BizTimes Milwaukee | October 9, 2023

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Friday, November 17, 2023

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

Prepare Your Next Move

Are you positioned for future opportunities?

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

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

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

Panelists:

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

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

Kevin Newell, CEO, Royall Capital (3)

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

Moderator:

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

The Manufacturing Issue

Generac navigating growing pains

IndyCar will return to Milwaukee in 2024

By Maredithe Meyer, staff writer

After nearly a decade hiatus, the Milwaukee Mile at Wisconsin State Fair Park will once again play host to IndyCar racing starting in 2024.

The NTT IndyCar Series will have its first-ever doubleheader at the historic one-mile oval racetrack on Labor Day weekend next year (Aug. 30 to Sept. 1), as part of

BY THE NUMBERS

a multi-year agreement between IndyCar parent company Penske Entertainment and Wisconsin State Fair Park. The three-day event will mark IndyCar’s first race at the Milwaukee Mile since 2015.

The deal was announced recently – following the release of IndyCar’s 2024 racing schedule –at a press conference with Roger

Penske, chairman of Penske Corp.; Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers; Shari Black, CEO of Wisconsin State Fair Park; Scott Dixon, six-time IndyCar Series champion and former Milwaukee Mile IndyCar race winner; and David Malukas, an NTT IndyCar Series driver from Chicago.

“There is such a great tradition and history of IndyCar racing at the Milwaukee Mile, and we are excited to build on that legacy with a Labor Day weekend NTT IndyCar Series doubleheader beginning in 2024,” said Penske.

The Milwaukee Mile, which opened in 1903, has hosted a total of 114 IndyCar events since openwheel racing started competing there in 1939. The track has seen victories by some of the greatest drivers in IndyCar history, including Rodger Ward, Parnelli Jones, A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Al Unser, Bobby Unser, Rick Mears, Johnny Rutherford, Michael Andretti and Al Unser Jr. as well as current NTT IndyCar Series stars Scott Dixon and Will Power, who will both return to race at the track in 2024 for the first time in nine years.

Track action at the Milwaukee

Mile will begin Friday, Aug. 30, followed by full points-paying NTT IndyCar Series races on Saturday, Aug. 31 and Sunday, Sept. 1, both of which will be streamed live on Peacock and Sunday’s race broadcast live on the USA Network. The two races are expected to feature prominently in the battle for next season’s IndyCar series championship as rounds 15 and 16 of the 17-race 2024 season schedule.

In addition to the NTT IndyCar Series on Labor Day weekend, the Milwaukee Mile will also host the Indy NXT by Firestone (formerly Indy Lights), which has hosted 27 races at the iconic track in its history.

“I’m so proud of the relationship we have created with Penske Entertainment and want to thank the entire team as well as Governor Evers and his administration for helping us bring IndyCar back to the historic Milwaukee Mile,” said Shari Black, executive director and CEO of Wisconsin State Fair Park. “We look forward to a great event over Labor Day weekend that will include a larger footprint at State Fair Park than races in the past. This will allow for exciting programming, expanded food and beverage options and ultimately offer a high-energy, family-friendly event weekend for racing fans.” n

worth of deposits, a 17.9% market share that is the highest in the state.

$ 35.1 BILLION

U.S. Bank’s Wisconsin branches have

An IndyCar series race at the Milwaukee Mile in 2015.

HODAGMEDIA /SHUTTERSTOCK

MOONSHOT

LOCATION:

Milwaukee area (no physical office)

FOUNDERS:

Ryan Chuckel, Tihomir Liptak and Aaron Hitchins

FOUNDED:

2023

SERVICE:

Invests in early-stage lifestyle companies while providing marketing mentorship.

WEBSITE: moonshot.inc

EMPLOYEES: 5

GOALS:

Launch new startup Orea, continue to add clients.

EXPERIENCE:

More than 25 years of experience at varying advertising/marketing agencies.

Newly launched venture studio

Moonshot aims to foster early-stage companies

By Ashley Smart, staff writer

THREE ADVERTISING and marketing professionals with decades of experience at varying lifestyle agencies have launched a new venture studio here in southeastern Wisconsin.

Ryan Chuckel, founder and chief executive officer of Delafield-based Gunpowder Inc., helped spearhead the effort to make Moonshot a reality. Described as a venture studio designed to invest in purpose-driven bands and help early-stage companies accelerate growth, Moonshot is looking to shake up the standard

relationship ad agencies have with clients.

Chuckel has been in the marketing/advertising business for 25 years and has worked with large consumer brands including GoPro, Cabela’s and Kraft Foods.

“Our clients were participating in categories where they had to buy things,” said Chuckel. “It was consumer packaged goods where you were just fighting for share of wallet. What I realized was I enjoyed the times I got to work with brands where you’re asking people to consider share of heart.”

After founding Gunpowder in 2015, Chuckel got connected with his Moonshot co-founders: Tihomir Liptak, founder and CEO of Bodhi, and Aaron Hitchins, partner at Rockhouse Motion and founder of Rockhouse Agency.

Gunpowder specializes in public relations, brand strategy and digital marketing, and often works alongside other agencies that have complimentary services.

Bodhi, based in Iowa, is a digital growth agency. Rockhouse is headquartered in Alberta, Canada, and specializes in high-end video

production and other creative work.

“The three of us have had a few years’ track record of working alongside one another, especially with clients that have been early-stage companies or startups, and helping them scale to have massive success,” said Chuckel.

Starting Moonshot makes that informal partnership official. Moonshot provides an infrastructure for the trio to invest in early-stage companies without risking the resources at their respective agencies. Through Moonshot, each founder will also provide mentorship and marketing guidance to the companies they invest in.

Not only is Moonshot looking for early-stage companies to support, but it’s also trying to start new companies in underserved categories. Its first, newly formed venture is a startup called Orea, which will offer a line of outdoor recreation products for families with young children. Orea’s first product is a lightweight, portable pack-and-play. A crowdfunding campaign to help support the launch of the product will open this fall with plans to have a finished product next spring. n

Ryan Chuckel

LILA ARYAN PHOTOGRAPHY

How do you foster AND SUSTAIN

A CULTURE OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT?

1 MATT LADKY

Vice president of sales and marketing, Rolled Threads

“At Rolled Threads Unlimited, we educate and involve employees at all levels on the importance of finding ways to make company procedures more efficient. In addition, we maintain a company-wide commitment to tracking performance metrics, holding regularly scheduled quality meetings, reviewing customer feedback and scorecards as well as holding kaizen events to solve any process-related issues.”

2 BOB HARTLINE

President and CEO, Xymox Technologies

“To foster and sustain a culture of continuous improvement, we prioritize employee well-being through comprehensive health programs and provide company-funded continuing education opportunities. We encourage active participation, promote questioning and nurture a genuine thirst for knowledge among our employees, recognizing that healthy and empowered individuals are the foundation of a thriving business.”

3 BEN KOSSOW

President, Riley Construction

“Riley aims to create an attitude of fearless improvement. In an environment of trust, we empower leaders and staff to make changes that improve efficiencies, like our InSTEP planning program. We challenge the idea that construction is painful. We believe building should be a joy.”

4 TOM SELLARS

CEO, Sellars Absorbent Materials

“We’re a growth company that solicits people for suggestions, provides ongoing education and training and invests in people, process and productivity. Employees are held accountable with KPI’s and budgets and are rewarded with a quarterly bonus for hourly manufacturing employees, a management yearly bonus pool and annual performance reviews.”

5 CHRIS MAPES

Senior vice president of supply chain, Briggs & Stratton

“At Briggs & Stratton, continuous improvement is one of our ‘Commitment to Win’ values guiding our business decisions and behaviors daily. An essential part of creating a continuous improvement culture is answering the ‘why.’ Why is this important? Why is this needed? How does this help us win?” n

MEET THE

JIM KACMARCIK Chairman and CEO Kacmarcik Enterprises GRAFTON

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

Education:

Bachelor’s, University of Wisconsin-Madison

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

“My first job out of college was at Kapco, working alongside family members, namely my dad, Tom Kacmarcik, Sr., and my brother, T.J. Going into college I thought I wanted to be a lawyer, but my family really came from a simple, bluecollar background, so to continue my education I would need to work and save up. But after some time learning from my dad and seeing the reputation he had built in the manufacturing industry as a brilliant salesman, problem solver and leader, I decided that Kapco was the right place for me. The biggest thing I learned from my dad was that you always take care of the people who take care of you. To me, that meant our customers, employees, partners and the community, which for 50 years now has supported us. So, as I move into the latter parts of my career, that’s where a lot of my time and energy is focused – making a lasting impact on the community.”

What has been the most important piece of advice you’ve ever received?

“From my dad. He said not to sweat small stuff and focus on the big picture.”

What are some of your favorite destinations or places to visit?

“I recently went to Iceland with my family, and it was absolutely beautiful. One of the most stunning places I’ve

the management team of Kapco Metal Stamping in 1985, assuming the second-generation of family leadership for the Grafton-based contract manufacturer of metal components. Today, the company has nearly 700 employees across its nine Wisconsin facilities. Kacmarcik is also chairman and chief executive officer of Kacmarcik Enterprises, an umbrella organization that includes Kapco, Advanced Coatings Inc., House of Harley Davidson, Forward Madison FC, Speedkore Performance Group, Given Entertainment and several of Kacmarcik’s philanthropic initiatives. Kacmarcik is the owner of the new USL Championship league professional soccer team, slated to play at the Milwaukee Iron District – a project Kacmarcik has been working to bring to fruition for several years. Kacmarcik is also a minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks.

had the pleasure of traveling to.”

What’s your hobby or passion?

“Spending time with my family, traveling and Milwaukee Bucks basketball.”

What was your first car?

“An American Motors Pacer.”

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

“When my dad passed away. You’re never ready to lose the person who was the leader of a company and the person you learned the most from, but also your dad. I think going through that helped guide some of the things we’re doing now, 20-plus years later where we are really trying to do the best we can to take care of our employees, both professionally and personally. At that time in my life, it was really a challenge, but as an employer of more than 700 people, you know there are people on the team that are going through difficult periods, so it’s important to me that we’re doing all we can to provide a supportive environment for all of my teammates.”

What advice would you give to a young professional?

“Follow your dreams. Set goals, and work to achieve them. Align yourself with people who will help you achieve them and believe in you. I think today’s culture of social media and instant gratification, we’ve lost the art of taking pleasure in the process. Nobody’s path is a straight upward trajectory, but if you set goals and chart a course to achieve those goals, then that potential is possible.”

What was your company’s most significant success in 2022?

“It would be difficult to limit it to just one thing! The biggest achievements for Kacmarcik Enterprises and our family of companies have been achieving 50 years in business for Kapco Metal Stamping, which manufactures metal components for some of the biggest OEMs and brands in the world; the launch of the Iron District MKE and Milwaukee Pro Soccer, which has been so well-received by the greater Milwaukee community; and unveiling the Kacmarcik Center for Human Performance, which we hope will serve as a hub of positive activity in southeastern Wisconsin. Also, our custom car and carbon fiber business, Speedkore Performance Group, built its most extreme car ever: a 1,000-horsepower 1968 Dodge Charger for Ralph Gilles, the automotive industry’s biggest name in global automobile design.”

What would you change about Wisconsin to make it better?

“Mindset. Wisconsin really is a place of opportunity. If you have an idea or a vision, and the work ethic to bring it to life, it’s possible in this state. I think we naturally have kind of a little-brother mentality, where we’re constantly comparing ourselves to more populous states, but Wisconsin has everything you could ask for. I feel blessed to be able to do business in this state, to employ people from this state, and to give back to this state.” n

Jim Kacmarcik joined

INN VATI NS

BAYCOM’s security ecosystem leverages AI to offer proactive monitoring approach

By Ashley Smart, staff writer

BUSINESSES NO LONGER need to rely on multiple service providers to handle the varying components of their building’s security protocol.

Pewaukee-based BAYCOM, a provider of wireless voice and data communications and video surveillance solutions, has brought together several pieces of technology to create the Safety Reimagined Ecosystem.

Katie Busch, president of BAYCOM, said the company provides “mission critical” technology. This includes two-way radios, video monitoring, door access control, direct radio connection to the 911 system, emergency push notifications, automatic license plate recognition, and AI and advanced analytics.

