Episode 7: Meet the Founder of the First Festival Celebrating Asian Culture in Grand Rapids (w/ Ace Marasigan)

You may know Ace Marasigan as the founder of the Grand Rapids Asian-Pacific Festival.

However, his childhood was spent in the Philippines, living in poverty near a community dumpsite. Find out about how Ace persevered, despite the difficult hand he was dealt, how his son inspired him to plan the first festival celebrating Asian-Pacific culture in Grand Rapids, and get an inside scoop on this year’s festival offerings (SPOILER: there will be sumo wrestlers)! Listen to these stories and more while we drink Gammadeluxe by Jolly Pumpkin!

April 11, 2025

Building Capacity, Expanding Access: Highlights from the West Michigan Minority Contractors

The Grand Rapids Chamber hosted another impactful session of the West Michigan Minority Contractors (WMMC) series on April 3, bringing together contractors, city officials, and...

February 24, 2025

The Future of Health Care in West Michigan

West Michigan’s health care sector plays a key role in our economy, driving employment and economic growth in our region. At the same time, the...

February 24, 2025

American Society of Employers (ASE) Expands Training Programs to Grand Rapids

The American Society of Employers (ASE), Michigan’s largest employer association, is excited to announce the expansion of its employee development courses to Grand Rapids. Held...