BizTimes Milwaukee | January 25, 2021

COVID-19 vaccines will give economy a

Shot in the Arm plus ANNUAL MACROECONOMIC OUTLOOK Q&A WITH MICHAEL KNETTER 17 VACCINES CRUCIAL TO FIGHT PANDEMIC, FIX ECONOMY 22 NOTABLE WOMEN IN HR 30

biztimes.com

JAN 25 - FEB 21, 2021 » $5.00

Locally owned

Presents

Join Jon Gordon as he hosts this monthly webcast featuring America’s top business minds and thought leaders.

BE OUR GUEST. REGISTER NOW.

Go to: biztimes.com/businessforum John C. Maxwell

is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, speaker, coach, and leader who has sold more than 33 million books. He has been called the #1 leader in business and the world’s most influential leadership expert.

FEBRUARY 10 11AM

COMPLIMENTARY REGISTRATION. THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR

LOCALLY OWNED FOR 25 YEARS

» JAN 25 - FEB 21, 2021

biztimes.com

BizTimes Milwaukee (ISSN 1095-936X & USPS # 017813) Volume 26, Number 15, January 25, 2021 – February 21, 2021. BizTimes Milwaukee is published bi-weekly, except monthly in January, February, July, August and December by BizTimes Media LLC at 126 N. Jefferson St., Suite 403, Milwaukee, WI 53202-6120, USA. Basic annual subscription rate is $96. Single copy price is $5. Back issues are $8 each. Periodicals postage paid at Milwaukee, WI and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address corrections to BizTimes Milwaukee, 126 N. Jefferson St., Suite 403, Milwaukee, WI 53202-6120. Entire contents copyright 2021 by BizTimes Media LLC. All rights reserved.

Contents

4 Leading Edge 4 NOW

BY THE NUMBERS 5 BIZ LUNCH 6 JUMP START 7 IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD 8 GETTING THERE BIZ TRACKER 10 STYLE 11 BIZ POLL ON MY NIGHTSTAND

12 Biz News 12 HOW MILWAUKEE AREA’S MALLS CAN FIND SUCCESS IN A CHANGING RETAIL LANDSCAPE 13 MADE IN MILWAUKEE

14 Real Estate COVER STORY

17 Shot in the Arm COVID-19 vaccines will give economy a

Special Report 17 Economic Trends 2021

In addition to the cover story, coverage provides a complete look at the year ahead for the local and national economy, including the health care, manufacturing and real estate sectors.

“Working together was incredibly easy.”

“They respect you as a person, not a number.”

“Working with Citizens Bank, we have found trust.”

30 Notable Women in Human Resources 38 Strategies 38 COACHING Jim Lindell 39 STRATEGIC PLANNING Paul Schulls 40 TIP SHEET

43 Biz Connections 43 NONPROFIT 44 GLANCE AT YESTERYEAR COMMENTARY 45 AROUND TOWN 46 5 MINUTES WITH…

Find what matters most to your business.

262-363-6500 www.citizenbank.bank Follow | Like | Review Citizens Bank – WI

biztimes.com / 3

Leading Edge

BIZTIMES DAILY – The day’s most significant news → biztimes.com/subscribe

NOW

Steil

Baldwin

Wisconsin lawmakers split along party lines over who’s to blame for vaccine rollout delays

By Lauren Anderson, staff writer As Wisconsin continues to trail its Midwestern peers in distributing the COVID-19 vaccine, Republican Congressman Bryan Steil recently criticized Gov. Tony Evers’ administration’s rollout effort while Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin said the Trump administration

is to blame for delays.

Steil, of Janesville, publicly shared Evers’ answers to a request he and Baldwin made in December for more information about the state’s vaccine plan, saying they show a “stunning lack of urgency” in light of how Wisconsin stacks up

BY THE NUMBERS

Developers for more than a dozen affordablehousing projects in Milwaukee County have applied for nearly

$19 MILLION

worth of tax credits.

4 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

against other states in administering the vaccine.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data on Jan. 18, Wisconsin had administered 2,916 COVID-19 vaccine doses per 100,000 residents, which was more than double its per-capita rate from early January, but the lowest out of 12 states in the Midwest.

“The vaccine will save lives and the ability to effectively distribute the vaccine is a matter of life and death for thousands of people in our state. With so many lives and jobs on the line, we need our governor … to lead the country in getting out vaccines, not spend his time making excuses for lagging behind,” Steil said. “If Governor Evers cannot figure out how to distribute the vaccine to those who need it, he should step aside and let someone who can lead this effort do it.”

Baldwin issued a separate statement, joining 42 Democratic senators in calling out the Trump administration’s “failure to develop and implement a comprehensive national vaccine plan.”

“For months, I have been urging the Trump administration to effectively work and communicate with Wisconsin, vaccine and PPE manufacturers, and health care providers to develop a national plan for vaccine distribution and administration,” Baldwin said. “Their response

has been a pathetic failure.”

Evers called on the federal government to increase the state’s weekly COVID-19 vaccine dose allocations, noting recently that Wisconsin’s demand will exceed its vaccine supply. Wisconsin had administered 239,102 doses as of Jan. 18, less than two-thirds the amount that had been shipped to the state.

The state needs more than 10,000 additional doses to fulfill requests from vaccinating entities across the state, Evers said.

Evers has repeatedly asked the federal government for additional vaccine. He and other governors have criticized the Trump administration’s allocation of the vaccines.

Wisconsin Department of Health Services officials have asked Operation Warp Speed for additional doses and better forecasting of weekly allocations to be able to plan and project.

“Our vaccine team is working across the state on vaccine distribution, and so many Wisconsinites are ready to get vaccinated and get back to our Wisconsin way of life,” Evers said. “In a state where our statewide mitigation strategies have been struck down and challenged time and time again, it is absolutely critical that Wisconsin get additional doses of vaccine to meet demand and box in the virus.” n

1

BIZ LUNCH

Lunch

Biz

LUCKY’S SPITFIRE 1125 N. 9th St., Milwaukee

CONTRIBUTED

2

A D D R E S S E S: S74 W17090 Janesville Road, Muskego WEBSITE: luckysspitfire.com CUISINE: Mediterranean-Mexican fusion M O O D: Fast-casual PRICING: $9-12 By early 2020, Lucky’s Spitfire had hit its stride as a new fast-casual concept in the area. The restaurant had opened its first two locations over the course of 11 months, and then landed several corporate catering gigs in the region.

Much of that business was lost when the COVID-19 pandemic emptied office buildings, but Lucky’s managed to secure a few catering opportunities in recent months.

Meals are now served boxed-lunch-style, with a pre-packaged signature bowl, cookie and soda. For one client, orders were dropped off in a couple 45-minute shifts to accommodate limited cafeteria capacity.

“It takes more coordination and staff, but the flexibility of being able to do that has helped us,” said Lucky’s owner Andrew Jacobsen.

While Lucky’s closed its Kenosha restaurant due to the pandemic, the business recently expanded into a new market: downtown Milwaukee.

It opened a vendor stand earlier this month at the food court inside the Eleven25 at Pabst building. 

3

1 2 3

‘The Zeus’ boxed lunch features a gyro bowl with hummus, red onion, tomato, cucumber, purple cabbage, pickles and feta.

Poke is a newer addition to Lucky’s eclectic menu. The popular Hawaiian-inspired seafood is served as a bowl or a wrap with all the fixings.

Lucky’s new 800-square-foot space in Milwaukee is equipped with a large back kitchen, ideal for fulfilling catering orders once downtown activity returns. biztimes.com / 5

Leading Edge

JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

@BIZTIMESMEDIA – Real-time news

nodaFi LOCATION: Milwaukee FOUNDERS: Jacob Pandl, chief executive officer; Dan Pettay, chief revenue officer; and Mike Loyda, senior vice president of growth

Jacob Pandl

FOUNDED: 2018 PRODUCT: Tech-enabled facility management tool TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 4 GOAL: Establish more partnerships and customers in 2021.

EXPERIENCE: Pandl works as engineering team lead at Zendesk.

Pettay is a software engineer at GenoPalate. Loyda works in Midwest marketing strategy and analytics for AIG. Dan Pettay and Mike Loyda

Milwaukee startup builds platform to ease return-to-work transition

By Brandon Anderegg, staff writer

6 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

A LACK OF BUILDING occupancy in 2020 has posed a challenge for facilities management platform nodaFi, but the Milwaukee-based startup is poised to capture demand for its product as businesses plan a return to the workplace.

The two-year-old company offers a webbased facilities management tool that connects visitors of spaces with the people who are responsible for maintaining those spaces.

By scanning QR codes placed strategically in high-traffic areas, visitors of public spaces, buildings or businesses can anonymously report issues, allowing maintenance crews, porters or property managers to remedy concerns.

“COVID has been a double-edged sword for us,” said Dan Pettay, nodaFi chief revenue officer. “On one end, facility cleanliness is top of mind and has greater importance in the eyes of both visitors and facility maintainers. On the other end, there are a lot of facilities that are closed at the moment.”

With COVID-19 vaccines now being deployed, nodaFi founders Pettay and Jacob Pandl, both University of Wisconsin-Madison graduates, are confident their product will catch on. Businesses are envisioning what a return to the office will look like, and Pettay believes nodaFi will become a valuable compo-

nent of that transition process.

Using nodaFi’s indoor positioning system, property owners and facilities managers can monitor facility issues and traffic and collect tenant feedback in real time. Facilities equipped with nodaFi have a competitive advantage, Pettay said.

“A lot of people are trying to open their doors as soon as they can and a tool like ours can both promote confidence and that visitor health is being taken seriously,” Pettay said. nodaFi has landed a handful of customers including Northwestern Mutual, which is using the company’s product for preventative maintenance and to tailor room-cleaning efforts based on traffic.

Pandl and Pettay first launched nodaFi at UW-Madison’s College Library as students in a project-based software engineering class.

The entrepreneurs then applied for gener8tor’s gBETA program, graduating in the program’s spring 2019 cohort.

The startup is now focused on several 2021 goals, which include growing nodaFi’s customer’s base, doubling user interaction with its platform and building an organic lead generation pipeline that introduces 50 qualified leads each quarter. n

IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Bay View Printing Co. owner Ashley Town works with an antique printer for a project.

BAY VIEW PRINTING 2702 S. Howell Ave. NEIGHBORHOOD: Bay View FOUNDED: 1917 OWNER: Ashley Town EMPLOYEES: 3 SERVICE: Customized letter press printing and design

How did you get into letter press printing?

Town met Jim Baker, former Bay View Printing Co. owner, as a customer looking to have her book printed.

“I essentially met Jim and I had no idea what letter press printing was, but I knew that I wanted to print this book in a different way.

He showed me the type collection in the basement and it absolutely blew me away. This place is like a time capsule. We walked down into the basement studio and it’s just completely full of antique printing presses, equipment

and it feels like you’re walking into a different time period.

I just fell in love with the place, the idea, the nostalgia and the history. So, I sort of decided that day that Jim was my new best friend. I kept coming back, bringing him sandwiches and coffee and learning about printing.”

How did you become owner?

“I spent about six months here basically watching everything that he was doing and learning from him. Jim was 76 when I met him … I was at the shop one day and Jim essentially said

‘gosh, I really want to retire but nobody wants all of this junk.’

And I realized that I could do everything I love here. I could use this place as a place to teach and a place to print, design, grow and cultivate a community.”

Who are your customers?

“There’s a huge range. We do a lot of wedding and event work, like custom invitations. We also have a lot of corporate and local small businesses that want some sort of unique way to communicate with their clients.” n

Bold in vision. Confident in action.

Husch Blackwell is proud to sponsor BizTimes Media’s 21st Century Business Forum. We support the Forum’s mission to share insight, ideas and inspiration from the country’s most notable businesspeople and thought leaders with entrepreneurs, business owners & leaders and corporate executives.

huschblackwell.com

511 North Broadway, Milwaukee, WI 53202 | 414.273.2100

Arizona | California | Colorado | Illinois | Missouri | Nebraska | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Washington, DC | Wisconsin The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.

biztimes.com / 7

Leading Edge

BIZTIMES MEDIA – Like us

GETTING

The latest area economic data.

THERE

10.2% Around

What drew you to this role?

“When I was originally approached about making the move from Boston to Milwaukee, I found somewhere it was called ‘the pearl of the Midwest,’ which intrigued me. Now with the expansion of the Wisconsin Center in the near future, Milwaukee has everything it takes to be a major destination for conventions and events.”

of Wisconsinites’ income went to state and local taxes in the 2020 fiscal year, the lowest level since at least 1970, according to a new report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum.

How does Milwaukee’s hospitality scene compare to other cities?

“It's hard to answer this under the current safety restrictions, but I have been so pleasantly surprised by the genuine sense of hospitality.

Fantastic luxury service isn't necessarily white tablecloths and fancy food; it comes from creating a memorable experience through caring and intuitive service.”

What are your top priorities amid COVID? “Our top priority is keeping the team safe and motivated. We are focused on communicating with our clients on the steps we have taken to update our protocols to keep them safe while also continuing to actively sell events for 2021 and beyond.”

7%

Wisconsin’s exports declined

in the first 11 months of 2020.

Favorite part of living in Milwaukee?

“Milwaukee has the best of both worlds: beautiful landscape with the lake and lots of outdoor opportunities, plus great city amenities like sports teams, world-class museums, live music and festivals, which I am so excited to experience once we've moved on from COVID.”

Favorite activities in your free time?

“My family spends our weekends exploring the different neighborhoods and surrounding towns. We love finding a great hole-in-the-wall restaurant and walking around getting to know the different areas in the city.” n

JULIO HENRIQUEZ General manager, Wisconsin Center District AGE: 36

55.54

The Milwaukee-area manufacturing index was

for December, down from 61.96 in November. A reading above 50 indicates the sector is growing.

40.3%

Real gross domestic product for the state grew at a

annualized rate from the second quarter to the third, a rate that ranks ninth in the country.

HOMETOWN: Riviera Nayarit, Mexico EDUCATION: Bachelor of science degree in accounting and finance from Universidad Autonoma de Nayarit PREVIOUS POSITION: General manager at the Boston Convention and Exposition Center

8 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

Wisconsin’s unemployment rate dropped from 6% in October to

5% in November.

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY

SPONSORED CONTENT

ESSENTIAL BUSINESS SUPPORT Lemberg Electric Company

Service Electrician Sean McFadyen performing Infrared(IR) Scanning on an electrical panel.

TODAY’S BUSINESSES are prioritizing healthy, safe, energy-efficient environments for their customers and employees.

Lemberg supports these efforts through turnkey electrical, data, and custom sign services. For 90 years, our licensed professionals have provided budgetconscious, efficient solutions and quality craftsmanship.

We see details that others miss.

Here are five essential areas your business can’t ignore in 2021.

Health and Safety – Safe, healthy environments rely upon automated, touch-free functions. Occupancy sensors and automated controls detect entry and adjust lighting, window shades and HVAC systems automatically. Lemberg assesses your automation needs and designs workspaces that keep everyone safe.

Security – Lemberg creates reliable security systems for door access, fire alarm, security cameras, and sound

masking. Along with communications, audio/visual, paging and WIFI, these systems keep your business connected, safe and secure.

Signage – Effective signage informs and establishes brand. Lemberg creates aesthetic, functional designs that integrate with landscaping or architecture. Adding digital electronic messaging allows an immediate and convenient connection with your audience.

Preventive Maintenance – Lemberg uses stateof-the-art infrared scanning technology to help customers detect electrical component wear, predict maintenance needs, and avoid unplanned downtime -- especially important in industrial, healthcare, and IT environments.

Emergency Preparedness – Lemberg employs predictive measures and installs generators to help businesses, healthcare facilities and IT providers avoid a sudden loss of critical systems that affect records and

operations.

Energy Efficiency – Lemberg harnesses Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy program to help customers earn thousands in annual incentives through energy efficient options like LED lighting and retrofits.

Being employee-owned, we are committed to providing a quality experience for our customers, community and employees. Contact us today for a free quote, LembergElectric.com.

4085 N. 128th Street • Brookfield, WI 53005 (262) 781-1500 • LembergElectric.com

Leading Edge

BIZTIMES MEDIA – Connect

Home fitness equipment SPIRIT XT385 TREADMILL $1,399 at Baker Pool & Fitness in Franklin Baker Pool & Fitness’ best-selling treadmill has a top speed of 12 mph and elevation of 15%. Its console includes dual speakers with audio jack input and an adjustable cool fan. Users can monitor their workouts in real time on a 7.5inch LCD screen and track their progress through the Spirit Fit mobile app.

WAHOO FITNESS KICKR BIKE SMART INDOOR BIKE $3,499.99 at Erik’s Bike Shop in Grafton, Milwaukee, Greenfield, Glendale This high-tech stationary bike is designed to give users an outdoor riding experience from the comfort of home. It features real-time grade changes as well as virtual braking, shifting and resistance, all programmable from a smart device.

ECHELON REFLECT 50” TOUCH MIRROR $1,599 at Johnson Fitness & Wellness in Greenfield, Brookfield, Mequon, Waukesha, Racine Not your average mirror, this new technology allows users to tune into live and on-demand fitness classes, ranging from boxing to yoga, while tracking biometrics like heart rate and calories burned. Users can train and compete with friends and family through the Reflect leader board.

MATRIX ROWING MACHINE $1,950 at Johnson Fitness & Wellness in Greenfield, Brookfield, Mequon, Waukesha, Racine With 10 precise magnetic resistance settings, this machine is fit for both first-time users and experienced rowers. It also includes sprinting, distance and highintensity interval training programs.

10 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

BIZ POLL

A recent survey of BizTimes.com readers.

How do you think your company’s 2021 revenue will compare to 2020?

HIGHER:

43.2% SAME:

Plan now to bring your employees back safely in 2021

36.4%

Having a plan and being proactive has never been more important for businesses than it will be in 2021.

