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June 2011$2.00

2Rediscovering Business Travel

by Mike Malaney

Since the worldwide economicrecession began, businesses large andsmall have scrutinized their travel budg-ets. According to the Global BusinessTravel Association, about 85 percent ofcompanies economized by decreasingtravel budgets not long after the eco-nomic downturn in the fall of 2008.

However, many businesses, includ-ing those in West Michigan, have beenrethinking that strategy. While takingfewer business trips may save money inthe short term, the long-term benefits ofmeeting face-to-face with clients are com-promised. In fact, at a time when somecompetitors are cutting back on in-person

meetings, a growing number of business-es are increasing their travel budgets,seizing the opportunity to maintain astronger presence with their clients.

Whether a business is shrinking,maintaining or increasing their travelbudgets, road warriors can make themost of each dollar spent on businesstravel. For example:

Before scheduling a trip, ask: Is thetrip justified? Is there a potential returnon investment? What is the potentialcost to the company of not making thetrip? If a trip can cement a client rela-tionship, win a large order or secure alower price from a supplier, the travelexpense may be justified.

For better cost-effectiveness, take

one trip that covers various destinations,instead of taking multiple, separate trips.Call on your co-worker’s clients in thesame area, if permitted. You may spendmore consecutive days on the road, butthe financial results will be worth it.

Schedule your meetings carefully.Compressing four days of meetings intothree will result in lower hotel and mealexpenses. If you have only one meetingand can arrange to fly in and out thesame day, you can avoid hotel costs alto-gether.

Consider all possible agendas beforeeach trip. Your trip may have one mainobjective, but what else can you accom-plish while on site with your client?

Take advantage of incentives from

travel companies. For example, WestMichigan’s Travel Leaders offers aCorporate Frequent Flier program, 24-hour grace periods after ticketing toallow for changes in appointments, a 24-hour emergency service, and guaranteedcar rental programs.

In today’s financial times, every dol-lar counts! Utilize your resources andthose of others. And remember:Experienced travel experts can also helpmake business travel productive andcompany-affordable.

Mike Malaney is the owner of TravelLeaders in West Michigan and has beenhandling corporate travel for over 31years.

Kidnapping for Ransom: A Fateful International Growth Industry

by Frank Zuccarello

A global economy offers enormous-ly rich rewards, along with more thanenough disturbing and dangerous risks.Although accurate statistics are difficultto come by, its estimates indicate thereare anywhere from 12,500 to 25,000kidnappings a year, world-wide. Then,depending on the source, that figure isup 100% in the last half-dozen years.

That’s not all. There’s one estimatethat only 11% of kidnapping victims arefreed without a ransom payment. On theflip side, another source maintains that40% of all victims are unharmed andsafe after a ransom has been paid.

Yet, all this is only part of the kid-napping and ransom story worldwide. Itappears that reported kidnappings couldaccount for about only 10% of those thatoccur. Such a low figure may help toexplain why many potential victims ignorewarnings, particularly about traveling inwell-known international “K&R hotspots.”

With so few kidnappings hitting thenews, it’s easy to explain why the risksmay appear rather insignificant, reallynot much to worry about.

There’s another factor that serves tomitigate concern. While anyone travelingin high-risk areas is a potential victim,high-visibility celebrities, athletes, corpo-rate executives and entrprenuers can beprime targets.

Even so, it’s often difficult to con-vince entrepreneurs, for example, that

they need to take K&R risks seriously,particularly when their minds arefocused on the objective of their travel,whether it’s opening a new plant, acquir-ing a new business unit or closing a deal.

Without question, the kidnapping“hot spots” in the world deserve specialattention. Although Latin America hasonly 8% of the world’s population, therehas been a 66% increase in kidnappingfor ransom -- a staggering figure. After a10-year decline, kidnappings are againon the rise in Columbia. Unfortunately,incidents in other South Americannations are also increasing.

Nearest to home, kidnappings inMexico are a huge growth businessstarting right on the U.S. Border. The fig-ures range from 8,000 to 12,500 a year.

Griffin Underwriting, Ltd., inGuernsey indicates that kidnappings inMexico have jumped 317% in the lastfive years. But that may be just the tip ofthe iceberg, since they estimate that 75%of the cases go unreported. It’s alsoworth noting that the victims aren’t justwealthy executives. Many of whom areheld for ransom are employees withsalaries from $2,400 to $6,500 permonth

But the problem is also nearer tohome. “Phoenix, Arizona has becomethe kidnapping capital of America, withmore incidents than any other city in theworld outside of Mexico City,” statesGriffin Underwriting. Investigated kid-nappings in Phoenix are estimated tohave topped out at 200 in 2010. And,

because of its proximity to Tijuana, thedanger in Southern California may beescalating.

While there are conflicts in the esti-mated figures and some sources remainunclear, there’s consensus that the prob-lem is enormous –– and increasing.

War zones are extremely dangerous,particularly Iraq and Afghanistan, as wellas nearby Pakistan and, of course, thenotorious Yemen, where commandeeringships and their crews for ransom is legion.

In just about every region of theworld, kidnappings can and do occur,including Africa where they ofteninvolve humanitarian workers.

To highlight the potential for dangereven more, the statistics indicate thatwhere there is political and social unrest,the possibility of becoming a kidnap vic-tim is present.

Given such serious conditions, thefollowing guidelines can help travelingprofessionals avoid becoming a kidnapvictim. They apply to anyone traveling orworking outside the U.S., but they areparticularly relevant to corporate execu-tives and other high profile individuals:

• Perform a risk review before trav-

eling. The goal for such a plan is to raiseawareness and to become sensitive tothe potential dangers associated withyour itinerary. Because the U.S. is not a“hot spot,” many travelers tend to feelkidnapping is not a critical issue forthem, no matter if they are traveling inthe local U.S. or in a foreign country.

• Become familiar with the “hotspots.” Although some locations havelong qualified for the “hot spot” list, newones can appear overnight. However, it’simportant to remember that kidnappingscan occur anywhere.

• Take the right precautions. To helpavoid being abducted (just the sound ofthe word is more than a little sobering),move about in well-lit areas and nevergo anywhere alone.

Always be with those you trust. Inthe same way, stay in close contact withyour host and don’t deviate from thedestination itinerary without clearing itwith your host, since this person “knowsthe territory.”

Continued on page 25

Does YDoes Your Tour Travel Agent Prravel Agent Provide Yovide Your Company :our Company :A company Frequent Flier program that compliments personal frequent fliers plans.

A 24 hour grace period after tickets have been issued to avoid the airline penalty of $150

A corporate car rental program that guarantees a car even when locations are sold out

An evening and weekend emergency center staffed 24 hours.

A corporate rate hotel program with over 120,000 properties.

If not call Mike Malaney at Travel Leaders 616-942-2860.

Building Envelope Firm Celebrates 20th Anniversaryby Amy Cygan

Twenty years ago, StructureTecCorporation had a vision: To become anindustry leader in providing professionalconsulting and engineering services.Today, after 20 years of professionalsuccess, StructureTec stands at the fore-front of technology in the field of con-sulting services for the remediation ofbuilding structures in the industrial,institutional, commercial, and servicemarketplace.

Driven by the concept of TotalQuality Management – a process throughwhich clients are ensured the best possi-ble service – StructureTec has seen anaverage growth of 20% per year sinceinception. The company’s business pro-file has grown to encompass 50% corpo-rations (including Fortune 2000 compa-nies), 30% institutions (schools, univer-sities, hospitals), and 20% other entities(municipalities, developers, commercial).

“We have structured our businesses

for growth,” says Jeffrey Brittan,President and C.E.O of StructureTec. “Inthe near future – and in parallel with ourservice expansions in construction andproducts -- we will grow each of ourexisting and new businesses in an effortto maximize their individual and collec-tive potential.”

StructureTec’s progressive historycertainly reflects an ambitious personal-ity. In 1998, StructureTec expanded fromtwo divisions -- Roofing andStructureScan -- to six divisions –adding Data Management Services, TheRestoration Group, ConstructionServices Group (CSG), and WarrantyAudit Program. The divisions comple-mented the company’s goal of meetingclient needs as a full-service provider.

In 2002, StructureTec divested divi-sions into three separate companies, cre-ating StructureTec Group – which wascomprised of StructureTec, CSG, andMaintenance Service FinancialCorporation. The amalgamation affordeda total package of higher-level servicesand capabilities, such as providing bothproject management and constructioncapabilities, along with warranty andmaintenance considerations down stream.

StructureTec introduced thePlatinum Program in 2007, furtherenhancing its Construction Managementservices by offering a “turnkey”approach to Construction Management –providing projects with both profession-al liability insurance and construction-related insurance.

While StructureTec combines theexpertise of engineers, consultants, andadministrators to deliver a phaseapproach at solving building envelopeissues, the company also provides pavingsolutions and structural recommendationsbased on environmental concerns.

“We have a solid portfolio, due large-ly in part to our “Total Building EnvelopeManagement Solution” program, whichhas allowed our customers to achievemore for less and allowed them to remain“sustainable,” despite economic volatility.We are able to provide greater value to ourclients and offer more solutions to theirproblems,” says Brittan.

Some of the projects StructureTechas worked on are as spotlighted:

Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital -consultant - building envelope

Meijer Corporation - roof assetmanagement program

The Dow Chemical Company - worldheadquarters- building envelope remedi-ation, masonry restoration, and greenroof technology

Whirlpool – roof and building enve-lope asset management program

But while StructureTec appreciatesand applauds all of the achievements,clients, and innovations that havebrought pride and success to their busi-ness, its eyes are on the horizon.

“In the future,” Brittan says, “wemay engage in additional “Blue Sky”opportunities, such as solar capabilitiesand other energy management opportu-nities. Continued national growth is keyto our vision, so we will also continue tomarket our broad array of specialty serv-ices to each of our niche markets.”Brittan highlights: “Both brand recogni-tion and the development of a nationaland North American presence, are two ofStructureTec’s proudest accomplish-ments.”

In 2012, StructureTec Group willbecome a holding company with theaddition of the Building Products Groupand all other companies becoming sub-sidiaries of StructureTec Group to allowgreater flexibility and accommodate

future growth.Although striving for growth

remains a constant objective ofStructureTec, the business also investsits efforts elsewhere -- embracing its fel-low community members and organiza-tions by contributing significant supportto the following: the Salvation Army, theGospel Mission and 30 other ministries,institutions and non-profit organiza-tions, globally; the CBMC (ConnectingBusiness Men to Christ); the CBRT(Christian Business Round Table) – “C-Suite Strategies” for executives; and theChamber of Commerce (E-Net entrepre-neurial efforts). StructureTec also workswith Western Michigan University toprovide hands-on experience and train-ing through an internship program, aswell as supports the community throughthe Building Construction TechnologyEducation Center, which keeps facilityprofessionals abreast of industry stan-dards.

Whether through lending communi-ty support or being a pioneer in buildingenvelope systems, StructureTec’s corevalues of integrity, quality, relationships,responsibility, and expertise, have con-tributed greatly to the business’ person-al and professional prosperity. In addi-tion, those core values -- which havehelped to foster a clearly-defined corpo-rate culture that promotes communica-tion, education and opportunity -- haveallowed StructureTec to build a founda-tion that has weathered the harshest ofeconomies and the toughest of industrychallenges.

And of course, those core values –which have escorted StructureTec to its20th year celebration -- are easily spot-ted in Brittan’s parting words: “We cred-it our continuing success to our faith,and to our people and their overridingcommitment to the company.”

Publisher: Gary KralappBusiness DevelopmentSenior Vice President: Jim LroySenior Vice President: Diane LaPrezeCirculation: Anna Friesen, David GrangerContributing Writers: Mike Malaney,Frank Zuccarello, Russ Manz, Jeffrey E.Kaufman, Alex Berman, Ronald W.Ryan, Greg Brown, Donald De Groot,Rolf Dobelli, Joe Takash, John Minahan,Krystal CarterManaging Editor: Carol M. KralappEditor: Amy CyganAssociate Editor: David CalkinsPrinting/Distribution: News Web PrintingAccountant: Michael Tawney & CompanyLegal: Miller Canfield Paddock & Stone

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4

Rising Costs Affects Workers' CompensationBy Russ Manz

Lindsay Lohan and healthcare get allthe press these days. If it’s not aboutObamaCare and the political drama, it’sabout the huge increase in healthcare andinsurance premiums. Workers' compensa-tion and Rodney Dangerfield, God blesshis soul, get no respect. No one is talkingabout the effect healthcare costs are hav-ing on the workers’ compensation system.

In 1980, 40% of the total workers’compensation costs were medical bills.Today it is 60%! While employers aredoing a much better job of managingsafety issues and getting injuredemployees back to work – yielding fewerclaims per hours worked, and shorterdurations – workers’ compensation costscontinue to rise because of the cost ofmedical care. The State of Michigan hasinstituted provider reimbursementschedules, and insurance companies are

using PPO networks to help control it.But as the availability and utilization ofexpensive services and tests continue toincrease, the cost of claims will too.

Worker injuries have a very long“tail,” meaning that medical bills associ-ated with many injuries go on for years,sometimes for the life of the individual(referred to as “permanent partial dis-abilities”). Insurance company reservingpractices – the statutory setting aside ofmonies for future medical bills – requirepredicting medical treatment and proce-dures, and the rate of medical inflationfor 10 to 30 years! Those reserves are alarge part of the total cost of a claim andaffect experience modification and work-ers’ compensation premiums.

Related to the reserving concept isthe art of negotiating a settlement withthe injured worker. As one can imagine,an injured worker wants the insurancecompany to pay his/her medical bills for-

ever. On the contrary, insurance compa-nies want to cap their liability andattempt to enter into a financial agree-ment/settlement with the injuredemployee. One can imagine how thesesettlements (normally negotiated byattorneys and the workers’ compensa-tion mediators) become so huge, espe-cially when the employee may not havemedical insurance if they’re out of work.

To the employers out there: As oflate, have you increased the amountyour employees pay for their healthplan? Have you changed the deductiblesand out-of-pocket costs in the plan?What effect do you think that has had onthe mental and financial state of youremployees? The employee that mighthave treated their bad back or soreshoulder through the company healthplan may think twice and claim it iswork-related because they can’t affordthe cost of the treatment. Currently I

have a claim where the worker told thedoctor he could not afford his deductible.His disability insurance with the compa-ny is not enough to live on, so he has tomake it a workers’ compensation claim(too bad for him this occupational spe-cialist took notes).

Providers like workers’ compensa-tion cases because they get paid faster,and at a higher reimbursement level,than Medicare and other health plans.They also don’t have to bill the employeefor deductibles and co-pays, and try tocollect it. Not having an HMO lookingover their shoulder when they are order-ing MRIs and other defensive testsseems to make their life a bit easier aswell. When the patient tells the doc it’swork related, why wouldn’t they believethem? This type of “cost shifting” isgoing on more than we think.

Continued on page 8

China to Lose Edge Over US by 2016Rockford, IL – Dr. Chris Kuehl, a

leading economic analyst for theFabricators & Manufacturers Association,International (FMA), asserts that theChinese will stand to lose significant mar-ket share in the years to come and will nothave a cost advantage over U.S. manufac-turing by the year 2016.

In the FMA’s current, economicupdate newsletter Fabrinomics, Kuehlpoints out that in 1990, the Chineseshare of world manufacturing outputwas a paltry 3 percent. Today, its share is19.8 percent; the U.S. is slightly behindat 19.4 percent.

“The Chinese built quickly on a baseof low-wage workers and significantgovernment assistance, as well as a verylow-valued currency that has allowed thegrowth of the export economy,” Kuehlsays. “The future is not looking so posi-tive for the Chinese, however. Wages aregrowing at 17 percent annually, while inthe U.S. they are growing at 3 percent.

That is just for the average worker’swage,” he stresses.

“If one looks at the managerial lev-els and among skilled workers, the rateof Chinese wage growth is about 135percent per year. In the U.S. that samegroup is seeing a wage growth of 3.7percent. The Chinese pay scale is still farless than in the U.S., but that gap is clos-ing very fast.”

In terms of productivity, Kuehladmits China has seen improvement 10times over in the last 20 years. Yet, heclaims, this still leaves China at a third ofthe productivity of the U.S. -- which isseeing productivity gains of almost 8percent per year.

“The amazing observation from allthis is that China is not going to have acost advantage over the U.S. after 2015,”he says. “If, as expected, the Chinese areforced by inflation threats to start push-ing the value of their currency higher,the balance could shift pretty quickly.

Then there is the potential for muchhigher transportation costs as the priceof oil rises. None of this will cause theU.S. manufacturer to shed a tear.”

In the newsletter article, Kuehl notesthe U.S. currently competes with theGermans, in terms of the value of theirmanufacturing, as these nations togethercover almost 80 percent of global value.

“These two countries supply thehigh-value manufactured goods, while theChinese are still focused on the cheaperconsumer goods,” he explains. “The U.S.will see that lead expand, but there will becompetition from China, for they will seethese more expensive goods as the onlyway to retain some competitive edge.”

Kuehl believes that, for bothnations, future emphasis will be on thedomestic market, which could be signifi-cant for the U.S. manufacturer in a vari-ety of ways.

“If China shifts its attention to itsown domestic market and away from

exports, U.S. producers will be able torecapture domestic market share,” hesays. “As the U.S. manufacturing com-pany looks to its own market, it will begenerally better positioned than theChinese competitor, as the distributioninfrastructure in the U.S. is better suitedthan China’s.”

