Luther Brown, chief operations officer at The John L Group, has been selected for the 2023 SBA THRIVE Emerging Leaders Reimagined Program. This is a is a research-based, executive-level program that combines business fundamentals with the innovative tools and competitive strategies needed to deliver immediate results. Sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), this intensive program offers education and training in entrepreneurship specifically designed for the executives of small businesses with high growth potential, as well as the opportunity to develop connections with peers and work with business experts and professional coaches.
The City of Flint and the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance were recognized during the 2023 RACER’s Edge Awards in recognition of their support in the successful marketing of Flint’s former Buick City property. The city and the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance were instrumental in attracting Ashley Capital, an experienced and successful developer of industrial properties, to pledge a $300 million investment to redevelop the Buick City property into the Flint Commerce Center. When completed, the Flint Commerce Center is expected to create as many as 3,000 jobs.
Dr. Babak Elahi has been named the dean of the College of Sciences and Liberal Arts of Kettering University, effective Aug. 1. He joined Kettering in 2019 as the department head of Liberal Arts and was named interim dean of the College of Sciences and Liberal Arts in January 2023. Before that, he taught at the College of Liberal Arts at Rochester Institute of Technology.
Drey Wynn, coach for the Flint Monarchs basketball team, has been named the 2023 Global Women’s Basketball Association Coach of the Year. During the second year of his tenure, he oversaw the team’s perfect 120 – 0 record and No. 1 playoff seed.
Financial Plus Credit Union has been named the Credit Union of the Year by the Michigan Certified Development Corporation. The award reflects their commitment to supporting local businesses and fostering economic growth via their implantation of the Small Business Administration 504 Loan Program.
The Genesee Health Plan recently honored several health care champions for their hard work and dedication. Jamie Gaskin of the United Way of Genesee County was inducted into the 2023 Health Care Hall of Fame. Also honored were La’Trece Davis, who received the Volunteer Award; Omar A. Sims, who received the Community Partnership Award; and Yaushica Aubert, who received the Visionary Leadership Award.
Lewis & Knopf, CPAs, P.C. has been named as one of the Top 500 Accounting Firms in the country by INSIDE Public Accounting. The firm was ranked by IPA as one of the top 500 in terms of net revenue.
The Ruth Mott Foundation has committed $1.2 million to the Michigan State University Rx Kids initiative, which provides cash payments to Flint mothers from pregnancy to the end of the first year of the child’s life. The aim of the program is to help fight child poverty and its related health issues
Mott Community College has received a nearly $1.5-million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor that will allow the college to offer pre-apprenticeship services supporting occupational skills training, education, and employment services for 68 young people ages 18-24 through the MCC YouthBuild program. Students who successfully finish the program will be placed in a job, apprenticeship, or have the opportunity to continue with other education programs.
The University of Michigan-Flint has appointed Donna Fry as its interim chancellor. Fry was most recently the dean of the College of Health Services at UM-Flint. Fry has been with the college since 1987 in various roles including faculty member and administrator.