June 2015

Business Intelligence for the New North

10 Years and

Healthier!

Celebrating a decade of recognition for northeast Wisconsin’s top employer-based wellness programs

Injured Employees Can’t Work

Safety An Untapped Workforce

Human Resources

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Business Intelligence for the New North

20

June Features 20 COVER STORY

10 Years and Healthier!

Celebrating a decade of recognition for northeast Wisconsin’s top employer-based wellness programs

28 HUMAN RESOURCES

An Untapped Workforce

Improved vocational rehabilitation efforts enabling more workers as available labor pool shrinks

28

34 SAFETY

Injured Employees Can’t Work

Safety programs ensure risk protection is top of mind for employees at all times

Departments 34

4

From the Publisher

6

Since We Last Met

10 Corporate Earnings 14 Build Up Pages 26 Tourism 40

Professionally Speaking

42 Who’s News 48 Business Calendar 49 Advertising Index 50 Key Statistics

www.newnorthb2b.com

NNB2B | June 2015 | 3

From the Publisher

Building economy means taking risk State Dems’ overstatement of WEDC audit not much more than political grandstanding

by Sean Fitzgerald, publisher New North B2B

Legislative Democrats once again put on the boxing gloves against the state’s lead economic development agency following the relatively nascent results from its regularly scheduled audit, released in early May. Unfortunately, the barking was nothing more than political grandstanding from legislators at odds with the nearly 4-year-old Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., established during Gov. Scott Walker’s first six months in office to more effectively fuel business growth in the state.

The three weeks that followed of trumping up the audit results confused taxpayers who typically don’t pay attention to the details of internal government audits, as well as to the value of economic development efforts in the state.

The analysis from the state’s Legislative Audit Bureau didn’t come back perfect, and few might have believed it would. The agency has just over 40 months of experience under its belt, charged with the definitively uncertain task of providing loans to privately-held, for-profit businesses to help increase property value and the number of high-paying jobs in Wisconsin. The audit report identified uncollectible loans to businesses – citing a reduction of loan balances from $5.5 million at the end of 2013 to just $1.3 million as of Dec. 31, 2014. The audit also said WEDC contracts didn’t – in every instance – contain all statutorily required provisions related to reporting by grant and loan recipients, and that it didn’t – again, in every instance – establish all statutorily required policies for its tax credit programs.

The audit did indicate WEDC improved its financial management practices highlighted in its 2013 audit, and that it took steps to address other concerns identified in that previous audit. This recent audit examined 103 contracts with Wisconsin companies, and although the purpose of the audit is to identify gaps and inconsistencies among the agency’s practices, the audit doesn’t report the 5,900 jobs created as a result of those contracts, the 25,800 jobs retained in the state, and the more than $1.4 billion in new building, equipment and other capital leveraged as a result of WEDC’s involvement in financing.

Yet, the attack to color the audit as a harsh lashing of WEDC ensued immediately after its release. Assembly Minority Leader Rep. Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) called the audit report “scathing” and referred to WEDC as an “abysmal failure.” He and Sen. Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point) spent much of May exaggerating the audit report, calling for a legislative hearing into WEDC, and requesting a federal Justice Department investigation into the agency’s practices.

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It’s a shame the audit report became a tool for political narcissism and wasn’t fully taken for the purpose in which it’s intended – to offer recommendations for tightening policies, bringing consistency to practices, and mitigating as much risk as possible. WEDC officials acknowledge they’ve learned lessons along the way – just like any other start-up entity – and have implemented significant changes to rebuild accountability, transparency and public trust in its operations.

The agency reduced its loan delinquency rate from 2.7 percent at the time of its 2013 audit to just 0.2 percent at the end of 2014, and decreased the number of late performance reports from companies receiving grants or loans from 55 percent down to 5 percent during that same period. WEDC Secretary and CEO Reed Hall acknowledged more can still be done, and noted the recommendations from the audit may offer some strategies to accomplish even greater accountability.

But before taxpayers demand an economic development agency with strict 100 percent adherence to policy, which doesn’t make any bad loans and receives full cooperation from its grant and loan recipients, remember the reason behind creating WEDC in 2011 was to allow one appendage of the state to move more in step with the speed of business. The forerunning agency to the quasi-government WEDC – the former state Department of Commerce – also had grant programs available to help businesses grow, but was a traditional state agency that operated at the slow, sluggish pace of other bureaucracies.

As a result, it unfortunately lacked the teeth to make any meaningful impact.

I’m preaching to the choir when writing to B2B readers, because we know assembling a complex financing package in order to grow a company’s production capabilities often has a tight window of opportunity. In this modern lending environment, such financing packages often require a healthy mix of investors – traditional banks, the business owner itself, local community support, and occasional supplemental backing from the state. When such opportunity emerges, the deal often needs to be executed in a matter of days or weeks, not months or a year. WEDC was created to provide a prompt response.

Unfortunately, there’s some inherent risk involved in awarding such loans. But it’s a cautious risk that 47 other states besides Wisconsin also make to help grow business. And any economic development professional who could pick winners 100 percent of the time is more likely to work on Wall Street than in Madison.

So ignore the political rhetoric from state Dems jockeying for their chance to run for governor. WEDC officials are taking the audit results seriously, and will once again review their practices to ensure tax dollars are protected as best as possible, all while genuinely assisting successful Wisconsin businesses to increase their productivity here. The state’s economy will continue to proposer, all while the political barking fades into oblivion. n

www.newnorthb2b.com

Sean Fitzgerald Publisher & President x sean@newnorthb2b.com Carrie Rule Sales Manager x carrie@newnorthb2b.com Kate Erbach Production Contributing writers Rick Berg J. S. Decker Lee Marie Reinsch Chief Financial Officer Vicky Fitzgerald, CPA

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1call2build.com ARCHITECTURE I FUNDING I CONSTRUCTION I SERVICE | 5 NNB2B | June 2015

Since We Last Met

Since We Last Met

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

April 27 The state Department of Transportation began work on a $10.6 million project to improve 16 miles of WIS 26 in Fond du Lac County from Waupun to the northern border with Winnebago County. The project involves relaying the pavement, adding centerline and shoulder rumble strips, various culvert repairs, and isolated areas of roadway reconstruction. WIS 26 will be closed to through traffic during construction, with a detour in place directing traffic to Fond du Lac using U.S. Highway 151 and Interstate 41. The project is expected to be complete in October.

April 28 The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents approved a 12-course, 36-credit online Master’s of Science in Data Science degree program. The master’s degree will be offered beginning this September through a partnership with the UW-Extension and six University of Wisconsin campuses, including UW Green Bay and UW Oshkosh. The

2002 June 2 – The Fond du Lac Kmart store on West Johnson Street closed permanently as part of Kmart Corp.’s bankruptcy plan to close 284 stores.

2003 June 2 – The Wisconsin Department of Transportation began the second leg of the U.S. Highway 151 expansion project between Fond du Lac and Waupun. This segment created a four-lane expressway on 5.2 miles between Thill Road and Hickory Drive.

2007 June 11 – Wisconsin ranked No. 1 in the nation in health care quality in a first ever rating reported by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The rating was based on 129 quality measures in four different care settings. Among those four different care settings, Wisconsin hospital care ranked first in the nation, and it was among the five best-performing states in ambulatory care.

6 | June 2015 | NNB2B

program will offer a curriculum grounded in computer science, math and statistics, management and communication and will teach students how to clean, organize, analyze and interpret large and complex data sets.

May 1 The governor signed Assembly Bill 143 into law, regulating transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft which use a digital network to connect individuals seeking transportation to drivers logged on to the digital network willing to provide paid rides. Under the bill, such transportation network companies would need to be licensed by the state in order to operate in Wisconsin, conduct background checks, and would be prohibited from using drivers who are registered sex offenders, habitual traffic offenders, and individuals convicted of OWIs. The company is also required to electronically transmit the driver’s photo and license plate number to the passenger.

2009 June 5 – American Transmission Co. announced it completed construction of a 75-mile, 345-kilovolt power line connecting New London to Weston in central Wisconsin. As one of the highest capacity lines in the state, the $263 million high-voltage power line is expected to bring greater electric reliability to the Fox Valley area by supporting the new generator at the Weston Power Plant that went into service in 2008.

2010 June 14 – Bemis Company Inc. of Neenah announced plans to sell its facilities in Menasha and in Tulsa, Okla. to Exopack Holding Corp. for $81 million. The divestiture was prompted by federal regulators’ orders that Bemis sell the plants as part of its March 2010 acquisition of Alcan Packaging Food Americas. The Menasha and Oklahoma facilities produce plastic packaging for retail cheese and shrink bags for fresh meat.

www.newnorthb2b.com

May 7 Wisconsin ranked No. 12 in Chief Executive magazine’s annual Best States for Business survey for 2015, generally regarded as one of the leading indicators of corporate America’s perceptions of doing business in each state in the nation. Wisconsin’s ranking jumped two spots from its No. 14 standing in 2014, and ranks highest among neighboring states – Iowa ranked 13th, followed by Minnesota at 31st, Michigan at 43rd and Illinois at No. 48. Wisconsin ranked 41st in the survey in 2010, and has sequentially improved its ranking each year since.

May 8 Milwaukee-based architects Vetter Denk and Ganther Construction of Oshkosh pulled the plug on a proposed $7.2 million apartment development on the site of the former Foremost Dairies industrial facility along a downtown Appleton segment of the Fox River, citing a $4.5 million financing gap for the project. The City of Appleton Common Council approved the proposal in June 2014, which would have provided a 96-unit, townhouse-style apartment complex composed of 13 buildings.

May 8 The U.S. Department of Labor reported 223,000 new jobs were created in April, leaving the national unemployment rate essentially unchanged at 5.4 percent. Job gains occurred in professional and business services, health care and construction.

Mining employment continued to decline.

May 12 The Port of Green Bay reported an earlier start to the 2015 shipping season resulted in a 67 percent increase in total tons arriving or departing in April when compared to April 2014. A total of 11 ships came through the port in April, an increase from five during the same period a year ago, when the annual shipping season opened 15 days later than this year due to colder and thicker winter ice on the bay.

May 14 Former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold declared his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) when the Oshkosh business owner comes up for reelection in November 2016. The Middleton Democrat served Wisconsin in the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 2011, which was preceded by a decade of elected service in the Wisconsin State Senate from 1982 to 1993. Feingold lost his reelection campaign for a fourth term to the U.S. Senate to Johnson in 2010.

May 14 The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development announced it is providing up to $8 million for customized worker training grants during the fourth round of the Wisconsin Fast Forward initiative. This round will consider grant proposals in nine occupational areas for customized skilled worker training projects that provide portable work skills and industry recognized credentials. Grant awards are available from $5,000 to $400,000 in the following occupational areas: manufacturing; financial services; information technology, systems security and data analytics; human services and customer service; health science and health care; transportation, logistics and distribution; architecture and construction; and agriculture, food and natural resources. Other grants between $5,000 to $50,000 will be awarded to small business with 50 or fewer fulltime employees. Grant application information can be found online at dwd.wisconsin.gov.

Compassionate

NOMINATE YOUR EMPLOYER

EMPLOYER LOOKING FOR NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2015 COMPASSIONATE EMPLOYER AWARD

The Compassionate Employer Award is to recognize an employer who has gone above and beyond in helping an employee when they or a family member has gone through a medical crisis. Maybe they worked with an employee on time off or creative ways for the employee to work from home or another location.

Maybe it was monetary help, or just kind words and encouragement. If your employer or an employer you know of, has been compassionate with you, a family member, or a fellow employee and the company is located in Brown, Calumet, Door, Fond du Lac, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Outagamie, Shawano, Waupaca, or Winnebago County, you can nominate them for the Compassionate Employer Award.

2014 WINNERS: May 15 ConAgra Foods announced plans to close one of its two cookie manufacturing facilities in Ripon by the end of the year, effectively laying off up to 300 employees. Layoffs will begin in September and production will continue to wind down during the following four months. A second plant in Ripon which produces wafer cookies and employs about 80 people will continue to remain in operation.

Neenah Police Department & Hand to Shoulder Center of Wisconsin PRESENTED BY:

APPLY ONLINE www.communitybenefittree.org Contact Community Benefit Tree at (920) 422-1919 DEADLINE TO APPLY: AUGUST 1, 2015

www.newnorthb2b.com

NNB2B | June 2015 | 7

Since We Last Met May 18 The City of Menasha Common Council approved a development agreement for a group of investors headed by Neenah-based Bergstrom Corp. to construct an eight-story, 100,000-sq. ft. office building downtown near the Fox River.

Construction is slated to begin this summer on the site of the former Hotel Menasha and former First National Bank buildings, and is expected to be complete by late spring 2016.

Neighboring Faith Technologies plans to lease the upper floors of the new building while Community First Credit Union and RLJ Dental would be located on the ground floor.

May 19 Illinois-based real estate brokerage Coldwell Banker HonigBell acquired Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Group, the Appleton-based brokerage with 20 offices and more than 400 sales associates across northeast and central Wisconsin.

The combined brokerage is now the largest Coldwell Banker affiliate franchise in the country, and ranks among the top 20 brokerages nationwide. Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Group’s agents and management team will stay intact, as will its name in the northeast Wisconsin market.

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May 19 Appleton Mayor Tim Hanna reported Florida-based Inner Circle Investments agreed to purchase Radisson Paper Valley Hotel in downtown Appleton and invest significantly in improvements to modernize the property, a critical step forward toward developing the proposed adjacent Fox Cities Exhibition Center. Community leaders had been banking on the hotel operators to also operate the proposed adjacent 62,000-sq. ft. convention center, but current owners LNR Partners – who acquired the property in early 2013 from a sheriff’s auction – had acknowledged plans to actively sell the hotel. While the deal was not quite final in late May, Hanna indicated Inner Circle Investments – which owns a number of hotels under the Radisson brand – welcomed the opportunity to negotiate a management agreement for the expo center.

May 20 The Brown County Board of Supervisors approved spending up to $1 million for a $1.8 million project to install an upgraded video scoreboard and two new auxiliary scoreboards in the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon. About $450,000 in funding for the project will come from the Green Bay/Brown County Professional Football Stadium District Board, which generates revenue from Brown County’s half-percent sales tax. Another $400,000 will be provided by PMI Entertainment Group, the operator of the facility. The Resch Center hosts University of Wisconsin-Green Bay men’s basketball, Green Bay Gamblers hockey, Green Bay Blizzard indoor football, as well as the state high school girl’s basketball and volleyball tournaments. n

Epiphany Law Welcomes Attorney

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Matt grew up in the Appleton area and enjoys spending time with family, friends and the outdoors.

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Corporate Earnings

Once each quarter, New North B2B runs a digest of quarterly financial reports from local publicly traded companies, or from out-of-the-area parent companies with significant operations in our northeast Wisconsin coverage area.

Associated Banc Corp.

1Q 2015 1Q 2014 Income $45.4 million $44.0 million s 3% EPS 30 cents 27 cents s 11% The Green Bay-based financial institution reported average total commercial loan balances grew $309 million, or 3 percent from the fourth quarter, and are up $1.1 billion from the first quarter of 2014. The growth was composed of a 4 percent increase in business lending by $272 million, and a 1 percent increase in commercial real estate lending by $37 million.

Kimberly-Clark Corp.

1Q 2015 1Q 2014 Revenue $4.7 Billion $4.9 Billion t 4% Income $468 million $538 million t 13% EPS $1.27 $1.41 t10% The manufacturer of consumer paper and tissue products with significant operations in the Fox Cities reported organic sales increased 5 percent, but its overall revenue reduction was largely driven by changes in foreign currency exchange rates.

Earnings from a year ago included results from KimberlyClark’s health care business, which spun off in late 2014 as Halyard Health Inc.

Plexus Corp.

2Q 2015 2Q 2014 Revenue $651 million $558 million s 17% Income $23.6 million $18.5 million s 28% EPS 69 cents 53 cents s 30% The Neenah-based contract electronics manufacturer said it won 25 programs during the quarter representing nearly $209 million in annual revenue when fully ramped into production.

10 | June 2015 | NNB2B

VF Corp.

1Q 2015 1Q 2014 Revenue $2.8 Billion $2.8 Billion s 2% Income $288 million $297 million t 3% EPS 67 cents 67 cents Unch.

The parent company of Jansport operations in the Fox Cities recorded a 10 percent increase in revenues from its Outdoor & Action Sports coalition, driven by a 16 percent jump in sales for its Vans brand.

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

1Q 2015 1Q 2014 Revenue $3.3 Billion $3.6 Billion t 6% Income $458 million $473 million t 3% EPS $1.21 $1.11 s 9% The parent company of Miller Electric Manufacturing operations across the Fox Cities said its automotive OEM organic revenue grew 7 percent, outpacing first quarter 2015 worldwide auto builds of 1 percent.

First Business Financial Services Inc.

1Q 2015 1Q 2014 Income $4.2 million $3.3 million s 26% EPS 97 cents 84 cents s 15% The commercial-oriented financial institution serving Madison, Milwaukee and northeast Wisconsin reported top line revenue increased 43 percent to a record $18.8 million, compared to $13.1 million for the first quarter 2014. The financial institution grew its net loans and leases for the 12th consecutive quarter to a record $1.28 billion, up 32 percent from the first quarter 2014.

www.newnorthb2b.com

Bemis Company Inc.

Brunswick Corp.

1Q 2015 1Q 2014 Revenue $1.0 Billion $1.1 Billion t 5% Income $54.4 million $49.2 million s 11% EPS 55 cents 48 cents s 15% The Neenah-based supplier of flexible packaging reported its U.S. Packaging segment operating profit increased to $95.4 million in the first quarter 2015, or 13.5 percent of net sales, up from $91.8 million, or 12.4 percent of sales, during the same period of 2014.

1Q 2015 1Q 2014 Revenue $986 million $895 million s 10% Income $57.0 million $57.0 million Unch.

EPS 60 cents 60 cents Unch.

The parent company of Mercury Marine operations in Fond du Lac reported its marine engine segment sales of $562 million increased 11 percent from $505.1 million in the first quarter of 2014. The segment reported operating earnings of $74.2 million, up 20 percent from the same quarter a year ago.

Oshkosh Corp.

Blyth Inc.

2Q 2015 2Q 2014 Revenue $1.6 Billion $1.7 Billion t 7% Income $54.5 million $71.2 million t 23% EPS 69 cents 83 cents t 17% The manufacturer of specialty vehicles saw its defense segment sales fall 67 percent to $159 million, the lowest of all segments in the company, largely due to expected lower sales to the U.S. Department of Defense and the absence of international sales of its MRAP all-terrain vehicles. The company’s access equipment segment recorded sales of $982 million, while its fire and emergency segment reported sales of $203 million. Commercial segment sales climbed 21 percent to $221 million due to higher concrete mixer and refuse collection vehicle volume.

1Q 2015 1Q 2014 Revenue $104 million $118 million t 12% Income ($12.5 million) ($2.8 million) t 346% EPS (77 cents) (17 cents) t 353% The parent company of Silver Star Brands operations in Oshkosh reported its catalog and Internet segment – which includes Silver Star Brands – increased sales by 2 percent on the quarter, while its candles and home decor segment experienced a 19 percent decrease in revenues, largely due to negative currency translation from the increasing strength of the U.S. dollar compared to the euro, as well as a lower number of independent sales consultants.

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NNB2B | June 2015 | 11

Corporate Earnings

Humana Inc.

1Q 2015 1Q 2014 Revenue $13.8 Billion $11.7 Billion s 18% Income $430 million $368 million s 17% EPS $2.82 $2.35 s 20% The health and benefits company with extensive operations in the Green Bay area increased its growth estimate for its 2015 Medicare stand-alone PDP membership from 450,000 to 500,000, up nearly 12 percent compared with 2014.

Bank First National Corp.

1Q 2015 1Q 2014 Income $3.5 million $3.2 million s 9% EPS 55 cents 50 cents s 10% The Manitowoc-based financial institution with significant operations across northeast Wisconsin reported noninterest income of $2.5 million increased nearly 30 percent compared to $1.9 million for the first quarter 2014. The financial institution’s total assets were $1.17 billion at the end of the quarter, up 11 percent from $1.06 billion from a year earlier.

Dean Foods

1Q 2015 1Q 2014 Revenue $2.1 Billion $2.3 Billion t 12% Income ($73.7 million) ($9.0 million) t 719% EPS (78 cents) (9 cents) t 767% The dairy-based foods company with extensive operations in Wisconsin, including the Green Bay area, reported improved operating results for the third consecutive quarter due to price realization within an easing commodity environment. The company completed a comprehensive debt refinancing during the quarter to strengthen its balance sheet.

Neenah Paper

1Q 2015 1Q 2014 Revenue $228 million $225 million s 1% Income $16.3 million $13.2 million s 23% EPS 95 cents 78 cents s 22% The papermaker with significant operations in the Fox Cities reported record operating income driven by double-digit earnings growth in both its technical products and fine paper and packaging segments. The company’s top line revenues were impacted $14 million in currency translation due to a stronger U.S. dollar versus the euro.

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Integrys Energy Group Inc.

1Q 2015 1Q 2014 Revenue $1.2 Billion $1.6 Billion t 29% Income $130 million $152 million t15% EPS $1.60 $1.89 t 15% The parent company of Wisconsin Public Service Corp. operations across northeast and northcentral Wisconsin reported natural gas segment earnings were down slightly during the quarter driven by lower sales volumes due to warmer weather. Electric segment earnings were down $3.2 million due to the sale of Upper Peninsula Power Company in August 2014.

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co.

1Q 2015 1Q 2014 Revenue $2.7 Billion $2.7 Billion s 3% Income $22.3 million ($29 million) s 177% EPS 11 cents (15 cents) s 173% The printing company with significant operations in the Fox Cities indicated its first quarter earnings included pre-tax charges of $60.2 million for 2015 and $148.1 million during 2014.

Appvion

1Q 2015 1Q 2014 Revenue $196 million $204 million t 4% Income ($5.8 million) $2.0 million t 390% The employee-owned producer of thermal papers reported sales in its Encapsys segment to external customers increased nearly 14 percent. Sales in its thermal papers segment dropped 10 percent to $94.6 million compared to $105 million during the first quarter 2014, while carbonless papers segment receipts grew nearly 2 percent to $89.3 million.

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Alliance Laundry

1Q 2015 1Q 2014 Revenue $177 million $145 million s 22% Income $12.1 million $5.6 million s 116% The Ripon-based manufacturer of commercial and residential laundry equipment reported its sales growth was primarily attributed to a $26 million, or 27 percent, increase in revenue in the United States and Canada. The percentage growth in revenue and earnings both set first quarter records for the company. n

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NNB2B | June 2015 | 13

Build Up Fond du Lac

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1

Build Up

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Indicates a new listing

Fond du Lac 1 - 46 S. Rolling Meadows Dr., Fond du Lac Mi Tech Services, a 3,900-sq. ft. addition to the existing office and warehouse building.

2 - 77 N. Pioneer Road, Fond du Lac Hampton Inn, a three-story, 73-room hotel facility. Project completion expected in summer.

3 - 255 County Road K, Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs Academy, a 92,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing high school campus.

4 - 250 Camelot Dr., Fond du Lac Grande Cheese Company, an 87,000-sq. ft. new corporate headquarters and research center. Project completion expected in early 2016.

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5 - Industrial Parkway, Campbellsport Swenson Tool & Die, a 16,250-sq. ft. industrial facility and offices. Project completion expected in September. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

6 - 3500 N. Main St., Oshkosh Bemis Healthcare Packaging, a 162,790-sq. ft. addition to the existing manufacturing facility and office complex. Project completion expected in late fall.

7 - 2200 N. Jackson St., Oshkosh DADL LLC, a multi-tenant retail building.

8 - 1074 N. Washburn St., Oshkosh Panera Bread, a new restaurant building.

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Building Quality Communities Contact us or visit our Web site for a full listing of your local construction professionals.

9 2 0 . 7 3 3 . 3 1 3 6 y 866.966.3928 y www.newbt.org 14 | June 2015 | NNB2B

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Build Up Oshkosh

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6

8& 9

10 & 11

Indicates a new listing

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Build Up

Oshkosh

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9 - 1005-1015 N. Washburn St., Oshkosh Dick’s Sporting Goods and Petsmart, a multi-tenant big box commercial retail building.

10 - 1522 S. Koeller St., Oshkosh Ross Dress for Less and Sports Authority, a 37,000-sq. ft. retail center. Project completion expected in July. General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay. 11 - 1560 S. Koeller St., Oshkosh Noodles & Company, a 5,200-sq. ft. multi-tenant retail center to include a restaurant. Project completion expected in June.

General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay. 12 - 2875 Atlas Ave., Oshkosh 4imprint, an addition to the existing distribution facility and training center.

13 - 2301 Universal St., Oshkosh Multicircuits, a 28,162-sq. ft. addition to the existing manufacturing facility and offices. Project completion expected in August. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

14 - 2340 State Road 44, Oshkosh Taco John’s, a new restaurant building.

15 - 4991 South U.S. Highway 45, Oshkosh Lakeside Elementary, an addition to accommodate seven new classrooms. Project completion expected in August.

Projects completed since our May issue: • Holiday Inn Lake Winnebago Conference Center, 625 W. Rolling Meadows Dr., Fond du Lac. • Holiday Inn Express, 55 Holiday Lane, Fond du Lac. • FloorQuest, 1705 S. Washburn St., Oshkosh. www.newnorthb2b.com

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Build Up Fox Cities Build Up

Fox Cities

Indicates a new listing 1 - W6490 Greenville Dr., town of Greenville Wolf River Community Bank, a 3,350-sq. ft. new financial institution branch office.

Project completion expected in fall. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

2 - 3002 N. Victory Lane, town of Grand Chute Bergstrom BMW, an 11,383-sq. ft. addition to the existing dealership facility. Project completion expected in June.

3 - 2 Systems Dr., town of Grand Chute Hooper Law Office, a 3,974-sq. ft. addition to the existing office building. General contractor is R&R Steel Construction Company of Appleton.

4 - 320 N. Westhill Blvd., town of Grand Chute Milwaukee PC, a 5,760-sq. ft. multi-tennant retail Building.

5 - 4800 W. Prospect Ave., town of Grand Chute Werner Electric Supply Co., a 260,775-sq. ft. corporate office and distribution center. Project completion expected in late fall. General contractor is Consolidated Construction Company of Appleton.

6 - 225 E. Harris St., Appleton St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, a 17,182-sq. ft. addition and interior renovation of the existing church building.

7 - 1818 N. Meade St., Appleton Appleton Medical Center, a two-story, 7,500-sq. ft. addition to the existing hospital for a hybrid operating room. Project completion expected in fall.

8 - 3925 Gateway Dr., Appleton Fox Valley Hematology & Oncology, a 60,000-sq. ft. cancer treatment facility. Project completion expected in late summer.

9 - 2500 E. Capitol Dr., Appleton ThedaCare Regional Cancer Center, a cancer treatment facility. Project completion expected in mid 2016.

10 - 2911 W. Evergreen Dr., Little Chute Feeding America - Eastern Wisconsin, a 39,720-sq. ft. food pantry distribution center and office.

11 - 1500 Lamers Dr., Little Chute Building Services Group, a 4,960-sq. ft. addition to the existing warehouse. Project completion expected in September. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

12 - 804 Grignon St., Kaukauna Trinity Lutheran Ministry Center, an 11,888-sq. ft. addition to the existing church building. Project completion expected in August. General contractor is James J. Calmes & Sons Construction of Kaukauna.

13 - 420 7th St., Menasha Menasha High School, two separate additions totaling 46,603 square feet of educational space, as well as interior renovations to the gym, locker rooms and swimming pool. Project completion expected in July.

14 - 1050 Zephyr Dr., town of Menasha St. Mary Central Middle School, a new educational facility. Project completion expected in June.

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7 12

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16 15 - 984 Winchester Road, town of Menasha SCA Tissue, a 2,539-sq. ft. addition to the existing paper mill.

16 - 1645 Bergstrom Road, Neenah Menasha Corp., a new corporate office complex. Project completion expected in fall 2016.

Projects completed since our May issue: • Piping Systems Inc., 719 Industrial Park Ave., Hortonville.

• Grand Chute Fire Station No. 2, 3920 W. Spencer St., town of Grand Chute.

• Kwik Trip, 701 E. Wisconsin Ave., Appleton.

• Boys & Girls Club of Menasha, 600 Racine St., Menasha.

