West Washtenaw Business Association

Rick Stites, WWBA President
Tuesdays 9:20 AM on “The Lucy Ann Lance Business Insider”1290 WLBY & Streamed on www.1290WLBY.com

Current WWBA Interview:

June 18, 2013:  West Washtenaw Business Association:  What Businesses Needs to Know About Insurance – Paul Larned, WWBA Board; Kristine Reed, Ann Arbor Insurance Centre - When is the last time you did a risk analysis for your business?  Learn about your professional liabilities, your exposure to risk, and how you can protect your business.  Ann Arbor Insurance Centre was started in 1980 and was recently purchased by University Bank and merged with their Independent Agency,University Insurance & Investment Services.
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Listen to past previous interviews below.

The WWBA grew from two preceding business organizations: the Jackson Road Business Association (JRBA) and West Stadium Area Business and Professional Association (WSABPA). A business group arose in 1959 upon learning that the State Highway Department was planning only one entry ramp along the Jackson Road corridor for the proposed I-94 expressway–that being at Fletcher Road by Stiver’s Restaurant. The initial association was conceived in front of Holland Furniture Store by Jacob Grant of Farmer Grant’s, Herman Weber of Weber’s Supper Club, and Walter Ernst of Paul Bunyan’s Restaurant. Their efforts helped obtain ramps at Baker and Zeeb roads. In 1963, a formal association was formed, bylaws adopted, and the official name agreed upon as the Jackson Road Business Association. Jacob Grant was the first president.

The West Stadium Area Business and Professional Association originated in 1971 to help promote the West Stadium corridor as a viable business community and to provide social interaction opportunities among merchants. Gertrude Bethke and Dick Leslie were officers of the original board of directors. Enthusiasm dwindled in the late 70s and mention of merging with JRBA was considered in 1982, although not accepted at that time. WSABPA reorganized and accomplished the inauguration of a $60,000 three-year tree-planting schedule along West Stadium and adjoining routes, in cooperation with Elizabeth Dean Fund (a cost-sharing program offered by the Ann Arbor Department of Parks and Recreation). The association also began publishing a monthly newsletter: The Boulevard Banter and started the “Shop the Boulevard” logo used in group advertising, decals, and banners. During the 90s the tradition of a summer picnic for the merchants was adopted as well as an annual community involvement fund/friend raiser, Walk the Boulevard.

Previous West Washtenaw Business Association Interviews:

