Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce Publication
February 2015
43rd ANNUAL AWARDS EVENT Presented by: Baker Tilly
WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE SAYING UPCOMING EVENTS
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
BAER PERFOMANCE MARKETING
Member Spotlight: Baer Performance Marketing
’ Business After Hours: Ghost Town Fitness Center
Meet the Members: Josh Hermann & Jeremy Meyers 03
Mark your calendar for these upcoming events!
BUSINESS CARD EXCHANGE
RIBBON CUTTING: KWIK TRIP
Tuesday, February 03, 2015 11:45 AM - 1:00 PM
Wednesday, February 04, 2015 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Little Chicago Dining & Spirits N9650 Friendship Road | Kaukauna
HWY 41 & 55 Kaukauna, WI 54130
This program is a structured process for facilitating introductions and conversation between people who don't know each other. Each participant is allotted a period of time to introduce themselves. Lunch is available for purchase.
Join us for a ribbon cutting at Kwik Trip’s new Kaukauna location.
TALENT RECRUITMENT TOOLS - WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Wednesday, February 18, 2015 11:00 AM - 12:00 Noon Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce 101 E. Wisconsin Avenue | Kaukauna Given the challenges in a tightening labor market, efficient recruitment of qualified candidates can be key to a business' continuing success. Attend this seminar to better understand the tools available to businesses – at no cost – for talent recruitment including:JobCenterOfWiscsonsin.com, Reverse lookups of qualified candidates, SkillsExplorer and JobNet.
To register, visit www.heartofthevalleychamber.com 4 Heart Beat | February 2015
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS ROUNDTABLE GROUP MEETING Friday, February 13, 2015 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce 101 E. Wisconsin Avenue | Kaukauna, WI 54130 Each month we bring our members face to face with our Federal and State Legislators, our local elected and appointed leaders and our School Superintendents to engage in dialogue, keeping us informed of the latest issues. These forums are designed to be a safe, respectful environment for both citizens and our legislators. Kaukauna’s Mayor, Gene Rosin has been invited in to speak. He will be giving updates on the new Kaukauna city hall and surrounding campus. Sponsored by:
To register, visit www.heartofthevalleychamber.com 5
*** of the Valley Heart Chamber of Commerce
43rd Annual Awards Event Presented by: Baker Tilly Thursday, February 19, 2015 Waverly Beach, Menasha, WI 5pm – 9pm Fun Pianos by 176 Keys * Limited amount of tickets left! Call the Chamber or go to our website: www.heartofthevalleychamber.com to purchase your tickets today! This year marks the 43rd Annual Awards celebration by the Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce. The awards acknowledge the accomplishments of small businesses and the contributions they make to our regional economy. Nominated by their peers throughout our region, the awards are presented in numerous categories. This year's celebration is all about the winners and all about the networking. The event will feature a networking cocktail reception and the award ceremony, followed by more networking and entertainment by dueling pianos. Don't miss this opportunity to network with the region's leading corporate executives, entrepreneurs and small business owners. Presented By:
Entertainment Sponsor
Platinum Sponsor
Other Sponsors FNB Fox Valley, Tailwagers Doggy Daycare, Epiphany Law, Rasmussen College, BMO Harris, Capital Credit Union, Kobussen Buses, Fox CU, BLC Bank, Stadtmueller and Associates, FirstMerit, Schenck, Team Industries, Midwest Restoration, Network Health, The Marq, Prospera 6 Heartbeat | February 2015
Business After Hours: Ghost Town Fitness Center Buffalo Wild Wings, fruits, veggies, smoothies, tours of the facility and networking with other business professionals made for a great Business After Hours!
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Good News Is Worth Repeating Baisch Engineering has announced three additions to their staff. John L. Rosera, was hired as a process control specialist in the instrumentation and process control department. Stephanie J. Pichotta, E.I.T., was hired as a structural engineer in Baisch’s civil/structural/architectural department. Tony Mancheski, P.E., S.E., was hired as a structural engineer in Baisch’s civil/structural/ architectural department. Unison Credit Union is proud to announce a donation of 230 scarves to the Salvation Army of Appleton, the Emergency Shelter of Appleton and Golden House of Green Bay. Marco, Inc. has been selected as the North Dakota Young Professionals (NDYP) 2014 Best Place to Intern and runner-up for the 2014 Best Place to Work. The awards are a reflection of the creativity and innovation that businesses offer young professionals. Marco, Inc. has been selected as a 2014 Elite Dealer by ENX magazine (www.enxmag.com) and The Week in Imaging, a print and online publication for dealers and resellers of office technology, solutions and services. John Signoretti has joined Goodwill NCW’s information technology team as a database engineer, responsible for designing, documenting, and implanting strategies using SQL components. He will also be developing a data warehouse infrastructure.
