Building a Better Wisconsin Workforce Governor rolls out legislative agenda to develop state’s workforce
Diaries from the shutdown
From the Publisher
Capitalizing on Heritage
Tourism
November 2013 $3.95
Intelligent Business Reporting for the New North
new north b2b November 2013
22
16
Features
IT
28
16 COVER STORY ❘ Building a Better Wisconsin Workforce ❘ Coming legislative agenda to develop state’s workforce 22 TOURISM ❘ Capitalizing on Heritage ❘ Unique historic showcases draw new visitors in an emerging tourism niche 28 TECHNOLOGY ❘ IT Hotbed ❘ How Oshkosh is rallying around a burgeoning IT cluster in the community
Departments
4 From the Publisher 5, 34 Professionally Speaking 6 Since We Last Met 10 Build Up Pages 36 Who’s News 42 Business Calendar 44 Advertiser Index 45 Guest Commentary 46 Key Statistics
On our Cover
Welding is among the high-skilled jobs needed by northeast Wisconsin employers in order to remain competitive in the new economy. Illustration by New North B2B.
NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013 l 3
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Diaries from my government shutdown
Ineffective budget tactic had limited net fiscal effect
Sean Fitzgerald New North B2B Publisher
October certainly was a memorable month for many Americans observing and experiencing the federal government shutdown. It wasn’t the first such shutdown for any of us. Back in December 1995 and January 1996 during President Clinton’s administration, the federal government closed offices for 21 days, the longest and most recent of the 12 total government shutdowns that have occurred since 1981. Most of the previous shutdowns were three days or less, and typically occurred during weekends. This past shutdown lasted 16 days – the second longest in U.S. history – and while many Americans felt as if the shutdown had no effect on their daily lives, others found life a bit more of a struggle. Tuition assistance to military veterans was delayed. Businesses seeking loans backed by the Small Business Administration were put on hold as review and approval of such loan requests was discontinued altogether. Homebuyers looking to close on mortgage loans were occasionally delayed because lenders had trouble confirming applicants’ income tax returns and Social Security data due to government agency closures. Payments were delayed to local public housing authorities. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission discontinued investigating discrimination claims and delayed any hearings or labor mediations it had scheduled. Routine food safety inspections by the federal Food & Drug Administration were suspended at food processing facilities across the country. The shutdown affected the content B2B shares with readers as well. Readers will note the monthly jobs report from the U.S. Department of Labor usually summarized in our Since We Last Met department is absent this issue of B2B, since no report on September 2013 new hires was made during the regular first Friday of October. Similarly, readers will notice our Key Statistics department appearing on page 46 is void of the usual economic updates we provide readers each month, particularly those nuggets of national data associated with housing starts, retail trade and manufacturing output. Instead, data usually provided in that space is replaced with
4 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
a message similar to those found at any federal facility during the first three weeks of October. All of this absent economic data is a casualty of the federal government shutdown. Speaking of federal facility closures, my wife and I faced the shutdown firsthand during a mid-October vacation to New England. If space allowed here, I’d present a photo montage of the various pictures we captured on our recent government shutdown – I mean, vacation. I’ll just simply have to create a Pinterest board instead. Many of the historic sites we visited in Boston were closed because they’re part of the National Park Service. The same was true on Cape Cod – not that the entire peninsula was closed – but the National Seashore that surrounds much of the Cape was closed to visitors. In fact, even the kiosks outside of closed visitor centers were cleaned out of any brochures, maps and guides for those looking to explore the closed properties on their own. At the visitor center to the National Whaling Historic Park in New Bedford, Mass., the tribute to our nation’s whaling heritage, the predictable sign on the front door giving notice of the federal government shutdown was surrounded by a smattering of sticky-notes from UPS informing staff they’d missed several attempts to deliver packages. Although disappointed we didn’t receive the full experience we’d hoped in traveling to these distant attractions, I consoled myself with the notion that at least the federal government was saving money during this shutdown – the payroll for the hundreds of employees alone that would have normally staffed the destinations we visited had to amount to at least a half million dollars. In the end, the short-term agreement to end the federal government shutdown on Oct. 17 – the day we returned to northeast Wisconsin – included within it a measure to provide back pay to furloughed federal government employees “laid off” during the shutdown. An unexpected half-month vacation at taxpayers’ expense? So much for the consolation I felt in being unable to fully experience these many national treasures. Is it any wonder that Americans found themselves in this mess to begin with? www.newnorthb2b.com
IT’S BREAK TIME!
PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING
by Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. Tony Renning
920.232.4842
If you have a particular labor/employment law question, forward it to Mr. Renning at info@newnorthb2b.com. If he responds to your email in a future issue, your name and company will be withheld to preserve your privacy.
Reader Question: As an employer, am I legally required to provide my employees with breaks and, if so, do I have to compensate them? Tony Renning: Employees younger than 18 years of age may not work longer than six hours without receiving at least a 30-minute duty free meal period. Wis. Admn Code DWD § 274.02(2). Breaks of shorter duration are not required, but may be offered. Wisconsin law does not require employers provide brief rest periods, coffee breaks or meal periods (i.e., “breaks”) to adult employees, although the Department of Workforce Development encourages employers do so. Wis. Admn Code DWD §274.02(2). Employers are encouraged, but not required, to provide breaks of at least 30 minutes in duration at times reasonably close to the usual
Sean Fitzgerald
Publisher & President
sean@newnorthb2b.com
Carrie Rule
Sales Manager
carrie@newnorthb2b.com
Kate Erbach Production
Contributing writers
Robin Driessen Bruecker Lee Marie Reinsch Chief Financial Officer
Vicky Fitzgerald, CPA
meal period. Section 103.85, Wis. Stats., does provide that employers operating factories or mercantile establishments (enterprises engaged in retail trade) must provide employees with at least one period consisting of 24 consecutive hours of rest in each calendar week. The law does not provide that the rest must be given every seven days. For example, an employer may legally schedule work for 12 consecutive days within a two-week period if the days of rest fall on the first and last days of the two-week period. Employers are required to pay all employees for breaks (periods of time free from work) less than 30 minutes in duration. Wis. Admn Code DWD § 272.04(3). Moreover, any break in excess of 30 minutes where the employee is not free to leave the premises of the employer must be paid. However, if an
employee elects to remain at his/her post but would be free to leave, the employer need not compensate them. For advice and counsel concerning hours of work and, specifically, wage and hour issues related to same, contact Tony Renning at (920) 232-4842 or trenning@dkattorneys.com or any other member of the Davis & Kuelthau Labor and Employment Team. Tony Renning is a shareholder with Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. Mr. Renning provides counsel to private and public sector employers on a wide variety of labor and employment law matters. This article is intended to provide information only, not legal advice. For advice regarding a particular employment situation, please contact a member of the Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. Labor and Employment Team.
Green Bay
NEW NORTH B2B is published monthly by WINNEBAGO B2B LLC for $20 per year or $3.95 for a single issue. POSTMASTER: send address changes to: WINNEBAGO B2B LLC 923 S. Main St., Oshkosh, WI 54902. Bulk-rate postage paid at La Crosse, WI. Reproduction of any contents of NEW NORTH B2B without express written permission of its publishers is strictly forbidden. The appearance of any advertisement or product information does not constitute endorsement of any product or service by WINNEBAGO B2B LLC. Copyright 2013.
Contact us: P.O. Box 559, Oshkosh, WI 54903-0559 • 920.237.0254 www.newnorthb2b.com
Fox Cities
Oshkosh
Fond du Lac NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013 l 5
SINCE WE LAST MET
Since we last met Since We Last Met is a digest of business related news occurring in the greater Green Bay, Fox Cities, Oshkosh and Fond du Lac areas in the one month since the previous issue of New North B2B.
September 24 The Outagamie County Board of Supervisors approved a measure to extend spousal benefits to those in registered domestic partnerships beginning in 2014. The measure was introduced as an effort to remain competitive among employers in attracting a quality workforce. The City of Appleton already extends benefits to same-sex couples in registered domestic partnerships, as do 25 other public government entities in the state and an estimated more than 300 private companies.
September 25 The Interstate 43 Leo Frigo Bridge spanning the Fox River in Green Bay was closed to traffic indefinitely after one of the support piers upholding the bridge unexpectedly sank by two feet. Further analysis by state and federal transportation officials determined steel pilings for the support pier located below the concrete footing buckled as a result of corrosion. Gov. Scott Walker declared the bridge a disaster and is seeking federal funds to help cover the costs of repairing the bridge, which was preliminarily estimated at $50 million. DOT officials indicated the heavily traveled bridge will be closed to traffic during the repair project and isn’t likely to reopen until late January 2014.
September 26 The Women’s Fund of Greater Green Bay launched a one-year, $1 million fundraising campaign in order to boost its endowment from $1.3 million to $1.8 million, allowing it the ability for an enhanced distribution of earnings each year. The other $500,000 would be allocated to new impact grants supporting programs to help 9 to 15-year-old girls in
Brown, Kewaunee and Oconto counties build and maintain selfconfidence.
September 27 The City of Oshkosh received a $2 million grant from the federal Economic Development Administration toward the creation of the Oshkosh Aviation Business Park on the southeast side of Wittman Regional Airport. The business park will cater to aviation-related businesses, and many of the parcels will have direct access to the airport’s taxiway. The grant will help finance costs associated with road, water and other infrastructure, with total costs to develop the business park estimated at $4.64 million.
September 29 United Auto Workers Local 578 at Oshkosh Corp. approved a five-year contract extension with the specialty vehicle manufacturer that allows the company to offer the military a more competitive bid on a contract to replace U.S. Army and Marine Corps Humvees beginning in 2017. The union is currently working under a five-year labor agreement that continues through September 2016. The new labor contract extends five years beyond that expiration through September 2021.
October 1 Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson rolled out his proposal for a 2014 county budget which includes $150,000 in funding for the Fox Cities Regional Partnership. This past March the county board of supervisors turned down a measure
920-215-3262 Ext. 126 Kate@ThomeBenefitSolutions.com www.ThomeBenefitSolutions.com
You’ve built a business, but how do you retire from it? Kate can show you options available with succession planning.
Kate Thome, LUTCF, ChFC ® Retirement Planning | Life Insurance Long Term Care | Investment Strategies 401(k) Plans | Estate Planning
Insurance products from the Principal Financial Group® are issued by Principal National Life Insurance Company (except in New York), Principal Life Insurance Company and the companies available through the Preferred Product Network, Inc. Securities and advisory products offered through Princor Financial Services Corporation, 800/247-1737, member SIPC. Principal National, Principal Life, the Preferred Product Network, and Princor® are members of the Principal Financial Group®, Des Moines, IA 50392. Kate Thome, Principal National and Principal Life Financial Representative, Princor Registered Representative and Financial Advisor. Thome Benefit Solutions is not an affiliate of any member of the Principal Financial Group. #t13012802dk
6 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
www.newnorthb2b.com
SINCE WE LAST MET to fund the start-up economic development organization over concerns some supervisors held regarding the governance of the funds and potential conflicts of interest. Nelson’s budget proposal would pay $75,000 to the Fox Cities Regional Partnership at the beginning of the year, with an additional payment made later in 2014 after the agency demonstrates the effect of its efforts.
October 7 Former state Department of Commerce Secretary Mary Burke formally announced her candidacy for the Democratic nomination to challenge Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker in November 2014. Burke is a former executive at Waterloobased Trek Bicycle Corp. and is the daughter of Trek founder Dick Burke. She was appointed secretary of the then-Wisconsin Department of Commerce by former Gov. Jim Doyle in 2005 and held the post more than two years until resigning in late 2007 to provide more attention to her philanthropic initiatives.
OCTOBER 7 The Appleton Area School District Board of Education proposed a 2013-14 budget which is nearly 8 percent less than the past year’s budget of $191 million. The proposed $176 million budget changes the employee health insurance plan, contributing to the $14.4 million savings from the 2012-13 spending package. The proposed budget still would increase the tax levy by about 1 percent from a year ago to $64 million, increasing the tax rate slightly more than 1 percent to $9.49 for every $1,000 of equalized property value.
October 14 The state Department of Administration released its Annual Fiscal Report for Wisconsin’s 2012-13 fiscal year indicating a surplus of $759.2. more than 50 percent higher than the $485 million surplus projected by the state’s Legislative Fiscal Bureau back in January. As a result, state officials deposited $153.2 million into the state’s rainy day fund, the largest contribution to the fund in state history. The balance in Wisconsin’s rainy day fund now stands at $278.5 million, also the highest balance in the history of the state.
October 15 Green Bay-based MetJet announced it would cancel all flight operations due to insufficient demand for its services. The company began in 2012 to provide nonstop passenger flights out of Green Bay’s Austin Straubel International Airport to a handful of key vacation markets. MetJet indicated it would make refunds available to all qualifying passengers who purchased seats on flights scheduled after the final flight on Oct. 25.
