Read the Whole Article - James Group International

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September - October 2012 | dbus i n ess.co m 55
Austin Black II // 31
Founder and President, City Living Detroit, Detroit
Revenue: NA Employees: 4
Austin Black II is on the cutting edge of urban re-engineering, as the city of
Detroit encourages residents in deteriorating neighborhoods to move into
more vibrant urban districts. Black, founder and president of City Living
Detroit, a real estate firm in Midtown, says buyers are starting to make the
move to places like Lafayette Park and Corktown, which operate as tight-knit
villages. Large employers such as Wayne State University and the Detroit
Medical Center are contributing to the shift, as they provide incentives that
encourage their workers to live nearby. “We sold 16 units and expect to sell
the remaining 58 units soon,” Black says of a renovated building that once
housed the repair and service department for Willys Overland Jeeps in
Midtown. Black grew up in Detroit and Birmingham, earned a bachelor’s
degree in urban planning from Cornell University in New York, and worked in
Washington, D.C., on learning public policy. In addition to volunteering on the
Detroit Housing Commission and with Mayor Dave Bing’s urban relocation
venture called Detroit Works, Black was recognized by Realtor magazine as
one of the top young real estate agents in the nation. —John S. Schultz
Mike Cosgrove // 36
President, PCIA, Brighton
Revenue: NA Employees: 14
Mike Cosgrove brushes aside suggestions that his rise to the presidency at
Professional Concepts Insurance Agency in Brighton is a big story. That’s
because his mother, Kim Fricke, started the firm. “My mother was single with
two kids when she started PCIA as a company,” says Cosgrove, who took
over as president in 2007. To set itself apart, the agency developed a niche
serving architects, engineers, CPA firms, construction companies, and law
firms. “Our clients are all over Michigan and Indiana, but we only serve those
specific professions,” he says. “We made a decision to become much more
entrenched with our clients, so we would understand their business.” PCIA,
which offers risk management, time management, and budget-control
services, takes its commitment to its clients a step further. It sits on trade
industry boards for its clients, including the Michigan Chapter of the
American Council of Engineering Companies, for which Cosgrove chairs a
committee. His highest priority for PCIA is what he calls quality growth. “We
are very choosy on who we work with,” he says. — Dan Calabrese
Antoine Dubeauclard // 39
President and co-owner, Media Genesis, Troy
Revenue: NA Employees: 40
Joining the workforce in 1994, Antoine Dubeauclard sold life insurance before
taking a job with a microfilm company that was transferring a large database
of business strategies to the Web. “No one really knew what the Web was,
and companies were paying a lot of money to access our database,”
Dubeauclard says — but the business model began to buckle once people
learned that most information on the Web was free. Seeing the writing on the
wall, Dubeauclard joined a startup in 1997 that designed traditional collateral
material for Chrysler and other major clients. Two years later, he bought half
the company and sought ways to meld marketing programs with digital
offerings. “Now we’ve done more than 100 projects for Chrysler and we’re
doing projects for the United Nations, GM, Ford, and the Detroit Symphony
Orchestra.” The latter project, in which Media Genesis created a webcast of
22 DSO performances, drew 120,000 views from more than 75 countries.
More importantly, donations from online viewers skyrocketed. “The
webcasts allowed the DSO to reach a whole new audience.” — R.J. King
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Kyle Evans // 32
Senior Exterior Designer, Chrysler, Auburn Hills
Revenue: $55 billion Employees: 58,780
(Top left) Kyle Evans lives and breathes cars. The senior exterior designer
at Chrysler just completed a trip to the rural regions of Iceland, where he
tested concept Jeeps built by American Expedition Vehicles (AEV). As part
of a previous adventure, he drove across India in a replica of the Ford
Mustang featured in the movie Bullitt. That trip is chronicled in the book,
Maharajah of the Road (Parker House). Most recently, as part of an art
trilogy along Woodward Avenue, Evans designed a 30-foot-high glass and
concrete sculpture to be installed at 13 Mile and Coolidge in Royal Oak to
honor the rich auto history of the thoroughfare. At Chrysler, Evans is working
on a functional concept Jeep truck called the J-12. “(My passion for cars)
started when I was 8 and saw some designer drawing a car on a PBS show,”
he says. “I said, ‘I want to do that.’” When Evans isn’t working, he’s busy
designing furniture for his home in Royal Oak, where he and his partner,
Michael Chetcuti, transformed the former Hinson Heating & Cooling facility
into a 5,600-square-foot “automotive themed” loft. —John S. Schultz
Chris Genteel // 34
Head of Diversity Markets, Google, Ann Arbor
Revenue: $37.9 billion
Employees: 400+ (Ann Arbor, Birmingham)
(Middle left) Chris Genteel started with Google as an intern in 2006, the same
year the search engine giant established an office in Ann Arbor. After earning
an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, he
joined Google’s Ann Arbor office full time, managing B2B advertising sales.
