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The 16th annual 10 Over the Next Ten Awards were held on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at the University Club of MSU in East Lansing. This event recognizes Greater Lansing’s top 10 young professionals who are expected to contribute significantly to our community over the next ten years. The event was sponsored by Independent Bank and the University Club of MSU and co-hosted by the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce (LRCC) and Lansing 5:01. Michigan Premier Events served as event management partner.

The 2022 10 Over the Next Ten Award recipients include:

Kimberly Barber’s passion for travel led her to form Globetrotter Travel, a company dedicated to helping others plan their dream trips. She has received numerous awards for her outstanding work including being recognized as a Top 100 Agent in 2020 and 2021 as well as a Top 75 Agent in 2019. Kim is equally passionate about her community and has served as a board member for the Lansing Women’s Forum since 2016, board member for Millennials in Travel and a granting volunteer for Make a Wish Michigan. Kim and her husband have been foster parents since 2020 and are in the process of adopting their son. She has a bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University.

Matea Caluk serves as assistant director for prevention, outreach and education in the Education Department at Michigan State University. Matea is a native of Bosnia and Herzegovina and relocated to Lansing in the late 90’s. She earned her bachelor’s in public relations and advertising. She earned her master’s in college student affairs leadership from Grand Valley State University. Matea has dedicated her career to lending a voice to cultivate equitable practices and create opportunities for access. She received the Community Champion Award from the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau in 2018. Matea loves the Lansing community and has committed to the important work of making the community a desirable destination to live and work and an equitable community for all people.

Aurelius Christian is a corridor and commercial development specialist for the Lansing Economic Development Corporation, where he oversees special programs to support small business growth and revitalization of blighted commercial corridors within the city. He is also spearheading a program to make opportunities for economic prosperity more equitable. He is
one of the youngest public officials in Greater Lansing appointed by the Ingham County Board of Commissioners to serve on the Board of Directors for the Ingham County Community Health Centers. In that role, Aurelius oversees 13 locations, 27,000 patients and over 70,000 annual visits delivering care to the community’s most vulnerable populations. Aurelius has a bachelor’s in advertising management from Michigan State University.

Amber Clark serves as neighborhoods and economic development director for Meridian Township. In her role, she is active in development efforts to revitalize the Haslett Village Square and the Village of Okemos Redevelopment Project. She also managed the Meridian Mall redevelopment project in conjunction with CBL Property Management. She also serves as planning committee president for Meridian Township’s Juneteenth Celebration. Amber has been active in the Meridian Area Business Association, ATHENA PowerLink governing body, Haslett Robotics Club as a member and coach and Lansing Women’s Forum. Amber believes in working each day to create a better version of the world in which we live. She has a bachelor’s in communications from Michigan State University.

Lorin Cumberbatch saw a need in the community and decided to fill it. There were no Black estheticians in the Lansing area and she decided to open a shop to provide that service. Not only did she meet this need, but she also did it during the Covid pandemic. As owner and CEO of Skin Studio 211, Lorin welcomes all races through her door even though she originally set out to meet a need in the Black community. She has opened a second salon in East Lansing this fall. She regularly donates gift cards and volunteer time to worthwhile fundraisers, back-to-school drives, community sports teams and other school activities. She also created the Black Book Drive which is now in its third year. She earned her general associate’s degree from Lansing Community College.

Xavier DeGroat is president and CEO of the Xavier DeGroat Autism Foundation. He has had a huge impact on public policy and autism awareness since starting the Foundation in 2018. Xavier is autistic himself, and has channeled his energy into results that have included becoming the first autistic intern at the White House and working with Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to pass a law that changes the licensing of people so law enforcement will know immediately if a person they have pulled over is autistic. He also opened the world’s first Autism Museum located in the Meridian Mall. He was named a Citizen of the Year in Delta Township in 2018 and has volunteered for Impression 5 Science Center and at numerous Lansing School District events.

Adrian Joseph opened his first Goodfellas Bagel Deli at the corner of Pere Marquette and Michigan Avenue in downtown Lansing in 2019. Two months after opening, the Covid pandemic struck. Not only was his new business able to make it through the pandemic, but the company was also able to build a strong foundation that served as the basis for expansion. Goodfellas recently opened locations in East Lansing and inside Capital City Market in downtown Lansing. During the pandemic, Goodfellas supplied first responders with meals and discounts. They also sponsor numerous local events and have built a relationship with the nearby City Rescue, through which Goodfellas donates extra food or items they are unable to use. They have also helped raise funds for the Black Student Alliance and are active with the LRCC.

Jordan Munsters says his favorite thing to do is to get people to break out of their comfort zones and have fun. Heis doing that through two successful businesses he has created—High Caliber Karting and Entertainment and Combat Karting, LLC. The two companies combined employ more than 60 people. Located in the Meridian Mall, High Caliber Karting has become an anchor entertainment complex. While many restaurants and entertainment companies had to close during the Covid shutdown, Jordan found a way to keep the 80,000-square foot facility open and proceed with a 25,000-square foot expansion in 2021. Jordan and his company are active in supporting numerous fundraisers. In 2021, Meridian Township sought Jordan’s support in hosting a community car show that would draw people from all over the state. The first year of Meridian Motorfest brought over 200 vehicles and 1,000 people to the area. He has also hosted numerous activities to support the local arts community. Jordan earned a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Science from Michigan State University.

Molly Petitjean is an attorney with Buhl, Little, Lynwood and Harris, PLC practicing in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration and business planning. She is licensed in both Michigan and Wisconsin. She is a board member for multiple organizations for the legal and Greater Lansing communities and a volunteer for her church. She also serves on the grants committee for the Capital Region Community Foundation. Additionally, she serves as a board member for Our Biswas, a group that provides economic empowerment for women and girls who live in conditions of extreme poverty around the world. Molly earned her J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Michigan State College of Law and a bachelor’s degree, with honors from Marquette University.

Ernest Tisdale is the national field services director for EDUStaff. Among his numerous accomplishments at EDUStaff was helping to pass legislation allowing for more substitute teachers in Michigan. He and his wife, Carmen also opened The Hidden Gem Event Venue in Holt in January 2020. Having to close two months later due to the pandemic was one of the most challenging and at the same time rewarding professional experiences for the couple. The Hidden Gem is a full-service event venue offering catering, bar services, decorations, and event coordinating services. Having an event venue has allowed Ernest and Carmen to support numerous community organizations, including Child and Family Services, Holt Kiwanis Club, Ele’s Place and the LRCC among others. Ernest earned his MBA from Cornerstone University.