March 2010 -- What

BIZ
What’s the Inside:
Local photographer pairs
‘dynamic and dramatic’ style
Orion Style with top-notch customer
service and a friendly ap-
proach. Page 5
March 2010 Vol. 3 #12

A monthly collaborative with the Orion Area Chamber of Commerce

Raise the roof

After 26 years in business and a commitment to the Orion area, Lake Orion Roofing has a message
for the community. “We’re here to stay,” said President Mark Southern, pictured center.
Watch for a feature story in Progress, an annual supplement to The Lake Orion Review, published in
March. Meanwhile, call Lake Orion Roofing at 248-393-0055.
2 What
National award for Orion salesman
Company ‘always implementing new processes
and environmentally friendly innovations’
Bob Miller of Miller Landscape, Inc.
in Lake Orion was recently named Sales
Representative of the Year for 2009 by
LandOpt, a business operating system for
leading landscape contractors nationwide.
“This is a proud time for our team
and our company,” said Jeremy Miller,
general manager of Miller Landscape.“Bob
is a valuable sales representative.”
LandOpt awards Sales Representative
of the Year based on a number of metrics,
including the measurement of sales per-
formance against an annual plan, and con-
sideration of the highest sold GPM.
Miller met and exceeded all goals,
even during a year of recession, ending
2009 well above his measured plan, the
company said.
“Horticulture sales have been easy to
me over the past 40-years, because I ap-
preciate the work we do,” Bob Miller
noted.
Miller Landscape, Inc. currently em-
ploys about 11 people on a regular basis,
and about 50 during peak seasonal peri-
ods.
Your QuickBooks, Tax &
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248-393-0403
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248-393-0403
www.agconsultingservices.com
LandOpt President and CEO Tim
Smith credits the company’s growth and
sustainability in recent years to the imple-
mentation of LandOpt’s business operat-
ing system.
“The green industry is going through
a business revolution,” Smith said. “The
methods we introduce place high stan-
dards and professionalism into the cor-
porate structure. Our partners experience
growth, higher profits and develop a pro-
fessional workforce.”
Founded in 1966, Miller Landscape,
Inc. is a full service landscape contract-
ing firm serving the Orion area.
In their efforts to remain “on the cut-
ting edge,” said representatives, the com-
pany “is always implementing new pro-
cesses and environmentally friendly inno-
vations.”
Call Miller Landscape, Inc. at 248-
391-2889 or visit
www.millerlandscapeinc.com
LandOpt is located in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. Call 412-567-4345 for more
information, or visit www.landopt.com.
Your QuickBooks,
A message from
Lisa Sokol
Orion Township’s Director of
Community Programs
Growing
Green
Earth Day Expo
April 22
It’s time to re-think, re-energize,
re-charge and re-educate ourselves.
We encourage you to partner with
Orion Township as we increase our
efforts to forge ahead and take the
green community challenge.
We invite you to showcase your
efforts at our Growing Green Earth
Day Expo 2010. Several thousand
people will be attending this exciting
Expo on Thursday, April 22, at Kings
Court Castle-Olde World Canterbury
Village, located at 2369 Joslyn Court.
Exhibits will consist of an array of
green products and services, reliable
education resources, green organiza-
tions, energy efficiency and conserva-
tion incentives, green career opportu-
nities, green growing resources, green
parks and trails leisure, green pantry
and healthy living, organic closets and
homes, recycling incentives, and so
much more.
We are putting together a “Green
Team” comprised of business repre-
sentatives, property owners and non
profit organizations that offer incen-
tives, products and services support-
ing green alternatives.
If you are interested in becoming
a vendor at our Growing Green Earth
Day Expo, contact Lisa Sokol, Direc-
tor of Community Programs at the
Parks and Recreation Office at
lsokol@oriontownship.org or call 248-
391-0304, ext. 134.
Have some Lake Orion
business news to share
with the community?
Send information and
photos to
lakeorionreview@sbcglobal.net

