Innovation + Job News

Stephen Hilger has taken on attorney Ben Hammond as a partner to change his firm from Stephen A. Hilger, P.C. to Hilger & Hammond, P.C.

The two-person firm located at 49 Monroe Center specializes in construction law and construction litigation, providing clients in the construction industry with a variety of services, including lien preparation and lien foreclosures, contract review, contract preparation, pre litigation claims resolution and litigation.

"We're going to continue in the direction of being a boutique law firm geared toward servicing clients in the construction industry," Hilger says. "Some of our clients are from out of state, and some of our in-state clients do work out of state, so the goal is to develop a powerhouse construction law practice in West Michigan and the Midwest."

Both Hilger and Hammond belong to several construction industry associations and are frequent lecturers on topics related to construction law. Hammond spent seven years with Smith, Haughey, Rice & Roegge before moving to Hilger & Hammond.

"The reason I brought Ben on is because he's a highly talented and motivated construction lawyer who's known to the construction industry in West Michigan," Hilger says. "Our vision is to grow the practice with likeminded people who share our vision of giving back to the community and giving top quality service. We'll never be 200 lawyers, but we might be eight or nine."

Source: Stephen A. Hilger, Hilger & Hammond, P.C.

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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.


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Paul Doyle says the decision to close GHSP's manufacturing facility in Troy was a bittersweet one. But the need to increase efficiencies and continue the company's foray into the evolving mechatronics trend is necessary to bring future growth and jobs to the company.

GHSP produces electro-mechanical controls for surface transportation vehicles, and the closure of the Troy facility will bring about 70 manufacturing jobs to Grand Haven.

"A couple of things are going on," GHSP president and CEO Doyle says. "One is that our products in the past have been separated between mechanical and electronic, with some based in steel, some based in plastics. Vehicles in surface transportation have been seeing more and more integration of all these. We can now locate them all in one building and maximize efficiencies."

The second change is that as the trend toward electric vehicles continues, manufacturers need non-engine-related products and components to be more electronic in nature.

As a result, the new jobs are associated with electronics manufacturing, including electronic boards, assembly, component placement and soldering. GHSP will provide worker training for all of the positions, ranging from training by equipment manufacturers to the use of community educational resources and in-house trainers.

"The real win is that it isn't just the jobs moved here," Doyle says, "but the jobs that will be created because of the new direction."

Source: Paul Doyle, GHSP

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.


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Grand Rapids-based Rehab Technologies, LLC has launched two technology products for the health and fitness industry with this week's release of its Cadence Desktop and Cadence App.

The Cadence products, released under the company's dba TrekoClinics.com, enable runners, walkers and other exercise buffs to sync their iTunes music library to match the pace of their workout.

Cadence Desktop analyzes a user's iTunes music and assigns a beats per minute (BPM) rate to each song, says Curt Kuiper, Rehab's managing partner. Using the Cadence App, users sync their iPhone (3.0) or iPod Touch (2G) to their computer and choose the BPM they want for their workout. By keeping in time with the music, the user can improve the consistency of their pace,  speed up their pace or slow it down while listening to their favorite music.

"There's a debate between whether you should try to change your stride length or your cadence to maximize your workout," Kuiper says. "Research shows that sticking with a cadence that works for your body is better."

To play songs with a faster or a slower BPM, users simply move a slider on their iPhone or iPod touch-screen.

Cadence Desktop includes a tap feature that set a song's BPM by clicking the mouse in time to the music for 10 seconds. They also can remove any song they don't want to use for their workout.
 
Cadence Desktop is Mac-based. Rehab Technologies plans to release a PC version in a couple of months, Kuiper says. However, the iPhone/iPod app is compatible with Windows.

The Cadence Desktop download is available free, or if purchasers would like to pay for it, they can pay what they choose. The Cadence App is $2.99 and available from the iPhone App Store or at www.cadenceapp.com.

Source: Curt Kuiper, Rehab Technologies, LLC


Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.


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By last spring, Promotional Impact's sales had already exceeded sales of the entire previous year, which had been a record year itself. Now the company owner, Karen Scarpino, says the Grand Rapids promotional advertising firm is on track for $2 million in sales – double last year's numbers.

Furthermore, Scarpino says the company held true to its prediction of creating two new jobs; the last of those jobs was filled this week.

