October 2012 by New North B2B

Intelligent Business Reporting for The New North

Firefighters of Northeast Wisconsin

Our team of consultants help extinguish the flames for two local business owners

Connecting Commerce

Transportation

2012 State Elections

Government

October 2012 $3.95

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www.newnorthb2b.com

new north b2b October 2012

18 26

Features

18 TRANSPORTATION ❘ Connecting Commerce ❘ An update on various transportation improvements in the region

26 EDUCATION ❘ A Green Education ❘ New North colleges and universities pioneer programs in sustainability

30 FIREFIGHTERS ❘ Extinguishing the Blaze ❘ The wrap up to our 2nd Annual Firefighters of Northeast Wisconsin

34 GOVERNMENT ❘ Decision 2012 ❘ Local candidates for the Wisconsin Legislature sound off on business issues

Departments 5,

On our Cover

4 From the Publisher 41 Professionally Speaking 6 Since We Last Met 10 Build Up Pages 16 Around the Boardroom 17 Pierce Stronglove 25 Guest Commentary 42 Who’s News 48 Business Calendar 49 Advertiser Index 50 Key Statistics

Mike Thuecks of SM Advisors, left, and Gary Vaughan of Guident Business Solutions help business owners extinguish the flames in their operations. Photo provided courtesy of Patrick Kelly / Quest Productions. Our gratitude to Chief Kiesow and the Town of Menasha Fire Department for the fire truck and wardrobe. NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012 l 3

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Getting out of harm’s way

Craigslist scam to misrepresent B2B’s identity offers a lesson in risk management

Sean Fitzgerald New North B2B Publisher 4 l NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012

We often read and hear about stories of fraudulent scams and believe they won’t happen to us, or to our own businesses. The incidents are too isolated, the odds of an occurrence are too miniscule, or we feel we’ve effectively managed our risk to ensure that if a scammer attempts to victimize us, we’re sufficiently protected. I mention this because New North B2B itself recently was targeted by an out-ofthe-country scam artist using our company’s name and likeness to perpetrate a check kiting scheme using the popular online bulletin board Craigslist. For our part, we’ve been working diligently on damage control to mitigate the risk to our business as well as to preserve our reputation. Unfortunately, it’s an expense of time, energy and money that might otherwise go toward improving our reader experience – or at the very least, having a less stressed publisher. The incidents began in early August when a job seeker near Sacramento called our office asking about a job posting on Craigslist. The description for the scam “employer” borrowed copy directly from the home page of B2B’s web site, but simply removed “northeast Wisconsin” from the text. It used our physical address and our actual Web site address as well. The difference: when misled job seekers clicked the “respond” button on Craigslist to send in their resume and application, an email was sent to “info@northb2b.com,” a minor variation from our newnorthb2b.com. A reply from the con artist asks victims to sign a contract indicating they will cash checks mailed to their residence, then wire 95 percent of the value of the check elsewhere. The victims are allowed to keep 5 percent for their compensation. Fortunately for B2B, a savvy job seeker in Sacramento thought the offer sounded too good to be true, called our office and spoke to me, alerting us to the rouse. We looked up the posting ourselves, contacted Craigslist, and informed them of the scam. Case closed, or so we thought. Three weeks later, we receive a similar phone call from a job seeker in the San Francisco area. On this occasion, by the time we heard about the abuse of B2B’s reputation, the scammer had already taken down the posting on Craigslist. The same thing happened a week later in the Los Angeles market. Then another week went

past and the scam appeared to spread to New York City. Each time, we were fortunate to receive a phone call from a would-be victim checking on the legitimacy of the offer who alerted us to the scam. As violated as we felt, I learned B2B wasn’t alone after contacting our friends at the Wisconsin chapter of Better Business Bureau. It’s apparently the latest trend in running scams, according to Lisa Schiller, trade practice investigator with the BBB. “This type of thing is taking up more and more and more of my time, i.e., investigating fraudulent companies – what I like to term “hijacking” – legitimate businesses,” Schiller wrote in an email. “My guess is that the perpetrators are located outside the U.S.” In fact, that was exactly the case. I looked up the domain name registration for “northb2b.com” and found it assigned to Konstantin Muchnik in Moscow, far away from the reach of the U.S. legal system or even apparently from Craigslist fraud enforcement personnel, who appear to have the teeth of a shopping mall security officer. While we haven’t been getting too far in our efforts with Craigslist officials to avert this fraud, Schiller said other companies who’ve experienced much of the same abuse of their identity and reputation have attempted proactive measures to protect themselves and the public who might otherwise fall prey to such scams. Some victims of this “identity hijacking” have included a message on their web site’s home page expressing awareness of the scam and clearly stating they have no association with it whatsoever. It was even suggested to me that B2B place a similar message on our own Better Business Bureau report page, telling consumers visiting that page to investigate B2B that we’re aware our company’s identity is being misrepresented by another and that it’s likely a scam they should avoid. Coincidentally, the BBB provided me with a report of our inquiries during the past year while we typically averaged about five or six inquiries a month historically, the number of inquiries on B2B spiked to more than 50 during August and had already topped 30 by the third week of September, a signal that reponsible people are taking the time to investigate responsible businesses. Now if I could only seem to find the BBB report page for Konstantin Muchnik... www.newnorthb2b.com

PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING

Blanket confidentiality policies may violate law by Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. Tony Renning

920.232.4842

If you have a particular labor/employment law question, forward it to Mr. Renning at info@newnorthb2b.com. If he responds to your email in a future issue, your name and company will be withheld to preserve your privacy.

Reader question: Do we need to revise our policies concerning confidentiality in light of recent positions taken by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)? Tony Renning: Most employers have some sort of confidentiality policy in place, whether it’s in an employment contract, an employee handbook or stand-alone policy. Obviously, confidentiality of certain information is important in protecting your business, but an overlybroad confidentiality policy may restrict certain rights afforded to employees under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act as well as Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The EEOC recently issued a warning letter stating that an employer’s policy prohibiting employees from discussing ongoing internal harassment investigations is unlawful. The employer had a written policy warning employees participating in internal harassment investigations that they could be subject to discipline or dis-

Sean Fitzgerald

Publisher & President

sean@newnorthb2b.com

Carrie Rule

Sales Manager

carrie@newnorthb2b.com

Kate Erbach Production

Contributing writers

Robin Driessen Bruecker Lee Marie Reinsch Chief Financial Officer

Vicky Fitzgerald, CPA

charge for discussing the investigation in the workplace. The EEOC advised that any directive to refrain from discussing an internal investigation is an adverse action under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The NLRB has held that an employer (both union and non-union) commits an unfair labor practice when it terminates an employee for discussing compensation with other parties. Specifically, the NLRB found unlawful the following language contained in an employment contract: “The terms of this employment, including compensation, are confidential to Employee and Employer. Disclosure of these terms to other parties may constitute grounds for dismissal.” Similarly, the NLRB has declared an employer must have a specific, legitimate business justification for requiring employees (both union and non-union) to maintain confidentiality during internal investigations of employee misconduct. The NLRB recently ruled that a blanket policy requiring employee confidentiality during an internal investigation violates the NLRA and em-

NEW NORTH B2B is published monthly by WINNEBAGO B2B LLC for $20 per year or $3.95 for a single issue. A single complimentary subscription is offered to all members of the Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce, Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce, and the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce. Printed by Digicorporation, 120 Lake St., Neenah, WI 54956 POSTMASTER: send address changes to: WINNEBAGO B2B LLC 923 S. Main St., Oshkosh, WI 54902. Bulk-rate postage paid at Oshkosh, WI. Reproduction of any contents of NEW NORTH B2B without express written permission of its publishers is strictly forbidden. The appearance of any advertisement or product information does not constitute endorsement of any product or service by WINNEBAGO B2B LLC. Copyright 2012.

ployees’ rights to engage in “concerted activity” for “mutual aid and protection.” Employers should take care to review their own confidentiality policies. A carefully crafted policy can protect vital information while complying with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and Section 7 of the NLRA. For counsel as to employee handbooks, contact Tony Renning at (920) 232-4842 or trenning@dkattorneys.com or any other member of the Davis & Kuelthau Labor and Employment Team. Tony Renning is an attorney in the Oshkosh office of Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. (219 Washington Avenue). Mr. Renning provides counsel to private and public sector employers on a wide variety of labor and employment law matters. This article is intended to provide information only, not legal advice. For advice regarding a particular employment situation, please contact a member of the Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. Labor and Employment Team.

Green Bay

Fox Cities

Oshkosh

Fond du Lac NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012 l 5

SINCE WE LAST MET

Since we last met Since We Last Met is a digest of business related news occurring in the Green Bay, Fox Cities, Oshkosh and Fond du Lac areas in the one month since the previous issue of New North B2B.

August 20 The state Department of Transportation approved a $5,384,957 construction project at Outagamie County Regional Airport in Greenville to extend one of its taxiways to eliminate the need for aircraft to cross an active runway. The project will also construct a 4,175-foot perimeter road at the airport. The Federal Aviation Administration will contribute $4,846,461 toward the cost of the project, while the state and Outagamie County will pay $269,248 each.

August 21 Outagamie County received approval from the governor’s office to join the Bay Area Workforce Development Board and leave the Fox Valley Workforce Development Board from where it had been a member since its inception. Outagamie County officials requested the change after the Fox Valley Workforce Development Board came under fire earlier this year for alleged financial mismanagement.

August 21

UnitedHealthcare announced it will create 169 new jobs at the company’s Howard facility, including 135 customer care jobs. The company began hiring for the positions in late August. The hiring expands the Green Bay-area customer services operation by 32 percent. Overall, the company employs nearly 2,000 people at various locations in the Green Bay area.

August 23 The 2012 Inc. 5,000 List of the nation’s fastest-growing

privately held companies included the following firms from northeast Wisconsin, along with their rank, three-year growth rate, 2011 revenues and most recent rank on the list: Heartland Business Systems, Little Chute, No. 2,048, 3-year growth rate of 129 percent, 2011 revenue of $135.7 million, No. 2,411 on 2011 list; JGear, Fond du Lac, No. 2,995, 69 percent, 2010 revenues of $4.9 million, No. 1,597 on the 2009 list; Campbellsport Building Supply, Campbellsport, No. 3,405, 56 percent, $57.2 million, No. 311 on the 2009 list; Huberty & Associates, Fond du Lac, No. 4,361, 26 percent, $3.4 million, No. 3237 in 2009; Prefinished Staining Products, Green Bay, No. 4,475, 22 percent, $2.1 million, No. 2,818 on 2011 list; and Seaway Printing Company, Green Bay, No. 4,872, 9 percent, $5.1 million, No. 4,103 in 2010.

August 23 Time Warner Cable announced it will create 50 customer care jobs at its Appleton office by mid-October, adding to the nearly 800 people already employed by the cable and communications provider in the Fox Cities.

August 23 The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents approved a proposed budget for the next biennium asking for an additional $21 million in state funding to help improve performance measures at campuses around the state and to fund the new flexible-degree initiative to grant college credit for life and work experience.

2002

2005

October 1 – Ripon College received a $2.5 million gift from the estate of Harold Foulkes, a former Kraft Cheese executive who attended Ripon during the 1920s. The gift will be used to pay down the college’s long-term debt.

October 10 – Oshkosh Truck Corp. officially opened its 300,000-sq. ft remanufacturing facility located in the former Leach Company factory on Harrison Street in Oshkosh. The new plant will strictly rebuild used Oshkosh Truck military vehicles, and has created 200 new jobs.

2004 October 15 – Alliance Laundry Systems of Ripon, the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial laundry equipment, officially re-entered the consumer market with its Speed Queen brand after a 5-year hiatus from a contractual obligation to only market commercial products.

6 l NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012

2010 October 20 – St. Norbert College, De Pere, received a $7 million gift from the Michels family, owners of Michels Corp., Brownsville, to renovate the school’s Sensenbrenner Memorial Union into a state-of-the-art commons and dining facility.

www.newnorthb2b.com

SINCE WE LAST MET August 27 The state Department of Public Instruction approved federal charter school grants for the 2012-13 school year to the following school districts in the region: Appleton Area - $150,000 implementation renewal grant for Appleton Bilingual School, $125,000 dissemination renewal grant for Appleton Public Montessori, and $125,000 dissemination renewal grant for Kaleidoscope Academy; Fond du Lac $225,000 planning grant for STEM Institute and $200,000 implementation grant for its STEM Academy; Green Bay Area - $200,000 planning grant for iLearn Green Bay and $200,000 implementation renewal grant for John Dewey Academy of Learning; Ripon - $200,000 planning grant for Ripon K-2 Elementary Charter School, $225,000 implementation grant for Catalyst Charter Middle School, and $175,000 implementation renewal for Lumen Charter High School; Rosendale-Brandon - $175,000 planning award for Cirrus Charter High School; Waupun - $200,000 implementation grant for School for Agricultural and Environmental Studies; and West De Pere - $125,000 dissemination grant for Phantom Knights.

August 28 The Wisconsin Department of Transportation reopened the intersection of State Road 15 and County Road CB in Greenville following a more than four-month, $2 million project to construct a multilane roundabout and extend County CB two-tenths of a mile to the north of the intersection.

August 28 The City of Oshkosh Common Council approved a request from investors in the former Park Plaza hotel to sell $7.5 million in federal Midwestern Disaster Area Bonds toward the $14 million renovation of the closed downtown property. The taxexempt bonds were authorized by Congress following the June 2008 flooding in the area and do not pose any liability for the city, though the city needed to approve any sale of the bonds. The investment partnership plans to reopen the 176-room Best Western hotel in early 2013.

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August 30 Brillion Iron Works announced it will eliminate 198 positions, including 184 production jobs, as a result of slowing customer demand during July and August. The company produces castings primarily for the automotive industry.

September 5 Officials for the Neenah Joint School District reported it ended the 2011-12 fiscal year with a nearly $3 million surplus, which it may consider using to invest in technology and facility improvements, apply toward retirement benefits, or adjust the levy placed on taxpayers. The district maintains fund reserves of nearly $18.6 million after recording a surplus each year since its 2006-07 fiscal year.

September 7 The U.S. Department of Labor reported 96,000 jobs were created in August, pushing the national unemployment rate down slightly to 8.1 percent. Employment increased in food

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NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012 l 7

SINCE WE LAST MET services and drinking places, in professional and technical services, and in health care.

September 7 The U.S. Department of Education re-authorized a five-year, $1.1 million TRIO grant to support the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program collaboration between Lawrence University in Appleton, Ripon College and St. Norbert College in De Pere. The collaborative program focuses on preparing first-generation, low-income, and racially underrepresented students for graduate school and the completion of doctorate degrees. The program is currently supported by a federal TRIO grant that runs through this academic year.

September 12 The state Department of Transportation approved a $5,048,614 project to construct a perimeter road and install security fencing at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh. The project is expected to be complete by June 2014. The Federal Aviation Administration will contribute $4,562,808 toward the cost of the project, while the state and Winnebago County will pay $242,903 each.

September 14 Alliance Laundry Systems in Ripon announced plans for a $23 million expansion project that is expected to create more than 260 jobs in the next few years. The project involves

8 l NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012

an addition to its existing manufacturing campus to allow for increased production of its small chassis washer and dryers, of which construction is expected to be complete in the third quarter 2013. Funding for the project is aided by $1.5 million in tax credits from Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. as well as a $500,000 performance-based loan from Fond du Lac County. Both the state tax credits and any forgiveness of the county loan are dependent on the number of jobs Alliance Laundry creates and retains in Ripon over the next five years.

September 20 Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. CEO Paul Jadin announced he would leave his post at the end of October to take a job as president of Thrive, the regional economic development partnership in south central Wisconsin. Gov. Scott Walker appointed Jadin secretary of the former state Department of Commerce in January 2011, where Jadin led the transition of that government unit into the quasi-public WEDC. He previously was president and CEO of the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and served two terms as mayor of Green Bay from 1995 to 2003.

September 20 Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton was awarded a $3 million federal workforce training grant for its Advanced Manufacturing Pathways Plus program to expand flexible learning options in four advanced manufacturing pathways.

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BUILD UP FOND DU LAC 1

2 3

Build Up Fond du Lac 1

- 565 N. Douglas St., Ripon, Lamers Bus Lines, a 6,280-sq. ft. bus garage, maintenance facility and office. Project completion expected in January 2013. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

2 - 390 N. Rolling Meadows Dr., Fond du Lac,

Holiday

Mazda, a service bay addition to the dealership.

