Michigan Business Network

Jeffrey Mosher has a three-segment interview with Michael McLary, CEO of Ascend LLC of Atlanta, GA. They discuss Michael's background, how Ascend came about and what they are doing differently in the Trucking industry.

While based in Georgia they handle customers in Michigan and shares a bit about the acquisitions they're looking for in the MidWest.

Besides discussing Ascend, Michael gets into how the trucking industry is doing, regional carriage, ecommerce/retail and why Ascend got started (e.g., Michael came from UPS and Amazon, so he is well versed in the industry)

what is happening in the trucking industry (competition for drivers is a big one) and what Ascend is doing differently in terms of getting drivers (ability to be home more; short run days of out-and-back)

regionalization and the high-performance short-haul technology (how they are leveraging the technology so that they are running full more often/less deadheading)

Overall industry

What is happening in supply chain?

Why is it the talk almost nightly on the news (e.g., moving goods around the country)?

eCommerce and retail?

Jeffrey Mosher has a three-segment interview with Michael McLary, CEO of Ascend LLC of Atlanta, GA. They discuss Michael's background, how Ascend came about and what they are doing differently in the Trucking industry.

While based in Georgia they handle customers in Michigan and shares a bit about the acquisitions they're looking for in the MidWest.

Besides discussing Ascend, Michael gets into how the trucking industry is doing, regional carriage, ecommerce/retail and why Ascend got started (e.g., Michael came from UPS and Amazon, so he is well versed in the industry)

what is happening in the trucking industry (competition for drivers is a big one) and what Ascend is doing differently in terms of getting drivers (ability to be home more; short run days of out-and-back)

regionalization and the high-performance short-haul technology (how they are leveraging the technology so that they are running full more often/less deadheading)

Overall industry

What is happening in supply chain?

Why is it the talk almost nightly on the news (e.g., moving goods around the country)?

eCommerce and retail?

Jeffrey Mosher welcomes back Robert Sheehan CEO of the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan, Lansing, Mich. Their discussion covered public mental health and how it impacts our community -- especially in light of Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey introduced two bills – Senate Bills 597 & 598, which attempt to reboot our community’s mental health system. What does this mean for our community?

What would happen if these bills passed into law?

How would it affect our Michigan residents?

Some people are saying these bills will improve our state’s public mental health system. What’s your perspective?

Anything else you’d like to add?

Where can people go to learn more about this?

Videos of other testimonies are available here: https://vimeo.com/user/86874924/folder/7594903

CMHA represents the state’s Community Mental Health centers, the public Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (public health plans formed and governed by the CMH centers) and the providers within the CMH and PIHP provider networks.

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With her vast personal and professional experience the Michigan Community Service Commission has benefited from having the leadership of Virginia (Ginna) Holmes as the Executive Director. Ginna, is a long-time partner of the MCSC and their Mentor Michigan program. Holmes is among the founding members of the Mentor Michigan Providers Council. She is an energetic and powerful leader who shares her passion for Michigan and the heroes throughout our state.

Ginna is full of great examples and stories that highlight some amazing leaders in our state. Her department supports programs that truly encourage residents and inspires our volunteers all across the state. This is an amazing conversation with a Michigan gem! Join the fun and listen in on this edition of the Leadership Lowdown!

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Tony welcomes back Tom Gantert, Managing Editor of Michigan Capitol Confidential, a daily news site of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, for a follow-up discussion about the funding of news sources, and media's persuasive ways across the country and in Michigan.

They review crossed paths in their career, and then Tom's journey over the years and what he sees in media bias, along with how stories are covered (or aren't), and whether this trend will change.

When Gantert arrived at Capitol Confidential as Senior Capitol Correspondent in February 2010, he already had extensive experience as a journalist, having worked for more than 20 years at Michigan daily newspapers, including The Jackson Citizen Patriot, Lansing State Journal and Ann Arbor News. Gantert also served a four-month stint at USA Today as part of a Gannett Corporation loaner program. In 2008, Gantert was The Ann Arbor News writer of the year, and in September 2009, he founded Reporting Michigan, a nonprofit news Web site.

Gantert holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Michigan State University. He has two sons and lives in Jackson, Mich.

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Thank you to Benjamin Robinson and Motor City Skyline's music open.spotify.com/track/7y23KC54uZ…fPSoq_BrEnoS9kUw

