southfieldcc_3ik8d2

When Heidi Morano was a mechanical engineering undergrad, she attended classes and completed assignments. Today, as director of the Entrepreneurial Engineering Design Curriculum at Lawrence Technological University, she can offer her students something even more relevant: a shot at solving a real-world engineering problem through a program called LTU Innovation Encounter.

On October 18-19, six collegiate teams with up to six team members each will gather at LTU’s campus in Southfield to experience a four-hour creativity and innovation workshop with LTU’s award-winning mechanical engineering professor Andrew Gerhart, followed by the unveiling of the problem by corporate sponsor Eaton. Teams will then work, likely into the wee hours, before meeting with their coaches to gain feedback, iterate, and strategize their final pitches to a panel of judges.

After two full days of competition, the winning team will walk away with $1,500, a trophy, and some serious bragging rights. Second and third place teams win $1,000 and $500, respectively.

As the coach and advisor for the LTU team that will compete in the Innovation Encounter, and as an engineer herself, Morano recognizes the value this competition can offer students. “I never experienced anything like this in school,” Morano says, adding that today’s engineers need knowledge that is both deep and broad to be most successful in today’s career marketplace.

Every problem has a solution

At this stage, Eaton’s selected challenge is strictly confidential, but it involves a pain point that the students quite possibly have experienced themselves, says Larry Bennett, director of vehicle technologies and innovation in the Vehicle Group at Eaton. It’s no spoiler to reveal that the problem is automotive related.

“This is a problem we have been looking at for years. It seems simple, but we are hoping to get a non-Eaton viewpoint from a population that is younger and has a different perspective,” says Bennett. Because Eaton will retain the intellectual property from the Innovation Encounter, students will learn the legalities of corporate IP. “They will learn what is confidential, and how to protect it,” Bennett says.

The competition is not limited to engineering students; in fact, teams benefit from a broader perspective, Morano and Bennett say.

“Business students are a valuable asset, because there must be some commercial viability to the solution,” says Bennett, adding that value to the end user is a critical component of the solution. “If it’s a $20,000 solution, the end user might not buy it, but they will if it’s a $20 solution. This is all part of the value proposition of problem solving.”

Students from just about any discipline could add value to a team, says Morano. “In the past we had a nursing student participate. It’s that variety of perspectives that different students can bring to the problem that offer great input to the solution process,” she says.

Keeping it local

In its 10th year, the Innovation Encounter has connected Detroit-area companies with teams of students from LTU and five other colleges who are ready to innovate with the latest classroom knowledge and available technology, says Morano.

“Every year the problem statements are incredible,” she says. “Carhartt last year provided a fantastic problem related to worker safety and wearables that can alert supervisors when workers are walking into dangerous situations or have experienced a fall.” Past participating sponsors include Durr Systems, Ford Motor Co., Visteon, Masco, Faurecia North America, and Reverie, Leon Speakers, Inc., and ElringKlinger Automotive Manufacturing.

For Eaton, the opportunity to work with students in its own neighborhood is a big bonus.

“We’re not just getting a potential solution, but we are neighbors and we use LTU for recruiting and internships and co-ops,” says Bennett, who also serves as a chair for the Mechanical Engineering Industrial Advisory Board at LTU.

“Giving back to the community is a core Eaton belief, and this is a great opportunity to do that. It’s certainly an opportunity for Eaton’s name to be better known in the community, and for Eaton to introduce itself to different universities,” says Bennett. “I’m looking forward to it. I think it will be fun.”

This year, LTU’s team will compete with teams from Ohio Northern University and the University of Toledo. Up to three additional teams can participate; those interested can contact Heidi Morano or visit LTU Innovation Encounter for more information.

A million-dollar idea that never makes its way to market is worth quite a bit less than a million dollars. To help product entrepreneurs in southeast Michigan get their innovations into the hands of their customers, the Southfield Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University provides all the resources necessary. And beginning in October, entrepreneurs can interact with the Centrepolis Accelerator in a whole new way.

On October 4, the Centrepolis Accelerator will open a 6,300 square-foot center on the campus of Lawrence Technological University. In addition to coworking desks, gathering spaces, and conference rooms, the center will feature something many accelerators lack.

“We are unique in that we will have a product development and prototyping lab,” says Dan Radomski, director of the Centrepolis Accelerator. “In that lab we will have product design tools, computer-aided design, engineering and analysis, plus the ability to prototype products using traditional metalworking tools to 3D printing machines.”

A state-of-the-art augmented reality/virtual reality studio will help clients conceptualize design and make important changes, which can eliminate time-consuming and costly redesigns of physical products or manufacturing processes.

What else do entrepreneurs need to know about the Centrepolis Accelerator? We’ve gathered five must-know details.

1. The Centrepolis Accelerator is laser focused on manufacturing and commercializing the physical product.

“We are unique in that we provide support in product development as well as business development,” says Radomski. “We are all about getting to manufacturing readiness.”

In short, the Centrepolis Accelerator is the go-to place for anyone who is developing hardware or another physical product using advanced manufacturing technology.

“No one else in the state focuses on that,” says Radomski.

Through hands-on events and programming, businesses can learn valuable lessons for scaling, design thinking, CleanTech, smart hardware, lean design, and more. Experts at the Centrepolis Accelerator can also help startups leverage funding through state and local business development programs.

2. Support is available to service providers, too.

Companies that specialize in product design, engineering, and prototyping can work with the Centrepolis Accelerator, says Radomski. “We want them to design, manufacture, and test their products in the Detroit area and utilize the expertise here to grow their businesses as well as the companies they are helping to build,” he says. “That economic multiplier supports the client and the extended group of product development services in the southeast Michigan area.”

3. The Centrepolis Accelerator isn’t just for startups. Big companies can benefit, too.

“These are the companies that recognize we are nurturing next-generation technology,” Radomski says. A company that is innovating a new automotive battery technology, for example, can prototype, design, and explore manufacturing techniques at the Centrepolis Accelerator.

An additional benefit for the large company working on-site is the opportunity to collide with entrepreneurs in the coworking space to network, collaborate, and spark new ideas and technologies.

4. The Centrepolis Accelerator taps into the wealth of Michigan’s manufacturing expertise – something that exists in very few cities across the country.

“When people speak about our manufacturing strength, they say that this is something Michigan is best at. We are still best-in-class in what I call the product development part of manufacturing,” Radomski says. “The automotive industry drove the discipline into our supply chain and we are best-in-class at it.”

The Centrepolis Accelerator deploys industry expertise in a deliberate way with the innovators it serves. “They don’t know where to go for design, testing, development, and validating, or they don’t have that skill set themselves. We bring that to the client, and where we don’t have the expertise, we get it from the wider industry.”

5. Talent from Lawrence Tech can improve your design and manufacturing processes.

Lawrence Technological University’s engineering focus produces research, labs, faculty, and students that can investigate the latest manufacturing and product technologies available. Radomski offers the example of smart devices. “One of the areas we are an expert in is embedded sensors in automation, and the movement toward smart devices, from the Fit Bit to the autonomous vehicle,” he says.

As part of LTU, the Centrepolis Accelerator is capable of nurturing industry 4.0 technologies that include smart hardware systems. “We’re teaching companies how to pick the right sensors, wireless systems, and custom designs of this technology. Companies interface with our faculty to develop proofs-of-concept of their products and get the students involved, too.”

Find the Centrepolis Accelerator at 21415 Civic Center Drive, in the Southfield City Centre. The Centrepolis Accelerator opens October 4. Public open house is 12-4 p.m.

On October 4, industries across Michigan will celebrate Manufacturing Day, when factories open their doors to students interested in pursuing a career in the manufacturing industry.

Here in the Southfield City Centre, all eyes will be on the grand opening of a one-of-a-kind workspace dedicated to supporting businesses that manufacture physical products.

The Centrepolis Accelerator will open its coworking and prototype workspace on the campus of Lawrence Technological University on October 4 with a public open house from 12 to 4 p.m.

The center is located at 21415 Civic Centre Drive. In addition to collaborative workspaces and meeting rooms, the 6.300 square-foot center features a prototype lab with wood and metal millworking machines, bench grinders, mitre saws, 3D printing, and an augmented/virtual reality studio.

As a collaborative effort between LTU and the City of Southfield, the Centrepolis Accelerator supports businesses by providing resources to help clients conceptualize and refine viable product designs, establish mentor relationships, recognize consumer markets, scale product-based businesses, connect with leading industry professionals, and leverage student engineering and design talent.

Learn more about the Southfield Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University and register to attend the October 4th open house by clicking here.

Eat To The Beat will wrap up the 2019 summer lunchtime concert series on September 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Southfield City Centre residents, workers, visitors, and friends will have one final chance to sway to the music while enjoying fare from from the area’s best food trucks.

In addition to food trucks and fun, a mobile health unit called “Henry” will be participating in Eat To The Beat in September. Henry is a mobile unit for the All of Us Research Program, a National Institutes of Health initiative to gather health information to further precision medicine. This “new era” of medicine allows patients, health care providers, and researchers to work together to advance individualized care, according to the NIH site.

Henry Ford Health System is one health care organization that is participating in the initiative.

Overall, the program aims to gather one million participants who will share health information over time. At September’s Eat To The Beat, and in partnership with Entercom Radio Stations, Henry is making it easy to participate in the program.

You can enroll onsite and participate in activities to help you learn more about the All of Us Research Program. And after you complete your visit, you will receive a $25 gift card.

For more information about the program, additional events near you, or to get a jump start on the enrollment process please visit HenryFord.com/JoinAllofUs or call 1-844-893-3908 (Option 1).

When breaking into the Southfield property market, Foster Financial Company, Inc. considered different properties in various business districts of the city. The properties they viewed weren’t always the right fit for Foster Financial’s business model, but the experience opened their eyes to what Southfield has to offer.

