welcome to the 2021
Sheboygan
o Champions Gala County Chamber
The Show Must Go On
celebrating sheboygan county's shining stars
thursday, february 18th, 2021 stefanie h. weill center for the performing arts sheboygan, wi
Sponsors thank you to our amazing sponsors who make this event possible
Platinum Family Born. Employee Owned.
Silver Reception
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Meet Our Emcee Tonight we are very fortunate to welcome back Jeff Frieders from Midwest Communications as our Emcee. Jeff was born and raised in Batavia, IL, a western suburb of Chicago. But please try not to hold that against him. Jeff graduated as Class Valedictorian of Columbia College in 2008, with a Bachelor's degree in Radio. Shortly after graduation, Jeff moved to Green Bay to host overnights on 101 WIXX. A year later he was promoted to Afternoon Host & Assistant Program Director of 104.5 & 96.1 The Point. Jeff is currently heard weekdays from 2pm-7pm on Sheboygan’s Point and serves as Operations Manager of Midwest Communications Sheboygan, which also includes 1330AM & 101.5 FM WHBL, Sheboygan’s Country B93, & Sheboygan’s Rock Station, 106.5 The Buzz. In his free time Jeff enjoys yoga, being constantly disappointed by his favorite sports teams, and running with the Sheboygan County Shoreline Striders. One of Jeff ’s favorite aspects of working in radio is community involvement, whether it be cheering on 3,000 participants at the American Cancer Society’s Road America Walk/Run, answering phones at the B93 Country Cares for St. Jude Kids Radiothon, or hosting the Annual Johnsonville Brat Days Brat Eating Competition. Jeff is honored to be a part of the 2021 Chamber Champions Gala and is looking forward to celebrating our community’s finest achievements.
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Chamber Staff
Deidre Martinez Executive Director
Carol Pringle Membership & Events Coordinator
Molly Talaska YP Public Relations and Administrative Coordinator Nannette Walker Office Manager
John Rogers Business Roundtables Facilitator
Scott Kuehn Director of Membership and Workforce Development
Executive Director Deidre Martinez Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce
President Elect Justin Selle St. Nicholas Hospital President & CEO
President Mark Schuh Plymouth Foam LLC Vice President/ General Manager
Vice President Kyle Whelton Aflac Insurance Benefits Consultant
Past President Martha VandeLeest RCS Empowers, Inc. President & CEO
Treasurer Max Scheuer Denmark State Bank VP Business Banking
Barbara Hamann Rockline Industries Corporate Recruiter
Kristin Liphart Lakeshore Technical College Vice President of Advancement
Dan Mella Plymouth School District Superintendant
Kristin Stearns Lakeshore Community Healthcare CEO
Christine Loose Kohler Co. VP of Lodging & Wellness
Lindsay Harrison-Eirich Engaged Marketing Co. Owner
David Zimmermann Zimmermann Co. President
Paul Blackley Sargento Foods Inc. VP of Procurement
Board of Directors
James Schramm UW Green Bay-Sheboygan Campus CEO
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Thank You For Your Service James T. Van Alstine
Master of Ceremonies Jeff Frieders
Agenda
Welcome Deidre Martinez, Executive Director Invocation John Rogers Ambassador of the Year....................6 Sponsor: Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce President’s Address Mark Schuh Working Together Award.................7 Sponsor: Prevea Health Pay It Forward Sponsor: Van Horn Automotive Group Nonprofit Charity of the Year........... 0 Sponsor: Lakeshore Community Healthcare
Safety Leader Award........................... 3 Sponsor: Wisconsin Lakeshore Safety Council Resilient Business of the Year.........6 Sponsor: CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP)
Culinary Star of the Year...................18 Sponsor: Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce Services Organization of The Year............................................ 0 Sponsor: Prairie States Enterprises, Inc. Manufacturer of the Year..................3 Sponsor: Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce Retailer of the Year............................. 6 Sponsor: Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce Evening Farewell
Nominees please return to the reception hall to pick up your plaques and have your photos taken if you wish. *Previous winners are not eligible to win in the same category for two years after their win. However, they are eligible to win if nominated in a different category. All nominees are recognized, even if ineligible to win.
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Ambassador of the Year presented by:
Sheboygan
County Chamber
The Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce Ambassador committee in many ways is the heart of the Chamber. This group of individuals is the welcoming committee for new members and marketing champions for the Chamber as a whole. The Chamber puts on more than programs, events and meetings annually with only five staff members, we would not be able to do this without the help of volunteers. Our Ambassadors are also the leaders of our Annual Golf Outing, with some of those proceeds being distributed throughout the community in the form of scholarships. As voted on by their peers, the Ambassador of the Year, is a celebration of one member of this group that has gone above and beyond in giving of their time, treasure and talent to move this committee’s initiatives forward throughout the course of the year.
Brian Gensch Acuity
Heidi Payton Ansay & Associates, LLC
Chris Graeber Wisconsin Bank & Trust
Jenn Haneman RCS Empowers, Inc.
Christy Jacobs Jacobs Financial Solutions - Thrivent
Kasey C. Sipiorski Vision Financial
Clay Schneider SEEK Careers/Staffing, Inc.
