Issue 19

A Q+A with Michael Betz, President and Co-Owner of ImageStream. How do you approach design at ImageStream? My business partner Tom Brooks and I started this company 20 years ago, in 1999. We were working for Pharmacia & Upjohn, handling its media center here in Kalamazoo. But when the company started moving its jobs to […]

“Yeah, you know me!” Canned cocktails are exploding on the scene, transforming the category’s reputation. Ready-to-drink, aka “RTD,” refers to packaged beverages that are sold in a prepared form and are ready for consumption. Unlike traditional beverage mixes or brew-it-yourself products, ready-to-drink beverages can be immediately enjoyed upon purchase. According to Mintel, the world’s leading […]

Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet’s luxury kitchens cook up the ultimate experience. Company Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet Philosophy To design and build the best outdoor cooking and entertaining equipment in the world. Local Roots The company traces its lineage back to 1906, when the Kalamazoo Sheet Metal Company was founded to make stainless steel equipment for the dairy […]

Class is in session at several local businesses. Dream jobs don’t just fall from the sky. More often than not, making them a reality takes a lot of planning, networking, and coordination. For students like Western Michigan University (WMU) senior Katherine Collier, putting in that effort at a young age is paying off. “I’ve grown […]

Christian Merasco explores career options at SalesPage Technologies. Hometown Portage, MI Education Michigan State University (MSU) Marketing Major; Retail Management Minor Expected Graduation: May 2020 Position Sales Operations Intern at SalesPage Technologies Testing the Waters When I started college, I knew I wanted to study business, but I didn’t want a career that would confine […]

Mike Roeder, President and CEO of Fabri-Kal Corporation, takes us through his leadership journey. 1963 | Born in Cumberland, Maryland My family moved to Baltimore, Maryland, when I was too young to remember. I had four brothers and sisters, so there was a lot of sharing. We shared toys, cars, bathrooms—you name it. Growing up, […]

This year’s Kalamazoo marathon is off to a running start. Event: Kalamazoo Marathon Date: Sunday, May 5 Time: 8:00 a.m. Location: 3427 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49048 Ready, Set, Go! And They’re Off! We are so excited to be celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Borgess Run this year. We’ve grown over the past four […]

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 […]

We sat down with Alan Smaka, Kalamazoo Office Director for Wightman and Associates, and Tara Vandestreek, Accounting Supervisor at Getman Corporation, to hear these leaders’ thoughts on success, development, motivation, and more. First Things First First job? Tara: Summer Camp Counselor Alan: Street Sweeper First app you check in the morning? Tara: Email and Calendar […]