Milwaukee Commerce - Spring 2023

MILWAUKEE COMMERCE Spring 2023 - Volume 102, No. 1

BIG IMPACT SMALL BUSINESS

MMAC is helping SMEs thrive

Business succession planning

by Thomas Bayer, SIKICH LLP Page 13

Owning a small business – lessons learned

by Mark Goldstein, Goldstein Law Group Page 16

Startup Milwaukee needs your help

by Kyle Weatherly, Frontdesk Page 21

Moving Business Forward.

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We’ll earn your trust and loyalty with our integrity, agility and responsiveness. And we’ll work collaboratively with you and with each other to imagine and achieve your greatest ambitions.

414.298.1000 reinhartlaw.com

2 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

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Partnering in Possibilities Reinhart salutes the entrepreneurs, start-ups, and small business owners that positively impact our community through the creation of jobs and career opportunities and the promotion of a dynamic business environment. Indeed, small businesses are critical drivers of our economy, representing two out of every three jobs nationwide.

At Reinhart, we recognize the value of entrepreneurs, start-ups, and small businesses. While we represent many large companies, early-stage, growing businesses are a mainstay of Reinhart’s client base and many of our legal services are designed specifically to address the unique challenges and opportunities they face. From start-up and capitalization to market leadership, we help our emerging and growing business clients navigate regulation and avoid tax traps, secure intellectual property, strategize and document fundraising, manage questions of corporate governance, negotiate commercial contracts with key customers, vendors, service providers and other business relationships, resolve conflicts, expand facilities, build capacity and accelerate growth—all while developing lasting relationships.

By deeply understanding the distinct qualities of each business, our attorneys deliver a combination of legal advice, business and strategic insight, and superior and responsive service perfectly matched to each client’s unique situation. As a result, we have had the privilege to serve a wide range of entrepreneurs and family-owned businesses, including many that have completed successful exit transactions or that have grown to become national and international enterprises.

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Because at Reinhart, helping others realize their full potential for success has long been the true measure of our own success.

mmac.org | 3

Content Small business - BIG impact Small businesses account for a large part of the U.S. and local economies. This issue looks at the trends affecting the growth and vitality of regional small companies in all industries.

FEATURING

08 13 16 21 22 25

State of small business

Where does the Milwaukee region stand?

Business succession planning What every small business owner needs to know

by Thomas Bayer, SIKICH LLP

Owning a small business – lessons learned

by Mark Goldstein, Goldstein Law Group

Startup story: Managecore Main Street Bounceback Grants M7 welcomes business to SE WI Executive Roundtable highlights Career Conversations with MPS students MMAC Education Policy Recommendations

26 31 32 34 37 40

In every issue: MMAC event photos New MMAC members Member milestones Staff directory

43 48 52 53

Thank you to our advertisers: Startup Milwaukee needs your help

by Kyle Weatherly, Frontdesk

Milwaukee accelerators An overview

Milwaukee by the numbers

Datatool offers insight into the MKE region

Volume 102, No. 1 - Milwaukee Commerce (USPS 546-370, ISN 0746-6706) is published four times a year by the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC), 301 W Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 220 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203 Periodicals postage paid at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Subscriptions $5 per year for members, included in dues.

POSTMASTER send address changes to: Milwaukee Commerce - MMAC/Andrea Medved 301 W Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 220 Milwaukee, WI 53203

4 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

Additional content:

Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren Wintrust Commercial Banking HUB International Associated Bank Delta Dental Spectrum Reach University Wisconsin - Milwaukee Investors Associated CG Schmidt Milwaukee Admirals Mitchell International Airport BizTimes Future 50 JCP Construction WICPA Zoological Society of Milwaukee UnitedHealthcare

2 10 14 18 20 24 28 30 36 38 42 48 49 50 51 54

Cathy Jacobson, MMAC Chair Tim Sheehy, MMAC President Julie Granger, Editor (jgranger@mmac.org) Anna Reaves, Graphic Design (areaves@mmac.org) Jane Backes, Advertising (jbackes@mmac.org)

14th Annual

BREWERS OUTING Thursday, June 8 11:30 AM- 3:30 PM American Family Field Northwestern Mutual Legends Club

Exclusively for Executive Roundtable members

EXECUTIVE ROUNDTABLE GOLF OUTING Monday, August 14 9:30 AM- 7:00 PM

University Club Country Club

33rd Annual

Plan ahead so you don’t miss these great networking opportunities!

MMAC EVENTS

MILWAUKEE NIGHT IN WASHINGTON D.C. Wednesday, September 12 5:30 PM-7:30 PM Union Station

MMAC’s

ALL MEMBER MEETING Tuesday, October 17 4:30 PM- 8:00 PM

Bradley Symphony Center

MMAC.org/Events.html mmac.org | 5

MMAC members approve slate of new, returning directors The MMAC board ratified the election of two new directors on January 30, 2023. Additionally, 15 directors were re-elected to three-year terms. The Board also approved the full slate of officers and three additional director appointments.

THE OFFICER SLATE CHAIR​Cathy Jacobson​, Froedtert Health​ INCOMING CHAIR​Austin Ramirez​, Husco International​ PAST CHAIR​Jonas Prising​, ManpowerGroup TREASURER​Jim Popp​, Johnson Financial ​Group ​ PRESIDENT​Tim Sheehy​, MMAC​ SECRETARY​Julie Granger​, MMAC Robert Arzbaecher​, Fiduciary Management Kurt Bechthold​, Payne & Dolan Scott Beightol​, Michael Best & Friedrich​ Tina Chang​, SysLogic, Inc.​ Jeffrey Clark​, Waukesha Metal Products David Gay​,​Ernst & Young Robert Hillis​,​Direct Supply, Inc. Mary Isbister​,​ GenMet​ Jerome Janzer​,​Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren​ Ted Kellner​,​T&M Partners Gale Klappa​,​WEC Energy Group Jim Kornfeld​,​PAX Holdings​ David Lubar​,​Lubar & Co.​ Greg Marcus​,​ Marcus Corp.​ Scott Mayer​,​QPS Employment Group​ William Mielke​,​Ruekert & Mielke, Inc.​ Cory Nettles​,​ Generation Growth ​Capital Ugo Nwagbaraocha​,​Diamond Discs International​ Ulice Payne Jr.​,​ Addison-Clifton​ John Schlifske​,​ Northwestern Mutual​ John Splude Sr.​,​ JWS Classics Paul Sweeney​,​PS Capital Partners​

CHAIR:

Cathy Jacobson Froedtert Health​

INCOMING CHAIR: Austin Ramirez Husco International

NEWLY-ELECTED DIRECTORS: Nick Bauer Operose Advisors

Anoop Prakash Formerly REV Group

NEWLY-APPOINTED DIRECTORS: Dan Beilfuss Columbus McKinnon

Keith Coursin Desert Aire LLC

Bill Santulli Advocate Health

RE-ELECTED DIRECTORS Chris Abele, CSA Partners​ Kevin Anderson, Old National​ Paul Bartolotta, The Bartolotta Restaurants​ Steve Booth, Baird Jeff Bradford, Grant Thornton​ Carla Cross, Cross Management​ Jack Enea, Husch Blackwell​ Justin Frank, Frank Liquor Co.​ Brian Grossman, Chase Tim Matke, MGIC John Mellows, Charter Manufacturing​ Joel Quadracci, Quad​ Bernie Sherry, Ascension Wisconsin​ Peggy Troy, Children’s Wisconsin Tom Westrick, GE Healthcare 6 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

The MMAC Board represents a cross-section of members by company size and industry throughout the Milwaukee region.

MMAC Board breakdown by # of employees

1-100

1,000+

33% 35% 101-999

32%

Change is inevitable.

Growth is optional.

I

nnovation. It’s the heart of new ideas and the soul of new startups. It drives business – large and small – and without it, complacency and stagnation fill the void. As business coach and author John Maxwell said, “Change is inevitable; growth is optional.”

You don’t have to look far in the metro Milwaukee business community to find outstanding examples of innovation. Our small businesses and startup ventures are creating jobs and capital investments that have a ripple effect throughout the economy. Businesses with 1-100 employees account for roughly 37,000 businesses in metro Milwaukee.

The region’s startup ecosystem is gaining traction. We’re amplifying the stories of successful funders and founders through MKEStartupnews.com. On March 10, Mayor Cavalier Johnson was invited to “pitch” the city’s value proposition to business and talent at the famed South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas. MMAC and Milwaukee 7 worked as part of a unique coalition of the City, Summerfest, Summerfest Tech and CSA Partners to make this happen.

Milwaukee was showcased as a hub for innovation to the founders and funders who attend SXSW. As you’ll read in this issue, the demographic makeup of our region is a significant challenge to growth. Small business ownership locally mirrors a trend facing the entire region: the population is aging with not enough people entering the workforce to replace those retiring.