In short order, he saw an opportunity to assist minority-owned companies.
“I wrote a job description around it, and now I’m working full time helping
underrepresented companies use technology to grow their businesses,” says
Genteel, Google’s head of diversity markets. Later this year, Google plans to
issue a report measuring the impact of its diversity program, which includes
success stories like Ideal Group — a Hispanic-owned company in southwest
Detroit that produces patented bollard covers, guardrails, and handrails. For
every $1 Ideal Group spends in Google AdWords, the company generates $22
in new sales, on average. “Michigan is built on companies that make things
and offer great services,” Genteel says. “Our goal is to reach more customers
and start more relationships on the Web.” — R.J. King
Stacy Goldberg // 36
CEO, Savorfull, Detroit
Revenue: NA Employees: 5
(Bottom left) A nutrition expert, Stacy Goldberg saw her family practice
take off five years ago — but she soon found the traditional office setting
to be cumbersome. “My passion was working with families, taking them
to the grocery store, and teaching them how to select healthy, allergy-free
products,” Goldberg says. “I saw the consulting business growing on a
larger scale.” Eager to market and distribute healthy food online, Goldberg,
a registered nurse who has a master’s degree in public health from the
University of Michigan, took the initiative. She was one of two finalists who
beat out 300 applicants for an entrepreneurial accelerator program offered
at Detroit-based Bizdom, a nonprofit founded by Dan Gilbert, chairman of
Quicken Loans. The win helped her launch Savorfull in February; today, she
has several hundred customers. “Every month we send out allergy-free
food samples, and we develop recipes and provide education about healthy
eating,” Goldberg says. “A food allergy, especially with a child, can
overwhelm a family. We help them get their lives back.” — R.J. King
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Jordan Field // 35
Director, Detroit Tigers Foundation, Detroit
Funds RAISed: $1.1 million Employees: 2
(Opposite, top right) When Jordan Field was 5 years old, his dad spotted
Detroit Tigers great Gates Brown at a restaurant. The “Gator” came over and
signed a cap for Jordan, writing, “I hope you become a Tiger.” And that’s just
what Field did. After receiving his law degree from Wayne State Law School in
2002, he accepted an unpaid internship with the Tigers. The job quickly grew
into a paid internship and, ultimately, a full-time position. It wasn’t long before
Field observed that, unlike the other 29 teams in the Major Leagues, the
Tigers had no institution set up to benefit the community. So he drafted a
mission statement, prepared a business plan, and pitched the proposal to
the team leadership. In 2005, the Detroit Tigers Foundation was formed, with
Field leading the way. The foundation raised $1.1 million last year from special
events and promotional sales, in addition to receiving support from players
and the team itself. Its mission: Refurbish inner-city ball fields. “I grew up a
baseball fan, and my parents had a magnet on their refrigerator that said,
‘Find a job you love, and never work a day in your life.’” — Dan Calabrese
Billy Gershenson // 34
Vice President of Shop Leasing, Ramco-Gershenson
Properties Trust, Farmington Hills
Revenue: $121.3 million Employees: 125
(Opposite, middle right) Riding out the 2008 global economic meltdown,
Billy Gershenson says the retail industry is on the rebound. “We’re seeing
growth in women’s ready-to-wear and women’s accessories, plus fast
casual restaurants,” says Gershenson, vice president of shop leasing at
Ramco-Gershenson Properties Trust in Farmington Hills. As of June 30,
the company had 81 shopping centers in more than a dozen states. “We’re
actively expanding our portfolio through acquisitions and development,”
says Gershenson, who worked in the financial sector in London and New
York before joining Ramco-Gershenson in 2002. Earlier this year, RamcoGershenson acquired four shopping centers and started work on Parkway
Shops, a nearly 90,000-square-foot retail facility in Jacksonville, Fla. “We
match our portfolio to consumer trends,” says Gershenson, a board member
of the West Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce. “People have fast-paced
lifestyles in business and at home, and our job is to provide a shopping center
that appeals to a wide array of people and lifestyles.” — R.J. King
Stephen Gurski // 34
Hybrid Systems Engineer, GM, Milford Proving Grounds
Revenue: $150.3 billion Employees: 202,000
(Opposite, bottom right) Stephen Gurski, a hybrid systems engineer and
advanced vehicle technology lead at GM’s Milford Proving Grounds, is
charged with making hybrid and electric vehicles more acceptable to more
people. Gurski says improving the vehicles’ driving range and reliability will
attract more buyers. The secret to better distance, he says, is mastering the
control technology. “We’re not worrying about how to control fuel injection
or another system,” Gurski says. “We’re looking holistically at how the entire
system works and interacts together. In the last four years, we’ve stuffed
more into our computer networks, trying to coordinate more systems and
provide more feature content, and offering more information and safety.”
Gurski also works to minimize electric battery problems. “If you have a failure
of one part of the system, the system has remedial actions that it takes to
keep a customer from being stranded, breaking down, or having some other
unpleasant experience,” he explains. On the Chevrolet Volt, Gurski worked on
serial data transfer between component controllers. —Tim Keenan
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John E. James // 31
Vice President of Operations,
James Group International, Detroit
Revenue: $30 million Employees: 175
A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, John E. James was
responsible for planning, managing, and synchronizing the deployment of
24 Apache and 10 Blackhawk helicopters during his second tour of duty as
part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He says his greatest achievement was
bringing back all of the soldiers alive and the aircraft intact. “If you show
people the right path and show that you care about them, you’re going to
have a much better team and get better results,” says James, who earned a
master’s degree in supply chain management at Penn State University. In
January, following 12 years in the military, he joined James Group International, a global logistics and supply management firm in Detroit that works
primarily in the automotive industry. In addition to upgrading the company’s
supply management operations, James has worked to improve internal
communications between six separate facilities. “Progress can only be
deployed rapidly when a team aggregates its successes and minimizes its
mistakes,” he says. —R.J. King
Amy Kaherl // 31
Founder, Detroit SOUP, Detroit
DONATIONS: $12,400 Employees: 2
A lot of people have good ideas that could bring something positive to the
city of Detroit, but it’s not always easy to land startup capital. Enter Amy
Kaherl, a self-described “natural networker” who is making financing a little
easier. In 2010, with partners Kate Daughdrill and Jessica Hernandez, she
established Detroit SOUP. Here’s how it works: Once a month, the nonprofit
hosts a soup-and-salad dinner at a warehouse in Corktown that typically
attracts 150 to 175 people. Guests pay $5 each to attend. During the dinner,
four promising entrepreneurs present their project plans and, following an
audience vote, one of them receives the take from the meal “It’s a really
non-schmoozy way to network,” Kaherl says. “We’ve watched people get
jobs, we’ve watched people get married, and projects have taken on whole
new levels.” Recent winning projects include an urban farm and a cleanup
at a school site, organized by a group of fifth-graders. Kaherl, who lives in
Detroit’s Woodbridge district, also DJs and plans events for the new Detroit
Futbol League. — Dan Calabrese
Jeffrey Kaufman // 34
Attorney, Law Offices of Alex Berman, P.C. , Farmington Hills
billings: NA Employees: 7
The number of new workers’ compensation cases in Michigan fell to 7,800
in 2011, down from more than 22,000 in 1993, according to the Michigan
Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. No matter. Attorney
Jeffrey Kaufman’s phone keeps ringing. “While other law firms are giving
up on these cases, we’re thriving,” says Kaufman, who attributes the drop
in claims to a loss of manufacturing jobs and changes in the law. “The
more difficult they make it for my clients, the busier I get,” he says.
Kaufman recently negotiated the highest settlement offer in his firm’s
history ($3 million), and recovered benefits from an employer who had no
workers’ compensation insurance and attempted to hide his assets. “I
take my clients’ problems personally,” Kaufman says. “What I see is people
who are losing their house, and they can’t pay child support or tuition.”