They got to know Central Park Plaza, a 6-story, 130,000 square foot office building at 26211 Central Park Boulevard, near Arbor Lofts. Pretty soon, they knew they had found their sweet spot. The building was at 50 percent occupancy and badly needed updates, but that didn’t deter Brad Foster, owner of Foster Financial, and his business partner Doug Noble. They purchased the building in September 2017, and in just 16 months, have increased occupancy to 93 percent.

“It had been foreclosed on a couple of times. It was 50 percent vacant. It was a cursed building that no one could ever make work,” says Noble. “We knew it was perfect. Right up our alley.”

With an improvement mindset, Foster Financial’s ownership style is unique. The first thing they did was renovate both lobbies, and met with current tenants to discuss their individual plans. They created their own construction company to outfit more space when tenants wanted to expand, and selected standard finishes that are of a higher quality that most office owners.

“We have full-glass conference rooms, chandeliers, and subway tiles in the kitchens, LVT and hardwood flooring, and creative reception spaces,” says Noble.

The diverse tenant mix at Central Park Plaza includes government agency, medical administrative, legal, insurance, automotive supply, security, charter school management, and home healthcare.

Detroit gets a lot of credit for making a comeback, but Foster and Noble are impressed with the accessibility of the Southfield City Centre and the significant improvements and added amenities throughout the district. Foster, in particular, likes the ease of traffic movement that the dual traffic circles on Evergreen Road provide.

“You never get congestion on Evergreen because there are no lights to get stuck at,” he says.

Central Park Plaza was Foster Financial’s first investment in Southfield, but it is not the company’s last. In January Foster acquired Lahser Center, a 175,000 square-foot building at Lahser Road and the Lodge Freeway. Since closing, the company has signed $35,000 in new leases in the building.

“We are big fans of the Southfield story, and it doesn’t get enough publicity,” says Foster. “Everything you hear is about Detroit and new developments. But there is a strong demand for people to have beautiful offices with half the rent [of Detroit].”

Through Rebuilding Together Southeast Michigan, Eaton Employee-Volunteers “Paws” to Help Southfield Animal Rescue Organization

For 10 years, Eaton Corporation, a Southfield City Centre-based power management company, has teamed up with nonprofit service organization Rebuilding Together Oakland County to maintain, clean, and improve parks in Southfield.

In addition to providing funding support for Rebuilding Together, each year Eaton chooses a couple of days in April or May and gathers 30 to 60 employee volunteers at one of the city’s public parks to groom trails, install trailhead signs, paint trash receptacles and picnic tables, and spread mulch. This effort leaves Southfield’s parks that much more pleasant for everyone.

This year, changes are afoot. Or maybe the changes are a-paw.

On May 9 and 10, Eaton employees will dedicate their efforts to the Southfield-based Almost Home Animal Rescue, a nonprofit no-kill pet rescue organization. Eaton volunteers were offered three choices for their project, and they chose to work on the rescue, according to Halie Black, executive director of Rebuilding Together. Black met with Eaton volunteer coordinators, walked the site, and discussed what repair needs the rescue had that could be completed during the two-day project.

“Eaton volunteers will do some exterior work that the organization needs, and also next door at a training course for police dogs,” says Black. “It’s run down, so they will fix it up and waterproof the obstacles. It’s definitely a great before and after shot.”

Oakland County, Wayne County, and Macomb County police use the course to for dog training, according to Black.

For Eaton, the opportunity to do productive work in the community is a chance for employee volunteers to interact with Southfield on a new level.

“Eaton is all about giving back to the communities where we work and live. The relationship and history with Rebuilding Together is a great example of the responsibility Eaton accepts as a member of the Southfield community. Our employees look forward to this event every year and are very much looking forward to helping out at the Southfield Animal Rescue Organization,” says Larry Bennett, director of vehicle technologies and innovation for Eaton’s Vehicle Group.

Rebuilding Together has undergone its own changes in the past year. The organization, which once solely supported Oakland County, has expanded to include the Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood of Detroit, and has joined up with the Macomb County branch to form Rebuilding Together Southeast Michigan.

Rebuilding Together is preparing for its National Rebuild Day on Saturday, April 27, when it will join sister organizations across the country to revitalize neighborhoods and make homes safer and more functional. This important work allows homeowners to stay in their homes to maintain stable, affordable housing for those in need.

This year, Rebuilding Together Southeast Michigan will put teams of volunteers to work to provide repairs to three homes in Southfield on April 27, plus work on an additional four or five Southfield homes in May and June.

The coordinated effort is a boon to neighborhoods, according to Rick Lampi, operations specialist with the City of Southfield. The work that helps income-challenged homeowners take care of their residences often beautifies the whole street, lifting the spirits of everyone in the neighborhood.

“It’s a win-win. At the end of the day, the homeowner is happy and the volunteers feel good about doing something good for others. Sometimes volunteers even get a kick out of having a reason to buy a new tool for volunteer day,” he says.

Rebuilding Together Southeast Michigan is always seeking corporate sponsors and individual volunteers, as well as homeowner applications for repairs and improvements that will keep homes safe and healthy for families.

Learn more at Rebuilding Together Southeast Michigan, or call 248-482-8061.