ResourcesNews & Events

Blog Post

Posted June 20, 2018

As the cost of college grows and the need for skilled trade workers is making news, the focus on career technical education and apprenticeships is becoming sharper. While Macomb County is a center of manufacturing in a variety of industries such as automotive, defense, and aerospace, it is also a center of some excellent career technical education and apprenticeship programs.

Category: Advancing Macomb

Blog Post

Posted June 20, 2018

Attorney Fran-Marie Silveri is a Macomb County native who is growing her legal practice in estate planning and administration. Silveri is a founding member of La Grasso, Abdo & Silveri, PLLC of Sterling Heights.

Category: Leader Profiles

Blog Post

Posted June 20, 2018

John Nitz is a founding member of O’Reilly Rancilio P.C. and has served as a Director since 1984. John is a current board member of Advancing Macomb and a founding member of Leadership Macomb. He believes in good leadership and feels that an individual can be a leader in their family, business, church and greater community. John has represented numerous family-owned manufacturing and service businesses and has prepared estate plans and succession plans for many business owners. He provides estate and trust administration services and serves as a trustee for numerous family trusts. 

Category: Leader Profiles

Blog Post

Posted June 20, 2018

Jake Howlett is a Partner at Viviano Law in Mount Clemens specializing in commercial litigation and real estate law.  Jake joined Viviano Law in early 2011, bringing with him a wealth of experience both as an attorney and business executive at a large real estate development company. Recently, Jake was an integral part of breaking news in Detroit as the lead outside counsel for the Moroun family in the sale of the storied Michigan Central Station sale to Ford Motor Company.  Jake noted that as real estate deals go, this one was exciting for its scope, size and for the redevelopment possibilities for Detroit. While every deal is important to each client, Jake noted, “it was fun and challenging to help complete a deal of this scope and public importance.”

Category: Leader Profiles

Blog Post

Posted June 20, 2018

Matt Casey, partner at Warner Norcross + Judd’s Macomb office and Advancing Macomb board member, “has focused his practice in the areas of commercial litigation, commercial loan workouts, commercial loan documentation and bank-related litigation. He has extensive experience in loan workouts involving industrial facilities, shopping centers, real estate developments and gas stations."

Category: Leader Profiles

Blog Post

Posted May 7, 2018

When you look at the website for Bakes & Kropp Fine Cabinetry, you see a portfolio of gorgeous, high-end kitchen and bath design projects pulling clients mostly from the Hamptons and New York City. These beautiful luxury creations start right here in Macomb County at a custom woodworking shop in Mount Clemens.

Categories: Advancing Macomb, Leader Profiles

Blog Post

Posted May 7, 2018

John Myers III has risen through the ranks at C.J. Barrymore’s Entertainment to become part of the executive management team at the Clinton Township entertainment center. Myers says “For the past 22 years I have operated C.J. Barrymore’s, a multi-million dollar Macomb County based business that, under my leadership, has doubled in size during the last decade and continues to grow substantially each year. I have gained valuable experience in financial planning, projecting growth, and gaining value for the dollar, while also never losing sight of the big picture: ensuring that every dollar spent provides a one-of-a-kind experience for our guests, while also maximizing the return for our business. The best part about my job is my 300 plus staff they help to keep the train on the tracks.”

Categories: Advancing Macomb, Leader Profiles

Blog Post

Posted May 7, 2018

On April 27, Advancing Macomb in conjunction with the Clinton River Watershed Council held an inaugural river cleanup along the banks of the Clinton River in Mount Clemens. The organizations will be debuting a new kayak and canoe launch at MacArthur Park later this spring and wanted to clean up the shoreline in the surrounding area to make it more inviting to enjoy the river.

Category: Advancing Macomb

Blog Post

Posted May 7, 2018

Advancing Macomb hosted the first gathering for our new Trustee group at the Rock Room at the Emerald Theatre in Mount Clemens on April 24. The Trustee group was formed to provide a civic-focused, social club for business leaders throughout the county.  With monthly gatherings at venues throughout Macomb, these events allow participants to engage with one another and Advancing Macomb board members to leverage their influence strategically around specific issues.

Category: Advancing Macomb

Blog Post

Posted April 9, 2018

I’m Mark Rathbone, CEO of PTI Engineered Plastics. I was born in Detroit and raised in Clinton Township. I attended Chippewa Valley High School, class of 1970. I started in the mold-making trade while attending high school, and enrolled in an apprenticeship program through Macomb Community College during the early seventies. In my earlier years, I worked in mold design, mold making, and manufacturing process engineering.  In 1984, I started my own business which operated under the name of Proto-Tech Industries until 1987.

Categories: Advancing Macomb, Leader Profiles