Mindful of the stress these situations create for his clients, Kaufman
approaches his work with the mindset of a social worker. “You don’t have
to play in the mud to be a good advocate,” he says. — Tom Beaman
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Kelley LaFontaine // 37
B2B Marketing Director, LaFontaine Automotive Group
New Car Sales: $261.8 million Employees: 695
LaFontaine Automotive Group in Highland Township may be the greenest
dealership in America. In addition to a geo-thermal environmental system,
the dealership features recycled tiles and doors made of cornstalks. “You
can look anywhere and see something that’s been recycled,” says Kelley
LaFontaine, B2B marketing director for the company’s seven dealerships.
“Some people might be motivated to buy from us because of the green
standards, but we did it for us.” To complement the business taking place
on the sales floor, LaFontaine and her mother, Maureen, spearheaded the
installation of a coffee shop, a children’s play area, and a hair and nail salon
in their dealership. The reason: Research shows women influence up to 85
percent of all vehicle purchases, so the duo decided to do something to
make their showroom stand out. Apart from her duties at the company,
LaFontaine was named Woman of the Year in 2011 by the Leukemia &
Lymphoma Society for leading a team that raised more than $400,000
for the organization over two years. —Tim Keenan
Jay Lambrecht Jr. // 32
Co-owner, Lambrecht Jerant Inc., Detroit
Revenue: $3.3 million Employees: 64
When Jay Lambrecht was searching for a ground-floor tenant at the Book
Tower in downtown Detroit, he decided to tackle the project himself. It took
three years for Lambrecht, then 19, and his business partner, Mark Jerant,
to open Bookies Tavern. “It was very much like Cheers,” says Lambrecht,
co-owner of Lambrecht Jerant Inc. in Detroit. Four years ago, the pair worked
on opening a second location at Cass and Columbia — which turned out to
be providential, since they had no idea the Book Tower would soon close. The
transition resulted in a new name, Bookies Bar & Grille, and benefited from a
fortuitous bit of timing. “The first week we were open was the NCAA Final
Four (at Ford Field),” Lambrecht says. “The following Friday was Opening Day
(for the Detroit Tigers).” In 2011, Lambrecht renovated a former coffee shop
in Campus Martius Park and opened Fountain Bistro, a French-inspired
eatery that handles food and beverage service inside the urban square. He
also opened a consulting firm, Kern’s Clock Concessions, to assist with event
planning. “We’re looking to add another Bookies on the east side,” he says.
“So far, we’ve surpassed all of our projections.” — R.J. King
Antonio Lück // 32
Portfolio Manager, MEDC, Lansing
budget: $385 million Employees: 315
Antonio Lück is on the front lines, helping to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs in a bid to expand the economic health of the state.
Working directly with some 25 companies, Lück, a portfolio manager
for Michigan Economic Development Corp., oversees each company’s
operation from the inside out. From offering startup advice to helping
strategize and cultivate sales, Lück does it all. He says Detroit, like other
older urban districts, is attracting young creative talent — and large
companies are starting to take notice. “I truly believe that Michigan is on
an uprise,” he says. Born in Brazil, Lück came to the United States in
2005 to pursue his master’s degree at Wayne State University. “When I
arrived in Michigan I knew one person, and I had two bags,” he says. Lück
earned a fellowship at Delphi and played an integral role in the launch of
Monarch Antenna Inc., a Delphi spinoff. His advice to entrepreneurs: “If
there is something you want to do, take the plunge. Don’t overthink it. If it
doesn’t work out, take a step back and go at it again.” — John S. Schultz
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Ryan Maibach // 38
President, Barton Malow Co., Southfield
Revenue: $1.4 billion Employees: 1,200
Rising through the ranks of Southfield-based Barton Malow Co., one of
the largest contractors in the country, Ryan Maibach says his experience
working on job sites in Arizona, Florida, and Maryland opened his eyes to
inconsistencies in how the company was operating. In the past, Barton
Malow — which got its start in Detroit in 1924 — treated each market
almost as an autonomous organization. Maibach, a civil engineer, knew
the company scored well on multiple metrics, but “we made some of the
same mistakes in different markets.” After being named president in
the spring of 2011, Maibach took on the challenge of improving overall
communications, setting common principles, and removing unproductive
barriers. “We do a lot of sports work, so when we completed the expansion
of Michigan Stadium (in Ann Arbor), we took that knowledge base and
