Our roundup of the latest business news from metro Detroit and Michigan, as well as announcements from government agencies. To share a business or nonprofit story, send us a message.
Vehicles from Asian brands will be at Pontiac’s M1 Show on May 4
Subaru, Mazda, Honda, Nissan and Toyota will converge today at the Pontiac M1 Auto Show
Visitors can expect a flurry of neon green and bright blue modified cars, rear spoilers galore, and the chance to peek under the hood.
The Largest Car Event
On-site activities include loose or specialty coffee from Rootless Coffee, a food truck, M1 products, and exhibits from Snap-on, Yankee Air Museum, Rhino Dyno, Suburban Exotics, and Ziebart.
M1 Cars
Tickets can be purchased in advance by visiting here.
Massachusetts-based UniFirst to open new high-tech facility in Taylor
UniFirst Corp. , a Massachusetts-based provider of traditional professional uniform programs, will host a rite of passage at 11 a. m. May 3 to celebrate the grand opening of its new 70,000-square-foot uniform department and processing facility in Taylor.
Developed to accommodate a growing visitor base in the Detroit metro area, the new plant is one of the most technologically complex operations in North America and showcases the latest inventions in textile services and automation technologies. The new operation and its team of approximately one hundred people-site workers supply local businesses with custom-designed service systems for uniforms and workwear, as well as installation service products such as floor mats and mops, windshield wipers and towels, as well as sanitary and ancillary products.
“Our flagship operation at Taylor is at the forefront of the latest advancements in generation and innovation in uniform and textile services,” says Steven Sintros, president and chief executive officer of UniFirst. “Our expansion into this market will allow us to maximize service levels for local business customers, allowing us to consistently deliver exceptional service and custom-designed products. “
The new facility, which spans nine acres, promotes greater energy power through investments including heat recovery equipment, new rooftop HVAC units, and high-powered machinery that uses less gas, electricity, water, and detergents, while also generating hygienically washed clothing and textiles. This eco-friendly strategy extends to our environmentally friendly cleaning formulas and detergents, while the herbal softness throughout the plant provides a greater worker experience and saves energy.
“We are thrilled to introduce this world-class transaction to the metro Detroit market,” said Earl Harris, CEO of UniFirst. “I’m proud that our Taylor facility is home to the most productive of all the technological advancements we’ve made. over the years and will be an iconic style for UniFirst’s long-term maintenance operations. It also reinforces our ongoing commitment to providing quality, efficient, state-of-the-art visitor service, and represents UniFirst’s long-term commitment to the local business community.
HopCat to Open New Partridge Creek Restaurant on May 6
Project BarFly, the West Michigan-based hospitality organization that oversees the operations of HopCat and Stella’s Lounge, has announced the highlights of the grand opening of its new HopCat restaurant at 17380 Hall Road in The Mall at Partridge Creek.
The 7,000-square-foot dining venue and brewery will open to the public at 11 a. m. on May 6 and will feature 42 barrels of local craft beer and its prepared food menu featuring Cosmik Fries.
On May 9 at 2 p. m. , HopCat will host an invitation-only opening rite featuring the Macomb County Chamber of Commerce, local network leaders and HopCat’s mascot, Brewce. On May 11, HopCat will give away loose Cosmik fries for a year. to the first hundred visitors in line at a public opening party. Doors will open at 10 a. m. , and guests will get HopCat promotional pieces and special giveaways while supplies last.
Guests will not be allowed to line up overnight. Those who wish to be among the first hundred visitors will be able to start lining up after 6 a. m. May 11.
The new location will seat up to 320 people and feature a wraparound bar, spacious seating, a patio and a private event area for up to 50 more people. In addition, HopCat’s music-themed décor is on full display in the new area with an iconic wall adorned with vintage vinyl record covers by prominent musical artists, traditional murals, and the brand’s largest wall of beer tap handles.
