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.
New Luxury Travel Trailer Now Available at General RV Center in Wixom
General RV Center in Wixom is now selling a luxury travel trailer — the Brinkley RV, the Model Z AIR 285.
The trailer features an automotive-grade exterior and modern residential interior, which features:
- A gourmet kitchen equipped with a big farmhouse sink and large pantry.
- Living area equipped with reclining theater seats, built-in “televator” and a custom desk for a remote-working couple.
- A spacious bedroom with queen-size memory foam bed, surrounded by storage cubbies, felt-lined storage space for jewelry, and a locked safe for valuable items.
To get an inside look at the Brinkley RV Model Z AIR 285, click here.
For more information, and to locate the nearest General RV, visit GeneralRV.com.
In Related News: RVC Outdoor Destinations is announcing the latest addition to its upscale outdoor vacation portfolio, Sandusky RV Resort, which opened May 1. Located just minutes from the Lake Erie coast, Sandusky RV Resort is the first RVC property in the area. Offering a blend of RV sites and a suite of amenities, Sandusky RV Resort is geared to seasonal campers and nightly, weekly, and monthly guests.
For more information, visit here.
Coherix in Ann Arbor, Eastern Michigan University Partner on Factory of the Future Program
Ann Arbor-based Coherix is working with Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti to develop factory-of-the-future manufacturing and assembly technology.
The three-year program at the university’s GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology is focused on precision-manufacturing applications in the growing field of adhesive-dispensing technology and is supported by a $385,000 grant from Coherix.
“The program will provide our students with experience in the programming and use of industrial robots to dispense adhesives and sealants in the manufacture of cars, medical devices and consumer electronics — technology that could save billions of dollars in manufacturing costs,” says Mohamad Qatu, dean of Eastern’s GameAbove college.
Dwight Carlson, chairman and CEO of Coherix, says: “Our goal is to offer engineering students at the university advanced factory-of-the-future training as well as access to the latest adaptive-process-control and dispensing-system technology under development at Coherix.”
Over the next three years, more than 70 mechanical-engineering graduate and undergraduate students are expected to take part in the program developed and directed by Associate Professor Emad Tanbour. A major part of their work will take place in a computer-vision and virtual-reality research facility at EMU provided by Coherix.
According to Tanbour, all of the undergraduate students currently enrolled in the Coherix program are Michigan residents with an interest in pursuing engineering careers at companies with facilities in the state.
Several other companies provided equipment for the Coherix laboratory. Kawasaki Robotics, for example, donated an industrial robot while Sames supplied dispensing equipment and the Gonzalez Group provided safety fencing.
Walbridge in Detroit Recognized as a U.S. Best Managed Company
Walbridge in Detroit has been selected as a 2024 U.S. Best Managed Company Gold Standard honoree. Now in its fifth year, the award, sponsored by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal, recognizes the achievements of U.S. private companies and the successes of their management teams.
“It’s an honor to be recognized as a 2024 Best Managed Company Gold Standard honoree and to earn this award for the fourth consecutive year. It is a testament to our outstanding workplace culture where our team members are engaged, celebrated, and empowered to thrive,” says John Rakolta III, president of Walbridge. “We’ve built a collaborative environment that enables our teams to continuously exceed customers’ expectations by going above and beyond in every interaction demonstrating our commitment to exceptional service.”
Henry Ford Health Takes Major Step Forward in Campus Construction
Demolition has begun on a now-vacant former office building at the southwest corner of W. Grand Boulevard and the Lodge Freeway service drive in Detroit, the first “official” construction step towards its $2 billion vision to transform its century-old flagship academic medical campus into a state-of-the-art destination for care.
The removal of the building and ensuing cleanup, which is expected to last a few months, will pave the way for crews to start work on a modernized new patient tower, a major component of Henry Ford Hospital’s historic 1.2 million square-foot expansion. It will include all private patient rooms with technology and comfort upgrades, and a three-floor world-class rehabilitation hospital through a partnership with Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.
The patient tower will be connected to the new hospital facility, including an expanded emergency department with universal rooms and technically advanced operating suites.
The building will be taken apart piece by piece, a process that’s intended to also keep dust levels low. In addition, crews will be recycling as much building material as possible.
Detroit Architecture Firm Rossetti Signs Enterprise Agreement California Company
San Francisco-based Revizto, an integrated collaboration platform that streamlines and centralizes project workflows and communication, announced a new three-year enterprise agreement with Rossetti in Detroit.
Rossetti specializes in architecture, planning, interiors, and analytics of sports and entertainment venues, mixed-use developments, corporate headquarters, and master planning.
