October 2010

Business
update
$2.00

1993-2010 ublication

Features:
Women in Business
Credit Union Update
Transportation
Packaging
Surveying
Construction
Dental
Travel & Lodging
 October is Women in Business Month here at Business Update. Each year, we take a month to put the spot-
light on some of our local women and their organizations, leaders in their industries, highlighting their stories
and their increasingly important roles in our business economy.
Nancy Couturier – 1992 by Steve Couturier and became a further accommodate the needs of our reinvests to improve our company, includ-
President & Owner woman-owned business under Nancy customers. Additionally, we expanded the ing but not limited to our customers,
of Magnum Powder Couturier in 2003 as a part of Magnum's scope of our services to accommodate dif- employees and suppliers. We are not the
Coating, Inc. diversification process. fering weights, thicknesses and gauges in biggest, although our goal continues to be
“Being woman-owned was requested metals. We also started sand blasting and the best.”
M a g n u m and required by some existing and poten- stripping parts in addition to many other Couturier has also been involved with
Powder Coating, Inc. tial customers,” said Couturier. “It was a new accommodations we implemented a number of different organizations
was established in positive business decision, being able to over a few years. Magnum constantly including the Better Business Bureau, GR
Chamber of Commerce, MI Business &
Professional Assoc., MI Retailers Assoc.,
and the National Assoc. of Professional
Women. She continues to lead Magnum
Powder Coating in their reputation in good
quality services and quality parts. They’ve
recently invested in a truck for pick up and
delivery service and in the last 6 months
have designed a company logo which
Couturier hopes will give Magnum’s name
and image more visibility and familiarity.

Lynn Smith – Co-

inventor and Co-
owner of iLean

Successful and
growing Michigan
start-ups have
become something of
a rarity these days,
but that didn’t stop
Lynn Smith from taking hold of an idea
and letting it grow; Smith may be a famil-
iar West Michigan resident well-known
for her senior role in the financial servic-
es industry, but recently she’s become an
inventor too.
“I found myself needing a sturdy,
yet flexible, storage piece,” said Smith,
“and when I wasn’t able to find a product
that fit my particular needs, I decided to
create something myself. The end result
was a prototype of iLean, which is now
the output of world-class design and
engineering talent.”
While Smith’s original prototype was
fashioned out of chopsticks and earrings,
she soon collaborated with Michael
Suman, another notable West Michigan
resident holding 48 patents and known
for his work with the Muskegon and
Grand Rapids Inventors Networks. Using
his engineering and manufacturing
prowess, Smith developed her idea into a
viable product, one that has become a
fast-growing business that could become
a lifestyle hit.
The leaning shelf system, made
entirely in Michigan, offers mobile storage
that is both sophisticated and versatile,
easily adapting to individual space and
storage needs.

Continued on page 10
 Indian Trails Celebrates 100 Years
With Unbroken Line of Family Leadership
Owosso, MI – Few companies can
boast not only of a history that stretches
back an entire century but also 3 gener-
ations worth of family ownership
through all those years. Indian Trails,
one of the leading motor coach compa-
nies in the United States, can do just
that. This year, they celebrate their 100th
anniversary right here in Michigan at
their company headquarters in Owosso -
the same city of the company's founding
way back in 1910. They're been celebrat-
ing since the start of the year by giving
away a free charter date to a random cus-
tomer every month and last September
held an open house at their headquarters
to honor past and present employees,
vendors and customers.
President Gordon Mackay remains
humble about his company's success.
"Truthfully, I hadn't even been thinking
about it!" he said. "It was only as we
began to draw closer to our anniversary
function in September that it dawned on
Business
update ublication
Publisher: Gary Kralapp
Business Development
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Contributing Writers: Dr. Andrew Racek,
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Coley Dale.
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me what a milestone and achievement
our 100 year anniversary really is."
Mackay is son-in-law to Bill
Himburg who joined the company after
returning from active duty in the U.S.
Navy in 1945. Himburg - who served
Indian Trails for decades as an operations
manager, general manager, vice presi-
dent, president and chairman - is himself
the nephew of Cora and Wayne Taylor,
the company's founders. This unbroken
chain of family leadership has kept
Indian Trails consistently focused on its
goals of providing unparalleled service
and top-of-the-line quality to its cus-
tomers. Throughout their history, Indian
Trails has always tried to keep an over-
riding philosophy of maintaining the fleet
in as new a condition as possible.
"My father in law had a very strong
belief in replacing the equipment on a
regular basis, being innovative and
moving the motor coach industry for-
ward in a positive way," explains
Mackay. "We have a fleet replacement
program that's probably second to none
in the industry: All buses in the fleet are
replaced every 5 to 10 years."
This means that not only are the
buses' machinery as up-to-date as possi-
ble, their features are also nudging
against the edge of modernity. "We've
always been pushing the industry with
innovations like carpeted sidewalls,
stereo systems that sound like the system
you have in your living room and video
technology," said Mackay. "We were the
first company to put videos in the bus.
Now that it's a standard practice every-
where, I wish I'd patented the idea!
“We've been very proud of some of
the things we've pushed the industry to
develop. We want to reflect changes in
the motor coach that make it more
appealing to the American public. When
people think of a charter bus in Europe,
they may see it as something very glam-
orous, but over here, they don't think of
it the same way. In our own small way
here in Michigan, we've tried to push the
industry to enhance the comfort, features
and image of the industry."
Indian Trails' latest innovation is the
utilization of wireless internet. They were
the first to install wi-fi on some of their
scheduled routs and experiment with the
service on their charter busses. It became
extremely popular, particularly with stu-
dents, and the response was so over-
whelmingly positive that they've now
equipped their entire fleet with wi-fi
capability.
The company has definitely come a
long way since Wayne and Cora Taylor
began providing passenger and freight
service from Durand Union Train Depot to
4
points around Shiawassee County. Still, it
remembers its history and carries on its
old traditions. Cora Taylor, who ran the
company during World War I and into the
30s and was the first woman in the United
States to be issued a chauffeur's license,
was also a Michigan history buff. She dis-
covered that one of their primary sched-
uled routs - Highway 12 - was built over
an old Indian migration route: The Old
Indian Trail. This is where the company
gets its name. After that, Cora began
researching Indian chiefs native to
Michigan and began a tradition of naming
each of the company's coaches after them.
This tradition continues to this day.
Indian Trails continues to operate as
one of the highest quality carriers in the
country. Carrying more than 1,00,000
passengers every year, their daily sched-
uled routes run throughout Michigan and
into Chicago and Milwaukee. In addition
to tour, shuttle and airport transfer, they
offer charter service to anywhere in the
continental US and Canada.
As time moves on, we cannot under-
value the service and commitment to
quality that a company like Indian Trails
offers. "I see a transformation occurring,"
said Mackay, commenting on his recent
rotary presentation in Lansing. "For the
last 30-40 years, people have been mov-
ing to the suburbs, and I think soon there
will be a large movement back into the
cities. Providing mass transportation
services is going to be a key to that tran-
sition and becoming less dependent on
foreign oil in general. I think the motor
coach industry stands to really contribute
in a positive way to changes we need to
see in the way people move about this
country. The automobile will always be
here, whether it be gas, electric or some-
thing else. But I think what we need to
do, and what Indian Trails continues to
do every day, is transition the mass
transportation services in this country to
a system people choose to use rather
than are forced to use."
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Finance, Legal, Insurance Briefs
Kentwood – Regal Financial Group,
LLC welcomed Steven Steelandt to
their team of independent financial advi-
sors. Steelandt made the transition from
multi-financial securities corporation to
American portfolios on August 30.
Grand Rapids – Pondera Advisors, LLC
announced the addition of Doug Chaffee
to its growing team of leadership con-
sultants. Doug will be focused on new
business development and consulting.
Grand Rapids – Echelbarger,
Himebaugh, Tamm & Co. PC announced
that David G. Echelbarger, CPA has been
elected as a new member of the Michigan
Association of Certified Public
Accountants (MACPA) board of directors
for the 2010-2011 season.
Sparta – The board of directors of
ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc.,
and ChoiceOne Bank appointed
Roxanne M. Page, CPA to the board of
directors for both entities at their August
26 board meetings. Page is a certified
public accountant and partner with
Beene Garter, LLP.
Kentwood – Regulus Advisors, LLC is a
joint venture between FIG Marketing,
headquartered in North Carolina, and
Regal Financial Group. Regulus
Advisors has revamped their own
Corporate RIA platform, Regal Investment
Advisors. RIA currently have the follow-
ing platforms active and are busy moving
assets for several advisors to the platform
that works best with their practice:
Fidelity, TD Ameritrade, Schwab, and
Lockwood/Pershing/BNY Mellon.
Lansing – Accident Fund Insurance
Company of America presented checks
totaling $5,250 to a variety of charitable
organizations during the month of
August 2010: $750 to the Children’s
Assessment Center in Grand Rapids;
$2,500 to End Violent Encounters in
Lansing; $1,000 to Potter Park
Zoological Society in Lansing; $1,000 to
Risk Insurance Management Society
(RIMS) in Rochester Hills.
Grand Rapids – Smith Haughey Rice &
Roegge announced that the firm has
been ranked among the top law firms in
the United States in the inaugural publi-
cation of “Best Law Firms,” published by
U.S. News & World Report and Best
Lawyers.
6
Washington, D.C. – The Export-Import
Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Middletown, CT – Asterisk Financial Grand Rapids – Echelbarger,
Bank) approved the first transaction Inc., creator of Personal Guarantee Himebaugh, Tamm & Co. PC announced
under its new Supply-Chain Finance Insurance™, announced that it is now the hiring of Christopher J. Leikert as a
Guarantee Program – a 90 percent guar- licensed to do business in Michigan and staff accountant in their tax department.
antee to support up to $100 million of six other new states: Kansas, Kentucky, Leikert is a recent cum laude graduate
liquidity from Citibank N.A. (Citi) to North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania from Aquinas College.
small and medium-sized suppliers of and South Carolina.
CNH America LLC, a subsidiary of CNH Grand Rapids – The law firm of Smith
Global NV, in Burr Ridge, IL. The new Grand Rapids – Varnum attorney Mary Haughey Rice & Roegge announced
program is part of President Obama’s Kay Shaver was elected to serve on the that attorney Robert Suarez has joined
National Export Initiative goal to double board of directors of Michigan Women the firm’s Grand Rapids office.
exports in five years. in Finance for a three-year term.
Grand Rapids – Twenty-two attorneys
from Miller Johnson have been selected
for inclusion in Michigan Super Lawyers
2010 released last September. For the
fourth straight year, Jon R. Muth has
been the only West Michigan attorney
selected as a member of the state’s Top
10 list. In all, four Miller Johnson attor-
neys are in the Michigan Top 100:
Jeffrey S. Ammon, David J. Gass, Jon
G. March and Jon R. Muth. Carol J.
Karr has been on the Top 50 Women list
each year since Michigan Super Lawyers
inception. In addition, Maxwell N.
Barnes was selected as one of the
Michigan Rising Stars. Attorneys select-
ed as Super Lawyers 2010 are: T.J.
Ackert, Jeffrey S. Ammon, Mary V.
Bauman, Frank E. Berrodin, Robert D.
Brower Jr., James C. Bruinsma,
Christopher L. Edgar, William H.
Fallon, David J. Gass, Carol J. Karr, W.
Jack Keiser, Peter J. Kok, Craig H.
Lubben, Jon G. March, Lauretta K.
Murphy, Craig A. Mutch, Jon R. Muth,
Michael B. Quinn, Brent D. Rector,
Thomas P. Sarb, Michael J. Taylor and
Thomas R. Wurst.
Grand Rapids – Plante & Moran, PLLC,,
announced the curriculum for its second
annual "Topics 4 the Times" webinar
series. New this year is the addition of
CPE credits for several of the live webi-
nars. Other topics (18 in total) include
health care reform, changes in account-
ing standards, tax planning and mini-
mization strategies, data security, cloud
computing and the advantages of an
internal audit.
Sparta – Sue Reeder is now an account
executive at Ottawa Kent specializing in
personal lines insurance out of their
Sparta office. Sue has 20 years of expe-
rience and is licensed for both property
& casualty and life & health insurance.

Finance & Legal Briefs
Grand Rapids – Varnum attorney Mary
Kay Shaver was elected to serve on the
board of directors of Michigan Women
in Finance for a three-year term.
Additionally, Varnum attorney Melissa
Papke has been elected treasurer of the
Real Estate Section of the Grand Rapids
Bar Association. Additionally, Varnum
attorney April Sawhill has been
appointed to the board of directors of
Health Intervention Services.
Grand Rapids - Price, Heneveld,
Cooper, DeWitt & Litton, LLP
announced with sadness the passing of
Randall "Randy" G. Litton on August
24, 2010. Litton was best known for his
intellectual property litigation expertise
and served as a highly successful coun-
selor and litigator for several decades.
Holland – Macatawa Bank Corporation
announced that Wayne J. Elhart,
Charles C. Geenen and Birgit M. Klohs
have been elected to the Macatawa Bank
Corporation board of directors. All three
currently serve on the board of directors
of the corporation’s subsidiary,
Macatawa Bank.
Grand Rapids – John W. Cummiskey
(1917 – 2002) has been chosen posthu-
mously as the 2010 recipient of the
Founders Award given by the Michigan
State Bar Foundation to honor a
Michigan lawyer for “exemplifying the
highest traditions of the legal profession
and devoted service to the community.”
Current Business Trends:
Still Holding Steady
Grand Rapids - The greater Grand
Rapids industrial economy remains
steady, according to the results of a
monthly survey compiled by Brian G.
Long, director of Supply Management
Research in the Seidman College of
Business at Grand Valley State
University.
The survey results are based on
data collected in the last two weeks of
August. The survey’s index of business
improvement, called new orders, rose
modestly to +33, up from +30. However,
the production index eased slightly to
+36, down from +42. The index of pur-
chases eased to +28 from +38. The
employment index moderated to +44
7
Saint Joseph – United Federal Credit Grand Rapids – Waddell & Reed Grand Rapids - The Bank of Holland’s
Union celebrated a major milestone as announced that Garry VonMyhr has Grand Rapids office announced that
they recently reached the 100,000 mem- joined the firm as a financial advisor in Michael Sytsma has joined the Bank’s
ber milestone, the culmination of over the Grand Rapids area. VonMyhr will commercial banking department as rela-
60 years of steady growth which has help develop customized financial plans, tionship manager.
also seen the credit union expand to recommend investment strategies and
include operations in five states. counsel clients throughout the area. Onekama – The Michigan Association of
Planning has announced that the
Grand Rapids – Varnum LLP has Lansing – The Gallagher Law Firm, Onekama Community Master Plan has
received Metropolitan First Tier rankings PLC announced that Craig S. Gerard has been selected for the annual Daniel
in 16 areas of law and one national been selected for inclusion in the 2010 Burnham Award for a Comprehensive Plan
ranking in the inaugural "Best Law Firm" Michigan Super Lawyers magazine as that advances the science and art of plan-
survey recently completed by U.S. News a “Rising Star.” ning that reflects a group achievement.
– Best Lawyers. Varnum was the only
West Michigan-based firm to receive a
national ranking which came in the area
of employment law – management.
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development
announced a commitment to insure a
mortgage loan to Hayes Green Beach
Memorial Hospital in Charlotte,
Michigan. The $36.6 million loan will be
used to expand and relocate certain out-
patient healthcare services to a new site
and to refinance $22.6 million of long-
term debt on the existing 25-bed Critical
Access Hospital. Expanded and relocated
services will include a women’s resource
center and a mammography service clinic.
Funds will also be used for the purchase
of new equipment and related charges.
Fremont – Fremont Michigan
InsuraCorp, Inc. now offers one of the
most efficient automated interfaces for
agents in the state, according to a recent
survey by Michigan AGENT magazine.
from +46.
Long said 50 percent of the firms
surveyed reported adding staff. “Overall,
this month’s report still depicts the
Greater Grand Rapids economy growing
at a modest pace. So far, it looks like this
trend may continue for a few more
months,” Long said.
Long said the revival in the office
furniture business is responsible for
stronger sales numbers being reported,
while automotive parts suppliers are still
doing well, and production levels are sta-
bilizing. He said automobile sales rose at
a rate of 29 percent for the industry as a
whole, with Ford reporting a 40 percent
increase over September of 2009.

