May 2015

Business Intelligence for the New North

Building

Boom Latent demand for building expansion, business growth unfolding in front of northeast Wisconsin construction firms

Find Your Business On Top

SEO Marketing End Around the IRS

From the Publisher

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Business Intelligence for the New North

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May Features 16 COVER STORY

Building Boom

Latent demand for building expansion, business growth unfolding in front of northeast Wisconsin construction firms

22 HUMAN RESOURCES

Safety First

Northeast Wisconsin becoming a national training mecca for law enforcement and public safety organizations

22

30 MARKETING

Find Your Business On Top

Tips for nudging your website to the front of online searches

Departments 30

4

From the Publisher

6

Since We Last Met

10 Build Up Pages 36

Professionally Speaking

38 Who’s News 44 Business Calendar 45 Advertising Index 46 Key Statistics

www.newnorthb2b.com

NNB2B | May 2015 | 3

From the Publisher

End around the tax man National sales tax offers intriguing alternative at a variety of levels

by Sean Fitzgerald, publisher New North B2B

For many, the recent April 15 tax deadline is the only time they concern themselves with the federal Internal Revenue Service all year long.

But as business owners, accountants or human resource managers for businesses, we deal with the IRS throughout the year reporting employee withholdings, filing forms and making payments on the employer match of Social Security and Medicaid.

Regardless of whether stereotypical jokes about the effectiveness of the IRS are warranted, few could argue that the IRS is an immutable, unforgiving institution. After 13 years as an employer relatively left alone by the IRS, I’ve experienced a litany of battles in recent months that read like a Franz Kafka novel.

Between penalties assessed more than a year after reports were filed – and associated interest charges – as well as exceptionally long wait times and occasional phone line disconnections just to speak with an associate, dealing with the IRS can be the most stressful aspect of running a business.

Particularly for an honest employer with an impeccable record of filing forms on time with payments in full.

In one recent phone call in which I successfully reached an IRS staffer, we ran into an unlikely roadblock sharing documents. “Could you fax me a copy of the form you filed while we’re on the phone,” I was asked by the IRS representative.

Thinking to myself, “this is 2015 and we’ve gotten by just fine without a fax for 13 years,” I said “I won’t be able to do that. We don’t have a fax. Could I scan and email the form to you?” At which point I was told by the IRS rep, “we don’t have email here.”

One of the largest federal bureaucracies in the country and no ability to exchange information by email? Perhaps I shouldn’t have been too shocked.

I’m certain I’m not alone in having difficult experiences with the IRS. In late March, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), a business owner himself, sent out a nationwide email with the following message – “The I.R.S. has got to go.”

“After founding and operating King Construction for 28 years, I have plenty of experience with the I.R.S. – experience that has helped bring me to the conclusion that we must abolish the I.R.S. entirely,” the email explained.

Sound extreme? It may not be entirely. The intent of Congressman King’s email was to solicit support for the FairTax, an idea to substantially simplify the federal tax

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code that comes up once every congressional session in recent times. The most recent iteration was introduced back on Jan. 6 as H.R. 25.

The idea behind the FairTax is essentially to replace the current method of taxing personal and corporate income with a flat national sales tax. It would additionally replace existing employment, self-employment, estate and gift taxes as well.

Spelled out in greater detail in a brief 114-page document, the explanation for the FairTax exceedingly simplifies the excruciatingly complex 4 million-plus pages of the existing federal tax code, so much so that the bureaucracy of the IRS would become obsolete. The federal Treasury Department would collect the 23 percent national sales tax, and the process for appropriations would remain the same as it currently stands. In fact, H.R. 25 calls for funding of the IRS to be cut off completely by 2019. Currently, the IRS annual operating budget is approaching $12 billion.

Advocates for the FairTax argue its innate transparency forces Congress to show Americans how much our federal government costs through the sales tax rate shown on each purchase consumers make.

To learn more about the FairTax and the current legislation under consideration in Congress, go online to www.fairtax.org.

Recognition deadlines upcoming

Readers still have a few days to submit nominations for B2B’s 10th annual Alla tua Salute! Corporate Wellness Awards.

If you work for an organization taking exemplary measures to improve the overall health of its workforce, educate employees about effective health care use, and ultimately cutting back on health care insurance premium increases, then consider nominating it for this award. Awards winners will be recognized in our June 2015 edition.

Visit our website at www.newnorthb2b.com for more information and the nomination form. The deadline for entries is Friday, May 8.

Additionally, we’re also accepting nominations for our upcoming 3 Overachievers Under 30 recognition, an endeavor we launched in 2014 to recognize select young professionals from across northeast Wisconsin. We’ll feature another dynamic trio once again this year in B2B’s August 2015 edition.

If you know of a deserving young professional in their 20s who’s already made remarkable contributions to their workplace and community, please send an email to sean@newnorthb2b.com with the nominee’s age, profession and a brief paragraph outlining their accomplishments.

Nominations will be accepted until Tuesday, July 7. n

www.newnorthb2b.com

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

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The appearance of any advertisement or product information does not constitute endorsement of any product or service by WINNEBAGO B2B LLC. Copyright 2015.

Contact us: P.O. Box 559 Oshkosh, WI 54903-0559 920.237.0254 www.newnorthb2b.com

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

Since We Last Met

Since We Last Met

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

March 30 The Wisconsin Department of Transportation began work on a $2.3 million project to improve the Skyline Bridge over the Fox River on South Oneida Street in Appleton. The project includes structural maintenance work, a concrete deck overlay, painting the outside girders, remarking to include bike lanes, and replacing the pavement and upgrading traffic signals at the intersection of Prospect and Oneida. Traffic on the bridge will be reduced to one lane in each direction at all times during the project, and West Prospect Avenue will be closed at Oneida Street for the entire project as well. Work is expected to be complete in late September.

April 1 The Wisconsin Department of Transportation began work on the $4.5 million project to create improvements on nearly nine

2005 May 12 – The Lakeside Park dredging project in Fond du Lac stopped when unexpectedly high levels of metal contaminants were found at the site, increasing the projected cost above the $462,000 budgeted.

2006 May 11 – The City of Oshkosh received $600,000 in federal Environmental Protection Agency grants to clean up industrial contamination along the Fox River in proposed redevelopment areas.

2007 May 9 – The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin approved Alliant Energy’s request to construct the 41-turbine Cedar Ridge Wind Farm in southeast Fond du Lac County. The wind farm is expected to generate 98 megawatts of electricity, enough to supply power for 30,000 homes.

2008 May 2 – The Fox Valley Technical College Board of Trustees named Susan May its next president to replace David Bittner, who is retiring this summer. May currently serves as executive vice-president and chief academic officer at FVTC, and has been with the college since 1983 in various education leadership roles.

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miles of U.S. Highway 41 from Breezewood Lane/Bell Street in Neenah to State Road/Northland Avenue in Appleton.

The project includes repairs to the roadway and replacing the pavement approaches to the 19 bridge decks along the corridor. Traffic will be reduced from three to two lanes for a significant portion of the project, while the northbound highway entrance from County Road II/Winchester Avenue will be closed nearly two months. Work is expected to be complete by the beginning of August.

April 3 The U.S. Department of Labor reported 126,000 new jobs were created in March, leaving the national unemployment rate relatively unchanged at 5.5 percent. Employment continued to trend up in professional and business services, health care and retail trade, while mining lost jobs.

2010 May 11 – The town of Grand Chute and the city of Appleton entered into a mutual aid agreement between the town and the city police departments which would allow law enforcement assistance from either department to respond when an emergency call comes from either municipality. The new agreement is expected to shorten police response times in various areas near the border of the two communities.

2012 May 1 – The City of Green Bay Redevelopment Authority approved expanding an existing tax incremental finance district in the downtown area to accommodate Associated Banc-Corp. relocating its headquarters from Ashwaubenon to the Regency Center office building on Main Street. The TIF district also includes the Schreiber Foods headquarters development on the site of the former Port Plaza Mall.

Associated plans to move 350 employees downtown during the course of the next year.

2012 May 29 – The City of Neenah Common Council approved more than $1.1 million in tax incremental finance assistance for Plexus Corp. to construct a 410,000-sq. ft., $50 million manufacturing facility in the city’s Southpark Industrial Center. Plexus officials indicated the new facility will help retain 1,000 jobs in the area and create nearly 350 additional jobs. www.newnorthb2b.com

April 3 The Port of Green Bay received the Michigan - Great Lakes ship as its first arrival of the 2015 shipping season, 15 days earlier than its first ship arrived in 2014 as a result of the colder and longer winter last year. Port officials expect more than 200 vessels in port during the 2015 shipping season.

April 7 Voters in the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College district approved a $66.5 million building referendum with 59 percent of nearly 65,000 votes cast. An estimated $53.5 million will enhance facilities and equipment at the Green Bay campus for its IT, manufacturing, digital arts, business, public safety and construction programs. About $10 million is earmarked for the Marinette campus and an additional $3 million for the Sturgeon Bay campus, both to expand its manufacturing and health field programs. The impact of the additional borrowing is anticipated to increase the district’s mil rate by an additional 5 cents, or an increase of $5 for every $100,000 of equalized property value.

April 7 Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt was elected to a fourth term in office, defeating Common Council President Tom DeWane by a vote of 8,543 to 7,636. Schmitt will be Green Bay’s longest serving mayor at the completion of his current four-year term.

April 7 City of Oshkosh voters elected three-term common council member Steve Cummings as its next mayor, defeating fellow common councilor Caroline Panske by a vote of 2,646 to 2,457. Cummings replaces Burk Tower, who served as mayor of Oshkosh since 2011 and did not seek re-election.

April 7 Voters in the De Pere School District approved a $7 million borrowing referendum to support various construction and renovation projects, including roof repairs or replacements at several schools; asphalt and concrete repairs to various outdoor surfaces; upgrades to the heating systems at several schools; and a new entrance for Heritage Elementary School.

Voters also denied a second referendum seeking $3.1 million in improvements to the De Pere High School athletics complex. The additional borrowing is expected to increase the school district’s mil rate by 8 cents, or an increase of $8.05 for every $100,000 of equalized property value.

April 7 Voters in the Campbellsport School District rejected a $25 million referendum to rebuild and remodel portions of Campbellsport Middle/High School and to upgrade heating and electrical infrastructure at Eden Elementary School.

www.newnorthb2b.com

NNB2B | May 2015 | 7

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April 7 Voters in the Pulaski School District decidedly rejected a referendum requesting an additional $685,000 in annual operating revenue for each of the next four years to upgrade technology. The measure was defeated by a 2-to-1 margin.

April 8 Gov. Scott Walker signed 11 bills into law, including the following three impacting the hospitality industry. Assembly Bill 17 grants an exception to the examination requirement for small restaurants, taverns and food carts with five or fewer handlers to renew their food protection practice certificate through an alternative recertification course approved by the state Department of Health Services. Assembly Bill 18 allows “Class A” licensed retailers to provide samples of distilled spirits in addition to wine and beer. Senate Bill 37 broadens the exceptions of a “Class B” liquor license, allowing the sale of liquor on premises where another business is conducted, such as an art studio, for example.

April 8 The City of Green Bay Common Council narrowly approved $1 million in tax incremental finance support for Tennesseebased Strategic Behavioral Health to build a $10 million, 72-bed facility psychiatric hospital near Green Bay’s east side industrial park. The council split its decision evenly on the vote, with Mayor Jim Schmitt casting the tie-breaking ballot. Strategic Behavioral Health indicated it will begin construction of the 52,250-sq. ft. hospital in the next few months with plans to open by summer 2016. Once fully operational, the company expects the hospital will employ more than 200 people.