June 11, 2013:  West Washtenaw Business Association: Jackson Road Cruise – Rick Stites, WWBA President; Todd Bailey, Dunning Toyota – Cruise on over to the west side of town for the 5^th Annual Jackson Road Cruise.  The event is slated for Saturday, July 13 and will feature a parade of cars that span the ages.
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June 4, 2013:  West Washtenaw Business Association: Rick Stites, WWBA President; Dave Hile, Hile Design – A creative design firm in Ann Arbor has won the Silver Creative Award at the International Summit 2013 for an animation promoting Scio Township’s Business District.  Hile Design developed this animated video as a snapshot of who’s doing business in Scio Township on Ann Arbor, Michigan’s west side and what draws them there. It will be used as a promotional tool on the Scio Township website and by area commercial realtors and volunteer advocates when they speak to business owners looking for a great location to establish their companies. View the video here, click the link below to listen to our interview.
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May 28, 2013: West Washtenaw Business Association: Gift of Sight – Alex Teska, Community Engagement Associate, Michigan Eye-Bank; Paul Larned, WWBA Board of Directors; John Krienke, Ph.D., Secretary, Michigan Eye-Bank Board of Directors/Ann Arbor Host Lions Club – The first successful cornea transplant was performed in Austria in 1905.  Across the ocean a few decades later, John Woodworth Henderson began his medical internship at the University of Michigan. Several years later Dr. Henderson’s interest in the cornea – and the transplantation process – would eventually provide the clinical basis for the formation of the Michigan Eye-Bank.  The Michigan Eye-Bank is hosting the Gift of Sight Golf Outing on Saturday, June 15.  Click here for details.
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May 21, 2013:   West Washtenaw Business Association: Animal Chiropractic – Paul Larned, WWBA Board of Directors; Dr. Katy Miller and Dr. Sarah  Wilkinson, Co-Owners of Life’s Journey Family Chiropractic – Animal Chiropractic is a field of animal health care that focues on the health and preservation of the neuro-musculo-skeletal system.  The nervous system controls everything that happens in your animal, impacting your animal’s entire well-beibng and quality of life.
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May 14, 2013:  West Washtenaw Business Association: New Auto Dealership -  Rick Stites, WWBA President; Eric Brower, Retail Operations Manager, Suburban Fiat & Suburban Chrysler Jeep of Ann Arbor – There are only three Fiat dealerships in the state of Michigan and the newest one opened up earlier this year on Ann Arbor’s west side.  The Suburban Collection now operates three dealerships in Ann Arbor, and is committed to community involvement.
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May 7, 2013:  West Washtenaw Business Association:  Building Homes Paul Larned, WWBA Board/The Larned Group; Gyll Stanford, Owner, Stanford Enterprises – As a child, Gyll Stanford built tree houses and even created an automobile from pieces and parts.  Today he owns Stanford Enterprises, a full-service design-build-remodeler.
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April 30, 2013:  West Washtenaw Business Association: hibu – Paul Larned, WWBA Board; Sherry Austin, Client Services Executive, hibu – As a digital media marketing specialist and advertising consultant, Sherry has helped many businesses in  the Ann Arbor area over the years with their client retention and business promotion.  She explains how hibu, whose origins date back to the first Yellow Book, helps consumers buy local.
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April 23, 2013:  West Washtenaw Business Association:  Auto Market Expansion – Rick Stites, WWBA President; Todd Bailey, Dunning Toyota – Dunning Toyota is undergoing a $2.5 million renovation, adding 10,000 square feet to its Ann Arbor operations.
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April 16, 2013:  West Washtenaw Business Association:  A Move to the Westside -  Paul Larned, WWBA Board / Owner, The Larned Group; Julie Cole, Senior Advertising Executive, The Ann Arbor Observer – After decades in downtown Ann Arbor, The Ann Arbor Observer recently bought a building across town, moving its operations to Winewood (near Top of the Lamp and Stadium Opticians.)
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April 9, 2013:  West Washtenaw Business Association: West Stadium Blvd.’s Little Caesars -  Rick Stites, WWBA President; Trent Stephens, Owner – Ever since he was tall enough to reach the ovens, Trent Stephens has been working side-by-side with his dad, Kevin Stephens, at their Little Caesars on Ann Arbor’s west side.  Their franchise is considered more of a mom-and-pop operation.  The store was originally opened by Kevin’s dad, Harry, and his uncle, Jerry, in 1964.
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April 2, 2013:  West Washtenaw Business Association: Lions Convention Comes to Ann Arbor -  Rick Stites, WWBA President; Lions Club’s Richard Westbury and Terry Walters – The District Convention for all 41 Lions Clubs in District 11-B1 will be held in Ann Arbor, April 19-21.  Nearly 300 Lions will gather at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center on Ann Arbor’s west side for the event.
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March 12, 2013:  West Washtenaw Business Association:
Re-Manufacturing of Printer Ink – Paul Larned, WWBA Board Member; Laura Morris, Owner, Cartridge World – This locally-owned printer supply business has three principles:  Reuse, Remanufacture, and Recycle.  We find out how Cartridge World is able to provide ink cartridges, toner, and other printing supplies at a great savings to the consumer and the environment.
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March 5, 2013:  West Washtenaw Business Association: Blind Bowling Tournament Coming to Ann Arbor – John Krienke , Ann Arbor Host Lions Club; Rick Stites, WWBA President; Gerald Rickert, Ann Arbor Blind Bowlers Association – Blinded at age 17, Gerald Rickert managed to graduate from high school and obtain both his undergraduate and Master’s degrees.  He now works at the VA Medical Center in Ann Arbor as a Blind Specialist and is organizing a huge event coming up in Ann Arbor.  It’s the 56^th Annual MBBA Midwest Blind Bowling Tournament sponsored by the Ann Arbor Blind Bowlers Association, which is expecting the largest attendance in more than a decade.  For more info about the event, which is scheduled for March 22-24, 2013 at WWBA member Bel-Mark Lanes, click here.
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Gerald Rickert with his guide dog, Chester.

February 26, 2013:

February 19, 2013:  West Washtenaw Business Association: Recovering Lost Data:  Paul Larned, WWBA Board; Jeff Morris, Owner, Call Your Help Desk – Call Your Help Desk specializes in computer and printer support, including networking, hardware troubleshooting and repair, as well as virus removal and sales.  One of their specialties is recovering datat from dead or dying hard drives.
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February 12, 2013:  West Washtenaw Business Association: Chocolate & Coffee:  Rick Stites, WWBA President; Christine Eleby, Franchise Owner, Great Lakes Coffee and Chocolate – They started as a chocolate retailer and soon began roasting their own coffee as well.  Today Great Lakes Chocolate & Coffee Co. is looking to partner with others interested in owning their own Café as they expand across the region.
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February 5, 2013:  West Washtenaw Business Association:  Rick Stites, WWBA President; John Anderson, CPA/Founder, 7th Rule Accounting - This full-service wealth management firm prepares your taxes and works with you to establish a plan for good money management. Learn the seven rules that will give you a smarter outlook on money, savings, and wealth.
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January 29, 2013:  West Washtenaw Business Association:  Starting Your Own Franchise – Paul Larned, WWBA Board; Jay Mehta, Franchise Consultant, Selectright Inc./Keller Williams Realty – Jay Mehta has owned and operated several franchises over the past fifteen years and now is focused on providing consulting for others who are interested in starting or running a business. If you have ever wondered how to buy a franchise, how much they cost, and which ones give you the most return on your investment, this interview is for you.
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January 22, 2013:  West Washtenaw Business Association: Using Technology to Make Your Business More Profitable  – Rick Stites, President, WWBA; Brian Biskner, Verizon Wireless Zone – Keeping up with the latest technology helps you work smarter.  Learn what 4G is and who has it, the latest smart phones, and how shared plans for families and businesses can save you money.
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West Washtenaw Business Association:  Long Term Care Insurance – Paul Larned, WWBA Board; Walter Garff, Long Term Care Insurance Agent - Walt Garff says long term care is simply a natural consequence of living in a modern, aging society.   He emphasizes that 70% of us are now lingering, only 30% are dying quickly.  To contact Walt Garff, call 734.747.7036.
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January 10, 2013:  West Washtenaw Business Association: Sun & Snow Sports – Rick Stites, President, WWBA; Mary Fisher, Swim Director, Sun & Snow Sports – A winter warm up is coming later this week with temperatures scaling toward 50 degrees.  Sun & Snow Sports has you covered no matter what the temperature.  They have increased their swimming offerings, which is a growing trend for a business known for snow skis and winter sports.
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October 23, 2012:  West Washtenaw Business Association: The Story Behind the Family-Owned Quarter Bistro & Original Cottage Inn –  Tim Patino, GM – The first Cottage Inn restaurant opened its doors at 512 East William in Ann Arbor in 1948. This restaurant has had the distinction of being the first restaurant in Ann Arbor to serve pizza.  The family also owns The Quarter Bistro, which boasts a chef who is a master of seven cuisines.
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October 16, 2012:  West Washtenaw Business Association: Controversy over Compounding –  Rick Stites, WWBA President; Sahar Swidan, Owner/CEO, Pharmacy Solutions:  The recent meningitis outbreak linked to injections for back pain has many questioning whether the compounding of drugs should be better regulated.
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October 9, 2012:  West Washtenaw Business Association: Job Fair  –  Rick Stites, WWBA President; Kate Henson, Director of Programs, The LEAD Institute - An upcoming job fair in Ann Arbor is being billed as a way to stimulate the economy in Southeastern Michigan, make local employers successful, and get the unemployed and under-employed back to work. The Job Fair is Wednesday, October 17 from 10 AM-4 PM at Washtenaw Community College’s Morris Lawrence Building.
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September 19, 2012:  West Washtenaw Business Association:  Ann Arbor’s Commercial Real Estate Market –  Rick Stites, WWBA President; Bob Andrus, Michigan Commercial Realty:  An update on the changing face of the Ann Arbor’s commercial real estate.
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August 14, 2012:  West Washtenaw Business Association:  Home Property Inspection – Paul Larned, Owner, The Larned Group / WWBA Board Member; George Gaves, Owner, WIN Home Inspection – Learn how property inspection sevices are conducted for prospective buyers, listings, and new construction.
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August 7, 2012:  West Washtenaw Business Association – Big George’s Home Appliance Mart  -  Rick Stites, WWBA President; Chad Adam, Big George’s – From refrigerators to stoves and washers, we learn about the current trends in the high efficiency appliance market.
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July 3, 2012:  West Washtenaw Business Association: Trends in Grilling – Rick Stites, WWBA President; Patrick Redman, Big Georges’ Grillmaster –  Find out how your grill techniques stack up against Big Georges’ Grillmaster, who shows us how to  have a flavorful and fun 4^th of July.   (Have you heard about the Big Green Egg?)