Ahead of the public opening on May 6, HopCat is partnering with the Humane Society of Macomb County. During the smooth opening weekend, HopCat will double up to $5,000 of all money raised through alcohol sales and charitable donations to important resources for homeless dogs and cats. .
Wixom HNC J Virtual Solutions
HNC Virtual Solutions, J’s technology research and telephony subsidiary in Los Angeles
In addition to clarifying the company’s link with the J.
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For more information, visit jandbvirtualsolutions. com.
Don Meijer Supports Development of Michigan’s First Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital
Meijer, a Grand Rapids-based retailer, announced a $3 million donation to Joan Secchia Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital, a partnership between Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation and Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. The donation will fund the structure of this new facility, offering more cutting-edge care for young patients who have suffered a life-changing injury or illness.
Joan Secchia Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital will be an autonomous, state-of-the-art youth rehabilitation hospital committed to helping all young people achieve the most productive outcomes imaginable through compassionate collaboration, innovation, and interdisciplinary care. and outpatient centers for youth with a wide variety of conditions, including brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, multiple trauma, and cancer.
The hospital will be built on Wealthy Street, across from Grand Rapids’ Mary Free Bed campus, with a pedestrian walkway connecting the hospitals. The three-story facility will feature 24 personal inpatient rooms, complex child-friendly technology, and spaces for specialized services. .
The groundbreaking rite for the $70 million freestanding hospital is expected to take place this year and is expected to be completed in 2026.
4 Comerica Hatch Detroit Festival Finalists Compete for $100,000 in Hatch Off
The 4 finalists of the Comerica Hatch Detroit festival hosted through TechTown will present their business in front of a panel of judges and live at the Hatch Off on Thursday, May 9, for a chance to win $100,000 in seed investment from Comerica Bank, as well as technical assistance from TechTown Detroit and its partners. to open a brick-and-mortar business in Detroit, Hamtramck, or Highland Park.
The event will take place starting at 6 p. m. on May 9 at the Industrial Innovation Center at Wayne State University (461 Burroughs St. ) in Detroit.
The 4 finalists are:
ACG Detroit to Showcase Success, Scale and Lessons Learned May 14 in Birmingham
ACG Detroit Welcomes Mid-Market Entrepreneurship Expansion: Success, Scale, and Lessons Learned Starting at 4:30 p. m. to 6:30 p. m. on May 14 at Birmingham Community House (380 South Bates St. ).
Panelists will explore a variety of reports and perspectives that have shaped their organizations, and attendees will notice the secret sauce of how they effectively partnered, controlled succession planning, evolved, and continued to succeed post-pandemic.
Panelists will be joined by Ron Hall, President and CEO of Bridgewater Interiors; Mark Douglas, president of Avis Ford Inc. ; Dimitrius Hutcherson, Executive Vice President, Chief Managing Officer and Chief Technology Officer of First Independence Bank, and Moderator Elizabeth Masserang, Senior Project Consultant at SME.
Tickets are $75 for members, $95 for non-members. To purchase tickets, click here.
O’Keefe Receives 2023 TMA Detroit Bid of the Year Award
O’Keefe, a monetary and strategic advisory firm specializing in corporate finance, litigation support, strategic advisory, and recovery and restructuring, announced that the company will be identified at the 2023 TMA Detroit Awards reception.
O’Keefe, as Taft, Stettinius
Thanks to this change, the company was able to maintain its infrastructure and ability to provide care to Michigan communities.
The TMA Detroit Transaction Awards are given to the individual who, along with a team of other TMA restructuring professionals, has orchestrated the most successful transaction/restructuring in the subsequent calendar year.
O’Keefe and the other 2023 award winners will be revered at an awards rite on May 7, 2024, at the Kingsley Hotel through Doubletree in Bloomfield Hills.
Rehman Named “Brightest Company” to Work for in West Michigan and Metro Detroit
Rehmann, a consulting firm in Troy, has been named the 2024 winner of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in West Michigan and the Detroit metro area through the National Business Resource Association (NABR). This is the 22nd year that Rehmann has earned this recognition.
