March 2013

Going Global Networking

Exporting

Opportunity Human Search Engine

Human Resources

Feeling Minnesota

From the Publisher

March 2013 $3.95

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new north b2b March 2013

28 22

Features

32

22 COVER STORY ❘ Going Global ❘ Networking among exporting professionals provides lessons, opportunities

28 MARKETING ❘ Grab Attention ❘ A well-crafted elevator pitch leaves prospective clients eager to learn more

32 HUMAN RESOURCES ❘ Human Search Engine ❘ An innovative approach to finding and filling jobs

Departments

On our Cover

4 From the Publisher 5 Professionally Speaking 6 Since We Last Met 10 Corporate Earnings 14 Build Up Pages 20 Around the Boardroom 21 Pierce Stronglove 37 Guest Commentary 38 Who’s News 44 Business Calendar 44 Advertiser Index 46 Key Statistics

Going Global illustration by New North B2B.

NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013 l 3

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Why our neighbors successfully mine and protect the environment, yet Wisconsin can’t

Sean Fitzgerald New North B2B Publisher 4 l NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013

Feeling Minnesota

Listening to the recent political rhetoric regarding metallic mining in Wisconsin might lead one to believe the state is surrounded by an impenetrable bubble – or at least an opaque bubble blocking our view of what occurs outside our state borders.

Wisconsin seems to proudly boast having some of the most onerous mining regulations on the entire planet. Yes, protecting the environment is certainly a core value of Badger State residents. So, too, is creating a business climate in which employers and workers alike can thrive, as evidenced by our strong agricultural and manufacturing heritage.

Those industries have forced us to compromise our environmental standards from time to time – and despite a handful of more harsh lessons, like decades of dumping toxic PCBs into the Fox River – Wisconsin has learned it can tolerate minimal environmental impact to help employers create excellent lifestyles for our state residents.

So how is it that other states and other nations have figured out ways to mine iron ore to the benefit of their economies while still maintaining the environmental stewardship their own citizens treasure?

Our neighbors immediately west of the Mississippi River boast a record of several decades of successful iron mining in the Mesabi Range across northern Minnesota.

Most recent figures released in early February indicate the industry provides a $3.2 billion annual economic impact to the state, which proudly claims among its noted environmentalists the late Senator and Vice President Hubert Humphrey, who wrote the Federal Wilderness Preservation System Bill for Congress in 1956.

Minnesotans are arguably just as proud of their environmental legacy as we are in Wisconsin. Yet, iron ore mining in that state supports nearly 12,000 jobs while it supports zero here. That’s not to say it couldn’t, with the proposed Gogebic Taconite project in Iron and Ashland counties being capable of creating at least 1,000 jobs. Is our environmental pride complicating an economic windfall literally right under our feet?

“We look at (the proposed Gogebic Taconite property) in Minnesota as a simple iron ore property,” noted Frank Ongaro, executive director of Mining Minnesota for the past six years and the former president of the Iron Mining Association of Minnesota.

As in Wisconsin, Ongaro acknowledges

the Land of 10,000 Lakes has its own constituency of mining detractors, which he said use common misinformation and fear tactics to persuade others to share their extreme views. But Minnesota residents have been living in and around mining for more than 100 years, and fortunately they don’t fall for such smear campaigns, nor do public officials or regulators.

“In Minnesota, it would be difficult for anyone to argue that our air and water quality standards aren’t anything but solid,” Ongaro told me during a telephone conversation in early February. He added that federal agencies review the projects as well, further supporting the notion that any environmental compromises can be mitigated to limit their potential for harm.

“It’s simply impossible to ignore the positive upside associated with this industry,” Ongaro said.

Except in Wisconsin, where a “no-miningat-all-costs” attitude is threatening an economic rejuvenation in a region of the state needing it most. Antagonists of any form of mining would have the public believe the iron mining proponents desperately want a license for environmental anarchy. Sensible Wisconsin residents know that’s not the case.

Yes, the current bill under discussion in Madison requires the scrutiny of regulators to ensure Wisconsin’s proud environmental legacy remains protected. But we can still enjoy the pristine beauty of our woods, waters and air while taking advantage of the mineral bounty with which we’ve been blessed. We’ve done so before, and we can continue to have mining remain a part of our heritage as well.

New indicator Regular readers of the Key Statistics page at the back of B2B every month will note a new addition beginning in this issue – a monthly report on state tax collections from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.

Like it or not, a substantial portion of revenue collected by the state comes from individual income, corporate, and sales and use taxes, which vary based on the performance of the economy. If the economy is doing poorly, tax collections are typically down. If it’s booming, tax revenues generally rise.

While this statistic doesn’t paint an entire picture, we hope readers will find it useful along with other key measurements as an indicator of economic trends. www.newnorthb2b.com

PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING

Labor Dept. issues new FMLA regs

by Davis & Kuelthau, s.c.

Tony Renning

920.232.4842

If you have a particular labor/employment law question, forward it to Mr. Renning at info@newnorthb2b.com.

If he responds to your email in a future issue, your name and company will be withheld to preserve your privacy.

Reader Question: What do I need to know about the new FMLA regulations?

Tony Renning: On Feb. 6, the Department of Labor issued new regulations pertaining to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The regulations, which take effect March 8, increase and clarify the scope of military exigency leave, extend military caregiver leave, and clarify the calculation of increments of intermittent leave. In addition to implementing the new regulations, the DOL made minor modifications to its forms and postings and reminded employers of their obligation to maintain confidentiality under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. Qualifying exigency leave has been expanded to cover employees with family members in the regular Armed Forces. Parental care has been added as a qualifying exigency for which leave may be taken. Finally, the new regulations

Sean Fitzgerald

Publisher & President

sean@newnorthb2b.com

Carrie Rule

Sales Manager

carrie@newnorthb2b.com

Kate Erbach Production

Contributing writers

Robin Driessen Bruecker Lee Reinsch Chief Financial Officer

Vicky Fitzgerald, CPA

increase the number of days a family member may bond with a military member on rest or recuperation leave from 5 to 15 calendar days.

The new regulations expand the availability of military caregiver leave to eligible employees whose family members are recent veterans with serious injuries or illness. This includes conditions that do not arise until up to five years after the veteran has left active military service.

Finally, the minimum increment of FMLA leave is defined under the new regulations as being no greater than the shortest increment of time that the employer uses to account for other forms of leave, provided that it is not greater than one hour. An employer may not require an employee to take more leave than is necessary to address the circumstances that precipitated the need for leave.

In light of these new regulations, employers having 50 or more employees should make sure the new FMLA poster

(Notice of Rights to Employees Under the FMLA) is posted by March 8, 2013 and should review existing FMLA policies to ensure they are up to date.

For counsel concerning the Family and Medical Leave Act, contact Tony Renning at (920) 232-4842 or trenning@ dkattorneys.com or any other member of the Davis & Kuelthau Labor and Employment Team.

Tony Renning is an attorney in the Oshkosh office of Davis & Kuelthau, s.c.

(219 Washington Avenue). Mr. Renning provides counsel to private and public sector employers on a wide variety of labor and employment law matters. This article is intended to provide information only, not legal advice. For advice regarding a particular employment situation, please contact a member of the Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. Labor and Employment Team.

Green Bay

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Fox Cities

Oshkosh

Fond du Lac NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013 l 5

SINCE WE LAST MET

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

January 21 R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co. filed a notice with the state Department of Workforce Development indicating plans to close its Greenville printing facility by the end of April, effectively laying off its 47 employees.

ditional $900,000 beyond state-imposed revenue limits for each of the next three years for general operating expenses.

The cost to property owners would amount to a tax increase of 98 cents for every $1,000 of equalized property value if approved.

January 25

January 24 The city of Fond du Lac received a $600,000 state Transportation Economic Assistance grant to help cover nearly half the cost of constructing a 2,360-ft. rail track and a 1,570-ft. rail spur to offload materials at McNeilus Steel’s existing facility in the Fox Ridge Industrial Park and at the new $20 million coil processing facility McNeilus is building in the city’s Rolling Meadows Industrial Park. Opening this spring, the new facility will create 70 new jobs.

January 28 The Oakfield School District Board of education approved an April 2 referendum asking taxpayers for an ad-

2005 March 17 – The Wisconsin Department of Commerce gave a $380,000 grant to the Northeastern Wisconsin Economic Development Partnership, which developed a regional collaboration to attract and retain business, encourage entrepreneurialism and business expansion, attract top talent, and strengthen the region’s existing workforce. The partnership – which eventually became New North Inc. – used the funds for administration and operational costs.

2008 March 11 – Outagamie County Executive Toby Paltzer asked the county board of supervisors to create a special committee to explore changing the name of Outagamie County Regional Airport and give oversight of the airport to a commission composed of both board supervisors and appointed representatives.

6 l NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013

The Milken Institute’s 2012 Best Performing Small Cities report ranked Oshkosh-Neenah at No. 43 nationally, Appleton at No. 57, Fond du Lac at No. 94 and Sheboygan at No. 151. The institute’s report on large cities ranked Green Bay No. 96 nationally. The report assesses a variety of factors to determine its rankings, including job growth and wage growth.

January 28 School Specialty Inc. in Greenville filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware, noting plans to sell its nearly $495 million in assets to

2010 March 16 – The Fond du Lac County Board of Supervisors approved a sunset on the half-percent sales tax it authorized the previous October to help finance a $50 million low-interest loan to Mercury Marine as part of the incentive package to retain the company’s production in Fond du Lac. The sunset on the sales tax addition coincides with the expiration of the financial agreement with Mercury at the end of 2021.

2012 March 6 – Executives from Gogebic Taconite said they were dropping plans for a $1.5 billion iron mine in northern Wisconsin after legislation to improve the state’s mining regulatory climate died on the floor of the state’s senate. The proposed mine was poised to create thousands of jobs in Iron and Ashland counties as early as mid 2013.

www.newnorthb2b.com

SINCE WE LAST MET repay nearly $395 million in debt. CEO Michael Lavelle indicated the distributor of educational products expects to continue normal operations during the bankruptcy, which it hopes to resolve by the end of April. As part of the cost-cutting measures outlined in the bankruptcy filing, the company has frozen salaries, mandated multiple-week furloughs for all employees, and suspended its 401(k) matching program. Shares of School Specialty stock closed at 12 cents, down 80 percent from its previous day close of 58 cents per share, and down 97 percent from the previous year high of $4.03 achieved last March 16.

A week later the Nasdaq Stock Market delisted School Specialty and no longer trades shares of its common stock on its exchange.

January 30 The Hortonville School District Board of Education approved an April 2 referendum asking taxpayers to borrow $25.4 million to construct a new primary grade school, build a new transportation facility, expand the middle school, renovate the high school and upgrade security at schools across the district. A second referendum question asks taxpayers for an additional $370,000 beyond state-imposed revenue limits for utility and maintenance expenses for the proposed new primary school. The cost to property owners would amount to a tax increase of 42 cents for every $1,000 of equalized property value if both referenda are approved.

February 1

January 29 Interim Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. President and CEO Reed Hall was named to the position permanently by Gov. Scott Walker. Hall has served in the interim role since former Green Bay Mayor Paul Jadin resigned the post last November. Hall had been retired as the executive director of Marshfield Clinic, a position he held from 2000 to 2010.

January 29 The City of Kaukauna Common Council approved a $1.25 million financing package for Horizon Design of Madison to develop a proposed $5.6 million, 41-unit assisted living facility at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and Catherine Street.

The deal includes $250,000 in tax incremental financing and a $1 million low-interest bond.

The U.S. Department of Labor reported 157,000 new jobs were created in January, leaving the national unemployment rate essentially unchanged at 7.9 percent. Retail trade, construction, health care and wholesale trade added jobs during the month.

February 6 U.S. Postal Service announced plans to discontinue Saturday mail delivery beginning in August, an effort expected to save the financially hemorrhaging organization $2 billion annually. U.S.P.S. loses $25 million a day, and last November the agency reported it lost $15.9 billion for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 20.

