BizTimes Milwaukee | June 29, 2020 by BizTimes Media

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BizTimes Milwaukee (ISSN 1095-936X & USPS # 017813) Volume 26, Number 5, June 29, 2020 – July 19, 2020. BizTimes Milwaukee is published bi-weekly, except monthly in January, April, May, July, August and December by BizTimes Media LLC at 126 N. Jefferson St., Suite 403, Milwaukee, WI 53202-6120, USA. Basic annual subscription rate is $96. Single copy price is $3.25. Back issues are $5 each. Periodicals postage paid at Milwaukee, WI and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address corrections to BizTimes Milwaukee, 126 N. Jefferson St., Suite 403, Milwaukee, WI 53202-6120. Entire contents copyright 2020 by BizTimes Media LLC. All rights reserved.

Contents

4 Leading Edge 4 NOW BY THE NUMBERS 5 FRESH DIGS 6 FROM CONCEPT TO COMPLETION 8 ON THE JOB WITH… 9 IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD 10 IN FOCUS 12 WHO’S ON THE BOARD? BIZ POLL

13 Biz News 13 A LOOK AT THE COMPANIES THAT SIGNED THE MMAC’S REGION OF CHOICE PLEDGE 16 THE INTERVIEW: ROCKY MARCOUX

18 Real Estate

COVER STORY

35 Notable Residential Real Estate Agents 38 Strategies

Balancing act

38 MANAGEMENT Jerry Jendusa 39 INNOVATION Dan Steininger 40 COACHING Susan Marshall

Washington County emerges as a place for development

Special Reports

43 Biz Connections

20 Business in Washington County In addition to the cover story, coverage includes a feature on downtown West Bend and an overview of what the speakers for the Washington County 2035 event plan to discuss.

33 Health Care Coverage includes a report about how health care systems have dramatically increased telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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43 PAY IT FORWARD 44 GLANCE AT YESTERYEAR COMMENTARY 45 AROUND TOWN 46 5 MINUTES WITH NICOLE ROBBINS

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Leading Edge

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

NOW

BRP, the Canadian parent company of Evinrude, plans to repurpose its Sturtevant plant after cutting 363 jobs and ending outboard engine production.

Despite strong May job numbers, Wisconsin recovery has a long way to go By Arthur Thomas, staff writer After shedding more than nearly 400,000 jobs in April, Wisconsin’s labor market rebounded in May by adding 72,100 jobs, according to new data released by the state Department of Work-

force Development. Dennis Winters, chief economist at DWD, said the gains were generally spread across industries and geographies. The leisure and hospitality sec-

BY THE NUMBERS Shur-Line plans to end manufacturing operations at its St. Francis facility by the end of the year, which will eliminate

93 JOBS. 4 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUN 29, 2020

tor, hit particularly hard by coronavirus-related shutdowns, had the strongest gains, adding 27,500 jobs for a 22.6% increase. Similarly, nondurable goods manufacturing added 11,700 jobs, an increase of 6.5%, and retail trade added 11,300 positions, a 4.5% increase. Winters said the positive national jobs numbers released earlier this month gave an indication the state’s monthly jobs report would show gains, but the report was still a nice surprise. Still, Wisconsin is far from fully recovered from the job losses experienced since late March. Private sector employment is still down 338,100 from last year, including a decline of 135,400 jobs in leisure and hospitality and 35,000 in retail. Even if the state kept up the pace of job gains it saw from April to May, a 3.3% increase, it would take until October to reach the pre-pandemic job total from March. Sustaining that level of growth might prove difficult. The best month-to-month job gains the state saw in the aftermath of the Great Recession was 0.5%. It is unclear exactly how much of Wisconsin’s reopening was captured in the May data. The survey used to generate it is conducted during the week of the 12th. That same week in May is when the

Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down Gov. Tony Evers’ “Safer at Home” order limiting business operations for retail stores, restaurants and other industries. The number of continuing unemployment claims has continued to come down from 291,677 the week the May data was collected to 238,543 for the week ending June 6. The number of new claims, however, has leveled off around 25,000 for the last three weeks after declining for nine straight weeks. There are other potentially troubling signs for the recovery. Employment in durable goods manufacturing, which accounts for nearly 12% of private sector employment in the state, is down 27,800 from last year and lost 2,300 jobs from April to May. The state also saw a number of significant mass layoffs in May and June and some worry there could be an uptick in job cuts when Paycheck Protection Program loans run out later this year. Announced job cuts and layoffs include 363 at Evinrude in Sturtevant, 121 at Wigwam Mills in Sheboygan, 120 at Renaissance Manufacturing Group in Waukesha, 902 at Verso Corp. in Wisconsin Rapids, 87 at Derse in Milwaukee, 93 at Shur-Line in St. Francis and 135 at Telsmith in Mequon. n

JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

FRESH DIGS

MICHAEL BEST & FRIEDRICH OW N E R / DE V E LOPE R : Irgens A RC H I T E C T: SCB C ON T R AC TOR : VJS Construction Services C O S T S : Undisclosed Y E A R C OM PL E T E D : 2020

AFTER 30 YEARS at 100 E. Wisconsin Ave. in downtown Milwaukee, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP moved its headquarters office to the top of the city’s newest high-rise – the 25-story BMO Tower. The law firm moved into the 23rd, 24th and 25th floors at 790 N. Water St. in mid-April, although many of its 180 Milwaukee-area employees still work remotely amid the COVID-19 pandemic, said Jose Olivieri, managing partner of Michael Best & Friedrich’s Milwaukee office. When the law firm’s staff return to the office, a view of Lake Michigan awaits, along with a view of City Hall’s 18-foot clock that is close enough to serve as a daily time-teller. Regardless of where you stand,

the top three floors of the BMO Tower’s glass-wrapped façade provide 360-degree views of the city. “The light is fantastic,” Olivieri said. “From anywhere you are, there’s a beautiful view and a lot of light coming into the space.” Michael Best & Friedrich’s new digs were designed with flexibility in mind. All work spaces are the same, allowing attorneys to either switch to new areas or share office spaces with other attorneys. The new office also includes up-to-date technology and a variety of common areas. “One of the things we wanted to do was create spaces where people can mingle, collaborate and spend time outside of their office,” Olivieri said. n biztimes.com / 5

Leading Edge

from

Monterey Mills’ face masks

CONCEPT

COMPLETION Step 1: Amid the global shortage of personal protective equipment at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sinykin decided Monterey Mills needed to help fill the gap. “The fact that we’re a textile company manufacturing different products including filtration media, we were the perfect company to step up,” he said.

Janesville-based Monterey Mills pivoted its manufacturing capabilities in a fiveweek period to produce 65,000 masks daily for medical personnel on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. All the while, the company’s president Dan Sinykin and his family battled COIVD-19 themselves. The company ordinarily produces knitted pile fabric used for paint rollers, wool and wool-blended buffing pads, hospital pads, wash mitts, apparel, toys and home furnishings. To launch their mask-making operation, Monterey Mills partnered with Oak Creek-based Eder Flag. Now, Monterey Mills fulfills orders for large health care systems and first responders around the country.

Step 2: Sinykin discussed possible raw materials that could be used for masks with his management and development teams. The company began building mask prototypes with a variety of fabrics and air filtration media, materials that the company already had at its disposal.

Step 6: By the fourth and fifth week, Monterey Mills had modified its mask from two-ply to three-ply. “We added cut and sew operations in California, Chicago and Virginia to help us with our capacity requirements,” Sinykin said. “We did some slight modifications on the specifications for the raw materials, but we then received a very large order from Advocate Aurora in Chicago. We were receiving calls from all over the country because of the press we received.”

5 Step 5: Monterey Mills and Eder Flag continued to develop their prototype and drove a few samples to UW Health in Madison for additional testing. The following day, Monterey Mills received its first purchase order from UW Health for their washable and reusable fabric masks. 6 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUN 29, 2020

Step 4: UW Health contacted Monterey Mills asking for a timeline of when the manufacturer could bring masks into production. “We used them as an external expert tester to evaluate the products,” Sinykin said.

Step 3: Monterey Mills acquired additional raw materials, sorting through each material and identifying which fabrics worked best. The company identified Eder Flag as an ideal partner given the company’s cut and sew operation experience, particularly with cutting polypropylene and polyester. “Monterey Mills had already made masks, but we wanted to use the expertise of Eder Flag to make improvements,” Sinykin said.

Presents:

Wednesday, July 22, 2020 | 8:00 -10:00AM

It’s Time To Thrive – Getting Your Business Back On Track in 2020 Join BizTimes and a distinguished group of family business owners for idea sharing and hands-on learning to help you and your business as you look to thrive post COVID-19. Take this time to “work on” your business by attending this presentation on July 22nd. Featured Presenters: » Sam Maglio, President, Maglio Companies (1) » Paul Maglio, Director of Operations, Maglio Companies (2) » Tim Michels, Co-Owner, Michels Corporation (3) » Theodore (TJ) Perlick Molinari, Vice President, Perlick Corporation (4) Moderator: Andrew Weiland, Editor, BizTimes Media

Breakout Sessions: After the presentations, roll up your sleeves and join the breakout sessions led by subject matter experts. Topics discussed include: » Communication and Company Culture » Next Generation Transition & Leadership » Leadership in Uncertain Times » Circumstances Changed, Your Family’s Goals Did Not; How » Post COVID-19 Growth Strategies Do We Get Back On Track? » Diversification & Building Value » And More

Partner:

Leading Edge

ON THE JOB WITH…

A COVID unit nurse By Lauren Anderson, staff writer Karina Brown, a registered nurse and nurse educator at Aurora Sinai Medical Center in Milwaukee, has been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis for the past three months. BizTimes associate editor Lauren Anderson recently spoke with Brown about her experience as a COVID-19 unit nurse. What does a typical shift look like for you on the COVID unit? “I’m a nurse educator, so I make sure the team has masks, eye shields or goggles. I make sure they are putting on their gear appropriately. I check both sides (the COVID side of the unit and non-COVID side), and help with pretty much anything they need help with. I help Zoom with patients who haven’t talked to their family members. I help set up Zoom meetings for patients and doctors. I help with feeding patients, and help patients who are at the end of life, making sure they transition without being alone. That’s a new role. I’ve never done that before.” How do you care for patients who are isolated like that? “We had to learn quickly so it was … listening to patients and trying to put yourself in their shoes. If I was here by myself, what would I want people to do? As a nurse, you can’t go in the room as often as someone without COVID. … You want limited exposure, so it’s learning how to maximize your time. … You learn what they’re interested in so next time you have topics to talk about. Or you bring in something special. One patient we had loved Starbucks banana bread, so twice a week someone would bring it in for her. She was (COVID-19) positive and in hospice and ended up being discharged, and we gave her a (Starbucks) gift card. You really get to know (your patients), and you maximize the time while you’re in there so they don’t feel alone.” How has your job impacted your family? “In the beginning, I didn’t know how this was going to play out. All we had was the news stories and seeing how traumatic it was, so my 8 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUN 29, 2020

husband and kids stayed with my mother-in-law for a month and a half. I didn’t see my kids or husband for a month and a half. A lot of us made a choice to separate ourselves because we didn’t know how this was going to play out for us and we wanted to keep our families safe. It was hard. It was lonely. My kids didn’t understand. Not only was school canceled, they were separated from family.” Are you back with your kids and husband now? “Yes, my children and husband are back home. We’re balancing that out, figuring out how (to be safe), like changing clothes before you get home, hopping in the shower as soon as you get home and then having family time, which is now so much more important. You take things for granted before COVID, and now you realize how important it is.” How prepared did you feel to care for patients during a pandemic? “I never thought that I would be working through a pandemic. … But we’re learning, reading, paying attention. Here at Sinai, we’re updated constantly and we check that all the time to have up-to-date practices. We’re being resilient and not complaining. There have been concerns about N95 masks, but we’ve never had a shortage of masks and we’ve never had a gown shortage. As a team the nursing staff developed a system so we can preserve our PPE. So if it spiked, we have it. “My message for family and friends is, even though we’re opening back up, continue to wear your mask, continue to practice social distancing. If you don’t need to be there, don’t go. Coronavirus is still here and we all want to be safe.” n

IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

THE KUBALA WASHATKO ARCHITECTS 640 S. Fifth St., Milwaukee NEIGHBORHOOD: Walker’s Point in Milwaukee FOUNDED: TKWA was co-founded in 1982 by Allen Washatko and Tom Kubala. OWNERS: Chris Socha, Matt Frydach, Vince Micha, Erik Hancock and Ethan Bartos EMPLOYEES: 25 SERVICE: Architecture, urban design, interior design, historic preservation and tax credits

Who are your clients? Chris Socha, TKWA partner: “Our work is diverse and wide ranging, from designing new schools in China to repurposing a historic neighborhood butcher shop for a nonprofit arts organization down the street. Currently, we are helping redevelop the Grand Avenue Mall to create a dynamic new urban place.” What is it like to work in your office? “Our work environment is informal and collaborative. Based on project and client needs our staff may

Manage health care costs without sacrificing coverage.

divide their time between our two Milwaukee-area locations, our primary office housed in a historic power plant along Cedar Creek in Cedarburg and our TKWA UrbanLab office set in an urban storefront in Walker’s Point.” Where does TKWA draw inspiration for designs? “We take a holistic view of design. Each project is a unique response to specific physical, cultural and ecological attributes. We seek to create places that are authentic, timeless and meaningful.”

How has the neighborhood changed? “The opening of TKWA UrbanLab (in Walker’s Point) coincided with a major street reconstruction that transformed the public realm – widened sidewalks, narrowed vehicle lanes and the addition of street trees have created a pleasant pedestrian environment. The investment in the street spurred the adaptive re-use of many existing buildings. New renovations have attracted offices, restaurants, and craft makerspaces.” n

Ask for a no-obligation quote today. Contact our MMAC brokers or visit uhc.com/MMAC2.