used it to renovate the Rose Bowl (in Pasadena, Calif.),” he says. “As a
result, we had better focus and we were able to deliver more efficiencies
for our client, which in the end saves costs.” — R.J. King
Asad Malik // 39
CEO and President, Amerilodge Group , Rochester Hills
Revenue: $18 million Employees: 226
For some, one career isn’t enough. After completing a master’s degree in
health services administration at the University of Michigan, Asad Malik
worked as a financial analyst and strategic planner for various health care
organizations before being named vice president of finance for Henry Ford
West Bloomfield Hospital. Under Malik’s watch, the hospital, which opened
in 2009, met its financial targets, and became cash-flow positive 10
months ahead of schedule. “We saw sustained double-digit revenue growth
since opening,” he says. Having established himself in one industry, Malik
gave Henry Ford notice in June and turned his attention to Amerilodge, a
hospitality group he formed “on the side” in 2007. Amerilodge operates 11
hotels — mostly Holiday Inn Express and Marriott brands — throughout
Michigan and the Midwest, and the group plans to soon open more
properties in Troy, Rochester Hills, Battle Creek, and Monroe. “We only build
brand-new facilities; that’s the foundation of our success,” Malik says. “My
ultimate goal is to learn from my hospitality business and go back into
health care.” —Tom Beaman
Lauren Maloney // 30
Business Director, CityFARM, Ann Arbor
Revenue: $150,000 (2012 projected) Employees: 5
Lauren Maloney has big plans for CityFARM, an urban farming/edible
landscaping company she formed earlier this year in Ann Arbor with
entrepreneur Stewart Beal. She says the company’s mission is to refine
the urban agricultural movement. “Food production is a huge drain on the
world,” Maloney says. “The world needs so much food, and the way it’s
being produced right now causes a lot of environmental problems. By
changing over to a more sustainable, environmentally friendly method, it’s
a good thing for the world.” CityFARM offers four chemical-free “urban
farm packages” (the largest is 400 square feet); each package includes
composted soil, bed preparation, seeds, trellises, and an irrigation system.
Prices range from a few hundred dollars to $3,000 or more, depending on
the scope of the project. The company also designs, installs, maintains,
rescues, and winterizes gardens. “As our business grows, we hope to have
our own farm in Detroit and develop an online store for locally made
farming and gardening materials,” she says. —Tom Beaman
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T h i s Pag e : (Top row, left to right) George Nikollaj, Lauren Maloney. (Second row) Jeff Kaufman, Jay Lambrecht, Kyle Evans, Billy Gershenson,
Jason Wolkott. (Third row) Chris Nelson. (Fourth row) Kara Tertzag, Stephen Gurski, Scott Rice, Neelie O’Conner, Jake Sigal. (Front row) Mike Cosgrove,
Antoine Dubeauclard, Asad Malik, Stacy Goldberg, and Duncan the Bulldog. O p p o s i t e pag e : (Balcony) John E. James, (Top row, left to right)
Amy Kaherl, Chris Genteel, Bulldog Mascot, Ryan Maibach (Second row) Mark Tapper, Antonio Lück, Jordan Field, Austin Black II, Matt Mosher.
(Third row) Jason Watt. (Front row) Jeff Selik, Kelley LaFontaine, Carra Stoller.
handpainted banner by neil tasker
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Matt Mosher // 30
Co-founder and CEO, hiredMYway.com, Detroit
Capital: $3.5 million Employees: 22
Matt Mosher started his first business — selling salt-water aquariums out of
his parents’ home — while still in high school. Now he is tackling a bigger
challenge: the job market. Mosher, co-founder and CEO of hiredMYway.com,
believes the way job seekers and employers typically connect is outdated,
so he came up with a more efficient, online hiring process. “I just flipped the
system so it isn’t an overwhelming process for both the employer and those
looking for a job,” Mosher says. His idea is working; the company, which
started in 2010 and is housed in the Madison Building in downtown Detroit,
expects to double in size by the end of the year. It is one of several businesses
within the investment portfolio of Detroit Venture Partners, a venture capital
firm started by Quicken Loans Chairman Dan Gilbert, Earvin “Magic”
Johnson, and entrepreneurs Josh Linkner and Brian Hermelin. In addition to
his work with hiredMYway.com, Mosher runs a landscaping business and a
real estate firm. He also wants to see Detroit thrive. “I want this city to
prosper,” he says. —John S. Schultz
Chris Nelson // 32
Director of Professional Solutions, RTT USA, Royal Oak
Revenue: NA Employees: 100
Chris Nelson says RTT USA is making the vehicle design process easier
and less expensive through the use of virtual prototyping technology. By
employing photo-realistic imagery and 3-D software programs, auto
