DBusiness | November-December 2021 by Hour Media

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BUSINESS SUCCESSION

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ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

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The strength and success of our firm over the years is, in large part, a reflection of the excellence and hard work of our attorneys such as those we congratulate here for the honors that they are receiving as Top Lawyers. Congratulations! We are proud that your contributions and efforts have been recognized not just by us, but by your peers as well! The Kitch firm was co-founded in 1969 in Detroit, Michigan and has since grown to over one hundred attorneys in six offices in Michigan, Illinois and Ohio. Our strong growth and national reach has been the natural result of an earned reputation for excellence and commitment to not only high quality and responsiveness, but to leadership in, and the betterment of, the communities, industries, and clients we serve. Although the Kitch firm began as a medical malpractice defense firm, and continues to be recognized as one of the premier medical malpractice defense firms in the industry, it is today a full-service firm. With a core focus in advisory and defense litigation services, the firm’s practices cover such diverse areas as business and insurance practices, government regulation, licensing, healthcare law, real estate, construction, immigration, estate planning, corporate criminal defense, commercial law, and employment law. As explained by Richard A. Kitch, one of the firm’s founders, "At the Kitch firm, the foundation of our practice is client satisfaction. Over the years, our firm has received many forms of recognition, but no honor pleases us more than the following comment from one of our clients: 'There isn't a harder working or more responsible law firm anywhere.'"

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November - December 2021 || Volume 16 • Issue 6

Features 46 MICHIGAN BILLIONAIRES Hard work, ingenuity, and the state’s colleges and universities offer fertile ground for creating and sustaining multibillion-dollar fortunes. By Calli Townsend

54 SHORT ON REFORM Changes to Michigan’s no-fault insurance in 2019 are impacting the recovery of those severely injured in auto accidents. By Norm Sinclair

60 SUCCESSION BY DESIGN A “Silver Tsunami” is about to engulf Michigan, and thousands of businesses will go on the market as baby boomers retire. By Ronald Ahrens

ILLUSTRATION BY BRIAN BRITIGAN

PLAN AHEAD Business owners are encouraged to put their succession plans in place to be prepared for the future.

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Contents || November - December 2021

114

Commentary 23

ROBOTIC REVOLUTION More companies are tapping into the efficiencies of robotic systems to offset labor shortages caused by government unemployment subsidies, minimum wage mandates, COVID-19 lockdowns, and a general decline in the number of skilled workers. MANUFACTURING: Talent Draw TOURISM: Grooming Growth COMPENDIUM How outsiders view Detroit.

STARTUP AND REPEAT Nano Magic in Madison Heights executes a turnaround plan. By R.J. King SEAMLESS DESIGN: Pedini in Detroit pairs handmade Italian styling with advanced technology. By R.J. King NEED FOR SPEED: The American Speed Festival is returning to M1 Concourse in Pontiac Sept. 29-Oct. 2, 2022, after a successful inaugural run. By Tim Keenan TRADE UP DOBI Real Estate in Birmingham plans a regional expansion. By R.J. King PDA Q&A: Peter M. Bridges, senior managing director, at Townsend Search Group in Birmingham. By R.J. King

ON MENDED KNEE Halley Orthopedics’ X10 technology promises to cut knee replacement recovery time by 80 percent. By Tim Keenan THROUGH THE LENS: Ludington photographer Todd Reed is commemorating a half century of photographing Michigan with a new book. By Tim Keenan

Focus 36

The Ticker 30

CUTTING EDGE Whether it’s golf, sailing, or motorsports, member clubs in metro Detroit are expanding their offerings and undertaking multimillion-dollar renovations. By Dan Calabrese Plus: List of the top clubs in the region.

Perspectives 41

DESTINATION UNKNOWN Labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, inflation, government, and the continuing presence of the coronavirus are clouding the 2022 economic crystal ball. By Tim Keenan

100 PRODUCTION RUN How MO Cellar Selections in Milford recovered from a huge drop in its restaurant wine business following the outbreak of COVID-19. By R.J. King 102 OPINION Michigan’s retail cannabis sector offers plenty of growth opportunities. By Nowfal Akash 104 THE CIRCUIT Our party pics from exclusive events.

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR LETTERS FROM OUR READERS CONTRIBUTORS FROM THE TOP Metro Detroit’s Largest Hospital Systems, Metro Detroit’s Largest Multi-Tenant Office Buildings. CLOSING BELL The Rosenbaum brothers opened their first jewelry store in Detroit before World War I and gained a reputation for scrupulous honesty. By Ronald Ahrens

Exec Life 95

CEO GIFT GUIDE Elite holiday gifts for those at the top of the corporate ladder. By Jake Bekemeyer RETURN ON INVESTMENT When a stabbing upended Rick French’s life, he saw it as a blessing in disguise. By Tom Murray

ON THE COVER Illustration by Martin Schmetzer

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: JOSH SCOTT; DETROIT PUBLIC LIBRARY; MATTHEW LAVERE

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It is more important that innocence be protected than it is that guilt be punished. – John Adams

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Letters || November - December 2021

Maker Space

he world’s first open platform for accelerating innovation will soon be up and running in a former railroad post office next to Michigan Central Station, located just west of Detroit’s Corktown district. There, Ford Motor Co. is investing more than $740 million to create a center of opportunity that, overall, will span 30 acres in and around Michigan Central Station. The campus for 5,000 workers — half of whom will be from the automaker; the rest are a mixture of suppliers, partners, and innovators — revolves around four buildings: the Station, set to open in early 2023; the Book Depository (formerly the post office), scheduled to open next spring; the Factory, which is now home to the automaker’s autonomous vehicle business unit; and a future development to the west of the train depot. The most surprising aspect of the enclave is that apart from the automaker’s mobility activities, the vast majority of the project is designed to serve as a magnet to attract the most promising ideas to advance discovery from companies and individuals around the globe. In other words, as the automaker explicitly cites, Michigan Central Station is not a Ford campus. Rather, the redevelopment of one of Detroit’s most desolate eyesores will likely become the greatest single treasure the city and its residents has ever received. The reason: Ford is inviting anyone — innovators, startups, entrepreneurs, and residents — who has a promising solution to develop, test, and launch their future products or services in an open environment. The offerings will include a business incubation center where people can tap into a network of experts and services to bring their ideas into the material world. The main goal is to speed and improve transportation solutions using the latest technologies like 5G, cellular arrays, sensors, GPS satellites, Wi-Fi systems, and underground hi-speed fiber cables. Already, testing digital connections between ground vehicles is underway around Michigan Central, but the work isn’t confined to advancing communication systems between public and private users. If someone has an idea for improving emergency vehicle services, such as allowing doctors to view accident results through high-definition

cameras worn by medical personnel, the concept can be developed into a working solution at the Michigan Central campus. There, innovators can tap into any number of resources so patients will have a greater chance of survival — especially when the nearest hospital has all the information they need to assemble the right team and equipment when an ambulance arrives. The same accident scenario applies to air transportation, where so-called MedVac vehicles can airlift patients or deliver medical supplies to and from remote locations. Aerial vehicles powered by electric batteries also can be used to move cargo and passengers. Other ideas for improving our quality of life can be developed at Michigan Central so that established companies can connect with startups, educators can be linked with policymakers, mentees can learn from mentors, and communities can share real world challenges with innovators. Bill Ford, executive chair of Ford Motor Co., who had the vision to develop the innovation campus, sees the effort as a pivotal project to create a connected, autonomous, and technological ecosystem to benefit the world. It’s also a way for Ford to give back to the community — which is fitting, given the company’s founder, Henry Ford, would have been hard pressed to create his Quadricycle in 1896 without the contribution of key components from his mentor, Detroit industrialist Charles Brady King.

R.J. King

rjking@dbusiness.com

DETROIT 500 HONOREES RESPOND

I was very excited to receive your letter notifying me that I have been selected to be included in the DBusiness Detroit 500. I’m honored to be included in this select group of individuals. Occasionally, in the course of a busy day, we fail to take the time to say thank you. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and express my appreciation. Steve Gordon Southfield I appreciate being included in your 2021 Detroit 500 issue. I read about half of the bios, and they’re interesting. Our community gets closer the more we know about each other. Jim Bieri Detroit Your “Value Add” introduction to this year’s DBusiness Detroit 500 edition was insightful, as always. It’s good to see a leader in publishing take such thoughtful positions. The Kool Aid drinkers at the Detroit Regional Chamber and Crain’s Detroit Business have a lot to learn from you regarding business insights. Kudos for another job well done, and keep it up. We need your voice in the business community. Pat O’Keefe Bloomfield Hills Thank you for including me again in the annual list of top business leaders for 2021. This was not even on my radar screen, so it was a nice surprise. Brian Demkowicz Detroit

EMAIL US AT: editorial@dbusiness.com SEND MAIL TO: Letters, DBusiness magazine, 5750 New King Drive, Ste. 100, Troy, MI 48098 Please include your city of residence and daytime phone number. We reserve the right to edit letters for length and content.

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Contributors || November - December 2021

CONTRIBUTORS

VOLUME 16 • ISSUE 6 PUBLISHER John Balardo

EDITORIAL

EDITOR R.J. King MANAGING EDITOR Tim Keenan ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jake Bekemeyer COPY EDITORS Anne Berry Daugherty, John S. Schultz

DESIGN

ART DIRECTOR Austin Phillips EDITORIAL DESIGNER Michaela Bunger

ADVERTISING SALES

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Jason Hosko ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Cynthia Barnhart, Regan Blissett, Karli Brown, Lauren DeBano, Maya Gossett, Donna Kassab, Mary Pantely and Associates CONTRIBUTION: Business Succession Plans SEE IT HERE: Page 60

CONTRIBUTION: Cutting Edge SEE IT HERE: Page 36

CONTRIBUTION: Cover story illustration SEE IT HERE: Cover

RONALD AHRENS wrote his first article for DBusiness in January-February 2007; it was a story about revelations from General Motors executive Bunkie Knudsen’s diaries, which had just been made public. His first Closing Bell column ran in May-June of that year. Ahrens also has contributed feature stories on topics ranging from Michigan’s cannabis industry to his September-October 2021 story, “Run of Shows,” a profile of M1 Concourse CEO Tim McGrane. The Alliance of Area Business Publishers awarded Ahrens its gold medal for best body of work in 2019 and 2020, and for best recurring feature in 2021. His first magazine story was for Soap Opera Digest in 1981. He has since written for Automobile, Bon Appétit, and dozens of other titles. Gardening and reading occupy his free time, and he enjoys following the IndyCar series and the NFL.

DAN CALABRESE has been reporting on business in Michigan since 1992. He started at the Grand Rapids Business Journal and became a frequent contributor to DBusiness in 2009. He has also written for a variety of trade magazines, including Transport Topics, Pet Age, ICF Builder, American Fitness, and several others. In addition to his reporting work, Calabrese owns and operates Royal Oak-based North Star Marketing Content, which he founded in 1999 and now operates as a family business involving his wife, son, and daughter. He also has written four novels: “Powers and Principalities,” “Pharmakeia,” “Dark Matter,” and “Backstop.” In addition, Calabrese has collaborated on books with several high-profile business leaders including the late Herman Cain and E.W. Grobbel & Sons’ CEO, Jason Grobbel. Born and raised in Royal Oak, he’s a 1988 graduate of Western Michigan University.

MARTIN SCHMETZER is a designer based in Stockholm, Sweden, who specializes in hand-lettering with a high level of detail and diligence. He’s responsible for this issue’s cover art and the headline for Billionaires Club, starting on page 46. With clients all over the world, Schmetzer spends most of his time designing logotypes and packaging for the spirits and beverage industry. His work can be found on Jos. A Magnus & Co. bourbon, Virago rum, Vigilant gin, and Inscription and Soldier & King pinot noir from Willamette Valley. His style is a fusion of old and new — vintage 1900s to a full-blown street graffiti temperament. “What I love most about lettering is the interaction hand-drawn typography can have to the meaning of a word, (and) how the letters next to each other play together and shape an integrality,” he says.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Nowfal Akash, Dale Buss, Tom Murray, Norm Sinclair, Calli Townsend CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Brian Britigan, Patrick Gloria, Matthew LaVere, Martin Schmetzer, Lindsay Schweickert, Josh Scott, Jon Stich, James Yang

PRODUCTION

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Jenine Rhoades SENIOR PRODUCTION ARTISTS Stephanie Daniel, Robert Gorczyca DIGITAL AND PRINT ADVERTISING COORDINATORS Ramona French, Ava Majoros, Erica Soroka PRS GRAPHIC ARTIST Jim Bibart, Julia McGillicuddy INTEGRATED DESIGN LEAD Alexander Shammami

WEB

DIGITAL DIRECTOR Nick Britsky DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT LEAD Matt Cappo WEB PROJECT ASSISTANTS Mariah Knott, Luanne Lim, Bart Woinski DIGITAL COORDINATOR Travis Cleveland

IT DIRECTOR Jeremy Leland

CIRCULATION

DIRECTOR OF AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Michelle VanArman CIRCULATION MANAGER Riley Meyers CIRCULATION COORDINATORS Sue Albers, Barbie Baldwin, Cathy Krajenke, Rachel Moulden

MARKETING AND EVENTS

MARKETING AND EVENTS MANAGER Melissa Novak MARKETING AND EVENTS COORDINATOR Kelsey Cocke MARKETING AND EVENTS ASSISTANT Drake Lambright MARKETING RESEARCH MANAGER Ana Potter MARKETING RESEARCH COORDINATOR Georgia Iden MARKETING RESEARCH SALES COORDINATOR Hannah Thomas MARKETING RESEARCH ASSISTANT Gabrielle Hejnar MARKETING AND EVENTS INTERNS Ahmed Aljanabi, Dana McDonald, Maryan Toma MARKETING AND RESEARCH INTERNS Shekinah Adams, Katherine Donnelly, Celeste Janson, Maryan Toma

BUSINESS

CEO Stefan Wanczyk PRESIDENT John Balardo PUBLISHING AND SALES COORDINATOR Kristin Mingo DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS Kathie Gorecki ASSISTANT OFFICE MANAGER Natasha Bajju SENIOR ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATE Andrew Kotzian ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATE Estefano Lopez DISTRIBUTION Target Distribution, Troy

Postmaster: Send address changes to DBusiness, 5750 New King Drive, Ste. 100, Troy, MI 48098 For advertising inquiries: 248-691-1800, ext. 126 To sell DBusiness magazine or for subscription inquiries: 248-588-1851 DBusiness is published by Hour Media. Copyright © 2020 Hour Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. DBusiness is a registered trademark of Hour Media.

WEBEXTRA Check out DBusiness Daily News for exclusive business news, blogs, podcasts, and videos, available for free at DBusiness.com/daily-news.

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INSIDE || ROBOTIC REVOLUTION | TALENT DRAW | GROOMING GROWTH | COMPENDIUM

MY DEFINITION OF ‘INNOVATIVE’ IS PROVIDING VALUE TO THE CUSTOMER. — MARY BARRA, CHAIRMAN AND CEO, GENERAL MOTORS CO.

AUTOMATION

ILLUSTRATION BY JAMES YANG

ROBOTIC REVOLUTION MORE COMPANIES ARE TAPPING INTO THE efficiencies of robotic systems to offset labor shortages caused by government unemployment subsidies, minimum wage mandates, COVID-19 lockdowns, and a general decline in the number of skilled workers. The turn to automation is transforming labor markets like never before, while colleges and universities are rushing to train the next generation of robotic designers, engineers, and technicians.

Business owners who fail to recognize and embrace such trends will be left behind. The growing use of robots to boost the productivity and quality of consumer, commercial, and industrial applications was inevitable. As the present baby boomer generation of around 71 million individuals — people born between 1946 and 1964 — steadily moves into retirement age, companies have scrambled to find workers to fill skilled and unskilled positions.

At the same time, medical advancements and healthier lifestyles are extending human life. The generations that came after the baby boomers are arguably the best educated people in the world. Consider that those born after 1964 have benefited from technological advancements that previous generations could barely envision: the internet, artificial intelligence, machine learning, software robots, and more. The data revolution has caused a surge in November - December 2021 || DBUSINESS.COM 23

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Commentary || November - December 2021

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

210B

Projected size of global market for industrial and non-industrial robots in 2025.

104B

Size of global market for industrial and non-industrial robots in 2020.

40%

Percentage of firms worldwide that increased their use of software bots and other forms of automation in response to the pandemic.

Source: Statista, International Data Corp.

tech-related jobs at the expense of manual labor, but the growing use of software to generate greater efficiencies in the workplace and daily activities has its limits. Hardware enterprises — builders and manufacturers of homes, vehicles, equipment, medical devices, and so much more — aren’t going away anytime soon. To meet the demand for physical products when the supply of manual labor is declining, companies seemingly can’t automate production tasks fast enough. Think about how businesses adapt when faced with a challenge. The robotic process automation market, or software bots, is projected to grow by double digits for the foreseeable future, according to tech research firm Gartner Inc. The company predicts global revenue will jump nearly 20 percent this year, from $1.9 billion in overall sales last year. Part of the growth came from pandemic lockdowns, as business owners worked to keep their operations running by using software bots to complement call centers, process payroll data, or manage mortgage and loan applications. On the industrial front, companies that utilize collaborative robots, or cobots — which work safely alongside workers or automate entire manufacturing processes — are realizing efficiency gains and lower costs. What’s more, for the first time, annual orders of robots from non-automotive sectors surpassed automotive robot orders in North America last year, according to a report from the Association for Advancing Automation in Ann Arbor. The gains were driven by a strong fourth quarter that was the second-best quarter ever for North American robotic sales, with a 63.6 percent increase from the previous year’s fourth quarter. As it stands, the growth in automation is here to stay, helped along by pandemic lockdowns, minimum wage mandates, and political directives. To alleviate restrictions, more opportunities for utilizing robotic applications will help companies boost productivity, minimize disruptions, and provide enhanced flexibility.

MANUFACTURING

TALENT DRAW

FORD MOTOR CO.’S ANNOUNCEMENT IN SEPTEMBER THAT it would build a new assembly plant for an expanded lineup of electric F-Series trucks in Stanton, Tenn., northwest of Memphis — along with two separate battery complexes with South Korean partner SK Innovation, one in Memphis and the other in Glendale, Ky., south of Louisville — may not, on the surface, benefit metro Detroit. While any state would welcome what, overall, is an $11.4-billion investment, our region and state already are benefiting from more than $7 billion in new production and battery investments from Ford. What’s more, most of the automaker’s R&D activities, which include thousands of designers, engineers, scientists, and technicians, are in Dearborn and at Michigan Central Station, its emerging innovation district in Detroit. The two brain centers are helping drive the work that will go into designing and building the new truck and battery plants in Kentucky and Tennessee, which together will ease pressure on the global supply chain for batteries. Having learned its lesson in relying on foreign suppliers for key computer chips, which has impacted the entire vehicle sector, the automaker is making the right moves to avoid problems. Ford’s decision to build the new facilities in the central portion of the country also speaks to lower shipping costs relative to having new vehicles built elsewhere. To help draw the key talent needed to expand the industry, the state should redouble its efforts to market our borders as the epicenter of global vehicle research and technology.

TOURISM

GROOMING GROWTH

AS ONE OF THE TOP INDUSTRIES IN the state, the resort and tourism sector received welcome news this fall when Boyne Mountain Resort in Boyne Falls announced Renaissance 2.0, a plan to guide growth and development through the year 2030. Included are national-level attractions, new technology and lift innovations, hotel developments, green initiatives, and more at Boyne’s facilities in northern Michigan. Other resorts in the state are making recreational investments that will drive economic development and create jobs in an industry that initially was impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns. Once the restrictions were lifted, outdoor recreational facilities saw near-record demand as people gravitated to activities such as golf, skiing, hiking, and boating. Confident that the demand is here to stay, Boyne Mountain Resort is building SkyBridge Michigan, which it says will be the world’s longest timber-towered suspension bridge. The new attraction is modeled after the Gatlinburg SkyBridge at Boyne’s sister property, Gatlinburg SkyLift Park in Tennessee, and its timber-frame design is a nod to the logging heritage of northern Michigan. The resort operator also is expanding its use of renewable energy and introducing the next evolution of lift technology with the Midwest’s first Doppelmayr D-Line, a high-speed, eight-person ski lift. The investments are a welcome sign that Michigan can expand economic activity within the four-season tourism industry despite uncertain headwinds.

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HOW OUTSIDERS VIEW DETROIT The Washington Post | Sept. 16, 2021

OPINION: CORRUPTION THREATENS THE DETROIT COMEBACK STORY NAME THE NATION’S MOST CORRUPT CITIES, AND some obvious choices spring to mind, led by Chicago, for sure, and places such as Los Angeles and Miami. That much is confirmed by a University of Illinois at Chicago analysis of the Justice Department’s list of public corruption convictions from 1976 to 2019. But right now, Detroit is dealing with a two-track wave of corruption...

The Detroit News estimates that more than 100 labor leaders, police officers, politicians, and others have been caught up in investigations that simply keep mounting. In late August, the FBI raided the homes and offices of two city council members. Another, André Spivey, was indicted on bribery charges in July (he pleaded not guilty in August), while council member Gabe Leland pleaded guilty to misconduct in office and resigned in May. The torrent of scandals may alarm Detroit boosters, who have poured in money to polish up the formerly battered downtown for years, cheering on the city as it emerged from the country’s biggest municipal bankruptcy in 2013. Billionaire businessman Dan Gilbert alone “invested or allocated an estimated $5.6 billion in about 100 Detroit properties through his Bedrock real estate firm,” — Micheline Maynard NPR reported in 2018.

Forbes | Sept. 10, 2021 | By John Perrotto

DETROIT TIGERS BEGIN TO SHOW PROGRESS IN LONG REBUILD THE DETROIT TIGERS WILL MISS THE POSTSEASON for the seventh straight year, an outcome expected from the day spring training began. However, the Tigers finally appear to have hope, some light at the end of a very long rebuilding tunnel. The Tigers are 66-75 with 21 games left in the season (on Sept. 10). It might not seem like much but it’s far better than the records Detroit has put up in recent years. In both 2017 and 2018, the Tigers finished at 64-98 then sank all the way to 47-114 in 2019. They were 23-35 during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. So, compared to the previous four years, nine games under .500 with a little more than three weeks left in the season is progress.

A.J. Hinch, in his first season as manager, hesitates to break down the season in detail because, “we’re not done with our schedule yet and we want to focus on finishing the season on a good note and write a good ending to our (story) this year.” ...

Energy News Network | Sept. 16, 2021 | By Tom Perkins

HOW DECADES OF NEGLECT LEFT DETROIT’S GRID VULNERABLE TO POWERFUL STORMS ART REYES AND HIS FAMILY FACED AN INCREASINGLY common summer plight in metro Detroit last month after a thunderstorm knocked out their electricity. He and his wife and newborn scrambled for a place to stay — and to store the supply of bottled breast milk at risk of going bad in their thawing freezer. They ended up relocating to a relative’s house an hour away for five days before DTE Energy finally restored power at their home. Michigan has among the country’s least reliable electric grids, consistently ranking in the bottom quarter for the frequency and length of outages. While DTE recently blamed Michigan’s growing grid problems on the state’s wealth of “beautiful trees” hitting lines, industry experts and stakeholders say the company and regulators are responsible. Decades of inadequate tree trimming and a failure to replace aging equipment, they say, have left the grid vulnerable to strong storms that are increasingly frequent as the climate changes. “The grid in the older parts of DTE’s service area is weaker and less able to avoid outages when there are storms,” said Douglas Jester, a consultant with 5 Lakes Energy who intervenes in utilities’ regulatory cases. “And a significant part of the reliability of an overhead distribution grid is tree trimming.” It’s more than just an inconvenience to customers. The Reyes family concluded their ordeal by emptying spoiled food from a fridge and spending hundreds of dollars to restock it. Across the region, tens of thousands of residents faced similar expenses as they went without power for over a week. “Nobody should have to go through an extended period of time without consistent and stable access to heat, lights, and electricity,” Reyes said. ...

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Compendium || Commentary

The Nation | Sept. 10, 2021 | By Bilal Baydoun

WHEN IT RAINS IN DETROIT ONE OF THE MAIN STREETS THAT DIVIDES DETROIT from its southwestern neighbor, Dearborn, doesn’t shift elevation or air pressure. A rain gauge on either side of Tireman Road wouldn’t register much difference in precipitation, and the trees that straddle its northern and southern curbs can claim no ecological advantage over their counterparts. And yet, in the age of climate crisis, streets like Tireman are where the objective science of climate change meets the subjective machinery of American urban policy to produce rifts as profound as the greatest continental divides. Dayale and Eric Grays live on the Detroit side of that divide, just five houses north of Tireman. Around 3 a.m. on June 26, Dayale’s 14-year-old son woke her up. “I think you want to see this,” he said, waving her to the basement. The water was up to the second step and rising. “Go get your dad.” … The rainfall that flooded the Grays’ home — seven inches in 12 hours — was more intense than Detroit’s last great flood, in 2014, which caused $1.8 billion in damage. This summer, the

local and national media were inundated with images of drowned semis on I-94 — the interstate that runs through Detroit looked like a sixth Great Lake. Thousands of homes were submerged, and over 350 cars had been drowned and totaled by the afternoon, requiring the rescue of dozens of people. And yet few think of Detroit as a center of the climate crisis. … Days after the June flood, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan explained the damage by blaming the unexpected amount of rain: “Nobody designs systems to handle two months of rain in one day,” he said. But the reality that Detroit’s weather extremes won’t top any national charts is precisely why they’re so dangerous. The city’s existing vulnerabilities, rooted in decades of disinvestment and compound harm, give pulverizing force to even ordinary rainfall. And it’s likely that heavy rains will only get heavier and more frequent. … Michelle Martinez, acting executive director

Cultured | Sept. 10, 2021 | By Elizabeth Fazzare

DETROIT’S MONTH OF DESIGN EXPLORES WHAT MATTERS TODAY DETROIT IS A CITY CONSTANTLY INNOVATING. FROM the legacy of the automobile industry to the continuing pool of talents concentrated each academic year at its educational institutions like the Cranbrook Art Academy and College for Creative Studies, creativity in the Motor City is in high supply, and high demand — it’s what makes it the United States’ only UNESCO City of Design. Nowhere is

this more visible to the outside eye than at the annual Month of Design, presented by Design Core Detroit. The month-long celebration (in September) highlights some of the best up-and-coming talents that hail from around the globe but particularly locally, in the large range of artistic industries in which Detroiters excel. Now in its eleventh year, the city-wide festival is back with a mix of events, exhibitions and talks, in-person indoor, outdoor, and virtual. Through media that span from furniture to fashion and everywhere in between, Detroit designers are pondering some of the world’s most pressing issues in their work, especially those truths brought to even more clarity during the pandemic, including the nation’s lack of affordable housing, a desire to mitigate climate change and inclusive design for all. For example, artist Mike Han, architecture firm Synecdoche Design and photographer Ryan Southen are collaboratively exploring the idea of reuse with a particular Midwestern twist. As the region could be argued to be the birthplace of midcentury modern design, the multidisciplinary trio gives those pieces that have been more than a bit well-loved an opportunity at a second life, rather than a one-way ticket to a landfill. …

of the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition, says the long arc of disinvestment and racial injustice in Detroit have more explanatory force than the unusual amount of rainfall. ... The New York Times | Aug. 28, 2021 | By Mitch Smith

THE CENSUS SAID DETROIT KEPT SHRINKING. THE MAYOR BEGS TO DIFFER. ONCE AGAIN, THE CENSUS BUREAU REPORTED, Detroit has gotten smaller. For most Detroiters’ entire lives, census day has brought only bad news, a painful once-a-decade accounting of an exodus that has shrunk their city’s population by more than half since 1950 and left entire blocks abandoned. Mayor Mike Duggan pledged to stop that decline when he swept into office eight years ago, telling voters they could measure his success based on whether residents returned. But when the latest numbers were released this month, they showed the population had fallen more than 10 percent since 2010, to about 639,000 residents. In the ledger of the federal government, Mr. Duggan had failed to meet his goal, people were still leaving and Detroit now had fewer residents than Oklahoma City. In the mayor’s own view, he was succeeding, the city was coming back and the Census Bureau had just counted wrong. Hours after the census count was released, the mayor fired off an indignant statement accusing the bureau of undercounting Detroit residents by at least 10 percent. … November - December 2021 || DBUSINESS.COM 27

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The Ticker INSIDE || PEDINI | AMERICAN SPEED FESTIVAL | DOBI | X10 THERAPY | PLUS PDA Q&A AND MORE ...

