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September 2013 $2.00

2Priority Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Preparing for the Affordable Care Act

By Jane Whittington

On October 1, open enrollment forhealthcare coverage under theAffordable Care Act will become avail-able. While we’ve all been hearing aboutwhat the Affordable Care Act (AKA“Obamacare”) will and won’t mandateand provide, what we’ve heard may wellhave been tainted by partisanship. Andit’s unlikely that any among us has read,let alone understood, the over 1,000pages that comprise the ACA.

Under the ACA, coverage will beavailable to every citizen. States are inthe process of setting up “healthcareinsurance exchanges”, to be rolled outOctober 1, although citizens have untilJanuary 1, 2014 to obtain coverage.Some states have set up their ownexchanges. Others, like Michigan, will

be relying on the federal government tocreate these exchanges.

60 percent of Americans are cov-ered through their employers, and theircoverage should continue. For the mostpart, their coverage will be unchanged.However, for the nearly 50 million unin-sured, coverage will now be required.

In June of this year, MichiganRadio, an NPR station, spoke with KarenPollitz, a senior fellow at the KaiserFamily Foundation, a non-partisanhealth policy group, and reported ontheir findings. Their website iswww.kff.org.

Pollitz stated that once theexchanges are announced, consumerscan look at what is offered. There willalso be information about what subsi-dies will be available for those lookingfor coverage.

She reports, “Estimates say the 80to 90 percent of those who come to theexchanges for insurance will not pay thefull price.”

The exchanges will have “naviga-tors” who will be available both over thephone and in person.

Pollitz says, “When Congresspassed the ACA, they offered unlimitedamounts of money to states that set uptheir own exchanges but only a limitedamount of money for the federal govern-ment.”

Since Michigan’s exchange is feder-ally-funded (against Governor Snyder’srecommendation), there may be fewernavigators than other states. Pollitzsays, “You may have to persist a bitmore in Michigan to land in the rightplace with subsidies.”

As of the beginning of September,there are nine carriers who will offerproducts through Michigan’s healthcareexchanges. This may or may not be thefinal number.

For those who, for whatever rea-son, choose not to purchase insurance,there will be a fine of $95 (or one per-cent of taxable income) tacked onto their2014 tax. Families will be penalized halfas much, and there’s a cap on how muchfamilies can be charged. Penalties arewaived for very low income people.

For more information about howthe ACA will affect Michigan’s citizens,go to www.michigan.gov/difs/0,5269,7-303-12902_35510-263899--,00.html.This is the website for DIFS (Departmentof Insurance and Financial Services).

www.healthcare.gov provides addi-tional information.

AARP (www.aarp.org) has manyuseful tools available on its website,which will be especially helpful to thoseover 50.

Both Priority Health and Blue CrossBlue Shield of Michigan are preparingthemselves for the new realities of theAffordable Care Act.

Priority Health, founded in 1986,provides group and individual insuranceplans. Over 12,000 employers offerPriority Health to their employees andover 600,000 people are covered.Michigan based, there are offices inFarmington Hills, Holland, Jackson,Kalamazoo and Traverse City as well asthe headquarters in Grand Rapids.

Priority Health offers PPOs and

HMOs both to employers who offer theplans to their employees and to individ-uals.

In terms of the ACA, Marti Lolli,Director, Health Care Reform, says, “Forpeople who are currently covered byPriority Health, there will be few if anychanges. For those who currently do nothave coverage and have never pur-chased coverage, it will be more compli-cated. But we have tools available tohelp make it clear. We have websites, e-books, webinars, seminars—everythingwe can think of to explain the ACA andhow it affects each individual.”

Those who are currently coveredthrough their employers should be ableto get information about any possiblechanges to their coverage through theiremployers. It is the responsibility of theemployer to provide information to theiremployees, but, for those whose cover-age is through Priority, there is, as Lolliputs it, “a great deal of assistance andinformation we can offer them. We wantthem to be able to concentrate on theircore business.”

Lolli says, “There is a great deal ofconcern that employers may drop cover-age. But this is not new; employers havebeen struggling to pay for healthcarecoverage over time—not related to theACA. Costs have just been going up. Wedon’t feel that a lot of employers willchoose to drop coverage, but whatemployees who may face that situationneed to know is that they will haveoptions under the provisions of theACA. We are always available to helppeople understand what those optionsare.”

Large employers (those with 50 ormore employees) who do not providecoverage will face penalties starting in2015.

Priority Health supported theexpansion of the Medicaid programwhich was recently approved byMichigan’s legislature. Before its pas-sage, Lolli said, “We are very hopeful forthe expansion of Medicaid because thereare 500,000 individuals in Michiganwho are currently uninsured, and with-out this expansion, many of them wouldnot get the care they need.”

Continued on page 5

Mary Free Bed Hospital: A Community Treasure By Jane Whittington

Hope and Freedom. These two wordsdescribe the mission of Mary Free Bed.For over 100 years, Mary Free Bed hasbeen offering hope and freedom to peoplewho find themselves in difficult circum-stances. It may be a stroke or Parkinson’s,cancer or cerebral palsy, something thathappened in Iraq or in an automobile acci-dent, debility caused by disease or injury,multiple sclerosis or muscular dystro-phy—whatever the cause, Mary Free Bedexists so that the people they serve canlead their best possible lives.

The history of Mary Free Bed is aninspiring story that begins in 1891 whena Grand Rapids lawyer, Moses Taggart,found a small, black purse containingonly six pennies. Unable to locate theowner of the purse, Taggart donated thesum to his sister-in-law and others whohad recently placed an ad in the papercalling for the establishment of a free bedfor indigent patients in the city’s Union

Benevolent Association Hospital.Motivated by the stories of differentMarys in the Bible, those undertaking thetask of raising money chose to establishthe bed “in the name of all theMarys”.Within a month, enough moneyhad been raised to sponsor the bed andmake it available to those in need. Andthe small, black purse was passed aroundamong Mary Free Bed fundraisers,returned filled with money and passed onto another.

In 1911, the Mary Free Bed Guildwas established to oversee the programand increase its membership and therebythose who raised funds. However, thewomen in the Guild did more than raisemoney; they actively participated in car-ing for people by providing transporta-tion, visiting patients at home and in thehospital and arranging for care and com-fort.

The years that followed were filledwith growth and change. In 1920, theGuild saw to the establishment of anorthopedic clinic for children at BlodgettHospital; a Children’s Convalescent Homewas opened in 1930. In 1950, heirs of theBlodgett family donated to the Guild thebuilding which the Convalescent Homehad been occupying at 920 Cherry St.

By 1976, Mary Free Bed had out-grown their facility and, in what wassurely a moving experience in more waysthan one, a parade of patients and staffled the way to the new facility at 235Wealthy, adjacent to St. Mary’s Hospital.

Today, Mary Free Bed is once againexpanding and is in the middle of anambitious building project which willdouble the size of the existing facility, addpatient bed and renovate the currentspace. There will be ten family roomsadded as well as new therapy equipmentincluding robot-assisted walking therapy.It is slated to open in late summer or fallof 2014.

A tour through the building is awe-inspiring. The determination and partner-ship of staff and patients toward a com-mon goal is evident, and the difficult workis balanced by the smiles and camaraderieshown by professionals and patients.Despite the circumstances, it is a happyplace.

Mary Free Bed focuses on rehabilita-tion, both out-patient and in-patient. Assuch, it has no emergency room, no ICUand doesn’t perform surgery or deliverbabies; it is solely for the highest qualityrehabilitative care. Of the over 20,000patients they serve each year, about 12percent are inpatient while the rest areseen in outpatient clinics. According toJane Brierley, Director of Marketing andPublic Relations, “It’s not unusual forsomeone to come in as an inpatient, be

discharged and receive services in theirown home and eventually, when they areable to, come into our outpatient clinic tofinish their rehabilitation.”

Currently, there are 1,051 employeeson the main campus with other therapistsemployed by Mary Free Bed at Metro, St.Mary’s and Great Lakes SpecialtyHospital.

Kent Riddle has been CEO for twoand a half years and is enthusiastic aboutthe building project and the renovation ofthe existing facility.

Riddle says, “We’re broadening ourprograms. We’ve recently added cancerrehabilitation, and we’re talking about anumber of other programs we may beadding. We continue to serve morepatients from a wider area; for the pasttwo years, our patient population hasrisen 25 percent each year. We offer spe-cialty services that other facilities simplydo not have.”

He continues, “We are the most com-prehensive rehabilitation facility in thestate, and we can take patients with themost complex problems. Currently, we’renot able to serve patients on ventilators,but that will be changing.”

Included in their wide range of ther-apy equipment is a robotic gait trainer forthose patients unable to walk due tospinal cord injury, stroke or other cause.According to Riddle, “The only peoplewho can’t be helped by this machine arethose with totally severed spinal cords. Ifthere’s enough spinal cord there, we canretrain neurons to enable injured peopleto walk. At the beginning, the machinemay be doing 100 percent of the work butwe can increase the amount of work thepatient is doing using the robotics. It hasenabled some people to be able to walkout of here when they were unable towalk before. We’ve had great outcomeswith this machine. It’s all about retrainingthe brain and the spinal cord and relearn-ing skills that were stopped by some kindof trauma.”

Mary Free Bed has recently complet-ed a program in partnership with GrandValley State University to work with“wounded warriors”, those who have suf-fered brain injuries while serving theircountry. The hospital frequently workswith veterans injured in the line of duty.

The hospital has extensive pediatric,

orthopedic and amputee programs. Theyhave begun working with cancer patientswho have suffered cognitive or physicalimpairment due to their disease orthrough treatment of their disease. MaryFree Bed also has a program for thosewho are afflicted with chronic pain.

Along with physical care, the hospi-tal provides both neuropsychological andpsychological care. Neuropsychologistsdeal with those who have suffered cogni-tive debility as a result of their disease orinjury. Patients and families alike areoffered psychological help in learning tolive with the unforeseen circumstances inwhich they find themselves. This includesindividual counseling as well as supportgroups.

Within the hospital itself are bed-rooms, bathrooms, an ATM, stores, arestaurant, kitchens and even a car usedto help people learn to adapt to the rou-tines of everyday life.

One of the many innovative opportu-nities at Mary Free Bed is the wheelchairand adaptive sports program. Basketball,hockey, tennis, water and snow skiingand, yes, even scuba diving, rock climb-ing and skydiving are possible for thosewho want to participate. This is one of themany ways Mary Free Bed opens up theworld for those who had thought theiropportunities might be limited.

It is important to note that Mary FreeBed accepts all appropriate patientsregardless of their healthcare insurance orfinancial status. From the very beginning,they have been committed to providingcare to all who need it.

Riddle notes that Mary Free Bed isstill governed by the 120 woman guildand junior guild as it has been since thebeginning. He says, “These women haveso much compassion for people with dis-abilities.”

Albert Schweitzer once said, “Thepurpose of human life is to serve and toshow compassion and the will to help oth-ers.”

Mary Free Bed is the embodiment ofthat quotation.

Jane Whittington is a freelancewriter and editor who lives in GrandRapids.

4

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5Priority Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Preparing for the Affordable Care Act

Continued from page 2

Priority Health currently workswith Medicaid in fourteen counties inMichigan, and will continue to operateunder the expansion and within theframework of the ACA. When Medicaidclients enroll, they are offered an optionof the various plans available.

The October rollout of healthcareexchanges will include products fromPriority Health. Lolli says, “We havebeen doing ‘exchange simulations’ withthe federal government for over a yearand a half. So we’ve been at the frontedge of discussions with the govern-ment as to how these exchanges willwork. Our products will be availablethrough the public web portal but con-sumers can also come to us directly forinformation and assistance.”

She continues, “Coverage will bemore affordable to many consumersthrough subsidies offered by the gov-ernment.”

Find more information about

Priority Health and the ACA atwww.understandinghealthreform.comand at www.priorityhealth.com

The Blue Cross Blue ShieldAssociation has been offering healthcarecoverage throughout the U. S. for 83years and currently covers over 100 mil-lion people. There are 37 local organiza-tions connected by one association. BlueCross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM)is the largest health insurer in Michiganwith 4.4 million members (more than 40percent of the state’s total population)and is an independent licensee of theBlue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

In March of 2013, BCBSM began atransition process following reformmeasures modernizing the regulation ofMichigan’s health insurance market.

According to Jeffrey Connolly,President, West Michigan Operations &Managed Care, “We are transitioning toa mutual company and away from beingthe ‘insurer of last resort’ and all of thecomponents within that over the nexttwo to three years. With the Affordable

Care Act, there is no longer any need foran insurer of last resort.”

Ken Dallafior, Executive VicePresident/Group Business & CorporateMarketing, says, “The driver for thatchange is to give us the opportunity tofairly and justly compete in the publicmarketplace. If we had not changed, wewould have had no role to play in thenew ACA world. Governor Snyder, whosigned the legislation, realized thatBCBSM is an asset to Michigan, and wewould have been out of the game if wedidn’t change to this new model.”

Connolly adds, “Many of the man-dates of the ACA have been part of ourcompany for some time. One goodexample is guaranteed issue andrenewability. We have never turnedaway customers because of pre-existingconditions. This has put us at somewhatof a disadvantage as other insurers wereable to choose who they covered. Now,with the ACA, insurers can’t pick andchoose who they want to cover.”

Dallafiro says, “Since we have had

guaranteed coverage for so long, weknow how it works, and that is to ouradvantage as the ACA goes forward.”

He continues, “ACA compliantproducts must include essential healthbenefits like wellness, preventive carefor women and children, dental coveragefor children and others that are requiredunder the ACA. All insurers will offerthis coverage as of 1/1/14.”

Connolly adds, “There are signifi-cantly more benefits that all insurerswill have to provide.”

Those currently covered by BCBSMwill be contacted in advance of renewal.Dallafior says, “We have already startedcontacting our customers and have beenan advisor to our group customers aswell as a resource for individuals.”

BCBSM has a Medicaid productcalled Blue Cross Complete, and this willcontinue and will grow following therecent passage of Medicaid expansionlegislation in Michigan.

Continued on page 8

6Adult Care a Labyrinth of Services and Challenges

By Cristina VanWieren

In your later years of life, when thetime comes that you need help with dailyliving, where will you turn? Many of uswill choose to enter an assisted livingfacility or utilize a home care agency. Atsome point, you may need the medicalcare offered in a nursing home setting.West Michigan offers many adult careoptions and facilities; navigating thesecan be difficult for seniors and their fam-ilies. Providers, too, are challenged.Demands of the baby boomers pushproviders of adult care to strive for servic-es and settings focused on the needs ofthe whole person.

The average age of a residententering a nursing home is 79 and in thenext 10-15 years millions of babyboomers will begin to reach this age.Nursing home residents have significantdifficulties with the activities of daily liv-ing and require continuous medical care.Fortunately, most nursing home servicesare medical in nature and are largely cov-ered by Medicare and other insurances.

Residents of assisted living facilities– those who require help with some dailytasks, but are capable of handling mostactivities on their own – have a greaterfinancial challenge. Medicare does notcover rent and non-medical services, suchas meal preparation. According to theNational Center for Assisted Living, 54%of AL residents are 85 or older and near-ly three-fourths are women. Commonservices include assistance with bathing,dressing, medication, and meal prepara-tion. In fact the NCAL reports that 87% ofAL residents require help with mealpreparation.

Other AL services, however, are cov-ered. Medicare offsets the cost of servicessuch as preventative care, physical thera-py, and regular prescriptions. These keyservices allow residents to stay in an ALsetting longer, avoiding a nursing homestay and maintaining a higher quality oflife.

Many seniors requiring assistancewish to remain in their own homes. SusanDecker, director of Clark at Home – ClarkRetirement Community’s Home andCommunity-based Services business –explained Clark’s two service lines for in-home care: Private Duty and CertifiedHealth Services. Private Duty, amongmany other services, provides personalcare assistance, transportation, medica-tion management, and foot and ear care.Most of these are not covered by Medicareand are private pay. Like AL, in-home

care is financially challenging. CertifiedHealth Services are highly regulated bythe government and are paid for throughMedicare and other insurances. Theseservices include skilled nursing, socialwork, and physical, occupational, andspeech therapy. Certified Health Servicesare provided by registered nurses andtherapists in the comfort of the patient’shome.

Unlike in a nursing home or assistedliving facility, in-home care staff is noteasily monitored. When I asked Susanabout this she stated unequivocally thatstaff accountability is “a key factor in thesuccess of the company.” Clark at Homehas several systems in place to monitorstaff attendance and quality of job per-formance. Employees are observed inaction by their supervisors, patient sur-veys are routinely administered, andongoing training is provided.

Another way in which providersmeet the needs of seniors is throughContinuing Care systems. Facilities likeMaple Creek and Clark RetirementCommunity offer CC options, allowingresidents to remain within one systemeven as their needs change. A residentmight begin in an independent livinghousing option, but later find it necessaryto move into AL. If a time comes when theresident needs continuous medical care,they can be transferred to the nursingcare facility. All of these are provided onthe same campus.

Patients in CC facilities “age inplace,” says Reverend Becky-Ebb-Speese,Chaplain at Maple Creek, which impactsresidents’ health and quality of life.Becoming part of a community – social-ization – is not only enjoyable for seniors,but may slow down the memory-lossprocess. According to a 2008 publicationin the American Journal of Public Health,Harvard researchers found evidence that

elderly people in the U.S. who have anactive social life may also have a slowerrate of memory decline.

Most nursing homes and assistedliving centers offer a variety of socialactivities for residents, promoting anatmosphere of fun and community. On thecampuses of Clark and Maple Creek, resi-dents take part in field trips, wellnessclasses, game nights, and – yes – BINGO.Clark’s residents, with the youthfulness ofteenagers, even put on a lipdub a fewyears ago. Check it out athttp://www.clarkretirement.org/lipdub.php - you won’t be disappointed.

Catered Living Plus, a popular hous-ing option allowing couples to continueliving together, is a relatively new conceptand is offered at Maple Creek. Often, onespouse requires assistance with daily liv-ing and the other needs help providingthat care. Within about a year of becom-ing available, Catered Living Plus wasnearly filled to capacity. While couplesmay have to move from their home, theycan continue to live and function togetherwith the piece of mind that assistance isalways nearby.

Personalizing care for residents alsoincludes a spiritual aspect. Many adultcare systems offer worship services, Biblestudies, and one-on-one spiritual support.Maple Creek, a Lutheran institution, pro-vides spiritual care that is respectful topersons of all religious backgrounds. Infact, a majority of its residents are not

Lutheran. Reverend Becky Ebb-Speese isone chaplain for 300-350 residents, butcoordinates volunteers and connects witharea churches and pastors for support,among many other duties.

Memory care is a growing challengefor providers. Reverend Ebb-Speese hasundergone specialized education forworking with dementia patients. It’simportant, she says, to understand eachpatient’s religious background. Becausethe long-term memory of memory-carepatients is typically strong, she works tobring them experiences and prayers con-nected to their own childhood memories.For example, she might use the Lord’sPrayer, a rosary, or old hymns.

Collaboration between organizationsis a challenge in the healthcare industry.With pressure on hospitals to controlMedicare costs, patients are being dis-charged more quickly and often mustenter into AL, nursing homes, or use theservices of a homecare agency. Adult careproviders are challenged to provide thebest care at the lowest cost. “With healthcare reform and the onset of AccountableCare Organizations,” Susan Decker says,“it will be challenging for some healthcare providers to stand alone.Collaboration is key to success.”

People are living healthier longer.Quality of life in later years means contin-uing to enjoy a broad range of activities.AL and homecare options provide thosewith need for assistance the opportunityto continue to live an active and fulfillinglifestyle – at least for those who can affordit. The greatest challenge is and will con-tinue to be finding ways to meet the med-ical, social, and emotional needs of finan-cially limited seniors – a challenge facedby government, individuals, and careproviders alike.

* Based on a double occupancy room,per person costs

Source: www.skillednursingfacili-ties.org

Cristina is a high school mathteacher and aspiring writer.

Curbside Trash & Waste Services:Trash Cart • Yard Waste Cart • Recycle Cart866-669 2047 Jenison, Michigan

7Employee Benefits –

Full CircleBy Jim Alton

While most of our collective attentionis being directed toward the AffordableCare Act and its impact, savvy employersare maximizing the event to discover newways of providing protection for theiremployees which, after all, is a primarytenet of any employee benefit strategy.Considering that most, a full 79%, ofemployers strongly support offering a fullcompliment of employee benefits, we areseeing a trend away from the traditionalmodel of pre-purchasing benefits to oneof managing employee risk.

Employers are becoming less con-cerned about the name of the insurancecompany on the insurance card and moreconcerned about discovering logical andsustainable solutions. Nearly all employ-ers have, or will migrate to a highdeductible plan design in an effort to har-vest premium savings by way of benefitdecrements and either reinvest or reservethe savings. The spirit of this design is tostrip “non-essential benefits” while stilloffering financial protection for ouremployees. Do we really need bloated,inefficient and overpriced carriers toaccomplish our RISK MANAGEMENTobjectives? Today’s transformationalchanges in employee benefits are collidingwith the objectives of employers and theiremployees. We should explore all OPPOR-TUNITIES, some of which have been star-ing us in the face.

Considerations:• Self-Funding: considerable misun-

derstanding of risk due to poor education• Captives: exploding as employers

are experiencing 20-30% savings•Work-site Strategies: quickly evolv-

ing products, a competitive landscape andsignificant communication opportunity

• Wellness: no cost options thataccomplish primary identification objec-tives

• Communication Strategies: employ-ees are starving for customized, multi-medium annual campaigns that provideclarity

• Technology: efficient way to driveself service

Let us remind ourselves of all the rea-sons we offer benefits in the first place; toprotect our assets (employees), to recruitand retain best in class employees, to getand stay productive, to enhance our cultur-al brand, and to claim the goodwill deriva-tive of doing the right thing. We are at a“Tipping Point” as it relates to employeebenefit strategies. Let us seek the OPPOR-TUNITIES that exist to re-engineer ourstrategies based on OUR OBJECTIVES, NOTTHEIRS. “Tipping Points” have alwaysdriven innovation. Let us clear the whiteboard and begin again.

Jim Alton is President of AcrisureBenefits Group at 5664 Prairie CreekDrive se, Caledonia, MIU 49316. For moreinformation call 800-748-0351.

Current Business Trends:Slightly Negative

Grand Rapids - The greater GrandRapids industrial economy is slightly neg-ative, according to the results of a month-ly survey compiled by Brian G. Long,director of Supply Management Researchin the Seidman College of Business atGrand Valley State University.

The survey results are based on datacollected during the last two weeks ofAugust.

The survey’s index of businessimprovement, called new orders, turnedmodestly negative at -4, down from +7last month. The production index eased to-6 from +17. The employment index fellto +0 from +21, the lowest reading sinceJanuary of 2010.

“The ‘plateauing’ continues for localindustrial groups,” said Long. “Despite

industry predictions to the contrary, 2013is not turning out to be a boom year forthe office furniture business. Most firmsare stable and profitable.”

