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.
DSO, The Henry Ford Present Salute to America at Greenfield Village June 30-July 3
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) together with The Henry Ford will present their annual Salute to America concerts at Greenfield Village in Dearborn on June 30 through July 3. The events, in celebration of Independence Day, will feature musical ensembles throughout the village, plus a grand stage performance by the DSO at dusk.
The ensemble performances, which guests may enjoy as they stroll the grounds, will showcase a diverse assembly of music from American history, including choral singing, ragtime, and jazz.
At 8:30 p.m., the DSO will take the Village Green stage for a performance, complete with Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” cannon fire, and a fireworks finale (with a new launch location for improved visibility).
Salute to America will take place at Greenfield Village on Friday, June 30 through Monday, July 3 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Tickets are on sale now at https://www.thehenryford.org/current-events/calendar/salute-to-america/.
Report: States Need Stronger Policies to Enable Rapid Transition to Electric Vehicles
All states will have to dramatically step up their efforts to enable a full transition to electric vehicles, according to the 2023 State Transportation Electrification Scorecard from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). Michigan ranks 26th out of 50 states.
“We are seeing incremental progress, not transformational progress. States will have to move far more aggressively to do their part to enable the electric vehicle transition that the climate crisis demands,” says Peter Huether, senior research associate at ACEEE and lead author of the report. “Auto manufacturers are expanding their EV options and consumers are increasingly choosing them, but supportive state policies are needed to ensure that the electric grid is ready and that all households and businesses, including those in underserved communities, can use EVs and have adequate access to charging.”
Ranked 26th, Michigan received 23.5 points out of 100, an increase compared to the 2021 edition, in which the state received 15.5 points and ranked 29th. The state is one of six states to mandate an all-electric or zero-emission transit bus fleet.
“Michigan has nonbinding plans to operate a zero-emission light-duty vehicle fleet by 2035, and a zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleet by 2045,” says Huether. “In 2021, the Michigan Department of Transportation received more than $5 million from the Federal Transit Administration to update a transit facility with electric bus charging equipment.”
The state’s utilities, the report says, have continued to invest in EV charging infrastructure, with millions of dollars more in spending announced. Given the state’s position as the center of the U.S. automotive industry, however, and the billions in planned EV subsidies for EV manufacturers in the state, there is much more Michigan can do.
“The state should adopt the Advanced Clean Cars II and Advanced Clean Trucks programs to accelerate the transition to electric passenger and heavy-duty vehicles,” Huether says. “The state lags in outcomes, especially with heavy-duty EVs and fast chargers, and it provides no incentives for EV purchases.”
Stellantis Hires Ad Agency to Focus on Black Marketing Efforts
Stellantis North America in Auburn Hills has added Louisville-based TKT & Associates to its North America creative roster, effective immediately. TKT & Associates, through its TKT Collab division, assumes the role of the first dedicated Black agency of record across Stellantis’ North America brand portfolio consisting of Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, FIAT, Jeep, and Ram.
“At Stellantis, we believe in the power of diversity in our marketing efforts, and we want those from all walks of life and all backgrounds to be seen, heard, represented and inspired,” says Marissa Hunter, senior vice president of marketing, Stellantis North America. “Assigning TKT & Associates to our creative agency roster to lead our Black audience marketing efforts across our North America brand portfolio allows us to ensure that we are truly speaking to different audience groups to reach all consumers while not only believing in diversity, but practicing it every day.”
TKT & Associates will report to Kim Adams House, the automaker’s head of merchandising, licensing and multicultural marketing. House recently expanded her current role to assume multicultural marketing efforts for Stellantis North America. House previously held the role of head of Jeep brand advertising in North America.
200K+ Michiganders to Gain Access to High-speed Internet with $1.5B Federal Cash
Michigan is set to receive more than $1.5 billion through the Federal government’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program to expand high-speed internet access and digital equity to over 200,000 Michiganders in unserved and underserved areas across the state.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that the funding for this program comes from the $65 billion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and will help close the digital divide and help ensure Michigan residents have access to affordable, reliable, and high-speed internet.