The MMAC itself operates as a small business – albeit a not-for-profit one. The organization faces many of the same challenges as other small enterprises in the region. As the leader of this team for the past 30 years, I understand the importance of succession planning to drive the vision and mission forward beyond my tenure.

Earlier this year, we announced Dale Kooyenga was joining the staff as Senior Vice President as part of a planned leadership transition. I have every confidence that the MMAC will be perfectly positioned to advance and will continue to strive toward the vision of a globally competitive region that attracts jobs and investments to support a vibrant quality of life for all.

A change in leadership for MMAC is inevitable. Driven by a team of smart, talented and visionary leaders and team members, its growth is assured.

Tim Sheehy MMAC President

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BIG IMPACT

SMALL BUSINESS, Collectively, small businesses are anything but small

S

mall businesses employ more than half of all employees in the United States (64.4 percent), accounting for 61.7 million jobs. They are the lifeblood of the economy and in many ways still represent the American dream of taking an idea and growing that idea into a successful venture.

According to the US Small Business Administration, “small businesses” are defined as firms with fewer than 500 employees. While the upward end of that definition feels much bigger than “small,” 27 million small businesses do not hire any employees and 5.4 million have fewer than 20 employees.

During the pandemic across the U.S.

1,314,026

small businesses temporarily closed a location (21.7%)

423,879

small businesses reopened after closing down (7%)

1,017,311

small businesses

permanently closed (16.8%)

8 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

Pandemic fallout

Unsurprisingly, small businesses were hit hard by the effects of the pandemic. From October 2020 to October 2021, one in five U.S. businesses shut down.

Despite the lingering effects of the pandemic, small business growth is ticking up — a 2.2% increase in 2022 over 2021 and an overall growth rate of 12.2 % from 2017-2022.

In metro Milwaukee, the trend in the total number of small businesses (defined for our purposes as having fewer than 100 employees) is down slightly over the long-term from a high of 39,157 in 2006 to 36,477 in 2011, a slide in large part due to the Great Recession. Since that time, the small business establishment number has recovered slowly, reaching 37,257 in 2020, the latest data available from County Business Patterns U.S. Census Bureau.

Metro Milwaukee top five categories of small business: • Health care & social assistance • Retail trade • Professional, scientific, and technical services • Other services (public administration, for example) • Accommodation & food service • Construction

Local breakdown

The importance of small business can also be seen in the percentages of total in employment and payroll. By enterprise, 31% of private sector employment in the metro area is at firms with fewer than 100 employees (246,143 employees).

Conversely, 69% (546,941 employees) is at firms with 100 or more employees.

Comparatively, metro Milwaukee ranks in the middle of the pack on small business establishments per 1,000 population in 2020 at 23.7, ranking 28th among the 50 largest metro areas in the U.S. Miami registered the highest per capita figure of the 50 at 33.2 while Riverside, CA had the smallest ratio at 16.9.

Small businesses experiencing the greatest contraction

Between 2010-2020, several business categories in metro Milwaukee experienced declines, including:

-150 Professional, scientific & technical services

-240 Manufacturing -260 Finance & Insurance -296 Retail trade -325 Wholesale trade Startups important to net new job creation

Research has suggested that dynamic metro area growth is most evident in startup activity. The number of startup businesses (with employment) per year has averaged 1,813 in the Milwaukee metro area since 2000. These startups account for net job creation averaging 11,250 per year. Net job creation for all other firm ages is negative on average, so startup activity is important to the job creation process.

The metro area has not ranked well in this regard. In a 2020 ranking of the 50 largest metro areas in startups per 1,000 population, the metro area ranked 41st per 1,000 population and 37th in net job creation per 1,000 in startup firms. Read more in this issue of Commerce for efforts underway to spur and support startup growth.

Small businesses at a glance Source: U.S. Census Bureau

20%

of small businesses are owned by women

30%

of small business owners have a bachelor’s degree

$73 BILLION

in small business loans have been funded since 2020

1.2 million jobs were supported by small business loans since the pandemic

98%

of each industry is comprised of small businesses

18.7%

of small businesses are

MINORITY-OWNED The highest percentage of owners fall in the

55-TO-64 AGE RANGE mmac.org | 9

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10 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

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Will 2023 Be Better for Supply Chain Woes?

Supply chain disruptions continue to affect small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) throughout the U.S. Back in 2021, many local SMBs thought the worst of the pandemic-related supply issues were behind them. Unfortunately, they persisted throughout 2022, with customer back-orders becoming the norm.

Degrees of Suffering Do SMBs have greater supply chain woes than larger companies? Data from an SMB Retail Supply Chain survey conducted in March 2022 indicated that the answer is yes, and these difficulties are expected to last through 2023.

While larger businesses are certainly not immune to these issues, because they can route materials more quickly in more ways and are also first in line with suppliers because of the sheer scale of their purchases, they have a major advantage in procuring inventory.

Nearly 60% of SMB owners surveyed say it’s taking “somewhat longer” to “much longer” to procure inventory than in 2021. More than one-third of SMB retailers are paying 20% more for shipping than 12 months ago, and 50% have increased their retail prices to offset the increased supply chain costs.

Cause and Effect Destabilizing trends such as inflation, B2B (business-to-business) shipping moving to D2C (direct-to-customer), and increasingly tense global trade, are contributing to the current supply chain crisis.

Focusing too much on being efficient, or what’s known as the just-in-time model, has highlighted how prone supply chains are to disruption. Companies are contending with this increased need for sustainability alongside an explosion of e-commerce.

Additionally, the demand for physical goods is surging and manufacturers are often understaffed. In short, the supply chain cannot keep up.

SMB Solutions Many small to medium-sized business owners are coping with the disruptions by looking carefully at their own sales and operating processes and using technology to create rolling forecasts regarding what needs to be sourced and when.

One of the first steps toward recovery is supply-chain transparency, which companies can achieve by mapping their networks fully from tier-one suppliers on down, so they understand the exact composition of their chain. Having multiple suppliers can also help reduce costs associated with production delays and improve the operations of the chain as a whole.

There are resources for SMBs to address supply chain challenges as the business community focuses more on this issue, and as always, working with experienced lending partners can help your business be prepared as issues and solutions arise.

Glenn Margraff

Executive Vice President Wintrust Commercial Banking at Town Bank, N.A. www.townbank.us

mmac.org | 11

SAVE THE DATE! Hear key insights into the top issues and trends facing the Milwaukee Region.

2023 ALL MEMBER MEETING Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Bradley Symphony Center | 4:30 PM - 8PM

Sponsorships Available PRESENTING Investment: $20,000

Companies sponsoring at this highest level will have prominent placement on all marketing and eventrelated materials, as well as speaking time at the event.

The MMAC All Member Meeting is the chamber’s highest-profile event, bringing together more than 1,000 business, community, and government leaders.

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12 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

Replay our 2021 All Member Meeting at MMAC.org/AMM.org

Business Succession Planning What every small business owner needs to know

W Thomas E. Bayer CPA, CExP, and Partner Sikich LLP

hen it comes to having a succession plan in place for your business, there are some common misconceptions. The first being, you don’t need a plan until you get closer to retirement. The reality is that many business owners leave their business before retirement due to an unexpected event. Another misconception is that you can execute a plan within a year of retirement. In reality, many planning engagements take several years to execute.

Establishing a transition plan takes time and careful deliberation – business owners should develop a plan as soon as they start to build wealth in their business. To formulate a succession plan, start by answering five key questions:

1

Are you ready?

Your business should have value in its unique products and services, customer base, and employees. Value is preserved by ensuring that trade secrets are protected, shareholder agreements are in place and key employees are retained during a transition. Further, value is maximized by strong financial performance.

Preparedness also involves a contingency plan for unexpected events.

2 3

Who is your likely successor?

Ideally, you have options when it comes to your possible successor. Consider if that plan includes selling to a management team, transitioning to a family member, merging with a competitor or becoming an ESOP.

How much do you need to retire?

In other words, if you sell your ownership interest in the business, will it be enough to fulfill your personal needs now and in the future? If you find, after calculations, a gap between your personal needs and the amount of after-tax proceeds from the sale, there are strategies to close that gap. This process involves a deep dive into your personal net worth, inclusive of all assets and the value of your business interests, to determine your personal financial needs.

4 5

When would you like to exit?

Make sure you set a realistic, yet flexible timeline for yourself to leave the business.

This timeline gives you and your team firm expectations and a deadline in mind.

What’s next?

Business owners spend a significant amount of time building their business, and walking away can be traumatic. To navigate this question, determine what kind of legacy you want to leave and what your ambitions are for retirement.

Thomas E. Bayer, CPA, CExP, has 30 years of experience providing a broad range of accounting, tax and business advisory services to commercial clients across various industries. He is the market lead for the Indianapolis, Indiana region for Sikich.

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14 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

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How Firms Can Position Themselves as “Best-In-Class” for Builders Risk Coverage These are challenging times for the construction industry. There’s a backlog of business on the books, and that’s keeping things hopping. But keeping up – much less ahead – of demand is problematic as pressures mount.