Schenck SC is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with the Manitowoc-based firm of Kroening, Stangel, Swetlik & Zinkel LLP for the firm to merge into Schenck. The transaction is expected to close in May 2015. Schenck SC is pleased to announce Christa Baldridge, CPA; Jamie Brown, CPA; Brent Engelsma, CPA; Jason Kiehnau, CPA; and Mark Vance, CPA, have recently been named shareholders of the organization. The bank holding company for The First National Bank-Fox Valley, announced today that it has closed on the sale of approximately $16.3 million of the Company’s common stock in a private offering. Shares of First Menasha’s common stock were sold at a price of $68.65 per share. First National Bank – Fox Valley (FNB Fox Valley) will celebrate the completion and opening of their newest Appleton North branch. Jennifer Tomazevic and Laurie Mayer joined Miron Construction Co. in Neenah. ThedaCare named Scott Garavet system vice president for the cardiovascular, spine and orthopedics systems of care.
Any change or update within your business such as a promotion, new addition, award won, etc. can be included in this section. News must be submitted by the 15th of the month for the following month’s publication. Send to: bbeckman@heartofthevalleychamber.com
Police in upstate New York said a woman accused of driving while intoxicated had been drinking vanilla extract that was 41 percent alcohol. Investigators said Carolyn Kesel, 46, was seen driving erratically in the parking lot of the Macedon Walmart store and she told officers she was having trouble finding her way home. Police conducted a breath test and determined Kesel had a blood alcohol content of .26 percent, more than three times the legal limit. Kesel admitted to officers she had been drinking vanilla extract, which has an alcohol content comparable to vodka or gin, prior to the Nov. 5 incident. Kesel, who has a previous conviction for driving while intoxicated, was charged with felony counts of DWI and 8 Heartbeat | February 2015
aggravated DWI. Chris Thomas, a drug counselor with the Wayne County Mental Health Department, said it is not uncommon for adolescents with substance abuse issues to drink food extracts. "Both kids and adults use it. It smells like a vanilla drink (vanilla Coke, or Pepsi) and no one would know the difference," Thomas told the Times of Wayne County. He said a person drinking vanilla extract might be trying to mask the smell of booze in case they get stopped by the police.
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Abcon Electric / Abcon Lighting Abcon Electric is a full service electrical contractor specializing in new construction, remodel and service work for all of your residential and commercial needs. With our State Certified Master and Journeymen Electricians, let us get the job done right the first time. At Abcon Lighting, our mission as a Registered Trade Ally with the Wisconsin funded Utility Program "Focus On Energy," is to make customers aware of the substantial savings we can get them by switching over to energy efficiency products throughout their business(es). Phone: 920-209-9352 Address: 2105 Riverside Dr. Kaukauna, WI 54130 Website: http://www.abcon-electric.com/ - http://www.abcon-lighting.com/
That I Can’t Live Without
By: Jamie Harvey
If you are a football fan like me, I wouldn’t make it far without this app. I use it everyday. FEATURES: SCORES – Receive up-to-the minute NFL game score updates from around the league. VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS – Watch video highlights during the game CUSTOM TEAM ALERTS – Follow your favorite team and get customized alerts – including injury updates, highlights, game start times, entry into the red zone, and scoring plays FANTASY FOOTBALL – Manage your NFL.com fantasy team directly in the app PREMIUM FEATURES – Verizon customers can upgrade to Premium Features to gain access to live streams of NFL RedZone on Sunday afternoons, live NFL games on Thursday, Sunday and Monday Nights, live game audio, live NFL.com webcasts and NFL Network 24/7 on their smartphone. … AND MORE! – Check team standings, stats, rosters and schedules, play along during Thursday Night Football and A Football Life with the Xtra companion, browse the NFL.com shop, find game tickets, or read expert analysis wherever you are. Get more football with other great NFL Mobile Products including: NFL Fantasy and NFL Fantasy Cheat Sheet. I love this app - it’s so easy to add effects and share photos. Although, I’m fairly certain it is not intended for selfies ;) FEATURES: Instagram is a fast, beautiful and fun way to share your life with friends and family. Take a picture or video, choose a filter to transform its look and feel, then post to Instagram — it's that easy. You can even share to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and more. It's a new way to see the world. Oh yeah, did I mention it’s free?
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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Aaron Baer started Baer Performance Marketing in 2008. Aaron’s background is in public relations and writing and he always wanted to work for a big PR or ad agency in a major market. He lived in Minneapolis and then Hawaii for a bit and eventually came back home to Green Bay where he became a radio advertising account executive. It was awesome having all the perks of being part of the media but what he really loved was being able to work with businesses to provide sound marketing solutions. Obviously the goal was to include radio in the plan so Aaron could put some food on the table but that wasn’t always the case.
Aaron worked with many great businesses and numerous agencies locally, regionally and nationally. From those experiences, he learned what he liked about agencies and things he did not agree with. As the corporate hustle and bustle and high pressure started getting to him, some of his closest clients started putting the bug in his ear to start his own company. As with most business owners, there was a large amount of doubt, laughing it off and saying “yeah right” or “maybe someday”. The time came when Aaron got an opportunity to be the public relations director for a company that designed and manufactured high-end car components for Lamborghinis, Porsches and Corvettes. The owner of the company wanted him to be a sub-contractor so he had to create Baer Performance Marketing. Performance was in the name due to the nature of the industry he would be in (high performance vehicles).
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After about a year of working on his own, he wanted to expand his horizons and achieve his long term goal of providing a relaxed and fun work environment for an awesome team of employees willing to work their tails off for clients. He connected with his most supportive contacts from his radio career and Baer Performance Marketing Agency was born. The past few years they have had the privilege to able to get more involved and make considerable donations to local charitable organizations and causes such as Strike Out Cancer Day, Warrior Princess Mud Run which helps Harbor House, The March of Dimes, N.E.W. Community Shelter, Heritage, Hill as well as local high school sports teams. As they continue to grow, they say it’s an unbelievable feeling to give back to the community.
Aaron recently shared with us these thoughts. “My biggest accomplishment is being able to give meaningful employment to my amazing staff. The biggest challenge in our industry is that it’s always changing. Our biggest obstacles are figuring out how to provide the best guidance and execution to our clients while trying to be innovative in our approach. We consistently focus on keeping up on the latest trends and techniques on how to better market businesses. We will continue to strive to be leaders in our industry and work our tails off for our clients. The Heart of the Valley Chamber sets itself apart from the other area Chamber of Commerce’s by the staff above and beyond the status quo to help all members. Since joining the Chamber, we’re very proud of earning the Heart of the Valley Chamber “Emerging Enterprise” award in 2013. Also, with the majority of our clients being in the Fox Valley, it’s been great to work the Heart of the Valley Chamber to help other businesses as well as our own. Time is money and having that regional reach with one organization as opposed to having to be in numerous Chambers to get the same reach is a huge advantage. We try to give back and provide value to Chamber members through Lunch and Learns and various teaching opportunities. I recommend the Heart of the Valley Chamber to all my business associates!”
