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biztimes.com
» AUG 17 - SEP 13, 2020
4 Leading Edge 4 NOW BY THE NUMBERS 5 ON THE JOB WITH… 6 JUMP START 7 COFFEE BREAK 8 “QUOTE UNQUOTE” 9 THE PUBLIC RECORD BIZ POLL 10 BIZ LUNCH
11 Biz News 11 BRIGGS & STRATTON PRIVATE EQUITY BUYER HAS HISTORY OF INVESTMENT 13 THE INTERVIEW
14 Real Estate 35 Applause! and
COVER STORY
16 KING DRIVE The tremendous potential of
Special Report
24 Corporate event planning Advice and best practices for hosting webinars and virtual business events.
28 Startups & Innovation Coverage includes a look at the lack of local support that led to the folding of Bold Coast Capital and
how some insurance companies in Wisconsin are restructuring in order to innovate.
33 Aging Report examines how COVID-19 is devasting what was already a struggling long-term care industry in Wisconsin.
BUILT TO SERVE
LOCAL BUSINESSES
ANDREW FELLER PHOTOGRAPHY
BizTimes Milwaukee (ISSN 1095-936X & USPS # 017813) Volume 26, Number 7, August 17, 2020 – September 13, 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
BizExpo Show Guide
50 Notable Women in Law 60 Strategies 60 ENTREPRENEURSHIP Dan Steininger 61 INNOVATION Kathleen Gallagher 62 WELLNESS Susan Wehrley 63 A BRIEF CASE
67 Biz Connections 67 NONPROFIT 68 GLANCE AT YESTERYEAR COMMENTARY 69 AROUND TOWN 70 MY BEST ADVICE
We’ve been dedicated to Southeastern Wisconsin businesses for more than 22 years, and are committed to offering the expertise, resources, and solutions to help you succeed.
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Leading Edge
BIZTIMES DAILY – The day’s most significant news → biztimes.com/subscribe
NOW
Michels Corp., DeLong Co. plan major projects at Port Milwaukee By Brandon Anderegg, staff writer
BY THE NUMBERS
Waukesha-based Generac is trying to hire around
400
people and will expand production of generators, CEO Aaron Jagdfeld said recently. 4 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
Two major projects are planned at Port Milwaukee by Brownsville-based Michels Corp. and Clinton-based The DeLong Co. The DeLong Co. is planning a new maritime export facility at the Port that will handle agricultural commodities, including an animal feed byproduct of the ethanol production process. Those plans could potentially include shipping soybeans and grain produced by Wisconsin farmers, the Port recently announced. The DeLong Co. project will be one of the largest investments ever made at Port Milwaukee, pairing a $6.2 million investment with previously announced federal and state grants for a total capital investment of more than $30 million. The DeLong facility will be built on Jones Island on 3.9 acres along the inner harbor. The terms of the 30-year lease include annual rent payments of $30,000 per acre. The long-term rent agreement will net the city $3.46 million. The project includes the demolition of underutilized facilities on Jones Island, most notably the former Advance Boiler building located at the inner harbor. Michels is finalizing terms on a 99-year lease at the Port for expanded Milwaukee operations, including new jobs, on 13.5 acres at the Port’s Grand Trunk site. The company already leases an
approximately 10-acre site at the Port, which was purchased in 2012 when the company acquired the land-based contracting arm of Edward E. Gillen Company. Michels is transitioning from a short-term lease on a smaller parcel to a long-term lease on a larger parcel at Port Milwaukee. Under the new agreement, Michels would pay about $17,800 per acre annually for a total of $23.1 million over 99 years. The company will operate alongside the Bay View wetland restoration project underway on the Grand Trunk site. However, the company has not yet revealed what it plans to do on the site. “I think they will make a future announcement,” said Jeff Flemming, Port Milwaukee spokesman. “At this point, they’re asking not to be specific about their use.” Michels’ new lease follows a competitive request-for-proposals process. The lease will increase the company’s Milwaukee footprint, which already includes the R1ver campus under development a short distance up the Kinnickinnic River. The R1ver campus is a $100 million mixed-used development at the former Horny Goat Hideaway property in Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood. The project, which is well under construction, will include office space, apartments and a hotel. n
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Guardian Fine Art Services
JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY
ON THE JOB WITH… By Lauren Anderson, staff writer In the five-story, nearly 100-yearold building at 1635 W. St. Paul Ave. in Milwaukee, trained art handlers, technicians and registrars handle the logistics and transportation needed to ensure valuable artwork gets safely from point A to point B. The 63,000-square-foot warehouse was converted into Guardian Fine Art Services in 2017, initially serving as a storage facility for the collection of Guardian owner John
Shannon and his wife, artist Jan Serr. Today, the business counts museums, galleries, artists and private collectors among its clients, serving as a liaison for deliveries, loans, donations and other services. It provides everything from protective cardboard sleeves to museum crates for domestic and international shipments, with technicians creating customized crates in the climate-controlled facility to ensure safe storage and delivery. n
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Leonard Cicero assembles a crate that is specially tailored to fit a piece of artwork that will be shipped from Guardian’s facility.
Paul Peterson drills a storage crate shut in Guardian’s workshop.
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Guardian builds shipping containers for framed canvases along with less traditionally-shaped artwork, such as this piece.
Separate from the storage and transportation side of the business, Guardian Fine Art Services’ building includes an art gallery, called The Warehouse.
Guardian facility manager John Voith and Leonard Cicero place a piece of art into a custom-made crate to be transported.
biztimes.com / 5
JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY
Leading Edge
CARVD N STONE LOCATION: Milwaukee FOUNDER: Nyesha Stone FOUNDED: 2017 PRODUCT: An online media company WEBSITE: carvdnstone.com EMPLOYEES: 1 GOAL: To highlight positive news in Milwaukee
Nyesha Stone
Carvd N Stone media company works to amplify community’s voice By Brandon Anderegg, staff writer
6 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
MILWAUKEE ENTREPRENEUR Nyesha Stone could have continued writing for a local media outlet, but she wanted to use her background and penchant for connecting with the community to build a media company of her own. Stone, a graduate of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s journalism program, created Carvd N Stone, a weekly online news site with an emphasis on positive community news. A resident of Milwaukee’s north side, Stone is committed to providing coverage of the stories that traditional news outlets tend to overlook. “It only makes sense for me as a black journalist and a black journalist from Milwaukee to take my talent and my skills and highlight our community,” Stone said. “We are here, we are very talented, and we have ambition, we just need somebody to see us.” Stone recently graduated from the The Blueprint accelerator program’s fourth cohort, an experience she described as a difficult journey. Before the accelerator, Stone had no one to teach her entrepreneurial skills and, initially, she was even denied entry to the program. “Nyesha was not originally chosen as a participant in The Blueprint because her business did not match our targeted industries, but upon further review, her entrepreneurial spirit was more than enough to propel her to get into the program,” said Que El-Amin, co-founder
of Young Enterprising Society, which runs The Blueprint. Stone’s website includes local news coverage of topics ranging from politics to stories of local business owners and independent artists. But she also uses her platform to give back to the community, providing opportunities for people that she wished were available when she was growing up. CNS partners with local organizations and schools to provide journalism and writing workshops in which students learn the importance of using their voice and the basics of reporting, writing and poetry. She has also raised thousands of dollars in scholarships for local students and, more recently, deployed a series of grants for small business owners in need of economic support during COVID-19. While stories are a core component of CNS, the media company also has a public relations arm through which Stone crafts media kits and sponsorship packets to help entrepreneurs get media coverage and funding. “It’s just bridging that gap because a lot of entrepreneurs and specifically black people like me from the north side don’t even know how to get funding or how to go about it,” Stone said. This past year, Stone quit her job with the Milwaukee Courier to pursue CNS full-time and has since begun generating revenue. n
COFFEE BREAK
Brian King Executive director Betty Brinn Children’s Museum 929 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee Bbcmkids.org Industry: Nonprofit • King practiced law before becoming a seventh- and eighthgrade social studies teacher at Milwaukee Jewish Day School in 2003. Initially, he thought he would want to teach high school but soon realized how much he enjoyed working with middle school students. “They are on the crazy suspension bridge of childhood and adulthood, and on any day they can act like children or adults. I just find them to be hilarious and real and not jaded.”
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Get face to face (virtually) with your target clients at BizTimes events
SEPTEMBER 18 MMAC/COSBE Focus on the Future 1 industry-exclusive sponsorship available As we emerge from the COVID-19 health and economic crisis, and move into recovery and a “new normal,” what gives us hope for the future? MMAC and BizTimes take time to recognize the companies who have risen to their best during the most difficult of times.
OCTOBER 15 Next Generation Manufacturing Summit 1 industry-exclusive sponsorship left This informative interactive discussion will feature the chief executive officers of southeastern Wisconsin companies. The CEOs will share their companies’ best practices and discuss their solutions for competing in a global marketplace.
• As Milwaukee Jewish Day School was emerging from the Great Recession, King was appointed to become the head of the school and its director of innovation. • King’s career later “took a left turn” when he decided to start his own furniture and fabrication business, but soon he felt called back to education. “What I found about a year and a half into doing that work was I missed feeling like what I did made a difference. … Ultimately, I felt like the foray into furniture making was more about me than about service.” • In fall 2019, King took the helm of Betty Brinn Children’s Museum as its executive director, succeeding longtime leader Fern Shupeck. • Before COVID-19, King said his goal as a new leader was to “break” apart pieces of the museum in order to put them back together again to build a stronger organization. “I say I was in the process of breaking it and putting it back together, and then COVID broke everything.” • King is a “serial hobbyist,” with interests including cooking, photography and woodworking. • He takes his coffee with half and half, but occasionally strong espresso is “what the doctor ordered.” n
NOVEMBER 6 Nonprofit Excellence Awards 3 industry-exclusive sponsorships available BizTimes Media is proud to present our seventh annual tribute to corporate citizens and nonprofit organizations in the Milwaukee region. We will honor the corporate executives and corporations dedicated to supporting the nonprofit community and those nonprofit professionals and organizations that continue to make a positive impact on the community under difficult financial constraints. These awards recognize both equally important groups.
NOVEMBER 20 Commercial Real Estate & Development Conference 1 industry-exclusive sponsorship available The 18th annual Commercial Real Estate Conference, presented by BizTimes Media, Marquette University’s Bell Real Estate Program and the Commercial Association of Realtors Wisconsin (CARW), is southeastern Wisconsin’s premier networking and information event for the industry. This conference examines the latest trends in commercial real estate and development and explores thepossibilities for the year ahead.
DECEMBER 11 Heath Care Heroes 2 industry-exclusive sponsorships available The Health Care Heroes Awards recognize individuals and/or organizations in the Southeastern Wisconsin health care community who are making a significant impact on the quality of health care in our area.
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biztimes.com / 7
Leading Edge
“ QUOTE
unQUOTE
G R E G M A RC U S
”
P R E S I D E N T A N D C H I E F E X E C U T I V E O F F I C E R O F T H E M A R C U S C O R P. Greg Marcus, president and CEO of the Marcus Corp., was a featured speaker at BizTimes Media’s annual Family & Closely Held Business Summit in July. He discussed how Marcus Corp., a third-generation family business that is also a publicly traded company, is confronting the disruption and uncertainty brought on by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. n
“As I look forward a few years from now when my hope and I think the world’s hope is that we have this virus under control, people want to be together. Human beings are social creatures. At the end of the day, people are going to want to travel. People will want to go to the movies.”
“We aren’t going anywhere without great people. The way we’re getting through today is I am surrounded by a great team of people.”
“You hear these stories about fathers and sons who just can’t get along and it just wrecks the business. My dad (Stephen Marcus, chairman of the board) and I share an office with a conference room in the middle. Over the years, I’ve thought how fortunate I am to have a father that I can come to work with and enjoy being with and learn from, and call and ask his opinion and he asks my opinion. And together, along with (our team) and the thousands of people who have helped build our business over the years, we’ve been able to build this successful company that can give back to our community and provide jobs for people and take care of our families.”
8 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
“Whether it’s a family investor or it’s an institutional investor or a retail investor, we are the stewards of their capital. We don’t differentiate from an investment standpoint because one of our goals is to maximize the return.”
“We have these precepts that get passed down from generation to generation. There’s, I think, a stronger continuity in a family business that allows us to succeed in the marketplaces as they change around us. My dad always said the only constant is change.”
THE
PUBLIC
RECORD A glimpse at Foxconn’s work in Wisconsin By Arthur Thomas, staff writer Foxconn Technology Group officials told the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. this spring that around 550 of the company’s employees in the state qualified for payroll tax credits under the Taiwanese company’s contract with the state. Combined with $280 million in capital investments, Foxconn could be eligible for around $45 million in tax credits for 2019. An audit required by the state contract with the company and released under open records law in July provides an idea of some of the work done by Foxconn employees. While it stops short of making a judgment on whether Foxconn’s jobs qualify for tax credits, the audit did include a survey of 76 employees with questions about where each
BIZ POLL
worked, job titles, start dates and place of residence. Below are some of the responses to questions on job responsibilities and current projects: “Currently working on designing/developing a learning platform to teach users about Industrial Artificial Intelligence and how it can be used to upgrade the workforce.” – UI/UX designer
“Lead a 6-8 people team to enhance factories’ efficiency, yield rate. R&D machine vision system to reduce defects in final product. Survey, gather equipment list, design fixtures, set up AI systems on the production line.” – Research engineer
“1) Multi-year contracted sale of networking/communications equipment to major N. American mobile operators and enterprise clients. 2) Strategic technology solution partnership with major U.S. mobile operators and technology partners in connection to Foxconn’s Wisconsin operations.” – Director of business development
“… finding new scopes of business and conducting in-depth product research to help Foxconn find new streams of revenue and develop more suitable products/services … (currently working on) industrial AI training courses & manages the sales pipeline associated with these courses…” – Sales/business development lead
“>$600k build out for new tenant at 1 Main St. in Racine. Switchgear project at 1 W. Main in Madison. Mediation of perk structure at Watermark in Green Bay. Leasing spaces in multiple properties. Capital improvement/repairs at 601 Lake in Racine and Watermark in Green Bay.” – Site development project manager
A recent survey of BizTimes.com readers.
Should kids go back to school in the fall? Yes, they need to be in the classroom:
59.5%
No, it’s not safe during a pandemic:
21.6%
Create a hybrid model with kids rotating, some days in school, some days doing virtual learning from home:
18.9%
Advertise in these upcoming special reports and get your message in front of area business executives.
Banking & Finance September 14, 2020 Space Reservation: August 26, 2020
The Business of Nonprofits
September 14, 2020 Space Reservation: August 26, 2020
Share your opinion! Visit biztimes.com/bizpoll to cast your vote in the next Biz Poll.
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Leading Edge
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BIZ LUNCH
Lunch
CELESTA
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A D D R E S S: 1978 N. Farwell Ave., Milwaukee WEBSITE: celesta.restaurant CUISINE: Vegan comfort food C H E F: Melanie Manuel M O O D: Homey and elegant PRICING: $7-15 As dine-in service at restaurants has gradually returned in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, Celesta Restaurant on Milwaukee’s East Side remains closed to the public indefinitely. “For me, it didn’t feel right,” said chef and owner Melanie Manuel. “It didn’t feel right for our specific space, our staff and just for what we believe is the reality of the situation.” Relying solely on contactless pick-up and third-party delivery, business at the vegan eatery has been “so far, so good,” she said. A few menu items have emerged as mid-day favorites among the remote workforce in the area. Diners at home are either craving lighter eats like the Balance Bowl or meals like the Buffalo Seitan ‘Chicken’ Sandwich, which could be a portable option for a socially-distant business lunch at a nearby park, said Manuel.
10 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
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Celesta’s monthly rotating Balance Bowl pairs grain and seasonal vegetables as a gluten-free option. Recently on the menu was chana masala, an Indian dish made with chickpeas, spices and tomatoes. The Thai Peanut Salad includes green leaf lettuce, pickled cucumbers and carrots, radish, cilantro, mint, five spice tofu, crushed peanuts and ginger peanut dressing. Celesta’s dining room remains closed because of COVID-19, but delivery and curbside pick-up are available Tuesday through Saturday. For contactless pick-up, diners are instructed to wait outside the restaurant for staff to bring out their order and set it on a table.
CONTRIBUTED
Biz
BizNews FEATURE
Potential Briggs & Stratton private equity buyer has history of investment Arthur Thomas, staff writer MICHAEL NIKOLAI was vice president of operations for Waupaca Foundry when the company was acquired by New York-based private equity firm KPS Capital Partners in 2012. “The biggest thing KPS did for us was they started reinvesting in us,” said Nikolai, now president, chief operating and chief executive officer of Waupaca Foundry. Waupaca’s business had started to rebound from an industry downturn in the early 2010s, but its parent company, ThyssenKrupp Budd Co., was over budget on a new steel mill in Alabama. In need of cash quickly, the company looked to sell Waupaca Foundry. The Wisconsin-based company had received less than $25 million in investment from ThyssenKrupp during the three prior years, according to Nikolai, so the new ownership under KPS was welcome. “If you understand the foundry industry, we’re pretty capital intensive, so they had pretty much starved us prior to the sale,” Nikolai said. “KPS, they were
pretty good to Waupaca, so they invested highly during that period of time which gave us a change of about 8% year-over-year in revenue.” KPS sold Waupaca for $1.3 billion in cash to Japan-based Hitachi Metals by November 2014. While KPS’ ownership of Waupaca was relatively brief at a little more than two years, it is newly relevant in Wisconsin because one of the private equity firm’s latest acquisition targets is Wauwatosa-based Briggs & Stratton Corp. “Briggs & Stratton enjoys a leading market position, scale, a global manufacturing footprint, world-class design and engineering capabilities, and a portfolio of industry-leading products sold under iconic brand names,” said Michael Psaros, co-founder and co-managing partner of KPS. “We intend to capitalize on the company’s many attractive growth opportunities and to support its already substantial investment in research and development, technology and new product development. KPS intends to grow the
new Briggs & Stratton aggressively through strategic acquisitions,” Psaros added. If KPS does end up buying Briggs, the small engine maker will join companies like TaylorMade Golf Co., Life Fitness and C&D Technologies in the private equity firm’s portfolio. KPS also agreed to acquire AM General, the South Bend, Indiana-based maker of the Humvee, just days after the Briggs deal was announced. Briggs filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in mid-July after a series of financial and business challenges limited its ability to continue operating without new financing. KPS offered $265 million in financing while the company’s existing lenders provided another $412.5 million as part of a debtor-in-possession package. KPS also agreed to acquire Briggs for $550 million in cash as part of the deal and is slated to be the stalking-horse bidder in a court-supervised sale process currently planned for September. Attorneys for Briggs told the court in early August they have received
interest from several other interested parties as well. Briggs faced $195 million in notes due in December, putting pressure on the company to address its debt and liquidity situation this year. In March, the company said it would seek to sell most of its products business to focus on making small engines and expanding into commercial battery technology. The proceeds of that sale were expected to pay the notes, but the company also said it would pursue other capital options. Timing, however, was not on the company’s side. Briggs announced its plans on March 6, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was about to escalate from a supply chain challenge to the catalyst for an economic shutdown. Initial interest in the products business dried up and capital markets became difficult for Briggs to access. Briggs also faced a springing maturity in its credit facilities if the notes were still outstanding in September. As the company sought to find new financing to pay off the notes, its lenders gave Briggs first a June 15 and then July 15 and July 19 deadlines to find new capital in exchange for relaxing some financial covenants. Briggs’ advisors reached out to more than 100 potential investors to find new capital and eventually received eight proposals, all of which called for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy process. Five of the proposals called for debtor-in-possession financing and a change of control of the company, two called for just DIP financing and one called for just a change of control. As the company began working with JPMorgan Chase on a DIP financing package, KPS emerged offering to fund a portion of it. The proposed deal would likely leave enough money to cover Briggs’ existing debt and leave little recovery for unsecured creditors. The deal does not change pension benefits for retired Briggs employees, but it does eliminate health and life insurance for retirbiztimes.com / 11
BizNews
10 tips to help keep your workplace clean and safe While studies have long shown that a clean, tidy workplace is important to employee satisfaction, since business norms and health practices have been turned upside down by the COVID-19 virus, a clean workplace is now crucial. There are a number of best practices that can help keep your employees safe and healthy. 1. Keep your facility restrooms stocked with paper towels and hand sanitizer. Keep more hand sanitizer — and sanitizing wipes — near frequently touched surfaces. 2. Install a hand-sanitizing station at the workplace entrances for employees and visitors. This is especially useful for employees who regularly use public transportation to get to work. 3. Regularly clean and sanitize all frequently used surfaces. These can include counters, ledges, tables, workstations, elevator buttons, staircases, and doorknobs, printer and copy machines buttons shared phones and keyboards 4. Make sure you communicate to your employees, contractors and visitors that frequent handwashing is important – and expected. If possible, add additional hand-washing and/ or cleaning stations around the workplace to encourage compliance. 5. If you don’t have a dishwasher in your lunch/break room, consider investing in one. As an alternative, make sure all dishware is washed by soaking it in 170-degree water for at least 30 seconds — or in a sanitizing solution of one tablespoon of bleach per one gallon of cool water for at least a minute. Consider stocking up on disposable utensils and plates and cups or ask employees to bring their own. “We know smart companies value their workforce above everything,” said Dave Metzger, president of Accelerated Diagnostics. “Since the COVID 19 crisis began, our team has working with companies around the country to help companies keep their employees safe.” Find out what the last 5 Tips are biztimes.com.
9075 West Heather Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53224 (888) 770-6896 • acceleratedlabs.com 12 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
ees. Around 450 former employees had health insurance through the company and another 4,000 had life insurance. Nearly 250 current employees would have been eligible for those benefits. Around $50 million of those benefits was unfunded, according to Briggs. KPS was able to reach a deal in principle with the United Steelworkers, which had gone since 2017 without a new contract for around 520 Milwaukee-area employees. Talks between the two sides ended in 2018. “KPS brings experience and a long-term business plan geared toward keeping our plant viable and employment secure,” Tom Conway, USW International president, said in a press release. KPS touts its positive relationships with unions as part of its investment strategy. “Central to KPS’ approach is the creation of participatory, communicative and empowered corporate cultures that encourage direct employee engagement in making businesses better, safer and more rewarding,” the company’s website says. In a 2014 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette profile, Psaros traced his approach to employees buying the Pennsylvania steel mill his father worked for in the 1980s. He’d later go on to work for the investment banker that engineered the deal before co-founding KPS. “In most situations, capital and labor are anathema to one another. We see the power in capital and labor working together with one another,” Psaros told the Post-Gazette. Waupaca Foundry did not have a union environment when KPS owned it, but Nikolai said the firm did keep previous wages, bonus programs, health care and profit sharing in place as long as it was supported by earnings. “The difference between the Briggs acquisition and Waupaca was we were a stable, improving company,” Nikolai said. “With Briggs exiting Chapter 11, there may be more restructuring that KPS would do.” He added that to him KPS is
unique among private equity firms for the size of its operations group. “That’s one of the things that they really try to hang their hat on is that they improve operations in all the companies they own,” Nikolai said. “They will bring investment and other cash to the game if you can justify the investment, so if Briggs does have a clear investment picture that can grow the company, they probably have a really good buyer.” Overall, Nikolai said KPS had limited and focused interaction with Waupaca during its ownership. He had a contact in operations, the CEO had a contact person and another individual worked with the finance department. Nikolai was also asked to support production systems at other portfolio companies. “They were more aggressive with underperforming companies, but that’s to be expected. They know what they want and if you weren’t cooperative it did sometimes cause some management heartburn,” he said. Nikolai added that KPS was prompt with feedback. “When you pitched an investment idea, you gave it to one person and in a couple days they would give you an answer,” he said. It will take a little longer to find out if KPS is indeed the next owner of Briggs. The auction is tentatively set for September with a closing in November or at least by the end of the year. Lawyers for Briggs said they hoped the auction would generate a robust bidding process. On the other hand, attorneys for the group holding some of the $195 million notes hinted at potential objections to the process during an initial bankruptcy hearing. Attorney Robert Stark suggested a sale may not maximize the value of the company and with temporary financing in place Briggs and its stakeholders have a chance to evaluate alternatives. Stark also noted that having KPS, with a union agreement, as the stalking horse and financer does not create a welcoming environment for other bidders. n
the
Interview
MARK KESSENICH in June took over as the head of AGC of Greater Milwaukee, a
trade group serving more than 300 employers, including 21 of the largest contractors, in the region. He joined AGC from Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership’s Big Step program, where he worked to recruit and train skilled workers. Kessenich has taken the helm of AGC at a time when the construction industry is dealing with uncertainty stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Kessenich recently spoke with BizTimes reporter Alex Zank about COVID-19, workforce development and D&I in the construction industry. What are you excited about most in this new role? “I’m really excited because I think AGC and its members are going to have a great impact on shaping the future of our city and our region, and it’s great to be in a position to lead that in that way.”
