Chamber Blog

In February of 2018, former Grand Valley State University President Thomas Haas announced his coming retirement, and the search for the university’s fifth president began. Months later, it was announced that Dr. Philomena Mantella, former Vice President & CEO of Northeastern University’s Lifelong Learning Network, would take up the mantle as President. As a first-generation […]

“When you’re able to combine your job with your passion, you’d almost do it for free,” said Joe Matthews, Vice President of Purchasing and Diversity Officer for Gentex Corporation. “Don’t tell my boss that,” he added with a laugh. One look around Joe’s office and you can see he is passionate about his work. With […]

A Hand Up, Not a Handout After three months on the job, the new Executive Director of Exodus Place Tom Hyde says he’s still learning something new every day. That’s because, as Hyde says, there is never a dull moment at the transitional housing facility. With a capacity to house 140 men, leading the day […]

No one likes going to the dentist. Or do they? For clients at Smile Dental Partners, dreading the dentist is a thing of the past, thanks to a unique approach to dental care that includes providing exceptional customer service. Dr. Darren Riopelle, owner of Smile Dental Partners, says that is the most satisfying part of […]

If you consider yourself a fan of Mexican cuisine, you have to indulge in the food at MeXo. Their menu is built around pre-Hispanic Mexican food that strives to be both traditional and nutritious. In case you were wondering, pre-hispanic cuisine is that of the indigenous people of Mexico, including the Aztec and Maya, who flourished […]

Although many might consider the vaping and e-liquid industry to be controversial or unprofessional, Joost Vapor operates and prides itself as a legitimate and professional business. They do this by prioritizing the safety of their customers first and foremost through practices like manufacturing all their products in state-of-the-art clean rooms and having strict ID policies […]

Who says you can’t produce beautiful and profitable promotional products while still doing right by Mother Earth? Not Green Giftz, that’s for sure. Green Giftz is a certified Woman-Owned Small Business that specializes in custom, high-design, earth-friendly gifts for corporations that help them stand out in the marketplace. Their products are made from industrial waste […]

Autumn is finally upon us, so pick out your pumpkins and bring out those cozy sweaters. To get into the spirit of the season, the Chamber teamed up with Karen Breckon, Partnership Director for the West Michigan Tourist Association (WMTA), to put together the ultimate guide for the best fall ever. The WMTA is a […]