Long said automotive parts producersare near peak production for the new modelyear and the recent strong auto sales reportsbode well for the future. He said new busi-ness will probably not come to the autoparts industry until October or Novemberwhen the major firms begin assessing theacceptance of their 2014 models.

“Because of the summer vacationseason, many of our industrial distribu-tors came in a little lower than expected,”Long said. With September comes a back-to-work sentiment for many firms, so dis-tributors will probably see business pickup for September.”

8Construction BriefsGrand Rapids – First tenant of the newlyrenovated historic Harris Building (111 S.Division), Local Epicurean - organic pastacompany from locally sourced ingredients -is open for business. Shoppers can alsofind gourmet pasta sauces, meats, cheeses,and a variety of other unique foods andingredients. Future plans for the Local

Epicurean include a restaurant and teach-ing kitchen. Developer Harris Lofts, LLC,general contractor Wolverine BuildingGroup, and architect Landmark Designwere behind the renovation of the nearly110-year-old building, a Grand Rapidslandmark with a distinctive marquee sign.

Grand Rapids – Denise Hopkins, ownerof ImaginEco Design, announced hernew design packages that take exclusivi-ty out of architecture, interior and land-scape designs. Her Design Packages startwith a 3-hour in-office or in-home per-sonal consultation to discuss planningyour interior spaces, color palettes foryour home’s exterior or interior, or gardenmakeover. Then you’ll receive a DesignPlan of Action summarizing your person-al consultation with samples of recom-mended materials and colors. Lansing – The American Council ofEngineering Companies of Michiganannounced its 2013-2014 Officers:President - John Hiltz, OHM Advisors(Livonia); President-Elect - Amy Trahey,Great Lakes Engineering Group, LLC(Lansing); Treasurer - Michael Cooper,Harley Ellis Devereaux (Southfield);National Director - Wally Alix, Hubbell,Roth & Clark, Inc. (Bloomfield Hills);and Past-President - Keith Swaffar, NTHConsultants, LTD (Detroit). 2013-2014Board of Directors: Chris Cook,Abonmarche (Benton Harbor); ThomasDeneau, Wightman & Associates, Inc.(Benton Harbor); Steve Gravlin, WadeTrim (Taylor); Sean Kelley, MannikSmith Group, Inc. (Canton); MarkKramer, Soil and Materials Engineers,Inc. (Plymouth); Steve Nichols,Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber(Grand Rapids); Stephen Pangori,

A n d e r s o n ,Eckstein &Westrick, Inc.( S h e l b yT o w n s h i p ) ;Theresa Petko,AICP, URS(Grand Rapids);Jack Wheatley,R O W EP r o f e s s i o n a lS e r v i c e sCompany (Flint);and RobertRayl, RSEng i n e e r i n g ,LLC (Lansing).

Kalamazoo –CSM Groupannounced pro-motion of RyanLong to ProjectDirector, and willbe responsible foroverall manage-ment direction ofexisting projects.

Kalamazoo – Signature Associates, aCushman and Wakefield AllianceMember, announced Eric Holdorf joinedtheir West Michigan team as SalesAssociate.

Grand Rapids – Signature Associatesannounced Tyler Johnson joined theirWest Michigan team as Sales Associate,specializing in office properties.

Grand Rapids – Progressive AEannounced Bryan W. Koehn, AIA,Director of Design, earned DistinguishedArchitecture Alumni Award fromLawrence Technological University.

Kalamazoo - Signature Associates hasnegotiated the lease of 2,200 square feetof medical office space located at 5136Lovers Lane, Portage for the tenant,Physicians Toxicology, LLC.

Ann Arbor – Hobbs + Black Associates,Inc., announced the opening of TucsonMedical Center West Pavilion in Tucson,AZ, a tremendous building programencompassing multiple projects, includingconstruction of a new west hospital, andnew five-story parking structure.

West Michigan - Signature Associateshas negotiated:• the lease of 15,000 SF of industrialspace located at 5121 East ML Avenue,Kalamazoo for the tenant, Mall CityContainers, Inc.• the sale of a 6,300 SF industrial buildinglocated at 1236 8th Street, Muskegon,Michigan to CMN Enterprises, LLC. for theseller, J. Crew Partnership• the lease of 54,000 SF of industrialspace located at 1450 E. Laketon,Muskegon for the represented the tenant,Intracity Dispatch, Inc.• the sale of an 11,552 SF office buildinglocated at 6331 Kenowa Avenue SW,Grandville to Real Estate Management,Inc. for the seller, Auto Club Insurance.

Grand Rapids – Gains Spohn, experi-enced in Phase I and II assessments, andasbestos abatement projects, and LucasWright, background as a hydrogeologistand drilling assistant, joined ASTIsWestern Great Lakes office.

Lansing – Clark Construction Companywas included on a list of top 25 privatelyheld companies in Greater Michigan, ascompiled by Crain’s Detroit Business, andwas published in the most recent editionof Crain’s Magazine.

Priority Health and BlueCross Blue Shield

Continued from page 5

Connolly says, “The state is dividedinto 13 regions, and there may be differ-ent options, carriers and different cover-age plans depending on the consumer’sregion.”

Once the plans are revealed onOctober 1, there will be web-basedenrollees who will be available to guidepeople through the process of choosingtheir coverage. Consumers can also godirectly to the carriers to receive infor-mation and assistance.

Connolly adds, “We know whatwe’re charging, but we won’t know whatthe competition is offering until October1, just like everyone else.”

He continues, “This is a hugechange. It may well be the largest pieceof legislation passed since the advent ofsocial security. We are urging people tobecome more engaged in their ownhealthcare, educate themselves abouttheir options and make wise choicesbased on their research.”

Dallafior wants to make sure peopleunderstand that BCBSM is ready to helppeople through the process, whateverproduct they ultimately choose.

There is much more information atwww.healthcarereformbasics.com andwww.bcbsm.com

Jane Whittington is a freelancewriter and editor who lives in GrandRapids.

9Custer: Office Furniture and So Much More

By Jane Whittington

For close to 30 years, Custer has beenoffering excellence in the creation of busi-ness spaces that combine innovativedesign, meticulous planning and flawlessexecution. Well-known as a supplier ofoffice furniture, they have, over the years,evolved into a business that also providesdesign services, architectural products andoffice technology. The office of today is fardifferent than it was 30 years ago, but, asthe vision of work spaces has changed,Custer has kept pace and is uniquely qual-ified to bring that vision to life.

Dave Custer, President and CEO, says,“My first job out of college was working forSteelcase. During my years with them, Iworked in several locations, includingAtlanta, Nashville and Detroit. During therecession of the early 80s, I was working inDetroit as a regional sales manager at thelargest Steelcase dealership in the country.Due to economic conditions, that dealer-ship, along with others throughout thecountry, closed down. My wife and I want-ed to return to our hometown of GrandRapids, and, in the back of my mind, I hadalways wanted to become an entrepreneurand start my own business. This was theperfect opportunity, despite economicuncertainty, to start my own company inGrand Rapids. I loved working at Steelcase

and this was a way to still work with thembut have my own business. Our ties toSteelcase remain strong.”

He continues, “We sell 200 lines ofoffice furnishings, but Steelcase is 70 to80 percent of our volume. We buy fromthem and then sell those products to ourcustomers. We sell to companies in WestMichigan and into the Upper Peninsula.”

Their current facility in downtownGrand Rapids was purchased about tenyears ago. It had been vacant for sometime and was in poor condition. But itgave the Custer organization an opportu-nity to combine their warehouse, retailstore and administrative offices in onelocation and also to create a work envi-ronment that would highlight their ownservices and products. Today, the buildingis light and airy, yet it still maintains itshistoric integrity.

Dave’s three adult sons, Mark, Scottand Todd, work with their father in thebusiness. According to Scott, “We helpedout with the business while we weregrowing up, but, after college, our dadwanted us to work for five years outsideof the family business in order to get adifferent perspective. There were noexpectations and certainly no mandatethat we return to this business, but we allchose to do so.”

Dave says, “Custer isn’t just in the

business of selling furniture though. Wehave over 20 graduate designers who willcreate the entire office environment, com-plete with furniture and also carpet, win-dow treatments, art, architectural ele-ments like moveable panels, glass wallsand everything that goes into making thatspace not just effective and efficient but aplace people will want to work.”

He continues, “Today’s employeeswork differently than those in the past.There’s much more technology involved,more collaboration, people working ingroups and sharing ideas. The office oftoday is open and includes areas wherepeople can work together. “

Scott adds, “We also have to createspaces where technology is accessible.While we don’t set up computer systems,we make sure that technology is at every-one’s fingertips. We have audio-visualexperts who can create the accessibilitytoday’s workers want and need.”

According to Mark, “We do very little

residential work although we can set uphome offices for people. Besides businessand industry, we work a lot with educa-tional institutions, from kindergartens allthe way through universities, and withhealthcare facilities.”

Dave is starting to step back from theday-to-day running of the business, andhis sons are assuming more responsibili-ty. According to Mark, “We do have jobtitles, but we all do a little bit of every-thing, and our roles are evolving as we goforward.”

He continues, “We want people tounderstand that we are not just a furni-ture company but much more. As wemove forward, we will continue to provideall the products and services that go intocreating the workplace of today.”

Jane Whittington is a freelance writerand editor who lives in Grand Rapids.

10

New Report Provides Solutions to State Public PensionFour states highlighted for strong

public pension reforms; States face an esti-mated $730 billion to $4.4 trillion inunfunded pension liabilities

Washington, D.C. - A new reportreleased today by the AmericanLegislative Exchange Council highlightskey states as models of effective pensionreform and provides short- and long-termsolutions for state pension liabilities,which are estimated to be as high as $4.4trillion.

Nearly 90 percent of public sectoremployees participate in defined-benefitpension plans, which differ from their pri-vate-sector counterparts, whose pensionsoverwhelmingly consist of 401k-typeplans. Due to the market crash of 2008,only 60 percent of public pension plansreceived their annual required contribu-tions the following year, and even the bestfunded pension systems were threatenedwith massive liabilities.

“There has been a growing move-

ment in the states to abandon defined-benefit pension plans, with their trillionsof dollars in unfunded liabilities, andtransition to 401k-style plans for newstate workers,” said Jonathan Williams,director of the American LegislativeExchange Council Center for State FiscalReform. “Private sector employers shiftedinto defined-contribution plans years ago.Cities like Detroit and states likeCalifornia will continue to reap the conse-quences if governments fail to fundamen-tally reform their pension systems.”

The report, Keeping the Promise:State Solutions for Government PensionReform, highlights Utah, Michigan,Alaska and Rhode Island as examples ofstates that adopted effective pensionreform. Additionally, the report analyzesdefined-benefit, defined-contribution andcash-balance plans and presents a rangeof pension reform solutions and policiesthat can help state lawmakers balancetheir budgets while securing retirementfunding for Americans.

“Lawmakers on both side of the aisleknow we cannot grow out of this prob-lem,” said report author Dan Liljenquist, aformer Utah state senator. “State policy-makers must first recognize the scope andsize of the problems with funding states’pension plans and understand to fulfillexisting pension promises and avoidbankruptcy, essential changes must bemade.”

The report includes a guide to modelpolicies and a series of useful resourcesdesigned to help legislators—especiallynew legislators—navigate the intricatedetails of public pension policies. Thereport also contains a detailed sectionestablishing principles for pensionreform.