How does your workforce development background influence your role now? “I think you’re going to see more out of AGC around youth programming and how we partner with the high schools, and how we start looking at internships and youth apprenticeship in a way that provides greater access for folks. Because while we’re talking a lot about skilled trades, we’re also talking about how we’re going to get more engineers, more architects and project managers. We have some relationships that we’ve established with (the Milwaukee School of Engineering), Marquette, UW-Milwaukee, but all this hinges on a strategy to cultivate the kind of workforce we need to be successful, productive, cutting edge. Our goal is to have the finest workforce from worksite to office that we can for our members.”
“When we think about the diversity and inclusion issue, we may have to go bigger and we may have to go stronger. Some really great work has been done, some groundwork has been laid, but given the climate we’re in now, we’re even more hungry for the right reasons to bring in that set of opportunity to more students and young people who maybe just didn’t know construction was an option. So, when we look at our university chapters, we’re going to be looking at how we can help those chapters recruit students who are going to come from a wide range of backgrounds. Ultimately the goal is to develop and grow the next generation of owners in the long run, because part of this is about building a more diverse workforce. But we also want to build more diverse boardrooms, and more diverse leadership circles where we have more perspectives.”
How has COVID-19 impacted the construction industry? “What this pandemic has really done is it’s thrown everything into a certain question as to how do we design and ultimately build our environment that is reflective of what we would do in a situation like this, where all of a sudden people need to social distance, and how do we construct an environment that is appealing and interactive, but at the same time can handle a health crisis like what we’re finding now? “Sometimes it comes out in the, ‘Well, look at how well people are working from home.’ I still believe people are going to go to their offices. Much like (others), I actually enjoy going to my office. Not saying we won’t have to reconfigure the way we build our offices or commercial space, but I think the bigger question is how does this change the way we think about design and ultimately building our environment?” n
JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY
What are your thoughts on strengthening diversity and inclusion efforts in the industry?
Mark Kessenich Chief executive officer Associated General Contractors of Greater Milwaukee 1243 N. 10th St., Suite 175, Milwaukee Employees: 8 agc-gm.org biztimes.com / 13
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Real Estate
Schlitz Park’s new Crossroads Plaza will feature a truss with historical Schlitz lettering running across it.
JON ELLIOTT OF MKE DRONES LLC
A new era for modernizing Schlitz Park
14 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
THE NEW OWNERS of Schlitz Park aim to create a modern, connected office campus. By early next year, the 32-acre, five-building office campus, located southeast of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and West Pleasant Street, just north of downtown
Milwaukee, will have undergone $6 million in renovations. “We think there are some great things with the campus, and there were also some things that we wanted to change,” said John Coury, principal of Schlitz Park co-owner Crestlight Capital. A joint venture of Detroit-based Crestlight and San Francisco and Forth Worth, Texas-based TPG Real Estate acquired Schlitz Park in early 2019. The firms have since embarked on renovations and updates to the campus. The work is already underway and is slated to finish sometime in the first quarter of 2021. The renovations will accomplish several goals: respecting its history as the former Schlitz brewery, increasing connectivity and wayfinding throughout the campus, and enhancing its food and beverage offerings, Coury said. A major focal point of the renovation work is the Crossroads Plaza, Schlitz Park’s new “campus epicenter.” It will include a pedestrian plaza, second-story bridge from the RiverCenter building and new direct entrances from RiverCenter and the Bottle House building. A draw to Schlitz Park has long been its ease of access, ample
BIRD’S EYE VIEW: A M A ZO N ’ S N E W OA K C R E E K FAC I L I T Y Amazon’s footprint in southeastern Wisconsin just keeps growing. Once operational, the new 2.5 million-square-foot, four-story fulfillment center in Oak Creek will be its latest, and biggest, facility in the region. It was built at Ryan Business Park, southeast of 13th Street and Ryan Road. As of early August, it wasn’t clear when exactly it would be in operation. Andrew Vickers, Oak Creek city administrator, said Amazon didn’t have final occupancy and had not yet asked for a final inspection. A company spokesperson didn’t provide a specific opening date. “We are very much looking forward to the new Amazon fulfillment center MKE2 in Oak Creek – our second Amazon Robotics fulfillment center in Wisconsin,” Amazon spokesperson Kirsten Wenker said. “The new facility will launch later this year.” The online retail giant also is or will soon be operating in facilities in Kenosha, Sturtevant, Sussex, Wauwatosa and Yorkville.
parking and its unique tie to the community and Milwaukee’s history, said Mike Wanezek, partner with Colliers International|Wisconsin. Colliers is handling the leasing of Schlitz Park. A modernized Schlitz Park will now emphasize walkability and connectedness. Right now, if employees working in the Stock House or Bottle House buildings want to access the river, for example, they have to walk through parking lots or an uninviting loading dock area on the backside of the RiverCenter building, Coury and Wanezek said. “Tenants now want to be able to walk as much as possible,” Wanezek said. “How do we create that at Schlitz, so you’re not going through different parking lots but feel like you’re actually going through a well thought-out campus? That’s what we strove to do with the improvements.” The work also includes updated tenant spaces and common areas, such as the multiple RiverCenter tenant lounges that will include an assortment of games, TVs and other entertainment options. The RiverCenter café and the Brown Bottle restaurant are also getting face-lifts, with new menus and a pop-up café with rotating food options to boot. This is the product of Schlitz Park’s new partnership with F Street Hospitality, a division of Milwaukee-based F Street Group. The new tenant lounges are reflective of what tenants are looking for in a modern office environment, Coury said. “One of the things that modern tenants want today is … people really want a third place,” he said. “You can work, you can head home, but there’s also a relaxation place kind of in the middle. You maybe just want to take some time off in the middle of the day, play a game, get a cup of coffee, bring your lunch, shoot some pool. And we wanted to open that up for all tenants of the campus to be able to enjoy.” The changes to food and beverage offerings are also reflective of tenant desires, Coury said.
F Street Hospitality replaced what was a collection of vendors, bringing all operations under one roof. Schlitz Park terminated its relationship with its former foodservice providers, Coffee With a Conscience, Davians and the former general manager of the Brown Bottle. “We think it’s most efficient to have one food and beverage provider throughout the entire campus,” Coury said. “It just creates efficiencies versus having three separate ones.” He added that Scott Lurie, founder and president of F Street Group, had a vision for the food and beverage offerings that was “very similar” to the ownership team. Schlitz Park is also in an area that’s undergoing revitalization. Nearby is the Bucks’ Deer District, an eight-block area with the Fiserv Forum at its center. Then there’s the number of multi-family developments that have occurred in recent years just east of the Milwaukee River. The growth that the area surrounding Schlitz Park has been experiencing was what led Crestlight and TPG to purchase the campus, Coury said. “Employers want to be by the talent, and that’s where the majority of young talent lives; they live in that Water Street to Brady Street, the East Side, area,” Wanezek said. “Being able to walk to the Bucks’ Deer District — huge positive. And you couple that with how close you are to residential units, it’s a unique time for downtown north, and Schlitz Park.” n
WHO REALLY OWNS IT? S H E R I DA N A PA R T M E N T S The Sheridan Apartments in Milwaukee is a highly intact example of a 1920s-era, Mediterranean Revival-style apartment building. It could also become the latest nationally-recognized historic building in Milwaukee. Its owner is Rick Wiegand, who also owns the Ambassador Hotel a block away. Wiegand has applied for the 100-year-old building to be given a national historic designation, which would allow him to use historic tax credits to make improvements to the building, Carlen Hatala, Milwaukee’s historic preservation planner, said at a recent city meeting. The request needs approval from Wisconsin’s Historic Preservation Review Board. The board was slated to consider the request in mid-August. Hatala said many of the building’s original materials have been preserved. ADDRESS: 2435 W. Wisconsin Ave. OWNER: Wiegand Investments 2435 LLC ASSESSED: $2.45 million
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STORY COVER
E V I R D G N KI T E N T IA L O F O P S U O D N E THE TREM
King Drive highlights 1. BHLA daycare building, 2044 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
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2. Northern Chocolate Co., 2034 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. 3. Adambomb Gallerie tattoo shop, 2028 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. 4. Mayer & Durner building at 2000 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, with tenants Dolled Headquarters and Milwaukee Center for Children and Youth Inc.
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5. Future home of Legacy co-working and innovation space at 1920 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. 6. North Shore Bank’s King Drive branch, 1900 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
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7. Noir’e Hair District, 1947 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. 8. Reliable Family Services, 1951 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. 9. Fein Bros. building, 2007 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. 10. DreamBikes storefront, 2021A N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. 11. On the Bayou, 2053 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
16 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
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BY ALEX ZANK, staff writer
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JON ELLIOTT OF MKE DRONES LLC
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It was early on in Deshea Agee’s tenure as executive director of the business improvement district focused on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Milwaukee when he heard a blunt question. “Who wants a King Drive address?” For Agee, living or working along a street named after the civil rights leader is an honor in itself, but the question made clear that wasn’t the case for everyone. “That was a question that challenged me personally to think what would make people want to have a King Drive address,” Agee said. King Drive faces a challenge. Whether it is rooted in racism or a lack of exposure, some perceive a street named after an iconic African American leader and located in a predominantly Black neighborhood in the city as an undesirable place to be. “For some people, there’s the mindset that this is a Black neighborhood, and (they’re) not going there,” said Franklin Cumberbatch, vice president of engagement for Bader Philanthropies Inc. This perception of King Drive, in part, traces back to the original debate over renaming Third Street in the 1980s. The initial proposal called for King Drive to run to Wisconsin Avenue, but that was opposed by business owners on Third Street south of McKinley Avenue. City leaders ended up with a compromise that renamed Third Street to King Drive between McKinley Avenue and Capitol Drive, and renamed the section south of McKinley Avenue as Old World Third Street. Although the King Drive name was resisted by some decades ago, the street’s brand has gained momentum in recent years with several significant developments that have been proposed or completed, including a new headquarters for Bader Philanthropies, an office building planned for American Family Insurance and an ambitious redevelopment of a former department store planned for the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. If all of those projects come to fruition, the total investment in the street would exceed $130 million. “We feel that King Drive is ripe for a lot of improvements,” said James Phelps, president of Milwaukee-based JCP Construction, noting the street’s proximity to downtown and other up-andcoming neighborhoods like Brewers Hill, Halyard Park and Harambee, and its diverse makeup. JCP’s office is on King Drive. Lined with historic buildings and sites with potential for redevelopment, the corridor also benefits from a diverse mix of existing businesses, said Nicole Robbins, executive director of Martin Luther King Economic Development Corp. biztimes.com / 17
ANDREW FELLER PHOTOGRAPHY
STORY COVER
Deshea Agee
CITY PROGRAMS ASSISTING KING DRIVE PROJECTS, 2015-2020 *Includes pending projects where funding has been committed but not yet disbursed GRANT TYPE
NUMBER OF GRANTS
TOTAL GRANT AMOUNT
TOTAL PROJECT COST
Commercial Foreclosure Renovation Fund
1
$75,000.00
$220,621.27
Façade Grant
5
$29,990.00
$68,787.00
Fresh Food Access Fund
1
$5,000.00
$12,277.00
RIF Grant
1
$20,000.00
$91,296.22
Signage Grant
6
$13,671.43
$73,112.01
Whitebox Grant
13
$262,823.00
$704,712.92
TOTAL
27
$406,484.43
$1,170,806.42
18 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
Businesses that call King Drive home include barbershops and salons like Gee’s Clippers, unique retailers such as Northern Chocolate Co., restaurants like Jewels Caribbean and Mi Casa Su Café, nonprofits such as YWCA Southeast Wisconsin and MLKEDC and many others in between, including JCP, foodservice equipment and supply dealer Fein Bros., and CH Coakley, a provider of third-party logistics, commercial moving and fulfillment and document management. King Drive has also seen its share of civil unrest and some looting and property damage over the summer, as people have demonstrated against racism and discrimination. To Agee, the street’s name and connection to the civil rights leader creates a deeper meaning for those protesting, but it also means the street should serve as a meaningful source of employment and investment for those seeking change. Reaching those goals starts with a sense of ownership for the Black community, Agee said. “Ownership is important, and if people don’t feel ownership of something then they’re more likely to not see the value of it,” he said. “And our Dr. Martin Luther King Drive clearly is a place where a lot of protests and marches have happened. People must feel they’re connected to that. But we also must translate that to property ownership and business ownership.” There are more than 950 places in the country with streets named for King, according to research by Derek Alderman, professor of geography at the University of Tennessee. Agee, Phelps and others are aiming higher than simply building up Milwaukee’s King Drive. They want to make it the best of its kind in the nation. “I think that kind of aspirational thinking and then putting the boots to the ground and the dollars where we can find it is what we need to be doing with respect to development in this city,” said Lafayette Crump, the new commissioner of Milwaukee’s Department of City Development. The benefits of a vibrant King Drive would extend beyond the corridor itself. “No matter what part of the city you’re from, a vibrant, thriving, exciting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive is good for this entire state,” Cumberbatch said. It could also serve as a model for others that share its name, Agee said, adding streets named after King nationwide have a reputation of lacking investment, being filled with blighted properties and receiving little support for revitalization. Milwaukee’s King Drive is positioned to change that conversation after decades of hard work to improve it, said Alderwoman Milele Coggs, who represents the corridor. “It truly, I think, turned a corner on the way King Drives throughout the nation, unfortunately, have come to be known, (that they’re) forgotten about or that they’re not a place to shop, live or anything,” Coggs said. “Since Milwaukee got past the corner on that, it shows King Drive is a destination place.”
TRANSFORMATIVE DEVELOPMENTS Lavelle Young grew up across the street from the Martin Luther King Library, which sits on the northwest corner of Locust Street and King Drive. Today, he is working on a $30 million plan to redevelop the library branch along with the rest of that block. “As a developer who’s from the neighborhood, grew up right there, my office is a block from my childhood home, I’m just excited to be a part of it,” said Young, founder and chief executive officer of Young Development Group. Known as The Block, the project would include a new 18,000-square-foot library branch, 91 mixed-income apartment units and the redevelopment of the historic Garfield Theatre. As part of his financing effort, Young is offering residents the opportunity to “own The Block” by investing in the project. “This is a full impact, full block redevelopment project,” he said. “Those are the kinds of things I want my project to embody and be an example of King Drive.” It is aspirational developments like Young’s that could transform the corridor. There are several projects underway along the entire length of King Drive with similar transformative potential, exemplifying how real estate impacts more than just the physical environment. For each of the developments, there is a clear human component to the projects. Many of
Bader Philanthropies is headquartered at 3300 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Photo courtesy of Bader Philanthropies.
the developers said they are looking to make a statement, catalyze change and better the lives of those around them. One of the early projects was Bader Philanthropies’ relocation of its headquarters from the Historic Third Ward to 3300 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in July 2018, a project that involved renovating and expanding the 93-year-old building. Bader is now embarking on another project by turning a vacant two-story building next to its HQ into a café and wellness center. Cumberbatch said the foundation moved to the Harambee neighborhood to set an example for others and it only made sense to locate in the community that Bader Philanthropies is trying to improve.
“I supported (the move) heavily because I was raised on a value that my grandmother taught me, which was, if you want to clean up a community, start in your own yard,” he said. “And this is our yard.” On the other end of the corridor is the former Mandel printing building at 1319 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, which is being renovated and expanded for American Family Insurance. The Madison-based firm plans to move its Milwaukee-area office to the building, where it will house 400 employees. The pace at which these projects and others have come forward is a bit surprising, Cumberbatch said.
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ANDREW FELLER PHOTOGRAPHY
STORY COVER
The Martin Luther King Library is slated to be redeveloped into a new library branch with apartments on its upper floors. Renderings: JLA Architects
Lavelle Young
“We knew that we would be catalytic in bringing attention to King Drive,” he said. “We didn’t know it was going to happen this fast.” Across the street from Bader, Martin Luther King Economic Development Corp., a nonprofit development group that focuses on the Harambee neighborhood, is partnering with Milwaukee-based KG Development to develop a mixed-use building at 3317-49 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The $13 million development is known as the Five Points project, an homage to the neighborhood where it is being built. The five-story structure will consist of 57 housing units and about 12,000 square feet of commercial space. “This Five Points (project) is an extension of our current footprint and our current mission, and that’s to serve the greater Harambee neighborhood by providing a quality portfolio for people to feel safe and have pride about where they work and where they live,” said MLKEDC’s Robbins. About 1.5 miles south of Five Points and Bader’s projects, there’s the planned $84.5 million redevelopment of the behemoth former Gimbels and Schuster’s department store at 2153 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The building was selected as the location of the Medical College of Wisconsin and Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s new partnership, a project aimed at addressing social determinants of health in a neighborhood where health disparities are acute. The MCW/GMF partnership will occupy a significant portion of the building. MCW is relocating some of its community-facing and internal operations, while GMF will move its headquarters there from Schlitz Park. At 450,000 square feet, there is room to grow and include the “community benefit space” the partnership desires, said Kevin Newell, president and chief executive officer of Milwaukee-based 20 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
Royal Capital Group LLC, the project developer. “We needed a footprint that would allow us to do all the things we would like to do,” he said. CH Coakley, the building’s current owner, will maintain some offices there as well. Beyond that, specifics of the space are still being worked out, though the group has a general idea. Newell said the project partners are crafting plans through community input. They’re specifically considering components such as health and wellness, housing, food access and food education, and convening space. The redevelopment is receiving $15 million from the city through tax incremental financing, a proposal that was unanimously approved by the Common Council in November 2019. JCP has kept itself busy with developments along King Drive. It oversaw the Bader Philanthropies headquarters project, is working on the café and wellness center project and is part of the Five Points construction team. JCP is also redeveloping the 4,200-squarefoot building at 1920 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, which will become home to the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin’s Legacy co-working and innovation space designed for minority entrepreneurs. JCP also owns the building where it has its offices, at 1849 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, as well as the building at 1817 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, which it is white-boxing for a commercial tenant on the first floor with second-floor apartments. These projects also come with a promise of lasting impact. “This isn’t a five-year initiative for us, or even a 10-year type project,” said Kenneth Robertson, Greater Milwaukee Foundation vice president and
chief financial officer. “This is a generational type collaborative we’re looking at. We need sustaining power to change the direction of what’s happening in our community. This is long-term, we’re really in this (and) fully committed over the next generation to be a part of the neighborhood that’s moving in a different direction.”
SETTING STANDARDS There’s a lot that goes into making a standard-setting commercial corridor. The BID’s vision is of a district that is vibrant, pedestrian friendly and inviting, Agee said. That could look like simple details such as planters and banners, public parks that provide a place for gathering and respite, or even an extension of the city’s streetcar. Plans to expand The Hop along King Drive up to North Avenue were held up by various concerns from members of the Common Council in 2019. “We’re excited about that when it does happen, what it means for accessibility both downtown to the neighbors that live in the surrounding neighborhoods and the inverse of that, where it makes it easier for people who live and work downtown to access amenities that are here at King Drive,” Phelps said. Cumberbatch said he is more skeptical of the streetcar. It would benefit the corridor, he said, so long as riders actually get out of the car and visit the area. If the riders drive past to see King Drive without getting out, “then we became a window for tourism,” he said. At the same time, it will be up to King Drive businesses to give riders a reason to get out and walk around, he said. A vibrant district that attracts people to the area also involves the redevelopment of buildings and land. “This is a long-term vision,” Agee said. “Because we can’t look at one set of activities that’s going to accomplish it, but it’s a combination of land, buildings and people.” Some people view a strong King Drive as a
ANDREW FELLER PHOTOGRAPHY
central hub of thriving Black businesses and property owners. “I want to see more African American entrepreneurs along King Drive because this is more than brick and mortar,” Cumberbatch said. “This will impact the consciousness of a people, to say, ‘You can succeed, too. You can build wealth for yourself, your family, and your community.’” Young said he hopes more Black developers like himself commit to building up the area. “I think that is a critical piece to this overall vision of King Drive, is that we’re talking about the legacy of Martin Luther King,” Young said. “It’s just super exciting to be a builder 50 years after his death, on King Drive, and not just myself but (to have) other Black builders on King Drive.” This vision puts King Drive in line with its history. Formerly known as Third Street, it is a main commercial corridor in the historic Bronzeville neighborhood, which once served as the economic and social center of Milwaukee’s African American community. But certain things about King Drive’s history cannot, and perhaps should not, be replicated today, Crump said. In particular, he noted that the corridor was the hub of African American commerce and culture because the community had to live there in order to find success. “We’re living in a world now where it’s not
James Phelps
where people have to concentrate themselves in one area,” Crump said. “But we want to think about, how do you make people want to go to some of these areas when they have so many other options? To make this the best King Drive in
the country, it has to be because people want to be there and not because they have to.”
