Innovation & Job News

Clean Energy Coalition hires 3 in Ypsilanti's Depot Town

Concentrate Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Green jobs are being created in Ypsilanti's Depot Town now that the Clean Energy Coalition is going on a hiring spree.

Nineteen months ago, the 3-year-old non-profit had a staff one, its executive director, Sean Reed. Today it employs eight people, an intern and the occasional independent contractor in its newly opened retail and education space in Depot Town called the Energy Outlet. Three of those hires took place in January and another 2-3 people are expected to be on board by the end of February.

"Our organization has gone through an aggressive ramp up in staffing," says Sean Reed, executive director of the Clean Energy Coalition.

The coalition got its start helping find ways to make commuting in automobiles more sustainable. It has since grow to include things like energy audits for buildings and other sustainability-oriented projects thanks to a $15 million grant it received from the U.S. Dept. of Energy this summer.

Source: Sean Reed, executive director of the Clean Energy Coalition
Writer: Jon Zemke

ISSYS makes room for 10-20 new hires in Ypsilanti

Concentrate Wednesday, January 20, 2010

ISSYS isn't just making plans to add to its staff of nearly 30 people. It's actually building out more space so that it can accommodate between 10-20 new people by the end of the year.

ISSYS is adding 5,400 square feet to its Ypsilanti offices in the industrial area by Willow Run. That new space would include a new clean room laboratory, bringing the company up to 16,000 square feet. Work is expected to be done by February.

"We got the clean room walls up," says Doug Sparks, vice president of ISSYS. "We're putting the piping in now."

ISSYS (short for Integrated Sensing Systems) spun-off from the University of Michigan in 1995 and uses micro fluids and sensors for research in products like fuel cells. It recently formed a partnership with Switzerland-based Endress + Hauser to license some of its microchip technology.

Source: Doug Sparks, vice president of ISSYS
Writer: Jon Zemke

Ypsilanti's RealKidz gets microloan, adds 4

Concentrate Wednesday, January 13, 2010

A year ago the Detroit Free Press began following two Washtenaw County startups for a on-going series about entrepreneurship in Michigan. One was a high-flying internet company run by a Silicon Valley veteran based in downtown Ann Arbor. The other was a retail company focused on selling over-sized kids clothes run by a recent U-M grad in Ypsilanti's Depot Town.

Many businesses don't make it past the one year mark, especially in local and national economies widely considered to be among the worst in generations. If this writer had to bet on one of the two surviving, he probably would have put his money on the internet startup. And he would have been wrong.

Ypsilanti-based RealKidz is kicking off its third year with more employees and more funding, aiming for a year of more growth. It went from employing just its founder and CEO Merrill Guerra and one other employee at the start of 2009 to four employees this year.

It also just received a highly competitive loan from the Eastern Washtenaw Microloan Fund. That money is meant to pay for commercialization of its product and help get the company through its lean early years.

"It enables us to really get the product out in the marketplace," Guerra says.

RealKidz makes clothing that fits larger children, mainly girls. The Ann Arbor SPARK East tenant was started after Guerra was watching her own girl, then five, play with kids and talked about the inadequacies of kids clothing with other mothers there.

"I couldn't believe this market isn't being served," Guerra says.

Source: Merrill Guerra, CEO and founder of RealKidz
Writer: Jon Zemke

Ann Arbor area rings in new year with regionalism

Concentrate Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Budgets are tighter in 2010 and that means more people from different places are playing nicer. It also means more regional cooperation.

"Clearly, we're in times where there is great pressure to be using your resources in an appropriate manner," says Mark Ouimet, a Washtenaw County Commissioner and chair of the Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce.

In that spirit, the Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor chambers of commerce are joining forces, creating the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber. The new regional chamber is expected to expand its programs and benefits for members, create cost savings, increase networking opportunities and a form stronger voice for the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area. Ouimet also believes this could serve as an example for more regionalism in the county.

"This is an opportunity for the organizations to look at what they do and how they do it," he says.