Much of the success is due to Promotional Impact's eco-friendly SWAG (Stuff We All Get) company Green Giftz. Green Giftz' designers have been able to use client's scrap waste – such as fabric or scrap metal – to fashion upscale gifts for employees, clients, tradeshow giveaways and more. The company offers other eco-friendly options as well, including the items ArtPrize will give away during the 18-day event.

ArtPrize items include BPA-free reusable aluminum water bottles, wristbands made from sand-based chemicals that will biodegrade back into sand, tote bags made from 80 percent recycled materials and pens that are 80 percent biodegradable.

Scarpino sees the ArtPrize opportunity as a chance to get Green Giftz' unique approach to promotional items on the world stage and in front of thousands who will visit Grand Rapids, will volunteer or who will display their art.

In addition, Scarpino says that despite the tough economic times, repeat clients who have an eco-centric mission are still investing in green promotional products that illustrate the company's care for the environment.

Scarpino says the company has no immediate plans to add more employees. But she leaves the door open for possibilities.

"No one has a crystal ball to predict how business will be next year," she says. "But if we have the same kind of growth we've had this year, we'll need to add people."

Source: Karen Scarpino, Promotional Impact

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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.


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A Grand Rapids entrepreneur recently released what she says is the first iPhone application designed especially for corporate recruiters. AutoSearch Mobile searches for passive candidates on social media sites including MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, ZoomInfo and others, and does it all from one search query without the user having to log into each individual site.

Lori Fenstermaker, 36, owner of Grand Rapids-based recruiting company Automatic, developed AutoSearch Mobile based on her proprietary web based software, AutoSearch. Fenstermaker partnered with Cadence Solutions, owned by her husband Adam Fenstermaker and Matt Bidwell, to develop AutoSearch as an Internet search tool to locate hard-to-find candidates for her client Amway
Corporation, who often has specialized jobs to fill.

Amway asked to license the software and Fenstermaker says that gave her the idea to license it to other clients, as well, including PNC, Gordon Food Service, Herman Miller and ManPower, and users in Mexico, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

"It takes hours to key in searches on your own; AutoSearch can do it in seconds. Young people are using social media and it's a great way to interact with them to bring them into West Michigan," she says. "You can quickly scour through social media to find specific candidates."

With AutoSearch Mobile, Fenstermaker says that in-house recruiters can perform candidate searches while traveling, commuting via train or bus or while sitting in a doctor's waiting room.

The mobile app retails for $4.99 and is available through the iPhone App Store.

Source: Lori Fenstermaker, Automatic

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.


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This week, leaders from Grand Rapids' transit The Rapid greeted carpoolers in the wee hours at the I-96/East Beltline MDOT rideshare lot this week with free coffee and some friendly encouragement to check out The Rapid's enhanced car- and van-pooling services: West Michigan Rideshare Program. Rideshare, once known as the car/vanpooling program, launched its new name and new web site aimed at helping commuters save money and fuel.

Rideshare had 5,105 riders in its program as of July. The new web site, wmrideshare.org, should make it easier for potential 'poolers to use the carpool matching software to find other riders with the same or similar destinations and schedules. There's also a cost to drive calculator so commuters can see their potential cost savings through carpooling.

"We're entering a new work year, and as winter approaches it's a good time to bring up ridesharing," says Kevin Wisselink, business transportation coordinator. "The American Automobile Association says the average cost of driving 15,000 miles a year costs over $9,000."

A survey of Rideshare members determined riders' cost saving varied; 36 percent saved up to $50 each month, while 15 percent saved over $150 per month.

Other Rideshare services include:

• Employer Services: employers can purchase add-ons to the rideshare web site. Employees access the site for their employer to browse for other commuters who want to rideshare to and from their particular work site.
• Vanpool Services: Groups of three to six riders can lease vans for a monthly rate. Two of the riders are drivers who must pass a drug test and physical.
• Guaranteed Ride Home: if riders need to leave work early due to illness, they receive reimbursement for the cost of the rental car or taxi used to get home.

 
Each rideshare group has determines their own schedules and where to pickup and drop off each rider. Carpoolers decide among themselves whose car(s) to use, who will drive and how to split the costs.
 
"The Rapid's goal is to provide for transportation needs in the community," Wisselink adds. "For people doing long distance commutes, there aren't other options like busses, so this is an extension of our other commute options."

