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Whirlpool Building Blocks will help in company’s own backyard

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Economic Development

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May 13, 2010

This year, the fifth for the program, homes will go up in communities in which Whirlpool Corporation has manufacturing, customer service and administrative offices: Benton Harbor, Mich.; Cleveland, Tenn.; Findlay, Ohio; Williamsburg, Iowa; and Yakima, Wash. Homes also will be built on university campuses to involve college students in the program.Details regarding build dates, university campus build locations and volunteer opportunities will be posted to the Whirlpool brand Web site and the Whirlpool Building Blocks Facebook page when available.In total, 36 Habitat homes have been built with partner families in Nashville, Phoenix, Dallas and Atlanta as part of the Whirlpool Building Blocks program. The program, created in 2006, is an extension of Whirlpool Corporation's support of Habitat for Humanity. Whirlpool has donated more than 10,000 products to Habitat ReStores and has engaged more than 6,000 employee volunteers.The company's commitment to Habitat also includes sponsorship of and participation in Habitat's Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project and the donation of a range and refrigerator to every new Habitat home built in the United States, totaling more than 110,000 appliances to date. In 2011 Whirlpool Corporation also will support every Habitat home built globally, either through home sponsorship, product donation or volunteerism.Whirlpool's marketing partnership with Habitat for Humanity recently was named the No. 6 most influential cause marketing program of the past 30 years by Advertising Age.Jonathan Reckford, CEO, Habitat for Humanity International, says, "We are grateful for all the ways that Whirlpool Corporation -- and its employees -- help strengthen families, and we are excited about what the next phase of the partnership holds."Writer: Kathy JenningsSource:  Jeff Noel, Whirlpool Corporation

Kalamazoo company takes top award for its hugs and more

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Economic Development

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May 13, 2010

It was an award ceremony recognizing elite companies in West Michigan, the 101 Best and Brightest.As the awards were announced one-by-one, nerves mounted for the owners of Valley Oak Financial as they tried to imagine telling their employees the award for Elite Small Business had gone to another company. Matthew and Amber Rzepka didn't have to deliver that talk. Valley Oak Financial was named "Best of Best" among West Michigan's 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. Not best of just the small companies, best of all companies.All 101 companies were honored at the Pinnacle Center in Hudsonville, Mich., and 11 Elite winners were named. There were awards for: Communication, Community Initiatives, Compensation and Benefits, Diversity and Multiculturalism, Employee Education and Development, Employee Engagement and Commitment, Recognition and Retention, Recruitment and Selection, Work-Life Balance, Small Business and the "Best of the Best." The "Best of the Best" award from the Michigan Business and Professional Association goes to the company that excels in every category and hits a high score in all areas its human resource practices.Amber Rzepka can barely contain her excitement as she tells how the 10-person financial services company in Kalamazoo with 550 clients came to receive the coveted recognition. She attributes it to the company's dual ownership system that calls for one person to focus on serving the clients and another that places equal emphasis on Valley Oak Financial's employees."We believe that any environment goes toxic if left untended," she says. "We work to maintain an excellent culture for both our clients and our employees."From hiring to every-day operations, the company works to keep employees happy in the belief that engaged employees better serve its clients.In the interview process, prospective employees' families are invited to come in to find out about the company. Valley Oak Financial also uses reverse interviews for prospective employees. Once employees have joined the company and they are using their strengths every day, further programs offer frequent rewards and recognition. Through the company's HUG program any supervisor can award an employee $50 whenever they recognize a job well done. Employees are treated especially well on their birthdays when they get to go on a shopping trip. There is a more serious side of employee engagement, as well. Using the Harvard Business School case study model employees are brought in on business decisions to see how they are made. Reviewing the case studies also serves as training. "We want our employees to be not just good CPAs but good business people." For the Best and Brightest award, companies initially nominate themselves. Information they submit is corroborated and evaluated by a third party. Each company's entry is evaluated by an independent research firm. "It is with careful consideration that we have chosen our Elite winners this year. We are proud to provide a platform for West Michigan companies to demonstrate all they provide to their employees," says Jennifer Kluge, COO and executive vice president of the Michigan Business and Professional Association. "These select 101 companies recognize employees with competitive community initiatives, as well as other significant factors."Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Amber Rzepka, Valley Oak Financial, PLC

Young owners, hip businesses headed downtown

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Economic Development

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May 13, 2010

The year's not even half over and already downtown Kalamazoo has welcomed five new retailers, two new restaurants, one bank branch and one theater. Two more retailers are in the wings. That doesn't even count a retailer and restaurant that opened their doors downtown during December -- the scooter store, Ace's Cycle, and fine European dining spot, Rustica.Rob Peterson, of Downtown Kalamazoo Inc., says this business boom is really not surprising. The newcomers simply are meeting a demand that has been growing in Kalamazoo for shops and restaurants not like those found anywhere else. "People in Kalamazoo have been craving something a little unique. They don't want the same store you can find in every other town."The new shops also are opening because other local retailers are running their businesses well and it is attracting business downtown. "They're focusing on customer service and they are creating something wonderful for patrons -- something more than putting merchandise on a shelf." As more shops continue to stay open later in the evening and patrons find there is more to downtown than athletic shoes and attire at Gazelle Sports, Peterson expects the current momentum to continue to build.Another encouraging note -- the majority of the new businesses are being started by young owners, so the next generation of downtown businesses could be growing up. Here's the roll call:• Retro, 240 S. Kalamazoo Mall, sells vintage furniture and accessories, primarily from the 1950s through the 1970s. The store moved from its previous South Westnedge Avenue location where it has been for the past 10 years;• An eclectic new store, i heart ipanema, 115 W. Lovell St., got its start at the online retail site Etsy. It offers apparel for women and men. It also sells art and vinyl;  • Big Steps shoe store, 245 S. Kalamazoo Mall, sells sizes 13 to 22 for men and 10 to 17 for women. It fits into 850 square feet of the commercial space that formerly housed Terrapin. (Terrapin moved next door.); • Cakes Boutique, 245 S. Burdick, is a clothing retailer doing business in 1,000 square feet of the space, owned by Patti Reinholt. Its motto is bringing big city shopping for women's apparel and accessories to Kalamazoo at affordable prices. It shares space with Big Steps; • Isabel Soto Jewelry, 155 Farmers Alley, offers pieces designed by artisans from around the world. The new showroom is open only by appointment;• Consumers Credit Union, 125 S. Kalamazoo Mall. The downtown Kalamazoo branch, will be Consumers' 13th credit union branch in West Michigan. The 3,000-square-foot branch is expected to employ four people;• Studio 246, 246 N. Kalamazoo Mall, is the home to Crawlspace Evictions Productions, Fancy Pants Theater, and Kinetic Affect. The troupes appear in rotation at the theater; • Casa Bolero, fine Mexican restaurant with a full wet bar, now doing business at 116 Portage Road;• Studio Grill, 312 W. Michigan Ave., opened this winter as a bakery and coffee shop and now offers casual dining restaurant as well.Joining them soon will be Brewer's Garden, 248 N. Kalamazoo Mall. It will offer specialty ingredients that homebrewers otherwise might not find in the Kalamazoo area -- such as organic hops grown by Michigan farmers. The 800-square-foot space is in the 200 block of the North Mall across from the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. Confection, a specialty baker, 230 S. Kalamazoo Mall, will be a full-service bakery that will sell muffins, cones, cookies and donuts. When it opens the plans are for a full espresso bar, sandwiches, salads and some entrees for lunch. Peterson says downtown retailers and restaurateurs lobbied DKI two years ago to focus on recruiting and retaining businesses, duties that had been spread among several DKI employees. It became his job to pay attention to what could be done. "The first thing I ask myself each morning is what can I do to move the cause forward." And while he says he does not want to give himself too much credit, that attention has helped lead to success downtown.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Rob Peterson, DKI

Kalamazoo salon ships hair clippings to nonprofit to help environment

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Environment & Sustainability

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May 6, 2010

Hair clippings converted into mats and tubes to soak up oil spills? You heard that right. A Kalamazoo salon is sending more than a few hanks of hair to a group that helps turn the clippings into effective tools for relief efforts in disasters like the recent oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. Blue 302 Salon and Spa fills a 3-foot by 1-foot by 1-foot receptacle full of hair at the end of each week. Rather than toss it out, that hair now is shipped at Blue 302's expense to Matter of Trust, a 12-year-old San Francisco-based nonprofit organization that connects other nonprofits in need with in-kind donations. Victoria Elkins, a Blue 302 employee suggested the move after reading about the initiative.Excerpt:"We just think it's going to be great for the environment," Elkins said. "Everybody here, we're all animal lovers and some of us are a little bit more rabid about the environment than others."She was excited about the idea of helping with spills that result from such incidents as the early April Chinese boat crash at Australia's Great Barrier Reef and last week's oil rig explosion off the shores of New Orleans.For more on the Reuse Of Society's Abundance program, read the entire story.Source: Kalamazoo Gazette

