Jackson Business Briefs June 27, 2022

County National Bank Expanding and Relocating in Jackson County

County National Bank announced that they will be converting their current loan production office at 2001 Spring Arbor Road in Jackson to a full-service branch. This full-service branch opened last week. A grand opening celebration will be held on July 7, 2022.

CNB also announced plans to relocate the existing Spring Arbor Branch from 119 West Main Street in Spring Arbor to their recently completed location at the Village Crossing Plaza, 7845 Spring Arbor Road in Spring Arbor. CNB will continue to provide the Spring Arbor community full-service banking with lobby, drive-thru, and ATM service at this new location beginning on July 11, 2022.

Printer Source Plus Opens Satellite Office in Albion

Printer Source Plus announced the opening of a satellite office in Albion. The new office is located at 403 S. Superior St. in the same building that houses the Greater Albion Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau.

Printer Source Plus, founded 2006 under the name Rapid Refill, is a family owned and operated office solutions business focused on high-quality, sustainable office printing and copying machines as well as ink & toner for both the commercial and residential markets. In 2014, Rapid Refill became Printer Source Plus and expanded their product lines to include printers and copiers. Printer Source Plus will maintain its headquarters at 2903 W. Michigan in Jackson, MI.

“In the last year we’ve celebrated our 15^th Anniversary, a Small Business Person of the Year award, and now the growth of our business to include an office in Albion. My wife, Karen and I love serving our clients and are excited by the prospect of positively impacting another community. Providing affordable, impactful print and copy solutions is a passion of ours and we look forward to serving Calhoun County and Albion for many more years to come. We owe a debt of gratitude to every customer who has trusted us with their business,” said Small Business Person of the Year and Owner of Printer Source Plus, Joe Sharpe.

American 1 Credit Union’s Katie Bell joins The Salvation Army of Jackson as an Advisory Board Member

American 1 Credit Union today announced Accounting Manager, Katie Bell, joined The Salvation Army of Jackson as an Advisory Board member of the Board of Directors at Jackson’s Salvation Army. Bell joins colleague Jayme Bicknell on the Advisory Board, American 1’s Marketing Manager.

Bell, who has been with American 1 for over two years, said she chose to join the Advisory Board because it seemed like an excellent opportunity to get involved and become familiar with the community as she is not originally from the Jackson area.

“I really appreciate that The Salvation Army strives to meet a wide variety of needs and does so without discrimination,” Bell said. “When The Salvation Army reached out and let me know that the Board was seeking someone with accounting knowledge, I was very excited for the opportunity to apply my knowledge and do something I enjoy in a way that can serve others.”

Bicknell, who has been an Advisory Board member for three years, said she immediately thought of Bell when an opening became available.

“I knew Katie would make a great fit, which is why I brought this to her attention,” Bicknell said. “Like American 1, The Jackson Salvation Army is passionate about giving back to the community. I am thrilled to have Katie join us, not just for her accounting experience, but also for her ambition and passion for helping the Jackson community.”

Bell has a strong background in finances, specifically in lending. She has a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in business administration. As for volunteering, Bell enjoys working with children and has previously helped with tutoring.

“Joining the Salvation Army Advisory Board is a little different from my prior volunteer experience, so I’m excited to get involved and learn more,” she said.

United Way of South Central Michigan Names Chief Equity Officer, Chief Impact Officer

United Way of South Central Michigan announced today that Jen Hsu-Bishop has joined the organization as Chief Equity Officer, guiding UWSCMI’s diversity, equity and inclusion work. United Way also named Alyssa Stewart as Chief Impact Officer, focused on leading efforts to address key social issues across the six-county region.

Hsu-Bishop (they/them) is an experienced equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) leader, dedicating their personal and professional life to transforming communities and systems to better serve marginalized communities, said Chris Sargent (he/him), UWSCMI’s President and CEO.

“At United Way, we strive for a regional community that connects with, advocates for, and embraces all people equitably,” Sargent said. “Jen Hsu-Bishop brings vast experience and valuable perspective that will help us become a stronger, more effective advocate and partner for people facing racism and other forms of discrimination and unfair treatment.”

Hsu-Bishop previously served as Culture and Climate Specialist for the Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency, where they led the planning of a strategic EDI plan. Prior to joining KRESA, Hsu-Bishop held multiple roles at Grand Valley State University (Allendale, Mich.), including Acting Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Director of the Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center; and Inclusion and Equity Institute Consultant and Title IX Co-Investigator. They have also served on many advisory and nonprofit boards, including Eliminating Racism and Claiming/Celebrating Equity; Community Aids Resource and Education Services of Southwest Michigan; Michigan Organization for Adolescent Sexual Health; and the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals.

“I’ve committed my life to centering the voices of historically underrepresented and marginalized communities,” said Hsu-Bishop. “I’m excited to join my commitment and experience with United Way’s commitment to equity.”

Stewart (she/her), who previously served as Vice President of Impact and Engagement for United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region, was named UWSCMI’s Chief Impact Officer shortly after the organization’s merger in April. She joined the legacy United Way in 2013 after having led workforce development programming for MichiganWorks! since 2009. Stewart holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science/Public Policy from Albion College, and a Master’s in Public Administration from Western Michigan University.

“Under Alyssa’s leadership, our legacy United Way in Battle Creek and Kalamazoo strengthened partnerships and developed more focused, strategic approaches to tackling the biggest needs among vulnerable children and families,” said Sargent. “We’re eager to see Alyssa and her regional team expand that impact and change more lives.”

Stewart said, “My goal is to fully understand the unique assets in each community and, through our team and partners, to build on them locally and beyond. That’s the key value of our merger and vital to strengthening our impact for those who struggle, especially the Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) population.”

Stewart and Hsu-Bishop are now part of UWSCMI’s Executive Leadership Team, which also includes Sargent as President and CEO; Teresa Kmetz as Chief Resource Development and Marketing Officer; and Ken Toll as Chief Operations Officer.

American 1 Credit Union Announces 2022 Scholarship Recipients

American 1 Credit Union recently awarded several need-based scholarships of $1,000 each to graduating high school seniors from southern Michigan.

The awards are part of American 1’s annual Community Involvement Scholarship Program. The scholarship application focused on why the student needed the scholarship and how receiving an education would support them in changing their life – while also positively impacting their community.

Each student applicant submitted an essay explaining their financial need for the scholarship, discussing how education will improve their personal lives and communities. American 1 funds scholarships through their Skip-a-Pay program, where credit union members can choose to skip one month’s loan payment for a $25 fee, and a portion of this fee funds the scholarship program.

“This has been another amazing year of applications!” said Janelle Merritt, Community Partnerships Manager for American 1. “We are so proud to acknowledge and award these 16 very deserving seniors as they prepare to take the next steps in their future pursuits.”

The 2022 American 1 Scholarship winners are: