"Treat clients like family"- Bill and Michael, owners of ComForCare Grand Rapids

Experienced, Compassionate, and Hands-On

Bill McIntyre and Michael Merren became the owners of ComForCare Grand Rapids Feb. 6, 2017. Bill and Mike grew up as friends in Greenville, Michigan, which is located about 35 miles northeast of Grand Rapids. They remain close to this day, and along with their families, spend many holidays and take outings together.

About Michael (Written by His Business Partner, Bill)

I’ve known Mike for 30 years. In high school (and to this day), my best friend was Tim Tobey. Mike was friends with Tim’s younger sister, Danell. Growing up in Greenville in the late 1980s and early 1990s, there weren’t a lot of things to do, so Mike and I were two of the many kids that hung out at The Tobeys’ house. Through years of backyard bonfires, thousands of Euchre games and hours of long conversations, Mike has become one of my best friends.

Mike and his family have moved back to Greenville. Danell is now his wife, and they have three beautiful daughters. He has a unique blend of work and life experience. Fun fact — Mike was an ordained minister and has been a pastor in Catholic, Orthodox, Episcopal and Lutheran churches. He has traveled throughout Europe and is a classically trained philosopher and theologian. However, he has spent most of his career working on operational matters. For well over a decade, he has worked for organizations that sought to remedy homelessness and hunger. Most recently, he was the executive director of a food pantry that served southeast Kent County. While there, Mike served a large population of seniors and found himself drawn to issues that affect them.

You can reach Mike at m.merren@ComForCare.com.

About Bill (Written by His Business Partner, Michael)

Bill is a family man. In 2013, he married a lovely woman named Anita. They are also people of faith. They attend Ada Bible Church, where Anita served as volunteer nursery room leader for 15 years. Their faith has made them a family in a less traditional way. They are a proud foster care family – giving back to their community by raising children in crisis. They’ve helped a handful of kids the last few years who have been transitioned to family members after a time, but their hope is to eventually adopt. They live in Greenville with their current foster child and their dog, Ginger.

As Bill mentioned, I’ve known him for more than 2/3 of my life. He is a natural born entrepreneur. On any given night, sitting around a bonfire, he’ll tell you the story of how he started mowing lawns and shoveling snow at just 12 years old. My earliest memories of Bill include him walking around dressed like a mini-executive, selling snacks and pencils in the high school’s "store." He was the man with the key ring. Bill will tell you he honed his business skills there, but it was his co-op job as floor sales at the local RadioShack that made him a lifelong salesman. He had other retails sales jobs over the years. More than just a salesman, Bill is an excellent networker. In his youth, or as Bill says, "back when I had hair," he was a very active member and even president of the Grand Rapids Jaycees. He was nationally recognized by Neopost and received several prestigious awards for sales. Unfortunately, like many talented people in changing industries, Bill was downsized in 2016. He took a job that didn’t challenge him, which led him to exploring ComForCare.

Bill first had the idea that home care would be a great industry for him because he could be both entrepreneurial and do something meaningful. He brought me into the picture because he knew that, despite having very meaningful work for over a decade, I was struggling with the desire to do something entrepreneurial. He introduced me to home care, and it was the perfect fit for the both of us.

You can reach Bill at b.mcintyre@ComForCare.com.

Whether your loved one needs assistance only a few hours a week or around-the-clock, our team is happy to help! Call (616) 285-7000 to learn more about the transition care services offered through ComForCare Home Care (Grand Rapids, MI).