BAYCOM is a Motorola Solutions authorized partner, which means Motorola provides the base technology used in the Safety Reimagined Ecosystem while BAYCOM provides the customization and installation services. Founded in 1956, the company originally specialized in repairing mobile radios. Since then, BAYCOM has diversified to offer an entire safety system.

“We’re looking to keep our customers connected with their communications, and safe and secure,” said Busch. “We’re creating this lifeline for the moments that

matter for our customers.”

School systems are one of the biggest client bases that use the Safety Reimagined Ecosystem. The Mequon-Thiensville School District uses 220 two-way radios across six buildings that can communicate directly with first responders, connect to smart phones, send out emergency alerts and track staff via GPS. Wauwatosa West High School also uses two-way radios to support special needs students when they need additional help.

Within school buildings, BAYCOM has always provided two-way radios, but the newer technology being used as part of the Safety Reimagined Ecosystem is video surveillance.

“It’s really about limiting access to their buildings from a video, security and access control,” said Busch. “The interest in using cameras and door access has obviously become much greater as safety has become so critical for our schools.”

While schools might seem like the most obvious customers for BAYCOM’s Safety Reimagined Ecosystem, they’re just a portion of the company’s clients. BAYCOM works with companies ranging from manufacturers to health care

providers.

“You can have components of the system, but I think where we bring the value is deploying the entire ecosystem,” said Busch. “What differentiates us is our ability to integrate those different technologies really seamlessly, and we can do that at one point of contact for them.”

The artificial intelligence and advanced analytics used within the back end of the Safety Reimagined Ecosystem allows users to become more proactive when it comes to safety. The ecosystem itself can detect a potential problem and send out alerts immediately.

For example, something as simple as a door being propped open could trigger an alert that’s sent to a building’s security team via their two-way radios, an email or a text message. The AI used in the ecosystem will learn what behavior is typical within a certain building and can also be trained to search for specific hazards.

“I think it’s important that we use our human resources to respond and let the technology prevent and identify where there are issues,” said Busch. “No human can watch 20 screens at once.”

Beyond potential safety issues,

ABOVE: Two-way radios have been one of BAYCOM’s flagship safety technologies since the company’s founding.

LEFT: Video surveillance is one of the Safety Reimagined Ecosystem’s newer capabilities.

the ecosystem can be used to watch for something as simple as a truck arriving to complete a delivery at a manufacturing facility.

As technology advances, Busch said personal cell phones and apps will become increasingly tied into the ecosystem, so users can do everything from receive alerts to offer temporary remote access to a location.

Last year, BAYCOM opened its Lifeline Technology Center in Sun Prairie, a product display facility where customers can experience the technology ecosystem as it continues to develop.

“There’s everyday scenarios that can be worked through much more efficiently than trying to rewind and scroll through video footage,” said Busch. “The technology we offer is more than radios out of a box.” n

BAYCOM

Pewaukee

INNOVATION: Safety Reimagined

Ecosystem

FOUNDER: Dom Pohlman

FOUNDED: 1965

baycominc.com

GETTING THERE

What does your role entail?

“As a member of the Charter Wire leadership team, I am responsible for all financial functions and participate in the development and execution of our strategy. Each day I get to partner with the different functions to provide insight to help drive the best decision for the business. Our team is responsible for the financial close, forecasting, annual planning and day-to-day processes.”

What’s your favorite part of working in manufacturing?

“I am naturally a very curious person. I love being able to walk out on the floor and learn from our experienced operators how our products are made, in addition to seeing how our product goes into the final product.”

What is your ultimate career goal?

“I am open to many different professional avenues. Continuing to grow my skills to develop into a vice president of finance at Charter, or even stepping into another function to lead a different aspect of the business sounds fun. As long as I’m continuing to grow, be challenged and know that what I’m doing each and every day makes a difference I will be happy in my career.”

What’s kept you at Charter for the past 13 years?

“The people. At Charter, the culture is so family oriented and the relationships that you build feel like family. There is endless professional development that keeps me challenged and brings new and different things into my role each day.”

How do you spend your free time?

“Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family, my husband, Ryan, and our two kids, Henry, age 4, and Adeline, age 2. We love exploring local parks around Milwaukee and visiting our extended family who live all across the country.” n

KAYLEE CORR

Director of finance

Charter Wire, Mequon

AGE: 35

HOMETOWN: Rochester, New York

EDUCATION: Bachelor’s in accounting and master’s in business administration, both from Marquette University

PREVIOUS POSITION: Operational controller at Charter Steel

The latest area economic data.

For the first eight months of the year, total passenger traffic at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport was up 8.2% with 3.95 million passengers served.

Metro Milwaukee companies exported $2.35 billion worth of goods during the second quarter, an increase of 7.6% from the same time in 2022.

Total deposits at Wisconsin banks were up 1.5% during the second quarter, compared to the first, to reach $120 billion.

The average price of a home sale in metro Milwaukee was $390,490 in August, up 9.5% from a year ago.

Single-family home construction permits in Wisconsin were down 6.9% during the first half of the year.

Super Steel serving new industries with full suite of metal fabrication services

SURE, original equipment manufacturers could choose to make their own components inhouse, but Mequon-based metal fabricator Super Steel is betting it can do it more efficiently and at a lower cost.

Super Steel was founded in 1923 with the goal of manufacturing a new kind of metal basement window, along with fireproof windows and doors. Super Steel would eventually go on to make everything from grain silos and switchboards to bombs used in World War II, and it continues to make components for the locomotive industry.

While the manufacturer has roots in the locomotive business, Super Steel recently entered two new emerging industries that its leadership team sees as integral to future success. Super Steel now makes parts that are used within data centers and for cloud computing, along with parts that are used by biofuel, wastewater, gas and oil companies looking to become more environmentally friendly.

“It’s kind of fun to be a metal-based manufacturer but play into the technological side of the world,” said Paul Luber, chairman of the board at Super Steel.

The company made its entrance into the green movement in 2019 with the acquisition of Knox, Indiana-based Sabre Manufacturing. That business was moved to Wisconsin, and Super Steel began making parts for biofuel generators, which turn waste into

fuel, along with components that go into wastewater treatment systems. At around the same time, Super Steel began making parts used within data centers.

“Everything is becoming cloud-based, from your video games to how Facebook saves your data,” said Stephan Achs, president and chief executive officer of Super Steel.

Outside of these two new categories of business, Super Steel’s core clients include Fortune 1000 companies in the construction, transportation and mining industries.

Mining is an example of another industry looking to leverage modern technology, and Super Steel has been working closely with its clients to help support that transition. One of the manufacturer’s contracts involves making plug-in, electric, autonomous mining vehicle modules. Those modules are then put together offsite by Super Steel’s client, eventually ending up on an autonomous dump truck.

“The people we’re working with – they’re global, monster companies – they’re looking at autonomous machines that are also electric. They’re not using diesel engines,” said Achs.

Super Steel wants to become a key partner to its clients by helping them design and optimize their metal parts so that they are cheaper and more efficient. The manufacturer provides a full suite of services including cutting, forming, bending, welding and

SUPER STEEL

10910 N. Weston Drive, Mequon

INDUSTRY: Metal fabrication

EMPLOYEES: Approximately 200 supersteel.com

painting/coating.

“We complete a process that literally begins with steel being brought in and ends with a machine being driven out of here, and everything in between,” said Achs. “These are products that range between 5,000 to 40,000 pounds. We can do it and do it in a serial production mode.”

The company’s cutting and forming processes are becoming increasingly automated to keep up with increasing demand from customers.

Achs said Super Steel is spending millions on new technology for the shop floor. For example, computer-controlled welding machines. As an employee is welding, the machine monitors the amount of power and feed being used.

“You walk on our shop floor, and you see traditional manufacturing. But the parts aren’t going into that perceived rusty-industrial-smokestack world. It’s going into modern technology,” said Luber.

Super Steel moved into its current facility in Mequon two years ago. The 30-acre campus currently houses two buildings separated by an open yard. When the company needs more space, the

two buildings will be connected into one structure. Before Super Steel reaches that milestone, Achs is more concerned with “growing north” by adding second and third shifts.

Super Steel currently employs approximately 200 people and is looking to add another 25 people in the next six months. By the end of next year, up to 50 new employees could be added.

“The business is there for us,” said Achs. “Together with automation and that second shift, we can please a lot more customers, or (please) our current customers a lot more.” n

A turnkey biofuel treatment unit being assembled at Super Steel’s Mequon facility. ASHLEY SMART Reporter

IS YOUR BANKER COMING UP EMPTY?

Are you expanding your business, but your banker cannot secure you a loan/line?

Is your banker MIA? Or do you have a new banker every six months?

Is your business paying the price for your bank’s financial condition?

You deserve more

OTHER BANKS

Curtailed lending efforts

Insecure capital position

Uncertain approval process

Declining service levels

Full speed ahead

Strong capital position

Consistent. Predictable.

Focused on relationships

Cassandra Crandall Treasury Management Alex Fisher Commercial Banking Officer

Dennis Sampson Director of Commercial Banking

Steve McGuire Senior Vice President

Tyson Goecks Vice President

Patrick Lubar Vice President

Mark Wierman President Greg Larson Chief Executive Officer

GE

HealthCare CEO: Company is committed to Wisconsin

Says Waukesha facility being positioned as innovation hub

By Cara Spoto, staff writer

IT’S BEEN about nine months since GE HealthCare became a standalone company, cementing its spinoff from former parent company General Electric with its very own Nasdaq symbol and a ring of the stock market’s opening bell.

With the fanfare now faded –and the purple and white balloons swept from facility floors to once again make way for the production of ultrasound, CT and MRI machines – GE HealthCare chief executive officer Peter Arduini addressed attendees at the Waukesha County Business Alliance’s Annual Meeting to give them an update on the company’s plans,

and to make sure the hundreds of area business leaders there –many of them suppliers – know GE HealthCare is dedicated to making southeastern Wisconsin a lasting part of the company’s foundation and a key part of its future.

“As many of you might know, on January 4th, we became a separate public company, one of Nasdaq’s 100 largest companies. We employ about 6,000 folks here in southeastern Wisconsin. It’s about $4 billion of activity,” Arduini said of the company, which opened its first Wisconsin facility – a GE X-Ray plant in West Milwaukee – in 1947, followed by its Waukesha campus

in 1973.

“We had the Waukesha facility for sale a few years back. That’s not happening anymore. My new leadership team, we’re going to turn this into an innovation hub that we can really (use to) highlight all these great technologies,” he said. “Waukesha will be that hub that will actually demonstrate those things.”

AI-ENABLED DIAGNOSTICS

As an innovation hub, Arduini said the Waukesha facility could be used to highlight the work the company is doing to integrate artificial intelligence into its already strong

diagnostic technologies, to help improve early treatment of diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s.

“So, I’ll just give you an example: Alzheimer’s disease. How many people here have heard about the new drugs coming out for Alzheimer’s disease? Biogen literally has two drugs – the first drugs that have really come out ever that are having a potential impact. But to deliver those (drugs), there has to be a lot of personalized management,” he said. “To qualify for therapy, a patient needs to have a baseline MRI. They also need to have what’s called a PET scan to see the amyloid beta plaque, which is really the culprit. Then, when you inject the product, you actually have to do follow-up MRIs for efficacy. Six million people have Alzheimer’s in this country. A new therapy that could change the course of the disease is super exciting and we’re going to be a facilitator to help

GE HealthCare CEO Peter Arduini addresses attendees at the Waukesha County Business Alliance Annual Meeting at the Brookfield Conference Center.

deliver that care.”

Facilitating advancements in Alzheimer’s treatment is just one of the ways GE HealthCare is distinguishing itself, Arduini said, by focusing on creating a broader ecosystem around people, patients and providers.

“Many of you may think of us as an imaging company, and we do a lot of that, but there is big innovation going on in digital solutions, artificial intelligence-enabled capabilities,” he said. “For example, we have more products approved by the FDA than any other company that have embedded AI that helps physicians make decisions and improves productivity.”

GE HealthCare has almost 4 million devices that are digital at some level that can be interacted with and optimized, Arduini said, and the goal is to use AI and other technological advancements to bolster the company’s role in personalized disease treatment, using data and precision to develop smart drugs and devices, or become partners with the makers of those products.