Briefly
Classes offer
assistance with
veterans’ benefits
The Ninth Annual Veteran Ben-
efit awareness classes will be held
March 20 and 27, as well as April
10 and 17 from 9:30 a.m. –2 p.m.
at UAW Local 5960 located at 180
E. Silverbell, Lake Orion.
This four-part class, presented
by the state of Michigan VFW Ser-
vice Officers, will guide partici-
pants through all phases of entitled
benefits with the most current in-
formation available. Handouts are
provided weekly.
A $25 registration fee covers
all supplies, including the new vet-
eran benefit book, beverages and
snack items.
Additional Service Officers
will be available for the general
public who would like assistance
filing a claim for themselves or a
veteran.
There is no fee for this claim
service and the service officers will
be available 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Participants should bring D-
214 and any other pertinent infor-
mation. Assistance is available for
lost D-214s.
First day registration begins at
8:30 a.m., March 20 . Classes and
claim filing start at 9:30.
A special presentation will be
given by Great Lakes National Cem-
etery on April 10 at 9:40 a.m. All
veterans and their families are in-
vited.
A $25 donation for the four
classes will be collected at the first
class.
This covers the cost of ser-
vice book and snacks. Check with
your veterans’ organization as
many groups reimburse for com-
pleting class. Collection for lunch
will be addressed weekly.
Certificates are given out on
the completion of the classes.
For more information or to
confirm attendance, call Al Yates
at 248-377-5555 or 248-628-1855;
email al. yates@gm. com or
alyates5960@gmail.com.
Orion Area Chamber of Commerce
New year off to a good start
A message from Chamber President Rosemary Rangi
We are off to a good start in 2010
with lots of events planned and a few in
the “hopper.”
We have had
tw o monthly lun-
cheons thus far, and
both were well at-
tended.
Our January lun-
cheon featured Matt
Gibb, Orion Town-
ship Supervisor Rosemary Rangi,
along with the Village President
of Lake Orion Man- Orion Area Chamber
ager Paul Zelenak
and Lake Orion Police Chief Jerry Narsh.
They provided an overview of the
“State of the Township” and shared some
plans underway for 2010.
The Chamber is committed to work-
ing side by side with these officials so we
can maximize benefits to our community
The scary waste of ‘vampire power’
Vampires may be hot right now in the
entertainment w orld, but “vampire
power” -- the slow, invisible energy
drain caused by leaving electric devices
plugged in -- simply sucks.
Every electrical item you leave
plugged in, from your home computer
to your high-def, flat-screen TV, draws
power even while it’s turned off.
This “vampire power” drain adds up,
costing consumers about $10 billion a
year, according to the Environmental
Protection Agency.
Reducing vampire power in your of-
fice or home is an easy way to do your
part, both helping the environment and
reducing your family’s carbon footprint
-- plus it could save you 10 percent of
your electric bill, according to the In-
trusive Residential Standby Report.
Vampire power -- or “standby power”
-- refers to the power many electric and
electronic items draw while in “stand
by” mode, when they are plugged in, but
not turned on.
Virtually every item you plug in draws
some standby power, but major elec-
tronic items like PCs and TVs are the
biggest power-sucking culprits.
March 2010 -- What
and businesses.
Our February luncheon speaker was
Lola Are’ from the Michigan Small Busi-
ness & Technology Development Center.
Lola informed our guests about all the
services available for small businesses in
Oakland County.
Both luncheons were hosted by
Palazzo di Bocce, which was a tasty din-
ing experience. Check it out if you haven’t
been there already.
We strongly encourage our Chamber
members and non-members alike to take
advantage of functions like our luncheons
and similar events to network; it is a known
fact that people do business with people
they like.
These are great opportunities to get
your company’s name recognized and, at
the same time, develop relationships with
other business owners that can eventually
turn into collaborations together.
You can reduce vampire power drain
with a few simple steps:
n Buy ENERGY STAR rated prod-
ucts. These products are designed to not
only use less power when operating, but
to draw less standby power as well.
Log on to www.ENERGYSTAR.gov
to learn more.
n Don’t leave your laptop, cell phone,
iPod or other chargers plugged into the
wall outlet.
Even these innocent-
seeming cords draw vampire
power.
Instead, plug chargers
into a product designed
to halt vampire power,
like the iGo Laptop
Charger.
The device
uses up to 85
percent less
power than
standa rd
charg-
You will agree it is better to do busi-
ness with someone who is recommended
by someone based on their own experi-
ence than by randomly picking a name out
of a directory.
Join our free networking group, which
meets every other Wednesday from 7:30
a.m. -9 a.m.
Check the Calendar of Events for times
and locations.
For those who are not “early birds”,
we will be hosting a Multi-Chamber Mixer
at Canterbury Castle on March 23 from
5:30-8 p.m. Details to follow.
Our weekly “Monday Morning Moti-
vator” email newsletter will soon go to a
monthly format.
If you are not receiving this email, sign
up on our website at