U.S. Retailers and Suppliers Remain
Cautiously Optimistic
New York, NY – Amid continued
trepidation about the health of our
nation’s economy, retailers and suppli-
ers believe consumer spending is better
than last year and gradually making a
comeback. According to the second
annual retail outlook study released by
CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT), a leading
provider of financing to small business-
es and middle market companies, 65%
of retailers and 69% of suppliers believe
consumer spending may return to 2007
levels by the end of 2011.
The research report, “U.S. Small
Business and Middle Market Outlook
2010: Retailers and their Suppliers—
Smarter. Leaner. Cautiously Optimistic,”
prepared in association with Forbes
Insights, examines how middle market
retailers (those with annual revenues of
$25 million to $1 billion), as well as
suppliers and manufacturers (those
with annual revenues from $2 million
to $1 billion), have weathered the
recession and gauges their outlook of
the future.
"While the majority of retailers are
cautiously optimistic about their future,
more than two-thirds expect revenues to
grow over the next 12 months,” said
Burt Feinberg, managing director and
Industry Group Head of Retail Finance
at CIT. “The general consensus is that,
having weathered the economic down-
turn, most retailers are in better shape
today than in 2009 and have positioned
themselves well to meet future con-
sumer demand when it returns."
Since the market downturn, retail-
ers and their suppliers have had to
work smarter and operate more effi-
ciently. They continue to maintain a
conservative approach along the entire
supply chain by conserving cash, par-
ing down inventories, and keeping staff
levels lean.
“Some valuable lessons have been
learned from the economic crisis and
many suppliers believe they are better
positioned for strong and sustained
8
growth once the economy turns,” said development, while 51% will put greater • Financing conditions for suppli-
Jon Lucas, executive vice president and focus on operating efficiencies. ers appear to be getting better. Two-
chief sales officer of trade finance at CIT. • Suppliers continue to look for thirds (67%) of survey participants say
“This study reveals an industry that is ways to manage their cash flow more their ability to secure financing has
transforming, top to bottom.” effectively. While one-third say it is improved over the past year.
Retailers also had a positive view of easier to manage their cash flow today Additionally, nearly two-thirds of sup-
the upcoming holiday season, with more than it was a year ago, 39% say it is pliers and manufacturers say they
than two-thirds (68%) of retailers plan- harder. The number of suppliers indicat- expect their financing needs to grow
ning to hire more seasonal workers than ing that they have begun to use factor- (40%) or significantly grow (23%) over
in 2009. In addition, 57% expect to ing or credit insurance rose from 23% in the next 12 months.
stock more inventory than in 2009 and 2009 to 35% in 2010.
69% say they will advertise more
aggressively. However, 72% expect they
will discount more this year than last.
Key findings from the report:
• Middle market retailers remain
cautiously optimistic and guarded in
their outlook. Sixty percent of retailers
say that over the last 12 months, their
revenues have grown (55%) or grown
significantly (5%) and two-thirds expect
revenues to be higher still in the coming
12 months. However, sales expectations
may still be below the levels seen prior
to the economic downturn.
• Retail inventory levels are ris-
ing, but retailers are proceeding cau-
tiously. Nearly 60% say their current
inventory is higher than it was a year
ago. At the same time, they’re quick to
reduce prices to speed their inventory
turns and they’re using technology to
track demand and purchasing more
closely.
• Retailers’ capital spending will
concentrate on technology. Over the
next 12 months, 83% of retailers
expect investments in their Web sites
to increase, 69% say they will increase
investments in mobile applications and
66% will increase spending for integra-
tion of in-store and technology-
enabled channels.
• Small and middle market sup-
pliers show a similarly positive, but
cautious, outlook. Seventy-four per-
cent of suppliers anticipate growth over
the next 12 months. Fifty-five percent
will achieve and support this growth
through new investment in product

Charles Rea, CEO and president of
Community West Credit Union gives us
some hard truths about where we are
now and where we should be headed.
“Our forecast for 2010 showed little
growth and very tight margins, with
some increase in borrowing mostly in
autos. We believed that losses, particu-
larly in real estate would continue to be a
problem in 2010. We did not believe the
employment picture would improve very
much and we were skeptical of the stock
market as any indicator of better times. I
think it is clear that the worst arrived
rather than passed and it is going to stay
with us for some time. Housing values
are down, there is no prospect they will
improve any time soon, and many people
Credit Union Update
are underwater on their mortgages.
There is a lot of refinancing going on to
take advantage of the low interest rates,
and we have not held these mortgages.
Instead they are being purchased by
Fanny and Freddy, which I fear means
more government bailouts in the future.
Government policy is clearly hurting
consumer confidence and there seems no
end in sight for that. People are saving
more, not putting money into a stock
market they don't trust and wisely not
going into debt.
“Our deposits for the year are up
about ten percent even though rates are
very low. I think many folks want safety
and they know we operate in a conserva-
tive fashion, are not for profit and have
insurance that protects those deposits.
Loans for autos are not as strong as last
year, though we have had reasonable
success in this area with low rates and
an emphasis on quality service delivery.
“Where are we headed? I think that
until we understand that we have to
have a value adding manufacturing base
and that the service economy cannot
support a prosperous lifestyle unless we
keep going deeper into debt, there is no
solution to this situation. Borrowing
from our children and from the Chinese
is delaying dealing with reality.
“For us personally, we will continue
to emphasize service, low fees, excellent
rates and take a conservative and sup-
portive role in helping our members
9
squeeze more value out of the funds
they do have. There are still many suc-
cess stories out there. People who have
jobs still go to work every day, pay their
bills as well as they can and try to do the
right thing. Our job is to encourage them
to do what is in their best interests
financially and to help them save money
and spend wisely.”
Do you have any comments, ques-
tions or would like to add your own
opinion? Send your letters to the editor
at editor@businessupdate.com. Your
voice should be heard in our next issue.

MEDA Releases Recommendations

for State Economic Development Strategy
Traverse City – The Michigan
Economic Developer's Association
(MEDA) presented recommendations to
"Remake Michigan Economic
Development" at its Annual Conference
in mid-September. The report is the
result of a comprehensive eight-month
process that gathered information from
members of MEDA and national and
international sight consultants.
"With a new administration and a
large turnover in the legislature we feel
it's necessary that the professionals on
the frontline be heard," said John Avery,
MEDA executive director. "It will take a
well thought out vision and strategic
plan to move Michigan out of our
extended economic recession."
The following are some MEDA's
noted problems and solutions that make
up the bulk of their findings. They are
divided into three broad categories and
then weighed the intensity and signifi-
cance of the issues.
Business Climate Issues
MEDA suggests eliminating or
replacing the Michigan Business Tax and
surcharge as these business-related
taxes defy comparison and are complex,
uncertain, unpredictable and costly to
administer. They suggest replacing them
with a simple, predictable, and stable
form of taxation.
The report indicates that permitting
and regulatory processes are complex,
slow, unpredictable and uneven. It iden-
tifies four possible ways to improve them
with a customer service orientation.
MEDA recommends that a compre-
hensive workforce program review should
be one of the first orders of business for
the new administration. Workforce pro-
grams have grown away from economic
development even though the two appear
to be joined at the hip. Practitioners fear
programs are not preparing people for
new economy ventures, for the advances
of technology in occupations and the
environmentally responsible mobilization
of our natural resources.
Michigan’s reputation as a strong-
hold for the unions causes many site
selection consultants to not even consid-
er Michigan in any site selection search-
es, despite the fact that Michigan allows
many competitive advantages for busi-
ness. MEDA believes that a new message
has to be sent that labor-management
relations are much more collaborative
than they were, even ten years ago.
Access to capital was cited by many
practitioners as putting the brakes on
small business expansions. The problem
is much more severe for the entrepreneur
and start-up. They suggest revamping all
small business financing programs in the
state and utilizing tax credits to induce
investments or create a tax climate
where venture investing is encouraged.
Economic Development
MEDA believes that the state lacks
the expertise about what works at the
local level and cannot design programs
without the input of experienced local
practitioners. The state must provide
local practitioners a seat at the table to
assure appropriate coordination and exe-
cution of duties in a cost effective way.
Economic development appears to number of state programs which are
be of diminished importance at the state arbitrary, often incongruent with local
level. Many perceive the Michigan and regional efforts to build new
Economic Development Corporation economies and could be replaced by a
(MEDC) to be lost in The Department of new strategy with regional sub-strate-
Energy, Labor and Growth. They strong- gies crafted to the competitive strengths
ly urge making economic development of the state’s various regions.
and job creation the top priority of the The report stresses that too much
new administration. economic change is occurring for the
The slow, complex and bewildering State of Michigan to be sitting on the
regulatory and permitting processes rob sidelines. Despite the successes of com-
the state of the very things capital invest- mitted local programs, there is no inter-
ment seeks: Stability, consistency, pre- national economic development strategy.
dictability, and a reasonable expectation The state must work with the local pro-
of a return. MEDA suggests at least three grams to create a new global effort.
different ways in which the permitting
processes can be simplified and expedited.
MEDA suggests elimination of a Continued on page 12
Once a Member
Always A Member!
Many savings and investment products are available
American Express Financial Advisor services
We offer a full range of services:
• Mortgages • Home Equity loans
• Visa • Mastercard Debit Program
• Auto Loans • ATM Card Services
• Recreational Loans • Recreational park ticket sales
24/7 online banking services at www.rrccu.com
Membership eligibility for those living in or working in the townships of:
Alpine, Algoma, Casnovia, Sparta, Solon, and Tyrone. Related by blood or marriage.
Service Hours are: Monday -Thursday 9-5, Friday 8-6, and Saturday 9-12
Sparta, MI. 616-887-8262 fax 616-887-9080
 Continued from page 2 Made up of 16 women, MWIF brings
together an array of finance professionals
It is also easily transported and including bankers, legal counsel, trust
stored, which allows iLean to stand out officers and analysts to gain insight into
in a crowded and competitive shelving the marketplace. Each year, the organiza-
market. Both stylish and functional, tion hosts conferences and meetings to
iLean has a myriad of applications, perfect provide updates on the latest finance mat-
for organizing cluttered closets, pantries ters as well providing an opportunity for
and every room of the house. It can even dialogue and networking.
be used outdoors for tailgating, picnics “I have been involved with MWIF for
and other unique events. about the last 5 years, and I've enjoyed
iLean will make its debut during the opportunities to network with these
Grand Rapids’ ArtPrize as a display item people,” said Shaver. “As an attorney,
at the Grand Rapids Art Museum, the there are tons of law organizations but
Diocese of Grand Rapids and the Grand networking often isn’t a priority in them.
Rapids Arts Council. Smith and Suman WMIF provides a great connection
are enthusiastic about their enterprise resource, particularly with contacts across
and are currently developing new addi- the state.”
tions to the iLean family including Shaver also serves on the regional
weather-proof materials, closet compo- board for Inforum of West Michigan,
nents and various applications tailored another networking organization that
specifically for recreational vehicles and brings women together from a variety of
the sporting goods industry. industries and positions together to con-
nect and learn from one another.
Mary Kay Shaver – “I keep coming back to networking
Partner and Attorney because for me, it's been very helpful,”
at Varnum LLP Shaver added. “When I started, I came to
Grand Rapids to complete my undergradu-
Last September, ate studies at Grand Valley, so I knew the
Varnum attorney Grand Rapids area but I certainly wasn’t
Mary Kay Shaver was involved in the Business Community.
elected to serve on Getting out there and meeting people pro-
the board of directors fessionally where I could assist them and
of Michigan Women vice versa has been instrumental to me
in Finance (MWIF) for a three-year term. and my professional life.”
Thanks to Magnum’s
“Women in Business”
Custom & Production Powder Coating Since 1992
5500 West River Drive, NE Comstock Park, MI 49321
Ph: 616.785.3155 Fax: 616.785.3605
Linda Pitsch –
Senior Vice
President
at ChoiceOne Bank
Linda Pitsch has
stayed with
ChoiceOne Bank for
over 40 years now,
serving in a variety of
capacities including its board or directors.
“The organization is very receptive
to the needs of women in the fact that
they understand we have family respon-
sibilities and things that can take you
away from the workplace at times,”
explained Pitsch.
“They were really helpful to me and
I liked working here, so I ended up stay-
ing. I started as a teller on the line and
just worked my way up. I’ve also been
the corporate secretary and the director of
the organization.”
Pitsch also enjoyed the freedom she
had to continue her education. “When I
started at the bank, I had an Associate’s
Degree in accounting from Davenport
University. Helped by the bank, I was
able to take courses in the evenings and
ended up with my Bachelor’s degree.
They also sent me to a specialized bank-
ing school training, called Graduate
School Banking, held at the University of
Wisconsin - a three year program to help
understand banking as a whole and to
further your career in the banking indus-
try. Eventually, I also went back and got
my Master’s Degree and I’ve done some
teaching for Davenport as an adjunct fac-
ulty professor in Accounting. I just
believe in education 100 percent and
what it can do for you and your career.
Not only do I enjoy working with the stu-
dents, it helps me stay current and on top
of what's happening with my own career
and line of business.”
Pitsch has planned to retire next
year but hopes to continue teaching and
being involved with various special proj-
ects at ChoiceOne Bank.
Inforum Launches New
Speaker Series
Detroit – Inforum, Michigan's leading
business forum for women, announced it
will launch a new speaker's series high-
lighting women with lessons for anyone
who feels stuck in a rut or stifled by con-
ventional thinking.
The series, called "IN4M: After
Hours, Ahead of the Curve," will kick off
Wednesday, Oct. 20, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
at the Birmingham-Bloomfield Art Center.
The featured speaker will be Susan J.
April Sawhill -
Attorney at Varnum
Sawhill is a liti-
gation and trial
attorney with exten-
sive experience in
commercial disputes,
insurance coverage
disputes and person-
al injury. She joined Varnum in 2007 and
was recently selected to participate in
Leadership Grand Rapids class of 2011 -
a nine-month intensive leadership pro-
gram offered by the Grand Rapids
Chamber of Commerce. The program is
designed for current and emerging com-
munity leaders and brings together a
diverse group of professionals to explore
city's challenges and opportunities, fur-
ther equipping participates to be strong
leaders.
Leadership Grand Rapids was estab-
lished more than 20 years ago and the
selection process is competitive as each
class is limited to 35 members.
Sawhill also serves on the board of
directors of Health Intervention Services,
a nonprofit servicing the uninsured and
underinsured in West Michigan, as well
as on the Michigan State Bar Awards
Committee. She also plays a key role in
Varnum's diversity initiatives.
Bonnie Nawara
- CEO of Grand
Rapids Opportunities
for Women (GROW)
A Grand Rapids
native and former
Planned Giving
Director for the
American Cancer
Society (ACS), Nawara was just recently
named GROW's CEO by the organiza-
tion’s board of directors.
Continued on page 11
Douglas, a University of Michigan com-
munications professor and author of
"Enlightened Sexism: The Seductive
Message That Feminism's Work is Done"
(Times Books).
The IN4M (pronounced "inform")
series will highlight women who test the
limits in work, recreation and lifestyle.
Speakers will be women who question
authority, break rules and strive to make
a difference.
 Continued from page 10
“I am so thrilled with the opportuni-
ty to lead an organization that has had
such a high degree of success helping
women to succeed in developing their
own businesses,” Nawara said. “As a
former business owner myself, I fully
understand the complexities of the busi-
ness world and the difficulties a women
can encounter in start-up. My goal is to
help more women, including those pro-
fessional businesswomen and managers
who have been laid off during the current
economic downturn, develop new oppor-
tunities for themselves.”
The Board selected Nawara from a
large field of qualified candidates and was
particularly impressed with her entrepre-
neurial, leadership, administrative, collab-
orative and philanthropic skills.
Most recently, Nawara had served
since 2004 as director of estate and asset
services for ACS, where she was the top
fundraiser in total dollars raised in the
ACS Great Lakes region for the past five
years. Previously, she began the prof-
itable printing business Sir Speedy
Printing Center in Grand Rapids, which
she operated as owner and CEO from
1987-2003. She also served as parts
department manager for Freightliner of
Grand Rapids from 1981-87.
Nawara is involved in several com-
munity organizations, currently serving as
a Board member of the Golden K Kiwanis
Club and the West Michigan Planned
Giving Group. She is a member of the West
Michigan Estate Planning Council, the
Grand Rapids Economic Club, the Greater
Lansing Estate Planning Council and
Toastmasters. She also has been active in
the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce,
United Way, the Alliance of Women
Entrepreneurs, Quota International and
the Michigan Women’s Foundation.
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Certified Women’s Business Enterprise
Amy Ritsema
and Mary Kline –
Co-Owners of OnSite
Wellness LLC
Both former
employees of
Johnson Controls,
Ritsema and Kline
went on to form their
own company to pro-
vide medical educa-
tional health and
wellness services.
Starting with about 6
clients and expand-
ing over the past
three years, OnSite
Wellness now pro-
vides comprehensive
wellness programs to 18 businesses and
counting, helping their employees per-
form and feel their best with customized
services to meet each different corporate
health strategy.
All but one of OnSite’s employees are
women, though Ritsema says this wasn’t
a conscious decision on their part. “When
we go and we look for potential employ-
ees, there are simply more women or
young ladies who are looking at getting
into corporate wellness than there are
men,” she explains. “We’re actually excit-
ed to work with men when we can;
Having a male on staff often helps us
relate better to the men we care for when
we address men’s health issues.”
Ritsema and Kline feel very fortunate
and blessed serving as they do and hope
to continue expanding their business into
the future. “We just got our first client on
the east side of the state,” notes Ritsema.
“We have clients now in the Traverse City
and Petosky area, Holland, Zeeland,
Grand Rapids, Hudsonville… the list goes
on. As we move forward, health care
4201 Lincoln Rd Holland MI 49423
reform is going to be a big influence in clients but to also develop internal poli-
our future and how much we’re going to cies and procedures that empower their
grow. This process is nothing but enjoy- women in the workplace.
able for us: Helping companies figure out Their work seems to have paid off.
how to make employees and their families Recently, Angel Care was nominated for
more healthy while saving insurance dol- the Grand Rapids Chamber Athena Award
lars. We hope the new focus on wellness and was an EPIC Finalist with the cham-
in our country will bring positive growth ber for top women-owned business. The
to our business.” Women's Resource Center also honored
Angel Care in March of this year with a
Joyce Lovse – Pillar Award along with Grand Valley
Owner and President State University and Varnum for their
of AngelCare, Inc. dedication to empowering women in the
Home Health Care workplace.
"We’re very proud of the investment
Lovse had pre- and attention that we show towards our
viously served in the caregivers," said Lovse. "For example, we
travel industry, but a have a mentoring program that was
strong pull towards inspired by my experiences on the employ-
seniors and the dis- ment board with the Women's Resource
abled prompted her to brave the challenge Center. I would see these women who
of starting her own home health care needed help entering or re-entering the
business in September of 2000. Since workforce and how, through working with
then, she and her Angel Team have the Center, they ended up flourishing.
worked diligently not only to provide a
high level of care and service for their Continued on page 12
24 H OUR
T URN A ROUND
A NODIZING &
B LACK O XIDING
C ELEBRATING ITS
10T H Y EAR
WITH WOMEN
IN BUSINESS
Dianne Bernd
M ETAL F INISHING T ECHNOLOGY
QUALITY & SERVICE IS IN THE FORE FRONT
OF EVERYTHING WE DO!
2652 Hoyt St. 231-733-9736
Muskegon MI 49444 Fax: 231-739-5856