LOWER:

20.4% Share your opinion! Visit biztimes.com/bizpoll to cast your vote in the next Biz Poll.

on my nightstand...

ANDREW FLACK Chief commercial officer Marcus Corp.

“Creativity Inc.”

By Ed Catmull ANDREW FLACK says he has drawn inspiration from a recent read: “Creativity, Inc.” Its author, Ed Catmull, is one of the founders of Pixar Animation Studios and in his book he explains how the Academy Award-winning studio created blockbuster films like the “Toy Story” trilogy, “Monsters Inc.” and “Finding Nemo” by establishing a culture that overcomes the unseen forces that can stand in the way of true inspiration and creative thought.

Flack, who recently joined Marcus Corp. as its new chief commer-

cial officer, especially appreciated Catmull’s philosophy that it is not the job of the leader to prevent risks, but rather to make it safe for others to take them.

“This starts with an environment of candor and emotional authenticity where everyone feels a vested interest in each other’s success, accompanied by a communications culture separate from the organizational structure, where everyone’s contribution and opinion matters,” he said.

Flack sees it as a “powerful formula in these challenging times.” n

In a recent BizTimes Milwaukee webinar, Andy Weins, president of Green Up Solutions, stressed the importance of addressing new needs and expectations — from customers and employees — and how creating the most stable foundation possible will be paramount the next time the business climate sees change.

In 2021, it will be even more important to lead rather than manage when dealing with issues of employee morale and safety, especially when it comes to the workplace.

“There are a lot of things that we cannot control in this world, however when it comes to the physical space of your building there are things that we can control,” Weins said.

Health departments set and change benchmarks based on different criteria throughout the year, and governments enact laws to react to changing situations, it’s important to get ahead of circumstances and not just react to legislation. But it’s not just laws

and regulations that have to be addressed.

“We as employers or building owners have an obligation to create a safe environment for the people we interact with and as business owners we have a responsibility to reduce the risk of one person getting another person sick.

“The biggest thing you can do with any plan is document, document, document,” Weins said.

To that end, a smart part of a proactive company’s plan should be engaging a thirdparty expert when needed.

The advantage of hiring a thirdparty cleaning service, for instance, is that they’ll already have a system to document their standard operating procedures in their cleaning routines.

When you run your business, you need to focus on what you do, while someone else is ensuring you’re staying in compliance, upto-date and preferably ahead of legislation.

Read this story in its entirety at biztimes.com/category/sponsored.

Green Up Solutions LLC

12733 W Arden Place, Butler, WI | info@greenupsolutions.org | 262-606-1600 biztimes.com / 11

BizNews FEATURE Bayshore is being redeveloped with a new town square, a smaller retail footprint and new apartments.

How Milwaukee area’s malls can find success in a changing retail landscape

By Alex Zank, staff writer MALLS NATIONWIDE ARE HURTING. And the future appears bleak for many of them.

Milwaukee’s regional malls are responding to the challenge in different ways, but in general each is following a similar roadmap: Add unique experiences or offerings and create a community atmosphere that draws in people.

The problems facing malls come from longstanding trends, such as the rise of online shopping, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, which has driven many away from brick-and-mortar retail locations, at least temporarily.

At least one expert expects 80% of the remaining U.S. malls are going to fail in the next two or three years.

“That’s going to leave Milwaukee probably with only one regional mall when it’s all said and done,” said Nick Engelanian, president of Maryland-based consulting firm SiteWorks Retail Real Estate Services.

Egelanian’s prediction, made at a conference of Wisconsin retail brokers last year, isn’t gospel truth.

Not yet, at the very least.

“I think overall, Milwaukee’s malls continue to evolve and be as healthy as comparable malls around the country, due to solid 12 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

ownership and solid municipalities they’re in,” said Bruce Westling, a retail broker and managing director of Newmark Knight Frank’s Milwaukee office.

The reimagining of some area malls is already underway. Mall property owners are downsizing retail offerings, bringing in unique or experiential retail, building up other uses such as hospitality and residential, or doing a combination of these things.

Take Brookfield Square, for instance. In recent years it has added more unique, entertainment-based offerings such as Whirlyball and a Marcus Theatres’ Movie Tavern. Even more uses have been built recently or are planned to the south of the mall, including a new hotel and conference center, a medical clinic and luxury housing.

Glendale’s Bayshore is another mall property undergoing a transformation.

Formerly known as Bayshore Mall and then Bayshore Town Center, the mixed-use site is reducing its retail footprint, opened a new community space and will eventually have new apartment buildings.

Bayshore has also secured major retail tenants along the way, including Total Wine & More and Target.

Bayshore is also under contract with a quick-service restaurant for a 1.5-acre site, and is in talks with another restaurant, Kirk Williams, managing director for Cypress Equities, the operator of Bayshore, said.

Williams said a key to redeveloping Bayshore is creating an “authentic” community versus a “compelled” one.

A gathering of people at a mall’s food court is technically a community, but it isn’t sustainable, he said, noting a consumerism-driven community may have worked for a time, particularly in the 1980s, when malls were at their peak in popularity.

“But it’s kind of like disco: I don’t know if there’s a whole lot of substance here,” Williams said.

“For a while we got a little excited, but you look at it now and I don’t know if there’s a sustainable community that can wrap around an idea of consumerism. There’s not an ethos, if you will, that drives the human experience to say there’s longevity here.”

Malls also have more recent newcomers to contend with, including The Corners of Brookfield, a mixed-use development created with features in place that the existing malls are just now

working to add.

The Corners has high-end retailers that aren’t located anywhere else in the metro area, such as Von Maur. Its restaurants are locally known franchises, rather than chains. It also has apartments at the center of the activity. The covered parking takes advantage of a natural grade change at the site, Westling said.

Its owners even shy away at the thought of it being called a mall.

“We’re not a mall, we’re a town center,” Robert Gould, chief executive of Brookfield Corners LLC, said.

And it is performing well, even amid the pandemic.

Gould said The Corners’ commercial spaces are about 85% occupied and a comedy club plans to open there this year.

Nearly all The Corners’ floor space reopened as of November after COVID-19 shutdowns and, given the pandemic, retail tenants were reporting reasonably strong sales heading into the holiday season.

The town center’s apartments have also been at 95% or greater occupancy since March 2019.

But not everything is rosy for Milwaukee’s malls.

Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group, an investor of shopping malls across the U.S. and owner of the Southridge Mall in Greendale, revealed in November it was engaging in a friendly foreclosure of that mall and others it owned. The village of Greendale has also taken steps toward potentially acquiring the property.

Simon did not respond to a request for comment. Greendale village manager Todd Michaels declined to be interviewed.

Brookfield Square owner CBL Properties also last year filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. But the bankruptcy filing will have no impact on Brookfield Square, and that things will continue “business as usual,” a company spokeswoman said. n

Baker’s Quality Pizza Crusts focuses on quality while seeking growth TASTE IS A KEY selling point for Waukesha-based Baker’s Quality Pizza Crusts Inc. “Once they eat our pizza crust, we typically win the customer, they realize the benefit of having a higher quality product that will drive customers into their locations,” said Chris Miller, vice president of operations and part of the third generation of family leadership at the company.

The problem, of course, is that during the COVID-19 pandemic, getting to the point where prospective customers can try the product is hard. Not only because of restrictions on in-person meetings, but also because many of those potential customers are restaurants and resorts, the kinds of places hit hard by the pandemic.

The pandemic challenge was made worse by the fact that Baker’s Quality was in the midst of an expansion, moving to a new facility at 1814 Dolphin Drive. The new location has nearly double the space of its previous location and the company invested in equipment to triple its capacity.

“It was like ‘we’ve just got to put our heads down and power through this,’” said Anne Cookson, vice president of sales and Chris’ sister.

The company makes a variety of pizza crusts with its flagship being a cracker-style. It also sells self-rising crusts, dough balls, frozen dough and flatbreads.

Each batch is relatively small at around 300 pounds, Miller said.

The company also puts a lot of time into its products, allowing its

cracker crust, for example, to proof for 24 hours.

“That is something that a lot of bakeries will get away from as they get larger because it takes a lot of space on the floor and it’s just a lot of time that could be used for something else, but it’s very necessary,” Miller said. “You need to have that flavor mesh really well and you need to give it that time to develop, so we’ll never step away from that.”

From there, the dough is rolled out into a long thin sheet to be turned into crusts. Cookson said it isn’t the most efficient approach, but the company believes it leads to a better product.

“It’s much more what somebody would do themselves in their own restaurant or in their home,” she said.

Prior to the pandemic and the expansion, Baker’s Quality was running at capacity and operating 20 to 24 hours per day. Moving to a bigger space allowed the company to operate fewer hours each day while also serving more customers.

In connection with the move to a new facility, the company has also formed a partnership with a national buying group to help expand distribution nationally. Cookson said the company’s cracker crust is a unique product and there has been a lot of interest from food and trade shows.

There is an inherent tension between volume and quality as Baker’s Quality looks to grow.

“Growing brings a lot of issues,” Miller said. “Are you step-

Chris Miller, Pat Miller, Anne Cookson and Tom Miller of Baker’s Quality Pizza Crusts.

BAKER’S QUALITY PIZZA CRUSTS 1814 Dolphin Drive, Waukesha INDUSTRY: Pizza Crusts EMPLOYEES: 30

bakersqualitypizzacrusts.com

ping away from that quality you’ve built your brand on and you’ve built your customer loyalty on?”

He said Baker’s Quality did hundreds of hours of testing as it planned its expansion to make sure quality would not be sacrificed.

Selling based on quality is challenging in a market where differentiation may not be obvious.

“A big issue is that we are selling essentially a commodity, but we are selling it as the highest quality product and we are going up against competition that has billions of dollars in revenue,” Miller said.

That’s where the opportunity for people to taste the product helped, at least before the pandemic. When COVID hit, Miller, Cookson and their team did a lot of brainstorming about where to go next.

One outcome of those discussions was the launch of crustology, a direct-to-consumer offering of the cracker pizza crust, shipped in three packs straight to someone’s house.

“It’s a restaurant-quality crust,” Cookson said. “The business is built on selling into restaurants, which have very high standards.

You’re not just going to the

grocery store and picking up a shelf-stable pizza crust that was maybe made six or nine months ago, you’re getting something that we made three days ago and tomorrow it’s being delivered to your house.”

It’s an idea Miller and Cookson had thought about for a few years, but Baker’s Quality was always too busy to execute it.

“When our business kind of tanked when the pandemic hit, it was a now or never, this is the time to pull the trigger on this,” Cookson said. n

ARTHUR THOMAS Associate Editor

P / 414-336-7123 E / arthur.thomas@biztimes.com T / @arthur8823

biztimes.com / 13

Real Estate

EMEM GROUP LLC

REAL ESTATE WEEKLY – The week’s most significant real estate news → biztimes.com/subscribe

JLL

New home construction could create momentum in north side Milwaukee neighborhoods

BUYERS: The Bascom Group LLC and Capital Trust Group SELLER: Weas Development SIZE: Approximately 491,500 square feet PRICE: $100 million 14 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

One of the models offered for new houses being built in the Josey Heights and Walnut Circle subdivisions of Milwaukee.

FOR YEARS, the Josey Heights and Walnut Circle single family home developments on Milwaukee’s near northwest side sat mostly vacant, even as sprawling new subdivisions have been developed on the periphery of the metro area, mostly offering homes priced $400,000 or more.

That began to change a few weeks ago after crews started constructing new homes in Josey Heights and Walnut Circle. This achievement will lead to additional investment and homeownership in the surrounding community, said a builder involved in the effort to kick-start the subdivisions.

“That’s the goal, is to generate momentum,” said Michael Emem, president of Milwaukee-based Emem Group LLC. “(This will) generate more interest and activity into these subdivisions, and not just these subdivisions but the neighborhoods around them.”

Recently, sales of four lots have closed in Josey Heights, located at North 12th and West Lloyd streets, and Walnut Circle, located at North 20th and West Walnut streets, according to Yves LaPierre, real estate project manager with

FEATURED DEAL: L E O N A R D O D R S B U I L D I N G S I N M E N O M O N E E FA L L S The Leonardo DRS industrial and office buildings in Menomonee Falls were recently sold to investors for $100 million.

Irvine, California-based The Bascom Group LLC and London-based Capital Trust Group now own the newly built 372,900-square-foot industrial facility and renovated 118,600-squarefoot corporate office building northwest of Flint Drive and Good Hope Road. Leonardo DRS entered into a 20-year absolute net lease for the complex with annual rent escalations, according to the firms.

The campus serves as the headquarters of the company’s growing Naval Power Systems line of business. Construction of the new facility finished in July.

Founders 3 Real Estate Services represented the seller, Weas Development. JLL arranged a joint venture between the two buyers and on behalf of the buyers placed a $63.7 million, 10-year loan with Citigroup.

MEAD & HUNT

the Milwaukee Department of City Development. LaPierre added the city has accepted offers on several more lots in the subdivisions.

Only a few homes have been built in the subdivisions, which were created in the mid-2000s by the city.

Until recently, they remained largely unchanged following the housing market crash of 2007 and Great Recession, even in recent years when new-home construction boomed in the metro area.

The lack of activity in Josey Heights and Walnut Circle wasn’t an unwillingness from prospective buyers. Rather, it took a hike in city incentives to close a financial gap between what banks would lend and what it cost to build, said Emem, whose firm is designing and building the houses.

“I had seen in the market through my design-build work, working mostly with house flippers in Milwaukee as their designer, what was happening in the home sales market,” Emem said.

“Home values throughout the city, throughout the region, had been steadily increasing in the past few years ever since the recession.”

Emem said he saw through his work and some analysis that the city could cover the financial gap for prospective home buyers if they offered the right level of incentives.

The timing was right to push for new homes in Josey Heights and Walnut Way because appraised values in rehabbed homes were coming back higher than any type of product since around 2007, Emem said. He specifically remembers working on a flipped home in Sherman Park that came back appraised around $200,000.

It was then the city ordered an appraisal for a new home in Walnut Circle, based on Emem’s building plans. The appraisal came back around $215,000.

“Taking all that into consideration, we figured at $215,000 (appraised value) I could build a house at $250,000, that was a very attainable gap to close,” he said.

The city had been offering lots for $1 and a forgivable second mortgage of $10,000. Through

contributions from Associated Bank and the Zilber Family Foundation, the city increased the second mortgage offer to $30,000.

Incentives are being offered to the first 10 homebuyers in Josey Heights and Walnut Circle, LaPierre said.

Milwaukee resident Heidi Moore was the first to take advantage of the new city incentives and closed on her new home in Josey Heights in the fall. At the late-December groundbreaking ceremony, Moore said she and her family had for years wanted to build a new home there.

“I had gotten preapproved by three different banks … but unfortunately the appraisal did not equal how much it would cost,” she said. “And so the deal stopped.”

Emem and the city found the right amount to get the ball rolling again in Walnut Way and Josey Heights, but it shouldn’t be that difficult to build a new home in these neighborhoods, he said.

“The appraisal issue was and has been the largest impediment to new market-rate home construction in the inner city,” he said.

But the city is taking on that challenge with the development of Josey Heights and Walnut Circle.

Emem said the new homes will increase the overall market value in those neighborhoods, and make it easier for future homebuyers and builders. n

HARIBO CANDY FACTORY IN PLEASANT PRAIRIE Haribo may be a maker of gummy candy, but the real sweet treat for Wisconsin is that the Germany-based company finally broke ground on its manufacturing plant in Pleasant Prairie in December, more than three years after announcing its plans to build the facility.

It is being built in the Prairie Highland Corporate Park, near the southwest corner of 120th Avenue and County Highway C (Wilmot Road). Once finished, it will be Haribo’s first North American manufacturing building.

The project’s first phase will be around 500,000 square feet and employ 385 when completed in 2022. Future phases could bring employment to more than 1,000.

SIZE: 500,000 square feet COST: More than $300 million GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Gilbane Building Co.

Legal Counsel at the Speed of Innovation

®

For more than 125 years, we’ve helped business leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators drive success in our region by delivering insightful legal counsel coupled with agile, efficient service.

ALEX ZANK Reporter

P / 414-336-7116 E / alex.zank@biztimes.com T / @AlexZank

reinhartlaw.com 414.298.1000

biztimes.com / 15

Thursday, January 28, 2021 Presents:

Networking – 12:00PM Program - 12:30- 1:50PM Breakout sessions – 1:50 – 2:30PM Virtual Event

Register Today!

2021

biztimes.com/trends Attendance is Free – compliments of our sponsors

Messages from our event sponsors:

W E A L T H

M A N A G E M E N T

It will take years for us to process and understand the lessons we’ve learned in 2020. Still, one valuable insight we ‘ve gained is whether our personal financial plan can navigate intense economic pressure.

Many of us found that our plans lacked comprehensiveness, a thoughtful foundation, or an ability to consider “black swan” events.

Some businesses discovered what they communicate and how they talk to their employees isn’t as thoughtful as hoped.

It’s likely careful planning will still be a valuable asset in the years to come. Find a financial advisor committed to fiduciary care and direct communication like Annex Wealth Management, someone who can help build confidence no matter what lies ahead.

Supporting Sponsor:

At BMO Harris Bank, we believe you deserve more from your bank than just a place to get financing or products to manage your cash flow. You deserve a partner that understands your industry, your business and sees your vision the way you see it. A bank that gets you.

Our clients feel the difference when they work with us. We listen to you, anticipate your needs and share our expertise and knowledge to help you achieve your vision.

Our dedicated teams of commercial bankers have local presence and expertise in more than 18 industry sectors. You also benefit from the size and strength of BMO Financial Group, with approximately $949 billion in total assets and the expertise of 43,000 employees around the globe.

Let us help you find the solutions your business needs to grow.