2013 Spring Summit

“The AMERICAN DREAM in 2015”

Wednesday, April 10, 2013 Registration, Networking, Coffee & Sweets 7:15-8AM Summit 8AM-3PM Radisson Hotel-2040 Airport Dr., Green Bay, WI The American Dream has been defined to mean, job security, earning a good living to raise a family, and home ownership. Educating and training our future workers has become challenging for our schools, parents, and employers. Change is inevitable, but at what speed is it manageable? The LMC is presenting “The American Dream in 2015” a summit to explore our past and learn from it, examine our current methods and challenge them, and take a glimpse at the education/training model of the future. Come and listen as our presenters’ piece together the American Dream in 2015 and beyond!

Please send Registration to: LMC of NE WI, 400 S. Linwood Avenue Suite 6, Appleton, WI 54914-4970 Phone: 920-882-7712 or Fax: 920-882-7712 Email: labormanagement@tds.net Additional forms available at www.lmcouncil.org

NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013 l 7

SINCE WE LAST MET February 12 The City of Oshkosh Common Council approved purchasing 34 acres on land south of Wittman Regional Airport to create a joint aviation industrial park with Winnebago County.

The county is purchasing an additional 47 acres adjacent to the airport itself and will be able to allow tenants through-thefence privileges. With plans to be developed later this year, the industrial park will focus on attracting firms in aviation and ancillary industries. There are additional plans to develop a business accelerator to assist in the growth of early-stage companies.

February 13 The Oneida Land Commission approved rezoning the former Tower Foods site on Oneida Tribal lands in Outagamie County near the border with Brown County, and issued a conditional-use permit to Oneida Seven Generations Corp. for the development of a pyloric gasification electricity generation plant. Several tribal members opposing the development are seeking a General Tribal Council to decide the future of the project through referendum. The effort comes on the heels of a failed lawsuit from Oneida Seven Generations Corp. regarding the stalled development of a similar project in Green Bay as the result of environmental concerns.

February 13 Gov. Scott Walker announced Wisconsin will not join the Medicaid expansion under the federal health care reform law, effectively turning away federal health care funds to in-

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sure an estimated 60,000 more adults in the state than are currently receiving Medicaid benefits. Walker joined 13 other Republican governors to turn down federal money to expand Medicaid in their states, noting he is developing a program to cut the number of uninsured non-elderly adults in the state in half through a plan for those individuals to purchase private health insurance.

February 18 The governor indicated his biennial budget proposal will include $25 million for initiatives to create additional investment capital throughout Wisconsin. The state ranks near the bottom nationally for venture capital investment despite ranking in the top quarter of states for patent filing and academic research spending.

February 19 Residents of the Town of Harrison voted to incorporate a northwest portion of the town known as Darboy into a newlychartered village. The measure passed in a referendum by a 9-to-1 margin and follows nearly two years of legal battles with neighboring municipalities and a review from the state. Residents in the newly-defined area will still need to elect a village board, charter the incorporation for the village, and eventually determine a name for the new municipality.

February 19 Voters in the Village of Hortonville approved a referendum asking to borrow nearly $2.9 million to construct a 19,000-sq. ft. municipal center which will house administrative offices, the police department, municipal court, the public library and community center. Construction of the new building could begin this summer. The cost of the borrowing to property owners will increase taxes 90 cents for every $1,000 of assessed property value.

February 20 The governor’s budget proposal includes plans to expand Wisconsin’s voucher school program to nine districts across the state, including Green Bay and Fond du Lac, which would provide low and middle income families with publiclyfunded vouchers to apply toward tuition at private schools.

The districts targeted for school voucher expansion included those districts with a minimum of 4,000 students and which had two or more schools receive a D or F on the state report cards issued last fall. Other school districts in that category include Sheboygan, Madison and Waukesha. The state Legislature would still need to approve the measure as part of its upcoming 2013-15 biennial budget discussions.

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8 l NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013

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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 the Fox Valley.

Associated Banc Corp.

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

4Q 2012

4Q 2011

4Q 2012

4Q 2011

Income

$45 million

$40 million s 13%

Revenue

$4.2 Billion

$4.3 Billion t 2%

EPS

26 cents

23 cents

Income

$979 million

$442 million s 121%

EPS

$2.11

91 cents

s 13%

s 132%

The Ashwaubenon-based financial institution reported full fiscal year 2012 income of $174 million, or $1.00 per share, increased 51 percent from the previous year. The company also noted loan balances grew by $1.4 billion, or 10 percent, from the end of 2011 to $15.4 billion.

Commercial loan balances grew by $426 million, or 5 percent, since the third quarter.

The parent company of Miller Electric Manufacturing operations across the Fox Cities reported full fiscal year income of $2.9 billion, or $6.06 per share, a 38 percent increase from 2011 earnings. As part of its enterprise strategy during 2013, the company expects to spend $120 to $140 million for restructuring activities.

Kimberly-Clark Corp.

Plexus Corp.

4Q 2012

4Q 2011

1Q 2013

1Q 2012

Revenue

$5.3 Billion

$5.2 Billion s 3%

Revenue

$530 million

$530 million s <1%

Income

$267 million

$401 million t 33%

Income

$16.6 million

$17.9 million t 7%

EPS

68 cents

$1.01

EPS

47 cents

51 cents

t 33%

The manufacturer of consumer paper and tissue products with significant operations in the Fox Cities announced full year adjusted earnings of $5.25 per share in 2012 met the top end of expectations forecast by management and exceeded fiscal 2011 earnings of $4.80 per share. During 2012 the company saw 10 percent revenue growth in K-C International, which excludes North America and Europe.

t 8%

The Neenah-based contract electronics manufacturer reported manufacturing demand softened across each of its sectors during the quarter, though Plexus did pen 23 new contracts in its manufacturing solutions group it anticipates it will earn about $193 million in annual revenue.

Bemis Company Inc.

VF Corp.

4Q 2012

4Q 2011

Revenue

$3.0 Billion

$2.9 Billion s 4%

Income

$334 million

$257 million s 30%

EPS

$2.98

$2.28

s 31%

The parent company of Jansport operations in the Fox Cities reported record annual revenues for fiscal 2012 of $10.9 billion, an increase of 15 percent from 2011 receipts, driving full year income of $1.1 billion, or $9.63 per share. The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outdoor and action sports coalition, which includes Jansport operations, experienced 6 percent revenue growth during the quarter to $1.7 billion.

10 l NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013

4Q 2012

4Q 2011

Revenue

$1.2 Billion

$1.3 Billion t 3%

Income

$40.1 million

$22.8 million s 76%

EPS

38 cents

22 cents

s 73%

The Neenah-based supplier of flexible packaging and pressure sensitive materials reported fiscal year earnings of $1.66 per share on sales of $5.1 billion. The company reported its facility consolidation program, which closed six of its U.S. packaging facilities during the past year, lead to savings of $8 million during 2012. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expecting savings of nearly $37 million from the same facility consolidation in 2013.

www.newnorthb2b.com

CORPORATE EARNINGS

Brunswick Corp.

Humana Inc.

4Q 2012

4Q 2011

4Q 2012

4Q 2011

Revenue

$830 million

$762 million s 9%

Revenue

$9.6 Billion

$9.1 Billion s 6%

Income

($75.3 million)

($29.6 million)t 154%

Income

$192 million

$199 million t 4%

EPS

(84 cents)

(33 cents)

EPS

$1.19

$1.20

t 155%

The parent company of Mercury Marine operations in Fond du Lac reported full year 2012 sales climbed 1 percent to $3.7 billion, while a substantially improved cash flow position during the past year enabled the company to reduce its debt balance by $121 million, contributing to a $14 million reduction in interest expense. The company’s marine engine segment, which consists of Mercury, reported sales increased 12 percent to $404 million during the fourth quarter.

t 1%

The health and benefits company with extensive operations in the Green Bay area reported full fiscal year earnings of $7.47 per share were down 12 percent from fiscal 2011 earnings. Humana’s full year revenue grew 6 percent to $39.1 billion through higher retail and employer group segment revenues resulting from higher average individual and group Medicare membership.

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NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013 l 11

CORPORATE EARNINGS

Tufco Technologies Inc.

1Q 2013

1Q 2012

Revenue

$28.3 million

$25.7 million s 10%

Income

$740,000

($690,000)

s 207%

EPS

17 cents

(14 cents)

s 221%

The commercial-oriented financial institution serving Madison, Milwaukee and northeast Wisconsin reported record annual income of $8.9 million, a 6 percent increase from fiscal year 2011 earnings. The bank’s non-performing assets decreased by 35 percent to $15.7 million since the close of fiscal 2011.

Oshkosh Corp.

The Green Bay-based contract paper converter reduced its borrowing under its credit facility by 36 percent during its first fiscal quarter to $4.7 million.

1Q 2013

1Q 2012

Revenue

$1.8 Billion

$1.9 Billion t 6%

Income

$46.5 million

$38.9 million s 20%

First Business Financial Services Inc.

EPS

51 cents

42 cents

4Q 2012

4Q 2011

Income

$2.5 million

$2.4 million s 6%

EPS

86 cents

90 cents

t 4%

s 21%

The manufacturer of specialty vehicles reported a 21 percent decrease in its defense segment revenue during the quarter, but noted a 15 percent increase in external sales from its access equipment segment, driven by higher telehandler volumes in North America. The company’s fire and emergency segment sales increased 21 percent during the quarter to $193 million.

Dean Foods

4Q 2012

4Q 2011

Revenue

$3.0 Billion

$2.9 Billion s 3%

Income

$37.0 million

($9.9 million) s 474%

EPS

20 cents

(5 cents)

s 500%

The dairy-based foods company with extensive operations in Wisconsin, including the Green Bay area, reported it completed the sale of its Morningstar business this past January. The company’s Fresh Dairy Direct segment experienced raw milk commodity costs increased 23 percent from the previous quarter and were 8 percent above fourth quarter 2011 levels.

Bank First

4Q 2012

4Q 2011

Income

$2.0 million

$1.9 million s 5%

EPS

30 cents

28 cents

s 7%

The Manitowoc-based financial institution with significant operations across northeast Wisconsin reported full year 2012 income increased 22 percent to $10.4 million, or $1.58 per share, compared to income of $8.5 million in 2011. At the very end of 2012 the bank’s total assets surpassed the $1 billion mark for the first time.

12 l NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013

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Got...

a healthy workforce?

Chug-a-lug!

Time for our 8th Annual Corporate Wellness Awards To nominate an employer, go online to our Web site at www.newnorthb2b.com and download our Alla Tua Salute! form.

Our panel of business and healthcare experts will select the most innovative employers for this honor.

Awards will be presented in our June 2013 edition in each of four categories: • Small Company (5 to 50 employees) • Mid-sized Company (51 to 200 employees) • Large Company (201 or more employees) • Start Up Wellness Program (2 years or less) Nominations due by May 10, 2013.

Send your nomination by mail to New North B2B, P.O. Box 559, Oshkosh, 54903 or email sean@newnorthb2b.com.

BUILD UP FOND DU LAC 1&2

3

4 5

7 6

Build Up Fond du Lac 1 - 700 Stanton St., Ripon, Alliance Laundry, a 20,000sq. ft. addition for assembly, metal stamping and a press shop. Project completion expected in summer.

2

- 790 Eastgate Dr., Ripon, Ripon Medical Center, a 120,000-sq. ft. hospital and medical office building. Project completion expected in early 2014.

3

- 51 Sheboygan St., Fond du Lac, Windhover Center for the Arts, a 17,700-sq. ft. addition to include additional

classrooms and a new gallery. Project completion expected in the fall.

4

- 545 & 600 W. Pioneer Road, Fond du Lac, Mercury Marine, an addition to the product development and engineering facility and separate additions to its manufacturing and fabrication plants. Project completion expected in late 2013.

5

- 385 W. Rolling Meadows Dr., Fond du Lac, Wells Vehicle Electronics, a two-story, 64,000-sq. ft. headquarters and manufacturing facility.

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BUILD UP OSHKOSH 8

9

10

11

C - Indicates a new listing

12 6 - 123 E. Larsen Dr., Fond du Lac, McNeilus Steel, a 96,000-sq. ft. industrial coil processing facility. Project completion expected in August. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

10 - 625 Pearl Ave., Oshkosh, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Alumni Welcome and Conference Center, a twostory, 40,000-sq. ft. welcome center and meeting facility.

Project completion expected in December.

