In this episode of the ROCC Pod, Jon Gay talks with Tiffany Gunter, General Manager and CEO of SMART Bus, about the role public transportation plays in Southeast Michigan and how SMART is working to improve service, access, and perception across the region. Tiffany starts by sharing her career path, which began outside of public service in retail and automotive before a job posting for urban planning led her to SEMCOG. That opened the door to transit work, including time with the Regional Transit Authority, city management in Birmingham, and eventually SMART.

SMART (Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation) serves Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties, along with parts of Detroit, through fixed-route buses, paratransit service, community transportation partners, and Flex microtransit. The Flex service works more like Uber or Lyft, giving riders curb-to-curb service through an app. It helps solve the first-mile and last-mile challenge, especially in a region where people may live too far from a bus stop to walk comfortably. Pontiac has been one of the strongest examples, with SMART reaching one million Flex rides across its five pilot zones.

SMART is also launching free rides for students beginning May 1. That includes K through 12 students, college and university students, and apprenticeship programs. Tiffany says the program is not just about giving away service. It helps families, builds ridership, and teaches the next generation how to use public transportation. She also explains that higher ridership helps SMART draw more state and federal funding.

The conversation also covers SMART’s connection to Royal Oak. Tiffany says Royal Oak has long been a strong transit partner, with a major transit center and access to Amtrak. SMART is preparing a facility assessment through an architectural and engineering contract, and Tiffany sees an opportunity to rethink what the Royal Oak Transit Center could become.

Tiffany also talks about the cultural challenge of promoting transit in the Motor City. She says the lack of strong regional transit is not just about car culture or the auto industry. It is also tied to missed political opportunities, regional disagreement, and the fact that Southeast Michigan’s road network gives drivers many options. Still, younger generations are less attached to driving, which creates a chance to build new habits.

SMART is also focused on performance. Tiffany describes the “Down with OTP” campaign, a play on Naughty By Nature, where OTP means on-time performance. SMART improved from 62% to 76%, with a goal of 85%. Drivers now track garage-by-garage leaderboards, and Tiffany says the competition has helped build pride and better service. She also points to Wi-Fi, cleaner shelters, ADA improvements, and a 40% ridership increase on Woodward and Gratiot between February 2025 and February 2026.

The episode closes with Tiffany sharing how martial arts shaped her leadership style, how her mother became her best friend and source of strength, and how SMART is using social media and augmented reality to help more people understand the system before they even step on a bus.

Smart Bus Website: https://www.smartmovesus.org

(00:00) Intro
(03:22) What SMART Bus is and how it serves the region
(05:20) How Flex microtransit works
(07:22) Free rides for students beginning May 1
(09:41) SMART’s connection to Royal Oak
(11:41) Promoting transit in the Motor City
(14:52) Younger generations and changing attitudes about driving
(19:34) SMART’s on-time performance campaign
(26:40) SMART website, social media, and augmented reality

Learn more about the Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce: https://www.royaloakchamber.com/

Connect with our host:

Jon Gay from JAG in Detroit Podcasts - http://www.jagindetroit.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, we sit down with Michael Fossano from Premier Communications Group and talk about what it really means to market in a technology driven world. We start with a fun look at Mike’s life outside the office, including his passion for gardening and making homemade sauces and jams. From there, we shift into the history of Premier Communications Group, which was founded by his father in 1982 as a graphic design firm and has grown into a full service marketing communications agency. We reflect on the company’s 44 year journey and how it has evolved to serve clients across industries including automotive, healthcare, insurance, real estate, and more.

Working with a wide range of industries keeps the work fresh and forces us to stay curious. We acknowledge the rapid pace of change in marketing, from the early days of websites to the rise of social media, AI, and tools like ChatGPT. While technology plays a major role, it cannot replace genuine human connection. Strong client relationships, thoughtful listening, and tailored strategies remain at the core of effective marketing.

We explore how different platforms serve different purposes. Some clients benefit from Facebook or Instagram, while others in B2B spaces may see stronger results on LinkedIn. We stress the importance of understanding where an audience actually spends time and building a tactical approach around that insight.

A major theme of our conversation is storytelling. We talk about how uncovering a company’s history, milestones, awards, and innovations can humanize a brand. Sharing those stories builds trust, credibility, and connection. In a world full of automation and algorithms, we remind ourselves that people want to be seen, heard, and valued. Personalized outreach and thoughtful communication stand out in ways that automated messages do not.

We also touch on Premier’s deep roots in Royal Oak and long standing involvement with the Chamber of Commerce. We close with a lighter conversation about Detroit sports and lifelong memories with Mike's late dad, built around baseball.

Premiere Communications Group Website: https://premiercg.com/

Mike's Email: mfossano@premierecg.com

Phone Number: 248-544-7383

Address: 612 East Fourth Street, Royal Oak.

Learn more about the Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce: https://www.royaloakchamber.com/

Connect with our host:

Jon Gay from JAG in Detroit Podcasts - http://www.jagindetroit.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We open this episode by talking about how seeing ourselves on camera during COVID changed the way many of us think about how we look. We discuss how lighting, color, and cohesion play a bigger role than we realize, and how that realization often becomes the entry point into color analysis. From there, we introduce House of Colour and Dee Pineaut, who joins us to explain what color analysis actually is and where it comes from.

We walk through the history of color analysis, starting with early 20th-century art theory and the Bauhaus movement, and then moving into the film industry with the rise of Technicolor. Filmmakers learned that certain colors could make actors look healthier, younger, brighter, or more sinister, and those same principles apply to everyday people. We talk about how color can either harmonize with someone’s natural undertones or fight against them, affecting how vibrant or washed out they appear.

We then break down what a typical House of Colour appointment looks like. Natural daylight and an in-person experience are essential, and precision-dyed drapes are used to determine whether someone has warm or cool undertones. From there, we outline the four seasonal palettes—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—and what those seasons mean in practical terms. We discuss how finding the right colors simplifies getting dressed, helps wardrobes become more cohesive, and reduces decision fatigue in the morning.

We move beyond color into style analysis, where we talk about body shape, clothing cuts, and personality. We emphasize that this process is not about changing someone’s body, but about honoring it and choosing shapes, fabrics, and details that work best for each individual. We highlight how style evolves over a lifetime and how these tools help people adapt through career changes, retirement, weight changes, and life transitions.

We also cover the additional services House of Colour offers, including cosmetics, wardrobe edits, personal shopping, and online shopping resources. Dee shares her own journey into this work, explaining how her personal transformation led her to open a House of Colour studio in Royal Oak. We close by talking about client success stories, community involvement through the Royal Oak Chamber, and how listeners can get started on their own color and style journey.

More:

Dee's House of Colour Website: https://www.houseofcolour.com/stylists/dee-pineau-royal-oak-michigan

(00:00) – Intro
(01:25) – What Color Analysis Is and Where It Comes From
(02:48) – Film, Technicolor, and the Psychology of Color
(03:32) – What House of Colour Does
(04:51) – What a Color Analysis Appointment Looks Like
(06:34) – Favorite Colors vs. Best Colors
(08:06) – Why In-Person Analysis Matters
(09:13) – Style Analysis and Body Shapes
(11:06) – Additional Services: Makeup, Wardrobes, Shopping
(13:10) – Dee’s Personal Journey to House of Colour
(14:27) – Client Transformations and Success Stories
(15:22) – Royal Oak Chamber and Community Involvement
(16:26) – How to Get Started with House of Colour

Learn more about the Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce: https://www.royaloakchamber.com/

Connect with our host:

Jon Gay from JAG in Detroit Podcasts - http://www.jagindetroit.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.