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.
M1 Concourse Breaks Ground for New Performance Vehicle Service Center
M1 Concourse in Pontiac broke ground on Tuesday for its new performance service center expected to open in 2023 to service M1 garage owners and participants in M1 signature events.
The center, a joint venture between M1 and Prefix Corp. of Rochester Hills, is the latest phase of improvements to the 87-acre facility.
In attendance for the groundbreaking were M1 CEO Tim McGrane, Pontiac Mayor Tim Greimel, Deputy Mayor Khalfani Stephens, representatives of Oakland County, Bloomfield Township, and Jhan Dolphin, vice president of business development for Prefix Corp.
The new service center will be the only one of its kind inside of a private garage and track community.
“We’re excited about the partnership with Prefix as the official operator of the new M1 Service Center coming to M1,” McGrane says. “Their experience with luxury and performance vehicles, combined with an extensive list of amazing automotive capabilities will provide our garage owners and track customers with an extremely capable resource for high-end vehicle services. This performance operation will be an exciting new attraction to M1.
“We look forward to having their new service facility available to both our garage owners, as well as the competitors and enthusiasts who partake in events at our track.”
The approximately 3,000-square-foot facility will be constructed with the equipment and space required to perform regular maintenance, pre-race inspections, wheel mounting and balancing, alignments, and a variety of additional performance vehicle services. The M1 performance building also will include a fuel station with performance and recreational fuels, providing an additional convenience for members and users of the facility.
All custom paint applications, vehicle restorations, and more extensive work will take place at the new Prefix corporate headquarter campus in Rochester Hills.
Metro Vein Centers Opens New Clinic in Royal Oak
Metro Vein Centers and its team of board-certified vein doctors, surgeons, and specialists have expanded further into Michigan with a new clinic in Royal Oak under the leadership of Dr. Hugh Pabarue.
Metro Vein Centers offers a variety of FDA-approved and minimally invasive vein treatments, including laser vein removal for cosmetic spider veins and sclerotherapy. It offers radiofrequency ablations for bulging, twisted varicose veins to Varithena, an injectable medicine.
“I treat all of my patients with the same care I would provide to my own family members,” Pabarue says. “My team has worked hard to create a medical environment where everyone is comfortable and well-informed as we go through treatment together.”
For more information, visit here.
Total Health Care Foundation Announces $965K+ in Giving Tuesday Grants
In recognition of the global Giving Tuesday movement, Priority Health in Southftield announced its next round of Total Health Care Foundation (THCF) grants, totaling more than $965,000.
The seven grant recipients share Priority Health’s goal of improving the lives of Detroit and southeast Michigan residents by addressing the social determinants of health (SDoH), such as food and housing shortages, economic stability and physical/mental health issues.
In addition to the THCF grants, Priority Health is investing an additional $20,000 during Priority Health for Good Giving Week. The grants will be distributed to four nonprofits across Michigan that help support maternal and infant health and behavioral health.
The grant recipients include:
- Ascension St. John Foundation ($165,000)
- Ceciliaville ($50,000)
- Make Your Date ($150,000)
- University of Michigan Project HEARD ($250,000)
- Hurley Foundation ($100,000)
- New Day Foundation ($150,000)
- Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan ($100,000)
“In honor of Priority Health for Good Giving Week, Priority Health and the Total Health Care Foundation are proud to invest in these organizations so they can strengthen their public services and initiatives that contribute to overall good health,” says Shannon Wilson, vice president of population health and health equity at Priority Health and executive director of the Total Health Care Foundation. “We cannot wait to see what amazing things these organizations are able to achieve through these contributions to their causes.”
Grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis and are evaluated by the Total Health Care Foundation board of directors quarterly. If you are interested in learning more about the Total Health Care Foundation or would like to apply for a grant, email THCFoundation@thcmi.com.
Rally House Expands East Lansing Store
Rally House has expanded its East Lansing location, taking over the adjacent retail space, enlarging the product selection, and giving customers more space to explore apparel and merchandise for all their favorite teams.
