Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo’s name is so distinctive strangers around the world have been known to break into song at hearing the name. With such a recognizable moniker you’d think Kalamazoo wouldn’t need nicknames, but through the years changing names have reflected the city’s refusal to stand still. The Zoo, Celery City and the Mall City are a few. The innovative thinking that brought downtown K’zoo the nation’s first pedestrian mall in 1959 continues to work today. Innovators have developed thriving life sciences, biotechnology and pharmaceutical firms. They build on the expertise of Kalamazoo’s universities. Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Davenport College all are centers of research, development and technology. They surround a downtown vibrating with condos, apartments and homegrown, top-notch restaurants. The universities are woven into the city’s social fabric and contribute to a cultural scene that Kalamazooans love to boast about. The Kalamazoo Symphony, Kalamazoo Institute of Art and a vibrant local theater community are a few of the offerings. Locals also love their festivals that fill the air with music and the scents of ethnic foods wafting over the Arcadia Festival grounds and the Kalamazoo River. Outdoor activities from biking on the Kal-Haven trail to disc golf and standard golf on a nationally-acclaimed course in Milham Park are the start of the city’s leisure side. Sports fans have competitive college teams, minor league baseball and hockey to follow. And it all comes with a Promise. All high school graduates who live in Kalamazoo qualify for a scholarship that pays 100 percent of their tuition at any public university or community college.

Conference offers opportunities for small businesses

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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May 6, 2010

Tony Rubleski wants entrepreneurs to be better marketers. He says businesses can grow, stand out and ultimately dominate their market if their marketing plan and strategy are good ones.He's written a book that breaks down the process into simple steps that real world businesses people can tackle. "Mind Capture - How You Can Stand Out in the Age of Advertising Deficit Disorder" is his guide to generating new leads, creating return customers and winning market share in an era when people are bombarded with advertising images.Rubleski will offer his proven, practical advice as the keynote speaker at the business leader conference "Celebrate Business - 2010: The Year of Growth," organized by the Strategic Small Business Initiative. Rubleski keynotes the event that features seven other speakers and their topics:• Sales by Mary Jane Mapes, a certified speaking professional;• Entrepreneurship by David Kersjes, a principal at Breakaway in the field of Management Consulting and a coach at Resource Associates Corporation;• Small business' role in turning the Michigan economy around by John Schmitt, business consultant at the Small Business & Technology Development Center at Western Michigan University;• Branding by Kelly Duggan, owner and president of Kelly Duggan Image Consulting;• Social media by Terry Bean, founder of Networked Inc. and Motor City Connect;• Goal setting by Karen Vogelmann, a certified coach who developed her own intuitive coaching process;• Networking by Sandy K. Derby, president of Derby Financial & Associates, LLC. The daylong conference takes place from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 19, at the Greater Kalamazoo Association of Realtors, 5830 Venture Park Drive, Kalamazoo.Seats are $75. Online registration is open.The Strategic Small Business Initiative provides effective growth strategies to small- and medium-sized businesses nationwide through networking, educational forums and peer support.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Gail M. Turluck, SSBI

President Obama coming to Kalamazoo Central commencement

By Newsroom

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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

Former Upjohn Jet taxis back into Kalamazoo

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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May 6, 2010

A new airplane for RAI Jets / Air Ambulance Provider and Mott Enterprises is one that's flown local skies before.Phil and Mardee Mott of Mott Enterprises announced that N2UP once owned by the Upjohn Company has returned to Kalamazoo.RAI Jets pilot Doug Swartz welcomes back the stand-up cabin Citation jet and remembers it well. "As the director of aviation for Upjohn, I picked this plane out brand new from Cessna," Swartz says. "Now I get to fly it again! It was a great plane for Upjohn and will be a great addition to the other executive aircraft RAI Jets operates."Many local Upjohn employees used this plane extensively. When Pfizer bought out Pharmacia / Upjohn, they sold the plane and it went to the other side of the country. Many of pilots and passengers that flew in this plane are excited to have it back for their use.Mardee Mott says the plane was purchased to offer the community quality medical assisted transportation. "The plane will be equipped with special medical equipment to allow non-emergency medical transports as well as executive charter," she says.Air Ambulance Provider LLC, a company that has been in business less than a year, will provide the medical team and equipment for all medical transports.For charter clients, the Citation VIs streamline offers seating for up to nine passengers. Its airframe and quiet, efficient engines allow it to fly non-stop from Kalamazoo to Los Angeles."Combining the resources of Mott Enterprises, RAI Jets and Air Ambulance Provider will give us the ability to offer an amazing service to the local community," says Becky Bakeman, president of both Air Ambulance Provider and RAI Jets.Bakeman adds: "The Mott family owns the plane. RAI Jets is the Air Carrier that will operate the aircraft. Air Ambulance Provider will supply the medical personnel and medical equipment when a medical flight is necessary. All three companies work together to accomplish the mission as necessary."RAI Jets LLC has been in business for a little more than one year, though Bateman says its personnel has been providing this type of service for many years. The company provides charter air service, aircraft management and maintenance throughout North and Central America. RAI Jets' flights cover destinations throughout the continental U.S., Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean. Air Ambulance Provider transports medical patients with varying need levels, for both domestic and international flights. Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Becky Bakeman, President, RAI Jets / Air Ambulance Provider