Conginued from page 11
I thought, 'why can't we have our
own mentoring program right here at
Angel Care for our home health aids?'"
This program also works alongside
AngelCare's relationship with Goodwill
Industries, allowing some of their aids
to work towards and become certified
nurse assistants.
"I do think that it is great when you
have a company that supports bettering
yourself, gaining more knowledge, any-
thing you can do to better your educa-
tion as a person and a caregiver. I think
that's very important," said Lovse. "We
had one employee in particular which,
because of a cultural misunderstanding,
was not doing very well in our organi-
zation. We worked with the Women's
Resource Center and sent some of our
own aids along with her on jobs to help
her in areas of misunderstanding. She
has now continued in her education and
is considering becoming a physical ther-
apist, inspired by the recommendations
of some of her clients. It's a wonderful
thing to see."
Betsy Buist
Boss - President of
Professional Metal
Finishers
Buist Boss
grew up with a
father in the metal
fabrication busi-
ness, spending many of her weekends
doing shop work at D&M Metal
Products - a business which her broth-
er, Robert Buist, still owns. When her
family purchased Professional Metal
Finishers in 1986, she was able to try
her hand at the finishing side of the
industry as well, and through the expe-
rience she gained working alongside of
her father, she gained the confidence
and skills to run Professional Metal
Finishers (PMF) on her own when he
passed away. For the past decade, she
has been successfully leading her com-
pany through the rough road
Michigan's manufacturing industry has
proven to be.
"Wading through rough economic
waters these past few years has not been
easy," she said. "PMF has seen a steady
climb in business, but not a great leap.
This is probably a good thing though
since we had to scale back operations in
order to keep afloat. We do a fair
ammount of work in the furniture
industry which is picking up. We also
cover the automotive, RV and medical
accessories industries. All areas seem to
be on an uptick."
Recently, PMF has been involved
with ArtPrize, providing finishing work
for several contest projects. "I always
enjoy meeting the artists and working
with color, trying to match their imagi-
nations," said Buist-Boss. "I love art and
the attention this has brought to our
city. "Meeting new people is always one
Batch and Line
Powder Coat up to
23 Foot Part Length
Celebrating
Women In Business
Quality Service - Fast Turnaround
2 4 7 4 Tu r n e r N W S u i t e F • Wa l k e r, M I
12
of my favorite parts of this job. Everyday
someone new stops in to get something
finished and usually PMF can help them
out!"
Finally, while Buist Boss is pleased
to be involved in our Women in
Business article here at Business
Update, she has a couple admonitions
that we might all do well to hear:
"I wish the industry didn't have to
emphasize Women in Business," she
says. "I would have hoped by now we
had evolved enough to consider us as
'on the same playing field' as the guys.
There are so many competent people in
business; I wish that 'Good Business
People' was brought up more."
It's a valid point, to be sure. What
do you think? Send your opinions,
comments and letters to the editor: edi-
tor@businessupdate.com
Betsy Buist Boss
President
616.365.2620
Fax 616.361.6048
49544

Meetings, Travel & Lodging Briefs
East Lansing – Twenty-five wine experts
gathered August 3 in East Lansing for
the 33rd annual Michigan Wine and
Spirits Competition. Forty-four of the
state's 73 wineries entered a record 399
wines for this year's competition, which
is open only to wines produced from
Michigan grapes and other fruit. From a
group of 52 gold medal winners, judges
awarded the top "Best of Class" awards
to: (Dry White) Black Star Farms -
2009 Arcturos Pinot Gris; (Dry Red)
Bowers Harbor Vineyards - 2007
Cabernet Franc, Erica Vineyard; (Semi-
Dry White) Black Star Farms - 2009
Arcturos Riesling; (Semi-Dry Red)
Lawton Ridge Winery - AZO;
(Sparkling Wine) Black Star Farms -
2008 Sparkling Wine; (Dessert Wine)
Fenn Valley Vineyards - 2008 "42" Ice
Wine; (Fruit Wine) Uncle John's Fruit
House Winery - Franc N Cherry; (Rose)
Forty-Five North Vineyard & Winery -
2009 Blanc de Pinot Noir.
Paw Paw – St. Julian Winery’s Simply
Pink was recently named “Rose of the
Year” at the Indy International Wine
Competition, held in early August in
West Lafayette, IN.
Chicago, IL – Don Armock, a partner in
Sparta, MI-based Riveridge Produce
Marketing Inc., is the winner of The
Packer's 2010 Apple Man of the Year
award, presented by Tom Karst, The
Packer's national editor. Armock won
the award last August at the Vienna, VA-
based U.S. Apple Association’s Apple
Crop Outlook & Marketing Conference.
Grand Rapids – The Holiday Inn-Grand
Rapids Downtown was recently awarded
Three Diamond status by AAA demon-
strating the hotel’s commitment to dis-
tinguished style and marked upgrades in
the quality of physical attributes, ameni-
ties, and level of comfort provided.
Kalamazoo – Imperial Beverage of
Kalamazoo was named a 2010 Craft
Beer Distributor of the Year Award final-
ist. The Fourth Annual Craft Beer
Distributor of the Year Award recognizes
an exceptional American beer distributor
who actively markets, sells and pro-
motes craft beer. Awarding parties are
The National Beer Wholesalers
Association and the Brewers
Association, and the honor is bestowed
each year during the Great American
Beer Festival in Denver, CO.
Battle Creek – Just three-quarters of
way through 2010 and Arcadia Ales in
Battle Creek is reporting record
growth, a trend that is expected to
increase throughout the year.
According to VP of sales and marketing
Rick Suarez, numbers are up 55% in
Michigan and 39% collectively in nine
other states. That number will only
continue to rise as Arcadia adds two
new 40-barrel fermenters to its current
production line.
DeWitt – Hotel guests across the state
will be offered free locally-grown
apples at check in, courtesy of the
Michigan Apple Committee (MAC)
and the 900 growers the organization
represents. A basket of fresh apples
along with copies of the 2010 Michigan
Farm Market & Agricultural Tourism
Directory will be delivered later this
month to more than 400 lodging facili-
ties across the state as part of the 5th
annual "Check In To Michigan Apples" -
a MAC promotion offered at no charge
to lodging facilities with a minimum of
20 rooms.
Plainwell – Communities and individuals
from across the state were honored last
September at the 2010 Michigan
Downtown Conference awards luncheon
at the Doubletree Hotel in downtown
Bay City. The City of Plainwell was the
recipient of the "Facade Rehabilitation
Award-Small Community" for its recent
enhancement to 111 N. Main Street
which was made possible through a
Michigan State Housing Authority
grant and private investment partners.
Other recipients of awards include:
Green Project-Large Scale - Thirty
Eight, Locus Development (Grand
Rapids); Green Project-Small Scale -
Kalamazoo Window Rehabilitation
Workshops; Innovation-Small Scale -
Cops & Doughnuts (Clare); Innovation-
Large Scale - ArtPrize (Grand Rapids);
Living Downtown - 101 South Division
Loft Apartments, Brookstone Capital
LLC (Grand Rapids). Awards given by
the Michigan Economic Development
Corporation's Community Assistance
Team include: Brownfield Project of the
Year (Pop. over 50,000) - Thirty Eight,
Locus Development (Grand Rapids);
Brownfield Project of the Year (Pop.
under 50,000) - One Water, Catt
Development (Boyne City); Local
Partner - Jeff Radcliffe, Otsego County
Economic Alliance.
Grand Rapids – Craft-Revival, a new
jewelry store featuring custom-designed
jewelry and metal work, opened its doors
in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids
on the ground floor of the Tannery Row
building. Industry veterans Jayson Case
and his father Brandon decided to open
the store after they began to notice a sig-
nificant paradigm shift in the jewelry
industry with more of a focus on mean-
ing and value-added benefits.
Chesaning – The International
Festivals & Events Association paid
tribute to the Party at MI Place cam-
paign produced by Michigan Festivals
& Events Association of Chesaning,
Michigan during the IFEA/Haas &
Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards Ceremony,
bestowing on it a Gold Pinnacle Award
in the “Best New Promotion” category
and also a second Gold Pinnacle Award
in the “Most Creative/Effective News
Stunt” category for their Party at MI
Place banner being on board NASA
Space Shuttle Atlantis mission STS-132
this past May.
Grand Rapids – The new green and blue
Holiday Inn sign introduced in 2007 will
now light the way for visitors to the
Holiday Inn Express Grand Rapids
North. The new sign is the seal of
approval that this hotel exemplifies the
standards of the $1 billion Holiday Inn
brand family re-launch program estab-
lished to create a more contemporary
brand image, increase quality and drive
consistency. Holiday Inn Express Grand
Rapids North is the second in Grand
Rapids and among the first hotels in the
world to receive the sign.
13
Grand Rapids – Sixteen members of
Michigan Lake to Lake Bed and
Breakfast Association are among 20
Michigan inns committed to providing
free lodging and breakfast to current and
former military personnel on the eve of
Veterans Day (November 10), part of a
continent-wide movement with more
than 275 inns in 40 states and Canada.
To date, Lake to Lake-member "Thank
You Veterans" participants are:
Adventure Inn (North Lakeport), Castle
in the Country (Allegan), Dewey Lake
Manor (Brooklyn), The Gables B&B
(Cheboygan), Garden Grove B&B
(Union Pier), Hall Creek B&B
(Interlochen), Inn at the Park (South
Haven), Kalamazoo House
(Kalamazoo), Martha's Vineyard (South
Haven), Munro House (Jonesville),
Parish House Inn (Ypsilanti),
Prairieside Suites Luxury B&B
(Grandville), The Sheridan House
(Fremont), The State Street Inn (Harbor
Beach), Terrace Inn (Petoskey), and
White Swan Inn (Whitehall).
Grand Rapids – The Prince Conference
Center (PCC) at Calvin College has
earned Green Lodging Michigan Steward
certification from the Michigan
Department of Energy, Labor and
Economic Growth. The PCC has imple-
mented several environmental initiatives
at their facility, including a linen and
towel reuse program, low flow fixtures to
conserve water and a computerized
energy management system with pro-
grammable thermostats for common
areas and conference rooms.