BUILDING UP THE NEIGHBORHOOD Robbins has a personal connection to the
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Left: Martin Luther King Economic Development Corp. and KG Development are planning to build the Five Points apartments at a city-owned site at 33173349 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Rendering: Workshop Architects
neighborhood she’s helping rebuild. Her mother lived on Fifth and Center when she was young. “This is really full circle for my family that I’m able to be part of the legacy of MLKEDC, to help continue to strengthen Harambee. That’s how my family started,” Robbins said. One of MLKEDC’s newer initiatives aims to strengthen the neighborhood by encouraging homeownership and improving area housing stock. In late 2018, the organization announced its MLK Homes initiative, through which it purchases and rehabilitates single-family homes and duplexes in order to resell them to owner-occupants. She said the idea is for MLKEDC to not just develop rental units, but “focus on the generational wealth we can have in the Harambee area” through homeownership. Bader Philanthropies works to improve the community beyond large development projects, meeting regularly with community members to understand the needs of residents. Those meetings have sparked initiatives ranging from shoveling snow and doing yard work for the elderly, to large neighborhood cleanup events. “This is not rocket science here,” Cumberbatch said. “This is simple stuff, but you become aware of it when you bring it into your consciousness and really pay attention to it.” Likewise, the MCW/GMF partnership involves more than the redevelopment of the Schuster’s building. Robertson said the partnership will look to close the gap on racial equity issues, such as housing, health and wellness and early childhood education. It will also help support the small businesses located near the Schuster’s building. He said GMF has a number of tools it uses to do that, such as a program designed to give below-market capital to neighborhoods in the form of loans. “(We’re making) not only a substantial investment in the basic building itself … but investments all up along that corridor for small 22 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
businesses,” he said. MCW will focus on addressing health disparities, said Gregory Wesley, senior vice president of strategic alliances and business development. Partnering with GMF gives the two organizations the ability to tackle large – and in many cases inextricably linked – problems together, he said. “Health care access is important, but we know through research that actually access to quality foods, quality housing, quality education, quality economic opportunities, better known as social determinants of health, leads to better health outcomes,” Wesley said. There are also various programs to provide financial assistance to businesses and property owners. Agee, Phelps and others pointed to Brew City Match, an economic development effort led by LISC Milwaukee in partnership with the city and numerous other organizations, and its related PopUp MKE initiative. Brew City Match offers a combination of grants and financing to prepare vacant storefronts for occupancy. It also helps business owners find vacant commercial properties to locate their businesses. Similarly, Pop-Up MKE matches vacant storefronts with temporary retail shops. The initiatives target the King Drive, North Avenue and Fond du Lac, and Cesar Chavez Drive corridors. “I think they’re instrumental because they help to fill that funding gap and give incentives to the owners to be able to get this space to a point where they’re actually marketable, and to make the pro forma work for making the improvements that will attract a good tenant,” Phelps said. Some city-led programs benefiting King Drive businesses and buildings include the City-Wide White Box program, which provides incentives to assist in recruiting new businesses to vacant commercial or retail tenant spaces, and the Façade Grant program, which provides financial assistance for renovations to street faces of buildings. It also actively markets properties it owns through tax foreclosure to get them back into pri-
Above: The former Gimbels and Schuster’s Department Store building at the southwest corner of Garfield Avenue and King Drive is being redeveloped for the new home of the MCW/GMF partnership. Rendering: Engberg Anderson Architects
vate hands and redeveloped. MLKEDC and KG Development are buying the Five Points site from the city after competing through a request for proposals. The Common Council in late July approved the land sale for $25,000. Crump has said the city should be even more aggressive in encouraging development in the neighborhoods, including King Drive, by backing projects through tax incremental financing where the potential for added tax revenues is small, but the potential impact on the greater community is apparent. He added that any risk has to be calculated and the city needs to be careful in the assistance it provides to projects. “I think that part of what you do when you take a calculated risk, is you have to do other things that will make that (TIF district) more successful,” he said. “If you know there’s a greater risk, what else can you do in the surrounding area to make that (district) more successful?” There’s also an ongoing effort to expand the Historic King Drive BID to include the full length of King Drive in order to bring opportunity to more businesses and property owners. The BID currently extends north to where King Drive meets Locust Street. Agee said he wants to avoid a “tale of two King Drives,” in which the southern portion, anchored by the ManpowerGroup corporate headquarters, Spectrum’s building and the Schlitz Park office complex (see story on page 14), receives more attention and redevelopment than the northern segment. “We want to bring all of that together, brand it together, create that support network, engage the community in planning the future redevelopment of King Drive,” he said. Coggs noted the discrepancy between the two sections of King Drive during a recent Zoning,
Neighborhood & Community Development Committee meeting. “As most of us know, the southern end of King Drive has been kind of, if I’m honest, easy to get takers to want to develop and own property on,” she said. “It’s the northern part of King Drive that has continued to be a challenge.” It’s also important to ensure longtime residents aren’t displaced amid the increased development, Coggs said. “It’s a delicate balance, trying to help it grow and making sure people are not gentrified or being placed out,” she said. While the city is limited in what it can do to assist property owners due to state law, it has taken a few actions. In 2018, DCD released an anti-displacement plan for neighborhoods surrounding downtown, under the direction of the Common Council. The recommendations paved the way for more action, both public and private. GMF has established an anti-displacement fund and is emphasizing that work as part of its MCW partnership. “That was something we really wanted to see be a part of the overall next steps for the community, is make sure we can retain as many folks who have already been calling this home, and be able to participate in the overall neighborhood,” Newell said.
PERCEPTION AND CHALLENGES For all the progress King Drive it seeing, it is
still challenged by the segregation of Milwaukee neighborhoods along racial lines. Cumberbatch said there are some people who would rather sit on a gridlocked I-43 between Glendale and downtown Milwaukee than save 20 minutes by driving down King Drive or another street on Milwaukee’s north side. “They’re not going to do it,” he said. “Not going through there.” He said those perceptions could change if more people experienced the corridor for themselves. “It’s a beautiful place, if only people take the time to come and drive down that street,” Cumberbatch said. “Better yet, park your car and walk down that street, you’ll see what we have.” Phelps said perceptions of King Drive don’t match reality, but changing them involves changing the minds of commercial real estate brokers. “Sometimes they are the key people who can offer suggestions about where places are to locate and where there’s opportunity,” he said. “That’s one thing, honestly, I’ve been disappointed by is the feedback that I got.” He said brokers don’t list King Drive among their top choices of commercial corridors and it’s up to King Drive leaders like the BID to educate brokers on the opportunities there. Phelps said the existing historic building stock and the corridor’s proximity to downtown and the freeway “make it a jewel that we’re excited about
and we have to get the word out to as many people as possible.” King Drive suffered from a perception problem reaching back to when it was first proposed to be renamed from Third Street. It was a point of contention brought up decades later, when Coggs was discussing with Vel Phillips the renaming of Fourth Street in her name. Phillips served as an alderwoman, judge and Wisconsin secretary of state, often the first woman or African American in her position. The street was renamed in 2018. Phillips made clear at the time she wanted Vel R. Phillips Avenue to stretch from St. Paul Avenue to Capitol Drive. “I asked her why,” Coggs said. “The direct thing she said to me was this: ‘Because this city did Martin Luther King Jr. and his memory a disservice by allowing businesses to stop his street from going all the way to where Old World Third Street is.’” Leaders along the King Drive corridor now believe they’re building momentum toward not only changing the desirability of an address on the street, but also reaching the grand vision of becoming a top King Drive in the nation. “Over a span of time, it wasn’t an important thing to have a Martin Luther King Jr. address,” Agee said. “Now it is very important, and something people want to have.” n
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Special Report CORPORATE EVENT PLANNING
How to host an engaging webinar BY LAUREN ANDERSON, staff writer SINCE THE OUTBREAK of the coronavirus, corporate event calendars have been upended as companies have converted their regularly scheduled in-person meetings, conferences and networking mixers into virtual events. Organizations have been forced to navigate new virtual event platforms as they work to capture the value of face-to-face connections in an online format, while also combatting work-fromhome screen fatigue among those tuning in. Booking top-notch speakers, providing relevant content for a targeted audience and being mindful of time are keys to hosting an engaging online event, said Suzanne Kelley, president of the Waukesha County Business Alliance. “I know people say there is webinar fatigue,” she said. “But I think it’s more fatigue with the content and not with the format. As long as you find Kelley great speakers and great topics, people will be more than happy to join in.” WCBA, like many other organizations, has gone virtual with nearly all of its regular programming for the rest of the calendar year and added special programs to help its members navigate the evolving business landscape during the pandemic. The organization quickly learned that hosting a successful webcast requires the same amount of planning and staff resources as its in-person equivalent, Kelley said. “I think a lot of the pre-work in many ways is the same as it would be for an in-person program: being very thoughtful about the topic, listening to what your audience would be interested in, having high-caliber speakers and then preparing them in advance,” she said. “One other thing we learned was you (should not use) fewer staff to deploy a virtual event or webinar. You need just as many as you would for (an in-person event).” It’s important to communicate clearly beforehand what the webinar will offer its audience members and then follow through, said Tracy Johnson, president and CEO of the Commercial Association of ReJohnson altors Wisconsin (CARW). 24 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
Tips for hosting a virtual networking event It may be a challenge to recreate the experience of connecting face to face, but Jeremy Fojut, chief idea officer of NEWaukee, offers several tips for designing a meaningful virtual networking event. 1. Pick a theme. When planning the event, have a theme that will keep the conversation on topic. 2. Have a moderator. Make sure the program is consistently moderated to keep all people engaged and ensure the conversation is flowing. 3. Be inclusive. Not everyone is comfortable speaking first. Don’t be afraid to offer an example or call on people during the program, and encourage everyone to have a voice. 4. Prepare thoughtful questions. Draft a set of questions around the theme that will inspire conversation and provoke deeper thought. 5. Experiment with the format. On Zoom, we recently experimented with breakout rooms. Instead of networking for a full hour in one large room, we created a series of break-out rooms with a four-minute timer. We prompted every-
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one with a question, and then randomly assigned one-on-one conversations. Ask questions and use real-time data. Use polling or other features to find out why people are showing up to the event. Direct the conversation to target peoples’ objectives and make their time worthwhile. Create belonging. Look at each event as a way to build a community for the program. In other words, make those who attend the event feel like they are becoming part of a larger club or network. Have consistency. Don’t create one event and think you can build belonging. This only comes with repetition. Trust is shared experience over time. Follow up. After the event is over, have everyone post their email or LinkedIn account as a way for people to follow up afterwards.
Special Report CORPORATE EVENT PLANNING “Have very clear expectations,” Johnson said. “When you’re marketing the event, get people a good feel for what you’re going to get. ‘Here are the takeaways.’ If you set it up right and you know your speakers, you can control it 100% of the way.” A common mistake is spending too much time at the beginning of the event with introductions and not getting to the “meat” of the presentation soon enough, said Richie Burke, founder and chief executive officer of GoGeddit Marketing and Media (GGMM). “Even though people are on for about an hour, they’re only going to walk away with two to four ideas,” he said. “How can you hammer home value? ... Take time to build credibility but then move into the good stuff.” Hosts can keep the audience engaged throughout the presentation by fielding audience questions in real time via their platform’s Q&A and survey functions, Kelley said. After experimenting with different formats, Johnson said a moderated panel has been the most engaging for CARW audience members. “We’ll have 10 to 15 minutes of the keynote talking and then we’ll do planned questions and
answers to give people exactly what I said I was going to give them,” Johnson said. CARW finds scheduling its virtual events at a consistent time – 1 p.m. on Wednesdays – helps capture higher attendance among its members, Johnson said. “You really have to know who you’re trying to get to attend and make sure (you’re) consistent,” she said. “… Know your audience and what their preference is.” Capping events at 45 minutes has been the “sweet spot” for CARW’s webinars, Johnson said. “One hour can get to be too much and 30 minutes, you sometimes leave them hanging,” she said. Having sponsors provide prerecorded remarks is a good way to stay on schedule, she added. As many organizations try their hand at the new medium, there is plenty of room to refine their virtual events and get better with each try, Burke said. “A lot of people put something out there and hope to see big results right away,” Burke said. “I
Richie Burke
think it’s important to get something out, and the first time you do something is typically your worst performance. … The first step is getting something out. No. 2 is making sure that it’s actually valuable. … I wouldn’t throw in the towel if you’re not getting results after a few times of a webinar.” n
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Special Report STARTUPS & INNOVATION
Wisconsin insurance companies restructure to innovate BY BRANDON ANDEREGG, staff writer SEVERAL WISCONSIN-BASED insurance providers are restructuring their companies to remain competitive as innovative technologies bring new opportunities and disruption to the industry. In recent years, a growing number of insurance companies either have reorganized or are in the process of reorganizing from mutual insurance companies into mutual holding companies — a change that offers them more flexibility to engage in acquisitions, raise capital, and diversify their products and services. Madison-based American Family Insurance is credited with kicking off the trend in 2016 when its policyholders approved its conversion from a mutual insurance company to a mutual holding company. Under the structure change, American Family Mutual Insurance Company, the original entity, became a stock subsidiary company wholly owned by the newly created mutual holding company. Company leaders at the time said the new structure would pave the way for American Family to invest in or acquire non-insurance companies that specialize in protecting customers, such as smart-home technology and distracted-driving prevention, and to acquire other mutual insurance companies. Since then, four other Wisconsin insurance companies have followed suit by restructuring or beginning the process, including Church Mutual Insurance, Jewelers Mutual Insurance, Sentry Insurance and SECURA Insurance. Experts say this corporate restructuring trend reflects efforts by some insurance compa-
nies to get out ahead of industry disruptors, including new technologies, like autonomous cars, that will likely lower premium volumes. Without restructuring, some of Wisconsin’s insurance companies could fall behind the competition, insurance leaders say. Merrill-based Church Mutual considered various options – including remaining a mutual insurance company or demutualization — before ultimately deciding to convert to an MHC. “The insurance industry, we’ve been pushed,” said Mike Smith, Church Mutual senior vice president, secretary and chief legal counsel. “And this is a way within the regulatory framework that we can be Smith responsive. The MHC puts us on a level playing field and allows us to invest in … other technologies as they present themselves.” The option to restructure as a mutual holding company was first made available under Wisconsin law in 1997 to address certain disadvantages of the mutual insurance company structure. Under that structure, insurers can’t raise capital through the sale of stock, acquire another mutual insurance company without ending the legal identity of the acquired company, or hold significant assets in non-insurance subsidiaries. The change in state law addressed some of those competitive disadvantages by allowing the mutual insurance companies to covert into a stock company while still preserving the company’s mutuality, or policyholder ownership. While new innovations in home security, fire prevention or safe-driving applications are expected to potentially lower premiums, converting to an MHC gives insurers more flexibility to pursue a stake in those technologies.
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“The expectation in the property-casualty industry is that claims will go down and that insurance companies that want to grow, succeed and compete in the future are considering investments in these synergistic technologies,” said Anne Ross, an attorney with Foley & Lardner who specializes in corporate restructuring. The MHC structure Ross enables a company to move its technology-oriented subsidiaries out from under the insurance company parent so that they are owned directly by the mutual holding company or an intermediate stock holding company. The company is then able to grow and retain any earnings generated by its non-insurance businesses. “These are no longer assets that the company is relying on to pay claims,” Ross said. “They are no longer counted as part of the policy holder surplus that is the key measure of the financial strength of the insurance company and its ability to pay claims.” Smith likens the disruptive effect of technology on the insurance industry to how Uber and Lyft shook up the taxi industry. “If you think about what happened to taxis with Lyft and Uber, that technology forced the taxi industry and the regulation around it to revaluate itself, and look where we are today,” Smith said. However, Ross noted insurance companies haven’t yet seen premium volumes drop significantly because of new technologies. “You’re not really seeing the full impact on revenue yet,” Ross said. “This is more forward-looking.” Meanwhile, some say the MHC trend could be good news for Wisconsin’s venture capital ecosystem, which, despite some growth in recent years,
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Insurance company organizational chart The insurance company organizational chart represents the typical structures of mutual insurance companies and mutual holding companies and their differences, although each structure can be significantly more complex. Courtesy of Anne Ross, attorney at Foley & Lardner.
BEFORE
Venture Fund Limited Partnership
Technology Company A
Mutual Insurance Company
Technology Company B
AFTER
Insurance Company A
Insurance Company B
Insurance Company C
Mutual Insurance Holding Company Intermediate Stock Holding Company
Venture Fund Limited Partnership
Technology Company A
Technology Company B
Converted Insurance Company (former Mutual Insurance Company) Insurance Company A
continues to lag its Midwestern neighbors. Tom Hefty, retired chief executive officer of Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Wisconsin and former deputy commissioner of insurance for Wisconsin, said it will increase the pool of venture capital available in the state while attracting more outside investors to Wisconsin. “Wisconsin Technology Council has long published papers on the shortage of venture capital in Wisconsin,” said Hefty, a former council board member. “One of the reasons that Wisconsin did not have much venture capital over the last 20 years was the fact that the insurance industry in Wisconsin could not participate in venture capital deals.”
For many insurance companies, including Church Mutual, maintaining mutuality is just as important as the additional leeway to invest in technologies. In an MHC, the insurance company owners are also customers, compared to a publicly traded company in which shareholders may or may not have a policy with the company. “For us as employees working for an MHC, we still understand that we work for the policyholders,” Smith said. “That’s a very different environment than, say, working for a publicly traded insurance company where shareholders own the company.” Several Wisconsin companies that have made
Insurance Company B
Insurance Company C
the change cited the ability to expand mutuality as a benefit of restructuring. Through the conversion, policyholders of an affiliated stock insurance company, which are often formed by mutual insurance companies to sell new product lines, can become members of the MHC along with the policyholders of the converted mutual insurance company. Restructuring requires approval from policyholders, the company’s board of directors and from the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance. OCI is tasked with ensuring that an insurer has adequate funds earmarked to pay claims and that funds aren’t distributed to shareholders in excess or placed in risky investments. n
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Special Report STARTUPS & INNOVATION
Badger Fund of Funds continues growth trajectory despite loss of Milwaukeefocused fund BY BRANDON ANDEREGG, staff writer WHEN ROSS LEINWEBER recently withdrew his efforts to raise capital for a Milwaukee-centric venture fund, he was deeply critical of the city, citing a lack of local investor support as the leading cause for his fund’s failure. Ken Johnson, a partner with Badger Fund of Funds, of which Leinweber’s Bold Coast Capital fund was a part of, was even sharper in his criticism of Milwaukee’s investor community. “Milwaukee has got to get it through their skull that we have done everything to help Milwaukee out and they have done absolutely positively nothing,” Johnson said.
Milwaukee’s venture capital and startup ecosystem has been challenged, ranking lower in terms of deal flow and capital raised than other cities around the country and within the state. Yet, despite the loss of Bold Coast Capital this spring, the Badger Fund of Funds — Wisconsin’s 7-yearold state-backed venture capital program — continues to grow, while Milwaukee leaders maintain optimism about its startup scene. In 2013, the state of Wisconsin awarded $25 million to Santa Fe, New Mexico-based Sun Mountain Capital and Stoughton-based Kegonsa Capital Partners LLC to establish the Badger Fund of Funds, which raised another $10 million from the private sector and agreed to create six to eight venture capital firms across the state. At the time, the Wisconsin Technology Council recognized Wisconsin’s venture capital ecosystem as lagging, so it proposed a fund of funds to deliver financial returns for investors consistent with the national average while supporting Wisconsin-grown companies. The fund of funds program was established through Act 41, which was designed to facilitate investments in venture capital funds that in turn
must invest in Wisconsin businesses. BFOF invests only in companies designated as Qualified New Business Ventures, which makes investors eligible for tax credits. The fund managers they have selected have established the Idea Fund of La Crosse; Winnebago Seed Fund LP in Neenah; Rock River Capital Partners Fund I in Madison; The Winnow Fund for college entrepreneurs in Madison; Forward Capital, which targets spinout companies in manufacturing in Milwaukee; Bold Coast Capital Fund I L.P., which would have targeted Milwaukee-based companies; and a growth fund that has not yet been disclosed. Each fund manager is either raising or has Leinweber raised its own venture capital fund to invest exclusively in Wisconsin companies, and BFOF matches 40% of that total. In late April, Leinweber notified Bold Coast Capital’s 15 independent investors that he would no longer be raising an early-stage venture fund
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and released them of their commitments. He had spent approximately two-and-a-half years raising funds and reached $6 million, with the goal of closing his fund at $10 million. The fund would have targeted early-stage companies that were looking for that first $500,000 of investment. In a Bold Coast Capital newsletter, Leinweber attributed a lack of local investors as the primary reason for the failure of the fund, adding that COVID-19 was a contributing factor, setting back fundraising efforts by 12 to 18 months, he said. “While COVID-19 created a unique ending to the pursuit, my inability to raise the necessary independent funds was directly related to the lack of local financial support, specifically by the institutional capital of Milwaukee,” Leinweber said in the letter. “Thirty-five percent of the money I raised was from out-of-state investors. I did not receive a single commitment from an academic institution, a corporate entity, or an ‘old money’ Milwaukee investor or family office.” Milwaukee has been described by several in the venture capital community as conservative and risk averse. Others have pointed to the relative newness and unfamiliarity with venture capital
compared to other parts of the country as a reason for why Milwaukee’s investors may not be as quick to get involved. Leinweber, for example, contends that Milwaukee is a larger city with a small village culture, adding that because relationships are developed over decades and therefore tight-knit, projects and fundraising are controlled by a select few. “During my experience, I found the community of Milwaukee and its investor base’s risk disposition a primary challenge to raising funds,” Leinweber said. “It is a very conservative community and generally unfamiliar with modern-day venture capital.” However, Leinweber admitted that his strategy also proved to be a hurdle, selecting to remain independent rather than partnering with a prominent individual in the business community or a local organization for his fund. By choosing the independent route, he felt Bold Coast Capital could achieve higher returns while generating the most
One of Badger Fund of Funds’ portfolio companies, Agrograph, provides “the credit score of agricultural” on its platform to help crop insurers, lenders, grain distributors and suppliers make informed decisions.
investment options, he said. “However, one has to get to the fundraising finish line first, and in a city like Milwaukee, where relationships are built over decades, you might need to brush aside independence to find the money,” Leinweber said. Despite losing one if its funds, the BFOF portfolio is still growing, increasing its investment multiplier from 2.5x in March of 2019 to 3.9x in 2020. This means that for every $1 the Badger Fund invests in its fund managers, their funds are attracting nearly $4 from private investors. The BFOF has a total of 20 active portfolio companies, up from 13 in March of 2020. So far, Idea Fund of La Crosse has raised $13 million, Winnebago Seed Fund has raised $11 million and Rock
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River Capital Partners has raised nearly $23.5 million for a total of $47,475,000, according to a BFOF portfolio summary. Of those funds, approximately $13 million has been invested in Wisconsin-based startups as of March 31. There is a total of 112 jobs across all BFOF portfolio companies, up from 77 in 2018. All positions combine for a total quarterly payroll of $2.4 million and an average employee salary of about $85,000, according to BFOF’s quarterly report for the quarter ending on March 31. “I don’t think anyone would have suspected that all the funds that were initially set out to be organized would have been successful,” said Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. “Because that would fly in the face generally of venture capital investments around the country.” As for Milwaukee, Still says the failure of one fund cannot be pinned on the community at large, especially since the greater Milwaukee area has a variety of successful angel funds including Dark Knight Capital, Silicon Pastures, Alchemy Angels and Golden Angels, to name a few. “I would love to see the Badger Fund of Funds embedded in Milwaukee, but I don’t think it’s the
only chance to do so,” Still said. Kathy Henrich, chief executive officer of the Milwaukee Tech Hub Coalition, said there are signs of strong and positive momentum in the Milwaukee startup scene that point to a bright future. For Henrich, those signs include an uptick in investment rounds for southeastern Wisconsin in 2019 as reported by the WTC, the number of other funds that have been announced or remain in development, and the involvement of public companies, including support of the coalition’s focus on developing startups. “We encourage Milwaukee regional investors to consider venture capital Henrich as a potential asset class for their investments,” Henrich said. “In fact, there may not be a better time as valuations are lower in these economic circumstances which provides the opportunity for larger, long-term returns.” While other BFOF funds can and have invested in Milwaukee-based companies, the BFOF does
not have plans to build another fund with a Milwaukee focus, Johnson said. Forward Capital, managed by Dan Voell, is the only BFOF fund that remains in Milwaukee, but it does not yet have any investors from Milwaukee County. However, Voell remains optimistic about his fund and pointed to the origin stories of Milwaukee’s most longstanding companies as a reason for why investors might consider investing in the local venture capital ecosystem. “In the first decade of Voell the 1900s, Dr. Stanton Allen invested in Lynde Bradley (1903), Ole Evinrude let some teenage motorcycle heads (Harley and Davidson) build in his shop and Harold Stratton invested in Stephen Briggs (1908),” Voell said. “What would our city look like if institutions and individual investors were more interested in private equity funds, real estate and value stocks back then? What could our city look like if we spend the next 10 years seeking out and investing in the best and brightest in Milwaukee?” n
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COVID hits Wisconsin’s already challenged long-term care industry BY LAUREN ANDERSON, staff writer ABOUT 20 LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES have closed in Wisconsin over the past 18 months, a reflection of the industry’s challenge with escalating expenses and Medicaid reimbursement rates that fall short of the cost of care. That closure tally could have been much higher if not for a one-time infusion of federal COVID-19 relief funding this spring, industry leaders say. Already operating on narrow margins prior to COVID-19, nursing homes and assisted living facilities across the state have been on the front lines of caring for one of the most vulnerable populations throughout the pandemic. That effort has been costly, both in its financial impact on operators and emotional toll on residents and workers.
