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.
Maize and Blue Embraces Green for the Recycle Bowl Showdown
While the University of Michigan Wolverines are tangling with the Rutgers Crimson Knights this Saturday at Michigan Stadium, they also will be facing the University of Tennessee in the Recycle Bowl.
Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor and Neyland Stadium in Knoxville will collect recyclables during their respective games on that date. On the line are bragging rights and the opportunity to set a new world record.
During the 2022 season, U-T set a world record for the World’s Largest College Recycling Event as 38,452.2 pounds of reused or recyclable materials at its Nov. 12 home game. When the 2023 season rolled around, they issued a challenge to the University of Michigan and its fan base.
A zero-waste Michigan Stadium supports U-M’s commitment to sustainability in education, research, and operations. Michigan Stadium has a 20-year recycling tradition and is committed to diverting recyclable and compostable materials from landfills.
To participate in the Recycle Bowl on Sept. 23, fans are encouraged to deposit each plastic, paper, aluminum, cardboard, and compostable product used during the game in the proper recycling or compost bins.
“Michigan Athletics is pleased to partner with the University of Tennessee in the Recycle Bowl,” says Kurt Svoboda, associate athletic director for external communications and public relations. “Our efforts in Ann Arbor are specifically aimed at supporting our campus-wide sustainability effort known as Planet Blue and achieving our zero-waste goal.”
For more information, visit here.
Michigan Tech Week Coming to Ann Arbor Oct. 9-12
Michigan Tech Week (MTW), a public event celebrating Michigan’s tech ecosystem organized by Michigan Founders Fund and partners, will take place in Ann Arbor Oct. 9-12 at the University of Michigan football stadium.
The conference, now in its second year, is co-chaired by Midwest House and supported by a coalition of the state’s innovation ecosystem builders in an effort to bring together and showcase founders with high-growth business models.
Designed through the lens of a founder-first programming experience, it is most relevant to those who are interested in understanding how to start or scale their business, curious about successful startup development, finding ways to develop a solid professional network, and make an impact within the community. This also is an opportunity for students to surround themselves with entrepreneurial peers, investors, and thought leaders to help them build a community and network that will pave the way for their future success.
MTW will include pitch competitions in the programming during which entrepreneurs will showcase their companies and products to national panels of venture capitalists and other startup experts in order to receive funding and investments to grow their business.
There will be five startup pitch competition tracks taking place this year, offering more than $260,000 in total funding. The first-place winners of each competition also will receive free legal services and a $5,000 MiSpringboard grant from Varnum Law.
Pitch competition tracks include:
- Pitch & Pilot Showcase by Bamboo + Community Financial Credit Union
- eLab AI Launchpad Pitch Competition
- Michigan Life Sciences Entrepreneur’s Association Business Plan Competition 2023
- Michigan Entrepreneur Summit (university track)
- Michigan Founders Fund Venture Competition
Keynote speakers include Charles Hudson, managing partner at Precursor Ventures; Devon Townsend, co-founder and chief product officer at Cameo; Melissa Butler, founder and CEO of The Lip Bar; and Stacy Philpot-Brown of Cherry Rock Capital.
Additionally, the conference will welcome nearly 50 guest speakers.
For a full agenda and information on how to attend, visit michigantechweek.com.
L&L Products in Romeo Celebrate Grand Opening of Building Expansion
L&L Products Inc., a family-owned business-to-business company in the Village of Romeo, celebrated the grand opening of its expanded production facilities to accommodate automotive growth and diversification last week.
The occasion was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, with L&L shareholders, executive team members, employees, and guests from the local community in attendance.
The facility has grown from 322,974 square feet to 464,528 square feet, completing the four-phase site plan that was established when L&L purchased the 26-acre site in 1993. The completed facility now features a main aisle that stretches for nearly a quarter mile, connecting the warehouse to manufacturing areas for greater flexibility.
The additional warehouse space was designed to maximize manufacturing, improve material flow, and increase flexibility for future growth in both manufacturing and warehousing.