Principles for Pension Reform:• Pension reform should remove the

risk that states will go functionally bank-rupt due to pension obligations

• Pension reform should make surethat commitments and obligations to cur-rent workers are fulfilled

• Pension plans should be pre-dictable and defined

• The public (taxpayers) should notbear all the risk of pension plans

• No pension plan should be exemptfrom scrutiny

• Retirement plans should not lockemployees into the public sector

“States face serious consequences ifthey do not restructure public pensions,”said Sen. Liljenquist. “In California, citiessuch as Stockton and San Bernardinodeclared bankruptcy, and in Illinois, thestate was charged by Securities andExchange Commission for securitiesfraud. State lawmakers can use this infor-mation to reform policies to ensure thatupon retirement, their current and futureconstituents will have the benefits theydeserve.”

To view a copy of the report, pleasevisit www.alec.org/keepingthepromise.

Corporate Investment, Income Growth Needed toPower Full-Steam Recovery

Atlanta, GA – Job gains, strong autosales and a rise in housing starts, offsetby poor income growth, consumer cau-tion and ongoing political uncertaintythat will continue to hinder corporateinvestment in coming quarters is foster-ing “a challenging economic recovery,”according to Rajeev Dhawan of theEconomic Forecasting Center at GeorgiaState University’s Robinson College ofBusiness.

Auto sales, for example, are sub-stantially above an annual rate of 15.0million for the year, a level at which theforecaster had previously predicted that astrong economic recovery will take hold.“But car manufacturers needed to clearout an inventory buildup and consumersresponded to the resultant price drops by

buying,” he says. “Thus, the growth inauto sales is not fully indicative of aproper recovery that is gaining steam,but of special circumstances.”

The other key component of the eco-nomic recovery, home prices and housingstarts, also comes with an asterisk,Dhawan says, due to a seeming changein the multiplier effect. The effect, whichis triggered by new construction, typical-ly cascades from banks to builders tosuppliers and finally to buyers, who pur-chase home accessories for their new res-idences. The last leg of the multiplier,home goods purchases, appears weaker,Dhawan says. “People are now utilityshoppers. If you don’t give them deals,they will move into their new houseswith old goods.”

The forecaster attributes thisrestraint in discretionary spending inpart to somewhat higher gas prices, butsays the cautiousness basically boilsdown to the second basic lesson of fore-casting. “Spending is determined by dis-posable income.” Home prices are risingand consumer morale is lifting, but onlyso far. “The sticking point is incomegrowth,” says Dhawan. “It’s running at3%, half of what it was in 2011.”

Increasing income growth willrequire the creation of what Dhawanterms “catalyst jobs” in the arenas ofmanufacturing, scientific, corporate, ITand healthcare sectors, a developmentthat will remain in limbo until a palatableCongressional budget deal (anticipatedby year-end) is struck and corporationsare more willing to invest.

In the meantime, exports offer noprospect for an economic quick fix.“Although things are not getting anyworse in Europe, our largest trading part-ner is a long way from being able to carryits weight.” Dhawan added that “China ishaving trouble jumpstarting its economy,due in no small part to the ongoing reces-sion in Europe that has reduced demand

for its products.”Highlights from the Economic

Forecasting Center’s National Report• Real GDP grew 1.4% in the first

half of 2013 and will grow only 1.6% inthe second half, for an annual average of1.4%. It will expand at 2.1% in 2014 andat a stronger rate of 2.9% in 2015.

• Private fixed investment willgrow by a weak 2.5% in 2013, expand by4.9% in 2014 and increase by a strong6.5% in 2015. In the second half of 2013,the economy will add jobs at a monthlyrate of 150,000, which will improve to177,000 new jobs per month in 2014,and rise further to 200,000 jobs permonth in 2015. The unemployment ratewill finally drop below 7% in late 2015.

• Housing starts will average0.962 million units in 2013, rising to1.144 million units in 2014 and 1.306million units in 2015. Auto sales willaverage 15.3 million units in 2013 and2014, then improve to 15.5 million unitsin 2015.

• The 10-year bond rate will riseto 3.3% by mid-2014. It will not cross the4% threshold during the forecast period(end of 2015).

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11I Do: The Business of Weddings

By Jane Whittington

Weddings are joyous occasions. Theblushing bride, the beaming bridegroom,the proud parents, happy friends and rela-tives—all come together to celebrate thejoining of two lives. Who doesn’t love awedding?

Romantic, yes, but weddings are alsobig business. IBISWorld, the world’slargest independent publisher of U.S.industry research, reported in 2013,“Recovering disposable incomes areencouraging consumers to boost theirspending on wedding festivities, whichthey held back on during the recession.With average spending on weddings onthe rise, the massive $50.6 billion wed-ding services industry is expected to grow2.3 percent in the next five years.”

Every year, XO Group, the creator ofthe top two wedding websites,TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel,releases the results of a survey of 18,000US couples married each year. In early2013, they reported their findings. Theysaid, “In 2012, wedding budgets are con-tinuing to rise to an all-time high since2008. Couples are increasingly less con-cerned with the economy and are comfort-able investing more than ever in the once-in-a-lifetime experience of planning theirwedding and making it a fabulous experi-ence for their guests.”

In 2012, they reported that the aver-age wedding budget was $28,427, notincluding the honeymoon.

Couples looking forward to a wed-ding in the Grand Rapids area have innu-merable details to consider in planningthe perfect day.

VenueA fragrant Victorian garden, a

sparkling waterfall, a soaring atrium, ameadow dotted with wildflowers—any ofthese would be a perfect spot for a wed-ding and reception. Luckily for those of usin Grand Rapids, they are all at one place!Meijer Gardens has become a popularvenue for weddings year-round althoughAnnemarie Smartz, Facility RentalManager, says that June and Septemberare the most popular months.

Smartz says, “Every year, we holdabout 135 wedding related events. Mostof our couples will have both their wed-ding and reception here, and we can doeither or both. Our main building has 15rental spaces, and couples can evenchoose to rent the entire building. And, ofcourse, we have six beautiful outdooroptions, including the most popular, oursculpture garden waterfall. We offer spacefor an intimate wedding, or we can

accommodate up to 650.”She continues, “We provide the com-

plete package: a bridal dressing area, atram ride to some of our locations, whitegarden chairs, an outside sound systemfor the vows and a reception space.”

Meijer Gardens’ brides and groomscan choose to use The Taste of theGardens Catering or one of three recom-mended vendors. The Gardens also pro-vides a list of other area professionalswho have provided goods and servicessuccessfully through the years. A staff ofexperienced event coordinators workswith clients in coordinating all the details.

Smartz says, “In 2012, we brokeground on The Richard and Helen DeVosJapanese Garden, and it is scheduled toopen in 2015. It will include waterfalls,scenic bridges and stunning horticulture.It will be a wonderful place for a weddingand will convey the essence of theJapanese tradition—tranquility, simplicityand beauty.”

CateringMartha’s Catering partners with

Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Bakeryto put together the perfect menu for thatspecial day. According to JenniferBehrens, assistant catering manager, “Wecan cater up to three weddings on a singleday. We provide the serving staff, bar-tenders, dishes, linens and, of course, allthe food and drink for the reception.While most weddings we cater have about150-200 guests, we’re happy to do small-er or larger. We’ve worked in venues allover town, including St. Cecelia’s, theGrand Rapids Art Museum and UICA.”

She continues, “We will work with ourclients to provide just exactly what theywant, or they can choose from the menuitems we have found most people like.”

Martha’s Catering also offers a widerange of wedding cake choices. Accordingto Behrens, “Most people choose to havea wedding cake for their guests (the mostpopular is the ‘Lady in Red’, a white cakewith a cheesecake center and raspberrymousse), but some brides are going withless conventional choices like cupcakes ormini-desserts. While we do both buffetand plated dinners, another trend we’veseen is serving dinner family-style.”

She adds, “Nantucket Bakery isknown for great pizza, and we offer theoption of a late night pizza delivery tokeep the party going!”

Wedding PlannersAletha VanderMaas founded Pearls

Events in 2007 to help brides create themost beautiful wedding and receptionpossible. She says, “I work with vendorsto supply table settings and centerpieces.I come up with the design ideas in part-nership with my clients and then make ithappen using vendors that I know to beexcellent at their professions.”

She continues, “Some of my brideshave known for years exactly what theirweddings will look like, and I help realizethat vision. Others come in with no ideawhat they want, so we work from scratch.I always want a wedding to reflect thecouple, so that’s what we strive to do.”

She says, “The most common words

I hear from my brides as they describewhat they want are elegant, fun, simple,memorable and unique.”

She notes that grooms are becomingmore involved in the wedding planning and,in fact, recently worked with a groom whoplanned the entire wedding, start to finish.

VanderMaas says, “People and rela-tionships are my passion and planningweddings is something that comes natu-rally to me. I love what I do and I love myclients. And I love weddings!”

FlowersLudema’s Floral and Garden has been

in Grand Rapids for five generations, andAllison Ludema says, “I was raised in thebusiness and have been in the greenhouseever since I can remember. I started train-ing in the floral department when I was 13and started wedding work when I was 15.”

Ludema’s now has the main store at3408 Eastern and has opened a smallflower shop in East Hills called NewDesign Floral.

Ludema says, “We tend to averageabout 70-85 weddings a year. We offereverything from a detailed consultation toa personalized plan for each of our clients.This includes all floral needs. We also dothe set-up, transport flowers from thewedding to the reception and take care ofeverything at the end of the event.”

According to Ludema, “This year thepopular flowers seem to be those with alot of texture such as ranunculus and suc-culents and oversized blossoms such aspeonies, English garden roses,hydrangeas and dahlias.”

She continues, “We create somethingunique for each of our weddings. I lovethe idea of our brides looking at theirwedding pictures years after and knowingthat their flowers are not the same as any-one else’s. I create flowers that reflect myclients’ personalities, fit the theme of thewedding and fit into their budget.Creating a plan and a vision for my clientsis a magical thing, and I am so lucky to beable to do something that I love!”

Continued on page 14

Toll Free 800-968-8608

Fax 616-997-7263modernofficeinteriors.com

12Disaster Recover 101

Reducing the Impact of Water-Damage EventsBy Tom McGuire

Fortunately, most building ownersand facility managers will never experi-ence a major catastrophe that appears onCNN or The Weather Channel.Nonetheless, thousands of commercialand industrial buildings each year aredamaged by unforeseen events such as aburst water pipe, seepage, fire sprinklerflooding or cascades of water from arainstorm. These more common eventshappen without even creating a blip onthe media radar.

Whenever such an event occurs, theresults can be operationally and finan-cially disastrous. Potential risks includedestruction of interior structural materi-als and equipment; files disruption; fur-ther damage from humidity; and, if wateris not abated quickly, microbial damage.

When an incident occurs, twoimportant elements are required – a quickresponse and a professional recovery.Securing a restoration professional willhelp alleviate what industry insiders callthe “the disaster after the disaster.”Doing so requires careful planning andunderstanding of factors that include:

· Having a disaster recovery plan in

place· Designating first responders· Responding quickly to minimize

damage· Stabilizing and drying the facility· The restoration of materialsPlan in Advance of DisasterNever underestimate the power of

planning. The best insurance against cat-astrophic loss of vital documents andother materials is to be prepared inadvance. Having a Disaster RecoveryPlan (DRP) in place is essential to a suc-cessful recovery process, and can limitthe extent of damage by defining and pri-oritizing the recovery steps.

A DRP also designates the profes-sional disaster restoration servicesprovider you will summon when an inci-dent occurs. A professional responderwill guide you through the developmentof a recovery plan free of charge. Youalso can utilize the web to find examplesof recovery plans in use by companieslike yours.

Designate First Response TeamFirst, one cannot manage a disaster

recovery by committee. A committee maywaste hours trying to make a decision at atime when there is not a second to waste.