Education Briefs
Grand Rapids – Wedgwood Christian
Services announced the creation of a
second specialized school for at-risk
youth: Hope Academy of West
Michigan. This new general K-12 char-
ter school will open for the 2011-12
school year at the site of the former St.
Francis Catholic School, a 32,000-
square-foot building located at 250
Brown St. SE.
Muskegon – Baker College of Muskegon
is offering cooking classes to the gener-
al public. All classes will be held at the
Culinary Institute of Michigan at
Baker College of Muskegon.
Grand Rapids – Kendall College of Art
and Design of Ferris State University,
announced that the college has become
the home of a library of new, innovative
and sustainable materials from New
York City-based Material ConneXion, a
trusted materials consultant and
Materials Library with over 5,000 of the
latest advancements for architecture and
design, founded by George M.
Beylerian, CEO.
Muskegon – Baker College of Muskegon
regents have appointed Lee Coggin, JD,
as Muskegon campus president. He suc-
ceeds Mary Ann Herbst, Ph.D., who
retired on Aug. 31, 2010, after a 28-year
Baker College career. Coggin was most
recently vice president for academics at
Baker’s Muskegon campus.
Grand Rapids – The Grand Rapids cam-
pus of Sanford-Brown officially became
Sanford-Brown College, reflecting the
State of Michigan’s recent decision to
give the campus authority to confer
associate degrees in addition to the cur-
rent diplomas offered.
AWRI Receives $1.4
Million in Research Grants
Muskegon – Grand Valley State
University’s Annis Water Resources
Institute (AWRI) has received nearly $1.4
million in grant funding from the
Environmental Protection Agency’s Great
Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI).
The projects include:
• $568,449 Observatory for ecosys-
tem changes in Muskegon Lake (Bopi
Biddanda, associate professor of environ-
mental biology)
• $291,721 Coordinated lake-specific
Kalamazoo – Western Michigan
University's enrollment surged to
25,045 - a nearly 2 percent increase over
last year's figure.
Allendale – Grand Valley State
University officials and community
leaders broke ground and celebrated the
start of construction on the new Mary
Idema Pew Library Learning and
Information Commons in late September.
The Pew Library will provide approxi-
mately 1,500 seats for student study, 20
group study rooms, and offices and sup-
port areas for faculty and staff members.
There will be room for 150,000 books on
open shelves and 600,000 books in an
automated storage/retrieval system. It
will replace the Zumberge Library on the
Allendale Campus that was built in 1969
for a projected student body of 5,000;
Today, there are 24,500 students
enrolled. In February, Grand Valley offi-
cials decided to go forward with the Pew
Library without waiting for state fund-
ing. More than 530 donors have con-
tributed nearly $20.5 million to the proj-
ect, and there is still $4.5 million to
raise. Construction will begin in earnest
this spring and the library is expected to
be completed in 2013.
Allendale – Six Grand Valley State
University students have received
scholarships through a fund that is com-
pletely supported by their peers – the
2010 Student Legacy Scholarship. Each
student will receive a $500 scholarship.
Grand Rapids – The First-Time-In-Any-
College and transfer student populations
remained steady at Calvin for the third
straight year. 935 first-time students
joined 100 transfer students to make up
the 2010-2011 entering class of 1,035.
onboard education and outreach (Janet
Vail, associate professor and research sci-
entist)
• $247,212 Studies to support
Ruddiman Creek implementation-ready
(Alan Steinman, director of the Annis
Water Resources Institute)
• $232,910 Implementing Great
Lakes coastal wetland monitoring (Carl
Ruetz, associate professor of environmen-
tal biology; Alan Steinman, director of
AWRI).
Kalamazoo – Dr. Michael J. Barcelona,
professor of chemistry and a veteran
researcher has been named Western
Michigan University's 2010
Distinguished Faculty Scholar. This
honor is the highest accolade awarded to
a WMU faculty member and carries with
it a $2,000 cash prize.
Grand Rapids – Cooley Law School will
host open houses for prospective stu-
dents on four Thursdays in October. The
events will be held 4-7 p.m. on all four
campuses: Auburn Hills (2630
Featherstone Road) on Oct. 7, Lansing
(300 S. Capitol) on Oct. 14, Grand
Rapids (111 Commerce Ave., SW) on
Oct. 21 and Ann Arbor (3475 Plymouth
Road) on Oct. 28. The open houses are
free and include tours, opportunities to
meet staff, faculty and students, mock
classes and special sessions for accepted
students and honors scholars.
MEDA Releases
Recommendations
Continued from page 9
Incentives
The incentives debate is a poster
child for the gap between theory and
practice. Study after academic study has
concluded that incentives are not neces-
sary and yet, economic development prac-
titioners are confronted with the need for
competitive incentives every day. MEDA
advocates a new rationale and strategy
for the accountable use of incentives.
Those critical of incentives believe
that lower taxes and lower regulatory
activity would improve the business cli-
mate to the extent that incentives would
no longer be necessary. Michigan eco-
nomic development practitioners have
shown that states with far lower tax
rates and far less regulation still utilize
incentives as part of their respective job
retention and attraction strategies.
Incentives are not assisting small
businesses and entrepreneurs. MEDA
contends that there are ways to change
incentives policy to help smaller busi-
nesses and start-ups.
Many people (developers notwith-
standing) believe there is a lack of
accountability in the process of awarding
and monitoring incentives. MEDA advo-
cates for more self-regulating incentives
14
Muskegon – Baker College of Muskegon
officials report that all 54 of its 2008,
2009 and 2010 radiologic technology
associate degree program graduates
have passed the American Registry of
Radiologic Technologists certification
examination on the first attempt. The
national pass rate averages for 2008 and
2009 were 91 percent and 91.4 percent,
respectively.
Lansing – Small Business Association
of Michigan is kicking off its Business
Growth Strategies Series in partnership
with Davenport University on Oct. 14,
2010. Through an online virtual class-
room, business owners from across
Michigan will be able to participate in
“Cultivating GREAT Customer Service,”
a session helping organizations identify
and deliver the very best experiences for
their customers.
that trigger economic benefits upon
reaching certain thresholds of job cre-
ation activities. They also recommend
designing a system that “frontloads”
benefits early in the investment and
development process, as incentives do
not reflect net present value.
As Michigan does not derive full
leverage from its current array of incen-
tives, MEDA strongly advises fostering
the sale of research and development tax
credits, MEGA tax credits and creating
credit enhancements for Tax Increment
Financing Authorities.
Other Issues
MEDA members are concerned that
the multitude of local governing units
creates slow, confusing, duplicative and
conflict-ridden approaches to regional
economic development. MEDA members
have consistently articulated the need for
fast, simple and predictable approaches
to economic development strategies at
the local level.
Michigan economic development
programming needs a strategy for
recruiting the talented and best educated
people in the world as there is concern
that far too little effort is expended upon
the recruiting of immigrants, foreign stu-
dents and foreign entrepreneurs.

Dental & Health Care Professionals
Take Holistic Approach to Patient Care
The importance
of preventative den-
tal care to overall
health is a message
that has been widely
spread through the
years to the general
public by the
American Dental
Dr. Andrew Racek Association, dental
professionals and
others. What is unclear is how effective-
ly this message has reached the mass
audience. The interaction between dental
care and systemic health may pose seri-
ous implications on a person’s well-
being particularly during a tough eco-
nomic time when dental insurance cov-
erage may be limited. Minimal dental
health benefits for those on Medicaid
and Medicare is also an issue.
Underprivileged, unemployed and elder-
ly people may not be able to engage in
routine dental check-ups. As a result,
there are more visits to the emergency
room for dental related issues which
contribute to escalated healthcare costs.
Less insurance coverage, less disposable
income and poor dental hygiene habits
are a recipe for gum disease, tooth decay
and related systemic issues.
Gum disease, or gingivitis, is a big
problem in our society and affects 75% of
all adults in the U.S. This chronic inflam-
matory state can cause and exacerbate
many systemic health issues. It allows
bacteria to enter your bloodstream and
causes problems in other areas of your
body. The first sign of a disease can
appear in your mouth. Unfortunately,
gum disease does not hurt until it is well
advanced. Detecting early signs of the
Newest Foundation Grants Total $213,000+
Grand Rapids – Grand Rapids
Community Foundation’s board of
trustees voted to approve $213,150 in
new grants. The grants address two main
areas of need in Kent County: Economic
growth and health.
Grants to Encourage Healthy People
• $100,000 to Michigan Migrant
Legal Assistance Project for a program to
assist migrant victims of domestic abuse.
Grants to Build Economic Prosperity
• $25,000 to Literacy Center of
West Michigan for its Blueprint for
Literacy program. With this grant, the
Literacy Center aims to increase the num-
disease is important so it can be man-
aged and treated. Symptoms we com-
monly look for are bleeding gums when
touched or brushed, bad breath, red hue,
presence of pus and loose or missing
teeth.
Oral health care professionals may
find themselves in an opportune position
to enhance the well-being of their
patients. General dentists consult regu-
larly with periodontists on advanced
cases of gum disease in their patients.
However, there is a need for greater col-
laboration between dentists and physi-
cians in early detection of gum disease.
This collaboration can greatly improve
the overall health of their patients, par-
ticularly in the elderly and the poor.
Mission Integration at Trinity
Health supports community health pro-
grams provided by various hospitals and
health care facilities. They serve under-
privileged people without insurance who
cannot spare disposable income on den-
tal care expenses. Daniel Dwyer, Senior
Vice President, is concerned that the
health care reform bill hasn't paid
enough attention to oral health.
“One of the most striking gaps in
health care with profoundly disturbing
consequences for our patients and fami-
lies is limited access to dental care,” says
Daniel. “Our patients live in chronic pain
with other chronic illnesses exacerbated
by poor dental health. You can take one
look at someone with poor oral condition
and predict fairly accurately that they
have additional health problems.”
It is now well documented that
untreated gum disease contributes to an
increased risk of cardiovascular disease
(stroke and heart disease), respiratory
ber of students it serves, offer a technol-
ogy based curriculum, provide more com-
munity literacy workshops and classes
and provide leadership to the literacy
agenda of the community.
• $30,000 to The SOURCE for the
Health Field Collaborative. The SOURCE
has implemented a successful model for
workforce retention and training with
local manufacturers. This grant will bring
The SOURCE’s proven model to the
health care field. For 18-months, The
SOURCE will work with the Health Field
Collaborative, made up of seven Grand
Rapids health care providers, to develop
diseases, osteoporosis and pregnancy
complications. Some cardiologists are
mandating that their patients see their
dentists as part of their regimen of treat-
ment. Dr. Christopher Kazor of
Progressive Periodontics P.C. in Lansing
shares that several recent studies have
also identified untreated gum disease as
a factor in the development of
Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
“Untreated gum disease has long
been recognized in the orthopedic field
as a likely contributor to prosthesis fail-
ure,” says Dr. Kazor. “Now I'm seeing
more referrals from other surgical spe-
cialists and general physicians seeking
to clear patients' oral health prior to sur-
gery. Medial professionals are acknowl-
edging the connection between the
mouth and the rest of the body. They are
taking a much more holistic approach to
treating chronic and acute diseases."
So how can dental and health care
professionals in our community collabo-
rate more closely for the benefit of peo-
ple’s long-term well-being?
Referral network
Dentists and physicians can create a
more formal referral network by proac-
tively connecting to one another and
establishing a relationship much like a
general practitioner engages with a spe-
cialist. More dentists should discuss risk
factors and signs of oral disease with
physicians. Conversely, physicians should
ask patients if they are regularly visiting a
dentist and, if not, urge them to do so.
Communication
Dentists can communicate with
physicians directly when detecting early
signs of potential health risks. This
channel of communication should
more robust programming around reten-
tion, career coaching, training and the
development of the pipeline for new
employees.
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15
remain open between dentist and physi-
cian to help facilitate patient treatment.
By removing this responsibility from the
patient, the likelihood increases that
appropriate follow-up will occur. A sys-
tematic approach to screening and com-
munication with the physician’s office is
necessary to help eliminate oral health
risk from the equation.
Oral health screening
Primary physicians and specialists
such as cardiologists, gynecologists, and
oncologists can receive training in oral
health screening. A simple exam to
screen for gum disease and tooth decay
exists called the Medical-Periodontal
Risk Assessment available to physicians
and dentists.
A greater commitment among
health care professionals to encourage
patients to visit their dentists regularly
will help establish the physician-dentist
relationship earlier in the process.
Dentists can facilitate the relationship
with their patients’ physicians immedi-
ately when early signs of a systemic dis-
ease are detected in the mouth. The
value of dental and health care profes-
sionals collaborating holistically on
patient care will help broaden the reach
of this important message: Poor dental
care has serious implications on overall
long-term health.
Dr. Andrew Racek DDS, owner of
Dental Group West, has been a practicing
dentist in Grand Rapids for many years.
He studied under some of the most promi-
nent dental professionals at the
University of Michigan.
• $58,150 to Women’s Resource
Center for its Fresh Start Program. A fed-
eral funding cut left the Women’s
Resource Center looking for other fund-
ing sources for its Fresh Start Program.

