DBusiness Daily Update: Suburban Collection Showplace to Host Detroit RV & Camping Show Feb. 1-5, and More

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.
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Hundreds of RVs are expected to be on display at the 57th Annual Detroit RV & Camping Show at Suburban Collection Showplace. // Courtesy of Detroit RV & Camping Show
Hundreds of RVs are expected to be on display at the 57th Annual Detroit RV & Camping Show at Suburban Collection Showplace. // Courtesy of General RV

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.

Suburban Collection Showplace to Host Detroit RV & Camping Show Feb. 1-5

Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi is the site of the MARVAC 57th Annual Detroit RV & Camping Show, Feb. 1-5.

Hundreds of RVs, including folding campers, motorhomes, travel trailers, toy haulers, fifth wheel travel trailers, and a park model, ranging in price from under $7,000 to more than $400,000 will be on exhibit.

Multiple exhibitors featuring parts, accessories, and campground information make this the complete RV show experience, organizers say. Also on-site will be dealers, RV financing, and RV rental companies.

The 2023 Michigan RV and Campgrounds directory and other travel publications will be available to show goers.

On Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m., Jim Edelman and Tom Daldin of the Detroit Public Television show “Under the Radar Michigan” will be appearing at the show signing copies of their book.

Adult admission (13 and older) is $12.  Senior admission (55 and older) is $11. Children 12 and younger get in free. Tickets are available for purchase here. Parking is not included in show admission and can be purchased here in advance.

Mike Coast Retires from Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center in Plymouth Township

Mike Coast, president of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center in Plymouth Township for the past 21 years, has announced his retirement after 27 years with the organization.

As president, Coast has been responsible for a statewide network of five offices, its innovation and growth strategies, and for building and managing relationships with Michigan’s industry clients and state and federal governmental stakeholders.

He also co-founded and served as the first chairman of the American Small Manufacturers Coalition (ASMC), which advocates for legislative and programmatic resources to allow small manufacturers to globally compete. Coast has built the relationship between the center and the Michigan Economic Development Corp. into a working partnership. Under Coast’s leadership, the center has become a resource for small to medium-sized manufacturers in Michigan.

Coast now will begin transitioning the president’s role to Ingrid Tighe. Previously, Tighe served as director of Economic Development for Oakland County where she led 200 staff members in four divisions focused on business development and international business attraction; community development and planning; and the county’s workforce development and veteran services.

Previously, she attended Vanderbilt University, served with the U.S. Army’s 1st Infantry Division in Germany participating in NATO peacekeeping operations in Macedonia and Kosovo and later with the 1st Cavalry Division leading troops from 2004 to 2005 in the combat zone of Baghdad, Iraq. After her service, she earned a Master of Public Administration from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan.

Troy’s Great Lakes Business Credit Changes Name to Bridge Business Credit

Great Lakes Business Credit in Troy, an alternative commercial finance company, has rebranded to Bridge Business Credit.

Under its new name, the Bridge Business Credit team of experienced financial professionals will serve operating companies located throughout the central and eastern U.S. time zones.

Bridge Business Credit offers “creative, nimble, and flexible” loan structures for businesses with potential that cannot obtain or maintain conventional financing to assure continued operation and future success. The company is focused exclusively on providing business loan commitments ranging from $500,000 to $6 million.

“Our new name both describes our services of providing interim ‘bridge’ financing and furthers our growth path to expand our financing capabilities to more businesses seeking to regain financial stability and return to conventional financing,” says Rhett B. Rowe, CEO of BBC. “Bridge Business Credit, strengthened by a major recapitalization and its highly qualified team, is now more than ever strategically positioned to provide businesses the help they need in this extremely challenging economy.”

Bridge Business Credit plans to showcase its new brand identity at the Turnaround Management Association’s (TMA) Distressed Investing Conference in Las Vegas, which starts today, and at numerous other financial industry events in the coming months.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Buildings to ‘Go Red’ for American Heart Month

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan buildings statewide will turn red beginning today in observance of American Heart Month and the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women” campaign.

Participating buildings include:

  • Blue Cross Lafayette Tower in Detroit (red dress and red heart on opposite sides of building).
  • AF Group Headquarters in Lansing.
  • Blue Cross Lyon Meadows Conference Center Water Tower in New Hudson.

“Throughout February, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan buildings across the state will turn red in observance of American Heart Month to bring awareness to cardiovascular disease,” says Daniel J. Loepp, president and CEO of BCBMM. “Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. We encourage everyone to adopt healthy habits like proper diet and exercise, blood pressure monitoring and stress management to help keep their heart health top of mind this month and beyond.”

Cloud Cannabis Detroit to Host Grand Opening Party Feb. 4

Troy-based Cloud Cannabis will host a Grand Opening Party on Feb. 4 from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. at its Detroit retail location (16001 Mack Ave.) to celebrate the beginning of recreational cannabis sales in the city.

The event will feature vendors from the best cannabis brands in the Michigan market, a DJ, a food truck, deals on name brand products, special guests, and more. The first 100 customers at the door will receive a free ounce of cannabis flower with the purchase of $50 and by signing up for the company’s loyalty program Cloud Club. The second 100 customers will receive a free Wonderbrett 8th with the purchase of $25 and by signing up for Cloud Club, and additional giveaways will be announced throughout the day.

“Recreational sales kicking off in Detroit is a major milestone for us and the entire city, and response so far has been incredible,” says Jacob Saboo, co-founder and head of retail at Cloud Cannabis. “That’s why we want to throw a party that represents the lively spirit of the Motor City, celebrating with and giving back to the community that makes it possible to do what we do.”

For more information, visit cloudcannabis.com.

Auto Care Association Leader Coming to Northwood University Feb. 1-3

Bill Hanvey, president and CEO of the Auto Care Association, which represents the entire supply chain of the independent automotive aftermarket, will be at Northwood University in Midland Feb. 1-3.

Hanvey will be meeting with students, faculty, and staff in a series of classroom lectures and other appearances.

On the evening of Feb. 1, Hanvey will be the next c-suite leader to be featured in Northwood’s Leadership Insights: A View from the Helm speaker series. That event will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the McNair Center for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise, located in the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center at Northwood University.

It will be live streamed and will take place in a question-and-answer format. The audience will have an opportunity to submit questions through electronic polling software.

The link to the livestream is here.

Aftermarket professionals who would like to connect with Hanvey should reach out to Thomas Litzinger, director of the University of Aftermarket, at litzinge@northwood.edu.

Voting Now Open for 2023 Troy Chamber Business Excellence Awards

The Troy Chamber of Commerce has announced the nominees for the 2023 TC Business Excellence Awards, presented by Horizon Bank, and voting is now open.

This Troy Chamber event gives the Troy business community the opportunity to celebrate and give recognition to the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and working professionals that have made a notable impact on the business community in 2022.

The final winners of the 2023 TC Business Excellence Awards will be announced in-person at the Awards Ceremony on Thursday, March 2 at the MSU Management Education Center. To attend and save your seat for the Awards Ceremony, register here.

To vote, visit here.  Voting ends Feb. 16.

The Troy Chamber’s 2023 Business Excellence Awards categories include:

  • The Choice Group Leadership Award
  • Chamber Advocate Award
  • Trion Solutions Woman in Action Award
  • Young Professional Award
  • Creative Disruptor Award
  • Entech Staffing Solutions Customer Service Excellence Award
  • OUR Credit Union Nonprofit Excellence Award
  • Chief Financial Credit Union Innovation Award
  • Beaumont Resiliency Award
  • Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation Diversity Champion Award
  • Consumers Energy Community Impact Award
  • Inspiring Tomorrow Award
  • Excellence in Tech Award

This event is sponsored by Horizon Bank, Walsh College, The Choice Group, Trion Solutions, Entech Staffing Solutions, OUR Credit Union, Chief Financial Credit Union, Beaumont, Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, Consumers Energy, HRPro, and DBusiness magazine.

ACG Detroit to Stage Panel on Future of Procurement and Logistics

ACG Detroit is hosting a panel discussion titled “The Supply Chain Evolution: The Future of Procurement and Logistics” at 8 a.m. Feb. 14 at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham. The discussion will cover supply chain constraints, inflation, and other topics. Panelist will include representatives from Faurecia, Gravitas Detroit, Plante Moran, and Townsend Search Group.

For more information and to register, visit here.

Canada-United States Business Association to Host Annual Cross-Border Economic Forecast

The Detroit-based Dickinson Wright law firm has announced that it will be participating in the Canada-United States Business Association’s (CUSBA) 11th Annual Cross-Border Economic Forecast from 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Federal Reserve Bank – Detroit Branch.

The 11th Annual Cross-Border Economic Forecast is an event where economists from both sides of the international border provide highlights on the most recent forecasts for Canada and the United States. The speakers will discuss the specific factors driving economic change and the impact on businesses in 2023.

Speakers will include Colin Bird, Consul General of Canada in Detroit; Michael Gregory, deputy chief economist and head of U.S. economics at BMO Capital Markets; and Martin Lavelle, senior business economist at the Detroit Branch of the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank. Mark High, a member in Dickinson Wright’s Detroit office and president of CUSBA, will serve as moderator.

For more information and to register, visit here.

