DBusiness Daily Update: APACC to Celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month April 29, and More

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.
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Duc Nguyen-Abrahamson and Leonie Teichman
Duc Nguyen-Abrahamson and Leonie Teichman at the 2022 APACC Annual Gala. // File photo

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.

APACC to Celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month on April 29

The Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce (APACC) in Clawson is starting its celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, which is in May, with its 22nd Annual Gala on Sat., April 29, at the MGM Grand Detroit.

This black-tie gala will feature networking opportunities, cultural entertainment, and a keynote address by Detroit artist Mike Han. The annual gala draws top corporate executives from large U.S. and Asian businesses as well as leaders from businesses owned by Asian Americans with heritage from China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and India, among other countries.

Other attendees include entrepreneurs, along with political and government officials.

The keynote speaker, Han, was born in Ann Arbor to Korean immigrants. His family is a noble Korean family (yangban) with royal ancestry. Han has been commissioned to produce art for Bloomingdale’s 150th Anniversary, the Detroit Pistons, Google for Startups, Ford Motor Co., LinkedIn, and the Sommerset Collection. He also has created art installations for Red Bull, vitaminwater, and ArtPrize.

For more information on the APACC Annual Gala, visit here.

Grand Rapids’ Northern Jet Management to Merge with SpeedBird in Orlando

 Northern Jet Management (NJM) in Grand Rapids, the Midwest’s largest provider of private jet services, is planning to merge with SpeedBird, an Orlando-based luxury private air travel provider.

The move is designed to accelerate expansion to more destinations throughout the United States and internationally. The pending transaction, which will close in second quarter 2023, brings the combined company’s revenue to more than $110 million. With this announcement, the combined company will have 209 employees, including 98 pilots, and a fleet of 37 aircraft with dedicated customer terminals in Grand Rapids, Orlando and Naples, Fla., and additional offices in Milwaukee and Chicago.

“Through this combination with Northern Jet, we are now positioned to become one of the top 20 private jet operators in the United States,” says Chris Bull, founder and CEO of SpeedBird, who will serve as CEO of the combined company. “We are excited to collaborate with the teams that Northern Jet has in its Grand Rapids headquarters, as well as in Chicago, Milwaukee, and Naples.

“Northern Jet has been a leader in private air travel for business and leisure for more than 30 years, and our collective commitment to superior client service and safety are well-matched. Their extraordinary team, aircraft fleet and facilities are significant milestones forward for us and will continue to elevate our clients’ experience.”

Chuck Cox, who has led Northern Jet Management since 1995 and will become chairman and a shareholder of the combined company, says: “It was important for us to find a company that shared the same values and commitment to putting our clients first and providing sophisticated and safe service to airports throughout the country and abroad. We found our cultural match in SpeedBird, and we are now collectively positioned to serve our mutual clients with even more opportunities for business and leisure travel.”

April Pools Day 2023: Goldfish Swim School, Texas Company Team Up During Learn2Swim Month

Beginning April 1, also known as April Pools Day, Troy-based Goldfish Swim School is teaming up with Poolwerx, a pool maintenance company in Dallas, Texas to focus on the importance of water safety and drowning prevention and education for both parents and children.

Throughout Learn2Swim Month, April 1-30, Dallas-area customers can visit the Poolwerx website to sign up and redeem a free trial swim lesson at participating Goldfish Swim School locations. Lessons must be redeemed by July 31. The goal of this initiative is to promote swim and water safety ahead of pool season and the upcoming summer months when families begin dipping their toes back in the water.

“At Goldfish Swim School, we have created an inviting, safe, and stimulating environment where kids can overcome their fears, learn to swim, and have tons of fun doing it,” says Chris McCuiston, co-founder and CEO of Goldfish Swim School. “During Learn2Swim Month, a program we are thrilled to be part of, we are committed to sharing the life-saving benefits of lessons by offering an incredible swimming experience in the safest and most fun environment possible.”

Holland PHO Partners with Texas Company to Expand Primary Health Care in West Michigan

 Holland PHO, a physician-hospital organization, is entering a long-term partnership with Agilon Health Inc. in Austin, Texas to create a value-based care model across its community-based physician groups, expand access, and support its collaborative relationship with Holland Hospital.