www.lakeorionchamber.com to be kept
updated about Chamber and area activi-
ties and announcements.
ers and you never have to turn it on or
off.
Visit www.iGo.com to learn more.
n Streamline the number of
devices you have to plug
into the wall. Like most
of us, you probably
Continued on page 9
4 What
Set goals for better business development
For many small businesses who
weathered the economic storm in 2009,
2010 represents a new beginning to re-
turn to growth and jump-start projects
put on hold during the recession.
Goal setting will be critical to help
small businesses get back on their feet,
map out business plans and prioritize
what they wish to achieve in the upcom-
ing year.
If you are a small-business owner
or manager, there is a new Web site that
can help get you on track for 2010. The
Staples stickK to it! Business Challenge
is a free, online tool that can assist in
developing business goals for the year,
and more importantly, gives profession-
als an easy formula to ensure success.
Users can register at www.staples.com/
goals and participate for free to receive
encouragement from fellow colleagues
to keep commitments on track.
Some goals on the Web site that you
might consider to get your employees
or career moving in the right direction
include:
• Get organized - Eliminate paper
clutter and reduce the amount of time it
takes you to find important information.
Having a good organizational program -
Of Lake Orion
5 Daily
Soups
We Specialize in Kids
1 Off
$ 00
1 Off
$ 00
Prime Rib
Sandwich
Based on purchase at regular menu price. Please
no substitutions. Not valid with any other offer.
Limit one coupon per person per visit. Valid only
at Lake Orion Culvers. Expires 3-17-10
Located on Lapeer Road & Dutton (1/2 Mile N of the Palace)
What’s for lunch?
whether it’s a filing system or more ef-
ficient computer software - will help Clansman staffers show off a bubbly
your office reduce wasted time and en- pizza. Photo by Megan Collier
ergy.
• Promote career development for
yourself and your employees - Set a
timeline to update your resume, or start
setting up informational interviews
through networking.
•Maximize your bottom line with
smart tax preparation or better money
management.
•Green your office - Printing green,
recycling or using environmentally-
friendly cleaning products are three
simple ways to start making your office
more eco-friendly.
•Improve office communications
with better technology - Wireless net-
working, better lighting or even better
furniture can help increase productivity
and improve communication among
workers and clients.
“Setting goals is important for any
business owner,” says John Giusti, vice
president of small business marketing at
Staples. “Staples wants to improve the
lives of small businesses by giving them
this easy platform to ensure success.”
Courtesy of ARAcontent
May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be always at your back and may you...
Over
Find your way to The Clansman
45 Menu Items By Megan Collier Thursday, The Clansman features a
To Choose From! Lake Orion Review staff writer
Where better to spend St. Patty’s
$9.95 special that includes a large pizza
and pitcher of beer or pop.
Day than in an Irish pub? The $4 burger is a good choice, too,
Try Our “No cover, $3 beers, big party, lots Aldridge said, as is their $17.95 meal
8 SnackPack Meals of fun,” is the way The Clansman Gaelic that feeds a family of four.
Pub owner Keith Aldridge sums up the It includes a large antipasto salad
under $ 4 bar and grill’s festivities, which will also with a large pizza or large calzone.
include live entertainment, like the band
Irish Stew.
The pub’s new upstairs Gaelic room
The salad is just like his childhood
favorite – Pasquale’s on Woodward.
“The dressing and the salad is just
was recently finished, complete with flat like their’s – sorry about that,
screen TVs, a bar and a cozy atmo- Pasquale’s,” Aldridge said, laughing.
sphere, said Aldridge. “For me, growing up as a little boy in
For a “Obviously, for St. Patrick’s Day it the Bloomfield and Birmingham area,
Limited should be party central and I’m looking we’d always go there for pizza and
Time Only forward to it,” he said. pasta, and now I’ve copied that here.
Aldridge, who took over from his It’ll hopefully take off.”
father, Stan, five months ago, says the Stop by The Clansman Gaelic Pub
pub is “the best hidden secret in Lake Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to
Bleu Cheese &
1 Off
$ 00
Prime Rib &
Orion.”
“The food’s great and the
10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 p.m. to
midnight and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
atmosphere’s even better,” he said. “It’s It’s located on the back side of
Bacon Salad Mushroom
the best hidden gem.” King’s Court Castle in Canterbury Vil-
Sandwich
Based on purchase at regular menu price. Please Based on purchase at regular menu price. Please Pizza is a favorite menu item for cus- lage on Joslyn Road.
no substitutions. Not valid with any other offer.
Limit one coupon per person per visit. Valid only
no substitutions. Not valid with any other offer.
Limit one coupon per person per visit. Valid only tomers and the owner says he likes his ...And may you be in heaven a
at Lake Orion Culvers. Expires 3-17-10 at Lake Orion Culvers. Expires 3-17-10
with tomatoes. half hour before the d evil knows
248-276-2222 Right now, every Tuesday and you’re dead.

