November 20, 2025 • 5 mins
The Grand Rapids Santa Parade sponsored by Gentex and the Tree Lighting are this Saturday! Russ Hines with the Grand Rapids Santa Parade and Craig Piersma, Vice PResident of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Gentex Corporation join us to discuss the weekend's festivities!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is West Michigan's morning news, the Christmas Station. No,
wait a.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Minute, don't you be taking my thunder.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Steve Kelly, Brett Bikita, Lawrence Smith in studio with us
once again Russ Hines with the Grand Rapid Santa Parade.
How's that perfect?
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Good morning?
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Well, you have a lot of hats and Craig piersmis here,
the vice president of marketing and Corporate Communications for all
of the Gentex Corporation, that good morning. Then once again
saved the Santa Parade. I want to start with you
all right. I don't know if you saw our town,
but they had to do a bad play to raise
the money for I don't remember what it was that
they Judy Garland was in there. But when the city
(00:37):
of Grand Rapids, when West Michigan needs some gentechs steps up,
talk to us again about your commitment to this community
through this event.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Yeah, so this is a great event for us. Most
people I think think of us as a lakesure company.
We're based in Zealand have operations at Holland, but we
are here. We've got a manufacturing facility in the Madison
Square neighborhood. We have an engineering resource location here as well,
just very close to this building. So we are in
Grand Rapids and so given back as part of our ethos,
(01:07):
and this is a phenomenal event. Our employees love it.
They get excited about it. We do a lot of parades,
We're going to be doing these through the holiday season
both town and Zealand, but this is the hallmark kicks
off the season and we just love to give back
to the community in this way.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
It has to mean a lot to the City of
Grand Rapids and to all the work that you do.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Russ Oh, without question, gen Tex has been fabulous to
work with. I'm so glad that I met Craig a
few years ago, and you know he has stepped up
and helped us in so many different ways in gen
TeX's and the entire staff, So we're really really blessed
to have them, and as well as the City Grand Rapids.
You know, the city co sponsors this event. The Office
of Special Events and the Vette Pittman and her team
(01:46):
do a wonderful job and making sure that we can
work together. Because you want to talk about experience Grand Rampids,
You're going to experience it this weekend. Because there are
so many things going on in downtown Grand Rampids.
Speaker 5 (01:58):
Well, and I'm glad you said that, Russ, because that's
one of your missions, right, whether it's the Riverbank Run,
whether it's fireworks, whether it's this with the Santa Parade
and everything else in the landing of the Christmas Tree.
Is Grand Rapids really wants to market itself. And every
time you come downtown there's something new, like, oh, I
don't know this spaceship Amphitheater that we've been watching being
built over here. But right I mean that's part of
(02:19):
the mission and the goal, especially because we forget if
we've been here our whole lives. Okay, we go downtown,
you work downtown, but people are constantly coming in and
making West Michigan their home and maybe don't know all
the different assets that we have.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
I know we've been so blessed over the years to
have all the things happen that are and right now
is just such a huge growth for the city of
Grand Rapids. I mean, the Actressure, Amphitheater, the Amily soccer Stadium.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
I saw that the other day.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
I mean it's coming alive. I mean, we're gonna have
soccer here in twenty twenty seven. I mean it's great.
And you saw yesterday that Lionel Richie is going to
open the Actressure Amphitheater this year. I mean, how cool
is that?
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Feel bad for big boy? He sat there and nothing
really happened all those years, and now.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
You know, I wonder where that where he went? Did
you take him and put him.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
In He don't size, you know.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Russ, I want to point out, I think this is
one of the most magical parts of this It is
an evening parade. So when you talk about like a
parade of lights to start this magical season, that's exactly
what the Santa Parade is.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
It is, and that you know. A few years ago
Vett Pittman and I said out and had a conversation
about how can we combine these two events and having
the parade at night has has its logistical challenges based
upon traffic and things like that, but we have worked
so closely with the city and the Police Department of
the fire department in order to make it this whole
thing work. So the paride would begin at five pm.
(03:47):
We'll start out on Division near Michigan. We'll go south
on Division to Pearl Street. We'll go west on Pearl
Street to Monroe and then on to the Prey. It
will conclude at Lewis but basically Rose of Park, Sir,
so we can drop Santa off for the tree lighting ceremony.
So and that will happen about six forty five on
Saturday night.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Are you on the parade committee?
Speaker 4 (04:09):
What?
Speaker 2 (04:09):
What's to ride on a float? Fly?
Speaker 4 (04:12):
Yeah, I don't know what I should say there. Yeah, no,
I'm not riding out of floats, but I will be there.
A lot of my family will make it a big
family event. But you know, the one thing that we
had also Gentex loves about it is we hand out
and we are known for full size candy bars, and
so kids usually go ballistic when they see those. Nice
russ Is gonna want me to say that it's going
(04:32):
to be at the very end of the prey for
safety reasons, but after Santa goes by, there will be
the Gentex elves with their full sized candy bars. We
got the palate load at work the other day, so
we're ready to.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Go bury the lead lead.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
Where's the address come Halloween time when I want to
go back to because you've got so many addresses.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
That's why I'm saying yeah, exactly, I'll hook you up.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Not only does every HR department in West Michigan say
gentexas doing what now they're giving away full sized candies.
Speaker 5 (05:02):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
They're unstoppable.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Greg Piersma with Gentex. Thanks for coming in, man, Russ Hines.
You mean so much to this community. Thank you for
coming in.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Thank you so much for having us.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
You guys appreciate it to the city of Grand Rapids.
