BizTimes Milwaukee | September 25, 2023

Thursday, October 5, 2023 | Italian Community Center

Growing amidst constant change

The economy is changing. Supply chains are changing. Your workforce and what employees want are always changing. Regulations and technology are changing. How can you build and grow a business when everything around you is always changing?

Join BizTimes Media for the Next Generation Manufacturing Summit for insights on how companies in one of Wisconsin’s most important industries are dealing with the challenges of today’s market while also preparing for tomorrow.

This year, the event will be a half-day program where you can immerse yourself in the latest industry trends with exhibitors, gain invaluable knowledge from thought-provoking seminars, and hear from a panel of local manufacturing leaders discussing trends and best practices. Following the program, join fellow attendees for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at the networking reception.

Don’t miss this opportunity to make connections, learn and propel your business to new heights. Register now!

Confirmed Speakers:

• George Baumann, President and CEO, GL Industrial (1)

• Tracy Pearson, President and CEO, Perlick Corp. (2)

• Terry Tuttle, President, HellermannTyton North America (3)

• Megan Tzanoukakis, President and CEO, Sussex IM (4)

Breakout Sessions: 1:00-2:00 PM

• Hidden Talent: Tapping into an Undiscovered Workforce

• Cyber Risk Simplified: Protect Yourself & Your Company with the Right Security and Coverage for 2024

• Getting More from doing Less. How can you increase Productivity by doing Less?

4:00-5:00 PM

• How to Onboard Star Employees

• Navigating the Future: AI and Automation in Manufacturing

PRESENTING SPONSOR: SPONSOR: SEMINAR SPONSORS:

5 NOW BY THE NUMBERS

6 THE FRANCHISEE – Nikki Differt, Pet Supplies Plus

7 REV UP – Secchi

8 MEET THE 275 – Dustin Hinton, UnitedHealthcare

9 MY FAVORITE TECH – Gina Skibo, Wipfli WHO’S ON THE BOARD – The Marcus Corp. BIZ POLL

10 Biz News

10 Crazy busy summer planned for Milwaukee in 2024

12 THE INTERVIEW – Ben Kvalo, Midwest Games

14 Real Estate 24

Special Reports

22

Meet the 2023 Future 50 winners as they respond to questions about what’s fueling their growth, how they’ve navigated supply chain challenges, tight labor markets, rising interest rates and inflation, and where they see opportunities for continued growth. Plus, get a statistical breakdown of this year’s winners.

71 MY TOUGHEST CHALLENGE –Saul Newton, Wisconsin Veterans Chamber

GOP lawmakers unveil $700 million American Family Field funding proposal

By Hunter Turpin, staff writer

Republican lawmakers want to use $600 million in state and local funds to renovate American Family Field and keep the Milwaukee Brewers in Wisconsin through 2050, under a plan unveiled recently.

The stadium improvement plan also includes a $100 million

BY THE NUMBERS

pledge from the Brewers.

The plan would use about $400 million in state funds that come from taxes generated by the team and player salaries. About $200 million would come from the city of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County funds.

Earlier this year, the state

69 MILLION

allowed the city and county to increase their sales taxes, by 2.0% in the city and by 0.4% in the county. The city and county approved those increases, which take effect on Jan. 1, 2024. Republicans said they were asking the city and county to use a portion of their increased sales tax revenue for their share of the stadium improvement costs but would be open to the city and county using funds from other sources.

In May, the Milwaukee County Board voted unanimously for a resolution opposing county funds for the stadium, and in July, five members of the Milwaukee Common Council issued a statement opposing city funding for the project.

In return for the state and local support, the Brewers would extend its lease of the ballpark from its current termination at the end of 2030 to the end of 2050.

Separate studies done for the Brewers and for the state point to around $448 million in projects needed to be done over the course of the lease to keep Amer-

ican Family Field up to date with Major League Baseball standards.

Under the lease, those renovations are the responsibility of the Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District. That state-created district is the primary owner of American Family Field.

A key element of this proposed bill is that, through the renovations, the stadium would be winterized, making it available for events and concerts all year round.

Earlier this year, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers pitched a $290 million plan to help finance the stadium renovations, which would have been combined with public funds already set aside by the stadium district. Under that deal, the Brewers would have extended their lease at the stadium to 2043. But Republicans in the Legislature rejected the proposal.

Evers said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, that he looks forward to reviewing the proposal and finding a plan that “minimizes harm for local partners.”

The new bill will need to be approved by the Republican-controlled state Legislature and Evers. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos estimated that the bill would be voted on sometime in October, adding that he hopes for bipartisan support. n

test facility for new products at a former manufacturing plant in Mount Pleasant.

$

CNH Industrial America is nearing completion of a

American Family Field in Milwaukee.

“Being able to have that experience before coming in was very helpful because then I was able to train my parents along the way, too. They didn’t know too much about running a store, they knew more about owning a store.”

the FRANCHISEE

NIKKI DIFFERT

PET SUPPLIES PLUS

THE FRANCHISE: Pet Supplies Plus stores sell a wide range of food, toys and supplies, including natural and U.S.-made products, for dogs, cats, birds, fish, reptiles and other small pets. The Livonia, Michigan-based retail chain has more than 640 franchise locations in 41 states.

EARLY 2022:

Nikki Differt, a recent University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh graduate, was discerning her career path when the idea of franchising took shape. Dave Heather, a family friend and Pet Supplies Plus franchise owner, suggested Nikki and her parents, Scott and Laurie Differt, both semi-retired, open a franchise location of their own.

SUMMER 2022:

Before Differt could run her own stores, she needed know-how. She quit her HR recruiter job and spent the next few months working with Dave Heather, gaining on-the-job store management experience at each of his five locations.

FALL 2022:

Construction began on the future home of Pet Supplies Plus’s Oconomowoc store, at the mixed-use Olympia Fields Development. It’s one of three stores the Differts will open under a multi-unit franchise deal covering Oconomowoc, Sun Prairie and Hartford.

SPRING 2023: Pet Supplies Plus opened its doors in Oconomowoc. The 6,600-square-foot store offers grooming services and a self-service dog wash, which has helped bring customers into the store.

THE FRANCHISE FEE: $49,900 for a single unit

“We did our research on population and income, and we figured – being a big, populated area – this part of Oconomowoc would be a good location to open a pet store. And there’s been a lot of apartments going up, too.”

Nikki Differt

Laurie, Scott and Nikki Differt and are all part owners of their Pet Supplies Plus franchise, with Nikki heading up day-today store operations.

The store is located adjacent to Sendik’s Food Market at 1460 Olympia Fields Drive.

REV UP

SECCHI

LEADERSHIP:

Mike

White,

founder and president

HEADQUARTERS:

Milwaukee

WHAT IT DOES:

Performance management software

FOUNDED:

2021

EMPLOYEES:

Four full time, six contractors

NEXT GOALS:

Reach 2.5 million employees under management

FUNDING:

Closed a $1 million friends and family round

Milwaukee software startup Secchi closes $1 million friends and family round

By Ashley Smart, staff writer

FAR TOO OFTEN, employees of small and mid-size companies are thrown into positions of leadership without any real guidance or training. That’s why Milwaukee-based software startup Secchi was founded: to simplify the process of performance management for HR professionals and operations managers.

Mike White, the company’s founder and president, spent 15 years as an HR professional at several companies including Master Lock, Caterpillar and Fairlife. He kept running into the same problem: There wasn’t a streamlined process to document performance issues with employees. This created more work as White found himself constantly teaching others how to record conversations or negative events.

“When you’re leading a lot of people, it’s hard emotionally and it’s hard tactically,” he

said. “The emotional part of it is, when you do a write-up, you’ve lost sleep at night. You have this employee who’s being a problem, but you’re thinking, ‘I don’t want to do this.’ Then there’s also the tactics. I have a master’s degree in HR, but when I write people up, I still Google it. I want to make sure I do it right.”

With Secchi, which focuses on the blue-collar workforce within industries like manufacturing, logistics and health care, any employee event – positive or negative — can be logged in a matter of seconds and kept on that employee’s log for later review. Secchi’s platform gives users visual guidance on employee and team performance, engagement/turnover risks and positive employee behaviors. Secchi can also walk users through the steps of addressing performance issues.

White believes the software also helps relieve some of the emotional aspects of addressing employee performance since it provides indisputable data to back up the decision. There are also templates for how to interact with employees.

“Secchi gives professionals, in the palm of their hand, guidance on how to be a good leader,” said Ken DeBauche, co-founder and vice president of sales/marketing at Secchi. “That’s giving recognition, that’s addressing

a performance conversation or talking about them showing up on time.”

While Secchi makes it easier to address employee performance issues, it can also help remind business leaders when they need to recognize their workers for a job well done. When a manager logs a positive employee interaction within the software, those moments are visually represented when it comes time for performance reviews.

White estimates the startup’s current customers save about 90% of the time spent using a traditional HR documenting process.

Secchi has closed a friends and family funding round worth $1 million. DeBauche said the funding will help the startup acquire new customers. Secchi currently has eight customers –ranging from a Fortune 500 logistics company to smaller, closely held firms – and that number will grow to 10 in the coming weeks.

The funding will also allow for further automation and gamification of the software. Eventually, Secchi will give users an instant performance review that’s AI enabled. There will also be a class ranking system that places employees in order of performance.

The long-term goal for Secchi is to have 2.5 million employees under management via the software. n

Ken DeBauche (left) and Mike White (right).

LILA ARYAN PHOTOGRAPHY

MEET THE

Education:

Bachelor’s, University of Illinois

What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?

“I worked at a furniture store when I was 15 on the weekends. I ran the old-time elevator and helped people load their furniture. I learned to lift with the legs, not the back.”

Favorite destinations:

“My happy place is our cottage in Rhinelander (not fancy). Barcelona, Kauai, and Ti Kaye in St. Lucia were pretty special trips.”

What is one book you think everyone should read and why?

“‘Time on the Water’ by Bill Gardner. No, it’s not a business book, it is a classic fishing book describing the exhilaration and frustration of musky fishing. The author also takes you on a journey of the Northwoods of Wisconsin, which hits home for so many.”

What’s your hobby or passion?

“Musky fishing (see book recommendation). As I get older, it’s fishing in general as musky fishing becomes more physically challenging. I love the quest of catching a 50-incher, and the thrill of a potential strike at the side of the boat. Don’t be lazy on your figure 8’s.”

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

“That I have become super handy through the years. I struggle to sit still when I am at our place up north (Rhinelander) and love to fix and improve things there. I shouldn’t share that I get excited when the Family Handyman magazine arrives each month, but I do.”

What was your first car? How long did you drive it for?

“Mazda MX3 – four years.”

DUSTIN HINTON

President and CEO, Wisconsin and Michigan UnitedHealthcare MILWAUKEE

If you could take a one-year sabbatical, what would you do?

“I think I would take some trips with my parents. Now that I am older and know how much time with our son means to my wife and I, I think I would try to catch up with my parents and give the gift of time with their immediate family back to them.”

What’s the toughest business challenge you’ve had to overcome?

“I was moved out of a role – not by choice – 12 years ago. My boss at the time told me that it would be hard for me to understand at the time, but it was the best thing for me and my career. She believed I was in the wrong role, and she would help advance my career in a different job/lane I was better suited to be in. It’s still hard for me to accept but looking back now she might have been right.”

What advice would you give to a young professional?

“Be patient and always give 100% effort. You don’t always need to jump around to advance.”

What has been your company’s most significant success over the past 12 months?

“The launch of our Nexus ACO product, partnering with Advocate Aurora Health, Froedtert & the Medical College and Children’s Wisconsin. This combination of partners has never been done quite like this before. It’s hard not to see this as a major positive for our community, moving health care forward.”

What is one thing you would change about Wisconsin to make it even better?

“Lower health care costs. I agonize (over) what increasing costs do to employers throughout our state. We have the fourth-highest health care costs in the country.”

As you enter your office, what would you choose to be your walk-up or theme song?

“Van Halen - ‘Top of the World.’”

Is there a nonprofit cause that has special meaning to you?

“I have been on the board for the American Lung Association for the past 10 years. My dad has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease after years of smoking. The ALA’s message, ‘When you can’t breathe (or you don’t have your health) nothing else matters,’ resonates with me because of family and friends who have suffered with their lung health.”

What is the biggest risk you have ever taken?

“I would have to say the launch of our new Nexus ACO product. It’s the first move we have made away from our broad network offering, highlighting a few key provider partners. Our customers are asking us to do more to help control costs, while still providing good quality access for their employees and their families. Agitating the marketplace with our new product and network comes with its stresses, but without some level of disruption we can’t deliver what the market needs to move health care forward.”

What has you most excited about the future?

“Younger people coming up in our organization and throughout our industry. I think younger people are the accelerants to reshaping corporate America. The reshaping is bringing more flexibility, diversity and work-life balance, which leads to a brighter future.” n

Dustin Hinton has led UnitedHealthcare’s operations in Wisconsin since 2014. The insurance company leads the state in market share, with 1.6 million members, 8,600 employees, and a network of roughly 200 hospitals and more than 38,000 physicians across the state.

This Q&A is an extended profile from Wisconsin 275, a special publication from BizTimes Media highlighting the most influential business leaders in the state. Visit: biztimes.com/wisconsin275 for more.

Who’s on the Board?

MY FAVORITE TECH

GINA SKIBO

Partner, Wipfli

As the regional growth leader for Wipfli’s Upper Great Lakes region, Skibo is responsible for the overall financial results of the region, brand recognition and value proposition in the marketplace and community engagement. Additionally, Skibo is the firm’s Milwaukee market leader. She oversees a team of approximately 200 professionals who provide tax, audit and accounting, and consulting services to Wipfli clients. Here are some of her favorite tech tools:

TEAMS MOBILE

This app allows me to stay connected with my colleagues and clients via messaging, video or phone calls just as easily from my phone as when I’m at my desk. The mobile version has virtually all the desktop features, including everything I need to be on a video call from my phone while maintaining a professional look using the virtual backgrounds and chat function to add documents.

CHATGPT

This is a newer one for me – I heard so much about it and had to try it. It’s a great tool to use for anything that you would Google, but it goes above and beyond that. You can ask it to write you a particular type of email or memo and, while it’s not perfect, it gives you something workable to start with and tailor.

ONENOTE

I love this app for a couple of reasons. It allows me to quickly enter notes on the fly via my phone so I can easily capture thoughts I have outside the workday, and it syncs up with my laptop. It also has an amazing search capability, which makes finding past notes extraordinarily easy.

CALM

I like the variety this app has for me to infuse mindfulness into my daily routine. In addition to substantial meditation content, they have ‘Daily Calm’ options I like to listen to in the morning to start my day off on a positive note, and quick break meditations that give me a recharge and increase my focus late in the day. n

THE MARCUS CORP.

• Greg Marcus, chairman, president and CEO, Marcus Corp.

• Diane Marcus Gershowitz, real estate manager and investor

• Timothy Hoeksema, retired chairman, president and CEO, Midwest Air Group

• Allan H. “Bud” Selig, commissioner emeritus, Major League Baseball

• Bruce Olson, retired senior vice president, Marcus Corp., retired president, Marcus Theatres Corp.

BIZ POLL

• Philip Milstein, principal, Ogden CAP Properties

• Brian Stark, former founding principal, CEO and chief investment officer, Stark Investments

• Katherine Gehl, former president and CEO, Gehl Foods

• Austin Ramirez, CEO, Husco

• Stephen Marcus, chairman emeritus, Marcus Corp.

• Thomas Kissinger, senior executive VP, general counsel, secretary, Marcus Corp.

Do you think the private school choice programs in Wisconsin should be:

Expanded: 63.2%

Eliminated: 18.4%

Reduced: 9.5%

Maintained at current levels: 9%

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

Greg Marcus

Crazy busy summer planned for Milwaukee in 2024

July should be city’s biggest tourism month ever

By Maredithe Meyer, staff writer

DOWNTOWN MILWAUKEE is in for an especially jam-packed July next year, with several major events expected to bring visitors by the tens of thousands.

Of course, Brew City during the summertime is always busy with warm weather, a long lineup of festivals and many other things to do – from outdoor night markets to boating on Lake Michigan.

July is annually headlined by the tail end of Summerfest, followed by Bastille Days, the Milwaukee Air & Water Show and German Fest, but in 2024 two more large-scale events will join that list.

Most notably, the Republican National Convention, set for July 15-18. The four-day political circus – and its supporting cast of heavy police presence, designated protest zones and street closures –will draw more than 50,000 visitors and generate roughly $250 million

in economic impact to the region. Organizers and local boosters have long touted the event as one that will “put Milwaukee on the map,” especially after the city missed out on the influx of dollars and media exposure from a mostly virtual Democratic National Convention in 2020.

The other big event is the Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival, on July 25-28. Traditionally held as an anniversary celebration every five years, the Homecoming rally in Milwaukee will now be an annual event giving riders from across the globe reason to make a yearly trek to the motorcycle maker’s headquarters city.

Harley’s 2023 Homecoming Festival, marking its 120th anniversary, drew “record attendance” between the 80,000 people who saw concert headliners Green Day and Foo Fighters, 130,000 people

who visited the Harley-Davidson Museum festival grounds and the 7,000 motorcycles that participated in the parade through downtown Milwaukee. Initial figures estimated the four-day festival would bring an estimated 200,000 Harley riders to the city from roughly 50 countries.

LOGISTICS A KEY FACTOR

Sandwiched between the RNC and Harley’s Homecoming next year will be Northwestern Mutual’s annual meeting, July 20-23. The event has long stood as one of Milwaukee’s largest annual corporate conventions, this year drawing an estimated 12,000 attendees from across the country.

For the Milwaukee-based financial services company’s home office, putting on four days of seminars, networking events and evening entertainment – including

a big-name headline show – is a mammoth undertaking. Add the element of working around a major political convention being held earlier the same week and things get a bit more complicated.