“This expansion will allow us to continue to delight and grow with our customer partners and invest in our future with new exciting products,” said John Babi, director of operations at L&L Products Romeo. “Our shareholders believe in the L&L team, the community supports us, and our employees make it happen daily. Without this, the expansion would not be possible.”
For information on careers with L&L, visit here.
Together Women’s Health Forges Alliance with Women First OB/GYN Center
Together Women’s Health has completed an affiliation with Women First OB/GYN Center, which has offices in Royal Oak and Birmingham.
The affiliation represents the company’s fifth in Michigan and 12th overall. Together Women’s Health is a women’s health-focused management service organization, backed by Shore Capital Partners, committed to partnering with leading physicians to build a premier network of women’s health services in the U.S.
TWH’s affiliate network consists of more than 100 providers delivering women’s health services at over 30 locations throughout Michigan, Illinois, Colorado, Alabama, and Mississippi.
Women First is a 17-provider group led by the physician team of Drs. Andrea Schiller, Paula Fishbaugh, Lolonya Moore, Jennifer Kaiser-Blase, Brooke Lucas, and Elizabeth Smith. In addition to a comprehensive offering of obstetric and gynecological care, the practice offers in-office surgery, pelvic floor physical therapy, and medical spa services.
Women First is affiliated with Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital.
The Sonic Coast is Michigan’s First All-digital Americana Music Station
Michigan native Brian Maloney has launched his latest venture, The Sonic Coast, an app-based streaming radio station, firmly grounded in Americana and roots-rock music.
The new platform features both established and emerging artists within the genre, encompassing folk, rock, country, soul, and blues, while underscoring Maloney’s dedication to the rich and storied Michigan music culture and his Michigan roots.
Born and raised in the Great Lakes State, Brian Maloney’s love for Michigan music and deep connection to the state sparked a desire to pay homage to the sprawling musical community that shaped his journey and broadcast career.
Now splitting his time between Michigan and North Carolina, Maloney’s return trips to Michigan through the years ignited a creative spark that eventually fueled the conception of an innovative signature radio platform dedicated to fostering musical growth and fostering community connection. A graduate of the Specs Howard School of Media Arts, Maloney never lost his connection to the school’s founders and legendary broadcast mentor, the late Dick Kernen.
Sonic Coast also features another Michigan expat broadcast voice, Maloney’s fellow Specs Howard classmate Jane Asher of San Diego, who originally hailed from the Thumb Region, and found a following while with northern Michigan’s WJML-FM in Petoskey. Asher has been a popular voice on southern California radio since the mid 1980s.
The Sonic Coast is accessible via dedicated Android and iOS apps, as well as home listening devices and online at TheSonicCoast.com. The Sonic Coast technology ensures that listeners can tune in from anywhere, anytime. Maloney’s vision is for the station to transcend geographical boundaries, connecting music aficionados with the rhythm of Americana, all while championing the spirit of Michigan’s emerging and established artists.
New Rally House Store to Open in Orion Township
Rally House, the Kansas-based sports and merchandise retailer, is planning to open a new store in Orion Township. The exact location and opening date were not disclosed.
Rally House, which operates more than 170 locations in 17 states already has metro Detroit outlets in Auburn Hills, Rochester Hills, Oakland Mall and Oakland Plaza in Troy, Shelby Township, Livonia, at the Twelve Oaks Mall and another store in Novi, and in Chesterfield Township.
The retailer specializes in apparel and accessories featuring local professional and college teams.
Rally House officials also announced it was opening its first store in the Toledo market, near the University of Toledo this fall.
Oxford Commercial Finance Now Offering Purchase Order Financing
Oxford Commercial Finance, a subsidiary of Oxford Bank, has expanded its line of flexible working capital solutions for small to medium-sized businesses with the addition of purchase order financing as an add-on to the lender’s accounts receivable and asset-based loans.
Purchase order financing will allow customers to temporarily increase their borrowing capacity with revolving credit to cover direct costs associated with fulfilling purchase orders. These could include cost of goods, freight, duties, and logistics — products, supplies, and/or fees necessary to ensure that orders are fulfilled and delivered on time.