April 9 The Federal Highway Administration approved Interstate designation for U.S. Highway 41 from Milwaukee to Green Bay, clearing the final hurdle in a process that began nearly 10 years ago. About 3,000 new signs identifying Interstate 41 will be erected this summer, with signing expected to be completed by November. Interstate 41 will run from the southern state border with Illinois to the north side of Green Bay at the Interstate 43 interchange and northern terminus.

April 9 Former Green Bay Packer linebacker George Koonce of Fond du Lac was the lone representative from northeast Wisconsin among the 24 finalists selected in the 12th annual Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest. Koonce, the vice president of advancement at Marian University in Fond du Lac, developed a business plan for Athlos 360, an online service providing college athletes a platform to highlight and enhance their skills during the search for employment after graduation. The 24 finalists survived two rounds of judging from the 238 entries submitted when the 2015 contest began in January, and now will submit more in-depth 15- to 20-page business plans for review by a panel of more than 85 judges. www.newnorthb2b.com

April 13 The Wisconsin Department of Transportation closed the U.S Highway 10/WIS 441 interchange at Appleton Road in Menasha until early July as part of the larger project to improve State Road 441/U.S. 10. The highway bridges over Appleton Road will be widened to accommodate six lanes of traffic, and roundabouts will be constructed at the intersections of Appleton Road with eastbound and westbound entrance and exit ramps.

During the interchange closure, Appleton Road will also be closed to traffic between Valley Road and Midway Road in Menasha.

April 17 Wisconsin Public Service Corp. filed a request with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to increase its electric rates by 9.4 percent and increase its natural gas distribution rates by 7.5 percent, both effective in 2016. For natural gas, the increase in a typical residential customer monthly bill would amount to about $1.54. For electric, the increase would be about $7.62 monthly. WPS said its reasons for the relatively substantial electrical rate increase result from construction costs of the ReACT Emissions Control Project at its Weston 3 Plant near Wausau; increasing transmission costs; costs to convert overhead electric lines to underground; and upgrades to two units at the Fox Energy Center near Wrightstown.

T NEX H T MON

April 22 Werner Electric Supply of Neenah was awarded up to $1.95 million in state job creation tax credits over the three years from Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. to assist it with an expansion in the town of Grand Chute. Werner Electric is currently constructing a $21 million, 260,000sq. ft. corporate office and regional distribution center on West Prospect Avenue. The expansion project for the state’s largest electrical supply distributor is expected to create nearly 100 new jobs after it’s complete during the summer of 2016.

START OR EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS WHERE CUSTOMERS ARE WAITING.

The VILLAGE OF April 22 The City of Green Bay Common Council unanimously approved a development agreement with La Crosse developers Michael Keil and Marvin Wanders to take over the embattled Watermark building along the east bank of the Fox River in the downtown.

The building’s initial developers, Vetter Denk Architects of Milwaukee, experienced financial difficulties with the project, owing more than $350,000 in back taxes, and were headed toward foreclosure. The agreement calls for Keil and Wanders to purchase the six-story, 70,000-sq. ft. building, finish the interior build out, and pay the back taxes. The Watermark project was constructed with tax incremental finance support in 2011 and has not created sufficient property value to support the city’s debt burden on its investment in the project. n

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Our residents request these as immediate needs: RESTAURANT, GROCERY, DELI, RETAIL, BAKERY, COFFEE SHOP, SALON/SPA, BANK, MEDICAL/DENTAL and other PROFESSIONAL SERVICES For more details visit www.buildinhobart.com OR contact Andrew Vickers, Village Administrator 920-869-3804 • Andrew@hobart-wi.org

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NNB2B | May 2015 | 9

Build Up Fond du Lac

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Build Up

Indicates a new listing

Fond du Lac

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

4 - 55 Holiday Lane, Fond du Lac Holiday Inn Express, an 86-room hotel facility. Project completion expected in May.

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

5 - 250 Camelot Dr., Fond du Lac Grande Cheese Company, an 87,000-sq. ft. new corporate headquarters and research center. Project completion expected in early 2016.

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

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.

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www.newnorthb2b.com

Build Up Oshkosh

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Build Up

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

8 - 1560 S. Koeller St., Oshkosh Noodles & Company, a 5,200-sq. ft. multi-tenant retail center to include a restaurant. Project completion expected in June.

General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay.

7 - 1522 S. Koeller St., Oshkosh Ross Dress for Less and Sports Authority, a 37,000-sq. ft. retail center. Project completion expected in July. General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay.

9 - 4991 South U.S. Highway 45, Oshkosh Lakeside Elementary School/Oshkosh Area School District, an addition to accommodate seven new classrooms. Project completion expected in August.

Projects completed since our April issue: • Holiday Inn Lake Winnebago Conference Center, 625 W. Rolling Meadows Dr., Fond du Lac. • FloorQuest, 1705 S. Washburn St., Oshkosh.

www.newnorthb2b.com

NNB2B | May 2015 | 11

Build Up Fox Cities Build Up

Fox Cities

Indicates a new listing 1 - 719 Industrial Park Ave., Hortonville Piping Systems Inc., a 65,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility. Project completion expected in late spring.

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

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

3 - 3002 N. Victory Lane, town of Grand Chute Bergstrom BMW, an 11,383-sq. ft. addition to the existing dealership facility. Project completion expected in June.

4 - 4800 W. Prospect Ave., town of Grand Chute Werner Electric Supply Co., a 260,775-sq. ft. corporate office and distribution center. Project completion expected in late fall. General contractor is Consolidated Construction Company of Appleton.

5 - 3920 W. Spencer St., town of Grand Chute Grand Chute Fire Station No. 2, a new fire house. Project completion expected in May. 6 - 225 E. Harris St., Appleton St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, a 17,182-sq. ft. addition and interior renovation of the existing church building.

7 - 701 E. Wisconsin Ave., Appleton Kwik Trip, an addition to the existing convenience store and fuel station. Project completion expected in May. 8 - 1818 N. Meade St., Appleton Appleton Medical Center, a two-story, 7,500-sq. ft. addition to the existing hospital for a hybrid operating room. Project completion expected in fall.

9 - 3925 Gateway Dr., Appleton Fox Valley Hematology & Oncology, a 60,000-sq. ft. cancer treatment facility. Project completion expected in summer.

10 - 2500 E. Capitol Dr., Appleton ThedaCare Regional Cancer Center, a cancer treatment facility. Project completion expected in mid 2016.

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

12 - 420 7th St., Menasha Menasha High School, two separate additions totaling 46,603 square feet of educational space, as well as interior renovations to the gym, locker rooms and swimming pool. Project completion expected in summer.

13 - 600 Racine St., Menasha Boys & Girls Club of Menasha, a 33,000-sq. ft. community center for children. Project completion expected in May. 14 - 1050 Zephyr Dr., town of Menasha St. Mary Central Middle School, a new educational facility. Project completion expected in June.

12 | May 2015 | NNB2B

www.newnorthb2b.com

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

Projects completed since our April issue: • Bergstrom Kia, 2445 W. College Ave., town of Grand Chute.

• Little Chicago Dining & Spirits, N9650 Friendship Dr., town of Kaukauna.

• Houdini’s Escape Gastropub, 1216 S. Oneida St., Appleton.

www.newnorthb2b.com

Coming to B2B in June 2015 Health Care

Our 10th Annual Alla tua Salute! Corporate Wellness Awards

NNB2B | May 2015 | 13

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Greater Green Bay area

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1 - 2700 Lineville Road, Howard Lineville Intermediate School/Howard-Suamico Schools, a 16,781-sq. ft. indoor swimming facility. Project completion expected in June.

2 - 857 School Pl., Green Bay Bay Valley Foods, a 25,000-sq. ft. addition and remodel of the existing manufacturing facility. Project completion expected in May. General contractor is Consolidated Construction Company of Appleton.

3 - 301 E. Main St., Green Bay KI Convention Center, a 30,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing convention center facility. Project completion expected in late summer.

14 | May 2015 | NNB2B

www.newnorthb2b.com

4 - 100 E. Main St., Green Bay CityDeck Landing, a six-story, mixed-use development to include 76 residential units and 7,000 square feet of retail space on the first floor.

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

6 - 1820 Main St., Green Bay Fox Communities Credit Union, a new financial institution branch office. Project completion expected in May. 7 - 1230 Ontario Road, Green Bay Seura, an 11,400-sq. ft. addition to the existing manufacturing and distribution facility.

8 - 1160 Kepler Dr., Green Bay Aurora Baycare Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center, an addition to the existing orthopedic clinic for new offices.

9 - 839 Lombardi Ave., Green Bay Shorewest Realtors, an 11,444-sq. ft. office building.

10 - 2077 Airport Dr., Ashwaubenon Austin Straubel International Airport, an extensive renovation of an existing 6,098-sq. ft. building to accommodate U.S. Customs operations. Project completion expected in July.

11 - 2821 S. Oneida St., Ashwaubenon Van’s Honda, a 45,000-sq. ft. automotive dealership and maintenance shop. Project completion expected in November.

12 - 506 Butler St., De Pere De Pere Christian Outreach, a 5,116-sq. ft. addition to the existing retail store. Project completion expected in summer.

General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

13 - 1900 Williams Grant Dr., De Pere Hemlock Creek Elementary School/West De Pere School District, a 24,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing school building for a new classroom and gymnasium. Project completion expected in September.

14 - 100 Grant St., De Pere St. Norbert College Gehl-Mulva Science Center, a 150,000sq. ft. education and research facility to house the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Green Bay campus. Project completion expected in May.

It takes more than 100,000 nails to finish the average construction job. But, it takes only one construction company to deliver an exceptional finished product, down to the last nail.

CONSTRUCTION DELIVERED.

15 - 1850 Enterprise Dr., De Pere ARMS Inc., a 20,500-sq. ft. addition to the existing warehouse for storage and offices. Project completion expected in May. Projects completed since our April issue: • Initiative One, 110 S. Adams St., Green Bay. • New Style Salon, 2014 Lime Kiln Road, Bellevue.

• Wisconsin Department of Corrections, 2000 American Blvd., De Pere.

www.newnorthb2b.com

N2193 Bodde Road • Kaukauna, WI 54130 (920) 766-7940 www.JamesJCalmesConstruction.com NNB2B | May 2015 | 15

Cover Story

Building

Boom

Latent demand for building expansion, business growth unfolding in front of local construction firms

Story by Lee Marie Reinsch

Ah, spring. Geese flock back to their northern homes.

Mice are evicted from birdhouses and gas grills.

Birds build nests in the wreath on your front door.

Voles weave underground dens in your lawn.

‘Beam’ing ear to ear

And area construction companies say their clients are in a building and earth-moving mood as well.

Last year, spring arrived so late it fast-forwarded right to summer. “It was so ungodly cold that we didn’t have that much of a spring,” Lehrer said. “Nobody thinks about building when it’s cold outside or when it’s gloomy out. (This year) construction wasn’t even in their minds until it started warming up.”

It’s been a long winter for man and creature alike, and the past few years of economic slump and austerity had chilled much construction.

It’s time to move forward, come hell or high water. The weather’s warming, purse strings are loosening, economic optimism is on the rise along with the mercury, and orders are coming in.

Whether it’s the state government, the weather, the economy, interest rates or just spring’s first daffodils making people giddy, things are looking up on the construction front.

16 | May 2015 | NNB2B

Bob Lehrer, Jr., sales manager for R&R Steel Construction in Appleton, said there’s definitely an upswing in construction for all of the above reasons.

