Macomb Business Award recipients

AGS Automotive is a world-class supplier specializing in high-value-added metal components. Its Sterling Heights operation has grown significantly in recent years, as has its commitment to making AGS a desirable and diverse workplace. The company is focused on retention, offering opportunities for advancement and development. It’s also built an impressive employee culture - with engagement activities like birthday and anniversary celebrations, as well as an employee assistance program that helps workers overcome barriers from transportation to housing. The results of these efforts are clear. AGS has a turnover rate of less than six percent over four years, making it the best place to work in Macomb County for 2024.

Aramark Facilities Management is a maintenance and housekeeping service provider, with a location in Warren employing more than 500 employees. In 2020, the organization started an apprenticeship program, demonstrating its commitment to developing skilled workers. This effort allows employees to grow through both classroom and on-the-job training. Since 2021, Aramark has partnered with Macomb/St. Clair Michigan Works! to enhance its talent efforts. Notably, the company has received Going Pro Talent Fund dollars for both 2023 and 2024 totaling $208,000 and on-the-job-training contracts. Together, this funding has impacted 70 apprentices and 30 new hires.

Deer Camp Coffee Roasting Company & Outfitters is a women-owned manufacturer of premium and specialty coffees. Created in 2015, its coffees are designed with the outdoors in mind and are known for low acidic blends with exceptional tastes. Building on its popularity, the company expanded in September 2020, opening a retail and roasting facility in Sterling Heights. The shop features Michigan-made products, wild game, meats, cheeses and chocolates that can be shipped anywhere. Founder Julie Majewski continues to seek growth opportunities, with new locations, new partnerships and new products on the horizon.

Founded in 1958, L&L Products is a family owned business which combines material science, engineering and new processing technologies. From its Romeo facility, which employs 500 individuals, to its other operations around the world, the company maintains a vision “to be a good place for all who touch it, where quality of work, product and relationships are a priority." It consistently looks for ways to better its community, and locally, that has resulted in educational partnerships with Romeo High School, donations to adopt-a-family programs, sponsorships of nonprofit organizations and events, and scholarships given to schools and students in STEM programs.

Roseville-based I.F. Metalworks started in April 2002 as a tooling supplier with expertise in precision manufacturing for clients in automotive, military and commercial contracting. The company has since diversified into other markets, becoming southeast Michigan’s most versatile ornamental and architectural metalwork business. This skill set was recently used in the restoration and revitalization of Michigan Central Station. For three years, the company worked on the project, reproducing nearly 100 flights of historic stairs, one-half mile of decorative railing and 2,000-square-feet of custom ventilation grilles. Other notable clients include General Motors, for its Design Center West, and the Detroit Science Center, for its 80-foot replica of the Mackinac Bridge.

CARE of Southeastern Michigan’s mission is to strengthen resiliency in people and their communities through prevention, education and services that improve quality of life. Established in 1977 as a non-profit agency providing alcohol and drug-use assessments through employee assistance programs, CARE now serves more than 100,000 individuals annually, employs more than 100 full and part-time staff members and maintains two locations in Macomb County. Notably, the organization has expanded to address the mental well-being of first responders, developing programs focused on crisis response, training, grief support, counseling and behavioral health screenings.

Established in 2022, Epoch Expressions is an outpatient mental health treatment experience in Sterling Heights. With just two employees, Clinical Therapist Stephanie Falotico and Certified Therapy Dog Apollo, the practice focuses on youth and adolescents with trauma, anxiety, depression and other mood disorders. In less than two years, the organization has served 73 clients, with many receiving certified trauma treatment. This has resulted in reports of more confident and secure children and teens, and parents who have new perspectives on their behaviors. Ultimately, this creates stronger families - which can be attributed to the safe, therapeutic and non-judgmental space created by Epoch Expressions. 

Velocity is a catalyst for culture change designed to accelerate innovation, reinvention and growth for Macomb County businesses in the manufacturing, technology and defense industries. Located in the Sterling Innovation District, its incubator, accelerator and coworking space offer world-class opportunities to help businesses thrive. As a partner to MCPED, Velocity has hosted events and meetings and served as an advisor on various department programs and initiatives.

Based in Sterling Heights, Horstman Inc. supplies suspension systems for nearly all new military vehicles. This work, which is a crucial part of military readiness and capability, has helped the company grow tenfold since it was founded in 2010. Today Horstman is future-focused. They’ve invested in solutions like artificial intelligence and autonomous technologies to create state-of-the-art products for the military. And ultimately, this ensures the safety and well-being of soldiers on and off the battlefield.

Families Against Narcotics was founded in 2007. It has since grown from a small group of concerned individuals to an established organization, with 50 employees and 20 chapters across Michigan. FAN offers free, community- and evidence-based services to anyone who has been impacted by addiction. They also have numerous programs aimed at bridging gaps and breaking down barriers, including Hope Not Handcuffs, which has connected more than 9,500 people to recovery resources. These efforts are erasing the stigma that surrounds addiction, and they are saving lives.

Sterling Heights-based TARUS creates products for companies who develop complex shapes and forms for manufactured goods. Founded in 1969, the organization is known as the inventor of the Claymill, a tool which revolutionized transportation design. This commitment to new technologies and innovations has helped the company expand and diversify its customer base outside of automotive. TARUS now serves the aerospace, oil and gas, and energy production industries. They sell their machines throughout North America, Europe and Asia, and include among their clients, Mercedes-Benz, Rivian and Harley Davidson.

Maggie’s Wigs 4 Kids of Michigan is a local 501(c)3 organization that provides wigs and support services to children at no charge. Since its creation in 2003, the nonprofit has helped 5,200 Michigan children while also providing classes, social activities, field trips and counseling at its Wellness Center. All of this is made possible through a small but mighty team of six full-time employees who work to advance the group’s mission, which is boosting the self-esteem of young people as they journey through health challenges.

KUKA Systems North America is a leading international supplier of design and assembly tooling automation for industrial and automotive applications. Based in Germany and established in Sterling Heights in 1981, KUKA employs more than 1,500 local workers. The company has long been committed to fueling the talent pipeline, working to build connections with high schools and colleges through Manufacturing Day, AUTOSteam Days, student visits, co-op experiences and summer internship opportunities. KUKA has also created two successful in-house training programs - including Kickstart Academy and the PLC Programming Academy. Notably, nearly 200 individuals have completed the programs.

Clinton Township-based Godlan, Inc. is a professional manufacturing services company that implements integrated technology solutions. Founded in 1984, the company is dedicated to creating a positive employee experience. Along with competitive salaries, it provides an all-encompassing benefits package, work-from-home options, flexible scheduling, professional development and an employee recognition program. Godlan also sponsors a charitable giving program, which in the last three years has seen more than $70,000 donated to projects around the world. Together, these efforts create an environment for retention – with an average employee tenure at Godlan being 10 years or more.

The Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center is an organization dedicated to supporting Michigan manufacturers. In 2008, during the recession, this organization stepped up to help businesses diversify their customer portfolios into emerging markets. More recently, they have joined the County’s Macomb Next Industry 4.0 effort by providing assessments and recommendations for technology advancements to more than 70 local businesses.

 Flash Steelworks is a research and development firm specializing in maximum strength, high-performance metal for lightweighting in the Automotive and Defense industries. Starting in 2003, Flash began testing combinations of rapid heating and quenching of commercially available steel. The resulting product is "stronger than titanium, lighter than aluminum and able to stop speeding bullets" at record-setting velocities. As tested by the U.S. Army, defense primes, auto OEMs and others, Flash® Steel is the world's highest-performing "Truly Weldable®" armor plate. Flash Steelworks has two Macomb County locations that employ a total of eight. While research is conducted in Washington Twp, the Shelby Twp facility is constructing two Flash® Armor production lines funded by Congress and the U.S. Army via a Phase III SBIR. Upon completion, in 12 to 15 months, Flash will produce the world's highest-performing armor in Macomb County.

Since its inception in 1969, Healthmark Industries has operated under three generations of the Basile family. Its family-oriented beginnings resonate across its culture, as leadership takes care of employees as if they are family. Healthmark has four locations in Fraser and almost 300 team members. The company makes intelligent solutions for infection control and its overall goal is to make surgery safer for everyone. Its values are family, fun, authenticity, gratitude and creativity. Another value is community service, which sees Healthmark and its employees donate time and money to a variety of organizations every year.

RAVE has proudly manufactured innovative, purpose-built computer solutions in the Sterling Heights Innovation District of Macomb County for 34 years. In 2019, with a vision to empower people to overcome challenges through innovation, RAVE Computer increased R&D efforts to support emerging technology in the immersive VR/MR space. The company partnered with Varjo and HTC, leaders in the HMD space, created a RenderBEAST bundle, (a portable plug and play immersive starter kit) and began showing the possibilities of immersive technology to both commercial and federal markets. Its RenderBEAST XR Zone opened this year and provides a dedicated space for on-site client demonstrations in the areas of immersive technology, photogrammetry and, coming soon, digital twinning. In 2021, RAVE became a woman-owned business and posted the best year in the company’s history.

