We are sharing thoughts from 11 members of our Corporate Sponsor program, responses to a simple question we asked them a few weeks back: “Why is the corporate partnership with Groundwork important to you and your business?”
As you’ll see, their answers reflect a shared understanding that an important symbiotic relationship must exist between the private and nonprofit sectors for us to have healthy communities. We’re honored to count these companies among the more than 40 corporate sponsors who contribute their energy, ideas, and financial support to Groundwork.
Take a moment to enjoy these thoughts, and please pass along a measure of gratitude to these organizations for their role in building a better world.
(More than 40 businesses are teamed with Groundwork through our Corporate Sponsor program. If you are interested in joining, or know someone who is, please contact Stephanie Prall at stephanie.prall@groundworkcenter.org!)
NANBOP FARM
NanBop’s Farm mission is to celebrate and cultivate community within the city of Cadillac and Northern Michigan. nanbopfarm.com
NANBOP FARM
NanBop’s Farm mission is to celebrate and cultivate community within the city of Cadillac and Northern Michigan. nanbopfarm.com
Why is the corporate partnership with Groundwork important to you and your business?
We love to support like-minded organizations who are working diligently to make our community the best it can be.
— Pete Iacobelli, Co-owner of NanBop Farm and CEO, 910 Media Group
MIDWEST SUPPLY
Midwest Supply is a 4th-generation family HVAC/R supply house in Northern Michigan. mwref.com
Why is the corporate partnership with Groundwork important to you and your business?
I love the people and community that Groundwork supports, a corporate sponsorship was an easy sell to me. I’m an advocate for resilient communities, just like Groundwork!
— John Semeyn, President
SHORT’S BREWERY
Michigan’s favorite brewery. shortsbrewing.com
Why is the corporate partnership with Groundwork important to you and your business?
Our partnership with Groundwork is important because they have the time, resources, and experts to advocate for causes we care about. Their programs make our communities more resilient now, and their work will have an incredible impact in our region for generations to come.
— Joe Short, Founder
MITCHELL GRAPHICS
Mitchell Graphics is a full-service print and digital communications partner located in both Petoskey and Traverse City, Michigan. mitchellgraphics.com
Why is the corporate partnership with Groundwork important to you and your business?
Our corporate partnership with Groundwork means a lot for us at Mitchell Graphics. Groundwork aligns with our core values of creating a positive impact and fostering growth, not just for our business but for our community at large.
This partnership allows us to actively contribute to Groundwork’s important initiatives, which are crucial for the overall well-being of our community in northern Michigan. It’s not just about sponsoring; it’s about being an integral part of positive change and sustainable development.
Supporting Groundwork reflects our belief in the power of collaboration. By joining forces with an organization that shares our values, we can amplify the impact of our efforts. It’s what we call a “win-win scenario,” where our corporate partnership not only supports Groundwork’s mission but also enriches our company culture and the satisfaction of our staff, partners, and supporters who take pride in contributing to a better Michigan— Gary Fedus, President/CEO
CROOKED TREE BREADWORKS
Your Northern Michigan destination for artisan breads, hand-crafted pastries, and Addictive Granola. breadworks.com
Why is the corporate partnership with Groundwork important to you and your business?
As a business owner I see every day how businesses have a multiplied effect on the health of communities. By supporting Groundwork as a corporate sponsor, Crooked Tree Breadworks can have a far more significant impact on policy and legislation than I could as an individual.
— Greg Carpenter, Founder
DESMOND LIGGETT WEALTH ADVISORS
A mission-driven, fee only financial advisory firm that focuses on building and managing impactful, resilient financial strategies and investment portfolios. desmondliggett.com
Why is the corporate partnership with Groundwork important to you and your business?
In many ways, we approach our corporate giving like we do our investing. We selectively invest in well-managed, stake-holder-aligned organizations that leverage their strengths to sustainably meet human needs and solve global challenges. Groundwork checks all of these boxes and is an organization that we can trust to leverage our community capital for substantive, difference-making impact.
— Matthew Desmond and Zach Liggett, Founders
GREENSTONE FARM CREDIT SERVICES
GreenStone Farm Credit Services offers land loans, construction loans, financing, leases for real estate, operating and farm equipment.
Why is the corporate partnership with Groundwork important to you and your business?
We serve a similar mission of supporting our farmers.
— Ann Allen, Regional VP of Sales and Customer Relations
LEFT FOOT CHARLEY
Left Foot Charley is a modern, independent winery and cider maker with a barrel room and a garden terrace for tastings. leftfootcharley.com
Why is the corporate partnership with Groundwork important to you and your business?
We believe being in partnership with Groundwork will not only help us continue to expand the relationships that directly benefit LFC, but will also provide us greater opportunity to intentionally support our local community as a whole, in critical areas that will help it to thrive.
— Jen Ulbrich, Owner and Chief Financial Officer
WINEGUYS RESTAURANT GROUP
Since 1996, Wineguys Restaurant Group has developed three distinct dining destinations in downtown Petoskey: City Park Grill, Palette Bistro, and Roast & Toast. wineguysgroup.com
Why is the corporate partnership with Groundwork important to you and your business?Groundwork has the reach, expertise, and tenacity to push forward these intricate and important initiatives across the region and partners with the right people to make it happen.
— Joe Keedy, Wineguys Restaurant Group partner
BEARCUB OUTFITTERS, INC.
Bearcub Outfitters specializes in preparing your entire family for outdoor activities. bearcuboutfitters.com
Why is the corporate partnership with Groundwork important to you and your business?
Bearcub Outfitters is passionate about its commitment to our community, too. We especially enjoy working with organizations who share our goal to preserve and protect our precious resources and are thrilled to learn how other Groundwork corporate partners are hard at work. Groundwork brings businesses, stakeholders, and community-minded citizens together for the common goal of supporting our mission for a healthier world and we know that, together, we will make a difference.
— Becky Philipp-Kranig, Owner.
S2S | Sugar 2 Salt
Sugar 2 Salt is a locally focused and seasonally driven breakfas restaurant and catering kitchen located in The Village of Grand Traverse Commons.sugar2salt.com
Why is the corporate partnership with Groundwork important to you and your business?
The partnership we have established with Groundwor has connected us to the community in a way that is really important to our business. The people who support Groundwork’s mission also appreciate and applaud the approach we have taken to cooking and creating with local ingredients. It
is encouraging to share our work with an audience who is just as excited about the origin of the local ingredients as we are. We feel very grateful to have been a part of “creating a better Michigan!” The bonds that connect us and that let us build programs together that are good for the environment, our economy, and our amazing community is why we do our work everyday. Knowing that this is a mission of Groundwork too makes the work feel even more important to stay dedicated and true in our practices.
— Stephanie Witala and Jonathan Dayton, Owners (Photo by Courtney Kent Photography.) 
Stephanie Prall, Development Specialist, Corporate Sponsorships
stephanie.prall@groundworkcenter.org