“As you’d imagine we’ve been in really close communication with the national committee that’s working on the 2024 RNC, and we’re really excited to be able to be gracious hosts again next summer,” said Tim Gerend, chief distribution officer at Northwestern Mutual. “We’ve got a lot of logistics to figure out … but we’re in the process of putting together a really good plan, and we’re going to look forward to welcoming back our field force for another phenomenal annual meeting in 2024.”

Dates for the 2024 Milwaukee Air & Water Show have not yet been confirmed but if the event sticks with its usual timeframe, it will likely be held the same weekend as NM’s annual meeting – as was the case this year. The show annually attracts hundreds of thousands of people to the city’s lakefront, typically with the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels or the U.S. Air Force’s Thunderbirds as the featured performers.

German Fest, which annually takes place the last weekend of July at Henry Maier Festival Park, plans to take full advantage of the overlap with Harley’s 2024 Homecoming Festival, which is taking place a week later than this year’s event due to the RNC.

“I think it’ll be a good thing,” Deb Wolf, director of marketing for German Fest Milwaukee, said in July. “Logistically, parking might be a nightmare but hopefully now that we have a year to figure it out, it should work.”

Beyond the opportunity to boost attendance, German Fest is eyeing the potential for partnership.

“We actually have a few people on our board who work for Harley, so we’re hoping to do something together with them,” said Wolf.

While it’s worth highlighting July as what will be the peak of an

*Tentative dates based on previous years, organizers did not respond to requests for confirmation.

unprecedented year for tourism activity in southeastern Wisconsin, VISIT Milwaukee president and chief executive officer Peggy Williams-Smith was quick to point out that “it starts well before July,” with a hopeful Bucks playoff run, followed by Pride Fest and Polish Fest in June.

After July, the fun continues with the 2024 Wisconsin State Fair scheduled for Aug. 1-11.

CONVENTION CENTER LAUNCH

May 16 will mark the grand opening of the newly expanded Baird Center (formerly known as the Wisconsin Center), following a $456 million project aimed at doubling the center’s convention space to accommodate multiple events at once.

“It allows us for the first time to host two groups at the same time, which is like hosting a (Northwestern Mutual annual meeting), but

with two different groups. We’ve had small groups here together before but not large,” said Williams-Smith.

The irony is, while the rest of the city hums with activity, the Baird Center will be offline for all but a few days in July. That’s because the Wisconsin Center District campus is licensed to the Republican National Committee from July 2 to Aug. 2, with access to the Miller High Life Theater and Panther Arena starting June 17, said Marty Brooks, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Center District.

As one of the main venues for the RNC along with Fiserv Forum, which will house the convention floor and main stage, the Baird Center will most likely serve as the hub for the thousands of national and international media covering the event, said Brooks. Outside of convention week, the building will be utilized for the set-up, take

down and support required to execute an event of that magnitude.

While having the building booked for four weeks only to have “a week’s worth of people” use it might seem like a missed opportunity for a newly expanded convention center, Brooks only sees the positives.

“To have an event that requires the convention center to be booked for four weeks is unbelievable,” said Brooks. “The tradeoff of not having a couple of events earlier in July is that we have the RNC that needs the entire convention center space to support their event that’s bringing 50,000 people into the market. There aren’t a lot of events that require that kind of support time, set-up time and bring that many people into the city. This is like the Super Bowl.”

Activity at the Baird Center will start to pick up speed soon after the RNC. As of July, there were

already 26 larger-scale events on the books for the remainder of 2024. Among them is a trade show geared toward the professionals responsible for putting on such events. Connect Marketplace convenes roughly 1,400 meeting and event planners from across the country to discuss industry trends and mingle with potential clients. It’s also a huge marketing opportunity for the city hosting the event.

“It allows us, the city of Milwaukee, the opportunity to sell these 1,200 to 1,500 people on why their businesses should come here, whether it’s our building or Fiserv Forum or wherever, we want their business to come to Wisconsin,” said Brooks. “The RNC alone gives us a springboard to create awareness of what Milwaukee has to offer, now we have decision makers coming to our market and it’s going to be a feeding frenzy.” n

Ben Kvalo

Founder and chief executive officer

Midwest Games

1025 Lombardi Ave., Green Bay

Employees: 4

midwestgames.com

the Interview

IN AUGUST, former Netflix executive and Wisconsin native Ben Kvalo officially launched Midwest Games, a Green Bay-based video game publisher operating out of the offices of venture capital firm TitletownTech. The company aims to create opportunities for tech and creative talent across the Midwest and other underrepresented regions. Midwest Games’ debut product, called RA RA BOOM, is currently being developed by Cincinnati-based Gylee Games. RA RA BOOM is described by the company as “an eyecatching, distinctive, fast-paced four-player co-op beat ‘em up driven by a meaningful and emotional coming-of-age narrative about a group of ninja cheerleaders from space in a fight to save the rest of humanity on Earth.” BizTimes Milwaukee reporter Ashley Smart caught up with Kvalo to learn what inspired him to start Midwest Games and what lies ahead for the company. Their conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

What made you leave Wisconsin to work for Netflix?

“I went into radio for a little bit here in Wisconsin, so that was really my first foray into the entertainment world. After that, I was thinking, ‘What do I really want to do?’ and I ended up going into video games with a company called 2K. They hired me and asked if I could be in San Francisco in two weeks. I left the Midwest just because there weren’t any opportunities in this space, especially at that time. I was at 2K for about six years. Then, I moved to southern California to work at Blizzard. From there I went to Netflix. They were just building their films division at the time, and I was their first hire in the marketing/operations team for films. I did that for three years and helped lead marketing campaigns for films like ‘Birdbox’ and ‘Army of the Dead.’ And then Netflix decided to get into games. I joined that team on like day two and helped build the games division from the ground up. I did that for two years and decided I’d been building a lot for other companies, but I felt there was an opportunity in the Midwest.”

How’d you get connected with TitletownTech?

“I had been doing some things with UW-Green Bay. They connected me to TitletownTech, and I started to advise a couple of their startups. They had two investments that were in the game space, and they were also curious about getting advice for some of the founders around building culture. Netflix is really known for its outstanding culture. I just happened to be on a trip (to TitletownTech) and said, ‘Hey, I have this idea.’ They really ran with it with me. I had this idea in my head, and I put it down in a presentation but they really helped me get the ball rolling.”

What resources does Midwest Games provide video game developers?

“There are three main pillars in the video game industry. There are the developers who make the games. Those are the engineers, the writers, the artists and the designers. Then, there are the publishers. Those are the folks that are taking these games that are being developed and either helping to fund them or providing marketing support. We provide that as well as go-to-market strategy. There’s also production support, localization support, quality assurance, a lot of services that help the game get delivered to market in the best possible way to the largest audience possible. We do all of that ultimately to deliver to the platform, which is the third piece of this. We help them strategize what platforms to go to.”

What kind of games is the company looking to publish?

“We are not a genre publisher. We are looking to help support folks in underserved regions, developers who are often overlooked. The Midwest is vastly underserved and there’s a lot of talent here that isn’t getting the kinds of deals that are being done elsewhere. About 67% of the industry is in three states: California, Washington and Texas. Really, we’re not limited to genres or location. But we are a bit limited in the amount that we’re spending. We have a budget range we go for, and we’re focused on indie games and what is called the ‘Double-A’ space, mid-tier games.”

What made Gylee Games a good partner for Midwest Games?

“We initially had a casual conversation but ended up just connecting on such a deep level with the fact that we could be doing more in the Midwest. They’re in Cincinnati, Ohio, and they’re facing some of the same challenges. The studio head there was negotiating with several other publishers at the time, but I think that really started our path forward together. We were just so aligned with the vision of bringing some of these things to the Midwest and really planting our flag in the ground and saying we can do this here and prove it.”

How many games a year does Midwest Games hope to publish?

“Our pipeline is going to start forming as we go to new events and as we go to new developers. It could probably be anywhere in between three to five titles a year. We’ll see, it’s so early on that it’s hard to tell. Our bigger thing is, any title we’re helping put out, we want to make sure we’re putting the effort behind it. We’re not just

spreading our dollars as thin as possible across as many titles as possible.”

Are you talking to any developers in Wisconsin?

“We are talking to developers all over. What’s amazing about this is there’s talent everywhere. Now that we’ve planted out flag in the ground people are coming a bit out of the woodwork. We’re getting pitches from developers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. We’re not only getting pitches from the Midwest, but we’re also getting them from other states like New Mexico. There are so many underserved regions around the world.”

What is it about video games that resonates with you so much?

“Anybody and everybody is a gamer in one way or another. Sometimes it’s super casual. Other times it’s a lot more hardcore. For me, what I just love is that video games provide a place you can just interact with. You can create worlds and, in some ways, just escape. So few mediums can do that and tell such great stories. There are no limitations, as long as we imagine these new worlds.”

What are your goals for the company in the next year?

“Our big goal, first and foremost, is making RA RA BOOM an incredible success – and it can be. Another big focus is finding and supporting more developers. It’s not about one, but many. We’re trying to build this ecosystem in the Midwest. We are also continuing to build this company and continuing to expand and forge incredible partnerships around the world.” n

Cudahy Farms development to provide more than just housing

MILWAUKEE-BASED Royal Capital Group is planning one of the largest housing developments the city has seen in decades.

Located on Milwaukee’s far northwest side, the Cudahy Farms development could bring more than 1,100 housing units to a property directly west of the former Northridge Mall, an area

that Royal Capital chief executive officer Kevin Newell says has been underserved by development for some time.

But Cudahy Farms is not just a housing development. It’s what Newell calls a “healthy living campus,” and it’s part of a $1 billion venture the company is deploying around Milwaukee and nationwide.

The idea is to surround a housing development with amenities and services to support the well-being of the residents who live there.

The Cudahy Farms development is planned for a 52-acre former YMCA property east of North Swan Road and south of West Fairy Chasm Road. Its first phase calls for 377 apartments, including 153 units for seniors within a trio of three-story buildings and 224 two- and three-bedroom two-story units for families.

Monthly rents in that first phase would range from around $600 to $1,600. Given the shortage of affordable housing units, Royal Capital markets these types of projects at a hyper-local scale, according to Newell.

“It attracts a market that is probably living in double households, where you may have a sister with another sister because she

BREAKING GROUND: PABST FARMS MIXED-USE PROJECT

Illinois-based Wingspan Development Group is planning a significant development on nearly 60 acres of the Pabst Farms area in Oconomowoc.

The plans include a 320,000-square-foot innovation hub, 82,800 square feet of retail and office space, 171 apartments and 26,000 square feet of drive-thru restaurant space.

Divided into separate but connected areas, the development includes spaces for a food hall and boutique-style retailers with amenities like outdoor games and a fishing pier.

“Our whole vision is pedestrian friendly,” Wingspan vice president of development Chris Coleman said. “We want our outdoor spaces to engage our residents, our tenants and our visitors. We want them to be used. We want them to be activated.”

A rendering of the Cudahy Farms development in Milwaukee.

ENGBERG ANDERSON

WINGSPAN DEVELOPMENT GROUP

DEVELOPER: Wingspan Development Group

SIZE: 59 acres

LOCATION: Northeast of I-94 and Highway 67, Oconomowoc

can’t find affordable housing,” Newell said.

They’re also drawing on people who are often overburdened with the cost of housing but maybe don’t qualify for housing vouchers or other programs.

“You may have another sister or family that says, ‘I’m wanting to live alone, stand alone, but I’m paying so much of my income toward rent, so I’m struggling in so many other areas.’” Newell explained. “So, us being able to come in with moderate-income housing allows for a good, quality housing situation at a (more affordable) rent level.”

With future phases to include townhomes for sale, Cudahy Farms would have a total of 1,145 housing units upon completion in seven to 10 years.

“In order to have the impact that we want on these communities, you really have to be bold,” Newell said of the size of the project.

Royal Capital plans to use the site’s YMCA Northwest Early Childhood Education Center as a community gathering place; the center is staying at the building under a lease.

“Child care is an extreme need, particularly in disadvantaged neighborhoods,” Newell said.

Also, the site’s existing walking trails and baseball diamond are to be part of Cudahy Farms. Other planned amenities include a sledding hill, playground, pickleball courts, putting green and golf simulators.

But aside from the amenities, Newell said that for many people that could live at the development, simply having access to quality housing is the most important thing.

“When you look at the emergency room intake at Children’s Hospital, a significant portion of those children are coming due to asthma. We know that asthma is largely triggered or caused by your living conditions,” Newell said, as an example.

This isn’t the first time Royal Capital has done these types of projects.

The developer is working on the $150 million ThriveOn King redevelopment on North Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Milwaukee, which will have 89 residential units and includes a community gathering space, 100,000 square feet of office space, a child care center and a home for other services and organizations like the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. It has also completed a $22 million redevelopment called The Wheatley, with 82 dwelling units, amenities and educational, wellness and entrepreneurial programming and support for residents and neighbors.

At these developments, Newell said they’re able to bring teachers in for things like parent-teacher conferences, which has resulted in higher performance in the classroom. Police calls for the area around these developments are also down.

As a $300 million investment, Cudahy Farms will be the developer’s biggest project yet. The first phase will cost about $100 million.

“It’s been well-received in the investment community and folks love the social responsibility aspect of it,” Newell said.

Newell intends to spread the development model. Planning is underway for large new campuses in places like Atlanta, where Royal Capital opened an office last year.

“With our national real estate strategy now focused on comprehensive lifestyle campuses, we are set to announce additional campuses later this fall that will be similar in its uses and scale,” Newell said. n

To the east of this industrial-looking brick building on Milwaukee’s East Side is Burns Commons, a mid-rise apartment building lies across the street to the north. Other residential buildings are nearby, including the 20-story Breakwater Condominiums tower.

This building, located at 1111 E. Ogden Ave., spans a couple thousand square feet and sits near a prominent corner along The Hop streetcar’s M-Line. A sign on the building indicates that it’s being used as a garage. It’s owned by CAC Franklin LLC, which is registered to Carolyn Cadd of Oconomowoc. The entity also owns a neighboring apartment building called Franklin House and an adjacent parking lot for that building’s tenants.

The owner could not be reached for comment on the 1111 E. Ogden Ave. building or its current use.

HUNTER TURPIN

Reporter

P / 414-336-7121

E / hunter.turpin@biztimes.com

T / @HunterDTurpin

UGLY BUILDING: 1111 E. OGDEN AVE., MILWAUKEE

Survival 101

Colleges adapt amid shrinking pool of high school grads

BY CARA SPOTO, staff writer

When Cardinal Stritch University president Dan Scholz sat down on April 12 to record a special message for the campus community, few could have fathomed what was coming.

Facing stark fiscal realities – including a downward enrollment trend that saw the institution’s undergraduate headcount plummet from a high of 3,026 students in 2011 to a low of 755 in the fall of 2022 – Scholz informed students and staff that the university’s board of trustees had recommended the 86-year-old Catholic institution cease

operations at the close of the spring semester.

“We are all devastated by this development,” Scholz said of the decision, which left more than 800 students searching for another school to finish their degree and 476 people of of a job. “I wish there was a different path we could pursue.”

While the news came as a shock to many, those familiar with the economic and demographic challenges facing higher education in America were dismayed but not surprised.

Nearly 100 colleges nationwide have either closed or merged since 2016 or plan to close with-

in the next two or three years, the bulk of them smaller, private four-year schools in the Midwest and Northeast, according to data from Higher Ed Dive, which keeps a running list of recent college closures.

Cardinal Stritch is one of two schools in Wisconsin to close in recent years – Holy Family College in Manitowoc shuttered in 2020 – but several other small private schools in the state have also seen enrollment decline in recent years. Publicly funded state institutions have also struggled.

Recently, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Richland, a two-year satellite campus that prepared students to transfer to a four-year school, sent its rural community reeling when it announced this spring that it would be shuttering its doors in May in the face of dwindling enrollments and fiscal challenges.

Meanwhile, 11 of the University of Wisconsin System’s 13 four-year campuses are projected to have a combined deficit of $58.5 million as they enter the 2023-‘24 school year – the result of enrollment declines and state budget cuts. At UW-Oshkosh, which faces a budget deficit of $18 million, university leaders have announced plans to lay off 200 non-faculty staff and administrators this fall.

The less-than-rosy outlook comes as schools are struggling with demographic shifts that have resulted in fewer high school graduates. The dip in birth rates has hit colleges in the Midwest and Northeast the hardest, where birth rates are some of the lowest in the country, according to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control.

While colleges are now faced with a far smaller pool of traditional students, those students – and their parents – are facing some of the highest tuition rates in decades, especially at what were once considered affordable public universities. The average cost of in-state annual tuition at a four-year public university has increased by 179% in the past 20 years in the U.S., according to the Education Data Initiative.

To put that in perspective, annual in-state tuition at a UW System school was $3,791 in 2000.

In 1970, it was just $508. Under the 4.1% tuition increase approved by the UW Board of Regents for the 2023-‘24 academic year – an increase that followed a 10-year, system-wide tuition freeze – annual, in-state tuition and fees at UW-Milwaukee is $10,020. UW-Madison’s is slightly higher at $11,215.

As grim as those statistics may appear, many colleges in southeastern Wisconsin are bucking recent downward enrollment trends, not by shipping students in from overseas – although out-of-state recruitment is being boosted – but by working to attract and support students of all ages and backgrounds.

All hands on deck

On a recent weekday morning, leaders of four Milwaukee-area institutions gathered in a conference room at Paul Davis Restoration in Pewaukee to share how they’re collaborating with each other – despite the hurdles facing higher ed – to graduate the kinds of skilled workers businesses and the community need.

Addressing members of the Greater Brookfield Chamber of Commerce, which organized the event, Mark Mone, chancellor of UW-Milwaukee, highlighted the importance of collaboration over competition, especially given the region’s workforce needs.