“Is it a steep upswing? No, it’s not. And it’s probably best that it isn’t a steep upswing,” he said.

Now his phone’s ringing off the desk. It all adds up to 2015 promising to be better than 2014. But although there may be earth moving, he doesn’t think it will be earth shattering.

“You hear everybody saying, ‘Oh, I’ve got so much work I can’t keep up with it,’ but what they’re forgetting is they downsourced so much they’re working with half the labor they used www.newnorthb2b.com

to have,” Lehrer said. “That’s why everybody is so swamped and so busy. They’re not running like they did back in 2005 and 2006.”

R&R Steel recalls those years fondly.

“Things were just going crazy,” Lehrer said. “There was money all over the place. People were spending.”

This year’s up, but not anywhere near 2005 and 2006. “We’ve got a long ways to go,” he said. “People are sitting on the fence yet. I talk to a lot of (potential clients). They’re all waiting to see what happens. They’re on the fence.”

Leaping off

Many building owners are jumping off that fence, according to Kip Golden, executive vice president and co-owner of CR Structures Group, Inc., in Kimberly.

“Money is pretty economical at this point. The interest rates are so low, so money is cheap. I think they’re taking that as an opportunity and the economy is moving up,” Golden said.

“I think it’s more the attitude that the economy is moving forward and increasing, and they want to take advantage and grow their businesses.”

Some of those potential customers sat on the sidelines waiting for an economic turnaround for too long.

“People were just trying to hold their own and keep their businesses, but at this point they really want to expand.”

CR Structures is seeing increases in demand from a variety of industries including daycares, financial institutions, churches, office build-outs and multi-tenant retail buildings.

Cramped quarters

Manufacturers have squeezed every last piece of machinery they have into their existing facilities and have held out from physical plant expansion as long as they can, said Jim Perras, partner with Consolidated Construction Company of Appleton.

“Car company demands are increasing, (as is demand for) lawn and garden products and agricultural products,” he said.

“Things are getting stronger with the rebounding economy. So many people deferred these purchases. They just put them off and put them off. And now they have to get new cars or new farm equipment, and that’s been helping.”

Consolidated is seeing “positive movement” in almost all its sectors: hotels, multi-family buildings, manufacturing facilities, food and dairy facilities, fitness centers and auto dealerships, as well as a few churches and schools.

Perras is also seeing the food and agriculture industries boosted by consistent demand for newer, more innovative products.

“Healthier choices, organic choices: grocery stores, restaurants, chain brands are always looking for the newest and better products,” he said. “We’re seeing our share of food and dairy work driven by market demand and by marketing in general.”

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NNB2B | May 2015 | 17

Cover Story But isn’t Wisconsin manufacturing limping along? Perras said “no.”

Residential construction resurrecting as well New residential construction became one of the greatest casualties of any industry during the last recession.

Nationally, more than 2 million new home starts were recorded monthly during the height of the boom in 2005 and 2006. Three years later, that monthly figure dropped below 500,000, and has just barely rebounded to averaging 1 million new home starts monthly within the past 12 months.

Locally, new housing starts mimicked the national trend, but lagged a few years behind. Data reported by Valley Home Builders Association indicated housing starts in the Fox Cities area bottomed out at just 272 new homes in 2011, down from 577 new homes in 2007 and a market-high 1,038 new homes in 2004. Since then, new home construction in the region has climbed slowly upwards, nearly reaching pre-recession numbers with 490 housing starts recorded during 2014. Demand is perhaps teetering on additional growth this year and next.

“We need to catch up to some of the demand that our realtors are asking for,” said Scott Murphy, president and owner of Kaukaunabased Silvercrest Construction. Murphy, a past president of Valley Home Builders Association who served seven years on its board of directors, said the new home inventory is currently “a bit light” across the Fox Cities. His firm is busy not only building singlefamily homes, but also constructing apartments, hotels and assisted-living facilities.

“My carpenters are busy through most of next year,” Murphy said.

Silvercrest’s custom home segment was fortunate to remain steadily active during the recession, Murphy said, but like most other builders, the company’s spec home segment took a nosedive as the inventory for brand new, unsold homes outpaced demand, or exceeded many homebuyers ability to obtain necessary financing.

With interest rates continuing to remain at all-time lows, both segments of new home construction are picking up once again, and so too, are the number of renovations home owners are investing in their existing residences. Building permits for home improvement projects increased in a number of communities across northeast Wisconsin during 2014, indicating homeowners were more financially secure and willing to invest in the protection of their greatest asset. For Murphy, that’s meant Silvercrest is getting some repeat business from satisfied past customers.

“When we build a custom home for people, it seems we’re back in there within a year or two finishing off a basement or doing other projects.”

- by Sean Fitzgerald, New North B2B publisher

“The cost of products made overseas, particularly in China, is rising and is on target to equal or exceed costs for goods made in the United States,” Perras said. “The combination of our quality and predictable deliveries and costs are going to reach a point in the next few years where we’re going to continue to get more competitive with China.”

Also making local manufacturers burst at the seams: emerging international markets.

“We’re seeing firms buoyed by the increasing ability to export,” he said.

Pent-up demand

Last year was among Keller Inc.’s record years, and this year promises to be even better.

“Interest rates are still really low and the economy is getting a little bit better,” said Mark Nysted, regional manager for Kaukauna-based Keller.

Now it’s time for business owners needing to expand to catch up, and that’s helping Keller’s bottom line.

“I think it goes back to that pent-up demand from 2008.

People were unwilling to pull the trigger for a few years, but now they’re willing to move forward because they really don’t have a choice,” Nysted said.

He said Keller’s doing well in all its market sectors, especially its commercial construction and agricultural markets. Milk prices have helped the latter.

“A lot of our clients in the milk market are preparing for the future,” Nysted said.

Many of Keller’s clients didn’t have a choice – their businesses are growing so fast they need more space, including tool and die shops and machine shops.

It’s another example of Wisconsin manufacturing expanding, rather than contracting.

“In our society of throwaway things, people have come to realize that people will pay extra for good quality products, and our (manufacturing) clients in northeast Wisconsin are fantastic at making good quality products,” he said. “I think (consumers) are realizing that you don’t always get the best value for the least expensive product.”

Nysted and others did indicate the glut of leasable retail space is holding down demand for construction of new retail and Class A office space.

On top of the world

Not surprisingly, if new construction is down, then roofers notice.

So Dave Schultz, president of Borsche Roofing Professionals of Hortonville, said his company is finding its jobs elsewhere.

“New construction is way down somewhat from what it was six or seven years ago,” he said. “We’re seeing a little more

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new construction in the commercial/industrial arena … but the majority of our work is reroof and repairs, and some new construction.”

Manufacturers of white roofing – which reflects sun and reduces costs to cool buildings – have lowered prices, so Borsche is seeing more people opt for this energy-efficient roofing alternative than ever before.

Forging new frontiers

There’s definitely an uptick in the private sector demand for expansion, said Jeff Stodola, owner of Frontier Builders & Consultants in Kaukauna, primarily in retail and manufacturing, both in additions and new construction.

“This year is busier than last year or the last three years,” Stodola said. “There’s more happening in the commercial markets than there had been in previous years. Things are loosening up a little bit in the financial markets, so there’s more money available and it’s easier to finance projects.”

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“They’re very well thought-out and conservative projects,” he said. “They’ve been waiting for the right time, and now with the economy, where it’s at, people are moving forward with plans that were perhaps put on hold.”

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While paper mills and manufacturing plants have historically comprised much of James J. Calmes Construction’s business, industrial construction is being eclipsed by private-sector construction and office and restaurant remodeling jobs.

“With the over-abundance of vacant office buildings in our area, new small office and restaurant owners are finding inexpensive rent and great values on purchasing existing buildings,” said Randy Calmes, president of the Kaukaunabased general contracting firm.

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“Many are finding it more attractive to expand by renovating larger buildings at a bargain rather than building new at a premium,” Calmes said.

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As companies build new facilities or expand their existing plants, the need for upgraded infrastructure places increased demand on specialty contractors like Tweet/Garot Mechanical, Inc. of Green Bay, which is experiencing more new construction, especially in the commercial sector.

“There’s a lot of healthcare work that is just coming to the surface … and some bigger projects in the state where companies have decided to do some additions, which likely arises from their own internal growth, so that’s promising,” said Christopher Howald, Tweet/Garot’s vice president of administration.

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Tweet/Garot is earning work on new assisted-living facilities, apartment buildings, hotels and buildings in downtown Green Bay and Appleton.

“We’re expecting a better year this year than last year, but we’ve had a great couple years of growth,” Howald said. “If you look on the horizon for the construction market in general, it looks to increase slightly over the next couple of years as well.

So the forecast for all construction, both commercial nonresidential and residential, is strong over the next couple of years.”

Reserve Bank of Chicago created for the Wisconsin Legislative Council. Construction employment is coming back, though, with projected job growth of 5.5 percent expected through 2017.

Borsche Roofing Professionals indicated it hasn’t been easy to find good help, and has sweetened its offerings to attract employees.

“We’re starting employees at much higher wages than we did just a couple years ago,” said Schultz. “There are just so many people who have dropped out of the workforce. It’s extremely difficult to find skilled labor.”

Good help can be hard to find

Similarly, Keller is “constantly hiring people,” according to Nysted. “Last year we hired 42 craftsmen out in the field.”

R&R Steel’s Lehrer said he hears about this challenge from friends across multiple industries, from banking to high tech.

Along with skilled labor, Keller is looking for an architect and an accounts manager, as well. “But being an ESOP company, employee-owned with a benefit package, we seem to generate and attract some of the best workers available out there,” he said.

But along with the good news of a construction uptick, many construction companies are facing a problem: Finding skilled labor.

“Nobody wants to work in the construction field anymore,” Lehrer said, noting that after the economic downturn a few years ago, construction dropped off.

“Nobody was touching anything, so anybody that was in the construction field got out,” Lehrer said. “And nobody wants to come back in now because they’re scared that there’ll be another crash.”

Since its employment peak in 2006, construction lost 46 percent of its jobs, according to a report from the Federal

www.newnorthb2b.com

While various industries face skilled workforce shortages, Nysted said if area manufacturers could find 500 computer numeric control (CNC) operators to relocate to the region, every tool and die shop would be building additions. And that would keep construction firms busy around the clock. n Lee Reinsch of Green Bay worked 18 years at daily newspapers before launching her freelance business, edgewise, in 2007.

NNB2B | May 2015 | 21

Human Resources

sFirst a f e t y

Story by Rick Berg

Quietly but quickly, Northeast Wisconsin is becoming a national training mecca for law enforcement agencies in particular, and for public safety organizations in general

When voters approved a $66.5 million referendum for Green Bay-based Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in April, it marked the second time in three years that voters saw the value in expanding the education opportunities available for students in public safety careers.

In 2012, voters approved $66.5 million in capital expenditures for Appleton-based Fox Valley Technical College, including $35 million to build a state-of-the-art public safety training center adjacent to Outagamie County Regional Airport.

The NWTC referendum will provide approximately 400,000 square feet of new and renovated space on its Green Bay, Sturgeon Bay and Marinette campuses for a variety of programs, including a new Emergency Vehicle Operations Control (EVOC) track in Green Bay, as well as a new burn tower for firefighter training. The EVOC course will be designed to train law enforcement officials, firefighters and EMS responders to safely operate their vehicles.

Submitted photo

The 6-story burn building at FVTC’s new public safety training center.

22 | May 2015 | NNB2B

The anticipated demand for public safety education stems in part from the need to fill an estimated 263,000 protective services jobs nationwide by 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Even more critical is the need for continuing education for the more than 3 million police officers, firefighters, corrections officers, transportation security screeners, and other protective services practitioners already on the job.