Dave Anderson, Managing Director david.a.anderson@bmo.com (414) 765-7671 bmoharris.com/commercial

Taureau Group is an independent boutique investment bank providing merger and acquisition services to lower middle market companies throughout the world. Our team combines the capabilities of large, bulge-bracket investment banks with the service and responsiveness of a smaller firm.

Principals of Taureau Group have successfully completed hundreds of M&A transactions for a wide array of clients in virtually every industry.

Transactions typically involve closely held, founder and family-owned businesses with transaction values ranging from $10 million to $250 million.

Andrew Sannes, Managing Director at Taureau Group, and Tyler Carlson, Vice President & Co-owner at Taureau Group, will provide an outlook of M&A as we continue to navigate COVID as well as the effect the new administration may have on the economy.

Achieving Outstanding Results taureaugroup.com | (414) 465-5555

Econonomic Outlook | Employment Trends | Innovation | Manufacturing

2021 ECONOMIC TRENDS A preview of the year ahead in manufacturing, health care, real estate, retail and more.

COVER

STORY

COVID-19 vaccines will give economy a

Shot in the Arm

The COVID-19 pandemic rages on throughout the United States and in Wisconsin. More than 522,000 people in Wisconsin are confirmed to have gotten COVID-19 and more than 5,400 of them have died, according to the state Department of Health Services.

Efforts to slow the spread of the virus, including government mandated restrictions on businesses (especially bars and restaurants) and voluntary social distancing, have significantly hurt the economy since March of 2020.

COVID-19 vaccines, first made available to the public in December, give us hope of finally bringing an end to the public health crisis, which will also give the economy a shot in the arm. But many have been frustrated with the slow rollout of the vaccine, especially in Wisconsin. Republicans like U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil have criticized Gov. Tony Evers for Wisconsin’s slow vaccine distribution, while Evers says federal rules and a lack of supply of the vaccine provided to the state have hamstrung Wisconsin’s vaccine efforts. Several governors, including Evers, have criticized the Trump administration’s vaccine allocation to the states.

Meanwhile, the transfer of power at the White House has been anything but peaceful. Earlier this month angry supporters of Donald Trump, convinced the election was stolen from him, stormed the U.S. Capitol in a shocking act of insurrection.

New president Joe Biden now has to confront COVID-19 and a struggling economy while leading a bitterly divided country.

In an attempt to make sense of where we are going in 2021 after an incredibly challenging 2020, BizTimes Milwaukee again turns to economist Mi-

chael Knetter for his annual macroeconomic forecast. Knetter is the president and chief executive officer of the University of Wisconsin Foundation and is a former staff economist for presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

Knetter will once again be a featured speaker at the annual BizTimes Media Economic Trends event, to be held virtually on Thursday, Jan. 28.

BizTimes Milwaukee editor Andrew Weiland recently conducted his annual interview with Knetter. The following is a recap of that conversation: BIZTIMES: OK, well, where do we begin? 2020 was a year unlike any of us has ever experienced. In an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19 state and local governments imposed numerous restrictions, including stay-at-home orders and business capacity limits.

As a result, the economy tanked in the second quarter, but then rebounded significantly in the third quarter as restrictions were eased. Still the economy has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, has it? How would you describe, briefly, the current state of the U.S. economy?

KNETTER: “I would modify the causality of the opening narrative slightly. Data disseminated by the Center for Research on the Wisconsin Economy showed that foot traffic to a wide range of businesses was only marginally impacted by government regulations. Virus concerns of individuals and employers led to a sharp contraction in the travel, hospitality and traditional retail sectors. As both the weather and our personal protocols improved, concerns abated somewhat and the economy rebounded. News about vaccine development helped boost optimism. The return to school and fall weather drove more people indoors and we

MICHAEL KNETTER saw a surge in cases and some fits and starts in the economy. Vaccine news continued to be a light at the end of this long tunnel and buoyed markets throughout the balance of the year.

“Our economy is improving and, importantly, so is our economic potential (i.e., the amount we could produce at full employment). The many adjustments forced on producers and consumers during the pandemic stimulated innovation and adoption of new technology. Contactless delivery of groceries and takeout meals became commonplace and many people became facile with video conferencing technologies, which themselves improved functionality. As we move past the pandemic, consumers and producers will retain the new habits and methods that serve them. The associated shifts in supply and demand will create some dislocations in product and labor markets, making it difficult to get back to full employment.

Output will recover more quickly than employment thanks to the productivity gains we will reap from pandemic induced innovations.”

BIZTIMES: COVID-19 appears to be the biggest obbiztimes.com / 17

STORY COVER stacle to getting the economy fully back on track. Is that fair to say? And therefore, the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines and the distribution of them is not just crucial for public health, but also for the economy, right?

KNETTER: “The main obstacle to full recovery is COVID-19, so vaccine efficacy, production and distribution is critical to getting us back near full employment. Other barriers could materialize such as a deterioration in confidence due to large debt and deficits or some unforeseen event that disrupts trade, commodity markets or international relations.”

BIZTIMES: What types of businesses and industries have been hurt the most by the COVID-19 pandemic and have any actually benefitted? What is your outlook for industries that are struggling the most?

KNETTER: “Travel, hospitality, and traditional retail have been hit hardest. Commercial real estate may be in for an extended downturn. I think leisure travel and hospitality will go back to or exceed pre-pandemic levels. Traditional retail will make only a partial recovery as people have come to appreciate home delivery of more goods and services.

Business travel and hospitality could take the biggest hit in the post-pandemic new normal. We have all gained familiarity with video meetings and conferences and they will become part of the fabric of business. The pandemic accelerated the ‘death of distance’ as it relates to working life.”

BIZTIMES: In one of his final acts as president, Donald Trump signed a $2.3 trillion bill that included a $900 billion COVID relief package, including $600 stimulus payments to Americans and extended and enhanced unemployment benefits. Is this going to give the economy the boost that it needs until the end of the pandemic?

KNETTER: “Well, it is the boost that we have for now, so I would say it will have to do. I think we will limp through the winter and then things will gather steam in the spring and through the summer. But this requires big improvements in the pace of vaccination.”

BIZTIMES: How will President Joe Biden’s administration differ in terms of economic policy from the Trump administration, and what impact do you anticipate that will have in 2021 and beyond?

KNETTER: “At a broad level, I expect a Biden administration to advocate policies that seek to boost income and opportunity for the least fortunate, shift the balance of regulation in favor of the interests of environment quality, consumer protection, and workers relative to producers, and seek to normalize trading relationships with our main allies but not with China. At this point it is hard to judge the magnitude of these changes. I do not think these policy changes will have a big impact in 2021 relative to the resolution of the pandemic. They could 18 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

have much bigger effects long term.

“Another point I would make is that President Trump was more focused on economic performance indicators than any president in my lifetime. He crossed many traditional boundaries in using his influence with the Fed, private industry and trade partners with mixed results. In the end, Trump presided over a period of significant growth in output, employment, and wealth at the end of an already long expansion. His dogged focus on the economy surely deserves some credit for that.

The Biden administration is unlikely to match that intensity and focus.”

BIZTIMES: What direction do you think the economy is headed in 2021? A V-shaped recovery (boosted by the COVID vaccines), or something else? What do you expect this year in terms of GDP growth? Is it safe to expect a rough start, followed by growth as the vaccine is distributed and life gets somewhat back to normal?

KNETTER: “The economy will gather momentum over the year, with possible hiccups due to vaccine efficacy and distribution progress. Productivity growth will play a larger role than normal in this recovery and employment growth may lag a bit. Overall, real GDP should grow by about 5% in 2021 barring major new disrupters as we close the gap between actual and potential output. In terms of the alphabet, this is really a K-shaped recovery, where some sectors have thrived during the pandemic (technology and delivery) and others have crashed (in-person services).”

BIZTIMES: While 2020 was a tough year for many, the stock market performed well, reaching new highs in December. The market crashed in March at the onset of the pandemic in the U.S., but bounced back in a big way. Why? How do you think the market will perform in 2021?

KNETTER: “The ‘disconnect’ often noted between stock markets and the real economy (real output and employment) is due to three main factors. First is the fact that stock prices are based on current and expected future earnings of companies. Optimism about the future can boost share prices even if current output, employment and earnings are weak.

Second is the disproportionate adverse impact of the pandemic on small, privately held businesses linked to travel, hospitality (restaurants, bars and hotels), and traditional retail. Their impairment hurts employment and output but doesn’t drag down the stock market. The large publicly traded companies that dominate the S&P include many technology names that were the big beneficiaries of shifts brought about by the pandemic. Another way to put it is that the publicly traded companies are disproportionately part of the upper arm of the K while most privately owned in-person service businesses are in the lower part and not included in public equities. Finally, the Fed’s aggressive reduction in interest rates to near zero means there is little to no return from owning bonds, making equities more attractive by comparison.”

BIZTIMES: The Fed continues to hold benchmark rates near zero. Do you expect that to continue in 2021?

KNETTER: “Yes. They have even signaled an intention to be less concerned about inflation going beyond the normal target of 2% since we have lagged behind that target for some time now.”

BIZTIMES: What do you make of the labor market in 2021? A year ago, employers were struggling to find workers. In 2020 there was a massive number of layoffs. Many were later brought back to work, but employment is still well below pre-pandemic levels. Yet, many employers are still struggling to find the skilled workers they need. Some say unemployment benefits have been too generous, incentivizing workers to stay on the sidelines. What do you think?

Knetter: “I think you have hit on the key points that characterize the labor market. Demand is surging for technologically able workers and they command a premium as a result. Generous unemployment benefits may reduce the incentives for less skilled and therefore lower paid service industry workers. Given the structural changes in supply and demand in the economy, I expect pockets of unemployment to persist in certain sectors and regions, although it is possible that remote work opportunities will reduce some of the geographic mismatch of skills.”

BIZTIMES: Some anticipate that when the COVID-19 pandemic is finally over (hopefully this year), there will be a surge of consumer activity as people travel, dine out, socialize, etc., rushing to enjoy the things they couldn’t do during the pandemic. Do you think we are on the verge of another “Roaring ‘20s,” and what implications would that have for the economy?

KNETTER: “I think there will be a strong desire for some of the in-person experiences people have missed, but of course, it is not yet clear how that will play out. Consumers are creatures of habit.

The pandemic has gone on long enough that people have changed habits and made investments of time and resources in the new ways of doing things (remodeled kitchens, new home exercise equipment, better home theaters). Some people are likely to conclude these new ways of living are actually better than the more hectic and expensive lives they led pre-pandemic.

“I think leisure travel is most likely to snap back quickly. Restaurant meals, gyms, yoga, studies, business travel, maybe not. Even if demand for dining out returns, many restaurants are out of business.

So maybe it will be the ‘Boring 20s’ as we selectively choose those out-of-home experiences we missed but forego others that we have concluded weren’t worth all the time, effort and added expense.

“The thing that could make the economy roar is the technological boost we might get from new and still developing business tools that we learned in the pandemic and emerging technology platforms, many of which got a boost from the pandemic. Robotics, AI, blockchain, DNA sequencing and energy storage are all capable of driving further big transformations in the economy in the years ahead.

Their impacts will cumulate over time.” n

FOCUSED. PREPARED. DISCIPLINED.

HOLISTIC FINANCIAL PLANNING.

Special Report ECONOMIC TRENDS

FESTERLING

M c LEES

How local leaders envision a revitalized workforce in 2021

By Brandon Andergg, staff writer WISCONSIN HAD the nation’s 18th worst private sector job loss from November 2019 to November 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The largest swing occurred from March to April when the state lost 396,000 jobs at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wisconsin’s recreation and restaurant industries were the hardest hit. Employment in the state’s arts, entertainment and recreation industry was still down 34% from the previous year in November and accommodation and food service was down nearly 25%.

Even manufacturing, which was a major contributor to the recovery of the state's economy over the summer, is still down more than 3%, or 16,000 jobs, over the previous year as of November.

The retail trade sector, which includes everything from department and grocery stores to car dealers and jewelers, was down nearly 4%, or 11,400 jobs. Meanwhile, construction represented a bright spot in the state’s economy with 3,000 additional jobs, or a slight increase of 2.4%, as of November.

The state’s unemployment rate spiked to 13.6% in April and came down to 5% in November, which was still higher than the 3.5% rate from November 2019.

With the pandemic’s multi-faceted impact on Wisconsin’s workforce, businesses are now examining how employees spend their time.

If Wisconsin is to regenerate its workforce, business leaders must present their employees with more opportunity not only in terms of flexible schedules, but also by giving them a chance to become more productive team members, said Todd McLees, principal at Milwaukee-based management consulting firm Pendio Group and one of Converge MKE’s founders.

“There’s this need for an engine to be built where there’s constant and continuous learning going on to build new capabilities and organizations,” McLees said. “This is what the ‘big five’ have figured out: Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Goo20 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

gle and Microsoft.”

However, developing digital skills alone will not be enough; the region must shift its mindset in a way that prepares the workforce for more frequent disruption, McLees said. AT&T, for example, provides employees with $6,000 for online courses to invest in their growth each year, he noted.

“If they don’t invest that time and money, it reflects negatively in their performance review,” McLees said. “There’s this new spirit of if we’re not learning as an organization, we’re in competitive trouble.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a dichotomy as it relates to time: Recent events seem more distant than usual while trends expected to come to fruition in the future are already here.

When workers learned new skills in the ‘90s, those skills had a lifespan of about 20 years, McLees said; whereas skills learned today last about 3 years before innovation and advances in technology demand that workers be retrained.

To understand just how fast the world changed in 2020, look no further than work-from-home, virtual learning and the growth in e-commerce, which soared nearly 37% in the third quarter of 2020 from the third quarter of 2019.

“There are some really incredible things that have happened in the last 10 months and I think there’s a need to understand that the world is fundamentally and irrevocably different and that we need to behave differently in order to thrive in that new environment,” McLees said.

Part of that change in behavior involves turning transactional work into engaging work by providing employees with flexible scheduling, said Ryan Festerling, president of Brookfield-based staffing and recruiting firm QPS Employment Group.

Over the past several months, employees have watched how their employer handled the pandemic, particularly how they responded to COVID-19-related needs. Festerling, a featured speaker at BizTimes Media’s Economic Trends

2021 event on Jan. 28, said companies that show empathy, are willing to be flexible and have conversations with their employees to discover what it would take to make them more reliable – such as changing childcare arrangements or work shift hours – are seeing reductions in turnover.

“If we can create a major empathic workforce, meaning from manager down to worker, I think we’re all going to be a lot better off for it,” Festerling said. “The good companies are going to keep doing that.”

Harvard economist Peter Blair shared a similar perspective in a recent interview with Inc. magazine. Blair talks of growing fears that a K-shaped recovery might take place, “one in which workers in high-wage jobs return to postCOVID growth in wages and employment while workers earning low wages experience declining economic prospects.”

As businesses look to manage their talent, Blair suspects the best businesses will hire based on a worker’s skill rather than academic credentials, which he attributes to the rising cost of college and the worsening economic conditions brought on by the pandemic.

“Business leaders play a direct role in determining whether a post-COVID economy is a more equitable economy or one with even starker inequality, particularly along racial lines,” Blair told Inc. Even as 2020 has served as an accelerant in many ways, COVID-19 also threatens to erase progress made over the past six years, particularly related to the representation of women in the workforce, experts say.

Between 2015 and 2020, the share of women grew from 23–28% in senior vice president roles and from 17–21% in the C-suite, according to a 2020 McKinsey & Company study, which involved 600 American companies and surveyed a million people based on their workplace experiences.

Challenges presented by the pandemic have led as many as 2 million women to consider taking a leave of absence or leaving the workforce altogether. The most vulnerable groups include mothers, senior-level women and black women, according to the study.

This demonstrates a need for companies to double down on their diversity and inclusion efforts, said Jennifer Ketz, co-founder of Lift Up MKE, a professional development and coaching company focused on reskilling and upskilling women in tech.

“In order for us to get back to where we were, there’s going to have to be fundamental changes in hiring practices, expectations and really reaching back out into those communities to bring women back in,” Ketz said. “I think it has to be extremely intentional and making it a focus, not only of women, but also of diversity and inclusion because it’s getting hit harder.” n

Wisconsin-based experts ready to help Wisconsin-based businesses.

We work here.

As your business continues to grow and evolve, it deserves the capabilities of a global bank, while staying nimble, like a local one. So, no matter what your vision is, your Wisconsin-based commercial banking team brings deep industry expertise and strategic guidance to help uncover opportunities and take your business to new heights. That’s why we work here.

Visit bmoharris.com/commercial to learn more.

Banking products are subject to approval and are provided by BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC.

Special Report ECONOMIC TRENDS

A dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.

Public could get vaccine in early summer, but resuming ‘normal’ life will take longer

By Lauren Anderson, staff writer CURRENT ESTIMATES project the public in Wisconsin will begin receiving the COVID-19 vaccine in June, which would mark a major step toward the goal of achieving herd immunity in the second half of 2021.

The long-anticipated vaccine, which Wisconsin health care providers first began administering in mid-December, has brought an infusion of hope for many, holding out promise that we could see office lights turned back on, curtains open for live performances and even the return of maskless social interactions before the year’s end.

Yet, since its arrival, the vaccine rollout in the state and across the country has been slower than expected.

One month into the vaccination program, the state has not yet completed phase 1A of its plan, which includes immunizing frontline health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities, a group that totals roughly 550,000 people.

At press time, 239,102 vaccinations had been administered in the state.

Wisconsin Department of Health Services officials’ projections that the state will be able to open the vaccine gates to the general public in early summer come with several caveats.

“Looking into the crystal ball and knowing exactly when the general public will be able to get vaccine is a really challenging job here,” DHS dep22 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

uty secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk recently said on a call with reporters. “I keep saying late spring, early summer. … It’s something we’ll know better week by week as we move along.”