7

11 - 1210 S. Koeller St., Oshkosh, Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Store, a new retail building. Project completion expected in spring.

- 985 S. Main St., Fond du Lac, Wisnet.com, a new office building. Project completion expected in April.

Build Up Oshkosh

8 - 112 Viola St., Oshkosh, Oaklawn Elementary School, a two-story, 68,000-sq. ft. school building. Project completion expected in August.

9-

2251 Omro Road, Oshkosh, Horicon Bank, a new financial institution office.

12 - 3735 S. Washburn St., Oshkosh, Big Rig Chrome Shop, an 18,192-sq. ft. retail building and warehouse. Project completion expected in May. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

Projects completed since our February issue: • F.N. Sheppard & Company, 4070 State Road 91, Oshkosh.

B2B’s 2013 Firefighters of Northeast Wisconsin If you’d like help putting out the fires in your business, send a note to the publisher at sean@newnorthb2b.com.

Businesses awarded no-cost strategic consultation in our 3rd Annual Firefighters initiative will be selected in March 2013.

NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013 l 15

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

C - Indicates a new listing

1 - W6390 Challenger Dr., town of Greenville,

Outagamie County Regional Airport, an 8,000-sq. ft. general aviation terminal building and a separate 12,000-sq. ft. hangar for general aviation.

2

- W6400 County Road BB, town of Greenville, Fox Valley Technical College Public Safety Training Center, a 93,000sq. ft. training facility for fire protection and law enforcement personnel. Project completion expected in December 2014.

3 - 3310 W. College Ave., town of Grand Chute,

multitenant retail center to include Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt and Starbucks. Project completion expected in March.

4 - 2400 N. Casaloma Dr., town of Grand Chute, Fox Cities Stadium, a 34,539-sq. ft. addition to the existing grandstands for a banquet facility, added luxury boxes as well as renovations to expand the team locker rooms and clubhouse shop. Project completion expected in April.

5 - 1825 N. Bluemound Dr., town of Grand Chute,

Fox Valley Technical College Health Simulation and Technology Center, a three-story, 60,572-sq. ft. health care and emergency medical services education and training facility.

Project completion expected in August.

6 - 1025 W. Navitus Dr., town of Grand Chute,

Navitus Health Solutions, a three-story, 68,600-sq. ft. new office building. Project completion expected in September.

7 - 100 Allegiance Ct., Little Chute, Tailwaggers Doggy Daycare, a dog day care center and pet retail store.

8 - 340 Patriot Dr., Little Chute, Green Stone Farm Credit Services, a two-story, 21,000-sq. ft. office building.

9 - 133 Main St., Little Chute, Salon Indulgence, a 3,682sq. ft. salon and spa facility. Project completion expected in late spring.

10 - 1506 S. Oneida St., Appleton, St. Elizabeth Hospital, a five-story, 90-bed patient tower, as well as renovations to the cancer center and behavioral health.

11 - 1870 U.S. Highway 10/114,

Kwik Trip, an addition to the existing convenience store. Project completion expected in March.

12

- 1050 Zephyr Dr., town of Menasha, St. Mary Central High School, a 22,000-sq. ft. fine arts education center to include a 495-seat auditorium. Project completion expected in April.

13 - 540 Discovery Dr., Neenah, Futek Forms, Tags and Labels, an 18,100-sq. ft. industrial facility. Project completion expected in June. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

14 - 2444 Schultz Dr., Neenah, Plexus Corp., a 473,369sq. ft. manufacturing facility. Project completion expected in late fall.

Projects completed since our February issue: • Wagner Family Chiropractic S.C., N110 Brux Road, town of Buchanan.

920-215-3262 Ext. 126 Kate@ThomeBenefitSolutions.com www.ThomeBenefitSolutions.com

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16 l NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013

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BUILD UP FOX CITIES 6

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Take the first step toward a professional, quality built construction project...

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 NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013 l 17

BUILD UP GREEN BAY Build Up Green Bay The Build Up department of New North B2B includes a monthly two-page spread identifying significant commercial and industrial construction projects ongoing in the Green Bay area.

11 - 1100 S. Huron Road, Green Bay, Frontline Building Products and Green Bay Overhead Door, a 217,884-sq. ft. industrial facility to include offices and more than 200,000 square feet of warehousing space. Project completion expected in spring.

General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

C - Indicates a new listing

12

1 - 2564 Lineville Road, Suamico, Dorsch Auto Credit, a used auto dealership. Project completion expected in late spring.

2 - 2525 Lineville Road, Howard, Fox Communities Credit Union, a 4,452-sq. ft. financial institution building. Project completion expected in March.

3

- 2325 Pamperin Road, Howard, AC Manufacturing Industries Inc., a 22,434-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility. Project completion expected in March.

4

- 900 Isbell St., Green Bay, BioLife Plasma Service, a 17,500-sq. ft. medical facility.

5 - 1499 Lombardi Ave., Green Bay, Cabela’s, a 100,000sq. ft. retail store. Project completion expected in August.

6 - 414 Dousman St., Green Bay, Glass Nickel Pizza, a renovation of the existing building for a new restaurant. General contractor is James J. Calmes Construction Co. of Kaukauna.

- 2535 Babcock Road, Ashwaubenon, Krist Oil Company, a 4,600-sq. ft. fuel station and convenience store.

13 - 3383 Spirit Way, Ashwaubenon,

FedEx Ground, a 100,000-sq. ft. distribution center and offices. Project completion expected in June.

14 -

1201 Ashwaubenon St., Ashwaubenon, C Triangle Distribution, a 12,582-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility for a cooler and dock doors.

15 - 500 Main Ave., De Pere,

C Van Dyn Hoven, a multitenant, mixed-use commercial office and residential building.

16 - 100 Grant St., De Pere, C St. Norbert College GehlMulva Science Center, a 150,000-sq. ft. education and research facility which will jointly house the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Green Bay campus. Project completion expected in spring 2015.

17 - 1745 E. Mathew Dr., De Pere, De Pere Cabinet Inc., a 4,680-sq. ft. addition for warehouse space. Project completion expected in March.

7 - 400 N. Washington St., Green Bay, Schreiber Foods Inc., a five-story, 250,000-sq. ft. corporate headquarters building.

Project completion expected in early 2014.

18 - 2121 Innovation Ct., De Pere, Foth & Van Dyke LLC, a 95,000-sq. ft. office building. Project completion expected in fall.

8 - 2851 University Ave., Green Bay,

19 - 2222 American Blvd., De Pere,

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

9 - 1600 Van Ess Road, New Franken,

New Tech Metals, a 6,946-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility. Project completion expected in March. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

10 -

955 Challenger Dr., Green Bay, C EuroPharma, an 11,700-sq. ft. addition to the existing packaging and warehouse facility. Project completion expected in July. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

C Washworld Inc., a 48,428-sq. ft. corporate headquarters and industrial facility.

20 -

2260 American Blvd., De Pere, Metal Storm Metal Fabrication, a new manufacturing facility and offices. Project completion expected in March.

21 - 1900 Enterprise Dr., De Pere, C.A. Lawton Company, a 15,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing foundry facility to include a blast furnace and clean process equipment. Project completion expected in spring.

Projects completed since our February issue: • Green Bay Anodizing, 2074 S. Ashland Ave., Ashwaubenon.

• Integrys Printing Services, 500 Lombardi Ave., Green Bay. • St. Vincent Hospital, 835 S. Van Buren St., Green Bay.

For help putting out the fires in your business.

Last Call!

18 l NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013

Send a note to the publisher at sean@newnorthb2b.com.

Businesses awarded no-cost strategic consultation in our 3rd Annual Firefighters initiative will be selected in March 2013.

www.newnorthb2b.com

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Attention Building Owners and Architects

Get more competitive bids listing your project at Builders Exchange of Wisconsin Utilize our state of the art, password protected system - Save Time and Money - Free project advertising - Access a pool of over 800 qualified Sub-Contractors 2 convenient locations to serve you W2518 Cty Rd JJ Appleton WI 54913 920.687.8782

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AROUND THE BOARDROOM

4.1

Title: The Global Brand: How to Create and Develop Lasting Brand Value in the World Market Author: Nigel Hollis Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (2010) Pages: 272 List Price: $17.00 Why Buy: “This book is a must-read for anyone involved in the world of marketing as it does a thorough job at examining the challenges and opportunities involved in marketing brands on the global stage.

Hollis and the Millward Brown team is spot on in recognizing that local culture has enormous influence on success and advocating that marketers must win locally before the brand can benefit globally.”

The amount in billions of dollars of exports from Wisconsin firms to Europe in 2012, down 5 percent from a year earlier due to the debt crisis, economic slowdown and contracting GDP from some of the European Union’s largest economies.

Source: Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.

QUOTEWORTHY middle class tax cut is a down payment on my goal of reducing “ Our the tax burden in our state every year I’m in office. I want to cut taxes over and over and over again until we are leading the country - Gov. Scott Walker, during his Feb. 20 budget address to the state Legislature, sharing in economic recovery

”

We’ve Moved.

plans to cut income taxes by an average of more than $200 per family.

We’ve moved.

But our promise remains the same.

A promise that we’ll work as hard making your business a success as we do our own.

Because to us, the only true measure of our success is yours.

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AROUND THE BOARDROOM

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

I

Using the most common nitwittery will waste 80% of your ad dollars.

t’s a widely researched and accepted fact that 80 percent of your audience will read only the headline of your ad. So, in delivering your headline to this group, you’ve already spent 80 percent of your advertising dollar. From there it’s fairly easy to surmise that the headline is the most important part of any ad.

Since an over-communicated society has transformed us into savvy scanners, the headline is a more critical deal breaker than ever. And while those exposed to your message are four times more likely to receive only the headline messaging, the precious 20 percent that took in the rest of your selling message got there because of the headline, too.

In each headline’s moment of truth, the members of your audience decide whether or not to read or listen further. I know.

You’re probably thinking I have little more here than a firm grasp of the obvious, but I Yes. swear on my Gentleman Jack and Doo’s Ikea towel warmer, there’s a dark force at work today, undermining the payout of many an advertising dollar – ads with no headline at all (ZAP!) and, perhaps worse, ads with faux sophisticate prose. Vanity of vanities…

An effective headline is a front-end benefit-loaded offer that grabs you by your power tie or string of pearls. It applies to all media – direct mail, radio, Web page, eBlasts, outdoor, blah, blah, blah. If you understand this, you have a clear perspective on how much of your marketing resources should be focused on getting the perfect headline.

First, it needs to grab attention. If you can’t hook your audience immediately, you never will. Second, it selects the right audience – first-time home buyers, people who can’t afford health insurance, parents who don’t have time to cook a nutritious dinner tonight, creative directors who want to marry Demi Moore…

There are more attributes to the perfectly powerful headline. It’s never coy, instead pointing obviously and compellingly at something specific – screaming an offer of something valuable to, or unique about, your product or service – thereby giving your target Nope. a reason to read on. It never tricks them into reading on (“Free Beer” comes to mind as a most base example) or uses worn-out, hackneyed phrases (“state-of-the-art technology” makes my face hurt). Powerful headlines often have a sense of urgency to motivate your prospects to take immediate action – even if it’s to remember a name, place or date.

So put your money on headlines that deliver the payout you deserve. You’ll never look at advertising as an expense again. Plus, it’s a Yes. fun way to set your competition’s hair on fire.

Behind the façade of Mr. Stronglove is an advertising professional with more than 25 years of award-winning industry experience. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Madison, he has wielded his strategic and conceptual skills and talents for small independent businesses as well as Fortune 500 companies. You can contact him at piercestronglove@gmail.com. To submit work for review, it must be attached as a PDF in Adobe format with no other attachments.

Editor’s note: This is a reprint of a popular Pierce column from our June 2009 issue.

NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013 l 21

COVER STORY

Going Global Networking among exporting professionals in NE Wisconsin provides lessons, opportunity

Story by Sean Fitzgerald, New North B2B publisher

Sales from Wisconsin companies to customers outside the United States continue to climb year after year.

22 l NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013

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COVER STORY

EXPORT DATA RELEASED IN LATE February indicates international revenues from Wisconsin firms set another record during fiscal 2012 of $23.1 billion, an increase of nearly 5 percent above the previous export record achieved in 2011.