Shortages of both labor and materials are ongoing pain points. Inflation is driving costs of everything up – including money – and threatening the viability of projects. And other outsized risks – think catastrophic events like floods, fires, earthquakes, hurricanes and tornados – are causing billions of dollars of catastrophic losses.

And, in turn, this has created an environment that has added to the pressure on the all-important Builders Risk insurance. All the uncertainties are pushing premiums up 15% to 20% in the marketplace overall, but as much as 100% in regions most exposed to weatherrelated risks, such as Florida, Texas, and California. And getting it at any price, especially in those markets, can be problematic as capacity is increasingly limited.

In the most exposed areas, problems getting Builders Risk coverage at all, much less affordably, may cause lenders to pull back and projects to be postponed.

Wherever the project, though, and especially for those valued at $10 million or more, construction firms must go the extra mile in planning against the exposures to Builders Risk losses.

Here’s how firms can position themselves to be considered best-in-class risks during a difficult market for Builders Risk.

1. BE ON TOP OF SAFETY AND SECURITY REQUIREMENTS. Builders Risk insurance – or construction site property insurance – protects against damage by fire, wind, vandalism, vehicle collisions or other accidents, and may also cover construction materials stored off-site and cleanup costs such as debris removal. Insurers want pro-formas or budgets that reflect protective measures including: • Fencing: All projects are required to be completely fenced and locked during non-working hours.

• Lighting: Adequate lighting – beyond basic street lighting – must surround the site.

• Monitoring: Security guards are one measure, but remote video monitoring with a central station alarm system is a more comprehensive approach. It’s especially important to ensure devices to detect and alert for water intrusion and fires.

• Hot works: Should hot works, welding or open flame heating be undertaken inside or outside the building, details must be provided.

2. DOCUMENTATION SPEEDS THE QUOTE PROCESS. The more information provided to the insurance broker in advance, the more streamlined the quote process and the more likely pricing will be competitive.

Here’s what should be included: • Detailed line-item budget that breaks down hard and soft costs as well as delay in startup costs • Copy of the General Contractor Site Specific Safety Plan

• Geotech reports • Architectural and site plans, drawings, and sections, including project description and scope of work • Construction schedule/Gantt chart

3. DON’T OVERLOOK BUILDERS RISK BUDGET “MUST-HAVES.” When budgeting for Builders Risk, several items, length of project, soft costs and business interruption can sometimes be overlooked.

The issue with length of project budgeting is that firms often don’t take into account that it is an annual, or 12-month, rate used to price the policy. An 18-month project, then, would need to account for the extra time by multiplying the expected rate by 1.5.

Typically, soft costs and business interruption amount to 15% to 20% of the construction budget – and add to the total insurable value of the project. These limits can vary based on lender requirement and the risk tolerance of the general contractor and/or developer.

The tightness in the Builders Risk market, especially on frame construction projects, makes it critical for general contractors and project owners to plan ahead. This means opening discussions early with broker partners about upcoming building projects and their timelines so they can get into the market, prepare management for any sticker shock, and also for the possibility that it may take financing to cover the cost of the insurance premium.

Sean Coykendall

Vice President Commercial Insurance & Employee Benefits Consulting Hub International www.hubinternational.com

About the author Sean Coykendall is Vice President of Commercial Insurance and Employee Benefits Consulting for global Top 5 insurance brokerage Hub International in Wisconsin.

mmac.org | 15

16 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

Owning a small business –

A

lessons learned

t Goldstein Law Group, S.C., we serve as outside counsel to business. Accordingly, it is sometimes easy to forget that we, ourselves, are also in business. In February of this year, we celebrated our 15-year anniversary (and nearly 30 years of law practice for me). It’s been quite a ride.

Mark Goldstein Owner/Attorney Goldstein Law Group

We have been afforded the unique opportunity to learn, not just from our own experiences, but from our clients as well.

Here are a few such lessons (paired with a few favorite quotes):

Shep lived by three rules: 1) Get the money, 2) Remember to get the money, and 3) Always remember to get the money.

– Supermensch (The Legend of Shep Gordon) The rules of business may be simple, but execution can be far more difficult. Create systems, and follow them, but recognize that your systems are just a start. They will need to be revisited and tweaked and, at times, violated or even discarded. Knowing when and how to do this is the key. For example, foregoing your own paycheck – less than optimal, but it happens (no matter what they say about “always pay yourself first”). On the other hand, foregoing payroll taxes or payments to your bank or health insurer is inviting trouble.

I have people skills!

– Office Space

v.

What I do have are a very particular set of skills.

– Taken

If employees are not your solution, they may very well become your problem. Long before recent events, demographic forecasts suggested staffing would become a great challenge. In years since, we had the pandemic, the push for remote work, and now “quiet quitting.” How do you feel about the compensation and benefit package you are currently offering? Can you demonstrate that it has helped you attract and retain (the right) employees?

There's two types of motorcyclists; those who have crashed, and those who have not yet crashed.

You will undoubtedly hear from other business owners who have flaunted the rules (or simply been ignorant of them). Examples include taxation, minority business owner rules, exempt/non-exempt determinations, and all the regulations relative to independent contractor status. Some of them will suffer the consequences, and others may never. As for yourself, know what you don’t know and keep your own counsel. Having trusted attorneys, accountants, mentors, and other advisors will help you keep your bearings.

In the end, Teddy Roosevelt captured it well when he talked of his admiration for the “man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause…” And yet there is nothing noble about stumbling into the same traps as generations of prior business owners or those easily avoided.

Thanks to the MMAC for the community of business owners it has created and serves, and for providing me this opportunity to reflect on all that I’ve learned over the past years. Onward!

Mark Goldstein has more than 25 years of legal experience—in the courtroom, employing strategies for staying out of court, and with transactional matters. He created Goldstein Law Group in 2008 after more than 15 years of practicing law.

mmac.org | 17

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You’ve got this.

Because we’ve got you.

AssociatedBank.com/MMAC Jeffrey R. Schaefer Senior Vice President | Corporate Banking Jeffrey.Schaefer@AssociatedBank.com 414-283-2385 111 E. Kilbourn Ave. #600 Milwaukee, WI

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18 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

3/1/23 3:39 PM

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REFORMING YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN FOR GOOD Years ago, proximity to resources, access to markets and conventional transportation were enough to fuel growth and prosperity. What once would position your company for success may not be enough today.

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Where We Stand In the past we saw the end of low-cost, untroubled energy sources, cost savings on inventory, commitments to globalization and the rapid deployment of offshore manufacturing. Together, these ingredients created the present situation. Today, we need a detailed analysis and a wide-ranging assessment of the supply chain to assure agility and resilience moving forward.

The Continuity of Supply Providing your business with options is the key to offering reliable resources for supply and distribution.

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mmac.org | 19

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1. Make employees feel valued.

Employees care about more than just their salary. By offering an attractive benefits package that addresses their additional needs and wants, you can help reduce their stress and increase their happiness. And, of course, dental coverage will help employees keep a healthy smile that they will love to show off.

2. Embrace work/life balance.

Businesses who embrace a strong work/life balance and offer flexible hours and remote work options tend to have happier employees compared to those who are requiring full-time inperson workplaces.

4. Do little things that make a big difference.

Celebrate a job well done and goals that are met by individuals and teams. Smaller, more frequent, positive feedback and rewards have been proven to keep employees happier than large but less frequent events. And, try stocking plenty of healthy, smile-friendly snacks around the office.

Read our full blog by scanning the QR code with your smartphone.

Have dental or vision benefit questions for your organization or yourself? Reach out using my contact information below!

Jackie Bloomer

3. Give employees a voice.

Gather feedback on your benefits program to make sure employees know you are listening and working to make sure the benefits you offer — including your dental and vision plans — are meeting their needs.

Sales Executive Delta Dental of Wisconsin (414) 659-0481 deltadentalwi.com

INSURANCE MADE SIMPLE How do we make managing your employee benefits easy? By providing a dedicated account manager, offering combined administration, and helping keep rates stable. Plus, we’re known for our responsive service and large provider networks. Who partners with you to make your employees happy? #DefinitelyDeltaDental

Delta Dental of Wisconsin | deltadentalwi.com

20 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

Entrepreneur offers thoughts on strengthening the Milwaukee startup ecosystem Kyle Weatherly is one of the most successful members of the Milwaukee startup community. The University of Wisconsin graduate founded Frontdesk in 2017. By 2021, the company was edging toward the top of Inc. Magazine’s list of America’s fastest-growing companies.

The short-term real estate rental company raised $22 million in capital under Weatherly’s leadership. In 2022, he transitioned from CEO to board member with co-founder, Jesse DePinto, taking the helm.

Kyle Weatherly Board Member Frontdesk

Before his celebrated success with Frontdesk, Weatherly grew his family’s West Allis based Solaris, Inc. from five employees to 120 employees. The medical device company was sold to a German-based conglomerate for an undisclosed amount in 2014.

