Art in Bloom fundraiser for the cham-
ber held at Art Leaders Gallery.
The business expo was a first-time
event and Sefton helped plan it and
was one of the 25-30 exhibitors. "I
was looking to bring awareness of my
business:' he says.
"That's what the chamber does. It
helps people grow their business. It's
a chance to network and create more
business for yourself.
"For me, it has worked:' he says.
"I've gotten a number of referrals and
have been able to help these people."
Sefton believes the WBCC has
changed dramatically in recent years,
under the helm of Executive Director
Ann Corwell, its only full-time staffer.
The chamber's emphasis, he says, is
on small business and "I find it very
helpful."
With Corwell being a "one-person
organization, we are always look-
ing for more members and more
volunteers:' Sefton says. With new
functions and events forecast for
2008, "our growth depends on the
business community." He adds that,
in West Bloomfield, the area's many
home-based businesses can use the
exposure provided by the chamber of
commerce.
"I'm also a member of the Detroit
Chamber of Commerce," says
Sefton, "but I'm very loyal to West
Bloomfield. This is where my business
is based." ❑
Allan Sefton
Age: 61
Home: Beverly Hills
Family: wife, Bonnie; daughters
Samantha, 23, working on a mas-
ter's in speech pathology at Ohio
State University, and Jocelyn, 21,
a senior in dietetics and nutrition
at Michigan State University.
Synagogue: Congregation
Shaarey Zedek Southfield
Interests: president, Yad Ezra,
the kosher food bank in Berkley;
finance committee member,
Frankel Jewish Academy in West
Bloomfield
Business: Allan Sefton, LLC,
independent insurance agency,
5745 W. Maple, suite 208, West
Bloomfield; (248) 851-4470.
Federation is a BIG part
of our lives.
Lisa and Scott Stern know a good team
when they see one. Together they have built
Big Communications, a leading health care
communications company into one of the
country's 500 fastest growing, privately-held
Taubman Research
companies for three years in a row. (lnc.Magazine)
Medical institute names director.
Collectively, the Sterns are involved in
Ann Arbor
Federation's Class of a Million, Jewish Business
N
eurologist and research sci-
entist Dr. Eva Feldman has
been named director of the
A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research
Institute at the University of Michigan
Medical School. The institute was
established in September through a $22
million gift from the Bloomfield Hills
retail pioneer whose name it bears.
Feldman will also continue in her
role as one of the first five Taubman
Scholars — U-M scientists who
receive funding from the institute's
endowment to help their teams pursue
fundamental research on the causes,
treatment and prevention of a broad
range of human diseases. The first five
Taubman Scholars are tackling heart
disease, deafness, cancer and neurode-
generative disorders.
"Al Taubman has unique insight into
the challenges of biomedical research:'
says Feldman, who is also the DeJong
Professor of Neurology. "He under-
stands that with 'high risk' comes 'high
reward.'"
Feldman's laboratory team, the
Program for Neurology Research &
Discovery, is researching amyotrophic
lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease).
Their work is partly funded by $7 mil-
lion in gifts from Taubman, who lost a
close friend to the disease.
His gifts are helping fund research
by the U-M team and researchers at
the University of California, San Diego,
to evaluate the use of stem cells as a
potential treatment for ALS.
"I am committed to advancing
biomedical discoveries and am 100
percent behind Eva's vision for the
Institute," says Taubman. The scholars
each receive a three-year grant that
provides $200,000 per year for teams
to use in pursuit of new knowledge.
"The funding provided by the
institute allows investigators to pio-
neer new areas of investigation:' says
Feldman. "I believe Al Taubman's
support will result in discoveries that
transform our approach and treatment
to human disease." ❑
Leaders and Marketing Committee. While
they've gained business connections and
learned from those with whom they have inter-
acted, what means the most to them is being part
of a strong, vibrant and supportive community.
Scott says,"If you're interested in helping people,
teaching your children, or doing something
significant for yourself, check out Federation.
They make a
BIG difference."
q
uJ)Jewish
Federation
of Metropolitan Detroit
jewishdetroit.org
1278670
December 13 @ 2007
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