If you are looking for a “feel great” story, this is a must read.  Local entrepreneurs, Garry VonMyhr, Jordan Notenbaum and Steve Barnes, founded Tech Defenders in 2012.  This 7 year old company collects laptops, iPads and Chromebooks.  Their employees clean them, delete existing data, check them for any working problems and fix them as necessary.

Approximately 25,000 used devices pass through this company monthly.

The company’s largest market for their refurbished electronics are school districts (80%), with the remaining products going to companies that resell the reworked-used electronics on Amazon and other websites.  Currently the states of Michigan, Indiana and Ohio are the largest consumers, however Tech Defenders sell in a total of 43 states.
These business owners also have created a second business, Mobile Defenders, Kentwood based, which sells parts to retail cellphone repair shops.  This business generates $35-Million in annual revenue.  Most recently, Tech Defenders has received a performance-based grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation toward the opportunity to grow their business further and expand into new areas such as e-waste recycling.

Congratulations and continued successes to these job-growing, community enhancing visionaries!