Right Down the Street with Mayor Bryan K. Barnett

The Ilitch name is synonymous with Detroit, and the Ilitch family’s impact has rippled across Michigan and echoes around the world. What began with a dream and one small Little Caesar’s restaurant, grew into a multifaceted business empire, encompassing the Detroit Tigers, the Red Wings, Fox Theatre, Olympia Entertainment and so much more.   Denise Ilitch, the eldest of Mike and Marian’s seven chil...

You know him as a steady and trusted pillar of Detroit television news, reporting without fear or favor at WXYZ-TV for 35 years. But do you know his nickname, his newest hobby or the most difficult stories he managed? Proud Rochester Hills resident, Dave LewAllen, discusses with Mayor Barnett the evolution of media over the decades, the key values he holds as a news journalist and reporter, and th...

Rochester Hills’ Stoney Creek Village has lived out the “it takes a village” concept in remarkable ways for 200 years. The first families to settle in our city in 1823 are much like the ones who live here today. Traits like an innovative spirit, a strong work ethic and persevering through obstacles characterize them. Values like education, faith, and living in community define them. Historian, Pat...

Mayor Barnett sits down with two of the most important women in his life - his mom and grandma - in this special Mother’s Day episode. Topics include values passed down through generations, “how I met your father,” embarrassing stories about Chris, vacations on a budget, and the importance of family to keep you grounded.  Rochester Hills IS Innovative by Nature and the "Preeminent Place to Li...

Exceptional companies create a brand that elicits an emotional connection. Disney is one of them, and long-time Rochester Hills resident, Janelle Tischer, is one of their key strategists. As the Vice President, Category Strategy, at the Walt Disney Company, Janelle excels at building partnerships and anticipating what’s next. She also pours her boundless energy into mentoring the next generation a...

March Madness is upon us and college basketball is on everyone’s mind. Mayor Barnett sits down with Oakland University’s head basketball coach, Greg Kampe, and three stars from this season’s team: Jalen Moore, Trey Townsend and Blake Lampman. The nation’s longest tenured coach at a Division 1 school, Coach Kampe wants his team to succeed on the court and off. He sets the pace when it comes to loya...

Mayor Barnett talks with Oakland University trailblazer, Glenn McIntosh, about Glenn’s passion for student success and the value he places on collaboration, intentional living and mentor relationships, including the impact Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mayor Coleman Young and many others have had on him. From winning Mr. Michigan to becoming the first person to hold the dual roles of senior vice presiden...

The New Year inspires fresh hope and new possibilities. Long distance runner, Sandy Stiner, knows how to push past perceived limits. Mayor Barnett met Sandy in 2017 when she boldly let him know, “I run this town.” Sandy had, in fact, been systematically running down every single street in Rochester Hills. Since then she has set and achieved even more remarkable goals. Sandy is an inspiring example...

Mayor Barnett’s siblings join him for a special holiday episode. Bryan, Chris, Andrea and Matt reminisce about what it was like growing up together and what makes their bond so strong.  Rochester Hills IS Innovative by Nature and the "Preeminent Place to Live, Work and Raise a Family." Learn more about our fantastic city at our award-winning website! Or follow us on Facebook!

Meet the chief engineer of the 2024 Chevy Silverado EV pickup truck, Nichole Kraatz. A graduate of Adams High School and Oakland University, Nichole is a homegrown hero, making incredible strides in the automotive industry. She is passionate about tapping diversity of thought, inspiring women to pursue STEAM careers, and producing a superior product customers will love. Battery electric vehicles a...

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard joins Mayor Barnett to weigh in on everything from school safety, media and politics to college football, comfort dogs and Wyatt Earp. Sheriff Bouchard runs one of the nation's largest Sheriff's Offices, overseeing over 1,400 employees and managing an annual budget of over 177 million dollars. He leads from the heart, determined to bring real and l...

Some people talk about diversity, equity and inclusion and other people just make it happen. Jenny Brown and Ziad Kassab are the latter. Jenny is the co-founder and CEO of Dutton Farm. She is on a mission to celebrate, educate and employ people with special needs. Ziad is a serial entrepreneur who never stops finding ways to serve individuals and families living with physical and mental disabiliti...

