Brittany from Talons Out will address the FHBA membership at our November meeting.

The Honor Flight Network is a national network comprised of independent Hubs working together in furtherance of the Honor Flight mission “…to transport America’s veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials dedicated to honoring those who have served and sacrificed for our country.

In furtherance of this common goal, we have the opportunity to show our nation’s veterans the appreciation and honor they deserve. Participation in an Honor Flight trip gives veterans the opportunity to share this momentous occasion with other comrades, to remember friends and comrades lost, and share their stories and experiences with other veterans. All honored veterans travel at no cost to the veteran.
The Honor Flight Network is currently serving veterans from the WWII, Korean War and Vietnam War eras. We also serve terminally ill veterans serving during any era.

Thank you to our Host LMCU! A special shout out to our Breakfast Sponsor Care Patrol, Lauren Wu!

IT’s Oktoberfest at Care Patrol. Join the Forest Hills Business Association for Happy Hour. Enjoy some food, some drinks, a little bit of networking and some live music.

Thank you to CarePatrol for hosting our First Ever Quarterly Happy Hour. This new experience is a chance for your business to gather the membership for a time of fellowship, networking and building relationships with other members. It is also an opportunity for you to “show off” your business. If you are interested in hosting the next Quarterly Happy Hour please reach out to Lauren Wu of Care Patrol lwu@carepatrol.com

Cathy George, an accomplished, some would say formidable, college volleyball coach is GR’s professional volleyball team’s head coach. Join us in October to learn more about her career, the Rise and the future of Women’s Professional Volleyball in Grand Rapids.

With an impressive first season, George took the Rise to the Pro Volleyball Federation championship match. In leading her team to the finals she had to face the top-seeded Atlanta Vibe in the semi-finals. The Rise executed the game plan and achieved a huge up-set in five set victory over the Vibe. The first season of the Rise ended with a loss to the No. 2 seeded Omaha Supernovas in the title match. George and the Rise finished the 2024 season with a 13-13 record, with a 7-5 record at home inside Van Andel Arena.

The winningest coach in the history of Michigan State University’s volleyball program, George led the Spartans for 17 seasons (2005-21) and totaled 35 years as a collegiate head coach, including 11 seasons (1994-2004) at Western Michigan University. Upon her retirement from MSU in January 2022, her 667 career wins (667-457, .593) ranked 15th among active Division I coaches and third in the Big Ten.

As a college coach, George became the first woman to coach in the NCAA D1 Final Four when she took her University of Texas-Arlington program to the national semifinals in 1989. She has made 15 NCAA tournament appearances, coached 26 AVCA All-Americans, and garnered a slew of coaching honors.

Thank you to our Host and Breakfast Sponsor Provision Living

Tom Cronkright is the Executive Chairman of CertifID, a technology platform designed to safeguard electronic payments from fraud.  He co-founded the company in response to a wire fraud he experienced and the rising instances of real estate wire fraud. He also serves as the CEO of Sun Title, a leading title agency in Michigan. Tom is a licensed attorney, real estate broker, title insurance producer and nationally recognized expert on cybersecurity and wire fraud.

Thank you to our Host the Village of Heather Hills! Also a special shout out to our Breakfast Sponsor Grow Trust Partners, Rachel Dick!

Join us Thursday for Networking and an exciting demonstration by our local Robotics Team, The Comets. The Comets are world-class team composed of students from Forest Hills Northern, Easter, and Central High Schools. In 2024, the team placed in the top 80 out of over 3400 teams worldwide. As the COMETS build robots, the students learn and practice invaluable engineering, design, communications, marketing and leadership skills. These students also mentor the middle school and elementary school teams, support many other local robotics teams and host free events at the downtown library to show kids the fun of robotics, science, technology, engineering, arts, and math.

Thank you to our host and breakfast sponsor United Bank!

Katie Ostreko, is the VP of Sales and Marketing at Quality Edge.

She loves solving big, challenging problems, and implementing the pieces that make a strategy work. Katie has always looked to storytelling as a way to connect with people and bring big, scary issues into pieces that simplify the challenges. Katie has worked to create leadership development tools and frameworks for her teams and herself. These tools break down complex situations into manageable pieces to help with things like delivering feedback, sharing perspectives, working collaboratively, negotiating within an organization, and making smart decisions.

