Jan 31
Local First Annual Meeting and LocalMotion Awards, an opportunity for business owners and community leaders to celebrate achievements and collaborate in charting the future of Local First. 5-8 p.m., Goei Center, 818 Butterworth St. SW. Cost: $25. Information/registration: www.localfirst.com.

Jan 31, Feb 7, 14, 21, 28
Ken Soper’s Work Search Roundtable, a career assurance and transition club. 8:30-10:30 a.m., Spring Arbor University, 1550 East Beltline Ave. SE, Suite 230. Cost: $5. Information: www.kensoper.com, kensoper@yahoo.com or (616) 698-3125.

Feb 1
Business Owner Success Series (BOSS) program “LinkedIn, A Powerful Marketing Tool,” presented by Mike Yoder, owner, LinkedUp Grand Rapids. Learn the power of LinkedIn and all the new applications to increase your business. 8:30-11:45 a.m., Campbell Group Building, 5664 Prairie Creek Drive. Cost: free/business owners, CEO’s and presidents; $49/non-business owners. RSVP: (616) 929-4036 or www.tabmichigan.com.

Feb 1
Holland Area Chamber of Commerce Business Connections Networking Luncheon. Topic: “Boomers, GenXers & Millennials – Can We All Get Along?” Join Cindy Daniel from Not So Basic Training as she reviews generational differences and helps you develop an appreciation of how valuable such differences can be. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Baker Lofts Events, 533 Columbia Ave., Holland. Cost: $15/members; $25/nonmembers. Information/registration: www.holland-chamber.org.

Feb 1
Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants webinar “Foreign Account Reporting Requirements: Forms, Issues and Penalties.” Get a balanced view of what the issues and pitfalls are in determining who has to report and on what form(s). 1:30-4 p.m. For more information: www.michcpa.org.

Feb 1
The Employers’ Association program “Case Studies in Employment Law,” presented by Stephanie Setterington. 8:30 a.m.-noon, 5570 Executive Parkway SE. Cost: $95/members; $135/nonmembers. Information/registration: (616) 698-1167, training@teagr.org or www.teagr.org.

Feb 2
Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women Intro to GROW Orientation. First step for anyone who wants to enroll in additional classes. Noon-1 p.m. and 6-7 p.m., GROW, 25 Sheldon SE, Suite 210. Cost: free. Information/registration: (616) 458-3404 or www.growbusiness.org.

Feb 2
Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge webinar “Handling Michigan Claims Following Recent Changes to the Workers’ Disability Compensation Act.” Receive an overview of the changes to the law, as well as tips for how to handle claims moving forward. 1-2 p.m. Information: (616) 458-1332 or events@shrr.com. Registration: http://bit.ly/SHRR-2-2-12.

Feb 2-3
Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce seminar “Facing Racism.” Intensive Institute for Healing Racism program works to eliminate individual and institutional racism. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Pine Rest, 300 68th St. SE. Cost: $200/person from nonprofit organizations; $300/person from for-profit; $50 extra for future members. Registration: www.grandrapids.org or (616) 771-0303.

Feb 3
Grand Rapids Young Professionals Night Out with the Griffins to help fight homelessness. There will be networking prior to the game in Banquet Room D from 6-7 p.m. 6 p.m., Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St. Cost: $12; $2 of each ticket sold goes to The Dwelling Place. Information/registration: www.griffinshockey.com/promocode and use promo code YP.

Feb 4
NALS of West Michigan seminar “Adobe and Cloud Computing” and “The Innocence Project,” presented by JoAnn Hathaway, State Bar of Michigan Practice and Management Resource Center, and William Fleener Jr., staff attorney, Thomas M. Cooley Law School Innocence Project. 9 a.m., State Bar of Michigan Building, 306 Townsend St., Lansing. Information/registration: www.nalsofmichigan.org or jolexa@wnj.com. 

Feb 6
The Economic Club luncheon meeting “Igniting Hope: Relentless Positive Action in Human Services,” presented by Maura D. Corrigan, director, Michigan Department of Human Services. Noon-1:30 p.m., JW Marriott Hotel, International Ballroom, 235 Louis St. NW. Cost: $30/members and spouses; $37/nonmembers. Guests are welcome. Information/registration: www.econclub.net.

Feb 6
World Affairs Council of Western Michigan Great Decisions Foreign Policy Discussion Series. Topic: “The New Green Is Blue: What the Oceans Are Telling Us,” presented by David E. Guggenheim, The Ocean Foundation, Washington, D.C. 6-7:15 p.m., Aquinas College Performing Arts Center (enter off Robinson Road, just west of Plymouth). Cost: $10/members; $15/nonmembers. Information: (616) 776-1721 or www.worldmichigan.org.