More regional cooperation is also being broached just north of Ann Arbor in Livingston County. There, according to a story in The Detroit News, four of the county's five school districts are considering consolidating their bus service as a way of saving money. There the Livingston Educational Service Agency would manage the bus fleets for Brighton, Hartland, Howell and Pinckney public schools (which transport about 15,000 students), saving the districts an estimated $1 million.

Source: Mark Ouimet, chair of the Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce
Writer: Jon Zemke

Venture capital, acquisition made headlines in 2009 (stories below)

Concentrate Wednesday, December 16, 2009

There were some big deals made in the Ann Arbor area this year. 2009 saw venture capital deals worth eight figures and acquisitions worth nine figures. And the young and innovative continue to go for the brass ring with new start-ups.

Ypsilanti's Clean Energy Coalition lands $15M federal grant

Concentrate Wednesday, December 09, 2009

This story originally ran: 9/2/2009

The Clean Energy Coalition will take a major step forward this fall now that it has roped in a $15 million federal contract, a hit that is expected to result in an expanded staff at the Ypsilanti-based non-profit.

"Obviously our staffing could grow significantly from this," says Sean Reed, executive director of the Clean Energy Coalition.

The non-profit currently has a staff of six full-timers and two part-timers at its offices in Depot Town. The staff normally handles six-figure state and federal grants that focus on sustainability projects.

The $15 million grant comes from the U.S. Dept. of Energy and is part of the $787 billion federal stimulus package. The money will be used as part of the $31 million Michigan Green Fleets project, a program that looks to integrate more alternative fuels and advanced fuel-efficient technology (think bio-diesel and hybrids) across Michigan.

The project will assist nine partners, such as the state, DTE Energy and the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, in purchasing 271 alternative fuel vehicles. These include hybrids, electric vehicles and compressed natural gas vehicles. It will also install 19 alternative fueling stations across the state. The end goal is to save more than 5 million gallons of fossil fuels and 500 million pounds of vehicle emissions over four years.

"This is a very significant project for us," Reed says.

And it might not be the only one. The Clean Energy Coalition is still waiting on word for another $9-10 million in grant projects this fall to potentially be used to ramp up the non-profit's hiring.

Source: Sean Reed, executive director of Clean Energy Coalition
Writer: Jon Zemke

Systems in Motion hosts entry level job fair in Ypsilanti

Concentrate Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Systems in Motion isn't wasting any time breaking into the Ann Arbor-area market.

The newest darling of the Silicon Valley IT start-up world chose Ann Arbor to make its first major investment earlier this fall. Today it will hold an information session about its Entry Level Training Program for the IT industry at Ann Arbor SPARK's East Business Incubator in downtown Ypsilanti, 215 W. Michigan Ave.

The program is working with Michigan Works! to help people who have been laid off, are about to lose their jobs or in households making $40,000 a year or less to get a foot in the door in the growing IT industry. The training sessions will be held from November through January and they come with a good likelihood of future employment.

"They're basically recruiting with the understanding that the people going through the training will more than likely be hired," says Elizabeth Parkinson, vice president of marketing and communications with Ann Arbor SPARK.

Systems in Motion is investing $15 million over the next five years to create a new IT support center in Ann Arbor. The IT firm expects to create 1,084 jobs with the investment. It is also evaluating investing in other marquee college towns, such as Austin, Texas and Durham, North Carolina.

The California-based firm is only 3 months old but has already been able to lock down some venture capital funding and hire 20 people. Systems in Motion plans to create the next generation of IT infrastructure and workers by setting up IT support center at college towns across North America. The combination of the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University and Washtenaw Community College made the Ann Arbor area a prime target for Systems in Motion.

For information on the IT information session, call (734) 484-7247 or send an email to amy@annarborusa.org.

Source: Elizabeth Parkinson, vice president of marketing and communications with Ann Arbor SPARK
Writer: Jon Zemke

Ypsilanti bloggers participate in Vegan MoFo

Concentrate Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Ypsilanti is making its voice heard in the vegan movement thanks to two bloggers taking part in the 3rd annual Vegan Month of Food, commonly referred to as VeganMoFo.

The event is a virtual gathering of 350 bloggers, twitters and other assorted authors of the World Wide Web. They are posting at least five days a week about eating vegan throughout October in an effort to spread the word about consuming non-animal products.

