business


THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE small T A L K Lisa Whitmore Davis joins AARP Michigan as


associate state director of Community Engagement AARP Michigan has appointed Lisa Whitmore Davis as associate state director of Community Engagement.


Davis will develop and promote AARP’s member and community engagement efforts in the Detroit metropolitan area.


Davis brings more than 10 years of community relations experience to


AARP, most recently as director of Development for the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Wayne State University and director of Public Affairs with the Office of the Wayne County Clerk. During her tenure in each position, she established and maintained community and corporate partnerships, and facilitated broad-based community investment and involvement in initiatives throughout Wayne County.


According to Jacqueline Morrison, AARP Michigan interim state director,


“Lisa possesses extensive knowledge of community relations and outreach, which we are eager to utilize to further the mission of AARP and address the needs of those age 50+ throughout metropolitan Detroit. We are extremely pleased to welcome Lisa to the AARP Michigan staff.”


A longtime Detroit resident, Davis holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in


Human Resources and Community Relations from Michigan State University. She was recently selected as a 2010 Fellow of the CASE Minority Advance- ment Institute and currently serves as a commissioner on the City of Detroit’s Planning Commission.


Lisa Whitmore Davis


AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole.


It produces


AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, a monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, a bimonthly magazine in Spanish and English; NRTA Live & Learn, a quarterly newsletter for 50+ educators; and the website, AARP.org.


Mark Stevens joins Harvey Industries as vice president of


Sales and Development Harvey Industries recently announced that Mark B. Stevens has been


named vice president, Sales and Business Development. In this position, he will be responsible for enhancing and driving the performance of the sales team. Stevens will report to Jerome Harvey, president.


“We are pleased that Mark has joined the team,” Harvey said. “His experi-


ence and leadership skills make him a perfect fit for Harvey Industries. His hands-on approach will allow us to take our organization to a new, higher level to forge even stronger relationships with customers.”


Stevens brings 35 years of experience to Harvey Industries. He recently served as president of Stevens & Stevens Consulting, LLC, a


practice focused on North American automotive suppliers. His past experience includes vice president, director, Sales and Marketing with Karmann USA Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Wilhelm Karmann, GmbH. He also held roles of increasing responsibilities in sales, marketing, procurement, engineering and product design with Sun Plastic Coating, General Motors, Dura Convertible Systems and Chemetco.


He is a member of several organizations. For more information, visit www.harvey-industries.com.


with Mark S. Lee When it comes to starting


or expanding your business, many business owners may not be aware of resources and tools at their disposal. “Small Talk” recently inter- viewed Brian Black, senior vice president, business banking executive, at Fifth Third Bank for his thoughts.


ST: What role does your


office have in small business development and what types of resources does Fifth Third have for those considering starting a business or may have been in business for a short period of time?


BB: Small Business


growth is vital to the eco- nomic recovery of the region and a key growth opportunity for the bank. To assist small businesses Fifth Third Bank supports a number of orga- nizations that provide sup- port and technical assistance through such programs as the Eastern Michigan Uni- versity’s Small Business Technical Development Cen- ter’s Fiscal Fitness Program, sponsored exclusively by Fifth Third. The program is usually provided at little or no cost to the small business owner. This program and others that are supported by the bank help small business owners increase their effec- tiveness,


improve efficien- Mark B. Stevens


cies and expand their mar- kets. Additionally, in May we launched a business advi- sory group to help us develop good financial solutions for small business owners and enhance our ability to better


Neighborhood Service Organization names Tia Cobb assistant unit director for Life Choices Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO), a nonprofit, human service agency, announced that Tia Cobb


has been named assistant unit director for its Life Choices Unit. The announcement was made by Sheilah Clay, president and chief executive officer. Cobb’s responsibilities include ensuring the unit, which provides support and a central access point for children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families, meets all agency and regulatory standards. She will also provide oversight, mentoring, coaching, training and monitoring for program supervisors and staff.


Prior to joining NSO, Cobb served as deputy director for the Federation of


Youth Services, where she was responsible for managing all aspects of the agency programs, including hiring, training and supervising program employ- ees.


Tia Cobb holds a master’s in social work administration from Wayne State


University and a bachelor of arts from Oakland University. She is a board member of the Wayne State School of Social Work and secretary of the Oak- land University Black Alumni Board of Directors.


Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO) was founded in 1955 as a private nonprofit human service agency.


It strives to help children and youth


succeed, strengthen and support families, improve access to mental and behavioral health care and promote independence and self-sufficiency within special populations in Detroit and Southeast Michigan. NSO programs and services are a vital community resource that strive to accommodate diverse and changing needs.