We'll be able to see it right out our window,
which is kind of cool. Steve doesn't like to get
you a cold skit or big book.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
It's going to be forty five degrees.
Speaker 5 (05:24):
Yeah, God on
This is West Michigan's morning news, the Christmas Station. No,
wait a.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Minute, don't you be taking my thunder.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Steve Kelly, Brett Bikita, Lawrence Smith in studio with us
once again Russ Hines with the Grand Rapid Santa Parade.
How's that perfect?
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Good morning?
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Well, you have a lot of hats and Craig piersmis here,
the vice president of marketing and Corporate Communications for all
of the Gentex Corporation, that good morning. Then once again
saved the Santa Parade. I want to start with you
all right. I don't know if you saw our town,
but they had to do a bad play to raise
the money for I don't remember what it was that
they Judy Garland was in there. But when the city
(00:37):
of Grand Rapids, when West Michigan needs some gentechs steps up,
talk to us again about your commitment to this community
through this event.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Yeah, so this is a great event for us. Most
people I think think of us as a lakesure company.
We're based in Zealand have operations at Holland, but we
are here. We've got a manufacturing facility in the Madison
Square neighborhood. We have an engineering resource location here as well,
just very close to this building. So we are in
Grand Rapids and so given back as part of our ethos,
(01:07):
and this is a phenomenal event. Our employees love it.
They get excited about it. We do a lot of parades,
We're going to be doing these through the holiday season
both town and Zealand, but this is the hallmark kicks
off the season and we just love to give back
to the community in this way.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
It has to mean a lot to the City of
Grand Rapids and to all the work that you do.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Russ Oh, without question, gen Tex has been fabulous to
work with. I'm so glad that I met Craig a
few years ago, and you know he has stepped up
and helped us in so many different ways in gen
TeX's and the entire staff, So we're really really blessed
to have them, and as well as the City Grand Rapids.
You know, the city co sponsors this event. The Office
of Special Events and the Vette Pittman and her team
(01:46):
do a wonderful job and making sure that we can
work together. Because you want to talk about experience Grand Rampids,
You're going to experience it this weekend. Because there are
so many things going on in downtown Grand Rampids.
Speaker 5 (01:58):
Well, and I'm glad you said that, Russ, because that's
one of your missions, right, whether it's the Riverbank Run,
whether it's fireworks, whether it's this with the Santa Parade
and everything else in the landing of the Christmas Tree.
Is Grand Rapids really wants to market itself. And every
time you come downtown there's something new, like, oh, I
don't know this spaceship Amphitheater that we've been watching being
built over here. But right I mean that's part of
(02:19):
the mission and the goal, especially because we forget if
we've been here our whole lives. Okay, we go downtown,
you work downtown, but people are constantly coming in and
making West Michigan their home and maybe don't know all
the different assets that we have.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
I know we've been so blessed over the years to
have all the things happen that are and right now
is just such a huge growth for the city of
Grand Rapids. I mean, the Actressure, Amphitheater, the Amily soccer Stadium.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
I saw that the other day.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
I mean it's coming alive. I mean, we're gonna have
soccer here in twenty twenty seven. I mean it's great.
And you saw yesterday that Lionel Richie is going to
open the Actressure Amphitheater this year. I mean, how cool
is that?
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Feel bad for big boy? He sat there and nothing
really happened all those years, and now.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
You know, I wonder where that where he went? Did
you take him and put him.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
In He don't size, you know.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Russ, I want to point out, I think this is
one of the most magical parts of this It is
an evening parade. So when you talk about like a
parade of lights to start this magical season, that's exactly
what the Santa Parade is.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
It is, and that you know. A few years ago
Vett Pittman and I said out and had a conversation
about how can we combine these two events and having
the parade at night has has its logistical challenges based
upon traffic and things like that, but we have worked
so closely with the city and the Police Department of
the fire department in order to make it this whole
thing work. So the paride would begin at five pm.
(03:47):
We'll start out on Division near Michigan. We'll go south
on Division to Pearl Street. We'll go west on Pearl
Street to Monroe and then on to the Prey. It
will conclude at Lewis but basically Rose of Park, Sir,
so we can drop Santa off for the tree lighting ceremony.
So and that will happen about six forty five on
Saturday night.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Are you on the parade committee?
Speaker 4 (04:09):
What?
Speaker 2 (04:09):
What's to ride on a float? Fly?
Speaker 4 (04:12):
Yeah, I don't know what I should say there. Yeah, no,
I'm not riding out of floats, but I will be there.
A lot of my family will make it a big
family event. But you know, the one thing that we
had also Gentex loves about it is we hand out
and we are known for full size candy bars, and
so kids usually go ballistic when they see those. Nice
russ Is gonna want me to say that it's going
(04:32):
to be at the very end of the prey for
safety reasons, but after Santa goes by, there will be
the Gentex elves with their full sized candy bars. We
got the palate load at work the other day, so
we're ready to.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Go bury the lead lead.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
Where's the address come Halloween time when I want to
go back to because you've got so many addresses.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
That's why I'm saying yeah, exactly, I'll hook you up.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Not only does every HR department in West Michigan say
gentexas doing what now they're giving away full sized candies.
Speaker 5 (05:02):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
They're unstoppable.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Greg Piersma with Gentex. Thanks for coming in, man, Russ Hines.
You mean so much to this community. Thank you for
coming in.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Thank you so much for having us.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
You guys appreciate it to the city of Grand Rapids.
We'll be able to see it right out our window,
which is kind of cool. Steve doesn't like to get
you a cold skit or big book.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
It's going to be forty five degrees.
Speaker 5 (05:24):
Yeah, God on
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