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NNB2B | June 2015 | 17

Build Up Greater Green Bay area 1 &2

3

4

5 thru 7 8 11 12

13

14

10

9

15

16 Build Up

Greater Green Bay area

Indicates a new listing

1 - 2673 Lineville Road, Howard Salvanz Enterprises, a new commercial retail building.

2 - 2700 Lineville Road, Howard Lineville Intermediate School/Howard-Suamico Schools, a 16,781-sq. ft. indoor swimming facility. Project completion expected in June.

3 - 1524 Atkinson Dr., Green Bay Northeast Asphalt Inc., an addition to the existing industrial/office facility.

4 - 205 N. Fisk St., Green Bay Chappell Elementary School/Green Bay Area Public School District, an addition to the existing school for more classroom space.

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5 - 201 Main St., Green Bay Hampton Inn/Fox River Hospitality, a complete refurbishment of the existing structure for a new 136-room hotel. General contractor is Consolidated Construction Company of Appleton.

6 - 301 E. Main St., Green Bay KI Convention Center, a 30,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing convention center facility. Project completion expected in late summer.

7 - 100 E. Main St., Green Bay CityDeck Landing, a six-story, mixed-use development to include 76 residential units and 7,000 square feet of retail space on the first floor.

8 - 1220 E. Mason St., Green Bay Bellin Memorial Hospital, a 5,400-sq. ft. addition to the existing hospital facility.

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9 - 1230 Ontario Road, Green Bay Seura, an 11,400-sq. ft. addition to the existing manufacturing and distribution facility.

10 - 1160 Kepler Dr., Green Bay Aurora Baycare Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center, an addition to the existing orthopedic clinic for new offices.

11 - 839 Lombardi Ave., Green Bay Shorewest Realtors, an 11,444-sq. ft. office building.

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12 - 2077 Airport Dr., Ashwaubenon Austin Straubel International Airport, an extensive renovation of an existing 6,098-sq. ft. building to accommodate U.S. Customs operations. Project completion expected in July.

13 - 2821 S. Oneida St., Ashwaubenon Van’s Honda, a 45,000-sq. ft. automotive dealership and maintenance shop. Project completion expected in November.

14 - 1001 Main St., De Pere Grand Central Station/Festival Shell, an addition to the existing convenience store and fuel station. General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay. 15 - 506 Butler St., De Pere De Pere Christian Outreach, a 5,116-sq. ft. addition to the existing retail store. Project completion expected in summer.

General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

16 - 1900 Williams Grant Dr., De Pere Hemlock Creek Elementary School/West De Pere School District, a 24,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing school building for a new classroom and gymnasium. Project completion expected in September.

Projects completed since our May issue: • Bay Valley Foods, 857 School Pl., Green Bay. • Fox Communities Credit Union, 1820 Main St., Green Bay. • St. Norbert College Gehl-Mulva Science Center/Medical College of Wisconsin-Green Bay Campus, 100 Grant, De Pere.

• ARMS Inc., 1850 Enterprise Dr., De Pere. www.newnorthb2b.com

NNB2B | June 2015 | 19

Cover Story

2015 Alla tua Salute!

Corporate Wellness Awards sponsored by

10 Years and

Healthier!

Celebrating a decade of recognition for northeast Wisconsin’s top employer-based wellness programs

Story by Rick Berg and Sean Fitzgerald

Leadership in Wellness Awards

N.E.W. Plastics Corp.

Luxemburg

Nsight De Pere

Start Up Wellness Program Award

Elevate97 Green Bay

When B2B introduced the idea to recognize northeast Wisconsin employers for their efforts to improve employee health a decade ago, the goals were simple – share best practices that other neighboring employers might easily replicate, and create an exciting, competitive environment across the region to encourage employer excellence in wellness programming.

Ten years later and both goals have availed themselves.

During that time New North B2B has recognized more than 20 employers from Fond du Lac to Green Bay for their efforts to be innovative in helping employees become healthier, using health care more sensibly, and ultimately driving down health insurance cost increases.

Dozens of other companies who didn’t receive our Alla tua Salute! Award – from the Italian for “to your health” – have adopted many of the best characteristics of the winning wellness plans they’ve read about in the pages of New North B2B. But we can’t take all the credit. Health care continues to progressively increase as a cost of doing business as well as an increasing family budgeting expense for individual employees. And many experts believe the trend may not peak until well after the federal Affordable Care Act is fully implemented.

Positively, though, employer-based wellness programs have matured from an obscure benefit only offered by

20 | June 2015 | NNB2B

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the wealthiest of corporations to become a relatively common fixture that any workplace – small or large, office or industrial – can afford to incorporate and still discover a return on investment at the end of the day.

In this 10th year of B2B’s Alla tua Salute! Corporate Wellness Awards in 2015, which are sponsored by Menasha-based Network Health, two new employers are recognized for their outstanding wellness efforts, as well as another accolade for a previous recipient of the award, N.E.W. Plastics Corp. of Luxemburg.

“N.E.W. Plastics has evolved into one of the more involved wellness programs that I think we’ve ever looked at as a committee,” said David Brand, an employee benefits specialist with Appleton-based Valley Insurance Associates and the longest serving member of our wellness awards panel, going back to the very first year of the award in 2006.

Each of our award winners in 2015 have a dynamic story to tell about the improvement of their employees’ health, as well as the improvement in attitude toward health and wellness.

Keep on improving

Joining the ranks of just a handful of employers who’ve been multiple year winners of B2B’s Alla tua Salute! honors, Luxemburg-based N.E.W. Plastics’ pedigree of wellness just keeps getting better and better. The custom plastic injection blow molding manufacturer of packaging containers and components previously won a Leadership In Wellness Award from our panel in 2013.

This past year, N.E.W. Plastics’ low-risk population climbed from 20 percent to 44 percent of the workforce, while its high-risk group fell from 30 percent down to 14 percent, cited as ‘ideal’ by wellness panelist Mark Geiger, a regional wellness supervisor with Network Health.

“They had a really impressive shift in what I call their ‘risk-level stratification,’” Geiger said. “When we offer wellness programs

to our groups, we usually see a shift, but not to this extreme.

This is a really nice improvement in the amount of (health) risk their employees have.”

Employees on the company’s group health insurance plan aren’t required to take a health risk assessment. But 100 percent of those employees do take the HRA, as well as do some employees who receive their health insurance elsewhere. That’s because a lucrative incentive for good health provides lots of encouragement, said N.E.W. Plastics President Mike Rekitzke.

“We put enough value on it that it makes it worthwhile for the employees to do it,” Rekitzke said. Employees scoring in the low-risk category on their HRA – or those scoring in medium to high categories who follow a designated plan of health improvement – qualify for an annual rebate that can amount to between $100 to $200. The rebate is paid out in a lump sum in December, just before the holidays when it typically means most to employees.

Our panel of judges praised N.E.W. Plastics for the high level of communication of pertinent health and insurance cost information it shares with its 195 employees. Rekitzke leads quarterly meetings with all employees to discuss metrics such as medical loss ratios, claims value, network use and average prescription costs per member, among other data. Our panel found this particularly impressive given N.E.W. Plastics’ industry.

“No doubt that manufacturing groups have it a little tougher,” to carry out effective wellness program communication, Geiger said. “It usually involves shift work. Also a lot of people who work in manufacturing don’t have the computer savviness or even access to a computer that people in an office setting have.”

Brand agreed, also citing N.E.W. Plastics’ efforts at integrating new hires into the company’s culture of health and wellness.

Selecting our award winners Since early February, B2B solicited nominations for the healthiest employers in the region. We sought companies who promote innovative wellness initiatives and track and improve employees’ health year to year.

Each member of our panel reviewed all of the nominations and observed a variety of factors. Wellness initiatives needed to include all eligible employees, not simply offer a pat on the back to those already healthy employees with a history of proper exercise and nutrition. Our panel also gave a nod to employers who were able to demonstrate an ability to improve the health of the workforce over time, as well as awarding creativity in providing unique, out-of-the-ordinary benefits.

Efforts to communicate wellness program results to employees was also carefully considered by panelists. Lastly, our panelists gave recognition to those companies who demonstrated strong support for wellness from ownership and upper management.

www.newnorthb2b.com

David Brand

Mark Geiger

Sean Fitzgerald

Rick Berg

employee benefits specialist with Valley Insurance Associates, Oshkosh

publisher New North B2B magazine

regional wellness supervisor with Network Health, Menasha

freelance writer and former wellness publication editor, Green Bay

NNB2B | June 2015 | 21

Cover Story “Where I think N.E.W. Plastics really shines is in the communications category,” Brand said. “The focus on orienting new employees is also a step many employers tend to skim over. I don’t believe that you can rely on osmosis, and N.E.W. Plastics gets to those new employees right away.”

The company provides monthly wellness activities, like flu shots, blood pressure checks, skin cancer screenings, backto-school check ups, and breast and prostate screenings. It’s ambitious, given that many other cutting-edge employerbased wellness programs might only conduct such activities quarterly or less.

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“I thought they had really strong programming that showed that they put investments throughout the year, and not just health screenings and health questionnaires,” Geiger said. “I thought they hit it out of the park with programming.”

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N.E.W. Plastics additionally partners with Prevea Health to provide all employees and their spouses with no-cost, onsite access to a health coach. The company also has a “clinic within a clinic,” the Prevea Health less than a half mile down the road, which provides free walk-in care visits to employees and family members, and just $5 to $15 co-pays for select lab work and tests.

“Team members see an average savings per visit of over $100 per visit as compared to what would be billed to insurance,” Rekitzke said. And that’s money that goes to both the company’s and the employees’ bottom lines.

Keeping insurance premiums stable

De Pere-based Nsight wears wellness on its sleeve – almost literally. Through its Cellcom subsidiary, the company sponsors the Green Bay Marathon – sending an unmistakable message that the telecommunication provider is serious about health and fitness.

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“The marathon really fits into the picture for us because it involves the whole community,” said Pat Riordan, president and CEO of Nsight. “We wanted to get people involved in health – in getting out and running.”

It’s enough to impress panelist Geiger from Network Health.

R&R Steel Construction Co., Inc. provides a

“That gives employees a sense of involvement and getting out to do something in the community,” Geiger said.

3 Year WarrantY

In determining to present Nsight with the second of our 2015 Leadership in Wellness Awards, our panel of wellness judges was also impressed by the company’s employee participation levels.

on all work and materials, including all work and products supplied by our Sub-Contractors and Suppliers and will repair, replace or correct defects, as per industry standards.

“In 2007, they had 193 people participate in their program, and eight years later they have more than doubled that to 445.

I thought that was very significant,” Geiger said.

“I find that to be impressive,” Brand agreed.

Health risk assessments are not mandatory, but Nsight offers incentives for participation. Employees who participate are eligible for reimbursement for a health club, gym memberships or fitness classes, and also receive a discount on their monthly health insurance premium.

RRSTEELCONSTRUCTION.COM 22 | June 2015 | NNB2B

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Nsight offers health risk assessments onsite once a year. In 2014, Nsight held 27 sessions at 17 locations over the course of four weeks. Employees received detailed biometric results and have the option to have those results sent directly to the company’s onsite clinic or to their own primary care provider for follow-up.

“The fact that they use a blend of incentive prizes and premium discounts for HRA participation gives evidence to me that they’ve given thought and evaluation to find out what moves their employees to participate,” Brand said.

Nsight has an onsite nurse practitioner through Prevea Health’s LeadWell program that works at the Cellcom office in De Pere three days a week. Employees and family members on Nsight’s medical plan can visit the nurse free of charge.

Employees and family members not on Nsight’s medical plan can visit the nurse practitioner for just $10.

Nsight also developed a system of walking trails installed at two of its locations, and employees are encouraged to use them during work breaks and for wellness challenges.

Nsight leadership reported its health insurance premiums have remained essentially flat in recent years – largely as a result of the wellness program.

“That’s really pretty much unheard of, regardless of the employer size and funding strategy,” Brand said.

Riordan said that any bottom-line benefit is secondary.

“I think you can probably come up with some correlation between wellness and productivity, for example,” Riordan said.

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“We anticipate an improvement in our bottom line because of the wellness program, but that’s not our focus. What we do see is an improvement in morale. It’s more of a holistic approach.”

Susan Powers, Nsight’s vice president of human resources and chief human resources officer, agreed.

“We’re trying to be involved in improving as many aspects of our employees’ lives as possible,” Powers said. “We’re just really excited about the level of interest we see from our employees. It makes for a happier and healthier workplace.

Nsight and Cellcom have always been known for their strong culture and family feeling, and we want to continue to see that grow.”

Off to a good start

Green Bay-based Elevate97 is living proof that you don’t have to wait several years before seeing the fruits of a new corporate wellness program. Launched in October 2013, Elevate97’s wellness program has already made its mark among the company’s employees, as well as on its health insurance costs. For its efforts, our wellness panel presented it with a Start Up Wellness Program Award, recognizing exceptional efforts to launch an employer-based wellness program within its first two years.

“Elevate97 is still in the infancy of their program and they do some nice things,” said Brand of Valley Insurance Associates.

“Health risk appraisals with cash-participation incentive are excellent and 90 percent participation without the presence of

NNB2B | June 2015 | 23

Cover Story an onerous penalty for non-participation is very good. They have a lot of challenges and activities for the employees and that is an excellent avenue to maintain involvement.”

Alla tua Salute! Emeritus With nearly a half century of combined wellness initiatives in the workplace between them, Silver Star Brands of Oshkosh, Neenahbased J. J. Keller & Associates and Appvion Inc. of Appleton have become mentors for other employers in northeast Wisconsin beginning their own wellness programs from the ground up.

All three organizations are previous 3-time winners of B2B’s Alla tua Salute! Awards, and in 2011 we recognized their history of exceptional wellness programming with Emeritus Wellness Program status.

Catalog and Internet retailer Silver Star – formerly known as Miles Kimball – is in its 15th year providing wellness programming to employees. The company received B2B’s inaugural Alla tua Salute!

Award in 2005, as well as winning the recognition again in 2008 and 2009.

Starting in 2014, the company rolled out its Healthy Rewards program to part-time employees and spouses, allowing them to earn premium discounts on their health insurance as well as fulltime employees.

Silver Star Brands earned the Wellness Council’s Gold Level Well Workplace Award for the second time in 2013.

J. J. Keller is in the 20th year of its wellness program, and received B2B’s Alla tua Salute! Award in 2009, 2010 and again in 2011. The provider of safety and regulatory compliance products and services was awarded the coveted Platinum Well Workplace Award from the Wellness Council in 2013, and it’s the only company in Wisconsin to ever achieve a perfect score.

