Blogs
Thursday, September 27, 2012
If you're busy on-task in the working world, it helps to pause and think for a minute. Mark Stutrud, president of Lutheran Social Services of Michigan, writes on the messy, loving human services business and on training our entrepreneurial gaze higher.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Follow your gut, not money or title or what-ifs or has-beens, when it comes to making your own career and company. So goes this sage advice, and much more, from author, teacher, and PR entrepreneur Lynne Golodner, founder of Your People, LLC and Parenting Without a Map.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match! Kerrie Schneider, owner of Bella Introductions, writes on the business of love and on how new demographics impact lovin' in Detroit.
Thursday, August 02, 2012
Royal Oak has the only nonprofit foundation in Michigan solely devoted to eating disorder recovery, an issue hitting young professional women in particular. Beverly Price and Samara Johnson of the Inner Door Foundation discuss how local nonprofits and the healthcare system can devote themselves to this area.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Social media is a necessary minefield for entrepreneurs and jobseekers to navigate. While voiding the past isn't always possible, Foley & Lardner LLP attorney Jennifer Neumann gives the rundown on proper usage of this tool.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
The principles of yoga shouldn't just be left for the 6 p.m. class; they should be followed throughout the business day, according to the teachings of Katherine Austin, founder of Karma Yoga. This week she opines on why and how businesses can answer a calling higher than egoism and the profit motive.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
When it comes to the forefront of scientific, technical, and leadership roles, women are still running in place, for the most part. Civil Air Patrol Major General Amy Courter, president of the Michigan chapter of Women in Defense, writes this week on how more women can achieve line positions in Michigan's burgeoning defense industry.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Small companies comprise 99% of employers nationwide, and (surprise!) 98% in Michigan. That's why east coast native Julie Gustafson, executive director of the Macomb-OU INCubator, recently moved inland to foster new entrepreneurs here. This week she covers the hatching of new businesses and her work upbringing in the family ski shop.
Thursday, May 03, 2012
In an era of flaming high tuition rates, it's enough for students to cover their own bills, let alone fund the education of others. Kentaro Roy, president of Kentaro Web Design + SEO and funder of a scholarship at EMU, writes about being a student entrepreneur and keeping young talent in-state.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Due to a successful compromise, the Troy Transit Center, plans for which were initially derailed, is back on track for completion in the fall of 2013. Michele Hodges, president of the Troy Chamber of Commerce, discusses why communities should have a AAA mindset and how the transit center was resurrected.
Thursday, April 05, 2012
The premise behind art is to say something in a way it hasn't been said (or sung) before. Singer and songwriter John D. Lamb, director of Springfed Arts, writes about running Metro Detroit's literary workshop venue and the merits of a kick in the pants.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
New urbanists are salting cities with temporary-to-permanent gathering places. Courtney Piotrowski, a founder of Detroit landscape architecture firm livingLab, drills chair bombing and other gorilla placement tactics into our heads.
Thursday, March 08, 2012
State Rep. Jim Townsend has introduced a bill to create a regional transit authority in southeast Michigan; by some counts, this is the 24th attempt to create such an entity. Rep. Townsend writes this week on clearing the road for mass transit. Let's hope no. 24 is the charm.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
A motor home for the homeless comes with sleeves and a zipper, thanks to a Detroit inventor and a cadre of formerly homeless seamstresses. Veronika Scott, founder of The Empowerment Plan, maker of a combo coat-shelter, discusses how a school project morphed into a sustainable manufacturing career.
Thursday, February 09, 2012
Metro Detroit's entrepreneur ranks are burgeoning. But startups are well advised to keep a legal-eye view on going into business. John Simon, attorney and partner at Foley & Lardner, LLP, gives the rundown of legal issues to which great minds must heed, such as corporate form and intellectual property protection.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
There's a reason why "customer" begins with "custom". Rebecca Aughton, owner and founder of Bra-vo intimates, discusses how retailers can tailor service to their clientele and at the same time unify to create thriving downtowns.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Social responsibility has grown from business school curriculum and boardroom gab into a customer expectation. Brian Elias, founder and president of 1-800-HANSONS, says that when customers buy a company's products, they're also buying its stance on community involvement.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Metromode received an abundance of provocative and inspiring ideas via our guest bloggers throughout the year, and it's our pleasure to share with you a selection of the most compelling.
Thursday, December 08, 2011
It's not just Occupy Wall Street protesters that are concerned about the top 1%. Eleanore Eveleth, community development project manager for D3 (Data Driven Detroit) writes on how equity before wealth makes for more perfect, sustainable economic community outcomes.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
In Detroit, arguably even more important than dollars is the currency of social entrepreneurship. Keeping both financial and human capital circulating regionally are Rishi and Anuja Jaitly, co-founders of the Michigan Corps and co-launchers of Kiva Detroit. This week they give us the crash course on organizing for social change.
Thursday, November 03, 2011
How does the Great Lakes State become the Great Conservation State? This week Lisa Wozniak and Ryan Mark-Griffin of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters unroll an environmental health and safety blueprint for 2012.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
It'll be a transportation field day when you can check out a bike in Detroit as easily as you can a book from the library. Detroit Bike Sharing co-founders Stephanie Lucido and Jenna Przybycien share their plans for how the Motor City can be a cycle city.
Thursday, October 06, 2011
The Tigers are at bat in the American League Series, and it's no stretch to say the city of Detroit is going to bat for a variety of businesses. This week, George W. Jackson, CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, discusses the city's investment, job numbers, and its game plan for the Belleview site and extension of downtown's RiverWalk.
Thursday, September 01, 2011
If Clear Channel Radio had had its druthers, Detroit's 104.7 The Oasis smooth jazz channel would've been static buzz. This week radio broadcaster and station owner Tim Martz talks guerrilla radio strategy and on how Detroiters effected 104.7's reversal of misfortune.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Lowering regional energy usage isn't just one-off municipal LED lighting or solar power projects; cities now see that information sharing is power. We check in with Jordan Eizenga and Michael Stepniak, interns from the UniverCities program of the Michigan Suburbs Alliance charged with helping Metro Detroit cut back energy usage 25% by 2015.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
The $528 million Woodward Light Rail is finally coming to pass, but we may be in for a jiggly ride. This week Megan Owens, executive director of Transportation Riders United, provides a rail platform for leadership to follow.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Who can forget the great bailout of banker George Bailey in the classic It's a Wonderful Life? Bruce Rosenblat, chief marketing officer of Main Street Bank, writes on the hyper-local focus of the region's community banks and why these pillars are not pulling up stakes here.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
"If you think you can do it, or you think you can't do it, you are right." – Henry Ford Poly-entrepreneur Paul Jenkins, Jr., has gadded about the world but the home state of Ford is his base. This week the restaurateur and owner of What Crepe? creperie writes on starving doubt.
