BizTimes Milwaukee | October 1, 2018 by BizTimes Media

Some find business opportunities as cannabis markets grow

plus HIGHER ED RESPONDS TO NEED FOR SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGERS 14 BAY VIEW’S DEVELOPMENT HOT SPOT 20 AUTOMATION AND DATA ON THE RISE FOR MANUFACTURERS 36

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OCT 1 - 14, 2018 » $3.25

$eeing green

Lessons Learned

PRESENTS:

Eight business and community leaders from southeastern Wisconsin will share their best advice, leadership insights, secrets to success, and ways they overcame their toughest challenges in their own professional and personal lives. This will be a fast-paced discussion. Each speaker will share their stories and insights, followed by Q & A from the audience. In just 90 minutes, attendees at the annual 90 Ideas in 90 minutes event will walk away with insights and information on all 90 ideas to help them to be a better leader and to overcome their own business and personal challenges.

Thursday, October 11, 2018

Speakers: • Therese Bailey, Founder, ZenZen Yoga Arts (1) • Elana Kahn, Director, Jewish Community Relations Council, Milwaukee Jewish Federation (2) • Dan Katt, Co-Founder and CEO, Good City Brewing (3) • Erik Kennedy, Community Impact Coordinator Senior, Aurora Health Care (4) • Jim Tarantino, Founder, Capri Senior Communities (5) • Maurice Thomas, Founder & Executive Director, Milwaukee Excellence Charter School (6) • Andrew Weins, COO, JDog Junk Removal & Hauling United (7) • Sherry Zhang, Founder and CEO, GenoPalate, Inc. (8)

3:30-5:00 PM Italian Community Center SPONSORED BY:

Make plans to attend as you prepare to be a better leader in 2019. To register, go to biztimes.com/90ideas

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» OCT 1 - 14, 2018

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BizTimes Milwaukee (ISSN 1095-936X & USPS # 017813) Volume 24, Number 13, October 1, 2018 – October 14, 2018. BizTimes Milwaukee is published bi-weekly, except monthly in January, July and December by BizTimes Media LLC at 126 N. Jefferson St., Suite 403, Milwaukee, WI 53202-6120, USA. Basic annual subscription rate is $42. Single copy price is $3.25. Back issues are $5 each. Periodicals postage paid at Milwaukee, WI and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address corrections to BizTimes Milwaukee, 126 N. Jefferson St., Suite 403, Milwaukee, WI 53202-6120. Entire contents copyright 2018 by BizTimes Media LLC. All rights reserved.

Contents

4 Leading Edge 4 NOW BY THE NUMBERS 6 FROM CONCEPT TO COMPLETION 8 JUMP START 10 BIZ TRAVELER 11 QUOTE/UNQUOTE 12 BIZ POLL COFFEE BREAK 13 BIZ LUNCH

14 Biz News 14 HIGHER ED RESPONDS TO NEED FOR SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGERS. 18 THE INTERVIEW

20 Real Estate 38 Strategies 38 COACHING Susan Marshall 39 INNOVATION Dan Steininger 40 A BRIEF CASE

COVER STORY

42 Biz Connections

Seeing green Some find business opportunities as cannabis markets grow

Special Report

42 PAY IT FORWARD 43 PERSONNEL FILE 44 GLANCE AT YESTERYEAR COMMENTARY 45 AROUND TOWN 46 THE LAST WORD

26 Manufacturing & Logistics In addition to the cover story, executives who will speak at the Next Generation Manufacturing Summit discuss their use of data and automation.

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Leading Edge

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

NOW

Boston Store makes comeback under new owner By BizTimes staff Boston Store, an iconic Milwaukee-area department store chain, appeared to be gone for good when liquidation of its parent company, The Bon-Ton Stores Inc., was completed this summer. All of Bon-Ton’s stores, including the area Boston Store locations, were closed at the end of August following going out of business sales.

After the completion of the liquidation, Merrillville, Indiana-based CSC Generation Holdings Inc. purchased most of Bon-Ton’s intellectual property assets for $900,000. Those assets include all registered trademarks, all website domain names and domain name registrations, all customer data and databases, the StyleRewards and LoveStyleRewards programs,

BY THE NUMBERS Aldi, the Germany-based discount grocery store chain, is spending

93 MILLION

to upgrade its 56 stores in Wisconsin.

4 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 1, 2018

material operations and management analysis reports, private label brands IP, Google Analytics account, product catalog, social media accounts, and gift card and merchandise card data. A few days later, CSC relaunched all of the Bon-Ton store brand websites, including bostonstore.com, with a banner message that said “We’re Back & we’re here to stay!” Consumers can once again shop at Boston Store and the other Bon-Ton store brands, but only online for now. “We’re still offering the (Boston Store) brands that people love at the prices that people are used to,” said Fred Hulls, a spokesman for CSC Generation. “We will be introducing new brands and lines.” The Bon-Ton websites also offer lease-to-own options for consumers. CSC Generation Holdings is a technology company that owns e-commerce sites DirectBuy, Killion, leaseco and DirectBuy Leasing. But the company also plans to open some brick-and-mortar stores for the Bon-Ton store brands. Hulls said the company plans to open two to three brickand-mortar Boston Store locations in the Milwaukee area, and in an interview with BizTimes media partner WISN-TV Channel 12, he indicated one of the locations would be in the “Brookfield area.”

The stores will be between 10,000 and 100,000 square feet, averaging 50,000 to 60,000 square feet, Hulls said. “We are looking at previous (Boston Store) locations first, but would still consider new locations, too,” he said. In Brookfield, before all of its stores closed at the end of August, Boston Store occupied 215,450 square feet at Brookfield Square Mall. Bon-Ton also operated the 55,000-square-foot Boston Store Furniture Gallery at 18615 W. Bluemound Road in Brookfield. Bon-Ton also had Boston Store locations at Southridge Mall in Greendale, Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa, Bayshore Town Center in Glendale, The Shops of Grand Avenue in Milwaukee and Regency Mall in Racine. A Boston Store Clearance Center was also located on South 27th Street in Milwaukee. Hulls would not comment on specific future locations. CSC wants to have the relaunched Boston Store locations in the area open by the holiday shopping season, Hulls said. “We’re really focused on recruiting previous Boston Store employees, as well as on-boarding brands,” Hulls said. “So if you were an employee of the Boston Store or a brand that previously worked with us, feel free to get in touch through the website.” n

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BIZTIMES MEDIA – Like us

from

CONCEPT

Ice Cream Sundays to

COMPLETION November and December 2017: Glynn took bartending courses online through Local Bartending School and Harvard Bartending Course.

Steve Glynn, director of innovation for The Water Council, enjoys bartending and mixology. After receiving his bartending certification this year, Glynn decided to use his hobby to support nonprofits focused on Milwaukee’s homelessness issue. In partnership with Transfer Pizzeria Café in Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood, Glynn launched a fundraising initiative called Ice Cream Sundays. On the second Sunday of each month this past summer, Glynn set up shop at the restaurant to concoct and sell his original ice cream craft cocktails and sundaes, both made with Milwaukee-based Purple Door Ice Cream. All proceeds benefited The Guest House, Hope House and The Cathedral Center. The effort raised a total of $600.

1 2

April 2018: Glynn started experimenting at home by using various ingredients to create different types of drinks.

September 2018: Glynn’s blended “Milly Vanilly” cocktail, which featured Purple Door chocolate ice cream, Rumchata, Woodford Reserve whiskey and ice, topped with whipped cream and a cherry, was a hit. Glynn delivered checks for $200 to each organization. “I don’t think the homelessness issue is unique to Milwaukee, but we can find unique ways to address it.”

June 2018: The first of three Ice Cream Sundays was held on June 10 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The others took place on July 8 and Aug. 12. Among the three days, 60 ice cream cocktails were sold. Drinks were $9 each, and ice cream sundaes were $5.

6 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 1, 2018

May 2018: He landed two of his craft cocktails on Transfer’s summer drink menu and pitched his Ice Cream Sundays idea to owners John and Russell Rossetto, who agreed to donate the total proceeds. “We wanted to be careful that it wasn’t all about alcohol. It was really about raising awareness and, if we could, raising money.”

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Leading Edge

@BIZTIMESMEDIA – Real-time news

RENEUROGEN LLC LOCATION: Elm Grove FOUNDERS: Kirkwood Pritchard and Stephen Naylor FOUNDED: August 2016 PRODUCT: Treatment for stroke and MS. EMPLOYEES: Two GOAL: Raise $1.75 million seed round for pre-clinical trials

LILA ARYAN PHOTOGRAPHY

EXPERIENCE: Pritchard is a professor of surgery, vice chair of research for the department of surgery and director of the Translational Vascular Biology Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Naylor has a Ph.D. in chemistry and biochemistry from Cambridge and has worked at various startups in the biotech sector since 2000.

Kirkwood Pritchard

ReNeuroGen’s drug could reverse effects of stroke, MS By Molly Dill, staff writer

8 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 1, 2018

KYC. Those three letters, which sound similar to a fast-food restaurant name, are the moniker for a therapy developed by a professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin that could help reverse the effects of stroke and multiple sclerosis. Kirkwood Pritchard, who developed KYC with his team, described it as “a novel tripeptide that inhibits myeloperoxidase production of toxic oxygen radicals.” The drug has been shown to dramatically decrease, and speed recovery from, brain injury in trials in mice. When Pritchard and his investigators saw the impact of the tripeptide – a 56 percent reduction in stroke lesions in animals – they knew they had to commercialize it. So he brought experienced biotechnology startup executive Stephen Naylor on board and the pair established ReNeuroGen LLC. “He is a rare combination of bona fide scientific investigator and business entrepreneur,” Pritchard, chief scientific officer, said of Naylor, chief executive officer. “Without someone like him, we were spinning our wheels.” KYC, which interferes with a white blood cell called neutrophil that causes inflammation, has also proven effective in reversing the effects of traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s disease and

other neurodegenerative diseases, so there is potential to expand its impact. “With KYC, we have the potential to block 80 to 90 percent of the secondary brain injury that takes place in any neurodegenerative disease. I’m very excited about it,” Pritchard said. “When you look at the number of different disease indications that neutrophils are involved in, it’s somewhere like 200 or 300 disease states,” Naylor said. ReNeuroGen has so far been funded by SBIR grants from the National Institutes of Health, and Pritchard conducts experiments in the lab at MCW. Naylor is now working to raise a $1.75 million seed round, expected to close by the first quarter of 2019, that would bring ReNeuroGen through its pre-clinical trials over the next several years. “I’ve been out on the road trying to attract investment dollars, primarily through angel investors,” Naylor said. “Most venture capital groups are really wary of very early-stage companies, particularly drug development companies” because of the long timeline. Ultimately, the hope is to get FDA approval for an Investigational New Drug so ReNeuroGen can complete clinical trials. n

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Leading Edge

BIZTIMES MEDIA – Connect

B I Z T R AV E L E R : RALEIGH ROM AN RE Y NEBE AU Senior director of development operations, MacGregor Partners

Roman Reynebeau leads the engineering department at MacGregor Partners, a Milwaukee-based logistics startup that has operations in Raleigh, North Carolina. Here are some of Reynebeau’s travel tips for Raleigh. n

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

E XC U R S I O N S: “One of my favorite things to do when I’m in a city that I’m not familiar with is to go for a jog through the city center. Exploring the city on foot really helps me understand the street layout and get a feel for the personality of the city.”

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“I typically fly Delta for business trips because they are one of the most reliable airlines out there, their Sky Miles program has a ton of great benefits, their app is fantastic, you’re able to select your seat ahead of time and most importantly, the majority of Delta’s planes include an option called Comfort Plus which allows you to upgrade to a seat with more leg room for $15. I’ll either rent a vehicle or rely on Lyft and Uber.”

ACCO M M O DAT I O N S A N D F O O D : “I would choose the Glenwood Avenue area, which features plenty of walkable restaurants, bars and people watching. There is a relatively new Hampton Inn on Glenwood in the heart of the action that is one of the best. Fayetteville Street is the other main drag and closest to some of the best new restaurants in Raleigh. There are several Marriott properties on the south end of Fayetteville Street that provide a great jump-off point to hit Fayetteville Street and the neighboring areas. “Brewery Bhavana is a relatively new restaurant that features a Laotian take on dim sum, coupled with an in-house craft brewery. There is also a great Vietnamese spot on Glenwood Avenue called Pho Pho Pho. They serve a habanero-infused IPA from a local brewery and have flat screens with Kung fu movies on repeat.”

T R AV E L T I P : “The TSA pre-check program, which costs $85 and is valid for five years, is well worth the money. Your security line won’t be nearly as long, you won’t have to take your shoes off and you won’t have to remove your laptop from your bag.” 10 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 1, 2018

“ QUOTE

unQUOTE

A RC H NA SA H AY

”

S T R AT EG I C A DV I SO R O N I N N OVAT I O N | ECOS YS T EM D E V ELO PM EN T Archna Sahay, who served as director of entrepreneurial investment for the City of Philadelphia from 2015 to 2017, recently shared the lessons she learned in helping to build Philadelphia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem at Madwaukee Talks, which was held by the Milwaukee Institute at the Technology Innovation Center in Wauwatosa. Sahay established Startup PHL, a $6 million city-backed venture capital fund, in 2007 and helped the city go from not being included on the 1776 and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Innovation that Matters rankings in 2015 to coming in third place in 2017. n

“We inside the city knew how great we were. But we needed to do a lot of work in packaging that story and pushing it out to the rest of the country and the rest of the world. Because this is an attraction tool for us, as well.”

“There is a residency requirement, so if you take money from this fund, your headquarters has to be in the City of Philadelphia for 18 months. Of course, the hope is that once you are there for 18 months, you fall in love with us, we win a few more Super Bowls, and you will stay.”

“Regardless of the ingredients that you have, there needs to be someone or some organization that’s serving as a connective tissue between all of that. Because you can have a university doing what it’s doing, you can have founders doing what they’re doing, you can have the investor community doing what it’s doing and nobody knows what’s happening.”

“The Philly startup ecosystem, while it seems like ‘Oh my gosh, so much stuff is going on, everything’s going great, hitting all the lists, etc.,’ it took us a really long time … and even when you feel like you’ve got it, you still have to keep iterating on it every single year.”

“Philadelphia is 40 percent white, 40 percent black, 13 percent Latino and 7 percent Asian. For us, our competitive advantage is our diversity. So for us, diversity is not a bullet point. We were very intentional to make sure the (entrepreneurship) events were not happening just in center city, which is our (downtown) business district.”

“In addition to the equity investments, we also set up a grant platform. $500,000 was set aside and we opened up cycles throughout the year and we would give out $100,000, $150,000 at a time … to organizations that were supporting entrepreneurship in some way.”

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Leading Edge BIZ POLL

BIZTIMES MEDIA – Like us

COFFEE BREAK

A recent survey of BizTimes.com readers.

Do you plan to shop on Boston Store’s revived website? Yes:

Pierre Verger

Chief operating officer | Heritage Senior Living LLC

18%

7901 W. National Ave., West Allis heritagesenior.com

No:

INDUSTRY: Senior living EMPLOYEES: 680

44% I’ll only shop at Boston Store if they reopen a brick-and-mortar store:

• He grew up in Limoges, France, where most of his extended family still lives, and where he tries to visit twice a year. • His father was a hospital administrator at a nursing home, so Verger was exposed to the senior care industry as a young child. • Since then, he said, senior living communities have changed drastically – for the better.

38% Share your opinion! Visit biztimes.com/bizpoll to cast your vote in the next Biz Poll.

• Verger, 41, didn’t always want to follow in his father’s footsteps. “When I was 18, I ran away, and when I say ‘ran away,’ I mean I took a completely different route to study hotel and restaurant management.”

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• His studies led him to the U.S. to work in hospitality and later back to France, where he opened his own hotel and restaurant. He still enjoys

fine dining and wine.

• He returned to the health care industry in 2009 and joined Heritage in 2016, moving to Milwaukee with his family.

• The future of senior living is unclear, but

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• “Care has become much more technical, the layout of the building has become more important for seniors, as well as the training of the staff and the acute care program…We know much more.”

May Lose Value

to Verger, it will need motivated, open-minded professionals and globally-driven solutions. “The answer is all over the world because all people try to take care of their grandparents and seniors the best they can.” • He likes his espresso in a porcelain cup. n

BIZ LUNCH

Lunch

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

Biz

GRIMALDI’S PIZZERIA A D D R E S S: 20119 N. Lord St., Brookfield CUISINE: New York-style pizza C H E F: Jamil Malik M O O D: Casual

PRICING: Personal, small and large pizzas $14-30; personal, small and large calzones $15-23

Scottsdale, Arizona-based pizza chain Grimaldi’s Pizzeria, which is known for its pizza and calzones, opened its first Wisconsin location last year at The Corners of Brookfield. The restaurant makes its pizzas with house-made dough and sauce, and bakes them in a signature coal brick oven, creating a crispy thin crust. The most popular pies on the menu are the Traditional Pizza with pepperoni, and The Don, which is the Traditional Pizza topped with Italian sausage, meatballs and pepperoni. Grimaldi’s also serves calzones – hand tossed dough stuffed with ricotta and mozzarella. The menu offers salads, and appetizers such as its Bruschetta Trio and antipasto platter. Grimaldi’s drink menu offers both domestic and Italian wine. The restaurant, which fills up the most during the early evening dinner rush, is open Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. 

12 3

3 Grimaldi’s serves a selection of salads, including a caprese salad, and a spinach salad with red onion, cherry tomatoes, bacon, Gorgonzola cheese and balsamic vinaigrette. Popular pizza The Don, fresh out of Grimaldi’s coal-fired brick oven.

With a 3,967-square-foot interior space and a 772-square-foot patio, Grimaldi’s can seat 170 people. biztimes.com / 13

BizNews FEATURE

Higher education programs respond to region’s need for supply chain managers BY LAUREN ANDERSON, staff writer WORKING IN logistics and inventory for Komatsu Mining Corp., Steven Peterson recognizes the world of supply chain management has changed since he graduated from college just eight years ago. The digital transformation prompted by artificial intelligence, big data and the Internet of Things – sometimes called the Fourth Industrial Revolution – has transformed the way products are produced, services are delivered, and consumers consume. “Industry is changing fast and the younger generation is getting more tech-savvy,” Peterson said. “There are new things on the horizon that we didn’t necessar-

14 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 1, 2018

ily learn when we were in school originally and we need to keep up with the times and be ahead of the curve, and then be the leaders going forward.” Peterson is one of 10 students in Marquette University’s inaugural cohort of its new Master of Science in Supply Chain Management, a program aimed at helping professionals prepare for and lead change within the industry. The online program, which launched in August, represents an effort by higher education institutions to respond to the growing need for supply chain talent, spurred in part by the introduction of several major companies in the region, including Foxconn Technology Group, Amazon, Uline Inc.

and others in the growing corridor along I-94 between Milwaukee County and the Illinois state line. In addition to new companies entering the area, the rise of socalled smart manufacturing practices, or “Industry 4.0,” is changing the way long-established Milwaukee-area companies operate. “It’s a really good time to be in supply chain,” said Douglas Fisher, director of Marquette’s Center for Supply Chain Management. “Retail is facing pressure. You’ve got Amazon in the logistics space. Industry 4.0 is changing manufacturing amazingly … Foxconn has said they will take their next leadership out of supply chain because it touches so much of the business. What used to be a backroom cost

function is now out in front.” Marquette officials felt an urgency to develop the master’s program quickly, which was approved in December 2017 and welcomed its first cohort just eight months later. “We talk to lots of companies and … they are having trouble recruiting enough people in supply chain,” said Mark Barratt, faculty program director of Marquette’s Master of Science in Supply Chain. “Then we started looking at the national picture, with a massive number of middle and senior level people retiring, with the emergence of Industry 4.0 and digital supply chain, we decided we could put the two together … We knew we had to do it quickly.”

The first cohort of the online Master of Science in Supply Chain Management program at Marquette University.