Select a leader at the company who is botha level-headed decision maker and some-one that your team will respect to lead therecovery operation.Then, surround the leaddecision maker with a team of first respon-ders who will spring into action to get thejob done. Avoid the “warm body” syn-drome of making everyone participate;some people may not want to play a part, orthe disaster may have affected their homeand they have their own issues to face.

Secure pre-loss agreements withexpert contractors prior to the event.However, avoid agreements that cost youmoney, as a reputable restoration compa-ny will not charge for this service.

With a DRP in place, you will haveon speed dial an experienced restorationfirm that can get to work immediately. Itis a good idea to have relationships withseveral firms in case a future disaster iswidespread and the company you select-ed cannot respond in time.

Also, keep in mind that during awidespread event, key items such aspower generators may be difficult toobtain. It is very important for the pro-fessional restoration firm you choose inyour recovery plan to have the ability toprovide power. However, as a backup, besure to identify a generator company youcan contact if needed.

Know Insurance CoverageKnow your insurance coverage lim-

its. It is your responsibility to mitigatethe loss in the first hours. Be sure to doc-ument all of the damage by taking pic-tures and video of the damaged materi-als. Do not throw anything out withoutdocumentation and inventory.Remember, it may be several days before

your insurance adjuster arrives, so thecritical first steps are your responsibility.

Respond Quickly After EventAn immediate response is required

after a catastrophic event to stabilize theloss and mitigate damage. Activate yourteam and your professional consultant assoon as possible. Doing so will maximizerecovery of all contents such as invento-ry, machinery, furniture, carpeting, docu-ments and files, and will minimizereplacement costs, preserve good indoorair quality and control mold risks.Implement water extraction, if needed,and clean up immediately with your pro-fessional responders.

It is very important to involve yourdrying contractor after a water damageevent to help assess which items areworth restoration and which are betterreplaced. For example, replace damageditems that have lower costs associatedwith replacement. On the other hand,items that are difficult to replace or havea very high replacement cost validate therestoration effort.

Stabilize, Dry the BuildingYour professional restoration part-

ner will recommend the most effectiveoption to stabilize the building by utiliz-ing industrial dehumidifiers and quali-fied technicians.

As stabilization of the building isunderway, the document recoveryprocess, as needed, can commence. Arestoration expert should provide youwith the following services: vacuumfreeze drying, desiccant air drying, blastfreezing, and comprehensive cleaning.

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13Globally Engaged U.S. Companies Drive Jobs

and Investment in MichiganBusiness Roundtable’s State Studies

Detail Benefits of Pro-Growth Policies,including Comprehensive Tax Reform, forMichigan

Washington – Globally engaged U.S.companies are an engine for growth inMichigan, accounting for 56 percent ofMichigan’s private-sector economic out-put and 51 percent of its private-sectorjobs in 2011. Michigan’s economyincludes 831 U.S. companies that operateinternationally, competing in global mar-kets on a daily basis for capital and cus-tomers. Business Roundtable highlightsthese and other important facts about thebenefits of globally engaged U.S. compa-

nies to Michigan’s economy in a newstate-by-state analysis.

“Globally engaged U.S. companiesare a powerful engine for economicgrowth, supporting jobs and creating eco-nomic opportunity all across the UnitedStates,” said Business RoundtablePresident John Engler. “A more competi-tive U.S. tax system would help maximizethe positive economic benefits of thesebusinesses in Michigan and all 50 states.”

Drawing from new BusinessRoundtable research and U.S. governmentdata, the facts and figures highlighted inthe Michigan state analysis provide in-depth details on the benefits provided byU.S. businesses that operate internation-

ally. In Michigan, globally engaged U.S.companies:

• Added $192.1 billion to Michigan’sprivate-sector economy in 2011;

• Directly or indirectly supported 2.3million private-sector jobs; and

• Paid an average of $76,544 per jobin wages, salaries and benefits.

Globally engaged U.S. companiesoperate in a highly competitive globalmarketplace in which differences innational tax systems can be a decisivefactor in where companies choose toinvest. A more competitive U.S. corporatetax system can help sustain and expandthe critical contributions that these com-panies make to Michigan’s state economy,

local communities and working families.Approximately 26 percent of globally

engaged U.S. companies are classified bythe U.S. government as small businesses.Globally engaged U.S. companies – bothlarge and small – provide significant busi-ness to thousands of domestic suppliers,purchasing more than $8.0 trillion ingoods and services each year. They creategrowth and jobs in small- and medium-sized U.S. companies that are part of theirglobal supply networks. For example, thetypical globally engaged U.S. companybuys more than $3 billion in goods andservices from more than 6,000 Americansmall businesses, which represents over24 percent of its total input purchases.

Industrial BriefsAllegan – Perrigo announced: BradLake was hired as a DispensingSupervisor, and will facilitate efficient andeffective dispensing and samplingprocesses; Claire DeWitt was hired asTalent Acquisition Consultant and will beresponsible for managing the transferprocess and specialist hiring; Eric Nealwas hired as IT Internal Auditor for theGlobal Internal Audit & Compliance team.

Chicago – U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency announced Enbridge began a newround of dredging in Michigan’sKalamazoo River to clean up oil from thecompany’s July 2010 pipeline spill. Thecleanup work is required by EPA’s March2013 administrative order, which requiresEnbridge to complete additional dredgingby the end of the year above the CerescoDam, upstream of Battle Creek and inMorrow Lake Delta. While dredging isunderway, 12 miles of the river will betemporarily closed. During the past threeyears, nearly 190,000 cubic yards of oil-contaminated material, and 1.15 milliongallons of oil were recovered from the river.

Grand Rapids – Crystal Flash™announced it acquired C. Barron & Sons,Inc., in Monroe, bringing more than2,000 new customers, 28 new employees,and four new locations. This transactionis the sixth acquisition for Crystal Flashin the past 18 months, and will allow thecompany to expand its product lines, cus-tomer base, and geographic reach. Familyowned and operated for more than 60years, Barron provides fuel transportationservices to retail and commercial cus-

tomers throughout Michigan and intoNorthern Ohio, and carries a full line offuel products, lubricants and dieselexhaust fluids.

Belding – Stahlin Non-MetallicEnclosures announced it appointed DanStockton, Master Scheduler/ Senior Buyer;additionally Stahlin was selected byMichigan Business & ProfessionalAssociation as one of the “101 Best andBrightest Places To Work For” in WestMichigan; finally, Stahlin announcedappointment of U of M intern Brain Knoerlas Industrial Engineer.

Kalamazoo – Graybar, leading distributorof electrical, communications and datanetworking products, and provider ofrelated supply chain management andlogistics services, opened a new branch at3100 Covington Road, Kalamazoo, serv-ing Branch, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, andVan Buren Counties.

Grand Rapids/Rochester – Nichols andRubbermaid Commercial Products,leader in innovative, solutions-basedcommercial products, announced theywill host a BUILT TO LAST demo tour - amobile road show experience complete

with a showroom, stage, and interactivedemonstrations - August 21, 2013, atOakland University, 2200 Squirrel Rd,Rochester, and August 22, 2013, atMichigan Coatings, 3761 Eastern Ave SE,Grand Rapids.

Jackson – Consumers Energy reported itis eliminating its renewable energy sur-charge starting July 2014, subject toapproval by the Michigan Public ServiceCommission. Last year, Consumers cut itssurcharge from 65 cents to 52 cents - a20% reduction.

Industrial BriefsBelding – Stahlin Non-MetallicEnclosures, manufacturer of the world’smost frequently specified fiberglassenclosure products, welcomed Doug Hillas Applications Engineer.

Grand Rapids – The Right Place, Inc. - incollaboration with Michigan EconomicDevelopment Corporation, and CascadeTownship - announced Paris-basedTeleperformance, Inc., reached anagreement with all parties and will estab-lish a new customer support center at2680 Horizon Drive SE, Grand Rapids.With support from Michigan BusinessDevelopment Program, through a$600,000 performance-based grant,Teleperformance will invest a total of$3.79 million, creating 500 new full-timelocal positions including customer careagents, supervisors, trainers, and IT spe-cialists.

Kalamazoo – Landscape Forms will part-ner with Kojima Signalization andInteriors - a São Paulo-based manufac-turer - to import, manufacture and dis-tribute Landscape Forms’ products inBrazil.

Rockford – Wolverine Worldwideannounced appointment of Jodi K.Watson, Vice President of eCommerce, toPresident, Consumer Direct, reporting toBlake W. Krueger, Wolverine's Chairman,CEO, and President. Watson will beresponsible for direct-to-consumer opera-tions for Wolverine, including stores andeCommerce. Additionally, WolverineWorldwide announced appointment ofGene McCarthy as President of theMerrell brand, with more than 30 yearsexperience driving brands to acceleratedgrowth around the world.

Grand Rapids – David Morris, PhD, wasnamed Vice President and Publisher ofZondervan non-fiction trade books.Morris comes to Zondervan after leavinghis position of Vice President andEditorial Director for Guideposts Books.

Allegan – Perrigo announced MichaelBurgos was promoted as SAP BusinessAnalyst for the SAP Product LifecycleManagement, providing global SAPApplication support for Master Data,Quality Management, Regulatory Affairs,and Sales & Marketing business groups.

Grand Rapids – Cascade Engineeringannounced appointment of Judy Bland,Vice President of Manufacturing, and willbe responsible for providing strategicleadership and direction for all aspects ofmanufacturing for the CascadeEngineering Family of Companies, whichcomprises 12 business units.

Muskegon – Action Industrial Supplyacquired Reid Safety of Muskegon andTraverse City. Action’s family of compa-nies includes two Action locations inMuskegon and Grand Rapids, as well asSafety Products, division of ActionIndustrial Supply in Holland. The two for-mer Reid Safety locations will join SafetyProducts Holland location, and will oper-ate as Safety Products. Both Action andSafety Products carry a full line of indus-trial supplies.

Allegan – Perrigo announced AmandaCarter was promoted as OperationsManagement Trainee for the tablet pack-aging team and David Kissel was hiredas Production Engineer.

Grand Rapids – Supply Chain Solutions,Inc. announced it entered into an agree-ment to lease 70,000 sq. ft. at a ware-house facility in Carol Stream, Illinois.

Grand Rapids – PEN American Centerannounced winners and runners-up of2013 PEN Literary Awards, the mostcomprehensive literary awards programin the country: The Fantastic Jungles ofHenri Rousseau, written by MichelleMarkel, illustrated by Amanda Hall, andpublished by Eerdmans Books for YoungReaders, received a prize of $5,000 forPEN/Steven Kroll Award for Picture BookWriting.

Farmington Hills – Revolution LightingTechnologies, Inc. acquired RelumeTechnologies, a Beringea, LLC, portfoliocompany based in Oxford that manufac-turers outdoor LED products, and smartgrid control systems for outdoor lightingapplications. Beringea first invested inRelume in 2009; the exit is the fourth infive months for the private equity group,which includes Beringea’s London, UKaffiliate, Beringea, LLP.

Grand Rapids – DECC Company, coatingapplicator, made Inc. 500/5000 List of thenation’s fastest growing private compa-nies, coming in at number 2082, withposted sales growth of 179% over a threeyear period, and was number 64 out ofthe top 100 manufacturers on the list.

I Do: The Business ofWeddings

Continued from page 11DressIt’s all about the dress! Popular tele-

vision shows like “Say Yes to the Dress”and “I Found the Gown” reflect the impor-tance brides (and their mothers!) put onthe dress. Here in Grand Rapids, BridalElegance, locally owned and operated andcelebrating its 20th anniversary, has allthe latest styles not only for the bride butalso for the mother of the bride or groomand bridesmaids. They also sell promdresses and offer tuxedo rental.