manufacturers and suppliers can create a virtual concept car or truck,
saving millions of dollars in time and materials. Nelson, who started at
RTT in 2006 and has grown the local office from three employees to 100,
also oversees the coordination of operations at the company’s office in
Pasadena, Calif. Because of his involvement in helping customers operate
RTT’s software, Nelson works closely with various departments at
General Motors. “I was given an opportunity within the company to grow
into this role with a trusting, hands-off approach by my CEO, so I hit the
ground running,” he says. In addition to his position at RTT, Nelson, a
College for Creative Studies graduate, is an industrial design instructor at
Lawrence Technological University in Southfield. “The idea at LTU is to
keep design leaning toward engineering,” Nelson says. “Don’t just draw a
picture of something; show how it works, too. ” —Tim Keenan
George Nikollaj // 39
Owner, 6 Salon, Royal Oak and Birmingham
Revenue: $1.5 million Employees: 65
When 6 Salon opened in Royal Oak nine years ago, George Nikollaj made
sure the interior was modern and the staff was customer-oriented. He
incorporated the same design and work ethic in his Birmingham location,
which debuted a few years later. In addition to averaging 1,500 clients every
year between the two locations, the salons have been honored nationally
and internationally as a member of Intercoiffure, an association of
approximately 300 owners representing some 2,200 elite salons in the
United States and Canada. Key to his success, Nikollaj says, is an intense
employee-training program. In addition to turning out skilled hairdressers,
the training combats turnover, which is rampant in the industry. “We start
(all new employees) from the ground level, no matter how long they’ve been
a hairdresser,” Nikollaj explains. “It takes about two years to get someone
in the salon and working on the floor. During those two years, you’re
integrating yourself into our culture, our system, and learning how we deal
with clients. It’s not just a haircut.” — Tim Keenan
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Neelie O’Connor // 35
Director of Call Center Performance, OnStar, Detroit
Revenue: $150.3 billion Employees: 202,000
(Opposite, top left) If it were feasible, Neelie O’Connor, director of OnStar’s
four worldwide call centers, would respond to each of the more than
150,000 people who call in daily. “Many of those who use OnStar are in a
crisis (situation), and I want to make sure they get the fastest, most direct
help possible,” O’Connor says. On a more doable scale, the self-directed
Texas native leads 90 employees at the Renaissance Center in Detroit and
nearly 2,700 call center advisors who provide OnStar subscribers with rapid
response to emergency situations and help with roadside assistance, locked
cars, or tracking stolen vehicles. After graduating with a business degree in
management/information systems from the University of Texas at Austin,
O’Connor went to work in customer relations with PWC and IBM before
joining OnStar in 2004. She has a patent pending for enhancing OnStar’s
vehicle email notification system. Connor admits she was not initially
excited when she was offered a job in Detroit. “I never wanted to live in
Michigan,” she says. What was she most apprehensive about? “The winter
weather scared me; I am not a good winter driver.” —John S. Schultz
Jeff Selik // 38
President, Hillside Furniture, Bloomfield Hills
Revenue: NA Employees: 18
(Opposite, middle left) Jeff Selik started in business at the ripe old age of 8
years old, selling a mattress by winning over a customer with his cuteness
as he hung around his father’s store, Hillside Furniture in Bloomfield Hills
(he’s still waiting for a commission). But that first “sale” didn’t guarantee
his future. After graduating from the University of Michigan, Selik had to
undergo an interview with his father for a position as an assistant buyer
— and his father didn’t make it easy. Selik was given the chance to prove his
mettle, but he soon unexpectedly had to take on even more responsibility
when his father stepped away from day-to-day leadership after undergoing
heart surgery (his father remains CEO). Today, Selik, now president of
Hillside Furniture, runs the store with an eye toward a modern audience by
tapping social media and equipping the entire staff with iPads. He also
gives back by hosting a charity fashion show in which the models wear
clothes designed from furniture fabrics. — Dan Calabrese
Carra Stoller // 35
Co-owner, Ecology Beauty, Birmingham
Revenue: NA Employees: 5
(Opposite, bottom left) As an attorney handling commercial litigation cases,
Carra Stoller had her hands full. But her law career took a back seat two
years ago when her sister-in-law, Marla Shapiro, was diagnosed with cancer.