Commerce Magazine asked Weatherly to share his thoughts on how the business community in metro Milwaukee could improve its startup ecosystem.

Dear Corporate Milwaukee, it’s Startup Milwaukee, here. We need your help.

M

ilwaukee is a tale of two economies. We punch well above our weight in Fortune 1000 headquarters but, by most any metric, Milwaukee struggles with new company formation and success.

This is news to no one – especially ‘Corporate Milwaukee’, which has invested meaningful time and money into improving early-stage startup success. Thank you! That said, when I talk to entrepreneurs, they still feel there is much more that could be done.

Below is a list of big and small ideas that I have heard from Milwaukee entrepreneurs on how Corporate Milwaukee can help ‘Startup Milwaukee’ reach its substantial potential.

Show up I go to a lot of startup events, and rarely do I meet anyone from Milwaukee’s largest companies.

Consider having your employees attend these events to learn how major corporations can partner with local startups.

Mandate spending on new companies Large companies are great at hitting metrics. So, why not treat startup spending the same way? Consider allocating an annual percentage to spend with Milwaukee startup businesses that are less than five years old.

Incentivize entrepreneurship

Milwaukee is a tale of two economies.

We punch well above our weight in Fortune 1000 headquarters but, by most any metric, Milwaukee struggles with new company formation and success.

Be a customer It has been said before, I know. But startups need the right kind of customer. A customer who can get quickly to “yes” – or at least get quickly to “no.” Startup businesses cannot succeed if it takes months or even years for prospective customers to decide if the partnership is a fit.

I know this sounds crazy, but why not offer startup capital as an employee benefit to high performers?

For example, after four years of employment, offer employees the opportunity to receive a $100,000 investment in their startup company.

By doing this, you will attract entrepreneurial talent and get a chance to invest in great business ideas at the ground floor. And, given that the startup founders are coming from your company and industry, the odds are high these future companies will be fixing a problem you currently have.

Provide free space Startups can’t always meet in coffee shops and living rooms. Consider offering startup businesses free office space. This corporate generosity will allow the emerging company to apply more capital to scaling efforts, while creating a more innovative and vibrant office environment for your business.

Offer free training Most large companies have outstanding training and development programs. Why not offer that world-class training to startup companies? In my experience, many entrepreneurs would greatly benefit from corporate-level management and leadership programs. The skills they gain in your organization will allow Milwaukee startups to succeed at a higher rate. mmac.org | 21

gener8tor The Milwaukee-based business accelerator has a growing national presence. The award-winning program, founded by Joe Kirgues and Troy Vosseller in 2012, has provided more than $1.3 billion of funding to growing companies. From the free gBeta program designed for earlystage companies to high profile collaborations, like the Northwestern Mutual Black Founder Accelerator that attracts top startups from across the country, gener8tor is an undeniable force in the startup ecosystem.

Ideadvance This program is a partnership between the UW System’s Center for Technology Commercialization (CTC) and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). Established in 2014, the two-stage program offers business training and funding to advance new and growing businesses in Wisconsin. A key requirement of the program is that a UW System faculty, staff, student, or alumni must be involved in the company.

Milwaukee-based

accelerators spur success This list highlights a few of the many resources available to startup entrepreneurs.

For a more comprehensive list of accelerators and other resources available to support startups and small businesses, visit startinwi.com, supported by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

22 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

¥.€.$. Blueprint

BREW 2.0

Operated by the Young Enterprising Society, this accelerator combines bootcamp-like technical and business training along with a traditional business accelerator curriculum.

The program offers $100,000 of seed capital to selected urban startups.

Presented by The Water Council, The Business, Research and Entrepreneurship in Water (BREW) Accelerator 2.0 is for companies working in water technology.

The free program attracts a global pool of applicants with market-ready technologies.

Check out these additional resources for new businesses: •Barley to Barrel Incubator •BizStarts •Brew City Match

SPARC Offered by Scale Up Milwaukee, this tuition-based business accelerator provides business education and mentorship to BIPOC and womenowned businesses with annual revenue between $25,000 and $1 million. SPARC has had 167 companies complete the accelerator since it launched in 2017. Collectively, those companies have increased their revenue by 36% on average.

AMPDNR Accelerating Medical Product Development with Networked Resources is a collective that includes the Medical College of Wisconsin, University of WisconsinMilwaukee, Concordia University Wisconsin, Marquette University, Blood Research Institute/Versiti and Milwaukee School of Engineering to accelerate commercially viable development in the Healthcare and HealthTech industries.

FOR-M

•Center for Technology Commercialization

Sponsored by the Milwaukee Tech Hub Coalition, this program is a startup incubator, rather than an accelerator, but it provides many of the same services accelerators provide. The free program is open to entrepreneurs at any stage in the business development process. With support from the WEDC and Bader Philanthropies, FOR-M has awarded more than $240,000 in grants to local startup businesses.

•Doyenne- Milwaukee Office

UW-Milwaukee Business Innovation Incubator

•MKE Tech Hub Coalition

The tuition-based, 11-month program provides $5,000 in funding to participants. The business is open to all entrepreneurs with businesses at any stage.

•Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

•FaB Wisconsin •Food Finance Institute Fellows Program •Health TechMKE •KIVA •LISC Milwaukee •MEDC Capital Access Program (CAP)

•Scale Up Milwaukee •SizeUp from WEDC •SCORE Mentors of SE Wisconsin •Small Business Association (SBA)

•Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) •Start in Wisconsin

Food Finance Institute Fellows Program Funded by the WEDC, this six-month program is free to food-based entrepreneurs with an active business.

707 Hub

•StartSmart from the City of Milwaukee

Presented by Marquette University, this five-week program is open to anyone looking to scale up an existing business.

•The Commons •UWM Research Foundation •WiSys VentureHome •Wisconsin Small Business Development Center •Wisconsin Technology Council •Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce •WWBIC mmac.org | 23

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24 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

Milwaukee by the numbers

Access metro Milwaukee’s performance on 17 economic indicators

A

re you interested to see how Milwaukee measures up to similar cities, like Indianapolis or Kansas City? Curious to see the numbers behind Austin’s booming startup scene? The Metro Milwaukee Innovation DataTool has the answers.

The DataTool is designed to gauge the Milwaukee metro area’s performance on a range of indicators tied to innovation and economic growth. The tool allows users to access data on 17 economic indicators grouped into five categories: Capital Formation, Economic Trends, Idea Development, Regional Talent, and Startup and Small Business Development.

The tool is meant to help economic development leaders and the broader community identify the region’s economic strengths and weaknesses and set priorities for future advancement.

Created by the Wisconsin Policy Forum and supported by MMAC Board member Chris Abele and Bader Philanthropies, Pitch Book is the data source for these reports. Pitch Book is a subscription financial analysis database that provides capital market data. The DataTool is updated quarterly.

To access this useful information, go to MKEStartup.News and click on DataTool.

Capital Formation

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Startups & Small Business Development

mmac.org | 25

When Wisconsin entrepreneurs shine, the whole region shines. Learn about a small company making a big impact on the Milwaukee region by supporting large companies, both locally and abroad.

Quadruple-digit

growth for Managecore

M

anagecore, a provider of SAP Technical Managed Services, might be the biggest Milwaukee success story you’ve never heard of.

Anna Lardinois

Frank Powell

Storyteller Milwaukee Startup News

Founder Managecore

To learn more about this nationally recognized company with an international client list, view

managecore.com

26 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

In August 2022, Inc. Magazine released its annual list of the fastest growing companies in the nation.

Managecore was the highest-ranking company in the metro Milwaukee area, and the second-fastest growing company in Wisconsin.

Ranked at #488, the SAP (System Applications and Products in Data Processing) technical managed services company easily outranked much talked about startups Fetch (#617) and Frontdesk (#975) by showing an astonishing three-year growth rate of 1,266%, according to the magazine.

The Franklin-based company was launched in 2016, with early capital investments from Blackthorne Partners, which invested $1.24 million in 2016 and $751,000 in 2017.

MKEStartup.News spoke with company founder and SAP industry veteran Frank Powell about the runaway success of Managecore.

MSUN: What is the SAP market like?

FP: SAP is a unique software product that most of the Fortune 5000 companies run and it literally is the heartbeat of their business. So, when SAP is down, people stop making products, shipping products, taking orders for product; literally, their world comes to a screeching halt. We work in a very ‘mission critical’ IT environment.

The 24/7 nature of what we do is key. We maintain these systems and tune them to ensure they are properly optimized and always up and running.

We are very proud that Managecore has had 100% project success and 100% customer retention to date.

MSUN: According to Inc. Magazine, Managecore had a three-year growth rate of 1,266%. How did you accomplish that feat?

FP: Honestly, I have a great team. CMO Kristin Taner and CTO Nick Miletich have been with us from the very beginning.

When starting Managecore, we asked ourselves ‘what are the things that customers don’t like about outsourcing IT services?’ and wrote those all down. Then we asked ourselves, how do we fix those things and how do we do something better and different?

Things like being transparent and always having senior-level resources came to the top of the list. Employing seniorlevel resources was essential so that you’re not going to get bounced from one inexperienced person to the next, and to the next and (it) could take four iterations to get to the person who can actually answer the question.

At Managecore we hire senior people so that when you pick up the phone and call Managecore, you’re getting direct access to someone that can actually answer your problem.

Another one of Managecore’s initiatives is that we want to do twice as much with half the number of people. With that goal in mind, we really try to leverage as much software as we can and use automation where we can. Hiring all senior-level people helps because their time to resolution for a problem is much quicker than someone who’s trying to research it and figure it out.

By just the nature of the quicker turnaround, they can handle more problems or get more work done in a day than other people can.

MSUN: How can a small Wisconsin-based company compete with large SAP management firms?

FP: Managecore manages technology, but people want to do business with people they like. My two sales guys, they are great guys who have experience and truly care about the customer’s experience with Managecore.

Large companies tend to take an unpersonalized approach to customer delivery which can be very problematic. Some large consulting companies can bring a large amount of consultants to the engagement but having an army of inexperienced resources is inefficient for SAP customers.

MSUN: High quality staff has been essential to Managecore success. How have you been able to find talent?

FP: Part of it is a lot of us have been in the industry a long time, so we know where the good people are. I’m not trying to hire hundreds of people. I’m trying to hire two to three at a time.

One of the things that we’ve done from the very beginning, because it’s a technical strength for us, is we cross train our people. If you know one discipline, we want to cross train you in other disciplines; not that this second discipline becomes your primary job responsibility, but it gives you visibility, it helps you troubleshoot problems more deeply. You get to learn a new skill set on the side and I think people really appreciate that.

Our unique delivery model has really been the big part of our success. As far as the service-level side, that is having the right people and the right tools.

mmac.org | 27

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28 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

Emerging Leaders

Series

SCAN FOR INFORMATION

Emerging Leader Series - Spring 2023 Series begins:

Wednesday, May 17 8:00AM to 12:00PM

MMAC Offices 301 W. Wisconsin Ave., Ste. 220 Milwaukee, WI 53203

This six-month series is designed to support highperforming individuals who are not yet in a formal leadership role. The process involves a combination of training, coaching and learning reinforcements.

This group will meet on the third Wednesday of each month for a half day. mmac.org | 29

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30 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

Main Street Bounceback grants help small businesses recover, expand post-pandemic MMAC assists with federal program designed to reenergize Wisconsin’s downtowns and commercial corridors

O

ver the past 24 months, MMAC’s real estate affiliate, the Milwaukee Development Corp. (MDC), played a central role in approving 3,844 Main Street Bounceback Grant applications across the Milwaukee 7 region. Ultimately $40,950,000 was allocated in direct grants to businesses.

The grants were awarded specifically to companies locating in vacant commercial spaces. Businesses can use the funds for lease or mortgage payments, operating expenses, building repairs, tenant improvements and other qualified expenses.

Leases or purchases had to be dated between Jan 1, 2021 and Dec 31, 2022.

Several vendors at the Third Street Market Hall received grants.

Central Standard Craft Distillery expanded to Downtown Milwaukee with the help of a grant.

The Bounceback Grant provided businesses the opportunity to expand in a challenging period. Ozaukee County has seen a wide range of businesses take advantage of this program, including new medical clinics, downtown businesses and local manufacturers looking to expand.

Kathleen Cady Schilling, Executive Director Ozaukee Economic Development

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp (WEDC) contracted with MDC, which worked closely with Milwaukee Economic Development Corp (MEDC) in establishing application approval processes. MDC aided the process by screening applicants and answering their questions, while the MEDC processed the grant applications. Under the leadership of the MMAC, Marjorie Yoshida carefully managed the intake process and took on the important role of receiving and reviewing applications and qualifying documents, such as leases, occupancy permits and articles of incorporation.

Application statistics from program inception (August of 2021) through February 6, 2023: 3,844 applications approved Demographics •2446 Minority Owned •2349 Women Owned •252 LGBTQ Owned •145 Veteran Owned

Applications by county: Waukesha: 501

Kenosha:99

Washington: 162 Walworth: 115 Milwaukee: 2,414 Racine: 386

•111 Disabled Owned (Companies my have more than one designation)

Ozaukee: 167

mmac.org | 31

M7 welcomes businesses and jobs into Wisconsin When an existing business considers relocating to the Milwaukee area, M7 is the first to answer the call The Milwaukee 7 Partnership for Economic Development (M7) is a regional, cooperative economic development platform for the seven counties of southeastern Wisconsin: Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Waukesha, and Washington. Its mission is to grow, expand and attract diverse businesses and talent in the region.

Funded by both private and public money, the organization helps companies expand or relocate in the Milwaukee region. These companies, in turn, create a ripple effect of growth for the entire region.

M7 answered the call of Advent Tool and Manufacturing in 2020. Founded in 1974 by Jim Hartford, the manufacturer of machine tool accessories was located in Antioch, Illinois.

The relocation has brought about positive changes for all involved.

“We are proud to call Wisconsin our new home,” said Hartford. “The state is an ideal location for our business, providing a stable and business-friendly environment to support our growth plans. We are excited to write Advent’s next chapter in Wisconsin and to join the impressive list of manufacturers already in the state.”

The local community is just as excited to welcome Advent into Wisconsin.

Hartford was looking for a new facility for this thriving business. He viewed a new facility in the Salem Industrial Park located in Trevor, Wisconsin. The development had a 25,000-foot building available that was ideal for the growing business and its staff of skilled machinists. Despite the new facility being just five miles away from Advent’s former headquarters, the Salem Industrial Park is located in a different state.

We are proud to call

Crossing the state border made all of the difference for the business.

in Wisconsin and to join

Led by M7, and with the assistance of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and the Kenosha Area Business Alliance (KABA), the team put together a plan to help Advent move the company, and the new jobs created through the company’s growth, into Wisconsin.

Wisconsin our new home.

We are excited to write Advent’s next chapter the impressive list of manufacturers already in the state.

Jim Hartford President

32 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

Michael Murdock, village administrator for Salem Lakes, stated that “now more than ever, it’s important to have good companies providing living wage jobs in our community. The Salem Business Park was an innovative partnership between our community, KABA and Kenosha County, and we’re excited to see what it was intended to be.”

Advent Tool and Manufacturing is one of the many companies that are doing business in Wisconsin, thanks to the efforts of the M7 team.

“We’re thrilled that Advent has chosen southeastern Wisconsin for this significant investment,” said M7 Senior Vice President and Executive Director, Jim Paetsch.

“Advent is precisely the kind of company that we want and can well support. The company’s decision to invest here highlights – once again – our success in attracting new companies to Wisconsin.”

Now more than ever, it’s important to have good companies providing living wage jobs in our community.

Michael Murdock Village Administrator

mmac.org | 33

“

A unique (though not uncommon) nuance of my business ownership is that my partner and I see things differently. Through my Roundtable, I am able to raise issues and gain insights that I can bring back to our discussions and make better decisions.”

“

My Roundtable group has been a wonderful source of support with some occasional (needed) tough love! It’s great to interact with others who experience many of the same wins and battles I do as an entrepreneur.”

18 years

Executive Roundtable Member Living As A Leader is a leadership training, coaching & consulting firm.

RACHEL BAHR President

3 years

Executive Roundtable Member

4 years

Bravent is a HR consulting firm that provides national executive search services to small/medium sized businesses.

3 full time employees

2 years

Executive Roundtable Member humanworks8 helps build culture development, talent optimization, strategic planning & leadership development.

4 full time employees

“We have a distinct competitive advantage against peer firms that don’t use such a wonderful tool like the Executive Roundtable program to gain knowledge and leverage best practices!”

MARK NABER CEO

5 years

Executive Roundtable Member

Xiogenix creates custom-engineered solutions for optimizing the Tissue Banking and Cell & Gene Therapy Industries.

Amplify Graphics & Branding is a print service firm encompassing large format printing, signage, and printers/copiers sales & support.

20 full time employees

23 full time employees

34 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

Thought Catalyst

Executive Roundtable Member

“

It is a great feeling to know that I have a peer group rooting for me and helping me navigate “all the things” that come with leadership.”

SHAWN GULYAS

Founder & CEO

10 full time employees

“

We’ve gotten new business through our Roundtable connections, but we’ve also learned about – and used - other small businesses while expanding our network with additional introductions through our participation!”

AMY FALLUCCA

ALETA NORRIS Partner

“

“ The friendships and professional advice my Roundtable members have given over the years made me who I am today.

It was a wise investment.”

BRIDGET LAZLO CEO

21 years

Executive Roundtable Member Guardian Business Solutions supports manufacturing companies with the implementation of their Description ERP business systems.

