Page 20 - LRCC December 2020 Focus
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MEMBERS ON THE MOVE


        independent insurance agents.                measured factors such as company leadership,   principal  Chris Sing as a board director. Sing
                                                     communication, career opportunities, working   has been an Ann Arbor SPARK Executive
        After 12 years of regional coordination and   environment, managerial skills, pay and benefits.   Committee member for over three years. Ann
        partnerships focused on building a robust                                                Arbor SPARK focuses efforts on four innovation-
        entrepreneurial ecosystem in our region, the               Kelli A. Ellsworth Etchison,   driving industries: automotive and mobility; life
        Lansing-East Lansing Metropolitan Statistical              chief marketing & diversity   sciences and healthcare; data and information;
        Area (MSA) is glimmering with startup growth               officer for LAFCU has been    and technology. Its services include incubating
        opportunities, especially for coveted tech-focused         appointed   by    Governor    and accelerating startups, showcasing vibrant
        startups.  In  recognition  of  this  growth,  the         Gretchen  Whitmer to the      communities to site selectors, and connecting job
        Lansing-East Lansing MSA was recently ranked               Black Leadership Advisory     seekers with hopeful employers.
        No. 25 among Midwest competitors on Midwest                Council.  That  group brings
        Startups’ 2020 Midwest Startup Cities Rankings,   Ellsworth Etchison  together a diverse group of   COMPANY NEWS
        rising seven spots from its No. 32 ranking in              Black Michiganders to serve in
        2017. Midwest Startups is a trusted source of   an advisory capacity to the governor and develop,   Six budding entrepreneurs pitched at the
        startup news and industry insights from across   review, and recommend policies and actions   Lansing Economic Area Partnership’s (LEAP)
        the Midwest and publishes an annual Midwest   designed to prevent and eradicate discrimination   during the Oct. 8 virtual Hatching event,
        Startup Cities Rankings  comparing  Midwest   and racial inequity in Michigan.           showcasing a diverse range of business ideas.
        startup microenvironments.                                                               Pitches included a sustainability-minded energy
                                                     PROMOTIONS                                  cooperative, cost-effective bed and breakfast,
                       Fraser Trebilcock is excited                                              local bike-based food delivery system, research
                       to announce that shareholder                Cinnaire   announced    the   aggregation software platform, and a faith-based
                       Brian T.  Gallagher    was                  appointment of  Vicki Mincey   women’s empowerment startup.  The top prize
                       recently  elected  secretary  of            as   senior  vice  president,  went to Qichao Wang’s Wish List, an app-based
                       the  Taxation Section Council               Business Funding Midwest      platform that Wang described as a “combination
                       of the State Bar of Michigan.               Region, effective Oct. 26. For   of Instagram and Amazon” for car owners.
                       Since 2017, Brian has been an               nearly  a  decade,  Mincey  has   Wang designed  Wish List to solve common
                       active member of the Council,               been on Cinnaire’s capital    challenges faced by car owners, including finding
        Gallagher
                       serving  in  various  roles,                management    team,   most    trustworthy maintenance shops, identifying,
        including the chair of the Section’s 2020 Annual   Mincey  recently as senior vice president,   and then buying the correct parts needed for
        Tax Conference, which was ultimately cancelled             Capital Management.           maintenance and connecting with others who
        due to COVID-19. Before being elevated to                                                share their interest in cars.
        Council, Brian served two years as the chair of   BOARD OF DIRECTORS
        the Tax Section’s Employee Benefits Committee.
                                                     Junior  Achievement    of  Mid-Michigan
                                                     ( JAMM) recently announced several new board
                                                     members,  Robyn Heron, Dan  Lovejoy, Amy
                                                     McNamara, John McGraw, Luan Nguyen,
                                                     and  Brycen Sorber for the 2020-2021 fiscal
                                                     year. Robyn Heron is the senior vice-president
                                                     of marketing at PFCU. Dan Lovejoy is the
                                                     director of sales and account management
                                                     for Delta Dental. Amy McNamara is a vice
                                                     president commercial lender at Mercantile
                                                     Bank of Michigan. John McGraw is director
                                                     of  development  at  River  Caddis  Development.   LAFCU has partnered with On Target Living,
                                                     Luan Nguyen is a well-rounded real estate   a  health  and  performance  company,  to  provide
                                                     professional from Cinnaire. Brycen Sorber is the   employees with virtual wellness resources. The
                                                     field training and development specialist with   On Target Living System offers health expertise,
        The American Hospital Association (AHA)      Two Men and A Truck International.          including nutrition guidance, fitness challenges,
        recently recognized Sparrow Ionia Hospital for 75                                        and recovery and stress management strategies.
        years of membership. The hospital, known initially         Matthew Nobis has joined      LAFCU employees can access the 21-step video
        as Ionia County Memorial Hospital, opened                  the  Ingham Health Plan       course and downloadable OTL System manual
        in 1943, joined the AHA shortly after that, and            Corporation    Board     of   via the OTL app. Other video content includes
        protected the community’s health ever since.               Directors. Matthew is a CPA   guided meditation, recipes, and exercises, as well
                                                                   with an MBA and Bachelor      as live sessions. Infographics, information sheets,
        Cinnaire has been named a  Detroit Free Press              of Arts in accounting, serving   and worksheets to track individual progress can
        Top  Workplace  2020.  The  Detroit  Free  Press           as the director of finance at   also be downloaded. There is also a podcast, and
        has recognized 150 companies and organizations             Sparrow Health System.        new content is added weekly.
        as  Top  Workplaces based on the results of   Nobis
        an employee survey.  The  Detroit Free Press   Ann  Arbor  SPARK  a  nonprofit that  works   Eaton Regional Education Service Agency
        partnered with Philadelphia-based Energage,   with public, private, and academic partners   (RESA) has recently accepted a donation of
        an employee research and culture technology   to encourage and support business attraction,   thousands of pieces of personal protective
        firm, to determine the winners.  The survey   retention, and acceleration, has named Rehmann   equipment (PPE)  from  State  of  Michigan

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