update

1993-2014

Business

April 2014 $2.00

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Cover Story: Trillium: Bringing Employers and Employees Together for Thrity Years
Golf S af e ty Gr ee n Co n st ru c tio n H e a l t h C a r e Te c h n o l o g y

Insi de Feat ures

2 Building Effective Collaboration: Why Playing Nice is Ruining Your Business

By John Canfield Collaboration is the buzzword of today. Right along with creativity and innovation, everybodys talking and writing about it, but what does it really mean for business? While it may be a great concept, the real challenge and the enormous business opportunity is to learn to collaborate in a way that makes a positive difference to you and your business. In my experience, many organizations suffer from artificial harmony, an underdeveloped thinking that emphasizes overly polite and professional discussion and behavior instead of productive communication processes that generate robust dialogue, learning, and significant business results. This reluctance or inability to talk about all the options hampers innovation and growth by restricting the depth and breadth of ideas that get discussed. There are three steps to developing truly collaborative decision-making teams: Co-exist - Unaware and undeveloped: This team spends time avoiding conflict, smoothing edges, playing nice, but gossiping about poor accountability among teams throughout the organization. This team does not know how to turn unproductive conflict into productive business success. This team often allows one member to make the decision, to win, and the rest just go along with quiet reservations. This is one decision with poor buy-in and poor support. Cooperate - Aware but underdeveloped: This team includes members who have read and heard management gurus tell them the benefits of functional teams, good meetings, etc. These team members want to turn unproductive conflict into productive business success, but the management gurus fell short in showing them HOW to do this, and as a result the team remains hopeful but underdeveloped. This team often makes the decision everyone can live with, settling for a C-, not-so-bad decision. The thinking in this stage produces a possibly better decision with improved buy-in and support but falls short of whats available. Collaborate - Aware and developed: This team includes members who have read and heard management gurus tell them the benefits of functional teams, good meetings, etc. More significantly, these team members have had the benefit of learning HOW to see conflict as options and have learned HOW to use approaches and tools to turn conflict into productive business success. Here, the best idea wins. This team knows how to do the work to make a decision the team more enthusiastically supports. The thinking in this stage produces a decidedly better decision with decidedly better buy-in. One of my favorite collaboration tools (one that a team in the third stage would be likely to call on) is Edward de Bons Six Thinking Hats. Before a team is ready to make a decision, they must determine what they want to do. They must learn more about the situation and options before they can make a decision they all support. One unproductive way to conduct this learning is BOPSAT (Bunch of People Sitting Around Talking - Michael Schrage, MIT). The topic and decision move around the table like a hot potato, moving around the table randomly based on the most recent random question or point. With Six Thinking Hats, however, the team is asked to use six types of thinking in a sequence to walk around a potential decision before it is made. Each metaphorical hat represents one of those six ways of thinking. The team, wearing an imaginary White Hat focuses on factual information, the Red Hat on emotions and intuition, the Yellow Hat on positive perspective, the Black Hat on caution and risk, the Green Hat on creativity, and the Blue Hat on control, overview, and organization. Used correctly, everyone wears the same hat at the same time, for the same period of time. This not only suspends judgment until the decision is ready to be made, it also leads the team through six useful steps that help the team understand the options and possible consequences of deciding one way or another. The hats, like other productive stage three tools, help team members narrow down the best ideas in a very productive and cooperative way. An organizations success depends on the number of great decisions, based on great ideas, implemented throughout the organization by leaders and employees. Meeting participants who have other points of view often resist these decisions. With the different points of view, there is disagreement. Some call this disagreement conflict. I call this disagreement opportunity. While there are a number of kinds of conflict, and some of it (interpersonal for example) may be harder to address, it can be the source of business success with a change in thinking. It is helpful to consider that when you have disagreement and conflict, you also have alternatives different ways to solve a problem, design a widget, or make a decision. Having alternatives is a good thing, a great thing even. Whats often missing is the teams skill in knowing how to deal with the conflict, how to deal with the options, how to deliberately and objectively discuss all the alternatives and then decide. John Canfield is a corporate coach who offers practical tools for strategic planning, collaboration, and innovation. In The Good Thinking Series, Canfield shows business leaders how to improve organizational performance by supporting more deliberate and effective thinking. The Good Thinking Series is available at www.amazon.com. For more information, visit www.johncanfield.com.

Small Business Awards Honor Entrepreneurial Success

East Lansing 0 Nearly 60 companies will be honored at the 10th Annual Michigan Celebrates Small Business event May 6 at the Breslin Center on the campus of Michigan State University. Awards include: Michigan 50 Companies to Watch, Small Business Person of the Year, Young Entrepreneur, Family and Veteran Owned Small Business, Main Street USA, Innovation and Government Contractor of the Year. The Michigan 50 Companies to Watch, sponsored by Michigan Celebrates Small Business, is comprised of growth-oriented second-stage businesses that are selected based on business expansion to global markets, job creation, technological innovation, and philanthropy. Companies represent every region of the state and a wide variety of industries. To be considered, a business must have between six and 99 employees and generate between $750,000 to $50 million in annual revenue or working capital from investors or grants in 2013. Companies must be privately held and headquartered in Michigan. The 2014 Michigan 50 Companies to Watch list can be found at www.michigancelebrates.biz/the-event/2014-award-winners/. This event really fosters the entrepreneurial spirit in Michigan and highlights the incredible economic impact these companies have made, said Carol Lopucki, state director of the Michigan Small Business Development Center. This years award winners have $110 million in total revenue for 2013 and employ 1,653, with an expectation of creating 436 new jobs in 2014. The Small Business Administration will honor the following winners based on their staying power, financial performance, innovation, response to adversity, contributions to their communities, and advocacy for the advancement of small business. Small Business Person of the Year - Michael Olen Nevins, Full Spectrum Solutions, Inc., Jackson Jeffrey Butland Family Owned Small Business - Mike Veenstra, Veenstras Garage, Inc., Ada Veteran Owned Small Business Michael A. Bunting, ATIGROUP, Inc., Flushing Young Entrepreneur of the Year - Tyler J. Decker, Pure Liberty Manufacturing, Ottawa Lake Counselor of the Year - David Broner, SCORE, West Bloomfield Additional winners include Main Street USA - Alison Barnett, Leaps and Bounds Therapy Services PLLC, Whitmore Lake Innovation - Adam Loukus, REL Inc., Calumet Government Contracting - Chris Hunt, Engineered Materials Technology Inc., Sterling Heights

FORE!
By Jane Whittington
It was a brutal winter. Record breaking snow fall, record breaking low temperatures and lets not even talk about the potholes! But as surely as night follows day, spring and summer will again visit Michigan, and the long, cold winter will fade into memory. And what better way to enjoy what Michigan has to offer when the snow melts than to take to the golf course and pit your skills against that little white ball? Despite the fact that in Michigan, golf is seasonal, Golf Digest reports that Michigan is fourth in the country in the number of golf courses per capita, with only Hawaii, South Carolina and Nevada ahead of us. And Ask.com reports that Michigan has the third highest number of golf courses with 851 in total. In comparison, only Florida with 1,218 and California with 906 have more than Michigan. Golf Digest says, A somewhat overlooked region due to the lack of a consistent PGA Tour presence and a shortened golf season, Michigan actually lays claim to having more five-star golf courses than any other state: Arcadia Bluffs, Tullymore Golf Club and Timerberstone Golf Course. It also has far and away the most fourstate courses on the list. In late 2012, Forbes magazine writer Larry Olmstead said, Michigan has the most public courses in the entire U.S. and more than almost every other country. These include some of the most highly rated in the nation, most at very fair prices, making Michigan simply one of process. The eighth hole is located where a natural sand pit was used for the mining operation. And the water used to irrigate the course is pumped from the mines. Golf course manager Todd Loughin says, We are, of course, limited by the weather as to when we open for the season and when we close. The latest weve ever opened was March 31, and that was last year. We are generally open March to November. Fortunately, the ground here is sandy, so drainage is good, and we dont have to worry as much about mud as the snow melts or during heavy rains. He continues, After the mines closed, the land was vacant for about 20 years until it was purchased by Dan and Judy Schimmel, who are the owners.

3
Weve been open about nine years. The Mines is a public course and is also available for golf outings and leagues. Our pro is Melanie Loughin, who is the golf coach at Davenport. We have a small pro shop and snack bar and about 60 carts for rent. In the summer, we hire a lot of seasonal help for maintenance, the shop, outside services and starters and rangers. Both the Loughins are PGA certified professionals. Besides adult instruction, The Mines also offers a junior program, a six-week introductory class for children up to the age of twelve. Children are allowed to play free with a paying adult. The Mines also serves as the home course for Covenant Christian and Union High School. Legendary golfer Arnold Palmer once said, What other people may find in poetry or art museums, I find in the flight of a good drive. So tee up, and let it fly!

the best U.S. golf destinations from spring through fall. Golf Magazines Top 100 You Can Play list of Americas best public courses includes Arcadia Bluffs (#30), Bay Harbor (#38), Forest Dunes (#45) and St. Ives/Tullymoore (#76). Considering that there are states without a single Top 100 course, having four and three in the Top 50 is pretty impressive. Thats more Top 50 courses than Florida, which has the most golf courses of any state. The Mines Golf Course in Grand Rapids is unique in that it was built 150 feet above gypsum mines that were used as early as the 1860s and still in use throughout the 1900s. In an effort to preserve the history, features of the mines were used in constructing the course. For instance, the pump house near the first tee was built with brick saved from the property, and the directional signs were made with wooden timbers from the mining

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

Current Business Trends: Slow Growth Accelerates

Grand Rapids - The greater Grand Rapids industrial economy experienced slow but accelerated growth, according to the results of a monthly survey compiled by Brian G. Long, director of Supply Management Research in the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University. The survey results are based on data collected during the last two weeks of March. The surveys index of business improvement, called new orders, advanced to +27 from +19. The production index rose to +20 from +18. The employment index jumped to +19 from +10 and the index of purchases advanced to +19 from +16. Long said the employment index provides a source of optimism. For March, our index rose to +19, the highest it has been since last summer, said Long. Part of the increase can be attributed to the recent increases in new orders, especially for those firms that are running enterprise (ERP) software. Another factor relates to the new investments several of our local firms have made. However, smaller firms are still not participating in the expansion, resulting in the local unemployment numbers still being higher than satisfactory. Long said West Michigan is still faring much better that the rest of the state. Among the unemployment rates in the 83 Michigan counties, Kent County is second best, followed by Ottawa County at number three, and Kalamazoo County at number four. Long added that auto sales continue to be the driving force behind the Michigan recovery. He said sales for the industry were up 6 percent, although car sales were only 1 percent and light trucks made up 11 percent of the total.

Trillium: Bringing Employers and Employees Together for Thirty Years

By Jane Whittington
Since 1984, the Trillium family of companies has been in the matchmaking business. This year, it celebrates its 30th anniversary of bringing together employers and employees for their mutual benefit. They have been so successful at it that Trillium is recognized today by Staffing Industry Analysts as one of the top 25 Largest Industrial U. S. Staffing Firms and in the top 75 U.S. Staffing Firms overall. CEO and founder Ren Poch says, Many years ago when we started the company, we felt that there were a couple of things that we needed to do especially well. The first was to give great customer service and the second was finding the absolute best candidates for the jobs we have available. Today, we partner with candidates and clients to find the best possible career matches. According to Sales Manager Sandra Modena, Trillium started with one location in Battle Creek, and we now have 80 branches across the country with a recruitment team of about 250 people. We dont have an office in every state, but we have placed employees in every state. Our headquarters is in Kalamazoo. Trillium has experience with placing employees in a wide variety of industries including engineering; accounting; IT; management; human resources; medical; manufacturing; technical; administrative support; environmental; skilled trades; construction and other industries. Additionally, Trillium can place a representative in the clients office or work remotely to handle hiring, payroll, benefits, performance evaluations, disciplinary actions and terminations. Their risk management department can perform safety audits, consultations and training to eliminate injuries in the workplace. Modena says, Trillium provides temporary, contract and permanent staffing. Because we have such a huge data base of available workers, we are able to find the very best employee for an employers specific needs. Potential employees apply directly to our website, so we are able to maintain a pool of talented people who are actively seeking employment. She continues, Like everyone else, we did take a hit during the recession, but because we had such a diverse range of products and services, we were able to maintain a strong presence in the market. We are continuing to grow and are always looking for new opportunities. According to Modena, trucking, construction, manufacturing and light industrial employees are in demand. And employers in the area are always looking for skilled tradesmen and women. She says, CNC machinists are very hard to come by, and employers are looking for good talent in that area right now. Trillium works with local colleges like Davenport, GRCC and others to recruit potential employees. Modena says, The job market is strong right now in many areas, and salaries are improving. Its a good time to be looking for work, especially if employees come into the market with skills

employers are looking for. While Trillium does not do job training, they do work with their potential employees on resume building and interviewing skills. Poch says, We have the same commitments to each of our potential employees as we do our clients. We have high expectations for those we place and our requirements are stringent. Once you become an employee, we will do everything in our power to help you succeed and meet your career goals. When our employees are successful, weve done our job. As part of their 30th anniversary celebration, Trillium is hosting a nationwide food drive at each of their 80 locations. Their team is gathering non-perishable food items to donate to local food banks. Whether someone is looking for a job or looking to fill a job, Trillium is ready to step up and make that process easy, satisfying and profitable. Its what they do best.

Business

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

Publisher: Gary Kralapp

Your Staff is Your Best Publicity Asset

By Russell Trahan Throughout the business landscape, countless days and hours are spent on the hiring processrifling through resumes, conducting phone and in-person interviews and vetting potential hiresand for good reason. Company payroll budgets only contain so much flexibility for new employees, and selecting the correct individual to fill an open position involves much more than just ensuring their competence in the role; your new employee is also joining the best weapon in your companywide publicity arsenal: your staff. Your selection of staff should go beyond just the tangible skills they bring to the office and their ability to complete projects and achieve goals during the workdayit should also include their talent for recruiting and driving business when the day is done, as well. Your salaried or commission-based employeespresent and futureshould recognize the value of outof-office networking skills and practices, as even simple interactions after-hours or on the weekends could potentially engage new customers or clients. It is for that reason that you, as a manager or business owner, should consider the people you employ an essential component to any of your publicity efforts, as they are often your establishments first-impression and top recruiting asset once the lights go out for the evening. There are multiple best practices for instilling a sense of off-the-clock commitment in your present and future employees, and utilizing them to foster a sense of organizational pride will work wonders in your efforts to bolster your company image. Online, in-person and over-thephone, your staff should recognize their value away from the office. The Social Ovation Incalculable business relationships are now created and nurtured in The Social Media Stratosphere, and acuity in this area can be an accurate barometer for real-world success. Along with your business online-presence and activity, your employees can boost your impact in the social media arena by broadcasting companywide or individual accomplishments from their personal profiles. This can be as simple as a sharing a blog-post that a staff-member is particularly proud of or that garnered an extensive degree of attention, or actively promoting any sponsored events or appearances. Client or customer-bases can be developed through your employees relationships, especially if they are pleased with their individual contributions and the level of work coming out of your offices enough to show it off. Regularly recognize and applaud their performance in-office, and they may be compelled to share it out of the officechiefly on their social media platforms. A fulfilled employee is an employee that enthusiastically wants to share your achievements. Word-of-mouth is often the most powerful form of promotion or advertising, and your staff can be the premier vehicle for this type of reputation advancement. The Business Card is Timeless There is no action in the business world more common than the time-honored tradition of exchanging business cards. Even with a shift toward Internet-centricity and networking, every executive will always have a business card on-hand which should also contain their array of online links and contact information. Employers should encourage their staff to keep a few cards on the ready. Any chance interaction outside of the workplace can quickly shift into a professional conversation, and a casual swap of business cards Saturday night may result in a new product order or contract Monday morning. Many things will change in the business environment, but the business card is a timeless object that will remain a fundamental networking component. Continued on page 10

Business Development Senior Vice President: Diane LaPreze Senior Vice President: Jim Lroy Circulation: Aubrey Day Contributing Writers: John Canfield, Jane Whittington, Russell Trahan, Craig Clark, Angie ODonnell Managing Editor: Carol M. Kralapp Associate Editor: Jeremy Martin Printing/Distribution: News Web Printing Accountant: Michael Tawney & Company Legal: Miller Canfield Paddock & Stone
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5 The Right Place Ensures Growth for Grand Rapids Smart Manufacturer
Grand Rapids Regional non-profit economic development organization The Right Place, Inc. along with the City of Grand Rapids and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announce the expansion of Grand Rapids-based manufacturer Proos. The approval of a $200,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant is part of $715,000 incentive package that will enable Proos to invest $5.7 million in Grand Rapids and add 50 jobs to its existing 83-employee workforce. The investment will also allow the company to renovate its Oak Industrial Drive facility to accommodate the expansion. Its headquarters will remain at 1037 Michigan Street NE in Grand Rapids. This expansion will support the companys continued aggressive growth by scaling up production to meet current and future customer needs. The company intends to expand both its fabrication operation, Proos Fabrication, and its stamping operation, Proos Manufacturing. Proos is a rapidly expanding supply chain manufacturer with physical growth constraints and numerous options to grow elsewhere, stated Megan Sall, Business Development Manager, The Right Place, Inc. Working with our partners at the City of Grand Rapids and the MEDC, The Right Place was able to ensure that Proos has the resources they need to succeed here in West Michigan. The companys significant growth in recent years has garnered industry attention, as it was recently awarded the Automotive Supplier of the Year at the 2014 Michigan International Auto Show and named one of Michigans 50 Companies to Watch in 2012 by Michigan Celebrates Small Business. Managing growth is just as challenging as managing decline. However, with the assistance of The Right Place, MEDC, and the City of Grand Rapids, Proos is now able to start another exciting chapter of our 94-year history, said Amy Proos, CEO, Proos. The Right Place and MMTC-West have been valuable business partners in our companys success. With their assistance, we continue to grow, create jobs, and invest in West Michigan. Established in 1919, and womanowned since 2004, Proos has become a leader in the metal stamping and metal forming industry. The company provides metal stampings for the automotive, industrial and office furniture industries, ranging from highly visible Class A products to structural components.