With only five employees, the Anton Art Center maintains a strong basis of programming in arts, education, community and economic development. Annual direct spending totals $500,000 and it is estimated by Americans for the Arts to have a total economic impact in Mount Clemens and Macomb County of about $1 million each year. Annually, through hundreds of classes, more than two dozen art exhibits, dozens of off-site artmaking programs and multiple large-scale public art projects, the center engages Macomb County residents and continues to expand its impact to the benefit of all. Notably, the Anton Art Center’s historic facility in downtown Mount Clemens recently received a National Register designation, a crowning achievement for this hidden gem.

RCO Engineering offers manufacturing services for the automotive, aerospace and defense industries. As the organization is heavily reliant on skilled labor, the HR department maintains relationships with Macomb Community College Career Services. The company has also hosts undecided career path students for tours of facilities. Further, there are employees who sit on college program Advisory Boards, providing industry insights to the instructors and curriculum. High schools have also toured the grounds through Manufacturing Day and job shadowing opportunities. RCO sponsors First Robotics teams and donates to industry awareness events like Women in Defense (WID) scholarship fundraisers to encourage high school and university students to pursue STEAM careers. As all our manufacturing businesses can attest to, finding good talent has been increasingly challenging so promoting its paid apprenticeship programs at the college, high school and on-site job fairs has been a priority with success.

AGS Automotive Systems has experienced tremendous growth across the company’s U.S. Operations. Consequently, there is a considerable need to recruit and retain employees in a competitive and challenging job market. The company has responded by implementing several initiatives that have resulted in a turnover rate of less than 5 percent for hourly employees. Those include: A competitive wage structure; an early hire program that resulted in a 70 percent retention rate of 130 employees over the past 18 months; a commitment to employees, with over 45 internal promotions made across the company’s U.S. operations in the past three years; formal, internal leadership training; employee engagement activities to cultivate a fun work environment; a diverse workforce with nearly 55 percent of the company’s hourly workforce represented by the local Middle Eastern community; and a continued dedication to diversify labor by tapping into the Bengali population, and more recently Afghan refugees.

Macomb County MSU Extension

 Gene Lovell, Chairman, First State Bank; James Ahee, retiring program director for Economic Development, MCPED

PMS Diversified Construction is a hardscape company in Sterling Heights that specializes in the design, build, restoration and maintenance of hardscape projects. Established in 2012 with more than 30-plus years of experience in the hardscape industry, the company currently has one location with two buildings and 38 dedicated, hardworking employees.

All three finalists in this category were chosen as recipients of this award for their responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each organization pivoted to make masks, parts for ventilators, face shields and other personal protective equipment to help various individuals and organizations across the region.

Macomb County Habitat for Humanity has been entrenched in the community for 27 years. Whether it is building or rehabbing homes; providing financial education; selling 156 energy-efficient homes to working families; improving the exterior of homes owned by veterans; or operating two retail stores (one in Shelby Township and one in Warren), - it provides integrity, community and hope. Twenty-four employees work for this business, which is also supported by thousands of volunteers and donors.

Ethel's Baking Company has been in business since 2011. The family owned company creates gluten-free and old-fashioned baked goods from its Shelby Township facility, where they have invested a substantial amount to expand their footprint in Macomb County. Currently, the company has nearly 30 employees and it is looking to grow beyond that number in 2022.

Founded in 2007, Prosper-Tech Machine & Tool is a woman-owned business that offers services for build to print precision machining and plastic injection tooling. Located in Richmond, its team of 11 serves the medical, defense, aerospace/space and automotive industries in the greater United States. Even with a turbulent 2020, sales for the company grew 22 percent over the previous year - which consisted of 33 percent medical, 23 percent defense, 23 percent automotive, 15 percent space/aerospace and 6 percent other.

TK Mold & Engineering, Inc. is a plastic injection company located in Romeo that designs, builds and assembles molds for the automotive, aerospace, medical and consumer goods industries. Owner Tom Barr and his wife Krista work hard to promote the skilled trades. They currently employ 25 people and have seven active apprentices. Their hands-on approach and involvement in the local schools over the last five years has been a primary focus for building a new generation of individuals ready to join this workforce.

Silda worked for Macomb County Planning and Economic Development for more than 36 years, serving the needs of a variety of businesses and industries, including medical and automotive manufacturing. She worked with more than 100 companies during her tenure, assisting them with expansions or locating their manufacturing sites. By the time she retired in 2021, Silda had helped these companies invest more than $1 billion in new facilities, machinery and equipment in Macomb County. These investments also created more than 5,000 new jobs.

Ford NGL is nationally recognized for its work transforming public high schools into career-themed academies designed to better prepare students for college and professional success. Both Romeo and Center Line schools have NGL designations.