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Conflict de-escalation skills

In particular, recent events in Ferguson, Mo., and elsewhere indicate a high level of need for police officers to obtain advanced training in conflict de-escalation skills, according to Aaron Tomlinson, dean of the public safety division at FVTC, which already has contracts to train officers from more than 1,000 departments across the United States. FVTC is also an official training partner of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and works with the Wisconsin Department of Justice on recertification training for law enforcement agencies in the state.

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“We obviously focus on the technical side of training – vehicle and weapon and equipment operation and other hard skills where there’s a right and wrong way of doing things,” Tomlinson said. “But what this building allows us to do for the first time is focus more on the soft skills – the ability to effectively communicate, to understand the importance of the physical environment they find themselves in, and to prepare students for verbal conflict resolution and de-escalation strategies.”

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Submitted photo

The trench and confined space rescue apparatus at FVTC’s training center.

The public safety training center site provides more than classroom space. The 80-acre site also includes a simulated village, complete with homes and businesses, as well as a highspeed pursuit track for law enforcement and a six-story burn building for firefighter training. Tomlinson said the facility offers an unparalleled group of components to provide reallife, hands-on training.

“In our training, we talk a lot about mediation and arbitration strategies. How do we tackle a problem and resolve it at the most effective level,” Tomlinson said. “We talk about preclusion – the elimination of every force option before we make a deadly force decision. We talk about the importance of ingraining good decision-making processes, so we can resolve things as peacefully as possible. We do that from day one and we do that not in a static classroom but in an actual environment like one where various scenarios will occur.”

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Human Resources

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FVTC Public Safety Training Center Fox Valley Technical College’s new Public Safety Training Center opened in January adjacent to the Outagamie County Regional Airport.

An economic impact study of the public safety training center showed it would have an $11.9 million annual impact on the local economy, create 104 jobs, generate $469,070 in annual tax revenue, and be a major destination for people from outside the region in public safety careers.

The training center provides fire, EMS, corrections and law enforcement training, including SWAT training, canine training and search-and-rescue training. FVTC also provides contract training at sites around the United States for agencies in those areas. In addition, the training center has a contract with Pierce Manufacturing for emergency vehicle testing and training.

Besides becoming a national mecca for law enforcement training, FVTC also hosts an annual author’s academy designed for crime fiction writers who want to make sure their stories reflect real-life police processes.

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The training center includes the following components:

Scenario Village: Commercial and residential structures; forced entry/tactical house; permanent mock crime scenes; and streets and intersections.

Fire training: 6-story Class A burn building; air rescue and fire fighting training; burn pods; drafting pond; gas meter prop; HazMat, vehicle extrication and car fire props; high-angle/technical rescue ladder; training tower; trench and confined space rescue; sprinkler lab; and water and ice rescue.

Outdoor firing range: 50-yard tactical ranges; 100-yard firing range; and a 300-yard sniper range.

Emergency vehicle driving range: Off-road driving area; pursuit track; skid pad and a skills pad.

Indoor classrooms & training areas: Defense and arrest tactics rooms; indoor firing ranges; EMS lab and ambulance bay; fire training area and apparatus bay; fitness center; forensics lab; jail training area; and a telecommunications training area.

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NNB2B | May 2015 | 25

Human Resources

Growing demand for vehicle training

NWTC referendum provides new emergency vehicle course

“I’ve been here for 24 years and we’ve never had an EVOC track before at the college,” Paape said. “We have been using a track at the airport (Austin Straubel International), but that area is earmarked for another hangar. So we were one hangar away from being booted off that track.”

Over 250 people graduated from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College’s public safety program in 2013-2014. The job placement rate for NWTC degree and diploma graduates in police, corrections and emergency responders ranged from 94 to 100 percent within a few months of graduation, with median salaries ranging from $25,208 to $48,356. The $66.5 million referendum passed in April includes capital expenditures for an emergency vehicle operations control (EVOC) track and a burn tower.

EVOC training provides hands-on experience for students to ensure that they understand vehicle dynamics and limitations, as well as their own skills. According to the college’s statistics, nearly one-third of the student population studies within the public safety department, with 13,530 people attending classes and professional training during the past year.

Elizabeth Paape, dean of public safety at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, said the new funding provided by the April referendum could not have come at a more critical time.

Funds authorized in the referendum will be used to develop an EVOC track on a site in the Village of Howard.

Ed Jahnke, public safety director and fire chief for the Village of Howard, said the availability of an EVOC track in the Green Bay area will allow fire and law enforcement agencies to more readily provide emergency response training for new recruits, as well as for existing personnel.

“It’s important for employment training,” Jahnke said, “but it’s also important for the safety of our communities to have well-trained, skilled public safety personnel.”

“We use the EVOC track for our associate degree program, because it’s a state Department of Justice requirement for recruits, and there’s also a requirement for law enforcement officers to get updated training on driving skills,” Paape said.

The new EVOC track will not only replace the current track at Austin Straubel, but will also fill an expanding need, Paape said.

“We’re going to be hitting markets we haven’t previously touched,” Paape said. “For example, there are a lot of

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We would definitely use Keller again.”

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Human Resources departments in our district that currently use Fox Valley Tech’s track, because ours has been so limited. With this, we’ll have a better track with more capabilities.”

Growth in Homeland Security

Marian University’s Homeland Security program, housed in the School of Business and Public Safety, was born out of the increased focus on anti-terrorism and natural disaster preparedness that emerged in the past decade and a half.

Headed by Paul France, a regional director with the Wisconsin Division of Emergency Management, Marian’s program is designed to prepare students for careers focused on emergency planning and response.

“We’re responding to an identified need to do a better job of planning for disaster response, including terrorism and natural disasters,” said Jeffrey Reed, dean of the School of Business and Public Safety at Marian, based in Fond du Lac. “Paul France has worked in public safety and homeland security for 20-plus years, so he brings his experience to the classroom having worked in the field.”

In addition to traditional classroom work, the program focuses heavily on hands-on experience through a broad internship program with the Wisconsin Department of Justice and the Wisconsin State Patrol, as well as police and sheriff departments and district attorney offices.

The public safety school at Marian also includes a criminal justice program that includes students new to the field, as well as existing criminal justice practitioners.

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“It’s a little bit of both,” Reed said. “We have strong growth here on campus in students who are interested in a career in the social justice component, such as corrections, probationparole or drug and alcohol counseling. Then we also get a lot

Marian University’s Homeland Security Program Marian University offers degrees in criminal justice, including a Bachelor of Criminal Justice and Bachelor of Homeland Security. The programs are geared toward students in the criminal justice field who seek to advance their careers by earning a bachelor’s or master’s degree.

The homeland security curriculum is designed to prepare graduates for public service in various levels of government, law enforcement, fire science, emergency management and health care, as well as the private sector and non-governmental service organizations.

Homeland security students from Marian have found employment at police and sheriff’s departments in the state, as well as the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, the Wisconsin State Patrol, U.S. Customs, U.S. Marshals Service, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation.

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Protective Services Employment in Wisconsin The U.S. Department of Labor projects a 7.9 percent increase in demand for protective services employment by 2022.

Current Employment

All protective service occupations..........................................................................51,290

Correctional officers and supervisors......................................................................8,040

Police, sheriff’s patrol officers,

detectives and criminal investigators.....................................................................14,000

Firefighters, fire inspectors and investigators.........................................................9,560

Transportation security screeners...............................................................................450

Fish and game wardens................................................................................................210

Animal control workers.................................................................................................210

Security guards........................................................................................................10,450

NOMINATE YOUR EMPLOYER

Source: U.S. Department of Labor - May 2014 Submittd photo

Law enforcement students conducting weapons training at FVTC’s public safety training center.

that’s not just about talking to people, it’s about listening and understanding.

Compassionate

of people already in the criminal justice system seeking specialty skills, such as forensics or community relations.

There’s some refocusing going on in those areas.”

Marian is also refreshing its articulation agreements with technical colleges to make it easier for associate degree students to transfer and pursue a bachelor’s degree.

Putting the ‘safety’ into public safety

If recent years have taught us anything, it’s that the proper training of public safety personnel is critical in reducing the risk of conflict.

“One of the biggest skills gaps we hear about from our law enforcement clients is good communication skills,” Tomlinson said. One can’t be an effective police officer without strong communication skills, and

www.newnorthb2b.com

“We also know that technology changes make police officers’ jobs more demanding. We challenge them with the technology we put in front of them,” Tomlinson added. “We train on body cameras, on the use of computer technology in vehicles, on video surveillance, as well as the use of the Tasers and other less lethal munitions. All these require a more advanced skill set.”

Those demands are coming from the field, Tomlinson said.

“Beginning in January 2016, our law enforcement academy will move from 530 hours to a 700-hour academy in Wisconsin. That is to meet a lot of these increasing demands for advanced technology skills but also the crisis component,” he added. “The curriculum includes dealing with people in crisis and conflict, infusing ethical decisionmaking skills. That’s the fundamentals of what we do every day. Whether it’s a traffic contact or a call for general assistance, departments have weighed in and said we have to do a better job of training our students. That’s global.” n Rick Berg is a freelance editor and writer based in Green Bay.

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NNB2B | May 2015 | 29

Marketing

Find Your Business On Top Tips for nudging your website to the front of online searches Remember the Yellow Pages? When the first company you saw always started with the letter “A?” What matters in 2015 are online search engines, where the best products and the best websites in the world won’t be seen without specialized marketing. And that doesn’t mean being properly alphabetized. Search engine optimization offers top visibility amidst billions of searches made on computers and mobile devices around the world each day.

“A lot of people have trouble wrapping their heads around it,” said Larry Stopa, president of SEO consulting firm E-Power Marketing in Oshkosh, “but the vast majority of businesses need to have effective online marketing today, because otherwise your competitors are going to take customers from you.”

Keywords and links that mattered one day are obsolete the next, and amateurs simply have trouble competing with the professionals in the race for search engine recognition. Search engines are an ever-shifting landscape, with Google and Bing constantly changing the factors that matter most.

Get found online

Very few businesses can succeed without a strong online presence. Restaurants with high visibility and strong word-ofmouth reputations may be exempt, but even they want new customers to find them by searching “restaurants” online.

And there are no half-measures. “A one-page website has no chance for organic search visibility,” said Stopa, but even that token effort beats having just a Facebook page. ‘Organic search results’ is the term for websites that appear in a normal online search. Paid advertising boxes are not included and do not generate nearly the same level of traffic.

Google offers a Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide for 30 | May 2015 | NNB2B

Story by J. S. Decker

those who don’t want to hire a marketing firm, but those who try do-it-yourself SEO can be quickly overwhelmed.

“There was a time when you could do it yourself,” Stopa said.

“I don’t think you can anymore. It’s too complicated. There’s around 500 factors Google takes into account when determining search position, and they aren’t saying what they are.”

The reason DIY search optimization is so difficult, he added, is it’s necessary to constantly monitor diverse websites to know what’s working and what’s not. Google changes the search landscape to keep ahead of companies trying to “game the system” and get a website listed higher than it deserves.

Total number of views a page receives remains a top factor, but each website’s keywords, links, videos, blogs and other features affect every search result. It’s so complicated that it’s easy to be confused and taken advantage of, Stopa said.

“People who try on their own trust people they should not trust because their information is out of date or just plain wrong,” he explained, pointing to Submit Express, an online service to promote your website on more than 70 search engines. “Now tell me what 70 search engines are! Clinton was president the last time this was relevant,” he exclaimed. “You can sell all sorts of things, and (the unsuspecting buyer has) no idea what they’re getting and what they’re not.”

