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.
Little Caesars Expects to Open 25 New Stores in North Carolina by 2024
Detroit-based pizza giant Little Caesars is planning to expand its footprint in North Carolina with a goal of developing 25 new units across the Charlotte, N.C. market between now and 2024.
“As the second largest metro area in the Southeast and one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation, Charlotte is an exciting market experiencing an increased demand for high-quality food options at a value,” says Craig Sherwood, vice president of U.S development at Little Caesars. “Our revolutionary technology — including our signature Pizza Portal pickup and our Reserve-N-Ready system for pickup and delivery — gives Little Caesars franchise owners a proven system for meeting the needs of today’s customers and makes us an ideal fit for a bustling market like Charlotte.”
To add to the nearly 40 Little Caesars locations currently open and operating in the greater Charlotte metro area, Sherwood says the brand is actively searching for both single-unit and multi-unit franchisees looking to grow their portfolios in this region.
Interested prospects in the Charlotte market are invited to learn more about the Little Caesars franchise opportunity through an exclusive live webinar taking place on at noon on Tuesday. The webinar, which will be led by members of the brand’s franchise development team, will provide insight into the company’s history and recent innovations as well as the qualifications and steps required to become a franchisee. To register, visit here.
Little Caesars franchising investments start at around $360,000, with incentive programs available for veterans and first responders. Interested prospects should visit here.
Franchise.LittleCaesars.com
Ciena Healthcare Breaks Ground on New Skilled Nursing Center in Troy
Ciena Healthcare in Southfield has broken ground on a new, $28-million, 95,182-square-foot  skilled nursing center in Troy.
Regency at Troy, located on West Maple Road between Coolidge and Crooks, will offer 154 beds providing short-term rehabilitation and long-term care suites with private baths in each.
The facility is expected to create 250 to 300 full- and part-time jobs. It will be the sixth Ciena Healthcare center in Oakland County and the 49th in Michigan.
Scheduled to open in February 2023, the center will feature an area designed to care for the needs of residents requiring a short-term rehabilitation stay and a separate space designed to meet the needs of traditional, long-term care geriatric residents.
“We are very pleased to have the opportunity to provide high-quality care in a state-of- the-art facility in Troy,” says Mohammad Qazi, president and CEO of Ciena Healthcare. “Regency at Troy will have a homelike environment for all residents and include the latest safety features plus have an easy to navigate floor plan for both residents and staff.”
The facility also will feature a library, recreational areas, lounges, family visitation rooms with anti-viral technology, a full-service salon, and outdoor courtyard. Several dining venues and options will cater to the various needs of the residents, including 24-hour room service and a menu created by an executive chef that will be on staff. Additionally, the entire facility will be backed up by emergency power.
The Shyft Group Enrolls with Shareholder Loyalty Platform
Novi-based specialty vehicle manufacturer The Shyft Group Inc. has engaged TiiCKER to launch a dedicated retail investor and shareholder perks site at TiiCKER.com/SHYF.
TiiCKER is a consumer shareholder loyalty platform that provides access to stock perks, commission-free trading, as well as insights and articles to empower individual investors to engage with brands.
“It was important for us to show our retail investors how much we appreciate their support — as owners and often users of our vehicles,” says Daryl Adams, CEO of The Shyft Group. “TiiCKER provides an opportunity to thank our retail investors for their loyalty and interest in Shyft, and now we can validate their stock ownership to communicate with them and offer new perks in the future.”
Jeff Lambert, founder of TiiCKER, says, “Online brokerage firm assets grew 49 percent in 2020 and now sit at $13.3 trillion. This rise of retail investors underscores the necessity for public companies of all kinds to engage with their shareholder base. By targeting this key affinity audience of consumer shareholders and helping them make the connection not just to Shyft, but to the major delivery company brands and RV manufacturers and specialty vehicle makers who are their customers, Shyft is tapping into their most loyal fan base, owners.”
Investors who register and validate their ownership on TiiCKER can qualify for branded Shyft Group apparel or gift cards from publicly traded national retailers and delivery and service companies. Shyft also plans to launch a dedicated Shareholder Store on TiiCKER.
Architecture Group Announces Michigan Awards
The American Institute of Architects Michigan announced nine buildings singled out for design excellence at its annual Design Awards Celebration held virtually on Friday.