According to Kuehl, most every-thing in China’s transportation networkcurrently points out of the country toservice export and its internal trans-portation system is often inferior. Chinawill need some infrastructure work to beable to service its domestic markets aseffectively as U.S. suppliers are able toservice American customers.

Kuehl ends, “This is not to say thatChina will cease to exist as a global com-petitor, but it does suggest that the samepatterns that affected other fast-growingnations have started to impact them.”

5

Finance/Insurance BriefsLansing – Byron P. Gallagher, Jr., anattorney with Gallagher Law Firm, wasre-appointed Ingham County publicadministrator by Michigan attorney gen-eral Bill Schuette and Michigan statepublic administrator, Rebecca MasonVisconti.

Grand Rapids - Echelbarger,Himebaugh, Tamm & Co. PC hasannounced that in-charge accountant,Margie S. Gerencer has been elected toserve as a trustee on the Board ofDirectors for Kent Medical Foundation.

Grand Rapids - Varnum Consultingwelcomed its new relationship manager,Kristen L. Ridings. The 17-year, com-munity-partnership expert last served asa territory manager in business-to-busi-ness sales for InHealth Systems &Services.

Holland - Jeff Timmer joined MacatawaBank’s East Beltline branch as a mort-gage loan officer, while 9-year mortgageloan officer, Tim McAleece, joined theGrandville branch.

Grand Rapids - Chambers USA, 2011—America's Leading Lawyers forBusiness—will feature the followingMiller Johnson attorneys as “Leaders intheir Field”: Jeffrey Ammon,Corporate/M&A; Mary Bauman, FrankBerrodin, and James Bruinsma,Employee Benefits & ExecutiveCompensation; Peter Kok and JonMarch, Labor & Employment; and JonMuth, Litigation: General, Commercial.

Grand Rapids - Beene Garter welcomednew partner Daniel Lynn, who joins thefirm after many years as a partner fornational and regional firms.

Kalamazoo - Phillip B. Slot has joinedthe law firm of Kreis, Enderle, Hudgins& Borsos, P.C. at the Battle Creek office.Slot specializes in real estate transac-tions, estate planning, and long-termcare planning.

Grand Rapids – Law students JessicaWarren and Joshua Garcia have beenchosen as the 2011 recipients ofVarnum's Diversity and InclusionScholarships of $4,000 each.

Grand Rapids - Amicus ManagementInc. has named property-managementspecialist, Dom Groenveld, as new proj-ect manager, and William M. Kaluske,Sr. -- career banker and independentfinancial consultant in western Michigan-- as Director of Client Development.

Kalamazoo – Miller Canfield principalMatthew B. Van Dyk has been re-elect-ed to a one-year term as chair of theboard of directors of the KalamazooCounty Economic DevelopmentCorporation.

Grand Rapids - Varnum’s litigation andtrial partner, Mark Allard, has been re-appointed as a member of the OregonState Bar House of Delegates for thethird consecutive term.

Holland – Macatawa Bank welcomesAndrea M. Spagnuolo as assistant vicepresident, branch manager, Hudsonvilleoffice and Jeff Martin as commercialloan workout specialist and part of theBanks Special Assets Group, GrandRapids office.

Ionia - Independent Bank has been rec-ognized by the Michigan BankersAssociation with the 2011 MBAFinancial Literacy Award, highlightingthe bank’s 2010 financial literacyefforts.

Kalamazoo - Miller Johnson attorneyCraig H. Lubben has been named pres-ident of the Kalamazoo SymphonyOrchestra's Board of Directors. He hasserved on the board as a community vol-unteer for nine years.

Detroit - Robin Asher, David Ford, andMark Maki have joined the MillerCanfield law firm’s Intellectual PropertyGroup, which handles patent, trademark,copyright, technology transfer andtrade-secret counseling and litigation.

Holland - Macatawa Bank has selectedTodd Mulder to Vice President ofCommercial Banking in the Clyde Parklocation in Grand Rapids.

Grand Rapids – Blackford Capitalannounced the acquisition of the largest,specialized, healthcare finance companyand national purchaser of medical debt -- Key Health Medical Solutions, Inc.

Holland – Macatawa Bank welcomed32-year business banking expert, PatMeinel, as treasury management repre-sentative, to serve the Grand HavenBranch.

Columbus, OH - Huntington will now beopen on Saturdays from 9am – 2pm, innearly all branches across its six-stateservice area.

Grand Rapids – Mika Meyers Beckett &Jones PLC welcomes paralegal KimberlyJ. Melendez, to the firm's Business andLitigation Practice Groups.

Holland - Macatawa Bank welcomesJan Cornelius as mortgage loan officer,Breton Village branch, and RussellDarter as mortgage loan officer, ByronCenter office.

New Berlin, WI – Regulus Advisors,LLC. welcomed Brian Kurth, who tran-sitioned from MML Investors on April26, 2011.

Detroit – The U.S. Small BusinessAdministration announced Gerald L.Moore as the new Michigan district direc-tor responsible for the delivery of all SBAprograms and services in the state.

Columbus, OH – HuntingtonBancshares, Incorporated hasannounced the expansion of itsMichigan auto dealer financing busi-ness. Brad Norman accepted the posi-tion of Michigan regional manager forthe auto finance business.

Dallas, TX – Mutual of Omaha Bankhas promoted Christi Wells to centralregion sales manager for its CommunityAssociation Banking division.

Detroit – Shore Mortgage announcedthe launch of its “Fly SOLO” programand is currently hiring 100 loan officersin Michigan and 200 more virtual loanofficers in states across the U.S.

6

7Why You Should Treat Injured Employees Better

By Alex Berman and Jeffrey E.Kaufman

"If you have a legal problem, guesshow you determine whether or not youneed a lawyer? ... You see a lawyer. Isn'tthat weird?" - George Carlin

One may be surprised to learn thatthe number of workers' compensationcases in Michigan have decreased morethan 50 percent over the last 10 years.This is probably welcome news for mostbusinesses, since the average rate for adefense lawyer in a workers' compensa-tion case is $124 per hour. But are peoplegetting hurt less, or is something elsehappening?

One of the major reasons for thedrop in workers' compensation cases isthe fact that the Michigan economy ischanging; manufacturing jobs are leavingthe state. However, another cause to con-sider is that employers are realizing thatthey can actually save money by treatingtheir injured employees better.

As workers' compensation lawyers,we are not the people that employers

want to see when one of their employeessuffers an injury at work. When we showup, it's because workers' compensationbenefits have been disputed and the casehas gone into litigation. Our job is tomaximize the amount of recovery thatthe employee receives from workers'compensation; this means potentiallylarger payouts for medical and wage lossbenefits. Whether a business is self-insured or has workers' compensationinsurance, this is going to cost businessowners more money in the long run.

Some employers have figured outthat it's cheaper to pay workers' compen-sation benefits voluntarily rather thandispute an arguable claim and fight it outin court. Most of my clients simply wantto recover from their injury and get backto work. If employees are provided withprompt medical care and any restrictionsare honored, then litigation can often beavoided. Employers may also find them-selves with better company morale andharder working employees.

The sooner employees return towork after an injury, the less likely they

will be to file a workers' compensationcase for extended benefits.

Employers need to understand thatthe most important benefit under workers'compensation is access to medical care.Employers are required by law to provideall reasonable and necessary medical treat-ment for a work-related injury. They aregiven sole authority to select the medicalprovider during the first 10 days after aninjury. This control should be used wiselyand always for the benefit of the employ-ees. Employers should file the requiredaccident report and provide immediateaccess to medical care. They should notignore workplace injuries or refuse to letemployees see a doctor.

The law also requires that wage lossbenefits be paid if an employee is dis-abled and cannot do his or her job. Toavoid paying wage loss benefits, employ-ers should consider offering "reasonableemployment" – work (within the employ-ee's restrictions) that poses no threat tohealth and safety. Reasonable employ-ment should not be a demeaning job thatinvolves little more than staring at an

empty parking lot. The employee shouldbe given the chance to be productive,despite his or her limitations, andshouldn’t be fired just because he or shecan't do the previous specific job for aperiod of time.

Many of the work comp cases thatwe have filed could have been avoided ifthe employer had provided access tomedical care and temporary work accom-modations. There will always be thosewho will try to exploit the system forfinancial gain and those claims should befought. But employers should rememberthat work injuries are going to happen,and taking responsibility under workers'compensation can be a smart businessdecision.

Alex Berman and Jeffrey E. Kaufmanare attorneys with the Law offices of AlexBerman, P.C. in Farmington Hills,Michigan. Alex Berman P.C. has beenhelping injured workers throughout thestate for more than 35 years. For moreinformation, visit www.workerscom-plawyerhelp.com.

Elevated Oil Price the Biggest Challenge toRecovery...Among Others

Atlanta, GA – The elevated price ofoil is the biggest challenge facing thenation’s economic recovery, said RajeevDhawan, director of the EconomicForecasting Center at Georgia StateUniversity’s J. Mack Robinson College ofBusiness.

In his quarterly Forecast of theNation, Dhawan addresses three stages inwhich high oil prices impact the economy.In the first stage, consumers spend less ondiscretionary items; in the second, busi-nesses raise prices, resulting in a drop indemand; and in the third stage, the Fedraises interest rates to curb inflation.

That first stage, according toDhawan, has been somewhat amelioratedby the two percent payroll tax cut thathas put about $100 per month in thepocket of the average American.“However,” he notes, “that money hasgone to the gas tank and, if gasolineprices linger above $3.50 per gallon, thesecond stage will begin.”

In the second stage, businesses doraise prices resulting in a drop indemand. Dhawan says that airline andother transportation-related industrieshave been the first movers in this regardby passing on higher fuel prices as sur-

charges. For example, he adds, “Delta,the world’s largest airline, has alreadyannounced capacity cutbacks along withvoluntary and early retirement programsbecause they know the demand for airtravel will drop with higher prices.”

Although he thinks a Fed rateincrease—the third stage of the oil priceimpact—is a bad idea, Dhawan will not ruleit out if high oil prices ultimately show upin “core” inflation. Core inflation excludescertain volatile items such as food andenergy. The forecaster says that if the Fedbecomes aggressive in raising rates in thisstage, then “a recession could be possible.”He adds, “I hope the Fed learned from themistake after the oil shock of 1973 when ittightened credit excessively in response toa rise in input prices.”

Dhawan notes that QE3 (a thirdphase of the federal government’s quan-titative easing strategy) is unlikely, butQE2 did contribute to the recent declinein the dollar, “which has helped with oursuperb export growth.”

Other positive news involves invest-ment in equipment and software -- a pre-cursor of private job growth, which hasbeen strong for the past 18 months.However, says the Georgia State forecast-

er, this investment rate is slowing. As aresult, says Dhawan, “the job gains pacewill slow in the coming quarters and willbe in the 150,000 range per month forthe next few years.” Dhawan also notesthat the CEO Confidence Index has risensince the 2010 elections. “However,” headds, “it can turn for the worse with thelooming battles in Congress over renewalof the debt ceiling, fiscal cutbacks andentitlement reform.”

Other uncertainties, according toDhawan, include the status of theGadhafi regime in Libya and the ability ofJapan to recover from its earthquake andnuclear crisis.

Highlights from the EconomicForecasting Center’s National Report:

• After growing by 2.9% in 2010,real GDP growth will be 2.2% in 2011,

rising to a 2.5% in 2012 and 2.8% in2013.

• For 2011, the CPI inflation rate willaverage 2.9%. In 2012, the inflation ratewill be 2.4%, decreasing to 2.0% in 2013.Meanwhile, the core CPI inflation rate willaverage 1.5% in 2011; will rise to 2.1%in 2012, and will be 2.0% in 2013.

Private fixed investment will grow6.6% in 2011, expanding by 7.0% in2012 and 7.5% in 2013.

• In 2011, the job creation rate willhover around 150,000 jobs per month or1.8 million jobs for the year. In 2012,growth will slow to 144,000 jobs permonth and again in 2013 to 125,000 permonth. The unemployment rate will aver-age 8.9% in 2011, 8.6% in 2012 and8.1% in 2013.

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8So Why Have Worker’s Compensation at all?

By Ronald W. Ryan

Depending on the industry, worker’scompensation insurance can be a signifi-cant expense. So, why is it mandatory?What if there was no workers’ compensa-tion insurance at all? There was a time,just over 100 years ago, when this was areality. As you will discover, employersand employees are far better off with it,than without it.

Worker’s Compensation insurance isa product of the industrial revolution.Before its existence, there were gross dis-parities between the amount that aninjured worker recovered and the amountthat employers had to pay for thoseinjuries. Let’s look at an example.

Anyone growing up in Michiganknows that during the late 1800s, copperwas heavily mined out of Michigan’sUpper Peninsula. Workers and their fam-ilies migrated from Europe to work themines. It was a dangerous work environ-ment; explosions and cave-ins were com-mon. From 1905 through 1911, themines in the United States killed an aver-age of sixty-one men per year, or morethan one per week. At the end of thisunfortunate run, one out of every ten

men killed in the United States miningindustry, died on the KeweenawPeninsula.1 Prior to the advent of work-er’s compensation insurance in Michigan,in 1912, an injured miner could sue hisemployer for injuries incurred on the job,but the employer could defend the casewith the defenses of assumption of therisk, contributory negligence and the fel-low servant rule.

Pursuant to the assumption of therisk doctrine, for example, the employerdid not force the miner into the mine, andthe miner understood the dangers associ-ated with the work. Therefore, the minercould not sue the mine owner.

On the other hand, explosions andcave-ins left widows and children with-out fathers. Savvy attorneys then enteredthe scene. Coupled with sympatheticjudges and juries, the widows and chil-dren began to see significant recoveries.Recoveries so large, and unpredictable,employers were negatively affected.Some miners, or the families that wereleft behind, would experience significantrecoveries. Others would get nothing. Itbecame exceedingly difficult for mineowners to budget and turn a profit. Thesame disparities were experienced

throughout all industries, especiallythose involving heavy manual labor orextremely dangerous activities.

The answer, of course, was theadvent of mandatory workmen’s com-pensation insurance. (It was not until1969 that the legislature changed the titlefrom “workmen’s” to “worker’s”.) Nextyear marks Michigan’s 100th yearanniversary of mandatory worker’s com-pensation insurance. The law is really atradeoff between the rights and duties ofthe employer and employee. No longercan the employer defend on the basis thatthe injury was due to the employee’s ownnegligence, or by a co-worker, or by anassumption of the risk. In exchangethereof, the employee receives weeklywage loss benefits that equate to hisweekly take-home pay. Further, theemployee is not entitled to pain and suf-fering damages. All he can recover for hisinjury are wage loss, medical and voca-tional rehabilitation (re-training) bene-fits. For amputations, employers are topay a specific number of weeks for thelimb that is lost. The most that a fullydependent widow(er) may recover is 500weeks of wage-loss benefits.

In 2010, 24,097 Michigan workers

were injured on the job and experiencedloss time of 7 days or more. In the year2000, that number was 54,207. Lastyear, the average litigated case settled for$65,868.14. Michigan is presently servedby 17 Worker’s CompensationMagistrates.2 Clearly the employmentenvironment is more predictable and rea-sonable with it, than without it.

KEWEENAW NATIONAL HISTORI-CAL PARK, Historic Resource Study byLarry Lankton, Department of SocialSciences, Michigan TechnologicalUniversity, For the National Park Service,United States Department of the Interior,2005

2010 ANNUAL REPORT, MichiganWorkers Compensation Agency.

Ronald W. Ryan is an attorney atLewis, Reed & Allen P.C and practices inthe areas of civil and commercial litiga-tion, workers' compensation, social secu-rity disability, insurance law, insurancedefense, and disabilities law. He is also amember of the Workers CompensationLaw Section of the State Bar of Michigan.He can be reached at (269) 388-7600.

2011 Young Entrepreneur of the YearGrand Rapids - Ross Timyan, owner

of Crystal Clean Auto Detailing, wasawarded the 2011 Young Entrepreneurof the Year by the Grand Rapids AreaChamber of Commerce on May 18, at theEntrepreneurial, Progressive, Innovativeand Collaborative (EPIC) awards ceremo-ny. The event recognized businesses andindividuals who support the community,demonstrate growth, are innovative, andhave worked with others as mentors andcollaborators.

Crystal Clean Auto Detailing beganwhen Ross started selling vehicles oneBay at age 15, although it was official-ly established as a company in 2007when it opened at its first location off28th Street in a two-stall garage. Duringthe three and a half years, Crystal Clean

has grown and expanded into a thrivingorganization servicing over 30 automo-tive dealership accounts, as well as thou-sands of retail customers in the localGrand Rapids area. They have movedtwice since opening; the latest expansionwas roughly one year ago, at 3413Eastern Ave SE, when they moved into a40,000 SF former factory that had beenrenovated into a detailing warehouse.Crystal Clean currently employs 40 peo-ple and had revenue in 2010 of over$900,000.

The vehicle photography studio wasone of the first of its kind, and repre-sented a breakthrough with dealer cus-tomers because it put used cars into astudio-like environment, versus thecrowded and sometimes weather-affect-

ed setting of a car lot, where such photosoften are normally taken. “It’s very con-venient for the dealership customersbecause before the car gets back on thelot, the photos of it are already online,”said Timyan.

Their innovative “Airport ValetService” has given customers a conven-ient option to have their vehicle detailed

while they are away on a trip. With noparking fees, “sometimes the savings inparking costs can cover a big chunk ofthe detailing cost. This unique servicegives us a competitive advantage overour competition and has lifted the repu-tation and awareness of our detailingservices to the general public.”

