October 2014
Evolving and Looking Ahead By Aaron Kapellusch At the onset of every month, I spend time thinking about important information to share with you on the happenings at the Chamber. With a newborn at home, there are many more hours spent awake than I’m accustomed to, which is great for brainstorming. For a six-week-old, my daughter, Ella, is a good listener and not very judgmental about my ideas. (I’m sure in about 12 years that will dramatically change, or so I hear.) While the Chamber has remained a constant in the community for over 102 years, it is important that we are always evolving and looking ahead. The focus of efforts at the Chamber is guided by the feedback we receive from our members. Our annual membership survey is being finalized, and you will be receiving it in the near future. The results of this survey take the pulse on the needs of our members. Your input and participation are vital to the continued success of our organization.
In this issue . . . • • • • • • • •
Annual Meeting Recap Member News Featured Member Business Advocacy Ambassador of the Month Volunteer Spotlight New Members Ribbon Cuttings
September was the start of our new program and fiscal year, and we will continue to poll our members after events in search of feedback. Good, bad, or otherwise - we want to hear from you. I know you are extremely busy in your professional and personal life, but your opinion and response is valuable to us.
Aaron Kapellusch
Part of our continued evolvement includes the addition of many new programs, and we have several in development. One new networking event, WAKE UP Wausau Region, is a great example of focusing our efforts based on membership feedback. WAKE UP Wausau Region is the result of a repeated request from our members for more early morning networking. It is a great opportunity for members in retail and other businesses with schedule demands that prohibit them from attending our evening networking events. We hope this also allows parents with family activities in the evening to get their networking done in the morning. Over the past 12 months, we added 22 additional programs for a total of 117 educational and networking programs offered during our 2013-2014 fiscal year. We also saw greater than 1,000 additional members in attendance at our events compared to the previous year. A significant number of individuals (continued)
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Evolving and Looking Ahead taking advantage of opportunities to make the most of their membership at the Chamber!
Weston Lanes. Come for the strategizing – stay for the networking!
Programs are just one part of the activities we offer with membership. I encourage existing and new members alike to partake in our free Chamber ROI: Achieving Success program which is a great way to strategize with our Chamber staff on the best ways to leverage your membership. Our next Chamber ROI session will be before the Business PM on November 6th from 3:30-4:30 pm at Dale’s
We look forward to another exciting and rewarding year at the Chamber. Your participation and feedback will help us reach our corporate goal of supporting business success throughout the region. Feel free to reach out to me, or any of my staff at the Chamber, to learn more about how to get involved in making a difference in our business community.
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Annual Meeting Recap Thank You for a Great Annual Meeting Every year the region’s business community gathers at the Annual Meeting of the Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce (WRCC). This is the WRCC’s 102nd year of helping business grow and supporting positive economic growth in the region, an accomplishment in which they take great pride.
how O’Connell richly deserved this award because of his countless contributions to the community. O’Connell has consistently championed for the measurement and awareness of the direct economic impact of the arts. He understands the importance of Lori Weyers of Northcentral Technical College and Marco fostering a creative economy to attract and retain not Espinoza of Greenheck Fan Corporation. only creative art types, but On Monday, September 22, 2014, nearly 200 also a vibrant workforce – all of which stimulates people joined the WRCC Board and staff at The community culture. Grand Theater in Wausau. The program included the passing of the Board of Directors Chairperson’s gavel Also during the Annual Meeting, Cory Heckendorf from Lori Weyers of Northcentral Technical College accepted the award for the New Member of the Year to Marco Espinoza of Greenheck Fan Corporation on behalf of Wisconsin Kenworth. This award is given and an annual summary from Chamber president to a new member company based upon its active Aaron Kapellusch. engagement, including participation in the Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce’s networking Jim O’Connell was confirmed as the recipient of programs, educational programs, and advertising and the John L Cook Memorial Award for 2014. Dr. sponsorship opportunities. Charles and Ginger Alden shared with attendees
Jim O’Connell
Cory Heckendorf
(continued)
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Annual Meeting Recap 102nd Annual Meeting Recap Next, Alfred Nakhla proudly we can, and I am grateful for this recognized Jamie Potter as the 2014 acknowledgement. The Chamber has a Ambassador of the Year. “Jamie “whatever it takes to get the job done” has served the membership of the type of attitude and I plan to continue Wausau Region Chamber for more working with my fellow Ambassador than six years and her commitment team to do whatever it takes to assist is unwavering. From strategizing on our members and our region. Thank effectively using Chamber benefits, you.” to connecting members with each other – Jamie consistently seeks A very entertaining Chamber Game ways to help businesses grow. We are Jamie Potter, Ambassador of the Year Show was led by Brian West and proud to recognize her considerable featured a few brave Chamber contributions to our members and communities- members. It was a humorous addition to the end of at-large,” stated Heather Martell, Membership the official meeting. Attendees then had a chance to Development Director of WRCC.” enjoy food and beverages, as well as bid on a variety of silent auction items donated by member businesses. Rendered speechless at the Annual Meeting, Potter Attendees enjoyed making new connections and later stated, “I am truly humbled and grateful for this renewing relationships with other area business honor. I’m a part of an amazing team of Ambassadors leaders. who work together to assist members in any way
Brian West hosted the Chamber Game Show featuring a few brave
Chamber members enjoyed the networking opportunity on the stage at
Chamber members: Deb Pagel, Mark Dolenshek, Pat Snyder and
the Grand Theater.
Tammy Pestka.
(continued)
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Annual Meeting Recap Thank you to our sponsors who made this event possible.
88.5 The Family AbbyBank Aspirus Associated Bank Central Beer Distributors Inc City of Wausau/Mayor Tipple CleanPower Dale’s Weston Lanes Envision Eyecare Frontier Communications Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes Inc Hampton Inn
Sean Strahota
Michelle Knopf
Ho-Chunk Gaming/Nekoosa Ho-Chunk Gaming/Wittenberg Jalapenos Mexican Restaurante Jim Kryshak Jewelers LandArt Marth Companies Merrill Distributing Nicolet Bank Nigbur’s Fine Furniture Northcentral Technical College Office Enterprises Olive Garden
Randy Balk
Per Mar Security Performing Arts Foundation Riiser Energy/R-Store Robert W Baird & Company Security Health Plan Slumberland Furniture Stine Eye Center LLC Travel Leaders Village of Weston WAOW-TV9 Wisconsin Public Service WSAW
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Annual Meeting Recap Year In Review The Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce prepares an annual report, entitled Year in Review, which includes an overview of the prior year’s activities, events, and accomplishments. Please take a few minutes to enjoy our Year in Review.
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Member News The North Central Wisconsin Chapter of the American Red Cross is proud to announce the addition of Lori Whitt to their Board of Directors. Lori will join a team of seven Board members to serve as leadership volunteers and work in collaboration with Red Cross staff to ensure community needs are being addressed through the mission of the American Red Cross. Lori joins us from Stevens Point where she works as the Vice President of Marketing Communications for AIG Travel. Behavioral Health Clinic of Wausau is celebrating its new location at 3600 Stewart Avenue by hosting a Ribbon Cutting ceremony and Open House on Tuesday, October 21st from 4:00 - 6:00 pm. Attendees can tour the new clinic, meet clinicians, and learn about the various services offered. Refreshments will be offered. Medical or mental health physicians, nurses, counselors, social workers, school educators, attorneys and other professionals are invited to attend. Please contact 715-842-9500 for questions or to RSVP. In an effort to better serve patients who rely on the lifesaving therapies processed from donated human plasma, BioLife Plasma Services recently broke ground on a plasma collection center located at 3201 Rib Mountain Drive in Wausau. A subsidiary of Baxter Healthcare Corporation, BioLife Plasma Services is an industry leader in operating highquality plasma donation centers throughout the U.S. The plasma collected at BioLife is processed into a variety of life-saving therapeutics, including treatment for patients with hemophilia and immune disorders and for use as blood volume replacement and tissue sealing. Applications for the Mid Wisconsin Legacy Grants (due October 15) will be accepted electronically and are available on the Community Foundation’s grant management portal. Apply here. The Mid Wisconsin Foundation Legacy Fund was established as a donoradvised fund within the Community Foundation of