‘It opened a door to something I’ve always wanted to do’
Restructured out of a management-level
job at Ford, Nick Couretas dumped the
stress and dove into the ‘dynamic and
dramatic’of Studio C Photography
By Laura Colvin
Lake Orion Review editor
The backdrops and props prove Nick
Couretas is, indeed, a photographer.
The portraits displayed at Studio C Pho-
tography in Oxford—
just a stone’s throw out-
side Lake Orion—
Business
showcase his talent.
But it’s the excite-
Profile
ment in Couretas’ voice
when he talks about capturing moments and
memories and milestones, and his willing-
ness to share his work, not just with pay-
ing clients, but family, friends and the com-
munity, as well, that illustrate a passion for
his craft.
Although he’s been shooting for more
than a decade, Couretas opened Studio C
two years ago, after his position as a lean
manufacturing manager at Ford Motor
Company was one of hundreds eliminated.
After about 15 years with Ford, the
long commute to Dearborn and back, along
with an increasingly stressful work envi-
ronment, was wearing thin.
Still...
“You don’t walk away from a job with
pay and benefits like that voluntarily,” he
said. “You just can’t.”
But since he didn’t have a choice, the
news came “almost as a relief.”
“It opened a door to something I’ve
always wanted to do,” he said, noting grati-
tude to his wife, Joanie—a teacher at
Waldon Middle School in Lake Orion—
who’s been “really supportive” during the
business-building process.
That new door leads to Studio C, where
Couretas specializes in senior portraits,
weddings and sports photography.
In fact, Couretas already had a long-
standing relationship with the athletic de-
partment at Lake Orion High School, where
he’s the official photographer for Dragon
football, power lifting, and basketball.
The arrangement works out in favor
of the family photo albums, too; LOHS
senior Paul Couretas, Nick and Joanie’s
youngest, plays varsity basketball. His older
siblings, Katie and Jimmy, are also LOHS
grads - Dad’s been toting the Canon to
games for a few years, now.
“The atmosphere, the event, being
down on the field, hearing what’s going on
between the coaches and the players—it’s
great,” said Couretas, a die-hard Dragon
fan. “It’s something you can’t get up in the
stands.”
And after the game he connects cam-
era and computer to see it all again—the
grit and grime, the sweat and determina-
tion, the emotion—preserved forever.
“Being able to pull a piece of that out
of the game and share it is very reward-
ing,” he said, noting it doesn’t take long to
upload photos to Facebook and watch as
images are shared among the pages of stu-
dents, parents and others. “The feedback
is great.”
It’s not so bad for business, either.
Word-of-mouth advertising, Couretas
said, is hands-down the best source of new
referrals.
“I did senior portraits for 40 kids from
Lake Orion High School alone last year,”
he said. “Every one of them brought me at
least one referral this year.”
Success, Couretas said, grows from a
belief that a session’s end result is built on a
rapport between photographer and client.
“The relationship is critical,” he said.
March 2010 -- What
Nick Couretas: Business
is thriving at Studio C
Photography. Photo by
Laura Colvin
“I think it sets me apart from some of the
other studios—truly caring about the cli-
ent, and what they want.”
Sometimes, he said, students only know
they don’t want what everyone else has.
But talk a bit, toss around some ideas, and
the ideas start to flow.
“I always start with the standard
poses,” he said. “The kids aren’t necessar-
ily crazy about those, but grandparents love
them.”
So the standard poses are requisite.
But then the door opens—literally—to
settings that allow individually and person-
ality to pop.
“We go to a lot of unique locations,”
Couretas said, noting he’s been everywhere
from railroad tracks and old buildings to
beaches, meadows and a field of tall sun-
flowers for a shoot.
“Sunset are really popular, too,” he said.
“It’s a unique shot, and people love that.”
It boils down, he explained, to provid-
ing what others studios can’t, or won’t.
‘John and Julie’s wedding’
by Nick Couretas
“Commercial studios often don’t allow
photographers to get creative with lighting,
perspective or other aspects of the portrait,”
he said. “It’s all pretty cut and dry.”
Couretas prefers to approach each
shoot individually and brings the same en-
thusiasm and passion to his wedding pho-
tography.
“Weddings are exciting,” he said. “It’s
the first day of a new family and as the
photographer, you get to capture it all.”
Ultimately, the wedding-day anxiety
melts into relief and celebration.
“I always try to catch a reaction, and
get the candid shots with a more
photojournalistic style,” he said. “But there’s
still a place for traditional, classic portrai-
ture—sometimes I have to talk the bride
and groom into it, but they’re always glad
later.”
Couretas said he also enjoys creating
contemporary wedding images and using
dramatic lighting for dynamic results.
So while it’s been a lot of work to build
Studio C, the end result belongs to Coure-
tas, not an invisible, overbearing corpo-
rate boss, and at the end of the day, he
goes home happy.
It all seems to call for a bit of analogy.
“Taking all those turns, climbing all
those hills, enduring the bumps -- it’s all
contributed to the work I love,” he said.
And business is thriving.
Interested? See full-color galler-
ies at www.StudioCfoto.com. Call
248-238-8199 for more information,
or email nick@StudioCfoto.com
6 What
What

