Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.
American Heart Association Names David Mannarino to Chair Heart Challenge
The American Heart Association in Southfield has named David Mannarino, KeyBank’s Michigan market president, as chairman of the 2023 Detroit Heart Challenge.
In this role, Mannarino is charged with a $1.2 million-dollar fundraising goal to support the lifesaving work of the American Heart Association.
The American Heart Association’s Heart Challenge is a suite of activities and initiatives designed to help companies positively impact employee overall health and well-being. The program is anchored in a series of customizable workplace events that inspire employees to be more engaged, reconnect with colleagues, get in their physical activity, support a great cause and have a lot of fun doing it.
“The American Heart Association is doing important work to help ensure everyone in Detroit has the opportunity to live longer, healthier lives,” Mannarino says. “I’m proud to stand with the association as we raise awareness about and fight against heart disease and stroke. I’m looking forward to serving as the 2023 Heart Challenge Chair and encourage the greater Detroit community to join me and KeyBank in supporting this effort.”
The 2023 Heart Challenge culminates with the Metro Detroit Heart and Stroke Walk and 5K held on June 3 at Comerica Park. The Heart Walk unites the community in celebrating health and honoring survivors.
Mannarino will be joined by other likeminded city executives working to increase physical and mental health, combat burnout and promote community engagement. The executive committee members include:
- Denise Brooks-Williams, SVP & CEO Markets, Henry Ford Health
- Michael Genord, President & CEO, Health Alliance Plan
- Robin Damschroder, EVP & CFO, Henry Ford Health
- Lawrence Sommers, senior vice president and assistant general counsel at Comerica Bank
- Dannis Mitchell, director of community engagement at Barton Malow
- Tom Randall, vice president of middle market lending at Fifth Third Bank
- Bill Kingsley, managing director at UHY Advisors Inc.
- Rick Ellis, managing director at Grand Sakwa Capital
- David Lazarus Jr., managing partner at HRG Capital
- Terri Cable, regional president for Michigan at First Merchants Bank
- Michael Jacobson, partner at Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss
- Tom Elkins, senior vice president of consumer credit operations at Ally
- Patrick McCarthy, chairman of Howard and Howard Attorneys
Another Heart Challenge initiatives taking place in metro Detroit is Executives with Heart, an opportunity for executives to put their name, personal investment, and network behind something that will change the lives of those who are most vulnerable among us. This year’s Executives with Heart, led by David Lazarus Jr., will launch May 1.
For more information, visit here.
Royal Oak’s Graphex Joins Forces with Canadian Company on Processing Facility
Graphex Technologies in Royal Oak and Northern Graphite Corp. in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada today announced that Graphex will participate in Northern’s selection process for a site suitable for the construction of a large-scale graphite processing facility in Baie-Comeau in Quebec, Canada.
The plant is planned to supply coated spherical graphite anode material to the EV/battery markets in North America and beyond.
On Dec. 21, 2022, Northern and Graphex announced the signing of a non-binding letter of intent to negotiate a joint venture agreement to build a North American mine-to-battery supply chain.
Northern and Graphex will work closely with the Quebec’s Department of Innovation and Development to identify and evaluate sites that could accommodate processing facilities to produce up to 200,000 ton per year of battery anode material where they could conduct their proposed joint venture.
Northern would provide security of raw mineral supply (graphite concentrate) and it is contemplated that Graphex would license and/or contribute its technology, plans, and expertise for building and operating the plant(s). Construction of the proposed battery anode material plant would be subject to identification and acquisition of an appropriate site, receipt of regulatory approvals, and financing.
The Manicouagan/Baie-Comeau region presents uniquely advantageous infrastructure and operating conditions for the joint venture to achieve its objectives, including ample renewable energy (hydro power), greenfield and brownfield locations, a deep-sea international port, and most importantly a welcoming local, regional, and national political and financial environment with favorable incentive potential, according to the companies.
“The potential to secure an appropriate site in the Baie-Comeau area in collaboration with Northern would allow Graphex to accelerate the expansion of its experienced mid-stream processing capabilities into North America,” says John DeMaio, CEO of Graphex. “Given the need for large volumes of anode material and the emphasis placed on creating domestic North American supply chains, the Graphex-Northern-Baie-Comeau collaboration represents a significant advancement toward making a domestic supply chain for graphite anode material a reality sooner than later.”
