Testimony on HB 5031 — Paula Macpherson, Velocity

Summary

Business owners and executives are quoted on Velocity programs, with each quotation followed by a name, title, company and city. Daniel Honer, President of SCI, Sterling Heights, says support from Velocity let the company upgrade critical systems needed to secure its Lockheed Martin contracts and retain 10 jobs. Aravind Jonnalagadda (AJ), CTO and Co-Founder of Synergy Additive Manufacturing LLC, Clinton Township, cites 30% growth over the last year. Sue Zobel, Co-Founder of Rigid Spindle & Machine LLC, Roseville, describes one-on-one support on business structure, compliance, financing, and facility planning.

Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used

Full text

“With support from Velocity, SCI was able to upgrade critical systems needed to secure our Lockheed
Martin contracts. This investment helped us retain 10 jobs and remain a strong, compliant supplier in the
defense industry.”
Daniel Honer
President
SCI, Sterling Heights
www.scigage.com

“The Velocity program has had a significant impact on our business and our 30% growth over the last
year”
Aravind Jonnalagadda (AJ)
CTO and Co-Founder
Synergy Additive Manufacturing LLC, Clinton Township
synergyadditive.com/

“We have been able to successfully create a Joint Venture with a company out of New York to establish
a presence in Macomb County. The assistance we received through the Velocity program was invaluable
in our endeavor to accomplish this goal.”
Nick Toben
President
Singer Scientific, Sterling Heights
singerscientific.com

“The Velocity CEO Roundtable is an extraordinary forum where thought leaders from diverse industries
candidly exchange ideas, best practices and challenges. Velocity does an outstanding job of facilitating
discussions that maximize collaboration and genuine connections among fellow leaders. The team’s
eagerness to foster an environment where actionable insight takes place in a collegial environment is
extremely valuable.”
David Greig
CEO
TARUS, Sterling Heights
Tarus.com


“The relationship between NAMC and Velocity allows us to have a real, tangible impact on our local
DoD manufacturing community. By aligning our expertise and networks, we are helping companies
navigate defense requirements, build resilience, and seize new opportunities that strengthen both our
regional economy and national security.”
Warren Sponsler
Chief Operating Officer
National Advanced Mobility Consortium (NAMC), Sterling Heights
namconsortium.org
“Velocity’s consulting, grant support, and press assistance played a critical role in helping Backyard
Bats gain national attention for our products. Their support helped elevate our brand and accelerate our
growth in a meaningful way.”
Ryan Lapansse
Co-Founder
Backyard Bats, Romeo
Backyardbats.com

“Velocity has been instrumental in helping Rigid Spindle & Machine move from concept to a growing,
operating manufacturing business. Through hands-on guidance, direct access to subject-matter experts,
and ongoing one-on-one support, Velocity helped us navigate critical early-stage decisions—business
structure, compliance, financing, and facility planning—at a time when clear direction mattered most.
Their team didn’t just provide information; they provided practical, actionable advice that allowed us to
make confident decisions quickly, avoid costly mistakes, and stay focused on building a high-quality
spindle repair operation that serves the manufacturing, automotive, and aerospace sectors.

Beyond startup support, Velocity has continued to be a true partner in our growth. They connected us to
grant opportunities, excellent networking events, regional manufacturing resources, and key industry
relationships that directly support job creation, equipment investment, and long-term sustainability. Just
as important, Velocity remains consistently accessible and responsive, providing steady guidance as our
business evolves. Their commitment has strengthened our operations, accelerated our progress, and
reinforced our ability to grow a skilled, reliable manufacturing business here in Michigan.”
Sue Zobel
Co-Founder
Rigid Spindle & Machine LLC, Roseville
rigidspindleandmachine.com



“Access to grants, investors, and experienced business coaching has been instrumental in helping
Imago Glass Design scale our operations. With this support, we’ve been able to grow strategically,
strengthen our financial foundation, and add staff to our team as demand for our work continues to
increase.”
Paula Badalamente
President
IMAGIO™ Glass Design, Sterling Heights
imagioglass.com


“Attending the incubator bootcamp was enlightening for me. It not only provided me with additional
knowledge to grow my business but also connected me with a community of inspiring entrepreneurs”
Anita Blackmon
CEO
Purpose to Purpose, Eastpointe
purposetopurpose.com


File and source

File

2026-02-19_testimony_hb-5031-paula-macpherson-velocity_62903.pdf

Size

250,130 bytes

SHA-256

315a0a74e7748924d80be8cb3aac49df8786416b51d57e8db4e87221f788c455

Our copy

2026-02-19_testimony_hb-5031-paula-macpherson-velocity_62903.pdf

Original

No public link identified.