Kayla LaPalme Sunny Ridge Rehabilitation Center
Crystal Dekker The Office Sheboygan
Kim Verlare BMO Harris Bank Sheboygan Taylor
Daniel Tullberg ByteNoize Digital Marketing Mary Lou Haen Elkhart Lake's Road America David Rispalje Prudential Financial Dean Becker Ascension Medical Group Marsho Clinic Gaby Jansen Engaged Marketing Co. Gary Thede GT Graphics
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Laura Gumm Alliant Energy Nellie Weiss UnitedOne Credit Union Paul Kuplic Oostburg State Bank Robert Vandevrede Camp Insurance & Financial Services, LLC Russ Otten Service Master Quick Restore Tony Wiltzius Commerce State Bank
Working Together Award presented by:
Boys & Girls Club of Sheboygan County/John Michael Kohler Arts Center/ Nourish Farms/ Above & Beyond Children’s Museum/ Mental Health America in Sheboygan County - Community Activity Packages: The collaborative project developed four community activity kits for children and their families across Sheboygan County. These kits provided activities focusing in the areas of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math), art, movement, and social-emotional learning. MHA lent its expertise in mindfulness to create fun, unique, and engaging social-emotional learning activities for the activity kits. They were able to provide tools for children and parents to help them cope with the difficulties of summer, but also focus on whatever positives were also taking place in their lives. This collaborative project took place over the summer of 2020, as students across Sheboygan County grappled with a summer break that looked very different from years past due to the pandemic. HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital/Bemis Manufacturing - COVID-19 Health Care Response: When the pandemic started, HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital had to dramatically shift how they were doing things as they saw hospitals across the nation run out of personal protective equipment and become overrun with COVID patients. HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital reached out to Bemis Manufacturing to see if they could help. Bemis put resources towards accomplishing the goal of creating a phone booth style COVID testing site. The hospital was able to put this innovative booth in their Emergency Room garage and have patients that required testing, drive up and get tested. The phone booth style testing site not only protected health care workers but allowed them to reduce the amount of personal protective equipment being used by simply wiping down the booth. INSPIRE Sheboygan County - Virtual Job Shadows & Workforce Pathways: Inspire Sheboygan County was nominated for two projects developed in 2020, virtual career events and the workforce pathway model. Virtual Career Events derived from the COVID pandemic, which required the INSPIRE team to quickly shift focus from in person connections to virtual sessions. The session format is simple for their 7
partners to use and created a system that made it easy for students to access and interact. The workforce pathway was piloted in the 2019-20 school year, and slightly modified due to the pandemic. The premise behind the workforce pathway is to provide a structure around connecting high school seniors with companies to learn about culture, careers, and educational opportunities, with matching deadlines for participation similar to college bound or military bound students. Lakeshore Technical College/Destination Kohler - Tuition Reimbursement Program: This program was built to aid Destination Kohler in identifying a stronger culinary talent pipeline to provide more consistent full year coverage of cooks and chefs. LTC has this program to push and challenge excelling students through to gain work experience while attending school, provide those students with an internship opportunity, and provide employment in the workforce post graduating from school. Students that excel in the program and schooling will have the opportunity at tuition reimbursement via Kohler Company. Lakeshore Technical College/Sheboygan Area School District College Here & Now: College Here & Now® provides high school students in the Sheboygan Area School District the opportunity to earn a college degree in information technology (IT) without leaving their school. Upon earning a degree from Lakeshore Technical College, they can seamlessly transfer LTC credits to Lakeland University and pursue a bachelor’s degree in computer science, or enter the workforce where there is a high demand for IT expertise. The program’s goal was to enroll 30 students when the program launched in fall 2019, 109 registered. In fall 2020, 69 new students enrolled and 17 students returned. Road America/Plymouth Advancement Association - Fire Fest: The event, coined as “One Community – One Purpose,” originated when it was apparent that July 4th events throughout Wisconsin and Sheboygan County were being canceled as there wasn’t a way to achieve social distancing at venues with limited space. In partnership with the Plymouth Advancement Association, Inc., over $74,500.00 was raised for the Sheboygan County Food Bank, Elkhart Lake Fire Department, and Plymouth Fire Department. Fire Fest tickets purchased by the public, along with several sponsors made this event possible. Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice/Engaged Marketing Co. - Because (My Journey, Comfort at Home, Living with Dignity, Compassionate Care, Moments of Joy) Matters. : Let’s face it. Hospice can be scary and confusing. Streamlining the message to be positive and vibrant was a key takeaway in order to distinguish Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice from its competitors. Engaged Marketing Co.’s comprehensive marketing strategy focused on raising brand awareness 8
and visibility within Sheboygan County and surrounding communities. Collectively, the two organizations hoped to share an uplifting and meaningful message to Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice’s target market while simultaneously launching a refreshing marketing campaign. It was important to move forward in a manner that continued to honor the founders’ legacy and vision of love, compassion and caring for our community. Sheboygan County Activity and Nutrition Coalition/Sheboygan “Well County” Program: In January 2015, the Sheboygan County Activity and Nutrition (SCAN) Coalition, announced plans to pursue a “Well County” designation. “Well County” status is achieved when a minimum of 20 organizations that collectively employ at least 20% of a community’s workforce become designated Well Workplaces within a three-year period. Each employer must complete the Wellness Council of America’s (WELCOA’s) Well Workplace Award application to document their progress in developing their worksite wellness initiatives. The process is driven by a rigorous set of criteria outlined in WELCOA’s seven benchmarks to a results-oriented Well Workplace. In October 2020, the Wellness Council of Wisconsin reported the participating organizations had achieved Well Workplace Award Designations within the project guidelines. Twenty companies who collectively employ 22% of the Sheboygan County workforce met the project requirement to achieve a Well County designation. Sheboygan County - Public Health COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team: On March 16, 2020, just four days following Governor Evers’ declaration of a state health emergency, Sheboygan County established the County Pandemic Administrative Panel composed of the County Administrator, public health professionals, emergency responders, hospital presidents, school administrators, elected officials, and other community stakeholders. This panel continues to meet every Monday morning to discuss COVID-19 plans, preparations, and progress. The goal of this panel is to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Sheboygan County to keep one another and the community safe. Working together and led by Sheboygan County’s Public Health Division, the Panel has created the Sheboygan County Restart Guidelines in an ongoing effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 while keeping businesses, places of worship, and schools open. In December, the Panel collaborated with local business and community leaders to create a Public Service Announcement video along with corresponding marketing materials to encourage Sheboygan County residents to take actions and work together to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Vintage Elkhart Lake/Humane Society of Sheboygan County Virtual Wine Tasting Event: Vintage Elkhart Lake’s goal was to sell wine tasting kits for an hour- long virtual wine tasting to help raise money for the Humane Society of Sheboygan County while creating new 9
and engaging content to spread awareness about HSSC and offer a safe activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. United Way of Sheboygan County/Sheboygan Service Club Sheboygan County COVID-19 Relief Fund: The Sheboygan County COVID-19 Relief Fund was a collaborative initiative developed after the World Health Organization declared the Coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic. United Way of Sheboygan County's (UWSC) board and staff quickly organized, invested in, and launched a Sheboygan County COVID-19 Relief Fund on Saturday March 14, 2020. The Relief Fund gained continued momentum with Sheboygan Service Club (SSC) and UWSC announcing their partnership to co-lead the effort on April 22, 2020. Both organizations have a long history of supporting and lifting the social sector through annual fundraising efforts and events. By joining forces, Service Club and United Way amplified community support during unprecedented times with the help of many businesses, foundations, and individuals. The initiative completed at the end of July 2020 after distributing $285,176 to 32 local nonprofit agencies.