Each state and territory received a minimum of $100 million and the remainder of their allocation is based on the number of locations currently unserved by high-speed internet as identified on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) National Broadband Map.
The Michigan High Speed Internet Office (MIHI) will finish the required BEAD five-year action plan that will set the vision, goals, and priorities for the implementation of the funds. Following the plan, MIHI will develop the BEAD Initial Proposal that will define the subgrant processes that will deploy the funds to achieve the universal availability of high-speed internet across the state.
“The MIHI team is thrilled to see the announcement of the BEAD program,” says Eric Frederick, chief connectivity officer with the Michigan High-Speed Internet Office. “This grant is crucial to achieve affordable, reliable high-speed internet for all Michiganders and close the digital equity gap here in Michigan.”
For more information, visit here.
$4M in Funding Available to Small, Minority, and Women-owned Businesses in Oakland County
Pontiac-based CEED Lending, a division of the Great Lakes Women’s Business Council, has $4 million available to make loans ranging from $50,000 to $200,000 to for-profit small businesses that have been affected by COVID-19.
The funding is focused primarily for small businesses owned by minorities, women, or located in an economically, disadvantaged area. All Oakland County small businesses, however, are welcome to apply — especially businesses located in Auburn Hills, Farmington Hills, Ferndale, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Oak Park, Pontiac, Royal Oak, Waterford Township, and Southfield.
Loan proceeds can be used to finance the acquisition and modernization of commercial real estate, machinery and equipment, facility renovations, and working capital.
“The Oakland County Revolving Loan Fund can help historically underserved small businesses reach their financial goals,” says Belinda Turner-DuBois, manager of CEED Lending. “CEED Lending is also committed to supporting businesses in economically disadvantaged areas, so we encourage small businesses to reach out for these OCRLF dollars and learn about the other lending programs we offer throughout Michigan.”
CEED Lending is an SBA microlender and a Community Development Financial Institution. It provides small business owners access to capital when they are unable to secure funding from traditional lending sources.
For more information, visit here.
U-M Receives $1.3M to Improve Urea Production, Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions
With $1.3 million in funding from the W. M. Keck Foundation, a new, more sustainable approach for producing fertilizer urea will be tested at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
More than 12 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) are emitted annually by the current process for producing urea (CH4N2O), making it one of the largest CO2 emitters in the chemical industry. The high CO2 emissions stem from producing ammonia (NH3) as a middle step, which requires significant energy for its production.
This project aims to instead assemble the carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms in urea by combining water, CO2, and nitrate (NO3-) with electricity. This process, known as co-reduction, directly consumes carbon dioxide as well as nitrate, which is among the most prevalent wastewater pollutants in the world.
Nitrate runoff from agriculture and industry leads to out-of-control bacteria and algae growth in aquatic ecosystems, causing dead zones and contaminating drinking water sources. The team proposes to use nitrates from industrial and agricultural waste in their process while capturing carbon dioxide from the air or from sources like smokestacks.
“Directly producing urea from the co-reduction of NO3- and CO2 would remediate two harmful pollutants while producing an essential fertilizer product,” says Bryan Goldsmith, assistant professor of chemical engineering, who leads the project. “This work has the potential to create a paradigm shift in the urea production process and address sustainability.”
The process also could be more energy efficient than current processes, and can be powered with renewable electricity for net-zero emissions. The carbon capture would offset the CO2 emitted from soil when the urea is applied as a fertilizer. However, the carbon dioxide and nitrate will need a new kind of catalyst and a tailored reaction environment to bring them together efficiently, and this is what the team intends to develop.
Lear Outlines Long-term Seating Growth Strategy During its Seating Product Day
Lear Corp. in Southfield, a global automotive seating and e-systems technology provider, updated its long-term seating growth strategy and seating market share target for 2027 and discussed its expanded portfolio of thermal comfort technologies as part of its Seating Product Day on Monday.
“Seating, Lear’s largest business unit, is well positioned to capitalize on the opportunities shaping the industry,” says Ray Scott, president and CEO of Lear. “Our unique capabilities, coupled with our world-class operations, separate us from the competition and position Lear as the undisputed leader in complete seating systems. The investments we have made in our Thermal Comfort Systems portfolio will provide additional opportunity for market share gains and margin growth.”