Join us at Cascade Trails for a delicious breakfast. EXGR’s Marketing Partnership Manager, Jaylyn McCloy will teach us about Grand Rapids Destination Marketing Platform. In her role, Jaylyn ensures that relationships are beneficial for both these community partners. the meeting planners, convention attendees, and leisure travelers that EXGR serves. Register Here

Join local leaders and industry experts for a discussion on one of the hottest topics in business today: Artificial Intelligence. You’ll learn how to transform and adapt your business to this rapidly developing technology with conversations on how AI could fundamentally impact every facet of your business. No matter your industry, AI has all of the promise (and potential pitfalls) of a once-in-a-lifetime technological breakthrough. Attend this compelling panel discussion for insights on how to take full advantage of its potential.

EXPERTS INCLUDE:

Devon Bleibtry, Cofounder and Chief Executive at Flockx

Bob Dunning, Chief Information Officer at Consumers Credit Union

Nate Jean, Managing Partner/Delivery Lead at Kyros Digital

Moderated by Lynne Jarman-Johnson, Chief Marketing Office at Consumers Credit Union

Securely destroy personal and sensitive documents. We are accepting up to four boxes of documents per car. This event is available to the families and businesses of Forest Hills and the Cascade Area.

Join the FHBA with a lively conversation with Marc Dion from The Balanced Leadership Center. It is their purpose to uncover, identify, teach and hold accountable to proven fundamentals that make businesses, teams, leaders and individuals perform better.

As a former vice president of sales and marketing in the manufacturing industry, executive coach for business owners and entrepreneurs across North America, and now the CEO of a marketing agency, Rob understands the struggle many brands face when it comes to marketing. He wanted to find a better way to get his message across to clients who would care —- and HE DID!

Now, Rob is on a mission to help small businesses accelerate growth by clarifying their message through Hughes Integrated, a StoryBrand Certified Marketing Agency. And as an esteemed marketing keynote speaker and podcast host, his sessions on marketing and branding are engaging, interactive, and inspiring.

Event Website Here! Sponsorship Registration Here!

Please visit the links above to see the event website and sponsorship opportunities available for the 2024 ABA/FHBA Spring Expo!

Stuart Atwater thrives on technical and legal challenges — the more complex, the better. His journey to becoming an intellectual property attorney took a unique path. Before entering the legal profession, Stuart was an engineer and an entrepreneur. His diverse background includes working for large corporations and inventors, launching his own business, earning patents, negotiating multimillion-dollar contracts, and collaborating with investors and venture capitalists. Notably, he worked on the recyclable space shuttle booster rocket, creating a safer, more cost-effective way to reuse rocket materials. He also pioneered the first modern washing machine suspension, a crucial innovation that prevents washing machines from dancing around the floor during use and saves billions of gallons of water annually.

Stuart’s manufacturing industry experience underscored the importance of protecting intellectual property. As he built a multi-million-dollar manufacturing division for a major German global manufacturing firm, he enrolled in law school to gain expertise in intellectual property law. Today, he serves as a trusted advisor, handling patents, trademarks, copyrights, compliance, and tariff reductions for clients across various industries. 

His fascination with how things work led him to pursue an engineering degree from Cornell University. Beyond mechanics, he also explored entrepreneurship, launching a childcare business that won the Johnson Business School Entrepreneurship Prize. He holds both a J.D. and an L.L.M. degree. He has been a guest lecturer at Calvin University and Alma College. Stu is also the head coach for the Forest Hills High School Robotics Team Comets, the President of the Trustees for Westminster Presbyterian Church, and serves on the board of private foundations and non-profits. 

Join us for the annual FHBA Holiday Party!

Army Reserve Ambassador Steve Kenyon holds two BS Degrees from Michigan State University in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and Management as well as Economics. 

Military Retirement Date, Date of Rank, Service and Key Positions:  Retired Reserve 1 March 2014, Lieutenant Colonel, Medical Service Corps. Commander 1/339th Inf. Regt.,  Deputy Branch Chief 2/3rd BDE, Great Lakes Division 75th Training Command, XO- 334th Medical Group, S2 And Battery Cmdr.  4/20 FA,

OIC MEDRETE SEP2000 Camp Soto Cano, Honduras 

Organizations/Clubs/Philanthropies: 

St. Roberts of Newminster Catholic Parish, ESGR- Michigan Committee, ACTON Institute, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans (Life) Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Grand Rapids, Heritage Foundation, 339th Inf. Polar Bear Assn., 442nd Regimental Combat Team Assn. , Right to Life, Michigan Minority Business Development Council, D.A. Blodgett Big Brother Program (Life), AUSA, AUSA-Institute of Land Warfare, MOAA, American Gas Assn., Institute of Gas Technology, Assn. Century Club (100th Division), VFW, Native American Business Alliance, Michigan State University Alumni Club,  Focus on the Family, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, WD Members Credit Union V-Chair.