Workers' CompensationContinued from page 5

We all know these days that we areusing prescription drugs to treat the ill-ness almost more than treating thesymptoms. Managing RX costs on work-ers’ compensation claims is a business initself and the cost of prescriptions is ris-ing faster than general care. It is reallyhard to take an injured worker off painkillers when they are free! And not to betoo cynical, but maybe you have heardthat re-selling prescription drugs israther lucrative…just saying.

So what can you do?Make sure you, your insurance

company and your agent are all pro-actively managing workers’ compensa-tion claims – even the small ones.

Use occupational specialists insteadof the worker’s family doctor.

Investigate each claim to make cer-tain it’s work-related.

Return the employee back to workas quickly as possible.

Hold the workers’ compensationclaims adjuster accountable to do all theycan to stay on top of the claim.

Russ Manz is a principal atPinnacle Insurance Partners LLC. He canbe reached at russm@pipgrmi.com.

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Communication & IT 9

Greening Your Mail Can Keep You in the BlackBy Greg Brown

A recent Aperture Research Institutestudy reported upwards of 70 percent oforganizations have adopted a green ini-tiative of some kind. While those compa-nies should be lauded for their efforts atenvironmental stewardship, bad days onWall Street, and for the economy, haveseen some companies abandon or scaleback their green initiatives as they tight-ened their belts. Now is the time to take arealistic look at your company’s greeninitiatives and ask whether or not thepractices undertaken are “evergreen” –promoting not only environmental sus-tainability, but also sound business prac-tices and solid return on investment so asto be sustainable in good economic con-ditions, as well as bad.

For instance, over six million treesand more than 300 million pounds ofpaper are wasted each year on undeliver-able-as-addressed Standard class mail,as reported by UAA Clearinghouse. Itcosts the Post Office over 2 billion dollarsannually to process this true “junk mail.”And the cost to mailers is even more dra-matic – undeliverable mail costs directmailers over $6 billion dollars a year.

So, is Postmaster General JackPotter’s call to reduce UAA mail by 50percent, by 2010, a green initiativedesigned to decrease global warming andunnecessary environmental waste?Absolutely. But it’s also a common sensebusiness initiative that will save both theUSPS® and mailers a tremendousamount of money – money better spenton job creation, product development,

and effective marketing. Here are 5 tips you can easily imple-

ment to save money as you green yourmailings to reduce waste, while improv-ing deliverability, effectiveness andresponse, to ensure you stay in the black,even as the economy sees red:

1) Correct your mailings. With thepostage and cost increases, bad address-es have become more costly than ever. Assuch, it is important for companies to cor-rect and standardize addresses beforethey enter a database or CRM to helpensure they don’t waste money later onsending mail to incorrect and undeliver-able addresses. Thankfully, cleaning upaddresses is easy these days. Mail prepa-ration software is available that willreduce errors due to missing or incorrectdirectionals, incorrect street names, miss-ing or incorrect suffixes, incorrect ZIP®codes, and more. Also, make sure thatthe mailing software you purchase isCASS Certified.

2) Update your mailings.Customers are a constantly moving tar-get. An estimated 43 million Americanspick up and move every year. That meansup to 20 percent of the people or compa-nies in any database could have a newaddress. The USPS provides postal dis-counts for mailers that meet Move Updatestandards by keeping their lists up-to-date with current addresses. Authorizedmethods to meet Move Update standardsinclude NCOALink® processing,FASTforward® processing (letter mailonly) and Address Change of Service(ACS™).

3) Dedupe your mailings. While

receiving duplicate mailings annoysrecipients, the problems it causes sendingorganizations are even more signifi-cant—especially considering the averagecustomer database contains 10 percentduplicate records. One way to tackleduplicate records is to provide customerincentives, such as a discount on theirnext purchase, for notifying the companyof duplicate mailings they have received.In addition, there are easy-to-usemerge/purge software programs avail-able, as well as data hygiene services,which can quickly dedupe your mailinglist – or multiple lists.

4) TransPromo your mailings. Withthe rising cost of postage and production,many companies are beginning to com-bine promotional materials with must-send/must-read documents like bills,statements and invoices. Marketingdepartments nationwide are starting toclaim the unused “white space” on thesedocuments for self-promotion, trans-forming communications into ongoingcustomer dialogues. Use of transpromo-tional documents is not just aboutincreasing sales of a product or service, itcan be used to spread information andhelp customers understand an offering ornew product feature. It can also be used

to generate cross-sell/up-sell opportuni-ties or adopt a trail period of usage (e.g.a no obligation 14-day trial period).

5) Downsize your mailings. Manyfinancial institutions that used to sendstatements and performance reports in 9”x 12” envelopes are now folding thesedocuments in half and using a 6” x 9”envelope, which classifies the piece as aletter instead of a flat. Under the newpricing structure, this change can reducepostage costs by up to $0.41 per piece, a50 percent savings. Some mailers havebegun switching from flat-shaped cata-logs to slim jims to put themselves in theless-expensive letter category. Fulfillmentcompanies and media distributors thatmail DVDs, books, and similar items canreap savings by changing from paddedmailers -- classified as parcels, becausethey require hand processing by theUSPS -- to plastic or paperboardenvelopes that qualify as flats.

Greg Brown is Director of Marketingfor Melissa Data, a quality-focused firmthat provides powerful yet affordabledata quality and address managementsolutions to customers in a wide range ofindustries.

Jobless Rates Down Lansing - Seasonally unadjusted

unemployment rates fell in all ofMichigan’s 17 major labor market areasin April, according to the MichiganDepartment of Technology, Management& Budget. Total employment levelsadvanced moderately in the majority ofregions over the month, while labor forcelevels declined in all areas.

Between April 2010 and April 2011,unemployment rates fell in all of thestate’s 17 regions, with declines rangingfrom 1.9 to 3.9 percentage points; thelargest, jobless rate drops over this peri-od occurred in the Muskegon-NortonShores, Jackson, Holland-Grand Haven,and Flint Metropolitan Statistical Areas(MSAs). Over the year, labor force levels

declined in 12 regions and advanced infive; in April 2011 alone, the levelsdeclined in 17 regions by an average ofnearly 1.0 percent.

From April 2010 to April 2011, sea-sonally unadjusted payroll jobs increasedstatewide by 57,000, or 1.5 percent.Professional and business services(+32,000), manufacturing (+24,000),and education and health services(+17,000) led the over-the-year jobadvances, while government (-18,000)and leisure and hospitality services (-8,000) recorded the only job losses sinceApril 2010.

Over the year, overall job gains wereregistered in ten of Michigan’s 14 metro-politan regions.

Communication & IT 10

Communications & ITFort Wayne, IN - Boyden & YoungbluttAdvertising and Marketing (B&Y)won best-of-show print in the localADDY® Awards competition for their,"To Some This is a Blanket" B&YChristmas card.

Southfield – Secure-24 Inc., an SAPhosting partner and SAP-certifiedprovider of cloud services, announcedthe addition of Ellen Baldwin as west-ern regional sales director.

Okemos - Integrated Strategies hasbeen awarded the annual 2010 LansingRegional Chamber of CommerceOutstanding Small Business Award --presented to a local small business,which has demonstrated stability, inno-vation, and commitment to communityand diversity.

Grand Rapids – ProfessionalMarketing’s 30-year industry veteranand former owner, Diane CarnevaleJones, has sold the firm to longtimeemployees and new firm partners,Jillian Lambert and Gwen Vryhof.

Grand Rapids - WESCO Net, a leadingnetwork solutions integrator and divi-sion of CU*Answers, has partneredwith Cisco WebEx to deliver a newsecure Support Center service to theirclient base. The platform provides abroader feature-set for improved remotesupport capabilities along with robustsession security, auditing, and report-ing. WESCO Net has also expanded itsdata storage offerings in partnershipwith Dell Compellent storage area net-works (SAN), which feature a single-model architecture designed to scalefrom 6 to 1,008 disks in a single foot-print and support iSCSI, Fibre Channel,and NAS connectivity with an intermixof Fibre Channel, SAS, and SSD drives.Lastly, WESCO Net has launched a com-prehensive Security Education series,which covers topics such as computersecurity awareness, social engineeringawareness and avoidance, using net-work tools security, and business conti-nuity planning.

Grand Rapids - WZZM 13 took homeseven Emmy Awards at the 33rdAnnual Michigan Chapter of NationalAcademy of Television Arts andSciences. Andy Sugden, chief photo-journalist, three Emmys and a thirdaward; Sara Sell, general assignmentreporter, two Emmys; Peter Ross, veter-an newsman, one Emmy; Jon Mills,Lakeshore multi-media journalist, oneEmmy.

Grand Rapids - GR Marketing Matchceased operations on May 18, after part-nering with online, work-portfolio serv-ice Parnunu, in an effort to provide job-seeker subscribers with a better plat-form for connecting with potentialemployers.

Okemos - Integrated Strategies hasbeen recognized as one of the 2011“Michigan 50 Companies to Watch.”

Madison, WI - TDSTelecommunications Corp. hasannounced two high-profile executiveleadership changes. William Megan,executive vice president of finance andchief financial officer for TDSTelecommunications Corp., has beennamed to lead TDS’ Hosted andManaged Services (HMS) operation aspresident of HMS Operations, LLC. VickiVillacrez, who currently serves asassistant treasurer for Telephone andData Systems, Inc., will become TDSTelecommunications Corp.’s vice presi-dent of Finance and CFO on an interimbasis.

Take Precautions WhenUsing ATMs

Ionia – There are more than400,000 ATMs in the United States andthat number is growing rapidly.Independent Bank has 113 ATMs acrossthe state and is dedicated to keeping itscustomers safe at those locations.

“We believe that even one incidentof ATM crime is too many,” said SandyDine, deposit operations manager.“Customer safety is our top prioritywhen it comes to ATM use.”

In addition, the bank has taken pre-ventative measures to enhance con-sumer safety, including installation ofsurveillance cameras, increased lightingand withdrawal limits.

Independent Bank takes a numberof precautions to ensure that its cus-tomers have a safe environment, butthere is no substitute for good, cautiousbehavior on the part of the customer.

Independent Bank recommendsthat customers follow these safety tipswhen using any ATM:

• Keep your PIN number a secret.Never write it down or share it with any-

one – not even family members.• Be aware of your surroundings,

particularly at night. Make sure the ATMis free of sight-obstructions. If youobserve suspicious persons or circum-stances, do not use the machine.

• Bring someone with you whenusing an ATM at night. If you can’t, usean ATM that is located in a public area,like a convenience or grocery store.

• Have your ATM card ready and inyour hand as you approach the ATM.

• Use your body to “shield” theATM keyboard as you enter your PIN.

• Always take your receipts ortransaction records with you.

• Do not count or visually displayany money you received from the ATM.Immediately put your money into yourpocket or purse and count it later.

• If you are using a drive-up ATM,be sure passenger windows are rolled upand all doors are locked. If you leaveyour car and walk to the ATM, lock yourcar.

11

East Lansing – Robin Green knowsthat nutrition labels are not legallyrequired for a business her size. But asthe brain power behind Midge’sMuffins, she is smart enough to realizethat if she wants to play in the bigleagues, she has to look like shebelongs there. And that means havingclear, concise and accurate nutritionlabels on her packaging.

“We are still a relatively small com-pany,” Green says about her businessselling gluten-, egg- and dairy-freemuffins that are edging their way intoretailers’ markets throughout WestMichigan. The FDA doesn’t requirenutrition labeling until a company’ssales reach an excess of $500,000.“But,” explains Green, “customerswant to know what they are eating.Anything you sell has to have a nutri-tion label to be taken seriously.”

Cue Janice Harte, an associate pro-fessor in the Department of FoodScience and Human Nutrition atMichigan State University. Harte con-siders nutrition labeling serious busi-ness.

“There is a big trend toward spe-cialty local foods, and small businessescan help fill that niche,” Harte says.“People like food with a story – a farmfamily who raises dairy cows may now

create artisan cheeses. We can helpthem take their idea to the next level.”

Nutrition labels are only one part ofa successful business, and DianneNovak says it’s an important part.Novak, a registered dietician, is aninnovations counselor for the MichiganState University (MSU) Product Center.She says nutrition labels are imperativefor small businesses who want to gettheir foot in the door with large retail-ers.

“Consumers are becoming moreaware of nutrition and how the thingsthey eat affect their health and howthey feel,” Novak says. “Our clientsinterpret this as a good marketingapproach because consumers want itand retailers expect it. It’s hard to get aretailer to carry your product if yourproduct doesn’t look as professional asthe other products on the shelves.”

Though other food labs inMichigan do regular nutritional analysisfor businesses, their fees can throwsmall businesses out of the game.

“Analytical laboratories chargeabout $600, just for the nutrition analy-sis,” Harte says. “And then you stillhave to generate appropriate labels.”

Harte and her team of undergradu-ate students generate labels using nutri-tional labeling software with extensive

databases that are approved by the Foodand Drug Administration for label gener-ation. Costs for the first product are $100and $75 for subsequent products fromthe same company. Novak works closelywith clients guiding them through deci-sions and the requirements for the label-ing issues with an initial one-hour con-sultation fee. And business is booming.

“Four years ago we did maybe 15labels,” Harte says. “Right now we havemore than 70 in the queue.”

She credits the upswing to a pooreconomy that is encouraging people tolook for new business opportunities.But Becca Watts thinks Harte is beingmodest. The MSU food science seniorconducts much of the day-to-day nutri-tion labeling work in Harte’s lab. Shesays much of their business comes fromreferrals and repeat customers.

“People are happy with our service

and are being successful with their prod-ucts,” she says. “That makes me feelgood and tells me that we’re doing agood job.”

Harte, who also heads up the foodsensory and product development workat MSU and has taught more than adozen food science and dietetics classesat MSU since the 1980s, says this andother entrepreneurial-focused workwouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for theinvestment Project GREEEN(Generating Research and Extension tomeet Economic and EnvironmentalNeeds) makes in the Department ofFood Science and Human Nutrition.

“They fund a majority of my salaryand helped provide the software neces-sary to do accurate nutritional labels,”she says. “Without their investment,my students and I wouldn’t be able tohelp food entrepreneurs.”

Nutritional Labeling Work to Help GrowMichigan’s Food Processing Industry

Rich DeVos AnnouncesChallenge Grant

Grand Rapids - Rich and HelenDeVos, honorary general chairpersonsfor the Shaping Our Future comprehen-sive campaign, announced a challengegrant at today’s groundbreaking ceremo-ny for Grand Valley State University’s L.William Seidman Center.

The DeVoses, who provided the leadgift for the L. William Seidman Centercampaign, have established a dollar-for-dollar match for all new and additionalgifts made to the Seidman Center fromnow until June 30, 2011. Nearly $23 mil-lion of the $25 million in private fundsneeded for the Seidman Center has beenraised. The total cost of the project is $40million.

The Seidman Center, to be built at38 Front Ave. in downtown GrandRapids, is scheduled to be completed in

spring 2013, with classes scheduled tobegin in fall 2013.

• The four-story center will be110,000 square feet

• A multi-purpose room with capac-ity for more than 200 people will houselectures and other events for the college

• A state-of-the-art trading roomwill accommodate 42 students and simu-late an actual trading room environmentfor students to learn about investmentand portfolio analyses

• Student collaboration and studyspaces include rooms that can bereserved utilizing web-based technologyfor group work

• The college’s many outreach pro-grams will be located on the first floor ofthe building for easier access by localbusinesses.

12Education BriefsKenosha, WI - Rosebud Institute, atCarthage College in Kenosha, WI, willhost “Media and the Moving Image.”The introductory program will be offeredJune 20-24 and July 5-9.

Battle Creek – The Aspen InstituteCollege Excellence Program hasranked Kellogg Community College asone of the nation’s 120 best communitycolleges, challenging it to competeagainst the other 119 colleges for $1million in prize funds (to be apportionedthis December).

Kalamazoo - Two students fromWestern Michigan University,Christopher Mulcahy (Livonia) andCameron Tew (Rochester), eachreceived a Richter Scholarship awardedby the Richter Foundation and theInstitute for Supply Management'sRichter Scholarship Fund prize thatincludes: tuition assistance of up to$5,000; a dual mentorship with anestablished executive and the formerRichter Scholar; and other benefits.

Grand Rapids - Grand RapidsCommunity College has named NJCAAHall of Fame inductee Charlie Wells asits new athletic director. GRCC’s long-time AD, Doug Wabeke, decided to stepdown from the position to pursue out-side interests, which may relate to base-ball administrating or coaching.

Big Rapids - Danielle Balmer will becomethe new president of Ferris StateUniversity’s Student Government organi-zation in the fall of 2011. Balmer servedas the Student Government’s vice presi-dent during the 2010-11 academic year.

Grand Rapids - Grand RapidsCommunity College is $750,000 closerto reaching their $15 million capitalcampaign goal thanks to the FreyFoundation. The Frey contribution willgo to the "GRCC Works...Ask Anyone"Capital Campaign -- an integral part ofthe $34 million expansion and renova-tion efforts that will target renovationsto the Main Building, to the Peter & PatCook Academic Hall, and to the arenawithin the Gerald R. Ford Field House.

Michigan - U.S. Secretary of EducationArne Duncan has announced thatMichigan will receive $20 million to helplower-achieving schools through theSchool Improvement Grants (SIG) pro-gram. The funds are part of $546 millionavailable to states for the SchoolImprovement Grant program in fiscalyear 2010.