Health Care Briefs
Holland – Holland Hospital welcomed
two Orthopaedic Surgeons to the Bone &
Joint Center in Holland. Derick Johnson,
DO, and Carl Wierks, MD, are specially
trained surgeons in the prevention, diag-
nosis and treatment of musculoskeletal
injuries and conditions.
Zeeland – Zeeland Community Hospital
announced the appointment of new foun-
dation director Tamara VanderArk-
Potter. VanderArk-Potter is completing
her role at the end of the year as a two-
term, governor-appointed member of the
executive board for the Michigan
Children’s Trust Fund and chair of the
Michigan Citizen’s Review Panel for
Child Abuse Prevention.
Muskegon – Mercy Health Partners’
Lakeshore Campus in Shelby announced
the addition of telemedicine technology at
the campus that will enhance healthcare
services in Oceana County. The new tech-
nology is the result of a collaborative
effort by the Oceana Community
Collaborative Committee.
Grand Rapids – MapleCreek has set up a
Resident Resource Center in The
Terraces as a one-stop shop to assist res-
idents with a variety of needs. Similar to
a concierge service like what you might
find in a fine hotel, the center is run by
Dollie Grant, hired by Lutheran Social
Services of Michigan as the community
coordinator.
Grand Rapids – The Michigan
Association of Health Plans honored
Grand Valley Health Plan (GVHP) at
their 2010 Pinnacle Awards for Best
Practice reception on September 21 in
Lansing. GVHP received an award for
Best Practice in Balance Score Card. A
group of GVHP employees developed a
"Balanced Score Card" to translate compa-
ny vision statements into actionable and
measurable outcomes. The balance score
card promoted focus on the big picture for
all employees, created balance across all
spectrums and most importantly drove
change. The direct result has been an
increase in quality of care, customer sat-
isfaction, along with a decrease in health
plan expenditures.
Michigan - Value Health Partners, a
group of eight Michigan health care
organizations, announced significant
clinical quality improvements as a result
of its collaborative efforts. Specific meas-
ures in heart attack outcomes and post-
surgery hip fracture complications have
improved across the eight organizations.
Value Health Partners includes
Allegiance Health System (Jackson),
Bronson Healthcare Group
(Kalamazoo), Covenant HealthCare
(Saginaw), Lakeland HealthCare (St.
Joseph), Munson Healthcare (Traverse
City), Northern Michigan Regional
Health System (Petoskey), Sparrow
Health System (Lansing), and Spectrum
Health (Grand Rapids).
St. Joseph – Professional Hearing
Services has recently hired new customer
service associate Rhonda Siebenmark.
Siebenmark most recently served as dis-
trict scheduler for the U.S. House of
Representatives.
Muskegon – The Mercy Health
Partners’ Bariatric Surgical Weight Loss
program, under the medical direction of
Dr. Brian Gluck, D.O., has been recog-
nized once again as a Bariatric Surgery
Center of Excellence by the American
Society for Metabolic and Bariatric
Surgery.
Grand Rapids – Cardiologists J. Craig
Mulligan, DO, Craig Alguire, MD, and
Ali Mahajerin, MD have joined West
Michigan Heart and are practicing at
several locations in West Michigan.
16
Holland – Standard & Poor's Ratings
Services affirmed its “A+” long-term rat-
ing for Holland Hospital on Michigan
State Hospital Finance Authority's
$22.0 million series 2004A bonds, and
on the Ambac-insured $15.6 million
series 1996 bonds. In addition to the A+
ratings, the Rating Services issued a “sta-
ble outlook” for the hospital, reflecting an
expectation that Holland Hospital will
continue to meet operating targets and
maintain its unrestricted cash levels.
Grand Rapids – The Great Start Parent
Coalition sponsored a free conference last
September held at Frederik Meijer
Gardens for parents, childcare providers
and health experts to develop and
embrace a community message and
approach to addressing childhood obesity.
The discussion was led by Dr. Tom
Peterson of Helen DeVos Children’s
Hospital.

Grand Rapids – For the third year in a
row, Grand Valley Health Plan (GVHP)
ranks as the highest health plan in
Michigan and among the top ten health
plans in the United States by the
National Committee for Quality
Assurance. The 2010-11 National rank-
ing places GVHP as number six out of 300
private health plans.
Grand Rapids – Spectrum Health is cele-
brating the completion of the two year $98
million Blodgett Hospital expansion and
renovation project. A 158,000 sq. ft. four-
story patient care addition was construct-
ed adjacent to the existing hospital facing
Wealthy Street. It will officially open to
patients on October 10. The project
involved extensive remodeling and reno-
vation throughout and includes 132 pri-
vate rooms in the new addition along with
8 new operating rooms, a 36-bed post-
anesthesia care unit or PACU, a complete
overhaul of infrastructure systems and
improved parking areas.
Muskegon – The Muskegon Community
Health Project (MCHP), a nationally rec-
ognized nonprofit to improve health care
delivery and expand access to care, has
been acquired by Mercy Health Partners
under a joint agreement with its parent
company Trinity Health Corporation.
Long recognized as a national model, the
Health Project has served the West
Michigan lakeshore community in assist-
ing uninsured and underinsured people
with health care needs. In its new capaci-
ty, the Health Project will now serve as
the external Community Benefit program
arm of Mercy Health Partners and as a
national Community Benefit model and
technical assistance source for Trinity
Health Corporation. Based in Novi
Michigan, Trinity Health is the fourth
largest Catholic health system in the
United States.
Allegan – Allegan General Hospital has
been selected as one of the country’s Best
Places to Work in Healthcare for 2010 by
Modern Healthcare magazine.
 17
Pennant Health Alliance Formed
to Support Local Independent Providers
Grand Rapids – In a move designed Pennant Health is backed by the community hospitals in the region a executive for Trinity Health. “We know
to strengthen independent community substantial resources and community chance to alleviate the operational how hard it can be for smaller hospitals to
hospitals and physician practices, Metro hospital operations knowledge of Trinity demands of back-office services by compete effectively. Trinity Health’s track
Health, Trinity Health and University of Health, the nation’s 10th largest health accessing the scale and benefits of our record in developing successful rural
Michigan Health System have joined to system, and the University of Michigan larger network,” said Roger Spoelman, health networks demonstrates our ability
launch Pennant Health Alliance. Health System. president and CEO of Mercy Health to assist communities while respecting
The new support-services network “Pennant Health Alliance allows Partners and West Michigan regional local independence.”
was unveiled this morning by the sponsor-
ing organizations. The alliance initially will
offer clinical support and administrative
services in four key areas: physician align-
ment and recruitment, health information
technology, revenue cycle management
and group purchasing. Other customized
services, such as quality consulting and
performance reporting, will be available on
an as-requested basis.
The announcement represents the
culmination of months of discussion
geared toward offering independent com-
munity providers a new option for busi-
ness and clinical support in the region.
The final approval was received just days
ago, with the unanimous vote of the
University of Michigan Health
Corporation board.
Mike Faas, president and CEO of
Metro Health, will serve as Chief
Executive Officer for Pennant Health
Alliance. The organization is now intro-
ducing itself to the region and is actively
collaborating with providers seeking a
network model focused on strengthening
local health care while supporting inde-
pendence.
“We firmly believe that the best
health care starts local and stays local,”
Faas said. “Pennant Health Alliance offers
significant operational, quality and finan-
cial benefits without loss of control or
ownership. We feel that Pennant Health
Alliance will resonate with doctors and
hospitals who want to practice good med-
icine on their own terms.”
Pennant Health Alliance presents a
unique model that independent hospital
leaders and physicians have helped to
craft through conversations and feedback,
one that offers significant enhancements
to existing provider networks.
Amid national health care reform
and the region’s aging population,
Pennant Health Alliance will work to
increase patient access to local primary
and specialty care while helping to
improve the quality of health care and
reduce operating and technology costs for
hospitals and physician practices.
Unmatched skill and scale will be lever-
aged to deliver services, and the alliance’s
key differentiator will be an ability to cus-
tomize local solutions.
 Corporate Information
Grand Rapids – Senior Neighbors, Inc.,
a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, has
moved their large benefit event Twilight
Shines to the Grand Rapids Public
Museum at the same date and time:
November 9 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
Ralph Hauenstein, 98, will be honored
with the third annual Twilight Shining
Star Award for his quiet and generous
dedication to his community.
Grand Rapids – The Right Place, Inc.
received an Excellence in Economic
Development Award for their West
Michigan Automotive Summit in the cat-
egory of Special Events for communities
with populations of 200,000 – 500,000
from the International Economic
Development Council (IEDC). The
honor was presented at an awards cere-
mony during the IEDC Annual
Conference in Columbus, Ohio.
Saginaw – This year, the American
Heart Association celebrates the 50th
Year of CPR. This lifesaving skill for vic-
tims of sudden cardiac arrest is known
collectively as Cardio Pulmonary
Resuscitation and celebrated its 50th
birthday on September 16. Less than
one-third of out-of-hospital sudden car-
diac arrest victims receive bystander
CPR. The most effective rate for chest
compressions is 100 compressions per
minute – the same rhythm as the beat of
the BeeGee’s song, “Stayin’ Alive.”
Grand Rapids – The Center for
Community Leadership, the communi-
ty leadership program of the Grand
Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce,
welcomes four new members to its board
of directors: Jen Crowley, owner of The
Highland Group; Kyle Ray, lead pastor
at Kentwood Community Church; Bob
Roth, president & CEO of RoMan
Manufacturing; and Steve Faber, exec-
utive director of Friends of Grand
Rapids Parks. Each will serve a three-
year term.
Grand Rapids – Advantage Sign
Supply, Inc. announced the addition of
the HP Designjet L25500 printer to its
wide format product line. Ideal for both
indoor and outdoor applications, the
L25500 uses innovative latex printing
technology for vivid durable prints.
Jackson – Kentwood Office Furniture
announced that Heather Sliker has
joined as a designer in the Jackson,
Michigan office. Katie Koster also joined
Kentwood Office Furniture as a sales
administrator in the Grand Rapids office.
Grand Rapids – The Center for
Community Leadership, the communi-
ty leadership program of the Grand
Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce,
announced the addition of Lizzie
Williams to its staff as marketing coor-
dinator.
Grand Rapids – Bonnie Nawara, a
Grand Rapids native and former planned
giving director for the American Cancer
Society, has been named CEO of Grand
Rapids Opportunities for Women by
the organization’s board of directors.
Grand Rapids – James P. White, presi-
dent and CEO of White Development,
Inc., has been inducted as the 2010-
2011 president of The Rotary Club of
Grand Rapids.
Grand Rapids/Lansing – On National
PCC (Postal Customer Council) Day,
September 15, Theresa Peterlein of
Presort Services Inc. Grand
Rapids/Lansing was awarded the PCC
Leadership Award, PCC Industry
Member of the Year for 2010 by the
United States Postal Service.
Mobile, AL – Mark Bohdanyk, director
of business development for CU*South,
has earned CUNA's Certified Credit
Union Executive designation from
CUNA Management School.
Grand Rapids – The Grand Rapids
Griffins announced the hiring of Kelli
Bytwork as community relations and
corporate sales assistant.
Zeeland – ISD Corporation, a leading
provider of secure payment management
software for merchants, announced the
celebration of its 25th anniversary as a
leader in the payment software industry.
Battle Creek – The Japan-America
Society of West Michigan entered its
11th year with a new executive director,
Tracy Miller. After graduating Michigan
State University with a BA in
Management and an Asian Studies cer-
tificate, Miller spent a decade living,
working, studying and raising her
young family in Tokyo.
Grand Rapids – CU*Answers has recent-
ly announced the next collaborative
marketing contest in its series of
CU*Drive campaigns which will promote
EasyPay Online Bill Pay. The contest
offers the chance to win a Sony Bravia
32” LCD HDTV for enrolling in EasyPay
through It’s Me 247 online banking.
Middlebury, VT and Midway, UT –
eDOC Innovations has recently com-
pleted a certification with DocuSign for
seamless integration between the
DocuSign platform and eDOC's
DocLogic and idocVAULT solutions.
eDOC's powerful automated loan pro-
cessing and packaging system now
allows credit unions to integrate branch
and online closings with effective elec-
tronic package processing.
Lansing – The Small Business
Association of Michigan (SBAM) was
recognized with two significant awards
at the Michigan Society of Association
Executives (MSAE) 9th Annual
Diamond Awards Banquet, held in late
September at The Townsend Hotel in
Birmingham. Nearly 200 members and
guests attended the event, designed to
recognize excellence and innovation in
associations. Rob Fowler, SBAM’s pres-
ident and CEO, was presented with the
Chairman’s Gavel Award, a special honor
chosen by the MSAE’s past chairman.
recognizing individuals who have done
the most to advance the goals and aspi-
rations of the organization’s strategic
initiatives over the past year. SBAM also
won a First Place Diamond Award for its
website (www.sbam.org) redesign,
which increased membership and
improved member engagement.
Grand Rapids - The Wyoming
Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce
announced that Ken Malik has been
appointed as the new president/CEO.
Malik has over 30 years of business
experience with manufacturing and
service companies in consumer electron-
ics, office equipment, contract office fur-
niture and industrial distribution.
18
Lansing – The Small Business
Association of Michigan has surpassed
10,000 members. It’s an all-time mem-
bership high for the statewide organiza-
tion and represents a doubling of mem-
bership in less than two years.
St. Joseph – Williamson Staffing
Services, Inc. of Kentwood announced
that Sergey Zybin and Jamie
Huddleston have been selected as
Staffing Employees of the Year.
Williamson Staffing Services, Inc. joined
staffing companies across the country in
celebrating National Staffing Employee
Week, Sept. 13–19, established by the
American Staffing Association to pay
tribute to the million Americans who are
employed by staffing firms every day.
Jenison – Family Hope Foundation has
awarded grants to 13 children with spe-
cial needs and their families in the West
Michigan community. These grants will
be used to provide the children with spe-
cial needs critical therapy that ordinary
insurance will not cover. The grants pro-
vide up to $1,000 of therapy to each
recipient.
Grand Rapids – Springthrough, a lead-
ing software and IT solutions company
and its affiliate ieQuery, LLC, unveiled
ieQuery Dashboard software - a new
software product that provides law firms
with updated report generation and
dashboard tools to augment time and
billing management databases used by
firms across the country.
Grand Rapids – Newly formed Career
Transitions Center West Michigan
announced Russ Gardner as the organi-
zation’s first executive director.