“Our previous store was bursting at the seams, but we grew into the store next door and the lower level of both spaces,” says Monika Ross, district manager at Rally House. “This means we now have four times as much room for products, making it easy for area fans to gear up and boast their team spirit.”
In addition to gear for local college and professional sports teams, Rally House offers products inspired by popular businesses, attractions, and themes from the area, like Michi-Gummies, Detroit Vs Everybody, and Stroh’s Beer.
For more information, visit here.
Cucina Lab Torino to Host Holiday Market Dec. 4 & 11
Cucina Lab Torino in Troy will be hosting its annual Holiday Market from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 4 and Dec. 11 at its 3960 Crooks Road location.
The market is “the perfect holiday activity for families and friends for this holiday season,” according to Cucina Lab Torino. Guests can try and purchase handmade Italian biscotti, fill-your-own cannoli boxes, chocolate liquor, limoncello, pasta sauces, and more as they sip on a cappuccino and try freshly baked pastries.
Cucina Lab Torino is an Italian restaurant that was established in November 2020. It offers a “one-of-a-kind Italian experience to any foodies in the metro Detroit area.”
Accounting Move Project Recognizes Rehmann as Leading Firm for Women
Troy-based integrated professional advisory firm Rehmann has been named to the Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance 2022 Best CPA Firms for Women list, as well as the 2022 Best CPA Firms for Equity Leadership.
This is the firm’s 10th time being named on the Best CPA Firms for Women list and the third consecutive year it’s been named a Best CPA Firm for Equity Leadership.
“Rehmann is committed to providing a flourishing work environment for our women associates,” says Amy Flourry, director of operations for Rehmann and Wealth and Women’s Initiative Network Council chair. “The success of our firm is dependent on the varied knowledge and experience provided by our diverse team.”
At Rehmann, women currently comprise 36 percent of the firm’s leadership roles, which is higher than average amongst Best Firms. The firm additionally offers leadership development resources as well as work-life initiatives that support balanced professional and personal development.
“The COVID-19 pandemic catapulted radical changes to work environments and expectations, which exponentially impacted women,” says Stacie Kwaiser, COO and CEO-elect of Rehmann. “Rehmann addressed these issues head-on, building on our existing DEI tactics to provide realistic options for women in the workplace.”
For more information, visit here.
Turning Point Creates Human Trafficking Program in Macomb County
Turning Point, a Mount Clemens-based agency whose mission is to empower domestic and sexual violence survivors through comprehensive services and resources, has introduced a Human Trafficking Program to support survivors of human trafficking in southeast Michigan thanks to a $400,000 renewable grant from VOCA (Victims of Crime Act).
Grant funding, which is per year for two years to start, will cover expanded housing units currently being acquired by Turning Point, survivor counseling support and advocacy services for re-entry into life post-human trafficking, additional staffing and administrative costs, and the recent purchase of a van for direct outreach efforts.
“People who have been trafficked for sex or labor have experienced exploitation similar to survivors of domestic and sexual violence,” says Sharman Davenport, president and CEO of Turning Point. “Many cases of human trafficking, like domestic and sexual violence, go unreported, but it is pervasive and happening here in Macomb County. With this grant funding, we have new resources so critical to connecting with survivors of human trafficking and empowering them in new lives free of oppression and violence.”
Although there are differences between domestic violence and human trafficking, traffickers use many of the same behaviors as domestic violence abusers to exert power over others. The goal for both a trafficker and an abuser is to make a victim feel shamed, worthless, and totally dependent physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially. As with its traditional services, Turning Point’s new Human Trafficking Program provides individualized survivor-centered and trauma informed support for survivors during their healing process, including outreach, counseling, advocacy, and housing.
Referrals for the Human Trafficking Program are accepted through Turning Point’s 24-hour hotline 586-463-6990, via email at housing@turningpointmacomb.org, or by calling 586-463-4330.