Thursday, June 09, 2011
The new Detroit Revitalization Fellowship Program garnered 650 applicants for 30 spots - proof positive that the city's real estate is a hot topic. A trio from CREW Detroit, the founding member of a national organization of women commercial real estate pros, blogs on how their group and incoming fellows will be stamping a new ID on the city.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Has the prospect of launching your own business got you tongue-tied? Mike Teshuba, CTO of language learning software provider Mango Languages, gives talking points on building start-ups – and warns us about the non-starters.
Thursday, May 05, 2011
The recent arrest of an individual for pelting the ice with an octopus during the Red Wings playoffs clashes with Detroit's joie de vivre but doesn't mean time-out. It's Stanley Cup week, and entrepreneur-attorney-philanthropist Denise Ilitch delivers the sports talk.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
In the comics, as in life, actions speak louder than words. From toughing out road construction projects to the digitizing of print, Green Brain Comics co-owner Dan Merritt covers the survival of the superhero of American art forms, the comic book.
Thursday, April 07, 2011
Great rivers can, and literally have, caught fire. This week Dr. John Hartig, refuge manager of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge and author of Burning Rivers, explains this phenomenon and writes about those unwilling to let the heritage and wildlife of the Detroit and Rouge River ecosystems go out in flames.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Ideally Detroit's buildings should be as changeable as a set of Legos; the reality is a bit different. Architect Mark Nickita, co-founder of Archive Design Studio, returns to write about the repositioning of under-producing properties and why cities are best seen on foot.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
"All the world's a stage", as Shakespeare said... "world" being the operative term for next-gen Detroiters. Enter Megan Miller, director of programs at the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, who holds forth on why the city's young residents should step outside its urban limits.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
With nearly 50,000 nonprofits in Michigan and charitable giving falling 11% in 2009, competition for funding is prickly out there. Michael Tyson, president and CEO of Nonprofit Enterprise at Work (NEW), suggests these organizations should unify and share resources in order to meet their double bottom lines of money and mission.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Detroit Green City? Now comes Rebecca Salminen Witt, president of The Greening of Detroit, to cover the fresh ideas and opportunities that support green infrastructure in Michigan's largest neck of the woods.
Thursday, February 03, 2011
As an indicator of what Michigan's forces can do when left to their own devices, the Southeast Michigan Regional Energy Office has joined in an alliance to obtain $70M in federal energy funds. Outreach Director Amanda Dentler writes about Metro Detroit's energy efficiency model, and neighborhood efforts to manage consumption.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Metro Detroit is one of the largest contemporary art markets in the country, according to George N'Namdi, founder of the N'Namdi Center for Contemporary Art, a visual and performing arts venue housing one of the world's finest collections of African American art. This week George writes about the guest curators and artists who are turning Detroit's Sugar Hill arts district into a showpiece of the modern art circuit.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
"Art doesn't transform. It just plain forms." - Roy Lichtenstein. Dedicated to making the arts a community pillar for Macomb County is Dr. Jennifer Callans, executive director of the Anton Art Center. This week Jenny will open the discussion on arts funding, programming, and the art community's changing demographics.
Thursday, December 02, 2010
Metro Detroit recently landed a $2.85 million Sustainable Communities grant to help the region become more dense and develop its transit options. Brad Garmon, land programs director at the Michigan Environmental Council, offers a free-thinking approach to connecting the historically disparate forces of housing, land use, and eco-consciousness.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Music writer Brett Callwood hopped the briny deep to follow rockers like the Dirt Bombs and Insane Clown Posse (who got big play in his native England) to Detroit in 2008. This week Brett, author of MC5: Sonically Speaking, the first full biography of the harbingers of punk rock, plumbs the local music scene and its old school influences.
Thursday, November 04, 2010
For a study in subterranean culture, look no deeper than Richard Bak, author of Boneyards: Detroit Underground. In his explorations this week, Bak unearths the migration of bodies from Detroit to suburban cemeteries, a burial ground absorbed by an auto plant, and visits a pet graveyard. RIP, Fido.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Brazil native Antonio Lück, portfolio manager at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, has lived in the Detroit area for under four years, yet has built a chain of friendships and activities that many would take a lifetime to amass. This week he writes on how a collaboration between a Brazil university and WSU brought him to Detroit's shores, the seeding of the Detroit Young Professionals volunteer and leadership group, and entrepreneurial gusto in the city.
Thursday, October 07, 2010
To be competitive, governments must reach out to their communities – and, even, past international borders. Maureen Krauss, director for the Department of Economic Development and Community Affairs for Oakland County, discusses the role of events and the county's overseas trade missions in business development.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
With wine grape harvest well underway and snow soon to drape Michigan's vineyards, let's hope for a rosé forecast for vintage 2010. Wine writers Lorri Hathaway and Sharon Kegerreis, co-authors of The History of Michigan Wines, will cover the state's trial-and-error wine industry and toast its status as a world-class wine and food destination.
Thursday, September 09, 2010
There is a method behind the madness associated with creations like a
Red Green Robot or a Cupcake Electric Vehicle, we promise. Their
inventor, i3 Detroit hackerspace co-founder Nick Britsky, is here to
talk this week about his community toolbox, the Maker Movement, and the
state of DIY.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Kerry Dolman is on a mission to break the "no jobs-no young people-nothing to do" myth of Detroit into tiny little pieces. As the Founder and CEO of After 5 Detroit, she'll be blogging about her efforts to change the doom and gloom narrative, bring together the region's top graduates and interns, and her involvement with The Collaborative Group. Don't be shy, read on...
Thursday, August 12, 2010
In a nutshell, Tai Chi Chuan is the centuries-old art of breaking force with softness. Sifu Stephen Britt is technical director of the Michigan Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan and Chi Kung Institute. He calls for Michigan to be a national leader in research into the efficacy of employing this art form into alternative medicinal therapies.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
A peek at the playbills of the Majestic Theater and the Magic Stick live music venues shows that every day is a different act. How does Joe Zainea, longtime owner of The Majestic entertainment empire, keep things fresh from week to week? Follow on for his tales of revival and survival.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
In a sign that the Great Lakes State is riding the wave of its young talent, a group of interns came to exchange ideas with state powerbrokers at the recent Mackinac Policy Conference. Jennifer Guracech, Chris Ando, and Christian Bielski offer up their takeaways from this gathering of Michigan's intelligentsia.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Pavan Muzumdar, entrepreneur-in-residence at Lawrence Tech, has a thinkpot of ideas from the practical to the theoretical for us this week. He'll start with options for our money and move on to the relationship of the BP oil spill to kitty litter scooper sales (call it the Black Swan Effect).
