ANN ARBOR - Consumer confidence posted a sizable loss in June, with most of the overall decline in how consumers viewed future prospects for the national economy, according to University of Michigan economist Richard Curtin, director of the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers. The Surveys, conducted by the U-M Institute for Social Research
WARREN - As part of an ongoing advertising campaign touting Detroit as a conference and convention destination, the Detroit Metro Visitors and Convention Bureau tapped the Army?s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center at the U.S. Army Garrison - Detroit Arsenal for both a location and personality to feature in its latest print ad
DETROIT - Inforum has appointed Jacqueline Wiggins to the newly created position of chief operating officer. Based in Detroit, Wiggins oversees the implementation of Inforum?s strategic plan, including statewide programming, affinity groups, industry groups, membership strategy, brand integration and marketing and communications. ?The past two years have been very exciting and challenging for Inforum,? said
LANSING - Expanding Medicaid eligibility as the federal Affordable Care Act wants but effectively can no longer require, is more a decision based on policy than fiscal issues because the expansion could actually save Michigan money, a memo from the Senate Fiscal Agency says. Because the expansion would allow the state to shift general fund
LANSING - As word spread Tuesday that the online retail giant Amazon might be looking to hire more workers in Michigan, news that was heralded by the administration, another group continued to press the Legislature to close what it says is a tax loophole that Amazon and others exploit to the detriment of small businesses
SAN ANTONIO - By a three to one ratio, IT decision makers surveyed prefer a cloud provider with strong customer service and technical support even if that provider has higher prices. That is one of the findings of a new survey commissioned by Rackspace Hosting. This view was consistent by IT decision makers regardless of
TROY - The Michigan state budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, signed last week by Gov. Rick Snyder, includes a $2 million provision for Automation Alley, which will use the funds for business accelerator activities in areas including international trade, defense, manufacturing and entrepreneurship. The budget also includes an additional $500,000 Oakland
TROY - SunTel Services announced it has achieved Platinum FortiPartner status with Fortinet, a worldwide provider of network security appliances and a market leader in unified threat management. The Platinum FortiPartner certification, which is the highest level of certification achievement, demonstrates that the SunTel team is expert in delivering Fortinet?s superior, next generation multi-threat security
ANN ARBOR - Pure Visibility co-founder and COO Catherine Juon is leaving the company to pursue consulting opportunities with second stage companies and will be replaced by General Manager Dunrie Greiling. ?Like the businesses we help grow, Pure Visibility has experienced a tremendous evolution over the last 18 months,? said co-founder and president Linda Girard.
LANSING - The Small Business Association of Michigan's latest June 2012 Small Business Barometer survey of 600 small business owners finds entrepreneurs reporting higher sales and profits, and increased hiring, compared to last fall. Twenty-two percent said that over the past six months they increased their number of employees, compared to only eleven percent who