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June 19, 2012:  Paul Larned, WWBA Board; Jerry Gillikin, Molecular Hydration Specialist – Kangen Water:  A retired financial institution CEO, Jerry Gillikin is the first person to introduce Kangen Water to Michigan.  Billed as high alkaline, high antioxidant, and super hydrated water, it’s produced through an Enagic unit for the home that has been used in Japan for more than forty years.
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June 12, 2012:  West Washtenaw Business Association: Grand Opening of Culver’s – Rick Stites, WWBA President - On July 18, 1984, Craig Culver and his family converted a former A&W root beer stand in Wisconsin and christened it “Culver’s Frozen Custard and ButterBurgers.” Nearly three decades later, Ann Arbor finally gets its own Culver’s on Ann Arbor’s west side. Rick reports in from the grand opening and we also talk with the local franchise owner of the new Culver’s.
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May 15, 2012:   West Washtenaw Business Association: Business Property Insurance: Rick Stites, WWBA President; Patrick L. Grace, Kleinschmidt Insurance - The Ann Arbor area has dealt with several business embezzlement cases over the last few years. Find out how you can protect your company through employee dishonesty coverage for business owners.
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May 8, 2012:   West Washtenaw Business Association: Swing Into Spring Benefit for The Women’s Center: Jenn Cornell, Board Chair, The Jean Ledwith King Women’s Center of Southeastern Michigan – This small, grassroots non-profit assists more than 600 women, girls and families every year, offering a critical safety net of integrated services, including personal counseling, job coaching, and financial counseling. The Women’s Center is hosting Swing into Spring, a benefit fundraiser, on Friday, May 11 at Barton Hills Country Club.
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May 1, 2012:   West Washtenaw Business Association: Select Ride – Kaitlyn Reid, Assistant to the President, & Kristin Persu, Director of Driver Development; and Rick Stites, WWBA President - Select Ride’s origins date back to the 1930s as Yellow Cab taxi service. Today the Ann Arbor company not only provides taxi rides, but also airport shuttles, limousine services, and accessible transportation. Kaitlyn and Kristin tells us their dad started out as a driver and is now the president and co-owner of the company.
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April 24, 2012:   West Washtenaw Business Association: Paul Larned, WWBA Board of Directors/Larned & Associates; Skip Anderson, Car Show Organizer – Varsity Ford Car Show: When Skip Anderson was a little boy his father owned a gas station in Detroit. Now approaching 80 years old, Skip doesn’t have to reach into the far recesses of his mind to recall that station. All he has to do is step out his back door.
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April 17, 2012:  West Washtenaw Business Association: Tim Patino, WWBA Board of Directors; Debbie Baxter, Just Baked - After working at the Just Baked cupcake shop and bakery, Debbie Baxter convinced the owners to franchise the Westgate Shopping Center location to her. Just Baked offers more than 50 flavors of jumbo gourmet cupcakes, all of which are made fresh daily. With their cupcake towers and chandeliers, and even one cupcake called Fat Elvis, creativity should be listed on the ingredients at Just Baked.
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April 10, 2012:   West Washtenaw Business Association: Rick Stites, WWBA President; Jocelyn VerLee, Owner, BreedAbove, Inc. – Located in the old Coleman’s Produce Station on Ann Arbor’s westside, this new entrepreneur’s business offers a full service pet salon, spa, training and education classes, and hotel.
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April 3, 2012:  West Washtenaw Business Association: Paul Larned, WWBA Board Member / Larned Associates; Cheryl O’Brien, Account Executive, Benz Insurance Agency – Business Insurance: Are you a business owner who is frustrated with the high cost of insuring your assets and dealing with multiple agencies for your insurance needs? Cheryl tells us why it pays to work with a full service independent insurance agency.
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March 27, 2012:   West Washtenaw Business Association: Rick Stites, WWBA President; Tim Patino, WWBA Board/General Manager, Quarter Bistro/The Original Cottage Inn – Rocking, Rolling, & Strolling: Westside Ann Arbor businesses are banding together to raise money for the Dexter Tornado Relief Fund. The WWBA is spearheading the fundraiser, hosted at Belmark Lanes on Tuesday, April 10 from 6-10 PM.
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November 22, 2011:  West Washtenaw Business Association: Bridget Barnes, Ace Barnes Hardware – Getting ready to entertain this season? Looking for unique gift items? Take a stroll through one of the two Ace Barnes Hardware locations in Ann Arbor and you’ll find some must-have and most unique items anywhere.
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November 15, 2011:  West Washtenaw Business Association – Nell & Marianna Narowski, Owners of Amish Tables – Amish Furniture has launched a new business-to-business program with new financing options geared to the business market.
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September 20, 2011:  West Washtenaw Business Association:  Rick Stites, WWBA President; & Len Pytlak, CPA:  Tax Changes & Implications– The elimination of the Michigan Business Tax,  and President Obama’s plan to implement the “Buffet Rule” to tax the rich.

August 2, 2011:  Rick Stites, WWBA President; & Nicola Rooney, Owner of Nicola’s Books  – She went from being a Chemical Engineer to opening her own independent book store in 1995.  Nicola Rooney has managed to compete with the Big Box Book stores, such as Borders, which recently liquidated.  She talks about the business of books and what’s next for her industry.
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