what’s behind the “w”? - mlive.commedia.mlive.com/businessreview/western_impact/other/2010...

WHAT’S BEHIND THE “W”?

A WEALTH OF RESOURCES.Western Michigan University is committed to Michigan’s future and is working every

day to build a high-tech work force, nurture startup companies and discover new

knowledge that can provide the base for tomorrow’s technologies. The University is

the site of the WMU Business Technology and Research Park, which is credited with

directly or indirectly creating 1,300 West Michigan jobs and is home to more than 30

companies in the life sciences, information technology and advanced engineering.

• One Ofthe natiOn’stOp-100 public universities

• hOme tO One Ofthe natiOn’s Oldest cOllegiatehOnOrs prOgrams

• Offers mOrethan 230 graduate and undergraduateprOgrams, including 29 atthe dOctOral level

• designated bythe carnegie fOundatiOn as OneOf fewerthan 200 research universities intheUNITED STATES.

wmich.edu • (269) 387-2000

2 / Innovation Michigan / July 2010 / Business Review

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Innovation West Michigan turns ideas into commercial reality. We make the process faster and easier by:

Mining West Michigan business and academic communities fornew, innovative intellectual property and ideas.

Connecting people with innovative ideas and resources to turntheir ideas into a commercialized success.

Coaching businesses and inventors in the commercializationof ideas from patent processes to business plans and fi nalproduction.

Visit rightplace.org/innovation or call 616.771.0325to get connected with our innovation experts.

Your guide through West Michigan’sinnovation ecosystem.

innovation-west-michigan-ad.indd 1 7/8/2010 10:04:03 AMInnovation Michigan / July 2010 / Business Review / 3

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Stryker Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Magnum Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Metro Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6JaiPlace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Learning Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Grand Rapids Inventors Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Pink Slip Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Azenic Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10AL Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11PiSAT Solar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11United Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Dynamic Computer Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Crystal Clean Auto Detailing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Berry Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13DVS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Learn Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Hospice at Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16The Stocked Kitchen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Ruwach Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17Steelcase Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

MSU/INgage Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Downstream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19GRid70 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20Seldom Disappointed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20USGBC West Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21Junior Achievement/The Manufacturer’s Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21Bloomfire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22Eco-Composites LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22Hammerhead International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23LS Mold Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25Downtown Kalamazoo Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25Eagle Rotary Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26Revel Custom Wine Cellars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26Quaeris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27Parnunu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28Steel Supply & Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28Lifetime Achievement: Amway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

As BusinessReview pre-pared for ourfifth annualhighlight of themost innova-tive businessesin the state, we were in themidst of the Gulf oil spill, ourstate’s continued economicdownturn and the ramping upof the very-public politicalgnashing of teeth that alwaysaccompanies an election sea-son.

In short, it wasn’t a veryinspiring environment.

Then the nominations forInnovation Michigan camerolling in from across the state— stories of companies, large

and small, building, growing,innovating.

While we always see a mix ofcompany size with ourInnovation Michigan nominees,this year brought in more start-ups than ever before. Tiny, one-and two-person shops, oftenborne of a single innovation,told us about their idea and itsjourney to success.

Some entrepreneurs had beenforced from the nest, so tospeak — downsized in thepainful, multi-year recessionMichigan has undergone.Others followed the call to inno-vation off the clock — moon-lighting in garages and base-ments, or, more often now inthis burgeoning knowledge

economy, on the computer.These are people, not compa-

nies. That’s important to remem-ber but easy to forget. As youturn these pages, rememberthat these are parents, hus-bands, wives. These areMichigan residents who tookreal risks to bring their innova-tions to market.

Also more prevalent this yearthan in the past has been thetestimony of loyalty in thesestories of innovation. In theirapplications, finalists repeated acommon theme — supportingMichigan. They highlighted howmany jobs their innovations hadthe potential to create. Theypointed to the use of WestMichigan vendors over out-of-

state or foreign manufacturers.In short, if we didn’t feel the

inspiration before, we feel itnow.

The passion of entrepre-neurism in Michigan lives. Itmay even thrive, if this recordnumber of Innovation Michiganfinalists is any indication.

And it’s enough, at least fornow, to assuage the frustrationof political bickering and thefear of the economic unknown.To feel the pulse of innovationin Michigan beat strong bringsnew hope and confidence.

May you, too, be inspired.

— B. Candace Beeke, editor,Business Review

Be inspired

Innovation Michigan 2010 Finalists

Innovation Michigan / July 2010 / Business Review / 5

Stryker Corp.Kalamazoo

Innovation: A new medical device from Stryker uses design innovations to providesurgical staff better control and comfort during operations.The Flyte Personal Protection System, introduced by Stryker, is used toreduce the likelihood of staff or patient infection during surgical proce-dures. It consists of a reusable helmet and battery and a disposablegarment with lens. Because of improvements to existing designs, theFlyte allows a safer and more comfortable environment.

Result:Compared to the most competitive predecessor, the Flyte PersonalProtection System is 25 percent lighter, induces 37 percent less neckstrain, provides 28 percent greater field of view and includes a micro-phone for dictation and accessible controls for fan speed and micro-phone.Revenue from domestic sales of surgical protection systems increasedby nearly 11 percent during the first year of selling the Flyte. Sales vol-ume of such systems grew by 8 percent.“This new system maintains Stryker’s role as the leading provider ofpersonal protection systems for orthopedic surgery,” says MichaelTucker, R&D manager.

Magnum EngineeringGrand Rapids

Innovation: A new innovation to an old game has made one Michigan companyan industry leader, it says.Magnum Engineering developed a series of scoring upgrades for theautomated scoring systems used in bowling centers across thecountry. As bowling centers try to upgrade the scoring systems,many of which are dated in appearance, they face costly replace-ments.In less than a year, Magnum developed a family of 18 new productsto address this need, the cornerstone of which is the Digital ScoringConverter that converts the systems to a standard HDMI signal thatcan be displayed on any LCD TV. The Evolution products are made inMagnum’s Grand Rapids facility, which required a production equip-ment upgrade to support the new line.

Result:By upgrading overhead monitors, bowling centers drasticallyreduced maintenance costs and downtime and achieved a moremodern appearance. Many bowling operators report increased rev-enue, as a result.“During the 14 months the products have been on the market, theEvolution series of products has become the industry leader for lega-cy scoring upgrades,” says Ryan Phillips, president. “They have the

Stryker’s Flyte Personal Protection System. photo courtesy Stryker

lowest purchase cost of any competitive product, more features,upgraded options and the most reliable track record in the industry.”The product has brought $1 million in new business to Michiganand been shipped to every continent except Antarctica, he adds.

We’ve been at the table during some of the region’s most significant changes.