First State Bank is a family founded, locally owned and operated business that has been in Macomb County for 102 years. It provides generous medical benefits and 401(k) matching contributions to employees, flexible work schedules and assistance with achieving higher education and certifications, free mental health counseling through a third party, charity/volunteer opportunities and access to expert financial advice.

Warner Norcross + Judd provides client-focused, proactive legal and business counsel to clients of all sizes. It has a robust pro bono program that in 2019, provided over 5,600 hours of free legal counsel, totaling nearly $3 million. In addition, it sponsors more than 100 nonprofit organizations within Macomb County and across the state. The firm also offers scholarships to diverse students pursuing a career in law and has awarded more than $200,000 to over 100 individuals.

CARE of Southeastern Michigan strengthens resiliency in people and their communities through prevention, education and services that improve quality of life. The nonprofit aims to fill its board of directors with individuals affected by a loved one's addiction to substances or by mental health challenges, or be in recovery themselves. This core value is also evident in its hiring practices. CARE currently employs more than 50 people who are in recovery from a substance use disorder. The organization has also taken other proactive hiring steps, which include the removal of criminal records as grounds for an instant denial to implementing consistent salary scales to create gender pay equity.

The Reptarium Reptile Zoo is a Utica-based business that provides access to reptiles and other animals from around the world. From its passionate founder to the knowledgeable staff, The Reptarium aims to educate the public about these captivating creatures through a variety of in-person and virtual offerings.

Paslin is a full service design and build organization serving the global automotive industry through the concept, design, construction and deployment of complex automated assembly and welding systems. For the last three years, the company has been driven by efforts to innovate and implement new technology, diversify and develop its workforce. As a result, it has grown from a $100 million organization with 300 employees to a $220 million organization with nearly 700 employees.

DRIVE One TechCenter provides at-risk students with vocational training in automotive technology, machining, welding and transportation design. It aims to prepare adolescents and young adults for employment by using project-based learning, experienced instructors, state-of-the-art technology and career placement as an approach to workforce development. Since its founding in 2012, 100 percent of DRIVE One’s 300 students have graduated high school, with 84 percent of graduates going on to be employed in the trades industry, enrolled in a post-secondary institution or serving in a branch of the armed forces.

John Bierbusse is the executive director of the Macomb/St. Clair Workforce Development Board. He has been in this position since the creation of the organization in 1983. Bierbusse has led the organization through three major legislative initiatives; the Job Training Partnership Act, the Workforce Investment Act and the present Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. As executive director, Bierbusse has led the local implementation of numerous workforce programs designed to address the workforce needs of public assistance recipients, dislocated workers, offenders, aging, youth as well as the general public.

The Macomb County Chamber Alliance was awarded this recognition for its role in helping businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Champion of Work/Life Integration (Sponsored by MetroParent magazine): Godlan, Inc. - Godlan is a leading professional manufacturing services company that has been implementing integrated technology solutions since 1984. With two locations and more than 60 employees, it successfully implements hundreds of enterprise manufacturing systems and performs countless data conversions while simultaneously committing to quality of life for each of its team members.
• Corporate Citizen: CARE of Southeastern Michigan - CARE of Southeastern Michigan strengthens resiliency in people and their communities through prevention, education and services that improve quality of life. CARE is a nonprofit organization with a 42-year history of serving the residents of Macomb County. Each year, the organization impacts the lives of 40,000 people in southeast Michigan by providing person-centered care that ensures each individual’s unique needs are met and their defined success is achieved.
• Hidden Gem: Great Lakes Pickling Company - Great Lakes Pickling Company is a family owned and operated pickle making business right out of Macomb County. Each batch uses farm-fresh cucumbers, spices and pure Michigan water that gives their product an incredible flavor with 42 percent less salt than that found in typical jars using traditional recipes.
• Manufacturer of the Year: Drake Enterprises - Drake Enterprises, Inc. was founded in 1952 by Benny Stemple and today is run by his two grandsons, Nathan and Keith Stemple. The company is a manufacturer of high-quality machined parts for major OEMs in the heavy truck, agriculture and automotive markets. The company specializes in torque transferring products such as gear shift levers and transmission components for the heavy-duty truck and automotive markets.
• Model of OneMacomb: PACE Southeast Michigan - For 25 years, PACE of Southeast Michigan has cared for low-income, chronically ill seniors by helping them remain independent and engaged in the community. It opened a center in Warren in 2015 when a study showed that Macomb County had a high concentration of seniors who could benefit from its services. By December 2017, the Warren center was at full capacity. Knowing there were more seniors to be served, it opened a center in Sterling Heights in 2019.
• Trailblazer of Future Talent: L&L Products - L&L Products is a technology-driven, international business with more than 1,300 global employees, 15 global locations and eight manufacturing facilities. The company actively creates opportunities for Macomb County residents through apprenticeship programs at Macomb Community College, future talent initiatives like Manufacturing Day and internship and mentorship opportunities.
• Economic Development Partner of the Year: Macomb Intermediate School District
• Beacon of Economic Development: Glenn Wynn, director, Shelby Township Planning and Zoning Department
• Beacon of Economic Development: Grace Shore, former CEO, Macomb County Chamber of Commerce