President Obama coming to Kalamazoo Central commencement

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Education

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May 6, 2010

Talk about a "wow factor" that puts Kalamazoo front and center in the national spotlight. The White House announced this week that President Barack Obama will be the graduation speaker for Kalamazoo Central High School June 10.Central was declared the national winner of the Race To The Top High School Commencement Challenge. The competition included   applications from over 1,000 schools. The list of applicants was narrowed down by the White House Domestic Policy Council and Department of Education to six high school finalists. President Obama personally chose the winner among the final three schools. Read all about it on the White House site:Excerpt:Congratulations Kalamazoo Central High School in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the winner of the 2010 Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge! We received over 1,000 applications that were narrowed down by the White House Domestic Policy Council and Department of Education to six high school finalists. Between April 26th and April 29th, over 170,000 people weighed in on short videos and essay from the six finalists. President Obama selected the national winner from the three high schools with the highest average ratings.Source: thewhitehouse.gov

Green manufacturing is topic for two days of events at WMU

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Economic Development

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May 6, 2010

A broad-based group of Southwest Michigan companies came together May 5-6 on the campus of Western Michigan University to pursue green manufacturing projects and programs. Representatives from about 75 companies gathered May 5 at WMU for presentations from a number of Southwest Michigan firms using green practices.The gathering is part of a green manufacturing initiative funded last fall with a $1 million federal award to WMU.The meeting was called to help build a critical mass of West Michigan companies actively pursuing green manufacturing techniques. Executives from Herman Miller, Subaru, Cummins, Perrigo, Kellogg Co., Cascade Engineering and DENSO are expected to offer presentations.The next day a smaller group launched an industrial consortium to explore how to develop greener manufacturing and supply chain. The day of activities was intended to provide the companies attending with an opportunity to learn and network with university representatives as well as companies that represent a broad cross-section of the manufacturing sector and are committed to green manufacturing. The initiative will provide services to help companies become greener. Status reports and updates of some initial projects undertaken by a new university and industry consortium that focuses on green manufacturing were presented the morning of May 6.The reports reviewed work done by WMU researchers and their industry partners at Armstrong International, Burroughs Corp. and Ottawa Gage. Those attending heard presentations by Randal Hountz, associate director of Purdue University's Technical Assistance Program, and Dr. Michael Sharer, WMU's director of intellectual property management and commercialization.A smaller group of industry leaders in green manufacturing also gathered in the afternoon May 6 for the inaugural meeting of the new consortium.The Green Manufacturing Industrial Consortium is an industry and university cooperative research and development body modeled after the National Science Foundations successful Research Centers Program.The group's members are companies engaged with the university to collaborate on green manufacturing projects and programs. The consortium will identify and promote projects of mutual interest throughout the manufacturing enterprise. The efforts they undertake will range from focused projects such as material selection in product design and green manufacturing processes to general activities such as waste reduction or elimination in manufacturing (lean manufacturing), and energy conservation, says Dr. David Meade, associate director of the Green Manufacturing Industrial Consortium.The Consortium also is supported by the federal funding received by WMU last fall, but is primarily funded through the dues paid by member organizations. Thursday's afternoon meeting will be the Consortium's first official gathering. The afternoon is a closed business meeting for members only. Writer: Kathy JenningsContact: Cheryl Roland, Western Michigan University

Battle Creek Health Systems chief gets national recognition

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Health

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May 6, 2010

One of the top 25 minority executives in the United States as selected by Modern Healthcare magazine is Denise Brooks-Williams, president and CEO at Battle Creek Health System (BCHS).She is one of only two executives from the Trinity Health system to be chosen in 2010, and one of just two in Michigan, according to a story in the Coldwater Daily Reporter.Excerpt:The annual award recognizes leaders who show the ability to effectively change the health care industry, demonstrate a willingness to share expertise and mentor others, and assume a leadership position in the industry outside the candidates own organization. Brooks-Williams serves as president of the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE)."Denise is known and respected across Trinity Health for her ability to lead in times of change," says Nelson Karre, chair of the BCHS board of trustees. "She has demonstrated over the past year the ability to enhance the quality of patient care and to strengthen the bonds between a hospital and its community.""One of her many strengths is addressing business challenges through financial and strategic planning," adds Neil Nyberg, chair of the BCHS Community Partners board. "She has been actively engaged with not only local groups, but also with strengthening bonds with our medical staff. She is most deserving of this award."To find out more about Brooks-Williams' background read the entire story.Source: Coldwater Daily Reporter

