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year. He recently received national rec-
ognition from Martindale Hubbell, as
a 25-year consecutive year recipient of
its AV Preeminent Rating, emblematic
of the highest possible rating in both
legal ability and ethical standards.

Star Trax MCs get people on the dance floor.

That's Entertainment

Star Trax revamps corporate direction.

Stephanie Freedman

Special to the Jewish News

R

etirement isn't easy. Especially for
a beloved character deemed a star
among co-workers and customers.
In the rare instance, this character is, quite
literally, a star. And for Ferndale-based Star
Trax, its retired character was dubbed Star
Man, the sunglass-wearing, grinning star-
shaped logo synonymous
for many years with the
company.
"We loved Star
Man," explained Geoff
Kretchmer, president
and owner of Star Trax.
However, he added, As the scope of our
services grew beyond entertainment for bar
and bat mitzvahs to include event produc-
tion, advisory services and more ... we felt
a new identity would better tell our story:'
That revamped corporate direction
included development of a new website,
relocation from an office park in Southfield
to a dramatic space in Ferndale and, most
importantly, expanding its product line.
Kretchmer praised the roots of Star
Trax, which was founded in 1987 and soon
became known for live entertainment and
expert valet parking for events, and eti-
quette and dance lessons for pre-teens.
Star Trax today bills itself as an interac-
tive entertainment company. And nothing
is more interactive than its team of event
MCs and dancers who, as Kretchmer
described, "provide the 'magic' ... if you're
having a dance party, then a critical mea-
sure of success is whether or not the dance
floor is crowded:'
To further strengthen its interactive
entertainment moniker, Star Trax, which
entertains at 250 bar and bat mitzvahs
annually, expanded its menu of experiential
activities. Kretchmer boosted the business
by purchasing Entertainment by Design in
2014, which was owned by Brian Fishman
and his wife, Josie, and had a wide range of
interactive products in its repertoire.
"Brian, who is now our director of extra
fun, does it all; Kretchmer said, "from
training our team members to sourcing
new activities" including 16-player LED
foosball tables, pop-a-shot-games and on-

34 April 9 • 2015

site screen-printing.
The other new Brian on the Star Trax
team is Brian Siegel, owner of Joe Dumars'
Fieldhouse in Shelby Township and Detroit,
who became partner and co-owner of Star
Trax in July 2012.
Kretchmer said for several years he and
Siegel, after solidifying their friendship on
a Federation mission in 2010, contemplated
working together. An opportunity presented
itself with Siegel's develop-
ment of Local Kitchen and
Bar in Ferndale, a restaurant
and event space he owns
with chef Rick Halberg. A
partnership was created
between Star Trax and Local
with the result being called Local Events.
"We wanted to work with someone
completely entrenched in the community,
whose vision was in sync with ours ... and
that person, unequivocally, is Brian Sieger
Kretchmer said. "Star Trax is part owner of
the 3400-square-foot event space [upstairs
from the restaurant] ... it's loft-like ... all
white ... a blank slate to decorate in any
style'
That vision also includes supporting doz-
ens of local community nonprofits includ-
ing Tamarack Camps, the JCC, JARC, ORT,
schools and synagogues.
Star Trax also added a consulting division
this past year, called the Event Advisory
Team, a service for anyone planning a party
who, as Kretchmer explained, "wants assis-
tance putting a team together to fulfill their
vision but doesn't want a dedicated party
planner:'
The months of rebranding Star Trax
culminates from noon-4 p.m. on Sunday,
April 26, at Knollwood Country Club in
West Bloomfield, during its first tradeshow
named, aptly enough, "The Event Show;'
with more than 50 metro area vendors from
across the spectrum of event orchestration.
"We're at capacity for vendors and have
a waiting list," Kretchmer said. "Consumers
need the experience of seeing the creative
talents of local event planners, florists,
entertainers, stationers ... any and every-
thing to create extraordinary events:'

❑

Stephanie Freedman is a public relations profes-

sional at Freedman Communications.

Nancy
Kaufman

The Greater West Bloomfield Chamber
of Commerce announced winners of
annual awards to be given in May.
Rabbi Elimelech Goldberg will be
given the Community Excellence
Award for Leadership. The rabbi is
head of the Kids Kicking Cancer orga-
nization.
The Community Excellence Award
for business person of the year will go
to Nancy R. Kaufman of the Kaufman
Children's Center.

Goodman and Acker

Barry Goodman and Jerry Acker,
attorneys and partners of Goodman
Acker PC in Southfield, recently
received the American Patriot award
from the Michigan Veterans
Foundation. The award is given to
those exceptional Americans who have
demonstrated a profound and abiding
love of country, whose inspirational
leadership and selfless dedication sym-
bolize the nation's ideals, values and
democratic principles.
Goodman Acker PC held a Caring
for Our Homeless Benefit at Detroit
Tough Gym in Corktown on Veterans
Day and collected more than eight
truckloads of clothing, coats, blankets,
shoes, business suits, disposable goods
and more for homeless veterans. In
addition, they raised more than $2,000
in funds.

LaKritz

Barry F. LaKritz of
the Law Offices of
Barry E LaKritz PC
has been selected
for inclusion in the
2015 publication,
Best Lawyers in
America. He has
also been named as
a Michigan Super
Lawyer again this

Stuart Raider of
Raider Dennis
Agency Inc. has
recently been
approved member-
ship into the 2015
Million Dollar
Round Table with 32
Raider
years of membership
and Court of the
Table and Top of the
Table with 17 years of membership.
Both are the premier associations of
financial professionals. He also serves
as the president of the Michigan
Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Raider
lives in West Bloomfield.

Kadima, a
Southfield-based
mental health orga-
nization serving
individuals with
chronic and persis-
tent mental illness,
has hired Jean
Nemenzik
Nemenzik as its new
clinical department
director. She has 20
years of experience in social work,
including divorce and custody media-
tion, social work education and train-
ing; she has also worked on the imple-
mentation and operation of evidence-
based practices, including assertive
community treatment and dialectical
behavior therapy, among others.

Hunter Pasteur
Homes, a premier
southeast Michigan-
based developer/
builder, has
announced the
appointment of Seth
Herkowitz to part-
ner. He will continue
his operational
responsibilities and
play a leading role in the company's
sales, construction, development and
administrative divisions. Herkowitz
serves on the Chicago Kent College of
Law Alumni Board of Directors. He
also is a member of the Homebuilders
Association of Southeast Michigan and
co-chair of the Harry N. Herkowitz
Distinguished Chair of Orthpaedics at
Beaumont Health System.