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.
DIA Extends ‘Detroit Style’ Car Design Exhibit to June 5
The Detroit Institute of Arts has extended its “Detroit Style: Car Design in the Motor City, 1950–2020” exhibition until June 5.
The exhibition highlights the artistry and influence of Detroit car designers working between 1950 and the present day. It brings together 12 coupes and sedans designed across that 70-year period to highlight significant achievements in style and technology, including unique examples of experimental show cars created for display and iconic production models sold to the mass market.
Design drawings allow visitors to imagine the creative and innovative processes that bring a vehicle from the drawing board to the street. A selection of paintings and sculptures highlight the conversation between the American art world and car culture.
For this extension, the museum has acquired a new loan, the 1959 Cadillac Cyclone, which will replace the 1958 Firebird III in February.
The exhibition is free with museum admission, which is always free for residents of Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties.
Chicago Firm Partners with Southfield’s Retina Consultants of Michigan
Midwest Vision Partners of Chicago is partnering with Southfield-based Retina Consultants of Michigan.
This represents MVP’s 18th partnership, broadening its network to more than 125 providers and 60 locations and approximately 1,400 staff across Michigan and Ohio. MVP says it is committed to partnering with leading ophthalmologists and optometrists throughout the Midwest.
RCM has three locations in metro Detroit supported by 60 staff members, and has developed strong relationships with practices and providers across the region.
“I am excited for our practice to announce this partnership with Midwest Vision Partners, an organization that shares the same focus on providing premier eye care to patients and delivers the support needed to enable our practice to continue to thrive,” says Dr. Joel Miller of RCM.
Detroit’s Hygienic Dress League Submits Regulation A Filing to SEC
Detroit’s Hygienic Dress League, a registered corporation as a new and original form of art, has filed an application with the Securities and Exchange Commission for Regulation A+ exemption to issue securities.
HDL filed for a Tier 2 offering that, if approved, would allow for the issuance of up to $75 million of securities in a 12-month period. This would permit members of the public, subject to conditions, to participate in the offering. HDL believes this application is the first of its kind before the SEC.
Founded in 2007 in Detroit by Steve and Dorota Coy, husband and wife visual artists, HDL explores aspects of the human condition and contemporary society while challenging reality, truth, and belief systems through the framework of corporate activities. Thus far, HDL’s vision and exhibitions have manifested as TV commercials, public installations, fleeting out-of-home projections, and in augmented reality. HDL’s guerilla marketing and urban interventions have been experienced in 19 cities from nine countries across three continents.
“When we founded HDL, we did so to create art that would resonate with people and to address pressing and uncomfortable issues in our society,” says Dorota Coy, co-founder of HDL. “If this new offering is approved, it will push the boundaries of art and finance, showing how the two merge and interact with each other. The goal is for people to ponder the nature of corporations, our concepts of value, and other seemingly permanent structures of our world.”
The first-of-its kind planned offering for participants will be for 600k non-fungible token (NFT) securities. Concurrently, HDL has begun minting NFTs representing “employees.” Each block of shares will come with its own unique NFT employee.
After the planned offering, interested parties will be able to purchase certain HDL NFTs separately from NFT shares with the opportunity to sell them on open secondary markets. Shareholders will potentially be entitled to up to 4 percent of the royalties from the secondary sales of HDL’s NFTs. In December 2021, HDL sold its first NFT, “First Contact,” for $100,000.
To pre-register for the offering, visit here.
Darren McCarty Collaborates with Pincanna on New Line of Cannabis Edibles
Four-time Stanley Cup champion and former Detroit Red Wing Darren McCarty is collaborating with Pincanna on a new line of cannabis edibles.
The Darren McCarty Brand features products aptly named: POWER PLAY: THC; INTERMISSION: CBD: GAME DAY: THC + CBD; SHUT OUT: CBN + THC; and LIGHTS OUT: CBD + CBN.
“For my everyday wellness routine, I turn to the cannabis plant to give me energy, help me relax, ease my aches and pains, and help me sleep,” says McCarty. “Our new gummy lineup has something for everyone — from the everyday cannabis user to those who haven’t ever experienced the benefits of cannabis before. I’m pumped about the addition of CBN in two of the combinations, which is the new frontier for those who are looking for a restful night’s sleep.”
The Darren McCarty Brand gummies initially will be sold this week at Pincanna stores in East Lansing and Kalkaska. Additionally, The Greenhouse of Walled Lake will be part of the product launch with a special appearance by McCarty on Friday from 5-6:30 p.m.
For more information, visit Pincanna.com.
Marathon Recounts Year of Support to Southwest Detroit Organizations
The year 2021 was a big one for Marathon Petroleum Corp.’s philanthropic efforts in southwest Detroit, the company says, devoting several community-benefit grants to support its neighbors and drive tangible community change through contributions.
“Making a difference in the lives of our neighbors is very important to everyone here at the refinery,” says Dave Leaver, general manager of Marathon’s Detroit refinery. “It’s Marathon’s job to fuel the community, which includes being a good neighbor and supporting Southwest Detroit. We are proud of the work we do with and for Detroit residents.”
Details of last year’s giving include:
Detroit Police Athletic League — $35,000 to PAL to support after-school, weekend, and summer programming to youth in southwest Detroit.