• Champion of Workforce Development: St. John Providence - Recognizing that up to half of nurses who start working at a hospital leave within the first two years, St. John Providence developed a two-week orientation program held for all incoming nurses in the system at their Regional Onboarding Center in Warren. Offering experiential learning and deliberate practice, the intense program has proven successful in helping nurses feel more competent and confident nurses as they begin their new jobs. Retention rates have soared to 92 percent which greatly helps to improve outcomes for patients.
• Corporate Citizen: First State Bank - Whether it is a local fireworks display, scholarships for students, new clock towers, food drives or summer concerts, chances are good that First State Bank is a sponsor. Founded in Macomb County with 11 branches, FSB celebrated its bicentennial inn 2017 by recognizing people and organizations that help our community be a better place. They made large gifts to grassroots organizations; empowered employees to get involved as paid volunteers or through the ability to designate $100 gifts to charities of their choosing. To cap off the year, they raised $32,000 for Macomb Community College by hosting a Wynonna Judd concert at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts.
• Diversification Leader:  RCO Engineering, Inc. - Family owned RCO Engineering has made Macomb its home for 44 years and specializes in bringing customers’ ideas to the market from concept through production. RCO designs, builds, tests and produces components and prototypes for the world’s leading automotive, aerospace and defense industry brands. RCO recently expanded to offer low-volume parts production to meet global demand resulting in a 150,000 square foot expansion. It also provides staffing services for long-term technical positions at OEMs and Tier-1s. RCO is about to become the first North American supplier with an FAA certified 3D-printing process for production aerospace components.
• Model of OneMacomb: AGS Automotive - AGS Automotive, headquartered in Canada, has more than 60 years of experience in the automotive parts industry. When it opened its first plant in Sterling Heights, it worked closely with Macomb Community College and Michigan Works! to meet its need to hire 200 people so that it could open. It discovered a large and capable workforce within Macomb County’s Iraqi refugee population. Working with the Chaldean Council, their human resources department now offers full-time translation services and offers English as a Second Language classes on site. AGS also partners with the Judson Center’s disability services program which helps adults with intellectual and physical disabilities find independence and inclusion in the community by providing meaningful employment. Today, AGS employs more than 450 employees at three locations in Sterling Heights.
• Startup Business to Watch: Rose-A-Lee Technologies - Rose-A-Lee Technologies was formed in 2013 by sisters Patricia Lopez and Jennifer Howard and is EDWOSB and ISO 9001 certified. Rose-A-Lee provides expert engineering and prototype manufacturing for a range of industries including defense, automation, automotive and consumer goods. In 2016, Rose-A-Lee purchased two vertical mills and a CNC lathe to keep up with orders as a Prime and Tier 1 supplier to the US government. At the end of 2017, the company quadrupled its footprint and now occupies 20,000 square feet in Sterling Heights. They recently hired three new employees and anticipate a need five additional five to keep up with recent contracts.
• Economic Development Partner of the Year: 127th Wing at Selfridge Air National Guard Base - The department has always worked closely with base personnel but 2017 was an exceptional year! To celebrate their bicentennial, Selfridge hosted their semi-annual Air Show for hundreds of thousands of people. When notified that the base was being considered to home the new F-35 Fighter Jet, the department worked with Brigadier General John D. “Odie” Slocum and his leadership team to build public support. A dedicated website was built along with a social media and advertising campaign to create buzz. Together, the team solicited support from the entire state of Michigan at the annual Mackinac Policy.  The department also created a 144-page prospectus for incoming evaluators from the U.S. Air Force. Although not selected in this round of round, the team remains confident that Selfridge will continue to be an important to be a strong partner in economic development in the future.