Senior leaders shared a detailed financial and product overview of the seating business while outlining the company’s evolution into the most vertically integrated seating supplier in the world. Among the topics discussed:
Growth Strategy: Lear will leverage vertical integration, operational excellence, and transformative innovation to expand business with current customers and increase market share.
Thermal Comfort Systems (TCS): The latest building block in Lear’s vertical integration strategy offers seat heating, ventilation and active cooling, lumbar support and massage, steering wheel heating and occupant detection sensors. Lear’s TCS strategy is driving an increase in Seating target margins to a range of 8.5 percent to 9 percent by 2027.
Market Share: JIT seating market share is expected to grow from 25 percent currently to 29 percent by 2027 due to the company’s position as a supplier of choice for luxury vehicles, pickup trucks, SUVs and electric vehicles. Lear sees additional opportunities for growth as our modularity solutions, improved packaging and cost efficiencies allow our customers to proliferate advanced seating features to additional vehicle segments as well as second and third row applications.
Ann Arbor’s Censys Releases 2023 State of Security Leadership Report
Censys in Ann Arbor, an internet intelligence platform for threat hunting and exposure management, announced findings from its “The 2023 State of Security Leadership: Exploring the Struggles of CISOs in a Shifting Digital Terrain.”
The report focuses on the strategic concerns of CISOs and cybersecurity leaders, and their perspectives on critical security issues across multiple sectors. Since Censys provides the most comprehensive view of an organization’s infrastructure, the company wanted to determine how the threat landscape continues to influence security leaders’ decision-making.
The State of Security Leadership provides a glimpse into the continual progression of our digital landscape that has become a permanent concern among cybersecurity professionals.
Censys’ 2023 State of Security Leadership found that:
- The threat landscape is not improving: 100 percent of respondents shared that their perception of the threat landscape is worse compared to one year ago. Specifically, 93 percent of CISOs suffered from at least one cyberattack within the last year.
- A breadth of connected assets is largely unknown: Nearly 53 percent identified the need to secure their organization’s entire attack surface as their top priority. This emphasizes External Attack Surface Management platforms as a critical and foundational element to securing organizations and preventing attacks.
- Burnout and mental well-being continue to be top-of-mind: 65 percent of security teams lack qualified resources to fulfill security needs, causing significant concern for burnout among senior security leaders and their team members.
- Fifty-eight percent took defensive actions resulting from increased global tensions: As a result of geopolitical conflict within the last year, over half of the respondents implemented (or increased) a Zero Trust architecture/privileged access management across their organization.
- Cyber investment protection is mixed: While 91 percent of respondents have cyber insurance, nearly a quarter do not understand the total obligations of their insurance policy.
“In this report, we explored the cyber events and experiences that influence senior leadership decisions,” says Dayna Rothman, CMO at Censys. “Censys strives to continuously share meaningful guidance and visibility as security leaders seek to adapt their own strategies.
“By doing this study, it is our hope that organizations can better facilitate conversations about the importance of digital asset management, and maintain good security practices that provide continued visibility.”
To download the full report, visit here.
Lordstown Motors in Ohio Files for Bankruptcy Protection, Sues Foxconn Partner
Lordstown Motors Corp., an original equipment manufacturer of electric light-duty vehicles based in Ohio that operates out of a former General Motors Co. assembly plant, announced a restructuring process to maximize the value of its assets: its on-the-road Endurance all-electric (EV) pickup truck and the intellectual property, platform, and people that developed it.
As part of the process, Lordstown filed litigation against global technology company Hon Hai Technology Group and certain of its affiliates, including Foxconn Ventures Pte. Ltd., in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The litigation details Foxconn’s alleged fraud and willful and consistent failure to live up to its commercial and financial commitments to the company. Foxconn’s actions, Lordstown Motors claims, led to material damage to the company as well as its future prospects.