Alternatives for Girls — $45,000 grant to the southwest Detroit based nonprofit that helps homeless and high-risk girls and young women avoid violence, teen pregnancy, and exploitation, and helps them explore and access the support, resources, and opportunities necessary to be safe, to grow strong and to make positive choices in their lives.
The Perry Outreach Center — $35,000 to support its after-school music programming. Money will help to pay for instructor pay, instrument purchases and upkeep, and light food and snacks for participants. After school and weekend programming is crucial for many families that work atypical hours and need free and quality programs for their children.
Tri-City Community Development Corp. — $40,000 for the implementation of the architectural and program design for the Eden Park Community Project (EPCP).
Mark Twain School for Scholars — Partnered with Detroit Public Schools (DPS) for the development of a new STEAM lab and collaborated on multiple mini-events at Mark Twain School for Scholars to promote student enrollment, engagement funding, and resources that supported families, and community vendors and entrepreneurs. Marathon’s gift of $150,000 will open the STEAM lab in 2022. MPC also supports the Girl Scout troop at Mark Twain.
Detroit Police Department’s Detroit Public Safety Foundation — A $22,000 grant donation for the Law Enforcement Explorers Program, an educational mentorship program for youth interested in law enforcement or criminal justice career training.
Southwest Solutions — Raised more than $150,000 for Southwest Solutions the largest donation from the 2021 MPC Motor City Classic golf outing to date. Funds raised from the outing will focus on human and economic development programs, and community engagement efforts carried out by Southwest Solutions.
Wildlife Habitat Council — Partnered with WHC to focus on nature-based options in Southwest Detroit. MPC gave a $35,000 grant and provided volunteers for a tree planting program that added 150 new trees for the expansion of Marathon Gardens near the refinery. The grant will also help to educate residents on sustainability best practices.
Healthy Homes Program — Donated $200,000 for the distribution of Healthy Home Kits to over 200 families in 48217. Kits include resources like air purifiers and vacuum cleaners to help reduce respiratory illness triggers for high-risk children and families in the neighborhood. The program is administered by Wayne State University’s AmeriCorps Urban Safety Program.
In addition to grants and funding, Marathon also committed to improving neighborhoods in southwest Detroit. MPC continued a program to create green space and buffer-zones between the refinery and the neighborhood, and has also committed to maintaining the I-75 entrance/exits ramps in the area. In total, Detroit refinery employees dedicated more than 1,300 hours of volunteering in the community.
EMU’s COVID Testing Center Provides Free Access to Rapid Virus Tests
As part of the ongoing #EMUSafe initiatives at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, which helps minimize exposure to COVID-19 in the campus community, students, faculty, and staff can take advantage of free and convenient coronavirus testing.
Located on the ground floor of the Student Center next to the EMU Bookstore, the COVID Testing Center offers rapid testing that is safe and accurate, says Lynne Shetron-Rama, EMU professor and program director for the Clinical Laboratory Science Program.
“By offering these tests, we can hopefully keep a handle on small COVID outbreaks and keep them from spreading,” Shetron-Rama says. “The testing center saves people time and energy. People can easily sign up and walk-in for a free test.”
The center, which opened in February 2021, offers a type of rapid test: Abbott BinaxNow. It is a self-administered, non-invasive, shallow nasal swab test taken around the circumference of the lower nostril area. EMU Medical Laboratory Science and Exercise Science students run the tests.
“The rapid test only goes up into the first half-inch or so of the nose,” Shetron-Rama says. “We wanted the students, staff, and faculty to be able to do it themselves. The test itself is done in minutes and results come back within a couple of hours.”
The test results also are highly sensitive, Shetron-Rama says.
“The rapid test checks for a piece of the viral particle and has proven to be a good test for the SARS CoV-2 virus,” she says. “The current data shows most rapid tests are 98 percent sensitive at picking up infection.”
Acrisure in Grand Rapids Acquires Appalachian Underwriters
Acrisure, a Grand Rapids-based fintech company that operates a top-10 global insurance broker, today announced it acquired Appalachian Underwriters in Oak Ridge, Tenn., a national managing general agency (MGA). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
With a model that encompasses both an MGA and wholesale distribution, Appalachian places more than $400 million gross written premium (GWP) into the insurance market. Core business divisions of Appalachian include Workers’ Compensation, Commercial Specialty, Personal Lines and Transactional Wholesale. Among the largest independent MGAs, Appalachian’s custom programs and underwriting facilities are distributed on a national basis and are supported by domestic carriers and Lloyd’s of London.
“Appalachian presents a unique partnership opportunity,” says Greg Williams, co-pounder, president, and CEO of Acrisure. “With very few entities of its kind in existence, we’re excited about this deal and the acceleration it will provide both Acrisure and Appalachian. Further, this new Partnership will expand our technology platforms as we integrate data and systems with our artificial intelligence (AI) strategy. Of particular interest is the ability to access Appalachian’s deep and broad dataset including claims information as a tool to further model, underwrite and package Acrisure’s risk premium for distribution across multiple markets.”
Appalachian’s distribution network will complement Acrisure’s existing distribution model to further leverage and create opportunities. With investments in AI, machine learning and data analytics, Acrisure is combining technology and the highest level of tech talent to transform the insurance value chain. The deal to acquire Appalachian follows Acrisure’s recent acquisition of the MGA and related operations of SUNZ Insurance.