Clearly opportunities to claim marketshare abroad are rich – only 4 percent of the world’s population lives in the U.S. And that remaining 96 percent of the planet represents quickly emerging economies where its citizens are consuming many of the same products associated with Wisconsin manufacturers for the very first time. That means many of the best opportunities to increase sales may not necessarily be close to home, but overseas.

While many of us may think exporting is only the domain of mega-sized companies, the fact of the matter is that the occasional sale to Canada or to Mexico does, in fact, constitute international business. And as a company’s experience grows from just a handful of transactions abroad, the prospect of entering additional foreign markets becomes easier and easier.

Learning from others YET, SOME OF THE GREATEST LESSONS in international trade aren’t necessarily found in a textbook. They come from understanding how others have overcome challenges in selling product abroad, whether it be cultural sensitivities to certain marketing strategies, using Incoterminology properly to ship a container, or learning various food product safety regulations country by country. The failures and triumphs of one company entering a new market – say, Vietnam, for example – can provide a clearer blueprint for another firm to enter that same market more effectively and efficiently later.

To that end, the Northeast Wisconsin International Business Network was established last fall with the intention of encouraging local companies to access current information on issues, practices and trends that influence all aspects of international trade. The network is spearheaded through Fox Valley Technical College and features a speaker series highlighting global thought leaders, discussions on current and emerging issues in global trade, and of course, networking opportunities.

“We thought a network like this would be helpful because we don’t have an international business association (in the

region),” noted Marie Martin, director of global education and services at Fox Valley Tech. For years the school has offered various training to employers in the region on working professionally with other cultures. In 2009 it launched a Global Business Professional certificate program that allows professionals working in international business to take up to six one-credit, two-week courses focusing on various aspects of global trade. Once completed, students are prepared to sit for the North American Small Business International Trade Educators certification exam.

Dozens of Fox Valley managers who handle international transactions for their firms have taken all six courses and successfully passed the NASBITE exam. Those individuals often became closer with fellow students during each course, but in the time since their coursework was wrapped up, there’s been few opportunities for them to further interact with one another.

This newly created network enables local international trade professionals to connect at least three times each year in a structured, yet inexpensive, format.

“I think the networking with other business leaders in the Valley where we go through scenarios others have dealt with – like freight forwarding – will be valuable,” said Frank Verhagen, the Midwest, international and specialty markets sales manager for Pacon Corp. in Appleton. “It’s a good forum for everyone to air some laundry, and for others to pile on additional information as it fits the discussion.”

2011 Exports by State Illinois..............................................$64.8 billion Indiana.............................................$32.3 billion Iowa.................................................$13.3 billion Michigan.......................................... $51.0 billion Minnesota........................................ $21.3 billion Ohio ................................................$46.4 billion WISCONSIN.......................................$22.1 billion Source: U. S. Census Bureau

NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013 l 23

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A former student of FVTC’s Global Business Professional certificate program who also earned his NASBITE certification, Verhagen helped the paper converter of art and educational products access a customer in the United Kingdom back in 2001. Since that time, the company has grown its foreign markets to include customers in 57 different countries around the world. He’s accepted the role as the inaugural chair for the steering committee of the new Northeast Wisconsin International Business Network, and genuinely hopes more companies in the region will consider expansion into markets outside the U.S. they may not have previously investigated.

“I’d like to see more companies embrace international business,” Verhagen said. “A number of small to mediumsized businesses don’t realize the opportunities available. I think unfortunately here in the United States, we have this impression that the world revolves around us.”

Resources to help THE GOOD NEWS FOR LOCAL COMPANIES reticent to expand their marketing efforts beyond U.S. borders is that plenty of assistance is available. Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. supports an entire segment of its agency dedicated to international business development and delivers several programs aimed at helping state firms enter into new markets abroad.

A new Global Business Development grant program rolled out last year assisted 19 Wisconsin companies enter into new markets during the course of fiscal year 2012, which ran from July to June. Less than eight months into fiscal year 2013, the state has already extended grants to 30 companies across the state, reimbursing them for expenses associated with a new or expanded international market access strategy, indicated Lora Klenke, vice president of international business development for WEDC. “We want to be able to not supplement a company’s budget (for marketing in an area where it already has a foothold), but to support their efforts to go into new markets,” Klenke said, noting international trade expos, trade missions and business matchmaker services are some of the most common uses for the grants, which can be available for up to $10,000.

Despite the initial success of the state program, few

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COVER STORY grants have been issued in northeast Wisconsin because few applications have been received by WEDC for the program.

Appleton Marine received an international marketing access grant to reimburse it for costs associated with attending the Shipbuilding, Machinery and Marine Technology International Trade Fair last September in Hamburg, Germany. Another Appleton company, Rollguard – a division of Great Northern Corp. – is receiving similar assistance for some of its staff to attend the International Converting Expo in Munich, Germany later this March.

The company had attended the same trade show for the first time in November 2011 and were amazed with the sales opportunities it introduced.

“The people that stopped by (the Rollguard booth) were in awe and said they’d never seen anything like this before,” said Rob Swannell, general manager for the manufacturer of stabilizing cradles to help more safely and effectively transport nearly anything cylindrical, such as large rolls of film or rolls of paper. Swannell said its products are widely known domestically when the company attends trade shows around the U.S., but didn’t realize there was little awareness abroad of the kinds of solutions they could provide, as well as the fact that no other company was offering a similar product.

Since that time, orders from Europe have increased and Rollguard’s online visibility has skyrocketed among the shipping departments of paper and film manufacturers across Western

Europe, all thanks to the introduction to the market during the 2011 trade show, said Heather Sass, marketing manager for Rollguard.

In the 16 months since that last international trade show, Sass said the company has made adjustments to its search engine marketing campaign to reflect variations in industry terminology across the pond. As an example, she said what’s referred to as “rolls” here in the U.S. are known as “reels” throughout most of the rest of the world, a characteristic not reflected in the company’s promotional literature or on its Web site until the past year, Sass said. And because its various products are mostly defined by dimension in terms of feet and inches, Sass said, they’ve been working on sales materials that translate those sizes to metric system measurements.

“That will be more helpful to our staff when talking (to visitors) at our booth,” Sass said.

Growing Agriculture Agricultural exports from Wisconsin set a record in 2012 at $2.9 billion, ranking the state 13th nationwide. Wisconsin agricultural products are sold in an estimated 149 countries around the world.

Source: Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.

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NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013 l 25

COVER STORY Market customization

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peers helping peers grapple, wrestle and come out on top with sound solutions to serious and significant business obstacles and, most importantly, new business opportunities. Our membership network has experience with a wide gamut of issues such as: Working with entrepreneurs Risk-taking Dealing with ownership in transition Finding the most effective personnel Strategic planning Benefit and retirement planning Doing business globally Implementing new technologies

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BESIDES TRADE SHOWS, THE GRANTS available from WEDC can be applied toward the kinds of market customization activities Sass described earlier, according to Klenke, such as translating a Web site or brochures into another language.

Some companies have hired consultants particularly adept at conducting commerce in a certain region with assistance matching them to prospective customers and helping to get their products through customs or to pass any regulatory hurdles.

In addition, Klenke said the grants can be used to help train and educate employees involved with the company’s export strategy, such as attending export seminars or obtaining various certifications necessary to sell certain manufactured goods in other countries, with electronics or medical supplies as examples.

Network with other local exporters Northeast Wisconsin International Business Network will hold its next meeting on April 10 from 7:30 to 10 a.m. at Fox Valley Technical College’s Bordini Center, 5 Systems Dr. in Appleton. The session will focus on international business compliance, and is open to any professional interested in conducting business internationally. The cost to attend is $12 and includes materials. For more information or to register, go online to www.fvtc.edu/newibn or contact Nancy at 920.735.4844 or email petersn@fvtc.edu.

Wisconsin also has outreach offices in Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia providing support for business endeavors in 36 different counties, Klenke said. Its menu of international outreach services also includes technical assistance; a series of seminars and trade missions; and the agency’s popular ExporTech program, a three-month-long course offered at locations across the state which teaches participants to develop a goto-market export strategy. More information about these and other resources is available online at www.inwisconsin.com.

Growing revenues by opening doors abroad can provide one of the most effective manners for some local firms to significantly drive up sales. Fortunately, assistance is available right here in northeast Wisconsin to help local firms with little to no international experience reach out across borders. One just simply has to network with other international business professionals who learned the same way, Pacon Corp.’s Verhagen said. “(Selling internationally) can’t just be done by the seat of your pants,” he said. “There’s a large enough of a resource of people who can provide answers to the questions you might have and point you in the right direction.”

www.tecmidwest.com 26 l NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013

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MARKETING

Grab t t e n t i o n

A brief, well-crafted elevator pitch can leave prospective clients anxious to learn more

Story by Robin Driessen Bruecker

While the term “elevator pitch” might draw a blank with some, these quick presentations are widely used to tell the nutshell story of a company and leave the target audience intrigued. The trick is getting the elevator pitch to rank as close to No. 1 on the charts and not come across as annoying, tickytacky elevator “Muzak” to be forgotten.

For entrepreneurs and other business executives who dislike lengthy presentations and have trouble memorizing them, or don’t have time to be on the receiving end of such an oratory sermon, an elevator pitch can be a godsend. That isn’t to say an elevator pitch isn’t without its own challenges. A company’s story and its relevance to the target audience have to be packed into a meaningful presentation not much longer than a TV commercial.

What it is Elevator pitching gets its name from the short time allotted for this marketing technique, similar to the duration of an elevator ride. It serves as a complement to other marketing practices.

“Presenting an elevator pitch is similar to storytelling,” said Amy Pietsch, director of Fox Valley Technical College’s Venture Center, where instructors help business owners and would-be entrepreneurs with pitching. “When you look at it from that perspective, you realize the art of the pitch has been around for a very long time. An elevator pitch is not a sales presentation or a presentation about how great your company or organization is; instead, the goal of an elevator pitch is to leave your audience wanting to know more.”

An elevator pitch should be able to be delivered at any moment – not simply a designated opportunity.

“By definition, a pitch is a precursor to most other marketing vehicles and designed for a chance meeting or a pitch competition,” noted Tom Still, executive director of the Wisconsin Tech-

28 28 ll NEW NEW NORTH NORTH B2B B2B ll MARCH MARCH 2013 2013

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MARKETING nology Council. “Be ready to make a pitch at any point, however, because you never know when opportunity might knock.”

Pitch times can range from 30 to 60 seconds or one to two minutes for young companies. In the setting of a potential investor presentation, more established businesses may opt for up to seven minutes. Still noted that in the elevator pitch competition held during the Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium put together through his agency, there is a strict 90-second time limit.

“Some people argue even that’s too long, given that the average elevator ride is somewhat less,” Still said. “Be prepared to deliver your pitch in a minute or less and you’ll rarely lose your audience.”

During that brief time period, Pietsch said one needs to clearly introduce them self, articulate the context, and provide a business model overview, all with the goal of inspiring interest for another meeting.

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Why you need one If an elevator pitch is done well, Still said, it’s good for opening doors.

If the goal is to get new customers or clients, an elevator pitch can kick off the sales process.

If the goal is to bring in investors, an elevator pitch can help them narrow down a large number of entrepreneurs and business plans, and to choose the strongest investment opportunities to pursue.

Depending on a company’s size and structure, it can be a good idea for the elevator pitch to be memorized by sales, marketing and business development staff, as well as the Clevel employees who interact with potential customers or investors, Still suggested.

Bouwer_Mar13-B2BAd.indd Elevator pitches can be adjusted, said Jeff Ebel, an instructor for the Venture Center’s E-Seed program and a Toastmasters member, “so employees in your company feel comfortable sharing the story of your company that you want them to share as well as understand the role they play in that story.”

The key message is to be comfortable and clear in communicating the pitch.

“It’s critical for anyone in business to be able to clearly and appropriately communicate and tell the story of their business and to understand when and how to change your presentation style based on the audience,” Pietsch said.

Kathy Peotter VP–Marketing

kathy@bouwerprinting.com

1

2/11/13 1:38 PM

Best practices The first thing to do when crafting an elevator pitch, Still said, is to know your audience.

