Westside : Innovation & Job News

When we last spoke with Liquid Web in March of last year, they had marked a milestone of doubling their staff. Growth appears to be on their permanent agenda, as evidenced by the addition of nearly 100 employees in the past 12 months.
 
"We're continuing to average about 10 new hires per month," says Public Relations Specialist, Cale Sauter. Liquid Web hopes to continue at that rate to accommodate their rapidly expanding services and data centers.

Sauter draws attention to a recent Pingdom study, which investigated the hosting locations of the world's one million most popular websites. The study revealed that Lansing hosted the 13^th most of any city in the world, which puts the city squarely in the company of formidable world tech leaders. "These results illustrate the continued development of Lansing as a tech hub, which we feel has been significantly aided by Liquid Web's meteoric growth," he says. 

Recently expanding their services to Phoenix, Liquid Web has their sights set on international centers and additional centers throughout the US to remain close to their ever-growing customer base. That's not to slight Lansing, Sauter notes. On the contrary; "Having bright and talented individuals locally to support us has been crucial in providing the base on which we're able to grow."
 
Source: Cale Sauter, Liquid Web  
Writer: Veronica Gracia-Wing, Innovation News.
 
Have an innovation news story? Send Veronica an email here. 

Now that construction on Saginaw Highway is complete, Delta Township officials are engaged in a project to help the commercial corridor take full advantage of the improvements. The township has partnered with local businesses and strategic real estate consultants, LandUse|USA to conduct a Saginaw Highway Corridor Market Strategy study.
 
“The overall goal is to come up with a strategy to help Saginaw Highway to reemerge as the vibrant dining and shopping district for the region,” says Sharon M. Woods of LandUse|USA. “We really want it to be a regional initiative.”
 
The study aims to find recommendations that will identify the types of retailers that would fit well in the corridor. It also intends to identify the best use for vacant land along the corridor and west of I-69.
 
“We are about ten weeks out from delivering  a preliminary strategy,” says Woods. “My goal is to come back to them with actionable recommendations.”
 
Delta Township plans to use the results to help developers focus their business recruitment and planning efforts. Both the study itself and the steps taken to develop the corridor based on its recommendations is a public-private partnership between Delta Township and local businesses.

There are several reasons why municipalities have been getting together to work out partnership agreements for services more and more over the past several years. Saving money is right near the top of that list. As if the saving taxpayer dollars in this way wasn’t reason enough for Delta Township to create a consolidation agreement with Looking Glass Regional Fire Authority, an $180,000 Economic Incentive Vitality Program grant from the Michigan Department of Treasury to help with the consolidation created even more savings.
 
“We’ve been discussing this with Watertown and Eagle Townships for some time now,” says Delta Township Manger Richard Watkins. “We’ve been talking about how we could operate more efficiently together.”
 
The consolidation agreement, which will consolidate the fire and ambulance services of all three townships under the Looking Glass Regional Fire Authority, will begin March 1. The $180,000 will help with the purchase of equipment, training and legal fees associated with the consolidation
 
“It will certainly help,” says Watkins. “The intent of the EVIP grant was to make this type of consolidation easier. There are always upfront costs to these things.”
 
According to Watkins, the total number of staff of the fire departments will stay fairly steady, but will be consolidated under one authority.
 
 

Everyone has heard – if not lived – the story of what happened to a lot of Michigan’s highly skilled workers when the economy tanked: they left. A side of the story that is less told is that of who stuck around, and how they benefited from doing so.
 
“As the economy picks back up there is a real demand to get those technical resources back,” says Shana Welch, manager of Control System Integrators’ Staffing Division. “There is a real shortage of technical resources in Michigan right now.”
 
And now CSI, a Lansing-based automation engineering company of more than 20 years, is responding to that demand with a hiring spree. The firm, which includes an engineering company, a staffing service and a control panel shop, has grown its total internal staff by 10 percent over the last year and soon will grow their 50-person staff by another seven to nine employees.
 
“All three of our companies are struggling to keep up with all the work that is coming in,” says Welch.
 
In addition to permanent staff, CSI also employs contractors, the number of which are currently employed is up by 20 percent over last year, and another 50 will be added in the near future. Open positions available though their staffing service is up by 25 percent.
 
CSI is also rolling out a new mentorship program for engineering graduates in February. The program will be an accelerated apprenticeship program in which grads will gain the equivalent of five years’ experience in two.

Until now, residents of Lansing's Westside could only access fresh fruits and vegetables one way: by getting in the car. Thanks to the new Westside Farmers' Market, all that has changed.

