Inside Track
Profiles of individuals who are leading West Michigan organizations.
ARTICLES
Inside Track: One immersive experience prompts another for CEO
After tumbling into icy Alaskan waters, the Air Zoo’s Troy Thrash looks at life with a different perspective.
Troy Thrash has gazed at the universe’s galaxies, and has unexpectedly plunged into an icy-cold fissure in Alaska.
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Inside Track: Getting there fast is half the fun for Zaagman
He avoided the family funeral business and instead struck out on his own in automotive repair.
The license plate on the back of Richard Zaagman’s red Audi station wagon reads “ZIGZAAG.”
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Inside Track: Mark Bleckley is a detail-oriented kind of guy
Global trade and compliance with U.S. Customs involves good recordkeeping and paperwork that must be done right.
Behind every successful exporting/importing company, there’s a lot of intricate paperwork to make it happen.
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Inside Track: Upholding more than a century of teamwork
Frank Stanek has worked for Owen-Ames-Kimball since he graduated college, and now he’s the president.
Frank Stanek seems like a low-key, humble guy, and a dedicated family man who likely would make a good neighbor.
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Inside Track: Still looking ahead and embracing the future
Mark Tanis of The Image Group has been called a “true visionary” for his accomplishments in the communication industry.
One challenging aspect of interviewing business leaders is they often prefer talking about their team rather than themselves.
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Inside Track: Teaching creatives how to change a community
Gayle DeBruyn, Kendall College’s first chief sustainability officer, helps students forge a bond between design and environment.
While other little girls were playing with Barbie dolls, Gayle DeBruyn was in her backyard building forts.
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Inside Track: Entrepreneur leaving legacy for those with disabilities
Jim Albright is developing an app that is designed to create ease of movement through buildings.
Jim Albright wants to leave a legacy for disabled people.
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Inside Track: Food entrepreneur advises people not to ‘fear heat’
Scoville Farms and Everidae Sweet Habanero Sauce have opened up the future for Dominic Sorenson.
Dominic Sorenson has started a lot of food businesses.
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Inside Track: John Irwin has been a banker from the get-go
The new president of Huntington Bank West Michigan is the son of an Indiana banker and a 32-year banking veteran.
John Irwin was a gung-ho Hot Dog back in high school in Frankfort, Ind.
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Inside Track: Flying solo was right decision for McLoughlin’s PR firm
Work on nonprofit boards led Mary McLoughlin to expand her marketing and communications capabilities to include fundraising.
This year, Mary McLoughlin is celebrating the 20th anniversary of her firm, McLoughlin Communications and Public Relations, which she opened in 1993.
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