March April 2012 Newsletter website - livonia.org

March/April
2012
BUSINESS
EXPO TO TAKE
PLACE NEXT
MONTH
Chamber
News
THE POWER
The day will begin with the
Business Breakfast
Roundtable from 8 - 9:30 a.m.
at the Detroit Marriott
Livonia. The Roundtable
panel will include Phil
Cavanagh, John Walsh, Tom
Walsh and Nolan Finley. The
expo floor will be open from
10 a.m. - 5 p.m. featuring
more than 100 exhibitors.
Workshops will be taking
place in the mall’s food court
throughout the day. How to
better use on-line social networks
will be held at 11 a.m. and 2
p.m. with Chamber staff. And
Blue Cross Blue Shield of
Michigan representatives will
present Understanding health
care changes at 1 p.m. and 3
p.m.
To end the day, Tastefully
Livonia
featuring 10-12
restaurants, will run from 5-7
p.m. at the Detroit Marriott
Livonia.
For more information,
contact Laura Sweeney at
734.427.2122, or via e-mail at
[email protected].
OF
NETWORKING
Word of mouth helps promote Chamber Home Show
The Livonia Business Expo
will be held on Thursday, May
10 at Laurel Park Place Mall.
The event is presented by Bill
Brown Ford, Davenport
University,
Farmers
Insurance District 15 and
TDS Metrocom.
Livonia’s Business Connection
Dan West, President
The networking game
in business can be a
grind. It is something
that most of us don’t
want to do, but it is
something we have to
do to grow our
business – particularly
if you are a small
operation with limited
resources.
The constant introductions to new people at
Chamber events, business gatherings, and during
one-on-one meetings seem fruitless when no
tangible business materializes. The seeds planted
during these introductions are fertilized by
determination and appropriate follow-up. You
never know how you will be brought up for an
opportunity.
Gov. Snyder endorsed Republican Presidential
candidate on February 16 at a Livonia and
Greater Farmington Area Chambers luncheon. For
more details on the luncheon, please see page 8.
A recent example came a few weeks ago as the
Livonia Chamber of Commerce was preparing
for its second annual Livonia Home
Improvement Show held March 24. Jerome
Hanna from the Livonia Inspection Department
was talking to Terry Burke, who owns
NorthWest Construction. Hanna told Burke
about our home show, so Burke called us
looking to get involved. He purchased two
display spaces and joined the Chamber.
Furthermore, Burke directed me to Joe Gagnon
who is more affectionately known as The
Appliance Doctor, a radio show on WAAM-AM
(1600) out of Ann Arbor. The show runs from 8
-11 a.m. each Saturday. Gagnon gave me several
minutes on his March 17 radio program to
promote the Livonia Home Improvement Show.
It was truly amazing to see how this series of
conversations helped promote one of our
events. I am grateful to Jerome, Terry and Joe
for playing a role in spreading the word about
our event.
President Column continues on page 11.
Senator Rick Santorum spoke in front of 275
people at a joint breakfast on February 27—
a day before the Michigan Republican primary.
For more details on his visit, please see page 8.
INSIDE
Upcoming Events……………………...………2
Grand Openings………………………...….....2
New Chamber Members…………………....….3
Renewals……………………………………...5
Member Profile…....……………………...…13
Ambassador Briefs…………………...…........15
Chamber News
2
Upcoming Events
2012 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Chairwoman
KATHY HOEN
Community Alliance Credit Union
Chair Elect
KEN WAGNER
State Farm Insurance
KATHY RAYMOR
Lis, McEvilly & Associates
KAREN SANBORN
Madonna University
BOB WALLACE
Awrey’s Bakery
2012 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
LISA ABBEY
Livonia Public Schools
GRETCHEN ALANIZ
TRW Automotive
BILL COLBECK
Computer Troubleshooters
JIM FAUSONE
Fausone, Bohn LLP
STEVE FUTRELL
Technology Solutions
Thursday, May 10
2012 Livonia Business Expo
Sponsored by Bill Brown Ford, Davenport
University, Farmers Insurance and TDS
Metrocom
Laurel Park Place
(37700 W. Six Mile Road)
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
$250 per Table for Exhibitor Space
Free Public Admission
APRIL
Tuesday, April 17
5 O’clock Connection
Buddy’s Pizza
(33605 Plymouth Road)
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
$5 per Chamber Member
MAY
Thursday, May 10
Business Breakfast Roundtable
Sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of
Michigan and Schoolcraft College
Detroit Marriott Livonia
(17100 N. Laurel Park Drive)
8:00 - 9:30 a.m.