"We have a food desert on the Westside," said Carolyn Drake, manager of the NorthWest Initiative's new Westside Farmers' Market. "It's about two and a half miles to the nearest grocery store. If you have any transportation issues, that's an extreme distance to walk."

The market had its debut last week, featuring vendors with fresh fruits and vegetables, handmade soaps, jellies, breads and more.

"It went very well," said Drake. "Even though it was over ninety degrees and it rained, the vendors were very happy."

The mission of the NorthWest Initiative is to encourage growth through community engagement and mobilization. The non-profit has been working on developing a market to aid the health of Westside residents for years, and was recently able to organize the farmers' market with the help of a grant.

The Westside Farmers' Market takes place every Monday until September 19 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at 829 W. Saginaw Street.

Ten years ago, before he and his wife opened Comfort Keepers, Tom LaMacchia didn’t even know there was a need for custodial care in the Lansing area. Apparently, he wasn’t alone.

“When we got into the business there were four or five custodial care facilities in the area market,” says LaMacchia. “Now there are more than twenty.”

The reasons why now seem obvious.

“Nobody wants to go to a nursing home,” LaMacchia says. “In most cases [custodial care is] a lot less expensive…and they’re in their homes. People do much better in their home.

“There was just a void there that wasn’t filled prior to this.”

That was in 2001, when LaMacchia and his wife Bridget LaMacchia opened Comfort Keepers, a business that attracted the pair because of Bridget’s experience caring for the elderly.
Comfort Keepers grew right along with the industry. Though LaMacchia recalls when they hired their first part-timer to care for their first patient in 2001, the business now employs 48 caretakers as it celebrates its tenth anniversary.

“It increases a little every year,” says LaMacchia about the size of his staff.

The LaMacchia’s will celebrate their tenth anniversary of Comfort Keepers on April 29. The Comfort Keepers franchise itself has much to celebrate too, as it has grown from 50 locations when the Lansing branch opened to 550 today.

“We’re very lucky that we have a successful business, and we can make such a huge difference in people’s lives,” says LaMacchia.

Source: Tom LaMacchia, Comfort Keepers

Writer: Natalie Burg, News Editor

Michigan-based retailer Meijer has a mission to fight hunger in the communities they serve. This round of the company’s thrice-annual Simply Give program will raise money to benefit seven local food banks through partnerships with the seven Lansing-area Meijer locations.

"Great Lansing area Meijer stores, its customers and team members provided $30,000 in Simply Give donations for 2010,” says Frank J. Guglielmi, Director of Public Relations for Meijer." Company-wide, the program has donated more than $1.6 million to local food pantries since 2008.

One such partnership is between The Old Town Commercial Association and the West Saginaw Meijer to benefit the 2011 Compassionate Feast. Compassionate Feast has provided needy families with a complete Thanksgiving meal for the ten years. The program, which relies entirely on donations and volunteer time, provided food to 200 families in 2010.

Each year, Simply Give pairs each local Meijer location to benefit a local charity that addresses hunger like the OTCA’s Compassionate Feast. Other 2011 partnerships include the Okemos Meijer and Haven House Food Pantry and the East Lansing Meijer and St. John’s Church Food Cupboard.

Simply Give runs through May 14 and asks Meijer shoppers to purchase a $10 Meijer Food Pantry Donation Card in the stores, as well as the food bank locations. The $10 donations will be matched by Meijer.

"Meijer works hard to support the communities where our customers and team members work and live,” says Guglielmi."

Source: Frank J. Guglielmi, Meijer

Writer: Natalie Burg, News Editor

Love farm fresh produce?

Then you’re living in the right state. Michigan ranks 4th in the nation for the number of farmers markets, according to a new report by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Lansing alone boasts 7 operational farmers markets, and the tri-county region is home to 17.

“Between 2008 and 2009, we saw a 13 percent increase in the number of farmers markets operating in the state,” said Gov. Jennifer Granholm in a statement. “Dollars spent at area farmers markets are more likely to stay in Michigan, benefiting local communities and strengthening our economy.”

As the state’s largest industry, Michigan’s agri-food sector generates $71.3 billion annually. Production agriculture, food processors and related businesses employ more than 1 million people. Michigan produces more than 200 commodities, making it second only to California in terms of agricultural diversity.

To find a full list of farmers markets in Michigan, visit the Michigan Farmers Market Association at www.mifma.org.

Source: Jennifer Holton

Writer: Louise Knott Ahern 

All Photographs © Dave Trumpie

Lansing residents who want to strengthen their neighborhoods are invited to an upcoming conference sponsored by the NorthWest Initiative.