It was also the next step for the university as it has spent the past decade focused on bolstering enrollment and the status of its supply chain undergraduate program, which has grown from a small program to being ranked 13th nationally on the 2019 U.S. News & World Report list. Gateway Technical College launched its own two-year associate’s supply chain program this fall, with a goal of graduating workers who understand the new tech-driven industry. With the growing reliance on robots to load, unload and stock warehouses, supply chain managers today need to know not only how supplies are getting from point A to point B, but also the

technology behind those automated processes, said Joe Fullington, dean of Gateway’s school of business and transportation. Gateway’s addition of the supply chain program was a response to swelling demand from employers in the region. Fullington said with any new program, the college works to ensure that the number of available jobs in the region outpaces the number of graduates it is capable of producing in any given year. In addition to logistics, purchasing, statistics, safety and lead-

ership development, the program curriculum includes a course on robotics. Gateway holds the core classes for the program at its SC Johnson integrated Manufacturing and Engineering Technology Center in Sturtevant. “You can’t do what you did in the past; throw it on a pallet, shrink wrap it and so forth,” Fullington said. “It has to be packaged in a way that a robot can unpack it. Being able to give our students a leg up to understand (robotics) from the logistics side of things is going

to give them opportunities.” And, increasingly, graduates will find those opportunities in southeastern Wisconsin, Fullington said. “Southeast Wisconsin is becoming the mecca center for Industry 4.0,” Fullington said. In addition to new technology, consumer behavior has been a catalyst for the transformation of supply chain management, said James Merwin, director of supply chain for Kohler Co.’s vitreous operations. “Supply chain as a profession has snowballed in terms of its

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biztimes.com / 15

BizNews

importance,” he said. “It’s really gained a lot of momentum. Companies will always need to compete, supply chain to supply chain, in terms of staying cost competitive and keeping product available to their customers in a world where everyone expects the product to be available right away.” Merwin serves on Marquette’s Center for Supply Chain Management advisory board, a group of professional representatives that meets several times throughout the year to ensure the curriculum keeps pace with industry. It’s built intentionally as an agile program, capable of responding to changes within the industry, Fisher said. “The whole Industry 4.0 is evolving,” he said. “So what you see this year is probably going to be different next year. It’s just that fast-moving of a program.” Chris Ream, a student in Mar-

quette’s supply chain management master’s program who works for Amazon in the Chicago area, said he’s seen firsthand the change in his industry since graduating from his undergraduate program six years ago. “It was a lot more basic – here’s the layout of a warehouse, here’s a truck, the truck goes from point A to point B,” he said. “Even from when I first started, it was a lot of pen and paper doing math on the go, hoping your estimates were correct. Over the years, as things have evolved to where we are today, with the technology we have today, we can track and plan so much better.” While automation can often bring fear of eliminating jobs, Nicholas Bartling, an Oconomowoc resident in the Marquette master’s program, said there is security in knowing that supply chain managers will always be needed as long

Tom Berdelle, a student in Marquette’s Master of Science in Supply Chain Management program, with Mark Cotteleer, research director at Deloitte.

as consumers keep consuming. “Yes, there is a lot of stuff moving online and we’re getting used to consuming digital products, but there is still a massive need for physical goods,” he said. “And yes that’s going to become more technologically oriented, but on the back end, we have to move the stuff from here to there. Producing things using physical components is never going to change.” After 24 years of teaching

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16 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 1, 2018

supply chain management, Barratt said it’s the “most exciting time” to be producing the next generation of leaders. “It’s like being a kid in a candy store,” he said. “There are so many things happening at the moment; some new technologies and some existing technologies, but put it all together and it’s like someone gave you a whole new toolbox. And now it’s the question of, ‘How do we use this?” n

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ADAPTIVE REUSE: JUST LEFTOVERS, OR A NEW MAIN COURSE? Economic and technological shifts are impacting the demand for commercial real estate and some building owners have had to adapt by seeking new uses for vacant spaces. At the annual BizTimes Media Commercial Real Estate and Development Conference real estate industry experts will discuss how the changing economic landscape, driven largely by Amazon, the changing workforce and other new tech innovations, is forcing building owners to adjust. Attendees will learn how these national trends are impacting southeastern Wisconsin.

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:

• Daniel F. Ertl, A.I.C.P., Director of Community Development, City of Brookfield (1) • Douglas Fisher, Ph. D, Director of the Center for Supply Chain Management, Associate Professor of Practice - Management, Marquette University (2) • Scott Goldman, Principal, Baum Revision, LLC (3) • Eric Griffith, VP - Mall Leasing, CBL Properties (4) • J. Michael Mooney, Principal, Chairman & Co-Founder, MLG Capital (5)

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• Mark Eppli, Director of the Graaskamp Center for Real Estate, Wisconsin Business School, University of Wisconsin - Madison UW Madison (6)

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BizNews

the

Interview

AFTER ALMOST THREE DECADES working at JPMorgan Chase & Co., most recently as

market president for Chase Bank in Wisconsin and Minnesota and managing director for Chase Middle Market Banking in Wisconsin, Jim Popp made the move to Racine-based Johnson Financial Group. Popp has served as president and chief executive officer of family-owned JFG, which includes Johnson Bank (assets of about $4.7 billion) and Johnson Insurance, since May 2017. BizTimes managing editor Molly Dill recently asked him about his vision for the company. What changes have you made in your first year as CEO? “It’s performing really well and it’s a strong business. That being said, the industry’s changing dramatically. Our change and our evolution is something that’s going to be a consistent theme for us now and in the years to come.”

How is being part of a family-owned bank different from being part of a corporate bank? “We are truly a local business. We don’t have to go to another city or another state or another country to make decisions about what we want to do. That’s pretty unique, certainly in the banking business, and in the financial industry.”

With the 2016 acquisition of Cleary Gull Advisors, JFG increased its emphasis on wealth management. Why? “The demographics of the population in this country are there’s a lot of opportunity in the investment advisory business. Cleary Gull was a top-tier shop in Milwaukee where the partnership was a really great fit with Johnson Financial Group. We’re excited about where they sit today and we’re excited about the future in the wealth business.”

Do you have any new branches planned? “We don’t necessarily have new branches planned. What we spend a lot of time doing is evaluating the branches we have today and continuing to make them more relevant in terms of what our customer base is looking for. It’s upgrading the technology. It’s adding what our customers are looking for.”

The most recent Federal Reserve numbers indicate commercial and industrial lending standards are a little looser than in years past. Are you seeing a lot of C&I loan demand and competition?

LILA ARYAN PHOTOGRAPHY

“I think we’re seeing both. The market continues to plow forward, the economy is doing really well, we’re seeing our customers across our footprints expanding their businesses and growing their businesses, which generally involves a need for capital. It’s also very competitive. If you’re a bank that’s not doing well today, then I think you’re doing something wrong. They all have capital and are looking very actively to deploy that capital in the form of commercial loans.”

A few area banks are increasing their profiles downtown with new buildings and prominent signage. Does Johnson Bank have plans to increase its downtown Milwaukee presence? “We’ve been in Milwaukee and we’ve had a presence in the city for years and years. Milwaukee is a very hot market right now certainly in the state. There’s a lot of great things going on in Milwaukee. We will continue to look at ways to expand our presence and be more active in Milwaukee.”

Is there opportunity for Johnson Bank with the nearby Foxconn Technology Group development? “If Foxconn continues to happen as it’s happening right now and continues to grow and gain momentum, it will be a catalyst for an enormous lift in the southeast corner of the state. I think that will give us all opportunities to do business in terms of retail business, private banking business, mortgage business … certainly as people come to town and there are more jobs in southeast Wisconsin.” n 18 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 1, 2018

Jim Popp President and CEO Johnson Financial Group Inc. Employees: 1,200 johnsonbank.com

PRESENTS:

2018

Nonprofit Excellence Awards finalists 2018 Each year, BizTimes Media honors reader-nominated corporate citizens and nonprofits for their ongoing commitment to making Milwaukee a better place to live, work and play. BizTimes is pleased to announce this year’s finalists: Corporate Citizen of the Year • Cousins Subs • First Bank Financial Centre • Komatsu Mining Corp. Corporate Volunteer of the Year

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2018 7:30AM - 9:30am | Italian Community Center

• Marcell Jackson, GE Healthcare • Tim Stewart, DeWitt Ross & Stevens In-Kind Supporter • ManpowerGroup • Marcus Corp. • Z2

Trauma’s Effect on Milwaukee’s Workforce Psychological trauma knows no boundaries, damaging individuals in urban and rural areas and harming the social and economic systems in which they live. In the workplace, trauma often translates to absenteeism, difficulty establishing professional relationships and poor decision making. Learn more about trauma from Dr. Mike Lovell, president of Marquette University and Amy Lovell, president of REDgen, and see how you can help guide our community toward solutions. Immediately following the Lovells’ presentation, we will present the Nonprofit Excellence Awards.

Next Generation Leadership • Erik Kennedy, Aurora Health Care • Christine Richards, Richards Group Allstate Nonprofit Collaboration of the Year • Dominican Center for Women Inc. and Hunger Task Force • Elevate Inc. • Outreach Community Health Centers Nonprofit Executive of the Year • Lynda Kohler, SHARP Literacy Inc. • Angela Mancuso, The Women’s Center Inc. • Ann Petrie, Ronald McDonald House Charities Eastern Wisconsin Nonprofit Organization of the Year-Large • Discovery World Ltd. • My Choice Family Care • Luther Manor Nonprofit Organization of the Year-Small • Cathedral Center Inc. • CORE El Centro • Literacy Services of Wisconsin Inc. • Northwest Side Community Development Corp. Social Enterprise • Brew City MKE Beer Museum • FEI Behavioral Health

PLATINUM SPONSOR:

• Milwaukee Habitat ReStore Lifetime Achievement • The Klumb family, KS Energy

Real Estate

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

A rendering of the planned Michels project. INSET: The Michels construction site.

Becher Street corridor becomes Bay View’s development hot spot

IN THE SPRING OF 2016, three buildings on the north end of Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood were sold to a New Yorkbased restaurant supply store. The properties totaled just more than 8 acres between South First Street and the Kinnickinnic

River, south of West Becher Street. Underutilized industrial buildings were demolished and a 70,000-square-foot Restaurant Depot was constructed. The development was a win for the intersection, which had been neglected for years. Two years later, the Becher Street corridor, which has direct access to I-94, large tracts of developable land and connectivity to the burgeoning Harbor District, is becoming one of the most exciting areas on the south side. In August, Brownsville-based construction company Michels Corp. announced a $100 million plan to redevelop the former Horny Goat Hideaway property northwest of South First Street and West Becher Street, along the Kinnickinnic River. The six-acre site will include an eight-story office building, half of which will be occupied by about 400 Michels Corp. employees. When completely built out, the entire campus could include 220,000 square feet of office space, 67 units of multi-family housing, 19,000 square feet of retail, a 103-room hotel and nearly 1,000

CURT WALTZ, AERIALSCAPES, WWW.AERIALSCAPES.COM

BIRD’S EYE VIEW: PA B S T FA R M S

20 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 1, 2018

After years of little progress, the sprawling Pabst Farms mixed-use development in Oconomowoc had a busy summer, with several more projects planned. In August, Fleet Farm opened a 218,000-square-foot store, along with a gas station, convenience store and auto service center, along I-94 on the south end of the development. North of the Fleet Farm store, more commercial activity has taken place, with a Qdoba Mexican Eats and Firestone Complete Auto Care recently opening, as well as some smaller commercial buildings, said Jason Gallo, city planner. The residential portion of Pabst Farms is also expanding. Just west of existing subdivision Eastlake Village, Village Crossing II at Pabst Farms Condominiums was recently approved. The project, being developed by Elm Grove-based Kings Way Homes LLC, will feature nine buildings. The first phase includes 26 units, Gallo said.

