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Meet the Media: Mitch Galloway, Manufacturing & Agribusiness Reporter at MiBiz

Mitch Galloway is the manufacturing and agribusiness reporter for MiBiz, a Grand Rapids-based business journal that has been providing West Michigan regional business news for nearly 30 years. With a readership of over 35,000, and a growing digital presence that reaches more than 38,000 unique visitors each month, MiBiz (https://mibiz.com/) is a top source for business intelligence and news in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Lansing and along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Can you tell us what types of stories, trends or issues are on your radar now?
At MiBiz, I cover automation, manufacturing and agribusiness. Most recently, I completed a focus section on automation in West Michigan.

Describe the craziest or most fun story you have written.
When I was a community reporter in Ludington, Mich., my editor assigned me to cover Bob Holmes, the “one-man volleyball team.” I know what you are thinking — so what? But when I wrote the story in 2016, Holmes had completed 19,000 volleyball games in the U.S., of which he beat the likes of professional athletes from the Washington Redskins, Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Steelers. Holmes uses the volleyball games to share an anti-bullying message to children. Kind of cool, really.

What story or stories are you most proud of?
Any story that creates a response — good or bad. I once wrote a column about what kind of reporting goes into covering a fatal accident. When I was assigned the car fatality — a motorcyclist hitting a deer in Mason County, Mich. — I had sympathy for the family, understanding that I knew about the death of the son, the brother and the husband before the family did. I received a call from the family following the incident. They thanked me for being honest, for being open. In a newspaper world full of dark clouds, Hans Zimmer music and a disease called “layoffs,” it’s nice to know someone is reading you — us.

What elements or characteristics do you look for in a story?
Relevance: Why is my story important to readers? This could be a breaking news story on a manufacturer going through layoffs or a trend piece on lights-out manufacturing. Either way, it has to resonate with readers. News is new. It’s my job to find that information.

How long have you been in journalism and how did you get started?
I am a 24-year-old millennial who owns more cardigans than my grandma (so I am told). I have been writing since my senior year at Coldwater High School, where I enjoyed writing columns about “Hey Arnold!” and high school love. Later, at Olivet College, where I received a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications in 2016, I was a freelance sports writer for the Battle Creek Enquirer.

Finish this sentence: If I am not reporting, I am …
Drinking Woodford Reserve. Kidding. (Sort of.) If I am not reporting, I am watching a film on FilmStruck. If you don’t know what FilmStruck is, Google it. It’s nirvana for classic film lovers.

What advice do you have for PR people that want to pitch you?
Be patient with me. Also, don’t be upset if we don’t pick up your pitch. It happens.

Any pet peeves with PR people?
Slow down on the emails. Before clicking send, think about the beats I cover and decide if they fit with your client’s offerings.

Tell us a little about yourself (family, interests, hobbies, background, etc.)
Raised in Coldwater, Mich., I am the oldest of four siblings. I am also the worst athlete in my family, a fact that continues to bother my dad. However, I am a still huge sports buff, especially anything baseball related. When I am not watching the March Madness tourney, I am reading The New York Times, watching Humphrey Bogart films and apologizing to my girlfriend. (Sorry, Natalie.)

You can follow Mitch on Twitter at: @MitchSGalloway

You can view some of Mitch’s recent articles here:

Proposed tariffs on aluminum, steel ‘bad news’ for West Michigan manufacturers

Technical knowhow: West Michigan evolves as hub for automation

Tech firms help manufacturers embrace new advancements