Dearborn : Innovation & Job News

Information Systems Resources bills itself as an asset management company, but the firm is looking at electronic recycling as a big avenue for its growth.

The Dearborn-based company, founded in 1989, is beefing up its recycling division, which specializes in remanufacturing of electronics like desktop computers. The 50-person firm currently has six employees, about half of whom are recent hires.

So when a school district looks to upgrade its computer system and wants to make sure it's disposing of the old technology in an environmentally friendly way and that its hard drives are erased, it will call a firm like Information Systems Resources to pick up the computers, dismantle them and recycle the precious materials inside. It also makes sure to shred the old hard drives to keep sensitive information secret.

"It's one of the few things out there that is beneficial to everyone involved," says Jeff Drolshagen, sales manager for the recycling division of Information Systems Resources.

Drolshagen was recently promoted to sales manager to help bring more material to the fledgling division. The company hopes an influx of old electronics will not only keep harmful materials out of landfills and sensitive information out of the hands of criminals, but also a few more jobs in Dearborn.

"The more electronics we can do, the more people we can hire," Drolshagen says.

Source: Jeff Drolshagen, sales manager for the recycling division of Information Systems Resources
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Nancy Hazely got her start working in the tax division of Ford Motor Company many years ago. In 2007 she started her own business, Tax Trilogy, and today she counts Ford as one of her biggest clients.

The Dearborn-based firm went from six employees to 30 employees between 2009 and 2011, largely thanks to the addition of Ford as a marquee client. "That's where the growth happened for a lot of our team members," Hazely says. She adds that the growth from Ford "was pretty substantial."

Today Tax Trilogy employs 36 people, an intern and is looking to hire one more person immediately. The company has also grown its client list across the U.S., taking on patrons in far-away states like Georgia. The firm now handles a variety of tax niches, such as property taxes, employment taxes, and income taxes, among others.

"It's grown out of our clients' needs to have expertise in different areas," Hazely says.

Tax Trilogy expects to keep growing but focusing more on organic growth for the near-term. Hazely isn't ruling out any potential acquisitions but remains focused on growing what her company already has.

Source: Nancy Hazely, president & CEO of Tax Trilogy
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Philipp Emma saw the writing on the wall in 2005 when it came to Metro Detroit's economy. At the time he was working for a company that relied on the automotive industry business as its main client. He decided to put his future in his own hands by starting Global E.

"I basically decided based on the economy that it was time for me to be on my own," Emma says. "I needed to give it a try."

The Dearborn-based tech firm has grown nicely since, selling software services and point of sale software packages for restaurants and hotels. The 7-year-old company now has 11 restaurants that use its software, which has allowed it to hire a new employee. It now employs two people, a handful of independent contractors and the occasional intern.

"We're starting to build our client base so we can rely on ourselves and not a sub-contractor," Emma says.

Global E has formed a number of relationships with major tech corporations, such as Cisco and Microsoft. it plans to launch a new Cisco software package for small businesses later this year.

Source: Philipp Emma, president of Global E
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Salam and Adam Zahr are married. She is a former teacher who is now a freelance photographer. He is a doctor working on his residency at the University of Michigan. They both live in Dearborn and are the co-founders of Public Threads.

"We were looking for something to do together that suited both of our interests," says Salam Zahr, co-founder of Public Threads. "We wanted to have some fun, make some money and give back to the community."

Public Threads is a clothing boutique that specializes in t-shirts. The Zahrs create simple designs from things they enjoy, such as guitar because they both love music, and a soccer-themed shirt because they like that sport, too. The couple recently completed the BUILD program at D:hive in downtown Detroit, which gave them the basic tools to run a lifestyle business.

The couple are also working to make sure their products are as locally sourced as possible. They use American Apparel shirts because they are made in the U.S.A. They plan to expand into long-sleeve shirts and sweaters in the near future, all made domestically.

"That was important to us," Salam says. "We want to make sure it's made in the United States."

Source: Salam Zahr, co-founder of Public Threads
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Information Systems Resources has traditionally been a tech hardware firm for most of its 21 years. These days the Dearborn-based company is moving into a more sustainability-oriented direction, taking a lead in disassembling more computer hardware and turning it into a profitable enterprise.

Today Information Systems Resources employs 32 people, including an intern it hired in June. It has hired nine people since March thanks to the demand from its new disassembly program and expects to add another half a dozen within the next six months. It recently consolidated into a newer, bigger building (110,000 square feet) in Dearborn.

The firm received a contract from Detroit Public Schools to process and dispose of old IT equipment from closed schools. That contract work was turned into a disassembly line, which has now turned into a profitable and growing side business.

"Everything is sorted into commodities, copper, aluminum, etc. It's all sold," says Jim Grutza, COO of Information Systems Resources. "Nothing hits the landfill."

Information Systems Resources is now working with other local school districts and municipalities to expand this program. It hopes to widen its reach within the next year, mainly thanks to the new work from disassembling old computer equipment like printers and monitors.

Source: Jim Grutza, COO of Information Systems Resources
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

The University of Michigan-Dearborn plans to launch a Center for Electric Drive Transportation that will push forward electric-car research, thanks to a $1 million grant from the U.S. Dept of Energy’s Graduate Automotive Technology Education initiative.

The new research center will be boosted by U-M Dearborn’s existing masters and PhD engineering programs. The five-year program is expected to support 30 engineering graduate students looking to specialize in the emerging vehicle electrification market.

“There is a great demand in this area,” says Chris Mi, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, who is leading the project at U-M Dearborn. “A lot of students will find jobs immediately after graduation from this program.”

The center will focus on automotive systems engineering in electric drive vehicles, researching areas like battery electric vehicles, extended-range electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. It will also provide short-term training for established automotive engineers who are looking to expand their professional expertise.

Source: Chris Mi, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Michigan-Dearborn
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Link Engineering Co., a 76-year-old testing firm based in Plymouth, is continuing its expansion in Metro Detroit by hiring more workers and opening a new tech center in Dearborn.

Link Engineering acquired a 120,000-square-foot facility in Dearborn that will facilitate growing its 290-employee workforce. It also has two interns and a stable of independent contractors. It received a state tax credit last year to hire 59 new people. It has added 20 jobs over the last year and expects to continue hiring for its new facility.

"It gives us the space to grow our business," says Tim Duncan, vice president of test operations for Link Engineering Co.

The new Dearborn tech center will provide the space to double Link Engineering Co.'s vehicle testing capacity. Two-thirds of its 120,000 square feet is enough to handle both testing and laboratory space. The firm designs, develops, installs, and operates a wide array of test systems for the automotive and aerospace industries, among others.

Source: Tim Duncan, vice president of test operations for Link Engineering Co.
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Ford is working to make its customers' lives more environmentally friendly both on the road and at home through its new partnership with SunPower.

The partnership will make high-efficiency rooftop solar systems available for the homes of Ford Focus Electric owners. The idea is to make the solar systems affordable and large enough to provide sufficient renewable energy production to offset the energy used in charging the car.

"Traditionally, solar is essentially a custom system," says Mike Tinskey, director of vehicle electrification and infrastructure for Ford. "We were able to work with SunPower to create a common system at a price point that hasn't been seen before in solar."

The 2.5 kilowatt SunPower system will produce an estimated 3,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually. These high-efficiency solar panels generate approximately 50 percent more electricity than conventional panels and utilize a smaller footprint on the roof. The system was sized to accommodate a customer who drives about 1,000 miles per month.

The solar systems come with a 25-year warranty and are priced at $10,000 with federal tax credits. Local and state rebates, along with other incentives, may drive the system cost down even more, depending on a customer's location.

Source: Mike Tinskey, director of vehicle electrification and infrastructure for Ford
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition is back for the first time this year, bringing hundreds of thousands of dollars in seed capital to local start-ups.

Last year the competition showcased the best of the best start-ups in Michigan, along with attracting other out-of-state companies to move to the state. It awarded more than $1 million in cash and prizes last fall, including $500,000 to University of Michigan spin-off Armune Biosciences and $150,000 to Ann Arbor-based Arbor Photonics.

The prize pool remains the same this year, and organizers are working to bring in more start-ups and investors from out of state. They plan to utilize Automation Alley's international connections, the region's border with Canada and connections from the Business Leaders for Michigan. The goal is to have one-third of the money and people participating or attending to come from the coasts or elsewhere around the world.

"We're looking to bring in folks regionally, nationally and internationally," says Lauren Bigelow, executive director of the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition.

Contestants also receive valuable feedback from business experts and make connections with other business people from around the world.

The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition will be held on Nov. 16-17 at the Eagle Crest Conference Center in Ypsilanti. The gala awards and dinner will be held at Henry Ford Museum on Nov. 17. Interested start-ups can submit applications starting on June 6, with a deadline of Aug. 10. The deadline for student-led start-ups is Sept. 21. For information, click here.

Source: Lauren Bigelow, executive director of the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition
Writer: Jon Zemke