Economic Development

Coverage of projects, big and small, and the people who create them, which promote the economic health of a community, including manufacturing, retail, office, and hospitality developments.

Kalamazoo Promise is more than a scholarship program

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Economic Development
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June 10, 2010

Education and economic development go hand-in-hand. Kalamazoo-area economic development leader Ron Kitchens explained the concept to representatives from the national news corp, including NBC and FOX news, in town June 7 for President Barack Obama's address to the 2010 graduating class from Kalamazoo Central High School.He talked to reporters all day. His message: the area's focus on education as a sound growth strategy.Excerpt:Of The Kalamazoo Promise, the free college tuition program for Kalamazoo Public Schools graduates, he said, "'They asked, 'Isn't it just a scholarship program?''""People don't understand education as a strategy of economic development," said Kitchens, who is president and chief executive officer of Southwest Michigan First, the area's lead economic development organization. "It really is about putting our financial resources into our natural resources."For more on Kitchens' message read the entire story.Source: Kalamazoo Gazette

Latest in Economic Development
Inspectors learn how to recognize oil tainted seafood
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Economic Development
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June 10, 2010

Battle Creek's International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI) is working with two federal agencies to train food inspectors who soon will be seeing sea food tainted with oil from the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.Already 20 inspectors have gone through the training in Pascagoula, Miss., another 20 are being trained there this week, and additional classes are being organized to take place in Baton Rouge, La.The training in "sensory detection" teaches inspectors to identify through sight and smell sea food tainted by oil. Training covers identification of taint in shrimp, oysters and finned fish.Inspectors will need skills in seafood safety monitoring so that food protection officials can take proper regulatory response measures, including issuance of advisories on opening and closing of fisheries.Inspectors from five states -- Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas -- have been asked to take the course in anticipation of the need for a larger pool of people with such training.IFPTI is reimbursing  attendees' travel expenses to overcome the limited funding for training and tight travel budgets that would otherwise have prevented these food protection officials from getting the emergency training.IFPTI was asked by the University of Florida to develop the special training as a result of previous training the Institute had put together on recognizing decomposition in sea food. The institute coordinated and funded the training. The IFPTI is a leader in delivering food protection training to state and local food safety officials. Initial funding for IFPTI has been provided by a grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Joan Bowman, International Food Protection Training Institute

Kalamazoo revels in commencement visit from President Obama
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Economic Development
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June 10, 2010

Members of the Kalamazoo Central 2010 graduating class accepted their diplomas, marched across the stage and shook hands with the President of the United States. Every graduate got to shake his hand. Many shared a hug with him and in return heard a word of advice. President Barack Obama had just delivered the commencement address, a reward for the high school that bested 1,000 others to win the White House's Race to the Top Commencement Challenge. The president said the win showed the nation what has been accomplished at Kalamazoo Central. His address concluded a day that included a surprise visit with seniors before the ceremony and a visit with Democratic Party donors. Kalamazoo residents gathered in a number of locations across town to see the ceremony on the big screen. The day's events were heavily reported by the national press corp. Some of the coverage: Boston Herald, Detroit Free Press, Christian Science Monitor, CNN, FOX, New York Times, MTV,  MSNBC, USA Today, Time.com, MSNBC and Washington Post. The capacity crowd of more than 5,000 gathered in Read Fieldhouse on Western Mchigan University's Campus. The president offered advice, telling grads their success depends on "how hard you try; how far you push yourself; how high you're willing to reach. Because true excellence comes only through perseverance." And he suggested that the anonymous donors who created the Kalamazoo Promise -- a program that pays tuition for state college education for all graduates of Kalamazoo Public Schools  --  did it because they believed in the potential young people in the community. "And because of their faith that you would use this gift not just to enrich your own lives, but the lives of others -- and the life of our nation." Obama asked the 2010 class "to pay them back by seeking to have the same kind of impact with your own lives; by pursuing excellence in everything you do; and by serving this country that we all love. "I know you can do it. After all, you are the Giants -- and with the education you've gotten here, and the chance you have now to continue it, there is nothing that you can't accomplish."Writer: Kathy Jennings

Benton Harbor Safe Summer 2010 offers jobs and more for young people
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Economic Development
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June 10, 2010

Programs in Benton Harbor could provide as many as 5,000 summer opportunities for young people in the community.An initiative called Safe Summer 2010 is designed to improve economic and job development opportunities for youth and young adults throughout the summer.More than $250,000 in reallocated or new program funding has been identified for these programs. Funding is made possible through various state and federal programs in addition to local donors.Partners in the initiative are Harbor Shores Community Redevelopment Inc., Michigan Works!, the Consortium for Community Development, Whirlpool Foundation and Whirlpool Community Relations, the Boys and Girls Club of Benton Harbor, Cornerstone Alliance and many others. "As we are working our way through rough times," says Benton Harbor Mayor Wilce Cooke, "activities to engage young people in both recreational and job training will set the stage for future opportunities for them as individuals, as well as for the economic development efforts underway for the community as a whole."Safe Summer 2010 will include programming for recreational activities, such as summer youth sports and transportation to Jean Klock Park, job training and workplace experience.Michigan Works! will provide opportunities for local youth to gain summer work experience and prepare them for their future careers. "Today's employers are requesting skills and talents that come from specific experience, training and education. For six years, our Youthworks! Summer Jobs program has provided these opportunities. This year, despite funding challenges, we've enrolled nearly 200 Benton Harbor youth into the program." said Todd Gustafson, Executive Director of the Michigan Works of Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties.  The Benton Harbor Area Schools announced its summer lunch program and the locations and times for serving meals to area students. "This program helps to provide students a healthy diet, which is an essential part of their development and well being," said Dan McGinnis, President of the BHAS School Board. Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Jamie Balkin, Cornerstone Alliance