676 W. Johnson St., Fond du Lac, American Bank, an addition to the existing financial institution offices. Project completion expected in October.

- 123 E. Larsen Dr., Fond du Lac, McNeilus Steel, a 96,000-sq. ft. industrial coil processing facility. Project completion expected in August 2013. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

Build Up Oshkosh

5 - 5821 Green Valley Road, town of Vinland, C Kwik Trip, a new convenience store, fuel station and fuel station canopy.

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BUILD UP OSHKOSH 5&6 7 8

C - Indicates a new listing

6 - 3555 Moser St., Oshkosh, C Pacur Inc., an addition to the warehouse of the existing industrial facility. 7-

1820 Jackson St., Oshkosh, C Cherry Berry Yogurt Bar, a new restaurant building.

8 - 1410 Algoma Blvd., Oshkosh, Paine Art Center & Arboretum, a 3,600-sq. ft. addition and remodel of the existing carriage house for a conservatory. Project completion expected in December.

9 - 1210 S. Koeller St., Oshkosh, C Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Store, a new retail building. Project completion expected in spring 2013. Projects completed since our September issue: • Wausau Equipment Co., N6425 Stanchfield, Fond du Lac. • FedEx Ground, 1755 W. Fernau Ave., Oshkosh. • Dollar Tree, 1821 Jackson St., Oshkosh. • CitizensFirst Credit Union, 750 Witzel Ave., Oshkosh.

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BUILD UP FOX CITIES Build Up Fox Cities The Build Up department of New North B2B includes a monthly twopage spread identifying significant commercial and industrial construction projects ongoing in the Fox Cities area. C - Indicates a new listing

1 - 2693 W. Grand Chute Blvd., town of Grand Chute, Appleton Alliance Church, a 105,300-sq. ft. addition to the existing church campus.

2 - 1825 N. Bluemound Dr., town of Grand Chute,

Fox Valley Technical College Jones Dairy Farm Culinary Theatre, a 7,456-sq. ft., 120-seat theater for culinary demonstrations. Project completion expected in December.

3 - 1825 N. Bluemound Dr., town of Grand Chute, C Fox Valley Technical College Health Simulation and Technology Center, a three-story, 60,000-sq. ft. health care and emergency medical services education and training facility. 4

- 2400 N. Casaloma Dr., town of Grand Chute, C Fox Cities Stadium, a second-story addition to the existing grandstands for a banquet facility, added luxury boxes as well as renovations to expand the team locker rooms and clubhouse shop. Project completion expected in April 2013.

5 - N962 Tower View Dr., town of Greenville,

Great Lakes Mechanical, an addition to the existing warehouse and offices. Project completion expected in October.

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6 - 1009 Quality Dr., town of Greenville, Finishing Plus, an addition to the existing industrial facility. Project completion expected in October. 7

- 4301 W. Wisconsin Ave., town of Grand Chute, Target Department Store, a 7,661-sq. ft. addition to the existing retail store. Project completion expected in October.

8 - 4648 W. Spencer St., town of Grand Chute, Pinnacle Cataract & Laser Institute, a 6,276-sq. ft. addition to the existing medical clinic. 9

- 1801 Progress Way, Kaukauna, G&G Machining, a new 37,120-sq. ft. manufacturing facility. Project completion expected in October. General contractor is James J. Calmes Construction Co. of Kaukauna.

- 1151 DeLanglade St., Kaukauna, C Mid Valley Industries, a 28,255-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility.

- N9650 Friendship Road, town of Harrison, Little Chicago Dining & Spirits, a 6,000-sq. ft. restaurant facility. Project completion expected in November. General contractor is Frontier Builders of Kaukauna.

- N110 Brux Road, town of Buchanan, C Wagner Chiropractic, a 2,986-sq. ft. chiropractic clinic and office.

- W3208 County Road KK, town of Buchanan, C Dunkin’ Donuts, a remodel of a former drive-in for a new restaurant and bakery. Project completion expected in October.

- 3545 E. Calumet St., Appleton, AE Jewelers, a new retail store. Project completion expected in October. General contractor is James J. Calmes Construction Co. of Kaukauna.

- 2605 S. Lakeland Dr., Appleton, Flair Flexible Packaging, a 13,935-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility and a new parking lot. Project completion expected in October. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

16 - 3232 S. Oneida St., Appleton, Kwik Trip, an addition to the existing convenience store to expand the kitchen. 17

- 1205 Wittmann Dr., Menasha, Appanasha Pet Clinic, a new veterinary clinic facility. Project completion expected in late 2012.

18 - 647 S. Green Bay Road, Neenah, Festival Foods, a 74,603-sq. ft. retail grocery store building. Project completion expected in November. 19 - 2444 Schultz Dr., Neenah, Plexus Corp., a 473,369-

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sq. ft. manufacturing facility. Project completion expected in fall of 2013.

Projects completed since our September issue: • East Wisconsin Savings Bank, 109 W. Second St., Kaukauna. • Multi-tenant retail center which includes Qdoba Mexican Grill, 3813 E. Calumet St., Appleton. • Affinity Health Clinic, 101 Main St., Neenah. • American Enterprises, 2460 Towerview Dr., Neenah.

www.newnorthb2b.com

BUILD UP FOX CITIES 9 & 10

2&3

5&6 7 8

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12 11

18 19

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BUILD UP GREEN BAY Build Up Green Bay

Epiphany Law is pleased to welcome attorney

C - Indicates a new listing

2525 Lineville Road, Howard, C Fox Communities Credit Union, a 4,452-sq. ft. financial institution building. Project completion expected in March 2013.

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2 - 1499 Lombardi Ave., Green Bay, Cabela’s, a 100,000sq. ft. retail store. Project completion expected in August 2013.

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Milo C. Huempfner Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic, a new 192,000-sq. ft. outpatient clinic for veterans services. Project completion expected in the spring of 2013.

4 - 1100 S. Huron Road, Green Bay, C Frontline Building Products and Green Bay Overhead Door, a 217,884-sq. ft. industrial facility to include offices and more than 200,000 square feet of warehousing space. Project completion expected in spring 2013. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna. 5 - 2970 Walker Dr., Green Bay, Larsen Converting, a 97,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility. 6 - 197 W. Meadow Dr., Hobart, C Oneida Apostolic Church, an addition to the existing church for youth ministry classrooms. Project completion expected in December. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna. 7

- 3383 Spirit Way, Ashwaubenon, FedEx Ground, a 100,000-sq. ft. distribution center and offices. Project completion expected in June 2013. General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay.

8 - 1537 American Ct., De Pere,

Utech Consulting, a 4,500sq. ft. office and training building. Project completion expected in December.

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10 - 2121 Innovation Ct., De Pere, C Foth & Van Dyke LLC, a 95,000-sq. ft. office building. Project completion expected in fall 2013. 11 - 2257 American Dr., De Pere, C Bayside Machine Corp., an addition to the existing industrial facility.

Projects completed since our September issue: • Multi-tenant retail center which includes Game Stop, GNC, Sports Clips and Verizon, 1976 Lime Kiln Road, Bellevue. • Pioneer Metal Finishing, 486 Globe Ave., Ashwaubenon. • DeLorey Chiropractic, 1494 Mid Valley Dr., town of Lawrence.

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Heyrman Construction, a

new warehouse facility.

12 - 1212 Enterprise Dr., De Pere, Amerilux International, a 21,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing warehouse facility. Project completion expected in October. General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay.

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BUILD UP GREEN BAY 1

8 thru 11

NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012 l 15

AROUND THE BOARDROOM

1.0 The percent gain of property value in Florence County from 2011 to 2012, the only one of the 18 counties in the New North region to experience an increase in property value during the past year. Source: Wisconsin Dept. of Revenue

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16 l NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012

Philanthropy

Making the most of your company’s charity.

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AROUND THE BOARDROOM

Who wisely purchased BodyGuardz® device protection for his iPad before reviewing marketing communications that make coffee shoot out of his nose, causing him to crush their creators to dust under the full weight of his Birkenstocks.

Whorers! Public Errors & Omissions If you want to throw your reputation from a cliff, be sure to put all your trust for accuracy in your word processing application’s spell and grammar checks. Snug your trust securely around your neck. That way, when your company announces it’s making an “initial pubic offering,” or that your “Pubic Affairs Director” presented a momentous award to a prominent Rotarian, you can rest in peace – in your cold, dark grave, following the heart attack you suffered after realizing your spell check passed right over it. Yes, “pubic” is indeed the correct spelling for a word that (hopefully) has nothing to do with your exciting news, just as “public” is the correct spelling for the adjective that (hopefully again) was the word you intended for all to see. When her social calendar permits, Mother Stronglove makes a point of watching Letterman or Leno, hoping for boners like these.

Ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby. Could it have been a public hare? Another nitwittishly ghastly example: A yard sign promoting a school board candidate whose slogan included the clause “preparing the young to educaate themselves.” Spell check can flag lots of errors, but not correctly spelled words used incorrectly. Grammar check has similar flaws, especially where trademarks, company names and adherence to legal requirements are concerned.

Like you, I understand what it’s like to be jamming on a deadline amid distractions. But even the best writers make mistakes. That’s why we have proofreaders and editors. That’s why we consult our bible, The Associated Press Stylebook. That’s why we call our public library’s helpful (and free) fact-checking reference desk.

This Webfooters show program book offers free drinks, but omitted their street address.

Having to look up the directions (Facebook, GPS, phone book, etc.) adds another step – and more effort to reach that oasis, lessening one’s desire to scarf up Hank and Karen’s offer.

That’s where humans come in. Common spell check dependency blunders include overlooking mix-ups between “to” and “too;” “affect and effect;” “compose” and “comprise;” “would have” and NEVER “would of;” “thorough and “through;” “supposed to” and NEVER “suppose to;” “there, their and they’re;” “its” and “it’s;” and the one that auto-sets my Armani boxers on fire: “compliment” and “complement.” Like the Angel of Death, spell check passes them over without a sound or highlight despite their downgrading of reader perceptions about your competence. Every writer worth her or his toner cartridge appreciates and depends on human proofreading for content and flow as well as spelling and grammar. So, first sit back and have a coffee, casually reading your work all the way through as most readers will. For your second read-through, proofread scrupulously, red pen in hand. For best results, get at least one more pair of eyes to do the same thing.

Oops. The devilish detail in this “Save the Date” message is that nowhere throughout the entire six-panel direct mailer does the invitation specify the date

I should save. If you want to stop train-wreck communications, do what I do: Look everything over carefully before dissemination. And if you’re anything less than 100 percent certain, please… Ass someone who knows. Behind the façade of Mr. Stronglove is an advertising professional wielding strategic and conceptual stealth in all forms of media (except book jackets). Send comments (or crisp twenties) to piercestronglove@gmail.com. To submit work for review, it must be attached as a PDF in Adobe format with no other attachments.

NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012 l 17

TRANSPORTATION

Connecting

Commerce An update of the various improvements to transportation infrastructure in northeast Wisconsin that help the economy thrive

Story by Lee Marie Reinsch

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TRANSPORTATION

It’s true what they say about seasons in Wisconsin: There are only two – winter and road construction. But in recent years, these seasons seem to be overlapping. Leaves start to turn colors before the autumnal equinox. Tulips bloom when it’s still winter. And road construction season happens during spring, summer, fall and winter. It’s natural to mutter about single-lane traffic and dodging chartreuse-clad crews. But have we ever thought what it would be like without decent modes into (and out of) our neck of the northeastern woods of Wisconsin? Business and community leaders say it’s critical. “A good transportation system is absolutely essential for a healthy economy in any region,” said Allen Buechel, Fond du Lac County Executive. “The many businesses in the region and those who look to this region for further expansion always look at the transportation system – not only highways, but airports, railroads and in some cases, ports. These fa-

cilities move people, and even more importantly, they move commerce.” So if April showers bring May flowers, then a constant stream of “DETOUR” signs must bring future economic fuel.

Fall color tour One of the most colorful and obvious examples of construction in full bloom is the U.S. Highway 41 Corridor Project. If you’ve made the scenic tour between Fond du Lac and Green Bay lately, you’ve seen its colorful spectacle: tawny-gold cranes, pumpkin-hued “LANE CLOSED” banners and flocks of large yellow-breasted birds wearing hardhats. Following is a sampler list of some of the orange-barreled endeavors that are happening right now, recently happened or will be happening in northeast Wisconsin.

U.S. Highway 41 Corridor Project Winnebago and Brown counties

The project: The gist of this whopper – a stretch of 17 miles in Winnebago County and 14 miles in Brown County, plus the slew of interchanges and roads leading up to these interchanges – is to widen U.S. 41 from four lanes to primarily eight lanes, bringing the road up to interstate standards. In some spots, U.S. 41 could have six lanes, and in others, up to 10, depending on location, according to Eric Gwidt, construction project manager for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. The festivities involve rebuilding 13 interchanges and updating three others, adding 40 roundabouts, installing 17 traffic cameras, and expanding the Lake Butte des Morts Causeway to eight lanes. Once the region’s critical artery is brought up to speed, it can be designated as an “Interstate,” but that status is still a few years off, according to Gwidt. Timeline: Winnebago County’s share of the U.S. 41 renovation began in 2009 and is on schedule to wrap up by the end of 2013. Brown County’s part of the project didn’t start until last year, so those negotiating traffic through it will have to grin and bear it through 2016, at least. Price tag: $1.5 billion for both the Winnebago and Brown County portions of U.S. 41. Outagamie County was done sev-

eral years ago and isn’t part of the current project. Why it’s needed? The idea is to expand U.S. 41 to meet future traffic needs, Gwidt said. “The majority of this roadway was built in the 1960s and 1970s, and a lot of things are outdated in design and functionality,” he said. “They’re just not working for today’s standards.” At the time of the highway’s construction, much of the travel on U.S. 41 stemmed from an agricultural and manufacturing economy. How will the New North region benefit? The advantages of such a project are a much safer highway and the ability to get to and from places quicker and safer because of improved interchanges. “Commerce will move a lot cleaner, and industry will be able to move products a lot more efficiently,” Gwidt said. “Once we get an interstate here, that’s a huge designation – it brings a lot of commerce and attracts a lot of people. If you can build next to an interstate, that’s a huge thing.” Up-to-date details on the U.S. 41 project can be found at www.us41wisconsin.gov; on Twitter at #WisconsinUS41, on Facebook at facebook.com/WisconsinUS41 or by calling the U.S. 41 Project Hotline at 920.492.4120. NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012 l 19

TRANSPORTATION

Leo Frigo Bridge Project Green Bay

Where: Interstate 43/Leo Frigo Bridge over the Fox River in Green Bay

Timeline: Underway now and expected to finish by July 2013.

The project: Involves improvement of the mighty Leo Frigo Memorial Bridge and a 3.5-mile stretch of I-43 between Military Avenue on the west and Irwin Avenue on the east. Three bridges, including Leo Frigo – also known as the Tower Drive Bridge – will be repaired, fresh pavement will be put in where the old is crumbling, and interchanges will be improved.

Why it’s needed? This project is part of the U.S. 41 Corridor project. How will the New North benefit? Part of the national highway system, I-43 is considered a “Long Truck Route” and connects northeast Wisconsin to the southeastern portion of the state, especially cities like Milwaukee along Lake Michigan.

Price tag: $17 million.

Velp Avenue

Bypassing Hortonville

Green Bay

Where: Velp Avenue (U.S. Highway 141) reconstruction in Green Bay.

Where: State Road 15 expansion and bypass around the Village of Hortonville.

The project: Over the last two years, nearly three miles of U.S. 141/Velp Avenue were revamped top to bottom. In 2011, $3.2 million worth of renovations on a one-mile span from Military Avenue to U.S. 41 in the Village of Howard included a two-lane roundabout at the Velp and Military intersection, along with replacing pavement, adding sidewalk and bicycle accommodations, better street lighting and landscaping, according to Kristin Van Hout of the state DOT. In 2012, $6.1 million bought the same for a 1.7-mile segment of Velp from Norwood Avenue to Military in Green Bay, with a roundabout at the Atkinson/Velp intersection.

