Posts in Business
From Merchants to Entrepreneurs

The YAC kicked off the Spring season with a professional development and networking event held on the evening of Thursday, April 11, at Shenandoah Country Club. The event was moderated by the charming and witty Paul Jonna, a real estate and business attorney and former COO of the Chaldean Community Foundation.

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Holy Cross!

Atop Rancho San Diego Hill sits the California Chaldean community’s most recent achievement: A 35-foot tall, 20,000-pound Chaldean-style cross pierces the landscape for thousands to see. Last year, on December 14, 2023, the largest cross in San Diego was airdropped into place by a Chinook heavy-lift helicopter.

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Beyond the Silk Road

“Geography informs your fate,” says Dr. Adhid Miri. What he means by that is our environment has an immense influence on our chosen trade or livelihood. The Silk Road—interwoven passages, caravan routes, and byways that stretched from China to the eastern Mediterranean—connected with other important trade routes in ancient Mesopotamia, giving rise to a culture adept at trade.

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Ice Wars

There are many examples of the Chaldean factor in business, but none as clear as the recent shakeup in the retail ice market. In late 2022, Saad Abbo sold his successful ice company, U.S. Ice, to a large corporate firm called Home City Ice. Since then, retailers have reported a dramatic increase in prices and a substantial reduction in the quality and frequency of service.

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Growing Pains

Even before the 2020 election that featured a national explosion of approval for ballot proposals legalizing marijuana production, processing and sales, the industry had taken off, with Michigan among the most lucrative states for cannabis crop sales. However, the lure of marijuana money comes with expensive federal tax headaches, restrictions on trade across state lines, and a depressed market overcrowded with licensees.

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Chaldean American Bar Association Returns after Hiatus

The Chaldean American Bar Association (CABA) has risen from the ashes. A young and energetic board led by president Rita Soka has big plans for the future of the Chaldean legal community. CABA hosted its first event in January at the new restaurant and bar West End to kickoff its relaunch.

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Tania’s Pizza Looks to Expand its ‘Stuffed Pizza’ Footprint

Tania’s Pizza has long been an iconic Royal Oak institution. Nestled in an unassuming little strip mall behind a Sunoco station at the corner of 13 Mile Road and Crooks, Tania’s has been dishing out its signature stuffed pizza since 1987. The then-beer and wine shop began feeding hungry Kimball High School (now Royal Oak High School)…

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Money Matters

Coming to a new country can be daunting. A new language. An unfamiliar culture. Everything is different. On top of all that, add a set of rules, regulations, and customs regarding finances that are strange and confusing. There are many financial perils facing those new to life in the United States, particularly if immigration takes place under duress.

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’Tis Better to Give

As so many of us look forward to the holiday season and the gifts we’ll exchange with family and friends, our thoughts also turn to those who are less fortunate and the true spirit of the season — “Give big, to get back, to give bigger,” as Rob Bava says. Bava is Community Choice Credit Union’s longtime president and CEO.

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