UnitedHealthcare and Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) have come together to provide small businesses an All Savers® Alternate Funding plan that offers: A variety of cost-sharing plan designs to help meet the needs of both you and your employees. A nationwide network of health care providers. Wellness programs at no extra cost, including a walking program that rewards participants when daily step goals are reached.

Insurance coverage provided by or through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or its affiliates. Administrative services provided by United HealthCare Services, Inc. or their affiliates. Stop-loss insurance is underwritten by All Savers Insurance Company (except MA, MN, and NJ), UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company in MA and MN, and UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance Company in NJ. 3100 AMS Blvd., Green Bay, WI 54313 (800) 291-2634. Health plan coverage provided by or through UnitedHealthcare of Wisconsin, Inc. B2B EI20101192 4/20 ©2020 United HealthCare Services, Inc. 20-126265

biztimes.com / 9

Leading Edge

inf cus ALMOST EVERY EVENING since Memorial Day weekend, cars have lined the parking lot the recently renamed Franklin Field – and it’s not for minor league baseball, which has been delayed until July because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The big attraction is The Milky Way Drive-In, a 150-vehicle outdoor cinema that made its summer debut late last month at the Ballpark Commons development. Its 40-foot LED board screens two to three shows daily from a lineup of more than 30 movies, including classics “Dirty Dancing” and “Grease,” blockbusters like “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” and a few family favorites with earlier showtimes. With an array of concessions available for delivery by carhop, the scene is set for the ultimate social distancing activity. “The drive-in concept is a great way to gradually and safely return to community,” said Mike Zimmerman, chief executive officer of ROC Ventures, developer of the Ballpark Commons mixed-use development and owner of the Milwaukee Milkmen. The Milkmen opened the drive-in with help from the city of Franklin’s Tourism Commission, and Milwaukee-based Studio Gear as its technology partner. The original plan was screening two movies per day when the Milkmen didn’t have home games through Labor Day weekend. However, the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball recently announced a modified 60-game schedule that will begin play on July 3 with six teams playing in three hub cities, including Franklin. Under this format, Milkmen Stadium will be the home field for the Milkmen and the Chicago Dogs and will host games six days per week until Sept. 10. n — Maredithe Meyer 10 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUN 29, 2020

ANDREW FELLER PHOTOGRAPHY

The Milky Way Drive-In

NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN! NOTABLE WOMEN IN LAW

BizTimes Milwaukee is launching the BizTimes Media 2020 Notable Women in Law feature within the August 17th issue of BizTimes Milwaukee. This special editorial feature will profile the women who have a track record of setting legal precedents, winning big cases for their clients and mentoring the next wave of women in law – all while finding ways to give back to their communities. Your company, and its executives, are invited to submit a nomination form that will help us determine this year’s honorees. The special section will run in print and online, recognizing the chosen individuals for their accomplishments.

Nomination Deadline is July 17th

NOTABLE WOMEN

Profiling accomplished women steering the financial functions of their companies and nonprofits and leading in the fields of investment banking, investment management and private equity.

The executives on this list are shaping their own organizations as well as the path forward for other women in the industry.

Nomination Deadline: August 7, 2020

Issue Date: October 5, 2020

IN FINANCE

IN MANUFACTURING

Nomination Deadline: September 4, 2020

Issue Date: September 7, 2020

NOTABLE WOMEN

These accomplished professionals represent various corners of the field. The common denominator: They went into health care to help people and have staked out paths to make an impact.

BizTimes announces Notable Women in Commercial Banking, a list of local professionals managing people and millions of dollars.

Nomination Deadline: November 13, 2020

Issue Date: March, 2021

IN HEALTH CARE

IN COMMERCIAL BANKING

Nomination Deadline: January 22, 2020

Issue Date: December 14, 2020

To view this year’s winners and nominate, visit biztimes.com/notable

GOOD FORTUNE FAVORS THE PREPARED

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BRIGGS & STRATTON • Sara Greenstein, president and chief executive officer of Lydall Inc. • Jeffrey Hennion, co-founder and managing partner of Woodside Ventures Inc. • Frank Jaehnert, retired CEO and president of Brady Corp. • Patricia Kampling, retired chairwoman and CEO of Alliant Energy Corp. • Keith McLoughlin, retired presi-

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

dent and CEO of AB Electrolux • Henrik Slipsager, retired president and CEO of ABM Industries Inc. • Charles Story, president of ECS Group Inc. • Todd Teske, chairman, president and CEO of Briggs & Stratton Corp. • Brian Walker, partner, strategic leadership, Huron Capital

A recent survey of BizTimes.com readers.

Should the city of Milwaukee shift a portion of its funding for the police department to other areas? YES:

Mid-Year Economic Forecast

Teske

44%

NO:

56%

July 20, 2020 Space Reservation: July 1, 2020

Family Business July 20, 2020 Space Reservation: July 1, 2020 Contact Linda Crawford today! Phone: 414.336.7112 Email: advertise@biztimes.com 12 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUN 29, 2020

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

BizNews REGION OF CHOICE

List of committed companies

The companies that have signed the MMAC’s Region of Choice pledge AS OF MAY, 95 companies representing more than 140,000 employees have signed the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce’s Region of Choice pledge. The MMAC initiative has set goals of increasing diverse management by 25% and diverse employment by 15% in the Milwaukee region by 2025. Companies that sign the pledge commit to achieving that numeric goal in aggregate and reaching several metrics related to workplace and community culture. The companies (including headquarters location and top leader) that have signed the pledge include: ABAXENT LLC, Pewaukee, Adonica Randall, president and chief problem solver Addison-Clifton LLC, Brookfield Ulice Payne Jr., president Advocate Aurora Health, Milwaukee and Downers Grove, Illinois Jim Skogsbergh, president and CEO Allegheny Technologies Inc – Forged Products, Cudahy Operation (ATI), Pittsburgh Robert Wetherbee, president and CEO American Family Insurance Group, Madison Jack Charles Salzwedel, chairman and CEO America Roller & Plasma Coatings, Union Grove Dan Cahalane, president and CEO Ascension Wisconsin corporate office, St. Louis Joseph Impicciche, president and CEO Associated Bank, Green Bay Philip Flynn, president and CEO Badger Meter Inc., Brown Deer Kenneth Bockhorst, chairman, president and CEO Beer Capitol Distributing Co. LLC, Sussex Aldo Madrigrano, CEO BMO Harris Bank, Chicago David Casper, chair and CEO Briggs & Stratton Corp., Wauwatosa Todd Teske, chairman, president and CEO C2, Milwaukee Erica Conway, co-owner and president CG Schmidt, Milwaukee Rick Schmidt, president and CEO Charter Manufacturing Co. Inc., Mequon John Mellowes, CEO Children’s Wisconsin, Wauwatosa Peggy Troy, president and CEO

Ernst & Young LLP (EY), London Carmine Di Sibio, chairman and CEO

JWS Classics LLC, Greendale John Splude, owner

First Midwest Bank, Chicago Michael Scudder, chairman and CEO

Kane Communications Group, Milwaukee Kimberly Kane, president and CEO

FIS, Jacksonville, Florida Gary Norcross, chairman, president and CEO Foley & Lardner LLP, Milwaukee Jay Rothman, chairman and CEO Froedtert Health, Milwaukee Cathy Jacobson GE Healthcare, Chicago Kieran Murphy, president and CEO Generation Growth Capital Inc., Milwaukee Cory Nettles, founder and managing director GenMet, Mequon Eric Isbister, CEO

Haywood Group, LLC, Milwaukee Kalan Haywood Sr., president

Columbus McKinnon Corp., Getzville, New York David Wilson, president and CEO

Husch Blackwell LLP, Kansas City, Missouri Paul Eberle, CEO

Cross Management Services, Inc., Milwaukee Carla Cross, president and CEO

Husco International, Waukesha Austin Ramirez, CEO

Educational Credential Evaluators Inc., Milwaukee Margit Schatzman, president

ManpowerGroup, Milwaukee Jonas Prising, chairman and CEO

Metal-Era Inc., Waukesha Tony Mallinger, president and CEO

Harley-Davidson Inc., Milwaukee Jochen Zeitz, chairman, president and CEO

IndependenceFirst, Milwaukee Marci Boucher, president and CEO Johnson Controls, Glendale (operational headquarters) George Oliver, chairman and CEO Johnson Financial Group, Racine Jim Popp, president and CEO JP Cullen, Janesville David Cullen, CEO

414.763.2428 • ixoniabank.com

Magellan Promotions LLC, West Allis Michael Wolaver, captain

Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metro Illinois, Greendale Jacqueline Hallberg, president and CEO

HARIBO, Rosemont, Illinois (U.S. headquarters) Wes Sabber, CFO of Haribo of America

Visit us at our new downtown Milwaukee office located at 611 East Wisconsin Ave. Where you’ll find the greatest returns result from mutual respect and trust.

Lubar & Co., Milwaukee David Lubar, president and CEO

Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Dr. John Raymond, president and CEO

Herzing University Ltd., Menomonee Falls Renée Herzing, president and CEO

Deloitte, London Punit Renjen, CEO

KPMG LLP, Amstelveen, Netherlands Paul Knopp, chair and CEO (U.S.)

Godfrey & Kahn S.C., Milwaukee Nic Wahl, president and managing partner

Colorful Connections, Milwaukee Morgan Phelps, founder and CEO

Dedicated Computing LLC, Waukesha Don Schlidt, president and CEO

Komatsu Mining Corp., Milwaukee Jeffrey Dawes, president and CEO

Marcus Performing Arts Center, Milwaukee Kendra Whitlock Ingram, president and CEO

Greendale School District, Greendale Kim Amidzich, superintendent

Unlike other banks in southeast Wisconsin, we at Ixonia Bank have the luxury to be prudent with your financial future. The philosophy of Professional Ownership®, developed by Sheldon Lubar, is woven into our day-to-day operations. Because we know success doesn’t just happen overnight, we focus on the long-term, building relationships, not transactions.

Kohl’s Department Stores Inc., Menomonee Falls Michelle Gass, CEO

Go Riteway Transportation Group, Richfield Bob Zanotti, president

Grant Thornton LLP, Chicago Bradley Preber, CEO

OUR BANK STATEMENT.

INDE PE NDE NC E FI RST PHONE: (414) 291-7520 WEB: independencefirst.org

MGIC, Milwaukee Timothy Mattke, CEO

Our mission is to effectively facilitate the empowerment of individuals with disabilities through the core services of: Advocacy, Independent Living Skills Training, Information and Referral, Peer Support and Transition.

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, Milwaukee David Krutz, managing partner Milwaukee Area Technical College, Milwaukee Vicki Martin, president Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club, Milwaukee Mark Attanasio, principal owner

2020 GIVING GUIDE FEATURED NONPROFIT

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

Milwaukee Bucks LLC, Milwaukee Peter Feigin, president Milwaukee Tool, Brookfield Steve Richman, group president MMAC, Milwaukee Tim Sheehy, president

IMPACT

Molson Coors, Chicago Gavin Hattersley, president and CEO

PHONE: (414) 256-4808 WEB: impactinc.org

Mortenson, Minneapolis Dan Johnson, president and CEO MRA-The Management Association, Waukesha Susan Fronk, president and CEO

IMPACT helps people take the first step toward changing their life, for good. We assess and guide those experiencing personal crisis toward resources to achieve stability; and collaborate with community partners to foster system improvement.

Northwestern Mutual, Milwaukee John Schlifske, chairman, president and CEO Old National Bank, Evansville, Indiana Jim Ryan, chairman and CEO Continued on page 14

2020 GIVING GUIDE FEATURED NONPROFIT

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

biztimes.com / 13

BizNews REGION OF CHOICE …from previous page PAX Holdings LLC, Milwaukee Jim Kornfeld, president and CEO Payne & Dolan Inc., Waukesha Kurt Bechthold, chairman and CEO of parent company Walbec Group PNC Bank, Pittsburgh William Demchak, chairman, president and CEO PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), London Tim Ryan, U.S. chair and senior partner

Thoughts from companies that signed the Region of Choice pledge BIZTIMES MILWAUKEE reached out to a third of the companies listed on pages 13-14 to ask why they chose to sign the Region of Choice pledge and what steps they have taken to improve their diversity and inclusion efforts. Many of the companies contacted said they are in the beginning stages of this work. Some companies declined to comment, acknowledging they have not yet made progress toward their goals. These are some highlights from those conversations. More extended responses from the companies are available to Insiders at biztimes.com/ regionofchoice.

PS Capital Partners LLC, Milwaukee Paul Stewart and Paul Sweeney, co-founders

EDUCATIONAL CREDENTIAL EVALUATORS, INC.

QPS Employment Group, Brookfield Scott Mayer, chairman and CEO

“We have begun by taking inventory of where we stand as an organization and identified the work we have ahead. We examined the composition of our staff group and board and compared it to the diversity which exists within the Milwaukee and Wisconsin communities. We have defined what diversity can look like in an organization, thinking beyond the standard connotations to include areas such as veteran status and disability.” “We made the commitment to complete a one-hour certification course related to veteran hiring. There is an opportunity for us to do so much more, and even in the current challenging environment, we are making a commitment to grow our efforts.”

