Crain's Conversations

Michael Lee on WJR: Betting on EV battery plants, COVID relief funds and more

The Build Up with Ammar Alkhafaji

1:20 - How he balances dual careers 4:15 - The Four Corners Square project 6:25 - How he has learned so much in his 20s. 8:50 - What he sees as the future of retail 10:05 - What is coming next and how he blends his interests in medical and real estate 12:15- How to bring creative development from downtown to the suburbs 13:40 - How he balances working with his father 16:20 - How he handles when his careers are in conflict and whether he can continue to do both 18:05 - Which career is harder 18:5...

Michael Lee on WJR: GM back to the office | Detroit as tech hub | Automaker leases up

Michael Lee on WJR: Comerica's new big office lease, Detroit Homecoming and auto show evolution

The Build Up with Richard Hosey

Among the topics Hosey addresses in the podcast: 1:30 – Why he feels confident the Fisher Body 21 plant project will succeed. 2:45 – Why having the largest black-led development in the city is important. 4:05 – What attracts him to historic preservation. 6:15 – The one building he would want to take on. 7:55 – How financial incentives can be expanded to help development. 9:35 – The unique challenges of working in Detroit. 11:50 – What more can be done to preserve affordable housing in Detroit. 1...

Michael Lee on WJR: Downtown visitors rebound, private equity loves car washes, auto show returns and more

The Build Up with Ryan Maibach

1:10 – Whether he always wanted to join the family business. 2:25 – What steps he is taking to make sure the family has a robust staff. 4:10 – How he handles not having elder relatives in the business and whether he’s prepping the next generation of Maibachs for the business. 9:05 – Why he loves Lego. 10:25 – His favorite project that he's worked on. 13:10 – How hard it is to innovate in the construction industry. 15:30 – How he diversifies the Barton Malow portfolio. 17:40 – How construction wi...

Michael Lee on WJR: Rocket CEO's stock buys, Black-owned businesses' staying power and more

The Build Up with Michael Cooper

1:05 -What it was like working for a Coca-Cola bottling plant and what he learned from that experience. 3:40 - What has changed in design and architecture throughout his three decades in the business. 6:40 -How hybrid work changes workplace designs. 11:55 - Why HED is moving to Royal Oak. 15:05 - Promoting diversity in the architecture field and what changes should be made to encourage it. 21:20 - Why he keeps a photo of the original Microsoft staff in a garage on his desk. 24:10 - Why he's a fa...

Kelley Root on WJR: What's ahead for suppliers? | Examining Gilbert's affordable housing deals

Kelley Root on WJR: Restaurants push back | Mortgage industry woes hit home | Grand Rapids boosts hotel district

The Build Up with Ron Boji

3:10 - Why he goes after public-private partnerships in his projects 5:00 - How he dealt with criticism in his Royal Oak project 6:40 - What his plans are for Birmingham development 12:35 - What other areas he feels are ripe for development 13:55 - The status of United Wholesale grocery 15:20 - How being an immigrant impacts his business philosophy 16:55 - What it was like working with his father and whether his daughters will join the business 21:00 - Why he's selling his family's $10 million e...

Michael Lee on WJR: Dixon gets Trump bump ahead of primary, Gen Z workers riding high, what's next for Selfridge and more

Michael Lee on WJR: Why it's so hard to fix flooding issues | Record home prices, lower mortgage demand

The Build Up with Lynette Boyle and Michael Martorelli

Today’s guests are Lynnette Boyle and Michael Martorelli of Beanstalk Real Estate Solutions. The firm has residential and commercial properties throughout Detroit, including the Guardian Building, The Marygrove Campus and The Obama Building. After a career that included time with Kirco, Farbman Group, Sterling Group and Bedrock, Lynnette formed Beanstalk in 2016, focusing on property management and brokerage. Recently, Beanstalk joined with Center City Properties to create a multi-family housing...