“If that audience is primarily potential investors, they want to know why your product or service is unique and how it can make money over time,” he explained. “Spare them all the details about the technology itself, unless asked. That can wait until later, once you’re in the door. If your audience is a potential customer or client, let them know immediately how your service or product can make their business or life better.”

Ebel recommended stating the potential client’s pain, or the problem that needs solving, and the value proposition, or how your company can solve the problem.

Focus on your desired outcome. “The goal at the end of a pitch should be for an investor to say, ‘Send me your business

NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013 l 29

MARKETING Pitch yourself for a new job?

Venture Center E-Seed instructor Jeff Ebel said the elevator-pitch principles used to capture investors can also be applied to personal pitches for cover letters or interviews: 4 Be succinct 4 Have a hook 4 Talk about the WIIFM message (What’s in it for me?)

4 Don’t forget to ask (for what you expect from your pitch) 4 No tech talk 4 Practice 4 Revise 4 Listen Mention the problem your audience might have and how you are the solution, Ebel noted, and remember it isn’t a sales pitch. It is intended to open a dialog and generate interest.

“Typically it takes more than two minutes to sell yourself – if not, you should be in sales,” quipped Ebel.

plan’ or ‘Call me about a meeting,’” said Still. “The goal in a customer pitch is similar in the sense that you want to move closer to making a sale, such as, ‘Send me a proposal.’”

Components of an elevator pitch include succinct descriptions of the product or service, the target market and its size, the revenue model, the existing competition and what your competitive advantage and qualifications are, and how the product or service could be marketed. Address the potential customer’s WIIFM (what’s in it for me?). Avoid technical jargon that may not be familiar to potential clients and investors.

Ebel emphasized the “ask” part of a pitch, which should be in the closing.

“It could be something as simple as ‘Look us up on Facebook,’ or you may ask for more time to discuss your venture, service or product. Sometimes you may ask for a referral, or to be introduced to another network. You could consider the ask as the ‘next step,’ or where do we go from here?”

If you’re overwhelmed by what to include, try jotting down the individual elements as they come to mind, then weave the most pertinent ones together in a succinct description and polish that paragraph until you’re satisfied it represents your company and goal the way you want while also addressing the target audience’s WIIFM. If there’s time, it can be helpful to briefly paint a mental picture of how the potential customer could use your company’s product or service. Graphics and numbers are made portable through smartphones and tablets which can be a good way to refresh the presenter’s memory, but set these devices aside

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MARKETING unless the potential investor or customer requests additional details. Since elevator pitches integrate well with social media, digital versions of the pitch such as short videos can also be created, according to Still.

Practice delivering the pitch in a conversational manner.

“Be confident and professional, and never arrogant or presumptive,” Still recommended. “Great sales people connect in ways that express competence and sincerity.”

Update the pitch when new developments enhance it.

“Investors may hear a pitch and suggest that an entrepreneur stay in touch, but not take an immediate meeting,” explained Still. “Updating that investor or potential customer with new information provides fresh opportunities to open the door. The same is true with sales meetings. Today’s ‘no’ might be tomorrow’s ‘maybe’ with fresh information that allows a potential customer to see your product or service in a new light.”

May the best pitch win Elevator-pitch competitions offer entrepreneurs a stage to test their rapid-fire pitching. For a decade, the Wisconsin Technology Council has held the Elevator Pitch Olympics during the Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium.

Northeast Wisconsin Regional Economic Partnership conducts the annual Northeast Wisconsin Business Plan Competition, in which the last stage involves finalists presenting an elevator pitch to a panel of judges. The 2011 event was won

by Dana VanDen Heuvel and Peter Nugent of The Docking Station, a coworking space in Green Bay. VanDen Heuvel, who also owns the social media firm MarketingSavant, first came across the quick-pitch concept as a teenager in the 1980s when reading the works of Tom Hopkins, Dale Carnegie and others.

His own elevator pitch was a two-year development.

“Our original value proposition was derived from looking at how other businesses like ours positioned themselves and adapted their thinking to our situation,” explained VanDen Heuvel. “We really only used this as an internal document until we worked through a more thorough strategy and branding process to ensure that we have crafted an elevator pitch that was comprised of our own language and that really differentiated The Docking Station.

Since the concept of The Docking Station was relatively new to northeast Wisconsin, VanDen Heuvel said they included references and metaphors to other shared office concepts to help their listening audience make sense of what they offered.

“When we used the same industry jargon that’s often used to explain coworking, we found that the individuals we spoke to didn’t really get the concept at first blush,” he said, adding that the pitch is used whenever someone is given a tour of The Docking Station, or a presentation is given elsewhere.

“The rigor that a person goes through to build their elevator pitch is the same rigor that they go through when building their brand, slogan, tagline and other components that manifest in the messaging from their organization in the form of advertising, collateral, social media and everything else,” noted VanDen Heuvel. “That succinct elevator pitch is one of the keys to clearly defining your differentiated space in the market.”

More than one version of The Docking Station’s pitch was created, tailored for different audiences. “The elevator pitch changes whether we’re talking to a developer, a potential

member, a local official or another audience that might have a different ‘what’s in it for them,’” explained VanDen Heuvel.

VanDen Heuvel knows The Docking Station’s elevator pitch has gotten results when the target audience has a clear picture of “what we’re doing, who we are and what we’re saying. At the end of the day, I believe that making our pitch reference the metaphors of what The Docking Station combines – coffee shop plus office space plus collaboration – has made the elevator pitch effective.”

The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh held its first student elevator pitch competition this past December. Freshman entrepreneurship major Marcus Bales took first place with a 90-second elevator pitch for his full-service haunted-house consulting business, Desolate Design Studios.

Bales adjusts his pitch to fit different audiences, and continually tweaks it to make it better. Pitching his business has given him “the opportunity to speak with some very intelligent and talented people in the business world.”

In the end, a prepared, succinct elevator pitch can help any business define its brand and its unique value.

“Being able to clearly communicate in a variety of formats is key for any business owner and their employees,” said Pietsch.

“Sometimes the elevator pitch is the format, other times you have more time to fill in the blanks. Either way, use your time wisely and be prepared.”

Robin Bruecker has 17 years experience in magazine and marcom writing. Contact her at robinbrueck@yahoo.com.

NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013 l 31

HUMAN RESOURCES

Human Search Engine An innovative approach to finding and filling jobs, with a genesis here in northeast Wisconsin

Story by Lee Reinsch

32 l NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY MARCH 2013 2013

www.newnorthb2b.com

HUMAN RESOURCES Networking: That’s a synonym for glad-handing, back-slapping, rubbing shoulders, butt kissing and schmoozing, right?

Gee. Sounds fun.

“Business professionals hear that word every day – we’re supposed to network at the chamber after hours events, go to workshops, go to parties, join the Rotary Club,” said Christopher Jossart, co-author with fellow Fox Cities resident Chris Czarnik of a new book on the topic.

Jobseekers, especially, get inundated with the word ‘networking.’ The old “it’s not what you know but who you know” adage gets thrown around at practically every – er – networking event under the sun.

“People tend to believe that if only the right person discovers them, they’ll throw their arms around them and say, ‘You’re just who we’ve been looking for; you can start Monday at $90,000 a year with stock options, company car, benefits and four weeks of paid vacation,’” Czarnik said.

He calls that the Disney ending, and it’s about as likely to happen as a pumpkin turning into a horse-drawn carriage.

“The Human Search Engine: It’s what you think you know about a job search that keeps you unemployed” is being used as a textbook by Fox Valley Technical College’s Job Seekers Network and the career-search arm of the University of Wisconsin-Madison athletic department.

Human Search Engine is Czarnik’s name for his method of job searching that he said saves money and headaches for both employer and job seeker. He teaches it through the FVTC Job Seekers Network program, which he heads.

So far, more than 700 people in Job Seekers Network have landed jobs using his methods, he said.

So what is the Human Search Engine?

Jossart, who is community relations manager at FVTC, describes HSE as “a very manageable, step-by-step, fail-safe, scripted form of networking for people to get to where they need to be.”

Jobseekers find people who are in their chosen field Job-search myths and, through them, link up • Open jobs are always with other people tier by tier advertised and filled until they find a connection through HR to someone in a hiring ca• You can’t get a job pacity. without a resume “He (Czarnik) doesn’t • Landing a job is teach jobseekers to network random and based on by going right to the hiring luck manager and saying ‘I am • The whole job search the greatest, most skilled thing is out of your control worker you will ever find,’” anyway Jossart said.

Instead, they mobilize - from The Human Search Engine connections that have developed as part of the process, and then these friends and colleagues speak for them. That opens doors to networking meetings and informational inter-

views, according to Jossart.

“This process gets job seekers in front of HR people through strategic referrals,” he said. “There’s never a ‘stranger-meetsstranger’ element to this search.”

Michael Johnson, manager of application development at Jewelers Mutual Insurance Co. in Neenah, found his current position with the help of Czarnik’s class. He said his job didn’t exist before he talked to the person who eventually hired him.

“I’ve never encountered Fewer than 25 percent of anything like this before,” all jobs are filled through Johnson said. “It’s very job placement agencies, elementary after the fact; job fairs or classified once you get a job you say ads on the web or in ‘Oh my God, I got this job newspapers. by talking to people, through somebody who knew - from The Human Search Engine somebody, and I just didn’t know how to get to them. Why didn’t I think of this?’”

Johnson said many people make job seeking too difficult.

“Before this, I thought jobs had to be posted in order to be available,” Johnson said. “For me, there was no job; my job was created based on my conversation with my (current) boss.”

Patient, sell thyself John Morgan, national sales brand manager for Midwest Specialty Products in Winneconne, went through Job Seekers Network when he lost a job four years ago. As a salesperson, he’s a natural networker.

“I was networking with people and didn’t realize it,” Morgan said.

But Job Seekers Network taught him to hone the activity into a tool that served a purpose: selling himself.

“Rather than going to a cocktail party or some other function to hobnob, you’ve got to have a 30-second elevator speech: ‘This is who I am, this is what I do, this is what I am looking for,’” Morgan said. “This way it helps you get your point across so much more quickly than just idle conversation at a cocktail party.”

Czarnik teaches Job Seekers Network participants how to market themselves.

“A lot of people don’t have any experience with marketing; they come from engineering or other disciplines,” Morgan said.

One way Czarnik keeps the pressure off participants is to frame the class exercises as a research project rather than networking and other torture.

“He gives the job seeker a plan of what they are supposed to do every morning at 8 a.m., not what others teach, which is throw your resume out there at classified ads,” Jossart said.

But his class isn’t for the weak. Czarnik is known for his animated, in-your-face style.

“He shows no mercy,” Morgan said. “It’s like a kick in the butt, which is what you need.”

NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013 l 33

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From the other side of the desk Hiring someone can be a drawn-out and expensive process for any employer. You have your time, the human resource person’s time, training time, not to mention the time the new employee takes from other employees with questions.

There’s also the handing out of pass codes, going over employee manuals and safety videos, and filling out insurance documents and benefit information.

Hiring can be a costly decision.

Jossart calculates that if an employee earning $50,000 a year including benefits remains on board over the course of a decade, that decision to hire them amounts to at least a $500,000 commitment.

Which is why resumes are pretty much worthless.

“Why would you make a half a million-dollar decision According to the Center based on what somebody for American Progress, put on a piece of paper?” the cost to replace an employee averages Jossart said.

Hiring managers are look- between 16 and 20 ing for talent, but Czarnik percent of the employee’s said that if you ask them, annual salary. they’ll say, ‘Listen, we know - from Americanprogress.org there’s talent out there,’ but they will also say that the traditional process of posting a job and getting 100 resumes is not the way to find it.

“Out of 100, 75 won’t be qualified and of the remaining 25, who knows if they’re really who they say they are?” Czarnik said.

Jossart calls interviewing “one stranger trying to impress another stranger.”

“The job seeker has no real credibility; it’s a shot in the dark” as to whether they get hired, Jossart said.

Many job hunters believe they’ll fare better if they phone companies rather than send out resumes.

“If they’re lucky after playing phone tag for a week or two to finally connect, what makes them more credible than any other job seeker?” Jossart said.

Selling change, changing selling Czarnik has been working with the University of Wisconsin Athletic Department since 2009, helping its studentathletes transition into the next phase of their lives after college.