8 Full time employees 8 full time employees

Surround yourself with

Small Business Peers “ from diverse backgrounds & industries

Nearly 300 CEOs, CFOs, Senior Executives and Sales Managers in the Milwaukee region count on the MMAC Executive Roundtable Program to fill the void that often comes with being a senior decision-maker at a small business.

My CEO Roundtable provides local economic, labor and issue insights. They have provided broad subject matter expertise that has helped me, and my organization, grow.

SARIT SINGHAL President & CEO

22 years

Executive Roundtable Member Superior Support Resources focuses on IT infrastructure & security.

55 full time employees

“ Every meeting we have, I walk away with a new tidbit of knowledge and a new perspective on something I may have been struggling with.”

COURTNEY SKINKIS

Still not sure if it’s for you?

PREVIEW THE ROUNDTABLE EXPERIENCE! Tuesday, May 2, 2023 from 11:30 AM -1 PM

Register at MMAC.org/events.html or contact Chauntele Kreutz at 414/287.4146 or ckreutz@mmac.org

President

1 year

Executive Roundtable Member Confluence Graphics is a local, woman-owned design & print studio.

5 full time employees

mmac.org | 35

Milwaukee Athletic Club

RESTORING OUR HISTORY. BUILDING OUR FUTURE.

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36 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

MMAC businesses host Milwaukee Public School students How can we connect with the next generation to help fill the Milwaukee region’s talent pipeline?

2022-23

Bring together local businesses and students to spark an interest in a potential career.

PARTICIPATING MILWAUKEE REGION BUSINESSES: • Children’s Wisconsin • Johnson Financial Group • Northwestern Mutual • River Run Computers • WEC Energy Group

Alexis Deblitz Director of Education & Industry Partnerships MMAC/M7

In February, MMAC hosted high school students from three Milwaukee Public Schools for small group career conversations with dynamic and diverse professionals from local businesses in healthcare and business/ finance. Discussions focused on students’ interest areas, future career aspirations and academic career plans, targeting students who have identified an industry of interest through their participation in a relevant course.

Be the Spark Career Conversations is part of a series of events designed to offer high-impact career experiences providing real-world context for classroom learning and to create strong, enduring alliances between education and industry partners. The goal is to inspire students to explore the broad spectrum of rewarding high-demand career opportunities with firms throughout Southeastern Wisconsin.

The Be the Spark program focuses on careers in the industries of Technology, Business/Finance and Healthcare.

By 2025, the Milwaukee Region is projected to have more than 450,000 jobs within these industry clusters, offering an average annual wage of $60,000.

See more at MMAC.org/Business-Tours-for-Students.html

Healthcare and technology pathways are supported through partnerships with the Center for Healthcare Careers and MKE Tech Hub Coalition.

CAREER COACHES PARTICIPATED FROM THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES: • Advocate Aurora Health – ACL Laboratories • CORA Physical Health • Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast, Inc. • Johnson Financial Group • Komatsu Mining • Medical College of Wisconsin • Mova Business Solutions • zizzl LLC

mmac.org | 37

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LOCAL BUSINESSES HIGHLIGHTING CAREERS

Be the Spark Career Conversations: Healthcare MPS students from participating high schools took part in Be the Spark Career Conversations. Mentors from area medical facilities met with students to talk about opportunities in the healthcare field.

Pictured: MPS Riverside University High School students

1

2. Emma Schmidt, respiratory therapist from Children’s Hospital of WI, demonstrated vest therapy with Asr Clark from Riverside University High School.

3. Zach Koba from Cora Physical Therapy poses with a group of students.

2

3

4

5

4. José Martinez Galindo from Advocate Aurora Health - ACL Laboratories meets with students.

5. Santana Harris, Children’s Hospital of WI, discusses potential positions at the hospital.

mmac.org | 39

Providing a high quality education for students and families is the #1 goal at Milwaukee Academy of Science. MMAC’s advocacy to help schools like ours expand and serve more families and kids is crucial to our efforts serving this community.

Anthony McHenry

CEO, Milwaukee Academy of Science

MMAC’s K-12 Education Agenda The MMAC recognizes that the success of our students today will drive a stronger Milwaukee tomorrow.

No matter their zip code, family income, or skin color-every child in Milwaukee deserves a great education.

For St. Augustine Preparatory Academy, the MMAC’s efforts to secure additional funding directly impacts the number of students we are able to serve.

Abby Andrietsch

President & CEO, St. Augustine Preparatory Academy

40 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

IMPROVING STUDENT OUTCOMES BY INVESTING IN QUALITY SCHOOLS

For more than 25 years, MMAC has put educational achievement at the center of its agenda. The students of today are the talent of the future. Members recognize that without a skilled, innovative and adaptable workforce they cannot grow and thrive. The 2023 Education Recommendations are focused on funding parity to ensure that all students – whether they attend a public, choice or charter school – have access to the same level of resources.

That’s why it’s critical we do all we can to strengthen metro Milwaukee’s K-12 education system. Every student deserves a high-quality education.

Milwaukee would greatly benefit from a K-12 system that serves all students equally. Until those inequities are addressed, growing quality schools will remain a significant challenge.

MMAC 2023 EDUCATION POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

1 2 3 4 5

Equality for all K-12 publicly funded students Supporting all publicly funded K-12 students in the city equally is the best way to ensure a quality education for all. Today students attending independent public charter schools or utilizing public funding to attend a private school in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) receive $5,000 - $6,000 less than MPS students.

Raise the reimbursement for Special Education costs The State covers 30% of the cost serving students with disabilities. This discrepancy is particularly challenging for independent charter and private schools with lower per pupil funding. Increasing the coverage to at least 50% is a necessary first step.

Implement best practice governance for charter schools Support the replication of existing schools and the addition of new high-quality schools in the City through improved charter authorizing policies and the creation of a new Local Education Agency (LEA).

Improve state report card data integrity Ensure data can be compared year over year to assess trends in school performance.

Review assessment to better communicate the impact of actual student proficiency and student improvement.

Revitalize MPS Revitalize the important role MPS has in educating students in a city with a robust K-12 system driven by parent choice. Better use of facilities, active support for charter options, and improved access to school board elections are part of a strategy to reinvest in MPS.

View more details behind each of MMAC’s five recommendations at www.MMAC.org/Education-Recommendations.html mmac.org | 41

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42 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

LEAD EXCHANGE GROUPS GET COMPETITIVE

Networking Forum Team Olympics To prove which team was the best, teams competed in spoons, basketball, bag toss and more.

Back row: Jacob Olson, West Allis Blue; Wyatt Dittburner, Insperity; Michael Ritt, CTaccess; Carolyn Trokan, Trans International; Bridget Fritz, Moore Construction Services; Barb Smith, MMAC; Kelli Pickrel, Milwaukee Brewers; Ryan Rivas, Denise Salamone, Sophia McLees and Chauntele Kreutz, MMAC; Front row: Marjorie Yoshida, MMAC; Rebecca Swanson, humanworks8; and Bill Scallon, Evolution Business Management

1

2. Aurora Bautz, Prescient Solutions 3. Jarrod Mikulecky, Regus & Spaces, and John Dulmes, Transwestern Commercial Services 4. Ryan Rivas, MMAC, and Eli Howayeck, Pepper Construction Group 5. Amanda Mast, Fusion Recruiters; Jennifer Cwiklinski, X-Centric IT Solutions; Roberta Montague, CJ & Associates; Tracy Sabol, Midwest Insurance Group; Lisa Proeber, The Middle Six; Lisa Gregg, Culligan Water; Krista Suhr, Innovative Signs

2

3

4

5 mmac.org | 43

BLACK HISTORY MONTH KICKOFF FORUM

Engage & Activate: Diverse Professionals Forum 1

Milwaukee Film hosted the first ever diverse professionals forum on February 1, kicking off Black History Month. Attendees included young professionals and corporate leaders from FUEL Milwaukee for an evening of conversation and networking. Pictured: Kyle Ashley, Gov. Evers’ administration; Ranell Washington, Milwaukee Film; and Dr. Victor Amaya, Data You Can Use

2. Shary Tran, Amazon; Corry Joe Biddle, MMAC/FUEL Milwaukee; Dante Houston, AMN Healthcare; and Angela Quigley, Married In Milwaukee 3. - 5. February’s Engage & Activate event featured the short film, TRIBES, an overthe-top dark satire about identity and race–equal parts intelligent and divisive.

Using the film as a framework for discussion, each group discussed how group affiliations (race, ethnicity, gender, etc.) impact personal identity.

44 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

2

3

4

5

FUEL MILWAUKEE

Professional Development Bootcamp Professional Development Bootcamp offers nine workshops in 3 days each January on leadership, management and individual career growth. Pictured: Session Three - The Laws of Leadership with Celeste Cuffie from Life Empowered Consulting Services.