Project: An 11-mile stretch of WIS 15 between New London at U.S. Highway 45 and Greenville at Lily of the Valley Drive, with a 3.5-mile northern bypass of Hortonville. It includes making this portion of WIS 15 into a four-lane highway with a 60-foot wide median, according to Bill Bertrand, project manager for WISDOT. Roundabouts will be installed at the two at-grade intersections where WIS 15 and the bypass will meet.

Price tag: $9.3 million Why it’s needed? The pavement dated from the early 1950s and was deteriorating, as were storm sewers. Intersections were at skewed angles, which created safety issues, Van Hout said. “The ride on the pavement had been really difficult, and this is a new facility with a smoother ride, safer pedestrian areas and wider lanes for bicycles,” she said. The landscaping and a large grass median will help make this part of town more aesthetically pleasing. “Hopefully, this will revitalize that area, as it was slightly run down over years,” Van Hout said.

Price tag: $115 million Timeline: WISDOT will begin buying real estate in the areas involved in 2014, and construction will start in late 2016 or early 2017, Bertrand said. The project could wrap up by late 2018 or 2019. Why it’s needed? Traffic counts from 2007 showed that between 12,000 and 16,500 vehicles travel this stretch daily, and it’s predicted that number will reach 20,000 by 2025, making the trek congested. Also, WISDOT says the bypass will make this stretch safer. Currently, cars are hopping on to WIS 15 from a slew of intersections, and a bypass will let truckers and non-local drivers continue uninterrupted. “The bypass of Hortonville will allow traffic to drive at highway speed,” Bertrand said. How will the region benefit? The bypass will make the trip between New London and the Fox Cities shorter and faster, meaning travelers will save fuel, according to WISDOT.

How will the region benefit? “Velp is a critical link between the Port of Green Bay and access onto I-43 and U.S. 41, so it’s a good link there for the city,” she said.

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TRANSPORTATION

Wrightstown Bridge Where: State Road 96 reconstruction and new bridge in the Village of Wrightstown. The project: Involves building a new bridge over the Fox River about 100 feet to the south of the existing bridge. It will have bicycle, pedestrian and snowmobile accommodation and will be bookended by single-lane roundabouts. Resurfacing of WIS 96 from County Road D/Shanty Road to Old 57 started this fall and should be finished within the next month. Water and sewer-main replacement, along with other utility work, will be done in 2013 in the area of Greenleaf as well as Wrightstown, according to Natasha Gwidt, project manager for WIS DOT.

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The eight-mile project also involves: • An urban reconstruction project from the Fair Road/Turner Street intersection to Shanty Road in Wrightstown during the 2014 construction season; • New pavement, curb and gutter on WIS 96 outside of town from Old 57 to Breckenridge Falls Road. Price tag: $23 million for the bridge; $6.4 million for the various road projects that don’t directly include the bridge.

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Timeline: Spring of 2014, with everything complete by fall of 2016. Why it’s needed? The bridge is about 75 years old and beyond the point of repair, and the stretches of WIS 96 around it are in need of help, too, Natasha Gwidt said. How traffic will be affected: The old bridge will remain open right up until the opening of the new one. “There will never be a time when people can’t get over the river,” she said. How the region benefits? The WIS 96 bridge is Wrightstown’s only means of crossing the Fox River. Without it, those wishing to cross the Fox would have to go to De Pere 10 miles north or Kaukauna seven miles to the south. Some 6,000 to 9,000 vehicles use the bridge every day, and 11 out of every 100 of those using the WIS 96 corridor are trucks, Natasha Gwidt said. It may not sound like a lot, but it’s a substantial percentage of truckers, she said.

NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012 l 21

TRANSPORTATION

State Road 23

Fond du Lac and Sheboygan counties Where: WIS 23 between Sheboygan and Fond du Lac. The project: This is an expansion of the current two-lane highway to a four-lane expressway from just west of Plymouth to U.S. Highway 151 in Fond du Lac, a total of about 22 miles. Price tag: $76 million Timeline: Start date in 2014. The project was originally slated for late 2012. WISDOT’s Eric Danke said every leg of the project has been delayed by at least a year because of a lawsuit filed against the state Department of Transportation by land-use group 1000 Friends of Wisconsin. At this point the schedule is: • The first and eastern-most leg of the project, from Pioneer Road in Plymouth to the Sheboygan/Fond du Lac County line, is slated for 2014. • The second (middle) segment of the project, from the county line to Taft Road in Fond du Lac, is slated to begin in 2015. • The third and westernmost section, from Taft Road to U.S. 151, is slated for 2016. Why it’s needed? The road needs to accommodate more traffic, Danke said. By 2030, around 20,000 vehicles a day are on track to travel this stretch, according to WISDOT, with “moderate congestion” predicted by 2020.

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“Currently as a two-lane roadway, there aren’t a lot of (passing zones) available due to the numerous hills, curves, and accesses along the route,” Danke said. “There are a number of trucks and farm machinery that take this route between Fond du Lac and Sheboygan, and the added lanes should allow vehicles to get around them in a much safer manner.” How will the New North benefit? The route would be safer and travel would be quicker, so in theory, tourism could rise if more travelers decide to change their travel plans to include WIS 23 instead of taking an alternate route, according to WISDOT. Economic development could likewise reap rewards.

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22 l NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012

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TRANSPORTATION

“

In Northeast Wisconsin, we are blessed with a very good transportation system, but it is critical that we maintain that system and make improvements to meet the future needs for our businesses and our people.

”

Allen Buechel, Fond du Lac County Executive

WIS 29

West of Green Bay Timeline: Underway now.

Where: State Road 29 through Hobart and Howard in Outagamie and Brown counties. The project: WIS 29 will be converted from an expressway into a freeway, which mainly means regulating access from side roads onto WIS 29. The project involves building interchanges at two spots, County Roads VV and FF, and overpasses at County Road U and Pine Tree Road. The intersections at Sunlite Drive and Woodland Road will be closed.

Why it’s needed? According to WISDOT, WIS 29 is the busiest east-west highway north of Interstate 94, with a large amount of truck traffic. Converting it to a freeway will make it safer than it is now. How will the region benefit? WIS 29 is considered to be the main route across the north central part of the state, linking Green Bay to I-94 and Minneapolis/St. Paul. The changes will also mean easier linking on to and off of U.S. 41.

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TRANSPORTATION

Air and Sea

Appleton and Green Bay ATW Outagamie County Airport The future new general aviation terminal at Outagamie County Regional Airport in Greenville isn’t just special because it’s new. “It would be the first (zero net-energy) efficient aviation terminal in the country, so we’re pretty excited,” said Marty Lenss, airport director. Zero net energy means it produces as much energy as it uses. The project consists of an 8,000-sq. ft. terminal and a 12,000-sq. ft. hangar and is estimated to cost about $5 million. When it’s finished, it will be charged by geothermal and photovoltaic power systems and will be equipped with cisterns to collect rainwater. It’ll also run on a smart automation system, which means that if it’s bright enough outside, it will be smart enough to not turn on the electric lights. The new terminal will serve an added function: “It’s also the first and last impression visitors have of our community,” Lenss said. “For folks doing business here (and who) have come in on private aircraft, this is the building they’ll see and pass through. It’s important that we demonstrate a nice functional facility so their first impression when they come to the Fox Cities or northeast Wisconsin through ATW is a nice, lasting impression.” Lenss is also proud that ATW is paying off its mortgage five years early. Last fall, ATW made the last of its $4 million bond repayments from its 2001 commercial terminal project. The early payoff saved $234,000 in interest. “It was nice to get that expense off our books,” Lenss said. “Now we have more flexibility.”

Port of Green Bay ready to rock Business at the Port of Green Bay this year is ahead of usual – a wee bit ahead, but ahead, nonetheless. Port Manager Dean Haen said he’s ready to forge ahead with long-term plans for Lake Michigan’s westernmost port. Those plans include developing an intermodal container facility, expanding the port’s foreign trade zone, developing port property, and figuring out how material dredged up from the

bay might be reused. “Intermodal container facility” is engineer-speak for a site that would be equipped to load, unload and store those large metal containers that go on trucks, ships and trains. Having such a facility would open the port as a viable transportation option to many businesses, according to Haen. “The port would definitely become a major player, and this would give us a competitive edge.” Developing port land would likely require lots of dredging, so finding ways to recycle what’s dredged up is important. “Not only would re-purposing dredge material help with shipping-channel maintenance and storage, it would provide a cost-effective and sustainable resource for things like road projects or gardening and lawn products,” Haen said. More than 200 ships move 2 million tons of cargo a year to and from 14 businesses along the three-mile stretch of the Fox River. Salt, coal, limestone, liquid asphalt and other petroleum products are among the materials transported, along with big machinery and parts for wind turbines. As of August, the port handled 2,000 tons more cargo this year than it did last year at the same time.

Austin Straubel International Airport Officials at Green Bay’s Austin Straubel International Airport are proud of their latest addition: the state-of-the-art LEED gold-certified snow-removal equipment facility. “It will help us more efficiently remove snow from the runways and taxiways, making it more likely that commercial and corporate aircraft will be able to get in and out of the area during inclement weather,” said Tom Miller, airport director. Austin Straubel also wrapped up a new facility for aircraft rescue, emergency medical services and firefighting on the largely undeveloped west side of the airport. “The aircraft rescue and firefighter facility will provide faster response in the event of an emergency on the airfield,” he said. It’s hoped that the space that housed the former emergency services building will make way for a new U.S. Customs facility. “We will be working on that in 2013 to establish a fullfledged federal inspection station at Austin Straubel,” Miller said. Austin Straubel has a small customs facility, but it’s not staffed fulltime and wouldn’t be able to keep up with an increase in traffic, according to Miller. Design work for the inspection station is underway, and Miller said he hopes the year-long construction will start sometime in late spring.

Lee Reinsch writes and edits from Green Bay.

24 l NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012

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GUEST COMMENTARY

Crafting a skilled workforce Recent reports aim to help state become a model for creating skilled workers

Tom Still President Wisconsin Technology Council

An expert in invention and entrepreneurship who has forgotten more about both than most people know recently used this line in a room of economic development professionals: “Increasingly, there is no room in America for the unskilled.” Before the politically correct among us rise up in solidarity for the right to remain unskilled, let’s do something refreshingly honest and concede he’s right. The current job market certainly suggests so, given the stubborn national unemployment rate three years after the official end of the recession. And so have credible studies on the future of the American workforce, such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecast and state-specific reports from the Georgetown University Center on the Economy and the Workforce. Between 2008 and 2018, Georgetown researchers predicted, the need for workers with some kind of post-secondary training or education will grow by 139,000 jobs in Wisconsin. Jobs for high-school graduates and dropouts will grow by 52,000 jobs. By 2018, 61 percent of all jobs in Wisconsin will require some post-secondary training. Meeting the need for skilled workers – from people with the right training for today’s high-tech manufacturing to people with advanced college degrees – has been addressed by three recent reports in Wisconsin. That kind of consensus around the size of the problem should mean solutions are achievable, even in a divided political era. Unveiled in late August was “The Road Ahead: Restoring Wisconsin’s Workforce Development.” Otherwise known as the Sullivan report, it was a volunteer effort headed by Tim Sullivan, the former Bucyrus Erie executive who was appointed by Gov. Scott Walker in February to take a hard look at state workforce gaps. The report stressed that demographics alone are threatening the state’s long-term economic health. The number of senior citizens living in the state will nearly double between 2010 and 2040 (from 777,000 to 1.54 million), the report said, and its working-age population will grow by a miserly 0.4 percent (from 3.57 million to 3.58 million). “Baby boomers are also aging out of the workforce, leaving gaps that cannot be met by our current projected population, or the education system in which they develop working skills,” it read.

The Sullivan report’s conclusions ranged from finding ways to encourage immigration of high-skilled, hard-to-find workers to better coordination of state workforce programs to establishing academic and career plans for all students. Importantly, it drilled into the economic, social and even health trap of dropping out of high school. “Despite Wisconsin’s strong standing in high school graduation rankings, we cannot ignore the students we are failing,” the report said. It noted that a lack of “real-world learning opportunities” was cited by 81 percent of dropouts as a reason they left. Another recent report stressed the importance of science, technology, engineering and math education. “Wisconsin STEM: Navigators to the future” was produced a group led by Bryan Albrecht, president of Gateway Technical College in southeastern Wisconsin. That report noted that so-called “STEM” occupations are predicted to grow by 17 percent from 2008 to 2018 and that STEM workers command higher wages, earning 26 percent more than their non-STEM counterparts. Over the past 10 years, growth in STEM jobs in the United States was three times the rate of non-STEM jobs. Workers with STEM skills are also more likely to keep a job, contribute to a local economy and drive innovation, the report noted. Also weighing in is the state Department of Public Instruction, which recently issued its “Agenda 2017” report. Among its recommendations are increasing Wisconsin’s graduation rate, doubling college and career readiness rates, and increasing the percentage of student scoring proficient in third-grade reading and eighth-grade mathematics. One specific DPI recommendation: Expand high-school programs for “dual enrollment.” Those are programs that allow high school students to earn college credits and specific career skills through industry certifications and youth apprenticeships. Indeed, there is precious little room in America for the unskilled. With the help of those who are committed to understanding the problem, perhaps Wisconsin can become a model for giving the unskilled hope and pathways to more rewarding, productive lives. Still is president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. He is the former associate editor of the Wisconsin State Journal. NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012 l 25

EDUCATION

n e n e o r i t g a A uc d e

es i t si elp r ve at h i un th es d s tic n a ram ac s e og pr g le pr ew l co ble pt n th ina do r No sta s a w su er e N dd loy a mp e Story by Robin Driessen Bruecker

For the sake of current and future generations – not only humans, but all life on Earth – sustainable practices have become increasingly integrated into how we run our lifestyles, homes, farms and businesses as we strive to reduce negative impact on our environment. To help meet employers’ need for workers with knowledge of or fulltime dedication to such practices in business, sustainability has become part of curriculums at area colleges and universities. With some jobs the need for sustainability is obvious – corporate responsibility officers, physical plant managers, energy auditors, construction managers, environmental and civil engineering technicians, food service professionals, farmers, landscape designers, and so on. Others may not be readily apparent, such as an administrative assistant knowing to choose office products made locally or containing recycled materials, and restaurant and hotel managers attracting guests by using local food sources, renewable energy and green cleaning. 26 l NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012

Teaming up with employers In 2011 Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay created the Great Lakes Energy Education Center, where instructors with private industry experience provide education on energy production, distribution and conservation in formats ranging from workforce training and apprenticeships to certificates and associate degrees. In addition to traditional energy sources, students learn about alternative energies such as wind and solar power. Conservation and sustainable use are also components of programs like energy management, waste and water technology, and solar energy technology. “Many of the programs offer training that is rare throughout the country,” said Amy Kox, associate dean of energy and sustainability. “Because of this, we have had employers from throughout the United States recruiting NWTC graduates. NWTC has stepped up to meet the energy workforce needs www.newnorthb2b.com

EDUCATION given the country’s increasing demand for power, the ethical implications of our power choices, and employers’ demand for skilled workers. Employer feedback played a major role in the development of the programs. Kox said that in a 2008 survey, NWTC’s business and community partners recommended the addition of sustainability training as part of the college’s strategic direction. “Another result is that the college is working to ensure that students in all degree programs are exposed to the concept of sustainability at some point in their education,” noted Kox. “Many programs such as landscape horticulture and architectural technology have infused sustainability into all of their courses.” Input from energy-industry employers also shaped programs, with curriculums designed around what employers look for when they recruit qualified workers. For example, the associate degree in energy management, created in 2010, prepares graduates to help their employers manage and conserve energy in order to reduce cost and environmental footprint. The program produced its first graduates this past May. Government funding supported the development of other programs. A grant from the U.S. Department of Energy funded a Smart Grid training program (a national network that coordinates the flow of both energy and information – see NIST.gov), in which NWTC will have a mobile lab and courses to be shared with other New North technical colleges. Appleton-based Fox Valley Technical College recently began offering an associate degree in wind energy technology. It also offers certificate programs in areas of energy management and control for buildings, energy auditor and environmental compliance specialist. Its campus features a Sustainable Technology Center that offers courses on sustainability and green technologies for a variety of fields including construction, landscaping and horticulture, energy and agriculture. Additionally, businesses can take advantage of customized sustainability training plus specialized offerings that include energy conservation, LEED certification, renewable energy systems, design and construction, carbon footprint reduction, biodiesel fuel systems, green energy for agriculture, and more. FVTC’s philosophy is to integrate elements of sustainability throughout its curricula, noted Chris Matheny, chief academic officer at FVTC. “It is part of the practice that nurses get in their clinical training. It is part of what our electricity and electrical apprentices get in their coursework and fieldwork. Our natural resource technicians work on the latest wildlife and wildland management practices – all with the focus of both sustaining our environment but also improving the value that they can add to organizations when they leave our programs.” “I think that all students and all jobs can benefit from sustainability practices,” continued Matheny. “Doing more with less is not just about being economically prudent. We teach our students and our workforce that by putting in place sustainable business practices they can actually improve the environmental, operational and human resources of their organizations. It really touches everyone.”