Supply is a big factor, which depends on both an increase in allocation from the federal government along with increased production of the vaccines by Pfizer, Moderna and other not-yet-approved vaccine manufacturers, such as Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca. Johnson & Johnson’s potential one-shot vaccine is promising, but, even if it is authorized for emergency use, reported manufacturing delays could hinder its wider distribution for the next few months.

While challenges with the vaccine rollout have been widely reported nationally, Wisconsin in the early weeks of distribution has trailed its Midwestern peers, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.

At press time, Wisconsin has administered 2,916 first COVID-19 vaccine doses per 100,000 residents, the lowest in the Midwest, according to CDC data.

Various factors have contributed to Wisconsin’s slow start. For one, the state initially was required to hold back half of its vaccine designated for long-term care settings as part of a federal pharmacy partnership, which meant it stockpiled doses before it initiated the vaccination program

in skilled nursing and assisted living settings. DHS officials noted that Wisconsin has one of the highest per-capita rates of people in long-term care, which added to the delay in rolling out the vaccine.

Officials have also noted that Wisconsin has a comparatively large health care workforce, making its phase 1A last longer than other states.

But others claim the state’s early rollout has been disorganized, with some groups – including unaffiliated health care workers – not knowing how or when to get their shot.

Lawmakers have criticized vaccine deployment delays, with Republican leaders saying the Evers Administration’s effort has been bogged down by bureaucracy and Democratic leaders faulting the Trump administration’s leadership.

Republican Congressman Bryan Steil, of Janesville, recently said Evers shows a “stunning lack of urgency” considering how Wisconsin stacks up against other states.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, meanwhile, joined 42 Democratic senators in mid-January in calling out the lack of a comprehensive national vaccine plan, saying the Trump administration’s response was a “pathetic failure.”

In the first month of vaccine distribution, the U.S. Health and Human Services Department held back the second dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine to ensure states had enough supply to administer both shots, but in mid-January reversed course on that policy.

President Joe Biden has vowed to significantly ramp up deployment of the vaccine, with the goal of administering 1 million doses a day for his first 100 days in office. Wisconsin would need 125,000 doses weekly, or 18,000 doses daily, to meet that target. That’s about 55,000 more doses weekly than it is currently receiving, as of press time.

Ultimately, Willems Van Dijk said she would like to see Wisconsin administering about 30,000 to 50,000 doses daily to reach herd immunity faster.

DHS estimates it will take through February to vaccinate everyone in the state’s highest-priority tier who wants the vaccine. The state is initiating phase 1B before then, however, beginning with firefighters and police officers who were able to receive the vaccine starting Jan. 18.

Others in the 1B phase will likely include teachers, corrections workers and those 70 years and older. At press times, the phases after 1A had not yet been finalized by the state committee responsible for identifying who gets the vaccine when.

While vaccinations are currently offered at a limited number of sites, once the state progresses to subsequent phases, vaccinations will be offered at more places, including commercial pharmacies and mobile vaccination clinics. Health care providers will begin vaccinating their own patients as part of their routine care.

“One of our mantras in immunization work is

never have a missed opportunity for a vaccine, so as we move forward in these broader groups we would like to see hospitals and health care systems starting to incorporate vaccination for COVID-19 as part of any visit you have at your clinic,” Willems Van Dijk said.

While deploying the vaccine marks a major step in the effort to bring the pandemic under control, health officials caution that life won’t return to normal for a while. DHS officials project it will be the third quarter of 2021 before the state is able to relax masking and physical distancing measures.

It remains to be seen how many people will decline the vaccine when they are offered it.

At this point, employers, including health care organizations, are largely encouraging, rather than requiring, their employees to get the vaccine as it becomes available. None of the large Milwaukee-area health systems, including Ascension Wisconsin, Advocate Aurora Health and Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, have mandated the vaccine for employees.

A recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey found 27% of the overall population is hesitant to get vaccines and 29% of health care workers polled say they are probably not going to get vaccinated.

An Advocate Aurora employee prepares a COVID-19 vaccine shot.

The main worries among those polled were related to side effects, a lack of trust in the government and concerns about it being too new, according to the survey.

Rick Abrams, president and chief executive officer of Wisconsin Health Care Association and Wisconsin Center for Assisted Living, said willingness to get vaccinated among nursing facility residents is relatively high (he estimated over 70%), but it’s less consistent among staff members at any

given facility.

“I have great confidence that as those that have been hesitant for whatever reason see that their colleagues have been vaccinated, they haven’t gotten sick and they certainly haven’t caught COVID because of the vaccine, which is an impossibility …

I believe that those percentages if they’re low in a particular facility will begin to rise as there is more receptivity to those who don’t want to be first,” Abrams said. n

Congratulations Deidre Metzger On being named one of BizTimes’ Notable Women in HR Thank you for the hard work and dedication you bring to our three companies on a daily basis.

With over 300 employees the Accelerated family of companies can help you meet your testing needs. Accelerated Clinical Labs is a state contracted laboratory performing COVID PCR analysis and onsite testing throughout the state of Wisconsin.

Accelerated Analytical provides microbiology and analytical chemistry testing for a variety of industries including FDA, OTC, API’s and pharmaceuticals. Accelerated Hemp Labs is Wisconsin’s only hemp testing ISO 17025 accredited laboratory.

acceleratedlabs.com biztimes.com / 23

Special Report ECONOMIC TRENDS

Slow post-pandemic return to normal expected Local businesses brace for long road ahead, prepare to meet pent-up demand

By Maredithe Meyer, staff writer IT MAY BE DIFFICULT to imagine a time when you’ll once again sing along to your favorite song at a packed concert or high-five the stranger sitting next to you after a Bucks slam dunk at Fiserv Forum, but that day is getting closer.

Thanks to the ongoing rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, though progressing slower than expected, an end to the pandemic is in sight. And so is a wave of pent-up demand likely to wash over certain industries that bore the brunt of government-imposed restrictions since March: entertainment, restaurants, travel and activities that gather people together.

Exactly when the majority of the population will feel comfortable going out again and spending money on in-person activities isn’t certain, but when the time comes, consumers will “have the wherewithal to buy things,” said Jim McGibany, chair of the Department of Economics at Marquette University.

McGibany points to a few key indicators.

From February to November 2020, total checking account deposits increased 75% and total savings deposits increased 26%, according to Federal Reserve data.

Some of that cash could be attributed to the first round of federal stimulus checks, precautionary balances for year-end property tax bills or rainy day funds, but not all.

“That’s a lot of additional money in these accounts that aren’t earning any interest,” said McGibany. “That stuff is sitting there waiting and it’s 24 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

going to be spent.”

What’s more, a December consumer expectation survey by The Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows an expected 3.4% median increase in household spending over the next year, the highest projected increase since May 2019. That’s despite continuously low expectations of growth in both household income and earnings, according to the survey.

“They think they’re going to spend more and you couple that with the fact that there’s money in their checking accounts. … That’s a pretty good sign for what’s to come I think,” said McGibany.

Still, consumer-facing businesses should expect a gradual return to pre-pandemic sales and activity due largely to consumers’ “slow psychological recovery” from the social environment created by the pandemic, said Stephen Saunders, chair of the Department of Psychology at Marquette.

Saunders believes consumer confidence and spending will not come back at the flip of a switch, at least for most.

“There will be some people who would insist on going to see a movie every night of the week for a month or going to every concert that they can, but I expect the vast majority of people will simply slowly start to reintroduce things,” he said.

That’s because people have developed new habits over the past 10 months: cooking at home instead of dining out, elbow bumps instead of handshakes, Zoom calls instead of in-person meetings.

Saunders said the lack of socialization as a result of lockdowns and stay-at-home orders will only contribute to a slow return for businesses like restaurants and entertainment venues. Groups of friends or family members who regularly got together prior to the pandemic to dine out or see a show have gotten out of the habit of going out together and making plans to do so.

But humans are social creatures by nature, he said, so large gatherings and social activities will inevitably make a comeback. But perhaps not handshakes.

“I could see handshakes disappear in the business world, almost as a sign of politeness and respect for your health,” said Saunders.

All told, Saunders thinks “back to normal” won’t happen for another year from when health officials deem it safe to gather again.

For Milwaukee-area businesses that stand to benefit from pent-up demand, there’s still a long road ahead.

That’s especially true for The Pabst Theater Group, whose four Milwaukee venues have sat empty since the start of the pandemic. Now, the hope is to be back up and running by the fourth quarter of 2021, but that would require the state’s vaccine distribution effort to pick up speed, its chief executive officer Gary Witt said.

“If we keep underperforming on vaccines, then I would say it’s highly unlikely that we’d come back this year,” he said.

While relief grants from the state and federal

government helped keep the business afloat, Pabst has upgraded its venues’ HVAC systems and devised safety plans for operating at both limited and full capacities.

As for how business will look once deprived concert-goers are able to attend shows again, Witt isn’t letting his expectations soar too high.

“It’s not to over-assume that because we haven’t been (open), everyone’s going to have this wild demand to want to come back and go to concerts,” he said. “I think for me, it’s more realistic to understand the fact that our business is still going to be there because it hasn’t been impacted by COVID in a way that people have decided to go do something else and stay at home and watch concerts on their television or live stream it on their computers.”

At Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, operations are currently limited to slot machines, beverage service on the casino floor, carryout-only at three of its restaurants, and 200 of its 500 hotel rooms.

“It will stay that way until the vaccine is widely distributed throughout the city and the country,” said Rodney Ferguson, chief executive officer and general manager at Potawatomi.

Next to open at the casino – but likely not until late spring – will be table games, bingo and dine-in

service. Ferguson said he believes there’s demand for those services, as well as weddings and small group meetings.

Since partially reopening in June, there’s been a steady increase in repeat customers returning to Potawatomi, which Ferguson chalks up to effective health and safety measures and lack of in-person entertainment options in the city. Patrons are anxious for the remainder of the facility to reopen as soon as possible, he said.

But that won’t mean pandemic-era protocols will suddenly disappear. Hand sanitizer stations and increased cleaning throughout the property are now standard practice and necessary precautions against future contagious viruses. And, Potawatomi is considering a ban on indoor smoking in portions of the casino where it had been permitted prior to COVID. As he continues to gradually bring his 17-property fine dining empire back to life, Paul Bartolotta factors in the “human cost” of pandemic-era hospitality.

“We’ve always thrown our heart on the plate,” said Bartolotta. “Now, we have to limit the amount of times we go to the table, we have to learn to smile with our eyes behind a mask. … We want to bring

back what got us to the dance in the first place.”

Since July, operations have resumed at its three catering venues and five of its restaurants, with heavy emphasis on stringent COVID protocols and refreshed, price-fixed menus. The pandemic in some ways forced the business to be better and adopt new best practices that apply to a post-pandemic world, he said.

But Bartolotta expects it’ll take time for both diners and employees to readjust to the intimate style of service the restaurant group is known for, and he plans to err on the side of caution until then.

“I will not be the first one to say ‘we’re done with the masks because we don’t really have to (wear them),’” he said. “I’m going to wait until I know that the consumer and the health professionals say it’s good.”

As consumer confidence gradually rises, Bartolotta expects first to see locals coming out more often, followed by corporate dining once people return to office buildings. He likened it to layering a cake.

“We’re going to continue to build from the bottom up and every day there’s going to be a new layer and hopefully a little bit more frosting,” he said. n

biztimes.com / 25

Special Report ECONOMIC TRENDS

Generac headquarters

Generac’s stock repeats as biggest local gainer

By Andrew Weiland, staff writer U.S. STOCK MARKETS overcame a massive collapse at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to reach record highs at the end of 2020.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 36.8% from Feb. 14 to March 20 as government mandated shelter-in-place orders intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus, including Gov. Tony Evers’ “Safer at Home” order, had a devastating effect on the economy.

But the stock market recovered from that plunge as economic activity bounced back during the rest of the year, albeit not to pre-pandemic levels. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended the year up 7.3%, the S&P 500 ended the year up 16.3% and the Nasdaq index ended the year up 43.6%, the best year for the Nasdaq since 2009. The Dow and S&P ended the year at record highs and Nasdaq achieved its record high just before year’s end.

Locally, results were mixed and a majority of the publicly-held companies in southeastern Wisconsin saw their stock prices decline in 2020.

As it was in 2019, Waukesha-based generator manufacturer Generac Holdings Inc. was the top local stock price gainer in southeastern Wisconsin in 2020, with its stock price rising 126% to $227.37. If an investor purchased $100,000 in Generac stock at the beginning of 2019, that in26 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

vestment would have been worth $457,384 two years later at the end of 2020.

Generac’s profits rose 24% and its sales rose 7% for the first three quarters of 2020, compared to the same period in 2019, according to its most recent quarterly report.

The company was ranked 946th on the 2020 Fortune 1000 list with annual revenue of about $2.2 billion, up from a ranking of 979 in 2010.

“Power outage activity was much higher during the (third) quarter, driven by more extreme and severe weather,” said Aaron Jagdfeld, chairman and chief executive officer of Generac, during the company’s third quarter earnings call. “When combined with the ‘home as a sanctuary’ trend that we began seeing at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for home standby generators reached unprecedented levels during the quarter.”

Jagdfeld said Generac was getting 2.5 times the number of orders it did for home standby generators in 2019 and the company’s backlog continued to grow early in the fourth quarter, even as its factories hit record output levels.

The backlog increase led Generac to add capacity at its Jefferson, Wisconsin plant in addition to running overtime at the Whitewater plant where most of the home standby products

are made. Earlier in the year the company announced plans to hire hundreds of additional employees.

Generac also plans to build a new production facility, but it probably will not be located in Wisconsin, where the company already has facilities in Waukesha, Whitewater, Eagle, Jefferson and Oshkosh.

Generac also grew by acquisition in 2020, acquiring the assets of Ohio-based commercial turf care manufacturer Mean Green Products LLC and Denver-based Enbala Power Networks Inc. to expand its technology offerings.

While Generac’s impressive growth continues and it increasingly becomes one of the region’s most important companies, one of Milwaukee’s industrial icons hit rock bottom in 2020. Wauwatosa-based Briggs & Stratton Corp. filed for bankruptcy in July. The company’s stock price fell 97%, from $6.66 at the end of 2019 to nearly zero in 2020.

Briggs entered bankruptcy with $1.59 billion in assets and around $1.35 billion in debts.

However, brighter days could be ahead. The company was sold out of bankruptcy to New York-based private equity firm KPS Capital Partners, which acquired most of Briggs’ assets for $550 million.

Steve Andrews, the new CEO of the company now known as Briggs & Stratton LLC, said the company is committed to the Milwaukee area and plans to add to its local workforce. This fall the company said it was seeking to fill 100 salary and hourly positions in the Milwaukee area.

“We’re now a well-capitalized company, unencumbered by past liabilities, so we can focus on growth,” Andrews said in a press release.

The second biggest local stock price decliner in 2020 was Milwaukee-based Marcus Corp., a hotel and movie theater company that was devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Its movie theaters were shut down for months due to the pandemic. Most of its theaters were reopened in August, but then several were temporarily closed again in October due to a lack of new film releases.

The company also temporarily closed its hotels and resorts in 2020. All of its hotels and resorts were later reopened, the last being Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel in Milwaukee, in November.

In its third quarter earnings report, Marcus Corp. reported an operating loss of $123.2 million for the first three quarters of 2020 and a net loss attributable to the company of $85.8 million for the first three quarters of the year.

“These are challenging times, yet we expect both of our businesses will begin returning to more normal conditions once the pandemic is under control,” said Greg Marcus, president and CEO of The Marcus Corp. n

Milwaukee-area stock performance Ticker

Company Name

2019 Price

2020 Price

% Change

Ticker

GNRC

Generac Holdings Inc.

$100.59

$227.37

126%

FISV

KOSS

Koss Corp.

$1.54

$3.44

123%

Company Name

2019 Price

2020 Price

% Change

Fiserv Inc.

$115.63

$113.86

-1.5%

DOC

Physicians Realty Trust

$18.94

$17.82

-6%

STRT

Strattec Security Corp.

$22.21

$49.36

122%

MAN

ManpowerGroup Inc.

$97.10

$90.26

-7%

MOD

Modine Manufacturing Co.

$7.70

$12.58

63.4%

BRC

Brady Corp.

$57.26

$52.89

-7.6%

APAM

Artisan Partners Asset Management Inc.

$32.32

$50.41

56%

EPAC

Enerpac Tool Group Corp.

$26.03

$22.61

-13%

JOUT

Johnson Outdoors Inc.

$76.70

$112.63

46.8%

WBB

Westbury Bancorp Inc.

$28.50

$24.01

-15.8%

BMI

Badger Meter Inc.

$64.93

$94.13

45%

QUAD

Quad/Graphics Inc.

$4.67

$3.82

-18.2%

ROK

Rockwell Automation Inc.

$202.67

$250.98

23.8%

KSS

Kohl’s Corp.

$50.95

$40.68

-20.2%

RXN

Rexnord Corp.

$32.62

$39.50

21%

PLOW

Douglas Dynamics Inc.

$55.00

$42.77

-22.2%

AOS

A.O. Smith Corp.

$47.64

$54.82

15%

ASB

Associated Banc-Corp

$22.04

$17.05

-22.6%

JCI

Johnson Controls Inc.

$40.71

$46.63

14.5%

MTW

Manitowoc Company Inc.

$17.50

$13.31

-24%

SXT

Sensient Technologies Corp.

$66.09

$73.76

11.6%

REVG

REV Group Inc.

$12.23

$8.83

-27.8%

MTG

MGIC Investment Corp.

$14.17

$15.65

10.4%

TWIN

Twin Disc Inc.

$11.02

$7.85

-28.8%

SNA

Snap-On Inc.

$169.40

$171.28

1%

WEYS

Weyco Group Inc.