Grand Rapids - Andrew Monroe, a2001 graduate of Traverse City CentralHigh School, is the recipient of GrandRapids Community College*s ArthurAndrews Cup, an award given annuallyto the student with the highest gradepoint average and highest number ofhonor points of his/her class.

Grand Rapids – A sub-committee ofGrand Rapids Community College’sAcademic Governing Council has grant-ed sabbaticals for the 2011-12 academicyear to three faculty members: KatrinaKalisz, English Department; LaurieArnswald, Nursing; and Kay Ramer,Nursing.

Grand Rapids - Grand RapidsCommunity College has tapped LisaFreiburger, current DeputySuperintendent of Finance andOperation for Grand Rapids PublicSchools, as their new vice president ofFinance and Administration. She willbegin her new position on July 1, 2011.

Kalamazoo - Peter Strazdas, WesternMichigan University's associate vicepresident of facilities management, hasbeen elected to serve a 3-year term assecretary-treasurer for the Associationof Higher Education Facility Officers—aninternational organization which repre-sents educational facilities.

Battle Creek - Emily Horsman—KelloggCommunity College Academic Advisorand 20-year member of the NationalAssociate for Search and Rescue—willundergo training in Maryland, then trav-el with other volunteers to a disaster-area to help people in need.

Battle Creek - Five Kellogg CommunityCollege employees were presented withStarfish Awards. The 2011 winners wereprofessors: Kimberly Barnes-Kalkowski; Dr. Ray DeBrueler; JohnHoye; Dr. Gene McKay, andPublications Coordinator, Penny Rose.

Grand Rapids - Grand RapidsCommunity College has namedMarilyn Smidt as EmeritusFaculty/Administrator for 2011. Theaward honors a retiree for their out-standing work while at the college.

Grand Rapids - Juan Olivarez, Ph.D hasaccepted the position as president ofAquinas College. He succeeds C.Edward Balog, Ph.D, who will retire inJune. Dr. Olivarez had served for nineyears as the president of Grand RapidsCommunity College.

Grand Rapids - The University Club ofGrand Rapids has granted scholarshipsto three West Michigan high school stu-dents: Corinthious Bowen, BrendaGarcia, and Jaedah Pickens. The schol-arships are designed to encourage therecipients to remain in West MI, or toreturn after college, in order to con-tribute their talents locally.

Boyne City – The team from SecchiaInstitute for Culinary Education atGrand Rapids Community College wasnamed winner of the 2011 ChefsChallenge during an “Iron Chef” inspiredcompetition that was held at BoyneMountain Resort on April 30.

Grand Rapids - Grand RapidsCommunity College has namedThomas John Carnegie - the formerGrand Rapids Catholic Central andAlbion College basketball standout - asits next men’s basketball coach, effectiveJuly 1.

Big Rapids - For the eighth consecutiveyear, summer enrollment has risen atFerris State University, with 6,245summer-enrolled students -- up 220from summer 2010.

Big Rapids – This spring, Ferris StateUniversity’s Information Security andIntelligence (ISI) program officiallyearned certification as a Center ofAcademic Excellence in InformationAssurance; the ISI courseware was certi-fied by the National InformationAssurance Education and TrainingProgram of the National SecurityAgency after meeting the six nationalstandards established by the Committeeon National Security Systems.

Review of Learning from Catastrophes

By Rolf Dobelli, Chairman,getAbstract

In terms of insurance payouts, two-thirds of the 25 most expensive disastersin the last 40 years have taken place since

2001. As the global climate changes andmore people move to overbuilt and hencemore vulnerable cities, the pace of cata-clysmic “extreme events” is liable toincrease. From the costs related toIceland’s volcano to the impact of the cat-astrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, fartoo many organizations already faceextreme problems. Authors and editorsHoward Kunreuther and Michael Useem,both Wharton School professors, join 20other experts to examine risk assessmentand management. Although their book ismade up of scholarly essays, getAbstractfinds it pertinent and useful. Leaders canapply the directives in this intelligent,informative, thought-provoking volume todevelop strategic planning for major catas-trophes.

Howard Kunreuther and MichaelUseem. Learning from Catastrophes:Strategies for Reaction and Response.Wharton School Publishing, 2009. 352pages. List Price: $37.99. ISBN-13: 978-0137044856.

getAbstract is the leading provider ofbusiness book summaries, with more than6,000 titles covered.www.getabstract.com

13Electronic Health Record Technology

Yields Greater Patient Safety Muskegon - In late February, under

the Genesis initiative, Mercy HealthPartners (MHP) officially switched to asingle electronic record. According toGreg Loomis -- MHP chief operating offi-cer and leader of the implementationprocess for Genesis -- the transition posi-tions MHP as a leader in ElectronicHealth Record (EHR) technology. Loomisadds, "Having all of MHP's clinical,financial and administrative data togeth-er is going to be better for our patientsand our providers."

28 of the 41 Trinity Health (MHP'sparent organization) hospitals nation-wide have gone “live.” Says ColleenFlynn, director of clinical informatics:“The first Trinity site that went “live”with Genesis was Port Huron in May2002, followed by the Mercy andMuskegon General campuses in July2004. We hope to have the remaininghospitals utilizing some portion of theElectronic Medical Record (EMR) byTrinity’s fiscal year 15.”

On March 1, Trinity Health reportedthat the implementation of EHR systemsat their hospitals resulted in the follow-ing improved outcomes:

• Emergent medications – adminis-tered 40% faster

• Potential adverse drug eventsavoided - 14,000

• Pressure ulcers - reduced 45%• Patient falls with injury - reduced

31% Dubbed Genesis, the EHR initiative

includes implementing medication admin-istration scanning, ComputerizedPhysician Order Entry, and an AdverseDrug Event alert system, in an attempt tominimize order-entry errors; minimize

adverse drug-related risks through con-flict-detection processes; and allow forfaster patient-information exchangebetween the various medical departments.

"Another benefit [of EHR technology]is the EMR, the online version of a patientchart," says Remington Sprague, M.D. andchief medical officer. "It displays activeorders, allergies, demographics, and docu-mented problems. Other screens in theEMR are integrated with the patient's clin-ical file and provide real-time notificationof new information, orders, consultrequests, and test results. The EMR is notonly available in the hospital, but physi-cians will be able to access their patients'results securely at home or office.”

Touching on security issues, Flynnassures: “Trinity, obviously being one ofthe largest healthcare systems in the U.S.,takes very seriously the whole safety andsecurity of the system and of the protectedhealth information. There is a rigoroustechnical infrastructure in place; continu-ous system audits which look at the data-base for vulnerable, potential, intrusionspots; continuous traffic-monitoring; anda rigorous process regarding new-useraccess, and the appropriateness of accessas it relates to specific job duties.”

The next step beyond the implemen-tation of the EMR systems revolvesaround the phrase, “Meaningful Use.”Flynn says: “The facilities with imple-mented EMR systems are now beingasked: Are the systems delivering onwhat was anticipated to be improvementsin the quality of care for the patient; inother words, are the EMR systems beingused to their full potential and in a mean-ingful way?

“We are very fortunate to be a rela-

tively small percentage of hospitals uti-lizing the EHR technology to the levelthat we are,” says Flynn. So naturally,after the implementation and effectiveuse of the technology, comes the waiting

“for some of the other systems and inde-pendent physician practices to catch up.The transition is going to take severalyears, but then again – look how quicklytechnology makes things move!”

Online Patient Portal forPhysician Practices

Brecksville, Ohio - MedData, a lead-ing provider of medical billing services,introduced its new online patient portalon April 29, 2011.

The patient portal providesMedData’s clients and their patients(which includes over 2,000 physiciansand 5,000,000 patients) online access tothe information used in generatingpatients’ medical statements. Upon regis-tering, the patients can view statements,insurance information, demographicdetails and billing history as it relates to

their medical visits. Additionally, through the portal,

patients can update their demographicand insurance information as well as payany open invoices -- ultimately stream-lining the reimbursement timeframe.MedData’s online service also features alive chat program that allows for real-time communication between clientpatients and MedData’s Patient Servicesteam.

The secure site can be accessed athttps://serviceportal.meddata.com.

14Health Care BriefsHolland - Society of Hospital Medicinehas announced that Bart D. Sak, MD ofHolland has earned the Fellow inHospital Medicine designation. Dr. Sakpractices at Holland Hospital, as part ofLakeshore Health Partners - AdultHospitalists.

Grand Rapids – Initially made possibleby a nearly $25,000 grant from RonaldMcDonald House Charities of OutstateMichigan, and utilized by the GerberFoundation Neonatal Center at HelenDeVos Children’s Hospital, the programMy Baby View employs six software andvideo monitor systems to facilitate rela-tionships between parents and new-borns who are separated by distance.Essentially, a parent calls the NeonatalCenter and receives an emailed user-name, password and website link fromhis/her baby’s nurse. A monitor is thenpositioned in front of the infant -- con-necting parent with child, once appropri-ate web access has been granted.

Grand Rapids – Spectrum Health isexpanding the number of SpectrumHealth Medical Group physicians locatedat its West Pavilion facility on WilsonAve SW: J. Todd Bolthouse, MD –Urology; Brian Buchanan, DPM – Footand Ankle; Anthony Foster, MD –General Surgery; John Harris, DPM –Foot and Ankle; Francis Hart, MD –Otolaryngology; Nancy BenderHausman, MD – Sleep Medicine; DonKim, MD – Colorectal Surgery; JeffryKnibbe, MD – Internal Medicine; RobertKobiela, MD – Internal Medicine; KurtKoepnick, MD – Internal Medicine; LeeMarmion, MD – Sleep Medicine;Kenneth Minks, MD – General Surgery;Keith Postma, MD – Otolaryngology;Thomas Rupp, MD – Gastroenterology;James Samuelson, MD – InternalMedicine; Heather Slay, MD – ColorectalSurgery; Jason Squires, DO –Orthopaedics; Eric Weinman, MD –Otolaryngology; Sue West, MD –Obstetrics and Gynecology; RobertWolyn, MD - Cardiology.

Grand Rapids – The Metro HealthHospital Foundation has approved morethan $75,000 in grants to support pro-grams and services provided by theHospital. Eight grants ranging from$2,500 to $25,000 will support a widevariety of initiatives, including newequipment purchases, research and con-tinuing-education programs and a newcommunity-wide health-screening eventto raise awareness of high-risk healthconditions. The 2011 spring grantsinclude: the purchase of three laptops andprojectors that will be used by diabeticeducators working with patients off site;a free health-screening community eventto raise awareness of high-risk condi-tions; and an electrical stimulation unitfor physical therapy services offered atMetro Health Hudsonville.

Wyoming – Board-certified Dr. PaulBrown has joined Metro HealthHospital as an ophthalmologist. AfterMay 16, Brown will be practicing atMetro Health Village.

Pinckney - Joshua Tree Skin Carerecently named Bryan Pappas itsnational sales manager. Pappas hasnearly two decades of sales leadershipexperience and will focus on nationalgrocery and retail department storechains, as well as national outdoorretailers.

Holland - Holland Hospital welcomescertified adult nurse practitioner, AnneM. McKay to the lakeshore area. McKaywill offer consultation and patient man-agement services for Holland Hospital’sosteoporosis and bone health program.

Grand Rapids - The Spectrum HealthFrederik Meijer Heart & VascularInstitute (HVI) announced that it hasreceived advanced certification for ven-tricular assist devices (VADs) from theJoint Commission -- the national qualityorganization that accredits hospitals inthe U.S. Surgically implanted VADs helpthe heart pump blood from the left ven-

tricle to the rest of the body. The certifi-cation allows HVI physicians to useVADs in two ways: as a “bridge” toassist the circulation of a patient await-ing a heart transplant, or as a “destina-tion” device to improve the circulationand quality of life for a patient whodoesn’t meet the criteria for a hearttransplant.

Ann Arbor - Nancy Jennings has beennamed CEO of the Women's CaringProgram. She most recently served asdevelopment director of NEW (NonprofitEnterprise at Work) in Ann Arbor.

Chicago – The Agency for HealthcareResearch and Quality (AHRQ) reporteda 35 percent decrease in central line-asso-ciated bloodstream infections amongadult ICUs from over 350 hospitals thatparticipate in the national On the CUSP:Stop BSI project—an AHRQ-funded initia-tive which aims to prevent healthcare-associated infections and which is slottedto continue to 2012.

Wyoming - Metro Health Hospital hasreceived one of the top awards from 101Best & Brightest Companies to Work For;this is the first year it has applied for therecognition program.

Detroit - The Michigan Health &Hospital Association (MHA)announced this year’s winners of itsMHA Keystone Center for Patient Safety& Quality Leadership Award during the2011 MHA Patient Safety and QualitySymposium. The 2011 award was pre-sented to Sara Atwell, chief quality andsafety officer - Oakwood HealthcareInc., Dearborn; Susan Hawkins, seniorvice president of performance manage-ment - Henry Ford Health System,Detroit; and Beth Smith, director,Quality Resource Management -Allegiance Health, Jackson.

Detroit - The Blue Cross Blue Shield ofMichigan Board of Directors has re-elected Gladstone’s Gregory Sudderthto his tenth year as board chairman; re-elected Spencer Johnson of Okemos tohis fourth year as board vice chairman;and appointed Joseph Ashton and BobKing to board seats.

Grand Rapids - Metro Health Hospitalhas named Carol Jones its 2011 NurseExemplar. The award is given annuallyto recognize a registered nurse involvedin direct patient care.

Racial and EthnicHealthcare Disparities

Grand Rapids - According to 2010Census Data, Kent County experienced a45% increase in their Hispanic/Latinopopulation in the years between 2000and 2010; Ottawa County saw a 36%increase. To help address the medicalneeds of a rising West Michigan minori-ty population, Saint Mary’s Health Carehas been selected to participate in theyear-long Disparities LeadershipProgram, which aims to tackle racial andethnic disparities in healthcare.

The first program of its kind in thenation, the Disparities LeadershipProgram is designed for leaders fromhospitals, health insurance plans, andother healthcare organizations. Led bythe Disparities Solutions Center atMassachusetts General Hospital inBoston, Massachusetts, the goal of theDisparities Leadership Program is to cre-ate a cadre of healthcare leaders whohave:

• In-depth knowledge of theresearch, and causes, of healthcare dis-parities

• Skills and cutting-edge, qualityimprovement strategies to address dis-parities

• Leadership skills to implementsolutions in order to transform individualorganizations

“Participating in the DisparitiesLeadership Program,” said John Collins,MD and vice president of Clinical Quality,“will assist Saint Mary's Health Careand its partnering physicians withunderstanding the needs of the popula-tions we serve. Together with physicians,we hope to improve the health status ofracial and ethnic groups of people livingin the Grand Rapids area by offeringand providing services that are equitableand consistent with the highest stan-dards of quality care.”

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15When Caring For an Aging Parent,

Family Conflict Often OccursGrand Rapids – As the population

becomes increasingly elderly, familycommunication about care options andother lifestyle changes are critical. Toensure that deliberate—not emer-gency—decisions are made reflecting thewell-being of the parent, families mustconfront sometimes difficult discussionsas early as possible.

These discussions can range fromdeciding how to keep an impaired parentfrom driving, to choosing between in-home care and nursing institutions.However, denial, fear, and sibling rival-ry can throw cold water on a rationalplanning process.

60% of families experience conflictwhen trying to make decisions about thecare of an aging parent (Journal ofPalliative Medicine.) One survey foundthat families are more willing to talkabout safe sex and drugs with their kidsthan to discuss long-term care planningwith their parents (National Hospice &Palliative Care Organization.) Stressful

disagreement, both with parents as wellas siblings, is common. Unsuccessfulattempts to agreeably plan for careneeds can have a negative impact on theparent, as well as on relationshipsbetween family members.

Research shows that most familymembers wait too long to have impor-tant discussions with aging adults andare often unsure how to go about hold-ing such a discussion.

Homewatch CareGivers has created“Let’s Talk: A Guide to NavigatingDifficult Discussions about Helping yourLoved One Age Comfortably.” Thishandy 20-page resource is free and pro-vides:

• Coping tips for families strugglingto help an aging loved one

• Signs to recognize that it’s time totalk about your loved ones’ wants asthey age

• Important considerations ofthings to discuss, and how to broachsensitive subjects

• Tips to organize family efforts toassist an aging loved one at home

“Providing educational resourcesfor our clients and for all family care-givers is an integral part of our mis-sion,” said Jeff Swain, President ofHomewatch CareGivers of WestMichigan. “To this end, the HomewatchInternational team has researched andassembled this useful guide to help fam-ilies navigate the emotional issues facedwith aging loved ones. It offers tips onhow to have ‘the conversation’ about thetype of help needed and how to organizethe family around a common goal.”

As part of its ongoing effort to helpfamilies by providing information theyneed to make informed decisions,Homewatch CareGivers of WestMichigan has made “Let’s Talk” avail-able for free.

For a free download of this guide,or others developed by the experts atHomewatch CareGivers, visit the compa-ny website at www.homewatchcare-givers.com/grand-rapids (“Senior CareResources” tab). The hardcopy guidecan be obtained by e-mailingjfswain1@homewatchcaregivers.com orby calling the Homewatch CareGiversoffice (616-975-1980).

