Battle Creek

With an economic development organization that is the envy of many communities, Battle Creek is a city building on its food industry roots and the land that makes it the state’s third largest city. For fun, each year the Cereal City, world headquarters to the Kellogg Co., celebrates the significance of the most important meal of the day with the World’s Longest Breakfast table. Bikers, cyclers and joggers take in the parks, forests and streams linked by a 24-mile linear park. Campers and outdoor lovers visit Fort Custer Recreation area for fishing, hiking, cross country skiing and boating. For animal lovers, African creatures, like giraffes, and Asian animals, like snow leopards, make the Binder Park Zoo a must. The Battle Creek Art Center and Battle Creek Symphony stoke the city’s cultural offerings and the new Firekeepers Casino adds to the city’s fun side. B.C’s Math and Science Center is acclaimed and secondary education needs are accommodated by Kellogg Community College, Robert B. Miller College and a branch of Western Michigan University. And Sojourner Truth, who lived here, watches over downtown from the memorial in her honor.

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

The National Center for Food Protection receives $3.8 Million grant

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Development News

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May 6, 2010

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation awarded a $3.8 million, 3-year grant to the National Center for Food Protection this week.The grant supports the national center's work advancing food protection and its role facilitating the exchange of information, generating new ideas and accelerating processes that will enhance the safety of the global food supply."By connecting food safety professionals and scientists, our aim is to influence policies and practices that will advance food protection," says International Food Protection Training Institute President and COO Stephen Benoit. "We are extremely grateful for the support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation as its generosity will enable us to make great strides toward realizing our overarching goal of improving public health."The NCFP will use the grant funds on three intiatives:• training for state and local food protection officials throughout their careers through the International Food Protection Training Institute;• development of new food protection technologies at the Emerging Technology Accelerator; and• the exchange of knowledge and generation of new ideas at a Global Food Protection Symposia.An estimated 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths occur annually in the U.S. due to food pathogens; and about one of every four Americans will develop a food-borne illness each year, says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The NCFP, a catalyst for the advancement of food protection, also is a lynchpin in redevelopment efforts for downtown Battle Creek. Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Jennifer Dama, National Center for Food Protection

Battle Creek casino chips in for clinic to serve employees

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Development News

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May 6, 2010

FireKeepers Casino isn't gambling on the health of its employees. On May 1 the Battle Creek casino opened a 766-square-foot clinic for its 1,500 workers.The clinic is being offered in partnership with Borgess Health, which participated in a competitive bid process. The clinic will feature two exam rooms and a Borgess Health mid-level care provider, also known as a nurse practitioner, will be on staff 40 hours a week. A doctor will be available on an as-needed basis.FireKeepers Casino's team members can get regular check-ups, preventative care and treatment for minor work related injuries. Team members can also come to the clinic if they are not feeling well or have general health questions or concerns. They can come from home or drop in while they are at work. Team members can visit the clinic during regular hours with or without an appointment.Pre-screens for new team members also will be offered at the clinic.The health clinic was a concept jointly initiated by FireKeepers Casino's Director of Human Resources Peggy Houston, General Manager Bruce McKee and the Tribal owners of the casino, the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi. All see the clinic as an added benefit for team members that promotes healthy life styles."The new clinic is an example of our continuous commitment to our team members' well-being, while striving to be an employer of choice," Houston says.Borgess Corpfit Services Executive Director Vince Marcinek, says, "FireKeepers Casino is applauded for the extra steps they are taking to foster good employee health. Caring for employees is the right thing to do and it is also a win-win situation for both the employee and the employer."Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Michael Facenda, FireKeepers Casino

The proof the arts make a difference is in the data

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Development News

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May 6, 2010

Battle Creek will host an opportunity for arts organizations to get their act together.At the informational event, representatives of arts organizations will learn about the Michigan Cultural Data Project. It's an online management tool designed to build arts and cultural organizations by giving them the information they need to analyze financial and other related information. The information collected allows organizations to put together 70 different reports that can then be used to bolster the case made in grant applications. The information also can be used to seek out funding partners and to keep board members, potential donors, advocates and policy makers informed.After completing an online form each year, nonprofit groups can generate instant annual reports and trend analysis, benchmark performance against other organizations and use the data as part of applications to participating foundations. Michigan launched its Cultural Data Project May 3, the eighth state to do so nationally.Among those attending the Battle Creek informational session will include Jennifer Hill, Director of Special Projects, ArtServe Michigan; Linda Holderbaum, Executive Director, Art Center of Battle Creek; Katie Nelson, Collections Manager, Kingman Museum and Jennifer Sellers, Special Projects Manager, Kingman Museum. The event is 2 - 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 25, at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, One Michigan Avenue East, Battle Creek. It is one of 14 events ArtServe is sponsoring across Michigan through October.Sponsors of the program include: ArtServe Michigan, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, Battle Creek Community Foundation, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Council of Michigan Foundations, Frey Foundation, Irving S. Gilmore Foundation, MASCO Corporation Foundation, The Skillman Foundation, and Southfield Community Foundation.The Michigan Cultural Data Project is operated by the Pew Charitable Trusts.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Jennifer Hill, Director of Special Projects, ArtServe Michigan