Oxford Commercial Finance officials say this type of flexible business financing is vital for manufacturers, importers, exporters, and distributors when the speed at which they are signing new orders is outpacing the company’s existing cash flow, supplier credit, and/or existing revolving lines of credit. Furthermore, they say purchase order financing helps build a company’s balance sheet (receivables, cash, and inventory) without giving up equity, making it attractive to certain types of corporations, partnerships, and family-owned entities. Competitive financing rates based upon annual sales volumes, average invoice size, payment terms extended to customers, and borrower’s credit quality.
For more information, visit oxfordcommercialfinance.com.
Joe Muer Detroit Hosts Wine Pairing Dinner Event Oct. 3
Joe Muer Detroit in the Renaissance Center will be giving guests the chance to enjoy a wine pairing dinner event Oct. 3 that will feature some of Napa Valley’s finest wines and a chance to meet winemaker Hugh Davies of Schramsberg Vineyards.
The evening will begin at 6 p.m. with a welcome reception featuring hors d’oeuvres followed by a four-course plated dinner with wine pairings.
The cost is $150 per person (tax and gratuity not included). Tickets can be purchased here.
Henry Ford College Renovates Recording Arts Studio
The Henry Ford College Recording Arts Studio in the MacKenzie Fine Arts Center has been renovated with state-of-the-art sound-mixing equipment and technology.
The new studio contains diffusers and other devices whose purpose is to balance out the sound — high frequencies and low frequencies — to make it a professional studio.
“The Recording Arts Studio desperately needed new sound treatment,” says Anthony Lai, interim music director at HFC. “High and low frequencies behave differently. The new diffusers scatter highs in all directions and the bass traps absorb the lows,” explains Lai. “This is the way a professional recording space should be.”
Southfield’s Advance Capital Management Named to Barron’s 2023 Top 100 RIA Firms List
Advance Capital Management, an independent wealth management firm in Southfield, has been named to the Barron’s 2023 Top 100 RIA Firms list.
The list recognizes the top independent registered investment advisers, known as RIAs, in the country, based on a variety of factors including assets under management, performance, and technology.
This is the third year that Advance Capital Management has made the list. It is one of only two Michigan firms to be named.
“We are honored to be named to Barron’s 2023 Top 100 RIA Firms list,” says Joseph Theisen, CEO at Advance Capital Management. “This recognition is a testament to our team’s commitment to providing our clients with the highest level of service and expertise.”
State of the Black and Brown Plate to Examine Detroit’s Culinary Scene
A day-long event to highlight Detroit’s culinary scene and food system, as well as activism, will take place next Tuesday at the Eastern Market Partnership – Shed Five. The State of the Black and Brown Plate will be an in-depth look at the heart and soul of Detroit’s culinary scene.
Chef Phil Jones, organizer of the event, says the event was the result of frustration and anger he felt when the Detroit City Council failed to adopt a simple color-coded grading system for restaurants in 2022.
“It wasn’t just a bureaucratic setback,” Jones says. “It was a slap in the face. Lansing lobbyists used the Black and Brown food community as a reason for non-support, saying we weren’t up to the task. It was a misrepresentation and an insult. This event was created to take control of the narrative in Detroit’s restaurant scene.”
The event begins at 8 a.m. with a breakfast and networking session, with registration opening at 8:30 a.m. The panel discussions will begin at 9:10 a.m. with “Detroit is Different,” a conversation between Khary Frazier of Detroit is Different and Lavaughan Calhoun of Buddah Foods. They will discuss their work and their perspective as Black men in food spaces intersecting with culture.
Several other panels and speeches will follow. The final panel of the day will start at 3:15 p.m. and be moderated by Jones. Entitled “It’s All Good,” the panel will feature chef Shanel Dewalt, owner of Shanel Marie Concepts and Chef for Make Food Not Waste; chef Jermond Booze, co-founder of Taste the Diaspora; Tree Graves of Love Only Detroit and owner of TV Lounge; and Harry Todd, entrepreneur and president of Alpha Phi Alpha, Gamma Lambda Chapter, who will discuss the new face of food advocacy and charity.
