Month: December 2020

Celebrating Curiosity through Culture and Design TowerPinkster, a firm of architects and engineers committed to design integrity, quality, and environmental responsibility, is a FIRST & 42 2020 Wonderful Workplaces winner. Its doors opened in 1953 with just six people, and now has over 140 in Michigan serving the industrial, commercial, health care, K-12 education, higher […]

Do you have an idea or a problem that needs to be solved? A product that needs to be created? Have you had an idea for a business that you’ve been itching to make a reality? Do you feel that with a little guidance, you’d be able to finally launch your concept? If this sounds […]

Whether you took one from your grandmother, dug it out from a thrift store bin, or purchased one from the internet, ugly holiday sweaters have become a staple in wardrobes across the U.S. For Communities in Schools (CIS) of Kalamazoo, their annual ugly sweater party at Bell’s Eccentric Café was an opportunity to cap off […]

15 regional companies shined bright this year in the Wonderful Workplaces competition powered by FIRST & 42, earning them the title of 2020 Wonderful Workplaces Champion. FIRST & 42 scouted around Southwest Michigan to find workplaces that know how to make work both fulfilling and fun for their employees. In today’s competitive environment, these companies […]

The votes have been counted and the winner of the sixth annual Makers’ Mart competition has been named! On Friday, December 4, 2020, Samson’s Haircare earned the coveted Makers’ Mart title at Catalyst University, a three-day leadership event hosted by Southwest Michigan First headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The regional economic development catalyst serving the seven […]

While the annual Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Michigan (BBBSMI) Fire & Ice event has gone virtual this year, the inspirational stories and exciting entertainment will still warm your heart from the chill of the December air. “It’s still a celebration of the community commitment to igniting potential and empowering resilience through mentoring, just […]