Year In Review: 2015-2016

YEAR IN EVIEW R 2015-2016

YEAR IN REVIEW 2015-2016

Mission

The purpose of the Wausau Region Chamber is to strengthen our member businesses and enhance our community by building business success.

BY THE NUMBERS 2015-2016

Vision

We are the region’s indispensable source for business connections, opportunities, and solutions.

Contact Us

Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce 200 Washington Street, Suite 120 Wausau, WI 54403 715-845-6231 www.wausauchamber.com

99 884 MEMBERS NEW

MEMBERS

OUR LEADERSHIP

T

he 2016-2016 fiscal year brought many changes and new initiatives to the Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce. Change and evolution can be uncomfortable, but are necessary in order to succeed. Through this transition, the Chamber continued to offer many proven programs while creating many new partnerships and initiatives based on member feedback.

Melissa Kampmann Ruder Ware LLSC 2015-2016 Chairperson

It is no surprise that many members struggle to find talented and skilled individuals to fill workforce openings. There is no magic problem-solving bullet for any one organization. Instead, there is the need for partnerships. That is exactly why the Chamber partnered with other organizations on two exciting new initiatives over the last year: the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) and The Branch.

YEA! was a pilot program that brought together the DC Everest School District and the Chamber to instruct students on the skills needed to launch and run a business. The inaugural class created 11 new businesses over the course of the year. The YEA! program’s first year was successful with young entrepreneur Laney Hughes selected to showcase her business, Shallocat, at national competitions in both New York and Washington, DC. While the Chamber understands the importance of partnering with educators to help local students become workforce ready, the Chamber also understands the need to keep talent in the region. The Branch is a new initiative aimed at doing just that.

The Branch is the result of another partnership, this time between the Chamber, Church Mutual Insurance Company and Northcentral Technical College. Students from eight universities and colleges across the region work to solve innovation problems for local businesses.

Importantly this year, the Chamber’s Board of Directors welcomed new CEO/President, Dave Eckmann. Dave will continue to push the Chamber forward in making our community an attractive place to live and work. Dave brings a wealth of connections to this role that will be called upon to create partnerships to meet the needs of our member businesses. The entire board wishes Dave great success.

Respectfully, Melissa Kampmann

YEAR IN REVIEW 2015-2016

OUR LEADERSHIP

A

s the new President/CEO of the Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce, I bring an alternative perspective to the Year in Review. Although I’m new to this position, I’m not unfamiliar with the organization.

Before August of 2016, I, like you, experienced the Chamber from a membership perspective while employed at UW-Stevens Point. As a member, the Chamber provided an array of opportunities for me to build important relationships with business and industry partners in the area. While I did not attend every program that was offered, I did take advantage of those that helped my organization to expand its role in the region and to connect the many talented students and professionals to business and industry.

Dave Eckmann Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce

By actively participating in program offerings, we were able to connect talented students and subject matter experts to the greater community and to the Chamber’s members. The 2016 Small Business Week was a phenomenal week of networking, education and recognition of small business. For many at the university, participating in the largest Business EXPO to date was an eye-opening experience and yielded many new business contacts.

President/CEO

The Branch, a new Chamber program formed through a partnership with Church Mutual Insurance Company and Northcentral Technical College, assembled students from NTC and UWSP to help Church Mutual solve a change to an internal process. It was through mentorship and coaching that these students stepped up to solve the problem. As evidence of the program’s strength, one of the students was hired immediately by one of the partners. For me, I observed talented students grow professionally, meeting the needs of the employer. The Branch is an important talent development initiative that employers must consider as they vie to identify, attract and retain talent for today and the future.

MEMBER BENEFITS

2016 Economic Outlook program, February 23

Advocacy

The Workforce Hub, the Chamber’s talent development initiative, is designed to connect our membership to local school districts, technical colleges, universities and our partners in workforce development. Together, partners work to create programs which align education and workforce efforts with the needs of business. This summer, several member businesses hosted educator tours, bringing K-12 administrators into their businesses, exposing them to technology and the various jobs that need to be filled today and in the future. Events like this are proof of the importance of partnership in addressing the significant workforce threats to our region.

