September 2017 Issue

Group Serves Needs of Manufacturers: Northwest Michigan Industrial Association provides group workers' comp fund

By Al Parker

When your membership includes 81 companies that employ more than 8,000 workers with a combined annual payroll of nearly $200 million, it’s kind of hard to fly under the public’s radar.

But that’s precisely the situation for the Northwest Michigan Industrial Association (NWMIA), a group founded in 1974 when a handful of business owners in the Petoskey and Charlevoix area began talking about safety issues.

“They were soon talking about all types of business issues they were facing in common," said Dennis Muth, who serves on the group’s board of directors. "Since ’74, things have changed a lot.”

Over the …

After 'Hell,' a Career: Veterans with disabilities now have Traverse City-based vocational rehabilitation

By Ross Boissoneau

For Sean McCarthy, the opportunity to help veterans with a disability get a job is its own reward.

McCarthy is a vocational rehabilitation counselor for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He works with veterans with disabilities who are looking for work.

The services run the gamut, from interview coaching to resume writing. For those who are severely disabled and unable to work in traditional employment, independent living services are also available.

Counselors like McCarthy …

2017 40Under40: The Region’s Most Influential Professionals Under Age 40

By Ross Boissoneau

Just when we thought it couldn't get any better than our 10th anniversary last year, our annual list of the 40 most influential regional leaders under age 40 continues to inspire and amaze.

The 2017 class is comprised of an exact split of 20 women and 20 men, as well as 16 new faces and several multiple-year recipients. They are so much more than their job titles – they are advocates for the homeless, children …

An Anthem for Community Colleges: Underappreciated, world-class college is right in our backyard

By Bonnie Alfonso

Without fail, the first day of every school year began at 5 a.m. with my dad opening the bedroom door, clearing his throat and singing a robust chorus of “School days, school days, good old golden rule days … ” What he lacked in actual vocal talent he made up for with volume and enthusiasm. This tradition carried on every year until I completed high school and college.

After high school and his military service, …

Two New Practices Emerge from Law Firm Closure

Legal heads turned when partner Peter Boyles announced in June that he and the 16 other attorneys in the Traverse City office of Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge (SHRR) were leaving to start their own firm.

Although the deal had not been finalized at the time, Boyles said rumors about …

By Rick Haglund

Skilled Trades Training Fund to Award $29 Million in Grants: Oct. 1 begins new cycle

Funds to train the skilled trades are getting a big boost from the state.

Starting Oct. 1, businesses can compete for a piece of the state’s Skilled Trades Training Fund (STTF), a $29 million competitive grant program.

Last year’s STFF awarded $17.1 million to 450 applicants.

In the northwest Michigan …

By Tcbn Staff

Roofing Company Becomes Its Own Incubator

Most roofers stick to the job at hand. But Terry Umlor's entrepreneurial savvy took him through the roof.

When Umlor, an Air Force vet, bought Springfield, Inc. in 1995, it was a traditional roofing business. Umlor's team tore off old roofs and put new ones on. But then he started …

By Clark Miller

Avoiding Taxes Legally: Shareholder loans need to be actual loans

No one likes to pay taxes. W-2 employees, however, do not have much of a choice in the matter. And yet, business owners have historically found ways of evading the payment of taxes through the use of so-called “loans to shareholders.”

From the outset, I want to note that there …

By Jan Geht

The Myth of ‘Overdevelopment’

It didn’t take long for hot button issues to emerge as candidates began to come forth for this year’s Traverse City election. The city’s so-called “overdevelopment” was among the first talking points in the election run-up – making it an issue that deserves a closer look.

It’s unfortunate the extent …

By Doug Luciani

TVC Continues Runway Improvements

Orange barrel season is upon us all – our roads throughout the region are under construction. The season is similar at our region’s airport as grant funding has been released, enabling our team to begin our final phase – a $13,914,056 Runway 10 project.

Runway 10-28 is the primary runway …

By Kevin Klein

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