Quad/Graphics Inc., Sussex Joel Quadracci, chairman, president and CEO Quarles & Brady LLP, Milwaukee Mike Aldana, managing partner Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, Milwaukee Jerome Janzer, CEO Rexnord, Milwaukee Todd Adams, president and CEO Rivera & Associates Marketing, Milwaukee Michael Rivera, president and CEO Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc., Milwaukee Steve Booth, president and CEO Rockwell Automation Inc., Milwaukee Blake Moret, chairman and CEO SaintA Inc., Milwaukee Ann Leinfelder Grove, president and CEO Sikich LLP, Naperville, Illinois Chris Geier, CEO and managing partner Spancrete, Waukesha John Nagy, chairman and CEO TEMPO Milwaukee, Milwaukee Jennifer Dirks, president and CEO The Marcus Corp., Milwaukee Greg Marcus, president and CEO Trans International LLC, Menomonee Falls Jaime Syring, CEO and majority partner Trefoil Group Inc., Milwaukee Mary Scheibel, founder and CEO Versiti Wisconsin, Inc., Milwaukee Chris Miskel, president and CEO VISIT Milwaukee, Milwaukee Peggy Williams-Smith, president and CEO von Briesen & Roper s.c., Milwaukee Susan Lovern, president and CEO Waukesha Metal Products, Sussex Jeffrey Clark, CEO WEC Energy Group, Milwaukee Kevin Fletcher, president and CEO Wenthe-Davidson Engineering Co., New Berlin Frederick Anderson, president and CEO Willis Tower Watson, London John Haley, CEO YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee Inc., Milwaukee Carrie Wall, president and CEO

14 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUN 29, 2020

“As a nonprofit organization serving foreign educated people, immigrants and refugees, our work has been impacted by government and public health policies that have reduced the number of people coming to the United States from other countries. These strains on our organization will likely result in impacts on our hiring and promotion. Even so, it is important that we remain committed to the goals of the pledge. It is exactly during difficult times that the actions like ones promoted by the Region of Choice are needed to make a real difference to our region and our country.” — Margit Schatzman, president of Educational Credential Evaluators

C2 “We’ve planned and executed an event series called The Happiest Hour! A Celebration of Women Leaders in Milwaukee’s Creative Industry, and last summer, Fuze MKE, a think tank-style diversity and inclusion workshop for Milwaukee’s creative industry, in which we challenged the attendees to propose ideas to: 1) make an incremental impact on increasing the racial and ethnic diversity in MKE’s Creative Industry in 2019. 2) Make an incremental impact on reducing ‘everyday sexism’ and ‘clueless’ sexual harassment in MKE’s Creative Industry in 2019.” “We support the Greater Together 2030 Equity Challenge which seeks to increase the number of Black and Latinx workers in Milwaukee’s creative industry by 1,600 hires by 2030. Our support of Greater Together, and our own events, Fuze MKE and The Happiest Hours, allow C2 to amplify and accelerate the efforts of talent pipelines like Artworks for Milwaukee, Tru Skool, The Milky Way Tech Hub and i.c. stars Milwaukee. What if Milwaukee, the No. 1 most segregated city in the U.S., could spawn the programs that are models for the rest of the county to follow? That’s the opportunity we have, to lead ourselves out of the atrocities of our past into an inclusive, equitable and prosperous future for all Milwaukeeans. C2 is invested in that dream.” — Erica Conway, president and co-owner of C2

OODWILL INDUSTRIES OF G SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN “To be most effective, Goodwill is working to align Diversity & Inclusion with our business strategy, which is something that must start at the top. Leading across difference is a leadership competency, one that our executive team is committed to developing through a personal

learning journey about the systemic barriers black and brown people face every day at work and in the community.”

“How we are approaching this is to ensure that this work is a part of our strategic plan. It must be embedded in our operating structure and our talent management. It must be embedded in how we engage in the community. In order to do that, our leadership team needs to understand that not just intellectually but embrace it authentically.” — Angela Adams, vice president of community relations

MCA OF METROPOLITAN Y MILWAUKEE “This year, we launched an employee resource group that is for women or those who identify as women. The larger percentage of our staff are female or identify as female, and so we really wanted to have that thoughtful leadership at the table to help support initiatives when it comes to leadership development, career advancement or volunteer engagement, so this was a way in which we were able to do just that. “Right before we signed the MMAC’s pledge, we were one of 20 YMCAs regionally that hosted an Emerging Multicultural Leadership Experience, where we partnered with a neighboring YMCA in Racine and had some folks from Kenosha and Chicago YMCAs who came and spent a day-and-a-half with us and they were able to learn best practices as it relates to advancing inclusion. They were able to sharpen

their own tools in their toolkit to learn more about advancing inclusion and what it takes to be a leader in a diverse community.” — Shaneé Jenkins, vice president operations of social responsibility

to help reduce the disparity we are seeing in our area workforce. And by being a Region of Choice, we will bring needed talent to our area to help businesses grow and succeed.” — Susan Fronk, CEO and president

METAL-ERA

CG SCHMIDT

“A few examples of what we have done to implement some best practices to ensure we are living up to our belief and vision include: » Implemented HRIS software to enhance our ability to track high potential diverse employees and provide career advancement training and opportunities for those employees in a consistent manner. » Modified our hiring processes to reduce unconscious bias, as well as performing an ongoing funnel analysis to benchmark our effectiveness at hiring diverse candidates. » Target staffing agencies with diverse candidate pools, including justice involved candidates to fill critical roles on our shop floor as part of our strategy to increase employee diversity by 15%.”

“One specific thing … that has the most impact is our new full-time position of a manpower coordinator, Steve Flores. In this role, Steve focuses on hiring for field positions and also dedicates time to developing these employees by coordinating mentoring relationships, training and coaching. One of Steve’s main goals is to increase diversity within our company; he is focused on diversity outreach and recruitment through career fairs geared toward diverse candidates such as the Latino Construction Career Fair, and various community organizations such as Big Step and Building 2 Learn. It’s also important to note that this new role was a promotion from within. Steve began his career at CG Schmidt as a carpenter 20 years ago and has worked to become a leader in the company.”

“Metal-Era views workplace diversity, not as a luxury but as a necessity. We believe workplaces must mirror the communities in which they exist and we believe every business should strive to implement best practices to ensure that their workforce is representative of their community. As a manufacturing business in Waukesha, we have a clear opportunity to blaze a trail as a top tier employer of diversity in our area.” — Tony Mallinger, president and CEO

SIKICH

MRA “We have pledged to increase diversity hires by 30% within our own organization.”

“We signed (the Region of Choice pledge) because it is necessary for business leaders to take an active role within their organizations

“We’re in the process of developing a more formal strategic plan regarding diversity and inclusion. The recent events have forced us to take some very deliberate thought about diversity being a strategic priority and goal for us. That is the phase we are in this very moment. Identifying how that will be deployed at the organization to empower our talent and help us drive forward with the ideas and solutions we hope to deliver in the very near future.” — J anel O’Connor, chief human resources officer

KANE COMMUNICATIONS “Kane has made diversity in hiring a top priority. Finding diverse talent to join our small business isn’t

always easy. In 2019, we began to focus on building a long-term strategy – not just for our firm, but for our industry. Kane brought together a group of local and global stakeholders to kick-start a process in Milwaukee to create youth and registered apprenticeship programs that will build a pathway for more individuals in our community to enter careers in marketing and communications.”

“One of the things I’ve appreciated during this time is I’ve had a number of coworkers, from my direct reports to my peers in the Kane leadership team, reach out to me and say, ‘James, we recognize that you do have a unique perspective as a person of color, having dealt with some of this stuff publicly and also being a leader in this business and a leader in the communications space for a number of years. What do you think? What should we think? How should we approach this or that?’ “I appreciate that my colleagues feel comfortable enough to do that. I’ve talked with peers who are leaders at other businesses who told me that their colleagues, by comparison, are terrified to say something wrong or are walking on eggshells because they’re not quite sure how to pose a question or how to raise an issue about a difficult topic revolving around social justice or racial equity. These conversations go unsaid, and because of that, inadvertently and maybe ironically, there’s increased tension in their workspace. We don’t have that at Kane because of this open book policy.” — James Burnett, director of strategic public relations

MGIC “MGIC is in the early stages of this journey, and we value the ability to learn from others, from global to national and regional groups. We have been excited to embark on purposeful partnerships with: » Catalyst, a global nonprofit dedicated to ‘workplaces that work for women,’ providing required training for officers and

managers » IDEAL, our Business Resource Group, (Inclusion & Diversity Encourage Authentic Leadership) which leverages Inclusion and Diversity programming to foster employee growth and advance our business » Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee » Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce » National Black MBA Association » National Association of Minority Mortgage Bankers of America (NAMMBA)”

“I’ll be honest with you, it’s literally within the last year or so that MGIC has really grasped that initiative of diversifying the workplace. Before that, (the company would tell employees), ‘We know that’s what you want, we hear your voice. We know we should be doing it,’ but within the last year, they’ve really buckled down and it’s really come from that support from the executive and management level as well. It’s really nice to see, especially for me, as an employee who has been here for quite a bit of time to see that difference, not just hear about it, but to see what MGIC is doing.” — Concepcion Guerrero, channel strategies specialist

WEC ENERGY GROUP According to executive chairman Gale Klappa, the company has a number of initiatives underway, including training on unconscious bias and building inclusive teams; an Emerging Leaders program that helps employees in non-supervisory roles develop leadership skills; employee-led groups like the African American Business Resource Group, Listo!+ and Women’s Development Network; a partnership with Milwaukee Public Schools to provide paid internships to students; and being an active member of the Wisconsin Energy Workforce Consortium, a nonprofit group of utilities working to address the need for a qualified, diverse workforce. biztimes.com / 15

BizNews

the

Interview

ROCKY MARCOUX is retiring as Milwaukee’s commissioner of the Department of

City Development after 16 years in the role. Marcoux, 62, has worked for the city since 1986. While he led DCD, the city saw development successes in its downtown, East Side, the Menomonee Valley, Third Ward and Walker’s Point, but faced – and continues to face – challenges in some redevelopment initiatives including Century City and the former Northridge Mall site. BizTimes reporter Alex Zank recently caught up with Marcoux about his time as commissioner and his outlook for the city. Why and when did you decide to step down? “I had given it strong consideration when my wife last year … retired in December. I let the mayor know I was interested in retiring right after the (spring) election. I’m the longest serving DCD commissioner in the city’s history. Sixteen years is a very long time to do this job.”

You were DCD commissioner through the Great Recession, downtown building boom and now the coronavirus pandemic. What was it like navigating that? “That comes with the job. Situations are going to change and are all challenges. I think the city’s fared well. Obviously, we have a lot of challenges in front of us. There are a lot of racial issues that need to be resolved in this city. I think on the development side, we definitely want to see more development in the neighborhoods. But I don’t think the (Mayor Tom) Barrett administration has been given enough credit for the amount of development that actually has occurred in the neighborhoods.

Where do you see the city now? “I think downtown does get a lot of headlines because the projects tend to be larger and they involve a lot more hours (to accomplish). But the downtown has doubled in value since 2004. That’s unprecedented, it’s amazing. … If you look at the number of housing units that have been built citywide, it’s a pretty impressive number. Certainly (there are) a lot of units downtown. Counting the ones under construction right now, there’s 12,344 units that have been built downtown. And then an additional 7,840 multi-family units that have been built outside of downtown in the neighborhoods as well as 1,548 single-family or duplex dwellings.”

JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

What have been the city’s biggest achievements during your tenure?

Rocky Marcoux Commissioner  Milwaukee Department of City Development  809 N. Broadway St.  Employees: 80-90  city.milwaukee.gov/DCD 16 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUN 29, 2020

“Certainly, (I’m) very proud of the work that’s taken place in the Menomonee Valley. I think that’s critical, and that’s been a great publicprivate partnership. It’s been led by the Menomonee Valley Partners, and we’re on that board. “The Northwestern Mutual Tower was a huge accomplishment. It’s something I’m proud of, having played a role in that, but I think what it did is it sent a measure of confidence to every other business in downtown Milwaukee.”

What are some of its biggest remaining challenges? “I think Century City is both an achievement as well as a challenge. It’s an achievement in that it took 150 acres in one of the most rundown areas in the city of Milwaukee, a blighted area in the city, and we aggressively went in there, purchased it, remediated the property in terms of environmental and tore down those buildings and put the footprint in for the business park. “Century City is a success in that way. It won’t truly be a full success until we fill every square inch of that with manufacturing and others that are providing family supporting jobs for the people who live around Century City. … Eventually, it will fill up. And I’m confident of that because we have provided the infrastructure for it.” n

Jeffrey Vilione and Dawn Vilione

ENVIRO-SAFE RESOURCE RECOVERY Established 2002, Enviro-Safe is a family owned business servicing primarily the Wisconsin and Midwest markets. We are located in Germantown and offer a wide range sustainability and waste management recycling options designed to limit liabilities, reduce overall costs and preserve the environment. Enviro-Safe also offers comprehensive environmental compliance programs. Our core values are simple...Respect, Passion, Integrity, Sustainability and Trust. Our company is committed to our customers, our employees, the environment and our community. These guiding principles have allowed us to grow into a Midwest industry leader. We pride ourselves on helping companies reduce their overall costs and meet their corporate recycling goals while providing superior customer service. Everything starts with our employees. We are able to ensure the culture of our company by ensuring the people that work for us reflect our core values that we are not willing to compromise. We continue to employ and hire people in Washington County that have the same high level of integrity and want to be a part of a growing company. Blessed with the opportunities in front of us, we feel we are just scratching the surface, seeing great potential and experiencing continuous growth. We look forward to being a part of the growth of Washington County through 2035 and beyond.

