News

Plante Moran Releases Annual Tax Guide
Plante Moran Releases Annual Tax Guide 150 150 southfieldcc_3ik8d2

Plante Moran, one of the nation’s leading tax accounting firms, has released its annual tax guide designed to help individuals and businesses navigate the changing landscape of tax law.

“Although 2014 won’t be known as a year of great reform in the tax world, it will be known for some very key changes,” said Gordon Krater, Plante Moran managing partner.  “Each year Plante Moran puts together this guide to explain significant changes in tax law and how they impact businesses. We view this as an opportunity to help businesses become more proactive in developing an effective year-end tax plan.”

This year’s guide features a variety of articles with useful information for businesses and individuals, including:

  • Healthcare reform tax and reporting burdens and penalties
  • Medicare surtaxes
  • New capitalization regulations for fixed assets
  • Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act reporting requirements
  • Alternative minimum tax triggers
  • Domestic production activity deductions for manufacturers
  • Compensation planning
  • Tax-efficient bond investing for high-net-worth individuals

To view the tax guide please visit tax.plantemoran.com.

About Plante Moran
Plante Moran is among the nation’s largest accounting, tax and consulting firms and provides a full line of services to organizations in the following industries: manufacturing and distribution, financial institutions, service, health care, private equity, public sector and real estate and construction. Plante Moran has a staff of more than 2,000 professionals in 21 offices throughout Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois with international offices in Shanghai, China; Monterrey, Mexico; and Mumbai, India. Plante Moran has been recognized by a number of organizations, including FORTUNE magazine, as one of the country’s best places to work. For more information, visit plantemoran.com.

Front Lawn Loop Brings Fitness and Accessibility to the Southfield Municipal Campus in the City Centre
Front Lawn Loop Brings Fitness and Accessibility to the Southfield Municipal Campus in the City Centre 150 150 southfieldcc_3ik8d2

Lawn LoopThe first phase of the Southfield Municipal Campus front lawn loop construction is now complete. This new 8 ft. wide walkway encourages more pedestrian activity from members of the community and is the most recent step towards the vision of making the City Centre a more walkable environment.

Two and a half circuits of the loop add up approximately to one mile or 20 minute heart healthy activity.

The new walkway makes the front lawn Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible for visitors, employees and residents. This will also allow more families with children in strollers access to events on the lawn.

Six benches and trash cans will initially be placed around the perimeter of the loop to give walkers a place to take a break or eat lunch in a pleasant outdoor environment.Lawn Loop4

The City Centre hopes to add ¼ mile markers around the loop and signs displaying information about healthy living in future phases of construction.

The final phase of the loop, which includes a 10 foot wide bike path on the east side of Evergreen Road, will be installed this coming spring.

LeCarpentier named director of LTU’s biomedical engineering program
LeCarpentier named director of LTU’s biomedical engineering program 150 150 southfieldcc_3ik8d2

Gerald (Jerry) LeCarpentier of Plymouth has been named director of the biomedical engineering (BME) program at Lawrence Technological University.

LeCarpentier expects LTU’s BME program to continue to expand and attract more students. LTU’s master’s degree program in biomedical engineering will be introduced in the 2015 fall semester.

“With the oldest baby-boomers now approaching 70 with a life expectancy exceeding 85, it is natural to assume that BME graduates will play a very large part in the fabric of healthcare and quality of life in our aging society,” he said.

Biomedical engineering was ranked number one on the “best job” list for 2012 and 2013 on the CNN Money website. LeCarpentier believes BME graduates from LTU will be prepared to play important roles in the field.

“The key to this success will be the natural collaborative efforts and multidisciplinary approach inherent in our BME curriculum here at LTU,” LeCarpentier said. “Our BME faculty offer tremendous expertise in this educational process.” read more

Westport’s donation includes bi-fuel vehicle to Lawrence Tech
Westport’s donation includes bi-fuel vehicle to Lawrence Tech 150 150 southfieldcc_3ik8d2
LTU President Virinder Moudgil (L) and ServoTech Engineering President Hamid Servati unveil the logos on one of the trucks donated by Westport Advanced Engineering.

LTU President Virinder Moudgil (L) and ServoTech Engineering President Hamid Servati unveil the logos on one of the trucks donated by Westport Advanced Engineering.

Westport, a natural gas engine and vehicle engineering company, has donated a bi-fuel Ford F-250 truck that can run on either gasoline or compressed natural gas to Lawrence Technological University (LTU). The bi-fuel truck will also serve dual purposes – student research in LTU’s alternative fuels program and snow removal on campus.

Westport also provided LTU another F-250, two F-150s and an F-450, which will also be used for campus maintenance.

Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Westport engineers some of the world’s most advanced natural gas engines and vehicles. It works with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) worldwide from design through production, creating products to meet the growing demand for vehicle technology that reduce both emissions and fuel costs.

