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.
Ford Fund Selects Gleaners to Join $5M Initiative to Bridge Transportation Gap
Gleaners Community Food Bank in Detroit has announced a strategic partnership with Ford Motor Co. Fund as part of a $5 million investment initiative aimed at addressing transportation insecurity in southeast Michigan.
One in four Americans lack access to safe, reliable, and affordable transportation options, which limits their ability to access essential services and economic opportunities. Senior adults often face transportation barriers affecting their access to basic needs without caregiver support. This collaboration will help Gleaners provide a wider variety of fresh foods directly to the doorsteps of enrolled seniors, as part of a collective goal to eliminate the disparity in accessing social and economic opportunities for underserved communities.
In partnership with Ford Fund, Gleaners plans to pilot a program with 500 of its currently qualified senior adults to receive additional fresh produce in their home delivery boxes. These boxes contain a foundation of 30 pounds of free, nutritious fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and protein, delivered by DoorDash.
Over the course of the 12-month pilot, Gleaners will collect insights from participants about their satisfaction with the home delivery program and foods provided, as well as learn more about the barriers they face, which may include lack of transportation, physical mobility challenges, dietary considerations, or other factors. The program begins this month.
“At Gleaners, we believe complex problems take collaborative solutions,” says Rachel Binder, operations program manager for Gleaners. “The Ford Motor Co. Fund’s investment in our pilot program to get a wider variety of nutritious foods across that ‘last mile’ will help us support our older neighbors facing hunger and learn more about the kinds of support they want and need. It is because of these kinds of investments and collaborations we know hunger can be solved.”
North American Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle of the Year Winners Revealed
The 2024 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year award winners were announced yesterday at M1 Concourse in Pontiac, and they were Toyota Prius and Prius Prime (car), Ford Super Duty (truck), and Kia EV9 (utility vehicle).
“The Ford Super Duty retains its leadership in the heavy-duty pickup truck category with its impressive towing, payload, torque, and horsepower figures,” says juror Jack R. Nerad of JDPower.com and other media outlets. “Its four engine choices are highlighted by the new standard 6.8-liter gasoline V8 and 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel V8. And the big Super Duty is remarkably comfortable and easy to drive.”
Of the Toyota winners, juror Matt DeLorenzo of tightwadgarage.com says: “The Toyota Prius and Prius Prime are not just handsomely styled hatchbacks, they represent the future of the automobile by blending traditional internal combustion with electric drivetrains. Of particular note is the plug-in version which offers more than 40 miles of pure electric range, allowing most owners to skip regular gas station visits.”
Juror John Voelcker of Car and Driver says of the Kia EV9: “It offers a genuine three-row configuration in a battery-electric SUV at a price significantly below the six-figure tab for all other 3-row electric SUVs. It opens new territory for EVs, and its looks draw attention well before anyone finds out it’s electric. And it’ll be built in the U.S. within a year. Another home run for Kia.”
Founded in 1994, these awards are the longest-running new-vehicle awards not associated with a single publication. They are judged by 50 professional automotive journalists from a wide variety of print, online, radio, and television media outlets in the United States and Canada. The votes are confidentially tallied by Deloitte LLP, ensuring each stage of the award cycle is the collective decision of all jurors.
“Our winners reflect the fact that a modern vehicle must be a combination of style, utility, and technology,” says Jeff Gilbert, president of NACTOY and automotive reporter at WWJ Radio. “I commend our fifty jurors for coming up with some excellent choices.”
AXIA Time Unveils its National Champions Timepiece for Michigan Wolverines
New Jersey-based AXIA Time has unveiled the new 2023 National Champions Timepiece for the Michigan Wolverines.
These ultra-custom Swiss-made automatic diver watches are of a quality and style that carries the significance of the Michigan Wolverines’ achievement, as well as an $899 price tag.
Fans can purchase their Michigan Wolverines 2023 National Champions Timepiece from the CFP or AXIA Time. Alabama, Texas, and Washington watches also are available.