As I reflect on my participation with the Chamber over the past year, I can say that we took full advantage of many programs designed to help my organization and the students (UWSP’s customers) grow. In the coming year, I ask each of you to engage and help the Chamber to develop and create programs that serve you, your employees and customers.

Respectfully, Dave Eckmann

Commitment to the Region Credibility Economic Development Education Exclusivity Information & Marketing Networking Recognition & Service Workforce Development

2 015 S M A L L B U SIN E SS OF T HE YE AR

YEAR IN REVIEW 2015-2016

OFFICERS

2015-2016

Melissa Kampmann Ruder Ware Chairperson

Don Bohlin Wisconsin Public Service Corp Chairperson Elect

3910 W. Stewart Ave., Wausau

715-842-0686

MutualofWausau.com

Dave Eckmann Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce President/CEO

Cory Heckendorf Wisconsin Kenworth

Marco Espinoza Greenheck Fan

Treasurer/Secretary

Immediate Past Chairperson

Brad Karger Marathon County Government

Craig Timm Domtar Paper Co LLC

Director at Large

Director at Large

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2015-2016

BY THE NUMBERS 2015-2016

Thomas Felch J & D Tube Benders Inc

Kim Fischer Central Beer Distributors Inc

Bill Gleason Rocket Industrial Inc

Paul Jones LandArt Companies Inc

Karen Katz EO Johnson Business Technologies

1,801

FACEBOOK LIKES

2,049

TWITTER FOLLOWERS Peter Knitt Peoples State Bank

Gretchen Kray Wausau Coated Products Inc

Al Lancaster WSAW/WZAW

Darrell Lentz Aspirus

Michael Loy North Central Health Care

870

LINKED IN FOLLOWERS

71 Alfred Nakhla Associated Bank

Tammy Pestka Ansay & Associates

Dr. Kathleen Williams Wausau School District

Dr. Jeannie Worden Northcentral Technical College

Jeff Zriny MCDEVCO Inc

VIDEOS UPLOADED TO YOUTUBE

YEAR IN REVIEW 2015-2016

PROGRAM & EVENT HIGHLIGHTS AMERICA’S BEST COMMUNITIES CONTEST Although Wausau did not advance to the semifinals of the ‘America’s Best Communities’ contest in early 2016, the city received $50,000 in prize money along with an additional $15,000 in community-matched funds which will be used toward a new system of wayfinding signs.

ANNUAL MEETING Over 230 members attended the 20142015 Annual Meeting held at the Grand Theater on September 21.

BUSINESS PMS These monthly events provided an opportunity for members to showcase their business in an informal ‘open house’ atmosphere. An average of 125 people attended each event, which offered a great opportunity for business-tobusiness networking.

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

BUSINESS EXPO & EXPO BUSINESS PM There were over 260 booths set up for more than 3,200 attendees to learn more about products and services in the area. Both the number of exhibitors and the number of attendees were new records for the event held at the Central Wisconsin Convention + Expo Center in Rothschild. Plus, hundreds attended the EXPO Business PM which took place after the EXPO and included EXPO Best of Show recognition.

GOLF OUTINGS

RIBBON CUTTINGS

The Co-Ed Golf Outing was held on June 27 at the Wausau Country Club. More than 130 golfers participated.

Almost 40 members took advantage of a ribbon cutting or ground breaking opportunity this year. These members celebrated one of the following successes at their business: broke ground or opened a new facility, moved to a new location, remodeled an existing facility, welcomed new ownership or underwent a significant re-branding or name change.

The Women’s Golf Outing took place on July 20 at Greenwood HIlls County Club in Wausau. The event featured more than 50 golfers celebrating a disco theme this year.

LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE 37 graduates in our Leadership Excellence program were recognized on May 11 at a ceremony held at The Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co in Wausau.

SMALL BUSINESS WEEK In addition to the Business EXPO and the EXPO Business PM, this week included the Small Business of the Year Awards, Legislators’ Forum, company tours and a Small Business of the Year Recognition Ceremony.

