DBusiness Daily Update: Sculpture Created Using Pieces of Joe Louis Arena Unveiled at Detroit’s Riverside Park, and More

Nov 07, 2023

Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.

Sculpture Created Using Pieces of Joe Louis Arena Unveiled at Detroit's Riverside Park

Detroit officials, the Adamo Family, and Detroit artists Israel and Erik Nordin gathered recently at Riverside Park to dedicate a new piece of art, the "Path of Life," located along the Grand Boulevard Promenade.

The Nordin Brothers were commissioned to create the original design by the Adamo Family to celebrate Detroit and the path all citizens take together to make a brighter future for the city.

The sculpture incorporates artifacts from Detroit's Joe Louis Arena structure, the steel infused into the artwork, capturing the memory of the arena, and meant to echo the current renaissance of Detroit.

The Nordin Brothers are Detroit residents and artists who own and operate the Detroit Design Center, which is comprised of a studio on Michigan Avenue west of downtown and a gallery in Midtown. Their artwork can be seen around the state of Michigan, from Belle Isle to Muskegon.

The "Path of Life" is a set of three sculptures — two sculptural walls with doorways and a 40-foot sculpture. The sculpture is made of I-beams, and the turns within the piece representing changes in life. The Nordins say just like people, cities go through changes.

The stainless-steel Gridcube is inspired by a topographical map of a city. Buildings, streets, and cars all are part of that architecture. The cube is visualized as the Heart of Detroit growing towards the sky with its path leading the way. The organic peak of the sculpture symbolizes the organic growth to a higher place. The blue hand-cast glass symbolizes water in Michigan.

The LifeTree steel walls stem from a deconstructed cube, with doorways to travel through. This deconstructed cube is symbolic of foundations, both as family and as a city. It symbolizes the strength of two, like a handshake. Previous generations can open doors for future generations.

New $1.5M Student Success Grants Launched

The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), Michigan College Access Network (MCAN), and Global Detroit have partnered to offer $1.5 million for two new grants that support Michigan community colleges and tribal colleges in their efforts to pursue innovative ways that increase success for adult learners, international, immigrant, refugee, or first-generation students.

"By investing in Student Success Grants, we can help community colleges across the state do what they do best – help more people get the skills and credentials they need to succeed in high-demand, high-skill jobs," says Susan Corbin, director of LEO. "By increasing our state's college completion rates, we are making sure Michigan is prepared to compete in a globally competitive economy and making sure all Michiganders have an equal path to build a better life for themselves and their families."

The two grant opportunities work toward achieving the same goal of equipping 60 percent of Michigan's workforce with a degree or credential by the year 2030.

The Sixty by 30 Adult Student Success Grant provides grants up to $200,000 over two years to selected Michigan community and tribal colleges to implement new, or upscale existing, strategies to improve persistence and completion rates among adult students, with a particular emphasis on Futures for Frontliners and Michigan Reconnect students.

The Immigrant Student Success Grant provides grants of up to $150,000 over 18 months to selected Michigan community and tribal colleges to increase enrollment, retention, and program completion rates for international, immigrant, refugee, or first-generation students.

Eligible institutions can apply for one or both of these Student Success grants online. Applications are due July 31. Applicants can receive a pre-review if they submit by July 14. Selected applicants will be notified by Sept. 1.

ProsperUs Detroit Graduates New Cohort of Entrepreneurs in Inkster

ProsperUs Detroit celebrated the graduation of 21 current and aspiring under-represented entrepreneurs based in Inkster from their latest training class.

Participating businesses range from restaurants and food trucks to fitness programs and event venues — including an African-Caribbean grocery store. Funding ($1 million) for the cohort and associated programming was made possible by a Congressional Community Project Funding award. The allocated funding is intended to be used for the expansion of ProsperUs Detroit and its new programming that supports entrepreneurs and small business development in the 13th Congressional District, which includes the city of Inkster.

ProsperUs Detroit supports experienced and aspiring business owners of color by providing training, capital, and connections to launch, grow and sustain their businesses. More than 1,400 entrepreneurs have completed one or more of the organization's training programs and have launched hundreds of successful small businesses across Detroit, Highland Park, and Hamtramck. Inkster-based businesses add to the rich portfolio of small business entrepreneurship so prevalent across southeast Michigan.

New Episode of ‘Unpack Your Financial Baggage’ Podcast Available

A new episode of the "Unpack Your Financial Baggage" podcast is available. It features Lou Melone, managing member of Melone Private Wealth; Branden Carney, a wealth planner at Melone Private Wealth; and host Jon Gay.

This episode reviews financial planning for people under 30 ears of age. Topics include: why young people don't have a financial plan, the obstacles they face to saving, their reluctance to thinking about retirement, and how the financial planning industry can reach the younger generation.

Someone under 30 faces thousands of small financial decisions. Working with a financial planner as coach and having a financial plan can give a young person the confidence and tools to make the right choices.

