Coverage from Second Wave Media, published 2026-03-04.
Second Wave Media reported that roughly three dozen entrepreneurs and small-business supporters met in downtown Kalamazoo on Feb. 26, 2026, for the Reach Forward Conversations Event. Kalamazoo Forward Ventures and Southwest Michigan First organized the gathering at The Foundry, located at 600 E. Michigan Ave. The session connected local sellers with purchasing representatives from major regional institutions. Buyers came from food service, higher education, manufacturing, health care, county government and grocery retail, including Bronson Methodist Hospital, Midtown Fresh/Park Street Market, Landscape Forms, Kalamazoo County, Gordon Food Service and Kalamazoo Valley Community College.
KZFV described the event as an effort to create introductions that could lead to contracts and new growth. Marcel Fable Price urged large employers to direct even a small share of purchasing to local companies. Former Kalamazoo Mayor Bobby Hopewell led an open discussion on business challenges, and current Mayor David Anderson attended.