W130 N10500 Washington Drive | Germantown, WI 53022 (262) 790-2500 | enviro-safe.com

Real Estate

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

ER FF JE N. NS SO

WHO OWNS THE BLOCK? JEFFERSON STREET, FROM MASON TO WELLS STREETS, DOWNTOWN MILWAUKEE

788 N. Jefferson St.  Owner: 788 Building Subsidiary LLC (registered to Joel Lee of Van Buren Management Inc.)  Tenants: Belmont Tavern, Madison Medical Affiliates, Old National Bank, Van Buren Management

5 775-781 N. Jefferson St.  Owner: Gerda Fay Holdings LLC (affiliate of Dunk Law Firm)  Tenants: Althea’s Fine Lingerie, Chain Tracks, DocLaunch, Dunk Law Firm, Sarah Boardman-Miller, The Sofie 18 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUN 29, 2020

2 419-433 E. Wells St.  Owner: Daniel J. Helfer Rev Trust  Tenants: Taylors, Flannery’s Bar & Restaurant, Real Chili

6 771-773 N. Jefferson St. Owner: Fox Properties LLC (registered to Fabio Romersi)  Retail tenants: None

3 787-789 N. Jefferson St.  Owner: Zetjeff LLC (registered to Howard Zetley)  Tenant: Bad Genie

7 767-769 N. Jefferson St.  Owner: Carol Hartter  Tenant: Scandinavia Fine Furniture Inc.

4 783-785 N. Jefferson St.  Owner: Zetjeff LLC  Tenant: Phoenix Club

8 751-765 N. Jefferson St.  Owner: Seven51 LLC (affiliate of Continuum Architects + Planners)  Tenant: DeLind Fine Art Appraisals, Continuum Architects, Kesslers Diamonds

ALEX ZANK

JON ELLIOTT OF MKE DRONES LLC

FEATURED DEAL: 19 10 O N WAT E R A PA R T M E N T S The 1910 on Water apartment complex is just one of several properties Wauwatosa-based Wangard Partners Inc. has decided to sell as it reinvests in some of its newer projects. The 68-unit building near downtown Milwaukee was recently acquired by San Francisco investor FPA Multifamily LLC for $11.85 million. It was developed by Wangard around 2012, said chief executive officer Stu Wangard. The firm will continue managing the property for FPA. Wangard said the property had garnered significant interest before it was officially on the market. Matson Holbrook and Patrick Gallagher of CBRE’s Milwaukee office brokered the deal.

ADDRESS: 1910 N. Water St., Milwaukee  BUYER: FLT 1910 Water Street LLC (FTA Multifamily affiliate)  SELLER: 1910 North Water Street LLC (Wangard Partners affiliate)  SALE PRICE: $11.85 million

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI PARISH CENTER AND FRIARY Construction has commenced on a new parish center for St. Francis of Assisi church and the renovation of the historic St. Francis Monastery at 1927 Vel R. Phillips Ave., in Milwaukee’s Halyard Park neighborhood. The new parish center will serve as a multi-purpose assembly space for the parish and surrounding community. The historic monastery will be completely renovated into a friary, which will house up to 24 Capuchin friars who are currently living in separate residences. The project broke ground in June and is expected to be completed in 12 to 18 months. DEVELOPER: St. Francis of Assisi Parish and the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph  SIZE: 54,200 square feet (16,200-square-foot parish center and 38,000-square-foot friary)  COST: Undisclosed

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COVER

ARTHUR THOMAS

The Milwaukee skyline is visible from the corner of Fond du Lac Avenue and Country Aire Drive on the east side of Germantown.

STORY

T C A G N I C N A BAL e m e rg e s a s ty n u o C n to g Wa s h in e v e lo p m e n t a p la c e fo r d

BY ARTHUR THOMAS, staff writer

THERE’S A CURVE IN THE ROAD where Fond du Lac Avenue meets Country Aire Drive on the east side of Germantown. When the weather is right, you can see downtown Milwaukee as you head south. At that point, you are less than two miles from being in the city, but making out Milwaukee’s skyline on the horizon it feels like a lot more than 15 miles to the heart of the Marquette Interchange. For many, proximity to Milwaukee and the commercial amenities of the entire metro area are among the draws of living in Washington County. It can be just a 20- or 30-minute drive to restaurants in Wauwatosa or Brookfield and just a little longer to get downtown for a Milwaukee Bucks game. On the other hand, even though much of the county’s population lives in suburban-style subdivisions, it takes just a few minutes to reach a rural country road, a hiking trail or a view of the Kettle Moraine’s colors in fall. In the 1990s, Washington County’s population boomed, growing more than 23%, and the growth continued into the 2000s, increasing another 12%. It has since slowed, but with a 3.1% increase from

2010 to 2019, it is still growing faster than Wisconsin as a whole. Washington County has seen a different kind of increased development activity at the edge of Germantown in recent years. Anchored by a Briggs & Stratton distribution center, the area along Holy Hill Road, just east of the interstate, is now home to several new industrial buildings and companies. Bringing sewer and water to the area to serve those projects opens the possibility of more development, not just in Germantown but also in neighboring Richfield where a roughly 300-acre area along the interstate is seen to have great potential. “I believe we’re poised for some very significant economic growth during the next decade or two and because of that I believe strongly that we need to have a plan for how we’re going to address that growth,” said Josh Schoemann, who was elected as the first Washington County executive in April. The potential for circumstances similar to the Holy Hill interchange exists at other locations around the county. If there is access to infrastructure, there is plenty of open space – around 45%

of the county is farmland – and with an interstate and a U.S. highway running through it, Washington County has easy access to Milwaukee, Chicago, Madison and Green Bay. “In the next 20 years between here and Lomira, I think you’re going to see some real economic development,” said Jim Healy, village administrator in Richfield. The challenge will be in finding the right balance. Mixing new development with the county’s history of agriculture. Blending the rural character of many areas with the housing and population needed to support new businesses. Growing while not losing what has attracted people to the area in the first place. “With economic development, either you manage it or it manages you,” Schoemann said. “Eventually that farmer gets squeezed out and gets the right number from developer ‘X’ and is going to sell. It’s pretty difficult not to allow that to happen.” Lynn Grgich, executive director of the Germantown Area Chamber of Commerce, said she understands the perspective of those living in the biztimes.com / 21

STORY COVER

Above: Germantown village president Dean Wolter said there has been development interest in land south of Holy Hill Road.

ARTHUR THOMAS

Below: The West Bend Theatre in downwtown West Bend.

vicinity of new development who may have had a vision of open land and farm fields but added that for the village the development potential was probably always in the back of people’s minds. “Those farmers, they aren’t able to make a go of their farms as they did in years past, so for them ... all of this is kind of coming together,” she said. “The want is out there for commercial sites, they have the land that these site directors might be looking for, and the timing in their lives might be such that, 22 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUN 29, 2020

for them, it’s an opportunity.” Scott Henke, executive director of the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce, said across the county if land is best suited to be agriculture then leaders should think of it as its own business park. “We have to treat it like it is a business, because it is a business, and not keep thinking of it as this mom and pop, ‘Oh, that’s so and so’s farm,’” Henke said. “No, it’s really so and so’s business, and if they decide that they want to tear that business down as an individual and sell it to a developer that is going to put homes or industrial land on it, well that’s their choice, but we as a community have to help that business succeed before they come to that point.” Christian Tscheschlok, executive director of Economic Development Washington County (EDWC), the county’s economic development organization, said the “super-heated” growth in Kenosha County — and, more recently, Racine County — has created a situation in which developers and companies are now looking to other areas, helping fuel interest in Washington County. “With all the development they’ve had there, it’s become very saturated for a lot of the manufacturing-type positions, and workforce availability is a challenge,” Tscheschlok said. He added that Waukesha County has limited space available for new developments and Ozaukee County doesn’t have the same access to workforce. Meanwhile, Washington County has the right mix of available land and ability to draw from multiple labor pools, Tscheschlok said. “That’s one of the reasons we’ve really popped on the radar of a lot of business opportunity and growth projects,” he said. Within manufacturing, Washington County wages have increased 1.4% since 2015, while in Kenosha County manufacturing wages are up 3.3%. Across all private sector jobs, Washington has slightly higher wage growth than Kenosha County – 8.6% versus 8.5%. Washington County

is also second in southeastern Wisconsin, only behind Kenosha County, in private sector job growth rate since 2015. Jim Paetsch, vice president of corporate relocation, attraction and expansion at Milwaukee 7, said his regional economic development organization has seen an uptick in interest from companies wanting to look at sites in Washington County. “They like the idea of maybe competing a little bit less for labor,” Paetsch said. “The other thing that the county is known for is a loyal workforce, a highly-skilled, dedicated workforce. There are just fewer of them than a lot of companies would want.” He said planning for the future is important, but once a plan is in place, communities need to be in the competition for projects. “It’s a low-batting-average business,” Paetsch said of economic development. He said for every ribbon cutting, there might be 10 projects a community lost out on, but being in the competition allows communities to learn what is important to companies and how companies view a community. “We all tell ourselves certain things we think are assets,” Paetsch said, noting the market may not agree or could see something of value a community is not emphasizing. To the outside world, it might be hard to distinguish Washington County from its suburban Milwaukee neighbors. But there are indeed differences. Waukesha County has three times the number of people and five times the GDP as Washington County. Ozaukee County, on the other hand, boasts miles of lakeshore and tends to be more affluent with more than double the percentage of households making more than $200,000 and a median income around 10% higher at $81,100. It can also be hard to move beyond viewing Washington County’s communities, Richfield and Germantown especially, as bedroom communities. “Richfield is a bedroom community, it’s always going to be a bedroom community, there’s no changing that,” Healy said. By its literal definition of living in the community but not working there, Washington County has moved more towards being a bedroom community. In 1990, more than 54% of residents worked in the county, a figure that dropped to 50.4% by 2000 and 48.8% in 2015, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The shift has been driven primarily by more residents working in Waukesha County, even as the proportion working in Milwaukee County declines. In 1990, 22.1% of Washington County residents worked in Milwaukee and just 13.8% in Waukesha. By 2015, the two were nearly equal at 19.5% and 19.2% respectively. Schoemann acknowledged that in the past,

STORY COVER

2 Washington County was largely satisfied being out of the limelight in the metro Milwaukee area. “For a long time, Washington County has kind of been this afterthought and largely an unknown,” he said. But he also said the tenor and attitude of the county has changed. “We want to be a thought leader in the M7,” he said, noting that will require the county to start acting like one. “I think we’re ready and willing to start stepping up to be at the table with regional conversations. We know that people are going to start looking our way and we’re excited for the opportunity.” Schoemann said the county is positioned to help smaller towns handle development, suggesting the shift is less about turning from agriculture to manufacturing than it is acknowledging the county has a strong manufacturing base – around 27% of its GDP comes from the sector – and then building on that base. “There’s an economic identity in that county that really does set them apart compared to some other places, and that’s manufacturing,” Paetsch said. Tscheschlok and Schoemann also both touted the county’s Site Redevelopment Program, which has landed $2 million in U.S. Environmental Protection Administration grants, including $800,000 this year for a revolving loan fund. The funding has supported site inventory and prioritization, creation of redevelopment plans, environmental assessments, site investigation and 24 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUN 29, 2020

other activities. Through early this year, those efforts have supported the redevelopment of 32 brownfield acres and the construction of 262 new housing units. They also supported more than $46 million in additional investment. “For every development we can pull off within these brownfield sites … that’s one less farm field we have to tear up and gives us more time to do that planning,” Schoemann said. Tscheschlok said the program requires upfront commitment and investment from communities but also benefits from collaboration across municipalities and putting existing infrastructure assets back to use. “All of the communities are coming together in Washington County, making decisions about how to allocate scarce redevelopment resources,” he said. “The market has already said, ‘We can’t handle these properties on our own,’ and therefore they sit and become increasingly blighted, either through perception of the potential of environmental contamination or real environmental contamination. Either way, the result is the same: there’s no movement.” One of the brownfield projects supported by the program is Rincon 225, a six-story, 82-unit apartment building set to open this year in downtown Hartford. The property was previously used for grain distribution, malt processing, a creamery, meat processing, offices and grocery stores over the years and included six blighted residential and commercial buildings when the project started.

3 1. The Rincon 225 apartment project was supported by Washington County’s Site Redevelopment Program. 2. Downtown West Bend has seen several new developments in recent years and is attracting additional investment. 3. A new Briggs & Stratton distribution center anchors several new industrial developments along Holy Hill Road in Germantown.

It’s just one of the kinds of developments that helped put Hartford among the region’s fastestgrowing municipalities a few years ago. For the decade, the city’s population is up 8.6%, the 28th largest increase among Wisconsin’s 150 biggest municipalities. A marketing flyer for the city pitches Hartford as “a vibrant city masquerading as a small town.” Henke noted that even with just over 15,000 residents, the city has a 600-seat theater, indoor and outdoor water parks and major employers with global reach. He said Hartford has benefited from strong collaboration among the chamber, the Hartford Area Economic Development Corp. and the Hartford Business Improvement District in downtown. For the county to continue to grow, he said communities will need to continue to collaborate. “Economic development is a dirty business, we’re all in it for ourselves and our communities,” Henke said before adding that bringing development anywhere in the county benefits everyone. The challenge for Hartford, Henke said, is to

PHOTOS BY: ARTHUR THOMAS

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BROOKFIELD | GREEN BAY | MILWAUKEE

Farm land in western Washington County with Holy Hill on the horizon.

continue its growth by making sure current and potential future residents are aware of its amenities. “Maybe not always at the pace that we’re at, but I think a good steady growth is always good. If you stay stagnant, you’re probably going downhill soon,” he said. To the east in West Bend, the city and developers are also investing in amenities for the community, adding a 68-room TownePlace Suites Marriott and multi-tenant office building on the former Gehl Co. manufacturing site downtown. The city has also seen several new apartment and mixed-use projects along with the rehabilitation of the historic West Bend Theatre. (See special report story for more details.) According to Tscheschlok, someone visiting the community even just three or four years ago “would have seen a very different community.” South of downtown West Bend, the city landed Milwaukee Tool as the first company that plans to build a facility in its 216-acre industrial park. The project could create up to 100 jobs by 2025. Paetsch said the project is a good example of the benefits of having a user identified and a building adjacent to existing infrastructure in expanding a development area. “It’s expensive to bring water, sewer, roads, telecommunications, all that stuff is expensive to do,” he said. Back down Highway 45, Richfield is eyeing the possibility of developing around 300 acres located just north of the Kwik Trip store on Holy Hill Road. After determining that the cost of building its own sewer and water system to serve the site would be “astronomical,” the village is now in talks with Germantown to extend service across the interstate, Healy said, adding it would cost around $2 million to extend service, but development won’t happen on the site without it. “Bringing in sewer and water, is that going to change the landscape of our community? I don’t

dustrial and manufacturing buildings, but not to the point “where you see a wall of warehousing or a wall of large buildings as you travel the freeways.” He said some additional services like a small restaurant chain, medical service, a gym or other amenities for the area’s workforce would be good. But, like many things for Washington County, any commercial development would be a balancing act. “I don’t want to see another large commercial development in that area like we have along County Line Road,” Wolter said. “It would detract and take business away from our commercial areas.” He also said it would be good to see some higher density residential areas near the new developments in the northwest part of the village, transitioning to one- and two-acre lots moving east. The northeast portion of the village, on the other hand, will likely stay more rural in nature, Wolter said. “I think our community very distinctly knows areas or likes areas where they would like to see growth and they’re very outspoken as to where they don’t want to see growth,” he added. Tscheschlok said the county benefits from an understanding of where residents want to see development. “We are not arguing in Washington County about where development should take place or how it should take place,” he said, adding he has worked in other states and countries where that is not the case. The formula for continuing to strike the right balance is to invest in places where assets already exist through efforts like the brownfield program, direct new investment to places where infrastructure suggests it should take place and pay attention to the existing supply chain in the county to support existing businesses, according to Tscheschlok. “If you don’t pay attention to that and you don’t actively and proactively develop policies, programs and procedures around those three, then you would have unmitigated growth,” he said. Tscheschlok pointed out that not managing growth can lead to haphazard development and the loss of unique assets. For Washington County, a balanced approach to growth is one of the key selling points to the potential workforce of the future. “If one of the unique elements that’s allowed us to attract and grow … is that we’ve struck that balance historically, the only way that we’re going to continue to accelerate having that quality workforce here is by continuing that balance,” Tscheschlok said. At the same time, he’d also like to see Washington County move beyond its current perceptions. “In 10 to 15 years, you won’t see the county specializing as a bedroom county or a collar county,” Tscheschlok said. “What you’re seeing being built out today, and I anticipate will be all the more manifest in 10 to 15 years from now, is that we are creating a destination spot in our own right.” n

ARTHUR THOMAS

STORY COVER

26 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUN 29, 2020

think so, but I think there will be people who are concerned that our residential lots will eventually someday become sewer and water,” Healy said. He noted that the village would have to go to a public referendum to extend sewer and water west of Highway 175, and it likely wouldn’t be feasible because of the engineering needed to navigate the rolling Kettle Moraine hills of the community. Dean Wolter, Germantown village president, said the two communities are still exploring the possibilities of extending service. “We don’t want to try and purge business away from one another; we really want to create a cohesive development out there that works well, not only for each of our residents but also just for the area in general,” he said. “It’s still in its infancy, but we have a very good, open dialogue, and so far all the communications have been very positive.” For Germantown, just extending the sewer and water infrastructure to the Briggs site was a new frontier. “For years, Freistadt Road was kind of the demarcation line where no sewer and water … no big development, no concentrated, high-density residential communities went north of Freistadt Road,” Wolter said. “There still is a group of residents who I think would like to see it that way.” After the Briggs building, the Holy Hill Road area has seen a 204,400-square-foot building for Smart Warehousing, a 100,000-square-foot industrial facility as the new headquarters for Dielectric Corp., a 240,000-square-foot headquarters building for Illing Co. and multiple spec buildings built or proposed. Wolter said there has also been some interest on the south side of Holy Hill Road, and as the need to manage more traffic increases there is an opportunity for frontage roads to connect to Highway 145 to the north and Freistadt to the south. As that development opportunity emerges, Wolter said he would like to see some smaller in-

Special Report BUSINESS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY

A The historic West Bend Theatre building at 125 N. Main St. was recently restored. B Downtown West Bend, looking south from near the entrance of Old Settlers Park. C The Museum of Wisconsin Art sits on the east side of the Milwaukee River in downtown West Bend. D A crowd at the downtown West Bend Farmers’ Market. E A rendering of the Water Street Suites office building.

Revitalization of downtown West Bend was decades in the making BY ALEX ZANK, staff writer IN MANY RESPECTS, downtown West Bend is thriving. Most storefronts are filled, its historic theater building is newly renovated, public works projects have created activity spaces and new developments promise to draw in even more people. But this didn’t happen overnight. As John Torinus sees it, downtown West Bend today is the product of over 50 years of hard work. “There’s been a long and sustained effort by a lot of leaders, both on the private side and on the public side,” said Torinus, chairman of West Bend-based Serigraph Inc. who has lived in the community for five decades. By his estimation, there has been $50 million of overall investment to the downtown area over that 50-year period. To him, it all started with efforts by the city and businesses to clean up the 28 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUN 29, 2020

Milwaukee River. “I think without cleaning up the river, none of this stuff would have happened,” he said. Torinus credits the river clean-up with paving the way for projects like the $3.5 million renovation of the historic West Bend Theatre at 125 N. Main St. Torinus is also a board member of Historic West Bend Theatre Inc., the nonprofit group that bought and renovated the building. The restored theater had a soft opening right before Gov. Tony Evers issued his “Safer at Home” order in an attempt to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the state. But the theater will be ready to host shows when the time is right, Torinus said. Public infrastructure has contributed to the overall revitalization of the downtown area as well. The riverwalk is undergoing reconstruction. Work has already taken place on the east

side of the river, and reconstruction on the west side is set to begin this year. A future phase will extend the riverwalk underneath Highway 33 to the north. Funding for the riverwalk reconstruction comes from public and private sources. “The riverwalk has been nothing but positive for the city,” said Jay Shambeau, West Bend city administrator. The city has also in recent years rebuilt a pocket park, which offers pedestrians a direct connection from the businesses on Main Street to the river and across it to the Museum of Wisconsin Art. And the revitalized Old Settlers Park is used as the center of outdoor events, including downtown summer concerts. There’s a lot happening east of the river. Much of the development activity involves the former Gehl Co. manufacturing site, which sits south of Water Street and west of South Forest Avenue. Two separate projects are underway there. On the northern end is the construction of a 15,500-square-foot office building, known as Water Street Suites, and a 68-room TownePlace Suites Marriott extended-stay hotel. Planned for the southern portion is a senior residential com-

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Special Report BUSINESS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY munity. This builds off other recent multi-family projects nearby, said Shambeau. “Just the fact of having residents in our downtown area does nothing but lift the current businesses that are there,” he said. The site’s redevelopment has long been anticipated. West Bend acquired the site from Gehl, now known as Manitou Americas, in 2008 after the company relocated two blocks east. The city then cleaned up the site and prepared it for development. But, there’s more to downtown West Bend than buildings and infrastructure. A variety of events draw in thousands of people, including farmers’ markets, a summer concert series, an annual car show, a kayak race and seasonal festivals. These events are all put on by the Downtown West Bend Association. Anna Jensen, events director for the association, said roughly 2,000 people attend the weekly farmers’ market, and between 800 to 2,000 attend the summer concerts. The car show attracts almost 450 cars, about 60% of which are driven by people living outside of the community, she said. “So, people are coming from outside West Bend to our events,” Jensen said.

Downtown is reflective of the city’s history and its entrepreneurial spirt, said Kraig Sadownikow, former mayor of West Bend and president and owner of American Construction Services and American Architectural Group, two of the three companies that comprise West Bend-based American Cos. American Cos. is co-developing the hotel and office project with Downtown West Bend Hotel Associates LLC and Iowa-based Kinseth Hospitality Cos. Sadownikow said when the city was first formed, it was basically “in the middle of nowhere” and had to be self-sufficient. “Downtown really mirrors the greater West Bend area and our history,” he said. “West Bend was built on entrepreneurship; it was built on families taking a chance.” Downtown today is thriving in large part because of the numerous small businesses located there, Sadownikow said. “Certainly, you’re not seeing chains and franchises. You’re seeing people carve out their own little ideas,” with businesses ranging from restaurants to a music academy to a specialty bath and body product retailer, he said. Synergy exists among the amenities and at-

tractions of downtown, particularly its arts and cultural offerings, such as the museum, theater, sculptures and outdoor music events, Torinus said. “Pretty soon you’ve got a critical group of amenities, and if you think about it, we’ve got an arts district,” Torinus said. There’s also the ArtWalk, another product of the Downtown West Bend Association. It consists of 50 hand-painted banners hanging on downtown light poles. Jensen said the paintings essentially turn downtown into an art gallery. Jensen said the new hotel will add a needed piece to downtown, especially for visitors who are in town to attend a show at the theater or tour the museum. The hotel, just a short walk from those attractions, will encourage more overnight stays, she said. Community leaders hope all of this will result in downtown being a year-round destination. As Sadownikow puts it, there needs to be a reason for people to visit downtown West Bend on “a cold Tuesday in February.” And Torinus hopes it will be a place where people choose to live as well. “It’s getting to be a very lively, picturesque place where people want to be,” he said. n

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Special Report BUSINESS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY

A David Zach B David Decker C Kent Lorenz D Debbie Seeger E Paul Manley

Focusing on the future of Washington County Speakers at virtual event will discuss challenges, opportunities BY MAREDITHE MEYER, staff writer WHEN PREPARING for the uncertainty that lies ahead, your plan doesn’t matter as much as your philosophy, said futurist David Zach, the keynote speaker at BizTimes Media’s Washington County 2035 virtual event on June 30. At the event, Zach will share insights on what the next 15 years and beyond will look like for Washington County, and will present business owners and executives with a “toolkit” of practical ideas about thinking and moving forward. “In this day and age, we may need to be much more diversely curious — to truly be less focused on a single task or a single goal, and to sit back and think, ‘What else is going on here? What else can I learn?’” said Zach. As the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the country and kept people inside, there may have been more down time to think, reflect and, in turn, tap into curiosity. But the problem, Zach said, is people have gotten so busy that they don’t know how to slow down. He’s also concerned that attention is being “weaponized” by a never-ending news cycle and overload of dig32 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUN 29, 2020

ital content. Zach suggests reading more books and fewer articles, and connecting with those of different backgrounds over conversation. “It’s getting away from the singular focus on work and letting people be people,” he said. A panel of local business leaders at the event will also weigh in on how upheavals like COVID-19, technology trends and innovation are changing their industries and the face of Washington County. “Washington County is not immune to the changes coming, the accelerated pace of change and the need to implement agile business practices in an effort to be able to shift, pivot and keep up,” said Debbie Seeger, advisor at Brookfield-based management consulting firm Patina Solutions. Planning and forecasting future trends is more difficult than ever, Seeger said, but a movement is afoot that will change the way companies across all industries balance employee needs, environmental sustainability and profit generation for shareholders.

For Germantown-based MGS Manufacturing, attracting and retaining talent will remain key to the company’s success going forward — even if it means making some internal adjustments. “We are lucky in that we have an exceptional culture already that is quite technical, entrepreneurial and likes winning,” said president Paul Manley. “These attributes are attractive to the younger workforce, too, but so are things like flexibility at work and social consciousness. Evolving our culture to continue to embrace these attributes will ensure long-term success and allow us to fully utilize the area’s rich talent pool.” The company’s location allows access not only to Washington County’s “high-quality and technically diverse workforce,” but that of surrounding areas such as Milwaukee, which Manley said is underutilized. Kent Lorenz, CEO of Lakeside Consulting LLC, said southeastern Wisconsin companies have a strong educational system to thank for the region’s talent pipeline, including the University of Wisconsin System, Wisconsin Technical College System and private universities. “The difficulty will be attracting and retaining this talent as the demand exceeds the supply,” said Lorenz. He considers the region’s education system a national leader in technology curriculum. That’s good news for Washington County, he said, especially as the industry at large continues to integrate automation and artificial intelligence to improve production and customer interface. Manufacturing isn’t the only industry expecting to move forward with advancements in technology. “We are keeping an eye on emerging new technologies, like 3D printed housing,” said David Decker, president of Brookfield-based Decker Properties Inc. In the next 15 years, he said, the rising cost of construction will make single family homes priced out of reach for some families and apartments will also become more expensive. The company plans to pursue government incentives to help mitigate the cost of development. Decker raised concerns about a lack of housing in Washington County, which makes jobs harder to fill. “Expensive housing puts pressure on wages,” he said. Due to the rise of remote work, Zach said, the age-old rule of real estate – “location, location, location’ – has shifted to “location, amenities, access,” he said. That could be promising for Washington County, where the ability to attract talent in the future may come down to improving amenities and access. “We’ve forced ourselves to figure out that we are not tied to physical locations,” he said. n

HEALTH CARE

Dr. Richard Pierce-Ruhland, internal medicine physician at Ascension All Saints at Spring Street in Racine, conducts a virtual visit.

COVID-19 accelerates the adoption of telehealth BY LAUREN ANDERSON, staff writer AT THE BEGINNING of 2020, Children’s Wisconsin anticipated it would hold roughly 1,500 virtual appointments with patients by the year’s end. The pediatric health system has offered telemedicine for the past year, but leaders set conservative targets for virtual visits this year with the assumption that it would take some time for patients’ families to warm to the format. But those early-year projections didn’t anticipate the disruption of COVID-19 and how it would alter health systems’ delivery of care within just a matter of months. In April and May alone, the health system held 30,000 virtual visits across its locations.