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-- What 2010 -- What

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8 What

Protecting his, hers and theirs Inessa Nevelev shows off merchandise at Moda
Repeat in Lake Orion. Photo by By Leah Yanuszeski

A living trust can protect both the surviving

spouse and the children of the deceased
An issue that estate planners ing trust.
often face is the protection of chil- The assets of the married
dren from a previ- couple would be assigned to the
ous marriage in the trust.
event of death of The provisions of the trust
their parent. would restrict the use of the assets
The ability of the and impose a duty to maintain that
surviving spouse to estate for the ultimate benefit of the
dissipate the estate named ‘beneficiaries.’
can thwart the de- Once either of the spouses
ceased parent’s passes away the trust becomes ir-
plan to provide for revocable.
his or her children. Attorney James The beneficiaries are to be pro-
A simple will can R. Porritt, Jr. vided periodic accountings so they
provide a modicum of protection by can be assured the assets are still
including a provision identifying the intact.
instrument as a contract between In the interim, the trust allows
the parents to provide for their re-
spective children.
the use of some or all of the trust
assets for the continuing support
Dress for less at Moda Repeat
Such a provision can afford to and maintenance of the survivor. By Leah Yanuszeski home, as well as overstocked items from
the affected children a right to en- The use of a living trust can pro- Lake Orion Review Intern other boutiques and department stores.
force that contract. vide the means of protecting both Seeing Gucci around town? Maybe From handbags, shoes, sunglasses,
A more effective means to pro- the surviving spouse and the chil- some Betsey Johnson? Or how about a scarves, and jewelry, to the odd finds of
vide that protection is through a liv- dren of the deceased. splash of Coach or Ed Hardey? masquerade masks and wigs, it is prob-
You can now find all of those brands, ably on the shelves at Moda Repeat. “You
as well as many more, at home in Lake can find hidden treasures you can’t find
James R. Porritt, Jr. Orion. anywhere else,” Nevelev said. “That’s the
ATTORNEY Fashionista Inessa Nevelev, a Russian
native, opened her third resale boutique,
fun of it.”
Moda Repeat is looking forward to the
30 Years Real Estate Experience Moda Repeat in Lake Orion just a few rush of prom season, brought on by the
Licensed Broker weeks ago. Nevelev’s other stores are lo- students of the high school. Bargain
Member American & State Bar R.E. Sections cated in Pontiac and Macomb Township. dresses will be available when the date
“We are testing out different areas,” comes near, however style will not need
248-693-6245 Nevelev said. “Lake Orion is a great loca-
tion. Everyone is very pleasant here.”
to be sacrificed.
“We believe in good karma,” said
SIMPLE WILLS Fre Moda Repeat not only boasts one-of- Nevelev. To give back to the community,
Con e Init
a-kind clothing pieces, but dry cleaning pieces from local artists, as well as jew-
sul ia services, in-house alterations, and tuxedo elry made by Lake Orion citizens, are on
tati l rentals, as well. sale.
on “Our goal is convenience for custom- The concept of customer service is a
ers,” Nevelev said. top priority for Moda Repeat. Special
Even in today’s rough economy, the touches are added to merchandise, and
rest of your life. Michigan investment in consignment shops has paid purchases are wrapped up for customers
accountings, court appearances, or approval of asset disposition. off. who want to avoid the high prices and the
“People love to save, but they still common styles of department stores.
want to look great,” she explained. A dress Nevelev assures there is always some-
For Sale By Owner
TRANSACTION Short Sales with the price tag still intact may retail for
$500. Her price - $170.
one at the store who can help customers
find an outfit unique to them and their style.
Procedures & Negotiations “Here you can come across thirty to “It is a very family-friendly, casual
sixty dollar designer jeans,” Nevelev said. place, with personalized assistance,”
Mandatory Disclosures & related documents. If You Must Sell Your Home Moda Repeat can provide a new ward- Nevelev said. That’s what sets us apart.”
And Cannot Without A robe for the hip socialite, the working Moda Repeat is located at 1226 S.
appraisals, title work & closing Reduction In Your Mortgage mom, men of all demographics, trendy Lapeer in the shopping complex across
Cash To New Mortgage Transaction 1/2of 1% Balance, Call For An teenagers, as well as children. from Burger King. Stop in for a new ward-
Seller Financed Sales 1% “We are getting around a hundred new robe, or clean out your old one (Nevelev
Appointment. pieces a day,” Nevelev said, noting inven- encourages everyone to bring in items,
(Land contracts, private mortgages, lease with option)
tory comes from people who bring in whether it be clothing or not), or maybe
436 S. Broadway (M-24) , Suite C brand new or gently used clothing from just to find that hidden treasure.
 March 2010 -- What

