BizTimes Milwaukee | March 16, 2020 by BizTimes Media

Presents:

April 30, 2020 | 7:00-11:00 am | West Bend Mutual Insurance Company’s Prairie Center

A Futurist Toolkit: Seven Practical Ideas on How We Get to 2035 Join us on April 30th as Futurist David Zach shares his insights on the future of Washington County for the next fifteen years and beyond. 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. David Zach

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. David J. Decker, President, Decker Properties, Inc.

W. Kent Lorenz, Retired Chairman, CEO, Acieta LLC Decker

Lorenz

Seeger

Debbie Seeger, Co-Founder & Senior Vice President, Patina Solutions.

Following the presentations, the program continues with unique roundtable discussions led by an expert discussion leaders. Attend any three. Topics to include (partial list): § Change Management § Economic Development § Education and Upskilling Your Workforce § Health Care & Wellness § Leadership Development § Talent Attraction and Creating Strong Cultures

§ Technology Trends For Manufacturers § The Future of Housing and Construction Trends § Transportation § Wealth Management § Workforce Development

W E A L T H

M A N A G E M E N T

Partners:

LOCALLY OWNED FOR 25 YEARS

» MAR 16 - 29, 2020

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BizTimes Milwaukee (ISSN 1095-936X & USPS # 017813) Volume 25, Number 23, March 16, 2020 – March 29, 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 BEHIND THE SCENES 6 PUBLIC RECORD 7 BIZ TRAVELER 8 BIZ POLL GETTING THERE 9 REV UP 10 STYLE

12 Biz News 12 A DVICE FOR BUSINESSES NAVIGATING THE CORONAVIRUS 14 SHOP TALK 15 THE INTERVIEW

17 Real Estate 34 Strategies

COVER STORY

34 LEADERSHIP Kathleen Gallagher 35 ETHICS George Satula

36 A BRIEF CASE

39 Biz Connections 39 NONPROFIT 40 GLANCE AT YESTERYEAR COMMENTARY

Special Report

41 AROUND TOWN

20 M&A Big Deals

In addition to the cover story, coverage includes a feature on 7Summits founder and CEO Paul Stillmank, who was the keynote speaker at BizTimes Media’s annual M&A Forum, and a report on the panelists who spoke at the M&A Forum.

COA YOUTH & FAMILY CEN TE RS

CH IL DREN’ S W IS CO N SIN PHONE: (414) 266-6100 WEB: chw.org/giving

PHONE: (414) 263-8383 WEB: coa-yfc.org

Children’s Wisconsin is a private, independent, not-for-profit health care system dedicated solely to the health and well-being of children. Our vision is that the children of Wisconsin will be the healthiest in the nation, and we strive daily to fulfill that vision through nationally ranked clinical care, advocacy, research and education.

2020 GIVING GUIDE FEATURED NONPROFIT

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

42 LAST WORD

COA Youth & Family Centers helps Milwaukee children, teens and families reach their greatest potential through a continuum of educational, recreational and social work programs offered through its urban community centers and rural camp facility. As a multicultural agency, COA values diversity and promotes positive social interaction.

2020 GIVING GUIDE FEATURED NONPROFIT

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

biztimes.com / 3

Leading Edge

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

NOW

Molson Coors tries to move forward By Andrew Weiland, staff writer Employees at the Molson Coors brewery in Milwaukee are back at work and trying to move forward following the Feb. 26 mass shooting by a brewery employee that killed five employees, plus the gunman. Police identified the victims

as Dale Hudson, 60, of Waukesha; Gennady Levshetz, 61, of Mequon; Jesus Valle Jr., 33, of Milwaukee; Dana Walk, 57, of Delafield; and Trevor Wetselaar, 33, of Milwaukee. The suspect, who police said died from a self-inflicted gunshot

BY THE NUMBERS

The automated grocery and home-delivery facility that The Kroger Co. plans to build in Pleasant Prairie could employ up to

700

people in five years.

4 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 16, 2020

wound, was identified as Anthony Ferrill, 51, of Milwaukee. “There are no words to express the deep sadness many of us are feeling right now,” Molson Coors Beverage Company chief executive officer Gavin Hattersley said in a statement on the day of the incident. “The most important thing is that we support and care for each other.” Police have released few details about how the incident unfolded and say it remains under investigation. The shooting occurred on a Wednesday and the company shut down operations at the Milwaukee complex. Brewery operations resumed a week later on Wednesday, March 4. In an email to employees, obtained by WISN TV-Channel 12 (a media partner of BizTimes Milwaukee), the company said, “We know everyone is grieving and coping … in their own way. And we’re all in different stages of the process. While many people are still struggling and aren’t yet ready to come back to work, others want to return to the office and a sense of normalcy. And the reality is some people are unsure what to feel right now. Please know that no matter how you are feeling, it’s okay and we support you … We recognize not everyone will feel ready to come back, and that’s absolutely fine.

We want to help in any way we can and understand some people may need additional time.” The company said there is no current threat, but it is increasing security. It implemented bag checks at all of its brewery and corporate campuses in the U.S. Armed officers were added at several Milwaukee buildings. The company also said it is increasing unarmed security at the Milwaukee campus. The company also acknowledged that Ferrill, an African American, had experienced racial harassment at work. In 2015, a noose was found on his locker, a spokesman for the company said. “While we have not, do not and will not tolerate any form of discrimination, we will continue working to ensure we have the kind of open, welcoming environment our company believes deeply in,” Molson Coors spokesman Marty Maloney said. Responding to rumors and speculation about Ferrill’s motive, Milwaukee Police issued a statement saying, “neither race nor racism has been identified as a factor in this incident. This investigation remains ongoing…the Milwaukee Police Department is not aware of any of the victims targeted in the mass shooting being involved in any inappropriate or racist behavior toward the suspect.” n

BEHIND THE SCENES JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

Bay View Bowl By Maredithe Meyer, staff writer

n the early days at Bay View Bowl on South Kinnickinnic Avenue, pin boys stood at the end of each lane to manually place pins in their triangle formation for the next frame. “They got paid a penny a pin or something,” said owner Mike Kosinski. He and his wife, Andrea, have operated the 12-lane bowling alley and bar for 21 years. The iconic establishment has been around since 1925. While pins are no longer set by hand, its wooden lanes are believed to be original – or close to it – and automated Brunswick pinsetters date back to the ‘60s and ‘70s, Kosinski said. Maintenance is a huge part of Bay View Bowl’s 14-employee operation. All 12 lanes are cleaned and oiled once a day, and every other year, the surface is sanded and leveled in order to meet bowling league standards and certifications. It’s a lot to keep up with, but business right now is the best it’s been in 20 years, which Kosinski attributes to recent growth throughout the Bay View neighborhood. “Bowling is back and very popular,” he said. n

Bay View Bowl draws about 60 to 70 bowlers per night for league play, followed by its popular late-night “glow bowling.”

If any part or piece of equipment were to break, the bowling alley has a full supply of replacement hardware at the ready.

Electric pinsetter machines collect fallen pins and load them into a deck that releases a new rack before each frame.

Balls are repaired in-house.

A machine, worth $10,000, is used to clean and oil all 12 lanes daily.

biztimes.com / 5

Leading Edge

THE

PUBLIC

RECORD Thursday, April 16

7:30 AM - 9:30 AM Brookfield Conference Center - 325 S. Moorland Rd. - Brookfield, WI 53005 When running a business, having a clear roadmap is critical to the future growth and development of your company. But why do most business plans fail? Jerry Jendusa, Co-Founder of STUCK LLC will lead this interactive program designed to help you create a more informed, agile and engaging strategic plan.

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

Which southeastern Wisconsin companies pay board directors the most? By Arthur Thomas, staff writer Berkshire Hathaway chairman Warren Buffett called attention to the growing compensation of board directors in his annual shareholder letter. “Director compensation has now soared to a level that inevitably makes pay a subconscious factor affecting the behavior of many nonwealthy members,” Buffett noted. He pointed out that as a director of Portland Gas Light in the 1960s he made $100 annually while directors now making $250,000 to $300,000 “for board meetings consuming a pleasant couple of days six or so times a year” now make three to four times the median annual household income in the U.S. Buffett did note the work of directors has become more complicated, but also pointed out that directors often don’t have incentives to challenge chief executive officers and company leadership. “When seeking directors, CEOs don’t look for pit bulls,” Buffett wrote. “It’s the cocker spaniel that gets taken home.” Among southeastern Wisconsin companies tracked by BizTimes Milwaukee, annual director compensation – comprised of cash and stock – ranges from $28,500 on the low end at Koss Corp., to $415,000 for the highest paid Fiserv Inc. director. On average, the lowest paid director at the 33 companies with available data makes $181,747 for board service. The average highest paid director makes $251,351 annually. Below is a list of area companies with the highest director compensations. n

April 13, 2020

Southeastern Wisconsin Public Company Director Compensation

Space Reservation: March 25, 2020

Company

Business in Washington County

April 27, 2020 Space Reservation: April 8, 2020 Contact Linda Crawford today! Phone: 414.336.7112 Email: advertise@biztimes.com 6 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 16, 2020

Low

High

Fiserv

285,037

415,037

Enerpac Tool Group

280,008

402,061

Kohl's Corp.

243,750

394,989

MGIC Investment

263,000

355,000

ManpowerGroup

275,000

345,102

Harley-Davidson

235,000

343,477

Johnson Controls

275,000

330,000

Modine Manufacturing Co.

208,745

318,746

Snap-on Inc.

231,308

300,563

Associated Banc-Corp

195,000

296,500

Manitowoc Company Inc.

100,232

290,187

Rockwell Automation

252,305

288,223

Physicians Realty Trust

160,000

286,169

B I Z T R AV E L E R : C H I C AG O JUS TIN JULE Y Marketing manager, HNTB

As a marketing manager for transportation infrastructure solutions firm HNTB, Justin Juley oversees the day-to-day operations of the company’s Milwaukee-based marketing team. He previously spent more than two years traveling to HNTB’s Chicago office two days per week to support that market. n

T R A N S P O R TAT I O N :

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

“I take the Amtrak Hiawatha line from our downtown Milwaukee Intermodal Station to Chicago’s downtown Union Station. Thankfully, our HNTB office is just a few blocks walking distance from Union Station. Walking can often be faster than traffic when going short distances. When I need to go farther there are plenty of Uber/Lyft rides available, or hopping on CTA is convenient, especially around the downtown Loop and if I need to head out to O’Hare during rush hour, which always feels like any hour when comparing to Milwaukee traffic.”

“Catching a concert at the Huntington Bank Pavilion during summer is always fun, right on the lake and near the beach. Schubas Tavern is also one of my favorite small music venues where you can catch up-and-coming artists. Events at the Lincoln Park Zoo can provide plenty of family-friendly activity and it’s free. If you’re into architecture and history there are great river cruises available. I geek out a bit when it comes to understanding our universe, so the Adler Planetarium is a good spot to explore that fascination (and is a great environment for private parties).”

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

E XC U R S I O N S:

ACCO M M O DAT I O N S A N D F O O D : “The Palmer House is one of my favorite hotels in Chicago. The character and history of the building alone is worth the stay. It’s also close to a number of attractions in the theater district and right near Millennium Park, the lakefront and Chicago Museum Campus. It’s also an affordable Hilton Hotel, which helps me rack up points as a Hilton Honors Member. “For one reason or another, I seem to find myself at South Branch Tavern & Grille. It’s quick and easy with something for anyone and has a modern feel with its location near Union Station and on the river. It’s a convenient place for lunch or happy hour if you’re in that area, as I often am.”

T R AV E L T I P : “If you travel to Chicago fairly regularly (once every other week or so), get the multi-ride 10-pack of Amtrak tickets. Not only can you save money, but you get priority boarding and can skip an often long line during peak trains. Once you’re on the train, I’ve come to enjoy the quiet car, which has more comfortable seats and space. If you can avoid reclining your seat all the way back, passengers behind you will appreciate it. If you’re an early riser leaving Milwaukee’s Intermodal Station on the 6:10 a.m. train, you can park your car on St. Paul Avenue for free, if returning the same day.” biztimes.com / 7

Leading Edge BIZ POLL

GETTING

A recent survey of BizTimes.com readers.

Do you think additional gun control laws are needed? YES:

NO:

55%

45%

THERE

What drew you to Safe & Sound? “I went to MPS, graduated from UWM and grew up in the Sherman Park neighborhood. So I’m all too familiar with the challenges. And I think Safe & Sound is really positioned right now to respond to a lot of the needs of the community.”

What do you bring from your previous experience? “I figured out early on that my place was in government and the nonprofit world, trying to figure out how we can work on the macro level to make deep impactful change within our communities. I’ve been so fortunate to have had so many opportunities come my way to be able to make an impact, first in my time at the city of Milwaukee and then MPS … The leadership I’ve been able to exhibit in those roles has really prepared me for this role at Safe & Sound.”

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

What’s next for Safe & Sound? “Figuring out ways to build capacity both with our fundraising and our partnerships to be able to deliver our unique perspective and model to more residents in more communities in more neighborhoods in the Milwaukee area … We’ve been a city that’s been really siloed, both on the nonprofit side and government side, and, as we can see from our disparities, it hasn’t done us any good. I’ve always felt that we’re going to do better together. And a rising tide does indeed lift all boats.”

Why should the business community pay attention to Safe & Sound’s work?

Save the date for this year’s Go Red for Women® Celebration. May 6, 2020 | 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. | The Pfister Hotel Co-Chairs: Coreen Dicus-Johnson | Anne Zizzo

“We get results as an organization – measurable, direct results within the communities that we service throughout Milwaukee. The people that we serve, these youth that we serve are your future workforce. That investment that you make now will pay off tenfold down the line when these folks come into your organization.” n

heart.org/GoRedMilwaukee

JOE’MAR HOOPER

Go Red for Women® is nationally sponsored by:

Executive director, Safe & Sound Inc.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Markets tend to overreact to virus news

History shows markets typically rebound from pandemic fears by Dave Spano It seems like everywhere I’ve been the past few days – from my son’s basketball game to the television and radio news outlets who have approached me – people want to talk about coronavirus and the recent market correction. Dave Spano President & CEO Annex Wealth Management Web: annexwealth.com Social: linkedin.com/company/ annex-wealthmanagement/

Market questions are part of everyday life when you’re running a wealth management firm. For me, it helps to have decades of experience and my CFP™ certification, along with the shared insights of the investment professionals on my team. I can assure you: an understanding of epidemiology is typically not necessary when helping people plan their retirement future. I’m not preparing to add “Virus Services” to Annex’s comprehensive wealth management offering. But decades of watching the markets have given me a deeper understanding of how virus and pandemic fears affect economies and headlines. And while the impact on human lives by coronavirus (COVID-19) has been tragic, there’s plenty of historical data that shows the virus’s effect will likely be short-lived. A quick scan of virus events over the past twenty years shows that while the markets may have been affected in the short term, the longer-term result is often a rebound. A few examples: • The Pneumonic Plague event of September 1994 saw a six-month change in the S&P 500 of about +8%; the 12-month change was +25%.1

Contact: (262) 786-6363

• The SARS Scare in April of 2003 saw a six-month change in the S&P 500 of over +14%; the 12-month change was +20%. • MERS fears from May of 2013 saw a six-month change of over +10%; the 12-month change was about +18%. The list of scares goes far beyond these three examples, and while there are some variances (like the Measles scare of December 2014, which saw the 12-month change -.7%), largely, the rebound from the scare was often positive, and often larger than the six-month change. As you can expect me to say, past performance is not indicative of future returns. But we do believe it’s helpful to gain perspective and see how markets have reacted and subsequently recovered during prior epidemics. Of course, there’s no way to know if this time will be different. We’ve spent the last few days in communication with our clients, whether on the phone or through video segments we’ve sent out to let them know where we stand. While we currently see the U.S. economy on good footing, no one can account for the timing or breadth of a “black swan” event like coronavirus. Still, we can look at history and consider that all the other virus scares we’ve seen over the past decade have subsided, and that virus-related drag on corporate earnings or economic activity will likely end. Breathe. Wash your hands. Protect your health. Don’t panic with your investment portfolio.

Sources: Sponsored Content

1. Sarah Ponczek. ‘Sharp and Short-Lived’: The impact of Health Scares on Markets. Bloomberg. January 21, 2020.

biztimes.com / 11

BizNews FEATURE

The coronavirus.

Air purification units donated by A.O. Smith arrive at Chinese hospitals.

From checking contracts to remote work, advice for navigating the coronavirus Arthur Thomas, staff writer IT IS MORE a matter of when, not if, the coronavirus will spread widely in the United States. “The data … and the spread in other countries has certainly raised our level of our concern,” Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said during a Feb. 25 conference call. “We don’t know exactly when it’s going to happen.” By March 6, the total number of confirmed U.S. cases of the coronavirus or COVID-19 had climbed to more than 200, including 14 deaths. That’s up from 14 confirmed U.S. cases on Feb. 25, when Messonnier issued her warning. Worldwide, there were more than 100,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and more than 3,400 related deaths at press time. “We really want to prepare the 12 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 16, 2020

American public for the possibility their lives will be disrupted,” she said. She encouraged businesses to be flexible in responding to the spread of the virus. The CDC’s recommendations for businesses included the possibility of more telecommuting, flexible work hours or staggered shifts, and planning to operate with increased absenteeism. David Wangrow, assistant professor of strategic management at Marquette University, said the companies that handle the coronavirus best across industries will be the ones that plan ahead. That advance planning could come in a variety of forms, from having multiple suppliers in different geographies for components to identifying what it would take to accommodate more remote work.

“I’ll bet you a lot of companies … they’re going around and digging into their supply chain and seeing where the risks are,” he said. “Hopefully it has people asking some greater questions.” Kate Wegrzyn, a partner at Foley & Lardner LLP, said companies should be communicating with their suppliers, regardless of where they are located. “You want to start talking to them early. Even if they’re not located in China or some of the more affected regions, they may have subcomponents of that component that come from that place, so you need to make sure you’re talking with them early to make sure they can get the parts they need,” she said. Wegrzyn said Foley & Lardner has seen an increase in the number of clients asking the firm to prepare

force majeure notifications to let customers know they may not be able to deliver product on time. “Force majeure provisions are provisions that essentially relieve you from liability for not performing under the contract under certain circumstances,” Wegrzyn said. “Pandemic and disease may or may not be included in that, but the general ‘any cause beyond your reasonable control’ would be broad enough to capture that.” She said it is important for companies to look at their contracts early because some contracts include time limitations for when a company has to provide notice to their customer. “As the global scale of this increases and just about every company is impacted in some way, I think more and more they’ll be looking to their contracts to find out what, if any, protections they have if they’re not able to perform,” Wegrzyn said. Beyond looking closer at supply chains, Wangrow said companies should look at more day-today things. If remote work is not a common practice in an office, a company may need to evaluate what would need to happen to make it possible. “The good management practice would be to get people together, talk about what would work well with that, talk about where some of the limitations would be,” he said. Wangrow said restaurants and other service industries may be faced with several weeks of reduced traffic and may need to evaluate temporary changes in their business model. He said the best ideas for how to navigate through the challenge may come from employees. While larger companies likely have the resources to navigate

through the virus, Wangrow said his biggest concern is for smaller firms, adding companies will need to fall back on what they stand for. “When you’re faced with hard decisions you always go back to what do we stand for, what are the things that ultimately are most important when we’re in a critical situation,” he said. Depending on how severe and prolonged the spread of the virus is, Wangrow said companies may find themselves in difficult financial positions. If that’s the case, he said it is best to be open with employees and show as much loyalty as possible. “My view is always more communication is good … open communication, talking about the situation, talking about the challenges, I think people want that and it builds a lot of trust,” he said. “I really believe that if you do the best you can for your employees

when you’re in a difficult situation, they’re likely to reciprocate.” Area companies have already been taking stock of the coronavirus, including Milwaukee-based A.O. Smith, which has a consumer brand in China and generates nearly a third of its revenue there. When A.O. Smith reported earnings in late January, executives said it was too early to know how the virus would impact its operations. At the time, the company’s president and chief executive officer, Kevin Wheeler, said employees were yet to come back from the Chinese New Year holiday and the scope of the virus remained unclear. “We’re going to have to get a lot more data on how consumers are behaving before we enter into some further guidance and speculations,” he said. The maker of water heaters and air and water purification systems

excluded the potential impact of coronavirus from its initial guidance for the year. However, A.O. Smith said in late February the situation “will have a material adverse impact” on first quarter operating results. “The duration and intensity of the impact of the coronavirus and resulting disruption to our operations is uncertain,” the company said in a securities filing. “While our global supply chains are currently not affected, it is unknown whether or how they may be affected if such an epidemic persists for an extended period.” While concerns about the virus might seem to drive demand for A.O. Smith’s products, the company said in its filing that most of its stores have been temporarily closed or are operating at reduced hours. “In addition, as a significant portion of our products in China require installation by a profes-

sional, actions taken to contain the spread of the virus have, in certain cases, limited access for installation,” the company filing said. A.O. Smith has also contributed to efforts to limit the spread of the virus, donating and installing 2,000 air purification units along with dozens of water heaters and commercial water purifiers to hospitals across China. Blake Moret, chairman, president and CEO of Milwaukee-based Rockwell Automation Inc., said in February that his company is mitigating and managing the impact of the virus while also protecting its employees in China, where the company generates a little more than 5% of its sales. “Some of the moves we made to mitigate tariffs in terms of moving parts of our supply base around are helping to mitigate the impact of coronavirus on our business,” he said. n

Plasti-Coil / Tri-Tec Corp Manufacturing

biztimes.com / 13

BizNews

SHOP TALK Finding roles for humans and machines in manufacturing IT TURNS OUT that polishing is among the manufacturing tasks that are more difficult to automate than others. “It’s really hard to explain to a robot when something is shiny enough,” said Steve Brown, a futurist and chief executive officer of Possibility and Purpose. However, Brown suggested that combining human skills with a robot and other technology could dramatically boost productivity. A robot would start polishing a piece and then, using metallurgy and augmented reality as a guide, a human could finish the process. “We’re moving to a new era of work,” Brown said during his keynote at the 2020 Manufacturing Matters conference presented by WMEP Manufacturing Solutions. Brown pointed to six technologies – 5G and satellite networks, artificial intelligence, autonomous machines, the Internet of Things, blockchain and augmented reality – shaping the future across industries, including manufacturing. “This is a really exciting time to be in manufacturing, because you’ve got some really cool stuff coming that’s going to help you address some of the issues and challenges you have today and that’s going to take what you do to the next level,” said Brown, who previously worked as a futurist and chief evangelist at Intel Corp. Of course, the promise of technology is not new to manufacturing. Automation and robotics have been around for years and more recently experts have pointed to the promise of Industry 4.0 and increasingly the idea of Industry 5.0. 14 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 16, 2020

Brown said that if Industry 4.0 is about digitization and creating a digital model of the manufacturing plant, he feels Industry 5.0 is coalescing around the idea of bringing humans and human skill back into manufacturing. He said it is about creating a manufacturing environment that embraces humans and machines working side-by-side in partnership with the goal of creating more personalized products for customers. “Work is going to change for all of us,” Brown said. “As you look at the tasks you have on the manufacturing floor, this is the job that everybody in America is going to have to go through in the next five to 10 years: Look at all those tasks and ask the tough question, which of those tasks is best done by a human and which is best done by a robot or an AI and how do you use sensors to be able to gracefully handoff between those three?” Within specific technologies, Brown pointed to the ability of AI to collaborate with humans in designing products, trying out thousands of options that meet specifications instead of relying solely on human imagination. “AI enables us to solve problems we don’t know how to solve ourselves,” Brown said. In robotics, Brown highlighted the evolution from machines in cages in factories for safety reasons to collaborative machines that work with humans. “I’m seeing robots in every industry that I work with. They’re getting a lot more capable because artificial intelligence is giving them the capability to see,

Steve Brown delivers his keynote address at Manufacturing Matters.

hear and to understand the world in increasing detail,” he said. Brown played a series of videos showing robots running, jumping, lifting objects and doing a variety of other things that would have seemed unlikely not long ago. He cautioned that he was playing the videos in which the robots worked and there are plenty of examples of things going wrong. While some of the technology is still developing, Brown suggested to his audience of manufacturers that they, along with every other company, are now first and foremost a technology and data company. “The gap between the companies that don’t embrace technology and (those) that do has always been there, but that gap is going to widen dramatically in the next decade,” he said. Ultimately, Brown said the technologies he highlighted would commoditize more physical work and even some knowledge work, creating an opportunity for a new era of work. “As you think about your automation strategy … be smart about how you do it, don’t just try to replace workers. Figure out how you can take the worker you have and lift them up. Figure out how you can use technology to elevate human work, to make it so

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER: 1. Which tasks on your plant floor are best for robots, humans or a combination? 2. How can automation lift up your employees and create new opportunities for them? 3. Does your company truly embrace technology?

your workers really want to come in every day and they’re passionate about the mission that you have,” Brown said. n

ARTHUR THOMAS Associate Editor

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

the

Interview

VISIT MILWAUKEE is creating a new department aimed at drawing sporting evens

to the Greater Milwaukee area. Marissa Werner is at the helm of the new initiative as director of sports development, having recently been promoted after a nine-year stint as senior sports and entertainment manager. BizTimes reporter Maredithe Meyer caught up with Werner about her plans to build on recent momentum in the local sports tourism market. What’s the purpose of VISIT Milwaukee’s new sports division? “We are kind of behind the ball, as you might say, in comparison to our competitive cities and their dedication to sports tourism. It’s been long overdue and very exciting that we have an executive team on board now that is supporting that vision of really creating a central place within Milwaukee for all sport tourism information, from professional sports to amateur to youth. We want to be that go-to place for all information.”

Why now? “With the recent popularity of our own hometown teams – the Milwaukee Bucks and the Milwaukee Brewers – it’s really nice to pivot at this time, especially this year with some other banner events like the Ryder Cup, USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships, USA Ultimate Division I College Championships and USA Gymnastics American Cup. It’s really a banner year for sports (in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin) and it just made sense to take that next step.”

Does Fiserv Forum help raise the city’s profile? “Fiserv Forum is a first-class facility that cannot be beaten anywhere in the country at this time, so it has a natural draw just even with the leisure travelers and events. But with the success of the Bucks, they really are the main dog in the race as the main tenant. We look to fill in the holes where we can, but we have so many other top-notch facilities in the area, from the Pettit National Ice Center, The Rock Sports Complex in Franklin, Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee … We focus on about 12 to 15 facilities within the Milwaukee County area.”

Is an NBA All-Star Game in Milwaukee’s future? “It was so much fun watching some of our own players during the dunk contest (at the 2020 NBA All-Star Game in Chicago). We would love to have that in our own hometown … It’s on the forefront of our minds. We just haven’t found the right timing yet for it to work for all entities involved, but hopefully that should be coming down the pipeline.”

“Our youth events probably bring in some of the largest economic impact … When families are traveling for sports, they tend to stay a day or two because this is their vacation, this is what they’re spending their money on. So, they tend to stay longer in our hotels, spending money in restaurants, experiencing our museums and overall boosting the economy.”

What’s ahead for the region’s golf tourism market, considering the date change of the PGA Championship from August to May? “With the change of the PGA Championship, yes, it would make it more challenging for us to host (as Whistling Straits has in the past) but it doesn’t make it impossible and it doesn’t mean that the dates couldn’t change down the road again. Right now, I know that PGA has great support and respect for our courses here; same with USGA.” n

JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

What’s the draw of youth sporting events?

Marissa Werner Director of sports development VISIT Milwaukee 648 N. Plankinton Ave., Suite 220 Employees: 34 biztimes.com / 15

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A rendering of the 40,000-square-foot warehouse and office building planned for a site along I-43 in Glendale. .

New interest boosts long-planned project at prime I-43 site

IT IS NOT UNCOMMON for development projects to take a long time to move from the planning stage to completion, but it’s been nearly 15 years since Brian Monroe first started laying the groundwork for a development on a prime site along Interstate 43, in Glendale. The project has taken a few big steps recently and Monroe now says the first building is set to break ground this year.

Monroe, managing partner of Mequon-based Earthbound Development LLC, controls a 5.4-acre parcel east of I-43 and a 16.9-acre site to the west. The land is situated north of Capitol Drive, between Green Bay Avenue and Port Washington Road. A small portion of the site is actually in the city of Milwaukee, but the majority is in Glendale. The property owner is the Monroe-led Glendale Partners LLC. At the eastern parcel, Monroe will develop a multi-tenant, 40,000-square-foot warehouse and office building. Monroe said he has serious interest from a tenant for 16,000 square feet, but wouldn’t name them until plans are final. The plan is to seek approvals from Glendale officials in May. Construction could commence shortly after approvals are granted, with completion slated for the end of this year or early 2021. The larger parcel to the west, meanwhile, can accommodate a nearly 150,000-square-foot building. The site has recently drawn interest from a developer, he said.

FEATURED DEAL: F U T U R E B U C Y R U S C L U B B U I L D I N G I N D O W N T O W N S O U T H M I LWAU K E E The city of South Milwaukee is the new owner of the building at 1919 12th Ave., which will soon be home to a banquet facility and museum. Once occupied by Papa Luigi’s II restaurant and Salvatore’s Banquet Hall, the 26,000-squarefoot building was acquired from the former restaurant’s owners. It will undergo a $3 million renovation to create the Bucyrus Club. Skyline Catering will run the banquet center, and the building will also house the South Milwaukee Industrial Museum. South Milwaukee Mayor Erik Brooks said the city’s goal is to eventually sell the building to Skyline. In the meantime, Skyline will be paying rent to the city. This project will be coupled with the development of a city-owned public gathering space nearby, at 11th and Madison avenues. The two projects are receiving $2 million from the Bucyrus Foundation. ADDRESS: 1919 12th Ave. BUYER: City of South Milwaukee SELLER: 1919 12th Ave LLC PRICE: $560,000 biztimes.com / 17

WORKSHOP ARCHITECTS

BREAKING GROUND

FIVE POINTS APARTMENT DEVELOPMENT The city of Milwaukee has selected a team to develop a mixeduse building at a city-owned site, located at 3317-3349 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, in the Five Points neighborhood. Plans for the site include 57 housing units and a total of 12,000 square feet of commercial space. Drawings also depict a basketball court and playground. Plans for the commercial portion include a large makerspace and an area that can be divided into multiple “micro-retail” spaces, said Anthony Kazee of KG Development, a project co-developer. Construction could begin in summer 2021, depending on whether the project is awarded low-income tax credits from the state, Kazee said. DEVELOPERS: KG Development and Martin Luther King Economic Development Corp. SIZE: 75,350 square feet COST: $12.9 million

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The vision for a development at the site first started with Monroe acquiring land in 2005. However, it is recent tenant and developer interest that could result in shovels in the ground in 2020. Other events helping the project move forward include the funding of I-43 improvements last year, an extension in February from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. of a 2018 idle industrial site grant for $435,000 and Glendale approval of a new certified survey map for the site in January. Monroe said his development will only benefit from the freeway project. As part of I-43 rehabilitation work from Capitol Drive to Hampton Avenue, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation will remove the 57-year-old bridge that currently runs through the site, which will lower the roadway. Dan Sellers, a WisDOT spokesman, said the stretch of roadway will be the same height as it is now coming off the Capitol Drive interchange, and will slowly drop down as it heads north. “Through much analysis, the department has determined that removing the bridge and building an earthen fill section with retaining walls is much more costeffective,” Sellers said in an email. Monroe said the end result will “greatly enhance” the development site’s visibility for the 95,000-plus vehicles that use I-43 daily. WisDOT expects to begin construction work in 2021. It also plans to rebuild and expand a section of freeway to the north, starting at Silver Spring Drive. Beyond these recent events, the site had to come a long way before Monroe could even ready detailed building plans. In fact, Monroe said Glendale officials “shook their heads” at some of the challenges when they first looked at the site about 20 years ago. The project started with the acquisition of 19.5 acres from Chicago-based CMC Heartland Partners in November 2005. In the years following, Glendale

Partners has worked to assemble and reconfigure the site, in part by making land swaps with neighboring landowners. The assemblage included acquiring a former rail line and incorporating part of it into the larger development site, giving it better access to Port Washington Road. In all, Monroe completed eight different transactions to come up with the site that exists today. Then there was the matter of getting permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the state to fill existing wetlands, which he said was a six-year process on its own. But the payoff will be the development of the last large piece of vacant land in Glendale, said city administrator Rachel Safstrom. “This has some potential to definitely have prime development,” she said, noting it is the first Glendale property travelers see when heading north along the freeway. Of course, the project hasn’t cleared all hurdles yet. It still needs final approvals from the city. But in reaching this far, Monroe noted his fortune in working with local officials and neighbors. “It has been a long time coming,” Safstrom said. n

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STORY COVER

Clarios employees submerge batteries in water for testing at the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lab in Glendale. 20 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 16, 2020

E G R A H

HE T G IN D A E L

, M JCI O R F RSE IN PL I T U S O R C E S AFT HART C S O I U S T RY CL AR D N I ING E VO LV

BY BRANDON ANDEREGG, staff writer undreds of car batteries are submerged in water on any given day inside the battery lab at Clarios, an automotive battery manufacturer based in Glendale. While it might seem unusual, it’s a meth-

od used to measure a 12-volt battery’s capac-

ity, electrical testing and its initial current capability. Some baths are set to room temperature while others are raised to as high as 70 degrees Celsius to simulate the conditions under the hood of a vehicle, said Jason Fuhr, Clarios engineering director. “By raising the temperature, we’re able to accelerate the life of the battery and understand their performance,” Fuhr said. “Even still, you’re accelerating it but you’re talking about months to years.” That’s because controlling and managing water temperature is a lot easier than air, allowing engineers and scientists to test the failure modes of batteries at a faster rate. Months to years is a considerably shorter timeframe when compared to

JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

the five- to seven-year life expectancy of a battery, Fuhr said. Clarios, formerly known as Johnson Controls Power Solutions, is the world’s largest automotive battery manufacturer and also one the oldest in the U.S., with its lineage tracing back to Sears and Roebuck catalog issues of the early 1900s. biztimes.com / 21

CONTRIBUTED

STORY COVER

1. Craig Rigby, vice president of technology at Clarios. 2. The Globe-Union offices at 5757 N. Green Bay Ave. in 1973. 3. Entrance to Clarios Florist Tower at 5757 N. Green Bay Ave. 4. A look inside a Globe-Union battery plant in 1970. GlobeUnion would become part of Johnson Controls in 1978.

Since splitting from Johnson Controls International plc in May of 2019, Clarios has largely operated quietly from its Glendale campus. Now almost a year old, the company faces an evolving auto industry as it heads into the next decade under new leadership. At the center of the company’s 277,700-squarefoot headquarters is a large (69,000-square-foot) and expensive research battery lab where Clarios analyzes, develops and tests its products. Although the lab is one of 10 around the globe, it has several capabilities unique to the facility. “We have the ability within this facility to analyze, develop and test all of our battery technologies – kind of leading the way towards new products in the market as well as the products our customers are asking for today,” Fuhr said. Scientists in the lab can conduct organic analysis or chromatography, which is the study of gases produced by chemical reactions within a battery. The battery lab is equipped with a Scanning Electron Microscope, which enables scientists to image small particle structures. Clarios also has a vehicle lab where engineers conduct benchmark testing of its batteries on the newest vehicle models to understand how and if products meet the needs of auto manufacturers. However, one of the company’s most essential testing tools is its CT scanner, which provides a non-destructive way of getting an inside look to understand how a battery may have failed. Clarios uses a lot of injection molding parts, so the CT scanner can locate voids in components, which can improve their own manufacturing processes and 22 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 16, 2020

PHOTO BY RICHARD BRODZELLER. COURTESY OF MILWAUKEE PUBLIC LIBRARY

that of their suppliers, Fuhr said. “That has been really powerful with our customers because we may be able to go in and find something that historically our competitors would not be able to identify,” Fuhr said. Clarios has a robust portfolio of battery technologies designed to power virtually every type of passenger, commercial and recreational vehicle, from conventional to fully electric. Its primary customers are global automakers, wholesale distributors, auto retailers and big box stores.

In May 2019, JCI completed its $13.2 billion sale of its power solutions business to Brookfield Business Partners, a Canadian private equity firm, and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, an institutional investor that manages public pension plans in Quebec. In fiscal 2018, then Power Solutions generated approximately $8 billion in annual revenue and produced about 150 million batteries each year. The company now has 16,000 employees across 50 manufacturing, distribution and recycling locations

JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

with 500 employees at its headquarters in Glendale. The brand of the company was changed throughout the facility overnight to reflect the new name, which former Clarios president Joe Walicki said is “about the idea that our path going forward is clear,” he previously told reporters on a call following the sale. Clarios’ headquarters remains on the same corporate campus as Johnson Controls and although new security measures have been added to separate the two businesses’ operations, they still share some services, including a gym, a cafeteria and nurses’ station. Walicki was named president and CEO following the sale, however, he retired in December 2019 after more than three decades with Johnson Controls. Clarios is currently led by Brookfield Business Partners executive John Barkhouse, who is interim CEO and also the board chairman. The company has yet to replace its CEO, but expects to name a new leader in the coming months, Clarios spokeswoman Kari Pfisterer said. Leading up to the sale, public equity investors had a difficult time valuing JCI’s Power Solutions business, said Timothy Wojs, Baird general industrial senior research analyst.

“On the one hand, you had a largely replacement-oriented legacy business around lead-acid batteries, where Power Solutions had a market leading position and that provided a fairly nice recurring revenue business,” Wojs said. On the other hand, the ongoing transition toward hybrid and electric vehicles, which would require significant investments in new technology, could pose a threat to the legacy business over a longer period of time. JCI pursued a strategic alternative for the busi-

ness, ultimately selling it to BBP to focus on its core buildings business, Wojs said. “It’s fairly consistent with what we’re seeing in the industrial world overall,” Wojs said. “This theme of deconglomeratization, where the sum of a company’s parts winds up being more valuable than the combined company, so it makes sense to split them apart.” Although BBP manages a relatively diverse array of businesses, it is primarily focused on industrial and business service companies. Through biztimes.com / 23

PHOTOS BY JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

STORY COVER

6 8

5. An X-ray diffraction machine in the Clarios battery lab. 6. A Clarios employee analyzes battery components. 7. A scanning electron microscope is used to image small particle structures. 8. Batteries undergo testing in Clarios’ lab.

24 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 16, 2020

this lens, the acquisition is aligned with the firm’s investment mandate, said Devin Dodge, BMO Capital Markets equity research analyst. “What makes Clarios a bit unique versus its other investments was the size of the investment and (it) highlights the scale advantage of BBP relative to many other private equity firms,” Dodge said. Dodge believes a number of factors led BBP to acquire Power Solutions, including its leading global market position, high barriers to entry and steady demand profile given that most if its sales are from the aftermarket. However, under Johnson Control’s ownership, Power Solutions had fallen short of management’s targeted margin and profitability improvement, Dodge said. “We suspect that the battery business may not have received the capital and management attention that it required, particularly in U.S. operations,” Dodge said. Craig Rigby, vice president of technology at Clarios, described the transaction as atypical in terms of private equity acquisitions. “Based on the results, Clarios was already a strong company,” Rigby said. “This wasn’t a turnaround situation in the sense that a lot of private equity things can be.” Rigby said the transition has been positive, adding that BBP has given Clarios the freedom to consider how to add value to the company and how it should be run. “They challenge us in many ways in which we weren’t being challenged before,” Rigby said. “Not only in our execution, but also in the way we think about the nature of the business and stretching into areas that maybe we wouldn’t have before.” Johnson Controls’ Power Solutions business was born from JCI’s acquisition of Milwaukee-based Globe-Union Manufacturing Company, which long held the title as the largest automotive battery manufacturer in the world before becoming a JCI subsidiary. Globe’s original business, which dated back to 1911, was manufacturing lighting equipment for farm, street and railway use. As the lighting equipment business dwindled in the early 1920s, the company switched gears to the production of automobile batteries, according to Johnson Controls’ website. Globe was convinced the future was in automobiles, so the company negotiated a contract with Sears to provide batteries for its catalog business in 1924. A year later, Globe needed to meet the demand for batteries, so a company executive formed the Union Battery Company of Chicago. The operations of Globe Electric and Union Battery were consolidated in 1929 to form GlobeUnion Manufacturing Company. In 1978, Johnson Controls acquired GlobeUnion, Inc., becoming a leading domestic manufacturer of automotive batteries for the United States replacement market and the combined domestic replacement and original equipment market. Around 2008, then JCI Power Solutions responded to a change in the automotive industry,

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STORY COVER in which certain parts of the world, such as Europe, saw tighter environmental regulations. Auto manufacturers were required to reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency, and began implementing new technologies to meet their needs, such as “start-stop,” a feature that temporarily turns off a vehicle at a red light rather than sitting idle. While certain types of lead-acid batteries can power a vehicle with start-stop capabilities, others are not equipped to do so over a long period of time. The composition of traditional lead-acid batteries is such that to charge and recharge the battery frequently (turning a car on and off) would considerably reduce the battery’s lifespan, Rigby said. As auto manufacturers increase the complexity of vehicles, adding both computer technology and new features, Clarios has to follow suit, innovating its products to meet vehicle electrification and stringent fuel economy requirements. “That has really forced us to develop a broader range of products that have evolved from the traditional starter battery to things like Absorbent Glass Mat or enhanced battery technology, which improve the capability to support things like startstop,” Rigby said. It may seem counterintuitive to place so much emphasis on lead-acid battery technology as op-

posed to, for example, lithium ion technology, which is used as the primary source of power in electric vehicles. But Rigby says vehicle electrification is not happening as fast as it may appear, adding that large format lithium ion batteries have their challenges. “The challenge on the larger format batteries, to be blunt, it’s a slowly evolving market despite all of the hype and all the articles about how everything’s changing,” Rigby said. “It is changing, but it’s changing much slower than what people think.” In 2019, a total of 17 million vehicles were sold in the U.S., compared to approximately 1.5 million EVs on the road total, according to the Edison Electric Institute, an association representing all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. However, EVs are expected to grow in popularity over the next decade. By 2030, the number of EVs on U.S. roads will reach more than 18 million – or 7% of the 259 million vehicles (cars and light trucks) expected to be on U.S. roads in 2030, according to the EEI. Still, Clarios is not betting all of its chips on the apparent shift to EVs. Instead, the company is doubling down on the growing demand for two emerging technologies in lead-acid. The first is Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM), which can support start-stop technology, and the second is enhanced flooded battery, which is built for an extended life

and with a larger number of charging cycles. “The reality is that 90% of the vehicles produced every year are still relying on engines and traditional battery or AGM battery technology to enable their power needs,” Rigby said. A primary reason for the continued high demand for lead-acid products is that almost all EVs, whether Tesla, Ford, GM or BMW, have a large format lithium ion battery coupled with a 12-volt lead-acid battery and in many cases, an AGM battery produced by Clarios, Rigby said. When a person walks back to their car, hits the remote and the car “wakes up,” the high voltage lithium ion battery of an EV still isn’t on; all that power is coming from a 12-volt battery. In EVs, it’s the 12-volt battery’s responsibility to both jumpstart the high-voltage battery to run the vehicle and at the same time, serve as its backup in case of malfunction. “Even though one’s very big and, frankly, expensive and one’s much smaller, there’s a symbiotic relationship between what the 12-volt battery does to enable the high voltage battery,” Rigby said. A lot of weight is placed on the reliability of lead-acid products and as vehicle manufacturers see advancements in technology, like autonomous vehicles, their role only becomes more significant. In the case of autonomous vehicles, it’s critical to ensure there is sufficient power. If there’s a malfunction, you can no longer count on the driver to bring the vehicle to the side of the road, he said.

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STORY COVER “We don’t worry about the shift to EVs, to be honest with you, because we’re still going to sell our core products into those applications,” Rigby said. “It’s really about managing that transition with our customers in terms of how their needs evolve.” At the same time, Clarios is exploring another segment of the low-voltage electrification space through a partnership with Toshiba. Together, the companies produce a dual-volt battery solution by pairing an AGM battery with a 12-volt lithium ion battery. The lithium ion part of the system powers vehicle functions, but doesn’t start the vehicle. Despite its partnership with Toshiba, Clarios believes its lead-acid products can reach the same efficiency levels without the help of lithium ion technology, Rigby said. “Even though it’s a small lithium battery, it’s not inexpensive; it’s still a challenging technology from a price perspective and a consumer perspective,” Rigby said. “If we can get 80% to 90% of that benefit with an improved lead-acid battery, that’s a much better value proposition to automakers and ultimately to consumers.” Although Rigby doesn’t see the automotive battery industry through the lens of “lithium ion versus lead-acid,” Clarios prides itself on the closedloop circular economy of lead-acid battery prod-

Batteries that are slated to be tested in Clarios’ battery lab.

ucts in the U.S. In fact, 99% of lead-acid batteries in the U.S. are recovered and recycled, according to the Responsible Battery Coalition, a group focused on implementing sustainability metrics and tools for battery life-cycle management. “When someone buys a new battery, that old battery goes into the system and is recovered, it’s processed through recycling and then 97% of the material in that battery is repurposed,” Rigby said. The lead is used to make more automotive batteries, the plastic is used to make new battery cases and the sodium sulfate is sold as a commodity and used in a variety of other industries such as glass manufacturing, detergent manufacturing

and paper pulping. Clarios is a founding member of the RBC, which was established in 2017. As an automotive battery manufacturer, the company has adopted a philosophy to critically think about what it means to manage both its materials and products through their entire life cycle, Rigby said. “As new technologies come to market, be it lithium ion, lead-acid or any new battery technologies, we should have the philosophy that if you can do it with lead-acid, you can do it anywhere,” Rigby said. “No battery should avoid being responsibly managed through its life cycle to the greatest extent possible.” n

FOR N E P O S TION A N I M O N

NOTABLE

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Special Report M&A: BIG DEALS 7Summits chief executive officer and founder Paul Stillmank.

7Summits CEO shares strategy behind company’s rapid growth BY BRANDON ANDEREGG, staff writer IMBUED IN THE FABRIC of Milwaukee-based 7Summits is the pun-intended phrase “shift happens,” an adage that chief executive officer Paul Stillmank said describes the company’s journey to becoming one of the fastest growing companies in America. Stillmank, who founded 7Summits in 2009, built the Salesforce consulting firm on the premise that all kinds of organizations, both for-profit and nonprofit, would leverage online communities and data sets for growth. As a Salesforce platinum partner, the company uses data and predictive analytics to figure out where a business is stuck and how it can obtain more market share. By 2012, 7Summits had $6 million in sales before reaching more than $11 million in 2013. That same year, the company received a growth equity investment from a private equity firm. In 2019, the company landed on the Inc. 5000 list for the fourth time in a decade. Today, the company has 200 employees across 30 states and works with companies internationally. Stillmank recently spoke about his company’s success at BizTimes Media’s M&A Forum, an annual event that provides business leaders with insight and strategies to help them buy or sell a business. He advised the audience that companies seeking capital infusion, private equity partnerships or longer-term M&A outcomes should focus on scaling their company sustainably. 30 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 16, 2020

Sustainable scale can be achieved through three core principles: a focused go-to market, a defined offering set and a predictable bookings motion, Stillmank said. “You have to have a way of telling your story and going to market, but it can’t just stay the same; the market changes,” Stillmank said. “I’ve been doing this for 10 years and you can’t just keep saying the same thing.” A focused go-to market not only means developing a story that clients can digest, but also a story that employees can deliver in a uniform way. “We’ve built playbooks that help our teams go talk about what we sell and how a particular company in a particular industry can take advantage of it,” Stillmank said. “If you have a good go-to market and you have a very defined set of things you sell, your catalog, those are essential elements to build a business.” Another early strategy Stillmank used was taking a snapshot of sales data every week and then building a historical picture of how his team’s sales data behaved over time. With this data, Stillmank can anticipate what sales will look like ahead of time and predict, for example, how long it will take a new hire to reach their quota. “Not only are you growing leaps and bounds but you’ve got the data to tell me you’re going to keep doing it,” Stillmank said. “Not everybody has that so that’s why the predictable data piece is so important when you’re sitting in front of

M&A people.” Over the past decade, 7Summits has had to reinvent itself, revamping its offering set and goto market to show that its strategies can be scaled and deployed for even the largest of companies. “We had to swap out the engine while this thing was in flight with a full team of folks with salaries and everything,” Stillmank said. “All these things were changing, but what held it together was the core tenets of the culture.” For Stillmank, culture isn’t just team-building activities and amenities in an office space. It’s ensuring that everyone on staff understands not only the company’s mission, but also its strategies for attracting clients, which leads back to his core principles. “To me all of these things are cultural,” Stillmank said. “Core values, culture and purpose is all part of it. My entire staff understands this go-to market. They all live it, breath it, they all understand what it means to empower a customer or enable an employee.” Stillmank began cultivating the company’s culture within the first two years of starting 7Summits. For example, he had the entire staff read the book “Mastering the Rockefeller Habits” and then applied those principles to shape important aspects of the company’s culture. As a team, the company created a threeyear strategic plan and sized it down to annual, quarterly and even weekly priorities for the company and each individual. The entire team meets 15 minutes every day and for an hour each week to establish what Stillmank calls “a true rhythm to the business.” When Stillmank started 7Summits, the first step he took was deciding to go “all in.” This meant investing a significant amount of money in the business, including hiring an accountant, a company to manage payroll and a law firm to formalize his business. “A lot of times people are afraid to spend that money and take that big bite because you’re taking a risk,” Stillmank said. “But I believed in my idea.” Fast forward four years, 7Summits was quickly growing and Stillmank needed to reassess how to manage his company’s growth. He also had a considerable amount of personal goals he wanted to achieve, including paying off his children’s college education and taking care of his son with autism. He knew there were several routes 7Summits could take to maintain growth, such as venture capital, private equity or staying the course and growing from profits. Stillmank hired an attorney and a banker and consulted

7Summits senior vice president of experience design studio Bill O’Neil (left) and chief executive officer and founder Paul Stillmank.

with trusted executives from other companies to come up with a prospectus for his company. “To be honest with you, I would like to say

Decades of Experience in Mergers and Acquisitions

that I’m the smartest guy in the world that knew all of this, but I was peeling an onion,” Stillmank said. “I needed to go out to sample the

market and see what’s possible here.” 7Summits ultimately partnered with San Francisco-based private equity firm Sverica International Management, LLC. Stillmank said he didn’t anticipate making that move when he started the company, but knew it was the right decision when the opportunity presented itself. “All of a sudden … a company is coming in and saying, ‘We really want you to stay and run this and grow it, but we’ll let you get some money off the table,’” Stillmank said. “But I maintained a major ownership stake with these new shareholders.” Stillmank stressed the importance of doing thorough research before making these decisions. “There’s companies that are doing cool tech stuff in Milwaukee that don’t understand these steps and this is what this M&A Forum is about,” Stillmank said. “Do those individuals realize the value of what they’ve done and how that might turn into some private wealth for them and others?” n

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Special Report M&A: BIG DEALS

Panelists share lessons from their own journeys at M&A Forum BY MAREDITHE MEYER, staff writer

Andrea Bukacek

Sharad Chadha

Paul Grunau

Ryan Martin

GROWING UP around her family’s construction company, Andrea Bukacek always had a passion for the business she watched her grandfather and father build. So, in September 2019, when she took over Racine-based Bukacek Construction Group Inc. as its third-generation owner and CEO, the acquisition was more than just a deal or transaction. “I saw them take risks to move Bukacek Construction forward,” she said. “… I consider myself fortunate that I have been able to come home with the company that I grew up with.” Bukacek Construction was founded in 1963 by Andrea’s grandfather, James Bukacek, and

was later owned by her father, Nick Bukacek. After 42 years of family ownership, Nick sold the company to his employees in 2001 and retired in 2005. Andrea Bukacek bought the company last year from the employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) that bought it from her father. The 2019 acquisition wasn’t the first time Andrea had the opportunity to buy back the family business. A few years prior, senior members of the ESOP were mapping out possible succession plans, knowing they needed to develop the next generation of leadership. Andrea and Nick considered re-joining, but the timing wasn’t right, she said.

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“I always regretted not capitalizing on the opportunity, at that time,” she said. “Flash forward a few years later, and the opportunity presented itself again. This time, I knew I had to take it.” Bukacek shared her business acquisition story as a panelist at the 13th annual BizTimes Media M&A Forum on March 12 at the Milwaukee Marriott Downtown hotel. The panel discussion included insights, perspectives and lessons learned from her and three other business leaders with a variety of experiences buying or selling a business. One takeaway from Bukacek’s acquisition experience was the central role of the company’s employees during the deal process, and still today. There was unanimous consent by all ESOP members to sell the company, which Bukacek said, was the “strongest endorsement anyone could have that the transition was the right direction forward,” both for her and the employees. “The decision was made early on to maintain the current employee base,” she said. For APi Group chief learning officer Paul Grunau, the way forward for his family’s business was letting go. He and his wife Jeanie acquired Grunau Company Inc. from the Grunau family in 1999. The Oak Creek-based contracting firm was originally founded in 1920 by Paul’s great-grandfather. Grunau sold the business to New Brighton, Minnesota-based APi Group in 2006, and stayed on as president for one year before joining APi as chief operating officer. As part of the deal, all 10 people on the Grunau Company’s leadership team signed five-year employment deals. The decision to sell came at a prosperous time for Grunau Company. As personal guarantors of the business’s debt and bonds, the Grunaus couldn’t keep up with the amount of capital that needed to be borrowed to fund the company’s growth. “We were going to become an

obstacle for the company to grow, and did not want that,” Grunau said. “So, we looked for a partner that would respect the business and brand, and provide resources for us to grow and get better.” Fourteen years later, the Grunau Company is more successful than it’s ever been, Grunau said. He gets to watch from a distance, remaining involved as an informal advisor and mentor to president Bill Ball and a number of employees. “I try to be very mindful of giving the current leader space to lead the company,” he said. The key to a successful buyer-seller relationship, especially when the original owners remain involved with the business, is a shared vision, said Ryan Martin, CEO of Midwest Composite Technologies. The Hartland-based digital manufacturer was acquired by Chicago-based private equity firm CORE Industrial Partners in 2018. Up until it was acquired, MCT had been owned and operated by the Keidl family for 34 years. Chris Keidl and Toby Keidl remain involved as leaders, which was always part of the plan. “The Keidl family wanted to partner with CORE to grow MCT through organic growth and acquisitions,” Martin said. “It was clear that Chris and Toby brought tremendous value to MCT’s next phase of growth, so we engaged them early in the process and made sure they were an instrumental part of the leadership team going forward.” In the second half of last year, MCT made two acquisitions of its own: ICOMold, an Ohio-based company specializing in injection molding, and Fathom, an Oakland-based firm that combines additive and legacy manufacturing techniques. Both acquisitions supported the original vision of growing MCT into a national player in additive manufacturing and enhancing the customer experience, said Martin. Taking a local business national was also what Sharad Chadha had in mind when he acquired Glen-

dale-based Sprecher Brewing. After founder Randy Sprecher told Chadha in late June that he planned to retire, Chadha quit his job at Samsung and spent the next seven months working on a deal that he originally thought would take about 60 days. As CEO, Chadha leads an ownership group of prominent Milwaukee entrepreneurs including Andy Nunemaker, Peter Skanavis, owner of Homeowner Concept Realtors, and brewing industry veteran Jim Kanter, a former MillerCoors executive. Putting together a credible team helped Chadha secure funding from Wauwatosa-based Silicon Pastures as an angel investor, West Bend-based Commerce State Bank, which funded the debt, and other local investors. But Chadha also had to be prepared to tell his story and present a realistic plan for the venture.

“(Investors) look at three main things: Are you putting in your own money? Are you going to do it full time? Are your friends and family putting money into it?” he said. “If the answer of those three questions are good, then people will be more likely to listen.” While the acquisition made headlines when it was announced in late January, Chadha believes the iconic local brand has not reached its full potential for national growth and recognition. “It is my goal to make Sprecher the craft beverage icon of America,” he said. Chadha also did his homework before the acquisition was final. “I met with a lot of customers, networked and spoke with some key distributors and retail customers as well as brokers to ensure there is that potential and that this product has legs and can be taken to the next level,” he said. n

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biztimes.com / 33

Strategies LEADERSHIP

Remembering Paul Purcell Former Baird CEO was a true leader WHEN PAUL PURCELL came charging into town in 1994 to lead Robert W. Baird’s investment banking area, I was a beat reporter covering the company. Sometime during his rise to CEO, we scheduled our first meeting. It was out of the ordinary in two memorable ways. First, Paul said he’d be straight with me as long as I was straight with him. The minute I broke that trust, he’d be done with me. The same way he was done with a well-known Fortune magazine reporter who’d abused his trust. This guy didn’t mess around. Second, Paul left the room for a short time and came back smelling like cigarettes. I couldn’t help but notice he was human – and he couldn’t help but show it. Paul died recently at age 73 after what Baird tweeted was “a valiant fight with cancer.” I’m thankful I knew him. His business achievements were extraordinary. Paul grew Baird during a difficult time in the investment industry that felled many of its peers. He pushed revenue to well over $1 billion from less than $200 million when he started. He more than doubled Baird’s employee count and successfully challenged associates to secure a long-time spot for Baird on the Fortune magazine list of best companies to work for. He dreamed big and pushed those around him to do the same. But to me, more than two decades after our first meeting, it’s Paul’s straightforward and genuine nature that made him so special. He 34 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 16, 2020

was the real deal: A true leader who had the rare ability to make difficult decisions and still be a decent human being. For several years Paul stopped talking to me; he didn’t like some of the stories I wrote about Baird. But neither of us ever broke his initial rule, so he eventually thawed. For that, I’m grateful. A lot of CEOs hide behind their titles. Not Paul. Once, beaten by a national publication on an important story, I left a plea for help on his mobile phone. He was at a big conference, but he called back. “You’re one of the few people who knew the New York investment bankers would leak this to their New York sources,” I said. “You’ve got to at least help us catch up on such a big local story.” He gave me the confirmation we needed. Paul was five years old when his mother died. He and his brother Phil, who went on to become CEO of Morgan Stanley, were raised by their father. Paul once described to me the impact on him and Phil of losing their mom so young: It was the two of them against the world. Maybe that’s one of the reasons he didn’t flinch when he had to make difficult decisions. I heard from more than a few irate Baird employees who were on the wrong side of those decisions, of course. When I asked about one of them, Paul was very direct. He’d given the employees a choice: They could either do it his way and stay at Baird or they could continue to do it their way and leave. They’d chosen the latter. Paul’s decisions meant that rather than going out of business like many competitors, Baird grew and created more jobs. Ultimately, he excelled at the two most important things in a CEO’s job description: Grow the company and leave it in good hands. On 9/11, Paul was one of the first people I called. He said we’d survive the terrorist attacks, that the assault on our country wouldn’t take us down. Later he told me he had no recollection of talking with me that day. Even on autopilot, Paul was a leader, always forging the path ahead. But he knew when to take orders too. It was well-known that Paul – who had never moved from the Chicago area to run Milwaukee-based

Paul Purcell

Baird – had a van outfitted as an office, hired a driver and often worked in his office on wheels. What wasn’t as well known is why he did it. His wife told him he had to. By the nature of our professional relationship, I was always on the other side of Paul. But even from that perspective, it’s clear: Paul Purell was one heck of a guy. n

KATHLEEN GALLAGHER Kathleen Gallagher is a Pulitzer Prizewinning writer and executive director of the Milwaukee Institute, a nonprofit that supports advanced technologies and highgrowth businesses to help the region thrive. She can be reached at Kathleen@mkei.org.

ETHICS

Business ethics Why they matter BUSINESS ETHICS represent the decisive moment when a company does what’s right instead of what’s convenient. Let’s look at some interesting examples where the responsibility to do the right thing got lost somewhere: » Volkswagen cheated on its emissions tests for years. » Uber had a flood of internal scandals and excessive combativeness against almost everyone. » Facebook breached the privacy of millions of its users. » Wells Fargo created millions of fraudulent checking and savings accounts without client consent. Each company had a responsibility to do what is right yet chose a far more self-serving, ambitious path. It’s reasonable to assume that very good people work in each of those organizations. Yet competitive pressure and the quest for financial dominance led to increasing levels of self-deception and self-interest that fostered unethical behavior. Unfortunately, there’s more. Ethical stress from workplace pressures can also lead to employees who are disengaged and dissatisfied. They suffer mental fatigue and often leave for better jobs. Left unchecked, unethical behavior can progressively move people and organizations from innocence to malevolence. Likewise, feigning an appearance of ethical conduct or abdicating responsibility to others doesn’t work. Good intentions are insufficient.

Studies show that people will lie, make bad decisions or even waste resources to protect their “honest” reputation. An organization, working well within the boundaries of ethical behavior, earns the public’s trust. Companies want strong relationships with their employees, customers and stakeholders. Yet it takes time to build a trusted reputation, and it can be lost or severely tarnished when an ethical line is crossed.

HOW ETHICAL ARE YOU?

To help determine if your company is doing the right thing, consider these three questions, suggested in the article “The Trust Crisis” in the Harvard Business Review: 1. “Do we tell the truth?” 2. “On whose behalf are we acting?” 3. “Do our actions actually benefit those who trust us?” If we can live in harmony with our beliefs, values and behaviors, we can find a better way to be honest and successful. The following principles help cultivate a path toward healthier alignment with good business ethics: » Identify a clear sense of purpose. Define what you stand for and know what you won’t tolerate. Determine what you feel good about at a conscience awareness level (known as a “gut check”). » Create your “true north” compass. Develop a list of things to do (or not do) if you face problems that can challenge your ethical responsibility. A prepared list represents a guidance system for self-control and social responsibility. You can expand and improve it in response to changing circumstances. » Develop safeguards. Studies show that anticipating “if/then” situations helps reinforce what you should do rather than what you want to do in the face of uncertainty. This is an ongoing interactive process. » Reflect and learn from ethical successes and failures. This is a time for introspection and honesty, which can help raise the

standards of judgement, self-correction and performance. An objective support network helps you see and think more clearly and honestly in challenging situations. » Avoid self-deception. Other people’s unethical behavior doesn’t justify blind conformity. Look for clues that can trigger lapses in self-control or inaction, particularly when time and resources are limited. » Take responsibility for your own actions. Consider not just initial consequences, but other smaller consequences in determining how a decision will affect others. Put people first when considering the benefits and costs of what you want to do. Peter Drucker, one of the most influential thinkers on management, said, “What do you want to be remembered for?” and “What do you want to contribute?” What he means is that the quest for individual and organizational contribution is more relevant than a singular focus on achievement. Goals are important. But it’s how you get there and what you do that determine why your organization even exists and why it matters. n

GEORGE SATULA George Satula is an executive leadership coach working primarily as a Vistage chairman, leading three CEO mastermind groups in southeastern Wisconsin. He is also a speaker and leadership development consultant. He can be reached at (262) 7867400 or George.Satula@VistageChair.com. biztimes.com / 35

Strategies A BRIEF CASE

How do I incentivize my employees to go the extra mile? Jon Sica Jim Lindenberg Margaux Chandler Owner, instructor Shred415 East Side “The boutique fitness industry is composed of businesses that operate seven days per week, 365 days per year, from early mornings to late evenings. Many employees work at the studio before or after going to another job, at times of the day they are likely tired or worn out. Recognizing their dedication both to their role and to our business is critical; their engagement and desire to be a part of the team is what creates a one-of-a-kind experience for our clients. “To recognize and reward my team, I place little value on extravagant incentives. I aim to motivate my team by creating a positive employee experience, so they genuinely enjoy coming in to work. This is accomplished through fostering a supportive and trusting environment. “As Brené Brown writes, ‘Trust is built in very small moments.’ Small gestures, such as providing snacks in the break room, proactively replacing used and worn equipment and supplies, subbing a class or picking up a shift for someone, and being there or showing up as soon as you can when the unexpected occurs are all actions that earn trust. These types of actions let your team know you are thinking about them and how they feel while they are at work.”

36 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 16, 2020

Owner JML Holdings, Lindy Enterprises, The Union House Restaurant “There is no one thing that will work for all employees. Most managers think it is money, but it usually is not money. It needs to be multiple things. Make the business a pleasant place to work. Be respectful, honest, positive and supportive. Communicate well and create and maintain a great team. Stay connected to your employees. Give good, positive and honest feedback. “It is important for a manager to know each employee very well. Ask them what they want or what motivates them. And really listen. Employees want to be recognized for their hard work. Give them flexible work time. Give them opportunities for growth and advancement. “Give them food. Give them wellness programs. Provide perks and privileges. Present challenges. Provide corporate memberships. Take care of the people who are around and important to your employees. Do some things together outside of work to strengthen your connections and build camaraderie. “Do these things and you will see a positive change amongst your employees. You will see they feel valued. You will see their quality and production of work increase. Keep learning together and keep growing together, and you will stay together.”

Chief strategy officer, vice president of franchise development, project management Batteries Plus Bulbs “Incenting people to go the extra mile is rarely just about compensation. High performers are grown on a steady diet of opportunity and engagement. “Few in business can resist the chance to be great. One of the easiest things a leader can do is open the door. I do this by looking for smart, skilled employees that demonstrate excellence and giving them a platform to do something big. This could be a sales goal, a technology project or a strategic initiative. The approach is a win-win. Success breeds success, and more opportunity for an employee to keep playing in high-profile roles, while the leader gets to show an employee a career path through the exposure and experience they’ve gained. “Engaging employees magnifies results. In its simplest form, it’s about making connections. I engage employees by taking the time to share things they wouldn’t otherwise see, like performance and profitability updates and appropriate parts of BOD presentations. This is a great way to extend trust and transparency, and show employees how their work connects to the big picture. I also engage employees by taking the time to create a personal connection. At least twice a year, I like to meet with everyone on my team in an informal touch base. I’ve found that most are grateful because they’ve never had one-on-one time with a leader. Some want to talk business, some want to talk family – either way, we learn something new from each other. It’s also a good way for me to identify up-and-coming talent, and create opportunities for them to go ‘the extra mile.’” n

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BizConnections BIZ PEOPLE

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

ARCHITECTURE Lawrence Schnuck, Senior Design Principal, Vice President, at Kahler Slater has been elected to a two-year term as Chair of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Foundation Board of Directors.

LEGAL SERVICES Attorney Brian J. Seidl has joined von Briesen & Roper, s.c. in the Madison office. Seidl is a member of the Government Law Group and Employment Section.

BANKING Tony Heller joins Port Washington State Bank as Vice President/Director of Human Resources. His skill set, work ethic, dedication, and philanthropic support fit well with the bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s values and reputation.

NONPROFIT SaintA names Dwayne Marks VP of Child and Family Well-Being. A passionate advocate and technical leader, Dwayne innovates data-driven solutions so every child and family can thrive. He is a founding member of the SaintA Equity Council and has served as CoChair of the Historical Trauma Workgroup.

LEGAL SERVICES Attorney Joshua B. Cronin has joined von Briesen & Roper, s.c. in the Milwaukee and Waukesha offices. Cronin is a Shareholder in the Litigation & Risk Management Practice Group as well as in the Divorce and Family Law Section.

Attorney John A. Rubin has joined von Briesen & Roper, s.c. in the Waukesha office. Prior to von Briesen, he served as a Field and Trial Attorney for the National Labor Relations Board for nearly a decade.

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

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38 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 16, 2020

LEGAL SERVICES

NONPROFIT MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN RECEIVES $2 MILLION IN GIFTS FOR PARKINSON’S RESEARCH The Medical College of Wisconsin has received $2 million in gifts to establish the G. Frederick Kasten, Jr. Endowed Chair in Parkinson’s Disease Research in honor of the former Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc. president, chief executive officer and chairman. Baird leaders, employees, community leaders and the company’s corporate and community partners contributed to the donation. Kasten died in December 2019 after a battle with Parkinson’s. He led Baird as its sixth president between 1979 and 1998. He also served as a member of MCW’s board of trustees

from 1996 to 2008. MCW said the endowed chair will help recruit a beacon physician-scientist to the college and accelerate research in the fight against Parkinson’s, while also strengthening clinical programs related to the disease. The Parkinson’s program at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin currently treats more than 2,500 patients annually. The gift contributes to MCW’s multi-year $225 million Hope to Health fundraising campaign. — Lauren Anderson

c alendar The Women’s Leadership Collaborative, a collaboration of Professional Dimensions, Milwaukee Women inc and TEMPO Milwaukee, will host A Day for Pay Equity on April 2. The collaborative will hold a series of salary negotiation workshops across the city in collaboration with the American Association of University Women. More information is available at wlcmke.com/april-2. Make-A-Wish Wisconsin will host its signature gala, Wish Night, on

Thursday, April 2 at the The Pfister Hotel, 424 E. Wisconsin Ave. The cocktail hour will begin at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. More information is available at wish-night.com. CORE El Centro will host Momentum 2020, its 18th anniversary cel-

ebration, on Tuesday, April 28 at 5:30 p.m. at the Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee. More information is available at core-elcentro.org.

D O N AT I O N R O U N D U P The Salvation Army of Milwaukee County’s 2019 Red Kettle campaign brought in $3.76 million. | Former Allen Edmonds chief executive officer and president John Stollenwerk donated $2.5 million to establish a pathway program between Marquette University High School and Marquette University. | Kohl’s is giving $2 million to the American Cancer Society to support a program that promotes family health and wellness in southeastern Wisconsin. | Philanthropist Judy Gardetto is donating $1.1 million to support Advocate Aurora Health’s programs for aging adults. | Philanthropists Keith Mardak and Mary Vandenberg recently made a $1 million gift to support youth from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee during their high school and college careers. | The City of West Bend received $500,000 from the West Bend Mutual Insurance Charitable Trust in support of the Downtown Riverwalk West project.

nonprofit

SPOTLIGHT

Y WC A SOUTHE A S T WISCONSIN 1915 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Milwaukee, Wisconsin (414) 374-1800 | ywcasew.org Facebook: facebook.com/YWCASEW | Twitter: @YWCASEW

Year founded: Incorporated in 1893 Mission statement: YWCA Southeast Wisconsin (SEW) is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. Primary focus of your nonprofit organization: YWCA SEW brings its mission to life through individual empowerment services to support economic self-sufficiency (adult education, job readiness, and personal financial management coaching) while also focusing on racially just communitybuilding through workshops, thought leadership and business consulting. Other focuses of your organization: YWCA SEW is part of a national network that advocates for positive change on issues that impact women and families such as health & safety, civic engagement, and fair pay. Much of its work is done in collaboration, assuring wise stewardship of community resources. Number of employees at this location: 28 in Milwaukee; five in Racine Key donors: 1,000+ individual donors, Allstate, Baird, BMO Harris Bank, Brewers Community Foundation, Forrest County Potawatomi Foundation, GE Healthcare, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Green Bay Packers Foundation, Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Marcus Hotels & Resorts, Northwestern Mutual, Quarles & Brady, Rockwell Automation Executive leadership: Ginny Finn, president & CEO (Interim)

Board of directors: Kimberley Noon, Cielo Healthcare, chair Is your organization actively seeking board members for the upcoming term? Yes. What roles are you looking to fill? Ambassadors for building a more economically vibrant region. Skills especially sought: finance, public/press relations, IT project management, great networkers of all kinds. We have and are committed to a multigenerational board representing our region’s diversity of backgrounds and perspectives. Ways the business community can help your nonprofit: » Raise our profile – we can only help people if they know of our services. » Use our distinct consulting services to support your inclusion and equity goals. » Sign up for our renowned class: Unlearning Racism – Tools for Action. » Check out our volunteer opportunities (Milwaukee office is only 6 blocks from Fiserv Forum). Key fundraising events: » 25th Anniversary Circle of Women, April 23, Discovery World, 5-8:30 p.m.; an event truly unlike any other. » An Evening to Promote Racial Justice, December TBD 2020, program celebration with thoughtprovoking, prominent speakers. » Boutique Bash, November TBD 2020, Dress for Success boutique with special sales.

biztimes.com / 39

BizConnections VOLUME 25, NUMBER 23 | MAR 16, 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 REPORTER Maredithe Meyer maredithe.meyer@biztimes.com

Sovereign Apartments This Feb. 18, 1930 photo shows the Art Deco-style Sovereign Apartments, now at 1820 W. Wisconsin Ave., during construction. With 142 units, the building was Milwaukee’s largest apartment building constructed before World War II. Today, the building has an assessed value of more than $6.2 million.

Milwaukee strong FOR MANY YEARS the Miller brewery has been the heart and soul of Milwaukee. An iconic company, making the Brew City’s signature product, for 165 years. It has sponsored and supported many community organizations and institutions, including Miller Park, home of the Brewers. Now part of Molson Coors, the company has 1,300 employees in Milwaukee. Last fall it announced plans to restructure and move hundreds of additional jobs here. Many of us work, have worked or know someone who works or has worked at the Miller (now Molson Coors) brewery in Milwaukee. The company’s strong ties to this community only made the devastating news of a mass shooting there even more painful. Six people died in the incident, including the gunman, according to police. The victims were young and old, city-dwellers and suburbanites. They were fathers, husbands and grandfathers. Dana Walk, 57, of 40 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 16, 2020

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

— Image courtesy of the Milwaukee Public Library

COMMENTARY

REPORTER Alex Zank alex.zank@biztimes.com

DIRECTOR OF SALES Linda Crawford linda.crawford@biztimes.com

ART DIRECTOR Shelly Tabor shelly.tabor@biztimes.com

— Founded 1995 —

Delafield, was an avid fisherman and a die-hard Packer fan. Gennady Levshetz, 61, of Mequon, was a proud grandfather. Trevor Wetselaar, 33, of Milwaukee, had served in the U.S. Navy where he operated a nuclear reactor on board a submarine. Dale Hudson, 60, of Waukesha, loved hunting and fishing. Jesus Valle Jr., 33, of Milwaukee, was described as a loving family man. They were so much like any of us. Then they went to work one day, and didn’t get to return home to their families. It will take time for employees, friends, family members and the community to grieve and process this tragedy. It has been wonderful to see so many rally around the families of the victims to support them in various ways. There is still much we don’t know about what happened on that horrible day at the brewery, and police continue to investigate and are urging the public to “wait for the facts of the investigation to be released rather than speculating and generating a false narrative…” But the incident has brought attention to one of Milwaukee’s biggest problems: segregation and racial inequality. Rumors have persisted that the actions of the suspect (an African American man) were racially motivated. But Milwaukee Police say “neither race nor racism

has been identified as a factor in this incident.” However, Molson Coors acknowledged the suspect had experienced racial harassment at work. In 2015, a noose was found on his locker. An investigation by WDJT-TV Channel 58 found 21 discrimination complaints filed with the state’s Department of Workforce Development Equal Rights Division against the company over six years, though none involved the suspect. “There’s no two ways about it,” Molson Coors spokesman Marty Maloney said. “We have more work to do. Fostering an inclusive and welcoming workplace is something every organization has to work towards each day, and we aren’t going to shy away from our responsibility to take a deep look at our own culture.” In the wake of this terrible tragedy, hopefully the company and our community grow closer and stronger, together. n

ANDREW WEILAND EDITOR

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

AROUND TOWN

CARW Rountable Forum The Commercial Association of Realtors Wisconsin recently held its annual Commercial Real Estate Roundtable Forum at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee.

KEVIN SCHMOLDT of Newmark Knight Frank and BRANDON SCHULTA of First American Title.

JASMINE MEDINA of Waukesha State Bank and HANNAH CHAMPION of Coakley Brothers & Brothers Interiors.

MIKE TESTA of Wangard Partners Inc. and SCOTT DREES of Altius Building Co.

JOE GALBRAITH of Galbraith Carnahan Architects and STEPHEN PROVANCHER of Newmark Knight Frank.

ANDREW VICKERS of the city of Oak Creek and JERRY FRANKE of Franke Development Advisors LLC.

CHARLIE SWAIN of Colliers International and BRIAN MAYS of Irgens Partners LLC.

JOEL STUELAND of Corporate Contractors Inc., CHRISTOPHER ADAMS of Dominion Properties, and JASON KORB of Korb and Associates Architects Inc.

ADAM NEWMAN of Landmark Credit Union and JENNA MAGUIRE of Founders 3. Photos by Alex Zank

WMEP Manufacturing Matters reception Before the 2020 Manufacturing Matters conference, held Feb. 27, WMEP Manufacturing Solutions held a reception for attendees at the Hyatt in Milwaukee. 9.

WES COLUMBIA, DAN VICK and ANDY BLOECHL, all of Brady Corp., and RICH ROGERS of Xemelgo Inc.

10. TODD ZAKRESKI and JASON SCHUETZ, both of Husco, and GREGORY LEE of WorldBridge Partners. 11. JEFF ZIEGLER of GPS Education Partners and GENEVA SCUREK of GACC Midwest Inc.

12. PATTI PIEJA of Translogistics Inc. and JACQUELINE SALEMME of 2020VP. 13. BUCKLEY BRINKMAN of the Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing & Productivity and BILL HARRIGAN of Harrigan Solutions LLC. 14. WILL BARRETT of 3M and JODI MEDLEYMCMAHON of Flexible Quality Solutions LLC. 15. HUNTER YOUNG of ARCOS Inc. and HUNTER KLUS of M3 Insurance.

16. RONALD THOMAS of UW-Stout Manufacturing Outreach Center and MICHELLE JAEGER of WMEP. Photos by Arthur Thomas biztimes.com / 41

BizConnections

DAN WESTROPE |

CHAIRMAN & CEO

Surround yourself with successful people Dan Westrope has spent more than 35 years in the banking industry, the past eight of which have been with Ixonia Bank. Recently, the bank opened a new Milwaukee branch with plans to capitalize on downtown’s recent revitalization. Westrope says, as a leader, it’s important to assemble a team of successful and smart people. “There are all sorts of books that offer different management theories and philosophies, and I’ve read a good share of them over the years. I’ve come to realize it’s not all about the CEO or the leadership. It’s about the team the CEO has assembled. It’s something I’ve believed and acted on for decades. “In work and in life, I think the best thing to do is surround yourself with successful people and trust them. I’ve found that the common traits these types of folks have are a positive attitude, 42 / BizTimes Milwaukee MARCH 16, 2020

a good work ethic and, above all, integrity. If you put those things together, you’ll do well in your career, and your business or company will grow and flourish. “As a leader, make sure the people who are part of your team inspire and challenge you. You want people who are out of your sphere and think differently than you do. Otherwise, you’re cheating yourself out of a broader, more rounded perspective. “So much is made of intelligence but I think ev-

Ixonia Bank Ixonia Industry: Banking ixoniabank.com

eryone is pretty smart. People tend to run down their competition and question their smarts. But I don’t think like that. I know my competition is smart. That’s a given. If you shortchange your competition, you’ll be burned. That’s not the answer. “The answer is integrity, attitude and work ethic.” n

JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

the LASTWORD

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P R O U D LY P R E S E N T S

INNOVATE WISCONSIN MANUFACTURING & BEYOND

Position Your Company as a Leader to Top Executives Throughout Wisconsin! Innovate Wisconsin: Manufacturing and Beyond, publishing on June 22, 2020, highlights how the state’s industries are changing and offers readers ideas to propel their own companies to greater heights.

PUBLICATION INCLUDES (PARTIAL LIST): • Companies/People/Projects to Watch • Best practices and operational insights • Partnering for Success: How companies and higher education are working together to do more than they could on their own, plus keys to a successful partnership • Manufacturing company transformations: utilizing a strong foundation and new thinking to grow a business. • Companies leveraging sustainability for environmental good and sales and profit • Workforce creativity: Finding the employees who will take you to the next level

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To sponsor or advertise in Innovate Wisconsin: Manufacturing and Beyond, contact Linda Crawford at 414-336-7112 or email advertise@biztimes.com.

BizTimes Milwaukee | March 16, 2020

Articles inside

LAST WORD

AROUND TOWN

GLANCE AT YESTERYEAR COMMENTARY

LEADERSHIP Kathleen Gallagher

NONPROFIT

THE INTERVIEW

SHOP TALK

ETHICS George Satula

A BRIEF CASE

STYLE

PUBLIC RECORD

NOW BY THE NUMBERS

BIZ TRAVELER

REV UP

BIZ POLL GETTING THERE

ADVICE FOR BUSINESSES NAVIGATING THE CORONAVIRUS

BEHIND THE SCENES