October 16 Wells Fargo announced plans to lay off 925 mortgage division employees nationwide, including 30 workers in its Appleton office, as a result of the slowdown in mortgage refinancing during the past 12 to 18 months. Employees were issued 60-day notices that their position would be terminated by mid-December. The nation’s fourth largest financial
2004 November 15 – A consortium of northeastern Wisconsin business, education, economic development and government leaders gathered in Green Bay to launch a collaborative effort to market and plan for the economic future of the region. That gathering would later be recognized as the first New North Summit.
2005 November 2 – Bemis Company officials announced the corporate headquarters would move from Minneapolis to Neenah to be closer to the 12 plants and nearly 3,400 employees based in the area.
2006 November 16 – Employees at Tecumseh Products Co. in New Holstein were told the small engine manufacturing plant would close in March 2007, effectively laying off about 340 people at the plant. The move comes after more than 200 employees were laid off a month earlier from Tecumseh, which had been Calumet County’s largest employer as recently as 2001.
2007 November 7 – Fond du Lac Family YMCA kicked off a community capital fund raising campaign to generate nearly $4 million toward a $12.5 million goal to construct an upgraded facility to house both the YMCA and the Fond du Lac Boys & Girls Club.
2011 November 1 – The Wisconsin Department of Justice reported more than 120,000 people downloaded concealed carry permit applications on the first day that the state’s new law took effect allowing citizens to carry hidden weapons.
NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013 l 7
SINCE WE LAST MET institution has been steadily cutting back its mortgage staff following a recent bump in interest rates on home mortgages earlier this summer.
October 17 President Obama signed a bill to end the 16-day-long federal government shutdown and increase the federal government’s debt ceiling as the two issues inched toward a potential financial crisis. The new bill is only a short-term measure, funding federal government services through Jan. 15, 2014 and raising the debt cap through Feb. 7, 2014. It also provides back pay for furloughed federal employees. Additional measures will need to be negotiated through Congress during the next three months to identify a longer-term solution to both fiscal issues.
October 17 Recognizing a budget surplus at the end of Wisconsin’s 201213 fiscal year this past July, the state legislature approved a measure to provide $100 million in property tax relief. The unexpected windfall resulted from higher-than-anticipated tax collections during the recent fiscal year. The tax cut will be applied to all property tax bills mailed out to homeowners in December. While the amount of the tax cut will vary widely across the state, the average homeowner is expected to save $13 this year and $20 in 2014.
8 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
7 The number of youth apprenticeship programs serving high school students across the New North region. These seven programs recently received a total of more than $420,000 in funding from the state for the 2013-14 academic year. Source: WI Dept. of Workforce Development
www.newnorthb2b.com
#1
Radio station in over 30 key adult categories across the Fox Cities and Green Bay.*
Thank you to our: Avenue members k Corporate Sponsors Marketing Agencies k Nonprofits
Your loyalty and support has made us the fastest growing adult station across Northeast Wisconsin.
Join us! Call 1-920-271-2700 and ask for Brad Langley or email bradl@avenueradio.com
*Eastlan 2013 Spring Ratings
BUILD UP FOND DU LAC 1
2 6
3
4
5
Build Up Fond du Lac 1
manufacturing and fabrication plants. Project completion expected in December.
- 790 Eastgate Dr., Ripon, Ripon Medical Center, a 120,000-sq. ft. hospital and medical office building. Project completion expected in January 2014.
4-
2 - 800 Block W. Johnson St., Fond du Lac, Panda Express, a new restaurant building.
5 - 1674 Fox Ridge Dr., Fond du Lac,
3
- 545 & 560 W. Pioneer Road, Fond du Lac, Mercury Marine, an addition to the product development and engineering facility and separate additions to its
100 Camelot Dr., Fond du Lac, Excel Engineering, an addition to the existing office building.
Con-way Freight, a 47,000-sq. ft. freight terminal and service center. Project completion expected in March 2014.
6 - 20 Wisconsin-American Dr., Fond du Lac, Immanuel Trinity Lutheran Church, an addition to the existing church.
Get paid for your recyclables.
ARE YOU
THROWING AWAY
PROFITS?
Manufacturers across Northeast Wisconsin are wasting money by landfilling valuable material. Our comprehensive [CO+] Efficient Program will improve your recycling process and add to your bottom-line. For a free consultation, call Glen Laehn at 1-800-236-5700 today! Green Bay • Manitowoc • Sheboygan • Berlin • Oshkosh • Fond du Lac
• Container services • Custom recycling programs • Dedicated dispatch • Material security • Environmental protection • “Down To Earth” recycling
www.Sadoff.com
SR00-1012 Revised_Manufacturing ad_Final.indd 1
10 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
...and more
10/10/12 9:28 AM
www.newnorthb2b.com
BUILD UP OSHKOSH
7
8 9
C - Indicates a new listing
Build Up Oshkosh
7 - 1090 N. Washburn St., Oshkosh, Kwik Trip, a new convenience store, fuel canopy and car wash.
Projects completed since our October issue: • Riverwood Centre, 1056 S. Main St., Fond du Lac. • Castle Pierce Printing Co., 2247 Ryf Road, Oshkosh.
8 - 639 Witzel Ave., Oshkosh, City of Oshkosh Public Works Building, a municipal operations facility and yard. 9
- 625 Pearl Ave., Oshkosh, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Alumni Welcome and Conference Center, a twostory, 40,000-sq. ft. welcome center and meeting facility. Project completion expected in December.
Get the
scoop on projects Free Trial at BXWI.com
W2518 Cty Rd JJ Appleton WI 54913 920.687.8782
Information is your most powerful tool
11331 W. Rogers St. Milwaukee WI 53227 414.763.1520 your best source for commercial construction info
x 24/7
on-line plan room access x over
4000
projects reported on annually
NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013 l 11
BUILD UP FOX CITIES Build Up Fox Cities The Build Up department of New North B2B includes a monthly two-page spread identifying significant commercial and industrial construction projects ongoing in the Fox Cities area. C - Indicates a new listing
1 - W6400 County Road BB, town of Greenville, Fox Valley Technical College Public Safety Training Center, a 93,000sq. ft. training facility for fire protection and law enforcement personnel. Project completion expected in December 2014. 2
9
- 2700 Northridge Dr., Kaukauna, C Plumbers & Steamfitters UA Local 400, a two-story, 30,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing training center to include a weld shop and plumbing lab. Project completion expected in January.
10
- 3601 Electric City Blvd., Kaukauna, C Albany International, an addition to the existing industrial facility.
11 - 2937 Lawe St., Kaukauna, Bergstrom Fiat, automotive dealership building. Project completion expected in January.
- 1900 Prospect Ct., town of Grand Chute, WaterRight, a two-story, 33,044-sq. ft. addition to and alterations of the existing industrial facility. Project completion expected in December.
12 - 2600 E. Philip Lane, Appleton, Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, an addition to the existing church building.
3
a five-story, 90-bed patient tower, as well as renovations to the cancer center and behavioral health.
4
14 - 1330 University Dr., Menasha, United Paper Corp., a 6,600-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility. Project completion expected in November. General contractor is Frontier Builders & Consultants of Kaukauna.
- 3600 W. Prospect Ave., Appleton, C Butte des Morts Country Club, an addition to the pool complex. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna. - 301 N. Bluemound Dr., town of Grand Chute, Gordon Food Service (GFS) Marketplace, a 15,757-sq. ft. grocery store building.
5 - 1825 N. Bluemound Dr., town of Grand Chute, Fox Valley Technical College Transportation Center, a 43,486-sq. ft. addition to the existing transportation education center. Project completion expected in spring 2014.
6 - 1825 N. Bluemound Dr., town of Grand Chute, Fox Valley Technical College Student Success Center, a two-story, 96,750-sq. ft. academic building. Project completion expected in fall 2014.
13 - 1506 S. Oneida St., Appleton, St. Elizabeth Hospital,
15 - 1465 Opportunity Way, Menasha, Community Clothes Closet, a 9,117-sq. ft. warehouse and office addition to the existing nonprofit facility. Project completion expected in November. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna. 16 - 550 S. Green Bay Road, Neenah, First National Bank Fox Valley, an 8,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing financial institution. Project completion expected in late fall.
7 - 2120 E. Edgewood Dr., Appleton,
17 - 601 S. Commercial St., Neenah, Galloway Company, a 29,077-sq. ft. addition to the existing dairy processing facility. Project completion expected in early 2014.
8-
18 - 906 S. Green Bay Road, Neenah, GoodwillNeenah, a 24,936-sq. ft. retail building. General contractor is R.J. Albright Construction Inc. of Oshkosh.
Kwik Trip, a 9,821sq. ft. convenience store, fuel station canopy and a 2,790-sq. ft. car wash.
N2749 French Road, Freedom, St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church & School, a 34,655-sq. ft. addition to the existing church and school for new classrooms, kitchen, cafeteria and offices. Project completion expected in early 2014. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.
Coming to B2B in December Pioneers of 2013
Recognizing innovative trailblazers in northeast Wisconsin
12 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
19 - 2437 Progress Ct., Neenah, Kundinger Fluid Power, a 10,000-sq. ft. addition to the company’s technology center. Project completion expected in December. 20 - W647 Knight Dr., Sherwood, Dick’s Family Foods, a 20,598-sq. ft. grocery store building. Project completion expected in March 2014. General contractor is Bayland Buildings Inc. of Green Bay. Projects completed since our October issue: • The Meat Block, N1739 Lily of the Valley Dr., Greenville. • Eagle Plastics, 2929 W. Evergreen Dr., Little Chute. • Kidzland Child Care Center, 201 Patriot Dr., Little Chute. • Promo Edge Company, 2255 Brooks Ave., Neenah. • Plexus Corp., 2444 Schultz Dr., Neenah.
www.newnorthb2b.com
BUILD UP FOX CITIES 7&8 9 thru 11 5&6
4
1
2
13
3
12 14 15
20
16 17 18 19
I believe in options not obstacles. Enroll today. Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative gives its Members fair access to quality, compreshensive care. Call your agent or contact us today. 855.494.2667| CommonGroundHealthcare.org NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013 l 13
BUILD UP GREATER GREEN BAY Build Up Greater Green Bay The Build Up department of New North B2B includes a monthly two-page spread identifying significant commercial and industrial construction projects ongoing in the greater Green Bay area. C - Indicates a new listing
1 - 5201 Glendale Ave., Howard, C
Cellcom/Nsight Teleservices, a 32,000-sq.
ft. logistical operations center.
2 - 2641 Packerland Dr., Howard, Hattiesburg Paper Company, an addition to the existing industrial facility. 3 - 1871 Shawano Ave., Green Bay,
Kwik Trip Stores, a 540-sq. ft. addition and alteration to the existing convenience store. Project completion expected in November.
4 - 2325 Hutson Road, Green Bay,
business name not mentioned, a 21,000-sq. ft. warehouse, offices and mezzanine. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.
5 - 2522 W. Mason St., Green Bay, Oneida Mason Street Casino, an 8,000-sq. ft. expansion of the existing facility to accommodate an on-site restaurant. Project completion expected in May 2014. 6 - 411 S. Military Ave., Green Bay, Fox Communities Credit Union, a 4,400-sq. ft. credit union branch office. Project completion expected in early 2014. 7
- 400 N. Washington St., Green Bay, Schreiber Foods Inc., a five-story, 250,000-sq. ft. corporate headquarters building. Project completion expected in early 2014.
8 - 620 Potts Ave., Ashwaubenon, C
L.P. Mooradian Flooring Co., a 9,945-sq. ft. retail flooring store. Project completion expected in November,
9 - 2020 Airport Dr., Ashwaubenon, Oneida Main Casino, an expansion and renovation of the existing casino to accommodate another on-site restaurant and additional gaming. Project completion expected in April 2014. 10 - 1921 Airport Dr., Ashwaubenon, C Jet Air Group, a 34,000-sq. ft. storage hangar with additional office space and a repair center. Project completion expected in spring 2014. General contractor is Bayland Buildings Inc. of Green Bay. 11 -
Label Drive, Ashwaubenon, Green Bay Packaging Inc., a 240,000-sq. ft. coated products manufacturing facility. Project completion expected in late 2014.
12 - 100 Grant St., De Pere, St. Norbert College Gehl-Mulva Science Center, a 150,000-sq. ft. education and research facility which will jointly house the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Green Bay campus. Project completion expected in spring 2015. 13 - 3101 French Road, town of Lawrence, Kelbe Brothers Equipment, a 6,600-sq. ft. warehouse building and offices. Project completion expected in January. General contractor is Bayland Buildings Inc. of Green Bay. 14 - 2121 American Blvd., De Pere, RGL Holdings, a 3,931-sq. ft. addition to the existing warehousing facility. Project completion expected in December. 15 - 2249 American Blvd., De Pere, Infinity Machine, a 39,060-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility. 14 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
www.newnorthb2b.com
BUILD UP GREATER GREEN BAY
1
2 4
3
5
6 7
9 8
10
11
13 thru 16
12
17
16 - 1751 Matthew Dr., De Pere, Fox River Fiber, a 2,880-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility. Project completion expected in November. 17 - 600 Heritage Road, De Pere, Belmark, an 18,803-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility. Project completion expected in November.
