Michigan Business Network

Originally uploaded October 20th, reloaded October 31st. Chris Holman welcomes back Paula Macpherson, Executive Director of Velocity, Sterling Heights, and meets Cornel Ureche, Co-Founder/CEO DataISource, Washington Twp. MI. Questions for Paula Macpherson – Velocity Can you remind the Michigan business community about Velocity? Velocity has been working with DataISource for about a year and a half...

Originally uploaded October 16th, reloaded October 31st. Chris Holman welcomes back Patricia Hinojosa, Senior Foundation Program Manager, DTE Energy Foundation at DTE Energy, Detroit, Michigan. 1. Welcome back, the 2026 Community Empowerment Award recipients have just been announced. What stood out to the DTE Foundation about this year’s organizations and their work? 2. The awards focus on housing...

Originally uploaded October 16th, reloaded October 31st. Chris Holman welcomes Kalamazoo (AI & Software semifinalist for PitchMI) Elliot Smith, CEO and co-founder of Motmot, Detroit, MI. Welcome, Elliot. Please share a bit about Motmot and the problem your technology is designed to solve for the Michigan business community. For people who may not think much about what happens beneath our streets,...

Originally uploaded October 16th, reloaded October 31st. Chris Holman welcomes Detroit (Healthcare & Life Sciences semifinalist for PitchMI) April and Josh Olson, co-founders of Ollivate, Detroit, MI, Welcome, April and Josh. Please share a bit about Ollivate and the problem you’re working to solve for healthcare professionals and the broader Michigan business community. Healthcare professionals h...

Chris Holman welcomes back Zac Clark, General Manager, Lansing Lugnuts, Lansing, MI. The Lugnuts wrapped their 30th season in Mid-Michigan. What moments stood out to you? How did the new MSU Health Care Terrace fit into the Lugnuts fan experience? Are there any early reports so far on this season's economic impact? Or something general to report? With business community partners, can you speak to...

Chris Holman welcomes back Van W. Martin, SIOR, CCIM, CRE, CEO of Martin Commercial Properties, East Lansing, MI, & Mark J. Burzych, Member – President, Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes PLC, Lansing, MI. This time, together, as they share details on a new deal. Chris had several questions for the pair in this conversation: Van and Mark, what made this 45,000-square-foot office transaction possible? Va...

Originally uploaded October 16th, reloaded October 27th. Chris Holman welcomes back Nicole Noll-Williams, President & CEO, Capital Region Airport Authority, Lansing, MI. Welcome, Nicole. For Michigan’s business community, what role does Capital Region International Airport play in supporting business travel, tourism, and economic growth across the Lansing region? Breeze Airways’ Fort Myers route i...

Originally uploaded October 16th, reloaded October 27th. Chris Holman welcomes back Carrie Rosingana, CEO, CAMW! Capital Area Michigan Works!, Lansing, but serving Ingham, Eaton, and Clinton Counties. Oct. 1 marked the start of work requirements for many Medicaid recipients. What can you tell us about that? What's most important for employers to know about Medicaid work requirements? How will empl...

Chris Holman welcomes Gwenda Summers, the new Chief Executive Officer of the Community Mental Health Authority of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties (CMHA-CEI)—which operates Lansing's new 24/7 Crisis Care Center. Welcome Gwenda. Remind the Michigan business community about the Community Mental Health Authority? You’ve spent years working closely with youth and families through Families Forward a...

Chris Holman welcomes Joey Mullick, Co-Founder of OmegaCool, Ann Arbor, MI. Welcome Joey, please share a bit about OmegaCool for the Michigan business community? For manufacturers who may not think much about their cutting fluids, what does OmegaCool do differently, and how can it help a factory improve performance and control costs? Your technology is designed to extend tool life, reduce friction...

Chris Holman welcomes back Jeff Smith, Executive Director of Research Parks at the MSU Research Foundation, East Lansing, MI. There were several questions Chris wanted to find out from Jeff in this conversation. Jeff, let’s start with the Rosenberg Center. What is it, and what will it offer startups, researchers, and business partners that they may not have access to today? A big part of the goal...

Originally uploaded October 23rd, reloaded November 6th. Jeffrey Mosher welcomes back Clifford L. Hammond, Shareholder, Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC Attorneys, Southfield and Lansing of their 5 offices across Michigan. As employers head toward the end of 2026, what are some of the employment-law housekeeping items you think businesses should be addressing now rather than waiting until January?...

