DBusiness Daily Update: CCS Student Wins Detroit Grand Prix Official Poster Competition, and More

Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies.
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Alison Slackta has won the Detroit Grand Prix Official Poster Competition using a street art-inspired design. // Photo courtesy of Detroit Grand Prix

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.

CCS Student Wins Detroit Grand Prix Official Poster Competition

College for Creative Studies (CCS) senior Alison Slackta has won the 2024 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear Official Poster Competition using a street art-inspired design.

The final round of judging took place at the CCS A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education in the heart of Detroit. The winning artwork will be refined over the next few weeks before the official poster is unveiled on May 1.

The 2024 commemorative poster will be available for purchase online at DetroitGP.com in advance of the May 31-June 2 Detroit Grand Prix.

“We are proud to carry on the tradition of the Detroit Grand Prix commemorative poster and showcase the talented students at CCS for the 12th consecutive year,” says Michael Montri, president of the Detroit Grand Prix, who also served on the judging panel. “Alison’s unique concept speaks to the eclectic spirit and creative culture in Detroit, and we’re excited to share her design with the rest of the world at this year’s Grand Prix.”

Slackta’s design incorporates the high-performance machines that will compete on the downtown Detroit street circuit this summer. The winning entry also includes the famed Spirit of Detroit monument, honoring the event’s enduring history.

“I was inspired by driving around Detroit and seeing all the unique and different murals and street art that can be found in this great city,” says Slackta, an illustration major at CCS, whose family lives in Byron. “It was my goal to capture that same feeling of unity and motivation in my piece. I am excited to win, and I am interested in the race. I watched last year’s event because it was back downtown in the heart of the city.”

New European-style RV Now Available at General RV Center in Wixom

General RV Center in Wixom is now selling a new European-inspired motorhome.

Created by Coachmen RV, the Euro 25EU provides the compactness, sleek look, and features of a European motorhome with North American creature comforts. The Euro is shorter, more compact, and narrower than a traditional Class A motorhome, which makes it easier for campers of all skill levels to maneuver and fit into more campsites.

The interior of the coach features luxury amenities including:

  • Stylized and spacious lounge area with a sofa, captain’s chairs, and a Smart TV.
  • Large kitchen equipped with a removable cook-top, dishwasher, curved cabinetry, and pantry.
  • Expansive bedroom with a king-sized bed, wall-mounted TV, and additional storage.

To get an inside look at the Coachmen Euro 25EU, click here.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Illuminates Headquarters Honolulu Blue to Celebrate NFL Draft

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is lighting up its Detroit headquarters at 600 E. Lafayette

in Honolulu blue beginning April 19 to celebrate the NFL Draft coming to Detroit April 25-27. The building will illuminate a blue and white football.

“Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan joins the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan in welcoming football fans from near and far to the Motor City for the highly anticipated NFL Draft, which offers a prime opportunity to showcase our great city to the nation,” says Daniel J. Loepp, president and CEO of BCBSM. “As a company proudly headquartered in Detroit throughout our 85-year history, we couldn’t be more thrilled to join in the festivities by lighting our office tower in the team colors of our beloved Detroit Lions.”

Floor Coverings International Strengthens Michigan Presence with New Agreements

Georgia-based Floor Coverings International has inked three franchise agreements, boosting the total number of showrooms to 12 throughout Michigan by the end of 2024.

Floor Coverings International has seen steady growth in Michigan, with the number of franchise owners in the state increasing from five to 12 within the past two years.

The three new franchisees are:

  • Marty England in east mid-Michigan.
  • Trent McNatt serving the Novi, South Lyon, Farmington, Northville, and Brighton.
  • Matt Fritz is planning to open in mid-September, serving an unidentified territory.

For more information about the franchise opportunity, visit here.

Stellantis to Host Canadian Premiere of All-new 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger at Montreal EV Show

Stellantis in Auburn Hills will have a full consortium of its newest electric vehicle (EV) and PHEV vehicles at this year’s Montreal Electric Vehicle Show, taking place April 19-21 at Olympic Stadium in Montreal. The company’s display includes vehicles from the Dodge, FIAT, Jeep, and Ram brands.

Attendees will be able to view the Canadian premiere of the all-new 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger. Other vehicles on display will be:

  • 2024 Fiat 500e
  • Made-in-Canada Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept
  • 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T
  • 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid
  • 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe plug-in hybrid

Marelli, Infineon Collaborate to Showcase Marelli’s Zone Control Unit at Beijing Auto Show

Southfield mobility technology supplier Marelli will showcase its latest zone control unit, built in collaboration with Livonia’s Infineon, at the upcoming Auto China show in Beijing.

Marelli Zone Control Units are advanced electronic control units, that are placed in specific zones of the vehicle and manage various functions, consolidating electronic control units (ECUs) from multiple domains — including lighting, body, audio, power distribution, propulsion, thermal management, chassis control, and vehicle diagnostics.