In the future, health care providers will be able to take “multimodal data sources” about a patient, including past imaging information, lab work and genomics, to design individually tailored treatments, he said.

“There’s a lot of people racing to go down that path,” Arduini said. “We’re working a lot every day on it right here in southeast-

ern Wisconsin. And so, this whole idea of pairing the right data with the right diagnosis is what it’s all about. I think in the next 10 years in health care, you’re going to see more change than in the last 100.”

WAUKESHA INNOVATION HUB

Turning his attention to the room, Arduini spent the last few minutes of his speech letting business leaders know that GE HealthCare doesn’t just plan to stay in Waukesha, but that it has big plans for the sprawling campus where MRI machines are produced.

“We’re investing in our campus here in Waukesha. And the plan will be to have that as a place that we bring customers and folks from all over the world (who) want to be able to see what we do, and how those things work together on a disease state,” he said. “And I’ll just make a comment about artificial intelligence: We’ve generated some of the most important capabilities that are coming out now in imaging – many of them at our Waukesha facility. We have a new capability on how MRIs image that really nobody else is doing.”

The Waukesha facility is also being envisioned as a place where the company can expand its work with theranostics, an emerging technology in which two radioactive drugs are used to fight cancer at the same time – one drug to diagnose the tumor and another to treat it.

“We anticipate that this is go -

ing to be something that’s going to move forward here within the future,” Arduini said.

BIOTECH CORRIDOR

Efforts to make the Waukesha facility an innovation hub could get an extra shot in the arm if the state wins designation as a regional biotech corridor through the CHIPS and Science Act, a move that could provide $75 million in federal funding for the industry, both in Madison and the Milwaukee area. Government and business leaders should learn whether the state will receive the designation and accompanying funding by the end of the year, Arduini told

WCBA members.

Such funding could be a great accelerator to create more hightech jobs in southeastern Wisconsin, he said.

“There’s a lot of interesting things that could be done with it. And selfishly being able to have an incubator in a place where people want to come and live and grow their families (would be great),” he said.

“It’s our employees in Wisconsin that make a difference,” said Arduini. “I think when we get a Wisconsinite, they’re someone from one of the local universities who wants to be here, so you get some of the best minds in the world.” n

“I think in the next 10 years in health care, you're going to see more change than in the last 100.”

— Peter Arduini, CEO of GE HealthCare

Car wash development booms, but how many will last?

AJ’s Car Wash and Jilly’s Car Wash recently opened new locations on opposite sides of Moorland Road in Muskego.

EVERY FEW YEARS, a hot retail trend emerges. Ten years ago, it was frozen yogurt, then it was class-based fitness centers.

Now, it’s car washes.

New car wash developments are occurring throughout the metro area, like in Muskego where a Jilly’s Car Wash and an AJ’s Car Wash have been built along Moorland Road across the street from each other.

Between 2021 and 2022, the car wash industry grew by nearly $10 billion globally, according to a recent report by Matthews Real Estate Investment Services. In the Milwaukee metro area, BizTimes counted more than 100 places to wash your car, not including gas stations like Kwik Trip and Woodman’s.

The growth of car wash development can be attributed to a combination of large nationwide brands entering the market and local brands expanding.

For instance, Tucson, Arizona-based Mister Car Wash, which has more than 425 locations nationwide, entered the Milwaukee

FEATURED DEAL: HISTORIC WATER STREET OFFICE BUILDING

A 114-year-old office building along Water Street’s nightlife strip recently sold for $2.5 million to a local real estate investor.

The four-story building, located at 1119-1125 N. Water St. in downtown Milwaukee was purchased by an affiliate of Milwaukee-based Midwest Best Property Management, according to state real estate records.

The building has first-floor retail space with three floors of office space above it. The building’s office space is fully leased.

Its retail space was previously occupied by a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant, which has closed. City permits show that plans have been filed to open an establishment in the space called Enigma Sports Bar. Plans include sit-down seating, food and alcoholic beverages.

The building was purchased from an affiliate of California-based investment firm Harris Bay, which purchased the building in 2018 for $2.5 million.

ADDRESS: 1119-1125 N. Water St., Milwaukee

BUYER: Midwest Best Property Management

SELLER: Harris Bay

PRICE: $2.5 million

market in 2016 and now has nine locations. Jilly’s Car Wash, which launched in Elm Grove in 2010, recently opened its sixth location and anticipates its ninth opening by the end of next year.

One key attribute of car washes that makes them an attractive investment is the possibility of recurring revenue from monthly subscriptions.

Milwaukee was one of the last markets to be introduced to the subscription-model car wash, according to one local retail broker. Jilly’s was among the first to bring that model here.

“I love recurring revenue,” said Jon Zimmerman, co-founder of Jilly’s. “There was no one I knew who was offering an unlimited club on a monthly basis in Wisconsin.”

It’s similar to fitness centers that use a subscription model, but with car washes it’s even more attractive because a car wash only requires a few minutes of someone’s time per week, rather than hours.

“I thought the car wash industry must be designed for this,’” said Zimmerman.

But in the years following Jilly’s debut, larger companies with similar models began entering the Milwaukee market, like Charlotte, North Carolina-based Take 5, Oregon-based Tsunami Express Car Wash and Mister Car Wash.

In 2022, a Michigan-based private equity firm took an ownership position in Jilly’s to help continue the company’s expansion amid increasing competition.

“I was only able to afford to build one at a time, so I brought on a partner so that I can move and expand my business quicker,” said Zimmerman, who is still a significant owner of the company.

When it comes to car washes, there’s value in density and being first to market.

“Once there’s a handful of them in the market, typically, the other ones may run the numbers and ask if they still want to be in it and compete,” said Russ Sagmoen, partner at Colliers | Wisconsin. “Because it’s a subscription model, there’s a huge first-mover advantage. Those that are first

or second have an advantage to getting those subscriptions.”

Colliers has been on both the tenant and building side of brokering car wash deals.

“Most of them that we’ve talked with really look to be close to daily needs like grocery stores, gyms, schools, major employment centers,” Sagmoen said.

But getting a car wash approved by local government can be challenging as they often require conditional zoning that isn’t allowed everywhere and can often be met with opposition from neighbors, according to Sagmoen.

As interest rates and construction costs increase, car wash proposals have naturally slowed down.

“Some of the car wash users were financing their deals through sale leaseback, so once they would build the building, they would sell it and then use that as capital to expand,” Sagmoen said. “When interest rates went up, that market for the most part dried up.”

Now, car wash owners or developers who are publicly traded or financed through private equity are the most active, Sagmoen said.

Still, there are proposals for new car wash centers in Greendale, Oak Creek and Oconomowoc, recent city agendas show.

“We’re in a phase right now where there’s been so many acquisitions, now it’s all about execution,” Zimmerman said. “It’s very tricky to get a car clean in three minutes.” n

$400 MILLION

APARTMENT DEVELOPMENT

AT MAYFAIR MALL

Milwaukee-based developer Barrett Lo Visionary Development recently unveiled plans for a massive redevelopment around the former Boston Store at Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa.

The $400 million project could create up to four apartment building towers, 15 to 19 stories tall, with a total of 918 units, plus retail space, in three phases over the next 10 to 12 years.

The first phase will include 463 market-rate apartment units and 10,000 square feet of retail space, as Mayfair Mall’s owner works to fill the former Boston Store with a new anchor tenant.

With nearly $58 million in tax incremental financing for the project from the City of Wauwatosa, city staff said the development will help Mayfair Mall remain successful.

SIZE: 918 apartment units

COST: $400 million

STORIES: 15-19

HUNTER TURPIN Reporter

P / 414-336-7121

E

/ hunter.turpin@biztimes.com

T / @HunterDTurpin

BARRETT LO VISIONARY DEVELOPMENT

Generac navigating growing pains

as company moves into a clean energy future

BY ASHLEY SMART, staff writer

In the past year and a half, Town of Gene see-based Generac has been sued at least 10 times by both suppliers and consumers, agreed to pay a $15.8 million civil penalty related to product safety and became the target of at least four securities lawsuits.

The wave of legal disputes has emerged as the manufacturer of backup power generators works to break into the clean energy market, while also dealing with a backlog spurred by a rapid increase in demand for its flagship product – demand that drove Generac to achieve record revenue in 2022. The company increased production to meet the demand, but installers couldn’t keep pace, which led

A Generac employee assembles a home standby generator at the company’s Whitewater facility.

to the backlog.

Despite the growing pains, Generac’s chief executive officer has both feet planted firmly in the future as he looks to grow the company into a leader within the clean energy and energy storage industries.

Since joining Generac nearly three decades ago, Aaron Jagdfeld has been no stranger to the typical up-and-down cycles associated with selling home standby generators, the company’s flagship product. When a hurricane, ice storm or other natural disaster hits, localized interest and demand for home standby generators increases.

A series of severe weather events across the U.S. – along with increased consumer interest in home products during the COVID-19 pandemic –catalyzed Generac’s most recent boom in business as demand for its home standby generators exploded. The company’s total revenue climbed from $2.2 billion in 2019 to $4.56 billion in 2022, and along the way, lead times for a new generator – previously almost nonexistent – grew to 32 weeks.

“This (demand) cycle was particularly robust for Generac,” said Michael Halloran, who covers Generac as a senior research analyst at Milwaukee-based Baird. “You had severe outages, followed by the Texas freeze, work from home, COVID-19 … all these things created a massive flux of demand for them.”

However, an unexpected combination of troubles within Generac’s budding clean energy business and a now-dwindling backlog of orders for home standby generators have cast a “darker than normal shadow” on Generac’s new direction, said Jagdfeld.

“We actually experienced some pretty good results early on (in the clean energy business),” he said. “It was all good until it wasn’t, and we ran into some headwinds with product quality and the way the market moves. When we look back, we don’t think we made a mistake with the strategy, we just

made mistakes on execution.”

Even with mounting legal challenges, Jagdfeld is steadfast in his belief that for Generac to main tain relevance and success in the future, the com pany must continue pursuing newer, cleaner ener gy management technologies, such as solar power and batteries.

The shift into clean energy

Generac’s shift into clean energy began five years ago when the company’s leadership team sought to answer a pressing question: “What if we wake up one day and internal combustion engines are no longer a viable product category?”

“The internal combustion engine itself – this wonderful piece of machinery that’s been around for 100-plus years – I think you’re hard pressed to argue for a future for another 100 years with that technology,” Jagdfeld said. “Other tech nologies are becoming more cost effective, more efficient. Climate change is driving a need for new technologies that have a lower carbon footprint.”

The pursuit of new technologies led Generac on a successive journey of acquisitions. The company purchased Canadian company Neurio Technology Inc. in March of 2019 and Maine-based Pika Energy in April of 2019, acceler ating its entry into the energy stor age market.

In late 2019, the company began selling complete energy storage systems that capture and store electricity from solar panels or the electric grid. Its PWRcell Energy Storage System, for in stance, uses a mix of solar gen eration and smart battery stor age to power a home.

Generac also purchased Ca

Timeline of Generac acquisitions (2018-2022)

2018

June: Acquisition of Mexico City-based Selmec Equipos Industriales for $79 million. Selmec designs and manufactures industrial generators.

2019

February: Acquisition of Kolkata, India-based Captiva Energy Solutions Private Limited for an undisclosed price. Captiva makes customized industrial generators.

March: Acquisition of Vancouver-based Neurio Technology Inc. for $59 million. Neurio is an energy data company focused on metering technology.

April: Acquisition of Westbrook, Maine-based Pika Energy Inc. for $49 million. Pika designs and manufactures battery storage technologies, advanced power electronics, and software and controls for energy storage and management.

Aaron Jagdfeld

Generac net sales and net income by quarter

energy technology, during an investor presentation in late September. The company gave no further details on those forthcoming products.

Ongoing legal challenges

The Pink Energy suit was the beginning of a series of legal challenges for Generac. Some were related to the SnapRS component, while others, including two breach of contract lawsuits by contract manufacturers, were tied more directly to Generac’s latest big boom in business and subsequent decline in demand. In those two cases, the suppliers alleged Generac asked them to pre-order millions of dollars in supplies when business was booming, but later refused to buy custom-made parts as promised.

