November 2010

Business
update
1993-2010 ublication

Features:
Estate & Tax Planning
CPA Firms
Industrial Coatings & Finishing
ABC Construction Awards
Caregiving
 Global Supply Chain Collaboration
I often get asked work together, team up, join forces, pool
by shippers if we can resources, act as a team, work in partner-
collaborate their ship, or in general cooperate with each
freight for cost sav- other.
ings, which my stan- The logistics industry is a matrix of
dard answer is different modes of transportation that
always “Of Course”. collaborate for profit on a global basis to
Now my first ques- move our goods and services across bor-
tion to the shipper is ders, oceans, and cultures. Freight
John Toles what do you think Forwarders and Consolidators are mas-
collaboration really ters at collaboration and they have been
is? There are so many ways to collaborate around since the first mule carts were
that it really is hard for a definitive objec- used to haul freight. Before collaboration
tive answer. To collaborate one must became the buzz word the term used was
consolidation, and then came lean logis-
tics, and now the latest trend is
“Optimization”. Whatever term blows
your hair back it’s all about saving
money and doing things more efficiently
in the supply chain.
Technology has enabled and enlight-
ened the supply chain world to the bene-
fits and opportunities of global collabora-
tion. It provides the platform to share
information, knowledge, risk, and how
companies operate and make decisions.
Technology gains just in the past decade
have created new opportunities for col-
laboration. 24-7 electronic global com-
2
tracing, diversion, and expediting when
necessary. Mode and carrier compliance
is greatly enhanced when automated and
can significantly lower costs and improve
data accuracy. Real time collaboration in
the supply chain can increase forecast
accuracy, help balance service levels and
costs, and accelerate problem recognition
and resolution. Technology gives us the
metrics to manage, measure, and
improve our collaborative efforts
throughout the supply chain.
My short term definition of
“Collaboration” is “Cost Savings” and I
don’t mean a “Rate Play” as many people

Will New Small Business munication platforms are making it pos-

sible for logistics providers, retailers, and
may interpret. Rates are a matter of nego-
tiation; collaboration is a strategy to

Bill Accelerate Economy? manufacturers to manage their global

supply chains and inventories in ways
reduce costs across the entire enterprise.

San Francisco, CA – President
Obama has signed the new Small
Business Bill that Congress approved in
early October. The bill provides new tax
breaks to small businesses, increases
SBA lending limits and waives loan fees.
Best of all, it provides $30 billion to
banks to increase lending.
But will these new incentives excite
small business and banks to take the $30
billion? Alan Olsen managing partner of
Greenstein Rogoff Olsen & Co. LLP, had
this to say:
"One weakness of the bill is that it
does not require banks to provide the $30
billion in loans to small businesses.
Although there are tax breaks in the bill,
the uncertainty about the extension of
the Bush tax cuts has businesses taking
a 'let’s wait and see' approach.
"Additionally, the new tax act is still a
far cry from stimulating this economy. The
recent tax act is a start, but has little good
news. The Act doubles the 179 expensing
limit to $500,000, but few individuals
stand to really benefit from the increase.
To take advantage of the deductions, com-
panies can only claim the deduction to the
extent of income. The deduction is also
phased out at $2 million.
"The new Act also reinstates 50%
bonus depreciation for qualifying proper-
ty in service in 2010. However, business
still will have a tax on depreciation recap-
ture. The depreciation recapture will be
taxed at ordinary income tax rates which
are currently being raised in later years. that were not conceivable just a few short John Toles is the VP of Global Trade
In other words, the Government will give years ago. at Supply Chain Solutions Inc. you can
you more deductions now when tax rates Visibility technology in the supply reach him at 616-554-8915 or email
are low and then impose a higher tax on chain is helping to control inventory lev- jtoles@scsolutionsinc.com
the recapture. els and allows for shipment tracking,
"A double tax deduction can be
claimed for startup expenditures to
$10,000. However, they need to be amor-
tized over a 5 year period. It’s not clear how
much stimulus this is creating for jobs.
"At the same time this Small
Business Act is being passed, the Bush
Tax Cuts are in jeopardy of expiring,
thereby creating a higher tax rate and
removing economic stimulus. Congress
should focus on giving the American
people real tax breaks that encourage
businesses to grow.
"Investment tax credits without lim-
its to income would do such a thing.
Lowering taxes allows business to grow,
allows for greater disposable income and
thus creates more jobs in the economy.
"Remove the AMT tax and lower
government spending. Government is
using $10 billion increased spending to
give to the IRS. It will be hard to contin-
ue to pay taxes when the well continues
to run dry in this economy and other
nations continue to take jobs from us
because their governments have properly
stimulated their economies."
What do you think? Send your letters to
the editor: editor@businessupdate.com.

M ICHAEL AWNEY
INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
A. T
& COMPANY, P.C.
Professional services for your industrial and personal needs.
• Accounting • Payroll • Tax •
Call us today for courteous, dependable, and rapid assistance
(616) 456-4700
 REHABILITATION

experts
To lose freedom and normal
functioning due to an accident
or illness is one of the hardest
things anyone could ever face -
but it needn’t be the end of hope.
In fact, the experts at Mary Free
Bed Rehabilitation Hospital help
hundreds of people overcome
disabilities, doing wonders to
restore their everyday living skills,
independence and perhaps most
importantly, their dignity, joy
and hope. Rehabilitation care is
all that we do at Mary Free Bed.
MaryFreeBed.com

COMPREHENSIVE INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT REHABILITATION FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS

 Mary Free Bed Guild of Grand Rapids –
A 100 Year Tradition of Giving
The history of
Grand Rapids is full
of stories featuring
generous and for-
ward-thinking
women. One of the
most interesting of
these stories is how
Mary Free Bed
Meg Derrer Rehabilitation
Hospital came to be.
The most common version of the
story begins with a purse found on the
street containing a small amount of
coins. Since the owner of the purse
couldn’t be located, the woman who dis-
covered it decided to do something char-
itable with the money.
This woman and her friends recog-
nized the need for medical care for
patients of limited financial means in our
community, so they embarked on a fund-
raising campaign to secure the use of a
Business
update ublication
Publisher: Gary Kralapp
Business Development
Senior Vice President: Jim Lroy
Senior Vice President: Diane LaPreze
Contributing Writers: John Toles, Meg
Derrer, Matthew Becker, William
Morgan, Rhonda Savage, Kenneth H.
Marks, Christine White, Rod Unema
Managing Editor: Carol M. Kralapp
Associate Editor: David Calkins
Printing/Distribution: News Web Printing
Accountant: Michael Tawney & Company
Legal: Miller Canfield Paddock & Stone
The monthly published Business Update Inc.®
all rights reserved. No portion can be reproduced
without the written permission of the publisher.
The management of Business Update Inc.® is not
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ers or editors. Nor is it responsible for any infor-
mation contained on any schedule or calendar. We
invite editorial suggestions, reader participation,
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PO Box 541
Byron Center, MI 49315
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free bed in one of the local hospitals.
They asked community members to add
to the coins found in the purse.
Their approach was creative – they
solicited contributions from everyone
named Mary, as well as from those hav-
ing friends or relatives with the name.
Soon, enough money was raised to sup-
port one free bed. Because of the cam-
paign, the bed became known as the
“Mary Free Bed.”
As the fund and community need
grew, more women joined the effort. In
1911 the group of ladies became incor-
porated as the Mary Free Bed Guild of
Grand Rapids. In the 1930’s the guild
realized that one bed wasn’t enough to
meet community need, and a 12-bed
children’s convalescent home was
opened at 1411 East Fulton Street.
Throughout the 1940’s, the guild became
more focused on treating and rehabilitat-
ing children and expanded its services to
provide care for patients with cerebral
palsy as well as inpatient and outpatient
GVSU Survey Tracks ArtPrize
Visitor Spending
Grand Rapids – A survey conducted
by Grand Valley State University stu-
dents tracked where ArtPrize 2010 visi-
tors came from and how much money
they spent.
Economics and hospitality and
tourism management students surveyed
about 850 people in downtown Grand
Rapids during ArtPrize 2010. Experience
Grand Rapids helped coordinate the data.
The results indicate:
• 50% of attendees at ArtPrize were
local Grand Rapids residents, while
care for amputee patients. Mary Free Bed
continued to grow and expand services
over the next several decades and added
programs for adults in the 1960’s.
Today, the hospital is owned by the
120 women who serve as members of
the Mary Free Bed Guild of Grand
Rapids. These dedicated ladies continue
the tradition of serving those with dis-
abilities through the operation of the 80-
bed Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation
Hospital. The hospital is now a regional
facility, serving patients from Michigan
as well as other states in the Midwest. A
wide range of programs are offered at
Mary Free Bed, and patients are cared
for by a team of clinicians who work col-
laboratively to help restore independ-
ence. The hospital provides comprehen-
sive inpatient, outpatient and clinic
rehabilitation programs, treating people
of all ages.
Not only does the guild own the
hospital, but it manages an endowment –
known as the Mary Free Bed Fund – that
almost 6% came from outside Michigan.
88% of those surveyed indicated that
ArtPrize was their primary purpose to
visit downtown Grand Rapids.
• Visitors who came from outside of
Grand Rapids (50%) stayed in the city
for two days on average. Approximately
33% of non-locals stayed more than 24
hours with an average duration of about
3.3 days.
• Approximately 10% of non-local
attendees lodged in a hotel/motel or bed
and breakfast (21% stayed with a friend
4
is committed to financially supporting
the programs at Mary Free Bed as well as
community organizations that address
the needs of individuals with disabilities.
Over the last 22 years, the guild has
contributed more than $16.4 million dol-
lars to hospital and community programs
exclusively focusing on increasing the
quality of life for those living with dis-
ability. More than 50 different organiza-
tions and countless residents of West
Michigan have benefitted from the gen-
erous support of the Mary Free Bed Guild
of Grand Rapids.
Meg Derrer is the director of mar-
keting and public relations at Mary Free
Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. She also
serves on the board of the Ronald
McDonald House of Western Michigan
and is a member of the American
Marketing Association and the Society
for Healthcare Strategy & Market
Development.
or relative).
• 55.6% of respondents registered
to vote. More than half of them (56.1%)
attended ArtPrize last year.
• The average spending by local
groups or parties was $72.31, whereas
groups from outside of Grand Rapids
spent an average of $156.22.
• The average spending by respon-
dents who traveled less than 50 miles
was $67.79, whereas those who traveled
50 miles or more spent an average of
$273.49.
Business
update ublication
Have your
own copy
E-mailed
monthly
prupdate@businessupdate.com

Federal Income Tax Isn’t Everything:
Business Owners Should Consider Overall Tax Position
As we approach
an important elec-
tion and the end of
2010, all business
owners are forced to
consider changes
under current and
potential tax law.
Current tax rates,
Matthew Becker established during
the Bush
Administration, are scheduled to expire.
Various proposals from politicians in
each party have been offered for consid-
eration, simply adding to the uncertainty
business owners face. If we believe fed-
eral income tax rates will increase, it
behooves the acceleration of income and
the deferral of deductions, an awkward
desire for any business owner.
Before any business owner engages
in such seemingly counterintuitive behav-
ior, it certainly makes sense to wait - at
least until after the election - before mak-
ing any decisions. While business owners
patiently wait for information regarding
the unpredictable future of federal income
tax rates, now is an ideal time to focus on
other taxes: in particular, estate and gift
taxes, which can seriously impact any
business but are often overlooked.
Uncertainty and complication exists
in the estate and gift tax as well. However,
focusing on the almost as uncertain and
much more often overlooked aspects of
gift and estate tax exposure provides the
opportunity for businesses to address
their overall tax position more directly.
Here are some examples of estate and gift
tax issues to consider now:
• No generation-skipping transfer
tax technically exists under 2010 law.
As a result, a taxpayer cannot allocate a
generation-skipping transfer tax exemp-
Michigan Businesses
Seeing Signs of Growth
Lansing – While the economy
remains tough throughout the Great
Lakes State, a growing number of
Michigan’s small- and mid-sized busi-
nesses are feeling better about their
long-term future as they start to see
signs of growth. Additionally, business-
es continue to report difficulty in finding
qualified applicants to fill the small but
steadily rising number of new jobs.
The findings come from the semi-
5
tion in 2010. Since the allocation of this ers and tax planning professionals alike.
exemption was an integral component of Taking the energy normally focused on Matthew Becker is a tax partner in
planning for any business owner work- income tax planning in more certain leg- the Grand Rapids office of BDO. He spe-
ing to prevent the next generation of islative environments and expending it cializes in tax consulting for private
ownership from having to face estate to address gift and estate tax exposure business organizations and the owners
and gift tax peril, the lack of an exemp- could be the best decision a business can of such organizations. Becker also has
tion in 2010 requires fresh thinking and make in today’s environment. The ample experience in assisting clients
creative planning. uncertainty of income tax law could with a wide array of tax accounting
• Under current law a 35% gift actually be just the catalyst that busi- method issues and has served many high
tax rate exists for 2010. Individuals nesses need to take advantage of over- net worth individuals with estate and
who have a pattern of taxable gifts and looked gift and estate tax opportunities. gift tax planning needs.
who are accustomed to much higher gift
tax rates (such as the 55% rate current
law provides for 2011) might want to
make higher value gifts in 2010.
• For estates subject to estate tax in
2010, carryover tax basis looks like the
rule, but the Internal Revenue Service
has yet to tell taxpayers how carryover
basis is reported.
• If Congress does not act with the
support of the President, the gift, estate,
and generation-skipping transfer tax
rate will be 55% and the lifetime exemp-
tion will be $1,000,000 – making plan-
ning more important than it has been in
a decade.
• Legislative changes to make the
use of grantor retained annuity trusts, a
popular gift and estate planning tech-
nique, were not made as expected earlier
this year, leaving this planning option
available for now with advantageously
low interest rates.
• Extremely low interest rates, per-
haps the lowest taxpayers will see, pro-
vide numerous gift and estate tax plan-
ning opportunities, from refinancing
intra family notes to low interest sales to
family trusts.
Gift and estate tax exposure can
often create more risk for businesses
than income tax, and such exposure is
often put on the backburner by taxpay-
annual Future Business Index study, com-
missioned by Lansing-based Accident
Fund Insurance Company of America and
conducted by EPIC’s MRA in October
2010. A total of 600 Michigan business
owners, operators, officers and managers
were interviewed for this survey.
This year’s survey yielded some
positive results despite the lingering
sluggish economic conditions.
Continued on page 10