“This is real,” said John Sauer, president and chief executive director of LeadingAge Wisconsin. “You and I get to go back to our home or apartment and hopefully stay involved with family and friends and not think about what it’s like if you’re in need of Sauer care and services of a longterm or assisted living facility. But this is a 24/7 endeavor (for those facilities).” In May, Gov. Tony Evers announced $100 million in federal relief would be directed to long-term care, emergency medical services and home and community-based services for expenses related to COVID-19, such as overtime pay, changes to sanitation procedures and disruptions to care. The federal assistance might be enough to get Wisconsin’s long-term care facilities through the calendar year, but providers are concerned about what will happen when that funding expires. “The real concern is what happens once these one-time dollars are no longer available and we
can’t use them to sustain our operations,” Sauer said. For North Shore Healthcare – the Glendale-based operator of 71 skilled nursing centers and assisted living communities – the federal CARES Act funding has been a lifeline, but a longer-term solution is needed to address the industry’s financial challenges, said David Mills, chief executive officer. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, the daily per-person cost for North Shore’s Wisconsin facilities was $237, offset by a $180 Medicaid reimMills bursement rate. That’s a slightly narrower Medicaid reimbursement gap than the average across Wisconsin’s skilled nursing facilities, which lose between $70.66 and $78.58 per day for each Medicaid resident they serve, according to a study by LeadingAge Wisconsin. COVID-19 has exacerbated that challenge, with many facilities seeing decreased occupancy rates due to fewer referrals coming from hospitals. At the same time, acquiring personal protective
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Special Report AGING equipment, deploying wide-scale testing and covering overtime and “hero” wage bumps throughout the pandemic have driven up costs. “There is no question that without stimulus dollars there would be a real problem in the postacute world,” Mills said. While providers can implement incremental innovation through technology and facility improvements, Sauer noted they are limited when it comes to finding new revenue sources. “There are no elective surgeries or other ways we can significantly become more entrepreneurial in what we do,” he said. “We provide care and services to older adults. We can do it in innovative ways and we can do it by reconfigurations of buildings. … (But) we were not well-positioned financially before COVID, so if we just go back to pre-COVID days, the challenge is still there.” Nursing homes were among the first businesses in the state to close their doors to visitors at the outset of the pandemic. Many made the decision to lock down before the state’s stay-at-home order was enacted in March and most continue to enforce those policies to date. “The general public might have COVID fatigue,
but (long-term care providers) really can’t afford to let up on their efforts because of how critical their mission is in keeping older adults safe,” Sauer said. “It’s just as intense now as it was back in late March.” PPE remains a challenge for many facilities, particularly as they consider easing some visitation policies. According to a recent study by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living, 15% of Wisconsin nursing homes lack a one-week supply of N95 masks and gowns. Meanwhile, supply shortages have driven up prices. North Shore is purchasing masks, gloves and gowns at prices about three to four times higher than pre-COVID times, Mills said. “I talk to (long-term care) administrators,” Sauer said. “They say every part of their day is devoted to trying to secure adequate PPE. Most facilities don’t have widespread COVID in their building, (but) we’re still burning through a high volume of PPE and it’s reached what I’m told are historically high prices.” Since the Wisconsin Department of Health Services began reporting facility-based COVID-19 outbreaks in April, there have been investigations
at 534 long-term care facilities, 285 of which were active as of press time. In long-term care facilities, public health officials initiate an investigation when a single case is confirmed. Despite the summer spike in cases, industry leaders say putting visitations on hold indefinitely isn’t a tenable strategy for residents long-term. “To say they have to make due with phone calls or FaceTime or Zoom or Skype, it’s tolerable for a few weeks, a month,” Sauer said. “But will we ask them to be physically separated from a loved one for months on end with seemingly no end to that in sight? That is unreasonable to adopt that kind of policy and assume it’s not going to have an impact on residents.” While weather permits, nursing homes could soon allow outdoor, socially distant visits. Facilitating indoor visits safely, however, is a more complicated endeavor. “Like everyone else, we’re praying for a vaccine to come sooner than later but we can’t wait for that,” Sauer said. “We are going to have to look at ways that we can have more creative visitation policies and we’re looking for further guidance coming out of public health and the Department of Health Services and from the CDC as well.” n
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COST OF LIVING page 16 Personal budgets and finding a salary that works for you
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This year more than ever, employers and job seekers need a way to find each other. The annual STUFF publication, focused on workforce development and career opportunities in the manufacturing, building, technology and healthcare industries, highlights the companies in our region that are doing cool things, the technology they are using, and the young workers who are building careers and helping those organizations succeed. The 2020 guide features products made in our state, interviews of people in these industries doing interesting things, and details on the career paths available within these companies.
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A U G U S T 19-20, 2020 | 16 T H A N N U A L V I R T U A L B I Z E X P O
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2020 BizExpo Show Guide: The official show program of BizExpo
Bravo! Entrepreneur I.Q. (Innovation Quotient) awards
Bravo! Entrepreneur I.Q. (Innovation Quotient) winners
36 Lifetime Achievement Award: Valerie Daniels-Carter 41 Regional Spirit Award: Dr. John Raymond, Sr.
42 Accelerated Analytical Laboratories Inc. Approyo LLC 43 EmbedTek LLC Fiveable 44
Women in Business 38
omen in Business event panelists W make bold moves.
39
Woman Executive of the Year:
eneva Supply Inc. & G BizTank/BizThreeSixty Islands of Brilliance
45 Kane Communications Group Rebel Converting LLC
Patty Cadorin
46
Safety4Her Inc. Stamm Media & Stamm Technologies
Virtual Seminars Valerie Daniels-Carter
47
Seminar listings
Virtual Exhibitors 48 Listing of BizExpo exhibitors
Patty Cadorin
Dr. John Raymond, Sr.
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biztimes.com / 35
BRAVO! ENTREPRENEUR : LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER
Valerie Daniels-Carter
Valerie Daniels-Carter built restaurant empire, now helps other entrepreneurs BY ANDREW WEILAND, staff writer For Valerie Daniels-Carter, president and chief executive officer of Milwaukee-based V&J Holding Companies Inc., the entrepreneurial bug bit at an early age. “As a very young child I had entrepreneurial instincts,” she said. “At the age of 6, in the first grade, I was walking 5-year-olds to kindergarten as their guardian for my neighborhood and was compensated $1.25 a week for various families to be the patrol guard, if you will. Always as a child I had different little businesses.” While she grew up in Milwaukee, Daniels-Carter’s parents encouraged her to develop her entrepreneurial spirit. Her father, a Navy officer, was an entrepreneur himself and started a heating, air conditioning and 36 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
refrigeration business. “(Entrepreneurship) was definitely ingrained in me and reinforced and nurtured by my parents,” she said. After graduating from Custer High School (now named Barack Obama School of Career and Technical Education), Daniels-Carter got her bachelor’s degree at Lincoln University (a historically black university in Oxford, Pennsylvania) and later earned a master’s degree from Cardinal Stritch University. Daniels-Carter began her career at First Wisconsin National Bank as a retail and commercial lender. Later she was an auditor in the financial underwriting division for MGIC Investment Corp. She wanted to start her own business and in 1982, Daniels-Carter and her brother John Daniels (an attorney who today is
chairman emeritus of Quarles & Brady) launched V&J Foods with a single Burger King restaurant, which they built at 5812 W. Lisbon Ave. in Milwaukee. The company still owns the restaurant. John Daniels, the chairman for V&J, invested in the company and has served as an advisor for Valerie Daniels-Carter, who leads the day-to-day operations of V&J as its CEO. “He was a financial investor into the company but a great supporter for me and a phenomenal advisor to me,” Daniels-Carter said. “He saw the passion I had to be an entrepreneur and wholeheartedly he, along with my husband and other family members, supported me in order to be able to do it.” They decided to become a Burger King franchisee after examining several business opportunities, Daniels-Carter said. “We had looked at and investigated a number of organizations and at that time Burger King had an aggressive development model,” she said. “I had never been in the food industry before. I was able to construct an agreement with them that basically said if I make the investment and I wasn’t happy with it in three years I could revisit my decision with them. …When I first entered the business, I really loved it. I had some really great people on my team, which makes a huge difference. I decided within the first year, I’m going to stick with this.” Within 16 years, Daniels-Carter grew the company into a 137-unit, multi-brand operation. Today the company has 131 restaurant units including real estate holdings and operation agreements. “Between a combination of acquisitions and build-outs we were able to ramp-up and build the company to being on a larger scale,” she said. “You scale it with great people and you scale it with the proper tools. That’s really what I did. Making sure I had all of the proper systems
in place to be able to manage multiple units and looking for good talent. … Fortunately for me I was able to really have a group of individuals encircled in my company that saw the passion, saw the excitement that I had, understood the mission and wanted to be a part of the success story.” The success Daniels-Carter had in growing her business led to more opportunities as other brands approached her about adding franchises. In addition to Burger King, V&J brands now include Pizza Hut, Auntie Anne’s, Coffee Beanery, Nino’s Southern Sides, MyYoMy Frozen Yogurt and Captain D’s Seafood. “In most cases the franchisor reached out to me to see if I was interested in the opportunity,” she said. Daniels-Carter, a part owner of the Milwaukee Bucks and board member of the Green Bay Packers, has done business partnerships with several athletes, including former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal. V&J and O’Neal Enterprises partnered on opening Auntie Anne’s pretzel stores. Now Daniels-Carter is working to help develop other aspiring entrepreneurs. In the past four-and-a-half years she has provided seed capital to help 905 women in Africa start businesses. “I spend quite a bit of time developing those entrepreneurs,” she said. “That has been probably the most rewarding thing that I have done as an entrepreneur. It is just phenomenal. They are in all kinds of businesses from chicken farming to fish farming, agriculture, bead-making, soap-making, lotion-making, seamstress, you name it. We send them through a two-year entrepreneur program that I have. Most of these women were not employed. If they can successfully complete the program then we will seed the initial capital.” As part of the program the women agree, if they are successful, within 18 to 24 months
they will try to help another woman in business. “Right now, my life is about intergenerational transfer and development of entrepreneurs,” Daniels-Carter said. In fact, Daniels-Carter wants to develop two V&J brands, Nino’s Southern Sides and MyYoMy Frozen Yogurt, to be able to offer business opportunities for young entrepreneurs in the United States. “We recently launched those brands to put the structure around them. Hopefully in the next three to five years I will be able to take those brands and kick-start some other young entrepreneurs in business,” she said. In addition, V&J has a sister company that provides seed capital for young entrepreneurs in the non-food industry. Those include Wisconsin entrepreneurs
in the printing and environmental sanitation industries. For years Wisconsin and Milwaukee have ranked low on national lists for startup activity and venture capital. Modern technology is helping entrepreneurs raise seed capital, Daniels-Carter said, but it remains a huge challenge for launching a business, especially for minority entrepreneurs. “People have access to the internet where they can create investment clubs and things of that nature to help get a base,” she said. “But when you are looking for serious capital, it’s very difficult, especially for a startup, especially for someone new … especially for minority individuals, to get seed capital. That’s one of the reasons why right now I’m trying to do my small part to assist and aid because I know what it’s like to try to raise capital
and especially the times we are living in now. “I worked many years literally taking most of my disposable income and reserving it to be able to start my business because I had that kind of passion. I always tell entrepreneurs if you don’t have that kind of passion then entrepreneurship is really not for you. You’ve got to be willing to make a commitment beyond yourself.” Mentors are needed to help entrepreneurs in Milwaukee create more new businesses to boost the city’s economy, Daniels-Carter said. “What would foster more (entrepreneurship in Milwaukee) would be many of them having really strong mentors that can help them understand the business model and understand the business plan,” she said. “I think you have a ton of entrepre-
neurs (in Milwaukee), they just don’t know what to do, how to do it, where to go, how to access capital, have someone help them write a proper business plan. Having a resource center for entrepreneurs that talks about the reality of business not just the fairy tale of business. You’ve got to have that in order to have sustainability. The failure rate is so high. And most often people don’t really understand everything that they need in order to be successful.” In recognition of her career achievements, her contributions to the community and her efforts to help the next generation of entrepreneurs, Daniels-Carter is the recipient of the 2020 BizTimes Media Bravo! Entrepreneur Lifetime Achievement Award. She will receive the award on Aug. 20 as part of the virtual 2020 BizExpo. •
biztimes.com / 37
WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Julie Granger
Nadiyah Johnson
Gina Stilp
Denise Thomas
Women in Business event panelists make bold moves BY MAREDITHE MEYER, staff writer Being a leader in today’s world requires challenging the status quo. That’s the perspective of a few Milwaukee women who haven’t been afraid to shake things up, even in the face of adversity. Julie Granger, Nadiyah Johnson, Gina Stilp and Denise Thomas have all made decisions throughout their careers that took some courage, helping shape the leaders they are today. They will discuss their experiences and lessons learned as panelists at BizTimes Media’s Women in Business event during the annual BizExpo, which will take place virtually on Aug. 19. BizTimes podcast partner and contributing columnist Beth Ridley, chief executive officer of The Brimful Life, will moderate the discussion. Johnson recently left her fulltime job as technical product manager at GE Healthcare after four years to pursue another endeavor. She’s the founder of Jet Constellations, a Milwaukee-based software company that’s on a mission to transform Milwaukee into a tech hub representative of the city’s diverse population. Through its social impact arm, the Milky Way Tech Hub, the company recently launched a $50 million venture capital fund focused on providing capital to early-stage tech companies, with an emphasis on attracting startups led by people of color to Milwaukee. Although the effort has been 38 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
met with local support, it has sparked plenty of questions from skeptics. “The $50 million raise of a tech fund should not be a huge shock to a city that’s working to transform into a tech hub,” Johnson said. “I believe some of the doubt and shock is rooted in the fact that I don’t look like any fund manager that Milwaukee’s seen.” But that hasn’t deterred her. “We understand we can’t transform Milwaukee into a tech hub without acknowledging current narratives that exist,” said Johnson, citing issues of racial and economic disparity. Denise Thomas made a similar leap out of the corporate world three years ago to start her own coaching and consulting business, The Effective Communication Coach LLC. Her clients are some of the region’s top firms, including Northwestern Mutual, ManpowerGroup and Associated Bank. As was the case for many small businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted Thomas to rethink her brand, which had been built on the energy she brought to in-person sessions with clients, she said. Thomas had to figure out how to offer the same value virtually. The ability to sustain a business as a woman and as a Black woman, Thomas said, is something she has to both embrace and navigate each day. “My reality as a Black woman … definitely impacts how and why
I show up as a consultant in a very saturated industry that does not have a lot of successful consultants who look like me,” said Thomas. Part of that means doing business only with companies who prioritize diversity, inclusion and equity as core values. That’s a space Julie Granger knows well. As executive vice president at the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, she leads the Region of Choice initiative, which has goals of increasing diverse management in the region by 25% and diverse employment in the region by 15% by 2025. Granger believes it’s the most important work the local business community can be doing right now. “The economic disparities between white people and people of color in Milwaukee are profound,” she said. “If we do not close the gaps in employment, advancement, educational attainment and wealth creation, we will never reach our potential as a region.” Working for MMAC for 25 years, Granger says she has witnessed Milwaukee’s evolution and that’s kept her engaged and eager to do more, she said. Looking back on times in her career when she chose to speak up, ask difficult questions or bring a different perspective, Granger says she has found being authentic helped build trust with higher-ups and peers. For Gina Stilp, some of the
Beth Ridley most valuable lessons came early in her career, serving as director of development at New Orleans Habitat for Humanity in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. “That experience taught me the value of leaning into challenging circumstances and accepting that the most rewarding work is messy,” she said. Now, as executive director of the Zilber Family Foundation in Milwaukee, rendering aid is a central part of the job. ZFF recently granted $3 million in emergency funding to essential nonprofit organizations as they respond to COVID-19. Stilp said the pandemic has prompted the organization to reimagine how it operates, delivers services and deploys capital. Specifically, it’s taking the time to listen to community-based partners and incorporate that feedback into its grant-making process. “We believe that the people and organizations most proximate to the problems we’re trying to solve have to be part of our reimagined solutions,” she said. •
WOMAN EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR : WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Patty Cadorin
Patty Cadorin puts success of others before herself BY BRANDON ANDEREGG, staff writer Patty Cadorin is motivated by the value she provides to others, measuring her own success based on what she has helped others achieve rather than what she has accomplished
on her own. Cadorin, a 23-year veteran in the banking industry and senior advisor at BMO Harris Bank, said she prefers to be in the background helping others in bank-
ing and the wide variety of roles she has held in Milwaukee-area nonprofit organizations. “I enjoy mentoring young women, both within and outside of the bank,” Cadorin said. “I think that I am just listening and providing an ear for them, as a lot of times one just needs to hear themselves talk out loud. But it surprises me when they later thank me for something I’ve said that provided value to them.” Beyond her duties as senior advisor, Cadorin has provided mentorship to leaders across BMO, helping them think through their own career goals and responsibilities, said Jud Snyder, president of BMO Harris Equipment Finance Co. and BMO’s senior executive for southeast Wisconsin. “Without exception she has always focused on what is best
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for the bank and best for her community, leading by example with grace and confidence,” Snyder said. “I’ve been fortunate in my own career to have Patty’s counsel on numerous occasions and have been truly thankful for her guidance and perspective.” Cadorin has also been a leader for a long list of community organizations. She is the chair of the Wisconsin Women’s Council; serves on the board of directors of the United Community Center, Building Brave, the Milwaukee Urban League and the Puelicher Foundation; and is a member of the United Way Women’s Initiative Leadership Council. She is the former chair of the board of directors of Aurora Family Service and the Donors Forum of Wisconsin. Cadorin is also a former member of the board of directors of the Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee
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and Zink the Zebra Foundation. Cadorin co-chaired the 2015 United Performing Arts Fund community campaign, which brought in about $12 million. She also co-chaired the Aurora Health Care Foundation Gala in 2016, the Boys and Girls Club Transformations Fashion Show in 2008, co-chaired the SHARP Literacy Novel Event in 2008, and was a member of the NFL Alumni/Big Brothers Big Sisters Golf Tournament committee for 19 years. Before becoming a senior advisor at BMO Harris, Cadorin was chief of staff to the CEO. Prior to the acquisition of Marshall & Ilsley Corp. by BMO Financial Group, she was senior vice president and corporate communications director for M&I. While her own resume is robust, Cadorin is quick to applaud the work of other women
“ I so admire all of the women of Milwaukee. They are powerhouses. I get energized and inspired just being around them.” — Patty Cadorin
in the region. “I so admire all of the women of Milwaukee,” Cadorin said. “They are powerhouses. I get energized and inspired just being around them. Our women nonprofit and education leaders are driving some significant initiatives in our communities. I am honored to contribute what I can to that work.” For Cadorin, establishing
a scholarship fund for young women in the Milwaukee Public Schools system is one of her proudest moments in her career. For her birthday a few years ago, Cadorin asked her children to donate to the fund rather than receiving birthday or Christmas gifts, she said. “I told my two sons and their wives that I didn’t want any more birthday or Christmas gifts,”
Cadorin said. “We decided instead to establish a scholarship fund with the Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation for a young woman high school graduate. I am so proud of them, they created the scholarship, suggested the name for it and they fund it each year themselves.” In recognition of her career achievements and community contributions, Cadorin will receive the BizTimes Woman Executive of the Year Award at BizExpo 2020 during the Women in Business program, which will be held virtually from 12:30-1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 19. “Patty is an inspiration and example to so many within the bank and across our broader Milwaukee community,” Snyder said. “She exemplifies what it means to lead with purpose, courage, humility and character.” •
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40 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
REGIONAL SPIRIT AWARD WINNER : BRAVO! ENTREPRENEUR
Dr. John Raymond, Sr.
Dr. Raymond helped lead Milwaukee’s business community through pandemic BY LAUREN ANDERSON, staff writer At the outset of the COVID-19 outbreak, the nation turned to Dr. Anthony Fauci’s regular briefings as the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director explained the nature of the novel coronavirus, offered guidance for mitigating its spread and dispelled misinformation during the quickly-evolving crisis. Milwaukee looked to Dr. John Raymond, Sr. Every day of Gov. Tony Evers’ “Safer at Home” order, Raymond, the president and chief executive officer of Medical College of Wisconsin, joined
Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce president Tim Sheehy for a live COVID-19 webinar briefing, providing updates on case numbers, PPE shortages and hospital capacity concerns. As the crisis escalated, Raymond helped Milwaukee’s business community understand the difficult realities of the pandemic with the goal of allowing them to make informed decisions about their own operations. For his efforts to provide accurate information as the state and businesses navigated their responses to COVID-19, Raymond will be recognized with BizTimes
Media’s Regional Spirt Award at BizExpo, which will take place virtually on Aug. 19-20. Underpinning Raymond’s daily 5-minute health update was a significant amount of research and preparation. “Being up to date about COVID-19 developments is a daunting challenge,” Raymond said. “I usually start the day with a database search of published scientific literature, then scan pre-publication servers, and then look at Google and social media for trending COVID-19 topics.” “I also was very fortunate to be able to draw upon the expertise of MCW physicians and scientists specializing in virology, infectious diseases, epidemiology, occupational health, and mental health, as well as MCW’s outstanding librarians. Having regular webinars with an open floor for audience questions early in the pandemic motivated me to diligently review COVID-19 developments every day,” he added. The webinar partnership between MMAC and MCW — initially brokered by MCW senior vice presidents Mara Lord and Greg Wesley, who had been working on separate projects with MMAC and Milwaukee 7 when the pandemic hit — was aimed at addressing the “twin challenges” of COVID-19 as a health crisis and an economic disruptor. MCW had also been
working with Arik Johnson, managing director of intelligence and analytics firm Aurora WDC, on several projects at the time, so it was a natural fit to turn to the firm for its real-time virtual conferencing services. “We recognized the need for good information and interpretation of the evolving science associated with COVID-19, and for bringing the best minds in the region together to plan for a safe and responsible re-opening of our economy,” Raymond said. While COVID-19 has brought unprecedented challenges to the state this year, Raymond said he is glad to play a role in the response effort. “Obviously, I would prefer that we would not be facing a pandemic unlike any since the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918,” he said. “Having said that, it has been immensely gratifying for me to see so many MCW faculty members step forward to offer valuable advice and guidance and to partner with so many sectors of our society – government, businesses, the news media, faith-based and minority communities, educational institutions and accrediting groups. Those efforts have enhanced the visibility and value of MCW as our state’s health and sciences university, and allowed us to build a foundation of partnerships that will benefit our region for many years to come.” •
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PHOTO COURTESY OF ACCELERATED ANALYTICAL.
