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The number 55 was a big one announced by Governor Gretchen Whitmer on May 10, 2021. That’s right Michigan: Officially, 55 percent of Michiganders have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. This announcement marks the first milestone of the ‘MI Vacc to Normal’ plan, which would enable in-person work to resume across all […]

The Southwest Michigan economy is often recognized for the strong roles that its pharmaceutical, medical device, furniture, agriculture, food processing, and manufacturing industries play. But what about design? Michigan, as a whole, is brimming with designers of all sorts: industrial, interior, graphic, fashion—you get the drift. According to 2017 data from the U.S. Bureau of […]

For just a moment, think back to July of this year. Oh, the glorious days of midsummer, when the sun was shining, the humidity was just right, and the evening temps were cool enough to sleep with the windows open. It was easy to be lulled into the false sense that midsummer in Southwest Michigan—with […]

Benton Employment Solutions is working with area teens to set them up for success.  There is nothing more important to a teenager than freedom—but after turning in final exams at the end of another school year, kids are hit with a hard truth: Going out with friends every day isn’t cheap. For high school students, […]

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 […]

Overwhelmed at work? Remember the (Unofficial) Stride Law. Much has been written about the changing of the generational guard in the American workforce. A multi-generational workforce certainly presents its challenges, but perhaps no more so than it has in the past. Think of a time when members of the Greatest Generation were lumped into meetings […]

Regional leaders share lessons they’ve learned on their journeys. When it comes to expanding communities, the focus tends to fall on young and emerging professionals: how to lure them in, how to make them stay, and how to set them up for growth. While young people are an undeniable asset to an evolving economy, it’s […]

Michigan Milk Producers Association bottles up relationships in four states. Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) has a simple mission statement: To market MMPA members’ milk to the greatest advantage possible. The succinct directive has proven to be successful. Founded over 100 years ago, the dairy farmer-owned cooperative has grown to represent nearly 1,600 dairy farmers […]

Technology won’t shape the office of the future. People will. Imagine the office of the future. What pops into your mind? Maybe it’s an artificial intelligence system that reminds you of your schedule as soon as you step foot in your workspace. Or virtual reality technology that allows you to be “in” the meeting room […]

Seed corn bagging company takes root in Sturgis. Barry Mumby took a leap of faith in 1979 with four partners to launch Mendon Seed Growers. Paying 18 percent interest on borrowed capital and adding customers a single digit at a time, he had no idea then what the seed corn venture would spur in St. […]

Make your mission your company’s best engagement tool. How many of your employees or co-workers would show up to work the day after winning the Powerball jackpot? If your answer is a resounding “no one,” then your company might need to rethink that mission statement hanging on the wall behind your door. Companies who fully […]

From creating mindsets to sustainability…the work is never done. Every executive and business owner sets out to achieve immediate results for accelerated performance and lasting change. A few make it big, some lose what they gain, and some never even come close to achieving desired results. Culture is the key to moving an organization from […]