North Central Wisconsin when the Mid Wisconsin Foundation was dissolved as a result of the bank’s merger with Nicolet Bank in 2013. The Daily Herald Media’s 20 Under Forty program honors young professionals in the Wausau region. The program recognizes 20 people under 40 years old who are making significant contributions in their work and in the community. The top 20 nominees will be honored in print and online coverage and at a November 13 luncheon. Supporters of the effort to retain and attract younger workers include premier sponsor People’s State Bank and nomination partners Wipfli, Wisconsin Public Service, Ruder Ware, Northcentral Technical College and Greenheck Fan Corp. The United Way of Marathon County is the event partner. Ellis Stone Construction Company received an Associated General Contractors 2014 BUILD Wisconsin Award in the Design-Build Renovation category for the Greenheck Health & Wellness Center of Schofield. The re-use of an existing structure made this a very “green” project. The new clinic and gym is an example of Greenheck’s commitment to its employees. Ellis’ design team, led by architect Steve Chizzo, developed the plans to provide for today’s use and for future expansion. Keller, Inc., a Design/Build General Contractor with offices in the Fox Cities, Madison, Milwaukee and Wausau, announces the hiring of Tanya Van Groll as the Accounts Payable Administrator. In this role she is responsible for all processing of payments to vendors, suppliers and subcontractors along with the administration of lien waivers. Keller, Inc., a Design/Build General Contractor with offices in the Fox Cities, Madison, Milwaukee and Wausau, announces the promotion of Richard Eiles to Supervisor. Eiles has been with Keller for the past 27 years, working most recently as a Building Foreman. As a supervisor for Keller, he is responsible
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Member News
for job coordination, scheduling of construction jobs and personnel, subcontractors, safety, and supervision of Keller Foremen and field personnel. Keller, Inc., a Design/Build General Contractor with offices in the Fox Cities, Madison, Milwaukee and Wausau, announces the promotion of Tracy Huiting to Purchasing Agent. Huiting has seven years of experience with Keller which includes previous positions of Operations Administrative Assistant and most recently Accounts Payable Clerk. As the recently promoted Purchasing Agent, she is responsible for the ordering of all materials for jobsites and inventory on hand. Keller, Inc., a Design/Build General Contractor with offices in the Fox Cities, Madison, Milwaukee and Wausau, announces the promotion of Elliot Bogdonovich to Assistant Project Manager. Bogdonovich has worked with Keller as an intern since May of 2013. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from UW Milwaukee in December of 2013. As an Assistant Project Manager, he is responsible for assisting Keller’s Sales/Project Managers and other departments. Six new exhibitions drawn from the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum’s collection complement the 2014 “Birds in Art” exhibition which opened September 6th and features recent acquisitions and species and habitat conservation themes. “Birds in Art” remains on view through November 16th.
Curator of collections Jane Weinke praised the Museum’s recent acquisitions and thanked donors for their generous gifts: “Our collection has grown in unanticipated and exceptional ways during the past few years,” Weinke said. “Its depth and breadth allow for the organization of diverse and dynamic thematic exhibitions.” The Marathon County Historical Society is proud to host the new exhibit, Looking Back: One Hundred Years of Mt. Sinai Congregation, created by the congregation in celebration of their centennial anniversary. The exhibit opened to the public on Saturday, September 13 at the Woodson History Center and will be on display through Sunday, October 12, 2014. This special exhibit will explore the vibrant Jewish community in Central Wisconsin and the role of Mt. Sinai through the years. The 16th annual Golf for Research, presented by Solarus, at Lake Arrowhead Golf Course in Nekoosa featured 140 golfers who helped raise $60,835 for adult and pediatric cancer research at Marshfield Clinic. Research is critical to saving lives in communities in the clinic’s service area. Golf for Research has made a big impact by providing more than $845,835 in funding since the event’s inception for cancer research at Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation. Moy Borchert Erbs & Associates (MBE CPAs) is a full service CPA firm, recently announced that
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Member News Jonathon Wendorf, CPA, has joined the firm as the Office Manager for their Wausau location. Jonathon is an experienced accounting professional and comes to MBE from a prior management role with a local Wausau CPA firm and has previously worked as a part of a large regional CPA firm. Wendorf is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and Central Wisconsin Estate Planners Forum. Dan Evans, CFP®, MBA has been promoted to Planning Services Manager at Midwest Professional Planners, Ltd. (“MPPL”), an SEC registered investment advisory firm. He recently received his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification from Northwestern University. Dan joined MPPL in 2003. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and his Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. He’s licensed as an Investment Advisor Representative, is a shareholder, and serves on MPPL’s Board of Directors and Investment Committee. Ridgestone Bank was ranked the 7th best-run community bank in the country in terms of return on average assets (ROAA) and efficiency ratio, according to an analysis by Sageworks, an international financial information company. The analysis included data from 4,566 community banks with assets from $100 million to $10 billion as of June 30, 2014. A bank’s ROAA and its efficiency ratio are two key indicators of a well-run bank. Ridgestone Bank’s ROAA is 3.4% with a 46 percent efficiency ratio. Shannon Charbarneau has been named the Wausau School District’s Interim ELL/Bilingual, Multicultural, and Equity Coordinator. Shannon has been an English and ELL teacher for over 20 years, most recently at Wausau West High School. Ms. Charbarneau earned her bachelor’s degree in Education from Edgewood College and a Master’s
degree in Principalship from Marian University. Robin Kordus is the new Principal at Wausau School District’s G.D. Jones Elementary School. Robin has been teaching in the District for 12 years having taught at both G.D. Jones and Horace Mann Middle School. Ms. Kordus received a degree in Elementary Education from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and a Master of Education Professional Development degree from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. Dr. Michael Schwei joined the Wausau School District as PK-12 Director of Curriculum and Instruction. Dr Schwei comes to the District with over 35 years of experience in education both as a teacher and administrator, most recently from the Eagle Mountain Saginaw Independent School District in Fort Worth, Texas. Dr. Schwei holds a bachelor’s degree in Math and Pre-and Early Adolescent Education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and earned a Master’s degree in Secondary Education and his doctorate in Education Leadership from Stephen F. Austin State University. Holly Hassel, professor of English and women’s studies at the University of Wisconsin-Marathon County, was recently awarded the UW Colleges 2013-14 Barrington-Musolf Faculty Research Award for her article entitled “Research Gaps in Teaching English in the Two-Year College.” It was published in the May 2013 edition of Teaching English in the Two-Year College, one of three major scholarly, peer-reviewed journals published for higher education professionals by the National Council of Teachers in English. The University of Wisconsin-Marathon County (UWMC) recently received a $130,720 College Success grant from Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation for the 2014-2015 academic year. Far too many freshmen are starting their college career on the wrong foot – earning low
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Member News grades, dropping classes, continually repeating classes, or worse. “Moving students toward greater opportunity in life benefits us all,” said Richard D. George, Great Lakes’ president and chief executive officer. “We fund programs that understand the root cause of what holds students back, and take bold steps to overcome these obstacles. We look forward to seeing the impact UW-Marathon County can have on helping more students graduate and achieve their full potential.” Four students recently started the new communitybased Physician Assistant (PA) program at the University of Wisconsin-Marathon County (UWMC) in Wausau. In May 2012, the PA program announced its plans to expand to the Wausau area. wisPACT is a collaboration between UW-Madison, UWMC and area medical providers Aspirus, Ministry Health Care, Marshfield Clinic and Essentia Health to provide PA training in northern and central Wisconsin. The expanded PA program began this May with the four students and is expected to grow to eight next year; it will top out with 12 graduates annually by 2016. Select Wisconsin high school graduates and continuing education students will be recipients of
technician scholarships through The Foundation of the Wisconsin Automobile and Truck Deals Association (WATDA) sponsored by local dealerships and other foundation partners. The recipients will use their award to fund their vehicle service education at the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF)-certified Wisconsin Technical College of their choice. Among the recipients is Cody Hackbarth of Birnamwood. He will receive a $3,000 tuition scholarship sponsored by CSM companies, headquartered in Madison, and will receive on the job training at CSM’s Wisconsin Kenworth-Wausau location. A Woodson Art Museum exhibition as well as various fall programs led by an artist in residence and a guest author highlight lessons that can be learned from the passenger pigeon’s extinction 100 years ago. Project Passenger Pigeon, a nationwide educational initiative marking the centennial of the species’ extinction, was the impetus for the Woodson Art Museum exhibition “Legacy Lost & Saved: Extinct and Endangered Birds of North America,” on view through July 2015. Passenger pigeon-related programs at the Woodson Art Museum this fall consider how past lessons – both squandered and learned – can shape the future.