Pay It Forward presented by:
Family Born. Employee Owned.
Nonprofit Charity of the Year presented by:
Above & Beyond Children’s Museum: In response to the crisis, ABCM launched a vigorous fundraising campaign that raised $130,000 to help recoup some lost revenue. Their small, but mighty, team of board members and retained staff created and implemented a Pandemic 10
Playbook for the crisis; installing and adding safety and sanitation equipment and PPE supplies with the support of incredible donors. That same team found innovative and creative ways to bring programming outside the walls of the museum, they continued their offerings through collaborations with community partners and organizations. ABCM was ready to reopen their doors in October when the second wave of the pandemic hit and forced them to remain closed. Boys & Girls Club of Sheboygan County: In response to the many challenges brought by 2020, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sheboygan County quickly innovated their services to serve kids in new and necessary ways. Initially, the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to close their doors. Although their service model previously depended upon youth coming onsite to Clubhouses, they realized that the situation would require staff to go to kids instead. So, they began opening new doors by delivering hundreds of meals and grocery store gift cards to address growing food insecurity. They also began wellbeing checks for isolated kids by visiting from front porches and through Zoom calls. They developed virtual programming to provide educational and wellness activities to kids no matter where they were and delivered activity kits to ensure they reached kids who did not have internet access. When they were able to resume onsite services, they did so safely by creating new policies and protocols. As the Sheboygan Area School District moved to virtual learning in November, the Boys & Girls Clubs launched a new service to provide elementary students a safe, supportive place to go during the day for schoolwork. Great Marriages for Sheboygan County: Great Marriages is needed in our community! If every couple had the ability to communicate effectively and resolve conflict in a healthy manner, then every child would have a healthy example of how to have a life-long, successful marriage. During the pandemic, they never stopped helping people; pivoting to online events and couple-to-couple mentoring by Zoom as many families were stressed with all the extra time they were spending together. Great Marriages’ numbers served were higher during the summer of 2020 for monthly events as they moved to free online events as so many people were desiring help with their relationships. For example, their building can host 30-50 attendees for monthly events, their two May events had the following registrants virtually: Currency of Trust-121; Communication-You Don’t Understand!-186. Something positive came out of being forced to do online events-reaching more people. Because of this, they will continue online free events in 2021 along with in-person events when they are able again. Habitat for Humanity Lakeside: Despite the challenges this organization has faced in 2020, Habitat for Humanity Lakeside is ready to enter 2021 stronger than ever. They have hired new staff, strengthened standard operating procedures, increased fundraising activity and have 11
the staff who are more dedicated to their mission than ever before in their history. With only operating in 2020 from January-February and June-December, they are also proud to share that fundraising revenue is better than ever before. Habitat Lakeside has had higher demand for housing programs, home repairs in particular, and have fundraised to meet that demand. In 2021, they are set up to be successful in all aspects of operations by being more financially secure than this time last year. They are looking forward to getting their staff and board together during Q1 of 2021 to adjust and realign aspects of their strategic plan to ensure continuity with the goals from pre-pandemic. Humane Society of Sheboygan County: HSSC has continued to grow despite the challenges faced in 2020, in several different ways. One of the largest changes that was made due to COVID-19 was that the Humane Society required all appointments to be made ahead of time, they also reduced hours of operation. The impact that this made to reduce the stress on the animals in the shelter was immense. What was learned was that by not allowing the public to be consistently in the kennel areas, the animals were calmer, healthier and they presented themselves better when meeting future families. By changing this process, they will be able to increase the number of animals rescued going forward. While the pandemic has been hard, they actually feel that this was a great change that they have made to better the organization. Making Spirits Bright, Inc: Despite the pandemic’s effects, Making Spirits Bright experienced a record year of attendance and pantry donations. Sponsorship increased despite concerns that Covid would have financially impacted many of their supporters. Much of the growth this year was first time visitors who learned of the event through Facebook, media efforts and word of mouth. MSB continues to grow awareness outside the footprint of Sheboygan County, with visitors coming from Illinois, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Appleton, Madison and West Bend. They have the recognition of being in the top 5 best light shows in Wisconsin and recently received resounding endorsement from Circle Wisconsin, the motorcoach membership organization in the state. RCS Empowers, Inc.: With the financial challenges the pandemic has brought, RCS spent more time in 2020 looking for grant opportunities, other governmental funding opportunities and fundraising to help sustain them through this unprecedented time. RCS held the third annual Shine On fundraising event, a holiday festival of trees, wreaths, and other decorated items. They completely transformed the fundraiser into a one night, virtual event including the offering of a gourmet dinner with wine and delivery option; an on-line auction of beautifully decorated trees, wreaths, centerpieces, and themed baskets. A number of instant buy items were available including the annual RCS Christmas ornament with the artwork designed by one of their participants and the RCS Tea Box which is packaged by the participants. The highlight 12
of the event was the inspirational program that was broadcast through YouTube which provided the community and supporters of RCS with impactful testimonials from individuals and families who have benefited from RCS services, including the newly developed RCS Connects virtual opportunity. Rebuilding Together - Sheboygan County: Once the spread of COVID-19 slowed, using guidelines from Rebuilding Together’s national organization, they were able to establish safety standards on how to proceed with the most critical projects using protective gear and disinfectant. The most significant project of the year was for an elderly couple in Sheboygan Falls. The couple contacted them about replacing a cast iron tub with a walk-in shower because it was becoming unsafe for them to get in and out of the tub. The tub was removed and a walk-in shower installed. Sheboygan County Food Bank: Due to the economic devastation that ensued from the COVID-19 crisis in our community, the most significant task SCFB faced was to effectively respond to the historically high levels of demand on the emergency food network amid a drastic decrease in donated food supply. Thousands more of Sheboygan County neighbors relied on emergency food supplied by SCFB through partner organizations and partner food pantries. To respond to the simultaneous increase in demand and decrease in supply, they focused on strategies and opportunities to substantially boost supply and distribution of emergency food. In March, they established Sheboygan County Hunger Relief Food Fund (SCHRFF). The SCHRFF provided community members, businesses and organizations an opportunity to safely support SCFB, where 100% of the donations were used to quickly purchase food.