A series of securities lawsuits were also filed as some investors alleged Generac made “numerous materially false and misleading statements and omissions” related to the safety and success of the company’s clean power products. This included the allegations surrounding the SnapRS component.

nadian smart thermostat maker ecobee in a 2021 deal valued at $770 million.

Then, in August 2022, Generac was struck with what would be the first of several legal issues in its clean energy business.

North Carolina-based Power Home Solar, which had been doing business as Pink Energy, filed a lawsuit against Generac, alleging the SnapRS component in one of Generac’s solar energy systems was defective.

The original SnapRS component was developed by Pika Energy and passed on to Generac as part of the 2019 acquisition.

Pink Energy, which provided customers with solar panels, claimed it had lost approximately $155 million in revenue, and the company filed for bankruptcy in October 2022. Due to the bankruptcy filing, Pink Energy’s lawsuit against Generac

2020

July: Acquisition of Stockton, California-based West Coast Energy Systems for $22.9 million. WCES is an industrial distributor of Generac products. (Purchase price includes both WCES and Mean Green.)

was halted.

In a statement, Generac said it has and always will stand by its products and that Pink Energy exacerbated the issue by deciding to stop offering Generac warranty support. Pink Energy is still working through the bankruptcy process.

“We bought startup technology and startup teams, and we tried to scale them up,” said Jagdfeld. “We didn’t know what we didn’t know. It’s no excuse but we learned a lot and we’re going to get it right going forward.”

Generac is currently undergo ing a complete revamp of its solar charging and energy storage solu tions, with new products set to be unveiled late next year, said Nor man Taffe, Generac’s president of

September: Acquisition of Ross, Ohio-based Mean Green Products for $22.9 million. Mean Green makes commercial grade, battery-powered turf care products. (Purchase price includes both WCES and Mean Green.)

In late 2022, Generac re-issued an earlier recall for several models of portable generators that were deemed hazardous to users. Between the two recalls, the company had received a total of 37 reports of injuries, including 31 finger amputations,

October: Acquisition of Denverbased Enbala Power Networks Inc. for $41.9 million. Enbala provides energy optimization and control software.

Generac’s Guardian 26kW generator.

GENERAC

by the machine’s unlocked handle. Generac in May agreed to pay a $15.8 million penalty as part of a settlement with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

In its latest 10-Q filing, Generac lists a total 13 ongoing legal cases, including eight class action lawsuits filed by consumers between November 2022 and July 2023. Meanwhile, Generac’s stock has fallen from its five-year high of $498 per share in October 2021 to $114 in September 2023.

“A lot of solar companies have had struggles,” said Jagdfeld. “These are difficult products to perfect and the technology is changing. They sit up on a rooftop for 20-plus years and are subject to extreme weather. It’s really a tough environment to put a piece of electronic equipment in. We think we’ve figured it out, and people will come back around to try us.”

Coming back from its string of legal hurdles, Generac “needs to focus on developing new products and fixing any issues that lingered,” said

Baird’s Halloran. And in his view, the company has so far been successful in retooling their approach to learning about and integrating new technologies into their business model.

As far as Generac’s overall profitability, said Halloran, the legal challenges don’t pose a huge threat.

“I’m not saying it doesn’t matter. It matters for the clean energy buildout, not so much for the other pieces,” he said. “The clean energy business is losing money. That’s not a surprise. If you look at a lot of these technology plays across industries and verticals, you often have some loss to build scale and build profitability. That’s the mode that Generac is in today.”

Growth in commercial and industrial business

If there is a silver lining, Jagdfeld said, it would be in the timing of these clean energy issues. The clean energy category is still developing and cur-

rently makes up less than 5% of Generac’s business. So, there aren’t too many consumers buying products in this space yet. In the future, Jagdfeld would like to see that figure grow to about a third of the company’s business.

Generac’s core business segments include its commercial and industrial and its residential categories. Success on the C&I side of the business has helped offset Generac’s loss on the clean energy side, which falls into the residential category.

Global shipments for Generac’s C&I products hit a record in the second quarter of 2023, bringing in $384 million in sales. That’s a 24% increase since the second quarter of 2022.

“By being a more global company, it gives us exposure to different cycles,” said Jagdfeld. “That’s how we look to diversify a bit. We see a lot of opportunities in that C&I business.”

Generac’s C&I segment has experienced so much growth that in September, the company unveiled plans for a new 320,000-square-foot indus-

Timeline cont.

2021

June: Acquisition of Hunmanby, United Kingdom-based Deep Sea Electronics Limited for $420 million. Deep Sea makes control systems focused on global power generation.

July: Acquisition of Los Angelesbased Chilicon Power for $61 million. Chilicon makes gridinteractive microinverter and monitoring solutions for the solar market.

September: Acquisition of Bend, Oregon-based Apricity Code Corp. for $29.9 million. Apricity is an advanced engineering and product design company. (Purchase price includes both Apricity and Tank Utility.)

September: Acquisition of Rugby, United Kingdom-based Off Grid Energy Ltd. for $56.9 million. Off Grid Energy makes industrial-grade, mobile energy storage systems.

Rendering of Generac’s planned Beaver Dam facility.

GENERAC

trial generator plant in Beaver Dam. The facility will eventually employ between 350 to 400 people. Construction could start by the end of the year, pending city approvals.

“The demand for our industrial generators continues on a rapid growth trajectory, and this new facility will help us to best meet the needs of our customers,” Jagdfeld said in a statement.

However, the core of Generac’s business, home standby generators, has seen declining sales over the past three quarters. Softer consumer demand and the lingering backlog in orders for the product are in part to blame, according to the company’s latest earnings report. Residential product sales declined 44% in the second quarter of this year compared to 2022.

Jagdfeld explained Generac had to pull back on production of its home standby generators to address the backlog so installation could catch up

October: Acquisition of Bostonbased Tank Utility Inc. for $29.9 million. Tank Utility provides IoT propane tank monitoring. (Purchase price includes both Apricity and Tank Utility.)

with production and the company spent the past year working down its level of field inventory.

“We’re doing that by underserving the market today,” he said. “That inventory level is normalizing and as it does so, we’ll start shipping at the market demand. Once we get to a point of stasis, we’ll naturally be shipping at a higher level.”

Jagdfeld cites long-term consumer megatrends as another reason to remain optimistic about the residential business’s recovery curve.

Generac looks favorably at the future need for residential products due to an increasing number of severe weather events and heightened consumer awareness of how unreliable the country’s electrical infrastructure is.

The number of severe weather events has continued to grow at such a rapid pace that Generac expects “more volatile and severe weather driving increased power outage activity, and more global

2022

regulation accelerating renewable investments,” according to a company statement on the impact of climate change.

Plus, with the post-pandemic shift to remote and hybrid work – accelerating what Generac calls the “home as a sanctuary” trend – as well as the aging-in-place phenomena, power outages have become increasingly inconvenient, which in turn continues to drive long-term demand for Generac’s residential backup power products, said Jagdfeld.

He predicts home standby growth will start returning to normal levels by the end of the year, although some analysts, including Halloran, believe that prediction could be optimistic, and six to 10 quarters is the most likely timeline for a recovery curve to play out.

“If you look at all the megatrends they talk about, those are all going to be drivers of growth for Generac over time, unless there’s new technology that completely cannibalizes the home standby piece,” said Halloran.

Favorable backdrop for investment

Generac has received its fair share of questions from investors and analysts on why it’s not simply sticking to what it’s best at: making home standby generators. Jagdfeld said the current political backdrop in the U.S., coupled with the success of Generac’s C&I and residential segments over the past several years, means now is the right time to innovate. If the company doesn’t invest in emerging technologies now, its future could be at risk.

“I don’t want to get to a point where the market has dropped off and we don’t have the luxury of being able to use the resources we have now to invest in the future,” he said.

He pointed to Wauwatosa-based Briggs & Stratton as a cautionary tale and references the company’s 2020 bankruptcy as an example of the need for continued innovation.

December: Acquisition of Toronto-based ecobee Inc. for $735 million. ecobee manufactures smart thermostats.

June: Acquisition of Marlborough, Massachusetts-based Electronic Environments Co. LLC for $25.6 million. EEC is an industrial generator distributor and provider of data center design and build services. (Purchase price includes both Blue Pillar and EEC.)

October: Acquisition of Indianapolis-based BPAC Inc. (Blue Pillar) for $25.6 million. Blue Pillar is an industrial IoT platform developer. (Purchase price includes both Blue Pillar and EEC.)

“Their market probably went away so quickly, and they found themselves unable to invest in the future because they didn’t have their core business in a healthy place,” he said.

Generac has exponentially increased its spending on research and development over the past two years. In 2022, the company spent $159.8 million on R&D, a 53% increase from the $104.3 million spent in 2021. Just five years ago, Generac was not even spending half that amount. This year, Generac will again invest more than $100 million in R&D.

As politicians place more of an emphasis on green initiatives, the overall climate for businesses like Generac – those who are looking to break into the clean energy space – is increasingly favorable.

Jagdfeld cited the Inflation Reduction Act as legislation that provides an economically favorable backdrop for businesses acquiring clean energy products and the manufacturers making them.

“I’m at a point in my career where for the next 10 years, nothing would be easier than to sit there and say, ‘We’re just going to be awesome at generators,’ and then retire so the next person coming in will have to deal with the burden of figuring out how to get to the new technologies,” he said. “This is hard. This is really hard. And it’s painful in some cases. There are some things we’ve had to deal with, lawsuits that have come up. But it’s part of the evolution.”

Halloran thinks Generac’s core skill set of managing power, coupled with its experience in building a distribution channel and its profitability, means the manufacturer has an “entitlement to play” in the clean energy space. He also believes the marketplace, which has been dominated by big names like Tesla and Enphase Energy, is due for another clean energy competitor – and Generac fits the bill.

Rebuilding trust

Key to how Generac moves forward now will be its continued communication on the issues that have stemmed from its clean energy struggles.

“The degree to which these issues are resolved by (product) repairs is really only part of the issue,” said David Wangrow, associate professor of strategic management at Marquette University. “There’s still a lot more out there that a company in this situation would need to address.”

Wangrow spent 27 years working at Motorola prior to his time at Marquette. His primary area of research is in corporate governance.

To be successful, he believes Generac – or any company battling negative consumer perception – must be transparent with both distributors and customers while showing benevolence, not necessarily impartiality.

A common mistake companies can make is relying solely on a public relations team to handle messaging. Ideally, an executive from within a company’s C-suite would handle making any public statements in an earnest manner.

Generac R&D spending

“You can’t just rely on saying ‘here’s what the regulation is, and we should go do that,’” said Wangrow. “There’s certainly no need to panic, but they’ve got to be genuine and transparent.”

Jagdfeld doesn’t deny there is some confidence rebuilding that needs to be done after the past year and a half. To do that, Generac must complete its full cycle of learning to make sure it truly understands the technology it wants to sell. He said that

cycle of learning manifests itself as the hundreds of millions of dollars Generac is now spending on research and development.

“If I were writing a case study on this, that would not be the way I tell people to do it,” he said. “Walk before you run. We ran, then fell down, and now we’re walking. It’s a humbling experience for our teams but I think it helped accelerate the learning.” n

Generac’s PWRCell energy storage system, shown here mounted to a garage wall.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2023 • ITALIAN COMMUNITY CENTER

PRESENTING SPONSOR MESSAGE:

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Next Generation Manufacturing Summit helps companies find growth amid uncertainty

BY BIZTIMES STAFF

BIZTIMES MEDIA held its annual Next Generation Manufacturing Summit on Oct. 5 with the theme of “Growth amidst constant change.” Manufacturers have had to deal with many market changes in re-

cent years from a trade war and tariffs, the pandemic, supply chain issues, inflation, rising interest rates and concerns about a recession. Each of these issues have added to the level of uncertainty, making business

growth more difficult.

The event was made possible by presenting sponsor WMEP Manufacturing Solutions; sponsor BMO Harris Bank; supporting sponsor First Ring Industrial Redevelopment Enterprise; seminar sponsors Information Systems Engineering Inc., Milwaukee Area Technical College and River Run; and exhibit sponsor Saturn Lounge.

Ahead of the event, panelists for the summit’s main program shared the top issues they’re facing and how they’re dealing with them. n

WHAT IS THE MAIN AREA OF UNCERTAINTY YOUR COMPANY FACES AND HOW ARE YOU TRYING TO NAVIGATE IT?