Green manufacturing is topic for two days of events at WMU

By Newsroom

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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

Three Kalamazoo-area companies team up to compost cups

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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April 29, 2010

Three Kalamazoo-area companies have cups in common.Kalamazoo-based Fabri-Kal makes the cups, Bell's Eccentric Cafe serves up its brew in them, and Mulder's Landscape Supplies, Inc., mulches them after they have been used.Greenware, made by Fabri-Kal, are the cups. The cold drink cups and lids are made entirely from plants -- not petroleum. The resources used in the polymer that goes into the cups can be replenished naturally within one year. Made from a biopolymer, the Greenware product line is 100 percent compostable in municipal or industrial facilities.Greenware products require a specific temperature and level of humidity to compost correctly, which is why they are certified by the Biodegradable Plastics Institute, and meet international standards for composting.Since Southwest Michigan does not have a composting facility operated by a municipality the three companies teamed up to make sure the cups would be properly returned to the earth. Fabri-Kal's Vice President of Marketing John Kittredge calls this the cradle-to-cradle approach and says such local efforts are "smart, simple and truly beneficial economically, socially and environmentally." Mulder's handles the composting of leaves and yard waste for the city of Kalamazoo and has the capability to compost the Greenware cups alongside other natural waste."The Greenware cups are amazing to work with because they are 100 percent compostable," says Art Mulder, president and owner of the landscape supplies company. "We mix them in our leaf compost, and the compost in turn is sold and used in gardens throughout the Kalamazoo area."Bell's Eccentric Cafe has reduced its trash output 80 percent by volume, just by diverting their Greenware cups from landfill, says Evan Meffert, Sustainability Coordinator at Bell's Brewery.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Kate Kirkpatrick, Fabri-Kal

A harvest of sunshine

By Stacie Carlson

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Environment & Sustainability

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April 29, 2010

A solar array surrounded by corn and soy bean fields is an experiment on a grand scale for Connor Field and his father, Sam. Writer Stacie Carlson talks to them about what their learning about creating solar power from their massive do-it-yourself project.

Federal funds will pay for Kal-Haven Trail $1.2 million face-lift

By Newsroom

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Environment & Sustainability

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April 29, 2010

The resurfacing of the eastern half of the Kal-Haven Trail will begin this month, the Kalamazoo Gazette reports.The portion to be resurfaced reaches from the 10th Street trailhead in Kalamazoo County to the west village limits of Bloomingdale in Van Buren County. Excerpt:Most of the funds for the $1.2 million project were obtained by the road commission through the federal stimulus package.Battle Creek-based contractor Hoffman Brothers will resurface the limestone and asphalt as well as mark the pavement.The work is scheduled to be completed by Aug. 31.The surface of the 34-mile-long trail is about 20 years old.Hoffman plans to resurface the trail in one-mile sections and will set up detours to keep the trail open during the construction project. Riders are encouraged to check in with trail staff at the various trail heads for up-to-date project information.For information on the number of riders who use the trail, read the entire story.Source: Kalamazoo Gazette

Data mining company brings 10 to 20 jobs to WMU business and research park

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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April 29, 2010

A Houston-based analytic software company that counts among its clients some of the nation's leading firms will open a new office May 1 at Western Michigan University's Business Technology and Research Park.In PolyVista's first major expansion in a decade, the company will open a business development office in Kalamazoo and immediately hire and train 10 to 20 young recruits to become part of a team that works with customers."Our top priority is finding talent," says PolyVista's Jim Willard, who will lead the Kalamazoo office. "I'll be building a team that can focus on finding new homes for our technology."PolyVista provides businesses with access to a search engine that can analyze data and discern patterns and issues. The searches are capable of the same kind of data analysis and text mining used for national security reasons, but are done within the budget constraints most companies can afford, Willard says.Southwest Airlines, for instance, uses PolyVista's text and data-mining analysis tools to enhance the analysis of data in its pilot reporting program. The air conditioning systems and services business Trane uses PolyVista tools for early detection of warranty-related issues. The company can then correct them and pass the information on to its engineering and design teams to avoid problems in future products.PolyVista has a close relationship with Microsoft. The company launched in 1995 with technology developed by scientists from the former Soviet Union. PolyVista's patented search engine also analyzes data in such areas as trade compliance, reliability, marketing and operations; and in finance, energy, transportation, manufacturing and insurance industries.The move to Kalamazoo is a strategic effort to expand PolyVista's base, says Willard, a Michigan native. Although the company was originally focused on expansion in northern Virginia, Michigan proved to be an attractive alternative because of the relatively low cost of doing business in the state and the focus on growth and business outreach.The opportunity to locate in a university community like Kalamazoo also was high on the company's wish list for expansion."Five years ago, this wouldn't have worked for us," Willard says, "but there's been a major culture shift in Michigan and a move away from the legacy thinking that was once dominant. We really like the environment and the entrepreneurial spirit we find here now."PolyVista's Kalamazoo office will be located in the Granite Park I Building, 4664 Campus Drive. Get information about available jobs by sending an email inquiry or resume here. Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Jim Willard, PolyVista

Graduates volunteer to show gratitude for the Promise

By Newsroom

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Education

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April 29, 2010

The first group of students to graduate from college with the benefits of the Kalamazoo Promise are grateful for the opportunity and are repaying the gift by volunteering in the community, the Detroit Free Press reports. The story goes on to say more than 1,500 graduates of Kalamazoo Public Schools have shared in $17 million given out by the Promise, which covers all tuition for students who have been in the district since at least ninth grade. Excerpt: The recipients are full of gratitude toward the anonymous donors who gave them a shot at a college education. "I don't even know if I could find the words if they were to stand in front of me," said Torian Johnson, a music major at WMU. "To me, it still feels kind of unreal that I go to school for free." To find out more about what students are planning to do after graduation, read the entire story. Source: Detroit Free Press

Hydroponics retailer invites community to grand opening

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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April 29, 2010

Music, food and a host of opportunities to learn about green businesses will be part of the May 1 grand opening of Horizen Hydroponics. The Kalamazoo store is at 4646 W. Main St., on the northeast corner of West Main and Drake in the Westwood Plaza. The store opened in February and now plans to celebrate it. "We've received a warm welcome from Kalamazoo," says Bridgette Ujlaky, co-owner with her husband John, of Horizen Hydroponics. "We've found it to be a very good fit. The community is very forward thinking and people are very interested in gardening." The decision to open a store in the Kalamazoo market came as the couple, which has an established store in Grand Rapids, realized an increasing number of their customers were coming north to check out their business. The Ujlakys specialize in hydroponic, organic, indoor and year-round gardening supplies. Hydroponics, which means "water works," is the process of growing plants in water, gravel or sand, but without soil. Their stores carry lighting, nutrients and other items to help gardeners succeed. Horizen Hydroponics has been in business for eight years in Grand Rapids and online. Bridget Ujlaky estimates that about 70 percent of its business comes from the brick-and-mortar stores, while 30 percent is done online. The company employs eight, including two at the Kalamazoo store. And the zen in the name Horizen Hydroponics is fully intentional. The company's motto is "tranquility through gardening." The grand opening ceremony will feature live music by local bands, local food, and eco-friendly vendors such as Flowerfield Enterprises, Natural Health Center, Emerald Car Cleaners and others. The May 1 event starts at noon and goes until 5 p.m. Ujlaky says the business will donate proceeds from organic vegetable and herb seedlings sold that day to Fair Food Matters, advocates for local food production and consumption. Store hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday. More information is available at Horizen Hydroponics' website or by calling 269-567-3333. Writer: Kathy Jennings Source: Bridgette Ujlaky