Safety Leader Award presented by:
Fehr Graham: Fehr Graham is fully committed to improving the health and safety of Sheboygan County, both at a community and an employer level. They have shown this by providing services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic via Zoom and other virtual platforms to keep projects moving forward and clients compliant at a time when face-toface visits were restricted. Fehr Graham also created a custom safety training program that provided instruction for their employees to enter 13
residences/businesses to minimize potential exposure to COVID-19 while conducting lead assessments. Fortress Floors: Fortress Floors has implemented many changes throughout this changing climate. They have studied the weight bearing and balancing capabilities of their hauling equipment to drive to and from job sites safely. They have also made it mandatory to wear knee pads, safety glasses, and back braces while on a job site. In addition, they have taken safety to a new level this year by asking all customers to share a positive COVID result with them before we arrive. Lastly, they have implemented mask wearing by the sales staff and crew leads when in direct contact with customers. Masters Gallery Foods: Masters Gallery uses the 15 Element Safety Management Safety System, which is an integrated Safety and Health audit used for identifying, evaluating, analyzing, and controlling workplace safety and health hazards and programs. This system is based on the National Safety Council best in world safety approach and is reviewed and updated regularly by local safety professionals. The system includes developing policies, procedures, and practices fundamental to creating and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment. The process is evaluated and scored annually to ensure the road map of safety is known and used to establish goals and objectives to develop world class safety for their employees. Meijer, Inc.: Meijer is the pioneer of the ‘’one-stop shop’’ concept, offering excellent customer service, low price, quality foods, and a broad selection of national quality foods and Meijer brand items. At Meijer, they have established a safety committee which includes a team member from every part of the store. Internally, they practice 200% accounting, which means that every team member is responsible for each other's safety as well as their own. RCS Empowers, Inc.: RCS’ participants and employees have been doing an excellent job of communicating any circumstances that might impact their ability to be on site due to COVID-19. They implemented a team of two employees who review all situations and determine the best solution to keep safety as a top priority. When situations arise that might be questionable, they seek the direction of Sheboygan County Public Health. They have maintained this high level of precaution throughout the pandemic and have been able to manage all situations without needing to close down a department or the entire facility. They are extremely proud of the participants, employees and ability, as a nonprofit organization, to persevere during this unprecedented pandemic and immediately put a safety plan into action to keep everyone safe. Senior Activity Center of Sheboygan: SACS prevents injuries by 14
explaining how to properly use the correct mechanics in each exercise class, as well as enhance information about fall prevention in seniors. They offer three different programs through the Wisconsin Institute of Healthy Aging, which focuses on falls. The classes major focuses are on balance, strength, and endurance. They educate their members on different topics including navigating in inclement weather, analyzing different fall hazards, and many more. They have not had an accident/ injury in the past three years, and are incredibly proud of that. The continuing education that they give to their members has expanded their safety knowledge and prevented accidents. Sheboygan County: Since the onset of the pandemic, Sheboygan County has been leading the response to keep employees and the community safe. On March 16, the County established a panel composed of the County Administrator, public health professionals, emergency responders, hospital presidents, school administrators, elected officials, and other community stakeholders to coordinate the local response to COVID-19. During the first six weeks, the County prepared the Sheboygan County Safe Restart Guidelines and have worked in collaboration with the local hospitals and clinics, Sheboygan County Chamber, Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation (SCEDC), and Sheboygan County School Districts in their ongoing efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 while keeping businesses, places of worship, and schools open. Van Horn Automotive Group: Van Horn is very proud of their company’s efforts during the pandemic. It is very important to them to be able to stay open to provide the employees with the income they need for their families, but also to provide service to their customers. The auto group implemented cleaning and distancing procedures immediately so employees and customers would feel safe in store. When an employee did have symptoms or test positive, they had very clear, consistent procedures to follow to prevent further spread or risk. As we all know the mask requirement can be very difficult to enforce, but they maintain a very clear and consistent message of requiring them for employees and customer’s safety and comfort. They also encouraged employees whose positions allowed, to work from home whenever possible. This gave them the flexibility to continue working while being careful to prevent further spread. Vintage Elkhart Lake: During the COVID-19 shutdown, Vintage Elkhart Lake was able to continue to operate in a safe manner by initially closing to in-store traffic and offering SideDoor curbside pickup and weekly wine tastings virtually on Facebook Live. These virtual tastings were available for free to the public and were used to encourage safe, social interaction, maintain customer engagement, and give people something to encourage them to stay at home and have fun doing so. Vintage Elkhart Lake was one of the first in the county to limit bar capacity, 15