$26.45

$15.84

-40%

WEC

WEC Energy Group Inc.

$92.23

$92.06

0%

MCS

The Marcus Corp.

$31.77

$13.47

-57.6%

WSBF

Waterstone Financial Inc.

$19.03

$18.82

-1%

BGG

Briggs & Stratton Corp.

$6.66

$0.20

-97%

HOG

Harley-Davidson Inc.

$37.19

$36.70

-1.3%

All data gathered by Robert W. Baird & Co. from Factset Research Systems. This information has been obtained from sources we consider to be reliable, but we cannot guarantee the accuracy.

Keeping Our Communities Strong As Wisconsin’s largest family-owned financial services company, we’re proud of the legacy we’ve built, serving families and businesses in Wisconsin for the past 50 years. At Johnson Financial Group, we’re committed to investing in the health, well-being and success of our associates, our customers and our local communities - today, tomorrow and for generations to come.

Learn more at JohnsonFinancialGroup.com

biztimes.com / 27

RINKA

Special Report ECONOMIC TRENDS

Downtown high-rise projects to headline busy year for commercial real estate development

By Alex Zank, staff writer

WE ARE TOLD it will finally happen in 2021.

The Couture, a long-anticipated luxury apartment tower planned near the downtown Milwaukee lakefront, is finally to start construction. A groundbreaking announcement is expected any day.

After securing a federal loan guarantee, Milwaukee-based Barrett Lo Visionary Development announced in November its $188 million, 44-story project was headed for an early 2021 groundbreaking. It will create more than 300 apartments southwest of East Michigan Street and North Lincoln Memorial Drive.

Barrett Lo initially said groundbreaking was anticipated for January, and development agreements with local governments require it to happen

by Feb. 1. It hadn’t occurred as of mid-January, and a Barrett Lo spokesperson did not provide a specific date it would happen. The project is anticipated to be completed by August 2023.

As it happens, The Couture is only one of a few high-rise residential towers in the works for downtown. Construction commenced late summer of 2020 on Ascent, a 25-story, 259-unit apartment tower northeast of East Kilbourn and North Van Buren avenues. Ascent is being developed by Milwaukee-based firms New Land Enterprises and Wiechmann Enterprises and is slated for completion in summer 2022.

Another planned apartment tower appears to still be a bit away from breaking ground, as the developer works to secure project financing. Travaux Inc., the development arm of the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee, is planning a 32-story mixed-income tower northwest of East Knapp and North Milwaukee streets. It would contain as many as 350 affordable and market-rate units.

HACM spokeswoman Amy Hall said the development team is working through internal approvals and “examining options” for resident income mix and project financing.

CORPORATE PROJECTS

A number of corporate projects will make progress in the Milwaukee area in 2021.

The rapidly growing Brookfield-based Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp. is developing a $100 million multi-purpose campus in Menomonee Falls. The campus is located along Flint Drive, north of Good Hope Road.

Plans consist of two buildings, with more in the works. An existing 52,000-square-foot office building has been renovated and is up and run28 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

ning as of this month, said spokeswoman Heather McGee. Milwaukee Tool is also working on a 215,000-square-foot building next door, which will be used for events and product testing. Foundation work is being finished, with the building to start coming out of the ground this spring.

Milwaukee Tool anticipates occupancy in the first quarter of 2022.

Komatsu Mining Corp. continues to make progress on its $285 million headquarters and manufacturing campus in Milwaukee’s Harbor District. The site is located south of East Greenfield Avenue and west of the Kinnickinnic River.

Matt Beaudry, Komatsu project director and general manager, said vertical construction on the office building is now complete and in progress on the manufacturing building. It is still on track for completion in 2022. The campus is to have 170,000 square feet of office space, a 20,000-square-foot museum and training building and 410,000 square feet of manufacturing space.

Elsewhere in the Harbor District, work continues on Michels Corp.’s R1VER mixed-use development northwest of West Becher and South First streets. The project includes an eight-story office building, an apartment building with retail space and a parking structure. Future projects include a hotel and potentially another office building.

The parking structure was damaged following an explosion in December. By initial city estimates, damages totaled around $3 million. General contractor Gilbane Building Co. said in late December the damage was “generally isolated to a select area” of the parking structure and that construction work was proceeding.

Rite-Hite’s corporate headquarters project on Freshwater Way in Milwaukee’s Reed Street Yards is also moving forward. The project will consist of a 158,300-square-foot office building and 103,000-square-foot research and development building. Rite-Hite has said the project should finish by 2022, when it will move there from Brown Deer.

SUBURBAN MIXED-USE PROJECTS

Among the projects happening in the suburbs are several major mixed-use redevelopments.

Wauwatosa-based Wangard Partners Inc. plans to turn the former Olympia Resort on Royale Mile Road in Oconomowoc into apartments, a medical office building and several commercial buildings. Matt Moroney, president and chief op-

A rendering of The Couture.

erating officer of Wangard, said demolition of the vacant resort is slated to begin in March. Construction of the residential portion is slated to begin in the summer. Initial plans include 144 residential units spread across six buildings.

Milwaukee-based Cobalt Partners LLC will keep itself busy in 2021, with three major mixeduse projects of its own at various stages of development.

Last year, it demolished a former Allis Chalmers building on South 70th Street in West Allis as part of its Allis Yards project. Cobalt has so far renovated existing office buildings and opened a new event center in the development. It also plans to develop a hotel, offices, retail and potentially multi-family there.

Cobalt also announced in late 2020 a massive mixed-use project where I-894 meets Loomis Road in Greenfield. First up is a community ice arena, which is meant to complement the city’s planned resurrection of The Turf skatepark there. Other uses could include retail, office, medical, multi-family and a hotel.

Cobalt is also working on the Main Street Crossing project in Menomonee Falls, east of the Main Street interchange with I-41. Construction continues on a micro-hospital there. The former auto dealership site is being marketed as a 40-acre office project.

Milwaukee-based Mandel Group Inc. is set to move forward on the next phase of its mixed-use project along National Avenue and west of Six Points Crossing in West Allis. It has already developed medical offices and apartments north of National and now has plans to build another 110-unit apartment building and 32,500 square feet of foodbased commercial buildings to the south.

Bob Monnat, Mandel senior partner, said the firm plans to begin construction on the residential portion of the project by the second quarter. This building will also feature 5,000 square feet of retail. Work on the commercial portion, called Makers Row, is expected to begin in the spring. Phase one of Makers Row will total 17,500 square feet, and phase two will be 15,000 square feet. n

BUSINESS WIRE

Blake Moret at Rockwell’s Automation Fair.

Rockwell’s CEO expects a good year as manufacturers build resilience Arthur Thomas, staff writer BLAKE MORET has an optimistic outlook for manufacturing heading into 2021.

“I think it’s going to be a good year, let me just start there,” said Moret, chairman and chief executive officer of Rockwell Automation Inc. The Milwaukee-based provider of industrial automation and digital transformation technology in November forecasted its sales would be up 6% to 9% in fiscal 2021 after a 5.5% decline in fiscal 2020.

Moret said the manufacturing sector had shown signs of recovery prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and he expects to see the recovery continue across a variety of industry verticals.

The continued growth of electric vehicles will help spur automotive manufacturing, demand for wireless and smart products will drive the semiconductor sector, food and beverage and life sciences will be boosted by continued consumer demand and interest in green technology and sustainability will fuel industries like water treatment, renewable energy and recycling, Moret said.

“I think that has hit a watershed moment,” he said of sustainability.

He also noted oil and gas and mining are showing some signs of recovery.

“They typically lag some of the other industries in terms of recovering by maybe half a year,” Moret said.

Even before the pandemic hit, global supply chains were facing disruption from the trade war between the U.S. and China and trade disputes with other countries. COVID-19 scrambled the flow of goods even more as borders shut down and normal methods of transportation were disrupted.

One result from all of this uncertainty is companies are building more resilience into their operations, Moret said.

A higher profile version of this is reshoring or onshoring, the idea that manufacturing previously done in Asia will come back to the United States. Moret said that is part of the equation, but companies are also looking to eliminate single points of failure in their supply chains by increasing the number of facilities that make parts or components.

In the case of Rockwell, the company is currently working to take a product previously only

made in Singapore and develop the ability to make it in Cleveland. At the same time, Rockwell is developing the capability in Singapore to make a part that was previously only done in Cleveland.

“One of the things that's happened in the last year is that the risks that previously didn't rise to the level of funding in our enterprise risk mitigation plans are now being considered as 'hey, it was unthinkable previously but it could happen,’” Moret said. “So, we're making investments in those areas, because we know, for a variety of reasons, I can add, that the unthinkable can happen.”

Of course, even as companies try to plan for more risks and uncertainty, they still have to make choices about what to prioritize and direct more funding toward.

“It’s why management is still important and it’s why diversity of thought is really important,” Moret said, noting that a leadership team without sufficiently broad perspectives is going to have a tough time envisioning seemingly unthinkable events.

He also said manufacturers, often characterized as thoughtful or conservative when it comes to investments, need to become more comfortable acting without all of the answers, adding companies need to take calculated risks.

“Sometimes you're going to be wrong and that doesn't mean you're bad,” Moret said. “You learn from that and keep going. There's a saying within software about ‘failing fast’ and while some of your ideas absolutely have to work out … it's not a stain on your record to have tried something, to have made good decisions but to be able to correct, admit that you needed to correct and to keep going. And that's a cultural change that I think requires the infusion of new perspectives from outside your traditional workforce to come together.”

Moret will discuss these topics and others in more detail as part of the virtual 2021 BizTimes Economic Trends event on Jan. 28. The event is sponsored by Annex Wealth Management, BMO Harris Bank, Taureau Group and Vistage. n

A BCD: AF TER BREAST CA NCER DIAGNO SIS

BOOKWORM G A R D E NS PHONE: (920) 287-7895 WEB: bookwormgardens.org

PHONE: (414) 977-1780 WEB: abcdbreastcancersupport.org

To enrich the mind, body, and spirit of the young and young at heart through exploration in a garden environment based on children’s literature. Bookworm Gardens does not charge an admission fee for individuals and families so as not to have any barriers to access of the experience.

ABCD nurtures hope and restores confidence in anyone impacted by breast cancer.

2021 GIVING GUIDE FEATURED NONPROFIT

To learn more, visit biztimes.com/giving PRODUCED BY

2021 GIVING GUIDE FEATURED NONPROFIT

To learn more, visit biztimes.com/giving PRODUCED BY

biztimes.com / 29

NOTABLE WOMEN

IN HUMAN RESOURCES

ASHLEY WILLIAMS

LINDA KUKLINSKI

DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

PARTSBADGER

BizTimes Milwaukee is proud to present the inaugural showcase of Notable Women in Human Resources spotlighting accomplished professionals across the region. The leaders profiled in the following pages were nominated by their peers at work and in the community and showcase the diversity of talent in our market. The leadership shown by the individuals profiled here is setting an example to shape a better future for our region.

METHODOLOGY: The honorees did not pay to be included.

Their profiles were drawn from nomination materials. This list features only individuals for whom nominations were submitted and accepted after a review by our editorial team.

To qualify for the list, nominees must be based in southeast Wisconsin. They must be currently serving in a senior level role at their firm, must hold a leadership position in their industry outside of their own organization and act as a role model or mentor.

LISA CROWLEY HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGER WINTER SERVICES Lisa Crowley, human resource manager for West Allis-based Winter Services, succeeded in the recruiting, hiring and on-boarding of approximately 2,000 seasonal employees in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Winter Services is a commercial snow removal company, and Crowley has gone through the process with seasonal employees — a complicated and arduous endeavor year after year, according to Winter Services CFO Patrick Noggle.

This year, adding the complexity of a global pandemic required Crowley to quickly adapt in order to accommodate work-fromhome schedules, social distancing for interviews and training, and a candidate pool often hesitant to consider seasonal employment because of COVID-related federal unemployment and stimulus benefits.

Crowley successfully worked through each one of these hurdles to ensure that Winter Services would be prepared with trained staff to continue to serve its customers throughout the 2020-‘21 winter season.

Crowley has more than 21 years of experience in administration, management and human resources. She holds a business management associate degree from Harper College. She continues growing her knowledge and networking skills by regularly attending seminars, trainings and roundtable meetings.

30 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

Ashley Williams was one of PartsBadger’s first hires (in 2017), joining as an operations assistant with the goal of expanding her experience in human resources. She immediately took over the human resources role, overseeing recruitment so a small team of six grew to more than 40 employees. Creating the department from scratch, Williams used academic research to create a modern selection and evaluation process that focused on perfect fit acquisition and retention catering to the needs of millennials and Gen-Z. With only cursory prior experience in human resources, Williams wasn’t bound by the typical limitations of the status quo, but her new position required a daunting amount of research.

Williams committed herself to that research and created a hiring and retention system that was bound by the foundations of academic research in motivation. What Williams has accomplished since is truly extraordinary, according to PartsBadger’s CEO Roy Dietsch.

In just three years, Williams has developed a robust, systemized and leading-edge human resources department that not only selects the best people, but develops them professionally, while aligning the resources available through the state and county governments and universities, Dietsch said.

WISCONSIN AVIATION Linda Kuklinski, director of human resources for Wisconsin Aviation for Milwaukee, Madison, Juneau and Watertown, has concentrated on employee accountability and overall fairness.

She is a resource and trusted advisor with internal stakeholders and has established well-respected relationships with external partners, according to colleagues.

With 20+ years of experience in management, development and implementation of standardized programs that drive innovation and employee engagement, she is an innovative problem solver with strong communication skills.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she handled all of the related issues and kept employees well informed.

“She has done an excellent job installing our HR software, keeping our employee information current and keeping our recruiting and hiring at a high level,” said Wes Miller, company vice president. “She is a safe person to talk to and all are confident that she ‘tells it like it is.’”

DIANE EKSTRAND

KATHY BERNADEN

CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER

CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES AND COMPLIANCE OFFICER

BETHESDA LUTHERAN COMMUNITIES Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Diane Ekstrand, chief human resources officer for Bethesda Lutheran Communities, has directed the organization’s overall HR approach while empowering local teams to nimbly react for the safety of those it serves, as well as its employees.

Bethesda, a nonprofit supporter of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, is based in Watertown and Brookfield, with 2,500 employees across the country.

Ekstrand joined Bethesda when the board of directors approved a 2030 strategy to transform the organization and its culture. According to colleagues, she has profoundly impacted both.

Ekstrand listens to the needs of colleagues and rapidly finds solutions. Examples include expanding pay for COVID-related health and child care concerns and shifting onboarding to a virtual format to prioritize safety.

Bethesda began virtual career fairs and a social media hiring campaign, bringing open positions to historic all-time lows. Ekstrand has helped increase the flow of communication through live town hall meetings, small group listening sessions and a dedicated COVID-19 resource site. Virtual learning and wellness programs were created to support personal and professional needs.

Ekstrand also promotes innovation by empowering small, diverse teams to quickly tackle issues. For example, specific “behaviors” were identified to drive transformation and they are used in hiring and in rewarding employees through a new recognition program, “Shine.”

THREE PILLARS SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITIES Throughout her career, for Kathy Bernaden, chief human resources and compliance officer at Three Pillars Senior Living Communities in Dousman, her one constant has been her willingness to serve as not only the voice but also as a mentor of all employees.

For more than 25 years, Bernaden has maintained both a direct and strategic approach of working within all levels of an organization. She is as comfortable pitching in with the daily duties when the department is short-staffed as she is in long-term strategic discussions.

The constant throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has been change, and Bernaden has had to lead numerous efforts and complicated messaging that directly impact Three Pillars’ employees.

Bernaden has managed the COVID information for federal benefits, organizational testing frequency and protocols for employees, developed contingency staffing plans and secured the procurement and rollout of a trailer (and managed new staff) to centralize employee screening for COVID-19 symptoms.

“She has been a constant positive light for everyone, and her sense of humor, commitment to our team, and the way she continues to help our organization remains an inspiration to all of us,” said Josh Van Den Berg, chief marketing and communications officer for Three Pillars.

CAITIE BOWERS

KELLY JAYNES

DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

MAGLIO COMPANIES

BADGER MUTUAL

Caitie Bowers, director of human resources at Maglio Companies, joined the organization in 2016 with the goal of transforming a legacy human resources department into a modern-day “shepherd of the talent.”

According to Maglio president Sam Maglio Jr., Bowers’ positive attitude, communication skills, and passion for employee engagement helped the organization recruit and retain talented employees through the challenges of 2020. Maglio Companies specializes in fresh fruits and vegetables and is an essential business that remained open the entire year, through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bowers worked with all areas of the company to formulate COVID-related safety procedures in a bilingual environment across three locations (Massachusetts, Texas and Wisconsin).

She’s helped Maglio to keep employee morale high through creative safety-focused employee events.

Her implementation of a new initiative, “Culture, Clarity and Cohesion,” has brought all departments together to speed development and delivery of new products and services to a stressed marketplace.

Bowers also gives back professionally as the HR forum chair at Food and Beverage Wisconsin and personally as the Ozaukee Youth Hockey Committee chair.

For more than four years, Kelly Jaynes has made a meaningful difference for Milwaukee-based Badger Mutual Insurance as director of human resources. Jaynes’ expertise in talent acquisition, employee engagement and strategic planning has earned the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Top Workplace awards in 2019 and 2020.

While navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and the company’s downtown headquarters move in the past year, Jaynes has doubled down on her commitment to the employees at Badger Mutual.

In March, Jaynes worked alongside other senior management to support each employee’s transition to work-from-home during the pandemic.

Moving the company’s office from the south side of Milwaukee to the city’s growing downtown required the HR department to personally facilitate the change in commute, work style and location for many tenured staff.