Increasing traffic

Ads and social media are distinct and can also confuse matters, said Erik Kielisch, senior content strategist at Optimal Digital Marketing in Appleton.

“SEO has two parts: on-page, which focuses on optimizing what you can control on your site according to the latest www.newnorthb2b.com

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Marketing best practices, and off-page SEO, which focuses on getting quality links to your site. Knowing the distinction is vital for businesses to know so they can make wise decisions about which agencies to hire to meet their needs.”

If a company’s marketing need is to build brand awareness on social media, he said, then hiring a dedicated social media marketing agency might be the best decision. “If they want a quick win and don’t have time to invest in improving their site’s ranking over time, then choosing an AdWords agency is the best decision,” Kielisch added.

Both Optimal and E-Power have nationwide clients, but Kielisch said it’s remarkable how often companies prefer to work with marketing agencies in town. “Clients prefer personal contact. They like to meet downtown in our office.”

Where the user is located geographically can also be critical to search results. An Appleton car dealer may spend the most resources on SEO, but a web user in Green Bay searching for cars will always see a Green Bay dealer at the top of the list.

“One thing that has increasingly become an issue is people get a very narrow focus when it comes to the success of their site.

They get hung up on keyword ranking or something else and they get obsessed with it to a fault,” Kielisch explained. “What you really want to look for is increased traffic over time.”

One of Optimal’s clients was a regional company with offices throughout the state. Its site looked fine, but lacked proper on-page optimization, Kielisch explained. So his team redesigned aspects of the site last summer to optimize various elements that would be found more readily in a web search.

Prior to the redesign, the client’s site captured about 1,900 sessions a month.

“Since then,” he said, “traffic to the site has steadily increased month after month. As of March, their site captured 3,900 sessions.”

Keeping tabs on Google

It often takes a professional eye to get an accurate picture.

“We have done audits on client sites who have been doing SEO with others for years and literally had zero links! Worse yet, some had spammy links that could have penalized them,” Kielisch said.

Unfortunately, Google has a long history of making changes to its search algorithm criteria without giving notice, as well as devaluing factors that used to be valuable.

“In the last two or more years it has been a very good idea to have a responsive website. That is, to have a website that changes its look and how it arranges its content depending on the size of the screen someone is viewing it on,” he explained, indicating the growth in use of mobile devices. “Before it was a good idea, but it didn’t really affect your ranking. But now Google has, in the last few months, decided that a mobilefriendly, responsive website is an essential part of its ranking algorithm.”

Knowing where your company ranks for specific searches is part of audits offered by digital marketing services. A quick audit takes five minutes, but a meaningful audit can take

32 | May 2015 | NNB2B

www.newnorthb2b.com

months. With so much constant change, Stopa said clients depend on constant service to stay visible. It’s been called a retainer, he said, but “we call it ongoing online marketing support.”

Since Google has twice the market share of its top competitor, Bing, Stopa said the focus is all on Google.

“What works on Google will work on Bing,” he said. “If there is a difference between the search engines’ algorithms, you can ‘game’ Bing with such strategies as keyword stuffing or low quality link building. However, the cost of gaming Bing is loss of search visibility on Google.”

Google likes quality content that engages the target audience, he added, and Google likes growing websites. Stopa strongly advises against companies attempting to optimize search results without help from specialists like his team. But, at a minimum, he said ensure your website is listed with Google My Business and Bing Places For Business. “You could list yourself on Google Maps and Bing Local,” he added.

Training tomorrow’s professionals for SEO As marketing positions within companies and at agencies demand greater mastery of search engine optimization strategies, area institutions of higher learning are finding ways to deliver current best practices to students just about to enter the workforce.

The senior-level Internet marketing course is one of the final classes in the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh’s 3-year-old Interactive Web Management baccalaureate program through its College of Business Administration, which brings together a host of disciplines.

“I believe there are a lot of synergies between journalism, advertising and marketing, particularly in the digital space,” said Dana Baumgart, an adjunct marketing instructor at UW Oshkosh who developed the curriculum for the Internet marketing course to focus on content strategy, content marketing and content generation, as well as teaching the technical aspects of web search. The focus on content is writing intensive, but not in the same manner it is for a journalism student.

“Writing for the web is very different than writing for any other media,” said Baumgart, who also works as a marketing strategist for Neenah-based Stellar Blue Technologies. “I tell the students they need to break down their ‘walls of words.’ Use short phrases and bullet lists, if necessary. The audience is just browsing while online. They’re not there to read.”

During the SEO section of the course, students learn to use some of the applications and tools Google has available to measure and track various site visitor analytics. And because online search traffic is dominated by Google, students also learn about the changes Google regularly makes to its search algorithms to stay ahead of the curve of so-called ‘black hat SEO tricks,’ which Baumgart likens to spam email. While students are curious about those black hat tactics, such tricks are ultimately penalized by Google’s rankings.

“The user wants to find information, and they want to find the information that’s relevant to them right away,” Baumgart said.

- by Sean Fitzgerald, New North B2B publisher

Focused on You 99.3% of Ahern’s clients were satisfied/very satisfied by our schedule compliance and responsiveness in 2014.

800.532.4376 | jfahern.com HVAC | Plumbing | Fire Protection | Fabrication

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NNB2B | May 2015 | 33

Marketing Help in understanding

Google’s SEO Start Guide attempts to make this complex field understandable for the layman, but there’s programming code and nuanced techniques that cannot be simplified.

Google’s first tip is to provide high-quality content on your pages, especially on your homepage. “If your pages contain useful information, their content will attract many visitors and entice webmasters to link to your site,” the guide suggests. “Think about the words users would type to find your pages and include those words on your site.”

Attracting outside links is critical. “Links help our crawlers find your site and can give your site greater visibility in our search results ... Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote by page A for page B. Votes cast by pages that are themselves ‘important’ weigh more heavily and help to make other pages ‘important,’” the guide notes.

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Keep in mind Google’s algorithms can distinguish natural links from unnatural links. Natural links to your site develop as part of the dynamic nature of the web when other sites find your content valuable and think it would be helpful for their visitors.

Unnatural links to your site are placed there specifically to make your site look more popular to search engines.

Another tip is to make your site easily accessible. “Build your site with a logical link structure. Every page should be reachable from at least one static text link. Use a text browser, such as Lynx, to examine your site.”

Google’s guide advises against filling a page with lists of keywords, attempting to “cloak” pages, or putting up “crawler only” pages. If your site contains pages, links, or text that you don’t intend visitors to see, Google considers those links and pages deceptive and may ignore your site.

Getting an ROI on SEO

Of course, visibility and awareness of your company’s products and services are important, but it’s purchasing that generates revenue. In that regard, Kielisch said conversion rate optimization is equally critical.

Dedicated to your building’s long life.

Our trusted preventative maintenance program assures your large HVAC investments are maintained appropriately and running at peak energy efficiency, so you (and your building) can breathe easy.

“Getting people to your site is half the battle. Converting them into a customer is the other half, and that’s what most people don’t pay attention to,” Kielisch said.

Online marketing trends will always be fluid, and the new generation of professionals is trained to expect change and make the most of it. Ryan Sweeney is an online marketing intern at E-Power Marketing, and plans to work there fulltime after he graduates from the UW Oshkosh this month.

“I’m constantly growing and learning in the field of online marketing,” he said. His journalism major, with an emphasis in public relations, includes a strong focus on digital marketing.

“There’s a level of uniqueness that only working at a B2B online marketing agency can provide,” Sweeney said. “I not only get to collaborate with a team of industry professionals, but also get to complete projects for an array of clients that each have their own needs and challenges.” n

920.498.0400 www.tweetgarot.com

Partnerships. Performance. Possibilities.

34 | May 2015 | NNB2B

J.S. Decker is a business journalist based in Oshkosh. www.newnorthb2b.com

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NNB2B | May 2015 | 35

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

Don’t Overthink Your Planning

by Adam Madson of Navigator Planning Group

There is nothing more difficult than keeping it simple! OK, that is not an original quote.

I am paraphrasing from a book I recently read. But how true it is! I think we can all acknowledge it is human nature to overthink, overanalyze and beat certain thoughts and decisions to death.

While some of us may be impulsive by nature and tend to not think things through, others will spend a year agonizing over which washer and dryer to purchase. Somewhere there has to be a middle ground! As an advisor, I have seen many people on both ends of the spectrum. While some decisions are bigger than others, it is important to give each one its due diligence. It is

36 | May 2015 | NNB2B

920.406.8500

equally important to not let the less significant decisions consume more time and energy than they are worth.

goal of a comfortable retirement, and remember that there is only so much we can control.

When it comes to our finances and our planning, many of us are guilty of this.

Rather than reverting back to many of the common-sense principles we were taught, such as budgeting, saving and not spending money we don’t have, we start to overthink the economy, the market, future tax trends, international economies, etc. We try to overanalyze things that we cannot control. Even the most sophisticated economic minds get caught up in this paralysis by analysis.

If you feel like you have lost sight of the big picture, we can help. The best advice I can give my clients is to always watch your bottom line, and keep all economic events in their proper perspective‌ Remember, there is a price paid for your time and energy!

It is incredibly important that we not lose sight of long-term goals at any time.

Sure, those goals will change and adjust as life happens, but we cannot let our emotions erode our common sense. Let us always try to stay oriented on our end

Adam Madson is a financial advisor with Navigator Planning Group. Email him with any questions at amm@navigatorpg.com.

Visit us at Navigatorpg.com.

Securities and advisory services offered through SII Investments, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor. Navigator Planning Group and SII are separate companies.

www.newnorthb2b.com

Noncompete Agreements – Are Your Company’s Enforcable?

Professionally Speaking is a paid promotional spot in B2B.

by Anthony J. Steffek of Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. 920.431.2237

The enforceability of noncompetition agreements in Wisconsin is an issue currently before both the Wisconsin legislature and the Wisconsin Supreme Court, with potential changes on the horizon. Regardless, if your company’s business plan involves requiring employees to sign noncompetition agreements, several steps should be considered in order to put your company in the best possible position when attempting to enforce same: 1. Customize. Noncompetition agreements must, in several respects, be “reasonable,” with reasonableness depending on the nature of your company’s interests that require protection.

Consider tailoring each of your company’s noncompetition agreements such that it reasonably protects only the employeespecific interests requiring protection.

2. Review. Due to the ever-changing legal landscape, consider having your company’s noncompetition agreements annually reviewed by legal counsel and updated, if necessary.

cause significant harm, consider devoting resources toward monitoring the former employee’s activities, if or where possible, in order to uncover a breach soon after its occurrence.

3. Maintain. To hopefully prevent unenforceability by technicality, consider: (a) allowing your employee sufficient time to review the agreement and consult with counsel; (b) having each page initialed; (c) having signatures witnessed, if not notarized; (d) providing employees with a copy of the agreement immediately; and (e) storing and maintaining the original in a secure location.

Noncompetition agreements, which are inherently difficult to enforce, can be effective tools for protecting your business’s interests. Please consider taking the above-described steps to increase the odds of enforceability.

4. Remind. When an employee subject to a noncompetition agreement leaves, for whatever reason, think about reminding the employee of his or her obligations by sending him or her a copy of the agreement in a manner requiring evidence of receipt.

5. Monitor. If you suspect an actual or impending breach, or if a breach would

Anthony J. Steffek is an attorney in the Green Bay office Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. Mr. Steffek’s practice focuses on state and federal courts, administrative agency proceedings, municipal hearings, arbitrations and mediations. He also advises clients on how to avoid litigation, and drafts documents needed to settle disputes during or before litigation. For questions about non-compete agreements, litigation or other legal issues, contact Mr. Steffek at 920.431.2237 or by email at asteffek@dkattorneys.com.

