Crain's Detroit Business articles from June 2009

Crain's Detroit Business archives from June 2009

BUSINESS DIARY.(CKC Public Relations L.L.C)
June 1, 2009... CONTRACTS Detroit-based Intrastate Distributors Inc. has contracted with Houston-based Innovative Beverage Group Holdings Inc. to bring drank, the company's signature relaxation beverage, to the Detroit area. ERT Systems L.L.C., Ann...

EMPLOYMENT CALENDAR.(Macomb Community College)(Calendar)
June 1, 2009... Navy seeks midcareer automotive professionals The Naval Sea Systems Command, the U.S. Navy's largest such command, is recruiting displaced midcareer automotive professionals, particularly engineers, scientists and skilled tradesmen....

CORRECTIONS.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Mary Kramer's May 25 column inaccurately stated the amount of K-12 expenditures that Citizens Research Council reports go toward employee health benefits. CRC estimates that about 14 percent of total K-12 spending is devoted to health care for...

CALENDAR.(NEWS)(Calendar)
June 1, 2009... TUESDAY JUNE 2 ACG Detroit 3rd Annual M&A Conference. 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Association for Corporate Growth Detroit Chapter. With William Campbell, founder, W.Y. Campbell & Co., Detroit; John Fiore, executive director, J.P. Morgan Securities...

CRAIN'S CFO OF THE YEAR AWARDS JUNE 11 IN DEARBORN.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Join Crain's Detroit Business as we honor the top CFO in the region on June 11 at The Henry Ford in Dearborn. The winner will be selected from among 12 finalists, including financial officers from public, private and nonprofit companies....

Career Transition.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Name: David Merlo, 30. Education: Bachelor's degree from Davenport University in 2005. Past career: Three years as co-owner of Diamond Bright Collision in Lincoln Park. New career: Senior loan officer at Shore Mortgage in Dearborn...

Detroit hosts conferences on green building, IT, finance.(NEWS)(Conference news)
June 1, 2009... Byline: TOM HENDERSON Mackinac Island isn't the only place to hold a conference. Three conferences are slated for the Detroit area this week one on green tech, one on information technology and one bringing together black bankers and...

BEST FROM THE BLOGS.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Amy: Who does business want? Early on in the governor's race, who would you pick? Someone who's not currently running, if you're like a lot of businesspeople polled for the Detroit Regional Chamber's Mackinac Policy Conference....

BANKRUPTCIES.(NEWS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... Byline: Dustin Walsh The following businesses filed for Chapter 7 or 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Detroit May 22-28. Under Chapter 11, a company files for reorganization. Chapter 7 involves total liquidation. Bine Material...

Bridge project battle lines drawn; Lawsuit adds race to factors in rivalry.
June 1, 2009... Byline: BILL SHEA The factions are taking shape as the first significant legal challenge to a new, publicly owned Detroit River crossing begins in federal court, potentially creating a schism among civic, social and business groups in...

Life and learning; Examples show education part of job changes.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... These days, finding the next great professional opportunity isn't just about networking and experience. It's also about acquiring new skills, learning new technologies and sometimes undergoing a career makeover. Crain's talked to four...

"Disconnect' keeps biz frustrated.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Byline: Amy Lane Michigan business executives are wondering when Lansing political leaders are going to "get it. The "it being the end to chronic budget deficits and continued patching, and progress on structural reform. A growing...

Schools offer grants to help student entrepreneurs.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Byline: RYAN BEENE Entrepreneurship in Southeast Michigan is getting a boost from colleges and universities offering specialized grants to students and alumni. Wayne State University's E2 Challenge, created in February by the...

Out to change MSU culture.(Michigan State University)
June 1, 2009... Robert Groves assumed his post as Michigan State University's vice president for University Advancement in January to spearhead fundraising, alumni and donor relations. MSU's University Advancement department was launched in 2008,...

Appetizing alfresco.(NEWS)(Directory)
June 1, 2009... Byline: Nathan Skid Want atmosphere? Here's an inside scoop on outdoor dining in Southeast Michigan One of Michigan's best-kept secrets is its amazing summers. And what better way to enjoy the weather than by dining alfresco? Here...

WORKER RETRAINING PROGRAMS.(NEWS)(Directory)
June 1, 2009... This directory features information on local and regional programs designed to retrain Michigan's workforce. Funding for many comes from the federal stimulus plan, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, via programs such as Michigan Department...

Wayne State doctoral students give HR help while getting experience.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Byline: MARK LEWIS Wayne State University doctoral students are melding science with human resources to gain real-world experience while helping area companies improve operations. The students, part of WSU's Applied Psychology and...

Challenging job market rewards mobile MBA grads.
June 1, 2009... Byline: MARK LEWIS Big corporate finance jobs may be in short supply for MBA graduates and yes, we are in a recession but opportunities do exist. Positions are available in consulting, health care and information technology, said Al...

Higher ed = higher costs; No simple solution to change equation.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Byline: RYAN BEENE Korcelia Saygbay works 39 hours a week at the Wayne State University library to pay for her first year at the university. The 20-year-old arrived in the U.S. from Liberia in December 2007 to pursue a degree in...

Tast of the Community; Culinary tours serve up new perspectives on metro Detroit.(Taste-Full Tours )
June 1, 2009... Byline: NATHAN SKID Sitting outside on a sunny afternoon at Corktown's latest rave, Le Petit Zinc, Taste-Full Tours co-founders Laura Gononian and Laura Romito explore its French menu, letting the culinary descriptors fly. After much...

OCC to begin weekend-only degree programs.(Oakland Community College)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... Byline: Ryan Beene Oakland Community College plans to launch new weekend-only degree programs at its Royal Oak-Southfield campus during the winter 2010 academic term. OCC will offer associate's degrees in liberal arts, general...

Banker, preacher, engineer; Comerica's Renaissance man does his part for "Renaissance City'.
June 1, 2009... Byline: TOM HENDERSON Anthony Caudle is doing his part to help Detroit live up to its self-proclaimed nickname of the Renaissance City. Caudle, 44, has an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Purdue University, a...

2009 Mackinac Policy Conference; Building Michigan's new future.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... The following are highlights from Crain's late week Web coverage of the Detroit Regional Chamber's Mackinac Policy Conference. To read complete versions of these stories and other online coverage, go to www.crainsdetroit.com /mackinac. ...

Maybe there is a new tenant for GM building?
June 1, 2009... Byline: Keith Crain All of a sudden, the mayor of Warren has come calling in downtown Detroit and invited General Motors, soon to be Government Motors, to abandon Detroit and move everyone from the Renaissance Center to his city. ...

OPINION.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... It's the summer for state to restructure You can sum the mood of the Mackinac Policy Conference this year with one recurring question: Where's the leadership? The annual conference should have been the burning platform for legislative...

Mars Advertising's orbit grows as other ad segments fall.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Byline: BILL SHEA An electrical fire in February 2004 nearly wiped out Mars Advertising Inc. The blaze swept through the company's Southfield headquarters, destroying just about everything. Fortunately, no one was hurt and the...

Hotels get a fill-up; Fee helps bring back hot rod tour, replace biz travel.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Byline: DANIEL DUGGAN Last year, the Best Western Sterling Inn in Sterling Heights could depend on business travel to fill rooms on a Tuesday in early June. So with business travel down this year, Macomb County hotels are getting a...

TAKING NOMINATIONS.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Do you know a woman who is poised to make a difference in her company or industry in the next year? Or one who had an innovative idea or developed an innovative practice? If so, she could be a candidate for Crain's Detroit Business' "Women...

Rail project rollout on way; Meetings, Web site part of M1 outreach.
June 1, 2009... Byline: BILL SHEA After two years of clandestine meetings, secret press leaks and a cloak-and-dagger atmosphere, the privately funded plan to bring light-rail transit to Detroit's Woodward Avenue is about to go public. Backers, citing...