“Chris does an excellent job speaking to our first year student-athletes and our upper Obvious costs of hiring a class student-athletes about new employee: searching career development,” says for candidates and Bridget Woodruff, director training the new hire. of Student-Athlete Development for the University of Not-so-obvious costs: Wisconsin-Madison. higher unemployment “His lectures on major exinsurance costs, more time ploration, networking, and needed for employee interviewing are engaging recordkeeping and and powerful.”

He thoroughly believes payroll changes, lost high school and college intellectual property. students should be taught - from Dun & Bradstreet job-seeking skills in school. www.newnorthb2b.com

HUMAN RESOURCES Some factors that can affect an employer’s bottom line when replacing an employee include: 1. Lost productivity during the interim before a replacement can start, the time other coworkers spend away from their jobs to help fill the gap and low employee morale.

2. Training the new employee 3. Severance pay or litigation from involuntary turnovers.

4. Costs for advertising, referral bonuses, relocation expenses and background checks.

Source: AARP.org

“What I am teaching is what the really big executive career search firms are teaching, the stuff recruiters are holding close to the vest so they can charge $5,000 to learn it,” Czarnik said.

“

Why would you make a half a million-dollar decision based on what somebody put on a piece of paper?

”

Christopher Jossart, co-author The Human Search Engine

He should know: He once forked over $4,250 to a slick headhunting firm that promised VIP access to unadvertised, executive-level jobs: open positions hidden from the ordinary Joe.

But it felt to him more like a bait-andswitch job than a job-placement firm.

“It ended up being a training program, which was a shock to me; I thought it was a recruiter and I thought they had all these great jobs waiting for you,” Czarnik said, adding that he was pretty mad. “I was promised an executive-level job and here I was, (being) trained to find one.”

Some elements of the pricey program were valuable, though, and those now play a part in his Human Search Engine formula. One difference is the price.

FVTC’s Job Seekers Network program (www.fvtc.edu/jsn) is free of charge and involves no tuition or other cost. Enrollment is open to anyone, and new participants can start at any time by just showing up at one of the meetings.

“A lot of people are like ‘Well, where is the profit for the college?’ and I say it’s in helping the community when the community needs it. It is a thank-you from the college to the community for

“The Human Search Engine: It’s what you think you know about a job search that keeps you unemployed” is available at the FVTC-Appleton campus book store and on Amazon.com for $19.95.

supporting the college all these years,” Czarnik said.

Jossart said the real-life results he saw Czarnik achieve propelled him to take on the book project.

“He was changing life after life in terms of helping people find another career,” Jossart said.

Lee Reinsch writes and edits from Green Bay.

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GUEST COMMENTARY

Something is cooking in Wisconsin Interest by investment groups shows it makes sense to support state start-ups

Tom Still President Wisconsin Technology Council

It appears the mere idea that Wisconsin might create a state-leveraged seed, angel and venture fund is attracting some muchneeded attention.

That was the underlying message in late January when the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., responding to an open records request, disclosed that 12 groups have expressed interest in managing a state investment capital program if such a fund is created soon.

Included in that number were several national players as well as emerging funds in Wisconsin, all of which are aware of the size and scope of the state’s potential to create robust, nationally competitive companies.

That response should be heartening to Gov. Scott Walker and the Legislature as they consider whether to include a down payment on such a plan in the state’s next budget. The interest by national and statebased funds validates the core premise: There are ample investment-worthy deals in Wisconsin.

Here are reasons why an investment capital bill can help drive Wisconsin’s economy, especially in the critical – and lagging – area of company creation.

Company creation is vital to Wisconsin’s economy.

While companies may occasionally be attracted from beyond our borders, almost all successful companies in Wisconsin were born and bred here.

That includes some iconic names – Kohler, S.C. Johnson, Johnson Controls, HarleyDavidson and many more – as well as most of today’s emerging firms.

Young companies yield all net new jobs in the United States, according to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and other observers. Investing in an early stage capital plan designed specifically to lift up emerging companies is a smart bet. If the goal is to create high-paying, secure jobs over time, the best way to do so is to help launch and grow new companies in the economy’s fastest-growing sectors.

While it’s tempting to think that all angel and venture capital flows to tech deals in Madison and Milwaukee, that’s increasingly not the case in Wisconsin.

There are now 12 angel networks or funds outside the state’s two largest metropolitan areas. Entrepreneurs can increasingly be

found everywhere in Wisconsin, and it only makes sense to find ways to help them stay home. It’s an answer to the “brain drain” dilemma.

But don’t a lot of those young companies move away from Wisconsin before the state reaps the benefits? Far fewer move away than one might think. In a dynamic market economy, some companies move to be closer to customers, talent or capital.

Wisconsin increasingly has the talent, the facilities and the specialized equipment: All it needs is more capital, which an early stage investment program would help provide.

Lawmakers are also understandably cautious about risk. They might ask: What is the risk to the state of Wisconsin in taking part in a seed, angel and venture capital program?

As the newly formed Wisconsin Growth Capital Coalition has explained, the State of Wisconsin would be a limited partner in such a program. That means it would share in the risks – and rewards – just like private investors that may choose to take part. Since 1981 nationally, there has been only one year in which funds created in that year lost money on average. In time, those same national averages suggest the state of Wisconsin could see a return on its investment.

Venture- and angel-backed companies have high survival rates compared to young companies financed in more traditional ways. Because investors provide advice and management background as well as money, venture-backed companies nationally have a 60-plus-percent survival rate.

The state also gets an indirect but important benefit: Economic growth. That helps the state’s tax base grow over time.

Because it’s a more diversified tax base, it is also more secure and recession-proof.

It appears some veteran investors already know what state policymakers are thinking: It makes sense to invest in Wisconsin’s future economy.

Still is president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. He is the former associate editor of the Wisconsin State Journal.

NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013 l 37

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

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Krause Financial Services LLC, Dale M. Krause, 1234 Enterprise Dr., De Pere 54115.

Van Allen’s Handcrafted Furniture LLC, Allen Joseph Vanderpoel, 253 Nob Hill Lane, De Pere 54115.

The Driscoll Healthcare Advisory Group LLC, Mark Driscoll, 1883 Little Valley Ct., De Pere 54115.

The Bee Hive Salon & Spa LLC, Quan Hoang, 592 Redbird Cir., De Pere 54115.

Barrera’s Professional Cleaning LLC, Juan Carlos Barrera, N526 Drumm Road, Denmark 54208.

Center for Operational and Process Excellence LLC, Jim Burgraff, 1385 W. Main Ave., De Pere 54115.

Jet Drywall LLC, Elyzah Byers, 2593 HeNis-Ra Lane, Green Bay 54304.

T.J.’s Custom Masonry LLC, Todd Jerovetz, 2476 Heather Road, Green Bay 54311.

USA Nails & Spa LLC, Quan Hoang, 105 S. Military Ave., Green Bay 54303.

J&E Janitorial & Floor Care LLC, Jeremy Vogels, 2481 Morgan Lane, Green Bay 54311.

Law Office of Josiah R. Stein LLC, Josiah R. Stein, Esq., 801 E. Walnut St., Green Bay 54305.

Eggroll Heaven LLC, Xang Yang, 1390 Waterford Dr., Green Bay 54313.

Knights Taxi LLC, Kevin Joseph Hussey, 1325 S. Taylor St., Apt. 5, Green Bay 54304.

Kl Snowplowing LLC, Kurt Michael Laabs, 201 S. Oneida St., Green Bay 54303.

Gnewuch Accounting LLC, David A. Gnewuch, 3136 Holmgren Way, Green Bay 54304.

L.P. Delivery LLC, Lance Peterson, 449 Hartung St., Green Bay 54302.

Growing Community Gardens Corp., Jerome E. Smyth, 425 Pine St., Green Bay 54301.

Companion Animal Relief Effort for Service Members Inc., Chanda Holschbach, 121 Packerland Dr., Green Bay 54303.

Legacy Construction Services of Wisconsin LLC, Ashley Veglahn, 1689 Fiesta Lane, Green Bay 54302.

Sangrias Mexican Grill 3 LLC, Shirley B. Gregory, 940 Waube Lane, Green Bay 54304.

Green & Gold Guide Service LLC, Jim Timothy Kleist, 1024 Hill Crest Heights, Green Bay 54313.

Pain and Injury Management Consultants LLC, Jennifer Lynn Henderson, 2212 Nicolet Dr., Green Bay 54311.

Keep Cool Thermography LLC, Melissa Ann Huguet, 2759 Finger Road, Green Bay 54302.

Mountain Bay Coffee and Gifts LLC, Cindy Beth Muther, 3561 Spring Green Road, Green Bay 54313.

Lucas Metal Sales LLC, Michael John Lucas, 2790 W. Kenlar Circle, Green Bay 54313.

Nextgen A&W LLC, Daniel J. Pamperin, 1275 Glory Road, Green Bay 54304.

Blue Meadow Stables LLC, Doug Pribyl, 4770 Townline Road, Green Bay 54311.

Unlimited Construction LLC, Jeremy Owen, 6773 Deuster Road, Greenleaf 54126.

Power Maintenance Service LLC, Jorge Correa, 3712 Wildcat Tr., New Franken 54229.

Cab-Way Logistics LLC, Carrie O’Connor, 3125 Birch St., Ste. C, Suamico 54173.

Degroot Counseling Services LLC, Jennifer D. Degroot, 548 Nicole Lane, Wrightstown 54180.

Calumet County

Valley Engineering Resources LLC, Peter Brent Mahan II, N7856 Edgewater Ct., Sherwood 54169.

Divine Healing Touch and Ayurveda LLC, Sheila D. Kain, W438 Margaret Ct., Sherwood 54169.

Fond du Lac County

Pattee Trucking LLC, Jerold D. Pattee, N4130 Savage Road, Brandon 53919.

Right At Home Pet Grooming LLC, Linda Rose Huckaby, 330 W. Main St., Brandon 53919.

Hooked On Engraving LLC, Mark Eilbes, 810 Oaklane Road, Brownsville 53006.

Bill’s Pilot Car & Trailer Transport LLC, William J. O’Brien, W3003 U.S. Hwy. 45, Eden 53019.

Zielicke Dairy Farm LLC, Leslie Zielicke, W5642 County Road Y, Fond du Lac 54937.

Everyday Gospel Church Inc., Timothy M. Hoeksema, 1272 Primrose Lane, Fond du Lac 54935.

SRB Mini Market LLC, Raghu Bista, 976 S. Main St., Fond du Lac 54935.

Roomsponder LLC, Sara A. Hathaway, W4579 County Road F, Fond du Lac 54937.

Salon Jay LLC, Jeanine A. Runke, N3748 Shamrock Ct., Fond du Lac 54937.

Wagner Appraisal Services LLC, Lawrence Wagner, N4997 Summit Ct., Fond du Lac 54937.

Strike A Pose Photo Booth LLC, Heidi Lea Kopf, 228 S. Second St., Oakfield 53065.

Wilke Farms LLC, David Wilke, W326 Center Road, Ripon 54971.

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WHO’S NEWS Road America Auto Sales LLC, Keesha King, W665 State Road 23, St. Cloud 53079.

Green Lake County

Lopez Restaurants LLC, Aidee Lopez, 180 N. Pearl St., Berlin 54923.

Jon Lundt Electric Inc., Jonathan M. Lundt, W591 County Road X, Berlin 54923.

Oconto County

Mike’s Seamless Gutters and Maintenance LLC, Mike Montie, 5067 Kozlowski Road, Abrams 54101.

Outagamie County

Readysetvet LLC, Kirsten Franke, D.V.M., 1126 E. Rustic Road, Appleton 54911.

National Saunas Inc., Keith W. Hueffner, 2140 W. Wisconsin Ave., Ste. C, Appleton 54914.

Joslin Orthodontic Lab Inc., Shawn J. Joslin, W6029 Nolan Dr., Appleton 54915.

Studio 609 Photography LLC, Katie Ball, 609 N. Summit St., Appleton 54914.

Meriden Speed Shop LLC, Mark Mittlestadt, 918 N. Fox St., Appleton 54911.

Healthy Options LLC, Lisa Marie Nass, 536 W. Michigan St., Appleton 54911.

