STATE ADVISOR LISTENS TO LOCAL LEADERS ABOUT FUTURE WORKERS

Business, education, and elected leaders from several western Wayne County communities bent the ear of Governor Rick Snyder’s top advisor on workforce development on Tuesday, July 28.

Michigan Talent Investment Agency’s Stephanie Comai

 and AlphaUSA’s Chuck Dardas listen to the workforce
discussion with leaders from across Western Wayne County. 

Stephanie Comai, director of the newly created Michigan Talent Investment Agency, met for two hours with a group from Livonia, Westland, Wayne, Northville, Plymouth and Canton at Schoolcraft College. The focus was on the state’s shortage of young people pursuing careers in skilled trades, technology, and construction. Most of these positions only require one or two years of post-secondary education, and often pay more than many who earn a bachelor’s degree.

“Locally, statewide and nationally, we are all looking for talent but we are concerned the feedstock is dwindling in our workspace,” said Chuck Dardas, president and COO of Livonia-based manufacturer AlphaUSA.

Comai said her agency, created by the Governor in March, is charged with developing state initiatives that better prepares young people for in-demand jobs.

“We need to overcome the stereotypes that exist about skilled trades,” Comai said. “We plan to begin focus groups with parents to identify what they need to hear so they encourage their children to look at these careers.”

Paul Bohn, a lawyer and partner with the Northville-based firm Fausone Bohn, said there are programming gaps in education and there are unreasonable state demands for professionals to teach career technical education (CTE) classes.

“Guys like Chuck Dardas, who is an accountant and successful chief executive of a manufacturing company for many years is not ‘qualified’ to teach a business class in a Michigan school,” Bohn said.

Comai acknowledged CTE certification requirements are “horrifying.”

Educators detailed challenges they face promoting CTE and science, technology, engineering, and math programs (STEM).  With the need for education cuts in recent years, educators said limited demand for such curriculum made CTE programs an easy target for the budget ax. Additionally, local educators identified other issues:

Mark Bondy, who runs CTE programs for Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, said the district recently used $1.5 million from a bond issue to enhance STEM labs, but there are not enough students using these labs.

Ann Owen, principal of Livonia’s Emerson Middle School, said she consistently sees seventh and eighth graders drop out of school. She suggested more active and engaging classes, such as robust shop classes, might keep these at-risk students in school.

Dr. Michele Harmala, superintendent of Wayne-Westland schools, said technical education is primarily discussed at high school and college level, but it needs to be introduced at younger ages, which may entice more students to these careers. 

Employers like Ted Barker, who runs Livonia-based Shaw Construction and Management Co., said there is a lack of awareness about opportunities in his industry.

“We have a lot of employees who make a very good living working for us, and only two of them have a bachelor’s degree,” Barker said.

Harmala said CTE is a less-expensive option for parents concerned about the costs of their child’s college education. And in many cases, Harmala added a motivated, experienced young worker with an associate’s degree will have a chance to earn a business, engineering, or management bachelor’s degree with the expense covered by their employer. 

Other leaders involved in the discussion included: Dr. Randy Liepa, the outgoing Livonia schools superintendent who will soon lead Wayne RESA; Dr. Michael Meissen, superintendent of Plymouth-Canton schools; Mayor Jack Kirksey of Livonia; Supervisor Phil LaJoy of Canton Township; and Supervisor Shannon Price of Plymouth Township.

‘MOM-AND-POP SHOPS’

There are more in Livonia than many realize

There has been a lot of talk this summer about the concept of creating a downtown Livonia.

The effort by a group of Livonia residents, who call themselves the Livonia Downtown Partnership, started with a focus on a potential redevelopment of the Kmart site at Seven Mile and Farmington. However, the ideas grew to seek trendy retail and restaurant redevelopments at other locations, and a coordinated series of modern redevelopments along all of Farmington Road.

There will be much debate in the future about what can and cannot be done, but this group should be applauded for their enthusiasm and collaboration with a goal of making Livonia a better place.