GM aims to pay key suppliers; "Critical vendor' list would be filed with court.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Byline: RYAN BEENE Suppliers with outstanding receivables not covered by Thursday's $2 billion early payment by General Motors Corp. are likely to be paid even if the automaker files for bankruptcy, which is expected today. Bo...

PEOPLE.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Joseph Kolars, M.D., has been named the University of Michigan Medical School's first senior associate dean for education and global initiatives. Since late 2007, Kolars, a gastroenterologist, has divided his time between the Mayo Clinic and...

Grand Action makes grand changes in Grand Rapids.(NEWS)(Conference news)
June 1, 2009... Byline: AMY LANE In 1991, businessman Dick DeVos brought together more than 50 west Michigan community leaders and volunteers to look at the possibility of building an arena and expanding or renovating local convention operations. An...

K'zoom: Southwest Michigan leaders seized key moment.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Byline: AMY LANE A decade ago, the Kalamazoo region's economy was looking rocky. A General Motors Corp. stamping plant closed in 1999, and six paper mills closed between 1999 and 2001, with a combined loss of 5,200 jobs. The...

Conservancy makes great strides on RiverWalk, more.(Detroit Riverfront Conservancy )
June 1, 2009... Byline: SHERRI BEGIN WELCH The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy came together in 2003 to provide public access to Detroit's riverfront through construction of the RiverWalk and programming on it. Since then, it's pieced together land...

MPI expansion goes back to family roots.
June 1, 2009... Byline: SHERRI BEGIN WELCH Nearly 125 years after his great grandfather founded Upjohn Co., William Parfet is expanding MPI Research's preclinical and early clinical research operations into two buildings in downtown Kalamazoo on land that...

National Summit aims to write "to-do list' for America.(NEWS)(Conference news)
June 1, 2009... Byline: NANCY KAFFER On June 15, a group of people with a serious interest in the future of the economy will gather at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center. The agenda for the National Summit is dotted with four-star names,...

Novi eyed for $11 million, 100-bed Medilodge.(NEWS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... An $11 million MediLodge is being planned for 11 Mile and Beck roads in Novi. Novi Real Estate L.L.C. proposes to build an 87,000-square-foot, 100-bed skilled nursing facility that would be leased to MediLodge of Novi L.L.C. Frank Wronski,...

WSU's Mentzer takes leave to help sick mother-in-law.(Wayne State University)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... Byline: JAY GREENE Dr. Robert Mentzer, dean of Wayne State University School of Medicine, is taking an indefinite leave of absence to help take care of his sick mother-in-law in Germany. Vice Dean Dr. Valerie Parisi will assume...

"Road to Renaissance' work accomplished or near end.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... According to Detroit Renaissance Inc., all the original "Road to Renaissance work has been completed or is the process of being so, with the exception of the Global Center of Mobility, which has been scrapped because of infeasibility. The...

Look within for regional economic development leaders, panelists say.(NEWS)(Conference news)
June 1, 2009... Byline: AMY LANE Business, philanthropic and civic leaders on Wednesday sent a united message: Don't rely on elected leadership to lead economic development. It was an underpinning of the opening session at the Detroit Regional...

Solidarity UAW forever; As auto industry reinvents itself, union might have to do the same.(United Auto Workers)
June 1, 2009... Byline: RYAN BEENE Michigan's image around the nation has long been colored by the United Auto Workers union sometimes in a good way, but for people trying to attract business to Michigan, it's a headache. The often contentious...

Detroit needs a tip line.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Byline: Mary Kramer Here's an idea for Detroit Mayor Dave Bing: Set up an anonymous tip line. Let employees, residents and businesses know the number, and encourage them to use the line to report corruption, bad management or things that...

Michigan leaders act locally to find ways through tough times.(American Recovery and Investment Act)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... The American Recovery and Investment Act may be the ambitious federal plan to restore the economy, but, as Amy Lane reports in her story on Page M10, Michigan should not be looking to government as a solution to its problems. And that...