around the corner from his building at 187 E. Becher St. in a vacant 12,000-square-foot warehouse. The store will also include a public gathering area, a place to buy beer and coffee, and Wheel & Sprocket’s new corporate headquarters. The company is currently based in Hales Corners. “When I bought my building, I thought over the next five to 10 years what is happening in Walker’s Point would make its way south,” Schmoldt said. “I didn’t expect this would happen in just one year.” Milwaukee Alderman Tony Zielinski, who represents Bay View, credits the development on the north end of the neighborhood to careful urban planning. “Another fast-food restaurant wanted to go into the Hamburger Mary’s space and I said I wouldn’t support it,” Zielinski said. “It wasn’t the highest and best use. So now we have a 150-unit housing development with commercial. I’ve tried to push commercial where it needs to go and preserve our neighborhoods.” As the Michels site and others are redeveloped, and the Harbor District to the northeast begins to fill in, what is happening along South First Street and Becher Street will seem natural, Schmoldt said. “The Restaurant Depot seems pretty boring now and Michels seems like a bold decision,” Schmoldt said. “But in 10 years, (Michels’ campus) will seem like it has always been there.” n

WHO REALLY OWNS IT?

underground parking spaces. Michels purchased the former Horny Goat property at 2011-2029 S. First St. in April for $3.6 million. Phase one of the project, called R1ver, is expected to be completed by summer 2020. Meanwhile, Texas-based real estate firm Transwestern has been marketing a second development site directly across the Kinnickinnic River, facing the planned Michels tower. The 6.8-acre waterfront property at 1933 S. First St. currently holds a warehouse owned by Milwaukee Pier Inc. In August, Milwaukee Pier sold a 2-acre site directly west of the Michels site, northeast of South Fourth Street and West Becher Street, near I-94. Within the past two years, nearly every property along Becher Street from South First Street to South Kinnickinnic Avenue has been sold, with the exception of the BP gas station, said Kevin Schmoldt, a real estate broker with commercial real estate agency NAI MLG Commercial. Schmoldt said Bay View has been hot for about 10 years, but the increase in activity over the past two to three months has been incredible. Through his real estate investment company, Simple Bayview LLC, Schmoldt purchased the commercial portion of the Bayview Commons development at the southwest corner of East Becher Street and South Kinnickinnic Avenue in the spring. His tenants include Southern Lakes Physical Therapy, Subway, Verizon, Barre District and State Farm. At the time, Schmoldt knew the vacant former Hamburger Mary’s restaurant across the street at 2130 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. was being redeveloped by Milwaukee-based New Land Enterprises LLP. The New Land project, called The Beacon, will be a six-story, 144-unit apartment building with first-floor retail and a public plaza connecting to Zillman Park. Schmoldt soon found out Wheel & Sprocket would be opening its first Milwaukee bike shop

ROYAL ENFIELD WAREHOUSE For more than two years, a blue warehouse on a prominent corner in Walker’s Point has been vacant and for sale. Beloit-based Hendricks Commercial Properties LLC considered buying the 13,289-square-foot warehouse at 135 E. Pittsburgh Ave. and the adjacent parking lot at 120-138 E. Oregon St. from Greenfield-based real estate development firm Ener-Con Cos. Inc., but dropped its option in June 2016. Ener-Con later transferred ownership of the building to Pittsburgh Oregon LLC, an ownership group led by Ener-Con owner Michael Dilworth. Ener-Con still manages the property. While its logo is still painted on the building, Indian motorcycle manufacturer Royal Enfield vacated the property in July 2016 to move into its permanent home at the former Mitchell Leather Factory & Retail Store building at 226 N. Water St. in the Historic Third Ward. ADDRESS: 135 E. Pittsburgh Ave. OWNER: Pittsburgh Oregon LLC ASSESSED: $461,000

BizTimes Salutes our Veterans

Veterans Day 2018

B I Z T I M E S M I LWA U K E E • S P E C I A L C O V E R A G E Honor our service members and recognize the companies that go above and beyond to support them by advertising your logo on the front cover of BizTimes Milwaukee or within the Special Report. Space reservation:

October 24, 2018

CORRINNE HESS

Publication date:

November 12, 2018

If your company actively recruits veterans, ask about the 3 exclusive cover wrap ad placements opportunities available.

Reporter

P / 414-336-7116 E / corri.hess@biztimes.com T / @CorriHess

Call 414.336.7112 or go online to biztimes.com/coverlogo to sign up and submit your logo biztimes.com / 21

SHAPING THE FUTURE Manufacturing Matters! 2017 will take place at the Hyatt Regency in Milwaukee on February 23rd, 2017. The theme of this year’s conference is Shaping the Future, and the conference features 18 breakout session in six tracks including: Growth • Operational Excellence • Human Capital Management C-Suite Essentials • Technology & innovation Wisconsin Manufacturing P L AT I N U M S P O N S O R

As workforce challenges and trends are on the minds of most manufacturers, we are pleased to announce this year’s keynote presenter is Kip Wright, Senior Vice President of Manpower, North will discuss key GeneracAmerica. Power Kip Systems -G OCorporate L D workforce S P O N S OHeadquarters RS trends and what manufacturers can do Kip Wright to secure and develop their current and Senior Vice President of future workforces. Manpower, North America

Thursday, October 4, 2018 • 7:00 - 11:00 AM

Unlocking Success in REGISTER Your TODAY! Company www.manufacturingmatters.org

It’s more than Tariffs, Technology and Talent SPONSOR MESSAGES:

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers is a trade association that represents nearly 1,000 companies in North America. Our members build the heavy equipment that drives construction and agriculture around the world, and for nearly 125 years, AEM has been advancing the equipment manufacturing industry from our headquarters right here in Milwaukee. Today, new technologies and trends are changing the products that our members build and the demands of their customers. AEM is committed to informing our members about potentially disruptive topics and positioning manufacturers to thrive in this changing market. And with our Thinking Forward initiative, AEM is leading the way into the high tech future. Visit aem.org/think to learn more.

SUPPORTING SPONSOR:

22 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 1, 2018

At Davis|Kuelthau, we are passionate about partnering with our clients to achieve their legal and business objectives. Since our firm’s origin, our attorneys have helped hundreds of manufacturers throughout Wisconsin, and nationally, grow and thrive in even the most challenging times. As one of Wisconsin’s leading business law firms, and proudly headquartered here in Milwaukee, we have had the honor of advising a wide array of manufacturers producing the latest products in areas such as adhesives, electronics, food and beverage, furniture, lighting, machinery, plastics, steel and transportation. Our team of business, employment and litigation attorneys is uniquely positioned to help local businesses and their owners navigate their legal challenges every day. We bring real-world experience, understanding, and a results oriented mindset to help clients achieve their objectives. When the time is right, we would be delighted to talk with you about your needs. To earn more about our services, please visit www.dkattorneys.com. In the interim, we hope you enjoy the summit.

GSC is proud to sponsor this year’s BizTimes Manufacturing Summit. For nearly 30 years GSC has worked with local manufacturers to improve their product development process. GSC’s goal is to partner with your company to learn about your issues and how they can solve them by providing you with the latest 3D engineering technology, training, and consulting. GSC offers solutions that cover all aspects of your product development process with a seamless, integrated workflow for 3D design, simulation, communication, and data management. GSC has also been at the forefront of 3D printing technology for close to 20 years. Our experienced team of experts can help you find the right applications, materials and printers that will change the way you do business.

TAKE THE FUTURE BY SURPRISE. NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. INVEST IN YOUR AEM MEMBERSHIP TODAY Join 1,000 equipment manufacturing companies that drive the construction and agriculture industries. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers gives its members a shared voice, critical industry insights and a stake in the future.

START THINKING FORWARD AT AEM.ORG/THINK

SPONSOR MESSAGES:

As workforce challenges and trends are on the minds of most manufacturers, we are pleased to announce this year’s keynote presenter is Kip Wright, Senior Vice President of Manpower, North America. Kip will discuss G O key L D workforce SPONSORS trends and what manufacturers can do to secure and develop their current and future workforces.

The HR game changer is here. A proud supporter of the 2018 Next Generation Manufacturing Summit, Insperity® has put down roots in Milwaukee. Our team is ready to redefine everything you thought you knew about HR outsourcing. Get the human resource service and level of care you’ve been craving. We’ll walk alongside you to provide guidance and expertise to take your business further, faster. With responsive and timely follow-through, a consultative approach with an unmatched level of care and the breadth and depth of experience; you’ll have a true HR partner. Insperity, a trusted advisor to America’s best businesses since 1986, provides full-service HR, employee benefits and HR software. To learn more about how Insperity can help your business, stop by our table or visit Insperity.com/Milwaukee.

Kip Wright

Senior Vice President of Manpower, North America

As one ofwww.manufacturingmatters.org the nation’s top CPA and advisory firms, Schenck is pleased to sponsor the Next Generation Manufacturing Summit. Wisconsin’s manufacturers, long known for their ability to adapt, continue to innovate effectively. As a result of their approach to recruitment, product development, technology, business modeling and more, manufacturers have proven their long-term sustainability. In today’s competitive global market, finding ways to reduce costs, improve productivity and drive revenue is critical. We are privileged to have gathered some notable industry leaders to share the best practices that have contributed to their success. I encourage you to consider their insight, and to step back and take a fresh strategic look at your organization. We look forward to being inspired to innovate amid an ever-changing manufacturing landscape! Karin Gale, CPA, CM&AA Shareholder, Manufacturing & Distribution Industry Team Co-Leader, Schenck

Spring Bank is privileged to sponsor this year’s Next Generation Manufacturing Summit. Like many manufacturers and most in business, we’ve faced the unexpected and the disruptive. Ten years ago after we started the bank, the economy crashed. But as unfortunate as the Great Recession was, our ability to support local businesses when other banks could not was foundational to our success. It’s gratifying when business owners say, “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be in business today.” Or, when people tell you, “You’re not like other banks,” and they mean that in a positive way. For us, exceptional customer service is not a promise. It’s the way we do business.

The Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP) is proud to sponsor the 2018 Next Generation Manufacturing Summit, which recognizes the importance of Manufacturing in Wisconsin and the vital role it plays in the state’s economy. Every day for nearly 25 years the WMEP has vigorously worked to create a world-class manufacturing environment in Wisconsin. Our talented people, top-notch approaches, diverse partnerships and unique engagements have created more than $4 billion in impact for manufacturers across the state. The WMEP enhances the success of Wisconsin’s small and midsize manufacturers by providing expert and accessible services in the areas of growth and innovation, cost reduction and efficiency improvement, workforce culture, and securing needed certifications.

We are an independent, locally-owned bank with experienced bankers that provide the personal attention our customers deserve.

We would be honored to assist with your organization’s achievement of its goals, whether aimed at top- or bottom-line growth, or focused on your people or desired certifications.

David Schuelke

George Bureau

President/CEO Spring Bank

Vice President, Consulting Services Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership

24 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 1, 2018

manufacturing.

law. From the boardroom to the courtroom, Davis|Kuelthau is your trusted partner. Whether a multi-national Fortune 500 company or a fellow Midwestern-rooted entity, our corporate, labor and litigation attorneys are well-positioned to serve as your personal outside general counsel. Industry know-how. Business acumen. Personalized service. We are Davis |Kuelthau.

BROOKFIELD | GREEN BAY | MILWAUKEE www.dkattorneys.com

STORY COVER

$eeing green Some find business opportunities as cannabis markets grow By Arthur Thomas, staff writer

eith Coursin’s customers knew it before he did. The growing legal marijuana industry is a big business opportunity for Germantown-based Desert Aire. The manufacturer of dehumidifiers is an expert in dealing with moisture in indoor spaces. As more states and countries make marijuana legal for medical and recreational purposes, grow operations are changing from a few plants hidden in a basement or closet to professionalized operations with a need to control costs and produce a consistent product. As the engineers and contractors Desert Aire worked with became involved in the construction of new cannabis operations, those customers turned to Desert Aire. One of the company’s strengths is determining the right size equipment to use for a given space. “It was more of our customer base in the United States and Canada seeking us out rather than us being so brilliant that we identified this marketplace,” said Coursin, president of Desert Aire.

26 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 1, 2018

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STORY COVER

Desert Aire’s Keith Coursin, president, stands alongside one of the company’s GrowAire indoor climate control systems on the floor of the company’s manufacturing facility in Germantown.

A number of companies are seeing the opportunities to cash in on the burgeoning new industry. The Canadian subsidiary of MillerCoors parent company Molson Coors Brewing Co., for example, announced a joint venture with cannabis producer The Hydropothecary Corp. to explore non-alcoholic, cannabis-infused beverages for sale in Canada, where regulators are expected to approve edible marijuana products next year. Molson Coors had previously highlighted shifts in discretionary income caused by the emergence of legal cannabis as a potential risk to its business. New York-based Constellation Brands, which produces alcoholic beverages including Corona beer, Robert Mondavi wine and Svedka vodka, recently made a roughly $4 billion investment in Canadian cannabis company Canopy Growth Corp. Constellation estimates that in 15 years the retail sales market for medical and recreational marijuana will be around $100 billion in the U.S., $11 billion in Canada and $120 billion in the rest of the world. Closer to home, Milwaukee-based industrial automation firm Rockwell Automation Inc. landed work with Burlington, Canada-based medicinal cannabis company Maricann Group Inc. in 2017. Maricann is in the process of expanding its production facility and plans to use Rockwell’s hardware and software for everything from process control functions to building automation and material handling. Maricann expects a 65 to 75 percent efficien28 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 1, 2018

cy improvement by using an automated system to stage plants for harvesting instead of having employees retrieve each plant. Saukville-based Pope Scientific Inc., which makes distillation and evaporation equipment for a variety of industries, has also seen business grow because of the budding cannabis industry. The company has gone as far as creating a separate website to address the specific questions and concerns of potential customers from the cannabis market. Sheboygan-based iHemp Alliance Medical LLC is seeking to raise $12 million to build a nearly 50,000-square-foot industrial hemp growhouse and laboratory, according to an SEC filing earlier this year. Desert Aire first got involved in the cannabis industry in late 2015. The company spent six to eight months researching how best to size the equipment to the room, while also accounting for things like room temperature and moisture levels. It wasn’t until 2017 that Coursin and his team felt like they had a model they could trust. The result is a more than 50 percent increase in sales for the company, according to Coursin, who declined to share specific revenue figures. While his friends at chamber of commerce meetings will give him a hard time for his newfound industry, Coursin said there is also interest among other businesses looking for similar opportunities.

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STORY COVER

Legality of marijuana in the U.S.

Recreational and medical cannabis use, industrial hemp cultivation allowed Medical cannabis use, industrial hemp cultivation allowed Industrial hemp cultivation allowed Medical cannabis use allowed Not legal Source: National Conference of State Legislatures

30 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 1, 2018

“I think the business community is fascinated by it,” he said. Coursin never thought he would find himself in the pot business and the company debated internally if customers would take issue with Desert Aire’s support for the industry. “The only complaint we’ve had is our lead times have gone out too far,” he said. Legal weed is creating an opportunity for businesses like Desert Aire as production that was hidden from view is now out in the open and being professionalized. Coursin said his early visits to grow operations made clear to him just how many square feet grow operations occupy. Lots of space means lots of energy is required to maintain the proper conditions. Of course, plenty of people see opportunity in the cannabis industry. The first few states to legalize it in some way saw a rush of people interested in production. Things are complicated, however, by federal regulations that limit the number of banks willing to do business with cannabis producers. Banks are allowed to do business with producers, but they are also required to file “suspicious activity reports” if they believe funds in a transaction are related to illegal activity, including money laundering. “Imagine if you were a bank compliance officer, fearful of potential fines and criminal charges for failing to file, and looking over at Attorney General Jeff Sessions,” Aaron Klein, policy director for the Brookings Center on Regulation and Markets, wrote in an April 2018 report. “Even if there is no logical reason to continually dump paperwork and filings in the government’s lap, it may be the rational thing to do.” A 2013 memo from the Obama administration Justice Department indicated the agency would not enforce the federal prohibition in states that legalized the drug and had enforcement systems in place. Sessions rescinded that memo early this year, leaving it to individual U.S. attorneys to make decisions on which marijuana crimes to prosecute. In Illinois, Bank of Springfield, a main bank for the state’s medical marijuana industry, decided to close cannabis companies’ accounts after the reversal, according to a Chicago Tribune report. The number of banks and credit unions doing business with the marijuana industry, however, has increased – up from 340 in January 2017 to 441 in June 2018 – but the number of suspicious activity reports has grown even faster. According to data from the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, about 42 percent of the 57,801 suspicious activity reports since 2014 were made from June 2017 to June 2018. Out of all the reports, about 70 percent included a designation suggesting the bank believed the operation was complying with state laws. With challenges in getting bank financing, those interested in marijuana production have to find other investment sources for their building and operating costs before moving ahead.

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STORY COVER

Desert Aire’s Jim McKillip, western region manager, and Trane Canada’s Kyle Gilbertson, account manager, pause in their hazmat suits during a site visit to a cannabis cultivation facility in British Columbia.

“The early people rushing to get into it took a lot of shortcuts,” Coursin said, adding people who grew six plants in their basement often thought they could manage a grow operation with 600 plants. “It didn’t scale up.” Desert Aire eventually developed a questionnaire for potential customers after realizing many producers did not have a firm grasp on their operations. The company often has clients go through the form five times to make sure both sides have a solid understanding of what equipment is necessary for the specific operation. He added it has gotten easier to work with producers as more have professionalized their operations. More and better suppliers also means more supply, which has started to push the price of legal weed down. In Colorado, for example, the average price fell by as much as 62 percent from 2014 through 2017, according to the Colorado Department of Revenue. For consumers, that means lower prices, but for producers, it means tighter margins and a need to improve even more. “If you’re not a lean, mean manufacturing ma-

chine, your costs are higher than what the market is buying it at,” Coursin said. Those price changes have come without many businesses getting involved because there are still risks to the industry, particularly in the U.S., where the drug remains illegal under federal law. “There are a number of companies, major companies, who are eyeing this marketplace but don’t want to get in because it’s not federally regulated,” Coursin said. Marijuana’s federal status in the U.S. complicates things like banking and taxation, but Coursin said sales in Canada follow a more traditional business approach because it’s nationally regulated. He added that in the U.S., there is always at least a small worry the federal government could come in and shut everything down. In a Marquette University Law School poll taken in August, 61 percent of surveyed registered voters in Wisconsin agreed with the view that marijuana should be fully legalized and regulated like alcohol, compared to 36 percent who disagreed. Support for legalization was strongest among those ages 18 to 29 and those who consider themselves very liberal, at 81 and 90 percent, respectively. Just 27 percent of those with “very conservative” views supported legalization. Support was strong among Democrats at 78 percent, although 43 percent of Republicans surveyed did support legalization.

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Those findings match national results from a Pew Research Center survey released in January that found 61 percent of Americans supported legalizing marijuana, nearly double the 31 percent support found in 2000. The more recent survey also found wide gaps in support based on age and political affiliation. Wisconsin is in the minority of states when it comes to legalizing marijuana for medical purposes, as it is not among the 31 states and the District of Columbia that have made the jump to legalize medical marijuana. Nine states and the District of Columbia have approved adult recreational use, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Legalizing marijuana was among the issues Democratic candidates for Wisconsin governor ran on in the party’s primary. A number of candidates said they supported full legalization; the party’s nominee, superintendent of public instruction Tony Evers, says he supports legalizing medical use and holding a statewide referendum on recreational use. “Public opinion on legalizing recreational marijuana has shifted drastically over the last decade, so it’s important to me that everyone has the opportunity to be heard,” Evers said in a statement. “If Wisconsinites believe we should be legalizing recreational marijuana, then I would support a bill making it to my desk as governor.” Gov. Scott Walker, meanwhile, opposes ef-

forts to legalize marijuana. His campaign pointed to law enforcement professionals considering it a gateway to other drugs and argued states should not encourage drug use with opioid addiction on the rise. Some states – including Illinois, Pennsylvania and New York – have expanded medical marijuana to allow it as a substitute for opioid prescriptions. “Scott Walker is committed to finding new ways to lift regulation and create a more prosperous business environment in Wisconsin,” said Austin Altenburg, a spokesman for Walker’s campaign. “In legalizing (industrial) hemp farming and allowing families to use cannabidiol oil to treat health problems, the governor is proving that he is dedicated to ensuring that there is a balance between maintaining the health and wellness of the people of Wisconsin, while also continuing to make Wisconsin a leader in new industries.” Whether marijuana policy becomes a major issue in the fall campaign or not, many voters will have a chance to weigh in on the issue in November. Sixteen counties and the city of Waukesha, a group that represents more than half the state’s population, will have some version of advisory referendum asking residents for their views on marijuana legalization. Wisconsin has expanded its laws to

include the production of industrial hemp, which has a variety of applications and comes from the same genus as the plants used for marijuana. The plants must contain no more than 0.3 percent tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. The state has also allowed the use of cannabidiol, or CBD oil, which can have medical benefits without the effects of THC. Wisconsin lawmakers initially approved use of CBD oil in 2013 under limited circumstances for those with seizure disorders. In 2017, the allowable uses were expanded to certain medical conditions with a certification from a doctor. Also in 2017, lawmakers approved the creation of a pilot program for industrial hemp production; the 2014 federal Farm Bill allowed for such programs. The De-

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partment of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection inspects plants grown under the program. In early May, Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel issued a statement declaring that while farmers could grow industrial hemp, it was still illegal to use those plants to produce CBD oil. After lawmakers and farmers took issue with Schimel’s stance, he issued a second statement clarifying that products produced from the pilot program, including CBD oil, would be considered lawful. “Although our legislature has chosen to authorize industrial hemp pilot projects and products made from that hemp, it is still very important to remind Wisconsin consumers that certain products may threaten their health or could be mislabeled,” Schimel’s statement said. He advised law enforcement not to prosecute those producing products from the pilot program, but added rogue producers and retailers would still be subject to prosecution. The state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection ultimately issued 245 grower licenses and 99 processor licenses this year as part of the industrial hemp program. About 135 growers reported actually planting crops this year, for a total of 1,643 field acres and 22 greenhouse acres. The Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, a nonprofit doing research, policy and education

STORY COVER

Crowds look at industrial hemp plants during a Michael Fields Agricultural Institute field day in East Troy.

Participants at the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute industrial hemp field day.

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work around sustainable agriculture and conservation, is one of the participants in the pilot program. “It’s got all sorts of uses, from the fiber to the seed to the CBD oil,” said Jim Stute, research director for the East Troy nonprofit. Wisconsin was a leader in industrial hemp production around World War II and the state’s climate is well-suited for growing the crop, Stute said, but he cautioned that it is also not the miracle crop some proponents claim it to be. He said once the plant germinates, it does not do a lot of active growing immediately, giving weeds a chance to take over. Since it’s a new crop, there is a lack of herbicides available for use in the U.S., adding to the challenge. Hemp is also a heavy user of nitrogen, which means farmers have to add fertilizer to their fields to maintain proper nutrient levels, a major environmental concern. Despite the challenges, Stute said there are opportunities. His research is focused on its potential as a cover crop and in seed production. With organic production, Stute said hemp could yield 2,000 pounds of seed per acre. At $1 per pound, the crop represents a potential boost to farmers struggling with a challenging agricultural economy. “I think the potential is high,” Stute said, although he added there is more work to do to establish a functioning industry. “It’s in its infancy

“The only complaint we’ve had is our lead times have gone out too far.” — Keith Coursin, President, Desert Aire

and we don’t have the infrastructure to deal with it, either the fiber or the seed.” “It’s one of those things; time will tell,” he said. Tom Ducharme, chief executive officer of iHemp, the company working to raise $12 million for its Sheboygan growhouse, said his interest in industrial hemp comes from learning about Wisconsin’s legacy of growing and processing the plant in the first half of the 20th century. Today, he feels his company has developed a strain of industrial hemp capable of producing high levels of cannabidiol with very low levels of THC. “It’s a really, really good genetic plant,” he said.

Ducharme and his team see plenty of potential applications for hemp in medical, nutraceutical and industrial applications. He’s also launching a line of products under the name RX Hemp Medical this fall. One of the major challenges facing those looking to grow hemp is its association with marijuana. That creates reputational risk that some investors and potential partners are concerned with, Ducharme said. “I think a lot of that will ultimately go away,” he said, noting many media reports regarding the 2018 Farm Bill suggest industrial hemp could be removed from federal drug schedules.

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Special Report MANUFACTURING & LOGISTICS

Automation and data on the rise for manufacturers BY ARTHUR THOMAS, staff writer Along the standby generator assembly line at Generac Power Systems Inc.’s Whitewater production facility, a robot swiftly puts the first pieces of a new unit in place before passing it along to employees who add other components. Around the corner, a machine winds wires, freeing operators from a once-manual task so they can perform other work that requires a more human touch. There are dozens of similar examples throughout the plant and thousands at manufacturers across the region. In addition to a $10 million facility expansion, Hartford-based Broan-NuTone LLC has invested $20 million in automation in recent years. “Automation around here is a tool as much as a hammer or a wrench is,” said Paul Woelbing, president of Franklin-based Carma Laboratories Inc., the maker of Carmex.

Unlike in the past, when automation may have been a way to cut costs and eliminate positions, today’s manufacturers see it as a way to move their available workforce to other tasks and keep up with growth in an ever tightening labor environment. “For us, it’s a very difficult workforce environment right now,” said Aaron Jagdfeld, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Waukesha-based Generac. “We’re much more focused on how do we take the workforce we have, hold on to them, develop them, maybe turn them into people who are operating automation equipment instead of actually assembling equipment.” Jagdfeld and Woelbing will join Frank Carroll, chief executive officer of Broan-NuTone; Rich Simonson, Carma Laboratories chief operating officer and Keith Coursin, president of Germantown-based Desert Aire, at the 2018 Next Gen-

eration Manufacturing Summit. BizTimes Media and Milwaukee 7 are presenting the event, which will be hosted at Generac’s Waukesha headquarters on Oct. 4. The rise of automation as a way to address labor shortfalls will be among the main topics of a panel discussion at the event. The executives will also discuss connecting their own leadership style to company strategy, the use of data within their organization, and managing through the current tumultuous tariff environment. Increasing reliance on automation comes as Foxconn Technology Group continues work on site preparation for its $10 billion LCD manufacturing campus in Mount Pleasant. The company says it will employ 13,000 people when its plant is fully operational, potentially exacerbating the challenges of an already tight labor market. “It will force us, like it will for other businesses in the area, to be more competitive in acquiring and retaining talent,” Simonson said. The panelists all see Foxconn’s arrival as adding to the workforce challenge, but to differing degrees. For a company like Desert Aire, Coursin does not expect a direct pull for his company’s production workers. He does, however, see the potential for a chain reaction in which people living closer to the Foxconn site leave jobs at other companies to join the Taiwanese tech giant. New employees for the then-vacant positions at those employers could potentially come from areas, like Waukesha County, from which Desert Aire currently draws its employees, Coursin said. Companies located in the region’s northern counties, like Desert Aire in Washington County, might not be directly affected by Foxconn, but that chain reaction in the region’s labor market will impact everyone, he said. “This is not going to be easy for anybody,” Carroll said. “I think there’s going to be challenges for all the manufacturers.” Whether the workforce challenges are caused by Foxconn or existing demographic trends, many manufacturers are paying plenty of attention to

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Aaron Jagdfeld, president & CEO – Generac (1), Keith Coursin, president – Desert Aire (2), Paul Woelbing, president – Carma Laboratories Inc. (3), Rich Simonson, COO – Carma Laboratories Inc. (4), Frank Carroll, president & CEO – Broan-NuTone (5)

where their workers will come from. Carroll said Broan-NuTone is offering incentives to employees for referrals, continually reviewing wage structures and expanding co-op programs with area high schools. Desert Aire has found a four-day workweek and some flexibility in start times has helped attract employees, particularly from younger generations. Generac has invested heavily in its headquarters, recognizing that a location in western Waukesha County means better facilities are needed to overcome a longer commute in some cases. The company regularly holds walk-up interview days and Jagdfeld said it has also moved from hiring people for entry-level roles to hiring for early career paths. That means accelerating mentoring programs and giving employees the chance to change their direction within Generac. “We can give you a lot of different experiences under the same umbrella,” he said. “We want to round you out because that actually makes you more valuable to us, as well.” Simonson said addressing workforce challenges is about more than just attracting new employees; it is about holding on to the employees a company has. “I think it’s about recognizing what motivates different individuals and trying to embrace that,” he said, noting many older employees are seeking security, transparency and an opportunity for later career advancement, while younger employees often seek flexibility and an opportunity to be part of something bigger than themselves.

Carma Labs has found success by being willing to pay up front for employees to pursue extra education or training instead of reimbursing after the fact, Simonson said. “I think it’s a matter of having empathy for the people you work with,” Woelbing said. Whether companies have solved their workforce challenges or not, the daily task of fulfilling orders and meeting customer needs continues. Many firms are increasingly turning to data to help them find business opportunities in production and in sales. For Generac, that means making investments to add employees who understand data analytics and have worked at brands like MillerCoors LLC. Today, the company can use data on power outages, generator activations and other sources so that when there are 130,000 people without power in Michigan, for example, Generac has business rules for how to market to those people in targeted ways. “For us, our math has always been about the calculations to design products,” Jagdfeld said. “This is almost like deep math around marketing, which is a totally different way of thinking about our business.” Carma Labs has gone through a similar journey, converting from a focus on manufacturing to embracing Carmex as a brand and seeking to promote it. “We didn’t know as much as we thought we knew,” Simonson said of the company’s data gathering and analysis efforts. Carroll said Broan-NuTone is increasingly

turning to data to help manage the company, but acknowledged there are members of leadership that are not entirely comfortable with it. “We’re trying to get them into the everyday data and the numbers,” he said. Even for Desert Aire, which makes custom dehumidifiers and can see one project on the shop floor for weeks, data plays a key role. Coursin said the company tracks the amount of time spent on individual processes and even though some of the collection is more manual than he would like, it is a worthwhile endeavor. “There’s a feedback component that keeps us going,” he said, noting the data provides insight into which employees might need help or training and which are exceeding expectations and should be compensated accordingly. Data and automation both have the potential to help manufacturers improve operations, but they can also cause concerns for employees, whether it is in job security or just a change in the way of doing things. The panelists all emphasized the importance of transparency with employees in implementing new technology. “We are looking at automation in every step to maintain our U.S. footprint,” Carroll said. Coursin added that companies have to develop a plan for how they are going to invest. “Technology is not inexpensive, so you literally have to allocate and say, ‘We’re going to do this project this year,’” he said. “I’d love to have an infinite amount of time and resources to implement some of this stuff.” n

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Strategies COACHING

Don’t worry about selfesteem Build confidence A lot of people use the words “self-esteem” and “confidence” interchangeably. That’s understandable, especially when a dictionary defines self-esteem as “confidence in one’s own worth or abilities; self-respect.” But they are actually quite different. Self-esteem is a private evaluation of one’s worth. It is often the result of accumulated input from other people – the approvals and disapprovals you encounter each day. Too many frowns and you’re likely to feel badly about yourself. Too many smiles and high-fives and you get an inflated sense of self. In this regard, self-esteem can fluctuate dramatically depending upon circumstances, making it untrustworthy as a means of self-evaluation. Confidence, on the other hand, is a sense of being able to handle whatever comes your way. Rosabeth Moss Kanter defines it in her book, “Confidence: How Winning Streaks and Losing Streaks Begin & End,” as “having a positive expectation for a favorable outcome.” Confidence is born of experience. It embraces mistakes as a necessary means of learning. In fact, the only way to develop a positive expectation for a favorable outcome is to have lots of unfavorable outcomes that point to faulty thinking or behavior. When this happens, you are forced to reconsider the situation. Well, if you are intent on growing, you are forced to reconsider. If you are bent on saving face or protecting your self-esteem, you’re 38 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 1, 2018

probably more apt to blame someone or something for the error. You’re also likely to distance yourself from the event and vow never to come close to such a thing again. In this way, learning is curtailed and you get caught in a very small world with a fragile sense of self. Who wants that? Confidence that is earned through blunder and learning bolsters you to keep going when you find yourself in unfamiliar circumstances. You realize that in every uncomfortable situation there is something to learn. As you learn, you grow more comfortable with uncertainty. Why? Because you develop a deep sense of curiosity, which leaves little room for fear – even fear of looking silly. Confidence, when built over time, allows you to go anywhere, meet with anyone, and interact on any topic under the sun with a measure of grace and good humor. Naturally, as you grow in confidence you like yourself more. Self-esteem, then, is a byproduct of confidence. Interestingly, you often like others more, too, even those who are radically different from you. So forget about how high or low your self-esteem is. Concentrate on building confidence. A good way to do this is to go someplace new on a regular basis. Try a new restaurant, go to a networking event or arrange to visit a company you’ve been curious about. Listen to conversations you’ve avoided in the past. Accept feedback you’ve previously shunned. If people ask why you’re doing these things, smile and tell them you’re curious. No other explanation is necessary. Your smile will make them wonder what you’re up to. They might even be inclined to join you. Another great way to build confidence is to keep track of what happens as you leave your comfort zone. Capture moments of discomfort; you’ll want to reflect on them later. Do the same with experiences that are surprisingly pleasant.

The more you experience, the more you learn, the greater your repertoire of responses and the calmer you will be in any circumstance. This ability to control your emotions and learn from the good, the bad and the ugly (yes, even ugly offers lessons) generates power and freedom that boosts self-esteem without separate concentrated effort. The final aspect of building confidence is sharing what you learn. Not as a braggart, but as an engaged and interested colleague, friend and leader. Speaking up to offer a different perspective or insight is tough for a lot of people, but reframing it as an opportunity to share rather than a challenge to prove that you’re right (or expose yourself as wrong) can ease anxiety. And each attempt provides more confidence-building material. Before you know it, your self-esteem will be just fine without high-fives or trophies. n

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

INNOVATION

Innovate or Die The holistic approach of The Leist Group We all know the importance of the work that police officers do to protect us and keep us safe. And we would probably think it somewhat unusual that the police officer who can take on hardened criminals is also the person who could launch a very successful financial services group that would advise us on how we should deploy our capital to secure our financial futures. Meet David Leist, former police detective, who pivoted in his career and founded his own financial services business that has attracted hundreds of clients who trust the advice and help they receive. In the world of innovation, creating a new product or service is the gold standard. It’s called disruptive technology and a new medical device or a breakthrough drug or a newly advanced manufacturing process would all qualify. But what if you launch a business in a highly competitive industry when just about everything in terms of new financial products has been invented and is available to your competitors? The goal for any such business is to distinguish its brand on what it delivers from the competition to make it so unique that customers will keep coming back. In fact, the cover story for the April 2018 issue of Kiplinger’s magazine was on how to go about selecting a financial advisor from the thousands available throughout the country. Early on, Leist decided the best way to distinguish his business so he would stand out from his competitors was to focus on the experience of the customer, which translates into building strong relationships with service comparable to

none. The core of that experience is to educate his clients so they better understand the various steps they need to take to secure their financial future. His shop offers ongoing education workshops and, most importantly, specific educational outreach to teach people the ins and outs of Social Security, Medicare, 401(k)s, and even completing their tax returns and making sure they understand more efficient tax planning. In the financial services industry, people will claim they give great service. However, all too often that amounts to a meeting with the client and then recommending a set of investments the advisor thinks appropriate. The Leist Group LLC, located in Elm Grove, has an entirely different, holistic approach. It insists on a series of meetings with the clients so advisors can build an information bank and then help that client understand all of the options and “ins and outs” of all approaches. David Leist recognizes that most people are intimidated by issues of money and that stems directly from the fact that they don’t really receive education about it either at the high school or college level. As a result, most adults start their working life clueless about financial markets and more importantly, almost terrified of dealing with their own money. The Leist Group feels that with its process of ongoing client meetings, which are focused on education and giving a guiding hand, it helps clients to not “feel like a number” – that they have received personalized, one-on-one attention specific to their unique situation. Leist’s clients become more confident in understanding the financial options available to them. The goal of his group is not just to sell products, but to offer educational service and help to people wanting to take over their own financial destiny. This is particularly important in the finan-

cial products market because, ultimately, they’re selling something that’s “invisible,” since a financial product such as a mutual fund or an annuity is not something someone can touch and feel. Hence the financial services industry is built entirely on trust and that’s what Leist Group does: builds trust with the client. That requires “active listening” and really taking the time to understand the client. Some financial advisors compete on performance, but with consumers increasingly going to the internet themselves and purchasing index funds, a strategy based on investment returns is ultimately a risky one and probably not sustainable. The hands-on, relationship-building approach has worked in making The Leist Group a unique brand that gathers intense client loyalty. Everything David Leist has taken on in life has been to learn as much as possible about any initiative and then execute flawlessly. n

DAN STEININGER Dan Steininger is the president of BizStarts and the president of Steininger & Associates LLC, which helps companies drive new revenues through innovation. He can be reached at Dan@BizStarts.com. biztimes.com / 39

Strategies A BRIEF CASE

How do I improve communication between my team leaders and the staff? Kevin Anderson Milwaukee regional president Old National Bank “In the financial services world, we have acronyms for practically everything. My approach to effective intra-team communications is based on four ‘COOL’ life lessons. “Celebrate. Communication improves when people feel their efforts are seen and recognized by leaders. Simple and genuine works best. “One-on-one. Never underestimate the value of dedicated, regularly scheduled time to have focused discussions with team members. Organizations are running fast and lean today, so sitting down to allocate time between leaders and staff is critical in building trust, teamwork and accountability. “Optimism. Be mindful of the adage, ‘People don’t always remember what you said; they remember how you made them feel.’ Being positive even in challenging situations and looking for solutions together help team leaders and staff achieve the maximum together. “Lead by example. Open your ears and your mind. It starts at the top – set expectations about communication with all levels of the team and then you live out those same expectations. Be an active listener yourself and encourage clarifying questions to achieve consensus. “At the end of the day, people at all levels of the team need to use basic blocking and tackling communication habits to improve the dynamic and be mutually accountable. Stay COOL!”

40 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 1, 2018

Dave Durand Co-founder and CEO Best Version Media LLC “At BVM, we make a conscious effort to work with our leaders to communicate things the right way, with the right method and in a complete manner. Not all forms of communication are created equal. Bad news delivered via email can sting even worse than in-person. That same news risks sounding sarcastic in a text and is usually best in-person, one-on-one. “It is often said that great leaders listen twice as much as they talk. This false bumper-sticker saying pigeonholes leaders into a bad place. The true formula for leaders is to talk as much as it takes to be understood and to listen as long as it takes to understand. This practical approach allows our leaders to be effective and efficient. “Of course, communication must be readily available, and open, in order for it to be effective. At BVM, we make sure our leaders are accessible to their teams daily. In fact, we rarely need to have annual reviews because the weekly dialogue and interaction creates a real-time understanding of where progress stands. Finally, and most importantly, we foster an environment of compassion that encompasses BVM’s culture of understanding.”

Jessica Ollenburg CEO and shareholder Human Resource Services Inc. “Exceptional opportunity for improving communication lies in developing critical thinking. While leaders need to motivate employees to reveal information, the greatest gaps can be remedied by assessing and coaching all to better understand the informational needs of others. Failure to understand which information is most needed, when, and in what form, commonly creates communication downfall. “Expecting every employee to fully understand the perspective and priorities of leadership job descriptions is unrealistic; therefore, organizational training must step up. At HRS, we coach leaders and teams in the nuances of participative, autocratic and laissez-faire management styles, and when/how to deploy each. Expectations then need to be managed, as each of these styles calls forth unique communication rules. Departmental cross-training, Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats and many more toolsets have been successfully deployed. “Culture, communication and performance appraisal standards should all clarify how the hierarchy will be observed and when open brainstorming is appropriate. We typically find subcultures within the organization itself. Communication mode, delivery, technology use, nonverbal cues, timing and audience additionally need to be trained. Communication ‘misses’ are often manifested in what is not communicated or in the ‘noise’ surrounding the message.” n

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PAY IT FORWARD

Ranell Washington helps teens get smart about money PROMOTING a slow and steady approach to building wealth isn’t an easy sell to high school students. But as a volunteer money coach with Milwaukee-based nonprofit SecureFutures, Ranell Washington helps teens understand the importance of adopting the smart financial practices of saving and budgeting at a young age. “You have to find ways to make it exciting and tie it back to the things they care about,” Washington said. “You teach them how to set priorities and help them figure out how money can be a tool to get you where you want to go.” SecureFutures runs financial literacy programs in high schools around Wisconsin, through which business community volunteers help students to budget their spending, begin saving for the future and understand how to manage credit wisely. 42 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 1, 2018

Washington, assistant vice president of business banking at Town Bank, has served as a volunteer for five years. After four years of working with students at his alma mater, Washington High School in the Sherman Park neighborhood, he now serves at Bradley Tech High School in Walker’s Point. Washington said volunteering with the organization gives him the opportunity to set students up for success after high school. “We talk about the importance of having a bank account, being a good steward of the money you have, finding ways to budget, checking/savings, other investments, how to pay for college if you decide to go, how to set a good path if you’re going to work right out of high school, understanding credit cards, how to shop for a car,” Washington said. “We’re really trying to give people the opportunity

Ranell Washington Assistant vice president of business banking Town Bank Nonprofit served: SecureFutures Service: Money coach

to have these skills at a young age so they make better decisions.” Brenda Campbell, president and chief executive officer of SecureFutures, said the organization relies on volunteers like Washington who can share their experience and knowledge with students. “His passion for financial capability is clear, and teens really look up to him,” Campbell said. “It’s obvious every time he goes into the classroom that he truly cares about helping students become money smart and secure their futures.” One of the most rewarding experiences, Washington said, was when he coached students through mock job interviews. One student reported back to Washington that she went home and shared the tips she had

learned to help her mom prepare for a job interview of her own. “It may not seem like they remember everything we teach,” he said, “But they pick it up like a sponge.” n

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I-Design, Oconomowoc I-Design has hired Katie Flach as director of design and business development. Since joining the company, she has assisted in current projects, as well as creating a blog featuring real life stories and insights from the field. Flach has experience in the moving, commercial furniture and health care industries.