In the day-to-day, Jaynes has used “culture index” as a recruitment tool to eliminate personal biases from the hiring process and pinpoint specific skillsets in the talent pool. Once an employee is on the team, she works closely with every department on career path objectives as a way to guide and encourage professional development.

For supervisors and emerging leaders, Jaynes implemented the “Living as a Leader” leadership training program.

CHARLOTTE HAYSLETT DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES VISIT MILWAUKEE When Charlotte Hayslett of VISIT Milwaukee stepped into the role of director of human resources in early 2019, the organization was in flux. It had lost multiple organizational leaders over the course of a few weeks and was in the process of onboarding a new CEO. It also was poised to play a major role in the biggest year in its history. 2020 was going to bring the Democratic National Convention to Milwaukee.

Hayslett immediately got to work addressing key issues, instituting open-door policies for meetings, addressing problems head on and taking on an active role in reorganizing VISIT Milwauke to best suit employee skillsets. In coordination with the CEO, Hayslett began meeting with employees and leaders to set a new tone of transparency, diversity and empathy.

Hayslett took the reins of VISIT Milwaukee’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee and started a staff-led diversity team to host multiple unconscious-bias trainings (led by an outside consultant) for staff.

When COVID-19 hit in 2020, Hayslett, now vice president of human resources, looked at the financials to determine which staff positions would be eliminated or reduced, and to institute other cost-saving measures.

“Hayslett handled her responsibilities with grace and empathy, and I have credited her with saving the organization in this time of crisis,” said Kristin Settle, VISIT Milwaukee’s senior director of communications and public affairs.

CONGRATULATIONS to all of the Notable Women, starting with our own Superstar of HR, Caitie Bowers!

We truly appreciate your exemplary leadership and tireless commitment to making every today a little better than yesterday.

VISIT Milwaukee congratulates On being named a Notable Woman in HR You are a notable member of our team and a role model for HR excellence

biztimes.com / 31

CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER

KIM WACHS

CANDY UNDERWOOD

NATALIE STROHM

SENIOR HR MANAGER

WISCONSIN LIFT TRUCK CORP.

QPS EMPLOYMENT GROUP

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGER

When COVID-19 hit in 2020, Kim Wachs, chief human resources officer for Wisconsin Lift Truck Corp., a member of Brookfield-based Wolter Group LLC, was instrumental in implementing policies and procedures throughout the system to help keep employees safe.

Wachs took care of facility protocols, work-from-home policies, CARES Act leave programs, furlough processes, etc. She is responsible for all human resources functions including recruitment, training, and retaining staff, as well as safety, payroll, insurance and retirement benefits.

“As a result of her timely and professional actions in coordination with the executive team we were able to swiftly implement processes to protect our staff while continuing to serve our customers,” said Wolter Group president Jerry Weidmann.

Prior to COVID-19, the business was growing organically and through acquisition. Wachs led the efforts to implement recruitment of staff to replace retiring workers as well as to develop the team for the future. This includes coordination of hiring programs as well as recruitment incentives, apprentice programs and onboarding of new hires and individuals joining the firm through acquisition.

Wachs has managed the onboarding of the staff of five acquisitions completed in 2019 and 2020. The retention rates are above average, even with all of the changes and transitions inherent in acquisitions.

Group is no different.

It’s safe to say that the COVID-19 pandemic has put more pressure on human resources leaders. The situation at Brookfield-based QPS Employment

Candy Underwood has been a rock for QPS, a larger regional staffing firm spanning seven states and with nearly 7,000 employees working at many different client sites, according to her colleagues.

Underwood has overseen the company’s COVID response team. She, along with the HR team, has fielded thousands of calls and questions since March from both employees and client contacts who had questions, as well as those who tested positive at the company’s internal offices and client companies.

Underwood is also in charge of coordinating the tracing of and communication with coworkers of those who may have been exposed to COVID. She worked with other departments to oversee the distribution of signage, masks and sanitation supplies to branch offices.

She also has dealt with different state mandates and rules in each of the seven states in which QPS operates.

Underwood’s 26 years of HR experience helped prepare her for these uncertain times when employees rely on her to give guidance.

Driving Ambition in the Material Handling Industry

QUORUM ARCHITECTS Natalie Strohm, business development and human resource manager for Milwaukee-based Quorum Architects, has been the driving force of the human resource department for years. According to colleagues, her successes have paid off with many excellent finished projects.

Through her relationships with both clients and employees, she strengthens the foundation on which good project management is built. She not only dedicates her time to managing staff but has recently added project management to her role, giving her a better understanding of the process.

Realizing a project from concept to completion, much of her focus leans toward the local community and how Quorum serves the needs of the local environment.

When it was clear that hard decisions had to be made by the business regarding staffing, she assisted in moving full-time staff to part-time, from salary to hourly, and in some cases, laying off employees.

Letting staff go, if even temporarily, is never easy. She handled it with care and concern. Fifty percent of the employees let go returned to work recently. Fifty percent opted to pursue other areas.

WISCONSIN LIFT TRUCK ILLINOIS MATERIAL HANDLING KENSAR EQUIPMENT COMPANY BOHNERT EQUIPMENT COMPANY A D LIFT TRUCK ELLIS SYSTEMS WOLTER POWER SYSTEMS

The Wolter Group LLC serves over 20,000 industrial and commercial customers in Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Missouri. We employ over 450 associates in our material handling, engineered systems, automation & robotics, storage & handling, filing, fleet management, equipment leasing, and power systems sectors. This includes more than 200 technicians in our operations, with an average length of service of fourteen years.

Kim Wach’s efforts are an integral part of our success and we congratulate her on being recognized as a BizTimes Milwaukee 2021 Notable Women in Human Resources.

Learn about employment opportunities at woltergroupllc.com/jobs 32 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

Congratulations Kim Wachs!

BETHANY SKALITZKY DIRECTOR OF TOTAL REWARDS/HRIS MYPATH Oconomowoc-based MyPath, a 100% employee-owned company, provides residential, educational and other support services to individuals with developmental disabilities. With its 2,600 employees distributed across 150 locations in two states, communication and employee engagement can be challenging.

During the past 18 months, Bethany Skalitzky, director of total rewards/HRIS — along with Janet Schulz, chief communications officer — has led the charge for implementation of new ideas and improvement of old ones.

At the core of any ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) company is its Employee Communication Committee (ECC).

MyPath’s ECC has thrived and engagement of its members and the subsequent engagement of all employees is at the highest level experienced in the company’s 36-year existence.

Communication tools have been honed — MyPath’s “In Our Hands” newsletter, for instance, has been redesigned with sophistication. Its content has been enhanced through solicitation of regular contributions from those out in the field.

Plus, Redeapp, a mobile performance platform for a “non-desk workforce,” has been implemented and a series of nine educational videos covering what it means to be part of an ESOP and promoting the MyPath culture have been released. Each video ends with a short quiz. Successful completion of the series qualifies an employee to be recognized as a CEO (certified employee owner).

JEANNE DANIELS

ANN KNUTSON

DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, HR DIRECTOR

HUPY AND ABRAHAM, S.C.

BANK FIVE NINE

Jeanne Daniels has served as human resources director with Milwaukee-based law firm Hupy and Abraham, S.C. for the past decade and has made a significant impact on the firm’s growth. During that time, the firm has grown from five to 11 offices and expanded from 90 to 200 employees.

Daniels serves as a mentor to the HR coordinator, who began her role right out of school and has grown with the firm. Daniels also conducts all employee exit interviews, analyzing feedback and creating strategies and processes to help improve the firm’s culture.

Daniels manages the firm’s annual benefit-renewal process, which in 2020 resulted in an entire benefit-provider migration.

Despite a tough year, this helped the firm remain competitive with benefit package offerings to employees.

She is also part of the committee that oversees the Employee Volunteer Program. Each employee is permitted eight hours of paid time to give back to the community. Daniels approves and administers volunteer hours — more than 1,000 were served by the firm’s employees in the past two years.

2020 presented unique challenges. Daniels was faced with handling rapid change during the COVID-19 crisis on a daily basis. She worked with the firm’s owners on a quick response plan in March and since then has continually pivoted due to changing policies and mandates across three states.

Ann Knutson, senior vice president and human resources director of Bank Five Nine, exudes the mission of the organization — “Make Lives Better,” according to her colleagues.

Her actions lead the company’s efforts to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on its employees.

Since Knutson joined Bank Five Nine 12 years ago, she has implemented an online HR self-service portal for employees that provides them with 24/7 access to the resources they need to manage their careers and benefits. She and her team redesigned the performance evaluation process and have continued to offer new resources to employees while consistently seeking ways to reduce expenses through technology and aggressive contract negotiations with vendors, saving the company hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Understanding that the banking industry is constantly evolving, Knutson oversees training and development programs to address the future needs of the company’s workforce. The talent team designed customized leadership development programs for aspiring and existing managers and developed an annual training camp program, a week of free classes to educate and engage employees in topics of interest.

Outside of Bank Five Nine, Knutson is an advisory council member for BankWork$, helping adults from low-income communities build meaningful careers in banking through free, eight-week career training, placement assistance and ongoing coaching programs. She served as board president of the Oconomowoc Area Chamber of Commerce in 2018-‘19.

CONGRATULATIONS

to Bethany Skalitzky, our Director of Total Rewards/HRIS! Your leadership and creative thinking support MyPath co-owners as they focus on their work each day: to transform the lives of individuals with disabilities or mental health challenges.

At MyPath, we are part of something bigger. Learn more about career opportunities at our growing, 100% employee-owned human services company at www.mypathcompanies.com/careers.

biztimes.com / 33

ELENA DAVIS

LINDSEY LINDER

HR MANAGER

VICE PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES

BADER RUTTER Elena Davis, HR manager for Milwaukee-based advertising and marketing firm Bader Rutter, has had an enormous impact on the success of the agency and its 250 employees.

In an organization that relies on ideas to fuel business, Davis plays a crucial role in attracting, engaging and retaining top talent. Balancing the needs of the organization with the needs of its people, she recommends sound strategies to maximize the employee experience and help the company evolve in modern work practices, according to Linda Hogan, chief operating officer, and Eric Kirkhofer, chief financial officer.

2020 was a pivotal year for employee relations due to the COVID-19 pandemic and social issues and Davis worked with agility to address ever-changing need,s, they said. She monitored the changing information to understand legal and safety implications to inform company policies. She researched ways to lower health care costs and enhance benefits, including introducing a new flexible time off program and enhanced parental benefits.

Davis regularly seeks input from employees through the “stay interview” program she developed. She is a senior member of the agency’s Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Council and coleads the Health & Wellness committee.

She was also instrumental in recommending and launching ADP StandOut, a strengths-based employee-engagement platform designed to enhance the manager/employee relationship.

CHRISTINA COOPER HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER

PERLICK Since joining the Perlick team as vice president, human resources in 2019, Lindsey Linder has led Milwaukee-based Perlick’s strategic growth efforts, including becoming an employer of choice that drives attraction and retention of talent, building a culture founded on family values and creation of HR programs that drive organizational excellence and capabilities to support associates in their career progression.

According to one former colleague, “Lindsey is one of the most positive, cheerful and motivating executives I have worked with. She is a phenomenal HR practitioner/HRBP leader as well and stays very current on the major trends in our field. Lindsey was always on top of her game, and no project or initiative dropped when she was the leader.”

Prior to coming to Perlick, a manufacturer of commercial-grade refrigeration, underbar and beverage dispensing equipment, Linder was the chief human resource officer at ASQ. She’s also held positions at Rexnord and Broan-NuTone. Linder received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Marquette University, where she is an adjunct professor teaching an HR course in the MSHR/MBA program.

In her free time, Linder enjoys running and spending time with her husband and small children. A native of Canada, she is happy to call Milwaukee home.

LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF MILWAUKEE As the human resources manager for the Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, Inc., Christina Cooper proactively identifies areas for improvement while never losing sight of the organization’s most important feature - its people.

Cooper’s drive for excellence enabled Legal Aid to swiftly modernize in a manner that benefits both employees and the organization, according to colleagues. Ultimately, that winning combination is what makes for a successful business.

Cooper continues to manage the agency’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in a compassionate, disciplined manner.

She ensures that the agency remains current with everchanging CDC guidelines, employee concerns are promptly addressed, and mitigation factors efficiently implemented and enforced.

Cooper’s accomplishments also include revisions to and the roll out of Legal Aid’s employee handbook, which involved complex changes to PTO and health care benefits; recruitment of strong job candidates and creation of visual aids reflecting workforce diversity; proactive auditing of insurance premium rates to ensure accuracy.

2020 Platinum Sponsors

Congratulations, Elena Davis!

Thank you for your leadership these past 17 years making Bader Rutter an even better workplace.

Your contributions in Benefits & Compensation, Diversity & Inclusion, Health & Wellness and Learning & Development at Bader Bade Rutter are unmatched.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

for their support of the MMAC’s Council of Small Business Executives (COSBE)

2020 Program Partner

2020 Media Partner

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE LONELY AT THE TOP! MMAC’s Executive Roundtable Program provides a structured and confidential environment for top-level executives to share best practices and resolve business challenges.

Apply to the program today at www.mmac.org/roundtable.html or request more info from Whitney Maus @ 414.287.4146 or wmaus@mmac.org

34 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

JULIE KELLY ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR BUSINESS, OPERATIONS AND HUMAN RESOURCES MUSKEGO-NORWAY SCHOOL DISTRICT Julie Kelly, assistant superintendent for business, operations and human resources for the Muskego-Norway School District believes in a team approach.

“She truly doesn’t see an ‘I’ in team,” said Rick Petfalski, mayor of the city of Muskego.

MICHELLE SZYMIK DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES WISCONSIN ALUMINUM FOUNDRY Two years ago, the human resources department for Manitowoc-based Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry – and by extension the company – was in disarray, according to company CEO Sachin Shivaram.

“Unions were at odds with management, the company had lost several key members of our team, and a feeling of apathy hung over everything,” he said.

Kelly and her team move forward through collaboration and conversation with stakeholders. When an employee is hired in the MNSD system, they are not assigned to a task or job duty by someone who is never to be heard from again, Petfalski said. Instead, new hires get numerous check-ins, or “rounding” during their first year to make sure they’re happy, that they understand their role, and that they have what they need from management to help them succeed in their careers.

And then came Michelle Szymik. She was initially hired as a consultant to fill in temporarily after the abrupt departure of the company’s previous HR director.

During Kelly’s tenure, the Muskego-Norway School District was named a “top workplace” by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

This all happened in a unionized education environment that was dealing with Wisconsin’s Act 10 legislation, which stripped public unions of much of their collective bargaining power.

“It is hard for me to overstate the impact she has had on our organization in just two years,” Shivaram said. “She has professionalized and standardized our HR policies. She simultaneously negotiated three separate contracts with our three unions, achieving an outcome that was a true win-win for the company and for our people.

Kelly was able to navigate the new reality while taking advantage of changes to benefits and wage scales that saved the taxpayers millions while at the same time raising employee morale, Petfalski said.

DEIDRE METZGER DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Shivaram also was new to the company and to his role, and quickly came to see Szymik as the company’s “rock.”

He asked her to join the organization in a permanent role as HR director, and she accepted.

“She shepherded us through several complicated legal situations with employees. She took charge of our safety department and has led a 30% reduction in our DART rate. And above all, her heart and energy have infected everybody with a sense of joy every day.”

ACCELERATED ANALYTICAL LABORATORIES As the director of human resources for Accelerated Analytical Laboratories, Deidre Metzger championed the effort to hire more than 300 employees across Wisconsin to aid in the company’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The massive amount of COVID-19 testing during the pandemic led to exponential growth for the company, which necessitated rapid, creative and out-of-the-box thinking to handle it.

Accelerated Analytical Laboratories and Accelerated Clinical Laboratories both benefit from human resources programs that needed to be rapidly adapted to handle a team of this size.

Metzger implemented programs to streamline the hiring, onboarding and training programs within the organization.

She has worked countless hours both remotely and on-site to ensure the laboratories were sufficiently staffed during the growth. It is not uncommon for her to interview candidates nightly, on weekends and from her car while her children are at basketball practices.

Metzger developed and continues to direct the human resources program at Accelerated Labs while maintaining the marketing program for both companies.

“Deidre was the entire HR department when Accelerated Clinical Laboratories was created in the spring of 2020. While the laboratory was working in becoming functionable, Deidre was focused on recruiting talented staff that would lay a good foundation for the company,” said M. Angeles Baker, laboratory director at Accelerated Clinical Laboratories.

NOTABLE ALUMNI

ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS NOW! On March 29, BizTimes Milwaukee will name the 2021 Notable Alumi in a special editorial feature in print and online. This section will feature influential leaders who have made a substantial impact across the Milwaukee-area business community with groundbreaking ideas, initiatives and leadership, as nominated by clients and colleagues.

Nominate notable alumni at biztimes.com/notablealumni biztimes.com / 35

KAREN WUEST

SANDY WEILAND

VICE PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES

DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

MICHELS CORP.

KETTLE MORAINE YMCA

Recruiting, developing and retaining a large, skilled and multigenerational workforce has made human resources a challenging field long before “pandemic” and “essential workers” became part of the mainstream vernacular.

In 2020, Karen Wuest, vice president of human resources for Brownsville-based energy and infrastructure contractor Michels Corp., demonstrated the strength, spirit and leadership skills to propel the company forward in spite of extreme obstacles, according to colleagues.

Wuest guided efforts to keep employees safe and work advancing in the face of COVID-19 through a combination of problem solving, adaptability and decision making.

Because most infrastructure and energy construction work can’t be delayed or performed remotely and because “best practices” had yet to be developed in a fluid and rapidly changing world, Wuest led the development of procedures to balance employees’ needs for flexibility and safety with Michels’ need for on-the-jobsite and in-office work.

At the same time, Wuerst has led efforts to recruit and retain experienced and skilled workers in areas and fields with chronically low unemployment rates while maintaining quality dayto-day support to the profitable operations needed to keep Michels growing and thriving.

“Her contagious positivity, commitment and teamwork she exudes were instrumental in Michels successfully navigating through the unprecedented challenges of 2020,” said John Schroeder, Michels’ executive vice president.

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

– Helen Keller

Sandy Weiland joined the Kettle Moraine YMCA in October of 2018. Since that time, she has instituted countless standard operating practices, best practices and supervisor training programs. Most importantly, according to chief executive officer Rob Johnson, Weiland has re-imagined recruitment and retention for the organization.

The Kettle Moraine YMCA has always had staffing challenges, but Weiland helped to lead a strategic-plan priority of attracting, developing and engaging a united team of talented full- and part-time professionals dedicated to fulfilling the Y’s mission and strategic plan.

The plan was approved by the volunteer board of directors as one of the three key goals of the organization from 2018-‘21.

Then COVID-19 hit. The Y went from more than 900 employees down to fewer than 75 from March 17 to April 15.

The Kettle Moraine YMCA is slowly rebuilding its team and now has 305 active employees. The time and effort that Weiland has put into her job to help inform, support and show the staff the respect they deserved during the temporary and permanent layoffs has been outstanding, Johnson said.

“I cannot imagine where our Y would be without Sandy, and her now greatly reduced HR team, handling the layoffs, the rehiring, a second round of layoffs and now slowly recruiting again,” he said.

ABBEY NICHOLAS DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND HUMAN RESOURCES DOWN SYNDROME ASSOCIATION OF WISCONSIN Abbey Nicholas, director of operations and human resources for the Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin (DSAW), has successfully handled (and initiated) rapid change at the organization while positively affecting its culture.

Less than six years ago, DSAW had 1.5 full time employees — Nicholas was the 0.5. She played a large part in creating the DSAW of today - one that has almost 50 employees and serves 5,500 people with disabilities and their families each year.

Nicholas has been integral in growing the company from a small non-profit organization into one with 11 locations across Wisconsin, including a direct-services arm, according to Rachel Reit, marketing and development manager.

In the past 15 months in particular, Nicholas has demonstrated her leadership abilities and has used them to transform DSAW, Reit said.

She was instrumental in the preparation and implementation of a merger between DSAW, Inc. (the “operations” side of the organization) and DSAW-Family Services (the direct-services arm) to create one, cohesive organization. She developed a new organizational infrastructure, including an HR department.

Nicholas has been significant in assisting the employees and the organization with addressing the COVID-19 crisis by securing needed relief dollars and compassionately handling staff and family illnesses, as well as unemployment concerns.

Congratulations

KAREN WUEST 2020 BIZTIMES MEDIA NOTABLE WOMEN IN HUMAN RESOURCES Building America’s infrastructure starts with a great team. Thanks, Karen, for your dedication to propelling our people forward.

36 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

www.michels.us

KELLIE COMMONS

ELIZABETH MAAS

GROUP HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER

DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

SAZ’S HOSPITALITY GROUP Kellie Commons, group human resources manager for Milwaukee-based Saz’s Hospitality Group, has become a leader within the organization in every role she has held, — starting with developing a more strategic approach to growth through designing standard operating procedures (SOPs) and thought channels to engage teams to be able to complete the same steps for each guest and event. From operations to staffing and billing, the SOPs were designed to ensure efficiency and guest satisfaction every time.

Commons took it upon herself to draft a job description, departmental plan and strategy to develop a human resources department for Saz’s, driving structure and organization across divisions.

She has worked to streamline applicant tracking and processing, employee on-boarding and payroll processing from literal pen-and-paper to automation. She also developed a process-based, uniform approach to employee performance reviews — with measurable metrics for both hourly and salaried leaders.

Commons strives to elevate all areas of the organization and is always willing to provide assistance and feedback to contribute to the best possible guest experience and forward motion for the company, according to colleagues.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Commons helped the ownership group navigate human resources challenges and overall business strategy at all levels of operations.

HAMACHER RESOURCE GROUP Beth Maas of Pewaukee-based Hamacher Resource Group, Inc. has been a steadfast advocate and representative of employee interests, according to David Wendland, vice president of strategic relations.

CONGRATULATIONS!

NOTABLE WOMEN

IN HUMAN RESOURCES

Maas continually demonstrates her commitment to preserving the culture, offering robust benefits and contributing to the community, he said.

Recently, she has pivoted to recruit flexibly and fill company vacancies with qualified candidates, even during a pandemic.

“I greatly admire her achievement and certification as a senior professional in human resources (SPHR). This is not something easily attained and required significant personal effort and sacrifice. It’s a pleasure to be working alongside such a highly competent and committed HR professional,” Wendland said.

Maas was hired as an administrative assistant in 2005. While her responsibilities include benefits management, payroll and recruiting, as well as event planning and accounting support, she also places considerable emphasis and focus on employee development.

As a member of the senior management team, Maas lends the human capital view to the discussion and is constantly contributing ideas that enhance the Hamacher Resource Group workplace and culture.

Cut through the noise.

Helping CEOs survive and thrive in challenging times

Vistage is the one source you can trust for the latest, most helpful resources for leading in challenging times.

Learn more at: vistage.com

Right now, it must feel like your leadership is being tested in ways you couldn’t have imagined. We understand. For 60+ years we’ve been coaching CEOs and business owners through the best and worst of times. And through it all, our proven-approach to decision-making has helped leaders excel.

It’s the same time-honored approach that our members used during the Great Recession to grow their companies while other small and midsize businesses struggled to stay afloat.

Consider what it would mean to you to have this kind of support right now.

*Vistage CEO member companies who joined in 2006-2008 and were active members in Feb, 2010. CAGR for Vistage member companies calculated for period covering year prior to joining Vistage through 2009. CAGR for D&B U.S. companies based on 2005-2009 revenues, weighted to match Vistage company distribution per year during same period. All companies had >=$1M annual revenue, >=5 employees.

Vistage: 1,265 companies. D&B: approximately 1M U.S. companies.

biztimes.com / 37

Strategies COACHING

Surprise lessons learned from COVID-19 Need to monitor, adjust to remain relevant and in business

IS THE WORST of the devastating COVID-19 virus behind us?

More than 350,000 people in our country have died. The pandemic has also damaged our economy, businesses and employment. We did move into a recession – some feared a depression, and yet employment improved. Small businesses, especially in the hospitality industry, have been devastated.

Many workers didn’t save enough money to carry them through unemployment. As a result, they were hurt financially and will continue to be in dire straits for a while.

When you look back, what will you think about the virus? Could you benefit from any of the lessons?

APPRECIATE WHERE YOU ARE Years ago, I had waited too long to pull a dock out of the lake in northern Wisconsin. It was a cold November day, and my two sons and nephew were helping me before the lake froze.

They were standing on the dock, regretting my procrastination. I was standing in the water, wearing waders. The temperature was about 32 degrees. None of us was particularly happy that we had to do this.

It began to snow with a mixture of light rain.

38 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

Our problem could worsen if the rain on the dock started to freeze. I looked at the boys and said: “Throw your head back, and catch some snowflakes on your tongue. We may never experience this again in our lives. Regardless of your situation, appreciate where you are and absorb the surrounding environment.”

It reminded me of the Seals & Crofts song “We May Never Pass This Way Again.” This isn’t to make light of the virus. It’s to recognize that no matter the situation, be aware of the lessons it can teach you.

WHAT VISTAGE CHAIRS LEARNED During a virtual meeting recently, Bridget Wenman, a Vistage chair from central Wisconsin, asked, “During this virus timeframe, what have you learned about yourself that surprised you?”

The key phrase was “that surprised you.”

Each chair thought about it. We all came up with something different. It’s easy to believe that at a certain point in time, you know yourself pretty well. But when you gain new insights, it’s a worthwhile exercise.

I really enjoyed catching up on projects around the house. Other chairs said they: » Embraced a healthier lifestyle. » Concluded that the loss of touch between humans was a big problem. » Missed large gatherings of friends and attending festivals. » Realized our business models are going to be different and more virtual. » Noticed how rapidly the economy can weaken. » Admitted that many companies didn’t have adequate reserves.

With four decades of work experience behind me, the exercise provided an incredible and valuable insight.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED? Now it’s your turn. What have you learned during this pandemic about yourself, your company, your staff, or your loved ones that surprised you? How can you benefit from that in-

formation?

Significant events occur regularly. You fail to notice the impact on your daily life from a longterm perspective. Consider that the past 20 years have included the Great Recession, other viruses, impeachment, stock market fluctuations, and the list goes on.

The bad news is that significant events will continue to affect our financial health, society, culture, spirituality and continuous technological innovations.

WHAT LESSONS WILL YOU TAKE AWAY FROM THE COVID-19 EXPERIENCE? The virus is also prompting businesses to question accepted business practices. How will this experience affect your supply chains, inventory levels, manufacturing locations and business partners? There will be a “new normal,” the same phrase we used after the Great Recession.

The new normal will continue to be new from this day forward. If you want to stay in business, learn how to monitor, adjust and be relevant. n

JIM LINDELL Jim Lindell is president of Thorsten Consulting Group, providing strategic and financial consulting, professional speaking, training and executive coaching. He is a Vistage chair and responsible for two CEO groups in the Milwaukee area. He can be reached at (262) 392-3166 or jim@ ThorstenConsulting.com.

STRATEGIC PLANNING

Your metric system Create great targets with these 6 tips

A COMMON SUBJECT that comes up when facilitating strategic planning is the metrics that a business should measure regularly. What’s the right number of metrics to have? How often should you measure them? Am I measuring a certain metric correctly? How can I best set my business up for success?

When arriving at the right answer for you, here’s a few things to consider: 1. THE VALUE OF METRICS. A great metric is one that sets a point where either corrective action is taken, or no action is taken. Therefore, that attention is directed somewhere else. Focusing your resources in the right areas is essential to running a business effectively.

2. THE CORRECT NUMBER OF METRICS IS THE NUMBER YOU CAN ACT ON. There is no answer as to how many metrics a business should have. Every business is in a different level of development, has different needs and has different priorities.

In my experience, some companies err on the side of measuring too much. Inevitably they spend too much time measuring and reviewing their metrics. As a result, they are left with little time to take the necessary actions to correct the trajectory of what’s being reviewed. Or they

have too many targets and they are spread too thin to take action on any of them.

The main point is to make sure that every single metric elicits corrective actions when they aren’t on target. If a metric isn’t being acted upon or takes too much time to measure, reconsider its purpose.

3. ONCE IN A WHILE, TRUST YOUR GUT. There’s a common belief that every metric must be an objective measure. This is true in most cases, but not in every case.

Here’s an example: A while back, I was working with a very small company that wanted to measure customer satisfaction. Their inclination was to use a net promoter score type system. However, there was a lot of work required to generate that process, and there were low response rates and long response times to customer issues. The metric turned out to not be worth the effort in their stage of development.

Instead, on a weekly basis we elected to review key accounts and assign each account a green or red score. The red accounts were acted upon that day. These “subjective” measurements are incredibly simple to measure and to act upon. That’s the perfect metric for creating great change in a business. They also force staff to take an intuitive look at the business versus merely a mechanical one. In addition, subjective targets can cause disagreements on whether or not to take action. What a great way to engender groupthink and consensus!

indirectly drive the growth of your customers. If your targets don’t relate to the customer, then your efforts with measuring the targets won’t help them and, ultimately, won’t help your business.

6. ASSESSING THE VALUE OF YOUR METRICS. After you measure your targets, scrutinize them for the value they bring. Make sure to take into consideration the cost of your metrics including the time spent measuring, equipment needed, plus the time spent explaining to staff what they mean or what they say. Is this time worth not spending it with the customer? Finding the balance between too many and too few metrics is a journey that leads to success.

I challenge you to reassess your metrics going into the year. Is there anything you can add, edit or remove? How can you use your metrics to make this upcoming year the most transformative for your business? What actions could you take off each target that would lead you to the next stage of growth?

I wish you continued success in 2021. n

4. YOU CAN ADD OR REMOVE METRICS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. The great thing about being in an innovation-focused business is that new ideas come up, and past ideas are no longer pursued. That’s perfectly OK. I always encourage my clients to only focus on the metrics that will get them to the next level of their business growth.

PAUL SCHULLS

5. EVERY METRIC SHOULD RELATE BACK TO THE CUSTOMER. Create and review metrics that directly or

Paul Schulls is the president and co-founder of Wauwatosa-based business advisory firm STUCK Coaching. He can be reached at pauls@getunstuck.com. biztimes.com / 39

Strategies

Tip Sheet Learning lessons from 2020

F

or the second straight year, BizTimes closed out 2020 by asking readers to share their best business decisions from the past 12 months and lessons learned from the year. The responses

were posted to BizTimes.com in late December.

Here is a sample of some of their lessons learned: ‘RESILIENCY TAKES PRACTICE’ After Kahler Slater principal Tom Miller passed away unexpectedly in 2019, the architecture firm made a point of investing in resiliency across the company.

“In all business there will be times of uncertainty and it requires openness and trust to navigate through as a team,” said Glenn Roby, executive vice president of Milwaukee-based Kahler Slater. “We had no way to predict the impact of our newly forged resilient mindset, but the pandemic has certainly highlighted the strengths we have gained.”

‘MONEY IS A TOOL’ Aaron Saray, owner of Milwaukee-based More Better Faster, pointed out that money is

for taking care of needs, acquiring things and experiences, or removing pain.

“We use money to help measure success in business and to help collateralize risky ideas,” Saray said. “Make sure it isn’t the goal, though.

It’s not the basis of meaning. Businesses exist to generate money and potentially wealth, but they also exist for many other reasons. Don’t let your temporary monetary setbacks make you question your reason and meaning.”

‘PERSEVERANCE’ Paul Hager, director of solutions at Madison-based Elevity, said the company’s mission is to help people succeed through technology, and the COVID-19 pandemic did not change the need or the mission.

“Things are changing rapidly, but one thing that doesn’t is the need to get up every day and keep doing your mission,” Hager said. n

Advertise in these upcoming special reports and get your message in front of area business executives.

Family Business & Corporate Event Planning

February 22, 2021 Space Reservation: February 3, 2021

Business in Racine & Kenosha M&A: Big Deals

March 8, 2021 Space Reservation: February 17, 2021 Contact Linda Crawford today!

Phone: 414.336.7112 Email: advertise@biztimes.com 40 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 20, 2020

Marketplace

The Patriot Gear

9034 W. National Ave.

Patriotic and 2nd Amendment Gear for men and women.

Business Hours: Mon. - Business Fri. 9:30 -Hours: 5:30 Saturdays Mon. - Fri. 9:30 9:30- 1:00 - 5:30 Saturdays 9:30Hours: - 1:00 Business Mon. - Fri. 9:30 - 5:30 Saturdays 9:30 - 1:00

(414) 745-6829 thepatriotgear.com thepatriotgear@yahoo.com

Phone: 414 • 321•1850 Fax: 414 •5999 Phone: 414• 321 • 321 •1850 9034 W. National Ave. kathysshadeshop.com Owner Fax: 414 • 321•5999 West Allis, WI 53227 - Custom Window Treatments Phone: 414 • 321•1850 kathysshadeshop.com Owner - Commercial and Residential Fax: 414 • 321•5999 - Repairs of most Shades and Blinds kathysshadeshop.com Owner WestW. Allis, WI 53227 9034 National Ave. West Allis, WI 53227

Kathy Fucile

Kathy Fucile

Kathy Fucile

Design • Site Surveys • Permitting • Production • Installation

262.432.1330 • Innovative-Signs.com

Insert Business Card

HERE!!

Call for rates: 414-336-7112 Email: advertise@biztimes.com

Contact Pavlic Vending

to get your market today!

Variety, convenience and healthy foods… all at no cost to your organization!

262.574.1600 | www.pavlicvending.com

biztimes.com / 41

BizConnections BIZ PEOPLE

Advertising Section: New Hires, Promotions, Accolades and Board Appointments

EDUCATION

EDUCATION

Laquitha “Elle” Bonds has been appointed vice president, human resources at Milwaukee Area Technical College.

She will oversee talent management, succession planning, innovation, collaboration, employee recognition, compensation, benefits, legal compliance and data analysis; position MATC as a preferred employer; and serve as a change agent for diversity, equity, inclusion and multiculturalism. Bonds was previously director of talent operations at Waukesha County Technical College. She holds a bachelor’s from Concordia University and a master’s from Cardinal Stritch University.

CONSTRUCTION

Jim Pacioni Joins Lemberg Signs and Lighting Sales Team

Lemberg Signs and Lighting hired Jim Pacioni (UWMadison) as outside sales representative covering southeastern Wisconsin. Jim brings 22 years of sales experience in the signs, wire and cable industries and is known for his customer-centric approach.

LEGAL SERVICES

Attorney Ryan T. Siehr promoted to shareholder at von Briesen & Roper, s.c

As a shareholder and the chair of the Health Information Privacy and Security Section, Ryan advises hospitals, health care systems, physician groups and providers regarding transactional health care matters including technology-related agreements.

Dr. Naydeen Gonzalez-De Jesus has been appointed Milwaukee Area Technical College’s executive vice president of student success, bringing together academics and student services in a new structure. She has served as the public diplomacy officer for the U.S. Embassy in Argentina; and in leadership positions in student services and academics at Bergen Community College, Rowan College at Burlington County, and Salem Community College. She holds a bachelor’s from Penn State University, a master’s from Rowan University and a doctorate from Northcentral University.

FINANCIAL SERVICES Greg Block has over 18 years of experience, including Commercial Banking, Private Banking, Portfolio Management, and Credit Administration. He works with clients to provide effective growth strategies for their businesses while minimizing financial risks.

LEGAL SERVICES

MEDIA & MARKETING

NONPROFIT

Meissner Tierney Welcomes James J. Wawrzyn as an Attorney

Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols S.C. is pleased to welcome James J. Wawrzyn as an Attorney. James’ practice focuses on general corporate matters and he will work on the transaction team at the firm.

Sheila Mayhorn has been promoted to Chief Human Resource Officer of YWCA Southeast Wisconsin. A seasoned HR leader of 20+ years, Sheila joined YWCA SEW in 2017. As a member of the executive leadership team, she will lead YWCA SEW’s talent management, leadership development and compensation & benefits areas. A United States Army veteran, Sheila earned her MBA from Cardinal Stritch University and a Bachelors in Communications from Illinois State University. Sheila holds a certificate in Professional in Human Resources, and is a member of Society of Human Resources Management, Metro Milwaukee SHRM, HRCI, and NAAAHR.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Waukesha State Bank promoted Kyle Kees to vice president – commercial banking team lead. In his new role, Kyle will be responsible for helping shape the commercial banking department’s sales culture, business development and mark visibility.

LEGAL SERVICES

Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown (GRGB) has announced that they have promoted Max T. Stephenson to Partner.

Stephenson has been with GRGB since 2012 when he first joined as a law clerk. Max exclusively serves the firm in all areas of family law.

Milwaukee PBS announces the hiring of award-winning journalist Mariano Avila as its new bilingual reporter/producer starting January 11, 2021.

Avila’s storytelling efforts will focus on Latinos and contribute to station-wide initiatives.

NONPROFIT Jackie Carter has been promoted to Director of Economic Empowerment Programs at YWCA Southeast Wisconsin. In her new role, she will further advance financial literacy education into YWCA SEW’s adult education and workforce readiness programs.

LEGAL SERVICES

Attorney Adam R. Finkel promoted to shareholder at von Briesen & Roper, s.c

Finkel is a shareholder in the Milwaukee office.

His practice focuses on commercial real estate matters, representing clients in the purchase, sale, development and leasing of real property. In addition, he is an experienced litigator.

ARCHITECTURE

RAMLOW/STEIN Architecture + Interiors names Tara Christian Associate

RAMLOW/STEIN Architecture + Interiors has named Tara Christian as an Associate of the firm for her leadership, award-winning design work and her significant role in client development.

Tara will also retain her position as Director of Interiors.

To place your listing, please visit biztimes.com/bizconnect 42 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

NONPROFIT REXNORD CORP. GIVES $1 MILLION TO EXPAND MARQUETTE’S BRIDGE TO BUSINESS PROGRAM Rexnord Corp. is giving another $1 million to support Marquette University’s Bridge to Business program.

The program, which launched in 2016 with an initial $1 million gift from the Milwaukee-based manufacturer, is designed to help early-career engineers develop business acumen and support their career advancement.

The Bridge to Business program includes a six-day experience through the College of Business Administration and Opus College of Engineering, with curriculum influenced by local corporate partners and emerging employment needs.

The new gift will allow Marquette’s College of Business

Administration to expand the program to include professionals from other industries outside of engineering. The university is also exploring similar career development programming for a variety of sectors.

A portion of Rexnord’s gift will also support a student work space in Marquette’s new planned $70 million home for the College of Business Administration and innovation leadership programs at 16th Street and Wisconsin Avenue. The space will serve as a break-out for small group activities and as a meeting area for all students to interact with industry, recruiters, study groups and mentors.

— Lauren Anderson

c alendar Junior Achievement of Wisconsin will host its JA Young Entrepreneur Live Competition on Jan. 28 virtually, from 3:30-5 p.m.

The event will feature four young student entrepreneurs from across the state who will compete in front of a virtual audience and a panel of celebrity judges. Viewing is free and open to the public. More information is available at juniorachievement.org/ web/ja-wisconsin/young-entrepreneur-competition.

Historic Milwaukee, Inc. will host Remarkable Milwaukee, a virtual fundraising event on Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. The program will be held in honor of ThriveOn collaboration partners: the Medical College of Wisconsin, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and Royal Capital Group. The event will be held on Zoom and include presentations from ThriveOn and Historic Milwaukee. More information is available at historicmilwaukee.org.

D O N AT I O N R O U N D U P Charter Communications, Inc. donated $2,500 to the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight of Wisconsin as part of a special campaign to honor and support veterans across the Midwest. | Mequon-based remodeling firm Design Tech Remodeling donated $1,250 to the Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee. | The Milwaukee Building-Construction Trades Council gave $5,100 to Meta House in Milwaukee to cover heating costs for the month of January. | United Way of Racine County awarded nine local nonprofits with a total of $62,466 in pandemic relief through the United Way’s COVID Relief Fund. They include the National Alliance on Mental Illness Racine County, Health Care Network, Racine County, the Racine Zoo, Racine Friendship Clubhouse, SAFE Haven, the ARC of Racine County, Women’s Resource Center and Racine Vocational Ministry. | Penfield Children’s Center received a $35,000 grant from A Community Thrives, a grant-making and crowd-funding program from the USA TODAY NETWORK and a part of the Gannett Foundation, for its Behavior Clinic.

nonprofit

SPOTLIGHT WA L N U T WAY C O N S E R VAT I O N C O R P.

2240 N. 17th St., Milwaukee (414) 264-2326 | walnutway.org Facebook: Walnut Way or @walnut.way | Instagram: @walnutway Twitter: @walnut_way Year founded: 2000 Mission statement: Our mission is to sustain transformation of economically diverse and abundant communities through civic engagement, environmental stewardship and creating venues for prosperity.

Primary focus of your nonprofit organization: Since its purposeful beginnings, Walnut Way has reclaimed its neighborhood, driven out crime, and created a close-knit neighborhood of compassionate and involved residents. Chartered by residents in 2000, Walnut Way is located in the heart of the Lindsay Heights neighborhood, a 110-block area on Milwaukee’s near north side and home to 8,000 residents, where 96% are African American. Walnut Way challenges historic disinvestment by engaging, educating, and employing community members to take leadership roles in comprehensive revitalization strategies emphasizing wellness, work and wealth.

Other focuses of your nonprofit organization: Current programs include the highly successful workforce development program Blue Skies Landscaping, which works to make Lindsay Heights an environmentally just community. Walnut Way runs an urban agriculture internship program, Growing Youth Leadership, and a variety of health and wellness programs including cooking classes, canning, and healing peer support groups. Walnut Way also owns and operates the commercial development

enterprise The Innovations and Wellness Commons.

Number of employees at this location: 25 Key donors: Zilber Famly Foundation, Fund for Lake Michigan, The Brico Fund, LLC, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Bradley Foundation and Bader Philanthropies, Inc. Executive leadership: Antonio Butts, executive director; Jerrilynn Freelon, associate director of operations Board of Directors: President LaVonda L. Graham (retired); vice president Annie Robinson of North Division High School; secretary Monique Graham of Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, treasurer X’Zayvion McCoy, and board members Heidi Moore of Froedtert & MCW and Pastor Gregory Lewis of Souls to the Polls.

What roles are you looking to fill on your board: Walnut Way is always looking for individuals who can bring their skills and knowledge to help support the strategy and mission of our organization. Areas of focus can include but not limited to human resources, leadership development and fundraising.

Ways the business community can help your nonprofit: Sponsorship contribution, volunteering in the gardens, buy your next bulk clothing order through our apparel printing social enterprise business, Designaway.

Key fundraising events: Harvest Day 2021 in September, Blue Skies Landscaping capital campaign.

biztimes.com / 43

BizConnections GLANCE AT YESTERYEAR

VOLUME 26, NUMBER 15 | JAN 25, 2021 Send your company’s historic photos to arthur.thomas@biztimes.com

126 N. Jefferson St., Suite 403, Milwaukee, WI 53202-6120 PHONE: 414-277-8181 FAX: 414-277-8191 WEBSITE: www.biztimes.com CIRCULATION: 414-336-7100 | circulation@biztimes.com ADVERTISING: 414-336-7112 | advertising@biztimes.com EDITORIAL: 414-336-7120 | andrew.weiland@biztimes.com REPRINTS: 414-336-7100 | reprints@biztimes.com PUBLISHER / OWNER Dan Meyer dan.meyer@biztimes.com

SALES & MARKETING

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Mary Ernst mary.ernst@biztimes.com COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT / OWNER Kate Meyer kate.meyer@biztimes.com

EDITORIAL EDITOR Andrew Weiland andrew.weiland@biztimes.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lauren Anderson lauren.anderson@biztimes.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Arthur Thomas arthur.thomas@biztimes.com REPORTER Brandon Anderegg brandon.anderegg@biztimes.com REPORTER Maredithe Meyer maredithe.meyer@biztimes.com

Grain at Froedtert Malt This undated photo shows grain in a large machine inside Froedtert Malt & Grain. The company was originally founded in 1875 by Jacob and William Froedtert and was originally located near North Sixth and Chestnut streets, now Sixth and Juneau, in Milwaukee. The company moved to near 38th and Grant streets in West Milwaukee in 1920. It closed in the early 2000s before being bought by Malteurop in 2008.

— Photo courtesy of Historic Photo Collection/Milwaukee Public Library

COMMENTARY

Bad start WE WERE ALL SO HAPPY to turn the page on the calendar and say “goodbye” to 2020. The new year has to be better, right?

Not so far. Within the first two weeks of the year there was an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and the president of the United States was impeached. Again. So much for the American tradition of peaceful transfer of power. It isn’t happening.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic rages on. In Wisconsin the spread of the virus has slowed from its peak in November, but it remains a menace here. More than 41,000 people in Wisconsin were confirmed to have COVID-19 from Jan. 1 to 18, bringing the state’s total number of positive cases to 522,877, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

More than 5,470 in Wisconsin have died from COVID-19, including 611 from Jan. 1-18.

The pandemic has wreaked havoc on the lives of so many, and efforts to slow its spread have harmed the economy. We desperately 44 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

need the pandemic to end, and vaccines are the key.

Since the first American received a COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 14, distribution of the vaccines has been disappointingly slow, particularly in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin has been one of the slowest states in the Midwest to distribute COVID-19 vaccines. As of Jan. 18, the state had the lowest per capita distribution in the region, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Gov. Tony Evers recently said that the general public in Wisconsin probably will not get the COVID-19 vaccine until June. June?! That’s not acceptable.

Evers blamed the federal government and joined a group of governors criticizing the Trump administration’s distribution of the vaccines to the states.

Yes, Wisconsin needs more doses of the vaccine to satisfy the demand here, but it has been slow to distribute the doses that it has received, especially on the weekends, according to DHS data. As of Jan. 13, the state had administered 176,165 doses of the vaccine, but had been allocated 607,650 and 373,100 had been shipped to the state.

REPORTER Alex Zank alex.zank@biztimes.com

DIRECTOR OF SALES Linda Crawford linda.crawford@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Paddy Kieckhefer paddy.kieckhefer@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Molly Lawrence molly.lawrence@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Maggie Pinnt maggie.pinnt@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Christie Ubl christie.ubl@biztimes.com INSIDE SALES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Dylan Dobson dylan.dobson@biztimes.com SALES ADMINISTRATOR Meggan Hau meggan.hau@biztimes.com

ADMINISTRATION ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR Sue Herzog sue.herzog@biztimes.com

PRODUCTION & DESIGN GRAPHIC DESIGNER Alex Schneider alex.schneider@biztimes.com

Independent & Locally Owned

ART DIRECTOR Shelly Tabor shelly.tabor@biztimes.com

— Founded 1995 —

The state allocated 57,000 doses for skilled nursing facilities and 140,000 for assisted living facilities under a pharmacy partnership program.

It certainly makes sense to prioritize vaccine distribution to frontline workers and those who are most vulnerable. But it is also important to distribute the vaccine as fast as possible. The more people that get it, the less the virus will be able to spread. The sooner the vaccine is distributed, the sooner the pandemic will end.

As of Jan. 18, about 4% of the Wisconsin population has received a dose. That needs to get to at least 70% to achieve herd immunity.

We have a long way to go.

Enough with the excuses and the finger-pointing. The state needs to get its act together on vaccine distribution, and the federal government needs to do everything it can to get us the supply we need. n

ANDREW WEILAND EDITOR

P / 414-336-7120 E / andrew.weiland@biztimes.com T / @AndrewWeiland

AROUND TOWN Milwaukee health care workers receive vaccinations Health care workers across the state began receiving the COVID-19 vaccine in mid-December.

1

4

6

3

2

1.

LINDSAY SWALVE, a registered nurse with Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee, receives the COVID-19 vaccine.

2.

The first vaccine clinic for Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center employees was held on Dec. 15.

3.

The medical center began immunizing workers with the Pfizer vaccine in mid-December.

4.

As of Jan. 12, Advocate Aurora has administered the vaccine to 35,061 employees.

5.

Advocate Aurora is not requiring employees to get vaccinated, but is strongly encouraging them to do so.

6.

DR. MARK GUSTAFSON, an Ascension Wisconsin respiratory therapist, receives the COVID-19 vaccine. The Ascension SE Wisconsin HospitalFranklin Campus was the health system’s first site to administer the COVID-19 vaccine.

7.

Ascension Wisconsin pharmacist MIKE GILLARD prepares the vaccine.

8.

Ascension Wisconsin’s first recipient was critical care pulmonologist DR. JOSEPH WEBER.

5

Photos courtesy of Advocate Aurora Health

7

8

Photos courtesy of Ascension Wisconsin

Milwaukee executives compete in ‘Donut Smackdown’

9

Milwaukee marketing agency Zizzo Group recently hosted its fourth annual Donut Smackdown contest as part of its fundraising efforts for the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County’s annual campaign. Several Milwaukee executives participated in the speed donut-eating competition, which was hosted at the Ivy House in Milwaukee and raised more than $25,000.

9.

10

ANDY NARRAI of Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren.

10. KATHY THORNTON-BIAS of Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee.

11

11. NARRAI of Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren and ANNE ZIZZO of Zizzo Group.

12. THORNTON-BIAS of BGCGM was the winner of the fundraising competition, with $6,539 in donations.

13. BRIAN SMIGELSKI, an attorney at DeWitt Law Firm, came in second place.

12

13

14

14. BRIAN LAMMI, president of Lammi Sports Management, came in third place.

Photos courtesy of Zizzo Group biztimes.com / 45

Peter Feigin

Giannis Antetokounmpo

5 MINUTES WITH…

PETER FEIGIN President, Milwaukee Bucks

THE MILWAUKEE BUCKS made headlines in December when two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo committed to six more seasons with the team via a five-year supermax contract extension, valued at a reported $228.2 million. In a recent interview with BizTimes reporter Maredithe Meyer, Bucks president Peter Feigin explained what the deal – and Antetokounmpo himself – means to the Bucks as a business and global brand, and how it’s expected to bolster the franchise’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

IMPACT ON BUSINESS “It’s an anomaly in a pro sport that you have somebody who contractually is a centerpiece of your team, is the most valuable player of the league for two years, and is now contracted with you for six more seasons. All of that is an unbelievable foundation and value proposition for almost every aspect (of the organization).

“Certainly, on the competitive side, you will be by default competitive in the NBA by having one of its premiere players. Certainly on the business side in all aspects: as you’re selling tickets, as you’re selling sponsorship, in our Deer District as we’re selling opportunities for property investment and tenants to lease retail space. You don’t have to have a gray area; you don’t have to think about what may happen in a year or two. Our value proposition is we have an extremely healthy product in the building that drives attendance and density in and around the district, and you can build around it.”

46 / BizTimes Milwaukee JANUARY 25, 2021

PUTTING MILWAUKEE ON THE MAP “We (the Milwaukee Bucks) have a bigger audience internationally than we have nationally. With the way media is and the way teams are broadcasted, by default, having Giannis for the next five years probably puts us on the maximum number of games on national television. … Fifteen to 20% of our games will be on national TV, and certainly most of our games are on global broadcast.

“What it allows you to do is continue to put Milwaukee on the global map. It’s limitless how you can leverage that, whether it’s awareness in retail sales, whether it’s driving traffic to Milwaukee itself, whether it’s social engagement and volume and traffic on our channels, which all can be monetized. It’s an incredible accelerant to what already has been a very healthy four/five seasons in a row.”

COVID RECOVERY BOOST “It certainly accelerates our recovery. … We’ll have modified attendance at some point this year. We will not get anywhere close to full capacity, so when you look at the next season, how do you really recover if it’s the ability to have a normal season with the value proposition of having your superstar and team and being highly competitive and sought after and having demand? It will certainly accelerate what our rebound looks like for season ticketholders, for sponsorships, for rights holders, for intellectual property, for our web advertisers. It truly is a massive assist on us recovering from what will be two very traumatic seasons.” n

NICK MONROE/MILWAUKEE BUCKS

BizConnections

THE FUTURE OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT Employees in today’s workforce value purpose over paycheck. They care deeply about their personal impact and employer’s social impact. But how do you connect every employee’s individual passions to the right opportunities to give back? Salesforce Philanthropy Cloud is the corporate impact platform designed for this new era of giving. Give every employee access to a network of opportunities to donate, volunteer, and advocate for any cause.

Help your company attract new talent, keep employees engaged, and build stronger community relationships.

Join us virtually to learn more about Philanthropy Cloud.

Wed, January 27, 2021 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Fri, February 26, 2021 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM Mon, March 22, 2021 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Learn more and sign up register for events at: UnitedWayGMWC.org/Philanthropy-Cloud

Thank you to our ad sponsors:

A great team just got better.

Old National Bank is proud to announce that Private Banker Aaron Henry has joined us at our 788 N. Jefferson St. location. We know his experience and expertise will be a valued addition to our Milwaukee team.

Welcome, Aaron!

For more information about our Private Banking services, visit oldnational.com/privatebanking.

Aaron Henry Private Banker 788 N. Jefferson St., Milwaukee aaron.henry@oldnational.com 414-290-7047