ATHENA® Leadership Awards® Program Wednesday, November 5, 2014 | 11:30 am to 1:00 pm | Jefferson Street Inn, Wausau Congratulations to the ATHENA Leadership Award Finalists: ATHENA Leadership Award Jonnee Bauer Suzanne Buska-DeSautel Tee Daly Loreen Glaman Brad Karger Candy Thurs
ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award Connie DeVoe Katie Felch Deanna Schuette Laura Scudiere Sara Valiska
Register at wausauchamber.com | Questions? Call 715-848-5953.
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Featured Member M3 Insurance – Enjoying Success M3 Insurance is the largest privately-held insurance agency in Wisconsin, proving it to be a very successful business in the area. When this outstanding company was founded in 1968 by Loren Mortenson, it solely provided life insurance and financial planning to its customers. Then in 1970, Richard Matzelle joined and added employee benefits expertise to help their clients in this area. During the most recent changes within the company, Charles Meldrum helped to round off their proficiency with business insurance offerings. With these leaders, the company has grown steadily for 46 years into the flourishing business it is today. M3 Insurance began with one office and has built its success up around the state in places such as Green Bay, Madison, Milwaukee, and Eau Claire with the help of over 200 trusted employees. The professionals at M3 are aligned to specialized industry groups and serve clients across the country from their five Wisconsin offices. Throughout the years, M3 Insurance has expanded in both size and in the quality of benefits it provides to its clients. It is now known most importantly for its employee benefits, property and casualty, surety, executive benefits, employer-sponsored retirement plans, and personal lines insurance that it provides to businesses. These benefits are essential to its success as a business; however, what makes M3 unique in comparison to other insurance companies is that its employees are trustworthy business advisors to their clients. They strive to give back to the community and have a company policy of doing the right thing when it comes to making decisions regarding their clients. They always have your best interests in mind. M3 Insurance works to understand and exceed client
expectations, because in essence this is the only way to manage risk. It also demonstrates integrity and honesty in all relationships, accepts responsibility, seeks continuous improvement and personal renewal, embraces innovation, and does it all while having fun. Its clients are not the only people who recognize the excellence they provide; M3 is consistently ranked in the top 1% of insurance brokers nationwide and named to the list of Best Places to Work in Insurance by Business Insurance magazine. Recently, some positive changes have happened within the Wausau region’s M3 operations, which are conveniently located at 505 South 24th Avenue in Wausau. Most notably, M3 Insurance named Mark Meeks as its Wausau Market Leader. In this new role, Mark will focus on driving sales, recruiting talent and facilitating M3’s community involvement and leadership opportunities throughout the Wausau area. In addition to this, Mark will continue to serve as an Account Executive within M3’s Education and Government practice group. With Mark in this new position, the Wausau location will continue to prosper and grow, adding more business clients to benefit the greater Wausau area. To learn more about how this insurance agency has benefitted its nearby fellow businesses, go to its website at www. m3ins.com.
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Wanted: Technology Tuesday Presenters and Topics Technology Tuesday happens the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 8:00 am. Contact Amanda Murphy to sign up via email at amurphy@wauauchamber.com
FREE Business Exposure Opportunity - We Want to Hear from You! Share your story Member Stories - Here is where we would like to hear from you. • “Members Helping Members”: Tell your own success story. These stories will be about members, like you, who have made business connections or sales with another WRCC member. • “Member Success Stories”: Tell your business story and include what you have done to be successful in business; how you stayed in business for (X) number of years; how you support the economy.
Guidelines for submission: Stories must be 500 words or less. Here are some suggestions for content: • Business Start Date • Brief overview of your business • Explain how you have worked with other Chamber members • How the WRCC has helped you grow • Any photos you have that go with the story (as available) All of these are great ways for you to get additional exposure for your business!
