Article Photographer: Hannah Ziegeler

TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY Galesburg, MI An office nestled in a beautiful wooded corner of Galesburg, MI, may seem like an unlikely place for the headquarters of a high-tech internet company. Inside, CTS Telecom’s technical skills and vast network empower it to compete with and win against the largest multinational corporations in their business. CTS also has […]

BANK Kalamazoo, MI A visit to First National Bank of Michigan, located in the heart of downtown Kalamazoo, comes with a complimentary cup of locally brewed coffee and warm smiles from familiar faces. “We have customers who come in every day,” says President and CEO Dan Bitzer. “We think of everyone who walks in as […]

DESIGNER AND MANUFACTURER OF CUSTOM ENVIRONMENTS Kalamazoo, MI It should come as no surprise that at Landscape Forms—one of the world’s premier manufacturers of outdoor site furnishings, lighting, and structures—people like to get outside. The company’s benches, streetlights, bike racks, and more can be found everywhere from the Kalamazoo Mall to Barbados to London. “Chances […]

STAFFING AND RECRUITMENT FIRM Kalamazoo, MI WSI’s mission is to “empower people to live their best lives.” As a staffing and recruitment firm, this means helping people find a profession where they will be successful and fulfilled; however, the company’s guiding purpose also translates to the way it treats its internal staff. Culture Manager Lauren […]

CREDIT UNION Kalamazoo, MI In business for over 85 years, Honor Credit Union prioritizes collaboration. As a growing credit union with 24 locations throughout Southwest Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, “We place a premium on creating intentional spaces that keep our team members engaged, empowered, and connected,” says Brand Manager Stacey Dodson.  Leaning into its […]

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT FORM Kalamazoo, MI The headquarters of the full-service product development firm Tekna is a hive of activity, with industrial designers, mechanical engineers, graphic designers, and creatives of every kind huddled around computer screens and sketching out new ideas on whiteboards. The space—with ceilings high enough to allow for an airplane to be suspended […]

RISK MANAGEMENT ADVISORS AND CONSULTANTS Kalamazoo, MI Gibson is always thinking ahead. Whether providing insurance to cover illness and injury or even building a succession plan for a family business, the company is dedicated to managing risk. Gibson recently expanded its presence in the region. One of the company’s values, “Pursue Growth,” is the force […]

The 269 MAGAZINE team sat down with two local leaders to talk trust, team development, emerging leadership, and more. Cyekeia Lee Director of Community Collaboration AT the Kalamazoo Promise Liz Semaan Executive Director AT Bronson Health Foundation — What does a great leader look like? Lee: A great leader is someone who includes the input […]

Company Eimo Technologies It’s Nice to Meet You The first instinct of many is to pronounce this company’s name as “Eee-mo,” “Eye-mo,” or even “El-mo.” (That’s right, as in the star of Sesame Street!) However, the correct pronunciation goes back to the company’s Finnish roots. All together now, “Ay-mo!” Keeping Up With the Times A […]

Sometimes a spark of inspiration is all it takes Inspiration struck David Maurer when he was a student at the University of Michigan. Maurer was studying biology, but he found that the subject didn’t really suit him. One summer, he got a job working the assembly line at Humphrey Products. He ended up liking that […]

Miniature Custom Manufacturing Recognized for Growth Trajectory. Sparkling confetti rained down on Steve Shoemaker as he stood—attired in a black tux and bow tie—center stage at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan. It was the evening of May 8, 2019, and his organization had just been named one of the 2019 “Michigan 50 Companies […]

A Q+A With Brian Revoir, Senior Designer at Landscape Forms. WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AT LANDSCAPE FORMS? At Landscape Forms, we create outdoor furnishings and site amenities, lighting, and custom work. I’m part of a three-person design team, so the projects get split up between us. We’re authors in a sense. Working on a tight-knit […]