Children’s is among health systems across the state that quickly pivoted from providing primarily in-person doctor’s visits to offering remote phone and video appointments during the COVID-19 crisis. Now, as clinics and hospitals reopen their doors, health care providers say telehealth is more than just a stop-gap measure in response to the pandemic. “The general belief is that the genie is out of the bottle,” said Christopher Neuharth, executive director of digital health and experience at Children’s Wisconsin. “...There’s a preference for more convenient and digital channels for these

things. Once you remove those barriers, it’s hard to put them back up. We see video as the tip of the iceberg.” Before the COVID-19 outbreak, telehealth had been gaining momentum in the state. In November 2019, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed legislation that required Medicaid to reimburse for some telehealth services, joining a growing number of states to adopt similar practices. In recent years, each of the region’s major health systems has rolled out and promoted its own version of virtual visits. Still, the practice of consulting with a doctor by phone or video hadn’t quite hit the mainstream. “Many major systems have used telehealth, especially those delivering services over a wide geographic area for consults and follow-up,” said Mark Kaufman, chief medical officer for the Wisconsin Hospital Association. “What’s changed with COVID-19 is both patients and providers have been forced to leverage telehealth and have realized the benefits that it offers. In the past, it was more of an option, especially with geographic distance, but now people, with COVID-19, have understood the power of telehealth.” At Ascension Wisconsin, the number of providers using the system’s virtual visit platform has grown from 10 to more than 1,000 in under a year. For physicians who had been hesitant to transition from providing in-person to virtual care, COVID-19 shortened the learning curve, said Dr. Patricia Golden, an osteopathic physician with Ascension Wisconsin. “If you ask clinicians now, we are in a much different place than we were even four months ago,” Golden said. As of early June, Ascension Wisconsin had completed 120,000 virtual provider visits to date MULLCORP this year, far surpassing the system’s goal of 20,000 for the fiscal year.

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“The door had been there, cracked open slightly. But now the door is wide open,” said Dr. Dirk Steinert, an internal medicine and pediatrics provider with Ascension Wisconsin. “Physicians are feeling much more comfortable with (virtual care).” Insurance companies’ coverage of phone and video appointments during the crisis has helped enable the wide-scale use of telemedicine in recent months. Prior to the pandemic, Ascension Wisconsin utilized telehealth, particularly for specialist appointments with patients who live in rural areas – a service that is paid for by Medicare and Medicaid. As health care providers reopen, questions remain about insurers’ willingness to cover telehealth more widely moving forward. Steinert said the health system is negotiating with insurance companies to “allow improved engagement with our patient populations and communities, including secure telehealth visits.” “It appears as if the payers are very interested in supporting this,” he said. Kaufman said it is yet to be seen how government sources will choose to reimburse telehealth services moving forward. “It depends a lot on whether state and federal agencies are going to revert back to previous restrictions on telehealth or keep … the expansion of coverage and payment per services that were created related to the COVID-19 epidemic,” he said. “... It’s a little bit unknown going forward.” Patient satisfaction surveys and appointment cancellation rates suggest patients are generally pleased with the shift to virtual care, Kaufman said. “(Patient) satisfaction has been high,” Kaufman said of WHA’s member hospitals’ survey results. “Cancellations have actually been lower than for in-person visits.” Though promising, telehealth is not a silver bullet. Any appointment that requires an in-

depth examination, for example, won’t translate to a virtual format. “The limitation with this is if the physician or provider needs to examine a patient,” Kaufman said. “That’s the physical exam and that’s key to diagnosis. … That’s not going to happen with any telehealth platform. (But) a great percentage of health care can be delivered safely and adequately through talking with a patient.”’ In particular, Kaufman noted virtual visits are helpful for patients with chronic illnesses that need to be monitored continually. “Going forward, it’s part of the solution, but certainly there are many procedures and visits that are really enhanced by in-person interactions.” In general, virtual care is more convenient for patients, caretakers and those accompanying their loved ones to visits, health care leaders said. It also provides physicians with a better view into a patient’s home life, giving insight into the social determinants that may affect their overall health. During the COVID-19 crisis, Steinert and his team have been reaching out to at-risk patients, inviting them to do virtual visits to check in on their mental and physical health. “It’s been an eye-opening experience for us as clinicians,” Steinert said. For example, Steinert has offered nutritional recommendations after seeing the contents of a patient’s refrigerator and helped patients dispose of outdated medication after looking inside their cabinet. “You can kindly support them in cleaning that clutter out and decrease potential errors in the future,” he said. “For patients to allow you to come into their homes, it is a precious gift – and one that we respect and honor.” Leaders of Children’s Wisconsin – which is in a multi-year $150 million initiative to expand mental and behavioral health care for Wisconsin children – said telehealth has been key to expanding access to health care for its patients,

ASCENSION SE WISCONSIN-CAPITOL AND LILLY

HEALTH CARE

Dr. Lauren Hollandsworth, family medicine physician at Ascension SE Wisconsin at Capitol and Lilly in Brookfield, conducts a virtual visit.

particularly in the area of behavioral health. “That’s one of the things our mental and behavioral health team is most excited about,” Neuharth said. “We’ve been looking for every angle to expand access. Before, it’s meant having to pull a kid out of school or parents to get off work early. That’s now removed.” Of Children’s 30,000 telehealth visits held in April and May, about 9,000 of them were for mental and behavioral health services. That particular category of services has seen a 98% conversion from in-person to virtual visits, Neuharth said. Physicians have found the format eliminates some barriers of a traditional clinical environment, helping put patients at ease more quickly. “For some of our kids with developmental delays or feeding problems, it can sometimes take an entire clinic visit to make them feel comfortable, but in their homes, we are getting much better information right away,” said Dr. Kimberly Cronsell, medical director for digital health and experience at Children’s Wisconsin. “One of those components is, when children are at home, you can see specifically what their physical environment looks like and do exercises and other things with them in their home. … You can get a much more authentic view of the child and their family and get to the heart of the matter more quickly.” n

Now more than ever, we’re in this

for our community. 262-363-6500 www.citizenbank.bank 34 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUN 29, 2020

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Agents spotlighting accomplished professionals throughout the region. The leaders profiled in the following pages were nominated by their peers at work and in the community and showcase the diversity of talent in our market. The leadership shown by the individuals profiled here is setting an example to shape a better future for our region.

METHODOLOGY: The honorees did not pay to be included. Their profiles were drawn from nomination materials. This list features only individuals for whom nominations were submitted and accepted after a review by our editorial team. To qualify for the list, nominees must be based in southeast Wisconsin. They must be currently serving in a senior level role at their firm, must hold a leadership position in their industry and act as a role model or mentor.

Bruce Gallagher

Natasha Duvall

Karen Trimble

Paul Nikolic

JUSTIN IPPOLITI

LEAD PARTNER

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, REALTOR

FALK RUVIN GALLAGHER KELLER WILLIAMS MILWAUKEE NORTH SHORE

BizTimes Milwaukee is proud to present the inaugural list of Notable Residential Real Estate

RICHARD RUVIN

Richard Ruvin is the lead partner for Falk Ruvin Gallagher, which is based in Whitefish Bay and is part of Keller Williams. He has 24 years of residential real estate experience. During the last 12 months, the Falk Ruvin Gallagher team has sold $107 million in residential real estate, serving 194 families. Ruvin is also the president of NAJR Properties LLC, which has acquired and developed more than $100 million in multi-family and commercial real estate since 2005. The firm owns/asset manages 100,000 square feet of commercial space. “Richard Ruvin has one of the most diverse backgrounds in the residential real estate space, from not only helping people buy and sell homes but to running a construction and remodeling firm as well as various forms of investments and developments,” said Charlie Stalle, team leader for Keller Williams Milwaukee.

Jay Schmidt

Mauren Stallé

Justin Ippoliti has been a realtor with Shorewest for 8 years and works out of the company’s Southridge office on Layton Avenue in Greenfield. “Since Justin Ippoliti’s first year in real estate when he was named Shorewest’s Rookie of the Year to today, he has given 110% to his profession,” said Wendy Norem, marketing director for Shorwest. “In four short years, Justin became Shorewest’s top sales associate for units and has maintained that position since. “With a background in law and seven years teaching in Milwaukee Public Schools, Justin is able to advocate for his clients as well as educate them about the home buying and selling process. He has a passion for the Milwaukee area and enjoys helping people accomplish their goals. “Justin understands the importance of giving back and in 2018 participated in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Wisconsin Chapter’s Milwaukee Man & Woman of the Year contest to raise money and had his head shaved by a Shorewest executive.”

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Richard Ruvin

Congratulations to our KW associates on their Notable Residential Real Estate recognition. kw.com

SHOREWEST REALTORS

Residential & Commercial RealtorⒸ

414.419.4797

jippoliti@shorewest.com biztimes.com / 35

ESSAM ELSAFY

RENATA GREELEY

MARK PATTON

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, REALTOR

SHOREWEST REALTORS

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, REALTOR - SHOREWEST REALTORS

Essam Elsafy has 22 years of experience in the residential real estate industry, including 11 years with Shorewest Realtors. He specializes in the North Shore residential real estate market of metro Milwaukee. “Essam has an uncomplicated philosophy to representing clients - just make them happy,” said Wendy Norem, marketing director for Shorewest Realtors. “That means fully understanding their needs and using a varying combination of knowledge, skill, experience, and hand-holding to deliver outstanding outcomes. Clear communication and always doing what’s right governs his approach to business. “He embodies key qualities that make him and his team a clear choice for many in the North Shore. Elsafy is by nature an honest, straightforward, ethical and likable person. He has a positive attitude and can think critically to work through any situation. He understands his role to provide good advice and counsel while leaving the decision making to his clients. Plus, he has the market knowledge and negotiating skills to bring the right buyers and sellers together. He believes mutual respect, laughter, honesty, listening and being there for each other are the hallmarks to building trusting and lasting relationships.”

JIM SCHLEIF ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, REALTOR SHOREWEST REALTORS Jim Schleif has 16 years of experience in the residential real estate industry, all with Shorewest Realtors. “Jim Schleif is always giving back, and sees the glass half full while serving others including his clients, friends and fellow realtors,” said Wendy Norem, marketing director of Shorewest Realtors. “His can-do, caring attitude is refreshing in the real estate world.” Schleif works in all price ranges of the residential real estate market and most of his business is in the North Shore and the city of Milwaukee. He is a resident of the East Side and loves the city. “I believe a city is only as strong as its weakest link,” Schleif said. “So, we must all keep our city and its residents strong or the outlying areas will in turn suffer. We are simply better together.” Schleif has sold over $377 million of real estate in 16 years, and has been Shorewest’s number one agent six years of the past ten. He is also an award-winning rehabber and has a network of contractor resources to assist clients in restoring, remodeling or preparing their homes for sale. In 2019, Schleif received Shorewest’s Raymond A. Marotte Award, which is bestowed by peers and recognizes an individual agent exemplifying professionalism, honesty, dedication, generosity and loyalty to clients, company and the industry.

36 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUNE 29, 2020

Renata Greeley has been a realtor with Shorewest for about 15 years and has closed on more than $288 million in sales during that time. She works out of Shorewest’s office in Burlington. Greeley has been in the top three of real estate associates for Shorewest in volume, units and/or listings since 2010, and Racine County’s top agent since 2009. “Renata is one of the hardest working real estate professionals in the industry today,” said Wendy Norem, marketing director for Shorewest Realtors. “She excels by forming real connections with her clients and getting to know them on a personal level. And then she goes above and beyond their expectations to help them get the best return whether she is helping them buy and/or sell a home. Renata doesn’t work with a team, rather she does it all by herself – from hosting four to eight open houses a weekend, writing her own contracts, attending all inspection appointments and closings. Her personal attention to detail has helped her excel to be one of the best.”

FOUNDING MEMBER - PATTON/BITTERBERG GROUP Mark Patton has 40 years of residential real estate experience, all with Shorewest Realtors. Patton and Pat Bitterberg are the founding members of the PATTON/Bitterberg Group (originally the Bitterberg Group), which is part of Shorewest. “Mark Patton has seen the industry at its highest and lowest points,” said Wendy Norem, marketing director for Shorewest Realtors. “He uses this experience and knowledge to help his clients navigate the real estate market. “This business has, and will continue to be, a rapport business and Mark epitomizes professionalism and dedication to every customer, throughout the transaction and beyond. No one knows the market more than Mark. PATTON/Bitterberg continues to evolve in marketing including walk thru/drone aerial video marketing, social media presence and a constant up-to-date knowledge of the real estate market.”

BRUCE GALLAGHER

JAY SCHMIDT

MANAGING PARTNER

JAY SCHMIDT GROUP - KELLER WILLIAMS MILWAUKEE NORTH SHORE

PRINCIPAL/OWNER

GALLAGHER LAKE COUNTRY REAL ESTATE - KELLER WILLIAMS MILWAUKEE Bruce Gallagher has about 10 years of experience in the residential real estate industry and leads Gallagher Lake Country Real Estate, a second generation real estate team specializing in the Lake Country area. Gallagher Lake Country Real Estate is part of Keller Williams. Previously, Gallagher was president of Sage Waste Solutions and before that he was president of Equistar Mortgage. He then transitioned from the corporate world to partner with his mother Beachy Gallagher and sister Kathy Gallagher Rosenheimer in the residential real estate business in Lake Country. The Gallagher Lake Country Real Estate team has been helping people buy and sell homes in the Lake Country area since 1982. “As lifetime (Lake Country) residents, growing up and raising families on area lakes, nobody knows the market better (than the Gallagher family),” said Charlie Stalle, team leader for Keller Williams Milwaukee. “Together their team closed $53 million (in home sales) in the last 12 months and has seen a tremendous growth in their business, which is up 188%. This places them in the top 20 of agents within the Milwaukee area.”

Jay Schmidt is the principal and owner of Shorewood-based Jay Schmidt Group, which is part of Keller Williams. Jay Schmidt Group was the top-ranked residential real estate brokerage team in Wisconsin for 2019 based on transaction volume, according to REAL Trends Inc., brokering $138 million in home sales last year. Schmidt has long been involved in real estate and home renovations, remodeling and renovating over 10 homes in Whitefish Bay and Milwaukee. He uses his experience with home renovations to help his clients with their home search. In early 2012 he decided to pursue his longtime passion and obtain his residential real estate license. In November of 2013 he made the move to Keller Williams Milwaukee North Shore and started the Jay Schmidt Group. Schmidt also has 15 years of corporate marketing and product management experience. Schmidt’s team brokered the sale of $146 million in residential real estate during the last 12 months and served 366 families in the process, according to Charlie Stallé, team leader of Keller Williams Milwaukee. Schmidt “not only runs his business at a high level but constantly gives back to his community through the JSG Foundation,” Stallé said.

KAREN TRIMBLE

MARTHA OLLA

MANAGING PARTNER

PARTNER, LICENSED AGENT

TEAM TRIMBLE REAL ESTATE KELLER WILLIAMS MILWAUKEE LAKE COUNTRY Karen Trimble is the managing partner of Team Trimble Real Estate, which is part of Keller Williams and focuses on serving the Lake Country area. Trimble is a long-time resident of the Lake Country area. She has been in the residential real estate industry for six years. Previously she served for six years on the Swallow School District Board, including serving as its president. “Since transitioning into real estate her team is a force within the Lake Country communities,” said Charlie Stallé, team leader for Keller Williams Milwaukee. “In the last 12 months they have sold (homes worth a total of) $44.7 million and served 65 families all while overseeing a 71% growth in their business, which places them as the 16th largest team in the area.” Trimble has received Rookie of the Year, Five Star Rising Star and the team has received Gold Level awards and recognition as a consistent top producing team from Keller Williams.

NATASHA DUVALL LICENSED REALTOR DUVALL GROUP REAL ESTATE KELLER WILLIAMS MILWAUKEE NORTH SHORE Natasha Duvall has been in the residential real estate business for nearly 30 years and is the leader of Duvall Group Real Estate, which is part of Keller Williams. Her expertise is in the North Shore area from Milwaukee’s East Side north to southern Ozaukee County. Duvall “has been able to completely reinvent her business over the last year to double her production,” said Charlie Stallé, team leader of Keller Williams Milwaukee. “In the last 12 months her team has closed $26 million in production and served 89 families. This represents a 78% year-over-year growth rate. This places them as the 36th largest team in the Milwaukee area and in the top 1% of agents nationally.”

STALLÉ REALTY GROUP - KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY Martha Olla has been part of the Stallé Realty Group since 1998 as co-founder and partner. Stallé Realty Group is a top producing team within Keller Williams Realty. Olla consistently ranks in the top 1% of Metro MLS. In 2019, she successfully closed $16 million in production, assisting 30 families buy and sell real estate. Olla is a lifelong resident of the North Shore. She and her husband Joe raised their four children in Whitefish Bay and Fox Point. “My husband and I were moving from Chicago to Milwaukee and had an idea of the neighborhood we wanted to live in and a price range. We contacted an old friend, Martha Olla,” said David Kudlata, application sales manager for Oracle. “Martha helped us find the perfect home. Martha walked us through every step along the process, from offer, negotiation, acceptance, inspection and closing. Once we bought the home, Martha was always by our side to answer questions and help with any details we needed. I could not have asked for a more attentive, conscientious, caring real estate professional. I have bought and sold five properties in my life and Martha was truly the best.”

PAUL NIKOLIC PRINCIPAL AND LEAD AGENT NIKOLIC GROUP REAL ESTATE KELLER WILLIAMS MILWAUKEE Paul Nikolic has been in the residential real estate industry for 22 years, starting when he was 18 years old. He leads Nikolic Group Real Estate, which is part of Keller Williams. Nikolic’s parents Bosko and Sue, who are also realtors, joined with him in 2001 to form Nikolic Group. “Their group sold $20 million servicing 70 families in the last 12 months, this places them in the top 1% of agents in the Milwaukee area,” said Charlie Stallé, team leader for Keller Williams Milwaukee. Nikolic is leading Keller Williams’ expansion plans in the Milwaukee area to open its newest location servicing the Wauwatosa, Elm Grove and Brookfield communities.

MAUREEN STALLÉ PRINCIPAL, LICENSED BROKER AND LEAD AGENT STALLÉ REALTY GROUP - KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY Maureen Stallé is the principal of the Stallé Realty Group and also the managing partner of Keller Williams Milwaukee. Stallé Realty is part of Keller Williams. She has 23 years of experience in the residential real estate industry, and has been with Keller Williams since 2013. Stallé’s team closed $82 million in home sales during the last 12 months servicing 177 families, which ranks them as the third largest team in Milwaukee. As the operating principal of Keller Williams, Stallé also oversees broker functions for three locations with more than 275 agents and a closed transactional volume of $818 million and a year-over-year growth rate of 53%. She attributes her success to the amazing people she surrounds herself with. “This is a team effort, we service our clients on a very high level and it takes the talents of the collective whole to do this successfully,” Stallé said.

VICKI MARCINIAK REALTOR FIRST WEBER REALTORS A BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY AFFILIATE Vicki Marciniak has been a fulltime realtor since 2005, and has brokered more than $80 million in residential real estate transactions in her career. She works out of First Weber’s Lake Country Office in Delafield. “Vicki is an excellent realtor. We met her at church shortly after she began her career in real estate. While we were not in the market ourselves, my in-laws were looking for a condo in the area and we recommended Vicki to work with them,” said John Schmitt, administrator of St. Francis Convent, Inc. “Two years later, our daughter and son-in-law were looking for their first home and Vicki worked closely with them to find a place that fit their needs perfectly. “Around that time my wife and I began thinking about moving and Vicki was extremely patient with us as we spent four years trying to figure out what we wanted to do. Last summer my wife and I found a lot upon which we planned to build a new home. We had intended to put our house up for sale this past March, but Vicki contacted us in early February regarding someone interested in purchasing a home in our subdivision. We had one showing, and 3 hours later had a full price offer. With her expertise we accepted an offer much higher than expected. Our family loves her professionalism and her kindness.”

biztimes.com / 37

Strategies MANAGEMENT

Sustaining great results during and after a crisis BY NOW you have been through the shock of the world literally seeming like it changed overnight. You have adapted to this “new norm.” Whether you like it or not, this change could be with us for 12 to 18 months. Some areas of business may never fully change back. Successful organizations have increased communications, pivoted with new innovations, cut costs, become more efficient, and surely have changed in a world where most people simply don’t like change. Even if your business has skyrocketed during these unpredictable times, you may be wondering when your industry will soften. We all need to be on a heightened sense of awareness of what is happening in the industries that we are involved in. What is more important is to focus on sustaining any new growth that came from this crisis. A rallying cry that resonates with me is one that I have used before. It is termed “stabilization to propel future growth.” What exactly does this mean? It means that financial health does not come overnight and that every investment should have some type of a return. Financial gains clearly are lagging indicators of what you are doing in other areas of your business. In a mode of financial stabilization, you should be relentlessly pursuing ways to gain new customer insights, further developing your supply chain, working to innovate, and maintaining a great culture. In other words, your financials will only grow if you take the time to grow other areas of 38 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUN 29, 2020

your business. How do you know what to change? Laura Huang, associate professor at the Harvard School of Business and author of “Edge: Turning Adversity into Advantage,” differentiates between companies that are successful and ones that may be left behind. Dr. Huang goes on to say the ones that succeed “understand that even though they are looking to do new and innovative things, they need to grow where they are planted.” As a business, you have a purpose, advantages, an established customer base, and the certain “something” that makes your organization tick. The old adage “drastic times call for drastic measures” is one I want to warn you about. In crisis mode, one may get paralyzed and do nothing, or try to do too much. My recommendation is to do neither. Make tweaks that remain consistent with the business’ purpose. Perhaps you can make sudden tweaks to what you’re doing and how you’re innovating with customers. Look at improving a delivery system, ordering process, your packaging, or how you promote your product. You may want to review who your ideal customer is and try to find ways to get more customers like them. You could think about partnering with likeminded people and organizations. This helps with flexibility, especially as you are pursuing new business opportunities and/or new ways of doing business. In contrast, wholesale changes probably aren’t in your best interest. These may be too big a change, especially when looking to stabilize your business. Never implement these changes in a silo. Develop new things and get input from your customers. Put a fair amount of time into these experiments. If they do not work, try something else. The growth that you are experiencing now may not be financial. Remember, financial

growth is a lagging indicator of what you’re doing to improve the other areas of your business. Those areas are just as important as the numbers you see when your books close every month. Look at improving in areas of customer interaction and pursuits, innovative ideas, and efficiency in the workplace. If you see growth in these areas, you will surely get to see growth in your financial viability. It will simply take some time. Measuring only financial results may not be uplifting enough to feel the true progress that your business is making. Always stay nimble. Oftentimes when people reflect on a challenging time, they realize that it was a time when they did something significant that resulted in something great. I challenge you to think of the areas you changed during this crisis. What will you do to sustain (and improve) the results of those pivots? n

JERRY JENDUSA Jerry Jendusa is the co-founder of STUCK Coaching and was the founder of EMTEQ. He is a business advisor, investor and the author of “Get Unstuck.” He can be contacted at jerryj@getunstuck.com.

INNOVATION

It isn’t over until … Florentine Opera Company innovates to survive pandemic COVID-19 wreaked havoc on our economy and ended the life of many businesses forever. Now more than ever it has required business leaders to innovate. Imagine you’re the new CEO of an organization having taken the reins in a turnaround situation when the previous leader abruptly departed. You’re starting to put in place the steps for the organization’s recovery, including bringing in new talent to help lead the turnaround. Then overnight, the government makes it impossible for your customers to purchase your services. The Florentine Opera Company in Milwaukee, which depends on putting on live performances to generate revenues, is one of many organizations that faced this situation because of stay-at-home orders during the pandemic. Its revenue dropped dramatically. It had to face the heartbreaking task of informing the loyal customer base that their favorite shows were being canceled, disappointing not only those customers but the artists who were training for those shows. Welcome to the world of Maggey Oplinger, CEO and general director of the Florentine Opera, one of the great cultural treasures of our community. As luck would have it, the Florentine’s board of directors had selected the right leader at the right time. With a background in the performing arts, which included training and experience as a professional opera singer in Europe, Oplinger was also no stranger to business.

Her father, Michael White, chairman of the board of Rite-Hite, early on recommended she pursue a dual-track of education and business in case her ambitions in the world of performance arts did not work out. So, her credentials included not only a degree in business but also deep experience as part of an innovation team at Johnson Controls, where she worked for more than five years. After that she worked for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra for more than three years. In facing this crisis at Florentine Opera Company, Oplinger was guided by the human-centered design process. What is that? It requires businesses to offer products and services focused on the needs of their customers, not on what they think customers want or need. This has been called “industrial empathy,” pioneered by industrial design icon Henry Dreyfuss in the last century who put the needs of customers as paramount in designing products and services. We have our own Brooks Stevens, who took it to another level with his industrial designs. Think for a minute: What if the CEO of an airline was required to sit in the middle seat of a passenger jet for a month? Consider what kind of design changes would be made to ensure the passenger in that seat has a better experience. So here are the lessons you can learn from Maggey and apply in your business as you put the customer in the center of your strategy: 1. Why do you exist, as defined by your customer? She faced the constraints of a small budget; she could not do in-depth research reports or surveys of the current customer thinking. So, she and her team read prior analyses to determine what patrons and opera lovers found so compelling about the Florentine. The facts pointed out that they attended the Florentine because they love the core performances but with an avant-garde twist from time to time. It helped them get an understanding of what inspired their customers to attend concerts. 2. Rethink your brand in light of those findings. Everything you portray, from your website to the collateral you produce and your communication, should reflect a brand identity that de-

livers an experience that your customers want. 3. How can you drive revenues without the things that are traditionally available to you? One of Oplinger’s great attributes is that she is a leader willing to “embrace uncertainty,” meaning a leader who is willing to admit they don’t know the answers. At first, the team was skeptical, but they soon found out she was serious and then went full-bore to help her think through new approaches to generating revenue. That included a video recording of “The Tragedy of Carmen” that could be played and enjoyed by their customers online. They even developed a school production of “Cinderella” so that it could be delivered to teachers and students from home. What you can learn from Maggey’s experience is that having the humility to put the customers first, overcoming your own “confirmation bias,” to get to really know your customers is the beginning of a journey that will help you deliver a product and service that will delight your customer base. This process requires you to rethink every decision you make with the persona of your customer in mind and what they want, not what you think they want. Not an easy task, but it explains why companies like Facebook and Amazon have been such great performers in the past decade. n

DAN STEININGER Dan Steininger is an author, national and international speaker, and business advisor. As president of Steininger & Associates LLC, he helps companies drive innovation. He is also president of BizStarts, and can be reached at Dan@BizStarts.com. biztimes.com / 39

