From Elvis to Jackie-O to Superman to Diego Rivera, Michael Daugherty has composed an impressive musical career out of popular culture and classical orchestration. In fact, last year he was the third-most performed living American composer. Concentrate caught up with Ann Arbor's musical tour de force to discuss his life, work, and inspirations.
The editorial staff of Concentrate would like to wish you a happy and safe fourth of July. We'll be spending the week barbecuing, avoiding the throngs of teenagers attending the latest Twilight film, and sampling Michigan's finest microbrews. Some time in a hammock may also be involved. We'll see you again on July 14th with a brand new issue!
CytoPherx is in the money these days now that it has corralled $5 million of its $7.5 million venture capital fundraising goal.The Ann Arbor-based bio-tech firm is acquiring capital for a Series B tranche of fundraising. This is not the 3-year-old firm's first trip to the angel investor and venture capital rodeo to bring in funding for its clinical trials."The proceeds (of this latest round of VC) will be used to fund our FDA pilot trial for our acute renal failure product," says Mark Morsfield, CFO of CytoPherx.The University of Michigan spin-off is developing new therapies for patients who suffer from acute and chronic kidney disease. It hopes to flip the current survival rates so 70 percent or more of patients with kidney disease can go on to live fulfilling lives.CytoPherx employs a dozen people in Ann Arbor. It expects to hire two more to serve as clinical trial support staff by the end of this year.Source: Mark Morsfield, CFO of CytoPherxWriter: Jon Zemke
Say the words "Leaders and Best" in Washtenaw County and people think of maize and blue. Say the words "Leaders and the Best Value" and people are now thinking green and white.That's the sort of impact Eastern Michigan University is looking to achieve with the freezing of its tuition and cost of attendance. Whether the university will be able to achieve that is anybody's guess, but it is a policy that is garnering quite a bit of attention. "Tactically I thought it was an interesting strategy to use price to position itself against its competition," says Lou Glazer, president of the Ann Arbor-based think tank Michigan Future Inc.EMU has used extended press and marketing campaigns to drive home the message that it cares about the rising cost of higher education. Not a bad idea, considering Michigan's universities have received significant cuts in state funding and raised tuition rates by double digits on several occasions. After EMU's announcement, state colleges held tuition increases to the low single digits this spring. In comparison, Wayne State University raised tuition 4.4 percent and U-M by 1.5 percent."We've been a leader in the last two years in accessibility and affordability," says Walter Kraft, vice president for communications at EMU. "We're committed to that."Affordability is important, but there are still other questions that have yet to be answered about this policy. For instance, Glazer wants to know if it is helping attract more or higher quality students? Also, can the university still provide a quality education?"Everybody is looking at the cost side of the things and not at the quality," Glazer says. "Both matter."Source: Walter Kraft, vice president for communications at Eastern Michigan University and Lou Glazer, president of Michigan Future IncWriter: Jon Zemke
If there is a name brand for historic preservation in Michigan, it would be Quinn Evans. The Ann Arbor-based firm is using that specialty to grow its staff at a time when architecture firms are shrinking or disappearing. It's also roping in some major awards, such as being named Firm of the Year by the Michigan chapter of the American Institute of Architects."That's probably where the market is the strongest," says Michael Quinn, FAIA and founding principal of Quinn Evans Architects, referring to the reuse of existing buildings. "People have to take care of what they have right now."Quinn Evans Architects has quite the resume to back that, including heading up the restorations of the former Wayne County Building in downtown Detroit, the Michigan State Capitol building and Hill Auditorium, among many others. It uses those projects as a springboard to help land others in an economy when there is precious little new building occurring. The architecture firm to add three employees over the last year and now employs 63 people between its Ann Arbor and Washington, D.C., offices and a satellite office in Madison, Wisc. It hopes to continue to expand its staff as necessary and is seriously looking at opening a Detroit-based office."We've been fortunate," Quinn says. "We have been able to find new work and keep existing work."AIA Michigan has named it the top architecture firm in the state, just another feather in the cap of the 25-year-old company that has collected more than 100 awards for 60 of its projects."There are only a few higher awards," Quinn says. "It's a boost to everyone in the firm."Source: Michael Quinn, founding principal of Quinn Evans ArchitectsWriter: Jon Zemke