Almost 150 women attended the second annual conference to discover their highest level of personal and professional development. This conference was held on January 20 at the Stoney Creek Inn & Conference Center in Rothschild.

YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS ACADEMY A pilot YEA! program has been launched at the DC Everest Senior High School as part of its 2015-16 curriculum. A class of 13 students completed the program which took students through the process of starting and launching a real business or social movement. One student, Laney Hughes, reached the finals of the Saunders Scholarship Competition and competed in Washington, DC in June.

YPWEEK E3Young Professionals, (E3YP), hosted its second annual week of events devoted to young professionals from April 23 to April 30. The week included a YP Summit, early morning workouts, a speaker crawl through historic downtown buildings and a workshop on community involvement.

YEAR IN REVIEW 2015-2016

AWARDS AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR AWARD

BUSINESS EXPO BEST OF SHOW AWARDS

The Ambassador of the Year Award is presented to an Ambassador who contributes countless hours of service to the Chamber at ribbon cuttings, ground breakings, programs and events. The 2015 Ambassador of the Year Award was presented to Jim Gabower.

The Best of Show recipients for Business EXPO 2016 were named at the EXPO Business PM on April 21.

ATHENA LEADERSHIP AWARD® PROGRAM The ATHENA Leadership Award® Program, upper right, recognizes members of the community who have played an important role in business, our community and the advancement of women. The ATHENA Award is presented to a person who has demonstrated professional excellence, taken part in community service, and actively assisted women in attaining leadership skills that have helped them advance professionally.

The 2015 ATHENA Award was presented to Dean Dietrich of Ruder Ware.

The ATHENA Young Professional Award is presented to a woman who demonstrates excellence, creativity and initiative in her business or profession, provides valuable service to improve the quality of life for others in her community and clearly serves as a role model for young women both personally and professionally.

The 2015 ATHENA Young Professional Award was presented to Elizabeth Field of Wausau River District.

The winning members included FlipSide Graphics (Attention Strategy), On-Q Collision Center Inc (Best Theme), Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats (Eats or Treats) and RE-VI Design of Wausau (bottom right, Overall).

JOHN L. COOK MEMORIAL AWARD John L. Cook was deeply interested in improving the quality of life in the Wausau region. He was also a member of the first ‘Leadership Wausau/Marathon County’ class hosted by the Chamber. To honor his memory and spirit, graduates of that class developed the John L. Cook Memorial Award which was awarded to Brian Gumness at the 2015 Annual Meeting.

NEW MEMBER OF THE YEAR AWARD This award is given to a new member based on program attendance, sponsorships, donations, and overall commitment to the Chamber. On-Q Collision Center was recognized with the award at the 2015 Annual Meeting.

RUDER WARE INNOVATOR AWARD IN MEMORY OF G. LANE WARE Created to honor Lane G. Ware and to recognize outstanding individuals who personify the spirit of entrepreneurship, this award is given to an individual who demonstrates excellence in the way they conduct business. Brian Gunning was recognized with the award at the 2015 Annual Meeting.

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARDS The Small Business of the Year Award recognizes business growth, community involvement, and innovative efforts in the Wausau Region. This award is also an opportunity to review the best business practices of successful entrepreneurs and set a benchmark of excellence for the years to come.

Creative Communication and Design (middle, Business-toBusiness), Griesbach Auto Service (Business-toConsumer) and the Center for the Visual Arts (Charitable Non-Profit) were named as the Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce’s 2016 Small Businesses of the Year recipients. The awards have been given annually since 1981 and were presented during the Chamber’s Small Business Week in April.

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YEAR IN REVIEW 2015-2016

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AROW Global Inc

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Astia Health LLC

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Buska Wealth Management LLC

Eagles Nest Family Restaurant LLC

CarBuff’s

Elegant Occasions LLC

Central Wisconsin Convention + Expo Center

Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation

Central Wisconsin Water Ski Show Team Church Mutual Insurance Company ClarCorp Industrial Sales

Family Planning Health Services Inc FASTSIGNS - Wausau Featherstone Cabinetry and Design - Rothschild

Colby Metal Inc

First Bank Financial Centre - Rothschild

Compass Counseling Wausau LLC

First Impressions SC Wausau

Baumann Farms LLP

Couri & Smyth Health for Life Medical Center

Forrest Goetsch Charities Inc

BB Jacks Pizza & Sandwich Lounge

Crown Jewel Cleaning Services LLC

Blackhawk Industrial

CWCODE LLC

Ginseng Board of Wisconsin Inc

The Boson Company Inc

D&L Signs Inc

Glenn’s Ginseng Sales LLC

Atrium Post Acute Care of Weston

Forward Development Group LLC

Great Neck Healthy Food Inc

Merchants Choice Card Services

Red Wing Shoes

Train 4 Your Best

Greater Wausau Christian Services

Mi-Tech Services Inc

Rib Mountain Eye Care Rondele Ranch

Trinity Lutheran Church & School

Greenheck Field House Heights Finance Corporation - Wausau hibu

Monk Botanical Gardens Motel 6 Mystic Garden Spa LLC North Central Wisconsin Wellness Advocates

Sark Investments Scherrer Construction Co Inc - Wausau Seavers Racing

Nsight Telservices

SEEK Careers & Staffing - Stevens Point

Houck Transit Advertising

The Open Door of Marathon County Inc

Sixth Street Filling Station Cafe

Hurckman Mechanical Industries Inc - Wausau

PeopleFirst HR Solutions Inc - North Central Wisconsin

Southern Stretch Forming

Impact Directories of Wisconsin LLC

Peoplelink Staffing Solutions

Stevens Point Brewery

Periwinkle’s Coffee & Tea Shoppe

Studio E Salon Spa & ManCave

Planet Fitness Rothschild

Thrive Foodery

Quality House & Carpet Cleaning

Tommy Dock Products LLC

Queen of the Castle Magazine

Tradition Cleaners Wausau - Stewart Ave

Heil Ginseng Inc Hip Pocket Designs LLC

Island Place Apartments JSD Professional Services Inc K-tech Building Maintenance The Krenke Group LLC Lang Equipment LLC

State Farm - Ryan Hanson

TTIT LLC The Unbiased Eye LLC US Army Recruiting Center - Wausau US Workstories Wausau Area Builders Association Wausau Children’s Museum Inc Wausau Conservatory of Music Wausau Early Bird Rotary Club Wausau Manor Wausau World Market WEAC Region 2 West Corporation WorldPay

YEAR IN REVIEW 2015-2016

STAFF

Sharon Baumann

Craig Bernstein

Dave Eckmann

Member Relations Manager

Membership President/CEO Development Director

Sara Guild

Renae Krings

Government Affairs Events Manager & Workforce Development Director

Stacy Livernash

Brian Otten

Operations Director

Marketing Manager

SPECIAL THANKS THANK YOU to all of our member businesses.

Judy Pitek

Sue Wokatsch

Programs Manager

Finance Director

We want to acknowledge all of the volunteers who assist with committees, programs and events.

We also want to thank all of our member businesses who sponsored our programs and events. They provided critical support for ongoing services and for the expansion of Chamber programs in the last year.

BY THE NUMBERS 2015-2016

FINANCIALS

REVENUES: Affiliate Contracts 19%

Other 3%

Programs 33%

Affiliate Contracts: Contracts with other organizations for the Chamber to provide administrative services.

Programs: Educational, Golf Outing, Small Business Week

Membership Investment 45%

EXPENSES: Other 4%

Occupancy 11% Programs 19% Operations: Salaries and fringes, office expenses Occupancy: Rent, property tax, utilities

Operations 66%

2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008

2015 | 2016 Thank you - again.

On behalf of the Church Mutual leadership team, we want to thank our employees and partners coast-to-coast who have worked to help us once again achieve recognition as one of the top 50 property and casualty insurance companies in the nation.

churchmutual.com