MANISTEE - Southern Exposure Renewable Energy has developed the Windspire, with vertical rotors that catches wind energy and drive a high efficiency generator to produce electric power. A built-in smart inverter converts this power into a regulated form that is readily connectable with the electric grid. To learn more about this urban friendlier wind-power generator listen to this GreenTech edition of News Maker interview recorded at the Michigan Energy Fair.
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MANISTEE - Holdfast Technologies constructs energy efficient buildings that build an eco sandwich with insulating foam on the outside and concrete on the inside. Learn how they do it in this special GreenTech edition of News Maker interview recorded at the Michigan Energy Fair.
MANISTEE - Corn has a lot of potential uses from food, to animal feed to motor vehicle fuel, in the form of Ethanol. But there’s a lot of misinformation out there as well with some critics contending corn can’t be used to feed people and propel cars. Jody Pollok-Newsom, the executive director of the Michigan Corn Marketing Program, sets the record straight in this special GreenTech edition of News Maker Interview.
HIGHLAND - The LaFontaine Buick Pontiac GMC in Highland is one of the first auto dealers in Michigan, and the first GM dealer nationwide, to qualify for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. The dealership has taken a variety of steps to reduce with its ground breaking new facility to limit energy consumption, including a geothermal heating and cooling system that uses groundwater to maintain indoor temperatures and solar panels that help run lighting systems. Susan Docherty, General Manager of Buick Pontiac GMC, talks about GM’s green efforts in this News Maker Interview.
LANSING - In Michigan, where House seats tend to be in very safe Democrat or Republican districts, winning the primary almost assures candidates they’ll win the general election, so says political analyst Brendan Ringlever of BL Government Affairs. Listen to what’s likely to happen in the primary on Aug. 5 in this special BL Government Affairs edition of News Maker Interview.
ANN ARBOR - Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest has launched a new paid training service for entrepreneurs who sign up to compete in the business-plan writing contest. It’s called Cantillon. Miche Suboski, a small business advocate who works with GLEQ.Org, provides details in this special New Maker Interview on the GLEQ channel.
TROY - Bob Montgomery, Executive Director of Information Technology, Oakland Community College, is the July 2008 Mentor of the Month. To hear more about the program, and what Montgomery gets from it, listen to this special edition of News Maker Interview on the ConnecTech channel.
DETROIT - Tony Scott, the former chief technology officer for General Motors, who now works as the chief information officer for Microsoft, talks about the five fundamentals all CIOs need to know. Scott was a keynote speaker at the Midwest Technology Leaders Conference.
DETROIT - Tim Cox, CIO at OnStar, talks about the technology at use for this General Motors in vehicle telematics prodict, and the new wrinkles that will be rolled out in September. Cox was a keynote speaker at the recent Midwest Technology Leaders Conference.
DETROIT - Phil Bertolini, CIO for Oakland County, was one of three recipients of the Corporate Commitment To Michigan Award, at the Michigan Technology Leaders Conference. In this News Maker Interview, Bertolini talks about all the technology and Internet communications tools the state’s second largest county is using to make it easier for residents to access government services.
MANISTEE - Tom Stanton, who heads up the Michigan Public Service Commission’s Renewable Energy Program, talks about the 30 percent federal tax credit that is available through Dec. 31 for anyone who buys energy saving products for their homes. Hear all about it in this GreenTech edition of Newsmaker Interview.
MANISTEEE - Another bright alternative energy idea from the Michigan Energy Fair - Bright Idea Energy Solutions of Chicago offers a different twist on generating wind energy, using a vertical cone shaped blade rather than propellers. To learn more about this product, listen to this GreenTech edition of Newsmaker interview.
MANISTEE - Joan’s Company has an innovative green friendly solution to keeping your house warmer in those very cold Michigan winters - solar window warmers. Joan also has other energy efficient and very low cost ways to keep your toes warm as well. Lean all about it in this special GreenTech edition of News Maker Interview.
MANISTEE - An Ann Arbor architectural firm is designing the first green-certified restaurant in the United States, complete with LED lighting, eco friendly heating and cooling and much more. Best of all, it’s located in Michigan, in Rochester. To learn more, listen to this GreenTech edition of News Maker Interview.