Please submit your stories/photos to Karen Nerison at knerison@wausauchamber.com. Notes: Use of the stories will be at the discretion of the WRCC and may be shortened to fit the appropriate platform. Only stories from members in good standing with the WRCC will be used. The information you submit may be used in the Wausau Daily Herald, Chamber marketing materials, The Business News and social media sites.
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Business Advocacy The Value of Education By Sara Guild, Government Affairs Director Educate: To provide with knowledge or training in a particular area or for a particular purpose. This definition of education accurately describes the second purpose of the Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce’s Business Advocacy initiatives. Last month, I explained how the Chamber works to inform its members about the impact of government on business through activities such as elections, education, and the Coffee Talk program series. In this issue, I want to focus on how – and why – the Chamber strives to educate its members about issues that are important to business. Education is no longer about sitting at a desk, reading through thick textbooks in preparation for a classroom debate on business ethics. In fact, many of our thriving business owners and professionals found their path to career success without any formal business education. These individuals may genuinely question the need to spend any of their valuable time attending programs designed to “educate” them on topics that they often know at least something about and/or see as having little to no direct relevance to the core support of their business. I would encourage these members to remember this quote from author Liz Berry – “Education isn’t for getting a job. It’s about developing yourself as a human being.” Having a membership that regularly takes advantage of educational opportunities means developing a region full of capable, knowledgeable individuals creating sustainable relationships – both in and out of the workplace. These relationships support businesses, which in turn support families who wish to remain in the area. By holding regular educational programs for our members and the
community at large, the Chamber is doing its part to develop strong businesses, healthy relationships, and a thriving region poised for long-term growth and success. An example of our continued dedication to this goal is the creation of a new Business Advocacy program series known as “Business Break.” This series will take place at the Grand Lodge on the third Monday of every other month from 11:45 am – 1:00 pm starting on October 20th. The inaugural program’s topic is “Workers Compensation Update.” It will educate attendees about Wisconsin’s workers compensation system by first providing a comparative presentation from the federal Workers Compensation Research Institute. A panel of experts from business, healthcare, and law will then discuss best practices as well as recent proposals for changes to workers compensation, including the failed legislation to institute regional fee schedules. Members will also learn how to make their opinions on the future of workers compensation heard at the state level prior to the next legislation session. The Chamber strives to ensure that its members remain educated on the topics important to them and their professional growth. In the upcoming months, you will have opportunities to learn about topics ranging from local governance systems to running for non-partisan office. Education is key to business success and our programs continue to be based upon the directives of our members. In closing, I urge you to remember Franklin D. Roosevelt’s wise words – “Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.”
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Ambassador of the Month Matthew Woller The Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that Matthew Woller is the October 2014 Ambassador of the Month! Matthew says his favorite part about being an Ambassador is the opportunity to meet with Chamber members and have important face-toface conversations about their business. “I like the opportunity to speak with businesses and discuss how the Chamber has assisted with their company growth; how programs have helped to connect business owners and their staff with potential customers; and how being a member of the Wausau Region Chamber has been a part of their business success. The Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce has been a great resource for Graphic House Inc., and I am proud to give back to the Chamber through my time as an Ambassador.�
As Regional Sales Consultant for Graphic House Inc., Matthew has assisted clients throughout the state of Wisconsin for more than six years. From initial design conversations, to final unveiling, he works with Graphic House clients through a variety of signage needs, enhancing new and existing businesses. Matthew lives in Athens, WI with his wife, Jaclyn, and their children, Kenzie and Jackson. Congratulations, Matthew, and thank you for your continued work with our members!
BE IN THE KNOW WITH WISCONSIN CENTRAL TIME Marathon County leadership brings you the Wisconsin Central Time newsletter, a means to communicate what Marathon County Government is doing to make the county a great place to work, play, and live. The goal is to be transparent and accountable to taxpayers. Each quarter, we will bring you timely information about the issues being discussed and the goals being achieved by Marathon County Government.
Sign up today.