Finance/Insurance/Banking Briefs
Grandville Berends Hendricks Stuit Insurance Agency is celebrating their 75th Anniversary in business this year as one of the largest independent agencies in the region with services such as Employee Benefits, Commercial Insurance, Personal Insurance, Human Resources, Wellness, Risk Management, and Financial Planning. Grand Rapids Lake Michigan Credit Union announced expansion of five new retail branch locations in Holland, Norton Shores, Traverse City, Farmington Hills and Troy, plus a mortgage loan center in Livonia. Grand Rapids Community West Credit Union announced hiring a new Business Development Manager and Call Center/Dealer Direct Manager at their Kentwood Branch. Grand Rapids Lake Michigan Credit Union announced launch of its second $25,000 Home Makeover Giveaway and can be entered online at lmcu.org, or personally at any LMCU branch location. Entrants can also increase their odds when friends enter the giveaway through a FaceBook link. Grand Rapids Lake Michigan Credit Union announced hiring Mortgage Loan Originators: David Lukomski, metro Detroit; Jason Wozniak, Livonia; Christine Price, Traverse City; and Matt Adler, metro Detroit. East Lansing Consumers Mutual Insurance of Michigan, a memberowned health plan, announced 2014 Board of Director officers: Chairperson, Robin Reynolds; Vice Treasurer, Bruce Bragg; Vice Treasurer Bruce Miller; and Secretary, Jan Hudson. Lansing Berends Hendrick, Stuit Insurance Agency was recognized as being among the top 10% of all agents representing Michigan Millers Mutual Insurance Company. Kentwood Regal Financial Group, LLC, will be recognized by Michigan Business and Professional Association as one of West Michigans 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. Holland Macatawa Bank named Catherine Dugan as Private Banking Relationship Manager, and will be responsible for managing a portfolio of private banking clients. Birmingham/Farmington Charter One named both Kenneth J. Reiter as Senior Loan Officer, and Diya Fahs as Residential Loan Officer, for their Home Lending Solutions Midwest Division. Grand Rapids Lake Michigan Financial Group, a division of Lake Michigan Credit Union, announced hiring David Mills as Vice President of Credit Union Sales.
Provided by www.getabstract.com Entrepreneur is one of the most overused and misunderstood words in modern business. When entrepreneurs team with angel investors, even more con-

Grand Rapids Lake Michigan Credit Union announced hiring Daniel Merz as Mortgage Loan Originator at their new Farmington Hills branch office.

Kentwood Regal Financial Group was recognized as 2014 Michigan 50 Companies to Watch by Michigan Celebrates Small Business.

Review of What Every Angel Investor Wants You to Know

fusion results. Brian S. Cohen and John Kador clarify the positions of both business owners and angel investors, so entrepreneurs know what to expect and how they can raise money and leverage relationships with their investors to remain in control of their companies as they build successful long-term operations. This conversational book which solidly handles an esoteric topic offers aspiring business owners all they need to bridge the gap with potential investors. getAbstract recommends this manual to angels and owners for its upbeat, realistic guidelines for managing start-up entrepreneur-investor relationships. Brian S. Cohen and John Kador. What Every Angel Investor Wants You to Know: An Insider Reveals How to Get Smart Funding for Your Billion-Dollar Idea. McGraw-Hill, 2013. 228 pages. ISBN-13: 978-0071800716. getAbstract is the leading provider of business book summaries, with thousands of titles covered. www.getabstract.com

6 Health Care Briefs

Kalamazoo Borgess Medical Center earned Cycle IV Chest Pain Center Accreditation with Percutaneous Coronary Intervention from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care. Borgess is the only southwest Michigan hospital to achieve Cycle IV accreditation, the highest accreditation possible. Rockford North Kent Community Services announced the Board of Directors for North Kent Community Services for 2014 Executive Committee: President Linda Southwick, Grand Rapids Controls; Vice President Kristin E. Britt, Britt Law; Secretary Gerry Brom, Grand Rapids Transport; Treasurer Karen Vander Meulen, Priority Health; and Clergy Representative Pastor Robert Eckert, Courtland-Oakfield United Methodist Church. Board of Directors include: Thomas Arends, Paul Berkenpas, Bryant D. Fravel, Jon Gamm, LLP, LMSW, Peggy Helsel, Larry A. Hulst, P.E., Jason Parker, Ken Syrba, and Pastor Ben Taylor. Muskegon Mercy Health Muskegon announced they are one of the first hospitals in Michigan to implant the Medtronic Reveal LINQ Insertable Cardiac Monitor System in a patient, the smallest implantable cardiac monitoring device available - approximately one-third the size of an AAA battery, making it more than 80% smaller than other implantable cardiac monitors - and allows cardiologists to continuously and wirelessly monitor a patient's heart for up to three years, with 20% more data memory than previous implantable cardiac monitors. Grand Rapids Varnum welcomed Attorney John D. Arendshorst who practices employee benefits matters including retirement plans, and health and welfare benefits. Kalamazoo William and Julia Van Domelen along with Robert Brush, MD, Borgess Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, are 2014 Borgess Lamplighter Award recipients. Battle Creek Ren Poch (CEO and founder of Trillium Staffing Solutions, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Environmental, Trillium Marine, and Trillium Technical) announced Trillium will celebrate their 30th business anniversary March 2014. Grand Rapids Spectrum Health opened Spectrum Health Basic and Translational Research Laboratories, a new 9,000 sq. ft. research facility to support basic research in areas of brain tumors, pediatric urology and neuroblastoma, and blood and marrow transplantation. Grand Rapids Board of Directors for Christian Counseling Center and Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services approved consolidation of both organizations. Pine Rest will assume the remainder of Christian Counseling Centers debt of $167,000, and will invest about $300,000 into infrastructure improvements of information technology, including electronic health record technology, a telephone communication system, and facilities improvements. Kalamazoo A Bronson FastCare retail healthcare site offering basic healthcare services - including sore throats, fevers, flu and colds, and lab services for pregnancy tests, monospots, rapid strep and urinalysis - is scheduled to open April 1, 2014, inside the Meijer store at 5121 S. Westnedge Ave. in Portage. Kalamazoo Physicians at Bronson Advanced Cardiac Healthcare are offering a Medtronic Reveal LINQ Insertable Cardiac Monitor - a newly FDA-approved device that monitors cardiac patients abnormal heart rhythms anywhere at any time using cellular technology. Grand Rapids MapleCreek, one of Lutheran Social Services of Michigans senior living communities, hired Kathy Mindes as Dementia Director, where she will be responsible for the MapleCreeks Woods and The Harbors dedicated memory care program. Grand Rapids Law firm Law Weathers announced Nick Missad was elected a shareholder position with more than 25 years of experience in the areas of criminal defense, and divorce and family law. Holland Holland Hospitals Lakeshore Health Partners - Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, Family Medicine-Zeeland, and South Washington Family Medicine all achieved Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home designation, the highest level of recognition from National Committee on Quality Assurance. Grand Rapids Stephanie Erickson joined Hospice of Michigan as Sales Representative for Grand Rapids and the Lakeshore areas. Grand Rapids Avon Breast Health Outreach Program awarded a $50,000 one-year grant to Cherry Street Health Services to increase awareness of the life-saving benefits of early detection of breast cancer and provide mammograms and clinical breast exams. Grand Rapids Center for Physical Rehabilitation prepares to celebrate National Athletic Training Month - held every March - by spreading awareness regarding the importance of athletic trainers to athletes and the general public - with this years theme, Weve Got Your Back. Grand Rapids CVS Caremark Charitable Trust, a private foundation created by CVS Caremark Corp. in partnership with National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, awarded a $35,000 grant to Health Intervention Services (HIS), and a $50,000 grant to Cherry Street Health Services (CSHS). HIS will use the funding to support an innovative outreach to Hispanic patients with diabetes whose income is below 150% of federal poverty guidelines, and CSHS will use their award to further improve care in current patients with diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic illnesses.

Review of Smart Calling

inal book reached number one in Amazons sales the first day it was listed and, in 2010, Top Sales Awards named it the years best sales book. Sobczak specializes in Smart Calling, a strategy that sales professionals can follow to turn phone prospecting into a positive experience for everyone involved. Sobczak offers compelling conversational methods that elevate prospecting into an activity requiring skill, intelligence and an agile wit. He transforms phone sales an activity most salespeople avoid into a rewarding or, at least, more tolerable and productive, experience. getAbstract recommends his program and commends his engaging outlines and explanations. Salespeople should relish reading these insights, which should be required texts for anyone who must use phone calls to convince strangers to do what they want them to do, including job seekers, freelancers, recruiters and fundraisers. Art Sobczak. Smart Calling: Eliminate the Fear, Failure, and Rejection from Cold Calling. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2013. 245 pages. ISBN-13: 978-1118588710. getAbstract is the leading provider of business book summaries, with thousands of titles covered. www.getabstract.com

Provided by www.getabstract.com Art Sobczak has been successfully selling over the telephone since he was 14. Now in his 50s, he seems to know practically everything about cold calling make that, telephone prospecting and selling. In the second edition of his manual, Sobczak shares his trade secrets. His orig-

