By: Deborah Johnson Wood
Bruce Thompson and his wife, Brenda, grew up in the Cascade area, attended Forest Hills schools, and spent 22 years traveling the world, living in five states and three countries.
Now they've returned to Grand Rapids with their two teenaged sons, and Bruce has established a regional branch for Reston, Virginia-based ObjectVideo in the downtown offices of the Regus Group, 250 Monroe NW.
"When we decided we wanted to move back, we heard only bad things about Michigan's economy," Thompson says. "Then I subscribed to [several local] publications and started to realize that things in Michigan aren't as bad as people say it is."
For Thompson, two points of interest converged in Grand Rapids: the incredible amount of sustainable and 'green' building, and ObjectVideo's recent partnership with GVSU's Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center to develop and showcase 'green' technology.
The lure of the sustainable building also was an attraction for Brenda, an interior designer who specializes in 'green' interiors. Last summer, the couple built a LEED-Gold-certified home in East Grand Rapids.
"I've gotten a lot more excited about green building since moving back here," Bruce says. "I knew there was a lot going on, but I've heard of a lot more projects now that I'm back here."
Source: Bruce Thompson, ObjectVideo
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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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