TCBN May 2023

RISING TIDE

2022 was another stellar year for the region’s top-selling realtors

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NEW BISTRO COMING TO WINERY

Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay will open Bistro Polaris at the end of the month. The Mediterranean-style bistro is inspired by new estate chef John Korycki. The bistro will source from Black Star Farm’s herb and vegetable garden and highlight Michigan producers, especially Grand Traverse and Leelanau farmers, foragers and cheesemakers.

NATIONAL VACUUM SOLD

National Vacuum Equipment (NVE), headquartered in Traverse City, has been acquired by Atlas Copco. NVE designs, manufactures and sells premium industrial vacuum equipment in a variety of industries, including oil and gas, liquid waste and environmental. It employs approximately 100 people. NVE becomes a part of the industrial vacuum division within the vacuum technique business area of the Atlas Copco Group.

OB/GYN PRACTICE JOINS MUNSON

Munson Healthcare recently announced the integration of Northwood Obstetrics & Gynecology into its Mun son Healthcare Provider Network. “We are pleased to welcome Diana Novak, M.D., and Caitlin Schmidt, D.O., to the Munson Healthcare team,” said Munson Healthcare President of Ambulatory Services and Business Development Ellen Smith. The clinic, renamed and doing business as Munson Healthcare Northwood OBGYN, will continue to care for patients at 3960 West Royal Dr., its current location in Traverse City. The integration helps support the evolution of the Women’s and Children’s Services at Munson Medical Center.

NEW HOUSING: WILDFLOWER ACRES

The Mitten Real Estate Group in Traverse City recently announced plans for a new housing development. Wildflower Acres, located at 414 Rusch Rd. in Blair Township, will eventually feature 127 houses on the 80-acre property. Five different floor plans will be available, ranging from 1,550 to 2,200 square feet. The development is a joint effort between Mitten Construction and Brayton Builders, with work expected to begin next month.

GOLD FOR TWO K FARMS

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$20K TO INCREASE CAPACITY

Traverse City’s Cultured Kombucha Co. was recently awarded a $20,000 Elevate grant through FHLBank Indianapolis to assist with expanding capacity. The Elevate small business grant assists the growth and development of small businesses in Indiana and Michigan. Cultured Kombucha founder Courtney Lorenz said the grant will allow it to invest in new bottling and production equipment.

Leelanau County’s Two K Farms Cidery & Winery recently earned gold medals at the Pacific Rim Wine Competition in California. Its Imperial hard cider won gold and its 2020 Estate Bubbly Riesling won double gold. All of the fruit for Two K’s hard ciders and wines are grown onsite at the farm south of Suttons Bay. Other local wineries earning medals include Verterra Winery on the Leelanau Peninsula and Brys Estate on the Old Mission Peninsula. Find the complete list of winners at pacificrimwinecomp.com.

GRANT FOR YOUNG PROS PROGRAM

$1M FOR VENTURE NORTH LENDING

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development recently awarded $1 million under its Intermediary Relending Program to Venture North Funding and Development in Traverse City to support the growth and development of small businesses. Funds will be used for affordable loans to support the growth of businesses in the 10-county northwest Michigan region. As a Community Development Financial Institution, Venture North gives priority to serving low-income individuals and communities.

Northwest Michigan Works! in Traverse City has received a $220,000 state grant for its Young Professionals program. The program provides young adults with job skills, earned income and career exploration and preparation activities. Northwest Michigan Works! partners with Northwest Education Services, among others, for the program.

APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS FOR CHILDCARE PROS

The Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency (NMCAA), in partnership with Northwest Michigan Works!, has

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There are

6.7 MILLION

Reasons to join our Demand Response Program

When you participate, you’re not just helping keep our energy system here in Michigan clean, stable and resilient. You’re also earning money for your business.

$6.7 Million

In fact, in 2022, organizations that participated in our Demand Response Program earned over $6.7 Million in financial incentives, just for shifting their energy use to times of lower demand.

>200MW

How much energy does that add up to? Over 200MW of electricity. That’s the amount generated by a small power plant! And one less power plant makes a huge impact on the environment.

Businesses like yours are reducing their carbon footprint and taking a stand for clean, reliable energy. You too can demonstrate your commitment to sustainable business practices and become a part of

If you’re ready to partner with us, visit ConsumersEnergy.com/business/products-and-services/demand-response to learn how you can take a stand for Michigan’s clean energy future.

launched two new U.S. Department of Labor registered apprenticeship programs for childcare development specialist and childcare educator. This is the first early childhood apprenticeship initiative in the area to offer customized training in this in-demand career field. The related coursework is provided through educational partners, including Northwestern Michigan College.

TWO NEW WELLNESS BUSINESSES IN TC

Two new health and wellness facilities are coming to the Traverse City area. Brian and Ana Sheridan, an occupational therapist and physical therapist/Pilates instructor, respectively, are targeting a late-summer opening of a Club Pilates franchise in the Kids Creek Marketplace on Division Street. The facility will offer drop-in classes, class packages, and unlimited memberships. Also, Charity Kenney recently opened The Garden Spa at 2322 N. U.S. Highway 31 North. The holistic wellness center has a garden setting and offers massages, a Halotherapy Himalayan Salt Room, infrared sauna and cold shower hydrotherapy, and a red-light therapy Vitality Booth – the only one in northern Michigan and one of only two in the state, according to Kenney.

NEW LIFE FOR FORMER SPEAKEASY

The former Speakeasy space at 123 West Front St. in Traverse City - which had been on the market since late 2021 - is being redeveloped into Pacificoast, a coastal-themed restaurant and bar. Garrett Jenkins and Steve Montesanto – the latter a veteran of multiple restaurants including Bistro Renaissance in Dexter – are targeting an August opening. The full-service restaurant will offer an array of seafood and wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas, along with a full bar.

INSURANCE CO. PART OF ‘ELITE’ CLUB

Peterson McGregor Insurance, with an office in Traverse City, has been named a member of The 1885 Club for 2023 by Hastings Mutual Insurance Co. Member agencies must meet top performance levels to be named to the club.

electric utilities. APPA helps electric utilities track power outages and restoration data and once per year compares this data to national statistics tracked by the U.S. Energy Information Administration for all types of electric utilities.

LOCAL DENTISTS, COLLEGE INTERNS WILL ‘UNITE’ FOR NEW PROGRAM

United Way of Northwest Michigan (UWNWMI) has created a new community program that will provide specialized health programming with a focus on dental care for children, pregnant women, veterans, and those with developmental and cognitive disabilities. United We Smile (UWS) will be located at 4075 Copper Ridge Dr. in Traverse City.

UWS will use local dentists and college-level interns for its labor force. Predoctoral dental interns from the U of M School of Dentistry will provide dental care while being supervised by local volunteer dentists from the Resort District Dental Society. Northwestern Michigan College’s Dental Assisting School interns will provide auxiliary support as well. UWS will be supported by Jennifer Kerns, UWNWMI’s director of health initiatives.

TCLP RECOGNIZED FOR RELIABILITY

Traverse City Light & Power has received national recognition for achieving exceptional electric reliability in 2022. The recognition comes from the American Public Power Association (APPA), a trade group that represents more than 2,000 not-for-profit, community-owned

NMC ANNOUNCES FELLOWS

Gene Jenneman along with Brad, D.J. and Marty Oleson have received Northwestern Michigan College’s highest honor, the NMC Fellow award, for 2023. Jenneman was the first director of NMC’s Dennos Museum Center. The Olesons — siblings Brad and D.J. and cousin Marty — are the third generation of the family whose financial and volunteer support for NMC spans all eight decades of its existence. Appointed as Dennos director in 1991, Jenneman led the museum until his retirement in 2019. His culminating achievement was a 15,000 square-foot expansion completed in 2017, which nearly doubled the museum’s exhibition space. The Oleson trio carried on the NMC Barbecue tradition started in 1956 by their grandparents, Jerry and Frances Oleson, until it concluded in 2020 after raising nearly $2 million for college projects. Marty Oleson is a member of the NMC Foundation Board, appointed in 2010. Brad Oleson was the Oleson family representative on the Barbecue Board for decades. D.J. sits at the helm of Oleson’s Corporation.

Gene Jenneman

DJ Oleson

Marty Oleson Brad Oleson

COMMENTARY BY MATT MCCAULEY

2023: The Year of Opportunity in Michigan

Michigan remains laser-focused on our efforts to leverage the tools available to us to ensure we continue to aggressively compete for and win transformational investment projects in every corner of the state.

While these investment announcements bring profound impacts to the state, it is the work done in smaller communities across the state where economic development truly impacts Michiganders.

Supporting small businesses and community redevelopment efforts, creating affording housing options, and supporting the growth of early stage businesses are part of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) charter, with the core priority of economic health of the entire state and the 10+ million friends and neighbors that call Michigan home.

It is vital to the state’s continued success to have our state lawmakers set aside ideological differences and join our business, economic development, labor and educational leaders to put Michiganders first by ensuring that Michigan has a market-responsive and aggressive economic development

toolkit to build on our inherent competitive strengths: our people, our heritage in manufacturing and innovation, our world-class workforce and our Pure Michigan quality of place.

Looking back at 2022, the state won several generational investments from both domestic and foreign companies alike. We started the year strong with

forward to the opportunities we have in our pipeline to bring more capital investment, job creation and supply chain independence to Michigan.

Locally, in fiscal years 2022 and 2023, nearly $27 million of capital investment was committed to Grand Traverse County, and nearly $68 million in the northwest region of Michigan. This

regardless of size, by leveraging our friendly business environment, low cost of living and access to world-class talent coming out of our technical institutions, colleges and universities – from the western U.P. to southeast Michigan and from coast to coast.

2023 is proving to be one of challenges and one of incredible successes, but the MEDC team is poised to capitalize on the surging momentum Michigan has, not only in the eyes of our competitive states but across the globe, as a preeminent place to live, work and play.

a $7 billion investment announcement from General Motors followed by investment announcements from Ford, Gotion, Our Next Energy, LG Energy Solution and Hemlock Semiconductor.

Those six investment announcements alone resulted in the commitment of nearly 13,000 jobs and $15 billion. Our work is not done, as we eagerly look

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

EDITORIAL & BUSINESS OFFICE

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SERVING: Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau and Benzie counties

region of the state has an incredibly diverse industry landscape, from Borg Warner’s $11 million investment announcement in Cadillac to community development projects aimed at preserving the historic community assets across the region.

We must continue to amplify our efforts to attract businesses to the state,

Team Michigan has sent a clear signal that when it comes to securing the economic future of this state, we will get it done creatively and boldly. With this collaborative, unified and future-looking spirit carrying us through 2023 and beyond, I know that our future will be brighter than ever.

It is our time. We will be the ideal four-season destination for people to live, work, and play.

Matt McCauley is Senior Vice President of Regional Prosperity for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

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POSTMASTER:

Our work is not done, as we eagerly look forward to the opportunities we have in our pipeline to bring more capital investment, job creation and supply chain independence to Michigan.

TOP SELLERS

The Region’s Top 50 Volume Realtors for 2022

Though inventory continues to be tight and interest rates are rising, the northern Michigan residential real estate market booms on. As such, here’s our annual list of top real estate sellers, a group of experts who are navigating this record-setting market better than most, with many hitting all-time sales records of their own. Editor’s note: This is the eighth year the TCBN has published this ranking for single-family residential sales in Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Benzie, Kalkaska and Antrim counties by local sellers. This ranking is based on the official MLS data provided by Realtors to their regional association. TCBN did not receive any MLS database access nor any information from Aspire North Realtors (formerly Traverse Area Association of Realtors) or NGLRMLS for these rankings; there is no differentiating real estate “teams” from individual sellers — data is published as provided with no changes or manipulations. For commercial-only sales, see list on pg. 13.

TOP 2022 SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL SELLERS

BOB BRICK RE/MAX Bayshore, $54.1m

DONALD FEDRIGON RE/MAX of Elk Rapids, $50.3m

SAM FLAMONT

The Mitten Real Estate Group, $48.2m

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TOP 2022 SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL SELLERS

MATTHEW DAKOSKE RE/MAX Bayshore $42.1m

LINDA SCHAUB Real Estate One $40.2m

MOLLY BUTTLEMAN Coldwell Banker Schmidt $37.2m

7 ANN PORTER Real Estate One $36.9m

CHRISTINA INGERSOLL RE/MAX Bayshore $33.4m

8

RANAE IHME LVR Realty $31.8m

KIMBERLY BORK Venture Properties $34.4m

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Developing cultural intelligence. Gain an inside view of individual bias to increase understanding and for personal development.

Strong foundation, bright futures: building a healthy tomorrow. An overview of the parent-infant relationship and its impact on mental health, wellbeing, and resiliency.

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Health is our wealth.

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11. MARK HAGAN Coldwell Banker Schmidt $27.4m

12. JULES YATES RE/MAX Bayshore $27.1m

13. JENNIFER HASTINGS Key Realty One $24.4m

14. JON ZICKERT Real Estate One $23.7m

15. JULIA PIETROWICZ Keller Williams $23m

16. JAIMIE FELLOWS-GARNO City2Shore $22.9m

18. BLAKE BERNARD Homewaters $19.9m

4 9

Hart CPCU ChFC CLU, Agent agent@toddhart.net

TOP 2022 COMMERCIAL SELLERS

26. VICTORIA OLTERSDORF Oltersdorf Realty $17.9m

27. STEVE SCHEPPE Century 21 Northland $17.5m

28. GREG BOSSCHER Five Star Real Estate $17.3m

29. TJ SHIMEK Serbin Real Estate $16.8m

30. TAMARA MCLEOD HELSEL City2Shore $16.7m

31. CARLY PETRUCCI Coldwell Banker Schmidt $16.7m

32. ERIKA NITA Keller Williams $16.6m

33. GARY SCHEITLER Paradise Properties USA $16.5m

34. MICHAEL ANNELIN Century 21 Northland $15.9m

35. ROGER SCHAUB Schaub Team Premier Realty $15.7m

36. KYLE O’GRADY RE/MAX Bayshore $15.7m

37. CHRISTINE STAPLETON Stapleton Realty $15.2m

38. TIM SCHAUB Schaub Team Premier Realty $14.9m

39. KEVIN PERKINS Coldwell Banker Schmidt $14.9m

40. CORLISS BEUERLE Century 21 Northland $14.7m

41. DIANE KEMP Resort Realty at The Homestead $14.5m

42. DEBRA HALL Real Estate One $14.5m

43. JANEL BROWN Real Estate One $13.4m

44. BOB RIECK Coldwell Banker Schmidt $13.1m

45. MARSHA MINERVINI RE/MAX Bayshore $12.9m

46. THOMAS ALFEN EXIT Realty Paramount $12.7m

47. MATTHEW GEIB Century 21 Northland $12.7m

48. RYAN CRAIG Keller Williams $12.7m

49. HILLARY VOIGHT Venture Properties $12.3m

50. RON WILLIAMSON Century 21 Northland $12.2m

1. Kevin Endres, Three West, $25.2m

2. Daniel Stiebel, Coldwell Banker Schmidt, $23.3m

3. Sam Flamont, The Mitten Real Estate Group, $13.6m

4. Thomas Krause, Krause Realty Solutions, $8.6m

5. Sam Abood, Coldwell Banker Schmidt, $7.6m

6. Ian Bertram, Real Estate One, $7m

7. Melisa Bertram, Real Estate One, $6.7m

8. Kevin Query, Three West, $6.1m

9. Greg Bosscher, Five Star Real Estate, $5.2m

10. Bob Rieck, Coldwell Banker Schmidt, $4.9m

Sales numbers are commercial sales as entered into MLS and might not reflect commercial leases or commercial vacant land sales, which could alter results significantly.

19. HOLLY HACK EXIT Realty Paramount $19.8m

20. CAMILLE CAMPBELL Coldwell Banker Schmidt $19.8m

21. PETER FISHER Coldwell Banker Schmidt $19.3m

22. SHAWN SCHMIDT SMITH Coldwell Banker Schmidt $19.3m

24. LYNNE MOON Real Estate One $18.3M

25. ABBY SIERZPUTOWSKI Kultura Real Estate $18.2M

23. KATHY WITTBRODT Wittbrodt Waterside Properties $18.5m

REAL ESTATE: TOP REALTORS/COOL PROPERTIES

TOP OF THE PILE

Successful Realtors share their secrets and stories

By Ross Boissoneau

Buying or selling a home, property or business? People can do it themselves ... but the vast majority work with members of the National Association of Realtors. Today there are more than 1,000 licensed Realtors in the five-county area. Becoming a successful Realtor takes time. Still, every year there are those who rise to the top. Here we talk with some of the region’s top Realtors about the market and how and why they’ve become successful.

Some agents may have a great year, then follow it with one that’s not so good, establishing an up-and-down pattern. Debra Hall has not experienced that kind of yo-yo effect; Real Estate One President Dennis Pearsall says she is one of his best and steadiest Realtors, despite the fact she initially wasn’t interested in real estate as a career.

“I didn’t want to be in it, but everybody told me I should,” Hall said. She had helped other people find homes and it seemed to come naturally. But she wouldn’t become a Realtor until she could really commit to it.

“I got into it when my youngest was in junior high, (knowing) I couldn’t be a full-time homemaker and a Realtor,” she said. “So I took the test.”

Hall, now a 23-year real estate veteran, said her zeal is based on several factors. One is that she enjoys helping people find their dream home.

“I like to help people transition,” she said. “It’s their largest investment, and

they’re emotionally connected.”

Another thing she loves about it is its volatility.

“I love it because it’s ever-changing – technology, people, migration,” she said. “You never know what’s going to happen.”

That was especially true when the pandemic altered people’s jobs and lifestyles.

“For us, COVID really changed everything,” she said. “Where people can work, they want to be close to family.”

She also appreciates the control over when and with whom she works.

“I can be my own boss. I don’t have to work with people who aren’t nice – I don’t have that problem,” she said.

Hall said the relationships she built with clients can last for years.

“I’ve had some clients from the beginning. I become the family Realtor. (Their) little kids are now buying; the parents are now buying a condo,” she said.

STEVE SCHEPPE, Century 21 Northland

BJ Brick grew up in Traverse City and in the real estate business. He even began investing in real estate at age 18 when he bought a triplex.

That didn’t stop him from moving away to make his mark in another industry. He lived in Chicago for several years and worked for a wine dis tributor, covering Illinois, Missouri and Kentucky. At the same time, his wife was working in five states in the medical field. Seeking a healthier work/lifestyle balance, they moved back to his hometown and he went to work for his father Bob’s company.

“I moved back home 10 years ago to start buying out my dad,” he said. “I came back and started growing the brokerage.”

It now boasts 50 agents in five offices, including his sister and brotherin-law. They now work as the Brick & Corbett team.

“It’s been great to work as a family,” he said.

That’s allowed them to play to their individual strengths while mitigat ing their weaknesses. Brick says he’s applied that team approach through out the brokerage.

“As an individual, it’s hard to do everything well. We really lean into the team model, letting agents work on the things they’re good at,” he said.

Given the seller’s market, Brick believes a key to his success has been working with his buyers to determine how to best position an offer.

“We’ve been able to win on deals when the buyers know what the seller is looking for,” he said. “What’s the motivation for the seller, then tailor the buyer’s (offer).”

He sees the increasing interest rates putting the brakes on the market, and believes things are slowly shifting to a buyer’s market, even though the depleted inventory is still a limiting factor.

“Transactions are down 17% because of the low inventory,” he noted.

Still, he says he’s happy to be working in the industry and sees a bright future.

“This place has a lot of opportunities,” he said. “It’s been great reconnecting with people from high school. It’s a magical place.”

Steve Scheppe earned a degree in construction management and melded that with an interest in customer service. He says that dedication has served him well, becoming a top agent for his office the last two years. He’s built his business through referrals among past customers and their families.

He thought he knew what he was getting into, but he says that real estate is a different world now than when he got into the business 13 years ago.

“It’s completely different than when I started in 2010. It was a strong buyer’s market. Now there’s no inventory. Sellers are in control,” he said.

Not only has the market reversed course, but the way business is conducted changed dramatically as well.

“Ten years ago, most meetings were in my office,” he said. “Now they’re over Zoom or in the field.”

When he started, the economy was just recovering from the Great Recession. Three years ago, the pandemic engendered advances in and a reliance on technology – hence all those Zoom meetings. The nationwide closure orders also stressed the market, and when it opened caused an unforeseen demand for housing throughout the region, transforming it into a true seller’s market.

The result was multiple offers for virtually every property on the market. Scheppe says positioning his buying clients to put forth the most effective offer helped him be successful. “You had to … get your offers to the top of the pile.”

On the other side of the equation, he’s worked with sellers to enable them to manage the influx of offers to get the best one for them.

“It’s been complete insanity the last couple years,” he said. “Things sell more quickly, so as a listing agent you need to manage the offers and give people time to look at it.”

Scheppe says he counsels his sellers to bide their time in the case of multiple offers.

“You could have it under contract in less than 24 hours, but is that the best offer?” he said. “For me, five to seven days allows time for as many people as interested (to submit an offer).”

BJ BRICK, RE/MAX Bayshore

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“You could have it under contract in less than 24 hours, but is that the best offer?” he said. “For me, five to seven days allows time for as many people as interested (to submit an offer).”

BJ Brick grew up in Traverse City and in the real estate business. He even began investing in real estate at age 18 when he bought a triplex.

That didn’t stop him from moving away to make his mark in another industry. He lived in Chicago for several years and worked for a wine distributor, covering Illinois, Missouri and Kentucky. At the same time, his wife was working in five states in the medical field. Seeking a healthier work/lifestyle balance, they moved back to his hometown and he went to work for his father Bob’s company.

“I moved back home 10 years ago to start buying out my dad,” he said. “I came back and started growing the brokerage.”

It now boasts 50 agents in five offices, including his sister and brotherin-law. They now work as the Brick & Corbett team.

“It’s been great to work as a family,” he said.

That’s allowed them to play to their individual strengths while mitigating their weaknesses. Brick says he’s applied that team approach throughout the brokerage.

“As an individual, it’s hard to do everything well. We really lean into the team model, letting agents work on the things they’re good at,” he said.

Given the seller’s market, Brick believes a key to his success has been working with his buyers to determine how to best position an offer.

“We’ve been able to win on deals when the buyers know what the seller is looking for,” he said. “What’s the motivation for the seller, then tailor the buyer’s (offer).”

He sees the increasing interest rates putting the brakes on the market, and believes things are slowly shifting to a buyer’s market, even though the depleted inventory is still a limiting factor.

“Transactions are down 17% because of the low inventory,” he noted. Still, he says he’s happy to be working in the industry and sees a bright future.

“This place has a lot of opportunities,” he said. “It’s been great reconnecting with people from high school. It’s a magical place.”

TWO NEW TRAVERSE CITY LISTINGS

OLD MISSION ESTATE

If you are planning to sell in 2023, now is the time to get your property on the market. Buyers are already coming to the area and there isn’t much inventory.

BJ BRICK, RE/MAX Bayshore

SHAWN SCHMIDT SMITH ASSOCIATE BROKER/OWNER

KEVIN PERKINS, Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors

ThreeWest had a record year, recording the single largest commercial transaction and becoming the number-one commercial office in the market ... due in no small part to Kevin Query.

in volume the last two years and is working on a num ber of projects.

versity’s agricultural program came to real estate via a fluke. He began working with aggregated farmland with the merchant bank Cochran Cowell & Gruman, now Cochran Booth & Co.

An entrepreneurial-minded family member said Query should have gone into real estate and he soon found himself doing just that.

He found the commercial side of real estate appealed to his analytical bent.

“It’s more numbers-driven. To me it’s much more interesting. Residential is more emotion-driven,” Query said.

The pandemic became a driver of commercial business as well as residential. While office spaces emptied, the disruption of the supply chain encouraged many businesses and manufacturers to try to do as much business domestically as possible.

“The ports and supply chain issues … pushed to reshoring. So there was an increased demand for domestic warehouse space,” Query said.

The decreased demand for office space was offset by that need for warehouse space, as well as multi-family units and retail.

“The dynamic has shifted,” Query said.

When he began working in real estate, Kevin Perkins was told that 10% of the agents controlled 90% of the business. So, he decided to be one of the 10%.

Rather than dabbling in the field, he jumped all the way in and has been a fulltime Realtor since entering the field.

“I’ve seen more Realtors get into the fold. Some try to be Realtors while trying to be something else,” Perkins said. “I’ve got a big sphere (of clients). The referrals tumble down: friends; friends’ siblings; friends’ parents in their 60s, downsizing.”

He was able to parlay his experience and those contacts into a record year in 2022, including two huge sales. One on Fort Road was listed at $3.9 million and sold for more than $4 million, while a property on Torch Lake was listed at $7 million.

“They’re fun,” he said in an understatement.

Controlling the market means more than just helping a number of sellers and Perkins knows that.

“If you can list, you stay in the game,” he said.

He said the turn the market took from his first years to the recent past made it a challenge. On the one hand, there are fewer homes available for more buyers. Since the pandemic, there has been more work done virtually, from meetings to property viewings.

It’s been a challenge he’s welcomed.

“It’s gotten more techy. That’s played into my hands,” Perkins said.

Paulus

my hands,” Perkins said.

This past year, the commercial real estate company ThreeWest had a record year, recording the single largest commercial transaction and becoming the number-one commercial office in the market ... due in no small part to Kevin Query.

Query’s been the company’s number-one sales agent in volume the last two years and is working on a number of projects.

The 28-year-old graduate of Michigan State University’s agricultural program came to real estate via a fluke. He began working with aggregated farmland with the merchant bank Cochran Cowell & Gruman, now Cochran Booth & Co.

An entrepreneurial-minded family member said Query should have gone into real estate and he soon found himself doing just that.

He found the commercial side of real estate appealed to his analytical bent.

“It’s more numbers-driven. To me it’s much more interesting. Residential is more emotion-driven,” Query said.

The pandemic became a driver of commercial business as well as residential. While office spaces emptied, the disruption of the supply chain encouraged many businesses and manufacturers to try to do as much business domestically as possible.

“The ports and supply chain issues … pushed to reshoring. So there was an increased demand for domestic warehouse space,” Query said.

The decreased demand for office space was offset by that need for warehouse space, as well as multi-family units and retail.

“The dynamic has shifted,” Query said.

KEVIN QUERY, ThreeWest

POWER HOUSE

Nine of Northern Michigan’s coolest properties for sale

By Ross Boissoneau

Maybe it’s the construction; maybe the setting. They might be completely turnkey or need a little TLC. Regardless, northern Michigan’s coolest properties for sale all have that special something that makes them especially appealing.

Given deadlines and the volatility of the market, some of them may not still be available, but there are sure to be others out there. Have fun exploring!

$2,995,000

If you’re into wood – and woods – this is the place. The home and outbuildings are made from logs. Inside it’s more logs and wood walls and ceilings and wood accents. The location at the base of Old Mission Peninsula is largely wooded and renovations may be needed. You can also redevelop the 2.5-acre property and add more housing, or simply redo the outbuildings.

$835,000

$795,000

MLS #1909301

This home screams gracious living. Gorgeous gardens and grounds outside (look at those hydrangeas!) feature a beautiful wraparound porch perfect for enjoying morning coffee or a glass of wine while the kids play outside. The beautifully appointed home includes a new kitchen with a large eat-in area. Drink in the outdoors through the many windows. The finished lower level is a great spot to watch the big game, work out or keep the kids entertained.

Your Up North(port) getaway. The 2½ mostly wooded acres make it private and secluded, yet it’s just minutes to downtown with its shops, restaurants, marina and more. This log home features a massive fieldstone fireplace in the great room, which is open to the kitchen. It encapsulates the lodge feel with all the modern conveniences: updated bathrooms; expansive deck; and lots of light from the windows, sliding glass doors and skylights. The sliders in the lower level open to a private trail to the 270 feet of private sandy frontage, with a bonfire area to gaze at the star-studded sky. Three garages provide space for all the toys.

Close to the beach and the lighthouse, a block to downtown, and your own mini-orchard? That’s right. This elegant Victorian has a wraparound porch, lots of original woodwork, a backyard patio with a screened-in hot tub, and just steps away is a delightful studio apartment with full bath above the heated garage for extra family and friends. Oh, and it has an orchard area, with a Macintosh apple tree, Bartlett pear, Elberta peach and three cherry trees, plus grape vines and flowers.