Tony spends some time with the Honorable Sandy K. Baruah, who is president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber, the third largest chamber of commerce in the nation. The Chamber represents the business interests of a region comprising 5.4 million residents and 11 Fortune 500 companies. The Chamber also executes the statewide automotive and mobility cluster association, MICHauto, and hosts the nationally recognized Mackinac Policy Conference. Additionally, the Chamber leads the most comprehensive education and talent strategy in the state. Baruah joined the Chamber in 2010 after a distinguished career in Washington, D.C. He served President George W. Bush as administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). In this role, he was the chief executive responsible for the SBA’s 4,000 national employees and $18 billion small business loan portfolio. Baruah was one of the senior officials shaping the federal government’s response to the 2008 credit crisis and assistance to the U.S. automotive industry. Prior to leading the SBA, Baruah served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce. In this role, he was responsible for the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), served as the senior advisor to the Secretary of Commerce for the 2010 Census, and represented the U.S. government before the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, France. Before serving President George W. Bush, Baruah was a corporate mergers and acquisitions consultant for the Performance Consulting Group and served both President George H. W. Bush and U.S. Sen. Bob Packwood. After leaving government service in 2009, he was a Distinguished Fellow at the U.S. Council on Competitiveness, a Washington-based think tank focused on economic competitiveness policy. Baruah earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Oregon and a Master of Business Administration from Willamette University. Baruah serves on the boards of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, U.S. Council on Competitiveness, Automotive Hall of Fame, and Detroit Economic Club, among others. He is a contributor to Harvard Business School’s U.S. Competitiveness Project, a Leadership Circle member of the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas, and chairs the Great Lakes Metro Chambers Coalition. He is also a former Advisory Board Member of Spain’s Institute on Competitiveness. In 2016, Gov. Rick Snyder appointed Baruah as Chair of Michigan’s 21st Century Economy Commission. He is a frequent commentator on local and national media regarding political developments, automotive industry matters, and Detroit and Michigan issues. Sandy and Lisa Baruah have one son, live in a household run by the family pets, and previously lived in Portland, Oregon and Washington, D.C.

Their discussion covers the service area and projects of the Regional Chamber. From there they discuss building for the future, the state of education, and how it can be improved. They cover how media deals with business in Southeastern Michigan, then review the ongoing supply chain disruptions, and go on to discuss inflation's impact on petroleum and its products like gasoline.

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Thank you to Benjamin Robinson and Motor City Skyline's music open.spotify.com/track/7y23KC54uZ…fPSoq_BrEnoS9kUw

A true ray of sunshine, the Leadership Lowdown caught up with Michelle Massey, vice president of community outreach and customer support at TechSmith. The 2021 ATHENA Leadership Award winner offers so much in this interview!

The ATHENA Leadership Award is presented annually in over 500 communities internationally. It recognizes individuals for professional excellence, providing valuable service to the community and actively assisting women in attaining professional excellence and leadership skills.

“I am honored to be the recipient of the 2021 ATHENA Award. It is wonderful to be recognized for doing good in a community that I am passionate about,” said Massey. “Our community is one of creativity, opportunities, and vision. I am grateful I have been able to participate in and lead initiatives that have impacted business and the community. Receiving this award is humbling because there are so many others committed to the Lansing region and doing great things.”

Michelle Massey serves as the vice president of community outreach and customer operations for TechSmith. Massey has over 25 years of information technology industry experience, along with extensive experience in community engagement, business operations, corporate planning, support, and proposal development. Her energy and enthusiasm is a brilliant way to start the year! Get your pen and pad out! There are several noteworthy moments in this edition of the Leadership Lowdown! Listen in and enjoy!!

Down to the core Two Hats Ranch is all about one thing: Service! The demands and expectations of the world simply melt away, leaving visitors with a calm only found in nature. Welcome to Two Hats Ranch!

It has been said that for many hunting is a passion. For the Bettis Family it surpassed the passion level and turned into a way of life. Spanning two generations, with the third generation growing in the wings, the hunting business is what this family does. This is not limited to just the hunters in the family either. As a family business, the entire family has been a part of the various operations, from the front office to hostess positions.

With nearly 60 combined years of professional hunting experience under their belt, they admit, they have never stopped learning. Since the 1970’s, from Northern British Columbia across the United States and Alaska the family has brought their experience to west Mishigan. All the lessons they have learned over these past years have culminated into the Two Hats Ranch.

Listen to this edition of the Michigan Corners and hear from Colby Bettis and learn about this hidden gem, right here in the Great Lake State!

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Tony spends some time with Tom Gantert, Managing Editor of Michigan Capitol Confidential, a daily news site of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.

They review crossed paths in their career, and then Tom's journey over the years and what he sees in media bias, along with how stories are covered (or aren't), and whether this trend will change.

When Gantert arrived at Capitol Confidential as Senior Capitol Correspondent in February 2010, he already had extensive experience as a journalist, having worked for more than 20 years at Michigan daily newspapers, including The Jackson Citizen Patriot, Lansing State Journal and Ann Arbor News. Gantert also served a four-month stint at USA Today as part of a Gannett Corporation loaner program. In 2008, Gantert was The Ann Arbor News writer of the year, and in September 2009, he founded Reporting Michigan, a nonprofit news Web site.

Gantert holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Michigan State University. He has two sons and lives in Jackson, Mich.

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Thank you to Benjamin Robinson and Motor City Skyline's music open.spotify.com/track/7y23KC54uZ…fPSoq_BrEnoS9kUw

We took a fun jog around the field and into the staff meeting room! Old friend Josh Hart chats about his journey from the football field to the business world. He shares some fun stories and great observations on what lessons are learned as a college football player that have transferred into his professional world. Josh currently serves as the Manager of Commercial Lines for Burns & Wilcox. He reminds us that "Life is too short to avoid the difficult conversations"! There is nothing difficult about this conversation, it's fun and easy! Get ready to enjoy this edition of the Leadership Lowdown!

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