Local entrepreneur Sebastian Garbsch got the idea for his latest startup business in the least likely of places: an airport bathroom. As Garbsch recalls it, he was catching a connecting flight at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago about six years ago. While washing his hands in...
What is northern Michigan’s most valuable asset? According to Kevin Query, of local commercial real estate company Three West, the answer might just be farmland. There are many reasons that Michigan’s arable land is so inherently valuable. Statistically, Michigan’s fruit-producing regions – including the Traverse City...
Not so long ago, the idea of robotic surgery would have seemed alien. Today, though, there are two robotic surgical machines right here in Traverse City, and Munson Medical Center wants to add a third. The da Vinci Surgical System is a $2 million piece of...
According to data from Thomson Reuters, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) hit an all-time global high during the first half of 2018 at $2.5 trillion. The United States alone tallied $1.03 trillion. Northern Michigan has had its own trend this past year. The Grand Traverse area has...
Clockwise: Tim Heger, Greg VandenBosch and Amy Chambers For some, a single medical crisis can spawn a financial burden that's not only crushing, but confusing. HealthBridge hopes to end that confusion for those with high deductible employer-sponsored healthcare. This January, the Grand Rapids- and Traverse City-based service...
From big banking establishments to local credit unions, many financial institutions are ramping up their security, overhauling their mobile apps or rolling out other new tech features or services to make life easier for their customers. The growing popularity of online and mobile banking is either...
Electric vehicles aren't exactly flying out the door at Bill Marsh Auto Group. Co-owner Jamie Marsh says that electric and hybrid cars probably account for less than one percent of the company’s sales. Marsh says that the Bill Marsh Auto Group has been working to get more...
Passed in a 51-48 Senate vote last December, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is the biggest change in United States tax administration in decades. From deduction tweaks to a controversial repeal of the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate, the law will change tax planning...
The ivory tower has morphed into something beyond educating the young. For many colleges, it's all about the bottom line. "Colleges are not in the business of making money. Colleges are in the business of making huge money," said Matt Breimayer, the owner and founder of Right...
Over 33 years, Britten has evolved from simple banners to one of northern Michigan's biggest success stories. Having morphed from Britten Banners to Britten Studios, the company is now known as Britten, Inc., a multi-million dollar banner production, advertising and large-format printing company. Several proprietary innovations...