In addition, and as a consequence of Foxconn’s material and irreparable harm, Lordstown is commencing a comprehensive marketing and sale process for the Endurance vehicle and related assets. To accomplish this expeditiously and provide a prospective buyer with a going concern asset that is free and clear of any legacy issues, Lordstown is restructuring under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court. Lordstown further anticipates that the restructuring will enable an expedited timeline for hearing Lordstown’s litigation against Foxconn.
“As one of the early entrants to the EV industry, we have delivered the Endurance, an innovative and highly-capable EV with significant commercial and retail potential – and had subsequently engaged with Foxconn in a purposeful, strategic partnership to leverage this expertise into a broader EV development platform,” says Edward Hightower, president and CEO of Lordstown.
“Despite our best efforts and earnest commitment to the partnership, Foxconn willfully and repeatedly failed to execute on the agreed-upon strategy, leaving us with Chapter 11 as the only viable option to maximize the value of Lordstown’s assets for the benefit of our stakeholders. We will vigorously pursue our litigation claims against Foxconn accordingly.”
Mayco International Selects Actify SpinFire Enterprise to Deliver Access to CAD Data
Mayco International, a design, engineering, tooling, manufacturing, assembly, sequencing, logistics, and systems integration provider based in Sterling Heights, has selected Detroit’s Actify SpinFire Enterprise to bring organization-wide collaboration to CAD files, allowing all team members across all departments to instantly open any CAD file in any format.
Actify offers visualization and program management solutions for the automotive supply chain.
“Someone in purchasing might need to look at 3-D drawings for a particular component they’re procuring from a vendor,” says Ted Lukiewski, IT Director at Mayco. “Pretty much our only choice is to either buy them a license for the CAD application that created the file, or to buy them a CAD viewer.
“That might be fine if they only received Catia files. But the next day, they might receive a Pro E file, and the day after that, an NX or AutoCAD file, and we’re back to square one, trying to get them access to the information they’ve received.”
Actify SpinFire Enterprise was an ideal solution to the challenges Mayco was experiencing, according to Lukiewski. An enterprise visualization solution, SpinFire Enterprise provides a way for entire organizations to view, mark-up, and fully analyze 2-D and 3-D CAD data in all the major formats.
For more information, visit actify.com.
MGM Grand Detroit to Sponsor 2023 USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience Tour
MGM Grand Detroit will be the presenting sponsor for the nationwide USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience that begins in Detroit Aug. 12.
“I am thrilled to announce that MGM Grand Detroit will be the presenting sponsor of the USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience in Detroit,” says Matt Buckley, president of the Midwest Group for MGM Resorts International.
“This partnership signifies our commitment to creating unforgettable culinary experiences. We believe that the fusion of exceptional food, exquisite wines, and remarkable entertainment is what truly elevates the dining experience. We are proud to support this event and look forward to indulging our senses.”
Tickets to the USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience are available here. General admission tickets start at $45 and include a tasting cup and unlimited food and beverage samples (while supplies last) beginning at 1 p.m. at all events. VIP admission tickets start at $80 and include a tasting cup, access to the VIP Lounge, and unlimited food and beverage samples (while supplies last) beginning at noon at all events.
At the Detroit experience, located at Cricket Field on Belle Isle, tickets will include unlimited food and non-alcoholic beverages, with wine and spirits drink tickets available for purchase at the event for those 21 and older. A recreation passport is required to drive onto Belle Isle.
Restaurants and eateries are invited to showcase their culinary offerings at the USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience.
To learn more and participate in the event, visit here.
U-M Health Joins Parkinson’s Foundation Global Care Network
The Parkinson’s Foundation has announced the expansion of its Global Care Network with the addition of four Centers of Excellence and four Comprehensive Care Centers.
One of the new Centers of Excellence is at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
The expansion recognizes those centers that are providing excellent care to people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) within a broad geographic region.
Marelli Motorsport in Detroit Receives Three Stars in FIA Environmental Program
The FIA – Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (International Automobile Federation) has awarded Marelli Motorsport in Detroit with “Three Stars of the FIA Environmental Accreditation Programme.”
This recognition, which is the highest level of the program, demonstrates the commitment of Marelli Motorsport to best practices and continual improvement through the implementation of an effective environmental management system.