Homewatch Caregivers of WestMichigan, located in Cascade Township,provides in-home assistance and per-sonal care for older adults and thosewho are disabled or rehabilitating. In itseighth year and with clients throughoutKent County, Homewatch CareGivers’team of caregivers seeks to empowerindependence for their clients, whereverthey live.

Nutrition Initiative toCombat Obesity

Lansing - Michigan hospitals havelaunched the statewide Healthy FoodHospital initiative, aimed at combatingthe state’s obesity crisis by improvingthe nutrition of hospital food.

The program was created by theMichigan Health & Hospital Association(MHA), after the success of two previ-ous MHA-launched health and wellnessinitiatives that resulted in 93% ofMichigan’s community hospitals volun-tarily adopting smoke-free campus poli-cies, and 89% voluntarily eliminatingfoods containing trans fats from theircafeterias, vending machines, andpatient’s diets.

First introduced at Lansing’sSparrow Hospital, more than 53Michigan hospitals have voluntarilysigned up for the Healthy Food Hospitalprogram.

The initiative focuses on improvinghospital menus for children and adultsby utilizing a “four-star” approach. Thefirst two stars are accomplished whenhospitals adopt default menus for pedi-atric patients, aged 2 to 18, and meetthe American Heart Association guide-line for serving milk without the recom-

binant bovine growth hormone. Thethird and fourth stars are achievedrespectively, when hospitals label foodnutritional content in their cafeteriasand commit to purchasing at least 20%of Michigan-grown, produced andprocessed foods.

The four-star approach was createdby the Ann Arbor-based Ecology Centerand the MHA, with the Healthy FoodWork Group guiding the campaign aswell. Special recognition is also given tothose who helped develop the MichiganGood Food Charter (the central compo-nent of star four): C.S. Mott Group,Michigan Food Policy Council, FoodBank Council of Michigan, and themany people involved statewide.

Michigan, the 10th most over-weight state, has a vested interest incombating childhood obesity; one inthree U.S. children are overweight orobese. According to the Healthy Kids,Healthy Michigan initiative, Michigan’sannual medical costs associated withobesity total more than $3 billion—almost a fourth of the annual $14 bil-lion, U.S. healthcare cost.

16

Health Care BriefsGrand Rapids - Grand Valley HealthPlan opened a new Family HealthCenter at 5445 32nd Ave, inHudsonville.

Grand Rapids - The EpilepsyFoundation has elected Brien J. Smith,MD, as chair of its board of directors.Smith is chief of neurology for theSpectrum Health Medical Group.

Grand Rapids - CompHealth hasincreased staff by 13 percent in the pasteight months and expects an additional10 to 15 percent staff increase by theend of 2011. Additionally, CompHealthwas named one of West Michigan’s “101Best and Brightest Companies to WorkFor,” for the sixth consecutive year.

Kalamazoo – Bronson Maternal-FetalMedicine welcomed to its practice GianiCazan-London, M.D. She joins RobertAustin, M.D.; David Ding, M.D., PhD;Lori Kennedy C.N.M.; and GwennKozlow, M.S., C.G.C.Grand Rapids - Pine Rest has begunscheduling all new outpatient servicesthrough a central access department.

Grand Rapids - In April, TheComprehensive Breast Center at SaintMary’s Health Care received its thirdprestigious award since November,2010: a three-year/full accreditationdesignation by the NationalAccreditation Program for BreastCenters.

Big Rapids - Derek Quinn has beenappointed to serve on the MichiganPharmacy and Therapeutics Committee,a board that advises the Department ofCommunity Health on prescription drugcoverage and various healthcare pro-gram issues.

Grand Rapids – Ross MedicalEducation Center welcomes WayneDowning, campus director, 20+ yearsmanagement experience; and MattChristensen, assistant campus director,7 years mgmt. experience.

Kalamazoo - Heather A. Oestrike hasbeen appointed executive director of theBronson Lifestyle Improvement &Research Center, located at 6789 ElmValley Drive in Oshtemo. Oestrike wasservice line administrator for the neuro-sciences program at Bronson.

Grand Rapids - Spectrum Health wasnamed one of the nation’s Top 10 healthsystems in an annual study, which ana-lyzed clinical and financial performance.Spectrum Health was Michigan’s onlyhealth system to receive the “ThomsonReuters 100 Top Hospitals: HealthSystem Benchmarks” honor. Among theTop 10, Spectrum Health also scored thehighest on the patient satisfaction sur-vey, Medicare’s Hospital ConsumerAssessment of Healthcare Providers andSystems.

Lansing - The Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program, an initiativefunded in part by the Agency forHealthcare Research and Quality, wasimplemented through the KeystoneIntensive Care Unit Project in Michiganhospitals. A recent study, reported in theArchives of Internal Medicine, found thathospital ICUs eliminated central line-associated bloodstream infections for upto 2 years or more. 60 percent of the 80ICUs evaluated went 1 year or morewithout an infection, and 26 percentachieved 2 years or more. Also, smallerhospitals sustained zero infectionslonger than larger hospitals.

Kalamazoo - Traumasoft has opened anoffice located at 4664 Campus Drive inWMU's Business Technology andResearch Park. Operating in a 4,000square foot space, the fast-growing com-pany is already in hiring mode and hasadded four new positions in recentweeks, bringing its employee base to 12.Traumasoft officials expect to at leastdouble the size of the company withintwo years. The company was founded in2006 by President Brian Balow. He hasspent more than 25 years in the emer-gency medical services industry insouthwest Michigan. Frustrated by thelack of automation in EMS operations,Balow started building EMS applicationson a small scale during his spare time, in1998.

Healthcare Initiatives Herald Optimistic ResultsMichigan – A group of statewide

collaboratives between Blue Cross BlueShield of Michigan and the University ofMichigan Health System has demon-strated measurable improvements inpatient safety and reduced health carecosts significantly, the partners assert ina paper published recently in the profes-sional journal Health Affairs.

Launched in 2006 as a partnershipbetween Blue Cross Blue Shield ofMichigan and other statewide hospitals,

the Value Partnerships program is com-prised of 8 initiatives, called theCollaborative Quality Initiatives (CQI).The individual programs center arounddecreasing medical-related and surgicalcomplication rates – in turn, decreasingoverall healthcare costs – while boost-ing the quality of patient care.

The CQI maximizes results throughcollaborative data sharing and analysisamong physicians, hospitals and insur-ers. The primary goal: reduce surgically-

related risk-factors, implement preven-tative methods, improve patient quality-care and drive down medical costs.

According to the Health Affairspublication, the initiatives are beingmet with success: 30-day post-surgicalcomplication rates have dropped from13.1% to 10.5%; bariatric surgerycomplication rates fell from 8.7% to6.6% during 2007 to 2009; andhealthcare costs have plummeted by$20 million annually.

The CQI model is expected to gainrelevance as the nation moves toward“population-level” health managementand accountable-care organizations.The collaborative initiatives maintainthat hospitals and providers can suc-cessfully work together to collect, dis-seminate and utilize medical informa-tion in a way that will drive downhealthcare costs and improve overallpatient quality-care.

Spectrum Offers ExpandedOnline Health Services

Grand Rapids - Spectrum Healthpatients can now receive greater accessto health information via the onlinepatient portal, MySpectrum. Users of thefree service, available throughwww.spectrumhealth.org, can viewhealth data after obtaining a personalidentification number (PIN).

MySpectrum originally offeredpatients the ability to: View lab results,e-mail messages to doctors’ offices,renew prescriptions, request appoint-ments, pre-register and obtain pricing forsome procedures, pay hospital bills,track health-related conditions andaccess information on specific healthtopics.

This year, expanded capabilities willallow users to: Set up a family account,access benefits and eligibility informa-tion from Priority Health, view growth

charts for children and view immuniza-tion records.

With family accounts, MySpectrumusers can access health information forother patients, such as for children,spouses or parents. Users can request toview information for children youngerthan 12 years, or for adult patients 18years or older by completing theMySpectrum Proxy Access request form.State and federal patient privacy regula-tions limit the amount of informationthat can be released for patients betweenthe ages of 12 and 17.

Spectrum Health is additionallyoffering a free smartphone application --also called MySpectrum -- that featureslab test results and appointments, urgentcare wait times, Spectrum Health loca-tions, physician information, and a med-ical symptoms checklist.

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17Food Industry Feeds Economic Growth

Grand Rapids – The Right Place, incollaboration with the MichiganEconomic Development Corporation(MEDC) and local partners, announcedtwo new West Michigan businessexpansions that are designed to create429 new jobs and invest $74 million inthe cities of Wyoming, Kentwood andGrand Rapids.

Hearthside Food Solutions, LLC –302 jobs, $17.4 million in capitalinvestment

Hearthside, the largest privatelyheld bakery in the U.S., provides con-tract food manufacturing services toleading global food brands and is thelargest producer of breakfast bars in thecountry, operating 12 manufacturingplants in seven states. Four facilities arelocated in Michigan with a workforce of1,129 employees.

The company plans to expand itsfacilities in the cities of Kentwood andGrand Rapids to support customerdemand for additional food manufac-turing capacity of granola bars andother baked snacks. The majority of theinvestment and job creation will occurat the company's Shaffer Avenue facili-ty in Kentwood. The $17.4 millionexpansion project is planned to create195 jobs the first year, with a 5-yeartotal of 302 new jobs in West Michigan.

According to the economic analysisdone by the Michigan EconomicDevelopment Corporation utilizingRegional Economic Models, Inc. soft-ware, it is estimated that this facilitywill generate a total of 662 jobs in thestate by the year 2016. Total state gov-ernment revenues through the year2016, net of Michigan Economic GrowthAuthority (MEGA) costs, would beincreased by $9.8 million (current dol-lars) due to the presence of this facility.

Hearthside had considered severalother existing locations outside ofMichigan for the expansion project.Working with the MEDC and cities ofGrand Rapids and Kentwood, The RightPlace led the development of an incen-tive package to support Hearthside'sgrowth plans, keeping the company andthe new jobs in West Michigan.

"West Michigan's food processingand agribusiness cluster has greatpotential for growth in West Michigan,"noted Susan Jackson, Vice President,Business Development, The Right Place,Inc. "We're seeing continued growth andinvestment in the sector such as this

latest expansion announcement."Gordon Food Service, Inc. (GFS)

– 127 jobs, $56.5 million in capitalinvestment

GFS provides food service productsand solutions to businesses and retailcustomers. Founded over a century agoas a butter-and-egg business, todayGFS is the largest family-owned broad-line food service distributor in NorthAmerica. Headquartered in Wyoming,Michigan with retail stores, distributioncenters and warehouses throughout theU.S. and Canada, GFS and its affiliatedcompanies currently have 2,592

employees in Michigan, 270 of whichare retail positions.

In June 2010, The Right Place andthe MEDC announced a MEGA tax cred-it for a Canadian back-office supportconsolidation project in the city ofWyoming. The scope of the initial proj-ect was recently modified to include theaddition of 127 jobs to support a high-tech initiative. Additionally, due tospace limitations, GFS plans to changethe project location and invest $56.5million in the development of aGreenfield site in the city of Wyoming.The company plans to forgo Brownfield

MBT credits approved for the originalsite in August 2010.

According to MEDC's economicanalysis, it is estimated that thisamendment will generate a total of 252jobs in the state, and state governmentrevenues will increase by $2.3 million(current dollars) net of MEGA costs, fora combined total of 644 jobs in the stateand an increase of $6.9 million in totalstate government revenues by the year2014.

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18Construction BriefsGrand Rapids - Van Andel Institute’s240,000 SF Phase II building is the sec-ond structure to be awarded PlatinumLEED for New Construction in Michiganby the United States Green BuildingCouncil for its demonstrated leadershipin the field of sustainable development.The Medical Mile’s eight-story, $178million, green facility anticipates a $125million annual research operation thatwill double the amount of laboratoriesand create 550 additional jobs.

Grand Rapids – Rockford Constructionannounced that Dan Bailey has joinedthe company as project executive. Assuch, Bailey will use his work in theFood & Beverage and Healthcare con-struction markets to provide additionalopportunities and expertise to clients.

Wayland, Martin & Charlotte - Atlanta-headquartered Apartment RealtyAdvisors has announced the sale ofthree REO assets for BerkadiaCommercial Mortgage, LLC. Includedin the transaction were CountryMeadows, Maple Knoll and Rabbit River.The three assets, all located betweenGrand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Lansing,and which total 217 sites spread over83.38 acres, were purchased together asa portfolio by a regional owner/operatorout of California.

Lansing - C2AE welcomes Tobi Lyon tothe position of business developmentmanager; her portfolio spans healthcarephilanthropy, association management,finance, and sales.

Michigan - Driesenga & Associates,Inc. welcomes: Rob Huff - senior engi-neering technician in the MaterialTesting and Construction InspectionGroup; Scott Grove - business develop-ment manager, responsible for new busi-ness development, sales, and marketingin the Grand Rapids Market; and LisaLuckey - business development manag-er, servicing the Lakeshore Market. Thefirm also congratulates Travis Krentz onobtaining his license from the State ofMichigan as a professional surveyor.

Wyoming - The Wyoming City Councilapproved a tax abatement request forBenteler Automotive Corporation, fora near-$5 million redevelopment projectthat will create 30 new jobs and retain580 jobs.

Grand Rapids – The Association ofProfessional Design Firms (APDF)appointed Kevin Budelmann, ofPeopledesign’s, to president.Budelmann plans to position the organi-zation as a key player in defining thefuture of the design profession.

Kalamazoo - CSM Group welcomedAndrew Dobbs as a Monroe-BrownScholarship Intern and Marcus Jacksonas project engineer. Jackson will beresponsible for trade-contractor prequal-ification, review of project documents,scheduling, bid documentation prepara-tion, submittal approval and trackingbulletin/field order pricing.

Athens - The Nottawaseppi HuronBand of the Potawatomi, the owners ofFireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek,announced the start of the FireKeepersCasino expansion, which will showcasea 242-room, resort-style hotel completewith an indoor pool, exercise facility,full-service restaurant, business center,and multi-purpose event center. Thefacility’s concert-setting will accommo-date 2,000+ guests. Bingo operationswill expand to 10,000 SF of gamingspace, doubling the capacity from 250players to 500, per session.

Grand Rapids – Colliers Internationalhas earned certification as an AccreditedManagement Organization from theInstitute of Real Estate Management.The accreditation is awarded to realestate firms that adhere to a profession-al ethics code; have a certified propertymanager supervising the real estatemanagement team; and have a trackrecord of high performance, experience,stability and financial accountability.

West Michigan - Allen Edwin Homeshas charted the national, “Builder 100”list as the 70th largest home builder;received the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency’s Energy StarLeadership Housing Award; and wasone of three builders in Michigan toreceive Guild Quality’s GuildmasterAward, for exceptional customer experi-ence and energy conservation.

Grand Rapids, MI – Progressive AE hasannounced the addition of ScottThompson, electrical engineering disci-pline leader; David Bell, senior mechan-ical engineer; and Jeffrey Green -mechanical engineering technician.

Greenville - Clark Construction hasbeen selected as construction managerfor the Greenville Public Schools dis-trict improvements. The project will befunded by a $14.6 million bond and willprovide updates to every school, includ-ing enhanced building security, new car-peting, improved parking areas andenhanced wireless technology.

Kalamazoo - Phoenix Properties hasannounced its plans for a signaturemixed-use office, retail and residentialdevelopment, at the southeast corner ofWest Michigan Avenue and Rose Street,in downtown Kalamazoo. Phoenix willpartner with TowerPinkster andSkanska USA.

Grand Rapids – The team at Deksia hasrelocated to 100 Sevens Street in GrandRapids, and will share space with BekEkkel during the summer.

Kalamazoo – Kalamazoo-headquarteredImperial Beverage plans to relocate to arecently purchased, 605,000 SF build-ing, located at 3825 Emerald Drive,Kalamazoo. The company plans to occu-py about 200,000 SF and lease theremaining space to other businesses.

Kent County - The Kent CountyAeronautics Board has granted approvalfor Rothbury Executive Air’s Fixed BaseOperation (FBO). The FBO plans to yield a$5 million world-class facility with28,000 SF of hangar space, and the firstonsite, commercial catering service. A fallcommencement and a summer 2012grand opening are expected.

Holland - Driesenga & Associates, Inc.welcomes the following engineeringtechnicians to the firm’s Material Testingand Construction Inspection Groups:David Holthaus, Chris Sobeck, RichMorris, Jeff Freel and Matt Collins --Detroit; Jaime Richards, Nathan Staderand Jesse Reed -- Grand Rapids; DougMiller -- Kalamazoo.

Grand Rapids - Owen-Ames-KimballCo. has announced it will be providingConstruction Management Services forJohn Ball Zoo's Funicular and TreeHouse projects. Construction will beginin the summer of 2011, to be completedby May 2012. Progressive AE will offerarchitectural services; Moore &Bruggink, Inc. will provide ConstructionManagement for Site Work.

Grand Rapids – Integrated Architectureis expanding its educational services byformally entering the K-12 market andestablishing a public school educationdivision. Architects Dan Hill and BretKronlein bring 40 years of combinedexperience to the niche market.

Lansing - James J. Minster has joinedC2AE as its director of SouthernMunicipal Infrastructure team. Jim willoversee the team’s design, site planning,and water & wastewater projects.

Grand Rapids - C.D. Barnes Associates,together with the Grand RapidsChamber of Commerce and its repre-sentatives, held a ribbon-cutting eventon June 6, to celebrate the completion ofthe Eastown Veterinary Clinic, locatedat 1350 Lake Dr.