Kelley Root on WJR: Food banks struggle | Ross lobbied for $100M for project | Greektown Casino's legacy | Nurse transforming a block

Kelley Root on WJR: Self-checkout is taking over | Wedding vendors slammed | U.P.’s tech business boom

Michael Lee on WJR: Great Lakes cruises get big | $100 million in state money for UM project | What's in the state budget

Crain's Detroit Business Managing Editor Michael Lee chats with Paul W. Smith on WJR AM 760 about stories from the past week.

The Build Up with Joe Luther

Inside its 26th-floor offices at the Fisher Building, Christman Company has a special souvenir that hangs on the wall with ties to an iconic moment of political history. Joe Luther, vice president and general manager of Southeast Michigan Operations, spilled the beans during this week’s podcast of how Christman ended up with a piece of the platform where then-president Barack Obama stood during his first inauguration in 2009. “We’ve got one of the pieces of plywood actually in the Fisher Buildin...

Kelley Root on WJR: Abortion decision reverberates | Looking to Greektown's future | Kellogg's big move

Crain's Detroit Business Executive Editor Kelley Root chats with Paul W. Smith on WJR AM 760 about stories from this week's issue.

The Build Up with Albert Berriz

What we talked about: 2:00 - The state of McKinley and how the business has changed over 30 years 3:05 -Why they are staying in the workforce housing market 4:40 - Why they won't be expanding to regions outside of Ann Arbor and Orlando 12:40 - How they handle rising rents 14:00 - How to improve affordable housing 16:50 - How they retain staffers 18:10 - What they are doing for a succession plan 18:55 - What it was like coming to the U.S as a refugee 19:55 - His management style and how he uses s...

Michael Lee on WJR: Lesson for EV startups | Historic Ford home for sale

Kelley Root on WJR: Gas prices change game for businesses | Vacation home sales on fire | Giving Guide 2022

Crain's Detroit Business Executive Editor Kelley Root chats with Paul W. Smith on WJR AM 760 about stories from this week's issue.

The Build Up with Monique Becker & Elyse Wolf

Monique Becker and Elyse Wolf call each other "sisters since four." They went to school together and live together. And in the last five years, the two have navigated the challenges of parlaying a lifelong friendship into a business partnership. It hasn't always been easy. "The work never ends," says Becker. "It's really hard to have any types of boundaries." "We definitely have other friends who have to remind us to pump the breaks on things," added Wolf. The 28-year-olds are now developing pro...

Michael Lee on WJR: Highest-paid CEOs | Takeaways from Mackinac | Big plans at zoo

Mackinac Policy Conference: Kerry Duggan and Jonathan Overpeck

Kerry Duggan and Jonathan Overpeck talk with Crain’s Executive Editor Kelley Root about UM’s new SEAS Sustainability Clinic in Detroit aimed at combating the effects of climate change, including residential flooding.

Mackinac Policy Conference: Trevor Lauer, president and COO, DTE Electric

Trevor Lauer, president and COO of DTE Electric, speaks with Crain's Detroit Business Managing Editor Michael Lee about work to reduce power outages, warnings from some about power shortages this summer and the future of green energy technologies.

Mackinac Policy Conference: Angelique Power, president and CEO, Skillman Foundation

Crain's Detroit Business Executive Editor Kelley Root talks with Skillman Foundation President and CEO Angelique Power about the importance of engaging young people in philanthropy, her impressions of metro Detroit and her goals for the organization.

Mackinac Policy Conference: Bob Riney, Chief Operating Officer and President of Hospital Operations, Henry Ford Health

Bob Riney considered pursuing the permanent CEO job at Henry Ford Health. He tells Crain’s on our Mackinac Policy Conference podcast about why he didn’t.

Mackinac Policy Conference: Ric Devore, President, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan

Ric Devore, the new president of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, talks to Crain’s Managing Editor Michae Lee about jumping from finance to foundations – and succeeding a legend.