require face coverings, and enact other safety measures to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Resilient Business of the Year presented by:
Acuity: As a result of preparation and innovation, Acuity’s service to individuals, families, and businesses in the Sheboygan community and across the nation continued uninterrupted during the pandemic. While other carriers were scrambling to outfit employees with technology, Acuity was already there. While phones rang unanswered in other companies’ empty offices, Acuity was connecting with people not just through phone, but through video conferencing. Accidents, fires, weather, and other disasters didn’t stop simply because of COVID-19, and Acuity didn’t stop either thanks to their innovative approach to business. By being resilient, Acuity was and is always available when people needed them. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Sheboygan County: During the past year BBBSSC didn’t stop. The organization paused for a half day to transition to remote working, however their normal business operations did not stop. BBBSSC provided new and deeper support to more individuals than normal, added two new positions, backfilled vacant positions, launched new initiatives for youth, completely redesigned and successfully launched our school-based program virtually, successfully held the county’s first hybrid fundraising event, united the community through a show of lights at year end, and will have closed their books with a record setting year of revenue. While they took a moment to celebrate those successes, the team is right back to the grind because there are thousands of youth who need them. Lakeland University: In mid-March as the state shut down, Lakeland extended spring break by a week to allow faculty teaching in-person classes an additional week to convert them to all virtual. LU successfully re-opened its residential campus in the fall and held in-person classes with social distancing and masks required. Dining Services adapted to ensure safe food production/delivery. Lakeland delivered on the Co-Op promise despite COVID. Many students had Co-Op jobs working for essential businesses – food service operations, healthcare, etc. In some cases, students had the opportunity to work more. Lakeland expanded its value to the community with the 2020 debut of Launch, the second 16
student-run business venture at a Wisconsin college/university. Lakeland also launched a COVID-19 emergency fund to support students suffering negative financial impacts from the virus or needing help getting access to computers to access their classes. Parm’s Landscape Management, Inc.: Parm’s Landscape Management ended the year of 2019 with plans for more than an one-million-dollar company expansion project in the town of Plymouth. They completed it in the midst of a very uncertain economic climate. This project mainly consisted of building a new shop and office as well as purchasing additional land for future plans of opening a greenhouse and garden center. Parm’s now offers the largest and most advanced shop and office in Sheboygan County for the landscaping industry and are happy that they were able to have so many Sheboygan County contractors be part of its construction during a year that may have otherwise been much more difficult for them. Road America: Despite the recent events surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, Road America remained open throughout the season, including hosting the largest spectator event in 2020 since the pandemic began with the 2020 NTT INDYCAR REV Group Grand Prix doubleheader, July 10-11. Road America was able to remain open and host fans due to its vast 640-acre (outdoor) viewing space and COVID-19 mitigation protocols which included: contactless ticketing, temperature checks at the gates for all spectators, employees and series officials. Hand sanitizer and protective masks were also made available at all gates. Protective sneeze guards provided by partner CTECH Manufacturing were installed in office spaces, concessions and the Paddock Shop. Road America also partnered with Guy & O’Neil for supplies of protective wipes and initiated aggressive sanitization protocols throughout the facility. The GameBoard, LLC: While closed from March to April, the GameBoard sold out of their puzzles and couldn’t get restocks. In response, they created a new program called the Puzzle Exchange. Customers could turn in used puzzles for in-store credit. They then clean, date, shrink wrap, and finally quarantine the puzzles for 2 weeks. This then enabled them to make new stock available to their customers. The GameBoard also issued COVID-19 gift coins, allowing customers to buy $25 and get $30 in value. Expanding the supplier list allowed them to keep new items arriving despite the industry shortage. They opened up shopping through Facebook Messenger so customers could visually be inside the store while physically safe at home or in their car. By adding curbside pickup and at home delivery, they were better able to accommodate all of their customer’s needs. They also updated their educational outreach program “The GameExperiment” to include a Zoom option so classrooms could still participate.
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Yoga on the Lake: Yoga on the Lake’s response to 2020 challenges was all about getting creative and staying connected to the community. In March 2020 when the studio was shut down for two months due to Covid-19, they quickly turned to offering classes on their YouTube channel and Live on social media. Keeping people moving and focusing on their physical and mental health was and is on the forefront. The instructors at YOTL wanted to offer special classes around chair yoga, meditation, and mindfulness for all of the folks suddenly working from home. Utilizing multiple outdoor areas to offer safe, distanced classes where the community could still come together and feel the energy and strength of one another. Human connection is paramount to well-being and the family at Yoga on the Lake rose above the challenges of 2020 and kept that connection alive.
