Wildcats Mean Business - NMU Alumni Relations

45 North Management
Owner: Justin Bassett ‘93
Location: Harbor Springs, MI
About: With countless years of combined service in the marine, property care, and auto detailing business, 45° North takes care of the folks who love to live, work, and play in northern Michigan. 

Applecore General Store
Owner: Amy Polk ‘97
Location: Cedarville, MI
About: Hand-crafted, Michigan made products, from edibles to coffee, art, crafts, and more.

Arborview Counseling, PC
Owner: Nicole Taulbee '94
Location: Niles, MI
About: Online counseling for mental health issues regarding stress, anxiety, depression, marriage, family and work.

Bahrman Trucking
Owner: Gregory Bahrman '10
Location: Gwinn, MI
About: Experienced Provider of transportation & logistical solutions in the Northern Great Lakes region.

Barrel + Beam
Owner: Marina Dupler ‘03 and Nick VanCourt '04
Location: Marquette, MI
About: A brewery solely focused on crafting world-class farmhouse ales and barrel-aged real ale.

Barton Group Search and Recruiting, Inc.
Owner: Barton Foster '79
Location: Livonia, MI
About: Automotive and industrial environment recruiting technical, managerial, and executive personnel.

Bennett Media Group
Owner: John Bennett '04
Location: Marquette, MI
About: A full service marketing agency.

BODEGA
Owner: Libby Nelson ‘05
Location: Marquette, MI
About: Restaurant, bar & bakery.

Boomerang Retro & Relics
Owner: Nickolas Dupras ‘06
Location: Marquette, MI
About: A retro-chic boutique specializing in mid-century style, with a unique inventory of both new and vintage clothing, housewares and furniture.

Casa Calabria
Owner: Jim Johnson '77
Location: Marquette, MI
About: Located two blocks from NMU, Casa has been a favorite for students and alumni since 1981.

Dawson Family Law
Owner: David Dawson '74
Location: Sterling Heights, MI
About: Southeast Michigan divorce and family law lawyer since 1977.

DIGS Gastropub
Owner: Pat Digneit '11
Location: Marquette, MI
About: Located in historic downtown Marquette, DIGS is highly regarded with unique food from award-winnings chefs and some of the best atmosphere in the area.

Double Trouble DJs
Owner: William Digneit '08
Location: Marquette, MI
About: Double Trouble DJs is dedicated to making your dream event a reality, with the best in music, lighting, sound, photo booths, and more. 

Down Wind Sports
Owner: Bill Thompson '87
Location: Marquette, Muising, and Houghton, MI
About: Down Wind Sports is an outdoor specialty retailer in the U.P. of Michigan which is a a family owned and operated business.

Eagle Service LLC
Owner: Charles Havican '92
Location: Marquette, MI
About: Commercial refrigeration sales and service. How and cold side sales and service for all commercial food service needs. HVAC/R service.

Edward Jones - Financial Advisor Barrett Engle
Owner: Barrett Engle '12
Location: Marquette, MI
About: Barrett is a financial advisor with Edward Jones, a financial-services firm dedicated to serving the needs of individual investors. With nearly 14,000 financial advisors serving nearly 7 million investors, our firm has been built on the belief that the only way to do business is on a one-on-one, personal basis. We do that by getting to know you, understanding your goals, and developing individualized strategies to help you reach them. He works to give you the personal service you deserve when it comes to planning for your financial future.

Escape Marquette
Owner: Anna Hemstock '12
Location: Marquette, MI
About: Your team of 2-8 players has 60 minutes to find clues, solve puzzles or riddles and escape before the time runs out!

Five Lakes Speech, Language, and Literacy LLC
Owner: Kelli Pfiester '12
Location: Mason, MI
About: A pediatric speech-language therapy and occupational therapy center. Through out individualized, evidenced-based therapy practices, we strive to create a welcoming and inclusive environment that fosters growth, confidence, and success for our clients. In addition to supporting our clients, we work hard to establish a supportive company culture, resulting in low employee turnover.

Genatek Global
Owner: Hannah Wiegand '17
Location: Flint, MI
About: Genatek Global is a Michigan-based company that focuses on pathogen prevention. Our products consist of a contact-free thermometer, automatic hand sanitizer, & a purification booth that produces a germ-fighting Hypochlorous Solution (HOCL) that has a certified COVID surface kill time of 1-minute. Our solution also kills 99% of pathogens. Our mission is to prevent the spread of pathogens.

Goodness and Greens
Owner: Anna Dravland '14
Location: Marquette, MI
About: A company created to spread goodness, greens and giggles, featuring Aeroponic Tower Gardens, Juice Plus Nutrition and Giggles & Greens, a locally-sourced gift store that will have you laughing from your head to toma-toes.