Some of the projects for which it utilizes Revizto include the Miller Electric Jacksonville Jaguars Performance Center, the Miami Formula 1 venue, and the Atlanta Falcons training facility renovations.
To learn more about how Rossetti utilizes Revizto to empower architects and streamline architectural design processes for project success, join the May 31 webcast at 1 p.m. Register here.
Meridian in Michigan, Centene Foundation Announce $1.1M Grant
Meridian in Michigan, a managed care organization in the state of Michigan and a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corp., and the Centene Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Centene Corp., announced a $1.1 million grant to the Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO), an integrated health and human service agency based in Detroit.
The grant will support NSO’s Medical Respite program, serving to increase access to health and recuperative care for individuals experiencing homelessness.
The NSO program operates from the Detroit Healthy Housing Center, and offers comprehensive health care, social support and job training to those experiencing homelessness who are too frail or ill to recuperate from a physical illness or injury in an unhoused environment but do not require hospitalization.
The program expects to serve 165 individuals annually, with an anticipated average length of stay of 30 days, to provide services and support to clients on their path to stable housing. This high-impact approach to engaging people experiencing homelessness can produce health care savings through stable housing and by reducing avoidable hospital visits.
Censys Launches the Censys Integrations Marketplace to Improve Security Teams Efficiency
Censys in Ann Arbor, an internet intelligence platform for threat hunting and attack surface management, announced the Censys Integrations Marketplace, which allows security teams to onboard any integration with any vendor, in the marketplace, in fewer than than 15 minutes.
Security teams can struggle to secure their organization as they are hindered by security tools operating in different environments, different data formats, and integration requirements, leading to gaps, inefficiencies and vulnerabilities. This new approach simplifies and standardizes enterprises’ security portfolios while enhancing the ability of security teams to quickly identify and respond to threats.
The Censys Integrations Marketplace currently offers 14 tailored integrations with specific vendors, including both security and non-security solutions, making it the first marketplace to extend beyond the traditional security ecosystem. Supported by Censys’ Rapid Integrations program, customers will be able to request new integrations that can be added to the Marketplace in weeks. This streamlined approach enables quicker onboarding and allows customers to deploy and utilize the new integration within minutes.
For more information, visit censys.com.
Chicago’s Hub International Acquires True North Insurance in Howell
Hub International Ltd. (Hub) in Chicago has acquired the assets of True North Group Insurance Services in Howell. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
True North Group is an independent insurance agency that focuses on commercial insurance and employee benefits. The True North Group team will join Hub Midwest East.
True North Group will be referred to as True North Group Insurance Services, a Hub International company.
First 2024 Fiat 500e Electric Vehicles Arrive in Canada
The first 2024 Fiat 500e battery-electric vehicles (BEV) have arrived in Canada. The first shipment of Italian-built vehicles docked in Halifax, Nova Scotia and will first make their way to Canadian consumers in Quebec and British Columbia.
An all-new, all-electric take on the Fiat brand’s most storied and iconic model, the two-door fully electric Fiat 500e arrives on this side of the Atlantic as the first BEV offering from Stellantis.
The 500e is Canada’s lowest 2024 model-year MSRP electric vehicle with a starting price of $42,190 and is positioned to optimize government EV rebate eligibility with up to $5,000 in federal rebates and up to $7,000 in provincial rebates. Its availability will expand to other provinces as production ramps up.
Star Trax in Ferndale Announces Launch of Twelve24 Events
Ferndale-based Star Trax unveiled Twelve24 Events as a sister company dedicated to full-service event planning and production.
Star Trax will continue to be an interactive entertainment and valet parking company, whereas Twelve24 Events will exclusively focus on event planning with an expanded range of services.
Twelve24 Events offers the same level of dedication and passion that has defined the Star Trax brand for more than three decades, producing unforgettable experiences by providing continuous support and guidance through every step of the event planning process.
For more information, visit twelve24events.com.
Michigan Surpasses Three States in Site Selection’s 2024 Prosperity Cup Rankings
Michigan is once again a Top 10 state in Site Selection’s annual Prosperity Cup rankings, ranking No. 7 overall and No. 3 in the East North Central region. The state moved up three spots since 2023.
Michigan’s project wins and competitive metrics earned the state’s rise in the Prosperity Cup rankings. Site Selection weighed the state’s success against others in total new and expanded facilities, total capital investment in new and expanded facilities, total new jobs created, and state tax climate, as well as 2023 project wins recorded in its Conway Projects Database.