Unfolding 4-year degree initiatives University of Wisconsin campuses in the New North have gotten involved in sustainability education as well. In fall 2008, the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay opened its Environmental Management and Business Institute, working with partners in the public and private sectors to increase sustainability and environmental leadership among companies and communities. “Today’s public view has evolved to where ‘good business’ is not only profitable, but is also recognized for good stewardship

Educational offerings at a glance Listed below are sustainability-related certificates and degrees offered by the schools featured in this article.

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College • Associate degrees in Energy Management, Environmental Engineering – Waste and Water Technology, and Solar Energy Technology. • Associate degree in Sustainable Food & Agriculture Systems coming in fall 2013. • Certificates in Sustainable Agriculture, Solar Electric, Solar Thermal, Energy Management, and Sustainable Design. Fox Valley Technical College • Certificates in Environmental Management Systems for Emerging Technologies, Energy & Environmental Management, Energy Management & Control for Buildings, Environmental Compliance Specialist, Renewable Energy Engineering Technology, Energy Auditor, and Photovoltaic Installation Technician. • Associate degrees in Wind Energy Technology and Energy & Environmental Engineering Technology. UW Green Bay • Certificate in Environmental Sustainability and Business. UW Oshkosh • University Studies Program (general education), coming in fall 2013. • Master degree in Sustainable Management, coming in 2013. • Bachelor degree in Sustainable Management. • Minor in Sustainability Management through the College of Business, available with any major. • Bachelor degree in Environmental Studies, with emphases in Environmental Science and Environmental Policy & Values.

NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012 l 27

EDUCATION

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of the environment,” said John Katers, associate professor of Natural and Applied Sciences and director of the Environmental Management and Business Institute. A certificate in environmental sustainability and business is among the offerings at EMBI, which has seen a 50 percent increase in enrollment from 2010-11 to the most recent academic year. The coursework comes with a mandatory internship, carried out either on the UWGB campus or with various employers in the community. “New internships are under way this fall with New North and the Oneida Tribe on bioenergy-related projects, with a number of other projects under discussion for the spring semester,” noted Katers. In addition to business, environmental science and environmental policy courses, the EMBI certificate features a colloquium course that introduces students to a variety of perspectives as well as the latest sustainability topics such as carbon footprints and life-cycle analysis. The goal is to prepare graduates for participation and leadership in these areas when they enter the workforce. Fifty students have taken part in this course since the program’s inception. “Approximately 20 students have graduated with the certificate to date, with many finding employment in the region,” noted Katers.

Part of the greater curriculum The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh is on its way to making sustainability an all-encompassing mission. According

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It’s time for a representative who will actually represent you. One who actually works in the private sector AND who has experience owning a business.

Vote For Paul Esslinger On November 6th For The 54th Assembly District

My pledge to you is to hold the line on taxes, have less regulation and get government OUT of your way! According to the 2011 Northeast Wisconsin Chambers Coalition, our current representative Gordon Hintz has voted AGAINST key business issues over 85% of the time! I believe Wisconsin will grow and prosper when business is released from the shackles of government and is given the tools it needs to increase production. Vote for less government, less regulation and more representation. If you would like to contribute to my campaign, please send your contribution to 1010 W. 20th Street, Oshkosh, WI 54902. Authorized and paid for by Esslinger for Assembly, Ben Schneider II, Treasurer.

www.newnorthb2b.com

EDUCATION to Stephanie Spehar, sustainability leadership fellow and assistant professor of environmental studies and anthropology, UW Oshkosh has made sustainability a critical part of university studies, its new general education program that begins next fall. All students entering the school will have to complete the university studies program – in addition to the courses within their major – in order to graduate. “UW Oshkosh’s incorporation of sustainability into the new university studies program is pretty remarkable,” added Spehar. “Very few universities nationwide have done this.” Every year since 2008, UW Oshkosh faculty from more than 40 departments have been designing and teaching courses that incorporate sustainability, Spehar noted, to show a broad range of students that sustainability is relevant to more disciplines than just environmental studies. Next year UW Oshkosh will offer a new master of science in sustainable management degree that will include social responsibility and sustainable business practices. The new master’s program will be offered in partnership with five other UW campuses, including UWGB. The new MS degree builds upon the 2-year-old undergraduate degree in sustainability management, according to Steve Dunn, associate professor of finance and director of the school’s Center for Sustainable Enterprise. “The need that is addressed is critical – how do we rapidly get a core group of people with the skill set to address a rapidly changing environmental and social atmosphere in global business?” Dunn said. “Most companies are struggling with how to

approach the concept of sustainability – they are bombarded with examples from large firms such as Walmart and Proctor & Gamble and from firms that are being recognized for having a socially responsible core such as Patagonia, Seventh Generation and Stoneybrook Farms. The confusion is that they are not sure what to do as there are no formal guidelines.” Dunn added that the College of Business at UW Oshkosh also has a new minor in sustainability management, available with any major and consisting of courses “in all three areas of the triple bottom line – social, environmental and profit. The importance of this minor is that it gives students in any major a background in how sustainability affects and is affected by organizations.” Another degree program, environmental studies, has been around since the 1990s. It became a major in 2002 and was recently overhauled to create emphases in environmental science and environmental policy and values. The environmental studies program offers internships with private and public sector organizations that give students practical experience in environmental and resource management, policy and advocacy. “I cannot think of any job in an organization that will not benefit from sustainability training,” said Dunn. “This is not a business, political or religious topic. It is a life topic on the only home we have, the planet Earth. It is about guaranteeing a quality of life for future generations.” Robin Driessen Bruecker has 16 years experience in magazine and marcom writing. Contact her at robinbrueck@yahoo.com.

NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012 l 29

FIREFIGHTERS PROGRESS REPORT

Firefighters of northeast Wisconsin

Extinguishing the blaze As our annual Firefighters initiative wraps up, two more local business owners regain confidence to profit Photo provided courtesy of Quest Productions/Patrick Kelly

30 l NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012

Story by Sean Fitzgerald, New North B2B publisher

www.newnorthb2b.com

FIREFIGHTERS PROGRESS REPORT In early 2012, New North B2B sent a call out to business owners who feel as if they’re constantly putting out fires within their company. We selected two, and matched them with a couple of northeast Wisconsin’s leading small business strategists for six months of assistance at no cost. As the smoke clears, we illustrate how our Firefighters of Northeast Wisconsin helped to extinguish the blaze. Purchasing a new company vehicle for a business isn’t necessarily a landmark development for most firms. For Lu Ann Vander Zanden, owner of Bridal Elegance & Formalwear in downtown Kaukauna, the new van she purchased in late August was more than just a way to transport her inventory to bridal shows around the state – it signaled another step in the evolution of her business and at least enough improvement of its financial records to help secure the loan to purchase the vehicle. Vander Zanden, one of two business owners involved in the 2012 installment of our Firefighters of Northeast Wisconsin initiative, has worked with Gary Vaughan and his consulting firm, Guident Business Solutions of Appleton, since April to gain a better handle on the finances of her business, and help her put out the everyday fires that consumed much of her time and led to very few paychecks during her 13 years as a business owner. In fact, when she started on this journey with Vaughan six months ago, Vander Zanden said she wanted to replace the 1997 Chrysler she’d been driving. Now it’s a reality. “I wasn’t sure I could get the loan without his help,” Vander Zanden said of Vaughan. “I finally got the car I’ve waited seven years for.” It’s not that Bridal Elegance was doing poorly. In fact, through hard work and a good deal of personal sacrifice, Vander Zanden had overcome a substantial amount of financial strife that dated back to 2004. At that time, she wasn’t actively managing the business and held a fulltime job elsewhere when a former partner who managed the day-to-day operations of the store skipped town, leaving behind thousands of dollars in unpaid bills and taxes as well as empty cash accounts at the business, all of which Vander Zanden only learned about after she took over the business fulltime to sweep up the pieces. In the nearly eight years since that time, Vander Zanden has paid up on debts to vendors and the IRS, covered payroll for her staff, acquired a rather large surplus of inventory, and in general has grown Bridal Elegance into a much more robust business. In addition to bridal gowns, Vander Zanden has expanded the store’s offerings to include mother-of-the-bride/groom dresses,

PROFILE Company: Owner: Location: Year started: Employees: What it does: Web site:

Bridal Elegance & Formalwear LuAnn Vander Zanden Kaukauna 1999 7 Retailer of bridal gowns, bridesmaid gowns, prom gowns, tuxedo rentals, shoes, bridal jewelry, wedding accessories and attendant gifts www.valleybridalelegance.com www.valleytuxedos.com

an entire department of prom gowns, tuxedo rentals, jewelry, formalwear handbags, and a full line of wedding accessories. She had seven employees as of mid-September. Despite the growth, Vander Zanden faced a variety of hurdles with her business. The historic 110-year-old building she owns to house the business preserves much of the traditional charm that suits her wedding and formalwear business, but also comes with a high price for maintenance and often unpredictable, costly repairs. She struggled with how to best spend her marketing budget, and she never really put together any kind of financial strategy or budget projection. Until she finally began her work with Vaughan, Vander Zanden didn’t realize her bookkeeping records and data didn’t provide an accurate dashboard for the financial performance of the business.

Financial mapping That’s where Vaughan stepped in. He and his team from Guident firmly believe a company’s balance sheet and profit and loss statement create a roadmap for its performance, and that a business owner needs to know how to effectively read that roadmap in order to make sensible decisions about their operations.

The consultants Gary Vaughan Founder, owner and president Guident Business Solutions LLC Appleton www.guidentbusinesssolutions.com

Mike Thuecks Consultant SM Advisors Green Bay www.smadvisors.com

NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012 l 31

FIREFIGHTERS PROGRESS REPORT For Vander Zanden, it’s a work in progress that’s still far from complete. During the past six months, Vaughan encouraged Vander Zanden to convert her bookkeeping software from Peachtree to QuickBooks, a platform he said better suits the financial reporting demands of her business. She changed to a different financial institution, a move that helped with her vehicle loan, and may also lead to a separate revolving line of credit in the near future. These kinds of changes might seem tedious, Vaughan said, but they’re critical first steps in a long and dedicated process that ultimately provides tangible results. “As a service provider, we know what it’s supposed to look like at the end, but the business owner can’t necessarily see it at the very beginning,” Vaughan said. “It’s like baking in general. We’re in the kitchen whipping together a blob of dough, but the business owner doesn’t necessarily see what we’re making. We throw it into the oven, and then the business owner watches it rise.” Although Vander Zanden hasn’t completely converted over to QuickBooks, yet – which she won’t fully until Jan. 1 for tax accounting purposes – Vaughan said she’s already been working with better, more accurate financial data for a couple of months. She agrees, and credits Vaughan’s guidance for improving her store’s outlook. “He’s actually taught me how to streamline, and how to take a look at the bottom line and determine whether it’s a good decision or not,” Vander Zanden said. She said she’s learned the difference between costs, expenses and long-term liabilities, a distinction she previously didn’t make between the

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three. She’s working with vendors to negotiate more favorable payment terms, and is also looking to modify her credit card merchant plan. The investment in QuickBooks software also allows Vander Zanden to better track her inventory, enabling her to make more effective purchasing decisions during the various bridal industry trade shows she attends each year. “I’ll be able to tell which lines sell better” than others going forward, she said. “I think I’m going to go into the next show a little sharper.” And Bridal Elegance continues to grow. Vander Zanden recently added an eveningwear product line. She added one part time staff member in August, and is looking to add another relatively soon.

What lies ahead Vander Zanden is also considering embarking on a new venture to help her dispose of her older, more outdated inventory. She’s in the process of preparing a business plan, and has already submitted an entry into the 2012 Northeast Wisconsin Business Plan Competition. As for her beautiful and historic but often-in-need-of-repair

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FIREFIGHTERS PROGRESS REPORT building, Vander Zanden applied for and last month received a Property Assessed Clean Energy program loan through Kaukauna Utilities and the City of Kaukauna to replace all of the windows on one side of her building. She worked to repair the elevator in the building and is considering renovations to the second floor in 2013 to accommodate the new venture she’s considering. Though Guident’s assistance to Bridal Elegance was made available at no cost through New North B2B’s Firefighters of Northeast Wisconsin initiative, Vander Zanden said she plans to continue to work with Vaughan and his team at least through the point of having the new QuickBooks software completely implemented into her operations. From Vander Zanden’s perspective, the Firefighters experience during the past six months has helped breathe new life into her business, renewed her entrepreneurial spirit, and provided the motivation to see that better days lie ahead for Bridal Elegance, its customers, its staff and herself. “It’s been eye opening as far as the possibilities that are available,” she said.

Temporary hold The second track to our 2012 Firefighters initiative involves the work Mike Thuecks of Green Bay-based SM Advisors has been doing with Chanda Anderson, owner of Caramel Crisp & Café in downtown Oshkosh. The two – along with Chanda’s husband, Pete, who has fulltime employment elsewhere and isn’t involved in the day-to-day operations of the business – are working on developing a strategic plan to

guide the organization’s growth into the next few years. Like Bridal Elegance, Caramel Crisp has been growing as well in the four years it’s been in business, but there hasn’t been much control or strategy to the growth, as Anderson has actively pursued opportunities to expand the products and services available to her customers. Unfortunately, it’s created staffing and workflow challenges, as few of the roles in the business have documented processes and procedures. The company has grown both its inventory and its operations without accumulating any debt, but Anderson has done so by sacrificing any pay for herself. Fortunately, Pete’s job provides the income and the health insurance their family needs to sustain. Thuecks and Anderson are looking to put strategy into action to help Caramel Anderson Crisp thrive while compensating Anderson for her efforts as a business owner. In the course of their work together since this past April, Anderson has run into additional personnel problems, as two of her key staff members moved on in August. Wrestling those challenges has temporarily impeded her work with Thuecks, and as a result, the two are planning some final meetings yet into October. So in the interest of Caramel Crisp charting the best course of action for itself rather than trying to meet a deadline for B2B, we’ve extended the timeline for Thuecks and his work with Anderson. We plan to return with a more in-depth analysis of their efforts in our November 2012 edition.

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GOVERNMENT

Decision 2012 Introduction by Sean Fitzgerald

In the wake of a provocative past 20 months where state politics from Wisconsin made national headlines for its legislation, citizen demonstrations, behavior of elected officials and unprecedented recalls of leadership, it might be possible that the mood of the electorate in the Badger State is foreshadowing the rest of America as voters make final choices for the Nov. 6 general election. As voters go to the polls next month, many are certain to think about candidates’ views on the business climate in the state and its ability to create jobs and propel the economy out of its malaise. What’s on the business agenda of local candidates for state legislature? We provide the answers. As we have every two years since October 2002, New North B2B magazine asked area candidates for Wisconsin Assembly and Senate to answer four questions about various topics of importance to the business community to provide our readers with a better understanding of their views, as well as whether a given candidate is worthy of your vote. Candidates on the ballot in every contested assembly and senate race in our readership area were sent the same four questions and asked to provide a written response for our readers. We didn’t send questions to Sen. Rob Cowles (R-Green Bay), the incumbent in the 2nd Senate District, or to Rep. Penny Bernard Schabers (D-Appleton), the incumbent in the 57th Assembly District, as both are running uncontested to retain their current seats. This time around – and unfortunately for our readers – it seems many of the candidates took a note from the 2010 Republican Party playbook, simply choosing to altogether ignore sensible requests from the media. As readers will find, a number of candidates for office in the region didn’t provide responses to our questions. We recognize that candidates for public office are bombarded with a variety of surveys and requests from special interest groups for their perspectives on issues critical to voters, and that time and financial resources are limited to respond to every one. In that regard, we’d at least extend a bit of credit to the following candidates for acknowledging our request and offering an attempt to provide responses even though they didn’t meet our deadline: Jim Crail (D - Assembly District 55), Richard Schoenbohm (D – Assembly District 56) and John Macco (R - Senate District 30). What follows are the unedited and verbatim responses from participating candidates. These responses are also available online at www.newnorthb2b.com.