3600 Kennedy Place, Williamsburg

1216 Peninsula Dr., Traverse City $799,000

MLS #1909576

7150 NW Bayshore Dr., Northport

MLS #1909230

WOOD TIMES ON OMP

GROUNDED IN WILLIAMSBURG

DOWNTOWN FRANKFORT VICTORIAN

330 Forest Ave., Frankfort

MLS #1909637

SHOPS, SCENERY & SANDY FRONTAGE

FOR THE HORSE LOVER

REAL ESTATE: TOP REALTORS/COOL PROPERTIES

FAIRWAYS & FRONTAGE IN FRANKFORT

Horse lover? Luxury lover? The two come together at this estate on Old Mission Peninsula. For the former, this property boasts a 22-stall equestrian barn with an arena, three fenced corrals and living quarters, plus an additional three-stall stable in the northeast corner of the property with fenced pastures. Amenities include African teak and heated marble floors, fireplaces on all three levels, a gourmet kitchen with butler’s pantry and eat-in nook, three dens, and an office. In addition, there is a theater room, sauna, marble steam room, two laundry areas, a billiards room, and walkout lower level. The luxurious master suite has a sitting area and water-facing private balcony for viewing sunrises over the bay. Oh, and there’s an indoor sports court with a basketball hoop.

$3,299,500

Room to roam indoors and out, this home is nestled in a mature forest abutting the 15th fairway of Crystal Downs, and just a short walk to a shared Lake Michigan sugar sand beach with 200 feet of frontage. The roomy home has 3,000 square feet, including a kitchen that is a chef’s delight, with soapstone counters, an island and large pantry closet. There are two bedrooms on the main level and the roomy bedroom suite upstairs is complete with a Jacuzzi tub and walk-in steam shower. The heated/insulated lower level is awaiting your touch, currently serving as a home gym/workshop/storage area – plus a fourth bedroom and bath.

$1,200,000

MLS #1907093

LANDMARK WITH INCOME POTENTIAL

Not all cool properties are homes; here’s an opportunity to revitalize a historic landmark in downtown Beulah. Live (or rent) upstairs, and put the capacious commercial space to work. Previously an antique mall and wine tasting room, originally a granary, the options are endless. People still try to stop in, hoping to shop there. There is also a large heated warehouse with 14-foot garage doors for additional storage rental income. The property is located high on the hill, with picturesque views of the downtown and Crystal Lake.

$323,000

If you build it they will come. And probably stay longer than you want them to. This beautiful lot sits above the north end of Lake Leelanau, with a very gradual slope which will allow for amazing year-round enjoyment of the cerulean blue water. An existing natural driveway curves through the mature maples and white pines towards a flat, open meadow, perfect for a dream home. Lots of room for entertaining or a large garden. It comes with shared ownership of lot 12 on North Lake Leelanau to store a boat or swim. A blank canvas filled with potential.

$450,000

MLS

Swim and boat in the summer, ice skate in the winter, enjoy the hot tub year-round. This home on Perch Lake boasts a screened-in porch, a multi-level deck leading to the water with a patio and fire pit, and a wood platform which sits directly on top of Perch Lake. There is a refrigerator hookup by the fire pit and an outdoor shower by the lake. And did we mention the covered hot tub overlooking the lake? The home includes a fieldstone fireplace and views of the lake from the great room and master suite.

3888 Swaney Rd., Traverse City

MLS #1909496

1105 Taquaka Rd., Frankfort $750,000

MLS #1906563

7300 Crystal Ave., Beulah

N. McLeod Dr., Leland

MLS #1909646

A ‘LOT’ OF OPTIONS

6946 SW Hart Rd., South Boardman

#1909684

PERCHED ON PERCH LAKE

$1,200,000

MLS #1907093

Not all cool properties are homes; here’s an opportunity to revitalize a historic landmark in downtown Beulah. Live (or rent) upstairs, and put the capacious commercial space to work. Previously an antique mall and wine tasting room, originally a granary, the options are endless. People still try to stop in, hoping to shop there. There is also a large heated warehouse with 14-foot garage doors for additional storage rental income. The property is located high on the hill, with picturesque views of the downtown and Crystal Lake.

If you build it they will come. And probably stay longer than you want them to. This beautiful lot sits above the north end of Lake Leelanau, with a very gradual slope which will allow for amazing year-round enjoyment of the cerulean blue water. An existing natural driveway curves through the mature maples and white pines towards a flat, open meadow, perfect for a dream home. Lots of room for entertaining or a large garden. It comes with shared ownership of lot 12 on North Lake Leelanau to store a boat or swim. A blank canvas filled with potential.

Swim and boat in the summer, ice skate in the winter, enjoy the hot tub year-round. This home on Perch Lake boasts a screened-in porch, a multi-level deck leading to the water with a patio and fire pit, and a wood platform which sits directly on top of Perch Lake. There is a refrigerator hookup by the fire pit and an outdoor shower by the lake. And did we mention the covered hot tub overlooking the lake? The home includes a fieldstone fireplace and views of the lake from the great room and master suite.

7300 Crystal Ave., Beulah

LANDMARK WITH INCOME POTENTIAL

N. McLeod Dr., Leland $323,000

MLS #1909646

6946 SW Hart Rd., South Boardman $450,000 MLS #1909684

PERCHED ON PERCH LAKE

‘HAPPY, PLEASANT AND GRATEFUL’

By Ross Boissoneau

The passing of Ken Schmidt leaves a void in the local real estate community. The CEO of Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors had been active in the industry for more than 50 years.

He had seen – and helped – the industry in this region survive and grow, despite setbacks such as challenging interest rates (in double figures in the ’80s), the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic.

When he died in February, the company his grandfather founded had expanded from a single office to more than 90 spread across three states. Despite its sprawling footprint, he worked to maintain its feeling of a hometown company – whether that was in Traverse City or Grand Rapids, Cleveland or Amelia Island.

Mike Schmidt, his son and company president, said the key has been partnering with those who share the same values: treating people right and providing value for their clients.

“We’d go down to Florida, and it’s the same attitude,” he said. “They’re just good people.”

The business has been a true family affair almost since its founding. It dates back to 1927, when Harold F. Schmidt opened a real estate company. His son Joseph joined H.F. Schmidt Real Estate in 1946, and his sons Fred and Ken became part of the company in 1962 and 1968, respectively.

The family connections continued with Fred’s sons Joe and Fred Jr. and Ken’s son Mike, his daughter Shawn Schmidt Smith and Ken’s wife Karen. It expanded to the fifth generation when Shawn’s daughter Carly – Ken’s granddaughter – joined the team.

Though it’s spread well beyond northern Michigan, the company maintains its long-time Traverse City headquarters. It now has locations throughout the Upper Peninsula and western Michigan, Ohio and Florida, even in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is one of the nation’s largest real estate firms, its 90 offices producing more than $5 billion in sales volume.

Ken’s influence reached well beyond his own company.

“Ken was a kind and thoughtful man in addition to being a leader in our industry,” said Kim Pontius, the CEO of Aspire North Realtors, the association of Realtors throughout the region. “His legacy will be in the business that

The legacy of Ken Schmidt

he built with his family and the many lives he touched in this community, including mine.”

John Martin, owner of the Martin Company in Glen Arbor, called Ken a pioneer in real estate.

“He was willing to try new ideas, hence joining the Coldwell Banker company (as a franchisee) in the ’80s,” said Martin, who worked for Schmidt Realtors for 17 years before opening his own brokerage in 1997.

Alice and Mike Shirley became friends with Ken and his family before going into the business themselves. He helped them find their first home in the area, then invited them to a barbecue at his parents’ home even before they’d closed on their home.

Over the ensuing years, they became good friends. Their children were about the same age, and they got together often, even went on vacations together.

“He was very generous. He never looked for accolades for himself. He was very humble,” Alice said.

When she approached him and asked whether he thought she could become a Realtor, he told her that not only could she, he wanted her to work for him. Which she did, for 14 years. Even after she left to work for Real Estate One, they maintained their friendship.

“For the next 20 years, Ken never

treated me other than as if I was still working there – the same hugs, the same jokes,” Shirley said.

Martin agreed with that assessment. He said the family atmosphere at the company went beyond the workday.

“As I look back on the golf outings, ski days, family summer picnics and the annual Christmas parties, Ken was the one who made it happen,” he said.

of our lives,” said his daughter Shawn.

That included tagging along with him to the office on Saturday mornings.

“My sister, brother and I would play chase in the office while he worked,” she recalled. “To this day, even after a few extensive renovations, it’s a great setup for a good game of tag.”

Open houses were another opportunity for family fun, with the kids ac -

our lives,” said Mike. “At night he’d be working with kids all around.”

Bill Habich is a longtime Realtor with the company.

“We were good friends,” said Habich, who traveled to Israel with Ken. “We’d go hunting, go to church.”

Habich said Ken did a lot for others, often without anyone knowing.

“He served as a church elder for years and financially helped people,” he said.

Habich says he will miss his friend.

“It’s a void, a vacuum, but just part of life,” he said.

Bill Stireman, another longtime agent with the company, said Ken was always someone to go to with questions.

“He was very generous with his time, very kind and sincere,” he said.

Asked what was it like working for and with their dad, both Mike and Shawn said mixing business and family was never a problem. Just the opposite in fact.

That wasn’t uncommon. Mike said those who would leave for other companies were always treated with respect.

“You work with them, not just compete. Always treat people right,” he said.

While he was all about real estate, that wasn’t all he was about. Family and faith were cornerstones for him, often merging one into another.

“Real estate mixed into nearly every part

companying him, then playing hide and seek when there weren’t people visiting.

She said Sunday drives after church looking at real estate with whole family in the car were commonplace.

“He worked all hours of the day, yet also had plenty of free time ... for fun with friends and family,” she said.

Shawn’s brother Mike agreed.

“Real estate was always there, it was

“So fun!” said Shawn. “He was a natural – calm, yet effective and respectful in business. He was just happy, pleasant and grateful.”

Mike concurred, and said he’s tried to adhere to his dad’s philosophy and enjoyment of the industry.

“For him, work was never work,” he said.

“Ken was a kind and thoughtful man in addition to being a leader in our industry. His legacy will be in the business that he built with his family and the many lives he touched in this community, including mine.”

– Kim Pontius, CEO, Aspire North Realtors

THE COPPER AGE

How Copper Ridge became Traverse City’s healthcare hub

By Craig Manning

Today, it’s one of Traverse City’s foremost healthcare hubs – a thriving business park where many local physicians, dentists and other health professionals keep their offices.

Not too long ago, however, the development known today as Copper Ridge was a vacant piece of land with a lot of possibilities – and perhaps even more construction and engineering hurdles.

Connie Deneweth is the owner and developer of Copper Ridge, LLC, which continues to manage the development today. Prior to that, Deneweth was a banker and CPA by trade. It was through a conversation with one of her banking clients that the first seeds of what would become Copper Ridge were planted.

“As a banker, I was talking to one of my clients – which was The Children’s House, the local Montessori school –and they were in need of a new facility,” Deneweth explained.

In the 1990s, the school was operating out of a facility on Royal Drive, but was quickly outgrowing the space. “They really needed to expand and have more of a playground. That need actually came

up when my son was at school at The Children’s House, so I was helping them sort through all the options for where they could relocate.”

Coincidentally, another Children’s House parent – Dr. Kurt Sanford, a local gastroenterologist with Digestive Health

“They would mine the parcel for sand to spread on the roads,” she said. “But then the Road Commission decided that they needed to build pole barns to house their salt and sand, and the topography (of the property) was not conducive.”

As a result, the Road Commission

of sand and salt storage facilities were naturally going to rear their head when it came to the development of a school or a surgery center. Even to this day, the site’s hilly design is one of its most distinctive features, with some medical offices sitting high above others.

“There’s a 200-foot grade change from the surgery center to the top of the residential part of the development,” Deneweth said of what Copper Ridge ultimately became. “So that’s quite an elevation change. And ultimately, the property just didn’t work for the Montessori school, because the elevations were too steep. They needed more flat area for the playground.”

Associates of Northern Michigan – was also on the hunt for a new facility. He and Deneweth decided to look for a spot that could serve both needs.

That search led to what would eventually become Copper Ridge: A sprawling 73-acre parcel off Silver Lake Road in Garfield Township, right across the street from West Middle School. According to Deneweth, the land was owned at the time by the Grand Traverse County Road Commission.

property hit the market and Deneweth and Sanford honed in on it as a potential site for their respective projects.

“There was a lot to love about the site,” Deneweth said. “The proximity to town; the convenience for families and visitors; the beautiful views of the city and the airport and the bays. Those things were all perfect.”

Of course, any topographical challenges that would preclude the construction

The Children’s House ended up finding a different home less than two miles away on North Long Lake Road, where the school is still located to this day. But Deneweth and Sanford still saw potential in the old Road Commission property, both for the surgery center and for a broader healthcare hub.

So, rather than give up on the property, the two buckled down in trying to acquire it.

“I put a group of investors together, Kurt put a group of physicians together, and we bought the property together (in

“Giving tenants the opportunity to buy was, I think, a critical thing. Not all the places in town that were convenient for physicians and their staff – not to mention their patients – were available for purchase.”

– Connie Deneweth, owner/developer, Copper Ridge

1999),” Deneweth said.

Building a new surgery center at the site was the key, because Sanford and a variety of other local practitioners felt like there wasn’t enough operating room space at Munson Medical Center to meet the needs of the growing community. A joint venture between those surgeons and Munson brought about the Copper Ridge Surgery Center, which still operates today.

Once that domino fell, the rest of the development came together piece by piece.

As the development started to take form, other doctors and practitioners flocked to Copper Ridge to take advantage of the location. Not only would they be a stone’s throw from the surgery center itself, but a Copper Ridge office would also put healthcare pros less than a mile from Munson and within easy driving distance of downtown Traverse City, Cherry Capital Airport, local schools, nearby residential communities, and more.

“When the surgery center officially announced that they were going in –which was sometime in 2002 – many other medical-related businesses decided to move in, too,” Deneweth said. “My investor group got together and we pulled dentists, orthodontists and physicians together and we started filling the space.”

Dentists and orthodontists, especially, loved the site for its proximity to the middle school.

“It was so easy and convenient for kids to come over from the school to get their teeth cleaned or their braces put on,” Deneweth said.

A cluster of those types of businesses opening at Copper Ridge only drove more interest amidst a wider array of local healthcare niches. Soon, Deneweth was fielding calls from plastic surgeons and chiropractors. Seemingly every healthcare business in Traverse City wanted a piece of the Copper Ridge development.

According to Deneweth, the property’s self-perpetuating status as a local healthcare hub continues to draw new tenants even now, more than two decades after the development first started taking shape. For instance, when the new Novello Imaging Center opened in August 2021, it chose Copper Ridge as its home. And just two months later, West Front Primary Care relocated from its namesake downtown location to an office in the Copper Ridge development.

Beyond the attractive location and the healthcare business cluster, Deneweth suspects that the secret to Copper Ridge’s success was the way the development team decided to offer space to businesses.