Culinary Star of the Year presented by:
Sheboygan
County Chamber
Destination Kohler: Working through a pandemic in 2020 definitely challenged and stretched the organization to get creative, innovative and try new things. This past year they implemented the following: curb-side pickup program with some local delivery from a few venues, thorough practices and precautions to keep all guests and associates safe. They reconcepted a business turning Cucina, Italian restaurant, into Taverne on Woodlake, rolled out Culinary Demonstrations at Woodlake Market and provided meals for all furloughed Kohler associates at no cost, preparing 20,228 meals. Field to Fork Cafe and Grocery: Over the past year, Field to Fork is proud of the fact that they stayed open during the whole pandemic. They pivoted Field to Fork’s grocery to feed people local products from an uninterrupted supply chain. As a result, retail grew by 100%! The staff made prepared food while the supply chain for conventional groceries appeared to break down. The new model proved that local, sustainable food is the way of the future. Field to Fork collaborated with the city to create a Thursday night street party with neighboring eateries, investing in furniture and fencing to create a sidewalk cafe at all of their 8th Street restaurants. Throughout the year, no one was laid off. Harry’s Pizza Market: Harry’s Pizza Market (formally Harry’s Diner since 2006) was newly renovated and reopened in July 2020. The new
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market is the FIRST and ONLY pizzeria in the state of Wisconsin certified to serve Roman style pizzas. Roman style pizza differs in the way the dough is prepared. It also requires specific mixers and ovens to prepare. They are happy to broaden Sheboygan County's already broad culinary scene. Local Press Eatery: While this year has brought on struggles for many small businesses, Local Press Eatery has adapted to the new normal but changing their menu dedicated to customer favorites while utilizing local farmers/products when available. The eatery has dedicated itself to provide more job opportunities, hoping to drive community economic development. They want to continue offering the best service to customers by giving them an exciting culinary experience through the staff, their menu, and continued participation in community events. Through their service and hospitality standards, they have continued to receive top digital reviews as well as word of mouth. Paddock Club: The Paddock Club has adapted their business to provide a safe environment for guests by implementing new procedures: installing a UV purification system on their HVAC to offer additional air filtration and adding an outdoor patio. They have been offering takeout on a daily basis and have created special event take home dinners for the holidays and when closed. The staff has socially distanced from day one, and continue to do so to maintain a high standard and comfort for their guests. The restaurant opened up shortly after it was safe to do so and learned how to adapt by working as a team. The Blind Horse Restaurant and Winery: It is virtually impossible to address anything related to 2020 without relating it to the ongoing pandemic. From the start of COVID-19 last March, The Blind Horse Restaurant has been the leader in researching and implementing cutting edge technology, they now have real time Covid-mitigation in all buildings on their property. The Blind Horse was the first restaurant in the country to install Far UVC – 222 lighting from Healthe Inc. last October, garnering national attention. Additionally, they were among the first in the country to utilize Green Up Solutions “Shock & Shield” technology upon reopening in May 2020. The technology implemented are big pieces of a larger suite of protocols they have executed since day one to ensure the safety of guests and their team. Seeboth Delicatessen: In a year of unprecedented challenges, Seeboth Deli was able to pivot, adapt and shine. Their staff, with their can-do attitude and desire to “get to yes” have been able to come up with a variety of unique and creative ways to cater to the quarantined crowd. From socially distanced dine in, carry out, curbside service, catering, and delivery they have been able to keep Sheboygan well fed and safe. They have been militant about sanitizing and making sure customers are safely served. The delicatessen has implemented Pop Up Shops to 19
provide special Seeboth favorites such as pot pies, scratch made soups and fresh grab and go meals and sides. They also have maintained catering for groups by providing individually boxed meals and offering discounted gift card programs for large groups.
Services Organization of the Year presented by:
Boys & Girls Club of Sheboygan County: In response to the many challenges brought by 2020, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sheboygan County quickly innovated their services to serve kids in new and necessary ways. Initially, the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to close their doors. Although their service model previously depended upon youth coming onsite to clubhouses, they realized that the situation would require staff to go to kids instead. So, they began opening new doors by delivering hundreds of meals and grocery store gift cards to address growing food insecurity. They also began wellbeing checks for isolated kids by visiting from front porches and through Zoom calls. They developed virtual programming to provide educational and wellness activities to kids no matter where they were and delivered activity kits to ensure they reached kids who did not have internet access. When they were able to resume onsite services, they did so safely by creating new policies and protocols. As the Sheboygan Area School District moved to virtual learning in November, the Boys & Girls Clubs launched a new service to provide elementary students a safe, supportive place to go during the day for schoolwork. Dynamic, Inc.: This past year has been challenging for businesses and organizations of all types. With today's economy, marketing is more important than ever! In the current virtual world, Dynamic’s services have allowed brands to connect with customers where they are. As a digital marketing agency, they’ve helped companies adjust their marketing efforts and strengthen their online presence in these uncertain times. By doing this, they’ve been able to provide local businesses with hope for a successful future. Additionally, Dynamic has found ways to use their services to support local nonprofits. They have empowered organizations to meet local needs, provide community services, and continue to function in the midst of challenges. 20
Fortress Floors: Fortress Floors is a company that strives to expand customers' living space by creating beautiful and functional flooring where there used to be bland and drab concrete. Their mission is 100% customer satisfaction while improving the life of their employees. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, they were able to quickly respond and shift their advertising focus to allow them to continue to grow. Jacobs Financial Solutions - Thrivent: Jacobs Financial Solutions has continued to grow revenues and be successful despite the challenges faced this year. Their commitment to what they do best is helping people to achieve their goals. 