One common message that came from the ideas gathered by this group was the desire for more “mom and pop shops,” and less chain stores and restaurants. Ideally, their vision of a “downtown-like” development would include several unique stores and restaurants.

Livonia already has a number of family-owned, unique stores and restaurants – they are just scattered across our 36-square-mile city.

Here is a starting list of independently-run operated shops and restaurants in Livonia.

Joe’s Produce, in its 70th year, is one of metro Detroit’s premier food stores. Blazo’s Pie Shoppe offers fresh-made pies and other Michigan-made products next to Senate Coney Island. The recently-expanded Wine Palace includes fresh-made food. Town Peddler on Plymouth Road has been known for its knick-knacks for years. Colleen’s Gaelic Gifts on Farmington Road has featured its Irish inventory for more than a decade.

My Hobby Place on Plymouth at Farmington is a comfortable place to buy toys. Laurel Park Place Mall is a comfortable size shopping center with several independent stores, such as Pro Sports Zone and The Olive Store. The TRI Shop, a triathlete specialty store on Plymouth near Levan. Bill and Rod’s Appliance store on Middlebelt features cooking demonstrations, and d.vine fine wines on Haggerty has a comprehensive focus on unique wines.

Livonia has a number of independently-run restaurants. On Plymouth Road, there is Mama Mia’s, which is undergoing renovations, Annie’s Family Restaurant, Archie’s, Luigi’s Pizza Café, the historic Daly’s restaurant, Las Palapas Mexican Restaurant, and Thomas’ Family Restaurant. There’s Steve’s Family Dining on Middlebelt, G. Subu’s Leather Bottle on Farmington, Tahini Mediterranean Bakery and Grill on Haggerty, and the quaint Blue Plate Diner on Seven Mile.

Livonia features some famous carry-out places with the Detroit Bagel Co., Bates Hamburgers, Tony Baloney’s sub shop, Primo’s Pizza, and the Dairy Barn.

And there is a variety of bars in Livonia: The craft beer selection at One Under, the famous hamburgers at Mason’s, and the revamped sports watching and dining venues at George Murphy’s, Coaches Corner, Time Out Bar and Grill, and O’Malley’s.

This is just to name a few. The bottom line: Livonia has a lot of great places to shop, dine, and have fun – probably more of a selection than most suburban communities. You just might have to take a quick drive to get there. 

Joe’s Produce celebrates 70th anniversary

Today, Joe’s Produce has 31,000 square feet to display fruits,
vegetables, baked goods, prepared meals,
 and variety of beverages.

Livonians have visited the same Seven Mile Road location to buy fruit longer than they’ve been going to city hall.

As one of Livonia’s longest-lasting businesses, Joe’s Produce celebrated its 70^th anniversary Aug. 1 with a customer appreciation.

“We’ve grown with the community,” said Joe Maiorana Jr., the operation’s third-generation owner. “We’ve always had a great customer base here in Livonia, and we would not have lasted this long without our many loyal customers in this town.”

A young Joe Maiorana Jr. stands with her grandmother,
Frances, in front of the Maiorana Orchards
fruit stand on in the early-1960s.

Joe’s grandfather, Gaspare Maiorana purchased a 40-acre farm off Seven Mile in 1945 – five years before Livonia chartered as a city. On this farm, Gaspare built a fruit stand where he sold items he harvested from the farm which was known as Maiorana Orchards.

Gaspare’s son, Joe, built a 6,500-square-foot store on farm property in 1967 and called it Joe’s Produce. The new building enabled the family business to offer more products for its customers, such as vegetables and dairy items. He expanded the store in 1985 with another 12,000 square feet for more refrigerated products and prepared salads.

Owner Joe Maiorana Jr. stands with
Produce Manager George Gjnoaj.

Joe Maiorana Sr. retired in 1997 and turned things over to his son. Joe Jr. oversaw another expansion, completed in spring 2007, which added another 12,500 square feet for larger displays and aisles, new sections for deli, prepared hot and cold meals, specialty baked goods and coffee. The building’s exterior was also renovated. The Livonia Chamber of Commerce recognized Joe’s Produce for this project with a Livonia Community Enhancement Award.