“The world of work needs so many different (skill sets) right now, and we don’t have one powerhouse institution here that is so large that it can do it all, and even if we did that wouldn’t be the right approach because there are so many great qualities that each of our institutions has,” Mone said.

The speakers at the event, which also included Waukesha County Technical College president Richard Barnhouse, Carroll University president Cindy Gnadinger and Milwaukee School of Engineering president John Walz, are all members of the Higher Education Regional Alliance. Comprised of the 17 universities and technical colleges in southeastern Wisconsin, HERA is a network that allows institutions to work with each other and other community and economic development

partners to help meet the needs of students, employers and the community at large.

As leaders shared stories of what is happening at their schools, the importance of partnerships was clear – partnerships with the business community, with local high schools, with nonprofits and with each other.

Those partnerships have been especially helpful as the pool of high school graduates continues to shrink and as more and more prospective college students have parents who did not attend college themselves and may face cultural and financial challenges as a result.

Partnerships key

In addition to dual-enrollment programs that allow high school students to take college courses, Waukesha County Technical College has worked with Waukesha County high schools to develop the Excelerate program. Launched last year, the initiative allows high school juniors and seniors to take classes at WCTC for credits toward both their high school diploma and an associate degree or technical diploma, at no cost. Local school districts pay for their students to attend WCTC.

“They can still participate in high school athletics and homecoming and all those things at their high school, but they get their first two years of college for free,” Barnhouse said.

The students can then transfer to a four-year institution, or they can stay right on WCTC’s campus and put those college credits toward a bachelor’s degree from Lakeland University.

Lakeland’s main campus is located in rural Sheboygan County. It recently moved its Milwaukee Center campus from an office building on the city’s west side to WCTC’s main campus in Pewaukee. Now known as the Lakeland University Waukesha County Center, the school began accepting students at its new location this fall, offering more than a dozen degree programs, including accounting, business and communications.

Barnhouse is hopeful that the move will help ensure more WCTC students go on to earn bache-

Mark Mone

Richard Barnhouse

Cindy Gnadinger John Walz

lor’s degrees in high-demand fields.

WCTC also works closely with local companies like Eaton and Generac to develop, oversee and update its technical programs. And it’s been working with UW-Milwaukee to create a liberal arts transfer pathway to ensure its new general education offerings will easily transfer to the university. Technical colleges across Wisconsin recently got permission from the state to begin offering liberal arts courses. Previously, only the UW System’s two- and four-year campuses could do that.

The programs and partnerships have contributed to an increase in enrollment for the 100-yearold technical college. WCTC saw enrollment for the 2023-‘24 academic year grow by 11% over last year. More importantly, the college has seen its total headcount increase by nearly 3.5% from 18,024 in 2022-‘23 to 18,650 in 2023-‘24.

Barnhouse says such partnerships – whether it’s the liberal arts pathway work with UW-Milwaukee or its electrical engineering transfer agreement with MSOE – are perhaps more critical to the four-year universities than they are to WCTC.

“It’s important for us, but not vital,” he said. “If I were a four-year institution, I would be thinking, ‘Where are my feeders?’ because there aren’t enough students in high school.”

Understanding the consumer

Much of the academic changes at WCTC have been in response to the quickly changing technological landscape, said Barnhouse – take, for example, its emerging degree programs in artificial intelligence. But the school also has its eye on the consumer, which includes professionals looking to upskill, younger working students and the ever-practical Gen Z high school graduate.

“We have a very, very savvy consumer in Gen Z. This is a generation that is very pragmatic. They’re not risk takers,” Barnhouse said. “The student coming in now wants a career and doesn’t want a lot of debt. They want what’s called a ‘skinny college experience.’”

But it’s not just technical colleges that are moving quickly to change degree programs and academic offerings.

Many of the region’s private institutions, especially smaller schools like Carthage and Alverno colleges, have added new programs or restructured credentialling in recent years to attract students.

Mount Mary University, which saw its graduate and undergraduate headcount shrink by roughly 6% between 2021-‘22 and 2022-‘23, is also making changes. It announced last month that it was restructuring its academic programming to be organized around three core areas: the School of Arts & Sciences, the School of Nursing, and the School of Graduate Health & Professional Programs.

The shift, staff explained, comes as the university pivots toward embedding science, technology, reflection, art, engineering and math (STREAM) curriculum into its course offerings.

While Cardinal Stritch saw its undergraduate enrollment figures drop precipitously over the past decade, other private institutions in the region have managed to keep enrollment levels relatively steady in recent years, in part by remaining nimble and adjusting to meet consumer demand.

Carthage College, which has seen a steady increase in enrollment in recent years, just announced a $100 million fundraising campaign to help broaden its scope beyond the traditional fouryear educational model by creating two-year asso-

ciate degrees.

The funds are also slated to provide additional access to financial aid for tuition, internships and study abroad programs while supporting the expansion of programs in nursing, pre-health, engineering, business and other high-demand fields.

Carthage College president John Swallow said the school, which never offered two-year degrees in the past, decided to add the option to better serve part-time students.

“We want to be accessible to students who feel the need to work and take one or two courses at a time. If they’re doing that with us, and we only offer a bachelor’s degree, it can seem like it’s going to take a very long time to complete a program. But if we are offering an associate degree, it’s smaller chunks to bite off, which is more motivating,” Swallow said.

Although most students at the 176-year-old Lutheran college attend school full time, Swallow said the institution is trying to stretch in new directions so it can reach more students.

“We’re trying to break out of strictures – those traditional boundaries of higher education – to reach more people and satisfy their needs,” he added.

Enrollment in Carthage’s new School of Business and Economics is up, Swallow said, as is participation in its new engineering program. The school’s musical theater program is also growing, in part because it is a major not offered at many other Midwest institutions. The college also recently added a Master of Music Theatre Vocal Pedagogy program.

“You might say that’s terribly niche. Yeah, well it is. But students come here from around the world to do it,” said Swallow.

To further stem shrinking undergraduate enrollment, the region’s private institutions are also stepping up their recruitment efforts outside the Midwest.

Marquette University recently expanded its “fly-in program,” which covers airfare and hotel accommodations for prospective students and their parents to visit Milwaukee and tour the campus, as it continues to capitalize on tertiary markets in Colorado, Arizona and Washington state. This year it will also begin putting full-time recruiters in those states. If that proves successful, Marquette president Mike Lovell said the university plans to put recruiters in other states with larger percentages of college-age individuals, like North Carolina, Geor-

Dual-enrollment students work in a manufacturing lab at Waukesha County Technical College.

John Swallow

Mike Lovell

Fall enrollment at southeastern Wisconsin colleges and universities

gia and Tennessee.

“One of the most important aspects of our enrollment strategy is actually just getting students on campus,” Lovell said. “One in three students that come here for a tour enroll here.”

Meanwhile, Carroll University, which has seen undergraduate enrollment dip in recent years, falling to 2,771 in 2022, is beefing up its recruitment efforts in Puerto Rico, where it once had a strong market, said president Cindy Gnadinger.

Back to school

As the region’s institutions look to expand their market reach, they’re also increasingly focused on working adults, offering smaller badging and credentialing programs. Carroll, for instance, has developed several graduate certificate programs in business and education. And MSOE has been steadily growing its certificate offerings, which includes the undergraduate AI for Emerging Applications Certificate, and graduate certificates in applied machine learning and “advanced business strategy using AI and analytics.”

And, although their futures might be in question, UW-Milwaukee’s two-year campuses in Washington and Waukesha counties have robust continuing education programs that offer a mix of enrichment courses and badges in software programs. The technical colleges have been offering certificates for years.

The HERA website features a “micro-credential catalog,” where prospective students and employers can search for such upskilling opportunities.

Schools are also boosting efforts to help working adults go back to school to finish their bachelor’s degrees.

“It’s very rare for a student to start at one academic institution and finish four years later,” said Mone. That’s especially true at campuses in urban environments, like UW-Milwaukee, where students often experience what Mone calls “off ramps” that lead them to leave school before graduating.

“Life happens. I become unemployed or I get married, or I have a kid, or frankly, I don’t have the money because college has gotten expensive. So, I step out for a year or two. And sometimes that year

or two becomes five or 10 years,” said Mone.

UW-Milwaukee is expecting it will see around 400 “second chance” undergraduates return to school this year.

Alverno College’s asynchronous Accelerate program allows working adults to finish their bachelor’s degrees by completing experiential learning modules, or ELMs, instead of more traditional coursework.

Although nearly every college in the region – and country for that matter – offers a bevy of online degree programs, Alverno says its program is unique because students can map out a schedule that works for them.

“Students graduate in as quickly as three years, but we’ve also taken students who have 110 credits and just need 10 more to finish,” said Kate Lundeen, vice president

Chart represents latest data from the U.S. Department of Education. Technical colleges typically offer rolling enrollment and offer alternate figures to measure their enrollment growth.

of enrollment and marketing. “They come through the program really working on things that they might be working on in their professional life or in their volunteer service.”

Supporting students

Alverno and other institutions also recognize the need to reach more Black, Hispanic and first-generation college students – demographics that continue to make up a growing percentage of high school students in the state as well as a sizable portion of Wisconsin’s young workforce. The median age of a white person in southeastern Wisconsin is 36, while the median ages for Black and Hispanic individuals are about 28 and 26 years old, respectively, according to data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

Closing college attendance and graduation gaps among Black and Hispanic students has been a mission often discussed in both secondary and higher education communities in the region, and not just for equality purposes. If universities, and the employers they serve, are to remain solvent, they will need young people of all demographics to pursue degrees.

At UW-Milwaukee, where enrollment has dropped about 22% since reaching a recent high-water mark of 27,012 in 2018, the Moon Shot for Equity program has been one effort to close those gaps. A partnership with Carthage College, MATC and UW-Parkside, the effort aims at using data-driven approaches to ensure students of

color graduate at the same rate as white students by 2030. Other efforts to close the leaky pipeline from high school to college graduation include M³ (pronounced M-cubed) and All-In Milwaukee.

Boosting aid has also been a big part of the picture, as many of the region’s most diverse populations also tend to be the poorest. At UW-Milwaukee and MATC, new “promise” programs pledge to cover any tuition costs not covered by Pell grants or Stafford loans for households making $62,000 a year or less. Carthage has a similar program called the Carthage Commitment.

At MATC, the Checota Scholarship program, which can be used to cover living expenses such as food, child care and transportation, has been especially helpful in getting lower-income students through diploma and certificate programs quickly and without debt.

Philanthropists Ellen and Joe Checota created the program in 2022 with a $5 million pledge as a two-for-one matching gift, stating they would donate $1 million for every $500,000 the MATC Foundation raises from other benefactors, making the full-funded gift worth $7.5 million.

According to recent figures from MATC, the pledge has so far resulted in the technical college collecting $4.6 million from the Checotas and other donors – money that has thus far helped 372 students stay in school and 158 graduate.

At Marquette University, dollars are increasingly going to efforts to help support Black and Hispanic students. Its Mi Casa es Tu Casa program focuses on supporting the parents of Hispanic students, especially those whose first language is Spanish. And the school recently expanded its Urban Scholars program, which provides free tu-

ition to low-income, first-generation college students who show academic merit. The program has helped the university attract more Black students from the Milwaukee area.

MSOE, which has struggled to attract women, is creating new sports programs and facilities for women sports in hopes of drawing female athletes to the school.

And at Alverno, the Thea Bowman Institute for Excellence and Leadership was recently established to provide full-tuition scholarships to Black undergraduate students “seeking professional roles in pursuit of social change and service.”

For sophomore A’Ajanae Bowie, being part of the Thea Bowman Institute has helped develop a confidence and belief in her abilities that was first sparked as a freshman in high school when she met her counselor, an Alverno alum.

“I just saw how glowing and confident she was in herself,” Bowie recalls. “And I was like, ‘Wow, Alverno did that for you? Can it do it for me?’”

Today, the 19-year-old Barack Obama School of Career and Technical Education class of 2022 valedictorian is looking forward to a career in health care administration, which she can use to help people in her community and beyond.

“I know oftentimes I see where people kind of separate themselves from others and try to just focus on the people within their circle,” Bowie said. “But I don’t want to do that. I want to be able to branch out and make connections.” n

Students and their parents wheel carts through a parking garage at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on move-in day in August.

A’Ajanae Bowie

Food halls give entrepreneurs another option to grow their business

BY MAREDITHE MEYER, staff writer

FOOT TRAFFIC IS CRITICAL

FOOD HALLS have taken the American dining scene by storm over the past decade, emerging first in culinary metropolises like New York City and Chicago before making their way to mid-sized cities and suburban mixed-use developments.

The number of food halls in the U.S. has expanded rapidly, from about 70 in 2015 to about 360 open and an additional 127 under development in 2023, according to a report by Cushman & Wakefield.

Milwaukee welcomed its first food hall in 2018 with the opening of Crossroads Collective on the East Side. Then came 3rd Street Market Hall in January 2022 – after months of pandemic-related delay – at The Avenue development in downtown’s Westown neighborhood, followed by North Avenue Market in September 2022 in a revitalized former Associated Bank branch building on the city’s west side.

Paper Table Food Co., another food hall with a

slightly different delivery-focused, “ghost kitchen” model also opened last year in the city’s central business district and – to the detriment of its tenants – has gotten off to a rocky start. As recently reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Urban Milwaukee, Paper Table has come under fire with accusations of failing to deliver the operational support it claims to offer vendors, forcing some to leave prior the end of their contract and demanding thousands in payment.

The food hall trend has grown in the face of mounting challenges for entrepreneurs in the restaurant industry, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ongoing labor shortages and tight profit margins due to rising wages and rent can be significant financial hurdles to opening a traditional brick-and-mortar restaurant. The food hall business model offers restauranteurs a lower-cost, lower-risk option of starting or scaling their business.

Ken and Tonya Hughes had no previous restaurant industry experience before launching their hot dog concept Dawg City. Inspired by the various styles of hot dogs the couple loved trying while traveling the East Coast, what was initially a fun, far-off idea evolved into a business plan while they were stuck at home during the pandemic.

Two years later in May 2022, the Hughes’s opened their first Dawg City location at 3rd Street Market Hall and “hit the ground running,” said Ken Hughes. Within six months, the business was already gearing up to expand to a second location, at North Avenue Market.

Hughes attributed the advantages of shared utility costs and consistent traffic flow coming into 3rd Street Market Hall to Dawg City’s early success and scalability. Unlike stand-alone restaurants, which drive a lot of their business from diners who are after a specific type of food or experience, food halls draw customers who might not know what they want until something catches their eye.

“So, let’s say it’s a group of 10 and four want pizza and the other six are undecided, so now

Mr. Dye's Pies opened in January at 3rd Street Market Hall.

that food hall has drawn an extra six people there who are potential customers for me,” said Hughes. “Even if we get one out of the six, it increases our foot traffic and our business by bringing everyone to one hub where they can eat a variety of foods.”

On the flip side, relying too heavily on foot traffic to other vendors or the food hall as a whole could have the opposite effect if the food hall isn’t bringing in enough people, especially for a vendor that is still building its customer base and brand.

Such is the case for Dawg City’s location at North Avenue Market, where slower foot traffic is putting a strain on business. For context, the profit Dawg City’s North Avenue location turns in an average week is what it does in a typical day at 3rd Street Market Hall, said Hughes.

“At the same time, we enjoy being (at North Avenue Market), we enjoy being in the neighborhood,” he said. “We’re just right now fighting off the storm to see what’s going to happen with that location.”

BUILDING A FOLLOWING

North Avenue Market has encountered its fair share of hurdles in its first year of operations as it works to appeal to a wide range of customers while establishing its place within the local community. Among those challenges are retaining staff and generating foot traffic, according to Chris Harris Morse, founder of North Avenue Market.

Morse owns four of the seven businesses currently operating at the market: 4 Corners Café, BTW (short for Burgers, Tots and Wings), a bar on the main level and Mosler’s Vault lower-level speakeasy, both in partnership with Milwaukee-based Bittercube. In addition to Dawg City, the market houses two other independently owned vendors: Plant Joy and Pupuseria Los Angeles.

“There are times when foot traffic can be a challenge, especially when you’re in a neighborhood like we are verses being downtown, where you have 30 hotels surrounding you and all kinds

of other events and you’re a component of that and you’ve got a lot more people going through,” said Harris Morse. “We’re trying to look at the different things we can do to get exposure.”

To that end, the venue earlier this year renovated its lower level into a space for private and community events including live music performances, comedy shows and seminars on financial literacy and female empowerment. Oftentimes, these events are how people learn about North Avenue Market for the first time. Now, the key is to build upon that momentum, said Harris Morse.

LEVELING UP

For some operators, the food hall model offers a stepping stone to the next iteration of growth. Take Mr. Dye’s Pies, for instance, which is now in its 13th year of business and in January moved into one of the four incubator-style hawker stalls at 3rd Street Market Hall.

The Milwaukee-based pie maker previously operated out of a shared commercial kitchen space located on the city’s far west side and did the lion’s share of its retailing at farmers markets, sometimes as many as 10 in one week. That’s how the business found success in building a loyal following of customers from across Wisconsin and beyond, but from an operational standpoint, it wasn’t an easy way of doing things.

“You gotta have folks who can talk to customers, be professional, somebody that can set up the tent, somebody with a driver’s license, somebody that will bring your money back – that helps. When you add it all up it’s hard,” said owner Johnathan Dye.

Opening a retail space has allowed the business to shift away from farmers markets and let customers come to them. And so far, they have. One loyal customer recently drove from as far as Kentucky, just for Mr. Dye’s Pies. Others make the trek from the Quad Cities, Chicago and Madison.

Thanks to the market hall’s draw, Mr. Dye’s has also reached a variety of new customers, many of whom are tourists or visitors from out of state.

Dye said the next step for his business will be to eventually expand into a stand-alone brick-andmortar location. The food hall operation is a good launching point towards that.

