HEALTH

Metro Health deploys new system to fight hospital-acquired infections

From Business Review West Michigan 1:24 p.m., Wed - Metro Health Hospital began using the Intelligent Room Sterilization system (IRiS) in July to sterilize operating rooms, surgical prep areas and post-operative recovery units. IRiS, produced by Auburn Hills-based Infection Prevention Technologies, has the potential to reduce costly hospital-acquired infections, which often require doctors to re-admit patients.

EDUCATION

Community colleges in state budget crossfire

1:23 p.m., Wed - LANSING — Michigan community colleges have gotten caught up in a $208 million tug-of-war between the Granholm administration and supporting lawmakers, and the members of the K-12 community.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

State businesses ranked among 100 fastest-growing companies by Fortune

1:21 p.m., Wed - Five Michigan businesses are on the latest annual Fortune magazine rankings for the top 100 fastest-growing companies in the nation.

• MANUFACTURING
  Design as economic engine? East and West Michigan designers say yes
  When it comes to economic development in Michigan, design is the new kid on the block. But it's an arrival with a lot of potential.


• WORKFORCE
  Production demand helps manufacturers bypass seasonal July layoffs
  Manufacturing jobs in Michigan bucked typical patterns in July, as demand in the auto industry and production shifts helped keep plants active during a month when shutdowns and significant layoffs typically occur.


• ENVIRONMENT
  Muskegon County seeks bids for wind farm at wastewater site
  From the Muskegon Chronicle - Muskegon County officials are preparing to seek proposals from wind-energy developers interested in erecting large, commercial wind turbines on the county's 11,000-acre wastewater site. Officials believe the spot is prime for wind turbines because of strong winds and a lack of nearby neighbors.


• VENTURE CAPITAL
  Ann Arbor duo brings ‘new energy' to venture capital
  Michael Godwin and Jason Townsend didn't follow traditional paths toward their MBAs from the University of Michigan. And they certainly didn't follow the usual path toward closing the first deal of their fledgling venture capital firm, which was founded in June.


• EDUCATION
  Colleges need to focus on entrepreneurship, University of Michigan president says
  University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman said educational programs must be designed to cultivate students' “crazy ideas.”


• WORKFORCE
  Inforum launching Southwest Michigan chapter
  From the Business Review West Michigan - Inforum is a professional women's alliance with more than 1,800 members across the state. The group is based in Southeast Michigan and has chapters in Mid-Michigan and West Michigan. Now, a group of business women is working to launch a chapter in Southwest Michigan this fall.


• VENTURE CAPITAL
  Michigan companies secure more than $120 million in venture capital, statewide group reports
  From AnnArbor.com - Venture capitalists have invested $123 million in Michigan companies so far in 2010, according to a report released by the Ann Arbor-based Michigan Venture Capital Association.


• ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
  See which Michigan companies made Inc. magazine's fastest-growing list
  From The Grand Rapids Press - More than 130 Michigan companies made Inc. magazine’s 2010 list of the 5,000 fastest growing companies. The business magazine’s fourth annual list was released Friday.


• HEALTH
  E-prescribing rates continue strong growth
  Business Review West Michigan - Following the high-growth trend nationally, doctors in Michigan last year more than doubled the rate at which they electronically ordered prescription medications for patients.


• ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
  Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index rises to 68.9 in August
  The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan final index of U.S. consumer sentiment for August rose to 68.9, lower than forecast, from an eight-month low of 67.8 in July.


• GOVERNMENT
  New MEDC program to help Native American tribes diversify business interests beyond gambling
  The Michigan Economic Development Corp. has created a new initiative to pursue business development opportunities with the 12 Native American tribes across Michigan.


• EDUCATION
  Law school applications up, fewer graduate to legal jobs
  Investment always comes with risk — and local universities have begun to warn the swelling ranks of prospective law school students that investing in a future legal career is getting riskier.


• FOOD
  New technology sought to match local farm co-ops with consumers
  From The Grand Rapids Press - West Michigan Cooperative co-founder Jerry Adams is looking to technology to help people purchase locally grown produce that, over the long-term, will enhance environmental quality.


• NONPROFIT
  A big something extra: Incentive pay more common for nonprofit execs
  NSF International President and CEO Kevan Lawlor doubled his annual compensation by hitting performance-based benchmarks for the public safety standard-setting and testing nonprofit.


• HEALTH
  Physicians Health Plan of Mid-Michigan to run state's high-risk health pool
  Physicians Health Plan of Mid-Michigan has contracted with the federal government to manage the state's high-risk pool for the next 3 ½ years, said the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation.


• ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
  Business Accelerator Network kicks off business plan competition with $500,000 top prize
  A business plan competition with $1 million-plus in prize money is aimed at growing Michigan business and putting the state, especially Southeast Michigan, on the map for venture capitalists and other investors.


• FOOD
  Spotted Dog Winery buys ex-Stucchi's ice cream manufacturing building for Saline expansion
  From AnnArbor.com - Sales for Spotted Dog Winery, a winemaker and seller in downtown Saline, have surged over the last six to eight months, sparking a need for additional winemaking space. The winery has acquired the former Stucchi's ice cream manufacturing plant in one of the city's industrial parks.


• GOVERNMENT
  AMY LANE'S BLOG: Will Brian Calley add public-policy knowledge of business issues to Snyder gubernatorial ticket?
  Republican gubernatorial contender Rick Snyder's expected pick of a mid-Michigan state representative as his running mate would bring legislative, tax policy and additional business background to Snyder's bid.


• EDUCATION
  The University of Michigan is proud to remain public
  From The Dome - In an interview with The Dome's Jack Lessenberry, University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman dismisses suggestions that the school will cease being a public institution, and outlines some of UM's recent strategic investments.


• ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
  Fiber-optic firm Merit Network lands federal funding for northern Michigan network extension project
  Ann Arbor-based Merit Network Inc. announced Tuesday that it has been awarded $69.6 million in federal stimulus funding to construct 1,270 miles of fiber-optic infrastructure in the northern Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula to serve rural and underserved communities in 29 counties.