34 l NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012

www.newnorthb2b.com

GOVERNMENT Assembly District 4

(Includes Allouez, Ashwaubenon and portions of Green Bay, Hobart and Howard) PROFILE Name: Michael Malcheski (D) Residence: Ashwaubenon Job: Former partnership director for the U.S. Department of Commerce and former executive director of Shawano County Economic Progress Inc. Political Experience: First term on Village of Ashwaubenon Board of Trustees Education: Bachelor’s in technical marketing – UW Superior Web site: candidatemalcheski.org 1. Malcheski: I would first need to look at the “specific” items that some think are too restrictive and the options for change for the better – not simply removing legislation for the sake of doing it. 2. Malcheski: Wisconsin values its environment ahead of short-term gains, and welcomes the value of the Tribe’s perspective and rights and laws as partners. Mining can be conducted in an environmentally safe way, but it has to be done

with a long-term plan and technology that returns the properties in question to a safe and useable status. 3. Malcheski: Possibly, I’d have to see the language first and the judgment “limitations.” 4. Malcheski: Wisconsin needs “fair” taxation, not a continued cutting to maintain its ability to provide for the needs of the citizens.

Assembly District 52

(Includes Fond du Lac, Oakfield and rural portions of southern Fond du Lac County) 1. Thiesfeldt: Overall, taxes are still too high in Wisconsin. I join with many of my colleagues in seeking to implement an income tax reduction. This can be accomplished either through a rate adjustment or a revamp of the tax code to make it simpler and fairer. Individuals and employers alike are burdened by the complicated nature of our state’s tax code. I advocate eliminating the tax on personal property because it requires paying taxes on the same products year after year. It also acts as a disincentive to purchasing new products since they will be taxed more heavily. 2. Thiesfeldt: The mining bill received not even one vote from my Democrat colleagues. I don’t for a moment believe that there were no Democrats in the state legislature supportive of the bill. They were simply unwilling to give a victory to the governor at the same time they were supporting his eventual unsuccessful recall. It is time to set aside the partisanship that

2012 New North B2B Questionnaire for Wisconsin Senate and Assembly Candidates 1. Despite some legislation during the past two years to make Wisconsin an easier place to do business, some economic development professionals still feel there’s more tax and regulatory challenges the legislature can minimize to help existing employers remain in the state and grow, as well as to help promising highgrowth firms get off the ground and compete globally from Wisconsin. What proposals would you support to further improve the state’s toolbox for economic development? 2. Once again this past year, mining regulations took center stage as a proposal from Gogebic Taconite to add hundreds of jobs in northern Wisconsin fell apart as a result of the company’s frustration’s with the state’s regulatory permitting process. From your perspective, what commentary, if any, did this episode provide on our state? If some other attempt to revise the state’s mining regulations surfaced again in the next two years, where might you stand on the issue?

3. Some aspect of tort reform seems to come up during each biennial state legislative campaign, but there hasn’t been much serious effort to put any meaningful change in place. As a measure of controlling frivolous lawsuits in the state, would you support any changes to Wisconsin law allowing defendants to seek default judgments against plaintiffs in a civil lawsuit deemed without any merit? 4. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau predicted earlier this year that Wisconsin could face an estimated $143 million deficit for fiscal 2013 due to revenue shortfalls stemming from fewer tax collections from income, sales and property taxes, all of which have continued to succumb to larger continued economic pressures. What cuts would you recommend in the first six months of the next legislative term to help alleviate any budget deficit? (Editor’s note: In the time since candidates received these questions in mid-August, the LFB has since projected a surplus for the current fiscal year.)

NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012 l 35

GOVERNMENT PROFILE Name: Jeremy Thiesfeldt (R) – Incumbent Residence: Fond du Lac Job: Former Lutheran school teacher for 22 years Political experience: Currently in his first term in the Wisconsin Assembly; City of Fond du Lac Common Council from 2005 to 2010 Education: Bachelor’s in elementary education Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn. Web site: fightingforthe52nd.com is holding back a huge bonus for the economy of our state. The rejection of the mining legislation sent a message to investors of all types that political victories were more important than creating opportunities for Wisconsin families. I am eager and willing to support more mining legislation next session. The current mining laws in Wisconsin are so onerous that they act as a de facto veto to those with the capital to invest. New legislation must allow for a more compressed timetable and a tax structure that benefits the state, compensates the local community for infrastructure and still allows a healthy profit for investors. Preserving the natural beauty and quality of life in the area around the mine was fundamental to the 2012 bill, and will be vital to any new legislation as well. 3. Thiesfeldt: Yes, it is too easy to attempt to exploit “deep pockets” in Wisconsin. Too often, successful individual business owners or corporations are easy targets for excessive lawsuits and financial judgments. Unfortunately, these types of lawsuits are often driven by attorneys encouraging clients to file suit for unscrupulous reasons seeking disproportionate dollars. It is reasonable to set limits on financial judgments as well as to discourage irresponsible use of the court resources by allowing “loser pays” provisions. Wisconsin statutes currently provide this for filing appeals that attempt to delay court proceedings. Other states, such as California, take further measures to protect the integrity of the courts. 4. Thiesfeldt: Recent projections have shown a positive change in revenue. The reforms put in place in the 2010-11 legislative session are proving effective, and if left in place will benefit our state for generations. Rather than propose new cuts, it is more important to emphasize the continuation of seeking efficiencies and flexibilities of state programs to ensure the people’s dollars are maximized. We should not be proposing additional spending, rather we need to be controlling the size and scope of our government. The positive side of the ledger sheet needs to be applied to the “rainy day fund” to avoid requiring taxpayers to cover future shortfalls on short notice.

Assembly District 54

(Includes Oshkosh) 1. Hintz: Wisconsin needs to take a long-term view of its economic strengths and weaknesses, rather than seeking quick fixes. There is a growing skills gap between what 21st century jobs require and what skills are possessed by the next generation of workers. The Road Ahead report by former Bucyrus Erie CEO Tim Sullivan identifies the skills gaps as the biggest 36 l NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012

long-term challenge for Wisconsin businesses. Sustained technical education and improved private-public partnerships can narrow the gap. Wisconsin has excellent university research facilities and we are beginning to see more start up businesses generated from basic and applied research. After failing to pass venture capital legislation last session, it is important we get effective and accountable legislation passed. According to Zach Brandon, director of the Wisconsin Angel Network, if the state were receiving a percentage of the venture capital proportionate with its population, it would have 259,215 venture-created jobs rather than the 60,156 venture-backed jobs he estimates it has. Regulatory reform must balance many legitimate and competing interests. Some of the business frustration with regulations is more with the state agency handling of the regulation rather than the regulation itself. I believe that (1) all regulations should be periodically reviewed, (2) all parties, including businesses, should be treated with a “how can we help you resolve your issue” attitude, and (3) regulatory review should take place within a reasonable period of time. If agencies cannot conduct regulatory reviews in a timely manner, they should be given better staff resources and stricter deadlines. 1. Esslinger: My top two priorities are: creating jobs and eliminating/reducing the debt. I would propose the legislature provide leadership on job creation and work favorably with Governor Walker and get Wisconsin on track to create 250,000 new jobs within his term. I have heard far too many times that businesses want to move out of Wisconsin because of its tax structure and regulatory burden. I also believe that we need to get aggressive on retaining jobs in Wisconsin. Again, I have heard far too many times about the excessive rules and regulations that are not conducive for business. Even in the short amount of time I ran a small business I was frustrated with the fees and taxes that were levied on me. That is the primary reason that I gave up the business. 2. Esslinger: I think the commentary that came from this situation is that we have politicians that talk out of both sides of their mouths. I know my opponent talks about wanting to create jobs, and then when presented the opportunity to accomplish that, he impedes the Walker agenda and votes “no” on the mining bill that was projected to create thousands of high paying jobs and inject billions of dollars into Wisconsin. He voted no because of “environmental concerns.” I believe the environmental concerns were addressed and the jobs would have provided relief to an economically depressed portion of the state. I believe the mining bill was sympathetic to the concerns of the environment. How many times do we have to hear that potential family-sustaining jobs were thrown out because of “environmental” issues? Is the spotted owl more important than families that desire to have an opportunity at the American dream? I think part of the problem may be that some politicians receive money from environmental political action committees for their campaigns and they don’t want that revenue source to go away so they vote how the PAC wants them to vote. It’s time elected officials start representing their constituents and not political action committees.

www.newnorthb2b.com

GOVERNMENT PROFILE Name: Gordon Hintz (D) – Incumbent Residence: Oshkosh Job: Public administration consulting Political experience: Currently in third term in the Wisconsin Assembly, elected in 2006. Education: Bachelor’s in political science - Hamline University, St. Paul, Minn.; Master’s in public affairs from the LaFollette School at UW Madison Web site: hintzforassembly.com I would have voted in favor of the mining bill had I represented the 54th Assembly District and I hope if I’m representing the 54th in the next term I have the chance to support it then. 2. Hintz: Efforts to change mining regulations were a disaster. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (12.19.2011) reported that Assembly Bill 426 was drafted by Gogebic Taconite (GTAC). Not a single member of the Assembly was actually identified as authoring the bill. Changing mining regulations statewide for one company requires caution. Former CEO and business writer John Torinus summarized the failed process: “[Gogebic] Mining “President Williams needs to take a look in the mirror before doling out a lot of blame….Yet any seasoned CEO would take a step back after such a flop of a major initiative and ask where he or she went wrong. Ditto for the Republican leaders in the legislature. “Williams decided on a unilateral strategy of teaming up with the Republican majorities to pass a law that would streamline the mining permitting process. Democrats had no voice in the process. Environmental groups were also excluded.” “He issued what amounted to be ultimatums, which is a risky negotiating tactic seldom employed by seasoned CEOs.” (3.12.2012 www.johntorinus.com) I recently had breakfast with Governor Walker and suggested that it was a mistake for mining advocates to not even meet with me to answer questions my constituents had. I told the Governor I was interested in helping pass meaningful changes to mining laws, including environmental protections and public input, and encouraged him to provide leadership in the next session. Changing mining rules are significant decisions with very long-term consequences for generations to come. Legitimate questions were raised about the proposed mine that were never answered. 3. Hintz: Tort law is very complex and very contentious and the issues go well beyond controlling frivolous lawsuits. If we are talking only about controlling frivolous lawsuits, then the first question is how do we decide that a civil claim for damages in a lawsuit is frivolous. In medical malpractice cases, the most common tort claim, considering the Minnesota model might be effective in eliminating frivolous lawsuits. Minnesota requires two actions by the plaintiff before the lawsuit can go forward. First, the plaintiff’s attorney must provide a sworn affidavit to the court that he or she has reviewed the

PROFILE Name: Paul Esslinger (R) Residence: Oshkosh Job: Advertising sales representative for Hometown Broadcasting Political experience: Mayor for City of Oshkosh from 2009 to 2011; elected to the Oshkosh Common Council from 2000 to 2009 Education: Bachelor’s in marketing – Marian University, Fond du Lac

case with a medical expert and that the expert agrees with the foundation of the malpractice case. Not providing this affidavit quickly ends the case at very little cost to anybody. Second, a more detailed affidavit is required within 180 days that must identify the medical experts being used by the plaintiff along with their qualifications. It also must answer the questions of “what are you going to prove happened and how are you going to prove it?” The prima facie claim must be established or the suit will be thrown out before a trial or any hearing. The Minnesota approach has proven to be affective as malpractice claims have diminished and there is little controversy about malpractice liability. This model can be applied to other types of tort claims. I believe that this is a better approach than threats of default judgments. 3. Esslinger: We have all heard of court settlements that have raised an eyebrow. A robber slipping and falling while attempting to rob a residence and the owner of the home is at fault, or someone suing the weather person because it rained on their picnic. I support tort reform and injecting common sense into the rules so frivolous lawsuits are not encouraged and baseless claims are discouraged because the law doesn’t reward court system abuse. This abuse has driven up costs and has resulted in lawyers collecting obscene amounts of money. I find it interesting how those that disagree with this position don’t have a problem with lawyer’s collecting legal fees up to 30 percent of the settlement amount but have such an issue with businesses charging enough to generate a modest profit. And of course the business will just raise the cost of their product/service to pay for the attorneys. So the ultimate cost is passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices for products and services. I would support some form of “loser pays” for lawsuits that are suspect. I know judges now have the ability to pass on attorney fees in summary judgments. Maybe a mandatory “loser pays” if a judge were to award a summary judgment would be appropriate. 4. Esslinger: I served nine years on the common council and two years as the mayor of Oshkosh. I feel it is important to engage the constituents on these important decisions and I would hold town hall meetings to go over a list of areas that would need to be sacrificed as a result of a budget shortfall. This would be a question of priorities and I feel the residents of the district I hope to serve would provide the necessary guidance on what areas should be cut. I will say however, NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012 l 37

GOVERNMENT there seems some redundancy in state government. I question the role of the DPI and why the powers and funding from the DPI wouldn’t be better diverted to the local levels at the local school board. I do believe there is much redundancy in the state government and our state would be better served by diverting Madison control back to the local where possible and feasible. This would result in saving money and better manage our precious resources and make our government delivering less bureaucracy. 4. Hintz: The first step should be to not make things worse. Unfortunately, the 2011-2013 budget put Wisconsin on a financially unstable course that begs for revisiting recent legislative decisions. For example, tax credits can play an important part in stimulating growth if they are targeted and accountable. However, the special session in January 2011 included an untargeted jobs credit of $92 to $310 for any business that hires anyone for any job, not enough to provide a hiring incentive but a nice gift that cost the State $33.5 million. Repeal of combined reporting gave a few large national corporations tax breaks of $46.8 million by re-opening a loophole allowing them to avoid paying state taxes. Lastly, the new Domestic Production Credit has the potential to eventually reduce any tax liability for selected businesses without any link to job creation. The cost estimate is $44.2 million in FY2013 but more than $128.7 million every year after 2015. We need to make more intelligent use of tax credits. In the short term, postponing or cancelling projects that have been authorized but not started would be my primary recommendation. If not sufficient, then across-the-board reductions with Administration discretion for critical services might be necessary. In the longer term, the State needs to establish a stabilization fund to cover fluctuations in revenues. It can support this fund by (1) dealing with the labor skill gap to generate economic development, (2) using public resources more efficiently, and (3) creating a 2lst Century tax system to stabilize revenues without changing tax rates.

Assembly District 55

(Includes Neenah, town of Grand Chute and portions of Appleton and northern Winnebago County) 1. Kaufert: We have taken many positive steps forward over the past two years by passing economic, regulatory, and tax reforms that have improved Wisconsin’s business climate and made our state a more attractive place to do business and create jobs. We eliminated a $3.6 billion budget deficit without raising taxes, paid down our state debt, enacted a property tax freeze, passed a job creation tax credit for creating new jobs, reduced the tax on investment income, and created the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. charged with attracting new businesses to our state and creating jobs. These reforms have helped to significantly improve Wisconsin’s business climate. According to a Chief Executive Magazine survey, Wisconsin has moved up a nation best 21 spots in their ranking of best states to do business in since 2010 (from 41st to 20th). By comparison, our neighbor Illinois ranks 48th. There is still more that can be done. We need to maintain a balanced state budget which has improved our credit rating.