1

2. Kayleigh Shaw, Trefoil, and John Mares, Zywave, listen to Celeste Cuffie 3. Samantha Maldonado, Alverno College 4. Darren Fisher, SPEARity 5. Participants in the Bootcamp series are able to learn from local experts.

2

3

4

5 mmac.org | 45

CEO’S OF GROWING BUSINESSES

Calculate to Win with Brian Beaulieu 1

Brian Beaulieu from ITR Economics (pictured), shared his knowledge on issues that impact profitability via resource allocation, budgets, expectations, and strategic planning. This presentation deciphered the key leading indicators and what they foretell in each major market.

2. Brian Beaulieu, ITR Economics and Chad Venne, Newport Network Solutions, Inc. 3. Mark Sobczak, Sikich LLP and Scott Frandle, SCF Associates

2

3

4. Kimberly Kane, Kane Communications Group 5. Jaime Hurtado and Glenn Michaelsen, Spring Bank

4

46 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

5

6. Carla Zevnik-Seufzer, ClearStep Financial and Judi Murphy, Oak Hill Business Partners 7. Justin Moilanen, Financial Service Group 8. Jim Michlig, Muskego Norway School District and Gale Pence, Global Precision Industries, Inc.

6

7

8

9

9. Daniel Meyer, BizTimes Media and Jeff Held, New Berlin Plastics

mmac.org | 47

New MMAC Members 0 Tolerance Security LLC

Alta Direct LLC

Atlas & Company

Josh Sanders, Co-Founder 1433 N. Water St., Ste. 400 Milwaukee, WI 53202 (262) 208-4860 0tolerance.io Information Technology Consultants

Kyle Weatherly, President 1345 N. Jefferson St., Unit 454 Milwaukee, WI 53202 (414) 375-5567 altadirectmedical.com Medical Equipment/Supplies

Sam Walker, Managing Partner 2400 W. Fairy Chasm Rd. Milwaukee, WI 53217 (414) 928-4208 atlasandcompany.co Consultants

AK Development

Amazon, Inc.

Be Better ERC Consulting

Ariam Kesete, President 230 W. Wells St., Ste. 215 Milwaukee, WI 53203 (651) 366-2440 akdevmke.com Real Estate

Julian Federle, Public Policy 440 Terry Ave. N Seattle, WA 98109 (773) 727-2310 amazon.com Technology

Steve Sorrentino, Relationship Manager 11419 Haleco Ln. Hales Corners, WI 53130 bebetterercconsulting.com Professional Services

Allied Tool Products, Inc.

American Fashion Network

Stephen Loukanis, CEO 9334 N. 107th St. Milwaukee, WI 53224 (414) 355-8280 atptools.com Manufacturers-Special Equipment

Heidi Curran, Senior Director of Product Development & Sales 105 N. Main St., Ste. 100 West Bend, WI 53095 (262) 573-7013 americanfashionnetwork.com Retail

Café Corazón - Brown Deer 4102 W. Bradley Rd. Milwaukee, WI 53209 (414) 810-3941 corazonmilwaukee.com Restaurants

Don’t miss your chance to be recognized among the region’s fastest growing companies.

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS! Winners will be formally recognized at the awards luncheon on September 22nd and with profiles in BizTimes Milwaukee magazine.

Deadline: May 26, 2023 For more information, contact Sue Herzog at sue.herzog@biztimes.com

biztimes.com/future50 Presenting Sponsor:

48 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

Partner:

NOVEMBER 2022 - JANUARY 2023 Consilium WI LLC

Glenroy, Inc.

Integrum Coaching / EOS

Michael Walz, Principal 7018 W. Bonniwell Rd. Mequon, WI 53097 (414) 232-5350 Consultants - Coaching

Margret Oolders, Director of Operations W158 N9332 Norxway Ave. Menomonee Falls, WI 53051 (262) 255-4422 glenroy.com Manufacturers

Jon Teraoka, CEO 5600 S. Westridge Dr. New Berlin, WI 53151 (414) 349-7341 eosworldwide.com Management Consultants

Emerson, Commercial and Residential Solutions

GROTH Design Group

Kalmbach Media

Bob Reynolds, Plant Manager 5555 S. Packard Ave. Cudahy, WI 53110 (414) 486-5055 climate.emerson.com/en-us/brands/vilter Energy/Utilities

Jean Casey, Director, Business Development 600 W. Virginia St., Ste. 602 Milwaukee, WI 53204 (414) 810-7613 gdg-architects.com Architects

Dan Hickey, CEO 21027 Crossroads Cir. Waukesha, WI 53186 (262) 796-8776 kalmbach.com Marketing Communications

Fons Law Group

Health Insurance Associates, Inc.

Lean Design Werks

Patrick Courtney, President 19525 Janacek Ct., Ste. 101 Brookfield, WI 53045 (262) 786-6666 hia-wi.com Insurance Agents/Brokers

Renata Bunger, CEO 635 3rd St. Beloit, WI 53511 (262) 374-0215 leandesignwerks.com Manufacturers

John Fons, Founder 8028 N. Poplar Dr. Fox Point, WI 53217 (414) 839-1838 Attorneys

Continued on page 50

Proud to help shape the

Greater Milwaukee Area Every project, on time & within budget jcp-construction.com

mmac.org | 49

NEW MEMBERS CONTINUED | NOVEMBER 2022 - JANUARY 2023 Milwaukee Academy of Science

North Hall Partners LLC

Anthony McHenry, CEO 2000 W. Kilbourn Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53233 (414) 933-0302 milwaukeeacademyofscience.org Education

Andy Olen, President 1009 W. Glen Oaks Ln., Ste. 112 Mequon, WI 53092 (262) 422-7057 andyolen.com Sales Force Development

MKR

PartsBadger LLC

Bob Bourgeois Partner / Chief Strategy Officer 117 N. Jefferson St., Ste. 204 Milwaukee, WI 53202 (414) 224-0212 mkragency.com Advertising Agency/Counselors

Roy David Dietsch, CEO W66N205 Commerce Ct. Cedarburg, WI 53012 (331) 223-4378 parts-badger.com Manufacturers

Spoerl Commercial LLC

PCE Investment Bankers

Terra Translations

Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin Tara Swartz, Senior Project Manager PO Box 242480 Milwaukee, WI 53224 (888) 999-2404 molinahealthcare.com Insurance-Health

Nicole Kiriakopoulos, Director 2815 Forbs Ave., Ste. 107 Hoffman Estates, IL 60192 (407) 621-2100 pcecompanies.com Financial Services

CONNECTING

YO U

} Advocacy

} Networking

} Credibility

} Resources

} Development

YOUR CONNECTION Whether you’re looking to grow professionally, increase your expertise and leadership or protect the business you’ve built, the WICPA will help you stay connected to the profession and succeed.

Learn more at wicpa.org 50 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

Tammy Hofstede WICPA President & CEO

Progressive Community Health Centers Jenni Sevenich, CEO 3522 W. Lisbon Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53208 (414) 935-8000 progressivechc.org Health Care Services

Brian Spoerl, Managing Member 1433 N. Water St., 4th Floor Milwaukee, WI 53202 (414) 870-4700 Real Estate Developers

Colleen Beres, Chief Strategy Officer 4525 N. Frederick Ave. Whitefish Bay, WI 53211 (312) 810-6241 terratranslations.com/web/ Translators and Interpreters

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Milwaukee

Video Wisconsin, Inc. Greg Dugan Account Executive 18110 W. Bluemound Rd. Brookfield, WI 53045 (262) 785-1110 videowisconsin.tv Video Production

Heather Knight VP, Marketing & Communications 11800 W. Burleigh St., Ste. 240 Wauwatosa, WI 53222 (414) 257-2700 twomenandatruck.com Moving/Storage

Wisconsin Humane Society

USO Wisconsin

Alison Fotsch Kleibor President & CEO 4500 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53208 (414) 264-6257 wihumane.org Humane Societies

Joshua Sova Executive Director 750 N. Lincoln Memorial Dr., Ste. 407 Milwaukee, WI 53202 (414) 379-3097 wi.uso.org Nonprofit Education

Support your fellow members by doing business together.

MMAC.org/ Directory.html

ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF MILWAUKEE Make a difference in the community when your company supports the Zoological Society and get your brand in front of more than 1 million guests a year.

BECOME A CORPORATE PLATYPUS CIRCLE MEMBER • Transferable Membership Cards • Invitations to VIP events • Name recognition • Special Zoo benefits for your employees • Rental discounts and more Go to BeAPlaty.org to learn more.

GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

SPONSORSHIPS

• Education programs for underrepresented populations • Conservation efforts • Capital investments

• Event and attraction opportunities • Boost your brand • Engage with customers

Contact Mary Kay Gundlach at 414-918-6155 to learn how you can take advantage of these exciting opportunities.

9764A23

mmac.org | 51

MMAC Member Milestones NOVEMBER 2022 - JANUARY 2023

40 years

5 years

Harley-Davidson, Inc.