Early on, the developers – a team that included Deneweth and Sanford, Deneweth’s late husband Rick (who passed away in 2016), and Dennis Fedorinchik of Hallmark Construction – decided

that rather than focusing only on leasing space, they’d offer offices for sale.

“Giving tenants the opportunity to buy was, I think, a critical thing,” Deneweth said. “Not all the places in town that were convenient for physicians and their staff – not to mention their patients – were available for purchase. So, from the start, we gave customers the option to purchase or to rent. And I’d say 85% of the people purchased.”

Locking in long-term tenants wasn’t just important for the healthcare side of things, either. Deneweth and her partners were also adamant that Copper Ridge shouldn’t be just healthcare, but should also have a mix of retail and other businesses on the campus to diversify the development and to serve the needs of the business owners and their staff on the premises.

That thought process brought longtime anchor tenants like Independent Bank, HomeTown Pharmacy and Rolling Farms Café to Copper Ridge. More recently, local law firm Kuhn Rogers PLC moved its offices there.

While many of the pieces for the development have fallen into place over the years, Deneweth is quick to note that the actual development process was challenging. It’s a memory shared by former Gosling Czubak engineer Kevin Endres – now a local real estate professional and the owner of Three West LLC.

Gosling Czubak was a partner in the design of the Copper Ridge site and Endres was the project manager on the job.

“My role was trying to design something on that very challenging site and it ended up being the crown jewel of my engineering career,” Endres said. “There’s 200 feet of elevation change across that property, which is pretty significant for one piece of property.”

The buildings are stepped into the side of the hill and act as retaining walls to hold up the parking lots above each of the buildings.

“There were just a lot of unique engineering challenges like that, which we had to overcome to make that project work,” he said.

These days, the story for Copper Ridge is mostly written, with the majority of the land developed and many of the offices sold. There’s still some potential for the vacant lots, zoned for 25,000-square-foot office buildings, on the west side of the surgery center.

“That’s what they were zoned for 20 years ago, but the best use for those now, we think, is residential apartments,” she said, adding that she would ideally like to have have some affordable housing or housing for nursing students who need to work on their clinicals.

“That would be a perfect scenario; they wouldn’t even have to have a car,” she said.

MUNSON MOVES TO COMPREHENSIVE STROKE CENTER CERTIFICATION

Advanced-care patients would avoid downstate transfer

By Ross Boissoneau

In its continuing efforts to provide the highest level of medical care, Munson Medical Center is applying to become a Comprehensive Stroke Center (CSC) through the nonprofit The Joint Commission accrediting body.

Currently certified as a Primary Stroke Center, the additional certification means patients in need of specialized, advanced care will not have to be transported to another facility downstate. In situations such as a stroke where every minute counts, that can be critical.

Dr. Gary Rajah, director of Munson Healthcare’s endovascular stroke program, says such a certification will be a boon to the hospital and especially to the patients it treats.

“Around the country certified comprehensive stroke centers are (mostly) in metro areas,” he said. “What this would mean is bringing up the level of the hospital – high-level care in a rural area.”

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. It is governed by a 21-member board of commissioners that includes physicians, administrators, nurses, employers, quality experts, a consumer advocate and educators. Its ongoing mission is to continuously improve health care for the public by helping hospitals establish a consistent approach to care, reducing variation and the risk of error; providing a framework to improve patient outcomes; and

enhancing the facility’s ability to attract top-level talent.

Munson’s adherence to the above has helped bring doctors such as Rajah and Dr. David Rosenbaum-HaLevi to Munson. Rosenbaum-HaLevi has joined Dr. Kersti Bruining as medical co-directors of Munson’s stroke program, which Rosenbaum-HaLevi says is creating “opportunities on a professional level.”

“The hope is as it grows, people will want to be part of it,” he said.

Rosenbaum-HaLevi said treating strokes can be complicated, both the acute care and follow-up, but the CSC certification will allow the center to touch on all aspects of care.

vessels to the brain. Fatty deposits called plaque can also cause blockages by building up in the blood vessels.

A hemorrhagic stroke happens when an artery in the brain leaks blood or ruptures. The leaked blood puts too much pressure on brain cells, which damages them. Aneurysms – balloon-like bulges in an artery that can stretch and burst – and high blood pressure are among the conditions that can cause a hemorrhagic stroke.

With the continuing appeal of the region as a retirement haven and subsequent “graying” of the population, the number of stroke patients could continue to grow.

Bruining said the incidence of strokes in the region is not dissimilar to that of

According to Bruining, Munson’s efforts to provide greater care for stroke patients have already benefited the area in recruiting doctors with the skills to improve patient outcomes.

“There’s a great need for people with that skill set, the Dr. Rajahs and Rosenbaums of the world. We’re fortunate to have both of them,” she said.

The three doctors are part of an assemblage that work together to treat strokes.

“It’s a large team of people,” she said, including physicians, nurses, radiologists and support staff.

“You get them through the event, provide follow-up and rehab to prevent future strokes or other complications,” he said.

Bruining says the certification is not an end in itself but represents a high standard of clinical care.

“Munson has been a primary stroke center since 2012,” she said. “This is the next and highest level.”

There are two primary types of strokes: ischemic and hemorrhagic.

An ischemic stroke occurs when blood clots or other particles block the blood

the stroke belt, which is the southeastern states where the incidence of death due to cardiovascular causes is 16% higher than the rest of the country, according to research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

While Michigan is not typically associated with the stroke belt, data from the Centers for Disease Control show the northern Lower Peninsula has a similarly high incidence as of 2019.

“The whole area is underserved,” Bruining said.

The process for certification is complex. A hospital needs to provide research to the Joint Commission and four months of data, including performance measures. Then the Joint Commission evaluates the results and reports back. A final determination is expected this summer. If Munson receives the designation, the certification is for two years, then it must go through a re-evaluation.

Rajah said the hub-and-spoke model for Munson, with a comprehensive stroke center at the Traverse City hospital and the presence of outlying Munson-affiliated hospitals in Manistee, Cadillac, Kalkaska and elsewhere, will provide services for a region that didn’t have that option previously.

“It’s a huge advantage to the population and visitors, whether in Traverse City or the eastern Upper Peninsula,” he said. “We have filled in the gap.”

“Munson has been a primary stroke center since 2012. This is the next and highest level.”

- Dr. Kersti Bruining, Stroke Program Medical Director, Munson

Rajah

Rosenbaum-HaLevi

Bruining

The Business of Taking Care

Home care/hospice company evolves with patients’ needs

By Anna Faller

AdvisaCare launched in 1997 in Grand Rapids as a medical staffing organization (formerly Alacrity Staffing), which specialized in providing medical personnel to hospitals and other facilities. Since then, the organization has expanded to include several offices in Michigan, including Traverse City, as well as locations in several states and a caseload of 250 patients in Michigan alone.

The original aim of the home care and hospice company, according to founder and northern Michigan native Kris Skogen, was to help make a difference in the lives of nurses and other full-time caregivers. As the company gained momentum, however, he noticed an increasing demand for those services to follow patients home.

“We discovered that families preferred to work with a trusted healthcare advisor or organization,” he said. “And as their needs evolved, they looked to us to (implement solutions).”

Skogen attended Traverse City Central before getting an early start in business through management with the Kleinrichert brothers (of the local La Senorita franchise).

“They provided a lot of mentoring,” he said. “I’m still grateful for the chance they took on me as a young man.”

From there, he spent more than a decade as a financial planner for American Express before he “woke up” to the calling of making a difference in the lives of others.

This is the foundational principle upon which AdvisaCare was constructed, he said.

“There’s a quote from Mark Twain that says the two most important days of your life are the day you’re born and the day you find out why,” Skogen said. “For our leadership team, this is our ‘why’: taking care of other people.”

Taking care of other people begins at home, where the client is most comfortable, Northern Michigan Executive Director Amanda Gibel says.

“Most people don’t want to stay in a hospital,” she said. “(Receiving) care

at home lets a patient see their family and be in their own setting.”

At-home treatment comes with several medical benefits, Skogen added, including overall client familiarity, higher patient activity and reduced propensity for infection.

From the caregiver’s perspective, there’s also the distinct satisfaction of watching a patient “get better,” said East Lansing Executive Director April Brown. In this context, better doesn’t necessarily mean a full recovery. Instead, it’s about watching a quadriplegic re-learn to raise their arms, or implementing an adaptive device to help a fouryear-old read a book.

“It’s so subjective, but I know (breaking) those barriers increases patients’ quality of life,” she said. “That feels good.”

The AdvisaCare process typically starts with a referral from another facility, such as a nursing home or hospital.

“Healthcare is a very small world,” Brown explained. “So, we have relationships with physicians and case managers.”

Private pay is also an option, particularly for clients with decreased mobility, or those who’d prefer to “age in place.”

From there, an initial assessment takes place, wherein the client’s condition and history are established before AdvisaCare meets with the family to build and implement the best course of treatment, which is adjusted as new goals and needs arise.

“We develop an individual plan of care for every client,” said Brown.

This includes the obvious, like devices and therapies, but extends to finding the caregiver that’s best-equipped to meet each client’s needs.

“The culture here is take care of the clients and take care of the caregivers,” Brown said. “The rest will take care of itself.”

Maintaining and funding that care, however, is a constant challenge for the

company, as they’re largely dependent on insurance reimbursements to cover the costs of their programs.

As such, reform to Michigan’s nofault auto insurance legislation have proven especially difficult to navigate. The changes – effective July 1, 2021 –stipulate that auto insurance companies aren’t obligated to provide more than 56 hours per week of at-home attendant care for crash victims. Further, the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA) will only continue to cover medical costs of catastrophically injured survivors whose policies were issued or renewed prior to July 2, 2020.

The changes, says Skogen, have stripped away supports for families receiving that care at home. It has also put providers in jeopardy by incurring a 45% reduction in critical funding for their services.

Though recent updates to this reform have softened its initial blow – most notably, an amendment excluding policies prior to June 2019 – the learning curve has been frustratingly steep.

“We’ve got to keep our eyes open and adjust accordingly,” Skogen says. “It’s been really devastating for families and for us trying to figure that out.”

Staffing is also a challenge, especially when it comes to finding caregivers who

feel called to serve others.

“We hold (them) to a higher standard,” said Gibel. “There’s a certain level of compassion we (expect) and it’s hard to find people with that drive.”

Other staffing hurdles include facilitating patient care outside of the company’s primary base, which can require separate recruitment, said Brown, as well as maintaining company function in the wake of outside factors such as the pandemic.

“We lost many caregivers (during that time) because their children weren’t in school,” she explained.

For AdvisaCare and its staff, however, denying services isn’t an option. When instances like this arise, the workload is redistributed to ensure no one slips through the cracks.

“You’re not going to say no to someone,” Brown said. “It was tough, but we all jumped in.”

Skogen said the business is more than prepared to evolve along with the needs of their patients.

“Our expectations are simply delivering the best care to the patient in front of us, however that leads us,” he said. “Our true north is doing what’s best for (them) and continuing to build an organization that people feel compelled to use.”

“The culture here is take care of the clients and take care of the caregivers. The rest will take care of itself.”

- April Brown, East Lansing executive director, AdvisaCare

Brown Gibel Skogen

FOR BETTER OR WORSE

ChatGPT impacts Traverse City’s education and business sectors

By Craig Manning

Since its debut last November, ChatGPT has stirred the academic pot. The versatile technology can participate in a conversation, craft an essay based on a given prompt, write computer code, compose music and more. In December, The New York Times dubbed it “quite simply, the best artificial intelligence chatbot ever released to the general public.”

ChatGPT is also free to use for anyone, which makes it a topic of fascination and concern particularly in academic circles.

Terri Gustafson, who serves as director of educational technology for Northwestern Michigan College (NMC), says that the response to ChatGPT in education so far has been scattered, but that almost every educator has some sort of opinion about it.

“On one side, you have the ‘regulate’ group, or the folks that want to outright ban it,” Gustafson said, adding that New York City Public Schools banned ChatGPT on their network.

Elsewhere, Gustafson sees educators taking an “adapt” stance. That group, she says, acknowledges that ChatGPT is here but is looking for ways to preserve academic honesty and integrity in the classroom.

Examples include implementing detectors that can spot the hallmarks of a ChatGPT-written assignment, or even reverting to handwritten blue books for exams and essays, versus having students submit essays in digital formats.

A third contingent of educators, Gustafson said, is bullish about integrating ChatGPT into their classes and using it to teach students about both the attributes and limitations of the software.

ChatGPT is not immune to including inaccuracies or downright misinformation in the copy it provides. There is concern among some about plagiarism, the use of phrases or information written by others without proper citation. Per Gustafson, there are instructors at NMC and other schools who want their students to learn early how to recognize and reckon with those problems.

“You have people saying, ‘I’m going to use it in class. I’m going to have students put into the chatbot the same question that I’m asking them to write an essay on. Then I want them to see what it produces, and then I want them to critique it,’” she said.

While Gustafson understands the worries some educators have that students are going to use ChatGPT to cheat, she ultimately views the ChatBot as just the latest in a

long line of technological innovations to have swift and irreversible results on how teachers teach and students learn.

“How different is this from when calculators first came into use? Or spreadsheets? Or the internet?” Gustafson asked.

She points to the time when the Google search tool sparked fears that people would “never think for themselves again.”

“...(B)efore that, to write a paper, you had to go to the library and pull out journals and encyclopedias and everything else,” she said. “But we’ve adapted.”

Ultimately, Gustafson is certain that students are going to use ChatGPT and is supportive of efforts by educators to teach smart and critical use of the technology.

“It needs to be a part of any digital literacy conversation,” she said. “Our library folks do classes with our English 111 and 112 students about research and the resources to use, and about how you can tell a good source from an unverified source.

“I think that, going forward, we should include education about using ChatGPT in those classes, because it’s not going away.”

spective clients or landing page copy for websites, Nesbit said he’s regularly using ChatGPT these days to lessen his workload and make himself more productive, reviewing and editing copy before uploading it to the internet or handing it off to a client.

“ChatGPT produces relatively good quality work, but we obviously go back and fine-tune it,” he said. “Still, using it allows probably 70-80% reduction in time requirements (on writing projects), which is humongous.”

“How different is this from when calculators first came into use? Or spreadsheets? Or the internet?”

More than just using ChatGPT for his own work, Nesbit sees a benefit in helping entrepreneurs and startups get the hang of using the technology. In January, he gave a presentation on ChatGPT at a TCNewTech pitch night, generating five pieces of long-form content live onstage in under five minutes to show how the technology can reduce the barriers of entry for startups.