Stoller wanted to know what caused cancer, and started to learn more
about chemicals that enter the bloodstream through ordinary makeups and
creams. “I decided to educate other women about the dangers they were
facing every single day,” Stoller says. “I felt it was my mission to do this, so I
took the risk (to change careers).” In September 2010, Stoller and Shapiro
(who is now cancer-free), opened Ecology Beauty in Birmingham, which
specializes in organic makeup products. “A lot of our customers are people
who have recently been diagnosed with cancer, and that’s why their health
has become an issue for them,” Stoller says. To reach new audiences, the
pair hosts monthly fundraisers called Parties with a Purpose, where
community members gather and raise money for a local cause, such as a
cancer support program for Beaumont Hospitals. Today, Stoller divides her
time between her law practice and the store. — Dan Calabrese
Scott Rice // 38
COO, Powerlink Facilities Management Services, Detroit
Revenue: $22.4 million Employees: 670
(Top right) After guiding the manufacturing operations of several automotive and consumer products companies to profitability, Scott Rice joined
forces in 2003 with Link Howard and formed Powerlink Facilities Management Services in Detroit’s New Center. The company, which started with a
single client and 20 employees, today has 670 employees and supplies
building management and maintenance services for Henry Ford Health
System, Karmanos Cancer Institute, and Detroit Public Schools. Rice says
the agreement with DPS for building engineers, signed in February 2011, will
save the district $70 million over five years. “We were able to work with the
operators’ union and tell them we’d like to do things differently,” he says.
“The (previous) labor contract at DPS was over 100 pages long; our
contract is 17 pages. That speaks to the fact that if you engage people in
thoughtful discussion, if you address the brutal realities that exist and try to
create a dialog, there’s an opportunity to work together.” In addition, Rice is
vice chairman of Winning Futures, a Warren-based nonprofit that trains
students in goal-setting and career preparation. — Tom Beaman
Jake Sigal // 31
Founder and CEO, Livio, Ferndale
Revenue: NA Employees: 12
(Middle right) Jake Sigal just signed a major deal with an automaker, but
he’s having trouble finding talent to fuel what has been a rapid ascent in the
consumer electronics industry. His company, Livio, produces $100 radio car
kits that allow drivers to stream their favorite music, make hands-free calls,
and charge a phone. He started the company in 2008 in a spare bedroom
of his home, after helping Delphi’s consumer electronics group develop
satellite radio products. “Our biggest challenge is hiring,” Sigal says. “We
have an open engineering position and open management positions, but it’s
hard to compete with the big companies,” he says. “We’re all about working
hard and breaking the rules, which isn’t for everybody.” In addition to
developing, producing, and distributing hardware products, the company
offers Livio Connect, a software protocol that links third-party apps with car
stereos, TVs, and home audio systems. “Entrepreneurs and companies are
always coming out with new things,” he says. “That’s what I love.” — R.J. King
Mark Tapper // 31
President, Tapper’s, West Bloomfield
Revenue: NA Employees: 150
(Bottom right) Prior to attending Harvard Business School, Mark Tapper
spent two years as “CEO of a classroom” in the south Bronx. “I had 12
students in special education, and for each student there was a business
plan that included fundamental academic and life skills,” says Tapper, of the
Teach for America initiative. Following his graduation in 2009, Tapper
oversaw the build-out and opening of a Louis Vuitton store at City Center
Las Vegas, as a way to get “outside experience in luxury retail.” Returning to
the family business — at 12 years old he was stocking shelves and doing
basic watch repair — Tapper, now president of Tapper’s Diamonds and Fine
Jewelry, ran the company’s West Bloomfield store before opening the first
Tapper’s Gold Exchange, which today has 13 locations. He also helped
launch Marlee’s By Tapper’s at Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi, which combines
jewelry selections with women’s accessories. The concept, started by
Tapper’s wife, Leora, and his sister, Marla Tapper Young, is a place “where
women can come and be styled from head to toe.” A certified gemologist,
Tapper says the secret to success is operating as a family team. — R.J. King
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Kara Tertzag // 36
Attorney, Ford Motor Co., Dearborn
Revenue: $128.2 billion Employees: 164,000
Because she is the daughter of a prominent Downriver judge (the late Kaye
Tertzag), Kara Tertzag has been recruited and encouraged to enter the
political fray. So far, though, she has spent most of her legal career fighting
legal battles for Ford Motor Co. After passing the bar in 2001, Tertzag went
to work at a private law firm for five years before joining Ford’s litigation
department. “Ford tries more product liability cases every year than all of
the other manufacturers combined,” Tertzag says. “We meet all of our
government standards, as well as Ford’s internal standards, so we defend
(the company) when someone says our design or manufacturing is
defective or faulty.” In addition to her work at Ford, Tertzag is president of
the Downriver Bar Association, one of more than a dozen affiliate groups of
the Michigan State Bar. Carrying on a legacy of public service, Tertzag
helped create the annual Purple Sport Coat Award in 2009 to honor her
father. Is a run for a political office in the cards? “You never know what could
happen, but I am really happy at Ford,” she says. —Tim Keenan
Jason Watt // 38
General Manager, Detroit City Airport, Detroit
budget: $1.7 million Employees: 5
Sixteen months after taking over operations at Coleman A. Young International Airport, better known as Detroit City Airport, Jason Watt has secured
$6 million in federal airport improvement grants that have been used to
rehabilitate the main taxiway (5,200 feet), upgrade security and lighting
systems, and repurpose the former passenger terminal as Aero Tech Town.