CLEAR EYES

Nano Magic Inc. in Madison Heights has developed an anti-fogging solution for glasses and other products. MATTHEW LAVERE

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DBUSINESSDIRECT FULL CIRCLE Tom J. Berman , president and CEO of Nano Magic Inc. in Madison Heights, is joined in the business by his father, Ronald J. Berman, co-founder of Rock Financial (now Rocket Cos.) in Detroit.

GM Partners with Wolfspeed to Boost EV Range General Motors Co. in Detroit announced a strategic supplier agreement with Wolfspeed Inc., a leader in the worldwide adoption of silicon carbide and gallium nitride technologies based in Durham, N.C., to develop and provide silicon carbide power device solutions for future EV programs. According to GM, Wolfspeed’s silicon carbide devices will enable the automaker to install more efficient EV propulsion systems that will expand the range of its rapidly growing EV portfolio.

Oakland University’s President Gifts School $1M for Scholarships Dr. Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, president of Oakland University in Rochester, has gifted $1 million to the university to support scholarships for academically exceptional high school graduates. The gift will be administered by OU’s Honors College, with the goal of fostering scholarly work and leadership skills of the next generation of leaders.

Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit to Offer Health Care at Home Detroit-based Henry Ford Health System and Nashville home health care company Contessa have formed a partnership to provide hospital-level care at home for patients with certain acute conditions through a combination of in-person and virtual care.

GM Introduces End-to-End Software Platform Ultifi General Motors Co. in Detroit has introduced Ultifi, an end-to-end software platform designed to unlock new vehicle experiences and connect customers’ digital lives to their vehicle.

Nissan Adds $40M Safety Lab to Farmington Hills Engineering Center Nissan has expanded its Nissan Technical Center North America in Farmington Hills with a more than $40 million Safety Advancement Lab for vehicle testing. The new lab is expected to bring more efficiency to the vehicle development process and furthers Nissan’s goal of reaching a future with virtually zero fatalities, according to the automaker. For full stories and more, visit dbusiness.com/daily-news to get daily news sent directly to your email.

Startup and Repeat Nano Magic, in Madison Heights, executes a turnaround plan.

BY R.J. KING |

ost companies go through a single startup phase. Nano Magic Inc. in Madison Heights, which got its start in October 2018, spent its early days turning around a struggling, debt-burdened enterprise, PEN Inc. The new management team focused on rebranding a promising line of cleaning products which utilize nanotechnology to help keep glass, porcelain, and ceramic surfaces clean from dirt, fingerprints, and other debris. The solution lasts over several weeks, and is formulated and bottled in-house. Recognizing there was value in a nearly bankrupt business that got its start in 1985, Tom J. Berman; his father, Ronald J. Berman, co-founder of Rock Financial (now Rockets Cos. in Detroit); and other investors acquired the company. At the time, it was based in Cleveland, and operated an R&D facility in Austin, Texas. “The people who were running PEN never figured out how to integrate well, they spent millions of dollars on R&D, outsourced too many things, and were falling apart,” says Tom J. Berman, president and CEO of Nano Magic. “We performed triage on what was $2 million in debt by settling everything, and we dealt with what were a lot of skeletons in the closet.” In November 2020, the company, renamed Nano Magic, moved to a large facility in Madison Heights from Cleveland. Nearly everything that had been outsourced

MATTHEW LAVERE was moved in-house. During the same period, the new team, which today numbers more than 40 employees — including three people who worked for PEN in Cleveland — launched a marketing and direct-to-consumer campaign in the clean surface space, which is dominated by Windex, Dyson, and others. “We saw an opportunity to mend some of the bridges; build new bridges; become a global brand with lens cleaning, screen cleaning, and anti-fog solutions; and get into household and automotive categories, which we’re doing now,” Berman says. Two new offerings — Anti Fog + Lens Cleaner and Force Field Windshield Protection — complement seven product lines in the consumer, health, industrial, and government sectors. Along the road to recovery, Nano Magic saw mask mandates generate siginificant demand for fog-free glass lens solutions. Riding the surge, the company reported its first profitable quarter in years. When the investors acquired the business, it was generating $30,000 a month in sales. The following year, in 2019, revenue was $1 million, followed by $4 million last year. For 2021, revenue is on pace to reach $8 million. “Our two-in-one lens cleaner and anti-fog solution is like your combined shampoo and conditioner,” Berman says. “We’re taking it directly to consumers, we’re on Amazon, and we’re expanding our entire retail portfolio in big box stores like Best Buy, Walgreens, Lowe’s, and Walmart. We like our chances going forward.”

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Seamless Design

MODERN CONTEMPORARY The Arkè kitchen by Pedini of Detroit.

Pedini in Detroit pairs handmade Italian styling with advanced technology. BY R.J. KING

hen Pedini of Detroit, an Italian designer of modern contemporary kitchens, bathrooms, and furniture, opened its doors in 2018, the company pursued two distinct avenues of growth. On the commercial side, Pedini designs kitchens for new condominium and apartment complexes. “We have clients throughout metro Detroit, Michigan, and northern Ohio,” says Stefano Mularoni, co-owner with Ravinder Chhatwal of Pedini of Detroit. “All of our work would be considered custom. In this way, residents feel confident they have a unique design — plus, it helps drive value when a unit (condo) is sold.” The company also creates custom living spaces for single-family homes. Hi Pedini, a line of Alexa-like technology, powers appliances and other furnishings via a voice assistant. It’s complemented by what Pedini calls Cloud Computing, an advanced voice-recognition app based on Microsoft artificial intelligence, along with sensors attached inside cabinet doors and drawers. The technology allows users to monitor and direct actions — such as measuring air quality inside a home, receiving alerts in case of a natural gas or a water leak, and even developing a grocery

PEDINI OF DETROIT

Need for Speed

|| By

list or suggesting new recipes — via a smartphone app. Sensors, meanwhile, can open and close cabinets and drawers via a voice assistant, or have fresh-brewed coffee prepared each morning. “Our design team in Italy will work directly with clients (via Zoom), so it’s as if you’re right there at our design center in Fano (south of San Marino),” Chhatwal says. “It’s quite an experience when all the technology comes together. It’s like having an Italian design house right at your fingertips.” A future product offering, Hi Pedini, in tandem with a lighting package, can be used to set a preferred mood. Using voice commands, different colors and shades of light can be selected to provide for reflective moments, a sporting event, or a family celebration. Safety features will alert parents if a child tries to access a “critical door” that contains detergents or utensils. The business also provides numerous designs

and products for living spaces, bathrooms, bedrooms, and walk-in closets, including products from Antares, Gemini, Virgo, Orion, and Taurus in the new Omnia collection. The offerings include a range of modern, free-standing storage containers and doors for separating or closing spaces. Apart from residential projects, Pedini services the hospitality industry and works with interior designers, franchise owners, retailers, medical office users, corporations, and restaurants. It has custom relationships with IPF Flooring and COCIF Doors, as well. “Our showroom is designed to be very immersive, so when you come through our doors it’s like you’re stepping into another world,” Mularoni says of the office located at 422 W. Congress St., just north of TCF Center. “We also offer numerous accessories for our different products lines so people can experience a seamless design.”

Tim Keenan

THE AMERICAN SPEED FESTIVAL IS returning to M1 Concourse in Pontiac Sept. 29-Oct. 2, 2022, after a successful inaugural run, show organizers say. Next year’s event will feature the Shelby marque, in honor of the 60th anniversary of Shelby American, the California high-performance vehicle manufacturer founded by the legendary Carroll Shelby.

Chaparral was the featured make for the inaugural American Speed Festival, and four of those historic vehicles were among the more than 100 vintage racers that participated in the event. Chaparral’s mastermind, Jim Hall, was the first recipient of M1’s Master of Motorsports award for lifetime achievement in the racing industry. “We’re very pleased with the

success of our inaugural American Speed Festival weekend,” says Tim McGrane, CEO of M1 Concourse. “We had a tremendous three days for our Dine and Drive, and two days of on-track time trials on the 1.5-mile Speed Ring of Champion Motor Speedway.” M1 also inaugurated the Checkered Flag Ball, which raised more than $100,000 for M1 Mobility,

the facility’s effort to improve public transportation in the Pontiac area. “As with any first-time event, we’ll take valued input from our customers and competitors to provide a better event for all,” McGrane says. “We can’t wait to do it again, and we can promise it will be bigger and better than ever as we celebrate the sport of auto racing and the anniversary of Shelby American.”

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Trade Up

DOBI Real Estate in Birmingham plans a regional expansion.

SIMON THOMAS

BY R.J. KING

imon Thomas was born into a family of entrepreneurs, but when he made his first attempt at starting his own business — as a franchisee of fruit gift baskets — it was successful for just two years. Then he ran into the 2008 global financial recession. “I learned a ton, but had to shut the business down,” says Thomas, whose family owns Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Southgate and Howell, among other area venues. “I didn’t give up on owning my own business. I learned a lot working for my family growing up, and I took all that knowledge and kept moving forward.” After earning his real estate brokerage license, Thomas sold single-family homes and condominiums at various real estate operations and became a top producer in the region when he hit $20 million in sales in his third year. Five years later, in 2018, he launched DOBI Real Estate in Birmingham’s Rail District. “What I saw from other real estate brokerage operations was that agents didn’t necessarily need to work from an office each day; rather, as new technology allowed agents to become more mobile and work from different places, they needed an office setting that complemented that flexibility,” says Thomas, CEO and broker at DOBI Real Estate. The trend not only brought greater efficiencies to listing and selling homes, it also provided for considerable savings. In a traditional real estate office where each agent has an office, a brokerage like DOBI, with 85 sales

professionals, would need around 20,000 square feet of space. Simon’s setup, however, spans 4,000 square feet. “We made the office more flexible, almost like a coffee shop and a small café all in one,” he explained during a recent tour. There are a handful of offices, but most of the space, which includes a roll-up glass garage door that opens to a patio, provides for multiple activities. “We can have a group sales meeting or present monthly awards to the team,” Thomas says. “The space is very flexible.” As the founder seeks to grow his enterprise — Thomas says DOBI is on pace to sell 600 homes this year — he plans to double the size of his operation to provide for more agents. He’s also eyeing a future expansion into the Rochester and Northville markets. The goal is to have five or six offices in the region in the coming years. To help propel growth, last year Thomas launched Twenty-Two Title, which taps technical innovations to streamline the closing and escrow process. “Our clients are looking to save time and money, and get the maximum value for their home,” he says. As for recent market trends, Thomas says since COVID-19, more buyers are seeking larger residences that include multiple rooms. “Families want home offices for the parents and the kids, and separate TV rooms,” he says. “Homes with more than three bedrooms are selling faster, and condominiums take longer to sell, overall, than single-family homes.”

PETER M. BRIDGES

Senior Managing Director Townsend Search Group, Birmingham

DB: WHERE ARE YOU? PB: I’m in our Traverse City office. I came up for a meeting with a prospective client, to learn about their history and where they’re going. The company was just acquired, and I took a facility tour. We plan to work with them to strengthen their management team. DB: HOW OFTEN DO YOU VISIT? PB: I try to get up here once a week, but in reality it typically works out to be twice a month. We opened our

Traverse City office four years ago. The business opened in 2004 and I joined Townsend Search Group in 2006. DB: WHY TRAVERSE CITY? PB: It was a combination of things. One of my colleagues wanted to move up here. We’ve done a good job of servicing Michigan (by) successfully placing senior executives, and we saw that an office in Traverse City would strengthen our reach. People like doing business

with people in their neighborhood. DB: DID YOU FLY? PB: I got my private pilot’s license in 2005 and today I’m a commercial, multi-engine instrument-rated pilot. Flying a plane is incredibly efficient. If I drove here (from metro Detroit) it would take eight hours, but with the plane it’s two hours (of travel). That means I can have a whole day up here to work. DB: HOW EFFICIENT IS A PLANE?

PB: I flew two hours to Virginia to see a company in a rural location; it would have taken all day with a (commercial) flight into Atlanta and then another flight. I was able to spend time with the CEO on the plane, visit with their general manager, and meet the workers. You really get to see a company’s culture that way, and it helps a great deal when we search for a senior executive who will make the right fit.

TOP: DOBI REAL ESTATE; BOTTOM: TOWNSEND SEARCH GROPU

PDA Q&A: The E-Interview || By R.J. King

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On Mended Knee

DBUSINESSDIRECT ELMS in Troy Ships First Class 1 EV in U.S. Market Electric Last Mile Solutions Inc. in Troy has shipped its first Urban Delivery units to customers, marking the launch of the first commercial Class 1 EV in the U.S. market. The vehicles came from ELMS’ production facility in Mishawaka, Ind., and were shipped to Randy Marion Automotive Group in North Carolina.

Boyne Mountain Resort Embarks on Major Expansion Boyne Mountain Resort in Boyne Falls has announced Renaissance 2.0, a four-phase plan to guide growth and development through the year 2030. Included are national-level attractions, new technology and lift innovations, hotel developments, green initiatives, and more. Initial projects in the plan’s first steps encompass several major developments. Construction is already underway.

Ascension Providence Hospital Women’s Heart Clinic Opens in Southfield The Ascension Providence Hospital Heart Institute has established a new health clinic in Southfield that provides cardiovascular care specifically for women. The goal of the clinic is to help women who are at risk, or currently have heart disease, achieve and maintain optimal heart health.

Ford and SK Innovation will Invest $11.4B in U.S. EV and Battery Production Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn and SK Innovation are building two new environmentally and technologically advanced campuses, and investing $11.4 billion, in Tennessee and Kentucky. The new plants will produce the next generation of electric F-Series trucks and the batteries to power future electric Ford and Lincoln vehicles.

Chris Webber Breaks Ground on $50M Detroit Cannabis Facility Former University of Michigan and NBA basketball star Chris Webber has launched Players Only Holding, a new $50 million, 180,000-squarefoot cannabis operation and training facility in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood. For full stories and more, visit dbusiness.com/daily-news to get daily news sent directly to your email.

Halley Orthopedics’ X10 technology promises to cut knee replacement recovery time by 80 percent.

BY TIM KEENAN |

aul Ewing isn’t a doctor. He doesn’t even play one on television. Still, he doesn’t think it should take knee replacement patients six months to a year after surgery to regain range of motion and strength. So, he came up with a solution — the X10. The X10 is a machine patients rent for four to six weeks after surgery. It uses pressure-sensing technology to help users regain range of motion and strength by utilizing both controlled pressure and target motion angles to move the leg. Patients set the parameters, maximizing the pressure needed to move their leg without exceeding their pain threshold. “Working just under a patient’s pain threshold avoids damaging the knee and causing further swelling, reducing the need for prescription pain medication,” says Ewing, who retired after selling two tech-related companies, including Halley Orthopedics, which he co-founded with his orthopedic surgeon friend, Dr. David Halley, before developing X10. “While traditional therapists play a critical role in rehabilitation, the smart technology in the X10 will precisely repeat motions a human cannot emulate.” Successful recovery from knee replacement surgery is a race against time, according to Ewing. Fluid caused by post-surgical internal bleeding must be moved away from the joint tissues until the swelling subsides. Traditionally, this has been accomplished through standard physical therapy done three to five times per week. X10 therapy includes three 30-minute sessions per day, seven days a week, for about a month; it’s all done in the comfort of the patient’s home. Sessions are guided by X10 physical therapy staff who monitor patient recovery data from the machine. Results are saved and transmitted to both the patient’s personal therapist and their doctor, to track progress.

Through the Lens

JOSH SCOTT

KNEES AND JOINTS Paul Ewing, an engineer (above), along with Dr. David Halley, developed the X10 to speed the recovery time from knee replacements.

An engineer by trade, Ewing, together with Halley, devised the X10. According to Ewing, there are now more than 200 X10 machines in circulation, and they’ve helped approximately 5,000 patients nationwide over the past 12 years. Many patients pay for the treatment — which can cost thousands of dollars — themselves, since most insurance companies have yet to recognize its benefits although the treatment is covered by Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO Plans and Medicare through the X10 Home Health division. “Traditionally, patients have lost 50 percent or more of their quadriceps strength at one month post-surgery,” Halley says. “On average, X10 patients regain all or more of their preoperative strength within four to six weeks.”

|| Tim Keenan

LUDINGTON-BASED PHOTOGRAPHER Todd Reed is commemorating a half century of photographing the Great Lakes State with a new book, “Todd Reed: 50 Years of Seeing Michigan Through A Lens.” This 384-page photography art book was released this past summer and explores Michigan’s beauty through Reed’s eyes, highlighting many aspects of his life. It includes images from his multiple decades at both the

Ludington Daily News and the U.S. Coast Guard, many of Reed’s best-selling images with new stories behind them, and 67 never-seen images from 2020, his 50th year behind the camera. Among the images featured in the book are lighthouses, Great Lakes shorelines, inland lakes and rivers, the Upper Peninsula, and ships and boats. Reed estimates that he’s taken more than 1 million photographs in his lifetime.

Reed, who owns a photography business (Todd and Brad Reed Photography) and gallery in Ludington with his son, Brad, has published other books, including “Ludington Point to Point,”“Lake Michigan Point to Point,” “Ludington State Park: Queen of the North,”“Michigan: Wednesdays in the Mitten,”“Tuesdays with Todd & Brad Reed: A Michigan Tribute,”“Take Time for Joy,” and “365: A Year in the Photographic Lives of Todd and Brad Reed.”

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Focus || Private Clubs

PRIME SCENE As part of a renovation project, the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club transformed its Spinnaker Room into a well-appointed steakhouse.

Cutting Edge he perfect time to renovate a country club, yacht club, or any other high-end membership facility is ... never. Any renovation interferes or is intrusive, to some degree, with daily activities of the facility. Golf course upgrades mean people can’t play. Dining facility and clubhouse renovations mean there’s nowhere to meet. And there’s always the challenge of paying for the upgrades, which often falls on members in the form of assessments over and above what can be considerable dues. But if facilities aren’t updated from time to time, membership drops off and those who remain can find their experience isn’t what it used to be. Some of metro Detroit’s most notable private clubs undertook major renovations this year, recognizing all of the above challenges and more, but determined that they and their members would be better off for the short-term pain. For many high-end membership institutions, renovations can be a tricky balance between upgrades and maintaining a traditional look as part of the facility’s charm. Making things new without losing the history and familiar ambience

BY DAN CALABRESE requires a skilled touch. At the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, members recognized that certain amenities — including the dining rooms — were outdated. “From surveys and talking to our membership, they were looking for something a little more high-end,” says Katie Susko, communications director at the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club. “Still casual, but more of a modern, high-end feel.” The club responded to that desire by turning its Spinnaker Room, which had served as a casual dining room, into a high-end steakhouse-type atmosphere, with a menu to match. Meanwhile, the club’s main dining room will be transformed into more of a casual venue — an octagon-shaped room with TVs at the bar and a menu that still fits a private club but features the likes of a Smashburger, as well. “It used to be very dark in there, not a lot of light, no carpeting, dark leather,” Susko says of the Spinnaker Room. “Now there’s light on the walls, dark wood trim, and brand-new tables created by Conor Ahearn that are a kind of marbled wood. With the white marble countertop at the bar and beautiful nautical artwork, it’s brighter in there and more modern-looking.”

All of the renovations were accomplished without changing the architecture of the room. “There are the beautiful columns in the center of the room, which is kind of dome-shaped,” Susko says. “All the architecture is staying the same. It’s just being modernized.” There’s a throwback element with chandeliers being brought in that date back to the club’s opening in the 1930s. At the same time, the club’s rotunda has gotten an update. New features include dark wood floors, new white paint on the walls, and a large compass on the floor made entirely from wood. The club is also doing an update to its Binnacle dining area, which overlooks Lake St. Clair and a pool area. That part of the project hasn’t started yet, and there’s no timetable for its conclusion. When it’s done, however, the club expects the Binnacle to include new elements like a pizza oven, in addition to the availability of “little bites” like sushi. All the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club renovations were funded by members under an effort known as the Founders Club, and the funds were collected over several years. The club has a total of 770 main members, in addition to spouses and children.

JOHN F. MARTIN

Whether it’s golf, sailing, or motorsports, member clubs in metro Detroit are expanding their offerings and undertaking multimillion-dollar renovations to attract new members and enhance their amenities.

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Private Clubs || Focus

Further downstream, at Bayview Yacht Club, which is located on the banks of the Detroit River, the need for renovations was driven by a desire to attract younger members and the realization that an aging facility wasn’t helping with that effort. “We were faced with a situation where our membership was already down,” says Chuck Stormes, who currently holds the title of commodore with the club. “It had been trending down for some time. We were struggling to attract new members.” With about 350 active members, and the numbers dropping, the leadership team believed an aging clubhouse was one of the reasons new members weren’t appearing. “Things were starting to fail, even things like siding that were at the end of their life,” Stormes says. “We spent an awful lot of money just putting Band-Aids on the place, so we felt it was time to move forward with a proposal to membership.” The effort started in the spring of 2018, led by then-Commodore Brad Kimmel, who is a principal at Auburn Hills-based Commercial Contracting Corp. Funding was in place by fall 2019, and members greeted the plan with enthusiasm — so much so that, by December 2019, the Club moved out of the existing clubhouse entirely so it could be demolished. The teardown didn’t get far before COVID-19 stopped the entire project in its tracks. For several months, Bayview Yacht Club did its best to function with no clubhouse. Then a bigger problem presented itself. Because of the pandemic, the club’s bank pulled the plug on the financing agreement. “There was no financing we could

count on,” Stormes says. “It was quite something. And we had a meeting to consider, how do we get it done?” The club stayed committed to the project, and by summer 2020 the same bank came back to the table and, by August, provided $2.8 million in financing to kickstart a project with a total cost of $5 million. The remainder came from fundraising by members. A key to the new clubhouse construction was a concrete slab foundation, which was poured after the floor joints were pulled up. Then the new clubhouse started to take shape — a new 12,800-square-foot structure to replace the former 10,000-square-foot facility. A crucial element of the project was to maintain some of the clubhouse’s most iconic features. “The old block building that was constructed in 1935 had what we called the Mackinac Room,” Stormes says. “It’s what everybody thinks of when they think of Bayview Yacht Club. That and the bar.” So, the Mackinac Room had to be included in the new clubhouse, as did the original mahogany bar. The builders also found a way to bring back the original fireplace and mantel. “It has that tradition and warmth to it,” Stormes says. It also has important new features, including the Canada Club Room, which seats 60 people for dinner and has windows overlooking the river, as well as a whole wall that faces west toward downtown Detroit and Belle Isle. “It’s got a contemporary feel to it,” Stormes says. Upstairs is the Regatta Room, which is designed to have a more Southern feel reminiscent

of Charleston, S.C., or Key West. The view outside includes the river, Peach Island, and Canada. “The décor is more island, small, and fun,” Stormes says. “There’s a balcony with a couch that overlooks the river. When you look into the club, there’s a younger feel.” The effort appears to be accomplishing its goal. The club has added more than 20 active members since May 2021 and now stands at 370, with as many as 10 more waiting to join. They’re following the example of some pretty committed existing members. “We have a very loyal group at BYC,” Stormes says. “As we built momentum with our fundraising, we had people that were giving in the hundreds of dollars. And 85 percent of our membership participated in the fundraising.” While the focus at Bayview Yacht Club is on sailing, the main attraction at Pontiac-based M1 Concourse is on a different kind of motion — auto racing. But the two shared an imperative to upgrade facilities in 2021. M1 Concourse recently completed a 28,500square-foot event center, which also will accommodate an as-yet-unnamed restaurant. The new facility is located along pit lane adjacent to the club’s Champion Motor Speedway. The center has three “salons” — sectioned-off areas for events — each with a garage-style door that opens directly into the pit lane. Their names are the Donohue Salon, Gurney Salon, and Hill Salon. They were designed to be a good fit for events like product reveals, presentations, and other activities. “We’ll play host to a number of signature events and galas,” says Chris Pokorski, director

RED RUN GOLF CLUB

LONG GAME The Red Run Golf Club in Royal Oak is renovating its clubhouse over the winter. The project will be completed in the spring.

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Focus || Private Clubs

of marketing and communications for M1 Concourse. That included a fundraiser called the Checkered Flag Ball on Oct. 2, which will support an effort called M1 Mobility that works with the Pontiac Community Foundation to connect mobility-challenged residents with access to vans or to Lyft and Uber services. The new center can handle groups as small as 50 or as large as 2,500. “If people are looking for a unique venue, whether it be a private event or a corporate event, it really adds a different element,” Pokorski says. “You can also rent out the track and do high-performance lapping, lead/follow events, or a race-track speed experience where you sit in a car and (a professional driver) takes you around a 1.5mile, high-performance circuit.” Also expected to enjoy the ride next spring are members of Royal Oak-based Red Run Golf Club, which is taking advantage of the winter to start a significant renovation of its clubhouse and a complete replacement of its halfway house (a small building on golf courses that allows players to grab a snack during their round), plus upgrades to the golf course. As it stands, Red Run has closed all 18 holes until April to perform a $2.3 million renovation of its bunkers and tee boxes, along with the addition of some new bunkers, tee boxes, and forward tees. Drainage upgrades and new native grass are also part of the project. The new halfway house will be 1,700 square feet, compared to the old one at 1,100 square feet. It will also be one building instead of two. The halfway house replacement will cost $3 million — with new restrooms on holes 6 and 13 — and the clubhouse renovation will cost an additional $3 million. “We’re remodeling the whole first floor of the clubhouse,” says Joe Marini, general manager and COO at Red Run. “We’re building a real big bar in our mixed-grill areas that seats 22 people, and putting in a new outside porch as well as a veranda so people can sit on top of the outside porch, as well.” Accordion-style walls will provide open-air access for those in the bar area when the weather cooperates. The clubhouse isn’t bigger in terms of square footage, but the renovations are designed to make it a more modern and comfortable space for members. The project required a slightly earlier closing to the golf course than normal, but the club’s 780 member families voted back in 2019 for a special assessment to fund the project, as well as the timeline. Members will pay $120 per month for seven years, plus three onetime payments of $1,100 to cover the full costs. The entire project was delayed by a year because of COVID-19, but it’s now well underway. Ironically, the pandemic made it harder to close the golf course early. “COVID-19 has really spurred golf,” Marini says. “Most clubs in the area are really busy. We had 114 families join Red Run between October of last year and October of this year.” So many new golfers present an excellent opportunity for clubs to showcase themselves and possibly bring in new members. Clubs that have been operating for the better part of a century have plenty of history to recommend them. But buildings age, and foundations get shaky. Golfers expect more on the links. New generations don’t want the same things as those who came before them. The clubs that underwent renovations have high expectations that their efforts will be rewarded, not only by an elevated experience for their existing members, but also by heightened interest from prospective new ones. High-end, private-membership clubs, after all, have to keep pushing the limits of what high-end means.

CLUB LIFE

A resource guide to the top private clubs in southeast Michigan. Barton Hills Country Club 730 Country Club Rd. Ann Arbor 734-663-8511 bartonhillscc.com Members: 500 (estimate) Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: Signature Donald Ross golf course; tennis courts; fitness center; newly renovated dining room, wine bar, and resort-style pool complex with an outdoor pavilion

Bayview Yacht Club 730 Country Club Rd. Detroit 313-822-1853 byc.com Members: NA Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: Indoor and outdoor dining, banquet space, marina, sailing lessons and races, regattas, and cruising activities.