Grand Rapids - C. D. Barnes Associates,Inc., in partnership with AMDGArchitects, will oversee the GrandRapids Public Schools’ Creston HighSchool Cafeteria’s renovation project.

Grand Rapids - The Salvation ArmyAdult Rehabilitation Center held a rib-bon-cutting ceremony at the newSalvation Army Thrift Store, located at3900 Alpine Avenue NW. The facilitywill occupy 22,500 SF, in a portion of theformer Best Buy electronics store. Whenopen, the store will employ approximate-ly 30 individuals.

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19$38,800 Incentive for

Energy Efficiency Projects through DTE Novi. – Grand Valley State

University (GVSU) has received a$38,800 incentive payment from DTEEnergy for making energy efficiencyimprovements on its main campus inAllendale and at three satellite campus-es in Holland, Muskegon and GrandRapids.

In a ceremony today at the 2011Energy Conference and Exhibition DTEEnergy’s John Lobbia, marketing pro-gram manager, presented a $38,800check to Terry Pahl, GVSU facilities engi-

neer. The incentive payment is an ele-ment of DTE Energy’s Your EnergySavings initiative, a program designedto help DTE Energy customers improvethe energy efficiency of their homes andbusinesses. DTE Energy and theEngineering Society of Detroit jointlyhosted the 2011 Energy Conference andExhibition, which was held at theSuburban Collection Showplace in Novi.

GVSU received the funds for multi-ple projects completed throughout 2010that will save energy, including boiler

tune-ups, steam traps, and customHVAC controls projects.

Your Energy Savings(dteenergy.com/saveenergy) waslaunched in 2009 to help DTE Energycustomers save money by using lessenergy. The program offers customers awide array of energy efficiency ideasand incentives. Customers can earnincentives if they make improvementsfrom a list of qualified efficiencyupgrades for both gas and electric tech-nologies, including energy-efficient

lighting, motors and drives, controls,heating ventilation and air conditioningand more. Customers also can earnincentives for projects that don’t fallunder that prescriptive program, such asexhaust heat recovery or processimprovements. Incentives also are avail-able for new construction and majorremodeling projects.

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been steadily filling in with homes overthe past few years. As more homes arebeing constructed, backyard drainageseems to be a more frequent concern. Isthere a concept on how the overalldrainage of the development should behandled that would avoid these con-cerns?”

Gary; Byron Center, Michigan

Answer: Most developments, espe-cially those 15 to 20 years and newer,are designed with an overall grading andstormwater management plan. Theseplans typically illustrate how the frontand backyards drain, direction of flow,location of detention facilities withappropriate easement and minimum

building openings if necessary, to ensureprotection of homes from intense rain-falls.

If the development is a traditionalplatted subdivision, the State Plat Actrequires the County Drain Commission toreview and approve the overall gradingand stormwater management plan. Amajority of the stormwater system wouldbe under the authority of the DrainCommissioner’s office. The DrainCommission office would be responsiblefor its maintenance with costs assessedto those within the drain district estab-lished as part of the recording of the plat.

Other developments such as singlefamily site condominiums or traditionalvolume condominiums (2-4 units ormore per building), typically have a pri-

vate stormwater management systemthat gets maintained by the establishedCondominium Association. The condo-minium’s Master Deed should refer tothe Association’s authority and respon-sibility in maintaining and monitoringthe stormwater management system.

Regardless of what type of develop-ment in which a home is built, thebuilder, architect and homeowner shouldbecome familiar with and follow theapproved grading plan and stormwatermanagement plan prior to establishingthe wall height of the home, minimumopenings (this may be established on thegrading plan and/or recorded restric-tions) and final drainage pattern of thehomesite so that drainage from the sitebeing developed does not negatively

impact existing and future neighboringhomes and buildings.

-Donald De Groot

Donald De Groot is a professionalengineer in Michigan and New Jersey. Hehas been working as a civil engineer for29 years. Exxel Engineering, Inc. is acivil engineering/land survey firm at5252 Clyde Park Ave., S.W.; GrandRapids, MI 49509 and has 39 yearsexperience in the area. Phone: (616)531-3660.

Please contact Exxel or the publish-er to have your question answered herenext month!

NAR Chief Economist Sees Sluggish but Improving Commercial Outlook

Washington, DC – The commercialreal estate market continues a slow pacetoward recovery with occupancy ratesrising in the office and industrial proper-ties in most major cities across the U.S.supported by rising employment andrestocking of wholesale inventory,according to National Association ofRealtors® Chief Economist LawrenceYun. At the “Economics Issues andCommercial Business Trends Forum,”Yun identified bright spots and chal-lenges within the commercial sector.

In the second half of 2010,Realtors® reported seeing more move-ment in the commercial market.According to Yun, this movement isoccurring as property of falling prices

providing attractive returns on invest-ment. However, tightened lending stan-dards continue to pose a challengebecause national banks are still hesitantto lend.

“Lending from regional banks hasbecome an important source of funds.The lending from big banks remainedsluggish," said Yun. “Investment fundsthrough private equity and real estateinvestment trusts will play a bigger roleas the commercial mortgage-backedsecurities market struggles to recover.”

However, movement in the commer-cial sector hasn’t translated intoincreased prices as the properties valuesare being dragged by the existence ofdistressed properties. Yun said it could

be several years before commercial prop-erty prices rise in any meaningful way,though some prime class-A properties insought-after markets like Washingtonand New York have already startedshowing price recovery.

The apartment sector remains thestrongest, with solid net absorption andrents expected to increase 4 percentnationally in 2011 and 5 percent in2012. In metropolitan areas likeWashington, rents could rise close todouble digit rate of appreciation.

The federal deficit and rising gasprices weigh heavily on the overall eco-nomic outlook. Interest rates are current-ly, artificially low and unsustainable, andYun expects the rate of inflation to

increase to 3 or 4 percent by the end of2011 and up to 5 percent by 2012 if gasprices do not retreat.

During the session, Yun was joinedby commercial broker David Murphy ofCB Richard Ellis in Orlando, Fla. Murphywas named top overall commercial pro-ducer for the company in 2009. Murphyechoed Yun’s sentiments about the out-look for commercial real estate.

“We are in the early months of acyclical recovery,” said Murphy. “Leasingvelocity is improving, investment salesare expected to continue to improve athigher than normal rates, and leasinggrowth rates should continue toimprove.”

West Michigan Strategic AllianceLaunches Regional Service Delivery Project

Grand Rapids - The West MichiganStrategic Alliance (WMSA) hasannounced the launch of a new projectdesigned to increase effective use of fed-eral and state resources in local servicedelivery in an eight county region inWest Michigan. The project will concen-trate on services that affect jobs, such asworkforce development, economicdevelopment, and adult education. It willtest the hypothesis that aligning servicedelivery to match natural economicregions will maximize limited resourcesthrough increased collaboration andservice sharing.

WMSA president, Greg Northrupsaid, “An initial scan of local jurisdic-tions receiving federal and stateresources showed more than 20 differ-

ing boundaries for local service provi-sion none of which match the naturaleconomic region. Over time, each ofthese geographies was defined based onsome rationale that made sense to eachpart of the puzzle at that time, but with-out considering the interconnectednessof the economic region.”

The work will be guided by aregional advisory committee. Committeechair, Steve Heacock commented, “Aswe look to reinvent our state, it’s smartto examine the basis for resource alloca-tion and to test the idea that a regionalperspective could maximize the impactof limited resources. I’m happy to be apart of this diverse advisory group rep-resenting the interests of the region.”

The project will focus on services

related to job creation, retention andexpansion. It will identify barriers toregional collaboration and identify bestpractices that can be shared with otherregions of the state. Research will beconducted in partnership with MichiganState’s Land Policy Institute with sup-port from the Business Leaders forMichigan. Business Leaders forMichigan is also undertaking an effort toidentify the needs of Michigan’s urbanareas and strategies to help them withtheir redevelopment efforts. “WMSA’sstrong regional perspective will servethis investigation well and the projectcompliments the work we are doing tohelp our urban areas. We look forwardto the recommendations generated fromthis project,” stated Doug Rothwell pres-

ident and CEO of Business Leaders forMichigan.

WMSA’s Regional Service Deliveryproject is the first phase in a long-termplan to investigate, analyze, recom-mend, and implement a beneficial align-ment of service delivery that can bemore effectively coordinated at a region-al level. Recommendations will includethe identification of specific changes tostatutory, regulatory, policy or manage-ment practices that will enable for suc-cessful service sharing agreements.Research will take place over the sum-mer. Findings will be shared with stake-holders in the fall and a report will beissued in December.

At Least 2,200 Premature Deaths and $17.8 Billion in 2010

Boston, MA - New research by theHarvard Center for Risk Analysis(HCRA) at the School of Public Healthestimates that the additional fine partic-ulate matter emissions that can betraced back to traffic congestion in thenation’s 83 largest urban areas lead tomore than 2,200 premature deaths inthe U.S. last year. The related publichealth cost, researchers say, was, con-servatively, at least $18 billion.

The study, “The Public HealthCosts of Traffic Congestion: A HealthRisk Assessment,” was published in thescientific journal Environmental Health.It is the first to attempt to quantify thepublic health implications of growingtraffic congestion in America.

“Our estimates of the total publichealth costs of traffic congestion in theU.S. are likely conservative,” thestudy’s authors write. They point outtheir research considers “only theimpacts in 83 urban areas and only thecost of related mortality and not thecosts that could be associated withrelated morbidity, healthcare, insur-ance, accidents, and other factors.”

As might be expected, the public

health toll of traffic congestion was esti-mated to be highest in some of thenation’s largest urban areas. The LosAngeles/Long Beach/Santa Ana,California, area was first, with an esti-mated additional 426 premature deathsand $3.3 billion in public health costs. Itwas followed by: New YorkCity/Newark, New Jersey (+337 prema-ture deaths, +$2.6 billion in costs);Chicago/Northern Indiana (+251 pre-mature deaths, $2 billion costs); andSan Francisco/Oakland, California(+124 premature deaths, +$1 billion incosts).

In conducting the study, theHarvard researchers projected the esti-mated growth of traffic congestion—and resulting emissions—from thebaseline year 2000 through 2030, if noadditional transportation infrastructurecapacity is provided in the 83 urbanareas to accommodate projected popula-tion growth.

They forecast traffic congestion willrise more than 30 percent over the peri-od 2000 to 2030 in 18 urban areas:Raleigh, North Carolina (54 percent);Oxnard, California (47 percent); Las

Vegas, Nevada (46 percent); Salt LakeCity, Utah (45 percent);Sarasota/Bradenton, Florida (45 per-cent); San Antonio, Texas (42 percent);Orlando, Florida (41 percent); Laredo,Texas (38 percent); Richmond, Virginia(36 percent); Phoenix/Mesa, Arizona(33 percent); Pensacola, Florida (31percent); Riverside/San Bernardino,California (31 percent); San Diego,California (31 percent); and Spokane,Washington (30 percent).

While the study was not designedto address traffic congestion-reducingstrategies, researchers said solutionswould likely vary from community tocommunity. Potential strategies rangefrom better traffic management throughcongestion pricing, traffic light synchro-nization and more efficient response totraffic incidents, to adding new highwayand public transit capacity. More refinedmodels of traffic dynamics specific toeach urban area, linked to the publichealth models developed in the study,could be used to explore the impacts ofproposed strategies.

The research did offer one piece ofgood news: The number of additionalpremature deaths and public healthcosts due to traffic congestion has beendeclining over the past 10 years and willcontinue to decline until about 2030,when it would again begin to rise. Thereason: an ever emissions cleaner fleetof U.S. motor vehicles -- as older, morepolluting vehicles are replaced withtoday’s low emission vehicles.

The public health cost of trafficcongestion in 2000, the Harvardresearchers estimated, included approx-imately 4,000 premature deaths, with amonetized public health cost of approx-imately $31 billion. They forecast thatthe toll in 2030 -- absent remedialactions to significantly reduce trafficcongestion in the U.S. -- will be 1,900premature deaths and $17 billion insocial costs.

The study was conducted by a teamthat included: Jonathan I. Levy, an asso-ciate professor at the Harvard School ofPublic Health at the time the work wascompleted and current professor ofenvironmental health at BostonUniversity’s School of Public Health;Jonathan Buonocore, a doctoral studentin the Environmental Science & RiskManagement program at theDepartment of Environmental Health atthe Harvard School of Public Health;and Katherine von Stackelberg, HCRAresearch manager and principal at E.Risk Sciences, LLP. It was supportedthrough a grant underwritten by theTransportation Construction Coalition(TCC) that included 29 national associ-ations and labor unions with an interestin federal transportation policy. The TCCis co-chaired by the American Road &Transportation Builders Associationand the Associated General Contractorsof America.

20

21From an Autodie LLC. Perspective

by Amy Cygan

When Autodie International (found-ed in 1962 as Autodie Corporation) wasbought from Comau-Pico by Daimler-Chrysler in November 2006—then becom-ing MBtech Autodie—the change in own-ership conditioned a movement awayfrom conventional “tried-and-true” tooland die ideology. That subsequent ideolo-gy, modeled on Japanese TPS principles,would survive yet another ownershipchange when, in 2007, MBtech Autodiebecame the presently recognized AutodieLLC. Now four years later—after a numberof successes resulting from the company’soverarching vision—Autodie is benefitingfrom a $24 million dollar, Fiat-Chryslerinvestment aimed at facility-infrastructuremodernizations, as well as machinery andtechnological upgrades.

“We’re owned by a multi-milliondollar conglomerate,” says DavidDarling, VP and Chief Operating Officerof Autodie LLC. As a result, and in lightof the recent investment, “we are luckyto not have the financial stress that otherTool & Die companies at the mercy oflocal lending institutions have.”

The newest investment allowsAutodie to continue nurturing lean princi-ples, with the World Class Manufacturing(WCM) system now serving as Autodie’sphilosophical mentor. Expounding uponthe Japanese-based, principle-drivenToyota Production System—whichattempts to increase workplace and prod-uct efficiency by eliminating waste cata-lysts through standardized procedures—the WCM additionally deploys in-depthfinancial analyses to determine, prioritizeand measure improvements while alsoadvancing environment-nurturing causes.

Autodie’s concerted efforts at reduc-ing environmental issues have resultedin drinkable anti-freeze in their hi-lo’s,the Green Ride carpooling program,lighting and compressor upgrades, anISO 14001 environmental certification,and recognition as a Zero-to-Landfilllocation. Over the last five years, thecompany’s lean-focused implementa-tions have also generated higher prod-uct-quality levels, improved lead-times,cost-reductions, and a sales-revenueincrease to roughly $55 million.

While the latest funds target themodernization of thirty-year old CNCapparatus and the strengthening of engi-neering and design capacities, the bene-fit comes on the heels of two previousinvestments. Between 2006 and 2008,

Autodie poured 7-figures plus intorestoring inherited equipment and twomillion into employee training.CAD/CAM technology and other engi-neering and design modes also profitedfrom financial gains.

As a complement to WCM opera-tional improvements and equipmentmodernizations, Darling also observesthat a shift in employee mentality direct-ly influences the possibility for achievingworld-class lead-times and speed-to-market ratios.

“I think if you talk to any other diebuilder, they’ll tell you every die isunique; we vehemently disagree. Wehave trained our people to look at thebusiness differently—literally, to notlook at the business from a die builder’sperspective, meaning every piece of workis not a work of art. There’s always abetter, faster way to do things. We canstandardize, document, and embed aprocess, and then use that process forreevaluation purposes in order toimprove future production cycles andproduct-quality output.”

From an engineering standpoint,Darling explains a second belief-vari-ance: “We do not believe that engineer-ing and machining are commoditieswhich can be bought from anybody on alow-cost basis. To me, our business iswon or lost in engineering and machin-ing. So in 2007, we decided to alter ourperspective: Engineering is not a com-modity—we’re going to own it, and notonly are we going to own it, we are goingto be spectacular at it!

“I can tell you that the biggestsource of interest that companies havewith us is what we’re doing in the engi-neering field. We are very unique, espe-cially when you compare us to other

companies of similar size, meaning peo-ple who produce these types of big dies—we’re doing things that no one else isdoing right now. So between the disci-pline of process and our engineeringcapabilities, I would argue that these twocharacteristics are why we’ve continuedto grow and attract customers.”

As a specialist in automotive outer-body panels and advanced high-strengthsteels, Autodie serves Volkswagon, GM,BMW, and Nissan clients. But the stamp-ing and metal-forming company is eagerto expand that client base and diversify itsportfolio to include defense, aerospace,and/or alternative energy supplements.

“At the end of the day, I’d like theoverwhelming bulk of our business toinclude four or five consistent automotivecustomers with some additional industriesmixed in. Right now, our dealings areskewed heavily toward our parent co-related business, but in the future, wedon’t want them to be more than 50% orso of everything that we do.”

Responding to the automotive indus-try’s work wave-pattern, Darling says: “Toignorantly try to predict the future wouldbe difficult, but what I wish for is a steadybook of work. Our industry is typicallyvery cyclical—the work goes up anddown—and, to me, this is a less than

desirable outcome for our employees. So ahuge goal is to try to steady out; natural-ly, revenue will have to grow to accom-plish that steady state. The $55 million isprobably going to be good enough, how-ever, a consistent, $70-80 million in rev-enue would be a very comfortable placefor us, based on our size.”