Kristin Carlson, owner of BridalElegance, says, “We have over 1,500 bridaland bridesmaids gowns in our store includ-ing a private line of dresses that brideswon’t find anywhere else. We also offergowns from Casablanca, Maggie Sottero,Mon Cheri, Justin Alexander and Eddie K.Our most popular style in 2012 was a gownby Symphony Bridal gowns at the store canrange from as low as $25 on their salesrack to as high as $3,000 while brides-maids gowns range from $15 to $300.”

Carlson points out that dressesshould be ordered at least eight or ninemonths before the wedding. Alterations

are done in house.In terms of what’s trending for wed-

dings, Carlson says, “Strapless is still themost popular, but straps, sleeves andmermaid or fit and flair gowns are expect-ed to increase in popularity. Lace gownsare also going strong; however, currentshortages in lace may force the trends ina different direction. Current trends thatare not going to go away anytime soonare additions of colorful shoes and belts.”

She continues, “We go to the bridalmarkets in throughout the country tokeep up with the latest fashions and tomake sure our brides are seeing the bestselection of gowns for their special day.”

Along with all the details outlinedabove, brides and grooms have to consid-er invitations, photographers, music anda myriad of other important decisions.Grand Rapids and West Michigan havewonderful resources available to create aday that fulfills the dreams of any couple!

Jane Whittington is a freelancewriter and editor who lives in GrandRapids.

Disaster Recover 101Continued from page 12

An experienced provider will quick-ly identify the best recovery method for aparticular material, based on the value ofthe documents and the level of damage.For example, in the right circumstances,freezing documents can greatly reducethe time and cost of restoration.

To prevent further damage, water-damaged vital documents must be stabi-lized or frozen as soon as possible.Books must be packed out with the spinedown, packed tightly, and stored imme-diately in temperatures below -20degrees F.

A professional restoration companywill provide skilled technicians to man-age these processes and provide dailyreports documenting the progress andsuccess of the recovery project. It’sessential you feel comfortable with theirservices, and they should be the light atthe end of the tunnel of the recoveryprocess.

Know Your ExpectationsSome delicate items, such as paper,

will never return to pre-loss condition.Staining may remain on some pages, andthere may be a little wrinkling after thedrying process is complete. This is a nat-

ural result of the drying process andwater-damaged paper in general.However, as long as the information issaved, then copies can be made of theoriginals and the originals can be safelystored until needed.

Planning is KeyWhen it comes to the continuity of the

business, your top priorities are personnel,business data and the physical building.By developing a few critical plans before adisaster occurs and then by working close-ly with a drying contractor, you can reducethe interruption to your business, limitcosts to only what is necessary, and reducethe potential for more serious problemslater. Following the procedures detailed inthis article will help building owners, facil-ity managers and others avoid the “disas-ter after the disaster.”

Tom McGuire is president and man-aging director of The Solutions Company,LLC, a Florida-based disaster recoverycompany specializing in professionalproject management of vital documentrecovery, structural decontamination andexpert project consulting services. Formore information on The SolutionsCompany, visit www.thesolutionscompa-ny.us.com.

14

Communication & IT 15

Data Security in the 24/7 WorldBy Ryan Camp

In the next few years, emergingtechnological and social trends will havefar-reaching effects for enterprise securi-ty. Due to an era of globalization, out-dated boundaries continue to vanishbefore the unyielding pace of the 24/7world we live in today. In this new mind-set, being in business can translate intosomething completely different than whatit did in the past. For businesses it canmean the sharing of assets and sensitivedata with other businesses. The red linebetween integrated and segregation canalso draw a line between opportunity andrisk.

Today, businesses depend on tech-nology and processes to safeguard thatline from dangers so to protect data, theirimage and privacy. With the developmentof every piece of new technology, the linecan change ever so slightly. With busi-nesses trying to take advantage of theseprospects, single-minded people mayattempt to exploit vulnerabilities.Subsequently, the probability of evolvingtechnologies symbolizes a fundamentalchange in how businesses should tacklethe associated security risks.

VirtualizedFor years, businesses have been try-

ing to keep pace with changing technolo-gy needs by building data centers to pro-vide more energy-efficient infrastruc-tures. For many, scalability and reactingquickly is needed to support the evolu-tion of shared applications, and theexpected instability of service demands.Using an open infrastructure that utilizesvirtual pools of resources that are con-nected together gives businesses a sim-ple, quick and platform independentroute.

Having the capability to outline andstandardize groups of resources, cloudcomputing provides an opportunity torestructure and standardize the securitypractices within the business. That stan-dardization creates a streamlined processthat fuels itself since assets can be man-aged and allows many virtual assets tobecome more manageable.

New SecurityDue to the details of running multi-

faceted, specialized security assets, theneed for new security features is neces-sary, now more than ever. First, a busi-ness should choose how much access itwants to retain. Next, the size and diffi-

culty of an environment can deeply effectwhat security features a business choos-es. Some businesses have pretty simplesecurity needs. Then again, some busi-nesses have complex environments thatare able to rapidly adjust their setup asneeded. Some new ways to assist withsecurity are:

Deployable Devices. Devices aregrowing into a single “all-in-one” deliv-erable device that encompasses fullinstalls of OS, software and tools precon-figured to execute various tasks focusedon a single area of operation. They arealso becoming easier to handle due tosmaller physical and virtual forms.

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). Whilemany managed services have devotedframework for each customer, SaaS pro-vides many services in which a singledevice controls a service for different cus-tomers, delivering standardized serviceswith minimal configuring.

Data todayDaily, large amounts of information

flow across the internet. A benefit tosome, the information bonanza hasunfortunately created a nightmare forbusinesses with the explosion of data-bases along with an increase in dataleaks. This increases the probability forimproper use of intellectual data.

Businesses can anticipate a continu-ous push to reduce the risks of breaches.Consequently, this push should put focuson the need for administrative privacytools with the ability to mask data andwhere security of data lacks. This focuscan emphasize the need for encryption.Data security capabilities deliver agroundwork for business informationresources to improve to show the value ofdata and safeguard ones’ privacy.

Protecting the networkThe demand to provide high band-

width applications has shaped a racewithin businesses to meet growing needfor bandwidth. With current bandwidthand traffic hitting extraordinary levels,ISPs have less insight of the traffic tra-versing their networks. As more encryp-tion and virtualization policies come

about, it produces new networks insidethe server environment, making over-sight become more difficult.Consequently, network security shouldbecome more undetectable, due to emerg-ing attacks. Virtualized systems allow theprospect for hosts to commence attacksagainst other hosts. Battling theseattacks will need new intrusive protectiontools. Addressing these evolving threatsrequires an approach based on a highlyscalable, cooperating security systemswith integrated network, server and end-point protection technologies.

Mobile devicesOf all the emerging technologies,

mobile devices are a great example ofopportunity and risk coming together.With assorted designs and functions, andcapable of providing data and other serv-ices 24/7, the mobile device has and con-tinues to change the way everyone doesbusiness.

While devices are becoming theprevalent channel for conducting busi-ness and primary means for authentica-tion, they are increasingly subject to thesame types of security attacks, but areeven less mature at deflecting them.

Advances are needed in two crucialareas: mobile and ISP network security.With many devices being open sourced,network environments should be secureand free of exploitation. Since devices areprogressively susceptible to malware andother attacks, ISPs should supplementtheir network security by observing theirtraffic for threats while upholding peakservice levels. If businesses identify andreact to these trends, risk can be turnedinto opportunity. In spite of everything,it's how risk is handled that decideswhether or not a business endures in thealways changing world.

Ryan Camp, Systems Engineer atTrivalent Group, attended AquinasCollege for his undergrad studies inComputer Information Systems andreceived his Masters in InformationAssurance from Davenport.

16Education BriefsGrand Rapids – Grand Valley StateUniversity’s Dorothy A. Johnson Centerfor Philanthropy selected Beverly FranksGrant, LMSW, to be its first ever AssociateDirector, and will serve as the chief opera-tional leader, supporting Executive DirectorJames Edwards in key leadership projects,and maintaining client relationships withlocal, state and national foundations andorganizations.

Grand Rapids – Grand RapidsCommunity College ComputerInformation Systems Professor CherylKautz was awarded two 2013 BlackboardCatalyst awards for Exemplary CourseProgram from Blackboard Inc., a develop-er of educational software. Kautz receivedher first Catalyst Award in 2012.

Muskegon – Baker College Online willoffer two new programs beginning fall2013: Educational Effectiveness Master’sDegree (emphasizes improving studentlearning in an era of accountability withselection of P-12 education, or highereducation), and Political Science BachelorDegree. Registration is open for classesbeginning Thursday, September 26,2013.

Grand Rapids – For the second consecu-tive year, Davenport University was rec-ognized as a “Great College to Work For,”according to a new survey by TheChronicle of Higher Education.

Big Rapids – Ferris State University wel-comes new and returning Bulldogs to cam-pus for fall semester. Returning studentswill find some changes on campus withconstruction under way on the newUniversity Center, a $33.9 million projectslated for completion in December 2014.Carlisle and Masselink residence halls weredemolished, and renovation of the RankinStudent Center began earlier this summer.The Ferris Bookstore and academic andsupport services, previously housed inRankin Center, were temporarily relocatedto 14265 Northland Drive, across the streetfrom Ferris’ Racquet and Fitness Center.Westside Café will open in the formerCenter Ice dining facility; Center forLeadership, Activities and Career Services,and offices for Student Government andEntertainment Unlimited are temporarilylocated on the terrace level of Helen FerrisHall; Housing and Residence Life, TransferServices Center, Veterans Program, FirstLady's Attic, and Bulldog Radio are on thehall’s first floor; and the Torch studentnewspaper was moved to the StudentRecreation Center.

Lansing – The U.S. Court of Appeals forthe Sixth Circuit affirmed the dismissal ofa lawsuit brought by several graduates ofThomas M. Cooley Law School, whoclaimed the law school misrepresentedthe percentage of its graduates whoobtain legal employment after graduation.The Court of Appeals agreed with a lowercourt that the plaintiffs could not proveCooley’s reported employment statisticswere false because the numbers Cooleyreported were instead, literally true.

East Lansing – Leaders at MichiganState University are preparing to feed ahungry world while respecting the envi-ronment, training young people for suc-cess, keeping Michigan healthy, and help-ing communities thrive, by embarking ona “What’s Now? What’s Next?” tour togather input from residents about futurepriorities of Michigan’s premier land-grant institution. Poston is one of fourMSU leaders who will be available to talkwith residents during the tour, and will bejoined by MSU Extension Director TomCoon; AgBioResearch Director DougBuhler; and Associate Dean for Academicand Student Affairs for CANR KellyMillenbah.

Albion – Kellogg Community Collegebroke ground for at the Eastern AcademicCenter (EAC), an educational facilityexpanding this year to accommodateenrollment growth. After the ground-breaking, contractors will begin construc-tion on a 4,608-square-foot addition tothe EAC to add classrooms, seminarroom, and office space, and is expected toopen January 2014, to serve growingnumbers of KCC students, and MarshallPublic Schools, which operates an alter-native high school on the site. The pro-ject’s general contractor, Walbridge, pre-dicts the work will provide job opportuni-ties for 75 trades’ workers during con-struction, with funding for the estimated$1 million project coming from localgrants, including a substantial gift fromMarshall-based Cronin Foundation, andKCC’s voter-approved capital millage.

Grand Rapids – Brian Miller, VicePresident for ITS and CIO at DavenportUniversity, was appointed by Dr. PatrickGallagher, Director of the U.S. CommerceDepartment’s National Institute ofStandards and Technology, to 2013 Boardof Examiners for the Malcolm BaldrigeNational Quality Award, and will beresponsible for reviewing and evaluatingapplications submitted for the BaldrigeAward.