– Terri Gustafson, director of educational technology, Northwestern Michigan College

There is much less hesitancy to adopt ChatGPT in fields like marketing and PR. Just ask Christopher Nesbit, who serves as director of events, sales, and marketing for TCNewTech – and who also owns four businesses, including a website design company called Super FunWorks and his own marketing firm, Nesbit Marketing.

Nesbit started using ChatGPT for his own businesses almost immediately when it became available to help juggle the demands of content generation.

“When it came to writing something that was a couple paragraphs long, that kind of task was always arduous, and tended to chew up the time that I needed to be spending on other things,” he said. “That’s really where I see AI stepping in and helping to solve a problem.”

Whether it’s email responses to pro-

“The expectation of a founder is that you’re the press guy, you’re the social media guy, you’re the email marketing guy,” he said.

“And in the early stages, you don’t have anybody to do that for you, so it all comes down on you.

“ChatGPT will reduce the barriers of entry for a lot of startups just by helping cover some of those tasks.”

Nesbit says that many people – includ ing those in the startup sphere – have been at arm’s length with chatbot tech nology and other AI tools for a long time, because they were worried that it wasn’t going to be high quality and they didn’t have the time to test it.

For a lot of audience members at TCNewTech, Nesbit’s presentation was their first time seeing ChatGPT in ac tion. Some of those audience members are now firm believers in the technology – and are working with Nesbit to get trained on it.

“When they saw it in real time, working and producing something that really only needed minor tweaks,” he said, “that was a real eye-opener for a lot of people.”

Nesbit Gustafson

CONNECTIONS FOR GROWTH

Inside Traverse Connect’s many education and training programs

By Craig Manning

While Traverse Connect might be known best for its efforts to recruit new businesses and professionals to the area, the organization also offers a lengthy list of training and education programs aimed at everyone from local middle school students to established business leaders.

According to Brenda McLellan, director of investor engagement for Traverse Connect, the organization has a professional development committee that meets regularly to formulate new training and education programs, as well as to revisit existing programs.

The goal, McLellan explained, is to be as responsive to the needs of local employers and workers as possible, and to provide training opportunities that help address skill gaps, improve leadership skills and build cross-industry professional networks throughout northern Michigan.

One example is Leadership Grand Traverse (LGT), a program that prepares participants for decision-making leadership roles in areas such as policy, program implementation and development. Each year, LGT brings together a different class or cohort of local leaders to learn about topics like diversity, equity and inclusion; the inner workings of state and local government; and economic and business trends in the Grand Traverse area.

The after-school Skilled Trades Explorers Program at Kingsley Middle School.

The program has been a fixture of Traverse City’s chamber of commerce for more than 30 years, and counts a long list of local leaders among its alumni – from Grand Traverse County Commissioner Rob Hentschel to Traverse Connect President & CEO Warren Call.

While LGT has been around for a long time, McLellan noted that it is constantly growing and changing to meet the similarly evolving tenets of good leadership.

“Since I’ve been on board, we’ve taken

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a look at LGT each year to reassess how it works and what we need to add or take away from it,” McLellan explained.

Similarly, McLellan said the professional development committee is constantly seeking feedback from Traverse Connect’s membership businesses, to find out what their most pressing needs are in terms of education and training. The organization then looks for ways to bridge those gaps.

One recent example: In 2021, Traverse Connect conducted a local “Skills Gap

Study,” surveying regional employers to find out why two-thirds of local businesses had unfilled jobs – and to get a sense of which types of positions were hardest to fill.

One hundred and twenty survey responses later, Traverse Connect came away with five conclusions, perhaps the biggest of which was the demand for skilled trades professionals. Across all sectors of the trades – from construction to manufacturing to transportation – local employers were struggling to find

people with the ability or interest to fulfill job needs.

That takeaway led Traverse Connect to pilot a brand-new after-school program at Kingsley Middle School, aimed at sparking interest in the skilled trades among sixth through eighth grade students.

Called the Skilled Trades Explorers Program, that offering ran for eight weeks last fall and exposed students to a variety of jobs in the skilled trades through presentations and hands-on class sessions with local trades professionals.

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Hoisington DeGood Call

The program also focused on dismantling some of the myths and stigmas around the skilled trades and spotlighting the significant income potential and job prospects to be found in professions like welding, electrical work, carpentry and more.

The program ultimately drew 20 kids and garnered a strong response from students and parents alike.

“The kids really loved it, and the parents rated it four-and-a-half out of five stars,” said Camille Hoisington, director of ecosystem development for Traverse Connect.

The strong response to the program –particularly to the tactile, hands-on portions, which Hoisington said resonated with the students – has Traverse Connect looking to expand the reach and impact for future sessions. If all goes according to plan, the program won’t even be a Traverse Connect program anymore, but will transcend and evolve in the hands of other providers.

“The ideal situation is we would see this program rolled out through TCAPS,” she said.

Other education and training programs that Traverse Connect offers includes:

• Northern Navigators helps people

relocating to the area learn about local employers, culture, housing, and more.

• The Traverse City Young Professionals encompasses a whole range of professional development opportunities for the business community’s younger members.

gram, just launched in 2021, pairs up local movers and shakers so that they can learn from one another, one-on-one.

Many of these programs emphasize peer-to-peer learning, rather than utilizing more of a classroom or seminar-based

time and participating in the program,” McLellan said.

In that program, mentors and mentees are paired up based on how they rate themselves in various skill categories.

“We say, ‘Here are 10 competencies; tell us how you rank yourself in these competencies,’ McLellan explained. “And then we pair the mentors and the mentees based on their level of competency.”

The Mentor-Mentee Program program isn’t age-limited or position-restricted, which means anyone can apply to be a mentor or a mentee. The idea is that, eventually, the mentees become the mentors for a later class of participants.

• The annual Women’s Leadership Cohort fosters female leadership in northern Michigan by allowing cohort participants to identify the specific topics or skill areas they want to focus on throughout the year.

• Leadership Roundtables take eight to 12 decision-makers from local small businesses and put them in a room together to discuss their experiences, achievements and mistakes with the aid of skilled facilitators.

• Finally, the Mentor-Mentee Pro-

approach. For McLellan, that model is ideal not only because it builds skills and knowledge while also forging a web of valuable professional networks in northern Michigan, but also because it automatically creates a system where each generation of local leaders is ready to help the next person in line.

“We’re excited about our Mentor-Mentee Program, because we believe it will develop and grow into just multitudes of individuals from our community that want to continue giving their

“It’s not geared toward young professionals specifically,” said Katherine DeGood, Traverse Connect’s director of marketing and communications. “We’ve had people that have participated in the program that are director level.”

For DeGood, that philosophy of trying to offer learning opportunities that are accessible to a wide range of different people, regardless of age, industry, or job level drives not just the Mentor-Mentee Program, but many of Traverse Connect’s training initiatives.

“Surely, everybody needs a little professional development on an ongoing basis,” she said. “We want to be here to provide that.”

“Surely, everybody needs a little professional development on an ongoing basis. We want to be here to provide that.”

- Brenda McLellan, director of investor engagement, Traverse Connect

ELECTRIFYING THE BAY

Inside the state-backed grant program that will make northern Michigan an electric boating hub

By Craig Manning

An electric boat charging “corridor” in the waters of northern Michigan. Research and development around game-changing maritime technologies, happening right here in Traverse City. A local cluster of manufacturers dedicated to modernizing the boating industry and reducing its reliance on fossil fuels.

These are a few possibilities that Traverse Connect President and CEO Warren Call cites as possible outcomes of a new state-backed grant program that’s focusing all its early efforts on the northern Michigan area. If all goes well, Call said, that program could help define the next chapter of economic development and prosperity for Traverse City businesses and the people who live and work here.

The Fresh Coast Maritime Challenge, announced earlier this month by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, is a competitive grant program that invites companies to apply for state funding to help advance the decarbonization and electrification of watercraft and marinas throughout the state. A press release from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) describes the effort as “a first-of-its-kind program in the United States that puts Michigan at the forefront of future-proofing sustainable maritime transportation including recreational boating activities, marina innovation, as well as commercial activities on the Great Lakes.”

The Challenge is an effort that involves some big-name departments –including the MEDC’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME), the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), the Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry, the Michigan Department of Transportation

(MDOT), and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) – but it also has local ties. Traverse Connect is a key partner, and will work in tandem with those state entities to review grant applications and decide how state funding should be allocated.

Beyond just Traverse Connect’s seat on the judging panel, though, the Fresh Coast Maritime Challenge is kicking off with a laser focus on the northern part of the state. According to Camille Hoisington, Traverse Connect’s director of ecosystem development, “projects need to be based within the Michigan Prosperity Region 2” in order to be eligible for Challenge funding.

“So, that’s our 10-county region,” she explained. “What that means is that the applicants themselves don’t need to be from this region, but they do need to be putting their projects in this region.”

Grant sizes will be up to $150,000 each.

In Call’s view, this grant program is one of the first big boosts for an effort already brewing locally to establish Traverse City as a national (or even global) leader in the so-called “blue economy.”

“Under that blue economy heading, that includes what we’re doing with the Freshwater Research Center, as well as the lakebed mapping stuff that we’re doing with NMC,” Call told The Ticker.

Call and his team have been pushing to build a “fresh coast corridor,” or a network of state-of-the-art electric boat charging stations along the northern Michigan coastline. Such an asset would make the area’s waters navigable for people with electric boats – and could open other doors.

“Elk Rapids Marina has a rapid charger [for electric boats],” Call says. “Northport has a rapid charger. Traverse City is working on getting their contract established for a rapid charger. So, in

effect, we can be the first place in North America with a charging corridor. Obviously, that’s great for anyone that has an electric boat, and it’s great for any kind of tourism or hospitality. But really, our key interest here...is because we want to go after the research, development, production, manufacturing, etc. of this growing industry. That’s really what’s in it for us. We’re looking to plant a flag and put our region on the map as a place for these companies to locate.”

Call spoke about the potential for a local electric marine economic epicenter at a meeting of the Traverse City Downtown Development Authority (DDA) last year, but the Fresh Coast Maritime Challenge has given the idea new momentum. The grant program also exists, in large part, because of Traverse Connect and its early brainstorming sessions about the value the electric boating industry could someday bring.

“We built this idea out [locally], and then we started talking to the MEDC probably about a year ago about how to get this some traction,” Call said. “So, over the past year, we’ve been talking with them, and the plan eventually came together in this grant program.”

Call says the idea grew from an acknowledgement that Michigan already has grant initiatives to encourage the adoption of road-based electric vehicles. Why not have “a parallel program about the adoption of these technologies for marine applications”? Those conversations led the MEDC to devise a program centered around electric boats, and Traverse Connect’s involvement led to northern Michigan being selected as the pilot location.

“Eventually, the state will want to extend [the grant program] to all of Michigan,” Call says. “But right now, it is specifically our region.”

While grants must be focused around

sustainable marine applications, Hoisington says potential uses for funding are rather expansive. Eligible projects could include the installation of electric charging stations at marinas, projects aimed at transitioning maritime vessels or fleets to alternative fuel sources, the establishment of full-fledged electric boat businesses in the region, or education and workforce development initiatives to increase the local talent pool in this industry niche.

Call says he’s already had conversations with boat manufacturers – ranging from startups and early-stage companies to major “well-established” brands –about the grant program.

“Some would be interested in locating a small aspect of a bigger operation here,” he said. “Some of the early-stage companies might even locate their production or assembly facilities here.”

One example is Hercules Marine, an early-stage company that makes a stateof-the-art electric drive system described by the company as “revolutionary in its approach” of bringing “more horsepower, more efficiency, [and] more control” to the electric boating experience. Another early-stage company looking at the grant program is Lilypad Labs, which makes entirely solar-powered boats (pictured). Among the bigger companies looking at Traverse City as an option is Mercury Marine, known for electric boating propulsion systems that offer quick acceleration, quiet performance, and minimal maintenance. Beyond boat manufacturers, Call says Michigan Tech “is looking at this grant program and may submit an application to conduct a research project related to marine electrification” in the Grand Traverse area. Applications for the grant program are due May 12.

NEW PROGRAMS, NEW SCHOLARSHIPS

Three notable developments at NMC

By Craig Manning

Big things are happening in local educational circles, ranging from scholarship opportunities to chances for students to brush up on their cooking skills.

New culinary offerings

Locals looking to elevate their skills in the kitchen – whether as a potential career path or just for their own enjoyment –have seen several new opportunities come online in the past year.

At Northwestern Michigan College (NMC), the Great Lakes Culinary Institute (GLCI) has recently been working to “reimagine” itself to suit the wants and needs of the local community. Describing the process to TCBN sister publication The Ticker last fall, NMC President Nick Nissley said that GLCI has seen a steady enrollment decline in the past decade, from more than 200 students in 2014 to about 80 in 2022.

Revenue from the Culinary Institute fell from $600,000 to $300,000.

“For me, those were warning bells saying that we needed to take action,” Nissley said.

In response, NMC has trimmed the program’s staff, added several new classes and culinary certificates, traded NMC’s traditional 15-week semester calendar for eight-week terms, and doubled down on cooking master classes.

Now, GLCI students can take classes in butchery, farm-to-table cooking, and beverage management, or pursue a certificate geared toward baking and pastry skills. Master classes and shorter course lengths, meanwhile, are intended to open the door to a larger and more diverse range of prospective culinary learners, including hobbyists.

“We really want to change the image of GLCI from a culinary school for people who want to enter into the industry, to

is looking to make accessible culinary education more of a staple in and around Traverse City. With the opening of the Commongrounds building on Eighth Street, Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities has completed construction on its long-in-the-works Esperance Community Teaching Kitchen.

The aim of that project is to spread skills and knowledge of local-food cooking throughout the community, according to its 2022 annual report.

kitchen, to teach (cooking) skills to families,” Voss said.

Other community groups, like early childcare providers, employee wellness groups, and senior living programs will be invited to teach their communities at Esperance as well.

NMC’s newest partnership

NMC announced in March that it had forged a new partnership with Bay Mills Community College – a tribally operated institution in the Upper Peninsula – in an effort to increase the number of dental assistants serving northern Michigan and Native American patients in particular.

That partnership came to be, thanks to an articulation agreement between the two schools. That agreement effectively creates a pipeline for Bay Mills students to transfer to NMC’s dental assistant program after their first year of school.

a culinary educational hub for all,” said GLCI Director Les Eckert of the changes.

“We want the community to know that if they want to learn something related to food, they can come to us.”

NMC also hired a consultant to identify new revenue streams at Lobdell’s, GLCI’s Hagerty Center-based teaching restaurant. Recommendations from that six-month contract will likely surface around the start of the 2023-24 school year.

