour divisions. Her twin-focused practice enables Mills to provide advice and counsel on a day-to-day basis on the issues that municipalities and employers face: how to operate a business or provide for a community while providing first-rate, cost-effective service to customers and tax payers.

GREATER LANSING CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU PROMOTES HOSCHNER TO CRM & TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS MANAGER The Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau (GLCVB) is pleased to announce Beth Hoschner, CTA, has been named manager of Customer Relationship Management and HOSCHNER Technology Systems. She will direct the day-to-day management of the organization’s CRM system, provide CRM training to members and partners and serve as liaison to the organization’s IT and technology providers. “Beth’s great attention to detail made her a perfect fit for this position,” said Jack Schripsema, president and CEO of GLCVB. “She has proven herself over the years with her acumen and professionalism. We’re looking forward to her bringing her skill set to this important role.” Hoschner is a Michigan State University graduate with a degree in hospitality business. She previously held the position of sales coordinator with the GLCVB, and she has been with the organization since 2011. For more information about the GLCVB, visit lansing.org.

EXIT REALTY SELECT PARTNERS’ TOP AGENTS RECEIVE MONTHLY AWARDS, NEW TEAM MEMBER ANNOUNCED EXIT Realty Select Partners’ Top Performing Agents were recently awarded for their hard work in the month of April. Ron Maguire worked hard finding new homes to list and ended the month with the most new listings. Deanna Powers had the most offers pending for the month, as well as the most closed deals on one side of the transaction. David Barronhad the most closings through the month, where he served as both the listing and buying agent. “All of our agents have worked hard all month long and these awards are well-deserved recognition of their individual efforts,” said Sue Dickinson, broker/owner of EXIT Realty Select Partners.

This is the 13th safety award Moore Trosper Construction Company has received from state and national AGC organizations since 2002. The annual awards are part of AGC’s ongoing effort to promote safe work practices among its member firms and to recognize firms for their commitment to employee health and safety. Winners of the safety awards are determined by comparing the injury incident rate of each company. The injury incident rate is based on the number of injury cases each firm experiences during the award year, as it relates to the total amount of work hours generated. Founded in 1982, Moore Trosper Construction Company is a Native American-owned company based in Holt, Mich. For information, visit mooretrosper.com, or follow on Facebook, facebook.com/MooreTrosper.

In addition, EXIT Realty Select Partners welcomes the addition of Chris Hocquard to its team of real estate professionals. “We’re excited to welcome Chris to EXIT Realty,” said Dickinson. “EXIT is growing and attracting quality business people like Chris each and every day.” EXIT Realty is a by-invitation-only company focused on the business of real estate. A portion of every transaction fee collected by EXIT Realty Corp. International is applied to its charitable fund. To date, $3.5 Million has been pledged to Habitat for Humanity. EXIT Realty Select Partners is located at 414 S. Clinton St. in Grand Ledge, Mich. For more information, call 517.627.3267 or visit exitgl.com.

MOORE TROSPER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY AWARDED 2016 MICHIGAN OUTSTANDING SAFETY PERFORMANCE AWARD Moore Trosper Construction Company has been recognized by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Michigan with a 2016 Michigan Outstanding Safety Performance Award. “We appreciate the AGC award as both recognition for achievement and a reminder that safety requires dedication,” said Moore Trosper President, Brian Moore. “Our entire staff is committed to our company-wide safety program.”

The Associated General Contractors of Michigan recently awarded a 2016 Michigan Outstanding Safety Performance Award to Moore Trosper Construction Company.

INGHAM COUNTY REHABILITATION SERVICES BREAKS GROUND IN OKEMOS Ingham County Rehabilitation Services, or “Dobie Road,” is a leading provider of skilled nursing and rehabilitation care for midMichigan, announcing groundbreaking news for its new short term sub-acute rehabilitation and complex care services center on June 27. An event featured a ceremony by members of the Ingham County Department of Health and Human Services Board, The Foundation in Support of the Ingham County Medical Care Facility Board and members of the Facility’s staff. The new center is scheduled to open in 2018 and will be attached to the existing L

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building located at 3860 Dobie Road in Okemos, Mich.

annual Rise & Shine Breakfast on June 8 by breakfast host Tico Duckett, a former Michigan State University football great and local entrepreneur. The breakfast celebrated the Entrepreneur Institute’s 20th anniversary.

The new state-of-the-art 61,007-square-foot center will feature 48 private rooms and bath suites, a spa, a community room, a restaurant style bistro, a brand new inpatient therapy gym and an outpatient therapy clinic with a gym that will be open to seniors in the community. “We are very excited to begin this project,” said Mark Stevens, administrator and CEO of Dobie Road. “Our mission statement here at Dobie is ‘Dedicated to Improving Lives’ — this addition will improve the lives of our patients, staff and community, now and into the future.”

Entrepreneur Institute of Mid-Michigan works to economically strengthen small businesses and entrepreneurs in the counties of Ingham, Eaton, Clinton and Shiawassee. It provides access to capital, business plan development training and networking opportunities.

Kelli Ellsworth Etchison receives the Contributor of the Year award from Tico Duckett on behalf of Entrepreneur Institute of Mid-Michigan.

LAFCU’S KELLI ELLSWORTH ETCHISON NAMED CONTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR BY ENTREPRENEUR INSTITUTE OF MID-MICHIGAN

“Kelli is an ardent cheerleader for entrepreneurs and the spirit that drives them,” said Denise Peek, M.S., CED, director of the Entrepreneur Institute who selected Ellsworth Etchison for the honor. “This award is our ‘thank you’ to Kelli for her extraordinary support of the Institute over time.”

Kelli Ellsworth Etchison, LAFCU senior vice president of marketing, has been named Contributor of the Year by the Entrepreneur Institute of Mid-Michigan, of Lansing.

The award is given to an individual who supports the purpose and mission of the Entrepreneur Institute. It was presented as a surprise to Etchison during the organization’s

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MANER COSTERISAN RECOGNIZES LATEST EMPLOYEE PROMOTIONS Maner Costerisan, a full-service public accounting and business advisory firm, is pleased to announce that the following employees have been promoted to manager in their respective departments:

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• Stephanie Calver, CPA, manager, Tax Department • Jessica N. Elliott, CPA, manager, Accounting and Outsourced Solutions Department • Nicholas G. Kossaras, CPA, manager, Audit Department • Joel W. Korson, CPA, manager, Audit Department • Toni Horsch, senior accounting specialist, Accounting and Outsourced Solutions “These employees are invaluable members of our team,” said Jeffrey Stevens, CPA, CITP and president of Maner Costerisan. “I personally know that each one of them puts their best foot forward each and every day at our firm. Like all of our associates, they strive to better themselves professionally so they can provide the highest level of service for their clients.”

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NAI MID-MICHIGAN/TMN COMMERCIAL ANNOUNCES MID-MICHIGAN SALES NAI Mid-Michigan/TMN Commercial is pleased to announce several sales throughout

mid-Michigan. The 62,000-square-foot retail center, 106 Redfield Plaza, located in the commercial corridor of Marshall was purchased by Redfield Acquisitions, LLC. The 30,000-square-foot industrial office/warehouse at 819/821 E. Kalamazoo Street in Lansing was purchased by a Detroit-based investor. In Delta Township, a new Ashley Furniture will be going into the Lansing Towne Center at 5415 W. Saginaw Highway. In the upcoming months, Ashley Furniture will be opening their retail operations in a soon-to-be retrofitted 27,000-square-foot suite. NAI Mid-Michigan/ TMN Commercial is also very pleased to announce the sale of two retail centers in Okemos, 5135 Time Square Drive and 1754 Central Park Drive. These two prominent Okemos retail centers were purchased by a Detroit based investor.

PUBLICOM WINS 9 NATIONAL SERVICE INDUSTRY ADVERTISING AWARDS Publicom Inc., a full-service marketing communications firm, has won nine national awards in the 14th Annual Service Industry Advertising Awards (SIAA) competition. The winning entries were generated for Allegan General Hospital, City of East Lansing, McLaren Lapeer Region, McLaren Greater Lansing, Quest Academy and Smile America Partners. “Our primary goal is to do great work for our clients that will not only get noticed, but help attain the stated marketing objectives,” said Lisa O’Connor, president of Publicom. “Gaining national recognition for our ability makes it that much more gratifying.” Awards were earned for: • Allegan General Hospital, “A Doctor’s Life,” magazine single • City of East Lansing, Downtown Development Authority brochure • McLaren Lapeer Region, “Know the Limit” video vignettes • McLaren Lapeer Region, “Know the Limit” TV ads • McLaren Greater Lansing, “Greater Life Magazine” issue 11 • Quest Academy, Mini Viewbook brochure • Smile America Partners, “The Smile Way ‘Ism’ Book” • Smile America Partners, logo • Smile America Partners, Huddle Program A national panel of judges evaluated and rated 1,900 entries in 26 categories, recognizing the top 17 percent.

Publicom Inc., a full-service marketing communications firm, has won nine national awards in the 14th Annual Service Industry Advertising Awards competition.

Founded in 1979, Publicom Inc. is an integrated marketing communications firm specializing in brand development and on-brand behavior for service companies throughout the nation. For more information, visit publicom.com.

CHRISTOPHER PATTERSON NAMED A “TOP 5 UNDER 35” ATTORNEY Christopher Patterson, an attorney with the Okemos-based law firm, Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes PLC, is recognized as one of the “Top 5” attorneys under the age of 35 in Ingham County for 2017. The PATTERSON award recipients were selected by the board of directors of the Ingham County Bar Association. Patterson was recognized at the Association’s Annual Barristers Night in late March. The Board of Directors made its selection based upon a nominee’s commendable character, integrity, judgment and legal scholarship; selection qualities also included service to the profession and the Bar, service to the community and reputation for the advancement of the highest legal standards and professional responsibility. Patterson joined the firm in 2013 after serving a two-year appointment as judicial law clerk for the Honorable Lawrence P. Zatkoff at the Federal District Court in Port Huron, Mich. He is a 2010 magna cum laude graduate of the Michigan State University College of Law. He is a highly active attorney in the areas of municipal law and commercial and real property law. His experiences and skills enable him to capably manage municipal matters — big and small — for the firm’s municipal clients and bring an extraordinary and informed insight into the judicial process. More information about Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes PLC can be found at fsbrlaw.com. L

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acquisition with an emphasis toward counseling startup businesses. Mikhail worked in private practice as well as in-house for a global technology bedding company where he was the company’s only

LOOMIS, EWERT, PARSLEY DAVIS & GOTTING ADDS ATTORNEY MIKHAIL MURSHAK The law firm of Loomis, Ewert, Parsley Davis & Gotting has added attorney Mikhail Murshak, who specializes in intellectual property law. His practice focuses on patent and trademark

IP attorney. He successfully led the patent and trademark strategy to build a significant portfolio making them the industry leader in innovation. He attended Michigan State University for chemical engineering followed by the University of Connecticut School of Law, graduating in 2003. Mikhail also serves as an adjunct professor at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. MURSHAK

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Kunst, a Mt. Pleasant, Mich. native, graduated from MSU in 2008 with a degree in advertising. Since then, she has gone on to be the CEO and founder of Proday, a San Francisco-based company. Proday was part of the 2016 cohort in the Los Angeles Dodgers Accelerator Program.

“I am inspired to be a part of growing the entrepreneurial community at MSU,” said Kunst. “I am honored to accept this position and work to broaden the scope and impact of the MSU Foundation’s investment initiatives; provide advice on curriculum development; and build relationships that enhance its placemaking activities.”

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The Michigan State University Foundation (MSU Foundation) is pleased to announce it has appointed Sarah Kunst, CEO and founder of Proday, to its Board of Directors. This newest addition to the KUNST organization’s Board reaffirms the MSU Foundation’s commitment to Michigan State University’s (MSU) continued leadership in entrepreneurship and innovation.

An investor and entrepreneur, Kunst has worked at Apple, Red Bull, Chanel, Mohr Davidow Ventures, as well as several venture-backed startups. She is a contributing editor at Marie Claire Magazine and has hosted a podcast for Forbes Magazine. Although Kunst is steeped in the investment and entrepreneurial spaces, she is also passionate about her philanthropic interests, including Venture for America and the U.S. State Department’s Tech Women Program.

S AWARD ST FOR BE D DRESSE E WILL B GIVEN!

SARAH KUNST JOINS MSU FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

AUGUST 2017

Helping MSU achieve its goals related to research, discovery, and commercialization, the MSU Foundation provides research grants and also manages several operating subsidiaries, including Spartan Innovations, MBI, and the University Corporate Research Park. For more information, visit msufoundation.org.

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