“The idea is that you come in with minimal investment and then you can showcase your product and test drive it, and then if you like it and it’s working for you, then you re-up into your next move,” said Kurt Fogle, who co-owns Dairyland Old-Fashioned Frozen Custard & Hamburgers and runs 3rd Street Market Hall’s hawker stall program with Brent Fogle, Katie Fogle and Joe McCormick.

For Milwaukee-based Scratch Ice Cream, a small corner spot at Crossroads Collective as its first retail location helped lay the groundwork for a total now of four scoop shops in the Milwaukee area, including its newest location in West Allis.

“Within the first few years of business you don’t have a ton of working capital, so this opportunity gave us a chance to have a retail location but not have to do a complete build-out and spend a bunch of money,” said Ryan Povlick, partner and founder of Scratch Ice Cream.

By the time its Crossroads Collective location opened in 2018, Scratch had built a burgeoning wholesale business. Establishing a physical, consumer-facing presence boosted brand exposure with area restaurants and grocery stores.

Last year, Scratch expanded its retail footprint with its first stand-alone brick-and-mortar location, in Brookfield. Thanks to its food hall location and mobile trailer at Zócalo Food Park, the business was ready to take the leap, said Povlick.

“It for sure gave us an idea of what to do,” he said. “Prior to this company, I didn’t have any food service experience so to get that experience on a smaller scale definitely helped. It was a pretty easy transition moving from one to the other.” n

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DAN MEYER Publisher/Owner, BizTimes Media

THE FUTURE 50 COMPANIES FUEL OUR REGION’S GROWTH

BizTimes Media and our event partner, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, are pleased to once again recognize this year’s Future 50 companies. Based on submitted nominations and an objective ranking of sales and employee growth, these are the fastest growing, privately held companies in the southeastern Wisconsin region.

Together, the 50 companies have projected 5,269 employees and $3.96 billion in annual sales for 2023, an increase of more than 60% on both measures. Their growth isn’t just fast, it is impressive.

Fast-growing companies are innovators and job creators. They develop leaders and buy goods and services in the market, fostering a healthy local economy. Of the 50, twenty-four are in manufacturing, logistics, distribution or wholesale trade and 10 are in construction. Remarkably, more than half of the 50 companies were founded before 2000, which is great to see. You don’t have to be a startup to be a fast-growing company.

Established by the MMAC in 1988, the Future 50 program recognizes the fastestgrowing, privately owned companies in the eight-county southeastern Wisconsin area that have been in business for at least three years and have shown significant revenue

Message from our sponsors:

PRESENTING SPONSOR:

NOTABLE MINORITY EXECUTIVE

and employment growth. There is no age limit for companies to participate. There is also now no limit to the number of years a company can be a Future 50 winner, because it’s vital for the growth of our region to have companies continue to innovate, reinvent and grow.

The Future 50 program is one of the many ways in which BizTimes Media encourages business growth in southeastern Wisconsin, including through our award-winning news coverage, our in-depth industry analysis and our educational and awards events throughout the year.

Thank you all for letting us share your success stories, and please reach out when you have more news to share. On behalf of BizTimes Media, the MMAC, our presenting sponsor Old National Bank and sponsor University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, thank you and congratulations to the Future 50 winners.

The Future 50 winners received their awards at a lunch program at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee on Sept. 22. Learn more about the companies in their profiles on the following pages.

Old National Bank (ONB) is proud to present the Biz Times Milwaukee Future 50 Awards. We are grateful to be a strong partner in this event that elevates and recognizes the select honored businesses that are shaping the future of the Milwaukee community.

Kevin Anderson

President,

SPONSOR:

Thank you, Kevin!

We appreciate all you do for the Milwaukee community.

Old National Bancorp is the holding company of Old National Bank, the sixth largest commercial bank headquartered in the Midwest. With $48 billion of assets and $29 billion of assets under management, Old National ranks among the top 30 banking companies headquartered in the U.S. Tracing our roots to 1834, Old National Bank has focused on community banking by building long-term, highly valued partnerships with clients and in the communities it serves. In addition to providing extensive services in retail and commercial banking, Old National offers comprehensive wealth management, investment, and capital market services. ONB is the Official Bank of the Big Ten Conference.

Congratulations on your recognition as a Notable Minority Executive. You’ve had a significant impact on this community, and we’re proud to have you on our team.

KEVIN ANDERSON President, Business Banking and Milwaukee Market, Old National Bank

PARTNER:

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business and Economics, Wisconsin’s largest, and top-ranked single business school, is proud to celebrate the 2023 Biz Times Media Future 50. From the UW-Whitewater alumni leading in these amazing organizations to the students that we are training to join alongside them blazing the trail of innovation, Whitewater is here to support area business in all stages of growth. With professional development, consultation and research, and interns or graduate certificates, master’s programs, and even Wisconsin’s only AACSB-accredited DBA program, when you are ready to take the next steps, we are here to help Wisconsin thrive. After all, your future is our business. Learn more at uww.edu/cobe.

The Milwaukee region’s future is a bright one, and much of that is due to the growth, leadership and contributions of the area’s business community. Sustaining that growth takes a collective entrepreneurial mindset and dynamic approach to an ever-changing environment.

Those we’re honoring today embody those qualities – qualities that help Milwaukee compete with other regions across the country for corporate investment and talented employees.

Congratulations to all those recognized as Future 50 companies. It is a testament to the hard work, dedication and innovative spirit each of your companies provide your customers, clientele, workforce and other stakeholders.

As you continue to grow and thrive, MMAC wishes you continued success and prosperity. We hope this recognition is a stepping stone to future growth filled with many more milestones and accomplishments.

TIM SHEEHY President, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce

,

Business Banking and Milwaukee Market

Bigger (and better) for a reason.

We’re Wisconsin’s largest business school for many reasons. One of those is our faculty.

At the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business and Economics, you won’t find a TA in sight. 100% of our courses are taught by professionals. Our faculty teach everything from our intro-level to the state’s only AACSB-accredited DBA courses. They teach online or on campus. Graduate certificates to MBAs. Whatever level, whatever the discipline-Whitewater business students have direct access to faculty vested in their success.

A STATISTICAL LOOK at the 2023 FUTURE 50

Adventure Rock

Brookfield | Founded: 1998

Industry: Rock climbing and fitness

Employees: 64

Adventure Rock offers indoor climbing, fitness and yoga at three locations in southeastern Wisconsin.

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

Eric Olson and Craig Burzynski, co-owners: “COVID-19 severely impacted not only our company, but also our entire industry. That, along with the tight labor market, have been two of our biggest challenges.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“Right now, rising interest rates are our biggest barrier to expansion.”

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

“We have incredible staff at Adventure Rock. They are one of the main reasons people keep coming back. We have also benefited from the continued desire of people to live an active and social lifestyle.”

Is there a nonprofit your company regularly supports? If so, why?

“Big Brothers Big Sisters. It’s a natural fit for us, and we love supporting their mission of creating life-changing relationships that inspire and empower children to reach their potential.”

American Construction Services Inc.

West Bend | Founded: 1980

Industry: Commercial construction | Employees: 25

American Construction Services Inc. is a commercial design, build and development firm. It operates in the industrial, retail, office, hospitality, medical and multifamily markets.

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

Kraig Sadownikow, president and chief executive officer: “We aggressively sought out alternative products, ran cost/benefit comparisons to identify new methods and communicated openly with clients. We refuse to let the big governmentcreated inflation get in the way of our progress or our customers’ success. Rising interest rates and tight financing markets are certainly a challenge but we feel there will be funds available for strong borrowers.”

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

“We strive to have a world class team that buys into the ‘never quit’ culture we have grown. We communicate, in-person, early and often. Whether it is good news or challenging, our customers and vendors always have accurate information to help them make decisions. We continuously push to get better, smarter, more efficient and experienced. We are always looking for new ways to expose ourselves to educated risk and growth opportunities.”

What’s new at your company and are you planning any major changes in the coming years?

“We are in the early stages of creating a merit-based incentive plan. We are looking at potential acquisitions and growing our property management division.”

Adventure Rock co-owners Eric Olson and Craig Burzynski

American Construction Services leaders, including president and CEO Kraig Sadownikow, center.

Arrow Sewing

Elkhorn | Founded: 2004

Industry: Sewing and craft furniture

Employees: 32

Arrow Sewing produces sewing and crafting workstations

Do you plan to make any changes to your company?

Jerry Voors, president: “We have a goal to grow another 20%. There are constant changes at Arrow Sewing as we’re always open to improving all aspects of our business, including continuing to try to bring product manufacturing back to North America.”

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

“The past few years have been very challenging. Our combination of inside and outside partners has helped, along with always having an eye out for opportunities and having a staff of smart people who pivot well in uncertain conditions.”

How would you describe your company culture?

“Family-like in the best ways possible: Team members feel seen and heard, valued and trusted. We believe in transparency and open communication, giving back (frequent bonuses and charitable contribution matching), and above all, finding joy in our work.”

What’s one thing you would change to make Milwaukee/southeastern Wisconsin better?

“Greater focus and opportunities for education and job training.”

Atomix Logistics

Cudahy | Founded: 2019

Industry: Shipping and logistics

Employees: 25 | 2023 projected sales: $8 million

Atomix Logistics provides e-commerce fulfillment and inventory management services to more than 100 online brands to lower third-party logistics costs.

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

Austin Kreinz, founder and chief executive officer: “We have to build out our warehouse infrastructure to support our clients, but physical and financial constraints make it challenging. As we continue to grow (we’ve already moved three times), we need enough space to accommodate our needs. However, as a bootstrapped company, we don’t have the luxury of buying or renting massive facilities that exceed 250,000 square feet. We have to balance the cash flow of increased rent and moving expenses with our ability to effectively support our clients’ growth.”

Where do you see the most opportunities for your company to continue growing?

“Team up with emerging brands and grow together. While many 3PLs only partner with established companies for fear of brands going bust, we take a different approach at Atomix. We partner with these brands early on to support their growth and success.”

What’s the best business advice you’ve received?

“Just get started. I’ve heard from people numerous times that they hesitate or refuse to start something whether it’s related to business or personal matters because they worry too much about the what ifs.”

Arrow Sewing leaders (left to right): Dave Krug, COO; Jerry Voors, president; and Peter Wright, CFO

Atomix Logistics leadership team: Austin Kreinz, founder and CEO; Patrick Day, COO; and Andrew Webber, CTO

Automated Energy Solutions

New Berlin | Founded: 2011 Industry: Energy Services

Employees: 60

Automated Energy Solutions is a provider of building automation solutions and building energy management systems.

With locations in New Berlin, Green Bay and Nebraska, the company offers a combination of hardware, software and services. Product and service offerings include building automation, analytics integration, financing, building commissioning and monitoring.

“AES builds its business on strategic partnerships, strong human capital resources and innovative value creation for clients,” the company’s website says.

The company’s service markets include municipalities, schools and universities, health care, and commercial and industrial users.

With energy costs often being a top expenditure for many companies just behind labor, Automation Energy Solutions’ offerings aim to help customers identify cost savings by addressing improper control methods, unnecessary on-peak use, power factor issues and unneeded energized electrical loads.

AES also works in areas like indoor air quality, identifying cases where a building is underventilated or highly insulated, potentially leading to increased levels of volatile organic compounds in a facility.

Other company areas of expertise include interior and exterior lighting, solar, battery storage, water and wastewater, irrigation, maximizing equipment life, reducing downtime and optimizing system performance.

Basic Metals, Inc.

Germantown | Founded: 1980 Industry: Metals distribution

Employees: 51

Basic Metals Inc. is a metal supplier specializing in the distribution of stainless steel and aluminum products.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Andrew Fogel, president: “We are blessed to have outstanding long-term relationships with some of Wisconsin’s largest manufacturing companies. By actively engaging with our customers, listening to their needs, and exceeding their expectations, we’ve formed partnerships that are mutually beneficial.”

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

“We’ve been able to mitigate some of these challenges by having strict inventory management procedures in place and by having contingency plans ready to be implemented for when something inevitably goes wrong.”

Do you plan to make any changes to your company?

“We plan to add additional warehousing, processing equipment and inventory to meet our customer needs. This growth will take place at our Germantown headquarters, our Arizona branch and a new potential branch in the southeast United States.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“Fluctuating raw material costs and supply chain disruptions. Simply put, if we don’t have metal to supply at a competitive price, we cannot grow our business.”

What’s the best business advice you’ve received?

“Do what you say you are going to do.”

Basic Metals president Andrew Fogel

Benz Metal Products, Inc.

Menomonee Falls | Founded: 1972 Industry: Manufacturing

Employees: 43

Benz Metal Products provides steel, stainless and aluminum sheet metal fabrication services for both short- and long-run production.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Jacob van der Kooy, chief executive officer: “We bought an additional building, increasing our footprint to three locations across southeast Wisconsin. The additional property has been used to increase our service offerings to our customers.”

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

“Increasing our locations and adding additional services that we used to outsource. Powder coating used to be one of our biggest supply chain struggles as an outsourced service we previously provided customers. The third location has allowed us to internally control our product flow while increasing our volumes.”

Where do you see the most opportunities for your company to continue growing?

“Currently, our opportunities to grow continue to be with local OEMs. As long as Benz keeps reinvesting in our employees and additional equipment, we will be able to continue growing with our customers as well as having the capacity to take on new customers.”

What’s the best business advice you’ve received?

“From my grandfather: ‘Lose fast, lose cheap!’”

Best Version Media

Brookfield | Founded: 2007 Industry: Advertising

Employees: 86

Best Version Media provides print and digital advertising services to local businesses.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Kevin O’Brien, chief executive officer: “At BVM, our culture is incredibly important and contributes to our growth. It’s best described by our three founding principles: professional will, compassionate heart and a fun-loving spirit – all centered around humility. We have a dedicated group of employees as well as independent contractors who work hard to build thriving businesses across the U.S. and Canada.”

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

“We developed an impressive virtual presentation so publishers could continue making advertising sales remotely. This helped our sales field continue earning commissions during a challenging time. BVM now offers a flex schedule to employees who are located near the company headquarters, allowing employees to work from home three days per week while coming into the office the other two days. This flexibility has led to increased productivity throughout the business and gives BVM employees the ability to get the best of both work environments.

Benz Metal Products cheif executive officer Jacob van der Kooy

Best Version Media leaders (left to right): Brad Paust, SVP of operations; Kevin O’Brien, CEO; Katie Wold, SVP of brand delivery

Bevco Engineering Co.

Sussex | Founded: 1965 Industry: Manufacturing

Employees: 99

Bevco Engineering designs and builds electrical control systems and panels for the industrial, health care and electric vehicle markets.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Chris Shult, chief executive officer: “Our commitment to quality, on-time delivery and ability to help drive costs down through our automation has helped our growth over the past three years.”

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

“We have worked hard to create a great working environment for our entire team, including developing better training methods to get new employees productive in a shorter time frame.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“The ability to scale the business quickly and having the right people with the necessary skill sets.”

What’s new at your company and are you planning any major changes in the coming years?

“We are continuing to invest in new equipment and automation. This includes going through a business process transformation through the implementation of a new enterprise resource planning system. We also anticipate the expansion of our current facility.”

What’s the best business advice you’ve received?

“Listen to your customers and your employees. They will both tell you what they need to help make your company successful.”

Bliffert Lumber & Hardware

Oak Creek | Founded: 1904 Industry: Construction and building materials

Employees: 335 | 2023 projected sales: $240 million

Bliffert Lumber & Hardware supplies building materials and hardware to contractors and homeowners primarily located in southern Wisconsin.

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

Eli Bliffert, owner: “We were able to manage through supply chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic because we built up much of our inventory leading into the pandemic, which allowed us to provide products to customers when our competitors were running out of the product.”

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

“The southern Wisconsin community is underbuilt from a housing standpoint. The demand for new construction resulting from this realization has driven growth significantly.”

What’s new at your company and are you planning any major changes in the coming years?

“We expanded into selling cabinets as we diversify our product line and try to get more into the remodeling segment of the industry.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“Increasing interest rates and slowing economic growth could lead to fewer construction projects in the future, which would slow demand for our product.”

The Bevco Engineering team

Bliffert Lumber & Hardware owner Eli Bliffert

Briohn Building Corp.

Brookfield | Founded: 1979

Industry: Commercial construction

Employees: 40 | 2023 projected sales: $155 million

Briohn Building Corp. designs, builds and develops industrial and commercial buildings and business parks.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Nelson Williams, chief executive officer: “A great team of dedicated employees who are experts in their field, who love their job and are problem solvers at their core (We’re hiring, by the way – come join us). Great clients who trust us to help grow their businesses. Each of them inspires us to continue to innovate and improve what we do. Our great team of subcontractors and trade partners who are the ‘boots on the ground’ at our job sites. They work hard every day – rain, snow or sun – to deliver results.”

Where do you see the most opportunities for your company to continue growing?

“Architecture, engineering, construction, land development and property management are all areas where we continue to invest and grow. Our clients are asking us to travel with them into other markets, which provides growth opportunities as well.”

Do you plan to make any changes to your company?

“Due to continued demand from our clients and partners, we continue to hire new talent, and we’re expanding our office to make room for this. We’re also adding a large collaboration space where we can gather our team, clients and partners in a social environment from time to time.”

Central Standard Craft Distillery

Milwaukee | Founded: 2014 Industry: Manufacturing | Employees: 25

Central Standard is a craft distillery that produces a line of spirits, all distilled and bottled in Milwaukee. The distillery’s renovated 150-year-old building in downtown Milwaukee houses a tasting room, restaurant, event venue and rooftop bar

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Evan Hughes, chief executive officer, and Pat McQuillan, president: “Over the last three years we have invested a lot in people, R&D and equipment. Investing in all of this has helped grow the company and get out to tell our story more. The community support for Central Standard has been tremendous and this wouldn’t be possible without them.”

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

“Being close with all of our partners along the way from bankers, glass suppliers, farmers, distributors and retailers has been critical to us being able to move forward and grow. Everything is more expensive and takes longer, so being locked in with our partners has helped to weather the storm so far.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“Continuing to stay with consumer trends and make products that the public desires.”

Briohn Building Corp. team members, including CEO Nelson Williams, left.

Central Standard Craft Distillery CEO Evan Hughes and president Pat McQuillan

Color Ink, Inc.

Sussex | Founded: 1984 Industry: Printing Employees: 96 | 2023 projected sales: $24 million

Color Ink is an experiential communications company that focuses on packaging, visual displays, retail signage and influencer kits.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Todd Meissner, president: “The rising demand for consumer products and packaging, along with the reduced capacity to supply goods and services has helped propel our growth in this post-COVID economy.”

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

“We have had to be disciplined in our approach to taking on additional business. With the huge spike in the cost of everything, we really got out in front of it with our customers early on. Letting them know turnaround times and advising of price increases well in advance of an order was instrumental in maintaining their trust in us. The PPP loans were instrumental for us to be able to reinvest in updated technology to help increase automation and throughput. Rather than try and fuel growth with additional labor, we increased capacity with our equipment purchases.”

What’s new at your company and are you planning any major changes in the coming years?

“We just completed installation of a brand new six-color Komori Lithrone printing press. This $2.5 million investment will help us grow to the next level to better serve our customers.”

NOTABLES & RISING STARS 2023

Keep up with BizTimes’ 2023 roundup of the leaders making a difference throughout southeast Wisconsin. At companies across southeast Wisconsin, notable executives are running businesses, navigating company restructurings, serving on boards, running marketing departments, and investing in growth throughout the region. The notable individuals profiled in these categories are nominated by their peers at work and in the community.

Look

N OTA BLE WOMEN I N HOSPITALITY

Recognizing notable women in hospitality who are credited with making Milwaukee a must-see, must-stay destination.

Nomination Deadline: October 6, 2023

Issue Date: November 13, 2023

for these Notable and Rising Stars nominations in 2023!

Notable Health Care Leaders

Nomination deadline: November 3, 2023

Issue date: December 11, 2023

NEW! Notable Litigators & Trial Attorneys

Nomination deadline: November 3, 2023

Issue date: December 11, 2023

Color Ink, Inc. leadership (left to right): Kathy Sandstrom, executive vice president; Austin Meissner, VP of Operations; and Todd Meissner, president.

Duffek Construction

Waukesha | Founded: 2017 Industry: Construction

Employees: 17 | 2023 projected sales: $26.5 million

Duffek Construction is a full-service design-build firm that serves small businesses in Wisconsin.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Mike Duffek, president: “Great relationships with clients, design professionals and trade partners. Great team members who have been empowered. Strong core values: honesty, humility and hard work.”

Where do you see the most opportunities for your company to continue growing?

“Business owners need an agile, team-focused construction partner that has their best interests in mind. We understand that there are larger, more high-profile projects, but our focus is on people, communities and the Wisconsin small businesses that enrich both.”

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

“Through improved communication, a proactive focus and an understanding that change is inevitable, we have been able to navigate supply chain, inflation and labor market challenges. We take absolute ownership for our responsibilities and work hard each day to turn challenges into opportunities.”

Do you plan to make any changes to your company?

“As we continue to grow, we will look to add driven and passionate people and widen our focus to encompass building throughout Wisconsin. This will include growing our Waukesha office and potentially adding offices in other parts of Wisconsin.”

What’s the best business advice you’ve received?

“There is always opportunity when you do the right thing.”

Edge Electric

Pewaukee | Founded: 2011 Industry: Construction

Employees: 108

Edge Electric provides electrical contractor services for residential and commercial customers in southeastern Wisconsin.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Nathan Stoppenbach, president: “Effective project management, strategic planning and adaptability. It’s important for Edge to continue evolving and responding to market demands and industry trends to maintain growth in the future.”

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

“We try to stay up to date with the latest news and trends related to supply chain disruptions, inflation, interest rates and labor markets. Knowledge is power, and being aware of the evolving situation helps us make informed decisions.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“There is a shortage of skilled electricians. This scarcity can lead to project delays and increased labor costs. Fluctuations in material costs and supply chain disruptions can also affect project budgets and timelines. Edge Electric will continue to focus on efficient project management, accurate cost estimation and effective risk assessment. Building strong partnerships with suppliers and customers and maintaining a commitment to quality and safety are essential for sustained growth.”

How would you describe your company culture?

“Transparent and open communication is encouraged, fostering an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their ideas, concerns and feedback.”

Duffek Construction president Mike Duffek.

Edge Electric president Nathan Stoppenbach.

Empower Electric

Waukesha | Founded: 2018

Industry: Electrical construction

Employees: 25

Empower Electric is an electrical contractor that specializes in commercial, industrial and residential projects, including generators, car chargers, service upgrades, lighting upgrades, remodels, fire alarm systems, low-voltage systems, landscape lighting and smart home automation.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Allison Bursiek and Michelle Zaskowski, owners: “Building rapport with customers and general contractors by providing quality service in a timely manner.”

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

“Empower Electric has navigated the challenging times by working with vendors to keep an eye on supply levels and pricing and anticipating increases in materials to lock in prices as quickly as possible.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“The tight labor market has been a large obstacle for growth.”

Evans Transportation

Delafield | Founded: 1985

Industry: Logistics and Supply Chain

Employees: 120

Evans Transportation provides third-party logistics and transportation management services for companies in several industries including automotive, energy, manufacturing and health care.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Ryan Keepman, chief executive officer: “Focusing on collaboration, team-based selling, and leading towards solutions. In addition, finding customers that are aligned with our interest in true long-term partnership.”

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

“Our value is navigating the supply chain, culturally communicating failures and finding options for customers. We’re fortunate that we tend to thrive in challenging times. We utilized the past few years to expand on technology during that time to increase the speed of communication.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“Ensuring we have people who are in the right seat and utilizing their strengths.”

Do you plan to make any changes to your company?

“Add more experts, expand in parcel experience and warehousing connections. We intend to gain more exposure to retail markets.”

How would you describe your company culture?

“Our people are our priority, we thrive on our guiding principles: integrity, positivity, passion, communication and trust.”

Empower Electric owners Allison Bursiek and Michelle Zaskowski

Evans Transportation leadership including CEO Ryan Keepman, second from right.

Galbraith Carnahan Architects

Wauwatosa | Founded: 2012

Industry: Architecture and engineering

Employees: 12

Galbraith Carnahan Architects designs buildings for office, residential, hospitality and multifamily projects.

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

Joe Galbraith, partner: “One of our biggest challenges has been the tight labor market. We have overcome these challenges by engaging with UW-Milwaukee’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning, building a reputation among the student body to attract top candidates.”

Where do you see the most opportunities for your company to continue growing?

“We see growth opportunities in being involved with larger and more complex projects, in addition to serving clients throughout the Midwest.”

Do you plan to make any changes to your company?

“We would like to expand our services to more clients regionally, focusing on hospitality and housing projects.”

What’s one thing you would change to make Milwaukee/southeastern Wisconsin better?

“Real population growth. By attracting, retaining and building a real sense of growth for the region, we feel the momentum and optimism of new residents will carry over into all aspects of life in the city.”

What’s the best business advice you’ve received?

“You have to stay flexible. Have a plan but be able to adapt as challenges or opportunities present themselves. We have a guiding principle, called Possibility Thinking, which encourages staff to challenge the status quo and consider unique solutions.”

Great Lakes Rubber and Supply

Glendale | Founded: 1954 Industry: Industrial Manufacturing | Employees: 80

Great Lakes Rubber and Supply distributes sealing products including rubber, plastics and metals to equipment manufacturers and repair operators around the world.

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

George Baumann, president: “The key challenge we have had to deal with is the tight labor markets. We have navigated this challenge by hiring an internal HR generalist who has helped us hire more proactively, we have used outsourced HR firms for some key roles in sales and technology, and we have continued to invest in the development of our current team to improve retention and reducing the amount of hiring needed to replace roles.”

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

“Acquisitions, hiring a strong team and developing a strong culture. For acquisitions, we have bought five companies in the past 13 months that have bolstered our manufacturing and software capabilities. It has also expanded our footprint from two locations to six locations across the country. We have also hired over 50 people in the last two years that have given us new talent, different skill sets and helped us build our internal brand. Finally, we have invested money in our team, both internally and externally, to develop our talent pool and retain quality people.”

The Galbraith Carnahan Architects team.

The Great Lakes Rubber and Supply team.

Gorilla Mill

Waukesha | Founded: 1974 Industry: Industrial machinery manufacturing Employees: 52 | 2023 projected sales: $17.5 million

Gorilla Mill produces high-performance solid carbide cutting tools for the metal removing industries.

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

Kevin Cranker, president: “Talented employees who can think outside the box and work through problems. Selecting vendors and suppliers that are there for us when things are tough and finding talent via unconventional means. Having a very close relationship with our bank, lawyers and accountants. All of which we consult daily to stay ahead of any potential disasters.”

What’s new at your company and are you planning any major changes in the coming years?

“We will soon grow out of our 24,000-square-foot facility as we did the original 8,000-sqaure-foot facility. One of our biggest challenges is always trying to keep our facility ahead of our growth.

“An ownership change will take place in 2025. The new owners have been honing their skills here at Gorilla Mill for many years and know the culture and processes. They are ready to take the reins.”

Where do you see the most opportunities for your company to continue growing?

“We are already in the defense, weapons, medical, space exploration, aerospace and manufacturing segments. As new industries arise, we will continue to seek out areas of opportunity. We also still have a very large portion of the above industries that we do not fully dominate – yet.”

PROUD TO BE A FUTURE 50 WINNER

The Gorilla Mill team

Thank You IEWC Team For

ADVANCING A CONNECTED WORLD

IEWC New Berlin | Founded: 1962 Industry: Wire and cable Employees: 766

IEWC is a global distributor of electric wire, cable and wire management products for industrial automation, commercial vehicles, telecom, renewable energies and more.

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

Mike Veum, president and chief executive officer: “We are viewed as entrusted partners not just to our customers, but also our suppliers. Those relationships have allowed us to be creative in finding solutions around supply chain obstacles. We partner with our suppliers and customers in a unique way, finding ways to grow each other’s businesses mutually. We move quickly to pursue new growth markets regardless of outside economic factors.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“Talent is always the key to keep the accelerator on growth. Because of that, IEWC has been very intentional in building a culture of success and providing training and opportunities for employees so that they can reach their fullest potential. We have seen an incredible level of engagement that allows us to continue driving our ambitious goals.”

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

“We are very focused on driving continuous improvements within our company, striving for digital dominance and pursuing high-growth industries that could benefit from the highvalue partnerships and value-add services IEWC can bring to their businesses.”

IEWC leadership (left to right): Mike Veum, president and CEO; Tim Teske, CFO; Michelle Osman, COO; Scot Stein, chief information and digital officer

Implecho

Pewaukee | Founded: 2013 Industry: Technology

Employees: 9

Implecho provides rental and purchase audio communications solutions for events, tours, training and jobsite applications.

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

Bridget Pedersen, vice president: “Our business was hit hard in 2020 given that the events industry effectively shut down for an extended period. There was an increase in transparency with our suppliers to limit the disruption of the supply chain to our customers. We saw a positive effect on supplier relationships that are now stronger than ever.”

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

“In 2021, after a strategic merger with TourGuide Solutions and Rhino Communication Rentals, we changed our company name to Implecho. We took an intentional, strategic approach to scale and differentiate our organization, which led to revenue growth and operational efficiency.”

What’s the best business advice you’ve received?

“To lead with our purpose in strategy, execution, people development and recruitment. Understanding the ‘why’ behind our brand helps elevate our team culture and accelerate growth.”

How would you describe your company culture?

“Our employee-ownership culture is rich. The team continuously works on the business and our interpersonal dynamic. Our core values around teamwork, thinking big, being success driven and having fun are prominent in everything we do internally and externally.”

Kelmann Restoration

Wauwatosa | Founded: 1973

Industry: Property restoration

Employees: 90

Kelmann Restoration provides property remodeling and restoration services after fires, floods and storm damage.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Thomas Kelly, president: “One, we have retained talented employees by investing in them, prioritizing benefits, wellness and flexibility. Two, we have identified the type of work we do best, creating a focused sales approach. Three, we have expanded both our service areas and the services we offer, launching a new remodeling division and developing our contents restoration department.”

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

“Supply chain disruption forced us to reevaluate our entire client communication structure. We also changed our overall process to order as many materials up front to get the clock ticking on long lead times. Tight labor markets inspired us to get creative, investing in meaningful benefits that employees can enjoy every day. As we have battled inflation and other challenges, we have become even smarter and more intentional with our expansion. Every single employee is a participant in this mindset, not just our accounting department.”

What one thing would you change to make Milwaukee/southeastern Wisconsin better?

“To improve southeastern Wisconsin, we would channel our own corporate tagline, ‘family first,’ to encourage an approach to gratitude, togetherness and joy in both our private and shared lives.”

The Implecho team

Kelmann Restoration leadership including president Thomas Kelly, center

Kesslers Diamond Center, Inc.

Germantown | Founded: 1980

Industry: Retail, jewelry

Employees: 133

Kesslers Diamonds is a jewelry retailer that specializes in diamonds, engagement rings and diamond fashion jewelry.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Joseph Gehrke, chief executive officer: “Despite the challenges over the last three years, our dynamic leadership team and dedicated employee owners were able to pivot effectively to adapt to changes during COVID. Many retailers backed off on their marketing messages during COVID, but we chose to continue to invest in sales and marketing through the recession which allowed us to further augment our long-standing radio messages with enhanced digital outreach through new and unique channels.”

Where do you see the most opportunities for your company to continue growing?

“Our biggest growth opportunity is in our newest locations in the Grand Rapids, Michigan, area. We are well established in most of our Wisconsin markets, and we need to continue to build new relationships and partnerships in Michigan. Additionally, further growth opportunities will come from expanding our brick-and-mortar footprint in existing and adjacent markets, accelerating our e-commerce capabilities and selectively exploring M&A opportunities.”

What’s the best business advice you’ve received?

“I had a former mentor that always used to quote Woody Allen: ‘80% of success in life is just showing up.’ I have always interpreted that advice as needing to be present and available for others and not being afraid to work hard.”

Koru Health LLC

Wauwatosa | Founded: 2017

Industry: Senior living

Employees: 407

Koru Health owns and operates full-service senior living communities, including independent living, assisted living and memory care.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Andrew Lange, president and founder: “One, focusing on outcomes; internal and external relationships (employees and paying customers). We have found the focus on these relationships drive a lot of the financial success we have. Two, building and maintaining strong local relationships. Senior living is an extremely localized product/service with most customers originating from very close proximity to any given business unit (building). Three, following our mission of serving others in a manner that is ethical, compliant and consistent with the integrity this work requires.

Where do you see the most opportunities for your company to continue growing?

“The rising expectations of our internal and external customers creates a great body of opportunity to change the landscape of senior living and senior services. Our sector has been defined in recent years by a rapidly evolving operating environment on all fronts. Amongst the challenges this creates, it offers us some clarity and defines pathways we must travel to be successful long term.”

How would you describe your company culture?

“Mission driven, growth minded, outcome focused, with a best-in-class expectation.”

Kesslers Diamond Center chief executive officer Joseph Gehrke

Koru Health president and founder Andrew Lange

Lakeland Supply Inc.

Pewaukee | Founded: 1984 Industry: Packaging

Employees: 45

Lakeland Supply produces and distributes a full line of packaging supplies, janitorial products, paper products and industrial facility supplies.

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

Vince Schmidt, president: “We have increased our inventory levels to make sure we could deliver to our customers, along with storing and releasing customers’ custom stock so that they didn’t have lead-time issues.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“The business world has changed over the years; many people would rather email or have virtual meetings, whereas Lakeland prefers person-to-person meetings. This is where we thrive in creating relationships and in bringing more value to our customers with creative solutions.”

Do you plan to make any changes to your company?

“Lakeland is looking closely at a 60,000-square-foot warehouse expansion in the next year or so.”

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

“We added three new sales professionals to our team, increased inventory levels during supply chain issues and continue to live our mission: Leave all we meet better than before.”

How would you describe your company culture?

“Our culture includes values that our employees possess and demonstrate every day: integrity, passion, fun, gratitude, reliability, responsiveness, positive attitude, ownership, faith, consistency, excellence, consideration and balance.”

Lauber Business Partners

Milwaukee | Founded: 1986 Industry: Business services

Employees: 40

Lauber Business Partners provides professional consulting services to small and mid-sized companies in the areas of human resources, finance and accounting, nonprofit management, recruiting, strategic planning and leadership, and team development.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Owners Mark Wiesman, chief executive officer, and Julie Tolan, executive vice president:

“We have added great people to our team, launched new services, improved marketing and ramped up business development.”

Do you plan to make any changes to your company?

“We recently moved our HQ to Cathedral Square office space.”

Where do you see the most opportunities for your company to continue growing?

“Continuing to increase the market awareness of all our service lines and expanding geographically.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“Attracting the right talent and expanding our geographic footprint.”

How would you describe your company culture?

“Collaborative, ethical, client focused and fun-loving.”

The Lakeland Supply team

Julie Tolan, executive vice president, and Mark Wiesman, chief executive officer, of Lauber Business Partners

Lisbon Creek Systems

Milwaukee | Founded: 2016

Industry: Technology and communications

Employees: 18 | 2023 projected sales: $2.8 million

Lisbon Creek Systems provides design, installation and support services for protective, communication and audio/video systems as well as managed IT services.

