Finlandia Fridays explore the Jutila Center with Cyril FoxPetrov

This week, Finlandia Fridays welcomes Business Office Controller Cyril FoxPetrov to explore Finlandia’s Lily I. Jutila Center for Global Design and Business. The Center, located on the scenic banks of the Portage Canal, is less than a mile from Finlandia’s main campus and serves as a place of cultivation for students, faculty, staff and industry to learn and thrive.

The building houses several University departments including the Business Office, Marketing & Communications, Human Resources and Finlandia’s International School of Art & Design. The Jutila Center is also the proud home of more than 30 local businesses that offer a wide range of goods and services such as wellness and design, insurance, engineering and legal. Kangas Cafe and Catering, a popular local eatery located on the main floor of the Jutila Center, has been serving tenants and locals with fresh, homemade meals and baked goods since 2008.

“I love working with the local companies, it’s always great to hear the different success stories,” FoxPetrov said. “One I’ve got recently was a business is actually moving out because they’re growing and need more space. And even though they’re leaving the Jutila Center, it’s great to hear that they had a great experience here and they got a good start to their business and now their business is off and running.”

Along with serving as a place of commerce for local business, the Jutila Center also provides Finlandia students with an experiential learning environment.

“Right now we are offering internship positions in the Business Office. It’s a great place to be an intern because you can work directly with these businesses and you also see some of the accounting and managerial side to how we operate inside the Jutila Center,” FoxPetrov said. “It’s a great learning experience for the students, ultimately putting them in real-life situations that could help them pursue their careers.”

Listen to the full episode below to learn more about the Jutila Center. Businesses interested in available office space can reach out to Finlandia Business Office Accountant Diana Lewitzke via email at diana.lewitzke@finlandia.edu or by phone at (906) 487-7229.