Fast company blazes out of Climax
CTS Telecom has come a long way from its beginnings as the Climax Farmers Telephone Co-op. Writer Jane Parikh finds out what has kept the company going since 1911 and where it's going next.
Entrepreneurship
Latest in Entrepreneurship
Shuttle service will connect neighborhoods and beach
A free shuttle service to link the neighborhoods of Benton Harbor and Jean Klock Park will be offered in partnership with Dial-A-Ride, making a trip to the beach a whole lot easier this summer.The Jean Klock Express will run in continuous loops of 16 stops across Benton Harbor from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. The route begins at Calvin Britain Elementary and some of the stops are Benton Harbor High School, McCord School, Morton Hill, The Boys & Girls Club, The Golf Club at Harbor Shores and Jean Klock Park. The full schedule is here. In accordance with normal Dial-A-Ride rules, all riders under the age of 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult.The service, which began May 18, will continue through Labor Day. The Consortium for Community Development, Cornerstone Alliance and the Whirlpool Foundation are working with Harbor Shores and the City of Benton Harbor to provide recreational and educational opportunities for the youth of the community. "For me, it's all about the kids. To make a difference in the lives of our young people is the foundation of re-building any community," says Marcus Robinson, President of the Consortium of Community Development and Harbor Shores Trustee. Harbor Shores is Lake Michigan's first beach and golf resort community, just 100 miles east of Chicago in Benton Harbor and St. Joseph. The community's central amenity is an 18-hole, public Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course that offers stunning views of Lake Michigan. Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Ron Eng, Harbor Shores
Growing jobs is economic development, too
It's time to pay as much attention to helping local businesses grow as is spent seeking out new businesses, business leaders told columnist Rick Hagland.Business experts say economic gardening could provide a richer, more stable source of jobs for the state.Excerpt: Michigan shouldn't abandon efforts to bring new companies to Michigan, said Rob Fowler, president of the Small Business Association of Michigan."We don't think it should be either/or," he said. "But 60 to 80 percent of the state's economic development efforts should be put into economic gardening."Figures compiled by the Cassopolis-based Edward Lowe Foundation, which develops educational programs for entrepreneurs, show that small, "second-stage" companies produced more jobs in the 15-year period between 1993 and 2007 than any other business segment in the state.Second-stage companies are those that employ between 10 and 100 workers, have annual sales of at least $1 million and want to grow, according to the Lowe Foundation's definition.These businesses created 137,249 jobs in Michigan between 1993 and 2007, while companies employing 500 or more workers shed 257,585 jobs in the same time period.For more on growing businesses, read the rest of the story.Source: Rick Haglund for Mlive
Kalamazoo Promise is more than a scholarship program
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
Disc golf guide flies true for local author
Disc golf lover Stephanai Myers wanted a guide to Michigan's courses, so she wrote one. Writer Rebecca Bakken talked to Myers about her love for the sport and the state.
Funerals on the digital edge are all about better goodbyes
Funerals have entered the digital age. Writer Kim North Shine talks to the innovators behind the growing network of Life Story Funeral Homes that have modernized the memorial.
Portage resident offers favorite dining picks at updated online site
Terry St. Louis of Portage sells insurance, and he spends a lot of time traveling Southwest Michigan, dining out at least five days a week. So many people asked St. Louis for advice on where to eat he decided to start Terry's Guide to Dining and Drinking to chronicle his picks for the best places to dine in Southwest Michigan. After a little over a year, the site has reviews and pictures of 350 places where St. Louis has found good food. Wineries, bakeries and breweries are all part of the mix. The site recently relaunched with a new look and features that are more friendly to mobile phone users and is constantly updated as St. Louis finds new places to eat. There are no negative reviews, only places where St. Louis can recommend good food. "When I go into a restaurant I ask what they are known for, what are their top sellers and build my review from that," St. Louis says.The restaurant guide covers all kind of eateries from dives to fine dining spots such Webster's in downtown Kalamazoo. The site also can be searched by city, cuisine and specialties. Hidden-away spots only the locals know about are also part of the package."One of my spots is two miles down a dirt road," St. Louis says. "I have reviews of places that are out in the middle of nowhere."The site recently has seen a lot more traffic -- 4,000 visitors last month -- and St. Louis attributes that to its redesign by Team Hypernet. He said the company not only provides attractive graphics but services to help drive traffic to the site.If the site continues to grow he hopes to eventually branch out and offer reviews from Grand Rapids, Muskegon and Grand Haven. Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Terry St. Louis, Terry's Guide to Dining and Drinking
A prosthetic limb that doesn’t look like a prosthetic
Paul Rothchild is changing the tradition that says prosthetics need only be functional. He's making them beautiful, too.The Battle Creek Enquirer reports Rothchild believes the future for prosthetics is wide open to innovations that will create affordable, durable and comfortable pieces that look real."What I'm trying to do is change that whole conversation in the industry," Rothchild said in the story. "This isn't just for looks."As he tries to market his work, however, the young entrepreneur is fighting other prosthetists who believe the types pf prosthetics he makes don't work and he's bucking the notion that creating them is too difficult.He's also up against insurance companies that do not pay for cosmetic upgrades, only functional prosthetics. Rothchild said his products offer both, but convincing insurance companies of that can be a battle.The 28-year-old medical artist's dream is to have a one-stop shop for patients in which they can learn all the options and make the best choice for them. Alex Karsten said she not only supports Rothchild's efforts, but is grateful that he chose to start his business in Southwest Michigan, where he fitted her with a lifelike foot in time for her wedding day.Excerpt:Karsten stepped into the foot, pulled on a pair of sandals and strode confidently across the room. Only a faint seam between the silicone rubber and her ankle bone betrayed that it was fake."I look at this and I think, 'What's going to happen in the next 20 years?'" she said.Source: Battle Creek Enquirer
Apartments spur redevelopment in Washington Square
Redevelopment has been slow in coming to the Washington Square district of Kalamazoo's Edison neighborhood. But now it's happening, thanks to Roger Schmidt and his partners at TCS Properties LLC. The group acquired the property at 1336-1348 Portage Street two years ago for about $240,000. After extensive renovations they are now offering apartments for lease there. Schmidt said five of the 16 apartments on the second and third floors of the property are leased.The tenants thus far are professional people who work downtown and want easy access to it.Excerpt:The renovation work has included modernizing the building with new plumbing and electrical work, opening up interior areas, reconfiguring spaces and ameliorating damage from a fire that ravaged part of the interior of the structure after the acquisition, about 18 months ago."Eight of the 16 apartments are done and we will be getting a certificate of occupancy in a week or two," Schmidt said.Apartments in the location range in size from 600 square feet to about 800 square feet and will lease for about $500 per month. TCS will look to renovate commercial space on the ground floor of the building, which already has two tenants.The city of Kalamazoo, business leaders, economic-development officials and neighborhood groups continue to look for resources and ways to revive the area, particularly the now-vacant, one-acre lot that used to be the site of Deja Vu. It is directly across Portage Street from Schmidt's property.To learn Schmidt's vision for the neighborhood, read the entire story.Source: Kalamazoo Gazette
Runway work begins at state’s third busiest airport