38 l NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012

PROFILE Name: Dean Kaufert (R) Incumbent Residence: Neenah Job: Former retailer and small business owner. Political experience: Currently in 11th term in the Wisconsin Assembly, elected in 1990; City of Neenah Common Council from 1985 to 1991. Education: Neenah High School Web site: kaufertforassembly.com

I support passage of mining legislation, and believe we also need to work toward reforming our income tax system. 2. Kaufert: I supported and co-sponsored the Assembly mining legislation to streamline and modernize the permitting process for iron mining in Wisconsin. This legislation passed the Assembly, but failed in the State Senate last year. Mining legislation should be brought forward again next session. These common sense reforms have the potential to create thousands of good paying jobs in our state, directly in northern Wisconsin, but also throughout the entire state in industries that are necessary to support and supply a mine. This can be done safely where there are proper safeguards to ensure that the environment is protected, but at the same time make it feasible for a mining company to operate and invest in Wisconsin. 3. Kaufert: Last session, we enacted landmark tort reform legislation, Special Session SB 1, during the January 2011 Special Session on Job Creation called by Governor Walker. This legislation was a significant step forward in creating a more fair and reasonable liability climate in Wisconsin. We need to consider further reforms that would help allow defendants to seek cost repayment from plaintiffs who file frivolous lawsuits against them. 4. Kaufert: Because of the economic development initiatives passed by Governor Walker and the legislature over the past two years that have started to move our economy back in the right direction, Wisconsin now actually has a projected budget surplus of $274.1 million dollars and another $125.4 million in our Budget Stabilization Fund, or “rainy day” fund, according the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. We need to continue efforts to reduce waste and fraud and to make government run more efficiently.

State Senate District 18

(Includes most of Fond du Lac and Winnebago counties, including all of the 52nd, 53rd and 54th Assembly Districts) 1. King: In July, I requested the creation of a Senate Committee on Venture Capital to restart talks on the development of a Wisconsin venture capital fund. I believe it is essential to restart our efforts to develop, promote, and leverage early stage investment capital in Wisconsin. We have a strong tradition of entrepreneurship and small business growth is the economic future of Wisconsin. We have sophisticated science and information technology under development throughout the state

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GOVERNMENT and the time is right for Wisconsin to develop sources of capital for high-growth industries. We can put past legislative failures behind us and take a bi-partisan approach to investing in our future success. As a small business owner, I believe that training a 21st Century workforce is one of the best ways to improve the state’s economic outlook. Businesses and manufacturers consistently identify the need for skilled workers as one of the most important challenges they face. The budget passed last year cut support for technical college funding by over $70 million. As the new Chair of the Job Training, Technical College, and Workforce Development Committee I will seek to support our local technical colleges and eliminate waiting lists in high demand occupations. In mid-September I held an informational public hearing on job training in high demand occupations, which included technical college representatives, business partners, and skilled trades representatives. I believe it is important to support the realignment of the skills of our able workforce with the needs of local employers. 1. Gudex: Last session started with more than a $3 billion deficit which required difficult decisions to balance the budget. Despite this huge obstacle, there were several steps taken to move Wisconsin’s economy forward including the creation of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, manufacturer’s tax credit, the job creation tax credit and removing red tape that slowed growth. However, there is more that can be done to get Wisconsin’s workers into family-supporting jobs. Reforming the tax code to be more competitive will be one priority. A venture capital bill is likely to be considered again in the 2013 session. Any venture capital bill must have protections for taxpayers, have funds matched by private investors, and invested 100 percent in Wisconsin. There are several other states that have venture capital programs that provide examples of what works and what doesn’t. The new WEDC is getting off the ground and working as a public/private partnership to give a whole new approach to job creation and retention in Wisconsin – we need to work closely with them to make sure they stay on the right track and get results. I would also connect state agencies with small business owners and entrepreneurs to discuss ways to remove roadblocks to economic development. In order for businesses to start, relocate, and expand in Wisconsin, government should be a resource, not a roadblock. PROFILE Name: Jessica King (D) Residence: Oshkosh Job: Attorney and owner of Compass Law Political experience: Currently in her first term in the Wisconsin Senate after winning a recall election in 2011; City of Oshkosh Common Council from 2007 to 2011 Education: Bachelor’s in international studies, history and political science – UW Oshkosh; Juris doctorate from Thomas Jefferson School of Law, San Diego Web site: jessicakingforsenate.com

2. Gudex: Legislators had a clear opportunity to support economic development by using natural resources here in Wisconsin, while putting in place strong protections for the environment. The final version of the bill from last session was a great job creation bill that had high environmental standards with the goal of mining safely and cleanly while helping grow our economy and create jobs throughout the state. I am disappointed because I fear that the window of opportunity may have closed because of political games. If a second chance arises, I will work hard towards getting a mining bill signed; Wisconsin workers deserve this opportunity. 2. King: I support responsible mining in Wisconsin. The Assembly version of the mining bill last session was irresponsible and would have hurt taxpayers and local small towns in the area near the proposed iron ore mine. The failure to pass a mining bill last session is just another example of why Madison is broken. That’s why I co-authored a bi-partisan mining bill and I am working with Democrats, Republicans, mining companies, local communities and environmentalists to draft a mining law that creates jobs while protecting the rights and the safety of local communities. As a result of my request, the Senate convened a new Senate Committee on Mining to renew efforts to modernize the state’s mining laws. I believe it is important that Wisconsin adopt a proposal that balances the needs of all stakeholders and reflects the permitting process in states that have successful iron mining operations. An issue as complex and time and resource intensive as mining deserves a thoughtful, bi-partisan evaluation and a proposal that ensures mining will be done efficiently, safely, and responsibly. The Wisconsin Mining Association’s effort to analyze Wisconsin’s mining laws is a worthwhile project and I expect that their report will be included in the committee process. We should call on all interested parties from impacted areas to help the legislature develop the framework for a comprehensive update to our mining laws. 3. King: Wisconsin’s legal system will always require review to make sure there is a fair system to resolve disputes between individuals, businesses and government entities. How often are we reminded that no one likes lawyers until they need one because they were harmed by another? Frivolous litigation describes cases that have absolutely no merit. As a solo firm owner, I can tell you a law firm will not PROFILE Name: Rick Gudex (R) Residence: Fond du Lac Job: Production manager for the aluminum division at Brenner Tank in Fond du Lac Political experience: Currently president of the City of Fond du Lac Common Council since 2010 and elected to the council in 2009; Village of Eden Board of Trustees from 2001 to 2004; Mayor for City of Mayville from 1998 to 2000 and member of the Mayville Common Council from 1996 to 1998 Education: St. Mary’s Springs High School Web site: rickgudexforsenate.com

NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012 l 39

GOVERNMENT make money unless it screens cases to make sure there is merit to the circumstances that bring the cases through the door. No business owner would spend hours of time preparing a case for trial with no merit because they would not receive a verdict in their favor and would not be compensated. Some prospective clients have monetary resources to fund harassment litigation, against competitors in the marketplace, others in their supply chain, an ex-spouse, a business partner. Cases are pursued because the attorney’s compensation is not related to the merits of the case. In 2011 Wisconsin Act 2 was passed to hold a party or his attorney liable for costs and fees for beginning, using or continuing an action if it is done solely for harassment or maliciously injuring another party and there is no reasonable basis in the law for the conduct, or no good faith argument for an extension, modification or reversal of the law. It removes the judge’s discretion in awarding attorney fees as a penalty. Time will tell if this provision of Act 2 will change abusive behavior. 3. Gudex: Consumer protection is important to maintain in cases where they have suffered damages. If Wisconsin is going to continue its recovery, it cannot have a favorable environment for frivolous lawsuits, however. This is a huge cost, both in its finances and reputation, to businesses that have to fight lawsuits without merit. It is reasonable that employers targeted by trial attorneys receive some compensation for their time and effort in frivolous lawsuits. 4. Gudex: Thanks to the reforms last session there projects to be a nearly $275 million surplus according to the Department of Revenue. This has allowed for money to be transferred into the State’s rainy day fund. The first place we need to look for

cutting state expenses is the waste, fraud and abuse of government programs funded by taxpayers. Stories of inmates receiving unemployment insurance checks and people selling FoodShare cards online show there is pervasive abuse that needs to be uncovered and ended as a means to save tax dollars. 4. King: Fortunately, current revenue projections are more optimistic than the Legislative Fiscal Bureau’s forecast from earlier this year. Data released in September showed that actual collections were almost 1 percent above the projection, which closes most of the projected deficit. While I am pleased our economy is improving, we are still in a period of limited resources and policy makers are faced with tough choices. I believe that all options have to be on the table when looking for cuts in our budget while protecting the priority in our communities - jobs and the economy. As a small business owner, I believe we need to put small businesses and job creation before giving tax breaks to big corporations. We need to continue to help create good, family supporting jobs in our community by investing in education and sustainable development that will create more jobs. Our top priority is the development of a skilled workforce that is ready to fill Wisconsin jobs now. The recent Retirement & Departure Intentions Survey Report from the Fond du Lac Association of Commerce, the Fond du Lac Area Human Resource Association and Moraine Park Technical College shows that if we continue to fill open job positions at the current rate, we will need to build a workforce to fill the shortage of 12,000 jobs over the next 15 years. Not only is there a need to immediately retrain people who are unemployed, but we also must take steps to invest in our future.

Candidates invited to participate who did not respond Assembly District 2

Assembly District 55

Assembly District 3

Assembly District 56

Name: Andre Jacque (R) - Incumbent Name: Larry Pruess (D)

Name: Al Ott (R) - Incumbent Name: Kole Oswald (D) Name: Josh Young (I)

Assembly District 4

Name: Chad Weininger (R) - Incumbent

Assembly District 5

Name: Jim Steineke (R) - Incumbent Name: Jeff McCabe (D)

Assembly District 52 Name: Paul G. Czisny (D)

Assembly District 53 Name: Ryan Flejter (D) Name: Michael Schraa (R)

40 l NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012

Name: Jim Crail (D) Name: Rich Martin (L)

Name: Richard B. Schoenbohm (D) Name: Dave Murphy (R)

Assembly District 88

Name: John Klenke (R) – Incumbent Name: Ward Bacon (D)

Assembly District 89

(Includes Suamico and portions of Green Bay, Howard and southern Oconto County) Name: John Nygren (R) - Incumbent Name: Joe Reinhard (D)

Assembly District 90 Name: Eric Genrich (D) Name: David Vanderleest (R)

State Senate District 30 Name: Dave Hansen (D) – Incumbent Name: John Macco (R)

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PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING

BKs, judgments and tax liens...Oh My! by Credit Matters, Inc.

While you may not face lions, tigers and bears when trying to obtain financing, sometimes the feelings of impending doom are the same as Dorothy felt while following the yellow brick road through Haunted Forest. And, as Dorothy found, facing your adversaries directly enables you to negotiate your way through any perils and ultimately reach your Emerald City – loan approval. Following is a brief overview of the issues regarding public records listed in a credit report. Bankruptcies: Chapter 7 bankruptcies are reported for 10 years, while Chapter 13 bankruptcies are reported for seven years. Both types of bankruptcies are reported at the time of filing and remain for the duration of seven or 10 years from the date of last activity – either the filing date or the discharge date if you went through with the bankruptcy. Items included in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy are reported for

Dan Krueger

seven years. It is the creditor’s responsibility to notify the credit reporting agencies of an account being included in bankruptcy…not the bankruptcy attorney’s. Judgments: If a judgment is filed against you, it is reported to the credit reporting agencies at that time by the county courthouse. Judgments report for seven years from the date the judgment is filed. Paying off the plaintiff does not show the judgment as paid on the credit report until a “satisfaction” is filed with the courthouse in the county the judgment was filed. Often, this paid/satisfied status is not updated to the credit reporting agencies by the county. Tax Liens: Unpaid tax liens report for 15 years from the date of filing. Paid tax liens report for seven years from the paid date. Both federal and state tax liens are filed at the county courthouse. When a tax lien is paid, the governing agency usually files a “release” with the county.

800.531.7279

Often, this release is not updated by the county courthouse to the credit reporting agencies to show that a lien is released. Sometimes the state or the IRS hasn’t filed the release with the county…something you should follow up on with the clerk of courts (state) and register of deeds (IRS). Dan Krueger is the owner of Credit Matters, Inc., a registered Credit Service Organization with the State of Wisconsin. Since 2003 Credit Matters has assisted over 3,000 consumers and small business owners with credit restoration and consultation services. For assistance with your credit management or score improvement needs, call us at: 800-531-7279. “Professionally Speaking” is a promotional spot for business professionals to share their expertise with New North B2B readers.

NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012 l 41

WHO’S NEWS Incorporations New North B2B publishes monthly new business incorporations filed with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.

Brown County

De Pere Minimart LLC, Bishnu P. Adhikari, 821 George St., De Pere 54115. Port Haven Executive Homes LLC, Joseph R. Fittshur, 2552 Emeu Chase Tr., De Pere 54115. Louie’s General Construction & Concrete LLC, Paul J. Lewis, 2850 Country View Cir., De Pere 54115. Schinkten Design LLC, Susan K. Schinkten, 936 Lawton Pl., De Pere 54115. Clover Auto & Truck Supply Inc., John O’Connor, 2551 Coreland Ct., De Pere 54115. Central States Field Trial Club Ltd., John Mathys, 4411 County Road W, De Pere 54115. Stone Quarry Storage LLC, Keith E. Garot, 320 Main Ave., De Pere 54115. Green Bay Architectural Finishes LLC, Natalie B. Rose, N1658 Lambie Road, De Pere 54115. Retailer Ecom Blueprint LLC, Jesse Akre, 1535 Silver Maple Dr., De Pere 54115. Hardin’s Sport Apparel and Clothing LLC, Mary Haas, 1926 Dallas Lane, De Pere 54115. Rider Veterinary Clinic of Mishicot Inc., Michelle A. Rider, DVM, 5369 Park Road, Denmark 54208. Irish Meadow Homes LLC, Judith Marie Popp, N1148 Irish Road, Denmark 54208. N-Ary Knowledge Systems LLC, Alex Dolski, 522 Schwartz St., Green Bay 54302. K D Hauling LLC, Keith James Dorner, 4880 Finger Road, Green Bay 54311. Fusion Fitness LLC, Amparo B. Phillips, 1446 14th Ave., Green Bay 54304. Ohana Design Company LLC, Jeffrey R. Crowell Jr., 515 Sunrise Lane, Green Bay 54301. Pure Pressure Cleaning Solutions LLC, Lawrence M. Becks, 1581 W. Marhill Road, Green Bay 54313. Able Taxi and Tours LLC, Kurt Rodney Wipperfurth II, 2084 Spring Creek Cir., Green Bay 54311. Sweet Dreams Anesthesia Services LLC, Amber Nicole Petersen, 534 Edelweiss Dr., Green Bay 54302. Door County Soap Works LLC, Benjamin Buehler, 1545 Cornell Road, Ste. 16, Green Bay 54313. Pixel Garden Studio LLC, Jeffrey John Sanders, 815 S. Irwin Ave., Green Bay 54301. Warber Wealth Management LLC, Christopher Warber, 677 Baeten Road, Green Bay 54304. Brown County Trust for Historic Preservation Inc., Peter Angilello, 146 E. Mission Road, Green Bay 54301. Dermatology Consultants PC Ltd., Kevan G. Lewis, 2221 S. Webster Ave., Ste. 241, Green Bay 54301. Fisher Building and Remodeling LLC, Bradley James Fisher, Jr., 1501 Avondale Dr., Green Bay 54313. Digital Communications Company LLC, Digital Communications Consulting LLC, 2636 Vonda Dr., Green Bay 54311. Weigh 2 Go Health LLC, Corey Reyment, 2974 Emmalane Dr., Green Bay 54311. Revitalize LLC, Katherine Wilkins, 2401 Holmgren Way, Green Bay 54304. Melzer Law LLC, Heidi D. Melzer, 4469 Wyandot Tr., Green Bay 54313. Winkler Trucking Inc., Chris Winkler, 3052 Crusade Lane, Green 42 l NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012

Bay 54313. Grandview Cropping LLC, Randy M. Stahl, 3441 Golf Dr., Green Bay 54311. Doodle Waddle Jewelry Designs LLC, Barbara Jane DolanWallace, 708 S. Quincy St., Green Bay 54301. PM Productions LLC, Patrick Joseph Metoxen, Sr., 1541 Western Ave., Green Bay 54303. Dan’s Car Wash LLC, Daniel J. Pamperin, 1275 Glory Road, Green Bay 54304. Foremost Publishing LLC, Michael R. Garsow, 2847 Viking Dr., Green Bay 54304. Spine IQ LLC, Brian T. Dovorany, 2031 S. Webster Ave., Green Bay 54301. Vandenberg Art & Design LLC, Lori Ann Vandenberg, 1644 Belmont Road, Green Bay 54313. Ledgeview Bar LLC, Karen Becker, 895 Camm Pl., Green Bay 54303. Green Bay Events Inc., Brittany Lynn Burt, 1039 W. Mason St., Ste. 126, Green Bay 54303. Ivy Cottage Home Decor.Com LLC, Ryan P. Dachelet, 3138 Eastbreeze Lane, Green Bay 54311. Black Rock Transport LLC, Michael L. Halron, 1618 State St., Green Bay 54304. Wrightstown Area Baseball Association Inc., Michael Froehlke, 6697 Ridge Royale Dr., Greenleaf 54126. Golden Touch Home Care LLC, Ann Rebecca Golden, 1582 Day St., Greenleaf 54126. Pat and Son’s Quality Auto Body LLC, Pat Robert McGuire, Sr., 7138 County Road W, Greenleaf 54126.