Source: Kevin Wisselink, The Rapid; Molly Klimas, Intent PR

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

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A Grand Rapids nonprofit dedicated to helping students in the Grand Rapids Public Schools is hoping to put costly TI-84Plus graphing calculators in the hands of every high school student this year. Thus far, the Student Advancement Foundation has donated 1,900 of the 2,700 calculators needed.

Three years ago, the group completed a campaign to restock all 47 GRPS libraries with $1.6 million worth of books using money from local donors. Afterward, GRPS asked the group for help in obtaining the vital graphing calculators.

"I've heard from the district that the research shows that using the calculator on the ACT is a blanket five percent increase on the score," says Susan Heartwell, executive director. "Students need four years of advanced math starting in ninth grade with algebra. You don't need to have a graphing calculator to take the classes, but you're at a definite disadvantage if you don't have one."

Teachers record each calculator's serial number and assign the calculators to students who use them and return them at the end of the class or the school year, says Heartwell.

The calculators retail at about $130. More than 80 percent of GRPS students qualify for free- or reduced-cost lunch, Heartwell says. That means most families are strained economically and can't afford the calculators – especially if families have more than one child in high school.

SAF has raised all but $132,000 of its $450,000 goal through private donations. As money comes in, SAF releases it to the schools to order the calculators.
 
"Our goal is to remove the barriers to education, and not having these calculators is a barrier," Heartwell adds. "Our kids don't need to be disadvantaged this way and for a moderate amount of investment we can remove this barrier."

Source: Susan Heartwell, Student Advancement Foundation

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.


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Bob Hollister, assistant professor at Grand Valley State University, has done field research in the arctic for 15 years, but next summer will be the first time he'll take students from the university with him.

The National Science Foundation recently awarded GVSU a $502,600 grant to fund a five-year study of arctic vegetation as part of the Arctic Observing Network's program to measure climate change. For the next five summers, Hollister, two undergrads and two grad students will collaborate with student researchers from the University of Texas, Florida International University and University of Alaska to study the arctic vegetation.

"The four institutions are collectively looking to see how vegetation is changing, trying to automate measurements using multi-spectral cameras that tell when the plants turn green and how big they're getting," Hollister says. "The more energy they absorb the bigger they get, the bigger they get the more they absorb -- as the vegetation gets bigger in the arctic it can have a huge impact on the energy balance.

Students will look at the plants' nutritional ability to support herbivores such as caribou and document the amount of carbon being absorbed or released, Hollister says. As the arctic's soil warms and dries, it breaks down and releases carbon. Hollister says this warming is thought to be a large contributor of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

"One of the big things is the scaling up of what's happening at the square-foot level to the square-mile level so we can make regional projections approaching the whole arctic," Hollister says.

Source: Bob Hollister, Grand Valley State University

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.


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Thanks to a $200,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, two Grand Valley State University professors will launch the university's first nanotechnology courses next year.

Lihong (Heidi) Jiao and Nael A. Barakat have two sequential courses in development: the fundamentals of nanotechnology, and advanced nanosystem engineering.

"Nanotechnology is a disciplinary word that encompasses physics, chemistry, biology and engineering," Jiao says. "Nano means cannot see with the naked eye. We are made up of nano particles, so we have the materials in chemicals and the human body and can see the features with the help of instrumentation."

The field of nanotechnology is growing rapidly, Jiao says, and is in nearly every industry, including electronics, biomedical, life sciences research, the clothing industry and even in kitchen goods.

Manufacturers embed anti-bacterial nano particles in socks, shoes and cutting boards, she says. Electronics continue to get smaller because of nanotechnology, and medical devices that used to be huge are now small enough for implantation in a patient's body.

"GVSU students currently have no exposure to nano science or technology," Jiao says. "We want our students to stay aligned with the industry, to have a state of the art education and stay aligned with what's the future of our society. Many local industries came to a GVSU open house and expressed the need of the knowledge in their companies; it's one of the reasons we're developing the courses."

Jiao expects to launch the first course by the fall semester of 2010.

Source: Lihong (Heidi) Jiao, Grand Valley State University

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.


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Innovators, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists working to market leading-edge medical devices or molecular medicines have an opportunity to learn how to navigate the constantly changing regulatory, insurance and patient care systems environments.

That opportunity comes next week at the West Michigan Science & Technology Initiative's SUMmIT, one of the region's first to bring together the drug, diagnostic and device industries to discuss emerging trends.