“Primary care is the foundation of high-performing health care organizations and is the key to addressing the complex needs of elderly patient populations in particular,” said Dr. Kurt Lindberg, president and medical director of Holland PHO.

Dr. Bruce Stewart, chair of Holland PHO, says: “Agilon’s model will enable Holland PHO to continue to deliver high-quality health care to seniors that our community expects from us, while simultaneously lowering costs and increasing the efficiency of health care within the communities we serve in west Michigan.”

Holland PHO is a partnership between community physician groups in and around Holland and Holland Hospital in west Michigan. The organization’s mission is to coordinate the delivery of quality and efficient health care to the communities it serves in the West Michigan Lakeshore region. The organization employs and partners with 50 primary care physicians and emphasizes quality of care and efficiency of services, including pay for performance incentive programs.

“This partnership with Holland PHO highlights the desire of primary care physicians to transition to a model of care for their senior patients that ensures quality and improves outcomes,” says Steve Sell, CEO of Agilon Health. “Through existing partnerships in Michigan, we have demonstrated the effectiveness of this new primary care model. We look forward to working with Holland PHO to bring this new care model to even more senior patients.”

Agilon is accelerating the transition to a value-based, total care model for senior patients through its aligned partnerships, purpose-built platform, and peer network of like-minded physicians.

Securatech To Provide Cybersecurity to Oakland County Schools

 Securatech in Farmington Hills presented the winning bid to provide electronic security and guard services to Oakland County Schools.

These services will provide security upgrades that will ensure the safety of students, faculty, and staff in schools across the county.

With this partnership, Securatech says it is committed to providing the highest level of electronic security and guard services to multiple school districts under the Oakland County Schools umbrella, starting with Berkley, Farmington Hills, and Pontiac.

The school districts will have a team of highly trained and experienced security professionals on hand 24/7 to provide support.

Securatech recently has won bids to provide electronic security and guard services with Jonesville School District and is working on partnerships with several other school districts across Michigan and Ohio.

For more information, visit securatech.com.

PepsiCo to Participate in Design Panel at Pensole Lewis College

New York-based PepsiCo and Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design (PLC) in Detroit will begin their three-year partnership to develop Black designers and increase representation in the design industry today with an invite-only panel event.

As part of PepsiCo’s inaugural design program at PLC, the brand tasked students with designing a student lounge as PepsiCo designers mentored the students over the course of the program. As a final step of the course, PepsiCo will host an event today where students will present their student lounge designs. PepsiCo will bring the winning design to life this summer, along with NBA star Russell Westbrook.

Radio personality Angela Yee will serve as host of the panel event. PepsiCo Senior Vice President and Chief Design Officer Mauro Porcini, Pensole Lewis College Founder D’Wayne Edwards, and Global Real Estate Senior Vice President Matthew Stares will provide feedback and award the winning design.

Downriver Community Conference Partners with U-M to Offer Small Business Assistance

The Downriver Community Conference’s (DCC) expanded economic development initiative is now underway and include in that are funds that are available from the Downriver Riverfront Communities Economic Recovery Implementation Project.

Technical assistance and matching grant funds available for small businesses that were impacted by the closure of the two local DTE coal-fired power plants or the coronavirus pandemic. This support program is being operated by the University of Michigan’s Economic Growth Institute (EGI) in partnership with the DCC Economic Development Department.

This is an opportunity for small businesses adversely impacted in the cities of River Rouge, Ecorse, Wyandotte, Riverview, and Trenton.

“We are thrilled to have this assistance and funding available to support businesses in our region,” says Jazmine Danci, economic development administrator for the DCC. “Our primary target is those businesses that have been impacted by the power plant closures whether it be from loss of foot traffic and sales, loss of a contract, or other means. But if a business has been affected by the pandemic, we want to hear from them too.”

There is a total of $150,000 available to support businesses in the targeted communities. Each business will be able to receive up to $10,000 in matching grant funds toward the implementation of a project that will help to support the resiliency of the business. This can cover anything from marketing initiatives to process improvements.

