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Memorial Medical Center
West Shore Community College
FloraCraft
Bob & Kay Neal
Ludington Daily News
Marquette Rail LLC
5550 First Street
Ludington, MI 49431
(866) RAIL – 911
(231) 845-9000
F: (231) 845-9001
www.marquetterail.com
Marquette Rail LLC holds the unique distinction of being the world’s only majority employee-owned railroad, which has translated to high levels of employee owner involvement, and therefore greater customer satisfaction. As a result, Marquette’s 30 employee owners have grown the business by approximately twenty percent in the company’s first 2-1/2 years. We intend to continue that growth through aggressive support of the local economy, providing lower-cost transportation alternatives to area employers such as Occidental Chemical Company.
Yet Marquette is not focused solely on big customers. Quite the contrary, we do what smaller, entrepreneurial short line railroads do best – focus on the individual customer, no matter how large or small. “Small customers make as much a difference as large customers,” says Mike Hnatiuk, Marquette Rail’s assistant customer service manager. “We’re a small business, too.”
Railroads are far more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly than trucks, especially in this age of skyrocketing fuel prices. “A company con be located along our tracks or acquire available land and put in a spur,” according to Marquette’s CEO. “But there’s no need to be located next to our rail line to benefit from the efficiency of rail transportation. Transloading – bringing freight to a location by rail and then transferring it to truck to be taken to its final destination – opens many companies to rail service, such as we do locally in Ludington with Towns Brothers.
You owe it to yourself to see what rail transportation can do for you. Call the professionals at Marquette Rail today!
Memorial Medical Center
1 Atkinson Drive
Ludington, MI 49431
(231) 843-2591
(888) 742-7426
www.mmcwm.com
For over 100 years, Memorial Center of West Michigan has been serving the West Michigan area between Traverse City and Muskegon. With an array of healthcare services and a medical staff encompassing 16 different specialties, the hallmarks of Memorial Medical Center are quality care, advanced technology, and excellent customer service.
Quality Medical Care
Based on the intensifying focus on quality, and the myriad organizations to whom Memorial Medical Center is responsible for reporting on quality objectives, we established a new hospital department in 2009, the Clinical Quality Department, dedicated solely to the oversight implementation, management and reporting of quality initiatives. We also added a new Quality Goal to the organization’s strategic plan. The Quality Goal is: to develop a planned, coordinated and strategic focus on quality to achieve the MMC mission and vision.
We measure, trend and act upon nearly 300 clinical and safety quality indicators, which exist in nearly every department. Our focus on quality has always been rigorous, as evidenced by our receipt of the Governor’s Award of Excellence every year it was in place and our 2008 Distinguished Hospital Award for Patient Safety from HealthGrades, which placed Memorial Medical Center in the top five percent of all U.S. hospitals for patient safety.
Memorial Medical Center was also the first hospital in Michigan, and one of a handful nationwide, to pioneer the use of the world wide ISO quality standards in health care and is certified to ISO 9001:2008. What this means to our patients and our prayers is that a certified quality management system is in place to ensure quality care.
Sophisticated Medical Technology
At Memorial Medical Center, sophisticated medical technology is combined with a “high touch” approach to providing personalized attention to each patient. Recent technology enhancements include digital mammography, digital bone densitometry and digital ultrasound, all housed in our new Women’s Imaging Center.
Exceptional Customer Service
At Memorial Medical Center, we hire exceptional people because we believe that translates to exceptional care. The nursing staff and support staff of Memorial Medical Center are renowned for their friendly, caring attention to patients families and visitors alike.
West Shore Community College
3000 N. Stiles Road
Scottville, MI 49454
P: (231) 845-6211
www.westshore.edu
Community colleges are centers of educational opportunity. Beginning nearly 100 years ago, they are a uniquely American invention that put publicly funded higher education at close-to-home facilities.
West Shore Community College was established by a vote of the people in the college’s district on March 6, 1967. The College offers a comprehensive general education curricula designed to meet the needs of students desiring to transfer to senior institutions and many occupational programs are available for students desiring pursue immediate employment.
The college’s “home base” is 360 beautiful acres of rolling timberland, located near Ludington and Scottville at the intersection of North Stiles and Sugar Grove Roads in Mason County. Students in the northern portion of the college district are served through the Manistee County Education Center, on US-31, just north of city of Manistee.