Coaching has proven effective in improving the health of J. J. Keller employees, and the company increased its health coaching staff to 40 hours per week in 2014.

Geiger of Network Health was especially impressed with a portion of the program that actively encourages community volunteerism.

“That’s unusual and important,” Geiger said. “I really like that idea. So many times when we think about wellness, we think only about the physical dimension and we don’t really think about the emotional and mental connection. Encouraging volunteerism is a creative way of helping to reduce stress and support a work-family balance. You feel so good helping others that it probably helps you more than it helps the organization or people you’re volunteering for.”

That was the goal for adding the volunteerism component to the wellness plan, said Karen Sinette, human resources manager for the creative agency.

“We don’t tell our team members where we want them to volunteer,” Sinette said. “We want them to volunteer for something they’re passionate about and something they can connect with.”

For Elevate97’s executive team, bottom-line gains are a secondary focus – and a distant second at that.

“We go back to our mission,” said Dave Coe, president of Elevate97. “We want to create an experience that elevates our employees. It comes down to having an engaged employee. We did not make an investment in the wellness program because of the bottom lines. Intrinsically, we believe it’s going to add value, but it’s really about helping our employees achieve their goals.”

A marketing and brand development firm established in 1997, Elevate97’s clients include brands such as Carhartt, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Nautica, Pandora Jewelry, TaylorMade-Adidas and the Green Bay Packers.

The program’s performance speaks for itself. A total of 78 percent of the company’s 1,267 health risk assessment participants in both 2012 and 2013 remained at the same risk level, while another 14 percent improved their risk level.

Elevate97 offers annual health risk assessments to its employees.

Participation in the HRAs is not mandatory, but the company incentivizes it by offering $25. During the past two times HRAs have been available, the company had 90 percent participation.

The wellness program includes monthly challenges, such as a recent walking campaign.

Thermal and specialty paper manufacturer Appvion has invested in employee wellness for more than a decade now, and received B2B’s Alla tua Salute! Award in 2010, 2012 and 2014. Appvion was awarded a Gold Well Workplace Award from the Wellness Council in 2013 and is one of the founding organizations of the Well City-Fox Cities initiative.

“We bought pedometers and challenged our internal partners to develop cross-departmental teams,” Sinette said. “It was awesome to see how competitive our teams were. Our internal partners took 15,497,251 steps during the month of April.”

With 1,600 employees, Appvion offers an articulately designed wellness program targeting health improvement in the areas of exercise, nutrition and stress management. The company places significant emphasis on employee-assistance plan utilization, a benefit many companies offer and pay for but don’t promote.

Going forward, the program will increasingly focus on involving family members, Sinette said.

For its efforts, Appvion actually experienced a 2 percent decrease in payroll contributions to the group health insurance plan in 2015.

– by Sean Fitzgerald

24 | June 2015 | NNB2B

Elevate97 partners with Bellin Health to have a nurse on site every other week to work with employees on monthly initiatives and personal health goals.

“We want to have more inclusion of the families in our initiatives so we’re focusing on the whole person – both work life and family life. I’m really passionate about that.” n Rick Berg is a freelance editor and writer based in Green Bay. Sean Fitzgerald is publisher of New North B2B magazine.

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Tourism

Traveler spending continues sailing onward

Story by B2B Staff

For the millions of travelers visiting Wisconsin, it’s all about the fun and memories, but for the state’s taxpayers and residents, it’s all about the jobs and tax revenue those travelers support.

In 2014, a 5.3 percent growth in the tourism economy statewide translated to an increase in tourism-related employment and personal income, according to a statewide economic impact study conducted by Tourism Economics, a research firm commissioned by the state Department of Tourism.

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Tourism had a total economic impact of $18.5 billion on Wisconsin last year compared to $17.5 billion in 2013. Since 2010, the state’s tourism economy has experienced a 25 percent growth from $14.8 billion.

Other industry indicators include visitor growth in 2014 topping 102 million, an increase of 7 million visits since 2010.

Tourism supports nearly 188,000 jobs and $4.8 billion in personal income across the state.

Suttner ACCOUNTING

In total, visitor spending generated more than $1.4 billion in state and local tax revenue in 2014.

Local tourism figures continue to be increasing in northeast Wisconsin as well.

P Visitor spending in Outagamie County increased 5 percent to $316 million in 2014. This direct spending is estimated to have sustained 6,287 jobs in the tourism industry and provided $154 million in income for Outagamie County residents. Visitor spending also generated an estimated $41 million in state and local taxes during 2012.

P In Brown County, visitor spending climbed 5 percent to nearly $588 million in 2014, ultimately supporting an estimated 11,200 jobs in the tourism industry and provided $406 million in income for local residents. Total visitor spending generated an estimated $85 million in state and local taxes last year.

P Visitor spending in Winnebago County jumped more than 5 percent to more than $230 million in 2014. This direct spending supported an estimated 4,850 jobs across the county and provided $122 million in income for Winnebago County residents. Visitor spending generated an estimated $30 million in state and local taxes during 2012.

P Rounding out the region, visitor spending in Fond du Lac County grew by almost 3 percent to more than $123 million in 2014, sustaining an estimated 2,495 jobs in the tourism industry and provided $56 million in payroll for Fond du Lac County residents. Total visitor spending generated $16 million in state and local taxes in Fond du Lac County last year. n

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Human Resources

An untapped workforce Improved vocational rehabilitation efforts enabling more workers as available labor pool shrinks Story by Lee Marie Reinsch

If you’ve ever been in the job market, you know how many factors can make or break an interview: Charisma, clothes, college, qualifications, grammar, your social network, eye contact – even your breath can affect how potential employers perceive you.

But that’s changing. Since Act 58 of the Wisconsin Legislature was passed in 2013, DVR has broken placement records, helped 3,000 additional people find employment, and eliminated the waiting list that had dogged the state agency for a decade, Greco said.

Now think about how hard it might be if you lacked the ability to speak.

What is DVR?

Or walk.

Or stand up straight.

Or follow directions.

Or read without jumbling the words.

In Wisconsin, some 300,000 persons of working age have significant disabilities. Only about a third of them are working.

“We have a 65 to 70 percent unemployment rate among individuals with disabilities,” said Mike Greco, division administrator for the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.

28 | June 2015 | NNB2B

The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation is a state office within the Department of Workforce Development charged with helping persons with disabilities land and keep jobs. The agency receives federal funding to work with employers, those with disabilities and educational institutions through training, networking and placement.

DVR works with those with attention-deficit disorder, alcohol or other drug addictions, autism, visual impairment, brain injuries, cognitive challenges, dyslexia, hearing impairments, learning disabilities, orthopedic problems and mental illness, according to Greco.

“The highest percentage of individuals we work with are

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persons with mental illness,” Greco said.

Learning disabilities, cognitive disorders and orthopedic problems constitute the next most common disabilities DVR encounters.

Its services include career guidance, assessment, counseling, job placement, vocational training, rehabilitation technology, help with attaining occupational licenses, resources, equipment, and even developing small business plans.

DVR’s roots date to World War I, with programs to retrain injured war veterans returning home. In 1920, Congress expanded the program to include others with disabilities, not just veterans.

The program has a matching-funds incentive wherein the state provides about 21 percent of its funds while the federal government provides nearly 79 percent. In Wisconsin, it means the state comes up with $17 million and the federal government provides $63 million for DVR. Every state has a similar program for those with disabilities, according to Greco.

Employment programs offered by DVR aren’t one-size-fits-all.

“Everyone has different obstacles and challenges,” Greco said. “A person with visual difficulties may require ZoomText on their computer so they can see images. Someone with a hearing impairment may need different services than someone with an orthopedic condition.”

Most accommodations required cost less than $500 to implement.

Wisconsin DVR’s 42 sites employ 195 vocational rehabilitation counselors who hold master’s degrees, and are licensed through the state with 3,000 hours of required clinical practice.

“They help people deal with the impact of disability in their lives,” Greco said. “A lot of times people will have an event or are injured, and they lose confidence …. It affects selfesteem.”

Disabilities don’t have to be congenital or disease-related, and they don’t even have to be permanent to cause someone to be out of work.

Sometimes people get injured and www.newnorthb2b.com

the only thing preventing them from working is that their line of work exacerbates the injury.

“A person could have a training deficit,” Greco said. For example, a construction worker with a back injury whose job requires lifting 50 pounds isn’t able to go back to his construction job, so he needs to change gears.

“The individual may need training at a tech college,” Greco said. “We can provide the support they need to get training to do a job that doesn’t aggravate their condition and (is) within their functional capacities to perform.”

Waiting game

Federal law requires that DVR help those with the most significant disabilities first – thus, the waiting lists.

Those with functional limitations but who don’t need extensive services get referred to job center programs throughout the state.

For over a decade, it took up to five months just to get into an employment program through DVR, according to Greco, because it didn’t have enough counselors to assist those individuals demanding services.

“We realized we needed to go from a supply-driven model to a demanddriven model,” said Scott Schlicher, a business services consultant with DVR. Wisconsin Legislative Act 58 of 2013 gave DWD enough funding to hire 20 business services consultants and add services resulting in the highest outcomes in 15 years.

“The whole part of our disability evaporates and the focus is on ability – what the talents are of the individual,” Schlicher said. “Then we become the talent-development pipeline to employers and businesses, meeting their employment needs within the state.”

Business services consultants serve as liaison between the business community, service organizations, professional organizations and schools in forming long-term relationships and looking at how DVR

Stats on Wisconsin Workforce Development: 300,000

Number of persons of working age with disabilities in Wisconsin.

16,800

Number of persons with disabilities now being served under an individualized service plan for employment, known as an IPE, with the DWD’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.

21,000

Approximate number of persons with disabilities served annually under a DVR employment plan.

40

Approximate percentage of persons of working age with disabilities in Wisconsin who are currently working.

1920

Year that a national vocational rehabilitation program was created.

$17 million

Annual amount of state matching funds Wisconsin devotes to the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) program.

$63 million

Amount of federal dollars captured with the match to fund the state DVR program.

195

Number of vocational rehabilitation counselors in the state.

42

Number of local DVR offices in the state.

NNB2B | June 2015 | 29

Human Resources can serve its population as well as the needs of employers, Schlicher said.

“Traditionally, DVR provided services but had no partnership with employers,” Greco said. “We would provide all this training – and eventually the person is going to need a job – and that relationship with employers wasn’t there.”

Now DVR goes to businesses to determine what they need. It’s established partnerships with several major employers in the state, including several in northeast Wisconsin.

United Health Group in Green Bay was among the first on board. With Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay as an educational partner, DVR and United Health set up a customer-service training program for its call centers.

The following year, West Business Services in Appleton and trucking firm Schneider in Ashwaubenon hopped on the bandwagon.

“This opens a whole array of different jobs and career paths for the individuals involved in that training,” Schlicher said.

“Our employer partners are committed in the sense of adding to curriculum, participating in the training and, at the end, recognizing the certification.”

“We’re not asking anything of the employers other than to tell them, ‘We have a qualified candidate for you.’ We don’t expect any special treatment,” Schlicher said. “Perhaps there’s a large work gap and perhaps there’s a good reason for that, and we can explain that to the employer, and once we know

the culture of the jobs and the employer, we can interview potential candidates and refer qualified candidates to them.”

There can be a fear factor among employers considering hiring someone with a disability, Schlicher said: “Fear of liability and, ‘Am I going to have to do a lot of extra stuff?’ We help the businesses understand working with persons with disabilities.”

Playing Matchmaker

Clarity Care of Oshkosh and Green Bay helps people with disabilities brush up on their skills and find jobs.

“Clients are referred to us by DVR with a specific service in mind,” said Samantha Philo, employment consultant with Clarity Care. “Depending on the service, we’ll work with a client to make sure they’re employment-ready. We work with them in overcoming any barriers they might have, to make sure they understand basic workplace expectations.”

Job preparation can include help with interview skills, skill building, resumes, references and cover letters.

“We’ll talk about what employers are looking for in an employee,” Philo said. “We’ll make sure that they’re appropriate for the type of job they’re looking to go into and that they have realistic expectations of what they’ll be doing.”

Clarity Care works with people who have a range of issues, from stuttering to cognitive challenges.

Adam Hobbs, 26, of Oshkosh had a stroke at age 21. Before that, he worked in construction. He recently found a job

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through Clarity Care working at 4imprint in Oshkosh. It’s enabled him to move out of his parents’ house, regain some independence, and feel like a grownup again.

“Trying to find a job while disabled when all you know is construction is pretty difficult,” he said. “I tried to find employment but I can’t physically do any of the labor I used to do because my balance isn’t what it used to be and I have leftside weakness.”

Hobbs used to be very active, citing skateboarding and motorcycle riding as two loves. He didn’t relish sitting around collecting unemployment.

“Working through Clarity Care and DVR, they gave me the opportunity to find employment,” he said. “If it wasn’t for them, I’d probably still be sitting at my parents’ house.”

Dan Fishelson, co-owner with his wife, Jessica, of Bob & Bonnie’s Bakery in Fond du Lac, employs referrals from Clarity Care and couldn’t be happier. In fact, most of his 16 employees come from Clarity Care and have challenges ranging from autism and dyslexia to loss of limbs.

“When I have a need for an employee, I send (Clarity Care) the job description and pay scale, and they in turn find me someone,” Fishelson said.

Employees work a gamut of jobs – driving, icing donuts, fulfilling orders and cleaning.

If an employee falls into a rut – say they forget their training over time or get distracted – Clarity Care comes to the bakery to provide job coaching until the employee is back on track.

Fishelson said he’s maintained the same staff since he bought the bakery 18 months ago and even added a few.

“These are permanent positions, not temporary,” Fishelson said.

Help with contract fulfillment

Back in the 1960s, the world had very little to offer people who weren’t the standard ambulatory specimens. So, in 1962, some parents of special-needs children in the Fox Valley started a company to employ them. Lakeside Packaging Plus was born.

It’s a private nonprofit governed by a volunteer board of nine with locations in Oshkosh and Neenah.

“Back in the early 1960s, there were no options available in the community,” said Lakeside Packaging CEO Margaret Winn.

Lakeside Packaging works with around 20 area companies that use the services of its 275-member crew. Lakeside has done recycling jobs, painting, pallet work, and sub-assembly, but its specialties are collating and hand packaging.