EDF Ventures' Managing Director Mike DeVries will offer his expertise in medical devices at the event. He says that in bringing new medical devices to market, that the majority of the trends are dictated by the demographics of just two client groups: an aging population and an obese population.

"Innovators continue to move towards doing surgical intervention in a less invasive manner," he says. "And the aging population expects more out of the technology because people don't have a sedentary lifestyle anymore."

DeVries says aging and obesity are opening a lot of doors for new medical devices ranging from wheelchair innovations to medical implants. But manufacturers wishing to diversify or startups hoping to capitalize on the next big thing must get in line ahead of the competition.

"There are fundamental differences between how manufacturers operated in the past and how to think about medical devices," DeVries says. "Lot sizes (for medical devices) are in hundreds rather than hundreds of thousands like in the auto industry, and regulations are stiff and complicated.

"The other issue is where do you start, who do you talk to just to get into the supply chain," he says.

Joining DeVries will be Daniel H. Farkas, Ph.D., laboratory director of the Sequenom Center for Molecular Medicine and Shawn Shirazi, senior director of formulation research and development for Perrigo; all three will speak and lead panel discussions at the September 17 event.

Source: Mike DeVries, EDF Ventures; Rebecca Howe, Lambert, Edwards & Associates

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.


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A four-step process developed by a Grand Rapids schoolteacher could be just the thing to assist students who are struggling in school, and to help their parents and teachers.

Beth Batts developed the process as a tool for her consulting firm, Leap 2 Success, after experiencing firsthand the difficulty students and parents had in articulating their needs – difficulty that often ended in frustration.

Batts works with families and teachers to help them communicate in ways each can understand. She assesses learning styles and helps families develop a learning environment in the home, a time for homework, and even who will be available to help and when.

"I listen to the family's story, figure out their frustration, their exhaustion," Batts says. "We sit down together and decide how to proceed, and I become their eyes and ears and arms and legs. I go to school and get the school's perception of the child. Then I can stand separate and look at the situation."

The four-step process involves:

1. Connecting home, school and community – including providing families with community resources they need, such as support groups or tutoring help.
2. Helping families learn the educational process and the roles of home, school and student within that process.
3. Facilitating communication to bring educators and parents together as a team.
4. Implementing an action plan for the family using community resources to meet each family member's needs.  

"I open the lines of connection, help the parent hear the education-ese," Batts says. "I let the teachers know where the parents stand -- the emotional outpouring can often block the parent's ability to articulate what's going on.

"Parents don't want to make their child feel different," she says. "But you know what? He already knows, so what are we going to do to help this kid have the best learning experience?"   

Source: Beth Batts, Leap 2 Success; Craig Clark, Clark Communications

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.


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An official at the accounting firm of Beene Garter says two multi-state tax experts who joined his practice last week after a merger indicates future growth at the firm.

Tom Rosenbach, managing partner of the Grand Rapids-based accounting firm, says the recently completed merger with Barrons State Tax Consulting is designed to serve clients who are pursuing operations outside Michigan.

"With the tax environment being the way it is, with the new MBT (Michigan Business Tax) and the ongoing struggle to implement that by the state of Michigan, a lot of companies in the state of Michigan are branching out, doing work in other states," Rosenbach says. "So we felt, with the economy the way it is and the tax environment being the way it is, this specialty would really benefit a lot of our clients."

Joining Beene Garter to form its new Multi-State Tax Group are David Barrons, who becomes partner-in-charge of the new group, and Michael Lewakowski, who will serve as the department’s senior tax manager.

Barrons says they will be able to provide more support to clients under the structure of Beene Garter.

"I would go to do a specific project for (a client), and they’d be looking for accounting and auditing services or tax-preparation services, and this (merger) just expands that," Barrons says.

Barrons estimated that he and Lewakowski bring some 100 clients to Beene Garter, although he emphasized that many do not have them doing work continually. Nevertheless, Rosenbach sees it as a base upon which to grow.

"We are likely to see growth because of that," Rosenbach says. "We started with these two gentlemen and you’d think that, as the practice group builds, there could be more individuals added to the multistate group."

Source: Tom Rosenbach and David Barrons, Beene Garter

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

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AMI Entertainment Network has chosen a portion of a facility at 4147 Eastern Ave. SE in Wyoming to house administration and some data support for its emerging line of Internet-connected jukeboxes.