Beautiful homes in friendly neighborhoods. Access to premier shopping, dining and services. These are all part of what makes Rochester Hills the pre-eminent place to live, work and raise your family. Dave Walker (Realtor with Brookview Realty), Corey Roediger (Mortgage Consultant with Hancock Mortgage) and Margaux Keusch (Senior Leasing Director for the Village of Rochester Hills) discuss the hous...

Zena and Mena Nasiri share a passion for improving the world around them. Through their nonprofit organization, Girls of the Crescent, the Nasiri sisters collect books with female Muslim main characters and donate them to schools and libraries, supporting representation of our diverse population. Their initial desire to help other young girls in their community has transformed into a mission with...

Take a peek behind the courtroom curtain during this exclusive interview with the Honorable Julie Nicholson and the Honorable Nancy Carniak, both judges at the 52nd District Court - Division 3. Together they have 75 years of experience and insight into the criminal justice system. Judges Nicholson and Carniak discuss with Mayor Barnett their paths to the bench, unbelievable stories from COVID Zoom...

Can you guess what is the oldest continually running business in Rochester Hills? If the iconic red barn with lines out the door all season long came to mind, you correctly guessed Yates Cider Mill. Proud owner, Mike Titus, shares the history and speculates on the future of Rochester Hills’ beloved Yates Cider Mill. Rochester Hills IS Innovative by Nature and the "Preeminent Place to Live, Wo...

“Celebrate Differences” is the theme of Autism Acceptance Month and also the driving force behind Right Down the Street . In this episode, Mayor Barnett is joined by two strong autism community advocates. Ron Sandison is a life-long Rochester Hills resident who was diagnosed with autism as a child and is now a published author and sought-after speaker on the topic. Kristin Rohrbeck is the Director...

Not all athletes lift weights and run laps. Rochester Hills resident, Jon Schneck, has made a name for himself as a college esports athlete, drafted for his proven skill as a League of Legends competitor. Out of the 180 million League of Legends players worldwide, Jon (itsjon) is currently ranked in the top 0.01%. Jon unpacks for us the structure, scope and potential of online competitive gaming....

Businesses of all types are choosing Rochester Hills. Mayor Barnett sits down with three entrepreneurs to hear their unique stories and perspectives. Jeff Jermyn, CEO of BlueBrier, LLC, Lee Padgett, owner of Busted Bra Shop, and Tej Yale, owner of ThinkImpact, Inc all weigh in on what it takes to be your own boss and why they brought their business to Rochester Hills.   Rochester Hills IS Innovati...

Winning an Olympic gold medal is an unreachable dream for all but the most elite athletes. Mayor Barnett talks with four-time Olympic medalist swimmer and Rochester Hills native, Peter Vanderkaay, about the Olympics and life beyond the Olympic spotlight. This conversation was recorded on February 15, 2022 during the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. Rochester Hills IS Innovative by Nature and the &...

Problem-solving, making local government easier to navigate and improving the day-to-day lives of residents are three of the many subjects covered in Mayor Barnett's conversation with the newly elected Mayor of the City of Pontiac (MI), Tim Greimel.  Mayor Greimel, who enters his position with an impressive track record of public service, speaks about his goals of standing up a youth recreati...

We're entering a new year amidst ongoing change. What's ahead for businesses in 2022?  New Rochester Regional Chamber of Commerce President Maggie Bobitz and Economic Development Manager for the City of Rochester Hills and Chamber Board Member, Pamela Valentik, join Mayor Barnett to discuss what to expect and how they can help. Strategies, partnerships, resources, and reasons why the Roc...

The tragic event at nearby Oxford High School in Oxford, MI led to Mayor Barnett's discussion about grief with funeral director and local community leader John Modetz. Modetz offers advice on how to respond to death -- and particularly the death of a young person -- and how best to support their families and loved ones. Modetz indicated that at a time like this, priorities change. "Every...

Mayor Barnett talks with Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter about the unconventional path that led him to his current role and the common passion the two have for serving as mayor. County Executive Coulter shares an approach to leadership that includes hiring the best and allowing employees to make occasional mistakes, as long as they learn from them. The Mayor asks Dave to describe the dinner...

Mayor Barnett and Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, MD, President of Oakland University, discuss the school year ahead, the efforts made to keep students, faculty and the administration safe, and Oakland's four strategic priorities: Student success; research and scholarship; community engagement; and diversity and inclusion. Dr. Pescovitz shares the importance of family and faith, the values instilled in...