Now let us sit at your table, too.

• Resume screening• Economic development partnerships• Workforce training• Wage reimbursement for OJT• Job fairs• Many more business services

616.494.3400miottawa.org/michiganworks

Innovation: Metro Health this year introduced the first integrated electronic med-ical record system in West Michigan — one of relatively few in thecountry.MetroConnect, which took years to develop, provides a database ofpatients’ history, linking records from doctors, the emergency room orhospital, neighborhood outpatient centers and laboratories. Theencrypted, secure information is available to patients and their doctors.“It’s really one place that we can share all of the information about apatient ... so that we’re all on the same page,” says Bill Lewkowski,executive vice president and CIO. “The whole nation is going to needto do this.”

Result:Instant access to a patient’s history, including test results, treatment andmedication, helps with accuracy of records, and computerized entryreduces the chances of mistakes in interpreting hand-written notes. The change has driven revenue increases for the health system andimproved overall efficiency.“Our investment, both in time and dollars, has been substantial, and weare very pleased to be the first major health system in West Michigan tofully integrate medical records,” says Mike Faas, CEO and president.

Metro HealthWyoming

{ }The thing always happens thatyou real ly bel ieve in; and the

bel ief in a thing makes i t happen.

Frank Loyd Wright


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For 45 years, Stiles has been helping manufacturers succeed by meeting the needs of a changing industry. Tasks once done manually can now be accomplished with the push of a button or a mouse click, allowing sophisticated software applications and CNC machines to work hand-in-hand with traditional craftsmanship and artistry. The world’s largest independent distributor of quality machinery, Stiles is focused on offering solutions that improve process technology and maximize production capacity. And, as the industry continues to evolve, Stiles maintains its passionate commitment to make your business a success.

Find out how Stiles can help you take care of your business. Call Stephan Waltman at 616.698.7500 or email [email protected].

Taking Care of Business

stilesmachinery.com

JaiPlaceGrand Rapids

Innovation: Jess Tomaz, a yoga teacher, and her husband, Al, along with colleaguePrem Lancaster last year began working on the concept for an onlinesocial network focused on the Lifestyles Of Health And Sustainabilitymarket, or LOHAS, as it is known.The trio created JaiPlace in time for Momentum’s 2010 venture pro-gram and were selected as one of five participants this year. “It was maybe back in December that we started visualizing a commu-nity within the market of wellness and sustainability, a place where(people) could come together and not only find connections with otherlike-minded people, but also connect to local businesses and serviceproviders and products either locally or via the web,” Tomaz says.“When we’ve been doing our marketing research, it’s just plain andclear that this market is growing so quickly,” she says.

Result:The next version of JaiPlace the team is working on will include a busi-ness directory. Around 50 local businesses are involved.“We really have a global vision,” Tomaz said. “We’re definitely going tostart locally and see what works and what we need to refine on a localscale before we send it out nationally. That being said, we alreadysomehow have members in Korea and Brazil and Germany, so whoknows?”

{ }“Thunder is good, thunder isimpressive; but i t is l ightning that

does al l the work.”

Mark Twain


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Innovation: The Grand Rapids Inventors Network, founded in 2009, uses a pro-duce-review process to offer inventors feedback from experts repre-senting diverse industries, for free.A panel of experts from fields such as manufacturing, marketing, busi-ness, consulting, legal and financial listen to an inventor’s elevatorpitch and give real-time feedback. The panel helps inventors with spe-cific problems, potential next steps, priorities and possible opportuni-ties. They help innovative people immediately take the next step andmake significant decisions to further develop their ideas.GRIN brings together veteran inventors to share their experiences withand help first-time inventors.

Result:GRIN’s product-review sessions and follow-up meetings are “intense”and help lead to real and concrete innovations, say board membersDan Clark and Dan Girdwood.GRIN helps connect the eureka of invention with the business logisticsof entrepreneurism. In its first eight months, GRIN has grown to more than 40 members.

Learning InterfaceGrand Rapids

Innovation: The goal of Learning Interface, formerly e-Simulations, is to changeeducation by developing student-centered tools for today’s “digital-native” generation, founder Christian Spielvogel said.The first of its two products is a multiplayer role-playing simulation —what Spielvogel refers to as “’World of Warcraft’ for education.” Thesecond product type, a social e-textbook, is a different twist.Spielvogel, an associate professor at Hope College, describes it as“Facebook meets textbook.” Traditional textbook content is compiledinto chronological or topical chapters. But instead of discussion ques-tions at the end of the chapter, students are directed to the interactiveportion of the program to “apply what they’re reading in the text andpractice that, simulate it, experiment with it, … put that reading intotheir own words.”Simulations will last about two to four weeks, but e-textbooks aredesigned for a semester. Venture firm Momentum selected the compa-ny for its 2010 entrepreneur boot camp program.Large academic publishers are not “ahead of the curve” when it comesto social media and how it can be incorporated into educationalresources, Spielvogel said. He has observed a tremendous growth in e-textbooks, but those are still read-only formats.“They don’t really reflect our changing Web 2.0 world of more interac-tive interfaces,” he says.

Grand RapidsInventors Network

Grand Rapids

{ }One who fears fai lure l imits hisactivi t ies. Fai lure is only the

opportunity to more intel l igently begin again.

Henry Ford

{ }I walk slowly, butI never walkbackward.

Abraham Lincoln

Result:Learning Interface has a dozen “social e-textbooks” in develop-ment, Spielvogel says. Its two prototypes are currently being usedby over 1,000 college students and 100 teachers.“Our employees are so excited to be on the leading edge of educa-tional technology,” he says. “Bringing the textbook into the age ofsocial media is a tremendous market opportunity for us.”


GRid70 is an innovation and

design hub at 70 Ionia in

downtown Grand Rapids.

It is a unique opportunity

for companies to bring

creative professionals

together to inspire

innovation, new products

and different ways of

thinking.

The GRid70 partners are proud our design hub has been named a finalist for a 2010 Innovation Michigan Award.


Innovation: Traditionally, pink slips aren’t something most people celebrate.But Mike Yoder believes the connections made at a Pink Slip Party ofWest Michigan event are invaluable.“I’m always telling people you need to be constantly networking,” saysYoder, one of the organizers of the group. “And I think by providing avenue or providing an event that gives people the opportunity to getout and network and get connected to other business people —whether those people are employed or unemployed — that juststrengthens your position.”The goal of the event is for job seekers to have face time and conversa-tions with company representatives and was organized by steeringcommittee members Ray Saxe of Skyline Corp., Lonna Blair of LeisureLiving, Tim Colthorp and Dennis Hoyle of Career Matrix, Rob Geer ofManagement Business Solutions, and Yoder.“We all put our heads together and collectively lent our talents and net-works and put the Pink Slip Party of West Michigan together simplybased on the obvious — the current economic conditions, the numberof people looking for work and struggling to find a job, that sort ofthing,” Yoder said.“It’s really about helping people connect with potential employers, butalso helping them connect with other job seekers — sharing advice,sharing information, sharing leads, that sort of thing,” Yoder said.