NMC isn’t the only local player that

The teaching kitchen is connected to the Groundwork Center’s new office in Commongrounds and is available to be used by a variety of community groups. Groundwork Executive Director Hans Voss previously told The Ticker that the idea for Esperance came together as a result of the organization’s efforts to focus on food as medicine, and Groundwork will be relying on numerous partners to move those efforts forward.

“At culinary medical conferences we kept hearing about the need for a teaching

NMC’s dental assistant program offers a year-long curriculum and provides students with preparation for the state exam that is necessary to earn a registered dental assistant (RDA) license. NMC’s program is one of just six accredited dental assistant programs in the state, as well as the furthest north; there are no schools with accredited dental assistant programs in the UP.

According to an NMC press release announcing the partnership, the college’s program also boasts a 96% pass rate among

“We really want to change the image of GLCI from a culinary school for people who want to enter into the industry, to a culinary educational hub for all.”

– Les Eckert, director, Great Lakes Culinary Institute

graduates that seek the RDA license. Dental assistants play an important role in the dentistry field through scheduling appointments, taking X-rays and assisting dentists with procedures.

There is currently a nationwide shortage of dental assistants – an issue that the American Dental Industry says has already reduced dental practice capacity by an estimated 10% nationally. Those shortages are particularly pronounced in rural areas, which impacts access to care for people in those areas.

The crisis is even worse in Native American communities, says Diana McKenzie, dean of science and allied health at Bay Mills.

“Our communities need more dental professionals of any kind,” she said.

Of the 315,000 dental assistants in the United States, only about 0.7% are Native American.

Beckie Wooters, director of the NMC dental assistant program, officially kicked off the new articulation agreement part-

nership with a recruiting visit to Bay Mills Community College on April 17. State

programs and their potential local impact

The State of Michigan is using a trio of programs to get students of all ages into college classrooms and armed with the skills they need to succeed. For leaders at NMC, these programs spell an exciting new dawn after years of declining enrollment, COVID

aftershocks, and questions about how to engage older or nontraditional learners.

Not all these efforts are brand-new. The biggest one – Michigan Reconnect – has been in place for nearly two years. Michigan Reconnect offers students free tuition at their in-district community college to pursue an associate degree or Pell-eligible skill certificate. The program is open to anyone 25 or older.

In its first two years, Michigan Reconnect has impacted NMC’s enrollment.

7

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-Dean Adams,President Bay Area Contracting

Since welcoming its first Reconnect students in summer 2021, NMC has attracted about 400 pupils through the initiative.

All told, some 950 students have so far come to NMC by way of the Reconnect program and its predecessor, Frontline. The number is more than double the count of students that NMC lost between the pre-pandemic (the college had 2,789 students enrolled in the fall of 2019) and the post-pandemic (by fall 2021, enrollment was down to 2,331 students, a 458-pupil dip).

Across those 950 students, NMC has dispersed nearly $2 million in free tuition to date, says NMC Director of Financial Aid Linda Berlin.

Another program that could affect

college enrollment numbers is the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, which offers thousands of dollars per year to any 2023 high school graduate who decides to pursue college in state. The size of each scholarship will vary depending on the type of program the student decides to attend, in addition to factors like family income and financial need.

Finally, also debuting in 2023 is College Edge, NMC’s name for a new state-funded catch-up program aimed in part at helping address COVID-era learning loss for students starting college in the fall.

Todd Neibauer, NMC’s vice president for student services and technologies, says that NMC will get $83,000 upfront to

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plan a pair of five-week sessions for that program this summer. Each session will include math and English classes, as well as a “college success component” where students learn time management, smart study tactics, and more. Depending on enrollment, NMC could receive additional funding from the state to pay for the program, up to a potential $250,000.

“It’s not confined to just recent graduates,” Neibauer said. “It’s really for anybody who’s going to school for the first time, or attending after a long hiatus. Because for adults who are deciding to come back to school, that can be as much of a hurdle (as COVID-related learning loss).”

Both Neibauer and Berlin see these

new programs as an opportunity for the college and the community. Neibauer says post-secondary attendance rates for high school graduates have declined by 10%, to about 52% of local graduates pursuing college within six months of high school graduation.

“So, I think having these programs available – and getting the word out to students that these opportunities are there for them – (will) be really important to improving those numbers and also to helping those students get a leg up,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if they’re looking to be a welder, or transfer and go to a university for a bachelor’s degree – they have opportunities to do those things through these programs.”

MERCANTILE BANK ARRIVES IN TRAVERSE CITY with New Home Base, Familiar Face, And A Real Opportunity

From the largest banking institutions in the world to small, community banks that have served the region for a century, Traverse City certainly has its share of banks and credit unions. And yet here comes another: Grand Rapids-based Mercantile Bank, with a stellar reputation among businesses and among the state’s largest banks with more than $5 billion in assets. Where does Mercantile fit in the TC market? Turns out in a perfect spot. We caught up with Mercantile’s Community President Scot Zimmerman to hear why.

TCBN: First of all, Traverse City knows you well, Scot!

Zimmerman: Yes, I grew up here. Lived here basically all my life. And most recently readers and customers will remember me from Chemical Bank, which became Huntington, where I last served as regional and community president.

TCBN: And for you personally, why come back to banking?

Zimmerman: I was just looking for the ideal opportunity. I wanted an organization that would fit with what I had to offer. Mercantile obviously is well thought of in all the banking circles, and they’re trying to accomplish what I’ve been working on for dozens of years — that middle space in the market where there’s a real need for relationship banking. They also prioritize organic growth and the attraction of talent, and those things also resonate with me.

TCBN: Talk about the local banking market a little. Because to the casual observer, it seems like we have enough banks here already.

Zimmerman: Sure, it may strike some as “overbanked,” but for the regional economy more is better with respect to capital formation. Whether that’s serving an entrepreneur or existing business or

even your home and family. That activity is healthy, and even in this very busy market we really do see a hole: The larger banks get too institutional and they overmanage their credit risk and centralize decision-making. It’s tricky for them to serve in a smaller market. And then what you see on the other end is smaller community banks that sometimes don’t have the capabilities people might need. Our space is in between.

TCBN: And that’s Mercantile?

Zimmerman: It really is. We have $5 billion in assets, so we absolutely can serve the needs of 99.9 percent of customers in northwest Michigan. And Traverse City has identified itself as a regional hub and a springboard to the U.P, and as a commercially-focused bank, we will pursue opportunities all throughout the north. And our professional colleagues — the appraisers, accountants and attorneys —already know us.

TCBN: Talk about your presence here.

Zimmerman: We already have two full-service branch locations in Cadillac, including a commercial lender, and a mortgage lending team. Aaron Davenport joined us from Chase here in Traverse City, and I came on in November. We also just promoted someone to a junior commercial lender. We’ll also have a treasury management specialist and then a commercial lender in Petoskey. Our home base will be right there at the corner of Park and State starting June 12, and we’ll run the region from there. We’ll have boutique retail banking, residential mortgage lending, and commercial lending.

TCBN: You mentioned Cadillac and Petoskey. Are those your core targets up here?

Zimmerman: Traverse City of course,

yes. We’re in Cadillac. We certainly understand Petoskey and Charlevoix. But we’re also working down in Manistee and Ludington, too.

TCBN: Well, you’re right about everything always changing in banking and in this market, things never stands still!

Zimmerman: Right. And we just continue to hear from business owners and leaders that they want a stable, agile partner that understands Traverse City and understands business banking. That’s why we are here.

Member FDIC

The larger banks get too institutional and they overmanage their credit risk and centralize decision-making. It’s tricky for them to serve in a smaller market. And then what you see on the other end is smaller community banks that sometimes don’t have the capabilities people might need.

By Jennifer Ewing, columnist

Korn Ferry, a widely recognized global consulting company, recently completed a study indicating that, if left unchecked, by 2030, there will be a global human talent shortage of more than 85 million people.

What does this mean locally? That the talent shortage and recruitment woes are here to stay.

With the continued tight labor market, creative talent attraction and retention has become even more critical. Two new buzzwords being used on the people-side of business are “upskilling” and “reskilling.” Both are critically important but each brings different nuances and solutions.

Upskilling refers to teaching the workforce additional skills. For this discussion, it is specifically training those competencies that will be needed over the next five to ten years. This may include digital, technological or analytical skills to meet not only the current, but also the future, workplace demands. Upskilling can lead to increased productivity along with engaging employees who feel invested in and valued. If fewer candidates are available, it is about efficiency and retention so that the need for recruitment is minimized.

Think, as a simple example, of the amount of tools that are now built into a simple Word program. Are your employees fully taking advantage of these tools? Is “Translate” being used to communicate with a global economy rather than relying on an interpreter? Is “Compare” being employed to ensure contracts or documents have not been modified rather than an individual slowly comparing both? Not to mention the impact of artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, on document creation. It is not about eliminating personnel, but training employees on the tools that will make their jobs easier and more effective, thus removing the need for additional talent and staffing.

Reskilling, on the other hand, is providing employees with the training

THE DRAINING TALENT POOL

Upskilling and reskilling can help with looming shortage

and development needed so that they are able to perform new and developing roles. These jobs may not even exist in your organization right now. Businesses must analyze changing technology and customer demands to anticipate the occupations of the future. They must also create training for the workforce so that the organization stays relevant and competitive.

The NMC Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) training, which includes the use of drones, is a great example of a degree and profession that even 10 or 20 years ago seemed unrealistic. But now, UAS’s are being used in a wide variety of industries such as agriculture, construction, emergency response and energy. Reskilling employees to utilize UAS as part of the day-to-day work has become necessary in all of these industries. What technology will your industry be using in 2026 or 2030? What steps have you taken to ensure your workforce is ready and prepared?

Steps an organization should take to assess future workforce needs include assessing your business strategy and weighing in market and technology trends. Break free of the, “We’ve always

• What is the availability of training?

• Will you need to create resources yourself or are there experts that can be utilized?

Finally, develop a plan for transitioning employees into these new roles, including a timeline and strategic communication. Through it all, make sure employees feel valued, invested in and part of the solution rather than being left behind. This is a great opportunity to energize and engage the current workforce.

As the global talent shortage continues, investing in the current workforce can lead to engagement, efficiency and retention. Employers should create plans around upskilling and reskilling the current workforce to limit the need for recruitment along with preparing both the business and its employees for the future.

done it this way,” mantra and focus on how we could do it in the future. Then assess the current skill gaps:

• What risk is there to the business if these gaps are left unaddressed?

Jennifer Ewing, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is a partner with Human Resource Partners in Traverse City and works with employers to improve the people-side of business.

Businesses must analyze changing technology and customer demands to anticipate the occupations of the future.

By Gretchen Swanson, columnist

Options for talent in our region, and the country, are shifting in how individuals can obtain relevant skills and gain competencies needed for in-demand careers.

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As a community, we need to change our perception of what education and training look like and rapidly modify many long-held talent acquisition structures which were designed to focus on traditional higher education degrees as prerequisites.

TRS 711

This isn’t to say that the requirements for many critical jobs in our region which remain open and unfilled stipulating a minimum of a bachelor’s or master’s degree aren’t valid in their intent. In fact, there are jobs which require degrees for licensing or by mandate. Yet there are far more jobs, with high projected growth potential, which don’t have any such industry or legal requirement. Instead, these job prerequisites simply suffer from legacy language in outdated job descriptions and stale position postings – zombie job requirements.

Too often, a degree requirement is simply a proxy for what an employer perceives will translate to knowledge, skills, and abilities in the workplace. It also correlates that employers who screen for bachelor’s degrees will disproportionately exclude people of color, veterans, and rural workers.

Whether filtered out by algorithms or by human hand, there is a significant talent pool being left on the table. Let’s ask ourselves how we can better communicate what is truly required to fill these in-demand occupations and how to make it easier for our youth and working-age population to demonstrate that they have what we are looking for, either from earning a traditional degree or acquired skills through alternative routes.

I’d challenge our community to fully consider and learn more about the multiple pathways to career success, such as on-the-job skill building and industry-recognized credentials.

This is not an either or, but an “and” solution mindset. Let us in tandem show our collective support for higher

‘ZOMBIE’ J OB REQUIREMENTS

Losing outdated language and updating what is truly needed for talent acquisition

education and quality training options. We need to focus on communicating that completion is key. Completion of a credential, certificate, apprenticeship, internship, or a college or university degree are all valuable to one’s career prospects and earning opportunities, but only if you complete it.

Ponder that in Grand Traverse County alone, and the data is similar in connected counties, nearly 23% of the working age population’s highest education attainment is a high school degree, just over 24% have some college, 10% have associate degrees and 23.5% have a bachelor’s degree. We have so much opportunity to move those without a degree into industry-recognized credentials.

Think of designing our regional career education options and training programs like pedestrian-friendly streets. We show our youth and working-age population that there are medians to take “traffic refuge” after each completion, for those who need them, like working parents. We emphasize completion because each completion gives the learner a tangible asset to leverage to better their employment and earnings.

Many highly sought-after credentials are available through Northwest Education

Career Tech Center for upper high school students and from Northwestern Michigan College (NMC). Over the last year, at 20Fathoms we’ve been convening regional employers of technology professionals via the Employer Led Collaborative and used the Talent Pipeline Management framework to extract the critical competencies they find in short supply and are most concerned about.

The next step is to create new training programs that create a pipeline of talent for high-demand jobs locally. This work is made possible from the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) Michigan Industry Cluster Approach (MICA 3.0) grant awarded to 20Fathoms.

20Fathoms is working in collaboration with NMC’s Computer Information Technology (CIT) and Extended Education Services to develop a new offering this fall which will result in the preparedness for an industry-recognized certificate. This extended education class was built to offer students a paced completion pathway: First, complete the class and test out to earn an industry-recognized certification. One can pause here and work while they ready themselves for the next step or continue to complete the

next for-credit certificate of achievement and even continue to complete their associate degree.

For those interested in transferring to a four-year school, associate degree holders are highly sought after by colleges and universities – statistically, associate degree holders are completers. Schools and employers look for and value completers.

Take a step back to recognize the barriers to the traditional collegiate routes when reviewing job descriptions and postings. Confirm that your most successful hires in recent years actually had that bachelor’s degree as posted – did they have the major your posting required, or did you just want a degree? Did you make an exception and hire someone without a degree based upon their work experience and/or a credential they had?

If either of those are true – make updating your job postings to reflect what you really need, not what you think you need, a top priority. Help our community grow the number of and expand our image of a completer to prepare us for the future.