Hamid Servati, vice president of Westport and president of Belleville-based ServoTech Engineering, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Westport, formally donated the vehicles to LTU at an Oct. 8 ceremony.  read more

Lawrence Tech students win two sustainability grants from Ford Fund
Lawrence Tech students win two sustainability grants from Ford Fund 150 150 southfieldcc_3ik8d2
Lawrence Technological University’s Net Zero Energy project with the Sampson Webber Leadership Academy in Detroit involves many stakeholders. Here LTU students, at left, meet with school officials and community partners.

Lawrence Technological University’s Net Zero Energy project with the Sampson Webber Leadership Academy in Detroit involves many stakeholders. Here LTU students, at left, meet with school officials and community partners.

Two student projects at Lawrence Technological University have won $25,000 Ford College Community Challenge (Ford C3) grants that promote sustainability and innovation.

In all, the Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Ford Motor Company, is awarding $280,000 in Ford C3 grants to 16 student-led projects focused on building sustainable communities. The program, which is now in its seventh year, includes international projects in Brazil and China for the first time.

The Ford C3 grant winners have presented proposals for sustainable projects with significant student input, involvement and leadership. Water conservation, renewable energy, urban gardening, recycling and transportation are among the proposals submitted by these creative teams of students.

“Educating the next generation of leaders is at the center of Ford Fund’s commitment to a better world,” said Jim Vella, president of the Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. “Education, innovation and sustainable solutions is a powerful formula for success in our communities, and will help future engineers, managers and entrepreneurs build a solid foundation for the careers of tomorrow.”

LTU is the only university with two Ford C3 grants this year. read more

Warner Norcross Partners Appointed to State Bar of Michigan
Warner Norcross Partners Appointed to State Bar of Michigan 150 150 southfieldcc_3ik8d2

Two partners from Warner Norcross & Judd LLP have been elected to serve on the governing council of the State Bar of Michigan Environmental Section.

Dennis J. Donohue has been selected to serve a two-year term as secretary-treasurer and Steven C. Kohl has been selected to serve a two-year term as a committee member. The Environmental Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan provides education, information, and analysis about environmental concerns through meetings, seminars, public service programs, their website and publication of the Michigan Environmental Law Journal.  read more

Warner Norcross Successfully Defends Patent Infringement Case Brought
Warner Norcross Successfully Defends Patent Infringement Case Brought 150 150 southfieldcc_3ik8d2

Patent litigators from the law firm Warner Norcross & Judd LLP have successfully defended a patent infringement case brought by Attica Automation covering automated inspection equipment.

Earlier this month, a jury in the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Michigan agreed that Clawson-based Linear Group Services and ND Industries had not infringed a patent owned by Attica Automation. Attica brought its suit in 2013 against Linear and ND Industries, alleging that Linear had copied patented technology in developing its new automatic sorting equipment.  Attica also accused ND Industries of infringement through its use of Linear’s machines.

Linear introduced a new automated inspection machine in 2011, which quickly gained acceptance by the fastener industry.  The Linear machine adopted a new approach, removing the “good parts” from the line and allowing “bad parts” to continue on into a reject bin.  Previous systems, including the method covered by Attica’s patent, had removed the “bad parts” from the line.   read more

Van Tine wins LTU’s architecture alumni award
Van Tine wins LTU’s architecture alumni award 150 150 southfieldcc_3ik8d2

Northville architect Gina Van Tine, BSAr’89, BAr’94, is the 2014 recipient of the Distinguished Architecture Alumni Award presented annually by the Architecture and Design Cabinet of the Lawrence Technological University Alumni Association.

The award will be presented on Thursday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m. in the Architecture Building auditorium where Van Tine will also give a presentation about her practice entitled “Quality and Pricing” as part of the Taubman Lecture Series of the College of Architecture and Design. A reception will begin at 6 p.m. in the Architecture Building gallery. The program is free and open to the public.

To RSVP, go to www.lawrencetech.net/DAA. read more

LTU to co-host conference on designing places for underserved communities
LTU to co-host conference on designing places for underserved communities 150 150 southfieldcc_3ik8d2

Lawrence Technological University will co-host the 15th annual Structures for Inclusion (SFI) Conference April 11-12, 2015, in Detroit. The conference will bring together the best ideas and practices for reaching those segments of society currently underserved by architecture.

The annual conference will feature the best public interest design from around the globe, including the winners of the Social Economic Environmental Design (SEED) competition.

“Resilience of Mind, Body and Spirit” will be the theme of SFI 15, which will feature projects from Detroit and other resilient cities in search of a new kind of post-industrial world order.  read more

LTU Homecoming October 4 – 12
LTU Homecoming October 4 – 12 150 150 southfieldcc_3ik8d2

Lawrence Technological University (LTU) is celebrating Homecoming October 4-12 this year. An exciting lineup of speakers, athletic events and much more is scheduled for 2014. Students, businesses and the public are welcome to come to any and all events.

For more information about events please visit www.ltu.edu/homecoming or contact Phil Lucas at plucas@ltu.edu or (248) 204-4117. For a campus map, visit http://www.ltu.edu/map/downloads/map.pdf.

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