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Kaukauna Clinic is an independent multi-physician family practice group providing care to residents of the Fox Valley and surrounding areas. Their board certified family physicians and nurse practitioners provide compassionate, high quality care to patients of all ages - newborn, child/ adolescent, adult and the elderly. http://www.kaukaunaclinic.com/
Clear Water Car Wash of Appleton is a state-of-the-art car care and detail center that is committed to helping customers protect their investment and the environment by performing professional car care services that conserves water and use only environmentally-friendly products. http://www.clearwatercarwash.net/ Quality Mail Marketing does everything from: Pick / Pack Services - Inkjetting / Printing - Collating & Assembly - Polybagging - Tabbing, Labeling & Sorting Shrinkwrapping - Promotional Offer Management Online Ordering - Warehousing from your vendors Receiving from your vendors - Inventory Control / Management - Company Stores / eCommerce Warehouse Storage Programs - Customer Service Call Center http://www.qmmarketing.net/
Fox Valley CPA’s consider it an honor to provide small businesses with accurate, insightful support in accounting and business decision-making. As small business owners themselves, they make it their responsibility to reduce the worry and stress you may have regarding financial operations — and they have a portfolio of valued partnerships to show for it. http://www.fvcpa.com/ 12 Heartbeat | February 2015
TRUSTED. SECURE. Business information is your most important asset and professional integrity is our personal commitment to ensuring your success. Automated Records Management Systems, Inc., established in 1983, specializes in the protection and management of your information. They provide customized off-site information management solutions and a secure cost effective alternative to uncontrolled expensive office space and self-storage options. https://arms4rim.com/ Outagamie County was created in 1851 by separation from Brown County. Outagamie County, covering 640 square miles, is located in east-central Wisconsin, along the Fox River, near the northern end of Lake Winnebago. The region was once the hunting and fishing grounds for several Native American tribes including the Menominee, Outagamie and Winnebago. The name Outagamie is derived from a Native American word meaning "dwellers on either shore" or "dwellers on the other side of the stream". http://www.outagamie.org/
Matthews TireTM is locally owned and has been helping customers for over 50 years with great service, value and our NO EXCUSES satisfaction policy. Our trained and certified technicians use high quality parts to perform auto repair or service on your domestic or import vehicle. Matthews Tire always strives to be your #1 source for tires with our wide selection and expert installation. You can feel confident in your new tires from Matthews Tire. http://www.matthewstire.com/
Whether it is your home or business, your plumbing system is one of the most important components of your surroundings. Started in 2008, Kelderman Plumbing is dedicated to make sure your plumbing systems always give you the performance you need and expect. When issues arise, we get them back under control. Trust us to provide you with reliable, lasting solutions to a variety of plumbing needs. http://keldermanplumbing.com/
Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce Gift Certificates make the perfect gift for every one. From golf to gas, groceries to lumber, gift certificates can be redeemed at over 100 area business.
Want your business featured here? Email bbeckman@heartofthevalleychamber.com 13
How Well Do You Know Other Chamber Members? http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dvr/locations/ outagamie.htm DIVISION OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION
Fox Cities Workforce Development Center 1802 Appleton Road Menasha, WI 54952 920-968-6219 (Voice) 866-223-5539 (TTY) 877-367-1105 (Toll Free) 920-832-2838 (FAX)
1.) DVR Serves: * Individuals with disabilities, assisting them to maximize their employment opportunities by helping them develop the skills that today’s businesses are seeking in the workforce of the future.; and, * Business owners: providing the talent of qualified job seekers with disabilities and helping them achieve a better bottom line. At any given time, almost 18,000 job seekers with disabilities are actively engaged with DVR and working toward their employment goals. 2.) 4,415 individuals with disabilities successfully reached their employment goal in Federal Fiscal Year 2015 and entered the workforce. The earnings of these 4,415 recent additions to Wisconsin’s workforce is projected to be. 3.) $78.3 million annually, more than double the public investment made in their services. A hefty portion of these earnings will be used to purchase goods and services, bolstering Wisconsin’s economy and transforming successful DVR customers into workers and taxpayers and measurably decreasing their dependence on public assistance. 4.) DVR job seekers with disabilities found success in a wide variety of careers – everything from janitorial work to practicing law; manufacturing to customer service. 5.) DVR's Business Services Consultants can help companies across Wisconsin to recruit and hire pre-screened, qualified job applicants with disabilities.