Azenic Inc.Kalamazoo

Innovation: More than two years after receiving government approval to sell anew, disposable dental drill in the United States, a Kalamazoo firm ispreparing to launch the product this summer.Investors launched Azenic in late 2005 with $3.5 million in capital. Butthe journey to commercialization has not been a short one for MacWaldorf, president and CEO.The $250,000 the biotech startup received from the Michigan Pre-SeedCapital Fund late in 2009 helped move it farther down the road tobringing its first product to market.“It was imperative funding that really allows us to leap out of theblocks in the development path,” Waldorf said. The disposable drills are not meant to replace the metal drills thatmost, if not all, dentists currently use. Waldorf said Azenic’s strategy isto sell the drills as a complement to existing equipment.

Result:“We will have 10 (full-time employees) by August 2010 in Kalamazoo,”Waldorf said. “We’re very proud of our accomplishment.”Azenic Dental projects it can sell 300,000 to 400,000 units during thefirst launch year, followed by 1 million units in the subsequent yearand 2 million to 3 million in years three and four.

Pink Slip PartyGrand Rapids{ }We wil l receive not

what we idly wish forbut what we just ly earn.

E. Nightingale

Result:The first Pink Slip Party of West Michigan event was held inJanuary in Grand Rapids. About 400 people attended, and bothemployers and job seekers were excited to participate, Yoder said.The committee received “tremendous feedback.”“Certainly, the economy is much better, and we’re hearing goodthings about employment opportunities,” Yoder said. “So it’s anoth-er good opportunity to make Grand Rapids a better place to liveand work.”


AL SoftwareDetroit

Innovation: With a new app from AL Software in Detroit, instructors may take a dif-ferent view on students using cell phones in class.The i41CX+ is an advanced programmable and expandable RPN scien-tific calculator and algebra system for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Inaddition to being functionally equivalent to the world-renowned HP-41CX and providing access to its entire library of modules and pro-grams, i41CX+ contains an extremely powerful, flexible and program-mable CAS that, among other things, provides symbolic and arbitraryprecision calculation capabilities. Company founder Antonio Lagana, who worked for Motorola, createdthe i41CX+. To appeal to a wider and younger audience, architect BillDickens designed several upbeat and modern skins.

Result:i41CX+ has achieved one of the highest user review ratings on theiPhone App Store, Dickens says. “Sales have been steady and stable since the release of version 1.0.” i41CX+ was recently featured on the iTunes “What’s Hot” list, “a signifi-cant achievement in light of the staggering number (over 200,000) ofapplications on the iTunes App Store,” Dickens says.AL Software is preparing to introduce the app to students at MartinLuther King High School in Detroit.

PiSAT SolarGrand Rapids

Innovation: PiSAT Solar is one-upping the old proverb, “It’s better to light a candlethan to curse the darkness.” With its solar-powered LED lantern, the K-Light replaces dangerouskerosene lamps in African villages.Co-founders Dale Williams, Martin Graber, Bill Greenhoe and NicholasPietrangelo developed the K-Light after working in Africa with theKoinonia Foundation. “You go to Africa, and you see adults and children with burn scarsfrom the lighting,” Greenhoe said. “This is a really safe lighting sourcefor children.”PiSAT focused on making the K-Light a high-quality, low-cost product. Itwas created for Africa, so they designed it to last for 10 years of daily use.“It’s waterproof, and it floats,” Greenhoe added. “It by far outshineskerosene lanterns.”And the K-Light requires no additional fuel cost, unlike kerosenelanterns. PiSAT estimates that buying kerosene can account for 14 per-cent of the poorest households’ budgets.

Result:PiSAT donates a portion of its proceeds from sales of the K-Light to theKoinonia Foundation to help fund international nonprofit solar projects.

PiSAT and the Koinonia Foundation have donated K-Lights toDemocratic Republic of Congo, as well as to Haiti following theJanuary 2010 earthquake. Donations now are in progress for arefugee camp in Kenya.The K-Light also is sold in several stores in West Michigan.“We’re seeing a steady growth in business since we’ve introducedthe light because it’s a high-quality product that performs to cus-tomers’ expectations,” the company says.


Innovation: Social media can give people power, but it’s what people do with thatpower that’s important.The United Way, in studying its donation demographics, noticed a “hugegap in the Millennial and Gen-X group,” says George Aquino, generalmanager of the JW Marriott in Grand Rapids and 2010 campaign chair forthe Heart of West Michigan United Way. So when deciding where to focushis campaign, he thought the nonprofit could “really take advantage ofthe social media super stars in the area.” Aquino tapped a variety of WestMichigan movers and shakers for the MI SuperFriendz, which launchedMay 1. The “street team’s” goal is to increase awareness and engagementin three sectors: Millennials, Gen-Xers and small businesses. “We’re not asking for them to deviate from what they would normally do(in terms of social media), but maybe add on to it,” Aquino says. “Weknow collectively it’s going to be a force to be reckoned with just becauseof the reach.”

Result:United Way eMarketing Specialist Jeff Barrett calls the SuperFriendz effortone of awareness and engagement.“Absolutely there’s a lot of innovation outside of the United Way, andwe’re trying to bring that innovaiton into the United Way,” Barrett said.

United WayHeart of West Michigan

Dynamic Computer Corp.Farmington Hills

Innovation: Dynamic Computer Corp. is trying to clean up health care with an inno-vative new system.Armed with the knowledge that health care-acquired infections are atop 10 leading cause of death in America and up to 70 percent of casesare preventable with proper hand hygiene, Dynamic uses radio fre-quency identification to alert and track health care workers’ compliancewith hand-washing regulations. Its hand-hygiene solution uses an infrared sensor, usually installed inthe ceiling, to read a health care professional’s badge as they enter aroom. The individual then has a predetermined amount of time to com-ply with the sensor that is also placed in the soap dispenser. After compliance or non-compliance, the data is then sent to the mainserver and tracked.

Result:Health care-acquired infections cost hospitals about $45 billion annual-ly in direct costs of care, Dynamic notes.By improving efficiencies, eliminating waste and monitoring the real-time location and status of hospital assets and people down to the bedlevel, Dynamic’s RFID solution helps users reduce costs, minimize risksand improve patient care.