$15 per Member
Featuring Detroit News’ Nolan Finley,
Michigan House Rep. John Walsh, Michigan
House Rep. Phil Cavanagh & Detroit Free
Press’ Tom Walsh
KEN HUNT
Ford Motor Company
BRANDON KRITZMAN
New Perspective Architects
DAVID SPIVEY
St. Mary Mercy Hospital
TOM STROUP
Valaset Services
PETER VENTURA
Principal Associates
Thursday, May 31
Wine Tasting
Sponsored by Ameriprise Financial: Parker,
Patrick & Associates
Andiamo of Livonia
(38703 Seven Mile Road)
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
$25 per Member
GRAND OPENINGS
DAN LAIBLE
NYX, Inc.
BETSY MCCUE
Huntington Bank
Thursday, May 10
Tastefully Livonia
Sponsored by Tennyson Chevrolet
Detroit Marriott Livonia
(17100 N. Laurel Park Drive)
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
$20 per Member
Sports Locker Bar & Grill
Held their Grand Opening
on February 15.
They are located at
30375 Plymouth Road
Livonia, MI 48150
and can be reached at
734-744-5171.
ROBIN WHITFIELD
Edward Jones
ALDRED WILLIAMS
UPS
Fairfield Inn
DENNIS WRIGHT
Livonia City Treasurer
Held their Grand Opening
on March 1.
They are located at
17350 Fox Drive, Livonia, MI 48152
and can be reached at
734-953-8888.
STAFF
DAN WEST
President
DAWNNE TOPPA
Vice President
www.FairfieldInn.com/DTWFL
DEBBIE FERENSIC
Office Manager
LAURA SWEENEY
Program Coordinator
LIVONIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
33233 Five Mile Road
Livonia, MI 48154
734.427.2122
734.427.6055 (fax)
www.Livonia.org
Grand Openings continue on page 7
LivoniaChamberof
Commerce.Blogspot
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LivoniaChamber
Livonia Chamber
of Commerce
TheLivoniaChamber
Livonia Chamber
of Commerce
Chamber News
3
NEW MEMBERS FOR FEBRUARY - MARCH 2012
Congratulations to the following organizations for recently investing in the work of the Livonia Chamber of Commerce.
Air Master Heating &
Air Conditioning
Category: Heating &
Air Conditioning
Contact: Jeff Fry
2870 Coolidge
Berkley, MI 48072
248-399-1800
www.AirMasterMichigan.com
Alberici Contractors
Category: Construction Building & Repair
Contact: Paul Lemley
13040 Merriman Road
Livonia, MI 48150
734-367-2500
www.Alberici.com
American Montessori Academy
Category: Schools & Education
Contact: Amy Pogorzelski
14800 Middlebelt Road
Livonia, MI 48154
734-525-7100
AmericanMontessori.net
American Montessori Academy
Category: Schools & Education
Contact: Jennifer Wilkins
17175 Olympia
Redford, MI 48240
313-533-0000
www.AmericanMontessori.net
Buddy's Pizza - Livonia
Category: Restaurant
Contact: Joe Sivako
33605 Plymouth Road
Livonia, MI 48150
734-261-3550
www.BuddysPizza.com
Code Red Network Solutions
Category: Computer/IT Consulting
Contact: Dennis Ward
170 S. Carlson
Westland, MI 48186
734-341-3746
www.CodeRedNetworkSolutions.com
Dunn-Rite Land Service
Category: Landscaping
Contact: George R. Hensley
36604 Angeline Circle
Livonia, MI 48150
734-522-0710
ERA Marketing
Category: Marketing Services
Contact: Steve Massie
28200 W. Seven Mile Road
Suite 109
Livonia, MI 48152
313-766-4791
www.ERAMarketingServices.com
ETD Services
Category: Staffing
Contact: Robert McDonnell
35425 W. Michigan Avenue
Suite 3693
Wayne, MI 48184
734-858-1600
www.ETDServices.com
Graphik Concepts
Category: Signs & Graphics
Contact: Marilyn Cainey
23555 Research Drive
Farmington Hills, MI 48335
248-473-8990
www.GraphikConcepts.com
Harley's Home Improvement
Category: Home ImprovementsContractors
Contact: Harley Neufer
20041 Ecorse Road
Taylor, MI 48180
313-914-3511
www.HarleysHomeImp.com
Home Instead Senior Care
Category: Non-Medical Home Care
Contact: Jean Hampton
16013 Middlebelt Road
Livonia, MI 48154
734-525-5300
www.HomeInstead.com/430
Jump On It Party Rentals, LLC
Category: Entertainment
Contact: Carolyn McNamara
16431 Houghton Drive
Livonia, MI 48154
734-904-7877
www.JumpOnItPartyRentals.com
Kentwood Office Furniture
Category: Furniture
Contact: Denise Byrwa
40500 Grand River Avenue
Novi, MI 48375
248-422-4888
www.KentwoodOffice.com
Keyes and Company, Inc.
