GRAND RAPIDS — Former Lakeshore Advantage CEO Randy Thelen is returning to West Michigan to lead regional economic development firm The Right Place Inc. Thelen will replace long-time President and CEO Birgit Klohs, who is planning to retire at the end of January after 33 years with the organization. Thelen starts March 1. The Right Place board
WASHINGTON DC - The coronavirus pandemic and its aftermath could transform the landscape for U.S. businesses. With a larger remote workforce, expanded delivery options and lingering health fears likely to last long after the pandemic is under control, business owners and entrepreneurs are asking tough questions and bracing for an uncertain future. Businesses that pay
JACKSON—Consumers Energy is helping Michigan’s local businesses this holiday season, providing $500,000 to support shopping in 55 local communities through a new gift card matching effort called “Our Town.” Consumers Energy is providing holiday shoppers with a dollar-for-dollar match for gift cards they buy through local Chambers of Commerce and downtown organizations, doubling the amount they can spend in downtowns across the
LANSING—The Michigan Strategic Fund board has approved a $10 million grant program to help meet the urgent needs of small businesses disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 virus. The Pure Michigan Small Business Relief Initiative will utilize federal CARES Act funding to award grants of up to $15,000 to more than 650 small businesses across Michigan.
ANN ARBOR - Former Free Press Auto Writer Rachel Konrad reflects on a 25-year communications career that has led her to run worldwide communications for Impossible Foods, the vegetable meat sustitute that Burger King sells as the Impossible Whopper nationwide. The Impossible Foods Mission Statement: We’ve been eating meat since we lived in caves. And
ANN ARBOR - Traverse Legal Principal Enrico Schaefer updates the latest news on the class action lawsuit he has filed against AirBnb on behalf of hosts who allege they have been cheated out of deposit refunds triggered largely by reservation cancellations from the COVID-19 pandemic. https://youtu.be/1eRrjVJeNTw The Players: Airbnb, Inc., Airbnb Payments, Inc, and Airbnb Payments
ANN ARBOR - Gary Erickson, managing director of Executive Search Partners, provides tips on how CIOs can land top jobs at major companies even during a pandemic. In fact, he said, demand for CIOs that know the business completely that can develop products that drive sales can write their own ticket. You're going to want
ANN ARBOR - Diva Tech Talks' Kathleen Norton-Schock, and Warner Norcross + Judd's Brian Wassom discuss focusing on Social Media Channels, the law and the First Amendment. Brian also delves into hot issues that could result in litigation around newer technologies in the future. https://youtu.be/gRW7z7DxOIo Diva Tech Talk is a specialized communication channel highlighting women
GRAND RAPIDS — The West Michigan industrial economy has flipped back to positive, but manufacturers are much more cautious,, local business leaders said in data collected during the last two weeks of February. The survey's index of business improvement (new orders) rebounded to +7 from -9. The production index edged up to +2 from -2. The
SOUTHFIELD - In its drive to make Michigan the No. 1 state for women in technology, the nonprofit Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation launched a multi-stakeholder research study to understand the state of girls and women in technology – what drives them, what challenges them and what makes them stay. The results provide