Since its creation over 40 years ago, the college has been an inclusive institution that welcomes all who desire to learn, regardless of wealth, heritage, or previous academic experience. The process of making higher education available to the maximum number of people continues to evolve at 1,173 public and independent community colleges across America.
The college continues to serve the community as a valuable partner for business and industry, community organizations and cultural programming by bringing more resources, grants, programs and special events to the region.
Many of the college’s employees are active participants in community organizations civic causes, charity events, service clubs, and economic development initiatives. The administration meets regularly with state and local leaders and governmental representatives. To remain current with cultural, economic and education developments, the staff regularly attends symposiums and conference with other educations institutions and professional organizations.
More than personal participation, the college brings new dollars and new economic resources to the area while continuing to give students a quality, affordable education.
Thousands of people visit the college throughout the year to use facilities, and attend numerous special events and activities. In addition to concerts, plays, art exhibits, historical presentations and reading, thousands of district wide school children attend special programs designed specifically for younger audiences.
The college is working in concert with community leaders to assess the region’s strengths and opportunities with a goal to develop new business recruitment strategies and to be a catalyst for new jobs.
In order to serve and respond quickly to the needs of the business community, the college regularly reviews its occupational programs and offerings to assure that existing needs are being met, but to also anticipate future training, certification, and degree needs.
FloraCraft
1 Longfellow Place
Ludington, MI 49431
(231) 845-5127
F: (231) 845-0240
www.floracraft.com
FloraCraft®, locally owned and operated, has been serving the craft and floral industries for 63 continuous years, providing quality STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam in shapes and sheets; Artesia® wet foam, natural straw products, and other craft and floral essential products. Dedicated to helping beginners and professionals achieve their best results, FloraCraft products are the foundation of every great project.
Operating from its headquarters in Ludington, Michigan, FloraCraft has facilities in Arkansas, California, Pennsylvania, and Mexico, with approximately 300 employees. From these locations, their product is shipped throughout the United States, as well as countries around the globe.
FloraCraft incorporates the importance of being a good corporate citizen in its mission statement and lives it by:
- Giving back to the local community through support of year-round, employee-driven participation in a variety of collections & drawings for programs like the Thanksgiving “Fixing Bags” Food Drive for Mason County and the holiday “Toys for Children” drive.
- Support of the local schools and non-profit organizations. Active member of local manufacturing societies and the Ludington & Scottville Chamber of Commerce.
- Local business as supplier opportunities
- Recycling over 98% of Styrofoam* fabrication waste. Every piece of scrap and dust is collected and reused in other FloraCraft products or sold to companies who utilize recycled material in their products.
Bob and Kay Neal are Passionate about Downtown Ludington
As lifelong residents, Bob and Kay have seen, and been part of many changes in Ludington. All the way back to working with the Ludington Jaycees to create the first area mini golf course, to working with the group that started the Lakestride Half Marathon, to bringing Gus Macker to the area as the jewel in the Gus Macker crown. You’ll notice these three endeavors in particular are about action.
“Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.”
Japanese Proverb
Bob and Kay lead lives of action – focusing on the vision of strengthening Ludington for our citizens, visitors and future. That strength comes from providing jobs through House of Flavors Manufacturing and Restaurant and providing opportunity for the Ludington Area CVB and businesses like Best Choice Market, Cole’s Antiques, Maude’s Gallery, Artist Mart, and Red Door Gallery. It comes from creating residential and professional communities to increase density and disposable income downtown through Lakewinds East, Lakewinds West or One Ludington Place and supporting the faith community through Youth for Christ, Main Street Youth Center and the United Methodist Church.
And, what may be their most significant contribution – the Ludington Area Center for the Arts. These actions were done with one thing in mind – better the community for the community.
“Moving forward, Bob & Kay Neal continue to demonstrate their commitment to grow and develop the downtown community through involvement on the 'Sweet Festival' event planning committee, a new event coming to downtown Ludington in July 2010, and also in their development plans for the 200+ ft. of property along Ludington Avenue where the former bowling alley stands. Preliminary plans for the property include creating up to seven new spaces for businesses along the block with completion expected in 2011.”
Bob and Kay Neal would hope to leave a legacy of generosity to the community and their family, and are honored to lend their support to the Ludington & Scottville Chamber of Commerce as a Silver member.
Ludington Daily News / Shoreline Media
202 N. Rath Ave
M: PO Box 340
Ludington, MI 49431
P: (231) 845-5181
F: (231) 843-4011
www.ludingtondailynews.com
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