Projects completed since our October issue: • Nicolet National Bank, 2380 Dousman St., Howard. • AK Pizza Crust, 3050 Walker Dr., Green Bay. • EuroPharma, 955 Challenger Dr., Green Bay. • Costco Wholesale, 2357 Costco Way, Bellevue. • Foth & Van Dyke, 2121 Innovation Ct., De Pere. • Town of Lawrence, 2400 Shady Ct., town of Lawrence. • Green Bay Packaging, 2275 American Blvd., De Pere. • Aurora Health Center, 1881 Chicago St., De Pere.
NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013 l 15
COVER STORY
Gov. Walker rolls out coming legislative agenda to develop the state’s workforce Story by Sean Fitzgerald, Publisher New North B2B
16 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
www.newnorthb2b.com
COVER STORY
One of the greatest challenges facing Wisconsin’s economy in 2013 and for several years into the foreseeable future isn’t an inability of local businesses to grow because they can’t adequately compete for customers. The opportunities for growth readily exist in several manufacturing sectors critical to northeast Wisconsin’s economic success. The issue – as we’re learning all too well during the past half-decade or so – is the difficulty in finding a qualified workforce ready and able to fill high-paying, skilled-trades positions as they become available. Such job vacancies number in the hundreds across northeast Wisconsin, and while many are created as a result of positive business growth, many open as long-experienced practitioners of technical trades retire and move out of the workforce altogether, taking decades of institutional knowledge along with them.
Various endeavors attempt to steer high school students and under-employed adults toward educational training programs geared toward filling these highly sought-after workforce needs. In late September, Gov. Scott Walker rolled out his own workforce development priorities for the 2013-14 state legislative session that began last month. The proposal includes eight separate workforce development bills primarily targeting efforts to attract and incent high school students to consider apprenticeship opportunities and technical college education in heavily needed workforce skill sets, as well as funding jobtraining initiatives for workers with special needs. “These bills build on the near $100 million workforce development investment in our (2013-15 biennial) budget,” Walker said, indicating the proposed legislative package will invest an additional $8.5 million in new state funds and secure an additional $14 million in new federal funds for vocational rehabilitation programs. The various workforce development bills proposed by legislators and endorsed by the governor for the upcoming session are outlined below.
Investing in youth apprenticeship
This proposal would increase funding available to youth apprenticeship programs across the state by $500,000, improving upon the $1.8 million already included in the recent state budget and growing that commitment to $2.3 million annually so programs can meet demand. Youth apprenticeship programs, such as the longstanding initiative through the Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce, allow students to receive on the job training in fields as varied as engineering, graphic arts and health care services, among others. Many of the state’s youth apprenticeship programs enable students to receive technical college-level instruction at their local high school. According to the governor’s office, nearly 1,900 apprentices were trained across Wisconsin during 2012 at 1,300 different
... Wisconsin’s Apprenticeship program is the oldest such program in the nation, dating back to 1911.
NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013 l 17
COVER STORY employers. Various school-to-work apprenticeship training programs across the state indicate demand exists from students and employers alike, and they can train even more individuals with additional funding. And the training they receive has proven successful. More than 80 percent of the apprenticeship program graduates received job offers with the employer who provided the training, according to data from the governor’s office.
.... nearly 1,900 apprentices were trained across Wisconsin during 2012 at 1,300 different employers.
Apprenticeship tuition reimbursement
Apprenticeship programs aren’t entirely funded by the state. There is a financial commitment from the community, employers and the apprentice as well. This proposed piece of legislation would provide funding to reimburse the student or employer for 25 percent of the apprenticeship tuition and fee cost up to $1,000 per apprentice. This proposal is aimed at encouraging more Wisconsin employers to participate in the program. A surprise to many, Wisconsin’s Apprenticeship program is the oldest such program in the nation, dating back to 1911. Apprentices increase their skills as well as grow their wages. On average, annual earnings of a person who completes an apprenticeship roughly equal those of a college graduate and nearly double those of a high school graduate.
Technical education incentive grants
Sen. Rick Gudex (R-Fond du Lac) co-authored this bill to develop an incentive program offering a $1,000 per pupil incentive payment to K-12 school districts establishing programs encouraging students to earn industry recognized certificates in high-need occupations before high school graduation. Originally proposed by state Superintendent Tony Evers, the program would begin in the 2014-15 school year so that the list of high-need occupations can be determined by the state Department of Workforce Development and the Wisconsin Technical College System, and then allowing school districts time to develop and prepare such programs. “One of the things we wanted to do collectively is have students come into the workforce with some exposure to these technical skills,” said Gudex, who spent 24 years in manufacturing before being elected to the state Senate in 2012. “This is a need that I personally have lived, having come from a welding environment,” Gudex said, referencing the Moraine Park Technical College Welding Boot Camp program sponsored by Brenner Tank in Fond du Lac, where he most recently worked as a production manager. Encouraging students to graduate high school with industry recognized credentials in high-need fields was a goal of both 18 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
www.newnorthb2b.com
COVER STORY the Governor’s College and Workforce Readiness Council and the Be Bold 2 study released by Competitive Wisconsin in 2012. Growing the number of students who graduate high school with industry recognized credentials helps fill the pipeline of new students enrolling in the state’s technical colleges, and allows students to enter their first year with several program requirements completed. “Employers require specialized skills to match the intricacies of this economy,” said Susan May, president of Fox Valley Technical College. “By getting high school students and educators better aligned with the value of a technical education, the pathway to a great career is both clear and readily attainable. “Almost every employer I talk with is worried about his or her future workforce and simply finding enough people with the necessary technical skills. This is because far too few high school students understand or pursue a post-secondary technical education that can lead to great career opportunities here in the region.”
Rehabilitation Services
This legislation would invest nearly $4 million of state funds in vocational rehabilitation services for persons with special needs. The proposal carries an expectation that the state investment would be matched with $14 million from the federal government during the next two years. The Department of Workforce Development estimates nearly
“
By getting high school students and educators better aligned with the value of a technical education, the pathway to a great career is both clear and readily attainable.
”
- Susan May, president, Fox Valley Technical College 3,000 more workers in the state would benefit from such rehabilitative services delivered as a result of the funding this legislation would support.
Technical excellence scholarship
The state’s existing Academic Excellence Program awards a tuition grant to the valedictorian from each public and private high school to attend any higher education institution in the state. As these tuition grants extend to the highest performing students from their respective school, most attend a four-year college or university. In fact, during the recently completed 2012-13 academic year, only 16 of 726 high school valedictorians across the state used their award to attend a
NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013 l 19
COVER STORY the business community.” Scholarships from this program would first be awarded in the 201516 academic year, giving schools time to establish criteria for selecting scholarship winners.
Wisconsin Workers Win
Submitted Photo
Gov. Scott Walker (second from left) examines Fox Valley Technical College’s newly implemented robotic welders at its Oshkosh-based Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center in late September, highlighting the importance of this technology for developing the region’s workforce. Robotic welding is among the field of highly sought after job skills demanded by Wisconsin employers which could be supported by the legislative initiatives the governor is recommending. He is joined by Rep. Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh), to the right of the governor, and Steve Straub, far right, dean of manufacturing and agricultural technologies at FVTC. state technical school. Not surprisingly, employer demands are changing. According to the state Department of Workforce Development, an estimated 70 percent of the jobs in Wisconsin’s workforce by 2020 will require some post-secondary technical skills, but will require less qualification than a four-year degree would provide. This proposed legislation would fund new scholarships for students at the top of their class for technical education to use at Wisconsin’s 16 technical colleges. This proposed scholarship would mirror
20 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
the existing Academic Excellence Program, but allow local school boards to design criteria for awarding the scholarship. Sen. Gudex co-authored this bill as well, indicating it would create a scholarship of $2,250 each academic year, the same amount provided to students under the current valedictorian award program. “It’s another thing we’re trying to do to get the best of the best,” Gudex told B2B. “I’m always going to do everything I can to get students ready for work in
The inaugural Wisconsin Workers Win pilot program expired this year, and this legislation would restore program funding for an additional two years. The pilot program for Wisconsin Workers Win operated in the highunemployment areas of southeastern and southwestern Wisconsin, being offered as an option to unemployment insurance claimants to train in a new occupation while continuing to receive unemployment. During the first year of the pilot program, the state’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund was spared $80,000 as a result of the initiative, and 166 unemployed workers found more permanent employment with an average starting wage of $13.56 per hour, according to the governor’s office.
Licensing Reform
Sen. Frank Lasee (R-Ledgeview) co-authored this legislation which would allow prospective licensees to take their licensing exams at the Department of Safety and Professional Services prior to completing their training. As it stands currently, some prospective licensees must wait months to take an exam keeping them from beginning work in their profession.
www.newnorthb2b.com
COVER STORY Not surprisingly, employer demands are changing. According to the state Department of Workforce Development, an estimated 70 percent of the jobs in Wisconsin’s workforce by 2020 will require some post-secondary technical skills, but will require less qualification than a four-year degree would provide. Though the actual professional license wouldn’t be issued until training is completed, this legislation would allow new license holders to begin work immediately upon completion of their training, removing unnecessary waiting time after graduation so that newly trained workers can get into the workforce faster.
Transitional Jobs Program expansion
This last item of proposed legislation would create a Transitional Jobs Program to serve cities or counties with high unemployment and high child poverty rates through the state Department of Children and Families. This program would be operated with existing agency funds and would provide lowincome adults with immediate income, work opportunities and the ability to gain additional job skills. A three-year demonstration project for the Transitional Jobs Program ended this past June after helping 4,074 workers receive long-term career preparation and support to move to unsubsidized employment.
Initiatives already ordered
The two-year state budget approved by legislators this past June included more than $100 million in workforce development programs. Those programs are either already being developed within their respective state department or are already available to equip workers with the skills they need to find jobs needed among northeast Wisconsin employers. In addition, the Wisconsin Fast Forward initiative approved earlier in 2013 – separate from the state budget bill – invests $15 million in worker training grants awarded by the new state Office of Skills Development. The Fast Forward effort also includes the creation of a new Labor Market Information System, which will connect job seekers and the unemployed with employers in need of workers, as well as assist students in learning about emerging career opportunities.
DESIGN/BUILD AND GENERAL CONTRATORS 5521 COUNTY ROAD BB • APPLETON, WI 54914 920-739-6521 • 800-331-6521 PRE-ENGINEERED METAL • MASONRY • PRECAST • CONVENTIONAL
Agricultural x Manufacturing x Warehousing 3 year warranty on workmanship and subcontractors Family owned business over 50 years
RRSTEELCONSTRUCTION.COM NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013 l 21
TOURISM
Capitalizing on heritage “Father Marquette and the Indians,� the famous 1869 work of Flemish painter Wilhelm Lamprecht. Marquette and his partner, Louis Joliet, were among the first tourists to northeast Wisconsin.
Unique historic showcases continue to draw new visitors to the community in an emerging tourism niche Story by Lee Marie Reinsch
22 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
www.newnorthb2b.com
TOURISM Museum (myoo zee’ um): Noun, tomb-like building that houses items of art, science or history and other boring old stuff. Touching or photographing said boring old stuff is strictly prohibited. Not that long ago, history meant sepia photos and dusty old houses filled with rooms full of uncomfortablelooking chairs and oddly dressed mannequins, all roped off with velvet cords. “There’s still a perception out there (about museums and typical history attractions) where, you go in and it’s no touch, no photographs, the guy’s got the white gloves on, and I’ll just talk to you for 45 minutes,” said Pam Seidl, executive director of the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau. “You can’t participate.” Seidl said her industry sources indicate that history tourism may be on the wane. “I think history travelers are a dedicated set of travelers, but industry-wide what we’re seeing is a decline, especially for historic homes,” she said. “That segment of the market is not as robust as it used to be.” Even The History Channel seems to have given up on history: Swamp People, Ax Men, Chasing Tail. What’s up with that? Still, the majority of travelers to the Fox Cities (54.3 percent) listed historic attractions as important in a 2011 survey done for the Fox Cities CVB. And industry pros, including Seidl’s local colleague Matthew Carpenter, executive director of History Museum at the Castle, disagree with her downtrodden assessment. “It may be hard to swallow but more people attend museums in America than attend all professional sporting events,” Carpenter said. “At the History Museum we see, over time,
stable visitor numbers with an occasional dramatic bump. For example we saw a dramatic increase in admissions dollars from 2011 to 2012 when we hosted a successful traveling exhibition, ‘Leonardo daVinci: Machines in Motion.’ Our admission dollars increased 204 percent.” He cited a recent National Endowment for the Arts survey suggesting that the share of adult heritage tourists – people who travel 50 miles or more to attend museums, cultural performances and historic sites – remained stable from 2008 to 2012. And museum attendance overall in the United States is up, according to the American Alliance of Museums. Could it be that our definition of history tourism is changing?
Getting into a row over history
People might not think “history” when they see a shiny new kayak, but when it’s paddling the same route Native Americans and French fur traders took before Wisconsin gained statehood, it’s all about the past. “People are still interested in history, but in a different way,” said Candice Mortara, president of the Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway, a water trail for boaters, kayakers and canoeists currently being developed on the Fox and Lower Wisconsin rivers between Green Bay and Prairie du Chien, following the historic route navigated by Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet in 1673. Along the 280 miles of river that comprise the Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway, there are landmarks and sites with stories of the past to be told, Mortara said. “Most of the people that live here don’t quite realize the extent of (the history associated with the river), let alone the visitors,” she said. “There is so much history associated with this river.” p Did you know that Neenah Foundry has manhole covers
Visitors seeking Heritage Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway heritageparkway.org
Greater Green Bay Packers Heritage Trail packersheritagetrail.com
Paine Art Center & Gardens thepaine.org
Fox Cities
Heritage Hill State Historical Park heritagehillgb.org
Grand Opera House grandoperahouse.org
History Museum at the Castle myhistorymuseum.org Hearthstone Historic House Museum focol.org/hearthstone/
Neville Public Museum Nevillepublicmuseum.org
Oshkosh
Oshkosh Public Museum oshkoshmuseum.org
Fond du Lac
Galloway House and Village fdlhistory.com Breaking Bread in the Holyland fdl.com/BreakingBreadBookInternet.pdf
NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013 l 23
TOURISM in every U.S. state and every continent except Antarctica? p Or that, between Menasha and Green Bay, the Lower Fox River drops down as much as Niagara Falls does? It just does it over the course of 30 miles. p Or that the Fox River lock system is one of only two handoperated lock systems still functioning in the country? Mortara hopes tidbits like these will awaken travelers’ curiosity. “If you start there, that could pique their interest and they’ll want to find out more about it: Why is Neenah Foundry here? What about this area brought the great manufacturing companies here? Then they’ll learn about the drop in the river and the hydropower it facilitated,” Mortara said. Once the water trail is complete (and the last of the locks in the system is restored and opened), Mortara’s group plans to weave in history, through public art and kiosks telling passengers about history as they navigate the water trail. Eventually mobile-device “paddle points” will augment that. “To give them an idea of what’s happened there and what the history of the place is,” Mortara said. Other efforts include promoting area heritage centers along the river like Hearthstone Historic House Museum, Oshkosh Public Museum and Heritage Hill State Historical Park. “We’ll be working to connect them together so they can have some economies of scale and … attract more people,” Mortara said. “Not many people would travel from out of state just for (a local museum), but if you link them together in a package with the river, then you can pull somebody up from Chicago.”
Digging in
History tourism 2.0 is all about rolling up one’s sleeves and digging in. Visitors probably aren’t interested unless they can participate in what’s being dispensed. “Tourism now is all about experience and interaction,” Seidl said. She gave the example of one of the hottest attractions in the Fox Cities: glass-making demonstrations at the BergstromMahler Museum of Glass. “You can actually make a glass object; you get to experience hands-on what the glass artist experiences,” Seidl said. Also hot: learning Houdini’s magic tricks and escape techniques at the History Museum at the Castle. Even nature sites are upping the action ante. “You go to a natural attraction and you see lots of zip-lining or quasi-work experiences, like bat counting” or maple syrup-making. It’s not just dioramas and placards with gobs of text to read anymore.
Pedal power
Hearthstone Historical Museum in Appleton figured out the interaction ingredient more than a decade ago when it installed electricity-generating activities. Visitors can fire up a radio, see a water wheel and generate electricity by pedaling a bike, all to illustrate Hearthstone’s claim as one of the first buildings in the country powered by Thomas Edison’s central hydroelectric power system. The effort seems to be working.
We love the word FREE
FREE Checking
FREE Bill Pay
FREE Online Banking
FREE Box of Checks
FREE ATM
FREE Mobile Banking
FREE e-Services
FREE e-Alerts
24 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
capitalcu.com 920-731-3195 866-731-3195 (toll free)
www.newnorthb2b.com
TOURISM “We get people of all ages that come in,” said Hearthstone volunteer Linda Peterson. “We get local people who’ve never been here, people who are visiting someone in the area and (are sent by locals). We get people who come to a conference … and the spouse is looking for something to do. We get woodworker groups who are really impressed with the woodwork in Hearthstone, and we get people who are just into the Victorian era.”
Throwing pie charts
It’s hard to say how much of the $16.8 billion tourism generated for Wisconsin in 2012 can be credited to heritage tourism, since it’s often lumped into a category that includes shopping, dining and recreation. But a 2009 national study on U.S. cultural and heritage travel by Mandela Research showed that 78 percent of U.S. leisure travelers participate in cultural and/or heritage activities during their travels. The same study showed that heritage travelers spent more than 50 percent more than non-heritage travelers and stayed longer. Brad Toll, president of the Green Bay CVB, sees it in his community. “Just looking at the revenue generated from people coming in and going to the National Railroad Museum, to Heritage Hill, to the Neville Museum, to Hazelwood, and doing the historic cemetery tours – and now from the people that will be doing the Packers Heritage Trail – it’s easy to see that those things generate a considerable amount of economic impact on our area,” Toll said. People generally don’t think “history” when they think of the Lambeau Leap, but even that’s 20 years old this year. “The Packer Hall of Fame can be considered to be a historic attraction,” Toll said. According to the Wisconsin Historical Society, $1 million spent on historic revitalization projects: p Creates 20 percent more jobs than the same amount spent on new construction; p Puts $120,000 into the local economy; p Results in $107,000 more in household income; and p Generates $34,000 more in retail sales, compared with $1 million spent on new construction.
Beer, the great American leavening agent
Earlier this fall, Oshkosh treated the Wisconsin Tavern League state convention guests to a tour of historic taverns. “People just loved it,” said Steve Cummings, member of the City of Oshkosh Landmarks Commission, Common Council and the board of the Winnebago County Historical and Archaeological Society. League members loved it so much, they hung around afterward and toured historic bars that weren’t on the tour, said Jeff Potts, marketing director for the Oshkosh CVB. “We went to four, and because of their curiosity, they went to that fifth one and maybe someplace else,” Potts said. “What it takes is someone gathering information about historic sites and putting it together in a way that makes it accessible to locals and visitors alike, and kind of inspires them to go outside their own passion and investigate it on their own.”
Family Owned Commercial Cleaning and Building Maintenance Provider
The highest of quality and personal attention! Competitive rates & no long term contracts! Call Us Today For A Free, No Obligation Estimate!
920.427.1202 www.cijanitorial.com NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013 l 25
TOURISM Cummings calls it “bringing people in the back door” to history. A historic plaque program initiated in Oshkosh adorned its first recognition on Main Street downtown at Oblio’s Lounge, a historic building designed by architect William Waters and built in 1884 as a Schlitz beer hall by the Robert Brand & Sons company, known for creating many elaborate wood pub interiors. That spurred the tavern tours. “While a lot of people don’t care about history, a lot of people do like to drink,” Cummings said. “There’s a lot of history in this state connected with the brewing industry and with the German immigrants who came here. A lot of the big, grand houses were built by the brewing companies to help distribute their products.” At one time, Schlitz Brewing was the biggest landowner in Chicago. “Bars played a significant role in the history of a lot of business in this state,” Cummings said. During a big millworkers strike in the 1890s, workers gathered in the saloons on Oshkosh’s south side where the families lived. “History can be dry and boring or history can be interesting and exciting,” Cummings said. “I think what I would like to see is that we make it real.” Speaking of history that’s not dry, visitors got to taste the legendary Chief Oshkosh beer, brought back to life by a local homebrew group, at a recent Oshkosh farmers market. “Nobody has been able to purchase that beer in a generation, and people wanted to find out what it tasted like,” Potts said.
Can history get any more interactive than that?
Going out for fish fry
“Breaking Bread in the Holyland” looks at the history of supper clubs and German Catholics on the east side of Lake Winnebago. TravelCalumet.com and the Fond du Lac Convention & Visitors Bureau created the publication. The Holyland encompasses parts of northern Fond du Lac County and southern Calumet County. Tiny bergs settled by German Catholics have historically had little more to them than a church and a supper club. “It’s a unique historical nugget that is unique to this area,” said Craig Molitor, president of the Fond du Lac Area CVB. “Most people outside Wisconsin don’t know what a supper club is unless they’ve experienced it themselves.” Molitor grew up in Michigan, in a restaurant family. “There are no supper clubs in Michigan … every time they visit, my whole family is like ‘Let’s go to a supper club.’ Their first question when I moved here was ‘What is a supper club?’ My mom pictured it as something out of a 1930s or 40s movie.” Molitor said Fond du Lac hasn’t yet capitalized on its history as fully as it can. “I think what we’re doing now is we’re determining the best way to sell that to the outside world,” he said. “I think there’s a call for this.” Lee Reinsch writes and edits from Green Bay.
Exceptional Buildings. Unparalleled Principles. A Company You Can Trust. With offices in the Fox Cities, Madison, Milwaukee & Wausau
“Our employee-owners take care of our customers. This is the ‘Keller Difference’. We live by the motto, ‘Build it as if you were building it for yourself.’” -President/CEO Wayne Stellmacher
Since 1960, Keller has seen a lot of changes in the building industry. Buildings have become much more complex and are built at warp speed. But some things never change... our commitment to craftsmanship, our outstanding warranty and service, and our promise to do the right thing. This will always be the Keller way!
Since 1960
1.800.236.2534 l www.kellerbuilds.com 26 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
www.newnorthb2b.com
TECHNOLOGY
How Oshkosh is rallying around a burgeoning IT cluster in the community Story by Robin Driessen Bruecker
An industry cluster study completed this past June for the Oshkosh Area Economic Development Marketing Group found the community contains several diverse information technology-related businesses, including data processing, mobile applications, software development and technical support, among others. “We do have a rapidly growing IT sector in Oshkosh,” said Rob Kleman, vice president of economic development for the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce. “We saw this growth beginning in the mid-1990s and it has grown tremendously over the past five years, including companies like ImproMed, Oracular, DealerFire and Accu-Com. The presence of UW Oshkosh and Fox Valley Technical College, along with their student base and degree programs, have helped to grow this sector immensely.” The study itself was spearheaded by Economic Growth Advisors and NorthStar Consulting Group. Representatives from the business, economic development and education sectors banded together this summer after the release of the report to form the Targeted Industry Information Technology Committee focused on carrying out the study’s recommendations (see sidebar on page 30) and to serve as a networking source for local companies. “The committee feels that the strongest opportunity for growth in the IT sector is to provide the necessary resources to existing companies and local 28 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
www.newnorthb2b.com
TECHNOLOGY entrepreneurs that want to grow their business in the Oshkosh and New North region,” said Kleman. “The characteristics that make Oshkosh advantageous for a prospective IT entrepreneur include the vast network of resources that are available through UW Oshkosh and Fox Valley Technical College, a growing network of IT professionals that is being fostered by the growth of IT businesses in Oshkosh, a quality infrastructure network that is available to these companies, and a skilled and trained workforce as well as access to a trained student workforce.” An IT business incubator is among the recommendations, which Kleman said has become a top priority for the committee. Additionally, the committee will work to improve the link between the education and private sectors, and will address common perceptions of the IT sector. Kleman noted the IT sector needs staff with strong creative, customer service, digital imagery and technical skills.
The business side
The chair of the IT cluster committee, DealerFire CEO Eric Hoopman, looks for well-rounded employees for his own business. “Specific IT requirements are of course needed in most positions at DealerFire, but like all growing companies, we need all team members to possess certain skill sets,” he said. “Namely, problem-solving prowess, great attention to detail, and exceptional communication and follow-through.” Hoopman’s first business was the website design service Neleven, formed in 2000. After landing an automotive client in late 2004, Hoopman realized there was a niche market. By 2007 he had created DealerFire and focused solely on design, programming and technology for automotive clients. DealerFire was catapulted to the forefront of its industry in 2009 when it received its first Automotive Website Award. The company serves thousands of car dealer clients across the U.S. and Canada and employs more than 70 people in its Oshkosh headquarters, Hoopman said. DealerFire added 50 of those employees in the past two years. The company uses the traditional recruiting methods – Monster, CareerBuilder, Craigslist and even local job expos. “We also have a great relationship with local colleges,
specifically UW Oshkosh and Fox Valley Tech, where we’ve had a lot of success with internships and new hires,” said Hoopman. “And we wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t have an extensive social media network we rely on to spread the word as well.” ImproMed LLC, a software developer for veterinary firms that was founded in Oshkosh in 1979, also has a strong recruiting relationship with UW Oshkosh and FVTC. With a relatively recent growth spurt, ImproMed added 10,000 square feet of work space and more than 50 jobs in 2012. When recruiting new employees, general manager Hallie Detjen looks for those candidates who can and want to learn and are able to apply that knowledge. ImproMed emphasizes on-the-job training and will consider candidates who haven’t been formally educated but love technology and have taken the initiative to teach themselves. “Technology changes and it changes fast,” said Detjen, also an IT cluster committee member. “We also operate in a niche industry. ... Fox Valley Technical College and the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh do a great job in preparing students for a position in technology. We get some of our best candidates from those pools. But it can’t stop there. “Right now it’s a difficult market to find the right candidate ... there are new technologies available that are being taught; however, we have older technologies that need supporting and advancement in our business. This requires candidates to be able to develop or support multiple programming languages which can be a learning curve.” Another IT cluster committee member, Candeo Creative CEO Zack Pawlosky, started his social media marketing agency in May 2012 at age 19. His company now has seven employees and expects to be at 12 by the end of the year. As an IT-related employer, Pawlosky values flexibility, passion and a willingness to learn among the job candidates he considers. “Our industry will be different tomorrow and most likely be 100 percent changed in a year. Having a team member who is willing to learn new things and adapt quickly is a quality I look for right out of the gate. Flexibility is also important – technology can fail and our client relies heavily on us; this
Take the first step toward a professional, quality built construction project...
Building Quality Communities Contact us or visit our Web site for a full listing of your local construction professionals.
9 2 0 . 7 3 3 . 3 1 3 6 y 866.966.3928 y www.newbt.org NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013 l 29
TECHNOLOGY
At a glance
Recommendations from the IT cluster study include:
Position Oshkosh/Winnebago County as a growing hot spot for IT businesses and startups and a competitive location for IT related businesses in the region.
networking of existing IT businesses and professionals to promote peer relationships and additional growth in their businesses.
Facilitate
networking of IT technical professionals and IT related companies – resurrect the IT users group formed in 2008 as part of the New North capacity building initiative.
Foster
Establish and facilitate industry peer
groups in emerging industry areas including software, gaming and mobile applications.
means occasional late nights and early mornings.” Pawlosky primarily looks to UW Oshkosh for job candidates. “There are a tremendous amount of great designers, programmers, communicators, marketers, etc. that come out of that school. Most of them are self-taught and the university helps them groom their skill. It can be challenging to find talent, and sometimes exhausting, after countless interviews but there are definitely some strong candidates out there – I believe I have the staff to prove that. Ninety percent of my staff have come from Oshkosh.”
The education side
The IT cluster committee pinpointed potential projects, with one currently underway to implement an IT Career Pathway project between FVTC and the Oshkosh Area School District, according to Anne Haberkorn, dean of information technology and distance learning at FVTC. Through this three-year project, local high school students can earn industry-recognized IT certifications before graduating. “These particular courses will be offered with dual credit from the Oshkosh high schools and FVTC,” Haberkorn said. Not everyone has the same idea about what information technology is, Haberkorn noted. For some, it’s about programming code, software development and mobile apps, she said. For others, it might mean the cabling and wireless networking of an infrastructure, which includes customer support from a help desk or consultant. FVTC offers both programming and networking programs, including numerous
an IT accelerator to incubate new and growing start-ups in emerging industry areas.
Create
value proposition and focused effort to attract the location of a major data center to the Oshkosh area.
Create
ongoing working relationships with angel and venture capital organizations to attract and secure financing sources for new and growing IT businesses.
Establish
On the Web To read the study in its entirety, go online to www.opportunityoshkosh.com.
30 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
www.newnorthb2b.com
TECHNOLOGY associate of applied science degrees and certificates plus a technical diploma and customized training. To keep these educational programs relevant to employer and community needs, FVTC uses employer advisory committees for input and feedback on an ongoing basis. One example is cyber security. “Our employers tell us that every IT job involves some level of knowledge about how to protect IT systems and information,” said Haberkorn. “In response to that request we now offer our IT – Security Certificate as well as integrate security content into all of our offerings.” The job prospects are broad and “terrific,” Haberkorn said, with recent FVTC graduates landing programming positions such as application developer, business analyst, graphic artist, software developer, user interface designer, and webmaster. Networking positions included customer care center technician, help desk specialist, IT field engineer, systems engineer, and technical support. At UW Oshkosh, students in the information systems program learn about web, mobile and desktop development as well as project management and systems analysis. According to Michael Eierman, professor of information systems and IS department chair, these skills prepare students for developer and analyst positions, as well as help desk and IT infrastructure management jobs. Additionally, the university has worked with some local businesses for internships to help IS students get hands-on experience prior to graduation. Locally, job prospects for UWO graduates have been great,
Eierman said. “It is very easy to find meaningful work. You almost have to try to not get a job. The average starting salary for students from our program last year was just under $50,000,” Eierman said. “We expect opportunities to grow in Wisconsin,” noted Haberkorn. “There are many contributing factors including looming baby boomer retirements, emphasis on pathway projects matching employer needs with K-12 and postsecondary educational offerings, and an increasing reliance on mobile devices and solutions.”
An IT business incubator is among the recommendations, which has become a top priority...
“Off to a great start”
Committee members are feeling upbeat about the future and ready to take action. “Employer input for the IT Career Pathway project should result in improved curriculum and support for project participants,” said Haberkorn. “With curriculum that is tightly aligned to employer needs, the IT talent pool should increase. When the talent pool grows, enterprises are attracted to where the talent is located and, our hope is, move to the area. When new businesses take root in Oshkosh, the consumer base
Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender
NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013 l 31
TECHNOLOGY grows, and the likelihood may be that more businesses will benefit from having more customers.” “Increasing the number of qualified employees will make Oshkosh more attractive to tech industries to both move to or stay here,” said Eierman. “If we are successful this will hopefully benefit students with some kind of support for their education, and anything that helps our students helps UWO.”
“
Technology companies put minimal load on the infrastructure of a city and maximize the revenue that goes back into the local community.
”
- Hallie Detjen, general manager, ImproMed LLC
Said Hoopman, “We are just two short meetings into it and have already formulated a consolidated list of actionable and realistic items that will make an immediate impact on our community. In short, the IT cluster is off to a great start.” Detjen noted that with long-standing local IT companies like ImproMed and Oracular plus FVTC and UW Oshkosh, the area has “a hotbed of technology resources.”
Additionally, Detjen noted technology companies provide unique economic value to a community compared with other more traditional industries because they place limited demands on community resources. “Technology companies put minimal load on the infrastructure of a city and maximize the revenue that goes back into the local community,” Detjen said. “Because our primary cost is people and we aren’t buying widgets from someone else and reselling them, the money we make goes back into the local community through wages. ... My hope for this IT committee is to help ensure that the community recognizes and helps promote local technology companies and ensures we become known as a technology hub.” Candeo’s Pawlosky is excited about the direction Oshkosh is headed. “The committee is going to help my business by driving more IT-type talent here, and building Oshkosh as the ‘place for IT,’” he said. “I am passionate about this city, and believe focusing on growing the IT cluster will drive powerful economic growth in our area. I think we are on the right path – there are some great minds in that room and big things are coming. I leave those meetings with a lot of excitement.” Robin Bruecker has 17 years experience in magazine and marcom writing. Contact her at robinbrueck@yahoo.com.
One Master of Business Administration Degree. Two Paths. Professional and Executive. Choose the path that fits your level of experience, career goals and time commitment. Visit uwosh.edu/cob/graduate, call (920) 424-3199 or call us toll-free at (800) 633-1430 for more information.
Stephen Nunn, MBA Student, Graduating ‘14 Operations Manager, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Neenah, Wis. 32 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
www.newnorthb2b.com
PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING
Marian’s School of Business & Public Safety by Marian University School of Business What is special and unique about the School of Business & Public Safety at Marian University? The School offers undergraduate majors ranging from Accounting to Sport & Recreation; Criminal Justice and Homeland Security. The Master of Science program offers a leadership core with concentrations in management or criminal justice. Programs at Marian are applied, hands-on, and rooted in a values-oriented, ethical framework. Business faculty have an average of over 15 years of experience at organizations such as Grant Thornton, J. M. Smucker, Target and Xerox. The homeland security program director works in the field. Criminal justice faculty and staff include retired as well as practicing police officers, all of whom held or hold command grade rank. Part-time adjunct faculty provide a wealth of practical experience. The MS in Organizational Leadership & Quality (OLQ) is targeted at the mid-career Jeffrey G. Reed
manager who desires the challenge of added responsibility and leadership roles. It uses a team-based, cohort approach, seeking to enhance organizational performance through communication, leadership and teamwork. The MS in Criminal Justice Leadership (CJL) is designed for the practicing command grade public safety professional seeking additional training and career advancement. It addresses theory and application of criminal justice in leadership, management and administration of criminal justice agencies. Undergraduate Health Care Administration focuses on the business of healthcare. Program director John Weir, a retired hospital CEO, directs the program which enables graduates to move into entry-level positions in various healthcare settings. Undergraduate Sport & Recreation Management, directed by Dr. James T. Gray, an attorney and co-author of the seminal textbook, Sports Law Practice,
800.2MARIAN
prepares students for careers with professional sports teams, community agencies, or health, recreation and fitness organizations. The undergraduate Information Technology Program prepares students to work in settings where understanding technology and needs of the user enables them to satisfy information needs effectively. Graduates have secured positions such as web developers, database administrators, and systems administrators. Business programs are accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE). Jeffrey G. Reed, Ph.D., is dean of the Marian University School of Business & Public Safety. He received a Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology from Kansas State University, and worked for 15 years in industry (both in consulting and product development at Xerox Corp.) prior to coming to Marian in 1998.
Deck the Halls
O S H KO S H P U B L I C MU S E U M
Nov 12, 2013 -Jan 12, 2014
A New Holiday Experience! * Christmas Village Exhibit * Candy Cane Café * Get Polarized Contest * Sawyer Family Traditions
KIDS FREE Adults $3.50 Valid Dec 1-31,
2013
PLUS, get a free a $50 Museum ornament with Store purchase (while sup plies last)
Hours: Tue–Sat: 10 am–4:30 pm • Sun: 1–4:30 pm
www.oshkoshmuseum.org 34 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
www.newnorthb2b.com
PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING
Retirement Threats and Strategies by Navigator Planning Group Many Americans are not confident they will be able to enjoy a comfortable retirement and outlive their life savings. With increased life expectancies, factors such as unexpected health expenses, market losses, and increased lifestyle expenses combine to erode financial security. Here are some strategies that may help you avoid outliving your assets: 1. CLARIFY RETIREMENT NEEDS Do you know how much income you will need each month during retirement? How much do you already have saved for retirement? What are your other sources of guaranteed income during retirement? 2. CONSIDER DELAYING RETIREMENT An increasing number of Americans are postponing retirement. Many choose to extend their working lives for a number of reasons, including allowing their investments to recover value, increasing their retirement savings, taking advantage of health insurance coverage, or waiting Andrew R. Hermsen
for a spouse to retire. Some simply aren’t ready to give up a fulfilling career. 2. DELAY TAKING SOCIAL SECURITY One of the most important decisions facing a retiring worker is when to start taking Social Security benefits. While the right age to start taking benefits depends on a retiree’s individual circumstances, in general, delaying benefits is usually a better choice for most people. Work with a professional who understands your personal financial circumstances before making decisions about when to take Social Security. 3. FIGHT THE EFFECTS OF INFLATION Having a portfolio that is positioned to help fight inflation is critical. A welldiversified portfolio that includes an appropriate mix of stocks, bonds, and other investments according to your personal needs and goals may help you seek the growth you need in a way that lets you sleep better at night. 4. PLAN FOR HEALTHCARE COSTS According to a Fidelity report, a 65-year-
920.406.8500 old couple retiring in 2013 will need an estimated $220,000 in savings just to cover healthcare costs during their retirement. In order to understand and prepare for your healthcare expenses in retirement, consider earmarking a portion of your retirement savings specifically for healthcare expenses, know your health insurance options after retirement, and understand how Medicare fits into your health coverage. NEXT STEPS Take the uncertainty and stress out of retirement. There are a number of alternative approaches that a retirement specialist can explore with you now that may help ensure your money lasts as long as you do. Andrew R. Hermsen is a financial advisor with Navigator Planning Group. Andrew can be reached by phone 920.496.0123 or email andrew@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.
NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013 l 35
WHO’S NEWS Incorporations New North B2B publishes monthly new business incorporations filed with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.
Brown County
Compass Homes LLC, Glenna M. Pupp, 3344 Bower Creek Road, De Pere 54115. Computer Fusion LTD., Kevin Artz, 720 Main St., De Pere 54115. Metjet Madison INC., Michael Jay Heisman, 400 Reid St., De Pere 54115. Green Box NA Georgia Macon Ethanol LLC, Environmental Advanced Reclamation Technology, 2077 Lawrence Dr., De Pere 54115. Allouez Sunrise Senior Care LLC, Veronica Trofka, 2986 Cty. Road PP, De Pere 54115. Koenig’s Sand & Stone LLC, Matthew M. Koenig, 4792 Dickinson Road, De Pere 54115. Pomodoro Restaurant & Pizza Of De Pere INC., Jeremiah Anthony Clearwater, 101 Fort Howard Ave., De Pere 54115. De Pere Buffet INC., Zhen Xiao Li, 310 N. Wisconsin, Ste. F, De Pere 54115. Maulick Agency INC., Justin Maulick, 3311 Packerland Dr., Ste A, De Pere 54115. Fit Nutrition LLC, Gerilyn Kunesh, 914 4th St., De Pere 54115. Warrior Arms LLC, Jerry Olson, N5641 County Road E, De Pere 54115. Binsfeld Farms LLC, Lawrence R. Binsfeld, 6346 County Road KB, Denmark 54208. Duke Transport LLC, Travis A. Nelson, 5022 Shirley Road, Denmark 54208. White Label Agency LLC, Andrew John Buckman, 3157 West Point Road, Green Bay 54313. Progressive Janitorial Cleaning Services INC., Walter Noel Acosta, 1923 Darwin Ave., Green Bay 54303. Ledgefest INC., Patrice Krienke, 3075 Fascination Dr., Green Bay 54311. Flex Nutrition LLC, Katie L. Zellner, 2500 S. Ashland Ave., Green Bay 54304. Digital Fertilizer LLC, Perry Sieber, 305 Brookridge St., Green Bay 54301. Titletown Chiropractic LLC, Jason Nobles, 1465 Cornell Road, Green Bay 54313. Gorbette Performance Horses LLC, Sam Gorbette, 211 Iroquois Ave., Green Bay 54301. Martinez Exquisite Cleaning LLC, Ulises Jesus Martinez, 1512 Lynwood Lane, Green Bay 54311. New Arttech Orthodontics LLC, Guy Locascio, 2821 S. Webster Ave., Green Bay 54301. 36 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
Nature’s Magick Salves LLC, Catherine Allen, 1028 9th St., Green Bay 54304. Midwest Coatings LLC, Jeremy Holstead, 821 Gray St., Green Bay 54303. New Age Technologies LLC, Timothy Fendt, 1903 Packerland Dr., Green Bay 54304. Candy’s Compassionate Care LLC, Candace Ann Siebert, 1296 View Lane, Green Bay 54313. Packerland Cold Storage LLC, Thomas Sausen, 808 Packerland Dr., Green Bay 54303. Gungor Publishing LLC, Robert S. Moore, 3475 Humboldt Road, Green Bay 54311. Weninger Wealth Management LLC, John Weninger, 2920 S. Webster Ave., Green Bay 54301. Juncture Marketing LLC, Jennifer Lynn Fietz, 3690 Mill Road, Greenleaf 54126. A.M. Cleaning LLC, Andrea Raquel Martzahl, 6578 Ledge Top Dr., Greenleaf 54126. LED Illumination Specialists LLC, Bart Schultz, 819 Stonewood Lane, Hobart 54155. Abts Farms LLC, Keith Abts, 6409 County Road K, New Franken 54229. N.E.W. Martial Arts Association INC., Michael Romes, 2441 Crown Pointe Blvd., Suamico 54173.
Fond du Lac County
Clark’s Mowtivated Lawn Care LLC, Eric Michael Clark, 420 Railroad St., Brownsville 53006. Curve In Bar LLC, Vinson Egle, 138 N. Fond du Lac Ave., Campbellsport 53010. Kettle Moraine Creations LLC, David Clark Nelson, W445 County Road SS, Campbellsport 53010. Gonring Furtakers LLC, Steve Gonring, 3169 Meadow Road, Campbellsport 53010. Chuckwagon’s Saloon-N-Grill LLC, Charles A. Delvaux, W2397 Timber Ct., Campbellsport 53010. Levi’s Edgewood Farm LLC, Patricia A. Brophy, N4157 Northview Road, Eden 53019. Building Products Warehouse LLC, Diane Calkins, 114 S. Main St., Fond du Lac 54935. United Singers Of The Fond du Lac Area INC., Alan M. Kraus, 261 Bischoff St., Fond du Lac 54935. Radio Plus Bay Cities LLC, Chris Bernier, 210 S. Main St., Fond du Lac 54935. Precise Roofing LLC, Jose F. Lopez, 125 Wakawn Ave., Fond du Lac 54935. Backstage Bar & Grill LLC, John William Hoekstra, 167 E. 13th St., Fond du Lac 54935. Gold Star Welding LLC, Jerome C. Trepanier, W8063 Cottonwood Road, Fond www.newnorthb2b.com
WHO’S NEWS du Lac 54937. Randy Roesel Carpentry & Remodeling LLC, Randy Roesel, 32 Gaslight Dr., North Fond du Lac 54937. Green Lake Flooring Gallery LLC, Nathan Mirr, 628 State St., Ripon 54971. Opulent Style Salon LLC, Susan Marie Saecker, 38 Tabbert Ave., Ripon 54971. Wetzel’s Auto Repair LLC, Chad Wetzel, 535 Metomen St., Ripon 54971. Pro Active Health Response Trainings LLC, Suzanne Dolata, 9540 Hilke Road, Ripon 54971. Steer Feeders Limited LLC, Lynn M. Guenzel, W10075 Triple K, Rosendale 54974.
Green Lake County
IT Knights LLC, Micheal John Hostak, 521 Maple Ridge Road, Berlin 54923. Retzlaff Milk Transport LLC, Brian F. Retzlaff, N7851 County Road F, Berlin 54923. Scoopers Ice Cream Shoppe LLC, Christine M. Jansen, 655 Voyagers Tr., Berlin 54923.
Words to Profit by:
“
BBB accreditation helped me get my biggest account. I had tried to get their business before without success. But, after we became BBB accredited, my company landed the job. My affiliation with the Better Business Bureau is what changed their mind.
”
Patty LaBrosse, Owner Green Bay Commercial Floor Care Accredited Business since 2012
Oconto County
Visionary Business Solutions LLC, Tricia Ascher, 7106 County Road E, Abrams 54101. Green Bay Furniture Finishing LLC, John Clumpner, 1018 Riverview Dr., Little Suamico 54141.
Outagamie County
Tax Giant CORP., Kou C. Lee, 3311 E. Parkside Blvd., #127, Appleton 54915. Magic Pizza LLC, Brent Weed, 5014 N. Meade St., Appleton 54915. The Store Specialists LLC, Jason Heider, 2124 N. Clark St., Appleton 54911. Hillside Homes LLC, Jeffrey Scott Miles, 3118 Park Lawn Ct., Appleton 54911. Champeau Installation Service LLC, Thomas Gene Champeau, 1523 S. Kernan Ave., Appleton, 54915. Chavez Design LLC, Amanda R. Chavez, 2020 N. Rexford St., Appleton 54914. Shellycookies LLC, Shelly Sullivan, W5854 Geranium Dr., Appleton 54915. East Wind Healthcare S.C., Michael Buyze, 2600 N. Richmond St., Appleton 54911. United Clean Out Service LLC, Younis Zaidan, 3405 N. Mariah Lane, Appleton 54911. Reschtoration & Improvement LLC, Patrick W. Resch, 2103 Winwood Dr., Appleton 54915. L’Esperance Law LLC, Rene L’Esperance, 100 W. Lawrence St., #306, Appleton 54911. International Metal Solutions INC., Kevin L. Eiden, N9643 Handel Dr., Appleton 54915. New Earth Recycling LLC, Joe Britz, 739 W. Lawrence St., Appleton 54914. Baeten’s Landscaping LLC, Melvin N. Baeten, 522 Harold Way, Appleton 54915. Jan’s Fabulicious Cookies LLC, Janice Jourdan, 2636 N. Union St., Appleton 54911. Bretts Cycle Repair LLC, Brett A. Broege, 1850 N. Silverspring Dr., Appleton 54913. Dependable Autos LLC, Steven Dorsett, 505 W. Northland Ave., Appleton 54911. A+ Property Management Services LLC, Angela M. Nelson, W5803 Skippers Lane, Appleton 54915.
®
920.734.4353 Better Business Bureau
With Accreditation Comes Trust…With Trust Comes Customers
accreditmybusiness.wisconsin.bbb.org
Relax.
We’ve got you covered. For all your commercial, industrial, and institutional roofing needs.
866-799-0530 | N2971 Hwy. 15, Hortonville
www.wiroofer.com
NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013 l 37
WHO’S NEWS Seafood Buffet INC., Junzhong Xiao, 4531 W. Wisconsin Ave., Appleton 54913. Neuhaus Insurance Group LLC, Paul Neuhaus, 1443 E. Pauline St., Appleton 54911. Bautista Painting Services LLC, Nicole Marie Brooks, 1830 E. Pershing St., Appleton 54911. Life Designs Therapeutic Massage And Bodywork LLC, James Scott Besaw, 2463 N. Lynndale Dr., Appleton 54914. Hittle Inspections LLC, Robert S. Hittle, N9679 State Park Road, Appleton 54915-950. R & R Mind Ventures LLC, Roberto Hernandez-Rivas, 531 W. College Ave., Appleton 54911. Inspirations Dance And Movement LLC, Tricia M. Schewe, 425 Patrick St., Combined Locks 54113. Custom Overhead Door LLC, Eric James Krull, 645 Roland St., Combined Locks 54113. Night Owl Graphics LLC, Corey Lee Huttenburg, P.O. Box 41, Greenville 54942. Energy Tech Specialists LLC, Kyle Wayne Johnson, W6724 Charleen Lane, Greenville 54942. Office Pro Fox Valley LLC, Brandon John Arndt, N1117 Craftsmen Ct., Greenville 54942. Your E CPA LLC, Daniel Peter Ehr, W6328 El Paso Dr., Greenville 54942. Kaukauna Area Recreation Music Activities INC., Brian Roebke, 429 Park St., Kaukauna 54130. Catalina Transportation LLC, Michael Bogdaniec, 110 W. Wisconsin Ave., Kaukauna 54130. Everest Petroleum CORP., Tuk Prasad Regmi, 200 N. Lawe St., Kaukauna 54130. M.W. Stump Grinding LLC, Matthew Allen Wallace, 653 Fern St.,
Kaukauna 54130. Paynter Power & Rigging LLC, Mark Paynter, 367 Wooden Shoe Circle, Kaukauna 54130. Team Synergy Marketing LLC, Michael Fassbender, 1305 Sullivan Ave., Kaukauna 54130. Livermore Technologies LLC, Frank James Livermore, 509 E. 19th St., Kaukauna 54130. Dyslexia Reading Connection INC., Peter Ducklow, 614 E. Kimberly Ave., Kimberly 54136. The Wellness Re-Store LLC, Jodi A. Van Stippen, 241 S. Willow St., Kimberly 54136. Lino’s Tile, Marble & Granite LLC, Rosalino Arellano, 432 Orchard Lane, Little Chute 54140. Fox Valley Sign Solutions INC., Steven E. Ransbottom, 112 W. Florida Ave., Little Chute 54140. Innovative Home Restoration LLC, Eric William Blemberg, 1003 Depot St., Little Chute 54140. Z-N-A Trucking LLC, Karl Edward Stacie, 744 Fulton St., Seymour 54165.
Winnebago County
Eagle’s Taxidermy LLC, Jeff Eagloski, 7843 County Road MM, Larsen 54947. Inspiration Theatre INC., Jackie McGinnis, 7780 County Road MM, Larsen 54947. Innovex Social Media LLC, Josh Gander, 8426 Pioneer Road, Larsen 54947. TD Trailer Sales LLC, Deborah Ann Swiertz, 1248 Mayer St., Menasha 54952. Margaritaville Lounge LLC, Marco A. Rodriguez, 6 Tayco St., Menasha 54952.
Discover banking with a personalized touch Bank First specializes in highly personalized customer service. We also offer the flexibility to meet your individual banking needs, while delivering the best innovative products and services in our industry. Come and discover what true community banking is all about! 101 City Center, Oshkosh (Located on Pearl Avenue)
920-237-5126
OSHKOSH | ASHWAUBENON | BELLEVUE MANITOWOC | TWO RIVERS | MISHICOT FRANCIS CREEK | ST. NAZIANZ | KIEL Member PLYMOUTH | SHEBOYGAN FDIC
38 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
www.newnorthb2b.com
WHO’S NEWS Trupixel Media LLC, Joshua David Atencio, 304 Schindler Place, Menasha 54952. Piano By Patricia LLC, Patricia Miner, 1032 Kernan Ave., Menasha 54952. Schultz Jossie Farm LLC, David J. Schultz, 1547 Hidden Acres Lane, Neenah 54956. Neenah Chiropractic And Rehab INC., Eric Bogaart, 907 Tullar Road, Neenah 54956. Rose’s Enchanted Forest Campground LLC, Kim M. Rose, 8178 Challenger Dr., Neenah 54956. Leafguard Gutters & Roofing NE WI LLC, Josh Keeney, 1449 Kimberly Dr., Neenah 54956. Kestrel Tooling Company, Jeffrey L. Hesson, 244 E. Doty Ave., Neenah 54956. Force Fitness LLC, Brian Hogwood, 214 1/2 High St., Neenah 54956. Blueprint Body Designs LLC, Riann Kreiling, 221 Omaha Ave., Neenah 54956. Kubisch Wellness LLC, Meg Ellen Kubisch, 1231 Campbell St., Neenah 54956. Kaldas Center For Fertility, Surgery & Pregnancy, S.C., Rami S. Kaldas, 401 Clark St., Neenah 54956. Ronald Fischer D.C. - LLC, Ronald D. Fischer, 110 Schramm Way, Neenah 54956. Hard Luck Body Worx LLC, James Haessly, 3132 Jackson St., Oshkosh 54901. Power Of The Word Church INC., Marvin L. Harris, 820 E. Parkway Ave., Oshkosh 54901. Green Medicine Of Wisconsin LLC, Kevin R. Green, M.D., 5282 Primrose Lane, Oshkosh 54904. Clint Engstrom Remodeling LLC, Clint M. Engstrom, 1947 Hubbard St., Oshkosh 54902. Pro One Janitorial Fdl & Osh LLC, Thomas R. Cooper, 2926 Hidden Hollow Road, Oshkosh 54904. Valley Contractors LLC, Kevin Jeffrey Jones, 950 Witzel Ave., Oshkosh 54902. Jake Dietz Trucking LLC, Jim Shinkle, 1127 S. Main St., Oshkosh 54902.
