EG Managed Services (EGMS), a division of EmploymentGroup has announced a 44% increase in revenue for the first quarter compared to the same period in 2010, and a 37% growth in sales over the fourth quarter of last year. Mark Lancaster, CEO of EmploymentGroup, indicated that although the Michigan economy is more diversified, the resurgence of the auto industry has been a big factor in his firm's success. "When the economy picks up, temporaries are picked up first," he says. Lancaster also credits their "secret sauce," a proprietary, 12-step screening process that leads to measurably better employees, as being a key factor in their growth. He also states that not only does their screening process help differentiate their firm's services, it can also provide a temporary an opportunity to be picked up fulltime by an employer as their screening is really about matching an individual to the right organization, more than matching a skill to the job. For individuals looking for employment opportunities through a staffing organization, Lancaster breaks it down in simple terms. "Want-a-vation," he says. "Basically show up and show up on time. Dress appropriately and bring a great attitude. We will train." To find out more about EmploymentGroup, please visit their website here, or to learn about EG Managed Services, visit here. Source: Mark Lancaster. Employment Group Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs Editor

Derek Coppess says demand for cool apartment spaces in downtown Grand Rapids has spurred him into developing some 65 loft-style apartments scattered throughout the city center. Coppess, who owns The Coppess Group real estate firm, announced this week that his newest venture, 616 Lofts, has invested nearly $2M in 25 new loft-style apartments in two historic buildings at 139 Pearl St. NW and 206 Grandville Ave. SW. The apartments have a move-in date of August 1. 616 Lofts also proposes ten more apartments at 140 Monroe Center and another 30 at undisclosed locations throughout the downtown."Everything follows people living somewhere," Coppess says. "Grand Rapids has gone a long way to building up downtown through all the philanthropy, and now it's up to the rest of us to bring people downtown to enjoy what we have here."The three floors above Flanagan's (139 Pearl NW) are now home to three studio apartments plus six one-bedroom and six two-bedroom units. Coppess says about half are leased.206 Grandville offers six two-bedroom and four one-bedroom units on floors four and five. Coppess says the apartments have traditional elements, such as exposed-brick walls, aged hardwood floors and ceiling heights from 12 to 16 feet. Modern amenities include stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. Rates range from about $700 for a studio to $1,600 a month for a two-bedroom. "Eighteen months ago I opened up (616 Lofts) by word of mouth and was bombarded with demand," says Coppess, who developed what he calls a "prototype unit" at 190 Monroe two years ago and now lives there. "There are a lot of condos downtown, but they have served as a barrier to entry to some people who want to live downtown."Coppess has opened the vacant third floor of the 140 Monroe Center property to the live art event, SPACE, which takes place on June 10. Read the article here.Source: Derek Coppess, 616 Lofts; Suzette Garvey, Simply Genuine CommunicationsWriter: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor

A new three-mile bike and pedestrian trail connecting Grand Rapids' parks and neighborhoods with the Kent Trails system celebrated its grand opening Tuesday evening with an official ribbon cutting by Mayor George Heartwell during the third annual Mayor's Bike Ride.The $1.5M Oxford Street Trail extension connects Roberto Clemente Park (where the proposed Clemente Skate Park is in the planning stages), the Black Hills and John Ball Park neighborhoods on the lower west side, and the Kent Trails system which takes users south to Millennium Park and beyond. The trail includes a bridge over Chestnut Street and a renovated railroad trestle over the Grand River and Market Avenue SW, purchased by the City of Grand Rapids from Grand Rapids resident Bob Cunningham who bought it in a railroad auction some years ago, says Jay Steffen, director of parks and recreation for the city of Grand Rapids."The city has a great focus going on right now regarding the bikeability of the city, and we're trying to become a more bike-friendly community," Steffen says. "This is another great example of some of the things we've done to that end. It's another effort in our continuation to connect the dots with local and regional trail systems."Steffen says riders traveling east to west can take the 12-foot-wide paved trail across the river, and then can choose to ride along Wealthy Street SW toward John Ball Park or travel along the Grand River for a jaunt through the former Butterworth Landfill area. Trail funding came from a $943,000 MDOT Enhancement Grant, $20,000 Frey Foundation Grant and $518,000 from the city's capital and street fund.Source: Jay Steffen, City of Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation DirectorWriter: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News EditorRelated ArticlesProposed Grand Rapids skate park ramps up for development in Clemente Park

