BUSINESS
Ms. Lippitt attributes her
business success to her con-
scious effort to consistently meet
the needs of all clients and the
fact that she is always looking
for opportunities to expand.
Below, Steve
Schanes, and right is
Stacey Crane
STACEY CRANE
JENNIFER FINER
STAFF WRITER
Stacey Crane says balancing
community service, a job and a
family can be difficult — but not
impossible.
STEVE SCHANES
RUTH UTTMANN
STAFF WRITER
By the time Steven Schanes
could write, he was selling baby
furniture for his family's busi-
ness. When he started driving,
teen-age Steve became a trav-
eling salesman, on the road
pitching products to area ven-
dors.
But Mr. Schanes' younger
years were not all work. As
a high school student, he
was an avid member of B'nai
B'rith Youth Organization,
and now, as an adult, he
volunteers as chairman of the
BBYO board.
"Youth group definitely had
a major impact on my life.
BBYO gave me leadership skills
that later helped me in the busi-
ness world," he says. "I wanted
to keep the program strong by
giving back."
Mr. Schanes, 36, is both
dedicated to the Jewish com-
munity and a successful man-
ufacturer's representative for
Jeryl Inc., the family business
he now leads.
In addition to serving BBYO,
Mr. Schanes sits on Jewish Fed-
eration committees and the
board of Jewish Vocational Ser-
vice. To a large extent, Mr.
Schanes credits his youth-group
experience for sustaining his in-
threat in the Jewish communi-
ty.
"It was in my BBYO days
that I began thinking about
who I was and what I wanted
in life," he says. "BBYO is the
reason I'm so involved in Jew-
ish life today."
Mr. Schanes believes youth
group is vital for young people.
"These days, many of our
community's problems stem
from the fact that kids just are
not getting the proper Jewish
education, formal or informal.
If we really concentrate on not
reinventing the wheel, but get-
ting it to roll again, we'll have
success in generations to come,"
he says.
Arnie Weiner, longtime di-
rector of BBYO, describes Mr.
Schanes as a leader who "knows
how to talk to people.
"He has developed a sense of
altruism and giving to the com-
munity in terms of time and fi-
nancial help," Mr. Weiner says.
A resident of West Bloom-
field, Mr. Schanes lives with his
wife, Cheryl, and two daugh-
ters, Jennifer, 10, and Lauren,
7. He's not sure where he finds
time for the different roles he
plays: businessman, husband,
dad, adviser.
"It can be frustrating. I have
trouble saying no to volunteer
opportunities. But, if you want
to, you can always make time
for your community."
RON YOLLES
JENNIFER FINER
STAFF WRITER
Nine years ago, Ron Yolles
carved out a niche in the in-
vestment arena.
Then, he was one of five char-
tered financial authorities spe-
cializing in no-load mutual fund
analysis.
Today, Mr. Yolles, 33, is suc-
cessful in his field as a nation-
Ms. Crane, a 35-year-old
CPA with Milberger and Crane,
and perpetual volunteer, wife
and mother of two, generally fol-
lows these rules of thumb: she
limits her volunteering to spend
time with her husband Michael
and daughters Sarah and Ilene,
she occasionally brings her chil-
dren along when volunteering,
and, most important, she enjoys
what she does.
Although this Farmington
Hills resident says she confines
her volunteering, the list of or-
ganizations to which she do-
nates her time is extensive.
Within the Jewish commu-
nity, some of her activities in-
clude: committee work for
Bar-Dan University, participa-
tion in the community service
division of the Jewish Federa-
tion and an appointed chair of
the Young Women's Leadership
Cabinet of United Jewish Ap-
peal. She also joins other ac-
countants in doing tax returns
for Federation Apartments res-
idents.
Outside the Jewish commu :
nity, Ms. Crane is a founding
treasurer of the Detroit Busi-
ness Initiative, a nonprofit or-
ganization that teaches
business skills to inner-city
youth.
"I'm proud of my involvement
with this organization because
it's important to build bridges
with the African.-American com-
munity," says Ms. Crane, who
entered the volunteer scene five
years ago.
Ms. Crane says the reason
she offers her time and skill is
to feel rewarded and achieve a
sense of family within the com-
munity.
"I have a strong feeling Jew-
ish people are part of my fami-
ly," she says. "I was raised with
a strong sense of family. No one
else is going to take care of us;
it's up to us to take care of the
Jewish community."
Ms. Crane has been in busi-
ness with her father, also a
CPA, for 10 years.
"I love my work, I love being
in business with my father and
I like the fact that I can make a
difference in someone's business
by being in an advisory posi-
tion."
Ms. Crane's business agenda
includes bringing in more
clients and continuing to im-
prove her company.
"I really enjoy what I do and
that's the key," she says. "I love
my job and the volunteer work
that I do. Sometimes it's not
easy, but it's worth it."
ally recognized au-
thority in that area
and portfolio man-
agement.
His firm, Yolles
Investment Man-
agement, Inc. is the
oldest and fastest-
growing no-load
portfolio manage-
ment firm in
Michigan, and his
success has put
him on the pages
of publications
like the New York
Times and Mon-
ey.
This Birming-
ham resident
also made his
mark in the
community ser-
vice arena, do-
nating his time
and effort to sev-
eral local agencies.
Aside from acting as a JARC
Big Brother, Mr. Yolles also vol-
unteers at the Federation
Apartments, Sinai Hospital and
Borman Hall.
"I'm motivated to do things
I'll feel good about," he said. "It's
important to do what you feel is
worthwhile, and any time you
can do something like volun-
teering it's a mitzvah."
Like most who have to bal-
ance their time between a job,
family and community service,
Mr. Yolles said spending time
with each of these activities can
be done.
"It's difficult, but not impos-
sible, to balance everything in
your life, and occasionally you
find yourself working long
hours," he said. "Now that my
business is more computerized
than it was in the past, it's get-
ting easier than it was two or
three years ago to find the time."
Mr. Yolles began to special-
ize in his field after examining
his personal investment habits
and deciding his own game-plan
"R's difficult, but
not impossible, to
balance
everything."
Ron Yolles
also could benefit his clients.
In the future, Mr. Yolles
hopes to be regarded as the top
no-load portfolio manager in the
country. He said he measures
his success by how well his com-
pany has helped its clients meet
their goals.
"He has taken his business
and done very well with it," said
Ron Elkus, a friend and client
of Mr. Yolles. "He's very dedi-
cated and does a good job bal-
ancing his business and
community service." Cl