"I tended to rely on online news sources for suggestions and substitutions for my cooking," says Jennifer Albaum, an Ypsilanti resident who is participating in VeganMoFo this year through her blog Scrumpdilly. "It's just a big resource for me today."

Albaum points out this sort of virtual idea sharing is key because veganism isn't as prevalent in most of the Midwest, especially in small towns like Ypsilanti, which doesn�t have vegan-dedicated restaurants. Her blog and fellow Ypsilanti resident Mark Dickson's blog, Irreverent Vegan, are taking part of the event.

An alphabetized list of all participating blogs can be found here and a link to the public RSS feed here. The original blog for the event organized by vegan chef and cookbook author Isa Chandra Moskowitz can be found here.

Source: Jennifer Albaum, author of the Scrumpdilly blog
Writer: Jon Zemke

Bank of Ann Arbor hires 13 in A2, Ypsilanti

Concentrate Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Last year was a terrible year for most financials, but the Bank of Ann Arbor was able to turn that sow's ear into a silk purse.

The downtown Ann Arbor-based added 13 people to its payroll as it capitalized on one of the worst financial meltdowns in decades. The bank now employs 96 people in five branches in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. It's all thanks to more and more people choosing to bank locally. It's a trend with a future, according to the Bank of Ann Arbor brass.

"I don't think this local first movement is a one-year wonder," says Tim Marshall, president and CEO of Bank of Ann Arbor. "We continue to grow and I think that trend will continue."

So much so that he expects Bank of Ann Arbor to continue to hire. He doesn�t foresee adding any more branches in the near future, but expansion is in the firm's plans during a time when most banks wouldn't even think about such things.

"Most companies are downsizing and cutting employees," Marshall says. "We have taken the opposite approach of hiring good people for the benefit of the bank and the community."

Source: Tim Marshall, president and CEO of Bank of Ann Arbor
Writer: Jon Zemke

EMU's economic, social impact trends upward

Concentrate Wednesday, October 07, 2009

How much economic impact would you guess Easter Michigan University is responsible for in Michigan? Several million? Maybe a few hundred million? But not the several billions of dollars that the state's research universities (U-M, MSU and WSU) are responsible for, right? Wrong.

A new study by the Ypsilanti-based university pegs EMU's annual impact on Michigan's economy at $3.7 billion as of 2008. That's a $42 return for every dollar the state invests in it annually. That in turn creates $166 million in state tax revenue. A study EMU conducted five years ago yielded similar results.

"The economic impact has a lot of factors in it besides the research aspect of it," says Charles Monsma, a political science professor at Eastern Michigan University and co-author of the study. He was alluding to how much of Michigan's research universities economic impact is concentrated on federal research funding.

The report, "Economic And Social Impact Of Eastern Michigan University, 2008," also looked at other aspects of the university's impact, such as socially and through student retention. About 90 percent of EMU's student come from Michigan 75 percent of its graduates stay in the state.

The university's location in the middle of a large metro area, also plays a part in its impact. Monsma points out that being a part of Metro Detroit and close U-M and WSU helps it capitalize on its resources.

"It increases the impact," Monsma says.

Source: Charles Monsma, a political science professor at Eastern Michigan University
Writer: Jon Zemke

EMU students cash in with Next Gen leaders scholarships

Concentrate Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Remember these three names: Wendy Gonzalez, Evelyn Shulan and Ericka Wilson. These three people represent the next generation of leaders from Eastern Michigan University.

The trio (from Ann Arbor, Gregory and Detroit) recently won the American Humanics Next Generation Nonprofit Leaders Program scholarships. That means $4,500 per winner from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

The scholarships, commonly referred to as the NextGen awards, recognize the student's committment to the non-profit sector and their work toward improving the community. They must complete a 300-hour internship at a non-profit. The awards go to a diverse group of students at 70 colleges across the country.

"It lets them hit the ground running when they enter the job market," says Claudia Petrescu, campus director for the American Humanics program at Eastern Michigan University.

EMU's American Humanics program began in 2001 and currently has approximately 40 students.

