Don't blame Stephen Wiesman if he seems to dwell on the hidden dangers of a stove.
A firefighter by training, working in Walled Lake until being injured in 2002, Wiesman, 42, has seen people getting burned or worse from hot pans falling off of them.
Growing up, he went to school with a boy who was disfigured by scalding coffee that had fallen on top of him from a stove.
But he was spurred to action when his then-7-year-old daughter, Savanna (now 15), tried to grab a pan of hot macaroni off the stove.
"I just thought someone has got to do something about it," says the Novi resident.
He began looking for a product that could make stoves safer, and couldn't find any, which led him on a several-year journey to create a product.
The end result: American Safety Stove, which makes an electromagnetic burner that holds pans in place -- it can be installed on any gas or electric range. He estimates the burner will retail for about $35.
Wiesman, who has patented his invention, will unveil it at the Invention & New Product Exposition Show in Pittsburgh June 8-11. After investing $23,000 of his own money, he's looking for investors and manufacturers to help bring it to market.
Contact American Safety Stove at 248-960-5877.
TROY: There truly are differences in how creative and technical people operate, which is why David Moncur decided it would be best to split his marketing, creative and technology consulting company Emsix into two divisions.
Moncur Associates was recently formed, and will help Emsix's current and new clients build product and service awareness through strategic, communication and marketing tools. Emsix will continue to focus on their clients' technical needs.
"Everything and anything that communicates a message about your company is part of your brand identity," explains Moncur, 38, who lives in Rochester Hills.
He founded Emsix 11 years ago. Today, the firm has 20 employees, with 13 now being part of Moncur Associates and the other seven staying with Emsix. Their clients include Kelly Services, the Detroit Institute of Arts, General Dynamics and Comerica.
"People tend to see you as only one thing," he says, explaining that some people have a problem believing a technically proficient person could also be a creative powerhouse.
He spent over $40,000 on new letterhead and other things in gearing up for the company split. But he figures it's money well spent: Moncur has picked up two new clients.
Contact Moncur Associates at 248-458-6990 or visit their website at www.moncurassociates.com.
Distributed by the Associated Press