Cellcom Phone Settings for Added Security Consumers are increasingly using mobile phones for capabilities formerly available only on PCs. The bulk of mobile phone security relies on the user making intelligent, cautious choices. Even the most careful users can still fall victim to attacks on their mobile phones. However, following best practices from the US Department of Homeland Security for mobile phone security can reduce the likelihood or consequences of an attack. * Configure the device to be more secure. Smartphones have a password feature that locks the device until the correct PIN or password is entered. Enable this feature, and choose a reasonably complex password. Enable encryption and remote wipe capabilities, if available. * Configure web accounts to use secure connections. Accounts for certain websites can be configured to use secure, encrypted connections (look for "HTTPS" or "SSL" in account options pages). Enabling this feature deters attackers from eavesdropping on web sessions. Many popular mail and social networking sites include this option. * Carefully consider what information you want stored on the device. Remember that with enough time, 14 Hearbeat | February 2015
sophistication, and access to the device, any attacker could obtain your stored information. * Set Bluetooth-enabled devices to non-discoverable. When in discoverable mode, your Bluetooth-enabled devices are visible to other nearby devices, which may alert an attacker or infected device to target you. When in non-discoverable mode, your Bluetooth-enabled devices are invisible to other unauthenticated devices. * Avoid joining unknown Wi-Fi networks and using public Wi-Fi hotspots. Attackers can create phony Wi-Fi hotspots designed to attack mobile phones and may patrol public Wi-Fi networks for unsecured devices. Also, enable encryption on your home Wi-Fi network. * Delete all information stored in a device prior to discarding it. Check the website of the device's manufacturer for information about securely deleting data. Cellcom will also assist you to securely wipe your device before it is traded in or recycled. * Download mobile security applications. Utilize applications available from app stores for anti-virus protection, app assessment and remote wiping capabilities.
Local Safety Training February-March 2015
Coaching the Lift Truck Operator, Train-the-Trainer │ February 11 (Appleton) Training offers attendees tools to meet OSHA’s requirements for instruction, training and evaluation. OSHA requires training anyone who operates a powered industrial truck/lift truck, whether they operate it daily or once a year. Cost: WSC/WMC Member Discount: $425; Non-Member $525 ($175 members/$200 non-members for add’l attendee from same company – includes leader guide only)
MSHA/OSHA 8-hour Refresher Course │ February 16 (De Pere) Fulfill your 8hr MSHA refresher requirement, satisfy your OSHA refresher requirement, site inspections: what to look for, fatality reviews, methods for accident prevention, tips on handling inspections, refine your hazard recognition skills, CPR/First Aid refresher, DOT and fleet safety updates, mobile equipment safety/pre-operation inspections. Cost: $80 members and non-members ($70/person if three or more employees from same company)
Confined Space, Train-the-Trainer (AM) │ March 5 (Neenah) Program teaches skills and offers an in-depth regulation review and how to develop your own training. Provides training foundation for authorized entrants, attendants, entry supervisors, and rescue services and emergency personnel. Cost: WSC/WMC Member Discount: $395; Non-Member $450 Cost: WSC/WMC Member Discount: $690; Non-Member $800 (if attending both AM & PM Courses)
Lockout/Tagout, Train-the-Trainer (PM) │ March 5 (Neenah) LOTO is one of OSHA’s Top 10 “Most Serious and Often Cited Violations”. Instructor will guide you through interactive discussions and pair activities relating to the key elements of the regulation. Cost: WSC/WMC Member Discount: $395; Non-Member $450 Cost: WSC/WMC Member Discount: $690; Non-Member $800 (if attending both AM & PM Courses)
OSHA 30-Hour Compliance Course for General Industry │ March 23-26 (Green Bay) Course presents detailed info about how the provisions of the OSHAct may/must be implemented in the workplace. We introduce attendees to the OSHA standards, explain how to read the CFRs, and provide an overview of required compliance programs and procedures. Topics include: Recordkeeping, Safety Program Mgmt., I.H., HazCom, HazMat, Walking/Working Surfaces, Material Handling & Storage, Machine Guarding, Welding, PPE, Hearing Conservation, Electrical, LO/TO, Means of Egress/Fire Protection, Safety Signs/First Aid, Confined Spaces, and OSHA Inspections/Citations/Penalties. Cost: WSC/WMC Member Discount: $675; Non-Member $795
REGISTRATION: Call (800) 236-3400 to register for upcoming safety courses. Be sure to mention you are a member of the Heart of the Valley Chamber to receive a member discount. Please register at least three business days prior to the course date. To view our full calendar of scheduled courses, visit www.wmc.org/programs/wisconsin-safety-council/training/seminars 15
Governor Walker and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation visit Keller's Corporate Headquarters in Kaukauna!
Teams Up with our own local Chamber business A production crew from ABC’s “The Chew” shot a segment for the popular cooking show highlighting a new, very unique skillet made at Roloff and made only in Wisconsin. In fact it’s the shape of Wisconsin. The skillets also come in shapes of New York, Minnesota and Illinois. The skillets are the brainchild of Alisa Toninato, owner of Madison-based “American Skillet Company.”
