Month: December 2020

Let’s Make a Toast to 2021 There’s no better way to start off the new year than by supporting local breweries, distilleries, and wineries, some of which may have gotten you through the old year (wink, wink). However you choose to celebrate, remember to support our local small businesses and drink local and responsibly to […]

A Collaborative Team That Spreads Hope in Our Community Lighthouse Group, a full-service insurance agency, is a 2020 Wonderful Workplaces winner. The company offers comprehensive solutions in personal protection, commercial insurance, and employee benefits. The Lighthouse Group team offers innovative, custom support based on strong client relationships and a deep understanding of their insurance product. […]

Where Work Is a Home Away From Home Companies that know how to make work both fulfilling and fun for employees deserve to be recognized, which is why FIRST & 42 has scouted around Southwest Michigan to find the top companies in the region that have Wonderful Workplaces. Today we’re celebrating Nulty Insurance, an independent […]

Today, Governor Whitmer, Robert Gordon, director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), and Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Chief Medical Executive and Chief Deputy Director for MDHHS provided an update on the COVID pandemic at a press conference. The governor also announced that MDHHS has updated its epidemic order today to allow indoor […]

KALAMAZOO, MI—Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services Department and healthcare partners Ascension Borgess, Bronson Healthcare, Family Health Center, and WMed Health are excited to announce the arrival of the Pfizer vaccine to Kalamazoo County and the first vaccines administered. The health department, Ascension Borgess, Bronson Health, and WMed Health received their first shipment and will […]

Crafting High Quality Products With Fun Along the Way FIRST & 42 has scouted around Southwest Michigan to find workplaces that know how to make work both fulfilling and fun for employees. We are letting out the cheers for our Wonderful Workplace winners with stories about their outstanding organizational cultures and human resources practices. Today […]

Seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates continued their downward fall in all 17 Michigan major labor market areas during October 2020, according to data released from the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget (DTMB). “Regional jobless rates continued to decrease in October with modest recalls of workers from pandemic-related layoffs,” said Wayne Rourke, acting director of […]

A Family of Uncompromising Leaders FIRST & 42 is featuring the winners of our 2020 Wonderful Workplaces competition with stories about amazing organizational cultures and human resources practices that truly stand out in our region. Today we are celebrating CSM Group, a specialty services provider within the architecture, engineering, and construction (A/E/C) industry. Its founder, […]

Whether you’re at home, in the workplace, or on the ground in the greater community, safety has remained the number one priority this year. While new updates continue to be made and more information becomes available, the Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services Department is updating guidelines and organizing best practices to keep our community safe. On […]

Empowering Others To Live Their Best Lives Driven by culture and talent, Workforce Strategies, Inc. (WSI) was founded in 2001 and has been giving the recruitment and staffing industry a good name ever since. Whether you’re a business researching new staffing partners, a job seeker looking for the best employment agency, or curious about what […]

Designers, creatives, and innovators throughout the world have been called to action this year to rethink every part of life. In our region alone, professionals and students alike have worked to develop products that will be essential not only now, but in the future. To celebrate our region’s creatives and check out what’s new on […]

People Helping People FIRST & 42 has scouted around Southwest Michigan to find workplaces that know how to make work both fulfilling and fun for employees. Honor Credit Union (HCU), a member-owned financial institution, received the distinction of being a Wonderful Workplace this year. The Honor team lives and works in the communities it serves […]