Feb 7-8
Grand Rapids Community College MIOSHA Construction 10-Hour Course, presented by Jim Getting, senior construction safety consultant, MIOSHA, CET Division. 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., GRCC, Tassell M-TEC, 622 Godfrey Ave. SW. Cost $170 (includes lunch and materials). Information: www.michigan.gov/mioshatraining. Registration: Phillip Greene, (616) 234-3811 or pgreene@grcc.edu.

Feb 8
American Subcontractors Association of Michigan General Membership Meeting. Topic: “Prevailing Wage & Fringe Benefits: Comply with the Law and Maximize Profits,” presented by Ann Plummer, Beene Garter, and Jack VanderGuchte, Sobie. 7 a.m., Pinnacle Center, 3330 Highland Drive, Hudsonville. Information/registration: www.asamichigan.net.

Feb 8
GVSU Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies The Wheelhouse Talks. Speaker: Andy Dillon, state treasurer and former speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives. 12:30-1:30 p.m., Kroc Community Center, 2500 S. Division Ave. Free and open to public. Information/registration: www.wheelhousetalks.org.

Feb 8
Interchange, The Association of West Michigan Communication Professionals, lunch meeting. Topic: “LaughFest: A Festival for Laughs … and for a Purpose,” presented by Leann Arkema, president and CEO, and Wendy Wiggler, community relations director, Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Press Club, 10th floor, Fifth Third Center, 111 Lyon St. NW. Cost: $20/members; $30/nonmembers; $15/students. Information/registration: www.interchangewmi.org or (616) 530-4154.

Feb 8
The Employers’ Association class “MIOSHA Recordkeeping and Cost of Injuries,” presented by Deborah Gorisch, senior occupational safety consultant, MIOSHA, CET Division. Learn the recordkeeping requirements as contained in MIOSHA Administrative Rules Part 11. 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 5570 Executive Parkway SE. Cost: $105 (includes lunch and materials). Information/registration: (616) 698-1167 or training@teagr.org.

Feb 8, 15, 22
Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women “Small Business GPS: Marketing Strategies Cluster.” Three classes: Strategic Marketing 101, Internet Marketing and Branding & Personal Selling. 6-9 p.m., GROW, 25 Sheldon SE, Suite 210. Cost: $60. Information/registration: (616) 458-3404 or www.GROWbusiness.org.

Feb 9
Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce Business Exchange Luncheon. 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Glendevon Banquet & Meeting Center, 2715 Leonard St. NW. Cost $18/members; $23/future members (may only attend once). Registration: www.grandrapids.org or (616) 771-0303.

Feb 9
Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women Intro to GROW Orientation. First step for anyone who wants to enroll in additional classes. Noon-1 p.m. and 6-7 p.m., GROW, 25 Sheldon SE, Suite 210. Cost: free. Information/registration: (616) 458-3404 or www.growbusiness.org.

Feb 9
NALS of West Michigan Lunch ’N Learn. Topic: “Linguistic Statement Analysis,” presented by Joe Koenig, KMI Investigations LLC. 12:05-12:55 p.m., University Club, 10th floor, Fifth Third Center, 111 Lyon St. NW. Cost: $15/lunch buffet. Information/registration: Annette Jeltema, (616) 752-2272 or ajeltema@wnj.com.

Feb 9
The Employers’ Association program “Documentation & Recordkeeping,” presented by Maggie McPhee. 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., 5570 Executive Parkway SE. Cost: $160/members; $210/nonmembers. Information/registration: (616) 698-1167, training@teagr.org or www.teagr.org.

Feb 10
Grand Valley State University Art & Science of Aging Conference. Topic: “Navigating the Transitions of Later Life.” Keynote speaker: Molly Mettler, senior vice president, Healthwise Inc. 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Loosemore Auditorium, 401 W. Fulton St. Cost: $15/students and persons over 60; $20/general public. Information/registration: www.gvsu.edu/gerontology.

Feb 10-12
ShowSpan’s 23rd Annual West Michigan Golf Show. 4-9 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. Cost: $9/adults; $4/children 6-14; free/children 5 and under.

Meetings & Conventions
Information: Janet Korn, (616) 233-3545 or jkorn@experiencegrandrapids.org.

Feb 1-5
Association of Presbyterian Church Educators. 2012 National Convention. Amway Grand Plaza/DeVos Place.