Lake Orion businessman to chair

Michigan Restaurant Association
Matt Durack, president of Lake Restaurants across the state have felt
Orion-based Cregar Enterprises, LCC, was the sting of the recession, but leaders in
named chairman of the Michigan Restau- the state’s hospitality industry remain opti-
rant Association (MRA) board Jan. 28. mistic that the state’s job loss numbers will
Cregar Enterprises is an improve.
executive food service man- “Providing value to our
agement firm that has served members during this tough
Tier One automotive suppliers, economic time is paramount.
private and public golf It’s a difficult time for restau-
courses, and educational fa- rant owners in Michigan — Stephani e
cilities in Oakland County. plain and simple,” said Durack. Parenti will
“We are extremely “We understand the business roll out the
pleased to have Matt Durack climate and we plan to adjust LaVida Mas-
at the helm as we confront the and move forward to help our sage wel-
many challenges of 2010,” members. We are a resilient come mat
said Rob Gifford, president industry.” March 18.
and CEO of the MRA. “Matt Other officers elected to

LaVida Massage joins community

Matt Durack
has more than two decades of the MRA board of directors
experience providing significant contribu- include Steve Loftis, owner of the Harbor
tions to the association and to the indus- Restaurants in Grand Haven, who will serve
try. We are thrilled to have him in the com- as vice chairman, and Janet Sossi Belcoure, As the final pieces of the new LaVida mat and open her doors March 18.
mand seat.” owner of Detroit’s Roma Café, who was Massage fall into place, owner Stephanie Located at 556 N. Lapeer Road in the
Several challenges face Durack and elected treasurer. Parenti said she’s excited to open in the Kroger shopping plaza, LaVida Massage
other members of the MRA, including re- The food service industry plays an in- Lake Orion Community. will offer massage and facial services seven
cent passage of the state smoking ban, tegral role in Michigan’s economy, employ- Parenti, who said she’ll create “a days a week.
which is expected to disrupt Michigan’s ing 423,600 people and creating more than great customer experience at an afford- Appointments can be pre-booked by
hospitality industry as businesses adapt and $13.1 billion in total annual sales. able price, plans to roll out the welcome calling 248-693-0820 after Feb. 26
prepare for the May 1, 2010 implementa- Michigan’s restaurant industry is a vi-
tion. tal part of the tourism industry.
Repeal of the Michigan Business Tax It also provides thousands of good-
(MBT) and prevention of any statewide paying careers to residents.
beverage taxes will also be top priorities Established in 1921, the MRA is the
for Durack and the MRA in 2010. recognized leader of Michigan’s hospital-
“It’s an exciting time for Michigan’s ity industry, providing essential programs
hospitality industry, but it’s also a chal- and services to the food service commu-
lenging time,” said Durack. “Doing what- nity.
ever it takes to keep Michigan’s hospital- The MRA represents more than 4,500
ity industry competitive and remain one food service establishments statewide.
of the state’s largest job providers is my For more information, visit
top priority.” www.MichiganRestaurant.org

‘Vampire power’ n Unplug your appliances when they

Continued from page 3
can’t live without your PC or DVR and
need to leave it plugged in.
But do you really need a TV in every
room of the house and three game con-
soles - one for each kid?
Reducing the number of devices in
your home will reduce the amount of
standby power you use and possibly help
you to streamline your life a bit.
are not in use.
And when it’s not practical to unplug
Loran S. Coffman, CPhD, RFC
some devices, like the PC, Wii game sys- WPS-Investments Inc.
tem or flat screen TV, you can keep them Stone Pine Complex
plugged in using a power management 189 W. Clarkston Rd.
device that halts vampire power, like the
Lake Orion, MI 48362
iGo Power Smart Tower.
To learn more about vampire power, 248-693-5599
how it impacts the environment and con-
sumers’ wallets as well as additional tips www.WPSinvestments.com
to minimize its effect, visit
www.VampirePowerSucks.com.
-Courtesy of ARAcontent