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Bravo! Bravo! Rebekah Johnson, public relations coordinator for the Michigan Opera Theatre, is staging a program to open the curtains on a younger crowd's appreciation of music and libretto.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
This weekend a Euro-heavy crowd will descend on Movement, Detroit's electronica fest. And who better than laptop músico Walter Wasacz, who's also a techno writer and an editor for Issue Media Group, to give us the skinny on this world-famous fete.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Fusion, a networking and leadership group for young Detroit professionals, has a spot at the table at the upcoming Mackinac Policy Conference. Its director, Christianne Sims, will be discussing the group's goals for this important gathering of the state's business, civic, and political leaders.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
And the winner is... Diane Durance, executive director of Great Lakes Entrepreneur's Quest, is here this week to discuss the GLEQ business plan competition for aspiring entrepreneurs. In June, one start-up will win the $100K SmartZone award. In a time when there's talk of taking the nickel out of nickels, a few Gs can mean the difference between boom or bust.
Thursday, May 06, 2010
With all the talk of innovation areas that Michigan is betting its dollars and future on: life sciences, advanced manufacturing, homeland security, and IT, are we missing something? Eco businesses, which supply high wage jobs and focus on sustainable use of our resources, are equally deserving of attention. As such, we're bringing back a previous blog from the owner of the Green Garage, a green business incubator in Midtown Detroit that's set to open this September.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
"There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." –Anais Nin. Take it from Norm Silk, owner of Blossoms florist, who discusses the growth and challenges (the Iceland volcano) of the floral industry. Then follow his rehab of Detroit's only Frank Lloyd Wright property, and progress report on the Woodward Avenue Action Association's work on 6 to 8 Mile's commercial strip.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
With nearly half a million residents of Arab descent, Metro Detroit has the second largest share of Arab American residents in the country. And fittingly, Dearborn is home to the nation's first museum devoted to this population's rich history and culture. This week Devon Akmon, deputy director of the Arab American National Museum, blogs about building community through multicultural programming.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
New Michigan motto: "If you seek a green peninsula, look about you." On April 22nd over 1 billion people worldwide will celebrate our green planet. John Batdorf, co-founder and manager of the MI Earth Day Fest, sounds the wake-up call. We're on the verge of "peak oil" he says, and the next 20 years are crucial to kicking our oil-aholism.
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Noodle on this: Just 32 percent of Michigan's working-age residents hold at least a two-year college degree. Gov. Granholm and The Kresge Foundation want to double this figure by 2025. Caroline Altman Smith, a program officer at Kresge, will spotlight community colleges and cover the importance of college access (and success) for Detroiters.
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Detroit is proudly pegged on world maps as the motherland of techno. Lest we forget, author and Organic, Inc. Creative Director Dan Sicko has released a new edition of his book, Techno Rebels: The Renegades of Electronic Funk. This week Dan writes about sound waves and why he kept his feet planted in the Motor City.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Healthy bodies grow healthy minds. SEED Wayne Director Kami Pothukuchi, a WSU professor of urban planning and manager of one of the few university-run farmers markets in the nation, will discuss the campus market and why educators and urban planners should pay close attention to local, nutritious, and affordable food systems.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Did you know that parks and open space comprise 38 percent of London's footprint? Successful cities know green means a better quality of life and a healthier population. Bryan Farmer, recreation superintendent for the city of Farmington Hills, blogs about next week's No Child Left Inside Summit and the city's commitment to outdoor programming.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
The Henry Ford in Dearborn is a campus of invention and cultural evolution. From living laboratories to the Rosa Parks bus, its 26+ million artifacts are the nation's most distinctive collection of American culture and innovation. Patricia E. Mooradian, president of The Henry Ford, explains how an American history museum stays relevant and fosters the next generation of thinkers.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
The Detroit Free Press recently voted Supino's Pizzeria tops in Metro Detroit (no small feat, given the competition; GQ ranks Detroit as third-best pizza city in the U.S.). Dave Mancini, Supino's chef and owner, gives the Kitchen Confidential tour of his Eastern Market gourmet pizza place and dishes on his favorite local businesses.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
The case of City Government v. Business Interests is now closed. For the region to flourish again, attorney and Royal Oak City Commissioner Jim Rasor knows that both parties need to be on the same side. This week he offers up his 2020 vision for the region.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
It is the work of a historic preservationist to keep buildings out of the graveyard. Well-known preservationist Rebecca Binno Savage, a project manager with AKT Peerless Environmental and Energy Services, has written the book on Detroit area Art Deco architecture. This week, she digs into a few vintage buildings and builds a case for their resurrection.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Any way you cast it, the beauty of art is its ability to project intrigue onto, say, an overturned refrigerator. This week Monica Bowman, founder and director of The Butcher's Daughter gallery, opens a window onto the relevance of contemporary art for Detroit communities.
Thursday, February 04, 2010
The labor laws for Michigan's workforce are decidedly DIY now. Here to speak to this is Dan Izzo, training leader at Bizdom U, a tuition-free academy for entrepreneurs in Detroit. This week Dan writes on avoiding broad stroke metaphors for the region, and how thinking like an individual and an entrepreneur will get us out of our current funk.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Thinking on the fly takes talent, but it's one that can be taught. Pj Jacokes, comedian and producer of the Go Comedy! Improv Theater and Go Improv Academy, makes a career out of showing Metro Detroiters how to be fast on their feet. His sketch this week outlines why we should care about improv and fostering those bursts of imagination.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Haul away those dumpsters with John Bradburn, environmental engineer for the GM Worldwide Facilities Group. John waxes green this week on GM's clean innovations and landfill-free program and on why businesses need an eco-friendly infrastructure.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
In the winter of its economic downturn, the city of Detroit is doing an upriver crawl. Jump in with Ric Geyer, managing partner of 4731 Consulting (and long-distance swimmer), as he discusses Citizens for Cities, heroism, and his annual 14-miler across Lake St. Clair.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Metro Detroit recently got its own version of the venerable Chautauqua gathering of thinkers with the inaugural TEDx Detroit intellectual and creative conference. This week, TEDx organizer and ad man Charlie Wollborg, founder of Curve Detroit Advertising, Marketing & Design, presents another Chautauqua of the mind with his collection of videos aimed at refilling Michigan's economic fountain of ideas.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Detroit Public Schools' high school graduation rate was an abysmal 38 percent in 2005, ranking it 48th out of the nation's 50 largest school systems, says a recent America's Promise Alliance study. Others have pegged it as low as 25 percent. Frank Nardelli, principal of Detroit's Dove Academy, a K-7 charter public school, is waging a turnaround one campus at a time. His lesson plan? Parental involvement, a club that goes beyond the usual extracurriculars, and visions of the Big Ten dancing in children's heads.