For more information, visit here.

Troy Chamber to Host Event with City, County, Legislative Leaders April 28

Troy Chamber is hosting “Your City, County, State & You” from 8-10 a.m. April 28 at the Detroit Marriott Troy.

The event will include breakfast and networking opportunities. City, county, and state officials will be presenting in a panel format, with Taryn Asher, anchor and reporter from Fox 2 News, moderating.

The event panel features:

  • Ethan Baker, mayor, city of Troy
  • Dave Coulter, Oakland County executive
  • Quentin Messer, president, Michigan Economic Development Corp.

“The Troy Chamber’s ‘Your City, County, State & You’ event is different from any other government relations event because we remove the politics and focus on how businesses can partner on programs and services at the city, county, and state level to enhance the needs of their business,” says Tara Tomcsik-Husak, president and CEO of the Troy Chamber of Commerce. “We are honored to bring all three of these influential and impactful leaders together to discuss the state of Troy, Oakland County, and Michigan.”

The panel topics will cover the current state of growth seen in the Troy and Oakland County business sectors, state of residential relations and effects on Troy businesses.

This event is sponsored by Consumers Energy, Corewell Health Beaumont Troy, and Yeo & Yeo CPAs and Advisors. The cost is $35 for Troy Chamber members and $45 for non-members and includes breakfast. Register here.

Stellantis’ Drive for Design Contest Looks for Electrified Ram Truck of Future

 Stellantis in Auburn Hills is empowering students to envision the automotive future with its “Drive for Design” contest, which this year will be focused on finding a design for the electrified Ram Truck of the future.

High-school students are challenged to sketch an innovative design for the next-generation Ram EV truck. The top prize is an opportunity to work as an intern (if eligible) in the Ram Truck Exterior Design Studio this summer.

Drive for Design is powered by the passion of Mark Trostle, vice president of Ram Truck and Mopar Design, who won one of the program’s early iterations as a high schooler in 1987. The contest highlights the path to a career in automotive design and illustrates the many opportunities for creativity in the automotive industry.

“Participating in this contest gave me the confidence to pursue the path to a career in automotive design,” Trostle says. “Now, I want to help students find the connection between their creativity and the automotive industry. It is incredible to see our past winners come up through the design school ranks. I even get to see some of them as interns or coworkers in our design studio.”

All student-created entries must be submitted by April 21. One Grand Prize winner and two additional finalists will be selected from all valid entries received.

In addition to the summer designer internship in the Ram Truck Exterior Design Studio, the grand prize winner also will receive a Wacom MobileStudio Pro 16 tablet and have their winning sketch featured on Stellantis’ social media platforms.

Prizes for the second- and third-place finishers include an Apple iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, Virtual Day of Design portfolio review with members of the Stellantis Design Team and a scholarship to College for Creative Studies’ four-week summer program, VisCom 1.

For detailed contest rules, information on how to submit sketches, and free resources for students of all ages, visit StellantisDriveForDesign.com.

Ally Financial Honors Re-Source Partners with 2023 Technology Partner of the Year Award

Re-Source Partners, a Troy-based IT asset management services firm, has received an inaugural Technology Partner of the Year award from Ally Financial, the nation’s largest digital-only bank and leading auto finance company.

Companies were recognized in four key categories: operational excellence; security and data privacy; speed to market; and disruptive innovation, with one supplier, Re-Source Partners, being named technology partner of the year.

Re-Source Partners has been an Ally technology partner since 2014 and provides the company with IT asset management services including inventorying, tracking, warehousing and deployment of new and existing technology assets, data sanitization, asset disposal and Re-Source Partners’ proprietary Office in a Box services for remote and in-office technology accessibility. Additionally, Re-Source Partners created a dedicated Ally Room for secure imaging and staging of the company’s IT assets.

“Receiving the Technology Partner of the Year award is a company defining moment for Re-Source Partners because it acknowledges overall excellence across multiple performance measures,” says Jeff Korona, founder and executive vice president of Re-Source Partners. “We are extremely appreciative of the award and the opportunity to serve as a trusted partner with Ally Financial for their IT asset management needs. It is a win for our entire team and shows the positive results that occur when partnering organizations have aligned values.”

