Frank Venegas Jr. was recently featured on an episode of the American Black Journal series on Detroit Public Television. The episode highlighted Frank’s business career from managing small industrial projects in the 1970’s to owning one of the fastest growing minority-owned companies in Michigan today. It all started when Frank won a raffle for a brand new 1979 Cadillac. He later sold the vehicle for $12,000 and used that money to launch Ideal Steel based out of Brighton, Michigan. Former Detroit Tiger and fellow businessman Hank Aguirre soon convinced Frank to move Ideal Steel from the suburbs to Detroit. Since then, the now Detroit-based Ideal Group has grown into a diverse, multi-million dollar enterprise that has provided award-winning services in construction, manufacturing, indirect material management, and innovative solutions.
This incredible success however has not merely been corporate-related. Much of Ideal’s recognition has come as a result of our commitment to the Southwest Detroit community – including nearby Cadillac Urban Garden and Scarcyny Park. The Cadillac Urban Garden location was once General Motor’s executive parking lot. Now it contains several vegetable beds to serve the local community. Just down the street is Scarcyny Park, a large perennial garden with many luxurious flowers. Both gardens are managed by Ideal Group and add aesthetic value to the neighborhood. Now that the weather is getting warmer, Ideal employees and various partners will be working around the clock to clean, plant, and maintain both gardens to have events that bring the community of Southwest Detroit together.