Terry Tuttle, president, HellermannTyton North America

“Uncertainty goes hand in hand with manufacturing, especially in the past few years. The UAW strike against Ford, GM and Stellantis is our current area of uncertainty which we will manage. HellermannTyton is a diversified business as we are market leaders in several vertical industrial markets. But the length of the strike can affect overall demand for our products. Staying close to our customers, with open dialogue and a close watch on system orders, allows us to effectively manage this uncertainty. And, should the strike go on for an extended period of time, we also know to be ready for a rapid increase in demand as the car market will want to quickly replenish inventories.”

HellermannTyton provides cable management and identification solutions for a variety of industries, including automotive, data, defense, wind, solar, automation, medical equipment and heavy equipment. Tuttle has been president of HellermannTyton North America since 2017 and has been with the company for more than 30 years. She previously served in communications, marketing and sales roles. She has an undergraduate degree from Augustana College and a master’s from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in public communication.

Megan

Tzanoukakis, president and CEO, Sussex IM

“The macroeconomic environment we are currently in is concerning to me because of rising inflation and interest rates, at a time when the plastics industry is coming under scrutiny. Our customers are being pressured to use less desirable or more costly recycled materials on a durable plastic product. The higher costs of these products are passed on to the end consumer, which only increases inflationary pressures. We are helping to guide our customers to use sustainable manufacturing solutions in regard to tool design and automation to reduce part price while still maintaining a high-quality product.”

Sussex IM provides injection molding services with expertise in a number of different technologies for consumer products, medical and industrial markets. Tzanoukakis has been with the company since 2014 and became CEO in January. She previously worked at PwC and holds undergraduate and graduate accounting degrees from Marquette University.

George

Baumann, president and CEO, GL Industrial

“The main area of uncertainty for our company is to stay ahead of advances in the marketplace by converting our business from being known as a product brand to a service brand. Our vision is to become the nation’s most reliable industrial services provider. This means we believe we cannot grow if we are just seen by the market as a commodity or a product. Our vision is to align with manufacturers that are looking to become or have already become experience brands, and our job is to service them with products and services that align with their visions. We plan to prove that value by focusing on our three key priorities: invest in our people, embrace technology and seek new demand spaces.”

GL Industrial owns and operates Great Lakes Rubber, Acutraq, Fluid Logic Valves, and Midwest Sealing Products. The companies manufacture hydraulic valves and custom gaskets, distribute o-rings and other seals and provide RFID tracking solutions. Baumann is the third generation in his family to lead the company. He received an undergraduate degree in economics from Middlebury College and MBA from the University of Chicago.

Tracy

“The main area of uncertainty for our company is the inability to use prior predictors for future planning. Historically, inflation, interest rates, the housing market and unemployment rates were solid indicators of growth or lack of growth that we could predict for a coming year. But it seems these metrics are the same reliable indicator for us in this current market. While our residential markets are a bit slower following the economy, we are seeing more new construction and remodeling within the entertainment and hospitality areas we provide equipment for. This is then coupled with an unusual push downward on pricing which we do not usually see when opportunities are up. We are spending more time and investment on predictive modeling, investing more in our direct customer outreach and travel than we have in the past four years to be sure we are staying on top of an ever-changing demand environment.”

Perlick provides bar and beverage equipment, beverage dispensing systems, brewery fittings and commercial and luxury residential refrigeration products. Pearson joined the company as CFO in 2021 and has been CEO since March. Her prior experience includes finance leadership roles at Regal Ware, Spaulding Clinical, Franklin Energy Services, RMT Inc. and GE HealthCare. She earned her undergraduate degree at St. Norbert College and MBA at Boston College.

Pearson, president and CEO, Perlick

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Bradley Corp. leaders discuss pending sale

To be acquired by Massachusetts-based company

in $303 million deal

BY ASHLEY SMART AND ANDREW WEILAND, staff writers

MASSACHUSETTS-BASED Watts Water Technologies Inc., a manufacturer of plumbing, heating and water quality products, announced recently that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Menomonee Falls-based Bradley Corp. for $303 million.

Bradley Corp. is a manufacturer of commercial washroom and emergency safety products, serving commercial, primarily institutional and industrial end markets. Founded in 1921, the company has annual net sales of approximately $200 million.

Watts Water Technologies is a public company with $1.98 billion in annual sales. Its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange.

The net transaction value is approximately $268 million after adjusting for the estimated net present value of expected tax benefits of approxi-

mately $35 million, WWT said. The deal is subject to customary closing conditions and necessary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year, the company said.

Bryan Mullett, Bradley Corp.’s chairman and CEO, will join WWT as president of Bradley, a new platform within WWT’s Americas region. Mullet represents the fifth generation of Mullett family ownership and leadership of Bradley Corp., which was founded by Louis Schlesinger, Gustav Grossenbach and Howard A. Mullett, who became president of the company in 1928.

“We are very pleased to have Bradley join Watts and see tremendous opportunity for incremental value creation,” Mullett said. “This will help us capture the benefits from our diverse range of innovative and customized front-of-the-wall solutions and Watts’ global reach, broad product

portfolio and operational strength. I am looking forward to joining the management team to drive continued growth and support the integration of these two companies that have a combined 250year heritage of experience and endurance in sustainable water products and solutions.”

“Watts and Bradley complement each other well in terms of culture and shared vision, with proven track records of delivering innovative, high-quality products and solutions along with outstanding customer service,” said WWT chief executive officer Robert Pagano. “We look forward to welcoming the Bradley team to Watts Water Technologies.”

BizTimes Milwaukee reporter Ashley Smart recently connected with Mullett and Jon Dommisse, vice president of marketing and strategy for Bradley Corp., to learn more about the decision to sell and what’s next for the company.

BizTimes: How did the company decide it was time to sell and what did that conversation look like among family members?

Mullett: “My family was united in wanting to grow the business at an accelerated level, while also retaining the 100-year family legacy and sup-

porting local employment. Our relationship with Watts achieves these objectives and more.”

Did the company look at other buyers, private equity, doing an ESOP or even going public?

Dommisse: “We explored other options but found that Watts’ culture, industry reputation and commitment to American manufacturing was a great fit. Bradley also shares many customers and sales representatives.”

Will there be any changes to the Menomonee

Falls HQ/Germantown facility footprints or the overall workforce?

Dommisse: “We plan to continue manufacturing here in Menomonee Falls and Germantown in the current facilities and with our current workforce. We also plan on continued equipment investments.”

How do you plan to lead the business going forward and will part of that involve trying to maintain the culture the company built under family ownership?

Mullett: “Bradley has been a family business for over 100 years; Watts also has roots as a family business. In fact, throughout its 150-year history, founding family member descendants are still in the Watts business. The companies have a strong cultural match, common values and shared pride in manufacturing high-quality products. That was important to me.”

Any idea what shareholders/the family will use the money from the sale for?

Mullett: “My brothers already run successful businesses in the area, and they will continue to look for new opportunities.”

Resolve business challenges

Can you elaborate on what cost reductions will be achieved following the acquisition?

Dommisse: “We anticipate that leveraging Watts’ operational prowess and supply chain capabilities will benefit both companies.”

Accelerating growth was mentioned several times in the acquisition announcement. Will part of that growth be any sort of continued investment in Wisconsin facilities or workforce?

Dommisse: “We have made significant investments in our facilities over the past several years installing state-of-the-art equipment and technologies and modern workspaces for our office employees. These investments will continue as we plan our future growth.”

Why did you decide to stay on with the business and is there a set time period for your new role?

Mullett: “I feel strongly that Bradley will realize its full potential as part of the Watts family. This relationship of shared values and culture creates more opportunities for our employees, and our customers will have access to a wider range of high-quality products.” n

I glean valuable insights from every Roundtable meeting, often discovering multiple takeaways, even in discussions I initially believed would have no impact on my company. The collective knowledge and experiences of my finance peers have significantly shaped both my personal decisions and business decisions of my company.”

KIRSTEN CLAAS

Controller at MahlerClean

Mullet Dommissse

Developer, airport hope to increase cargo volume at Mitchell with new logistics hub

BY HUNTER TURPIN, staff writer

COMPETITION FOR AIR CARGO business is heating up as a large terminal for freight aircraft is planned at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, in an attempt to poach some traffic from Chicago O’Hare International Airport, the dominant cargo hub in the region.

The strength of Milwaukee’s economy is promising, project developers say, but capturing shipments from an international gateway like O’Hare will require more than just a new terminal, according to an expert familiar with the matter.

Dallas-based Crow Holdings, a real estate investment and development firm, announced earlier this year that it will develop and operate a 288,000-square-foot logistics hub at Mitchell International.

The firm is hopeful its development can attract airlines and logistics companies interested in fast access to the Chicago market for a lower cost than at O’Hare – and without the chronic congestion –

as well as those interested in tapping into southeast Wisconsin’s growing industrial base.

“Milwaukee is uniquely positioned with its long runways capable of accepting Class V widebody aircraft, strong employment base, much cheaper operating costs and extensive existing logistic infrastructure around the airport with a lot of excess capacity,” said Jack Rabenn, vice president of Crow Holdings’ industrial team. “This perfect blend of traits is not found at any other airport in the region and allows for carriers to service the same clients they serve out of O’Hare, while simultaneously broadening their service locally in southeast Wisconsin.”

NEW FACILITY IN THE WORKS

Plans for the logistics hub at Mitchell are still moving ahead but have been delayed due to the Federal Aviation Administration and other airside considerations, developers said. Crow Holdings is

aiming for a mid-2024 construction start, followed by an 18-month construction timeline.

Called the South Cargo Logistics Hub, the facility will be built on a 41-acre site at 300 E. College Ave., on the southern end of the airport.

The land was used by the 440th Airlift Wing of the U.S. Air Force Reserve from the mid-1950s until 2010, when the base was closed and the property was deeded back to Milwaukee County, which has been marketing the property as the MKE Regional Business Park.

The on-tarmac air cargo facility will be available for lease by a single tenant, or multiple tenants. With high ceilings and a wide footprint to facilitate storage and sorting, according to developers, the building will have 74 docks and 99 trailer stalls.

FedEx, UPS, USPS and DHL currently have air cargo operations at Mitchell International, according to an airport spokesperson.

“The relative decrease in passenger travel at MKE, combined with comparatively limited existing cargo operations means that there is a lot of excess capacity at the airport to handle the large increase in air traffic that this project is poised to bring,” Rabenn said.

Sandi Siegel, president of M.E. Dey & Co., a Milwaukee-based freight forwarder and customs broker, said that almost all of its clients in southeast Wisconsin are sending their air cargo through O’Hare because of its larger capacity and more frequent international flights.

But she agreed that getting cargo through O’Hare can be quite challenging.

“At some of the terminals in Chicago, the lines are extremely long for the truckers to wait to pick up the cargo, it might not be available for pick up after the plane lands for a day or several days because some of these terminals get so backed up,” Siegel said. “It’s very frustrating for the customer who’s paid a premium on air freight to get it here.”

GROWTH FORECASTED

Siegel said she welcomes a new cargo facility at Mitchell International, but said there needs to be support and coordination to make it successful.

“We can build the terminal here, but we have to hope that we’ll be able to get some service here and get some of the carriers on board,” she said.

The airport master plan for Mitchell International says the growth in e-commerce volumes will drive increased use of dedicated cargo jets there. A study conducted for the airport forecasts 3.7% annual compound growth to reach 364 million pounds of cargo in 2040.

But air freight has been decreasing at Milwaukee Mitchell in recent years. In 2018, 168 million

pounds of cargo came through the airport. In 2022, that number had dropped to 155 million pounds.

The airport master plan says that the addition of a new cargo facility will support the forecasted growth.

The airport and Crow Holdings’ aligned interest in growing cargo operations in Milwaukee has helped to forge a strong partnership between the two, said Rabenn.

“I was born and raised in Milwaukee and am very familiar with the airport and broader region,” he said. “The potential for an economic boom in this region is very real – it just needs a little push to kick things off. We believe this air cargo expansion is that catalyst.” n

A rendering of the South Cargo Logistics Hub.