JAKE HILL
BRAVO! ENTREPRENEUR & I.Q. INNOVATIVE QUOTIENT AWARD WINNERS
Accelerated Analytical lab.
ACCELERATED ANALYTICAL David Metzger, president and CEO Milwaukee Acceleratedlabs.com By Alex Zank, staff writer While the COVID-19 pandemic has been devasting to many businesses, it resulted in a surge of business for Accelerated Analytical, but presented the company with two challenges: hiring enough people and obtaining enough equipment and supplies to keep up with demand. The Milwaukee-based laboratory has been about 300% busier than normal during the viral outbreak as it works to keep
up with the increased demand for testing, said president and chief executive officer David Metzger. Accelerated’s customers are booked with business for the next 18 months, which could mean his company will be just as busy, Metzger said. Amid global shortages of disposable test kits, it has been difficult to find enough equipment and supplies to run the volume of COVID-19 tests the company is receiving, Metzger said. Hunting down supplies has become some employees’ full-time jobs, and the company has had to rely on every relationship it has established with vendors over the past roughly 20 years. Accelerated has also added several people to human resources to keep up with hiring efforts. One of the challenges in hiring has been that the work requires skilled labor, with some departments requiring up to five months of training, he said. “This industry has struggled with different shortages since the pandemic broke, and it’s always something,” Metzger said. “So, you learn to think on your feet as laboratories participating in this pandemic, helping out.” •
Chris Carter
APPROYO LLC Chris Carter, chief executive officer Brookfield approyo.com By Andrew Weiland, staff writer Brookfield-based Approyo LLC, an SAP software hosting and support company, has posted impressive growth since its launch in 2013. The company made the Inc. 5000 list of fastestgrowing American companies in 2017 and 2018. Approyo had $2.3 million in revenue in 2019. Despite the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the company expects revenue to grow this year to $3.5 million to $4 million, said founder
and chief executive officer Chris Carter. In response to this year’s economic downturn, Carter decided to offer new clients a “zero cashflow opportunity,” in which they pay nothing for Approyo’s services until the end of the year, as long as they lock into a 3-year contract with the company. Approyo is in various stages of negotiations with five new clients taking advantage of that offer, Carter said. Carter launched Approyo after the failure of his previous SAP software company, CCI. That company also grew rapidly but lost a major contract and went into bankruptcy. “I learned several things,” Carter said last year about his CCI experience. “First of all, don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. Second thing I learned is I never want to go through that again…so I work 10 times harder, 20 times harder every day. The third thing I learned is you’ve got to always be selling.” How hard does Carter work? Two years ago he suffered a broken neck, but kept working while he recovered. “Laid up in a hospital bed the only thing he asked for was his cell phone so he could keep working,” said Approyo marketing coordinator Alex Goudy. “He was constantly yelled at by doctors and nurses. (But) anyone that knew Chris knew that he would be online to help if he could. That’s the type of drive he has.” •
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*Vistage CEO member companies who joined in 2006-2008 and were active members in Feb, 2010. CAGR for Vistage member companies calculated for period covering year prior to joining Vistage through 2009. CAGR for D&B U.S. companies based on 2005-2009 revenues, weighted to match Vistage company distribution per year during same period. All companies had >=$1M annual revenue, >=5 employees. Vistage: 1,265 companies. D&B: approximately 1M U.S. companies.
EMBEDTEK Kent Tabor, president and chief technology officer Waukesha | Embedtek.net By Arthur Thomas, staff writer Waukesha-based EmbedTek is both a manufacturer of industrial electronics and medical components and an engineering firm. “It’s a big part of what we are, we love engineering. I love engineering,” said Kent Tabor, president and chief technology officer of EmbedTek, noting 25% of the company is made up of engineers. EmbedTek began 2020 with a record quarter and strong sales growth, but like many
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Kent Tabor
companies it ran into challenges when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. While the company didn’t lose customers, orders were pushed back and engineering products were put on hold. In response, EmbedTek and its employees did what they could to help by assembling and donating 20,000 face shields to area hospitals. When a law firm the company works with discussed the challenges its clients were having with positive COVID-19 tests, EmbedTek’s engineers set about finding a solution. “The engineering talent we have are very similar to me in the fact that, if I didn’t do this as a job, I would do it as a hobby,” Tabor said. The problem EmbedTek sought to solve was that just one or two positive tests could shut down employers with hundreds or thousands of employees because no one knew who those with COVID-19 had been in contact with. The solution is a wearable contact tracing tag that employees carry in an ID badge or wristband. It tracks if an employee has been within six feet of someone and for how long without tracking the exact location. The result is employers can limit the number of people who need to quarantine after a positive case. “We hope it solves problems and helps companies stay open,” Tabor said. •
Amanda DoAmaral
FIVEABLE Amanda DoAmaral, founder Milwaukee fiveable.me By Lauren Anderson, staff writer April and May are busy months for Fiveable in an ordinary year. 2020, of course, has not been ordinary. And for the Milwaukee-based startup, which operates an online platform of educational resources for high school students, the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing school shutdown pushed founder Amanda DoAmaral’s team into overdrive this spring. As students, learning virtually from home,
scrambled to prepare for their end-of-the-year Advanced Placement exams, Fiveable quickly deployed resources to meet the spike in demand for its services, which include weekly livestreams with teachers, trivia battles, study guides and a community forum with live support. “We knew we were going to ramp up in April and May,” DoAmaral said. “But (COVID-19) just jump-started everything earlier. Thousands of teachers signed up. … We kind of just dropped some of the other things we were working on and just started our AP season in early March.” DoAmaral said the company saw a clear need to help some students who were falling between the cracks in the transition to virtual schooling. “We knew we had to be there for them,” she said. “We started hiring more students to help with their peers, bringing in more teachers and more and more resources. We kind of bulked up our team through the school year.” Fiveable has seen significant growth since launching in the winter of 2018. In spring 2019, the company was helping 2,500 students. By the following school year, that number grew to 200,000. Now, 1.4 million students have accessed Fiveable’s services. “It’s just kind of a rocket ship,” DoAmaral said. •
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Jeff Peterson
GENEVA SUPPLY Jeff Peterson, co-founder and chief executive officer Delavan | Genevasupply.com By Arthur Thomas, staff writer Delavan-based Geneva Supply was already a fast-growing company prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and was projecting more than $150 million in revenue coming into 2020. Those projections, however, went out the window as the e-commerce company has seen demand jump as the shift toward online shopping accelerated this year and manufacturers sought Geneva Supply’s expertise in working with Amazon.
Geneva Supply serves a number of industries including home improvement, sporting goods, industrial, pet products, hair care and vitamin supplements with third-party logistics, fulfillment, digital marketing and other services. The company also sells a line of paint on Amazon and recently acquired Cascio Interstate Music. Jeff Peterson, co-founder and chief executive officer of Geneva Supply, said the business has grown by focusing on addressing the challenges clients and partners face. “You can build your company the way you want it, but if it’s not the way they need it, it’s really not going to be much of a company,” he said. “I think the biggest strength that we’ve developed is really figuring out what those pain points are and really flexing into those.” Geneva Supply’s previous experience with seasonal jumps in business in the fourth quarter helped prepare it for the surge in demand this year. Peterson noted one of the biggest challenges was ensuring the safety of employees. He added that getting the best ideas from team members requires regular dialogue with employees. “It can’t just be when you schedule a meeting because that’s not going to be when everybody is able to share and collaborate based on their timing,” Peterson said. •
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BRAVO! ENTREPRENEUR & I.Q. INNOVATIVE QUOTIENT AWARD WINNERS
Islands of Brilliance team at work.
ISLANDS OF BRILLIANCE Mark and Margaret Fairbanks, founders Milwaukee islandsofbrilliance.org By Brandon Anderegg, staff writer Ever since Mark and Margaret Fairbanks’ son was diagnosed with autism, they wanted more for him. Not just in terms of their own expectations, but also society’s perception of those on the autism spectrum. In 2012, the Fairbanks set out to build an innovative learning experience called Islands of Brilliance, a program that touts the strengths of those on the spectrum in a way that builds confidence in their students
and that of the community at large. The Fairbanks could have stopped with their son’s development, but instead chose to funnel their own unique experience into a series of educational programs that serve children and young adults on the autism spectrum. The long-standing narrative for those on the autism spectrum is that they will be hard-pressed to find work and therefore independence. But in fact, it is estimated that 83% of neurodiverse adults are unemployed. Through its programming, Islands of Brilliance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has redefined what those on the spectrum are capable of by focusing on where their students excel, partnering with other organizations along the way to share the value of a neurodiverse workforce. “There’s an incredible need to address, and we’ve only begun to scratch the surface,” said Mark Fairbanks, IOB co-founder and executive director. “We’ve come a long way in the past eight years, and I’m most excited about how we’re aligning all of our programming to address students’ needs on an individualized basis. There’s so much opportunity to continue to innovate to create real impact in people’s lives.” •
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44 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
KANE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP Kimberly Kane, chief executive officer Milwaukee Kanecommgroup.com By Arthur Thomas, staff writer When Kane Communications Group president and CEO Kimberly Kane started the company in 2013, she did it in part to bring some flexibility to her life. She had left her career in broadcast journalism a few years earlier, but her subsequent jobs in the corporate world didn’t allow her to leave the long hours behind. Kane quickly found herself working with large clients in a public relations and
CONTRIBUTED
CONTRIBUTED
Kimberly Kane
marketing world where there is never just one strategy. Projects became bigger than what just one person could handle and she began using contractors and part-time employees. Before long, Kane hired employees full-time because there was enough work and she needed the full commitment of those she was working with. “My revenue had doubled each year because of the new approach I was taking with communications — helping companies and their leaders solve problems instead of chase headlines,” Kane said. She said a company may think it needs an external communications effort when in reality Kane’s questions help reveal the focus should be on internal communications because of poor employee morale or a lack of a strategic plan. The company’s approach has allowed it to grow to nearly 20 employees and new offices in the Two-Fifty building in downtown Milwaukee plus employees in New York and Geneva, Switzerland. Kane says the future of the company will be created by the vision of its employees. “I’m constantly getting a sense of where they see the opportunities are, evaluating those opportunities based on our strengths and based on our abilities and then seeing how we can operationalize those,” she said. •
Mike Kryshak
REBEL CONVERTING Mike Kryshak, owner Saukville Rebelconverting.com By Arthur Thomas, staff writer Mike Kryshak believes companies are all about people sharing the same vision and building a culture to support that vision. The culture Kryshak and his team have built at Saukville-based Rebel Converting has allowed the company to rise to the challenges of COVID-19. The maker of industrial wipes is currently making hospital grade wipes to help fight the coronavirus. Rebel Converting went from operating two 10-hour shifts four days per week to
operating around the clock all week long. “If you don’t hold back people, you show them a lot of respect, you’ll be amazed what people can do for you,” Kryshak said. He added the company is less stringent in areas where others might be strict. Kryshak would prefer an employee come in a few minutes late and stay a little longer than get a speeding ticket on the way to work. “Most people respond very well to being treated with a lot of respect, not being micromanaged. I think one of our strengths has been we delegate to people,” Kryshak said. He also believes in investing in technology, including cameras that can check the perforations on towels, along with other investments in automation. Beyond ramping up wipe production, Rebel Converting has been active in the community during COVID-19. The company initially partnered with companies like Allen Edmonds to make masks and then offered to provide materials for 1 million masks if the city of Milwaukee passed a mask mandate. The commitment has since increased to materials for 3.5 million masks. With all the activity, the company hasn’t had a chance to progress on another project: an expansion into a new headquarters on the northwest side of Milwaukee. •
Congratulations to this year’s
bravo! & i.q. award winners!
262-363-6500 / www.CitizenBank.bank Visit us at the Virtual BizExpo August 19/20 You Belong Here. #BlackLivesMatter
414.210.2839
Follow | Like | Review Citizens Bank – WI Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender biztimes.com / 45
Melissa Gaglione being interviewed at an event.
SAFETY4HER INC. Melissa Gaglione, president Milwaukee safety4her.com By Maredithe Meyer, staff writer In 2018, Melissa Gaglione set out to create a solution to a problem she’d experienced firsthand as a woman working in the male-dominated towing industry: the high visibility safety apparel she was expected to wear at work didn’t fit properly. Gaglione knew she was not alone. After doing some research, she found that some women in the towing, trucking and construction industries were actually getting injured on
the job because their work clothes, designed for men, were too big and would get stuck on equipment or get in the way of movement. Two years later, Gaglione sells her line of safety wear to women across the U.S. through her company, Safety4Her. In 2019, the brand was first to market with a pair of reflective leggings. The elastic pants are high-waisted, anti-bacterial, water resistant, have multiple pockets, and are patent pending. The Safety4Her product line has since expanded to safety vests and, most recently, impact resistant gloves. In its first year, Safety4Her generated $60,000 in wholesale revenue and was on track to reach $200,000 in 2020, but then the COVID-19 outbreak halted its overseas production and distribution. Despite the interruption, the company later this month will come out with its second line of Class 2 safety vests, which are designed with more stretch in the hip area. Ultimately, Gaglione hopes to inspire the next generation of women to pursue careers in the trades. “My goal is to show girls that we can do anything,” she said. “There’s clothing that can fit you, that can be safe. This is not just a male-dominated industry anymore. There’s a lot of women who run these companies.” •
CONTRIBUTED
SAFETY4HER.COM
BRAVO! ENTREPRENEUR & I.Q. INNOVATIVE QUOTIENT AWARD WINNERS
Dave Stamm
Video hand sanitizer
STAMM TECHNOLOGIES AND STAMM MEDIA Dave Stamm, CEO and owner Milwaukee Stammtech.com | Stammmedia.com By Arthur Thomas, staff writer When COVID-19 started to hit the Wisconsin economy, Stamm Technologies and Stamm Media, like most companies, started playing defense. The companies cut costs, applied for stimulus programs and had to furlough employees for the first time in their 20-year history. “This was the hardest time in my business career,” said Dave Stamm, chief
executive officer and owner of Stamm Technologies, an outsourced IT provider, and Stamm Media, an event technology partner. But after a few weeks, things changed. “We really flipped in late April over to playing offense and it’s been super fun since,” Stamm said. “This is our 20th year in business and we feel like a startup again.” The technology side of the business started offering COVID-tech, including mask vending machines, video hand sanitizers, UV-C lights and temperature scanners. The media side of the business pivoted to producing virtual events and developing its own virtual event platform. “We found that it’s just more fun to be moving forward and trying and experimenting with new things with our clients and with new clients instead of just waiting for the world to return to the old normal, which none of us know when that is going to happen,” Stamm said. He added that building a business over two decades is a matter of persistence and encouraged those starting their own companies to not give up. “Building a business is a series of baby steps,” Stamm said. “You do a lot of little things correctly and over a period of a long time you can do pretty well with it.” •
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46 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
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• The Secrets to Building a World-Class Cold Call Script
Paul M. Neuberger, President, The Starr Group, Founder/CEO, The Cold Call Coach Sales/Growth
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• Busting Your Prospect’s Status Quo Bias
David Wallace, Chief Status Quo Prosecutor, Bay Ridge Consulting Group, LLC Sales/Growth
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Mark Schaefer, Chief Information Security Officer, SVA Consulting Anna Bennett, Senior Security Engineer, SVA Consulting IT
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• Unwrapping Google’s Secrets to Rule the World Christina Stede, EVP, Trivera Cassy Richardson, Search Marketting Director, Trivera Digital Marketing/Search
• Transform Your Culture with Positive Psychology Beth Ridley, Owner, The Brimful Life People/HR/Leadership/Culture
• Leading People in the “Next Normal”: The Current Workforce Psychological and Environmental Requirements Kelly Renz, President & CEO, The Novo Group People/HR/Leadership
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BIZEXPO EXHIBITOR DIRECTORY
Visit these virtual BizExpo exhibitors on August 19 and 20 to chat with the exhibitors and browse the latest products and services. Free registration at biztimes.com/bizexpo 360 Direct, Inc. (262) 289-9210 | 360direct.com
Citizens Bank
301 N. Rochester St., Mukwonago, WI 53149 (262) 363-6500 | CitizenBank.bank At Citizens Bank, we put people — customers, employees, or the community — at the forefront of everything we do.
Epic Color
88Nine Radio Milwaukee 220 E. Pittsburgh Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53204 (414) 892-7956 | radiomilwaukee.org Through music and stories created for a culturally open-minded community, 88NINE is a catalyst for creating a better, inclusive, engaged Milwaukee.
4075 N. 124th St., Brookfield, WI 53005 (414) 235-9518 | epiccolor.com Epic is a creative sign & graphics company specializing in outdoor signs/banners, environmental wall graphics, window films and trade show displays.
HarmonyWorks
Martinizing
702 57th St., Kenosha, WI 53140 (262) 925-9302 | harmonyworks.com Harmony Works is a provider of virtual and onsite workshops to build teamwork and harmony in your workplace.
W229 N2494 Hwy F, Waukesha, WI 53186 (262) 521-9710 | mymartinizing.com We are a full service cleaners. We offer FREE pickup and delivery. Specializing in all types of commercial work and uniforms.
Highlights Media, LLC
Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC)
PO Box 125, Jefferson, WI 53549 (920) 988-6958 | highlightsmedia.com From concept to completion, Highlights Media is your full-service video production company creating quality creative for your business.
Imperial Service Systems (262) 842-1940 | impservsys.com
Eras Senior Network, Inc. Acuity Insurance
2800 South Taylor Drive, Sheboygan, WI 53081 (800) 242-7666 | acuity.com Acuity Insurance is a property and casualty insurer that’s recognized as a top regional carrier and focuses on your business.
2607 N. Grandview Blvd., Suite 150, Waukesha, WI 53188 (262) 549-3348 | eras.org Eras Senior Network is a nonprofit organization providing basic needs support to older adults in Waukesha and Milwaukee counties.
EWH University for Small Business (262) 796-1040 | ewhsba.com
BizTimes Media
126 N Jefferson St., Suite 403, Milwaukee, WI 53202 (414) 277-8181 | biztimes.com BizTimes Media (BizTimes Milwaukee, BizTimes.com and BizTimes Events) provides exclusive business news and operational insights for and access to the CEOs, CFOs, presidents, owners and other top executives throughout southeastern Wisconsin.
BT360
126 N Jefferson St., Suite 403, Milwaukee, WI 53202 (414) 336-7127 | biztimes.com/bt360 BT360 is the storytelling arm of BizTimes. We create customized content, inbound marketing programs based on your needs, customers and goals.
Central Office Systems Co W223 N777 Saratoga Drive, Waukesha, WI 53186 (262) 784-9698 | centralofficesystems.com Technology Solutions for Business. Computer Network Support, VoIP Phone Systems, Cabling, Security Cameras, Printers/MFPs, Onsite Service, Remote Helpdesk Support,. WFH, IoT
EXACTA Corporation
10437 W Innovation Drive, Suite 410, Milwaukee, WI 53226 (262) 796-0000 | EXACTACorp.com Leading software design and development firm specializing in relationship technologies, AI, IoT, and 5G for businesses, government agencies, and consumers.
Greater Brookfield Chamber of Commerce 17100 W Bluemound Rd., Suite 202, Brookfield, WI 53005 (262) 786-1886 | brookfieldchamber.com A business organization dedicated to helping members grow their business through introductions and connections to other business leaders.
Green Bay Packers 1265 Lombardi Ave., Green Bay, WI 54304 (920) 569-7149 | packers.com Host your meeting or event at Lambeau Field and Titletown at one of our 20 event spaces.
48 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
21795 N. Doral Road, Suite B,, Waukesha, WI 53186 (262) 432-1330 | innovative-signs.com Innovative Signs has been providing signage throughout southeastern Wisconsin since 2001. It is our goal to provide great products and customer service.
Greenfire Management Services 3215 W State St., Suite 200, Milwaukee, WI 53208 (414) 290-9400 | greenfire.com Greenfire Management Services, LLC is a construction company with two locations in Milwaukee and Wausau, Wisconsin.
Milwaukee Bucks 1543 N 2nd St., Sixth Floor, Milwaukee, WI 53212 (414) 227-0500 | bucks.com The Milwaukee Bucks, led by MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, are an NBA franchise playing at Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee.
Milwaukee Screen and Stitch 5061 E State St., Milwaukee, WI 53208 (414) 210-4592 | mkess.com Milwaukee Screen and Stitch helps clients grow and promote their brand through the use of quality apparel and promotional items.
J.H. Findorff & Son Inc. 1600 N. 6th St., Milwaukee, WI 53212 (414) 272-8788 | findorff.com/services/#smallproject-professionals Findorff’s Special Projects Group helps clients complete unique, fast-paced construction projects at competitive rates.
Lauber Business Partners 924 East Wells St., Suite 408, Milwaukee, WI 53202 (414) 273-8060 | lauber-partners.com A firm providing expertise in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Coaching and Growth Planning to small and mid-sized business and non-profit organizations.
Ogden & Company, Inc.
1665 N. Water St., Milwaukee, WI 53202 (414) 276-5285 | ogdenre.com Wisconsin’s largest full-service real estate organization, offering property management, brokerage, development, consulting, construction, and maintenance services.
Pavlic Vending & Modern Coffee Avanti Markets W223N750 Saratoga Drive , Milwaukee, WI 53186 (262) 574-1600 | pavlicvending.com As a full service refreshment vending company, we offer the finest quality equipment, service and products available.
MalamaDoe - A Coworking Community for Women 4465 N. Oakland Ave., Shorewood, WI 53211 (414) 491-8238 | malamadoe.com A safe coworking community with networking, sales calendar, and rentals of meeting rooms and offices. You Belong Here. #BlackLivesMatter
Marquette Univ High School
CenturyLink 3235 Intertech Drive, Brookfield, WI 53045 (262) 794-2266 | centurylink.com CenturyLink is a technology leader delivering adaptive networking, cloud connectivity, security, along with voice & unified communications solutions.
Innovative Signs, Inc.
275 W. Wisconsin Ave., Suite 220, Milwaukee, WI 53203 (414) 287-4100 | mmac.org As a regional chamber, MMAC advocates for a better business climate, fosters economic growth and provides the region’s best business network.
3401 W Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53208 (414) 933-7220 | muhs.edu MUHS is a Catholic, Jesuit, urban, collegeprep school for young men. It is one the state’s oldest high schools (est. 1857).