Entrepreneurs everywhere are trying to build the better mousetrap. Ann Arbor's Jan and Sassa Akervall believe they have built a better mouth guard.Dr. Jan Akervall – an ear, nose and throat specialist – invented the mouth guard while figuring out a way to protect his patients' teeth from being chipped during medical procedures. That gave rise to his start-up, Akervall Technologies, and its principal product, Protech Dent."He was concerned about this," says Sassa Akervall, COO of Akervall Technologies. "He wanted something better to protect their teeth and what was available just wasn't cutting it."The ultra-thin mouth guard is made of non-compressible, perforated material and is 30 percent stronger than conventional mouth guards. It allows its users to drink, talk, and breathe normally without removing it. Medical patients, athletes, and even soldiers are among the targeted clientele.The Ann Arbor-based company is in the process of getting the product onto retail shelves and raising seed capital to increase its visibility. It recently received a Michigan microloan to help achieve its marketing goals."We realized if we wanted to make it in retail we need to be visible," Sassa says. "We need to stand out."The 2-year-old company employs three people and plans to hire a sales and marketing specialist."I can see this company growing to the point we need our own plant in the future," Sassa says. "We need to take it one step at a time."Source: Sassa Akervall, COO of Akervall TechnologiesWriter: Jon Zemke
Ben Kazez had the right skill set, the right idea, and the right product at the right time, and now has one of Ann Arbor's fastest growing start-ups - Mobiata - to show for it.The former Apple software engineer was an early adapter of the iPhone and all of the applications that came with it. He thought Apple's App Store should have something that helps airline passengers to catch their flights, so he created FlightTrack. That turned out to be a runaway hit, highlighted by Apple as one of its must-haves in its print and TV advertising. "I saw the need for this app and there was nothing like it at the App Store at the time," says Kazez, president and founder of Mobiata. "It was about six months after the App Store was launched."That led to the creation of Mobiata about 18 months ago, with just Kazez writing apps. Today the firm has 12 employees plus an intern. Flight Track now also works on both smart phone versions, along with Blackberry and the Palm Pre. Kazez is looking for software engineers who can write apps for the iPhone and Android. He hopes to add 5-10 more jobs within the next year."We've got lots and lots to do," Kazes says. "We just need people to help us do it."Source: Ben Kazez, founder and president of MobiataWriter: Jon Zemke
Gerry Roston's plan for Pair of Docs is working quite well. The Saline-based entrepreneur has used the consulting firm to help secure a top executive position at up-and-coming firm Inpore Technologies.Roston is now the CEO of the East Lansing-based plastic polymers manufacturer. He is helping the Michigan State University spin-off finish its first round of angel investments this summer. He expects it to be fully operational and profitable within a year or two and to have 7-8 employees (there are now three) by the end of this year."That model is working very well now," Roston says.Pair of Docs won't just fade away with Roston's exit. His partner in the Saline-based business will fill in as Roston focuses on Inpore Technologies. Inpore Technologies makes a polymer additive to make plastics stronger and more flexible - no easy task. Its product is biodegradable, thereby shortening the time that automotive plastics spend in landfills to a few years rather than indefinitely. It also makes the plastic more fire retardant and non-toxic if it actually does burn."There are all sorts of neat opportunities with this product," Roston says.Source: Gerry Roston, partner with Pair of Docs and CEO of Inpore TechnologiesWriter: Jon Zemke
Barracuda Networks' goal is to employ 185 people at its Ann Arbor office by 2013. A year ahead of schedule, the California-based firm is just about halfway there.As the result of a deal the company made with the state in 2008 to create nearly 200 Internet-based jobs for a $1.4 million tax credit, today it employs about 90 people in Ann Arbor. With 10 job openings to fill, the company is hosting a career fair on Thursday at its offices on the near north side of Ann Arbor."We're hiring at least a person a week right now," says Sean Heiney, director of new product initiatives at Barracuda Networks. "We've had very aggressive growth year after year. We have to find the best talent, and Ann Arbor has turned into a major R&D center for us."Barracuda Networks creates e-mail and Internet security applications. The research and development of those products is done in its Ann Arbor office, which is nearly full. The company is looking for fresh graduates with computer science degrees or web software developers, quality assurance engineers, IT staff, and tech support and sales staff. For information on the job openings, click here.Source: Sean Heiney, director of new product initiatives at Barracuda NetworksWriter: Jon Zemke
Judy Ravin wants to break down the language barrier between people who actually speak the same language. Sounds funny, but it's meant success for her five-year-old business - Accent Reduction Institute.The Ann Arbor-based company focuses on accent reduction, enabling people who speak the same language to more easily understand each other. The firm has four full-time employees, 10 instructors, and two interns, who help bridge the language barrier of people who come here, play by the rules, learn the language, and still can't understand bumpkin or a Brooklyn accent."There is almost nothing available to our workforce," says Ravin, president and founder of Accent Reduction Institute. "I thought, 'Wow. We have a lot of people who are trying to contribute, who work in the global economy and there is nothing to help them."And this service is increasingly in demand. Ravin has added three instructors since 2007 and plans to add four more by the end of the third quarter. They are trained to help people listen through accents and minimize their own for easier communication."It's not to eliminate an accent," Ravin says. "It's to eliminate a language barrier but maintain people's identity."Source: Judy Ravin, president and founder of Accent Reduction InstituteWriter: Jon Zemke
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