“In many ways, it can become an extension of a customer’s workspace – things they may not have room for, the staff to do or the employees to do,” Winn said.

For someone to become a Lakeside Packaging associate, they need to be at least 18, have a medically-recognized disability and a source of funding. Typically that funding comes from state programs such as Family Care and IRIS, or a managed-care organization. It helps fund the payroll of the 63 staff members who provide supervision, training, case

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Human Resources

NSIGHT is

WOW

working on wellness

management, coaching, personal care and quality control.

Staff also provide adult day services such as recreation and leisure activities.

Associates get paid on a piecework basis sanctioned by Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which allows Lakeside Packaging and other community rehabilitation providers to establish a piece rate, paying individuals for their actual production, Winn said.

Each year Lakeside Packaging contacts area employers to survey what the business pays for similar work, then averages the hourly rates for like work. The average becomes the prevailing wage, which in 2015 was set at $8.60 per hour.

Recently, J. J. Keller & Associates Inc. of Neenah awarded Lakeside Packaging its Supplier of the Year recognition.

“To be selected as the J. J. Keller Supplier of the Year is saying a great deal about our ability to be responsive and to be flexible,” Winn said. “We can rapidly mobilize workers, and that’s something other companies struggle with.”

For J. J. Keller, Lakeside Packaging does kit assembly and disassembly, shrink wrapping and fulfillment services for different product groups within the company, according to Tim Little, vice president of manufacturing and supply chain at J. J. Keller, which works with more than 1,000 regular vendors.

Congratulations to the Nsight family for working on wellness.

We’re addressing many aspects of wellness, from physical and emotional to intellectual, social and occupational wellness.

“We have a standardized, vigorous process of how suppliers are nominated and brought forth,” for the annual recognition, Little said, including input from various departments within J. J. Keller. But make no mistake – Lakeside Packaging wasn’t chosen because it employs people with disabilities.

“We look at them as a supplier. The fact that they employ people with special needs is really great,” Little said. “We don’t work with them because of it. We work with them because of the quality and the service we get.”

Thank you for accepting our physical activity

That’s the goal, according to Winn.

challenges, partaking in our new selection of

“When you work with (Lakeside Packaging Plus), an employer’s not only getting a quality product, which is certainly a very high priority for us, but you’re also providing opportunities for other people to develop dignity and respect by being able to work on their project,” Winn said.

“Self-esteem and work are synonymous in our society, so when people support LPP and other CRPs, they’re doing a tremendous service to the people we serve.”

fresh snack and meal options, and using our on-site walking trails for ‘moving meetings’ or a refreshing break.

We’re proud of the healthy choices, our healthy employees and our collective efforts to reduce company health care costs. Together, Nsight is Working on Wellness.

NSIGHT

working on wellness emotional • environmental • intellectual • physical • occupational • social

Winn recounted a story from her college days at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, where she majored in vocational rehabilitation. She and some fellow students assisted at a conference for people with disabilities. The people with disabilities they encountered referred to those without disabilities as TABs – temporarily able-bodied.

“That made quite an impression on me at the age of 19,” Winn said. n Lee Reinsch of Green Bay worked 18 years at daily newspapers before launching her freelance business, edgewise, in 2007.

Editor’s Note: New North B2B Publisher Sean Fitzgerald serves on the board of directors for Clarity Care Inc.

32 | June 2015 | NNB2B

www.newnorthb2b.com

Excellence. Collaboration. Innovation.

Accounting Economics Finance Human Resources Information Systems Interactive Web Management Management Marketing Supply Chain Management Masters of Business Administration undergraduate email: cob@uwosh.edu graduate email: mba@uwosh.edu

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NNB2B | June 2015 | 33

Safety

Injured employees can’t work Safety programs ensure risk protection is top of mind for employees at all times Story by J. S. Decker

“What happened in the past isn’t going to predict the future,” warned Safety Manager Doug Swan of Northeast Asphalt in Greenville, one of 14 companies from the state to receive the 2014 Corporate Safety Award from Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce. “Safety is something that you need to manage every day. It’s more complex than it sounds.”

And far more demanding than meeting new government standards which just tightened on Jan. 1, 2015.

“Since this has happened, we’ve seen an increase in enforcement and inspections related to employee accidents and injuries on the job sites,” Swan reported.

Federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration inspectors monitor most of the eastern half of Wisconsin from its Appleton office and now must be told of all work-related fatalities within eight hours, and amputations and eye losses must be reported within 24 hours. Previously, only fatalities and accidents suffered by three or more workers needed prompt reporting.

It’s not government watchdogs pushing hardest, though, it’s

34 | June 2015 | NNB2B

employers and workers themselves. “It’s empowering, which I think is most fulfilling,” said Swan. And it’s good business to keep production at a maximum and to boast an impressive safety record to win the next big contract.

Protecting people, protecting assets

As Jeremy Brunhoefer, safety manager at J. F. Ahern Co. of Fond du Lac put it, “Our people are the most important asset this company has.” They’re valuable, too. Getting hurt has a cost beyond pain, which Wisconsin employers minimize.

The number of claims reported to the Wisconsin Worker’s Compensation Division has dropped by an average of 387 claims per year over the last five years. On average – from 2007 to 2013 – 34,515 claims were reported, with 20 percent

www.newnorthb2b.com

being denied. In 2011 the incurred worker’s compensation related indemnity was more than $227 million and incurred worker’s compensation-related medical expenses were $572 million, according to the state Department of Workforce Development. In 2012 Wisconsin employers suffered 114 work-related fatalities.

While claims numbers are lower, it’s not all good news for the bottom line. According to the Workers Compensation Research Institute, the average medical payment per claim with more than seven days of lost time in Wisconsin was 39 percent higher than a 16-state median for 2011 claims.

A poor lost-time incident rate or OSHA Incident Rate can easily convince a potential customer to hire another company.

They often ask for an experience modification rate to determine insurance premiums.

Keeping those rates low starts with strong dedication from the very top, said J. F. Ahern Chief Safety Officer Dustin Rusch, with management and employees creating an alert culture that communicates. While building or installing fire protection systems, or commercial building infrastructure for plumbing, heating and cooling, “There are close calls. When they do happen, there’s an investigation, cause analysis, corrective action. It starts with communication that an event occurred,” said Rusch. Mistakes are avoided or learned from, he added. “It’s more about understanding why a decision was made. It’s certainly not about fault-finding or pointing a finger.”

That’s true as well at Bassett Mechanical in Kaukauna, but Mike Lutz, vice president of marketing, said firm discipline is also stressed by CEO Kim Bassett.

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“She implements a very stiff, very robust program,” Lutz said.

“So much so that if someone is found in violation of safety programs and procedures, they run the risk of termination.”

The written warning and retraining program must work, he explained, “Because we’ve not had to terminate anybody.”

Promoting safety

Bassett’s 350 employees build and service industrial refrigeration, heating, cooling and plumbing systems and fabricate metal in a 268,000-sq. ft. facility with “numerous areas where someone could be very, very hurt, if not killed,” explained Lutz. No one was injured during more than 1.35 million hours of work during the past few years, until one accident by an off-site subcontractor reset that tally. “We’re at 850,000 hours today,” Lutz added. “Most people don’t publicize their safety records. We do, because we want our competitors to have to tell potential customers what their records are.”

All three divisions of Bassett see those metrics posted in plain view every day. There are rules to follow everywhere in every job. “We have very strict guidelines about following traffic laws. No speeding! If you’re talking on the phone, it’s got to be hands free.”

That’s in the motor vehicle pages of the 32 sections in the Bassett Safety Manual.

“There’s a respiratory protection chapter, a chapter on

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NNB2B | June 2015 | 35

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Submitted photo

Safety on the job site is a constant risk to manage for all construction firms.

welding, cutting, burning...” continued Lutz. “How to deal with blood-borne pathogens, crane slings, fall protection.”

To ensure raw electrical power goes only where it’s needed, “If you’re working on a piece of equipment and you’re going to shut it down, you literally lock the machine down with locks,” Lutz explained. “A tagout is a warning sign that’s placed on a machine to show that its in use if a worker walks away. A lockout is an actual padlock.”

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Safety recognitions

Bassett’s efforts toward safety were recognized by the Wisconsin Safety Council in 2013. That organization under Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce also gave Bassett the Corporate Safety Award in 2005. Additionally, for 18 of the years between 1994 and 2013, Bassett Mechanical received the Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin Safety Excellence Award. The long list continues beyond the Mechanical Contractors Association of America Outstanding Safety Performance awards and the National Safety Council Perfect Record Award for Zero Lost Time from 2000 to 2005.

The 1,100 workers at J. F. Ahern can boast an injury rate better than 2.2 times the national industry average over the past ten years. Within the past 60 days they received four separate awards from professional safety councils in Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin, including the Associated General Contractors of Greater Milwaukee Leadership in Safety Award.

It’s nice to be recognized, agreed Safety Chief Rusch, but, “Organizations can’t rest on the plaques on their wall or their achievements. We want to be prevention-minded, thinking about tomorrow and making sure we’re not doing the things harmful to our workforce.”

J. F. Ahern doesn’t publicly report the days or hours since its last workplace accident. Each job at each location is unique.

Even conditions in the company’s Fond du Lac facility often change, and how to get a job done can’t be summarized in any one guide.

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NNB2B | June 2015 | 37

Safety

Trade unions often submit their own safety requirements that become incorporated into company policy, just as J. F. Ahern adopts guidelines from National Fire Protection Association, American National Standards Institute as well as Mechanical Contractors Association. Those standards are in play every day, but safety analysis saturates the past and the future.

“Six years ago we implemented a Stretch & Flex program...

It’s kind of a tough sell for construction workers to line up on the side of the road and do jumping jacks.”

The eight members of J. F. Ahern’s safety team and project superintendents all compile “assessments” of past injuries and near misses to recognize what the workforce does well and to find opportunities for improvement.

and their resolution.”

Brunhoefer. “You’ve got federal and state occupational safety and health requirements you’ve got to comply with. Industry best practices are put in play.”

Looking forward, “Even a year before a project moves on the ground, safety is on our mind,” Brunhoefer pointed out. “After a project is sold, and the scope of the work is clearly defined and understood, the project leadership team coordinates a preplanning meeting that involves all potential stakeholders.”

Partnering with labor

Safety committees at Northeast Asphalt have the same goals. Field workers, project managers, area managers and senior managers always have high-speed traffic to worry about as roads are laid down. Falling rocks in its quarries add to an endless list of hazards. Discussions, Swan said, include “Everything from safe equipment operation to DOT compliance, site-specific concerns, incidents and near misses

Doug Swan, safety manager Northeast Asphalt, Greenville

Safety falls under the auspices of human resources, but Swan noted the two realms overlap. Eating right, never smoking and keeping proper posture all prevent injuries.

“Six years ago we implemented a Stretch & Flex program,” he recalled. There’s been some success, but lifestyles can be harder to change than specific job techniques. “It’s kind of a tough sell for construction workers to line up on the side of the road and do jumping jacks.”

That doesn’t mean the pressure is off. Stretching can save someone from a rotator cuff injury or a blown-out back. “As advanced as our medical system is, many of these back injuries are permanent,” Swan lamented.

On safety committees and across its workforce, Operating

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“We’ve built with Keller many times because they work very hard to design and build our branches with our vision in mind. Keller is always there for us.”

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Financial Retail Veterinary Faith-Based Child Care Agriculture Professional Offices Chiropractic Recreation Industrial Assisted Living Educational Funeral Homes Cold Storage Municipal Automotive Warehousing Restaurants Hospitality Medical

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Engineers Local 139 is a strong partner in Northeast Asphalt’s day-to-day mission. The operators have a state-of-the-art training facility near Coloma, and employees are encouraged to train there during winter when most are laid off.

Local 139 honored Northeast Asphalt with its Recognition Award for commitment to training and safety. Their shared effort led the Greenville-based roadbuilder to win the Wisconsin Corporate Safety Award for the first time this past year, as well as a gold-level recognition from the Fond du Lac Safety Council.

Safety in the face of adversity

Wisconsin Public Service received the 2012 Corporate Safety Award for its Pulliam Power Plant in Green Bay, among other accolades. The 1,200 employees of the electricity and natural gas provider are responsible for maintaining and promptly repairing connections to 445,000 customers.

When the power goes out, customers are understandably demanding that it be immediately restored, said WPS spokesperson Todd Steffen. Yes, perhaps a tornado blew down that power line, but can it please be fixed so we can watch the Weather Channel?

“The worst of times is usually when we’re the busiest. We’re dealing with high winds, tree limbs breaking or whatever,” Steffen said. “That really requires keeping your safety hat on at all times. A bump up against a live wire or something else happens and people will get hurt.”

Many standards are copied across industries, but every mission needs its own approach. The safety dogma at WPS includes LivingZero, which according to its official description, is not a safety program – it’s a unifying platform for change – “a change toward our desired safety culture,” said Steffen.

“LivingZero is an environment where everyone believes at-risk behaviors can be prevented. It’s a workplace where employees are willing and empowered to address unsafe situations.”

Eye on workplace illness as well

Confirming that injuries will sometimes occur no matter what, the National Safety Council recognized Workers’ Memorial Day this past April 28 by calling on employers to better understand and identify the risks of occupational illnesses.

That includes germs being passed and poison fumes being breathed.

Workplace-related illnesses are estimated to result in 53,000 deaths and 427,000 nonfatal illnesses each year compared to workplace-related injuries, which are estimated to result in almost 4,000 deaths and 4.8 million injuries requiring medical attention annually. Given the delayed onset of many illnesses, these numbers are estimated to be low.

“Workplace fatalities due to illness are estimated to be more than ten times that of deaths from workplace injuries,” summarized Deborah A.P. Hersman, president of the National Safety Council. n J.S. Decker is a business journalist based in Oshkosh. www.newnorthb2b.com

NNB2B | June 2015 | 39

Professionally Speaking Professionally Speaking is a paid promotional spot in B2B.

Oshkosh Area Tourism Grows, Reaches Record Level

by Wendy Hielsberg of Oshkosh Convention & Visitors Bureau

They come for big yearly international events like EAA AirVenture and they come for weekly events that feature local flavor like the Oshkosh Farmers Market. They arrive by motorcoach, car and motorcycle. Some stay for a night, others a week and some start looking for a home to buy.