Saturn Lounge
N8 W22323 Johnson Drive, Waukesha, WI 53186 (262) 821-3999 | saturnlounge.com Saturn Lounge is a premier marketing agency focused on client revenue growth. Original ideas and precise execution are our differentiators.
Stamm Technologies 1207 W Canal St., Milwaukee, WI 53233 (414) 263-4260 | stammtech.com Providing technology consulting, managed IT, computer support and IT services to businesses, non-profits and schools. Virtual Production Company of BizExpo 2020!
Summit Credit Union 1709 Landmark Drive , Cottage Grove, WI 53527 (800) 236-5560 | summitcreditunion.com Summit Credit Union is here to help put your business goals within reach with the advice, connections and insights you need.
Vistage Worldwide, Inc. 4840 Eastgate Mall, San Diego, CA 92121 (262) 212-2136 | vistage.com Vistage is dedicated to helping high integrity leaders make great decisions that impact their business, family and community.
Waukesha County Business Alliance 2717 N. Grandview Blvd., Suite 300, Waukesha, WI 53188 (262) 542-4249 | waukesha.org As the county-wide chamber of commerce, the Alliance has been the voice of the business community since 1918.
Waukesha State Bank 151 E. St. Paul Ave., Waukesha, WI 53188 (262) 549-8500 | waukeshabank.com Waukesha State Bank is a community bank specializing in business banking. We provide a superior banking experience through a consultative approach.
Wegner CPAs W229 N1433 Westwood Drive, Suite 105,
Waukesha, WI 53186 (262) 522-7555 | wegnercpas.com SVA Certified Public Accountants Wegner CPAs is about people – our clients, 18650 W Corporate Drive. Suite 200, Brookfield, WI 53045 (262) 641-6888 | svaaccountants.com Serving businesses for over 45 years specializing in business consulting, tax, accounting, and audit in a diverse set of industries.
The Delafield Hotel 415 Genesee St., Delafield, WI 53018 (262) 646-1600 | thedelafieldhotel.com The Delafield Hotel’s venues set the tone for corporate retreats and conferences. The right environment to leave the right impression..
Transistor
our employees, our community. Our professionals guide businesses with personal service, education, and knowledge.
Wintrust Commercial Banking at Town Bank, N.A. 731 N Jackson St., Milwaukee, WI 53202 (414) 273-3507 | townbank.us Wisconsin’s Bank for Business with local decision making, a dedicated team of experts, and the ability to execute quickly.
790 N Milwaukee St., Suite 319, Milwaukee, WI 53202 (414) 501-3334 | transistordigital.com Transistor provides strategic digital marketing consulting with expert SEO and PPC services as well as detailed data analysis and research
Virtual
U.S. Cellular
AUGUST 19 & 20 11:30 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
W233N2095 Ridgeview Parkway, Waukesha, WI 53188 (414) 322-6125 | uscellular.com/business We partner with small, mid-sized and enterpriselevel businesses, to provide the technology solutions and support that work where you work.
Upper Iowa University 620 S. 76th St., Milwaukee, WI 53214 (414) 475-4848 | uiu.edu Upper Iowa University, located in Milwaukee. Providing online and face to face accelerated 8 week courses. Education Built for Life.
2 MAIN STAGE EVENTS 16 SEMINARS 40+ EXHIBITORS THOUSANDS OF CONNECTIONS REGISTER FOR FREE!
BIZTIMES.COM/BIZEXPO biztimes.com / 49
NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN! NOTABLE WOMEN IN MANUFACTURING
BizTimes Milwaukee will feature BizTimes Media 2020 Notable Women in Manufacturing within the October 12th issue of BizTimes Milwaukee. This special editorial feature will profile the women who are shaping their own organizations as well as the path forward for other women in the industry. 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 September 11th
NOTABLE WOMEN
NOTABLE
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.
Profiling accomplished veteran executives throughout Southeast Wisconsin. These current and former service members are held up by colleagues, superiors and others as leaders and role models within their workplaces as well as in the wider community.
IN FINANCE
Extended Deadline: August 17, 2020 Issue Date: September 14, 2020
VETERAN EXECUTIVES
Nomination Deadline: October 2, 2020 Issue Date: November 9, 2020
NOTABLE WOMEN
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 the 2nd annual Notable Women in Commercial Banking, a list of local professionals managing people and millions of dollars.
IN HEALTH CARE
Nomination Deadline: November 2020 Issue Date: December 2020
IN COMMERCIAL BANKING
Nomination Deadline: January 2021 Issue Date: March 2021
To view this year’s winners and nominate, visit biztimes.com/notable
LISA KLEINER WOOD SHAREHOLDER DAVIS & KUELTHAU, S.C. Lisa Kleiner Wood, a shareholder at Milwaukee-based Davis|Kuelthau, has more than two decades of experience in the legal industry. She is co-chair of the firm’s Real Estate practice, former chair of the Food & Beverage industry team and a member of the firm’s Corporate team.
BizTimes Milwaukee is proud to present the inaugural showcase of Notable Women in Law spotlighting
accomplished
professionals throughout the
She specializes in commercial real estate transactions, including the purchase, sale, development and leasing of health care, retail, industrial, office, multi-family real estate, construction law, corporate and general business matters.
region. The leaders profiled in the following pages were nominated by their peers at
She works with clients in a variety of industries including real estate investment and development, construction, manufacturing, retail, health care, and food and beverage.
work and in the community and showcase the diversity of talent in our market. The leadership shown by the individuals profiled here is setting an example to shape a better future for our region.
METHODOLOGY: The honorees did not pay to be included. Their profiles were drawn from nomination materials. This list features only individuals for whom nominations were submitted and accepted after a review by our editorial team. To qualify for the list, nominees must be based in southeast Wisconsin. They must be currently serving in a senior level role at their firm, must hold a leadership position in their industry outside of their own organization, have made a significant contribution to advancing workplace equality at their own workplace or beyond, and act as a role model or mentor.
“Over the past 25 years, I have worked with virtually all the major law firms in the Milwaukee area,” said Karl Rajani, president of Horizon Healthcare, Inc. “Lisa is undoubtedly one of the best attorneys I have met. She works tirelessly to promote our interests. She is not only a highly competent attorney with expertise and experience in diverse areas… she is a trusted business advisor.” Kleiner Wood has been recognized by Best Lawyers® in America in real estate law, she is a member of the State bar of Wisconsin, The Milwaukee Bar Association, the Association for Women Lawyers, TEMPO Milwaukee and serves on the programing committee for TEMPO Milwaukee.
Congratulations to the 2020 NOTABLE WOMEN IN THE LAW!
Lisa Kleiner Wood
Congratulations to Attorney Lisa Wood, Esq. of Davis & Kuelthau, s.c for being a “Notable Women in Law” nominee!
atelepsych.com
horizonhealthcareinc.com
gbswi.com
mtrcinc.com
2020 BizTimes Notable Woman in the Law Honoree
Davis|Kuelthau proudly encourages the celebration of those who go above and beyond in the legal industry. Together, we extend a special congratulations to our Corporate and Real Estate colleague, Lisa Kleiner Wood. Lisa exemplifies great skill and leadership in the commercial real estate industry, the law, and beyond.
BROOKFIELD | GREEN BAY | MILWAUKEE
www.dkattorneys.com biztimes.com / 51
R. JAN PIROZZOLOMELLOWES PARTNER
KRISTEN NELSON
KATE BECHEN
ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY
PARTNER
GIMBEL, REILLY, GUERIN & BROWN, LLP
HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP
FOLEY & LARDNER LLP Jan Pirozzolo-Mellowes is deeply invested in being a positive change-maker in the Milwaukee community. She is a partner in the intellectual property practice at Milwaukee-based Foley & Lardner LLP and has represented and counseled established and emerging businesses as they develop and defend their intellectual property including patents, trademarks and copyrights.
Kristen Nelson has more than 8 years of experience in the legal industry. She is a key component of the health care team at Milwaukee-based Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP. “She understands the multiple issues currently faced by health care providers and has demonstrated the ability to guide them through the complex processes involved in such investigations,” said Patrick Knight, a partner at GRGB Law.
Her work involves various industries and technical areas, including software, chemical compositions, medical devices, mechanical devices, DNA sequencing and architectural works. She is experienced in complex litigation for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields.
Nelson was eager to jump in and assist those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. She launched a free legal helpline available to anyone who works in the health care field with questions regarding regulatory compliance and obligations and employment issues that arise in these types of emergency conditions.
As a mother of four daughters, Pirozzolo-Mellowes is also a fierce advocate for women throughout the community.
Her goal was to provide workers with a chance to ask free legal questions in order to ease their heavy burdens a little.
She is co-founder of the Milwaukee Fashion Initiative, and is currently a trustee on the Charter Manufacturing Foundation Board and the Medical College of Wisconsin Board of Trustees, chairelect for the Milwaukee Ballet Board of Directors, a member of the United Way Women’s Leadership Council, and the Jewish Community Center Rainbow Day Camp Committee.
Nelson has been recognized for her influence in the health care field. She was named a prominent “Woman in the Law” by the Wisconsin Law Journal and has also been named a Wisconsin Law Fellow for her devotion to the welfare of the community, state, and nation and the advancement of the legal profession. Less than 3% of state bar members can become fellows of the Wisconsin Law Foundation.
MELINDA BIALZIK SHAREHOLDER KOHNER, MANN & KAILAS, S.C. Melinda Bialzik grew up in Wisconsin and returned to her roots after graduating from Harvard Law School. She has spent more than two decades in the legal industry focused primarily on trial and appellate representation of businesses and business leaders faced with critical litigation challenges. She is experienced in all phases of the litigation process from investigation through discovery, motion practice and trial and appeal as well as alternative dispute resolution. She has successfully litigated trial and appellate cases in federal courts, in Wisconsin state courts, and also courts in other states. In addition to her general trial and appellate litigation practice, she has represented railroads in a number of litigation actions, business owners with estate planning and trust and estate matters, as well as individuals in probate proceedings. “Melinda is one of the best lawyers I’ve ever encountered,” said Ryan Billings, deputy chair of litigation at Glendale-based Kohner, Mann & Kailas. “She is brilliant, quick on her feet, insightful, persuasive, empathetic, and is able to drill down instantly to the nub of the issues. Her clients love her because she avoids the saber-rattling inherent in our industry and pursues results with ruthless efficiency. Judges respect her because she is always well prepared, with fingertip knowledge of the law and the record.”
52 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUNE 29, 2020
CONGRATULATIONS!
Kate Bechen, a partner at Husch Blackwell LLP who works in the firm’s Milwaukee office, is a leading corporate M&A attorney working primarily in the health care industry. She advises clients, from startups to long-established businesses, on mergers and acquisitions, venture capital financing, public and private placement of securities, commercial contract drafting and negotiation, and general corporate law. She earned her undergraduate degree as well as her graduate degree from the University of Iowa. She earned her law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law. In 2018, she earned the Wisconsin Law Journal Women in the Law award. In her work, she also provides general counsel to numerous highgrowth, early-stage and scalable companies and serves as both legal counsel and business advisor, helping clients set priorities and deploy personnel. Thus far in 2020, Bechen closed nearly a dozen deals, most in the health care industry, with an estimated value of more than $350 million, making her one of the top female dealmakers in Wisconsin. She is focused on assisting her clients with new and emerging issues related to the coronavirus and has written extensively on the evolving nature of federal government support made available through the CARES Act and related legislation.
KAREN TIDWALL PARTNER HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP For over 25 years, Karen Tidwall, a partner in Husch Blackwell LLP’s Milwaukee office, has provided legal advice to clients both in and out of the courtroom. Tidwall is one of Wisconsin’s most decorated female commercial litigators. She has been listed as one of The Best Lawyers in America every year since 2016, has been identified as a Super Lawyer every year since 2016, and received the Wisconsin Law Journal’s Women in the Law Award in 2015. She graduated from the Creighton University School of Law, cum laude, and holds a bachelor’s degree with honors from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Tidwall’s litigation practice is focused in the areas of trust, estate and fiduciary controversies and business and commercial litigation. She represents individual and corporate fiduciaries or beneficiaries in complex disputes involving breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, conversion, conflicts of interest, lack of capacity, undue influence, will and trust construction, and claims arising under ERISA. She also represents businesses in commercial disputes, including breach of contract, warranty, fraud and other business torts, and business break-ups. Tidwall also counsels her business clients on a range of issues including risk management matters. Outside of work, Tidwall serves as a volunteer attorney for the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Guardianship Clinic, and on the Board of Appeals and Board of Review for the Village of Shorewood.
ANN MAHER
REBECCA MITICH
LYNDA TEMPLEN
PARTNER
PARTNER
PARTNER
HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP
HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP
HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP
For more than 30 years, Ann Maher has used her extensive litigation skills to assist both companies and employees with a broad spectrum of commercial disputes. As a graduate of Marquette University and a partner in the Milwaukee office of Husch Blackwell LLP, her ties to Milwaukee run deep. Maher specializes in contract disputes, franchise agreements, professional malpractice, dealership terminations, and construction and commercial lease disputes, to name a few. In addition to commercial relationships, Maher also handles break-ups between companies and their employees and has acted for both in a variety of circumstances, including trade secret disputes, non-compete agreements, unfair competition, and the defense of sexual harassment and other employment discrimination claims. Most recently, she has worked on several cases involving employees whose employers sought injunctions on trade secrets and noncompete grounds. She has also represented a large professional services firm against claims of malpractice and a market-leading chain of grocery stores in a series of lease disputes. She is one of only six women ranked by Benchmark Litigation as a Wisconsin Litigation Star.
Rebecca Mitich, a partner in Husch Blackwell LLP’s Milwaukee office, focuses her practice on representing companies, investors, developers and lenders in a broad range of real estate and finance transactions. She graduated magna cum laude from Marquette University Law School after earning an undergraduate degree from Kalamazoo College, her masters in education from Framingham State College, and working for seven years in the fields of education and non-profit development.
Lynda Templen, a partner at Husch Blackwell LLP, has focused her legal practice on public finance. Known affectionately as “The Bond Queen of Wisconsin” among her peers, she is considered the expert in the area of tax-exempt and municipal debt because of her 30-year legal career in handling bond issuances for public and private clients. She specializes in assisting growing companies in identifying and securing local and state incentives that can help bridge the “equity gap.”
She regularly guides her clients through complex New Markets Tax Credit and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit transactions. In fact, she has worked on the placement of more than $200 million in New Market Tax Credit allocations into qualified development projects in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois and on more than $400 million in construction loans to projects in Wisconsin and across the country.
She is the firm’s lead attorney for numerous general obligation bond issues, as well as municipal and school district bond counsel engagements. Her experience in this area includes Recovery Zone Facility Bonds (RZFBs), Midwestern Disaster Area Bonds, exempt facility bonds and other long-term financings, revenue anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes and tax and revenue anticipation notes, refundings and lease financing.
According to Steve Renau, director of content and communications at Husch Blackwell, Mitich has emerged as one of the “preeminent leaders in the country” on opportunity zones, which were created as part of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and designed to spur economic investment in distressed census tracts.
Templan joined the Milwaukee office of Husch Blackwell LLP 15 years ago.
Kate Bechen
Ann Maher
She is one of only six women ranked in Chambers USA for Wisconsin Banking & Finance, and was also a recipient of Wisconsin Law Journal’s Women in Law Award.
Rebecca Mitich
Lynda Templen
Karen Tidwall
Making a difference. At Husch Blackwell, we believe the talent, knowledge and perspectives of our people move clients forward. We celebrate our 2020 BizTimes Notable Women in Law: Kate Bechen, Ann Maher, Rebecca Mitich, Lynda Templen and Karen Tidwall. These five attorneys exemplify professionalism, client service, mentorship, and community involvement. Congratulations to all 2020 Notable Women in Law honorees!
huschblackwell.com
555 East Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202 414.273.2100
The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.
KIMBERLY HURTADO MANAGING SHAREHOLDER
As part of her firm’s Day of Service commitment, she, along with every member of her firm, has dedicated 1-3 days each month since the firm’s inception to providing pro-bono legal services to a worthy nonprofit organization such as the Milwaukee Art Museum, Meta House and United Community Center. She has served on advisory boards for Mercy Housing Lakefront, Taliesin Preservation Inc., Travaux Inc., and the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum’s Maker Space, among others. Hurtado is an expert in her field of construction and real property development law. “She is a zealous advocate for her clients and has been at the forefront of the development of construction law in Wisconsin,” said Brian Zimmerman, shareholder at Hurtado Zimmerman. “Mentoring other attorneys and industry professionals both within and outside her firm has been something Kim has done for decades, particularly for women-owned and disadvantaged business enterprises.”
JEAN ANSAY
TRIAL ATTORNEY/ SHAREHOLDER
SHAREHOLDER
KRAVIT, HOVEL & KRAWCZYK S.C.
HURTADO ZIMMERMAN S.C. Kimberly Hurtado, managing shareholder of Hurtado Zimmerman S.C. in Wauwatosa, started her firm 22 years ago with a commitment and passion for helping her community.
LEILA SAHAR
O’NEIL, CANNON, HOLLMAN, DEJONG & LAING S.C.
Leila Sahar started her legal career more than eight years ago representing multinational manufacturers in courts throughout the country in product liability defense.
Jean Ansay has 43 years of experience as an attorney, serving the last 15 at the Milwaukee-based law firm O’Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing S.C.
She joined Milwaukee-based Kravit, Hovel & Krawczyk S.C., approximately three years ago and has shifted her practice to commercial litigation.
Ansay was the first woman named as president of the Ozaukee Bar Association, the first female partner and co-owner of a law firm in Ozaukee County and the first female shareholder and member of the Executive Committee of O’Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing.
“She plays an integral role on some of our most complicated matters,” said Stephen Kravit, president/trial attorney at Kravit, Hovel, & Krawczyk S.C. “Leila has obtained positive results for our clients, from pre-suit negotiations to appellate victories, often against long odds. Clients appreciate Leila’s good judgment and determination to win their cases.” In her free time, Sahar dedicates her time to representing survivors of domestic abuse and promoting arts education. She has been a Wisconsin Pro Bono Honor Society recipient nearly every year since she became a lawyer. She serves as vice chair of the board of directors for Arts@Large, and has also volunteered her time for the Honorable Charles N. Clevert Jr. Mentoring program, which strives to provide access to the legal profession to underrepresented communities. She was also recently elected to the board of directors of the Milwaukee Bar Association.
Integrity | Dependability | Results
She focuses her practice in family law, litigation, estate planning, probate, real estate and general corporate law. According to her colleague, Julie Dietz, marketing coordinator at the firm, clients say Ansay is the perfect blend of “proven legal experience, savvy business instincts and real compassion.” Ansay has been honored with many awards and distinctions including receiving an America’s Top 100 Attorney’s Lifetime Achievement Award. She has been included in the Best Lawyers in America and Wisconsin Super Lawyers selection several times and has also been named one of the 10 Best Attorneys by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys. Outside of work, Ansay serves on the board of directors of the Girl Scouts of Manitou Council.
Congratulations to our friend and colleague Leila Sahar for being selected as one of the BizTimes 2020 Notable Women in Law, and also for her recent election as a Director of the Milwaukee Bar Association. We applaud Leila’s passion for her client’s legal issues and her commitment to our community. Congratulations Leila!
Bryan Kroes
Kim Hurtado
Brian Zimmerman
Hurtado Zimmerman SC’s attorneys are trusted advisors to the construction industry. From negotiating contracts to resolving complex construction disputes, our attorneys are responsive, strategic-minded and agile advocates with the experience to solve your legal needs. (414) 727-6250 | 1011 N. Mayfair Rd. | Suite 204 Wauwatosa, WI 53226 hurtadozimmerman.com
54 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUNE 29, 2020
Kravit ▪ Hovel & Krawczyk s.c. is a boutique trial law firm concentrating in “aggravated litigation™.” We pledge to deliver the highest quality representation in complex, aggravated circumstances.
825 North Jefferson Street Milwaukee, WI 53202 (414) 271-7100 kravitlaw.com
CAROL WESSELS
JESSICA LIEBAU
SENIOR PARTNER AND OWNER
PARTNER
JENNIFER D’AMATO
WESSELS & LIEBAU LLC
SHAREHOLDER
WESSELS & LIEBAU LLC Carol Wessels has more than three decades of experience in the legal industry. As senior partner and owner of Mequon-based Wessels & Liebau LLC, she specializes in work with seniors, their families, and people with special needs. Her clients have questions about long-term care, Medicaid, family care, special needs trusts, Medicare and other benefits. Wessels takes pride in her ability to answer those questions and explain legal issues in a way that makes sense. Since its foundation in 2014, Wessels & Liebau LLC has been recognized for excellence as one of the best law firms in America. Wessels has been named a 2020 Best Lawyer in elder law. For Wessels, it’s personal, too. Her mother, Velma, lived with Alzheimer’s disease for 15 years. She knows what families are going through and is passionate about protecting the rights of elderly populations and their families. She is a current board member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and is past chair and current board advisor of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys Wisconsin Chapter. She is also a board member of the Wisconsin chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and the chair of its Public Policy Committee.
Jessica Liebau, partner at Mequon-based Wessels & Liebau LLC is a trained elder law mediator and an experienced litigator. She has spent more than nine years in the legal industry and four in her current position. Her practice is primarily focused in the areas of elder law, special needs planning, estate planning, guardianship, guardian ad litem, and estate and trust administration. Liebau earned her undergrad from St. Norbert College and her law degree from Marquette University Law School. She is on the board of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin. She is also editor of the Elder Law and Special Needs Journal of Wisconsin and an active member of the national and Wisconsin chapters of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and the Ozaukee Bar Association. Outside of the office, Liebau volunteers as a member of the Life Navigators, Inc. Trust Committee; a board member for Balance, Inc., as vice president of the Mequon-Thiensville Chamber of Commerce and a volunteer attorney with Legal Action of Wisconsin’s Volunteer Lawyers Project.
REINHART BOERNER VAN DEUREN S.C. For more than 27 years, Jennifer D’Amato has dedicated herself to serving her community and the advancement of women in the legal profession as a whole. As a shareholder with Milwaukee-based Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren S.C., D’Amato is well known for her warm demeanor, positive influence, intellect, leadership and legal acumen, said Christine Barden, fellow shareholder at Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren. D’Amato is the first woman to serve on Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren S.C.’s board of directors. She serves as chair of the firm’s Trusts and Estates practice, chair of the Trust Services Group and co-chair of the Fiduciary Litigation Service Group. She is regarded as one of the leading trusts and estates attorneys in Wisconsin and has earned recognition as one of the Best Lawyers in America since 2007. She was also named Best Lawyers in Litigation for 2020, Trust and Estates Lawyer of the Year and 2019 Business Organizations Lawyer of the Year. “Jennifer has impeccable judgement in legal matters, as well as personal and career growth matters,” said Barden. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without her advice and wisdom.”
Leader. Mentor. Trusted Advisor. Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren proudly congratulates shareholder Jennifer D’Amato on being named a Notable Woman in the Law. A member of the firm’s Board of Directors, Jennifer chairs Reinhart’s Trusts and Estates Practice where she has for over 30 years provided informed counsel to closely held business owners and wealthy families on issues ranging from succession planning to fiduciary litigation to estate and trust administration.
reinhartlaw.com · 414.298.1000
biztimes.com / 55
PAMELA J. TILLMAN
MICHELLE HOCKERS
KELLY DANCY
SHAREHOLDER
PARTNER
WALNY LEGAL GROUP LLC
MEISSNER TIERNEY FISHER & NICHOLS S.C.
MURPHY & PRACHTHAUSER, S.C.
Pamela J. Tillman, shareholder at Milwaukee-based Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols S.C., has spent more than two decades in the legal industry focusing on representing a wide variety of businesses in litigation matters including complex insurance coverage issues, commercial litigation, mortgage lending disputes, employment disputes and health care liability. Tillman has been named to The Best Lawyers in America, Wisconsin Super Lawyers and the Wisconsin Super Lawyers Rising Stars as well as the Top 25 Women Lawyers in Wisconsin. She is also a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin, Association of Women Lawyers, Insurance Law Committee and CGL Subcommittee as well as the American Bar Association Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee. She is committed to using her experience and understanding to help advise clients on possible outcomes and costs of litigation so they have a comprehensive viewpoint to make strategic decisions. Insurance coverage clients routinely call on Tillman for her coverage analysis and advice in cases ranging from basic property damage coverage to bad faith liability to complex commercial disputes.
PARTNER
Michelle Hockers served as an associate at Milwaukee-based Murphy & Prachthauser, S.C. for just five years before being named partner this past June.
Kelly Dancy joined Milwaukee-based Walny Legal Group LLC eight years ago, soon after the firm was founded. She was named partner in February 2019 and has embraced the responsibilities of business ownership.
Hockers graduated magna cum laude in the top 5 percent of her class at Marquette University Law School. Through the pre-law scholars program, she completed both undergraduate courses and her law school degree in 6 years instead of the usual 7 years most students require.
She specializes in estate planning, asset protection, and business succession planning. Additionally, she is skilled in drafting complex estate plans, irrevocable grantor trusts and life insurance trusts. She also has extensive experience drafting modification and termination agreements for irrevocable trusts.
Since joining the firm, she has been a quick study and not just on the mechanics of the law but in dealing with people, said Keith Stachowiak, partner at Murphy & Prachtauser.
“Dancy has played an integral part in the firm’s efforts to bring self-settled trust legislation to Wisconsin,” said Eido Walny, manager partner for Walny Legal Group. “She has become one of the foremost experts on the subject in the state, and has become one of the go-to attorneys in the Greater Milwaukee area for complicated probate and estate administrations.”
“I have no hesitation having her meet with clients, prepare doctors for depositions, take depositions and argue motions,” he said. “She has had many trials in the past five years, and I hear positive reports about her ability from judges and opposing counsel.” Murphy & Prachthauser was founded in 1979. Hockers is the firm’s newest partner. “I think the most important trait is her positive attitude that she displays in every respect,” said Stachowiak. “She is excellent in working with people, and this attitude and her personality play a huge role in her successfully dealing with sometimes difficult people.”
Outside of work, she serves on the board of directors of the Milwaukee Estate Planning Forum and previously served a two-year term as president of the Milwaukee chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals. She also serves as a member of MSOE’s Planned Giving Advisory Council. She enjoys giving back to the Milwaukee community by providing no-cost legal services in Marquette’s Volunteer Legal Clinic.
—FROMALLOFUSATMURPHY&PRACHTHAUSER—
Congratulations Michelle ONTHISWELL-DESERVEDAWARD
GOOD LAWYERS WHO HELP PEOPLE Phone: 414-271-1011 MurphyPrachthauser.com
56 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUNE 29, 2020
MAUREEN O’LEARY
SUSAN E. LOVERN
SMITHA CHINTAMANENI
ATTORNEY
PRESIDENT & CEO
WILLMS-O’LEARY, S.C.
VON BRIESEN & ROPER, S.C.
ATTORNEY/ SHAREHOLDER
Maureen O’Leary is the president and owner of WillmsO’Leary, S.C., a business, trusts, estates, and tax law firm in Thiensville. O’Leary received her law degree with honors from Marquette University Law School in 2008. Prior to law school, she began her career in the business world as a shareholder and operations manager of Waukesha-based Swimtastic Corp., where she helped turn one location into a national franchise. “Maureen is a client first attorney, who is admired and appreciated by her clients,” said Samuel Azinger, attorney at WillmsO’Leary. “She has an impeccable ability to narrow in on issues, get directly to the point and check every box. In addition to making her a great attorney, these skills also make her a great mentor.” She is a member of the Ozaukee County Bar Association, Washington County Bar Association and the Milwaukee Bar Association. She is a director of the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Business Law Section, an active member of the Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Club and a member of the Mequon/Thiensville Chamber of Commerce Masterminds group, which is dedicated to helping female business owners. She also volunteers as a Micro Preemie Parent Mentor with Graham’s Foundation and serves on the board of the Green Acres Boxer Rescue of Wisconsin.
Susan Lovern is the president and chief executive officer of Milwaukee-based von Briesen & Roper, s.c. She became the firm’s president and CEO in January after the unexpected death of former president, Randall Crocker. “The outpouring of support in both the bench and bar community was like nothing I had seen previously,” said Beth Kushner, shareholder at von Briesen & Roper, s.c. “She is universally liked, admired and respected both inside and outside of the law firm.” Lovern joined von Briesen & Roper in 1994 as a summer associate and has spent 26 years with the firm. She was elected to her current role and has served on the firm’s board of directors for the past nine years. She has earned distinction as one of Wisconsin’s Top 50 Lawyers and Wisconsin’s Top 25 Women Lawyers. She serves on the boards of The Milwaukee Public Library Foundation and the Trustees of Funds and Endowments. She has held leadership positions at Thomas E. Fairchild American Inns of Court, State Bar of Wisconsin, Association for Women Lawyers, Milwaukee Bar Association, Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association, her church and numerous nonprofit organizations focused on mental health issues in the community.
VON BRIESEN & ROPER, S.C. Smitha Chintamaneni, a shareholder at Milwaukee-based von Briesen & Roper, s.c., grew up in Milwaukee and returned home after receiving her undergraduate and law degree from Washington University in St. Louis. She has represented businesses, governmental entities, and individuals in eminent domain, commercial real estate, leasing, taxation, and construction matters for over 17 years. Notably, she serves as one of the attorneys for the Village of Mount Pleasant surrounding the Foxconn development where she represents the village in all eminent domain matters. She has also served as counsel for the Milwaukee County Zoo, as defense counsel for a contractor in connection with construction and defect claims arising from a Chicago high rise project and for Brown County on eminent domain and sales and use tax disputes. Additionally, she has represented numerous landowners, businesses and governmental authorities on real estate, leasing, zoning, permitting, eminent domain and property taxation issues. She is a reputable and respected litigation attorney, and is also an affiliate member of the Owners’ Counsel of America and a member of the Wisconsin Chapter of National Association for Industrial and Office Parks and the Commercial Real Estate Development Association.
Proud of our “Notable Women in Law” von Briesen & Roper, s.c. is proud to have two of our own, Susan E. Lovern and Smitha Chintamaneni, recognized as BizTimes Media 2020 Notable Women in Law. Our community is bettered by these committed individuals. We look forward to what comes next for them.
Susan E. Lovern
Smitha Chintamaneni vonbriesen.com Milwaukee • Madison • Neenah • Waukesha • Green Bay
biztimes.com / 57
KATHRYN FINERTY
LAURA PETRIE
PATRICIA FALB
PRESIDENT
SHAREHOLDER
GENERAL COUNSEL
PETRIE+PETTIT
GODFREY & KAHN S.C.
NETWORK HEALTH INC. Kathryn Finerty has nearly 30 years of experience practicing law. She has served as general counsel for Menasha-based Network Health Inc. since 2017. Network Health also has an office in Brookfield. Prior to joining Network Health, Finerty served in a number of positions with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, most recently as associate general counsel. She was also the senior division and compliance counsel at Sensient Technologies and an environmental law and litigation attorney at Davis & Kuelthau, S.C. in Milwaukee. Finerty is committed to helping those in need throughout her community. She regularly provides a wide range of pro bono legal services for local small businesses who need her assistance and for the past seven years she has served as a board member and treasurer for Lakeside Scholars Inc. in Milwaukee. The nonprofit organization supports at-risk youth athletes and helps them receive college scholarships. Finerty supported the founder of Lakeside Scholars to help the organization gain 501(c)(3) status. Lakeside has helped more than 40 program participants earn full or partial post-secondary education scholarships from Division I, II and III colleges across the country.
Laura Petrie, president of Milwaukee-based Petrie+Pettit S.C., has nearly three decades of experience in the law industry. As a third-generation attorney, Petrie concentrates her legal practice in the area of estates and trusts. She earned her law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School and her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University. She specializes in drafting wills, trusts, powers of attorney and marital agreements, tailored specifically to meet the needs of her clients. “Her attention to detail is complemented by her genuine concern for her clients’ interests,” said Frank Walter, executive coach at Walter & Company, Inc./Vistage International. “During her career she has helped her clients feel confident their wealth transfer and succession plans are all in order as they move through the various stages of life.” She works closely with her clients regarding estate, gift, generation-skipping and income tax planning, as well as business succession and special needs planning to ensure the orderly, efficient transfer of assets both before and after death.
For more than three decades, Patricia Falb, a shareholder at Milwaukee-based Godfrey & Kahn S.C., has been a trusted advisor to many privately-held companies, owners and executive teams. She specializes in matters involving mergers and acquisitions, secured lending and commercial transactions, investment agreements, mezzanine and venture financing, private placements and contract negotiations in transactions of all sizes and in a variety of industries. “Her attention to detail is second to none, which is a critical attribute to every successful deal,” said Nic Wahl, managing partner of Godfrey & Kahn. “She is also very practical and down-to-earth, which clients appreciate. She is honest, asks tough questions and pushes hard for their success.” She has served on the board of directors for the Wisconsin Humane Society and also serves on the board of directors of Godfrey & Kahn. Falb serves as a role model and a mentor to young attorneys at Godfrey & Kahn, said Wahl. “She encourages them to listen, think independently, create and share relationships, and overall, be their best selves,” he said.
She serves as a mentor to other women leaders at Network Health.
Congratulations to our President
As a Wisconsin-based health insurance company, we recognize the innovation and achievement of these community leaders.
LAURA J. PETRIE
Notable Women in Law 2020 honoree
PETRIEPET TIT.COM
networkhealth.com 2780-01-0720
58 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUNE 29, 2020
Thank you for your continued dedication to our clients and our firm. Your leadership continues to inspire and guide us forward as we celebrate our 125th year.
MARIA KREITER SHAREHOLDER
MARGARET KURLINSKI
DANIELLE MACHATA
GODFREY & KAHN S.C.
SHAREHOLDER
SHAREHOLDER
GODFREY & KAHN S.C.
GODFREY & KAHN S.C.
Maria Kreiter, a shareholder at Milwaukee-based Godfrey & Kahn S.C., has dedicated both her professional career and her community involvement to those in need. In fact, helping people was what drew her to a career in litigation. “The sometimes years-long preparation of taking a case to trial does not feel like hard work when you are invested in seeing a win for your client,” she said. According to Nic Wahl, managing partner at Godfrey & Kahn, Kreiter has achieved many notable wins for her clients throughout her career, including a seven-figure award after a former employee breached non-solicit and confidentiality agreements that included punitive damages, which are almost unheard of in corporate cases. “Maria’s ability to advocate extends well beyond the courtroom,” said Wahl. “At work, she advocates for young associates, ensuring they get the mentoring she found invaluable when she started her career. She believes that no one should feel alone in the practice of law and strives to always be a listening ear.” She serves as the board president for the Coalition for Children, Youth & Families. She used the coalition’s resources when she adopted her four children so it was a natural transition for her to give back.
Margaret “Meg” Kurlinski, a shareholder of Milwaukee-based Godfrey & Kahn S.C., always knew she was going to be an attorney. Today, she is one of the region’s premiere labor and employment attorneys with 15 years in the industry.
As a senior partner in Milwaukee-based Godfrey & Kahn’s M&A team and leader of its Private Equity practice group, Danielle Machata has a passion for finding creative solutions to problems and leading parties to a successful closing.
“Success in this field requires a knowledge of the law, but also being able to understand personal motivations and concerns,” said Nic Wahl, managing partner of Godfrey & Kahn.
Machata has spent nearly 20 years in the legal industry, and 15 years at Godfrey & Kahn.
Kurlinski led the firm’s response to the quickly shifting legal and public health landscape of the COVID-19 crisis.
She has focused her practice on complex M&A transactions and joint ventures across a number of different industries, typically involving multiple entities and countries.
“She not only addressed the immediate needs of her clients, but also helped them strategize for the future and account for various outcomes,” Wahl said.
According to Nic Wahl, managing partner of Godfrey & Kahn, Machata maintains a strong strategic perspective on the big picture, while also mastering the details of complex transactions.
Her mother, who passed away earlier this summer, fostered Meg’s sense of justice by leading by example in her own career as a social worker, focusing on empowering women and children.
“Dani leads by example and sets the bar high in terms of work ethic, quality mentorship and support,” said Wahl. “She has the uncanny ability to stay positive and fun even during stressful and exhausting periods of a transaction, which creates a positive energy among her clients and colleagues when it is needed the most.”
“Observing a strong female mentor has shaped Meg,” said Wahl, “She strives to create long-term, meaningful relationships with the female associates she mentors, and is drawn to community service that directly impacts the lives of women.”
Outside of work, Machata serves as a board member for Latino Arts Inc., and was also recently elected to serve on the Quality Committee for Children’s Wisconsin.
Strong women lead the way It’s remarkable women like Patricia Falb, Maria Kreiter, Meg Kurlinski and Dani Machata who deserve to be celebrated. We are proud of the mentorship they provide to future Godfrey & Kahn leaders and also of the excellent service they provide clients.
We think business. biztimes.com / 59
Strategies ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Wealth disparity a driving force for BLM protests? To reduce gap, Milwaukee needs more minority-owned businesses WE ARE ALL AWARE that protests have broken out across the nation following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. There is uniform agreement that Floyd’s death was outrageous, and the ensuing protests have included a broad coalition of demonstrators, including many white protestors. What other factors are contributing to the protest movement in Milwaukee other than the reaction to an unnecessary brutal death at the hands of police? A recent study by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee indicates that one of the primary causes could be the growing wealth gap between white and black people in Milwaukee. The median black male worker in Milwaukee makes 59.7% of the white worker’s earnings, the worst racial disparity in the United States. In 1979 the median income for black households was 59.3% of median white households; by 2018, that figure had fallen to 42%. Folks, we have a problem. Closing the racial wealth gap in Milwaukee would be a significant step toward greater equality in the community. Since 1964 the federal government has spent trillions of dollars to fight the “war on poverty.” Sadly, there has been little result. In the past 50 years, the poverty rate remains virtually unchanged. 60 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
Milwaukee has been ranked among the poorest cities in the nation. So, how can we address wealth disparity in Milwaukee, clearly a contributing force behind the Black Lives Matter protests? Studies have found that for every 1 percentage point increase in the rate of entrepreneurship in a state, there is a 2% decline in the poverty rate. We need more minority-owned businesses in Milwaukee to help stabilize neighborhoods and generate more wealth for the residents that live there. BizStarts is one of the leading organizations that focuses on helping create more minority businesses in Milwaukee. We know that many people living in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods are creative, passionate, and persistent and capable of being successful entrepreneurs. It might sound counterintuitive, but professor Michael Morris of Notre Dame claims that being poor is actually an advantage to starting a business. Those with fewer resources keep their expenses low, barter if need be, lean on friends and family for support and, most importantly, find creative ways to live and endure. They are resilient, adaptable, creative and hardworking. There has been an amazing amount of hype around identifying the next high-growth company (referred to as “gazelles”) that can create thousands of jobs after a significant angel and venture capital investment. Unfortunately, the success rate of those companies is lower than 1%. They will not change Milwaukee’s ranking as one of the poorest cities in the nation. What we have learned is that we need to launch more companies we call “deer,” which are Main Street businesses such as barbershops, small contracting businesses, coffee shops, restaurants, hair salons, etc. They stabilize neighborhoods and create wealth in those communities as self-employment gives a sense of pride to the families who create their own wealth. Our efforts have been supported by generous sponsors, foundations and government grants. We are now launching an entrepreneur boot
camp to accelerate the number of minority entrepreneurs in this community. To succeed, we will also need business leaders willing to mentor minority entrepreneurs who graduate from our boot camps or those who come to us for help in accelerating their businesses. We are calling on business professionals to join us in this effort. We will help you by training you on: » How to communicate in a framework that you can be understood and not looked at as talking down to those aspiring entrepreneurs. » How to help identify market opportunities so these businesses can differentiate themselves and emerge from the commodity trap that condemns so many of them to failure. » How to help them leverage their connections and your connections to grow their customer base. Writing a check does not compare to the experience of helping a man or woman emerge from poverty through their efforts in creating a business. If you’re interested, please contact me. 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.
INNOVATION
Lack of innovation explains collapse of Briggs & Stratton Other companies better learn that lesson, or they will follow suit BRIGGS & STRATTON is our canary in the coal mine. The fundamental problems that pushed the 100+-year-old company into bankruptcy will devour many other Midwestern businesses if we don’t begin steering differently. Some want to blame COVID-19, convinced it’s the perfect villain, the reason for Briggs’ collapse. But as Vincent Shiely, who ran two of Briggs’ product groups in the early 2000s, said in a recent LinkedIn conversation: “It’s more complicated than COVID.” “There are many who say that under a different path this would not have happened,” added Shiely, now a partner at Lubar & Co. That different path is called innovation. The company that in the early 1950s revolutionized the lawn and garden industry by developing the first lightweight aluminum engine this time failed to innovate. Sure, Briggs added new features to its products and more recently laid out plans to push into commercial battery power, but the company never drove the kind of transformative innovation that could have helped it grow beyond the reach of the challenges it is facing.
That failure to innovate sprang from a misguided vision. Todd Teske, Briggs’ chairman, president and CEO, and his board of directors, made the fateful decision to continue providing returns to shareholders rather than plowing money into new product development. Briggs has spent $167 million on research and development but $239 million on share repurchases since its 2012 fiscal year, according to securities filings. With no major product innovations, operating margins — profits after the cost of production — declined. Briggs’ operating margins fell to -3% as of June 2019 from 13% as of June 2002, said Richard Wamboldt, a student in the Investment Management Certificate Program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Essentially, Briggs has been losing money on the products it sells. Wamboldt, who spent the most recent academic year studying Briggs, said there were many external factors that contributed to the company’s problems. “They got the worst of the worst,” Wamboldt said. “Out of any company I can think of they were dealt the worst hand.” According to Wamboldt, external factors that walloped Briggs included: Rising steel and aluminum prices; a decline in brick and mortar sales; extremely unfavorable weather patterns that disrupted seasonal sales; a bankruptcy filing by Sears, Briggs’ largest customer; the trade war with China; and of course, COVID. Hindsight is 20/20 vision, but if Briggs had been innovating, its path may have looked quite different. All of this is easier to say than to do. Companies in this area of the country — and Briggs is no exception — generally have much narrower profit margins than big West Coast tech companies, for example. But the fundamental job of a business is not to produce pretty financial ratios and keep costs in line. It’s to develop an ever-growing portfolio of products that more and more customers want to buy. It’s to do what Briggs used to do: disrupt the
market with innovative products that sell. That’s why Tesla has a price-to-earnings ratio of 700+ vs. Briggs’ P/E ratio of … well, it doesn’t really have one anymore. Here’s where we get to the important part. Briggs & Stratton, the world’s largest manufacturer of small gasoline engines and employer of around 5,000 people, including about 1,300 (down from as many as 11,000) in the Milwaukee area, agreed in its bankruptcy filing to sell all of its assets to a New York private equity firm for about $550 million. Nothing we can do about that. But hopefully — now that the canary has died — we can leave behind this obsession with financial engineering and focus more on innovation. Focus more on the kind of new product development — maybe even through regional collaborations organized to use new technologies to solve big problems — that scales businesses. I recently moderated a discussion with three business leaders who have spent their careers successfully scaling companies: John Byrnes, Tom Erickson and George Roberts. To hear what they had to say, go to www.5lakesinstitute.com and click on the “Chats” tab. n
KATHLEEN GALLAGHER Kathleen Gallagher is a Pulitzer Prizewinning writer and executive director of the Milwaukee Institute, a nonprofit that supports advanced technologies and highgrowth businesses to help the region thrive. She can be reached at Kathleen@mkei.org. biztimes.com / 61
Strategies WELLNESS
How to handle stressful times Best practices to be wise and well NOTHING CAUSES STRESS more than uncertain times. It can set us into fear that causes us to strive to control the outcome or simply give up and flatten out like a pancake. But the wise executive understands that taking time to slow down and care for oneself is actually a smart business practice. Here are seven wise practices you will want to incorporate into your day: WELLNESS PRACTICE NO. 1: SLEEP According to experts from Harvard Medical School, there is no exact number of hours for optimal sleep. The amount differs by age group, health, activity level, interrupted sleep and other individual specifications. However, 97% of us need an average of 7.5 to 8.5 hours of sleep per day to think and function effectively. WELLNESS PRACTICE NO. 2: THOUGHTS AND JOURNALING “What we think about we bring about.” Therefore, if we think about negative thoughts, we cannot bring about the outcomes we desire. To bring about the outcomes you desire, you need to think about the curious question: “How might I…?” This question will lead you to the field of possibilities you desire. Affirmations can also help you get unstuck from your muck. For example: » Something better is coming my way. » I am bigger than all that stuff. » It is what it is. On to the next chapter! 62 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
WELLNESS PRACTICE NO. 3: BREATHING AND MEDITATION Deep breathing and meditation can change your brain by shrinking the amygdala (emotional response center) and increasing your alignment with the executive functioning part of your brain. Keep in mind: the purpose of breathing deeply and meditating is to quiet your chattering mind. Research tells us that meditating 20 minutes a day can change our brain so that we stop reacting and start listening to our intuitive inner voice. WELLNESS PRACTICE NO. 4: EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT When you get punched in the gut and your emotions are running high, you no longer feel clear, calm and confident. However, those that have practiced meditating are more likely to be self-aware and therefore have better emotional management. When we don’t take the time to get curious and become conscious of what that gut alert is all about, we react instead of respond to situations. WELLNESS PRACTICE NO. 5: GRATITUDE AND SURRENDER Our mind can only hold one thought at a time. That is why it is important to practice gratitude. When we practice gratitude, we don’t allow the thoughts and emotions of fear, deprivation, shame, grandiosity and disappointment to run our life. Instead we choose to be grateful and surrender what we cannot control. This means, even when you are disappointed with certain outcomes, you say to yourself, “It is what it is!” This neutralizes the event, so we can ask, “How might I move forward?” WELLNESS PRACTICE NO. 6: FOOD AND HYDRATION Recent research has indicated that our gut is our immune system. Our gut health correlates to the bacteria in our gut, referred to as our “microbiome.” When our gut has too much bad bacteria, we can suffer from health conditions such
as anxiety, depression and foggy thinking, not to mention more severe physical diseases. Watching what you eat can help control your immune system, give you gut health and help you with overall brain health. In contrast, gut damage can disrupt your sleep and cause anxiety, depression and foggy thinking. In addition to eating right, drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily also helps your gut-brain connection. WELLNESS PRACTICE NO. 7: MOVEMENT According to Dr. Natalie Nevins, an osteopathic family physician and Kundalini yoga instructor: “Stress can reveal itself in many ways, including back or neck pain, sleeping problems, headaches, drug abuse, and an inability to concentrate. Yoga can be effective in developing coping skills and reaching a more positive outlook on life.” Yoga is not the only form of movement that will help increase your wisdom and wellness, however. Pursuing movement, especially movement that involves the whole body and deep breathing, is best. n
SUSAN K. WEHRLEY Susan Wehrley is an executive coach who specializes in helping people become clear, calm and confident. Learn more about her at www.BIZremedies.com and www.TheALIGNacademy.com. She can be reached at Susan@BIZremedies.com or 414-581-0449.
