56 | SEPTEMBER 19 • 2019 THEJEWISHNEWS.COM

business SPOTlight

brought to you in partnership with 
B I R M I N G H A M

Training Young 
Entrepreneurs

Local businesswoman leads 
Venture for America training program.

JUDY GREENWALD CONTRIBUTING WRITER

COURTESY OF RANDY RUBIN

W

ith the idea of con-
tinuing the rejuve-
nation of Detroit’
s 
economic landscape, as well as 
providing opportunities across 
the country, dynamic young 
adults are creating cutting-edge 
businesses and extolling the city.
Their success is thanks to the 
Venture for America (VFA) 
Fellows Training Camp and the 
efforts of VFA National Board 
chairperson and Michigan busi-
nesswoman Randy Rubin.

WHAT IS VFA?
Founded in 2011 by Andrew 
Yang, VFA is a New York-based 
nonprofit whose mission is “to 
revitalize American cities through 
entrepreneurship by training 
recent graduates and young pro-
fessionals to work for start-ups in 
emerging cities throughout the 
U.S.” 
After their acceptance into 
VFA, some 200 entrepreneur-
ial-minded graduates from 

colleges and universities, 
including Harvard, 
University of Michigan, 
Duke and UCLA, came 
to Detroit to participate 
in an intensive five-week 
summertime program, where 
they were taught and mentored 
by investors, venture capitalists 
and innovation firms in business 
skills such as web design, entre-
preneurship and public speak-
ing. Fellows were then placed 
in companies in economically 
challenged areas nationwide for 
a two-year internship, with the 
goal of advancing in and creating 
jobs for their companies or start-
ing their own companies and 
becoming employers themselves.

MEET RANDY RUBIN
Who better to serve as a VFA 
board member than philanthro-
pist, active Jewish community 
member and Franklin resident 
Rubin, a successful business-
woman in her own right? 

Along with husband, Craig, 
she co-founded the Crypton 
Companies (Crypton LLC and 
Nanotex LLC, providers of per-
formance fabrics in the contract, 
home furnishings and apparel 
markets) and is co-chairman 
of Rubin Investment Holdings 
LLC. Her latest business venture 
is a calculated load-stabilizing 
device, created to lock down 
large hauls on flatbed trucks. 
As one of the founding mem-
bers of Temple Shir Shalom, she 
has made giving back an integral 
value in her life. Nowhere is this 
more evident than in her com-
mitment to VFA.
“I’
m a woman on my seventh 
career,” said Rubin, a Wayne 
State University graduate, to par-
ticipants at the recent VFA train-
ing program in July. “Teacher, 

paralegal, trainer, conference 
director/spokesperson, marketing 
consultant, textile owner. And 
I typically put the VFA before 
most of my other ventures.
“I got involved with VFA after 
countless meetings with nonprof-
it organizations. I couldn’
t find 
that special spark I was looking 
for until VFA and ended up on 
the national board two years ago.
“It’
s a small board of amaz-
ingly talented people with a staff 
and director who are eager and 
ready to learn and implement. 
I’
m on the national board, and 
I see such an advantage being 
able to participate on a local level 
as well. And it’
s a place where I 
can make a difference with the 
fellows and the companies where 
they’
re placed.”
But making a difference is 

l
i
f

VFA fellows take part in a 
July 2019 training program 
at Wayne State University

hot topics

Your People LLC is hosting a free event Tuesday, 
Sept. 24, from 5:30-7 p.m. at Detroit City Distillery 
(2462 Riopelle St., Detroit) to inspire entrepreneurs, 
nonprofit leaders and businesses to build their story 
for marketing purposes. Using a storytelling approach, 
driven by relationships and purpose, people will be 

guided to craft their best business story for use in 
marketing, social media, public relations and more. 
The event is free though people should RSVP because 
space is limited. RSVP at yourppl.com/MMPStory. For 
information, email lynne@yourppl.com or call (248) 
376-0406.

CHANGES AT 
BEDROCK
Matt Cullen, previously CEO of Jack 
Entertainment, was named the 
new CEO of Dan Gilbert’
s Bedrock 
LLC real estate company; and Jim 
Ketai, a childhood friend of Gilbert’
s, 
announced he was leaving as 
chairman of Bedrock to “pursue other 
opportunities.” Dan Mullen, the former 
executive vice president of business 
development at Bedrock, left in June.

GOOGLE EXPANDING IN MICHIGAN

Google recently announced that it’
s undertaking a $17 
million expansion of its Michigan offices, increasing 
office space and adding jobs at its two hubs in 
Detroit and Ann Arbor. In Detroit, Google operates 
out of an office attached to the Little Caesars Arena, 
where it plans to lease an additional floor. In total, 

the company will add 90,000 square feet of office 
space in Michigan, the Detroit Free Press reports. The 
expansions are expected to be complete by the end of 
2020 in Detroit, and the end of 2021 in Ann Arbor. 

FREE TRAINING

h h b
d C i

Randy Rubin 
with VFA CEO 
Amy Nelson