Valeri Storage LLC, Richard U. Valeri, 5421 Richmond St., Appleton 54913.

Farrey Studio & Gifts LLC, Shannon M. Farrey, 1748 N. Harriman St., Appleton 54911.

Well & Ready Kids LLC, Theresa Petrenchik, Ph.D., 510 E. Wisconsin Ave., Appleton 54911.

Super Deal Asian Oriental Foods Market LLC, Chue Hue Thao, Sr., 219 S. Walter Ave., Appleton 54915.

Aspen Counseling & Consulting LLC, Dennis L. Simon, 100 W. Lawrence St., Appleton 54911.

Nail Envy & Spa By Steven Inc., Steven Pham, 849 N. Casaloma Dr., Appleton 54913.

Griffin Learning Services LLC, Edgar Leo Kopp, 3410 N. Hunters Lane, Appleton 54913.

Aww Snap! Photo Booths LLC, Katie Lauer, 540 W. Seymour St., Appleton 54915.

Dieter’s Place LLC, Jonathon Kuehn, 7445 N. Ashford Ct., Appleton 54913.

Colourful Coatings LLC, Douglas Lee Shannon, 1308 S. Ritger St., Appleton 54915.

Independent Nursing Services Inc., Thomas J. Furhmann, 1400 Oakcrest Ct., Appleton 54914.

Brownie’s Concrete Pumping & Conveying LLC, Michael T. Brown, W3567 Joanne St., Freedom 54913.

E&K Cleaning Services LLC, Elda G. Rios-Rodriguez, M.D., N1241 Technical Dr., Greenville 54942.

Carpzilla Bowfishing LLC, Scott Herbert Wilke, W9738 Stone Crest Dr., Hortonville 54944.

Appleton Snow Removal LLC, Spencer G. Main, N3804 Laird Road, Hortonville 54944.

Broadside Property Management LLC, Aaron Salapatek Curran, W10136 Gilwin Lane, Hortonville 54944.

AGH Property Management LLC, Alan Scott Hrubes, W10189 Ridge Road, Hortonville 54944.

CB’s Big Bucks Preserve LLC, Bill Bowers, N1844 Maloney Road,

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NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013 l 39

WHO’S NEWS Kaukauna 54130.

Roskom Meats LLC, Joseph N. Diedrich, W803 County Road S, Kaukauna 54130.

Mortgages R Us LLC, Dean Thon, 525½ S. Railroad St., Kimberly 54136.

Wellness For Life LLC, Becky Lynn Olejniczak, 1435 Glenview Lane, Little Chute 54140.

Quality Lawn Care/Landscape LLC, Jeffrey Allen Hauschel, 514 W. Elm Dr., Little Chute 54140.

Home Sale Opportunities LLC, Judith Beck, 307 Fulton St., Seymour 54165.

Helser Brothers Farm LLC, Bradley J. Helser, W3668 Kropp Road, Seymour 54165.

Winnebago County

HiLyfe Clothing Company LLC, Tyler James O’Brien, 812 Arthur St., Menasha 54952.

The College Bound Resource Center Inc., Robert L. Schoelzel, 1151 Oneida St., Menasha 54952.

M&S Auction Company LLC, Michael A. Wurzer, 913 Irish Road, #12, Neenah 54956.

Joice Property Management LLC, Jianying Ding, 1234 Doctors Dr., Neenah 54956.

Buhrandt Computer Services LLC, Chad Aaron Buhrandt, 1977 Harrison St., Apt.5, Neenah 54956.

Fox Cities Flooring LLC, Isaac David Wilson, 128 Curtis Ave., Neenah 54956.

Cleaning Fairy LLC, Crystal Turnquist, 320 S. Lake St., Neenah 54956.

Victoria’s Roofing LLC, Martin Morales, 954 Betty Ave., Neenah 54956.

40 l NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013

Frye Diagnostics and Electrical LLC, Michael D. Frye, 1162 Woodgate Lane, Neenah 54956.

Fox Cities Festivities LLC, Timothy Alan Neuman, 1284 Green Acres Lane, Neenah 54956.

Midwest Educational Resources LLC, Garth Lewis Larson, 3945 Sandhill Ct., Oshkosh 54904.

Kuk’s Power Center LLC, Kevin Joseph Kuklinski, 1538 County Road I, Oshkosh 54902.

Efree Homes LLC, Steve Romme, 1704 Parkwood Dr., Oshkosh 54904.

Wollerman Asphalt LLC, Erik Keith Salm, 5745 Gibs Road, Oshkosh 54904.

Hartz Motors of Wisconsin LLC, Jay Hartz, 1866 Scarlet Oak Tr., Oshkosh 54904.

Pathway Apostolic Church Corp., Christopher Jansen, 549 Washington Ave., Oshkosh 54902.

Lakeshore Salons LLC, Valerie Steiner, 3232 Shorewood Dr., Oshkosh 54901.

Ice Construction LLC, Alfonso Adrian Gonzalez, 600 W. Linwood Ave., Oshkosh 54901.

Whinny Connais Farm LLC, Alexandra M. Louis, 6018 Achterberg Road, Winneconne 54986.

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

Washworld Inc., 2222 American Blvd., De Pere. $2,500,000 for a 48,428-sq. ft. corporate headquarters and industrial facility. General

www.newnorthb2b.com

WHO’S NEWS contractor is Schuh Construction Co. of Seymour. December 18.

for its new Milwaukee facility.

Windhover Center for the Arts, 51 Sheboygan St., Fond du Lac. $3,939,000 for a 17,700-sq. ft. addition to include new classroom space and a new gallery. General contractor is C.D. Smith Construction Co. of Fond du Lac. January 9.

The Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau presented its Sports Award to Panther Baseball Club for hosting 11 total tournaments in the Fox Cities during the spring and summer of 2012, and presented its Partnership Award to The History Museum at the Castle in Appleton.

Badger Liquor, 850 Morris St., Fond du Lac. $478,000 for an interior office build out of the existing distribution center. General contractor is C.D. Smith Construction Co. of Fond du Lac. January 10.

Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton was one of four community colleges nationwide to receive a $10,000 grant from the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship, which it will use to deliver the Small Business Design, Plan and Grow Program through its Venture Center.

Triangle Distribution, 1201 Ashwaubenon St., Ashwaubenon. $600,000 for a 12,582-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility for a cooler and dock doors. General contractor is Heyrman Construction Co. of Green Bay. January 11.

Van Dyn Hoven, 500 Main Ave., De Pere. $1,650,000 for a multi-tenant, mixed-use commercial office, retail and residential building. Contractor is Total Project Management of Green Bay. January 11.

Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin presented its Projects of Distinction awards to Consolidated Construction Company, Inc. of Appleton (gold) for the work it conducted on the Milwaukee Downtown RiverWalk renovation project and to Faith Technologies of Menasha for its work on the Michigan Street Bridge in Sturgeon Bay (silver) and its work on Monroe Clinic (gold).

Fox Valley Technical College, 1825 N. Bluemound Dr., town of Grand Chute. $1,405,000 for the footings for the foundation of the 60,572-sq. ft. addition for the health simulation building. General contractor is Miron Construction Co. of Neenah. January 15.

Kaukauna-based Lamers Bus Lines, Inc. received the Green Highway Award from United Motorcoach Association, recognizing the company’s commitment to green travel, its internal recycling program, and use of a driver simulator.

Wells Vehicle Electronics, 385 W. Rolling Meadows Dr., Fond du Lac. $2,511,900 for an addition for a research and testing facility. Contractor is The Norwood Company of Pennsylvania. January 21.

Green Bay Packaging, 1700 Webster Ct., Green Bay. $700,000 for interior alterations to the existing manufacturing facility. Contractor listed as self. January 23.

New hires Godfrey & Kahn, S.C. in Green Bay added Scott J. Thill to its health care practice group. Thill focuses his practice on general health care compliance matters.

Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin hired Kristi Clover as its

New locations Hometown Pharmacy opened a new location at 321 N. Sawyer St. in Oshkosh. The store can be reached by phone at 920.426.0763.

Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin opened an outlet store at its Shiner Center, 1341 W. Spencer St. in Appleton. The store sells its merchandise by the pound. More information about the outlet store can be found online at www.goodwillbulkresale.com.

A & J Mobility opened a sales office and showroom on Mid Valley Drive in De Pere. The 7,000-sq. ft. showroom and service center is the fifth the Valders-based company has opened statewide.

Godfrey & Kahn, S.C. relocated its Green Bay office to 200 S. Washington St., Suite 100. The law firm had an office in the Regency Building for more than two decades.

New products/services Badger Sports Park in Appleton added an indoor attraction called “Mission Impossible Laser Maze,” an interactive game where participants navigate a complex maze of laser beams as quickly as possible.

Business honors Awards and honors earned by individuals are listed separately in the Who’s News section of New North B2B. The Milwaukee Chapter of the Association for Facilities Engineering presented its Project of the Year Award to J. F. Ahern Co. of Fond du Lac NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013 l 41

WHO’S NEWS Almost Home program coordinator in Menasha and Nicole Ihlenfeldt as an operations support assistant for its Shiner Center in Appleton.

Nsight Telservices in Green Bay hired Tim Bagnieski as sales director. Bagnieski has more than 20 years of sales experience in the telecom industry, most recently serving as the vice president and general manager for tw telecom.

Bagnieske

M3 Insurance hired Paula Kazik as an account manager specializing in employee benefits at its Green Bay office.

Kazik recently worked more than 15 years as the employee services manager for Brown County.

Launch Photography, Film & Video, Inc. in downtown Green Bay hired Zach Champeau as the director of business development. Champeau recently worked as a creative consultant for a Madison firm the past two years.

Kazik

Miron Construction Co., Inc. in Neenah hired Randy Williams as a hard bid estimator, Stephen Shaver as a project manager, and Maria Seitz and Krystle Romanowicz as project coordinators.

The Neenah-based certified public accounting firm Roberts, Ritschke & Tyczkowski hired Nicholas Sattler as a staff accountant.

Lutheran Homes of Oshkosh hired Theresa Bertram as its chief executive officer. She has more than 30 years experience in the long-term care industry.

Champeau

Fox Valley Metrology Group in Oshkosh hired Kit Kraabel as a regional sales executive. Kraabel recently worked more than 20 years as the regional sales manager at LS Starrett Company.

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in Appleton hired Hilary Bauer as the team’s marketing coordinator. She spent the summer of 2012 as a corporate marketing intern with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Bertram

First National Bank-Fox Valley hired Eben Johnson as commercial banking officer out of its Oshkosh office.

Johnson has 19 years of retail, commercial and agricultural banking experience, having worked most recently with BMO Harris Bank in Oshkosh.

Alwin Manufacturing in Green Bay hired Joseph Scala as its OEM sales manager. Scala has a variety of experience during a 25-year career in sales and marketing management.

The Radisson Paper Valley Hotel in Appleton hired Linda M. Garvey as its area director of sales and marketing. She also has oversight of sales and marketing operations for the Holiday Inn Neenah Riverwalk and Country Inn & Suites in Appleton. Garvey has 25 years experience in hotel operations and sales, most recently working for a North Dakota-based hotel franchise company for 12 years.

The Winnebago Conflict Resolution Center hired Michael D. Rust, J.D. as its executive director. Most recently Rust offered negotiation and mediation services through Strategic Conflict Resolution Services in De Pere, as well as the Mediation Center of Greater Green Bay. He currently serves as president-elect for Wisconsin Association of Mediators and as chair-elect for the Dispute Resolution Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin.

Promotions The Business Bank in Green Bay and Appleton promoted Bill Hodgkiss to president and CEO of the bank and its parent company, Fox River Valley Bancorp, Inc. Hodgkiss has been with the bank since November 2011 and has 24 years of sales, credit and business experience.

Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin promoted Jessica Fleek to leader of the Prosperity Center, a partnership program between Goodwill and Fox Valley Technical College to help people obtain postsecondary education.

Van Lanen, Inc. in Green Bay promoted Rob Butler to vice president of sales and marketing and Mike Fuller to vice president of operations. Butler has been with Van Lanen 14 years and Fuller has been with the company 20 years.