HOTplate Pottery and Clayworks
Owner: Melissa Sprouse ('09, '15 MPA)
Location: Marquette, MI
About: Fuel your creative fire and paint-your-own-pottery, fused glass, acrylic canvas and board art, and clay handbuilding and wheelthrowing. No experience or reservation needed.

Hoover's Auto Body Shop
Owner: Ginger Petry (BS '87, MAE '89)
Location: Marquette, MI
About: One-stop shop for auto collision repairs and auto detailing.

Independence Fuel Distributor, Inc.
Owner: Cassie Anderson '08
Location: Big Bay, MI
About: Serving all of Marquette County with delivery of home heating fuel, bulk diesel and gasoline.

JDR Wealth Management, LLC
Owner: Jeffrey Roe '05
Location: Oxford, MI
About: Proactively serve families and business owners who understand the importance of qualified financial planning. They understand life is going to happen and they want to be prepared to the best of their ability, for their given circumstances. Proper planning conversations can make stressful situations a little less stressful.

Kall Morris Incorporated
Owner: Troy Morris '15
Location: Marquette, MI
About: Space debris research and solution development company.

Kevin's Karpentry
Owner: Kevin Brown '93
Location: Davisburg, MI
About: Trip carpentry work.

Kildare Irish American Pub
Owner: Rick Overbey '96
Location: Marquette, MI
About: Irish American menu featuring corned beef and cabbage, shepherds pie, Guinness beef stew and the best Reuben in town.

Marquette Wallpaper & Paint
Owner: Theresa Hamari ‘99
Location: Marquette, MI
About: Retail sales of Benjamin Moore Paint, Wood Finishes, Window Treatments, wallpaper, custom picture framing, passport photos, key cutting and more.

MQT Nutrition
Owner: Jenna Neaves ‘08
Location: Marquette, MI
About: A health, nutrition, and fitness shop all in one.

Lakeshore Bike
Owner: Matt Calcaterra '81
Location: Marquette, MI
About: A full service bike shop that sells new bikes and accessories, and services all makes and models. Lakeshore Bike also has a fleet of rental bikes including full suspension Mountain Bikes and Fatbikes.

Sabrina Leigh Studios
Owner: Sabrina Langdon '14
Location: Marquette, MI
About: A wedding and relationship photographer focusing on capturing real moments and showcasing the value of relationships.

Signs Now
Owner: Mark Pynnonen ‘83
Location: Marquette, MI
About: Design, produce and install a large variety of custom signs for any industry and any occasion. 

Superior Blue Link
Owner: Joe Bruttomesso '04
Location: Marquette, MI
About: Popular party store with a great downtown location featuring a large selection of beer, wine, and liquor. Focused on enhancing the customer's overall experience with great customer service and a fun, engaging atmosphere.

Superior Family Vision P.C.
Owner: Erin Schoone '06
Location: Ironwood, MI
About: A comprehensive optometry practice offering the latest in eye care treatment, contact lenses and eyeglasses.

TEAMTECH Motorsports Safety, Inc.
Owner: Curt Tucker '82
Location: Saginaw, MI
About: TEAMTECH produces seat belts, safety netting, fire-suits, gloves, shoes, arm restraints and other safety related products for motor-sports applications such as race car drivers, race boats, recreation and aerospace applications.

The Boreal Collective 
Owner: Ian Altobello '19
Location: Marquette, MI
About: The Boreal Collective is a creative digital marketing company that pairs branded strategy with a collective approach. The Boreal Collective is dedicated to providing professional marketing services to businesses while allowing people to grow professionally and personally. Because we understand that growth of our collective members equals growth of our clients, education is a large part of our mission.

We work fully remote because we understand that ‘home’ can be a person, an 83’ Astro Van, a log cabin in the Rockies, or even a hammock in Costa Rica. Our Collective members deserve their ideal environment for optimal growth.

The Distant Whistle Brewhouse
Owner: Dane Bosel '07 and Andy Lee Clouse '11
Location: Vicksburg, MI
About: Opened in 2016 by two NMU alumni, The Distant Whistle Brewhouse has become a staple in the community. Serving beer, wine, and cider, as well as providing musical entertainment regularly, it is a fun gathering space for the folks in Southwest Michigan. Also owned by the pair, directly next door, is the South County Homebrew Supply where homebrewing enthusiasts can purchase all the ingredients and equipment they need to create their own brews.

The Stitch Witch
Owner: Kendra Symbal ‘00
Location: Marquette, MI
About: Tailoring & Tux Rental

Thomas Theatre Group, Inc.
Owner: Valarie Andes ‘03
Location: Marquette, MI
About: Modern movie theatres in Marquette, Escanaba and Iron Mountain offering family entertainment with first-run movies, large screens, comfortable seating and fresh popcorn and concessions.

VAST
Owner: Scott White '81
Location: Marquette, MI
About: An insurance and risk management firm, VAST is a leader in business, personal, and benefits insurance needs.