Learning a trade, getting a job, college, kids, buying a car, marriage, possibly buying a new home — the only consistency in that 12 or so year period of life is: spending large amounts of money or preparing to spend large amounts of money. These expenses are often unforeseen regarding how large they are or when the timing of them may occur.

The podcast will address these challenges, the obstacles to financial planning, and why people under 30 may not be open to a discussion about retirement.

To hear the podcast, visit here.

Oakland County Michigan Works! Hosting Virtual Employer Law Workshop June 21

Oakland County Michigan Works! Is hosting a virtual workshop titled "Your Workforce and the Law" from 10-11:30 a.m. June 21.

On the agenda is a discussion about current legal challenges, from both a human resources and legal perspective. Through storytelling and other tools, participants will be introduced to a variety of proactive strategies to help avoid common mistakes. Workshop highlights include:

SHRM credits (1.5) are available for attending this live virtual event.

To register, visit here.

SMART Invites Job Seekers to Test Drive a Bus at M1 Concourse June 13

SMART is conducting a Drive a Bus with Us hands-on career fair from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. June 13 where job applicants can test drive a bus and other SMART vehicles on the track at M1 Concourse in Pontiac, learn about bus operator and other SMART careers, and apply for a job onsite.

With the recent passage of the county transit millage, SMART is expanding routes and services across the region. But, like transit organizations nationwide, SMART has a driver shortage that is having an adverse effect on service reliability.

Oakland County Michigan Works! staff will be at the job fair to help clear roadblocks that stand in the way of employment. They’ll have information on a variety of programs including CDL training and licensing, free legal assistance programs for people eligible for conviction expungement, and support services for veterans, immigrants, refugees and other job seekers.

Refreshments will be available and Oakland County Michigan Works! will provide free onsite activities for children during the event.

The John Shippen National Invitational Announces Player Roster

The John Shippen National Invitational has released the players for this year's event, which will be played June 23-25 at the Detroit Golf Club.

The Shippen was founded to give African American golfers an opportunity to break into big time golf. The winner of The Shippen earns an exemption for the PGA Tour's Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit.

The Shippen players include:

Northwood Esports Wins Collegiate Valorant National Championship

The Esports team from Northwood University in Midland won the Collegiate Valorant National Championship June 7 at Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles.

"This team has accomplished so much in the previous year — I am proud to have them representing Northwood University, and we are fortunate to have them as students," says Cody Elsen, the teams coach who also directs Northwood University's Esports program. "I expect this team to continue dominating collegiate Valorant and begin to make a name in the semi-professional scene as well."

The team includes Ali Salahedin of New Jersey; Jeffery Tomaszek of Wisconsin; Benjamin Park of Virginia; Michael Herrera of Texas; and Hunter McMillan of North Carolina.

This past year, the team competed against more than 500 colleges and went 28-0 in the North Conference, securing the No. 1 seed in the national playoff bracket. In the playoffs this week, the Timberwolves defeated Oklahoma Wesleyan University, Converse University, Rutgers University, Blinn College, and Winthrop University 3-2 in the grand finals.

In other esports news, Northwood players on two Rocket Leagues traveled to Dallas on June 2 to defend their 2022 Rocket League World Championship title. The Timberwolves fell short, placing No. 3 and No. 9, respectively.

The Children's Center Bids Farewell to Retiring Deborah Matthews

The Children's Center hosted guests on June 6 at Huntington Tower in Detroit to recognize Debora Matthews’ upcoming retirement as president and CEO, and honor her legacy as an outstanding leader in the community.

The event was attended by board members, community members, volunteers, and funders of the 94-year-old social services agency. The event was supported by Huntington Bank and Ford Motor Co.

In her almost 40 years of service as a volunteer, board member, and CEO, Matthews has strived to improve the lives of children and families in the local community. Before her 17-year post as president and CFO with The Children's Center, Mathews temporarily held the role of COO for the organization. In total, she has served the agency for a total of 37 of its 93 years of existence

Matthews will serve until September. Nicole Wells Stallworth will join The Children's Center as CEO on July 10.

Michigan Science Center's IMAX Theater to Show ‘Openheimer’ July 21-Aug/ 10

Director Christopher Nolan's drama "Oppenheimer" will appear on the Michigan Science Center's (Mi-Sci's) IMAX® Dome Theatre from July 21-Aug. 10 with advanced tickets on sale June 8.

Named for the famed physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the film follows a team of scientists from the Manhattan Project during World War II, leading to the development of the atomic bomb. Cillian Murphy stars in the title role in an all-star cast that also includes Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey, Jr. and Florence Pugh, among others.

Mi-Sci showtimes for "Oppenheimer" are noon, 4 p.m., and 8 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday July 21-23 and 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. July 25-Aug. 10. Tickets are $15 for matinees and $17 for evening showings. Tickets for Mi-Sci members, seniors, or college students are $12 for matinees and $15 for evening shows. General admission to the museum is not included with film tickets but is not required to enter the theater.

Tickets and additional information are available at mi-sci.org.