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

Earl Ziebell and Ken Vandervest, co-owners: “By maintaining a diversified suppliers portfolio, we have minimized order backups and shortages, ensuring continuity in our services. Our focus on hiring individuals with the right attitude and alignment with our vision has resulted in low employee turnover, contributing to stability within our team.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“The rising real estate costs present a substantial barrier, particularly in terms of new construction for our existing and prospective customers. The escalation in property prices also affects our clients’ ability to grow and invest in new projects.”

What’s new at your company and are you planning any major changes in the coming years?

“We are in the process of growing our sales force to further our reach and to better serve our customers. We’re transitioning into a new 10,000-square-foot building, a change that will provide our team with an improved working environment and enable more efficient operations.”

How would you describe your company culture?

“Rooted in innovation, collaboration and respect. As a family-centric business, we prioritize nurturing relationships both within the team and with our customers.”

Earl Ziebell and Ken Vandervest, co-owners of Lisbon Creek Systems

Magellan Promotions

West Allis | Founded: 2005

Industry: Promotional products

Employees: 15

Magellan Promotions provides custom promotional products, apparel, awards and event signage to businesses, nonprofits and higher education institutions.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Michael Wolaver, chief executive officer: “Our agency approach forms the foundation of strong client partnerships. We have further leaned into niching with specific departments on college campuses nationwide, which allows us to leverage our team’s collegiate expertise to deeply understand our client needs and deliver results-driving solutions. With the growth of marketing through the physical mailbox over the past few years, our mailing and fulfillment services and expertise help make our clients’ jobs easier and more impactful.”

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

“Magellan Promotions has worked to remain as honest as possible to our team and clients about the challenges of the past few years. We communicated the challenges we were facing along with solutions to work around them. By being proactive about the challenges we were facing, we were able to mitigate them as much as possible.”

How would you describe your company culture?

“Our culture is intentionally fostered to embody our EPIC core values: Expertise, Partnerships, Innovation and Creativity. We are a community that thrives on shared values and a passion for excellence.”

MARS Solutions Group

Waukesha | Founded: 2006

Industry: IT Staffing and consulting

Employees: 315

MARS Solutions Group is a staffing and consulting firm for the information technology industry, that helps clients hire top-tier talent in tech-related fields.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Rashi Khosla, founder and chief executive officer: “We help companies reach their DE&I efforts through our network of talent and resources. MARS Solutions Group has been a strong advocate for giving opportunities to people who come from diverse backgrounds. Here at MARS, 44% of our company is female, 56% of our company is male and 86% of our consultants identify as BIPOC.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“2023 has presented many obstacles to the IT industry, including talent acquisition and retention, market saturation and skills gaps. The United States unemployment rate is at 3.6% overall, and 2% in technology.”

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

“As the COVID-19 pandemic slowed and many businesses returned to normal, employees were voluntarily quitting their jobs at the highest rates seen since December 2000. MARS Solutions Group helped our clients navigate this challenging time by alleviating the stress of finding the right candidate for the job and for their company culture.”

Where do you see the most opportunities for your company to continue growing?

“The MARS Returnship program has welcomed over 60 people into our program, offering technical training, professional development and placement assistance. We have successfully helped over 80% of our participants re-enter the workforce.”

The Magellan Promotions team

The MARS Solutions Group team

Midwest Precision Molding

Lake Geneva | Founded: 1980

Industry: Injection molding

Employees: 50 | 2023 projected sales: $11 million

Midwest Precision Molding is a plastic injection molder serving several industries including medical, communications, food and water filtration.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Patrick Austin, president: “We service a diverse range of customers that appreciate our attention to detail and the timeliness of our shipments as well as the high quality we provide using ISO 9001:2015 standards.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“The current slowing U.S. economy is our biggest obstacle. We have a beautiful facility, abundant material and supplies and a workforce that stands ready to produce great products right here in Wisconsin.”

Do you plan to make any changes to your company?

“Being a family-owned and -operated company allows us to take our company in any direction that we decide. Currently, we plan to grow our company and add processes and technology as needed to support our customers.”

What’s one thing you would change to make Milwaukee/southeastern Wisconsin better?

“We need more support at the junior high school and high school level from the state as well as school administrations to provide an introduction to manufacturing as well as other technical skills to our young people. We are seeing too many of our youth not realizing the opportunities available to them.”

The Midwest Precision Molding leadership team

MilwaukeeWarehouse

Milwaukee | Founded: 2018

Industry: Warehousing and distribution

Employees: 22

Milwaukee Warehouse is a warehouse and distribution services company that provides storage of raw materials and finished goods for local manufacturers, food-grade warehouse services to the food and beverage industry, container unload and distribution services to big box retailers and order fulfillment and cross dock services.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

John Arcuri, president: “Manufacturers continue to place greater emphasis on their core manufacturing business, outsourcing peripheral activities such as warehousing and distribution to those that can run this operation more efficiently and at a lower cost. The uncertainty of the supply chain continues to create a strong demand for warehouse space from manufacturers who are stockpiling raw materials closer to home.”

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

“Taking care of our customers is just one key to navigating a challenging market. All of the good organizations understand this and are able to deliver excellent service. We look out for each other, making sure each one is OK. This foundation powers us through the ups and downs of the market.”

What’s the best business advice you’ve received?

“Be kind.”

Moore Construction Services, LLC

Menomonee Falls | Founded: 2007

Industry: Construction | Employees: 24

2023 projected sales: $90 million

Moore Construction Services provides construction management, design-build and general contracting services to commercial, institutional and multifamily markets.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Mike Moore, president: “First and foremost, our team. We have assembled an exceptional group of construction professionals who are passionate about their work and delivering projects for our customers. Second, our customers. Our goal is to work with customers who value us as a true partner. A large portion of our work is repeat business, and we have grown alongside many of our first customers, which has been rewarding.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“Changing a mindset, from always having the ability to take on more work to not overcommitting ourselves, so we can properly service our customers.”

Where do you see the most opportunities for your company to continue growing?

“I see us continuing to grow in the distribution/fulfillment and senior living sectors as they both continue to be in high demand.”

How would you describe your company culture?

“We have a positive, fun, hard-working and family-oriented culture with the goal of providing our team meaningful work while ensuring they are in a position to succeed.”

The MilwaukeeWarehouse team

Moore Construction Services leaders (left to right): Austin Moore, vice president; Mike Moore, president; and Tom Smith, executive vice president

MPE

Milwaukee | Founded: 1978 Industry: Manufacturing Employees: 312

MPE is an ISO-certified contract manufacturer specializing in medium-volume production for medical and technologies companies.

Where do you see the most opportunities for your company to continue growing?

Hank Kohl, president and chief executive officer: “The adoption of a value-based health care system. This approach to health care brings in the need for innovative and new medical devices that have the true ability to enhance lives across the globe. MPE has the capacity and expertise to back these projects, along with the ability to grow with them as their demand grows.”

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

“By involving our supply chain and project management experts in every stage of our clients’ product development, we’ve significantly reduced costs and manufacturing time.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“The lack of access to appropriately educated human capital. Without the right talent, it becomes difficult to stay ahead of the curve by adapting to changing market conditions and innovating new products.”

What’s new at your company and are you planning any major changes in the coming years?

“We plan to continue working closely with educational partners to bridge the gap between industry and education. We plan to achieve this by expanding our engineering internship programs and by supporting our workforce through continued education opportunities.”

MPE president and CEO Hank Kohl

Palmer Hamilton LLC

Elkhorn | Founded: 1986 Industry: Manufacturing

Employees: 170

Palmer Hamilton produces a line of furniture, including tables, booths and chairs for schools, health care facilities and corporate environments.

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

John Gardner, president and chief executive officer: “Palmer Hamilton has been very nimble in adapting to the challenges over the past few years, many of which continue today. From a supply chain point of view, well over 90% of what Palmer Hamilton purchases is made in America, which has helped. However, Palmer Hamilton has invested in manufacturing capabilities to insource some critical parts to control more of the items used in manufacturing. Palmer Hamilton heavily invested in employee recruiting and retention, especially for skilled labor. The 18-month effort has paid off in significant ways. Our turnover rate is about half what it was in 2021, and we are very close to being fully staffed for the first time since 2020.”

Where do you see the most opportunities for your company to continue growing?

“Our strategic focus is to continue to invest in and improve our core business by streamlining manufacturing and becoming easier to do business with, specifically focusing on increasing efficiencies in certain aspects of our business. Working to improve in these areas will then help focus on geographic areas in North America where we feel we have significant opportunity to grow.”

PartsBadger LLC

Cedarburg | Founded: 2017 Industry: Manufacturing

Employees: 41 | 2023 projected sales: $24 million

PartsBadger is an online machine shop offering machined and fabricated parts for supply chain managers, engineers, product designers and manufacturers.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Roy Dietsch, chief executive officer: “PartsBadger has a culture of innovation, speed and responsiveness in which everyone is encouraged to think outside the box and create opportunity. At the root of this innovation is a creative and adaptable team that fundamentally believes in transforming manufacturing for the better.”

Where do you see the most opportunities for your company to continue growing?

“Adding capabilities while deploying technology that will reduce price and lead times on high-mix low-volume production.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“Access to growth capital as a Midwest-based business. As a tech/manufacturing hybrid, PartsBadger is fortunate to be able to achieve significant growth but with that comes financial challenges and there simply aren’t many sources of capital to invest in our type of business. To date, all of our growth has been supported by the reinvestment of earnings into our team and technology.”

Do you plan to make any changes to your company?

“We plan to continue to invest in developing and deploying technology to fundamentally transform manufacturing on the shop floor, which includes equipment purchases, facility expansion and R&D.”

How would you describe your company culture?

“Fast. Innovative. Responsive. Friendly.”

Palmer Hamilton leaders (left to right) Back Row: Greg Gray, director of operations; Preston Gardner, VP of product; John Gardner, CEO and president; Ty Maras, VP of National Sales, PHDesign, PHabLAB and INVENTORCLOUD; Richard Hein, director of Marketing. Front Row: Michelle White, director of HR; Joseph Hughes, VP of finance; Michele Stamper, customer service manager. Not Pictured: Teri Wilson-Ruggles, director of PHDesign

The PartsBadger team, including CEO Roy Dietsch, third from left

Friday, November 17, 2023

7:00 AM – Registration & Networking | 7:30-9:45 AM – Breakfast & Program | Brookfield Conference Center

Prepare Your Next Move

Are you positioned for future opportunities?

Join industry experts for a keynote and panel discussion on strategies to thrive in dynamic commercial real estate landscape, including dealing with higher interest rates, rising construction costs, housing affordability issues and a soft post-pandemic office market. You will gain insights into emerging trends and connect with professionals from across the industry. Join us November 17th to shape your future success.

Keynote: Spencer Levy, Global Client Strategist and Senior Economic Advisor, CBRE

Spencer Levy, part of the Global Client Care team at CBRE and host of The Weekly Take podcast, will start the program by sharing his thoughts on the current state of commercial real estate, informed by hundreds of conversations with the largest occupiers and investors in the world.

Panelists:

• Marianne Burish, Executive Vice President, Transwestern (1)

Tim Gokhman, Managing Director, New Land Enterprises (2)

Kevin Newell, CEO, Royall Capital (3)

• Derek Taylor, COO, Three Leaf Partners (4)

Moderator:

• Andy Hunt, Vieth Director, Center for Real Estate, Marquette University (5)

Sponsors:

Pattyn North America

Sussex | Founded: 2011 Industry: Manufacturing

Employees: 46 | 2023 projected sales: $45 million

Pattyn North America manufactures stand-alone packaging machines and fully automated turnkey solutions for industrial bulk packaging.

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

Dustin Konruff, managing director: “We have vertically integrated most of our production components to better control our supply chain. We have invested in expanding our inventory levels to maintain competitiveness in our deliveries. Although inflation did impact our end of year results in 2022, we are proud to say we did not activate any price escalators to our customers, honoring our commitment to them and our contracts.”

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

“Our growth can be attributed to maintaining our four core values: flexibility, teamwork, commitment and humor. We operate a customer intimate organization, listening to our customers and growing with them. We are always looking to provide solutions to our customers’ packaging challenges.”

Where do you see the most opportunities for your company to continue growing?

“We need to remain true to our core values, continuing to operate with customer intimacy at top of mind. Our customer satisfaction level is something we continuously monitor via NPS milestone check-ins, and this is a KPI for our management teams around the globe.”

Premier Medical Staffing Services, LLC

West Allis | Founded: 2002

Industry: Healthcare Staffing & Recruiting | Employees: 55 2023 projected sales: $55 million

Premier Medical Staffing Services is a health care staffing firm that connects medical professionals with facilities locally and across the nation.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Laura Hanoski and Mark Hanoski, co-owners: “Contract nursing is growing in popularity, especially within the younger generation of health care workers. These short-term contracts allow clinicians the freedom to travel, choose their shifts and enjoy some of the benefits that permanent-placement nurses lack. Nurses who are interested in contract positions come to Premier in search of a better quality of life within the nursing field, and we are able to provide them with that.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“There are a lot fewer interested medical professionals both on the care side and the administrative side than in previous years. It’s been a challenge not only to find quality talent, but to retain them as well.”

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

“The challenges we have faced over our 20-plus years in business (the Great Recession, the COVID-19 pandemic) have required us to be aggressive in recruiting talent, embracing new technologies and staying true to our core values as an organization. We still utilize a hybrid work model because our employees benefit from the flexibility of working from home, or wherever they may find themselves.”

Pattyn North America team (left to right): Dustin Wescott, service department manager; Zach Nold, director of project management; Dustin Konruff, managing director; Kyle Aarestad, sales director; Mark Bingenheimer, parts manager

Premier Medical Staffing co-owners Laura Hanoski and Mark Hanoski

QPS Employment Group

Brookfield | Founded: 1985 Industry: Staffing

Employees: 385 | 2023 projected sales: $257.8 million

QPS Employment Group is a full-service staffing firm, specializing in industrial, skilled trades, office and professional settings.

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

Ryan Festerling, president and chief executive officer: “Our company is set up to be able to adjust quickly to the employment climate, inflation as well as outside factors that impact business. We have taken the time over the past few years to really hone in on the data aspect of our business, which helps us make informed decisions, and being able to provide that to our clients makes our partnerships stronger.”

Do you plan to make any changes to your company?

“Our company is constantly evolving. Any successful company always needs to be innovative, whether it be through people or technology. We are currently upgrading our technology stack and will be fully transitioned to a new applicant tracking system by the end of 2023.”

What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?

“Treat your employees well, and in turn, they will treat others well.”

How would you describe your company culture?

“Our company culture is defined by our six beliefs: family spirit, passion, innovation, collaboration, legacy and high touch.”

River Run

Glendale | Founded: 1993 Industry: IT

Employees: 72

River Run provides managed IT and cybersecurity operations center support, including network assessment, documentation, planning, project implementation and ongoing support.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Paul Riedl Jr., chief executive officer: “One, our people and their drive to take care of clients and each other. Two, willingness to look at challenges starting with ‘how.’ This allows us to open our minds up to new ways of doing things. Three, changes in the marketplace. People needed to be able to work from home and continue to run their businesses efficiently. Technology played a big part in that change.”

Where do you see the most opportunities for your company to continue growing?

“We see growth by expanding the services we provide to our existing clients, especially involving security. We also see growth in our M&A activities.”

What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?

“When working with your team and helping them develop, ask yourself the following questions: Does it need to be said? Does it need to be said now? Does it need to be said by me?”

QPS Employment Group president and CEO Ryan Festerling

River Run leadership (left to right): Michael Barrett, CTO; Jessica Smith, executive director of sales; Paul T. Riedl Jr., CEO; John Limbach, COO

RJ Schinner

Menomonee Falls | Founded: 1951 Industry: Wholesale distribution Employees:

620

RJ Schinner is a wholesale distributor servicing the food service, lodging, grocery, janitorial supply and office supply markets.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past 3 years?

Kenneth Schinner, chief executive officer: “With the opening of an overseas sourcing office in Shanghai, there is now the ability to source RJ Exclusive Brand products globally, providing a much wider base of manufacturing partners to choose from, allowing for more control of that product base in all aspects. With the challenges the supply chain has presented over the last three years, RJ Schinner has made the investment in expanding expertise within the realm of global sourcing, giving more control over production.”

Do you plan to make any changes to your company?

“RJ Schinner looks to continue investing in technology to allow for faster and more efficient operational performance. In addition, expansion throughout the United States to complete a national presence is ongoing.”

What’s the best business advice you’ve received?

“Know your strengths and use them to best service your customers and the needs that they have.”

How would you describe your company culture?

“The culture at RJ Schinner is focused on aggressive growth while creating an atmosphere that puts employees in a position for personal success.”

RJ Schinner CEO Kenneth Schinner

Stamm Technologies/ Stamm Media

Milwaukee | Founded: 2000 Industry: IT and event technology | Employees: 53

Stamm Technologies provides managed IT, computer support, consulting and IT services to businesses, nonprofits and schools in the Milwaukee area. Stamm Media is a nationwide provider of AV technology and custom interactive media to trade shows, corporate events and activation industries.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Dave Stamm, chief executive officer: “We put a big focus on hiring people with the right combination of hospitableness and technical experience. Growing our business with people who care deeply about our clients and are passionate about the work they do makes all the difference.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“Finding and keeping talented people is even more challenging in the current labor market. We have been utilizing creative internal recruiting processes to find the best candidates, and we are planning to hire a full-time recruiter within the next 12 months to continue building on this.”

Do you plan to make any changes to your company?

“We are actively pursuing acquisitions for both our IT and event technology divisions within and outside of metro Milwaukee. We are currently hiring to fill several full-time roles in both Milwaukee and Las Vegas to support the growth we’ve had over the last two years and that we expect in the near term.”

What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?

“Time heals all wounds. Life and business are a series of up-and-down cycles.”