Grand Rapids – After 36 years, UrbanInstitute for Contemporary Arts (UICA)is merging with Kendall College of Artand Design of Ferris State University;UICA will become a wholly-owned sub-sidary. Despite its new $8 million home inthe heart of Grand Rapids, UICA member-ship and attendance levels did not reachtheir potential, and was on a path to clos-ing its doors this fall. “UICA sits at theheart of the city,” noted Kendall PresidentDavid Rosen, and “provides a hub for allwho thrive in the creative environment.Any city that wants to be great needs aUICA.” David Eisler, President of Ferris,recognized the value of UICA to GrandRapids, and the natural affinity betweenit and Ferris’ prized art and design school,expressing “This merger reflects the com-mitment of Ferris State University andKendall College of Art and Design to thearts in West Michigan. The synergy ofthis new relationship will strengthen thecontemporary arts in our region.” Donors’extraordinary commitment to pay off debton the new building, and response of thecommunity to UICA’s mission, made themerger possible.

Grand Rapids – Kendall College of Artand Design of Ferris State Universityannounced Max Shangle is resigningfrom his position as Dean and willbecome President of Harrington Collegeof Design in Chicago.

Allendale – Grand Valley StateUniversity signed a reverse transferagreement with Kirtland CommunityCollege in Roscommon.

Kalamazoo – Kellogg CommunityCollege (KCC) formally broke ground atEastern Academic Center, an expandingeducational facility accommodatingenrollment growth in Albion andMarshall areas. The additional 4,608 sq.ft., which includes three classrooms, aseminar room, and office space, will openin January, with funding coming fromlocal grants, including a $500,000 giftfrom Marshall-based Cronin Foundation,and KCC's voter-approved capital millage.

Allendale – Grand Valley StateUniversity was named one of theCountry’s Greenest Universities by theSierra Club, largest national grassrootsenvironmental organization, by placing40th out of 162 schools - highest-rankingMichigan institution on the list - ahead ofPrinceton and Ohio State Universities.

Big Rapids – Thirteen Ferris StateUniversity students enrolled inOperation Excel Summer Bridge Program,earning 3.0 GPA or higher in the pro-gram, were awarded scholarships. Theshort-term Excel goal is for successfulstudents to address necessary develop-mental course needs by the first fallsemester, helping them become integratedwith their program faculty and classmatessooner, and saving at least one semesterof enrollment (valued at approximately$10,000 in 2013). Operation Excel initia-tive was a joint venture of theDevelopmental Programs department,Mathematics department, and ResidentialLife under the sponsorship of Retentionand Student Success unit in AcademicAffairs.

Kalamazoo – Kellogg CommunityCollege announced its Early ChildhoodEducation Program recently receivedaccreditation from National Associationfor the Education of Young Children.

Grand Rapids – Calvin College is one ofthe nation's best institutions for under-graduate education, according toPrinceton Review. The education servicescompany features Calvin in their recentlypublished 2014 edition of its annual col-lege guide, "The Best 378 Colleges."

Allendale – According to The PrincetonReview, Grand Valley State Universitywas named one of 155 colleges as “Bestin the Midwest” universities in the annu-al “2014 Best Colleges: Region by Regionin the Midwest.”

Grand Rapids – Aquinas College AlumniRelations Department won 2013 CASECircle of Excellence Silver Award in the“Programming for Special Constituencies”category for Aquinas Date Night 2013.

Grand Rapids – Grand Valley StateUniversity announced establishment ofW.K. Kellogg Community PhilanthropyChair, a position focused on communityphilanthropy within Grand Valley’sDorothy A. Johnson Center forPhilanthropy, to honor the legacy of phi-lanthropy and civic investment of W.K.Kellogg, founder of the Kellogg Companyand W.K. Kellogg Foundation in BattleCreek. The chair was established with a$1.5 million gift from the W.K. KelloggFoundation, and Kellogg Company 25-Year Employees’ Fund.

Want to Support Your Community?Try Shopping!

By Brad Smith

Looking for an enjoyable way tospend an afternoon while supporting yourcommunity and the economy as a whole?Go shopping.

When consumers shop locally, theircommunities benefit in multiple ways.More money stays in the area, and morelocal jobs are created. In addition, thrivinglocal economies tend to have strongerinfrastructures and lower crime rates.According to Independent We Stand, amovement of independent business own-ers across the country designed to informtheir communities about the importanceof shopping locally:

• Locally owned businesses rein-vest in the local economy at a 60% high-er rate than chains and

Internet retailers. • For every $100 spent at an

independent business, $68 returns to thelocal community. At a national chain, thatamount drops to $43.

• Small businesses representmore than 99.7% of all employers andaccount for 75% of all new jobs.

Many small business owners recog-nize the importance of the “Shop Local”movement to their business growth. In arecent survey by Constant Contact, Inc., 51percent of respondents felt that being local-ly owned and operated is a major reasonwhy customers support their businesstoday—up from the 42 percent who thoughtit was a major reason five years ago.

To that end, consumers might do wellto check out their local merchants beforebuying products online or from a chainstore. Many independent businesses willoffer competitive pricing or match anonline price, saving consumers both ship-ping charges and delivery time. Localmerchants provide personal service andmay offer specials to their loyal cus-tomers. Get to know the small businessowners in your community and you mayfind yourself “in the know” for sales andnew products before the rest of the crowd.

See if your favorite local businesseshave Facebook pages, and “Like” them ifthey do. It’s a great way to learn about newproduct offerings and sale dates. Manyeven hold contests with great prizes.

Here are seven easy ways to help youstart shopping locally:

1. Stop by an independentlyowned coffee shop for your morning cof-fee or tea. Often, these places also sellgoodies from local bakeries.

2. This summer, stop for ice creamor frozen yogurt at a locally owned shop.Many locally owned shops have specialtyflavors unique to them. The owner willappreciate your business and your tastebuds will, too.

3. Buy fresh, locally grown fruitsand vegetables at your neighborhoodfarmers’ markets. Many also have freshlybaked breads and pastries, local honey,and homemade crafts.

4. Skip the chain restaurants andtry a family-owned local eatery or a small-er, independent restaurant.

5. Buy pet food and supplies fromindependent pet food stores, whose own-ers are often more knowledgeable andinvested in their business than chainstore employees, and can help you findthe best products for your furry friends.

6. Encourage others to shop local-

ly by giving gift cards from local busi-nesses as gifts for weddings, birthdaysand other special occasions.

7. Keep in mind that while manyfranchises are national or regionalbrands, specific locations are often inde-pendently owned and, often, they arelocally owned.

Are you a business owner?Encourage community members to shoplocally by providing competitive pricesand excellent personal service, and show-ing your local customers how much youappreciate them. In addition, you can sup-port other local businesses by shoppingwith them, referring customers and part-nering with them to offer specials to thecommunity.

Brad Smith, who is currently touringthe United States in a Sage-branded RVencouraging people to shop local#SageShopLocal, has nearly 20 years ofleadership experience in the web con-sumer, enterprise software, and commu-nication service provider industries, span-ning sales and marketing, product man-agement and development, service archi-tecture, and service/support deliveryroles.

Lyme Disease Numbers 10Times Higher thanPreviously Reported

Southfield - The Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention released an esti-mate of the number of people diagnosedwith Lyme disease each year and theirnew estimate is 10 times higher than pre-viously reported.

While the CDC’s newest numbersestimate the number of Americans diag-nosed with Lyme disease each year isapproximately 300,000 people, veterinar-ians from Michigan Veterinary Specialists,a BluePearl Veterinary Partners hospital,want to remind people that their pets aresusceptible to Lyme disease as well.

Lyme disease is an infectious diseasecaused by bacteria that is carried andtransmitted by ticks.

Lyme disease can cause fatigue,fever, joint pain, kidney damage, lethargy,loss of appetite, neurologic disorders andtrouble walking. Lyme disease is treat-able, but as with most problems, thesooner it is caught, the better. If leftuntreated, it is potentially fatal.

Here are some things MVS andBluePearl doctors recommend to ensureyour pet is protected:

• Talk with your veterinarianabout vaccinating your pet against Lymedisease.

• Talk with your veterinarianabout the best way to prevent fleas and

ticks from latching on to your pet.• They may suggest an oral med-

ication where your pet is simply given apill once a month or they may encouragespot-on medications, medicated sham-poos, powders, tick dips or tick collars.

• Try to keep your pets indoors asmuch as possible and have your yard andhome treated.

• Inspect your pet for ticks if theyhave been outside near wooded areas.

• If a tick is found, take tweezersand remove the tick as close to the bodyof the pet as possible, trying to get thehead of the tick out.

• Keep an eye on your pet andlook out for any changes in behavior.

• If your pet is not acting right,take him or her to your veterinarian assoon as possible.

According to data provided by theCDC, Lyme disease is found throughoutthe continental U.S. but is found moreheavily in the Midwest and eastern U.S.

According to the CDC, 96% of Lymedisease cases in the U.S. were reportedfrom Connecticut, Delaware, Maine,Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota,New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia andWisconsin.

17

Review of Big Data

Provided by www.getabstract.com

Professor Viktor Mayer-Schönbergerand Economist data editor Kenneth Cukiermake sweeping claims about big data.The authors describe a tidal wave of data

that evokes crucial economic, medical andeven philosophical questions. This bookis so enthusiastic that you might need totake some of the claims with a grain ofsalt. That said, the pages crackle withenergy and describe implications foreveryone and every business. If only atenth of what the authors claim is true,they are describing a fundamental changein the world – and they underscore thefact that this is only the beginning of thebig data revolution. getAbstract recom-mends this futurist manifesto to thoseinterested in how technology changessociety, in cyberculture or intellectual his-tory, and to those who must deal, one wayor another, with big data.

Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, KennethCukier. Big Data: A Revolution That WillTransform How We Live, Work, andThink. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.256 pages. ISBN-13: 9780544002692.

getAbstract is the leading provider ofbusiness book summaries, with thou-sands of titles covered. www.getab-stract.com

18

Legal/Accounting/Consulting BriefsGrand Rapids – For the 13th consecutiveyear, law firm of Warner Norcross &Judd, LLP, awarded the following recipi-ents with academic scholarships to assistminority students from Michigan com-plete their law degree or paralegal stud-ies: Bernadette Walli of Pierson, andBrenda P. Garcia of Grand Rapids.

Grand Rapids – Open to the public,Echelbarger, Himebaugh, Tamm & Co.,P.C.’s, 27th annual “Chipping for Charity”golf outing will take place Wednesday,September 18, 2013, at Scott LakeCountry Club, 911 Hayes NE, ComstockPark, with proceeds benefiting South EndCommunity Outreach Ministries.

Grand Rapids – Axios, Inc., a 100%employee owned human resource compa-ny, is celebrating its 25th year in busi-ness. Founded May 1988, Axios had2012 sales of approximately$100,000,000, and co-employed nearly2300 full-time, and 4500 part-time peo-ple. Axios does business in 14 states,with the majority of its revenue generatedin Michigan.

Grand Rapids – Echelbarger,Himebaugh, Tamm & Co., PC, welcomedDavid R. Oesterle as Staff Accountant. Grand Rapids – National Association ofHealth Underwriters - an organizationof health insurance agents, brokers andprofessionals - installed its 2013-2014board naming Lighthouse GroupAccount Executive Denise R. VanPutten,CBC, as National Membership Chair.

Grand Rapids – Plante Moran FinancialAdvisors named Certified FinancialPlanner Amy Butterfield, as Associate,specializing in investment advising, taxplanning, business succession and estateplanning, trust administration, insuranceconsulting.