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Volunteer Spotlight Paul Jones, President/Owner, LandArt, Inc. Paul Jones came to Wausau in 1979 after concluding a career with a multinational business that demanded extensive travel to pursue the dream of entrepreneurship in a small but financially smart company. He joined his brother and another partner in LandArt, Inc., a landscaping firm originally established in Wausau in 1938. His initial plan was to live in the Wausau region for ten years. After which his two sons would have graduated college, and he would have been able to employ them and participate directly in their lives. He felt this would be a much better option than the constant travel and distractions of building a business over which he did not have direct control. His ten-year plan was either not well written, contained no exit strategy or simply, like most business plans, did not survive first contact with reality. No matter the reason, Paul has since grown to call Wausau his second home, second only to his place of spiritual origin, Ephraim, a village of 354 in Door County.
experience ignited his passion for helping the Chamber. Paul has served on numerous committees within Advocacy as well as on the Chamber Board; each experience has brought significant relationships and knowledge which he feels would not have been available in any other format. He has made and grown interpersonal relationships he would have never found in any other resource or community connection. A bonus is the self-worth gained by serving and improving the Chamber. Paul will readily tell anyone he meets of his firmly-held belief that the Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce offers connections unavailable by any other means and an opportunity for personal growth of immense value and satisfaction.
In 2008, Mr. Cal Hessert of Wausau Insurance called Paul and mentioned that the Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce would be an excellent choice of organizations to support. LandArt joined and initially was largely a non-participating member, feeling financial support was all they could afford. In 2008 at the “Small Business of the Year� event, Paul reevaluated their membership and committed to being the best Chamber member he could be, which has resulted in a positive experience. That decision has made all the difference to the current success of LandArt. Since that time, Paul has volunteered for a variety of Chamber activities. He started with Business Advocacy, at the suggestion of Roger Luce, and remains active with Advocacy to this day. That
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New Members Please Help Us Welcome These New Members Asphalt Paving Solutions James Swartz 607 S 24th Ave #323, Wausau 715-301-6546
Premier Sports Academy LLC Eric Greening 8706 Progress Way, Weston 715-574-9518
BioLife Plasma Services - Wausau Kayla Beehler 3201 Rib Mountain Dr, Wausau
Stainbrook Agency - Meemic Insurance Adam J. Stainbrook 1942 Grand Ave Ste 2, Wausau 715-203-8277 Fax: (715) 203-8277
Customize It Andreea R. Buzdugan C-316 Wausau Ctr, Wausau 715-393-4449 Dunkin Donuts - Rib Mountain Heidi Blair 4492 Rib Mountain Dr, Wausau 715-298-5880 Dunkin Donuts - Weston Jenn Bittner 4086 Schofield Ave, Wausau Office Max Dawn Kanitz 3908 Rib Mountain Dr, Wausau 715-359-9961
Wisconsin Financial Wealth Management Jason Henrich 300 N 3rd St Ste 302, Wausau 715-803-4008 Fax: (715) 803-4010 Wisconsin Title Inc Kimberly A. Reed 1030 Grand Ave Ste 1, Schofield 715-355-8330 If you would like information on the benefits of joining the Chamber please contact Heather Martell at hmartell@wausauchamber.com or 715-848-5951.
Pizza Ranch - Weston Nancy Ferger 2715 Schofield Ave Ste 4, Weston 715-298-5379
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Ribbon Cuttings/Ground Breakings An excellent way to promote your business when you: Break ground on a new facility - Move to a new location - Remodel your existing facility Contact Heather Martell at the Chamber to schedule your event. 715-848-5951 or hmartell@wausauchamber.com
Floorology™ 10209 Market St Ste B, Rothschild 715-393-4019
Marathon Animal Hospital 1025 S 17th Ave, Wausau 715-845-1919
Nigbur’s Fine Furniture 1740 Bus 51 N, Wausau 715-675-2379
Koala Center for Sleep Disorders 305 S 18th Ave Ste 300, Wausau 715-298-4454
BioLife Plasma Services - Wausau 3201 Rib Mountain Dr, Wausau
St Vincent De Paul - Wausau 131 W Thomas St, Wausau 715- 298-3028
www.wausauchamber.com