A former blacksmith shop is optimistic about the next 100 years. According to excerpts from MLive:  In 1911, when Hill Machinery first opened its doors in Grand Rapids near the corner of Lafayette Avenue and Michigan Street NE, some of its customers came from the nascent automotive industry. Its founder, James Corbett, named the company for its location on what is now Heritage Hill. You can read the entire story here.

A report from the Detroit Free Press recognizes the development of Grand Rapids' Medical Mile as a catalyst for the transformation of the city into a medical Mecca.According to excerpts from the story:The city once renowned for furniture construction has transformed itself into one dedicated to building healthier lives, showing how a thoughtful revitalization plan can be achieved over time. Fifteen years ago, community leaders in Michigan's second-largest city embarked on a grand vision to build up its medical community. Today, after $1 billion in public and private investment, there are 14,500 jobs and a thriving medical community that has helped prevent an aging manufacturing base from backsliding, according to local development and industry experts. The stretch along downtown's Michigan Street -- officially called Medical Mile, but nicknamed Pill Hill -- continues to expand, boasting an ever-growing array of hospitals, laboratories, bio-med companies and related schools. Read the complete story here.

Wet Mitten Surf Shop, a specialty water sports retailer started by brothers John and Ben McNeil, is the new kid on the beach in Grand Haven. Joining a strong community of existing retailers and water sports enthusiasts, Wet Mitten seeks to support and capitalize on a ideal location and the increasing popularity of these activities. According to one of the brothers, Ben McNeil, "kite-boarding is really taking off, as is stand-up paddling. Many wind surfers are getting into kite boards and stand-up paddling is for anyone." He says this is important because it increases the customer base beyond the more adventurous sports. McNeil explains their operation is multifaceted. It includes an online store, a retail outlet and a wholesale distributorship for the Blade brand of kite boards.   "We just opened up over a month ago and we want to be a full service surf shop," he says. "We are  full-on into stand-up paddling, surfing, boogie boards, skim boards, skate boards and long boards." Besides selling the boards and equipment, the duo will share their expertise and passion for water sports through lessons and equipment rental. McNeil encourages everyone to take a dip into Lake Michigan this summer and to check out their store. You can visit their website here, and join their Facebook page. (For those who do not remember "Surfin' Safari" and don't know what a woodie is, just Google it!) Source: Ben McNeil, Wet Mitten Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs Editor

Short Message Service (SMS) is not only a potent communication tool, but a tremendous business opportunity for the marketing firm TakeAim Mobile according to Greg Clausen, managing partner. The numbers do not lie. Clausen states that the statistics are off the charts as people text more than they talk on cell phones. "98% of text messages are read," he says. "76% are read in first hour of receiving  them and in addition, mobile or text coupons have a twenty times higher than average conversion rate than paper." Their firm, which was  established in the last year, has already successfully handled campaigns for Civic Theater, Metro Health and is currently working on mobile initiatives with Southland Auto and the Brann's chain of restaurants. "Text messaging is the best way to send a relevant message to an opted-in group," Clausen emphasizes. He also explains that TakeAim Mobile is "a fully-managed solution with its only focus on text marketing campaigns." Currently, the TakeAim Mobile team is comprised of the two owners (Clausen and Mike Williams) and two developers. To learn more about their services, you can visit their website here. Source: Greg Clausen, TakeAim Mobile Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs Editor.