The latter effort provides R&D space for advanced aircraft, propulsion, and
communication systems to help meet an FAA mandate to vastly improve
the nation’s airspace. “We’ve brought our costs in line with revenue, started
to rebrand the airport, and partnered with Avflight Corp. to be our FBO,” says
Watt, former deputy airport director at Flint Bishop International Airport.
The improvements at the Detroit airfield have generated some of the
highest national customer service ratings, based on a recent survey by
www.airnav.com. Next up is a renovation of the aging Executive Terminal,
which is under way. “One of our goals is to re-establish passenger service
with a charter operator,” Watt says. “It would be a win-win for everyone
involved.” —R.J. King
Jason Wolcott // 35
Founder and CEO, 3CSI, Novi
Revenue: NA Employees: 30
Jason Wolcott was on the fast track at General Motors — rising to manager
of the Automotive Strategy Board and overseeing global chassis procurement, an $18 billion business, all within eight years of graduating from
Western Michigan University in 1999. But in 2007, he traded it all in and
founded 3CSI, which takes traditional customer relationship management
into the digital world. Wolcott says it’s customary for businesses to use
social media to develop brand awareness, but they seldom engage
customers as they surf, blog, or post content. Wolcott’s company, on the
other hand, uses technology to dive into the sea of Internet chatter and
extract the 1 percent of comments that are relevant to a specific client.
When a complaint or comment is discovered, 3CSI relays it to its client
for action. “If a consumer says they’re having issues with a vehicle, our
technology is able to identify that and give the brand an opportunity to
respond,” Wolcott says. The firm, which serves the auto and consumer
electronics industries, plans to move to Detroit next year. — Tom Beaman
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c l a s s of 2012
ABOUT THE LOCATION: One of the most entrepreneurial schools in the
country, Detroit Cristo Rey High School in the southwest section of the city
requires students to attend classes four days a week, while the fifth day is
spent working at a professional job. But more impressive, of the school’s first
graduating class, all 46 students are attending college. detroitcristorey.org
CREDITS: Vintage globes, Eastern Market Antiques, Detroit, 313-259-0600,
easternmarketantiques.com; Vintage letter sweaters, jackets, and clothing, Lost
and Found Vintage, Royal Oak, 248-548-6154, lostandfoundvintage.com; Regeneration,
Pleasant Ridge, 248-414-7440, regenerationclothing.org; Designer Resale Boutique,
Ferndale, 248-840-2569, dresaleb.com, and Time Warp, St. Clair Shores, 586-362-8865,
timewarpllc.net; White tennis shoes and oxfords, Target, Troy, 248-614-9792, target.
com; Textbooks, Oddfellows Antiques, Berkley, 248-399-6098, oddfellowsantiques.com,
and Eastern Market Antiques, Detroit; Vintage jewelry, Oddfellows Antiques, Berkley.
Eyewear, SEE, Birmingham, 248-723-1900, seeeyewear.com; Bulldog mascot
costume, The Parade Company, Detroit, 313-923-7400, theparade.org; Vintage High
School Pennants, Oddfellows Antiques, Berkley, and Eastern Market Antiques, Detroit;
Bulldog mascot, courtesy of Adam Nael.
72 d business | September - October 2012
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