Crystal Clean AutoDetailingGrand Rapids

Innovation: In a tough economy, Crystal Clean Auto Detailing used two innovationsto stay ahead of the game.To better serve dealerships, Crystal Clean uses a vehicle photographystudio to shoot photos of vehicles for dealerships to post online withan auto listing.“This gives them an advantage over their competition because ourphotos are much higher quality, the car is the cleanest it possibly couldbe …,” says Ross Timyan, owner of Crystal Clean.The business also found a niche in the market by detailing customers’cars while they are out of town. As part of its Airport Valet Service,Crystal Clean will meet customers at the airport curb, take their vehiclefor detailing, store it indoors and return it to them at the airport.

Result:Its Airport Valet Service saves customers time and money, eliminatingthe need for long-term airport parking. It has resulted in $18,000 inadditional revenue in less than a year.With its photo booth, Crystal Clean has shot more than 3,000 cars andcreated new revenue of $50,000 since the beginning of 2009.

Berry Co.Ada

Innovation: Erika Berry can pinpoint the exact embarrassing moment she got herprize-winning idea.“It was the first day of school, and I was walking with my four kidsand a new puppy to the bus stop,” says the inventor of ClipCleany, adogleash accessory that holds refuse bags and more. Since it wasonly a half a block from home, she left unprepared for a doggie acci-dent. “I remember running home with my youngest daughter, tellingall the other moms I was going to come back to pick it up. I learnedyou need something with you all the time.”Berry hand made a prototype and took it to an engineering firm, whichadvised her to seek patent protection. Since then, she has worked withlocal designers and engineers to perfect the product.

Result:Berry was one of five winners of Whirlpool Corp.’s Mother of Inventionprogram, which garnered 2,200 entries. She was the second-placewinner and the first woman from Michigan to place in the four-year-old contest.“It was kind of a kismet moment. I finally felt validated,” she said.Since then, she has appeared on national news with ClipCleany, whichis currently patent-pending.


Innovation: The new innovation by DVS is like “do-it-yourself interactive media,”the company says.Digital Services Inc. developed a user-reconfigurable portfolio/presskitapplication that requires zero programming skills.It allows any text to be altered and any video, attachments or web linksto be replaced by simply filling out a digital form.“Now outdated or no-longer-useful details can be revised or expungedwithout having to reengage the programmers who developed the toolin the first place,” DVS says.

Result:The reconfigurable application frees business communication initia-tives from the chronically short shelf-life and limited scope that typical-ly plagues business collateral, DVS says.DVS clients have realized improved efficiency and efficacy for theircommunication initiatives.

Learn Inc.Grand Rapids

Innovation: Learn Inc. in Kalamazoo developed a unique product for the K through12 market with an academic online social/educational network thathelps students enhance written communication.Learn’s R&D showed that understanding the social and emotionalneeds of students directly corresponds with creating a positive learn-ing climate and results in measurable academic gains. Based on that,Learn created a proprietary process, called I Am Online, which supportscritical thinking by providing resources, strategies and information thattransfer to many different subjects and situations. The processenhances written communication skills through a rigorous yet engag-ing writing process.Learn instructors assess and evaluate where clients are coming from,to help determine how to support their growth. Learn teachers takeeach student through a personalized journey in self-discovery thathelps both the student and teacher individualize programming.

Result:Learn has been sponsored by several local companies and is preparedto partner with schools on a national scale, Founder and CEO LorieWolfe says. The private company plans to grow to five full-time staffnext year and secure a distribution partnership with a national educa-tional distributor.

DVSGrand Rapids

{ }Success is ajourney, not a

dest inat ion.Make sure

you enjoy thetr ip.

John Sculley


Innovation: Coping with a progressive illness, whether it is the individual, family orcaregiver can seem overwhelming. Hospice at Home offers people con-nections to community resources that can help during a very difficulttime through its new Transitions program, created in 2009.This unique support service, offered to progressively ill individuals andtheir families for free, is designed to enhance the qualify of life forthose suffering an illness and those who care for them. Staff and vol-unteers provide support through home visits and regular communica-tion. Through its trademarked Transitions program, Hospice coordinatesreferrals to community services and addresses questions and needs,including errands, food preparation, spiritual support, companionshipand guidance in dealing with medical professionals.Transitions allows Hospice at Home to continue to serve individualswhen they are not eligible for hospice care.

Result:Today, on a rotating basis, 180 clients and family members are beingserved at all times through Transitions. These individuals may not havebeen eligible to be part of the Hospice at Home services beforeTransitions.Transitions includes three full-time staff positions — a director, pro-

The Stocked KitchenGrand Haven

Innovation: For Sarah Kallio and Stacey Krastins, partners in The Stocked Kitchen,writing a cookbook wasn’t enough: The Grand Haven women came upwith a meal-planning system to save time, money and stress.“We found that other cookbooks were missing something,” Krastins says.The Stocked Kitchen cookbook offers more than 300 recipes and a plan-ning system that includes a patented grocery list and magnetized pad,cooking tips and its own website.“We wanted to develop something we could use every day,” says Kallio,adding their innovative program is not about buying more food. Rather,she said, it’s about buying the right foods, then using them more effec-tively in recipes.

Result:Using the system makes cooking at home a lot easier, say Kallio andKrastins, both of whom have engineering degrees.“It’s the special items and extra trips to the store that makes cooking dif-ficult,” Krastins said. “We’ve simplified the system to give people moreoptions.”The system also saves money.“You can buy in bulk, clip your coupons and shop the sales,” Krastinssays. “Plus, we can go seven to 10 days without going to the store.”

Hospice at HomeSt. Joseph

gram coordinator and client coordinator. In addition, two spiritualcare coordinators are available to clients.“Employees are grateful for this program because it allows theorganization to care for people earlier in their disease process,”says Linda Beushausen, president and CEO of Hospice. “Also, forthe 10 to 15 percent of hospice patients that become too healthy toremain on traditional hospice care, this innovation allows ourorganization to continue to remain in contact with them.”


Steelcase Inc.Grand Rapids

Innovation: After years of fitting its line-up of office furniture into schools andadministration centers, Steelcase Inc. last month announced a newgroup to specialize in designs for the classroom: Steelcase EducationSolutions.The first entry in the classroom setting is Node, a flexible formed chairon a rolling base and a swivel-out desk surface. It has been tested bystudents in the Grand Rapids area and in Ann Arbor. Steelcase introduced the new group and Node at NeoCon 2010 lastmonth, the World’s Trade Fair for Interior Design and FacilitiesManagement.“Students today expect a more active learning environment that sup-ports co-learning and group discussion, similar to their everyday inter-actions, but the classroom has remained largely unchanged fordecades,” says Sean Corcorran, director of product development andmarketing for the new group.