Miller College graduates will go out wearing green

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Innovation News

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April 29, 2010

When the 2010 graduating class of Miller College marches across the stage at McCamly Plaza they'll be wearing the expected black cap and gowns. But these "black" gowns are really "green." The new gowns are biodegradable and will break down in a landfill within a year. The school is using the Sustainable Element gowns sold by the Minneapolis-based Jostens for the first time this year. The product contains acetate fabric fiber made from natural wood harvested exclusively from renewable managed forests. It even comes in environmentally friendly packaging, says Jenny Andrews, marketing and communications director for Miller College.Students can go a step further and return the gowns to Josten. The company promises to put them in a landfill and spend $1 on an environmental sustainability project.Although the zippers do not biodegrade with the rest of the gown, they are made of 100-percent recycled materials. The school also will be using invitations and diplomas made from recycled paper.The school is working to take small steps toward sustainability that make sense for the small, but growing student body in Battle Creek, Andrews says.In the fall of 2009 the school counted 100 new students -- a 56-percent increase over the previous year's numbers. The school draws students from Calhoun, Barry, Branch, Eaton and Kalamazoo counties.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Jenny Andrews, Miller College

Electric vehicle batteries power 50 jobs, $70 million investment in Battle Creek

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Development News

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April 22, 2010

Toda America, Inc. officially broke ground April 20 in Battle Creek for its first U.S. manufacturing facility to make lithium ion cathode materials used in battery cells for electric drive vehicles.The project is expected to add 50 to 60 direct new high-tech manufacturing jobs, and an estimated 91 indirect jobs, says the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.The new $70 million manufacturing plant, being built on an 18-acre brownfield redevelopment site, is going up in phases. The first phase is scheduled to be in operation by 2011. Phase two is expected to be completed in 2013. By then it will be manufacturing 4,000 tons of finished product per year, as the company works to meet the demand of its battery manufacturing customers located in Michigan and nearby states. The total sales volume, based on the full capacity operation at the facility, is expected to be around $130 million.This project is supported by a competitive grant awarded to Toda by the DOE under the Recovery Act – Electric Device Vehicle Battery and Component Manufacturing Initiative. The Toda America project also is supported by the State of Michigan and the City of Battle Creek with economic development incentives related to high-tech jobs creation and brownfield redevelopment. Toda America is now a joint venture between Toda Kogyo Corp. and ITOCHU Corporation through a transaction completed last month.Tadashi Kubota, managing director of Toda Kogyo Group, says: "This is an important manufacturing investment in our quest to maintain our global leadership as the premier supplier of battery materials around the world, and now as a key local supply chain partner to the rapidly growing U.S. battery industry."Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: David Han, Turtlerock Greentech LLC

Wind and solar energy training takes off at Kellogg Community College

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Development News

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April 8, 2010

Training and certification for working with wind and solar energy systems will be available as part of new program at Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek. The Renewable Energy Certificate Program will be offered at the school's Regional Manufacturing and Technology Center, 405 Hill Brady Road.The 16-credit hour course, which is currently being developed, is on track to begin enrolling students in July.The program has been in the works since July 2009 when KCC developed a Renewable Energy Advisory Committee. "We are building this program to help grow our local economy and aid local businesses in fulfilling their renewable energy training needs, so this committee is essential to make sure that the program meets the needs of the community," says Laura DePompolo, director of the RMTC at KCC. The focus will be training industrial electricians to install, monitor and maintain small-scale wind and solar energy systems in industrial facilities.The curriculum also will cover the history and theory of renewable energy systems, health and safety guidelines for working with renewable energy systems and energy assessment. Funding comes from the Michigan Community College Association as part of an effort to develop alternative energy training in community colleges. KCC received $132,300. Of that, $108,300 will go toward supplies and $24,000 to curriculum development. Costs to install two solar systems and a wind turbine are not included but will be partially covered by a donation of approximately $24,000 and labor from five local unions and five local contractors. Contractors Hunter-Prell, W. Soule, Hoffman Brothers, Laborers Local 355, Southwest Michigan Building Trades Council and Schweitzer Construction are contributors. So are UA Local 333, IBEW Local 445, IBEW 445 LMCC (Motor Shop, Current Electrical, Union Electric), Ironworkers Local 340. School officials say the project would not have been possible without the unions' money and labor.The Renewable Energy Advisory Committee is made up of the Lawton-based renewable energy consulting firm Four Elements Energy, Union Electric, IBEW, the IBEW Local 445 Joint Apprenticeship Training Program, Western Michigan University, the Branch Area Careers Center, the Calhoun Area Career Center, the Michigan Technical Education Center and Battle Creek Unlimited.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Laura DePompolo, KCC

