The Wyoming Kentwood Chamber will hold its 43rd Annual Dinner & Awards Ceremony Friday, a celebration that will not only honor outstanding businesses and individuals, but also mark a significant rebranding milestone.
This year, the Chamber is unveiling its new name, South Kent Chamber, a change that better reflects the diverse and thriving business community it represents.
“The annual dinner serves as more than just a celebration; it is a platform for fostering community engagement, networking and collaborations among local businesses. Attendees can anticipate an enjoyable evening filled with dinner, a cash bar, and the highlight of the evening,” said Keith Morgan, CEO of South Kent Chamber.
The awards to be presented at the event include:
Distinguished Service Award
Volunteer of the Year Award
Business of the Year Awards (Manufacturing, Retail, Service)
Committee of the Year Award
Attendees will get an exclusive sneak peek into the South Kent Business Journal, a comprehensive business publication designed for the modern professional. It offers exclusive interviews with area leaders, business trends, market insights, and thought-provoking commentary on current business landscapes. This year’s ceremony also will feature the introduction of new incoming board chairs and board members.
Wyoming Mayor-Elect Kent Vanderwood (far right) talks to members of the BIPOC Business Leader Advisory Council (WKTV)
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma WKTV Managing Editor joanne@wktv.org
One of the key missions of any business chamber is to serve as a connector and the Wyoming Kentwood Chamber of Commerce did at a recent meeting designed to help launch a new initiative to serve minority business owners.
More than 20 members of the Black Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) Business Leader Advisory Council discussed the needs of businesses and how those needs can be obstacles for BiPOC businesses owners. The discussion came to zoning ordinances and how difficult they can be to maneuver.
The discussion prompted Wyoming Mayor-Elect Kent Vanderwood to tell the group about the city’s need to fill several positions on its Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning Commission.
“I would love to see those boards more diversified.” Vanderwood said and two of the members indicated they were interested in exploring those opportunities. Due to the response, Vanderwood said he would send an email with links to the the Chamber that could be forwarded to everyone.
Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley (second from the left) was part of the BIPOC Business Leader Advisory Council launch. (WKTV)
Known for being “open for business,” Mayor Stephen Kepley recognized that zoning ordinances can be difficult for anyone to understand and that the city works with people to help them navigate the ordinances including have access to a translator service to help English-as-a-second language speakers.
In fact, the biggest takeaway WKCC President and CEO Keith Morgan said he got from the meeting was that the Chamber has to continue to be that connector.
Focusing on the needs of business
“I am pleasantly surprised at the level of influence and interest in a subject matter that can be easily overlooked in a large community,” Morgan said of the interest in developing the BIPOC Business Leader Advisory Council.
Morgan said his intention was to pull together a diverse group of individuals with varying backgrounds and businesses within in the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood for the Council. His original idea was to have a small group meet at the chamber offices however the overwhelming response from invitees had him move the event to the WKTV Community Media Center, 5261 Clyde Park SW.
A partner with the chamber, WKTV General Manager Tom Norton stated the station was thrilled to share its space with the Chamber for the launch of this initiative.
The initial event focused on how the Chamber could better serve the BIPOC business community. Morgan called it the start of the conversation with advisory members helping to establish goals.
Discussions centered around what some of the needs the businesses hand which included such topics as the need for interpreters, workforce development, labor shortage, and the ability to take a business to the next level.
At the meeting, the BIPAC Business Leader Advisory Council identified six key goals:
Establishing a mentor program
Creating and distributing a vendor list
Providing best practices especially related to procurement
Establishment of an advisory council
Building connections
Providing educational information and resources
Morgan said the Council will continue to meet to work on goals that can be completed in the short term as well as in the future.
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma WKTV Managing Editor joanne@wktv.org
A total of 17 women participated in this year’s Miss Metro Cruise preliminaries. (WKTV)
Miss Annie Wilde had an outfit picked out for the Miss Metro Cruise preliminary competition, but as fate would have it, she ended up having to demonstrate one of the key traits of being a pinup: how to make lemonade out of lemons.
“I had two outfits picked out and well, I spilled coffee on my first outfit this morning,” said Miss Annie Wilde (Olivia Anne McCoy). “So I went with my second choice which I love because it is a romper and I love rompers because they are so cute and it has polka dots. I feel the whole outfit expresses my fun personality.”
In the back, the other contestants shouted and clapped in support as McCoy finished her question about how she selected her outfit for the preliminary event. About 17 women came out to the Wyoming Moose Lodge this past Saturday (July 9) to participate in the Miss Metro Cruise preliminaries, which narrowed the field down to the top 10 who advanced to the finals. Those finals will take place on the Metro Cruise main stage at Rogers Plaza Aug. 27.
This year’s top 10
Each contestant had the opportunity to show off her individual style by greeting the crowd and then answered a selected question presented by host Kent County 13th District Commissioner Monica Sparks. The judges included 2021 Miss Metro Cruise Dr. Jules Kelvin (Juliette Brown). The panel of three scored the contestants on a number of factors such as pose, interaction with the audience, and positivity.
“I participate in Miss Metro Cruise because it is a wonderful platform to spread messages of encouragement and strength for women and strength for education as well,” said Aurora Re’Belle (Erin Wiseman-Parkin). “Education and beauty can go hand-and-hand and we love that.”
Aurora Re’Belle is one of the finalists who will be at the Metro Cruise. The other contestants include BeBe Von Schweetz (Molly Sheehan), Miss Pusskatt (Cassie Truskowski), Teena Marée (Krystina McNamara), Gigi Martini (Sarah Gillman), Victoria Jean (Cathy Swanson), Fiona DeVille (Erin Sarber), Bunny Hopps Von Schweetz (Amy Holland), and Ms. Adella Mae (Alisha Metz).