Gretchen Swanson, SHPR, SHRM-SCP, is the Director of Workforce Development at 20Fathoms. She can be reached at Gretchen@ 20Fathoms.org.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

EXPOSURES

Traverse Connect was the setting for a kick-off for At the Bedside, a new health & wellness coaching business in Traverse City that offers one-on-one coaching as well as Employee Assistance Programs for businesses to purchase for their employees and leaders. Cutting the ribbon is Tyler VandenBosch, RN.

Jeff Caviston (vice president, trust relationship manager at Huntington Bank), Siena Larson (co-owner, Wandr North Adventure Photography and Videography), Melissa Socia (prevention coordinator, Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center), and Wes Sovis (development director, Norte Youth Cycling) at the Coffee + Community meetup at Oryana’s 10th Street Cafe. The Grand Traverse Community Regional Foundation hosts the gathering, which aims to bring community members together for conversations that can help spark connections and deepen relationships for the benefit of the GTRCF’s five-county region.

Moomer’s Homemade Ice Cream, in partnership with the Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center (TBCAC), launched a limited special edition flavor in April for child abuse prevention month. Helping at the launch were TBCAC team members Melissa Socia, prevention coordinator, and undergrad intern Sophie Wyatt. Moomer’s has been partnering with community organizations for many years.

Michigan’s Attorney General Dana Nessel made a scheduled stop at the Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center in April to learn about the services provided to children and families who have experienced abuse and the community efforts the center has initiated to prevent child abuse from occurring in the first place.

Co-founders Tyler Watson and Ricky Rietjen presented an innovative approach to agriculture at the April TCNewTech Pitch Night. The audience vote was overwhelmingly in favor of the startup, which is focused on creating sustainable and environmentally-friendly agricultural practices.

The Ticker held a special April Recess at ELEV8 Climbing Gym in downtown Traverse City. Attendees were entered to win prizes including a Falling Waters Lodge gift card, a bike tuneup at City Bike Shop, and free day passes to the gym. Food was catered by The Good Bowl, with wine from Mari Vineyards and beer from Loco Boys Brewing Co. Please send Exposures by the 10th of the month to news@tcbusinessnews.com (labeled Exposures).

Serra Subaru of Traverse City presented a $35,925 check to the Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency, the retailer’s selected hometown charity, during the annal Subaru Share the Love® Event. The event gives car buyers the opportunity to dedicate a donation to support their local community. In conjunction with Subaru of America Inc., Serra donated $300 for every new vehicle purchased or leased from Nov. 17-Jan. 3.

A New Chapter For The Northport Omena Chamber Of Commerce

By Craig Manning

The Northport Omena Chamber of Commerce is getting a reboot.

On the heels of a skeleton-crew year for the organization, a sizable injection of new ideas and new blood – including a brand-new leadership team – is helping to reorient the chamber in a new direction. The Leelanau Ticker sat down with Daniel Caudill – newly elected as chamber president – to find out what the future might hold for this convener of the businesses at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula.

First, some background: Last September, the Northport Omena Chamber of

Commerce sent an email to its newsletter subscribers titled “Call for Board Members and Volunteers.” In the email, chamber members got a sobering update on the status of the organization, which at the time seemed to be running out of gas. The chamber board of directors had dwindled to just two members – Brayton Farr of Cardinal Financial, then vice president; and Sarah Hallstedt of Hallstedt Homestead Cherries, then secretary and treasurer – and those members were trying to keep chamber services and programming going with minimal support or resources.

The call for more hands on deck led to the formation of a small “working

group” of local business leaders, which has been working ever since “to develop a plan to reinvigorate the chamber’s outreach, membership, and leadership.”

In February of this year, that group launched a process aimed at building out a new leadership team, and the chamber sent out another newsletter with a warning about what might become of the organization if no one showed interest in taking up those leadership roles.

“Please understand that if no one steps up, the chamber will likely cease to exist,” the email read.

Now, with a new leadership team in place, not only will the Northport Om-

ena Chamber of Commerce continue to exist, but it could also evolve to serve local businesses in new and varied ways.

In addition to Caudill, the new board includes Hallstedt (retaining her role as treasurer), Margo Millard of Barb’s Bakery (who will serve as vice president), and Stef Staley of the Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum (who will step into the role of secretary). Caudill, who is the owner and founder of Olean’s Northport, says he has “at least 30 ideas” in mind for what the new chapter might look like.

“First, I feel like the chamber needs to add a lot of value to the members,”

Caudill told The Leelanau Ticker . “And second, I think we need to really focus not just on Northport’s central core, but on that entire tip of the Leelanau Peninsula. Because that includes so much. It includes the farm community; it includes the creative class; it includes the trades. Rather than just focusing on that downtown area in Northport, we need to be trying to support all of the different businesses that are up here – whether they’re individuals, or retail, or restaurants, or whatever.”

When asked about the weight of responsibility that comes from taking up the leadership of an organization that was near the brink of oblivion, Caudill says he wants to keep his focus on the future rather than the past.

“My hope is to not dwell on where we’ve been, but to refocus [the chamber], and really look at what true needs and true value looks like,” he explains. “We’re in a position to reimagine what this group can do. Right now, we do a lot of event-based support for local businesses. But to me, there’s a lot of opportunity to help serve the community with more information, more resources. Even things like offering group health insurance or life insurance to members of the chamber, those things could really build in true value to help support the local businesses.”

Caudill doesn’t want to promise anything just yet. Over the next few weeks,

he says the new board will be “putting together an action plan” that includes plans and goals for the organization. Specific details about the new offerings that could become part of the chamber’s arsenal – such as the possibility for group insurance – will be shared with the community at a later date.

Overall, though, Caudill wants to make the Northport Omena Chamber of Commerce something more like Traverse Connect, the chamber of commerce orga-

and leadership development programs for local workers looking to build new skills and move up the local corporate ladder.

Two years ago, for instance, Traverse Connect conducted a local “Skills Gap Study,” where it surveyed regional employers to find out where and why they were most struggling to fill jobs. That survey drew 120 responses and identified key takeaways about talent shortages in different local industries – particularly

problem-solving initiatives within the Northport Omena Chamber.

“We need to be servicing the true needs of the community,” Caudill says. “We need to be asking: What do these businesses need from us to help them? What support can we provide? Can we be giving them tools and information to help them succeed? How do we structure [the chamber] so that we really bring value and answer the needs of the community?”

While those bigger questions and ideas are what is drawing Caudill to the challenge of leading the Northport Omena Chamber, he assures locals that the organization’s tradition of hosting events and shining a spotlight on businesses that way won’t be disappearing. In fact, one of the first things on the calendar for the newly-rebooted chamber was a ribbon-cutting for Fingers Crossed, the new restaurant opening in the former Garage Bar/Garage Bar-B-Q space in downtown Northport.

nization that services the Grand Traverse region. That organization provides a long list of services, tools, and resources to local businesses and to the community at large, from economic development services for the Traverse City Downtown Development Authority to educational

the skilled trades. Then, last fall, Traverse Connect piloted a “Skilled Trades Explorer” program at Kingsley Middle School, aimed specifically at addressing local talent shortages in fields like construction, electrical work, and manufacturing.

Caudill sees potential for similar active

“Dave Kwiatkowski, who purchased the Garage Bar in 2021, he closed it last fall and then he completely reimagined the space,” Caudill says. “He’s been working in there, building tables and a new bar, and it is so beautiful inside. It’s an amazing space, and really has nothing to do with what it was prior. The new name is Fingers Crossed, and I think it will really raise the bar, not just for Northport, but for northern Michigan as a whole.”

“First, I feel like the chamber needs to add a lot of value to the members. And second, I think we need to really focus not just on Northport’s central core, but on that entire tip of the Leelanau Peninsula.”

- Daniel Caudill, owner, Olean’s Northport

TCBN: I’m guessing this time of year there’s a lot brewing at Cherry Capital Airport…

Klein: Oh, yes. Lots of things going on. Traffic has been really good.

TCBN: Oh? Tell us more about why and where.

Klein: For starters, Sun Country, which will start serving us June 16, was supposed to go through Labor Day, but has decided to extend their schedule through mid-October. Extending this prior to even starting is awesome. I think it’s bookings that really drove that. When I ask, they say, “Traverse City is punching above its weight.” If I’m on cloud 9 about anything, it’s that!

TCBN: And how has the first quarter looked so far overall?

Klein: Looks like we’ll be up 15-18 percent over 2022, which is really great.

TCBN: What about the big upcoming summer season?

Klein: This summer, from a traffic perspective, we will continue to maintain the cities we serve, and are also seeing a lot of larger aircraft replacing the smaller ones, which is fantastic news for Traverse City. On the Dallas flights we will see the Airbus 320 with 150 seats six days a week; last year we had 75 seats, so that’s double the capacity. On Saturdays it will be the Airbus 321 with 192 seats that will last into August. Delta’s Atlanta is back and

AIR TIME

Cherry Capital Airport’s Executive Director Kevin Klein on summer, the big expansion and the future of electric aircraft

that starts July 1 and runs through Labor Day. Denver will see larger aircraft and Chicago will, too. Allegiant will do Phoenix this summer and Tampa this summer. It’s all good.

TCBN: And how’s the labor situation at the airport these days?

Klein: At this moment it’s stable. From an airport perspective we’ve got a couple positions open for maintenance and for operations supervisor, and it looks like a good pool of candidates, which is good news. The airlines are doing well with their winter staff but still looking for some summertime seasonal staff, which is common this time of year. The car rental companies are still struggling. But overall I’m hoping we’re on the upward swing overall. I’m hoping this year is a big improvement over last year’s troubles.

TCBN: Good. And parking? How crazy was it during spring break with everyone leaving their cars behind?

Klein: Our parking has held up very well so far. Spring break we had about 100 spots open every day out of a total of 1,235. We increased by 440 spots last year, which has served us well.

TCBN: And I know another headache during the pandemic and into last year was the lack of rental cars. Any news on that front?

Klein: We actually just met with them today! I’m positive there will be cars. The change in that industry is you used to get

a relatively new rental car with maybe a couple thousand miles on it. Today you might likely get one with 40-50 thousand miles on them. The companies are buying leases that are ending to backfill their fleets.

TCBN: And the Uber situation? Are we still hunting and hoping for more drivers?

Klein: The Uber and shuttle situation is a tad better, but not much. We have taxis and BATA has some solutions. COVID drove a lot of the Uber drivers to DoorDash and we just haven’t seen them convert back. But it’s become very easy and lucrative here. You just sign up and start driving!

TCBN: What’s the latest on the big expansion? I know it’s starting in phases.

Klein: Yes, we’ve kicked off our terminal ramp expansion, going 130 feet east and west. It just started and is going very well. We look to get the west side set by Memorial Day and hopefully finishing the east side by mid-summer. It’s going to help with current capacity challenges and it’s really needed.

TCBN: I think people are curious about the general aviation side of the airport. So much goes on beyond the airlines we all see or experience.

Klein: Yes, general aviation includes any aircraft from the smallest single engine to corporate aviation jets, and includes training, charters, the air ambu-

lance, sightseeing tours and also freight operators like UPS and FedEx. Out of about 100,000 flight operations here at the airport, the airlines only represent about 11,000. So it’s very important to us.

TCBN: I also just read about United really investing in the future of electric aircraft. Is that real or coming anytime soon?

Klein: It’s honestly right around the corner. I really do believe that. It will start with single engines like the college operates. It will change the environmental impact, the noise, pollution, everything. You’ll see very high demand eventually, but we will need to adapt for infrastructure and charging first. One thing they’re looking at starting with would be, for example, using them to pick people up in Gaylord and bringing them to Traverse City for their flight from here.

TCBN: What else?

Klein: We’ll be visiting Allegiant soon to discuss everything, including their purchase of 737 Max aircraft and when those will go online, any new cities in their network, and also marketing. They do a lot of advertising around national parks, and we want to make sure Sleeping Bear Dunes is right up there in their marketing.

TCBN: Any chance we could ever get a Las Vegas flight via Allegiant?

Klein: I hope so! Everybody here wants Vegas, and we’d also love to get Fort Lauderdale, which is close for the horse shows population in Florida.

SCORE Traverse City is actively recruiting more mentors, as the number of requests for mentoring has increased significantly over the last six months. You might be wondering how to become a mentor and what you can bring to the table.

I’ve been a SCORE mentor for six years. My interest and involvement came from being a client in the mid-90s when I was a burned-out working mom looking for a better work/life balance. I was presented with the opportunity to buy an existing business but was a nervous wreck. My SCORE mentors analyzed the numbers with me, walked me through the steps and recommended I go for it.

I was so grateful for that affirmation and guidance. When I retired, I was hoping to give back for that pivotal time of support in my life.

SCORE has been the premier volunteer small business mentoring organization in America since 1964, with more than 10,000 volunteers across the country sharing business expertise to help entrepreneurs succeed. The Traverse City chapter has garnered several awards and has 30 experienced mentors that serve the greater Grand Traverse region.

Entrepreneurs of every variety come to us through the SCORE website. Some are in the dreaming and visionary stage, some have started to write a formal business plan, some are stuck and need advice on financing or other infrastructure details and some are facing challenges in a business already established.

We meet them exactly where they are and all services are free of charge.

Mentors sign up for six to eight slots per quarter. Working in teams of two, mentoring sessions last about an hour –either in person or on Zoom.

After the initial session, follow-up meetings are scheduled at the convenience of the mentors and clients. We strive to be available as a sounding board, advisor, accountability partner, encourager and information resource.

All mentors are equipped with a rich library of resources. Monthly chapter meetings keep mentors up to date on best practices and the latest regional opportunities.

SCORE originated as the “Service Corp of Retired Executives.” Today, the “retired” portion of the acronym has expanded to include both working and

retired professionals from a wide variety of business sectors. Realtor Judy Potter is one of the many SCORE mentors still active in their career.

“As pandemic fears subside, we’ve seen an amazing uptick in the optimism of people who want to explore business ownership,” said Potter, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors and co-chair of the local chapter.

SCORE mentor Mollie Everett is fully retired from a career in marketing and now shares her experience with budding entrepreneurs.

“As a marketing executive for Herman Miller, I wasn’t sure if I could bring my experience from that stratosphere down to the small business arena,” she said.

“But working with young entrepreneurs has been so meaningful. Sometimes our clients just need an accountability partner or an affirming presence as they navigate the complexity of a start-up.”

If you’re interested in mentoring, here are the steps to becoming one:

1. A candidate begins by talking with a recruitment committee member. They then meet with a group of mentors to see if the fit is right.

2. From there, onboarding involves an online orientation session that can

be completed at the convenience of the new mentor.