How to get your geek on in Battle Creek

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Development News

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April 8, 2010

If it feels like your business is falling behind in the technology department a solution may be at hand.Battle Creek Unlimited and the Nonprofit Alliance have created a unique partnership to offer a program they call Totally Technology, training for both non-profit and for-profit businesses in the Battle Creek area.Courses include such topics as: "Tips for the Accidental Techie," "Is Your Website Working for You?" "Marketing Businesses through Facebook" and "Technology Essentials for Nonprofits.""Technology can help our businesses transform and create workplaces for knowledge workers in all industries," says Karl Dehn, chief executive officer, Battle Creek Unlimited. "This unique partnership allows us to streamline and augment existing programs to elevate technology skill and knowledge."The free and low-cost training courses are designed to help professionals and organizations grow by using high technology. The courses are co-sponsored by Battle Creek Unlimited, Nonprofit Alliance, Miller College and Kellogg Community College."We want to make sure our community can compete in a global marketplace, and these courses are a contribution to that goal," says Teresa Durham, executive director, Nonprofit Alliance, a community-based management support program dedicated to strengthening and supporting an effective nonprofit sector in Calhoun, Barry and Branch counties.The Nonprofit Alliance already has a robust training program designed specifically for non-profit groups. Building on that knowledge and training process, Battle Creek Unlimited teamed with the Nonprofit Alliance to cross-promote and offer similar courses for businesses.The first online webinar, "Technology Essentials for Nonprofits" takes place Tuesday, April 13, from 10 a.m. to noon and explores essential hardware, software and services to help non-profit maximize resources. Classes begin April 20. Registration information is available here.Battle Creek Unlimited is the economic development organization that works with the City of Battle Creek to transform and diversify the Battle Creek economy. Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Cheryl Beard, Battle Creek Unlimited

Edibles created by Battle Creek students get shot at blasting in to space

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In The News

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April 1, 2010

Students from the Battle Creek Area Math and Science Center are taking their own inventions -- pocket-sized, nutritional, high-calorie bars -- to a national competition next month in California, the Battle Creek Enquirer reports. There, it will be determined if their creations are worthy of making it on to a shuttle mission and into the mouths of astronauts. The 11 students are up against competitors from across the country who were asked by contest organizers to create the best astronaut food possible. Excerpt: After spending six months refining their recipes and polishing their marketing plans, they'll present their work at the Conrad Foundation's Spirit of Innovation Awards on April 10 at the NASA research center in Mountain View, Calif. Of the six teams in the final round, three are from Battle Creek. The pocket-sized meals must conform to NASA's requirements for calories, fat, carbohydrates and protein. The three Battle Creek teams received some help along the way from Kellogg Co. mentors, but the projects were all student-driven, Principal Chris Lapekas said. "The biggest challenge for the kids was decision-making without adult intervention," he said, "coupled with time constraints that a professional would feel when they take on any additional responsibility." For more about the competition, read the entire story. Source: Battle Creek Enquirer

Law firm buys into downtown Battle Creek

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Development News

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April 1, 2010

A commitment to the revitalization of downtown Battle Creek spurred a group of local attorneys to move from tenants to landlords. The firm of Kreis, Enderle, Hudgins & Borsos P.C. has bought 1 W. Michigan Ave. from Bank of America."The move was multi-faceted," says Mark Kreter, of Kreis, Enderle. "We have always felt it's better to own than to lease. The opportunity arose when Bank of Ameria wanted to sell."The law firm, which employs six attorneys in its Battle Creek office, had previously looked at properties south of town before deciding to buy the property and stay in the first floor office space it has occupied since 1998."When we looked at it we saw the opportunity downtown, that it will revitalize and flourish," Kreter says. The community's commitment to and significant effort that has gone into revitalization will bring that about, he adds.There are no plans to change the two-story, 11,000-square-foot building at this time. Kreter points out the building has long been an anchor in the downtown. "There has been a bank building or professional offices here since the early 1900s," Kreter says.Bank of America will continue to occupy the second floor on a long-term lease agreement with the law firm, the building's new owner. Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Mark Kreter, Kreis, Enderle, Hudgins & Borsos P.C.