Result:The new group employs 12, and most of the chair will be built inGrand Rapids. Deliveries of Node begin this month.Steelcase Education Solutions aims to reinvent the classroom experi-ence for students and educators, using research and skilled design.

Ruwach DesignGrand Rapids

Innovation: Ruwach Design is really heating things up.The startup company created a patent-pending space heater designthat draws air in with a fan and directs the airflow through a series ofpreheat chambers that surround a central chamber containing the heatsource, in this case infrared. The preheat chambers wrap around the central core and are warmedby the same heat source. This insulates the heater’s core chamber witha warm blanket of preheated air and uses less energy than trying toflash heat cold air.

Result:The new design creates the ability to keep the core of the heater at ahigher and more constant temperature and results in efficient overallperformance. Users enjoy as much as a 25 percent increase in heat output over topcompetitors using the same amount of energy.


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Innovation: When most people think about social media and social networking,they think of Twitter and Facebook status updates.But as Michigan State University President Lou Anna Simon pointedout, it’s more than that.“It’s how can you take the power of a new kind of technology anduse it for people and use it to promote prosperity?” Simon said atthe press conference last March announcing a new partnership withFlorida-based INgage Networks that MSU believes could helpMichigan achieve just that.“The university and the state of Michigan, they were both trying tounderstand how to do more with less because they have very tightbudgets,” says INgage CEO Kim Patrick Kobza, a Muskegon native.“The resource, when you have to do more with less, is really thepeople. It’s your citizens; it’s your stakeholders.”INgage creates online networking platforms for private and publicentities to use to engage their people, whether they are citizens, cus-tomers or others. “There’s not one organization, and there’s not one process within anorganization, that isn’t somehow affected by or can’t be made betterthrough the use of networks in a thoughtful way, in an effectiveway,” Kobza says.

MSU/INgage NetworksLansing

Result:As a direct result of the R&D partnership, there is now a SocialMedia Research Laboratory at MSU working with business, govern-ment and not-for-profit organizations around the state. Ongoingprojects are focused on greening communities, boosting the state’seconomy, allowing industry and young professionals to connect andshare entrepreneurial strategies throughout the state, and more.“This partnership has resulted in a number of funded research proj-ects,” says Pamela Whitten, dean of MSU’s College ofCommunication Arts & Sciences. “INgage Networks has expandedinto Michigan to help rebuild Michigan’s economy.”


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DownstreamZeeland

Innovation: “Downstream is digital life given back.” That’s how this startup, which won the 2008 Momentum venture contestin West Michigan, describes itself. As people’s lives are increasinglyplayed out online, important pieces are scattered about in the so-calledcloud, Co-founder Aaron Schaap says. Zeeland-based Downstream this year received $100,000 in venture fund-ing from the Lakeshore Advantage Seed Fund, which will allow the com-pany to make improvements to TweetStreamApp.com, a website thatallows users to remotely and securely store Twitter content, such as postsand followers, review online trends and receive a copy of the informationthrough various means, including downloading to a hard drive orrequesting a USB flash drive. Funding also will help the company growits user base and further develop its other Downstream applications.“TweetStreamApp.com stores, sorts and analyzes the connections we’remaking and the places we’ve been.”

Result:Downstream creates a massively scalable solution, the company says.Projected market is 20,000 in the first year and up to 100,000 over thenext few years.Current beta users include universities, a Fortune 500 company, largenot-for-profits and local social media experts.Aaron Schaap. photo by Johnny Quirin


37736183773596

Innovation: In housing creative teams together under the same roof in downtown,four major employers in Grand Rapids want to push a new way ofspurring innovation while creating an environment that appeals toyoung talent.The four believe a co-working environment in an urban setting canbecome a destination for the creative class.Wolverine World Wide, Amway, Steelcase Inc. and Meijer Inc. cametogether to form the GRid70 design hub, which takes its name fromGrand Rapids Innovation and Design and its address at 70 Ionia Ave.The concept will initially cluster about 100 workers together and createan environment where employees from each company can collaboratewith one another, for example, when they want an outsider’s opinionon solving a design problem or to simply help brainstorm a project.“It’s all about breaking down silos,” says Seth Starner, business innova-tion manager at Amway.

Result:The goal of this design hub is to capitalize on the region’s innovationand design expertise by mixing creative teams from different industriesto spawn “happy accidents” that inspire innovation, new products anddifferent ways of thinking, says Blake Krueger, chairman, president andCEO of Wolverine World Wide.

Seldom DisappointedKalamazoo

Innovation: Thomas Wootton had his mind in the gutters when he created hispatented new device and the company to sell it.The GutterSpring, a solid aluminum cover that fits over residentialor commercial gutters, effectively keeps out leaves, while allowingrain water to enter the gutter. “It is as strong as the gutter itself,” says Wootton, who created thecompany Seldom Disappointed to market the GutterSpring lastyear. “It can easily be installed by the homeowner.”The GutterSpring doesn’t use any fasteners and has no holes orscreens.

Result:“Now most homeowners can buy and install for themselves a sim-ple, inexpensive, effective and professional-looking device thatkeeps leaves and other plant debris out of the rain gutter,” Woottonsays.GutterSpring is sold online and soon will be available in hardwarestores.

GRid 70Grand Rapids

(From left) Ray Sierengowski, Meijer; Seth Starner, Amway; and Tom Riha, Wolverine. photo by Johnny Quirin

{ }You have to learnthe rules of thegame. And thenyou have to playbetter than any-

one else.Albert Einstein


JuniorAchievement/TheManufacturer’s CouncilGrand Rapids

Innovation: The perception is that manufacturing is a dying industry in WestMichigan. So it may seem strange that Northview High School for twoyears has pulled in more than 25 manufacturing employees to linkschool work with “the real world.”“Manufacturing is not going away,” says Nancy Ayers of the RightPlace Inc.’s Manufacturing Council. “It’s evolving and changing, andkids need to know the new skills.”Junior Achievement of the Michigan Great Lakes honed its longtimereverse job-shadow program, in which professionals show studentshow classroom work relates to jobs, to focus solely on the manufactur-ing sector with its program at Northview. Employees of Amway, Irwin Seating Co., Rapid-Line and more workedwith students to portray manufacturing’s positive future in WestMichigan.