Meanwhile, the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC) was recognized as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in March, thanks to a bold approach toward talent attraction and population growth. The MEDC’s Talent Action Team, created in 2022 as the first public-private state talent coalition to specifically address the talent gap in the electric vehicle (EV) and semiconductor industries, ranks No. 4 in the Business Services category.
Experience Zuzu to Host Remembrance & Resilience: A Mother’s Day Benefit
Experience Zuzu, one of Detroit’s newest dining destinations, is teaming up with local charitable organizations the Semaj J. Morgan Foundation (SJMF) and Mother’s Making a Difference (MMAD) to host Remembrance & Resilience: A Mother’s Day Benefit’ on Thursday, May 9 from 7-10 p.m. The charity reception is dedicated to honoring mothers, fathers, and children, and raising funds to provide support to those who have tragically lost children to gun violence.
“We are thrilled to host this special Mother’s Day event, uniting our community in celebration of the remarkable women who shape our lives,” says Semaj T. Morgan, president of The Semaj J. Morgan Foundation. “More than a day of festivities, this event underscores our commitment to supporting mothers, fathers, and children, and building stronger, more resilient communities.”
Attendees of the reception at Experience Zuzu will enjoy an array of activities, including guest speakers, personalized tributes, and Mother’s Day-themed games. Whether you’re a mother, honoring your own, or simply supporting a meaningful cause, there will be ample opportunities to connect, celebrate, and make a positive impact.
Proceeds from the charity event will directly benefit the MMAD mission to assist families in coping with grief and healing from senseless violence. Donations are welcome and can be made here.
ACG Detroit Announces Award Winners Ahead of Women’s Forum Luncheon
ACG Detroit recently announced the award recipients of the Igniting Inspiration and Inspiring Impact Awards. Both accolades are designed to honor and recognize women who are making inspirational moves and have a bold vision to positively grow their communities, companies, and industries.
“ACG Detroit is thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of women in M&A”, says Carrie Schochet, co-chair of the ACG Detroit Women’s Forum. “Our winners this year are not only savvy and respected businesswomen — but bold changemakers in the field, igniting inspiration and pride in everyone around them to excel in all their endeavors.”
The 2024 recipient of the Igniting Inspiration award is Antonia R. Giles, an associate at Dykema. Giles goes above and beyond in her associate role at Dykema, ensuring that every deal gets done. Working with clients in a variety of sectors like tech, manufacturing, aerospace, defense, funeral and cemetery services, she practices due diligence in counseling clients on risks, agreements and assisting in handling multi-million-dollar deals with excellent execution and leadership.
The 2024 recipient of the Inspiring Impact award is Terrah Opferman, managing director and region manager of Michigan Middle Market Banking at JPMorgan Chase & Co. Opferman leads a team of bankers who interact with clients in diverse sectors, all with varying needs and expansive financial portfolios. Opferman has layered experience in equipment financing, commercial banking, treasury, tax-exempt and taxable financing. At JPMorgan Chase & Co., she has exemplified spectacular dedication, care and leadership in risk and cash management, obtaining senior debt financing and capital market access.
The winners of the Igniting Inspiration and Inspiring Impact awards will be honored at “Inspire & Ignite: Women’s Forum Luncheon” on May 17 from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Cambria Hotel in downtown Detroit. The event will include a champagne lunch and special remarks from keynote speaker, Jenny Feterovich, a four-time Emmy-nominated TV and film producer.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit here.
Salvation Army Celebrates Doing the Most Good in Michigan During Salvation Army Week
The Salvation Army Great Lakes Division is celebrating National Salvation Army Week (May 13-19) to recognize and bring awareness to the essential programs and services available for those in need.
“With high rent prices persisting and financial assistance diminishing, housing has become out of reach for more people living in the United States, leading to a rise in homelessness across the nation. National Salvation Army Week is an opportunity to showcase the breadth and depth of our programs and life changing services offered to those in need,” says Lt. Col. Steve Merritt, divisional commander for The Salvation Army Great Lakes Division. “With the wide reach of our services, The Salvation Army can help in every zip code in Michigan. We’re committed to ‘Doing the Most Good’ for our neighbors in need to ensure Michiganders stay in their homes and no one gets left behind.”
Merritt will join Lansing Mayor Andy Schor, at Lansing City Hall on May 13, 2024, at 12:30 p.m. to begin National Salvation Army week festivities in Michigan. The event will include a proclamation from Schor celebrating The Salvation Army’s 140th anniversary in serving the greater Lansing area.
For more information about the nonprofit’s social programs and human services, visit SAgreatlakes.org.