Stryker, Acuitec work together on operating room systems
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Economic Development
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June 3, 2010

Stryker's Communications business unit and Acuitec have signed an agreement that will integrate both companies' technologies within the operating room.The move will provide customers with a comprehensive offering that combines in-room integration with desirable workflow solutions.Stryker's Infinity Control System allows staff within the operating room to route video, control multiple devices and PCs, and teleconference. The Acuitec software platform can be integrated with the SwitchPoint Infinity System to work seamlessly with hospitals' postacute care and electronic medical record systems to provide a comprehensive before-, during-, and post-surgery solution featuring patient tracking, electronic charting, remote presence monitoring, video boards, case status, and dashboards.The intuitive Acuitec software can also be accessed, managed, and routed to any display within the operating room through the Stryker SwitchPoint Infinity touch panel interface."The agreement with Acuitec will allow us to offer our customers the most innovative information systems available for hospitals today, creating greater efficiencies and enhanced care within the operating room," says Spencer Stiles, Stryker Communications General Manager. Stryker, with corporate headquarters in Portage, Mich., is one of the world's leading medical technology companies and is dedicated to helping healthcare professionals perform their jobs more efficiently while enhancing patient care. The company provides innovative orthopedic implants as well as state-of-the-art medical and surgical equipment to help people lead more active and more satisfying lives.Acuitec offers the only fully integrated, comprehensive workflow solution designed by critical care clinicians that features remote presence monitoring and situational awareness. The Acuitec product line is designed to enhance clinical outcomes, patient care, and safety while improving caregiver efficiency, regulatory compliance adherence, reimbursement, and overall business value.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Spencer Stiles, Stryker Communications

The Golf Club at Harbor Shores to host Senior PGA Championship
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Economic Development
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June 3, 2010

Communities that host a Senior PGA tournament typically realize an average of at least $22 million economic benefit from the event. So there were a lot of happy people when Benton Harbor and St. Joseph heard they would host the event in 2012 and 2014.The prestigious event will take place at The Golf Club at Harbor Shores, an 18 hole public Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, located in the Benton Harbor-St. Joseph area. Whirlpool Corporation's KitchenAid brand will serve as presenting sponsor of the Senior PGA Championship from 2011 through 2014.The announcement, made as a part of the 2010 Senior PGA Championship, was shared locally via a live feed with local officials and the media. "We look forward to the chance to have the eyes of the world on our communities," says City of St. Joseph Mayor Bob Judd. "It provides us the opportunity to share the many amenities that make our community and the entire region Michigan's Great Southwest." Harbor Shores is a 530-acre mixed use real estate development with an estimated 20 year build out. Plans for Harbor Shores include  a variety of distinctive neighborhoods with varying residential product totaling nearly 720 residences. The plans also call for a wide array of recreational amenities, including a town center, deep water marinas, retail shops and restaurants and recreational trails.In addition to the projected economic impact, Cornerstone Alliance Chairman of the Board Ken Kozminski says hosting such a prestigious event creates endless opportunities for Cornerstone's ongoing economic development efforts.  "This gives our community and the entire state the opportunity to showcase the community to new investors and job providers as we work to grow jobs in the area. New companies locate in communities that have a vision for positive change, that is what we have here," Kozminsk says.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Jamie Nilson-Balkin, Cornerstone Alliance

Art therapy use expands to help with grief and loss
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Economic Development
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June 3, 2010

Sometimes when there are no words, art can help.This month, Borgess Hospice will hold Camp Hug, an Expressive Arts Bereavement Camp to help family members learn to cope with the death of a loved one through creative outlets.A registered art therapist, a music therapist and grief counselors, with support from Borgess Hospice RNs, other staff and volunteers will be camp facilitators."When a person is undergoing a traumatic event such as the loss of a loved one, she or he may have difficulty expressing the experience directly or effectively in words," says Kathleen Buday, a registered board-certified art therapist who serves as Expressive Arts Coordinator. "A creative process can be a non-threatening means to express oneself."Borgess VNA Home Health & Hospice has been expanding its grief support services for Kalamazoo and the surrounding communities by offering art therapy programs.Since 2009, Borgess Hospice has offered Creative Crossings: An Art Therapy Bereavement Group for Children and Teens. Through art and other artistic means, such as movement and music, youth creatively express the feelings that occur when dealing with grief and loss.Buday also provides art therapy to hospice patients and family members or both if they desire to use artistic media to explore feelings, reconcile emotional conflict and assist in communication.No special artistic ability or experience is required. Suitable techniques and art experiences can be designed for virtually every level of physical capability.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Kathleen Buday, Expressive Arts Coordinator for Borgess VNA Home Health & Hospice

WMU med school plans move forward with appointment of interim dean
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Economic Development
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June 3, 2010

Dr. Jack R. Luderer has been deeply involved in the development of Western Michigan University's medical school initiative. Now he's heading it up.Luderer became interim dean effective June 1. He has served the past five years as executive director of WMU's Biosciences Research and Commercialization Center, a life-sciences research center that assists startup companies.   A national search for a founding dean was launched in February. It will likely be several months before one will be in place to lead the school.Luderer, a board-certified medical specialist in internal medicine with sub-specialty certification in clinical pharmacology, has a background that includes positions as a clinical vice president for Pharmacia Inc. and Upjohn and vice president for research at WMU. In addition to serving in his BRCC role, he has spent the past two years working with WMU President John M. Dunn and the Kalamazoo medical community to develop a new school of medicine. The Kalamazoo initiative has filed a letter of intent and has been awarded applicant status with the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the group that accredits medical schools in the United States and Canada. A school of medicine in Kalamazoo has been under discussion and in the planning stage since late 2007. During a November 2009 meeting, Dunn announced a $1.8 million anonymous gift made to provide seed money for the next steps in the development process, including the search for a dean.Dunn says with this appointment Luderer's full attention will be on two goals: maintain existing momentum toward obtaining the money necessary to found the school and bringing the search for dean to a successful conclusion. The initiative is collaboration with Kalamazoo's two major hospitals -- Borgess Health and Bronson Healthcare -- as well as other interested medical organizations in West Michigan. Writer: Kathy Jennings Source: Cheryl Roland, WMU

Work begins on 38-unit, $3.4 million senior housing community in Kalamazoo
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Economic Development
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June 3, 2010

An estimated 120 new construction jobs are expected now that Presbyterian Villages of Michigan has broken ground on a $3.4 million senior housing community in Kalamazoo. Presbyterian Villages of Michigan (PVM) received a multi-million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to build the 38-unit senior apartment community at Sage Street south of Stone Brook Road. The funds are intended to help low-income seniors live safe, independent lives and promote construction jobs.The development will offer one-bedroom apartments of approximately 600 square feet as well as a community room, laundry facilities, lounge areas and library/internet cafe.Potential residents are 62 years of age and older and have a gross annual income of $22,000 or less for one person and $25,150 or less for a two-person household. Rent is based on 30 percent of residents' adjusted gross annual income and the remaining rent is covered by HUD. Roger Myers, president and CEO of Presbyterian Villages of Michigan, says he is pleased to offer this opportunity to the Kalamazoo community. "It reflects our mission to extend a hand to all seniors of all faiths throughout Michigan." The Village is PVM's 25th senior living community in the state. Results of a market study from Community Research Services LLC, show the development is needed because the primary market area for the project will experience a 17.9 percent increase in population of seniors age 62 and older by 2013 and a county-wide increase of 25.5 percent for the same demographic.PVM, headquartered in Southfield, is a faith-based, multi-site nonprofit that offers continuing care retirement communities, including apartments, assisted living, and skilled nursing, subsidized senior housing and market-rate senior housing.   Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Dawn Dyer Magretta, Presbyterian Villages of Michigan

The idea behind 4th of July barbecue is serious entertainment
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Economic Development
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June 3, 2010

The Boiling Pot Music Festival is about fun. It also has a mission.In its first year, Kalamazoo's newest outdoor celebration will bring together at least 40 musical acts, 30 artists and a full complement of forums designed to get people talking about areas of importance to the community -- agriculture and food security, energy, education, housing, human security, green space and transportation. Spiritual, mental and physical wellness also will be addressed. The July 3-4 festival is at the Arcadia Creek Festival Place in downtown Kalamazoo. Matthew Lechel, event coordinator for the I.D.E.A. Association, says the festival can capitalize on what's already happening in the local music and arts scene. "We want to harness the social capital that's already being created as the community comes together and then take it to the next level," Lechel says. Boiling Pot also is a play on words for organizers trying to stir the pot of ideas regarding where creative energy needs to be focused in Kalamazoo.On white boards displayed throughout the festival community members will have a chance to "map" organizations and projects already happening in the community within eight identified sectors. Natural partnerships will be identified and information on a long-term project involving the community is expected to emerge. Art projects from seven previous events sponsored by the I.D.E.A. Association will be on display at Boiling Pot and eight new pieces will be made in the pavilion by those attending the festival.And because sustainability is important to the organizers a greening team has been assembled to make sure no paper, plastic or food from the public or vendors at the event ends up in a landfill.The Boiling Pot Festival is presented by The Strutt and The I.D.E.A. Association. Ticket prices, a schedule of events and a list of artists are available here.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Matthew Lechel

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