Blackford Capital, a national private equity firm headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has added five new staff members to the company. The hires are a result of the success of its Michigan Prosperity Fund (MPF), a fund that recharges the economy by investing in Michigan-based ventures.
Since MPF was created in 2012, Blackford has created 44 jobs locally, including 39 at portfolio company
Custom Profile and the aforementioned five at the company's headquarters.
Jeff Helminski, managing director and head of the Michigan Prosperity Fund, says the new jobs at Custom Profile are a great entry-level opportunity for anyone looking for a job but especially for those who are entering the work force for the first time. "These are
good jobs that pay well," he says.
In his experience, Helminski says, these types of manufacturing jobs, many of which don't require a college degree or previous work experience, are rapidly increasing. In many cases, employers are not able to fill the openings and are having a hard time building their workforces. "Manufacturing is expanding," he says. "The basic requirements are that the individual has a good work ethic. There are plenty of openings."
The Michigan Prosperity Fund currently includes Grand Rapids-based Custom Profile, Inc., Metro Detroit-based Mopec, Grand Haven-based Grand Transformers, Inc. and Fenton-based Burgaflex NA.
To learn more about Blackford you can visit their site
here.
Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor
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