Green Lake County

White River Inspections LLC, Brian Bending, W1235 County Road X, Berlin 54923. Rock’n Roll Trucking LLC, Kevin Resop, 588 SW Ceresco St., Berlin 54923.

Fond du Lac County

Wedding Gardens Floral Design LLC, Mary Cundy, W2261 Amie Dr., Brownsville 53006. JLR Kennels LLC, Jessie Lee Richards, N9424 County Road W, Campbellsport 53010. Midland Home Inspecting LLC, Jason M. Johnson, N9293 Midland Dr., Campbellsport 53010. Cheng’s Chinatown Kitchen LLC, Calvin Cheng, 18 N. Main St., Fond du Lac 54935. Energy Conversion Operating Systems LLC, Terry Lee Neumann, N6461 Danny Lane, Fond du Lac 54937. Meisenburg Brewing and Bottling LLC, David Lee Meisenburg, W1886 County Road HH, Malone 53049. Applewood Market LLC, Matthew Gregory Abler, P.O. Box 147, Mount Calvary 53057. Birschbach Builders LLC, Ted H. Birschbach, 522 S. County Road W, Mount Calvary 53057. Phillips Lawn Cutting Service LLC, Larry Edward Phillips, 1212 Wisconsin Ave., North Fond du Lac 54937. KBR Logging LLC, Ronald R. Abitz, W8202 County Road Y, Oakfield 53065. McClelland Electrical Maintenance LLC, Donald George McClelland, 345 Oak St., Oakfield 53065. RCS Electric LLC, Tyson Campbell Strankman, 835 Liberty St., Ripon 54971. Fourtwenty Smokehouse LLC, Matthew Gregory Abler, W868 County Road CCC, St. Cloud 53079. Wisconsin Rebels Fastpitch Softball Inc., Debra Miller, 245

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WHO’S NEWS Clay Road, Van Dyne 54979.

Outagamie County

Food Packaging & Process Engineering LLC, John Peter Adams, Ph.D., 2353 W. Prospect Ave., Appleton 54914. Adagio Therapy LLC, Pamela S. Bilyeu, 411 W. 6th St., Appleton 54911. Schmidt Auction LLC, Jill Shaffer, 3323 N. Casaloma Dr., #58, Appleton 54913. Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction Inc., Miles S. Girouard, 324 E. Clearfield Lane, Appleton 54913. Sitawi Life Coaching LLC, Sarah Beth Crawford, 601 Creekview Lane, Appleton 54915. Innovative Fitness Systems LLC, Rodney A. Ingram, 2408 W. Nordale Dr., Appleton 54914. Osorio’s Latin Fusion LLC, Kimberly Finnell, 1910 N. Casaloma Dr., Appleton 54913. Eurisko Labs LLC, Tim Miller, 3217 E. Sandpiper Lane, Appleton 54913. Suicide Prevention & Resource Center Inc., Barbara Bigalke, 1127 E. Roeland Ave., Appleton 54915. De La Teja Studio Inc., Heidi Lee De La Teja, 2706 Independence Ct., Appleton 54914. Select Wireless LLC, Thomas Yang, 611 N. Lynndale Dr., Appleton 54914. Appleton Calibration LLC, Michael J. Hicks, 39 Lamplighter Ct., Appleton 54914. El Patron Restaurant LLC, Miguel A. Hernandez, Sr., 212 S. Story St., Appleton 54914. One Health Consulting LLC, Barbara Jones, 3498 N. McCarthy Road, Appleton 54913. Wisconsin Retirement & Insurance Group LLC, Scott Allin

Huebner, N3166 Feather Ridge Dr., Appleton 54913. Fredricks Publishing LLC, Richard Edward Fredricks, 806 S. Summit St., Appleton 54914. Silicon Investigations, Ltd., David W. Pender, 1715 E. Newberry St., Appleton 54915. Ryan J. Renard Insurance Agency Inc., Ryan J. Renard, 2405 S. Oneida St., Appleton 54915. Golden Hands Asian Massage LLC, Li Song Castillo, 2929 N. Richmond St., Appleton 54911. All Around Mayflower Storage LLC, Michael J. Gonnering, N365 Mayflower Dr., Appleton 54914. Pure Cain Honey LLC, Larry William Cain, 630 E. Sierra Lane, Appleton 54913. Loon Country Marketing LLC, James B. Salinas, 2029 N. Superior St., Appleton 54911. Luidanamich Powersports Inc., Ana M. Cisneros, N206 Hank Dr., Appleton 54915. Kenneth L. Schaufelberger, M.D., S.C., Kenneth L. Schaufelberger, 2105 E. Enterprise Ave., Ste. 101, Appleton 54913. Fox Valley Performance Volleyball LLC, Jeffery Lee Justice, 108 Parkway Dr., Combined Locks 54113. D&B Corner Stop LLC, Daniel Abel, W1663 Echo Valley Road, Freedom 54130. Duquaine Law LLC, Deric P. Duquaine, W3411 Equestrian Tr., Freedom 54913. Dairy Cares of Wisconsin Inc., James J. Ostrom, N3569 Vanden Bosch Road, Kaukauna 54130. Quality RV LLC, Keith Ristow, 2928 Lawe St., Kaukauna 54130. Furman Hypnosis and Life Coaching LLC, Tiffany L. Furman, 816 Grignon St., Kaukauna 54130. Insight Personal and Small Business Support LLC, John William Coffey, 1308 Bluebird Ct., Kaukauna 54130.

NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012 l 43

WHO’S NEWS Care For You Handyman Service LLC, Erick Gonzalez, 216 W. Fourth St., P.O. Box 81, Kaukauna 54130.

Oconto County

Wisconsin Weld Training Center LLC, Ronald Thomas Bertrand, 231 County Road J, Little Suamico 54141.

Winnebago County

Torque Maintenance Supply LLC, Roger C. Kroening, 8443A Steeple Hill Dr., Larsen 54947. Meyer’s Mobile Marine LLC, Corey Meyer, 7289 Trauba Road, Larsen 54947. Elder Watch and Advocacy LLC, Nancy Ann Zelinski, 647 Paris St., Menasha 54952. Hooyman T3 Consulting LLC, Tom Hooyman, N8974 County Road LP, Menasha 54952. Quality Diagnostic Imaging Services Inc., Donald R. Stadler, 1735 Brighton Beach Road, Menasha 54952. Al John Media & Consulting LLC, Almeida T. John, 401 Ahnaip St., Menasha 54952. Empire Retirement Plan Services LLC, Kevin Speich, 155 Marina Pl., Menasha 54952. Badger Original Kimonos LLC, Damon Jerry Grambow, 793 Pleasant Lane, Menasha 54952. Roseneck Contracting & Carpentry LLC, Charles Alexander Roseneck, W6342 Ravine Ct., Menasha 54952. Michael’s Auto Repairs LLC, Michael Lee Hanlan, 210 Mathewson St., Menasha 54952. Estate Home Builders LLC, Steve J. Skotzke, 1703 Gateway Pl., Neenah 54956. Photon Signs & Graphix LLC, Steven Pulda, 207 Cedar St.,

Neenah 54956. House Calls Veterinary Service LLC, David J. Riedl, DVM, 1309 Whispering Pines Lane, Neenah 54956. New Age Siding and Windows LLC, Steven Thomas VanWinkle, 1571 Ames St., Neenah 54956. Jillayze Salon and Spa LLC, Jillay C. Ruppel, 221 E. Cecil St., Neenah 54956. Impressive Roofing & Siding LLC, Jill Rae Lewis, 1351 Kimberly Dr., Neenah 54956. Maple Grove Music Studio LLC, Marie Dalzell, 2540 Maple Grove Dr., Neenah 54956. Country Squire Christmas & Gift Shoppe LLC, Beverly J. Olson, 8472 State Road 76, Neenah 54956. Hoogland Foods LLC, Melissa Klockzien, 540 Shreve Lane, Neenah 54956. Queen Bee Apparel LLC, Dawn M. Rueger, 6808 Bauer Road, Omro 54963. Integrated Construction LLC, Mandy Williams, 4822 Rivermoor Road, Omro 54963. Academics, Evaluations & Guidance By Frazier LLC, Ann Gregory Frazier, 1185 Farmington Ave., Oshkosh 54901. Safe Harbour Insurance Group LLC, Tammy Marie Prather, 1704 Parkwood Dr., Oshkosh 54904. Balke Counseling LLC, Heidi Marie Balke, 143 Wyldeberry Lane, Oshkosh 54904. The Family Store LLC, Edward D. Lemke, 1605 S. Main St., Oshkosh 54902. LL Pilot Service LLC, Larry Alan Last, 3827 Red Oak Ct., Oshkosh 54902. Transitions Counseling LLC, Gretchen Koch, 2471 N. Main St., Oshkosh 54901.

The Face of a Keller Customer

Our Valued Customer. Without them we would be nothing. This is the face of our company we treasure most. The confident look on the face of someone we just helped to expand their business, remodel their office or build them a new facility that allows them to be more productive, effective and happy. People like Terry Bomier, owner of Bomier Properties, Inc., who has chosen Keller to build and partner with him on more than 10 commercial properties. Terry Bomier has a face we love, not only because it has an air of confidence, but because he trusted the design/build experts at Keller to put that confidence in his expression. We are Employee-Owned, Design/Build Experts. But don’t just take us at face value, call today and experience for yourself the difference that is Keller, Inc. mier, Terry Bo Inc. Owner per ties, o r P r ie Bom A

FACE of Keller

44 l NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012

Construction Excellence Since 1960

1.800.236.2534 l www.kellerbuilds.com Offices in the Fox Cities, Madison, Milwaukee & Wausau www.newnorthb2b.com

WHO’S NEWS Building permits B2B includes a monthly list of building permits (not to include residential projects) in excess of $400,000. Frontline Building Products and Green Bay Overhead Door, 1100 S. Huron Road, Green Bay. $892,000 for a 217,884-sq. ft. industrial warehouse facility and offices. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna. August 3. FedEx Ground, 3383 Spirit Way, Ashwaubenon. $4,060,000 for a 100,000-sq. ft. distribution center and offices. General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay. August 6. Gustman Chevrolet Pontiac, 1450 DeLanglade St., Kaukauna. $700,000 for a renovation of the existing automotive dealership. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna. August 17. Pacur Inc., 3555 Moser St., Oshkosh. $2,100,000 for an addition to the warehouse of the existing industrial facility. General contractor is Ganther Construction Co. of Oshkosh. August 20. Outagamie County Courthouse and Administration, 410 S. Walnut St., Appleton. $1,530,197 for an interior remodel of the existing building. General contractor is Miron Construction Co. of Neenah. August 27. Mid Valley Industries, 1151 DeLanglade St., Kaukauna. $800,000 for a 28,255-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility. General contractor is Building Creations Inc. of Appleton. August 29.

New businesses

New products/services Menasha-based Network Health is offering individual and family health insurance plans designed for consumers whose employers don’t offer health insurance or those who are retired but not yet eligible for Medicare. Options include health maintenance organization, point-ofservice and health savings account-qualified high-deductible plans, and prescription drugs are included. The plans include Network’s Empower wellness program. QuickStart, Inc. in Menasha is offering financial monitoring and advisory services for small business owners. The new services include: incorporating the budget/ projections into QuickBooks software; monthly assistance reviewing financial condition and cash flow; and advisory services in all areas of the business. Information about the new service is available online at www.quickstrt.com.

Business honors Awards and honors earned by individuals are listed separately in the Who’s News section of New North B2B. Menasha-based Faith Technologies was named a silver winner of the 2012 Health at Work Awards from ComPsych for its wellness program’s comprehensiveness, delivery, promotion, participation rates and results. The Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance presented its Excellence in Manufacturing/Education Partnerships Awards to the following manufacturers: Leadership Award to Ariens Company of Brillion; Youth Apprenticeship Award to A to Z Machine of Appleton; Educational

Alfa Bridal opened at 128 N. Broadway in Green Bay. The store specializes in one-of-a-kind dresses from New York City designer Darryl Jagge, who created his new line exclusively for Alfa Bridal. Butcher Block Meats & Cheese will open Oct. 15 at 234 N. Koeller St. in Oshkosh. Owners Kim and MariBeth Theusch will stock fresh, quality cuts of beef, pork and chicken, as well as offer handmade fresh and smoked sausages made and smoked on site. The store will also carry a variety of artisan, farmstead and specialty cheeses produced in Wisconsin.

Mergers/acquisitions Hoffman LLC in Appleton was sold by Paul J. Hoffman to an ownership group comprised of employees Miles Girouard, director of architectural services; Pat Del Ponte, director of planning services; Randy Bremhorst, project principal; Sam Statz, director of construction services; Terry Ellenbecker, director of field operations; and Sandy Orsted, director of strategic alliances. The new ownership group changed the name of the company to Hoffman Planning, Design, & Construction, Inc. Hoffman himself will remain connected to the firm as a consultant. Kurt and Carmen Wollenberg, founders of Performance Welding in Little Chute, sold the 16-year-old metal fabrication supplier to Alex Kowalski, who will step in as its CEO. Kurt Wollenberg will remain as president of the company and lead all sales efforts and Carmen will stay on as chief financial officer. Kowalski was most recently the president and COO of Info-Pro Mortgage Services in Fond du Lac. Sadoff Iron & Metal Company of Fond du Lac acquired Midwest Metals Recycling in Omaha, Neb. The company recycles a variety of nonferrous metal commodities.

NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012 l 45

WHO’S NEWS Partnership Award to Lindquist Machine of Ashwaubenon; and its Brighter Image Award to Kohler Company. Appleton-based Weidert Group won the award for Best New Client On-Boarding Process from HubSpot, recognizing customer satisfaction for Weidert’s practices selling new clients on the HubSpot Inbound Marketing software and showing them how to effectively use it during the first 100 days. Duffrin

New hires School Specialty in Greenville hired Patrick T. Collins as senior vice president of sales. Collins was most recently senior vice president of sales for United Stationers since 2004. Prior to that, he served as senior group vice president of sales and marketing at Ingram Micro from 2000 to 2004, and spent 15 years with Frito-Lay. LaFrombois

The Business Bank hired Jeff Duffrin as vice president for its Green Bay location. Duffrin has 15 years of banking experience. Nick Austin was hired as the communications coordinator for Oshkosh Community Media Services. Austin was most recently the sports information assistant for Madison Area Technical College. He previously worked as a sports reporter/anchor for WMTV Channel 15 in Madison and KJCT Channel 8 in Colorado.