For talent: good jobs, cool places, new narrative.(NEWS)(Viewpoint essay)
June 1, 2009... So there's this scene in "Sid and Nancy, the 1986 biopic about Sid Vicious, the dead bassist of iconic British punk band the Sex Pistols. It's 1978, and the Sex Pistols are on what would prove to be a disastrous 12-day tour of America...

Life sciences become state's growth "powerhouse'.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Byline: AMY LANE Michigan's University Research Corridor has helped propel the life sciences industry to strong jobs growth and national leadership, according to a study released Thursday on Mackinac Island. A study by East...

Companies must innovate, regardless of economy.(Detroit Regional Chamber's Mackinac Policy Conference )(Conference news)
June 1, 2009... Byline: SHERRI BEGIN WELCH Innovation is the answer to not only weathering the current economic climate but to growing in it, the leaders of successful Michigan companies say. "The world is changing fast.... If you're not willing to...

Survey: Most approve of donating used pacemakers to medically underserved.(NEWS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... A survey by the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center shows that, if given the choice, 87 percent of those with pacemakers and 71 percent of the general population would be willing to donate the device to patients in underserved nations....

Beaumont outsources purchasing as route to supply cost savings.(William Beaumont Hospitals )
June 1, 2009... Byline: JAY GREENE William Beaumont Hospitals in Royal Oak has always marched to the beat of its own drummer. Its strategy to garner more savings in supply purchasing is no exception. In early 2008, Beaumont Hospitals decided to...

WHERE NEW ECONOMY INITIATIVE GRANTS HAVE GONE.(New Economy Initiative)
June 1, 2009... The New Economy Initiative has made grants totaling $20.5 million since last summer, focusing on: talent development, attraction and retention; innovation and entrepreneurship; and shifting to a culture that values learning, work and...

One road leads to many others; Detroit Renaissance broadens its focus to statewide issues.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Byline: SHERRI BEGIN WELCH Detroit Renaissance Inc. in the fall of 2006 introduced a map for getting Southeast Michigan on a path to economic revitalization. Its three- to five-year plan, "Road to Renaissance, evolved from a study the...

Hospitals try to buy smarter; Supply-chain management, group purchasing organizations strive to cut rising expenses.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Byline: JAY GREENE Facing red ink and trying to avoid layoffs and cuts in patient services, hospitals in Southeast Michigan are looking to squeeze greater savings out of their supply purchases this year. One strategy hospitals are...

HUNGRY FOR AN EXPERIENCE?(Culinary Escapes )(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... Culinary Escapes Cost: $35 a person Stops: Nine stops on foot: Royal Oak Farmers Market, Superior Fish Co., Goldfish Tea, Hermann's Bakery, Royal Oak Brewery, Memphis Smoke, Gayle's Chocolates, Zumba Mexican Grille and Pizza Paesano...

Survey: Don't expect big results from stimulus; Transportation, utility infrastructure, job training have best chance at success.(NEWS)(Survey)
June 1, 2009... Byline: NANCY KAFFERAND CHAD HALCOM When it comes to the economy, Michigan business owners are conflicted, to say the least. In a recent survey of 300 business owners, operators, officers or managers in Southeast Michigan, conducted by...

WEEK ON THE WEB.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Delta, airport authority discuss runway improvements Delta Air Lines Inc. is talking with the Wayne County Airport Authority about getting $100 million in runway and taxi-way improvements at Detroit Metropolitan Airport over the next two...

Deal made for Pontiac home of film studio.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Byline: DANIEL DUGGAN The group of investors planning a $75 million movie production and training facility in Pontiac has closed on a land contract to purchase one of the Pontiac Centerpoint buildings from General Motors Corp. It's a...