2020 has made people think differently about their future and the future of those they care about. This year has changed many things for people and planning is one of those. People are planning for the future and are looking for that expert advice on how to get there. That is how they have been able to continue to grow this year, by servicing those individuals. Those individuals have then shared what they were able to do for them and the planning process would begin again with a new client. Kohler Credit Union: 2020 was a year like none before. Challenges faced were not only new territory, but they came fast and furious with the ever-evolving pandemic. KCU, though, was steadfast in their response and focused on their mission, members and employees. Decisions that were made to adapt to the situation always involved discussion around the safety, well-being and livelihoods of members and employees. KCU continued their focus on members’ experience and ensured they had multiple channels to connect with them, even when they needed to change operations. KCU looked to the strength of their employees and their ability to build relationships and rally around the needs of their members. Through their dedication to the mission, and focus on teamwork, the credit union was able to overcome the challenges and become stronger as a result. Parm’s Landscape Management, Inc.: Parm’s Landscape Management ended the year of 2019 with plans for more than an one-million-dollar company expansion project in the town of Plymouth. They completed it in the midst of a very uncertain economic climate. This project mainly consisted of building a new shop and office as well as purchasing additional land for future plans of opening a greenhouse and garden center. Parm’s now offers the largest and most advanced shop and office in Sheboygan County for the landscaping industry and are happy that they were able to have so many Sheboygan County contractors a part of its construction during a year that may have otherwise been much more difficult for them. Prevea Health: Prevea’s focus for 2020 was on educating and caring for patients amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to get a handle on the virus, it was important that Prevea Health educated about the virus 21
and test as many people as possible; those with symptoms and those without. In fact, Prevea led the way for community testing. A drivethrough testing site was constructed at the Prevea Sheboygan Medical Office Building, and later testing was moved indoors in a different part of town. They also provided testing to local corporate partners and assisted with outbreaks at local businesses and nursing homes. Testing continues today. Operationalizing the testing was like nothing they’ve experienced before, yet found a way to do it, in the safest way possible. Rockline Industries, Inc.: Within Rockline, they were highly focused on the Covid-19 pandemic. They Implemented multiple Covid-19 task forces to address facility improvements, entrance protocols, PPE, and exposure protocols to keep manufacturing centers as healthy as possible. They also shifted the majority of their office associates to a remote work arrangement. With these changes, they continued to be able to deliver on their commitments to customers and associates alike. Rockline experienced significant demand increases on coffee filters and disinfecting wipes as a result of more people working from home and the need for increasing disinfecting wipe supply across the world. These demand increases required intense focus with suppliers and customers as well as creative solutions to ensure they could supply customers at the highest levels possible during a period of extremely high demand. Rockline is also making significant investments to their future with implementing more capacity and product improvements that will be critical to providing more important disinfecting products to their customers. Sheboygan County Division of Public Health: Since the onset of the pandemic, Sheboygan County has been leading the response to keep employees and the community safe. On March 16, the County established a panel composed of the County Administrator, public health professionals, emergency responders, hospital presidents, school administrators, elected officials, and other community stakeholders to coordinate the local response to COVID-19. During the first six weeks, the County prepared the Sheboygan County Safe Restart Guidelines and have worked in collaboration with the local hospitals and clinics, Sheboygan County Chamber, Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation (SCEDC), and Sheboygan County School Districts in our ongoing efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 while keeping businesses, places of worship, and schools open. Steimle Birschbach, LLC: Like many, SB Law had several challenges in 2020 primarily relating to the implications COVID-19 had on their ability to service clients. Some of the challenges they have faced include a mandatory shut down in March, with offices reopening in mid-June. In the interim, SB’s attorneys and staff had to develop solutions to serve clients including being one of the first firms in Wisconsin to offer “curbside signing” for estate planning clients. In addition, the team at SB met 22
with their clients where they felt most comfortable, either in person with proper safety measures, or by telephone, mail, or video conferencing measures. 2020 was truly a year full of innovation for the firm. For their entire team at SB Law, 2020 was a year of constantly adapting and being flexible to get the job done for their clients. Timothy Saeger - Thrivent: Timothy Saeger - Thrivent is focused on serving Christians in Sheboygan County and beyond in making sound decisions that will help them live a fulfilling life. With focus on four key areas; Finances, Health & Wellness, Relationships, and Living an Inspired Purpose, Thrivent engages their clients to live their best life. Timothy Saeger knows that there's more to life than money. In March of 2020, his team made the commitment to contact 100% of investing clients to ensure their well being and help them gain perspective on the economy. Wisconsin Recovery Community Organization, Inc.: WIRCO seeks to establish and sustain a Recovery Community Organization that embraces all pathways to recovery and support all individuals impacted by the disease of addiction through education and coaching, programming, referrals, and advocacy. Through a collaboration with MHA of Sheboygan and Rogers Behavioral Health, WIRCO implemented the delivery of recovery care packages to keep individuals seeking recovery connected. The organization continues to grow revenues and be successful despite challenges. They currently have received an increase in funding from generous community donations and state and local grants.
Manufacturer of the Year presented by:
Sheboygan
County Chamber
Curt G. Joa, Inc.: JOA invested significant efforts to increase production capacity and supply for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). As early as April 2020, JOA joined the collaboration project ‘Badger Shield’ that created an open-source design for face shields to provide PPE for the University Wisconsin Healthcare network and other medical personnel in need. JOA designed a headband for the shield that gave the wearer maximum comfort and the tension to keep the shield in place, and then converted equipment in the onsite R&D laboratory to produce them quickly. With the internal capabilities, JOA produced the first batch of 23
headbands in less than 20 hours from initial request, which helped the Badger Shield project create thousands of face shields immediately. In addition, JOA leveraged its nearly 25-years’ experience designing and building face mask production machines to create a patent-pending mask designed for optimal production efficiency. To increase critical supply quickly, JOA produced millions of the new masks on its internal R&D assets for distribution to employees of a major global retailer. MilliporeSigma: In 2020, along with many other companies, MilliporeSigma faced changes in their work environment due to COVID-19. The company stayed resilient to the needs of the situation, supporting the health and well-being of employees by establishing social distancing guidelines, fostering virtual work environments, supplying PPE for home and work use, while also contributing to the development of COVID-19 testing and vaccinations. In addition, they have continued to build on their catalogue through the acquisition of Versum and integration of ultra-pure operations. Old Wisconsin Sausage Company: Being in the food industry, Old Wisconsin was considered an essential business and was in full operation while other businesses were shut down. During the early stages of the pandemic OWS conducted company wide town hall style meetings to keep staff updated on the latest virus information. This included changes in the work environment to keep everyone healthy. The