JOHN REINEKING

ADRIAN STEPANSKI MACHINIST MATZEL MANUFACTURING

Adrian Stepanski, 22, began his career in the trades earlier this year when he was hired as a machinist by Milwaukee-based Matzel Manufacturing.

“He really enjoys his chosen profession,” said Christopher Stepanski, Adrian’s father. “He is an easy-going worker, willing to help out wherever necessary, always willing to put in extra hours when asked – even on a Friday – and is committed to a mindset of quality over quantity.”

Stepanski is fascinated with the machining process and has aspirations of learning how to operate different machinery and of moving up in the company, said Christopher Stepanski.

“He strongly believes that the trades need more people and likes to promote his decision to join the trades,” he added.

ERIN JOZWOWSKI MANUFACTURING ENGINEER KAPCO METAL STAMPING

Erin Jozwowski, manufacturing engineer at Grafton-based Kapco Metal Stamping, started in the company’s industrial engineering department and quickly moved into the manufacturing engineering group, where she is responsible for the flat lasers in the fabrication department.

Jozwowski recently graduated from the Kapco Lean Six Sigma Program with her Greenbelt.

“The Greenbelt Project improved throughput with the flat lasers through utilization of the tools learned in the Greenbelt program. She was able to work across three shifts and a highly crossfunctional team to find several root causes and put in place countermeasures,” said Joe Bassindale, Kapco’s director of manufacturing engineering.

“Erin has a tremendous mechanical aptitude and can understand a manufacturing process very quickly,” Bassindale added. “She adapts to new challenges and can immerse herself into a team very quickly. She has a gift to ask the right questions while digging for the truth.”

Why a college education costs so much

And why Mom and Dad are to blame

HERE ARE the top 10 reasons you are paying too much for college – and you have only yourself to blame.

1. Comfort dogs. Check one out at the campus counseling center to reduce your anxiety on tests or in meeting that special someone for a date. Whether you use one or not, the campus probably has them, and they are not free. Specially trained to help our young people with anxiety, many campuses employ them because they cost less than their human counselor and they make excellent campus spokespeople… spokes-pet?

2. The all-you-can-eat buffet. If your campus has one – most do – remember that Jimbo the jumbo lineman pays what Buffy the 90-pound freshman pays, but he eats 10 times more.

3. Dietary requirements. While we are on the buffet, think about all the allergies, preferences, organic, gluten-free, vegan choices each school must cater to. What we expect from colleges and universities is costly and outrageous, with the added bonus of putting on the freshman 15. But then I just food shamed…

4. Athletics. Back to Jimbo. You think football is cheap to produce? Think about all of the uniforms and buildings/fields necessary to host a team. Not to mention coaches! But you like to have diversions while you study and

besides, winning games builds self-esteem while bringing in players who ultimately are students too, right? Football isn’t the only sport that costs big bucks to produce. Pick any sport.

5. Scholarships. They cost a ton. Some schools have discount rates of 20%-30% or more. Discount rate? Yes, the real tuition rate. You aren’t paying full price, are you? What it says online is just the starting point. You need to negotiate, which lowers the cost for you, but raises the price for some other guy who is paying full price. Some schools call them presidential scholarships or something like that. The reality is that if you pay less, someone needs to cover the cost.

6. Top-quality faculty. No TA (teaching assistants) for my kid! Sounds great, but the higher the degree, the higher the cost. Doctors don’t come cheap. I know, I am one. Further, the higher the degree, the less time you typically spend teaching in the classroom. In fact, most academics prefer to spend time with their research, which builds their academic vitae, which means they cost more money to acquire. If Buffy or Jimbo actually get their Ph.D., you are paying big bucks and are likely to be in a lecture hall with hundreds. So much for good andragogy!

7. Sabbaticals. Those profs go on sabbatical, which is really a paid long-term vacation, which yields little for the student but costs tons of bucks.

8. Top administration. The titles are grand – regal almost – deans and provosts and chairs. If they are so needed, why does it take so long to fill a position? Some schools go with interim presidents for months or years, despite the salaries these positions demand. And today, most college presidents are glorified fundraisers. They need to raise the funds to pay the students the presidential scholarships that they give out (see #5). Think about how many schools advertise the number of scholarships and grants they disperse. Those are not free. For the president, the game goes

like this: the more scholarships given, the more students. The more students, the happier the trustees. Happy trustees mean better capital campaigns, which leads to bigger and newer buildings on campus. Cranes on campus is job security for the president.

9. New buildings. They are a cost to you. In fact, all that equipment costs you money whether you use it or not. Nothing is too good for my Johnny, only the best!

10. Plethora of majors. I throw this one in there so I can use my extensive word smithing thanks to my liberal arts degree. The average college kid goes to two different schools and changes their major three times. All those changes and transfers cost you money and, besides, international theology is different at every school. Johnny deserves current and cutting-edge curriculum. Chaching!

The expectations placed upon colleges today by the consumer are outrageous. In an attempt to meet demand and not fail in meeting enrollment requirements, the games are played until someone says enough. Enough! n

DAVID BORST

David Borst, Ed.D., is a former dean of the Concordia University Wisconsin School of Business. He currently sits on several boards, teaches at the doctoral level and runs the Milwaukee Lutheran High School honors academy. He can be reached at david.borst@cuw.com

Quality counselors

How to get the most from your advisory board

YOU’VE RECRUITED THREE outside directors to staff your new advisory board and bring fresh, unbiased perspective to your growing enterprise. However, without clear expectations and a disciplined process, boards can easily become mired in routine, and even dysfunction. How will you engage board members to keep them invigorated and contributing to maximize your return on investment?

THE HELPING TRAP AND HOW TO AVOID IT

New board members are often in a hurry to demonstrate value. You’re compensating them for their sage advice, or so they think. In their eagerness to help, they may throw out ready-made solutions that worked in a different setting, without fully understanding the dynamics at play in your business. What board members often don’t realize is the greatest value they can provide stems from their ability to ask penetrating questions and offer astute perspectives and insights that ultimately enable you to solve your own problems. To be truly helpful, they must learn about your industry, the drivers of the markets you serve, key customer segments, the economics of your business, the growth and profitability strategies you are pursuing and the essence of your competitive differentiation. The board should have a deep understanding of your ownership aspirations and objectives for the business, financial targets and core values. In addition, you must take the time to educate advisors about your operating model, company culture, talent mix, management struc-

ture and key personnel. The best way to channel the heartfelt desire to help is to give your board substantive issues to work on. Never present an issue as a “done deal,” but rather as a question that invites open-ended inquiry. You will discover that a robust, exploratory discussion often results in a redefinition of the perceived problem. While a typical agenda will include a review of recent financial performance and operational updates, you’ll want to spend the bulk of precious meeting time on strategic issues, leadership challenges and organizational or operational questions.

ROLE CLARITY: GOVERNANCE VS. MANAGEMENT

It’s important that you and your advisors are aligned in terms of board purpose and focus and the rules of engagement. New board members may be tempted to stray from their governance role into operations, because the territory is familiar, or because they lack confidence in management. The result is an unhealthy friction between directors and executive leaders. The advisor’s role is to question, challenge, monitor and evaluate, advise, guide and support. The best board members see themselves as stewards of the enterprise, rather than super managers.

MAXIMIZE MEETING VALUE

An advisory board is a working board, so design the meeting accordingly. Consider developing an agenda template, which you can populate with current topics prior to each meeting and include in the board meeting package. The standard format will help to establish a predictable flow and facilitate time management. Every element of the agenda should have a clearly articulated purpose and, in some instances, a desired outcome, so board members know what’s expected of them. Are you informing or educating, looking for perspective or guidance, asking for input, options or recommendations?

Make sure you have at least one “deep dive” topic on the agenda. Reserve time for updates to “close the loop” on issues previously discussed. This will help to build continuity between meetings and between the board and management. Conclude the meeting with suggestions for im-

provement and a solicitation of topics for future board meetings.

BUILD CAMARADERIE

The multiplier impact of a truly collaborative board, operating as part of a larger team with owners and managers can be profound. How do you foster the kind of synergy that enhances value?

First, recognize that the advisory board is not just a business entity; it is an interpersonal experience. Include social and bonding elements in each meeting. Open the meeting with personal updates, perhaps over lunch. Vary the topics. Plan one social event a year, like a cocktail reception including key management personnel. Introduce owner spouses to the board. Include board members in celebrations of major company accomplishments or milestones.

At least once a year, conduct an informal evaluation of board process, effectiveness and accomplishments. Ask members privately about their level of personal satisfaction with their participation and contribution and obtain their input on areas of concern.

Finally, find a way to communicate to your employees the value and professionalism the board brings to your business. n

PAUL WOERPEL

Paul Woerpel is the president of Madisonbased Transformation Consulting Group. He is a strategic planning consultant with more than 30 years of experience and more than 150 clients. He can be reached at paul@strategic-agility.com.

Ways marketers harm their brands

EVERY COMPANY must be a marketing company to compete, succeed and grow. There’s no way around it.

Most companies that understand the value and significance of marketing employ a marketing director, CMO or marketing agency.

Then there are some companies that value marketing, but not enough to hire a full-time marketing professional. They assign it to someone who agrees to take it on, but only when they have time. This isn’t a good idea. Such employees aren’t going to be familiar with marketing best practices and how marketing can backfire, causing brand damage if seemingly innocent shortcuts are taken.

Here are 10 mistakes marketers make that cause harm to their brands:

1. GOING TO MARKET WITH A SOFT OR WEAK BRAND

Is your brand strong enough and compelling enough for potential customers to give it priority consideration above your competition when they need what you sell? Is your brand well-differentiated so that your target audience knows exactly why they should buy from you based on a strong value proposition? Marketing a soft or weak brand will do you more harm than good.

2. COPYCAT MARKETING

Although everyone knows copycat marketing is verboten it happens more often than many would guess. No company will ever become a leader by copying competitors’ content and intellectual property.

3. NO MARKETING STRATEGY

Those who fail to plan, plan to fail. Developing ad hoc, impromptu marketing campaigns drains budgets, is often ineffective and confuses customers.

4. INCONSISTENT MARKETING

This is often the consequence of no one being in charge of marketing, which places salespeople in the awkward position of doing their own thing. Nothing confuses customers more than mixed and conflicting marketing messaging. It’s an ugly scene and will surely damage your brand.

5. FAILING TO CREATE WELL-ROUNDED BUYER PERSONAS

Targeted marketing is so 2022. Enter hyper-targeted marketing – highly personalized and relevant to individual types of buyers. When you consider the amount of marketing noise your buyers are subjected to every hour of every day, you’ll begin to appreciate and understand the value and effectiveness of hyper-targeted marketing.

6. OVERCOMMITTING TO TOO MANY MARKETING CHANNELS AND TACTICS

Many marketers are led to believe that they need to be everywhere and do everything because you never know where or how you’re going to get the attention of your next prospective customer. This tune has changed. The better strategy is to be in a few places and do a few things exceptionally well.

7. OUTSOURCING (TOO MUCH) MARKETING TO GENERATIVE AI

As much as many marketers would like to think that generative AI will take care of their marketing, it’s nowhere near as capable as many wish it to be. I’ve tried to have AI produce interesting content as part of my marketing strategy, and it continually falls short of my expectations.

8. ALWAYS SHOPPING FOR A BARGAIN

Although your gut tells you the more expensive person would deliver a higher quality product, you may wonder how low you can really go to get someone who will

be tolerable, or at best, mediocre. In business, mediocrity sucks. Mediocrity translates to poor-quality work, excuses, missed deadlines, excuses, typos and misspellings, excuses, non-responsiveness, accidents and more excuses.

9. REACTIVE INSTEAD OF PROACTIVE MARKETING

Reactive marketing typically occurs when a company finds out that a competitor is launching a new campaign and follows suit. Reactive marketing drains budgets and is not measurable. Proactive marketing, on the other hand, enables marketers to forecast and prepare for new opportunities so that when opportunities present themselves, much of the work is already done.

10. NO ONE PAYING ATTENTION TO THE WEBSITE

Websites need constant attention to ensure they’re functioning properly and doing what they’re supposed to do. The more common and larger problems occur when multiple people are given admin access to the site and start adding, deleting, changing and editing content without communicating with one another. n

SCOTT SEROKA

Scott Seroka, the president of Brookfield-based Seroka Industrial Branding, is an entrepreneur, consultant, trainer, and mentor. He can be reached at (414) 628-4547.