Joe Maiorana Jr. said adding prepared foods enabled the business to branch out and offer more services. A catering operation, Joe’s Gourmet Catering, developed in 2007. Two new food stores emerged in the adjacent strip center in 2012 with Joe’s Meat and Seafood and Art of Bread.

Joe’s Produce expanded its services by adding
 Joe’s Meats and Seafood and Art of Bread in 2012.

“Having the fresh meat and fresh bread available here all the time is good for our customers and our catering operation,” Maiorana said. “Not many catering operations can say everything was made from scratch at one place.”

Dan West, president of the Livonia Chamber of Commerce, said people travel from miles away to shop at any of the Joe’s stores because they know they are buying quality products.

“Joe’s Produce is one of Livonia’s signature businesses,” West said.

Joe Maiorana Jr. stands in front of at the
entrance into Joe’s Produce, featuring an
outdoor display as tribute to the fruit
 stand his grandfather built to
start the family business.

Maiorana credits his staff of 150 employees for the continued success of the store, many of whom are veteran employees such as produce manager George Gjonaj, who has worked at the store for 28 years. He also praises the work of 14 trained culinarians and other conscious managers.

“They are meticulous and take their time to do a good job,” Maiorana said. “They always talk about how they are willing to experiment and try to do things differently, to keep things fresh.”

Seven decades in business is an enormous sense of pride for the Maiorana family, many of whom worked on the farm or in the store. As a boy, Maiorana remembers a poignant comment his father made to him in 1970. He pointed to a Joe’s Produce logo and said: “That’s what you’re going to do.”

Today, Joe Sr. is enjoying retired life in Florida, but visits and embraces the decisions that helped Joe’s Produce evolve from a family farm into one of metro Detroit’s premier food markets. 

“My dad really likes the changes,” Joe Jr. said. “My grandfather would also be impressed.”

Advanced Satellite Communications Job Opening

Title: Cable TV Systems Operation Manager

Reports to: General Ops

Class: Full-Time

Overview:

The Operation Manager is responsible for ensuring that all commercial satellite TV projects, DIRECTV & audio video systems are quoted, delivered, and installed on time and on budget, aligning with customer expectations.  In this role, you will provide sales and service, technical support, engineering, and project management in support of the sales team and our customers in markets served by ASC, INCLUDING hotels, senior living, hospitals, and other hospitality and business segments.

Proposal and Estimating Responsibilities:

• Provide technical and sales support to internal teams
• Survey, inspect and audit customer / prospect site locations
• Write and submit installation documents and summaries
• Application / Engineer solutions – stay current with industry technology and installation requirements
• Create and approve proposals

Operation Management Responsibilities:

• Manage installations – technical team and customer requirements
• Coordinate and direct on-site installation teams
• Provide training to end-users
• Inspect and verify quality of installations / work
• Manage budgets and timelines
• Support sales in managing customer expectations

General Expectations:

• Responsible for servicing existing client base and working directly with ASC sales, support staff and employees
• Provide timely and accurate responses to customer questions and concerns
• Responsible for on-site training and inspections
• Track and provide accurate installation information for continuous improvement in our processes
• Acquire and maintain sound knowledge of all product lines and services offered

Qualifications:

• Two or four-year degree from an accredited college or university
• Project management experience
• Broad knowledge of various signal level meters / electronic test equipment
• Basic working knowledge of data and IP networks required
• Experience with design, build and installation of commercial DIRECTV or DISH Network head end systems in a commercial environment
• SBCA or other industry certifications is a plus
• Experience in the following additional technical areas is a plus – sound systems and video distribution, wireless networking, digital signage, hard line and fiber systems

Additional Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Must be responsible, self-motivated, self-starter, personable and well-organized
• Superior customer support service skills
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously and meet deadlines
• Strong interpersonal skills - ability to work with diverse groups including ASC staff
• Proficiency in the use of personal computers including such programs as MS Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint and Outlook
• Must be able to read and effectively interpret general blue prints and site plans

Specific Requirements:

• Moderate amount of travel to customer and vendor sites is expected
• Valid and current driver’s license
• Microsoft Office assessment test required

Compensation:

• $65,000 to $75,000 annually based on experience
• Bonus opportunities
• Company vehicle, travel allowance
• Earned PTO and holiday pay
• Office suite and company PDA and cell phone
• Relocation expense support will be considered for the right candidate

This great job opportunity needs to be filled immediately – No later than July 31^st , 2015.