Thursday, December 03, 2009
How does your garden grow? Rather than silver bells and cockle shells, perennially practical Detroiters are turning city wasteland into food for the masses. Patrick Crouch, program manager of the Capuchin Soup Kitchen's Earthworks Urban Farm, will plant his ideas about food justice and permaculture in our heads this season.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Turkey season and football playoffs signal another cold winter kickoff, but thankfully it's springtime for green entrepreneurs in Detroit. Meet Chanell Scott and Jordan Contreras, recent Bizdom U grads and co-founders of Guffly.com, a new shopping website for eco-buffs. This week they put their heads together to discuss Detroit's entrepreneurial climate and their eco-friendly approach.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
While kiosks and bulletin boards are still littered with those hangy tear-off strip fliers, they've been overshadowed by interactive web directories, where visitors can post reviews and find hip happenings. Give a shout-out to Mariah Cherem, Metro Detroit community manager for Yelp.com, who will be reviewing the benefits of community and sense of place.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Ironically, early auto workers once rode the streetcar to work in factories. This new model year, facing a crumbled rail system and plant closings, the communities of greater Detroit are assembling a regional transit authority. Megan Owens, the executive director of Transportation Riders United, outlines a timeline of transit and what's needed to make the jump from jalopy to streamlined bus service and regional light rail.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Do we need to run around in a rabbit suit to conjure up our region's lost wealth? Dr. Paul Nielsen, entrepreneurial owner of the Wunderground Magic Shop, amuses us this Halloween's Eve with spirited tales pulled from his hat. Learn to make coin from castoffs and marvel at Houdini's winter freestyle under Detroit River ice caps.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Talk is easy. Putting weight behind your words is another matter. Take it from Dr. Britany Affolter-Caine, a half-marathoner and director of Intern In Michigan, an initiative to attract and retain college graduates through internship opportunities. Britany discusses how Michigan's educational, economic, and business stakeholders have moved past the chatting stage to actively join together in collaboration.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Dancer and choreographer Anuja Rajendra, the creator and CEO of Bollyfit (Bollywood-themed fitness dance classes) puts a positive spin on downsizing in a region known for both employment woes and beefy waistlines. This week, Anuja shows how we can bhangra our way to a state of cultural understanding, good health, and good spirits.
Thursday, October 08, 2009
On the menu at Detroit's Park Shelton are young neighboring entrepreneurs Torya Blanchard, chef and owner of Good Girls Go To Paris Crepes, and Greg Lenhoff, owner of Leopold's bookstore. Enjoy some food for thought this week as Torya and Greg discuss what sparks their artisanal ventures.
Thursday, October 01, 2009
With Michigan Public Act 295 the state must obtain 10% of its energy from renewable sources by 2015. As the wind turbine blades turn, alternative energy employment is becoming a vast new horizon for the region. Mary Templeton, an Executive VP at Wind Energy Consulting and Contracting, explains her career switch from the auto industry to renewable energy, and Michigan's efforts to foster talent in this new field.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Nationwide, it's cyclists and pedestrians, not cars, that spin the gears of cool cities. This week, bike and trail advocate Todd Scott, Detroit Greenways Coordinator for the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance, shows what true fuel economy means for Metro Detroit.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Rick DeVos is the creator behind ArtPrize and other ventures that have a common theme of empowering, expanding, and enlightening conversation. His interest in using social media to decentralize control of the event, an international art competition, has excited some and rankled others. Whichever side you fall on, one thing is certain: This inaugural year represents a huge social experiment. Rick's here to talk about it this week.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Creating green, sustainable communities in Detroit will take more than just fuzzy, eco-friendly sentiments. For Peggy Brennan, co-owner of the soon-to-open Green Garage, a Detroit-based business incubator for conservation-minded businesses, it's mission critical. We bring back Peggy's blog on net zero energy design, why LEED certified isn't enough, and how Detroit is ready to go green.
Thursday, September 03, 2009
A celebrity demographer if there ever was one, Kurt Metzger, director of the Detroit Area Community Indicators System, is the go-to-guru for the latest trends in population flow. This week, Kurt holds forth on the importance of immigration to the region's vitality, right-sizing the city, and neighborhoods of opportunity.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Hollywood is new on the Michigan scene, but Metro Detroit has always been the beachhead for Carrie LeZotte. The executive producer at One of Us Films and founder of OICmovies.com, Carrie knows her lines when it comes to the movie biz. This week she'll talk about starting a news and entertainment site for the deaf and hard of hearing, film technologies, and how to break in.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Paper and plastic bags, be gone! Plastic grocery sacks, now banned everywhere from China to South Africa to San Francisco, make eco-blogger Jeff Newsom's tank top shirt bags a viable choice. Proceeds from these fashion-cum-function totes support A-ShirtBag, his environmental education non-profit. This week, Jeff waxes eloquent on what it takes to start a non-profit in Detroit...
Thursday, August 13, 2009
My, how the ENIAC has grown! Southeast Michigan's IT companies, often overshadowed by snazzier startups, are in prosperous mode. Meet Bill Wagner and Dianne Marsh, co-founders of Ann Arbor software firm SRT Solutions. Their blog? The challenges of growing a tech biz and how the tech community is supporting the region.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
In today's interactive web world, businesses in the Great Lakes region need to be more than just a flash in the big 'ole pond. Avid windsurfer Scott Trudeau, president of Daggerfin, a growing creative services agency, will dish on marketing and branding for the little guy and how we can attract more creative types to the area.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
From a master plan for North Corktown to designing public spaces for the Michigan Opera, Michael Poris, has his hand all over downtown Detroit. A principal of architectural firm McIntosh Poris Associates, Michael continues to offer up solutions for the city's revival. Key points: Down with demolition and a call for an economic development czar.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Puppeteering and robot-rigging are no small perks when it comes to Angela Kujava's volunteer work. A certified financial planner and investment management analyst, Angela is also the board president for 826Michigan and co-founder of YP Underground. Over just one week she'll make a strong case for Gen X and Y to lead non-profits, build retirement funds, and turn business networking connections into true friendships.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Are you house hunting or looking for the lofty life? Urban redevelopment devotee and realtor Austin Black, a Cornell grad, has a plate of opportunities to share with young professionals who want to live and work in Detroit.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Polish that business plan and sit down with Chris Rizik, the CEO of Detroit's new Renaissance Venture Capital Fund. He will be discussing the flow of venture capital in Michigan and its essential role in financing the state's high-growth, knowledge economy.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Creative class charter member Scott Paul Dunham has brought a whole palette of arts programs to fruition, and he knows how to throw a good party. As the founding partner of The Creative Energy Alliance, Scott will be giving us the dish on next week's Detroit Windsor International Film Festival.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
