A Detroit-based firm is buying an Ann Arbor-based firm to save jobs in the area for once.Excerpt:Detroit-based Superior Capital Partners L.L.C. is expected to announce this week that it has bought the assets of Ann Arbor-based National Archive Publishing Co., saving about 140 jobs.Read the rest of the story here.
A little bit of money at the beginning can go a long way toward creating a successful start-up, or at least that's the idea behind the new micro-loan funds in Washtenaw County.Excerpt:Ann Arbor economic development officials are hoping that microloans can be an economic jump starter for entrepreneurs thirsting for cash.Local officials have pooled $1.5 million in funds for comparably tiny business loans designed to boost startup companies with few traditional financing routes.Skip Simms, Ann Arbor SPARK’s business acceleration managing director, said microloans fill a financial need during a funding crisis that threatens to stall creativity in an era when Michigan needs it most.Read the rest of the story here.
The long-empty Ritz Camera building in downtown Ann Arbor is taking its first step toward rebirth now that it is finally up for sale.The 2-story structure at 318 S State, near Stucci’s Ice Cream, was recently put on the market as part of the Ritz Camera's bankruptcy, which is selling five other locations across the U.S. Hilco Real Estate is marketing the property. It did not return repeated calls for comment over several days.The building was originally built in 1934 and served as the home of McLean's Groceries. The brick building was surrounded by a number of other structures that served as the homes of major downtown businesses, such as Jacobson's. In recent years it has remained vacant, stuck in a legal limbo where the owner grappled with more pressing issues than the building’s sale. The building has been one of the most glaring vacancies on South State Street for years. Source: City of Ann Arbor and Hilco Real EstateWriter: Jon Zemke
Two Ten's name isn’t based on what the new start-up does but where it's at. Two Ten (210) is the address of Steven and Deborah C. Elmore's house in downtown Saline.The couple has spent decades working for two of Michigan’s biggest institutions - General Motors and the University of Michigan. Steven recently retired from GM and Deborah left U-M on a road that led to the couple going into business together."We're fledgling entrepreneurs and looking for alternative options other than depending on someone else for employment," says Deborah. "We want to be independent."Two Ten has a dual focus reflecting the interests of its two founders. Steve is focusing on pursuing a patent that would greatly improve barcode reading technology. Deborah is capitalizing on her U-M experience in corporate event planning. She is working to incorporate new event technology, such as social media. Some of this technology will help verify attendance and to see how long people stayed.Source: Steven and Deborah C. Elmore, co-founders of Two TenWriter: Jon Zemke
Unlike many of their co-workers, the three founders of Ann Arbor Pharmacometrics Group had some choices when Pfizer closed its Ann Arbor campus in early 2007. The group of prized Pfizer employees decided to take the road less traveled."They asked us to move to Connecticut," says Sunny Chapel, vice president of Ann Arbor Pharmacometrics Group. "The three of us decided to open up our own consulting businesses."Chapel, Ken Kowalski and Matt Hutmacher are experts in conducting mathematical statistical modeling for quantitative drug development for the pharmaceutical industry. Put simply they can do the ultra-complex math needed to optimize costly clinical trails, saving big bucks.Ann Arbor Pharmacometrics Group (AAPG for short) has found its services in high demand. So much so that is has been able to add one more person and an independent contractor in its first two years. "We are currently fully booked," Chapel says. "The issue is the company wants to keep up the quality of service. There is a shortage of the people in the industry with the skills that we're looking for."People with these skills are highly prized and heavily recruited by everyone from small start-ups like Ann Arbor Pharmacometrics Group to pharma giants like Pfizer. That means for Ann Arbor Pharmacometrics Group to grow it needs to depend on organic growth. It plans to hire people with the right, highly developed skill set as they come along.Source: Sunny Chapel, vice president of Ann Arbor Pharmacometrics GroupWriter: Jon Zemke
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.EMU's American Humanics program began in 2001 and currently has approximately 40 students. Source: Eastern Michigan UniversityWriter: Jon Zemke
