Grand Rapids Business Journal
Photo by Michael Buck
Born in a mud hut in central Africa and given only a day to live due to disease and malnutrition, Graci Harkema has walked a long road to her current position.
Harkema is founder of the newly minted, Grand Rapids-based speaking; consulting; and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) leadership training firm Graci LLC.
She left her previous position as Founders Brewing Companyâs inaugural diversity and inclusion director on Oct. 25 over what she described as Foundersâ failure to listen to her feedback and counsel as the company sought to âincrease (its) reputation in diversity and inclusion and regain the trust of the LGBTQ and people of color communitiesâ in the midst of former Detroit taproom employee Tracy Evansâ lawsuit accusing the brewery of racial discrimination.
Beauty in the eye of the beer-holder
City Built’s locally produced can art earns national recognition.
Courtesy City Built Brewing Co.
City Built Brewing Co. came out like a lion in March when USA Today published its 10Best Readers Choice Awards for 2021. The Grand Rapids-based brewery known for its experimental, funky brews and Puerto Rican-inspired cuisine won Best Beer Label for Prague Underground Czech Pilsner.
City Built Brewing also won third place for Best Brew Pub 2021, coming in behind HOMES Brewery in Ann Arbor and The Brewery LBK in Lubbock, Texas.
The notoriety from Best Beer Label drove up sales of Prague Underground, which is good news for City Built Brewing and owner Edwin Collazo, because it’s a beer his team is excited to continue brewing. Depending on tank space, Prague Underground will be brewed two or three times a year, he said.
CADILLAC â A Grand Rapids-based liquor distillery is in the process of opening their newest location in Cadillac.
Long Road Distillers has entered into a lease agreement to use the space at 412 S. Mitchell St., which is the site of the former Better Bodies Health and Fitness Center.
Kyle VanStrien, who co-owns Long Road Distillers with business partner Jon O Connor, told the Cadillac News that they re hoping to be open by June 15, although that will be contingent largely on how long it takes the Liquor Control Commission to process their license application to sell spirits at the site.
In the meantime, VanStrien said big changes are in store for the site over the next couple of weeks, as crews get the building ready for customers.
Grand Rapids Business Journal
A local tech firm is working to bridge the “digital divide” for students in underserved communities.
Tech Defenders, a Grand Rapids-based tech company, officially launched its newly developed giveback initiative, aimed at providing technology resources to local schools and organizations in its service areas.
Shortly after opening its expanded headquarters early in 2019, the company donated 200 laptops and iPads to San Juan Diego Academy, an elementary school in Wyoming whose students are predominantly Hispanic. According to the school’s administrators, the majority of their students live in neighborhoods with high dropout rates, and where few go to college.