If you're looking for the same 'ol song and dance, keep movin'. Detroit music producer Scott Stone of Small Stone Records will be dishing on the good, the bad, and the ugly: overpriced concert tickets, the death of the record store, and the new record business rising from the ashes of the old guard that killed it in the first place.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Darling, there's no such thing as a bad hair day! Freelance writer and marketing/PR consultant Melinda Clynes wants you to let it all down at the Detroit Wig Out, a one-night bonanza of bands, burlesque and, well, hairpieces. If you can't be there to tip your toupee, at least read up on it this week.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Be territorial with your money. That's the mantra of software consultant Ryan Anderson, creator of the Buy Michigan Products.com website and organizer of the recent Buy Michigan Expo. This week, he'll discuss why consumers should shop Michigan first and will also advise area businesses on how to manage their web presence.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Never deny the importance of a good image. As comedian George Carlin observed, "The caterpillar does all the work but the butterfly gets all the publicity." Enter Lisa Maas, president of Publicity Works, a marketing and ad agency in Royal Oak, who will be advising businesses from a PR perspective and discussing diversification as the key to fiscal fitness.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Leave it to an entrepreneur to know the importance of good relationships. Zach Lipson is the founder of the of relationship advice website Leftos.com (LEssons For The Opposite Sex) and co-organizer of TechNow 09, a widely attended conference for technology start-ups. Zach will be writing about the how and why behind TechNow.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Get wind of what's happening on Woodward with Jeanette Pierce, co-founder of Inside Detroit. This non-profit walking convention and visitor's bureau has the ground-level view of Detroit's cultural, historical, entertainment, and retail venues. Jeanette will explain how Inside Detroit is attracting talent and promoting economic growth in the region.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Earth Day reminds us that it's a green globe we live in. Meet Jason Bing, manager of Recycle Ann Arbor's Environmental House, a facilitator of healthy, energy- efficient home and workplace construction in Southeast Michigan. He holds a graduate degree in architecture and is a LEED accredited professional. Jason will be writing about local and national energy initiatives, issues and ideas.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Ferndale's progeny became this hip city's prodigy. Meet Kate Baker, director of development at Wayne State University Press and Ferndale city councilwoman. Kate, who goes down in legend as the city's youngest-ever elected official, will be writing about community development and culture in Metro Detroit.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Grab a cup and sip a while! Let's talk stra-tea-gy with Phuong and Viet Le, the young co-founders of Ono Tea, as they build their creative new business around an ancient drink.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
National hoopla centers on Detroit this weekend, as it hosts the NCAA Final Four championship. Derek Mehraban, CEO of Ingenex Digital Marketing (and MSU basketball buff!) will be playing up the region's home court advantage, starting with how companies can adopt MSU's winning game plan.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Not everything can be scripted, but here's a good start for a start-up. Jeremy Schneider, founder and president of Ann Arbor-based Rentlinx, an online rental housing multi-list, tells the tale of a software developer creating a company from scratch and learning to make bucks from the mostly free service he markets on a budget.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Attorney Deborah Groban Olson will discuss efforts to combine local talent with intellectual property resources to create green businesses. Deborah is the executive director of Detroit's Center for Community-Based Enterprise, whose goal is to turn the city into a national model for locally-owned sustainable businesses. She also enjoys making maple syrup.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Social media, "tweeting" and "friending". These days, it's hard to tell screen time from face time. Meet Jeffrey MacKie-Mason, associate dean for academic affairs at the University of Michigan School of Information. This week, he'll be talking about the knowledge economy opportunities emerging from a unique graduate program that blends information systems with the social sciences.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Arjen Oosterman is editor-in-chief and publisher of Volume magazine, as well as a writer and educator. With the ambition to reconnect architecture to the pressing issues of our times, Volume advocates to "go beyond architecture" and reclaim the cultural and political significance of design. Arjen will be writing about his recent participation at a conference in Warren.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Bill Wrobleski thinks it's time we all went green. He also thinks it's easier to make a difference than you think. As the director of U-M's Technical Infrastructure Operations at the school's Administrative Information Services he's charged with balancing the growing tech needs of the U and its desire to be a good environmental citizen.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
In his spare time, Thomas Zurbuchen launches new instruments for spacecraft. His day job is as a U-M professor of space science and aerospace engineering. He is also the founding director of the engineering school's Center for Entrepreneurship. Thomas will be writing about how Michigan's universities are fostering student entrepreneurship.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
One look at Michael McCorquodale's resume and you'll wonder if the guy ever sleeps. Founder and CTO of Mobius Microsystems, he ping pongs between Michigan and Silicon Valley. Still, he has time to volunteer his time to inner city communities and support some of Detroit's most important institutions. Michael will be writing on high-tech entrepreneurship, commercializing university research, and splitting his life between Michigan and California.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
For the 100th issue, Metromode managing editor Jeff Meyers has stepped out from behind the virtual curtain, where he's monitored Metro Detroit's new economy, to share some of his ideas for making SE Michigan better still. Agree or disagree, he hopes you'll weigh in with a few suggestions of your own. Or at least wish him a happy 100th.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
How do nonprofits weather the state's economic storm? Funny you should ask. Kyle Caldwell is the President and CEO of the
Michigan Nonprofit Association. He's also served both Governors Engler and Granholm as the Executive Director of the Michigan Community Service Commission. Kyle will be writing about the economic impact of Michigan's nonprofit sector and its struggle with the downturn.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Jeff Helminski has some ideas about how to attract young professionals to SE Michigan. He is the Managing Partner of The Moravian Companies, co-founder of the Young Professionals Leadership Council, and the youngest member of the Oakland County Business Roundtable. Go on, click the link. You know you want to read what he has to say.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
From Sharon Carney's perspective we're all in this together. A Special Project Director at the Michigan Suburbs Alliance, Sharon has been both politically and civically involved in Metro Detroit. She will be writing about her latest effort, the Millennial Mayors Congress and how SE Michigan can achieve greater regional collaboration.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Professor Jerry Lindman wants Metro Detroiters to consider nonprofit management as a viable career option. As the Director for the Center for Nonprofit Management at Lawrence Tech, he has a deep understanding of the professional opportunities they offer. Guess what he'll be writing about.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
James Studinger is the owner of the JPStudinger Group, a wealth-management company. James was an instrumental advisor on Michigan's new 529 College Savings Plan and is the author of Wealth Is a Choice. James will be writing about building wealth through and outside business in Michigan's tough economy.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Aaron Pilat thinks Detroit can learn from Rome. An architect in Ann Arbor, Aaron's work has focused on reinventing historic structures for new uses. While living in Rome, he analyzed the re-use of historic architecture and urban space as a means of informing redevelopment in Detroit. Aaron will be writing about his ideas and observations.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Lisa Kurek can show you the money. As the Managing Partner of Biotechnology Business Consultants she has brought in more than $40 million in grant funding for Michigan companies. Lisa will be writing about the impact of grant funding on the state's economy and offer tips for small businesses interested in pursuing funding.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
A filmmaker by training, web project manager/producer (and blogger) Diane Geiger has worked for Detroit-based companies such as The Collective, ASG Renaissance and BrainGain Marketing. Diane wants you to consider your relationship with the metro Detroit area, and invites you to kindle/rekindle a more romantic approach.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Ypsilanti resident Steve Pierce was launching Internet service companies before anyone ever heard the word website. In January, he and his partner launched
Wireless Ypsi, one of the most successful free wireless services in the state. Since then they've helped several Michigan communities set up similar networks. Steve will share the secret of bringing free wireless to the masses.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
From Utah to Motown, Travis Millward bucked tradition and decided to 'Go MidWest'. The founder of
