DBusiness Daily Update: Detroit Jazz Festival Announces Performing Local Artists, and More

Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies, including updates about the COVID-19 pandemic. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.
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The largest free jazz festival in the world runs through Labor Day weekend, Sept. 2 - 5, in downtown Detroit. // Courtesy of the Detroit Jazz Festival
The largest free jazz festival in the world runs through Labor Day weekend, Sept. 2 – 5, in downtown Detroit. // Courtesy of the Detroit Jazz Festival

Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies, including updates about the COVID-19 pandemic. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.

Detroit Jazz Festival Announces Local Artists Scheduled to Perform

Detroit Jazz Festival presented by Rocket Mortgage announced a roster of hometown artists that will hit the stages of the festival. The largest free jazz festival in the world runs through Labor Day weekend, Sept. 2 – 5, in downtown Detroit.

“The Detroit Jazz Festival presented by Rocket Mortgage is committed to propagating and honoring Detroit’s treasured jazz legacy on our stages,” says Chris Collins, president and artistic director of the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation. “We look forward to presenting an exciting lineup of hometown artists that reflect Detroit’s phenomenal and diverse jazz culture and talent.”

2022 hometown artists and performances include:

  • Allen Dennard Quintet
  • Anissa Lea
  • Djangophonique
  • Hughes, Simonson & Taylor
  • Keith Hall Trio
  • Leafar Village
  • Leslie DeShazor
  • Mark Lipson and Detroit Composers Collective
  • Michael Dease Quintet
  • Ralphe Armstrong
  • Signal Quartet
  • Tom Bartelmay Quartet

The full festival schedule is available here.

Also returning this year is “Detroit Jazz Fest LIVE!” available free through the festival’s website. Festival attendees and out-of-towners unable to make it to the festival in person can livestream performances from all four stages, all four days via their smartphone, tablet, or desktop. Additionally, the livestreaming services features select performances throughout the year from the foundation’s year-round initiatives.

“There is no better place in the world for jazz than Labor Day weekend in Detroit,” says Gretchen Valade, chair of the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation Board of Directors. “We’re truly excited for another great jazz festival and welcome our guests from around the world to our beautiful city.”

Comcast RISE Awards 100 Small Businesses in Detroit, Hamtramck, Highland Park $10K

Comcast today announced the names of 100 small businesses owned by women and people of color in Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park that each will receive a $10,000 grant from the Comcast RISE Investment Fund.

In addition to the $1 million in grants, Comcast also will award technology and marketing resources to 71 Michigan small businesses owned by women and people of color, including Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, and Asian-American owners, among others. The recipients are among more than 9,500 entrepreneurs nationwide who have been selected through the Comcast RISE program, which provides marketing, technology, and capital support to small business owners.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our community, and we must take every opportunity to support them,” says Shannon Dulin, government affairs manager for Comcast in Detroit. “We continue our commitment to contribute the resources needed to give small businesses owned by Michigan people of color and women the opportunity to not only survive in the current challenging economy, but also thrive.”

Comcast RISE stands for Representation, Investment, Strength, and Empowerment and is part of Project UP, the company’s comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help build a future of unlimited possibilities. Since the program’s inception, the company has awarded $2 million in Comcast RISE Investment Fund grants to local small businesses.

More information and the applications to apply for either the grant program or marketing and technology services are available at ComcastRISE.com.

Canine to Five Launches Groomer Apprentice Program

Canine to Five is launching a new workforce training initiative called the Canine to Five Grooming Apprentice Program (GAP) in conjunction with this month’s Pup Relief Tour.

Career-minded individuals interested in a job can qualify for a full-ride grooming scholarship at Paragon School of Pet Grooming and a paid apprentice position bathing and caring for dogs at Canine to Five.

Canine to Five starts the GAP candidates as paid employees. After working as a bathing assistant for two months, they start the Paragon classes. Candidates are paid for 40 hours a week during this time as they complete their 4-6-month classroom Paragon instruction. After graduation, they begin working as a full-time groomer at Canine to Five.

The tuition for this program is about $4,000 per student and is 100 percent sponsored by Canine to Five.

“Our customers expect the best,” says Liz Blondy, owner of Canine to Five. “It is so gratifying to see dog lovers turn their passion into a rewarding grooming career. By investing in caring and talented employees, I am building a strong workforce for my businesses.”

To apply for the Canine to Five Grooming Apprentice Program, go to caninetofive.com.

Also, Canine to Five is opening its Detroit grooming salon doors on July 29-30 to the national Pup Relief Tour, a nonprofit that offers free grooming and other salon services to area shelter agencies and pet owners in need.

“We are partnering with the “Dogfather” of Harlem,” Brian Taylor, on his organization’s nationwide tour that stops in Detroit, Chicago, and Cincinnati,” says Blondy. “His grooming team will be at Canine to Five for two days offering free services to people who are in financial need but still want to take care of their four-legged friends.”

The Pup Relief Tour also offers grooming services to local shelter dogs.

“Finding the money to take care of our best friends is tough in these times,” says Taylor. “It is healthier for everyone if the dogs are bathed and groomed by professionals. We are proud to offer these services throughout the Midwest this summer.”

To sign up for one of the free grooming appointments, visit puprelieftour.com.

Three Beaumont Hospitals Earn Top 10 Rankings from U.S. News & World Report

Beaumont Health’s Royal Oak, Troy, and Grosse Pointe hospitals have earned national recognition by U.S. News & World Report in its “America’s Best Hospitals” rankings.

Beaumont, Royal Oak ranked No. 2 statewide, marking the 28th consecutive year the hospital has been included in the U.S. News national listing. The hospital also ranks No. 2 in metro Detroit. Beaumont, Troy and Beaumont, Grosse Pointe are both ranked No. 3 in Michigan and metro Detroit.

Beaumont Health also has the most nationally ranked hospitals in Michigan. Beaumont Hospital, Dearborn is ranked No. 17 in Michigan and No. 11 in metro Detroit.

All eight Beaumont Health hospitals also received “high performing” national ratings for common adult procedures and conditions.

“Our physicians, nurses, and health care heroes are exceptional, and I am so proud of them and everyone else at Beaumont Health who received this tremendous recognition,” says Dr. Benjamin Schwartz, president of Beaumont Health. “It is so wonderful to see our team recognized again on the national stage.”

Only about 4 percent, or 164, of the more than 4,500 medical centers nationwide analyzed for Best Hospitals 2022-23 earned a national ranking in even one specialty. In 15 specialties, the top 50 hospitals nationally are ranked based on objective measures.

Beaumont’s Farmington Hills, Grosse Pointe, Royal Oak, Taylor, Trenton, and Troy hospitals also are also Magnet hospitals, the highest honor for nursing excellence awarded through the Nurses Credentialing Center, a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association. Beaumont Hospital, Dearborn and Beaumont Hospital, Wayne are working to earn Magnet designation. In February, Beaumont Health became a division of BHSH System.

“Our team is truly incredible,” says Dr. Paolo Marciano, interim chief medical officer at Beaumont Health. “They deserve all of the accolades for the great work they do every day to serve our patients and our communities.”

Detroit Pistons to Bring Back Teal Jerseys for 10 Games this Season

The Detroit Pistons unveiled their Classic Edition uniforms for the 2022-23 NBA season Monday, a replica of the road uniforms the team wore donned from 1996 – 2001.

“To Pistons fans everywhere — we heard you, and this is for you,” says Mike Zavodsky, chief business officer for the Pistons. “The teal jerseys represent a colorful time in Pistons basketball and NBA history. We are thrilled to re-introduce the teal to a new generation of basketball fans and can’t wait to see this version of Detroit basketball suit up in them.”

The teal jersey represents its own era in Detroit Pistons history. The team clinched postseason berths on three separate occasions, with franchise standouts such as Grant Hill, Jerry Stackhouse, Lindsey Hunter, and Ben Wallace suiting up in the teal horsehead threads.

The uniform itself is a direct replica of the original — black, yellow, and red trim on a teal jersey that features the flaming horsehead. United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), the Pistons official jersey patch and exclusive mortgage partner, is featured prominently on the jersey’s left front strap. The team is expected to sport the teal jerseys in approximately 10 games during the upcoming season as part of their 2022-23 uniform rotation.

The Pistons officially unveiled the jerseys during a launch party at the Renaissance Center. Stackhouse, who began his time with the Pistons organization in the teal jersey, was on-site to showcase the Classic Edition uniform.

The Classic Edition teal jersey will be available for purchase in the weeks leading up to the season. Fans can sign up for pre-order alerts to give them an exclusive window for pre-sale purchase once available. As the jerseys officially become available for purchase, the Pistons and DoorDash will partner to create a limited, teal-themed exclusive item for select fans.

BasBlue Establishes Foundation to Help Empower Women

BasBlue, a women’s organization in Detroit, has established the BasBlue Foundation to support fellowships and opportunities that empower women and girls by providing tools and resources to support their education, careers and increase their access to capital.

BasBlue is a nonprofit space dedicated to creating pathways and opportunities for women that opened its doors in October 2021. Today, it is a community of nearly 700 women, 60 percent of whom live in the city of Detroit.