Stamm Technologies/Stamm Media CEO Dave Stamm

TKO Miller, LLC

Milwaukee | Founded: 2016 Industry: Investment banking

Employees: 16

TKO Miller provides merger and acquisition and financial advisory services for businesses nationwide, with a special focus on family- and founder-held businesses.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Tammie Miller, managing director: “Continued robust valuations for privately held businesses, the aging baby boomers that are looking to exit their businesses and serving a niche that had previously been ignored by larger investment banks.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“When you add employees or new clients, you cannot forget about marketing, continually evaluating technology or human resources – and vice versa. Growing isn’t just about adding people or revenue – you must maintain the entire ecosystem to make it work.”

Where do you see the most opportunities for your company to continue growing?

“We see growth in non-cyclical sectors that are less impacted by inflation, so we are spending a lot of time in the food and beverage, packaging and technology industries, including cybersecurity and AI.”

What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?

“When you invest and work toward the culture you want in your business, good things follow. The right culture can create empowered employees who want to grow the business, and in the right way.”

TOTAL Mechanical, Inc.

Pewaukee | Founded: 1968

Industry: Mechanical contracting and manufacturing

Employees: 336

TOTAL Mechanical is a mechanical contracting firm specializing in the design, installation and services of commercial and residential HVAC, plumbing, electrical and fire protection systems as well as mechanical systems that support industrial and manufacturing processes.

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

Licia Streich, president and chief operating officer: “We created a position that concentrated on our industry-specific commodity markets as well as a greater focus on our inventory control processes.”

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

“We changed the way we went to market by aligning ourselves with like-minded customers with similar values and goals. Being named a Top Workplace for a 12th consecutive year by our employees also contributed to our success. We provide an employee-centric work environment that encourages collaboration, respect and safety within the organization.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“Access to skilled labor, replacement of senior-level team leaders who are aging out of the organization and the economy in general.”

What’s new at your company and are you planning any major changes in the coming years?

“With nine acquisitions over the past 20 years, we will continue to be hyper-focused with regards to divisional integration and diversification within all of our vertical business units.”

What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?

“Surround yourself with people smarter than you.”

The TKO Miller team

TOTAL Mechanical executive team (left to right): Dennis J. Braun, CEO; Licia Streich, president/COO; Brad Landry, GM manufacturing; Jack Schirpke, GM environmental services

ValorTech

Milwaukee | Founded: 2018 Industry: IT

Employees: 12

ValorTech provides a suite of information technology solutions to businesses, including managed IT and security services, data center services, professional services and technology investments.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Bryan Sevener, CEO: “One, our team providing the best service and support in the industry. Two, our investment in our marketing and sales functions.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“Increasing competition in the SaaS market.”

Do you plan to make any changes to your company?

“Change is constant. We are continually procuring new technology vendors, increasing our portfolio of offerings, growing and expanding our pool of talented and specialist employees and re-investing in our platforms.”

Where do you see the most opportunities for your company to continue growing?

“Through a focus on cybersecurity as online threats continue to increase and become more frequent, and continuing to expand our channels through programs, like our partner program, which extends our services to resellers and agents.”

What’s one thing you would change to make Milwaukee/southeastern Wisconsin better?

“Continue to grow the tech scene and develop more tech workers to support industry growth.”

What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?

“Forget competition, be obsessed with the end consumer.”

Vyron

Waukesha | Founded: 1955 Industry: Manufacturing Employees: 63

Vyron is an HVAC manufacturers’ representative that serves the state of Wisconsin and Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

Roberta Brehm, president: “Price increases and longer lead times have become an everyday challenge, but the key is communication, even if the communication brings bad news. End users can be extremely patient and understanding as long as they know they have a team they can count on who will be upfront and honest about any challenges that pop up that might affect the expected outcomes.”

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

“We partner with local mechanical contractors and engineers to optimize the system’s design to meet the needs of the building owners. This value-added service is what creates long lasting, trusting relationships with our mechanical partners and gives us an edge in the market.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“In a market where finding new team members is difficult, our ability to meet the needs of our customers and expand into new markets presents a serious challenge. We have been lucky that our incredible culture has attracted the best of the best, and we have been able to fill our current employment needs.”

ValorTech CEO Bryan Sevener

Vyron executive team (left to right): Randy Iwanski, VP of finance and operations; Roberta Brehm, president and owner; Robert Feind, VP of sales & engineering

Tyson Goecks Vice President

Mark Wierman President

Cassandra Crandall Treasury Management

Dennis Sampson Director of Commercial Banking

Fisher

Banking

Hartland | Founded: 1978 Industry: Insurance Employees: 194

Vizance provides risk management, business insurance, employee benefits, personal insurance and financial service solutions to companies, families and individuals.

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

Jeff Cardenas, president: “Vizance, like so many other organizations, implemented a hybrid remote work policy. However, we determined that Vizance will continue to be a primarily in-person company and believe that a great deal of success results from in-person collaboration and strong workplace relationships.”

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

“Vizance has remained committed to being independent. We are able to live our company values and provide an associate-first culture with a unique shareholder program. We feel that being part of a great journey with great people is meaningful and rewarding, and we believe that being an independently owned company is a key part of that journey.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“The insurance industry may not be top of mind for many job seekers. Our associates would say that most of them did not originally plan to join the industry but eventually found their way to a company that has a strong history of growth with a plan to continue growing.”

How would you describe your company culture?

“We pride ourselves on fostering an associate-first culture where our people are our top priority.”

Three Cheers

Lauber

Vizance president Jeff Cardenas and vice president and principal Dimas Ocampo

WeldFab Manufacturing

Slinger | Founded: 1995 Industry: Metal fabrication

Employees: 75

WeldFab Manufacturing offers contract sheet metal and tube fabrication, welding and assembly.

How has your company navigated the challenges of the past few years?

Kelly Wendorff, president: “We’ve built incredibly strong relationships with our key suppliers. We have a simple approach - be honest, have candid conversations and pay our bills on time. For us to grow, WeldFab needs to be a great place to work. If our team enjoys coming to work, recruiting new employees becomes a lot easier.”

Do you plan to make any changes to your company?

“We expect to expand our footprint and continue to add additional capacity and capabilities within the next 24 months.”

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

“We’ve invested in people, systems and equipment to grow our capacity and capabilities. Moving the culture to be relentless about customer satisfaction.”

What’s the best business advice you’ve received?

“Focus on the inputs and the outputs will happen.”

Wolter Inc.

Brookfield | Founded: 1962 Industry: Industrial equipment

Employees: 590

Wolter distributes new and used material handling equipment, overhead crane and hoists, generators, storage solutions and engineered systems to industrial, construction and commercial customers across the Midwest.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Jerry Weidmann, president: “Our strategic plan included an annual growth of a minimum of 7.5% net of inflation. Our strategy is to double in size every seven to 10 years (organically and through acquisition). This included a territory expansion plan that took us from a twostate territory to a seven-state territory and included six acquisitions within the last four years.”

What’s new at your company and are you planning any major changes in the coming years?

“The material handling industry is moving to increased automation. We formed an automation division over two years ago and are realigning our organization to foster rapid growth in automated materials handling. To allow for growth by acquisition, we have formed a ‘SWAT’ team to assist with due diligence, acquisition integration and long-term performance.

“We are transforming our go to market strategy for fleet users by creating an integrated solutions group that combines our capabilities in warehouse products, storage and handling, and automation. We believe this strategy will lead the industry.”

The WeldFab Manufacturing leadership team

The leadership team at Wolter

Xiogenix

Muskego | Founded: 2001 Industry: Biotechnology Employees: 22

Xiogenix collaborates with leaders in the bioscience industry to assess market needs and design state-of-the-art equipment to move regenerative medicine forward.

What factors have contributed the most to your growth in the past three years?

Rachel Bahr, president: “Given our field, we have been able to attract a stunning team of talent who are hyper-focused on making a significant impact in our company and our industry.”

What one thing would you change to make Milwaukee/southeastern Wisconsin better?

“It would be great to have more biotech companies developing locally. We hope to impact this in the future and have been engaging Wisconsin universities to partner with and develop local opportunities for learning and experience in related fields.”

What are the biggest obstacles to your company’s continued growth?

“We rely on legacy product sales to fund our new significant developments, which keeps us balanced but can also be challenging as a small developing company.”

What’s new at your company and are you planning any major changes in the coming years?

“We recently moved into a beautiful new facility in Muskego. We are 100% in the office and this new space gives us an incredible space to innovate and enjoy our time together.”

Where do you see the most opportunities for your company to continue growing?

“Our biggest opportunity will be in automating the commercialization of cell and gene therapies to make these therapies more available to those who need them. Patients are waiting.”

The Xiogenix team

Ever wonder what Future 50 winning companies from past years are doing now? Catch up with some of the past winners' latest news, innovations and growth since they were last recognized as a Future 50 winner.

Creative Business Interiors, Inc. Year Recognized: 1998 Page: 63

Enviro-Safe Resource Recovery

Royal Basket Trucks, Inc.

Lemberg Electric Co Inc.

WFA Staffing Group

Years Recognized: 2005, 2006, 2019 Page: 64

Years Recognized: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2022 Page: 65

Years Recognized: 2016, 2018, 2019 Page: 66

Years Recognized: 2009, 2010, 2011 Page: 66

SUPPORT MAUI

THE MAUI STRONG FUND USES 100% OF DONATIONS TO MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS

Please support our friends at Hawaii Business Magazine in raising funds to help the survivors of one of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history.

Maui Strong is a nonprofit fund that quickly deploys food, medicine, housing and other essentials to the survivors of the devastating wildfires on Maui and those le jobless.

To donate, use the QR code below or go to Bit.ly/Maui-strong

Maui’s ‘ohana is grateful for your support!

YEAR RECOGNIZED: 1998

Evolution: how we keep our roots but embrace change

Interview with Gary Zimmerman, CEO

How has your company grown since your recognition as a Future 50 company?

Since Creative Business Interiors was recognized as a Future 50 company in 1998, we have expanded to include office locations in Madison and Green Bay in addition to the corporate office in Milwaukee. With our nearly 100 employees we service customers throughout WI, as well as in nearly every US state and in several other countries.

What’s changed in your business/industry since your recognition as a Future 50 company?

Creative Business Interiors represents services in three industries, Interior Design, Commercial Furnishings and Interior Construction, all of which have changed in many ways. Wisconsin now has a practice act that enables Interior designers to stamp and seal their own non-structural construction documents, and for a company that focuses on interior renovation, this is a great advancement for our Interior Design services. In the commercial furniture industry, we have seen the merger of two historic brands come together to form MillerKnoll, of which we are proud to be a certified dealer. Construction has made many advancements in modular construction methods and interior finishes and our in-house carpenters and painters have learned to be nimble and respond to expedited construction methods.

What is your corporate philosophy? What sets it apart?

Because Creative Business Interiors self-performs all aspects of our business – Interior Design, Commercial Furnishings and Interior Construction (including field labor) – we build long-lasting relationships with our customers. By self-performing, we offer a level of control to our customers through expedited schedules, high-level of quality and cost reduction. We are very consultative and adept at problem solving, which makes us a trusted partner. In addition, our industry utilizes specific technology that is data driven to help our customers make informed decisions.

Have you reached any milestones since being recognized as a Future 50 company?

This month Creative Business Interiors enters our 33rd year in business, and in this time, we have been excited to open Madison and Green Bay offices in WI as well as to continue to change with our industry in all aspects, but especially by becoming a MillerKnoll certified dealer.

We have reached an exciting leadership milestone for founding partner, Stephanie Anderson, as she has recently entered retirement and with it there is new ownership. Rebecca Gaylord has joined Gary Zimmerman and John Norfolk as the majority shareholder in the business and is the new President, while Gary will remain as CEO and John as Executive Vice President.

Where do you see your company in 1 year, 5 years?

Creative Business Interiors will keep their roots in Interior Design, Interior Construction and Commercial Furnishings and we see many technology advancements being folded into our business which will include AI informed design, integrated workflows between the office and the field and enhanced showrooms for client experiences. With our enhanced design tools and data driven technologies, we’ll focus on supporting commercial real estate professionals and business leaders to make informed decisions about space. We have enhanced modular furniture offerings that will shift our capacity for work within the healthcare space. And ultimately, our focus will be to elevate our position as a service provider that business leaders turn to and trust with their space and the elements that make it theirs. With our new ownership structure, we will be working towards becoming recognized as a WI Women Business Enterprise in the upcoming future while continuing to grow in all of our markets.

Industry: Business Interiors

Creative Business Interiors

414.545.8500

creativebusinessinteriors.com

EMPLOYEES: 85

Creative Business Interiors designs, builds, and furnishes commercial spaces.

YEARS RECOGNIZED: 2005, 2006, 2019

Wisconsin’s newest licensed hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facility

Interview with Jeff Vilione, President and Founder

Enviro-Safe Resource Recovery stands as a testament to the power of recognition and the unyielding spirit of sustainable business practices. Since being celebrated a third time as a Future 50 Winner in 2019, the journey continues to be both transformative and exponential for our company.

Since that time, we’ve grown exponentially, and perhaps one of our most significant milestones post-2019 was receiving the license to operate as a Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facility (TSDF).

This not only broadens the range of services we offer but is also a testament to our adherence to the highest industry standards.

Our growth trajectory post recognition

Our acknowledgment as a Future 50 Winner was not merely a symbol of excellence but a catalyst, ushering in unprecedented growth and achievements for our company.

The backbone of any enterprise is its team. Recognizing this, we’ve strengthened our foundation by welcoming additional employees, expanding our knowledge pool, and ensuring that we have a diverse team to tackle the diverse challenges posed by the waste management industry.

Additionally, we invested in our infrastructure. With a 30,000 ft² addition to our facility, we’ve not only increased our capacity to manage waste but also created a space that fosters collaboration and solution-oriented approaches.

The company has earned recognition from the Financial Times and Strata’s in 2022 and 2023. We were also named to the Inc 5000 list of fastest-growing companies for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022). These accolades reflect our relentless drive and determination to set industry standards and validate our growth.

At Enviro-Safe Resource Recovery we recognize the importance of mobility and the potential to expand our reach. Because of that, we’ve considerably grown our transportation fleet which not only helps us serve our clients better but also ensures timely and efficient waste management services.

Our Corporate Philosophy: Setting Us Apart

Enviro-Safe Resource Recovery has always been driven by a philosophy rooted in sustainability. It is this guiding principle that sets us apart and forms the very fabric of our organizational identity.

While many companies have jumped onto the sustainability bandwagon in recent times, for us, it has been an unwavering focal point. It’s more than just a buzzword; it’s our raison d’être. Our past was rooted in it, and our future aims to redefine it.

We provide our clients with sustainability and waste management recycling options that go beyond just compliance. Our solutions are meticulously crafted to limit liabilities, reduce costs, and most importantly, to preserve our environment.

Collaborative Approaches: Sustainability goals can’t be achieved in isolation. Recognizing this, we work hand in hand with our customers, ensuring we deeply understand their objectives. This collaborative spirit ensures that we are not just service providers but partners in their sustainability journey.

The recognition as a Future 50 Winner was not an end but a beginning for Enviro-Safe Resource Recovery. Our subsequent growth and unwavering commitment to sustainability highlight our determination to lead by example. As we continue our journey, we remain rooted in our values, ensuring that every step we take is a stride towards a greener and more sustainable future.

Industry: Environmental Services

Enviro-Safe Resource Recovery

262.790.2500

evniro-safe.com

EMPLOYEES: 25

Leaders in Sustainability Programs and Waste Management Solutions

YEARS RECOGNIZED: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2022

Royal Basket Trucks shows continued growth since 2011 Future50 Award

Interview with Tom Carney, President

How has your company grown since your recognition as a Future 50 company?

Royal Basket Trucks was first recognized as a Future 50 company in 2011, and again in 2012, 2013, and most recently in 2022. Since 2011 our net sales have increased by 15% per year. Over that same time, Royal has gone from 60 to 170 employees, and our manufacturing space has nearly quadrupled. Royal continues to invest in manufacturing equipment, increasing our capabilities. Royal was recognized as a Top Workplace in Southeastern Wisconsin in 2022 and 2023.

What new things has your company done since your recognition as a Future 50 company?

Since our initial recognition, Royal has continued to cross-train our employees as we have added new manufacturing processes. We have added additional equipment to support our sewing function, such as CNC-controlled cutting machines, in-house printing capabilities, and material handling efficiencies. Sheet metal capabilities have been added to enhance our metal fabrication. New wire bending and tube bending equipment have dramatically reduced our inventory and cycle times. In-house rotational molding equipment that was installed allows for continued short lead times to our customers.

What has changed in your business/industry since your recognition as a Future 50 company?

We continue to see consolidation in our customer markets and the competitive landscape.

What advice would you give to this year’s class of Future 50 winners and other growing companies?

Share your mission, appreciate your employees, and be sure your management teams are all rowing in the same direction.

How does your company foster innovation?

Royal Recognition and Rewards, is an internal program, offering opportunities for employee contributions to process improvements and new product ideas. We believe it is important to listen to our customers, whether at tradeshows, onpremises visits, or customer service support.

Where do you see your company in 1 year, 5 years?

This year we have focused on internal processes and lean manufacturing techniques to increase our bottom-line profits by over 40%. In the next 5 years, Royal will expand their reach into growth markets and continue to lead with innovative solutions, while on trajectory to achieve $50 million in annual sales.

What opportunities/challenges do you see on the horizon for your industry?

We continue to see more onshoring efforts and opportunities as discussed above. We see challenges due to labor and material inflation, labor shortages, and the cost of employee benefits.

Does your company have any new products, or services to announce? Please describe. We have recently introduced a Motorized Housekeeping Cart, along with product improvements to our X-Frame Carts and Collapsible Basket Trucks.

What is your corporate philosophy? What sets it apart?

Our philosophy is to take care of our people, so they take care of our customers. Our company is set apart because we produce high-quality products, manufactured to order, and shipped as promised with a short lead time.

Industry: Manufacturing Royal Basket Trucks, Inc. 262.882.1227

royal-basket.com

EMPLOYEES: 170

Manufacturer of high quality carts and material handling solutions.