RUMBLINGS.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Bankruptcy lawyer jumps back to Foley Judy O'Neill, a partner in the bankruptcy practice of Foley & Lardner L.L.P. in Detroit, is back aboard the very ship she jumped weeks ago to launch a startup firm. O'Neill, who was lead counsel...

This Just In.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Auto vets form nonprofit to help manufacturers Three veterans of the auto industry have formed a nonprofit, Revitalizing Michigan, and will seek federal, state and private grants to fund their mission of helping manufacturers improve their...

IN THE SPOTLIGHT.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Lloyd Young has been appointed dean of the Wayne State University Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, effective Aug. 17. Young, 64, replaces Beverly Schmoll, who became the dean of the College of Health Science and...

The battle for GM's HQ: Good moves or bad policy?(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Byline: NANCY KAFFER AND DANIEL DUGGAN In the bidding war for General Motors Corp., Detroit looks like the winner. With the promise of a 12- to 15-year tax-free renaissance zone, Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano and Detroit Mayor...

An ice boost in revenue; Wings score with expanded corporate sales.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Byline: BILL SHEA The Stanley Cup finals are good business for the Detroit Red Wings, even amid a global financial crisis that has ravaged other teams. Thanks to a change in the team's corporate sponsorship sales philosophy, Detroit's...

New job similar, but new focus stays on retraining.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Byline: Chad Halcom Mark Albrecht's new job may have much in common with his old one but he says retraining with new skills was invaluable to staying relevant in a changed labor market. Albrecht, 51, started in mid-May as senior vice...

Handwriting on the wall prepared manager for move.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Byline: Chad Halcom A little foresight put Catherine Fraser well along her way toward a new career by the time her old one had ended. Fraser, 53, of Troy, was agency operations manager for the former Meemic Insurance Co. when the...

RECOGNIZING ENTREPRENEURS.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Do you know an entrepreneur who deserves applause? Entrepreneurs make up a growing portion of Michigan's employment base and are of increasing interest to venture capital investors and universities. Crain's Detroit Business in its Nov. 16 issue...

Future interior designer's aim: Be ready when market is.(NEWS)
June 1, 2009... Byline: Chad Halcom Bridgett Barnes knows internships and jobs are scarce right now in her new career path in interior design at Eastern Michigan University. But that's actually part of the plan. "I have the benefit that I don't have...

Help for job seekers.
June 1, 2009... CareerWorks is a weekly collection of advertising, news and information geared toward readers in career transition or looking for new jobs. Included in our coverage: "CareerTransition," highlighting a person who has made a successful leap...

BUSINESS DIARY.(NEWS)
June 8, 2009... ACQUISITIONS Atlas Oil Co., Taylor, will acquire 33 retail gas stations/convenience stores in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs from BP Products North America Inc., Houston, bringing Atlas' total BP station count to 113 in the...

CORRECTIONS.(NEWS)
June 8, 2009... There were several inaccuracies in an article on the No Worker Left Behind program on Page M31 of the June 1 issue. The article stated that the program would be a casualty of state budget cuts. The program has, indeed, lost $7.8 million in...

BEST FROM THE BLOGS.(NEWS)
June 8, 2009... Shea: "Now that Facebook has poached Grady Burnett from Google's AdWords operation in Ann Arbor, what feels like revisionist spin is under way from the search engine giant. Lane: "It's news that should surprise no one: A deal to...

CRAIN'S SEEKS BEST-MANAGED NONPROFITS FOR AWARDS.(NEWS)
June 8, 2009... This year's Best-Managed Nonprofit Contest will focus on ways nonprofits are meeting the challenges of the economy. It is better for applications to focus on strong execution of a single initiative than to list several less-developed...

Utilities to pursue up to $20M from GM.(NEWS)
June 8, 2009... Byline: AMY LANE Michigan's two largest energy companies may take hits as a result of General Motors Corp.'s bankruptcy filing. In the bankruptcy proceedings, DTE Energy Co. plans where possible to pursue $15 million to $20 million in...

DEQ gets good marks on permitting.(NEWS)
June 8, 2009... A new survey gives the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality good marks for state permitting an area often in the sights of business. The survey, conducted for the DEQ by Michigan State University's state and local government...

Career Transition.(NEWS)
June 8, 2009... Name: Thomas Persinger, 39. Education: Associate's degree in general studies from Macomb Community College, nursing assistant certificate from American Red Cross and a phlebotomy certificate from MedRight Inc. He's currently pursuing an...

Troy patent law firm launches rent-free tech incubator.(NEWS)
June 8, 2009... Byline: TOM HENDERSON Young Basile Hanlon MacFarlane & Helmholdt P.C., a Troy-based patent law firm, has created a small, rent-free technology incubator on site and has landed its first tenant. Andrew Basile Jr. said there is room for...

Unfilled hotels go all out for business meetings; Challenge of discounts is to book scarce events without losing money.(NEWS)
June 8, 2009... Byline: DANIEL DUGGAN Marriott International Inc. hotels in the area are offering those who hold corporate meetings a 2 percent discount off their total bill. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. hotels have been offering 4...

DHR hires Carr for sports group.(NEWS)
June 8, 2009... Byline: Sherri Begin Welch DHR International also intends to expand its searches for collegiate and professional sports organizations from the Michigan office and to that end has hired former University of Michigan head football coach...

Cities work to attract small biz; Officials review "hoops' and master plans.(NEWS)
June 8, 2009... Byline: NANCY KAFFER In Royal Oak, it can take nine months to pull a permit. But the actual process takes about two weeks, said interim City Manager Donald Johnson. That's dead time a task force aimed at business attraction is trying...

"Like a business militia'; Hoteliers band together in pursuit of customers during tough times.(NEWS)
June 8, 2009... Byline: DANIEL DUGGAN In an effort to work together against the down economy, hotel executives have been forming hotel committees and associations in Southeast Michigan communities. The city of Detroit formed such a committee six...

EMPLOYMENT CALENDAR.(NEWS)
June 8, 2009... HFCC seeks adjunct faculty Henry Ford Community College is seeking well-qualified individuals for part-time teaching opportunities in anatomy and physiology, chemistry and general biology. A recruitment fair will be held 3-6 p.m. June 15...

Many GM dealers want to keep closure list a secret.(NEWS)
June 8, 2009... Byline: Daniel Duggan Many in the local car dealer community are hoping the list of General Motors Corp. dealers that are being shut down will remain secret. That may not be an option, however. During a U.S. Senate hearing...

Former Boyden players help DHR launch Michigan expansion.(NEWS)
June 8, 2009... Byline: SHERRI BEGIN WELCH With several former employees of Boyden Executive Search's Michigan office in tow, Chicago-based DHR International is expanding DHR's presence in the state and subsidizing the operation until Michigan's economy...

CALENDAR.(NEWS)
June 8, 2009... TUESDAY JUNE 9 CEO Outlook. 8:30-10 a.m. Detroit Regional Chamber; Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. With Tom Lewand, president, Detroit Lions. Detroit Regional Chamber offices. Free for members. Contact (313) 596-0343. ...

CRAIN'S CFO OF THE YEAR AWARDS THURSDAY IN DEARBORN.(NEWS)
June 8, 2009... Join Crain's Detroit Business as we honor the top CFOs in the region on Thursday at The Henry Ford in Dearborn. The winners will be selected from among 12 finalists, including financial officers from public, private and nonprofit companies....

E-ffective? Businesses find recruiting via social media works, often for free.(NEWS)
June 8, 2009... Byline: BILL SHEA The rise of social media think Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube has caught the attention of the business community, which increasingly is using the outlets as online recruiting tools. Instead of tedious...

Future autoworkers will need broader skills.(NEWS)
June 8, 2009... Byline: RYAN BEENE While the automotive industry is going through very tough times, industry observers say hiring will eventually increase and new workers must be ready. New hires at automakers and suppliers will need advanced skill...