They form an integral part of Marelli’s scalable hardware solutions, which combined with service-oriented software and cloud virtualization, enable a new era of vehicle customization and personalization. By decoupling hardware and software, Marelli Zones offer unmatched flexibility, scalability, and compatibility with any original equipment manufacturer’s architecture, while also enabling a reduction in hardware complexity and cost.

Economic Forecasters Project Job Growth for Washtenaw County Through 2026

Job growth in Washtenaw County is projected to outpace the state through 2026 in a “decidedly healthy” outlook, according to the 2024-2026 Economic Outlook for Washtenaw County presented at the President’s Leadership Recognition Luncheon hosted by Washtenaw Community College President Rose B. Bellanca.

The report was researched and written by economists from the University of Michigan’s Research Seminar in Quantitative Economics and delivered by Gabriel Ehrlich and Donald Grimes.

The authors forecast sustained payroll job growth through 2026, with jobs projected to increase 3.7 percent above pre-pandemic levels. Statewide the growth compared to pre-pandemic levels is forecast at 2.4 percent.

“We believe the resilience of the county’s economy, fueled by innovation, entrepreneurial activity, and a knowledge-based economy, positions Washtenaw for continued progress in the years ahead,” the report said.

The strength of the government sector, which includes the county’s higher-education institutions is a major contributor to the projected growth.

“The bulk of the county’s government job growth is from state government jobs, which reflects the resilience of Washtenaw’s higher-education sector. Other notable growth occurs in the private health and social services sector and the accommodation and food services sector,” according to the report.

In all, higher-educational services jobs, which also include finance, professional, scientific and technical services jobs, are forecast to grow from 140,858 in 2022 to 151,299 in 2026.

Blue-collar jobs, including utilities, transportation, construction, manufacturing and wholesale trades, are projected to grow from 27,591 in 2022 to 29,440 in 2026.

Lower-education services jobs, which include retail, food services, administrative and support, are expected to grow from 43,623 in 2022 to 46,034 in 2026.

Additionally, a slow decline is expected in the county’s unemployment rate, lowering from 3.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 2.8 percent by the end of 2026.

Economic challenges cited include the tepid growth of real wages and affordable housing.

Specifically regarding housing, the economists cautioned Washtenaw County has not been building housing at the rate needed to accommodate the growing demand. “The shortfall in residential construction has contributed to rising local housing costs. This trend could threaten the county’s ability to support the growth we are forecasting.”

The report also notes the aging demographics statewide. “Despite our rosy forecast, it is important not to lose sight of the long-run demographics at play.”

By the end of 2026 more than 20 percent of Michigan’s residents will be 65 and older. “Michigan’s aging populace will eventually act as a speed limit for both the state and the county, hindering growth as more residents near the age of retirement,” the report said.

“Washtenaw County’s status as home to several institutions of higher learning will help to cushion it against these demographic pressures, but even Washtenaw is not immune from Michigan’s expected aging trend.”

For the first time, economists also examined entrepreneurial activity and found that self-employment growth has been on the rise since the pandemic. In Washtenaw County, the share of total private employment held by self-employed workers, or proprietors, grew from 16.5 percent in 2000 to 29 percent in 2022. The pace of business applications in the county is also increasing and in 2022 was one-third above the average from 2015-2019.

Ehrlich is Director of the University of Michigan’s Research Seminar in Quantitative Economics, a modeling and forecasting unit, which provides national and state economic forecasts four times a year.

U-M economists Jacob T. Burton and Michael R. McWilliams from the Research Seminar in Quantitative Economics also worked on the forecast and attended the presentation.

Read a full copy of the 2024-2026 Washtenaw Economic Forecast here.

Meijer Donates $250K to Detroit-based Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center

Grand Rapids-based Meijer announced a $250,000 donation today to the Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center (ISAIC), a Detroit-based, national nonprofit organization.

ISAIC focuses on training the next generation of textile and apparel manufacturing industry talent through an innovative curriculum that combines technical skills, soft skills, and digital literacy. Their work, in partnership with local employers, creates pathways to sustainable careers for many who likely would not have those opportunities.

Former Detroit Lions Tackle Lomas Brown to Speak at Schoolcraft College Commencement

Lomas Brown, who played 18 seasons in the National Football League including 11 years with the Detroit Lions, will serve as the speaker at Schoolcraft College’s 59th Annual Commencement Ceremony at 1 p.m. May 4 at the TrinityElite Sports Center.

Brown will receive an honorary associate degree in arts and sciences from the college during the ceremony, which recognizes the hundreds of graduates earning certificates and degrees from the Livonia-based college.

“Our children and young adults are our greatest resource to reinvest in,” Brown says. “They are our future leaders.”

Brown played college football at the University of Florida, where he first-team All Southeastern Conference and a first-team All American. He also received the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, given to the best blocker in the SEC, during his senior season.

He currently works as a color analyst for Detroit Lions radio broadcasts.

For more information, visit here.