“I’m Patrick McElgunn, and these days I run what I like to call the Idea Center at Northwood University. My official title is the Director of the Alden B. Dow Center for Creativity and Enterprise, but the simple version is this: I help students start, run, and scale businesses while they’re still in school.”
Read More“Hi, I’m Ben Marsh, and I’m one of the Owners of Creation Coffee. Creation is almost 10 years old, and that still feels unreal to say out loud. What started as a curiosity between my business partner, Jacob Spence, and me has grown into a roastery, multiple café locations, and a company that quietly supports a whole lot of other businesses across Michigan.” -Ben Marsh
Read MoreJustin McCrory is the Leasing & Marketing Consultant at Brooks Estates, where he works with the property manager to run the community and conduct tours, while also serving as a social media strategist for multiple MRD Apartment properties. Beyond leasing, he also connects people to Midland.
Read MoreKirsten Dean is a licensed massage therapist and offers therapeutic and relaxation massages, facial massages, hot stones, hot bamboo, cupping, Reiki and more. She spent her whole life watching her mom practice Reiki, which peaked her interest in following a similar career path.
Read MoreI was born a do-it-yourselfer. I've been that way since I was a kid. I once made a pair of glasses out of a fax machine tray and a Dremel tool because I broke my real ones. They didn't work, but I made something. That spirit has carried through my entire journey.” - Brandon Morey
Read MoreThe annual MYPros Community Crowdfund launched on August 1 and will have one month to raise $25,000 for Crepes Et Amis, Iron Dame and the rest of the Townsend Street block.
Read MoreKirsten Dean is a licensed massage therapist and offers therapeutic and relaxation massages, facial massages, hot stones, hot bamboo, cupping, Reiki and more. She spent her whole life watching her mom practice Reiki, which peaked her interest in following a similar career path.
Read MoreRhiannon Gonzales moved to Midland recently, but has been working in and connected to the community for years. Originally from Hemlock, she moved to Saginaw while attending Saginaw Valley State University.
Read MoreJoelle Jacobs moved back to Midland about a year-and-a-half ago. After growing up in Midland, Joelle moved to New Mexico for a few years after college, and is now the Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator for Midland County.
Read MoreJessica Blewett has lived in Midland for the last 11 years. She originally started in Midland at the Center for the Arts before working several years in insurance at various agencies. She moved on to The Boy Scouts before coming to The Legacy Center a few years ago.
Read MoreKathleen Haney has lived in Midland for over 12 years. In January 2024, she launched her own marketing and design business, Made Up Media, focused on helping small businesses improve their brand, website, social media, and graphic design.
Read MoreEmily Bolesky, a native Midlander, has worked at Allied HR for three years, starting just a couple of years after they opened. While she was born and raised in Midland, she is actually a dual citizen of the U.S and Germany - where her mother is from. Her parents met in Germany while her father was in the Army.
Read MoreBefore stepping into nonprofit leadership, Holly built a successful career in the corporate world, working in advertising, writing, and graphic design—including running her own ad agency. But over time, she found herself more drawn to volunteer work than client work. “I was spending a lot of my time volunteering around at-risk youth, serving on the school board, and mentoring with Big Brothers Big Sisters,” she said. That passion led her to take a bold leap into the nonprofit world nearly two decades ago—a decision she says was the best of her career.
Read MoreWhen Rebecca and her family relocated to Midland, she never imagined that opening a LEGO-themed resale and retail shop would be her next chapter. But like many great stories, it started with a small spark—or in this case, a scoop of LEGO bricks from a bulk table.
Read MoreSean Haney is a Mortgage Loan Officer at Dow Credit Union. Sean’s story is uniquely rooted in the Midland community—his credit union journey began long before he joined the team professionally. “I started my journey with Dow Credit Union at six months old,” Sean laughed. “My parents moved to Midland and opened an account for me. I’ve banked here my entire life.”
Read More“We opened Chef Sergey’s in 2025, just a couple of years after fleeing Ukraine and arriving here with our family, no credit history and no financial stability. We brought experience in hospitality, a deep love for quality food, and a vision to serve people something meaningful. The bakery was born from that vision—and from necessity.” – Natalia Iakovleva, Chef Sergey’s Bakery
Read MoreSaralyn joined Midland's Open Door two years ago, initially inspired by the meaningful work of her predecessor, Renee Pettinger. "I came here because I admired how Renee truly cared for people," Saralyn explained. "To me, love for God and love for neighbor are central. Open Door embodies that by treating everyone with dignity and compassion, recognizing each person’s inherent worth. We have the opportunity to see people that others sometimes overlook, to care deeply for them, and to remind them of their value."
Read MoreKrista Martelli of Ayre Rhinehart Real Estate Partners had a passion for real estate at a young age, inspired by her mother who transitioned from dental hygiene to construction, building her own company when few women were in the industry.
Read MoreJosh and Chynna Eckman, the husband-and-wife creative team behind J&C Media, are redefining storytelling right here in Midland. Operating out of their studio in Ashman Plaza in Midtown, the Eckmans have brought their passions for videography, photography, and podcasting together to help individuals and businesses share their stories in powerful, authentic ways.
Read MoreIn her role at Little Forks Conservancy, Lily Kelsey sees herself as a bridge between scientific research and public understanding.
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