sausage company implemented best practice safety protocols which includes work-space separations, ongoing deep cleaning, sick pay adjustments, temperature screening and a variety of personal protection alternatives. They granted additional vacation days, doubled gainshare bonuses and granted a $1.00 hero pay premium for 6 months. In addition, they grew business and improved operations while facing quarantines, supply chain disruptions, and unprecedented demand for their products. Old Wisconsin has always worked diligently to earn the trust of staff through ongoing communication, appreciation, and honesty. Plymouth Industries, Inc.: The success of a small business often hinges on a handful of decisions made during the course of a year, and this has never been more true than in 2020. Since Plymouth Industries, Inc. is considered an essential business to many of their customers, they had to quickly create a working environment that was first and foremost safe for their employees, allowing people to keep working productively. The fabrication company promptly reinforced existing standards and implemented new ones including routine temperature monitoring, well spread-out work areas, and frequent ultraviolet light disinfection of high traffic areas. They also fostered a health and safety-first attitude: allowing individuals to work from home when necessary, encouraging those who felt sick to stay home, and asking those who were sick or exposed to avoid exposing fellow employees. 24
Sargento Foods, Inc.: Keeping employees safe and healthy has been the number one focus for Sargento during the COVID-19 crisis. For them, communication was vital for keeping everyone on the same page during such a tumultuous time. Anticipating what consumers want and focusing on core offerings has helped meet the needs of the new way so many people are living, cooking, and eating. Everyone in the cheese industry has also had to enhance their supply chain capabilities to meet the growing demand at retail and address the tremendous pressure on the Food Service industry. During the peak of pandemic shopping in March and April, consumers rushed to grocery stores to stockpile cheese for their coming quarantines. In several segments, the industry saw retail sales surge 30-70% percent from 2019. This issue has required an incredible amount of flexibility and agility and Sargento has been proud to see everyone working collaboratively to keep this essential food business as healthy as possible during this once-in-a-century event. Sohn Manufacturing, Inc.: Sohn Manufacturing, is a contract manufacturer specializing in Die-Cutting and converting of pressure sensitive and non-pressure sensitive materials consisting of films, foils, foams, and non-woven materials. When Covid-19 happened, SMI responded in a positive way to their employees and customers. They came up with a plan to make sure everyone in their plant was safe; making remote employment a reality, ensuring their employees wear protective gear and implementing social distancing practices. Instead of the pandemic having a negative turn for the company, they grew in product sales. They were able to make the facility safe with security on every entry door and window. During the summer’s heat, they also installed air conditioning in their facility. Tactik Lighting, LLC: In spite of the pandemic, Tactik was able to maintain staffing and sales at slightly above 2019 levels. The industrial LED company, while considered essential, was able to take advantage of shelter in place mandates to deploy engineering assets to create a completely new Made in America product line. Chinese tariffs were having a price impact, but they are now mitigated with locally sourced components. The company is now shipping competitively priced, higher quality products at significantly improved margins. Torke Family Coffee Roasters: In 2020, Torke Coffee was able to rapidly identify new revenue models through their contract manufacturing division. Their entire team is composed of individuals who are multifaceted in their roles and responsibilities which in-turn allows them to not only be quick, but also accurate. The quick thinking allowed them to be able to repurpose many of their field-sales team to focus on alternative channels and responded by acquiring new and different businesses. The Consumer Products Channel experienced over 100% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) in that specific channel.
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Retailer of the Year presented by:
Sheboygan
County Chamber
Aventuron: Contrary to a “brick and mortar” store that has a local or regional market, Aventuron chose to begin their business as an online retailer with North America as their marketplace. The technology available has presented the opportunity to use statistical population advantages to fashion their business. They focus on the following categories: adventure bicycles, backpack camping, fly-fishing, crossbow hunting, accessories for overland vehicles and what they call ‘’lodge life’’. Their overall goal is “to keep the main thing, the main thing”...being the best at providing what they choose to focus upon. Aventuron is about relationships; referring friends to other providers with a philosophy of working in tandem to take care of their customer family. Bluebird Baby & Kids Boutique: Bluebird is a different kind of brick and mortar retail store in the Sheboygan area. They offer an in-store shopping experience for those that can physically visit their location on 8th Street but also online ordering, curbside pickup and free local delivery to any address in Sheboygan County. Consumers are used to quickly receiving items from online retailers. Many local patrons want to support local businesses, and by offering convenient options, Bluebird has been able to grow their business in 2020 despite the ongoing pandemic. Bluebird also focuses on having a diverse array of local, national, and international products from boutique brands featuring high quality materials which can’t be found in our many big box stores. Dulmes Décor Carpet One Floor & Home: Dulmes Décor is known for its reputation of quality, service and integrity in their design abilities, and most of all their promise to stand behind the products they sell. Despite a global pandemic in 2020, Dulmes Decor relocated to a new building after 60 years in their original location, bringing in substantially more products into their new showroom. Despite the pandemic, they were able to hire six new employees, and they remained open every day during the shutdown as an essential business providing flooring to healthcare facilities and schools.
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Congratulations To Our Best Under 40 Award Winners
Top Young Professional of the Year Gaby Jansen, Engaged Marketing Co.
Community Volunteer & Entrepreneur of the Year Kendra Conard, TLC Casuals Boutique
Congratulations To Our Athena Leadership Award Recipients Top 5 Honorees Cynthia Howley – Kohler Company Leslie Laster – Moraine Park Technical College Dione Knopp – Sheboygan County DA Office Mary Schueller – HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital 2020 Athena Award Recipient Emily Rendall-Araujo, Senior Activity Center of Sheboygan
Lindee Brill – Samaritan’s Hand, Inc. 27
Upcoming Events
•F ebruary 25, 2021 Coastal YP: Building a Business
•A pril 2nd, 2021 First Friday Forum: TBD
• March, 5th, 2021 First Friday Forum: Mayoral Candidate Forum
•A pril, 7th, 2021 Member Orientation
Save the Date
•D ate Coming Soon YP Week
•O ctober 20th, 2021 Countdown 2 Connect
•S eptember 8th, 2021 Golf Outing • S eptember 23rd, 2021 Member Appreciation Brat Fry • October 14th, 2021 OktoberFeast
• October 30th, 2021 Community & Biz EXPO •N ovember 11th, 2021 Athena
Thank You Sponsors
Premier Sponsors • Masters Gallery Foods • Prevea Health • Van Horn Automotive Group • Gabe's Construction • Sargento Foods • UnitedOne Credit Union
Award Sponsors • CLA (CliftonAllenLarson, LLP) • Lakeshore Community Healthcare • Prairie States Enterprises, Inc. • Prevea • Van Horn Automotive • Wisconsin Lakeshore Safety Council
#ChamberChamps
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