Hugues Jacquemin, CEO of Northern Graphite, says: “This is an integral step towards finalizing the terms of a binding joint venture agreement with Graphex to produce Coated Spherical Graphite Anode Material for the North American EV/Battery market. Over the next few months, we look forward to making further announcements on this and other initiatives that are in advanced stages of negotiation.”
LaFontaine Cadillac Buick GMC Named No. 1 Buick Dealership in the Nation for 2022
The LaFontaine Automotive Group’s Cadillac Buick GMC dealership in Highland was named the number one volume Buick dealership in the nation for 2022.
“This is a true team win and a testament to the passionate and dedicated individuals that each day, strive to deliver an exceptional customer experience,” says Ryan LaFontaine, CEO of the LaFontaine Automotive Group.
“At the end of the day, any dealer can sell someone a car, it’s the personalization and after the sale care, that truly differentiates us in a competitive market,” says Paul Jordan, meneral manager of LaFontaine Cadillac Buick GMC of Highland. “From our ability to e-contract, to offsite pickup and delivery services, to one of largest vehicle selections around, all play a role in our continued growth and customer satisfaction.”
For 2022, LaFontaine Cadillac Buick GMC of Highland retailed 474 new Buicks, ahead of the No. 2 dealer by nearly a double-digit percentage.
“At least three-quarters of our sales team in Highland has been with us for over a decade and I can’t stress how important that is for customer retention and cultivating a winning culture,” says Robert Simmons, executive general manager at the LaFontaine Automotive Group.
LaFontaine Cadillac Buick GMC also finished as the sixth-largest volume Cadillac and seventh-largest volume GMC dealership in the nation, delivering 1,280 Cadillac and 1,880 GMC vehicles.
The 63,000-square-foot dealership employs more than 300 people. The store is LEED-certified at the gold level, which means every item involved in its construction and day-to-day operations was inspected to determine how it would affect the environment and surrounding community. The dealership is General Motors only Gold-LEED certified dealership in the world.
TechTown in Detroit Recruiting Entrepreneurs for 2023 Retail Boot Camp
TechTown Detroit is recruiting entrepreneurs to apply for its Spring 2023 Retail Boot Camp, which is designed to help them make the dream of opening a brick-and-mortar business a reality.
TechTown’s Retail Boot Camp is an intensive, hands-on, 12-week program that prepares serious entrepreneurs for the opening of their brick-and-mortar establishments in Detroit, Hamtramck, or Highland Park. The program curriculum is designed to strengthen businesses to grow to a permanent location as they look to thrive in today’s retail environment.
“For years now, TechTown has helped Retail Boot Camp graduates open competitive retail businesses in a fast-changing environment,” says Jeremy Lewis, director of small business services for TechTown Detroit. “This program helps entrepreneurs to comprehensively think through how to open a location in Detroit, Hamtramck, or Highland Park that will service customers. During the course, industry experts will speak to our clients to help them think like business owners and entrepreneurs.”
TechTown Detroit is providing free virtual information sessions for individuals wanting to learn about Retail Boot Camp, the history of the program, and what to expect during the application process. Business owners also will have a chance to ask questions about the program.
Information sessions take place on the following dates/times with one hybrid session conducted both virtually and in-person at TechTown on Jan. 31:
- 17, 6-7 p.m.
- 24, 6-7 p.m.
- 31, 6-7 p.m. (Hybrid session)
To join an information session, participants can register for the night of their choice here.
Retail Boot Camp covers the following topics:
- Developing quality retail operations and routines
- Designing impactful visual merchandising
- Selecting point-of-sale and e-commerce system
- Identifying startup costs and funding sources
- Selecting a permanent location based on market data
- Navigating brick-and-mortar regulations with legal guidance
- Utilizing an architect for the design-build process
- Developing crisis and store management practices
There are no restrictions on where participants reside, but they must have evidence of previous retail activity, such as pop-up or e-commerce transactions, trunk shows or job experience, and must intend to locate their business in Detroit, Hamtramck, or Highland Park within one year of graduation.
After completion of the course, all entrepreneurs will pitch their business to a panel of judges, and five businesses will win a $5,000 Kickstart Award. A People’s Choice Award of $1,000 also will be given to one business. All receive post-graduate coaching.
Those interested in the program can visit here. There is no fee to apply to the program. Program fee upon acceptance is $499.