Don
~Arthur Freed
10 What
‘Invest in America’ at MCCU
Credit union members are receiving If you currently have an auto loan with
Get creative to land job
in a today’s digital era
significant auto maker discounts on the pur- another lender, take advantage of this of-
chase of new vehicles from General Mo- fer to refinance your vehicle at those low
tors and Chrysler. rates.
The discounts are If we can’t beat
being offered through ·Get pre-approved with MCCU your current car pay-
With people updating their social net-
working pages from their PDAs and
the “Invest in ment, we’ll give you a
America Program” (Call or apply online)
downloading favorite tunes from their
$100 Dining Dough mobile phones, it should come as no sur-
in a joint effort by Card * good for dis-
credit unions and the ·Choose your new vehicle
prise society has grown increasingly re-
counts at dining loca- liant on technology.
auto companies. tions in your neighbor-
When you com- ·Fax purchase order to MCCU hood and on gifts.
Individuals about to dive into the job-
seeking market may have to rethink their
with Michigan Catho- ·Sign and drive
bine those discounts For more details search skills to maximize the potential
about these discounts, of reaching employers and companies
lic Credit Union’s low call Diane, Branch that likely embrace a digital mind set.
auto loan rates, you have a great deal. Manager at MCCU’s, Lake Orion Branch As of June 2009, the U.S. unemploy-
It’s EASY... Follow these steps for today, at 248-693-3400, ext. 1500; stop by ment rate reached 9.7 percent, accord-
your new vehicle discount. the branch at 845 South Lapeer Road; or ing to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statis-
·Get pre-approved with MCCU. visit online at www.michcathcu.org tics. This means there are a great deal
(Call or apply online) *Must bring in other financial of people -- from the recently laid off to
·Choose your new vehicle institution’s loan papers to verify current the newly graduated -- who are all vy-
·Fax your purchase order to MCCU loan payment. ing for the same jobs.
·Sign and drive If vehicle’s value is less than loan refi- Thinking creatively and exploring nu-
It’s that simple...It’s a Done Deal. nance, MCCU reserves the right not to ap- merous ways of advertising oneself can
Michigan Catholic Credit Union has an out- prove the loan. help land a job in today's market.
Newspaper: The newspaper has long
standing reputation as a trustworthy and Offer is based on credit worthiness and
been a respected and effective means to
reliable lender and is well known for its low collateral value.
find work. It is still a viable way to find
rate auto loans. Other restrictions may apply.
jobs that are local without having to
search through hundreds and hundreds
of positions, which is common with
online job posting sites. However, why
not turn the tables and use the newspa-
per -- and its respective online site -- to
advertise yourself?
For a relatively low investment of time
and money, you can place a classified
ad that you are seeking work and briefly
explain your credentials. Create a sepa-
rate, free e-mail address with your fa-
vorite mail provider specifically for re-
ceiving inquiries to this advertisement.
Personal Web site: A personal Web
page can put your information in the
hands of employers in a concise and eye-
catching way. The Web page can fea-
ture a brief description of yourself and
also include a digital resume. Simply pro-
vide a link to your site when applying
for a job. Remember, a personal Web
site should be all business.
Be bold with buzzwords: Turn your
experience into a list of buzzwords, key-
words and important phrases.
It used to be that verbs were the key
to landing a job. Using strong action
words should relay your experience.
However, today resumes are frequently
reviewed by a digital eye, rather than a
human eye. This digital eye is pro-
grammed to recognize certain words and
phrases that will sort your resume from
the others. Including the right keywords
ensures your resume has a better
chance of being picked. Use as many
words as you can that were included in
the original job posting.
Use social networking sites to your
advantage: Employers and recruiters
have admitted they frequently go to so-
cial networking sites, such as
MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn to
"check up" on potential hires -- or even
employees they already have on staff.
Many a person has compromised his
or her chances for hire by questionable
material posted on their pages. Instead
of being a victim of the pitfalls of so-
cial networking, use it to your advan-
tage. Seed your pages with informa-
tion that may be interesting to a poten-
tial employer by doing a little research.
For example, if you know a certain
company to which you'd like to apply
places significant emphasis on the en-
vironment, list the "green" functions
you've attended and the groups to which
you belong on your page.
Think differently: There are some
people who want to take their job search
to another level. Today it's not uncom-
mon to find door-to-door solicitation of
jobs, people posting job requests on
YouTube or similar sites, or even stand-
ing in a busy downtown area with a
sign that says, "Looking for Work."
Technology is technology: There are
certain tips you should keep in mind
when applying for jobs:
•Scanners that look at resumes work
well with these typefaces: Helvetica,
Courier, Futura, Optima, Palatino, New
Century Schoolbook, and Times. And
they work best with type sizes in the
10- to 14-point range.
•Don't send your resume as an at-
tachment, or include any attachments,
unless specified. There are always con-
cerns about computer viruses and at-
tachments can even get lost. Paste ev-
erything into the body of your e-mail.
•Use the subject line of an e-mail as
a theater marquee and sell yourself.
•Use the proofreading/spell-check
functions of your word processing
software, but also print out your mate-
rials and read them over. There's no
excuse to be excluded from a job be-
cause of a silly typo.
• Follow-up with all job applications.
It could move your resume to the top
of the pile.