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Van Peursem

First Business Trust & Investments, a division of First Business Bank, has hired Paul Jansen as senior vice president – private wealth management. Prior to joining First Business, Jansen held various roles at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in downtown Milwaukee. First Business has also hired Dustin Van Peursem. He has more than 20 years of banking experience, holding positions in sales, management and credit administration. In his current position, he helps First Business clients effectively grow their businesses while minimizing financial risks.

Kohner, Mann & Kailas S.C. has hired Kelly Mangan as a litigator. Prior to coming to KMK, she spent more than a decade with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, first as a staff attorney and then as a law clerk to the Honorable David E. Jones.

NONPROFIT & PHILANTHROPY

Susan G. Komen Wisconsin, Milwaukee Susan G. Komen Wisconsin has hired Dana Smith as program manager for its breast health education program, Conversations with Komen. Smith has more than

MEET

seven years of nonprofit experience. She previously served as the past program assistant for the Conversations program.

NONPROFIT & PHILANTHROPY

Variety - the Children’s Charity of Wisconsin, Elm Grove Variety - the Children’s Charity of Wisconsin has appointed Nancy Major executive director and CEO. Major has a background in leadership, management and business operations in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors, including health care. She has previously managed organizations and companies of varying sizes, including large regional chapters of United Cerebral Palsy and Special Olympics.

RETAIL

Bethesda, Watertown Bethesda has named Juli Frank its new vice president of retail. Frank will lead the organization’s retail operations, which include 16 thrift shops and donation centers in seven states throughout the country. Prior to Bethesda, Frank served as a consultant, assisting clients with operations, logistics and human resources, and had a 20-year career with Kohl’s Department Stores.

BETTER. EVENTS THAT WORK

BizConnections VOLUME 24, NUMBER 13 | OCT 1, 2018

GLANCE AT YESTERYEAR

126 N. Jefferson St., Suite 403, Milwaukee, WI 53202-6120

St. John’s School for the Deaf This photo shows St. John’s School for the Deaf in St. Francis. Founded in 1876, St. John’s was a Catholic school for deaf children at 3680 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. that closed in 1983. It was run by the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi. The 12-acre site is now home to Deer Creek Intermediate School. — This photo is from the Milwaukee Public Museum’s Photo Archives collection.

PHONE: 414-277-8181 FAX: 414-277-8191 WEBSITE: www.biztimes.com CIRCULATION: 414-336-7100 | circulation@biztimes.com ADVERTISING: 414-336-7112 | ads@biztimes.com EDITORIAL: 414-336-7120 | andrew.weiland@biztimes.com REPRINTS: 414-336-7100 | reprints@biztimes.com PUBLISHER / OWNER Dan Meyer dan.meyer@biztimes.com

SALES & MARKETING

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Mary Ernst mary.ernst@biztimes.com

EDITORIAL EDITOR Andrew Weiland andrew.weiland@biztimes.com MANAGING EDITOR Molly Dill molly.dill@biztimes.com REPORTER Lauren Anderson lauren.anderson@biztimes.com REPORTER Corrinne Hess corri.hess@biztimes.com REPORTER Maredithe Meyer maredithe.meyer@biztimes.com REPORTER Arthur Thomas arthur.thomas@biztimes.com

DIRECTOR OF SALES Linda Crawford linda.crawford@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Molly Lawrence molly.lawrence@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE David Pinkus david.pinkus@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Maggie Pinnt maggie.pinnt@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Christie Ubl christie.ubl@biztimes.com INSIDE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Amanda Bruening amanda.bruening@biztimes.com SALES INTERN Tess Romans tess.romans@biztimes.com

ADMINISTRATION ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR Sue Herzog sue.herzog@biztimes.com

PRODUCTION & DESIGN GRAPHIC DESIGNER Alex Schneider alex.schneider@biztimes.com

Independent & Locally Owned

ART DIRECTOR Shelly Tabor shelly.tabor@biztimes.com

— Founded 1995 —

COMMENTARY

Can new owner revive Boston Store? BOSTON STORE is one of the Milwaukee area’s most iconic businesses. The department store first opened in Milwaukee in 1897 and until this year had stores at malls throughout the region. That was until its parent company, Milwaukee- and York, Pennsylvania-based The BonTon Stores Inc., filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. The company hoped to find a buyer that would keep it going, but no such deal came together and Bon-Ton was instead sold to a group that liquidated the company. All of Bon-Ton’s stores, including the Boston Stores, were closed by the end of August. That appeared to be the end of the story for Boston Store. But shortly after the stores closed, Merrillville, Indiana-based CSC Generation Holdings Inc. acquired most of Bon-Ton’s intellectual property assets and relaunched Bon-Ton and its store brands, including Boston Store, initially as an online retailer. CSC is a technology company that 44 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 1, 2018

owns e-commerce sites, including DirectBuy. But the company says it also expects to open some brick-and-mortar locations, and plans to open three Boston Store locations in the Milwaukee area by the holidays. The business plan for the new Bon-Ton appears to be that of a primarily online retailer, with a limited number of brick-and-mortar locations, with many of those being smaller in size than the traditional department stores. It’s a new retail model for a new era in which consumers are increasingly shopping online instead of in person. But will it work? Bon-Ton was overloaded with a massive amount of debt, dating back to its $1.1 billion acquisition of a unit of Saks Inc., which brought Boston Store, Younker’s and other store brands under the company’s umbrella. That debt, combined with declining sales, crushed the company as the popularity of online shopping rose and fewer people went to shop at malls, where Boston Store and other Bon-Ton stores were predominantly located. Bon-Ton had not turned an annual profit since 2010. CSC bought Bon-Ton’s intellectual property for only $900,000. Those assets include the Bon-Ton store brands, website domain names and customer information. So CSC has

acquired the shell of Bon-Ton for a rock-bottom price and won’t be burdened by the debt load that helped crush Bon-Ton. That gives this venture a chance. But what will set Boston Store and the other Bon-Ton stores apart from their competitors? Brand loyalty only goes so far. CSC needs to come up with a reason for people to shop at these stores. One possible differentiator: a lease-to-own program in which shoppers can make a small down payment for a purchase and then make monthly payments until they own the item, or return it. For example, the Boston Store website has a Gucci women’s watch for sale for $754.88, which can be purchased on the lease-to-own program for $75 per month. “It’s been really well-received,” CSC spokesman Fred Hulls said. “Especially for bigger ticket items.” n

ANDREW WEILAND EDITOR

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

AROUND TOWN AMP: Thinking Differently about Workforce Waukesha County Business Alliance recently hosted an AMP (Alliance Morning Program) event, called “Thinking Differently about Workforce,” at the Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield hotel.

NICHOLAS BANDOCH and BRUCE ELLIOTT, both of Tri City National Bank.

LYNN SIGFRED of Park Bank and MIKE HARPSTER of Capital Electric Wire & Cable.

DENNIS MAJEWSKI of MRA and WENDY FRAUSTO of Exacta.

ERICA STEELE of Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin and BRUCE ELLIOTT of Tri City National Bank.

MICHAEL RAMPOLLA of Spearity, KATHY SCHWIND of Waukesha County Business Alliance, TOM CASANOVA of PCS Human Capital Management, SHAY SHERFINSKI of R&R Insurance and STEVE PAGE of Central 1 Security.

SUSAN ROSS of Easter Seals of Southeast Wisconsin and ERIK RICHARDSON of UPAF.

BOB HILL of The Starr Group, MICHELLE FARETTA of Gross Automation and AL LEIDINGER of Mathison Manufacturing Inc.

AMANDA BALISTRERI of Schenck SC and AMY SCHMIDT of AVI Systems.

AMANDA ALLEN and TIM O’BRIEN, both of Tim O’Brien Homes, and STEVE BOBOWSKI of Dale Carnegie. Photos by Maredithe Meyer

United Way 2018 campaign kickoff United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County recently held a kickoff celebration for its 2018 community campaign.

10. ELAINE SWEET, a United Way cabinet member, and CRAIG COOKLE and LEANNE BUTTLE , both of Wipfli LLP. 11. SAMANTHA GARRETT and MIMI LAFLIN of United Way and MARY ALLMON of Marietta Investment Partners LLC.

10 12

12. JOANNA BAUTCH and BARBARA CERDA, both of United Community Center Inc. 13. PHYLLIS KING of University of WisconsinMilwaukee and ANN STADLER of Marcus Theatres. 14. ROB VALCQ of Wells Fargo and JOHN DUNN of GE Healthcare.

15. ANDREA HOLMAN and KAREN HUNT of PAVE and Schools That Can Milwaukee; LISA LARSON of IMPACT Inc.; and DONNA TRIPLETT of Jewish Family Services. Photos by Lauren Anderson biztimes.com / 45

BizConnections

S TA C I E B O N E Y |

LILA ARYAN PHOTOGRAPHY

the LASTWORD

PRESIDENT

Promoting a culture of truth-telling From her experience with a variety of businesses, Stacie Boney has found honesty is always the best policy. Truth-telling creates a more productive relationship, she says. “‘Telling truth to power.’ I learned this expression 10 years ago from Stephen Fischer, a dear industry colleague. But I’ve always inherently understood it. Even as a kid, I observed that people trusted you more if you told them the hard to say/hard to hear things that everyone else was avoiding. I suppose the old fable, ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes,’ made a lasting impression on me! “Partnering with clients for years, I’ve had a window into countless companies. The healthiest are those where leadership is modeling the be46 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 1, 2018

havior of having open, honest debate and telling each other the hard truths when it’s time to do so. “It’s amazing what a little truth-telling will do. At my last agency, when an important, high-profile new account had a rocky start, I could feel the background chatter within both teams. No one on either side was speaking directly to the other about the issues. My ask of the client team? ‘Tell us what you say in the hallways after we leave, and we’ll do the same for you.’ The working relationship and trust took a quantum leap forward, and we went on to do award-win-

Hanson Dodge Milwaukee hansondodge.com Industry: Marketing/advertising ning, business-building work together. “I’m Midwestern through and through. But I abhor the excuse of ‘Midwestern nice’ for not telling people what you can see and they can’t. Seeing it, but not telling someone that they are getting in their own way is cruel, not nice. Productively sharing hard-to-say truths is the kindest thing you can do for someone with whom you work.” n

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