by Eric Ringwelski | Mar 4, 2026 | Chamber Corner
Main Street businesses have long been the foundation of Kalamazoo’s economy. They provide stable jobs, long-standing customer relationships, and a sense of place that national chains are unable to duplicate. Yet many of these businesses are entering a period of...
by Eric Ringwelski | Feb 24, 2026 | Chamber Corner
When designing a space, window treatments are often thought of as a final detail—but in reality, they play a much bigger role. The right window treatments do more than frame a view; they influence how a room feels, functions, and performs every day. From light control...
by Eric Ringwelski | Feb 23, 2026 | First & 42 Original, Places
On a stretch of downtown Kalamazoo where construction, restoration, and new momentum are starting to overlap, the Lofts at Ironworks (also known as Ironworks), is turning the page from long-term project to lived-in place. Trisha Kidd, PlazaCorp’s director of project...
by Eric Ringwelski | Feb 18, 2026 | Chamber Corner
ERP. CRM. WMS. PLM. HRMS. EMR. Pick your acronym. Add a polished demo. Stir in some magical thinking and a pint of unrealistic expectations. Marinate in a six or seven-figure budget. Sprinkle on an arbitrary go-live date. Bake in a 550-degree pressure cooker for 12-18...
by Eric Ringwelski | Feb 9, 2026 | Business
Last Thursday, February 5, 2026, Southwest Michigan First hosted its third annual State of Economic Development event, welcoming more than 500 regional stakeholders, business owners, and community leaders for an afternoon focused on economic insights, emerging trends,...
by Eric Ringwelski | Feb 6, 2026 | Chamber Corner
The Hidden Cost of “Just How We Do It” A local manufacturing client came to us frustrated. Every online order had to be hand-entered into their system. That meant hiring temp workers during busy seasons, dealing with typos that delayed shipments,...
by Eric Ringwelski | Feb 6, 2026 | Business, Chamber Corner
Southwest Michigan First Chamber member OEO Energy is offering eligible organizations across the region no-cost LED tubes upgrades to replace existing fluorescent fixtures. The program is funded by select Michigan electric utilities, making a range of indoor...