While admission to the event is free, a ticket is required. For a full rundown of speakers and the agenda, and to get free tickets, visit here.
Furniture Bank of Southeastern Michigan Reports Need Outpacing Donations
The Furniture Bank of Southeastern Michigan in Pontiac is experiencing a 15 percent drop in furniture donations amid a 30 percent jump in families needing furniture since 2022.
As a result, the nonprofit urgently seeks donations of gently used furniture, including mattresses, box springs, dressers, dining sets, and sofas, and is organizing a fundraiser on Oct. 12 at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle in Royal Oak to boost support.
“The pandemic prompted many people to get rid of their furniture, but now that we are on the other side, we’ve seen furniture donations drop,” says Rob Boyle, executive director of the Furniture Bank. “At the same time, our referrals for families in need continue to rise. This, coupled with the increasing costs of inflation and fuel, makes it even more challenging to provide essential furniture items to people who need them most.”
The Furniture Bank’s Comedy Night, featuring the live stand-up of Paul Mecurio, will include a comedy show, full buffet dinner, 50/50 raffle, and a live auction.
Tickets are $80 each and can be purchased online at this link or by contacting the Furniture Bank at 248-332-1300.
Those interested in making a tax-deductible furniture donation can call 248-332-1300 or visit here to coordinate free pick up. The Furniture Bank makes donating furniture easy and will take items from the porch or garage at no charge. For only $75, trained movers will carefully remove mattresses, box springs, dressers, dining sets, and basic living room furniture from a home. The Furniture Bank also will remove items such as China cabinets, desks, and armoires for a modest charge.
Saunteel Jenkins Named Mission Speaker at American Cancer Society’s Detroit Discovery Ball
The American Cancer Society has announced that Saunteel Jenkins will be the 2023 mission speaker at the Nov. 11 Detroit Discovery Ball at The Filmore Detroit.
Jenkins, a cancer survivor, has been CEO of The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW) since 2014. THAW is an independent nonprofit organization that provides utility assistance, energy efficiency assistance, and case management services to Michigan residents in need.
Others being honored at the Detroit Discovery Ball include:
- Mission Honoree: Dr. Eleanor M. Walker, director of breast radiation oncology and medical director of integrative services at Henry Ford Cancer.
- The Detroit Red Wings Foundation for the National Hockey League.
- General Motors Co.’s Gary L. Cowger (posthumously) and his wife, Kay Cowger.
Emcees for the evening are WDIV Local 4’s Christy McDonald and Fox 2 Detroit’s Roop Raj.
Detroit Discovery Ball runs from 6:30-11 p.m. at The Fillmore. The attire is Detroit Chic Cocktail. Valet parking is included with the ticket. An afterglow features an intimate set with country music artist Coffey Anderson followed by The Dan Rafferty Band. Individual tickets are $250 and are available at detroitdiscoveryball.org.
Davenport University in Grand Rapids Sees Enrollment Increase
Davenport University announced a rise in new-student enrollment for its fall semester, seeing notable increases in students coming out of high school, transferring from other colleges or universities, and those seeking graduate degrees.
This announcement comes on the heels of the university welcoming a record-high number of students living on its Lettinga Grand Rapids Campus. The number of those entering directly from high school and the number of transfer students are each up 12 percent, and the number of graduate students jumped 38 percent from last fall.
“We’re off to a great start with strong enrollment and a record number of students who want to live on campus,” says Richard J. Pappas, president of Davenport. “We continue to attract a high percentage of students of color and those who are the first in their families to attend college. This shows that students know they will be supported at Davenport while pursuing their education and career goals.”
Davenport reports students of color make up 30 percent of its student population and first-generation students make up nearly 40 percent. The university has developed custom workshops and other tools, including peer mentoring, academic coaching, time management training and a student success handbook, to provide support for first-gen students. Nov. 8 is set aside as “First Gen Day” at Davenport.