TROY - ConnecTech and the Troy Chamber are partnering this fall to offer awards for web excellence, but instead of giving them to web development companies, they’ll go to individuals. This year’s ConnecTech categories include individual awards for excellence in Graphic Design, Copy Writing, Application Development and Blogging. To learn more, listen to this special ConnecTech edition of News Maker Interview.
GRAND RAPIDS - The latest generation of Apple’s smart phone, called the iPhone 3G (Third generation) made its debut on Friday morning across the country at AT&T corporate stores. Bill Bendetti, director of sales for AT&T in West Michigan and Northern Indiana, talks about what this smarter, faster, and less expensive phone has to offer consumers and businesses in this edition of News Maker Interview.
ANN ARBOR - Two veteran venture capitalists, Jack Aherns from TGap Ventures, and Tom Churchwell from Midwest Venture Partners, discuss the state of Venture Capital in Michigan. Both men also are coaches for Michigan’s Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest business-plan contest. Listen to what they have to say in this special Entrepreneur’s Corner edition of News Maker Interview.
ANN ARBOR - Daixo, a new business idea category participant in the spring 2008 Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest business plan writing contest, delivers the July 2008 elevator pitch. Daixo is a web-based electronic medical record system to be custom-built initially for dermatologists who need to better manage their work flow.
MANISTEE - Eclipse Distributing, at the June Michigan Energy Fair, demonstrated a line of energy efficient, yet environmentally friendly stoves that burn pellets, wood, biodiesel and other sources of energy. To find out more, listen to this GreenTech edition of News Maker Interview.
MANISTEE - Standale Lumber has created an insulated log to make a more energy efficient log home. The yet unnamed product, dubbed the Buzz Log at the Michigan Energy Fair, is just one of many ways Standale Lumber can help homeowners and businesses use less energy to heat and cool their buildings. Get all the details in this News Maker Interview.
MANISTEE - Mary Bigelow, an exhibitor at the Michigan Energy Fair, also will help businesses and homeowners figure out what alternative energy methods, products and services are right for them. She’s also the coordinator of a monthly mixer for the green tech players in the greater Grand Rapids area. To learn more, listen to the News Maker Interview.
MANISTEE - Jennifer Alverado, executive director of the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association, talks about recent legislation passed by the Michigan Senate to establish a renewable energy portfolio. The Senate version would mandate just 7 percent of the state’s electrical grid come from renewable energy, while the House version would mandate 10 percent. A conference committee will iron out the differences.
MANISTEE - Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association Executive Director Jennifer Alverado discusses what her organization is and does and how it lobbies for more renewable energy standards in the Michigan Legislature. GLREA just wrapped up its annual Energy Fair at the Manistee County Fairgrounds.
TROY - A recently passed law requires private detectives and investigators to be licensed by the State of Michigan. In addition to traditional gumshoes, the law also applies to those engaged in investigating computer forensics such as the consultant your organization might retain to assist you in the event of a network security breach. ConnecTech is hosting a webinar on July 8 that will feature security professionals and state officials who will explain what the new law means to the Security community.
DETROIT - Ruthanne Largent is the Vice President of Information Systems at MGM Grand in Detroit, and has more than 25 years of experience in the IT industry. Largent also is mentoring ConnecTech member/mentee Kristi Susko of AT&T. Largent has been named ConnecTech Mentor of the Month. To listen to why she is taking the time to coach Susko, listen to this special ConnecTech edition of News Maker Interview.
LANSING - ConnecTech Lansing member William Ives is the Strategic Account Manager at TDS in Jackson. He has been named June member of the month for his efforts to start a chapter in Jackson. Listen to what Ives is up to in this special ConnecTech edition of News Maker Interview.
LANSING - Michigan Sen. Patty Birkholz (R-Saugatuck Twp.) talks about where the negotiations stand on the Great Lakes Compact, which would preserve water resources in the Great Lakes region. The package, which will end up at 12 bills including all of the House bills and all but one of the Senate bills, maintains much of the permitting and water use thresholds that had passed the Senate, but also provides for public input into the permitting process. Listen to Birkholz in this BL Government Affairs edition of News Maker Interview.
