Article Author: Olivia Ritsema

With the U.S. Open in full swing, you may be itching to serve some of your own aces out on the tennis court. It spin a long time since you’ve been able to watch many live sports, and we get it—you just want to get your game on. Tennis is a great sport to stay […]

Our region’s future is bright thanks to the strong leaders who are navigating change and cultivating successful teams today. These leaders are not only a catalyst for the change that is happening right now, but they are molding and shaping the leaders of future generations. FIRST & 42 is shining the spotlight on the region’s […]

The sports scene looks a lot different this fall with the cancellation or postponement of many fall sports, but this doesn’t mean you can’t get out and get your own game on come Friday nights or Saturday afternoons. It’s no big dill because our region has several convenient and state-of-the-art pickleball courts to show people […]

Our region’s future is bright thanks to the strong leaders that are navigating change and cultivating successful teams today. These leaders are not only a catalyst for the change that is happening right now, but they are molding and shaping the leaders of future generations. Throughout the coming months, FIRST & 42 will be shining […]

Our region’s future is bright thanks to the strong leaders who are navigating change and cultivating successful teams today. These leaders are not only a catalyst for the change that is happening right now, but they are molding and shaping the leaders of future generations. Throughout the coming months, FIRST & 42 will be shining […]

During these changing times, many employees are transitioning back to an office setting with safety measures in place, but a lot of people are still working on a flexible or hybrid schedule between office and home. For Gibson, insurance advisors and consultants serving Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana, the team has been transitioning back into […]

The cancellation or postponement of many fall sports has left sports fans feeling like they’re searching aimlessly for the 19th hole come Friday nights and Saturday afternoons. Instead of feeling down about not watching others play a game, we think it’s time you got out of your house to try something new. What would entice […]

The year 2020 has been a year of challenges, but through it all, there have been numerous ways that communities, organizations, and individuals have risen to the occasion and shown kindness to their neighbor. This week, August 25 through 31, is Be Kind to Humankind Week, an annual celebration of kindness that is recognized globally. […]

During the pandemic, the impact on business was felt very differently by every organization. For Naylor Landscape Management, a Kalamazoo family-owned full-service lawn and landscape service company, it was a weed that stopped its work altogether. However, eventually the situation blossomed into success. Shutdown for five weeks during what would have been one of its […]

Most people would gasp at the thought of starting a business in February of 2020. Even more so, most would be alarmed by the idea of opening an ice cream shop during the thick of a Michigan winter. Despite the odds being stacked against him with a cherry on top, Matt Searles, owner and chief […]

New federal data shows that Michigan’s beer production in 2019 increased four percent since 2017, equaling 1,428,445 barrels of beer for the year. This increase is notable since overall beer production in the U.S. has been trending down for years with a ten percent drop over the past decade. In Kalamazoo county, we’re brewing up […]

August is National Back to School Month! While the return to school is going to feel a little different this year, it doesn’t mean we still can’t celebrate it. Normally, this month is filled with as many emotions as there are colors in a 64-pack of Crayola crayons. This year, as schools, teachers, students, parents, […]