USGBC West MichiganGrand Rapids

Innovation: It’s no secret there are many LEED-certified buildings in Grand Rapids— and the number is growing. The U.S. Green Building Council of WestMichigan is working on an effort to use that leadership as a showcasefor city successes and the benefits of LEED.Green Buildings of West Michigan will pull together LEED-building-performance case studies that will result in a book and a tour inSeptember featuring participating buildings.“We had been wanting to prove that, yes, LEED buildings do performbetter,” says USGBC West Michigan Chair Renae Hesselink.The chapter has engaged students from Grand Valley State University,Aquinas College and Kendall College of Art and Design to organizedata collected from building owners.

Result:Approximately 40 buildings have been committed to the project.“Our goal would be to expand … because Kalamazoo is an up-and-coming LEED market, and Muskegon has some buildings, and Lansing— and those all fall into our geographic territory,” she says. “We want this to be ongoing,” Hesselink notes. “We don’t want to justbuild up and have our tour in September and that’s it. We want it to bean ongoing program and try to involve students ongoing, too.”

{ }The ult imate measure of a man

is not where hestands in moments

of comfort , butwhere he stands att imes of chal lengeand controversy.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Result:“There are still many opportunities in the field of manufacturing,and this industry-specific reverse job shadow allowed participat-ing Manufacturing Council companies to showcase their compa-nies, employees and the work they do,” Ayers says. The pre- and post-event assessments students returned showed amarked positive improvement in both their understanding ofmanufacturing and the career options available.


Innovation: According to its website, “Bloomfire is everything traditional learningis not.”Bloomfire founder Josh Little compared his new company, a hub ofonline learning communities, to gardens. Companies or other groupscan sign up for Bloomfire, a monthly service which launched March 15,and each group’s “garden” of informal, social-learning opportunitiescan be dedicated to anything from sales strategies to fishing.“Whatever a group or whatever a community would like to teach eachother, you could deploy a Bloomfire,” says Little.From his work at Pfizer and Stryker — and most recently, from workingwith other corporations through his online training-course develop-ment company, Maestro eLearning — Little and his team came up withthe idea to create a tool companies could use as a way for employeesto quickly and easily share knowledge and help each other build onthat knowledge.Bloomfire focuses on informal learning, which Little said contributes toabout 90 percent of the knowledge that most people need to do theirjobs. Informal learning usually comes from conversations and on-the-job or trial-and-error experiences.“Bloomfire is a way to take all that informal learning and formalize it —somehow capture and harness that,” Little says.

Eco-Composites LLCHolland

Innovation: In a race where speed and control are the keys, Eco-Composites inHolland believes its patented new product, the RacerSpacer, is the clearwinner. The self-centering and locking spacers for race cars are made with a sus-tainable glass-fiber composite, which offers the strength of traditionalmaterials such as aluminum or steel, with a fraction of the weight as wellas a much smaller environmental footprint. They weigh 80 percent lessthan their counterparts in steel and 50 percent less than aluminum ones. And they were developed and marketed in less than six months, saysPresident Carey Boote.With over 30 years of experience working on new materials and productdevelopment, Eco-Composites looks for opportunities to replace tradi-tional materials with high-value, eco-friendly options that improve per-formance.

Result:“Eco-Composites has marketed the RacerSpacer for the past 12months,” Boote says, “with growing application of the product onoval-track stock-car customers.”Boote expects to see steady revenue growth from the product, withexpansion of output each year.

BloomfireKalamazoo

Result:Bloomfire has created new jobs and revenue and is “forging anentire new way of thinking in a tired industry,” Little says.The innovation has pushed Bloomfire to the forefront of the train-ing and development industry, he adds, and is receiving criticalacclaim from industry consultants and bloggers.“Today information is moving faster than yesterday,” Little said.“Tomorrow it will move faster yet.”

Josh Little. photo courtesy Kalamazoo Gazette

{ }Courage isthe power tolet go of the

famil iar. Raymond Lindquist


HammerheadInternationalBingham Farms

Innovation: Startup company Hammerhead International invented the LogicPlug,an energy-saving device. The LogicPlug is a quick and easy way to significantly reduce opera-tions costs and carbon footprint by reducing phantom load — theelectricity consumed by an electronic device when it is turned off butstill plugged into an outlet. Some 75 percent of the power used forelectronics is consumed when appliances are off, according to theU.S. Department of Energy.“Everyone involved in this endeavor is excited about the impactLogicPlug has by not only saving companies money, but also savingthe environment,” says founder Anthony Sopuch.

Result:LogicPlug’s patent-pending technology reduces phantom load by upto 94 percent, as certified by a third-party testing agency.Hammerhead has hired 15 people in the past six months and is usingAmerican manufacturing to produce the LogicPlug.

{ }Do not fol low where thepath may lead.

Go instead where there isno path and leave a trai l .

Harold R. McAlindon


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Innovation: In business in West Michigan for 40 years, LS Mold continues to inno-vate. Its newest product is the Clipster/Magster — a metal hook hang-ing system targeted at the commercial market.The Magster and Clipster ceiling display hardware, made at LS Mold’sHolland facility, offers the ability to hang artwork, banners, posters andsignage from a suspended ceiling without the use of a ladder or otherelevation device. The magnetic system comes in many forms, fromswivel hooks to loop hooks to bars that clip magnetically to postersand ceilings, says LS President Larry Koning.“Safety of the user, keeping both feet on the ground was the most sig-nificant achievement,” Koning says. “Being able to change posters inseconds is a time saver.”

Result:The Magster/Clipster patented system yields about $18,000 in sales peryear and elevates the ease and appearance of commercial users.“The professional appearance of the product, compared to paper clipsand string, gives a professional look to the classroom, office or store,”Koning says.

LS Mold Inc.Holland


DKIKalamazoo

Innovation: A retail incubation program launched last year is helping fill empty store-fronts on the downtown Kalamazoo Mall.Three one-of-a-kind niche businesses have taken advantage of subsidiesfrom the program run by Downtown Kalamazoo Inc., which overseesbusiness and retail development in the downtown area, says RobPeterson, business recruitment and retention director for DKI.“The state added this (retail incubation funds) to our toolbox in 2008,”Peterson said. “We’re the first DDA in the state to use it.”About $25,000 was available in 2009 to businesses through the retailincubation program, Peterson says. In addition to rent subsidies, the pro-gram offers business coaching and other services to the entrepreneurs.DKI’s goal for the program is to fill storefronts with well-planned busi-nesses that can thrive downtown, Peterson says. Incubation funds areused to offset the first 18 months of rent for tenants on a graduatedscale, which pays 50 percent of rent for the first six months, 33 percentof the next six months and 17 percent for the final six months.To be eligible for the funding, Peterson says, business owners must havea business plan that is reviewed by DKI, participate in a training programoutlined by the Downtown Retailers Association and the Small BusinessDevelopment and Technology Center, and meet quarterly with a mentor.“Building a critical mass in downtown is crucial. Being near other suc-cessful retailers, thriving restaurants and high-traffic generators, such

Blue Cross BlueShield of MIDetroit

Innovation: As the health care system garners national attention, one Michigancompany decided to create a way for citizens to join the conversationabout keeping themselves, their businesses and their communitieshealthier.Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s new online community, AHealthier Michigan, debuted this year. The social networking site “pro-vides individuals, businesses, medical professionals and communitiesa means to engage in a vibrant conversation about health and well-being.” Members can contribute to discussions, respond to blogs,access multimedia and add each other as friends, all while building avirtual community around health.