Interns could have a big future at Ghostly International. The electronic and ambient music label has recently brought on three interns and plans to hire another 1-2 this fall.The Ann Arbor-based firm intends to use the three-month internships as a tryout of sorts for new employees. The interns who do well and make a spot for themselves on the Ghostly team will be brought on as full-time employees.Ghostly International has 15 employees across the U.S., including three at its downtown headquarters. Future plans for that space include a possible retail location for the music label’s apparel, music and other merchandise.Even though many of the Ghostly International's employees work remotely from big cities across the U.S., like Los Angeles and New York, the company still considers Ann Arbor its home and major influence. Sam Valenti, the firm's founder, still maintains a home in downtown.Source: Ghostly InternationalWriter: Jon Zemke
The Center for Michigan has taken a long, intensive look at state House Speaker Andy Dillion's healthcare plan and has come to the conclusion that the state needs to take a long, intensive look at implementing the reform."We are endorsing the exploration of the idea," says John Bebow, executive director of the Ann Arbor-based think-and-do tank. "The idea of trying to find new solutions is what we're applauding."Dillion, a Democrat from Redford, proposed pooling the health benefits for all municipal employees in Michigan earlier this summer. The idea is that the large pool of tens of thousands of employees will create a tremendous amount of efficiencies and savings. Dillion claims it will save the state about $1 billion.The innovative proposal has drawn applause and fire from different sections of the power elite in Lansing. Business-based interests and state Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) have endorsed it as an easy choice to help play a significant part in fixing Michigan’s chronic budget deficit. Labor unions and Gov. Jennifer Granholm have decried the plan, saying there is no proof it will create cost savings.The Center for Michigan's study of seven other states that pool municipal employees health benefits show that these state pay $6,435 per employee. Michigan spends an average of $9,386 per employee, about 53 percent higher. The Center for Michigan studied California, Delaware, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Washington and Wisconsin. Bebow admits that all states and their circumstances are not created equal, but this is the best comparison available."It's not apples to apples because apples to apples doesn't exist," Bebow says.Source: John Bebow, executive director of The Center for MichiganWriter: Jon Zemke
Michigan wishes more companies would set up shop and start hiring like Barracuda Networks is doing in Ann Arbor these days.The software-development firm is hiring 1-2 people per week for positions in research and development, software engineers and IT. The California-based company started with a six-person office on Main Street in downtown two years ago. Now there are about 70 people (up from 23 last year) in its new offices on one of the two floors in the 201 Depot building, and the company has its sights on the other half."There are no signs of our growth slowing as a company," says Sean Heiney, director of new products initiative for Barracuda Networks. "We're doing phenomenally."Barracude Networks recently received a $1.4 million state tax credit over eight years to set up its Ann Arbor office and create 185 jobs over five years. Heiney says it’s ahead of the curve as far as meeting its hiring goal. The company's CEO is a University of Michigan alumnus and saw Tree Town as a place that is ripe to grow his company."We recognize Ann Arbor as a great place to pick up some top talent," Heiney says.Barracuda Networks created its new Cudatel line of products out of Ann Arbor. The new voice-over IP system promises to be dramatically more cost effective by downsizing a lot of the costs that comes with the normal voice-over IP systems.Source: Sean Heiney, director of new products initiative for Barracuda NetworksWriter: Jon Zemke
All eyes were on Ann Arbor when The Ann Arbor News closed, but they remained focused on Tree Town to see what happens to AnnArbor.com.Excerpt:To me, one of the most interesting aspects of AnnArbor.com is its reliance on community bloggers for a large portion of the site’s content. It's also the aspect most likely to give many journalists the heebie-jeebies.AnnArbor.com launched when The Ann Arbor News closed in late July, ending the newspaper’s 174-year history. It was a sad day for journalism when the News closed, leading to the loss of more than 200 jobs. But it was also the beginning of real-life experiment in this evolving enterprise we call journalism. To me, it's an experiment all in the world of journalism should be watching. Closely.Read the rest of the story here.
Our Partners
Common Ground Is Brewing
Support local stories and receive our signature roast straight to your door when you join at the Standard level (or above).
Drink Better, Read Local
