PORTAGE – Like the frozen expanse of West Lake that stretches out from beyond the glass walls of MAVCON Properties' Portage headquarters on the east end of the lake, James Dally's dreams for Kalamazoo are expansive.
 

If Jason and Kris Spaulding have their way, local growers will drink the fruits of their labor at a new European microbrewery in the middle of the East Hills business district in Grand Rapids.

Brewery Vivant, a microbrewery specializing in French and Belgian beers, is the lead tenant in Locus Development's renovation of the former Spectrum Health Childcare property at 925 Cherry Street.

It may look peaceful when the frontloaders aren't running, but there's always a churning caldron of activity under the South Kent Landfill in Byron Center, where microbes feast on the more than 4 million tons of trash covered by a layer of soil. As they munch on organic matter, the anaerobic bacteria release methane, a colorless and odorless gas that can be cleaned and burned. Kent County and Granger Electric have joined forces to turn the waste methane into electricity -- enough to power more than 1,800 homes. Rapid Growth takes you behind the scenes of how this creative public-private partnership turns a greenhouse gas into a valuable commodity.

When pitching your company, always sell like you’re talking to your grandma.

George Bosnjak says that between the beginning of 2008 and mid 2009, Alabama laid out $614 million in incentives and grants to companies looking to do business there. In comparison, Michigan is legally bound to limit incentives to just $95 million per 12-month period.
 

Soccer at Hope College got a boost this fall with the completion of Van Andel Soccer Stadium in September. The facility was finished three weeks ahead of schedule and the men's soccer team won the stadium's inaugural game on September 29.  

Fennville's Salt of the Earth is more than a restaurant -- it’s also a coffee shop, bakery and bar, all in one downtown location.

“This project is all about community,” says co-owner and Fennville resident Mark Schrock. “We provide a place for people to gather, eat good food, listen to good music and see their neighbors.”
 

Who would have thought that being a do-gooder could be cool?

But that's just what is happening in the Grand Rapids metro area, thanks to an fortunate combination of old line philanthropic families and the youthful energy of young professionals who are drawn here to work for nonprofit agencies.

Armed with a new name and a new book, Sarah Kallio and Stacey Krastins think they have hit on a successful recipe for business with their unique meal creation system.

Kallio and Krastins, two Grand Haven moms with engineering degrees and a love of home entertaining, are scheduled to release their second book this week, The Stocked Kitchen. Formerly called The Stocked Host, The Stocked Kitchen details a system that speeds up grocery shopping and meal preparation. The book releases this week online and at four West Michigan retailers.

A longtime vision of husband and wife optometrists Scott Hieneman and Stacy Davis came true this year when they opened an optometry office in Ada, enabling them to work together in the same practice.