Julie Waterman

Indulgence Chocolatiers

“Staying motivated and passionate is such a challenge in business but so key to avoiding burnout. To stay motivated I consistently set a variety of goals. I have some goals that are short term and easier to accomplish so I regularly feel like I’m making progress, medium-term goals that will require engaging my team, and then a threeto-five-year plan that I regularly revisit and adapt my shorter-term goals to.

“Recently, I’ve really had to focus on becoming passionate about my business again. The constant survival mode of the pandemic was exhausting and took a toll on me. I was constantly on, yet treading water. It may seem counterintuitive, but reinvigorating my passion for business has actually meant stepping back to focus on worklife balance. I’ve made a point to have actual days off as a part of my schedule. In the past couple of years, I’ve started to take regular vacations and traveled, which has brought me new flavor and menu inspiration.

“With this balance, I find myself going to work energized, inspired and more fully engaged. It’s more focused and purposeful work and I’m finding myself passionate about my business again. And an added benefit of letting go of some areas for better work-life balance is that it has given my staff opportunities to grow. I’m amazed by what they have taken on, made their own and ultimately, we’re a stronger company because of it.”

James Marino CEO Jackson’s Chips

“At Jackson’s it’s easy to be passionate and motivated about our business. We are fortunate to have a high-quality product and purposeful brand in a category with white space and plenty of runway for growth. Having said that, there’s no question that the business climate in the postCOVID economy is very different than it was five years ago. The challenges businesses face with rising costs, labor shortages and dysfunctional supply chains have impacted every business, but new challenges bring new opportunities.

“As cliché as it may sound, it still comes down to culture, working every day with a high-performing team of talented, accountable, prideful, innovative, fast and agile employees who treat the business as their own. We aren’t afraid to think outside of the box and take risks. We fail forward, learning from our mistakes and applying them to continuous improvement. Instead of accepting the current environment as it is, we challenge ourselves to find a better way. A lot of our competitors are using the current environment as an excuse to say no, while our team rallies behind finding a way to say yes. That’s what gets me out of bed every morning.

“My advice for other leaders is no matter how challenging your issues may seem, how powerless you may feel over certain issues, know that everyone has to deal with similar challenges and there is always an opportunity to deal with those challenges better than your competition.”

Troy Peterson CEO Hoffman York

“At Hoffman York, I’ve been fortunate enough to experience enthusiasm that has made it easy for me to remain passionate and motivated in our business. Throughout my entire journey, I’ve been surrounded by individuals who are not just driven, but who also thrive on the opportunity to unleash their creativity in crafting distinctive and captivating advertising campaigns for our clients. Innovative ideas and campaigns are what keeps our work consistently interesting, and witnessing our teams tackle intricate marketing challenges is incredibly gratifying. And this year, we’re celebrating our 90th anniversary, which is a testament to Hoffman York’s tenacity at our core for nine decades.

“As a leader, I’d wholeheartedly recommend a few key principles I’ve found to be most helpful. First and foremost, always remain inquisitive and committed to learning. Many industries are experiencing rapid change. Embrace emerging technologies, stay attuned to industry trends and embrace new developments with open arms. Furthermore, lead by example. Enthusiasm is a contagious force, and by embodying it through your actions and attitude, you can inspire your team to reflect your energy and passion.

“Lastly, foster an environment that encourages innovation within your organization. Embracing new approaches and daring to experiment with diverse strategies can lead to groundbreaking insights and, in my case, the creation of award-winning advertising campaigns.” n

What keeps you passionate and motivated about your business, and what advice do you have for other leaders to maintain their enthusiasm over the long term?

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

NONPROFIT

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation

(REQUESTOR PUBLICATIONS ONLY)

Lauber Names Katie Hofman As Vice President, Lauber Community Partners

Katie Hofman has joined Lauber Community Partners as its Vice President. In this role she will serve as a key driver of the firm’s plans to expand its delivery of talent solutions to support the nonprofit sector. Julie Tolan, President of Lauber Community Partners shared,” Katie brings us critical skills & experience as we expand our capabilities to better serve clients. She is an amazing talent and one of the finest professionals I’ve worked with. It will be a privilege for us to help organizations thrive by helping them develop strong leadership, compelling strategies, & focused implementation of those strategies.

Operose Advisors

Names Skip McGregor Partner Operose Advisors announced today that Skip McGregor has become a shareholder in its holding company, Beulah Holdings LLC.

Skip joined Operose Advisors in 2020 as a Managing Director. He adds valuable experience as the primary investment advisor on several key firm relationships. He is responsible for business development and provides advice to clients with respect to planning, execution, and feedback of investment programs, investment policy development, asset class assessment, investment management and ongoing client service.

McGregor serves on the boards of Milwaukee Winter Club and Rocketship Public Schools.

NO.: 017-813

3. FILING DATE: September 15, 2023

4.

7. COMPLETE MAILING ADDRESS OF KNOWN OFFICE OF PUBLICATION (STREET, CITY, COUNTY, STATE, AND ZIP+4):

Jefferson St, Suite 403, Milwaukee WI 53202-6120

Editor: Andrew Weiland - 126 N Jefferson St, Suite 403, Milwaukee WI 53202-6120

10. OWNER: Dan Meyer - 126 N Jefferson St, Suite 403, Milwaukee WI 53202-6120

11. KNOWN BONDHOLDERS, MORTGAGEES, AND OTHER SECURITY HOLDERS OWNING OR HOLDING 1 PERCENT OR MORE OF TOTAL AMOUNT OF BONDS, MORTGAGES OR OTHER SECURITIES: None

12. TAX STATUS: Has not changed during preceding 12 months

CONSTRUCTION

Balestrieri is proud to welcome Jessica Balestrieri as a Project Manager/ Estimator.

In the role of Project Manager/Estimator, Jessica is responsible for bidding on jobs, developing estimates, and coordinating with the client and field supervisor to execute the project with quality and accuracy. Welcome to the team Jessica!

ARCHITECTURE

Kahler Slater welcomes Julia Jude as Principal and Pediatric Practice Leader

Kahler Slater is pleased to announce Julia Jude has joined as Principal and Pediatric Practice Leader. She will lead the growth and evolution of pediatric healthcare design and strategy and foster client relationships across the United States.

LEGAL SERVICES

Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols S.C. Welcomes Alyssa N. Chojnacki as an Attorney

MTFN is pleased to welcome Alyssa N. Chojnacki as an attorney in the litigation practice group. “We are excited to have Alyssa join our growing litigation team,” said Shareholder Mark D. Malloy.

BANKING

Waukesha State Bank Promotes Leo Spanuello to Mortgage Lending Manager

Waukesha State Bank has promoted Spanuello to senior vice president – mortgage lending manager. In this position, Spanuello will be responsible for managing the mortgage lending staff and leading the day-to-day operations of the department.

17.

18. I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits

BIZ

PEOPLE Advertising Section: New Hires, Promotions and Board Appointments

LEGAL SERVICES

von Briesen & Roper, s.c. is pleased to welcome Timothy J. Proue as Shareholder

With over a decade of experience and a member of Business Practice Group, he counsels business and institutional clients on business formation, bylaws and governance, contract negotiation, mergers and acquisitions and employment.

LEGAL SERVICES

von Briesen & Roper, s.c. welcomes Maeve G. O’Malley to its Waukesha office.

As a member of the Labor & Employment Section, Maeve enjoys working with both private employers and governmental entities on a wide range of employment matters. She is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin and the Milwaukee Bar Association.

LEGAL SERVICES

von Briesen & Roper, s.c. welcomes Sam Schultz as a Land Use and Development Advisor

Sam joins with significant experience assisting both public and private sector with short and long-range community planning projects, including economic development, zoning and land division ordinances, community engagement and parks and open spaces.

LEGAL SERVICES

von Briesen & Roper, s.c. welcomes Kevin J. Clark as Shareholder

Kevin focuses his practice on civil litigation in construction, real estate, land use and development matters representing developers, construction companies, commercial real estate brokerages, and municipalities.

LEGAL SERVICES

Meghan K. Wallace joins von Briesen & Roper, s.c.

As a member of the Health and Business Sections she focuses her practice on corporate law and transactional matters for businesses, health care and nonprofit organizations. She is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin and Milwaukee Bar Association.

MANUFACTURING

Sheboygan Paint Company Names Cynthia Baricos New Vice President of Operations

Baricos (nee Bal) has been named VP of Operations at Sheboygan Paint Company. Previously its VP of Research & Development, Baricos offers deep experience with the company’s chemistries, manufacturing processes and datadriven decision making.

LEGAL SERVICES

Melissa L. Weinstein joins the Milwaukee office of von Briesen & Roper, s.c.

As a member of the Litigation and Risk Management Practice Group, Melissa focuses her practice on commercial and business litigation including shareholder disputes, breach of contract matters and business torts.

ADVERTISE TODAY!

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

NOMINATE!

N OTA BLE HEALTH CARE LEADERS

Salutes the accomplishments of people and organizations making a positive difference on the front lines of health care.

Nomination Deadline: November 3, 2023

Issue Date: December 11, 2023

N OTA BLE LITIGATORS AND TRIAL ATTORNEYS

Recognizing litigators and trial attorneys who have led headline-making court battles in high profile cases, winning big for their clients and mentoring the next wave of professionals – all while finding ways to give back to their communities.

Nomination Deadline: November 3, 2023

Issue Date: December 11, 2023

CITY, NONPROFITS TO RECEIVE $3 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING TO FIGHT YOUTH HOMELESSNESS

The city of Milwaukee has been selected by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to receive more than $3 million in funding through the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program to help develop systems to prevent youth homelessness here.

The YHDP application was a year-long collaboration between Pathfinders, a Milwaukee nonprofit dedicated to helping homeless youth, the city, Milwaukee’s Continuum of Care and a Youth Action Board comprised of 15 youth and young adult leaders from Pathfinders with lived homelessness experience.

Milwaukee was one of 16 com-

calendar

munities selected across the U.S. to receive YHDP funding in the program’s seventh annual round of grant awards.

“This investment represents a major milestone in the journey to bring youth and young adult homelessness front and center,” said Tim Baack, president and CEO of Pathfinders. “An estimated 15,000 young people experience homelessness in Milwaukee each year.”

The next step in this process will bring together the Youth Action Board, city officials and Continuum of Care partners to plan for how the YHDP funding will be allocated.

—Cara Spoto, staff writer

SPOTLIGHT

The Milwaukee Public Museum will host its annual gala, “Inside Out: Designing Our Future,” on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. at the museum, 800 W. Wells St., Milwaukee. Reservations are first come, first served. Individual tickets are $500.

Free Movement will host its “Breaking Every Chain: Dignity for Incarcerated Women & Girls” fundraiser on Tuesday, Oct. 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Zoofari Center on the grounds of the Milwaukee County Zoo, 9715 W. Bluemound Road, Milwaukee. Tickets range from $35 for a “justice-impacted” person to $350 for a table.

Rescue Gang, a Milwaukee-area dog rescue, will host its anniversary fundraising gala on Saturday, Oct. 21 from 5:30 to 11 p.m. at the Wauwatosa Woman’s Club, 1626 N. Wauwatosa Ave., Wauwatosa.

Diamond Jubilee Pearls Foundation will host “Party with A Purpose: The Pink Experience” to raise money for scholarships on Saturday, Oct. 21 from 3 to 9 p.m. at Mr. B’s Lounge, 8617 W. Brown Deer Road, Milwaukee.

DONATION ROUNDUP

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded the City of Milwaukee and nonprofit partners, including Pathfinders, $3 million to fight youth homelessness. | Kohl’s Corp. has pledged to donate $1 million to Employ Milwaukee, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, NAMI Southeast Wisconsin and the Greater Milwaukee Urban League. | The Rocket Community Fund, the philanthropic arm of Rocket Companies, will donate $300,000 to United MKE’s Anti-Displacement Fund to help protect homeowners in downtown-adjacent neighborhoods from displacement caused by increasing property taxes.