A BRIEF CASE
How have you kept your organization thinking/moving forward during uncertain times? Theresa Nemetz Adija Smith Owner Confectionately Yours “As a small business owner, there have been many things that my team and I have prepared for and strategized ways to sustain during periods of the year that are not as productive as others. Never did we have a game plan mapped out for a hurricane like COVID-19. “Since closing we immediately had to kick into gear and find ways to remain relevant during these past several months. As inconsistent as times have been for all business, we have found innovative ways to keep our presence in the homes of our customers when these times have forced them away from the business. “Confectionately Yours has been advancing by offering a variety of ‘bake at home’ desserts. We do the ‘bulk,’ you do the ‘bake.’ We began to offer things like par-baked pies, scoop and bake cookie dough, and more. This period has been all about being innovative, marketing and giving people an opportunity to indulge in our products in the safety of their own homes.”
Founder Milwaukee Food & City Tours “Amid the national shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we faced a 100% loss of revenue. I knew we required an immediate pivot in business operations if we wanted to survive. At first we launched Shelter-in-Style Kits featuring hyper-local food and virtual tour experiences for Milwaukeeans, but it has now evolved into the fulfillment of gift boxes nationwide and the launch of a new company, Milwaukee Fudge Company. “Our gift boxes have included products such as the Wisconsin Products Pavilion Box featuring 13 vendors from the Wisconsin State Fair, a ‘Birthday Party in a Box’ featuring everything needed for an at-home birthday celebration, and an ‘Ultimate Snack Break Kit.’ “Offering gift boxes and selling fudge is allowing us to maintain our current payroll, but also to support the many local businesses and food producers we typically would visit on our tours. We have not seen demand for in-person tours return yet, and believe that it is probable that we will not see positive revenue from our tours or transportation rentals until at least 2022. Bracing for that, the core of what we are doing right now is growing relationships with our vendors, increasing our goodwill in the community, building out some amazing trips for our Travel Deliciously website, selling some delicious fudge and positioning ourselves to be ready once Milwaukeeans are ready to return to travel again.”
Tiernan Paine Owner Tree-Ripe Fruit Co. “We didn’t know what the season would be like or what people’s attitudes and comfort levels of attending events would be. Because of this, the biggest thing for us was to focus on being really thoughtful about not only the business, but the customer experience. “From the business perspective, we were careful not to over-commit. We focused on managing inventory and kept a lean and nimble staff. In addition, we focused more on social ads than we have in the past. These changes allowed us to be nimble and easily adapt if and when needed. “In terms of the customer, our customers feeling safe attending our events was huge for us. We really tried to put ourselves in their shoes and understand what their concerns might be with attending an event and how we could help ensure their safety and comfort. We sent out information on the new processes for the season to help ensure the health and safety of each event and assigned staff to help ensure the smooth implementation of the processes at the events which included social distancing, wearing masks, hand sanitizing stations and more. We took the time to address all of our customers’ questions and concerns in person and via our social channels. “Our focus on safety and clear communication was incredibly well received. Our YOY sales were up 50% and event attendance was some of the highest in our 30-year history.” n biztimes.com / 63
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BizConnections BIZ UPDATES
Advertising Section: Press Releases, etc.
J OA NNE A N TO N J O INS FIRS T FED ER A L BA NK BOA R D O F D IREC TO RS
JA M E S P. L EN A H A N J O INS FIRS T FED ER A L BA NK BOA R D O F D IREC TO RS
JoAnne Anton is Director of Giving for Herb Kohl Philanthropies where she works to advance former U.S. Senator and businessman Herb Kohl’s philanthropic goals, investments, and community involvement, a position she has held since 2014. Prior to this role, she dedicated 25 years working various roles for federal, state, and local elected leaders. She and her husband operate outdoor digital advertising company, Atlas Media LLC and formerly, owned and
James P. Lenahan is a corporate executive with more than 25 years of experience building and running successful companies. He is currently President & CEO of the following businesses: Ludman Industries LLC, a position he has held since 2011; Northern Engineering and Manufacturing, a position he has held since 2012; Keystone Stack Equipment LLC, a position he has held since 2017, and Keystone Riverview LLC, a position he has held since 2015.
operated several local restaurants in addition to actively serving on several non-profit boards. Ms. Anton has been recognized by The Milwaukee Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 award, a Woman of Influence distinction, and has been named to their Power Broker list two years in a row. Ms. Anton’s business and philanthropic experience, her knowledge of the region, and her contacts with community leaders will provide the Board of Directors with insight to the many growth efforts being made in our market area.
He has received the Vatican John Paul II Award for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in 2017, and is a Former Navigator, President, and Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, among many other board positions for various organizations in the Milwaukee area. Mr. Lenahan’s extensive experience as a business owner will provide the board with an important perspective on managerial oversight and business development.
D E VO N A W R I GH T COT T REL L J O INS FIRS T FED ER A L BA NK BOA R D O F D IREC TO R DeVona Wright Cottrell is Director and Associate General Counsel of Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, positions she has held since 2015. She joined Baird in 2007 and has broad exposure to Baird’s businesses and primary legal responsibility for Baird’s Fixed Income Capital Markets business unit and provides legal support to several of the firm’s corporate resource groups, including Risk Management, Compliance and Facilities with regard to informa-
tion security, privacy, regulatory, and commercial real estate related matters. Ms. Wright Cottrell is a diligent volunteer and mentor in the greater Milwaukee area and has received numerous awards and recognitions. Ms. Wright Cottrell's legal experience and her vast contacts in our market area will provide the Board with legal expertise, business acumen as well as business development opportunities.
GET THE WORD OUT! News? Press Releases? Awards? Show them off in BizTimes’ new BizUpdates section. Submit your company news at at biztimes.com/bizconnect
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BizConnections BIZ PEOPLE
Advertising Section: New Hires, Promotions, Accolades and Board Appointments
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Crescendo Wealth Management announces the promotion of Brooke Napiwocki CFP®, MBA to Director of Financial Planning. In this role, she leads a strong financial planning-focused team and enhances the planning process and client experience while retaining her role as a Certified Financial Planner™ Professional partnering with mid-career, professional women and couples. Brooke is a graduate of St. Norbert College with a BBA in Business Administration and Economics and a MBA from Marquette University. She was recently recognized by the Grafton Chamber of Commerce with the 2019 Outstanding Young Professional Award.
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE Andy Spataro was promoted to development director at Irgens. He contributes to the development team with a diverse skill set providing the ability to create value in Irgens’ investment portfolio.
TECHNOLOGY Stacy England has joined the team at RMM Solutions as Vice President of Service and Operations. He will be responsible for the Implementation, Engineering, Data Centers, Hosting and Service Desk teams.
66 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
BSI is pleased to announce that Rachel Rivera has been promoted to Business Development and Market Manager. Rachel started with BSI in May of 2019 and has over 12 years of experience and industry knowledge in both commercial and residential interiors. Rachel is active in the community and specializes in building long-term relationships. She will continue these initiatives, directing business development efforts and aligning BSI’s resources and solutions across all market segments.
LEGAL SERVICES
Todd Gray has joined von Briesen & Roper, s.c as a Senior Consultant
As a Senior Consultant, Gray will assist school districts on policy, board relations, finance, tax and business issues. He will also provide financial and tax advisory services. Previously he was the Superintendent of the Waukesha School District.
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
Standard Process has named Gene Ford its new Vice President of Research & Development to continue to shape the company’s research and development strategy and drive its execution.
BANKING
Wisconsin Bank & Trust is pleased to announce that Doug Kohlbeck has joined the organization as Executive Vice President and Head of Commercial Banking. He will oversee the Commercial Banking team inclusive of Commercial Banking, Treasury Management and Payment Solutions and will help lead business development efforts, strategic planning initiatives and credit risk management. “Doug has built an outstanding 25-year career and reputation in the banking industry and his experience will support WBT’s goals of continued growth and prosperity,” said Brent Giles, President and CEO of Wisconsin Bank & Trust.
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
Peter Schwabe, Inc. (PSI), a Midwestern commercial general contractor, is pleased to announce that Mike Wolf has joined the firm as senior estimator and project manager. In this role, he will manage multi-million dollar construction projects.
ANNOUNCEMENT To place your listing, or for more information, please visit biztimes.com/bizconnect
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE Tracie Parent joins Kahler Slater as CFO and Director of Operations. Her role supports continued focus on market expansion and growth for the award-winning architecture, interior design, environmental branding, and strategic advisory services firm.
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
After a successful internship in 2019, Brian Mays returned to Irgens in 2020 on a full-time basis as a financial analyst to the company’s finance and investment team.
LEGAL SERVICES Michael Taibleson joins Godfrey & Kahn as special counsel in the Employee Benefits Practice Group. He advises employers, retirement plan fiduciaries, insurers and plan administrators for implementing, administering and remediation of benefit plans.
NONPROFIT GREATER MILWAUKEE FOUNDATION TO DIRECT $30 MILLION FOR EQUITABLE ECONOMIC RECOVERY The Greater Milwaukee Foundation recently announced it will dedicate $30 million over the next five years to support equitable economic recovery in the Milwaukee area through impact investing. The investment includes $15 million of GMF’s existing resources and the remainder will be raised through private fundraising. “The COVID-19 outbreak coupled with large-scale civil demonstrations for racial justice have only heightened the need for greater action and investment in our local communities,” said Ellen Gilligan, the foundation’s president and CEO. GMF said it is concentrating an increased share of resources
among “people and places that have been subject to declining or absent investment” over the years. The foundation said it will build off a $1 million impact investing pilot program it completed last year that supported 47 new small businesses and helped create more than 85 jobs. Its funding priorities include improving job access and wealth creation for Milwaukee residents through job and business growth, creating or enhancing affordable housing options and increasing the supply of quality affordable early childhood education services. — Lauren Anderson
nonprofit
SPOTLIGHT
L I F E N AV I G AT O R S
7203 W. Center St., Wauwatosa (414) 774-6255 | lifenavigators.org Facebook: facebook.com/yourdisabilitypartner | Twitter: @LifeNavOrg
Year founded: 1949
c alendar The Huntington’s Disease Society of America’s Wisconsin Chapter is hosting the Milwaukee Team Hope Walk/Run on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 9 a.m. at Fox Brook Park, 2925 N. Barker Road, Brookfield. The walk is held each year to raise funds for people affected by Huntington’s Disease and their families. More information is available at wisconsin.hdsa.org. Outreach for Hope is hosting its 2020 Ride/Run/Walk as a virtual
event through Sept. 30. The organization, a partner of the Greater Milwaukee Synod, ELCA, invites registered bikers, runners and walkers to remotely participate in 25 fitness and fundraising challenges in honor of the organization’s 25th anniversary. The organization aims to register at least 625 participants, log 25,000 miles and raise $150,000 by the end of the event on Sept. 30. More information is available at OFHbikeride.com.
D O N AT I O N R O U N D U P Green Bay Packers president and chief executive officer Mark Murphy and his wife Laurie donated $100,000 toward the Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation’s $1 million #ConnectMilwaukee fundraising campaign. | American Family Insurance donated $40,000 to a Digital Divide Fund at the Milwaukee Area Technical College Foundation, Inc. to help support efforts to close the gap between students who have computer access and those who do not. The company also donated $10,000 to the MATC Foundation’s Dreamkeepers’ Fund for student emergency grants. | The Milwaukee Bucks and Sargento Foods raised $33,500 through the “Tipoff for Homes” initiative during the 2019-‘20 season to support Habitat for Humanity in Milwaukee. | Running Rebels received a donation of sanitizer stations, PPE, a fleet of bicycles and bicycle safety equipment – totaling about $25,000 – from Frank Crivello, Phoenix Investors’ chairman and founder.
Mission statement: The mission of Life Navigators is to improve the quality of life for individuals with developmental and related disabilities, their families, and the community through information, education, advocacy and life planning services. Primary focus of your nonprofit organization: Our primary focus is to provide support for individuals with disabilities to be safe, happy and healthy in our community. We offer a variety of services to improve the quality of life for the individuals we serve and their families. These services include information and education, self-advocacy and independence, a trust program, a guardianship program, a family support program and a care management unit (CMU). Other focuses of your nonprofit organization: We also focus on providing opportunities for the individuals we serve to gain confidence in their skills and abilities and develop a network of support so that they are able to live, work and volunteer in our community. Number of employees at this location: 29 Key donors: Individuals, businesses, foundations, local churches and family members of those we serve. Executive leadership: Vicki Wachniak Board of directors: Mike Dover,
Elizabeth Ruthmansdorfer, Adam S. Keller, Lisa Voisin, Greg Block, Cindy Schaus, Cindy Bentley, Tim Brown, Maggie Butterfield, Christine Culver, Nick Curran, Darryll Fortune, Paul Hackbarth, John “Chin” Klein, Stephanie Larson, Susan Pickering, Ray Wilson and Kerry Wolfe Is your organization actively seeking board members for the upcoming term? We are always interested in connecting with community members who are looking to make a positive impact on individuals with disabilities. What roles are you looking to fill? We have a dedicated board of directors, various sub committees and a Friends Group for emerging young community leaders. Ways the business community can help your nonprofit: Donate emergency need items, join governance boards or a Friends Group, donate to United Way, fundraiser event sponsorships, host a Charity of the Month programs. Key fundraising events: Our major annual fundraiser is our Life Navigators Challenger Event, which is a golf outing, dinner and auction to benefit kids and adults with disabilities. Our 37th Annual Challenger Event Honoring Don & Joan Prachthauser is taking place on Sept. 28 at Blue Mound Golf and Country Club. This year our event is going virtual. For more information, visit LifeNavigators.org.
biztimes.com / 67
BizConnections VOLUME 26, NUMBER 7 | AUG 17, 2020
GLANCE AT YESTERYEAR
126 N. Jefferson St., Suite 403, Milwaukee, WI 53202-6120
The Garfield Theatre in 1929 This October 1929 photo shows dressed up men and women standing outside the Garfield Theatre marquee on what is now Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Milwaukee. The theater, which opened in 1927 and closed in the 1960s, is currently home to the Greater Philadelphia Church of God in Christ and is part of redevelopment plans that Young Development Group has for the entire block. — Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Public Library
PHONE: 414-277-8181 FAX: 414-277-8191 WEBSITE: www.biztimes.com CIRCULATION: 414-336-7100 | circulation@biztimes.com ADVERTISING: 414-336-7112 | advertising@biztimes.com EDITORIAL: 414-336-7120 | andrew.weiland@biztimes.com REPRINTS: 414-336-7100 | reprints@biztimes.com
PUBLISHER / OWNER Dan Meyer dan.meyer@biztimes.com
SALES & MARKETING
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Mary Ernst mary.ernst@biztimes.com COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT / OWNER Kate Meyer kate.meyer@biztimes.com
EDITORIAL EDITOR Andrew Weiland andrew.weiland@biztimes.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lauren Anderson lauren.anderson@biztimes.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Arthur Thomas arthur.thomas@biztimes.com REPORTER Brandon Anderegg brandon.anderegg@biztimes.com REPORTER Maredithe Meyer maredithe.meyer@biztimes.com REPORTER Alex Zank alex.zank@biztimes.com
DIRECTOR OF SALES Linda Crawford linda.crawford@biztimes.com CONTENT SOLUTIONS MANAGER Maggie Pinnt maggie.pinnt@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Paddy Kieckhefer paddy.kieckhefer@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Christie Ubl christie.ubl@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Dylan Dobson dylan.dobson@biztimes.com
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COMMENTARY
BizTimes Media introduces ‘Insider’ program THANKS TO OUR READERS, the continued support of advertisers and sponsors and because of our hard-working and incredible team at BizTimes Media, we are currently celebrating our 25th year in business. We’ve seen many changes in our industry since 1995. One change was first introduced by the Wall Street Journal in 1997, when they established a paywall to access content on their website. Many other national and local media outlets have done the same since. I apologize to those of you who were caught off guard, but just a few weeks ago in June, we launched our “Insider” subscriber program. We understand that our shift to incorporate paid subscriptions is a big change. It is also an important step for our organization as we continue to grow and provide our readers with 68 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
the best business journalism possible. There will still be plenty of free content on our site, including daily news stories, some of our regular magazine features, podcasts, online events and the webinars we’ve been doing since COVID-19 limited our ability to hold in-person events. Producing the stories you see on our website and in our magazine ultimately requires a revenue source. Requiring a paid subscription for some of them is one of the ways we can support more quality work. Our existing print subscribers will continue to receive their magazines, but we are no longer providing all of our print content online for free. The available subscription options do include a choice to also receive the print magazine. Current print subscribers, many of whom currently receive the magazine for free as part of our qualified controlled subscription model, can pay for access to the digital version of stories as well as additional Insider daily content. We understand that individuals and businesses all need to make decisions about how to spend their money. We hope that you will find value in our offering, which, for $8 a month, includes access to all our content, priority access to webinars and discounted registration to our events. We will continue to work hard to make sure you can see
the value of supporting our journalism. Things are not perfect. We are working hard to streamline the registration and login process. If you are having issues becoming an Insider, or login issues, please email Insider@ biztimes.com. While most readers seem to understand BizTimes Media, like all media, requires new revenue models in the digital age, only a few — very few — have questioned why we need to charge for content. Actually, the most recurring comment I hear is, “what took you so long to start charging for your content? I would have paid for it long ago.” Thank you to those who have become charter Insider members. And thank you to the rest of you who will consider becoming Insiders in the future. We work hard each day to provide you value for your investment in time and money. n
DAN MEYER PUBLISHER/CEO
P / 414-336-7114 E / dan.meyer@biztimes.com
AROUND TOWN Reopening business during COVID-19
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CAFÉ BENELUX recently opened the ‘Lux Container Bar and Socially Distant Terrace,’ located in the parking lot just south of the Historic Third Ward restaurant. The space can seat approximately 100 additional diners at tables spaced six feet apart and Adirondack chairs near the patio area. Photo courtesy of Café Benelux
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Local artist and muralist EMMA DAISY paints flowers on a parking garage at Bayshore in Glendale as part of a multimillion dollar redevelopment project underway at the shopping center. Photo by Maredithe Meyer
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BRANDON DRUSCH, assistant general manager at The Pfister, recently led a tour of the hotel’s new health and safety protocols aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus. Among the updates are plexiglass dividers at the front desk and concierge desk, as well as touchless hand sanitizer dispensers throughout the lobby. Photo by Maredithe Meyer
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Social distancing markers in THE PFISTER’S lobby remind guests to stay six feet apart. Photo by Maredithe Meyer
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A robotic floor cleaner helps staff keep THE PFISTER lobby clean. Photo by Maredithe Meyer
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JERRY GROSENICK of Exit Realty XL donated non-perishable food items as part of the Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors food drive on July 29. Items were donated to SE WI Emergency Support Group, formed in March by Rochelle Gamauf, realtor and owner of NextHome Lake Country. Photo courtesy of GMAR
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PATRICIA WYSOCKI of M3 Realty, donating items for the GMAR food drive. Photo courtesy of GMAR
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VISIT MILWAUKEE and METROPOLITAN MILWAUKEE ASSOCIATION OF COMMERCE recently delivered 50,000 face masks to Citgo gas stations across the city to distribute them for free. Pictured are the VISIT team; Steve Baas, senior vice president of governmental affairs for MMAC, and Tejinber Rajput and Patty Babber, co-owners of the Citgo station at 1645 W. Forest Home Ave. Photo by Lauren Anderson
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SPRECHER BREWERY recently gave out free root beer floats to lift people’s spirits amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by Brandon Anderegg
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10. Sprecher Brewery sales manager SEAN ALLEN pours root beer from the back of a repurposed fire engine that houses gallons of Sprecher root beer. Photo by Brandon Anderegg
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BizConnections MY BEST ADVICE
“ Discover
LILA ARYAN PHOTOGRAPHY
and walk in your greatness. ”
TAMMY BELTON-DAVIS Founder and principal Athena Communications LLC Milwaukee Industry: Public relations athenacommunicationsllc.com Employees: 6 “I AM THE PROUD DAUGHTER of two successful entrepreneurs. Like both of my parents, Pastors Sam and Lazonnie Belton, I am an entrepreneur, founding Athena Communications over a decade ago. “The best advice I received is from my mother: ‘Discover and walk in your greatness.’ Each of us has greatness within and the power to be the change we seek. Once we have identified our greatness, we truly know our worth and carry it with us each day in every aspect of our lives. “Walking in greatness is exhilarating. Think about it, without fear we can blaze new trails, launch a new idea, or change the laws of this land. Our greatness gives us the resilience to overcome hard times and setbacks. “As the beneficiary of inspiration and support, living our greatness means encouraging others to walk in their greatness. I take very seriously the responsibility to inspire my team, my clients, and my community to find the greatness that lies within.” 70 / BizTimes Milwaukee AUGUST 17, 2020
AGE: 48 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Belton-Davis holds a bachelor’s degree in professional communications from Alverno College and a graduate degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She has worked in local government, education and public relations for almost two decades. Prior to founding Athena Communications in 2009, she was community relations director at Journey House and served as staff assistant for the Milwaukee County Board and Milwaukee Common Council. She has also held leadership and board positions at Milwaukee Public Schools, Groundwork Milwaukee, Cardinal Stritch University, and currently serves as vice president of programming for the local chapter of the Black Public Relations Society. IN THE NEWS: In June, Belton-Davis was named loaned executive chief diversity officer of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. In that role, she works with leadership to develop equity, diversity and inclusion strategies, and serves as an internal coach on inclusiveness and diversity issues. Her appointment is part of the Rep’s five-year strategic plan prioritizing ED&I (equity, diversity and inclusion). n
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2020 2020 Awards Categories Corporate Citizenship Awards CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP BizTimes Media presents the seventh annual awards program to salute southeastern Wisconsin’s best corporate citizens and most effective nonprofit organizations.
• Corporate Citizen of the Year • Next Generation Leadership • In-Kind Supporter • Corporate Volunteer of the Year • Lifetime Achievement
The awards will shine a light on excellence in philanthropy and nonprofit leadership. The recipients of the awards will be saluted on November 6th, 2020.
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Nominate the people and for-profit organizations who are making a positive difference in the community by donating their time, talent and treasure. Nominate the nonprofit organizations that are making the region a better place to live, work and play. Self-nominations also are encouraged!
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THE MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HAS PLANS. FIRST MIDWEST BANK HAS IDEAS.
We’re proud to support the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s plans for growth, At Park Bank, we helped secure funding for their new home and are excited about the future of the MSO. Our commitment to local leadership and decision making will continue as we become part of First Midwest Bank, creating greater resources, products and services. If you have plans to grow your business, we have ideas to help. Give us a call. Dave P. Werner Market President 414.270.3231