Month: February 2017

We take a look at the ins-and-outs of Decatur-based Special-Lite, Inc. Company Special-Lite, Inc. Headquarters Decatur, Michigan Additional Locations Niles, Michigan; Marshall, Arkansas Year Founded 1969 Website special-lite.com Executive Henry L. Upjohn II, CEO Its “Why” To design, engineer, manufacture and sell high-performance products for selected segments of the commercial entrance market What it Makes […]

“Great job!” When it comes to motivating team members, the simple act of offering praise and recognition for a job well done goes a long way. Why? Positive feedback triggers the release of dopamine, which serves as a neurotransmitter in the brain. Chemicals released in the brain stimulate feelings of happiness, innovative thinking, and creative […]

We sat down with Stacey Hamlin, President and CEO of CTS Telecom, to hear her insights on leadership, growth, and more. Define leadership. Connecting people, and then being able to inspire them to make your vision come to life. Who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader? There isn’t one person to […]

A Conversation with Natalie DePerro, Interior Designer at MarxModa. What does an interior designer do? An interior designer takes a client’s request for spaces in buildings, and gives them a great solution for furniture for their interiors while keeping in mind the client’s vision and mission. What does your typical day look like? My typical […]

We sat down with Jeremiah Smith, CEO/Owner/Operator of Coin Express, to hear his thoughts on leadership, travel essentials, and more. Define leadership. Vulnerability, honesty, transparency, planning, strategy … with a bit of focus, and goals. If you merge all those things together, you can really do some great things, because you’ve got to get people […]

When it comes to a career, it’s never too early to start preparing. When he was named president of Humphrey Products in April 2016, Dave Maurer inherited the desk of his recently retired predecessor. Within its drawers, Maurer found a sheaf of papers from 1998 describing a group of industry partners trying to solve a […]

The most “powerful weapon” a person can wield is an education; when it comes to Southwest Michigan, this weapon could use sharpening. South African President Nelson Mandela might have expressed it best: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Exchange “the world” for “Southwest Michigan” in that sentence, […]