Category: Manufacturing
Contact: Gene Keyes
1925 N. Duck Lake Road
Highland, MI 48356
248-889-9405
Livonia Dental Group
Category: Dentist
Contact: Daniel S. Fox, D.D.S.
32280 Five Mile Road
Livonia, MI 48154
734-425-7010
www.LivoniaDentalGroup.com
Maloney Tile & Marble, Inc.
Category: Manufacturing
Contact: Stephen Maloney
28156 N. Clements Circle
Livonia, MI 48150
734-578-5503
www.MaloneyTileAndMarble.com
NorthWest Construction LLC
Category: Construction Building & Repair
Contact: Terry Burke
21521 Donaldson Street
Dearborn, MI 48124
313-277-7676
www.NWConst.com
Olive Garden
Category: Restaurant
Contact: Mark Bonekowski
14000 Middlebelt Road
Livonia, MI 48154
734-458-5100
www.OliveGarden.com
New Members continue on page 4
Chamber News
4
NEW MEMBERS FOR FEBRUARY - MARCH 2012
Continued from page 3
Open Arms Church
Category: Churches
Contact: Grady Jensen
33015 Seven Mile
Livonia, MI 48152
248-471-5282
Pillar To Post - Property
Services Group
Category: Property Inspections
Contact: Dave Dalfino
34079 Richland
Livonia, MI 48150
734-427-5577
www.PillarToPost-WestWayne.com
PROCAM
Category: Photography
& Video Store
Contact: George Haddad
34224 Plymouth Road
Livonia, MI 48150
734-838-6900
www.PROCAM.com
Quality Inn & Suites
Category: Hotels & Motels
Contact: Frank Khamis
30375 Plymouth Road
Livonia, MI 48150
734-261-6808
TheQualityInnLivonia.com
Real Estate One
Category: Real Estate Residential
Contact: Pat Ryan
38705 Seven Mile Road
Suite 150
Livonia, MI 48152
734-591-9200
www.MichiganGroup.com/Livonia
Salvation Army Thrift Store
Category: Non-Profit
Contact: Stephanie Franks
33600 Plymouth Road
Livonia, MI 48150
734-425-7573
Spark Building Energy
Solutions
Category: Energy Efficiency
& Renewable Energy
Contact: Anand Pappuyi
32401 W. Eight Mile Road
Livonia, MI 48152
734-335-0430
www.SparkBuildingEnergy.com
Sports Locker Bar & Grill
Category: Restaurants & Bars
Contact: Michele L. Finzel
30375 Plymouth Road
Livonia, MI 48150
734-744-5171
Sweet Sass Foods
Category: Specialty Foods
Contact: Mike Campbell
29718 Richland
Livonia, MI 48150
734-513-2042
www.SweetSassFoods.com
The Mike Cox Law Firm PLLC
Category: Attorney at Law
Contact: Michael A. Cox
17430 Laurel Park Drive North
Suite 120E
Livonia, MI 48152
734-591-4002
www.MikeCoxLaw.com
Tri-County Urologists
Category: Medical - Osteopaths
Contact: Ronald Wadle
14800 Farmington Road
Suite 103
Livonia, MI 48154
248-474-0144
Vivo Wellness Center
Category: Health & Wellness
Contact: Denise Strauss
15875 Middlebelt Road
Suite 200
Livonia, MI 48154
734-525-5400
www.VivoWellnessCenter.com
Chamber News
5
RENEWALS FEBRUARY - MARCH 2012
Thank you to the following organizations for continuing to invest in the Livonia Chamber of Commerce.