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7 Introducing Abriiz
By Craig Clark If you were going to list the geographic areas where the nations top mobile health technology innovation is occurring in the United States, the very first place that might come to mind is San Francisco or Palo Alto, in the heart of Silicon Valley. The Route 128 Corridor outside of Boston might come next, followed by the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina. But Grand Rapids-based Ideomed, Inc. is well on the way to helping make The Third Coast into a tech mecca in its own right. Ideomed, launched in 2010, is the developer of Abriiz (ah-breeze), a weband mobile-based solution for managing chronic illnesses. Abriiz uses a proprietary behavior-based approach for activating patients in their own health, blending research-backed elements of reminder-tracking, education, incentives, and more. The system is marketed to health care providers and insurers, who integrate it into existing patient care management programs, to help them target patients who have difficulty adhering to a treatment plan. Patients who use Abriiz feel empowered, and manage their conditions more effectively. Better adherence leads to improved health outcomes, and ultimately reduces costs throughout the continuum of care. Beyond Patient Engagement The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has introduced a transformation in the U.S. health care system, the likes of which has not been seen since Medicare was enacted in 1965. New technologies including Electronic Health Records (EHR), Big Data, and mobile health (mHealth) are sure to play a significant role in this transformation. This combination of new regulations and new technologies comes with added complexity, and an assortment of new terms meant to bring some order to the chaos. Unfortunately, some confusion is also inevitable. One popular term that has created some confusion is Patient Engagement, which is meant to describe a more intentional and meaningful relationship between a health system and its patients. The challenge for all involved is that no standard definition of Patient Engagement has achieved universal acceptance, and without that, it is meaningless. Ideomed sees engagement as the first of several steps in the process of building genuine and supportive relationships. The behavior science used in the design of Abriiz enhances communications between the patient and their connected care team. Over time Abriiz not only engages a patient, but supports active participation in their care, health improvement, and quality of life. Scaling the Proof Case Ideomed has conducted multiple trials with smalls groups of patients and varied chronic conditions. These initial tests showed significant promise in improving adherence and outcomes among program participants. Results have been well received by insurers and health systems, prompting the company to proceed with the next phase of development - growing the population served by Abriiz. To that end, Ideomed is now involved with health care entities across the nation, deploying Abriiz in a wide variety of initiatives. Ideomed CEO Keith Brophy remarked that Abriiz is making a difference in lives every day, even as we continue to refine and evolve the solution. Populations using Abriiz in conjunction with their care managers include patients managing Asthma, Diabetes, Heart Failure, Palliative Care, Obesity and others. Its About Quality of Life! The debate over the merits of the Affordable Care Act will continue to rage. But as of today it is the law of the land and insurers and healthcare providers must operate, and care for their patients according to that reality. To be successful, tech companies must recognize that health and healthcare are the most fundamentally human of issues. Technology is a means to the end of fostering an active and informed society of healthcare consumers, supported by an integrated healthcare system - with the shared goal of achieving the highest possible quality of life. Ideomed is united with health care providers and health insurers in their commitment to this goal. The Abriiz solution addresses one of population health management's most difficult to solve issues: moving the needle on behavior change in chronic condition management. These are transformational times in American healthcare, and Ideomed, right here in West Michigan, is an engine of that transformation. Craig Clark is the owner of Clark Communications, a Grand Rapids-based public relations firm that represents Ideomed.

Executive Presence: An Inside-Out Job

ByAngie ODonnell Whats the secret formula for developing the elusive thing called executive presence? This question is becoming more pervasive in leadership development programs and among our coaching clients at all organizational levels. When we attended The Executive Coaching Conference in New York earlier this year, we learned from The Conference Boards 2014 survey that organizations hire external coaches most often to help leaders develop executive presence and influence skills and we intuitively know that these two are related. The kind of presence were talking about goes beyond oozing charisma while delivering a great presentation; of course these attributes are important, but we are seeing a much more holistic view of presence emerging. Executive presence is a way of being in all professional situations, with all constituencies, especially when emotions run high, which is usually when the stakes are high. From inside the boardroom to the cafeteria table, there are dozens of places where any number of your small acts contribute to others perceptions of your presence. Kristi Hedges, a nationally known communications expert, says in her book, The Power of Presence, A little presence goes a long way. And based on the thousands of pages of 360-degree feedback Ive read over the years, I wholeheartedly agree. What we hear from the Board, managers, peers and direct reports is a desire for small and subtle shifts, not a personality makeover. While this can be challenging, the results are worth it. Getting Comfortable in Your Own Skin What comes to mind when you think about someone who has a memorable presence? Is it the way he or she stands tall? Is it their polished appearance? Is it a commanding voice, or how one shares a compelling story? All of these are observable aspects of outer presence that derive from ones inner sense of self. They contribute to gravitas and send the message to others that this is a person who is comfortable in his or her own skin. Wed like to dispel the myth that youve either got it or you dont, and that presence requires an extroverted persona. Pick up any leadership book or article and youre likely to see enticers like: The Myth of Charismatic Leadership, Reaching Out and Empathy, We Dont Need Another Hero, and Developing Your Social Intelligence. This content makes the case for self-development and that executive presence is something you can develop or enhance, not something that cant be had if youre not born with it. I met a woman 10 years ago who exemplified presence and she broke all of the stereotypical molds you may associate with presence. Continued on page 12

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8 Construction Briefs
Lansing Clark Construction Company announced hiring Charles Wesley as Superintendent, and Dominic Adams and Joshua Short as Project Engineers. Kalamazoo Michigan Office Solutions, subsidiary of Xerox Co. and provider of technology solutions for business, became the newest corporate partner at Western Michigan University's Business Technology and Research Park. Wyoming The City of Wyoming expects to see demolition of Studio 28 begin. The site sits on 20 acres of prime commercial real estate on 28th Street SW, remains available for redevelopment. Studio 28 was built in 1965 by Jack Loeks, and made history as the first multi-screen theatre east of the Mississippi, and again in 1988 when its expansion to 20 screens made it the largest free-standing multi-plex in the world. Grand Rapids Rapid Fire Protection, Inc. announced promotion of employee Lee Jansma to General Manager. Bloomfield Hills Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc. Vice President Roland N. Alix, P.E., was recognized by Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson as one of the Countys Elite 40 Under 40 for 2014, and one of the areas best and brightest rising business and community leaders. Lansing Future Construction Leaders of Michigan program sponsored by Associated General Contractors of Michigan graduated five project engineers from Clark Construction and include: Jake Carney, Bill Cox, Nick Henne, Andrew Richter, and Terry Stewart. Bloomfield Hills Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc., announced addition of new team members: Project Engineer Jesse Morgan, P.E.; Graduate Engineer II Kristen (Roth) Paulson, P.E.; and Senior Project Manager Aaron Uranga, P.E. Grand Rapids - Signature Associates has negotiated: the sale of a 131.20 acre investment on Lake Michigan located at 631 Perryman Street, Saugatuck for the seller, Presbyterian Camps, Inc., and the buyer, Dune Ridge SA LP. the lease of 3,500 square feet of office space located at 950 W. Norton Avenue, Roosevelt Park for the landlord, Park Rowe Building, LLC, and the tenant, Corlnet, LLC. Kalamazoo CSM Group welcomed Project Managers Kyle Scott and Brian Beaver who will provide oversight during all phases of construction. Kalamazoo Corporation Hall, a 33,000 sq. ft. renovated building located in downtown Kalamazoo, was presented a national Eagle Award by Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABC), after winning an Excellence Award for Green Construction by ABC West Michigan Chapter. Grand Rapids Shoreline Power Services added Andy Hawley to enable Shoreline to expand their services to now include camera systems, fiber optic installation, low voltage cabling, and card access systems. Lansing George Kandler, Director of ASTI Environmental's Property Services Group, was named one of four Vice Presidents of Michigan Housing Council's Board of Directors, and will serve as Vice President of Professional Services. Grand Rapids For the fourth consecutive year, Michigan Office Solutions was recognized as 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For by Michigan Business and Professional Association. Grand Rapids Commercial real estate firm X Ventures announced Bill Bowling joined the company in a full time capacity, and offers clients consulting services specific to commercial real estate portfolio planning and management, as well as landlord and tenant consulting services. Brighton Environmental Professional David Amir joined ASTI Environmental's Site Redevelopment Services group with more than 18 years of industry experience with property transactions, hazardous materials inspections, pre-demolition surveys, preparation of abatement and demolition specifications, underground storage tank management, and landfill testing. Lansing C2AE announced addition of new staff members and appointments to state-wide professional organizations: Steven VandenBussche, AIA, LEED BD+C, Project Manager serving the needs of healthcare clients; Nancy Jaglowski, Electrical Designer for government and industrial team; Christopher Brandenburg, Human Resources Manager; Michael Seling, Civil Engineer; Kevin Feuka, PE, joined I-69 International Trade Corridor/Next Michigan Development Corporation Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Steering Committee as Representative for Shiawassee County; and Brett Dodge, PS, was appointed to Michigan Society of Professional Surveyors Legislative Committee Wyoming Granger Group announced it selected Lansing-based Granger Construction to serve as construction manager for its new 100-unit Metro Health Village Senior Living project adjacent to Wyomings Village Green. When completed, the $22.5 million Metro Health Village Senior Living will host 18 independent, 59 assisted care, and 23 memory care units offering a variety of distinct living environments including one/two bedroom and studio residences, a restaurant-style dining room, family and guest visiting areas and overnight accommodations, a hair salon/barber shop, movie theater, fitness center, library, computer lab, and extensive inside/outside activity areas. Lansing George Kandler, Director of ASTI Environmental's Property Services group, was named one of four Vice Presidents of Michigan Housing Council's Board of Directors, and will serve as Vice President of Professional Services. Kalamazoo Professional Service Industries, Inc., announced promotion of Francis Jim Mateer to Branch Manager, and will provide construction services and geotechnical engineering.

MEDIA-VoiceGR Results Show Disparity in City Rankings

Grand Rapids - New survey results from the Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University show that many factors influence how favorably residents view life in Grand Rapids and in their neighborhoods. The study reveals important relationships between socioeconomic status, education, and income level as they relate to feelings about safety, poverty, and personal health. 87 percent of respondents to the VoiceGR survey about the quality of life in the city of Grand Rapids said they would give the city an excellent or good rating, and 78 percent said the same for their individual neighborhoods within the city. However, results also suggest that demographic and personal resources greatly influenced the perceptions of individual demographic groups. Factors such as race/ethnicity, income, access to healthcare, housing, and ability to meet basic needs swayed the percentage of excellent and good ratings by as much as 16 percent in some cases. The VoiceGR study, which began collecting data in September, aims to help nonprofit, philanthropic and community organizations in West Michigan use their resources in the most effective manner possible. The 2013 VoiceGR survey factors in responses of more than 3,000 residents, and is intended to stimulate conversation on pertinent issues rather than repeating already available data on demographics. The survey is significant because it compares the perception of residents with census and demographic numbers to provide unique insight into different segments of the population and how different environmental factors affect each group.

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9 Rockford Construction: Green in Grand Rapids

By Jane Whittington Rockford Constructions new headquarters at 601 First Street near downtown Grand Rapids serves as a perfect example of the companys commitment to its green corporate philosophy. Sustainability in design and construction, environmental awareness and a belief in the power of community informed every aspect of this ambitious project. In keeping with their mantra, Building for a changing world, they have built for themselves what they build for their customers. It is aesthetically pleasing, environmentally responsible and uniquely functional and is a showplace for their singular approach to building. As CEO Mike VanGessel stated when the new building was opened, This building was designed to do a number of things: Reflect Rockfords commitment to the urban core and the continued revitalization of Grand Rapids. Demonstrate Rockfords sustainable commitment and LEED leadership. Offer a high-tech environment that improves service to our clients and results in greater flexibility for our team. Create a work environment that is efficient, productive, flexible and highly collaborative. Support Rockfords economic sustainability. And they have succeeded admirably! What was formerly a vacant industrial site on a brownfield space has been repurposed and reimagined and has become what it is today. The buildings green roof, covered parking and courtyard help keep the building cool in summer thus requiring less energy for air conditioning and producing less air pollution and greenhouse gases. The green roof also serves to retain storm water and releases it gradually. Outside and on the roof, the plantings are drought resistant and require no irrigation. Rockford has installed a Reverse Osmosis system which purifies drinking water and gives the building clean, better tasting water. In addition, the building has installed low flow faucets, showers, toilets and urinals, saving 38 percent of potable water each year. Energy related systems were thoughtfully assessed and chosen to assure that the amount of energy used in the building is the most efficient and cleanest possible. Throughout the building, much of the wood is from ash trees, which were harvested as a result of the infestation of the emerald ash borer. It is not only beautiful but an imaginative reuse of wood which might otherwise have been scrapped. With a walkability score of 77 out of 100 and a bikeability score of 88, many employees chose to leave their cars at home when they come to work. In fact, the company has its own fleet of bikes available for employee use. Also onsite are showers and locker rooms. Scott Ferguson, Director of Sustainability, says, Rockford Construction was founded in 1987, and we currently have 200 employees. We have another office in Florida and have had projects in 44 states although most of our work is concentrated in West Michigan. A full listing of their projects would fill many pages. They include athletic facilities like the Davenport Athletic Complex, retail operations like the recent renovation of the Meijer at Knapp Corners, residential spaces like Baker Lofts, Klingman Lofts and the renovation of the downtown Herkimer Hotel, medical facilities and many others. According to Ferguson, Rockford has been built with a sense of entrepreneurial spirit as well as a strong mission statement which focuses on integrity, ethics and sustainability. He continues, We are a full life cycle company from community planning through design/build services, project management, development services and property maintenance. We are also part of Grid 7 and Blue 35. Grid 7 and Blue 35 are interactive, downtown design hubs where creative professionals can share ideas and collaborate with one another to inspire innovation. Continued on page 15

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10 Industrial Briefs
Grand Rapids A collaborative partnership created by The Right Place/MMTCWest Manufacturers Council, Kent Intermediate School District, and Michigan Works!, opened registration for all public schools in West Michigans 13-county region to join the 2014 Discover Manufacturing Today Video Challenge. Students will be represented by teams of no more than six and challenged to create a video at least 60 seconds, but no longer than 3 minutes, in length showcasing a partnered manufacturer in the area, and capture skills needed to be successful in a manufacturing career. Indianapolis The Ports of Indiana handled 8.3 million tons of cargo at its three ports in 2013 - an increase of 20% over the previous year, and the third highest total in the organization's 52-year history. Strong shipments of coal, steel and agricultural-related products helped drive significant increases in annual tonnage at all three of the state's ports. Kalamazoo Simply Eight, a company dedicated to simple foods, announced it received official Non-GMO Project Verification seal on one of its food products, Real Chocolate Chip Cookies, with additional products currently under review. Grand Rapids West Michigan inventors, Mike Suman and Lynn Smith, co-owners of AngleWorks, announced sale of their patented shelving system, iLean, to Sauder Woodworking Co. headquartered in Archbold, Ohio, leading producer of ready-to-assemble furniture and residential furniture manufacturer. Lowell Lowell Energy AD, LLC, began a new chapter in sustainability for the City of Lowell with a formal groundbreaking ceremony for its 25,000 sq. ft. anaerobic digester, waste-to-energy facility that will generate 800kW of renewable energy for Lowell Light and Power by using sand-separated cow manure and diverting thousands of tons of food waste including liquid waste from Litehouse Foods, Inc. Grand Rapids Blake W. Krueger, Chairman, CEO and President of Wolverine World Wide, Inc., will be honored with 2014 Peter C. Cook Excellence in Business Award. Allegan Perrigo, leading pharmaceutical supplier, announced Alex Mason was hired as Production Engineer for the Liquids Engineering team, and Christine Reilly was hired as Senior Securities and Exchange Commission Reporting Analyst for the Accounting/Finance team. Grand Rapids Fortune magazine recognized Steelcase, Inc., as one of its 2014 "World's Most Admired Companies" in the Home Equipment and Furnishings industry sector. Grand Rapids Steelcase, Inc., announced the company's renewable energy investment is equivalent to 100% of its global electricity consumption, making Steelcase the 15th largest 100% renewable energy purchaser of non-emitting sources like wind and hydroelectric energy in the U. S., according to U.S. EPA's Green Power Partnership. Mount Vernon, IN Valero Energy Corp., international manufacturer and marketer of transportation fuels and other petrochemical products, announced purchase of Aventine Renewable Energys 110-million gallon ethanol plant, through its subsidiary Valero Renewable Fuels Co., with initial plans to reopen the idled facility later this year. Charlotte Spartan Chassis, a division of Spartan Motors, Inc., celebrated the 25th anniversary of Spartan Chassis International Chapter of Family Motor Coach Association founded by Marsh Carson and Scott Brady. Holland LeanLogistics, a global solutions provider of transportation management system applications and supply chain services, announced they received Silver and Bronze Stevie Awards, and Joycelin Denstone, LeanLogistics Customer Support Manager, won a Silver Stevie Award as Contact Center Professional of the Year. Grand Rapids Nichols is pleased to bring Great Lakes Pack Expo & Challenge to the Delta Plex, May 21, 2014. Detroit U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, announced the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie opened, initiating the start of the 2014 Great Lakes shipping season. The locks closed Jan. 15 and underwent critical repairs and maintenance during the winter shutdown. The locks and Soo Locks crew will be available for service despite extremely heavy ice on the St. Marys River that delayed arrival of the first cargo vessel. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, maintains a navigation system that includes 94 harbors and the Great Lakes connecting channels that join lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, St. Clair and Erie. Grand Rapids Praxis Packaging Solutions, a contract packaging company, hired Tom Franks as Director of Quality and Regulatory Affairs. Grand Rapids Custer Architectural Products Division announced addition of Jana Van Singel as Project Manager. Belding Stahlin Non-Metallic Enclosures, manufacturer of fiberglass enclosure products, announced appointment of William Dunn as National Sales Manager.

Your Staff is Your Best Publicity Asset

Continued from page 4 Maintaining a Convention Game Face Regardless of primary field or industry, chances are you will send out staff representatives to attend a conference or convention on your companys behalf at some point. Effectively working a booth is an imperative skill that your employees need to possess to ensure that you receive a tangible return on your sponsorship investment. Part of making an appearance at a corporate convention a fruitful one is the overall demeanor from inside the booth. Your employees should understand the value of simple, conversational engagement with those who stop bynot everyone will want to secure your services, but they should all be treated as such. A smile and a simple acknowledgement greeting to passersby can be the easiest route to increased booth-traffic and solid sales leads at the events conclusion. Email Etiquette Has No Day Off With the culture of connectedness that was ushered in by the widespread adoption of laptops, tablets and smartphones, your salaried employees are now within reach at all hours of the day, and every day of the week. When receiving work-related emails or text-correspondence while away from the office, your staff should be remain acutely aware that in-house etiquette still applies, and not allow themselves to slip into casual text-speak or tone they may utilize on their day off. Improper email decorum is an immediate strike against company credibility, so make sure you instill in your workforce the importance of proper electronic communication. Your product or service is only as good as the people you have onboard. When your employees and associates realize and appreciate their value to your operation and the role they play in actively promoting your business, the more cognizant they become of their actions when they leave the workplace. When you impress upon your staff their importance to the company and their influence on overall accomplishments, you create a workplace culture of collective input and shared success. When your employees realize their fundamental position in your business, they ardently become an extension of your publicity undertakings, and make a point to contribute even when they are away from the workplace. Russell Trahan is President of PR/PR, a boutique public relations agency specializing in positioning clients in front of their target audience in print and online. PR/PR represents experts of all kinds who are seeking national exposure for their business or organization. Russell and PR/PR will raise your business awareness in the eyes of your clients and customers. For more information, please visit www.prpr.net or email mail@prpr.net for a free consultation.