I just need a
survey; Why are you
asking me all these
questions?!
In today’s com-
mercial real estate
market, careful
planning must be
followed in order to
Rodney D. Unema
complete a success-
ful transaction. One
of the critical steps in preparing for a
transaction is obtaining a current sur-
vey of the property. In my career as a
professional land surveyor over the past
twenty years, the requirements for a
commercial property survey have
evolved from a relatively simple and
sometimes vague standard to a highly
detailed, nationally standardized check-
list. The most widely used and recog-
nized survey for commercial property is
the “ALTA/ACSM Land Title Survey.” By
definition, this is a survey prepared in
accordance with the standards and
requirements jointly developed and
adopted by the American Land Title
Association (ALTA) and the American
Congress of Surveying and Mapping
(ACSM).
The necessity for standardized sur-
vey requirements originated as title
insurance companies required that in
order to insure title to land without
exceptions, certain information must be
shown on the survey map. In order to
meet the title companies’ requirements,
surveyors must be furnished with spe-
cific information such as deeds of record
and recorded easement documents. The
two organizations (ALTA and ACSM)
formed a joint committee to prepare a
list of standards that were agreeable to
both and provided the property owners
with a consistent and quality survey.
The first Standard Requirements were
published in 1986 and have been
updated several times with the most
current being the 2005 Standards.
The current published Standards
are separated into two sections. The
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19
Just A Survey, Please
first section lists the minimum require- the certification to complete the survey geous to work with a real estate agent
ments and information that must be map. Often the buyer’s and seller’s or attorney for the details of the survey
shown on the survey to be acceptable in attorneys, real estate agents and the title and title work. It is also important to
both completeness and accuracy. The company review the survey. During this establish a good working relationship
second section (“Table A”) lists the process, it is common for some revi- with a surveyor who will provide a
optional survey responsibilities and sions, additions or deletions to be made quality job at a fair price. Standardized
specifications. With these optional to the survey prior to the final closing on requirements and professional relation-
items, the survey may be “customized” the property. ships will ensure a win-win situation
to meet the specific needs of both the My experience over the years has for all parties involved in commercial
buyer and the seller. A few examples of convinced me that the “ALTA/ACSM real estate surveys.
“Table A” items are: flood zone infor- Land Title Survey” is the right tool for
mation, existing ground contours or most commercial and industrial proper-
utilities serving the property. A com- ty transactions. It is nationally recog- Rod Unema is survey department
plete list of the minimum and optional nized and accepted by lending institu- manager at Exxel Engineering, Inc. in
requirements can be found on the ALTA tions and title companies. The mini- Grand Rapids, MI and can be reached
website (www.alta.org). mum standard requirements provide a by phone at (616) 531-3660. He has
Since the majority of commercial or consistent and dependable survey, a B.S. in Land Surveying from Michigan
industrial real estate transactions will while the optional “Table A” items Technological University and is licensed
require this type of survey, contact a allow the survey to be customized to in Michigan, Alaska and New Mexico.
professional surveyor and specifically meet the needs of the entities involved
request an “ALTA/ACSM Land Title in the transaction. Commercial real
Survey.” When ordering the survey, the estate transactions and surveys can be
following information should be fur- complicated; Therefore, it is advanta-
nished to the surveyor:
• The legal description of the prop-
erty (from a deed or title commitment)
• A copy of the title commitment, if
available, or authorization to order from
the title company
• The optional “Table A” items to
be included in the survey
• Any specific certification lan-
guage and/or requirements, as many
lenders and national chain businesses
have their own requirements in addition
to the minimum ALTA standards.
Once the surveyor has this infor-
mation, an accurate estimate of cost
and time of completion can be prepared.
Every property is unique and the cost
and timing of a survey will vary based
on the acreage of the property, the
existing improvements, the survey
requirements and weather conditions.
An ALTA survey can cost $1,000 to
$50,000 with a time of completion of
one week to months.
After obtaining authorization to
provide the survey, the surveyor will
proceed with the necessary research,
field work, drafting and preparation of

Construction Briefs
Grand Rapids - The American
Subcontractors Association of
Michigan named the recipient of its first
ever Contractor of the Year award: Dan
Vos Construction Company (DVCC).
DVCC topped the list of 10 nominees,
after nominations were announced in
August of this year. “We can’t be suc-
cessful without all of you subcontrac-
tors,” stated Vice President and Project
Executive Dan Vos. Vos was presented
the award in front of a sold out crowd of
330 attendees.
Holland – Dwelling Place officially broke
ground this month on a renovation proj-
ect that will transform the former EE Fell
Junior High School into Midtown
Village, an affordable housing commu-
nity for individuals over the age of 55.
Wind Power and
Human Health
Allendale – As the number of wind
farms increases, people have become
concerned about possible health effects,
particularly from wind turbine sounds.
The West Michigan Wind Assessment
project team at Grand Valley State
University has issued a report to address
concerns about flicker, noise and air
quality.
Nordman said flicker can be
addressed in a variety of ways including
landscaping to block the shadows or stop-
ping the turbines during sensitive times.
West Michigan residents are also
concerned about the noise of wind tur-
bines. “Studies show a single, modern,
Putting the Pieces Together
SEEING THE ENTIRE SOLUTION, NOT JUST THE PARTS
• Access Control
• Digital Video Surveillance
• Intrusion Alarm
• Fire Alarm
• Photo ID Badging
• Visitor Management
Grand Rapids, MI 616-773-6300
This $5.9 million construction project
will be completed in the fall of 2011. The
30 apartments in Midtown Village pro-
vide community living in a historic
atmosphere and will feature 1 and 2 bed-
rooms with open, flexible living spaces
and easy access to Downtown Holland.
Apartments will be available to qualify-
ing individuals with rents that range
from $580 to $605 per month.
Lansing – Designed by C2AE and built
by Dan Vos Construction Company,
the new gymnasium and stage addition
at Ada Christian School has received
LEED® for Schools certification by the
U.S. Green Building Council. It is one
of only 51 certified LEED for Schools in
the country.
utility-scale wind turbine produces
sounds at about the same loudness as a
normal conversation, at a distance of 100
feet from the turbine,” said Nordman.
“Most scientific reviews conclude that
infrasound at the levels produced by wind
turbines does not pose any direct human
health risk. It is a topic of ongoing scien-
tific investigation.”
Nordman said studies suggest if 10-
percent of West Michigan’s electricity pro-
duction was replaced with non-polluting
sources like wind, 29 premature deaths,
270 cases of serious illness and more
than 15,000 cases of minor illness could
be avoided each year.
www.securalarm.com
Ada – Erhardt Construction announced
that John Evans has joined the compa-
ny as director of project development.
Evans has over 36 years of experience in
the architecture, engineering and con-
struction industries. Most recently, he
worked with Spacewerks, Workstage
and URS Corporation.
Detroit – U.S. Housing and Urban
Development secretary Shaun
Donovan announced Pontiac, MI will
receive nearly $2.3 million to support
community development and produce
more affordable housing. The funding
includes Community Development Block
Grant funds and HOME Investment
Partnerships funding.
September Named “Mold
Awareness Month”
Huntersville, N.C – As documented
cases of residential mold contamination
and related health problems continue to
rise across the nation, the indoor air
quality industry is on a crusade to edu-
cate homeowners about the serious con-
sequences of mold in the home.
September 5 – October 5 was deemed
Mold Awareness Month by the industry
because mold spores that commonly
grow in summer humidity are often
trapped as people close up homes and
foundation vents in the fall. Just a few of
these spores can make a family sick.
Consider this:
• There are an estimated 10,000
mold-related court cases nationwide.
• There has been a 300 percent
increase in litigation involving mold con-
tamination over the past five years.
• The average mold claim costs
$35,000 and many exceed $100,000.
Fast Facts about Mold:
• According to the U.S. EPA, the air
inside the average American home can
be more than 100 times more polluted
than the air outside. New homes usually
have poorer air quality than older homes
because they’re air tight; Spores can’t
escape, providing a perfect breeding
ground.
• Common household molds cause
asthma, sneezing, runny nose, red eyes
and skin rashes. Infants and the elderly
are most the at risk, because they often
have weaker immune systems.
• Mold is prevalent in most homes
and it’s often difficult to eradicate, but all
20
Grand Rapids – C. D. Barnes
Associates, Inc. announced that Dale
Kraker, AIA has joined the company as
a corporate secretary and partner. In his
role, Kraker will be responsible for
broadening the company’s construction
market capabilities and reach.
Cascade Township – Wolverine
Building Group announced the comple-
tion of ALDI in the Waterfall Shoppes at
5114 - 28th Street. The project included
the remodel of a previous Fresh Market
into the discount grocery, ALDI. ALDI’s
new store layout features an expanding
cooler/freezer area, a larger selection of
products and an updated look to create
an enjoyable shopping atmosphere.
mold requires moisture to grow, so reduc-
ing moisture will reduce mold growth.
Where Mold Grows:
• Windowsills, closets, wall paper,
flooring, in or around showers, dish-
washers, washing machines and even in
the soil of potted plants.
• Mold can be caused by slow drip-
ping pipes, condensation, standing water
on or under carpets and floor boards,
leaky dryer vents, broken shingles and
wet insulation.
Preventions and Control:
• When water leaks, act quickly. If
you dry wet materials 24 – 48 hours after
a leak or spill, mold will not grow in most
cases.
• Clean and repair roof gutters and
leaky roofs regularly.
• Point sprinklers away from the
home and siding.
• Make sure landscapes slope away
from your home’s foundation so water
doesn’t collect.
• Keep relative indoor humidity low,
if possible below 60 percent. Humidity is
measured most accurately with a mois-
ture meter, a small $10 - $50 instrument
found at most hardware stores.
• Use air conditioners and dehumid-
ifiers regularly.
• Run the bathroom fan or open the
window when showering and up to 10
minutes afterward.
• Use exhaust fans or open widows
whenever cooking, running the dish-
washer or even washing dishes.

A.J. Veneklasen, Inc.
announced the completion of the Gordon
Food Service Marketplace in Okemos,
MI. This marks the third GFS Marketplace
in metro Lansing. Located at 1851
Newman Road, the store was placed to
better serve customers from the Okemos
and campus area all the way into the
eastern counties and opened last August
with a ribbon cutting, community open
house and a giant tailgate party. The
store will be more convenient for those
living on the east side of town and will
shorten supply trips for restaurant own-
ers. As part of its grand opening, GFS
Marketplace donated $1,000 to City
Rescue Mission of Lansing.
C.D. Barnes Associates, Inc.
is currently working on The Gooddard
School – an 8,000 sq. ft. early childhood
development center in Joliet, IL. They’re
also engaged in the renovation of exist-
ing office space for Notions Marketing
in Grand Rapids and the construction of a
100 unit, 3-story senior living facility for
Serenity Lake in Gary, IN. Work has
been completed on a renovation and
expansion project for Classic Cinemas in
Elk Grove Village, IL as well as a 5,720
sq. ft. meeting house for The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in
Marshall, MI and a 23,879 sq. ft. expan-
sion and renovation of the
Southwestern Michigan College Auto
Tech building in Dowagiac, for which
they are also pursing LEED certification.
Dan Vos Construction Company
is currently working on a number of proj-
ects in west Michigan:
• A two phase project at Dutton
Unique Dealership Joins
Southeast Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids – Since the July 15
soft opening of Boondox® Motorsports,
the newest dealership concept to appear
in West Michigan, referrals have been
spreading rapidly as buyers from sur-
rounding cities (and many out of state)
make Boondox® their final destination
for a pre-owned vehicle. Owner Troy
Rubey’s unique vision was to establish
nostalgia from the past, where customers
could experience the camaraderie of a
small town country store while selecting
from the very best in pre-owned Harley
Davidson’s, cars, trucks and SUV’s.
Boondox® Motorsports’ unique
Construction Update
Christian School featuring the addition
of two early child developmental kinder-
garten classrooms, two fifth grade class-
rooms, a computer lab, music and art
room, reading recovery room and addi-
tional gathering space with renovation of
administrative offices.
• A 1,400 ton steel job on 485,000
sq. ft. at Farmers Insurance in Caledonia
for a three-story glass atrium and interi-
or/exterior courtyard
• Phase II (to be completed around
early November) of a Providence CRC
project in Grand Rapids, adding class-
rooms, a kitchen, multipurpose room,
youth room and restroom amenities.
• A new food processing/production
facility for Request Foods in Holland.
• The remodeling of production area
for Twin City Foods in Lake Odessa –
bringing the building up to FDA code,
raising a portion of ceiling by removing
some of the current structural steel and
placing insulated metal roofing.
• A remodeled home made accessi-
ble for various hospital features to serve
as a Wings of Hope Hospice Wings
Home in Allegan.
The company also recently complet-
ed work on a tenant build out for
Carelinc Home Medical Equipment and
Supplies in Portage, a new church for
Kilpatrick United Brethren Church in
Woodland, a new Spanky’s Pizza &
Restaurant in Fremont and office reno-
vations for the Puritan Reformed
Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids.
DL Morse and Associates
has just finished building the shell for
new retailer The North Face at The
Woodland Mall. The 6,893 square foot
method of negotiating their inventory,
which is well below wholesale, sets this
new dealership apart from their competi-
tion. Motorcycles and vehicles are prima-
rily purchased from large leasing compa-
nies, finance companies and resources
from their dealer network. In return, cus-
tomers are already taking advantage of
never-seen-before prices. Vehicles
receive a full safety inspection from a
certified technician and are professional-
ly detailed before delivery. The
Boondox® commitment includes the
exclusive “Lifetime Engine Warranty” on
qualified cars, trucks and SUV’s.
store, located across from Barnes &
Noble in the Plaza wing, will offer cloth-
ing, shoes and accessories geared toward
seasoned climbers, mountaineers and
snowsport and endurance athletes. The
store's grand opening will be held in late
October.
The firm has also hired a new senior
project manager and 2 superintendents in
late September and is mobilizing their
crew to start work on a DEB store
(women's clothing and accessories) in
Macomb, MI.
Erhardt Construction
• The Salvation Army Kroc
Community Center is nearing comple-
tion and plans on opening its doors to the
public in late October. The Center,
designed and constructed for U.S. Green
Building Council LEED certification, will
provide an unprecedented opportunity to
serve the community, especially very
needy children and their families, provid-
ing positive experiences, relationships,
growth opportunities and spiritual
expression. The Center will contain a
chapel and an outdoor worship area, an
aquatic center, a gymnasium and fitness
center, education rooms, banquet rooms
and childcare facilities for patrons.
Erhardt is busy completing an ele-
vated track addition and finishing details
like carpet, millwork and paint touch up.
The company has also received approval
to begin construction of the 4,000-square
foot maintenance building on the east
side of the property which should be
complete before the end of the year.
• Erhardt was also recently involved
in the installation of WaterPrize - a 20 x
16 foot stencil painting created by
Johnny Clauson, Jon Bell and Kris
21
McNeil, exhibited at the Gerald R. Ford
Presidential Library and Museum dur-
ing this year's ArtPrize event.
• Finally, Erhardt’s construction of
the new process building and 500,000-
gallon precast storage tank at the Allegan
Water Treatment Plant has also moved
along smoothly. The tank is scheduled to
be complete in early October.
Wolverine Building Group
was pleased to be involved in the rede-
velopment of the Durant Hotel in down-
town Flint. Built in the 1920s, The
Durant served as Flint’s finest and most
luxurious convention hotel for over 50
years. In more recent decades, the turn of
economic hardship left the building
vacant and neglected for many years.
Much community effort and philanthrop-
ic support went into making the $22 M
project a success in hopes of kick-starting
the revitalization of Flint. The building
now houses 94 residential units geared
towards students attending the UM of
Flint campus and commercial lease space
in the lower levels. With over 60% leased
units in the first few weeks, it is expect-
ed to reach near capacity in its first year.
The success of the Durant is anticipated
to be a large catalyst in a serious of re-
developments in effort to turn around
downtown Flint to the beloved place it
once was.
Wolverine was also instrumental in
completing installation of the 55-foot
SteamPig - a looming unmissable
ArtPrize entry hanging in the parking lot
of The B.O.B. in downtown Grand
Rapids. Bill Pursifull, Marty Smith and
Fred Gilbert all put a lot of time into
helping the artists with the monumental
task of getting the pig to "take flight."