All the 2024 CFP Timepieces are built on the Odysseus Diver by AXIA Time. This automatic (self-winding) watch with water resistance to 200 meters comes in a 43.5 mm stainless-steel case and bracelet with two additional straps, school color-matched nylon NATO and rubber, and complimentary custom engraving. Through the end of January, fans can select to receive a free commemorative wood display box or $100 off a watch.
Recaro Automotive North America Races Visitors into Future at CES 2024
Recaro Automotive North America Inc. in Clinton Township is announcing new seating developments at CES 2024 in Las Vegas.
The highlight of the Recaro exhibit will be the Recaro Pro Supreme GT FPR seat for the Ford Mustang GT3 that will race this summer at LeMans and other venues around the world.
The Pro Supreme GT FPR features interchangeable pads in three sizes and tiered attachment-point side mounts to provide maximum individual fitting flexibility. The result? Seamless vehicle entry and exit for a variety of body types with little adaptation required. This is a game-changer for professional racers, track-day warriors, and anyone whose motorsport involvement requires fast, efficient driver changes and legendary, proven safety.
The RECARO Pro Supreme GT FPR is FIA-certified and homologated for use in GT and Touring classes across a variety of motorsport series. Key features include:
- Side-impact neck protection, developed and optimized to work with head and neck safety systems.
- Proprietary ergonomics: S-shaped backrest with “built-in” lumbar support that protects against spinal compression in high-impact accidents.
- High-integrity, lightweight, Carbon-Kevlar comfort shell.
- Aggressive thigh and torso bolstering.
- High-quality, shock-absorbing foam in a flexible pad system.
- Flame-retardant materials used for Recaro flexible pad sets.
- Fixed LH Floor Mount and RH Tunnel Mount.
- Seat Back Cage Mount.
- Active Air Conditioning.
- Flame-retardant upholstery (ISO 3795 – 75 mm/min)
- Screw-mounted panels and belt slots.
- Suitable for 4, 5, or 6-point harness.
According to the company, the Recaro Pro Supreme GT FPR combines low weight, maximum safety, and individual comfort — all developed exclusively for the new Ford Mustang GT3.
Recaro also will be showing its Pro SIM Star 24H Le Mans Edition with FeelTech+ Pad kit
RECARO FeelTech+ powered by Sensit! It is the first seating technology to make non-sensitive frequencies perceptible to humans. Recaro FeelTech+ seat insert pads uses Metahaptics, the only system that can transform a full sound spectrum of up to 20.000 Hertz into immersive haptic and touch experiences.
The technology employs 14 actuators in the padding on the seat bottom and seatback to deliver real-world tactile feedback to the player by providing sensations that accurately mimic the nuances of the real-world tracks in various sim franchises, allowing users to experience road feel in the digital environments, adding a thrilling new level of realism to sim sessions.
ACG Detroit Hosting Educational and Networking Events in January
ACG Detroit has three events planned for January — Are EVs Losing Their Charge? on Jan. 11, Speed Networking: NextGen Power Hour on Jan. 18, and Wine Down Wednesday on Jan. 24.
Are EVs Losing Their Charge? will take place on Jan. 11 from 4:30-7 p.m. at Walsh College in Troy. The event will feature expert panelists from the automotive industry discussing the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. For more information and to register, visit here.
Speed Networking: NextGen Power Hour will be conducted on Jan. 18 from 4:30-7 p.m. at the Platform at Startup Nation in Birmingham. Open to members and sponsors only, the Speed Networking event will offer Detroit’s next generation of middle-market professionals the opportunity to connect with their peers. For more information and to register, visit here.
On Jan. 24, from 4:30-6:30 p.m., Wine Down Wednesday will be presented at Hazel’s in Birmingham. Guests will have the opportunity to toast the new year and connect over an evening of great conversation, food and drinks at Hazel’s in Birmingham. For more information and to register, visit here.
Report: Asian Americans Have Influential Role in the Community
The Asian American population is a dynamic force, marked by exceptional growth, diverse ancestry, and formidable purchasing power, according to a report published by Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce in Clawson.