• Champion of Workforce Development: R&E Automated Systems - R&E specializes in all areas of turnkey automation including concept, design, prototyping, controls design and engineering, robotics and PLC programming, laser welding, joining, roller hemming and more. R&E has a dedicated, state-certified training center which provides training to young professionals looking to get into the industry, existing professionals looking to expand their knowledge and on-site training for its own employees. R&E has grown from 30 employees to more than 400 in the span of 10 years and continues to grow. The company recruits at local colleges and is very involved with local high schools and middle schools, helping them to grow their STEM programs.
• Corporate Citizen: Binson's Medical Equipment and Supplies - Binson’s is a family-owned-and-operated, full-service home medical equipment, medical supply and orthopedic company. Their customer base includes individuals, hospitals, doctor offices, nursing homes, health plans and other providers. They are committed to helping defeat the diseases that impact the families they serve on a daily basis. Throughout the years, they have raised and donated funds to many charities including the Karmanos Cancer Institute and Muscular Dystrophy Association. They also played a big role in supporting the MDA Summer Camp and Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure by donating the medical supplies and wheelchairs needed for attendees to participate at these events.
• Diversification Leader: Baker Industries - Still privately owned by the Baker family, Baker Industries has been in business for 24 years as a tier one and tier two supplier for automotive and aerospace industries. They began as a duplicating company and have evolved over the years to become a premier tooling and machining shop. With the goal of encompassing all the capabilities that their customers could wish for in a supplier, today Baker has expanded to include machining, fabrication, injection molding, tooling, 3-D printing, project management and quality assurance. With the addition of a 3-D printer, they have entered new markets including medical, agriculture, appliances, energy and defense.
• Efficiency Expert: JEM Tech Group - JEM is dedicated to helping customers with information technology products and services to transform their mission-critical environments into energy-efficient areas. They provide corporations with efficiency studies to assess their baseline energy consumption, determine problem areas and provide recommendations. Improvements may include reorganizing room layouts, equipment upgrades or airflow management devices. JEM also provides hardware and software that analyzes power consumption down to each outlet. Knowing the amount of power servers the customer is using can help determine what equipment can be better utilized or consolidated. JEM can help companies eliminate 30 percent in energy costs, resulting in significant savings.
• Model of OneMacomb: Arts Academy in the Woods High School - Arts Academy in the Woods is a free public high school where students can major in the fine and performing arts while also fulfilling their academic requirements. They promote racial, cultural and gender diversity, and this is reflected in the makeup of their student body. Since their founding, hundreds of students who were uncomfortable fitting in at other schools have felt welcomed and accepted in this school community. Arts Academy in the Woods begins each school year with a three-day diversity training for new students which is led by current students. Here, students develop a cultural awareness and respect that will benefit them for a lifetime.
• Startup Business to Watch: United Shore Professional Baseball League - USPBL is the first professional independent baseball league in Southeast Michigan. The league’s inaugural season in 2016 featured three teams: Utica Unicorns, Eastside Diamond Hoppers and Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers. USPBL attracted more than 225,000 fans during its first season at Jimmy John’s Field. Starting the league was a Herculean task that included working with city and county officials, securing corporate sponsors, constructing a state-of-the-art stadium, designing team logos and uniforms, hiring more than 400 employees, marketing and launching a baseball finishing school. USPBL has significant plans for growth in the future including a fourth team next season and additional stadiums in the future.
• Economic Development Partner of the Year: Macomb/St. Clair Michigan Works!
• Beacon of Economic Development: Dr. Jim Jacobs, president of Macomb Community College.

• Champion of Workforce Development: Tweddle Group - As a global leader in information solutions, Tweddle is focused on creating innovative communications to best address the information needs of the automotive industry. Through processes that seamlessly integrate information development, management and delivery, the company produces high-quality, value-driven print, mobile and interactive communications for vehicle owners and automotive sales and service personnel. Tweddle provides classes to train managers to make good hiring decisions. New employees go through a robust onboarding process, including a tour, department overviews and tiered-job training. Tweddle University is an in-house program aimed at professional and personal development. Their strong social media presence highlights many diverse employee-driven committee events. 
• Corporate Citizen: Henry Ford Macomb Hospital - Henry Ford Macomb Hospital is a 451-licensed bed health care organization, offering acute and tertiary care at the Clinton Township hospital, behavioral health services at the Mount Clemens hospital and comprehensive outpatient care at six health centers. The hospital developed the innovative prevention program Faith Community Nursing; partnered with Macomb County schools through their School Health Network to facilitate a culture of wellness, especially in underserved populations; donated funds and professional resources to Operation Rx to eliminate prescription drug abuse and overdose; and sponsored many health promotion, wellness and disease prevention organizations including CARE House, Macomb County Food Bank and local senior centers.
• Diversification Leader: Blake Farms - Blake Farms has undergone many changes over the years due to the forward thinking of the Blake family. They have expanded to three locations and have land leases on other orchards to use their fruit for their products. Blake’s has grown a seasonal business into a year-round operation, diversifying products to provide stability during years of difficult weather conditions. They meet the changing demand of their customers through offering new products, such as hard cider. Blake Farms has added a winery, applied for special land use for outdoor events and offers many family and nighttime attractions including a haunted hayride.
• Efficiency Expert: Pioneer Metal Finishing - Pioneer offers a wide array of metal finishing services including anodizing and electroless nickel; paint and powder coating; and chromate, tin zinc and precious metal plating. Their location on Stephens was looking to reduce their environmental footprint and utility usage. To accomplish this, the plant invested significant capital to upgrade their older regenerative thermal oxidizer unit. The new unit destructs 98 percent of emissions, reduces natural gas usage and allows for internally-conducted cleanings and control monitoring. Under the leadership team at the Industrial Highway location, productivity has increased 19 percent over the past year and profitability has increased almost 200 percent.
• Start-up Business of the Year: Bakes & Kropp - Bakes & Kropp is a cabinetry company that designs and manufactures luxury kitchens, baths and closets for some of the country’s most valuable real estate. Experiencing considerable demand along the East Coast, they look to grow the firm into a globally-recognized brand. Headquartered in Macomb County, they have access to a rich history of skilled trades. Their production team provides consistent quality and quick lead times to give them a competitive advantage. Thriving sales have allowed for top market wages, improved insurance offerings and quarterly profit sharing bonuses. In less than 21 months, they have hired 12 new employees and tripled production space. 
• Model of OneMacomb: St John Macomb-Oakland Hospital (SJMOH) - As a member of St. John Providence and Ascension, SJMOH is part of the nation’s largest Catholic and nonprofit health system. In response to a booming Middle Eastern population in Macomb County, SJMOH created several programs to better serve Arab Chaldean patients. An Arab Chaldean patient navigator provides continuum care management and serves as a bilingual public health outreach specialist for Iraqi immigrants. SJMOH introduced Middle Eastern food, Arabic television channels in patient rooms and Arabic signage throughout the hospital. They provide mental health services geared toward recent immigrants and established a prenatal education and breastfeeding support group for Arab Chaldean mothers.
• Economic Development Partner of the Year: Michigan Economic Development Corporation
• Beacon of Economic Development,  Stephen N. Cassin -- a recognition reserved only for special circumstances, was presented to Stephen N. Cassin, recently retired director of the department. Cassin was credited for developing the county’s first-ever economic development strategy and a string of successful projects including the formation of the Macomb-Oakland University Business Incubator, branding of Michigan’s defense assets and a ballpark for a developing semi-professional, independent baseball league currently under construction in Utica.

• Champion of Workforce Development: PTI Engineered Plastics - PTI is a custom injection molder and manufacturer of plastic components and assemblies whose global customer base varies from small tier suppliers to large OEMs. In 2014, they launched a new initiative and the first of its kind for Macomb – the PTI Technical Academy. It is designed to introduce the fundamentals of the manufacturing industry to high school students who may wish to pursue a technical career path. Each class consists of a lecture and hands-on activities. PTI’s goal is to design and implement education and skill-building programs that will strengthen their workforce and increase the skilled labor force in the community as a whole.
• Corporate Citizen: First State Bank - First State Bank is Macomb County’s hometown bank. Since 1917, First State Bank has demonstrated a commitment to their community and neighbors. Recent community initiatives include a free mobile app called Banker Jr. to help kids save and learn money recognition and budgeting through games, no-cost debt counseling for customers through GreenPath Debt Solutions, a scholarship program with Macomb Community College for 11 incoming East Detroit students with $1,000 for the academic year,  a Thanksgiving food drive for Macomb Food Bank, monetary support to Stony Creek Metropark to revive the Detroit Symphony Orchestra concert and fireworks and much more.
• Diversification Leader: Coliant Corporation - Founded in 2004, Coliant started in a basement designing, manufacturing and distributing rugged electrical accessories that are intuitive and universally adaptable. Now, as award-winning developers of several technologies, Coliant primarily serves the automotive and power sport industries. More recently, they deepened their relationship with the Department of Defense (DoD) and are now in negotiations with companies in several secondary-market industries including sporting goods and aerospace. In 2010, Coliant released their first Personal Climate Control System™ under the trade name RapidFIRe to great reviews. In 2013, their RapidFIRe heated jacket liners received a perfect rating from Adventure Bike Rider. This year, Coliant was hired by SAIC for the DoD.
• Energy Efficiency Expert: Magna Seating of America, Inc. DBA Shelby Foam Systems - Shelby Foam Systems makes foam pad products for Magna facilities that manufacture complete seat systems for global automakers. In 2014, Shelby Foam Systems implemented many projects and programs which are beneficial toward saving energy, the environment and reducing operational expenses. The key projects included LED lighting, VSD air compressor, process cooling and e-waste recycling. An air leak tag board was created after a plant air audit to promote employee involvement and awareness toward fixing compressed air leaks. They partnered with DTE’s Energy Incentives Program which provided incentives for various improvement projects and the use of Michigan-made products whenever possible.
• Start-up Business of the Year: SkyBlade Fan Company - SkyBlade is a manufacturer of high-volume, low-speed ceiling fans that range in diameter from 12-to-24 feet. Their fans save on energy costs by recycling trapped heat and by cooling buildings. Since beginning in a basement, SkyBlade has moved to a 15,000-square-foot warehouse and office space. Each year, sales have grown higher than projected which has allowed for additional staff to be hired from the local area. The technical nature of this industry allows them to hire architecture and engineer majors as interns from both University of Detroit Mercy and Wayne State University, giving them the necessary job skills to hit the ground running after they graduate.
• Model of OneMacomb: Chaldean Community Foundation - The Chaldean Community Foundation is dedicated to advancing the needs of the Chaldean-American community through education, charitable giving and advocacy. Among its missions is to provide Iraqi refugees and low-income immigrants with necessary medical, psychological and social services to assist with American acculturation. Through their seven key initiatives, they help refugees of the Iraq war to become less dependent on federal and state subsidies, supply mental health services, provide free or reduced-cost health care, provide low-interest loans to help refugees purchase cars as well as emergency loans for shelter and offer assistance to the disabled. The foundation also administers cultural competency training to community organizations.