Finance/Legal/Accounting/Insurance Briefs
Grand Rapids – Echelbarger,
Himebaugh, Tamm & Co. PC,
announced the promotion of Certified
QuickBooks ProAdvisor, Marti A. Den
Uyl, to QuickBooks Practice Leader.
Grand Rapids – The following 17 attor-
neys from Smith Haughey Rice &
Roegge have been selected to be includ-
ed in the 2010 Michigan Super Lawyers
listing: Dale L. Hebert, Edward R.
Stein, Charles F. Behler, Thomas F.
Blackwell, Patrick F. Geary, William
W. Jack, Jr., E. Thomas McCarthy, Jr.,
Craig S. Neckers, Craig R. Noland,
John C. O’Loughlin, John R. Oostema,
L. Roland Roegge, Thomas R. Tasker
and George F. Bearup. In addition, three
Smith Haughey attorneys have been
selected to be included in the “Rising
Stars” category of Michigan Super
Lawyers: Adil A. Daudi, Steven K.
Stawski and Scott D. Harvey.
Fremont – Fremont Michigan
InsuraCorp, Inc. would like to remind
drivers of the increased risk of a deer-car
collision that accompanies this annual
outdoor tradition. Deer-related wrecks
were up nearly six percent last year.
Michigan Businesses
Seeing Signs of Growth
Continued from page 9
The survey showed an uptick in
reports of “overall satisfaction” with the
economy, moving up five percentage
points to 22 percent from the immediate-
ly preceding survey reading of 17 per-
cent in January 2010. This is the highest
this particular measure has been since
November 2006 when the overall satis-
faction measure was at 29 percent.
Other positive results from the sur-
vey include:
• Six-month business outlook:
The survey shows a slight upward trend
in the numbers expressing a positive
outlook for businesses over the next six
months, now at 42 percent, up three per-
centage points from the January 2010
survey. This number is 14 points higher
than the low point in November 2008,
when the “positive outlook” total was at
28 percent. This is a very positive sign,
as the current numbers reflect a 50 per-
cent improvement over two years.
• Six-month “bottom line” expec-
Detroit – The U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development
announced the selection of Antonio
Riley regional administrator for six
Midwestern states including Illinois,
Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and
Minnesota.
Fremont – Fremont Insurance
announced several new professional
additions: Todd Vanocker has been
hired as a property staff adjuster.
Jennifer Timmer joins the company as a
customer service representative along
with Katie Dauser who has joined as a
PIP/worker compensation staff adjuster.
Christina McNitt has also been hired to
Fremont’s Policy Services area.
Grand Rapids – Varnum trial attorney
Ray Littleton has been appointed to the
board of directors for Legal Aid of
Western Michigan.
Grandville – Berends Hendricks Stuit
Insurance Agency, Inc. announced the
addition of a new shareholder, Pat
Dalton, HIA, RHU, CBC. Dalton also
serves on the Visser Family YMCA
board of managers.
tations: The number of businesses say-
ing their bottom line will “worsen” over
the next six months, with costs taking a
larger share of the profits, dropped to 22
percent in the current survey. This is
down five percentage points from 27
percent in the January 2010 survey.
This is the lowest this measurement has
been since November 2006, when it was
at 23 percent.
• Hiring and layoffs: The survey
shows a small but steady increase in the
number of new jobs projected to become
available in the next six months, along
with no expectation of an increase in the
number of layoffs. Specifically, 11 per-
cent of businesses said they plan to hire
more workers, with just three percent
saying they plan on layoffs. Over the
past six months, 11 percent of Michigan
businesses had new jobs available that
went unfilled, with 85 percent of these
businesses saying the number one rea-
son the jobs remain unfilled is because
there are not enough qualified applicants
for the positions.
West Michigan – Ashley Potts was
appointed to business development
manager for West Michigan Tax in the
Grand Rapids Office of BDO and has had
exposure to large C-Corporations, pass-
through entities, as well as experience in
the Family Wealth Department.
Grand Rapids – Echelbarger,
Himebaugh, Tamm & Co. PC
announced that in-charge accountant
Brenda K. Pavlak, CPA has been elect-
ed to serve on the board of directors for
Family Hope Foundation.
Holland – Waddell & Reed announced
that Bryce Borgman has joined the firm
as a financial advisor in the Holland
area. Andrew Bopra, Nate Trathen and
Paul Mundt have qualified for the firm’s
Career Development Conference. In other
company news, Edward J. Postma Jr.,
CFP®, CMFC®, AWMA, recently was
invited to attend Waddell & Reed, Inc.’s
2010 Top Advisors’ Forum.
Bloomfield Hills – Professional
Resolution Experts of Michigan
announced that six of its members were
named to the distinguished “2010
Michigan Super Lawyers” list by
“Michigan Super Lawyers” publica-
tion. Honorees include: F. Peter Blake,
Richard A. Bone, Gene J. Esshaki, Paul
F. Monicatti, Richard E. Rassel and
Martin C. Weisman.
Lansing – Accident Fund Insurance
Company of America recently present-
ed checks totaling $10,000 to Disability
Advocates of Kent County and
Phoenix Society of Burn Survivors.
Washington, D.C. – The SBA announced
financing from the U.S. SBA’s growth
capital program increased 23 percent in
fiscal year 2010, providing a record $1.59
billion to help small businesses grow and
create jobs. This volume is the highest
single-year volume in the 50-year histo-
ry of SBA’s Small Business Investment
Company debenture program.
J J ack S nyder I nc
25 years & over 400 M&A Transactions.
S Specializing in small manufacturing,
distributors and service business.
I A
616-889-8974
6
Ionia – Independent Bank is working
with Freddie Mac for a second year in
an effort to expand outreach and educa-
tion to potential homeowners.
Ann Arbor – Detroit-based business law
firm Honigman Miller Schwartz and
Cohn LLP and Ann Arbor-based China
Bridge LLC announced a collaborative
business alliance that enhances the
scope and depth of services for interna-
tional business clients of both firms.
Columbus, OH – Huntington is the fifth-
largest small business lender in the coun-
try in number of loans, as reported by the
U.S. Small Business Administration, up
two spots from 2009. According to the
SBA, Huntington made 1,312 loans for a
total of $213,136,920 million during
SBA’s fiscal year that ended on Sept. 30,
2010, a 32 percent increase in number of
loans and a 51 percent increase in dollar
amount over 2009.
Lansing - Attorney Kate Fetkenhier has
joined the Gallagher Law Firm and will
focus on litigation involving mortgage
and oil and gas disputes.
Grandville – Berends Hendricks Stuit
Insurance Agency, Inc. announced the
addition of: Ted Kuzma - business
development manger; Amy Jo Klapmust
- administrative support; and Kathy
Frollo - administrative support.
Grand Rapids – Clark Hill PLC
announced that James Stadler has
joined the firm as a member in the labor
& employment practice group in the
firm’s Grand Rapids office.
Grand Rapids – Varnum announced that
Joshua Shope has joined their trial and
litigation team as an associate; Zachary
Meyer has joined their corporate law
team as an associate; and Jake
Lombardo has joined as an associate
with Varnum's trial and litigation team.
All new personnel are located in the
Grand Rapids office.
M
&
 7
State Tax Amnesty Program
Michigan is able to forgo the penalties which would of the tax bill in full by the program end filled in by the taxpayer. For you Lawyers
implementing a tax normally arise from those situations. date, and the tax must have been dated out there: the bill passed was Senate Bill
amnesty program Seeing how penalties can vary in prior to January 1, 2010. This is a great 0884 which amended sec. 31 of 1941 PA
that will take place size depending on how large your collect- opportunity for businesses to get caught 122 (MCL 205.31). At our firm, we han-
between May 15, ed Sales, Use Withholding Tax is, this up on late or non-filed returns over the dle a lot of noncompliance issues with the
2011 and end June program will be very beneficial. If you years and to continue forward without state. If you have any questions or need
30, 2011. The haven’t yet discussed this program with past baggage. This program is also bene- help filing this request please don’t hesi-
amnesty bill that your tax preparer, now would be the time ficial to the state as it promotes the col- tate to contact me.
was signed into law to do so and discuss what your options lection of past due taxes, which busi-
William Morgan on October 5, 2010 are to see if you can afford to relieve nesses potentially could not pay. William Morgan, CPA is the president
will allow any busi- yourself and/or your business of any It’s very important to talk to a tax of Morgan & Morgan CPAs, PC, which is a
ness or individual who has accumulated penalties with the state. Historically, try- professional to make sure you don’t have second generation tax practice located in
criminal or civil penalties an opportunity ing to get the state to remove penalties is a much larger coinciding IRS non-report- the Waters Building in downtown Grand
to file late returns and pay only the tax rather difficult, for the simple fact that if ing problem. To file for relief during this Rapids. Their area of expertise is Small
and interest owed. This will allow a little any employee removes the penalties they time period you will need to prepare, in Business accounting and proactive tax
relief to anyone who has not filed a could be looking at more strict penalties writing, a request for relief. The request planning for business owners.
return for quite some time. Also, if you’re and possibly criminal charges. for relief is
a business and you haven’t filed your In order to take advantage of the usually a spe-
Sales, Use or Withholding tax form or amnesty program you need to have the cific form that
haven’t filed them on time, you will be ability to pay the tax and interest portion needs to be
Grand Business Money Market
Current Business Trends: Because your money should
Not as Robust work as hard as you do.
Grand Rapids - The greater Grand Rapids few more months. But growth is still growth,
industrial economy is still good but less robust, even if it is a little slower,” Long said.
according to the results of a monthly survey com- Long said the office furniture business
piled by Brian G. Long, director of Supply
Management Research in the Seidman College of
turned in a mixed performance for the month.
“Although there are no obvious new problems
Earn up to 1.65% APY*
Business at Grand Valley State University. with the market for office furniture, the industry Minimum Balance $100,000
The survey results are based on data collect- is blessed with the revival of the industrial mar-
ed in the last two weeks of October. The survey’s ket, but cursed by the prevailing slow rate of
index of business improvement, called new overall economic growth,” he said. Long noted
orders, remained positive but eased to +15 from that automotive parts suppliers are still doing
+33. In a similar move, the production index well.
eased to +19 from +36. The index of purchases Other economic news included the decline of
backtracked to +9 from +28. The employment Michigan’s seasonally adjusted unemployment
index moderated to +21, down from +44. rate to 13.0 from 13.1. Long said any decline in
Long said this month’s report shows that the the unemployment rate is good news, but this
Greater Grand Rapids economy is still growing, month’s reduction by only .1 percent underscores
but the pace has slowed from the previous month. the slow pace of Michigan’s recovery from the
Powering small business...
“So far, it looks like this trend may continue for a recession.

Finance/Legal/Accounting Briefs grandriverbank.com | 616-929-1600 |

Kentwood – Regal Investment Advisors is now
SEC registered. The RIA is expecting over 100
million assets transferred over by the new year
and over 250 million assets by the end of 2011,
making them one of the fastest growing RIA’s in
the nation.
Grand Rapids – Echelbarger, Himebaugh, Tamm
& Co. PC (EHTC) announced Melinda DeMarse,
CPA will serve as treasurer on the board at Health
Intervention Services and Robin M. Stoner,
CPA/MST has been appointed to the board of the
Grand Rapids – Sara Knoper and Dwight
Dettloff of the accounting firm Baker Spindler
Holtz have received their CPA licenses.
Grand Rapids – Varnum attorney Joy Fossel will
be presented the prestigious Michael S. Barnes
Award by Legal Aid of Western Michigan.
Grand Rapids – The staff of Vincent Law and
CPA office joined with the public for the Grand
Opening of their newest location in Grand Rapids
inside the Ledyard Building.
4471 Wilson Avenue SW
Grandville, MI 49418
*Annual Percentage Yield (APY) accurate as of November 4, 2010. All rates are variable
and subject to change without notice. Initial minimum opening deposit is $10,000.00.
Different rates apply to different balance tiers. The interest rate for balances $0.01-
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Michigan Women’s Tax Association.