Result:Since launching, the site has registered more than 660 members. Theforum section includes more than 500 posts, and 25 bloggers con-tribute content. Members have uploaded roughly three dozen videosfeaturing stories about health and fitness to share with the community.

as the Radisson, is important to ensure the best synergies so thatultimately the cash registers ring.”

Result:To date, three businesses have opened in the program, and oneapplication is under way with a goal of opening this fall. The addi-tional stores drive traffic to existing retailers, as well.“There are a lot of great concepts out there for new retail business-es,” Peterson says. “Our primary goal is to build wealth and vibran-cy in downtown Kalamazoo, by helping people start stores that willbe locally owned and well run.”

Doug Knudsen, left, and Mike Applegate of Ace’s Cycle. photo by Jill McLane Baker | Kalamazoo Gazette

{ }When we are nolonger able to

change a si tuat ion, we are

chal lenged tochange

ourselves.

Victor Frankl


Innovation: The Eagle 360, developed last year, is the most technically advanced flexi-ble-plate rotary die-cutting system currently available, according to manu-facturer Eagle Rotary Systems.The patented technology eliminates expensive magnetic cylinders andprovides less costly and more operator-friendly non-magnetic cylinders.“Prior technologies for the production of rotary dies required a singlesolid cylinder that was capable of high-speed production of consumerpackaging materials, but at the same time was extremely expensive,”President Alan Pfaff Jr. says. “This new innovation allows that a low-cost,flexible die plate can be removed from the mounting cylinder when wornout, or output design is obsolete, and replaced at approximately one-fifthof the cost.”Furthermore, the time required to exchange the flexible plate die is muchfaster than for the solid cylinder die, he says.

Result:Consumer-goods companies, such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Proctor &Gamble, Kellogg and Anheuser Busch can make running changes to theirpackages at low cost, Pfaff says. “Time-to-market for a new package design is significantly reduced.”The Eagle 360 is currently being shipped throughout North America andEurope.

Revel Custom WineCellarsGrand Rapids

Innovation: A few years ago, Jim Cash was just a passionate wine collector.These days, he is the owner of Revel Custom Wine Cellars, which is posi-tioning itself to be the Lamborghini of wine rack systems.Since the company opened in 2009, its patented system has beeninstalled in luxury homes and upscale restaurants across the country.In Revel’s wine cellar system, priced between $25,000 and $80,000, thedrawers and racks slide out, minimizing the time spent hunting for specif-ic bottles. The patented Wine Wheels, a variation of the lazy Susan, maxi-mize corner space.“I didn’t want to start in a go-go economy because I was afraid we wouldget swamped with orders,” he said. “I want to control what we are doingand make sure we don’t have any hiccups in quality or service.”

Result:While the startup only has two employees, it generates work for about 40other jobs throughout the area. Sales have grown quickly and ahead of plan. 2010 revenue will increaseby over 500 percent from 2009, and 2011 is expected to exceed $1 million.

Eagle Rotary SystemsJackson


QuaerisGrand Rapids

Innovation: A regional initiative to promote West Michigan as a destination for tal-ent is steadily expanding and adding members.Launched in January, Quaeris is a consortium of employers acrossWest Michigan that share best practices in talent attraction and supporta website, hellowestmichigan.com, that serves as a clearinghouse ofinformation about the region.Participating employers, including some of the region’s largest corpo-rations, “all face the same issues — the negative perception and thelack of awareness of what’s going on in West Michigan and Kalamazooand Grand Rapids,” Quaeris Director Kevin Stotts says. “We don’t want living in West Michigan to be a barrier to somebodyhere because they have a false perception,” he says.

Result:From its launch with 15 partner organizatins, Quaeris now lists morethan 30, including Amway, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, KelloggCo., Perrigo and more.The site also soon will add local health care providers. Other comingadditions include taking on third-party partners that appeal to a personconsidering a move to West Michigan — Realtors, executive searchfirms, moving companies, relocation specialists, etc.

ParnunuZeeland

Innovation: When Andy Otteman found himself jobless after 17 years with HermanMiller Inc., he wasn’t sure what to do.Now, two years later, he has turned that experience into a new busi-ness focused on helping individuals market themselves beyond the tra-ditional resumé.With the March launch of Parnunu, Zeeland-based Otteman, formerdirector of marketing for Herman Miller seating, has created a web-based career portfolio he says users can customize to give a betterdescription of themselves than what the typical two-page resuméallows.“I looked at that whole process of laying your career highlights on thetable … and how do you make it standout,” Otteman says. “I’m not thispiece of paper.”Parnunu’s template allows users, who pay an annual fee, to electroni-cally create a resumé of sorts, listing education, objective and the otherusual job-seeker information. However, it also allows for the uploadingof images and linking to more information, such as videos and otherwebsites.The other side of the new company is a corporate recruiting functionthat allows companies to use Parnunu to find qualified candidates —both those users who have jobs and those who don’t.

Result:“I probably have about 75 users so far,” Otteman says. “I look atthis as not just being people looking for a job. A lot of the peoplehere (on the site) are gainfully employed.“I know there’s great talent in Michigan,” Otteman says.

Otteman. file photo


Innovation: Goodwill of Greater Grand Rapids is on a green journey.The not-for-profit agency has committed itself to environmentally sus-tainable business practices, including opening Michigan’s first, and thenation’s third, LEED-certified Goodwill retail store in Standale inDecember 2009. The organization also innovated a single-stream recycling process in2008, and that, partnered with its outlet store where items are sold bythe pound, has significantly reduced landfill waste, says Nick Carlson,director of environmental sustainability.

Result:“Since the implementation of this program, we have been able toreduce the amount of tonnage going to local landfills by 37.58 percent,recycle 6.84 million pounds in fiscal year 2009 to present, and serve287 different people with various barriers to employment through ourrecycling center,” Carlson says.