GRAND RAPIDS - Michigan entrepreneurs have yet another resource they can use to make their dream companies become reality - the Accelerating Michigan Entrepreneurs project developed by the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center. Harry Blecker, director of the new entrepreneurial resource, talks about how entrepreneurs can get thousands of dollars worth of services each month for just $100.
LANSING - OcuSciences, an Ann Arbor technology start up, has won the $25,000 Grand Prize in the Emerging Company category of the Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest. OcuSciences was co-founded by Drs. Victor Elner and Howard Petty from the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center and has developed a rapid and unique non-invasive imagining technique to detect retinal diseases earlier than current methods. The OcuSciences plan was pitched by Matthew Field, who participated in this special GLEQ edition of News Maker Interview.
DETROIT - ConnecTech Detroit is hosting an RFID update program June 19 that will feature experts from Lowry Computer. Company founder Mike Lowry outlines what attendees will learn in this special ConnecTech Channel News Maker Interview.
DETROIT - Thomas Peck, chief information officer for the MGM/Mirage corporation, talks about how he manages technology innovation at the largest resort and gaming company in the world. Peck was one of the speakers at the Midwest Technology Leaders conference at the Detroit MGM Grand Hotel.
MANISTEE - Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm will speak June 27 at the Michigan Energy Fair at the Manistee County Fairgrounds. Allan O’Shea, fair co-chairman, talks about Granholm’s appearance and also about the incredible interest in alternative energy technologies this year - driven by high energy prices. O’Shea’s alternative energy construction business has seen demand triple this year.
DETROIT - Continental CIO Bill MacFarlane is the ConnecTech May Mentor of the Month. He is paired with ConnecTech member/mentee Angela Brown. To hear what MacFarlane said are the best reasons for working as a CIO, and for mentoring up and coming CIOs, listen to this special ConnecTech edition of Newsmaker Interview.
DETROIT - On June 4 at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Detroit, you’ll be able to meet and greet some of the area’s prominent technology and community leaders at the cocktail reception while contributing to two great Foundations - SIM (Society of Information Managers) and the Michigan Council of Women in Technology. On June 5, a day-long event for Directors of IT and CIOs, with guest speakers including Tony Scott, CIO of Microsoft, John Crary, CIO of Lear, Timothy Cox, CIO of OnStar and Tom Peck CIO of MGM Mirage, Las Vegas. Midwest Technology Leaders Founder Tracy-Ann Palmer discussed both in this News Maker Interview.
LANSING - Michigan on Monday released its four-year IT strategic plan, which will spend more than $400 million to continue consolidating the state’s Information Technology infrastructure. Michigan Chief Information Officer Ken Theis details what he has in store for the state in this News Maker Interview. Theis replaced former CIO Terri Takai who was recruited in January to become CIO in California.
GRAND RAPIDS - American manufacturers want change, and they want the three candidates for US president to not only hear them, but also deal with their demands, said David Brousell, editor and chief of Managing Automation magazine. Brousell will detail on Wednesday during PowerPlex the results of a survey of 2000 manufacturers his magazine conducted. Brousell is the keynote speaker during Plexus Systems user conference at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Grand Rapids. Listen to what he’ll tell the audience in this News Maker interview.
YPSILANTI - The task for four accomplished and veteran investors and entrepreneurs, come up with a business plan for a self sustaining, green-friendly, island community in less than 10 minutes. Yes, the second annual Battle of the Elevator Pitches at the New Enterprise Forum had a Gilligan’s Isle flavor to it and in the end Ann Arbor’s Biggest Gilligan won, Dick Beedon, CEO of Mac Beedon Group, won, for the second time in a row. Beedon bested Ron Reed of Seneca Partners, Roger Newton, Co-Discoverer of Lipitor and Founder of Esperion, and Rich Sheridan, CEO of Menlo Innovations. A tongue-in-cheek News Maker Interview captured the spirit of this event.
YPSILANTI - Diane Durance, executive director of Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest, outlines what’s next for the 79 teams that submitted business plans for the Spring 2008 cycle. The business-plan submission deadline was May 15. The awards ceremony is June 12 in Lansing.
