Ann Arbor SPARK: Recent Episodes
Ann Arbor SPARK
The Ann Arbor SPARK podcast series highlights CEOs in the region along with discussions on investment and business in southeast Michigan.
This episode of the Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Podcast features Kelly Sexton from the University of Michigan.
This episode of the Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Podcast features Reuben Sarkar from the American Center for Mobility.
This episode features special guest Ben Lorenz from Human Element. SPARK.grow is hosted by Dave Haviland of Phimation Strategy Group.
Business banking in the Ann Arbor area is a competitive arena. Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Paul Krutko sat down with Peter Schork, co-founder, president, and CEO of Ann Arbor State Bank to discuss how this bank with local roots works with small to medium sized businesses in the area.
They discuss the recent partnership between their two organizations supporting Back Office Studio, a new co-working space that provides first-hand exposure to Ypsilanti. Schork, an Ypsilanti native, shares how businesses like Back Office Studio support connecting and retaining Ypsi’s talent pool within the city’s vibrant downtown.
Mandy Grewal, Pittsfield Charter Township supervisor, received the Ann Arbor SPARK 2018 Volunteer of the Year award for her dedication and visionary leadership serving on Ann Arbor SPARK’s executive committee and co-chairing its public sector committee.
During a recent conversation with SPARK CEO and president Paul Krutko, Mandy shared how her career in public service began and — after nearly 10 years as Pittsfield supervisor — some of Pittsfield’s greatest successes, from the Lohr-Textile Greenway Loop to welcoming California-based Nexient to the community. During Mandy’s tenure, Pittsfield Township has partnered with Ann Arbor SPARK on 76 projects, resulting in investments greater than $160M, and producing more than 4,000 new jobs.
Mandy also serves on the Southeast Michigan Council of Government’s executive committee, chairing its finance and budget committee, and on both the Huron River Watershed Council and Therapeutic Riding, Inc. boards of directors.
Ann Arbor is a dynamic destination fueled by personal passions. One such example is Tim Marshall, Bank of Ann Arbor president and CEO — and avid music fan. Tim’s passion spurred 11 seasons of the lunchtime music series Sonic Lunch. Now, with A2Tech360 joining downtown Ann Arbor’s summer line-up, Tim saw another opportunity to give the thousands Tech Trek attendees something to dance to.
Tim joins Jenn Cornell, Ann Arbor SPARK VP of marketing and communications, to chat about the inaugural Tech Trek in 2015, how the event has grown over the years, and how Bank of Ann Arbor is joining the A2Tech360 program by sponsoring Mobility Row and presenting Live @ Tech Trek — a live music event.
Yeo & Yeo is a Michigan-based, premier accounting firm with industry-specialized accountants and consultants who provide a wide-range of business, auditing, and accounting solutions. The Ann Arbor office opened in 1998, and today finds itself gravitating toward growth strategies for startups, small businesses, and medium enterprises.
For 10 years, Yeo & Yeo has sponsored the Ann Arbor SPARK FastTrack Awards which recognizes fast-growth “gazelle” companies. The sponsorship extends to the firm’s partnership with SPARK by evaluating the award applications. Thomas Gawne, senior manager at Yeo & Yeo shares with Ann Arbor SPARK’s president and CEO, Paul Krutko, how much Yeo & Yeo values the FastTrack Awards. Hear why Thomas defines the event as a “momentous occasion” as well as receive some great financial advice for businesses!
When the new UMS president Matthew VanBeisen left his position as president for the New York Philharmonic and relocated to Ann Arbor, he fielded a lot of questions regarding how he came to that decision.
Now, one year after his transition to the role, Matthew sits down with Ann Arbor SPARK president and CEO Paul Krutko to share with us his impressions of Ann Arbor and how he was surprised to discover how significant the region’s entrepreneurial spirit influences the community and culture.
On the northeast side of Ann Arbor, nestled in the nook of US-23 and M-14, is the iconic Domino’s Farms. Inspired by the architectural designs of Frank Lloyd Wright, the office park is located on 270-acres and shares the property with some unexpected residents — including a herd of bison.
Listen as Domino’s Farms president Paul Roney chats with Paul Krutko, Ann Arbor SPARK president and CEO, about the facility’s history, its unique architecture, and new developments that are on the horizon.
Chris Sing of Rehmann Ann Arbor, who joined the Ann Arbor SPARK executive committee in 2017, sat down with president and CEO Paul Krutko to discuss the importance of working with experienced advisors when managing personal and business finances.
Join them as they discuss what differentiates Rehmann from other organizations, and how they can help clients with a broad spectrum of financial services, and can even teach businesses to love their numbers.
Governor Rick Snyder, who concludes his two-term tenure as Michigan’s top elected official at the end of 2018, joined Paul Krutko, Ann Arbor SPARK president and CEO for a discussion about how the state’s economic and talent landscape has improved during the past eight years.
Listen as they discuss how the state has strengthened its position within the country, the significance of business attraction efforts like the new KLA-Tencor R&D facility in Ann Arbor, how the region has evolved as a tech hub, the value of talent retention, and the importance of mobility for the state’s continued growth.
In 1993, Doug Rothwell moved to Michigan to lead the newly minted Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Today, Doug serves as president and CEO of Business Leaders for Michigan (BLM) — an organization that authored the Plan for a Stronger Michigan, a playbook for economic growth.
Listen in as Doug and Paul Krutko, Ann Arbor SPARK president and CEO, discuss the state’s economic progress and future, including how the Ann Arbor region has differentiated itself from the rest of the country.
Comcast Business builds tools and services that can help small- and medium-sized businesses grow. In his conversation with Paul Krutko, Ann Arbor SPARK president and CEO, Comcast’s Jeff Marston explains how the company's commitment to providing services that companies need to grow is rooted in the belief that these companies help lift a community with jobs, investments, resources, and services.
Join Jeff, vice president of business services at Comcast, as he and Paul chat about Ann Arbor as a “tech bridge” community with impressive talent, a great mix of small, medium, and large businesses, and a solid investment for businesses looking to succeed.
This episode of the Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Podcast features Tara Lanigan from May Mobility.
This episode of the Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Podcast features Bastien Beauchamp of !Important Safety.
This episode of the Ann Arbor SPARK CEO Podcast series features John McLaughlin, Global ESG Leader & Ann Arbor Site Lead at KLA.