Arcadia Ales Looks Back to Its Roots
for Packaging Redesign
Battle Creek – Arcadia Ales was
established in Battle Creek in 1996 and
has been specializing in hand-crafted,
British-inspired ales ever since. Using
the finest raw materials available includ-
ing premium English two-row malted
barley and Pacific Northwest hops,
Arcadia produces small batches of their
ales in their authentic British 25-barrel
Peter Austin Brewhouse and open-fer-
mentation cellar, drawing on 250 years
of brewing heritage.
It was this sense of heritage that
inspired the company to rethink its label-
ing and packaging choices - the tried and
true images that had clothed their ales’
bottles for 14 years.
“We were looking for a more cohe-
sive brand identity and architecture and
we're really excited to be accomplishing
that,” said Arcadia Ales founder and pres-
Expert Reveals Secret Steps to
Winning Federal Proposals
Arlington, VA – While many compa-
nies during this economic period would
like to secure federal contracts, they
often don’t know how to go about doing
so in an effective way. What it really
comes down to, according to experts, is
knowing how to put together a success-
ful proposal package.
“There is more that goes into the
proposal package than one may think,
and if you don’t have an effective pro-
posal you will not be successful in
obtaining government contracts,”
explains Dick Griffin, an expert busi-
ness-to-government consultant and
owner of Arlington, VA-based The
Griffin Method, a firm whose experts
help businesses secure federal contracts.
“It is imperative that you approach the
proposal from the right angle and include
all the right pieces.”
Griffin offers several steps for help-
ing to increase your chances of proposal
success, including:
1. Have a strong Bid/No Bid
process. Absolutely no part of the pro-
posal process is more important than
having a good narrative that establishes
a baseline for how best to meet the pro-
ject’s requirements. A strong Bid/No Bid
process helps determine how you qualify
and why you think you can win. In most
cases, your Bid/No Bid conclusions lay
the foundation for the outline for the
ident Tim Surprise. “We made the decision
about a year ago, working with a design
firm out of Chicago to help us revitalize
and reinvigorate our branding. The result
is an all-new image, not only for our logo
but our individual brand styles.”
With their wide stable of hand-
crafted beers, Arcadia was looking for
task narratives you’ll need.
2. Build a strong and complete
past performance file. The second most
important part of your proposal is provid-
ing strong and fully supportive past per-
formance evaluations. If you don’t
already have a file filled with written let-
ters of evaluation from past customers,
spend the time it takes to build it, starting
immediately. For each past performance
you select to support your contribution to
the proposal, take the time to write your
own case study specifically relating your
past experience and past performance
evaluations to the task being bid.
3. Be clear on your role. When you
are part of a team working on a project,
check the results of your efforts. Take
extra care to cover your bases early by
building in a feedback loop. This advice
applies particularly to sub-contractors. If
you are planning to sub-contract, remem-
ber that you cannot always rely on a
Prime Contractor to give you accurate
instructions or feedback on your role.
4. Use the debriefing to your
advantage, win or lose. During a
debriefing, take good notes, and listen
carefully. At a federal debriefing, federal
evaluators want you to learn how to
improve your proposal, but they’ll be pri-
marily charged with providing the gov-
ernment’s documented position for dis-
qualifying you.
something that spoke to their British
inspiration and beer-making ancestry in
that part of the world. Their company
logo features a Celtic knot and strong
swooping lettering reminiscent of old
uncial calligraphy.
However, changing a brand identity
can be a difficult, even stressful experi-
5. Look for two or more subcon-
tractors per major task. Subcontractors
are important components of most large
contracts, so responsible prime contrac-
tors will generally be looking to get two
or more candidates for each sub-con-
tracted task, along with their technical
narratives.
6. Get signed teaming agree-
ments. Competitive (successful) prime
Function, Flair, Flexibility:
Trendway’s New Desking
Holland – Trendway has recently
introduced the Pack Collection, a newly-
expanded offering featuring metal desk-
ing, new filing and storage solutions and
more. With a clean, classic design, the
versatile, affordable Pack Collection has
all the elements needed to create smart
stylish work environments. With an
exceptional selection of models, sizes
and options, Pack provides the freedom
to tailor solutions to suit every need,
taste and budget beautifully. Building on
an initial Pack Filing and Storage offer-
ing, the complete Pack Collection has
expanded to include a complete free-
standing desking solution.
"Pack Desking provides all the flexi-
bility and modularity you can ask for in a
22
ence. “It's been a process,” admits
Surprise. “When you're looking at a com-
plete redesign of your logo and the famil-
iar faces or images of your brands that
have stayed in place for 13 or 14 years, it's
often a bit more painful than one might
think. It's like taking a nice very old com-
fortable sweater out of the closet that you
really look forward to wearing every sea-
son but eventually one day, it's too old and
tattered and you have to throw it away and
get a new one. Getting that new one isn't
as easy as it seems.
“Still, the process has been illumi-
nating at the very least and I think it
gave us a product image that we're all
proud of. That, and it’ll be easier for our
customers to find us and identify us.
This new cohesiveness and our refreshed
brand identity will give us at least anoth-
er 10 years of vitality.”
contractors usually do not consider sub-
mitting any part of a subcontractor’s
offer as part of the proposal until there is
a teaming agreement in place. Teaming
agreements include nondisclosure phras-
es that protect both parties from having
the proposal 'leaked' before the submis-
sion date, and are acceptable as a 'letter
of intent', in most cases.
freestanding desking system with multi-
ple power routing options," notes Mike
Andrlik, Trendway Systems product man-
ager. "And, it's teamed with the strength
and durability of an all-steel chassis."
The simple modular platform is
easy to specify, install and reconfigure
to support different work styles and
requirements. In addition to the com-
plete desking offering, extensive Pack
filing and storage line includes over 75
models to choose from, with numerous
options to maximize planning flexibility.
Pack products also integrate functional-
ly and esthetically with all Trendway
systems and architectural products for a
full cohesive workplace solution and
uniform aesthetic.

Industrial Briefs
West Michigan – The West Michigan
Chapter of Chemical Coaters
Association International (CCAI)
announced the creation of a special
award in honor of a very active, life long
member. The Bob Warren Distinguished
Services Award was presented to the
namesake recipient during the 2010
West Michigan golf outing in June.
West Michigan - The West Michigan
Chapter of the Chemical Coaters
Association International announced
Ed Dombrowski, president of The
Industrial Metal Cleaning Corporation
was the recipient of the 2010-2011
Vendor of the Year Award. This award
was presented in recognition of his sup-
port of the local chapter as well as coat-
ing and manufacturing companies
throughout West Michigan. In addition,
he is owner of Encore Seating
Restorations, a leader in the restoration
of auditorium and theatre seating.
Review of Stop Self-
Sabotage
By Rolf Dobelli, Chairman,
getAbstract
Never has the saying “You are your
own worst enemy” taken on more mean-
ing than in this analysis of self-sabo-
tage. Clinical psychotherapist Pat
Pearson takes a close look at how people
prevent themselves from achieving
Walker – Tubelite Inc. has added
Michael Augustine as its manufactur-
er's representative providing storefront,
curtainwall, entrance and daylight con-
trol systems to commercial building
teams throughout Indiana.
Walker – Tubelite Inc. has added a new
copper anodize finish which creates a
striking visual effect that retains its
bright metallic appearance, while extend-
ing the environmentally-responsible,
low-maintenance benefits of its store-
front, curtainwall, entrance and daylight
control systems. Ideal for the
Southwestern aesthetic and for historical-
ly-influenced design palettes, the copper
anodize withstands extreme environ-
ments and the trials of time. Providing
superior abrasion resistance and durabil-
ity, the anodize finish is applied and test-
ed to meet all AAMA 611 Class 1 speci-
fications. This eco-friendly finish will
not reveal its age with a patina.
abundant success and happiness. She
explains that individuals set “Deserve
Levels” for every aspect of their lives. If
they try to exceed these self-imposed
limits, they become conflicted and often
undermine their success with various
self-sabotage strategies. Ultimately, if
you don’t believe at your very core that
you deserve something, you won’t allow
yourself to have it. You’ll lose weight just
to gain it back, fail to develop an inti-
mate relationship or get fired from your
dream job. If you feel you are constantly
falling short of getting what you want,
getAbstract recommends this book to
you. Its systematic advice, self-tests,
transforming exercises, concrete action
recommendations, self-affirming strate-
gies and real-life examples will help you
smash your “internal glass ceiling.”
Pat Pearson. Stop Self-Sabotage: Get
Out of Your Own Way to Earn More
Money, Improve Your Relationships, and
Find the Success You Deserve. McGraw-
Hill, 2008. 240 pages, List Price: $16.95.
ISBN-13: 978-0071603195
getAbstract is the leading provider
of business book summaries, with more
than 5,000 titles covered.
Holland – LeanLogistics announced the
opening of a principal sales and service
office in Mississauga, Ontario, operating
as LeanLogistics of Canada. The new
office, the first for LeanLogistics of
Canada, will provide sales and support
for the full suite of LeanLogistics On-
Demand TMS® technologies and supply
chain services. In addition, On-Demand
TMS® offers both French and English
interfaces specific to Canadian regula-
tions and processes.
St. Joseph – With refrigerated transporta-
tion indexes pointing to pending capaci-
ty restraints and Chicago area ware-
housing needing additional deep frozen,
high-turn space, Hanson Logistics
announced it has taken several key steps
in its single-source marketing program.
The company has completed its expan-
sion of the temperature-controlled
Chicago Consolidation Center, located in
Hobart, Indiana. Consisting of new office
areas and 2,517,000 cu. ft. of warehous-
ing space, the expansion includes 8,000
new pallet positions, staging and dock
space for frozen and refrigerated foods.
The flagship Chicago Consolidation
Center is a three-phase, 14.5 million cu.
ft. facility now in its third full year of
operation. Hanson has also expanded its
transportation management services;
Don Romniak has joined the Hanson
team as the director of distribution serv-
ices. Romniak, who is stationed at the
Hanson Chicago Consolidation Center,
brings a great deal of experience and
knowledge to the department and will
play a large role in the future success of
Hanson transportation. The company is
also implementing an electronic payment
process for its carrier community.
Holland – LeanLogistics recently hosted
the 8th annual ClientConnect,
‘Delivering Maximum Value in a
Changing Economy’, a customer sympo-
sium, at the Grand Rapids JW Marriott.
LeanLogistics clients from across the
U.S. gathered for the three-day user
event, bringing together different per-
spectives and expertise of industry con-
sultants, operations managers and tech-
nology experts.
Grand Rapids – Mark Armitage joined
mechanical contractor and fabricator
Andy J. Egan Co. as the company’s
quality process manager.
24
Auburn Hills – Chrysler Group, LLC was
recognized with the Orion Environmental
Stewardship Award for the auto giant’s
dedication to protecting the health of their
communities, natural resources and the
global environment. In addition to devel-
oping green products as part of their
SmartWay Vehicle Certification program
and their work to develop alternative fuel
vehicles, Chrysler is in the process of
completing energy efficient lighting retro-
fit projects that will decrease their electric-
ity consumption by 2.9 million kilowatt-
hours a year at their GEMA Engine Plant
in Dundee, MII and the Mt. Elliott Tool
and Die Facility in Detroit. As a result,
Chrysler will reduce 38,500 tons of green-
house gasses throughout the life of the
system including carbon dioxide, sulfur
dioxide, nitrogen oxides and mercury,
which are all byproducts of electricity
generation. The energy efficient lighting
was designed and manufactured by Orion
Energy Systems, a Manitowoc, WI-based
power technology enterprise, and sup-
plied by McNaughton-McKay Electric
Company based in Madison Heights, MI.
Holland – LeanLogistics co-presented a
case study session at the Council of
Supply Chain Management
Professionals (CSCMP) Annual Global
Conference 2010, held last September in
San Diego. This year’s CSCMP confer-
ence consisted of a futuristic exhibit
“The Supply Chain of the Future” as well
as educational sessions.
Troy – Altair Engineering, Inc.
announced that it has purchased a
136,000 sq. ft. commercial facility on 8.9
acres of property at 164 Indusco Ct., in
Troy. Following a full rehabilitation of
the facility, initial plans include locating
Altair’s subsidiary ilumisys, Inc., devel-
oper and producer of next-generation
solid-state lighting technology, into the
new building. This will include its head-
quarters, research and development and
future manufacturing operations.
Akron, OH – Thomas Venarge has been
named president of APV Engineered
Coatings®. Venarge had served as the
company’s vice president of manufactur-
ing since 2004, and has also been the
plant manager since 1999. Despite the
challenging economy, APV had its fifth
best sales month ever in August of 2010
which is impressive, considering the
company is more than 130 years old.