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NNB2B | May 2015 | 37

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

Kingfisher Lane, Suamico 54313.

Green Bay Propeller & Marine LLC, David J. Lange, 14482 Velp Ave., Suamico 54173.

Valley View Custom Harvesting LLC, Zane Behnke, 3053 Birch Road, Suamico 54173.

Bella’s Bowtique LLC, Gina Renee Widi, 27 Golden Wheat Lane, Wrightstown 54180.

Brown County

Fond du Lac County

Incorporations

Ty Will Law LLC, Ty C. Willinganz, Esq, 2107 American Blvd., De Pere 54115.

Principal Property Maintenance LLC, Deron J. Andre, 1251 Scheuring Road, De Pere 54115.

NWTC Housing LLC, John Deleers, 1122 Lost Dauphin, De Pere 54115.

WealthPlan Advisory Services LLC, Michael Flynn Ajango, 116 Third St., De Pere 54115.

Creative Print Alignment LLC, Steve Ferris, 2093 Lost Dauphin Road, De Pere 54115.

Creative Element Builders LLC, La Ree L. Runnoe, 4302 Plantation Ct., De Pere 54115.

All Care Medical Transport LLC, Lisa Corey, 983 Wishart Ave., De Pere 54115.

Forward - IT Consulting LLC, Bob Grawien, 172 Shelley Lane, De Pere 54115.

Omni Printing and Packaging LLC, Paul Johnson, 668 Majestic Dr., De Pere 54115.

Pulaski Polka Days INC., James Gawryleski, 4185 Annabelle Cir., Green Bay 54313.

Raveneau Transport LLC, Che Steele Raveneau, 2482 Sun Valley Ct., Green Bay 54304.

Presbyterian Pantry of Green Bay INC., Mary Ginnebaugh, 200 S. Ashland Ave., Green Bay 54303.

Cristy Lohmeier Agency LLC, Cristy Lohmeier, 2301 Holmgren Way, Green Bay 54304.

Enbhaven Apiary and Farm LLC, Edward S. Janke, 547 Baleshare Road, Green Bay 54313.

For Wals Home Inspection LLC, Richard T. Walschinski, 3358 Egret Dr., Green Bay 54311.

Green Tea Express LLC, Xiao Ling Huang, 2276 E. Mason St., Green Bay 54301.

Next Eon PC LLC, Justin Rasmussen, 3170 Devroy Lane, Green Bay 54313.

Lucky 13 Trucking LLC, Marshall Beck, 1126 Blue Ridge Dr., Green Bay 54304.

Love Your Life Hypnosis INC., Michelle Christine Dombrowski, 2701 Larsen Road, Green Bay 54303.

Dr. Brookh Lyons LLC, Dr. Brookh Lyonns, 2920 S. Webster Ave., Ste. 1, Green Bay 54301.

Total Quality Graphics LLC, Christina Jean Schaetz, 519 5th St., Green Bay 54304.

Codebase Designs LLC, Joshua A. Swanson, 424 Carrie Lane, Green Bay 54303.

Big Bear Custom Rods LLC, Kevin Joseph Landry, 1727 Woodberry Terr., Green Bay 54313.

Thawed Codebase LLC, Ben Jay Geisler, 3178 Atlantis Dr., Green Bay 54313.

Rosner Trucking LLC, Richard Rosner, 1893 Riverside Dr., Unit B, Green Bay 54313.

KJ Custom Carpentry LLC, Ken Robert Jansen, 1614 McRae Pl., Green Bay 54311.

Property Management Associates LLC, Cindy Jo Leiterman, 1151 Crooks St., Green Bay 54301.

Eschalon Cleaning LLC, Elijah Behnke, 526 Bader St., Green Bay 54302.

Titan Fitness LLC, Sam Davis, 1205 Oregon St., Green Bay 54303.

Priority Clean Janitorial/Maintenance LLC, Harriette Sanford, 2047 Basten St., Green Bay 54302.

Schultz Dairy LLC, Taylor Schultz, 4295 Deer Road, Greenleaf 54126.

Martin Converting Solutions LLC, Bobby William Martin, 2339 Pristine Lane, Suamico 54313.

Randy Loberger Surveying and Design LLC, Randolph H. Loberger, 2101

38 | May 2015 | NNB2B

Paddy’s Pest Patrol LLC, Patrick S. O’Meara, W962 Kettle Moraine Lane, Campbellsport 53010.

Knock Out Building Restoration LLC, Ryan Thomas Arthur Jones, 138 3rd St., Fond du Lac 54935.

Grade A Welding INC., Anthony James Norris, N7305 Lakeshore Dr., Fond du Lac 54937.

Fondy Strong Fitness LLC, Jeff J. Hlavacka, 260 E. Follett St., Fond du Lac 54935.

Your Safety Security Store LLC, Dale De Coster, 258 S. Marr St., Fond du Lac 54935.

JS Rail Services LLC, Jean K. Smet, 753 Cantom Ave., Fond du Lac 54935.

Tom’s Crane Service LLC, Mark A. Bartolutti, 823 Ellen Ct., Fond du Lac 54936.

Self Storage of Menasha LLC, Thomas Paul Dreifuerst, 33 W. Second St., Fond du Lac 54935.

Ray’s Catering LLC, Raymond Olig, N4739 Boda Lane, Fond du Lac 54937.

Jason Schultz Tile and Stone LLC, Jason Daniel Schultz, 583 Brookfield Blvd., Fond du Lac 54935.

Custom Manure Hauling LLC, Ricky G. Schmitz, 577 Newport Ave., Fond du Lac 54935.

Lakeside Catering & Grill LLC, David L. Lallier, 714 Lakeshore Dr., North Fond du Lac 54937.

Got Hops LLC and Roadhouse Pizza LLC, Alisa Zabel, 102 Watson St., Ripon 54971.

Avrom Farm LLC, Hayden Robert Holbert, W0908 Scott Hill Road, Ripon 54971.

Ripon Senior Center Association INC., Beverly Davidson, 8921 Kaufman Road, Ripon 54971.

The Bridal Boutique LLC, Brittany Lee Schuh, 1741 Cedarview Dr., St. Cloud 53079.

Lefeber Engineering LLC, Kurt A. Lefeber, N8758 Townline Road, Van Dyne 54979.

Green Lake County

Advanced Tires LLC, Greg De Baets, 243 Leffert St., Berlin 54923.

Sound Entertainment LLC, Jeffrey Jack Wasniak, Jr., 499 Elm St., Berlin 54923.

Badgerland Computer Systems LLC, Gail A. Schroeder, 112 S. Wisconsin St., Berlin 54923.

Thoma Poultry Farms LLC, Brennen Joseph Thoma, W1991 E. River Road, Berlin 54923.

Outagamie County

Hmong Baptist Mission CORP., Salad Vang, 2110 S. Memorial Dr., Appleton 54915.

Muniz Lawn Care and Curbing LLC, Rogelio Muniz, Sr., 5535 W. Prospect Ave., Appleton 54914.

Liberty Property Management LLC, Jeffrey L. Daines, 4740 W. Packard St., Appleton 54913.

Versatile Photography and Video LLC, Nolan Christopher Boesen, 221 E. Lawrence St., Appleton 54911.

Verhagen Travel Agency LLC, Denis S. Verhagen, 3325 W. Pine St., Appleton 54914.

Tiffani’s Bridal & Consignment LLC, Tiffani Ebben, 1314 W. College Ave., Unit 6, Appleton 54914.

Fenton Law Office LLC, Jaymes Fenton, 819 W. Elsie St., Appleton 54912.

www.newnorthb2b.com

Fidelis Data LLC, Joshua Reuss, 1853 N. Silverspring Dr., Appleton 54913.

Independent Landscape Solutions LLC, Andrew Smith, 1127 E. Capitol Dr., Appleton 54911.

Epoxy Flooring Specialist LLC, Thomas G. Wisneski, N3860 Sharon Rose Ct., Appleton 54913.

The Family Automotive Group LLC, Estella Robinson, 5015 W. Greenville Dr., Appleton 54913.

Hawk’s Towing, Auto Sales & Service LLC, Gary Konetzke, W5287 State Park Ct., Appleton 54915.

A C E Hardwood Flooring LLC, Jason A. Steinbach, 5228 Long Ct., Appleton 54914.

Center For Innovative Change LLC, Edward J. Krueger, 324 E. Lindbergh St., Appleton 54911.

Terrafin Technologies LLC, Harold Andrew Runion, 536 N. Richmond St., Appleton 54911.

Midwest Aquaculture LLC, James K. Bowman, 4650 W. Spencer St., Ste. A, Appleton 54914.

Delchambre Home Care LLC, Kathleen Delchambre, 2900 S. Dellwood St., Appleton 54915.

Lakes Mobility Services LLC, Scott Horner, 201 Fairway St., Combined Locks 54113.

Sign Expressions LLC, Timothy Gaines, W7233 Westhaven Dr., Greenville 54942.

Long Term Care Solutions LLC, Nicholas Jon Maas, N2540 Greendale Road, Hortonville 54944.

Fox Valley Scuba Club INC., Cynthia Klein, 318 Lakeview Ave., Hortonville 54944.

Rico’s South LLC, Jason Daniel Hurst, 235 W. Wisconsin Ave., Kaukauna 54130.

Trigales Bakery LLC, Ivan Rosas Melgoza, 114 S. John St., Kimberly 54136.

Flashpoint Designs LLC, Darin Van Handel, 808 Sue St., Little Chute 54140.

Hmong Active Senior Kajsiab Center LLC, Pachia Luminous Lor, 401 E. Elm Dr., Little Chute 54140.

Winnebago County

Integrity Consulting & Equipment LLC, David Klockzien, 8324 Moeser Lane, Larsen 54947.

M Lovin Your Pet Spa LLC, Minna Nousiainen-Becher, 1158 Appleton Road, Menasha 54952.

B and J Lawncare Specialists LLC, William P. Van Dyke, W6441 Cherrybark Cir., Menasha 54952.

Fox Valley Reptile & Small Animal Rescue LLC, Travis Bernard, 354 Oak St., Menasha 54952.

Crown Fence LLC, Jose Luis Figueroa, Sr., 436 Nicolet Blvd., Menasha 54952.

First Light Counseling Services LLC, Laurel Ruth Howard-Boardman, W6385 Firelane 8, Menasha 54952.

Morley Motors Service and Sales LLC, Mark Joseph Morley, 94 Abby Ave., Neenah 54956.

Kroll Publishing LLC, Robert Allen Kroll, 133 Meadowview St., Neenah 54956.

Roberts Engineering LLC, Jack V. Roberts, 2660 Oakridge Road, Neenah 54956.

Ron’s Metal Flowers LLC, Sandra K. Pitt, 208 Wright Ave., Neenah 54956.

Bulldog Process Service of Wisconsin LLC, Bradley R. Chandler, 691 S. Green Bay Road, #142, Neenah 54956.

A Beautiful Mind Counseling Services LLC, Melissa Marks, 175 McKinley Ave., Omro 54963.

Jim’s Home Improvements & Remodeling LLC, James Grant Ostertag, 744 Mt. Vernon St., Oshkosh 54901.

Lily Guilder Design LLC, Caitlin E. Stolley, 436 N. Main St., Oshkosh 54901.

Tri-County Construction LLC, John R. Stepnowski, 524 Jefferson St., Oshkosh 54901.

WHAT IS You may have just returned from an exciting convention or event in another city or state. Imagine that group meeting right here in the Fox Cities. We encourage you to get involved and work with us to “Bring it Home” to the Fox Cities.

SHARE By booking an event with the Bring it Home program, you may receive Fox Cities area gift certificates.

920-734-3358 FoxCities.org/bringithome

To bring your event home to the Fox Cities, visit FoxCities.org/bringithome www.newnorthb2b.com

NNB2B | May 2015 | 39

Who’s News

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

Poklasny Cremations LLC, James Poklasny, 865 S. Westhaven Dr., Oshkosh 54904.

Snyder Automotive LLC, John C. Snyder, 2895 Algoma Blvd., Oshkosh 54901.

The Meadows of Fond du Lac LLC, Tim Burns, 1500 Arboretum Dr., Oshkosh 54901.

Paul Dodge Insurance Services LLC, Paul D. Dodge, 154 Brockway Ave., Oshkosh 54902.

Salon On The Boulevard By Cassie LLC, Cassandra Andreini, 941 N. Sawyer St., Oshkosh 54902.

Oshkosh Cold Storage LLC, Carl W. Doemel, 1110 Industrial Ave., Oshkosh 54901.

Ruah Health and Wellness LLC, Aaron Paul Brechlin, 1357 Lamar Ave., Oshkosh 54901.

Copy Editing For Creative Writers LLC, Lydia Sanders, 912 E. Parkway Ave., Oshkosh 54901.

Tanner’s Bar & Grill INC., Megan Crista Wilson, 205 N. 7th Ave., Winneconne 54986.

Building permits

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

De Pere Christian Outreach, 506 Butler St., De Pere. $800,000 for a 5,116-sq. ft. addition to the existing retail store. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna. March 13.

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

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

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

Front reception area already furnished.

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

Selling price:

750,000

$

Kwik Trip, 306 N. Richmond St., Appleton. $500,000 to remodel the interior of the existing convenience store building. Contractor listed as self. March 16.

Werner Electric Supply, 4800 W. Prospect Ave., town of Grand Chute. $12,800,000 for a 260,775-sq. ft. warehouse and corporate headquarters. General contractor is Consolidated Construction Company of Appleton. March 17.

Associated Bank, 1195 N. Casaloma Dr., town of Grand Chute. $759,000 for an alteration to the existing building for a new bank office. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna. March 20.

Lineville Intermediate School/Howard-Suamico Schools, 2700 Lineville Road, Howard. $1,523,000 for alterations to the existing school building for an indoor swimming pool. General contractor is Miron Construction Co. of Neenah.

March 30.

Leasing price:

5,000 a month per section

$

Call Pam at 0 920-968-460

Pamco ExEcutivE SuitES 4650 W. Spencer Street Appleton

40 | May 2015 | NNB2B

Better Business Bureau New Members Businesses accredited through the Northeast Wisconsin office during March 2015 Area Asphalt, Eden Bisley Fabrication, Gresham Cardinal Ridge Construction, Green Bay Gifford Law Office, Sheboygan J.W. Welding, Menasha Julie’s Park Cafe & Motel, Fish Creek Lawn Solutions, Kiel Marshall Masonry, Plymouth OCBT, New London Pamco Executive Suites, Appleton Pamco Property Management, Appleton Rogers Pump Company, Oshkosh Sparkle Wash of the Fox Valley, Fond du Lac True Essence Healing Arts, Sturgeon Bay Werner Pest & Odor Control, Seymour www.newnorthb2b.com

St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, 225 E. Harris St., Appleton. $1,404,640 for a 17,182-sq. ft. addition and interior renovation of the existing church building. General contractor is Catalyst Construction of Milwaukee. April 2.

Mi Tech Services, 46 S. Rolling Meadows Dr., Fond du Lac. $698,000 for a 3,900-sq. ft. addition to the existing office and warehouse building. General contractor is Capelle Bros. & Diedrich of Fond du Lac. April 3.

ThedaCare Regional Cancer Center, 2500 E. Capitol Dr., Appleton. $4,000,000 for a 9,000-sq. ft. cancer treatment facility. General contractor is Boldt Construction Co. of Appleton. April 6.

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St. Mary’s Springs Academy, 255 County Road K, Fond du Lac. $16,680,000 for a 92,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing high school campus.

General contractor is C.D. Smith Construction Inc. of Fond du Lac. April 13.

SCA Tissue, 984 Winchester Road, town of Menasha. $1,200,000 for a 2,539-sq. ft. addition to the existing paper mill. General contractor is Boldt Construction Co. of Appleton. April 14.

Grande Cheese, 250 Camelot Dr., Fond du Lac. $35,000,000 for an 87,000-sq. ft. new corporate headquarters and research center. General contractor is C.D. Smith Construction Inc. of Fond du Lac. April 14.

New businesses Windward Wealth Strategies, Inc. was launched in April by former employees of the Oshkosh office for the wealth management firm Reinhart Partners, Inc. Located at 2370 State Road 44, Ste. A in Oshkosh, Windward Wealth Strategies is owned by Greg Pierce, president and chief investment officer; Walter Koskinen, chief compliance officer; Kim Molitor, relationship manager; and Cassandra Knight client relations specialist.

Northside Chiropractic Center opened at 2337A Jackson St. in Oshkosh by Dr. Bradley Hunter. Dr. Hunter has been practicing chiropractic for eight years. More information about the business is available online at www. northsidechiropracticcenter.com or by calling 920.385.1750.

Commercial x Storage x Recreational 3 year warranty on workmanship and subcontractors Family owned business over 50 years

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New locations NewStyle Salons opened a full-service salon at 2015 Lime Kiln Road in Bellevue. It’s the company’s ninth salon in the Green Bay and Fox Cities areas.

Steve Engmann

Love Your Life Hypnosis opened an office in The Advance Business & Manufacturing Center at 2701 Larsen Road in Green Bay. More information about the business is available online at www.loveyourlifehypnosis.net or by calling 920.412.9980.

Mergers/acquisitions A group of local investors headed by Tom Lisle, Jay Tomcheck and Steve Krueger purchased DeLeers Architectural Millwork, Inc. in Bellevue. The new owners will maintain the company’s name, existing workforce, product offerings and services.

Oshkosh-based Verve, a Credit Union, announced plans to merge with Two Rivers Community Credit Union during the fourth quarter of 2015. Two Rivers Community CU has one branch location, $7 million in assets and 700 members.

Verve currently has more than $580 million in assets and serves nearly 47,000 members from ten locations.

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920.993.1077 Appleton WI www.WeMakeSoftwareWork.com NNB2B | May 2015 | 41

Who’s News

Jolma

Goss

Connelly

Sturgeon

Newburg

Eitel

New products/services

age below 40, supports an internship program, and provides a variety of amenities, training and benefits attractive to young professionals.

Hand to Shoulder Center of Wisconsin in Appleton and Green Bay now conducts upper extremity functional capacity evaluation testing at its Appleton location. Such evaluations, known as work capacity assessments, record data specific to the patient’s ability to conduct meaningful workplace tasks safely and dependably.

Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. recently presented its 24th Annual Wisconsin Main Street Awards, including the following winners from northeast Wisconsin: Best Digital Media Campaign to Definitely De Pere and Burnham Richards Advertising of De Pere; Best Creative Fundraising Effort to On Broadway, Inc. in Green Bay for its New Year’s Eve Masquerade On Broadway; Best Downtown Special Event to On Broadway, Inc. in Green Bay for its Winter Wine Walk On Broadway; Best Façade Rehabilitation Project Under $7,500 to The Nail Studio/111 S. Main St. in Fond du Lac and Oaks Development Group of Fond du Lac; Best New Business to Waseda Farms Market of De Pere; Best Cooperative Business Marketing Campaign to Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership for “The Wedding Collection;” Best Upper Floor Rehabilitation Project to co-winners Platten Place Apartments of Green Bay and Mary Flanagan and Scott Kearney for 204-208 Watson St. in Ripon; Best Image Item/Campaign/Event to Omro for its “Omro: A Great Place” campaign; Best Interior Renovation Project to Starry Realty of De Pere; and Best New Building to St. Norbert College, Performa and Miron Construction for the Gehl-Mulva Science Center at St. Norbert in De Pere.

Business honors Menasha Packaging was awarded Temporary Display of the Year and Most Creative Temporary Display for its Frito-Lay “Do Us A Flavor” floor stands from Point of Purchase Advertising International. Menasha Packaging also won two other gold, one silver and nine bronze awards for its clients’ products such as Kool-Aid and Pringles.

Service Litho-Print of Oshkosh was admitted to the state Department of Natural Resources’ Green Tier program, which recognizes environmental performance that voluntarily exceeds legal requirements. The company conducts annual air-leak audits, implemented energy efficient lighting, and recycled 86 percent of its production waste last year.

Miron Construction Co. of Neenah received the 2015 Associated General Contractors Alliant Build America Award in the Construction Management Renovation category for its work on the Lambeau Field North & South End Zone Stadium Improvement project in Green Bay. The project added nearly 7,000 seats in the south end zone, new gates, and two rooftop viewing platforms.

The Wisconsin Safety Council and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development presented 14 state companies with its 2015 Wisconsin Corporate Safety Award, including the following from northeast Wisconsin: Agropur Inc., Luxemburg; The Boldt Company, Appleton; Energis High Voltage Resources, Inc., Green Bay; and Northeast Asphalt Inc., Greenville.

Weidert Group in Appleton was among 10 employers statewide recognized with a Bubbler Award as part of Wisconsin’s inaugural Young Professional Week organized by Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. and several young professional organizations across the state. The Bubbler Awards recognize Wisconsin’s best places to work for young professionals. Weidert Group has an average employee

McKenna

42 | May 2015 | NNB2B

Gillen

Baumgart

New hires R.A. Smith National in Appleton hired Jordan Jolma as a civil engineer in its transportation division.

ThedaCare hired Jenny Goss as a nurse midwife at Appleton Medical Center and Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah; Mary A. Connelly, M.D., as an oncologist at Appleton Medical Center; Billie Sturgeon as a nurse practitioner specializing in neurosurgery at Appleton Medical and Theda Clark; and Sarah Newburg as a physician assistant-hospitalist at Appleton Medical and Theda Clark.

WS Packaging Group, Inc. in Green Bay appointed Charlie Eitel as chief executive officer. Eitel has served on the WS Packaging board of directors since May 2014. Over the course of his career, Eitel has served as chairman and CEO of The Simmons Bedding Company, president and CEO of Interface, Inc., and president and CEO of Collins & Aikman Floorcoverings. He also serves on the boards of Mattress Firm, Duke Realty Corp., and American Fidelity Assurance Corp.

Linz

Schweiger

Prentice

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Business Calendar

Diedrich

Weller

Krikau

Aurora BayCare in Green Bay added Daniel T. McKenna, M.D., as a general and bariatric surgeon at Aurora BayCare General & Vascular Surgery, and added radiologist Ben Gillen, M.D., to BayCare Medical Center. BayCare Clinic also hired Stephen Bornick as general counsel.

Cypress Benefit Administrators in Appleton hired Mary Flannery as an account executive. Flannery has experience in human resources and employee benefits as well as account management, having spent 13 years on the broker side of business.

Stellar Blue Technologies in Neenah hired Dana Baumgart as a marketing strategist. Baumgart has 13 years experience in marketing and advertising and also teaches Internet marketing as an adjunct instructor at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.

Clussman

Litt

Lonergan

lending industry, including work as a loan processor, loan originator, underwriter and escrow processor.

Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership, Inc. hired Dusty Krikau as its director of communication and special events. Krikau most recently worked as the volunteer coordinator for The Volunteer Center of Fond du Lac County and has more than 10 years experience in communications and event planning.

Promotions The Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce in Kaukauna promoted Kelli Clussman to executive director. Clussman has been with the chamber eight years as the membership coordinator.

The Green Bay law firm Hager, Dewick & Zuengler, S.C. hired Nicholas J. Linz as an associate attorney. Linz has experience with business and civil litigation, as well as landlord/tenant law.

Willems Marketing & Events in Appleton promoted Nathan Litt to project director. Litt joined Willems in May 2012 as a project and social media specialist.

Agnesian HealthCare added Dr. Kimberly Schweiger as an optometrist at its Fond du Lac Regional Clinic. She most recently served as an optometrist in Brillion, Kiel and Appleton.

Appleton-based Herrling Clark Law Firm, Ltd. named Kevin Lonergan as its president. Lonergan joined the Herrling Clark Law Firm in the 1980s following a stint in private practice in La Crosse and a few years in the Eau Claire County District Attorney’s office. His practice is devoted to personal injury litigation.

Appleton-based Wisconsin Timber Rattlers hired Chris Prentice as assistant director of food and beverage. He has 10 years experience in the hospitality industry, including jobs at Lambeau Field, Radisson Paper Valley Hotel and The Marq.

H.J. Martin and Son in Green Bay hired Amy Diedrich as an interior designer at its Green Bay location. Diedrich has 12 years experience in the floor covering design industry.

Faith Technologies in Menasha hired Mike Weller as its chief operating officer. Weller most recently served as president of Miller Electric Manufacturing in Appleton. He serves on the board of directors for several organizations, including Great Northern Corp., Ariens Company and Green Bay Packers.

Horicon Bank promoted Steven A. Glish to senior vice president in its Oshkosh office and Steve Leaman to vice president in the bank’s Fond du Lac branch. Glish has a 29-year career in banking and has been a business banker with Horicon Bank since 2007. Leaman has been a business banker in the Fond du Lac area for Horicon Bank since 2011.

Faith Technologies in Menasha promoted Scott Romenesko from director of strategic growth to group president of the industrial business unit; Dan Salm from branch manager to vice president of industrial strategic accounts; Darryl Betro to vice president of industrial construction; David Jahner to president of critical technologies; Heath Luedtke to vice president of mission critical, which focuses on data center construction and renovation; and promoted Jason Spang to group manager of specialty systems.

Fox Valley Savings Bank in Fond du Lac and Oshkosh hired Jesee Te Stroete as a mortgage consultant. Te Stroete has 12 years experience in the mortgage

Glish

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Leaman

Romenesko

Salm

Betro

Jahner

NNB2B | May 2015 | 43

Business Calendar

Business calendar

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

Luedtke

Spang

Aldrete

Individual awards Greg Aldrete, the UW-Green Bay Frankenthal Professor of History and Humanistic Studies, received the 2015 Regents Teaching Excellence Award from the UW System Board of Regents. The UW System’s highest recognition for faculty and academic staff, Aldrete is just the third UW-Green Bay faculty member to receive the recognition.

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

May 5 Building Your Business Legacy, a workshop presented by Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., 6 to 8 p.m. at Fond du Lac Elks Lodge #57, 33 Sheboygan St. in Fond du Lac. Includes a panel discussion and assistance to help small business owners develop a successful business transition plan. For more information or to register, email Errin at errin.welty@wedc.org.

Elections/appointments

May 6 Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce Coffee Connection, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at Adecco, 928 S. Main St., Ste. 400 in Fond du Lac. For more information or to register, call 920.921.9500 or go online to www.fdlac.com.

New North Inc. appointed the following new members to its board of directors: Andrew Leavitt, chancellor of UW Oshkosh; Gary Miller, chancellor of UW Green Bay; and Paul Mueller, chief information officer at Thrivent Financial for Lutherans in Appleton.

May 6 Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, 5 to 7 p.m. at Little Chute Windmill, 130 W. Main St. in Little Chute. Contact Kelli to register by emailing kclussman@heartofthevalleychamber.com.

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44 | May 2015 | NNB2B

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May 7-8 Dwelling Contractor Qualifier Credential, a 12-hour initial training course offered by Valley Home Builders Association, 7:30 a.m. at 920 Association Dr. in Appleton. This course is required by the Wisconsin Department of Safety & Professional Services for individuals seeking to obtain the credential. For more information or to register, go online to www.vhba.com or email megan@vhba.com or call 920.731.7931.

May 12 Chamber 101, a Business Before Hours event from Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce, 8 to 9 a.m. at the chamber building, 101 E. Wisconsin Ave. in Kaukauna.

Contact Kelli to register by emailing kclussman@heartofthevalleychamber.com.

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

May 13 Greater Green Bay Chamber Business After Hours, 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Be’s Coffee & Vending Service, 3330 S. Ridge Road in Green Bay. No cost to attend for chamber members. For information, call 920.437.8704 or email members@titletown.org.

May 13 Women in Management – Fox Cities Chapter monthly meeting, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Fox Banquets & Rivertyme Catering, 111 E. Kimball St. in Appleton. For more information or to register, go online to www.wimiwi.org or email foxcitiesprogram@ wimiwi.org.

May 13 Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce Business Connection, 5 to 7 p.m. at Fox Valley Technical College Public Safety Building Training Center, W6400 County Road BB in Greenville. No cost to attend for members. For more information or to register, contact Pam at receptionist@foxcitieschamber.com.

May 13 A.M. Oshkosh, a morning networking event from the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, 7:45 to 9 a.m. at Habitat ReStore, 1640 S. Koeller St. in Oshkosh. Cost is $2. For more information or to register, call 920.303.2266 or go online to www. oshkoshchamber.com.

May 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. Topic will focus on Small Business Success. For more information or to register, go online to www.wimiwi.org or email Lisa at lkoeppen@communityblood.org.

May 20 Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Between Hours, 11 a.m. to noon at the chamber building, 101 E. Wisconsin Ave. in Kaukauna. Contact Kelli to register by emailing kclussman@heartofthevalleychamber.com.

May 28 North East Wisconsin Construction Industry Partnership Spring 2015 Program, 1 to 6 p.m. at Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena, 1901 S. Oneida St. in Green Bay. Speakers include Mark O’Connell, executive director of Wisconsin Counties Association; Jeff Mirkes, executive director of Downtown Green Bay Inc. and Olde Main Street Inc.; and Aaron Popkey, director of public affairs for the Green Bay Packers. Registration is required by calling 866.966.3928 or going online to newbt. org/2015-newcip-spring-program.

June 2 Greater Green Bay Chamber Power Networking Breakfast, 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the chamber offices, 300 N. Broadway, Ste. 3A in Green Bay. No cost to attend for chamber members. For more information, call 920.437.8704 or email members@ titletown.org. n www.newnorthb2b.com

Advertiser Index

Aurora Health Care ⎮www.aurorahealthcare.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, 15 Bank First National ⎮www.bankfirstnational.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Bayland Buildings ⎮www.baylandbuildings.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Better Business Bureau ⎮www.sgo.wisconsin.bbb.org . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Borsche Roofing Professionals ⎮www.wiroofer.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Candeo Creative ⎮www.modmadmen.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Competive Strategies ⎮www.wemakesoftwarework.com. . . . . . . . . . . 41 Consolidated Construction Company ⎮www.1call2build.com. . . . . . . . 5 C.R. Structures Group, Inc. ⎮www.crstructures.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. ⎮www.dkattorneys.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Dynamic Designs ⎮www.dynamicdesignspulaski.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 First Business Bank ⎮www.firstbusiness.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 First National Bank ~ Fox Valley ⎮www.fnbfoxvalley.com. . . . . . . . . . . 8 Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau ⎮www.FoxCities.org . . . . . . . 39 Fox Communities Credit Union ⎮www.foxcu.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Fox Valley Savings Bank⎮www.FVSBank.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Frontier Builders and Consultants ⎮www.frontierbuilds.com . . . . . . . 28 G. Earl Real Estate, Inc. ⎮www.gebroker.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Guident Business Solutions ⎮www.guidentbusinesssolutions.com. . . 34 James J. Calmes & Sons Construction ⎮ www.JamesJCalmesConstruction.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 J. F. Ahern Co. ⎮www.jfahern.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Keller Inc. ⎮www.kellerbuilds.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Marian University ⎮www.marianuniversity.edu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Modern Business Machines ⎮www.mbm360.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Moraine Park Technical College ⎮www.morainepark.edu/training. . . . 19 National Exchange Bank & Trust ⎮www.nebat.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Navigator Planning Group ⎮www.navigatorpg.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Network Health ⎮www.networkhealth.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 NEW Building & Construction Trades Council ⎮www.newbt.org . . . . . 10 NWTC Corporate Training & Economic Development ⎮ www.corporatetraining.nwtc.edu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Outagamie County Regional Airport ⎮www.atwairport.com. . . . . . . . . 36 Pamco Executive Suites ⎮www.pamcosuites.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 R&R Steel Construction Company Inc. ⎮www.rrsteelconstruction.com.41 Security Luebke Roofing ⎮www.securityluebkeroofing.com. . . . . . . . . 32 St. Norbert College MBA program ⎮www.snc.edu/go/mbasnc. . . . . . . 35 Strang, Patteson, Renning, Lewis & Lacy ⎮www.strangpatteson.com.35 Suttner Accounting ⎮www.suttnercpa.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Tri City Glass & Door ⎮www.tricityglass-door.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 TweetGarot Mechanical ⎮www.tweetgarot.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 UW Oshkosh College of Business ⎮www.mba.uwosh.edu . . . . . . . . . . 21 Verve, a Credit Union ⎮www.verveacu.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Village of Hobart ⎮www.hobart-wi.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Village of Little Chute ⎮www.littlechutewi.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Winnebago County Solid Waste Management ⎮ www.co.winnebago.wi.us/solid-waste/container-rental-program. . 32

NNB2B | May 2015 | 45

Key Statistics

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

local gasoline prices

u.s. retail sales march

april 19..........................$2.36 april 12..........................$2.31 april 5............................$2.36 march 29.......................$2.42 april 19, 2014................$3.63

existing home sales

$441.4 billion 0.9% from February 1.3% from March 2014

u.s. industrial production

february

(2007 = 100) march

homes sold median price brown cty . ....................238 ....................$146,400 Fond du Lac cty ..............86 ....................$106,500 outagamie cty . ............177 .................... $137,900 winnebago cty .............159 ....................$122,900 WI Dept. Revenue Collections february

$683 million 46% from February 2014

105.2

0.6% from February 2.0% from March 2014

air passenger TRAFFIC (Local enplanements)

march 2015 mar 2014 Outagamie Cty. ATW.................... 23,903 ...... 23,708 Austin Straubel GRB..........................N/A ....... 25,957

local unemployment

february january feb ‘14 Appleton ....... 4.7% ...... 4.4% ....... 5.9% Fond du Lac ... 5.0% ...... 5.0% ........6.5% Green Bay........5.4% ...... 5.3% ........7.0% Neenah ........... 4.8% ...... 4.6%.........6.1% Oshkosh . ....... 5.2% ...... 5.2% ........6.7% Wisconsin ..... 5.5% ...... 5.4% ....... 6.8%

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

april........................... $0.389 march.........................$0.527 april 2014.................. $0.803 Source: Integrys Energy

ism index Numbers above 50 mean expansion.

Numbers below 50 mean contraction. march. . . . . . . . . . . 51.5 february . . . . . . . . 52.9

#JUSTGETTINGSTARTED

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