VIA CDC

3524 W. National Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53215 414-585-8534 | www.viacdc.org

Facebook: facebook.com/VIACDC

Instagram: @via_cdc

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/viacdc/

Year founded: 1995

Mission statement: VIA CDC is a partner in building strong, healthy neighborhoods where all can thrive.

Primary focus: VIA focuses on grassroots community development, economic growth and housing outreach in the near south side neighborhoods of Layton Park, Silver City and Burnham Park as well as affordable real estate development throughout the city of Milwaukee.

Other focuses: In addition to its core focus areas, VIA supports the seven neighbor-identified strategic areas of our neighborhood Quality of Life Plan: neighborhood appearance, community safety network, social engagement, youth education and leadership, healthy living, community identity and economic development.

Number of employees: 12

Key donors: Zilber Family Foundation, Community Development Block Grants through the City of Milwaukee, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Bader Philanthropy, Otto Bremer Trust, American Family Insurance, LISC Milwaukee and others.

Executive leadership: JoAnna Bautch, executive director; Lisa King, deputy director; Johnny D’Agostino, real estate development director; Brisa Van Galen, community outreach director; Lisa Mecha, finance director.

Board of directors: Marjorie Rucker, chair, The Business Council Inc.; Kimber

Simos, vice chair, Hatco Corp.; Raul “Rudy” Gutierrez, secretary, U.S. Bank; JoAnna Bautch, ex-officio, VIA CDC; Marlene Castillo, Johnson Bank; Benjamin Juarez, entrepreneur; Alejandra Gonzalez, Artesania; Pedro Hernande, Legal Aid Services; Pa Sponcia, Sponcia Consulting; Joe Lamers, Milwaukee County; Amanda Hernandez, Associated Bank; Rosaura Solano, School Sisters of St. Francis

Is your organization actively seeking board members for the upcoming term? Yes

What roles are you looking to fill? VIA is seeking board members that live in our neighborhoods, are small business owners, or have a real estate, business or corporate background.

Ways the business community can help your nonprofit: One-time/ recurring donations and event sponsorships; in-kind donations for housing development, community meetings/events, home improvement projects; promoting/engagement in events like our annual Silver City InterNational Festival; sharing expertise in areas including real estate, property management and investment.

Key fundraising events: The annual Silver City InterNational Festival, held the Saturday after Labor Day on National Avenue. We are also continuously seeking new fundraising opportunities, especially as we move into our new office space on National Avenue and continue to grow our work.

Third Ward gateway in 1961

This March 1961 Herman Wudtke photo shows a large brick building along the Milwaukee River and North Water Street in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward. The signage on the building reads “Milfur, Inc. Custom Tanning, manufacturing, cleaning of fine deerskin products. Jackets, gloves, mitts, moccasins, wallets, bags, hats, vests.” Today, the site is home to the River Renaissance condominiums, which were built in the mid-2000s, The Starling events venue, Spire Fitness, and Vino Third Ward, a wine bar and store.

COMMENTARY

Missing link to stadium deal

WILL THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS remain here after their American Family Field lease expires in 2030? It depends on elected officials striking a deal for taxpayers to fund future renovations to the stadium.

The stadium opened in 2001 and cost about $392 million to build, mostly funded by a 0.1% five-county sales tax, which ended in 2020.

Now, just three years later, the stadium district, the public entity that owns American Family Field, is running out of money. The Brewers say they won’t sign a lease extension without a public commitment for hundreds of millions of dollars for stadium upgrades.

Numerous state and local officials have said they want to find a way to keep the Brewers here.

Earlier this year, Gov. Tony Evers presented a plan to use $290 million of the state’s budget surplus to fund future stadium improvements, and the Brewers would agree to extend their

lease through 2043.

Republicans quickly rejected that plan. They want to use much of the surplus for a tax cut.

Republicans recently unveiled their own plan for American Family Field upgrades, calling for the state to spend $400 million, the city and county of Milwaukee to spend $200 million and the Brewers to provide $100 million. The Brewers would then extend their lease to 2050.

Local officials are pushing back on their funding share, which would be about $5 million a year for the county and $2.5 million a year for the city. But they have no say. The deal will be determined by the Legislature and Evers.

However, the deal will probably need bipartisan support, and city and county funding requirements are a tough sell for Democrats.

A compromise is needed. Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson wants the Brewers to develop some of the stadium’s massive parking lots, which would create year-round economic activity and generate property tax revenue, which the city and county could use to help pay for their share of stadium improvement costs.

The Brewers are resistant to this idea because parking is a valuable revenue source for

VOLUME 29, NUMBER 10 OCTOBER 9, 2023

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

PHONE: 414-277-8181 FAX: 414-277-8191

WEBSITE: www.biztimes.com

CIRCULATION: 414-336-7100 | circulation@biztimes.com

ADVERTISING: 414-336-7112 | advertising@biztimes.com

EDITORIAL: 414-336-7120 | andrew.weiland@biztimes.com

REPRINTS: 414-336-7100 | reprints@biztimes.com

PUBLISHER / OWNER

Dan Meyer dan.meyer@biztimes.com

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Mary Ernst mary.ernst@biztimes.com

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT / OWNER Kate Meyer kate.meyer@biztimes.com

EDITORIAL

EDITOR

Andrew Weiland andrew.weiland@biztimes.com

MANAGING EDITOR Arthur Thomas arthur.thomas@biztimes.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Maredithe Meyer maredithe.meyer@biztimes.com

REPORTER

Ashley Smart ashley.smart@biztimes.com

REPORTER Cara Spoto cara.spoto@biztimes.com

REPORTER

Hunter Turpin hunter.turpin@biztimes.com

INTERN REPORTER

Ellie Batten ellie.batten@biztimes.com

SALES & MARKETING

DIRECTOR OF SALES

Linda Crawford linda.crawford@biztimes.com

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Christie Ubl christie.ubl@biztimes.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Paddy Kieckhefer paddy.kieckhefer@biztimes.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Dylan Dobson dylan.dobson@biztimes.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Christy Peterson christy.peterson@biztimes.com

SALES ADMIN Kristin Anderson kristin.anderson@biztimes.com

ADMINISTRATION

ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR Sue Herzog sue.herzog@biztimes.com

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE/CIRCULATION Derik Sneide derik.sneide@biztimes.com

PRODUCTION & DESIGN

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Alex Schneider alex.schneider@biztimes.com

Independent & Locally Owned Founded 1995 —

the team, they want to preserve the tailgating culture and real estate development is complex and takes time to bear returns.

But real estate development districts around sports venues is an increasingly common practice, including the Deer District around Fiserv Forum.

Just as the stadium belongs to the taxpayers, so do the parking lots around it. As part of a stadium funding package, officials should issue a request for proposals seeking developers interested in buying the parking lots south of I-94 between Highway 175 and the Menomonee River. The city could create a TIF district to assist the development and to collect property taxes that could be used for stadium improvement costs.

That still leaves a vast amount of parking east of the river and northwest of the stadium for Brewers fans to tailgate. n

ANDREW WEILAND

EDITOR

/ 414-336-7120 / andrew.weiland@biztimes.com

/ @AndrewWeiland

— Photo courtesy of the Milwaukee Public Library / Historic Photo Collection

5 MINUTES WITH… RYAN

CASTELAZ

Founder and creative director, Discourse Coffee

FROM ITS HUMBLE beginnings in Sister Bay, Door County, to its current footprint of two – soon to be three – cafe locations in and around downtown Milwaukee, Discourse Coffee has broken into the local market with aspirations of growing into a $10 million business within the next five years. In the past year alone, Discourse saw revenue increase 90% to $500,000, says Ryan Castelaz, who founded Discourse in 2017, relocated it to Milwaukee in 2021 and now co-owns the business with partner Sean Liu. In January, Discourse will take its biggest step yet with the opening of an all-day cafe at Radio Milwaukee. BizTimes Milwaukee associate editor Maredithe Meyer recently caught up with Castelaz to talk about the recently announced cafe and his overall vision for Discourse. The following portions of their conversation have been edited for length and clarity.

COFFEE SHOP OF THE FUTURE

“The Radio Milwaukee (cafe) is being designed as our exemplar for our retail operations going forward. It’s the cafe that we’ve always wanted to build, and it is the cafe that we will continue to grow within. It’s a cafe that encompasses all of the things we’ve learned over the years, all the things we love: amazing coffee, amazing tea, amazing cocktails, amazing food, amazing music. All of that is a huge part of our experience and this is the first time we’re able to offer it all simultaneously in one space.

“I believe strongly that the all-day cafe, celebrating a variety of offerings beyond (coffee), is the model of the future. There will be very

few coffee shops left within the next 10 years if they do not embrace expansion of services. As overhead increases, it will be extremely difficult for coffee operators to turn a profit in what is already a tight-margined industry, so we need to be thinking about how we expand ourselves into areas that have traditionally higher margins. For us, that expansion is in the creation of the all-day cafe.”

SEEKING INVESTORS

“We’re in the midst of a fundraising round and rallying support for the work that needs to be done in the cafe. … We’re talking to investors in a variety of fields. Private equity investments, loans at prime or convertible debt arrangements are all options we’re considering with our investing partners. It’s a unique opportunity because it is not an investment in a parent company. We have insulated (the Radio Milwaukee cafe) as its own company and its own location. The growth potential is limited to what can be achieved within one retail footprint, so in talking with investors it’s been interesting to go back and forth about the growth opportunities and the growth avenues we see in this space.”

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

“We have really strong beliefs about the potential of the parent company going forward. … I’ve had to dive a lot more into the numbers, the dollars, the cents, the levers, the business behind what we do. It’s not just about making drinks; we’re making drinks in a way that is sustainable and can achieve growth. So, the valuation I’m putting on the company now is, we are looking to achieve – and will achieve – a $10 million valuation within the next five years. …

“… We’re out to prove that coffee can be a sustainable industry for both the employees and the employer, and we can generate shareholder returns while also creating meaningful and valuable lives for our employees. It doesn’t have to be either-or.” n

Ryan Castelaz (right) with co-owner Sean Liu.

DISCOURSE COFFEE/RADIO MILWAUKEE

Discourse will open a cafe on the ground floor of Radio Milwaukee’s building at 220 E. Pittsburgh Ave., Milwaukee.

PRESENTS:

2023

Thursday, November 2, 2023

2:30 – 6:00pm

2:30pm | Registration

3:00pm | Awards Program

4:30pm | Networking Reception

Italian Community Center

Join BizTimes Media in recognizing the region’s top nonprofits and corporate citizens at the 2023 Nonprofit Excellence Awards.

These nonprofits and corporate citizens go above and beyond to create a lasting impact in the lives of those they serve and have truly made a difference in our community. You will be inspired by thought-provoking and heartfelt acceptance speeches from influential figures who have dedicated their lives to social change and community development.

The excitement doesn’t end with the awards ceremony; it continues with an exclusive networking and cocktail reception. We invite you to stay and mingle with the finalists, honorees, and fellow community leaders in an atmosphere of camaraderie and celebration.

2023 Award Finalists:

Corporate Citizenship Awards

Corporate Citizen of the Year:

Ellenbecker Investment Group

• Kesslers Diamonds

• MLG Capital

Corporate Volunteer of the Year:

Heather Deaton, Ellenbecker Investment Group

• Lauren Hess, Associated Bank

• Jim Mueller, Brown & Brown

Next Generation Leadership:

• Patrick Lubar, Ixonia Bank

• Brandon Ramey, Quad MKE

Stacy Scheffer, Charter Steel

In-Kind Supporter:

• Associated Bank

• BVK

Wisconsin Center District

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Ellen and Joe Checota

Nonprofit Awards

Nonprofit Executive of the Year:

• Kenneth Ginlack, Serenity Inns

• Charlotte John-Gomez, Siebert Lutheran Foundation

Dawn Nuoffer, Down Syndrome Assoc. of Wisconsin

• Miryam Rosenzweig, Milwaukee Jewish Federation

Nonprofit Collaboration of the Year:

• ArtWorks for Milwaukee Curative Care Network

• Milwaukee County Historical Society

Social Enterprise of the Year

• Sherman Phoenix Foundation

Small Nonprofit Organization of the Year: Literacy Services of Wisconsin

• Milwaukee Community Sailing Center

• Project RETURN

Waukesha Civic Theater

Large Nonprofit Organization of the Year:

• Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center United Community Center

PLATINUM SPONSOR: