BizTimes Milwaukee | March 2, 2020

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“This is where they used my own DNA to design the most effective cancer treatment.”

– Adrienne Cancer Survivor

Patient-centered care.

A whole new level of personalized medicine.

At 33, Adrienne found a lump after returning from a run. Her life-changing diagnosis of triple-negative breast cancer made her an ideal candidate for genetic testing – an advanced option using her own DNA to find the most effective approach. Experts recommended chemotherapy to shrink the tumor before surgery. Now, thanks to her personalized plan, she’s looking forward to spending more time with her daughter. If it’s cancer, you want specialized teams like Adrienne’s working together for you.

What Is Possible Learn more about Adrienne’s story at froedtert.com/possible

LOCALLY OWNED FOR 25 YEARS

» MAR 2 - 15, 2020

biztimes.com

BizTimes Milwaukee (ISSN 1095-936X & USPS # 017813) Volume 25, Number 22, March 2, 2020 – March 15, 2020. BizTimes Milwaukee is published bi-weekly, except monthly in January, 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 $42. Single copy price is $3.25. Back issues are $5 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 2020 by BizTimes Media LLC. All rights reserved.

Contents

4 Leading Edge 4 NOW

BY THE NUMBERS 5 FRESH DIGS 6 BEHIND THE SCENES 8 BIZ POLL ON MY NIGHTSTAND BIZ TRACKER 9 THE FRANCHISEE 10 JUMP START

11 Biz News 11 MADE IN MILWAUKEE 12 MY TAKE 13 M&A FORUM PREVIEW

14 Real Estate COVER STORY

16

28 Notable Women in Commercial Banking

Cruisin’ to Milwaukee City rides rising tide of Great Lakes tourism

38 Strategies 38 MANAGEMENT Beth Ridley 39 STRATEGIC PLANNING Paul Schulls 40 TIP SHEET

Special Report

43 Biz Connections

22 Health Care and Wellness Coverage includes a report on the need to include mental health in workforce wellness initiatives, and a report on Advocate Aurora’s aggressive growth plans.

26 Banking & Finance Coverage includes a report on ideas for fixing the imbalance between the coasts and the Midwest’s venture capital ecosystem.

43 NONPROFIT 44 GLANCE AT YESTERYEAR COMMENTARY 45 AROUND TOWN 46 MY TOUGHEST CHALLENGE

WE’RE PROUD TO BE

WISCONSIN’S BANK FOR BUSINESS ™

414-273-3507 | townbank.us JAY MACK President & CEO

JOHN JOHANNES Executive Vice President, Commercial Real Estate

DENNIS KRAKAU Executive Vice President, Commercial Banking

biztimes.com / 3

Leading Edge

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

NOW

Kohl’s laying off 250 employees amid restructuring

By Arthur Thomas and Maredithe Meyer, staff writers Menomonee Falls-based Kohl’s Corp. is laying off 250 employees as part of a restructuring aimed at creating “a more customer-centric focus.”

In a statement, Jen Johnson, senior vice president of communications at Kohl’s, said the reorganization would “empower deci-

sion-making, reduce management layers, streamline communications and drive greater efficiency in many areas of our business.”

“This includes the difficult but necessary decision to eliminate approximately 250 positions,” the statement said. “The departures include removing a layer of

BY THE NUMBERS Miller Park has generated

2.5

$

BILLION

in economic output for Wisconsin, according to a study commissioned by the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce.

4 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

regional store leadership roles and positions, restructuring teams in our merchant organization, and changes to other positions in our corporate offices.”

The company said it is offering competitive severance packages and outplacement services to affected employees.

“It is important to note that Kohl’s is in a position of financial strength,” the statement added, noting the company is not closing any stores or offices and will continue to hire in key areas.

“The organizational changes we’ve made are driven by the evolution of our strategic business priorities to create a more agile and empowered organization to support our long-term sustainable growth,” the statement said.

Kohl’s spokespeople did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment.

In January, Kohl’s reported that its comparable sales for November and December were down 0.2% from 2018. The company also said it expected its full year earnings to be at the low end of its $4.75 to $4.95 per share guidance. In the first nine months of last year, the company reported a 2.2% drop in net sales to $12.35 billion and net income decreased from $529 million to $426 million.

“If (Kohl’s) business was in better shape, I don’t think they would

have done (the layoffs),” said David Swartz, an equity analyst in the consumer sector at Chicago-based research firm Morningstar. He follows and reports on a number of national retailers, including Kohl’s, Macy’s and Nordstrom.

The layoff news came on the heels of what Swartz called a disappointing year for Kohl’s, despite launching several new brand partnerships, expanding its Amazon returns program and reducing the size of stores.

The layoffs and restructuring are likely not part of the plan or steps Kohl’s wanted to take but “something they needed to do in response to the poor numbers in 2019,” said Swartz.

While the retailer’s greatest challenge is driving foot traffic to its 1,150 store locations, it has refused to shut down stores like other big-box retailers that are experiencing the same issue.

“No retailer wants to close stores,” Swartz said. “It’s an admission that you’re failing, and it’s very painful. You have to lay people off; it’s very unpleasant.”

Making store closures its last resort, Kohl’s is cutting costs and downsizing in other areas of the business. And since store traffic has been on the decline anyway, it makes sense that store manager positions would be eliminated, Swartz said. n

LILA ARYAN PHOTOGRAPHY

FRESH DIGS

HNTB OW N E R / DE V E LOPE R : Millbrook Real Estate Co. A RC H I T E C T: HNTB C ON T R AC TOR : Selzer-Ornst Construction Co. LLC C O S T S : Undisclosed Y E A R C OM PL E T E D : 2019

KANSAS CITY-BASED HNTB in November moved its Milwaukee office from Park Place on the city’s northwest side to the Two-Fifty building downtown. The company has just over 100 people working in the roughly 24,000-square-foot space.

The office is located on the top two floors of the recently renovated building at 250 E. Wisconsin Ave. Ashley Booth, office leader of HNTB’s Wisconsin office, said one of the biggest benefits of the new office is its location. By being in the heart of downtown, HNTB is better able to attract and retain employees, he said.

“I think pretty much anything is within a five- to 15-minute walk,” Booth said. “Then you’ve got the

(Milwaukee) Public Market, which is very close, and you’ve got just a plethora of food options.”

Plus, it’s located near a stop along The Hop streetcar line, a project HNTB worked on.

Key upgrades in the office include faster internet speeds, a white noise system, slimmer workstations with shorter walls, improved conference rooms and views of downtown and other nearby neighborhoods.

Two-Fifty also offers amenities such as on-site parking, enclosed bike parking, a workout facility (including a half basketball court), training facility and first-floor commons area. n – Alex Zank biztimes.com / 5

Leading Edge

1

BEHIND THE SCENES JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

Sorting donations at Goodwill

By Lauren Anderson, staff writer

A

s soon as the doors to Goodwill Store & Donation Center in Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood open for business at 9 a.m., shoppers begin streaming through the aisles and sifting through clothing racks.

The store is one of about 70 retail and donation locations operated by Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin. The nonprofit organization annually completes more than 4 million donor transactions and 9.8 million retail sale transactions in its territory, which stretches from southeastern Wisconsin to Chicago.

The fast-moving retail operation – which includes receiving, sorting and pricing donations to be sold on the floor – is what fuels the organization’s workforce development operations.

“Retail is the economic driver for Goodwill and supporting the mission,” said Cheryl Lightholder, manager of communications for Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin. n

1

Goodwill’s backof-house storage and sorting area.

6 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

2

Mona Martinez puts price tags on softline items.

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Shoes that aren’t sold in stores are designated for secondary markets.

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Marina Garcia sorts donations.

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The Workforce Connection Center, located in the back of Goodwill’s Bay View store.

BizTimes Media presents the 13th annual:

Thursday, March 12th, 2020 7:00 - 11:00 AM | Milwaukee Marriott Downtown

Concurrent Breakout Sessions:

BUILD LOCAL. GROW GLOBAL. NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY OR SELL. Business is strong and the greater Milwaukee region is enjoying a renaissance. Take advantage of the attention focused on Milwaukee as you consider buying a business or selling your business.

The economy is still growing but with global instability and uncertainty, what should your next move be?

Prepare with the right tools and knowledge. The M&A Forum will include a keynote presentation followed by a panel discussion with buy and sell side panelists. The program continues with breakout sessions focused on the hows and whys of building value, creative financing that maximizes cash flow and why cyber security is a key area of due diligence.

Keynote: Key Strategies to Build Sustainable Scale

Creative Financing that Maximizes Cash Flow In this session you’ll learn about available acquisition financing enhancements that can help overcome challenges in leveraging less expensive senior financing while minimizing the debt service strain on cash flow. This will be supported by real life examples from the perspective of the business owner, investor, SBA and banker.

Session Speakers: • Gerard Berenz, Director of SBA, SVP, Old National Bank • Steve Kohl, Vice President, WBD Inc. • Frank Lotter, President, Lotter Enterprises • Tommy Olson, SVP Commercial Banking, Old National Bank • Dan Phlegar, Founding Partner, Mezzanine Investor, Oxer Capital, Inc. Moderator: Inge Plautz, Senior Vice President and Executive Business Development Officer, Old National Bank

• Paul Stillmank, Founder & CEO, 7Summits

Companies seeking capital infusion, PE partnerships or longer-term M&A outcomes should focus on building sustainable scale. Paul Stillmank, Founder and CEO of 7Summits, will discuss the importance of three key strategies within your business: 1) a focused go-to-market; 2) a defined offering set; and 3) a predictable bookings motion. Paul will describe how each of these, combined with a great company culture, set the foundation for building a local business that can reach global proportions.

Panel discussion topics include: • • • •

Growing your workforce through strategic business acquisition Developing an effective company culture to accelerate growth Recapitalization and its advantages and lessons learned Selling to a strategic buyer and transitioning to an ESOP

Panelists: • • • • •

Andrea Bukacek, CEO, Bukacek Construction (1) Sharad Chadha, CEO, Sprecher Brewing Co (2) Paul Grunau, Chief Learning Officer, APi Group (3) Ryan Martin, CEO, Midwest Composite Technologies (4) Moderator: Ann Hanna , MBA, CPA, Managing Director & Owner, Taureau Group

1

2

3

Secrets to Unlocking Business Value There are actions you can take today to help you realize the greatest value at market. This session will provide: • Insights on the market for private businesses • What creates value from the buyer’s perspective • Exit options • Deal structures that can maximize proceeds • Non-financial considerations Session Speakers: • Ann Hanna, MBA, CPA, Managing Director & Owner, Taureau Group • Corey Vanderpoel, MBA, Managing Director & Owner, Taureau Group

4

Avoiding Data Privacy Traps in the M&A Process Attend this session to learn about the importance of sound cyber security and privacy practices in maximizing the value of your business. Proper Cyber Security is a key area of diligence. You’ll hear about both - the buyer and seller perspective, and the horror stories about ransomware attacks, stolen wires and identity thefts, and what you need to do to protect yourself as a buyer or seller.

Session Speakers: • Martin McLaughlin, Corporate Shareholder and the Chair of Reinhart’s Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren • Melissa Zabkowicz, Corporate Attorney and a member of Reinhart’s Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

REGISTER TODAY! BIZTIMES.COM/MAFORUM Sponsors:

Event Partner:

Leading Edge BIZ POLL

A recent survey of BizTimes.com readers.

Do you support plans for a $300 million expansion of the Wisconsin Center in downtown Milwaukee?

YES:

81%

The latest area economic data.

53.3

The PMI Milwaukee area manufacturing index was

in January, its first reading above 50 (which indicates growth in the sector) since June.

8.3%

There were 1,092 home sales in metro Milwaukee during January, an

increase year-over-year.

NO:

19%

Passenger traffic at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport fell

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

on my nightstand...

2.3% in 2019 to 6,894,894.

JULIE FERRISTILLMAN

Wisconsin had a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of

3.4%

Co-Founder, managing partner Arts & Drafts LLC

in December.

‘Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear’

By Elizabeth Gilbert BEING CREATIVE is a big part of Julie Ferris-Tillman’s career. A writer and co-founder of a creative arts and writing business, she has also worked as a “chief storyteller” and marketing director in advertising and teaches public relations and personal branding at Marquette University.

“As someone charged with being creative, there is an exhaustion and frustration that can come when the ideas don’t flow,” Ferris-Tillman said.

Elizabeth Gilbert’s book “Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear” provides relief to that frustration by allowing readers to realize their big 8 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

ideas may not be made for them.

“Sometimes an idea passes you by, is manifested by another, or never really clicks,” Ferris-Tillman said. “To think of creativity this way gives all of us special permission to abandon ideas that aren’t working because we can know another will emerge.”

She also saw Gilbert speak last fall at a marketing and sales conference.

“For me, seeing her speak amplified an understanding that success is about being open to ideas and knowing creativity can be the strongest tool in your kit,” Ferris-Tillman said. n

$1 billion Wisconsin exports declined by more than

in 2019.

the

FRAN C H I S E E Doug Baretz and John Theisen, owners of Brew City Pizza.

BREW CITY PIZZA INC. DOMINO’S Brew City Pizza’s store at 5430 N. Lovers Lane in Milwaukee.

“We were looking for an area to expand out of Milwaukee at the time,” Theisen said. “We thought there were as many stores as we wanted in Milwaukee and thought there was some opportunity, both in Madison and in Rockford.”

THE FRANCHISE: Ann Arbor, Michigan-based chain Domino’s Pizza Inc. operates more than 16,500 stores worldwide. About 800 independent franchisees own 93% of Domino’s 5,985 U.S. stores. Milwaukee-based Brew City Pizza Inc. currently sits in the top 10% of Domino’s franchisees as its 30th largest U.S. operator. Over the past 25 years, the business has acquired or built 34 stores that employ more than 750 people across southeastern Wisconsin, Madison and Rockford, Illinois.

JANUARY 1995: Owners John Theisen and Doug Baretz formed Brew City Pizza Inc. to open its first location in Oak Creek, on East Rawson Avenue. They each came to the table with one separately owned Domino’s store, both located in Minnesota.

NOVEMBER 2003: Brew City Pizza took its first step outside southeastern Wisconsin to open a store in Madison. Two years later, Brew City Pizza expanded out of state with a store in Rockford, Illinois.

Today, it operates 24 stores in the Milwaukee area, six in Madison and three in Rockford.

SEPTEMBER 2019: Brew City Pizza’s new building opened at 7131 W. Capitol Drive in Milwaukee. The multi-tenant structure houses the company’s flagship store in the city of Milwaukee. That unit originally opened in 1996 and occupied two other West Capitol Drive locations before moving to its current space. It has turned out to be one of the company’s busier stores, Theisen said.

Brew City Pizza’s newly developed location at 7131 W. Capitol Drive.

“We combined so that we could grow more effectively,” Theisen said.

FEBRUARY 2020: Brew City Pizza opened its 34th Domino’s location at 1818 N. Farwell Ave. on Milwaukee’s East Side. The 1,800-square-foot store is not far from two other Brew City Pizza-owned locations, but the expansion will help meet growing demand within that delivery radius. Its 35th store will open soon in Fitchburg, near Madison.

THE FRANCHISE FEE The fee for a 10-year Domino’s franchise agreement is $25,000.

Brew City Pizza relocated its West Capitol Drive store a couple blocks east in 1998.

“We’ve been there for a really long time, but now we’ve committed to being there pretty much forever. It’s an investment in the community,” Theisen said.

biztimes.com / 9

LIFT UP MKE LOCATION: Milwaukee

JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

Leading Edge

FOUNDERS: Jennifer Ketz and Patricia Cabral-Mercado FOUNDED: 2017 PRODUCT: Classes for women returning to the tech workforce WEBSITE: liftupmke.com EMPLOYEES: 2 GOAL: To provide women with the skills necessary to reenter the workforce EXPERIENCE: Ketz and Cabral-Mercado have 38 years of combined experience in technology senior leadership roles.

Jennifer Ketz and Patricia Cabral-Mercado

Lift Up MKE helps women return to tech workforce

By Brandon Anderegg, staff writer

10 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

MILWAUKEE-BASED startup Lift Up MKE is working to hack the tech industry’s male-dominated employee pipeline by reskilling and upskilling women with backgrounds in tech so they can reenter the workforce.

According to a National Center for Women & Information Technology study, 25% of the computing workforce was female in 2015. However, Lift Up MKE founders Jennifer Ketz and Patricia Cabral-Mercado have set out to diversify the tech workforce one student at a time.

Lift Up MKE offers a 4- to 6-week intensive course that retrains women who left the workforce, still have foundational tech skills and are looking to get back into the game. While getting women involved in tech is important, it’s just as critical to support women who are already in the industry, Ketz said.

“These are women that come from professional experience and have been around the tech field so they have a foundation behind them,” Ketz said. “We provide that bridge of where they were and where they need to be to step back in because it’s not like they lost their intelligence or their skillset.”

Participants receive career coaching and are trained in technology and leadership. The course covers a variety of topics, from UX and data analytics to programming languages like Python.

The workload is approximately 80 hours of in-class instruction and 80 hours of out-of-class work, not including pre-coursework, Ketz said.

“It’s a financial commitment, time from the participants, a lot of work and a lot of learning happening very rapidly,” Cabral-Mercado said.

Ketz and Cabral-Mercado together have 38 years of experience in technology and leadership. While they teach the course, Lift Up MKE students are also instructed by professionals from local universities and Fortune 500 companies.

Lift Up MKE’s first cohort, a class of six, graduated in February. The next cohort will begin in the fall and can accommodate up to 15 students.

Lift Up MKE courses are funded through sponsorships and revenue generated by its annual “Hack a Pipeline,” an all-women and non-binary hackathon.

Ketz and Cabral-Mercado said there is a need for their course beyond Milwaukee. They plan to offer more than two cohorts a year and hope to bring Lift Up MKE programming to other cities.

“We’re seeing that there’s a backlog of women who want to take our course and get back in tech,” Ketz said. “So, we would love to be able to offer more courses beyond this cycle.” n

BizNews

Reworked facility improves lead times for Stainless Foundry & Engineering FOR ALMOST ANY business, having a backlog of future orders comes with a sense of security that there will be work to do when the current job is done. This is especially true in the foundry industry, said Jim Stachowiak, president and chief executive officer of Stainless Foundry and Engineering Inc. About 70% of Stainless’ customers are in the pump and valve markets, with components going into the food and dairy, nuclear, chemical and oil and gas industries. Customers might understand some lead time for their parts, but as the wait starts to creep up toward 12 or 14 weeks, suppliers in India and China start looking a lot more appealing.

“What they’re telling me they’re paying wouldn’t even cover the cost of the metal that we’re buying to put into that particular product,” he said, noting foreign competition forced Stainless to take a closer look at its operations.

But Stainless, which started as a one-room sand foundry in 1946, also had a fundamental problem when it came to improving lead times and overall efficiency. Like many manufacturers, its facility on Milwaukee’s northwest side has been added onto and expanded a number of times.

“You kind of end up with a really poor flow because it wasn’t designed for the efficiency,” Stachowiak said.

A new facility wasn’t an option because of the cost and risk associated with moving foundry equip-

ment. Instead, Stainless worked with the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership starting in mid-2018 to first map out what its current operations looked like and then design a future state for the facility.

Among the issues the project identified was parts waiting for their next operation and in some cases traveling a couple miles throughout the facility during processing, especially if the parts went to an outside vendor for heat-treating and then returned for more processing.

To address those problems, Stainless made space in its shipping and receiving area and invested in additional equipment.

Now, parts that go out to vendors won’t have to go back into the main foundry for additional work.

Stainless also cross-trained employees on multiple operations and worked to reduce the size of part batches.

“In the foundry world, because of our furnaces, we want to maximize the amount of metal we’re putting in the furnace and maximize the number of parts we’re producing, which makes great sense from a cost perspective, but once you do that, running all those parts together in big batches really doesn’t help the efficiencies and throughput,” Stachowiak said.

The idea now is to produce parts in batches through the furnace and then allow for single-piece flow through the rest of the process. The result is employees might spend a few hours each

Investment castings are poured at Stainless Foundry & Engineering.

STAINLESS FOUNDRY & ENGINEERING INC. 5110 N. 35th St., Milwaukee

INDUSTRY: Investment and sand castings EMPLOYEES: 170

stainlessfoundry.com

on two or three different operations during a day instead of doing one thing all day.

The company spent about six months on the initial planning and three more months vetting the plans to make sure the new material flow would work and evaluating the cost of new equipment.

The result has been a drop in lead times from eight to 10 weeks down to around six weeks. Stainless has additional projects planned to push that number even lower.

Stachowiak said Stainless has also worked for the past several years to develop a more collaborative culture.

“It requires an awful lot of patience, as you go through these, you start making some of the changes, you start giving the people the authority to start making some decisions, you start expanding the box in which they’re allowed to make those decisions and you start seeing some great progress and then all of the sudden a month later it goes right back the other way,” he said. “It

can be frustrating, but you can’t let it frustrate you … A lot of it is creating opportunities where employees feel safe that they can take the risk, that if they make a bad decision, they’re not going to lose their job … What’s important to me is that we understand why the decision turned out to be poor and that we’re doing something to correct it.” n

ARTHUR THOMAS Associate Editor

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

biztimes.com / 11

BizNews

Wisconsin Workplace Health Symposium Beyond These Walls: The Intersection of SDOH and Worksite Wellness

Tuesday, March 10

Marcus Majestic Cinema of Brookfield 7:30am-12:00pm

MY TA K E

Wisconsin’s budget surplus

The state of Wisconsin will have a projected $812 million surplus through mid-2021, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. In response to that news, Republicans in the Legislature, including Rep. Tyler August, R-Lake Geneva, are pushing for tax cuts while Gov. Tony Evers has proposed an increase in funding for schools, which he says would result in lower property taxes. n

Presented locally by

Register at

GOV. TONY EVERS REP. TYLER AUGUST

heart.org/workplacehealthwi

Democrat

R-Lake Geneva

© Copyright 2020 American Heart Association, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit. All rights reserved.

Workplace Health Solutions is a trademark of the AHA. Unauthorized use prohibited.

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2/17/2020 9:03:53 AM

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

TA X RELIEF

“We don’t have to choose between investing in our kids and reducing property taxes; we can do both. My plan recommits to our promise of two-thirds state funding for our schools and will provide $130 million in property tax relief.”

“I believe this money should be returned to you, the taxpayers. That is why I am supporting legislation that would cut taxes for the middle class and job creators, as well as pay down over $100 million in state debt.”

PRIORITIES Higher Education & Research

March 30, 2020 Space Reservation: March 13, 2020

Real Estate & Development

March 30, 2020 Space Reservation: March 13, 2020 Contact Linda Crawford today!

Phone: 414.336.7112 Email: advertise@biztimes.com 12 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

“I’ve always said that what’s best for our kids is what’s best for our state, and every kid deserves access to high-quality public education regardless of their age, identity, background, economic status or zip code.”

“The surplus should be good news for taxpayers. However, Madison liberals have already marched out a new plan to raise income taxes. This makes no sense, especially when the state already has more tax revenue than is required to operate. For the tax and spenders in Madison, no amount of money will ever satisfy them.”

THE MESSAGE “We know the bipartisan support is there, we just need elected officials to put people before politics.”

“Ultimately it is important that the government understands these are your tax dollars and they need to be rightfully returned to you since you overpaid.”

EVENT PREVIEW

Paul Stillmank

7Summits CEO will keynote M&A Forum Event will be held on March 12

By Andrew Weiland, staff writer

PAUL STILLMANK, the founder and chief executive officer of Milwaukee-based Salesforce consulting firm 7Summits, will be the keynote speaker at BizTimes Media’s M&A Forum.

The annual event, which provides business leaders with insight and strategies to help them buy

or sell a business, will be held on Thursday, March 12, from 7-11 a.m. at the Milwaukee Marriott Downtown hotel, 625 N. Milwaukee St. 7Summits ranked No. 4806 on the 2019 Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies in America.

At the M&A Forum, Stillmank will discuss the importance of three

key strategies within a business: a focused go-to-market strategy, a defined offering set and predictable bookings motion. He will describe how those strategies, combined with a strong company culture, help to grow a business.

After Stillmank’s talk, there will be a panel discussion covering numerous M&A topics including: growing your workforce through a business acquisition, developing an effective company culture to accelerate growth, the advantages of recapitalization and the use of ESOP ownership.

Panelists will include: Bukacek Construction CEO Andrea Bukacek, Sprecher Brewing CEO Sharad Chadha, APi Group chief learning officer Paul Grunau and Midwest Composite Technologies CEO Ryan Martin. The panel discussion will be moderated by Ann Hanna, managing director and owner of Taureau Group.

Bukacek is the third generation of her family to lead the business, which was started by her grandfather. She recently acquired it from an ESOP. Chadha leads the group of local investors that recently acquired Sprecher Brewing.

Midwest Composite Technologies was acquired by a private equity firm in 2018, and acquired two companies last year.

After the panel discussion, there will be three concurrent breakout sessions: » Secrets to Unlocking Busi-

ness Value, led by Hanna and Corey Vanderpoel, managing director and co-owner of Taureau Group. » Creative Financing that Maximizes Cash Flow, speakers will include: Gerard Berenz, director of SBA and senior vice president for Old National Bank; Steve Kohl, vice president of WBD Inc.; Frank Lotter, president of Lotter Enterprises; Tommy Olson, senior vice president of commercial banking for Old National Bank; and Dan Phlegar, founding partner and mezzanine investor of Oxer Capital. The session will be moderated by Inge Plautz, senior vice president and executive business development officer for Old National Bank. » Avoiding Data Privacy Traps in the M&A Process, speakers will include Martin McLaughlin, corporate shareholder and the chair of Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren’s Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice; and Melissa Zabkowicz, corporate attorney and a member of Reinhart’s Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice.

The sponsors for the M&A Forum are Old National Bank, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. and Taureau Group. Vistage is an event partner. n

BO YS & GIRLS CLU BS OF GREATER M ILWA U KEE PHONE: (414) 267-8100 WEB: bgcmilwaukee.org

The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee is to inspire and empower all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.

2020 GIVING GUIDE FEATURED NONPROFIT

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

BRYON RIESCH PARALYSIS FOUNDATI ON PHONE: (262) 547-2083 WEB: brpf.org The Bryon Riesch Paralysis Foundation’s goal is to find a cure for paralysis through funding the latest in medical research and to provide assistance to those that suffer from neurological disorders.

2020 GIVING GUIDE FEATURED NONPROFIT

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

biztimes.com / 13

Real Estate

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WHO OWNS THE BLOCK? NORTH MAIN STREET, FROM EAST SUMNER TO EAST JACKSON STREETS, HARTFORD

2

100 N. Main St. 40 N. Main St. Owner: Second Chance Ventures LLC, registered Owner: Tina Maria Murray to Danny Dulak Tenant: Basal Layer & Co. Tenants: None

5 22 N. Main St. Owner: Thomas J. Masters Tenant: The Mineshaft Restaurant

14 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

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3 34 N. Main St. Owner: Michael D Halsey Revocable Liv Trust LC Tenant: Bank Shot Sports Bar

7

11 N. Main St. 59 N. Main St. Owner: Mallow Properties LLC, registered to Owner: Ray and Carolyn Stelzer Jeri Mallow Tenant: Main St. Yarn Shop Tenants: Nail Essentials and Volume Hair Studio

4 30 N. Main St. Owner: Douglas Schlotthauer Tenant: Douglas Jeweler

8 65 N. Main St. Owner: KB Properties of Hartford LLC, registered to Ray Stelzer Tenant: Scoop DeVille

ALEX ZANK

1

JON ELLIOTT OF MKE DRONES LLC

M N.

ER ST. N M U S E.

WHO REALLY OWNS IT? TRIPOLI SHRINE CENTER

RINKA

There’s a lot of history behind the Tripoli Shrine Center in Milwaukee.

Built in 1925, the building is home to Milwaukee’s Shriners International but is also available to the public as a rentable events venue. The ballroom seats about 400 people.

“Every fixture, every piece of tile and mosaic that you see, it’s all original from 1925,” said Bruce Nelson, Tripoli Shrine Center historian. “It’s just unbelievable.”

An architectural replica of the Taj Mahal, the nationally-designated historic building contains an estimated 1.5 million mosaic tiles, which Nelson said were placed one piece at a time. The camel statues out front are carved French limestone, and together weigh about 5.5 tons.

Milwaukee developer Cobalt Partners LLC in January unveiled updated plans for a major redevelopment project along South 70th Street, south of West Washington Street, in West Allis.

The Allis Yards project involves the demolition of the former Allis-Chalmers office building on the east side of the street, and in its place constructing offices, retail space and a hotel. A plaza at the center of the buildings will provide connections to the Summit Place office complex and Milwaukee Area Technical College’s West Allis campus. On the west side of 70th Street, Cobalt is renovating the formerly school district-owned buildings and has nine acres for another potential dense mixed-use project.

ADDRESS: 300 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee OWNER: Tripoli Temple Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine ASSESSED: $1.3 million

ALLIS YARDS

DEVELOPER: Cobalt Partners SIZE: 320,500 square feet of offices, 28,300 square feet of retail, 128-room hotel COST: More than $130 million

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biztimes.com / 15

JON ELLIOTT – MKE DRONES

STORY COVER

Pearl Mist cruise ship visiting Milwaukee in 2019 during a Great Lakes cruise.

16 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

E E K U A W L I M O T ’ N I CRUI S

W

R U O T S E K A L T A E GR F O E D I T G N I S I R C I T Y R ID E S

hen the first cruise ship of the season pulls into Port Milwaukee in mid-June, Adam Schlicht will be waiting ashore to personally greet each passenger who disembarks.

Since taking over as port director in August 2018, Schlicht has made it a point to be there for port calls, giving tourists a warm Milwaukee welcome before sending them off to explore Brew City for the day or

ISM

BY MAREDITHE MEYER, staff writer

maybe just a couple of hours.

“I try to hand shake as many cruise ship passengers as possible,” he said.

Welcoming visitors with “fully open arms” has become a priority for Port Milwaukee over the past two years, as it has strategically targeted cruise companies. Now, efforts to position Milwaukee not only as an international cruise destination, but as a turnaround port where voyages start and end, are paying off. biztimes.com / 17

MAREDITHE MEYER

1 1. The Hamburg unloads passengers at Port Milwaukee’s South Shore dock in October 2019. 2. After disembarking the Pearl Mist, passengers board tour buses for a shore excursion led by Milwaukee Food & City Tours.

UNCHARTED TERRITORY

Viking’s announcement came at a burgeoning time for the Great Lakes cruise industry.

Great Lakes cruising has gained momentum over the past few years as 2 a handful of small-ship operators have tested the waters, including Pearl Seas, In 2019, cruise ships made a total of 10 port Ponant, Blount Small Ship Adventures, Plantours calls in Milwaukee, bringing 3,214 visitors to the Kreuzfahrten and Victory Cruise Lines. But the city. That was up from four port calls in 2017 market is far from saturated, Schlicht said. and in 2018. This year, the port is expecting 14 Last year, Travel + Leisure magazine ranked vessel visits to bring more than 4,000 passen- the Great Lakes as No. 22 on its list of “50 Best gers to the area.

Places to Travel in 2020,” calling it the “next hot But Schlicht will have a few more hands to cruise destination.” shake when international cruise giant Viking en“The five lakes collectively offer 11,000 miles ters the Great Lakes market in 2022. of attraction-packed shoreline, and new small ship The company recently announced cruises are making it easier to explore,” the its new Viking Expeditions division, magazine said. which includes three eight-day Industry trade publication Travtours between Milwaukee and el Weekly also weighed in on the Ontario, Canada covering all five phenomenon. Its 2019 article Great Lakes. In its opening year, “Cruising the Eighth Sea” ema total of 20 Viking voyages will phasized the many cultural and start or end at Port Milwaukee, historical sites at “dozens of unbringing more than 8,000 pasderexplored ports of call” along sengers to the area. the Great Lakes, including Mil“So potentially by 2022, we’re waukee’s iconic art museum and talking 12,000 or more passengers the Harley-Davidson Museum.

T A DA (coming to Milwaukee) on cruise ships “The Great Lakes are a phenomenal M SCHLICH both with new service on Viking and our destination in the world, and they are curlegacy Great Lakes customers,” Schlicht said. rently underserved (by cruise lines),” said Viking That’s a dramatic increase in cruise ship traf- chairman Torstein Hagen during a recent event in fic, especially for a port historically known as a Beverly Hills celebrating the launch of Viking Exhub for Wisconsin’s industrial and agricultural peditions. Viking declined BizTimes Milwaukee’s exports. But Schlicht said it’s only the beginning requests for an interview for this story. for international cruising on the Great Lakes. And For international cruise lines such as Viking Milwaukee is well-positioned to benefit.

– known for its high-end river cruises through “Viking is not the be-all-end-all announcement Europe and exotic tours of the Caribbean – the for Milwaukee,” he said. “It is yet another signal Great Lakes’ 94,250 square miles of fresh water is that the Port of Milwaukee is an economic artery uncharted, unexplored territory. in a cultural destination for our community and And that’s a huge selling point for its “curious for our business community.” explorer” customer base, Hagen said.

18 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

“They want to continue traveling with us to familiar and iconic destinations, but they would also like to travel further,” he said.

Across the board, the average Great Lakes cruise passenger is older, often retired, highly educated, well-traveled and has financial means to spend upwards of $6,000 on a week-long cruise.

Generally speaking, they seek an educational or culturally-enriching travel experience, whether that’s learning about the Great Lakes ecosystem and wildlife or visiting museums and restaurants during shore excursions.

Viking’s new all-inclusive “thinking person’s expedition,” for example, focuses heavily on the history of fresh water communities and fresh water research.

Viking will operate the largest cruise ship to set sail on the Great Lakes: the 665-foot-long Viking Octantis, complete with 189 staterooms and capacity for 378 passengers and 250 crew members.

Construction is currently underway on the vessel and the identical Viking Polaris, which will be used for new expeditions to Antarctica and the Arctic.

Both cruise ships will have an enclosed marina where passengers can safely board smaller vessels, like inflatable boats, kayaks and submarines, to explore outside the ship. Passengers can participate in research being conducted by resident scientists in a 430-square-foot laboratory and assist with fieldwork on shore. They can listen to daily briefings and lectures about their destination while sitting in a panoramic auditorium with a 270-degree view of the water behind the ship.

“What these companies are always looking for is a new, exciting product they can offer to their potential customers,” said Brian Hutchings, group tour and convention sales manager at Visit Milwaukee.

Visit Milwaukee and Port Milwaukee in 2018 joined a coalition of business and government entities in an initiative to attract cruise ships to the Great Lakes. The effort is headed by Chicago-based Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers.

“As the world becomes more and more dan-

INSET PHOTO: LILA ARYAN PHOTOGRAPHY

MILWAUKEE FOOD & CITY TOURS AND REMINISCE STUDIO BY MIRANDA & ADAM

STORY COVER

VIKING

3. Construction is currently underway on Viking’s new Octantis and Polaris vessels, which will hold 378 passengers in 189 staterooms and sail to Antarctica, the Arctic and the Great Lakes.

3

4 5

7

6 4. Thermal suites onboard Viking’s new expedition cruise vessels will include a sauna and hydrotherapy pool. 5. Staterooms onbard Viking’s new expedition vessels include a Nordic balcony, which is a sunroom and al fresco viewing platform. 6.

Viking’s new expedition cruise vessels will have “expedition equipment” such as sea kayaks, 12-seat rigid inflatable boats and submarines that passengers can use at no extra cost. An in-ship marina will allow passengers to board small excursion craft and venture outside the ship. 7. The Finse Terrace outdoor lounge area is located outside of The Aula at the stern of Viking’s new expedition vessels. 8. Educational lectures and briefings will be held in The Aula panoramic auditorium.

8 biztimes.com / 19

VICTORY CRUISE LINES

STORY COVER

“Each cruise line offers a different style cruise experience and has helped continue to grow the tourism market in the region,” Paolella said.

WHY MILWAUKEE?

2 gerous, you’ve got this opportunity in these inland seas essentially that are sandwiched between two countries, where you can do an international cruise,” Hutchings said. “It’s extremely safe and it’s new, an experience people haven’t had.”

It varies by cruise line, but Great Lakes cruises attract both international and North American passengers looking for a new place to explore.

The Hamburg, a 420-passenger cruise ship operated by Bremen, Germany-based cruise company Plantours Kreuzfahrten, is known for its mainly German clientele. Milwaukee’s German heritage has made it a popular stop over the past few years, Schlicht said.

For North American passengers, not having to travel far is a huge draw. That’s the case for about 80% of passengers on Victory Cruise Line’s Great Lakes cruises.

“They are looking to stay in North America so they don’t have to fly over to Europe … people who have really grown up in North America but are trying to find out more about their country,” said John Waggoner, founder and chief executive officer of New Albany, Indiana-based American Queen Steamboat Company, which is the operator of Victory Cruise Lines.

The remaining 20% of its customers hail from the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, but Waggoner said he’s seeing interest in Great Lakes travel from European tourists in particular.

Victory operates a dock at Navy Pier in Chicago, where six of its 12 Great Lakes cruises begin and end.

Its 200-passenger ships, Victory I and Victory II, will make a total of three port calls in Milwaukee this year after recently adding it as a Great Lakes stop.

Asked what attracted the cruise line to Milwaukee, Waggoner said passengers love its brew20 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

Port Milwaukee’s 470-acre waterfront includes two existing cruise ship docks: Pier Wisconsin Cruise Dock at Discovery World and the Lake Express ferry’s South Shore Cruise Dock, which has a deeper draft for larger cruise vessels like The Hamburg. The City Heavy Lift Dock has been used as a docking site for that ship.

Having multiple cruise spurs has proved advantageous for Port Milwaukee in its effort to attract cruise ship 1. Victory Cruise Lines’ 202-passenger Victory I cruising on Georgian Bay, partners, Schlicht said.

1 Ontario. 2. The sundeck atop Victory I. Plans are currently in the works for a third cruise dock, ery scene, art galleries, restaurants and festivals. specifically for Viking’s port calls. It will likely He also noted the port’s “deep water easy access.” be built near the future site of Komatsu Mining “A lot of our customers have traveled the world, Corp.’s new headquarters. they have maybe toured Europe, they’ve been on Port Milwaukee would be one of the only Great other river cruises and they are very excited to try Lakes ports offering three separate cruise ship something here at home,” said Alexa Paolella, man- docks, allowing Milwaukee to have more ships ager of public relations at Pearl Seas Cruises. docking at one time, Schlicht said.

The company’s 210-passenger Pearl Mist has He expects more cruise lines to tap into the been sailing the Great Lakes since 2014. Its Great Great Lakes market in the coming years, and Port Lake cruises sell out year after year to passengers Milwaukee is poised to capitalize on it. from around the world but mainly North America, “We have room to grow still,” he said.

Paolella said.

Cruise ships pay $7.50 per passenger along In 2019, Pearl Seas selected Port Milwaukee as with other docking fees to dock at Port Milwaukee. a home base for its 8- and- 12-day cruises between Being a turnaround port means ships pay douMilwaukee and Toronto. The move significantly ble that amount. helped boost passenger cruise visits at the port Schlicht said the port does not anticipate changfrom 2018 to 2019. ing its per passenger rate, even though cruise ship Schlicht said the cruise line has put Milwaukee traffic is seeing an increase. on the map as a turnaround point on the western “Port Milwaukee offers one of the most comedge of the Great Lakes. petitive cruise rates on the Great Lakes, one of “They were one of the first to say ‘something is several reasons why the port has been successful happening in Milwaukee,’” Schlicht said. “Because in securing the turnaround business of both Pearl of that vision that the Pearl Seas has had, it’s really Seas and Viking,” Schlicht said. created a giant catalyst for Viking to come into the Port Milwaukee owes part of its success to the market in 2022.” landmarks, cultural assets and new development During the next two cruise seasons, 20 Pearl that have helped fuel Milwaukee’s tourism econoMist trips will begin or end in Milwaukee. my in recent years.

“We have had a terrific relationship with MilSites like the Milwaukee Art Museum, the waukee and appreciate the warm welcome from Milwaukee Public Market, the North Point Lightboth the city and the port,” said Charles Robertson, house, Historic Third Ward neighborhood and vice president at Pearl Seas Cruises. He said dock- Brady Street are crowd favorites, said Theresa ing close to downtown and the Milwaukee Art Nemetz, founder of Milwaukee Food & City Tours.

Museum are major selling points for customers.

The company is behind all on-shore excursions An early entrant to the Great Lakes cruise that cruise ships offer its passengers during a port market, Pearl Seas has had an up-close view call in Milwaukee. of recent growth. The company doesn’t appear Part of the job is creating itineraries to fit the threatened by growing competition, or the fact cruise line’s brand or idea of what its passengers that there will be another turnaround cruise line want to do, whether that’s site-seeing or an (Viking) at Port Milwaukee. experience that’s more hands-on or educational,

CRUISES COMING TO MILWAUKEE CRUISE NAME

VESSEL

YEAR

DAYS

STARTING PRICE PORTS OF CALL (IN ORDER) (PER PERSON)

VIKING EXPEDITIONS (SWITZERLAND) Great Lakes Explorer

Viking Octantis

2022

8

$6,495

Milwaukee; Mackinac Island, Michigan; Georgian Bay, Ontario; Thunder Bay, Ontario

Undiscovered Greak Lakes

Viking Octantis

2022

8

$6,695

Thunder Bay, Ontario; Duluth, Minnesota; Apostle Islands; Houghton, Michigan; Mackinac Island, Michigan; Milwaukee

Niagara & the Great Lakes

Viking Octantis

2022

8

$5,995

Toronto, Ontario; Niagara Falls, New York; Pointe Pelee, Ontario; Detroit; Alpena, Michigan; Mackinac Island, Michigan; Traverse City, Michigan; Milwaukee

PEARL SEAS CRUISES (GUILFORD, CONNECTICUT) Great Lakes and Georgian Bay

Pearl Mist

2022

12

$8,065

Toronto, Ontario; Niagara Falls, New York; Windsor, Ontario; Midland, Ontario; Parry Sound, Ontario; Little Current, Ontario; Georgian Bay, Ontario; Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; Mackinac Island, Michigan; Muskegon; Milwaukee

Great Lakes

Pearl Mist

20202021

8

$5,795

Milwaukee; Muskegon; Mackinac Island, Michigan; Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario; Little Current, Ontario; Parry Sound, Ontario; Midland, Ontario; Toronto

VICTORY CRUISE LINES (MIAMI, FLORIDA) Roundtrip Chicago

Victory I

20202021

16

$6,699

Chicago; Milwaukee; Muskegon; Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; Houghton, Michigan; Duluth, Minnesota; Thunder Bay, Ontario; Marquette, Michigan; Mackinac Island, Michigan; Green Bay; Grand Haven/Holland, Michigan; Milwaukee; Chicago

2021

8

$6,360

Milwaukee; Mackinac Island, Michigan; Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; Little Current, Ontario; Parry Sound, Ontario; Port Colbourne, Ontario; Toronto

PONANT (FRANCE) Great Lakes of Le Champlain North America

PLANTOURS KREUZFAHRTEN (GERMANY) MS Hamburg

2020

32

$5,093

Germany; Corner Brook, Newfoundland; Havre-Saint-Pierre, Quebec; Québec City, Quebec; Montreal, Quebec; Kingston, Ontario; Port Colborne, Ontario; Cleveland, Ohio; Detroit; Mackinac Island, Michigan; Milwaukee; Chicago; Traverse City, Michigan; Alpena, Michigan; Windsor, Ontario; Toronto; Montreal, Quebec; Germany

Indian Summer MS Hamburg on the Great Lakes

2020

18

$3,738

Montreal, Québec; Kingston, Ontario; Port Colborne, Ontario; Cleveland, Ohio; Detroit; Mackinac Island, Michigan; Milwaukee; Chicago; Traverse City, Michigan; Alpena, Michigan; Windsor, Ontario; Toronto; Montreal, Quebec

MS Hamburg

2020

42

$4,768

Montreal, Quebec; Kingston, Ontario; Cleveland, Ohio; Detroit; Mackinac Island, Michigan; Milwaukee; Chicago, Illinois; Traverse City, Michigan; Alpena, Michigan; Ontario, Canada; Quebec, Canada; Nova Scotia, Canada; Bermuda; Bahamas; Cuba

Greenland and Great Lakes of North America

Great Lakes and Cuba Intensive

HAPAG LLOYD CRUISES (GERMANY) Great Lakes, Toronto to Chicago

Hanseatic Inspiration

2021

12

$8,849

Toronto; Windsor, Ontario; Tobermory, Ontario; Parry Sound, Ontario; Killarney, Ontario; Mackinac Island, Michigan; Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; Traverse City, Michigan; Fayette, Michigan; Milwaukee; Chicago

Great Lakes, Chicago to Toronto

Hanseatic Inspiration

2021

15

$9,959

Chicago; Milwaukee; Traverse City, Michigan; Mackinac Island, Michigan; Killarney, Ontario; Parry Sound, Ontario; Tobermory, Ontario; Duluth, Minnesota; Thunder Bay, Ontario; Windsor, Ontario

Depenbrok said.

“Even if people don’t know Milwaukee, maybe they’ve seen the image of the Calatrava and they know it’s something they have to get to,” he said.

The local impact of Milwaukee’s growing turnaround cruise ship port business is largely driven by additional overnight visitors in the city.

Passengers stay in hotels for a night or two and

INFO FROM CRUISE LINES WEBSITES

Nemetz said.

The Milwaukee’s Greatest Hits-themed tour shows off the city from a local’s perspective. It includes sampling local cheeses, frozen custard and beer as well as a trip to the Bronze Fonz statue.

Milwaukee Food & City Tours is already in talks with Viking to plan excursions for its 2022 season. One activity in the works is fly fishing on the Milwaukee River. That’s brand new territory for the business, Nemetz said.

“That really provides us opportunities and challenges us to grow and meet new people and be able to make the right connections,” she said.

Cruise groups make up a small percentage of the customer base Milwaukee Food & City Tours has accrued over the past 12 years, but Nemetz expects that segment to grow as more cruise ships stop and passengers return for longer visits.

“A frequent comment that I hear from customers is: ‘I will be back, I plan to return to Milwaukee on a family vacation or for business,’” she said. “I think that’s the greater opportunity for really everybody, that these customers will become repeat customers.”

Unlike other tours, excursions usually have a limited time frame of three to six hours and bring large groups, sometimes filling as many as five coach buses, making it difficult to visit certain sites. And for an older clientele, mobility and accessibility is crucial, Nemetz said.

Her goal is to take cruise groups to as many places as possible before it’s time to reembark the ship. In the past, that’s meant asking businesses or sites to open earlier than usual.

Milwaukee Art Museum on several occasions has opened its gift shop before the rest of the building to accommodate cruise visitors.

“Some of those days that they stopped by were some of the biggest days for the museum store,” said Josh Depenbrok, public relations manager at the museum.

The store is a popular spot for cruise passengers more so than for other tourists, said Annie Kassens, the museum’s adult, docent and school programs administrator. She heard from some passengers that it was the first opportunity to shop since the cruise began. Along with Milwaukee-themed souvenirs, the top purchase among cruise passengers is jewelry.

Over the past year, the museum had a 25% increase in adult tours, which Kassens attributes partially to more cruise ships coming in. As for the 2020 cruise season, MAM already has a handful of dates booked, each with two to three tours.

Planning is underway to roll out the red carpet for the influx of passengers expected with Viking’s entry. MAM’s Santiago Calatrava-designed building is considered one of most iconic landmarks in Milwaukee and is a highly visible part of the city’s brand, often used in ads and promotions. MAM is listed by multiple cruise lines as one of the tours’ main highlights.

That recognition has only grown in that past year as the region garners national attention as the host of the 2020 Democratic National Convention and 2020 Ryder Cup, among other events,

spend money in the city before embarking or after disembarking, as opposed to stopping by for just a few hours.

Both Visit Milwaukee and Port Milwaukee are currently working to develop measurements of local impact.

“We realize it’s going to be a very large number,” said Hutchings. n biztimes.com / 21

Special Report HEALTH CARE & WELLNESS

Expanding workplace wellness to mental health

BY LAUREN ANDERSON, staff writer WORKPLACE WELLNESS programs typically target employees’ physical health through weight loss and healthy eating initiatives, measured by clinical benchmarks like Body Mass Index, cholesterol and blood pressure.

But, while those metrics may be easy to track – and could tamp down health care costs – wellness experts say it’s no longer enough to focus workplace wellness efforts on just physical health but to broaden the scope to include mental health.

“What we’re seeing is that the definition (of wellness) is widely expanding, from a place where it was a lot more focused on physical health and how to support people to become healthier physically, to now encompassing a wider definition of what wellness can be,” said Marissa Kalkman, executive director of Wellness Council of Wisconsin. “One thing we’re having a lot of conversations with employers about is how do we support more of the whole

person? And mental health is very much a part of that.”

Poor mental health affects workplaces in various ways, translating to lost productivity, absenteeism and high turnover. Depression, in particular, interferes with a person’s ability to complete physical job tasks about 20% of the time and reduces cognitive performance about 35% of the time, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Still, the stigma of mental illness, combined with fears about employers involving themselves in employees’ “personal business,” can deter employers from having an open discussion about mental health in the workplace, said Maureen Siwula, a human resources business advisor with MRA, a Waukesha-based nonprofit employer association.

“This is an uncomfortable area to talk about,” Siwula said. “I guess we can talk about diabetes and cardiac disease a whole lot better than

we can talk about mental health.”

But, she said, it’s an issue employers can’t afford to ignore.

“Employers are forced to think about it because, as we treat the whole perMarissa Kalkman son in the workplace, you can’t avoid mental health issues,” she said.

“One in five (adults) is plagued with mental illness so that means there are a lot of people at work that suffer from everything from depression to anxiety to drug addiction to trauma to post-traumatic stress disorder. These are things we’re seeing more and more in life in general, so of course in the workplace employers are faced with this.”

Experts recommend employers take proac-

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Instead of just fascinating and/or frightening forecasts, you’ll get a “toolkit,” a set of questions to ask on how to put all those fads and trends in a practical perspective.

Following the keynote presentation, local CEOs will discuss how technology, trends and innovation are changing the marketplace and what you can do to remain competitive and relevant for the next two decades.

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§ Economic Development – Planning for 2035

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§ Investing in Leadership

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§ Transportation

§ Wealth Preservation

REGISTER TODAY! biztimes.com/2035

tive steps to prevent burnout and other stress-induced conditions, while also destigmatizing the conversation around mental health at work.

Some ideas include offering on-site stress management exercises, posting information to inform employees of suicide prevention and other resources, bringing in speakers to discuss stress in the workplace, offering adequate time off and flexible scheduling, and designating areas in the office that are designed for employees to decompress, Siwula said.

Kalkman said a focus on mental health should be infused throughout the entire organization, and championed by leaders.

“There are a lot of different components that can influence an employee’s experience: having a positive health-supporting workplace culture, having comprehensive insurance benefits that are covering mental health support, having specific opportunities – whether that’s a supportive employee assistance program or bringing in different training programs – and then a big thing is leadership engagement in this and having top-down support,” Kalkman said.

While trauma-informed care is often promoted as a best practice among educators,

employers should also be considerate of how employees’ past experiences might affect their performance in the workplace, Siwula said.

“It’s about understanding the worker has grown up in trauma situations and if we understand those trauma situations, we can better understand our workers,” she said.

If an employer needs to confront a suspected mental health issue that appears to be interfering with an employee’s work, it’s important for them to not “play therapist,” Siwula said. Instead, employers may note and discuss changes in work performance and listen to the employee’s concerns.

As with physical medical conditions, employers are limited in what they can ask employees to disclose regarding their mental health conditions.

“Employers should understand they need to follow the same rules when it comes to mental health issues as they would any other medical condition,” said Erik Eisenmann, partner at Husch Blackwell LLP. “(An employer) can’t require employees to disclose personal medical information, regardless of whether it’s a mental health condition or a physical condition.”

However, if an employee makes use of a resource that’s included in a company wellness or health plan, it may open the door to discussions regarding possible accommodations, such Maureen Siwula as providing time off for treatment, flexible scheduling and assistance in transitioning back to work.

Under federal law, an employer is generally entitled to ask questions that help determine whether the company needs to make reasonable adjustments because of medical condition.

“But they are not entitled to ask what the specific medical diagnosis is, what specific medications or treatment may be prescribed,” Eisenmann said. “The employer should be focusing

Final call for nominations!

Bold Leaders. Bright Ideas. Apply Today.

Accepting nominations for the 16th annual

Ideal Bravo! Entrepreneur nominees are individuals who demonstrate the best traits of entrepreneurship, including willingness to take risk, drive, perseverance, and more! Ideal I.Q. (innovation quotient) nominees are companies who develop innovative products or services, or those with notably unique and innovative processes, operational structures and/or market strategies.

To submit your nomination visit www.biztimes.com/bravo Past Bravo! Entrepreneur Lifetime Achievement award winners have included: Donald Baumgartner, Tim Keane, Carol Schneider, George and Julie Mosher, Gary Grunau, Michael Cudahy, Sheldon Lubar, Fritz and Debra Usinger, Stephen Marcus and George Dalton Past I.Q. award winners have included: Chasing Paper, DeltaHawk Engines, HellermannTyton, Jason Inc./Janesville Acoustics, Northwestern Mutual Data Science Institute, MARS IT Corp., PartsBadger, Riverwater Partners, TAI Diagnostics and TechCanary Presented By:

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Special Report

on questions that would relate to the way in which the condition could impact or interfere with an employee’s ability to do the job.”

If an employee is seeking a significant accommodation – such as changes to the employee’s core job functions – it becomes more complicated for an employer.

As mental health awareness has grown in recent years, there has been a corresponding increase in complaints filed with the state Department of Workforce Development and federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging disability discrimination on the basis of mental health, Eisenmann said.

“We see more and more employees who are comfortable disclosing mental health conditions to their employer,” he said. “Not every time that somebody discloses a mental health condition does that mean that somebody is disabled under the law. And not every time that someone makes a disclosure does it mean that an employer has an obligation to modify the job or grant an accommodation. But my advice would be that every time an employer receives information like that, there should be a procedure in place whereby a person within the organization can analyze it and knows what to do with that information on a case-by-case basis.”

He also recommended employers receive outside legal counsel to help navigate those discussions.

Employers can have compassion and refer employees to appropriate resources and available benefits, while also holding them accountable to their work, Siwula said.

“If (an employee’s) attendance is slipping, their attitude is rough around the edges, we begin with a conversation: ‘What’s going on?

You’re acting differently. Your attendance is slipping. Is there anything you need help with?

How can we better support you as an employee?’” she said. “But if an employee is closed off and doesn’t want to do that, you can tell the employee, ‘We’re here to help but, if not, I’m going to hold you accountable to the policies and procedures we have here.’”

Siwula said employers should also seek the help of an employee assistance program, a voluntary program that offers confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services to employees dealing with work-related or personal problems. EAPs are purchased plans, typically associated with a health insurance plan.

“You can refer an employee to the EAP and say, ‘I see you are struggling; you don’t have to get into the conversation,’” Siwula said. “‘We have this benefit called the EAP. There are people there 24/7 ready to talk to you and offer some free services and low-cost services.’” n 24 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

ACTION STEPS TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE Ì Make mental health self-assessment tools available to all employees. Ì Offer free or subsidized clinical screenings for depression from a mental health professional, followed by directed feedback and clinical referral when appropriate. Ì Offer health insurance with no or low out-of-pocket costs for depression medications and mental health counseling. Ì Provide free or subsidized lifestyle coaching, counseling or self-management programs. Ì Distribute materials, such as brochures, fliers and videos, to all employees about the signs and symptoms of poor mental health and opportunities for treatment. Ì Host seminars or workshops that address depression and stress management techniques, like mindfulness, breathing exercises and meditation. Ì Create and maintain dedicated quiet spaces for relaxation activities. Ì Provide managers with training to help them recognize the signs and symptoms of stress and depression in team members and encourage them to seek help from qualified mental health professionals. Ì Give employees opportunities to participate in decisions about issues that affect job stress.

Source: The Center for Disease Control’s Workplace Health Resource Center

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE: Ì National Institute of Mental Health, nimh.nih.gov Ì Center for Workplace Mental Health, workplacementalhealth.org Ì Center for Disease Control and Prevention, cdc.gov Ì Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, eeoc.gov Ì Occupational Safety and Health Administration, osha.gov Ì Wellness Council of Wisconsin, wellnesscouncilwi.org

HEALTH CARE & WELLNESS Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee.

Advocate Aurora sets aggressive growth plans

BY LAUREN ANDERSON, staff writer IN JANUARY, Advocate Aurora Health executives unveiled an ambitious set of goals for the organization, including doubling its revenue and more than tripling the number of patients it serves by 2025.

Chief executive officer Jim Skogsbergh and chief financial officer Dominic Nakis, presenting at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, said mergers and acquisitions will play a key role in the health system reaching those targets.

Advocate Aurora currently posts over $12 billion in annual revenue. It aims to grow that number to $27 billion over the next five years.

It’s also set on growing the number of patients it serves from 2.8 million to 10 million.

The nonprofit system said it will employ several strategies to make that happen, including becoming a “multi-market consolidator,” consolidating the system with a health plan and developing new consumer-facing products and services.

Advocate Aurora did not respond to a request for comment before publication of this story.

Health care industry representatives say Advocate Aurora’s plans are lofty, but would build on the system’s established track record of aggressive growth.

“I think it’s very doable,” Jim Mueller, president and chief executive officer of Waukesha-based health care consulting firm Mueller QAAS, LLC, said of Advocate Aurora’s 2025 goals. “If you look back in history, (Aurora) started with St. Luke’s hospital ... and then they grew up and down the (Lake Michigan) shoreline in Wisconsin … They continued to expand

with more and more hospitals, and added pharmacies as part of their portfolio. And then they went to Advocate Aurora, which gave them a lot more power.”

Since announcing the merger of Milwaukee-based Aurora Health Care and Downers Grove, Illinois-based Advocate Health in late 2017, leaders of the now-combined system have touted their union as a way to accelerate innovation, attract talent, open more opportunity for partnerships, enhance access to capital, improve synergies and diversify revenue.

Health care analysts, however, have repeatedly pointed to studies indicating health care consolidation rarely leads to lower costs for patients.

While Advocate Aurora hasn’t disclosed specific geographical regions of its possible M&A activity, Mueller said it’s likely the health system will look to neighboring states to expand its footprint, both organically and through acquisition.

“Probably in the Midwest in contiguous states – Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa,” he said. “I think they’ve learned from other hospital systems that being spread out all over the place gives very little leverage, versus being aggregated in geography.”

But expansion opportunities for the system – which has a network of facilities stretching from Green Bay to downstate Illinois – in its current states is somewhat limited, said Minnesota-based health care analyst Allan Baumgarten.

“The core of their business is in regions that aren’t significantly growing in residents,” he said. “And in the metro Chicago area, they face

significant competition from major academic medical centers. If the strategy is to make acquisitions in their backyard and hopefully feed more revenue-producing patients to those facilities and those specialists practicing in their major facilities in the Chicago suburbs and southeast Wisconsin, that only gets you a small part of the way there.”

Also a limiting factor, Baumgarten said, is the lack of small or mid-sized systems to acquire – a product of the rapid consolidation of the industry in recent years.

“There are large regional systems that are well established (in the Midwest),” he said. “So the question is: would you try to target one of those larger regional systems? If you look east into western Michigan, (Grand Rapids-based) Spectrum Health is almost as big as Advocate Aurora. I don’t think it views itself as a target of an acquisition. I think it views itself as a system that will continue to grow on its own.”

Beyond acquisitions, Advocate Aurora could also grow by investing more in technology and artificial intelligence, which could improve margins, and expanding in other medical areas, such as dental and vision, to bring more patients into the system, Mueller said.

“There’s no question, based on their track record, that Aurora and now Advocate Aurora will double its revenue; there’s no question in my mind at least,” Mueller said. “They will achieve that through organic growth, through M&A, through diversification of their product lines and through key investments in technology and AI.” Despite former Milwaukee-based CEO Nick Turkal leaving after the system dropped its coCEO model, Advocate Aurora maintains dual headquarters in Milwaukee and Downers Grove.

As the system continues to grow, Baumgarten said he wouldn’t be surprised if administrative operations increasingly shift south.

“I suspect that the Milwaukee headquarters will get downgraded over the years, to the extent that they’re centralizing certain functions or leadership positions,” he said. “That will take place in Illinois and not in Wisconsin.”

The success of the organization’s growth plan will depend on its leaders’ ability to steer it through the continual expansion, Mueller said.

“This is all subject to them being able to integrate the growth,” he said. “Some people can handle 10 kids; some would have a nervous breakdown with 10 kids. You have to have the human capital. You have to be able to assimilate and leverage the growth. And they have proven to date that they have that management capability.” n biztimes.com / 25

Special Report BANKING & FINANCE John Austin, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, visited Milwaukee in February to discuss a recent study on the Midwest venture capital ecosystem.

Ideas for fixing the Midwest VC ecosystem imbalance

BY BRANDON ANDEREGG, staff writer THE MIDWEST and Great Lakes region continues to fall behind at a time when venture capital is funding fewer firms with larger exits, said John Austin, senior fellow with the Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C.-based research group.

Austin visited Milwaukee last month to share findings of his most recent report, entitled, “As the venture capital game gets bigger, the Midwest keeps missing out,” with members of the Rotary Club of Milwaukee.

The Midwest is home to a third of U.S. Fortune 500 companies and 20 of the world’s top research universities, which is more than any region in the U.S., according to the report. However, the Great Lakes region continues to export wealth to coastal economies despite producing more than a quarter of the nation’s research and development, new patents and top talent, the report said.

At Rotary Club, Austin discussed the imbalance in the region’s VC ecosystem and also provided a solution based on a recent analysis sponsored by the Brookings Institution and the Chicago Council of Global Affairs, and conducted by a team of University of Michigan executive MBA candidates.

“We’ve been challenged for years in the Midwest with this phenomenon of having a sort of innovation horsepower that’s sort of unrivaled, but we’re not translating that into a lot of new startups in the region and places like Milwaukee,” Austin said.

26 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

Institutional investors, pension funds and university endowments in the Midwest produce at least half of the money invested into VC throughout the country, Austin said. However, only 5% of that money finds its way back to the region, with only 12% of the nation’s VC being invested in the region, he added.

According to PitchBook, the Midwest and GLR invested a total of $6.5 billion in VC with 1,062 total deals in 2019. The rest of the country, including New England and the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as the West Coast, invested $113.2 billion in VC with a total of 7,410 deals in 2019.

The disparity in VC funds exists in part because venture capitalists are concentrated on the coasts. Another factor holding the Midwest region back is that coastal venture capitalists aren’t made aware of the innovative technologies coming out of Midwestern universities and, in turn, those universities don’t have enough capital partners to funnel their ideas to coastal venture capitalists, Austin said.

To help remedy the imbalance in the Midwest VC ecosystem, Austin proposed a regional fund of funds, which would serve as a vehicle for in-region and out-of-region investors to put their dollars to work with investments in VC firms.

However, the concept of a Great Lakes regional VC fund is not new. Frank Samuel, the architect of Ohio’s Third Frontier state investment fund, first proposed the idea in a 2010 Brookings paper.

“Such a fund would facilitate much-needed growth in the size and scale of the venture capital network in the Great Lakes/Midwest, allowing it to be competitive in today’s larger and later rounds of funding,” Austin stated in his report.

Austin also shared the success story of an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based company’s exit and the impact it had on the city’s identity and economy. Cybersecurity company Duo Security was acquired by Cisco in 2018 in a $2.35 billion cash and stock deal. As a result of the sale, several more millionaires now walk the streets of Ann Arbor, not only with the cash to reinvest in Michigan’s startup ecosystem, but also the knowledge of a successful exit to then build new tech companies.

If an exit of this caliber occurred in Milwaukee, Austin said it could change the city’s reputation from being a beer, brats and motorcycle hub to being known for, as an example, a water technology hub or a leader in another industry.

“That’s the kind of dynamic that big venture capital and new technology and startups can facilitate to change the storyline about the region’s economy,” Austin said. “When you do that at scale, it really changes the narrative about the community.”

However, Ken Johnson, partner at Wisconsin-based Sun Mountain Kegonsa, which manages the Badger Fund of Funds, posed an alternative solution to propel the state and Milwaukee’s VC ecosystem forward. He said the next step for Wisconsin and Milwaukee is getting more corporations involved.

Johnsonville Ventures, The Capital Times, MGE Energy Inc. and Inventure Capital, all of which are Wisconsin-based, recently committed an undisclosed amount of funds to the Winnow Fund, an approximately $8 million pooled investment fund designed to invest in startups incubated in Wisconsin universities.

Having these Wisconsin-based corporations supporting the BFOF, Wisconsin’s state-backed venture capital program, is a key element to advancing the VC ecosystem in the state, Johnson said. When these corporations invest in BFOF funds, they relinquish control as limited partners, placing their faith in a funding vehicle focused on backing Wisconsin startups, which boosts the state’s economy, he added.

“I was very surprised that the Winnow Fund got four (corporate investors) and we’re still out raising capital,” Johnson said. “To me that’s a change in the atmosphere. We’ve got to get cor-

Capital Invested ($ millions) Venture capital deals, according to PitchBook

2019

Deal Count

2015-2019

2019

2015-2019

Regions Midwest & Great Lakes

6,550.79

24,460.62

1,062

5,227

New England & Mid-Atlantic

44,758.06

148,687.98

3,184

15,059

West Coast

68,497.08

293,320.81

4,226

20,991

Illinois

2,209.03

9,063.33

299

1,444

Indiana

376.06

1,347.14

133

519

39.71

265.06

31

136 562

States

Iowa Michigan

771.63

2,264.50

115

Minnesota

1,216.82

3,810.62

132

625

Wisconsin

204.77

1,028.20

66

400

Metro Areas Ann Arbor Chicago Detroit

279.58

1,015.88

33

176

2,186.47

8,905.33

279

1,344

254.64

702.79

40

203

1,177.33

3,747.76

116

563

Indianapolis

321.72

1,090.71

83

320

Milwaukee

33.89

160.32

17

102

Minneapolis-St. Paul

porations involved, especially in Milwaukee.”

Johnsonville Ventures, one of two VC Funds

operated by Sheboygan-based Johnsonville Sausage LLC, was established earlier this year

to fund startups in the food and beverage space.

The VC fund chose to invest in the Winnow Fund because it’s Wisconsin-based and supports students, said Kevin Ladwig, president of MSAB Capital, one of two Johnsonville VC funds.

“Johnsonville is a learning company so the fact that we’re looking at universities for new ideas and allowing students to come forward and give them some support just appealed to us,” Ladwig said.

Having been in Wisconsin for 75 years, Johnsonville believes Wisconsin generates a lot of talent and innovative ideas, which is why the company chose to get involved in the state’s VC ecosystem, Ladwig said. However, the company also believes the ecosystem is missing involvement from companies like Johnsonville that have the experience to help young entrepreneurs get their idea to market.

“I think that’s where we see the ecosystem lacking,” Ladwig said. “Johnsonville is a great operating company; we want to help these startups because we think we have something to offer beyond just money. We want to be advisors and we want to help as best we can.” n

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To sponsor or advertise, contact Linda Crawford at 414-336-7112 or email advertise@biztimes.com biztimes.com / 27

DANIELLE CLARKE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JPMORGAN CHASE Danielle Clarke’s entire 30-year banking career has been with JPMorgan Chase. She has worked in the company’s Milwaukee office since 1994.

BizTimes Milwaukee is proud to present the inaugural list of Notable Women in Commercial Banking, spotlighting accomplished professionals throughout the region. The women 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 women 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, currently employed at a local bank or financial institution with a minimum of 5 years of experience and must be serving in a senior level role at their firm.

“Danielle Clarke is a role model for her outstanding partnership, communications, mentoring and relationship-building skills,” said Brian Grossman, region manager of JPMorgan Chase middle market commercial banking in Wisconsin. “She leads by example and is a top culture carrier. She works selflessly to support her clients, help others within the firm and improve our business.

“Danielle develops remarkably strong rapport and personal connections with her clients. They value her as both a business partner and friend. In addition to serving traditional banking needs, Danielle often helps connect people for board memberships and executive recruiting.

“Danielle manages some of the most complex and valued relationships for the bank within Wisconsin. Over her many years she has consistently developed new business and client relationships to steadily grow the portfolio she manages. Based on her business production metrics and 360 feedback from partners internally, she is ranked as one of our top bankers nationally within our organization.”

Outside of her work at JPMorgan Chase, Clarke has volunteered as chair of the Finance Committee for PEARLS for Teen Girls and as chairperson of the board. She has also volunteered for Hunger Task Force, Ronald McDonald House and other area charities.

PAMELA TURER SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FIFTH THIRD BANK Pamela Turer has 16 years of banking industry experience. She began her career at the Equitable Bank and joined MB Financial Bank in 2013, which merged with Fifth Third Bank in 2019.

“Pam Turer is a highly respected leader in the Milwaukee commercial real estate development community,” said Linda Gorens-Levey, a partner with Fox Point-based real estate development firm General Capital Group.

“Pam helped grow MB’s commercial real estate footprint in southeast Wisconsin through her intellect, hard work, dedication to clients, and ability to get the job done.

At Reinhart, we always put our clients first As long-standing partners in Metro Milwaukee’s business success, our a orneys are dedicated to helping clients face important issues, execute sound strategies, and achieve business goals—all while building lasting relationships. reinhartlaw.com 414.298.1000

28 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

“Recently, Pam helped facilitate the financing for General Capital’s construction of the llumina headquarters building in Madison. Though this project was large and complicated, Pam quickly got her arms around the project and facilitated a competitive transaction and made the process seamless and easy for our firm.

“In addition to being a go-to resource for competitive, complicated financings for many developers, Pam is a leader in the real estate industry, participating in many industry organizations and mentoring young members.”

Turer is on the board of directors and is immediate past president of the Real Estate Alliance for Charity (REACH). She is currently vice president of NAIOP Wisconsin and will be president of the organization in 2021.

“As a partner in a real estate development firm, it is refreshing to find a fun, gutsy, intelligent woman leading the pack in the commercial real estate lending world,” GorensLevey said.

Congratulations to Danielle Clarke for her recognition by BizTimes as a notable woman in Commercial Banking.

We are proud of our 181-year history supporting businesses in southeastern Wisconsin and throughout the state.

We are fortunate to have talented bankers like Danielle who go above and beyond to support our clients and communities.

Our employees log thousands of volunteer hours in the communities we serve, and our firm has invested more than $15 million over the past five years to support Wisconsin philanthropies.

For information regarding Commercial Banking needs, contact Danielle at Danielle.Clarke@chase.com or Brian Grossman, Wisconsin Region Manager, at Brian.L.Grossman@chase.com.

© 2020 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. “Chase” is a marketing name for certain businesses of JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its subsidiaries (collectively, “JPMC”). 684536

Pam Turer means business.

Congratulations, Pam, on being named to the BizTimes Milwaukee Notable Women in Commercial Banking list.

As a Senior Vice President in Commercial Real Estate at Fifth Third Bank, your leadership helps build a stronger community for all of us.

Fifth Third Means Business Fifth Third Bank, National Association. Member FDIC.

biztimes.com / 29

BARBARA BAKSHIS

BRIDGET CONDON

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT - COMMERCIAL BANKING

VICE PRESIDENT, COMMERCIAL BANKING

GREENWOODS STATE BANK Barbara Bakshis has been a leader in helping commercial clients in southeastern Wisconsin for over 30 years.

As the co-founder of Fox River State Bank in 2003, her efforts helped the bank to grow and become a merger candidate with Greenwoods State Bank in May 2019.

“Many of her clients have commented how important she is to their companies as she provides valuable advice on how to improve the results of their operations,” said Keith Pollek, executive vice president of Greenwoods State Bank. “Her tireless efforts have helped many companies grow and prosper, thus leading to new job creation in our community.”

Bakshis works closely with the Racine County Economic Development Corp. and business lending partners as a leader in SBA lending. She has served as the president of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce and as a board member of United Way of Racine County. She is actively involved in her church, St. Charles, and was heavily involved in efforts to combine the two Catholic grade schools in Burlington. Each summer, she works to coordinate volunteers for the Racine County Fair. “(Bakshis is) an amazing banker and an exceptional person,” Pollek said.

CIBM BANK Bridget Condon has more than 17 years of experience in the banking industry, across multiple disciplines.

Today, as a vice president of commercial banking for CIBM Bank in southeastern Wisconsin, Condon uses her expertise to provide solutions to her clients, who range from entrepreneurs to seasoned business executives.

Condon was a recipient of CIBM Bank’s Banker of the Year award and was chosen for her overall loan and deposit production, fee income, leadership, and community involvement.

She serves the following community organizations: Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation – Loan Committee co-chair; La Casa de Esperanza/VITA – volunteer tax preparation; United Way – volunteer; Rotary International – Waukesha Chapter member and officer; Small Business Administration (SBA) – WI Annual Lender’s Conference planning committee member and presenter, SBA emerging leaders coach and SCORE volunteer.

“In addition to these, Bridget attends numerous fundraising events across the community each year, making a positive impact in the lives of many,” said Joanne Blaesing, executive vice president of CIBM Bank. “From committee chair to volunteer, Bridget brings her honesty, energy and versatility to make things happen. Bridget is a role model in our company and community because of her integrity, strong financial acumen, forthright nature, and eagerness to meet any challenge head-on.”

SARAH OBERTHALER CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER CITIZENS BANK Sarah Oberthaler has worked for 15 years in the banking industry, including 13 with Citizens Bank.

is proud to congratulate BARB BAKSHIS, on becoming a 2020 Notable Woman in Commercial Banking!

“To say that Sarah Oberthaler wears many hats is an understatement,” said Stefanie Bonesteel, vice president of marketing for Citizens Bank. “She oversees five functional areas of the organization – human resources, Organizational Development, Retail Deposits, Compliance, and Security – the last three of which she has taken on in just the last few years as others moved to different roles. Where there have been gaps in leadership, Sarah has risen to a new challenge time and time again. She is the driving force of the bank’s senior management team and a champion for creating efficiencies at every level.

“Furthermore, as the only member of the team with a law degree, she is often relied upon for her legal expertise.

“But with a background in Human Resources, Sarah’s passion remains creating a winning culture for Citizens Bank. She is the mastermind behind the quarterly focus initiatives launched in early 2019 that combine fun contests with activities designed to strengthen key business competencies. She also developed a wellness program that empowers employees to achieve their best physical and mental health.”

Oberthaler is an active member of the Wisconsin Bankers Association and has presented seminars on HR topics at several WBA meetings and conferences. She has also presented seminars about elder financial abuse, and she partners with local schools on career development programs.

greenwoods.bank 30 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

CONGRATULATIONS

Bridget Condon Vice President, Commercial Banking

CIBM Bank congratulates Bridget Condon for being recognized as one of BizTimes Media 2020 Notable Women in Commercial Banking

cibmbank.com

Experienced professionals dedicated to helping you achieve your financial goals.

It’s your business. We just help.

Our congratulations to

Sarah Oberthaler Chief Administrative Officer, Citizens Bank We admire you & all 2020 Notable Women in Commercial Banking!

Follow | Like | Review Citizens Bank – WI

262-363-6500 / www.CitizenBank.bank Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender

biztimes.com / 31

INGE PLAUTZ

REGINA LEVCHETS

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE BDO

VICE PRESIDENT, COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

OLD NATIONAL BANK

FIRST MIDWEST BANK

Inge Plautz has 15 years of professional experience in the financial services industry, 10 of which have been in the banking industry, and is currently a senior vice president for Old National Bank.

Regina Levchets has been in commercial banking since 2007, originally beginning her career in the commercial real estate group at M&I Bank, where she managed a portfolio of $300 million for two lenders.

“At Old National Bank we are equally serious about taking care of our communities as we are our clients. Inge Plautz exemplifies our values and has demonstrated significant impact to community and client alike,” said Andrea Finck, vice president of community relations for Old National Bank. “During the last 12 months, Inge performed at 160% of her target, growing the commercial portfolio and significantly elevating ONB brand awareness. She is responsible for Old National’s Wisconsin go-to-market strategy.”

After taking several years off from banking to work at JLL on its Tenant Representation team, Levchets joined Old National Bank in 2017 as vice president on its Commercial Real Estate team. In addition, while at Old National, she served on the Wisconsin Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Plautz is also an entrepreneur and the co-founder of PumpHero LLC, a mobile app that helps nursing mothers find safe, clean and convenient locations to pump. She also serves as an advisor for LeaseCrunch, a software company that provides software to accounting firms.

Plautz serves on the board of directors for First Tee of Southeast Wisconsin, Ducks Unlimited, and the Celebrating GIRLS committee with Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. She is also involved with TEMPO, the UWM Women Leaders Advisory Council and Milwaukee Women Inc.

In 2019, Levchets was hired by First Midwest Bank as part of a two-member team to expand the bank’s commercial real estate footprint in Wisconsin. She focuses on arranging financing for multiple property types and structures, including multifamily, office, retail, hotel and industrial. Her clients include some of the largest developers and property owners in the state, many of whom she was worked with for over a decade, with loan sizes ranging primarily from $5 million-$30 million.

Levchets is also a licensed commercial real estate broker. She is also actively involved with the Commercial Association of Realtors (CARW) and was a nominated member of TEMPO Emerging Women Leaders from 2015-’19.

“Inge is an exceptionally good active-listener,” said Ada Nielsen, managing director of The PeregrineMaven Group. “She is interested, respectful and uses conversations as a way to improve outcomes for all. She presents herself in a way that credits the bank, Milwaukee, and Wisconsin as a place to find talented women who give back. She is confident but is absolutely not arrogant. She gets things done.”

KARLA KREHBIEL REGIONAL PRESIDENT SOUTHEAST JOHNSON FINANCIAL GROUP Karla Krehbiel has more than 37 years of banking experience and has been with Johnson Financial Group for 13 years. She oversees 165 employees, including 10 in commercial banking.

Old National congratulates

“Karla has worked with thousands of business owners to strengthen the business climate and economy in these markets,” said Thomas Moore, senior vice president commercial banking manager southeast for Johnson Financial Group. “Recent examples of Karla’s work with our commercial clients include mentoring a local business owner as he transitioned to president and owner of the family business, assisting a client with their expansion into a new market, and guiding a multigenerational business through the sale of their company, keeping both the client and communities’ best interest in mind throughout the process.

Inge Plautz

“Karla has brought forward innovative ideas that have benefited our clients while building out JFG’s suite of products.”

for being recognized as one of the Notable Women in Commercial Banking.

Last year, Krehbiel led an effort to launch the House Proud Initiative with Racine Revitalization Partnership Inc. The initiative focused on improving owner occupied properties located in low-income areas of Racine County.

32 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

Krehbiel also serves as chair of the Kenosha Area Business Alliance board; on the University of Wisconsin Parkside Foundation - Board of Directors; and with Building Our Future Kenosha; Racine Economic Development Action Committee; and Congressman Bryan Steil’s Small Business Advisory Committee. She is a member of TEMPO Racine and TEMPO Kenosha, and a United Way of Racine cabinet member.

Congratulations

Karla Krehbiel Johnson Financial Group Regional President, Karla Krehbiel is recognized as a Notable Woman in Commercial Banking by BizTimes Milwaukee.

For more than 35 years, Karla continues to inspire, challenge and empower her Commercial Banking team to successfully partner with local businesses and professionals to strengthen communities in Southeast Wisconsin. Thank you for your dedicated leadership Karla!

Wisconsin’s largest family-owned bank.

JohnsonFinancialGroup.com

biztimes.com / 33

HEATHER BAYLOR

MELINDA TOY

VICE PRESIDENT

VICE PRESIDENT, COMMERCIAL BANKING AND DIRECTOR OF TREASURY MANAGEMENT

PARK BANK Heather Baylor’s entire 27-year banking career has been with Milwaukee-based Park Bank.

“In a real estate, male-dominated banking world, Heather is a standout,” said Linda Gorens-Levey, partner with Fox Point-based real estate development firm General Capital Group. “Heather has been the primary relationship banker for General Capital for 15 years, long before I joined the firm. We are very credit-focused and often are involved in complex, highly-structured transactions, and Heather is a quick study, able to get her arms around these complicated situations and be our champion at the bank in a highly responsive manner. She is a true relationship builder and facilitates deals, allowing them to come to fruition under the toughest of deadlines, rather than throwing up obstacles.

“Heather’s experience is wide and deep. Her knowledge includes experience in the accounting, credit analysis, loan quality review and work-out areas. She is positive, fun, has a can-do attitude and gets the job done.

“Her consistency at Park Bank has allowed Heather to develop a loyal customer base that is unusual. She is incredibly well respected and her word is gold.”

In addition to her work at Park Bank, Baylor is a board member of the Northwest Side CDC and serves on its CDFI and Finance Committee. She previously was on the Health Committee for United Way of Greater Milwaukee and on the board of the Independent Business Association of Wisconsin.

PYRAMAX BANK Melinda “Mel” Toy is a commercial lending and treasury professional with 11 years of banking industry experience. She is currently vice president, commercial banking and director of treasury management for Greenfield-based PyraMax Bank.

Toy focuses on local, mid-market and corporate C&I cash flow lending and acquisition financing deals within the market. She is a subject matter expert in fraud prevention and mitigating risk for businesses. She has completed extensive specialized education in risk management specifically for treasury operations.

In addition to her dedication to providing commercial and treasury solutions, Toy has managed strategic business development programs for commercial banking, commercial real estate, treasury management and corporate lines during her tenure.

“She goes above and beyond to consistently exceed expectations for her clients,” said Thomas Peterson, senior vice president and chief lending officer for PyraMax Bank.

Toy is a member of the Marquette University Alumni Association, Marquette Ethnic Alumni Association, Association of AFP and TEMPO Milwaukee. She has also served as a business advisor for Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee; partnered to provide leadership consultation for Paranet Group, an organization dedicated to serving Wisconsin Manufacturers; is a volunteer for Exploit No More in Milwaukee, an organization committed to helping victims of human trafficking; and has served as a mentor for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee.

In addition, “Mel advocates for other minority females through her volunteer and mentoring efforts,” Peterson said.

Congratulations!

Congratulations Mel on being selected as one of the Notable Women in Commercial Banking.

This nomination is well deserved and we are proud to have you as a member of our team.

Melinda M. Toy

Certified Treasury Professional PyraMax Bank Director of Treasury Management Vice President - Commercial Lending Member

FDIC

34 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

GINA PETER

MARYLOU SCHIRPKE

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

WELLS FARGO BANK

WINTRUST COMMERCIAL BANKING AT TOWN BANK

Gina Peter has worked in the banking industry for 30 years, including the past nine for Wells Fargo Bank in its Milwaukee office.

Last year, Peter took on the responsibility of merging business lines into one commercial banking team.

“Gina’s major strengths are bringing people together by focusing on teamwork, leveraging diverse talent, and choosing the best leaders,” said Inna Turner, customer service manager/vice president for Wells Fargo. “She has been successful in building a sustainable team environment, while driving increased productivity and financial results.

A testament to her leadership, Gina’s division has been chosen as first for product roll outs to market multiple times.”

Peter also co-chairs the $25 million capital campaign for the Zoological Society of Milwaukee, participates on the board and chairs the Development Committee of Milwaukee Repertory Theater, is a member of Executive Committee of Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, and is a member and past president of TEMPO. She is also a member of the Greater Milwaukee Committee where she learned about the Milwaukee Fellows Initiative. She introduced the initiative to Wells Fargo which resulted in hiring multiple interns and in 2020 one of the Milwaukee Fellows interns started as a fulltime employee at Wells Fargo.

Marylou Schirpke has worked for 25 years in the banking industry and is currently a senior vice president for Wintrust Commercial Banking at Town Bank in its Milwaukee office.

“Marylou is a leader both within the bank and in the southeastern Wisconsin community,” said Jay Mack, president and CEO with Town Bank. “She demonstrates daily the leadership ability in her home, at work and in our community.”

Schirpke is a member of the bank’s commercial banking team, focusing on privately-held businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. In the past year, she contributed to the launch of the Women at Wintrust event to help cultivate and develop connections for clients, bankers and prospective clients to engage in conversations about promoting women in leadership positions in Wisconsin.

Schirpke is also active in a number of nonprofit organizations as a board member of the Sojourner Family Peace Center and Root River Church.

She is also an active member of TEMPO Milwaukee, Women in Manufacturing, Professional Dimensions and Milwaukee Women inc.

In 2019, Peter was the recipient of the Diversity in Corporate Governance Award, as decided by Milwaukee Women inc and Greater Milwaukee Committee.

OUR TEAM PROUDLY INCLUDES MILWAUKEE’S VERY BEST An organization is only as good as its people. That’s why we count ourselves lucky to include some of the most passionate, talented, and driven professionals—truly some of the most influential in the industry—on our team. They help make us the company we are, and help us build a greater Milwaukee by offering expertise, guidance, knowledge, and dedication in everything they do. Congratulations to Marylou Schirpke, who has been recognized as one of BizTimes Media’s Notable Women in Commercial Banking. Your contributions are instrumental to our success, and we’re proud to have you on our team.

Congratulations on being named one of BizTimes Media’s Notable Women in Commercial Banking MARYLOU SCHIRPKE Senior Vice President 414-255-1007 mschirpke@wintrust.com

townbank.us

biztimes.com / 35

HEATHER NELSON

JULIE GLYNN

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT - RETAIL BANKING

SPRING BANK

WATERSTONE BANK

Heather Nelson has worked in the banking industry for 29 years, including nine with Brookfield-based Spring Bank.

Julie Glynn has worked for 35 years in the banking industry and is currently senior vice president of retail banking for Wauwatosa-based WaterStone Bank.

“Heather always exudes a positive, encouraging and supportive attitude when interacting with employees and customers,” said David Schuelke, president and CEO of Spring Bank. “Heather is a visionary, taking personal initiative to plan and create employee and customer engagement opportunities which result in better coworker relationships, and opportunities her customers may otherwise not have.

“Julie is the epitome of a natural born leader,” said Marlene Molter, vice president and human resources director for WaterStone Bank. “With a strong customer focus, Julie has the unique ability to lead her team to have them effectively turn the everyday conversation into blooming customer relationships. She conjures up enthusiasm within her team by consistently recognizing efforts and building collaborative relationships with her business line partners, in order to drive results for her business line. She is driven by the success of her colleagues as well as her partners.

“We can see how this translates in a recent customer survey. Ninety-seven percent of the customers rated Spring Bank 5 out of 5. Heather’s name was mentioned specifically in many of the comments.”

Nelson has been an MSOE Women Design Wisconsin mentor, a Biz Expo seminar presenter and a Manufacturing Summit roundtable presenter.

Nelson works with WWBIC, MEDC, SBA and other organizations to assist startup businesses and other businesses when needed.

“Surpassing her annual growth goals every year, she had over 20% growth in her portfolio in 2019 even with a higher than average loan portfolio of over 150 customers,” Schuelke said.

She has also served on the board of WCREW and was president for the past four years.

She also served on the board of REACH for the past 8 years.

“Heather is an extraordinary individual and accomplished in her field,” Schuelke said.

Congratulates Heather Nelson We are proud to have Heather among our team of experienced bankers providing our clients with the personalized attention they deserve.

Business Banking Personal Banking springbankwi.com

16620 W Bluemound Rd. Brookfield, WI

36 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

262.754.5555

“She has made a dramatic impact on the retail side of the bank since joining in 2018.

Some of the accomplishments include sales training, new employee roadmaps and the HERO Checking Account Program for first responders.”

Glynn is a board member of the LOTUS Legal Clinic, a member of TEMPO Milwaukee and Milwaukee Women inc She also leads WaterStone Bank’s participation in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.

JOAN HELLING

CLAUDINE SIMI

DIRECTOR, COMMERCIAL BANKING, DEALER FINANCE

DIRECTOR, COMMERCIAL BANKING, DEALER FINANCE

BMO HARRIS BANK

BMO HARRIS BANK

Joan Helling started her finance career with General Motors Acceptance Corporation. For the past 14 years she has been with BMO Harris Bank.

An experienced leader in the commercial dealer finance industry, Claudine Simi works to ensure that auto dealership owners, CFOs, general managers, and other key stakeholders access effective solutions to meet their needs for dealership growth. She has worked for BMO Harris for 15 years.

“Joan is an experienced banking professional with specialized sector knowledge in auto dealership lending,” said Brad Tinsey, managing director, national sales manager of BMO Harris Bank Dealer Finance. “Her client-focused relationship management ensures that the client’s lending needs are individually structured to meet their unique needs. Joan’s individual leadership style has enabled her to stand out as an inspirational leader to her colleagues, a mentor to younger bankers and a trusted advisor to her clients.”

“Claudine takes being a director for commercial banking/dealer finance for BMO Harris Bank to the next level,” said Brad Tinsey, managing director, national sales manager for BMO Harris Bank Dealer Finance. “Supported by a team approach that is dedicated to providing an exceptional customer experience that delivers value through new ideas, creative tools, strategic advice and competitive financing.”

Helling was involved in the team that provided the due diligence in BMO’s acquisition of GE Transportation Finance.

Simi’s accomplishments include managing an assignment that transitioned the bank’s dealer finance clients to a state-of-the art technology platform.

Away from work, Helling volunteers for Milwaukee Rescue Mission and Guest House Milwaukee. She is also active with conservation groups that work to save wildlife habitat.

“Claudine also showed her keen banking skills and dedication to her client base during an integration of computer systems project, as a key member of the integration team while offering outstanding high-touch service at all times,” Tinsey said.

“Claudine’s clients are most impressed with her dedication to their success, expertise in the industry, problem-solving capabilities, and her ability to think strategically,” Tinsey said. “These leadership characteristics have significantly contributed to her many successes over her 27-year career.”

MARY CHANDLER VICE PRESIDENT COMMERCIAL BANKING BMO HARRIS BANK Mary Chandler has worked in banking for 33 years, including 23 with BMO Harris. She is a commercial banker responsible for serving the metro-Milwaukee business market.

In her role, Chandler provides recommendations, strategies, along with expertise, as it relates to the commercial relationships in terms of cost savings, operating efficiencies, and product/servicing needs. In this role, she works with ancillary bank servicing teams for a variety of business needs.

Congratulations to all the women honored.

“Mary Chandler of BMO is the definition of a professional in the banking industry,” said David Cass, vice president of OHM Holdings Inc. “I have been a customer of Mary’s for a long time and through the ups and downs and changes over the years at M&I and then later as BMO, Mary was the constant that kept us banking there.

“I have worked with a lot of banks and bankers over the years and Mary hands down stands above the rest. If she was involved in a deal you knew the financing end was handled.”

BMO is especially pleased to congratulate our own, Joan Helling, Claudine Simi and Mary Chandler, on being named as one of the BizTimes 2020 Notable Women in Commercial Banking.

bmoharris.com/commercial bmoharris.com/autodealer

biztimes.com / 37

Strategies MANAGEMENT

Reduce employee burnout EMPLOYEE BURNOUT is an epidemic with serious implications for employees and businesses.

I personally lived with low-grade burnout, much like a low-grade fever, throughout much of my corporate career. Work and stress were synonymous for me, mostly due to my Type A personality – my tendency to take on a lot of responsibility and complete everything to perfection.

I’m certainly not alone. According to the O.C. Tanner 2020 Global Culture Studies Report, 79% of employees suffer from mild to severe burnout.

Most people think that burnout results from being overworked or having a boss you can’t stand. Surprisingly, however, a major cause of burnout is a lack of emotional connection at work.

Not feeling inspired by a sense of purpose, a lack of meaningful relationships and not feeling appreciated at work are all contributing factors.

Burnout spreads low morale and results in lower productivity, higher health care costs and turnover costs. Employees are 2.6 times more likely to leave their employer when they’re experiencing burnout, according to the O.C. Tanner report. And because Type A personalities (often your highest performing employees) are especially prone to burnout, you run the risk of losing your rising stars.

Luckily, some of the best solutions to lessen or prevent burnout are easy to implement in any organization.

DIAGNOSING BURNOUT

Before solving for burnout, it’s important to identify employees who are suffering. Here are key behaviors to look for in yourself and others: 38 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

1. Mental and physical exhaustion – Do you have low energy during the day and low enthusiasm for work activities? Are you tired when you wake up or have trouble sleeping at night?

2. Poor attendance – Do you dread going to work and try to find reasons to not show up? Do you have unexpected or frequent absences?

3. Bad attitude – Do you feel cynical about work and the people there? Do you feel like nothing will ever get better, so why bother trying?

WHAT CAN LEADERS DO?

Leaders have tremendous impact on the employee experience because they are closest to “micro-moments” – little, daily moments that add up to the overall employee experience. For that reason, leaders have a great opportunity to create positive organizational cultures that can lessen or prevent burnout. Practices rooted in positive psychology, the scientific study of what makes humans thrive, provide a guide for easy ways to boost positivity at work through micro-moments.

Here are some easy-to-implement remedies:

INVEST IN RELATIONSHIPS

» Ask better questions. “How are you?” are the three most useless words at work. The person asking doesn’t really want to know and the person responding doesn’t tell the truth. Ask better questions to spark more meaningful conversations with colleagues that will boost morale, engagement, collaboration and outcomes at work. e.g. “What are you learning that’s new for you?”

“What are you looking forward to?” » Find happiness outside of happy hours.

Try volunteering as a team. A volunteer project for a cause that is meaningful to colleagues not only fosters team building, but also connects people to a higher purpose and spreads kindness.

REAL RESULTS

When you focus on these practices, employees will feel more positive, resilient, focused and committed. As a result, leaders will see improved engagement, performance and retention. And of course, this leads to greater progress toward the organization’s goals. n

BE MINDFUL OF PEOPLE AND PURPOSE

» Be present with others. Take time in oneon-ones to ask how someone is feeling and really listen to their answer. You may pick up if they are suffering from burnout. » Be present in meetings. At the start of meetings, articulate the purpose (remind others why the meeting matters to the bigger picture) and allow 30 seconds to pause and set intentions.

EXPRESS GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION TO OTHERS » Show appreciation. Write notes to acknowledge the work of others and say thank you a lot. » Celebrate small wins. Take five minutes at the end of meetings to share and acknowledge small wins.

BETH RIDLEY Beth Ridley is founder and CEO of The Brimful Life, former vice president of planning integration for Northwestern Mutual and a host for the BizTimes MKE Podcast. Learn more at www. thebrimfullife.com.

STRATEGIC PLANNING

3. Lastly, have appropriate staff analyze key competitors and devise strategies as to how to outperform them.

Gain buy-in for your strategic plan Use these essential steps to get staff, customers on board WHILE YOU WORK to make this your company’s best year ever, don’t forget a few essential exercises that will help accelerate the growth of your business. These steps are not always done by businesses, but they can be argued as most essential to achieving your business plan.

These steps involve strategically going through the process of creating, deploying and aligning staff to your plan. When this happens, your plan becomes much more effective and achievable.

Please use this article as a step-by-step guide to easily go through these exercises:

STEP 1: ENGAGE SELECT STAFF BEYOND YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM IN YOUR STRATEGIC PLANNING It’s easy to do this. The following are different parts of strategic planning that they should be involved in.

1. First, have them contribute to the SWOT you create. Your staff knows the ins and outs of your business just as much as, if nor more than, you do. They may uncover growth opportunities in areas of the business no one else is involved in. Sharing this type of input engenders mind share, alignment and synergies.

2. It’s obvious that some of your staff deals with customers. Have them share thoughts on how to grow existing clients and strategies on how to find more ideal customers.

STEP 2: ENGAGE YOUR TRUSTED CUSTOMERS IN YOUR STRATEGIC PLANNING There is no better way to run a customer-centric company than to ask and involve your customers in your plans. Here are some tactics: 1. Have customers you trust do a SWOT on you. This may uncover weaknesses and opportunities that your team may not catch due to being constantly ingrained in the business.

2. While gathering SWOTs from your key customers, utilize that time to also find out about their current pain points related to their 2020 plan. Use their thoughts to form your plan. Remember, the best new product (or service) is one that the customer is already asking for and willing to pay for!

3. Take this added facetime with a customer as an opportunity to sell existing products or services.

1. After the rollout mentioned in Step 3, have staff take a few days to determine their part in achieving the plan. Some may need help with this, and that’s OK. 2. Work with them to turn their relevant thoughts into SMART Goals. There are many online resources and advisors that can explain the details about setting up SMART Goals.

3. Check in with each staff member on a quarterly basis to ensure their goals are still aligned and on track to being achieved.

When everyone starts to achieve their goals, then you will truly start to see your business grow.

I will challenge everyone who is coordinating or leading their business’s growth initiatives for the year to use these steps. Involve your customers when creating your plan so you can focus on growing with them. Engage and align your staff to help your business grow throughout the year.

Use this guide now and for the years going forward. n

STEP 3: INTRODUCE YOUR PLAN TO STAFF Use the results of your strategic planning session to create your plan. Then, share your finalized plan with your staff to gain excitement. Here are some notes for a successful rollout of the plan: » Prior to the rollout, come up with a list of questions that you think staff may have but may not ask. » Remember to address the “what’s in it for me” to staff because they will, by nature, ask it to themselves.

STEP 4: ENSURE A SUCCESSFUL YEAR BY ALIGNING STAFF TO THE PLAN A business can have the best plan in the world, but if no one is aligning their actions to it, the plan won’t be achieved. One effective way of getting this alignment is through SMART Goals.

Here is the process of implementing these goals:

PAUL SCHULLS Paul Schulls is the president and cofounder of the business advisory firm STUCK Coaching. He can be contacted at pauls@getunstuck.com. biztimes.com / 39

Strategies

Tip Sheet

W

Battling bullying and harassment in the workplace

hen harassment and bullying are not handled effectively, further damage to employee productivity and morale can have a ripple effect throughout the entire workplace.

Not only does it create turnover, which affects a company’s bottom line, but it also negatively impacts the company’s culture and creates a disruptive work environment.

Waukesha-based MRA—The Management Association says companies should foster a work environment that values individuals and does not tolerate negative behaviors and attitudes.

The organization suggests five ways workplace bullying and harassment can be avoided: 1. Have a workplace harassment policy in place that includes verbal abuses and anti-bullying procedures.

2. Be vigilant. Employers should ensure they

are in a position to observe day-to-day activity and interactions so they can recognize and inquire about any harassment, intimidation or other types of bullying that appear to be happening.

3. Create and model a culture of respect for individuals. Set values, policies and codes of conduct to reinforce a positive and inclusive workplace.

4. Train managers, supervisors and employees on the policies and procedures. Make sure the organization acts consistently and effectively to prevent and stop the negative behaviors.

5. Don’t drop the ball. Promptly respond to a problem or concern. Make the complaint a priority. Take appropriate action when harassment or bullying is identified. The only way to eliminate this negative behavior is to promptly address it when it occurs. n

RCH 6

INE MA L D A E D ED

EXTEND

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR:

NOTABLE

LGBTQ EXECUTIVES BizTimes Milwaukee is launching the BizTimes Media’s 2020 Notable LGBTQ Executives feature in the April 13 issue of BizTimes Milwaukee. This special editorial feature will profile LGBTQ executives in the Milwaukee area.

Your company, and its executives, are invited to submit a nomination that will help us determine this year’s honorees. The special section will run in print and online, recognizing the chosen individuals for their leadership and accomplishments.

DEADLINE IS MARCH 6TH To learn more and nominate, visit biztimes.com/notable

Marketplace

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GET THE WORD OUT! News? Press Releases? Awards?

Show them off in BizTimes’ new BizUpdates section.

Submit your company news at at biztimes.com/bizconnect

biztimes.com / 41

BizConnections BIZ PEOPLE

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

MANUFACTURING Everbrite, LLC Names New President Brian Kuhnau Everbrite, LLC, one of the sign industry’s largest providers of indoor and outdoor signage solutions to Fortune 1000 companies, is proud to announce the promotion of Brian Kuhnau to company President. Mr. Kuhnau most recently held the position of Vice President - Outdoor Operations at Everbrite. Before joining the company, Mr. Kuhnau served in a variety of executive leadership positions with other manufacturing companies in the Milwaukee area. “I’m excited to lead our outstanding Everbrite Team and to work more closely with our exceptional customers and valued supply partners.”, stated Mr. Kuhnau.

BANKING

NONPROFIT Doug Brodzik Joins First Business Bank

Doug has over 25 years of experience in Commercial Real Estate lending.

Doug holds a BBA in Real Estate and Urban Land Economics, an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and is a graduate of Banking School at the University of Virginia.

ARCHITECTURE EUA is pleased to announce that Chris Johns will be rejoining EUA as Industrial Market Leader and Senior Project Manager with the Workplace studio. He will support project development efforts as well as lead projects and teams.

Stantec’s Sarah McDonald appointed President of ASLA Wisconsin.

Stantec’s Sarah McDonald has been appointed President of the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architecture, where she will work to promote the profession of landscape architecture through education and advocacy.

LEGAL SERVICES The Milwaukee, Wisconsin based trial and litigation law firm of Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown LLP (GRGB) is pleased to announce the addition of Attorney Christopher M. Hayden to the firm’s Civil Litigation and Real Estate team.

New Hire?

Share the news with the business community!

Announce new hires, promotions, accolades, and board appointments with BizPeople.

Visit biztimes.com/bizconnect to submit your news!

42 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

SPORTS BUSINESS VISIT Milwaukee’s Marissa Werner Promoted to Director of Sports Development.

VISIT Milwaukee’s Marissa Werner was promoted to director of sports development, creating an entirely new sports division for the visitors bureau. The official launch of this new division will take place in August 2020.

To place your listing, or for more information, please visit biztimes. com/bizconnect

NONPROFIT MILWAUKEE REP PLANS EXPANSION, RENOVATION OF DOWNTOWN THEATER COMPLEX The Milwaukee Repertory Theater is planning a 30,000-square-foot expansion and renovation of the Patty & Jay Baker Theater Complex in downtown Milwaukee.

“We’ve repurposed hallways into offices, our venues are playing at capacity, we have not enough shop space, we have almost zero classroom space and yet we serve 20,000 students a year,” said Chad Bauman, The Rep’s executive director.

The Rep is laying the groundwork to expand the building at 108 E. Wells St near its Wells Street entrance to house a new education and engagement center and create a larger lobby.

Plans also include repurposing the existing complex to “cre-

ate a new building from bottom up inside our current structure,” Bauman said.

The facility houses three theaters, the Quadracci Powerhouse, Stiemke Studio and recently renovated Stackner Cabaret, along with rehearsal facilities, production shops and administrative offices.

The expansion and renovation will involve a significant capital campaign, but costs for the project haven’t been determined yet, Bauman said.

A 2019 facility audit by national planning and design firm Auerbach, Pollack and Friedlander determined the theater company has outgrown its complex and all major systems in the facility are overdue for replacement.

— Lauren Anderson

c alendar First Stage will host its Make Believe Ball at 7 p.m. on Saturday,

March 7 at Hilton Milwaukee City Center. The evening will include kids’ activities, silent and live auctions, dinner and dancing. More information is available at firststage.org.

The Milwaukee Awards for Neighborhood Development Innovation (MANDIs) will be held from 4:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 2 at Potawatomi Hotel and Casino. More information is available at lisc.org.

Pathfinders will host Streets: An Evening for Youth Empowerment

from 5-8 p.m. on Thursday, April 16 at Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel, 139 E. Kilbourn Ave. The event will honor the organization’s 50 years of service. More information is available at pathfindersmke.org.

nonprofit

SPOTLIGHT

W I S C O N S I N C O N S E R VAT O R Y OF MUSIC

1584 N. Prospect Ave., Milwaukee and several satellite teaching locations throughout the community (414) 276-5760 | wcmusic.org Facebook: facebook.com/wcmusic.org | Twitter: @wcmusic1899 Year founded: 1899 Mission statement: Inspiring individuals and communities through exceptional music education accessible to all.

Primary focus of your nonprofit organization: Wisconsin Conservatory of Music goes where music is needed in southeastern Wisconsin. That includes economically-challenged neighborhoods of Milwaukee, where thousands of children do not have equal access to the cognitive and social-emotional benefits of music.

The Conservatory offers partner sites a sequential-based curriculum that meets state and national education standards.

Our 100 highly-trained faculty members currently deliver lifelong music education to about 10,000 students of all ages and skill levels at four Conservatory locations and dozens of community partner sites.

D O N AT I O N R O U N D U P

Number of employees at this location: 102

Cousins Subs recently gave a combined $7,000 in grants to four Wisconsin organizations, SOAR Fox Cities, Town of East Troy Police Department, Victims of Milwaukee Violence and Waukesha County Dental Clinic, through the company’s Make It Better Foundation | Eppstein Uhen Architects recently announced it raised more than $95,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee and Operation Fresh Start at its 15th annual Beyond Design Bike Tour. | Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel’s Canvas Rooms have raised more than $11,000 to benefit the Milwaukee Artist Resource Network, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Artists Working in Education, 88.9 Radio Milwaukee and This Time Tomorrow Foundation. | Spectrum recently awarded the Milwaukee Urban League with a $25,000 Spectrum Digital Education Grant for its Digital S.O.S. program, as part of the company’s $5 million national commitment to digital education across the country.

Key donors: Bader Philanthropies, Theodore W. Batterman Family Foundation and Lynde & Harry Bradley Foundation.

Executive leadership: Eric Tillich, president and CEO; Shalisa Kline, executive vice president Board of directors: Mike Arnow, Ulrich Broeckel, Alan Giuffre, Arvind Gopalratnam, Henry Herzing, James Holtz, David Hoover, Trent Johnson, Mason Khan, Tom Lacy, Judith McGregor, Jack Miller, Christopher

Nolte, Ulice Payne, Benjamin Pavlik, Margot Schwartz, Mitch Shiner, Billie Jean Smith, Kurt Thomas, Eric Tillich, Kimberly Walker, Terrence Wilkinson and Wendell Willis Is your organization actively seeking board members for the upcoming term? Yes What roles are you looking to fill?

Wisconsin Conservatory of Music seeks diverse experiences and perspectives, especially those with skills in community engagement and relationships, partner connections, fundraising, and a passion for transforming lives through music education. We are intentionally moving into more diverse spaces and are actively seeking leaders who reflect the community we serve.

Ways the business community can help your nonprofit: The story of the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music’s transformation from East Side, college-level conservatory to a mission-driven, nonprofit community music school is not widely known. The Conservatory seeks introductions to community partners whose programs could be enhanced by adding music programming; recognition that music is part of a STEAM education for the next generation of employees, and advocacy for the arts in education through business community members actively sharing stories of how music influenced their education and careers.

Key fundraising events: 120th Anniversary Gala on May 7

biztimes.com / 43

BizConnections VOLUME 25, NUMBER 22 | MAR 2, 2020

GLANCE AT YESTERYEAR

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

5th & National in the late ‘50s This September 1959 Herman Wudtke photo shows the southern side of the intersection of South 5th Street and West National Avenue in Milwaukee. Across the street in the National Block Building is The Hollywood Store, a department store, while Brady’s Clothing, which sold men’s and boy’s clothing, is in the foreground. Today, the National Block Building is being converted into apartments with ground floor retail while the Brady’s Clothing location is home to Farm Girl Art & Antiques.

— Photo courtesy of the Milwaukee Public Library

COMMENTARY

Milwaukee area grows as tourist destination FOR MOST PEOPLE, when they think of the top tourist destinations in America, Milwaukee doesn’t come to mind.

But tourism is a very important part of the Milwaukee area’s economy. Visitor spending in Milwaukee County was $2.1 billion in 2018, according to the latest data from the state Department of Tourism. Of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, Milwaukee is the top ranked for tourism spending; Waukesha is the fourth highest and Walworth the sixth.

2020 will certainly be a banner year for tourism in southeastern Wisconsin, with the DNC in Milwaukee in July and the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in September. But there are several other reasons to be excited about the region’s tourism industry beyond those huge one-time events.

The region is booming with hotel development downtown and in the suburbs, with several that have opened recently, are under 44 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

construction or planned. Data from Hendersonville, Tennessee-based hotel data firm STR indicates the downtown Milwaukee hotel market had a banner year in 2019.

Plans to expand the downtown Milwaukee convention center (the Wisconsin Center) are finally moving forward. Construction is expected to begin in spring of 2021. The expansion is desperately needed for Milwaukee to be competitive with other cities for attracting conventions.

Incredibly, Milwaukee is growing as a cruise ship destination (see the cover story of this issue of BizTimes Milwaukee). Last year 10 passenger ships docked at Milwaukee, more than double from 2018. Those ships brought 3,200 tourists to Milwaukee. This year, Port Milwaukee expects to welcome 14 cruise ship port calls, bringing more than 4,000 visitors to the area. In 2022, Viking will launch new Great Lakes cruises with 20 that start or end in Milwaukee, which will bring more than 8,000 visitors here. While a far cry from a major cruise ship port like Miami, the growth of Milwaukee as a cruise ship destination is a nice boost for the region’s economy, and it exposes the city to people who could come back or encourage others to visit.

As highlighted in a BizTimes Milwaukee cover story last year, the city’s growing craft brew-

REPORTER Maredithe Meyer maredithe.meyer@biztimes.com 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 —

ing scene is attracting more beer-enthusiast visitors. Considering its heritage as a brewing city, this is an area Milwaukee should continue to lean into and take advantage of.

Milwaukee’s music scene continues to improve. Fiserv Forum has already attracted a long list of big-time concerts. Improvements to the American Family Insurance Amphitheater at Henry Maier Festival Park, which will be completed this year, should help Summerfest continue to attract top acts. Alpine Valley also had a resurgence last year.

Visit Milwaukee is creating a new sports division to work on attracting sporting events of all sizes to the Milwaukee area. With Miller Park, Fiserv Forum, world class golf courses and numerous other venues, there is tremendous potential to attract more pro, college, high school and youth sporting events to the area. The NBA All-Star Game should be target No. 1. n

ANDREW WEILAND EDITOR

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

AROUND TOWN Radio Milwaukee’s SoundBites fundraiser

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Radio Milwaukee recently hosted its ninth annual SoundBites fundraiser at The Ivy House. The event celebrates the city as an “upand-coming culinary and music mecca.”

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SALLY SIEGEL of Falk Ruvin Gallagher Real Estate, SANDI ADAMS of Mindpool Live and KATHY WOHLT of Pegasus Partners.

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JOE MASSIMINO of Shorewest Realtors, DAVID SCHMINKE II of Salon Medusa, LYNN CORNWELL of Acuity and BRAD GLOCK of Acuity.

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ALEX LAHR of Ocupop, and SARAH MCCLANAHAN, MADDY RIORDAN and KYLE HELLER, all of Radio Milwaukee.

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VICTOR FRASHER, SHANNON HUOT, LINDA HOOVER and ASHLEY MADALA, all of Educators Credit Union.

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PETER ADAMS of Radio Milwaukee, SABASTIAN MEI of Milwaukee Film and JOE BAKER of Carmen Schools of Science and Technology.

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JEFF FETE of Renaissance Theaterworks, SUZANNE SINGH of Rocket Cat, DR. MARK HOLLISTER and SUZAN FETE of Renaissance Theaterworks.

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RAMSEY RENNO and MARINA MIELKE, both of Ivy House.

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Photos by Brandon Anderegg

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Milwaukee’s 174th Birthday Party The Milwaukee Press Club recently hosted the City of Milwaukee’s 174th Birthday Party at the Grain Exchange downtown.

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KEELY MOEDE and ELLIE O’NEIL, both of Mueller Communications.

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MAGGIE KRUEGER and CARISSA BUCHANAN, both of Rogers Behavioral Health.

10. CARRIE HARRIS of Advocate Aurora Health, JIM HARRIS of Shorewest Realtors and CRAIG SCHANNING of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

11. COURTNEY BIRMINGHAM of Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, and TIFFANY CORIS and PETE COONEY, both of the Pabst Theater Group.

12. CURT GIELOW of Gielow Ventures and MARY GIELOW of Luminaries Public Relations.

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13. FRAN FYTEN, SAM ORNE and BRENDAN GRIFFITH, all of Reputation Partners.

Photos by Lauren Anderson biztimes.com / 45

BizConnections

my TOUGHEST

MARK FAIRBANKS

Challenge

Position: Co-founder and executive director Organization: Islands of Brilliance What it does: Islands of Brilliance is a learning experience developed specifically for children and young adults on the autism spectrum.

Career: Mark Fairbanks started his career in creative design while his wife, Margaret Fairbanks, was a professional actress. The couple founded Islands of Brilliance in 2012.

THE CHALLENGE When Mark and Margaret Fairbanks’ son Harry was diagnosed with autism, they were told to lower their expectations. The prognosis was he wouldn’t be prepared for first grade and he likely wouldn’t go to college, a neurologist told the couple in 2001.

“In that moment, while Marg and I agreed with the diagnosis, we were like, ‘How can you say that? This kid isn’t even three years old,’” Mark said.

“That really solidified this almost defiance because I said, ‘He’ll be ready for first grade and we will determine what he’s capable of doing.’”

Mark Fairbanks had just started an advertising agency six months before Harry was diagnosed, while Margaret Fairbanks, an actress, was shooting a pilot episode for a TV series in Chicago.

“Now you’re faced with a lot of uncertainty with one of your children, so, not unlike when parents have a medical diagnosis that might be cancer, I think that what autism carries with it is that it’s a mystery. You don’t know where they are on the spectrum and you don’t know how they’re going to develop,” Mark said.

THE RESOLUTION While the Fairbanks were blindsided by the diagnosis, the couple realized their careers and personalities uniquely positioned them to raise a son with autism.

“There was a little of ‘this happens to other people’ type of thing,” Mark said. “But in retrospect, it happened to exactly the right people because we were able to, particularly Margaret, was able to connect with Harry on his own level. She went from being a professional actress to being an amazing special education teacher. For me, I went from being a creative director of an ad agency to essentially a creative director of an agency for kids with autism.”

JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

THE TAKEAWAY

46 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 2, 2020

As Mark and Margaret raised their son, they began to understand what worked and what made him progress socially and academically. The couple wanted to share their success with others, which was the genesis for Islands of Brilliance.

“When we had the idea, I had no idea of the depth of the experience and how it affects people and the richness of the relationships that were built,” Mark said. “I thought it was something special, but I never imagined that it was going to be… I don’t even think about the scale of it. It’s just how profound it’s been in ways that I couldn’t, you just can’t imagine. How it’s grown and the ripple effects of it are unreal.”

Harry is now a senior at the University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin where he recently completed a project that explores how health care practitioners can better advocate for and interact with people who are neuro-diverse.

“What he’s doing now is just stuff that blows me away,” Mark said. “We’re really proud of his own individual accomplishments, but his story has been life-changing for so many families with kids in the community. The fact that he has inspired this program and all of these kids, families and the volunteer community as well, it’s incredible.” n

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