Jonco Industries, Inc.

90 years

35 years

Andis Company Business Development Pros LLC Corner Bakery Café - Pleasant Prairie Corner Bakery Cafe - Shorewood Corner Bakery Café - Wauwatosa Educators Credit Union Italian Community Center James Imaging Systems Spectrum Reach Strang, Inc. West Allis - West Milwaukee School District

110 years

Badger Meter, Inc. Berghammer Construction Corporation

Acoustech Supply, Inc. AIRSAN Corporation Beck Chaet Bamberger & Polsky SC Engberg Anderson, Inc. Froedtert Health The Business Council, Inc.

75 years

20 years

Hartwig Exhibit & Display

80 years

AT&T Advertising Solutions Lemberg Electric Co., Inc.

70 years Butters-Fetting Co., Inc.

ABAXENT LLC CTaccess, Inc. Gilbane Building Company GO Riteway Transportation Group Greater Milwaukee Committee RAMLOW/STEIN Architecture + Interiors

65 years CBRE, Inc. MGIC

15 years Better By Design Magellan Promotions

60 years Milwaukee Plate Glass Company

55 years University of Wisconsin -Milwaukee

45 years Boy Scouts of America - Three Harbors Council

52 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

10 years Amplify Graphics & Branding BSG Analytics/An Alliant Company Eppstein Uhen Architects, Inc. Kerns Carpet One NAIOP Wisconsin RINKA, Inc. The Tool Die & Machining Association of WI Wonderware Midwest, Inc. WUWM 89.7 FM - Milwaukee’s NPR

1 year ARCpoint Labs of Milwaukee North Be! CMC IT Industries Dinvy Felix Global Kraus-Anderson Construction Marchant Schmidt, Inc. Merit Marketing, Inc. Premier Headshots RCS Innovations - Commercial Interiors Division ROCKSTAR HOLDINGS LLC Sabljak & Budisch Team Rehabilitation Physical Therapy WoodgeniX

MEET MMAC’S

NEWEST TEAM MEMBERS After an extensive search, Dale Kooyenga has joined the MMAC in the newly formed role of Senior Vice President. As a member of the executive team, Kooyenga will work to support business and economic development in the Milwaukee region.

Kooyenga, a Certified Public Accountant, earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting and business administration from Lakeland University, as well as an MBA at Marquette University. The former Wisconsin state legislator is an US Army veteran and has earned the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army Reserves.

Dale Kooyenga

STAFF MMAC.org/Staff.html

Corporate Expansion & Attraction Jim Paetsch | jpaetsch@mke7.com

As the Senior Vice President, I will help MMAC members succeed by providing access to actionable information and providing members’ insights at every level of government. If the Milwaukee area succeeds, our members succeed.

I’ll be focused on executing, alongside our region’s leaders, efforts to ensure Milwaukee is internationally recognized and convincing investors that Milwaukee is a wise investment.”

Economic Development

Lynn Olberding | lolberding@mke7.com

Economic Trends & Research

Bret Mayborne | bmayborne@mmac.org

Federal, State & Local Government Andrew Davis | adavis@mmac.org

Equity & Inclusion

Corry Joe Biddle | cbiddle@mmac.org

GROW YOUR PEER NETWORKS AALAM

Walter Lanier | wlanier@aalamilwaukee.org

Ethnically Diverse Businesses The MMAC welcomes Executive Roundtable Manager, Chauntele Kreutz.

The University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee alumna earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and has extensive program management experience.

Ryan Rivas joins the team as the MMAC’s Member Engagement Manager. Ryan earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from The University of WisconsinMilwaukee and brings with him years of experience in customer service and operations management.

Chauntele Kreutz

Marjorie Rucker | mrucker@mmac.org

Executive Roundtables

Chauntele Kreutz | ckreutz@mmac.org

As the Executive Roundtable Manager, I’m focused on supporting the CEOs, CFOs, and Senior Executives of small businesses in the Milwaukee Region. I will help MMAC members succeed by ensuring the program continues to fill the void that often comes with being a senior decision-maker at a small business. My goal is to grow the program by inviting more MMAC members from diverse industries to join.”

Ryan Rivas

Food & Beverage Industry

Gina Balke | gbalke@fabwisconsin.com

Hispanic Collaborative

Nancy Hernandez | nhernandez@mmac.org

International Trade

Katie Henry | khenry@mmac.org

Leadership Council

Barb Smith | bsmith@mmac.org

Networking Forums

Marjorie Yoshida | myoshida@mmac.org

GAIN EXPOSURE FOR YOUR BUSINESS Advertising

Jane Trenchard-Backes | jbackes@mmac.org

I promote member growth by working tirelessly as a source of information to get businesses in front of the right audience. Together, we can improve our ever-growing economy in the greater Milwaukee region.”

Events & Sponsorship

Karen Powell | kpowell@mmac.org

Small Business

Stephanie Smith | ssmith@mmac.org

mmac.org | 53

Teaming up to help bring your benefits costs down Discounted rates, quality employee benefits and surplus refund*potential when medical claims are lower than expected. They’re all possible with a UnitedHealthcare Level Funded health plan for your business through the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC).

Over $6,000

for an average health plan surplus refund

among the 20.3% of MMAC Level Funded plan sponsors who received a refund in 2022*

Get all the details from an MMAC-affiliated broker or visit uhc.com/mmac Don’t have a broker? Contact Barb Smith at bsmith@mmac.org or 414-287-4173.

*Among the UnitedHealthcare Level Funded plan sponsors who were MMAC members, 20.3% received a surplus refund in 2022, the average of which was $6,091. UnitedHealthcare internal reconciliation analysis, Jan. 1, 2022, through Dec. 31, 2022. Please consult a tax and/or legal advisor to determine if, by receiving this refund, there are any restrictions or obligations. Surplus refund available only where allowed by law.

Administrative services provided by United HealthCare Services, Inc. or their affiliates, and UnitedHealthcare Service LLC in NY. Stop loss insurance is underwritten by UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or their affiliates, including UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance Company in NJ, and UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of New York in NY. B2B EI221554556.1 2/23 © 2023 United HealthCare Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 23-2098850

54 | Milwaukee Commerce, Spring 2023

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1. Understand what’s covered Many health plans cover costs for annual check-ups, health screenings and immunizations, when you see a network care provider. Consider verifying how other services will be covered by logging into your member website or calling the number on your ID card.

2. Know where to go for care Heading to an emergency room for a non-life-threatening issue may cost you far more than visiting an alternative setting, such as urgent care or a convenience clinic. An average ER visit is around $2,200, while a typical urgent care appointment may cost you $180. In addition, seeking care in the ER may mean longer wait times and an increased exposure to germs. If you are faced with a non-emergency health condition, but your primary care doctor’s office is closed, consider the potential benefits of a convenient, lower-cost virtual visit.

3. Stay in network Choosing doctors and labs in your plan’s network will likely mean paying less. In-network care providers and labs have pre-negotiated rates for health care services, which may help reduce the chances you’ll get a surprise bill.

4. Consider prescription options Your health plan may offer discounts, or you may have access to generic versions of brand-name drugs.

Generic medications contain the same active ingredients but typically cost less. You may also be able to save even more by filling your prescriptions at a participating network pharmacy or by choosing home delivery by mail.

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Some programs reward you for activities you may already be doing, such as walking, cycling or strength training.

For example, the UnitedHealthcare Motion® program uses a motion device to track steps, reach goals and earn financial rewards (over $1,000 per year) to help offset plan participant out-of-pocket costs with deposits into their health savings account (HSA) —provided at no additional cost and part of your benefit plan.

Learn more about UnitedHealthcare by visiting uhc.com/mmac.

mmac.org | 55

Interested in advertising in the next issue of Milwaukee Commerce?

Contact Jane Trenchard-Backes at 414/287-4114 or jbackes@mmac.org

Details at mmac.org/advertising.html Milwaukee Commerce magazines are printed by:

301 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 220 | Milwaukee, WI 53203

May is Small Business Month MMAC offers a lineup of events and programs to elevate, support and recognize small business.

NEW EVENT ALERT!

RETURNING IN MAY MMAC MEMBERSHIP APPRECIATION TOUR

MMAC’s first ever Small Business Town Hall; creating a platform for SMEs to get engaged in MMAC’s advocacy efforts. Stay tuned for more details.

Our team will take to the streets of the metro region to visit small business members in person to say thanks and listen to your concerns and needs.

SMALL BUSINESS TOWN HALL

SMB

MAY 10 BUSINESS AFTER HOURS AT CAFÉ CORAZÓN IN BAYVIEW Come celebrate a belated Cinco de Mayo at Café Corazón for some networking and tacos in one of Milwaukee’s most beloved Mexican restaurants.

MAY 26 FUTURE 50 AWARD APPLICATIONS DEADLINE See the ad on page 48 for more details on how to apply.

For more current events visit

MMAC.org/ Events.html