Tia Cobb Neighborhood Service Organization names Risarg Huff


director of Homeless Services Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO), a nonprofit, human service agency, announced that Risarg Huff


(Reggie) has been named director of Homeless Services. The announcement was made by Sheilah Clay, president and chief executive officer. His respon- sibilities will include oversight and leadership of all aspects of NSO programs that provide support services to the homeless adult population in the city of Detroit.


Huff will supervise, monitor and implement the operation of NSO’s Tumaini


Center, a safe haven for Detroit’s homeless population. The center provides substance abuse prevention, mental health assessment and referrals, limited primary health care, case management, housing placement and other services to move homeless individuals into permanent supportive housing.


director of Performance Improvement/Clinical Training and Corporate Compli- ance Officer.


Prior to being named director of Homeless Services, Huff served as NSO’s In this role, he was responsible for ensuring an effective quality


improvement process for all NSO programs, in addition to developing, coordi- nating and conducting staff training. He also ensured that the agency had an effective compliance process that operated within the Whistleblower Act.


Huff holds a master’s in social work administration from Wayne State Univer- Reggie Huff


sity and a bachelor of arts from the University of Michigan. He is a graduate of Leadership Detroit XVI, a member of the National Association of Social Workers, St. John Hospital Spiritual Leadership council, Joy Association Block Club and Cody/Rouge Ministerial Alliance.


Neighborhood Service Organization names Wanda Bailey


unit director of Older Adult Services Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO), a nonprofit, human service agency that helps people in need


improve their lives through a diverse array of innovative programs and services announced that Wanda Bailey has been named unit director of Older Adult Services (OAS). The announcement was made by Sheilah Clay, president and chief executive officer.


Bailey’s responsibilities will include achieving the strategic goals and objec-


tives of the unit, which is a nationally recognized mental health program for Wayne and Oakland county residents age 60 and over and for adult nursing home residents age 18 and over. OAS provides comprehensive mental health outreach, treatment, residential and advocacy services, and helps older adults reach their maximum potential, enabling them to remain active community par- ticipants. She will supervise staff, plan and develop programs and participate in agency administrative meetings.


Prior to joining NSO, Bailey served as deputy director of Detroit Wayne


County Long Term Care Connection where she was responsible for the admin- istration of the agency’s Single Point of Entry program for long-term care sup- ports and services as well as the development of the policies and procedures for the newly established program.


Wanda Bailey


Bailey holds a master’s of social work from Eastern Michigan University and a bachelor of arts from the Uni- versity of Michigan Dearborn.


Brian Black


.361% increase. ST: What are common


causes for small business fail- ures and what are the most significant obstacles to suc- cess?


BB: The latest statistics


from the (SBA) show that “two- thirds of new employer estab- lishments survive at lease two years, and 44 percent survive at least four years.”


There are, however, key fac-


tors that, if not avoided, will be certain to weigh down a busi- ness and possibly sink it for- evermore, including starting your business for the wrong reasons, poor management, lack of planning, et al.


ST: Access to capital has


been a major issue identified by small businesses. What


June 16- 22, 2010 Page D-9


serve them. ST: How important is small


business development to the region’s economic recovery?


BB: Small business devel-


opment is a crucial element to the long-term recovery and health of southeastern Michi- gan. According to the SBA, small businesses employ ap- proximately half of all private sector workers in the United States. Since the mid 1990s, between 60 and 80 percent of all new jobs were created by small businesses. As southeastern Michigan relies heavily on its manufacturing base, industry diversification is an important step to help- ing to revive the state’s econ- omy. Recent data from the Kaufmann Index of Entrepre- neurial Activity suggests that 2009 saw the highest increase in start-ups in the country in 14 years. In Michigan the numbers reflect a .275% to


trends have you noticed re- garding lending?


BB: Available credit for


businesses has begun to expand. Over the last two to three quarters as banks’ stability have improved, the access to credit and loans have improved. However, we are seeing lower demand in these products as busi- nesses have learned to oper- ate more efficiently. Also, we are seeing a more conserva- tive approach to expansion as businesses take a “wait and see” approach to the economic recovery. Loan demand remains steady. In 2009, we originated about $2 billion in small business loans and for January 2010 we saw the demand stay flat at $213 million.


ST: What does a lender


look for when considering providing financial support to small businesses? How about for start-ups?


BB: The key to getting a


small business loan is prepa- ration. First, gather together the documents that will help persuade the lender that a small business loan is neces- sary and that you are a good risk. You will need:


• A business plan • Cash flow projections • A statement of your per-


sonal financial status To get a small business


loan, you may also need the following:


• Past business tax re-


turns • A credit rating report ST: What available re-


sources are there for dis- placed workers considering starting a business?


