Compliant Healthcare Technologies, LLC was founded in 2006 with a desire to take medical piped gas systems evaluations, maintenance and compliance to a new level.  CHT partners with healthcare facilities to help them achieve Joint Commission and Environment of Care compliance with world-class service.  Through the use of a unique and comprehensive patent-pending software and service (CHxProgram), healthcare facilities have the ability to evaluate the current status of their medical piped gas system(s) from source equipment to patient terminal, at any time.  As a “Partner in Compliance”, CHT offers:

• Medical piped gas systems evaluations, inspections, and verifications
• Medical piped gas systems deficiency corrections and maintenance
• Environmental monitoring services and passive dosimeter badges
• Parts and equipment sales (i.e. pumps, compressors, regulators, alarms, valves)
• Design, diagrams, plan reviews and documentation services for medical piped gas systems
• Construction and project management services for medical piped gas systems
• ASSE instructor led or online training courses (6005, 6010, 6020/30, 6040)

CHT’s mission is to deliver quality medical services, cultivating partnerships through the use of innovative technological solutions, skilled service professionals and enriching educational programs that differentiate CHT as the national leader in the healthcare industry.  CHT services healthcare facilities nationwide at over 600 locations.  It is headquartered in Raleigh, NC, and has regional offices in Cleveland, OH, Chicago, IL, Louisville, KY, Richmond, VA, and now Ann Arbor, MI.

Possibilities for Change has received funding and support from Ann Arbor SPARK. After being introduced to SPARK through the U of M Office of Tech Transfer, they have received several Phase III business engagements from SPARK. This type of engagement typically offers consulting, connections to executive and technical talent, marketing and business development services, as well as entrepreneurial educational programs, to name a few. 

Last year, Possibilities for Change participated in one such education program, SPARK’s Entrepreneur Boot Camp. During this program they made a key connection with Ted Dacko, an Ann Arbor entrepreneur best known for rescuing a small, near-death company called Health Media and growing it into an enterprise so successful it was bought by Johnson & Johnson. Ted continues to work with them today.

The company is led by Dr. Jennifer Salerno, a nurse practitioner who directs the University of Michigan Regional Alliance for Healthy Schools’ School-Based Health Center Program. Her work with adolescents spans 15+ years and led to the creation of the survey, called Rapid Assessment for Adolescent Preventive Services (RAAPS). For more information about the assessment and Possibilities for Change, please see the announcement on their webpage.

Paul Krutko with Dr. Won Suk Cho, President, Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. in front of the 2012 Car of the Year.

Hyundai is investing over $15 million in the expansion project, which it anticipates will create 50 new high tech automotive research and development jobs over the next three years.

“Ann Arbor SPARK’s business development team proactively works with businesses in the region to meet their needs as they grow and evolve,” said Paul Krutko, Ann Arbor SPARK president and CEO.  “Working with Hyundai, Ann Arbor SPARK was able to identify ways that the region and state could support the growth of the company’s North American technical center.

“Superior Township was a critical partner; the Township’s willingness to provide incentives for Hyundai’s expansion is crucial support for the new project,” Krutko added. “It’s this type of collaborative economic development between Ann Arbor SPARK, the state and regional communities that makes business choose to locate and grow here.

The Hyundai American Technical Center Inc. is a key design, technology, and engineering facility for Korean-based Hyundai-Kia Motors Group. This investment continues to demonstrate that the Ann Arbor region and southeast Michigan is a global hub for automotive research and development.

One of these firms who will be adding new talent is Arbor Networks, a Massachusetts based information technology security firm who operates its research and development office here in the City of Ann Arbor. The 78-person office will be undergoing a major investment after the company received a five-year tax abatement from the City of Ann Arbor in October. Our team walked the firm through the tax abatement process and helped them complete their application. This was crucial considering that that staff members responsible for the abatement were located in Massachusetts. The firm committed to making $883,527 in real property improvements and $7.8 million in new personal property and equipment investment. As part of the agreement, Arbor Networks committed to adding no less than 20 jobs by December 31, 2013.

DAPCO Industries is a family owned and operated company that has been in business in Dexter, Michigan since 1943. Today, DAPCO has become a leader in the small engine component industry. Our team completed the tax abatement application alongside DAPCO staff and prepared their team for the public hearing process. Our support throughout the process allowed DAPCO staff to continue to focus on their day-to-day responsibilities while we put their data into a formal application. The company was unanimously approved a 12-year tax abatement by the Dexter Village Council on November 28^th. The abatement was for $1.286 million of investment in personal property and about $879,000 in real property improvements in the village. The company plans to add 8,500 square feet in factory space and ten jobs.

QED Environmental Systems, a supplier of environmental remediation products, moved into a larger building in the Village of Dexter’s industrial park earlier this year. Our team guided them through the tax abatement process and helped them complete their application. Our team’s support and recommendations were extremely useful so that QED staff could focus on maintaining business throughout their move. The company was granted a ten-year tax abatement in November by the Dexter Village Council. The firm also has offices in Pennsylvania and California but chose to make their investment of $104,498 in new personal property and $758,043 in machinery and equipment here in Michigan. The company, which employs 49 employees, is expected to add five new jobs over the next two years, according to the tax abatement application.

With the support of Ann Arbor SPARK, FAAC was awarded a multi-year Industrial Facilities Tax incentive.  The incentive helps FAAC expand into its new facility and add revenue to the local community’s tax base.