Education Briefs
Muskegon – Robb White, CEC, CCA,
AAC, dean of culinary arts at The
Culinary Institute of Michigan at
Baker College of Muskegon, has been
inducted into the American Academy
of Chefs, the prestigious honor society
of the American Culinary Federation.
Grand Rapids – The Grand Rapids
Community College board of trustees, at
the recommendation of the GRCC Office of
Economic Development, has unanimously
supported the submission of a Michigan
New Jobs Training Program agreement
that will result in the training of up to 15
apprentices for Autocam of Kentwood.
The agreement is for $215,000 to provide
training for machine tool workers.
Grand Rapids – Davenport University
recently received a $2.5 million donation
from the M.E. Davenport Foundation
toward the newest academic building on
the W.A. Lettinga Campus in Grand Rapids
– the Robert W. Sneden Center. The new
41,000 sq. ft. building was officially dedi-
cated on Tuesday, September 14.
Review of Just Listen
By Rolf Dobelli, Chairman,
getAbstract
Being the life of the party won’t help
you make a sale. In fact, letting other peo-
ple take the spotlight will actually garner
more admiration and eventual “buy-in,”
Midland – Northwood University’s
Richard DeVos Graduate School of
Management is coming to Grand Rapids
with classes starting January 2011. The
DeVos Evening MBA program will be
sharing space with Northwood’s Adult
Degree Program which has been in
Grand Rapids for several years. The new
facility will be located at 515 Michigan
Avenue in Grand Rapids.
Kent County – The Michigan College
Access Network (MCAN) recently
announced that 14 communities will col-
lectively receive more than $350,000 to
support student access and success in
college. For the implementation of the
Kent County College Access Network
(KCCAN), Grand Rapids Community
Foundation is receiving a $50,000
MCAN grant. KCCAN will serve all of
Kent County although the focus for serv-
ice delivery will be on the City of Grand
Rapids and the inner-ring suburbs in
which the vast majority of low-income
and first generation students reside and
attend school.
explains psychiatrist Mark Goulston. This
advice follows his axiom, “be more inter-
ested than interesting,” which is one of his
nine principles for connecting with others.
Goulston, who has trained police officers
and U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation
hostage negotiators, devotes a chapter
each to 12 powerful techniques you can
use to be more persuasive. His systems
and strategies will help you cross the nat-
ural barriers people erect to protect them-
selves, so you can communicate your
ideas and goals. He fleshes out each les-
son with real-life examples and engaging
stories. getAbstract thinks you’ll find this
book quite helpful in refining ways to “get
through” to others. If Goulston can negoti-
ate with a desperate gunman, he surely
can help you sway a customer – or even
your teenager.
Mark Goulston. Just Listen: Discover
the Secret to Getting Through to
Absolutely Anyone. AMACOM, 2009. 256
pages, List Price: $24.95. ISBN-13: 978-
0814414033
getAbstract is the leading provider of
business book summaries, with more than
5,000 titles covered.
Allendale – The support staff at Grand
Valley State University voted over-
whelmingly to join the rest of the uni-
versity’s employees in a wage freeze,
giving up a raise scheduled for October
1, the last year of a three-year contract.
Kalamazoo – Western Michigan
University has been named among the
nation's top-20 schools for military vet-
erans by national publication Military
Times' EDGE. WMU ranked at No. 16 on
its list of 101 colleges around the United
States that are "best for vets" and "make
veterans' success a priority."
Grand Rapids – Grand Valley State
University received two federal grants
totaling more than $2 million to expand
its Physician Assistant Studies program.
A $1.79 million grant from the U.S.
Department of Health and Human
Services will expand the program from 35
students to 39 students next year, gradu-
ally increasing to 48 students by 2014.
The grant is part of the federal health care
reform act intended to increase the num-
ber of health care workers.
Grand Rapids – The Grand Rapids
Student Advancement Foundation, a
local nonprofit committed to linking the
resources of the community with the
educational needs of the students in
Grand Rapids Public Schools,
announced it has received a $4 million
grant from the W.K. Kellogg
Foundation. The grant will help fund
“Believe 2 Become” - a cooperative
endeavor aimed at closing the achieve-
ment gap and increasing graduation
rates in four city neighborhoods, home
to 15,000 children.
Grand Rapids – Grand Rapids
Community College (GRCC) announced
the 2010 faculty and staff Excellence in
Education awards - GRCC's highest
recognition given annually to one faculty
and one staff member. The Staff Award
was presented to Julie Parks, director of
workforce development. Parks’ innova-
tive workforce development programs
had a hand in several newsworthy GRCC
events in the last year, including GRCC
being the only outlet in the US for Global
Wind Certification Training. The Faculty
Award was presented to Steve Abid, an
economics professor in the social sci-
ences department currently serving as
interim associate dean of arts & sciences.
8
West Michigan - Late last October,
Michigan State University College of
Human Medicine announced agree-
ments with Calvin College, Aquinas
College and Hope College that will pro-
vide an enhanced opportunity for the pri-
vate colleges' premedical students to
attend medical school. Preference for this
agreement (named the Early Assurance
Program for admissions) will be given to
deserving students and tho interested in
caring for underserved populations from
the three institutions.
Kalamazoo – An interdisciplinary part-
nership at Western Michigan
University has resulted in the creation
of The Center for Health Information
Technology Advancement (CHITA).
CHITA is a joint project by the Bronson
School of Nursing and the Department
of Business Information Systems. The
center's overall focus is to provide solu-
tions to today's health care information
technology needs.
Grand Rapids – Grand Rapids
Community College has saved over
$1.5 million dollars in utilities in the first
27 months of the Energy Conservation
Program and ongoing partnership with
Energy Education Inc.
Grand Rapids – Grand Rapids
Community College’s Academic
Service Learning Center has received a
$71,239 one-year grant from the U.S.
Department of Education. 100% of the
Off-Campus Community Service work-
study grant will be used to assist eight
students with activities to prepare for
emergencies and natural disasters and
12 students to assist in early childhood
education activities.
Grand Rapids – A grant from Energy
Works Michigan has allowed Kent
Intermediate School District (KISD) to
provide students with hands-on renew-
able energy experience as well as reduc-
ing their electricity requirements. The
site will host a 2.4kw wind turbine and
12kw of solar panels, providing students
with real time data to be used as part of
the program designed to prepare stu-
dents for renewable energy jobs of
today. Windemuller was involved with
the project’s installation and now contin-
ues on as a member of the renewable
energy advisor team for KISD.

Aquinas College Celebrates Completion of
Fieldhouse Project
Grand Rapids – Aquinas College
celebrated the grand opening of the
Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center with a
ribbon cutting ceremony and dedication
of the building. The grand opening
marks the completion of the renovation
of the former Fieldhouse, considered
Phase I of the Sports and Fitness Center
project. The renovated facility is now
named after Peter Sturrus, one of the
major donors for the project.
Guest speakers at the ribbon-cutting
event included Greg McAleenan, vice
president of Advancement for Aquinas
College; Dr. Ed Balog, Ph.D., president of
Aquinas College; Terry "Coach Bo" Bocian,
athletic director of Aquinas College; Greg
Alksnis, Aquinas College trustee and
donor to Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center;
Peter Sturrus, alumnus and donor for
whom the building is named; and the
Most Rev. Walter A. Hurley, Bishop of the
Diocese of Grand Rapids.
“This new facility is more than a
Letters to the Editor
"Regarding Betsy Buist Boss's com-
ment [in last month's Women in Business
section] 'I wish the industry didn't have to
emphasize Women in Business,' I agree
with her 100% and I admire her for mak-
ing that statement. Wouldn't it be nice if
we were all recognized for our achieve-
ments, rather than our gender or race? I
think it's important to say that Betsy has
done well, rather than saying "she did
pretty good for a girl."
9
istent weight room. The new Sturrus The renovation project underwent
Sports & Fitness Center features upgrad- extensive programming, design and pre-
ed competition areas in the arena, facili- construction work before construction
ties for a new fitness center and much- actually began in 2009. Aquinas College
needed classroom space for Aquinas worked with Rockford Construction and
College’s Athletic Training program. Integrated Architecture as partners
The new Sturrus Sports & Fitness throughout the process.
Center is expected to achieve LEED certi-
fication. The systems in the building
were designed to not only meet but
Business
exceed the energy savings of comparable
structure by 46 percent. The cooling and
refrigeration systems were designed to
support early compliance with the
update ublication
Montreal Protocol while minimizing the
direct contribution the building has on Have your
global warming. In addition, more than
95 percent of the unused materials need-
own copy
ed for this building were diverted from E-mailed monthly
the landfill and rerouted to be turned
field house. Working closely with our into new products. prupdate@businessupdate.com
architectural and construction partners,
we have created a completely redesigned
space that serves many of the needs of
the Aquinas community. In addition to
the main competition court, the Sturrus
Center contains offices for faculty and
coaches, space for our academic pro-
grams and a modern fitness center to
serve the wellness needs of the campus.
We look forward to the construction of
phase II of the total project which will
add space to enhance intramural athlet-
ics, track and practice facilities for other
sports,” said Dr. Ed Balog.
Though adequate for the athletic
programs of the 1960s, Aquinas College’s
Fieldhouse was outdated. It lacked a stu-
dent fitness center and sufficient class-
room space for academic athletic pro-
grams, in addition to its obsolete indoor
track, small athletic training area, time
worn locker rooms, cramped office space,
insufficient storage and virtually nonex-
-Jeff Stegmeier, Co-Owner of
Coatings Plus, Inc. in Grand Rapids
Do you have your own comments
or opinions that you'd like to see print-
ed or responses to this letter? Any sug-
gestions for material you'd like to see?
E-mail your own letters to the editor at
editor@businessupdate.com. You might
be printed in our next issue!

Restaurants/Lodging/Catering Briefs
Acme – The Grand Traverse Resort &
Spa announced that they are once again
a Successful Meetings magazine
Pinnacle Award Hotels & Resorts recipi-
ent. This is the Resort's 18th year receiv-
ing the award.
Boyne Falls – Boyne Highlands and
Boyne Mountain have made a number of
new investments including 90 additional
Boyne Low-E snow guns 12 new terrain
park features, sustainable resources and
Next Month Topics
Family Owned Business
Continuing Education
Plastics
Steel Supply
Leasing & Mortgages
Independent Living
To be involved call
616-583-1577
a greater variety of Michigan products
available in dining facilities and added
glade skiing opportunities.
Detroit – Freman Hendrix, a long time
business and community leader in
Detroit and southeast Michigan, has
been named vice-chairman of the
Greektown Casino-Hotel board of
directors and chairman of the nominat-
ing and governance committee.
Kalamazoo – Discover Kalamazoo has
announced its new Kalamazoo Tourism
Ambassador Program and recognized
the program’s first twenty-four gradu-
ates. The Program is interactive training
designed to educate and inspire employ-
ees and volunteers who work to serve
area tourists and visitors. Participants
in the program increase their knowledge
of the region and learn best practices in
customer service. Graduates earn a
Certified Tourism Ambassador™ (CTA)
credential, which they may use to denote
a commitment to their profession.
Lansing – Amtrak trains in Michigan
have set new ridership records for the
fiscal year ending Sept. 30 and collected
$24.5 million in ticket revenue.
Grand Rapids – During its 15-year
anniversary, Frederik Meijer Gardens
& Sculpture Park has reached record-
breaking levels in visitor attendance and
membership. During Fiscal Year 2010,
the Gardens attracted a record 643,031
visitors while its membership base grew
to a record 20,653 member households.
In just 15 years, Meijer Gardens has
seen more than 6.3 million guests, mak-
ing it one of the most-visited art muse-
ums in the world.
Lansing – Twenty-five of the country’s
leading viticulturists gathered in
Traverse City this month to review their
progress on a multi-state collaborative
known as the NE-1020 project - an
effort to evaluate wine grape varieties
and varietal clones for their prospective
use in Eastern states. The group was
hosted by Michigan State University’s
Dr. Paolo Sabbatini, the chair of this
group and the MSU faculty member that
represents Michigan on the project.
Paw Paw – Nancie Corum has been pro-
moted to head winemaker after nine sea-
sons with St. Julian Winery, making her
the first professional commercial female
winemaker in Michigan. Corum steps
into the shoes of Dr. David Miller who
served 13 years as a winemaker at St.
Julian and stepped out earlier this sum-
mer to open his own winery in
Southwest Michigan.
Cascade Area Hotel
Completes Renovations
Grand Rapids – The Crowne Plaza,
Grand Rapids celebrated the completion
of the hotel’s renovations with an open
house last October. Guests had the
opportunity to tour the hotel while enjoy-
ing food, refreshments and entertain-
ment provided by local Cascade and
Grand Rapids businesses.
Representatives from the Chamber were
on hand for a ribbon cutting ceremony
and the Crowne also teamed up with a
local sorority to collect donations of col-
oring books, crayons and markers to be
given to the Helen DeVos Children’s
Hospital.
Participating businesses included:
Younkers, Crescent Street Floral,
Franklin Covey, Design 1 Salon Spa,
Notos Old World Italian, Cascade
Roadhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, the
10
Olympia, WA – The International
Society of Hotel Association
Executives has recognized the
Michigan Hotel & Lodging
Association by selecting it for a 2010
Award of Excellence in the Government
Affairs (under $500,000) category.
Grand Haven – Betty Workman of
Vacation Trailer Park in Benzonia has
been appointed to the Michigan Travel
Commission. Earlier this year, Workman
and her husband were named “2010
Seasonal Employees of the Year” at the
Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference
on Tourism.
Grand Rapids – A groundbreaking event
was held last October for the new
CityFlats Hotel at 83 Monroe Center
NW. Intended to be a much needed
source of economic stimulus for West
Michigan, the project will create fourteen
new hospitality jobs and encourage
future revenues for Grand Rapids. The
hotel will be LEED Certified featuring 28
rooms and a number of high-end accom-
modations including a restaurant,
lounge and coffee bar. Three Holland,
MI-based companies are heading the
project: Charter House Innovations is
the parent company of CityFlats Hotel
and is designing the building's interior;
GMB Architects-Engineers is the archi-
tect and engineer; and GDK
Construction is the project's construc-
tion manager.
Grand Rapids Brewing Co., W.G. Grinders
and more.
All 320 guestrooms at the Crowne
have been completely remodeled and
refurnished. The hotel’s lobby and front
desk received renovations as well as the
fitness center which was updated and
almost doubled in size. In early August,
renovations to the restaurant were com-
pleted and Aryana Restaurant and Bar,
formerly known as the Crowne Room and
Tavern, opened. The restaurant features
a new culturally diverse menu, new pri-
vate dining area, more bar space and
more comfortable seating able to accom-
modate up to 174 guests. The Crowne
boasts 21 meeting and banquet rooms
and with the addition of a brand new
banquet room, now features over 20,000
square feet of meeting space.

