Article Photographer: Hannah Ziegeler

When regional organizations provide excellent internship experiences, everyone benefits. Between the region’s nine colleges and universities, nearly 43,000 students step onto campus each academic year in Southwest Michigan. These students gain vital experiences in their years spent at these institutions, but classroom learning isn’t always enough to prepare them to launch straight into a career […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 24, 2019 Contact: Ron Kitchens chief executive officer and senior partner Southwest Michigan First 261 East Kalamazoo Avenue, Suite 200 Kalamazoo, MI  49007 269.553.9588 rkitchens@southwestmichiganfirst.com Kalamazoo, MI – Bee Joyful Shop earned the coveted Makers’ Mart title at Catalyst University, a daylong leadership event annually hosted by the regional economic development […]

Local leaders imagine the future of Southwest Michigan. In 1929, the Swiss-born architect and urban planner known as Le Corbusier published a book titled “The City of Tomorrow.” It details the importance of supporting a city across each of its many sectors—from infrastructure to greenspace to technologies to social opportunity—to enable it to thrive. In […]

Local entrepreneurs can make it big through the 2019 Makers’ Mart competition. When it comes to the Michigan economy, the impact of small business is anything but small. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, the 870,301 small businesses located across the state are responsible for 49.2 percent of the private workforce in Michigan. That’s […]

A Q+A with Mike Elwell, director of Western Michigan University (WMU)’s Richmond Institute of Product Design and Innovation. What should people know about WMU’s product design program? The Richmond Institute of Product Design and Innovation is two years old now, so our students are freshman and sophomores. I believe that we have one of the […]

Elisabeth Von Eitzen, partner at Warner Norcross + Judd LLP, and L. Marshall Washington, Ph.D., president of Kalamazoo Valley Community College, tell us their thoughts on mentorship, values, and more. FIRST CAR Von Eitzen: 1991 Mercury Tracer Washington: An Oldsmobile ‘98 FIRST TIME PUBLIC SPEAKING Von Eitzen: Narrator of a seventh-grade Shel Silverstein play Washington: […]

Start with an energetic entrepreneur and three company divisions encompassing trucking, real estate, and storage. Add a skilled team, an out-of-the-box thinker, and seven Broncos. What is the result? Clark Logic and its formula for cultivating business and talent growth. When it was founded as Central Manufacturing Systems in 1969, the corporation predominantly served one […]

Starting a new career can seem daunting, but it helps to have a supportive employer that encourages learning. West Michigan is full of young professionals and businesses eager to hire them. One of those young professionals is Jeff Clay. And one of those businesses is Wightman, a full-service consulting firm with locations in Kalamazoo, Allegan, […]

Wyatt Counterman learns the ins and outs of finance at LVM Capital Management. Hometown Kalamazoo, MI Education Western Michigan University (WMU) Finance Major; Music Minor Graduation Date: May 2020 Position Financial Planning Intern at LVM Capital Management Getting Down to Business Financial planning is a myriad of things. When I first started at LVM Capital, […]

Greg Dobson, Chief Operating Officer and Principal at AVB, tells us about his journey to leadership. 1970 | Born in Quincy, MI  I grew up in a strong family environment. However, my entire family is made up of die-hard Michigan State Spartans. So, when I got a last-moment scholarship to Western Michigan University (WMU) and […]

Nick White, Director of Facilities for Ascension Borgess Health, and Nancy Turtle, Kalamazoo Community Bank President at Mercantile Bank, give their perspective on leadership. First thing you do in the morning? Nick White: Make my bed. Nancy Turtle: Brew a cup of coffee. I don’t function well without it. First pet?  Nick: A 140-pound golden […]

Teamwork and a mission-driven business model unlock opportunities for Keystone Solutions Group. Company Keystone Solutions Group Local Executives Jim Medsker, President Vaughn Gerber, Director of Operations Headquarters 6387 Technology Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49009 Year Founded 1997 Regional Footprint 48,000 square feet with 31,000 square feet in manufacturing space Industries Served • Medical Device • Aerospace […]