Patriot Properties Group, he purchases and rehabs vacant Detroit-area homes. Travis will be writing about the foreclosure epidemic, entrepreneurship in a down economy, and Detroit’s real estate investing market.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Chris Ramos decided to buy a bus. He wanted to get people from the suburbs into Detroit. Then he got the idea to run the bus on biodiesel; might as well help save the planet, right? So he quit his job, hired Jennifer Harlan and started
The Night Move. It wasn't as simple as it sounds. Chris and Jennifer will be blogging about starting a business in a recession, the obstacles they face and what they've learned so far.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Anthony Morrow knows just how much Detroit rocks. He's the editor & publisher of
Detour --a music, film and culture blog out of Royal Oak--, the creator of both Metro Times' Blowout, and Detour's Rock City music festivals. Anthony has also shot videos for the White Stripes, Von Bondies, and Specs Howard. That enough street cred for you? He'll be writing about what it takes to start an Internet publication, and keep it going.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Peter is a partner with Creative Cities Productions and the founder of the Creative Cities Summit, which will be held in Detroit, October 13-15th. He consults for the Creative Economy by focusing on entrepreneurs, arts & cultural organizations, cities and technologies... which is, oddly enough, what he'll be writing about.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
For Carl Goines its all about the arts. A native Metro Detroiter, he's a founder, Co-Director and board member of Detroit's 555 Nonprofit Gallery and Studios. He'll be writing about what it takes to keep a non-profit arts organization going in Michigan.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Look in the dictionary under community involvement and you're likely to see George Lenko's face. A second term city commissioner in Pleasant Ridge, he spearheaded the NextCruise event during Dream Cruise and has a passion for regional development and transit issues --topics he will be writing about in this week's Guest Blog.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Catheryn Cheal, Ph.D. has some big ideas about technology and education. Which is fitting since she's the Assistant Vice President of e-Learning and Instructional Support at Oakland University. She'll be writing this week about the evolution of learning and technology, and its potential impact on SE Michigan.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
How is Thomas M. Woiwode a champion for conservation? For starters, he has raised over $125 million in private funds for conservation purposes. Plus he's completed more than 300 conservation real estate acquisitions. He's worked for decades to preserve natural spaces, create greenways and otherwise make this a greener state, region and planet. He's our guest blogger this week to share his experiences and ideas to keep this ball rolling.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Over the last nine months Metromode has made space for 34 of Metro Detroit's thought leaders to offer their opinions and experiences about a variety of issues and topics. This week we'd like to point you toward a few that you might have missed along the way. Please, feel free to join in. It's not a conversation without your comments.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Michelle Spranger is a lifelong resident of Oakland County and currently works as a freelance producer and writer for television, video and special events with more than 15 years of experience. She will be writing about what Michigan needs to do to keep people like her from moving away.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Trenda Rusher is PURE Michigan. Born and raised in Detroit, schooled in Washtenaw County (U-M and EMU), she is Executive Director of the Washtenaw County Michigan Works!/Workforce Development and Community Action Boards and serves as a Department Head for ETCS. Trenda will be writing about poverty, literacy, rethinking business/customer service and the need for better public service.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Adrian Pittman is co-founder and CEO of
Velocity Matters and
SOMTU MMS. An Ann Arborite, Adrian has more than 15 years of high-tech marketing and brand development experience. He will be writing about entrepeneurship and innovation in SE Michigan.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Heather Carmona is Executive Director of the Woodward Avenue Action Association and a life-long Detroiter. She is also founder of Pure Alternatives.net, an organic product consulting and consumer advocacy company. Heather will be writing about the interdependence and relationship between quality of life, sustainability and community.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
David Knapp is not only an architectural designer with Albert Kahn Associates, he's an accredited LEED professional who understands the ins and outs of sustainable development. An active community leader, David will be writing about sustainability and urban housing trends in Metro Detroit.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Garrett Myers is the founder and Managing Director of the
Gateway Group, a technology strategy consulting firm.
Garrett has worked for start-ups, started companies, and raised venture capital money in both Boston and Detroit. He'll be writing about the entrepreneurial and VC cultural differences between the East Coast, West Coast and Michigan.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Scott Dunham is the festival manager for next week's Detroit Windsor International Film Festival (DWIFF). A relentless networker, Scott has made it his mission to faciltate creative opportunities for Metro Detroit's film community. He will be writing about building a vibrant film community, the virtues of Michigan's incentive package and, of course, the film fesitval he helms.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Stephen T. Rapundalo, PhD. is the Executive Director of MichBio, the main trade organization for Michigan's life sciences and biotechnology industry. He will be writing about what Michigan can and should do to foster and improve its life sciences industry.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Erika-Marie Geiss is the editor-in-chief and publisher of
theWAHMmagazine
, a digital magazine for work-at-home parents. A 'mompreneur,' she is a freelance writer, professional blogger, editor and published non-fiction author. Erika will be writing about the personal, professional and economic issues of being a work-at-home professional.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Model D managing editor Clare Pfeiffer Ramsey reports in this week from the publication's Motor City headquarters on why Metro Detroit needs to rethink their relationship with the city and why summer is the perfect time to do it. She'll be giving metromode readers the skinny on what Detroit has to offer the region that you simply can't find anywhere else.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
A native Metro-Detroiter, Aaron Kluza is the co-owner and co-operator or Rock Dove Couriers, a bicycle messenger company in downtown Detroit. He'll be writing about Detroit --opportunites and challenges-- from a cyclist's perspective. See if you can keep up.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Patricia Mooradian is the president of The Henry Ford. For five years prior to that she was the COO and directed daily operations of Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, the Ford Rouge Factory Tour and the Benson Ford Research Center. Patricia will be writing about The Henry Ford and tourism in Michigan.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Mark Maynard publishes the magazine Crimewave USA, puts out records, comics and blogs when others sleep. He is one of the founders of Ypsilanti's popular
Shadow Art Fair, co-chair of YpsiVotes, and a member of Ypsilanti's 2020 Task Force on the future of the city. He has a keen interest in economic development and will be writing about why he's enthusiastically chosen to live in Ypsilanti.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Roger Myers is the president and CEO of Presbyterian Villages of Michigan. He is responsible for executive staff leadership and helping develop policy and strategic planning decisions. Roger will be writing about aging baby boomers in SE Michigan from an economic development perspective.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Mark Adler is the president of VAIdigital LLC, a video support company for the film industry. Mark also manages the Michigan Production Alliance, a trade organization whose mission is to create a more stable financial environment for Michigan's production community. From local projects to Hollywood films, he will be writing about Metro Detroit's emerging opportunities and challenges.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Lish Dorset is a member of
Handmade Detroit, the crafty gals who put on the annual
Detroit Urban Craft Fair. She has been making crafts since she started her first Troll doll clothing line back in Mrs. Schneider's fifth grade classroom. Lish also works as a social media coordinator for
MS&L Digital in Ann Arbor. She looks forward to chatting about the state of the indie entrepreneur here in Metro Detroit.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Toby Barlow is co-president and executive creative director of
JWT Team Detroit where he oversees work on both local and national accounts. He is also the author of "
Sharp Teeth," a novel about werewolves. Toby lives downtown in Lafayette Park and will be writing about his vision of a better Metro Detroit.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Keith W. Cooley is the director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth. Before that Keith was the COO and then CEO of Focus: HOPE. He is a University of Michigan graduate with degrees in engineering physics and nuclear engineering and founded the school's Minority Engineering Programs Office. Keith will be writing about how Michigan can improve its workforce and business opportunities and environment.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
He said, she said. This week's guest bloggers are Matt Clayson and Rose Giffen. Matt works as a Promotion Manager with ePrize, serves the Chair of Leadership Next and is active on Detroit Renaissance's "Road to Renaissance" initiative. Rose is the Director of Fund Development for the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity & Inclusion. She also serves as Vice-Chair of Leadership Next. Rose and Matt will be writing about developing strong leadership in SE Michigan and engaging new talent.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Kathleen Owsley is the Director of
One D, a collaborative initiative seeking to transform regional Detroit. She has been the VP of Market Development for the Detroit Regional Chamber, VP of Public/Private Partnerships for Issue Media Group and is a graduate of Kalamazoo College. Kat will be writing about One D, what it is and, more importantly, what it hopes to accomplish.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Neeta Delaney is a champion of the arts. She's the current President and CEO of ArtServe Michigan and the former President and CEO of the Jackson County Community Foundation, where she spearheaded the Armory Arts Project. Neeta will be writing about why Michigan should care more about... you guessed it, arts and culture.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Iain Lanivich is a Digital Creative Director for Campbell-Ewald, directing all phases of creative work from concept development through production. He has also played the Detroit hard rock scene for the last 10+ years as a singer. Iain believes it's a small world so you better start networking. He'll be writing about finding and keeping talent in Detroit.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
John Gongos is the President and CEO of Auburn Hills-based Gongos Research. Moving from neighboring Ohio to Birmingham in 1987, John has seen his company flourish in the struggling economy. He'll be writing about why diversification is important, how to leverage emerging technologies and how to keep and nurture young talent.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
This week Metromode's guest blog is a little different. With Google Adwords celebrating its first anniversary setting up shop in Ann Arbor, we thought it'd be nifty to have local Googlers weigh in with their thoughts about living and working in SE Michigan.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Eric Bruneau is the executive vice president and creative director of Armstrong White. An Academy Award nominated computer animator, Eric is also an entrepreneur and award winning digital creative director. He'll be writing about why Metro Detroit is full of opportunities for people in his field.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Sarah Szurpicki is a Detroit area native and Co-Founder of the
Great Lakes Urban Exchange (GLUE), an online networking and journalism effort to build regional identity and share information among young urban leaders from cities around the Great Lakes region. Sarah will be writing about how our region can benefit from exploring solutions that have been implemented in cities facing similar challenges.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Jacquie Trost is a marketing manager at the Detroit Regional Chamber and native Michigander. She is also a member of the American Marketing Association, Public Relations Society of America and Women in Communications. Jacquie will be writing about the revitalization of the City, the perception of Detroit and the "wants and needs" of young professionals.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Jessica Pfeiffer is a native Detroiter, currently a resident of Corktown, and the Executive Director of
The MORE Program (MI Resources & Opportunities for Entrepreneurs).She is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and serves on the board of Southwest Solutions. Jessica will be writing about creating internship opportunities to train and retain our region's college students.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Kelli B. Kavanaugh is
Model D's development news editor and writes a weekly column, Green Space, for
metromode. In light of the North American International Auto Show, her blog will focus on the the automotive industry. But she is liable to write about any environmental issue that comes to mind.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Terrence Oprea is the President and CEO of Mort Crim Communications and a 30-year veteran of broadcast television and radio programming. Along with his numerous awards (including local Emmy's and the National Headliner Awards), he’s presided over New Media content initiatives for online corporate communications in a variety of fields. Terry will be writing about the changes and challenges traditional media faces as technology and the Internet rewrite many of the rules.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Whether you think the weather outside is frightful or a winter wonderland, 'tis the season to spend time with family, drink egg nog and watch reruns of It's A Wonderful Life (or Die Hard, depending on your taste). Either way, we here at metromode intend to spend the next two weeks hitting the after-holiday sales and getting into snowball fights. But we'll back JAN 10 to kick off the year with more news about SE Michigan's growth and transformation. Happy New Year!
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Mark Nickita is the cofounder of the award-winning multi-disciplinary design firm Archive Design Studio. A resident of Birmingham, Mark was selected by Crain's Detroit as one of its 40 under 40 business leaders, is the winner of several architectural & urban design awards and sits on the Birmingham Planning Board. Mark will be writing about Metro Detroit's need for livable, workable, and walkable urban neighborhoods.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Newcombe Clark is 27 years old and a partner in Ann Arbor -based Bluestone Realty Advisors, a commercial real estate brokerage and consulting firm. A U-M grad, he sits on nine different boards, is a published playwright and columnist and is currently in development of his first animated cartoon. He will be writing about all things living/working/playing in Metro Detroit as a member of the creative class. Just what do we have to offer to this important demographic and what do we still need?
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Gregg Newsom is a native Detroiter and co-founder of
Detroit Evolution Laboratory --a wellness and education center -- in Eastern Market. He's seen Detroit through the eyes of a late 80's/early 90's anarchist punk as well as the eyes of a young professional during a recent five-year stint working for Compuware.
Gregg will be writing will about how Metro Detroit needs to embrace a process of economic and community evolution rather than chasing the single big fix.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
With Thanksgiving just around the corner it seems a good time to remind our readers that of all the resources and institutions Michigan should be thankful for, its the innovators, entrepeneurs and creatives that dream of what our state can be. Metromode's guest blog provides a weekly forum for their ideas, concerns and opinions. Here are a few recent posts that got us... and hopefully you... thinking.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
John Bebow is executive director of the Center for Michigan. Before that he spent 16 years working as an investigative reporter for The Chicago Tribune, Detroit Free Press, and Detroit News and helped found and serve as editor-in-chief of Mlive.com. John will be writing about how we can better provide for Michigan's future.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Scott Clein is an Associate with civil engineering firm Giffels-Webster Engineers where he manages the firms’ Detroit office. A graduate of both U-M and WSU, Scott has spent much of the last 14 years working to improve the region’s physical environment. He'll be writing about the redevelopment of Metro Detroit.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Mike is president and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK. A passionate advocate for the transformation of Michigan's high-tech economy he also managed the MEDC’s $1 billion Michigan Life Sciences Corridor initiative between 2000 and 2002. Mike will be wriing about who's making a difference in the Michigan and why.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
John Weiss is the founder of the Social Ventures Network of Southeast Michigan and a long time advocate for food security. John seeks to merge for-benefit and for-profit models together to foster long-term, sustainable development in metro Detroit. Read his thoughts and join the conversation!
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Joe Posch is a native Detroiter and the owner of Mezzanine, a modern design store in downtown Detroit. A firm proponent of "the little guy," Joe believes that smaller-scale independent development will be a critical factor in Detroit's tasteful revitalization. He'll be writing about how design can save the city.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Melissa Trustman is the senior director of Government Relations at the Detroit Regional Chamber. Melissa manages transportation policy and monitors emerging issues that impact trade and infrastructure within Southeast Michigan.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Thomas Meloche has been an entrepreneur for as long as he can remember. A native Detroiter and UofM grad, he co-founded, managed, and sold nine different start-ups in Michigan over 20 years, including the professional service firm, Menlo Innovations LLC. He is currently President of Procuit (pronounced Pro-Q-It) Inc. Thomas will be writing about untapped Michigan potential, and more importantly, how to tap it!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Michael Doyle grew up in Royal Oak, studied industrial design at the Center for Creative Studies and is now an exhibit designer. He co-founded the DJ collectives Dorkwave and Dethlab, and joined the experience design agency o2 Creative Solutions. He is also a designer for Ann Arbor/New York based indie electronic label Ghostly International. He promises his blogs for metromode will be provocative!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Jane Sydlowski is the President of AMI Strategies --recognized by Deloitte in 2003 as a "Fast 500 public and private technology company." Jane lectures students in Wayne State University's entrepreneurial program and serves on the Michigan Council of Women in Technology and Greenpath, Inc.Jane writes about Michigan's need for a "Entrepreneurial Experience Engine."
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Christopher Schneider is a photographic artist who teaches at Lawrence Tech and OCC. He is also the Program Manager at the Cranbrook Summer Art Institute and a founder of the Hatch arts collective. A native Nebraskan, Chris moved to Detroit in 2001 and has never looked back.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Co-founder and vice president of Motawi Tileworks, Karim Motawi is half of a brother-sister team that turned their custom tile garage startup into a $2 million business. An entrepeneur and innovator, Karim explains how new ideas can bring small start ups big help.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Mike Score is an agricultural innovation counselor for Michigan State University. He is also a member of the MSU C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems.Mike writes about why we need to pay more and better attention to Michigan's $60 billion food and agriculture economy.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Aaron Alston is the CEO of
Cadre Systems and a co-owner of
Candor Marketing. He is also a co-managing member of
Vinton Building, LLC and a board member with CreateDetroit.Aaron will be writing about how we should view Detroit; as a glass half empty or a glass half full?
Join the conversation with your comments!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Richard "Murph" Murphy is a computer geek turned urban planner living and working in Ypsilanti. He is also a seasoned blogger, having maintained his own site,
Common Monkeyflower since 2001, and contributed to
Arbor Update since 2004. Murph writes about the role of urban centers in a rapidly changing post-manufacturing economy. Join the conversation on our new interactive blog!
Eric Cedo
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Eric
Cedo is our guest blogger this week. Eric is the founder of BrainGain
Marketing and the former executive director of CreateDetroit. He blogs
frequently on BrainGain's Michigan-focused
milifemitimes.com, a site dedicated to the local creative community.Check
back here each week day to read Eric's thoughts on attracting and
keeping young talent and building up Southeast Michigan's creative
community.
Dr. Ron Suarez
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Maud Lyon
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Our guest blogger for this week is Maud Lyon. Maud is the founding director of the Cultural Alliance, and a consultant for numerous nonprofit organizations.Check back here each week day to read Maud's thoughts on the state of arts and culture in Michigan.
Tracy Koe Wick
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Dan Gilmartin
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Dan Gilmartin is our guest blogger this week. He is the youngest
executive director in the 108 year history of the Michigan Municipal
League. Dan previously served as the League's deputy director and as an
advocate in Lansing and in Washington, where he concentrated on
transportation, land use and urban redevelopment. Check back
here each week day to read Dan's thoughts on regionalism and how we can
build the kind of community that attracts knowledge-based workers.
Todd Palmer
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Todd Palmer is our guest blogger this week. Todd founded Diversified Industrial Staffing, a company that provides staffing for manufacturing, construction and logistics businesses, and Diversified PEOple, a professional employer organization for small businesses. He sits on the board of directors for the Detroit Chapter of Entrepreneur’s Organization, and is a recent graduate of the Birthing of Giants class held at MIT. Check back each week day to read Todd's thoughts on keeping, identifying and attracting talent.
Brian Balasia
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Sarah Lurtz and Sarah Lapinski (affectionately known as "The Sarahs") are our guest bloggers this week. They are the owners and designers of a local independent clothing label called WOUND Menswear. They both reside in Detroit proper and enjoy advocating for the city's revival. Check back here each weekday to read their thoughts on the fashion, starting a business and the state of manufacturing.
Danialle Karmanos
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Danialle Karmanos is our guest blogger this week. Danialle is Chairman of the Board of the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD), a boardmember of the Detroit Opera House and video producer. Her husband, Peter, is the chairman and CEO of Compuware Corporation. Check back here each weekday to read Danialle's thoughts on the importance of arts and culture in shaping Detroit's identity.
Roger Gullickson
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Roger Gullickson is our guest blogger this week. Roger is the President and CEO of MVP Collaborative since 1996. He moved to Michigan in 1989 to head FTD's Marketing Group after an international career with Tenneco and Case Corporation.
Check back here each weekday to read Roger's thoughts on Michigan's need for renewal and how it can achieve it.
Dennis King
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Pavan Muzumdar
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Jim Townsend
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Jim Townsend is our guest blogger this week. He is the executive director of the
Tourism Economic Development Council, serves on the Board of Directors of the
Michigan Suburbs Alliance, which he founded in 2002, and lives with his family in Royal Oak.
Check back here every weekday to read Jim's thoughts about branding our region.
Jacob Corvidae
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Jacob Corvidae is our guest blogger this week. He is is the Green Programs Manager for WARM Training Center and co-founder of Sustainable Detroit. Not one to mince words, Jacob offers his thoughts on the challenges our region faces now and in the future.Check back here every weekday for Jacob's thoughts.
Want to join the conversation? Please send your comments to: feedback@metromodemedia.com
Lizabeth Ardisana
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Kerry & Bryce Moore
Thursday, February 15, 2007
John Austin
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Mahendra Ramsinghani
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Mahendra Ramsinghani, our guest blogger this week asks: "By attracting a few entrepreneurs, a lot of economic challenges could be addressed. But could a bumper sticker attract the right entrepreneurs?" Read his final post to learn the answer.
Ramsinghani is with Plymouth Venture Partners in Ann Arbor. Check back here weekdays for more posts.
Matt Clayson
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Lou Glazer
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Doug Rothwell
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Metromode's
guest blogger this week is Doug Rothwell, president of Detroit
Renaissance. Here's what he has to say about transforming the region's
economy.