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11 Safety First
By Jane Whittington Safety is everyones business. Its good for employees, employers and the bottom line. And to make sure its a priority, Agile Safety in Grand Rapids makes it their business to help others achieve the goal of a safe workplace. Agile Safety, a woman-owned business, was founded in 2003 by Elizabeth and Brandon Burnette and Chris Hammond. Currently, they have ten employees in their Bridge Street location and work with businesses, municipalities and organizations throughout Michigan and occasionally in other states and even into Canada. According to President Brandon Burnette, We help companies establish and maintain safe and healthy workplaces. That can be something as simple as filling an order for safety equipment for someone who knows exactly what they want. For the most part, however, our customers rely on us to visit and conduct safety analyses to determine where they might need some help. We then provide the equipment, either through sales or rentals, and service solutions that best suit the particular requirements of that customer. He continues, Our main focuses are fall prevention and gas detection. Agile Safety offers: Confined space entry equipment; Personal protective gear; Respiratory protection products; Industrial hygiene equipment; Gas detection devices, both portable and fixed; Fall protection equipment. Agile Safety maintains long-term relationships with customers who know they can rely on their experience and expertise to provide both the best advice and the best equipment for the unique needs of each customer. Because Agile Safety is up-todate on the latest products and services, they can consult with customers as new products hit the market or as the needs of customers change. Besides providing equipment, Agile Safety also conducts onthe-job training and after-purchase inspection and calibration services on the products they supply. Burnette says, Companies could just order equipment from catalogs, but by working with us, they are assured of the best possible equipment for their situation as well as training for and servicing of that equipment. Agile Safety also keeps itself conversant with federal, state and local regulations that mandate certain safety measures. Burnette says, We are able to keep our customers up to speed on what is happening in the area of regulations. Markets for Agile Safety include municipalities and the entities within like waste water treatment plants and departments of public works as well as private businesses and industries like chemical, construction and pharmaceutical. The marketplace is driven by governmental regulations, insurance companies and, as Burnette says, the moral imperative of employers to provide a safe workplace. He continues, We go beyond what is required in insuring that our customers maintain the safest workplace possible. Burnette says that Agile Safetys customers are uniformly satisfied with the products, expertise and level of service offered by the company. He goes on to say, Were essentially a mom-and-pop operation here, small enough to provide a high level of personal service but large enough to offer a variety of goods and services. Our company continues to grow; we weathered the recession well and kept growing even during the economic downturn. He continues, Safety is a priority for everyone; employees dont want to work where they might be unsafe, and employers know that safety is not only good for their employees but also for the continued success of their business. Everyone wins when safety first is all-important.

EPA Proposes Major Protections for Michigans Streams and Wetlands

Ann Arbor - In the biggest step forward for clean water nationally in more than a decade, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed a rule to close loopholes in the Clean Water Act that leave 48% of Michigans streams and millions of acres of wetlands at risk of unchecked pollution and development. With the drinking water for 1.4 million Michiganders at risk, were thrilled to see the EPA moving forward to protect our waterways, said Shelley Vinyard, Regional Director with Environment Michigan, which has worked for many years to restore these Clean Water Act protections. Todays action is about ensuring that all our water is safe and healthy. And it has a huge impact on the health of the Great Lakes. Whether were fishing on the Au Sable, swimming in our favorite stream, or just drinking the water that comes from our tap, we need Michigans streams and wetlands to be clean and protected. This rulemaking comes after a decade of uncertainty over the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act, following polluter-led Supreme Court challenges in 2001 and 2006. The rule, which could be finalized as soon as later this year, would restore Clean Water Act protections to many of Michigans wetlands and nearly half of Michigans streams. This rule would protect the streams that feed into and the wetlands that filter pollution out of our Great Lakes, said Vinyard. If we dont protect these critical waters, we cant ensure that any of our waterways are fully protected. With so much at stake, Environment Michigan and its sister groups across the country have waged an intensive multi-year campaign to restore these Clean Water Act protections including more than 1 million face-toface conversations with people across the country, and rallying more than 400 local elected officials, 300 farmers, and 300 small business owners to call on the Obama administration to take action. In September 2013, EPA announced it was moving forward with the rulemaking to restore Clean Water Act protections to waterways throughout Michigan and across the country. It simultaneously released a draft science report on the connection between smaller streams and wetlands and downstream waters, which makes the scientific case for the rulemaking. Members of the public submitted more than 150,000 public comments in support of the reports findings that these waterways merit protection under the law. Many of the nations biggest polluters are already weighing in against the rulemaking, spreading misinformation about the rules potential impacts. While the EPA has announced the rule will preserve all existing Clean Water Act exemptions for the agricultural sector, the American Farm Bureau is insisting that the rulemaking is a land grab by the EPA and cause for battle. The American Farm Bureau Federation is one of 28 members of the Waters Advocacy Coalition, an industry group formed to lobby against clean water protections. When finalized, this rule would be the biggest step forward for clean water nationwide in more than a decade, said Vinyard. Thank you, Administrator Gina McCarthy and the EPA for fighting to protect clean water. Now lets get the job done.

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12 Education Briefs
Kalamazoo Western Michigan University's Haworth College of Business and School of Medicine designed a dual-degree program allowing medical students to complete both a medical degree and a master's in business administration with a concentration in healthcare in just five years of study. Kalamazoo Western Michigan University School of Medicine, a new private medical school, will be named in honor of Dr. Homer Stryker (Orthopedic Surgeon and medical device innovator who founded Stryker Corp.), and will be housed at W.E. Upjohn M.D. Campus thanks to the generosity of donors Ronda E. Stryker (granddaughter of Homer Stryker), and her husband, William D. Johnston (a WMU trustee) who made an anonymous gift in excess of $100 million to the University three years ago to launch the medical school initiative. Lansing Veterans looking for careers in advanced manufacturing and technology are encouraged to apply to Michigan Advanced Technician Training program, a program specifically designed to provide skills-based education while having opportunity to work with companies in high-tech, in-demand fields. Muskegon Baker College was named in the top 25 Best for Vets: Business School - for their MBA and Doctorate of Business Administration programs offered by Baker College Center for Graduate Studies - by Military Times. Battle Creek Kellogg Community College sold $9.7 million worth of building and site bonds with the winning bid awarded to Oklahoma-based BOSC Inc., a brokerage with offices in Michigan, at a true interest cost of 2.039%. Lansing Daniel M. Houlf, Director of U.S. Tax Counsel Group at General Motors, and Cooley adjunct faculty member teaching Accounting for Lawyers - was chosen as 2013 recipient of Frederick J. Griffith III Adjunct Faculty Award at Cooley Law School. Grand Rapids Aquinas College President Dr. Juan Olivarez announced Dr. Gilda Gely is Aquinas next Executive Vice President and Provost, effective late May. Lansing Stephen J. Markman - Justice of Michigan Supreme Court and former U.S. Justice Department official - and James C. Morton - noted Canadian lawyer, bar leader and scholar - were elected to four-year terms on Board of Directors of Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Community College Board of Trustees approved a mid-year budget for the 201314 fiscal year including approval of a $3 increase for in-district tuition, bringing the rate to $106 per credit hour, and increases for out-of-district, job training and construction trades, and preschool rates. Grand Rapids Calvin College is one of just 12 institutions nationwide to receive a 2014 Beckman Scholars Program, a $104,000 award funded by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation to fund in-depth research experiences for four students in biology, biochemistry or chemistry over the next three years. This is the second time Calvin College was awarded a Beckman Scholars Program.