Recently, Lorri and Becky welcomed two dynamic women to Bold LeadHERs. Michelle Gilbert and Ashlee Willis share the experiences and lessons that shaped their professional journeys. From finding the confidence to communicate your value to building a business through persistence, relationships and adaptability, both guests offer practical perspectives on what it takes to lead boldly. Michelle Gilber...

Vic Verchereau welcomes Karin Hurt, who is CEO at Let’s Grow Leaders. In this episode of Michigan Business Network’s Leadership Lowdown, host Vic Verschureau interviews Karin Hurt, founder of Let’s Grow Leaders, about leadership development, organizational culture, and navigating change. Karin shares her 20-year career at Verizon, where she transitioned from human resources into leading large call...

Faces of Manufacturing is a newer show to Michigan Business Network. Cindy Kangas, Executive Director, CAMC, Capital Area Manufacturing Council, Lansing, Michigan, co-hosts with Joy Wagner, HR Manager of Granger Waste Services, also Lansing. Cindy and Joy strive to share the corporate culture, personal stories, and unique personalities of those making a living in manufacturing today, in Michigan....

Originally uploaded October 13, reloaded October 29th. Ryan Fewins-Bliss, Executive Director, MCAN - Michigan College Access Network, Lansing, MI. The first MI College Match offers went out Monday, and the numbers are already eye-boggling. Ryan, more than 25,000 college admission offers went out in the first round. What does that number tell you about the demand for this kind of approach to colleg...

Vic Verchereau welcomes Rev. Dr. Brian Johnson, who is Regional Executive Minister at Mission Driven Churches, the American Baptist Churches of Michigan. Rev. Dr. Brian Johnson was born and raised in Momence, IL. He holds an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education as well as graduate degrees in Divinity and Organizational Leadership. He is currently the Regional Executive Minister of Mission...

Originally uploaded October 23, reloaded October 26th. Jeffrey Mosher welcomes Allen Parent, Rustic Creations, Rochester Hills, MI Square Away You're a woodworker. Why did you end up building software? What was eating your evenings in the shop before Square Away? What does Square Away actually do for a small trade shop, day to day? How are you picking the beta shops, and what are they telling you?...

Originally uploaded October 23, reloaded October 26th. Jeffrey Mosher welcomes back Ed Siaje, President, Bank of America Detroit Why is workforce development such an important priority for Bank of America in Metro Detroit right now? Bank of America is investing more than $1.5 million in Metro Detroit this year. What do you want these investments to accomplish for employers, workers, and the region...

Vic Verchereau welcomes Zac Clark, who is General Manager at Lansing Lugnuts. From one season to another, the Lansing Lugnut team gets ready for the off season! A time to host stadium events, plan the highlights for next season and get the glitter trimmings out for the holiday season! General Manager, Zac Clark recalls the summer fun and tells us all about some new things planned for the coming ye...

Originally uploaded October 13th, reloaded October 19th. Jeffrey Mosher welcomes back Chris Andrews, co-founder of Música Tequila, with Geri, his wife, out of Northville, MI, and splits time in Fort Meyers, celebrating major industry recognition and preparing to launch a highly limited 36-month Grand Reserva Extra Añejo (ah-NYEH-hoh) Chris, Música has had a lot of momentum recently, from Double Go...

Vic Verchereau welcomes Delois Leaphart, who is President and CEO at Adoption Option Inc. “A child reached is a child saved” is the guiding belief behind Adoption Option Inc., a Michigan nonprofit child-placing agency. Founded to serve children in the foster care system and provide free information about helping those children, the organization now also offers adoption, foster home licensing, fost...

Faces of Manufacturing is a newer show to Michigan Business Network. Cindy Kangas, Executive Director, CAMC, Capital Area Manufacturing Council, Lansing, Michigan, co-hosts with Joy Wagner, HR Manager of Granger Waste Services, also Lansing. Cindy and Joy strive to share the corporate culture, personal stories, and unique personalities of those making a living in manufacturing today, in Michigan....

Thursday, October 1st, MBN was on the Road for Michigan's Largest MFG Day - Press Conference at LCC West Campus. The Capital Area Manufacturing Council kicked off Manufacturing Day 2026 with a press conference at Lansing Community College West Campus on Thursday, October 1, 2026, at 9:00 AM. The event launched a week of student tours and hands-on experiences designed to showcase today’s manufactur...

Chris Holman welcomes Nolan Spencer, incoming President of Wolverine Construction, Grand Rapids, MI. Topics include Spencer's transition from CFO to president since joining in 2024, his focus on bringing clarity to priorities and consistent execution across a 200+ employee company, how his role will work alongside CEO Curt Mulder, balancing national growth with Wolverine's 87-year legacy and cultu...