Strategies COACHING

Triumph amidst fear In the midst of difficulty and danger is bravery TO SAY that the events of the past several months are distressing is a gargantuan understatement. From the first news of the coronavirus to today’s social and political unrest, we have been bombarded by bad news, bad behavior and too many images of cruelty, violence and destruction during much of 2020. The human mind, while exceptionally resilient, can only understand so much. When reason falters and emotion takes over, we are all at risk. And we struggle to know what to do, what to say, or how to act. Perhaps it was this profound sense of emotional unrest that caused me to wake up abruptly in the early morning hours several weeks ago with an urgent thought: This is “Lord of the Flies!” Somewhere in my deepest psyche, the memory of a book I’d read in high school emerged. At 2:30 a.m., I flipped on the lights as I went bookshelf to bookshelf searching for the thin paperback I thought I had somewhere. Indeed, I did. Pulling it off the shelf and setting it on my kitchen table, I doused the lights and tucked in for the remaining hours of the night. I finished re-reading the book several weeks ago. It was more frightening than I remembered. With incredible prescience, it lays out what happens to people when they become isolated, frightened beyond reason, and hungry for power and personal loyalty. Over the past several months, I have also been reading “The Gulag Archipelago,” Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s harrowing historical account 40 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUN 29, 2020

of the communist Soviet forced labor camp system. I was compelled to read it thanks to another book by Canadian author and clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson, “12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos.” After several mentions of the Gulag, I became intrigued. I had not learned much about this remarkably destructive period of history when I was in school. History, as I had experienced it in the classroom, was an antiseptic chronicling of dates and events, devoid of the human drives that make it so important. Reading “The Gulag” and “Lord of the Flies” contemporaneously was powerful. Frightening. Incredibly depressing, if one is so inclined. I am not. But this impromptu exploration of literature left me with several thoughts. If you allow yourself, you can certainly be overtaken and paralyzed by fear. This weakness invites aggression. Conformity is a natural response to threat. When safety is your primary goal, you won’t rock the boat, any boat, by doing or saying something that might threaten your safety. Long-simmering disappointment never resolves on its own. We have seen too many instances in which it reaches a flashpoint of fury and all hell breaks loose – and I do mean hell. Fire, destruction, death. Tearing down structures and statues. A collective losing of our minds that has no outcome other than heartbreak. The remedy starts with you and me. It is built upon a commitment to value life, property, and decency. It requires self-control and a refusal to be pulled into situations, conversations and actions that are inflammatory. It grows with an understanding of history and what human beings are capable of, both good and evil. It begs for personal resolve. You’ve heard some simple things to do. Turn off the news. Put down your phone. Refuse to engage in contentious debates. Listen. Keep listening until you begin to understand. Stop de-

manding that others know your pain. They have their own. If you insist on rank ordering pain, everyone loses. No one will ever feel entirely satisfied, but that’s not a requirement in order to work toward something better. The past, however painful, has equipped you for today. I don’t know what something better looks like for you. But you do. And when you can find a way to express it so that others can appreciate it and join you in creating it, you can be an agent of positive change. I’m not suggesting you put on rose-colored glasses; they represent their own kind of danger. Life is difficult. Violence exists. And in the midst of difficulty and danger is bravery. Kindness. A refusal to retaliate. Be that. That’s where strength is born, where triumph breathes, where healing happens. n

SUSAN MARSHALL Susan Marshall is an author, speaker and the founder of Backbone Institute LLC. For more information, visit backboneinstitute.com.

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BizConnections BIZ PEOPLE

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

ACCOUNTING

MARKETING & MEDIA

Glen Weyenberg, CPA has been named President of SVA Certified Public Accountants, S.C. Glen began his career at SVA in 1987. He has accumulated over 30 years of experience in business strategy and consulting, specifically in the real estate area. Glen most recently served as the Principal-inCharge of the Madison CPA Group. In this role, he has led the team to maximize operational excellence, driven firm growth, innovated service offerings, and delivered client results. Embracing SVA’s core values of Serve People Better, Glen epitomizes the company’s culture and is a role model to everyone he leads.

Sandra Peterson has joined Branigan Communications to lead the company’s established reputation management group in the newly created role of director of crisis communications and reputation management.

BANKING Jeffrey Standafer has been named President & CEO of Citizens Bank, Mukwonago. An industry veteran with 33 years of experience, Jeff joined the bank in 2001. He is on the bank’s board of directors and most recently served as Executive Vice President.

MANUFACTURING

EDUCATION Dr. Christopher Raebel, P.E., S.E., has been named chair of MSOE’s Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management Department. He has taught at the university since 2002 and serves as the architectural engineering program director.

Spancrete Promotes Scott Bertschinger to Executive Vice President With Spancrete for more than 20 years, Bertschinger will be responsible for overseeing all operational management, design and engineering, construction services and HR/safety as Executive Vice President.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

EDUCATION Summit Refrigeration Group announces Joseph Fties as new Engineer and Project Manager. He will be working with our construction team to provide designs, as well as managing projects for our existing clients while working to develop new clients.

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West Bend Mutual doubled down on community investment during pandemic

ANDREW FELLER PHOTOGRAPHY

West Bend Mutual Insurance Co. Service: Financial relief to employees and nonprofits

Kevin Steiner, CEO of West Bend Mutual Insurance

WEST BEND MUTUAL INSURANCE employees – like employees across the state – had just roughly 24 hours to transition from reporting to the office to working from home at the onset of Wisconsin’s stay-at-home order in March to slow the spread of COVID-19. While the insurance company was deemed an essential business under Gov. Tony Evers’ “Safer at Home” order, company leaders decided having employees work from home was the best way to keep them safe. “That was a big change to absorb in a short amount of time,” said Kevin Steiner, president and chief executive officer. To recognize their flexibility during the transition, the company gifted each of its 1,300 employees with a $150 bonus for them to reinvest in the community – as a donation to their favorite nonprofit organization, to purchase a carryout meal at a local restaurant or to patronize a local retail store affected by the statewide shutdown. To West Bend Mutual, the bonuses signaled a doubling down of their investment in the community during uncertainty. “When the federal government began offering stimulus packages to businesses, we thought it would be nice to offer the same to our associates,” Steiner said. “... Our associates responded exactly as we knew they would. Generously. Many of them used the stimulus money to support their local restaurants and nonprofit organizations serving those most affected by the pandemic.” In addition, the West Bend Mutual Insurance Charitable Trust recently accelerated its grant cycle to expedite funds to

organizations supporting those affected by COVID-19. The two largest donations were awarded to Feeding America and the Red Cross of Southeast Wisconsin, which each received $50,000 to provide food, shelter and blood to those in need. “My predecessors had the foresight to establish a charitable trust many years ago,” Steiner said. “The trust has allowed us to give back to the communities in which our associates and our agents live. This pandemic is like nothing anyone has ever seen before, at least not in our lifetimes. It just wasn’t feasible for West Bend not to support those organizations and workers who were on the frontline helping those most affected.” The company’s COVID-19 relief efforts for associates, as well as charities, totaled nearly $750,000. “I’m very proud, as I believe all of our associates are, of the support West Bend is able to provide in good times and in these tough times,” Steiner said. n

LAUREN ANDERSON Associate Editor

P / 414-336-7121 E / lauren.anderson@biztimes.com T / @Biz_Lauren

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BizConnections VOLUME 26, NUMBER 5 | JUN 29, 2020

GLANCE AT YESTERYEAR

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Marching at Allen-Bradley

— Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Business community must join the fight for equality THE BLACK LIVES MATTER protests that have occurred across the country, including in the Milwaukee area and numerous other Wisconsin communities, have been overwhelmingly peaceful as demonstrators express outrage over racism and incidents of police brutality in America. But unfortunately, in some cases people have engaged in looting and destruction during this nationwide uproar. Those incidents have been devastating for two main reasons. First is the damage done to businesses in communities that are badly in need of jobs and investment. In Milwaukee, dozens of businesses were looted during the first weekend of protests. Secondly, the looting and vandalism is counterproductive and distracts from the real issue: the centuries-old problem with racism and lack of equality in America. The death of George Floyd, killed in an incident with a Min44 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUN 29, 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

This Aug. 14, 1968 Milwaukee Journal photo by Paul Biwer shows members of the NAACP Youth Council marching outside Allen-Bradley Co. to protest hiring practices. The next day the company announced it would add a non-discrimination clause to hiring practices.

COMMENTARY

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

neapolis police officer, is just one example, but the video of that incident (filmed by a bystander) was so appalling it triggered nationwide outrage and protest. If racism isn’t America’s biggest problem, I’d sure like to know what is. It’s certainly Milwaukee’s biggest problem. The city has long had a reputation as one of the most segregated cities in America and one of the worst, if not the very worst, place in America for African Americans to live. The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce demonstrated last year that it recognizes this fact. Its members, in a 2018 poll, identified racial disparities as the region’s biggest issue. So, last year the MMAC unveiled a new initiative with a goal of having 12,000 additional African American and Hispanic employees and 875 additional managers of color in the region by 2025. So far, 96 southeastern Wisconsin companies have signed a pledge saying they are committed to the MMAC’s “Region of Choice” initiative, promising to work to help achieve its goals. Has your company signed the pledge? Check out pages 13-15 for a list of the companies that have signed it and comments from some of them. Besides signing the MMAC’s pledge, what

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Alex Schneider alex.schneider@biztimes.com

Independent & Locally Owned

ART DIRECTOR Shelly Tabor shelly.tabor@biztimes.com

— Founded 1995 —

else can we do? We need to demand leaders, in the public and private sectors, commit and take actions to dismantle institutional racism. Business leaders need to realize they can actually make a difference in the way they conduct business. Who you hire, who you promote and who you don’t. Who you do business with, and who you don’t. Where you do business. Where and in what you invest. Race isn’t the reason to make these business decisions. But it’s important to be mindful of how your actions can have an impact on equality and when the time is right take action to help make a positive influence. Keep your eyes, ears, mind and heart open about these issues, try to learn and understand. Engage in productive dialog when possible. All of us need to find a way to do our part to fight against inequality and injustice in our society. n

ANDREW WEILAND EDITOR

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

AROUND TOWN Reopening business during COVID-19, protests 1.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS players, staff and executives led a march that brought an estimated 7,500 people to the city’s lakefront in support of social justice. Photo by Maredithe Meyer

Local activist FRANK NITTY posed with Milwaukee Bucks player BROOK LOPEZ outside Fiserv Forum prior to the teamled march. Photo by Maredithe Meyer

More than 1,000 DEMONSTRATORS knelt in silence for nine minutes in memory of George Floyd during a Pride march for Black Lives Matter. Photo by Maredithe Meyer

DEREK COLLINS, co-owner of Milwaukee Pedal Tavern and Paddle Tavern, handed out water bottles to protestors on North 2nd Street. Photo by Maredithe Meyer

POTAWATOMI HOTEL & CASINO installed glass dividers between its slot machines as part of its physical distancing measures during the coronavirus pandemic. The hotel and casino partially reopened in June. Photo courtesy of Potawatomi Hotel & Casino

MARIA SALAS of Anytime Arepas serves up arepas at Zócalo Food Park. Photo by Brandon Anderegg

ZÓCALO FOOD PARK saw foot traffic on a recent afternoon. Photo by Brandon Anderegg

STEPHANIE GOSTOMSKI and LIZ KELLOR, massage therapists at Neroli Salon & Spa in downtown Milwaukee. Photo courtesy of Neroli

SOPHIE TUMM, a hair designer at Neroli Salon & Spa in Brookfield, wears a face mask and face shield. Photo courtesy of Neroli

10. Cars lined up in the parking lot of UMOS, INC. on a recent afternoon. The site, 2701 S. Chase Ave., is one of three communitybased, free COVID-19 testing locations in Milwaukee supported by the Wisconsin National Guard. Photo by Lauren Anderson 11. CHRIS MASSEY, DARRIEN TRAMEL and LATAVIUS TRAMEL paint the street at a Juneteenth celebration on North Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Locust Street. Photo by Brandon Anderegg

12. JOSHUA NULLS paints the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Locust Street during a Juneteenth celebration. Photo by Brandon Anderegg

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ANDREW FELLER PHOTOGRAPHY

BizConnections

5 MINUTES WITH…

NICOLE ROBBINS

Executive director, Martin Luther King Economic Development Corp. NICOLE ROBBINS’ first year as executive director of MLK EDC has been nothing short of exciting. In January, the neighborhood-based nonprofit development organization was selected to transform a 1-acre city-owned site in the Five Points neighborhood into a mixed-use development, with plans for ground-floor retail, 57 units of mixed-income housing and community event space. MLK EDC has also been finalizing its first single-family home rehabilitation project as part of its MLK Homes initiative. Now, amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide protests and unrest over long-standing racial disparities, investment in Milwaukee’s Harambee community and surrounding areas is especially relevant. In a recent interview with BizTimes Milwaukee reporter Maredithe Meyer, Robbins reflected on the current climate and how MLK EDC works to bring about change. COVID-19 RESPONSE “We always have and will maintain having that commitment to the health of our local business community, particularly with our commercial tenants, just making sure that they’re able to stay in business and deal with any overhead that they may have. Some of these businesses were not considered essential, and so there have been issues recently where (operators) were not able to figure out exactly what they’d do. “We made sure to inform everyone about every grant opportunity that we knew about and maintained communication with other organizations 46 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUN 29, 2020

about different funding opportunities they have.” A PATH FORWARD “My family has their original roots in Harambee — my mother grew up in Harambee as a little girl and she was there for years — so I have a vested interest in making sure that we keep the vitality of the neighborhood strong, and making sure we can close out the narrative on a positive note and show continued unity for the area. “The community’s really strong right now, even the different groups that have come together to help protect the community and for those to peacefully protest their concerns about current race relations in Milwaukee and the county and the world, really. But I see it growing stronger than where it is now. I think when you have adversity like this, it makes people come together more and to be on the same page and to show a concerted front. Just like when there were riots back in the 1960s, and Harambee emerged from that, I see us growing stronger.” SIGN OF HOPE “It was very encouraging to see the Harambee cleanup event (after some businesses were damaged during recent protests). That’s probably the most diversity I’ve seen on (North King Drive) in a long time. There were obviously those who are residents and business owners in the area, too, so it just really showed Milwaukee coming together to make sure Harambee continues to stay strong. n

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With heartfelt thanks we wish to acknowledge the resilience of all of the many workers integral to Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food supply system. Every step along the way requires tremendous drive and dedication. Over the past several months we have watched those demands multiply in the face of uncertainty. But, without wavering, our most valued members rose to the call and confronted the situation fearlessly. We salute all of you with our respect and admiration. Thank you! Your friends,