Being part of the sisterhood
“This is actually my first time,” said Bunny Hopps Von Schweetz (Amy Holland). “I do this because of my best friend Molly, BeBe Von Schweetz. She has been having a great time and really enjoying the community and the sisterhood, so I thought I would give it a try because why not find some wonderful people and spend some great time with them.”
BeBe Von Schweetz (Molly Sheehan) said she enjoys being a part of a sisterhood that is so supportive towards each other and in people in general.
“We are all in this together. If are a little nicer to each other, give a little more smiles with a little bit of that sass and we will all do a little better,” BeBe Von Schweetz said.
While she did not make the top ten, Miss Annie Wilde found lots of encouragement after the competition. Other contestants, including Miss Metro Cruise 2021 Dr. Jules Kelvin, were there to offer tips and support, which Miss Annie Wilde said she appreciated. She also plans to return for next year’s competition.
“I did Miss Metro Cruise because I love the Grand Rapids area,” she said. “I have lived here most of my life. So coming back to the city and really being able to dive into something I love has really been a great opportunity for me.”
Miss Metro Cruise 2021 Dr. Joules Kelvin was out encouraging people to participate in the 2022 Miss Metro Cruise competition during May’s Metro Cruise Dust-Off. (WKTV)
Dr. Jules Kelvin (Juliette Brown) admits when she is dressed up in her retro ’50s attire of a white dress accented with large pink flowers, attendees often are surprised to learn she is an actual doctor.
When that happens, the 2021 Miss Metro Cruise cheerfully explains how it is possible to do both — be a scientist and a pinup.
“I have always been underestimated when I look pretty but that is unfortunately something that happens,” she said. “So, the nice thing about the pharmaceutical industry is that it is less judgmental in that way. People can be a little quirky and flashy and still be taken seriously. Ultimately, as a scientist we are judged on our body of work that we accomplish and so it is a little different in pinup, because people judge you on what you look like.”
This weekend, Kelvin will be doing the judging as she helps find her replacement at the Miss Metro Cruise preliminary contest, which will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Moose Lodge, 2630 Burlingame Ave. SW. The preliminary contest, hosted by Kentwood’s JA PR Group, will feature classic cars with the contest narrowing the contestants down to the final 10 who will compete at the Wyoming Kentwood Chamber of Commerce’s 17th Annual Metro Cruise, set for Aug. 26 and 27.
“I love to plan an outfit and go through all the effort of getting everything just right in my appearance,” Kelvin said of participating in pinup contests like Miss Metro Cruise. “What I love most is sharing the experience with other pinups that I meet.
“I think it is a really accepting and inclusive group in a way that other things based on appearance are not.”
Participating in pinup contests was not even on Kelvin’s radar until a couple of years ago. She was working on doctorate in neuroscience at Michigan State University.
“To be totally honest I was sort of a late bloomer academically,” Kelvin said. “I had tried every different major you could think of except for science. I think I let it intimidate me when I was younger. It always seems scary and overwhelming like ‘That is a lot of math.’
Dr. Joules Kelvin, from Lansing, at the 2021 Miss Metro Cruise preliminary contest. She was named 2021 Miss Metro Cruise at last year’s event. (WKTV)
“As I had my daughter, it was time to be somebody’s role model so I decided to rip the bandage off and go back to school and take a chemistry class and it turned out I was really good at it.”
She earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Saginaw Valley State University because she wanted to go into the medical field. While attending grad school at Michigan State University, she met people in the pharmacology school and found they were “my people.” She earned a doctorate in neuroscience where most of her research has focused.
She also met some other people who connected to another side of her personality.
“I tend to be the more quirky one among the scientists,” she said. “I tend to be a little bit more fashionable then a lot of my colleagues. I like being flashy on the weekends and I have always enjoyed being kind of girlie.
“I think people think you can’t be both, which is just not true.”
It all clicked and after the workshop, Kelvin began to look for photo opportunities working with photographers and attending car shows.
“I have to say the people I meet during pinup are the most diverse, motivated and powerful group of women I’ve encountered,” she said, adding that the group represents different ages, body types, sizes, and aesthetics.
“I always say that my favorite part of the pinup is the sisterhood,” she said.
But the pageants were intimidating because, as Kelvin put it, “not only do you have to put it all together but you have to get up in front of people and be clever.”
In fact, Miss Metro Cruise is the second pageant title she has won in the couple of years of participating. She admitted that the event seemed overwhelming since it was in two parts and featured several well-established pinup artists.
“When I got there everyone was so kind and it was just really welcoming and nice,” she said. “Actually, I think it was lower pressure than other pageants because they do their best to make sure that everyone feels like they are included and they encourage new people to come and do it.”
The win encouraged her to participate in Detroit’s Autorama competition last February, where she again surprised herself by taking home the title.
Kelvin has her sights on a couple of competitions in March of 2023, but for now she is enjoying a break from competing.
There will be plenty of classic cars at the Miss Metro Cruise preliminary contest this Saturday. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
“I just like going, being positive, and supporting other people who are competing, especially people who are newer,” she said. “And it is nice going and not competing sometimes because I am dealing with a little bit less pressure.”
Along with supporting those competition, she also hopes to have the chance to break the stereotype that scientists are not that interesting by talking to children and young adults about her career path.
“I would like to tell people that they shouldn’t let science intimidate you,” she said. “Scientists are in general very excited about science. If you are curious, come chat us up because we will tell you anything you want to know and some things you don’t.
“I love talking about what I do and how I got there but also the same goes for pinup. Pinup can seem intimidating and overwhelming from a distance, but if you just go talk to a pinup they will tell you their experience of getting there and how it scared them a little bit at first and if you are curious about it you should absolutely try it. We all support each other.”