3. New mentors then attend the orientation, which includes a pledge to the code of ethics, which addresses standards for conflict of interest, volunteer conduct, confidentiality and implicit bias. New mentors also can sit in on as many mentoring sessions as they like before diving in as either a lead or secondary mentor.

SCORE presents free workshops on a regular basis, such as the upcoming event on May 18. This event will talk about bank financing and what lenders require when approving a business loan. Sign ups are available now.

The Grand Traverse region is alive with entrepreneurial energy and business start-ups. If you believe this opportunity to mentor and contribute to the economic success of our region might be a good fit for you, visit https://www.score.org/ traversecity or email judy.potter@scorevolunteer.org.

Donna Probes holds an MBA and is a former small business owner. She served as the executive director of the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation prior to retirement. With a BA in music, she remains an active performing musician and has been a SCORE mentor for six years.

By Donna Probes, columnist

MARKET

How to manage cash vs. borrowing when interest rates rise

We all use credit in our daily lives, whether it’s to help optimize cash flow, create tax efficiencies, or make purchases. A rising-interest-rate environment could be a good time to take a closer look at liquidity strategies and other forms of borrowing.

Using cash versus borrowing

It could make sense to pay cash instead of borrowing in some instances. Let’s say you have a fair amount of cash and are not planning to invest it in the market. That could be a good solution for buying a car or a house, paying for a child’s education, or expanding a business.

Amid higher interest rates, paying cash could be a better option than securing a long-term loan to buy a costly item.

“Increased rates may also impact purchasing power for bigger-ticket items (such as homes, boats, and airplanes) traditionally financed over longer periods,” says Brian Singsank, senior lead wealth custom lending specialist, Wells Fargo Wealth & Investment Management. “It’s important to evaluate your balance sheet and wealth plan to make sure they are aligned to help meet upcoming liquidity needs.”

Also, if you have an existing variable-rate loan, such as an adjustable-rate mortgage or line of credit, that rate could go up, resulting in higher interest costs.

“If it’s still a long-term funding need, when interest rates are rising could be the time to evaluate,” Singsank says.

Whatever you decide, timing can be critical. Your investment planners can help you decide on what is best for your current situation.

Discuss credit and liquidity needs with your advisors

“Be proactive when interest rates change,” says Singsank. “Consider reviewing your wealth plan and related credit and liquidity needs with your banker, advisor, your CPA, and even an estate-planning specialist.”

Singsank recommends starting those conversations by sharing your answers to these basic questions:

1. How much in assets would you be willing to liquidate and why?

2. Are you debt-averse?

3. Would you consider alternatives to liquidating your current cash reserves in order to meet your financial needs?

4. Based on your balance-sheet leverage, what is your exposure to rising interest rates?

5. Are you comfortable with the amount you’re paying or may have to pay to service your variable interest payments in a rising-rate environment?

6. As part of working toward your financial goals, do you anticipate upcoming borrowing or liquidity needs?

“Once you’ve answered these questions,” says Singsank, “you should better understand whether you need to make changes to your wealth plan, including liquidity and other borrowing strategies, to help meet your financial goals.”

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MAKING IT IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN GAME CHANGER: Hybrid Robotics making

By Clark Miller

There are lessons to be learned from local startup Hybrid Robotics (HR).

HR’s founders – Matt Goddard, Aaron Bottke and Ryan Mater – envisioned a company that would design, build and sell a new kind of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), one that could deliver underwater robots to a watery worksite. There were many reasons to be optimistic it would work. They had solid technical skills picked up at Northwestern Michigan College and the military. And they had plenty of entrepreneurial pluck.

Gradually it became clear that even with backing from majority owner Boomerang Catapult, the initial plan would require significant research and development before it had a chance of succeeding.

Being new to the market created barriers to market entry as well, said Paul Klug, HR’s CEO.

“Companies tend to have more faith in well-known manufacturers,” he said.

They decided to ditch the original plan (or at least put it on the back burner) and in its place develop a proprietary product that could become a strong revenue source in a more manageable time frame.

The team created a high-tech tethering system, or “smart winch,” which improves data collection and provides additional power when coupled with underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).

“This is technology that we believe could be a game-changer,” said Klug.

Currently, the primary application is seafloor inspections and mapping. The tether works down to about 250 meters, which makes it particularly well suited for near-shore work. But it can be scaled up.

The challenge now is to find customers.

That’s why HR is working with well-established marine product marketer Unique Group. The Houston-based firm is slated to demonstrate the HR tethering system at this year’s Ocean’s Business annual maritime trade show held in Southampton, England.

“Unique Group is especially well connected to the European market and that’s where underwater research and development has gained significant support,” Klug said.

Meanwhile, HR has found an income source. It builds and services BlueLink LLC’s underwater robots, a connection that Klug says makes good business sense.

“In addition to the revenue stream it creates for us, it gives us exposure in the worldwide market,” he said. “BlueLink is well-known.”

In 2021, HR had $300,000 in revenue, with the aim to double in 2022. Without revealing an exact number, Klug acknowledged the company came in under that target.

“That was mainly due to shifting our focus to the tether system,” he said.

Still, he is confident the company is on the right track.

He had praise for the innovative culture in and around Traverse City, in particular Boomerang Catapult, 20Fathoms and TCNewTech, as platforms for coming together and talking about how to grow a business.

“It’s refreshing to see other companies innovating and pushing boundaries in the same setting,” he said. “Having that ecosystem around makes you feel you’re really in the game together.”

Meanwhile, the HR team organizational chart has Klug managing sales and investor relations. His colleague, Matt Goddard, is the go-to guy on the shop floor. He oversees production, data and quality control. Aaron Bottke is responsible for tech support as well as research and development. And Ryan Mater handles bookkeeping and supply chain management.

“Of course, when something comes up, we stay flexible and do what needs to be done,” Klug said. “That’s always the case with a startup.”

The Grand Traverse Area Manufacturing Council (GTAMC) sponsors this column. Its mission is to support a sustainable and globally competitive manufacturing sector for a stronger economy; makegreatthings.org.

waves with ‘smart winch’

“This is technology that we believe could be a game-changer.”

- Paul Klug, CEO, Hybrid Robotics

BOOK REVIEW

By Chris Wendel

As we grow older, most of us think of the direction our lives would have gone if we had chosen a different path. Those forks in the road that we passed on usually don’t have do-overs. The premise of the book “My What If Year” is that one can (sort of) go back again, even if it’s only for one chaotic year.

“My What If Year” is a memoir by Alicia Fernandez Miranda. She has a successful career that is regularly interrupted by nagging feelings of unhappiness. Serving as the CEO of an agency that works with nonprofit foundations, she is quickly approaching the age of 40 when she decides to take a professional sabbatical.

Married and the mother of twins, Miranda makes a bold decision to explore different professions that she had keen interests in earlier in her life. Taking a 12-month leave of absence from her company, and with the full support of her loving husband, she applies for multiple unpaid internships. It’s worth noting that she secured her first internship in early 2020, just prior to the recent pandemic.

The book follows her spirited journey to fulfillment as she is reinvigorated with the naïve enthusiasm and flexible mindset of a 20-year-old on their first internship. At the same time, she knows from experience that some failures are inevitable and part of the process. It’s this combination of enthusiasm and perspective that makes “My What If Year” appealing.

Her first foray moves her to New York City to work on Broadway, working behind the scenes on a production of the play “Assassins,” which is working feverishly toward its opening night. Perhaps overqualified for being an intern, Miranda is given menial tasks that she is glad to perform.

Just days before the show is to start, the world comes crashing down as a result of the coronavirus. Miranda is heartbroken to leave the production which she is passionate about, and heads home across the Atlantic to rejoin her family at a home in Scotland to ride out the pandemic.

It’s at this time she writes: “I stood center stage and closed my eyes, imagining an audience filled with anticipation of the opening chords about to be played. It was a future that seemed like it would never happen now. I took a deep bow to the empty room, savoring my last moments as a theater intern, or maybe as an intern altogether, and then stood up and silently walked out the stage door for the last time.”

After regaining her bearings, Miranda works her connections to land an internship with a posh Scottish hotel, followed by another at a London gallery. Each experience is full of mishaps and adventure. Yet with each one

MY WHAT IF YEAR

By Alicia Fernandez Miranda

she’s able to rebound and chalk up her mistakes and lack of experience as something to learn from, realizing that a younger version of herself may have seen these challenges as major disappointments. Things take an interesting turn when her gallery experience results in an unexpected job offer. Instead of a string of internships with limited consequences, Miranda has a serious career choice to consider.

One has to admire Miranda’s courage and undeterred determination to scratch her creative itch. She gives proper due to her understanding husband, who is left with the home duties and responsibilities of raising their children. There is also a tinge of irresponsibility here that might make some readers scratch their heads when thinking about taking on such a risk themselves. Miranda’s conversational, rapid-paced writing style brings readers along on her exciting adventure. At the same time, some of her musical theatre references may be lost on some uninitiated audiences.

Regardless, “My What If Year” is a rollicking ride that creates an exciting world for readers to follow along on, without any serious repercussions. Miranda also successfully gives readers the idea that it’s never too late for second chances.

Chris Wendel works for Northern Initiatives, a mission-based lender located in Marquette, Mich. Northern Initiatives provides funding to businesses in Michigan and “know-how” to organizations throughout the United States. Wendel lives and works in Traverse City.

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WEDNESDAY

>> BANKING & FINANCE

1 - R ick Budinger has joined Independent Bank as first vice president, senior banker, dealer services. Budinger brings an extensive background in the commercial dealer services industry. He is based in Traverse City and serves the entire Independent Bank footprint.

2 - Patricia Malone has been promoted to managing director of Breneman Advisors, a business brokerage, valuation and consulting firm headquartered in Traverse City. Malone assists businesses in organizational development, strategy facilitation, leadership and operational excellence. She has experience as a former CFO, COO and senior transformation leader.

3 - Dallas Worden has been promoted to vice president at Breneman Advisors in Traverse City. Worden has extensive experience in business valuations and is a certified valuation analyst. His primary focus is on mergers and acquisitions.

Honor Bank in Traverse City announces the following:

4 - Jess Ashmore, vice president and Traverse City Union Street branch manager, is the 2022 employee of the year. Ashmore has been with Honor Bank since 2018.

5 - P racilla Venhuizen is the new human resources manager for Honor Bank in Traverse City. Venhuizen brings more than a decade of local experience in both human resources and financial institution management.

6 - Ashlea Walter, marketing and communications manager, has been promoted to assistant vice president. She joined the bank in 2020.

>> HEALTHCARE

7 - Dino Recchia, M.D., has been named heart and vascular service line medical director for Munson Healthcare. Dr. Recchia serves as senior physician leader and member of the leadership team to provide direction for the cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery and vascular surgery service lines. He continues his full-time practice.

>> HOSPITALITY & TOURISM

8 - Coryn Briggs has been promoted to senior director of marketing for Traverse City Tourism. With the organization for eight years, Briggs most recently served as director of digital marketing. She oversees a team responsible for traditional and digital marketing, content creation, website development, public relations and coordination with key travel partners.

9 - Daisy Fleisher has been named director of sales at Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville, overseeing the team responsible for group events at the resort. Fleisher has decades of hospitality and sales experience, including positions in Las Vegas and Hawaii.

10 - Katherine Herberholz has been appointed dual general manager of both Cherry Tree Inn & Suites and Hotel Indigo in Traverse City. Herberholz brings more than a decade of hospitality experience to her role, most recently as director of resort operations for Mission Point Resort on Mackinac Island.

11 - John Korcyki has joined Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay as estate chef. Prior to moving to the Traverse City area, Korcyki was the executive chef of Milwaukee’s Harbor House.

1 // RICK BUDINGER

7 // DINO RECCHIA, M.D.

2 // PATRICIA MALONE

8 // CORYN BRIGGS

3 // DALLAS WORDEN

9 // DAISY FLEISHER

4 // JESS ASHMORE

10 // KATHERINE HERBERHOLZ

5 // PRACILLA VENHUIZEN

11 // JOHN KORCYKI

6 // ASHLEA WALTER

12 // CASSY STONE

12 - Cassy Stone has joined Events North, a corporate meeting and event management agency in Traverse Ci ty, as a project coordinator. Stone supports client needs and office operations. She brings both administrative and service industry experience to her new role.

>> NONPROFIT

13 - Kimberly Dimond of Traverse City was recently named executive director of the Michigan Lupus Foundation. Dimond has extensive experience at nonprofits, including previous roles as an orchestra manager and arts administrator.

14 - Jennifer Kerns has been named director of health initiatives at United Way of Northwest Michigan in Traverse City. This newly created position serves to improve the community’s health and well-being through the development of more specialized programming.

15 - Bailey Nuss has been named the new director of volunteer engagement for the United Way of Northwest Michigan in Traverse City. This newly created position serves to drive volunteerism. Nuss most recently served as the organization’s northwest region impact director.

>> OTHER

16 - Jenny Bremer has joined KW Northern Michigan in Traverse City as director of first impressions. Her entrepreneurial background includes a massage/ bodywork practice and a holistic coaching business.

17 - Gary Howe has joined Traverse City Horse Shows as marketing and communications manager. Howe will work with event organizers and community partners to promote the event to equestrian enthusiasts, local businesses and the broader northern Michigan community. Most recently, Howe was advocacy and communications director for Norte Youth Cycling.

18 - Elena Lentz has joined the Wilson Kester family law firm in Traverse City as an attorney.

19 - Kristine Penna has joined the sales and design team at Carpet Galleria in Traverse City. Penna brings more than five years of interior design and sales experience to her new position.

20 - Brooke Stevens, a certified pre-planning specialist at Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Traverse City, was recently named a

top pre-arrangement provider by Graystone Associates, a collection of funeral homes that specializes in consulting and training.

21 - Nicole Westrick, a certified pre-planning specialist at Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Traverse City, was recently named a top pre-arrangement provider by Graystone Associates, a collection of funeral homes that specializes in consulting and training.

Flight Path Creative in Traverse City announces the following:

22 - Andrew Lopez has joined the agency as web developer.

23 - Eric Ringwelski is a new account administrator, with experience in social media management, content creation, and website development.

24 - Cassie Sepp is a new associate graphic designer and account coordinator.

Please send Newsmakers by the 10th of the month to news@tcbusinessnews.com

13 // KIMBERLY DIMOND

19 // KRISTINE PENNA

14 // JENNIFER KERNS

20 // BROOKE STEVENS

15 // BAILEY NUSS

21 // NICOLE WESTRICK

16 // JENNY BREMER

22 // ANDREW LOPEZ

17 // GARY HOWE

23 // ERIC RINGWELSKI

18 // ELENA LENTZ

24 // CASSIE SEPP