A new runway is under construction at W.K.Kellogg Airport in Battle Creek.The 4,100-foot-long, 75-foot-wide runway is intended to improve the safety and efficiency of the airport, says Airport Manager Larry Bowron.Bowron says the runway, being built southeast of the airports existing 10,000-foot runway, will separate high-speed jets and slower general aviation aircraft. The existing larger runway will be freed up primarily for the faster traveling jets, although the slower aircraft will have the option of using either runway as available.The runway is expected to cost $7.2 million primarily paid for through the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Improvement program. The city and state are picking up the outstanding 5 percent of the cost.The work is expected to be done by the end of the summer.The project allows the airport to accommodate the growth it has seen over the past six to eight years, primarily that of Western Michigan University's School of Aviation and Duncan Aviation, Bowron says.Other airport projects are wrapping up or are completed. A $5.1 million air traffic control tower paid for by the federal government has been constructed.A previously stalled corporate hangar for the Kellogg Co. is now being built for about $10 million. When the project is complete, Kellogg will lease the hangar for about $35,000 a month. The W.K. Kellogg Airport, owned by the City of Battle Creek, is the state's third busiest airport after Detroit Metropolitan Airport and the Oakland County International Airport. Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Larry Bowron, W.K. Kellogg Airport
Shuttle service will connect neighborhoods and beach
A free shuttle service to link the neighborhoods of Benton Harbor and Jean Klock Park will be offered in partnership with Dial-A-Ride, making a trip to the beach a whole lot easier this summer.The Jean Klock Express will run in continuous loops of 16 stops across Benton Harbor from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. The route begins at Calvin Britain Elementary and some of the stops are Benton Harbor High School, McCord School, Morton Hill, The Boys & Girls Club, The Golf Club at Harbor Shores and Jean Klock Park. The full schedule is here. In accordance with normal Dial-A-Ride rules, all riders under the age of 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult.The service, which began May 18, will continue through Labor Day. The Consortium for Community Development, Cornerstone Alliance and the Whirlpool Foundation are working with Harbor Shores and the City of Benton Harbor to provide recreational and educational opportunities for the youth of the community. "For me, it's all about the kids. To make a difference in the lives of our young people is the foundation of re-building any community," says Marcus Robinson, President of the Consortium of Community Development and Harbor Shores Trustee. Harbor Shores is Lake Michigan's first beach and golf resort community, just 100 miles east of Chicago in Benton Harbor and St. Joseph. The community's central amenity is an 18-hole, public Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course that offers stunning views of Lake Michigan. Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Ron Eng, Harbor Shores
Growing jobs is economic development, too
It's time to pay as much attention to helping local businesses grow as is spent seeking out new businesses, business leaders told columnist Rick Hagland.Business experts say economic gardening could provide a richer, more stable source of jobs for the state.Excerpt: Michigan shouldn't abandon efforts to bring new companies to Michigan, said Rob Fowler, president of the Small Business Association of Michigan."We don't think it should be either/or," he said. "But 60 to 80 percent of the state's economic development efforts should be put into economic gardening."Figures compiled by the Cassopolis-based Edward Lowe Foundation, which develops educational programs for entrepreneurs, show that small, "second-stage" companies produced more jobs in the 15-year period between 1993 and 2007 than any other business segment in the state.Second-stage companies are those that employ between 10 and 100 workers, have annual sales of at least $1 million and want to grow, according to the Lowe Foundation's definition.These businesses created 137,249 jobs in Michigan between 1993 and 2007, while companies employing 500 or more workers shed 257,585 jobs in the same time period.For more on growing businesses, read the rest of the story.Source: Rick Haglund for Mlive
Kalamazoo Promise is more than a scholarship program
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
Disc golf guide flies true for local author
Disc golf lover Stephanai Myers wanted a guide to Michigan's courses, so she wrote one. Writer Rebecca Bakken talked to Myers about her love for the sport and the state.
Funerals on the digital edge are all about better goodbyes
Funerals have entered the digital age. Writer Kim North Shine talks to the innovators behind the growing network of Life Story Funeral Homes that have modernized the memorial.