“At Rehmann, we prioritize creating a welcoming and positive environment for our associates. Receiving this award demonstrates that our people-first mindset and strategies are driving healthy results across the company,” said Scott Bonacorsi, Chief Human Resources Officer at Rehmann. The good fortune we see as a company is directly similar to that of our ordinary partners who provide exceptional facilities to our customers.
To be considered for the award, Rehmann evaluated several metrics, adding compensation, benefits, employee engagement and development, recruitment and selection, worker good fortune and recognition, shared vision and communication, diversity, equity and inclusion, work-life balance. , network initiatives, leadership and business performance.
For the full list of 2024 recipients, click here. For more facts on Rehmann, rehmann. com.
MedCerts and Mott Community College Announce New Partnership
The Division of Workforce and Economic Development at Mott Community College in Flint and MedCerts have announced a collaboration for paramedic education.
By leveraging the perspective of MedCerts’ systems and short-term online content, MCC will provide more opportunities for academics interested in pursuing careers in critical healthcare roles. This partnership is expected to be a significant step forward for MCC’s Division of Workforce and Economic Development. as it becomes the first network school in Michigan to enroll in MedCerts.
This alliance has the prospect of reshaping fitness care education by offering academics the opportunity to receive training and qualification as medical scribes and EKG technicians. The systems will feature a hybrid format, combining online coursework with a hands-on internship component, ensuring academics gain practical skills. A must-have for good luck in the fitness care industry.
Forgotten Harvest Farms’ 2024 Season Opens to Volunteers May 1
Forgotten Harvest, a nonprofit founded in Oak Park, operates a 95-acre farm in Fenton that opens May 1 and is looking for volunteers for tasks.
The farm, which has been in operation since 2013, is designed to deliver more new produce to the homes of food-insecure citizens of metro Detroit and has since harvested more than 7 million pounds of new produce.
For the 2024 season, the farm team met with Forgotten Harvest’s food source and visitor facility groups for the 15 crops that will be grown this season based on the expressed cultural and nutritional desires of others in the greater Detroit area.
Nicola potatoes, a type of potato with a low glycemic index that is more productive and suitable for others with diabetes or core diseases, are one of the new crops planted and harvested this year. In addition, volunteers at Forgotten Harvest Farms are planting red potatoes. cabbage for the first time because of its nutritional value. Other crops to be planted this year include various types of bell peppers, collard greens, eggplant, green beans, sweet corn, zucchini, watermelons, cantaloupes, a variety of lettuce, squash, garlic and various herbs.
The volunteer calendar is available on the Forgotten Harvest volunteer website, with opportunities starting May 1 up to 3 days a week until harvest time arrives in summer and fall. This spring, volunteers will help with preparations, corral cleanup, and landscaping. .
Opportunities are open between May and November, and with a yield goal of more than 900,000 pounds of new produce, hungry citizens of metro Detroit rely on many volunteers to bring that food back into the community.
For more information and to volunteer, click here.
Milliken State Park to Host Sturgeon Day This Saturday
Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, in partnership with the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, celebrates Sturgeon Day from 10 a. m. to Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. M. A Four P. M. this Saturday at William G. Milliken State Park (1900 Atwater St. ) in Detroit.
Staff from the Alpena Office of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, the Detroit River Substation and the Michigan DNR will also participate in the occasion to teach visitors about the sturgeon, which is an endangered species in Michigan.
After decades of decline, the sturgeon population has increased and it is estimated that there are now more than 4,400 sturgeon living in the Detroit River.
Sturgeon Day visitors can learn activities, games, arts and crafts and have the opportunity to touch a live sturgeon caught in the Detroit River. A local food truck will supply food and refreshments for your purchase.
To register, click here.
It can be parked in front of the event, in the parking lot of the Outdoor Adventure Center. Free parking is available on the street near Robert C Park. Valade (corner of Atwater and Chene Streets) and Cullen Plaza (1340 Atwater Street) in Detroit.