“Ann Arbor SPARK’s business retention and expansion team worked with Pittsfield Township to help FAAC secure a tax incentive,” said Paul Krutko, president and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK. “The jobs that the company will create are exactly the high tech jobs that attract and retain talent in our region.  It’s exciting to see FAAC choose to expand and create jobs here in the Ann Arbor area.”

“The opportunity to expand operations within a short drive from our current campus made Pittsfield Township the obvious choice. Ann Arbor SPARK provided insight into the assistance programs available and helped with the Industrial Facilities Tax incentive application process, including making the proper introductions with township personnel and supporting us at the public hearing which approved our request,” said Kurt Flosky, FAAC executive vice president. “We are excited to be in a position to grow and expand our presence in the Ann Arbor area.”

FAAC’s recent expansion was spurred by the company’s $64 million project award from the U.S. Army.  The contract is for the design, development, production and delivery of 28 of the company’s Virtual Clearance Training Suites (VCTS).  The VCTS will simulate a wide array of technical devices, including purpose-built mine-protection and clearing vehicles used by the U.S. Army to combat improvised explosive devices.

FAAC will begin the expansion at its facility in November and expects the expansion to complete in early 2012.

“Ann Arbor SPARK’s integrated approach to economic development helps Cataphora, and similar businesses, efficiently locate and initiate operations in the region,” said Paul Krutko, president and CEO.  “At a MichAgain CEO Dinner event where Ann Arbor SPARK was working to attract talent back to Michigan, we initially engaged Cataphora.  From that point, Ann Arbor SPARK has provided the support, in collaboration with the University of Michigan, that helped Cataphora access the talent and infrastructure needed to establish its office in the region.  It’s exciting to see a high tech, high potential company recognize the value of locating in Ann Arbor and commit to growing here.”

“We’re very excited about the possibilities here in Michigan,” notes Chris Kurecka, Cataphora’s Manager of Michigan Engineering. “Cataphora thrives on the talent of its employees and the Ann Arbor area offers some of the best. We’ve found a group of superb employees, from both the University of Michigan’s Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) department within the College of Engineering, and from its School of Information.”

The office is currently staffed with both full- and part-time employees, some of them current U-M students, working primarily on software engineering and quality assurance efforts.

In the months leading up to the Michigan office opening, Cataphora received valuable support from Ann Arbor SPARK, a public-private partnership whose mission is to advance innovation-based economic development in the greater Ann Arbor region, and from the University of Michigan’s Business Engagement Center. “We are thrilled to have another U-M alum-founded company locate in Ann Arbor,” comments Stella Wixom, Director of the Business Engagement Center. “It is a great example of how the University, working in conjunction with our community partners like Ann Arbor SPARK, can make an impact. We look forward to helping Cataphora meet their hiring needs and connecting them to additional University resources as they expand their operation in the region.”

“Attracting and retaining Arbor Networks in the Ann Arbor region is reflective of Ann Arbor SPARK’s work to help IT businesses grow in the region,” said Paul Krutko, Ann Arbor SPARK president and CEO.  “Our business attraction and retention team structured the incentive package on the behalf of the company and the City of Ann Arbor.  SPARK will continue to work closely with Arbor Networks to support its long-term needs, including helping the company connect with tech talent.”

Arbor Networks is headquartered in Massachusetts; its operations here in Ann Arbor are focused on R&D.

Arbor Networks is a leading provider of network security and management solutions for next-generation data centers and carrier networks, including the vast majority of the world’s Internet service providers and many of the largest enterprise networks in use today. Arbor’s proven network security and management solutions help grow and protect customer networks, businesses and brands.

HookLogic is headquartered in New York. Its office in Ann Arbor is focused on developing software for the company’s SaaS platform. Ann Arbor SPARK assisted HookLogic in finding its Ann Arbor office space. Additionally, HookLogic has taken advantage of Ann Arbor SPARK’s talent services, including the job portal, Hot Shots and networking.

“HookLogic has worked with SPARK since we opened our Ann Arbor office in 2008,” said Gary Evans, HookLogic general manager. “We have attended several networking/recruiting events, and have leveraged their knowledge of the local market in other ways as well, including identifying options for where to locate our new office when we outgrew our existing space.” For more on this exciting news, read HookLogic’s press release.

For more on this exciting news, read HookLogic’s press release.

“Liebherr-Aerospace is able to expand in the Ann Arbor region, in part, because of its access to highly skilled, technical talent,” said Paul Krutko, Ann Arbor SPARK president and CEO.  “The region’s talent base provides a distinct competitive advantage for manufacturers and service providers; Ann Arbor is rich with the ingredients that businesses of all sizes need to grow.  Ann Arbor SPARK is pleased to have worked with Liebherr and the City of Saline in securing economic incentives to support this expansion.”

According to its website, Liebherr is a supplier of technically innovative user-oriented products and services in numerous fields.

Liebherr will start its expansion soon, with completion scheduled for spring 2012.

AnnArbor.com has a great article on the expansion, including additional details on hiring and the company’s operations.

As a SPARK East business incubator tenant, WhereToFindCare.com has opportunities to utilize meeting space, advanced communication technology, mentoring and other educational events. Since its launch in 2008, the SPARK East Business Incubator has become a magnet for innovation-based businesses of every size and description – from entrepreneurs and start-ups to mid-sized companies.

To find out more about the SPARK East Business Incubator contact Shamar Herron – Manager, Michigan Innovation Equipment Depot and SPARK East Incubator

Phone: 734.527.9171
Email: Shamar@AnnArborUSA.org

To find out more about Wheretofindcare.com, contact Barbara O’Connell
Website: www.wheretofindcare.com
Email: boconnell@wheretofindcare.com