Making money in an explosive way helps community

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Economic Development

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May 6, 2010

Churches commonly raise money through bake sales, bazaars and spaghetti suppers. Battle Creek's First Church of the Nazarene has found an uncommon fundraiser -- selling fireworks.The church partnered with TNT Fireworks as a way to help fund its food pantry last year, and it was so successful they're doing it again this year.In 2009, with an estimated $4,200 raised from the TNT Fireworks tent sale, the church purchased two modular buildings for its His Hand Compassionate Ministry Food Bank. The food pantry serves those in need from surrounding communities."We are making a difference in the lives of people who need encouragement, urgent assistance and life education," says Jim Spohn, pastor at First Church of the Nazarene. "Our partnership with TNT Fireworks greatly aided in our efforts to expand our food pantry last year, and we are again dreaming big as to how it may impact the lives of the more than 100 children we minister in this coming year. As a result, we feel these fireworks tents have a positive effect on our community." He said church members are praying for how the funds should best be used. One option is sending youngsters to camp.TNT works with more than 50 fundraisers in Michigan including church groups, marching band boosters to veterans groups. They raise money selling fireworks that are legal in Michigan.TNT advises the nonprofit organizations how best to conduct their fundraising campaigns. TNT conducts much of the preliminary work involved in setting up stands and tents at each location, lessening the labor-intensive burden on nonprofits. Part of this process is TNT University -- a required day of class -- to educate the group on what members need to know to run a successful fundraiser.The Alabama-based TNT has worked with nonprofit groups for more than 40 years. Groups use TNT stands and tents across the country to raise more than $20 million annually.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Jim Spohn, First Church of the Nazarene

Lawmakers ask Amtrak to add another train between Chicago, Kalamazoo

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Environment & Sustainability

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May 6, 2010

State legislators representing Southwest Michigan have asked the Michigan Department of Transportation to make a formal request to Amtrak for additional train service between Chicago and Kalamazoo, the Herald-Palladium reports.If approved, the train service would depart Kalamazoo earlier in the morning and depart later in the evening from Chicago than trains now in service. Lawmakers pointed out the train would allow southwestern Michigan residents the opportunity to spend a full day in Chicago -- conducting business, working, attending to medical needs -- and return home in one day on the train.Excerpt:The legislators last week sent a letter to MDOT asking for an additional train leaving Chicago Union Station every evening at 10 p.m., and a return trip leaving Kalamazoo at 6 a.m. each morning. The proposed train would make stops in Hammond, Ind., New Buffalo, Niles, Dowagiac and then Kalamazoo.Currently there are two trains between Chicago and Kalamazoo. Amtrak's Blue Water train leaves Chicago Union Station at 4:10 p.m., arriving in Niles at 6:51 p.m., and the Wolverine leaves Chicago at 6 p.m. and arrives in Niles at 8:43 p.m.Marc Magliari, an Amtrak spokesman based in Chicago, said Amtrak should be able to reach a decision on the request within a year, "perhaps even by this fall."For a list of the legislators who signed the letter to MDOT, read the entire story.Source: Herald-Palladium

Help on the way for area gardeners

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Economic Development

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May 6, 2010

Gardening is about to get easier. Fair Food Matters, a Kalamazoo-area nonprofit organization that supports and promotes local food, has launched a new program to help area gardeners. As interest in community gardens, school gardens and backyard gardens has picked up around Kalamazoo so has the demand for information. The Garden Network will offer gardening information, resources and networking opportunities to anybody who grows vegetables, fruits or herbs throughout the region.   Shelly Claflin has been hired to coordinate the program for 2010. As program coordinator, Claflin will also connect gardeners with one another through an online discussion group and Facebook page. She will offer advice on how to find plants, equipment and other garden necessities. Claflin will conduct educational workshops and help coordinate the 2010 Kalamazoo Community Garden Tour. She also will help make sure excess produce is delivered to regional food banks. Claflin is a seasoned gardener and community organizer, and has coordinated garden projects in the Vine and Oakwood neighborhoods of Kalamazoo. She also has experience in the hospitality industry, as well as in nonprofit program management, event creation and fund development. Claflin earned a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Cultural Anthropology from Western Michigan University. The Garden Network program is free of charge and available to all gardeners in Kalamazoo County. For more information, please contact the Garden Network. Writer: Kathy Jennings Scource: Paul A. Stermer, Executive Director, Fair Food Matters