Member Spotlight: Weber’s Restaurant and Hotel

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Name: Michael Weber

Title: Vice President, Weber’s Restaurant and Hotel

How long has your company been a member of the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber?

Since 1967!

What is a typical day like for you?

My typical day is never dull. From working with and serving our guests to planning our next renovation, there is always something to keep me engaged. The fun thing about owning and operating a hotel is the variety of things you get to learn about day in and day out.

What do you enjoy most about the A2Y Chamber?

I enjoy networking with other chamber members and keeping updated on events that affect the business community.

What’s your favorite tip for someone in your industry?

Hard work is good for the soul.

What is a surprising fact about your business?

We started as a gas station that served hamburgers, beer, and had a pinball machine in 1937

If you would like to be featured in our Member Spotlight, contact us.

A2Y Chamber Welcomes Lizzy Balboa, Public Policy Intern

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The A2Y Chamber is always looking for better ways to serve our members. One area of great importance to our community is public policy. This includes a better understanding of the participants and processes involved, along with an objective assessment of the political dynamics at work.

To keep our members updated on legal and regulatory changes, the A2Y Chamber has partnered with the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy to host a policy research intern. Lizzy Balboa will join us through July and will be available to help answer your policy questions regarding process, participants, and assessment of the practical outcomes. She will provide details on proposed or approved policies, explain their implications, and offer analyses on the political likelihood of implementation. In addition to answering your questions, Lizzy will also help us deliver updates on local, state and federal policy developments. These updates will be designed to serve as informative and objective summaries.

We are excited to have Lizzy on board and we know you will find great value in her work. A Michigan native, and graduate of Grand Valley State University, Lizzy is pursuing a Master of Public Policy degree at the Ford School of Public Policy. Along with her educational background, Lizzy brings experience as a financial and business journalist. She is pleased to field your policy inquiries at lizzy@a2ychamber.org.

Member Spotlight: Governmental Consultant Services (GCSI)

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Name: Kirk A. Profit

Title: Owner/Director, Governmental Consultant Services Inc.

How long has your company been a member of the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber?

… Decades!!

What is a typical day like for you?

Every day is different with new challenges and opportunities as are presented [with a] broad range of issues facing our local community, region, and state.

What do you enjoy most about the A2Y Chamber?

The engagement of its leadership team and membership in issues that matter to our community and region.

What’s your favorite tip for someone in your industry?

Be relevant!

What is a surprising fact about your business?

Most of our clients are long term relationships spanning decades. While we continue to attract new clients with interests in impacting local, regional, and state decisions, we have a number of clients who have been with us for nearly 40 years.

If you would like to be featured in our Member Spotlight, contact us.

Member Spotlight: The Back Office Studio

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Name: John Newman

Title: Community Manager, The Back Office Studio

How long has your company been a member of the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber?

We opened in 2018

What is a typical day like for you?

A typical day for The Back Office Studio involves giving individuals, remote workers and entrepreneurs a great place to do meaningful work. We have fast WiFi, conference rooms, phone booths, cafe seating, sit-to-stand desks, private offices, and fresh Hyperion coffee.

What do you enjoy most about the A2Y Chamber?

The A2Y Chamber is a great way for us to connect with other businesses in the Ypsi and Ann Arbor area. We love the programming and events that the chamber supports.

What’s your favorite tip for someone in your industry?

You don’t have to work at home or at a noisy coffee shop. We have a great space for you to do your best work in downtown Ypsi. Come join us for a day and see if coworking is good fit for your work.

What is a surprising fact about your business?

In a recent study of coworkers, 84% report that they are more engaged and motivated, 67% experience improved professional success, and 69% feel more successful.

If you would like to be featured in our Member Spotlight,contact us.

Member Spotlight: Beyond Primary Care

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Name: Dr. Jeff O’Boyle

Title: Owner

How long has your company been a member of the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber?

Beyond Primary Care, a family medicine and addiction medicine clinic has been a member of the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber since October 2018.

What is a typical day like for you?

A typical day for Dr. Jeff O’Boyle involves getting out of bed early for a cardio, yoga, or weight work-out (need to do what I myself encourage my patients to do!) followed by a dog walk with my two huskies. Then I make an oatmeal or yogurt parfait breakfast and it is off to the clinic!

First I start my day by answering any emails from patients. Then I mix in patient appointments, in-clinic medication refills, in-clinic blood draws, business appointments, and personally following up with my patients over phone, webcam, or text.

I spend time in coordination of care between my patients and their other healthcare providers, as well as connecting to learn more about other physicians, chiropractors, naturopaths, pharmacists, health coaches, and nutritionalist in the community.