A “no-surprises” credit card
Is there such a thing?
Statistics show that the average
household today actively uses nine dif-
ferent credit cards – a combination of
department store charge cards, gas cards
and bank issued cards. How many cards
do you use?
A comprehen-
sive credit card re-
form law went into
effect in August
2009, and most of its
provisions take effect
Feb. 22 – be sure to
look at your state-
ment and disclosures
closely. Carolyn Chevrier
Many financial is president of
institutions raised Lakes Community
their credit card rates Credit Union.
and changed the
terms of their credit card contracts be-
fore the Feb. 22 provisions took place,
and you should expect that things will
continue to change within the bounds
of the new law.
For example, the new law requires
a credit card company to give you a
longer notice period that your interest
rate will increase on future purchases.
The notice will either be on your
statement or in a disclosure – so the card
you signed up for with a low variable
rate could quickly become a card that
carries a much higher rate for items you
purchase in the future. Who needs that
surprise?
What does your disclosure say?
There are a lot of gimmicks in place to
make credit card offers look very at-
tractive, but the truth lies in the disclo-
sure.
Hey, where’s the fire?
Orion seeks volunteer paid-on-call firefighters
The Orion Township Fire Department
is looking for individuals interested in be-
coming volunteer paid-on-call firefighters.
Basic fire and EMS schooling and
equipment are provided.
Applicants must be a citizen or legal
resident of the U.S., at least 18 years
old, and must possess a high school di-
ploma or GED equivalent.
In addition, candidates must also un-
dergo a criminal and driving record check,
March 2010 -- What
ZOOM Into Spring with
New/Used Car Loans
What will happen if you are late with
your payment? Will your interest rate go
up? Will you receive a late payment fee?
What other surprises and gimmicks as low as
4.5% APR *
are out there?
Some department stores entice you
to use their card by offering you 15 per-
cent off your purchase if you use their
card – but, if you do not pay your bal- (2008, 2009 & 2010)
ance off in full, how much are you re-
ally saving in the long run?
Many department store cards
No Surprise
charge interest rates that are greater than
21 percent. On top of that, a late fee
VISA’s
could eat up the “savings” you received
when you used their card.
Don’t let gimmicks get the best of
you – too often, there is a catch.
Check
Check out
out our
our article
article
Studies show that only 40 percent
of credit card users pay their balance in
full each month. 350 N. Park Blvd. (Lapeer Rd.)
Are you one of the 60 percent that Lake Orion *Limited time offer - restrictions
does not pay your balance in full?
248-814-4000
apply, stop in or call today for more
You could face the possibility of a information
rate change on the cards you use, which
may cause you financial hardship.
At Lakes Community Credit Union, www.LakesCommunityCU.org
we offer two VISA cards.
Mark Your
Both cards have a non-variable rate
4
– based on lending criteria, you could
qualify for a fixed rate as low as 11.98
Calendars
percent.
If you do not pay your card within
the grace period allotted after the due
date -(yes, we have a payment grace
period) - you may receive a late fee –
but your rate will not change. We only
offer “no surprises” credit cards – we
3 Great Special Sections
are here to help you reach your finan- That Will Be Sure To Increase Your Business
cial goals through good and difficult
times. Come in and check us out.
4 Progress 2010 March 17
The Lake Orion Review & Oxford Leader
4 Spring Section April 14
The Lake Orion Review & Oxford Leader
pass the fire department agility test as
well as a physical exam, and meet other
Lake Orion
requirements set by the department.
Paid-on-call personnel are paid
monthly for responding to emergency
4 Business Expo
April 28
calls and attending station drills.
Current pay rates range from $8-$15
The Lake Orion Review & Oxford Leader
per. Call Your Ad Representative Today
For more information or to request For More Details
248-628-4801
an application, call the Fire Department
business office at 248-693-9701.
12 What