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A common and costly mistake when it comes to business succession planning is not starting the process early enough. By waiting too long, an owner runs the risk of not having the right people in place to run the business, as well as having much of the business’ value consumed by estate taxes. Either misstep can and sadly often does cause a business to fail when it passes from one generation to the next.

The Grand Rapids Chamber is thrilled to announce the return of the West Michigan CEO Summit on October 6, as a virtual, live-broadcast experience. 

Like many cities across the US, Grand Rapids continues to see a need for affordable and low-income housing. The topic has long been in discussion in the community thanks to a limited housing supply, high demand market and increasing rental rates.

Are you looking for ways to help your community, both in this time of increased need and well into the future? Our communities thrive because of individuals coming together for the greater good. But it’s not always easy, and it can be difficult to know how to make the greatest impact.

If you own or operate any type of facility, in the last six months you read articles, attended webinars, and maybe even used Google to search “HVAC ventilation COVID.” Although you learned about the effectiveness of humidifiers, ultraviolet lights, and bipolar ionization, your operating budgets have tightened up and it is hard to know if these technologies will be right for you in the long run. 

Despite the upheaval caused by COVID-19, the global pandemic has opened the door for manufacturers to improve one of the most untapped methods of increasing company performance: culture. 

When things seem uncertain, there’s no substitute for a great plan. After a decade of recovery following the Great Recession, Michigan’s economy is imperiled by COVID-19-related business closures and layoffs. How our state responds will define us for a generation.

In the wake of COVID-19, litigation is on the rise, and with that, escalating costs. Electronic discovery (“eDiscovery”) is often the most expensive component of litigation. As we use more technology in our daily lives – computers, cell phones, email, smart watches, smart home devices, etc., the amount of data we are creating is growing exponentially. When litigation strikes, that data now must be collected, reviewed and potentially produced.

Many of the safeguards required by Executive Order 2020-114 involve screening employees and visitors prior to entering a workplace. For facilities with relatively low entrance/exit counts, screening requirements may be no more than a minor inconvenience. However, facilities like manufacturers with a labor model based on shiftwork have different needs, necessitating quick and efficient screening of large numbers of employees before they begin work.

The COVID-19 pandemic has sent shockwaves through global manufacturing and supply chains, forcing business leaders to reconsider the resiliency of their operations. This represents a shift from the recent emphasis on production and distribution efficiencies alone. Predictive intelligence, agility toward crisis response, and the successful application of smart devices throughout manufacturing and distribution processes have taken new precedence.