Dave Roloff from Roloff Mfg. Corp. with Alisa Toninato from American Skillet holding the New York Skillet.
Roloff Manufacturing has been pouring iron since Walter Roloff founded the business in 1944. Since then, they have been recognized with numerous awards, and the company was also featured on the television show, “Factory Made,” on the Discovery Channel. Dave Roloff, owner of Roloff Manufacturing, admits “this (being on “The Chew”) is probably one of the most fulfilling and exciting experiences we have had yet.”
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How neat is this Wisconsin shaped skillet?
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Meet The Members Josh Hermann Co-Owner Eagle Graphics http://www.egpromo.com/
Give us a brief description/history of your business…. Eagle Graphics is a full service printing and marketing company providing customers with a single source supplier for all printing needs. Our customers include schools, businesses, nonprofit organizations, athletic teams – basically anyone in need of custom printed apparel, promotional products, signs, banners, vehicle graphics or business printing. In addition, we have 3 retail locations located in Kaukauna, Kimberly and Neenah which allow our customers a local resource to order our products and services. More locations are on the way! Q: How did you get started in your field? In 2001, when I was living in Schaumburg, IL, I was looking to make a move back to the Fox Valley area where I grew up. One of my brothers put me in touch with a family friend, Tony Nytes that was running Eagle Graphics part time and looking to go full time. After some discussions, I quit my job and moved back to the Valley to go into business with Tony full time. While in Illinois, I was in the printing industry but had nothing to do with apparel or promotional products. It took some time to learn the trade but definitely glad I took the chance. It’s a great career! Q: Who is the one person that helped to make you who you are today? My parents certainly made me who I am today. My entrepreneurial spirit certainly came from my dad. He was always dabbling in something new. Life is certainly too short to not love what you do. Even if it’s not your “real” job today, if you have an idea – run with it if you can. Q: What do you like most about working in the Heart of the Valley area? I truly think we live in the best part of the country. The economy is good and the people are great. The changing of the seasons are excellent, except winter could certainly be a little shorter! I think we have some of the best schools in the country. 18 Hearbeat | February 2015
Q: What is the worst job you’ve ever had? I never had a terrible job. I guess working in a cheese factory in high school and college was not the best but I was fortunate to have a job so it couldn’t be that bad. So many kids now days don’t work in summers and understand what it’s like to put in hard work. Q: OK, now the good stuff. What do you like to do for fun? I probably put the most time into bow hunting. We have a cabin and hunting land in Shawano county so that is where I spend the most of my extra time, especially in the fall. I also like coaching my two boys in just about every sport. Even at my boys young age of 10 and 7, there is really not a down time. Basketball runs into baseball which runs into football which runs back into basketball. I coach them all and love it. Q: What’s your favorite movie and why? I am not a big movie watcher. Seriously – when do you have time to sit down and watch a movie? With that said, I think National Lampoons Christmas Vacation is at the top of my list. Q: Is your desk messy or organized? Messy. Plain and simple. I don’t have time to keep a neat and clean desk…or at least that’s my excuse! Q: Green Bay Packers or another team? 100% no doubt Green and Gold all the way. Q: Where was your best vacation and why? Anywhere warm. The day will come when I spend winters somewhere south. My brother owns a home in Ft Myers, FL and I have been there quite a few times. Been to Mexico a few times and always have a great time. We are going to Jamaica in April with some friends – looking forward to that! Q: What are the Top 3 items on your bucket list? Hunt Elk out West, hunt Moose in Alaska and buy a vacation home somewhere warm!
* If you are a Chamber member and would like to be featured, email Jamie! It’s free! *
Jeremy Meyers Commercial Sales & Marketing SERVPRO of East/West Brown County http://www.servprowestbrowncounty.com/
Give us a brief description/history of your business…. SERVPRO of East & West Brown County provides fire, water and mold damage mitigation & restoration serices. SERVPRO provides services to Brown, Outagamie, Shawano, Oconto, Marinette, Menominee, Kewaunee, Calumet, Manitowoc, Sheboygan & Door Counties. We are available 24 hours/7days a week and are ready to restore damage to your commercial or residential structure caused by water, fire, storm disaster, flood and mold damage. SERVPRO Professionals are also trained to safely remove bio hazardous substances and dispose of them properly in accordance with OSHA and health regulations. Furthermore, we can assist you with sewage, crime scene and vandalism cleanup. Q: How did you get started in your field? After working in the Health Insurance Industry for over 10 years, I decided it was time for a change in venue. I was told of the Sales & Marketing position available at the local SERVPRO franchise here in Brown County. I was referred by a current employee and was hired in May of 2014. I had prior sales experience with other employers in my lifetime, so taking on this new career was just a matter of switching hats. Q: Who is the one person that helped to make you who you are today? My best friend (Joseph) has helped me become the person I always wanted to be. He taught me how to budget my time and money as well as being able to travel the world. I have learned a lot from him and he taught me how to keep a very positive outlook on life. Q: What do you like most about working in the Heart of the Valley area? The people in this area are very friendly. It’s great to be able to meet so many people and give them information ahead of time of any loss that could occur to their building. Being Emergency Ready can help any business get back to “OPEN” in no time. Many companies do not have an Emergency Plan/ Profile and nearly 50% of those companies generally do not
reopen after a loss. I like being able to help local businesses with this no cost service that SERVPRO offers in advance, therefore making you “Ready for whatever happens.” Q: What is the worst job you’ve ever had? Dishwasher at age 15. Scrubbing dirty pans, sorting silverware and taking out the trash was a lot of work. To top it off, my uniform usually was soaked from all the water by the end of my shift. Q: OK, now the good stuff. What do you like to do for fun? I really like to travel. I have been to Mexico, Ireland, France, England and many places within the U.S. It is really neat to experience the different cultures, food and sites that are out there. Q: What’s your favorite movie and why? “Cruel Intentions”- I have seen it over 100 times and it’s such a crazy romance/comedy. Plus I was a huge Ryan Phillippe fan when I was younger. Q: Is your desk messy or organized? Organized. My Manager sits next to me, so I better have everything in place…or else I might get slapped with the wooden ruler. HA! Q: Green Bay Packers or another team? GO! PACK! GO! Q: Where was your best vacation and why? NYC in May of 2001. I got to stand on the rooftop of the World Trade Center and I still have the souvenirs that I bought while in the building. It is something that I can never do again. Q: What are the Top 3 items on your bucket list? Vacation in Australia, own a restaurant and visit every Six Flags Park in the U.S.
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Why Your Midlife Crisis Might Be the Key to Your Success
In a world that seems rife with barely legal-aged millionaire founders, it's easy to feel like you're falling behind. If you haven't experienced success by the time you're 30, or even 40, should you resign yourself to your fate?
Some experience massive success in their 20s, like the founders of Google, FedEx, Whole Foods, or Cisco. This is the period people have started to refer to as the "quarter-life crisis"--it's a tumultuous time of great change.
Despite the impression left by entrepreneurial prodigies--that success is meant to happen early on -analysis of the top 100 founders on the Forbes list shows that most top companies are founded by those in midlife. Min Kao, the founder of Garmin, and Intel's Gordon Moore each started their wildly successful companies in their late 30s. Henry Ford didn't get his start until he was 40; the same goes for Jeffrey Brotman, founder of Costco. In fact, research by Funders and Founders shows that 35 is the most common age to start one of the top companies in the world.
With that change comes discomfort and, yes, feelings of inadequacy if you haven't yet hit your stride. But these periods of great change can contribute to massive personal and professional growth. The times we refer to as our quarter-life crisis and, to a greater extent, our midlife crisis
Sure, you have your young entrepreneurial superstars like Michael Dell, who was just 18 when he founded his namesake brand. And we can't really talk about teen prodigy founders without a nod to Mark Zuckerberg, creator of the most popular social network on the planet.
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can drive major life achievements. In this analysis of the world's top founders, we see a bell curve at both the quarter-life and midlife stages. This is where the best startup ideas seem to come to life, and where entrepreneurs are most likely to experience success. Check out this infographic that visualizes the relationship between age and success, then visit the full interactive version to see which of the world's top 100 founders launched their startup in each age group.
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101 E. Wisconsin Avenue | Kaukauna, WI 54130 920.766.1616 www.heartofthevalleychamber.com