Considering that the number of spe-cial die and tool, die set, jig, and fixturemanufacturing (NAISC 333514) estab-lishments dropped 17% between 2002and 2007, and considering Michigan hasthe highest number of T&D establish-ments of all the states (as reported forboth by the U.S. Census Bureau),Autodie LLC. serves to remind the indus-try that although external tools—likeinfrastructure upgrades and investmentpackages—can help build business pros-perity, often the internal catalysts—likepassion, integrity, ingenuity, and com-mitment—are what spark innovationand drive the momentum for success.Darling’s enthusiastic quote, “Coming towork here is not a job— it’s an adven-ture,” or his inspirational mantra, “We’retrying to rewrite an industry that’s atdeath’s door and prove that it can be suc-cessful,” are the audible manifestationsof an internal catalyst—a motivatedvision that’s ready to see its future.

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Industrial BriefsJenison - Hard Topix Precast Concretenow provides 3,400 color options(including 615 shades of green) for itssustainable-green countertops.

Grand Rapids - With over 20 years expe-rience in customer relations, CathySzekely was selected as PraxisPackaging’s new customer service man-ager.

Walker - Tubelite Inc. has named AZ-based Glaz-Tech Industries, Inc. as dis-tributor for the company’s architecturalaluminum products, to serve Idaho andUtah clients.

Grand Rapids - Sixarp LLC, PraxisPackaging has announced the selectionof Grand Valley State University grad-uate, Mia Goeddeke, as marketing andcustomer service representative.

Zeeland - Gentex Corporation hasannounced it will supply auto-dimmingmirrors with its SmartBeam® high-beamheadlamp assist technology for the all-new 2011 Dodge Durango and DodgeCharger.

Three Rivers - Jim Smith and JohnShelley of Armstrong Internationalhave been inducted into the Black LiquorBoiler Advisory Committee for the NorthAmerican Pulp and Paper Industry.Smith will serve as a primary member;Shelley, as an alternate member.

Allegan - Perrigo has hired Ray Kunkelas director of sales and operations plan-ning. Kunkel will lead the sales andoperations planning process andDemand Forecasting, Supply Planningand Inventory Management team.

Grand Rapids – Proos Manufacturingwelcomes new manufacturing engineer,Kevin Callaghan, and quality engineer,Randy Hilliker. Callaghan has 20 yearsexperience as a manufacturing engineerin the automotive, aerospace, office fur-niture, and medical industries. Hillikertotes an extensive education and 14+years engineering experience, primarilyin the automotive industry.

Grand Rapids - Guilford of Maine andPeopledesign have redefined theGuilford of Maine brand as industry-specific performance textiles, with collec-tions focused on the office, education,and healthcare markets. The tagline“The New Black” employs black as abrand color, and speaks to the need forsimplicity, efficiency, and performance insaid markets.

Zeeland - Gentex Corporation providedan update on the capabilities of theCompany's Rear Camera Display Mirrors,which exceed certain requirements of theDecember 7, 2010, Notice of ProposedRulemaking by the U.S. NationalHighway Traffic Safety Administrationpromulgated related to the KidsTransportation Safety Act (KTSA).

Traverse City - CPM Century Extrusionhas announced that Marc Delplace isnow an agent for eastern Canada and theupper New England states.

Lansing - Citadel DefenseTechnologies has instituted a Testing &Evaluation Program designed to assistlaw enforcement departments as theyimplement the new lifesaving technologyof Cide Shields. The program allows eachpolice department a one-time opportuni-ty to purchase up to six Cide Shields at a25 percent cost-reduction. Cide Shieldsare light-weight, transparent personalprotective devices that provide anincreased light source for uniformed lawenforcement, security and military per-sonnel. Designed to replace the currentflashlight with a dual, high-intensityflood light system, Cide Shields also pro-vide protection from ballistic, edgedweapon, explosive, chemical and incen-diary device attacks from injury to thehead, face and neck.

Zeeland - Gentex Corporation will shipinterior auto-dimming rearview mirrorsfor Nissan's 2011 Leaf. The Leaf is avail-able in the U.S. with auto-dimming mir-rors on both the SV and SL trim levels.

Grand Haven & Rockford - Both AtlasErgonomics and Ege WorkSmartSolutions (EWSS) have announced thatAtlas will offer EWSS’s Stretch It Out!product line. The program is designed toreduce musculoskeletal disorders, aswell as common workplace injuries.

22

SETTING THE PACE FOR TOMORROW

Lacks Trim SystemsLacks Wheel Trim SystemsPlastic-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

Linear MichiganConsolidates OperationsGrand Rapids – Continued growth

and a quest for providing better cus-tomer service and additional capacityhas prompted Linear Michigan to consol-idate its manufacturing operations into anew, single site, the company announcedat a ribbon cutting ceremony today.

Linear is a major supplier of wire-less residential security systems, accesscontrol, intercoms, garage door opera-tors, gate operators, short- and long-range radio remote controls, and med-ical/emergency reporting systems,among other products.

A Grand Rapids Area Chamber ofCommerce member, Linear Michiganinvited Chamber representatives to be onhand as it officially recognized the open-

ing of the larger manufacturing facilityat 2547 Three Mile Road.

After functioning in four nearbybuildings since 1975, the consolidationnearly doubles Linear’s service, manufac-turing and warehouse capacity from47,000 square feet to 88,500 square feet.

“We simply outgrew our old sites,”says Paul Stevens, General Manager.“The addition of assembling products forLinear’s security product brands IEI andAigis, as well as our existing gate opera-tors and commercial garage door opera-tors, made this move essential.”

Linear Michigan not only grew itsfootprint, it also added head count, grow-ing from 47 to 61 full-time employees.

23Manufacturing Driving Michigan's Recovery

Lansing - The Consensus RevenueEstimating Conference report releasedyesterday showed positive news aboutthe Michigan economy with manufactur-ing leading the recovery in employmentgrowth, primarily due to the auto indus-try. Manufacturing posted a job growthrate of 6.3 percent from March 2010 toMarch 2011, more than double the rateof any other sector. Manufacturing hasled job growth in Michigan, creating 38percent of all new jobs in the state and isoutpacing national manufacturinggrowth. The House Fiscal Agency fore-casts manufacturing employment toincrease 5.5 percent in 2011, while non-manufacturing industries are expected to

grow at a rate of just 2.2 percent.Of the total 79,000 new jobs from

March 2010 to March 2011, 30,000 ofthose were from the manufacturing sec-tor. Michigan posted the fifth highestpercentage year-over-year job gain in thenation. For Mitch Bean, director of theHouse Fiscal Agency this is not surpris-ing. “I am not surprised that manufac-turing is leading the recovery. Michiganis a manufacturing state.”

“Manufacturing is what is advanc-ing Michigan’s future. There is a myththat manufacturing is a dying industry,that it is a dinosaur, but that just isn’ttrue. Manufacturing is what is drivinggrowth; not just in Michigan, but nation-

ally,” says Mike Johnston, vice presidentof government affairs for the MichiganManufacturers Association.

The auto industry has been a driv-ing force in manufacturing growth.Twenty-four percent of the national autoindustry is located in Michigan betweenthe Big 3 and its suppliers.

Bean believes the domestic autoindustry has made great changes. “Theyare able to be profitable making fewervehicles and are able to actually compete.It’s been a very big change in the indus-try. It used to be that they had to turn outa whole lot more vehicles to be prof-itable, and that meant they needed alarger market share. Now that’s turnedaround.” The Michigan auto industryhas streamlined production, loweredcosts and simultaneously increasedquality.

This isn’t growth that is expected toend. Bean predicts, “When they are prof-itable, then they can expand, which weare beginning to see.”

The House Fiscal Agency forecastfor Michigan manufacturing employmentindicates an increase of 5.5 percent for2011, 2.2 percent for 2012 and 3.1 per-cent in 2013.

Bean believes those who have sur-vived the economic downturn are posi-tioned for success. “Manufacturers havedemonstrated themselves in terms ofproductivity and being able to weatherone of the worst storms and most pro-longed economic downturns we’ve hadsince the Depression. Those that havebeen able to weather this and come outon the other side are going to be wellpositioned to take advantage of theimproving economy. Manufacturers have

done everything they need to do to real-ly hit the ground running.”

Manufacturing has a stronger job-multiplier effect than other business sec-tors, meaning manufacturers will spurfurther growth. According to Bean,“Every job at an auto assembly plantaffects six to seven other jobs. The autoindustry has a very high multipliereffect. The average multiplier effect formanufacturing is to have four to six jobsoutside the sector relating to each job.”

As for manufacturing being adinosaur, Bean says, “Those aren’t theindicators from the numbers we’re see-ing. Production, new-orders, exports andemployment are all strong.”

“Michigan is a manufacturing state.We have been for decades. It’s not any-thing new. I don’t see any reason that isgoing to change any time soon.”

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CMU Online MBA OffersLogistics ConcentrationsMount Pleasant – Central Michigan

University’s College of BusinessAdministration and CMU’s Off-Campusand Online Programs is offering anonline MBA degree program with threedifferent concentrations: 1) SAP, theworld’s leading enterprise resource plan-ning (ERP) software system, 2) LogisticsManagement and 3) a professional pro-gram in Value-Driven Organization.

SAP is currently used by over38,000 firms in more than 120 countriesto manage all aspects of their business.CMU has been a member of the SAPUniversity Alliance since 1997, ensuringthat the curriculum will be constantlyupdated and that the content is always onthe leading edge of SAP technology.Included as part of the program is the SAPAcademy, which offers students theopportunity to earn TERP10 – mySAP ERPIntegrated Business Processes certifica-tion and inclusion in a SAP database. Theaim of this program is to help studentsbecome the potential “go to” person intheir organization for optimizing responseto dynamic market conditions.

Logistics is one of the fastest grow-ing industries in the United States. It is a

vital part of supply chain managementand deals with the movement and storageof materials. Summed up simply, logisticsis the process of making sure materialsare in the right place, at the right time,with the correct number needed, withoutdamage, and all done with the lowestimpact on the environment and at thelowest cost possible. This complex systemis made possible by employing tactics inlean principles, avoiding risk and fore-casting – all of which are covered exten-sively in this MBA concentration.

CMU’s professional MBA, the ValueDriven Organization program, isdesigned for the contemporary businessworld and addresses corporate gover-nance and social responsibility. Studentswill participate in an in-depth examina-tion of the marketing research method-ologies utilized to capture the “voice ofthe customer” in a competitive market-place. They will also gain advancedknowledge in process improvement as itrelates to organizations, which is the keyto creating efficiencies and ultimatelyprofits. Completion of this program willallow graduates to add immediate valueto their organizations.

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What’s in a Name? Everything!By Joe Takash

How are you at remembering peo-ple’s names?

A) FantasticB) Not so hotC) Embarrassingly badIf you are like most people, you’ve

checked off either B or C. When it comes to remembering

people’s names, the typical excusesinclude, “I’m good with faces, but notnames,” or “I just have a block and I’llnever be good.”

Yet, why is it that you can meetsomeone, learn his or her name, and fourseconds later, smile at them while think-ing to yourself, “I have no idea whatyour name is?”

Or why is it that you’d rather yellout a random nickname like “Hey BigShooter!” instead of asking “I’m sorry,please tell me your name again” whenyou forget a person’s name?

There are a plethora of reasons whywe forget names, but truth is, none of

them matter. Your connection with thepeople whose names you can’t recall arefar weaker than with those whose namesyou do remember.

The following are five tips to helpyou remember names. They are simple intheory, but require practice, commitmentand repetition. The results are well worthit for your business and your career.Rule #1: Ask people for names.

How many times have you been tothe same church, bar or gym, see thesame people and never bother to intro-duce yourself? Think of the personalconnections and professional opportuni-ties you could be passing up! When itcomes to asking people’s names, simplythink, “Jump in the water -- it’s not thatcold.” Be an initiator and approach oth-ers with courage on the outside, no mat-ter how you feel inside.Rule #2: Spell and pronounce namescorrectly.

These are paired together becausethey require similar efforts in clarifying(not assuming) for accuracy. I was once

introduced to speak to five hundred peo-ple in the following manner: “Ladies andgentlemen, please welcome Mr. JoeTakass” (instead of Takash). This is nota lie. Taking time to assure the correctspelling and pronunciation is somethingto attend to in fine detail.Rule #3: Ask again when you forget.

This may be the best, but mostunderused tool. Chances are, all of usimmediately forget names, 80 percent ofthe time. By asking people again andagain, you are simply informing themthat you want to value them, and theirname is an attachment to that value. Ifthe person gets upset, simply tell him orher, “I’m very sorry, I just want to respectyou by getting your name correctly.” It’shard to argue with that.Rule #4: Remember!

To lock names into your mental harddrive, use all tools possible. This caninclude rhymes like “Dan the Man” orassociations like “Rhonda from Reno.”Remembering requires an eclectic effort.Write names down, repeat them out loud,

repeat them to yourself. Work hard andyou will get in better “name” shape.Rule #5: Use them or lose them.

In writing, on the phone or in person,use people’s names. When your name iscalled as someone who contributed to thesuccess of a great team effort, it feelsgreat. When your child’s name is on theDean’s List, it looks like a work of art.Knowing names increases your confi-dence, makes others feel great and is acompetitive advantage in business.

So, what’s in a name? Everything!

Joe Takash is the author of thenewly released “Results ThroughRelationships: Building Trust,Performance and Profit Through People,”as well as a sought-after media resourceand keynote speaker. As the founder ofperformance management firm VictoryConsulting, Joe has worked with clientslike American Express, Prudential,Century 21 and General Motors.

24

Service Recovery:A Powerful Tool for Success

By John Tschohl

Service recovery. Those two wordscan make the difference between successand failure. And yet most people in man-agement positions don’t know what theterm means, let alone how to use servicerecovery to establish a loyal customerbase and increase sales.

Let me give you two examples ofcustomers who had a problem with abusiness. Mary meets a friend for dinnerat ABC Restaurant; a few blocks away,Frank is dining with a coworker at XYZRestaurant. Mary had made a reserva-tion for 7 p.m. and waited for 45 minutesbefore being seated. Down the street,Frank’s steak was under-cooked andwas sent back to the kitchen.

When Mary complained about thelong wait for a table, the hostess simplysaid, “We’re very busy tonight” andwent on her way. When Frank com-plained about his steak, his waiter apol-ogized, immediately returned it to thekitchen, and offered Frank and his din-ner companion free desserts.

Which restaurant would youpatronize? I think the answer is evident.The waiter at XYZ Restaurant apologizedfor the problem and compensated Frankfor the mistake, sending the messagethat the restaurant values Frank and hisbusiness.

Every organization, no matter howgood it is or how awesome its service,makes mistakes. It’s how employeeshandle those mistakes that determinesthe level of service the organization pro-vides and the loyalty that service instillsin its customers.

Service recovery means doing what-ever it takes to solve a customer’s prob-lem—and doing it quickly. Most compa-nies, not only in the United States butthroughout the world, don’t know whatservice recovery is, or the impact it canhave on their bottom lines. FederalExpress is one of those companies.

My company spends $5,000 to$10,000 a month with Federal Expressbut, when it lost customized, printedmaterial I had shipped to EthiopianAirlines, it offered no help, so I had toreprint the material and re-ship it.Federal Express located the misplacedshipment two weeks later and denied myclaim for the original printing and ship-ping costs. What it should have donewas apologize for the mistake, waive theextra shipping charge, and given me acredit for the extra printing costs againsta future invoice. There was no servicerecovery here.

Service recovery means providingservice that is so amazing that the cus-tomer tells everyone she knows about it.That word-of-mouth advertising is cheap

and powerful and will bring more cus-tomers—and their money—through yourdoors.

If you’d like to grow your business,without having to spend millions of dol-lars in advertising, focus on servicerecovery by taking these four steps:

1. Act quickly. If you can solve acustomer’s problem quickly, in 60 sec-onds or less, you not only maintain thatcustomer’s loyalty, you save your organ-ization money. How? The cost to move acomplaint up the ladder takes more timeand increases the cost of resolving thesituation by getting others involved. Thereal magic happens when a frontlineemployee handles the situation.

2. Take responsibility. Most employ-ees, when faced with a complaining cus-tomer, take the attitude, “I didn’t causethe problem, so why should I apolo-gize?” They take complaints personallyrather than merely apologizing for thesituation and then work quickly toresolve it. Instead of running for cover,you should simply say, “I’m so sorry forthe problem; let me take care of this foryou.”

3. Be empowered. In order to putservice recovery into practice, it’s imper-ative that managers and supervisorsempower their employees. That meansgiving them the authority to do whatev-er is necessary to take care of the cus-

tomer. 4. Compensate the customer. Every

organization has something of low costbut high value that it can give a customeras compensation for a problem. A hotelcan upgrade a guest’s room to a suite, acell phone company can give a client1,000 free minutes, and a computer com-pany can extend a warranty for a year. Ineach of these cases, the cost to the com-pany is virtually zero.

There is a distinction between cus-tomer service and service recovery. If Ibuy a bag of apples, discover that half ofthem are rotten, and the store gives me anew bag of apples, that’s customer serv-ice. If, however, the store replaces thatbag of apples and gives me another at nocharge, that’s service recovery.

When you practice—and perfect—service recovery, your customers willsing your praises to anyone who will lis-ten. That word-of-mouth advertising willbring in new customers and strengthenyour bottom line. Service recovery is apowerful tool for success that you can’tafford to ignore.

John Tschohl, the internationallyrecognized service strategist, is founderand president of the Service QualityInstitute in Minneapolis, Minnesota.John’s monthly strategic newsletter isavailable online.