Restaurant Week Coming to Downtown Royal Oak April 20-29

Visitors to Downtown Royal Oak will have the opportunity to experience an eclectic variety of dining options during the Eat Royal Downtown Restaurant Week April 20-29.

Guests who visit participating restaurants and cafes during Eat Royal, hosted by the Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority (DDA), will experience unique and exclusive menu offerings, and other giveaways throughout the duration of Restaurant Week.

Participating restaurants and cafes include: Alchemi, Atomic Coffee, Bar Louie, D’Amato’s, Freshii, Give Thanks Bakery, Goodnite Gracie, Iron Horse, Jolly Pumpkin, Le Crepe, Lily’s Seafood Grill & Brewery, Lockhart’s BBQ, Oak City Grille, Oak House Deli, Pronto!, Rock on Third, and Royal Oak Brewery.

This list will continue to grow. For a complete list of participating restaurants please visit here.

“Eat Royal is a great opportunity for residents and visitors to show support for Downtown Royal Oak’s wide variety of eateries, whether it’s visiting their local favorites or trying something new,” says Daniel Hill, downtown manager for the Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority. “This Downtown Restaurant Week is designed for both frequent customers and those that do not visit downtown Royal Oak often, as participating businesses will be featuring new menu items that will be exclusive for Eat Royal. We are thrilled to be sharing the Downtown Royal Oak culinary scene with patrons from metro Detroit and beyond.”

Additional giveaways and promotions during the week of Eat Royal:

Downtown Dollars: Guests who dine at a participating restaurant during Eat Royal, and fill out an entry card, will be entered to win a $1,000 Downtown Dollars gift card. Three winners will be randomly selected, and customers can enter as many times as they like, but must purchase a meal for each entry. The number of entry cards is per person, therefore, if the menu is a three-course meal for two, the diners will receive two entry cards.

Lyft promotional code: The Royal Oak DDA will be sponsoring Lyft rides for patrons to visit Downtown Royal Oak throughout Eat Royal. Any Lyft customer can receive up to $10 off their first trip to Downtown Royal Oak with a promotional code. Limit one promo code use per account. Customers can access the Lyft promotion during the event by using promo code: EATROYAL

Boxed Water in Holland Expands Tree Planting Program

 Boxed Water Is Better, based in Holland, has announced plans today to partner with One Tree Planted and their Urban Forestry Action Fund, funding a diverse mix of urban forestry projects to help communities achieve tree equity.

The partnership will help reduce the effect of dangerous urban heat islands, providing green spaces for communities most in need and enhancing air quality to improve human health. This work is in addition to the brand’s ongoing partnership with the National Forest Foundation (NFF), which has funded 1.4 million planted trees over the last six years to areas impacted by wildfires and deforestation.

“We are well aware of the importance of trees in our environment to effectively absorb carbon from the air,” says Robert Koenen, chief revenue officer at Boxed Water. “However, equity is also a critical factor as it relates to trees, as low-income communities are disproportionately affected by climate change on micro and macro levels. We are thrilled to diversify our tree planting partnerships to include the incredible experts at One Tree Planted.”

Boxed Water’s efforts with One Tree Planted will begin in April, starting with a street tree planting project in the Bay Area of California. Within the next the year, the brand will fund projects in multiple cities nationwide.

BasBlue in Detroit to Host An Evening with Joumana Kayrouz on April 13

BasBlue in downtown Detroit is hosting An Evening with Joumana Kayrouz starting at 6 p.m. April 13 at its facility at 110 E. Ferry St.

Kayrouz, a Lebanese immigrant who came to the United States with only $1,000, now is the founder and owner of the Michigan Center for Personal Injury and the Law Offices of Joumana Kayrouz. Established in 2003, her firm has earned recognition as one of Michigan’s largest personal injury law firms and the state’s largest woman-owned law firm. Kayrouz and her firm have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients nationwide.

Kayrouz will share her journey during this sold-out event, from her beginnings in Beirut to becoming a household name in Michigan. She also will offer advice on navigating the challenges and barriers to success.