Custom training company in Troy wins design award for corporate headquarters

Lisa Toenniges, CEO of Innovative Learning Group, believes in the power of design. She and her company have been rewarded for that belief, having recently been given the Best of MichBusiness award in the category of Designing Stars for its corporate headquarters in Troy. The award was given at the 2017 Best of MichBusiness Awards and Gala held on Nov. 30 at the MGM Grand in Detroit.

ILG bought their current headquarters in 2014 and spent the next two years going over architectural and design details, making sure that they got it right. They would leave their original Royal Oak headquarters for the 10,000 sq. ft. space in Troy in February 2016.

Toenniges worked with a team of local firms to bring her vision to life, including design firm Young & Young Architects in Bloomfield Hills, builder Kelly Building & Development Company LLC in Birmingham, workplace interior design and furnishing company is in Royal Oak and interior designer Melody Smith in Birmingham. What resulted was a space that Toenniges characterizes as modern and sophisticated, with elements that are changed quarterly to keep it interesting for both staff and visitors.

"Innovation is in our name, so it's a great thing to have our team in an inspiring environment," says Toenniges. "It's good for creativity and fosters collaboration."

Toenniges founded Innovation Learning Group in 2004, and has since grown the company from six employees to 19, with a compound annual growth of 16 percent. The company creates custom learning and performance support tools to train employees of mid- to large-size companies.

The future of her industry, Toenniges says, is augmented and virtual reality and how to apply that to learning solutions.

"I have the philosophy that if you come to a space 40 to 60 hours a week, it's got to be a great space," Toenniges says.

Innovation Learning Group is located at 1130 Coolidge Hwy. in Troy.

Got a development news story to share? Email MJ Galbraith here or send him a tweet @mikegalbraith.
Enjoy this story? Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.

Read more articles by MJ Galbraith.

MJ Galbraith is a writer and musician living in Detroit. Follow him on Twitter @mikegalbraith.