Dozens of projects were entered in the competition, and they were judged by a jury is Washington, D.C.
The winners are:
- West Hall Innovative Center, Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City; architect, Cornerstone Architects; contractor, Spence Brothers.
- ADAC Automotive Headquarters, Grand Rapids; architect, Integrated Architecture; contractor, Rockford Construction.
- Moyer Drive Residence, Terre Haute, Ind.; architect, Integrated Architecture; contractor, Keymark Construction.
- Zeiss Michigan Quality Excellence Center, Wixom; architect: SmithGroup; contractor, The Christman Co.
- Lawless Retreat, Jones; architect: Searl Lamaster Howe Architects; contractor, Estkowski Construction.
- University of Michigan Biological Sciences Building, Ann Arbor; architect: SmithGroup; contractor: Barton Malow Co.
- Oakridge Dental Center, Rochester Hills; architect: M1DTW Architects; contractor: Sorensen Gross.
- Factory at Corktown, Detroit; architect, McIntosh Poris Associates, contractor: Midtown Building Co.
- Amanda Manufacturing Headquarters, Logan, Ohio; architect, MPdL Studio; contractor, Lakeshore Contracting.
Other honorees includer Stephen E. Smith, Gold Medal Award; Jan K. Culvertson, Robert F. Hastings Award; Erin L.Andrus and Lisa Sauve, Young Architect Award; and Jade Heller, Associate Member Award.
Twenty-five year awards go to Black Swan/Martell’s Restaurant, architect: Diekema Hamann Architecture & Engineering; and St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, architect, Constantine George Pappas FAIA Architecture & Planning.
Brian V. Hurttienne and Saundra R. Little were named to the College of Fellows, and Park Smith will receive MAP Leadership honors.
Walsh College Enhances MBA for the Future of Business
Walsh College in Troy is enhancing its Master of Business Administration program to reflect the changing nature of business and prepare graduates with the competencies to lead in the business of the future.
The expanded curriculum includes courses in business law, communication, and leading diversity, equity, and inclusion change in organizations and will be introduced in the fall semester beginning Sept. 22.
“Walsh has a longstanding reputation for educating professionals who possess the knowledge and skills needed by 21st century businesses and organizations,” says Jenny Tatsak, professor and chair, business communication, management, and marketing at Walsh. “This expanded MBA curriculum provides a holistic study of critical aspects of business, preparing graduates to lead on a global scale.”
For more information, visit walshcollege.edu.
LEAP Accepting Applications for $11M Ingham County Small Business Grant Program
The Ingham County Sunrise Small Business Grant Program is accepting applications until July 30 for grants from the American Rescue Plan. The Lansing Economic Area Partnership was selected to administer the program on behalf of Ingham County.
Created by Ingham County in April using $11 million from the county’s first tranche of ARP funds will provide working capital grants to eligible Ingham County small businesses and nonprofits.
The grant application is now open and can be accessed on LEAP’s website along with additional information to help eligible businesses and nonprofits craft competitive applications.
“There is no question that small businesses are the backbone of our communities and economy in Ingham County,” says Bryan Crenshaw, chairman of the Ingham County Board of Commissioners. “As we are emerging from more than a year of crisis, this support is critical to the recovery and sustainability of our businesses and the communities they support.”
Eligible small businesses and nonprofits include those with 100 or fewer total employees and workers at a physical location in Ingham County, have fewer than 250 employees worldwide, with at least 50 percent of their workforce in Michigan. Complete eligibility requirements are available here.
The application process, according to LEAP, has been intentionally and collaboratively designed to address inequities in the economic impact of COVID-19 and subsequent lack of access to initial relief efforts for underrepresented communities, including indigenous, people of color, women, veterans, people with disabilities, and people who are LGBTQ+. To ensure these efforts are effective, LEAP has contracted with a large group of local diversity, equity, and inclusion partners to assist in designing the applications and review process.
The Ingham County Sunrise Grant Program will provide grants to small businesses and nonprofits within Ingham County in the following business categories:
- Food and beverage service establishments
- Tourism and hospitality service providers
- Retail, goods, and services
- Child care, early childhood education, and activity providers
- Nonprofits
- Business incubators and entrepreneur support organizations
For more information, visit here.
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