Legislation to Ensure Long-term Stability for National Heritage Areas Signed into Law
On Jan. 5, President Joe Biden signed the National Heritage Area Act (S.1942) into law, creates a system through which the Department of Interior may furnish financial and technical assistance to National Heritage Areas.
The law sets forth standard criteria for the funding, management, and designation of National Heritage Areas across the country, including the MotorCities National Heritage Area in Michigan, and provides them an annual authorization of up to $1 million per year for the next 15 years.
It solves a challenge that as many as 45 existing NHAs would have experienced in the next two years, when their authorizations were scheduled to expire. The law also authorizes seven new National Heritage Areas.
“The Alliance of National Heritage Areas has been working on this legislative effort for over ten years,” says Shawn Pomaville-Size, executive director of the MotorCities National Heritage Area. “To say the passage of this bill is a major achievement is an understatement.”
MotorCities, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2023, is a nonprofit corporation affiliated with the NPS that serves 16 Michigan counties representing a population of more than 6.5 million. Its mission is to preserve, interpret, and promote the region’s rich automotive and labor heritage while enabling, supporting, and respecting its diversity, equity, and inclusion.
In addition, MotorCities also generates $489.7 million each year in economic impact, supporting 5,343 jobs and producing $40 million in tax revenue in Michigan. Over its history, MotorCities has awarded more than 300 grants for a total investment in local programs of more than $1.6 million.
For more information, visit motorcities.org.
Daxton Hotel’s J-1 International Internship Program Exemplifies Its Culture
The Daxton Hotel in Birmingham offers an international J-1 Internship Program, which focuses on the hotel’s culture and the leadership team’s dedication to its associates.
The J-1 Program is a 12-month work-based learning program that’s comprised of participants from countries around the globe. Participants have either graduated with an associate degree in the hospitality industry or have one to three years’ experience working in the field. They can explore different roles in various departments at Daxton Hotel, helping them to discover where their true passion lies. The program provides participants with experience and skills, working in a fast-paced luxury hotel environment, which helps them secure jobs once they have completed the program and returned to their home countries.
Daxton Hotel’s team personally picks each participant up at the airport, helps them find local lodging, and helps them pick out appropriate clothing for Michigan’s four seasons. The hotel also helps participants learn about and become immersed in American culture as well as allows them to share their culture with other hotel associates.
The last Wednesday of each month is International Cuisine Day, dedicated to the cuisine of one of the countries from which the participants hail. Program participants work in tandem with the hotel’s executive chef to make sure the cuisine and décor from their home country are properly represented, some even sharing family recipes and having décor shipped in from their home, for the occasion. They have served meals from Turkey, Thailand, India, and beyond.
Finally, cultural excursions for J-1 Program participants have included pumpkin carving, a Detroit Tigers baseball game, bowling, and even other Daxton ambassadors coordinating a Friendsgiving meal for the students to experience together.
The J-1 students are paid and treated like the rest of the hotel associates, even being considered in the running for the hotel’s Associate of the Month award. They are ingratiated into the hotel team and organization, helping to enrich not only their lives, but the lives of everyone who work at Daxton Hotel.
Cranbrook’s to Host 8th Annual Winter Houseplant Sale
This February, Cranbrook House and Gardens in Bloomfield Hills will host its eighth annual Winter Houseplant Sale in its Conservatory Greenhouse.
Cranbrook House and Gardens Auxiliary members will be the first to shop the selection of houseplants during a presale from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Feb. 9. The Winter Houseplant Sale will be open to the public from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 10 and from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Feb. 11.
The anticipated plant selection includes:
- Assorted planters
- Begonias
- Bromeliads
- Calathea
- Dish gardens
- Jade plant
- Monstera
- Orchids
- Peperomia
- Purple heart
- Rubber tree plants
- Spider plants
- Succulents and cacti
Plant purchases help support maintenance and improvement efforts in the greenhouse and with other general operations at Cranbrook House and Gardens.
“Our team of volunteers has been busy propagating and dividing plants for the Houseplant Sale,” says Sue LeBeau, co-chair of the Cranbrook House & Gardens Conservatory Greenhouse. “The greenhouse is a cozy and warm place to see a wide variety of interesting plants, including an Australian Fern Tree, while you shop our abundant inventory and support this incredible nonprofit.”
For more information, visit here.