Please submit your resume along with a simple cover letter to
asc-marketing@advancedsat.com. 

Business Milestones - June 25, 2015 - Livonia Observer

Bill & Rod’s Appliance earns Angie’s List Super Service Award

Bill & Rod’s Appliance Inc. of Livonia has earned the service industry’s coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award, reflecting an exemplary year of service provided to members of the local services marketplace and consumer review site in 2014.

“Our goal is to satisfy every customer we come in contact with. We are constantly working on creating a better experience through prediagnosis of problems to take less time for repair and follow up calls in order to make sure our customers are completely satisfied,” said Joe Legato, general manager.

Only about 5 percent of the appliance repair companies in metro-Detroit have performed so consistently well enough to earn the Super Service Award, according to Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “It’s a really high standard,” she said.

Angie’s List Super Service Award 2014 winners have met strict eligibility requirements, which include an “A” rating in overall grade, recent grade, and review period grade; the company must be in good standing with Angie’s List, pass a background check and abide by Angie’s List operational guidelines.

Service company ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List. Companies are graded on an A through F scale in areas ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality.

Camelot Hall receives Bronze National Quality Award

Livonia-based Camelot Hall Convalescent Center has been recognized as a 2015 recipient of the Bronze – Commitment to Quality Award for its dedication to improving the lives of residents through quality care. The award is the first of three distinctions possible through the National Quality Award Program, presented by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL).

“It is a great honor to be recognized by AHCA/NCAL with a National Quality Award,” said Jacqueline Davis, administrator, Camelot Hall. “Improving the lives of the residents and families we care for every day is what brings us joy.”

Implemented by AHCA/NCAL in 1996, the National Quality Award Program is centered on the core values and criteria of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program. The program assists providers of long term and post-acute care services in achieving performance excellence goals.

The program has three levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Centers begin the quality improvement process at the Bronze level, where they develop an organizational profile with essential performance elements such as vision and mission statements and an assessment of customers’ expectations. Bronze applicants must also demonstrate their ability to implement a performance improvement system. Examiners review each Bronze application to determine if the center has met the demands of the criteria. As a recipient of the Bronze - Commitment to Quality Award, Camelot Hall may now move forward in developing approaches and achieving performance levels that meet the criteria required for the Silver - Achievement in Quality Award.

Camelot Hall was one of 545 centers to receive the Bronze level award.

IHOP celebrates anniversary with 57-cent buttermilk pancakes

In celebration of IHOP restaurants’ 57th anniversary, participating IHOP restaurants will offer each guest one short stack of its buttermilk pancakes in restaurant from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on July 7 for 57 cents,three cents less than they cost when Al and Jerry Lapin opened the first International House of Pancakes in Toluca Lake, Calif., in 1958.

Coinciding with the anniversary, IHOP has updated its logo, devoted to the brand’s commitment to keeping guests happy, and has introduced a “Summer of Smiles” program with multiple activities planned to celebrate members of the community and organizations that have devoted countless hours toward philanthropic endeavors that make others smile.

“The great service, delicious food, and wonderful experiences at IHOP restaurants have been making guests smile for 57 years,” said Kirk Thompson, vice president, marketing, IHOP. “And while our beaming new logo perfectly captures our heritage of happiness, our 57th Anniversary celebration takes it a step further celebrating the generosity of others in their endeavors to make those less fortunate smile.”

IHOP now has1,650 restaurants in 11 countries and U.S. territories. The Livonia IHOP is at 14200 Middlebelt Road.