Good News is Brewing in MI’s Craft Beer Industry
With more than 80 breweries and brewpubs, Michigan has become the sixth largest craft beer industry in the nation. The industry has seen double-digit growth
over the past two years despite the national and statewide economic downturn, contributing over $24 million in wages and more than $133 million in total eco-
nomic contributions. Recently, Michigan breweries brought home 10 medals (4 gold) from the 2010 Great American Beer Festival and 11 medals from the 2010
Brewers Association World Beer Cup. Our state is quickly living up to the title the Michigan Brewers Guild has given it: “The Great Beer State.”
Kalamazoo Company Named Craft
Beer Distributor of Year Finalist
Kalamazoo – Imperial Beverage of
Kalamazoo has been named a 2010
Craft Beer Distributor of the Year Award
finalist - an award that recognizes an
exceptional American beer distributor
who actively markets, sells and pro-
motes craft beer.
Imperial Beverage stands out in the
craft beer industry offering monthly
daylong education meetings in an effort
to further develop the craft knowledge
of staffers who are eager to learn the
intricacies and unique traits of each
beer they are promoting. Imperial also
offers staff rewards, hosts trade shows
geared toward the promotion of craft
beers and employs the world’s only
Master Cicerone™, Andrew Van Til.
“We are tremendously proud of our
craft beer portfolio. It is an important
component of the products we carry,” said
Joe Cekola, Imperial Beverage president.
“To be awarded such a distinction for the
efforts we make to educate our staff,
accounts and consumers about the craft
of beer-making is an honor.”
2010 a Record Year
for Cereal City Brewer
Battle Creek – Just three-quarters of
way through 2010 and Arcadia Ales in
Battle Creek is reporting record growth,
a trend that is expected to increase
throughout the year. According to Rick
Suarez - Arcadia’s vice president of
sales and marketing - the brewery’s
numbers are up 55% in Michigan and
39% collectively in nine other states.
That number will only continue to rise
as Arcadia adds two new 40-barrel fer-
menters to its current production line.
Guild Members Snag 10 Medals at
2010 Great American Beer Festival
Lansing – It was another great show-
ing for Michigan craft brewers at the 29th
Annual Great American Beer Festival
(GABF) Competition in Denver, CO.
“Once again, Michigan has deliv-
ered the hardware to support what we
all know – we’re making exceptional
craft beer here in the Great Beer State,”
says Scott Graham, executive director
of the Michigan Brewers Guild. “This
11
year’s winners are among a growing rel fermenters, a 200-barrel brewhouse Shorts Brewing News
number in our industry who are putting and a new employee care area while pro- Bellaire – Shorts Brewing
Michigan on the map when it comes to viding space and equipment for some Company in Bellaire has recently
producing consistently good, unique new specialty fermentations. moved staff member Jon Wojtowicz to
and exciting brews. Congratulations to An additional $35 million will be sales manager in addition to just com-
them – and all our members who spent through 2016 to further develop pleting an expansion including lab
entered this esteemed competition.” the Comstock Township facility. This upgrades, 4 new 90 BBL fermenters and
This year’s GABF competition investment hopes to accommodate Bell's significant bottling pub line upgrades. A
attracted 151 beer judges from 10 coun- Brewery's trend of twenty percent growth second phase will include a Bellaire pub
tries. Award-winning brewers received annually. This could mean additional remodeling, 6 new 60 BBL fermenters
medals in 79 beer categories covering growth, greater revenue and new jobs. and a couple large scale improvements
133 beer styles, establishing the best that are still under wraps. Combined,
examples of each style in the U.S. Dark Horse Brewing Stays Busy the two phases total over $1 million
Seven members of the Michigan Marshall - Dark Horse Brewing though a final budget has not yet been
Brewers Guild received honors this Co. is currently knee deep in a new identified.
year: brewery expansion. They've purchased The expansion marks Shorts’
GOLD MEDALS the 18,000 square foot building next progress as a quickly growing company.
· (Belgian-Style Abbey Ale) - door to their current Marshall location Recently, the brewery was named on a
Nectar Des Dieux, Bastone Brewery, to be their new production facility, number of Inc Magazine lists including
Royal Oak upping production from 6,000 bbls to being the 15th fastest growing company
· (Specialty Beer) - Bellipago, Jolly 30,000 bbls with two new 80-barrel fer- nationally in food and beverage, 13th
Pumpkin Artisan Ales, Dexter menters and two 100-barrel fermenters. fastest growing in the state and the
· (Old Ale or Strong Ale) - Fourth This facility will also house their corpo- number 1 fastest growing alcohol pro-
Dementia Olde Ale, Kuhnhenn rate offices, conference room and ducer on the list.
Brewing Co., Warren employee rooms.
· (Experimental Beer), Key Lime
Pie, Short’s Brewing Co., Bellaire
SILVER MEDALS
· (American-Style India Black Ale)
- Go Figure, Big Rock Chop House &
Brewery, Birmingham
· (Old Ale or Strong Ale) -
Curmudgeon, Founders Brewing Co.,
Grand Rapids
· (Session Beer) - Endurance IPA
Jr., Founders Brewing Co., Grand
Rapids
· (American-Belgo-Style Ale) -
Simcoe Silly, Kuhnhenn Brewing Co.,
Warren
BRONZE MEDALS
· (57 American-Style Brown Ale) -
American Brown Ale, Big Rock Chop
House & Brewery, Birmingham
· (Aged Beer) Bell’s Expedition
Stout, 1995, Bell’s Brewery, Inc.,
Galesburg.
Bell's Owner Announces Expansion
Comstock - While celebrating 25
years in business, Larry Bell, owner of
Bell's Brewery, announced a $52 million
investment over the next five years.
Approximately $17 million will be
invested in 2011 to expand the Comstock
Township plant, adding 24 new 400-bar-
 Startup Financing:
The Real Funding Strategy That Works
by Kenneth H. Marks ability.
• Develop a list of where and from
You have an idea for a product or whom you can get the resources needed.
service and want to start a company, or (i.e., who has a reason to care about my
maybe you already have a company and company’s success?)
you are thinking about launching a new • Assess – “Can we bridge the gap
product line. Either way, you need capi- with friends and family and personal
tal to make it happen, but how do you investment?”
get the funding required? If you attend Start with the end in mind – that is,
your typical MBA class on startup busi- the customer and the market need.
nesses or entrepreneurial starter pro- Many businesses start with a solution
gram, you’ll likely be told to write a and look for a problem to solve; This is
business plan and shop it to angel and natural when you have technical entre-
venture investors, right? preneurs and creative people. However,
Not in the real world! capital is attracted to situations that
Statistically no one gets venture have proven market demand with a
capital. Yes, we all read about the hand- solution that is feasible at a validated
ful of companies that obtained venture price that allows the business to make a
funding, are written about in the trade significant return based on the risk
rags and may have even gone public, involved. The idea is to validate the
but given the number of companies market and price as soon as possible in
started each year vs. the number of the development of the company and
companies receiving institutional (or shape the product or service offering to
venture) funding, it is insignificant and assure profitable revenues or at least
for most companies just plain unrealis- those that can generate a reasonable
tic to rely on venture capital. So, how do gross profit (revenues minus direct
the 99.9 percent of startup businesses costs). This means talking with poten-
get funded? tial customers as you are crafting the
The financing strategy that works business plan and strategy, and the
is bootstrapping in stages based on iter- same goes with likely sources of supply.
ative phases of success, working from Next, leveraging the knowledge
the end backwards along a path of gained to develop the critical path items
steps, only doing what must be done to required to launch the company, create a
get to the next phase with minimal cap- working prototype and confirm that the
ital. This is a resourceful and practical business model will work. One of the
approach: outputs of this train of thinking and
• Start with the customer. process is a clearer understanding of the
• Establish the critical path items amount and timing of capital required.
for at least the first stage of the compa- Let’s take an example: A small
ny or project. group of entrepreneurial-minded engi-
• Define what it takes to validate neers see a market opportunity to devel-
the market and prove the company’s op firmware (software at the hardware
level) for the next generation of inte-
grated circuits. The team understands
the technology and has insight into a
new approach that will allow the
firmware to be used for many different
types of hardware; This is a unique
solution and an opportunity.
To really gain interest from out-
siders in their venture, they need to
prove that their concepts will work and
that someone significant in the market
will buy it. Instead of trying to raise
money to do this, one approach is to
determine what portion of code they can
have written with a team that will do the
work for deferred compensation (future
payments and stock based on the suc-
cess of the business). In addition, they
need to get feedback and buy-in from a
major customer in the form of a letter of
intent or contract or an agreement to
conduct trials or tests.
Another dimension to developing
the business at this stage is to under-
stand industry players and leaders (both
companies and individuals). From these
players, you can recruit a board of advi-
sors early-on to help guide the progress
of the business, potentially open doors
and relationships, enhance the credibil-
ity of the company and to provide some
seed capital.
A follow-on financing step once the
prototype and trial have proven success-
ful is to seek actual orders or licensing of
the technology from the same customer
to include pre-payment. This pre-pay-
ment becomes part (if not all) of the next
round of financing required to further
develop the product and the business.
The order or license agreement signifi-
cantly begins to validate the customer
12
need and pricing addressing two of our
key risks and providing a potential refer-
ral to obtain more customers and other
commitments.
Company valuation is almost
always a point of contention. The entre-
preneur values the business on what it
can be and the investors value the busi-
ness on what it is. This usually results
in a difference or gap. One of the side
benefits of obtaining resources and cap-
ital from those that have a reason to
care about the success of the company
(i.e. customers, suppliers, employees,
friends and family) is less sensitivity to
valuation because they have more to
gain than just an economic return on
the stock.
This funding approach
• Forces management to get to the
important and difficult issues quickly
• Engages those that will likely
gain from the company’s success and
leverages their resources
• Minimizes the required cash
• Minimizes the dilution of equity
(i.e. keeps more of your stock for your
team) and
• Increases the likelihood of sur-
vival and growth.
Kenneth H. Marks is the founder
and a managing partner of High Rock
Partners, providing growth-transition
leadership, advisory and investment. He
is the lead author of the Handbook of
Financing Growth published by John
Wiley & Sons. You can reach him at
khmarks@HighRockPartners.com.

Average Home Prices Continue Their Surge over 2009

Grand Rapids – The average single
family home price was $115,783, up
5.4 percent compared to October 2009.
Year-to-date single family home prices
averaged $115,492 up 7.4 percent com-
pared to the same time period in 2009.
The total number of single-family
homes sold in October was 741, com-
pared to 1,037 from October 2009
according to the Grand Rapids
Association of Realtors. Months-of-
inventory dropped slightly to 8.9
months compared to September 2010.
The number of new listings fell
21.6% in October compared to October
2009, and the year-to-date number of
new listings is down 2.3 percent.
Condos year-to-date are up 23.2 percent
compared to the same time period in
2009. Vacant land was up 35.7 percent
in October compared to October 2009
and is also up 26.6 percent year-to-date
over the same time period last year.
Julie Rietberg, CEO of the
Association, commented on the Grand
Rapids market: “In 2008 and 2009, the
average home price was struggling to
reach $100,000. Except for January of
this year ($105,714), the average price
for a single family home has consistent-
ly been in the teens. We see this price
stabilization as a good first sign in the
housing market for sellers. Next will
come pricing increases for home owners
to restore some of the value lost over
the past three years.”
“Home sales have slowed consider-
ably since the expiration of the tax cred-
it,” noted John Postma, president of the
Grand Rapids Association of Realtors®,
“but with mortgage rates at near record
lows and the affordability of single fam-
ily homes, sales volume will pick up
quickly once the economy begins to add
jobs on a consistent basis”.

Helpful Advice for Caregivers
Grand Rapids – In 2008, the United
States census bureau issued a report
titled “An Ageing World” which estimat-
ed that within 10 years time, older peo-
ple would outnumber children for the
first time. It forecasted that over the next
30 years, the worldwide number of peo-
ple over the age of 65 would almost
double. Here in America, recent
improvements in health care continue to
extend life for our senior citizens while
the baby boomer generation begins to
reach old age in larger and larger num-
bers.
As this population of elderly con-
tinues to grow, the role of the caregiver
has become increasingly important.
Caregivers are usually identified as
unpaid family members and friends of
an individual who, for whatever reason,
requires help with their daily activities.
Frequently, the demands and responsi-
bilities of such a role can be quite heavy.
While the experience can be very
rewarding and bring one even closer
with the family member or friend they’re
caring for, it can also be extremely
stressful and socially, mentally and eco-
nomically difficult.
“Respite care is crucial when you're
a family caregiver,” says Joyce Sikora
Lovse, owner and president of
AngelCare, Inc. Home Health Care.
Having grown her own caregiving busi-
ness for the past 10 years and expand-
ing her employee base from 3 to 120,
Lovse has had ample experience with
providing this much needed aid to fami-
ly or friends providing care to their loved
ones. She has some great advice for
these caregivers on what they can do,
what they need to look out for, and how
a professional agency like hers can help.
“Emotionally, caregivers have to
keep track of their own stress levels,”
she says. “They absolutely have to
schedule time for a break or a day off. If
they can, they should hire a home health
care agency, even if for 3-5 hours a
week. They need that downtime to get
out of the house, run errands, take a
bubble bath, get their hair cut, whatever
they need to do just so long as it’s for
themselves and addressing their own
needs.
“Frequently, caregivers can get
caught up in mundane everyday tasks.
Most important of all is to simply be a
part of your loved one’s care in the ways
that really matter. It's not important for
you to do laundry, run errands, etc. If
you want to cook a meal, that can be just
fine. Just be sure that through it all you
maintain the relationship with your
loved one and keep that quality time. I
remember a woman we helped who at
first was seeing her mom every
Thursday but was just doing chores the
whole time. She never sat down! She
13
sees her loved one to be sure, but there's
no connection there. It's much easier to
hire out those services. In that time of
her mother’s life, it was much more
important for her to be a daughter rather
than a maid.
In summary, it’s important for fam-
ily caregivers to understand that care
giving can interfere with family relation-
ships and boundaries.
It’s imperative that family care
givers be pro-active in defining their
care giving responsibilities and main-
taining their family role and relation-
ship.
It’s more important to include your
loved one in a family gathering or fun
activity and hire a home health aide to
assist with adult daily living needs, such
as laundry, Grocery shopping and per-
sonal care assistance.

Support Group Helps

Family & Friends
Grand Rapids – Knowing how to
help a loved one in their struggle with
depression, bipolar disorder, schizophre-
nia or anxiety disorders can be very dif-
ficult. With this in mind, Pine Rest (one
of the five largest free-standing behav-
ioral health providers in the United
States) offers a support group called The
Family Connection for spouses, parents,
siblings and other caregivers who need
help to more effectively deal with the
stresses created by the symptoms and
behaviors of family members diagnosed
with a mental illness.
The Family Connection is lead by
Clinical Social Worker Jim Vander May,
LMSW who specializes in helping indi-
viduals cope with chronic mental illness,
mood disorders, anxiety and managing
parent/child conflicts.
"I started this group because of a
number of clients who came here with a
particular stress in mind; someone in
their families had a mental illness and it
was really taking a toll on them and their
other family members," said Jim Vander
May. "Dealing with a family member's
mental illness can frequently be fraught
with confusion and often leads to
burnout. I, with the help of other people
in the group, try to help provide perspec-
tive and solutions based on our own
experiences - things we know that have
worked well and not so well. That's the
magic of support groups: you get this
kind of synergy when these people work
together with a common goal of 'how do
we get through this?'"
The Family Connection is held every
second and fourth Monday of the month,
except the fourth Monday in December,
at the Pine Rest Southwest Clinic in
Grandville. Registration is appreciated
for first time visitors by calling the
Southwest Clinic at (616) 222-3700 and
support group attendance is free,
although donations are accepted.
"I keep doing this because I see
what it does for people when they're
here," explains Vander May. "I see how
engaged these people are with each
other. I just returned two phone calls
today asking for directions to the group
or wanting to learn more about it. I could
hear the desperation in their voices say-
ing 'Please let somebody listen to what
I'm going through.' That part really
encourages me to keep this going.
"I invite anyone to attend who are
dealing with these issues and need help or
just someone to talk to. People are tremen-
dously welcome to be a part of the group,
even just as observers. I don't make any-
body talk and we have a confidentiality
pledge renewed every session which
affirms that what's said here, stays here."

National Family Caregivers Month
Grand Rapids – In 1997, President
Clinton signed the first proclamation rec-
ognizing November as National Family
Caregivers Month. The proclamation has
been renewed annually by every
American president since, calling atten-
tion to “the generous, compassionate
individuals who daily face the challenge
of caring for loved ones who are frail,
chronically ill or living with disabilities
that restrict their independence.”
In our own observance of this
important month, Business Update
recently had the pleasure of sitting down
with team leaders at MapleCreek
(www.maplecreek.org) and their West
Michigan In-Home Services crew to talk
about their unique role in the profession-
al caregiving industry. MapleCreek At
Home provides personalized in-home
services to their clients, managing daily
activities and household tasks from one
to seven days a week. MapleCreek At
Home is part of Lutheran Social Services
of Michigan (www.lssm.org) - a non-
profit, human services organization pro-
viding 70 programs in 40 communities
across Michigan’s Lower Peninsula in
their mission of “Serving people as an
expression of the love of Christ.”
Those present in this conversation
include: Colleen Mahon-VanDoren,
regional director for LSSM In-Home
Services (West Michigan); Pam
VanSpyker, a regional supervisor; and
Pam Moran, a former in-home field work-
er of 10 years who now serves in the
office as a problem solver and specialist.
VanDoren: Our “new” program title
is actually Lutheran Social Services of
Michigan, In-Home Services, but in the
Grand Rapids area, we’re proudly also
known as “MapleCreek At Home.” As we
are trying to “build” and expand our
service area, we wanted LSSM (which is
more widely recognized state wide) to be
in our center name. However, as the
major provider for In-Home Services at
The Terraces at MapleCreek, I see us as
part of their continuum of care and we
continue to market together.
We provide services for both the
senior population as well as persons with
disabilities. Here in the western regions,
we do mostly senior service work, but we
are trying to grow all of the regions in
terms of in-home services. Hopefully as
we move forward, we'll have adult serv-
ices, senior services and disabilities
services going on all over the state.
VanSpyker: We serve a variety of
clients from people who need our servic-
es a couple hours a week to those who
are fully bed-bound and require 7 days-
a-week care. Much of our work is done
in lower income markets as the need
seems to be stronger there. Some of the
challenges these families face are very
demanding, but clients for the most part
are very accepting and appreciative of
the help. In all care, we encourage inde-
pendence as much as possible.
VanDoren: This can make it a chal-
lenge to find staff since we want to do as
much as we can in terms of consistency.
Moran: It's important that we keep
our services at one steady consistent care-
giver rather than a group. We’ve found
that it keeps people more committed. More
than just the physical services we offer,
it's companionship that we provide too.
When we get it right - which is what we
strive to do - it's a beautiful thing.
VanDoren: As our aged population
increases, the need for in-home services
is going to grow larger. In the last 2 years
we've had more and more businesses
start up which makes the market more
competitive. Accordingly, you have to be
Health Care Briefs
Grand Rapids – Spectrum Health
Butterworth Hospital ranks among the
top 5 percent of hospitals in the nation
for overall cardiac services, according to
a study released by HealthGrades®.
Belleville – ATMP Solutions has
announced critical services to help large
health systems and physician practices
assess their security risks and manage
compliance with the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act.
14
more careful when selecting a company
to work with. Some agencies don’t do
background checks and drug or TB test-
ing. When you’re allowing someone to
come into your home, it can leave you
extremely vulnerable.
We do thorough background checks
and drug testing for all of our caregivers.
It also helps to be a part of LSSM since
they’ve been around for 75 years, and
that history alone speaks volumes to
people. The fact that an organization has
survived that long and takes initiative
from a mission to serve as Christ would
serve makes us stand out.
Moran: I personally am very proud
to say this: We are faith-based here. I’m
also proud of the fact that everyone in
this office has the heart and mind of a
caregiver, that there’s nobody here who
wouldn't do whatever it takes to make
sure the client is taken care of. Heart is
something you can't teach and it’s some-
thing we definitely have.
VanDoren: In 2007, there were 50
million family caregivers working with-
out pay. The value on that was $306 bil-
lion. We are so lucky that we can hire the
folks that we do and serve in this capac-
ity. These people, both the ones we
employ and those on their own, don't get
enough recognition for going in and
doing the work they do. What we really
give is intimate relationships between
caregiver and consumer. That's why
we're in this line of work. We value and
we know the beauty of that. I wish that
our caregivers and family caregivers
would be recognized more from the top
down, from our national and local lead-
ers to employers and colleagues. We
need to continue telling them what a
great job they're doing and how much we
value them.
Grand Rapids – Jim Fahner, MD, Helen
DeVos Children’s Hospital, was named
the William Montgomery 2010
Pediatrician of the Year by the Michigan
Chapter of the American Academy of
Pediatrics.
Big Rapids – Mecosta County Medical
Center announced the addition of
Douglas Trask, M.D, Ph.D and Joseph
Taylor, M.D. to the ENT Specialty Clinics
at Mecosta County Medical Center.
 15
Caregiver of the Year - Steve Langerak
Grand Rapids – Steve’s mother-in-law, said that Steve things for her that he should have done sentatives from the Gerontology
The winner of the “never complained and never asked for 40 years ago. “You shouldn’t wait until Network, Senior Neighbors, The
2010 “Family help. He was her legs, arms, and voice. a disease like this comes along to take Alzheimer’s Association and The
CareGiver of the If it wasn’t for Steve, I know that Sally care of someone you love,” he said. Hauenstein Center – was assembled to
Year” for West would not have lived as long as she Denise George, patient services co- vote on the award.
Michigan was did.” coordinator at the A.L.S. Association of
announced by the Steve takes his tremendous sacri- Michigan, nominated Steve. A select
H o m e w a t c h fices in stride. He said that he did panel of local experts – including repre-
CareGivers office in
Steve Langerak
Grand Rapids last
September. Steve
Langerak of Jenison was chosen for his
unselfish dedication to his wife and for
“being her legs, arms, and voice.” Steve
will receive the $500 local prize and
will be among the finalists for the title
of National Family Caregiver of the Year
and a $5000 prize. Homewatch
CareGivers commissioned the award
because it became crystal-clear that the
family caregiver is usually under-
appreciated and in need of moral sup-
port.
“Everyday,” said Jeff Swain, presi-
dent of Homewatch CareGivers of West
Michigan, “our team sees first-hand
the devoted love and kindness family
caregivers provide to their mothers,
fathers, siblings, children and spouses.
Most of the stories are especially
poignant. The selection panel chose
Steve’s story because of his unbeliev-
able sacrifice and dedication to his
wife, an A.L.S. patient.”
Steve Langerak had been married
for 40 years to his wife, Sally. When
Sally was diagnosed with ALS (amy-
otrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as
Lou Gehrig's disease), Steve chose to
leave his job because he wanted to
spend more time with his wife. Steve
completely rearranged his life to ensure
Sally received the love, care and atten-
tion she needed, which quickly became
round-the-clock care. Steve was
adamant about having her stay in their
home, despite the fast-progressing dis-
ease that left her unable to do anything
on her own. In addition to tube-feeding
her, he took care of every one of her
personal needs, including dressing, toi-
leting and grooming; He worked tire-
lessly to keep her spotless. Handling all
the household duties, navigating the
health care world and overcoming
obstacles to obtain resources and
equipment could have been a full-time
job by itself.
Tragically, Sally passed away in
August of this year. Carole Black,

Health Care Briefs
Grand Rapids – Orthopaedic Associates
of Michigan was recently awarded
$38.6 million by the Peer Reviewed
Orthopaedic Research Program of the
U.S. Department of Defense
Congressionally Directed Medical
Research Program.
Grand Rapids – Dr. Richard Raubolt has
accepted an invitation from the
International Forum for Psychoanalytic
Education to address the organization’s
21st Annual Interdisciplinary Conference.
Dayton, OH – The CareSource
Foundation recently announced several
new grant awards for 2010 of $180,500
awarded to 16 organizations including
the Kalamazoo Crisis Pregnancy
Center, Catholic Charities of
Shiawassee & Genesee Counties (to
provide supplies to the North End Soup
Kitchen in Flint), Catholic Outreach
Flint and Women’s Resource Center.
Zeeland – Zeeland Community
Hospital announced the appointment of
David DeJonge as vice president of
finance and system services.
Grand Rapids – Lutheran Social
Services of Michigan has hired Annette
Zagaroli to be campus dining director for
MapleCreek. Her responsibilities include
directing dining services for independent
& assisted living, memory care, long-
term care residents and guests.
Dallas, TX – The American Heart
Association is re-arranging the ABCs of
cardiopulmonary resuscitation in its
2010 American Heart Association
Guidelines for CPR and Emergency
Cardiovascular Care. Recommending
that chest compressions be the first step
for lay and professional rescuers to
revive victims of sudden cardiac arrest,
the association said the A-B-Cs
(Airway-Breathing-Compressions) of
CPR should now be changed to C-A-B
(Compressions-Airway-Breathing).
Grand Rapids – National Research
Corporation has again recognized
Spectrum Health for its overall quality
and image by honoring them with the
2010 Consumer Choice Award as the
most preferred hospital for overall quali-
ty and image in two West Michigan mar-
kets. This is the 15th consecutive year
that Spectrum Health has won this
award and the fourth time they’ve been
selected in both the Grand Rapids and
Holland/Grand Haven markets.
Grand Rapids - A unique research part-
nership between Grand Valley State
University and Mary Free Bed
Rehabilitation Hospital will allow some
West Michigan wounded veterans to get
the specialized care they need close to
home. The Wounded Warrior Traumatic
Brain Injury Project offers opportunities
for standard physical and psychological
care, and community support enhanced
with staff education to veterans who
sustained traumatic brain injuries while
they were deployed in either
Afghanistan or Iraq. The project received
a $1.279 million grant from the U.S.
Department of Defense.
Phoenix AZ – Evidence of a third facul-
ty of the brain, the conative faculty, was
announced at a conference for business,
education and government leaders from
seven countries and 35 states, hosted by
Kolbe Corp. The conative faculty of the
brain triggers purposeful action (cona-
tion). Initial findings suggest that cona-
tion is a separate, intrinsic faculty of the
brain (different from but equal in power
to the cognitive and affective faculties)
and that the brain works far more effi-
ciently when it has the freedom to per-
form a task according to its natural
conative patterns of action. The findings
hold promise for continued innovation
in fields like organizational and leader-
ship development, personnel assess-
ment and behavioral health and educa-
tion issues such as differentiating meth-
ods of learning.
Curbside Trash & Waste Services:
Trash Cart • Yard Waste Cart • Recycle Cart
866-669 2047 Jenison, Michigan
16
Grand Rapids – An outpatient treatment
that destroys pre-cancerous tissue in the
lining of the esophagus has been intro-
duced in West Michigan by Spectrum
Health Blodgett Hospital. The procedure
- endoscopic radiofrequency ablation
therapy using the HALO Systemias a
highly effective treatment for complete
eradication of Barrett's esophagus, a pre-
cancerous condition.
Grand Rapids – M. Ashraf Mansour,
MD, has been named academic chair for
the Spectrum Health Medical Group.
Dr. Mansour, head of the vascular sur-
gery division and currently interim chief
of the Department of Surgical Specialties,
is a nationally recognized clinician and
academician.
Grand Rapids – Tom Peterson, MD, has
been promoted to executive director of
quality, safety and community health at
Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
Grand Rapids – Joanna Haveman, MD
has joined Advantage Health
Physician Network (AHPN) as a fami-
ly medicine provider at the Caledonia
office location.
Grand Rapids – Brooke Geddie, DO, and
James Van Beynen, MD, have joined
Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital
Physicians, members of Spectrum
Health Medical Group. Dr. Geddie is a
pediatric ophthalmologist and Dr. Van
Beynen is a pediatric hospitalist.
Business
update
ublication
Have your
own copy
E-mailed monthly
prupdate@businessupdate.com
 Corporate Information
Michigan – The annual Global
Entrepreneurship Week event is one of
the largest and most active national
campaigns for this rapidly expanding
initiative designed to inspire people to
embrace innovation, imagination and
creativity. During the week, individuals
and organizations around the world sign
up as partners and agree to hold events
or activities centered on entrepreneur-
ship. The feature event line-up for
MichiganGEW 2010 includes the
Michigan Emerging Conference,
Lawrence Technological University’s
SparkNewBiz Video Pitch Competition
(co-sponsored by Pitchcorner.com and
Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest) and
Moving Ideas to Market EnGen
Collegiate Entrepreneurship Summit.
Rockford – Hush Puppies and
Wolverine brands showcased this sea-
son’s premium footwear collections
inspired by their own classic designs at
Fitzgerald’s Men’s Store of Breton
Village. Hush Puppies featured its new
1958 Collection and Wolverine shared
the newest additions to the Wolverine
1000 Mile Collection, including the limit-
ed edition 721 LTD shell cordovan boot.
Grand Rapids – Service Express, Inc.
was honored with the Alfred P. Sloan
Award for Business Excellence in
Workplace Flexibility for the second year
in a row.
Dear Business Update,
More than ever before, the vast
majority of Americans are increasingly
disconnected from the individuals who
provide us with food, fiber and fuel.
Farms in Michigan range from small
beginning farmers to large operations. It’s
important to realize that almost all of
Michigan farms are owned and operated
by families. Whether they grow potatoes
for Frito Lay or for a farmers market, they
work long hours to plant and harvest the
crop. They are businessmen and women
who know that if they do not make a
profit, they will not be able to afford to
keep farming and feed the world.
There are 54,800 farms in
Michigan. We have more different kinds
of crops than any state except California,
and the Michigan State University
Product Center reported that agri-food
and agri-energy are a $71.3 billion
industry in Michigan.
Agriculture is responsible for one
Grand Rapids – The West Michigan
Environmental Action Council is
expanding its focus on advocacy and cit-
izen engagement with the addition of
two new grant-funded positions focused
on improving community awareness and
participation in environmental policy
activism in West Michigan. Gifts from
the Steelcase Foundation and Frey
Foundation made this possible. Also,
Nicholas Occhipinti has been named
the council’s new policy and community
activism director and is joined by Daniel
Schoonmaker in the newly created posi-
tion of communications and member
services director.
Lansing – The Society for
Environmentally Responsible
Facilities (SERF) certification program
has launched in the United States.
Headquartered in Lansing, SERF is a
membership and certification organiza-
tion designed to provide property owners
an opportunity to highlight their com-
mitment to environmental responsibility.
Grand Rapids – Woodland Mall owner
Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment
Trust has introduced a new branded gift
card. With no after-purchase fees, these
cards will never lose their value until
spent by the consumer. They are avail-
able in $20 - $300 denominations and
made with recycled material.
Op-Ed - The Unsung Hero
out of every 12 jobs in America. And
while many sectors of our economy are
running trade deficits, American agricul-
ture has had a trade surplus for nearly
50 years. This year the surplus is
expected to exceed $30 billion.
Agriculture exports help create important
income opportunities for producers as
well as off-farm jobs that are so critical
for strengthening economies across
America. In fact, every billion dollars in
agricultural exports supports over 8,000
jobs and generates an additional $1.4
billion in economic activity.
As Americans, we are fortunate to
live in a country where the strength of
our agriculture economy provides us
with an income advantage over the rest
of the world. On average, Americans
spend less than 10% of family income on
food – much less than other western
nations – freeing up income to save for
retirement, pay the mortgage and pur-
chase goods that would otherwise be
unaffordable.
Grand Rapids – The CFA West Michigan
Society announced the selection of
Rockford, MI-based Wolverine World
Wide, Inc. as the focus company for the
2011 Global Investment Research
Challenge which is hosted this year in
partnership with seven universities,
each of which will provide a team of
three to five students under the guidance
of a faculty advisor. Each team will work
with their faculty advisor and an invest-
ment professional mentor to research
and prepare an analysis of the company.
Michigan colleges participating include
Grand Valley State University,
Western Michigan University and
Eastern Michigan University.
Grand Rapids – The credit union data
processing system CU*BASE is incorpo-
rating a new online help system termed
“Show Me the Steps.” According to
CU*Answers, this feature is available
with the 10.3 software release. The
CUSO also recently announced the addi-
tion of Horizon Utah Federal Credit
Union as its 90th stock owner.
Kalamazoo – Pro Co announced that Scott
Bertch has been appointed to the position
of momentum project manager responsible
for all aspects of design, setup, configura-
tion and maintenance of the Pro Co Sound
Momentum Digital Audio Distribution
Network Product Group.
If there is a group of Americans that
fully embody our nation’s values, it is
the farmers of the United States. As we
continue through harvest season, these
hardworking men and women work long
hours to bring in the crops they spent
time, energy and money to produce.
Meanwhile they face the threat of natu-
ral disasters, rapidly fluctuating com-
modity prices and increasing input costs.
America’s farmers have helped our
country become strong and stay strong.
They’ve provided consumers with the
highest quality food and fiber and today
they are helping to lay the foundation for
Quality Office Furniture,
at a price you can afford!
17
Grand Rapids – Greatland announced a
partnership with Steve Strauss, senior
business columnist at USA Today, a
small business expert and author of The
Small Business Bible. He will contribute
regular content and practical business
advice.
Grand Rapids – Local First announced
the election of its new board officers for
the 2010-2012 term. Elected to a second
term as chair was Doris Drain, United
Bank of Michigan. James Berg,
Essence Restaurant Group, was
reelected as vice chair. Other officers
elected at the meeting include first-time
secretary Craig Clark, Clark
Communications and present chair of
the Local First Marketing Committee.
Chris Lampen-Crowell, Gazelle Sports,
was elected treasurer.
Grand Rapids – Summit Training
Source received top honors in the prod-
uct category for Best Online Training
with its product line Summit Elements
from Occupational Health & Safety
magazine.
Providence, RI – WOOD TV8 announced
a new online resource called onPolitix
for the highly engaged political con-
sumer seeking detailed information,
opinion, news, analysis and engaging
debate on local, state, regional and
national levels.
a new energy economy.
This week as you visit the grocery
store, a restaurant or farmer’s market, I
am asking that you join my colleagues
and me at the U.S. Department of
Agriculture in thanking America’s farm-
ers. I’m certain they will be grateful to
know that their fellow citizens appreciate
their role in making America a truly
great nation.
Respectfully submitted,
Christine White, State Executive
Director, USDA-Farm Service Agency,
Michigan State Office
Bill Feyen
616-554-0200
billfeyen@exceloffice.com
 18
ABC Western Michigan Chapter
20011 CONSTRUCTION AWARD WINNERS
Video Surveillance
On October 26th at the Pinnacle Center in Hudsonville, MI., ABC’s Western
Michigan Chapter honored the winners of the 2010 Construction “Awards of Parkway Electric & Communications
Excellence” Program. 36 judges – area architects, engineers, facility directors, Central Weseyan
educators and building inspectors – selected the “best of the best.” These
award winning projects demonstrate exceptional quality construction per-
formed by ABC members and their employees. ABC is an association of over
Audio/Visual
450 “merit shop” general contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers and associ- Parkway Electric & Communications
ates. ABC members are the builders of schools, churches, hospitals, industrial Cornerstone Church
plants, shopping malls, highways, office buildings & recreational/ entertain-
ment facilities.
Electrical
Precast Parkway Electric & Communications
Hope College - Graves Hall
Kerkstra Precast Incorporated
Hope College Van Andel Soccer Stadium
Subcontractor - New Construction
Nugent Builders, Inc.
Concrete Ottawa County Courthouse
Kent Companies, Inc.
Spectrum Health - Blodgett Hospital
Safety
The Bouma Corp
Roofing - Single Ply
Langerak Roof
Windquest Companies, Inc.

Roofing - Metal
Buist Sheet Metal Company
Wexford County Historical Society Carnegie
Library Museum

Exterior Finishes - Under $2 Million

Vos Glass, Inc.
Holland Hospital

Exterior Finishes - Over $2 Million

Vos Glass, Inc.
Van Andel Institute, Phase II

Low Voltage
SecurAlarm Systems
Van Andel Institute
 19
ABC Western Michigan Chapter
2009 CONSTRUCTION AWARD WINNERS
HVAC
Northwest Kent Alternative Energy
Caledonia Paris Ridge Elementary School Windemuller Electric
Stoney Corners Wind Farm
Process Piping
Allied Mechanical Fire Protection
Donald K. Shine Water Treatment Plant 1B Brigade Fire
JCI Southview
Mechanical
Allied Mechanical
Haworth, Inc. Educational Construction
Owen-Ames-Kimball
Finish Flooring New Community Based Learning Center
Ritsema Associates
Van Andel Institute Phase II

Interior Finishing - Under $1 Million

Ritsema Associates
Women’s Health Center of West Michigan

Interior Finishing - Over $1 Million

Bouma Corporation
Van Andel Institute Phase II

Renovation - Under $2 Million

Triangle Associates
DP Fox Corporate Headquarters

Renovation - $2-$4 Million

Elzinga & Volkers
Holland Hospital

Renovation - $4-$10 Million

Dan Vos Construction Company
Bissell Innovation Center

Renovation - Over 10 Million

The Christman Company
Spoelhof Field House Complex
 20
ABC Western Michigan Chapter
2009 CONSTRUCTION AWARD WINNERS
Pre-Engineered Parking Structure Construction
Dykhouse Construction The Christman Company
Byron Township Community Center Gerald R. Ford Int. Airport Terminal Area &
Parking Improvement Program
Commercial Construction
Elzinga & Volkers Green Building - Under $5 Million
Stone Water Country Club Rockford Construction
Bridge Street Place
Living Area Construction
Erhardt Construction
Breton Ridge - In The Woods Green Building - $5 - $7 Million
GDK Construction
City Flats Hotel & Bistro
Mixed Use Construction
Lakewood Construction Green Building - Over $7 Million
Plaza Center East
CSM Group
Linden Grove Middle School (Kalamazoo Public)

Governmental Construction
Owen-Ames-Kimball
Ottawa County Courthouse
Institutional Construction
Owen-Ames-Kimball
Van Andel Institute, Phase II
Historical Renovation
Lakewood Construction
Hope College - Graves Hall
Q & A With Exxel
Engineering
"I have a map I received at the clos-
ing when I purchased my land and home,
but I can’t find my property corners.
Why? I’m sure that’s what I paid for."
- Phil, from Gaines Township
Dear Phil,
When I review a survey map, I look
for clues that a client might have a
“mortgage report”:
• Field boundary measurements com-
pared with legal description of record.
• Easements of record plotted on map
if title commitment was furnished to the
surveyor.
A mortgage company may accept a
mortgage report; but as you have found,
it is not as complete or accurate as a
property owner may want. A mortgage
report is not recommended for urban,
commercial or industrial real estate or
when installing fences because the

Putting the Pieces Together • The map is identified as such.

• There are no property corners
shown on the map.
SEEING THE ENTIRE SOLUTION, NOT JUST THE PARTS • The dimensions of a property
boundary, home, barn, driveway, etc. are
• Access Control shown as approximate.
• Digital Video Surveillance • There is a disclaimer by the survey-
or that it is not a survey and it should not
• Intrusion Alarm
be used to determine boundary lines.
• Fire Alarm If you had a “mortgage survey” per-
• Photo ID Badging formed, it would include:
• Property corners found or set and
• Visitor Management designated on the map.
• Buildings and improvements
(drives, walks, decks) accurately located
and shown on the map.
• Fences and any encroachments over
Grand Rapids, MI 616-773-6300 www.securalarm.com property lines located and shown on map.
boundary corners must be established to
accurately locate buildings and improve-
ments that may be built very close to
property lines.
A surveyor could upgrade your sur-
vey and stake your property corners with
another trip to your property.
-Rodney D. Unema, P.S.
Rod Unema is a registered profes-
sional surveyor in Michigan, Alaska and
New Mexico.
Do you have your own planning, engi-
neering or surveying question you'd
like to see answered? Please send it to
us at editor@businessupdate.com.

Construction Briefs
Grand Rapids – Sani-Giene LLC
announced that Touch Free Technologies
LLC of Grand Rapids is Sani-Giene's
exclusive Michigan licensee and distribu-
tor for Sanidoor – the touch-free, germ-
free public restroom door-opening system.
Touch Free Technologies director of sales
Kevin R. Hanson will lead the company's
efforts to license Sanidoor in the Great
Lakes region.
Gaines Township – Wolverine Building
Group announced the completion of
Peppino’s South Grille & Pizzeria
bringing 85 new jobs to the township.
The project included the renovation of a
former Malarky’s Restaurant and fea-
tures a striking amount of custom wood-
working throughout the restaurant.
Grandville – The Sytsma Group, an
independent firm with securities offered
through Raymond James Financial
Services, Inc. located in Grandville,
announced that Christine Lindeman
has joined the firm.
Dutton – Gaines Charter Township
announced the expansion and renovation
of the Dutton Fire Station off of 68th
Street with federal funding from the
American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act. Wolverine Building Group and
Paradigm Design have partnered
together on the 12,000 sq. ft. project to
provide new office, living, training and
equipment storage space. The Township
team has hired mostly local sub-contrac-
tors, including several Dutton firms, as
well as making the decision to use sus-
tainable building practices to achieve an
energy efficient facility.
Grand Rapids – Progressive AE
announced the addition of Matthew W.
Kennedy, ACHA, AIA, as healthcare
practice leader. Kennedy will be respon-
sible for strategic facility planning, pro-
gramming and overall design direction
for key healthcare projects.
Allegan – Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. and
Kingscott Associates, Inc. joined the
Allegan Area Educational Services
Agency and the community at large in
the groundbreaking of an addition and
renovation project at the Hillside
Learning & Behavior Center West. The
project scope includes a 10 classroom
addition, interior renovations, extensive
mechanical work, a parking lot expansion
and various site improvements. Project
costs are approximately $4 million.
Construction is tentatively scheduled for
completion in August 2011. Kingscott
Associates, Inc. of Kalamazoo, is the
architect for the project.
Grand Rapids – Rockford Construction
announced that Matt Anisko, Julie
Towner, Matt Gergen, John Stubbs and
Brian VandenBos have earned their
Green Advantage® Certification. Towner
is Rockford’s CFO; Anisko, Gergen, and
Stubbs are superintendents; and
VandenBos is a general tradesmen.
Grand Rapids – Signature Associates
has negotiated the following: Sale of
Carter Jones Lumber Co.'s 39,984 sq.
ft. industrial building at 5800 Balsam
Drive in Hudsonville to Robert Becker
Properties, LLC; Sale of a 5,800 sq. ft.
cross-dock facility at 5150 Wynn Road
in Kalamazoo to Great Lakes Wine and
Spirits; Sale of First Community
Federal Credit Union's 32,400 sq. ft.
industrial building at 8731 M-89 in
Richland; Lease of Muskegon Holdings,
LLC's 10,000 sq. ft. of industrial space at
2901 Estes in Muskegon to tenant J & M
Machine Products, Inc.; Lease of 4,200
sq. ft. of industrial space at 418 W.
Hackely in Muskegon to tenant
Northshore Construction Co.; Sale of
Columbus McKinnon Corporation's
473,540 sq. ft. industrial building at 414
W. Broadway Avenue in Muskegon
Heights; Sale of Tight Line Properties'
7,316 sq. ft. industrial building at 8555
Silver Creek Road in Whitehall to Fusion
Fluid Equipment, LLC; Sale of an 18
unit multi-family student housing prop-
erty totaling 24,000 sq. ft. at 10939-
10951 64th Street in Allendale to 64th
Street Apartment Holding Co., LLC.
Kalamazoo – Interphase Interiors
recently designed and installed all office
interiors for PNC Financial’s new
Kalamazoo Call Center. The project is
part of an arrangement between PNC and
Haworth on a national basis for new
furniture in all corporate and retail bank
branch locations. Interphase is the
exclusive Haworth dealer for West
Michigan. PNC Financial Call Center is
located in downtown Kalamazoo.
Muskegon – General Contractor D L
Morse and Associates announced: Troy
Toelle has been promoted to senior proj-
ect coordinator; Denny Meendering has
joined the team as senior project manag-
er; New superintendents include Rock
Stoltzfus, Kenneth Heaton and Larry
Marrah.
21
Grand Rapids – C. D. Barnes Associates,
Inc. received the Associated Builders and
Contractors Platinum S.T.E.P. (Safety
Training and Evaluation Process) Award.
2010 marked C.D. Barnes Associates 9th
STEP award and 8th Platinum STEP cer-
tificate as well as their 8th continuous
year without a single lost day or any lost
time due to work related injury or illness.
Kalamazoo – Craig Kenmotsu, Charles
O’Brien, Jason Koslowski and Noah
Schneider have all joined CSM Group as
senior construction managers working
on the Food & Beverage Project Delivery
team.
Grand Rapids – Engineered Protection
Systems, Inc. has added former comput-
er software development sales veteran
Steve Law to its team of commercial
property security consultants.
Kalamazoo – Landscape Forms presi-
dent Bill Main has announced that The
European Centre for Architecture Art
Design and Urban Studies, and The
Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of
Architecture and Design, have award-
ed Landscape Forms a 2010 Green
GOOD DESIGN™ Award for Hi-Glo and
Lo-Glo lighting from the Metro40 collec-
tion of site furnishings designed by
BMW Group DesignworksUSA.
Grand Rapids – PRIDE Builders Group
announced that Norm Noordeloos has
joined the company as partner and vice
president. Noordeloos will be responsi-
ble for providing executive-level over-
sight of projects and will focus on busi-
ness development.

HUD Awards Create Green Construction Briefs
Jobs, Reduce Energy Costs
Detroit – U.S. Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) Deputy Regional
Administrator Beverly Bishop
announced that 1,395 homes through-
out Michigan will become energy effi-
cient as a result of additional funding
from the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act’s Multifamily Green
Retrofit Program. The nearly $17 mil-
lion in new awards will create jobs and
save money for residents of 3 afford-
able housing developments in the state.
This announcement is part of a
major national Recovery Act milestone:
100 percent of the program’s $250 mil-
lion in grants and loans was obligated
by the September 30, 2010 statutory
deadline, marking a significant achieve-
ment for a program that was created
only eighteen months ago. The entire
$250 million, awarded nationally, is
now dedicated to developments that
provide nearly 20,000 homes around
the country with energy efficient
upgrades. In addition to the green
improvements, the green retrofit grants
and loans will also create jobs and
reduce utility consumption by more
than 25 percent on average, saving
these low-income properties $12 mil-
lion annually on utility bills.
The Green Retrofit Program is
designed to create thousands of green
jobs as workers retrofit older federally
assisted multi-family apartment devel-
opments with the next generation of
energy-efficient technologies. Grants
and loans provided through this pro-
gram help private landlords and proper-
Going Green with
Concrete
Pervious • Polishing • Paving
LEED AP
on Staff
Moline, MI 616-877-0008
ty management companies cut heating
and air conditioning costs by installing
more efficient heating and cooling sys-
tems and reduce water use by replacing
faucets and toilets. These Recovery Act
funds also produce other environmental
benefits by encouraging the use of recy-
cled building materials, reflective roof-
ing and non-toxic products to reduce
potentially harmful "off-gassing" of
harmful fumes. Funds are awarded to
owners of HUD-assisted housing proj-
ects and can be used for a wide range of
retrofit activities ranging from win-
dows/doors to solar panels and geot-
hermal installation.
The Recovery Act included $13.61
billion for projects and programs
administered by HUD, nearly 75 percent
of which was allocated to state and local
recipients only eight days after
President Obama signed the Act into
law. The remaining 25 percent is being
awarded through competitive grant pro-
grams including the Green Retrofit
Program. To date, 100 percent of HUD’s
Recovery Act grant funds are in the
hands of local communities and being
used to improve housing and neighbor-
hoods while creating jobs. HUD is com-
mitted to implementing Recovery Act
investments swiftly and effectively as
they generate tens of thousands of jobs,
modernize homes to make them energy
efficient and help the families and com-
munities hardest hit by the economic
crisis.
www.burgessconcrete.com
East Lansing – As part of its $30 million
program on energy retrofit, the U.S.
Department of Energy recently award-
ed a major grant to Dow Building
Solutions. Dow will lead a multi-year
project that will combine research and
residential in-home testing to develop
enhanced home energy efficiency retrofit
solutions and best practices. MSU's
School of Planning, Design and
Construction (SPDC) and the Institute
for Public Policy and Social Research's
Office for Survey Research join Dow on
the grant. Other subcontractors include
Habitat for Humanity International
and Ferris State University.
Mrozowski and M.G. (Matt) Syal, also
a professor in SPDC, will lead the MSU
portion of the work, along with two other
co-investigators: Suk-Kyung Kim,
assistant professor, and Marcus
Metoyer, specialist, in SPDC. Fifteen
teams will work together on the 18-
month project, each group receiving
between $500,000 and $2.5 million and
the grant is renewable for up to three
more years.
Grand Rapids – Associated Builders and
Contractors of Western Michigan has
awarded Vos Glass, Inc. with two 2010
“Award of Excellence” honors in glazing:
One for Holland Hospital Renovations
(Holland - Glazing under $2 Million; and
another for Van Andel Institute - Phase II
(Grand Rapids) - Glazing over $2 Million.
Vos Glass has received honors in the glaz-
ing and metal panel categories seven of
the past eight years.
Initial Construction
Completed at Soo Locks
Detroit – U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers announced the completion of
two contracts that initiated construction
of the proposed new “Poe-sized” lock at
the Soo Locks, located on the St. Mary’s
River in Sault Ste. Marie.
TAB Construction Company of
Canton, OH completed the installation of
two coffer dam cells as the first step in
creating a replacement lock at the Soo.
The contractor used the $3,184,534 con-
tract to complete construction of a coffer
dam at each end of the Sabin Lock to
allow for dewatering as the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers prepares for future
construction. The coffer dams were con-
structed, in simple terms, by driving
steel sheet piling in a circular pattern
22
Lansing – Hobbs+Black Associates,
Inc. has been commissioned by Cosma
International, manufacturer of body
and chassis systems, to design a new
plant in the Sao Paulo area of Brazil. The
new 390,000 square foot facility sched-
uled to launch in early 2011 will produce
stamped and welded assemblies for
global automakers.
Grand Rapids – The National
Associated Builders and Contractors,
Inc. Safety Committee has awarded Vos
Glass, Inc. with a Safety Training and
Evaluation Process Platinum Level
Achievement Award again this year. Vos
Glass is the only glazing contractor in
the Western Michigan Chapter of
Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.
to receive this recognition, and has done
so for four consecutive years.
Grand Rapids - C. D. Barnes Associates,
Inc. announced they have been awarded
three Goodrich Quality Theater
Projects. Marking the third time C.D.
Barnes Associates has had the honor of
constructing for this prominent Grand
Rapids based theater corporation, they
will be renovating: the lobby at the
Oxford 7 Theater in Oxford, MI; the
lobby at the Kalamazoo 10 Theater in
Kalamazoo; and a party room at the
Hamilton 16 Theater in Noblesville, IN.
Specializing in theater construction
throughout the Midwest, they feel privi-
leged to have been selected as the
General Contractor for these projects.
into bedrock and then filling the cells
with stone material.
In addition, Kokosing Construction
Co. - a small business from Fredricktown,
OH - deepened the downstream approach
channel for the proposed new lock with a
$7,068,525 contract. The work was com-
pleted by Kokosing’s Durocher Marine
Division of Cheboygan, MI. During the
excavation process of the downstream
approach, a combination of about 71,000
cubic yards of bedrock and overburden
material was removed. Blasting was nec-
essary to remove the bedrock material.
The excavated material was placed in
designated areas on the northwest pier,
just past the International Bridge on Soo
Locks property.

Georgia World Congress Center
Atlanta, Georgia November 2-4
FABTECH History
Two prominent industry trade shows,
the FABTECH International & AWS
Welding Show joined alliances in 2005. In
2008 the METALFORM trade show came
on board. All three shows in their own
right have brought millions of buyers and
sellers together from around the world. In
2009 the Chemical Coaters Association,
International joined to sponsor the
Finishing Pavilion and Conference. The
union of these three shows with the
expansion of Finishing technology at the
show created the current FABTECH. This
annual trade show and conference is the
longest running North American event
dedicated to showcasing a full spectrum of
sheet metal forming and fabricating, fin-
ishing, tube and pipe, stamping and weld-
ing equipment
Michigan Companies at Fabtech
Master Finish Co.
Master Finish has just completed the
automation of its third plating line. Now
all three lines process metal components
using computer driven laser guided
cranes, thus eliminating human interven-
tion in their processing. Superior consis-
tent quality and process efficiencies are
delivered by their process automation.
Parker Ionics/Parkwood Engineering
Parker Ionics will be featuring their
new GX8000 Series of Powder Coating
Application Equipment. The GX8000
Series includes the GX8000S Hopper
Feed Unit, the GX8000B Box Feed Unit,
the versatile GX8000L Lab Unit, and the
Design, Fabrication, Manufacturing, PVC Coating, Insulation,
Stripping, Sandblasting, Repairing, and Rebuilding of Anodizing,
E-Coat, Painting, Plating, Powdercoating and PVD Racks,
Baskets, Barrels and Screens
Phone: 616-453-8261
2855 Marlin Court N.W. Grand Rapids, MI 49544
racks@expertcoating.net
FABTECH 2010
GX8000CS Cup Stand Unit. All units
include fully programmable digital tech-
nology and their new second generation
Pulse PowerÆ Technology.
Roberts Sinto Corp/Sinto Surface
Treatment
Designed to clean I-Beams in the "H"
position, the SCRA-12H provides descal-
ing of structural shapes with down
stream operations in mind. Superior
cleaning through improved wheel angles
and a patent pending abrasive removal
system make this machine a must for
today's Structural Fabrication Industry.
SST will be demonstrating this as well as
their other products.
Walther Pilot North America
The new Pilot Premium Spray Gun
not only has a dynamic, ergonomic design,
it also represents an exciting development
in paint spraying technology. The innova-
tive HVLP-Plus nozzle/air cap system
guarantees high material savings while
providing an outstanding surface finish.
Tests have confirmed higher transfer effi-
ciencies, as a result this Green Gun not
only protects the environment but also
saves a significant amount of expensive
material, while producing excellent surface
finishes.
Sampling of other vendors
Anest Iwata Usa Inc - Waterborne
Electrostatic
Their FM approved waterborne elec-
trostatic unit is an indirect charge system
run by a separate controller and low volt-
age wire. The gun utilizes a cascade car-
tridge to bring up the working voltage,
max -50KV (E-MW50). Indirect electrode
Fax: 616-453-3811
uses a corona charge to induce current on
a material allowing use without any iso-
lation systems or voltage block outs.
Separate controller and cascade also min-
imizes moving parts.
Carpenter Chemicals LC - Toran™ 3
Carpenter Chemicals, LC, distributor
of Plaforization™, is announcing the rev-
olutionary Toran™3 metal pretreatment.
This is a single-stage no-water, no-rinse,
no-heat system which generates no liq-
uid or solid wastes, produces only 10% of
CO2 of a comparable conventional system
and protects against flash rust for weeks
to months. This pretreatment passivates
the metal, and the seal bonds directly to
the surface increasing salt spray resist-
ance, adhesion (withstands boiling water
tests) and impact resistance.
Batch and Line
Powder Coat up to
23 Foot Part Length
Celebrating
Women In Business
Quality Service - Fast Turnaround
2 4 7 4 Tu r n e r N W S u i t e F • Wa l k e r, M I
23
Clearclad Coatings Inc - Steriban -
Antimicrobial E-Coat
This e-coat contains metallic silver
in a form that is invisible to the naked
eye. Microbes (bacteria) present in mois-
ture on the coating surface take up atoms
of the silver, which disables their ability
to function; thus, microbes cannot be
transferred between people touching the
same surface. All testing was conducted
by an independent laboratory using the
JIS Z 2801:2000 test method. The stan-
dard test microbes used are e-coli and
MRSA.
Calvary Industries Inc - ENVIRO-
PREP™ - Water-Free, Ambient, Multi-
Metal Pretreatment
Enviroprep products are a unique,
one-step, polymer-based cleaner and pre-
treatment for all metals, most plastic, and
plated surfaces.
Continued on page 24
Betsy Buist Boss
President
616.365.2620
Fax 616.361.6048
49544

Continued from page 23
The system requires no heat, no
water usage, and creates no waste.
Enviroprep products easily clean oils and
greases, disperse particulate soils and
simultaneously deposit polymeric resins,
adhesion promoters and corrosion
inhibitors on the substrate for superior
temporary unpainted corrosion protection
and superior paint adhesion
Baril Coatings USA - Poluran DCC VOC
Free Liquid Applied Finishes
Achieve 29-minute dry times or less
while shutting down all heat curing sys-
tems with Baril's liquid applied Poluran i2
finishes with Dual Cure Chemistry. This
proven system is now available VOC free.
It has no heat curing requirements, it
saves energy and lowers emmissions,
has exceptional color and gloss retention
and eliminates paint line bottlenecks.
SETTING THE PACE
FOR TOMORROW
Lacks Trim Systems
Lacks Wheel Trim Systems
Plastic-Plate, Inc.
Manufacturer of plastic components for the Automotive,
Business Machine, Electronics, and Telecommunications Industries.
5460 Cascade Road • Grand Rapids, MI 49546 • 616-949-6570
FABTECH 2010
Delta Coatings Corp - Liquid Powder
Delta Coatings Corporation is proud
to make available to the industry "Liquid
Powder." This new coating technology has
been in development for over 10 years
and will provide the option to utilize a
coating with many of the properties of a
powder coating without going to the
expense of installing a powder coating
line. Attributes of "Liquid Powder" include
zero voc, weld-ability and low film build.
DuBois Chemicals
The Treo General Purpose Cleaner is
recognized for safer chemistry by the
EPA's DfE Safer Product Labeling
Program. This cleaner was formulated with
readily biodegradable surfactants and con-
tains no harmful solvents, phosphates, or
HAPs. It also helps ensure a safe work-
place. Use Treo GPC to remove oils, greas-
es and other soils from hard surfaces.
The DuraTEC 110 is a cleaner/non-
phosphate paint pretreatment designed
for use in three stage spray systems. It
will clean off typical soils encountered on
both ferrous and nonferrous metal parts
prior to painting and help enhance paint
adhesion and corrosion resistance.
The DuraTEC Wand FRP is a new
nonphosphate wand process paint pre-
treatment. It is for use on ferrous and
nonferrous metals and helps to provide
enhanced paint adhesion and corrosion
protection for wand processed parts.
DuPont Industrial CoatingSolutions
CorMax® ElectroShield™21
cathodic epoxy electrocoat is a low-tem-
perature curing technology to reduce
energy costs and shorten bake cycles. It
provides superior stability characteristics
and a robust operating window that
enables precise film build over complex
metal shapes and sharp edges. Achieve
greater efficiencies and an environmen-
tally responsible coating process using
DuPont™ CorMax® and still meet or
exceed the most rigorous performance
specifications for corrosion resistance.
Tufcote® Plus 2K Urethane
Topcoat is a two-component, 3.5 VOC,
lead and chrome-free urethane enamel
topcoat. It delivers superior weathering
performance, excellent flexibility and
chip resistance. With very fast drying
times, this robust application offers a
high gloss appearance and minimal
orange peel.
Alesta® AR powder coatings meet
the rigorous requirements of AAMA
2603, 2604, 2605, while keeping you at
the forefront of architectural color trends.
They provide a high level of design free-
dom, making it easy to match glass, plas-
tic, wood or virtually any other building
24
material. Colors and textures are easily
adjusted to suit individual aesthetic pref-
erences without compromising essential
functional properties such as weather-
ability or impact and abrasion resistance.
EPI-Electrochemical Products Inc
Insta-Blak 333 Black Oxide GEL
A room temperature swab-on for
architectural steels / touch-up black fin-
ish for iron and steel. It's an instant-act-
ing black chemical conversion finish for
all ferrous metals except stainless steel.
Insta-Blak 333 GEL is recommended for
architectural steel surfaces (ie: steel steps
and steel framing), blackening re-
machined black oxide surfaces and quick
touch-up of scratched or damaged black
oxide finishes. The finish is resistant to
solvents, oils, cutting fluids, etc.
AD Chemical Precoat CF pretreat-
ment for aluminum replaces hexavalent
chrome, saves you money and does not
have to be rinsed. AD Precoat Chrome-
Free is Qualcoat A021 certified and is
suitable for immersion, spray and coating
applications. No rinsing is required after
applying PreCoat. It costs less to apply
than a hexavalent chrome process. In
short, a powerful and reliable choice for
you and your contented customers.
E-Chrome Ultra Yellow is a high
corrosion resistant iridescent trivalent
chromate process, providing 150 hours
salt spray resistance to white corrosion
without a topcoat. It doesn't rub off like
other yellow trivalent chromates and
offers more UV protection. E-Chrome
Ultra Yellow Red's salt spray resistance
approaches 200 hours, utilizing one tank
and no topcoat. E-Chrome Ultra Yellow
600 offers zinc alloy corrosion protection
600-700 hours to 5% white rust.

Michigan SBTDC Establishes
Manufacturing Assistance Team
Grand Rapids – The Michigan Small manufacturing sector. MAT started to
Business and Technology Development gain traction in 2010 and has since
Center (MI-SBTDC) formed a team of assisted more than 80 manufacturing
experts to assist manufacturers with companies across the state. MAT clients
planning for growth and diversification. are typically small to medium size man-
The Manufacturing Assistance Team
(MAT) provides support to manufactur-
ufacturers looking to diversify into new
industries, exploring options for expan-
ers in three specific areas: Financial sion, or strengthening their internal
analysis, capital access and strategic financial management tools.
actioning. Proos Manufacturing of Grand
“Michigan’s small business manu- Rapids has been in business since 1919
facturers are facing times when financ- and a MAT client since 2009. Owner
ing options are limited and the need to Amy Engelsman worked with MAT con-
diversify is great,” stated Carol Lopucki, sultants to analyze the company’s finan-
MI-SBTDC state director. “Using their cial information. Together, Engelsman
expertise and experience working with was guided through the process of
manufacturers, MAT can assist compa- restructuring the company’s costs and
nies with analyzing complex situations developing formal sales forecasts and
and making tough decisions.” cash flow statements.
The Team was formed in 2009 in “It was great working with someone
response to the economic stress in the who acted like a partner for us, helping
Got
Stainless?
or Brass, Steel, or Zinc?
Let us finish it!
- Electropolish
- Polish & Buff
- Vibratory Finish
- Chrome Flash
- Copper/Nickel/Chrome Plate
- Passivation
Colors Available
- Mirror Chrome
- Satin Chrome
- Dark Chrome
- ReplaChrome®
Totally Automated Processing
for Efficient Consistent Quality!
Leaders in Metal Plating Technology
2020 Nelson SE • PO Box 7505
Grand Rapids, MI 49510-7505
Ph (888) 372-2913 (616) 245-1228
Fax (616) 245-0039
www.masterfinishco.com
us identify problems and bringing them
to the surface,” said Engelsman. “It was
very educational and really provided
another perspective for us.”
Industrial Coatings and
Finishing Update
West Michigan – The industrial
coating and finishing industry is closely
aligned with metal finishing and fabrica-
tion industries, all of which been strug-
gling recently with an uncertain econom-
ic foothold, diminished customer confi-
dence and the need for cost-reduction in
all facets of their business model.
However, not all is bad news. Industries
across the board have seen recent
improvements in their bottom lines, and
for some, the future even looks bright.
For Muskegon-based Metal
Finishing Technologies, a steady
increase in demand and the size of their
customer base prompted the company to
build a brand new 6,000 square foot
addition which opened in the fall of
2008. The new addition allowed the
company to install larger tanks for their
anodize process which in turn allowed
them to provide anodizing services for
large machine plates. Along with certain
customer demand, Metal Finishing’s con-
tinued growth may lead to adding a
hard-coat anodize process in the near
future.
Anodizing aluminum increases
resistance to corrosion and wear while
allowing different colors to be used.
Currently, Metal Finishing can color the
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25
In 2009, 27% of the 15,808 clients
served by the SBTDC were manufactur-
ing clients.
aluminum clear, black, red, blue, gold
and turquoise. In addition to this
process, Metal Finishing is also currently
the only black oxide provider in the
Muskegon area - a process used for com-
ponents dealing with tools, gages,
machine parts, springs, bearings, spark
plugs, firearms and many other steel
objects. Black oxide is very economical to
apply when compared to painting, phos-
phating or plating, and a black oxided
part requires only minimal care and will
not rust.
As with all industries, trends are
everywhere, and as we all know, "green"
is in. Grand Rapids-based industrial
coaters Professional Metal Finishers
(PMF) purchases Low Cure powders
whenever possible in order to save on
their gas and electric use. They also uti-
lize “earth friendly” chemical cleaners,
and of course the powder itself releases
no emissions (as opposed to painting
processes) so it too is environmentally
friendly.
“At PMF we continue to use hand
sprayers, hangers and packers,” said
PMF President Betsy Buist Boss. “We
have very little automation–this fits our
business plan better and keeps our
Michigan workers ‘working.’”

Industrial Briefs
Halifax, Nova Scotia – For the second
time, the Ports of Indiana was the only
port authority in the Western
Hemisphere to earn an Award of
Excellence for websites from the
American Association of Port
Authorities.
Grand Rapids – Cascade Engineering
continues to maintain and increase its
involvement in initiatives that demon-
strate the company’s core commitment to
sustainability; Paul Baliker, an ArtPrize
2010 Top 10 winner for his driftwood
sculpture, “A Matter of Time,” is this
year’s recipient of the company’s $5,000
Sustainable Art Award. Cascade is also
having considerable success with its Pink
Cart program featuring a brightly colored
waste and recycling cart made from pink
recyclable plastic that evokes the
American Cancer Society’s (ACS) pink rib-
bon symbol.
Holland – LeanLogistics announced that
LeanDex™, the company’s transporta-
tion management index, has been added
to the On-Demand TMS® and the
LeanSource™ procurement application.
LeanDex™ allows greater visibility to the
user previously unavailable in any TMS
and is currently only available in
LeanLogistics solutions.
Grand Rapids – Operator Specialty
Company, Inc., an international company
and one of the nation’s foremost manu-
facturers of commercial and residential
gate and door operating systems, will
relocate to 3 Mile Road in Walker from
their current location in Casnovia. The
company has leased 88,750 square feet of
manufacturing, distribution, repair/serv-
ice and office space and will start produc-
tion in January, adding approximately 10
– 15 jobs within one year.
Saint Joseph – Independent moving com-
pany Two Men and a Truck® expanded
its services across West Michigan with
the opening of two secondary offices.
Lakeshore franchisee Dave Hunt offi-
cially opened the doors to new offices in
Spring Lake and Wayland.
Zeeland – Gentex Corporation has
reported all-time record results for the
third quarter and nine months ended
September 30, 2010. Gentex is a manu-
facturer of automatic-dimming rearview
mirrors and camera-based active-safety
systems for the automotive industry,
commercial fire protection products and
dimmable aircraft windows.
Portage – The Port of Indiana is cele-
brating its 40th year by handling the
largest shipment of project cargo in the
port’s history. Port is currently handling
a shipment of 134 complete turbine
units carried by 11 ships from Canada
Steamship Lines and Flinter Shipping
from various locations around the Great
Lakes. The shipment was coordinated by
Vectora Transportation for final desti-
nation in Bloomington, IL. The wind-
mills are being stored throughout the
port on about 20 total acres.
26
Holland – Trendway Corporation
announced the appointment of
Christopher Silguero as the company's
central regional sales manager.
Commerce City, CO – Rotonics
Manufacturing, Inc. announced the
sale of its tank manufacturing division
to Norwesco Inc. and Snyder
Industries, Inc. The transaction is an
asset sale and does not include Rotonics’
custom fuel tank business and other
specified assets. The sale of the tank
group’s business assets is the result of a
strategic assessment to shed non-core
assets and leverage Rotonics’ strong
market position in its primary business
segments, including custom, material
handling, linen & laundry, refuse, med-
ical waste, custom pallets and utilities.
Over the last year, Rotonics has consoli-
dated nine plant locations into four cen-
tralized facilities located in California,
Colorado, Minnesota and Illinois.
Holland – LeanLogistics welcomed
Preferred Freezer Services, headquar-
tered in Elizabeth, NJ, to their growing
base of refrigerated warehouse clients.

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 Corporate Information
Grand Rapids – The Center for
Community Leadership announced the
community leaders who will participate
in the 2011 Leadership Grand Rapids
Program: Lynn Afendoulis, Scott
Alsgaard, Dan Baas, Jonathan
Berends, Joyce Bobolts, Amanda
Brand, Pete Brand, Amy Brower,
Becky Buick, Laura Davis, Kirsten
Deenik, Julie Dykstra, Marni Epstein,
Ken Erffmeyer, Wendy Falb, Denise
Fase, Tara Geror, Janelle Hill, Jeff Hill,
Dave Janconette, Carl Jandernoa,
Christina Keller, Janet Knaus, Mike
Lamfers, Magali Lathouwers, Joe
Legatz, Julie Manshum, BriAnne
McKee, Nick Monoyios, Tim Mroz,
Cathy Raevsky, Mandee Rick, Elissa
Sangalli Hillary, April Sawhill, Jay
Schrimpf and Amy Turner-Thole.
Lansing – Michigan Works!
Association announced the approval of
officers for its 2010-2011 board of direc-
tors: Chairperson - Charlotte (Charlie)
Mahoney; 1st Vice Chair - Willard
Carne; 2nd Vice Chair - Larry Martin;
Secretary - Christine Quinn; Treasurer -
Todd Gustafson; Member at Large -
Robert A. Straits; Members - Cheryl
Clark, Dr. Lynne Haley, Laura
Hamilton, James E. Mantey and Sheri
Thompson.
Athens Twp – The Nottawaseppi Huron
Band of the Potawatomi announced
that Tribal Council Vice-Chairperson
Jamie P. Stuck has been named as one
of the “Native American 40 Under 40”
by the National Center for American
Indian Enterprise Development board
of directors.
St. Joseph – Perry Ballard Incorporated
welcomed Katie Shoop as a new pro-
gram strategist responsible for develop-
ing marketing plans and managing client
accounts. Also, Patrick Bosse was pro-
moted to media director/program strate-
gist. Bosse will oversee media plans and
purchases for clients, as well as continue
to develop marketing plans and manage
client accounts.
Grand Rapids – Van Eerden
Foodservice celebrates 90 years of busi-
ness in 2010 with its Fall Food Show cel-
ebration. Vendors and customers will
attend a private event at Noto’s
Banquet & Conference Center.
Grand Rapids – Lambert, Edwards &
Associates announced that it has been
named the PR News Small Firm of the
Year Platinum PR Award winner.
Grand Rapids – CU*Answers has recent-
ly converted to a new item processing
platform. Benefits of the upgrade will be
noticed primarily with the CheckViewer
application used by branch staff to view
and search for check images, and mem-
bers accessing check images via It's Me
247 online banking.
Holland – Bullet Hole Firearms and
Training located on East 8th Street in
Holland opened their doors for business
in early July. The Bullet Hole is the only
gun shop in Holland city limits and is
owned and operated by Dennis L.
Johnson and Bennett L. Phillips.
Grand Rapids – The Center for
Community Leadership, the community
leadership program of the Grand Rapids
Area Chamber of Commerce, announced
the addition of Alexis Rangel to its staff
as program coordinator.
Grand Rapids – The American
Marketing Association West Michigan
Chapter has announced its board mem-
bers for the 2010-2011 program year:
president - Kim Bode, Alliance for
Health; president elect - Sheri
Compton, Flourish Marketing
Solutions; immediate past president:
Shelby Reno, Independent Bank; sec-
retary - Lisa Young, Smith Haughey
Rice & Roegge; membership - Shannon
Cunningham, Dan Vos Construction
and Sue Tellier, Jetco Solutions; tech-
nology - Jorri Smith, Andy Egan and
Jaime Beckstrom, ERM; programs - Tim
Mroz, The Right Place, Inc. and Sarah
Lilly, City Flats Hotel; special events -
Laura Percherski, MI-SBTDC and Jen
Orr, Shutterbug Photography; colle-
giate relations - William Ward, PhD,
Grand Valley State University; treas-
urer - Paul Hense, Hense & Assoc.
Holland - The Holland Area Chamber
of Commerce recognized Rich Lievense
as the 2010 Holland Chamber Small
Business Person of the Year. Lievense is
the founder, president and CEO of Lake
Michigan Financial Corporation, the
holding company of The Bank of
Holland.
Athens Twp. – The Nottawaseppi
Huron Band of the Potawatomi
(NHBP) Tribal Council has announced
that NHBP Interim Police Chief Duane
Sprague has been named full time Chief
of Police. The NHBP Police Department
provides service for Pine Creek
Reservation, tribally owned lands and
FireKeepers Casino.
27
Grand Rapids – The American Butter Lansing – Michigan Works!
Institute (ABI) held in Las Vegas, Association announced that Lynn
David Riemersma, president of Bajorek has joined its team as work-
Butterball Farms, Inc., was elected to force development specialist who will
serve as first vice president. This posi- coordinate policy and programmatic
tion serves a two-year term. information to support the Association.
Grand Rapids – Advantage Sign Grand Rapids – WESCO Net has selected
Supply, Inc. announced the addition of Comcast Business to deploy a new
the HP Scitex line of printers to its wide fiber-wide area network with up to giga-
format product line and offering bit speeds.
indoor/outdoor application diversity.
Washington, D.C. – The United States
Grand Rapids – Xtend, Inc. recently wel- has reached an agreement with Old
comed Farmington, UT-based Horizon General Motors to establish a trust to
Utah Federal Credit Union as its fifty- cleanup and repurpose 89 properties left
third stockholder. behind in the GM bankruptcy. Under this
agreement, Old GM will commit $773
Grand Rapids – John Bailey, managing million to cleaning up property sites –
director at Lambert, Edwards & two thirds of which are known to be con-
Associates, has been named to the taminated with hazardous waste – in
board of directors of the Automotive fourteen states.
Hall of Fame in Dearborn.
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