Appleton-based Schenck S.C. named Mark DeBroux, CPA, Steve Franke, CPA, and Lonnie Hampton, CPA, as shareholders of the organization. DeBroux is a member of the health service team and works with independent health care providers throughout Wisconsin and Upper Michigan.

Franke is a co-leader of Schenck’s real estate and construction team and is a member of its manufacturing team. He has more than 20 years experience and has particular expertise in the construction industry. Hampton serves as Schenck’s international tax team leader and has been with the firm since 1997.

Culver’s of Oshkosh promoted Dana Reyes to general manager and Laurie Berry to shift supervisor of the Koeller Street location. Reyes has been with Culver’s since 2009 and Berry since 2000. Culver’s of East Johnson Street in Fond du Lac promoted Jennifer Wagner to general

Rust

Garvey

Scala

42 l NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013

Bauer

DeBroux

Franke

Hampton www.newnorthb2b.com

WHO’S NEWS manager and Holly Halfman to assistant manager. Wagner has been with Culver’s since 1999 and Halfman joined Culver’s in 2006.

Cerebral Palsy of Mideast Wisconsin in Appleton, Oshkosh and Fond du Lac promoted Lorraine Yarbrough to executive director. Formerly the assistant executive director, Yarbrough has been with the agency since 2008.

$57,476

Oshkosh-based Clarity Care promoted Jeff Stark to vice president of facilities and procurement, Heather Hamann to director of accounting, and Mary Kummerow Johnson to director of marketing and fund development. Stark has been with Clarity Care since 1992 and Hamann joined Clarity Care in 2005.

M3 Insurance promoted Julie Wall to account executive in its Green Bay office. She joined M3 in 2006.

Individual honors The Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau presented the following individuals with its annual tourism awards: Kevin Jarek, UW Extension’s crops, soils and horticulture agent, with the Convention Award for his work organizing Outagamie County Farm Technology Days; Gary Kilgas with the Destination Builder Award, for his work on the organizing committee of the NCAA Division III Baseball Championships; and Cheryl Zaug Casey with the Volunteer of the Year honor.

Certifications Michael Drees, regional administrator for specialty care for Affinity Medical Group in Menasha, earned the Certified Medical Practice Executive designation from the American College of Medical Practice Executives.

Elections/appointments Nick Mueller, a project manager at The Boldt Company in Appleton, has been re-elected for a second term as president of the Wisconsin Green Building Alliance.

Wisconsin Fox Valley Sheet Metal Contractors Association Inc. elected the following officers and board members for the coming year: Roy Jacobsen, Great Lakes Mechanical Inc. of Greenville, president; Carven Blanck, Muza Sheet Metal Co. of Oshkosh, vice president; Kim BassettHeitzmann, Bassett Mechanical of Kaukauna, secretary and treasurer; and Brad Hurckman of Hurckman Mechanical Inc. of Green Bay and Brad Baumgart of Baumgart Mechanical Inc. of Kaukauna, board members.

The Oshkosh Area Community Foundation is proud to be a partner in education with the Oshkosh Mid-Morning Kiwanis. Through this partnership, educators in Oshkosh have received $57,476 in grants, since 2005.

With the Community Foundation’s expertise, the Mid-Morning Kiwanis carries out its passion to improve the quality of life in our community, one child at a time.

Please join us for an evening to honor and support Oshkosh educators!

Celebrate Education 4:30 to 6 p.m. Monday, March 25 Awards presentation at 5 p.m.

Oshkosh Convention Center.

Reserve your seat by March 22

230 Ohio Street Oshkosh, WI 54902 920.426.3993 www.OshkoshAreaCF.org Yarbrough

Wall NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013 l 43

BUSINESS CALENDAR Business calendar New North B2B encourages businesses and organizations looking to attract interested persons to upcoming events to send an announcement to: New North B2B, Attn: Who’s News, P.O. Box 559, Oshkosh, WI 54903.

For more events, log on to www.thenewnorthevents.com.

March 5 Green Bay Business Expo, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at KI Convention Center, 333 Main St. in Green Bay. For more information, go online to www.titletown. org or call Marilyn at 920.593.3419.

Advertiser Index Bank First National www.bankfirstnational.com.................................. 24 Borsche Roofing Professionals www.wiroofer.com............................. 8 Bouwer Printing and Mailing Inc. www.bouwerprinting.com................ 29 Builders Exchange of Wisconsin www.bxwi.com............................ 19 Capital Credit Union www.capitalcu.com........................................ 45 CitizensFirst Credit Union www.citizensfirst.com . ............................ 39 Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. www.dkattorneys.com..................................... 5 Digiprint www.digiprint.biz............................................................ 36 EP Direct www.ep-direct.com......................................................... 46 Epiphany Law www.epiphanylaw.com. ............................................ 29 Fast Signs www.fastsigns.com....................................................... 12 First Business Bank www.firstbusiness.com. .................................... 27 First National Bank - Fox Valley www.fnbfoxvalley.com. .................... 36 Fox Valley Savings Bank www.FVSBank.com................................... 31 Godfrey & Kahn s.c. www.gklaw.com............................................ 20 Grand Meridian www.thegrandmeridian.com...................................... 34 Guident Business Solutions www.guidentbusinesssolutions.com.............. 7 J. F. Ahern Co. www.jfahern.com. ................................................. 34 Keller Inc. www.kellerbuilds.com. ................................................... 30 Labor Management Council of NE Wisconsin www.lmcouncil.org. ...... 7 Moraine Park Technical College www.morainepark.edu..................... 25 National Exchange Bank & Trust www.nebat.com............................. 2 Network Health Plan www.networkhealth.com . ................................ 47 NEW Building & Construction Trades Council www.newbt.org.......... 17 NWTC Corporate Training & Economic Development www.corporatetraining.nwtc.edu......................................................... 48 Oshkosh Area Community Foundation www.oshkoshareacf.org.......... 43 Outagamie County Regional Airport www.atwairport.com. ................ 40 R&R Steel Construction Company Inc. www.rrsteelconstruction.com..... 24 Sadoff & Rudoy Industries www.sadoff.com................................... 14 Security Luebke Roofing www.securityluebkeroofing.com. .................... 35 TEC www.tecmidwest.com. ............................................................ 26 Thome Benefit Solutions www.thomebenefitsolutions.com.................... 16 UW Oshkosh College of Business www.mba.uwosh.edu................... 11 West Side Association www.westsideassociation.com......................... 38 Winnebago County Solid Waste Management www.co.winnebago.wi.us/solid-waste/container-rental-program. ..................... 41

44 l NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013

March 5 Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Power Networking Breakfast, 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. at the chamber office, 300 N. Broadway, Ste. 3A in Green Bay. No cost to attend for chamber members. For information, call 920.437.8704 or email members@titletown.org.

March 6 Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce Coffee Connection, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at TNT Fitness, W5374 County Road B in Fond du Lac. Cost to attend is $5. For more information or to register, go online to www.fdlac. com or call 920.921.9500.

March 7 Oshkosh West Side Association Annual Meeting, 7:30 to 9 a.m. at LaSure’s Banquet Hall, 3125 Washburn St. in Oshkosh. Oshkosh City Manager Mark Rohloff and Winnebago County Executive Mark Harris will update the progress of local government initiatives in the community.

Cost to attend is $10 and includes continental breakfast. Register by calling Connie at 920.424.4260 or email info@westsideassociation.com.

March 7 Business over Breakfast, an event from Fox Valley Technical College Venture Center, 7:30 to 9 a.m. at D.J. Bordini Center, 5 Systems Dr. in Appleton. Cost to attend is $15 and includes breakfast. To register, call 920.735.5709 or email venture@fvtc.edu.

March 12 Ergonomically-Based Injury Management for Business, a breakfast seminar from Blankenheim Services, 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Holiday Inn Express, 1663 Hoffman Road in Green Bay. Learn how small business can protect the health of its workers, control costs associated with worker’s compensation insurance, and avoid OSHA recordables. No cost to attend, but registration is required by contacting Wendy at 920.858.6487 or by email at wihlenfeldt@blankenheimservices.com.

March 12 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 information, call 920.303.2266 or go online to www.oshkoshchamber.com.

Better Business Bureau New Members

Businesses accredited through the Northeast Wisconsin office during February 2013 Accessible Bath Solutions LLC, Menasha Affordable Rare Coins, Appleton BC Auto Body Inc., Black Creek Black Otter Supper Club, Hortonville BWS Plumbing, Campbellsport CS Professional Builders LLC, Two Rivers J.A.W.’s Cutting Edge Lawn Care LLC, Sheboygan Falls Kaehne, Limbeck, Pasquale & Pasquale S.C.,

Sheboygan Korff Plumbing LLC, Plymouth Proshine Window Cleaning, Appleton Shiocton Automotive, Shiocton Worldwide Employment & Background Screening,

Appleton Xpressive Apparel LLC, Oshkosh

www.newnorthb2b.com

BUSINESS CALENDAR March 13 A.M. Oshkosh, a morning networking event from the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, 7:45 to 9 a.m. at Originals-Mall of Antiques, 1475 S. Washburn St. in Oshkosh. Cost to attend is $2 and registration is required by going online to www.oshkoshchamber.com or calling 920.303.2266.

March 13 Women in Management – Fond du Lac Chapter monthly meeting, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Holiday Inn, 625 W. Rolling Meadows Dr. in Fond du Lac. Program is “Branding Your Business on a Shoestring Budget” presented by Mary Mullen of Discover Mediaworks. For information or to register, go online to www.wimiwi.org.

March 13 Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, 5 to 6:30 p.m. at The Einstein Project, 1255 Einstein Way in Green Bay. Cost to attend is $5 for chamber members. For information, call 920.437.8704 or email members@titletown.org.

March 14 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 “Giving Back – Missionary and Charity Efforts.” For information or to register, go online to www.wimiwi.org or email Patty at pshea@sheaelectricllc.com.

March 19 Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce Business Connection, 5 to 7 p.m. at Open Road Harley-Davidson, 24 S. Rolling Meadows Dr. in Fond du Lac. Cost to attend is $5. For information or to register, go online to www.fdlac.com or call 920.921.9500.

March 27 Technology Made Simple for your Business, a seminar from Fox Valley Technical College, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bordini Center, 5 Systems Dr. in Appleton. Learn about cloud technology, mobile devices and effective e-commerce strategies. Cost to attend is $39 and includes materials and lunch. For more information or to register, go online to www.fvtc.edu/InTheCloud.

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

April 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 information, call 920.303.2266 or go online to www.oshkoshchamber.com.

April 10 “The American Dream in 2015,” the annual spring summit from Labor Management Council Inc. of Northeast Wisconsin, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Radisson Hotel, 2040 Airport Dr. in Green Bay. Keynote speaker Tony Evers, State Superintendent of Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, highlights a day of speakers and panel discussions focusing on education and job training for our future workers. Cost to attend is $95 for members; $115 for nonmembers, and includes lunch and materials.

For more information or to register, go online to www.lmcouncil.org, call 920.882.7712 or email labormanagement@tds.net.

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NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013 l 45

KEY STATISTICS Per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline.

$3.75 February 17 $3.69 February 10 $3.58 February 3 $3.47 Feb. 24, 2012 $3.45 February 24

Source: New North B2B observations

January

890,000

8.5%

from December

23.6%

from January 2012 December

$1.329 billion

18.3%

from November

8.9%

from December 2011

January

$416.6 billion

0.1%

from December

4.4%

from January 2012 (2007 = 100)

January

98.6

0.1%

from December

2.1%

from January 2012 (Manufacturers and trade)

December

$1,623 billion

0.1%

from November

5.1%

December Nov. Dec. ‘11

Appleton Fond du Lac Green Bay Neenah Oshkosh Wisconsin

7.5% 7.1% 8.8% 7.8% 6.3% 6.5%

7.2% 6.8% 8.1% 7.6% 6.0% 6.2%

7.7% 7.5% 8.8% 7.7% 6.5% 6.6%

Prices for small businesses using less than 20,000 therms.

Listed price is per therm.

February $0.759

$0.746 Feb. 2012 $0.800 January

Source: Integrys Energy (Numbers above 50 mean expansion. Numbers below 50 mean contraction.)

January

December

53.1 50.2

from December 2011

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

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46 l NEW NORTH B2B l MARCH 2013

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