To be awarded, Marelli Motorsport demonstrated solid processes, robust internal procedures, appropriately skilled people, and KPIs that guarantee detailed monitoring of their performance and the possibility for the continuous improvement of their system. Marelli group has further reinforced its sustainability commitments by establishing targets for key areas. Sustainability and ESG are standing agenda items at the company’s board meetings.
“We are very proud and delighted to be awarded the FIA’s Three Star Environmental Accreditation,” says Riccardo De Filippi, head of Marelli Motorsport. “This is an important recognition within the motorsport industry and, being part of the global Marelli, it confirms the strong commitment of the company in its sustainability journey to become carbon neutral in operations by 2030 and net-zero by 2045 including the supply chain.”
For more information, visit here.
DBCC State of Black Business Banking Breakfast Slated for July 12
The Detroit Black Chamber of Commerce (DBCC) is hosting its State of Black Business Banking Breakfast presented by PNC Bank from 8-11 a.m. July 12, 2023, at the Wayne State University Mike Ilitch School of Business.
The event will include a CEO and expert panel discussion during breakfast, where leading voices in finance and banking will share their insights and strategies for overcoming the challenges faced by Black-owned businesses in Detroit. Limited seating is available and will be allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis.
To register, visit here.
Goodwill of Greater Detroit, Southwest Solutions to Host Behavioral Health Job Fair
Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit, in partnership with Southwest Solutions, will host its first Behavioral Health Job Fair from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on July 28 at Goodwill headquarters (3111 Grand River Ave.) in Detroit. Parking is adjacent to the building.
The event will connect metro Detroit employers with prospective job candidates in the behavioral health field, including mental health professionals, social workers, case managers, counselors, job coaches, and applied behavior analysis technicians.
Candidates interested in more information should contact Roberta Bowens, 313-557-8781 or roberta.bowens@goodwilldetroit.org.
The Zekelman Holocaust Center Receives $30K Nissan Foundation Grant
The Nissan Foundation has named The Zekelman Holocaust Center (The HC) a 2023 $30,000 grant recipient to help fund the planning, implementation, and delivery of its Holocaust Education Summer Academy, which provides teachers with content knowledge and pedagogical techniques to use in teaching about the Holocaust.
The Summer Academy runs Aug. 7-10, 2023, and registration is open.
“We are grateful for the $30,000 award for our Holocaust Education Summer Academy Professional Development Series for Educators,” says Rabbi Eli Mayerfeld, CEO of The Zekelman Holocaust Center. “This gift funds the training of over 100 Michigan educators across all disciplines to incorporate best practices in Holocaust education in every subject. The content furthers teachers’ own knowledge of the Holocaust and helps them master the instructional practices related to teaching this sensitive material.”
The Nissan Foundation was created in 1992 as a thoughtful response to the three weeks of violent civil unrest that occurred near Nissan North America’s then U.S. sales and marketing operations in Southern California following the Rodney King trial verdict. Nissan established a $5 million endowment to promote cultural diversity within southern Los Angeles neighborhoods.
“It’s an honor to award The Zekelman Holocaust Center a grant for the work it’s doing to promote, share, and sustain cultural awareness and understanding in communities throughout our world,” says Chandra Vasser, president of the Nissan Foundation and Nissan’s first chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer.
For information on how to enroll in The HC’s Summer Academy, contact Rick Schaffner, manager of education outreach, at 248-556-3663 or rick.schaffner@holocaustcenter.org.
Aquinas College in Grand Rapids Launches New Website
Aquinas College in Grand Rapids has launched a redesigned website in collaboration with Modern Campus and NewCity.
The new website improves the user experience for prospective students, fits cohesively into Aquinas’ updated branding from late 2022, and incorporates new tools that ensure information is readily accessible for everyone.
The direction of the redesign was based upon research conducted by NewCity into the needs, interests, and desires of several audiences served by Aquinas College including prospective students, current students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members.
Studies of how visitors navigate college and university websites provided insight into how to structure essential information. Earlier research into the visual language of incoming college classes produced the energetic, but nostalgic look of collage, ripped paper and handwriting fonts, incorporated throughout the website.
