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.
Travel Lemming Names Detroit a Top 10 Destination for 2023
Detroit has been named the 10th best place to travel in the world in 2023 by Travel Lemming, an online travel guide read by more than 6 million travelers.
The annual list of 50 best places to travel highlights emerging destinations and hidden gems around the world. Coming just a few months after TIME named Detroit in its list of World’s Greatest Places, there is a growing recognition that the city and southeast Michigan are must-visit destinations.
“Visitors come to Detroit to experience our world-changing music scene, the heartbeat of American innovation, and thriving art scene, but they fall in love with the people and the stories of our region,” says Claude Molinari, president and CEO of Visit Detroit. “Visit Detroit proudly embraces our role in attracting millions of visitors every year, and now that Travel Lemming has named Detroit one of the best places to travel in 2023, we look forward to welcoming even more.”
The article calls Detroit “one of the country’s best-kept secrets,” praising its “architectural history, Motown music, thriving sports scene, art culture, and excellent selection of restaurants, craft breweries, and cocktail bars.”
“It is an incredible honor for Detroit to be named as one of Travel Lemming’s Best Places to Visit in 2023,” says David Lorenz, vice president of Travel Michigan. “Detroit has been a destination for visitors and Michiganders alike to experience marquee national and international events, enjoy the city’s fabled history and culture and to witness the city’s remarkable renaissance. Thank you to the Travel Lemming team for recognizing Detroit as the truly amazing global destination it is.”
The annual list is a collaborative project of the publication’s team of more than 25 travel writers and editors. View the full list by visiting here.
Atwater Brewery Endows $50K MSU Scholarship to Advance Diversity in the Craft Beer Industry
Atwater Brewery in Detroit donated $50,000 to Michigan State University in East Lansing to create an endowed scholarship program known as the Atwater Brewery Student Scholarship.
The endowment is funded by Molson Coors’ Tenth & Blake Brewing Education Scholarship Fund, which supports students who identify as Latino, Black, American Indian, Asian, Pacific Islander, and LGBTQ+ seeking degrees in brewing or fermentation. Scholarship recipients will have an opportunity to work full-time, paid internships at Atwater Brewery.
“Diversifying the craft beer industry is an integral part of our mission and values,” says Katy McBrady, president of Atwater Brewery. “Providing financial support and career opportunities to the next generation of diverse craft brewers is an essential component to creating a more inclusive industry.”
Applicants must be an MSU undergraduate student enrolled in the beverage science and technology minor under the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Special consideration will be given to ensure the scholarship supports the university’s stated mission of building and supporting a culture of diversity and inclusion.
Comcast Business to Complete Michigan Fiber Network Expansions by Year End
Comcast Business, based in Plymouth Township, announced it is in the final stages of completing 78 projects in 2022 helping to reach 2,684 existing and future businesses. This investment includes the addition of nearly 200 miles of fiber and other advanced network infrastructure.
Cities included in the fiber network expansion are Ann Arbor, Birch Run, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Brownstown, Clarkston, Davison, Dearborn, Detroit, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Fenton, Flint, Grand Rapids, Grosse Pointe Farms, Holland, Hudsonville, Jonesville, Kalamazoo, Lapeer, Livonia, Muskegon, Northville, Novi, Pontiac, Portage, Rochester Hills, Rockford, Southfield, Southgate, Taylor, Troy, Van Buren, West Bloomfield, and Wixom.
These fiber builds to industrial parks, office buildings, and retail and other commercial centers enable Comcast Business to provide customers in these locations with access to fast, reliable Internet speeds of up to 100 gigabits per second (gbps), along with a wide range of advanced commercial telecommunications services, including ethernet, internet, advanced voice and cloud services. And with the network in place, Comcast Business says it can get new customers online quickly.
“Knowing commercial space is set for the most advanced technology helps our local communities continue to draw businesses,” says Maureen Donohue Krauss, president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Partnership. “Infrastructure investments, like the ones Comcast Business continues to make in Southeast Michigan and across the state, are instrumental to our economic vitality.”
KIRCO Announces Opening of its First Senior Living Community in Michigan
Troy-based real estate management company KIRCO has completed and opened its first csenior living community in Michigan, Monark Grove Clarkston.
The 189,000-square-foot community is located at 7373 Sashabaw Road in Clarkston.
“We are pleased to announce the completion, as well as opening, of our very first senior living community in our home state of Michigan on a beautiful 17-acre site in Clarkston,” says Dean Kiriluk, chief investment officer for KIRCO. “We are confident that residents of Monark Grove will enjoy our amenity-rich, resort-style approach to senior living coupled with best-in-class service, care and programming.”
The Monark Grove brand, KIRCO’s premier portfolio of Class-A senior housing solutions, was inspired by the metamorphosis of a butterfly — nature’s reminder that change can bring about something beautiful.
The 148-unit senior living community, operated by Beztak, offers three levels of care including: 77 independent living units; 49 assisted living units; and 22 memory care units. The community features a French-country inspired architectural style, an abundance of natural light, and high-end interior finishes in both the common areas and individual residences.
