Business

County National Bank Announces Promotions and New Team Member Joseph R. Williams, President and CEO of County National Bank, is pleased to announce the recent promotions of three CNB team members and the addition of a commercial lender. Ron Haber has been promoted to Regional Vice President – Commercial Loan Officer. Ron joined CNB in June of 2005 as 2nd Vice President – Commercial Loans for our Lenawee market. Ron has been in banking for over 44 years and has developed many key business relationships that have resulted in the steady growth of his loan portfolio. He is very active in the Hudson Community and Lenawee County through many different organizations and looks forward to increasing his involvement in Hillsdale County. Kelly Lantis has been promoted to Vice President – Hillsdale Market Executive & Commercial Credit Officer. Kelly joined CNB in 1988 and currently manages the Credit Department, which she helped establish in 1988. As Hillsdale Market Executive, Kelly will continue to oversee the commercial credit and processing functions, as well as focusing on overall Business Development and continued growth of the Hillsdale Market. Kelly is very active in the community and serves on several local boards, including the Hillsdale…

Tom Jurasek, CEO (left) and Andrew J Gissal, COO & EOS Implementer, Bearex.  Courtesy photo. (April 6, 2023 10:25 AM ET) Three Jackson County companies are among the 2023 Michigan Celebrates Small Business Award winners to be honored during the 19th annual Michigan Celebrates Small Business Gala on May 2, 2023.  The event will host over 800 guests at the Breslin Center in East Lansing to celebrate the achievements of this year’s award recipients. Bearex, a leading data analytics and aggregation company based in Jackson, has been recognized as one of the 2023 awardees for the Best Small Business Award, presented by Michigan Celebrates Small Business.     “On behalf of the entire team, we are honored to receive this award,” said Tom Jurasek, CEO of Bearex. “We have worked tirelessly for our clients and winning this award motivates us to continue this work knowing we are adding value to their business.” Launched in 2022, Bearex’s custom data platforms and EOS solutions allow manufacturing companies to collect information in real-time, delivering actionable insights that optimize machine performance, reduce downtime and improve overall machine efficiency. Additionally, Bearex products are designed to integrate with existing machinery, which allows small to midsize manufacturers to…

SeaLandAire Technologies, Inc. team members pose in front of the company’s Jackson headquarters. (April 6, 2023 10:16 AM ET) Three Jackson County companies are among the 2023 Michigan Celebrates Small Business Award winners to be honored during the 19th annual Michigan Celebrates Small Business Gala on May 2, 2023.   The event will host over 800 guests at the Breslin Center in East Lansing to celebrate the achievements of this year’s award recipients. SeaLandAire Technologies, Inc. will be honored with the APEX Accelerator Best Small Business Award.  SeaLandAire Technologies, Inc. offers engineering research and development services concentrating on small, unmanned vehicles and sensor systems deployed in remote, rugged environments.   SeaLandAire Technologies, Inc., is a privately-owned small business founded in Jackson in 1997.  SLA has more than 25 years of experience in conducting cutting edge engineering research and development, primarily for the Department of Defense.  The company employs approximately 60 personnel who design, develop, and build products tailored to assist their customers in collecting information from any environment, focusing on small unmanned vehicles and sensor systems. With a history in developing unmanned sensors for the U.S. Navy's Airborne Anti-Submarine Warfare mission, as well as unmanned craft capable of operating in…

Robert and Yvette Wilkie at RJ’s Metropolitan Ice Cream Co. Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening.  JTV file photo. (April 6, 2023 10:10 AM ET) Three Jackson County companies are among the 2023 Michigan Celebrates Small Business Award winners to be honored during the 19th annual Michigan Celebrates Small Business Gala on May 2, 2023.  The event will host over 800 guests at the Breslin Center in East Lansing to celebrate the achievements of this year’s award recipients. RJ’s Metropolitan Ice Cream Co. will be honored with the SBDC Best Small Business Award.  RJ’s is a “One Stop Fun Shop” offering burgers, fries, ice cream and milkshakes in Downtown Jackson. They have a strong focus on providing a great customer experience that reminds guests of their best childhood memories.  RJ’s Metropolitan Ice Cream Co. began in 2014 as RJ’s Heavenly Delights founded by Robert and Yvette Wilkie. “This award means a lot to us, we’re truly honored and humbled to receive this award,” said Robert Wilkie. “We’ve put a lot of work into our business, to grow and evolve it. We wanted our business to be a destination one stop fun shop for our customers. It’s all about the experience at RJ’s.”…

(March 28, 2023 11:22 AM ET) Kurt Robertson of Studio One Photography in Jackson has earned the Photographic Craftsman degree from Professional Photographers of America (PPA). The degree will be presented to Robertson M Photog. Cr. at the association’s annual convention, Imaging USA, held in Lexington KY. The Craftsman degree is an achievement of the highest caliber. It means that Robertson has met the standards of excellence set by PPA. He has been awarded the Photographic Craftsman degree in recognition of his service to the photographic profession as an orator, author, and mentor. In 2023, there were only 48 recipients. Robertson’s degree—and all the expertise it requires—illustrates his accomplishments and talent as one of a select few.  The Photographic Craftsman (Cr.Photog.) degree is awarded to photographers for their service as a speaker, author or mentor.  This degree shows that the photographer has gone beyond the creation of images and dedicated time to move the industry forward and encourage education. Kurt at Studio One specializes in Senior, Children's, and Family portraits that tell the story of the clients he is photographing. Robertson says portraits are how we stop time for a moment and return to the day when the portrait was…