Branches in Grand Rapids… Then and Now

Celebrating 60 Years
Written By Chelsie Wyse

OCBA opened a Grand Rapids office in 2003. We had recently completed the new trail in Riverside Park and the Plaster Creek Trail for the City of Grand Rapids and were in the midst of developing the master plan for Millenium Park in Kent County. With that much work in the area we needed to have a more local presence. Our first office was on the garden level at 801 Monroe Avenue NW. We ran all of our Grand Rapids, Kent County, and Ottawa County projects out of that office until our managing principal Wes Steer retired in 2014.

We continued that work out of the Kalamazoo office until Katie Chase, a Grand Rapids resident, joined the firm in 2016. Then we opened an office at 1048 Wealthy Street, which was in a great location but hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and had many other physical challenges.  In 2018 OCBA relocated to our current space on the 6th floor of the Lorain Building at 124 Fulton Street E, overlooking Veteran’s Memorial Park. We share the office, and several projects, with McKenna, a planning firm based in Northville, Michigan.

— Sandy Bliesener

OCBA President

Chelsie Wyse

I’m Chelsie Wyse, Founder of TACT Marketing Strategy, where we turn marketing chaos into business growth and messaging clarity.

With over 15 years in the advertising industry, I specialize in growth marketing—building strategies, campaigns, and brands that drive visibility, engagement, and revenue.

My expertise spans brand development, CRM improvement strategy, systems development, creative partnership management, and content creation and deployment; all grounded in a deep understanding of client experience and small business ownership.

I believe marketing should be intentional, measurable, and aligned with genuine business objectives. Every project I lead is designed to create lasting impact and support sustained business growth.

https://get-intact.com
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Common Themes…Then and Now
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Roots in Kalamazoo… Then and Now