So far, the foundation has raised $600,000 of its $2 million goal before the end of 2023. The organization’s foundation has received initial support from the Total Health Care Foundation, the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, and The Remington Group.

As its first initiative, the foundation is launching the BasBlue Zero-to-One Fellowship. The program is a 12-month fellowship program that will provide each fellow with early stage capital, business coaching, financial and legal planning, sustained mentorship, subject-matter experts, direct connections to industry relevant BasBlue members, and a network of like-minded peers — all to help the fellows identify a clear path for growth and success.

Applications for the fellowship are being accepted now at BasBlueUS.com.

The Foundation is built on three pillars: access, incubate, and growth. Each pillar has a specific goal and programs that align with the goal:

Access: Opportunity starts with Access. The Access pillar is defined by providing access and thereby opportunity delivered through curated space (operating and maintaining the BasBlue house), member-to-member connection (curating and empowering the BasBlue Member Network), in-house programming (developing weekly programs and events + rotating art program), membership scholarships (curating the Trailblazer-in-Residence program), and public events (executing city-wide Community Days).

Incubate: The Incubate pillar directly supports the community and city in helping aspiring business owners via the Zero-to-One Fellowship (development, execution and capital for fellows), burgeoning entrepreneurs via Founders + Fund(Her)s Pitch Day (execution and management), and Member Off-Sites (providing the BasBlue community with sponsored volunteer days).

Growth: As BasBlue gains access and incubates careers, growth is ongoing — and through this pillar, the foundation supports the continuous growth and progress of the community through educational seminars (planning, funding and execution); to Mentor + Member Matching (facilitation and curation); to a Leadership Development Series (skills for team building and management); and Mental Health awareness.

“While creating the BasBlue space was the beginning, we always knew we wanted to develop long-term opportunities to drive capital and connections back into Detroit,” says BasBlue co-founder Natacha Hildebrand. “That is why we designed our foundation strategy with a women’s career arc at the heart.

“From the early days, which require access to knowledge, capital, and a strong network to build confidence, all the way through becoming an executive and gaining leadership skills, navigating family planning, and investing for generational wealth; collectively delivering concentric circles of development and empowerment resulting in long-standing impact.”

BasBlue will work with Invest Detroit as part of their fellowship selection committee and other Detroit neighborhood-based nonprofits and organizations to identify potential fellows for the Zero-to-One-Fellowship and help drive citywide awareness of the BasBlue Foundation and programs.

To read DBusiness’ article on BasBlue, visit here.

Greektown Heritage Festival Returns After Two-year Hiatus

The Greektown Neighborhood Partnership, the Downtown Detroit Partnership, Hollywood Casino at Greektown, and Bedrock, have announced the return of the Greektown Heritage Festival, after a two-year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The free, family-friendly event runs from noon-9 p.m. on July 30 on Monroe Street in downtown Detroit, between Beaubien Street and St. Antoine Street.

Launched in 2018, the Greektown Heritage Festival celebrates Greek heritage of the downtown neighborhood. Monroe Street is filled with live Greek music, traditional Greek dancers, and Greek food and drink. The highlight of the festival is the street-side lamb roast with eight rotating open-pit spits. The menu focuses on a classic lamb gyro, alongside a beverage list highlighting specialty cocktails and beer (cash and credit cards accepted). Organizers expect to serve more than 500 pounds of lamb.

With more than two dozen restaurants and cafes in Greektown, festival attendees also can expect a wide variety of Greek and American offerings, all within a few blocks. Ample open-air seating and shaded tables will be offered on Monroe Street.

For more information, visit here.

Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Planning Aug. 22 Golf Outing

The 31st Annual Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Golf Outing presented by Fanuc and Walbridge will be played Aug. 22 at Indianwood Golf and Country Club in Lake Orion.

Using both of Indianwood’s championship courses, the event brings together a group of more than 200 senior-level executives, business owners, and supplier diversity representatives from industry leading companies throughout Michigan for a day of golf course networking.

The annual golf outing is billed as the largest and best-attended Hispanic business networking event in Michigan and one of the largest general automotive business networking events in southeast Michigan.

Proceeds from this event will go to support the on-going work of the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. As a nonprofit organization dedicated to the economic advancement of Hispanic owned businesses, it serves as a link between community members and the Hispanic market, connecting its member businesses to economic and development opportunities, promoting supplier diversity, and fostering business relationships.

For more information, visit here.