A123 Systems
George Murphy's at the Creek
NovaStar Solutions.com LLC
AM General LLC
Graye Electrical Services, Inc.
Office Depot #366
Bill Brown Ford
Guardian Plumbing & Heating
Parkside Credit Union
Buckle Family Chiropractic
Health System
Perry & Drummy, Inc.
Canton Computers
Heartland Health Care
Center - Dorvin
Plymouth Whalers
Security Designs, Inc.
Central Michigan University
Hines Park Lincoln, Inc.
Christ Our Savior
Lutheran Church
Shepard Insurance Agency
Homeline Appliance Service
Siam Spicy 4, Inc.
Horizon Health Center Ltd.,
Partnership
St. Joseph Mercy
ITT Technical Institute
Starfish Family Services
Correct Mechanical, LLC
James R. Stewart, Jr.,
D.D.S., P.C.
State Farm Insurance Ken Wagner Agency
Creighton McLean & Shea PLC
Joseph Productions, Inc.
Sunny Media Group
D & B Landscaping, Inc.
Kenneth W. Lyon, CFP LLC
Talk Fusion
Detroit Media Partnership
Leidal & Hart Mason
Contractors
Tedder Whitlock Consulting
Colonial Heating
Comerica Bank
Community Choice Credit Union
Drs. Shaw, Jane &
Ginzler DDS, MS
Little Caesars Pizza
Tennyson Chevrolet, Inc.
Tima's Home Improvement
DTE Energy
Livonia Observer
Eastern Michigan University
Livonia Post 3941 V.F.W.
Edward Jones-Robin Whitfield
Livonia Rotary Club
Total Coffee & Vending
Service, Inc
Erv Ehlers Company
Livonia Towing Inc.
Tri-County Title, Inc.
Faith Bible Church
M. Jacob & Sons
UHY, LLP
Feblo International
Majestic Condominium
Management, LLC
University of Michigan - Livonia
Health Center
Marston Optometry, P.C.
Wayne County Commissioner 12th District
First Baptist Church of Livonia
Forester Financial Partners
Friends of the Barn Inc.
Gallagher, Niemann
& Mauti, LLP
Garden City Hospital
Title One
Meakin & Associates, Inc.
We Paint Houses.Net
Michigan Educational
Credit Union
Neighborhood Alumni
Woodhaven Retirement
Community
Chamber News
6
LPS seeks input on possible
$190M bond plan
2012 Livonia Home
Improvement Show
Livonia Public Schools officials recently led a series of community
forums seeking public input as the Board of Education considers a
proposal that would ask voters for some $190 million for building
repairs and technology upgrades to LPS buildings.
The Board is expected to make a final decision on sending the plan to
voters sometime this fall. If the Board authorizes the election, the vote
for LPS voters in Livonia and Westland could be held in
February 2013.
With most LPS buildings at least 50 years old and the ever-evolving
technology needs in education, the district identified a $190 million
plan that would address most district needs. With the aging buildings,
school officials said there is a mounting need for plumbing, bathroom,
lighting, and ceiling repairs, among a number of renovations under
consideration.
Dr. Randy Liepa, the school district’s superintendent, said officials are
trying the balance the needs of the school district with the cost appetite
of voters.
If voters approved the $190 million bond proposal, the bonds would be
repaid by a 2.0- to 2.5-mill tax levy for 30 years. This would increase the
annual tax bill for the owner of an average home in the district by
about $160-$200.
The 2nd Annual Livonia Home Improvement Show took place
on Saturday, March 24 at Churchill High School. The event
was sponsored by Parkside Credit Union and Correct
Mechanical. A few hundred people walked through and visited
the 50 exhibitors featured in the event, including Superior
Windows (above) and Pillar to Post (below).