Forgotten Harvest Launches $5M Agency Capacity Grant Program
Forgotten Harvest in Oak Park announced the inaugural recipients of its new Agency Capacity Grant Program with grants ranging from $5,800 to $150,000. The grant program recognizes the essential role of its partner agencies to deliver food where it is most needed throughout Metro Detroit.
The awardees are:
City Covenant Church — Serving Detroit’s Brightmoor area. They will transform part of their fellowship hall to upgrade a commercial kitchen and to create an emergency client choice pantry; will create a private space for confidential client intake conversations; will expand and train staff; and will expand their home delivery to homebound seniors and families.
A.W.E. Warren City Hall Pantry — Serving Macomb and Oakland Counties with a weekly pop-up mobile pantry that started as part of the Forgotten Harvest On the Go program to reach underserved areas, and has now been adopted by a collaboration of ecumenical churches. The grant funds equipment, volunteer training manuals, a Coordinator staff position, and a part-time Arabic translator and marketing to reach out to more clients that experience food insecurity but are currently unaware of their service.
God’s Storehouse — Serving Highland Park and Detroit for more than 23 years. Project GROW (Greater Reach Outside the Walls) will enable God’s Storehouse to expand the number of clients reached by transporting food to additional locations to increase delivery to those most at risk: the disabled, elderly, and families. Improved logistics and increasing volunteers will enable them to build relationships and promote change serving the people most in need.
Redford Interfaith Relief — Serving Redford Township since 1998, this successful collaboration is supported by several churches. It will expand its existing delivery service to home-bound seniors, add an additional monthly food pantry with evening hours, upgrade refrigeration, pave their parking lot, and renovate their building to improve efficiency, effectiveness and volunteer safety. It also will add a community outreach coordinator who will work to build the next generation of leadership and volunteers.
Church of God Belleville — Serving the area surrounding Belleville, this brick-and-mortar pantry will install a garage building to store additional frozen and refrigerated goods and non-perishable items, greatly expanding the range of foods to meet the cultural and healthful food requirements of their diverse clients. Paving their parking lot and interior building repairs will make food distribution easier, less strenuous, and safer for volunteers and enable them to retain and recruit volunteers.
Veteran Support Center Pantry — Serving Macomb County veterans, their aging freezer must be emptied and defrosted monthly to keep it working. The grant will purchase a new large-capacity commercial freezer to support their food distribution for years to come.
In December 2020, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated $25 million to Forgotten Harvest to support its efforts to fight hunger in metro Detroit. Forgotten Harvest is granting $5 million of this donation to support its metro Detroit partner agencies with two rounds of grants per year for next three years and help fight food insecurity. Forgotten Harvest has budgeted $1.2 million for capacity grants in the fiscal year 2023.
Kettering University Esports Team Headed to National Championship
The varsity “Rainbow Six Siege” esports team from Kettering University in Flint will compete in the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) Fall National Championship on Sunday in Philadelphia.
Kettering and James Madison University will play in person for the title after competing virtually in the semifinals Nov. 20. The season started in September with 24 teams.
“I can’t even put into words how proud I am of all of them and how excited I am for them to be at this point,” says Dan Nowaczyk, Kettering’s esports coach. “They’re such dedicated people, whether it’s their academics, the esports organization, the community, or their team.”
NACE is a nonprofit membership association of colleges and universities with varsity esports teams. It formed in 2006 with seven member schools but now has more than 170, including Kettering University.
“Rainbow Six Siege” is a multiplayer game in which teams defend their areas of a map against one another. The team consists of Samual Erman, Nolan Jones, Jason Sedluk, Charles Sweet, Jack Tuttle, and Aaron West.
Kettering’s esports program, which consists of teams for the games “League of Legends,” “Rainbow Six Siege,” “Overwatch,” “Valorant,” and “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate,” started in January 2020. About 80 students are part of the program.
Recently, members of the Esports program participated in a 24-hour gaming event to raise money for Hurley Children’s Hospital. The event raised $3,700, but the team will continue to collect donations through Dec. 31. For more information, visit here.