Source: Claudia Petrescu, campus director for the American Humanics program at Eastern Michigan University
Writer: Jon Zemke

EMU biz prof wins national award for student mentoring

Concentrate Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Many professors at major colleges have a reputation for focusing more on research or start-ups (or both) more than students. That's not the case with Nesa Wu.

The Eastern Michigan University business professor recently won a mentor award from the Association for Operations Management. She won for her efforts at mentoring students in the university's Advancing Productivity, Innovation, and Competitive Success chapter.

"Nes is a great example of a number of the faculty we have here that work with the students on a one-on-one basis," says, David Mielke, dean of the college of business at Eastern Michigan University.

He adds that EMU business professors also spend a lot of time working with students on everything from class projects to job searches to getting a start-up off the ground. "There is quite a bit of that that goes on here," Mielke says. "It's part of the culture here."

Wu is a professor of Computer Information Systems and has been at the university for 30 years. This is the second time she has received the award.

Advancing Productivity, Innovation, and Competitive Success was founded in 1957. It focuses on operations management, including production, inventory, supply chain, materials management, purchasing and logistics.

Source: David Mielke, dean of the college of business at Eastern Michigan University
Writer: Jon Zemke

Global View Services sets up eco-friendly shop in Ypsilanti

Concentrate Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Wastewater isn't something that people want much of anything to do with, but it's the sort of thing that Randall Cobb's business runs on.

The Ypsilanti resident started Global View Services last spring. The start-up sells a clay-based additive that separates suspended particles in wastewater, like oil, soaps, and paint.

"It will cause the waste to precipitate out and clump up so they can be easily removed," Cobb says.

The product is manufactured in Warren and Cobb is the only person selling it for his company, located between downtown and Depot Town. He hopes to add a person or two to his payroll by the end of the year.

Source: Randall Cobb, owner of Global View Services
Writer: Jon Zemke

Veris Landscape Design turns yards into jobs

Concentrate Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Rachel Blistein spent enough time taking orders from her boss. Now she makes her living taking orders from her clients.

The Ypsilanti resident started her own business, Veris Land Design, three years ago after working for other landscaping architecture firms for a number of years.

"I just felt I was ready to strike out on my own," Blistein says.

She has done the big-company gig, designing streetscapes and campuses, as well as similar-yet-smaller projects with smaller firms. Now she focuses on working for local residents, mainly on the appearance of their yard.

"Most of my clients are in Ann Arbor," Blistein says. "I'd like to see more Ypsilanti people take advantage of my business."

The landscape designer is already is working on one big project in Ypsilanti � Luna Lake. She is quarterbacking volunteer efforts to turn the stagnant swamp area of Prospect Park into a sustainable rain garden, decked out with native plants.

Source: Rachel Blistein, owner of Veris Land Design
Writer: Jon Zemke

WhereToFindCare.com opens HQ in Ypsilanti�s SPARK East

Concentrate Wednesday, July 01, 2009

The three women behind WhereToFindCare.com weren't exactly centralized when they started the firm last year.

The trio were spread out all over Metro Detroit, in places like Westland, Trenton and Allen Park. This type of virtual company didn't exactly lend itself to meetings and the like.

"It was very inconvenient," says Barbara O'Connell, co-founder of WhereToFindCare.com. "We're so spread out."

Not anymore. The fledgling business just signed on to claim space in Ann Arbor SPARK's East incubator in downtown Ypsilanti. The three women and an intern will help occupy the quickly filling space of entrepreneurs and established businesses.

"It seems like a good community for entrepreneurs," O'Connell says. "We want to be involved with that."

WhereToFindCare.com helps people choose health-care providers. Its website uses quality and satisfaction data of a number of different types of health care facilities and presents them in a format so users can make an easy decision.

The Ann Arbor SPARK East incubator opened earlier this spring in the newly renovated Mack & Mack building. It�s located in the ground floor of 215 Michigan Ave. next to Bombadill�s Cafe.

Source: Barbara O�Connell, co-founder of WhereToFindCare.com
Writer: Jon Zemke

Ypsilanti : Innovation & Job News