Lansing – Gallagher Law Firm attorneyJennifer Tichelaar was lead attorney rep-resenting a creditor in connection withobtaining a $9,674,057.18 judgment ofnon-dischargeability in BankruptcyCourt, which involved a failed casinodevelopment project in Nevada.

Grand Rapids – The Right Placeannounced addition of Eric Icard,Business Development Manager, and willbe responsible for business retention,expansion and attraction work.

Grand Rapids – Plante Moran, PLLC pro-moted: Ryan W. Bryker, CPA, toAssociate; Anthony J. Israels, CPA, toState and Local Tax Manager; TimVanWingerden, CPA, to Associate; andPaul Weis, to Manager.

Grand Rapids – Miller Johnsonannounced Michael B. Quinn andConnie R. Thacker received certificationas Family Law Arbitrators by AmericanAcademy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

Grand Rapids – Miller Johnsonannounced Laurie Murphy was namedby Michigan Lawyers Weekly as 2013“Michigan Women in the Law.”

Grand Rapids – Mika Meyers Beckett &Jones, PLC, welcomed two newAttorneys: Philip M. Idema, practicesfamily, business and real estate laws,estate planning, and probate, and DavidKeyser, practices family, criminal law.

Holland – Warner Norcross & Judd, LLP,partner Jennifer L. Remondino wasappointed to serve as Michigan WestCoast Chamber of Commerce BoardMember.

Michigan Home Broadband Adoption: More Work To Be Done

Lansing, MI – New data released byConnect Michigan today shows that inMichigan not all non-adopters of broad-band are of the same mindset. WhileMichiganders may recognize the value ofhigh-speed Internet access, pricing andthe level of digital literacy, significantlyimpact adoption.

“Michigan residents’ still face sever-al barriers to the adoption of broadband athome,” said Connect Michigan StateProgram Manager Eric Frederick. “Byworking to alleviate these barriers, resi-dents, businesses, and communities canexperience the benefits of broadbandincluding enhanced education, access to

government services, and improved com-munications.”

Among the key findings from thisreport:

Nearly three out of ten Michigan res-idents (29%) do not subscribe to broad-band service at home, representing nearly2.2 million adults in the state.

More than three out of ten Michiganadults who do not subscribe to homebroadband service (31% or 665,000adults) still go online, but only fromlocales outside of their home, such aswork or public computing centers atlibraries and schools.

Among all home broadband non-

adopters in Michigan, the biggest share ofnon-adopters (29%) say that the mainreason they do not subscribe to homebroadband service is because they do notsee enough value in being connected, orthey do not consider broadband relevantto their lives.

Non-adopters who only access theInternet at public computing centers arethe most likely to cite the cost of broad-band or the ease of accessing the Internetat locations other than home as the mainreasons why they do not subscribe athome.

Only one-third (33%), or approxi-mately 976,000 Michiganders who did

not subscribe to home broadband service,reported that they would be willing tosubscribe to broadband if it were offeredat a price that they deemed “reasonable.”

Connect Michigan conducted a sur-vey of 1,201 adult heads of householdsacross the state of Michigan in 2012 aswell as a survey with 2,400 non-adoptinghouseholds in 2011. The studies exam-ined the reasons residents did not sub-scribe to broadband, which populations inMichigan are less likely to subscribe, andthe implications of service pricing.

Michigan Retailers’ SalesProjections Remain Strong

Lansing – More Michigan retailersexpect sales to improve for the next threemonths, following a jump in their Julysales, according to the Michigan RetailIndex, a joint project of MichiganRetailers Association (MRA) and theFederal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

The Index’s future-outlook compo-nent rose to its highest level in 10 yearsduring July, while the improvement in cur-rent sales was the best in nearly threeyears.

“The retail industry’s overall per-formance increased significantly in Julyand retailers’ optimism grew evenstronger,” said James P. Hallan, MRApresident and CEO. “Consumers wereflexing their spending muscles after hold-ing back in June,” he said.

“The question now is whether salescan stay at this higher level or they willreturn to the roller-coaster pattern we’veseen all year,” he added.

The July Michigan Retail Indexfound that 53 percent of retailersincreased sales over the same month last

year, while 31 percent recorded declinesand 16 percent saw no change. Theresults create a seasonally adjusted per-formance index of 63.9, up from 47.7 inJune. A year ago July it was 56.1.

The Index gauges the performance ofthe state’s overall retail industry, based onmonthly surveys conducted by MRA andthe Federal Reserve. Index values above 50generally indicate positive activity; thehigher the number, the stronger the activi-ty.

Looking forward, 62 percent ofretailers expect sales duringAugust–October to increase over thesame period last year, while 13 percentproject a decrease and 25 percent nochange. That puts the seasonally adjust-ed outlook index at 82.0, up from 79.3 inJune and the highest since 88.2 inOctober 2004. A year ago July it stood at67.4.

At the national level, July retail salesexcluding autos, gasoline and buildingmaterials rose 0.5 percent, the biggestgain since last December, according to the

5 Tips for Becoming an Office All-Starby Joshua Coburn

With competition in the businessworld running at a faster pace and morecompetitive than ever, the need for newand creative leadership is rapidly grow-ing. Fulfilling this need has resulted inan influx of new employees penetratingthe corporate landscape. Frequentlythese employees are thrust into manage-ment positions untrained and ill-equipped for leadership. Below are fivetips for standing out in the office, all ofwhich have been advantageous for meand the executives I’ve modeled myselfafter in even the most conservative ofindustries. Because being a leader isn’tabout who is forced to follow you, it’sabout who fights to be on your team.

Be KindIn business you are either moving

forward or being left behind. While oth-ers are focused on gaining political cap-ital and laying emphasis on their per-ceived social prominence, or lack there-of, my suggestion is to focus on beingkind. I often hear that nice guys finishlast, but I am also aware that the bestteam also always wins. I would ratherinvest heavily in being kind to others,giving support where it is due, andencouragement when needed in order tocreate a team of supportive individualsrather than spend the time worryingabout gaining positive political capital.Invest in personal capital throughactions and political capital throughvocation will follow.

Give Credit Where DueThroughout our lives we have been

trained to work toward gaining thepraise of others. On our little leaguebaseball teams it was about the glory ofwinning the neighborhood pennant,later the splendor of straight A reportcards, and as adults the majesty of beingpromoted to the corner office, all mile-stones that seem to gain envy fromthose who surround us. While all thehard work to reach these personal land-marks is commendable the feeling tendsto be fleeting and unfulfilling.Fulfillment is found in deeds dedicatedto others. Accept credit for the timeyou’ve put in, but heap praise uponthose who assisted you in realizing yourgoals. Giving credit where it is due notonly lends you credibility, it gives yousincerity. Sincerity affords you a dedi-cated team, a dedicated team points tosuccess, and success as a team givesway to a fulfilling work life.

Make DecisionsIn that we are looking at the gener-

al corporate landscape, it is important to

acknowledge that there are decisionmakers and there are those that fancythemselves decision makers. Those thatfancy themselves decision makers oftenfail to accept the responsibility thatcomes along with positions of power.The decision maker is not only willing toaccept the responsibility that comes withan appointed position, they thrive onboth a decisions success and the knowl-edge gained from failure. Rather thanavoiding the issues and the tough ques-tions, hoping bad situations solve them-selves, the decision maker considers hisoptions, decides on a solution, and actsupon it. This simple, and seeminglyobvious, observation is one many fail toacknowledge or choose to ignore, thushanding over executive positions tonon-decision makers. There is no placein business, or leadership, for stagnantindecision. Be a decision maker, connectwith other decision makers, and makedecisions together.

Take RisksA leader is expected to innovate, to

create, and to propel business forward.There is only one possible way toachieve all of these feats- taking risks.Leaders will regularly avoid risk whenbusiness is good in order to pad aresume (who doesn’t want to be able toshow massive revenue increases yearover year) and enjoy the rich breezes ofprofit paradise. Sadly, for these individ-uals, industry runs of massive growthare not sustainable unless the dormantget vigorous, dynamic, and risk ready.At the end of a growth period, whensustainability relies on those that con-sider themselves decision makerswho’ve naturally become risk averse, wesee and experience massive personnelchanges within a company. Meanwhile,decision makers willing to take risks,and reap both the reward and the conse-quence, are poised to climb the prover-bial corporate ladder. Never allow forcomfortable satisfaction on the job,always eye for excitement and change.

Trust Your InstinctsData matters, but your instincts do

too. Data is able to expose patterns &trends, to support business models, andprovide a business direction. What maybe more important is what data is notable to do, and that is show emotion.Passion, excitement, and a love for thegame is why we all got into the avenuesof business we are in. Those who havethe hunger for their business will alwaysbe ahead of the curve, sometimes so farahead that the rest of the world- evenyour current consumer base- is not evenclose to reaching the destination you’ve

reached. Data cannot predict the nextlogical step when the next step for theindustry is dictated by cutting edge con-sumers with the same hunger; a hungerthat may not have a next logical step atall. This is when your passion as theultimate consumer in your market, yourknowledge of your customer base, andyour instincts for the business congre-gates. Innovation is created by passion,excitement, and a love for the game.Your gut will guide your next stepswhen data won’t.

According to the Meriam-WebsterDictionary, the definition of extraordi-nary (ex·traor·di·nary) is “going beyondwhat is usual, regular, or customary.”The leaders I have modeled myself afterin business are extraordinary becausethey have gone above and beyond whatis usual by integrating these five tipsinto their life. Whether you’re a CEO at aFortune 500 company or taking yourfirst job at the local deli, be confidant inyourself, trust your instincts, and treatothers well. Your bold, but kind effortswon’t go unnoticed. Soon you’ll findpeople joining your adventures in theoffice, and more importantly, in life.

A former ground-breaking bodymodification artist and small businessowner in the Midwest, Joshua Coburnhas made the drastic shift to corporate

America as the Promotions Specialist atBrownells Inc. During this time period,Coburn also developed the small produc-tion company, Provoke Productions,through which he wrote and released hisfirst book, as well as two albums fromthe regionally successful hard rock band“Freaklabel.” His second book, 2007’sThrough the EYES of an Abstract Mind,soon followed and, in 2013, Coburnreleased Inspiration on Demand, the cul-mination of a project called #ihelped-changealife. #ihelpedchangealife wasborn out of Facebook friend’s and fan’srequests for a book of Coburn’s dailyquotes, which he posted on his socialmedia platforms to assist in remedyinghis own struggles.

Today, Coburn actively speaks tojunior high and high schools, youth andchurch groups, college classes, and var-ious state departments on subjects rang-ing from body modification and tattooculture to career planning, self-confi-dence, peer pressure, and self-actualiza-tion. He has also been featured on local,national and international televisionprograms. For more information, pleasevisit www.joshuacoburn.com.

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Review of Big Data

Provided by www.getabstract.com

Professor Viktor Mayer-Schönbergerand Economist data editor Kenneth Cukiermake sweeping claims about big data.The authors describe a tidal wave of data

that evokes crucial economic, medical andeven philosophical questions. This bookis so enthusiastic that you might need totake some of the claims with a grain ofsalt. That said, the pages crackle withenergy and describe implications foreveryone and every business. If only atenth of what the authors claim is true,they are describing a fundamental changein the world – and they underscore thefact that this is only the beginning of thebig data revolution. getAbstract recom-mends this futurist manifesto to thoseinterested in how technology changessociety, in cyberculture or intellectual his-tory, and to those who must deal, one wayor another, with big data.

Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, KennethCukier. Big Data: A Revolution That WillTransform How We Live, Work, andThink. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.256 pages. ISBN-13: 9780544002692.

getAbstract is the leading provider ofbusiness book summaries, with thou-sands of titles covered. www.getab-stract.com