Hotels/Restrauants BriefsHolland - Angie K Anderson, executivechef and co-owner of Blue House Bistroin Holland, has been named a nationalfinalist for the National RestaurantAssociation (NRA) 2011 AmericanDream Award, which honors individualsfrom a diverse background who, throughhard work and determination, have real-ized the American dream. The award isone of two Faces of Diversity awards,created by the NRA and PepsiCoFoodservice to recognize the restaurantindustry's commitment to diversity andto celebrate individuals in the restaurantindustry who are achieving theAmerican dream.

Boyne Falls - BOYNE has expanded itsnorthern Michigan golf offerings addingHidden River Golf & Casting Club ofBrutus, Michigan through a new man-agement deal. Hidden River becomesthe ninth course in BOYNE’s notable col-lection of championship golf courses.

Grand Rapids - Founders Brewing Co.vice president/director of marketing,Dave Engbers, announced that thissummer, his Grand Rapids brewery willbegin selling 750ml bottles of specialtybeers dubbed the Backstage Series.

Acme - Grand Traverse Resort & Spa’sGreen Team, led by Resort employeesMartha Duby and Shaina O'Dwyer,received the Business of the Year Awardfrom the Northern MichiganEnvironmental Action Council duringits 31st annual Environmentalist of theYear awards event.

Ann Arbor – Wolverine State BrewingCompany has posted a 500% salesincrease since opening its brewery andTap Room doors in Nov 2010, andexpects to boost its 150-200 barrel/yearsales goal to 800 for 2011. MarketingDirector, E.T. Crowe, also anticipates therelaunching of the Wolverine Beer brandwith Kent Beverage and ImperialBeverage in early summer.

Grand Rapids – The 6th Annual GreatLakes Cider & Perry Competition hasbecome the second largest cider andperry competition in the English-speak-ing world. 2011 Michigan winnersinclude: Robinette Cellars in GrandRapids -- three bronze, one silver; andUncle John’s Fruit House Winery in St.John's -- five gold, five silver, twobronze.

25Delta’s Programs Reward Business Travelers

by Krystal Carter

According to the Grand Rapids AreaChamber of Commerce, “sixty percent of allMichigan trade – $44 billion a year – iswith Canada. One in seven Grand Rapidsarea jobs are tied to trade with Canada,and a significant number of West Michigancompanies do business with Canada everyday.” So how does Canada accommodatethe Michigan business traveler?

Delta Hotel and Resorts operates 46properties across Canada, offering busi-ness travelers a variety of cost-effectiveincentives, services and programs, whilesimultaneously catering to their differentneeds. For example, through the DeltaMeeting Maestros program, Delta pairsbusinesses with a team of on-siteexperts, providing them with the toolsneeded to coordinate the perfect meeting.For travelers wishing to blend their worklife with their family life, Delta providesthe chain-wide Family Program, whichfeatures various children’s activities,indoor pools, and restaurant discountsthat allow guests 6 years and under to eat

free while guests 7-12 eat half priced. Delta Privilege

Business travelers can expect toreceive a distinguishable, increased levelof hotel service from Delta Hotel andResort’s premier, complimentary, guestloyalty and recognition program – DeltaPrivilege. The program began in 1989,but gained popularity in 1992 when Deltabecame the first to deliver the “One-Minute Check-In, Or Your Room is Free”guarantee.

Unlike other hotel programs whichare points driven, Delta Privilege recog-nizes members with enhanced treatmentand services based on their program sta-tus. Free to join, the program is multi-tiered, including Base, Gold, Platinumand Platinum Plus+ levels, each offeringcorrelative benefits. Unique to the pro-gram are credits given in the form of$200, $300 and $500 increments to beused as the guest wishes toward room,dining and meeting room charges.

Incentives and LuxuriesDelta, through market research firm

Brand Matters, conducted 5,663 surveys

with members to better understand whatbenefits were most important to them.The highest-rated benefits were thoseassociated with room upgrades, followedby room, dining and meeting credits.Members of the Platinum and PlatinumPlus+ tiers also revered the 48-hourguaranteed room, along with free Internetaccess. Every tier ranked extended check-out and early check-in provisions asimportant features.

Currently, all Delta Privilege mem-bers receive free, in-room, high-speedInternet access, Aeroplan® credits witheach stay, complimentary phone services,separate concierge lines and a separatecheck-in desk with the One-Minute guar-antee -- plus extended check-out andearly check-in services. As membersgraduate to higher tiers, they receiveadvanced benefits. Additionally, DeltaPrivilege offers exclusive partnershipswith Avis and Air Canada.

New to Delta PrivilegeDelta recently partnered with Avis to

offer members exclusive benefits andrewards on Avis car rentals. Membersenjoy association discounts between 5-25% on Avis bookings in the U.S.,Canada and International destinations,access to Free Preferred Service and theability to take advantage of standardAvis/Aeroplan offers. Gold, Platinum andPlatinum Plus+ members also garnerBonus Aeroplan Miles; Platinum andPlatinum Plus+ can choose betweenbonus miles or a free car upgrade withevery booking.

Krystal Carter is the Public RelationsCoordinator for Delta Hotels and Resorts,which operates and franchises 46, full-service, city centre and airport hotels andresorts across Canada. Visit www.delta-hotels.com/privilege .for more informa-tion on Delta’s Privilege program.

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26Kidnapping for Ransom:

A Fateful International Growth IndustryContinued from page 2

• Limit the access to your travelplans to a trusted few. If you don’t knowsomeone well, don’t let it be knownwhere you are traveling, or even thatyou’re planning a trip. Kidnapping is abusiness in many parts of the world; theperpetrators are organized and can oftengather intelligence on possible victims,simply by overhearing a conversation.

Although Americans often grow upplacing their implicit trust in the police, inmany locales, going to the police can be amajor mistake, since they may be corruptand party to abductions.

Kidnap & Ransom insurance isanother step to take when traveling tolocations where U.S. companies haveemployed expatriates, or destinationswhere corporate executives and celebri-ties are visiting.

While there are insurance policiesthat provide reimbursement, there are

other considerations that deserve anequal amount of attention. For example,credible Kidnap and Ransom insurancepolicies cover unlimited expenses for theservices of experienced crisis manage-ment teams, which include highly skilledprofessionals, such as former CIA andSecret agents and ex-Military Police per-sonnel. Its purpose is to negotiate thesafe release of kidnap victims. If a ran-som is required, they are skilled at nego-tiating as little payout as possible, withsafety as the top priority.

Anyone buying Kidnap & Ransominsurance should keep the purchasestrictly confidential; potential kidnappersmay view such insurance as a source ofransom funds.

Since Kidnap & Ransom insurance istypically purchased from Property &Casualty insurance brokers, they musthave adequate information to make surethe coverage is appropriate. Here areexamples of the information that’s neces-

sary to properly underwrite a policy:• What’s the person’s travel plans

over the coming 12 months? This helpsdetermine patterns and possible expo-sures.

• How does the individual typicallygo about developing new business? Sincemany top executives, for example, are sokeenly focused on the goal of their travel,it’s important to understand what thatentails.

• How familiar are travelers withtheir destinations and how well are theyknown in those locations, particularly the“hot spots?”

Such information is not only helpfulin the underwriting process, but for aCrisis Management Team as well.

It’s also worth pointing out that thecost of Kidnap & Ransom insurance ismodest. For example, a $5 million dollarpolicy for one year, with non-hazardoustravel that includes the services of a cri-sis management team, is about $2,000.

If travel is to high-risk areas, suchas Columbia, Venezuela, and certainother South American countries, thereare additional premium costs. Coverage isavailable for individuals and their familymembers, as well as corporations andtheir employees.

The possibility of a kidnapping isone of the bigger challenges faced by agrowing number of U.S. travelers,whether vacationing or on business. Ifthe current pattern persists, we canexpect that there will be more kidnap vic-tims and payouts in the years ahead,even though many of these incidentsnever make the news.

Frank Zuccarello is Executive VicePresident and a partner of ExceptionalRisk Advisors, LLC. Zuccarello under-writes and places Kidnap and Ransompolicies for corporate executives. Contact:frank.zuccarello@exceptionalriskadvi-sors.com.

Hotels/Restrauants BriefsGrand Rapids - In the April 2011 edition ofPollstar Magazine’s Top 50 ArenaVenues of all sizes Worldwide, Van AndelArena ranked #38 for first quarter 2011ticket sales. Based solely on U.S. ticketsales, the arena ranked # 16. The DeVosPerformance Hall ranked #40 in Pollstar’sTop 50 Theatre Venues Worldwide.

Acme – Grand Traverse Resort & Spahas appointed Chef Guillermo Valenciato the position of executive chef. Heexcels at contemporary Americanregional, and European cuisine, reflect-ing a Latin Fusion focus.

Lansing – For the 8th consecutive quar-ter, the social media efforts ofMichigan.org have been judged to bethe most effective of the 50 U.S. statetourism offices, according to the UnitedStates Tourism Office.

Grand Haven - June 25 - 26, 2011 willmark the 50th anniversary of GrandHaven’s summer art event. Family FunDay will take place on June 25, hosted byThe Chamber of Commerce of GrandHaven - Spring Lake – Ferrysburg, inpartnerships with the Main Street DDAand local merchants.

Boyne City - The team from SecchiaInstitute for Culinary Education at GrandRapids Community College won the2011 Chefs Challenge Competition, hostedby Boyne Mountain Resort. “People’sChoice” awards were also presented to thefollowing victors: Beverage Division:Short's Brewery (Artisan Brew); GrandTraverse Distillery (Spirits); BowersHarbor Winery and Good HarborVineyards, tied (Wine). CulinaryDivision: Odawa Casino & Resort(Northwest MI); St. Mary's Healthcare(Southwest MI; also named “Overall

People’s Choice Winner”). The northernMI culinary event -- inspired by the cultsensation, Iron Chef America, and thefamous “Secret Ingredient” -- showcasedMichigan food and drink products in cre-ative meal-applications, while MI estab-lishments raised funds for ChallengeMountain.

Grand Rapids - The former Corez winebar in East Hills will become the thirddining establishment of EssenceRestaurant Group -- owner of TheGreen Well Gastro Pub and BistroBella Vita. The Grove, slated to open inlate August, will feature modern,authentic cuisine with fresh, naturalsauces and a tilt towards sustainableseafood. Essence Restaurant Groupintends on adding 35 new associates.

Benton Harbor - The Anna Russo-SieberGallery is offering 5 weeks of summer artcamp titled "A Summer Arts Quest." Campwill run from June 20-August 5.

Muskegon - Now in its 72nd season, theWest Michigan Symphony hasunveiled its 2011-12 concert lineup --with music director, Scott Speck, return-ing for his 10th season; Speck will kick-off an eight-concert series Sept. 16 thatwill conclude June 2, 2012.

Grand Rapids – The Grand RapidsPublic Museum announced that it willhost the popular Titanic: The ArtifactExhibition during 2012, the 100thanniversary year of the ship’s sinking.

Grand Rapids – Experience GrandRapids, the convention and visitorsbureau, announced the launch of its newsummer tourism marketing promotion,designed to celebrate Grand Rapids as aPure Michigan destination, while high-lighting area art and food.

Ada – Grand River Grocery changed itssignature to Ninth Bridge Market andunveiled three, newly-created specialty-establishments, each located in thedowntown Ada village: Ninth BridgeCatering; the staff-expanding NinthBridge Bakery; and Ninth BridgeCoffee, in partnership with GrandRapids’ MadCap Coffee Company andthe last to open on May16.

Douglas - Saugatuck BrewingCompany has announced a major dis-tribution expansion into the DetroitMetro, Tri Cities, and mid-Michigan mar-kets, after partnering with PowersDistributing, O & W Distributing,Eastown Distributors and John P.O’Sullivan Distributing.

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Grand Rapids – Land & Co. was pre-sented with the Organization that hasFurthered Fair Housing Award from theFair Housing Center of WestMichigan.

Lansing – Lansing-area print and designcompany, Foresight Group, relocated to2822 Martin Luther King Blvd. in May.With more than 30,000 square feet ofmanufacturing and office space, themove offers increased production, newprograms, better turn-around times andmore cutting-edge technology for cus-tomers. Foresight Group also added anew four-color Heidelberg and a state-of-the-art 40 inch, six-color Mitsubishipress to their ranks, expanding printingcapabilities.

Traverse City – Sleep Specialists,Margaret Moen, MD has moved into anewly-renovated building at 457Munson Avenue, in Traverse City.

Grandville - The Michigan Businessand Professional Association has rec-ognized Group, Inc. for the second con-secutive year as one of “West Michigan’s101 Best and Brightest Companies toWork For.”

Muskegon - The Muskegon AreaChamber of Commerce's EntrepreneurAward was recently presented to NextI.T. owner, Eric Ringelberg. OrchardView H.S. junior, Joe Bourgoin, seizedthe Young Entrepreneur Award. Thechamber's annual event also honoredthe life and business career of RussStrong, 55, who passed in January.

Grand Rapids - West Michigan retailerHorizen Hydroponics has openedGrowers Outlet at 7720 Clyde Park Ave.SW.

Gaithersburg, MD – The NationalAssociation for Female Executiveshas named Sodexo, Inc. to the 2011“Top 50 Companies and 10 Nonprofitsfor Executive Women” for its initiative inpromoting gender equality in the work-place.

Minneapolis, MN - Grocery ShoppingNetwork has announced the launch ofnewly-enhanced consumer websites forPick ’n Save, Rainbow Foods, CoppsFood Centers, Metro Market andMariano’s Fresh Market – 5 stores ban-nered under Milwaukee-basedRoundy’s Supermarkets, Inc.

Holland - Two new businesses haveopened in Downtown Holland: SilverFox Jewelry of Traverse City; and thedebuting Spring Sweet. Together, theyjoin Premovation Audio and Visual,the Bag Lady Purse Store, and theWellness Spa as the latest additions toDowntown Holland.

Grand Rapids - Kevin Stotts, GrandRapids Area Chamber of Commerce,announced that he will leave his posi-tions at the Chamber to become presi-dent of Talent 2025—a new initiative toincrease educational attainmentthroughout West Michigan.

Grand Rapids - Goodwill Industries ofGreater Grand Rapids, Inc. celebratedthe grand opening of its second LEEDCertified retail store located at 8390Belmont Avenue, 10 Mile Road inRockford.

Grand Rapids - The CommunityFoundation has launched a new fund-ing program that provides $5,000 grantsto nonprofits that have great ideas fortapping the skills of Encore Teams: smallgroups of community volunteers whoare 50+.

Grand Rapids - Inforum West Michiganrecently honored Melissa N. Collar andJanet P. Knaus with Inner Circle awards.The two will be among 27 women exec-utives to be recognized by Inforum, onJune 15.

Norton Shores – Lakeshore DocumentServices in Norton Shores is now utiliz-ing the faster scanning technology of theFlexScan 2-in-1 Scanner for Roll Filmand Microfiche, by nextScan.

Wyoming - The City of Wyoming’sClean Water Plant accepted the CleanCorporate Citizen award from theMichigan Department ofEnvironmental Quality -- the firstMichigan municipal treatment facility tobe accepted as a Clean Corporate Citizen.The award recognizes overall excellencein operations and environmental pro-grams.

Grand Rapids - The following were elect-ed to The Employers’ Association’s2011 - 2012 Board of Directors: CindyElenbaas, Jay Dunwell, and Bob Roth.Tom Bradford and Sam Ojo wereappointed directors. Elected officersinclude: Karen McPhee - chairperson,Scott McLean - vice chair and JayDunwell - treasurer.

Grand Rapids - Advantage Sign Supplyhas announced a tenth branch locationin St. Paul, Minnesota, and welcomesnew sales representatives, Lyle Hanzaland Roger Olson. Estimated to openJune 15th, the branch will serve Northand South Dakota, Minnesota, and selectaccounts in Wisconsin.

Grand Rapids - Spartan Stores FamilyFare Supermarkets introduced a pro-gram to help families earn free gas basedon grocery purchases. Shoppers can savefrom $.02 up to $.10 cents per gallon,per product item, by shopping at any ofthe three Family Fare Supermarkets inthe Holland and Zeeland area.Customers receive a printed, bar-codedfuel reward to be redeemed at the QuickStop Fuel Centers for up to 20 gallonsof gas. Offer ends June 30, 2011.

Rockford - This spring, WolverineWorldwide opened a new MerrellConcept Store at Mall of America inBloomington, Minnesota. The storedesign was recently awarded First Place,2010 Store of the Year from Chain StoreAge, and was also recognized with anAward of Merit in Store Design from theRetail Design Institute.

Holland – Tiara Yachts has appointedGrande Yachts International as itsnewest dealer. Grande Yachts will serviceDelaware, Maryland and Virginia locales.

Fort Wayne, IN - Boyden & YoungbluttAdvertising and Marketing took hometwo gold awards and one silver at the2011 Aster Awards, an elite competitionfor advertising and marketing efforts inthe healthcare field.

Grand Rapids - Frey Foundation hasannounced that Milt Rohwer will retireat the end of this year after 13 years asfoundation president. Rohwer played anintegral role in the Frey Foundation’sefforts to galvanize support for qualityparks and greenways, improved waterstewardship, vibrant community artsand early childhood development.

Grand Rapids - The Grand RapidsGriffins promoted Chad Erwin to directorof ticket operations and hired Jamie Lawas a corporate sales account manager.

Corporate Information 27

Review of How to InstantlyConnect with Anyone

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