Barry

Miller

BayCare Clinic Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation in Green Bay added Eric Dvorak, M.D. as a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist. Dr. Dvorak completed a fellowship in neurorehabilitation and spasticity management. Appleton-based WOW Logistics hired Ben LaFrombois as vice president and general counsel. LaFrombois most recently served as in-house counsel to Ingles Markets in North Carolina since 2006. Prior to that, he owned LaFrombois Law Office LLC in Appleton for 10 years where he specialized in corporate law and financing of commercial real estate. Schaper, Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. of Neenah hired Anthony J. Seashore as an investment analyst. Seashore had served as an infantry sergeant in the U.S. Army and was deployed for 15 months in Iraq. First National Bank – Fox Valley hired Steve Barry as assistant vice president of commercial banking for the Appleton area. Barry has eight years of community bank

experience, having previously worked in the Milwaukee area. Appleton-based Consolidated Construction Company hired Joe Miller as an architectural designer. Miller has 15 years experience as a designer/draftsman and was previously employed with Consolidated five years ago before relocating to another city. Epiphany Law LLC in Appleton hired Chris Snyder as a business attorney. Snyder specializes in business transactional matters, employment law, intellectual property and immigration law. He will also assist with succession and estate planning. Immel Construction in Green Bay hired Alex Santos as a project manager. Santos has more than 20 years experience in the construction industry and is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) accredited. BCI Burke in Fond du Lac hired Mike Phelan as vice president of operations. Phelan most recently worked for Associated Spring-Barnes Group as its general manager of U.S. operations where he oversaw five manufacturing facilities across the country. Insight Creative, Inc. in Green Bay hired Kevin McGillivray as a graphic designer/ web developer. He has experience in web and print design. Appleton-based Ledgeview Partners hired Rob Czypinski as a CRM application consultant, Pete Hoffman as a CRM development consultant, and Breana Whitlock as an inside sales account manager. The coming Oshkosh Premier Waterfront Hotel & Convention Center hired Daniel Schetter as general manager, Joe Williamson as corporate sales manager, David Helgeson as director of sales, Wendy Jansen as director of catering, David Krumplitsch as director of food and beverage, Foster Deadman as executive chef, and Abby Theys as executive rooms manager. Schetter has served as general manager of CopperLeaf Boutique Hotel & Spa in Appleton for the past seven years. Williamson has more than 30 years of hotel sales experience and will continue to work in his current role managing corporate sales for Best Western Premier Bridgewood Hotel in Neenah and CopperLeaf. Helgeson recently served as director of catering and convention services for Radisson Paper Valley Hotel in Appleton. Jansen has more than 20 years experience in the hospitality industry, working for the past five years as a special events account executive for the Green Bay Packers. Krumplitsch has more than 25 years of food and beverage experience, having most recently served as director of operations for The Marq Banquets

Snyder

Santos

Knuth

46 l NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012

Nelson

Koeppen

Buttke

Deering www.newnorthb2b.com

WHO’S NEWS & Catering in De Pere. Deadman previously served as the executive chef of Fratellos Oshkosh and was the corporate chef for The Supple Restaurant Group since 2008. Theys has worked in the hospitality industry since 2005 and has served as a general manager for a variety of hotels. Dental Associates hired Dr. Donn Harris as a general dentist for its eastside Fox Cities clinic at 2115 E. Evergreen Dr. in Appleton. Dr. Harris previously operated his own practice in Neenah for 22 years.

Promotions The Business Bank in Green Bay and Appleton promoted Justin Knuth to lead credit officer and Kate Nelson to loan officer/lead para lender. Knuth has been with the bank since 2008, while Nelson joined the bank in 2011.

of JAG Outdoor Advertising, Inc. and Joe Kobussen of Kobussen Buses Ltd. as Forum Fellows. The Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce presented its 2012 Athena Award to Suzy Pfeifer, director of marketing and fund development for Encompass Early Education & Care, Inc. in Green Bay. Robert Limoni, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon with BayCare Clinic in Green Bay, received the 2012 Innovation Scholar Award from the Wisconsin Medical Entrepreneurship Foundation for his inventions of a new crutch design and a laser hip ablation tool for revision surgery. Dr. Limoni will receive a monetary award toward his research.

Elections/appointments Todd A. Slagter, an attorney with Di Renzo & Bomier LLC in Neenah and Oshkosh, was elected to the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section Board. Slagter practices primarily in the areas of estate planning, probate, real estate and tax law.

The Community Blood Center in Appleton promoted Lisa Koeppen to community development specialist for the Oshkosh area. Koeppen has worked at the blood center for 15 years. Baker Tilly Virchow Krause LLP promoted the following employees in its Appleton office: Dan Buttke to senior manager of the financial services team; Ben Deering to senior accountant of the manufacturing team; Carrie Fryman and Travis Glennon, both to managers of the construction/ real estate team; Doug Kohanski to senior benefits specialist with Baker Tilly Retirement Planning Services; Chris Skrobutanas to manager of the manufacturing team; Amy Springer to senior manager of the manufacturing team; and Tom Whalen to senior accountant of the tax, accounting and advisory group.

Carl Sutter, vice president for McMahon in Neenah, was elected as a governor of Region 3 for the American Society of Civil Engineers, which represents members in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio and Wisconsin. Sutter had served as president of the Wisconsin Section of ASCE.

Individual honors The Wisconsin Family Business Forum based at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh named Jane Sweasy

Pfeifer

Slagter

Kobussen

Renny Diedrich, a broker and manager with Appleton-based Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Group, was named chair of the board for Wisconsin Realtors Association.

Schaper, Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. of Neenah promoted Sheryl Piepenbrink to manager of operations and administration. She has been with the firm since 1997. WOW Logistics in Appleton promoted Peter Upton-Rowley to director of trade finance. In this newly created role, UptonRowley will oversee the company’s program that specializes in financing products for the dairy industry, including cheeses and powders. He has been with WOW Logistics since 2003, most recently serving as a logistics engineer.

Sutter

Sweasy Diedrich

Certifications John D. Zuleger of Zuleger Advisors, Inc. in Appleton earned the Registered Employee Benefits Consultant designation from The American College. The REBC designation indicates a financial professional’s aptitude in group benefits, retirement plans, managed care and other Upton-Rowley

Fryman

Glennon

Kohanski

Skrobutanas

Springer

Whalen

NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012 l 47

BUSINESS CALENDAR health insurance topics, and compensation. Kristen Moen, a nurse practitioner with Unity in Green Bay, earned the advanced certified hospice and palliative nurse designation. Kara Delveaux, a registered nurse with Unity, earned the approved educator designation from Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association.

Business calendar New North B2B encourages businesses and organizations looking to attract interested persons to upcoming events to send an announcement to: New North B2B, Attn: Who’s News, P.O. Box 559, Oshkosh, WI 54903. For more events, log on to www.thenewnorthevents.com. October 2 A.M. Connect – 4 to Tango, a morning networking event from the Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce, 7:15 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Capital Credit Union, 738 Ford St. in Kimberly. To register or for more information, call 920.766.1616 or go online to www.heartofthevalleychamber.com. October 3 Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce Coffee Connection, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at FDL Convention & Visitors Bureau, 171 S. Pioneer Road in Fond du Lac. Cost to attend is $2 for AC members. For more information or to register, go online to www.fdlac.com or call 920.921.9500. October 4 Business over Breakfast, an event from Fox Valley Technical College Venture Center, 7:30 to 9 a.m. at D.J. Bordini Center, 5 Systems Dr. in Appleton. Cost to attend is $15 and includes breakfast. To register, call 920.735.5709 or email venture@fvtc.edu. October 4 2012 Economic Insights: What Does It All Mean to You? An event from the Oshkosh West Side Association, 7:30 to 9 a.m. at Robbins Restaurant, 1810 Omro Road in Oshkosh. Presenter is Gregory B. Pierce from Reinhart Partners Inc. in Oshkosh. Cost to attend is $10 and includes continental breakfast. Registration is required by contacting Connie at 920.424.4260 or info@westsideassociation.com. October 9 Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce Sales Club, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the chamber office, 120 Jackson St. in Oshkosh. No cost to attend for chamber members. For information, call 920.303.2266 or go online to www.oshkoshchamber.com. October 10 Green Bay Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Vandervest Harley-Davidson, 1966 Velp Ave. in Green Bay. No cost to attend for chamber members. For information, call 920.437.8704 or email members@titletown.org. October 10 Women in Management – Fond du Lac Chapter monthly meeting, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Holiday Inn, 625 W. Rolling Meadows Dr. in Fond du Lac. Program is “Branding & Marketing for the Green Bay Packer Organization” presented by Michelle Palubicki of the Packers. For more information or to register, go online to www.wimiwi.org. 48 l NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012

www.newnorthb2b.com

BUSINESS CALENDAR October 10 Women in Management – Green Bay Chapter monthly meeting, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Best Western – Midway Hotel, 780 Armed Forces Dr. in Green Bay. Program is “Mastering the Balance of Career and Family with Time Management” presented by Jill Ullmer of Imperial Supplies. For more information or to register, go online to www.wimiwi.org. October 11 Women in Management – Oshkosh Chapter monthly meeting, 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. at La Sure’s Banquet Hall, 3125 S. Washburn St. in Oshkosh. Program is “Downtown Holiday Shopping” presented by downtown business owners. For more information or to register, go online to www.wimiwi.org or email Patti at pshea@sheaelectricllc.com. October 16 Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce Business Connection, 5 to 7 p.m. at Agnesian HealthCare, 420 E. Division St. in Fond du Lac. Cost to attend is $2 in advance or $5 at the door. For more information or to register, go online to www.fdlac.com or call 920.921.9500. October 16 A.M. Oshkosh, a morning networking event from the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, 7:45 to 9 a.m. at Clarity Care’s Heritage Court, 600 Packer Ave. in Oshkosh. No cost to attend, but registration is required by going online to www.oshkoshchamber.com or calling 920.303.2266. October 16 2nd Annual Northeast Wisconsin Inventor Night, 4 to 9 p.m. at Fox Valley Technical College, 1825 N. Bluemound Dr. in Appleton. Sponsored by the Fab Lab at FVTC, the event includes a keynote address on licensing strategies by Warren Tuttle, president of United Inventors Association. Cost is $12 per person, or $25 for both admission and participation in the elevator pitch competition. For information, visit www.fvtc.edu/ newin or call 920.993.5177. October 18 “Learn to Manage, Discipline and Discharge Difficult Employees,” a Breakfast Briefing event from the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, 8 to 9:30 a.m. at Hilton Garden Inn, 1355 W. 20th Ave. in Oshkosh. Speakers Jim Macy and Tony Renning, both attorneys with the law firm Davis & Kuelthau, s.c., will discuss how employers can correct performance, properly use corrective discipline, and if necessary, terminate an unproductive employee. To register, go online to www. oshkoshchamber.com or call 920.303.2266. October 24 Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce - Taste from the Heart, 5 to 8 p.m. at Darboy Club, N9695 County Road N in Appleton. To register or for more information, call 920.766.1616 or go online to www. heartofthevalleychamber.com. November 2 “Doing Business Internationally During the Economic Recovery,” a half-day seminar from the Northeast Wisconsin International Business Network, 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Fox Valley Technical College, 1825 Bluemound Dr. in Appleton. Speaker Chris Kuehl will discuss “Are We There Yet? The Illusive Economic Recovery.” Cost to attend is $30 and includes breakfast. For more information or to register, go online to www.fvtc.edu/global or call 920.735.2525.

Better Business Bureau New Members

Businesses accredited through the Northeast Wisconsin office during September 2012 105hTest.com LLC, Suamico A J’s Auto Body Inc., Menasha Bob’s Lawn Care LLC, Green Bay De Pere Auto Center Inc., De Pere Doxbee’s Banquet & Buffett, Seymour Inside Out Construction, Oshkosh Irish Acres Pet Health, Neenah Lesley’s Tax Service, Sheboygan Manitowoc Plumbing Service Inc., Manitowoc Massage Connection Wellness Center, Appleton Peppler Remodeling LLC, Berlin Sheboygan Transmission Service, Sheboygan Sherlock Homes of Green Bay LLC, Green Bay Skaleski Moving & Storage Inc., Green Bay The i-Supply, Green Bay Trinity Exteriors Inc., Oshkosh

Advertiser Index Bank First National www.bankfirstnational.com.................................... 7 Capital Credit Union www.capitalcu.com........................................ 23 CitizensFirst Credit Union www.citizensfirst.com . .............................. 8 Credit Matters, Inc. www.creditmattersinc.com.................................. 41 Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. www.dkattorneys.com..................................... 5 Digiprint www.digiprint.biz.............................................................. 9 Edgewood College www.edgewood.edu.......................................... 14 Epiphany Law www.epiphanylaw.com. ............................................ 14 Esslinger for Assembly www.esslingerforassembly.com........................ 28 Fast Signs www.fastsigns.com....................................................... 21 First Business Bank www.firstbusiness.com. ...................................... 2 Fox Valley Technical College www.fvtc.edu. .................................. 21 Guident Business Solutions www.guidentbusinesssolutions.com............ 45 Hintz for Assembly www.hintzforassembly.com.................................... 7 Jackson Kahl Insurance www.jacksonkahl.com. .............................. 16 James J. Calmes Construction www.jamesjcalmesconstruction.com........ 9 Keller Inc. www.kellerbuilds.com. ................................................... 44 Network Health Plan www.networkhealth.com . ................................ 51 NEW Building & Construction Trades Council www.newbt.org.......... 13 NEW International Business Network www.fvtc.edu/newibn............... 22 NEP www.neponline.com............................................................... 33 NWTC Corporate Training & Economic Development www.corporatetraining.nwtc.edu......................................................... 52 OptiVision www.optivision.com...................................................... 12 Oshkosh Area Community Foundation www.oshkoshareacf.org.......... 48 Outagamie County Regional Airport www.atwairport.com. ................ 29 Rhyme www.rhymebiz.com........................................................... 22 Sadoff & Rudoy Industries www.sadoff.com................................... 10 Security Luebke Roofing www.securityluebkerooting.com. .................... 11 Stop Selling Vanilla Ice Cream www.stopsellingvanillaicecream.com....... 41 TEC www.tecmidwest.com. ............................................................ 43 TNT Adventure www.tntadventure.com ............................................ 28 Tri City Glass & Door www.tricityglass-door.com................................ 32 UW Oshkosh College of Business www.mba.uwosh.edu................... 50 Winnebago County Solid Waste Management www.co.winnebago.wi.us/solid-waste/container-rental-program. ..................... 32 NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012 l 49

KEY STATISTICS Per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline.

September 23 $3.94

August

$406.7 billion

0.9%

September 16 $3.92 September 9 $3.92

from July

September 2 $3.91

4.7%

Sept. 23, 2011 $3.62

from August 2011

Source: New North B2B observations

August

96.8

$0.602 Sept. 2011 $0.727

2.8%

from August 2011

Source: Integrys Energy

(Manufacturers and trade)

(Numbers above 50 mean expansion. Numbers below 50 mean contraction.)

July

$1,592 billion

0.8%

from July

August July

from June

2.2%

5.4%

from August 2011

9.4% 9.1% 10.7% 9.2% 8.3% 8.0%

August

from July

29.1%

9.0% 8.5% 9.6% 9.8% 7.8% 7.6%

September $0.564

1.2%

from July

July June July ‘11

8.7% 8.3% 9.4% 9.4% 7.6% 7.4%

Prices for small businesses using less than 20,000 therms. Listed price is per therm.

August

2.3%

0.7%

(2007 = 100)

750,000

August

Appleton Fond du Lac Green Bay Neenah Oshkosh Wisconsin

49.6 49.8

from July 2011

If there are indicators you’d like to see in this space, contact our office at 920.237.0254 or email info@newnorthb2b.com.

professionals ...where

emerge as

leaders.

Thinking about getting your MBA? Learn about UW Oshkosh’s accredited part-time Professional MBA and Saturday Executive MBA at an information session near you. Oct. 17 Oct. 23 Oct. 29 Nov. 6

Wausau Stevens Point Sheboygan Fond du Lac

Nov. 13 Oshkosh Nov. 14 Appleton Nov. 19 Green Bay

Each session will begin at 6 p.m. To register for an info session, visit uwosh.edu/go/mba or call 920-424-3199 or toll-free 800-633-1430.

Holly Brenner, BBA ‘98, MBA ‘09 Director of Marketing & Business Development Agnesian HealthCare, Fond du Lac

50 l NEW NORTH B2B l OCTOBER 2012

www.newnorthb2b.com

OUR POLICY, NO HEALTH INSURANCE JARGON.

AT NETWORK HEALTH, WE SPEAK YOUR LANGUAGE. More and more people everywhere are intimidated with coordinating their health care. This leads to frustration, surprises and bad experiences. Meet Network Health, a different kind of health plan. We understand it requires more than just words and language, but also a commitment to customer service to break through industry clutter and confusion. Let us help you today.

Networkhealth.com/EndTheJargon

800-826-0940

HMO plans underwritten by Network Health Plan. POS plans underwritten by Network Health Insurance Corporation, or Network Health Insurance Corporation and Network Health Plan. Self-funded HMO and POS plans administered by Network Health Plan.

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