Steel Supply &Engineering

Grand Rapids

Innovation: One Grand Rapids company took steps to green an everyday item.While most commercial stairs today are comprised of steel pans, theRe-Tread stair, in development by Steel Supply & Engineering Co.,aims to do away with the need for a metal pan and incorporate newtechnology for quicker installation.The Re-Tread will include at least 50 percent recycled tire for the stairtread and come in a variety of colors and tread patterns, includinglogos and custom designs.“Our stair will be an entirely new product in the commercial stair mar-ket,” says Lori Visser, director of administration.

Result:Although still in development, architects who have seen the Re-Tread— the product’s working name — have shown great encouragement,Visser said. Benefits include softer, quieter tread surface with embedded slip-resist-ant tread and additional LEED points through use of recycled materials.

GoodwillGrand Rapids

{ }Be thechange youwant to see

in theworld.

Mahatma Gandhi


From its very roots, Amway Corp.is borne of innovation.When friends Jay Van Andel andRich DeVos began selling NutriliteDietary Supplements door to doorin the 1950s, they discovered thatpeople and relationships are thecore of a successful business. By1959, they were looking for newproducts to expand their effortsand in the process of creating aunique business model to includeothers in the expanding business. Amway’s model grew in popularity,and by the mid 1970s, Amwaytrucks were traveling more than3.25 million miles per year, ship-ping products to millions of inde-pendent distributors. Followingdomestic success, the companytook its model overseas, opening ineight countries on three continents. In the 1980s, through research anddevelopment, Amway expanded itsproduct line into water treatmentsystems, with successful results.Building on product innovation andan expanding global market, annu-al retail sales exceeded $1 billionfor the first time. Amway expandedits U.S. headquarters in Ada andbuilt a new cosmetics plant whereArtistry products were developedand manufactured.Steve Van Andel and Dick DeVossucceeded their fathers as leadersof the company in the 1990s.Estimated retail sales grew to $5billion. The company now talliesmore than 3 million distributors.With 4,000 employees in WestMichigan, it is the region’s second-largest privately held business.“At Amway, we are all aboutunleashing innovation,” said GlennArmstrong, vice president of busi-ness innovation, “and we pickedthe world ‘unleashing’ for a reason.We believe innovation can comefrom anywhere in an organization.We wanted our employees to thinkabout things in a way they neverhave before. So we gave them per-mission to unleash innovation.”

Throughout its 50 years, Amway’scommitment to innovation hasproduced more than 800 patents,with more than 600 additionalpatents pending. Over its 50 years,Amway also has been recognizedfor manufacturing excellence,environmental concern and a firmcommitment to safety and health. A couple of years ago, the compa-ny reaffirmed its commitment toinnovation with the iCampaign.“The goal of the campaign is toinspire our employees to think dif-ferently and to encourage discus-sion, whether it be in the hallwayor at one of our iClub meetingswe host once each month,”Armstrong said. “This spring, wehad a representative fromHudsonville Ice Cream come inand talk to our employees aboutinnovation. More than 200employees gathered for the meet-ing, and then they submitted theirideas for new flavors on our inno-vation website. We had everythingfrom an idea for tiramisu icecream to a concoction calledYellow Snow — a combination ofTwinkies and vanilla ice cream.“It was a great example of innova-tive thinking. And by doing thesetypes of exercises, we hope ouremployees will take what theylearn back to their departmentsand think about new ways theycan impact our business.“Amway was the pioneer in thedirect selling industry,” he contin-ued. “When you look back at ourco-founders, Rich DeVos and JayVan Andel, you can see they had anadventurous spirit — one that ulti-mately led them to create Amway.They took the concept of direct sell-ing, made it even better, andbrought it to the rest of the world.That was no small task. It took a lotof creativity. And it was innovative.“So, innovation really is in ourblood at Amway.”Throughout its ranks, Amway’semployees carry the banner of

innovation, Armstrong said. “We’ve been extremely successfulfor 50 years,” Candace Matthews,Amway Global’s chief marketingofficer, told Business Review lastyear. “We believe that it is nowtime to set what the next 50 yearswill be. We don’t want to get rid ofwhat has been wonderful for us —which is all about the entrepre-neurship and the ability to createopportunities for people aroundthe world.”Last year, the company workedwith the Grand Rapids PublicSchools to create a new “center ofinnovation.”“Amway is a business of entrepre-neurs, and what better way toconnect high school students tothe business world than by teach-ing about free enterprise andowning your own business. Doingthis around the world gives us aunique perspective that highschool students can really benefitfrom,” said Jesse Herstein, man-ager of corporate citizenship.Amway also was one of four WestMichigan companies to form theInnovation Michigan finalistGRid70 — a design hub institutedwith Wolverine World Wide,Steelcase Inc. and Meijer Inc. Thefour companies announced theendeavor this year, aimed at creat-ing a co-working environment thatcan become a destination for thecreative class. The concept will ini-

tially cluster about 100 workerstogether and create an environ-ment where employees from eachcompany can collaborate with oneanother, for example, when theywant an outsider’s opinion onsolving a design problem or tosimply help brainstorm a project.“It’s all about breaking downsilos,” said Seth Starner, businessinnovation manager at Amway. Amway continues to look to thefuture of innovation, especially thenext generations, Armstrong said.“We believe in immersing our-selves in the Gen Y culture,” he said.“What we mean by that is thatwe’re not just looking at reports onthem and their characteristics —we’re going out to where they are.We want to see what they do, whatthey value, how they interact. Youcan’t do that in an office.“We have learned so much, andwe’re learning more and moreeach day.That’s the beauty ofinnovation. It keeps evolving andgrowing as you learn.”


Amway: A 50-year commitment to innovation

Glenn Armstrongphoto courtesy Amway

Doug DeVos

Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andelphoto courtesy Amway

Steve VanAndel

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Business Review’s Health Monthly is theonly monthly news publication focusedon the business of health care in WestMichigan. Health Monthly brings you thevoices of the region's health care leadersin timely, hard-hitting news from our teamof local reporters. Expect news andanalysis you can't get anywhere else.

Featuring Michigan's tophealth care reporter, MarkSanchez, Associate Editor,Business Review WestMichigan


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With the world moving at an accelerated pace, businesses today are busy just trying to keep up. Comcast can help you leap ahead. Our enhanced fiber-optic network puts us at the forefront of the technological revolution, providing the telecommunications tools you need to work faster, smarter and more efficiently. Enhanced broadband Internet with ultra-fast speeds. Digital phone service with enhanced features and unlimited calling to the U.S. and Canada. Digital Video with crystal-clear HD. Just wait till you see what’s next.

Comcast Business Class Congratulates Michigan Innovators! Comcast connects Michigan businesses to the world of technology.

Call 1-866-634-4856 or visit us at www.comcastchamber.com

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