The financial future of your company depends on decisions you make today
“Guident has always been an outstanding source of knowledge, confidence and guidance for us.” J.D. — Managing Director/Co-Founder Stellar Blue Web Design
920.427.5077 www.guidentbusiness.com
Design. Print. Mail.
Building permits B2B includes a monthly list of building permits (not to include residential projects) in excess of $400,000. L.P. Mooradian Flooring Co., 620 Potts Ave., Ashwaubenon. $644,910 for a 9,945-sq. ft. retail flooring store. General contractor is Bly Sky Contractors of Appleton. September 5. City of Green Bay Pine Street Parking Ramp and Main Street Parking Ramp, 309 S. Jefferson St. and 300 Main St., Green Bay. $513,000 each for a total of $1,026,000 for façade improvements to the two existing parking ramp structures. General contractor is SMA Construction Services of Abrams. September 13. Kundinger Fluid Power, 2437 Progress Ct., Neenah. $507,000 for a 12,937-sq. ft. addition to the company’s technology center. General contractor is Consolidated Construction Corp. of Appleton. September 19. Fox Communities Credit Union, 411 S. Military Ave., Green Bay. $844,000 for a 4,400-sq. ft. credit union branch office. General contractor is Smet Construction Services of Green Bay. September 20.
www.bouwerprinting.com 510 N. Oneida St. Appleton, WI 54911
(920) 734-9997 Kathy Peotter VP–Marketing
kathy@bouwerprinting.com
Moraine Park Technical College, 235 N. National Dr., Fond du Lac. NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013 l 39
WHO’S NEWS $745,500 for interior alterations to the existing educational institution campus. General contractor is SMA Construction Services of Abrams. October 3. Technical Prospects, 1000 County Road CB, town of Grand Chute. $617,130 for interior alterations to the existing industrial facility to add a mezzanine level. General contractor is Bill Lorrigan Construction Inc. of Reedsville. October 11.
New businesses Link Computing Solutions was opened by Ray and Tina Reinders at 900 W. 9th Ave. in Oshkosh. The company provides a variety of personal computing and business applications, custom-built PCs, parts, routers, wireless components and firewalls. It also offers remote monitoring and management and cloud-based backup. Ray Reinders has 24 years network experience in small and medium-sized businesses, and has earned several certifications from Microsoft. Link Computing Solutions can be reached by telephone at 920.236.8888 or online at www. linkcomputing.com. Julie Musial launched Musial Marketing from Green Bay to help businesses with social media training and digital marketing combined with coaching. Musial has 20 years experience in marketing and advertising. Musial Marketing can be reached by telephone at 920.469.2942 or online at www.musialmarketing.com. Kaldas Center for Fertility, Surgery & Pregnancy, S.C. was opened by Rami Kaldas, MD in the Theda Clark Medical Plaza in Neenah. Dr.
TRY IT FREE FOR 30-DAYS! http://www.netsonic.net/newnorthb2b/
INTRODUCING
SMART EMAIL
FOR SMALL BUSINESSES Email Deliverability Analytics • Anti Spam and Virus Easy Access from Anywhere • And Much Much More!
Kaldas was previously with Women’s Care of Wisconsin and specializes in fertility issues, endometriosis treatment, pelvic pain and high and lowrisk obstetrics. The clinic can be reached by calling 920.886.2299 or going online to www.kaldascenter.com.
Mergers/acquisitions Chris Platten CPA, LLC of Appleton merged with Green Bay-based Batley CPA, LLC, which has offices in Appleton, Green Bay and Neenah. Platten will remain with Batley CPA as a partner and manager of its Appleton office. Erika’s Bridal Couture in Neenah was acquired by Katie McCarty. She plans to offer specialized jewelry and accessories at the 40-year-old bridal boutique, and is now selling plus-size gowns as well. More information about the retailer is available online at www.erikasbridalcouture.com.
New locations Fox Valley Plastic Surgery opened a second location at Encircle Health, 2500 E. Capital Dr. in Appleton. The practice can be reached by telephone at 920.358.1810. The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh opened an Executive Education Center at 2323 E. Capitol Dr. in Appleton. The campus aims to connect working adults in the Fox Cities region with baccalaureate and graduatelevel courses. A&E Jewelers opened a new retail lacation at 1241 Lombardi Access Road, Ste. B in Green Bay. A&E Jewelers maintains other locations in Appleton, Fond du Lac, Marinette and Oshkosh, as well as another store in Medford, Ore.
Name changes Miles Kimball Company of Oshkosh changed its name to Silver Star Brands to more accurately describe the brand portfolio the company offers.
Business honors KI of Green Bay was named to the 2013 InformationWeek 500 Report which is the annual listing of the nation’s most innovative users of business technology. The report examines the best IT and business practices of organizations across core areas of operations, including IT budgets, technology deployment, strategies, inventory optimization and staffing. Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance presented the following companies with its 2013 Excellence in Manufacturing/K-12 Partnerships Awards: Educational Partnership Award to Custom Metal Specialists in Oconto Falls; Youth Apprenticeship Award in Amerequip of New Holstein; Leadership Award to Miller Electric in Appleton; Brighter Image Award to Precision Machine in Algoma; Manufacturing Innovation Award to Walker Forge in Clintonville; and Visionary Award to Mark Kaiser, president of Lindquist Machine in Ashwaubenon.
Phone: 920-432-0360 • Email: sales@netsonic.net Address: 1263 Main Street, Suite 123 • Green Bay 40 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
Paper Transport, Inc. of Green Bay received the 2013 Excellence in Business Award from Advance and the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. www.newnorthb2b.com
WHO’S NEWS New North Inc. was recognized by the International Economic Development Council with a silver award in its “General Purpose Brochure, Population Greater than 500,000” category for its Northeast Wisconsin Business Locator guide.
Affinity Medical Group hired Andrea McDonald as a nurse practitioner to provide dermatology at the Affinity specialty clinic on Midway Place in Menasha. Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. hired attorney William E. Fischer to its corporate and commercial litigation practice in its Oshkosh office. Fischer has been a commercial litigator for 10 years, working most recently as an associate at Kohner, Mann & Kailas in Milwaukee. His practice focuses on business and commercial litigation, general business law, and state and federal civil appeals.
Menasha-based Faith Technologies was recognized by Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin with a 2013 Build Wisconsin Award in the specialty contractor – electrical category for its work on Affinity Clinic in Neenah. Ledgeview Partners, LLC in Appleton was named to Microsoft’s 2013 Inner Circle recognizing its sales ranked among the top 2 percent of all Microsoft Dynamics partners worldwide. Ledgeview also received Microsoft’s 2013 CRM Online Partner of the Year-Central Region.
Batley CPA hired Susan Hintz, CPA as manager of its Neenah office. Hintz has more than 20 years experience in accounting, both in public accounting and as a finance director and controller for manufacturing firms.
New hires
Alliance Construction & Design in De Pere hired Deb Barlament as vice president of operations. Barlament previously worked as vice president of operations for Bayland Buildings, general manager of the Green Bay Blizzard football organization, and as a vice president for the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.
Advance, the economic development program of the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, hired Laura A. Gille as director of its microloan program and Judy Lepak as a customer service representative at the Advance Business & Manufacturing Center in Green Bay. Gille has 22 years of financial service experience, previously serving as vice president for the special accounts management unit at BMO Harris Bank. She’s also worked as a senior loan officer and portfolio manager for Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp.
Menn Law in Appleton hired Will McKinley as an attorney for its business litigation and insurance litigation teams. He most recently worked at a law firm in Green Bay. Helen’s House in Appleton hired Kerry Shepard as its director of care. Shepard has 22 years of nursing experience in geriatric long-term care.
Frontier Builders & Consultants of Kaukauna hired Joe Cartwright as a senior project manager. Cartwright has 39 years of construction industry experience. The Business Bank in Green Bay hired Matt Kasdorf as senior vice president and chief credit officer. Kasdorf has 33 years of banking experience.
Consolidated Construction Company in Appleton hired Chris Sievert as a project manager, Jackie Olson as accounting assistant, and Karen Kapal as a project assistant. Sievert has held supervisory positions in the construction industry since 2000. Kapal has more than 20 years of project and accounting experience in construction and real estate.
The Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce hired Ashley Tessmer as an account representative. Tessmer most recently served as a marketing consultant for J&J Broadcasting in Michigan.
Cooks Corner in Green Bay hired Robert Bethel as chief operations officer. Bethel previously served in various executive management and operations roles for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
BayCare Clinic in Green Bay added the following new emergency physicians to its practice: Kerry Ahrens, MD, Sarah C. Feldmann, DO, Gemma C. Lewis, MD, and Christopher J. Painter, MD. In addition, Emma DiPonio, MD and Stephen Janas, MD joined BayCare Clinic Radiology.
Insight Creative in Green Bay hired Shawna Frisque-DuBois as senior account executive and Jenny Brandenburg as media/traffic coordinator. Frisque-DuBois has more than 20 years of sales and customer service experience, most recently working as a senior account consultant at Lamar Advertising for 16 years. Brandenburg worked the past five years as an account relationship specialist at the Oshkosh Northwestern.
Schaper, Benz & Wise Investment Counsel in Neenah hired Kimberly A. Petersen as vice president of its family wealth counsel division. Petersen most recently worked as vice president of gift planning for Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region and previously practiced law with Godfrey & Kahn in Appleton.
Gille
Lepak
Cartwright
Promotions Secura Insurance in Appleton promoted Steve Miller to vice president of commercial lines underwriting. Miller joined Secura in 1998 and
Kasdorf
Tessmer
McKinley
Barlement
NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013 l 41
WHO’S NEWS most recently served as director of commercial lines underwriting for the company’s Wisconsin market.
Dequaine
Menasha-based Network Health promoted Monica Nichter to director of Medicare operations. Nichter has 24 years health care experience, having previously served as the manager of the Network HouseCalls home visit program. Prior to joining Network, she was the director of the Breast Center for Affinity Health System and served as practice administrator for Radiology Associates of the Fox Valley. Integrity Insurance in Appleton promoted Melissa Babcock to personal lines underwriting manager. Babcock joined Integrity in 2005, having served in various roles as a property claims supervisor, territory manager and product manager.
Robenhorst
Schenck promoted the following employees in its Appleton office: Eric Aronson, CPA to audit manager; Brian Zahn to senior practice consultant on Schenck’s health services team; Sarah Burt and Jeremiah Gamble, CPA to supervisor; David Fochs, Jr., CPA and Michael Ziemer, CPA to senior accountant; Nick Boone to staff accountant; and Julie Pulda to department executive administrative assistant. Schenck promoted the following employees in its Fond du Lac office: Michelle Urban to manager; Jessica Lee, CPA and Paul Westberg, CPA to supervisor; Meghan Kuehnl, CPA and Bryan Lehner, CPA to senior accountant; and Danielle Neitzel to associate accountant 2.
Mulloy
Urban
Schenck promoted the following employees in its Green Bay office: Michelle Mulloy, CPA to manager; Janean Robenhorst, CPA to manager in the government and notfor-profit services department; Jill Dequaine to human resources manager; Ryan Sonnenberg, CPA to supervisor; Jesse Ledvina, CPA and Gregory Metzler, CPA to senior accountant; Ryan Ritchay, CPA to senior accountant in the government and not-for-profit services department; and Michelle Flynn to associate accountant 4.
Individual awards Advance and the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce presented its annual Henry S. Baird Legislator of the Year Award to Rep. John Nygren (R-Peshtigo). Nygren recently served as co-chair for the state’s Joint Finance Committee.
John Bykowski, CEO of Secura Insurance in Appleton, received the 2013 Chairman’s Award from the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies. Greg Lemke-Rochon, chief professional officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley in Appleton, received the Executive of the Year Award and the Horizon Award from The Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Jeanne Agneessens, director of education and leadership and the program manager for Leadership Green Bay at Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, received the 2013 Modeling the Way Award from Leadership Wisconsin.
Elections/appointments Chris Hanson, president of Hanson Benefits in Appleton, was appointed to the board of directors for Independent Insurance Agents of Wisconsin. Sheila Jenkins, president of Network Health in Menasha, was elected to a 1-year term as president of Wisconsin Association of Health Plans. Jenkins’ term runs through the end of September 2014.
Business calendar New North B2B encourages businesses and organizations looking to attract interested persons to upcoming events to send an announcement to: New North B2B, Attn: Who’s News, P.O. Box 559, Oshkosh, WI 54903. For more events, log on to www.thenewnorthevents.com. November 5 Green Bay Chamber of Commerce Power Networking Breakfast, 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the chamber office, 300 N. Broadway in Green Bay. No cost to attend for chamber members. For information, call 920.437.8704 or email members@titletown.org. November 6 Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce Coffee Connection, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at Generations Home Care & Hospice, 1028 S. Main St. in Fond du Lac. Cost to attend is $5. For more information or to register, go online to www. fdlac.com or call 920.921.9500.
Hanson
Sievert
Frisque-DuBois
42 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
Brandenburg
Babcock
Aronson
Zahn www.newnorthb2b.com
BUSINESS CALENDAR November 6 “2013 Year End Tax Planning: The Beginning of Change,” a no-cost workshop presented by Schenck, 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Butte des Morts Country Club, 3600 W. Prospect Ave. in Appleton. Presenters will discuss various tax law changes including depreciation laws, changes to Wisconsin tax law, and the impact of health care reform, among other topics. There’s no cost to attend, but registration is required by going online to www.schencksc.com/2013taxplanning or calling Jackie at 920.996.1276. November 8 “It’s Here: The Federal Health Insurance Marketplace in Wisconsin,” a conference presented by Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley, 1478 Midway Road in Menasha. Key topics during the conference include enrollment, retention and effects of the new health insurance marketplace. For more information or to register for the conference, go online to www.wipps.org. November 12 Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce Sales Club, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the chamber building, 120 Jackson St. in Oshkosh. No cost to attend for chamber members. For information, call 920.303.2266 or go online to www.oshkoshchamber.com. November 12 Imagination Network of Wisconsin, 5 to 7 p.m. at the Elks Club, 33 Sheboygan St. in Fond du Lac. No cost to attend. For more information, go online to www.fcedc.com. November 12 “2013 Year End Tax Planning: The Beginning of Change,” a no-cost workshop presented by Schenck, 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at La Sure’s Hall, 3125 S. Washburn St. in Oshkosh. Registration is required by going online to www.schencksc.com/2013taxplanning or calling Carla at 920.236.2026. November 13 Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Cabela’s, 1499 Lombardi Ave. in Green Bay. No cost to attend for chamber members. For information, call 920.437.8704 or email members@titletown.org. November 13 Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce Business Connection, 5 to 7 p.m. at Holiday Inn Riverwalk, 123 E. Wisconsin Ave. in Neenah. For more information or to register, call 920.734.7101 or go online to www. foxcitieschamber.com. November 13 Women in Management – Fox Cities Chapter monthly meeting, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Fox Rivertyme Banquets, 111 E. Kimball St. in Appleton. Cost to attend is $15 for members and $17 for nonmembers. For more information or to register, go online to www.wimiwi.org or email foxcitiesprogram@wimiwi.org. November 13 A.M. Oshkosh, a morning networking event from the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, 7:45 to 9 a.m. at Evergreen, 1130 N. Westfield St. in Oshkosh. Cost to attend is $2. To register, go online to www. oshkoshchamber.com or call 920.303.2266.
NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013 l 43
BUSINESS CALENDAR November 14 Women in Management – Oshkosh Chapter monthly meeting, 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. at La Sure’s Banquet Hall, 3125 S. Washburn St. in Oshkosh. Program is “Getting Tech Savvy.” For more information or to register, go online to www.wimiwi.org or email Patty at pshea@sheaelectricllc.com. November 19 Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce Business Connection, 5 to 7 p.m. at Children’s Museum of Fond du Lac, 75 W. Scott St. in Fond du Lac. Cost to attend is $5. For more information or to register, go online to www.fdlac.com or call 920.921.9500. November 19 “2013 Year End Tax Planning: The Beginning of Change,” a no-cost workshop presented by Schenck, 3 to 5 p.m. at Rock Garden, 1951 Bond St. in Green Bay. Registration is required by going online to www. schencksc.com/2013taxplanning or calling Jennifer at 920.455.4194.
Better Business Bureau New Members
Businesses accredited through the Northeast Wisconsin office during September 2013 Anything Media Group, Oshkosh Blaha Body Shop, Kewaunee BTA Construction, Green Bay Consciously Fresh Tree Service, Black Creek Dykstra Contractors, Neshkoro Maple Leaf Landscaping & Design, Appleton Original Outdoor Creations, New London The College Bound Resource Center, Menasha Valley Commercial Glass, Menasha Valley Glass Co., Appleton
Advertiser Index Bank First National www.bankfirstnational.com.................................. 38 Bayland Buildings www.baylandbuildings.com................................... 14 Better Business Bureau www.wisconsin.bbb.org............................... 37 Borsche Roofing Professionals www.wiroofer.com........................... 37 Bouwer Printing & Mailing www.bouwerprinting.com.......................... 39 Builders Exchange of Wisconsin www.bxwi.com............................ 11 Capital Credit Union www.capitalcu.com........................................ 24 CitizensFirst Credit Union www.citizensfirst.com . ............................ 46 Clean Image Janitorial www.cijanitorial.com................................... 25 Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative www.CommonGroundHealthcare.org.13 Community Benefit Tree www.communitybenefittree.org. ..................... 34 Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. www.dkattorneys.com..................................... 5 Downtown Oshkosh www.downtownoshkosh.com.............................. 36 Fast Signs www.fastsigns.com....................................................... 25 First Business Bank www.firstbusiness.com. .................................... 33 First National Bank ~ Fox Valley www.fnbfoxvalley.com. ................... 31 First Weber Commercial www.firstweber.com/commercial..................... 38 Fox Valley Savings Bank www.FVSBank.com................................... 18 Frontier Builders & Consultants www.frontierbuildersandconsultants.com.. 43 Guident Business Solutions www.guidentbusinesssolutions.com............ 39 Horicon Bank www.horiconbank.com. ............................................... 8 Keller Inc. www.kellerbuilds.com. ................................................... 26
44 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
Marian University www.marianuniversity.edu..................................... 34 National Exchange Bank & Trust www.nebat.com............................. 2 Navigator Planning Group www.navigatorpg.com............................. 35 Netsonic www.netsonic.net........................................................... 40 Network Health Plan www.networkhealth.com . ................................ 47 NEW Building & Construction Trades Council www.newbt.org.......... 29 NWTC Corporate Training & Economic Development www.corporatetraining.nwtc.edu......................................................... 48 Optivision www.optivision.com....................................................... 43 Oshkosh Public Museum www.oshkoshmuseum.org.......................... 34 Outagamie County Regional Airport www.atwairport.com. ................ 19 R&R Steel Construction Company Inc. www.rrsteelconstruction.com..... 21 Sadoff & Rudoy Industries www.sadoff.com................................... 10 Security Luebke Roofing www.securityluebkeroofing.com. .................... 20 Stop Selling Vanilla Ice Cream www.stopsellingvanillaicecream.com....... 35 The Avenue www.theavenue91.com.................................................. 9 Thome Benefit Solutions www.thomebenefitsolutions.com...................... 6 Tri City Glass & Door www.tricityglass-door.com................................ 21 UWO College of Business www.mba.uwosh.edu.............................. 32 Winnebago County Solid Waste Management www.co.winnebago.wi.us/solid-waste/container-rental-program. ..................... 18 Wisconsin Fast Forward www. wisconsinfastforward.com..................... 27
www.newnorthb2b.com
GUEST COMMENTARY
States and metros to watch Various examples of regional growth from which Wisconsin can learn some lessons
Tom Still, president Wisconsin Technology Council
If there’s a flaw in Wisconsin’s cultural DNA that should be targeted for knock-out genetic treatments in one of our leading laboratories, it would be our reluctance to occasionally learn from others. Our inbred insularity may stem from the fact we’re off the nation’s beaten paths on the East and West coasts, or that so many of us come from northern European “don’t-askfor-help” stock, or that a populist political tradition means people react poorly to things like public officials taking legitimate trips outside the state – events invariably described in news accounts as “junkets.” Whatever the reasons, the same parochialism that makes most of us loyal Packers and Badgers fans sometimes closes our eyes to the possibility that people living elsewhere can also be smart, productive and inventive. We can love it here and still admit we don’t know everything. An example of looking beyond Wisconsin for best practices took place in late August when the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce organized a leadership bus trip to Chicago – a metropolis that influences the Wisconsin economy in major ways – to tour the “1871” digital co-working space. Opened less than two years ago in the Merchandise Mart with support from a major private donor and state government, it’s a place for designers, coders and entrepreneurs to build companies. There are similar, albeit much smaller, spaces and accelerators in Wisconsin, so the purpose of the trip wasn’t to expose participants to something entirely new. Rather, it was aimed at learning how others have approached an issue – company formation and entrepreneurship – that is top of mind in most states and cities. What are other states and metros worth watching? Many people know about the Silicon Valley, Boston I-28 Corridor and Austin, Texas, as well as major states such as California, Pennsylvania and New York. However, it may also be instructive for Wisconsin to track best practices in states of similar size. Here are a few examples from our experience at the Wisconsin Technology Council and related national groups. Colorado is a hotbed of activity for reasons that range from its enduring frontier mentality, its pro-growth political culture (the governor is an entrepreneur) and its approach to
young businesses. In the latest report by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation on hightech starts, five Colorado cities made the list of the nation’s top 25 startup hubs. Not only was metro Denver on the list, but Boulder, Fort Collins-Loveland, Colorado Springs and Grand Junction. Other Rocky Mountain or western states with similar activity include Utah (Salt Lake City and Provo-Orem), Idaho (Boise CityNampa), Montana (Missoula), Oregon (Portland-Beaverton and Corvallis) and even Wyoming (Cheyenne). The reasons can’t all be explained by ski slopes and mountains. Minnesota has long been a leader in medical device companies and remains so, but recent political changes there have some businesses rethinking the state’s allure. The Research Triangle of North Carolina remains a historic example of what can happen when public and private interests intersect, although that state has also taken some curious steps backwards of late. Maryland is home to a number of technology and life sciences companies, with proximity to Washington, D.C., and Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins University being major drivers. Among other less-known places that show up in many rankings are Huntsville, Ala., Trenton, N.J., Columbus, Ohio, and Ann Arbor, Mich., Wilmington, Del., and Des Moines, Iowa. What do they have in common? Many are homes to major research universities or federal laboratories, which spin out ideas. Others are health care hubs. Almost all have strong information technology infrastructures, including broadband but also high-speed networks. They’re also places where public and private differences are overcome, entrepreneurs are encouraged, and common regional interests are stressed, whether within a metro area or across state lines. Yes, tax structures and incentives help, but those often work hand-in-hand with other non-government factors. Wisconsin has much of what it takes to compete, but it won’t necessarily find all of the answers within its borders. Sometimes, it pays to learn from others. Still is president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. He is the former associate editor of the Wisconsin State Journal. NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013 l 45
KEY STATISTICS Per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline.
$3.33 October 13 $3.32 October 6 $3.35 September 29 $3.43 Oct. 21, 2012 $3.57 October 20
Source: New North B2B observations
September
This data was not provided as a result of the federal government shutdown in October.
September This data was not provided as a result of the federal government shutdown in October.
Appleton Fond du Lac Green Bay Neenah Oshkosh Wisconsin
August July Aug. ‘12
7.6% 7.3% 7.7% 7.3% 6.9% 6.2%
8.4% 7.9% 8.6% 8.3% 7.4% 6.8%
8.1% 7.6% 8.6% 8.5% 7.4% 6.8%
Prices for small businesses using less than 20,000 therms. Listed price is per therm.
(2007 = 100)
September This data was not provided as a result of the federal government shutdown in October.
$0.628 September $0.626 Oct. 2012 $0.606 October
Source: Integrys Energy
1st Qtr. FY 2014
$2.79 billion
6.5%
from 1st Qtr. FY 2013 (July-Sept.)
(Manufacturers and trade)
(Numbers above 50 mean expansion. Numbers below 50 mean contraction.)
August
This data was not provided as a result of the federal government shutdown in October.
September August
56.2 55.7
Providing your employees with interest-earning Health Savings Accounts (HSA’s) from CitizensFirst is one smart move. With savings that grow and roll over every year, your staff can stop worrying about monthly medical expenses and focus on staying healthy, happy and productive all year long. • High-interest rollover accounts – perfect for paying high-deductible insurance plan expenses. • HSA debit card & online account access. • Local service.
To learn more, contact
Becky Towne Federally Insured by NCUA
46 l NEW NORTH B2B l NOVEMBER 2013
Business Loan/ACH Specialist
920.230.3058
www.newnorthb2b.com