All of these visitors make a tremendous impact on the economy which is why we work so hard to attract and welcome them to Oshkosh.

That work is paying off.

The state Department of Tourism recently released numbers that indicate Winnebago County hit a new high for tourism spending.

In 2014, visitors spent an estimated $230 million in Oshkosh, an $11.3 million, or 5.2 percent, increase over 2013. Total business

920.303.9200

sales also jumped more than 5 percent to $434.9 million.

This success is not accidental.

At the Oshkosh Convention and Visitors Bureau we use sales and marketing initiatives to bring in additional visitors and spending, grow the Oshkosh brand, and drive the numbers higher.

We lead tourism projects and they succeed because of strong local partnerships, effective promotions with our attractions and accommodations, tireless work from event organizers and volunteers, and commitment by city and community leaders.

We have reason for continued optimism. Our assets include world-class convention and event facilities, outstanding retail offerings, wonderful attractions and high quality lodging. The Oshkosh area is also fortunate to have rich outdoor recreational resources – from our beautiful parks and trails to our river and lakes.

We have a lot of potential to continue to increase visitor spending, but to keep the momentum going will take everyone’s help.

If you’re not currently a partner of the OCVB, please consider joining us. It’s easy and free and will give you access to tools and services that will help grow your business. If you’re currently a partner, please make sure to stay engaged. Subscribe to our Partner E-Newsletter, check out visitoshkosh.com, follow us on social media, call us at (920) 303-9200 or visit us at 100 North Main Street, Suite #112. We would love to see you!

We want to do everything we can to support your efforts and grow visitor spending in our community.

Together we’ll make 2015 an even stronger year for Oshkosh-area tourism.

Wendy Hielsberg is the Executive Director of the Oshkosh Convention & Visitors Bureau. To learn more about tourism in Winnebago County, go to www.VisitOshkosh.com or call (920) 303-9200.

Maximizing the Benefits of Your S-Corporation – Now and in the Future

by Thomas W. Moniz of Davis & Kuelthau

While many business owners engage in detailed planning to ensure compliance with Subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code in order to maximize the tax benefits of being an S-corporation, the same level of diligence is often ignored when it comes to that business owner’s personal estate plan, and ultimately, their business succession plan.

For a corporation to maintain its S-corporation eligibility, it must have less than 100 total shareholders, all of which must be individuals, estates, certain types of trusts, or certain tax-exempt organizations. Today, often with the best intentions, business owners are executing wills or trusts as part of their estate 40 | June 2015 | NNB2B

920.233.6050

plan, but without giving any thought as to whether their trust qualifies as a permissible S-corporation shareholder.

A permissible shareholder trust may include voting trusts, grantor trusts (including for up to two years following your death), testamentary trusts receiving the S-corporation stock by way of your will, qualified subchapter S trusts (QSSTs) and electing small business trusts (ESBTs). In the most common scenario, in order for a grantor trust – such as a joint revocable trust – to remain an S-corporation shareholder, the trust should allow for the distribution of the S-corporation stock to a permissible shareholder within two years after your death. Following that two-year period, other planning techniques may be implemented by your attorney or CPA to protect permissible S-corporation status.

Careful consideration should be given to additional provisions that may be added to your existing will and trust to allow your trustee the flexibility to make appropriate elections and transfers after your death to ensure the continued operation and tax benefits of your S-corporation.

Thomas W. Moniz is a corporate attorney with Davis & Kuelthau in Oshkosh. Tom advises corporations and family and closely-held businesses on the election and transition to S-corporation tax status and provides shareholder compensation analysis to minimize FICA taxable wage/income.

Tom also maintains an active trusts, estates and succession planning practice. He can be reached at tmoniz@dkattorneys.com or 920.233.6050.

www.newnorthb2b.com

Why Choose the Experts?

Professionally Speaking is a paid promotional spot in B2B.

by Kathy Weaver, BBA of Hand to Shoulder Center of Wisconsin 920.730.8833 What is a sub-specialty certification? And really, how vital is it?

In today’s world, life moves at a constant pace. Your body, mind and soul are given thousands of opportunities a day to decorate your life with happiness – opportunities that someday, unfortunately, may turn into mishaps causing pain to your being. Mishaps such as an arm fracture, a shoulder injury with lingering annoyance, or numbness of the hand that doesn’t warrant for a restful night.

The daily activities involving your arms and hands are limitless; to be in pain is not the goal.

You have choices. You have the freedom to be treated by the experts with sub-specialty training and extensive exposure in hand to shoulder injuries and conditions.

At Hand to Shoulder Center of Wisconsin, all seven orthopedic surgeons have

completed accredited sub-specialty training in the hand and upper extremity.

This means they have gone through a competitive application process, been chosen and completed an additional year of concentrated, specialized training in the treatment of the hand and upper extremity (wrist, elbow and shoulder). This is beyond the orthopedic residency, and involves working closely with, and being educated by internationally recognized leaders in the field.

Completion of the sub-specialty fellowship indicates they have all demonstrated an extra level of proficiency during their residency training. They have the best possible training by the top experts in their field.

So, why choose the experts? The surgeons and staff at Hand to Shoulder Center value the importance of quality and cost-effective comprehensive upper extremity care – providing Northeast Wisconsin and Upper Michigan with the

best possible outcome for hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder care. All surgeons first consider non-surgical and conservative treatment before recommending surgery as a last resort. All surgeons have direct access to their large team of highly skilled occupational and physical therapists, working hand in hand to provide you with the best possible outcome.

All surgeons hold surgical privileges at Woodland Surgery Center, Appleton Medical Center, and St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton, Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah, and Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Specialists (O.S.M.S) of Green Bay. All surgeons alternate to provide emergency call coverage 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For more information on the services provided at Hand to Shoulder Center, go to www. handtoshoulderwisconsin.com or contact them at (920) 730-8833.

Seven physicians with one focus – You have a choice. Ask for the experts.

5 Ways Determine the Health of Your Business’ Finances

by Steve Schmudlach of FVSBank

920.907.8686

Have you checked the health and wellness of your business’ finances lately? Everything you do financially – similar to how you take care of yourself – has an effect on the financial wellness of your business.

revenue. Your financial health will be at risk if you are merely taking the revenue your business has gained and reinvesting it back into your business. At Fox Valley Savings Bank, our Business Sweep Accounts allow you to set a targeted cash balance, and we’ll take care of the rest for you so you’re never caught off-guard by unexpected expenses.

Review these five ways to determine if your business’ finances are healthy and strong.

3. Your expenses stay at or under the percentage of revenue growth.

Your business will always have expenses.

However, your financial wellness will continue to be strong if your expenses don’t exceed your revenue growth.

1. You have experienced revenue growth. Though it may not be exceptional, you should be seeing consistent growth in revenue, which signifies a solid financial outlook for your business.

2. You have a healthy cash balance in your bank account. If you want your business’ finances to remain healthy, your bank account needs to have a significant cash balance from your increase in www.newnorthb2b.com

4. You have a high profitability ratio.

For some businesses, it may be easy to make sales, but if your profit margin is low, it means that you have an unhealthy profitability ratio. This can happen for a variety of reasons including pricing, startup costs or business expansion.

5. You have a good mix of new and returning customers. While every business wants to attract new customers, it is always smart to maintain a good ratio between new and returning customers. A good mix of each means your business has multiple ways it can generate revenue.

Additionally, new customers usually means higher expenses, so keeping a good base of returning customers allows you to keep your expenses lower.

As President and Chief Credit Officer at FVSBank, we strive to create a business banking experience that is personal and exceeds your expectations. If you have questions, give me a call at the Fond du Lac branch. Better yet, call me directly at (920) 907-8686. I’ll return your call, even outside of “bankers’ hours.”

NNB2B | June 2015 | 41

Who’s News

Incorporations

New North B2B publishes monthly new business incorporations filed with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.

Brown County

New Life Fitness LLC, Taylor Caulfield, 1150 Stevens St., De Pere 54115.

GB Temporary Services LLC, Mark Steven Gigot, 2077A Lawrence Dr., De Pere 54115.

Illuminate Energy Healing and Aesthetics LLC, Tanya Anderson, 255 N. 10th St., Apt. 113, De Pere 54115.

Ice Auger Machines LLC, Adam R. Ford, 805 Roth Road, De Pere 54115.

O & B Resort LLC, Ronald W. Betz, 601 Mallard Ct., De Pere 54115.

PGP Risk Management Services LLC, Peter G. Paulsen, 1090 Blackberry Winter Lane, De Pere 54115.

The Life Coach 4 Kids LLC, Betsy Lea White, 619 W. Rock River Cir., De Pere 54115.

Bayland Flooring LLC, Dallas D. Hongisto, 336 Southern Star Lane, De Pere 54115.

D.R. Trucking LLC, Dillon O. Reis, N621 Curran Road, Denmark 54208.

Vander Kinter Trucking LLC, Alan D. Vander Kinter, 6253 Shady Lane, Denmark 54208.

Badger Tiling LLC, Phiilp A. Nysse, 6287 Rosecrans Road, Denmark 54208.

New Solar LLC, Matthew R. Kapinos, 712 Bordeaux Rue, Green Bay 54301.

Wickit Displays LLC, Daniel A. Glinski, 1209 Pinecrest Road, Green Bay 54313.

Leander’s Decor LLC, Lisa A. Leander, 811 Howard St., Green Bay 54303.

Northeast Wisconsin Trauma Education LLC, Dave Taylor, 3122 Clarence Ct., Green Bay 54313.

Dr. Tracy Rosiek INC., Tracy Rosiek, 605 S. Military Ave., Green Bay 54303.

Ginspirationaldesign LLC, Virginia Lynch Laukka, 1465 Bradbury Ct., Green Bay 54313.

Tracy’s Groceries and More LLC, Tracy Crawford, 832 S. Military Ave., Green Bay 54304.

Stretch It Out Limousine LLC, Brandon Michael Dehn, 563 Hilltop Dr., Green Bay 54301.

1st Medical Transport LLC, Jeena Y. Vue, 711 S. Oakland Ave., Green Bay 54304.

Goral Farms and Trucking LLP, Debra C. Goral, 4994 State Road 29, Green Bay 54311.

Finfanatic Charters LLC, Robert John Claus, 525 Delwiche Road, Green Bay 54302.

Reflections Family Hair Care LLC, John P. Wierer, 914 Square Terr., Green Bay 54313.

Rachelle Elane Court Reporting LLC, Rachelle Elane Rodriguez, 1172 Blue Ridge Dr., Green Bay 54304.

Walls Wealth Design LLC, Marsha A. Walls, 3091A Voyager Dr., Green Bay 54311.

Odd Jobs of Northeast Wisconsin LLC, Rory Edmondson, 711 Hubbard St., Green Bay 54303.

ANB Janitorial LLC, Noemi Montiel, 2604 Greenbrier Road, Green Bay 54311.

Jim Linssen Trucking LLC, James Linssen, 2591 Ontario Road, Green Bay 54311.

Garby Creative Services LLC, Katie Lizabeth Lebarron, 405 Harvard St., Green Bay 54303.

DeCoste Marketing LLP, Jacob DeCoste, 2902 Humboldt Road, Green Bay 54311.

Lawn & Order LLC, Austin Hess, 2377 Tumbleweed Tr., Green Bay 54313.

The Fox Cities Real Estate Market Center LLC, Caleb Hayes, 2593 Development Dr., Ste. 2, Green Bay 54311.

Ignacia Janitorial LLC, Ignacia G. Plascencia Cruz, 537 Newtols St., Green Bay 54302.

42 | June 2015 | NNB2B

Powers Quality Inspection Services LLC, Keith R. Powers, 1914 Juniper Dr., Green Bay 54302.

RH Environmental Engineering Services LLC, Ryan Michael Holzem, Ph.D., 1670 S. Huron Road, Green Bay 54311.

New Perspective Aviation Services LLC, Christopher S. McClellan, 605 Melrose Ave., Green Bay 54303.

Better Lawns & Gardens LLC, Mark Eugene Vincent, 1124 13th Ave., Green Bay 54304.

Mona Pagel Counseling Service LLC, Mona E. Pagel, 2788 Manitowoc Road, Green Bay 54311.

Flying Crane T’ai Chi LLC, Kristel Lyn Hawley, 1916 Harold St., Green Bay 54302.

JFK Environmental Engineering LLC, Linda M. Katers, 1243 Kenwood St., Green Bay 54304.

Xtreme Vapor INC., James Richard Gorring III, 425 S. Military Ave., Green Bay 54303.

Lisa’s House of Adult Toys & More LLC, Lisa M. Gilson, 6674 Vandevoort Ct., Greenleaf 54126.

N.E.W. Dental Services LLC, Jesse R. Messersmith, 1378 Riverdale Dr., Hobart 54155.

JB Ice Services LLC, Jeremy Balza, 5859 Easy St., New Franken 54229.

JD Kennel Care LLC, Jesse Duquaine, 1250 Broadway St., Wrightstown 54180.

Next Day Groceries LLC, Fayne William Peck, 305 Butterfield Ct., Wrightstown 54180.

Fond du Lac County

Warriors Haunted Asylum LLC, Daniel J. Cartwright, N5758 County Road W, Dotyville 53057.

Capture The Moment, Photography By Kristel Stephany LLC, Kristel M. Stephany, N3372 Turkey View Ct., Eden 53019.

Saw Jaw Builders LLC, Jeffrey Allen Wehle, N7798 County Road C, Eldorado 54932.

Schwark Vintage Wheels LLC, Daniel Schwark, N8102 U.S. Highway 151 North, Fond du Lac 54937.

Freshfit Meals LLC, Nicholas Edward Bloch, N6267 County Road K, Fond du Lac 54937.

Kick Back Wireless Solutions LLC, Stephen Markfort, 818 Security Dr., Apt. A203, Fond du Lac 54935.

Willow Ledge Retreat LLC, Sherri Lynn Bucher, W4099 Kiekhaefer Pkwy., Fond du Lac 54937.

Klapperich Farms LLC, Brian E. Klapperich, 401 Sweetflag Ave., Fond du Lac 54935.

A Touch of Health Neuro-Muscular Therapies LLC, John T. Botsford, 81 Fanna St., Fond du Lac 54935.

Eastern Ridges Vineyard LLC, Jennifer Ann Ziegler, 404 4th St., Fond du Lac 54935.

Kirk’s Welding & Inspection Services LLC, Tracy Vassallo, 436 Harrison St., #4, North Fond du Lac 54937.

Vispire Health LLC, Brenda L. Block, 1016 Thomas St., Ripon 54971.

Windy Hill Software LLC, Franklin Dutcher, Jr., W1252 County Road T, St. Cloud 53079.

JVB Trucking LLC, John D. Boxall, P.O. Box 133, Waupun 53963.

Green Lake County

Kindermusik with Ms. Natalie LLC, Natalie Arakaki, 163 Eastridge Dr., Unit 5, Berlin 54923.

New Two You Auto LLC, Allan M. Legler, 115 S. Johnson St., Berlin 54923.

Willow Creek Fish Farm INC., Paul V. Marinescu, W1891 County Road D, Berlin 54923.

TJ’s Transport & Custom Hauling LLC, Ted John Reichenberger, N3004 State Road 49, Berlin 54923.

www.newnorthb2b.com

Oconto County

Tri State Insure LLC, Kenneth O’Dierno, 2836 Sandalwood Road, Abrams 54101.

ARO Coatings LLC, Andrew Richard Otten, 2180 Cross Road, Abrams 54101.

Borkovec Inspection LLC, David M. Borkovec, 5768 Main St., Abrams 54101.

Outagamie County

O’Brien HR Consulting LLC, Kim O’Brien, 4121 N. Windcross Dr., Appleton 54913.

Quality 1st Lawn Care LLC, Hector Leon, W6036 Sweet William Dr., Appleton 54915.

Scherer Maintenance & Landscaping LLC, Joseph Peter Scherer, 1427 Starview Dr., Appleton 54913.

Hanson Hauling LLC, Matthew Hanson, 1836 E. John St., Appleton 54915.

Alaina Pompa Designs LLC, Alaina Pompa, 2525 Fairfield Ct., Appleton 54911.

Shishu Family Child Care LLC, Marilee Switzer Ehani, 1700 E. Lindbergh St., Appleton 54911.

Sankalpa Bodyworks LLC, Charlene Rachel Jones, 1236 E. Byrd St., Appleton 54911.

Honest Herbs LLC, Marla Peterson, 2406 S. East St., Appleton 54915.

Twisted Branch Design LLC, Shannon Arts, W5949 Falling Leaf Tr., Appleton 54913.

Summit Mechanical Services LLC, David Harold Markman, 2915 N. Abendroth St., Appleton 54914.

Beyer Drywall LLC, Samuel T. Beyer, W6026 Autumn Mist Tr., Appleton 54913.

All Car Automotive LLC, Raymond A. Kramer, N3462 County Road E, Appleton 54913.

Advanced Epoxy Specialists LLC, Brent Ellis, 1525 N. Edgewood Ave., Appleton 54914.

Ask-Cleaning LLC, Elmer Antonio Reyes-Zelaya, 4600 N. Providence Ave., #12, Appleton 54913.

Fox River Hurling Club LTD., Aaron Ramponi, 413 E. Grant St., Appleton 54911.

Badgerland Pallet Recycling LLC, Phillip Michael Keeney, 1700 W. Marquette St., Appleton 54914.

Tim’s Furniture Fix LLC, Timothy Patrick Flaherty, 416 S. State St., Lower Apt., Appleton 54911.

Echo Valley Farm LLC, Jared M. Van Lanen, 2228 E. Stirling Pkwy., Appleton 54913.

Jason P. Weier Financial Services LLC, Jason P. Weier, 950 E. Woodland Ave., Appleton 54911.

Impact Kennel LLC, Judy Vandersteen, 4760 W. Greenville Dr., Appleton 54913.

TC Lawn Care LLC, Thomas Bohn, 3510 N. Marcos Lane, Appleton 54911.

Bridge-IT Training Solutions LLC, Annette Elizabeth Daly, 2323 Palisades Dr., Appleton 54915.

Midwest Vape Connection LLC, Kenneth J. Kempen, 404 Park St., Combined Locks 54113.

Osterberg Business Solutions LLC, Donald Osterberg, N4181 Birch Tr., Freedom 54130.

The Shops of Greenville LLC, Kim Johnson, N2006 Greenville Dr., Greenville 54942.

Javin Press LLC, Jane L. Butler, N1843 Medina Dr., Greenville 54942.

K&P Engineering Services LLC, Kevin Webber, 7025 Everglade Road, Greenville 54942.

Zanna Salon LLC, Fara Hartjes, W6470 Rocky Mountain Dr., Greenville 54942.

No Limits Photography LLC, Jennifer Hohn, W9068 Black Otter Ct., Hortonville 54944.

Women In Technology Wisconsin INC., Michelle Schuler, N1128 Breyer Ct., Hortonville 54944.

Precision Buildings LLC, Nickolas C. Schmitt, 612 Draper St., Kaukauna 54130.

Blab Apps LLC, Keith Kavajecz, N2160 Sleepy Hollow Dr., Kaukauna 54130.

Mahnke Labs LLC, Alex Mahnke, N1862 River Forest Dr., Kaukauna 54130.

www.newnorthb2b.com

For Sale or leaSe 501 S. Nicolet rd., appleton

3-4,000 s.f. sections with 2 restrooms and a private entrance and exit door for each section.

Available for 3 medium companies, or, 1 large company.

May buy or lease the entire 12,000 s.f. building.

Front reception area already furnished.

One block off #41 and the Fox River Mall area.

Selling price:

750,000

$

Leasing price:

5,000 a month per section

$

Call Pam at 0 920-968-460

Pamco ExEcutivE SuitES 4650 W. Spencer Street Appleton

NNB2B | June 2015 | 43

Who’s News Violet and Company Event Planning and Design LLC, Johanna Leigh Wittmann, 232 S. Main St., Kimberly 54136.

E1 Design Consulting LLC, Edward L. Willenbrink, 519 Angela Ct., Kimberly 54136.

Rutherford’s Logging and Firewood LLC, Terry Scott Davis, N8069 Copper Road, Oneida 54155.

Native Pride Transport LLC, Donald Lee Jorgenson, Jr., 604 Crestview Dr., Seymour 54165.

Johnson Transport Services LLC, Jamie M. Johnson, N7221 Moore Road, Seymour 54165.

Winnebago County

M & B Transport LLC, Coreen Thomas, 5326 County Road II, Larsen 54947.

Apple Roofing Solutions LLC, Jorge Alfredo Frias Calzada, 975 Paradise Lane, Menasha 54952.

Black Knight Enforcement Solutions LLC, Shane Bastar, 1123 Goss Ave., Menasha 54952.

Showroom Floors LLC, Troy Nathinel Thompson, 725 Jefferson St., Menasha 54952.

Balancing Rx Bracelets LLC, Julie Ann Feider, 1525 Brighton Beach Road, Menasha 54952.

Sandoval Contracting & Remodeling LLC, Jose L. Sandoval, 1045 Grassymeadow Lane, Menasha 54952.

The Fathers’ Rights Movement of Wisconsin INC., Benjamin J. Kain, 424 S. Western Ave., Neenah 54956.

Treehouse Property Management LLC, Shawn Edward Fliehman, 2545 Wrenwood Lane, Neenah 54956.

Pro Barn Management LLC, Sheri Grunska, 2588 County Road GG, Neenah 54956.

CMR Insurance Services LLC, Michael S. Reigh, 1717 Springbrook Road,

Omro 54963.

Jockey Club II LLC, Gayle Savka, 528 Grove St., Oshkosh 54901.

Dave Grey Realty LLC, David Grey, 601 Oregon St., Oshkosh 54902.

Hederwolf Tree Service LLC, Christopher J. Heder, 1836 Delaware St., Oshkosh 54902.

Lee Kienast Excavating LLC, Lee J. Kienast, 2131 Linway Ct., Oshkosh 54904.

Bullseye Finishing LLC, Kelly Roberts, 3314 Hanson Road, Oshkosh 54904.

Elite Window Cleaning LLC, Brian Allen Merkel, 2120 County Road A, Oshkosh 54901.

Alternative Automotive Repair LLC, David Mueller, 4905 County Road S, Oshkosh 54904.

Best1 Lawn Care LLC, Richard D. Kohl II, 5513 Lake Road, Oshkosh 54902.

MP Brokerage Services LLC, Nicholas J. Lang, 15 Sterling Ave., Oshkosh 54901.

Building permits

B2B includes a monthly list of building permits (not to include residential projects) in excess of $400,000.

Lambeau Field/City of Green Bay, 1265 Lombardi Ave., Green Bay. $5,300,000 for interior alterations to the existing stadium. General contractor is Miron Construction Co. of Neenah. March.

Hampton Inn/Fox River Hospitality, 201 Main St., Green Bay. $6,412,000 for a complete refurbishment of the existing structure for a new 136-room hotel.

General contractor is Consolidated Construction Company of Appleton. March.

Northeast Asphalt Inc., 1524 Atkinson Dr., Green Bay. $1,200,000 for

One of the lowest graduate tuitions in the state.

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44 | June 2015 | NNB2B

www.newnorthb2b.com

an addition to the existing industrial/office facility. General contractor is Smet Construction of Green Bay. March.

Grand Central Station/Festival Shell, 1001 Main St., De Pere. $1,000,000 for an addition to the existing convenience store and fuel station.

General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay. April 2.

Georgia-Pacific Corp., 1919 S. Broadway, Green Bay. $18,950,000 for a replacement of the clarifiers in the water treatment plant at the paper mill facility.

General contractor is Miron Construction Co. of Neenah. April.

Dick’s Sporting Goods and Petsmart, 1005-1015 N. Washburn St., Oshkosh. $3,750,000 for a multi-tenant big box commercial retail building. General contractor is Northcentral Construction Corp. of Fond du Lac. April 10.

Chappell Elementary School/Green Bay Area Public School District, 205 N. Fisk St., Green Bay. $4,177,000 for an addition to the existing school for more classroom space. General contractor is SMA Construction Services of Abrams. April.

Cancer Specialists of Northeast Wisconsin/Fox Valley Hematology & Oncology, 3925 N. Gateway Dr., Appleton. $437,019 for a separate structure to connect the two medical buildings currently under construction. General contractor is Miron Construction Co. of Neenah. April 28.

Multicircuits, 2301 Universal St., Oshkosh. $1,680,110 for a 15,740-sq. ft. addition to the existing manufacturing facility. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna. April 30.

Green Bay Area Public School District, 1148 Main St., Green Bay. $500,000 for interior alterations to the existing commercial building for use as an educational institution. Contractor listed as self. April

Banta Bowl/Lawrence University, 1201 E. Banta Ct., Appleton. $1,100,000 for an extensive interior remodel of the locker rooms and restrooms within the existing stadium. General contractor is Boldt Construction Co. of Appleton. April 30.

Milwaukee PC/James Petr, 320 N. Westhill Blvd., town of Grand Chute. $505,500 for a 5,760-sq. ft. multi-tenant retail building. Contractor listed as James Petr. April 17.

Feeding America – Eastern Wisconsin, 2911 W. Evergreen Dr., Little Chute. $4,300,000 for a 39,720-sq. ft. food pantry distribution center and office.

General contractor is Miron Construction Co. of Neenah. May 6.

Titletown Brewing Company Tap Room, 320 N. Broadway, Green Bay. $500,000 for interior alterations to the second floor of the existing commercial building. General contractor is Smet Construction of Green Bay. April.

New businesses

Taco John’s, 2340 State Road 44, Oshkosh. $576,285 for a new restaurant building. General contractor is C.R. Meyer & Sons Construction of Oshkosh. April 20.

5G Benefits opened at 5111 Green Valley Road in Oshkosh by Tony Goebel. The agency consults with businesses on corporate health, wellness and other employee benefits.

Salvanz Enterprises, 2673 Lineville Road, Howard. $427,087 for a new commercial retail building. General contractor is Alliance Construction & Design of Hobart. April 20.

Panera Bread, 1074 N. Washburn St., Oshkosh. $800,000 for a new restaurant building. General contractor is Northcentral Construction Corp. of Fond du Lac. April 21.

St. Vincent Hospital, 835 S. Van Buren St., Green Bay. $2,858,565 for interior alterations to the existing medical facility. General contractor is IEI General Contractors of De Pere. April.

4imprint, 2875 Atlas Ave., Oshkosh. $6,250,000 for an addition to the existing distribution facility and training center. General contractor is C.D. Smith Construction of Fond du Lac. April 24.

www.newnorthb2b.com

New locations Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. moved its Oshkosh office from downtown to the Universal Business Park at 2905 Universal St., just a few blocks from U.S. Highway 41.

Enspire365 moved into the former Overstock Furniture building at 4876 W. Lawrence St. in the town of Grand Chute. The new space includes a 5,000-sq. ft. basketball/volleyball court.

Fox River Mall in Appleton will add women’s fashion retailer Windsor to its JC Penney wing in August.

Candeo Creative moved its marketing and advertising agency into offices at 146 Algoma Blvd. in Oshkosh.

NNB2B | June 2015 | 45

Who’s News

Drake

Hyde

Hackbarth-Horn

Brokl

Magill

Rusch

The Little Chute Windmill officially opened at 130 W. Main St., next door to Little Chute Village Hall. More information about the attraction is available online at www.littlechutewindmill.org.

Hager, Dewick & Zuengler, S.C., a Green Bay law firm, received the John and Meredith Rose Award from the Greater Green Bay Chamber Leadership Green Bay program for its community leadership.

North Shore Bank opened a new branch at 1620 W. Mason St. in Green Bay.

Rick and Pat Miller, owners of Culver’s of Oshkosh and Fond du Lac, received the Final 4 Crew Challenge Award for the Fond du Lac-East Johnson Street restaurant for being voted one of the top four Culver’s from among the 520 in the nation. That store also received the Ruth Hospitality Award as well as the Commitment to Excellence Award, one of the highest honors in the Culver’s franchise. Commitment to Excellence Awards were also presented to the Fond du Lac-Highway 23 West restaurant and to Rich Traxinger, owner of Pioneer Road Culver’s in Fond du Lac.

Mergers/acquisitions Green Bay Packaging Inc. acquired Baird Display of Waukesha, a provider of custom designed temporary and semi-permanent point-of-purchase displays. Baird has about 40 fulltime employees who will transition to Green Bay Packaging. Terms of the purchase were not disclosed.

Two Rivers-based RiverWood-Maritime Credit Union merged with Appleton-based Fox Communities Credit Union. RiverWood-Maritime has two offices in Two Rivers and Manitowoc, while Fox Communities Credit Union now has 17 offices from Green Bay through the Fox Valley area.

Name changes EDCi IT Services LLC, formerly a division of EDCi in Greenville, changed its name to Excelion Partners to reflect its new ownership. Greg Oppermann, who led the division for the past five years, purchased the technology solutions division in 2014.

The company’s new web address is excelionit.com.

Great Lakes Calcium, a custom mineral processing company in Green Bay, changed its name to GLC Minerals LLC to reflect the breadth of minerals it supplies.

Business honors The 2015 Family Business First Awards of Northeast Wisconsin were presented by First Business Bank – Northeast to Buechel Stone Corp. of Fond du Lac and Perfect Patterns of Appleton.

Van Nuland

46 | June 2015 | NNB2B

Kasper

Mulroy Cluff

New hires The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton hired Trisha Witt as director of marketing and communications. Witt has 17 years experience in marketing as a commercial program manager for Kimberly-Clark Corp.

Hand to Shoulder Center of Wisconsin in Appleton and Green Bay hired Rachel Drake as an orthopedic certified specialist. Drake specializes in treating shoulders.

Appleton-based Schenck SC hired Steve Hyde as its chief information officer and director of technology services and Kristine Hackbarth-Horn as director of people and culture. Hyde has nearly 20 years of technology-related business experience, most recently serving as vice president/CIO of Alta Resources in Neenah. He previously worked for Deloitte Consulting in Milwaukee and Manpower Group in Milwaukee. Hackbarth-Horn has more than 20 years of human resources experience, having previously served as vice president of people and culture for Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin.

First National Bank – Fox Valley hired Todd Brokl as assistant vice president for commercial lending based out of the bank’s Appleton East branch on Calumet Street. Brokl has more than 15 years of banking experience, having most recently worked in commercial lending for US Bank.

Haase

Shropshire

Van Pay

www.newnorthb2b.com

Bangash

Wagner

Wright

Agnesian HealthCare added Steven Magill, M.D., as an endocrinologist at St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac. Ahern in Fond du Lac hired Dustin Rusch as its chief safety officer. Rusch has more than 20 years of environmental, health and safety experience, having most recently served as a health and safety practice leader senior consultant with Aetna Group.

Epiphany Law in Appleton hired Matthew Van Nuland as an attorney. Van Nuland has five years of legal experience, and focuses on corporate business transactions and real estate transactions.

Lakeside Packaging Plus in Neenah and Oshkosh hired Troy Kasper as production coordinator of its Oshkosh facility. He previously worked as branch manager at Sadoff & Rudoy Industries in Fond du Lac. Candeo Creative in Oshkosh hired the following new employees: Mike Pulvermacher as technical manager of web marketing services; Gretel Achterberg and Stephen Heyes as web developers; Katie Konop and Thomas Conn as communication specialists; Kayla Pulvermacher and Victoria Bates as graphic designers; Marcus Dumke as an account manager; and Maribeth Theusch as office manager. Mike Pulvermacher previously owned Oshkosh-based eBiz Results, a web development and online marketing firm. Achterberg, Heyes, Konop and Kayla Pulvermacher were previously with eBiz Results. Conn previously worked at Kimberly Clark as a lead digital community manager and content creator. Theusch previously owned and operated Butcher Block Meats and Cheese in Oshkosh and has more than 20 years experience as an accounting and operations manager.

ThedaCare hired Joelle Mulroy Cluff as a hospitalist at Appleton Medical Center and at Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah.

Element in De Pere hired Joel Haase as art director/designer and Kate Shropshire as a digital marketing specialist. Haase has 17 years of design experience, having previously worked for Arketype in Green Bay and WM Design in Appleton. Shropshire most recently worked for Minneapolis Convention & Visitors Association.

Great Northern Corp. in Appleton hired Mark Van Pay as director of marketing. Van Pay previously served as president of Convergent Marketing and has also held marketing positions for PDQ Manufacturing in Green Bay and Appvion in Appleton.

Todd Brokl AVP - Commercial Banking 920.882.1673 | tbrokl@fnbfoxvalley.com

Member FDIC

Agnesian HealthCare added Muhammad Fuad Bangash, M.D., as a pulmonologist and critical care medicine specialist at St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac. The University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac hired Lee Wagner as an academic librarian. She most recently held a position in the UW-Milwaukee Libraries’ special collections department.

FNBFoxvalley.com | 920.729.6900

www.newnorthb2b.com

NNB2B | June 2015 | 47

Business Calendar

Foley

Cohen

Bergan

Moran

Welsh

Promotions

to treasury management specialist. Moran has been with FNB Fox Valley since 2011 and most recently worked as a deposit operations document management specialist.

Secura Insurance in Appleton promoted Larry Wright to vice president of claims. Wright joined Secura in 1997 as an analyst/programmer in the company’s IT division and worked in various leadership roles before most recently overseeing software development projects.

BayCare Clinic in Green Bay appointed Dr. Greg Welsh to director of physician operations. Welsh is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, and previously chaired BayCare Clinic’s finance and operations committees.

H.J. Martin and Son in Green Bay promoted Ryan Foley from fixture crew manager to vice president of field operations.

Keller, Inc. in Kaukauna promoted Adam Cohen to expeditor. Cohen has been with Keller for ten years in the finish carpentry division.

Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin promoted Doug Bergan to vice president of people. Bergan has served as organizational values leader at Goodwill since 2005.

Neenah-based First National Bank – Fox Valley promoted Molly Moran

Cherney Microbiological Services, Ltd. in Green Bay promoted Brian Van de Water to president. He joined the laboratory service in October 2012 with 26 years of leadership experience. Cherney Microbiological owner and founder Debra Cherney will assume the role of CEO.

Elections/appointments New North Inc. appointed Bill Bohn of Associated Bank and Pete Dulcamara of Kimberly-Clark Corp. to its board of directors. Bohn is executive vice president of private client and institutional services at Associated Banc-Corp. in Green Bay, while Dulcamara is vice president of corporate research and engineering at Kimberly-Clark Corp. in Neenah.

Business calendar

New North B2B encourages businesses and organizations looking to attract interested persons to upcoming events to email info@newnorthb2b.com.

June 2 Greater Green Bay Chamber Power Networking Breakfast, 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the chamber offices, 300 N. Broadway, Ste. 3A in Green Bay. No cost to attend for chamber members. For more information, call 920.437.8704 or email members@ titletown.org.

June 3 Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, 5 to 7 p.m. at Chandelier Club, N162 Eisenhower Dr., Ste. 400 in Appleton. For more information or to register, email info@heartofthevalleychamber.com.

June 3 Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce Coffee Connection, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at Just B-Still/Green Café, 1211 Rickmeyer Dr., Ste. A in Fond du Lac. For more information or to register, call 920.921.9500 or go online to www.fdlac.com.

June 4 Greater Green Bay Chamber Annual Business Recognition Awards Luncheon, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at KI Convention Center, 333 Main St. in Green Bay. For more information or to register, go online to events.titletown.org or contact Carina at craddatz@titletown.org.

48 | June 2015 | NNB2B

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June 9 Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Before Hours, 8 to 9 a.m. at the chamber building, 101 E. Wisconsin Ave. in Kaukauna. Program will focus on effective ways to retain good employees. For more information or to register, email info@heartofthevalleychamber.com.

June 9 Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce Sales Club, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the chamber building, 120 Jackson St. in Oshkosh. No cost to attend for chamber members. For more information, call 920.303.2266 or go online to www.oshkoshchamber.com.

June 10 Women in Management – Fox Cities Chapter monthly meeting, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Fox Banquets & Rivertyme Catering, 111 E. Kimball St. in Appleton. For more information or to register, go online to www.wimiwi.org or email foxcitiesprogram@ wimiwi.org.

June 10 Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce Business Expo, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Radisson Paper Valley Hotel, 333 W. College Ave. in Appleton. For more information or to register, contact Pam at receptionist@foxcitieschamber.com.

June 11 Women in Management – Oshkosh Chapter monthly meeting, 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. at La Sure’s Banquet Hall, 3125 S. Washburn St. in Oshkosh. Program is “Become a Warrior Princess of Self Defense.” For more information or to register, go online to www.wimiwi.org or email Lisa at lkoeppen@communityblood.org.

June 16 A.M. Oshkosh, a morning networking event from the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, 7:45 to 9 a.m. at 4imprint, 101 Commerce St. in Oshkosh. Cost to attend is $2. For more information or to register, call 920.303.2266 or go online to www. oshkoshchamber.com.

July 7 Greater Green Bay Chamber Power Networking Breakfast, 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the chamber offices, 300 N. Broadway, Ste. 3A in Green Bay. No cost to attend for chamber members. For more information, call 920.437.8704 or email members@ titletown.org. n

Better Business Bureau New Members Businesses accredited through the Northeast Wisconsin office during April 2015 ATF Tires & Service Center, Kaukauna Bast Accounting Service, Sheboygan Boyd’s Construction, Pulaski Carlie’s Landscaping & Excavating, Oconto De Pere Exhaust & Repair, De Pere Dr. Energy Savers, Neenah Fox Cities Appliance, Neenah Gluck Tree Care, Random Lake Golper Supply Company, Appleton Infinique Skin & Spa, Appleton Jacobson Auto Sales, Oshkosh Jeff Meinnert Construction, Sheboygan Falls Legendairy Care, Hortonville Mid-State Asphalt, New London Midwest Workwear Inc., Kaukauna N.J. Schmidt Construction & Realty, Appleton Schley Steel Roofing, Clintonville Stitch ‘N Time, Green Bay Tile Time, Green Bay Want That Fixed?, Kimberly

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Advertiser Index

Aurora Health Care ⎮www.aurorahealthcare.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . 13, 31 Bank First National ⎮www.bankfirstnational.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Bayland Buildings ⎮www.baylandbuildings.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Borsche Roofing Professionals ⎮www.wiroofer.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Brown County Port of Green Bay ⎮www.portofgreenbay.com. . . . . . . . 13 Candeo Creative ⎮www.modmadmen.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Consolidated Construction Company ⎮www.1call2build.com. . . . . . . . 5 Culvers ⎮www.culvers.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. ⎮www.dkattorneys.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Dynamic Designs ⎮www.dynamicdesignspulaski.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Epiphany Law ⎮www.epiphanylaw.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 First Business Bank ⎮www.firstbusiness.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 First National Bank ~ Fox Valley ⎮www.fnbfoxvalley.com. . . . . . . . . . 47 Fox Communities Credit Union ⎮www.foxcu.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Fox Valley Savings Bank⎮www.FVSBank.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41, 52 Fox Valley Technical College ⎮www.fvtc.edu/bis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Guident Business Solutions ⎮www.guidentbusinesssolutions.com. . . 30 Hand to Shoulder Center of Wisconsin ⎮www.handtoshoulderwisconsin.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce ⎮www.heartofthevalleychamber.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 J. F. Ahern Co. ⎮www.jfahern.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Keller Inc. ⎮www.kellerbuilds.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Marian University ⎮www.marianuniversity.edu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Modern Business Machines ⎮www.mbm360.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Network Health ⎮www.networkhealth.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 NEW Building & Construction Trades Council ⎮www.newbt.org . . . . . 14 NEW Plastics Corp ⎮www.newplasticscorp.com.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Nsight ⎮www.nsight.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 NWTC Corporate Training & Economic Development ⎮ www.corporatetraining.nwtc.edu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Oshkosh Convention & Visitors Bureau ⎮www.visitoshkosh.com. . . . . 40 Outagamie County Regional Airport ⎮www.atwairport.com. . . . . . . . . 23 Pamco Executive Suites ⎮www.pamcosuites.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Prevea 360 ⎮www.prevea360.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 R&R Steel Construction Company Inc. ⎮www.rrsteelconstruction.com.22 St. Norbert College MBA program ⎮www.snc.edu/go/mbasnc. . . . . . . 12 Strang, Patteson, Renning, Lewis & Lacy ⎮www.strangpatteson.com.36 Suttner Accounting ⎮www.suttnercpa.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 TEC ⎮www.tecmidwest.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Tri City Glass & Door ⎮www.tricityglass-door.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 TweetGarot Mechanical ⎮www.tweetgarot.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 UW Oshkosh College of Business ⎮www.mba.uwosh.edu . . . . . . . . . . 33 Verve, a Credit Union ⎮www.verveacu.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Village of Little Chute ⎮www.littlechutewi.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Waterfest ⎮www.waterfest.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Winnebago County Solid Waste Management ⎮ www.co.winnebago.wi.us/solid-waste/container-rental-program. . 35 YMCA ⎮www.ymcasofnewis.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

NNB2B | June 2015 | 49

Key Statistics

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

local gasoline prices

u.s. retail sales

Per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline.

MAY 17. . . . . . . . . . . . $2.59 MAY 10. . . . . . . . . . . . $2.51 MAY 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . $2.48 APRIL 26. . . . . . . . . . $2.39 MAY 17, 2014. . . . . . . $3.63

april

$436.8 billion Unch. from March 0.9% from April 2014

Source: New North B2B observations

existing home sales

april

u.s. industrial production

homes sold median price brown cty . ....................289 ....................$146,800 Fond du Lac cty ..............87 .................... $113,000 outagamie cty . ............215 ....................$144,900 winnebago cty .............193 .................... $119,000 WI Dept. Revenue Collections march

$894 million 1.8% from March 2014

(2007 = 100) april

105.2

0.3% from March 1.9% from April 2014

air passenger TRAFFIC (Local enplanements)

april 2015 apr 2014 Outagamie Cty. ATW..................... 21,414 ...... 20,160 Austin Straubel GRB..........................N/A .......25,608

local unemployment

march feb. mar ‘14 Appleton ....... 4.6% ...... 4.7% ....... 5.8% Fond du Lac ... 5.0% ...... 5.0% ....... 6.2% Green Bay....... 5.2% ...... 5.6% ........6.7% Neenah ........... 4.6% ...... 4.8%.........6.1% Oshkosh . ....... 5.2% ...... 5.2% ....... 6.3% Wisconsin ..... 5.4% ...... 5.6% ........6.6%

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

may..............................$0.341 april........................... $0.389 may 2014..................... $1.007 Source: Integrys Energy

ism index Numbers above 50 mean expansion.

Numbers below 50 mean contraction. april. . . . . . . . . . . . 51.5 march. . . . . . . . . . . 51.5

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