Skyline Homes in Troy Named ‘America’s Most Trusted’ Manufactured Home Builder

For the third consecutive year, Skyline Homes in Troy is being recognized as America’s Most Trusted Manufactured Home Builder, based on the results of an annual study conducted by Lifestory Research.

More than 40,000 consumers shopping for a manufactured home participated in the survey.

Skyline Homes captured the highest Net Trust Quotient score of 100.5 and earned the No. 1 ranking in the 2023 study. Genesis Homes and Champion Homes are additional highly ranked Skyline Champion brands featured in the study.

“To say it is an honor to receive this prestigious award for another year is an understatement,” says Mark Yost, president and CEO of Skyline Champion Corp. “We take our commitment to providing quality homes to hardworking Americans very seriously, and acknowledgements such as this one reflects the collective work of our team to earn and serve customers every day.”

Aquinas College in Grand Rapids Hosting Health Care Ethics Conference March 4

Medical professionals of the Diocese of Grand Rapids have the opportunity to receive continuing education through a health care ethics conference on March 4 at Aquinas College.

The St. John Paul II Foundation, in collaboration with the Diocese of Grand Rapids and Aquinas, is bringing the first Converging Roads health care ethics conference to Grand Rapids. To accommodate the needs of attendees, interested medical professionals and students are able to attend either in person or online.

This year’s conference will focus on the theme of Fundamental Catholic Health Care: From the Beginning to the End of Life and will feature presentations from Dr. Kristin M. Collier on “Vocation of the Health Care Professional,” Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk on “Decision Making at the End of Life,” Dr. Natalie King on “Redemptive Meaning of Human Suffering,” and more.

Converging Roads, an initiative of the St. John Paul II Foundation, a national Catholic apostolate proclaiming the Good News about life and family through education and formation, provides continuing education deeply rooted in the Hippocratic and Catholic ethical tradition.

At this conference, health care professionals and chaplains can receive continuing education credits; however, all are invited to attend regardless of profession.

The conference will close with a 5:30 p.m. vigil Mass celebrated by Most Rev. David J. Walkowiak at Aquinas College. To register or for more information, visit convergingroads.com  and click on Grand Rapids.

Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan Made $102.8M in 2022 Grants

The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and its supporting organizations provided combined grantmaking in 2022 of nearly $103 million. Grants supported nonprofit organizations and local governments working to make a positive, permanent impact in our region.

At its fourth quarter meeting, the Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees approved more than $22 million toward that annual total.

The Community Foundation also made $22.3 million in grants to organizations working to advance arts and culture, civil rights, economic development, education, environment and public spaces, and health and human services throughout southeast Michigan. The grants bring the Community Foundation’s total grantmaking for 2022 to $102.8 million, including grants for supporting organizations. Fourth-quarter grant highlights include the following.

Civil Rights

  • Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion ($20,000).
  • Non-Profit Enterprise at Work ($25,000).
  • Regents of the University of Michigan ($59,416 over two years).

Culture/Arts

  • Connect Detroit ($50,000).
  • CultureSource ($75,000).
  • Friends of Southfield Public Arts ($50,000).
  • Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit ($55,000).
  • The Purple Rose Theatre Co. ($75,000).
  • University Musical Society ($150,000 over 18 months).
  • Wayne State University ($35,550).

Economic Development

  • Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) ($75,000).
  • Venture for America ($50,000).

Education

  • Brilliant Detroit ($50,000).
  • LAHC-Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities ($45,000).
  • Lawrence Technological University ($25,000).
  • Michigan Education Excellence Foundation ($70,000).
  • Model-T Automotive Heritage Complex Inc. ($50,000).
  • Oakland Literacy Council ($45,000).
  • The Arc of Northwest Wayne County ($35,315).

Environment/Public Spaces

  • Huron River Watershed Council ($75,000 over two years).
  • Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative ($75,000).
  • Give Merit Inc. ($50,000).
  • Michigan Interfaith Power & Light Inc. ($65,000 over three years).
  • NW Goldberg Cares ($50,000).

Health/Human Services

  • American Indian Health and Family Services of Southeastern MI. Inc. ($75,000).
  • Crossroads of Michigan ($75,000).
  • Hands Across the Water ($21,800).
  • Macomb County Rotating Emergency Shelter Team ($50,000).
  • South Oakland Shelter ($50,000).
  • Wayne State University ($75,000).

Chelsea Community Foundation

  • The Purple Rose Theatre Co. ($5,000).
  • The Purple Rose Theatre Co. ($13,672).
  • Silver Maples of Chelsea ($5,000).

Community Foundation for Livingston County

  • Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan ($10,000).
  • Trinity Health-Michigan ($10,000).
  • VINA Community Dental Center ($5,000 ).