Executive Presence: An Inside-Out Job

Continued from page 7 She was in her seventies, stood about five feet tall, and was a grandmother, who also happened to be an Aikido master and a leadership consultant to major private and public organizations. The minute she shook my hand and looked me in the eye, I knew that she was confident and comfortable in her own skin. She radiated energy, competence and warmth, and I knew I could learn a lot from her before she uttered the word hello. So whats involved in getting more comfortable in your own skin? An Inside-Out Approach We advocate for an inside-out approach with a focus on three distinct but integrated areas: outer presence, inner presence, and connection. We place a high premium on making positive connections with others a critical outcome, since leadership by definition requires followership. Connection grows stronger when we listen well, demonstrate empathy, share compelling stories, and bring others along with us. If we were to limit the focus of our coaching to an executives outer presence only (primarily appearance, communication skills, and body language), theres a risk that the leader will come off as scripted or inauthentic. We start at the core, first helping leaders to fine tune their inner presence, which gets expressed through confidence, composure, optimism, living from values, and resilience. The common denominator in developing any aspect of inner presence is building greater self-awareness and the good news is that you can develop this, if youre open to growth, and can take the feedback. A Leadership Triad Lets step back for a moment with a wide-angle lens and look at what constitutes leadership today. In a highly oversimplified summary, leadership involves three interconnected facets: (1) IQ or intellectual horsepower, (2) EQ or emotional intelligence the ability to feel and deal, and (3) what we refer to as PQ or your presence quotient. This triad of IQ, EQ and PQ is dynamic and constantly evolving for stand-out leaders. While IQ develops early and remains fairly static in adult life, EQ and PQ are open territory for a motivated leader. The EQ facet is the home of self-awareness and self-regulation, competencies that are necessary for developing stronger presence. The idea here is to leverage EQ to boost Presence (PQ) working from the inside out. We recently did some coaching for a global company looking to promote a particular executive. My client wanted to know if this executive was ready for the next big step as a leader of leaders. On the surface, his professional resume spoke volumes about his achievements. In short, for the first 25 years of his corporate life he succeeded in reaching all his sales goals, was continually promoted, and received substantial pay raises. But after my first meeting with him, we both came to the conclusion that there was something he was missing, a blind spot or roadblock preventing him from getting what he wanted from his career. So I went investigating. When I spoke with his co-workers I heard comments like, He really dominates the meetings, Hes an intellectual bully, He doesnt accept criticism, Hes a lousy listener, For him its all Where was the about me-me-me. humorous, kind, and optimistic leader I had just met? What emerged was that this person was not connecting well with others and was even having a negative impact on them, despite his brilliance. His IQ was dominating while his EQ and PQ were lagging. When I presented the feedback to him, he was shocked; this was indeed a blind spot. To his mind, he had the right answers, made good decisions and had delivered results, and wasnt that all that mattered? His belief system was relying on a narrow definition of leadership where IQ was the only tool in his toolbox, and he was not bringing his whole self to the table. But his organization was looking for more, and he was motivated and ambitious. He accepted the feedback and began the hard work of developing selfawareness and new practices that required dialing back the intellectual bullying and cranking up the listening, as a first step. His co-workers began to feel safe around him, they wanted to be on his team and he saw that bringing out the best in them was a win-win for everyone. He had expanded his PQ (presence quotient) and within two years, he received the promotion he now deserved. A memorable presence is a key accelerator on the path to the c-suite, or wherever your ambitions take you. We know presence when we see it, hear it, and especially when we feel it. You can develop and sustain your presence by taking an insideout approach. You can dispel the myth that presence is an elusive set of qualities belonging to a select few. Weve seen the glow people get when they realize that they can captivate the room by not just being themselves, but by being even more of themselves, with skillfulness. Angie ODonnell is an executive coach and co-founder of 3D Leadership Group, an executive coaching firm based in Wellesley, Ma. She recently received the New England Executive Coach of the Year award from the International Coach Federation's New England chapter. Her clients include executives and teams from the Fortune 500 to the entrepreneurial start-ups. For more information visit www.3dleadershipgroup.com

13 The 10 Commandments of Negotiations

by Daniel Adams Imagine for a moment that you are preparing for a heated final negotiation to secure a very important deal for your company. What will you do if your customer asks you to: lower your price by X dollars in return for the deal? Should you bring in your manager to assist? What will prevent your customer taking your negotiated offer and sitting on it forever? Or worse, what if your customer allows the expiration date of the offer to expire but still requires the negotiated deal? The following 10 commandments of negotiations will help you close the sale and still give your customer all that they are looking for. Know Who You Are Dealing With Do your homework; know your customer; know your competition. Make sure you investigate the personalities of all the players. Learn who your customers and competitors are as professionals. What is their negotiation history? What has been your competitors sales strategy? What solutions have they offered? Negotiate Only with Decision Makers Sometimes an apparent decision maker is merely a gate keeper in disguise. Ask probing questions to discover who is really in charge. One such question to ask is: Who has sign-off authority for an investment of this size? Refuse to negotiate with people who do not have the ultimate decision-making authority. Timing is Everything Do not negotiate if your customer is not ready to buy. Make sure your deal is fully baked! If you negotiate too early you will end up negotiating two, three, four, or more times. If you drop the price any time before the final negotiation, you will end up competing against yourselfa major mistake. Preparation - Review All Possible Scenarios Know all possible moves that the customer may make. Plan your move in advance in each instance. Be prepared to eliminate yourself from the negotiation, if necessary. Review the circumstances under which it would be necessary to walk away from the situation in order to secure long-term relationships and to protect your companys resources. The Lone Ranger Is Dead After you compile the trade matrix, review it in detail with your manager long before the negotiations begin. A superstar never conducts a major final negotiation alone. There are many reasons for this: Customers do not believe that a sales rep has the authority to produce a great deal. They think that unless a manager is involved they will not get a bottom-line deal. Two sets of eyes and ears can better pick up the all-important nonverbal cues coming from the customer. The negotiations can get heated. By allowing the manager, at times, to take on the bad-guy role, the superstar can keep his relationship with the customer untarnished (I wish I could give that to you, but my management wont allow it). Understand Your Contribution MarginDont Drop Price! As a superstar you should never drop the price; instead, offer additional products or services that equal or exceed the requested discount. The impact of a price drop on your net income would be substantial, whereas providing a product or service decreases your net income only by the wholesale or internal cost (not the retail price) of that extra product or service. When choosing which products or services to offer in a negotiation, choose those with high contribution margins such as software, maintenance, and warranty. Give Slowly and Reluctantly During final negotiations, whenever you offer a price concession, do not make major reductions. Any major shift in price or position signals to customers that much greater concessions could be had for the asking. And believe me, they will ask. Never Negotiate Piecemeal Insist that the buyer put all the issues onto the table before addressing any of them. That way, one can assess whats at stake and fashion an offer, which balances the totality of the requests with what the seller is able to concede. If the buyer presses, an effective reply is, I may be able to ask my manager to make some small concessions, but until I can entertain all of your outstanding issues I will be forced to say No to each of your requests. Certainly you can understand my position. Be Humble Be an Advocate! Avoid flaunting your superstar status during the negotiations. If you let slip the fact that you are a veteran negotiator who has been through this a million times, you will feel a brick wall rising up between you and the customer. Present yourself as a non-expert (only with regard to the negotiation process, not to your product or service expertise). You will be astonished at how much the customer wants to help you. The negotiation instantly takes on win-win feel when the customer does not feel vulnerable. Remind him that you are in this process together, working toward a mutually beneficial solution. Assure him that you will advocate for the best solution your company can offer. Finalizing The Agreement It would be a major mistake to make an offer to your customer and let him think about it for an indefinite amount of time. Each offer must have a mutually determined expiration date. Further, your offer must be all-inclusive. You must specify that any additional items not included in the offer will be available only at an additional investment. This way, you avoid piecemeal negotiation mentioned above, as well as negotiation after the fact. These commandments will help you meet all the customers needs without loosing money or the sale. By following these 10 best practice steps, you will be well on your way to sales superstardom. Good luck to you, and remember, Close Em! Daniel J. Adams is a trainer, keynote speaker and consultant in the field of sales and marketing. Dan is the founder of Adams & Associates, the author of the book Building Trust, Growing Sales, and the creator of the Trust Triangle SellingTM best practice based sales training methodology. For more information: www.trusttriangleselling.com or call 630-215-5090.

Legal/Accounting/Consulting Briefs
Grand Rapids James R. Brown, member of law firm Mika Meyers Beckett & Jones, PLC, was selected by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as 2014 Leader in the Law. Grand Rapids John J. Bursch, Partner Warner Norcross & Judd, LLP, was recognized by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as one of its 2014 Leaders in the Law. Grand Rapids Warner Norcross & Judd, LLP, elected three partners to serve three year terms on its Management Committee: Andrea J. Bernard; Homayune A. Ghaussi; and William R. Jansen. Grand Rapids Varnum Attorney Luis Avila was appointed to Michigan Board of Medicine, which oversees the practice of more than 36,000 licensed physicians and surgeons. Grand Rapids Law firm Plachta, Murphy & Associates, PC, announced new addition of Associate Attorney Jeffrey M. Black. Grand Rapids Michael C. Haines and William A. Horn, members of Mika Meyers Beckett & Jones PLC, were named CoChairs of Legal and Legislative Committee of Michigan Oil and Gas Association. Grand Rapids Varnum trial Attorney Ronald G. DeWaard was selected 2014 Leader in the Law by Michigan Lawyers Weekly. Grand Rapids Warner Norcross & Judd, LLP, welcomed new attorney Robert H. Silkensen who will concentrate his practice in international tax planning. Grand Rapids Gatan Gerville-Rache, partner with law firm Warner Norcross & Judd LLP, is co-editor of the new Michigan Appellate Handbook published by Institute of Continuing Legal Education. Grand Rapids Beene Garter LLP acquired Matt Rampe Consulting - an appraisal and business valuation company - expanding the firms Forensic, Valuation and Litigation Services Group. Muskegon Parmenter OToole announced addition of Attorney Brian R. Leibrandt who will concentrate his practice in commercial litigation, business, and real estate areas. Kalamazoo Danielle Mason Anderson, Principal at Miller Canfield, was elected Chair of Board of Directors of Kalamazoo County Juvenile Home Foundation.

General Business
Grand Rapids Wege Prize - a collaboration between Kendal College of Art and Design and The Wege Foundation - will welcome a panel of five diverse and respected leading practitioners and advocates of design thinking and sustainability to the UICA in Grand Rapids to critique West Michigan college students with their solutions to design a product, service, or business model that functions within, and help create a paradigm shift towards a circular economic model, and award $15,000 to the winning team, $10,000 to the second-place team, and $5000 to the team receiving the most public votes. Atlanta, GA Delta Air Lines Foundation donated $21,000 to support efforts of five nonprofit charitable organizations that provide assistance to young people throughout greater Grand Rapids area including Helen DeVos Childrens Hospital, and Junior Achievement of Michigan. Grand Rapids Mark Renzenbrink, owner of Tuttles Select Cigars and Tobaccos, announced he is hosting a Rockstars of Cigars series throughout 2014, where customers may sample premium, hand-rolled cigars and meet cigar manufacturer owners and senior executives throughout multiple event dates. Grand Rapids Dixie Anderson, Executive Director of World Affairs Council of Western Michigan, was reelected for a second three-year term as Vice Chair of the Board of World Affairs Council of America. Ada Arts and Carafes Studio will be opening in their new location at 6749 E. Fulton, where you can sip on wine, beer, or soda while painting. Arts and Carafes supplies paint, brushes, and canvas. New Buffalo Stray Dog Bar & Grill is back in business and better than ever after rebuilding from the 2012 fire, and utilizing SBA 504 loan program through Economic Development Foundation. Grand Rapids A Lol (Live Out Loud Everyday) brand boutique will open in the Gaslight Village area, 2213 Wealthy St., SE, early this spring. The womens active wear store will occupy space originally used by Smooch Beauty Boutique. Holland/Zeeland Two Men & A Truck was presented with West Coast Chambers IMPACT Award, recognizing its positive contribution to the community through for its monthly involvement in supplying transportation and distribution of pop cans to United Way community partner agencies. Norton Shores Gordmans, Inc., apparel and home dcor retailer, announced opening of its first store in Michigan at Lakeshore Marketplace Shopping Center, March 20, 2014. Grand Rapids In 1989, local entrepreneurs Greg and Tyson Keane, opened their first Chow Hound Pet Supplies store, and have steadily expanded their business to now include seven locations in Grand Rapids, Holland and Grand Haven. Muskegon For the second consecutive year, Justin Raha, Instructor at Baker College of Muskegons Culinary Institute, was named 2014 Pastry Chef of the Year in Great Lakes Regional Masterpiece Chocolate-Pastry Competition. Muskegon CityHub Cyclery, caters to beginning bikers and serious cyclists, will celebrate their grand opening March 20, 2014, at the historic 585 W. Clay Ave. building, former M.F. Carlsons Food Market, and will carry top named brands previously unavailable in West Michigan. Houghton SmartStart, MTEC SmartZones entrepreneurial coaching program, received Keweenaw Spark Plug award for Growth presented by Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce and Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance. Grand Rapids For the second consecutive year, signs and graphics provider FASTSIGNS of Grand Rapids received the CEO Circle Award, which is given to the 25 centers in the U.S. and Canada with the highest sales volume from the previous year.

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Grand Rapids Catholic Charities West Michigan welcomed Pam Spaeth as its new Vice President of Philanthropy and Community Outreach, where she will be responsible for planning and implementing the agencys fund development, marketing, and community outreach programs. Grand Rapids YMCA Camp ManitouLin will offer free overnight camp to children ages 8 to 15 of wounded, disabled, or fallen military service members, thanks to a recent partnership with Camp Corral. Lansing According to the latest Michigan Retail Index - a joint project of Michigan Retailers Association and Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago - sales and short-term forecasts for Michigan retail businesses improved during February, but still have a lot of frozen ground to make up after the extreme winter. Lansing Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency announced marine veteran Lindell Holm was appointed to oversee Michigan Veterans Trust Fund, a fund which awards emergency grants to Michigan combat veterans. Battle Creek Site Selection magazine, a magazine focused on corporate real estate strategy and economic development, announced winners of 2013 Governors Cup, and Battle Creek tied for sixth nationally for metro populations less than 200,000 - the second consecutive year Battle Creek ranked in the top 10 nationally.

Review of China Goes Global

historical background that plays a decisive role in Chinas tortured history. With Chinas increasing prominence, policy makers and scholars need this kind of deeper understanding. Shambaugh, director of the China Policy Program at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, believes that conventional wisdom about Chinas emergence as a global power may exaggerate its standing. China could be doomed to be a partial power because it focuses so narrowly on its own interests. Chinas global impact militarily, commercially and culturally has been quite limited. For more surprises, getAbstract recommends this book to anyone seeking insight into Chinas policies, including decision makers, executives, investors, diplomats and students. David Shambaugh. China Goes Global: The Partial Power. Oxford UP, 2013. 409 pages. ISBN-13: 9780199860142. getAbstract is the leading provider of business book summaries, with thousands of titles covered. www.getabstract.com

Legal/Accounting
Detroit Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn, LLP announced its partner J. Michael Huget was named IP Litigator of the Year for Michigan by Managing Intellectual Property magazine. Detroit Law firm Miller Canfield announced the following were elected Principals of the firm: Chicago office Jeffrey M. Drake, Robert C. Levels, and Blake E. Schulman; Detroit office Kimberly Berger, and Marc N. Swanson; Grand Rapids office - Joseph M. Infante, and Steven F. Stapleton; Kalamazoo office - Leigh M. Schultz; and Troy office - Eric C. Bartley.

Provided by www.getabstract.com David Shambaughs marvelous exploration an Economist best book of 2013 sets the context for Chinas foreign and domestic policies and provides the

Communication & IT
Communications & IT
Detroit Technology consulting firm C/D/H relocated their Southeast Michigan offices to downtown, Detroits Tech Hub Network, and closer to about 40% of the firms Southeast Michigan client base. Grand Rapids Specialty Field Production purchased a building on Butterworth Ave., SW, for film editing and production. Allendale BizStream, a web and software development company, is celebrating their newly purchased, renovated and furnished space, and have nearly doubled their staff. Grand Rapids Corporate Technologies LLC was recognized on Nine Lives Medias seventh-annual MSPmentor 501 Global Edition, a list identifying the worlds top 501 managed service providers, and was named to CRNs Managed Service Provider 500 list as one of the MSP Elite 150. Grand Rapids Geek Group announced they received a donation of over $200,000 in 3D design software from Autodesk, Inc., world leader in 3D software for entertainment, natural resources, manufacturing, engineering, Grandville IT solutions provider Trivalent Group announced it was recognized as one of the top 100 Managed Service Providers in the world for the fourth consecutive year by MSPmentor. Grand Rapids Service Express, Inc.hired Josh Maczinski and Jordan Peterson, Sales Development Representatives. construction, and civil infrastructure. Muskegon NeXt I.T. was recognized as 2014 Michigan 50 Companies to Watch, an awards program presented by Michigan Celebrates Small Business.

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Grand Rapids Maximize Technologies and eGear USA formed a joint company, Vector Tech Group, a collection of companies with a focus on delivering technology solutions in a timely and budgetminded way. Lansing Center for Business Innovation, a managed technology service provider, announced their new partnership to offer Microsoft Office 365 services to organizations.

Hostel Could Attract More Than $600,000 to West Michigan

Grand Rapids - If giving one dollar could create a dozen dollars in the future, would you consider parting with your 100 cents? Thats what Stay Hostel is asking with its upcoming crowdfunding campaign. According to their analysis of a Boston Business Journal report, the number of people they expect to use their hostel may contribute as much as $625,000 in economic growth to Grand Rapids and the surrounding region. The Boston Business Journal looked at HI-Boston, a Hostelling International operation located in the capital of Massachusetts. Nearly 33,000 guests stayed at HI-Boston in 2007 and, according to the report, these individuals contributed approximately $12.5 million to the local economy. Matt Knaack and Tom Damitio saw this report and estimated that if a hostel in Grand Rapids could attract around 5 percent of the guests that HIBoston saw that year, it could bring in around 5 percent of the associated economic growth. This equates to $625,000. But this doesnt include the differences in living costs between Grand Rapids and Boston. According to Bankrate, a $50,000 annual income in Grand Rapids translates to a $75,676 annual income in Boston. Accounting for this change, the estimation by Knaack still shows the potential to add more than $400,000 per year to the economy of Grand Rapids and West Michigan. Stay Hostel needs $50,000 for opening costs and six months of operation. And each year, the travelers who stay there could contribute between $400,000 and $625,000. So, the question remains: Would you be willing to give a dollar if it could turn into a dozen dollars? What if it only turned into eight? Regardless, Knaack and Damitio see this financial return as a boon to Grand Rapids, both for the economy and the community. Consider giving your dollar to Stay Hostel on April 15 when their crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo begins.

Rockford Construction: Green in Grand Rapids

Continued from page 9 Rockford Construction is currently awaiting word that their headquarters building will receive LEED certification. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a set of rating systems for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of green buildings, homes and neighborhoods. Ferguson expects that, at a minimum, they will be granted LEED Gold certification. Rockford has been part of 60 projects which have received LEED certification. In fact, it is worth noting that Grand Rapids has, per capita, more LEED certified buildings than any other city in the U.S. According to Ferguson, Building new or restoring and renovating using green construction techniques and technologies both require planning and foresight. And our customers rely on us to come up with the best solutions for their particular needs. Almost all green strategies have a rapid payback. He continues, Its very important for Rockford to be part of the urban core. We are part of this neighborhood, and the location is perfect for us. The views from the building take in all that the city has to offer. You can see the river, the downtown skyline, the highway and the many old and beautiful churches that surround us. There are plans underway to further enhance this neighborhood while still maintaining its history and character. The building reflects Rockford Construction. Both beautiful and practical, it delivers on its promises of sustainability, comfort, handsome design and commitment to both local and greater environmental concerns. Jane Whittington is a freelance writer and editor who lives in Grand Rapids.