In the evening I head home, where making and sitting down for dinner with family is an important daily routine (also encouraging my patients to do the same).

What do you enjoy most about the A2Y Chamber?

As a small business owner, I know that great employees are important to success, and treating them like family helps build loyalty. I know how challenging it is to provide affordable health care for employees. As a physician, I also know that having health insurance does not guarantee healthcare. Through the chamber, I have had the absolute pleasure of meeting and connecting with some of the most genuine people and small business owners one could hope to meet in the community. I listen to the stories and concerns regarding the ever-increasing cost of health insurance and share everyone’s desire for affordable and accessible healthcare.

What’s your favorite tip for someone in your industry?

My advice is to keep innovating to add value to your services, never be content to rest on your laurels. At Beyond Primary Care, one way we provide innovation is routinely offering same-day access to appointments with minimal wait times with a dependable physician is who can address more than one concern at a single visit.

What is a surprising fact about your business?

Beyond Primary Care is a new approach to family medicine that creates the time and space that your health deserves. All appointments at Beyond Primary Care are a minimum 1 hour long. Our patients don’t have to stay that length, but the option is there for them. We love taking care of people who are looking for individualized healthcare, a strong and seamless doctor-patient relationship, and affordable and accessible healthcare that we create through eliminating the unnecessary overhead in the insurance model.

If you would like to be featured in our Member Spotlight,contact us.

Member Spotlight: Red Effect Infrared Fitness

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Red Effect Infrared Fitness offers an unparalleled fitness experience, fusing infrared heat with class-based high intensity interval training,

kick boxing circuit training, cycling, yoga and barre, and combinations of these concepts under one roof. Red Effect also deploys revolutionary heart-rate monitor technology that creates the ultimate workout. The HIIT workouts are designed to achieve and maintain heart rates in the target zones that stimulate the metabolism, increase energy and achieve an “after-burn” effect that can last up to 36 hours post workout.

The infrared heat emitted throughout the Red Effect fitness studio warms the body naturally, which raises core body temperature and enhances the workout to produce a deep, healthy and detoxifying sweat at a cellular level where most toxins reside. Among the many workout benefits of weight loss, conditioning, toning and stress relief, working out in an infrared environment is also known to reduce inflammation, aid in anti-aging and produce overall cardiovascular health.

Ann Arbor members will enjoy numerous extra perks at the Ann Arbor Executive Club 10,000-square foot Studio, including unlimited use of infrared saunas, a full schedule of watch and post-game victory parties in the studio’s social lobby, a full service Stretch Smart Infrared Therapy Center and a smoothie bar.

SOS Community Service’s Road to Home fundraiser was a big success!

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We would like to thank everyone who participated in making Road to Home 2018 SOS’s most successful fundraiser to date. Two hundred guests enjoyed appetizers and a silent auction of artisan bowls at Zingerman’s Greyline on October 4, 2018. The event raised a record $105,970 this year. SOS would like to thank the event co-chairs, Emily Moore-Marshall and Tim Marshall, and the event sponsors.

Member Spotlight – Northwestern Mutual Carol Hoffer

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Together, we’ll create a blueprint to guide your financial life.

Create your financial plan with Northwestern Mutual. From financial planning to long term care planning and employee and executive benefits, together we’ll design a personalized plan to help you achieve financial security. Who’s helping you build your financial future?

Carol Hoffer,
CLU®, CASL®
Financial Advisor
(734) 663-8374
carolhoffer.nm.com

Member Spotlight – SOS Community Services Empty Bowls Fundraiser

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Upcoming Event: SOS Road to Home Fundraiser

The SOS Road to Home Fundraiser will be held on Thursday, October 4 at Zingerman’s Greyline. The event starts with a one-hour happy hour from 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM, and the main event is from 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM. SOS is honored to announce the 2018 Road to Home Fundraiser event chairs are Emily Moore-Marshall and Tim Marshall. We are excited to have the Marshalls serve in this role, and help raise awareness and funds for at-risk and homeless families in Washtenaw County.

“We believe that SOS is well-managed and financially sound organization that is having a significant impact on bringing people home, out of homelessness.”

Community members are invited to enjoy food, music, a silent auction of unique bowls, and a live auction. Attendees will be able to bid on beautiful bowls donated by local artists and supporters. Bowls featured in the auction will be made from a variety of

materials including glass and ceramic.

To learn more and purchase tickets visit www.soscs.org.

 

 

Save-the-Date:

Thursday, October 4 2018

Happy Hour/VIP: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Main Event: 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Tickets: $200.00 (VIP/Happy Hour)

$125.00 (Main Event)

Purchase tickets: www.soscs.org.