Burns & Wilcox Signs LPGA Golfer Sophia Schubert as Brand Ambassador

Burns & Wilcox, a wholesale insurance broker and underwriter in Farmington Hills, has signed LPGA golfer Sophia Schubert as a brand ambassador.

“We are proud to welcome Sophia Schubert, our first LPGA athlete sponsor, to Team Burns & Wilcox,” says Danny Kaufman, president of Burns & Wilcox. “This partnership is the latest example of our commitment to support professionals and amateur athletes, helping them succeed in their careers long-term. We look forward to seeing Sophia represent the Burns & Wilcox brand and wish her the best of luck on the LPGA Tour.”

Schubert, a rookie on this year’s LPGA Tour, won the 2017 U.S. Women’s Amateur as a Texas Longhorn student and turned professional in 2018. She made her professional debut at the 2018 Indy Women in Tech Championship on the LPGA Tour and won her first professional event at the 2021 Carolina Golf Classic on the Symetra Tour.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to partner with Burns & Wilcox as they are a brand that truly appreciates and embraces the sport of golf,” says Schubert. “Having their support as I pursue my first year on the LPGA Tour is inspiring and motivating, and I will carry that enthusiasm with me throughout the season.”

Burns & Wilcox currently sponsors three other professional golfers: 2016 PGA Champion Jimmy Walker, 2012 US Open Champion Webb Simpson, and four-time PGA Tour Winner Max Homa.

In addition, Burns & Wilcox has an official partnership with the Detroit Red Wings. The company’s logo is visible on center ice of Little Caesars Arena.

The brand ambassadors share the company’s core values of integrity, hard work, competitiveness, and professionalism, aligning with the Burns & Wilcox company culture. To learn more, visit www.burnsandwilcox.com/sponsorships.

Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic Preview Event to Include Sports Medicine Presentation

The Detroit Sports Commission will host the 2022 Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic Preview Presented by DMC Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy at 5 p.m. July 27 at the Xenith Production Facility (4333 Fort St.) in Detroit.

The event will include DMC Sports Medicine Physician and Physical Therapy team members who will lead health and wellness presentations focused on high school football on the topics of:

  • Importance of nutrition
  • Head health
  • Preventing heat exhaustion and proper hydration

The DMC presentation will be followed by a brief preview of the game matchups moderated by sports broadcaster Jeremy Otto. A tour of the Xenith facility will conclude the program.

“The Detroit Sports Commission is pleased to host the Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic Preview in partnership with the DMC Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy and our title sponsor Xenith,” says Marty Dobek, deputy director of the Detroit Sports Commission. “The goal of the event is to provide athletic directors, coaches, and players from the participating schools with valuable information on football-related health and wellness from DMC as the teams begin to prepare for the 2022 MHSAA season.”

The 2022 Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic takes place Aug 25-27 at Wayne State University.

For more information and tickets, visit here.

Washtenaw Community College Hosting Middle School Super STEAM Saturdays

A new year of Super STEAM Saturdays kicks off Aug. 13 at Washtenaw Community College (WCC) in Ann Arbor.

Geared toward middle-school students, the free events are designed to generate interest in potential science, technology, engineering, art, and math careers, all of which can start with courses at WCC.

WCC faculty members will lead the monthly Super STEAM Saturdays events, engaging middle school students in interactive learning activities. Older and younger students also are invited to register.

Some events will occur in person on the WCC campus, while others will be hosted online. Register for each month’s activity on the Super STEAM Saturdays webpage.

This year’s lineup includes:

Aug. 13: virtual (1-2 p.m.) — Coloring our Universe
Sept. 24: virtual (1-2 p.m.) — Optical Illusions: Do You See What “Eye” See?
Oct. 1: virtual (1-2 p.m.) — Fido and the Gray Wolf: Genetics and Conservation Genetics
Nov. 5: virtual (1-2 p.m.) — Why Scientists MUST be Artists: A look into the disciplines of creativity, artistry, and altruism to STEM Innovation
Dec. 3: in-person (1-2 p.m.) — Cool Chemistry
Jan. 28, 2023: in-person (10 a.m.-noon) — Dinosaurs!
Feb. 4: virtual (1-2 p.m.) — Science Poetry
March 18: TBD (1-2 p.m.) — Climate Change: Science, Scenarios, and Solutions
April 1: virtual (1-2 p.m.) — Fun with Probability
May 13: virtual (1-2 p.m.) — Persuasion from No to Yes: The Pitch Technique

The June and July dates are being finalized, one of which will feature WCC alumna Aisha Bowe, a former NASA engineer and rocket scientist and founder of LINGO self-paced coding kits for students. Additionally, a STEM Career Exploration event also will be scheduled during one of the 2022-2023 events.