Among the report’s highlights:
- With a representation of more than 21.1 million individuals, Asians now make up 6.2 percent of the total U.S. population, contributing nearly 18 percent to the nation’s population growth since the 2000 Census.
- The mosaic of ancestral backgrounds, encompassing Chinese, Asian Indian, and Filipino populations, presents a spectrum of opportunities and complexities for marketers. Recognizing the critical factor of acculturation levels is imperative, with 46 percent identified as acculturated, 19 percent as bicultural, and 35 percent expressing a preference to preserve their native heritage and language.
- The Asian American consumer segment demonstrates remarkable financial influence, with more than 50 percent of households reporting annual incomes exceeding $100,000. The median Asian household income stands at $103,903, 41 percent higher than the median for all U.S. households. Projections indicate they will spend more than $1 million more than the average U.S. household throughout their lifetimes.
The report suggests ways to authentically connect with this demographic:
- Employ a blend of traditional and digital media channels.
- Acknowledge the tech-savvy nature of the Asian community.
- Tailor campaigns to align with cultural preferences, ensuring language-specific and culturally resonant engagement.
For more information on the report, visit here.
Rockwell Medical Amends Loan and Security Agreement with Innovatus Life Sciences
Rockwell Medical and its wholly owned subsidiary, Rockwell Transportation Inc., initially entered into a loan and security agreement with Innovatus on March 16, 2020 under which Innovatus agreed to make certain term loans to the company, of which the company drew down approximately $21 million. As of Dec. 31, 2023, the company’s outstanding balance under those term loans was $8 million.
Under the terms of the third amended and restated loan and security agreement, Rockwell Medical reduced the interest rate on, and extended the loan maturity date for, the Term Loans from March 2025 to January 2029. The company will make interest-only payments for 30 months, or up to 36 months if certain conditions are met. In connection with the execution of the amendment, the company issued to Innovatus a warrant to purchase 191,096 shares of the company’s common stock with an exercise price of $1.83 per share. The warrant is immediately exercisable through Jan. 2, 2029.
“Over the past 18 months, we significantly reduced the leverage on our business,” says Mark Strobeck, president and CEO of Rockwell Medical. “As we work toward sustained profitability and positive cash flow, we continue to seek ways to enhance our financial stability and our cash balance.”
Los Angeles Company Announces Partnership with The Bengtson Center in Grand Rapids
United Aesthetics Alliance, a Los Angeles-based holding company created to consolidate plastic surgery practices and affiliated medical spa service providers, has recently established a partnership with The Bengtson Center for Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery (BCAPS) in Grand Rapids.
“The surgeons and leadership at BCAPS are extremely excited to build a national platform of the top aesthetic practices, which are together developing best practices, in partnership with UAA,” says Dr. Brad Bengtson. “We were drawn to UAA because of our shared synergies and, most importantly, their continued focus on prioritizing patients and facilitating opportunities to further expand their experiences.”
BCAPS specializes in aesthetic plastic surgery and medical spa services and recently launched New Vista Hair Restoration Center, expanding its surgical and non-surgical offerings. Since its founding more than 15 years ago, BCAPS has earned a strong reputation for excellent surgical outcomes, state-of-the-art non-surgical technology and treatments, and ensuring safe, consistent, and exceptional patient experiences.
Henry Ford Health Notches Two Press Ganey Awards for Patient Experience
Henry Ford Health in Detroit has earned two recognitions, the HX Pinnacle of Excellence Award and HX Guardian of Excellence Award, both in the category of Consumer Experience and granted by Press Ganey, an organization focused on patient experience measurement and health care performance improvement.
“We are immensely proud to receive the Pinnacle of Excellence and Guardian of Excellence Awards from Press Ganey,” says Bob Riney, president and CEO of Henry Ford Health. “These awards symbolize our deep-rooted commitment to transforming patient care. Every day, our team strives to exceed expectations, not just in clinical excellence, but in creating an experience that is compassionate, empathetic, and responsive to the needs of our patients and their families. When we put patients first, excellence follows.”