UP-ness
Owner: Gary Campioni '95, Matt Palomaki '97
Location: Flint, MI
About: Two friends who met while attending NMU have just created an online t-shirt and apparel company aimed at their love for Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Campioni and Palomaki started it all over a FaceTime cup of coffee. Before the second cup, they had an idea, a business plan, and product designs.

Upper Peninsula Periodontics, PC
Owner: Steven Davis '06, MS '08
Location: Marquette, MI
About: Specializing in the practice of periodontics, dental implant surgery, oral medicine and both bone and soft tissue grafting techniques.

Upper Peninsula Periodontics, PC
Owner: Steven Davis '06, MS '08
Location: Marquette, MI
About: Specializing in the practice of periodontics, dental implant surgery, oral medicine and both bone and soft tissue grafting techniques.

Breakthrough Hypnotherapy
Owner: Pamela Topjian '07
Location: Carmichael, CA
About: Pamela CHt certified Hypnotherapist is committed to helping people reach their goals - from the inside out - conducting Hypnotherapy sessions virtually anywhere in the world, via phone or zoom. Consultations are always free.

NeuroTrainer
Owner: Jeff Nyquist '99
Location: San Francisco, CA
About: Using neuroscience and virtual reality to help athletes train and sharpen their skills from anywhere, even at home.

C&G Web Enterprises
Owner: Gary Richtmeyer '72
Location: Zephyrhills, FL
About: C&G Web Enterprises is an Information Technology company specializing in on-site computer support, home and business network solutions and PC consulting.

Fresh Coast Solar
Owner: Jeremy Vavrik '12
Location: Chicago, IL
About: We help residents, businesses, and municipalities of the midwest understand and reap the benefits of clean, affordable solar energy.

Stephanie Hancock Financial & Insurance Planner
Owner: Stephanie Hancock '18
Location: Huntley, IL
About: The practice offers proactive financial planning to manage risk and prepare for the expected and unexpected. Stephanie enjoys working with multi-generational family and business planning.

Zoos Are Us
Owner: Corey Hancock '12
Location: Huntley, IL
About: Use of animals for education and family events.

Flahertys- The Irish Candy Co!
Owner: Joy Flaherty '71
Location: Bettendorf, IA
About: A candy company making Irish butter toffees using 50% butter recipe, which makes for a very tender toffee. All of the 15 candies are made by hand with all natural ingredients. The company also makes wonderful gift towers to share with friends and family.

Luminous Harmony
Owner: Aubrey Kall ‘15
Location: Davenport, IA
About: Light show design for commercial drive through Christmas parks and residential homes.

Sports Event Management Company (SEMCSports)
Owner: W. Patrick Lentell ‘72
Location: Cotuit, MA
About: A company that puts on fun community-based athletic events and partners with non-profits to help raise money.

Crag Dog LLC
Owner: Kelly McMahon ‘13
Location: Duluth, MN
About: Recycling climbing gear to make quality dog collars, leashes and toys for the dog community while giving back 30% of sales to the climbing community.

Ursa Minor Brewing
Owner: Ben Hugus ‘15
Location: Duluth, MN
About: Small batch brewery and taproom

Keystone Plastics Inc.
Owner: Michael Naftal '85
Location: Neshanic Station, NJ
About: A family-owned business, Keystone Plastics manufactures brushes for road sweeping, as well as the fiber used in making brushes for household cleaning or industrial applications.

Healthcare Security Consultants
Owner: Thomas Smith ‘80
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
About: Security Program Assessments, Expert Witness Services, Designing Security into New Construction, Program Transition and Talent Acquisition

RE/MAX Elite
Owner: Kim Schieldknecht '82
Location: Mason, OH
About: Real Estate brokerage.

Fernweh Food Company
Owner: Ashley Lance '08
Location: Portland, OR
About: Making plant-based, gluten-free, dehydrated adventure meals and snacks using local, seasonal produce and package in sustainable packaging.

Alpha Dental
Owner: Matt Palomaki '97
Location: Clarksville, TN
About: General dentistry.

Volunteer Dog Training
Owner: Julie Caldwell '95
Location: Knoxville, TN
About: We help people train their dogs using positive and humane training methods.

Cartwheel Communications
Owner: Kevin Hadas '97
Location: Selma, TX
About: A web design company specializing in marketing, e-commerce, graphic design, and credit card processing.

Aviation Soul, LLC
Owner: Alan Johnson '06
Location: Bristol, WI
About: Aviation Soul's mission is to promote and share aviation by celebrating pilots and people who make up the amazing world of aviation. They are here to provide quality products that instill pride and a sense of membership, and their aviation challenge coins do this by commemorating achievements and hard work.

Great Lakes Endurance, LLC
Owner: Lois Bressette '02
Location: Clintonville, WI
About: Ecologically mindful trail races.