Tribally Owned Business Bodwé Expands to Grand Rapids

Bodwé, a professional services group that offers architecture, engineering, construction, and business operations services, is opening a new office in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with some help from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). 

Based in Dowagiac, Michigan, tribally owned Bodwé consists of architects, planners, consultants, designers, engineers, and scientists who take a holistic approach to building services. Initially started with just three employees, Bodwé has evolved into a full-service family of seven companies that are equally comfortable restoring wetlands as they are expanding healthcare facilities. 

Over the past decade, the greater Grand Rapids region has experienced a 6.1% increase in population and has become West Michigan’s premier hub for economic development. For the rapidly growing professional services firm, the expansion to one of Michigan’s most dynamic cities felt like a natural fit. “Bodwé saw Grand Rapids as a strategic opportunity to expand its regional presence, improve client relations, and tap into a robust talent pool,” says Jeremy Berg, the president and chief operating officer of Bodwé. 

MEDC and Bodwé: Investing in Tribal Business Growth 

The Grand Rapids expansion was partly supported by the MEDC, which helps Michigan’s 12 federally recognized tribes foster business development beyond gaming through its tribal business development strategy. In the case of Bodwé, a tribal business grant supported the renovation and furnishing of the Grand Rapids office. “The grant also enabled the company to create a collaborative workspace that fosters innovation and enhances service delivery,” says Berg. 

Thanks to the MEDC and Bodwé’s long-standing relationship, initiating the grant process was simple. “Bodwé reached out to the MEDC and discussed the project they were proposing,” explains Tom Durkee, director of tribal business development at the MEDC. “Because it included job creation and new business growth in Michigan, the project fit well with the MEDC’s overall mission to grow business in [the state].” 

The MEDC has also supported Bodwé’s growth with grants for offices in Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, and has assisted other companies within Mno-Bmadsen, the economic development arm of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. 

The MEDC has worked with Mno-Bmadsen and the Pokagon Band since the inception of the MEDC’s tribal outreach program. “Over the years, our outreach has helped establish good working relationships with the Michigan tribes and their companies,” says Durkee. “It was part of and remains a part of our strategy today—talk with the tribes and their economic development entities to see if MEDC can assist in advancing their initiatives.” 

The MEDC’s efforts to engage tribal businesses do more than help create business activity; they help preserve the rich heritage and culture of Michigan’s tribes. 

Bodwé’s Tribal Legacy Fuels Dynamic Business Model 

The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi are the historic dwellers of the St. Joseph River Valley, which stretches from modern-day southwest Michigan to northern Indiana. Known as the Keepers of the Fire, the Pokagon Band has made a concerted effort to further economic development, develop tribal infrastructure and resources, and improve healthcare, housing, education, and elder services to its citizens. 

The projects Bodwé works on reflect the deep traditions of the Pokagon Band and its mission to build sustainable businesses that support its legacy and economy, from working to preserve and protect Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore with historic property project documentation, a condition assessment, and a climate change treatment plan, to providing full architectural and engineering design services for Many Farms High School, a boarding school in the heart of a Navajo reservation. 

“Bodwé’s mission is deeply rooted in the tribe’s history and values,” says Berg. “The company’s culture emphasizes service, stewardship, and long-term thinking, reflecting the Band’s commitment to community, resilience, and acknowledging the generations who came before while planning a future for the generations we will never meet.” 

Bodwé means to light a fire for someone, and through their comprehensive approach to improving communities, the future looks bright. With offices in Oklahoma, Illinois, Texas, multiple sites in Michigan, and now Grand Rapids, Bodwé has widened its footprint in Southwest Michigan across the United States and abroad. 

“By investing in talent, relationships, and expanding geographically,” says Velten, “we’re positioned to further support the Band’s long-term vision of sustainable prosperity and meaningful impact across generations.” 

To learn more about the MEDC and its work with tribal partners, visit www.michiganbusiness.org/about-medc/tribal-partners/ 

To learn more about Bodwé, visit bodwegroup.com