The Pinnacle of Excellence Award recognizes the overall top performer for online Consumer Experience. The Guardian of Excellence Award is given to organizations that have achieved the top 99th percentile or higher performance for online Consumer Experience. Press Ganey works with more than 41,000 health care facilities in its mission to reduce patient suffering and enhance caregiver resilience to improve the overall safety, quality, and experience of care.
Lawrence Tech-sponsored FIRST Robotics Teams Get First Look at ‘Crescendo’
A complicated, musically themed contest in which robots must move plastic rings called “notes” around a basketball-court-sized game field, with bonus points for depositing them in receptacles called “amplifiers” and guiding their robots to star on a central “stage,” is the FIRST Robotics 2024 competition game.
That’s what 300 high school students, parents, coaches, and mentors learned Saturday at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, as the school hosted a game reveal party for the 10 FIRST Robotics teams it’s sponsoring in this year’s competition.
Called “Crescendo,” FIRST officials said in a global webcast that the game is a mashup of two games proposed in prior years by FIRST teams. Like all FIRST games, it combines an early competition in which robots are autonomous with a later session when the robots are remote controlled to move the “notes” to the places where they’ll score the most points.
The teams attending Saturday’s reveal were:
- Bloomfield Hills Mech Warriors
- Birmingham Automation Nation
- Farmington Hackbots
- Auburn Hills Robojackets
- West Bloomfield AtomiGators
- Warren De La Salle AutoPilots
- Troy Argonauts
- Riverview Gabriel Richard Pioneers
- Grosse Pointe Botmasterz (all girls team)
- Allen Park Tronarchs (rookie team)
In Related News: Lawrence Tech’s relationship with Epic Games and its training in Epic’s Unreal Engine game design software have leveled up with the creation of an Unreal Incubator.
Under this new eight-month, full-immersion incubator program, a recent LTU graduate and an LTU senior are receiving stipends from Unreal to develop a new video game in an atmosphere much like a working game design business.
The students are Maggie Hartman of Oxford, a 2023 graduate in LTU’s Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game Design program, and Anthony Schooley of Allen Park, who will graduate in May 2024 with that degree.
The effort is part of a 2020 grant to LTU from Unreal’s developer, Potomac, Md.-based Epic Games Inc., and supervised by Lawrence Tech Assistant Professor Stephen Mallory, who joined the LTU faculty in 2021 after more than a decade in the game industry.
The students have a May deadline to complete a working version of the game. Along the way, they have weekly check-ins with LTU adjunct design faculty member Anthony Fox, who has spent the past decade using game design skills in projects for Epic Games, the TV network Showtime, and automakers Ford, Volkswagen, and Kia.
Gesher Human Services to Stage Hiring Blitz Jan. 16 in Detroit for 50 Direct Care Workers
Gesher Human Services in Southfield will be conducting a hiring blitz for approximately 50 direct care workers providing support and training to individuals with disabilities in residential group homes, the community, and businesses.
The event, from noon-5 p.m. on Jan. 16, will take place at the nonprofit organization’s Arnold E. Frank Building (4250 Woodward Ave.) in Detroit.
Positions will be available in Oakland and Wayne counties and include house managers and residential direct support professionals who will assist those living in supportive housing in the community due to mental illness or other disabilities. Other positions are job coaches, who will provide training and assistance to people with intellectual and other disabilities working in the community, and direct support professional apprentices, part of a new program the organization is launching to train direct care workers with paid on-the-job training.
The nonprofit agency revamped its pay structure last year to pay new employees $15-20 per hour with benefits based on work history. Applicants who are not successful in obtaining employment at the hiring blitz, or who decide the work is not suitable for them, can be connected with a Gesher’s Employment Services coach for assistance in finding alternative employment. For more information and to apply for the hiring blitz ahead of time go to jobs.geshermi.org.
For more information contact Gesher Human Services recruiter Tashia Kelly at tkelly@geshermi.org.
