Sales at INRAD Inc. in Kentwood could double this year if three new medical devices are as successful as company officials predict.

Deborah Johnson WoodShellie Edwards bought the former Applause Catering company eight years ago and she's been growing it ever since. Last week, Edwards cut the ribbon on the third location of Above & Beyond Banquets, Catering and Events in the new Goei Center, part of Eastern Floral & Gifts' new location, 818 Butterworth SW. With headquarters in Norton Shores and another location in Holland, Edwards employs 80 to 120 servers, bartenders, chefs and other service personnel during the summer peak season. "We do everything from very high-end weddings to picnics, from intimate dinners to large corporate events," Edwards says. "We've done events for George W. Bush, for Governor Granholm, fundraisers and box lunches."Edwards' team not only caters events in traditional halls and event facilities, Edwards says they've served for parties on boats, trains and airplanes. And the planning is creative. "I'm working on a menu right now for a vintage wedding, and the bride wants an elegant picnic," Edwards says. "So we're custom designing a family-style menu of vintage types of foods that will be served in picnic baskets at the tables with the china and everything in the baskets." The unique setup of the entrepreneurial center provides the catering company with an office space and access to an area where Edwards can collaborate with other business owners in the building. The center opened in November and currently has five businesses. "We're already networking. RSVP Events is right next to us – they're an event planning service and we're working with them on a couple of events," Edwards says. "There's already a lot of referral business. I think this is going to turn out to be a great thing for everybody here."Source: Shellie Edwards, Above & Beyond Banquets, Catering and Events; Kiersten A. Schulte, Eastern Floral & GiftsRelated ArticlesAbandoned GR furniture factory now bustling International Entrepreneurial CenterDeborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Have a development news tip for Rapid Growth? Contact us here.

Deborah Johnson WoodWhen Creston Christian Elementary School moves to the site of the original Ottawa Hills High School this fall as part of the consolidation of Grand Rapids Christian's city elementary schools, it won't leave a huge, vacant building in the neighborhood. Wellspring Preparatory High School will open September 7 at 1031 Page Street NE. The school is a charter high school operated by Prep Net, LLC and will operate under the founding principles of the National Heritage Academies in Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids entrepreneur J. C. Huizenga founded both companies.Wellspring's launch generates seven full-time-equivalent teaching positions, a full-time administrator job and a full-time office position. The school will accept 100 freshmen for the 2010-2011 school year and will add a grade level each year. The school is a sister school of Grand River Preparatory High School that opened in 2008. "We have four National Heritage Academy charter K through 8 schools around the Wellspring location: Walker Academy, Chandler Woods Charter Academy, Knapp Academy, Ridge Park Charter Academy," says Dave Angerer, principal of Grand River Prep. Angerer will work closely with Wellspring Prep during its first year of operation. "Those students currently do not have a charter high school option. The new school will enter into relationship with those feeder schools, and with the NHA's focus on high performance programs, it's a really good fit for the high school," Angerer says. Studies include four years of math and English with advance placement in calculus and statistics and language and literature; two years of foreign language with an opportunity for advance placement in Spanish; and opportunities for advance placement in government, chemistry and physics. Seniors will be required to make successful application to college.Interested parents and students are invited to attend any of three informational meetings. Each begins at 6:30:Feb. 1 – Walker Charter AcademyFeb. 2 – Chandler Woods Charter AcademyFeb. 3 – Knapp Charter AcademySource: Dave Angerer, Grand River Preparatory Academy; John Zimmerman, Seyferth & AssociatesRelated ArticlesGrand River Prep High School draws teachers to area with nine jobsGrand Rapids Christian Schools breaks ground on $14M elementary school in Ottawa HillsDeborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Have a development news tip for Rapid Growth? Contact us here.

As Ford gears up to produce a 2012 hybrid plug-in vehicle, Holland's Johnson Controls/Saft is making plans to make the batteries for it and to invest $200 million in a manufacturing facility. According to excerpts from the story:You may never have heard of one of the biggest players in batteries for electric cars, but chances are you've been touched by one of its products. Bought aSears Diehard battery recently? Chances are it was actually made by Johnson Controls, the world's leading battery maker. Other company car batteries are issued under such familiar names as NAPAand Pep Boys. This is not a small company: From a humble beginning making what was arguably the world's first thermostat (hence the name) Johnson Controls has grown into a $30 billion business (it was $38 billion before the recession) and 75,000 employees (6,000 of them engineers and designers). Johnson Controls' auto business takes in instrument panels, seating, door and overhead systems and automotive electronics. But it's batteries we're talking about here.Read the complete story here.

A group of nearly 25 well-known local employers are re-thinking the way the West Michigan presents itself to young bright professionals and the top talent they hope to recruit in the future.