Called “Neighborhood…What? Creating Great Places,” the conference is schedule for Oct. 23 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the South Washington Office Complex, 2500 S. Washington Ave.

“It is a conference designed to engage, inform and inspire residents to take ownership in making Lansing neighborhoods safer, healthier and more connected,” says Stephanie Campbell, community outreach specialist with the NorthWest Initiative.

“We would like everyone to see why it is so important for them and their families to make their neighborhoods the best they can be.”

The conference is open to the public. Registration is $5, which will cover lunch and supplies. Child care may also be available.

For registration information or  other updates, visit www.lansingneighborhoodconference.wordpress.com.

The NorthWest Initiative is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the neighborhoods around the Grand River.

Source: Stephanie Campbell

Writer: Louise Knott Ahern

Lansing-based web-hosting giant Liquid Web has unveiled a new product feature that will give its customers greater control over their own IT destinies.

Called Storm Bare Metal, the new technology does two things, says Travis Stoliker, director of marketing.

First, it creates an automated system that allows Liquid Web customers to make changes to their own server accounts – such as how much server space they need at any given time – without going through a technician.

Second, it allows customers to create their own personalized server configurations, depending on their IT needs.

“There are several things that led us in this direction,” Stoliker says. “First would be customer demand; the next would be efficiency. Now, we have this provision server that can automatically set up new servers; before, it would take the five to 10 people on our team to do that.”

Liquid Web, Inc. is a web hosting company founded in 1997. It now has more than 20,000 clients in 120 countries.

Source: Travis Stoliker, Liquid Web, Inc.

Writer:  Louise Knott Ahern

Looking for a place to eat, shop or hang out in Lansing? You can now just check your phone.

The Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau has launched a mobile application for iPhone or Blackberry that allows you to plan and map out your trip with a few thumb strikes.

GLCVB is the first in the state to offer such an application, said Tracy Padot, vice president of marketing communications.

The Greater Lansing app offers many of the same search-and-find functions of the organizations website, including information about festivals, businesses, hotels and attractions. It will also feed into the bureau’s live Twitter feeds.

“It uses GPS technology,” Padot explains. “So let’s say you clicked on shopping. . . You would get [info about] shops near your location. You would get a photo and a description. And if you wanted to figure out how to get to them, you could map it out.”

The application is available as a free download from www.lansing.org or from iTunes.

An app for Droid users should be available by fall.

Source: Tracy Padot, Greater Lansing Convention & Visitors Bureau

Writer: Louise Knott Ahern

Fresh off the success of its first YouthBuild home renovation collaboration, the Ingham County Land Bank is now partnering with another nonprofit to train local workers in a new skill necessary for rebuilding older neighborhoods.

The Land Bank and the Michigan Historic Preservation Network are offering a two-week workshop to teach craftspeople the art of historic window preservation beginning July 26.

Participants will learn how to repair and rehabilitate wooden, double-hung windows in older homes while also helping renovate a Land Bank property.

Project coordinators say the project – which is based on a similar program in Kalamazoo – brings two benefits to the community.

First, craftspeople will gain new skills they can put to use in the job market.

Second, there will now be more people with the knowledge necessary to rebuild aging homes in neighborhoods that could be important to regional revitalization.

“Many of these targeted neighborhoods contain buildings that are older and historic,” Land Bank chair Eric Schertzing says in a statement. “Many of these buildings, both commercial and residential, will require rehabilitation to remain functional and efficient properties.”

For more information about the class, visit the MHPN’s website at www.mhpn.org

Source: Ingham County Land Bank

Writer: Louise Knott Ahern

John Slagh was in third grade the year his mom decided to open a custom toy store in West Lansing. It was 1960.

The family recently held a garden party to commemorate Toy Village's anniversary—50 years at the same location.

Toy Village, 3105 West Saginaw St., specializes in custom-made dolls and toys of all varieties for children. Most are made of wood or porcelain, which Slagh believes makes all the difference.

Toy Village is the country’s largest distributor of Lawton dolls, which are made by Wendy Lawton in California. “If they sell it at Wal-Mart or Meijer, we don’t have it,” says Slagh, who now manages the store full time.

There are eight people on staff, which includes Slagh’s 80-year-old mother, who still works part of every day. The 150-year-old house that hosts the shop is still in the same condition as when they started. At the time of opening, Slagh says Saginaw Street was still a two-track dirt road.

Every year at the end of June, Toy Village holds a convention, bringing toy lovers together from around the country. Slagh says more than 150 people from 22 states came to the luncheon and most of those attended the anniversary garden party the next day. Some people have been coming to the annual event for 15 years in a row, he says.

Source: John Slagh

Writer: Andy Balaskovitz