Birmingham Athletic Club 4033 W. Maple Rd. Bloomfield Township 248-646-5050 bacmi.net Members: NA Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: Indoor and outdoor dining, two pools, tennis, squash, paddle tennis, pickleball, fitness center

Birmingham Country Club 1750 Saxon Dr. Birmingham 248-644-4111 bhamcc.com Members: NA Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: 18-hole golf course, pool, tennis, fitness facilities, indoor and outdoor dining

Bloomfield Hills Country Club 350 W. Long Lake Rd. Bloomfield Hills 248-644-6262 bloomfieldhillscc.org Members: NA Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: Golf course

Bloomfield Open Hunt 405 E. Long Lake Rd. Bloomfield Hills 248-644-9411 bohclub.com Members: Contact for information Initiation fee: Contact for information Monthly fee: Contact for information Offerings: Dining room, swimming pool, fitness studio and yoga center, indoor and outdoor tennis, platform tennis, stables, indoor and outdoor

equestrian facilities, kids activity center

Country Club of Detroit 220 Country Club Dr. Grosse Pointe Farms 313-881-8000 ccofd.com Members: NA Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: 18-hole golf course, clubhouse, indoor and outdoor dining, tennis, paddle tennis, pool, bowling, fitness center, children’s day camp, guest rooms, dog park

Dearborn Country Club 800 N. Military Dearborn 313-561-0800 dearborncountryclub.net Members: NA Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: Golf, swimming, fitness, dining, banquet facilities, junior golf, swim team

Detroit Athletic Club 241 Madison St. Detroit 313-963-9200 thedac.com Membership contact: katherinel@thedac.com Members: NA Initiation fee: Multiple offerings Monthly fee: Based on age Offerings: Albert Kahn-designed clubhouse built in 1915 and fully restored offers full-service athletic facilities, pool, restaurants, ballrooms, meeting rooms, guest rooms, bowling alley, salon, pavilion, named No. 1 athletic club in the country

Detroit Golf Club 17911 Hamilton Rd. Detroit 313-927-2457 detroitgolfclub.org Members: NA Initiation fee: Available upon membership inquiry Monthly fee: Available upon membership inquiry Offerings: Two 18-hole golf courses, clubhouse, three dining venues, swimming pool, tennis courts, fitness center

Detroit Yacht Club One Riverbank Rd., Belle Isle Detroit 313-824-1200 dyc.com Members: More than 800; less than half are boating members Initiation fee: $1,500 for active members, $3,000 for boating active members Monthly fee: $384 for active members, $424 for boating active members Offerings: Restaurant and bar, outdoor and indoor pools, swim team, adult and junior sailing, kayaking, tennis courts, social activities, more than 300 boat slips for boating members

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Private Clubs || Focus

Edgewood Country Club

Knollwood Country Club

8399 Commerce Rd. Commerce Township 248-363-7112 edgewoodcountryclub.org Members: NA Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: 18-hole golf course, casual and fine dining, outdoor pool, fitness center, massage therapist

5050 West Maple Rd. West Bloomfield Township 248-855-1800 knollwoodcountryclub.net Members: NA Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: 18-hole golf course; four Har-Tru clay tennis courts; aquatics facility with locker rooms, snack bar, and outdoor dining; 55,000-square-foot clubhouse; fitness center; pickleball; golf simulator studio; banquet space for 400 people; Troon Privé – Private Clubs of Distinction; member golfing privileges at Troon-managed clubs, resorts, and courses throughout the world

Franklin Hills Country Club 31675 Inkster Rd. Franklin 248-851-2200 franklinhills.com Members: NA Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: Golf, tennis, swimming, banquet space, dining room

Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club 9339 Bellevue Grosse Ile 734-676-1166 gigcc.com Members: 500+ Initiation fee: Starts as low as $1,000, depending on type of membership and age Monthly fee: Starts as low as $69, depending on type of membership and age Offerings: Donald Ross-designed 18-hole golf course; two full-service dining rooms; swimming pool; GIGCC swim team; clay and hard surface tennis courts featuring adult and youth leagues, individual instruction, and professional tennis staff; social events year-round for all ages

Grosse Pointe Yacht Club

Lochmoor Club 1018 Sunningdale Dr. Grosse Pointe Woods 313-886-1010 lochmoorclub.com Members: 691 Initiation fee: Interim Golf 40+ $5,000; golf intermediate (30-39) $3,000, golf junior (21-29) $1,500; social intermediate (21-34) $500; social, (35+) $1,500 Monthly fee: Interim Golf $695; golf intermediate (30-39) $595; golf junior (21-29) $376; social intermediate (21-34) $272; social (35+) $392 Offerings: 18-hole golf course; men and women’s golf leagues; creative pop-up dining events and seasonal menus; summer patio bar and outdoor dining; wine club that features wine tastings/dinners; swim team for children, tennis programs, and junior sports such as golf and tennis; Lochmoor Athletic Center with year-round golf training; four Trackman simulators; 1,000-square-foot indoor golf practice area with chipping, putting green, and sand bunker; fitness center; two tennis courts; bar and food service.

788 Lake Shore Rd. Grosse Pointe Shores 313-884-2500 gpyc.org Members: 770 Initiation fee: Active (boating) $12,500; social $5,000 Monthly fee: Active (boating) $703; social $570 Offerings: Named a Platinum Club of the World; three dining rooms with views of Lake St. Clair; ballroom and main dining room with Italian architecture perfect for weddings, special occasions, or corporate events; fitness center; Olympic-size pool, bowling recreation center, and a family activity center; 2,440-square-foot Marine Activity Center with sailing, watersports, and boat rentals

M1 Concourse

Indianwood Golf and Country Club

40941 W. Eight Mile Rd. Northville Township 248-349-3600 meadowbrookcountryclub.com Members: NA Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: 18-hole golf course; 25-meter pool, lap pool, and wading pool; fountain and wading pool for little ones; private tennis programs led by Wayne Jackson; tennis events, lessons, and tournaments; indoor and outdoor dining options

1081 Indianwood Rd. Lake Orion 248-693-9100 iwgcc.com Members: 500+ Initiation fee: Class A Membership NA, Class B Membership $2,999, Family Fitness Membership $1,500, Social/Pool Family Membership $750 Monthly fee: Class A Membership NA, Class B Membership $130, Family Fitness Membership $130, Social/Pool Family Membership $130 Offerings: 18-hole New and Old golf courses, driving range, Junior Golf Program for children, clubhouse, dining areas including Pipers Pub and Men’s Grill, health club, variety of club and social events

1 Concourse Dr. Pontiac 866-618-7225 m1concourse.com Members: 150 Initiation fee: $30,000 Monthly fee: $3,950 Offerings: Seven hours of track time per week; use of M1 Fleet Vehicles such as Dodge Hellcats and Lexus Performance Coupes; instruction provided by high-level driving instructors, including notable racers such as Johnny O’Connell; autocross competitions; guest events for friends/family of Members to Drive; exclusive social events

Meadowbrook Country Club

Oakhurst Golf and Country Club 7000 Oakhurst Lane Clarkston 248-391-3300 clubcorp.com

Members: NA Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: 18-hole golf course, six tennis courts with USPTA pro available for clinics or private lessons, executive chef, cabana bar, junior Olympic-size resort-style pool, 1,600-square-foot fitness center, variety of social functions

Oakland Hills Country Club 3951 West Maple Rd. Bloomfield Hills 248-644-2500 oaklandhillscc.com Members: NA Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: South and North 18-hole golf courses, tennis, swimming, Albert Kahn-designed clubhouse

Orchard Lake Country Club 5000 West Shore Dr. Orchard Lake Village 248-682-0100 orchardlakecountryclub.com Members: 650 Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: 18-hole golf course and driving range; six-tiered clay tennis courts and four platform tennis courts; seasonal menus prepared by award-winning chefs; lakefront dining; ballroom for wedding celebrations; racquet classes, competitions, and tournament training for all ages; personal training and group fitness programs; sailing clinics and swim lessons for children

Paint Creek Country Club 2375 Stanton Rd. Lake Orion 248-693-4695 paintcreekgolf.com Members: NA Annual fees: $99 to $5,249 Offerings: Golf course, fitness center, pool, 20,000-square-foot clubhouse, 300-seat dining room

Pine Lake Country Club 3300 Pine Lake Rd. Orchard Lake 248-682-1300 pinelakecc.com Members: NA Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: Golf course, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, Olympic-size pool, fitness center, clubhouse, dining room, grill

Plum Hollow Country Club 21631 Lahser Rd. Southfield 248-357-5333 plumhollowcc.com Members: 400 Initiation fee: $30,000 Stock, $15,000 intermediate, $12,000 social Monthly fee: Varies based on membership category Offerings: Golf course, caddie program, three Har-Tru clay tennis courts, Olympic-size pool

Polo Fields Golf and Country Club 5200 Polo Fields Dr. Ann Arbor 734-998-1555 polofieldsccmi.com Members: NA

Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: Golf course, clubhouse, dining, pool, lounge area, snack bar

Red Run Country Club 2036 Rochester Rd. Royal Oak 248-548-7500 redrungolfclub.com Members: 690 families Initiation fee: $6,000 (social), $20,000 (golf) Monthly fee: $331 (social), $755 (golf) Offerings: Golf course, Olympic-size pool, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, fitness center, indoor golf practice area, bowling leagues

Shenandoah Country Club 5600 Walnut Lake Rd. West Bloomfield Township 248-683-6363 shenandoahcc.net Members: NA Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: Golf course (open to public), clubhouse, dining, partitionable 11,336-square-foot banquet room, two pre-function areas, 4,000-square-foot outdoor terrace

Tam-O-Shanter Country Club 5051 Orchard Lake Rd. West Bloomfield Township 248-855-1900, Ext. 408 tamoshantercc.org Members: NA Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: Golf course, clubhouse, dining, four hydro-clay and two hard-surface tennis courts, Olympic-size pool, fitness center, banquet facilities, youth programs

Wabeek Club 4000 Clubgate Dr. Bloomfield Township 248-855-0700 wabeekcc.com Members: NA Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: Golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus and Pete Dye, clubhouse, formal and casual dining, pool, tennis, fitness center, spa, banquet and event space

Western Golf and Country Club 14600 Kinloch Redford Township 313-531-1240 westerngcc.com Members: 400 Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: Donald Ross-designed golf course, clubhouse rebuilt after 2018 fire, dining, pool, tennis, snack bar

*Wyndgate Country Club 1975 W. Gunn Rd. Rochester Hills 248-652-4283 thewyndgate.com Members: NA Initiation fee: NA Monthly fee: NA Offerings: Two 18-hole golf courses, clubhouse, gardens, banquet and event facilities

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STRONGER TOGETHER Celebrating 30 years of AFP’s National Philanthropy Day 2 0 2 1 A N N U A L N AT I O N A L P H I L A N T H R O P Y D AY Each year, the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Detroit Chapter throws one of the nation’s largest local celebrations of National Philanthropy Day. This November, National Philanthropy Day will once again be a broadcast and digital celebration of Detroit-area philanthropy; achievements and success from individuals, organizations, and foundations. Produced in partnership with Detroit Public Television, the hosted event will include the presentation of AFP’s annual awards and will honor Detroit’s philanthropic heroes. The program will showcase 30 years of philanthropy’s impact on our community. Please visit www.npddet.org for more information about the program, becoming a sponsor, or submitting your distinguished volunteers.

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2022 Michigan Economic Forecast || Perspectives

SPECIAL REPORT: 2022 MICHIGAN ECONOMIC FORECAST

Labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, inflation, government restrictions, and the continuing presence of the coronavirus are clouding the 2022 economic crystal ball. BY TIM KEENAN | ILLUSTRATIONS BY MICHAELA BUNGER

n economic disruption, like the COVID-19 pandemic, is akin to dropping a bowling ball in a kiddie pool. At first there’s a big wave, then as the wave from the initial splash subsides it bumps into the aftershock waves from the pool’s interior lining. That, according to Robert Dye, chief economist at Comerica Bank, is where the U.S. and Michigan economies now stand. Multiple competing and ever-changing factors are making it difficult, if not impossible, to predict what the economy will look like in 2022. “This is just an incredibly complicated economy,” Dye says. “The tools we have to analyze, make scenarios, and do what ifs — those models don’t work when the data goes haywire like it has over the last two years.” The big wave was caused by COVID-19 early in 2020 and the economy went into a recession as consumers and businesses entered a lockdown to help mitigate the virus. The smaller waves caused by the virus variants now are colliding with aftershock waves — inflation, labor shortages, and supply chain disruptions — that are the result of government’s uneven efforts to stop the pandemic. The waves caused the haywire data. The state’s gross domestic product fell 3.5 percent during 2020 due to the pandemic and its lockdowns, and it’s expected to increase 6.4 percent this year as COVID-19 mitigation rules were removed. The unemployment rate in Michigan soared to 9.9 percent in 2020 as people lost jobs in droves during the darkest days of the pandemic, according to the Michigan Treasury. That number is projected to improve and dip to 5.1 percent this year. For the most part, 2021 was a bounce-back year for the U.S. and Michigan economies. It wasn’t that difficult for 2021’s numbers to outperform last year’s results. But where some economists see positive signs going into 2022, others see red flags. “Michigan and the country have had a halting recovery in 2021, when we should have had a roaring recovery,” says Patrick Anderson, CEO of the Anderson Consulting Group in East Lansing. “We still have labor shortages. We still have unemployment. And we have sectors like hospitality, and now

manufacturing, that are crimped. That’s against a backdrop where we subsidized consumer spending to the tune of over a trillion dollars in transfer payments, on top of payments to people who qualified for pandemic relief. “When the United States of America gives a trillion dollars to its residents, and still has help wanted signs, numerous businesses closed down, and many people in a crisis of long-term unemployment, that’s a pretty big warning sign.” As difficult as it is for economists to gauge what the future holds, there are some published forecasts. The Michigan Treasury expects U.S. GDP to increase 4.4 percent in 2022 and 2.4 percent in 2023. It expects unemployment in the state to dip to 4.6 percent in 2022, and 4.2 percent in 2023. According to the Michigan House Fiscal Agency, U.S. real GDP was projected to return to its pre-pandemic level by the middle of 2021, although employment losses are not expected to recover until the third quarter of 2022. The outlook for Michigan employment is less optimistic, says the agency, in that the jobs lost during the first and second quarters of 2021 are not expected to return until after 2022. In Detroit, which was hit hard by the pandemic, the unemployment rate spiked to more than 38 percent in May of 2020 and averaged 22 percent for the year. So far in 2021, Detroit’s unemployment rate has averaged 9.9 percent and checked in at 8.5 percent in June, according to researchers at the University of Michigan and Wayne State University. The data shows it could decline gradually to 6.9 percent by 2026. The pace of Detroit’s rebound is supported by several large projects, such as Stellantis’ $2.5-billion Mack Avenue plant expansion, the Gordie Howe International Bridge, and multiple logistics facilities largely set on land that had been blighted for decades. Consumers in Michigan, arguably those most affected by the economy, have a pessimistic view of the direction it’s going, according to a survey released in September by the Detroit Regional Chamber. Of Michigan voters surveyed, 58 percent said the economy is on the wrong track. More than half of voters polled are very concerned about inflation, and another 33 percent are somewhat concerned about inflation. November - December 2021 || DBUSINESS.COM 41

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Perspectives || 2022 Michigan Economic Forecast

GDP (in trillions)

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics While the House Fiscal Agency credits federal stimulus checks as one reason why the 2021 economy did as well as it did, others blame the extended federal unemployment payments for contributing to what is being referred to in some circles as a workforce crisis. “We have spent enormous amounts of taxpayer money on stimulus checks, and extended unemployment benefits, and on aid to governments,” Anderson says. “These programs are starting to unwind, with many negative effects still to be felt. The extended unemployment benefits unambiguously encouraged people to stay out of work for months beyond when the most serious months of the pandemic had ended. That’s left us with a crisis of long-term unemployment. “This is going to make it difficult for these people to get back on payrolls and difficult for employers to train them. We’re going to see a reckoning in the coming months involving a lot of workers who stayed unemployed for six months or more. I expect that a lot of the workers who have been out for more than six months, in many cases encouraged by the extra government benefits, are going to have a hard time getting back into the workforce.” Anderson says Michigan has lost more than 200,000 workers in 2021, the largest contraction among all the states in the Midwest; leisure, hospitality, and tourism were the hardest hit. Michigan was particularly crippled because it had one of the harshest lockdowns of any state. “Unfortunately, some of these businesses and jobs aren’t coming back.” Lisa Cook, professor of economics and international relations at Michigan State University in East Lansing, says she is encouraged by new business creation in the state. Between February 2020 and February 2021, new company formations in the U.S. rose 39.4 percent. In Michigan, that statistic was 55.9 percent. “This is a real opportunity for the state of Michigan to become more entrepreneurial, for it to embrace innovation and creativity, and to support and promote entrepreneurship,” Cook says. “In terms of employment, we’re certainly doing better, but there have been some ups and downs. Labor force participation is up from where it was in February 2020, but it’s down from where it was in in the last part of 2019.” Cook says she looks to the employment to population ratio, which she says keeps going up. “It is continuing to climb, albeit very slowly,” she says. Comerica’s Dye says he thinks the farther the country gets from the enhanced unemployment benefits issued during the peak of the pandemic, the greater the chance for idled workers to return to the workforce. “Some of the others will drop out of the labor force,” he says. “By this time next year, I think we’ll see lower unemployment rates.” The labor shortage also is contributing to disruptions in the supply chain, which is affecting many industries and contributing to the inflation issue.

Supply chain issues caused by the pandemic, along with rising prices, are holding back economic growth. “We find ourselves, particularly in Michigan, plagued by these ongoing supply chain constraints,” Dye says. “We just can’t get enough components, resources, and labor to make the stuff that we need for other processes, and to make cars and things that we want to buy as consumers. “Ultimately, I think the supply chain constraints will eventually work themselves out and we’re going to see a period of inventory rebuilding next year, but there’s still a lot of uncertainty out there.” Anderson says he thinks the microchip shortage in the auto industry will be solved, but he’s concerned about other supply chain issues.

T 22.72

T 21.43

T 20.93

2019

2020

2021

Inflation Rate

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

% 2.3 1.4%

2019

% 5.4 2020 2021

National Debt

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2011

2019

2020

2021

$26.9T

$28.7T

$14.8T $22.7T

42 DBUSINESS || November - December 2021

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2022 Michigan Economic Forecast || Perspectives

Weekly Wage Averages for All Industries by County Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

U.S. Average

2019 $1,257

2020 $1,225

2019

2020

$1,339

$1,222 There’s no question that in the wake of the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, prices are spiking, which has economists and consumers alike concerned. “We now have inflation creeping up,” Anderson says. “For the first time in 20 years, the first time in this century, I have to warn people about inflation in the United States of America. The runaway government spending at the federal level has told the whole world that the United States is probably going to see the first serious bout of inflation in recent memory.” Comerica’s Dye says the inflation is being balanced by an increase in the rate of household savings, but he doesn’t know how long it will last. “I’m concerned that when the saving rate normalizes, that households are going to find themselves increasingly stressed due to the year over year inflation rates of 5-6 percent and 7-8 percent,” he says. “My expectation is that there’s going to be an adjustment period for a lot of households. The inflation story is incredibly complex. Some components of it are going to go up and down. Some components are going to be very sticky and not go down. Rent is one.”

Michigan Average

Mitigation measures that attempted to contain the COVID-19 virus such as lockdowns and mask-wearing requirements, and subsequent legislation designed to help American businesses and consumers navigate the negative effects of the pandemic, earned praise or scorn — usually depending on what side of the political aisle one sits. Regardless of party alignment, the facts are that both the mitigation measures and generous benefits will continue to have an effect on the economy. “Given the global pandemic, how could you not have a very strong governmental response?” Dye says. “This is new territory. We did have very large government intervention not only here in the U.S., but worldwide. We’re reeling from two sets of aftershocks, one from the pandemic itself and the other from government intervention. We’re still feeling those and probably will for some time to come. But to say that the government is the singular cause of inflation ignores the fact that there’s lots of other stuff going on right now.”

1. Livingston 6. St. Clair

2. Lapeer

3. Oakland

5. Macomb

Detroit

4. Wayne

“We’re entering an era which the risks to our supply chain are much higher,” he says. “The No. 1 emerging risk is a reliance on China for components, especially for electric vehicle drivetrains. The increasing trade and political tensions with China are going to mean more of these issues, not fewer.” MSU’s Cook says patience is required for the supply chain to work through its issues. “We’ll see more normalization of supply chain interactions (in 2022),” she says. “You’ll have some bursts of inflation in certain sectors, but by the end of 2022 we’ll have more clarity about what’s permanent and what’s temporary. The inflation problem depends on how some of these supply chain linkages get re-established. These supply chains can suddenly open back up.”

2019

2020

1. $1,068

$892

2. $920

$755

3. $1,473

$1,279

4. $1,391

$1,281

5. $1,308

$1,112

6. $1,100

$911

The overriding issue facing the 2022 economy remains the COVID-19 pandemic. In August, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the U.S. economy had been permanently changed by the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re not simply going back to the economy that we had before the pandemic,” Powell said. “We need to watch carefully as the economy continues to get through the pandemic, and try to understand the ways that the economy has changed and what the implications are for our policy. It seems a near certainty that there will be substantially more remote work going forward. November - December 2021 || DBUSINESS.COM 43

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Perspectives || 2022 Michigan Economic Forecast

+9.2% 368.5K

Trade, Transporta tion, & Utilities

+3. 5% Ma nuf a 2.3 ctu 49 rin K g

Educatio n & He Services alth

179.9K

lity pita s o &H

294.9K

Fina ncia lA 126 ctivit .4K ies

+6.3%

+0. 5%

+8.8%

% +13.7

+5.9 %

vices r Ser Othe 66.4K

Inf orm 25 atio .2K n

ure 70.2K Leis 1 .4% +31

% +8.9

ess usin B l& iona rvices s s fe Se 2.7K Pro 38

Government

+1.1%

82K

For all the headwinds and setbacks, one of the reasons Michigan has a chance to have a growth economy in 2022 is the auto industry. “Our cornerstone auto industry came through the pandemic and emerged as strong … as it was before,” Anderson says. “Part of the reason is the auto industry was the earliest major American industry to deal directly with the pandemic. Auto industry facilities were dealing with this at the beginning of March 2020. That was a full month in front of most of the governments. Because labor and management were in discussions with the government early on, they didn’t get the political fallout that so many other industries got.” Cook reinforced the notion that the economy revolves around the virus. “This is a pandemic-induced economy, a pandemic-circumscribed economy,” she says. “If we can tame it, if we have a chance to look at it through the rear-view mirror, the economy will take off. If we decide that we don’t want to do that — and in many cases, it’s a choice of whether to wear a mask or get vaccinated, then it’s not going to happen.” Dye predicts supply chain constraints will be worked out during 2022, “and that will allow us to get back into an inventory restocking phase for the economy, and that will be very positive for GDP. At the same time, I expect to have support from a significant fiscal (legislative) package from (Congress).” He also says he believes there still is a lot of pent-up demand for all goods, including automobiles. “That should be good for the U.S. and for Michigan.” Like Cook, Dye’s prognosticating is tempered by the pandemic. “I’m still very concerned about where the COVID-19 pandemic goes from here,” he says. “That’s a big unknown. I’m encouraged by the vaccination rates and vaccination approvals for younger people, and I’m encouraged by our ability as a country to work through some of these challenges. But it remains to be seen how we normalize with respect to COVID-19.” While both the national and state economies are in far better condition in late 2021 than they were at the same time a year ago, continued improvement into 2022 will be influenced by the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, people getting back to work, and keeping inflation under control.

Detroit Area Employment

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (As of June 2021)

Mining, Logging & Construction

That’s going to change the nature of work and the way work gets done.” More recently, MSU’s Cook says, “The virus continues to govern the economy. It may be the Delta variant, but it is governing the way the economy evolves. “I’m just hoping that in 2022 these new measures (vaccination and testing mandates) put in place to contain the pandemic will work, make this pandemic manageable, and get people back to school, back to work, (and) back to their lives. Even if it does work, it’s going to take some time for the car to start running again. It’s been sitting in the garage for 18 months.” Dye is in the hopeful but realistic camp. “We’re still obviously dealing with COVID-19,” he says. “It looks like the surge is cresting in many areas, so I’m encouraged by that, but the final trajectory remains to be seen.” According to Anderson, the pandemic, from an economic viewpoint, has turned the corner but not quite reached the finish line. “The biggest positive factor is the share of the populous who are vaccinated or who have natural immunity,” he says. “This means, at an existential level, people can feel comfortable going to work, seeing their family members, shopping, and doing other normal activities. It doesn’t mean the end of risk and I’m not going to declare the pandemic is officially over; however, it does mean that for the large majority of Michigan residents and American citizens, they have substantial protection against a deadly disease. “We have reached the economic definition of the ability to largely, but not completely, return to the kind of work and travel and interaction that we had before the pandemic.”

Unemployment Rates in Metro Detroit Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

St. Clair 3.9% 2021

Macomb 4.5%

Oakland 3.2%

Wayne 5.9%

Detroit 4.3%

2020 Detroit 11.1% Wayne 14.1% Macomb 19.1% St. Clair 10.3 % Oakland 9.4%

44 DBUSINESS || November - December 2021

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Cover Story || Michigan Billionaires

Hard work, ingenuity, and the state’s colleges and universities offer fertile ground for creating and sustaining multibillion-dollar fortunes.

hey’re breaking cycles and creating new ones while building wealth and leaving legacies. They’re also some of the richest people in the world, and they all have one thing in common: The Great Lakes State. Some are household names, at least in metro Detroit: Martha Ford, Dan Gilbert, Marian Ilitch, Roger Penske, Stephen Ross, and Tom Monaghan. Others came to attend school in Michigan and left to grow new fortunes elsewhere. Of the 36 billionaires who either grew up in Michigan or attended school here — 10 additional billionaires have since passed away — DBusiness selected five capitalists who, together with their families, boast a net worth of more than $150 billion. These individuals took long and divergent paths to reach the summit. Some got their start bagging groceries, while another delivered newspapers and yet another became a barber. Eventually, they plied their natural entrepreneurial gifts, combined them with grit, came together as only

families can, leveraged the advantages of Michigan educational institutions, and created some of the most legendary tales of wealth imaginable.