Civilian Honors:  DG-Leadership Grand Rapids 2000, Big Brother Program–Life Award

Winnie Brinks is the Senate Majority Leader. She is proud to have earned the historic distinctions as the first woman to ever hold this position in the Michigan Senate, as well as being the first woman to represent Grand Rapids in the Michigan Senate since Eva McCall Hamilton was elected in 1920.

She cares deeply about clean drinking water in Michigan and has worked tirelessly on efforts to reduce the prevalence of toxic PFAS chemicals in it. In addition to accessible, clean water, her policy passions include improving equity in maternal health care, reproductive rights, reducing prescription drug costs, and helping uplift local communities and organizations.

Before being elected to the state House, where she served three terms, Brinks was a caseworker at The Source, helping businesses and nonprofits improve workplaces and retain employees. She also worked as the director of a community-based corrections agency and as a school paraprofessional.

Brinks is a graduate of Calvin College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish with a concentration in sociology. She and her husband Steve, a Spanish teacher, live in Grand Rapids and are the parents of three daughters, Olivia, Annalise and Emma.

West Michigan Aviation Academy (WMAA) is a tuition-free public charter high school for grades 9-12. We are located on the campus of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, MI.

WMAA is an innovative, academically rigorous charter high school with a focus on hands-on aviation and STEM education. Our culture molds students with the executive thinking skills and the professional courtesies that are in high demand by employers.

WMAA is one of only a few high schools in the nation where a student can earn a private pilot license as part of the high school curriculum. Our students are also qualified to take the FAA Licensing Test after completing our Unmanned Aerial Systems (“drone”) courses.

WMAA opened its doors in 2010 with 75 students. The school grew rapidly and reached its chartered capacity in 2016. We routinely draw students from 40-50 schools, typically within a seven-county area.

WMAA is open to any Michigan student. Our charter limits enrollment to 620 students (155 per grade). If we have more applications than we do available spots, we conduct a lottery to determine who is eligible to attend.

WMAA ranked #1 in the state among charter schools, and #4 among all public high schools statewide, for the percentage of students meeting or exceeding college readiness targets, as measured in the spring SAT.

Vonnie Woodrick is a compassionate and enthusiastic social change agent. Her founding of the non-profit organization, i understand, exemplifies her determination to change the stigma surrounding mental/brain health illness and loss to suicide.

She is author of the book, i understand pain, love, and healing after suicide, which is currently in 52 units of the Michigan Sheriffs’ Department Victim Advocates Unit. This book is a resource to families who have lost a loved one to suicide. Her second book, Change Can Be Beautiful, is a small but powerful book that she wrote to share her life after loss lessons.

Vonnie’s pocast, Behind the Smile, is a passion project to bring the conversation of mental health to everyday places and reduce stigma. She also leads a support group and a walking group. She has been featured in the national publication Woman’s World on how walking helped heal her heart.

Her greatest passion revolves around the definition of suicide, being outdated and stigmatized. She created a petition to update the definition to a more accurate definition, changing the conversation and reducing stigma. Learn more about i understand and sign the definition petition at iunderstandloveheals.org.

A huge thank you to United Bank for being the August host and breakfast sponsor!

*****SPEAKER UPDATE*****

How to Hear What Is Not Being Said

Dave Kampfschulte is the founder of Amazing Circles Workshops. He is a keynote speaker, author and also facilitates interactive workshops for health care personnel, educators and adult education groups around the country.

Prior to his career with Amazing Circles, Dave has had experiences as a secondary school teacher, hospice volunteer, hotline crisis counselor, stay-at-home dad, wilderness canoe trip leader and a basketball coach. Dave has a Masters in Education and is a certified grief specialist.

Dave's ability to inform, entertain and inspire make him a highly sought after speaker. His workshops are instructive, fast-paced and interactive.

Alicia Cordoba, D.M.A., brings more than two decades of experience in higher education to her new role as president of Aquinas College.  A motivational leader, she has broad expertise in strategic and operational planning, financial management and program design among her other talents.

Prior to joining Aquinas College President Cordoba spent four years at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, rising to the position of associate vice-president.

She also served 18 years at Benedictine University in Lisle, IL in a variety of positions including the Director of the Center for Mission and Identity.

A graduate of the Juilliard School in New York City, she was the first woman to receive a Doctor of Musical Arts in English horn performance.  An accomplished musician she has performed oboe and English horn as part of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as well as performing throughout Europe, Australia, Russia and South America.

In addition to a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from The Juilliard School, Dr. Cordoba holds a bachelor’s and master’s of music from the University of Illinois.  A writer and an engaging speaker on a broad range of topics she is also active in a wide variety of national organizations related to her many interests.       

Acceptable items are paper documents. Limit is 4 boxes of paper items per vehicle.

Available to the residents of the Forest Hills/Cascade area.

A native of Hudsonville and a graduate of Hudsonville High School, Blake Harms is a meteorologist at WOOD TV8. After graduation Blake obtained his bachelor’s degree in Meteorology from Valparaiso University in Indiana and began his career at WLNS TV6 in Lansing.   After giving over 8,000 forecasts on their morning show, he made the move to WOOD TV8, WLNS’ sister station in Grand Rapids. Blake is the weekend evening meteorologist. He also does school closing predictions, providing schools’ chances of closing due to winter weather, which has proven to be popular with students, teachers and parents.

Blake is a big racing fan and on Sundays you can usually find him watching a NASCAR race. In 2022, he worked with the broadcast team at Berlin Raceway as a pit road reporter and eventually a play-by-play analyst.

He also loves all things West Michigan, including Hudsonville Ice Cream (for obvious reasons). If you see him around town, it’ll likely be at DJ’s Pizza in Hudsonville or at Grand Haven State Park. Wherever you find him, be sure to say hello!

I have been employed at the Kent County Sheriff’s Office for over 27 years. I began my career as a Road Patrol Deputy and was promoted through the ranks serving in all divisions at the Sheriff’s Office. In November 2018 I was promoted to Undersheriff. One of my proudest moments was helping initiate our Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) in the jail. While serving as the Jail Security Captain, I saw firsthand the impact the Opioid Epidemic had on our inmates, but also the additional work and stress for the security and medical staff that had to manage the inmates. After extensive research, consultation with the county’s legal staff and medical community, and with the approval from Sheriff, Michelle LaJoye-Young, a partnership with the 61st District Drug Court and phase one of a pilot study began in February 2017. The pilot program allowed inmates in drug court that were lodged at the Kent County Correctional Facility (KCCF) to continue to receive MAT. This pilot has since transitioned to phase two, which allows any inmate at the KCCF to continue an already established MAT program. I earned my BS in Criminal Justice and Psychology from Grand Valley State University, graduated from the Grand Valley State University Police Academy, and am a graduate of the Northwestern University of Police Staff and Command (2007) and the FBI National Academy (2010).

Prior to coaching, Cole played professional hockey for 11 seasons including six seasons in the National Hockey League.   A graduate of Michigan State University he is one of 15 Spartans to have hoisted the Stanley Cup as he helped the New Jersey Devils to the 1995 Cup.

In addition to the NHL he represented the USA as a member of the Men's National Team on three occasions and earned the outstanding player award  of the 1991 IIHF Men's World Championship.

Cole's coaching career started immediately following his playing days. After retiring from the Grand Rapids Griffins in 1999-2000, he remained with the team as an assistant before spending 2001-02 with Muskegon in the United Hockey League, guiding the team to the playoff championship.
 
Cole followed that with a nearly three-year stint as head coach of the Griffins which included two Calder Cup Playoff appearances in 2003 and 2004.

In 2006-07, Cole landed his first college job as an assistant at Bowling Green. After one year at BGSU, he was hired as head coach at Alabama-Huntsville where he led UAH to the program's second-ever berth in the NCAA Tournament, before moving on to USA Hockey in 2010.

Cole's highly-successful run with USA Hockey included guiding the U.S. to two gold medals and one bronze medal at the International Ice Hockey Federation Men's Under-18 World Championship and three top-three finishes at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, the top events in each age group.

He was appointed head coach of the Michigan State hockey program April 2017. He spent five seasons behind the Spartan bench and has 21 seasons as a head coach.

Over Cole's career to-date he has coached 105 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League and has amassed over 500 victories.

Register Here!

Leadership Lessons from the Mountaintop

Rhoda and the Partners in Action, Inc team provide leadership training, executive coaching, and consulting to organizations throughout Michigan, 12 states, and 2 European Countries.

She has a degree in Labor & Industrial Relations, done graduation work in education, and is accredited in volunteer management. With over 20 years experience in human resources and 22 years of management experience in both large and small organizations, Rhoda has served as national training director and conducted training events at the national and regional level.

Rhoda was selected for the “Michigan Top Business Award” in 2020, and is a three-time award winner as on of the “50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan” and named one of the 2017 “Top Woman Owned Business Award”.

Co-Host of the “Leadership in Action” radio program on the WGVU Morning Show with Shelley Irwin and a published author, Rhoda is also a FHBA member.

Click HERE to register!