US Begins to Adopt
‘Front-of-Pack’ Nutritional Labeling
By Raghav Prashant Sundar and
Dr. Laura Bix
The link between diet and health has
long been recognized. Almost all major
non-communicable diseases including
cancer, heart disease and stroke are
deeply rooted in dietary habits. Obesity, in
particular, carries with it both medical and
psychosocial consequences. Experts
believe that if current trends prevail, 86%
(8 in 10) of Americans will be obese by
the year 2030.
Labeling on food packages has long
been seen as a means to help consumers
make healthy dietary choices. “Nutrition
Facts” labels that disclose nutrient
amounts and Recommended Daily Intakes
have become ubiquitous since they were
first mandated in the early 1990’s.
Nutrition Fact Panels (NFP’s) have tradi-
tionally been placed on the side or back of
a package. In the recent past, systems
have emerged that provide nutrition
information on the “front” of packages.
These front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition
labels can be anything from a few lines of
text inside a circle to official systems that
combine graphic cues with textual infor-
mation. Originally promoted as being
more attention-grabbing and ‘in-the-way’
of consumers making a purchase, these
labels have also been associated with
Altair ProductDesign Selects Odyssey for
Advanced Mass Transit Solution
Troy – In an effort to develop and
commercialize an advanced bus platform
that lowers the total cost of ownership
and environmental impact of commercial
buses, Altair ProductDesign moved one
step closer with the naming of Lake
Orion, MI-based Odyssey Industries, Inc.
as a fabrication partner for Altair’s
BUSolutions program.
BUSolutions is a collaborative effort
between public and private entities to
research, develop and commercialize
advanced transit bus systems that are
significantly more fuel efficient, have
lower operating and maintenance costs,
are competitively priced and can operate
without updating the infrastructure of
existing transit authorities.
Additionally, the BUSolutions pro-
gram includes industry-leading compa-
nies that will help to incorporate state-
of-the-art components and technologies
simplicity and ease of use.
“Traffic light” label formats, a sys-
tem that combines color and text to con-
vey the density of specific nutrients were
first introduced in the United Kingdom in
the early 2000’s by the Food Standards
Association (FSA) - the UK equivalent of
our FDA. The color coding of nutrients
into red, amber and green circles is
believed to enable quick and easy com-
parisons between products.
At approximately the same time, the
Food and Drug Federation (FDF), a large
and influential industry consortium,
came out with their own FOP label format
called the “%GDA” format leading to a
long drawn political/scientific debate as
to which format is better suited. As of
today, no consensus has been reached
regarding which format is better suited to
be an optimum FOP label.
In the United States, FOP icons and
symbols gained prominence when a con-
sortium of manufacturers joined to create
the “Smart Choices” program in 2007.
Member companies could add a green
“smart choices” icon on the front of pack-
ages that contained products that qualified
for the symbol with the intent of convey-
ing a healthful message. This program
generated a lot of negative publicity when
several consumer groups criticized it for
not having strong criteria for the inclusion
from the transportation sector. Program
sponsors include Arvin Meritor,
Hamilton Sundstrand, PRAN, Sika
Corporation, Alcoa Howmet, Carrier
Corporation, LAAD Industries, Pretoria
Transit Interiors, Shaw Development,
USSC Group and Williams Controls.
Altair is working closely with
Odyssey to fabricate the first technology
demonstrator bus. Fabrication of the bus
body structure is currently underway at
Odyssey and final assembly is slated to
begin this summer at Altair. Once the
build of the first technology demonstrator
bus is complete, Altair will conduct test-
ing to validate the reductions in fuel,
maintenance and lifetime-operation costs.
Since BUSolutions launched in 2005,
Altair has worked closely with local tran-
sit authorities, the Suburban Mobility
Authority for Regional Transportation
and the Detroit Department of
of products, and it was suggested that sev-
eral of the qualified products were not
optimal choices for people pursuing
healthy diets. This program was suspend-
ed shortly after it was introduced when the
FDA announced its plans to study FOP
label formats and create a uniform non-
misleading system that all manufacturers
could use. While manufacturers wait for
FDA recommendations, many FOP formats
that offer at-a-glance nutrition summaries
continue to be used in the USA.
Consumer groups and manufactur-
ers agree that there is an urgent need for
evidence based research into the design,
use and understanding of FOP labels.
Researchers at the Michigan State
University School of Packaging are hard
at work, trying to apply basic research in
visual cognition to answer the often
asked question of what constitutes a
good FOP label. Using novel techniques
like change detection and eye tracking,
researchers are characterizing the atten-
tive and comprehensive behaviors of
individuals when they view varied FOP
designs, determining whether or not the
FOP acts as a “short cut” to the compre-
hensive information provided through
the Nutrition Facts Panel and whether or
not the FOP formats facilitate quick and
easy nutritional comparisons.
Of further interest is the effect of the
Transportation to ensure the newly
designed bus platform will meet regulato-
25
study population on the behaviors of
interest. Study participants will be
recruited from populations that are dis-
proportionately affected by obesity, and
researchers also plan to study children.
Historically and in the FOP labeling
trend, children have not been considered
when nutritional labeling is developed
despite research suggesting that: 1)
Childhood is a critical time for developing
long-lasting eating habits; 2) Children’s
preferences are impacted by product
packaging and branding (i.e. children are
sensitive to material that appears on
packaging) and 3) Child preferences
impact parental purchasing behavior.
Regardless of the population being
tested, the ultimate goal of the research is
to optimize nutritional labels so that they
successfully communicate nutritional
information by garnering attention,
understanding and ultimately facilitating
healthy dietary choices.
Dr. Laura Bix is an associate profes-
sor at the school of packaging at
Michigan State University where she spe-
cializes in healthcare packaging. Raghav
Prashant Sundar is a graduate student
working under Dr. Bix. His Phd disserta-
tion is focused on the design of front-of-
pack nutrition labeling.
ry requirements and address the needs of
bus drivers and riders.

Sustainable, Reusable Packaging For Supply Chains
by Dr. Diana Twede
Sustainability is the hot new topic in
packaging and supply chain manage-
ment. This trend presents a great oppor-
tunity to simultaneously examine the cost
and the environmental effects of shipping
containers. It’s natural to consider
reusable packaging, since we humans
have a long history of reusing shipping
containers from early wooden barrels to
today’s plastic totes. The sustainability of
reusable packaging systems depends on
the cost and benefits to the supply chains
that use them. Durable, reusable shipping
containers can be a profitable and sus-
tainable investment…or a costly mistake.
Often, it is more cost and environmental-
ly effective to use an inexpensive,
expendable, recyclable corrugated fiber-
board box.
It has been over 15 years since the
automobile assembly industry began its
reusable plastic container initiative for
the purpose of reducing waste. During
that time, reusable containers have
gained market share in other industries
too, bringing with them benefits of
reduced purchasing cost and lean pro-
duction opportunities. But there have
also been barriers to the use of reusable
containers. A primary obstacle has been
a lack of knowledge of the best supply
chain practices and lack of understand-
ing about how reusable packaging affects
profitability. There is a need to better
understand the reverse logistics options,
costs and benefits.
Deciding to invest in a reusable
packaging system is a very different task
from purchasing “expendable” contain-
ers because they are an investment, not
an expense (unless they are rented).
Packaging and supply chain managers
are not accustomed to thinking of pack-
aging as an investment.
It is unfortunately common for deci-
sion-makers to mistakenly apply a pay-
back period approach. This would assume,
for example, that if the cost for one
reusable plastic container is ten times the
cost for the equivalent disposable corru-
gated fiberboard box, then it will “pay
back” after ten uses. This is a mistake
because it ignores the other cost flows
associated with reusable containers,
including the positive returns after the
payback period. It is also a mistake
because payback hurdles favor cheap, less
durable containers that pay back quickly,
but add replacement costs in the long run.
Like any investment, the decision
should depend on a sound financial justi-
fication over time using a Net Present
Value (NPV) model. Predicting the NPV of
a “fleet” of containers depends on the ini-
tial cost (in year zero) as well as the oper-
ating costs for each of the number of
years they can be used (discounted for the
future). These operating costs include all
costs of returning the containers to use.
The NPV should also include the costs
avoided by eliminating the need to repeat-
edly purchase expendable packages as
well as replacement costs. It should
include tax benefits for depreciating the
investment and the recycling value when
the containers are ultimately scrapped.
The initial investment depends on
the cost of each container and the num-
ber needed. The number depends on the
daily usage and length of the cycle. The
cycle time depends on the time to deliver
the full package and the time to return
the empty package to use. This is why
they are often used in just-in-time (JIT)
logistical systems like the automobile
assembly industry and for perishable
fresh produce in supermarkets.
The operating costs depend on the
nature of the reverse logistics system.
The containers can be returned one-for-
one, like dairy crates in a milk run, or
they can be pooled in an interchangeable
system, like the nationwide redistribution
of grocery pallets. They can be returned to
use by a firm’s lead third party logistics
(3PL) provider or by a 3PL that special-
izes in returnable packaging service. The
cost of tracking and managing the fleet of
containers is easy to underestimate; This
has proven to be one of the automobile
industry’s biggest challenges, which is
why it now also uses 3PL services to
manage the information regarding con-
tainer demand and supply.
The number of years that containers
can be used is difficult to predict. It
depends on their durability, as well as the
care with which they are used. Tests for
durability usually focus on the package’s
weakest area, such as hinges or thin
26
ty should be tracked in order to evaluate
whether it was, indeed, profitable.
Unfortunately, this kind of real docu-
mentation is rare, and most of the feed-
back about reusable shipping containers
is anecdotal.
The good news is that the news is
mostly good. Some of the automobile
industry’s first plastic reusable contain-
ers are unexpectedly still serviceable 15
years later. The assembly plants are clean
and tidy compared to the previous piles
of trash in the aisles, which has
improved workers’ morale. The modular,
interchangeable containers are key to
lean production. There are even stories of
communities like Alameda County,
California, that encourages residents and
businesses to switch to reusable contain-
ers in order to “stop waste.”
But while it is rare to find a user who
admits that adopting reusable containers
was a costly mistake, there are plenty of
stories of users who have underestimated
system-wide logistics costs. The answer
to the question “Are they profitable?” is
“It depends.” It mostly depends on good
supply chain management.
Dr. Diana Twede is a CSCMP member
and professor at the School of Packaging
at Michigan State University in East
Lansing, Michigan.
This article appeared in the Council
of Supply Chain Management
Professional’s newsletter, CSCMP Supply
Chain Comment, Volume 43, Spring

ELFA Survey of spots. Training programs that show work-

ers the right way to handle and stack
them will increase the number of uses.
2009. CSCMP Supply Chain Comment is
published three times a year by CSCMP.
©2009 Council of Supply Chain
Economic Activity Once a firm has made the invest-
ment, the actual cost flows and durabili-
Management Professionals.

Washington, DC – The Equipment 1.3 percent in August, and there was

Leasing and Finance Association’s
(ELFA) Monthly Leasing and Finance
Index (MLFI-25), which reports econom-
ic activity for the $518 billion equipment
finance sector, showed overall new busi-
ness volume for August increased 16
percent when compared to the same peri-
od in 2009. When compared to the prior
month however, the MLFI-25 reported
new business volume declined from $5.6
J
considerable improvement when com-
pared to the same period in 2009.
The percentage of credit approvals
J ack S nyder I nc M
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increased to 73 percent in August,
matching the highest approval ratio since Specializing in small manufacturing,
September 2008. Sixty-eight percent of
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I A
participating organizations reported sub-
mitting more transactions for approval
during the month. Finally, total head-
616-889-8974
count for equipment finance companies

billion to $4.3 billion. This drop follows
two consecutive months of growth.
Credit quality is mixed as well.
Receivables over 30 days increased to
4.3 percent, up from 3.5 percent in the
prior month, but improved when com-
pared to the year-earlier period (5.0%).
Charge-offs fell for the second consecu-
tive month, from 1.5 percent in July to
M A. T
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 Mission Possible: Technology Advances Spur
Security and Safety Revolution
Grandville – As businesses, schools
and government offices search for solu-
tions to public safety and building secu-
rity, a revolution is taking place with
security equipment and systems. With
the latest advances in digital technology,
business and public sector organizations
can implement security and building
management solutions that conjure up
images of the latest spy thriller. Even
better, the new age digital security plat-
forms offer the promise of cost savings
and substantial reductions in energy
usage, often while redeploying the com-
ponents of existing systems.
“From the safety of employees and
customers, to loss prevention and crisis
management, most business recognize
that effective security and building man-
agement measures are a cost of doing
business today,” said Kevin
VandeGuche, director of business devel-
opment for Midstate Security. “Our chal-
lenge is to show the efficiencies that can
be achieved—especially when budgets
are tight—using these cutting edge digi-
tal systems.”
For anyone who goes to work in a
modern office building, running an ID
card past a reader is nothing new. More
than a few probably notice a video cam-
era tucked somewhere in the ceiling,
and everyone expects the presence of
fire detection equipment and burglar
alarm systems. Through the skillful
deployment of IP (internet protocol)
technologies—much of the same tech-
nology that drives telephone communi-
cations systems and computer net-
works—facilities can expand capabilities
and bring these disparate systems
together and make them accessible over
the Internet.
Compared to legacy analogy sys-
tems, digital IP systems deliver signifi-
cant benefits, including:
• Improved business continuity
• Better collaboration with public
safety agencies
• Reduced network and operational
costs
• Synergies between physical secu-
rity and building facilities
Quality Office Furniture,
at a price you can afford!
Business Contingency Planning
From natural disasters to disgrun-
tled employees, growing numbers of
businesses have to plan for the unex-
pected. If a crisis occurs at one location,
whether it is across town or across the
world, the ability to monitor alarms,
video surveillance cameras and sensors
while managing building access control
and controlling IP-connected building
systems such as HVAC systems, lighting
and elevators is crucial.
Enhanced Collaboration
Today, most enterprise safety and
security groups need to go through a
dispatcher to communicate with first
responders because they use incompati-
ble radios. With an IP-based, interoper-
able communications system, internal
safety and security personnel can com-
municate directly with executives and
first responders using any communica-
tions device including any type of radio,
phone or even a laptop with the appro-
priate software. If one site's network
goes down entirely, a remote team can
quickly reroute phone calls destined to
the affected site to ensure continuity.
Incident Detection and Response
Consider the case of a suspected
theft from a job site. Using analog sys-
tems, the security officers need to use
access different systems to view video
footage, access badge scan systems for
building entry and yet another to dis-
patch resources to begin the crime-in-
progress response. Time spent switching
systems can lead to errors that postpone
incident detection and response.
With an IP-based security solution
security personnel can use the wireless
network to pinpoint the asset's location
and then poll all cameras in the building
to look for suspicious persons. Building
alarms can be checked to see if a badge
swipe was denied signaling unautho-
rized entry by means of slipping in
behind authorized personnel. With this
intelligence, the security team can
broadcast a photo of the suspect to secu-
rity personnel's PCs and smart phones
for an alert.
Bill Feyen
616-554-0200
billfeyen@exceloffice.com
27
Convergence and Consumption Preserving Existing Investments
Similarly IP-based systems allow for Even better news is that adopting
a convergence between physical security an IP-based approach does not require
and building facilities systems. For exam- the purchase of all new equipment.
ple, failed door access control or a detect- Instead, customers can mix and match
ed gas leak affects both areas of security. any open standards-based equipment:
The ability for both teams to access each IP-based video surveillance systems
other's systems is often advantageous, work with old and new analog and net-
such as when building systems need to be work cameras from any vendor.
shut down in the event of a chemical leak “This is an industry that keeps its
or natural disaster. secrets well,” said Midstate’s
IP-based building control systems VandeGutche. “But word needs to get
can also save substantial amounts of out: Digital systems can breathe new life
money by effectively managing energy into legacy systems which makes them
consumption in real time. This enables even more cost effective.
organizations to identify anomalies that “It may be hard to put a price on
can indicate failed equipment. Similarly, the safety and security of your employ-
organizations can participate in their ees and business, but IP-based security
utility's demand-response program, technology makes it easy to justify the
which provides financial incentives to expense of preventing the unexpected
reduce consumption on high-demand while it simultaneously increases opera-
days. These systems can automatically tion efficiency.”
adjust building temperatures seamlessly.
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