YEARS RECOGNIZED: 2016, 2018, 2019

95 Years of agile electrical, data and sign solutions

Interview with Timothy Scheid, Chief Executive Officer

This year, Lemberg celebrates 95 years of serving Southeastern Wisconsin and 30 years of employee ownership. In that time, we’ve seen the advantages of embracing technology and staying flexible. Advances in technology create new options for residential and commercial spaces via low voltage cabling. This includes systems for life-safety, security, communications, and lighting. Communications technology, applications, and cloud-based systems have made the way we do business more convenient and more efficient for our teams and our customers. Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) technology enhances our project delivery, protects timelines and improves jobsite safety. VDC provides a 3D view of a project that reveals opportunities for offsite prefabrication and potential onsite trade clashes. Some of our biggest industry challenges right now are with supply chain and procurement. However, being involved at the earliest stages of a project allows us to advise on availability and secure components as early possible to avoid delays. Our lean and agile project management technology and practices allow us to see and adjust to issues in real time. In our 95 years, a lot has changed but one thing has remained constant: our mission to provide a quality experience for our employees, customers and our community.

FUTURE 50: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

YEARS RECOGNIZED: 2009, 2010, 2011

WFA Staffing Group continues high growth since first Future50 Award

Interview with Tom Krist, CEO/Owner

The ‘Future 50’ award inspired our company to keep growing. Since the time of our 2009 recognition, we have more than tripled our annual sales.

From 2017 to 2023, we expanded, opening new offices in West Allis and Germantown. We continue to update our technology which enables us to expand our recruiting and sales markets as well.

While we continue to provide temporary and permanent placements, our direct hire business has grown for technical, manufacturing, and professional positions throughout Wisconsin.

Our philosophy has always been, “Do the right thing.” Our advice to new future 50 companies is to make sure they maintain a balanced variety of customers every year. We have seen too many companies go out of business because their clients moved the business or new management took over.

Our future is our employees. We have very little turnover as we offer great benefits, flexibility, and above average compensation.

You are only as good as your employees and we know ours are great! Some of our managers have even become part owners of the company.

We have a very experienced staff in the Wisconsin market for employment agencies. We plan to continue to build on this strength by expanding our team and opening another satellite office in the future.

Trusted contractor for electrical, data communications and custom signage services.

VRAKAS OPENS CHICAGO OFFICE

of professionals, they will deliver next-level service to current and new clients in the surrounding markets.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Vrakas CPAs + Advisors welcomes Michael Carney as Shareholder

Vrakas CPAs + Advisors is pleased to announce

CONSTRUCTION

Eric Raatz joins ABB as Operations Manager for the Midwest

Located in the heart of downtown Chicago, the new office enables the firm to access the diverse pool of Chicago based talent, expand its geographical reach, enhance service offerings, and strengthen relationships with clients and business partners. The new office is fully open and operational at 29 E. Madison Street, Suite 605, Chicago, Illinois 60602.

The Chicago office will be co-managed by Shareholders

Andy Kamphuis and Michael Carney. Along with their team

CONSTRUCTION

Balestrieri promotes Sarah Pavlik to Comptroller.

She has been awarded this position after being a reliable employee to Balestrieri for nearly a decade. She oversees accounting, human resources, and administrative duties while ensuring all aspects of the office run smoothly.

CONSTRUCTION

Dr. Phillip King Joins MATC as Executive Vice President, Student Success

Dr. King has joined MATC as its Executive Vice President, Student Success. Dr. King will lead the college’s 180 academic programs, its student-facing services and regional campuses. He has over 30 years of experience in higher education, leading major initiatives related to enrollment, education redesign, governance and more.

“This expansion represents a significant milestone for our firm,” says Bradley J. Weckwerth, President and Managing Shareholder of Vrakas CPAs + Advisors. “Our Chicago office will help to accommodate our growing team and enable us to hire additional talent to continue to provide extraordinary service and practical solutions to our clients.”

Michael Carney as Shareholder and Co-Managing Director in Chicago.

At Vrakas, Michael will specialize in small business accounting and tax compliance for privately held, forprofit companies across a variety of industries. Michael will operate out of Chicago working alongside Andy Kamphuis. As co-managing directors, Michael and Andy will be responsible for growing Vrakas’ Midwest client base while developing and growing a team of professionals dedicated to nextlevel client service.

With 23+ years of experience, Mr. Raatz has extensive background in building enclosure component testing including water testing, moisture content verification, thermography, and non-evasive and destructive testing. His capabilities include roofing, wall systems, masonry, windows, doors, flooring, and waterproofing systems for above and below grade applications. He holds a Bachelor’s in Structural Design from Milwaukee School of Engineering and a Masters in Project Management from University of Wisconsin at Platteville. Eric has his RRO, RRC, RWC, REWC, RBEC, BECxP, CxA+BE, CBECxP and is a certified EIFS inspector.

CONSTRUCTION

Balestrieri promotes Beckett Runge to Operations Manager.

Beckett earned the promotion due to her strong leadership and dependability displayed over 5 years with Balestrieri. She is responsible for ensuring all administration and training operations of Balestrieri are completed with efficiency.

CONSTRUCTION

Balestrieri promotes Nate Kawlewski to Vice President of Field Operations.

Nate has been with the Balestrieri team since 2004 and is now at the forefront of all environmental projects with improving operational efficiency, collaborating between teams within the office, and allocating resources.

CONSTRUCTION

Balestrieri promotes Richard Heyer to Senior Project Manager.

Richard was awarded the position after securing 11 years of seniority and exhibiting excellence as a Project Manager. With the promotion comes added expectations and responsibilities such as controlling the entirety of multiple projects at one time.

BANKING

Waukesha State Bank Promotes Tina Neis to Chief Credit Officer

Waukesha State Bank is pleased to announce the promotion of Tina Neis to senior vice president – chief credit officer. In her new role, Tina will oversee credit risk strategies and policies throughout the bank.

CONSTRUCTION

Balestrieri promotes Michael Ruenz to Senior Project Manager.

Michael was awarded the position after devoting over 15 accomplished years to Balestrieri. Michael’s seniority and extensive knowledge of the industry makes us certain he will continue to be an outstanding employee of Balestrieri.

ADVERTISE TODAY!

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ALL-IN MILWAUKEE PLANS EXPANSION TO SUPPORT 1,000 STUDENTS

All-In Milwaukee plans to expand over the next five years to support 1,000 students.

The college completion assistance program provides financial aid, advising, program and career support to high potential, limited-income, diverse Miwlaukee students and currently supports 415 students.

All-In Milwaukee says it has had to turn away more that 1,000 high school seniors who were eligible for the program over it first five years.

This spring, All-In Milwaukee celebrated its first-ever graduating class. For All-In Milwaukee’s first class of students that

SPOTLIGHT

entered college in fall 2019, 90% have already graduated or will graduate by the spring of 2024, according to the organization.

“After five years, we have the recipe for success and we have demonstrated clear outcomes,” said Allison Wagner, executive director of All-In Milwaukee.

“When we provide the financial, social, emotional and career support that scholars need, the playing field becomes more level. Our long-term plan is to grow and support even more students over the next five years and beyond.”

— Andrew Weiland, staff writer

MILWAUKEE PARKS FOUNDATION

1531 W. Vliet St., Milwaukee, WI 53205 414-687-7166 | mkeparksfoundation.org

Facebook: facebook.com/mkeparksfoundation

Instagram: @mkeparksfoundation

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/milwaukee-parks-foundation

Year founded: 2019

Carthage College will host its second annual Lincoln Symposium on Sept. 28-29, welcoming prominent scholars from across the nation to discuss the far-reaching impact of Abraham Lincoln. The event will be held at the Campbell Student Union Auditorium on Carthage’s campus, 2001 Alford Park Drive, Kenosha.

The Charles E. Kubly Foundation will host its 20th anniversary event, Beyond the Blues 2023, on Friday, Sept. 29 from 6:30-10:30 p.m. at Discovery World, 500 N. Harbor Drive, Milwaukee. Tickets cost between $95 and $195.

City on a Hill will host The Vision of Hope Breakfast fundraiser on Oct. 7 from 7:30-9 a.m. at the Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee. Tickets are $10, with larger donor opportunities available.

The Milwaukee Public Museum will host its annual gala, Inside Out: Designing Our Future, on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. at 800 W. Wells St., Milwaukee. Reservations are first come, first served. Individual tickets are $500.

DONATION ROUNDUP

Aimed at increasing the number of quality seats at high-performing high schools in Milwaukee, Northwestern Mutual recently announced a $5.7 million commitment to support 40 Milwaukee-based nonprofits and schools, including a $225,000 donation to St. Augustine Preparatory Academy to support its recent expansion. | Milwaukee-based Zurn Elkay Water Solutions donated the equivalent of $2.2 million in Elkay drinking water filters to Milwaukee Public Schools. | The Business Health Care Group raised $50,000 at its sixth annual golf outing to benefit Sojourner Family Peace Center in Milwaukee.

Mission statement: Engage our community in supporting Milwaukee County Parks to collectively steward a thriving parks system.

Primary focus: Milwaukee Parks Foundation strives to collectively steward a thriving parks system. Through fundraising, raising awareness, advocacy and building community capacity and partnerships, Milwaukee Parks Foundation is dedicated to building a more vibrant and equitable parks system that benefits all.

Other focuses: Milwaukee Parks Foundation provides support to Milwaukee County Parks, complementing parks operations and expanding their engagement capacity while cultivating philanthropic support and community involvement. While MPF works closely with Milwaukee County Parks, we are a separate nonprofit organization.

Number of employees: 3

Executive leadership: Rebecca Stoner, executive director

Board of directors: Judy Krause, chair; Tami Garrison, immediate

past chair; Tony Shields, treasurer; Stephanie Mercado, secretary; Guy Smith, ex officio; Kweku TeAngelo Cargile Jr., Samantha Maldonado, Nicole Angresano, Marcus White, Demetria Smith, Ayrton Bryan, Charles Green Jr., Katie Podmokly, Brigette Beamon

Is your organization actively seeking board members for the upcoming term? Yes. We are seeking committee members.

What roles are you looking to fill? Marketing and communications, nominations and governance, finance and investment, and development

Ways the business community can help your nonprofit:

1. Connect with us to learn about future events, possible partnerships and volunteer opportunities.

2. Make a gift today at mkeparksfoundation.org.

3. Explore in-kind giving opportunities.

4. Stay connected by joining our email list at mkeparksfoundation. org.

Key fundraising events: Go Green for Parks

Making sashes and blinds in Milwaukee

This 1884 image shows employees at the Stelloh & Druse Manufacturing Co. plant at Orchard Street and Bismarck Avenue, now South 15th Place, on Milwaukee’s south side. The company made sashes and blinds. Henry Stelloh and John Druse, partners in the business, are the first two men at the left in the front row.

— Photo courtesy of the Milwaukee Public Library / Historic Photo Collection

COMMENTARY

Marcus Theatres’ last Milwaukee screens go dark

IT WAS CERTAINLY bad news when Marcus Theatres announced recently its decision to close three of its Milwaukee-area locations: Southgate Cinema on Milwaukee’s south side, Showtime Cinema in Franklin and Saukville Cinema.

The saddest part of the story is the fact that the closure of Southgate Cinema means Marcus Theatres no longer has any cinemas within the city of Milwaukee. Southgate has been Marcus’ last Milwaukee cinema since it closed Northtown Cinema at 7440 N. 76th St. in 2012. The company has long considered plans to open a downtown cinema, but those plans haven’t moved forward.

Milwaukee-based The Marcus Corp., the parent company of Marcus Theatres, is one of Milwaukee’s finest corporate citizens. But the fact that it no longer has a cinema located within the city limits is extremely disappointing.

In a statement about its closure of the three

cinemas, Marcus Theatres said, “We routinely review the amenities at our theatre locations to provide the best moviegoing experience and determined that our customers at these locations are better served by the more expansive amenities at other nearby Marcus Theatres.” In the case of Southgate, Marcus said its customers are “better served” by going to Marcus BistroPlex Southridge in Greendale and Marcus South Shore Cinema in Oak Creek.

Other than that, the company has offered no explanation for closing Southgate or the other cinemas. An interview request from BizTimes Milwaukee was declined. So, we can only speculate.

Obviously, the Southgate, Showtime and Saukville cinemas were not performing well and were either losing money or were not profitable enough for Marcus to justify keeping them in operation. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have decided to shut them down.

Despite higher costs to go to a movie these days and competition from streaming services and big screen home entertainment systems, Marcus Corp. reported that its movie theater division revenue was up 5.7% in the second quarter to $136.9 million and the division’s operating

VOLUME 29, NUMBER 9 | SEPTEMBER 25, 2023

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ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Christy Peterson christy.peterson@biztimes.com

SALES ADMIN Kristin Anderson kristin.anderson@biztimes.com

ADMINISTRATION

ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR Sue Herzog sue.herzog@biztimes.com

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE/CIRCULATION Derik Sneide derik.sneide@biztimes.com

PRODUCTION & DESIGN

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Alex Schneider alex.schneider@biztimes.com

Independent & Locally Owned Founded 1995 —

income was up 20.7%. That’s good news, but the company still isn’t going to keep underperforming locations open.

It’s likely that high levels of poverty and crime in large portions of Milwaukee are a major reason that Marcus no longer has any cinema locations in the city. If crime in the city was significantly reduced and household incomes improved, it’s likely that Marcus would seize the opportunity to operate a few cinemas within the city limits.

Moviegoers can still catch a flick in the city of Milwaukee at smaller complexes including the Oriental Theatre and Landmark Downer Theatre on the East Side, Avalon Atmospheric Theater in Bay View and the Times Cinema on the west side.

But hopefully, at some point, Marcus Theatres opens a new cinema complex within the city of Milwaukee. n

ANDREW WEILAND EDITOR

/ 414-336-7120

/ andrew.weiland@biztimes.com

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my TOUGHEST Challenge

SAUL NEWTON

Position: President and chief executive officer

Company: Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce

What it does: Advocates for and helps veteran-owned and veteran-friendly businesses and veterans in the workforce.

Career: Newton has led the Veterans Chamber since he founded the organization in 2015. He recently announced plans to step down in October. Newton served in the U.S. Army from 2009 to 2012 and was deployed to Afghanistan for 13 months.

THE CHALLENGE

As an entity that relied heavily on people being able to meet in person, the COVID-19 pandemic served as a catalyst to completely reimagine how the Veterans Chamber provides value to members.

“(We had to ask) what is our value to our members if we’re not able to provide that, and how can we accomplish our role as a chamber without bringing people together?”

“As much as COVID has become politicized, we were very much concerned with the safety of our members. We don’t want to do anything to put anyone in jeopardy. We just didn’t have the option to even test the boundaries. We really had to look at how we create value for our members and fundamentally change that.”

THE RESOLUTION

Like most businesses and organizations, the Veterans Chamber tried a variety of new programming options.

“We tried virtual programming for a while. We leaned into the value we could provide from a marketing standpoint. We thought about how we could promote our veteran businesses and how we could really leverage the platforms we have to bring the community together. We actually ended up raising $25,000 that went to veteran-serving organizations in the Milwaukee area. We tried a lot of different things, but I think the resolution that came out of that was the realization that chambers of commerce are much more than networking.”

THE TAKEAWAY

Coming out of the pandemic, Newton’s entire vision for what a chamber can and should be entirely shifted.

“It’s really about being a convener of stakeholders and resources. When small business resources were coming online, we could get that information out. We really became that information hub. I think that’s something we’ve really carried with us in the years since. It’s more than hosting a happy hour. It’s really about building a community.”

Moving forward, Newton said he believes the organization has the opportunity to provide more professional development opportunities for veterans who are early in their career. n

PRESENTS:

2023

Thursday, November 2, 2023

2:30 – 6:00pm

2:30pm | Registration

3:00pm | Awards Program

4:30pm | Networking Reception

Italian Community Center

Join BizTimes Media in recognizing the region’s top nonprofits and corporate citizens at the 2023 Nonprofit Excellence Awards.

These nonprofits and corporate citizens go above and beyond to create a lasting impact in the lives of those they serve and have truly made a difference in our community. You will be inspired by thought-provoking and heartfelt acceptance speeches from influential figures who have dedicated their lives to social change and community development.

The excitement doesn’t end with the awards ceremony; it continues with an exclusive networking and cocktail reception. We invite you to stay and mingle with the finalists, honorees, and fellow community leaders in an atmosphere of camaraderie and celebration.

2023 Award Finalists:

Corporate Citizenship Awards

Corporate Citizen of the Year:

Ellenbecker Investment Group

• Kesslers Diamonds

• MLG Capital

Corporate Volunteer of the Year:

Heather Deaton, Ellenbecker Investment Group

• Lauren Hess, Associated Bank

• Jim Mueller, Brown & Brown

Next Generation Leadership:

• Patrick Lubar, Ixonia Bank

• Brandon Ramey, Quad MKE

Stacy Scheffer, Charter Steel

In-Kind Supporter:

• Associated Bank

• BVK

Wisconsin Center District

Nonprofit Awards

Nonprofit Executive of the Year:

• Kenneth Ginlack, Serenity Inns

Charlotte John-Gomez, Siebert Lutheran Foundation

• Dawn Nuoffer, Down Syndrome Assoc. of Wisconsin

• Miryam Rosenzweig, Milwaukee Jewish Federation

Nonprofit Collaboration of the Year: ArtWorks for Milwaukee

• Curative Care Network

• Milwaukee County Historical Society

Social Enterprise of the Year

Sherman Phoenix

Small Nonprofit Organization of the Year:

• Literacy Services of Wisconsin

• Milwaukee Community Sailing Center Project RETURN

• Waukesha Civic Theater

Large Nonprofit Organization of the Year:

• Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast

Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center

• United Community Center

PLATINUM SPONSOR: