As we finish out the last full month of summer, it's time to schedule (at least) one more get-together! Summer in Michigan opens the door, quite literally, to options that are not available year-round to us —namely, outdoor entertaining. So, take advantage of these...
Recent Articles
Life is a Classroom
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to be a part of an ATHENA luncheon. The ATHENA leadership model focuses on eight tenets: Authentic Self, Relationships, Giving Back, Collaboration, Courageous Acts, Fierce Advocacy, Celebration and Joy, and Learning. The program...
Leading for the Sake of Others: Beverly Wall’s Mission
Beverly Wall left her rural roots to move to Grand Rapids in 1976 and pursue her dream of becoming a successful woman business owner. Today, she is the owner of several companies—including Languages International Inc. a once-struggling company that she was able...
Muse on a Mission
“Self confidence is best expressed in clothes.” So says Latesha Lipscomb, the creator of Women Who Wine, a monthly soiree dedicated to women in transition, working women and women hoping to better themselves. Each gathering is sponsored by local boutiques who tend to...
From the Ground Up: Building Stronger Communities
Diana Sieger has captained the ship of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation since 1987. Since then, the organization has grown in assets from $35 million to $260 million, and with Diana at the helm, citizens of Kent County and beyond are reaping the benefits of her...
What it Means to be Truly Grateful
I recently came back from my honeymoon on the beautiful island of Jamaica. It was wonderful in every way, and it was such a thrilling adventure to get out of the country and go to an exotic place that I'd never been to. Although I enjoyed my honeymoon at...
Grand Valley Exhibition Celebrates Dutch Artist Cyril Lixenberg
A unique exhibition at Grand Valley State University will explore and celebrate eighty-one years of the life and work of the popular contemporary Dutch artist Cyril Lixenberg, from Amsterdam. The artist will attend the opening reception for the exhibition Cyril...
Warped by Your Family? Join the Club! Psychiatrist Offers Tips to Overcome Common Issues
At the heart of almost all of his patients’ problems are issues that stem from the family that raised them—creating problems in the family they’ve started, said psychiatrist Gary Malone, M.D. “Almost all of us deal with this to some degree or another. Very few...
Protecting Your Retirement Investments During a Job Transition
The current economic and market environment has prompted many Americans to rethink their retirement strategies. If you are experiencing a job transition—particularly if the transition is unplanned and unexpected—such a reassessment may be particularly important for...
Never a Dull Moment
As a mother of three, Melody VanderWeide knows keeping kids active, entertained and stimulated takes variety. She put her multitasking know-how to good use in founding the ever popular, ever updating website for all things kid-friendly, GRKids.com. Melody was a...