Throughout its history as the former Rowe International in Grand Rapids, AMI was known for its traditional jukeboxes. Today, the company specializes in jukeboxes that access music directly from the Internet, requiring a sophisticated data center and backup data center to ensure that music is available for users of as many as 15,000 different machines.

About 60 employees will work at space in the Priceline Building, which will serve as the backup data center to its primary center in Chicago. While AMI Entertainment is not adding any new jobs concurrent to the move into the new facility, it may to do so if business improves.

“We do expect that once the economy picks up – and we have a few other irons in the fire – we expect some growth,” says Ed Gundrum, chief operating officer of AMI Entertainment. “The jukebox business is our core business. We’re never going to turn our back on that, and we’re exploring new ways to use the data center and other technology we have.”

AMI Entertainment will use only about 20,000 square feet of the 90,000 square feet available in the building.  The company is not doing any manufacturing work in the Priceline building, having recently moved its manufacturing operations to facilities in Mexico and its warehouse distribution facilities to Texas.

Source: Ed Gundrum, AMI Entertainment Network

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

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By creating the new BioBusiness Accelerator at the Michigan State University BioEconomy Institute, Lakeshore Advantage took another crucial step toward attracting bioscience startups to the region. Recruiting those businesses falls to the recently hired manager of the BioBusiness Accelerator, Randy Olinger.

Lakeshore Advantage, a driving force behind Pfizer's donation of its former research facility to MSU, indicates Pfizer invested some $9 million to renovate the facility for re-use.

Olinger, 58, a biochemist and entrepreneur, says he has worked with MSU's R&D arm a number of years through his various companies that manufactured bio products with technology developed and licensed by MSU.

One Accelerator tenant, AFID Therapeutics, is in place already. But Olinger says the 140,000-square-foot facility has plenty more room for other entrepreneurs who need some of the 25,000 square feet of laboratory space and/or can use the 30,000-square-foot Pilot Plant, its R&D staff, or its 30 chemical reactors.

"The purpose of the BioEconomy Institute has four components of activity," Olinger says.

1. The traditional research and academic mission of MSU.
2. Embedded corporate research, where industrial affiliates rent space and carry out their own research or contract with the MSU researchers on staff.
3. Use of the Pilot Plant facilities by BioBusiness Accelerator tenants or outside sources who want to scale up processes to production quantities.
4. Small business development and incubation for six to eight companies at a preferred lease rate.

"The ideal candidates for the small business incubator are companies producing products that use biobased renewable materials, have a reasonable business plan, and some protected intellectual property that will enhance their ability to successfully commercialize their products," Olinger says.

In return, those businesses will receive help establishing a lease with the Institute, assistance with landing grants and loans, and help developing business strategies, marketing plans, and indentifying investment partners.

Source: Randy Olinger, Lakeshore Advantage BioBusiness Accelerator

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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.


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Grand Valley State University recently received a $200,000 grant to fund place-based learning that will teach K-12 students about the environmental issues facing the Grand River watershed. The grant comes from the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative, part of the Great Lakes Fishery Trust.

"The Grand River watershed covers almost all of Kent County," says Jaymes Pyne, interim Hub director of the project. "What we do in Kent County affects the towns along the Grand River between Grand Rapids and Grand Haven, Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes region as a whole. The outcome of the education is stewardship of the Grand River watershed, and, by association, the Great Lakes watershed."

The initial program is geared for teachers of 6th through 12th grades. Pairs of teachers from each school learn:

• The environmental issues of the watershed.
• How to conduct place-based learning for students to have meaningful hands-on experiences.
• How to set up a project connected to their curriculum.
• How to get funding.

The program connects teachers with community partners – nonprofits, businesses, universities and local governments, Pyne says. To-date, more than 30 partners are onboard.

"We don't want to see a class going to a creek and doing a cleanup day," Pyne says. "Let's say a teacher finds out chemicals are killing the fish in a creek. The classroom invites in community partners with expertise in the area. They determine what the issue is and what to do about it. The class could start a campaign to educate the community, and do a pre- and post-campaign study on community awareness and present that to the school board."

Aquinas College will conduct a needs assessment to determine the biggest factors affecting the watershed. Another partner is the Lower Grand River Watershed Council.

Ten Kent County schools, including Kent City High School and Englishville Alternative High School in Sparta, will participate.

Source: Jaymes Pyne, Grand Valley State University College of Education

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.


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