BB: Grants for business


owners to invest in their company are not available. However, there are several free resources that provide technical and business de- velopment assistance. The Small Business Administra- tion and municipal offices that support business growth are great places to obtain re- sources to help your busi- ness.


For more information on


products and services offered by Fifth Third Bank, please go to www.53.com or call 1- 800-246-5372.


‘Michigan Matters’ takes Emmy Carol Cain, senior producer and host of “Michigan


Matters” (airing 11 a.m. Saturday on WWJ-TV CBS Detroit), won an Emmy Award in the interview/dis- cussion category from the Michigan Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.


The high profile weekly TV program features regu-


lar panelist Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Pat- terson and others like Denise Ilitch, Michigan Chron- icle Publisher Sam Logan and Senior Editor Bankole Thompson.


The show includes Cain’s interviews with guests


like Alan Mullaly, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Newt Gin- grich, Govs. Jennifer Granholm, John Engler and Jim Blanchard, and Judge Greg Mathis.


lauded “Pancakes and Politics” breakfast forums which have appeared as part of


programs. Don’t miss the final “Pancakes and Politics” of the


2010 season on Friday, June 18, at the Detroit Ath- letic Club when the focus is on healthcare. The panel includes: Mike Duggan, president and CEO, Detroit Medical Center; Kevin Klobucar, president and CEO, Blue Care Network of Michigan; Dr. Patricia Mary- land, president and CEO St. John Providence Health System; Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, M.D., executive vice president, Medical Affairs, University of Michiga, CEO, U of M Health System; and Nancy Schlichting, presi- dent and CEO, Henry Ford Health System.


Tickets may be purchased at http://shop.real- timesmedia.com. Carol Cain NAWBO celebration Join NAWBO Greater Detroit on June 10 as


they celebrate 30 Years of Power, Progress, and Policy at their annual meeting at the newly re- modeled Fort Shelby Detroit Doubletree. Meet the new board of directors led by President Leah Arnold, Merrill Lynch, Bloomfield Hills. Arnold is a former business analyst and consultant, founder and lead instructor of the Academy for Strategic Business Solutions, and a certified financial planner with Merrill Lynch and presi- dent elect; and Vickie Lewis, VMXI and Curves, Detroit. VMX International is an environmental engineering consulting firm headquartered in Detroit that works with businesses across the nation to properly recycle and dispose of items ranging from office paper to hazardous materi- als. Lewis is also the owner of a Curves fran- chise in Detroit.


The rest of the directors are: Treasurer: Elinor Ho, EKH Financial Resources,


Troy Secretary: Sheila Hawkins, Third Eye Group,


Detroit Kay Agney, Higbie, Maxon, Agney, Grosse Pointe


Farms Beth Monicatti-Blank, All Seasons Communica-


tions, Romeo Barb Duran, Send Out Cards, Wyandotte Dr. Vanessa Ghant, Person 2 Person Associates,


Southfield Cheryl Hudson, Ntouch Communications & Wood-


house Spa, Southfield Marlene Stone, Intellitrends, Clarkston Theresa Thompson, Tea Time Events, Sterling


Heights


Janice Will, Main Office Mailers, Canton The Chapter Award winners will also be recog-


nized in the celebration, followed by the Forecast for the Future, presented by Leah Arnold, Chapter President. This year’s awardees are:


Innovator, Ruth Holmes, Pentec Handwriting


Consultants Pioneering Spirit, Linda Angér, The Write Concept Friend of NAWBO, Carol Cain, CBS News Currency, Suzanne Drouillard, AmeriCenters


Franklin/Southfield Community Service, Traci Adamczyk, Peace of


Mind Home Care Leadership, Kathleen Alessandro, Energized Solu-


tions Corporate Partner of the Year, Corp! magazine Public Policy Advocate of the Year, Lisa Howze,


Speaking Life Principles Ticket prices are $25 for members, $35 for


non-members. Register at the NAWBO Greater Detroit website at www.nawbogdc.org.


The Greater Detroit Chapter of NAWBO has a


membership of the finest women entrepreneurs in the area who share their experience and em- power each other through NAWBO member- ship. Their businesses include emerging en- trepreneurs, sole proprietors and longstanding companies with multimillion dollar revenues. NAWBO Greater Detroit is the premier busi- ness resource for women business owners in southeastern Michigan.


Cain has also moderated the Michigan Chronicle’s “Michigan Matters”


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