• Champion of Workforce Development: Proper Group International - Proper Group manages a number of programs designed to build their own skilled and ready workforce. They offer current employees opportunities to advance their training and tuition reimbursement, they have been one of the first companies to participate in the Michigan Advanced Technician Training Program and they collaborate with the mentoring program Winning Futures to introduce middle and high school students to the manufacturing industry.
• Corporate Citizen: First State Bank - Established in Macomb County in 1917, First State epitomizes the phrase “hometown bank.” Their investments in the community includes sponsorship of many local events including fireworks, the Gratiot Cruise and free summer concerts. First State is actively involved with area chambers, donates to the East Detroit Public Schools scholarship program and supports the Michigan Senior Olympics.
• Diversification Leader: Omega Plastics - Founded in 1984 as a supplier of plastic molded components to the automotive industry, Omega has expanded its services to include mold making for a wide range of clients including medical devices, consumer packaging, consumer electronics and the defense industry.
• Economic Development Partner of the Year: Automation Alley - Formed in 1999, Automation Alley is a technology business association dedicated to growing the economy of Southeast Michigan and enhancing the region's reputation around the world.  Serving tech-based businesses of all sizes, this organization has been a great partner to Macomb County in assisting area companies grow and prosper.
• Energy Efficiency Expert: New Haven Community Schools - When building a new campus to house Endeavour Elementary and Endeavour Middle School, the district took advantage of new technologies to optimize energy efficiency including automated heating, cooling and lights and erecting a 60-foot wind turbine to generate electricity for the buildings. Led by the example of district leadership, district students are learning about careers in energy efficiency and have also initiated a comprehensive recycling program as well as tending a garden designed with native species to create habitat for wildlife.
• Start-up Business of the Year: Ethel’s Edibles - Started in 2011, this gluten-free bakery produces a high quality product for a growing target market. Now shipping their products to retailers across the country, they are well on their way to increasing run rate by more than 300 percent in the next year.

• Champion of Workforce Development: IBEW-NECA Electrical Industry Training Center of Warren - with more than 4,500 members throughout southeastern Michigan, the center provides a foundation of training for the trade through apprenticeship programs.  In addition, they offer a variety of sector-specific continuing education programs enabling members to diversify their skills base while serving changing market needs throughout the region.
• Corporate Citizen: Omega Plastics of Clinton Township - chosen for their efforts to engage employees in serving the greater good.  With a dedicated associate to oversee special projects, they are strong supporters of the Hope Center, donate backpacks and schools supplies for children throughout the area, offer space in their building to a faith-based counseling agency and frequently collect food and other needed items for those less fortunate.
• Diversification Leader:  Fori Automation of Shelby Township -- a developer and builder of advanced manufacturing machinery for the automotive industry for nearly 30 years.  With successful operations in locations throughout the globe, the company engaged a strategic plan to expand the types of industries it serves.  As a result, they recently dedicated a new 19,000 square foot building to serve their growing customers in aerospace, agriculture and recreational vehicles.
• Economic Development Partner of the Year: Macomb Community College -- citing a partnership that goes back nearly 25 years, the college was recognized for its longstanding collaborative efforts to identify and develop training programs to meet the needs of today’s employers.  Macomb’s entrepreneurial training programs have also been instrumental in helping new businesses begin with a strong foundation.