In addition to convenient access to downtown Clarkston, residents will enjoy on-site gourmet meals crafted by an executive chef for a tailored dining experience, a well-stocked library, live entertainment, as well as opportunities to attend classes and lectures. Other amenities include: a state-of-the-art fitness center; yoga studio; full-service salon and barbershop; art studio; bocce court; pickle ball court; pub and bistro; and a French inspired garden with reflective water feature and outdoor fireplace.
For more information, visit here.
‘Shark Tank’ to Feature Traverse City-based Lighting Company Action Glow
The founders of Action Glow, a Traverse City-based marketer and manufacturer of aftermarket, low profile, and lightweight lighting systems for the action sports enthusiast, will appear on ABC-TV’s reality show “Shark Tank” Friday at 8 p.m.
Brothers and business partners Dakota (27) and Garret Porter (24) were 16 and 13 and wondered what it would be like to shred through fresh powder with LED-illuminated snowboards. Two years of design and research later, the pair had a viable offering to take to a local business show. Two days later their entire inventory sold out. A few weeks after that “Shark Tank” emailed them – for the first time. The result: Action Glow didn’t make the cut.
Years and several attempts later, the pair made the “Shark Tank” cut.
“Out of 40,000 applicants this year, we made it down to the final 75,” says Dakota. “We didn’t pitch our story alone. We had the support of the entire community, including the MI-SBDC, behind us.”
Garret adds: “There’s no better place to start a business than Michigan, and we are so grateful for the support we received from everyone over the last 10 years.”
The MI-SBDC provides no-cost consulting, business education, market research and technology commercialization to new and existing businesses throughout Michigan’s 83 counties. Michiganders looking to start or grow a business can connect to free export services, market research, cybersecurity resources, and business education through the MI-SBDC.
Organizations Partner to Offer Training for Disabled Students Entering Workforce
Metroparks is continuing its partnership with Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS) and supporting partners to offer a skills training program for high school students with disabilities at various Metroparks interpretive centers throughout Macomb County as part of a greater mission to help overcome workforce barriers within the communities they serve.
The annual program, which takes place every summer, aims to bridge the gap between first jobs and learned working skills. Each student is paired with a Metroparks job coach, chosen by the MRS and the partner agency, for a six-to-eight-week on-the-job learning experience. In 2022, Metroparks worked with New Horizons Rehabilitation Services.
“One of the most important commitments we’ve made is ensuring the parks serve all community members, all their lives,” says Amy McMillan, director of Metroparks. “And partnering with community organizations who share inclusive missions helps us live that promise.”
Each year, the program enrolls several high school students from Macomb County, ages 18-24, paid for by MRS and New Horizons, who attend classes five days a week for six hours a day to mimic a real-life job schedule.
This year, students worked at Lake St. Clair Metropark on a variety of tasks such as daily cleaning, tidying, and simple maintenance of the Nature Center including supporting animal care.
Parents and educators interested in more information can visit here and here.
Corewell Health Supply Chain Recognized for Excellence
The supply chain operation at Corewell Health, formerly Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health, has been recognized among the Gartner Healthcare Supply Chain Top 25 for 2022. Corewell Health earned the No. 3 spot.
Now in its 14th year, the Gartner Healthcare Supply Chain Top 25 rankings program identifies, celebrates, and profiles examples of supply chain excellence with the goal of helping health systems build stronger supply chains for improving patient outcomes and controlling costs.
“Supply chain plays an increasingly important role in improving patient outcomes and reducing costs across the health system,” says Bill Selles, senior vice president of supply chain at Corewell Health. “I’m proud of the way our work impacts patient care, and so pleased that the team received this recognition.”
Spectrum Health ranked 6th last year and has been on the Top 25 list since 2018.
State Treasury’s Unclaimed Property Auction Set for Nov. 19
Michigan Unclaimed Property will conduct a public auction at 9 a.m. Nov. 19, at the Quality Suites of Lansing in Delta Township. The auction will feature a wide variety of items, including coins, currency, jewelry, and many collectibles.
Payment terms are cash, check, Visa, MasterCard and Discover. To preview auction items or download a catalog of auction items, visit crydermanauctions.com.
Under Michigan’s Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, the Michigan Department of Treasury receives abandoned safe deposit box contents and works to return items to their rightful owners or heirs. Items that are not reunited with their owners can be sold at auction.
Proceeds from this auction and other unclaimed funds can be claimed by rightful owners or heirs by submitting an electronic claim form or by calling Michigan Unclaimed Property at 517-636-5320. To learn more, visit here.
Goldman Sachs Launches New Small Business Administration Reauthorization Campaign
As Congress returns to session this week for the first time since the midterm elections and newly elected members participate in orientation, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices is announcing a new grassroots advocacy campaign to encourage lawmakers to reauthorize the Small Business Administration (SBA) in 2023 for the first time in more than two decades — a move that would modernize the agency and ensure it is best-equipped to meet the needs of today’s small business owners.
The new effort formally kicked off with the delivery of a letter signed by more than 3,000 small business owners from all 50 states calling on members of Congress to work together on legislation reauthorizing the SBA. The program launched a bipartisan connected television (CTV) ad which includes both Republican and Democratic Senators calling for a modernized SBA. In the coming months, the new campaign will utilize public events, paid advertisements, and other measures to ensure the voices of small business owners are heard in the halls of Congress.
“Congress helped small businesses get through the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Jill Bommarito, founder and CEO of Ethel’s Baking Co. in Shelby Township. “Now, with a possible recession looming, it’s more important than ever that policymakers ensure the Small Business Administration is best equipped to meet the needs of today’s small business owners.
“This is an issue that touches every community in every state across our country. It’s critical that we get the job done.”
The last time Congress reauthorized the SBA, in December 2000.
“Few things are as important as ensuring that small business owners have the tools and resources they need to get ahead,” says Joe Wall, national director of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices. “That’s why we are fully committed to ensuring that Congress reauthorizes the SBA next year for the first time in 22 years so that federal government programs and services are tailored to better meet the needs of small business owners today.”
The full text of the letter delivered to Capitol Hill is available here.
Kroger Launches Holiday Hunger Campaign
Kroger has launched a new Holiday Hunger Campaign that allows customers to help combat hunger.
With an overall purpose to Feed the Human Spirit, this campaign is a way to show local communities that they do not have to face hunger alone. Starting now through Dec. 25, customers can purchase a donation slip in the form of paper pin-ups for $1, $5 or $10 at checkout and self-checkout and sign their name to show their support that will be displayed in store. Additionally, customers also will have the option to round up any purchase to the nearest dollar or donate change at their store’s coin donation box to make any donation that is meaningful to them.
The donations at each Kroger in the state of Michigan will stay local, helping to support families, neighbors, and food banks throughout the entire Michigan Division. Participating food banks in the Holiday Hunger Campaign who would see these donations include Gleaners, Forgotten Harvest, Food Gatherers, Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, Great Lansing Foodbank, South Michigan Food Bank, and the Food Bank Council of Michigan.
For more information or to donate online, visit here.
Goodman Acker Serves Up 500 Thanksgiving Meals to Detroiters in Need
Detroit law firm Goodman Acker, in partnership with Fellowship Chapel, will pack 500 Thanksgiving meal kits on Nov. 21 and hand them out to community members on a first-come, first-served basis from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 22 at the Fellowship Chapel (7707 W Outer Drive) in Detroit.
Each package will include ingredients for a complete Thanksgiving meal, including: a turkey, cranberries, corn, and fixings for both macaroni and cheese and pumpkin pie. Individuals can visit www.jewjcc.org to pre-reserve a Thanksgiving meal.
Gilda’s Club Receives $50K from Donald R and Esther Simon Foundation
Gilda’s Club Metro Detroit has received a $50,000 grant from the Donald R. and Esther Simon Foundation to further its mission to support those impacted by a cancer diagnosis.
“Gilda’s Club Metro Detroit has the largest geographic reach we have ever had, the largest staff, and we are committed to serving the cancer community purposely and creatively,” says Laura Wakefield, development manager at Gilda’s Club Metro Detroit. “These funds will help us continue to establish our footing and expand our footprint. Four locations – One mission,
As a member of the largest professionally led nonprofit network of free cancer support worldwide, Gilda’s Club Metro Detroit is dedicated to its mission. It offers support services that include support groups, bereavement services, educational tools and presentations, wellness workshops, social programming, and events, all to ensure Community Is Stronger Than Cancer.
Northville’s Tipping Point Theatre Opens Season with Holiday Classic
Tipping Point Theatre (TPT)in Northville is launching its 15th theatrical season at 8 p.m. tonight with a preview of Joe Landry’s adaptation of “It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.”
“We begin our 15th season with a classic,” says Julia Glander, co-producing artistic director. “This story within a story within a story about love and redemption holds up remarkably well in our present, pandemic world.
“How do we find joy in these unsettled times? We look to the people around us. Our family, friends, colleagues, neighbors and even the strangers we meet. This story reminds us to take care of each other. Let’s celebrate and cherish our people this holiday season, the true angels on earth.”
Considered by many a hallmark of the holiday season, “It’s A Wonderful Life” tells the tale of idealistic George Bailey, who is played by radio actor Jake Laurents (who is played by Detroit actor Kevin O’Callaghan), in this American holiday classic set over the WXYZ Radio airwaves in 1946 Detroit.
TPT will host a very special opening night pre-glow reception sponsored by local Northville restaurant Mithai & Chai on Nov. 19 beginning at 5 p.m. in the lobby preceding the 6 p.m. performance. Hors d’oeuvres, chai tea, and wine will be provided free of charge to all patrons with tickets to the Nov. 19 performance.
For more information and tickets, visit here.