Portage resident offers favorite dining picks at updated online site
Terry St. Louis of Portage sells insurance, and he spends a lot of time traveling Southwest Michigan, dining out at least five days a week. So many people asked St. Louis for advice on where to eat he decided to start Terry's Guide to Dining and Drinking to chronicle his picks for the best places to dine in Southwest Michigan. After a little over a year, the site has reviews and pictures of 350 places where St. Louis has found good food. Wineries, bakeries and breweries are all part of the mix. The site recently relaunched with a new look and features that are more friendly to mobile phone users and is constantly updated as St. Louis finds new places to eat. There are no negative reviews, only places where St. Louis can recommend good food. "When I go into a restaurant I ask what they are known for, what are their top sellers and build my review from that," St. Louis says.The restaurant guide covers all kind of eateries from dives to fine dining spots such Webster's in downtown Kalamazoo. The site also can be searched by city, cuisine and specialties. Hidden-away spots only the locals know about are also part of the package."One of my spots is two miles down a dirt road," St. Louis says. "I have reviews of places that are out in the middle of nowhere."The site recently has seen a lot more traffic -- 4,000 visitors last month -- and St. Louis attributes that to its redesign by Team Hypernet. He said the company not only provides attractive graphics but services to help drive traffic to the site.If the site continues to grow he hopes to eventually branch out and offer reviews from Grand Rapids, Muskegon and Grand Haven. Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Terry St. Louis, Terry's Guide to Dining and Drinking
A prosthetic limb that doesn’t look like a prosthetic
Paul Rothchild is changing the tradition that says prosthetics need only be functional. He's making them beautiful, too.The Battle Creek Enquirer reports Rothchild believes the future for prosthetics is wide open to innovations that will create affordable, durable and comfortable pieces that look real."What I'm trying to do is change that whole conversation in the industry," Rothchild said in the story. "This isn't just for looks."As he tries to market his work, however, the young entrepreneur is fighting other prosthetists who believe the types pf prosthetics he makes don't work and he's bucking the notion that creating them is too difficult.He's also up against insurance companies that do not pay for cosmetic upgrades, only functional prosthetics. Rothchild said his products offer both, but convincing insurance companies of that can be a battle.The 28-year-old medical artist's dream is to have a one-stop shop for patients in which they can learn all the options and make the best choice for them. Alex Karsten said she not only supports Rothchild's efforts, but is grateful that he chose to start his business in Southwest Michigan, where he fitted her with a lifelike foot in time for her wedding day.Excerpt:Karsten stepped into the foot, pulled on a pair of sandals and strode confidently across the room. Only a faint seam between the silicone rubber and her ankle bone betrayed that it was fake."I look at this and I think, 'What's going to happen in the next 20 years?'" she said.Source: Battle Creek Enquirer
Apartments spur redevelopment in Washington Square
Redevelopment has been slow in coming to the Washington Square district of Kalamazoo's Edison neighborhood. But now it's happening, thanks to Roger Schmidt and his partners at TCS Properties LLC. The group acquired the property at 1336-1348 Portage Street two years ago for about $240,000. After extensive renovations they are now offering apartments for lease there. Schmidt said five of the 16 apartments on the second and third floors of the property are leased.The tenants thus far are professional people who work downtown and want easy access to it.Excerpt:The renovation work has included modernizing the building with new plumbing and electrical work, opening up interior areas, reconfiguring spaces and ameliorating damage from a fire that ravaged part of the interior of the structure after the acquisition, about 18 months ago."Eight of the 16 apartments are done and we will be getting a certificate of occupancy in a week or two," Schmidt said.Apartments in the location range in size from 600 square feet to about 800 square feet and will lease for about $500 per month. TCS will look to renovate commercial space on the ground floor of the building, which already has two tenants.The city of Kalamazoo, business leaders, economic-development officials and neighborhood groups continue to look for resources and ways to revive the area, particularly the now-vacant, one-acre lot that used to be the site of Deja Vu. It is directly across Portage Street from Schmidt's property.To learn Schmidt's vision for the neighborhood, read the entire story.Source: Kalamazoo Gazette
Runway work begins at state’s third busiest airport
A new runway is under construction at W.K.Kellogg Airport in Battle Creek.The 4,100-foot-long, 75-foot-wide runway is intended to improve the safety and efficiency of the airport, says Airport Manager Larry Bowron.Bowron says the runway, being built southeast of the airports existing 10,000-foot runway, will separate high-speed jets and slower general aviation aircraft. The existing larger runway will be freed up primarily for the faster traveling jets, although the slower aircraft will have the option of using either runway as available.The runway is expected to cost $7.2 million primarily paid for through the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Improvement program. The city and state are picking up the outstanding 5 percent of the cost.The work is expected to be done by the end of the summer.The project allows the airport to accommodate the growth it has seen over the past six to eight years, primarily that of Western Michigan University's School of Aviation and Duncan Aviation, Bowron says.Other airport projects are wrapping up or are completed. A $5.1 million air traffic control tower paid for by the federal government has been constructed.A previously stalled corporate hangar for the Kellogg Co. is now being built for about $10 million. When the project is complete, Kellogg will lease the hangar for about $35,000 a month. The W.K. Kellogg Airport, owned by the City of Battle Creek, is the state's third busiest airport after Detroit Metropolitan Airport and the Oakland County International Airport. Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Larry Bowron, W.K. Kellogg Airport