CHARLIE MUNGER

Richard DeVos, Alec and Tom Gores, Charlie Munger, Larry Page, and Dr. Homer Stryker built their fortunes — and substantially bolstered Michigan’s economy — in digital technology, consumer products, investment banking, medicine, and sports. Along the way, their vast influence has made an impact not only on the lives of generations of Michiganders, but also on millions of other Americans and hundreds of millions of consumers, citizens, and denizens worldwide. There are three headliners in this group. DeVos co-founded Amway, the direct-sales giant that specializes in nutrition, beauty, personal care, and home products, and still sets the standard for effective direct-to-consumer branding of perishable goods. Not only did he essentially create the modern and still very effective engine of multilevel marketing, which has forged thousands of entrepreneurs over the decades, DeVos and his extended family have played a key role in national and state conservative politics. Page became one of the true founders of the internet when he and Sergey Brin concocted Google. While others were obsessed with keyword searches and web listings, Page questioned

ILLUSTRATION BY MARTIN SCHMETZER

BY CALLI TOWNSEND | PORTRAIT ILLUSTRATIONS BY JON STICH

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Michigan Billionaires || Cover Story

why. He thought search results would be better listed based on their linkages and similarities, rather than keywords. With his interest in web linkages and Brin’s data-mining skills, the pair wrote a combined dissertation, “The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Hypertextual Web Search Engine,” which led to the co-founding of the weirdly titled startup Google. Although they were still graduate students at Stanford University at the time, they became billionaires before age 30, during the company’s initial public offering. Now, of course, Google reigns over digital tech in so many ways, and it’s become one of the most powerful companies ever born — easily a match for the oil barons and railroad magnates of old. Homer Stryker forged a medical-equipment empire in the southwestern corner of Michigan out of the realization that he could combine world-leading, cutting-edge American engineering with brilliantly designed devices that could carry an aging population into their golden years. His early inventions, like the Wedge Turning Frame and the Circ-O-Lectric, later became the foundation for the Stryker Medical company. Even the lesser-known lights among these billionaires tell remarkable tales of success. The Gores brothers each have their own investment firms that register nearly $40 billion in assets. While operating for decades with his higher-profile partner, Warren Buffett, Munger has been vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, one of the most accomplished and followed investment banking firms in history. Before that, he founded his own law firm: Munger, Tolles, and Hills, which later became Munger, Tolles, and Olson. Over the last several decades, Munger and Buffet have grown the company into a multinational conglomerate that’s valued at $638 billion — a large feat for two men who grew up working in Buffett’s grandfather’s grocery store. Although they came from the same town and even worked in the same store, the six-year age gap prevented the partners from meeting until their 30s. No better examples exist of what the iconic Peter Drucker, a management consultant and leadership observer, said is the key to entrepreneurship: “Entrepreneurs innovate,” Drucker wrote. “Innovation is the specific instrument of entrepreneurship… (It) creates a resource. There is no such thing as a ‘resource’ until man finds a use for something in nature and thus endows it with economic value. Until then, every plant is a weed, and every mineral is just another rock.” These billionaires have all found “plants and minerals” in their new ways of doing things and the risks they’ve taken to make them work. Take Munger, for instance: He was the one who taught Buffett to stop buying broken businesses because,

as he said in a 2017 talk given at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, a lousy business’s reputation will precede itself, even after putting a good manager in place. “Charlie’s unconventional way of thinking and his extraordinary work ethic — (are) the twin fonts of his amazing success,” Buffett wrote in the introduction of the book, “Poor Charlie’s Almanack.” That unconventional way of thinking stems from one of Munger’s childhood idols, Ben Franklin, whose “Poor Richard’s Almanack” is the tome Munger’s book refers to. Munger was a fervent reader, especially of biographies, and after reading Franklin’s, he was inspired to grow, learn, and try new things, which even included raising hamsters — until his mother made him stop once his herd reached 35. Much like Franklin, Munger was a quick learner and had many interests. He set off to study mathematics at the University of Michigan, but after his second year he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps. Because of his quick learning ability, he studied and trained to become a meteorologist, which is how he served during World War II. After returning from the war, he enrolled in Harvard Law School and earned his law degree, despite not having completed his undergraduate degree. Although he never graduated from U-M, he still carries close ties to the school. In 2013, he donated $110 million in securities to the institution, the largest single donation in its 193-year history, according to Michigan News. Ten million of the $110 million was designated for fellowships for graduate students who would live in the Munger Graduate Residences, which was to be built with the remaining $100 million. The project was completed in 2015. Page also attended U-M, and graduated in 1995 with a degree in computer programming. For him, however, attending Michigan was more than an educational experience. It was an opportunity to fulfill his grandfather’s dream for his family, which was explained when Page delivered the 2009 commencement speech. He called the opportunity to speak on such a platform “more special and more personal than you know. “Everyone in my family went here, to Michigan. My mother, my brother, my dad, all of us. My dad actually got a quantity discount. He got all three and a half of his degrees here,” Page joked. “My father’s father worked in the Chevy Plant in Flint, Mich. He was an assembly line worker. He drove his two children here to Ann Arbor and told them, ‘This is where you’re going to college.’ ” And that’s exactly what they did. Alec and Tom Gores had a dream to fulfill, as well. In 1968, their father, Charlie Gores, moved his family to Flint from Israel in pursuit of a better

LARRY PAGE

“Everyone in my family went here, Michigan. My mother, my brother, my dad, all of us. ... My father’s father ... was an assembly line worker. He drove his two children here to Ann Arbor and told them, ‘This is where you’re going to college.’ ” —Larry Page November - December 2021 || DBUSINESS.COM 47

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Cover Story || Michigan Billionaires

“My father was willing to give up literally everything he had (in Israel) and pack his bags and bring us here. ... He did it for the kids, to make sure we (had) a better future.”

ALEC GORES

—Alec Gores future for his children. Alec was 15 and Tom was 4 at the time, and since then they’ve built successful careers while chasing the American Dream their father inspired in them. “My father was willing to give up literally everything he had (in Israel) and pack his bags and bring us here,” Alec Gores told Forbes in 2016. “He did it for the kids, to make sure we (had) a better future.” Alec Gores started out by bagging groceries in

RICHARD DEVOS

his uncle’s store. As a young immigrant, he didn’t graduate high school until he was 20 years old, but he was determined to continue his education. Following his natural inclination for math and science, he studied computer science at Western Michigan University and became the first person in his family to graduate from college in 1977. Tom followed his brother’s footsteps, and in 1986 he graduated with a construction management degree from Michigan State University. The brothers are now living out the dream their father had for them, earning spots on the Forbes Billionaire 2021 list. Tom Gores sits at No. 486, with a net worth of $5.9 billion and the private equity firm, Platinum Equity, which has $23 billion in assets; Alec Gores is No. 1,008, with a net worth of $2.8 billion thanks to his private equity firm, The Gores Group. Remembering his heritage, Alec Gores served as a chairman for a special dinner during which the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Faculty of Law announced the Harvey L. Silbert Torch of Learning Award in 2015. The event raised more than $1 million for the University of Jerusalem. Tom Gores owns the Detroit Pistons, which he purchased with Platinum Equity in 2011, and he has since bought out his firm; Gores now has 100 percent ownership of the team. He was responsible for the development of the new $90 million Detroit Pistons Performance Center in Detroit. The Pistons’ NBA Eastern Conference rivals, the Orlando Magic, are owned by fellow Michigan billionaires: the DeVos family. Richard DeVos purchased the team in 1991 and, since then, his son Doug DeVos has taken over as chairman.

TOM GORES

The family had a combined net worth of $5.4 billion, putting them at No. 351 on the Forbes Billionaires in 2018, but the list hasn’t been updated since Richard’s passing later that year. As a boy in west Michigan, Richard DeVos started out delivering newspapers. His grandfather sold produce door-to-door, which inspired the young entrepreneur to pursue a career in sales. Born in 1926, he experienced the worst of the Great Depression when his father lost his job as an electrician. Like Munger, DeVos eventually enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps, along with a schoolmate, Jay Van Andel. After their service, DeVos and Van Andel used their savings from their military pay to start a flight school called Wolverine Air Service. It was just the beginning of their entrepreneurial ventures together. They were later introduced to the direct sales company Nutrilite, which offered dietary supplements. The pair became the company’s most successful distributors, and in 1959 they decided to start their own company, Amway — short for “American Way.” The company now generates more than $8 billion in annual revenue and is still headquartered in Ada, just east of Grand Rapids. Richard DeVos and his wife, Helen, had four children: Daniel, Doug, Dick, and Suzanne. They all worked in their family business and later went on to create their own foundations. The most notable of these is the Dick and Betsy DeVos Foundation, which focuses on education, community, the arts, justice, and leadership. Since their foundation’s beginning in 1989, the

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Michigan Billionaires || Cover Story

couple has donated more than $180 million to various causes. They’ve also been heavily involved in conservative politics, as Betsy DeVos served as U.S. Secretary of Education from 2017-2021. She graduated from Calvin College (now Calvin University) in Grand Rapids, while Dick and his brother, Dan, attended Northwood University in Midland, where they obtained business degrees. In 2016, the family was honored at the opening ceremony for the Richard DeVos Graduate School of Management at Northwood University, to which they had made a generous donation. It has since become one of the top-rated MBA programs in the country. Richard DeVos was able to attend the ceremony, along with his sons, Dick and Dan, before he passed away in 2018. In his lifetime, he and his family gave more than $1.2 billion to various charities and foundations. Unlike Richard DeVos, neither Dr. Homer Stryker nor his son, L. Lee Stryker, lived long enough to see the opening of the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker, M.D. School of Medicine in 2014, which was made possible by a $100 million donation from their family and company. Five years later, after more than 350 students had graduated from the medical school, the L. Lee Stryker Learning Hall was dedicated. Homer Stryker’s son preceded him in death in 1976, the result of a plane crash in Wyoming. The younger Stryker had been the general manager, and later the president, of his father’s company. Today, Homer’s daughter Ronda Stryker is the only child to continue to be actively involved as a director of Styker Medical Sales. Ronda Stryker and her husband, William Johnston, live in Portage and have been busily involved in communities across the state through their dedication to the Western Michigan University Medical School and their wealth management firm, Greenleaf Trust. Johnston, who also graduated from Western Michigan University, currently serves as one of its trustees. Greenleaf Trust manages $16 billion in assets, and in July it was named to Fortune’s 2021 Best Workplaces for Millennials list. Ronda Stryker and her husband gave a combined $50 million to Harvard Medical School and Spelman College in 2016 and 2018, continuing in her father’s and grandfather’s footsteps. “(Lee Stryker’s) legacy is to care about all people and to give every person an equal opportunity to succeed,” Ronda Stryker’s daughter, Annie Johnston-Henn, said at the L. Lee Stryker Learning Hall dedication. “I think he’s probably one of the people who really instilled that idea of philanthropy and giving back — and not just your assets, but also your time. That was really important to him.” Homer Stryker attended Western Michigan

University and pursued a career in teaching in 1916. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I, and upon his return, he wanted to attend medical school at U-M. To his great disappointment, he was rejected. Unable to pass the foreign language test for admittance, he asked for help from an old classmate, Mary Jane Underwood. She tutored him in French while he worked as a teacher, coach, barber, and even a semi-pro pitcher to save up enough money for his schooling. Finally he began his studies and, as a man of many talents, he even led the Wolverines to a Big 10 Title as the starting pitcher for their baseball team. He married Underwood in 1924 and graduated from medical school in 1925. During his illustrious career as an orthopedic surgeon and inventor, Homer Stryker dedicated himself to creating active, healthier lives for his patients and easier, more efficient devices for nurses and doctors. His Walking Heel, made for rubber casts, was much lighter than the contemporary iron heel, and his Wedge Turning Frame made it easier for health care professionals to move immobile patients in a more comfortable way. He later improved upon his Wedge Turning Frame with his Circ-O-Lectric bed in the 1950s; the device is still used in some hospitals. Today, his company ranks No. 212 on the Fortune 500 list and has more than 40,000 employees. In 2020, it generated $14 billion in revenue. Western’s school of medicine features a quote by Homer Stryker on its website: “It’s a poor workman that blames his tools. If they don’t work, make them work. If you can’t make them work, make some that do work.” Stryker, like the other billionaires in this story, found ways to forge through obstacles and make their dreams and ideas work. Neither the Great Depression nor poverty nor language barriers could stop them, and when things seemed good enough, they pushed the limits farther. They never settled for ordinary, but instead challenged the status quo. They asked hard questions, made new connections, sparked fresh ideas, and innovated their way to the top of their industries. Along the way, they never failed to give back to the educational institutions and communities that helped them, taught them, and inspired them to pursue more. The individuals featured here not only have built legacies and changed their families’ futures, but they’ve also given countless other young men and women statewide — and even nationwide — opportunities to shape their own futures through the financial impacts they’ve had on their alma maters. Dale Buss contributed to this report.

“It’s a poor workman that blames his tools. If they don’t work, make them work. If you can’t make them work, make some that do work.” —Dr. Homer Stryker

DR. HOMER STRYKER

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Cover Story || Michigan Billionaires

The Club STEVE BALLMER

HENRY ENGELHARDT

• Former Microsoft CEO and owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers • Net worth: $73.8 billion • Born in Detroit and graduated from Detroit Country Day School, attended Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, graduated from Harvard University.

• Founder and CEO of Admiral Group, a British motor insurance company • Net worth of $1.7 billion • Graduated from University of Michigan

ANDREW BEAL

MARTHA FORD

• Owner of Texas bank Beal Financial Corp. • Net worth: $7.9 billion • Born in Lansing, originally made a living by repairing used TVs. Attended Michigan State University and Baylor University, but never graduated.

• Widow of William C. Ford, grandson of Ford Motor Co. founder Henry Ford. paternal grandparents were the founders of Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. • Net worth of $1.4 billion • Graduated from Vassar College in New York.

JOHN BROWN

DONALD FOSS

• Became CEO of Stryker Corp. in Kalamazoo in 1976. Ran Stryker Corp. for 32 years before retiring as chairman. • Net worth of $3 billion • Graduated from Auburn University

• Founder and former chairman of Southfield-based Credit Acceptance Corp., which provides vehicle loans. • Net worth of $1.9 billion • Graduated from University of Minnesota, earned his MBA from Harvard University

KENNETH B. DART

DAN GILBERT

• Businessman and Caymanian billionaire • Net worth $6.6 billion. Became the president of the Dart Container Corp. in Mason, former “Michigan’s wealthiest person.” • Graduated from University of Michigan

• Founder and chairman of Rocket Cos. in Detroit. • Net worth of $31.3 billion • Amassed $5,000 early in his college career selling pizzas. Started his company, Quicken Loans, in 1985. • Graduated from Michigan State University

BHARAT DESAI

ALEC GORES

• Co-founder, president, and CEO of Syntel • Net worth of $1.5 billion • Originally born in Kenya, then moved to India where he would grow up to be a programmer, before moving to the United States where he worked for Tata. • Graduated from University of Michigan

• • • •

DICK DEVOS

TOM GORES

• Served as the CEO for Amway in Ada. Son of Richard Devos. Ran for Michigan governor in 2006, and lost to Jennifer Granholm. • Net worth of $5.4 billion • Graduated from Northwood University

• Owner of the Detroit Pistons • Owns $13 billion in assets through his Beverly Hills, Calif-based private equity firm Platinum Equity, launched an economic development program in 2016 called FlintNow. • Net worth of $5.7 billion • Graduated from Michigan State University

STANLEY DRUCKENMILLER

MARIAN ILITCH

• • • •

• Co-founder of Detroit-based Little Caesars Pizza in 1959, owns the Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers, and MotorCity Casino Hotel. • She and her family are creating the sports and entertainment are The District Detroit around Little Caesars Arena. • Net worth of $3.7 billion

Co-founded Duquesne Capital Net worth of $5.6 billion Lead portfolio manager at Quantum Fund Graduated from University of Michigan

Founder of Private Equity firm The Gores Group Net worth of $2.2 billion Resides in Beverly Hills, Calif. Graduated from Western Michigan University

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Michigan Billionaires || Cover Story

MAT ISHBIA

TOM S. MONAGHAN

• • • •

• • • • •

CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage in Pontiac Former Michigan State University basketball player Net worth of $11 billion Graduated from Michigan State University

Founder of Domino’s Pizza Inc. in Ann Arbor Former owner of the Detroit Tigers Sold Domino’s for a reported $1 billion Gave $500 million to charity Current estimated net worth a reported $500 million

BRAD KEYWELL

CHARLIE MUNGER

• • • • • •

• Vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway; studied math at University of Michigan. • Donated in excess of $25 million to renovation projects at U-M, gave $110 million for graduate housing and graduate fellowships. • Net worth of $2.3 billion

Co-founder and principal of Groupon Founder and of the AI industrial software provider, Uptake technologies Founding investor of Temple Inc. Co-founder and managing partner at Lightbank Net Worth of $2.7 billion Graduated from University of Michigan

BOBBY KOTICK

LARRY PAGE

• • • •

• CEO of Google parent Alphabet Inc. • Net worth: $102.8 billion • Graduated from University of Michigan

President and CEO of Activision Blizzard, a video game company. Noted games include “Call of Duty, “Candy Crush,” and “World of Warcraft.” A member of the S&P 500 Studied art history at University of Michigan.

MARTIN LAU

ROGER S. PENSKE

• President of Chinese multinational investment holding company Tencent Holdings Inc. • Became a billionaire for the first time in 2017 after Tencent shares jumped by a third over the previous year. • Net worth of $4.5 billion • Graduated from University of Michigan

• Owner of Penske Automotive, Penske Corp., Penske Truck Leasing, Indianapolis Motor Speedway (most businesses based in Bloomfield Township). • Net worth of $2.4 billion • Graduated from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania

JEFF LAWSON

JORGE M. PEREZ

• Co-founders of Twilio • Owns 5 percent of the $45 billion entity • Lawson launched his first Internet startup while he was at the University of Michigan and went on to become the first CTO of ticket reseller StubHub. • Net worth of $2.9 billion

• Chairman and CEO of The Related Group, a real estate developer in Argentina. • Net worth of $1.7 billion • Graduated from University of Michigan

ERIC PAUL LEFKOFSKY

STEPHEN M. ROSS

• Co-founder of Groupon • Net worth of $4.2 billion • Founder of Tempus and co-founder of Echo Global Logistics (ECHO), InnerWorkings (INWK), and Mediaocean. • An early investor in Uptake, and the managing director of Chicago-based venture capital firm Lightbank. • Graduated from University of Michigan

• • • • •

MATTHEW MOROUN

JON STRYKER

• Owns Detroit’s Ambassador Bridge between the U.S. and Canada. • CEO of Crown Enterprises holding company in Warren. • Net worth of $1.5 billion

• President and founder of the Arcus Foundation, which serves to support LGBTQ+ community rights and the conservation of great apes. • Grandfather founded Stryker Corp. in Kalamazoo. • Stryker inherited a stake in the company but does not work there. • Net worth of $4.3 billion • Graduated from Kalamazoo College

DOUG MEIJER AND HANK MEIJER • Each have a net worth of $4.2 billion • Sons of Frederik G. H. Meijer • Brothers took over Meijer Inc. in 1990 and ran the company until 2017. • They continue as Meijer’s board members • Both graduated from University of Michigan

Chairman and majority owner of The Related Cos. in New York City. Principal owner of the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium . Namesake of U-M’s Ross School of Business. Net worth of $7 billion Graduated from University of Michigan

PAT STRYKER • Founded the Bohemian Foundation, which supports communities through music, the arts, and civic programs. • Co-funded ($10 million) the first memorial to the victims of racial terror lynchings. • Resides in Fort Collins, Colo. • Net worth of $3.1 billion • Graduated from University of Northern Colorado

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Cover Story || Michigan Billionaires

Deceased*

RONDA STRYKER

WILLIAM DAVIDSON

• Director of Stryker Corp. in Kalamazoo • Net worth of $5.8 billion • Earned a master’s degree from Western Michigan University

• • • • • •

BRUCE WASSERSTEIN

RICHARD DEVOS

• Mergers and acquisitions specialist • Net worth of $2.9 billion • Graduated from University of Michigan

• • • • •

SAM WYLY

MIKE ILITCH

• • • •

• • • • •

Owner of the Bonanza Restaurants chain Had more than $1 billion in 2010. Convicted of tax evasion and filed for bankruptcy Graduated from University of Michigan

President and chairman of Guardian Industries Inc. in Auburn Hills. Former owner of the Detroit Pistons and co-owner of the Palace of Auburn Hills. Founder of the William Davidson Institute at the U-M Ross School of Business. Net worth $3.5 billion Died March of 2009 Attended University of Michigan, graduated from Wayne State University

Co-founder of Amway in Ada. Former owner of Orlando Magic Basketball team. Net worth $5.1 billion Died September of 2018 Graduated from Calvin University

Co-founder of Little Caesars Pizza in 1959. Owned the Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers, and MotorCity Casino Hotel. Net worth of $3.7 billion Graduated from Fordson High School Died February of 2017

WILLIAM YOUNG

MANUAL MOROUN

• CEO of Plastipak Packaging Inc. in Plymouth Township • Net worth of $6.8 Billion • Graduated from University of Detroit Mercy

• • • • • •

SAMUEL ZELL

DR. HOMER STRYKER

• Founder and chairman of Equity Group Investments. • Former chairman of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts. • Has an interest in, and is chairman of several companies in the New York Stock Exchange: (EQR), Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS), Equity Commonwealth (EQC), and Covanta Holding Corp. (CVA), and Anixter. • Net worth of $7.4 billion, graduated from University of Michigan

• • • •

NIKLAS ZENNSTRÖM

A. ALFRED TAUBMAN

• Swedish entrepreneur known for founding several high-profile online ventures with Janus Friis, including Skype and Kazaa. Sold his share in Skype to eBay. • Founded Atomico, a technology investment firm; has become a significant leader for entrepreneurs in the tech sector. He’s also co-founder of Zennström Philanthropies, a charity organization. • Net worth of $1.4 billion, graduated from University of Michigan

• • • •

J. ROBERT BEYSTER • • • •

Chairman, president, and CEO of Science Applications International Retired in 2004. Died in 2014 Graduated from University of Michigan

Owned Detroit’s Ambassador Bridge between the U.S. and Canada Was CEO of Crown Enterprises holding company Net worth of $1.5 billion Died July of 2020 Attended U-D Jesuit High School Graduated from University of Notre Dame

Founder of medical device company Stryker Corp. in Kalamazoo Net worth of $4.2 billion Graduated from University of Michigan Died May of 1980

Founder of theTaubman Centers Inc.; owned Michigan Panthers of the former USFL. Lifetime donations to the University of Michigan total more than $141 million. Net worth of $3.1 billion The former shoe salesman started building retail centers in 1950, and went on to become a dominant force in the luxury mall sector. • Graduated from University of Michigan, died in April of 2015

PRESTON ROBERT (BOB) TISCH • • • • •

Chairman of Loews Corp. U.S. Postmaster General (1986–88) Former 50 percent owner of the NFL New York Giants Died in November of 2005 Graduated from University of Michigan

ELI BROAD

RALPH C. WILSON JR.

• Co-founder of homebuilder Kaufman & Broad • Bought Sun Life insurance, then developed it into annuities giant SunAmerica before selling it to AIG Life Holdings Inc. • Net worth of $6.9 billion • Died January of 2021 • Graduated from Michigan State University

• Owner of the Ralph C. Wilson Agency (now in Southfield). • Founder and owner of the Buffalo Bills; namesake of the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation. • Net worth $1.2 billion (est.) • Died March of 2014

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* NET WORTH AT TIME OF DEATH.

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Feature || Insurance

Short on

CHANGES TO MICHIGAN’S NO-FAULT AUTO INSURANCE IN 2019, THE GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER, IS NEGATIVELY IMPACTING THE REC BY NORM SINCLAIR On a Thursday afternoon in May 2019, on the porch of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, flanked by leaders of the Michigan House and Senate, signed what she touted as “historic” legislation, decades in the making, that would finally curb the state’s notoriously high auto insurance rates. Fast-forward 30 months later and critics — including motorists, medical providers, and their lawyers — say the ballyhooed effort at reform has missed its mark, and could harm the recovery of severely injured auto accident victims, and all without significantly reducing insurance costs. Michigan motorists continue to pay some of the highest premium costs in the country, while the state’s most vulnerable residents — severely

injured auto accident victims — are threatened with losing life-long benefits they enjoyed under the old no-fault insurance system. “There hasn’t been a substantial reduction of premiums, and most of the people I talk to, their premiums are the same, or insignificantly reduced, or the premiums are greatly increased,” says Arthur Liss, a principal at Liss Seder Andrews, a law firm in Bloomfield Hills that handles cases for quadriplegic and brain injury auto accident victims. “The reason they’re increased is because one of the changes in the law also allows for personal injury lawsuits with higher limits.

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Reform

FIRST KEY POLICY LEGISLATION APPROVED AND SIGNED BY OVERY OF SEVERELY INJURED AUTO ACCIDENT VICTIMS. ILLUSTRATIONS BY JAMES YANG “A person who is collectable, who wants to have protection in case there’s a catastrophic accident, would have to get higher limits (of personal injury protection coverage) — and higher limits cost more money. So a lot of people are getting higher limits at a greater cost. Businesses that have drivers that can get into accidents have the same liability; consequently, business insurance costs more because they need higher limits.” At the time the governor signed the reform insurance package, she stressed that by giving motorists a choice in the level of coverage and premiums they can afford, their rates would go down. “It guarantees lower rates for every Michigan driver for eight years, it protects people’s ability to make a choice and pick their insurance level, their coverage options, including the choice of unlimited coverage,” Whitmer said. This fall, however, at the most recent Mackinaw Policy Conference, where she had signed the reform law, the governor — aware of blowback from severely injured accident victims and their caregivers — said the new insurance law needs more work and urged legislative leaders to

make needed changes she could support. Under the old law, Michigan motorists were required to have $20,000 in liability coverage for the injury or death of one person in any accident, and $40,000 in coverage for the injury or death of two or more people in an accident. The choices the governor spoke of allow drivers to choose minimum liability coverage at $250,000 for one death or $500,000 for two deaths in an accident. Motorists and family members who have health care coverage under Medicaid can request and receive reduced liability coverage of $50,000 to $100,000.

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You get lower coverage (today), but you don’t get as much protection. If you save anything it’s because you get lower limits, less coverage, and less benefits if you’re involved in an accident. — Arthur Liss

The old no-fault auto insurance provisions dictated that each driver’s auto insurer cover certain costs related to vehicle damage, medical treatment, and lost earnings, regardless of which driver was at fault. An at-fault driver could be sued when someone involved in the accident suffered “death, serious impairment of body function, or permanent serious disfigurement.” That provision still stands under the new law, but with Michigan motorists no longer required to purchase auto policies with unlimited medical coverage, the recovery of those costs can be sought by suing the at-fault driver. The crux of the change in the law that took effect July 1 is capped, and they’re costs auto accident providers can now bill, allowing the insurance industry to slash reimbursements for specialized care by nearly half. Insurance companies can now cap their payout to medical providers at 55 percent of what the providers — doctors, therapists, nursing or group homes — charged for non-Medicare-comparable services on Jan. 1, 2019. For services with a Medicare code, fees are capped at 200 percent of the Medicare rate. For home care providers such as family members, their pay is limited to 56 hours per week. Proponents of the new law say savings from these reduced payments will be returned to motorists in lower premiums. “The truth is — and this is merely anecdotal — in other settings, certain things didn’t cost as much as they did in no-fault,” says John W. Whitman, an attorney who practices insurance defense law at Garan Lucow Miller in Ann Arbor. “You might find a particular form of therapy, whether it’s medication, or physical therapy, or chiropractic, and in different settings those (treatments) don’t cost as much as (they did) under no-fault. That was part of what they were trying to do, contain costs. Many things were overpriced under the no-fault statute because there wasn’t a cap.” Whitman stated a cap on costs was needed to correct abuses and overreach by some providers under the no-fault system. “We have cases where vans have picked people up at their home, unsolicited, and away they go, and they’re directed to care, so we’ve seen a real abuse of that system,” Whitman maintains. Still, he acknowledges that the no-fault system was a wonderful life-saver, and not just for those with catastrophic injuries. “I don’t ever want to be critical of that. Those cases cost a lot, and even within those cases you see overreach,” he says. Under no-fault, every motorist in the state had to pay around $180 annually in their premiums for unlimited benefits protection. That fee is now $80, with an option for dropping unlimited coverage altogether and not paying the $80. Three years ago, the fee was $220, with the money going into a

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Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCAA) fund to pay for lifetime care for the severely injured. “But what are you really getting?” Liss asks. “You get lower coverage (today), but you don’t get as much protection. If you save anything it’s because you get lower limits, less coverage, and less benefits if you’re involved in an accident. So even the people that had unlimited before (the reform) and those that have unlimited now, the new unlimited doesn’t pay all of their bills; it’s paying bills at a cap, where all providers in certain circumstances would only get 55 percent of what medical providers like a nursing agency charge for home care.” While these cuts are taking effect, the elephant in the room remains the giant MCAA fund created by the state Legislature in 1978 to reimburse insurance companies for amounts they pay in accident victims’ benefits over $555,000. According to the MCAA’s latest reporting to state authorities last year, the fund had $23.5 billion in its accounts. The independent association, its fund, and its investments are overseen by a handful of representatives of major insurance companies and the director of the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services. The fund isn’t subject to state Freedom of Information laws, and an audit requested by Whitmer more than a year ago is still not completed. With the repeal of the no-fault insurance and the stiff reductions in reimbursements to providers for patient care, Liss and others are demanding to know what the future holds for those billions of dollars that grew out of motorists’ contributions. “My question is, where the heck is all that money that’s in the catastrophic fund? That’s not supposed to be private insurance money,” says Ven Johnson, principal shareholder of Johnson Law in Detroit. “Where did it go? Where’s (Waldo)? It’s like a slush fund for the insurance industry. This is something they set up, with AAA at the helm, back in the 1980s, and they’re the ones that wanted to change our auto system to no-fault. And now, years later, they want to switch back. Sorry, that’s falling on deaf ears here.” A recent study of auto insurance rates around the country by an insurance industry website, insure.com, states the new law in Michigan prompted a 27 percent reduction in premiums, dropping the state from its perennial No. 1 ranking for most expensive insurance to second in the nation. The average cost of insurance premiums in Michigan is now $2,112. That amount is still 48 percent higher than the national average. When the cost of unlimited coverage was factored in, the number jumped up to $2,840, the website found. Maine had the lowest rate, at $858 per year. A similar study by the insurance resource site The Zebra pegged Michigan’s average rate at $2,610 annually. Liss and others in the long-term provider care network say the cap on charges for benefits for catastrophic care will drive providers out of business, and it’s forcing doctors to shy away from taking on auto accident victims as patients. “What I’ve seen, which breaks my heart, is that an overwhelmingly large number of my auto-related clients tell me that when they go to their doctor of choice, that doctor is doing one of two things. He says, ‘I’m not treating you because of the auto-related accident. I’m not playing these new games where they don’t pay my bills and I’m getting a crappy reimbursement,’ ” Johnson says. “Or (the doctor) says, ‘I’ll treat you, but because of this crappy reimbursement rate of the new laws, you have to sign this paper that says in your case against the negligent driver that hurt you, you’ll pay me above and beyond what the no-fault care paid me.’ ” Johnson says he has catastrophically injured clients crying on the phone because they’re being kicked out of their in-patient facilities, or November - December 2021 || DBUSINESS.COM 57

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their nursing home, and are being told, “Sorry, we’re not doing auto cases anymore because they don’t pay enough.” Across the state, some of the 18,000 severely injured auto accident patients are facing reduced care that could, in some cases, mean life or death. One of those who could face that choice is a Liss client, James Goins, who was left barely alive one early morning in August 2007 after his car swerved off Telegraph Road near the Ohio border, went airborne, and wrapped itself around a tree. Goins was 18 years old at the time. He was proud of his demanding job, working 10 hours-a-day, seven-days-a week as a master welder following graduation from high school. “It was about four in the morning, and he might have fallen asleep,” says his mother, Marshala Goins of Newport, in Monroe County, just north of Monroe. She says when rescue units arrived on the scene, they found her son with the left side of his head shattered, his scalp peeled back, and spinal fluid and brain matter seeping out of him. He suffered broken ribs, broken bones in his face, arm injuries, and damage to his spinal cord. He was airlifted to a hospital in Toledo. Because he kept his wallet with his identification in a console in the car and not in his pocket, no one knew who he was for hours after the accident. “He was living on his own and we didn’t know what happened until much later that day, when someone came knocking on our door and said James was in a terrible accident,” his mother recalls. “We’re calling all over Ohio, trying to find him. By the time we got to the hospital, he already had gone through surgery and was in the traumatic brain surgery intensive care unit.” Today, Goins’ full-time care is a family affair, she says. His sisters, Elizabeth and Jamesha, and Elizabeth’s husband, Charles Kirksey, team up with his mother to look after him 24 hours a day. Since 2014, he has lived in a special-equipped handicap-accessible home built for him through his no-fault insurance. Each of the family members, who Marshala Goins says live close to her son’s home, work 48-hour shifts to provide the roundthe-clock care. “I don’t consider this a job because I’m taking care of my son. But for my son-in-law and my two daughters, that’s their job,” Marshala says. “What money they get for helping to take care of their brother pays their bills.” His condition is anything but ideal. A pump sewn into his side dispenses medicine so he doesn’t get seizures. He needs oxygen at night and has to be monitored. He’s fed intravenously, and he breathes on a ventilator. “He’s never had a bed sore. He never lies in bed; he’s up every day, as we make sure of that. There’s no nursing home that could take care of him like that,” Marshala says. “They’re not equipped to do that. The last time he was in a nursing home we

went to pick him up after two days and he was sitting there, he wasn’t showered, he had drool all over his face. He never went back.” Goins says she dreads the thought of having to care for James with only 56 hours paid to the family. “I would have to stay here 24/7 and the others would have to go find jobs. He would have to go into a nursing home or something. We’re not making money off taking care of him. They want to send other people in here, but there are agencies with clients like my son that have to shut down. There’s nobody we could find to take the remaining hours after the 56 hours they’re allowing us.” On the day of an interview, one therapist after another followed each other into the home to work with James. His physical therapist worked with him on a fitness table, and the second, a communications specialist, provided computer therapy where he communicates through a com screen. “He would lose all of that,” his mother says of the cuts the new law dictates. “They’re still sending the attendant care checks every month and I can only say, ‘Thank you, Jesus,’ and thanks to Arthur (Liss).” Liss says the family has a six-year contract with their insurer that has expired. “If they put him in an institution, he would die. This is a life or death situation,” he says. Probably the most famous of the 18,000 severely injured Michigan motorists who depend on payments from the state’s catastrophic injury fund is former Detroit Red Wing defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov, who in 1997 helped propel the team to the first of four Stanley Cup championships since 1955. The Russian All-Star player and a team masseur, Sergei Mnatsokonov, suffered severe head and other life-changing injuries when the limousine in which they were riding as they celebrated the championship crashed on a median along Woodward Avenue in downtown Birmingham. Vlady, as the rugged Konstantinov is referred to by fans and teammates, emerged from a two-month coma to life in a wheelchair and now requires 24-hour attendant care. His case and the 45 percent cut in reimbursement for his care that went into effect July 1 were highlighted in a September broadcast on WXYZ television in Detroit. Darby Andersen, executive vice president and chief strategy officer of Arcadia Home Care, the company providing Konstantinov’s care, said in a statement on the broadcast that Arcadia has not been paid since the fee caps went into effect in July. “We’ve changed the codes under which the claims are billed and are waiting to see what reimbursement rate we’re paid. In addition to the delays in payment, we’re fearful we’ll be paid at a rate that won’t sustain our business,” he said. Tammy Hannah, president and CEO of the nonprofit Origami Brain Injury Rehabilitation Center in Mason, southwest of Lansing, shares Andersen’s concern. She also fears for the future of her facility. The center has 22 full-time resident patients and offers outpatient care for another 80 people to 90 people weekly. “This change in the law is having such a profound impact on our community. We’ve given discharge notices to two of our residents, and we’re discussing others we’ll be forced to discharge,” Hannah says. “These are people who have been living and relying on Origami for a very long time.” Hannah says since the fee cap of 55 percent payment of the 2019 rates went into effect in July, Origami has been paid for only three of 22 residents. “We don’t understand going from getting recurring payments to nothing. Under the reform, it was supposed to be 55 percent,” she says. As a result, Hannah says she’s been forced to reduce her staff from 133 employees to 98 workers. “We’re an outpatient facility, as well, so it’s not just residential patients

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that are affected,” she says. Origami is a joint venture with Michigan State University’s Osteopathic School of Medicine and Peckham Inc., a nonprofit vocational rehabilitation organization based in Lansing. The link to Michigan State provides Origami with direct access to the latest rehabilitation techniques, clinical research, and on-call physician support. Hannah says the center already works with a lean 6 percent to 8 percent profit margin, which she says is fair and reasonable treatment, for 85 percent to 90 percent of its outpatient clients by complying with Medicare’s reimbursement guidelines. She says that during a recent virtual meeting of 30 similar providers from around the state called by the Michigan Brain Injury Provider Council, similar stories of cutbacks on essential care was the main topic of discussion. Hannah says during a brief meeting she and other providers had with Whitmer last year, the governor acknowledged that the reform bill she signed and is responsible for was flawed and needs further work. “Until the Legislature produces a bill to make that happen, the governor has nothing to sign into law,” Hannah says. What the governor did sign into law in July was a stop-gap bill from the Legislature, creating a $25 million relief taxpayer-generated fund for post-acute care providers to help them stay in business. Hannah says she’s applying for additional help from the Provider Relief Fund, despite the daunting amount of paperwork and documentation providers must complete to get any money. “It’s taking a lot of staff to prepare the documentation, as each claim must be applied for individually,” she says. “It could take up to 271 days to apply for and get the funds. Anybody who needs this cash yesterday won’t get it.” Steven M. Gursten, principal of Michigan Auto Law in Farmington Hills, and a nationally recognized expert in auto insurance laws, is an

outspoken critic of the state’s insurance reform legislation. He says the $25 million fund isn’t the fix for what he described as a disastrous medical fee schedule. “The fee schedule was the result of rushed and sloppily drafted language that the vast majority of lawmakers never had time to even read,” he says. “The fact that lawmakers now had to rush this emergency provider relief fund to be signed by Whitmer is itself a travesty.” Whitman, meanwhile, says the relief fund was the Legislature’s response to agencies providing care that were threatening to go out of business under the capped reimbursements they were facing. “My understanding of that fund is that it’s there to ease the transition for some of these agencies,” he says. That transition, however, must be made without destroying what insurance experts say was a unique system of care auto accident victims enjoyed in Michigan. “I don’t think you’ll find a lawyer, plaintiff or defense, who would not say there were abuses in the no-fault system. I also think you won’t find anybody in this area, plaintiff or defense, who would not say that we didn’t have a pretty good system for caring for those who were catastrophically hurt,” Whitman says. “I wonder if, in trying to fix what was broken, we’ve also fixed or damaged what was not broken.”

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Feature || Business Succession

SUCCESSION BY DESIGN

A “Silver Tsunami” is about to engulf Michigan, and thousands of businesses will go on the market as baby boomers retire. For best results, owners should start planning today. BY RONALD AHRENS | ILLUSTRATIONS BY BRIAN BRITIGAN

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s he was nearing his 60th birthday, Carl Matisse happened to be conferring with his banker when a provocative question came up: Had he planned for the succession of his business, in order to retire? “Not really,” recalls Matisse, now 61 years old and president of Summit Properties, a general contractor in Clarkston operating nationwide on commercial renovations and construction projects. “At some point, I’ll sell it,” he continued. “It’s got value.” His banker encouraged him to pursue a succession strategy without delay. “You’ve got to develop a plan,” he instructed. “Let me introduce you to a guy.” It was the start of an awakening for Matisse. He had founded Summit Properties in 1994 with a few partners, and for years the company specialized in custom-home building. After the 2008 financial crisis, the business had to be reinvented to stay vital. “We began doing some commercial work and have grown the business,” Matisse says. “Our sales were about $5 million a year (in 2009), and are $50 million a year today.” Clients include fast-food restaurants, pharmacies, fuel stations, grocery stores, and banks. Unlike custom-home building, repeat patronage is a standard part of the action. In the year and a half since that meeting in the bank, Matisse and his partners have worked out a plan that will ease him out of the picture — and it won’t be a transfer within the family. His adult son and two daughters have gone into medicine, law, and education. “They didn’t have any interest (in the business), and that was fine,” he says. Instead, a handful of key employees are being set up to buy the company. The succession plan is attractive to the employee-buyers because Summit has the right things going for it in accordance with a well-established, if not universally known, formula that helps to consolidate and increase the value in a business. The first of these things, of course, is today’s profitability. If Summit had remained a custom-home builder, Matisse may have kept making money, but the switch to commercial work brought in far greater revenue. The second and third points of the formula address whether that profitability can be sustained, and how much more growth can be realized. Summit today has 94 employees working from offices in six large cities. “Being in this business, it’s actually sustainable, and I can retire and walk away,” Matisse says. “Everybody else that’s in the business can continue to serve our clients and continue to earn money and work. So, all of a sudden, there was a value in my business.” Matisse’s experience is a lesson for tens of thousands of Michigan business owners who will be retiring in the next decade or so. By 2035, seniors will, for the first time, outnumber children under 18 years old, but Kurt Metzger, founder of Data Driven Detroit, has written in the Oakland County Times that Michigan “will experience this shift much earlier than the nation.” Oakland County offers a vivid example of the trend over the past 30 years, with a declining birthrate as compared to deaths. “The economic downturn we experienced after 2000 led to a great deal of out-migration and a relatively rapid reduction in births,” Metzger says. The full-court press is on, and some business owners will find themselves trapped in a corner with no time-outs remaining. But as Matisse has demonstrated, it’s possible to act early, find an opening, and advance downcourt.

Business Succession || Feature

The good news is, much thought has already gone into the issue, and big-picture thinkers have developed and refined a number of practical steps to help with succession planning. Perhaps the best handbook is “Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You,” a work by Toronto author John Warrillow that’s now in its 22nd printing. Warrillow demonstrates his principles through a fictional narrative in which the main character, Alex Stapleton, owner of a small graphic design shop, decides he’s had it and wants to sell the business. He consults with a mentor who throws out a series of challenges to help him prepare for a sale. In the initial deflating meeting, it’s determined that Alex’s business doesn’t have as much value as he might think. Several factors contribute to the situation, and the challenge is to correct them before enlisting a business broker to sell the enterprise. The biggest shortcomings are that the graphic design shop is too generalized, is dominated by one large client that represents about 40 percent of revenue, and depends too much upon the charisma and personal touch of the owner himself. There’s neither a management structure in place nor a real direction for the company, so it’s unsustainable and therefore of little value if Alex drops out of the picture. Additionally, there’s no way to scale up the business. In Warrillow’s fictional story-within-the-story, Alex makes some big changes, firing his largest client and reorienting the business toward a specialized service. Instead of meeting all the client’s needs by designing everything from brochures to websites, the company focuses on its strength: creating logos. For Alex, the first step is to define the technique by writing out guidelines for his Five-Step Logo Design Process. He soon finds that not only do his employees perform better, but the process itself becomes a sales feature. By standardizing the service, Alex is able to charge up front, helping to generate a positive cash-flow cycle. Taking the next step, Alex promotes a couple of top employees to vice presidents and hires two sales reps; the release of new energy leads to growth and even to repeat orders as clients themselves expand and introduce new products and services that require logos. As a result, the Stapleton Agency no longer experiences those painfully constrained periods when the dominant client is late with payment, and Alex is able to stop groveling and focus more on strategy and planning. The rebalanced organization becomes much more attractive, and after giving consideration to his top staff in the deal, he’s able to transfer the business to new ownership and reap the desired benefits. By means of his book, as well as related courses

THE FULL-COURT PRESS IS ON, AND SOME BUSINESS OWNERS WILL FIND THEMSELVES TRAPPED IN A CORNER WITH NO TIME-OUTS REMAINING. BUT AS MATISSE HAS DEMONSTRATED, IT’S POSSIBLE TO ACT EARLY, FIND AN OPENING, AND ADVANCE DOWNCOURT.

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BUILDING VALUE IN THE BUSINESS In “Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You,” author John Warrillow lays out a few steps to be implemented for a business to thrive without the owner’s personal involvement in every detail. 1. Isolate a product or a service with the potential to scale. The text’s example is the Alex Stapleton graphic design agency. He develops a process for creating logos and teaches it to his employees. It offers value to customers, and it’s repeatable and draws return business. 2. Create a positive cash-flow cycle. “To create a positive cash flow cycle, charge your customer in full or in part for your product or service before you pay the costs of whatever it is you provide,” Warrillow writes. With a unique offering, it’s possible to bill up front, and the company’s value increases. 3. Hire a sales team. Being too personally involved in sales is a bad idea and, in case of a business transfer, sets up the owner for continuing to work in a “long and risky earn-out.” Two salespersons are better than one. 4. Stop selling everything else. Once Alex decided to specialize in logo design, he passed up the opportunity of a large new account for generalized graphic-design services. It wasn’t easy to say no, but it paid off. 5. Launch a long-term incentive plan for managers. A solid management team will impress a buyer. 6. Find a broker. Then be prepared to document attributes of the business and its performance. A business plan is part of this process, too. 7. Tell your management team. The news might not be welcome at first, but they should know what’s happening. Tie the success of the deal to their incentives.

and seminars, Warrillow has made a disciple of John Carter. In 2015, Carter founded Absolute Succession, a consulting firm in Bloomfield Hills. Working as an M&A attorney for more than 20 years, he had kept seeing what he calls “lifestyle businesses” that generated revenue for the owners but weren’t built to be sold. Too often, they depended on the owner’s panache, reflecting a weak organizational structure and a lack of sustainability. Carter found exit planning to be “a calling for me” because of his understanding of the nuances. “There’s such a massive number of people that are going to exit their businesses and exit the economy, if you look at the statistics, in the next 10 years to 12 years — it’s unbelievable,” he says. “This is going to be the largest wealth transfer we’ve ever seen in our lifetime — and, frankly, over the last 100 years.” He poses the question of who will buy out the boomers. The problem is that Generation X is a smaller group. “We’re a microcosm,” he says. “The math is bad for the boomers. It doesn’t matter — you can have an awesome company that’s highly profitable, (but) you’re still going to have a hard time, potentially, because of competing with all the other businesses that want to leave at the same time. There’s just not enough buyers.” When families were larger, the family business stayed that way. But the tradition of passing a business along to descendants is hardly a certainty nowadays. As with Matisse’s son and daughters, children are sometimes inclined to follow their own passions. Or they simply don’t want to work so hard and assume so much responsibility. “They just watched their parents, for the last 20 years, kill themselves,” Carter says. “They love the fact they can drive Cadillac Escalades; they don’t like the idea, though, that they have to be responsible for the business, for its employees — and throw in COVID-19 and all this other stuff.” Too often, the parents wait too long to start talking to family members about succession, and when the implied notion about a takeover proves untenable, the sellers are cornered. Whereas the business had always been viewed as a source of retirement security, the question now arises as to whether it has any transferable value at all. Matisse soon came to understand the classic nature of his pre-2008 situation. “Originally being a custom-home builder, I was only as good as my next project,” he says. “So, if you decide you’re going to retire, hopefully you’ve saved some money and you retire accordingly.” In his role as an M&A attorney, Carter frequently encountered the opposite, and it was a source of unhappiness for prospective sellers. “We would go through the sale process, and these owners would close, and they would never get the terms or the money that they needed up front,” he says. “All of it was seller financing.” The seller may even have stayed on to operate the business and gain an earn-out, a sort of bonus, after a defined period. “They couldn’t negotiate the terms that would allow them to live the life they wanted.” But getting 35 cents to 40 cents on the dollar in such a scenario, Carter says, can lead to humiliating revelations. “Now they’ve got to go back and tell their wife, ‘Hey, honey, (after) sacrificing all those anniversaries, those birthdays, all those weekends that I did for years, now we have a pittance to live on, or worse.’ ” Around the same time Matisse listened and acted on his banker’s advice, Wes Mathews was the hard-driving CEO of High Level Marketing, the digital marketing agency he started 15 years ago. The married father of four kids was facing his 40th birthday and feeling a bit burned out. Until the pandemic, High Level had a staff of about 50 people working in a West Bloomfield office. The team is now working 100-percent remotely, but Mathews intends to relaunch an office in the Detroit area and look to operate in three other cities. Back in February, High Level Marketing completed a merger with

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Business Succession || Feature

Bell Media of Birmingham, Ala., going from a $6.5-million niche company to a $20 million midsize player in an industry that has just a couple of what Mathews terms “behemoths.” While he used to measure himself and his success by the number of hours worked in a day, he has stepped back to serve as chief revenue officer and finds himself with more time for his personal life. “I have a lot of confidence in the new CEO to grow, scale, and drive the organization, and thought I could add better value as chief revenue officer, which is building on relationships, people, and sales,” Mathews says. “I think we have an opportunity to really grow this company into a $100 million-plus organization and create a lot of opportunity along the way.” He calls the initiation of the merger “serendipitous.” Being, as he says, “an entrepreneur at heart,” he realized his own limitations. “I kind of felt, as the entrepreneur, I was stuck. I had to look inward and say, ‘Hey, is it stuck because of me?’ ” His partner had been “waving the SOS flag” for about a year, saying, “If I had this amount of money, I’m good.” Mathews and the leaders of Bell Media were able to work out a deal through video conferences over about three months. Working with a consultant, he kept his team in the loop. “People kind of felt like, ‘You know what? This makes sense because it was a strategic move to help grow and invest in the business.’ So the whole goal was to keep the team intact and create a lot of opportunity.” During the merger process, Mathews went through “mental warfare” as he conformed to the natural tendency to vacillate. “There were many times when I was all-in on the deal, ready to move forward, and then the next day I was violently against it.” Nevertheless, he was in a

good position to set his terms. He gives some of the credit for the well-structured organization to his study of EOS, the Entrepreneurial Operating System, and to activities with EO, the Entrepreneurs’ Organization. EOS has a six-part formula for business excellence. Much as in “Built to Sell,” EOS promises to drive profits, consistency, and scalability in its members’ organizations. The proprietary toolkit includes books, a smartphone app, an analysis program, and tutorials. Membership in EO, on the other hand, also entails exposure to educational content, but opens connections with other EO members. “EOS and EO changed my life,” Mathews says. “I used to have an ego, used to be like, ‘Alright, I’m the guy, I’m the CEO.’ Once I educated myself and gained experience, I got smarter and I started hiring smarter people than me.” Carter rates Mathews’ High Level Marketing among the estimated 20 percent to 30 percent of companies that are more or less turnkey opportunities and ready to be sold. “By coincidence or just good instincts,” Carter says, “the owners have built enough transferable value in their businesses that they are highly attractive to outside buyers, because they have the value-drivers already installed.”

“EOS AND EO CHANGED MY LIFE. I USED TO HAVE AN EGO, USED TO BE LIKE, ‘ALRIGHT, I’M THE GUY, I’M THE CEO.’ ONCE I EDUCATED MYSELF AND GAINED EXPERIENCE, I GOT SMARTER AND I STARTED HIRING SMARTER PEOPLE THAN ME.” — WES MATHEWS

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THE ACQUIRER’S PERSPECTIVE Michael Bassirpour, 39, is CEO and a partner at GLR Advanced Recycling in Roseville. After starting his career in real estate, Bassirpour sought something more “recession-proof,” and got into recycling. Today, his company handles tens of thousands of scrap cars each year. “The team developed a unique business model for buying and processing scrap cars in 2015 in Detroit,” he says. Since then, GLR has been scaling up with what Bassirpour calls “a copy-and-paste model, no different than opening up a Little Caesars.” He has found the “extremely antiquated” recycling business to be prime for disruption. “People don’t really use technology in running their business, and they don’t come up with different ways to do things,” he says. “They just kind of do it the way their grandparents did it. I don’t have grandparents in this business. I started from nothing, from scratch. I’m more of a self-taught kind of person who doesn’t abide by an old generational playbook.” As GLR integrates technology and new ideas, one value-driver it developed is 1-800 Cars4Cash, a proprietary digital-marketing offshoot for buying scrap cars. “In terms of the opportunity and how far it can go, I have a grandiose vision, and I think it could be scaled throughout the country,” Bassirpour says. Recently, he solved another problem through standardization. Bassirpour has turned his attention beyond “maxed-out” Michigan. Seeing opportunity for the company’s model on the West Coast, he “went all-in,” moving his family to Los Angeles in September. He already has a new trading office up and running, and is looking at opening two brick-andmortar recycling operations by the end of 2024. Acquisitions are a part of the program — one he views as “taking a sad song and making it sweeter.” Finding a good portfolio fit, he says GLR will move aggressively, yet sensitively, to make a deal. “I really try to make it a win-win situation, where if the person that’s selling doesn’t have a good succession plan — they’re tired and ready to exit the business — I try to make it where they’re happy, and we try to take care of them and their families.”

For the other 70 percent to 80 percent of owners, it’s going to be less instantaneous — in fact, it may be a long, intrusive ordeal. The consensus is business owners who are contemplating an eventual sale should start early, and get advice from professionals like accountants and lawyers before pursing the right broker or M&A firm to market the business. But for all of the pains expended in building the company, there may be more pains ahead as the broker looks through records and data, critically evaluates every process, and makes recommendations to implement additional improvements. And that’s if the broker is really working for the commission, instead of treating the client as a kind of commodity and navigating within narrow channels to find a buyer. “Your broker needs to recognize that you have created something special and deserve to be compensated at a higher rate,” Warrillow writes. Another professional who can offer sound perspective is a financial planner, for whom business succession is always a fair topic. Questions about legal steps should be expected. What have you done? When was the last time you amended it? Do you understand the laws and what’s going to change soon? “We’re all over it,” says Jeff Fratarcangeli, managing principal of Fratarcangeli Wealth Management in Bloomfield Hills, part of the Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network. “It’s a conversation in every single review, every referral that comes our way.” The goal, as he says, is to prepare for the worst but plan for the best, in order to avoid being “derailed by an unforeseen event.” When he was playing soccer at Eastern Michigan University in the early 1990s, Fratarcangeli took up the study of finance. He entered the working world at the time that “old-school pension plans like the one my father had at Ford” were becoming more self-directed, so he’s been delivering financial-planning guidance ever since. Having now seen “just about everything twice,” it’s easy for him to enter an investor’s mind. “The reality is, we’re going to look at a number of things,” he says. Important criteria include such questions as what business sector the target company is in and whether this company relates to one’s existing personal business. “Are you taking on more concentration in the same risk category?” he asks. Other worthwhile questions concern what the data shows as far as profitability, cash flow, and cash reserves. And, finally, the ownership structure is a consideration. Whether the eventual result for one’s business is a merger, a transfer within the family, a sale through a management buyout employee stock ownership plan, or an outright acquisition by an outside buyer, the idea is to adhere to a plan but be prepared to make some changes. If everything goes well, the business owner will see the hoped-for payday and gain more freedom. For Matisse, the plan for the next five to 10 years entails staying involved, steering his company along, and retaining some ownership after easing out of day-to-day operations. “I wanted to continue to work and have the flexibility, and maybe gamble a little bit, on the fact that the company will continue to appreciate,” he says. He has already maneuvered into a position of greater freedom. At the time of a recent phone interview, Matisse and his wife, Marion, were at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, waiting to begin a trip to Greece. “We travel quite a bit now, and really, by building this business, I have the flexibility of working from anywhere in the world,” he said. The last year and a half have, indeed, been a period of transformation, and Matisse is happy to share his insights. “What I learned through this is to plan ahead 10 years before you think you’re going to retire,” he says. “If you own a business, start making a plan. Get ahold of somebody and have the discussions, and understand if you have a company that fits into one of these models for sale.” With the right measures in place when it hits, the Silver Tsunami could just sweep you away to somewhere you’ve always wanted to go.

MATTHEW LAVERE

Feature || Business Succession

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DBusiness 2021 | TOP LAWYERS

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TOP LAWYERS 2021

The research for the Top Lawyers list was created by PRS (Professional Research Services) and is based on an online peer-review survey sent out to the certified lawyers within the metro Detroit area. Many votes were cast honoring excellence in the legal field. Inclusion in DBusiness magazine’s Top Lawyers list is based solely upon one’s standing within their peer group. Listings in Top Lawyers cannot be purchased.

Index Antitrust Law................................................. 67 Appellate Law................................................ 67 Arbitration ..................................................... 68 Banking & Financial Service........................ 68 Bankruptcy & Creditor/ Debtor Rights Law........................................ 68 Commercial Law........................................... 70 Construction Law ......................................... 70 Copyright Law............................................... 70 Corporate Law .............................................. 71 Employee Benefits Law ............................... 72 Energy Law .................................................... 72 Environmental Law....................................... 72 Family Law ..................................................... 74 Food & Beverage Law................................... 74 Franchise Law ............................................... 76 Health Care Law............................................ 76 Immigration Law........................................... 76 Information Management & Discovery Law ........................................... 78 Information Technology Law....................... 78 Insurance Law............................................... 78 Intellectual Property & Patent Law ............ 78 International Trade Law ............................... 80 Labor & Employment Law........................... 80 Land Use & Zoning ....................................... 81 Legal Malpractice Law ................................. 81

Litigation - Antitrust ..................................... 81 Litigation - Banking & Finance .................... 82 Litigation - Commercial ............................... 82 Litigation - Construction.............................. 82 Litigation - Insurance ................................... 83 Litigation - Intellectual Property ................. 83 Litigation - Labor Employment Benefits ... 83 Litigation - Patents ....................................... 84 Litigation - Real Estate ................................. 84 Mediation....................................................... 84 Medical Malpractice Law............................. 84 Mergers & Acquisitions Law........................ 85 Municipal Law ............................................... 86 Non White-Collar Criminal Defense ........... 86 Nonprofit/Charities Law.............................. 86 Personal Injury .............................................. 86 Product Liability............................................ 87 Professional Malpractice Law ..................... Public Finance Law....................................... 88 Real Estate Law............................................. 88 Securities Law............................................... 89 Tax Law .......................................................... 89 Trade Secrets ................................................ 90 Trusts & Estates............................................ 90 White-Collar Criminal Defense ................... 91 Workers Compensation Law....................... 91

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Antitrust Law Steven Cernak Bona Law PC George B. Donnini Butzel Long David A. Ettinger Honigman LLP David H. Fink Fink Bressack Fred K. Herrmann Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC Howard B. Iwrey Dykema Gossett PLLC William R. Jansen Warner Norcross + Judd LLP Sheldon H. Klein Butzel Long Larry J. Saylor Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Michael C. Simoni Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC L. Pahl Zinn Dickinson Wright PLLC

Appellate Law

Michael J. Cook Collins Einhorn Farrell PC Maura Corrigan Butzel Long Phillip J. DeRosier Dickinson Wright PLLC Timothy A. Diemer Jacobs and Diemer PC Stephanie A. Douglas Bush Seyferth PLLC Cynthia Filipovich Clark Hill PLC Amanda J. Frank Bodman PLC Stuart G. Friedman Friedman Legal Solutions, PLLC Linda M. Garbarino Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney & Garbarino PLLC Christina A. Ginter Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti & Sherbrook Caroline B. Giordano Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Mark R. Granzotto Mark Granzotto, PC

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Paul D. Hudson Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Elizabeth L. Jacobs Attorney at Law John P. Jacobs Jacobs and Diemer PC Matthew D. Klakulak Giroux Trial Attorneys PC Noel D. Massie Kienbaum Hardy Viviano Pelton Forrest, PLC Stephen McKenney Altior Law Terry Milne Osgood Mantese Honigman PC Lindsey Peck Collins Einhorn Farrell PC Thomas J. Rheaume Jr. Bodman PLC Joseph E. Richotte Butzel Long Rosalind Rochkind Garan Lucow Miller, PC Daniel S. Saylor Garan Lucow Miller, PC

Matthew P. Allen Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

James G. Gross James G. Gross, PLC

Larry J. Saylor Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Anne L. Argiroff Anne Argiroff PLC

Margaret M. Hackett Thrun Law Firm, PC

Elizabeth L. Sokol Kostopoulos Rodriguez, PLLC

Donovan S. Asmar Bodman PLC

K. Scott Hamilton Dickinson Wright PLLC

Amy M. Spilman Eisenberg & Spilman, PLLC

Mark Bendure Bendure & Thomas

Elizabeth P. Hardy Kienbaum Hardy Viviano Pelton Forrest, PLC

Joanne Geha Swanson Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC

James E. Brenner Clark Hill PLC Anthony F. Caffrey III Cardelli Lanfear Law Trent B. Collier Collins Einhorn Farrell PC

Deborah A. Hebert Collins Einhorn Farrell PC Todd A. Holleman Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Kurtis T. Wilder Butzel Long Beth A. Wittmann Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti & Sherbrook

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DBusiness 2021 | TOP LAWYERS Susan Healy Zitterman Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti & Sherbrook

Arbitration Frederick A. Acomb Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Tracy L. Allen Global Resolutions, PLLC James C. Bruno Butzel Long

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Robert B. Goldi Kotz Sangster Wysocki PC

Larry R. Shulman Bodman PLC

Edward S. Gusky Varnum LLP

Theodore B. Sylwestrzak Dickinson Wright PLLC

Scott P. Gyorke Bodman PLC

Robert A. Wright III Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC

Craig W. Hammond Dickinson Wright PLLC Kathleen O’Callaghan Hickey Bodman PLC David W. Hipp Butzel Long

Gene J. Esshaki Abbott Nicholson PC Samantha S. Galecki Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC William D. Gilbride Jr. Abbott Nicholson PC Daniel P. Makarski Secrest Wardle Ronald P. Strote Strote Law Kurtis T. Wilder Butzel Long

Banking & Financial Service Douglas C. Bernstein Plunkett Cooney 38505 Woodward Ave. Suite 100 Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304 248-901-4091 dbernstein@plunkettcooney.com plunkettcooney.com

Douglas C. Bernstein Plunkett Cooney, PC

Shawn N. Hopper Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Steven G. Howell Dickinson Wright PLLC

Bankruptcy & Creditor/ Debtor Rights Law Allison R. Bach Dickinson Wright PLLC Marc M. Bakst Bodman PLC Jason W. Bank Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC Brendan G. Best Varnum LLP

Joseph C. Huntzicker Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Jeffrey H. Bigelman Osipov Bigelman, PC

Joseph J. Kochanek Bodman PLC

Charles D. Bullock Stevenson & Bullock, PLC

Melissa A. Lewis Bodman PLC

William T. Burgess Dickinson Wright PLLC

Michael P. McGee Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Elliot G. Crowder Stevenson & Bullock, PLC

Christine L. Phillips Bodman PLC Steven A. Roach Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Michael J. Romaya Varnum LLP Damali A. Sahu Bodman PLC

Matthew K. Casey Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Wayne S. Segal Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC

W. Patrick Dreisig Butzel Long

William P. Shield Jr. Dickinson Wright PLLC

Robert J. Diehl Jr. Bodman PLC Earle I. Erman Maddin, Hauser, Roth & Heller, P.C Stuart A. Gold Gold, Lange & Majoros, PC Jonathan S. Green Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Steven G. Howell Dickinson Wright PLLC Daniel G. Kielczewski Abbott Nicholson PC Stephen S. LaPlante Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

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DBusiness 2021 | TOP LAWYERS Scott R. Lesser Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Michael Lieberman Lieberman, Gies & Cohen, PLLC Dennis W. Loughlin Warner Norcross + Judd LLP Ralph E. McDowell Bodman PLC Max J. Newman Butzel Long James A. Plemmons Dickinson Wright PLLC

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Commercial Law Thomas G. Appleman Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Jonathan S. Berg Bodman PLC Gene P. Bowen Bodman PLC James C. Bruno Butzel Long Jonathan P. Burleigh Bodman PLC

Thomas B. Radom Butzel Long

Edward C. Dawda Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC

E. Todd Sable Honigman LLP

Catherine M. Karol Butzel Long

Joseph R. Sgroi Honigman LLP

George M. Malis Abbott Nicholson PC

Howard S. Sher Jacob & Weingarten

Kenneth F. Neuman Altior Law

Ronald A. Spinner Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Mark W. Peters Bodman PLC

Marc N. Swanson Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Theodore B. Sylwestrzak Dickinson Wright PLLC

Nicholas J. Stasevich Butzel Long.

Construction Law

Ronald A. Deneweth Deneweth, Dugan & Parfitt, PC David J. DeVine Butzel Long Lawrence M. Dudek Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Eric J. Flessland Butzel Long Kevin J. Gleeson Sullivan, Ward, Patton, Gleeson & Felty, PC Kevin S. Hendrick Clark Hill PLC Paul M. Mersino Butzel Long Matthew C. Norris Matthew C. Norris PLC Jeffrey M. Sangster Kotz Sangster Wysocki PC John M. Sier Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti & Sherbrook

Jay M. Berger Clark Hill PLC

Kimberly A. Berger Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Julie B. Teicher Maddin, Hauser, Roth & Heller, PC

Harvey W. Berman Bodman PLC

Lisabeth H. Coakley Harness, Dickey & Pierce, PLC

Brian R. Trumbauer Bodman PLC

R. Edward Boucher Kotz Sangster Wysocki PC

Jennifer A. Dukarski Butzel Long

Jaimee L. Witten Bodman PLC

James R. Case Dykema Gossett PLLC

Ashley Glime Butzel Long

Scott A. Wolfson Wolfson Bolton PLLC

Peter J. Cavanaugh Cavanaugh & Quesada, PLC

Howard Hertz Hertz Schram PC

Craig E. Zucker Maddin, Hauser, Roth & Heller, PC

Christopher A. Cornwall Dickinson Wright PLLC

Susan M. Kornfield Bodman PLC

Mark M. Cunningham Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC

James D. Stevens Reising Ethington PC

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Rebecca L. Wilson The Dobrusin Law Firm

James R. Cambridge Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC

Sean A. Fraser Abbott Nicholson PC

Corporate Law

Steven R. Cole Bodman PLC

Bruce W. Haffey Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, PC

Thomas G. Appleman Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Jennifer E. Consiglio Butzel Long

William Heritage Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, PC

Brad B. Arbuckle Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Timothy R. Damschroder Bodman PLC

Mark R. High Dickinson Wright PLLC

Geaneen M. Arends Butzel Long

Edward C. Dawda Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC

Laura E. Johnson Butzel Long

Robert S. Bick Williams, Williams, Rattner & Plunkett, PC

Laurence B. Deitch Bodman PLC

Justin G. Klimko Butzel Long

Richard M. Bolton Dickinson Wright PLLC

Forrest O. Dillon Bodman PLC

Donald J. Kunz Honigman LLP

James C. Bruno Butzel Long

W. Patrick Dreisig Butzel Long

Jeffrey L. LaBine Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Robert J. Cambridge Bodman PLC

Arthur Dudley II Butzel Long

Eric I. Lark Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC

Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney, Dwaihy PLLC 38777 W. Six Mile Rd., Livonia, Michigan 48152 313-964-4500 | tnmdlaw.com Cullen B. McKinney is a founding member of Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney, & Dwaihy PLLC. The law firm offers aggressive and experienced medical malpractice defense legal representation for health care systems, individual physicians, and physician groups. For more than 27 years, Mr. McKinney has successfully defended health care providers in complex multimillion dollar litigation. He has been named an American Law Society Top Lawyer, Top 100 Civil Defense Litigator; recognized by the American Institute of Trial Lawyers as Litigator of the Year; named 2021 Elite Advocate with the American Institute of Legal Advocates; recognized by Best Lawyers, and is an AV Preeminent Peer Rated Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell. ■

Fakhoury Global Immigration 5250 Corporate Dr., Ste. 300, Troy, MI 48098 248-643-4900 | employmentimmigration.com Fakhoury Global Immigration, USA PC (FGI) is a leading business-based immigration law firm, helping employers here and internationally fill their skill gaps with talent from around the world. Businesses in critical areas, such as engineering, automotive, IT, and health care, have sought support from FGI to meet their talent mobility objectives. Founded by Rami D. Fakhoury in 1997, the firm has been successful in achieving high rates of approvals for their clients. Additionally, Rami Fakhoury has been recognized as a thought leader in corporate immigration and has received numerous awards, including being named a Leading Lawyer and Equity Member of the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers and a Fellow of the American Bar Association. ■

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DBusiness 2021 | TOP LAWYERS

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Carrie Leahy Bodman PLC

Theresa C. Joswick Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC

Douglas R. Kelly Clark Hill PLC

George M. Malis Abbott Nicholson PC

Nancy Keppelman Butzel Long

Rodger Kershner Howard & Howard

Nicholas Perry McElhinny Bodman PLC

Samantha A. Kopacz Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Emily C. Palacios Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Mary Jo Larson Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Susan J. Sadler Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC

Richard M. Miettinen Howard & Howard Heather B. Miles Wright Beamer, PLC Daniel H. Minkus Clark Hill PLC William L. Rosin Dickinson Wright PLLC Marc K. Salach Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC Jared A. Smith Dickinson Wright PLLC Richard A. Walawender Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Gregory L. Wysocki Kotz Sangster Wysocki PC

Employee Benefits Law Michael J. Asher AsherKelly Thomas H. Bergh Varnum LLP Amy M. Christen Dykema Gossett PLLC Deborah L. Grace Dickinson Wright PLLC Roberta P. Granadier Dickinson Wright PLLC Edward C. Hammond Clark Hill PLC Margaret A. Hunter Dykema Gossett PLLC Mark W. Jane Butzel Long

Charles M. Lax Maddin, Hauser, Roth & Heller, PC Lynn McGuire Butzel Long Cynthia A. Moore Dickinson Wright PLLC

Thomas P. Wilczak Troutman Pepper

Environmental Law Saulius K. Mikalonis Plunkett Cooney

Rebecca D’Arcy O’Reilly Bodman PLC

38505 Woodward Ave. Suite 100 Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304

Samuel Parks Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

248-901-4022 smikalonis@plunkettcooney.com plunkettcooney.com

Gary M. Remer Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC

Richard A. Barr Honigman LLP

Jordan S. Schreier Dickinson Wright PLLC

Kurt M. Brauer Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Thomas L. Shaevsky Butzel Long

Brian J. Considine Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC

Andrew Stumpff Butzel Long David B. Walters Bodman PLC Jennifer Watkins Warner Norcross + Judd LLP Lisa B. Zimmer Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Energy Law Beth S. Gotthelf Butzel Long Susan L. Johnson Butzel Long

George F. Curran III Kotz Sangster Wysocki PC Fredrick J. Dindoffer Bodman PLC Christopher J. Dunsky Christopher J. Dunsky, PLLC Nathan D. Dupes Bodman PLC Grant P. Gilezan Dykema Gossett PLLC Beth S. Gotthelf Butzel Long Mark D. Jacobs Dykema Gossett PLLC

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Susan L. Johnson Butzel Long

Jeffrey Lance Abood The Abood Law Firm

Kristyn P. Recchia Dickinson Wright PLLC

Kurt A. Kissling Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Mark A. Bank Bank Rifkin

B. Andrew Rifkin Bank Rifkin

Steven C. Kohl Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Carol F. Breitmeyer Breitmeyer Cushman PLLC

Jorin G. Rubin Law Office of Jorin G. Rubin, PC

Anna M. Maiuri Dickinson Wright PLLC

Kyle Bristow Bristow Law, PLLC

Nazli G. Sater Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Saulius K. Mikalonis Plunkett Cooney, PC

Gerald Cavellier Hertz Schram PC

Dawn M. Schluter Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Steven C. Nadeau Honigman LLP

Randall Chioini Chioini Group, PLLC

Sharon R. Newlon Dickinson Wright PLLC

Susan E. Cohen Law Office of Susan E. Cohen

James K. O’Brien Dean & Fulkerson

Kathleen L. Cole Cole Family Law

Gary A. Peters Howard & Howard

Cristina Crescentini CMC Family Law Group

Susan J. Sadler Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC

Sabrina Shaheen Cronin The Cronin Law Firm

Erica J. Shell Bodman PLC

Roquia K. Draper Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Arthur Siegal Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss

Laura E. Eisenberg Eisenberg & Spilman, PLLC

Tyler D. Tennent Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC

Joshua Faber Berlin Family Law Group

Thomas P. Wilczak Troutman Pepper Jeffrey L. Woolstrum Honigman LLP

Randi P. Glanz Clark Hill PLC Lorne B. Gold The Gold Law Firm, PLLC Channelle Kizy-White Kizy Law

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Timothy J. Kramer Abbott Nicholson PC Jorin G. Rubin Law Office of Jorin G. Rubin, P.C. 600 S. Adams Rd. Suite 300 Birmingham, MI 48009 248-799-9100 jorin@jorinrubin.com jorinrubin.com

Lynn Capp Sirich Dickinson Wright PLLC Lori Smith Lippitt O’Keefe Gornbein, PLLC Ivonne M. Soler Butzel Long Amy M. Spilman Eisenberg & Spilman, PLLC Amy A. Stawski Kemp Klein Law Firm Lisa D. Stern Hertz Schram PC Matthew S. Weaver Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, PC Jessica Woll Woll & Woll, PC Miriam Z. Wolock Law Offices of Miriam Z. Wolock, PLLC LeRoy H. Wulfmeier III Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, PC

Food & Beverage Law

Donald E. McGinnis Jr. McGinnis Chiappelli Spresser PC

Kelly A. Allen Adkison, Need, Allen, & Rentrop, PLLC

David S. Mendelson The Mendelson Law Firm

Thomas J. Azoni Secrest Wardle

Julia A. Perkins Varnum LLP

Joseph Infante Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

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Thomas H. Bergh Employee Benefits Law, Trusts and Estates

Richard T. Hewlett Litigation – Construction

Brendan G. Best Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Law

Richard A. Hooker Labor and Employment Law

Thomas W. Forster Real Estate Law

Eric M. Nemeth Tax Law, White-Collar Criminal Defense

Edward S. Gusky Banking and Financial Service Law, Real Estate Law

Julia A. Perkins Family Law

Michael J. Romaya Banking and Financial Service Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law Maureen Rouse-Ayoub Labor and Employment Law, Litigation – Labor Employment Benefits David M. Thoms Nonprofit/Charities Law

Venture Confidently varnumlaw.com

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DBusiness 2021 | TOP LAWYERS Franchise Law Courtland W. Anderson Bodman PLC Stuart M. Bordman Maddin, Hauser, Roth & Heller, P.C Bernard J. Fuhs Butzel Long Bruce W. Haffey Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, PC Nicholas S. Kovach Shifman & Carlson PC

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Brandon M. Dalziel Bodman PLC

Alan T. Rogalski R.Ph. Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Jovan Dragovic Kotz Sangster Wysocki PC

Daniel J. Schulte Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC

Gregory Drutchas Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti & Sherbrook

Robert H. Schwartz Butzel Long

Debra A. Geroux Butzel Long Patrick J. Haddad Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC William E. Heritage III Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, PC

Brett J. Miller Butzel Long Donald V. Orlandoni Butzel Long

John Paul Hessburg Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti & Sherbrook

Gary M. Remer Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC

Ann T. Hollenbeck Jones Day

Briar Siljander Trio Law PLC

Robert S. Iwrey The Health Law Partners, PC

David Steinberg Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss

Eric S. Klein Dykema Gossett PLLC

Robert Y. Weller II Abbott Nicholson PC

Mark S. Kopson Plunkett Cooney, PC

John F. Youngblood Abbott Nicholson PC

Alexander Lebedinski Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, PC

Health Care Law

Mark R. Lezotte Butzel Long

E. William S. Shipman Bodman PLC Keith J. Soltis Kotz Sangster Wysocki PC Andrew B. Wachler Wachler & Associates, PC Deborah J. Williamson Williamson Health Law, PLLC Rose Willis Dickinson Wright PLLC Mark E. Wilson Dickinson Wright PLLC

Immigration Law Rami D. Fakhoury Fakhoury Global Immigration 5250 Corporate Dr. Suite 300 Troy, MI 48098 248-643-4900 rami@employmentimmigration.com employmentimmigration.com

Theresamarie Mantese Mantese Honigman PC

N. Peter Antone Antone, Casagrande & Adwers, PC

38505 Woodward Ave. Suite 100 Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304

Gregory W. Moore Dickinson Wright PLLC

Linda J. Armstrong Butzel Long

248-901-4061 mkopson@plunkettcooney.com plunkettcooney.com

Joseph G. Nuyen Jr. Bodman PLC

Edward Bajoka Bajoka Law Group PLLC

Arthur T. O’Reilly Jones Day

Elizabeth B. Baker Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Mark S. Kopson Plunkett Cooney

John A. Anderson Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, PC Reesa Benkoff Benkoff Health Law, PLLC Stephen R Brzezinski Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti & Sherbrook

Lisa Panah Henry Ford Health System Lori-Ann Rickard Rickard & Associates, PC

Jalal J. Dallo Dallo Law PC Rami D. Fakhoury Fakhoury Global Immigration

76 | Top Lawyers

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| DBusiness 2021

LEADERSH(IP) We are proud to congratulate our DBusiness Top Lawyers and leaders in patent, copyright, and intellectual property law!

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Jorin Rubin brings a wealth of experience to the practice of family law and criminal asset forfeiture defense. As a former federal prosecutor in the Brooklyn and Detroit U.S. Attorney’s Offices for 10 years prior to entering private practice, Jorin honed her investigative skills to now represent her clients: either to find hidden assets and income in divorce matters; or protect assets targeted by the government for civil or criminal forfeiture and restitution matters. Regardless of your situation, Jorin is an ardent and fierce advocate for her clients.

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Jorin G. Rubin, Esq. 600 South Adams, Suite 300 Birmingham, Michigan 48009 (248) 799-9100 office jorinrubin@comcast.net RubinFrampton.com

29 W. Lawrence St., Suite 210, Pontiac, MI 48342 248.292.2920 | patentco.com

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DBusiness 2021 | TOP LAWYERS

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Shaju J. Jacob Ellis Porter PLC

Michael S. Khoury FisherBroyles, LLP

Sarah L. Cylkowski Bodman PLC

Amany Kasham Butzel Long

Jill M. Miller Bodman PLC

Michelle Thurber Czapski Bodman PLC

Elise S. Levasseur Dickinson Wright PLLC

Kathryn L. Ossian Young Basile Hanlon & MacFarlane PC

Michael H. Fabian Fabian, Sklar, King & Liss

Clara DeMatteis Mager Butzel Long

Claudia Rast Butzel Long

Julie I. Fershtman Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC

Bushra A. Malik Butzel Long

Angela Emmerling Shapiro Butzel Long

Robert E. Graziani Howard & Howard

George P. Mann George P. Mann & Associates, PC

Insurance Law

Deborah A. Hebert Collins Einhorn Farrell PC

Eli Maroko Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss Kate M. McCarroll Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC Michael P. Nowlan Clark Hill PLC Reginald A. Pacis Butzel Long Meghan Kennedy Riordan Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti & Sherbrook Julianne Cassin Sharp Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Julie I. Fershtman Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC 28411 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 500 Southfield, MI 48034 248-539-9900 jfershtman@fosterswift.com fosterswift.com

Charles W. Browning Plunkett Cooney 38505 Woodward Ave. Suite 100 Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304 248-594-6247 cbrowning@plunkettcooney.com plunkettcooney.com

Claudia Rast Butzel Long

Stanley A. Prokop Plunkett Cooney 150 W. Jefferson Ave. Suite 800 Detroit, MI 48226 313-983-4816 sprokop@plunkettcooney.com plunkettcooney.com

Phillip M. Shane Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Angela Emmerling Shapiro Butzel Long

Information Technology Law Jennifer A. Dukarski Butzel Long Karl A. Hochkammer Honigman LLP

Adam B. Kutinsky Kutinsky PLLC Jason J. Liss Fabian, Sklar, King & Liss Daniel J. McCarthy Zausmer, PC John R Monnich Sr. Ottenwess, Taweel & Schenk, PLC Stanley A. Prokop Plunkett Cooney, PC Julie E. Robertson Honigman LLP

Suzanne K. Sukkar Dickinson Wright PLLC

Information Management & Discovery Law

Patrick A. King Fabian, Sklar, King & Liss

Charles W. Browning Plunkett Cooney, PC

Nicole E. Wilinski Collins Einhorn Farrell PC Douglas Young Young Insurance Law

Intellectual Property & Patent Law

Mark Cooper Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss

Erin Klug The Dobrusin Law Firm, P.C.

Michael G. Costello Bodman PLC

29 W. Lawrence St. Suite 210 Pontiac, MI 48342

George F. Curran III Kotz Sangster Wysocki PC

248-292-2920 eklug@patentco.com patentco.com

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Business Litigator • 35 years of experience • Jury trials in 4 states • 29-state speaker • Client-focused • Respected

J u l i e I. F e r s h t m a n

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Jennifer A. Dukarski Butzel Long

Erin Klug The Dobrusin Law Firm, PC

Ashley Glime Butzel Long

Susan M. Kornfield Bodman PLC

Maxwell Goss Fishman Stewart PLLC

Douglas P. LaLone Fishman Stewart PLLC

Andrew R. Basile Jr. Young Basile Hanlon & MacFarlane PC

John P. Guenther Fishman Stewart PLLC

Marc Lorelli Brooks Kushman PC

Thomas Bejin Bejin Bieneman PLC

Sam Haidle Howard & Howard

Katherine M. Pacynski The Dobrusin Law Firm

Jeremy D. Bisdorf Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss

John M. Halan Brooks Kushman PC

Randall J. Peck Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Mark A. Cantor Brooks Kushman PC

Amanda E. Hill Bodman PLC

Kristen L. Pursley The Dobrusin Law Firm

Gregory D. DeGrazia Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Richard W. Hoffmann Reising Ethington PC

Christopher W. Quinn Quinn IP Law

Linda D. Kennedy Panagos Kennedy PLLC

Hope V. Shovein Brooks Kushman PC

Robin W. Asher Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Marjory G. Basile Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Eric M. Dobrusin The Dobrusin Law Firm

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DBusiness 2021 | TOP LAWYERS Kathryn R. Spray Wright Beamer, PLC James D. Stevens Reising Ethington PC Brian D. Wassom Warner Norcross + Judd LLP Rebecca L. Wilson The Dobrusin Law Firm Mitchell Zajac Butzel Long

International Trade Law Frederick A. Acomb Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Joseph D. Gustavus Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Robert A. Hudson Butzel Long James Y. Rayis Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, PC Nicholas J. Stasevich Butzel Long Bruce C. Thelen Dickinson Wright PLLC Richard A. Walawender Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Labor & Employment Law Laura S. Amtsbuechler Rosati Schultz Joppich & Amtsbuechler, PC Randolph T. Barker Abbott Nicholson PC Dirk A. Beamer Wright Beamer, PLC John T. Below Bodman PLC

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Karen B. Berkery Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti & Sherbrook John F. Birmingham Jr. Foley & Lardner LLP Michael R. Blum Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC

Maria F. Dwyer Clark Hill PLC Gary S. Fealk Bodman PLC Adam S. Forman Epstein Becker & Green, PC

Kathleen L. Bogas Bogas & Koncius PC

Leonard D. Givens Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Robert A. Boonin Dykema Gossett PLLC

Deborah L. Gordon Law Offices of Deborah L. Gordon.

Daniel J. Bretz Clark Hill PLC

Aaron D. Graves Bodman PLC

Deborah Brouwer Nemeth Law PC

James F. Hermon Dykema Gossett PLLC

Tiffany A Buckley-Norwood Jackson Lewis PC

Richard A. Hooker Varnum LLP

Aaron V. Burrell Dickinson Wright PLLC

Timothy H. Howlett Dickinson Wright PLLC

John C. Cashen Bodman PLC

Maurice G. Jenkins Jackson Lewis PC

Dave Cessante Clark Hill PLC

Mark C. Knoth Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC

Evan M Chall Wright Beamer, PLC

Sheryl A. Laughren Berry Moorman PC

John C. Clark Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, PC

Frank T. Mamat Barnes & Thornburg LLP

Randal R. Cole Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC Paul W. Coughenour Clark Hill PLC Regan K. Dahle Butzel Long Rebecca S. Davies Butzel Long David R. Deromedi Dickinson Wright PLLC Carey A. DeWitt Butzel Long

Terrence J. Miglio Butzel Long Brett J. Miller Butzel Long Patricia M. Nemeth Nemeth Law PC Megan P. Norris Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC James B Perry Dickinson Wright PLLC Michael L. Pitt Pitt, McGehee, Palmer, Bonanni & Rivers, PC

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James M. Reid IV Dinsmore & Shohl LLP James S. Rosenfeld Butzel Long Maureen Rouse-Ayoub Varnum LLP Jennifer L. Sabourin Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Jennifer B. Salvatore Salvatore Prescott Porter & Porter, PLLC Brian Schwartz Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Rebecca C. Seguin-Skrabucha Bodman PLC

Lisa J. Hamameh Rosati Schultz Joppich & Amtsbuechler, PC

John Mucha III Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC Richard D. Rattner Williams, Williams, Rattner & Plunkett, PC Carol A. Rosati Rosati Schultz Joppich & Amtsbuechler, PC Thomas R. Schultz Rosati Schultz Joppich & Amtsbuechler, PC

Andrey T. Tomkiw Dinsmore & Shohl LLP Christopher M. Trebilcock Clark Hill PLC

Peter H. Webster Dickinson Wright PLLC

Daniel B. Tukel Butzel Long Reginald M. Turner Clark Hill PLC Richard W. Warren Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Kathryn S. Wood Dickinson Wright PLLC

Thomas H. Blaske Blaske & Blaske, PLC Donald D. Campbell Collins Einhorn Farrell PC

Thomas A. Kabel Butzel Long

Tyler D. Tennent Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC

Hannah E. Treppa Butzel Long

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Legal Malpractice Law Charles W. Browning Plunkett Cooney 38505 Woodward Ave. Suite 100 Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304 248-594-6247 cbrowning@plunkettcooney.com plunkettcooney.com

Michael W. Hartmann Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Harvey R. Heller Maddin, Hauser, Roth & Heller, PC Thomas H. Howlett The Googasian Firm, PC Kathleen H. Klaus Maddin, Hauser, Roth & Heller, PC Edward G. Lennon Lennon Law PLLC Michael J. Sullivan Collins Einhorn Farrell PC Alan J. Taylor Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney, Ltd. Bob Tyler Tyler Law Firm, PLLC Steve M. Wolock Maddin, Hauser, Roth & Heller, PC

Litigation - Antitrust David A. Ettinger Honigman LLP David H. Fink Fink Bressack

Lawrence J. Acker Lawrence J. Acker, PC

Fred K. Herrmann Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC

David C. Anderson Collins Einhorn Farrell PC

Howard B. Iwrey Dykema Gossett PLLC

Jeffrey S. Aronoff Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Joshua I. Arnkoff Collins Einhorn Farrell PC

William R. Jansen Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Daniel P. Dalton Dalton & Tomich, PLC

Michael P. Ashcraft Jr. Plunkett Cooney, PC

Sheldon H. Klein Butzel Long

Geoffrey S. Gallinger Butzel Long

Theresa M. Asoklis Collins Einhorn Farrell PC

Robert E. Murkowski Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Land Use & Zoning

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DBusiness 2021 | TOP LAWYERS

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Paul F. Novak Weitz & Luxenberg PC

Benjamin J. Aloia Aloia Law

Mahesh K. Nayak Dickinson Wright PLLC

Larry J. Saylor Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Frederick A. Berg Jr. Butzel Long

Kenneth F. Neuman Altior Law

Michael G. Brady Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

H. Joel Newman H. Joel Newman PLLC

Evan M. Chall Wright Beamer, PLC

Mark W. Peyser Howard & Howard

Thomas W. Cranmer Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Katherine L. Pullen Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Bruce L. Sendek Butzel Long Michael C. Simoni Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Joanne Geha Swanson Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC Thomas J. Tallerico Bodman PLC L. Pahl Zinn Dickinson Wright PLLC

Litigation - Banking & Finance J. Adam Behrendt Bodman PLC Robert J. Diehl Jr. Bodman PLC Scott R. Lesser Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Dennis J. Levasseur Bodman PLC Thomas B. Radom Butzel Long Steven A. Roach Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Litigation - Commercial Benjamin J. Aloia Aloia Law 48 S. Main St. Suite 3 Mt. Clemens, MI 48043 586-783-3300 aloia@aloia.law aloia.law

Dennis K. Egan Kotz Sangster Wysocki PC

Jeffrey G. Raphelson Bodman PLC

Homayune A. Ghaussi Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Kimberly L. Scott Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Jennifer Grieco Altior Law

Joseph J. Shannon Bodman PLC

Cynthia J. Haffey Butzel Long

Douglas L. Toering Mantese Honigman PC

Shawn H. Head The Head Law Firm, PLC

Thomas Van Dusen Bodman PLC

William H. Horton Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, PC

Ian M. Williamson Mantese Honigman PC

Amy M. Johnston Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Phillip C. Korovesis Butzel Long William J. Kraus Butzel Long Gerard V. Mantese Mantese Honigman PC Thomas G. McNeill Dickinson Wright PLLC David S. Mendelson The Mendelson Law Firm Sonal Hope Mithani Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Litigation - Construction Harvey W. Berman Bodman PLC R. Edward Boucher Kotz Sangster Wysocki PC Michael D. Carroll Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC Mark M. Cunningham Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC Ronald A. Deneweth Deneweth, Dugan & Parfitt, PC Lawrence M. Dudek Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Eric J. Flessland Butzel Long

John Mucha III Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC 82 | Top Lawyers

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Jeffrey M. Gallant Clark Hill PLC

Benjamin W. Jeffers Hickey Hauck Bishoff Jeffers & Seabolt PLLC

Kevin J. Gleeson Sullivan, Ward, Patton, Gleeson & Felty, PC

Patrick A. King Fabian, Sklar, King & Liss

Kevin S. Hendrick Clark Hill PLC

Adam B. Kutinsky Kutinsky PLLC

Richard T. Hewlett Varnum LLP

Jason J. Liss Fabian, Sklar, King & Liss

Edward J. Hood Clark Hill PLC

Thomas J. Rheaume Jr. Bodman PLC

Mark L. McAlpine McAlpine PC

Stuart A. Sklar Fabian, Sklar, King & Liss

Edward D. Plato The Plato Law Firm, PLLC

David B. Timmis Vandeveer Garzia

Gary Reeves Kienbaum Hardy Viviano Pelton Forrest, PLC

Litigation Intellectual Property

Jeffrey M. Sangster Kotz Sangster Wysocki PC

Matthew P. Allen Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

John M. Sier Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti & Sherbrook

Frank A. Angileri Brooks Kushman PC

Litigation - Insurance

John S. Artz Dickinson Wright PLLC

Matthew P. Allen Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Robin W. Asher Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Frederick A. Berg Jr. Butzel Long

Justin P. Bagdady Bodman PLC

Mark Cooper Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss

Kimberly A. Berger Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Sarah L. Cylkowski Bodman PLC Michelle Thurber Czapski Bodman PLC Nathan J. Edmonds Secrest Wardle Michael H. Fabian Fabian, Sklar, King & Liss

Mark A. Cantor Brooks Kushman PC Catherine T. Dobrowitsky Rivenoak Law Group, PC Glenn E. Forbis Harness, Dickey & Pierce, PLC Maxwell Goss Fishman Stewart PLLC

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Andrew (Jake) Grove Howard & Howard Richard W. Hoffmann Reising Ethington PC Kristopher K. Hulliberger Howard & Howard John S. LeRoy Brooks Kushman PC Dennis J. Levasseur Bodman PLC Thomas A. Lewry Brooks Kushman PC Marc Lorelli Brooks Kushman PC Barbara L. Mandell Fishman Stewart PLLC A. Michael Palizzi Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Jeffrey A. Sadowski Howard & Howard Steven Susser Carlson, Gaskey & Olds, PC Brian D. Wassom Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Litigation - Labor Employment Benefits Randal R. Cole Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC Rebecca S. Davies Butzel Long Carey A. DeWitt Butzel Long John P. Hancock Jr. Butzel Long Mark T. Nelson Butzel Long Megan P. Norris Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

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DBusiness 2021 | TOP LAWYERS James S. Rosenfeld Butzel Long Maureen Rouse-Ayoub Varnum LLP Jennifer L. Sabourin Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

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Andrew M. Harris Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti & Sherbrook Lara L. Kapalla-Bondi Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Marco C. Masciulli The Head Law Firm, PLC

Brian Schwartz Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Cameron H Piggott Dykema Gossett PLLC

Diane M. Soubly Butzel Long

Carl Rashid Jr. Dykema Gossett PLLC

Daniel B. Tukel Butzel Long

Thomas C. Simpson Butzel Long

Richard Warren Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Mediation

Litigation - Patents Marjory G. Basile Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Amanda E. Hill Bodman PLC Jeffrey A. Sadowski Howard & Howard

Litigation - Real Estate

Tracy L. Allen Global Resolutions, PLLC Annette Benson Annette Benson Law Kathleen L. Bogas Bogas & Koncius PC

Medical Malpractice Law D. Jennifer Andreou Plunkett Cooney 150 W. Jefferson Ave. Suite 800 Detroit, MI 48226 313-983-4802 jandreou@plunkettcooney.com plunkettcooney.com

Laurel F. McGiffert Plunkett Cooney 150 W. Jefferson Ave. Suite 800 Detroit, MI 48226 313-983-4751 lmcgiffert@plunkettcooney.com plunkettcooney.com

Cullen McKinney Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney & Dwaihy PLLC 38777 W. 6 Mile Rd. Suite 101 Livonia, MI 48152 313-964-4500 cullen.mckinney@tnmdlaw.com tnmglaw.com

Gene J. Esshaki Abbott Nicholson PC Harvey I. Hauer The Law Firm of Hauer & Snover Lori M. Henderson Law Offices of Lori M. Henderson, PC

D. Jennifer Andreou Plunkett Cooney, PC Lori A. Barker Abbott Nicholson PC

Le Roy L. Asher Jr. Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Mathew Kobliska DeBrincat, Padgett, Kobliska & Zick

Daniel R. Corbet Corbet, Shaw, Essad & Bonasso, PLLC

C. David Bargamian Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker, PLLC

Daniel P. Makarski Secrest Wardle

Matthew G. Curtis Sommers Schwartz, PC

J. Adam Behrendt Bodman PLC

James J. Rashid Judicial Resource Services PC

Thomas H. Howlett The Googasian Firm, PC

Alfredo Casab Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC

Kurt E. Schnelz Schnelz Wells PC

Victoria S. Lehman Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, PC

Anthony Urbani II Urbani & Marshall PC

Donald B. Lenderman Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti & Sherbrook

Jason Conti Foley & Lardner LLP

Richard S. Victor Law Offices of Richard, S. Victor, PLLC

Donna M. MacKenzie Olsman MacKenzie Peacock & Wallace

84 | Top Lawyers

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Laurel F. McGiffert Plunkett Cooney, PC Stephen D. McGraw Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC Brian J. McKeen McKeen & Associates, PC

Robert S. Bick Williams, Williams, Rattner & Plunkett, PC Richard M. Bolton Dickinson Wright PLLC Gene P. Bowen Bodman PLC

Cullen McKinney Tanoury, Nauts, McKinney & Garbarino PLLC

Jennifer E. Consiglio Butzel Long

Jeffrey Meyers Jeff Meyers Law PLC

Timothy R. Damschroder Bodman PLC

John J. Moran Abbott Nicholson PC

Laurence B. Deitch Bodman PLC

Harry J. Sherbrook Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti & Sherbrook

Joseph J. DeVito Howard & Howard

Judith A. Susskind Sommers Schwartz, PC Norman D. Tucker Sommers Schwartz, PC Matthew Turner Sommers Schwartz, PC Ralph F. Valitutti Jr. Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti & Sherbrook

Forrest O. Dillon Bodman PLC Daljit S. Doogal Foley & Lardner LLP Michael D. DuBay Honigman LLP David Foltyn Honigman LLP Michael D. Gibson Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC

Ronald E. Wagner Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti & Sherbrook

John J. Hern Jr. Clark Hill PLC

Heidi E. Warren Abbott Nicholson PC

Jeffrey A. Hoover Howard & Howard

Steve J. Weiss Hertz Schram PC

Laura E. Johnson Butzel Long

Leroy H. Wulfmeier III Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, PC

John P. Kanan Honigman LLP

Mergers & Acquisitions Law

Justin G. Klimko Butzel Long

Brad B. Arbuckle Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Jin-Kyu Koh Dykema Gossett PLLC

J. Michael Bernard Dykema Gossett PLLC

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Eric I. Lark Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC Nicholas Perry McElhinny Bodman PLC Richard M. Miettinen Howard & Howard Daniel H. Minkus Clark Hill PLC Alex L. Parrish Honigman LLP Linda Paullin-Hebden Warner Norcross + Judd LLP Michael T. Raymond Dickinson Wright PLLC Michael J. Romaya Varnum LLP William L. Rosin Dickinson Wright PLLC Alan E Schwartz Honigman LLP Aaron Sherbin Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss Samuel T. Stahl Honigman LLP John P. Ulrich Jr. John M. H. Ulrich IV PC Thomas S. Vaughn Dykema Gossett PLLC Richard A. Walawender Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Shusheng Wang Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Jeffrey Weiss Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss Gregory L. Wysocki Kotz Sangster Wysocki PC

Donald J. Kunz Honigman LLP Jeffrey L. LaBine Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Top Lawyers | 85

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DBusiness 2021 | TOP LAWYERS Municipal Law Derk W. Beckerleg Secrest Wardle W. Anthony Jenkins Dickinson Wright PLLC

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Shawn H. Head The Head Law Firm, PLC Mark J. Kriger LaRene & Kriger PLC

Thomas M. Loeb Law Office of Thomas M. Loeb

James E. Tamm Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC

Marco C. Masciulli The Head Law Firm, PLC

Sarah J. Williams Bodman PLC

Barton Morris Law Offices of Barton Morris

Derrick E. George George Law 444 S. Washington Ave. Royal Oak, MI 48067 248-470-4300 dgeorge@georgelaw.com georgelaw.com

Aaron J. Boria Aaron J. Boria, PLLC Raymond A. Cassar Law Offices of Raymond A. Cassar, PLC Jalal J. Dallo Dallo Law PC Steven Fishman Attorney at Law Derrick E. George George Law Gerald J. Gleeson II Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Farris F. Haddad Law Office of Farris F. Haddad & Associates

Brian A. McKenna Sinas Dramis Law Firm

Joseph A. Lavigne Law Offices of Joseph A. Lavigne

Steven P. Joppich Rosati Schultz Joppich & Amtsbuechler, PC

Non White-Collar Criminal Defense

Personal Injury

24825 Little Mack Ave. Suite 200 St. Clair Shores, MI 48080 313-202-2000 brianmckenna@sinasdramis.com sinasdramis.com

Bryan L. Schefman Schefman & Associates, PC 40900 Woodward Ave. Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304

Brian J. Prain Prain Law, PLLC

248-594-2600 bryan@schefmanlaw.com schefmanlaw.com

Jordan Rassam Rassam Law Michael A. Rataj Michael A. Rataj, PC Neil S. Rockind Rockind Law Paul J. Tafelski Paul J. Tafelski, PC

Nonprofit/Charities Law Celeste E. Arduino Bodman PLC Christopher J. Dine Bodman PLC Nicholas S. Kovach Shifman & Carlson PC Mark R. Lezotte Butzel Long Jennifer M. Oertel Bodman PLC Duane L. Tarnacki Clark Hill PLC David M. Thoms Varnum LLP

Matthew Ray Bates Mike Morse Law Firm Brian J. Bourbeau Bone Bourbeau Law PLLC David E. Christensen Christensen Law A. Vince Colella Moss & Colella Donald John Cummings Mike Morse Law Firm Jennifer G. Damico Buckfire Law Firm Walid Y. Fakhoury Fakhoury Law Firm Geoffrey N. Fieger Fieger Law Scott A. Goodwin Goodwin & Scieszka Steven Gursten Michigan Auto Law Thomas H. Howlett The Googasian Firm, PC Christopher C. Hunter Michigan Auto Law

Marc E. Hart The Law Offices of Marc E. Hart 86 | Top Lawyers

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Thomas W. James Michigan Auto Law

Ronald K. Weiner Lipton Law

Ven Johnson Johnson Law, PLC

Product Liability

Joumana Kayrouz The Law Offices of Joumana Kayrouz

Matthew J. Stanczyk Plunkett Cooney

Sarah E. Kuchon Hohauser Kuchon

150 W. Jefferson Ave. Suite 800 Detroit, MI 48226 313-983-4823 mstanczyk@plunkettcooney.com plunkettcooney.com

Joshua A. Lerner Cohen Lerner & Rabinovitz Jody B. Lipton Lipton Law

| DBusiness 2021

Shannon M. Kos Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti & Sherbrook Christina J. Marshall Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Jeffrey Meyers Jeff Meyers Law PLC Donald B. Miller Butzel Long Daniel J. Scully Clark Hill PLC

Anthony A. Agosta Clark Hill PLC

Patrick G. Seyferth Bush Seyferth PLLC

Brian J. McKeen McKeen & Associates, PC

Gerard J. Andree Sullivan, Ward, Patton, Gleeson & Felty, PC

Gary D. Sharp Foley & Mansfield, P.L.L.P.

Brian A. McKenna Sinas Dramis Law Firm

Cheryl A. Bush Bush Seyferth PLLC

Jeffrey Meyers Jeff Meyers Law PLC

Thomas G. Cardelli Cardelli Lanfear Law

Mike J. Morse Mike Morse Law Firm

Michael P. Cooney Dykema Gossett PLLC

Jules B. Olsman Olsman MacKenzie Peacock & Wallace

John T. Eads III Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP

Mark A. Wisniewski Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti & Sherbrook

Clayton F. Farrell Collins Einhorn Farrell PC

James E. Wynne Butzel Long

James P. Feeney Dykema Gossett PLLC

Professional Malpractice Law

Bryan L. Schefman Schefman & Associates, PC

Samantha S. Galecki Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

David C. Anderson Collins Einhorn Farrell PC

Kevin H. Seiferheld Michigan Auto Law

Todd Grant Gattoni Dykema Gossett PLLC

Pratheep Sevanthinathan Seva Law Firm

Amy M. Johnston Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Marc E. Lipton Lipton Law

Robert M. Raitt Raitt Law, PLLC Daniel G. Romano Romano Law

Joshua R. Terebelo Michigan Auto Law Gerald Thurswell Thurswell Law Timothy D. Tomlinson York, Dolan & Tomlinson, PC

Peter M. Kellett Dykema Gossett PLLC William J. Kliffel Butzel Long

Matthew J. Stanczyk Plunkett Cooney, PC Michael J. Sullivan Collins Einhorn Farrell PC John C. Valenti Butzel Long

Theresa M. Asoklis Collins Einhorn Farrell PC Donald D. Campbell Collins Einhorn Farrell PC Melissa E. Graves Collins Einhorn Farrell PC Michael W. Hartmann Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Richard A. Kitch Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti & Sherbrook Top Lawyers | 87

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DBusiness 2021 | TOP LAWYERS

Special Advertising Section

Kathleen H. Klaus Maddin, Hauser, Roth & Heller, PC

William G. Barris Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker, PLLC

Edward G. Lennon Lennon Law PLLC

Maurice S. Binkow Honigman LLP

Michael J. Sullivan Collins Einhorn Farrell PC

James N. Candler Jr. Dickinson Wright PLLC

Public Finance Law

Nicholas T. Chapie Howard & Howard

Jeffrey S. Aronoff Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Alexander J. Clark Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Laura M. Bassett Dickinson Wright PLLC Barbara A. Bowman Bodman PLC John A. Carlson Shifman & Carlson PC Thomas D. Colis Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Steven M. Frank Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Robert J. Gavin Shifman & Carlson PC Craig W. Hammond Dickinson Wright PLLC Michael P. McGee Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Patrick F. McGow Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Amanda Van Dusen Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Real Estate Law Geaneen M. Arends Butzel Long C. David Bargamian Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker, PLLC

Edward C. Dawda Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC Steve Dawson Dickinson Wright PLLC Alexandra E. Dieck Bodman PLC Joseph A. Doerr Doerr Law Firm Joseph M. Fazio Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC James S. Fontichiaro Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker, PLLC Thomas W. Forster Varnum LLP Geoffrey S. Gallinger Butzel Long Bruce M. Gorosh Finkel Whitefield Selik Edward S. Gusky Varnum LLP Daniel M. Halprin Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC Andrew M. Harris Kitch, Drutchas, Wagner, Valitutti & Sherbrook Mark R. Hauser Maddin, Hauser, Roth & Heller, PC

Ronald E. Hodess Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Brian H. Holt Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC William E. Hosler Williams, Williams, Rattner & Plunkett, PC Samuel Huth Huth Lynett Thomas A. Kabel Butzel Long Brad Knickerbocker Howard & Howard Timothy M. Koltun Clark Hill PLC Mark Krysinski Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss Monica J. Labe Dickinson Wright PLLC Kelly M. Lockman Bodman PLC Michael J. Lusardi Dickinson Wright PLLC Paul S. Magy Clark Hill PLC Brandy L. Mathie Electrify America Stephen McKenney Altior Law Mitchell R Meisner Honigman LLP Ronn S. Nadis Couzens, Lansky, Fealk, Ellis, Roeder & Lazar, PC Gregg A. Nathanson Couzens, Lansky, Fealk, Ellis, Roeder & Lazar, PC Cameron H. Piggott Dykema Gossett PLLC Brian S. Raznick Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss

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Special Advertising Section

TOP LAWYERS

| DBusiness 2021

Securities Law

Tax Law

Michael S. Ben Honigman LLP

Venar Ayar Ayar Law

Robert J. Cambridge Bodman PLC

Jess Bahs FisherBroyles, LLP

Arthur Dudley II Butzel Long

Steven R. Cole Bodman PLC

Dennis K. Egan Kotz Sangster Wysocki PC

Roger Cook Honigman LLP

Steven D. Sallen Maddin, Hauser, Roth & Heller, PC

David Foltyn Honigman LLP

Sean H. Cook Warner Norcross + Judd LLP

Nicholas P. Scavone Jr. Bodman PLC

Miles D. Hart Saretsky Hart Michaels + Gould PC

David R. de Reyna Kotz Sangster Wysocki PC

Todd A. Schafer Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC

John A. Hubbard Hubbard Snitchler & Parzianello PLC

Katrina P. Desmond Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Ronald E. Reynolds Fisher & Phillips LLP Richard F. Roth Maddin, Hauser, Roth & Heller, PC J. Adam Rothstein Honigman LLP Lowell D. Salesin Honigman LLP

Jeffrey B. Schlussel Carson Fischer, PLC Wayne S. Segal Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC C. Kim Shierk Williams, Williams, Rattner & Plunkett, PC Kenneth Silver Hertz Schram PC Andrew Z. Spilkin Bodman PLC Richard A. Sundquist Clark Hill PLC Kurt R. Vilders Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC Sheldon P. Winkelman Honigman LLP Roxana Zaha Butzel Long Katheryne L. Zelenock Dickinson Wright PLLC Richard A. Zussman Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss

Justin G. Klimko Butzel Long Mark Kowalsky Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss Carrie Leahy Bodman PLC Alex L. Parrish Honigman LLP Mark W. Peters Bodman PLC Michael T. Raymond Dickinson Wright PLLC Robert L. Schwartz Dickinson Wright PLLC Alan S. Schwartz Honigman LLP Stuart Sinai Kemp Klein Law Firm Peter Sugar Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss Thomas S Vaughn Dykema Gossett PLLC

Lynn A. Gandhi Foley & Lardner LLP John D. Gatti Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC Gary R. Glenn Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC George W. Gregory George W. Gregory, PLLC Michael A. Indenbaum Honigman LLP Robert D Kaplow Maddin, Hauser, Roth & Heller, PC Jay A. Kennedy Warner Norcross + Judd LLP William C. Lentine Warner Norcross + Judd LLP Jay B. Long Bodman PLC Stewart L. Mandell Honigman LLP Jeffrey M. McHugh Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

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DBusiness 2021 | TOP LAWYERS

Special Advertising Section

Suzanne M. Miller Butzel Long

Howard Hertz Hertz Schram PC

Andrew H. Curoe Bodman PLC

Jeffrey D. Moss Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC

Linda D. Kennedy Panagos Kennedy PLLC

Hameed Dakroub Dakroub Law Group PLLC

Phillip C. Korovesis Butzel Long

David R. de Reyna Kotz Sangster Wysocki PC

Michael A. Lisi Bridge Intellectual Property Services PLLC

Randall A. Denha Denha & Associates, PLLC

Gerald E. McGlynn III Howard & Howard

Thomas M Dixon Clark Hill PLC

Paul M. Mersino Butzel Long

Julius H. Giarmarco Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, PC

Trusts & Estates

Amy L. Glenn Butzel Long

Eric M. Nemeth Varnum LLP Gregory A. Nowak Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC R. Peter Prokop Butzel Long Carl Rashid Jr. Dykema Gossett PLLC Ryan J. Riehl Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

John D Mabley Chalgian & Tripp Law Offices, PLLC

Marc K. Salach Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC

26211 Central Park Blvd. Suite 200 Southfield, MI 48076 248-799-2711 Spica@mielderlaw.com mielderlaw.com

William E Sider Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss

James P Spica Chalgian & Tripp Law Offices, PLLC

Stevan Uzelac Honigman LLP

26211 Central Park Blvd. Suite 200 Southfield, MI 48076

Arthur Weiss Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss

Eric M. Dobrusin The Dobrusin Law Firm Glenn E. Forbis Harness, Dickey & Pierce, PLC William Francis Reising Ethington PC Bernard J. Fuhs Butzel Long Andrew (Jake) Grove Howard & Howard John M. Halan Brooks Kushman PC

Robert D. Kaplow Maddin, Hauser, Roth & Heller, PC David P. Larsen Bodman PLC Elizabeth L. Luckenbach Dickinson Wright PLLC

Richard S. Soble Honigman LLP

Trade Secrets

Gary R. Glenn Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

248-799-2711 spica@meilderlaw.com mielderlaw.com

Thomas H. Bergh Varnum LLP Peter J. Bill Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, PC Kelly M. Burnell Bodman PLC Donald F. Carney Jr. Berry Moorman PC Howard H. Collens Galloway and Collens, PLLC Anthony P. Cracchiolo Bodman PLC

John D Mabley Chalgian & Tripp Law Offices, PLLC J. Thomas MacFarlane Clark Hill PLC George M. Malis Abbott Nicholson PC Julia Claire Massaro Bodman PLC Chiara F. Mattieson Couzens, Lansky, Fealk, Ellis, Roeder & Lazar, PC Alan A. May Kemp Klein Law Firm Sam E. Nuxoll Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC Robert P. Perry Butzel Long John M. Pollock Howard & Howard

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Special Advertising Section

TOP LAWYERS

| DBusiness 2021

Edgar W. Pugh Jr. Pugh Moak PC

Thomas W. Cranmer Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Jeffrey E. Kaufman Michigan Workers Comp Lawyers

Glenn G. Ross Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC

Jalal J. Dallo Dallo Law PC

Jeffrey S. Kirschner Law Office of Jeffrey S. Kirschner

Dawn M. Schluter Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

George B. Donnini Butzel Long

Adam Levitsky Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, PC

Aaron Sherbin Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss

David F. DuMouchel Butzel Long

Timothy J. Mullins Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, PC

Mark M. Snitchler Hubbard Snitchler & Parzianello PLC

Damien DuMouchel Butzel Long

Gary J. Nystrom Attorney At Law

James P Spica Chalgian & Tripp Law Offices, PLLC

Lisa L. Dwyer Law Office of Lisa Dwyer PLLC

Dennis P. Partridge Garan Lucow Miller, PC

Jeffrey S. Sternberg Kotz Sangster Wysocki PC

Theodore R. Eppel Butzel Long

Richard Warsh Alpert & Alpert

Rachel Tucker Joelson Rosenberg, PLC

Derrick E. George George Law

Peter B. Woll Law Office of Peter B. Woll PC

White-Collar Criminal Defense

Gerald J. Gleeson II Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC

Derrick E. George George Law

Mark J. Kriger LaRene & Kriger PLC

444 S. Washington Ave. Royal Oak, MI 48067

Joseph A. Lavigne Law Offices of Joseph A. Lavigne

248-470-4300 dgeorge@georgelaw.com georgelaw.com

Eric M. Nemeth Varnum LLP

JChristopher Andreoff Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss Jennifer Z. Belveal Foley & Lardner LLP James W. Burdick Burdick Law, PC Raymond A. Cassar Law Offices of Raymond A. Cassar, PLC Kenneth R. Chadwell Mantese Honigman PC Joshua J. Chinsky Butzel Long Martin E. Crandall Clark Hill PLC

Walter J. Piszczatowski Hertz Schram PC Joseph E. Richotte Butzel Long Neil S. Rockind Rockind Law

Workers Compensation Law Joel Alpert Alpert & Alpert Alex Berman Michigan Workers Comp Lawyers John P. Charters Charters, Tyler, Zack & Shearer, P. C. Thomas L. Fleury Keller Thomas PC.

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S P EC I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S EC T I O N

STAFFING Q&A

RECRUITING, STAFFING AND RETAINING THE BEST TALENT According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 1.5 million workers quit their jobs during the months of April, May, and June 2021, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unemployment benefits, childcare responsibilities, and having an employed spouse also kept some workers out of the job market. As “The Great Resignation” continues, American workers are rethinking their current work situation and leaving their jobs to find new opportunities. Many of these workers feel stressed, burned out, and undervalued. They worry about their health and safety working at an on-site job while the pandemic is far from over. Several surveys have shown that these job seekers cite “flexibility” as their primary reason to look for a new job. Other benefits that unemployed

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workers are looking for include remote work, career advancement, job security, higher pay, and a company culture that encourages, supports, and values employees and promotes a commitment to diversity and inclusion. Employees want to be recognized for their work. Some businesses offer employees incentive-based equity plans tied to company performance. On-going communication and feedback from employers is the key. Losing employees is costly. With a labor shortage and a competitive environment, businesses are facing a challenge to retain their employees and recruit new talent ASAP. Automated recruitment tools can help to streamline the hiring process for busy HR professionals. These tools can screen qualified candidates based on

predetermined factors and can optimize job advertisements. Social media platforms are other examples of recruiting tools to find and engage with potential talent. Of course, the most widely used recruitment tools are phone interviews and in-person interviews. Recruiters talk with numerous employers and potential candidates each week to find the perfect match. Another tool for recruiting and hiring is building relationships with members of one or more chambers of commerce where you might find the perfect employee or your next career move. The experts in this section are happy to give their sound advice for companies that need to recruit and retain talent and for qualified job seekers that are ready to work. 

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S P EC I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S EC T I O N

STAFFING Q&A Q: What are your best practices to attract and retain talent in this competitive environment? A: We invest in founder-owned lower middle market businesses with at least $20 million in revenue. Therefore, human capital is often a critical area to address in every investment we make. Many times, our companies are underinvested in key management personnel with a small number of individuals each responsible for multiple management functions. By leveraging our network of seasoned executives and providing the resources and expertise to find, attract, and retain top talent with relevant experience, we help our companies build robust teams to lead them through their next phase of growth. In collaboration with management, we evaluate organizational gaps then invest in those vital roles. However, we know that professionalizing

the management team is often not enough and human capital investments must extend beyond the C-suite. We also know that the ability to attract, retain, and grow talent cannot always be limited to a competitive cash compensation package or even to a welldefined career path with ample opportunities for professional growth. We offer employees incentive-based equity plans tied to company performance. This helps build cohesive teams and sustainable cultures by creating alignment of interest across the organization. Through ownership, employees are empowered to achieve long term wealth creation above their annual cash compensation by contributing to the overall success of the company.

Huron Capital Partners, LLC James Mahoney Managing Partner 500 Griswold, Ste. 2700 Detroit, MI 48226 313-962-5800 huroncapital.com info@huroncapital.com

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Q: How can a company retain a robust workforce in today’s economy, without giving “free passes” to underperforming employees? A: “Labor shortage” is a phrase we have all come to know very well over the past few years. Many of our clients are struggling to recruit and then retain workers. We have found that companies without employee retention problems consistently: (1) explain the job expectations in an accurate and straightforward fashion; (2) reward positive performance; and (3) quickly and fairly address non-performance. Employees in today’s economy do not want to accept a job offer only to learn after 60 days the job is markedly different. Similarly, employees want to know what is expected of them and how they can improve or ensure success within an organization. A company’s “failure to communicate” not only creates problems in litigation (as we see all too regularly) but also in

employee retention and engagement. Employers should look to standardize regular employee evaluations and provide as much feedback and objective analysis of an employee’s performance as possible. Employees who feel unwanted or underappreciated are too often wooed by recruiters and desperate competitors. And employee underperformance can be promptly addressed and documented in regular and standardized reviews. But beware: “lazy” reviews — the “meets expectation” for all criteria can do more harm than good. Managers should be trained to give accurate and verifiable feedback to employees. In sum, communication and truthful “data” regarding performance can improve morale, engagement, and stave off those problematic “labor shortages.”

Plunkett Cooney

Courtney L. Nichols Partner 38505 Woodward Ave., Ste. 100 Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304 248-594-6360 plunkettcooney.com cnichols@plunkettcooney.com

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Q: How would you describe the current hiring / employment environment? A: In a word, crazy! It is an absolute “seller’s market” in the sense that skilled workers have many options for new employment (buyers) and are able to command meaningful compensation, benefits, and accommodations (think work from home or hybrid situations) above historical levels for a given position. As the “great resignation” continues, talented candidates are not on the market long, and often have multiple offers within a short time span, which means companies need to compete for talent more fiercely, and with greater conviction, by making quick

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decisions and competitive offers. We’ve been able to successfully help our clients navigate these dynamics through our two teams of dedicated recruiters and relationship managers, who talk to hundreds of candidates and employers, respectively, every week. We understand their collective priorities and pair employees and employers who match culturally and professionally. In my more than 15 years in this market, I have never seen such a competitive market and there is no indication that the shift in the balance of power is going to change anytime soon.

UHY Advisors MI, Inc.

Stephanie Rosenbaum Managing Director 12900 Hall Rd., Ste. 510 Sterling Heights, MI 48313 248-613-0722 uhy-us.com srosenbaum@uhy-us.com Advertisement on page XX

10/11/21 10:46 AM

S P EC I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S EC T I O N

STAFFING Q&A Q: What is the most overlooked resource when it comes to recruiting and hiring? A: Becoming a member of a local Chamber of Commerce, like that of the Pontiac Regional Chamber of Commerce, is often one of the most overlooked resource when hiring and recruiting, yet it can be one of the most valuable. Business owners become Chamber members because they actively want to create a strong business environment in their community; they want every business to succeed. They offer support and can actively help find the best and most talented people for area businesses. By building relationships with existing members, hiring managers and recruiters can meet potential candidates — those currently employed and also freelancers who might be looking to migrate back into the corporate world. Chamber members are also eager to refer fellow business owners with individuals outside of the Chamber circle as well, thereby

expanding your search. As chairman of the Pontiac Regional Chamber, I spend much of my day cultivating relationships and introducing members to those whom I know. Similarly, networking events hosted by the Chamber are excellent opportunities to get to know potential employment prospects and seek recommendations from members in a slightly less formal atmosphere. For example, the Chamber hosts Virtual Rise and Grind and a First Friday Networking event, as well as new member orientations. The Chamber has played host to a diverse array of difference-making businesses, from Fortune 500 companies to family-owned businesses and nonprofits. We attract talented and ambitious leaders who value vision and reciprocity, as well as those who are out to make a difference in the world.

Pontiac Regional Chamber of Commerce

Damany A. Head Chairman 402 Telegraph Rd. Pontiac, MI 48341 248-335-9600 pontiacrc.com info@pontiacrc.com

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Q: How does The United Green provide exceptional staffing solutions for clients in the cannabis industry and help top talent find their dream job? A: At The United Green our mission is to help people through the process and protocols of finding employment within the cannabis industry as well as building a diverse network of industry trailblazers in the process. Each state governs their own cannabis laws and guidelines. This causes issues from state to state. We see this all the time and understand the differences; and that’s why we can help no matter where you are. We also understand that there are many different paths to go down whether you’re new to the industry, have experience, or

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are an expert in all things green. We staff all business areas of the cannabis industry, so we can support any type of candidate or company. We have found that our work often concentrates on the following areas: Secure Transport, Lab Testing, Grow, Provisioning, and Processing. No matter what type of role you’re thinking about, we can find the right candidate or help you make your next career move. Reach out to The United Green today! Visit our website at theunitedgreen.com or call (947) 886-2427.

United Green

Craig Petersmark 3252 University Dr. Suite 142 Auburn Hills, MI 48326 (P) 947-886-2427 (F) 248-481-7845 theunitedgreen.com Advertisement on page XX

10/11/21 10:46 AM

Exec Life INSIDE || CEO GIFT GUIDE | RETURN ON INVESTMENT | PRODUCTION RUN | OPINION

CEO GIFT GUIDE

The 2022 Hummer EV will be an all-new model within the GMC lineup, and is scheduled to go on sale in late 2021. Prices will range from $79,995 to $112,595. BY JAKE BEKEMEYER

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Exec Life || CEO Gift Guide

FORD F-150 LIGHTNING AND GMC HUMMER EV As automotive manufacturers begin shifting to an electric future, so too will heavy duty trucks. The Ford F-150 Lightning and Lightning Pro, and GMC Hummer EV pickup and SUV, and are the first all-electric truck offerings from Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co., respectively. Reservations can be made on all these vehicles, with the Hummer EV Edition 1 shipping late this year and the Lightning Pro arriving in spring 2022. Price: Ford F-150 Lightning starting at $39,974; GMC Hummer EV starting at $79,995

KETRA LIGHTING – RESIDENTIAL SOLUTIONS Ketra offers tunable, customizable LED lighting for the home, and dozens of patent innovations allow users to completely cover their space in a wide range of whites and colors. Its TruBeam technology combines a reflector and lens to produce the maximum range of beam spreads while maintaining uniform color and intensity. The company’s residential solutions range from downlighting to lightbars to lamps that are all routed through one of the central controllers. The custom options allow the lighting to be set to match any situation, whether a dinner party or a movie night. Price: Varies depending on room size and needs

SAVANT VIDEO TILING Savant Video Tiling is a third-party solution that allows users to watch up to nine shows on a single screen — pulling from devices like cable boxes, Apple TVs, Rokus, and more. Any source running through Savant’s ProAV 8 transmitter can be seamlessly switched to an app, which displays what you’ll see on your television in the upper left, and is surrounded by input sources, favorite channels, and a volume slider. Any show can be instantly brought to full screen with a two-finger spread input. Price: $750+

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CEO Gift Guide || Exec Life

SWEATY BETTY WORKOUT GEAR Sweaty Betty started in 1998 as an activewear and lifestyle brand for women. The Power Leggings are designed with a super stretchy, sweat-wicking fabric that is ideal for workouts. These popular leggings are available in a variety of solid colors and vibrant prints, and offer different styles — such as a designs with back and side pockets, high-waisted designs, and compression versions. Pair this with the Power Frame workout tank, made from the same high-tech material and featuring a high neck with a racer back for ease of movement, a breathable mesh panel at the front, and an internal bra shelf with removable pads. Besides workout gear, the company makes accessories, sweaters, sweatshirts, coats, jackets, hoodies, and more. Price: Power Leggings, $100; Power Frame workout tank, $68

APPLE IPHONE 13 X AIRPODS MAX Apple’s latest iPhone offers the most advanced dual-camera system to date, a leap in battery life, and a new A15 Bionic chip. The ultra-wide camera captures 47 percent more light for better photos and videos, and features a sensor-shift optical image stabilization system to keep images steady even when the camera is moving. Pair this with the Airpods Max, Apple’s over-the-ear wireless headphone offering. These sleek headphones are designed to fit many different head shapes and cancel outside noise without sacrificing the quality of the high-fidelity audio. Price: Apple iPhone 13 starting at $799; Apple Airpods Max, $549

HONEYWELL INSIGHT HPA5300B HEPA AIR PURIFIER The Honeywell InSight HPA5300B HEPA Air Purifier helps capture 99.97 percent of dust pollen, pet dander, dust mite debris, and smoke from the air while completely circulating and filtering a 500 square-foot room nearly five times per hour. With four cleaning levels including microscopic particles, general clean, pollen, and turbo, it’s easily adaptable to different situations. The activated carbon pre-filter helps capture large airborne particles and reduces odor. Price: $289

THERABODY THERAGUN ELITE PERCUSSIVE THERAPY DEEP TISSUE MUSCLE TREATMENT MASSAGE GUN The Therabody Theragun Elite percussive deep tissue muscle therapy massage gun is ideal for those looking for at-home relief of aches and soreness. Therabody claims it is calibrated to reach 60 percent deeper into muscle tissue than other massage guns. A two-hour battery life and wireless charging are upgrades from the previous generation, while the QX65 brushless motor delivers up to 40 pounds of no-stall force that runs quiet and is surrounded by insulation. Bluetooth integration with an app, an OLED screen that displays force, and customizable speed ranges all allow the massage gun to be personalized to each individual. Price: $399

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Exec Life || Return on Investment

THE FRENCH CONNECTION The team at French/West/ Vaughn, a leading advertising and digital media agency, was formed by Michigan native Rick French.

Rally and Serve While a stabbing upended Rick French’s life, he saw it as a blessing in disguise. Malow Junior High before moving on to Eisenhower High, where he played football and baseball, captained the tennis team, and, as co-editor of the school paper, discovered a passion he was convinced would become his career. “I knew from the time I was in high school,” French says emphatically, “that I wanted to be a journalist.” He had offers from various colleges to play tennis, but ultimately decided to stay close to home, attending Oakland University in Rochester Hills. “I grew up in a squarely middle-class family; both of my parents worked,” he says. “My dad ran his own painting and decorating company, and my mom worked in accounting. I rarely saw either of them take a day off work. In fact, in 40 years, I can only remember my dad being sick enough one day (to the point that he was) unable to go to work. “We chose Oakland University in part because of what (my parents) could afford at the time. I looked at the fact that they had a journalism program, and also a solid tennis program that was nationally ranked, and decided it was a good starting point as a commuter student. I had every intention of transferring to a bigger school, but then I moved onto campus. As soon as I did that, I fell in love with it and decided to stay and

pursue journalism.” In addition to his studies, French worked as a freelance writer for a variety of local papers. “The Oakland Press, Romeo Observer, Rochester Clarion …,” he reels them off, staccato. “I was covering city council meetings and sports, too. Upon graduation, I started working for the Lake Orion Review, and then C&G Publishing, writing for about eight or nine of its Macomb and Wayne County community newspapers.” French received awards from the Michigan Press Association for his investigative work for C&G Publishing. “I even did freelance work for WXYZ,” he says. “Any assignment that I could take, whether it was on air or in print, I was pursuing and building up a resume. (Soon I) had a really deep book of clips I could show. And I was still pursuing a career on the satellite professional tennis tour, playing in some regional events.” At 24 years old, and with a B.A. in journalism, French was on his way to the career he’d always dreamed of, while making a mark in the sport he loved. But one fateful night, everything in his life changed in a terrifying flash. “It was March 13, 1987, which happened to be a Friday the 13th,” he says, unaffectedly. “I was backing out of a driveway in Grosse Pointe Woods to go back home.”

RICK FRENCH

s founder, CEO, and chairman of French/West/Vaughan, an advertising and digital media agency based in Raleigh, N.C., Rick French is nationally recognized as a leading influencer in the business of integrated marketing — the art of developing and delivering a unified message for any brand, across every conceivable marketing platform. But before he could reach the top of his profession, he overcame a personal tragedy. His story begins at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, where he was born, and winds through stops in Troy and Berkley before his family settled in Shelby Township. “It was pretty rural at the time,” French recalls. “I grew up on a street called Hummingbird Court and (there was) a man-made lake called Chestnut Lake. It was just a great place to grow up. “In the summer we swam in the lake. There was an island in the middle of it, and we would play on the island. A couple of families built rafts out there, including my dad, so we would swim from raft to raft in the summer, and in the winter we were constantly sledding and ice skating and playing hockey.” French attended Roberts Elementary and

BY TOM MURRAY

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Return on Investment || Exec Life

That’s the moment things went horribly wrong for the lifelong devotee of sports cars. “I was driving a brand-new Ford EXP,” French reveals, “and it was at the time where those two-seaters were the hottest cars out there. My car was blocked, and I was jumped by three kids who were high on drugs — 18, 17, and 16. I was able to fight two of them off, but the third one had a 9-inch Buck hunting knife and I was stabbed in the back multiple times. That set several things in motion.” For starters, his career as an aspiring professional tennis player was over. “I’ve always believed that success is forged through adversity, which is how I’ve always viewed my brush with death,” he explains. “I was never going to become Bjorn Borg or Jimmy Connors, so the stabbing brought me to a fork in the road and helped me turn my attention toward a business career as opposed to slogging along in small tournaments that really only paid a few bucks. So I saw the incident as a blessing in disguise.” As for that career in journalism, it turns out even before his brush with death, French was already having second thoughts. “I remember my first full-time job out of school as a journalist, I was making $180 a week,” he says with a laugh. “I got bumped up to $200 a week, working for the Lake Orion Review. I knew this wasn’t a profession you were pursuing to get rich, so at that time I was already interviewing for a position with Comerica Bank, thinking there might be a better future in shaping stories than telling stories, and that’s what really caused me to pivot into PR. While on leave from C&G as I recovered from my injuries, I was offered a PR position at Comerica, which I accepted.” French spent about 18 months at Comerica, eventually being promoted to manager of internal communications before moving to Anthony M. Franco Public Relations (today Franco) for another two years. Then a recruiter for Reichhold Chemicals, a multinational chemical conglomerate based in the Research Triangle in Durham, N.C., began wooing him for a senior position in corporate communications. “They were persistent in their pursuit of me, let’s put it that way,” French explains. “I wasn’t interested in leaving Detroit; I never thought I would leave Detroit.” Until he experienced yet another scary incident involving a luxury vehicle, which also occurred while he was behind the wheel. “It was one of those typical January Detroit mornings,” French recalls, “cold and icy, and my Ford Thunderbird hit a patch of ice and slid off the road into a ditch. Nobody was hurt, the car was fine, but I had to wait three hours for AAA to haul me out. And my phone was ringing as I walked into my office, and it was the recruiter

from this company, making one final pitch. And I said, casually, to him, ‘So what’s the weather like today in North Carolina?’ And he said, ‘It’s 72 and sunny.’ And I said, ‘When would you like me there for the interview?’ ” French spent two years as manager of corporate communications for Reichhold Chemicals before moving on to a five-year stretch at Rockett, Burkhead, Lewis, and Winslow, an advertising agency in Raleigh. The position proved to be the catalyst for the next and most important move of his life. “I felt like I’d built up the agency up substantially, and I didn’t have any equity in the firm,” he says. “And I thought well, you know, I could do this myself.” It didn’t hurt that several colleagues had already left the firm for another startup agency. “One of their founders had a small angel fund, and they told me this guy was looking to invest in good people and good ideas, and he became my silent partner.” French’s angel investor allowed him to venture out on his own, launching Richard French and Associates in Raleigh in 1997. Four years later he merged his firm with another area agency, West and Vaughan, to form what is now French/West/ Vaughan. A leading advertising and digital media agency, the firm has been cited multiple times as the National Agency of the Year. Apart from his practice, for the past 15 years French has offered his time and support to the Special Olympics and the Global Water Foundation, a charity focused on bringing clean water and adequate sanitation to underdeveloped

ROLLER COASTER Today, Rick French is producing movies, with filming to start next spring on “Not Without Hope,” which is partly about Corey Smith of the Detroit Lions, who died in a boating accident.

parts of the world. He’s also been a driving force in a wide and eclectic array of business interests — more than a dozen in all — ranging from music to sports, media, entertainment properties, and a private equity fund. “They all tend to be things that that align with my personal interests,” French says. “You know, a lot of people cite the Kevin Bacon rule of Six Degrees of Separation, but I generally have one degree of separation from the things I know very well, which happens to be the media, marketing, and public relations. So that makes it easy for me to bridge over and take investment positions in businesses and companies.” Not to mention film production. French is the managing partner of Prix Productions, a company with offices in Raleigh and Los Angeles. The company is currently prepping a project with a heartfelt connection to his hometown. “I’m producing a major motion picture, “Not Without Hope,” which is the story of the two NFL players and a college football player who perished in a boating accident in the Gulf of Mexico in 2009,” he says. “One of those players was Corey Smith of the Detroit Lions. It tells the story of Corey and some of his background and time in Detroit. It goes into production in March of 2022, so I’m really excited about that.” The 59-year-old French is also in discussions about producing another film — about an unnamed “Detroit legend,” in his cryptic words — and says he’s serious about signing on, with an important caveat: “The studio has got to be willing to allow me to make the film largely in Detroit,” he says. “I will not sign on, despite the tax credit situation, if they want me to produce this elsewhere. I’ve been wanting to do a project like that in Detroit and, if they agree to that — and I think they will — then I’ll likely sign on. Then I can share more about who it’s about.” French’s devotion is easy to distinguish. “I’m one of those ex-Detroiters who may have our own criticisms of the city,” he says, “but if anybody else ever says anything bad about Detroit, boy, you’ll find a very hostile person on the other side because I’m very defensive about Detroit and the stereotypes that come with it. “My parents’ work ethic rubbed off on me,” French continues, “and it kind of personifies the spirit of just about everyone from Detroit that I’ve ever known. There’s a no-quit, roll-up-thesleeves-and-get-the-job-done attitude, forged through difficult times and forks in the road. So when I speak to aspiring young professionals or consider backing companies or individuals with great ideas, I want to know what forged their identity and where the fork in the road was that led them to this particular moment. If they don’t have a story to share, it will probably be a pretty short conversation.” November - December 2021 || DBUSINESS.COM 99

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Sharing Spirits

DISTILL AND EXPAND MO Cellar Selections in Milford includes Lee Hershey, professor of wine education; Glynn Gutzeit, senior director of portfolio acquisitions — spirits; Michael S. Ogurek, president and owner; Tony Cruz, executive vice president sales — shareholder; and Kacy Wolfram, director of administration and marketing.

How MO Cellar Selections in Milford recovered from a huge drop in its restaurant wine business following the outbreak of COVID-19. BY R.J. KING. |

PATRICK GLORIA

n the realm of wine and spirits, few distributors have built a network of distillers seemingly overnight. But when restaurants started closing in March 2020, due to COVID-19, Michael S. Ogurek reasoned it was better to move forward than backward. “Our restaurant revenue went out the window due to COVID-19,” says Ogurek, president and owner of MO Cellar Selections in downtown Milford. “Most of our sales were in wine, and it wasn’t like you flip a switch and jump right into the spirits business. We got into the market the old-fashioned way, by picking up the phone and calling people.” With 30 years in the wine business, Ogurek often met local and national distillers at tastings, new product releases, and fine dining events in metro Detroit. To help diversify his operations, in January 2020 he hired Tony Conz, formerly of Vintage Wine Co. in Roseville, to help execute what the pair thought would be a long, yet profitable, expansion. “I worked alongside Michael for two months, and then the bottom fell out of the marketplace,” says Conz, executive vice president of sales and a partner at MO Cellar Selections. “Rather than pull back and hold on, we went full steam ahead. We took advantage of our distributor relationships around the country, and we reached out to distillers we knew locally.” Fortunately, the stars were in alignment. The distilling industry is at the forefront of a new golden age for flavored brown spirits, similar to what occurred 30 years ago in the vodka category. Prior to 1990, vodka was limited to a standard product line, but when distillers began introducing flavors, demand soared for new expressions of the liquor — lemon, peach, orange, strawberry, sweet tea, cranberry, and more. However, one challenge with adding more whiskey, rye, bourbon, and other blended or flavored liquors is availability. While vodka

and sourced whiskey can be produced in short order, it can take years to distill one-ofa-kind products. Straight bourbon, for example, must be aged at least two years in an oak barrel, and four years for so-called bottle-in-bond offerings. In addition, to be labeled bourbon, the liquor must be aged in one distillery over one season and be bottled at 50 percent ABV. Given the added time required to age bourbon, it isn’t sitting in warehouses ready for shipment (bourbon whiskey is a different variation and doesn’t conform to strict bourbon standards). “The wave of flavored vodkas took more and more shelf space away from whiskey and bourbon distillers, so now they’re introducing flavored offerings to consumers, and it’s been working,” Conz says. “How long flavored whiskey and bourbon will last is up to consumers, but we feel the market has a long way to go, due to the time it takes to age bourbon and the availability of the liquor, since quite a bit of it is made in small batches.” Over the course of a few months in the first half of 2020, Ogurek, Conz, and their colleagues reached out personally to several liquor producers. They’ve since signed distribution deals with Ugly Dog Distillery, Three Chord Distillery, Luca Mariano Distillery, Tequila Cabal Distillery, and Don Cheyo Distillery. “When others were scaling down due to COVID-19, we were scaling up,” Ogurek says. “We changed our marketing, kept in close contact with our sales network to make sure everyone knew what we were doing, and we brought some people out of retirement that knew the business like the back of their hand.” It helped that MO Cellar Selections has sales offices in Seattle; Kansas City; New Jersey; Charlotte, N.C.; St. Petersburg, Fla.; Napa Valley; and San Diego. By fall 2020, the company began seeing dividends. “Toward the end of last year, we received a massive order (for flavored

bourbons) from Kroger, and since then we’ve grown our business with Meijer and Costco,” Ogurek says. “Our annual sales for 2021 will be 65 percent wine and 35 percent spirits, and we see a shift to more spirits in the future.” David Salmon, majority owner and CEO of Ugly Dog Distillery in Chelsea, says one reason he began working with MO Cellar Selections is that both companies are based in Michigan. “We acquired an existing distillery in 2016, changed the name to Ugly Dog after Ruger, our purebred German wirehaired pointer, and took it from there,” he says. Today, the company offers handcrafted vodka, bacon vodka, raspberry vodka, gin, rum, and Kentucky bourbon whiskey in several flavors — regular, Michigan cherry, salted caramel, peanut butter, peach, and s’mores. At the time of the acquisition, the company had two employees,

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THE RUNDOWN

States where MO Cellar Selections operates

Number of employees

Number of distillers represented which has since grown to 20 professionals. “We began working with Michael at the start of 2020, and last year we doubled in size. We’re on pace to grow between 35 percent and 40 percent this year,” Salmon says. “Michael and his team got us into Kroger and Meijer, and we’re working on a number of other chains. Our s’mores bourbon is doing exceptionally well. What’s great about MO Cellar Selections is that they have a national reach.” Francesco S. Viola, founder of Luca Mariano Distillery, located on a 300-acre farm in Danville, Ky., and owner of Versatrans, a screen-printing transfer operation in Plymouth Township, says he was referred to MO Cellar Selections by a friend. The distiller wanted to pursue a national expansion after rolling out his Kentucky straight bourbon and rye whiskey in Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

“My grandfather, Mariano Viola, taught me how to still liquor, and after experimenting with different ingredients in my garage I started (making whiskey) in barrels in 2014,” Viola says. “I was interested in working with someone local because I grew up in Hartland; we started with MO Cellar Selections in February. Things are going well.” Since that time, Luca Mariano is available for sale in Washington and Arkansas, and will soon be offered in Missouri, Florida, Indiana, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and California. Viola says one advantage of working with MO Cellar Selections is the company’s roster of liquor experts, including Glynn Gutzeit, director of spirits portfolio development. “He’s a whiskey connoisseur, which helps a great deal in not only understanding our products but the industry at large,” Viola says.

Global wineries represented

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Exec Life || Opinion

The Next Tech Boom BY NOWFAL AKASH

he buzz around the cannabis When recruiting, people often express conindustry is undeniable. In cerns about future employment opportunities 2025, U.S. retail sales of can- if cannabis shows up on a resume or a Linkenabis are projected to grow to dIn profile. This underlying challenge limits $45.9 billion, with Michigan access to diverse, highly qualified talent pools. expected to generate $3 bil- However, the best way to address the cannabis stigma is to continue to show up and develop the lion in annual sales. business with trust, transparency, In 2020, Michigan generat“IN FACT, THE SOand a deep mission. ed $169 million in tax and fee CALLED “CANNABIS revenue among state and local BLOOM” IS POSITIONED governments, based on $984.7 UNDERSTAND THE TO BE THE NEXT TECH million in legal sales here. HowUNIQUE COMPLEXITIES BOOM, AS THE ever, the economic impact of the Navigating ever-changing regINDUSTRY CONTINUES cannabis industry goes far beulations and guidelines is a strugTO EXPAND AND MOVE yond tax contributions. gle. The burden falls squarely on TOWARD FEDERAL The greater economic impact operators, with increased intenLEGALIZATION.” can be seen in the support indussity of enforcement, compared to tries related to, but not directly involved in, can- a more collaborative environment in years past. nabis production and distribution. These include For example, mandated software systems don’t software development, financial services, con- always align with the required laws and rules, yet struction, real estate development, marketing, operators are held accountable if system mistakes human relations, legal work, and many others. are made. In fact, the so-called “cannabis bloom” is positioned to be the next tech boom, as the in- BE AWARE OF THE CANNABIS TAX dustry continues to expand and move toward One of the biggest misconceptions cannabis federal legalization. As a result, the Michigan companies face is the notion of extraordinary business community has an opportunity to opti- profits. When working with businesses outside mize the impact of the cannabis industry. of the industry, quotes and estimates often inOur company, Trucenta, a vertically integrat- clude an extra “cannabis tax” based on these ed cannabis company in Troy, was founded in misconceptions. While topline numbers look 2015 on an idea and a handshake, and the be- attractive for the cannabis industry, bottom lief that we could make an impact. Today, our line numbers look different. One reason is privately held company employs more than 200 that on a federal level, cannabis continues people in outdoor and indoor cultivation, pro- to be classified as a Schedule 1 narcotic, so cessing, manufacturing, wholesale distribution, businesses are subjected to Section 280E and Breeze retail locations. of the Internal Revenue Code. As a result, In turn, we have the ability to process close to cannabis businesses aren’t allowed to de100,000 pounds of biomass per month, utilizing duct any ordinary or necessary business both hydrocarbon and ethanol. The cannabis expenses, and are only allowed to deduct industry has its share of challenges but it’s exhil- the cost of goods sold from gross sales. arating, and the team at Trucenta is deeply pasConsider that, at a retail operation, sionate about being caretakers of the Michigan non-plant operating expenses (rent, marcannabis industry. For those looking to enter the keting, payroll, utilities, maintenance), cannabis industry, here are some lessons that depreciation and amortization, and interhave been learned along the way. est expenses aren’t tax-deductible. HELP OVERCOME STIGMAS WITH TRUST There’s an ongoing stigma associated with working in the cannabis industry.

BE NIMBLE AND FLEXIBLE In March 2020, just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, Breeze

NOWFAL AKASH is chief information officer at Trucenta, a vertically integrated cannabis company in Troy founded in 2015.

Hazel Park opened. Many businesses closed due to stay-at-home orders, but licensed cannabis retailers were deemed essential businesses. The Trucenta and Breeze team quickly pivoted to online ordering and curbside pickup, and have since added home delivery. This fall, Trucenta is introducing HotBox Social, a designated consumption establishment in Hazel Park. We’re building a cannabis-friendly place for the community, where patrons will be able to network and socialize while legally consuming cannabis. The Michigan cannabis market is thriving, and the opportunities are abundant if people are willing to meet the challenges of the industry head-on.

AUSTIN PHILLIPS

With $3 billion in annual sales projected for Michigan’s retail cannabis sector in 2025, the industry offers plenty of growth opportunities.

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