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.
Ultimate Fishing Show Docks at Suburban Collection Showplace Jan. 11-14
The Ultimate Fishing Show-Detroit takes place this Thursday through Sunday at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi.
Two of the biggest names in bass fishing, Michigan natives Kevin VanDam and Mark Zona, will make appearances at the show. Ultimate Fishing Show-Detroit. VanDam will appear on Tursday and Zona will be on hand on Friday.
Other fishing professionals returning to the seminar stages of the Ultimate Fishing Show–Detroit include Freshwater Fishing Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Mark Romanack, and Lance Valentine to discuss walleye; Joe Thomas, Jim Vitaro, Wayne Carpenter, and Gerry Gostenik cover bass, Jake Romanack talks about the Great Lakes, and Dan Armitage will discuss kids fishing.
Among the displays are:
- The Ultimate Ice Fishing Village, the largest ice fishing display in Michigan.
- Hundreds of fishing boats, motors, and fishing electronics.
- Lake Ultimate, a 110,000-gallon indoor lake that doubles as a seminar stage.
- The Hawg Trough, a 5,000-gallon fish tank that doubles as a seminar stage.
- A Trout Pond that kids can fish for a nominal fee.
Admission is free on Thursday for patrons who bring six cans/boxes or four pounds of non-perishable food items to donate to the annual Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger food drive. The food will be donated to the Red Cross and area food banks.
Admission is $12 for adults and $5 for children 6 to 14. There is no charge for children 5 and under. On-site parking is $10.
For more information, visit UltimateFishingShow.com or call 616-447-2860.
Study: Majority of U.S. Hospitals Found COVID-19 Reporting Directives Inconsistent
The U.S. health care response during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic unveiled challenges in public health reporting systems and electronic clinical data exchange.
A new study led by John (Xuefeng) Jiang, Eli Broad Endowed Professor of Accounting at Michigan State University’s Broad College of Business, examines U.S. hospitals, experiences in public health reporting, accessing clinical data from external providers for COVID-19 patient care, and their success in reporting vaccine-related adverse events to relevant local, state, and federal agencies. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vaccine providers are encouraged to report any clinically significant health problem following vaccination even if they are not sure if the vaccine was the cause.
“There are significant disparities across government levels due to inconsistent requirements,” Jiang says. “This research underscores the need for standardized reporting protocols, explicit directives, and a pivot from manual to automated processes. Tackling these challenges is pivotal for ensuring prompt and reliable data, bolstering future public health responses and rejuvenating trust in public health institutions.
The study, which also includes researchers from the University of Texas, Auburn University, and Johns Hopkins, uses datasets from the American Hospital Association, or AHA, 2020 and 2022 annual IT surveys (the survey was skipped in 2021, as the 2020 survey was delayed to early 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic). The study is the first to examine hospitals’ experiences with public health reporting and their access to external electronic data during the pandemic.
According to the study, which uses data from 6,012 hospitals, primarily larger nonprofit teaching hospitals in urban areas, only 18 percent of hospitals found COVID-19 reporting directives to be consistent across government agencies. In addition, reporting to local governments generally appeared to be less burdensome than at the state and federal tiers:
- Twenty-six percent of hospitals reported difficulty obtaining data at the local level, versus 59 percent at the federal level and 57 percent at the state level.
- Twenty-five percent of hospitals highlighted inconsistencies in definition of reporting elements at the local level versus 53 percent at the federal level and 50 percent at the state level.
- Nineteen percent of hospitals said there were unclear reporting instructions at the local level, versus 39 percent at the federal level and 42 percent at the state level.
The study also looked at how hospitals submit data to public health agencies. Per the AHA, there are three different ways for hospitals to share data: automated mode, where electronic health records are sent directly to the public health agency; manual, where data is faxed or manually inputted into a designated portal; and mixed, which combines both automated and manual processes.
The study shows there is a clear shift in hospital data submission practices: by 2022, 23 percent of hospitals were primarily using an automated approach, up from 5 percent from 2021 (per the 2020 AHA survey), while use of the mixed approach decreased by 6 percent and use of the manual approach remained steady.
“Encouraging a shift from manual to automated process should not just be a recommendation, but a public priority,” Jiang says. “Speedy, reliable data are paramount during public health emergencies, and manual processes can inhibit a rapid response.”
Sponsorships Available for March 1 Beyond Basics 25th Anniversary Event
On the evening of March 1, literacy nonprofit Beyond Basics will gather at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham with community leaders and supporters in business, education, and philanthropy to celebrate the organization’s founding, as well as the achievements of students participating in its tutoring program, and those behind the scenes.
Investing in a Beyond Basics event sponsorship during National Reading Month is a clear and visible way to help break the generational cycle of illiteracy.
To secure a sponsorship, which range from $3,000 to $25,000, contact Katie Nienstedt at 248-321-0448 or nienstedt@beyondbasics.org.
Downtown Detroit Markets Extend Run Through Jan. 21
The Downtown Detroit Markets will remain open in Cadillac Square until Sunday, Jan. 21. The downtown destination joins Cadillac Lodge as one of the city’s most frequented wintertime locales.
Among the featured vendors are:
- Ariya’s Apparel and Accessories
- Astouri
- Bags to Butterflies
- Folk
- Halie & Co.
- Janna Kay Charcuterie Boards and Boxes
- Opal Grove Games
- Rosemarine Textiles
- Speedcult
- The Brave Wimp
- Two Stix 5 Stones
- Verbatim
- Waffle Cabin
Ford Pro Insure Now Includes Commercial Auto Coverage in Indiana, Wisconsin
Indiana and Wisconsin are the latest states to join the rollout of Dearborn-based Ford Pro Insure commercial vehicle coverage.
“There are nearly 1 million small businesses in Indiana and Wisconsin that make up more than 99 percent of total businesses in each of their states,” says Craig Carrington, executive vice president of Ford Pro FinSimple, Ford Credit’s brand that includes commercial financing and insurance. “The right commercial auto insurance can help them run efficient and productive fleets. Enter Ford Pro Insure. As we expand, Ford Pro Insure adds one more link in the end-to-end support delivered through Ford Pro’s suite of products and services.”
Ford Pro Insure, underwritten by Ford Motor Co. subsidiary The American Road Insurance Co. (TARIC) and available through managing general agent Pie Insurance, covers commercial vehicles purchased through Ford Pro and other channels.
“Pie’s mission is to empower small businesses to thrive by making commercial insurance affordable and as easy as pie,” says Dax Craig, co-founder and president of Pie. “Ford Pro Insure offerings have been growing strategically and, with the addition of Indiana and Wisconsin, coverage is available to small business owners across five states.
“We’re excited to continue to work with the team to expand to even more states this year in order to help small business owners across the country reduce the overall cost of fleet ownership and focus on what matters most — running their businesses.”
Ford Pro FinSimple finances business and governmental fleets and solutions as businesses convert to electric vehicles, with a team of commercial sales and servicing experts, as part of the Ford Pro ecosystem. Pie specializes in commercial insurance for small businesses and is providing distribution, underwriting, servicing and claims for Ford Pro Insure customers.
For more information, visit here.
AmeriHealth Caritas Names Kelly A. Munson as President and Chief Executive Officer
AmeriHealth Caritas, jointly owned by Independence Health Group and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, announced Kelly A. Munson has been selected to lead the company.
Munson is a seasoned health care executive with experience leading complex and successful national operations. She will officially assume the role of president and CEO on Feb. 1, concluding a thorough national search led by the AmeriHealth Caritas board of directors, which includes representation from joint owners.
Munson most recently served as president of Aetna Medicaid, a CVS Health company, where she oversaw the company’s $18.5 billion Medicaid program, with 2.8 million members across 16 states.
“Kelly brings an innovative approach to member engagement and employee experiences that will complement and enhance the company’s strong culture,” says Dan Loepp, president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. “Her experience serving populations with unique needs across multiple markets is a strong fit for AmeriHealth Caritas.”
Tangelo in Birmingham Launches Partnership to Deliver Food as Medicine Benefits
Tangelo, a food as medicine platform based in Birmingham, is partnering with Chicago’s Vitality Group to offer increased access and encourage greater consumption of nutritious foods among Vitality’s members.
Vitality is a global health and wellbeing company specializing in behavior change. It is partnering with Tangelo to administer food as medicine at scale. Tangelo’s food prescription benefit platform makes customizable and clinically driven food as medicine programs available for Vitality clients to help their populations achieve better health results.
This collaboration with Tangelo offers Vitality members easy access to high-quality, affordable, convenient, and condition-tailored nutritious food options. In keeping with the science behind food as medicine, the program prescribes medically tailored foods, personalized for each individual to prevent, manage, and treat chronic disease. Members can benefit from easy access to fresh produce, mixed grocery boxes, and ready-to-eat meals and meal kits to support their health needs and goals.
The partnership also will integrate the capabilities of Diet ID, a digital health platform that Tangelo acquired in September 2023. Diet ID is a technology that enables rapid and accurate dietary assessments, prescriptions, behavior change, and coaching. By combining Diet ID with Tangelo’s food delivery and Vitality’s incentive system, the partnership will offer a unique and effective way to measure and improve diet quality and health outcomes, at scale.
To learn more and register for s food insecurity event taking place Jan. 31 at 1 p.m., visit here.
Detroit Opera to Stage Compañía Nacional de Danza’s ‘Carmen’
On Jan. 17, Spain’s Compañía Nacional de Danza will make its Detroit Opera House debut in “Carmen,” a reimagined version of Georges Bizet’s opera by Swedish choreographer Johan Inger.
Inger’s “Carmen” takes a contemporary look at Prosper Mérimée’s original 1845 story as seen through the eyes of a child; the music includes Rodion Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite, an arrangement of the Bizet original, plus additional electronic music by Marc Álvarez.
Inger strips the story to its universal themes of love and passion, emphasizing the impact violence can have on those who witness it and on society as a whole. Lead principal dancer Kayoko Everhart will star in the title role, with lead principal dancer Alessandro Riga as Don José.
This will be the only U.S. performance of Inger’s Carmen during the company’s North American tour. The production contains adult themes and is not suitable for children.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit detroitopera.org/.
COTS to Present Soup City: A Night at the Wright
Detroit-based COTS announced its Soup City: A Night at the Wright will take place at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in the heart of Detroit’s Cultural Center on Wednesday, Jan. 24.
Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. to welcome guests to COTS’ 25th annual Soup City fundraiser featuring food, live entertainment, expressions of art, and a silent auction. Soup City serves as COTS’ signature fundraising event with a goal of raising $225,000 to help Detroit families overcoming poverty and homelessness.
Soup City guests can stroll through the museum’s rotunda, lower perimeter area, multi-purpose room, and the Lewis H. Latimer Cafe and enjoy a variety of soups, small plates, and desserts from more than 20 metro Detroit restaurants such as Grey Ghost Detroit, Mezcal Detroit, The French Lady, and Balkan House. Beer and wine also will be available.
Attendees will be treated to the sounds of Detroit-born musicians Jeff Ponders II, Brandon Williams and Darius Nabors. Additionally, Kym Brady, known as The Urban Violinist, songstress Angela Davis, and the Charles and Gwen Scales Group will showcase their talents at the event.
Guests also can enjoy performance art by Spinnovation as well as a silent disco. WXYZ Anchor Carolyn Clifford will be hosting this year’s event.
Tickets are available online for $100 each. Admission includes complimentary valet parking. Guests are encouraged to dress in business casual attire. To purchase tickets and/or join this year’s fundraising efforts, visit cotssoupcity2024.funraise.org.
Washtenaw Community College Adds $1M Gift for 20 Nursing Scholarships
Agnes and Stephen Reading have endowed an additional $1 million to double the size of the Reading Nursing Scholarship program for students at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor.
The Reading Nursing Scholarship endowment now totals $2 million and provides 20 full-ride nursing scholarships each year for WCC students. Scholarships are awarded primarily based on need to students planning to transfer to Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti to complete their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.
In 2022, the couple established the Reading Scholars program with a $1 million endowment to cover tuition, books, uniforms, clinical fees, and other costs for nursing students.
In addition to the $2 million endowment to fund scholarships in perpetuity, the Readings have given $100,000 to jumpstart students enrolling with the award.
“We know firsthand the impact nurses have on their patients, and we know WCC trains the best,” says Stephen Reading. “Because of WCC’s low tuition rates, our gift goes a long way and enables even more students to focus on their rigorous studies without having to worry about how they’re going to pay for school.”