YPSILANTI - You wouldn’t think of Michigan would be home to an Internet wine sales company that wants to take the wine eCommerce market by storm, but that’s the game plan for WineBuys.Com. Two long-time friends and business partners are behind this business plan, which calls for $10 million in sales over the next 18 to 24 months.
YPSILANTI - Rick Galdi, long time investor and entrepreneur, is the new President of Great Lakes Angels, replacing David Weaver who moves up to Chairman. Galdi, in this News Maker Interview, talks about the changes he wants to make to one of the state’s largest angel investing groups and how he hopes his investor-members will serve as mentors to the companies in which they invest. Galdi also wants to steal a page from Ohio angel groups and get the state of Michigan to match investments in Michigan companies.
ANN ARBOR - Diane Durance, Executive Director of the Great Lakes Entrepreneurs’ Quest, discusses the overwhelming registration success of the spring cycle 2008. Some 79 entrepreneurs or teams of entrepreneurs have registered for the business-plan writing contest, nearly double the former record of 46. GLEQ is a sponsor of ConnecTech and the ConnecTech channel.
DETROIT - ConnecTech has launched a new feature on the ConnecTech channel, the Mentor of the Month profile. The April Mentor is
Joe Sawasky, CIO, Wayne State University Background: Prior to joining Wayne State University, he was the Chief Information Officer of the University of Toledo. Joe is mentoring Terrance Campbell.
GRAND RAPIDS - Davenport University has introduced a new specialty in Global Project Management within the Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems. While coursework and experiential learning will focus primarily in the information systems and technology area, the program also provides students with the opportunity to explore and apply the concepts in other areas such as finance and healthcare. The program will help prepare students to complete the Project Management Institute certification exam. Reid Gough, Dean School of Technology and Davenport University Online, provides more details in this special ConnecTech edition of News Maker Interview.
LANSING - New legislation developing a Michigan Renewable Portfolio Standard has been captured by the state’s major utilities and will result in less green-powered energy for more money, argues Barry Cargill, Executive Director of the Customer Choice Coalition. Cargill also said the Michigan Democratic Party delegation, eager to retain and expand unionized jobs, has fallen under the spell cast by DTE and Consumer’s Energy. The state’s Republicans, on the other hand, remain proponents of competition and will likely mitigate some of the Democrats bad legislation. Listen to this special BL Government Affairs edition of Newsmaker Interview now.
ANN ARBOR - It’s not too late to sign up for the spring cycle of the Great Lakes Entrepreneur’s Quest business-plan competition, where first prize is $25,000 in cash. The deadline to sign up - not submit your business plans - is Friday April 18, says GLEQ Executive Director Diane Durance. For all you tech entrepreneurs or would-be tech entrepreneurs you’re going to want to get all the details in this special GLEQ channel edition of News Maker Interview.
LANSING - Andy Such, Executive Director, Michigan Sustainable Energy Coaltion, discusses the Michigan renewable portfolio standard that would require that at least 10 percent of the state’s energy came from renewable sources by 2015. This special edition of New Maker Interview is sponsored by BL Government Affairs.
ANN ARBOR - Tibetan karma (part 3) There is always karma for individuals and for a collective group of people. So the unrest in Tibet is therefore a result of karmic consequences. This News Maker Interview is with Tibetan Master Gelek Rimpoche, founder of the Jewel Heart educational and cultural institute of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
ANN ARBOR - Tibetan karma (part 2) But His Holiness The Dalai Lama has called for an international investigation into the beatings during this unrest, which The Dalai Lama has said reminds him of the 1959 takeover of Tibet by China. This special edition of News Maker Interview is with Tibetan Master Gelek Rimpoche, founder of the Jewel Heart educational and cultural institute in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
ANN ARBOR - Tibetan karma (part 1) Chinese Communist government diistrustful of Buddhist Monk-lead unrest in Tibet, which was not sanctioned by His Holiness The Dalai Lama, who is a spiritual rather than political leader. This special edition of New Maker Interview is with Tibetan Master Gelek Rimpoche, founder of the Jewel Heart educational and cultural institute in Ann Arbor, Michigan.