Chamber News
7
GRAND OPENINGS
Continued from page 2
Luigi’s Pizza Café
Held their Grand Opening on March 12.
They are located at
31530 Plymouth Road, Livonia, MI 48150
and can be reached at 734-261-0600.
www.LuigisPizzaCafe.com
Photo from Livonia Observer
7th Street Boutique
Held their Grand Opening on March 15.
They are located at
33300 Seven Mile Road, Livonia, MI 48152
and can be reached at 734-748-4370.
Chamber News
8
Republican Presidential candidates
speak to Livonia Chamber
Within 11 days, the Livonia Chamber, along with the
Greater Farmington Area Chamber, held two events
featuring Republican Presidential candidates Governor Mitt
Romney and Senator Rick Santorum in February.
With the Michigan Republican primary occurring at the end
of the month, the state became a main focus for the GOP
and with these two events – Livonia had a chance to shine
in the limelight.
On February 16, Mitt Romney attended a joint chamber
luncheon at Farmington Hills Manor sponsored by Bill
Brown Ford, Edward Jones, Paulson’s Audio & Visual
and Foster Swift Collins & Smith, P.C. With nearly 500
people in attendance, plus dozens of local and
national media, Mitt Romney addressed the crowd after
being introduced and endorsed by Michigan’s Governor
Rick Snyder.
“We need the leadership in
Washington to get that job done,”
said Snyder. “To do that, we need
the right people leading the charge.
We have a person in Governor
Romney who has that background.
He has a great combination of
private sector experience...and being
the chief executive of a state.”
In one of his last campaign stops before the
election, Santorum brought his conservative message and
his vision for revitalizing the economy to the Livonia and
Greater Farmington Area chambers at a breakfast on
February 27. Advanced Satellite Communications and
Paulson’s Audio & Video sponsored the breakfast for the
senator.
Santorum discussed regulations, religion and retirement with
the crowd of some 275 attendees at the St. Mary's
Cultural and Banquet Center.
Santorum said he heard at various events that Americans
“are tired of our complicated tax code and regulatory
requirements.”
“I can put forward a path that can attain bipartisan
support,” Santorum said.
He said he would like to see a flat
tax that is easier to understand and
vowed to repeal “every high cost
regulation” facing businesses.
Gov. Romney
Romney echoed his experience in the private sector as being
essential in knowing the nuances of how to run a
government.
“In the private sector that you all live in, you’re either
fiscally conservative or you’re out of business,” said
Romney to the crowd of chamber members. “You can’t
borrow money year after year and spend more than you take
in, or you’ll go bankrupt... But we’re doing that to
Washington.”
On the auto industry, Romney, who was criticized for his
anti-bailout statements last year, said he believes the
American auto industry will “continue to lead the world.”
He said he believes in the vision of America’s founding
fathers, that everyone is entitled to life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness.
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum
challenged the eventual winner of the Feb. 28 Michigan
primary election. He pushed Romney, a Michigan native,
into a neck-and-neck race leading up to election.
He promoted his tax plan to cut
corporate taxes from 35 percent to
17.5 percent and eliminate taxes on
manufacturers.
Sen. Santorum
“We can put together a plan that will
help us compete against other countries,” he added.
Some Chamber members attended the Santorum event out
of curiosity, as they endorsed Romney. Some were on the
fence in who to support, while others supported Santorum.
Dan West, president of the Livonia Chamber, said these
programs are designed to be informative business events
and not campaign rallies.
“We extended invitations to political leaders of both
parties,” West said. “We are driven to respond to our
chamber members who want information from policy
makers.”
Both chambers are non-partisan
promote their business communities.
organizations that
Excerpts of this article from the Livonia Observer
Chamber News
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Photographs provided by Terry Marecki and Susan Browne Photography.
To see more pictures from these two events and other Chamber events, visit the Chamber’s Facebook page at
www.Facebook.com/LivoniaChamberofCommerce
10
City mulls roads millage
renewal vote
City officials are considering a plan to ask Livonia
voters in August to renew a roads millage that would
continue a road maintenance program of city roads and
streets that was started 10 years ago.
The 0.89-mill levy generated millions in additional
revenue to reconstruct or repair more than 100 miles
of city roads since 2003. Mayor Jack Kirksey said the
project upgraded 70 percent of city-maintained roads
to either “good, very good or excellent” condition.
Kirksey is seeking approval from the Livonia City
Council to send the 10-year renewal of the roads
millage to voters on August 7. If approved, there
would be no increase to the current city tax rate, but
the renewed millage would provide funding to
continue the city’s road-improvement program from
2013-2022.
The Livonia City Council was expected to vote on
authorizing the election sometime in April.
Chamber News
Chamber News
11
The Power of Networking
President Column continued from page 1.
This is why determination with the networking process is
so important. If you feel good about your products and
services, and you can concisely describe their value, you
will connect with people through consistent networking.
And in our case with the Home Improvement Show, our
connections produced a referral that led to opportunities
from an unexpected sources.
INCREDIBLE 4-WEEK RUN: The Livonia Chamber
of Commerce held six events between Feb. 16 to March
8, highlighted by the presidential candidate events
featuring Governor Mitt Romney on Feb. 16 and Senator
Rick Santorum on Feb. 27. These six events attracted a
combined total of more than 1,600 people that attended
an event involving the Livonia Chamber of Commerce
over that four-week period.
It was an honor to conduct these events and give our
membership a chance to hear from policy makers seeking
the highest office in our country. In all sincerity, I
attribute these opportunities for our Chamber to the
loyalty and community-minded spirit demonstrated by
our members and businesses.
Without our membership’s strong attendance at these
events, we don’t have the opportunity to bring in these
types of keynote speakers. There is strength in numbers.
I offer my deepest thanks for all of those who
participated in these programs and contributed to their
success. It is my hope that our response to these events,
will lead to more opportunities for our members to hear
from other high-profile speakers in the future.
Wake-Up Livonia with U.S.
Representative McCotter
Some 60 chamber members attended a Wake-Up Livonia breakfast
featuring U.S. Representative, and Livonia resident, Thaddeus McCotter on
February 24th at Madonna University’s Franciscan Center.
12
Chamber News
Chamber News
13
MEMBER PROFILE___________________________
Wagner family grows State Farm in Livonia
Shortly after returning to the Newburgh office, Ryan
Wagner, Ken’s son, joined the agency. Now after four years
of working in the office that his father and grandfather built
together, Ryan Wagner will be opening his own agency in
Livonia this December.
Don Wagner passed more than his career choice to his son
and grandson but also the importance in being part of the
community.
“Give back to the community. It’s not all about your
business. It’s about helping others,” Ken Wagner recalled his
father telling him.
The Ken Wagner Agency is led by State Farm agent Ken Wagner (center).
Some 35 years after Ken Wagner and his father, Don,
opened a State Farm agency in Livonia, Ken Wagner’s son,
Ryan, was recently assigned his own State Farm agency.
State Farm Insurance – Ken Wagner Agency opened its
doors for the first time in 1978. After being an agent for five
years, Ken Wagner and his father – originally an agent in
Westland, decided to merge their agencies together and build
an office.
“In 1973, he wanted me to move in with him, but I wanted
to make it on my own. Five years later, he was doing really
well and I was doing really well, so we built the building,”
said Ken Wagner.
At this time in his career, Ken Wagner knew the
management role wasn’t what he wanted. However, by the
end of 1978, Ken Wagner became a State Farm manager
after receiving an offer he couldn’t refuse. He ended up
making his father one of his agents.
Throughout the years, Ken Wagner has remained involved.
He currently serves on the Livonia Chamber’s Board of
Directors and has sponsored the ‘Run Drugs Out of Town’
race and drug-awareness effort. He’s also served on the
Board of Directors for Western Country Club and once
served on the Board for the now-defunct Paint the Town
effort that coordinated volunteers to paint 200 homes across
metro Detroit each year.
State Farm Insurance—Ken Wagner Agency was honored in
2009 by the Livonia Chamber with the Small Business of the
Year award.
All three Wagner men also have been very active in Kiwanis
and have been honored as three generations of Kiwanis
presidents.
“I wouldn’t even be working now if I didn’t like what I was
doing. I love what I am doing,” said Ken Wagner.
For more information,
www.KenWagner.biz.
call
734-464-3315
or
visit
Ken Wagner’s career took another turn when he moved into
the corporate offices from 1995-2003 as a field
executive for the company. Though proud of the work and
goals he accomplished in corporate, he missed being an
agent. Upon retiring in 2003, Ken Wagner assigned himself
to his agency in Livonia.
“My mission is to make sure people have plans to take care
of their family in case something unexpected happens,” he
said. “If somebody talks to me about insurance, I’m going to
talk to them about life insurance, wills and trusts. Even
though we are known as the number one company in
property insurance, auto and fire, I take great pride in
making sure people have adequate insurance and a will and a
trust to protect their family.”
Ken Wagner currently works out of the same office that his father and him
built together back in the late 1970s. The office is located at the intersection
of Newburgh and Plymouth roads.
Chamber News
14
Livonia’s 2012
State of the City
draws record crowd
Livonia’s Mayor Jack Kirksey spoke to the audience about economic
development and the major roads that could benefit from a possible
renewal of the road millage.
The Livonia Chamber presented the 2012 State of the City
Address on Thursday, March 8 to a crowd of 570 chamber
members, community leaders and others—a new record for
the event.
Sponsored by Bright House Business Solutions,
Cambridge Underwriters and St. Mary Mercy Hospital,
this year was Mayor Jack Kirksey’s 13th State of the City
Address.
Mayor Jack Kirksey told the audience that the 10-year,
0.89-mill levy expires this year. Kirksey also summarized
the city's economic picture over the past few years and what
he expected in 2013 and beyond.
“Citizens will need to consider a millage renewal to
authorize a continuation of the roadfunding,” said Kirksey.
The millage has helped fund local road repairs to bring 70
percent of them to good or better condition, Kirksey said.
Livonia can also use millage funds as a local match to bring
more road dollars to the city.
Once again, Kirksey cited the economic downturn and
declining property values hitting Livonia hard.
“As Livonia prepares for 2013, we will continue to support
economic development efforts to the maximum,” Kirksey
said. The administration will continue to support quality of
life services with the understanding that any reductions
must reflect citizen priorities, he said.
An update on the road millage can be found on page 10.
Excerpts of this article from the Livonia Observer
Chamber News
15
AMBASSADORS OF THE MONTH
These featured members are honored as Ambassadors of the Month for their volunteer time for member retention,
member development and Chamber events.
MARCH
APRIL
Brenda Durling
Haitham Fakhouri
VisTaTech Center at Schoolcraft
(734) 462-4670
www.Schoolcraft.edu
Bold Media
(248) 477-5994
www.BoldMedia.co
Brenda Durling is manager of the VisTaTech Center at
Schoolcraft College in Livonia. She can help you if you are
looking for a corporate meeting venue for a conference,
product demonstration or training session. Brenda has been a
Livonia Chamber Ambassador since 2009 and enjoys
promoting positive community initiatives, attending grand
openings and supporting local Livonia area businesses. In
addition to her Ambassador involvement with the Chamber,
she is an active member of the Association of Collegiate
Conference and Event Directors-International, and recently
earned her Collegiate Conference and Events Professional
Certification, which recognizes individuals who have reached a
very high level of achievement in conference and event
management. She attended Schoolcraft College and Cleary
University and completed her Business degree in 2007. She and
her husband enjoy family outings and traveling.
Haitham Fakhouri, a leading expert in web design and
development, is currently the owner of Bold Media Inc.,
located in Livonia, and has run the company for the past four
years. Haitham has completed more than 150 websites since
Bold Media has began. He has worked hard at expanding his
company’s services into other areas such has photography,
marketing and printwork. He teaches web design and
programming at Schoolcraft College. Since joining the Livonia
Chamber of Commerce, Haitham has devoted a great deal of
time to helping the chamber grow. Since becoming an
Ambassador, he participates in whatever he can. From grand
openings to monthly meetings to delivering welcome packages
to volunteering at events. Haitham firmly believes in the
mission of the Livonia Chamber of Commerce and enjoys
being a part of its success. He also enjoys spending time with
his family and being active in his church.